Philip Walzer
The Virginian-Pilot
©
More than a dozen Hampton Roads households, including executives or retired leaders in sectors such as railroads and media, have donated at least $20,000 each to candidates for Congress or the presidency.
Six gave to Democrats and Republicans, sometimes opponents in the same race, according to data provided by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit organization based in Richmond.
Mark Dreyfus, president of ECPI University, and his wife, Rebecca, have given $5,000 each to Republican George Allen and Democrat Tim Kaine, running for Senate, and $1,000 each to Democrat Paul Hirschbiel and incumbent Republican Scott Rigell, vying for the 2nd District House seat.
"You want to be a realist in politics because you never know who's going to win," Dreyfus said. "You want to be able to talk with both." On Allen and Kaine, he said: "I had a relationship with both of them when they were governor, and I like both of them. Picking one over the other is really difficult."
In the nation's top race, however, the Dreyfuses have donated only to Republican Mitt Romney. Dreyfus said he did not give anything to President Barack Obama because he thinks Obama has not supported Israel enough.
"There is a lot of angst out there, within the Jewish community," he said.
The Dreyfuses have given at least $26,500 to candidates for Congress and president, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
The group has worked with the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics to track contributions by Virginians to candidates for federal offices. Because of delays in Washington - particularly in the Senate, where candidates file documents by paper - the information is not up to date, said David Poole, executive director of the project. The data include donations to congressional candidates through June and to Obama and Romney through August.
The Dreyfuses ranked fourth-highest among local donors. Topping the list: Frank and Juliette Reidy of Virginia Beach, who have donated more than $30,000, primarily to Republicans. Frank Reidy is a retired energy executive and member of Old Dominion University's Board of Visitors.
He and seven other donors among the top 10 did not return calls or declined to talk about their donations.
The 10 largest contributors also include two Norfolk Southern Corp. executives, CEO Charles "Wick" Moorman and Executive Vice President James Hixon, and former Norfolk Southern CEO David Goode, as well as two former senior executives of Landmark Media Enterprises, which owns The Virginian-Pilot: Louis Ryan and John "Dubby" Wynne.
The top 20 donors include three politicians - Republican state Sen. Jeffrey McWaters ($25,100), Rigell ($19,000) and Hirschbiel ($18,000). None supported a candidate from another party.
Federal law limits the size of contributions from individuals. Each person may donate up to $2,500 per candidate per election, Poole said. Assuming a politician runs in a primary and then a general election, a couple may give up to $10,000 to a candidate in an election cycle.
"The purpose behind it is that no one group or individual should overly influence the process," said Carol Pretlow, associate professor of political science at Norfolk State University. The counterargument is that "by imposing those limits, you're strangling their right to speak."
The majority of the money from top donors went to Republicans. Even among across-party-lines donors, support for Obama was tepid. Of the 10 most generous donors, eight gave to Romney. Only Ryan donated to Obama. Reidy gave to neither.
Leading donors, such as Dreyfus and Peninsula lawyer Leonard Bennett, say they're not motivated by professional gain. Bennett, a Democratic donor who specializes in consumer litigation, said, "I support the party generally that I believe cares about regular people."
Dreyfus said he's driven by issues such as for-profit education and Israel. He dismissed the idea that his contributions can "buy" votes.
"One thing I've learned, unfortunately, is that these contributions really don't change somebody's opinion about an issue," he said. "What it allows you to do is talk to a staff member in Washington or send a letter. But they're not automatically going to agree with you."
Philip Walzer, 757-222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com
Carolyn Shapiro, 757-446-2270, carolyn.shapiro@pilotonline.com
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"You want to be a realist in
"You want to be a realist in politics because you never know who's going to win," Dreyfus said. "You want to be able to talk with both."
You have to pay to play my friends. Is this the democracy our grandfathers fought and died for?
you mean like
Has Bruce Springsteen violated campaign donations limits? What is the value of a performance by him?
Has Katy Perry violated campaign donations limits? What is the value of a performance by her?
Has Jay-Z violated campaign donations limits? Surely he has gone on stage and performed for Obama's benefit. What is the value of that?
