Ask Larry Noble, the former Executive Director of the Center for Responsive Politics and one of the chief advocates of campaign finance reform in the country, why donors give big contributions to candidates and he'll tell you the answer is simple, "They give mainly for one reason: They want something in return and what they want is access to the candidate once the candidate takes office."
Traditionally, political parties charge an entry fee of sorts for access to nominees and representatives. For example, of the 152 contributions from individuals to the Democratic Party of New Mexico thus far in 2006, half were made in the month of January when the State party held its annual legislative dinner on the opening night of the session.
And this is typically how it works in other states as well. But all this may be changing, at least in New Mexico, beginning with who holds the keys to the gates of access.
reMAKIng the Mold
Federal campaign finance reports filed by the Democratic Party of New Mexico for the month of July, indicate that the state party, despite having received funding from the DNC for the development of capacity within the organization, has none-the-less outsourced management of i's 2006 Coordinated Campaign to the political consulting firm, "Victory Group."
According to the report, Victory Group received $6,457 for "Consulting/Coordinated Campaign."
Numerous sources involved in the coordinated campaign confirm that at least one employee of Victory Group is involved in the management of the Democrat's coordinated campaign, which is responsible for implementing a coordinated field program for state legislative races as well as statewide candidates, all of whom are assessed a fee, (or buy-iin) that must be paid in order t o participate in the program.
Victory Group is the most recent progeny of power house lobbyist and Big Bill Pal, Butch Maki, who registered the political consulting firm with the PRC in early November of 2005. According to those documents, Victory Group identifies its principal address as 1850 OLD PECOS TRAIL, STE. J SANTA FE , NEW MEXICO 87505, the same physical address as Butch Maki & Associates's corporate lobbying enterprise, according to the firms own website.
Butch Maki & Associates, or BM&A, lists on its website Phillips 66, BNSF--which sold the state the rail on which the Governor's train rides, AIG, Sun MicroSystems, Gardunos, Las Campanas Santa Fe, Business Roundtable, Nationwide, Sempra, Washington Group International and Westinghouse amongst its national clients.
In addition those firms listed on the BM&A website, the Secretary of State's most recent update of registered lobbyists and their clients shows that employees of BM&A also currently represent the interests of the following clients:
AJINOMOTO CORPORATE SERVICES LLC
AJINOMOTO FOOD INGREDIENTS LLC
CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA
FOREST CITY COVINGTON NM LLC
GLUTAMATE ASSOCIATES UNITED STATES,
PHILLIP MORRIS USA INC (ALTRIA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.),
NEW MEXICO COALITION FOR HEALTHCARE FAINESS...I'm guessing they mean "FAIRNESS?"
STRATTON & ASSOCIATES, another lobbying firm headed by Richardson 08' advance man and voting member of the Democratic National Committee, Mike Stratton. Stratton & Assoc. Lists amongst its current clients, AJINOMOTO FOOD INGREDIENTS LLC, AMERIGROUP CORPORATION and ARDENT HEALTH SERVICES LLC.
( I don 't know what all these company's do, but if readers want to do research, that would be ideal for the comments section.)
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