July 2, 2008
BMW Direct, Inc.
A great article on a Republican fundraising outfit that targets impossible races, raises boat loads of money, trickles a little to the candidate, and pockets the rest.
In the Morse case, as with others, BMW Direct tapped into an ideologically right-wing base of donors around the country who are eager to contribute to any effort to defeat high-profile liberals like Frank and Kennedy. To stoke conservative passions and generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for its unknown candidate, Morse, BMW Direct sent out mailings that flogged Frank as an “ultra-liberal.”
As the funds poured in and BMW paid itself and related entities with the proceeds, Morse never appeared at a campaign event or candidate forums. Nor did he promote his candidacy with any advertising, mailings, or phone banks. He had no headquarters or staff. Having never taken out nomination papers, he needed 2,000 votes in the Sept. 19 Republican primary election to qualify for the general election ballot, but fell far short with 145.
“Basically, after the primary I suspended activities,” Morse said.
Yet BMW Direct continued its fund-raising appeals to Republican donors, even after Morse failed to qualify for the general election ballot and no longer considered himself a candidate.
(via tpm)
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