Tarrant spending could open spigot for Sanders' campaign
2006-09-29
Source: Barre Montpelier Times-Argus
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rss feedSpending by Richard Tarrant in his U.S. Senate campaign has opened the spigot on campaign contributions to Bernie Sanders, and could open it more, according to campaign and Federal Election Commission officials.
The McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law, passed in 2002, contained a "millionaire amendment," that said when one wealthy candidate spends a lot on his or her own campaign, the limits on the sizes of contributions that candidate's opponent can receive are raised - or removed completely.
Tarrant, whose spending on his own campaign so far exceeds $6 million, has given the effort $875,000 since Sept. 1, earmarking $750,000 of that to the general election. That is above a threshold amount that raises the contribution limits from individual contributors to Sanders campaign from $2,100 to $6,300, said FEC spokeswoman Michele Ryan.Tarrant campaign manager Tim Lennon said he wasn't worried about inadvertently helping Sanders with his fund raising.
"We always knew Bernie (Sanders) would have the ability to match us dollar for dollar," Lennon said. "The real advantage of Rich (Tarrant) being able to basically finance a majority of the campaign is it's allowed him more time to travel around the state and meet Vermonters, which is key in a grass-roots type of state like this."
Donors who already have given $2,100 to Sanders "will be put back on our list to ask for money again, since they can give," said Paul Hortenstine, Sanders' campaign spokesman.
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