Sullivan Limped Out of Primary With $400,000 Debt
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/23/2014
ANCHORAGE — The most recent Federal Elections Commission (FEC) filing from Dan Sullivan’s campaign included $40,000 in donations from the Koch brothers to help pay off his $400,000 primary debt.
The donations from the Kochs come after Sullivan has refused to speak out about their decision to close the Flint Hills refinery in Fairbanks, kill 80 Alaska jobs and raise taxes on Alaskans.
“Dan Sullivan has been dishonest with Alaskans about the millions of dollars he’s received from the Koch brothers, even getting pulled by staff from an interview when asked about it. The Kochs are trying to buy Alaska’s Senate seat because they know Dan Sullivan is in it for himself and will represent Outside interests, not Alaskans.,” said Max Croes, Communications Director for Alaskans for Begich.
Highlights From the Story:
“The Sullivan campaign reported its first direct contributions from members of that [Koch] family — a total of $10,000 from Charles and David Koch, who lead a national network of conservative groups, plus another $20,000 from other family members at the same address.”
“The Sullivan campaign did not respond to questions about its filing. It originally refused to release the 800-page report on the Oct. 15 postmark deadline set by the Federal Election Commission, then did on Tuesday following requests from Alaska Dispatch News.”
“Sullivan’s filing shows his campaign had about $400,000 in debts from the primary, most of which have been paid off, with the exception of $43,000 owed to a Virginia consulting firm, Black Rock Group.”
From the Alaska Dispatch News:
New Filing From U.S. Senate Candidate Sullivan Includes Koch Contributions, Primary Debts
October 21, 2014, Nathaniel Herz
A new filing from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan details the sources of the $2.5 million his campaign raised in August and September, as well as a sprinkling of interesting payments made by Sullivan’s campaign as part of the $2.4 million it spent during that period.
Sullivan’s campaign raised money from an array of high-profile donors, including maximum contributions from former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, as well as from Las Vegas casino magnate and prominent conservative donor Sheldon Adelson, and from the sons of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and former presidential candidate Ross Perot.
And after months of Democrats trying to tie Sullivan to the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers, the Sullivan campaign reported its first direct contributions from members of that family — a total of $10,000 from Charles and David Koch, who lead a national network of conservative groups, plus another $20,000 from other family members at the same address.
The Kochs have made similar contributions to Republican Senate candidates across the country. And in 2010, a committee affiliated with Sullivan’s Democratic opponent, incumbent Sen. Mark Begich, received $5,000 from KochPAC, a group affiliated with the Koch family’s company, Koch Industries. KochPAC also gave $10,000 to Sullivan’s campaign this fall.
The Sullivan campaign did not respond to questions about its filing. It originally refused to release the 800-page report on the Oct. 15 postmark deadline set by the Federal Election Commission, then did on Tuesday following requests from Alaska Dispatch News.
The FEC has not yet processed Sullivan’s filing. Begich filed his own report electronically last week; it is publicly available on a Federal Election Commission website.
Sullivan’s filing shows his campaign had about $400,000 in debts from the primary, most of which have been paid off, with the exception of $43,000 owed to a Virginia consulting firm, Black Rock Group.
Other payments include $130,000 to an Arizona firm called Lincoln Strategy Group for “grassroots consulting,” $945 to National Right to Life Committee, an anti-abortion group, for a phone list; and $510 to a Maryland company for “cab fare.”
Sullivan’s campaign also paid $35,000 to one of his Republican primary opponents, Joe Miller, for “sign materials.”
A spokesman for Miller, Randy DeSoto, said Sullivan’s campaign purchased “frames and stuff,” though not Miller’s actual signs, which were returned.
“Read into that what you may about Joe Miller’s political future,” DeSoto said.
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