Donors fill gap as fight drags on

Bush team raises over $6.4 million

By George Archibald reprinted from
The Washington Times

Private donations have rolled in to Texas Gov. George W. Bush since the General Services Administration declined to release $5.3 million in funds for the presidential transition, while the election results are still being contested.

Senator Pressler and President Bush

So far, $6 million has been raised for the Florida recount battle, said Bush campaign spokesman Ray Sullivan. Another $400,000 in private funds was raised for transition activities, he said.

Contributions ranging from $25 to $5,000 flowed into Bush-Cheney HQ in Austin over the past several weeks as Mr. Bush's legal team works to defend his narrow lead in Florida.

AREA'S TOP BUSH DONORS
Texas Gov. George W. Bush pulled in $3.4 million from more than 11,400 private donors Nov. 14-22 to help finance his Florida recount effort. Among top donors who gave $5,000 were 31 residents of DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Washington	E Bruce, Arlington
Jack Abramoff	Richard F. Hohlt, Alexandria
David M. Carmen	Collister Johnson, McLean
C. Thomas Clagett, Jr.	Elizabeth K. Johnson, McLean
Julie Finley	Dwight C. Schar, McLean
Kent S. Foster	Martha M. Schar, McLean
Barbara H. Franklin	Russell J. Schriefer, Alexandria
Kingdon Gould, Jr.	Thomas J. Tauke, Alexandria
James V. Kimsey	Nicholas F. Taubman, Roanoke
Larry Pressler	Maryland
William S. Scherman	Pamela C Abramoff, Silver Spring
Virginia	J. Carter Beese, Jr., Owings Mills
T. Edward Beck, Glasgow	Katherine D. Brady, Trappe
Richard N. Bond, Alexandria	Nicholas F Brady, Easton
John R. Cady, Springfield	Robert A. Levy, Chevy Chase
Giuseppe Cecchie, McLean	Fredrick G. Smith, Lutherville
William H Goodwin, Richmond	Peter Terpeluk, Jr., Chevy Chase
Source: Bush / Cheney 2000 Web site, www.georgewbush.com

As Vice President Al Gore pressed Florida courts to recount ballots in certain counties, the Bush appealed nationwide to past contributors and Republican officeholders for funds. Some of those donors included appointees in the administrations of his father, former President George Bush, and former President Ronald Reagan.

Between Nov. 14 and Nov. 22, the appeal netted 11,424 contributions totaling $3.4 million, according to Mr. Bush's Web site, www.georgewbush.com.

More than 9,000 donors sent checks of less than $200 - providing $316,000 to the recount legal effort - while 368 donors provided $1.8 million with $5,000 checks, the limit set in the Bush-Cheney appeal.

In the primary and general election cycle, Mr. Bush raised $184.2 million. Mr. Gore, raised $133.3 million, including $16 million in federal matching funds. After the party nominating conventions in August, both campaigns received $67.6 million in federal funds for the three-month general election campaign.

Federal law does not restrict the amount of individual contributions for recount efforts but prohibits donations from corporate or labor unions treasuries. Similarly, for transition activities, corporate and labor union donations are prohibited. Private individual gifts cannot exceed $5,000.

Thirty-one Washington-area donors sent Mr. Bush $5,000 for the recount effort from Nov. 14 to Nov. 22, including former Reagan-Bush Treasury Secretary Nicholas F. Brady, now chairman and chief executive officer of Darby Overseas Investments Ltd.; former Sen. Larry Pressler, South Dakota Republican, now consultant to the telecommunications and pharmacuetical industries and law partner with O'Connor & Hannan; and former Rep. Thomas J. Tauke, Iowa Republican, now executive vice president of Bell Atlantic and chairman of U.S. Telecom Association.