Hillary Clinton spends $19 million, hires hundreds

[webfact]

Hillary Clinton spends $19 million, hires hundreds
By LISA LERER and JULIE BYKOWICZ

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton spent more than $18 million hiring hundreds of employees in the first three months of her presidential campaign, creating a national operation that vastly outpaces her rivals in both parties. She has the money for it, having raised more than $46 million for the Democratic primary contest.

Since announcing her White House bid in April, the former secretary of state has positioned staff in all fifty states — with the majority working out of a pricey 80,000-square-foot Brooklyn headquarters.

Beyond paying salaries for 343 employees, her campaign purchased lists of voters in four early primary states, paid six figures to a super PAC devoted to defending her record and spent heavily on building a digital team, according to campaign finance documents filed Wednesday with federal regulators.

It's a strategy aimed at a contest that's nearly a year away. The overwhelming favorite for her party's nomination, Clinton's team has set its sights on building the massive infrastructure they'll need for the general election.

The outlay is nearly four times what Clinton spent in the first three months of her last presidential campaign, when she faced a far more competitive primary race against then-Sen. Barack Obama.

During that 2008 campaign, Clinton and her team faced charges from donors that they were wasting money on ineffective strategic choices — like spending nearly $100,000 for party platters and groceries before the Iowa caucus, a contest she lost.

This time, her staff has emphasized its "cheapskate" mentality — particularly to contributors. At her first national finance meeting in May, top donors were instructed to purchase their own lunches and fund their own transportation to various gatherings in Brooklyn.

Campaign aides like to brag about taking the bus from New York to Washington, rather than the more expensive Acela train. Even so, her campaign spent at least $8,700 on train tickets and just a few hundred dollars on bus fare, the Federal Election Commission report shows.

All told, Clinton has spent a far greater portion of her early funds during this campaign than she did eight years ago.

During the first three months of her 2008 bid, Clinton spent 14 percent of the $36 million she raised, according to FEC documents. In the launch of this campaign, she's burned though nearly 40 percent of what she has taken in.

Her campaign also reported that Clinton received more than 250,000 contributions, with an average donation of $144.89. About 17 percent of her contributions were $200 or less.

By comparison Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has fueled an insurgent challenge to Clinton with small donations. He pulled in more than $15.2 million through the end of June, and three-quarters of his donations were $200 or less.

Though they've highlighted their lower-dollar contributions, Clinton's team also released a list of campaign bundlers who each raised more than $100,000 for her primary bid.

Some of the donors included Clinton's most ardent financial backers, including Hollywood media mogul Haim Saban; Susie Tompkins Buell, a wealthy California investor who was a major donor to the Ready for Hillary super PAC; Las Vegas publisher Brian Greenspun, a longtime friend and college classmate of Bill Clinton; billionaire J.B. Pritzker of Chicago; and Alan Patricof, a New York-based financier who served as Clinton's finance chair when she first ran for Senate in New York.

Clinton's team also successfully courted some of Obama's biggest backers, including New York financiers Marc Lasry, Charles Myers and Blair Effron.

Others included former Clinton aides like Minyon Moore, Tom Nides and Lisa Caputo, former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, and current members of Congress like Reps. Jim Himes of Connecticut and Grace Meng of New York.
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Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report from Phoenix, Arizona.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-16

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

I truly hate American elections. November 2016 is 15 months away and this nonsense is going full bore. So much wasted money, so many lies. Reason #2123 for staying the hell out of America. And I am an American.

[RuamRudy]

I truly hate American elections. November 2016 is 15 months away and this nonsense is going full bore. So much wasted money, so many lies. Reason #2123 for staying the hell out of America. And I am an American.

It is a greater worry than just the election period. Whoever wins will do so on the back of corporate dollars - your next president's policies are being written now by the corporations sponsoring him or her.

This is bad enough for the US, but when so much of the world is dominated by or bends towards US policy, it is bad news for us all.

[Ianatlarge]

The amount of money spent on winning a 'democratic' election is disgusting. This is also a sign of just how much Clinton2 is beholden to the great and wealthy—the modern oligarchs.

My hope is that Sanders secures the Democratic Party nomination, and then wins the election for President, with a working majority in Congress. This would be a global game changer. We (99% of us) would be better off. If Clinton wins, business as usual, declining wages, declining social benefits, and an increase in the economic divide.

[wirat69]

I always thought that she was out of touch with most ordinary people... and this, in my humble opinion, confirms that.

[h90]

The amount of money spent on winning a 'democratic' election is disgusting. This is also a sign of just how much Clinton2 is beholden to the great and wealthy—the modern oligarchs.