Who has Obama's ear NOW that he didn't know before he was a US Senator?
Who has Romney's ear NOW that he didn't have before announcing his run for president?
I wish campaign war chests were turned over to the Treasury after the bills were paid to help pay off the debt. I wish candidates could only make the same amount as we are limited.
As you can see your point is moot.
Robert Duval, Actor
Randy Owen, lead singer of Alabama
Donald Trump, Crackpot and host of The Apprentice
Robin Leach, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Scott Baio, Charles in Charge and.....?
Jeff Foxworthy, comedian
Jerry Bruckheimer, film and television producer
Gene Simmons, KISS Frontman and reality star
Oak Ridge Boys, band
Marie and Donny Osmond, entertainers
Clint Eastwood, Chair man
Chuck Norris, Professional egomaniac
Romnney has his, Obama has his. Would you please get real.
i wonder how much money the pilot and other media
outlets that claim to be journalists and expect the 1st amendment covers them have given to both candidates on an in kind basis? It appears this paper has run plenty of articles, mostly in support of Obama's agenda without worrying about the cap on donations that probably should be considered ads and not stories.
There is reporting information, then there is campaigning for a particular candidate. When the media reports information, they are journalists. Could it be said that when they campaign or write to bias and sway, they are abusing their title of journalist?
Is this why journalists are looked at with such disdain and lack of trust? Is it because they have forgotten the true role of the 4th estate?
This article is tame on its lean.
IT'S NOT ABOUT DONATIONS, IT'S ABOUT COMMON SENSE
Yes it takes campaign money to run for office, but you can't buy common sense for the people who need it to make a rational decision when voting.
The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the poor leadership of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president.
Don't be a fool this time, vote Romney for President!
"It will be far easier to
"It will be far easier to limit and undo the poor leadership of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president"
Well said ! I only wish I had the money to have that sentiment put up on a billboard on the interstate ! It is indeed sad to hear kids in their 20's supporting Obama because of the "free" things he has promised them. They have no clue that nothing is free in life and that they will pay for those "free" things with their taxes.
Common Sense is Lacking Indeed
Half of the country supports Obama. Included in that half are business leaders, doctors, economists, etc. I will not vote for Obama, but I have the common sense to see that he is right on some issues. Rather than painting Obama supporters as lacking good judgment or being part of a depraved electorate, perhaps you should look more closely and try to understand the issues. The only depraved electorate we need to survive are the idiots on both sides of the political spectrum who are convinced that their party is always 100% in the right.
TOUCHE' BUCKHEAD
Nice come-back. I do understand the issues...very much so!
I also understand that "there can only be one" President elected to office. Obama or Romney!
You can't fix stupid; the liberal White folks! Or change the way the all the minds of those who live their lives off of federally funded social programs, to include the new National health-care program we'll be stuck with if Obama is re-elected.
VOTE ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT!
You are going to exchange
You are going to exchange Obamacare with Romneycare which is essentially the same thing?
Says the group that put
Says the group that put shrub in office twice and still defends his lies. His campaign manger knew you were stupid enough to vote for a man solely on the fact that you could see yourself having a beer with him.
Get a grip man.
The democracy that my ancesters fought for since 1667
The kind that wants big government socialists/communists gone.
Send the grifter packing.
FORWARD to a new President.
Why doesn't the FEC demand Obama's campaign ask for CVN?
The three or four digit code on the back of credit cards identifies the card holder's zip code. That is one of the reasons you have to enter your zip code when you swipe your card (merchants are not suppose to ask you for ID for VISA/Master Card according to their merchat agreement to use those cards).
Why doesn't candidate President Obama's campaign ask for the CVN? Is he illegally accepting donation from foreigners? Maybe, and he sure is not caring otherwise he would ask for the CVN.
This issue has been asked very slowly for a long time by newspapers and it appears that the big ones like Washington Post and LA Times and NY Times are just waiting on another news story.
Will Obama return the illegal campaign donations BEFORE the election?
They don't ask for the CVN
They don't ask for the CVN because they are not sending you any merchandise. If the card is bogus and does not get approved they have lost nothing.
