Analysis of campaign finance reports
All the names and numbers from the campaign finance reports are in the previous entry.
UPDATE: I had asked about the identity of John Conine, a major donor to several candidates. A reader sends along a news clip about John Conine from the July 14, 2002, edition of the Tulsa Whirled, page E2:
F&M Bank & Trust Co. has announced the appointment of John Conine to its board of directors. Conine is president of JFC Management and JFC Automotive Rental Group.
So the F&M-related numbers below have been adjusted appropriately.
Some observations and analysis:
Names connected with F&M Bank pop up for certain incumbents: Tom Baker got $1,000 combined from Eric Davis and John Conine. Art Justis got $2,500 combined from Eric Davis, Anthony Davis, and Conine. And David Patrick hit the jackpot: a combined $7,300 from Jay Helm, Eric Davis, Anthony Davis, John Conine, and Frank Murphy III: all board members of F&M Bancorporation, the holding company for The F&M Bank & Trust Company. (Robert E. Lorton, Chairman and Publisher of the World Publishing Co. -- which publishes the Tulsa Whirled -- is also Chairman of F&M Bancorporation and the F&M Bank & Trust Company.) The connection between these donations is underlined by the fact that they were all received on the same day, January 27, according to the financial reports for Patrick and Justis. (Baker's report fails to list "Date Accepted" for his contributions.)
UPDATE: F&M Bancorporation board members were even more generous to Randy Sullivan, giving him $7,550, more than half of his campaign funds.
Joe Westervelt, a developer and the contentious chairman of the TMAPC, who rudely dismissed the property owners who appeared at last Wednesday's hearing on the zoning protest process, spread some money around. Who are his favorite councilors? He gave $500 to David Patrick, $500 to Tom Baker, and $500 to Art Justis. Interesting: He contributed to three of the four councilors who voted to cut off the homeowners who tried to present their case to the Council last October 30, so he leans toward councilors who like to deny homeowners a fair hearing. He likes Bill Christiansen, too, but not as much, I guess because he only gave Bill $300. (UPDATE: Westervelt also gave Randy Sullivan $300.)
And who are the Radleys? Two Radley couples gave money to Tom Baker, listing Claremore addresses, and Steve Radley (same name as a Baker donor) gave money to Justis, but lists an address of 12217 E Admiral Place, which I believe is the location of a mobile home sales business. Justis also received money the same day from Serenity Homes, right next door at 12221 E Admiral Place, and the Oklahoma Manufactured Housing PAC. Jerald Summers also gave $500 to Justis that day -- is there a connection? And why are people with an interest in mobile homes giving to City Council candidates?
If you've got answers, e-mail me at blog at batesline dot com.
It's striking how many candidates lent themselves money. I count myself blessed and grateful that in my 2002 campaign my friends, family, fellow MIT alumni, and fellow neighborhood activists provided me with about $17,000, and I didn't have to borrow any money. To be sure, I had to forego some pay, and I had personal expenses that I wouldn't have ordinarily incurred (meals out, especially), but my family didn't bear the financial burden of the campaign.
Notice also that candidates, particularly incumbents, will defer contributions and expenditures until after the reporting period ends, so as not to give their opponents an idea of how well funded they are. Challengers tend to spend more money earlier because they have to build name recognition, while two weeks is more than enough time to raise and spend the money needed for a normal re-election campaign. For example, Bill Christiansen raised nothing and spent nothing until the final two weeks of the primary campaign, so he didn't have to report any activity on the pre-primary report; none of his campaign contributions would be public knowledge until after the election was already over.
Some of the good guys got some big money too. So who is S. Mike Oxley, who gave $5,000 to Chris Medlock? He's the head of Energy Advocates, and he's been very generous with conservative candidates and causes. He's got a history of supporting people who show political courage. He doesn't have any business before the City or any of its boards and commissions as far as I am aware, and from what I know of Mr. Oxley, this is just his way to help re-elect a good man to office.
John Eagleton had one of the highest spending totals from the primary, but most of the money came from a personal loan (about $9,000) and $5,000 from his parents. No special interest money here.
Frank Henke gave $500 and $400 respectively to James Mautino and Roscoe Turner. Frank's wife Bonnie finished a close second to Susan Neal in the 2002 Republican primary. They have been advocates for neighborhood concerns, and here they are supporting their fellow neighborhood advocates who are on the ballot this year. (The Henkes also contributed to my campaign in 2002.)
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