My hope is that Sanders secures the Democratic Party nomination, and then wins the election for President, with a working majority in Congress. This would be a global game changer. We (99% of us) would be better off. If Clinton wins, business as usual, declining wages, declining social benefits, and an increase in the economic divide.

yes that isn't Democracy anymore.....And no one outside the 2 parties can win at all.

[magnacarta]

Is she as good as Monica?

[English 1]

How to buy a Presidency.

[stephenterry]

If she spent an equal amount helping the underprivileged, I'd have a modicum of respect for her.

[Jingthing]

OK.
Good.

Go ahead and get elected president already, Madam President.

You know it's happening.

[marcusd]

Is she as good as Monica?

She has been usurped apparently and that is why she has time to run for President

[magnacarta]

Is she as good as Monica?

She has been usurped apparently and that is why she has time to run for President

Is usurped in the Kama Sutra?

[atyclb]

Is she as good as Monica?

Bills outsourcing suggests "not"

[losworld]

She is busy shopping the country with donations. Contribute and get a favor. Oh the little people don't contribute so no favors. Sad situation in U.S. politics. As Michael Moore said some time ago "there are two parities in America and neither represents me".

[quandow]

As an outside bet, Senator Bernie Sanders has a chance. He is a Democratic Socialist, has been faithful to his beliefs and his voting record proves it.

#feelthebern

[wabothai]

Anybody running with no money?

I just hope on this account that she will lose.

Disgusting if you can buy your way, no different than Thailand.

[Jingthing]

As an outside bet, Senator Bernie Sanders has a chance. He is a Democratic Socialist, has been faithful to his beliefs and his voting record proves it.

#feelthebern

Outside bet as in outside the realm of the possible.

[sdanielmcev]

And so the fade begins.....

All the money in the world will not erase a pathetic response to 4 deaths in Benghazi.

[atyclb]

If the champion of womens rights needs a cash boost she can always sell the 500k worth of jewelry the Saudis gifted her.

[JetsetBkk]

If she spent an equal amount helping the underprivileged, I'd have a modicum of respect for her.

I still wouldn't.

[JetsetBkk]

Is she as good as Monica?

She has been usurped apparently and that is why she has time to run for President

Is usurped in the Kama Sutra?

That was a typo.

Correct term is: "uslurped".

[Pinot]

I detect some disenchantment with the slam dunk next President of the United States, Hillary. Get over it. The HRC Juggernaut Rolls.

Let's put this in perspective. Donald Trump is leading the pack with 17%. Hillary beats Trump in an election by 17%. Republicans are in trouble.

If she's as good as the current President than she'll be great. Obama has just been hitting it out of the park every time up lately. She can ride his coattails.

There really isn't an alternative. The Republicans don't have a candidate.

[Jingthing]

She's a very strong candidate for the democrats considering that historically it is hard for the same party to win the presidency after holding it for two terms before. She is beatable but not likely.

[chickenslegs]

[empireboy]

I truly hate American elections. November 2016 is 15 months away and this nonsense is going full bore. So much wasted money, so many lies. Reason #2123 for staying the hell out of America. And I am an American.

I'm sorry for your loss!

America was great once upon a time!

[elgordo38]

I truly hate American elections. November 2016 is 15 months away and this nonsense is going full bore. So much wasted money, so many lies. Reason #2123 for staying the hell out of America. And I am an American.

It is a greater worry than just the election period. Whoever wins will do so on the back of corporate dollars - your next president's policies are being written now by the corporations sponsoring him or her.

This is bad enough for the US, but when so much of the world is dominated by or bends towards US policy, it is bad news for us all.

I have often heard and truly wonder when the new president turns up for his first day on the job if there is a half a dozen suits (men in black) with briefcases waiting for him ready to hand him his talking points(stay with the program) for the next four years. I often think this is why JFK and his brother were killed because they wanted to march to their own drum beat. Did JFK want to dump the federal reserve and print his own currency? I understand some notes were in fact printed and in circulation. He also wanted to bring the observers back from Vietnam and this did not sit well with the people that sell arms to "protect" us. Then rumors are out saying Thermite was found imbedded in the steel from ground zero. Just a theory??. Guess I have been listening to to many conspiracy theorists.

[bartender100]

Trump will be the next US President, bandwagon is unstoppable now

[Jingthing]

Trump will be the next US President, bandwagon is unstoppable now

Sure thing.

Go ahead and nominate him.

That would be FABULOUS!

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

[Halion]

In a country in serious debt it is still the practice to buy the Presidency.

Looking at her track record and social history of endless coverups anyone who would vote for this woman needs serious medical care.