Not true
That is not totally true. CVV's or CVC's were developed as follows: "CVV is a new authentication procedure established by credit card companies to further efforts towards reducing fraud for internet transactions." Additionally, "The CVV code helps ascertain that the customer placing the order actually possesses the credit/debit card and that the card account is legitimate." Therefore, no merchandise has to exchange hands and by not asking they are saying they don't care where the funds come from or if they are fraudulent. If the card is good, the receiver gets paid and the person being frauded is harmed. It is next to impossible to reverse these charges. Not exactly what portworker was discussing but still just as disgusting.
Not true
That is not totally true. CVV's or CVC's were developed as follows: "CVV is a new authentication procedure established by credit card companies to further efforts towards reducing fraud for internet transactions." Additionally, "The CVV code helps ascertain that the customer placing the order actually possesses the credit/debit card and that the card account is legitimate." Therefore, no merchandise has to exchange hands and by not asking they are saying they don't care where the funds come from or if they are fraudulent. If the card is good, the receiver gets paid and the person being frauded is harmed. It is next to impossible to reverse these charges. Not exactly what portworker was discussing but still just as disgusting.
What you say is true but as
What you say is true but as I stated, nothing of intrinsic value is purchased so a non payment or loss is just less campaign money received.
I suspect the bigger reason is that volunteer campaign workers who take the credit card numbers via phone would not be able to go on internet spending sprees with out the CVN number.
sounds like more faux news propaganda
Can you cite the source of your information, as in my many years with pos credit card systems, none of what you say is true. No wonder this country is in the shape it's in, so many facts, so little truths.
how about from the horse's mouth
http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/card-acceptance-guidelines-for-visa-merchants.pdf
Go to page 33 about unsigned cards. If the card isn't signed or says CID or See ID or such and the card presenter refuses to sign the card in the mechant's presences (after the merchant has been shown a valid government issued ID) then the merchant CANNOT accept the card.
I apologize for remembering the training I got a few years ago with my first "real" job. The manager trained us on the do's and don'ts. VISA has since expanded and changed their merchants agreement that allows (but suggests not doing) asking for ID.
The CVV or CVN or CVV2 number is used.
The bottom line - except to hide where/who donations are given, why does Obama not ask for CVN?
CVN
The purpose of the CVN number is to prove the customer has physical possession of the credit card. It has absolutely nothing to do with your zip code. The requirement to enter the billing zip code is a totally separate verification method. Also, merchants are indeed permitted to ask for identification. In fact, if the signature panel is blank, they are required to ask for ID in accordance with the policy of all major credit cards.
Any politician that excepts
Any politician that excepts money from the Chamber of Commerce is excepting foreign donations.
I would rather give 20g's to
I would rather give 20g's to a homeless shelter or the SPCA than to throw it away on a campaign. What a waste of money!
Obama is trying to stop for
Obama is trying to stop for profit "colleges" from taking advantage of military members and is quite outspoken about it. I would think that would have more to do with ECPI not supporting him than any positions on Isreal.
Correct you are. They love
Correct you are.
They love to demonize people who use Government assistance to better their lives and are also the first ones in line to swindle that money away from them.
The worse part of citizens united is the ability of pac's to lie
The real problem of unlimited corporate donations is the ability of the super pacs to flood the airwaves with lies and no repercussions. Look at the latest romney ad claiming that Chrysler is moving jeep production to China, everybody involved says that is not true, including the source romney cites. The super pacs can now put out more lies than an honest man can refute.
I agree wholeheartedly
The pro-Barack Obama super PAC Priorities USA ad that accused Romney of letting a steelworker's wife die of cancer was disgusting.
