Follow the money

[CARLHAYDEN]

When "independent" committees engage in mudslinging, they frequently attempt to cover the source of their funds by numerous intermediatry committees.

A classic example is "The People of AZ" committee, currently slinging mud this year in Arizona.

Now not suprisingly, the source of the committee's funds is another committee, "Protect Arizona's Future."

Now, not suprisingly, that committee's funds come primarily from the United food and Commercial Workers PAC, the Firefighter's PAC and a committee called the "Citizens for Excellence in Education and Government."

Now the Citizens for Excellence in Education and Government gets its money from another committee, the "AEA fund for Public Education," formerly known at the AZ Education Assn PAC (you never know how many people you can fool by changing names).

Oh, and those aren't the only mudslinging committees active in Arizona this year.  A committee which calls itself "Judgement Matters" is primarily funded by (now, I know this is really going to surprise you) another Political Action Committee, the "Western Growers PAC AZ."

Thank god for the Arizona Clean Elections Commission, where the information can be found, as previously these stunts were pretty much hidden.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Now, committ4es are not the only ones who engage in subterfuge to hide their contributions.

The law in Arizona calls for contributors to list the "Name, Occupation, Employer, City/State of residence."

Lets see how you can play games with those criteria, using the case of one Marion M. "Mac" Magruder.

In one instance, he identifies himself as "MAGRUDER, MAC," who lists his occupation as "OWNER,' and whose employer is "SHANNON M, INC.," stated that he resided in "Phoenix AZ" when he made a contribution of $1,750.00 on April 22, 2008 to the "ARIZONA MCDONALD'S OPERATORS ASSOCIATION PAC (MCPAC)."

In a second instance, he identifies himself as (Magruder, Marion," with the occupation of "Franchise Owner," who had no employer listed and a residence Of Paradise Valley AZ" when he made a contribution of $9,500.00 on Nobember 7, 2007 to a committee name "STOP ILLEGAL HIRING Prop 202 (FORMERLY 1-11-2008)."

Apparently finding that he got away with listing no employer in the second instance, "Magruder, Marion M.," had a third contribution where he neither listed occupation nor employer, but decided he resided in "Phoenix, AZ" when he made a contribution of $5,000.00 to a committee named "Mesa Deserves Better," on August 4, 2008

In a fourth instance, "MAGRUDER, MARION M." decided his occupation was "CEO," that his employer was "MCDONALD'S," and that he resided in "Paradise Valley, AZ" when he made a contribution of $290.00 to the "KONOPNICK 2008" committee on January 4, 2007.

In a fifth contribution, he identified himself as "MAGRUDER, MARION M. (MAC)," with the occupation of 'RESTURANT OWNER" (the misspelling on the report), that his employer was "SELF," and alleged that he resided in "Paradise Valley, AZ" when he made a gave $390.00 on April 23, 2008 to the 'COMMITTEE TO ELECT KEVIN GIBBONS."

Now, "Mac" was not to be satisfied with those puny contributions, but his wife with different variations on her name and residence, as well as occupation and employer (not always listing occupation employer) made identical contributions to the "ARIZONA MCDONALD'S OPPERATORS ASSOCATION PAC (MCPAC)," to the "COMMITTEE TO ELECT KEVIN GIBBONS" and "Mesa Deserves Better" committees on the same date as "Mac," with the same misspelling of "resturant."

Now, "Mac" is not content with the contributions of himself and his wife to try to influence Arizona elections, he is also a member of a group (which does not file reports) which styles itself "Wake Up Arizona."  Many of those members also are heavy financial contributors, who have variations on their name, occupation, employer, residency (or simply leave out such information when they choose).

If you check your state (carefully) I'll bet you'll find similiar critters hiding under the rocks.