Clinton Backers Send Pelosi A $24M "Love" Letter

~A Telling Commentary on the Role of Money in Modern Politix ~

Today The Capital Eye reports that in a not-at-all-subtle effort to sway Nancy Pelosi away from Obama, major donors to Hillary's campaign and the Democratic party send Pelosi a letter advancing the most persuasive argument they can apparently conceive ~ a stern reminder just how important they are.

"Prominent backers of Hillary Clinton sent a multi-million-dollar message to Capitol Hill this week: Watch out, Nancy Pelosi. In a letter to the Speaker of the House that urged her to stay out of the debate over how superdelegates should cast their votes, the 20 major Democratic donors didn't call direct attention to the $23.6 million that they've given to the Democratic Party since 1999, but they reminded her of their 'enthusiastic' support over the years.

"'We appreciate your activities in support of the Democratic Party and your leadership role in the Party and hope you will be responsive to some of your major enthusiastic supporters,' online copies of the letter read.

"Every signer of the letter has contributed to the Democratic Party in every election cycle since at least 2000, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, and there's no way to know how many more millions they've helped raise from others, or bundled, to support the party. The authors clearly favor Clinton in the presidential race, and many of them serve as bundlers for her campaign. Clinton has collected $315,000 for her Senate and presidential campaigns from these major donors and their spouses over the last 10 years, or $554,000 including contributions to HILLPAC, her political action committee. By comparison, Barack Obama has collected $34,700 from these donors for his Senate and presidential campaigns, plus $17,500 to his PAC, Hope Fund. Eleven of those listed on the letter to Pelosi have given to Obama over the years, although only one couple has given to his presidential account in the 2008 cycle.

"The donors also pointed out to Pelosi that they have been strong supporters of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the party appartus that supports the Democratic members she leads in the House of Representatives. Nearly $3 million of the $23.6 million that the authors of the letter have given to Democrats has gone to the DCCC. In addition to the money they've given to candidates, parties and other Democratic committees, the donors have contributed about $3 million to 527 committees, the independent issue groups that frequently get involved in elections.

"The contest between Clinton and Obama has been tight from the start and might come down to the votes of superdelegates, that elite group of Democrats that includes members of Congress, party leaders and state officials. Pelosi has urged the superdelegates to support the candidate who emerges with more pledged delegates by the time of the nominating convention this summer, arguing that the party will suffer if the superdelegates are perceived to defy the popular vote."

http://www.capitaleye.org/inside.asp?ID=341

Note to Nancy: Money Talks