Just as I suspected
It's OK when Team Obama or its surrogates lie but when Romney or his supporters do it it's a "real problem." The hypocrisy piles up so fast in American politics you needs wings to stay above it.*
*Apologies to John Milius
Fiat Says China May Build All Jeep Models
“The volume opportunity for us is very significant,” Manley, who is also president of the Jeep brand. “We’re reviewing the opportunities within existing capacity” as well as “should we be localizing the entire Jeep portfolio or some of the Jeep portfolio.” (in China)
Chrysler, which entered an alliance with Turin, Italy-based Fiat as part of its U.S. government-backed bankruptcy, is relying on growth in China to counter weakness in Europe’s auto market. The automaker is targeting 500,000 annual sales outside North America by 2014, more than triple its overseas deliveries in 2009.
Bloomberg News October 22, 2012
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-21/fiat-says-china-may-build-all-jeep-models-as-suv-demand-climbs
a thought
---OMG---that can't be true!---Obama gave billions of our stimulus money,--borrowed from China,-- to a company that is going to produce their product in China?---But he said Romney did things like that!---not him?---like Clinton said in 08---YOU SIR ARE LIAR!---frank in va.bch.
Chrysler repeats not moving
Chrysler repeats not moving Jeep work to China from U.S.
Tue Oct 30 20:55:28 UTC 2012
By Bernie Woodall
DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne reaffirmed on Tuesday that the company is not moving Jeep vehicle production out of the United States to China after it became an issue in the U.S. presidential campaign.
Chrysler in an October 25 blog post had already rejected a statement made that day to a crowd in Ohio by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, that Chrysler was thinking of moving all Jeep production from Ohio to China.
Marchionne told employees by email on Tuesday, "I feel obliged to unambiguously restate our position: Jeep production will not be moved from the United States to China."
Who are we to believe?
Who are we to believe? Reuters and the company itself or 2 dozen cut & paste posts from Beachie in the past week. With some conduct one loses all credibility.
the united states if for sale
The United States is for sale. Who will be the highest bidder?
chinese of course....
They have been buying us for years and buy more US Treasuries each month. Their policy is to put us into submission using their economic power and the US spending weakness. Its working pretty well. It really is not a secret.
strange article where no real agenda is displayed until
you get to the top 10 donators comment and see all the money donated in a lump sum. Not one of these donations is done illegally. So where is the agenda? 4 years ago, the stories was Obama got so much money, his message MUST be of the people. Now, its so much money from executives going to republican candidates.
Now here is the agenda tie. Obama's contributions are tepid. Its not reported because the people see his message as horrible, but because so many executives and wealthy are skewing this election. Which is what Obama has been saying with his 1% argument. Alas, the papers again show their agenda and are trying to convince people that -Rs are for the wealthy by the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.
Nice try...
So
Kinda hard to understand your point with the grammatical errors, so you agree with Sheldon Adelson giving the largest single contribution ever for one person. Isn't it ironic that a majority of his money comes from China and gambling two of the things the religious right deems evil? The citizens united decision is bad for everyone.
notfiveo, I would forward
notfiveo, I would forward you the address of a homeless shelter so you could send your contribution, but you'd have to change your name to nottwentythousando.
I'll just keep my money for
I'll just keep my money for me only.
Why would I want to give my money to one of these bought candidates.
What about the ten grand
What about the ten grand that Mike spent on the LRT propoganda campaign? VB is for sale, and the bankers and cevelopers are buying!!
looks like he took the night off
Dr. Moribundship appears to be taking the night off or else he would be slamming you for being a boo bird.
LRT=Largest Tax Increase In History
NOT QUALIFIED!!!
First, let’s not forget, the people elected a Community Organizer... what does everyone expect. Fortunately, I did not fall victim to his guise. Next, a quote out of the Czech Republic kinda sums it up:
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince.
I think I understand
I understand the Norfolk Southern connection as they gamed the taxpayers of VB by giving the Light Rail ROW to Norfolk and then cooking up a once in a lifetime deal to sell the piece in VB for $40 mil, thanks to the useful idiots on city council. The ROW had previously been assessed at just $4.3 million for tax purposes.
I get the Dreyfus slant too as all they care about is for profit education which often leaves students with massive debt and weak prospects for employment. They used to bring Sen. John Warner to town to add window dressing to their requests for more help from the federal govt. to keep their money machine going. In the senate race they dont have the courage to pick one instead playing both sides for their own gain.