OBAMA LURES The D.P.’s

Las Vegas Review Journal
OBAMA LURES DEAD PRESIDENTS
July 20, 2009

The May fundraiser headlined by Obama brought in $1.47 million to split between Reid’s campaign and the Nevada State Democratic Party, according to a report filed last week with the Federal Election Commission.

The money from the presidential fundraiser went to a joint account, the Reid Victory Fund, set up specially for the occasion. The fund, in turn, doled out most of that money to Reid and the Democrats based on federal contribution limits.

An individual can give $4,800 per election cycle to a candidate and $10,000 to a party.

Reid’s campaign originally had said the Obama fundraiser, held May 26 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, brought in close to $2 million.

Campaign manager Brandon Hall said that there were still commitments outstanding from the fundraiser that, once they come in, would push the total over $1.8 million.

About 4,000 people attended the fundraiser, which also featured entertainers Bette Midler and Sheryl Crow. The event was Obama’s first-ever campaign event as president for an individual candidate.

Of the $1.47 million, the Reid Victory Fund spent $253,000 to put on the event and distributed $942,000 to the campaign and party: $418,000 to Friends for Harry Reid and $523,000 to the state party, according to Hall.

That leaves $279,000 in cash on hand in the fund, money that will be divvied up according to legal requirements, Hall said.

The fund will not itself engage in any campaign activities, though it may remain in existence in case it’s needed for future high-profile joint fundraising events.