Text size:

Bringing in the big bucks for Bush

Some seek access, some are true believers: a look at the 'Rangers' behind Bush's fund-raising

BY THOMAS MAIER | STAFF WRITER

August 31, 2004

Inside Fernando Mateo's Westchester County home, alongside the artwork and other personal mementos, the successful entrepreneur and immigrant from the Dominican Republic keeps a photo of himself standing next to President George W. Bush, both beaming.

The photo is just one of many tangible results Mateo points to as a "Ranger" in the Bush campaign - one of 221 top fund-raisers who helped the president collect a record- shattering $228 million so far in this election season, according to the most recent campaign finance reports.

Unlike many contributors who do not like to talk about their donations, Mateo - who runs a successful floor covering company in New York City and heads an advocacy group called Hispanics Across America - quite candidly said he hopes his efforts will pay off with more influence in government decisions.

"I go through my Rolodex and start making phone calls, and what helps is the access that this has given me," said Mateo, who estimates he's raised $220,000 so far. "Usually, Hispanics are not counted in making donations because they are considered mostly poor and middle-class so we don't get the opportunity to be counted." He was proud of being invited to the White House Christmas party in 2002. And yesterday afternoon, he went to the podium as a rising star to speak briefly on the first day of the convention.

Access to the White House and influence on important governmental decisions is a driving force among many top fund-raisers, say independent analysts who track these donations.

Raising a bundle

Both Bush and his Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry - who's raised more than $186 million - have relied on top fund-raisers to "bundle" donations that cannot exceed $2,000 per individual under the law. Fund-raisers gathering $200,000 for Bush are called "Rangers," and "Pioneers" bundle $100,000; those who raised $100,000 or more for Kerry are dubbed "Vice Chairs" in the campaign.

Among the prominent Rangers for Bush in New York are Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV and Gov. George Pataki. This year, Wall Street is so prominently supporting the president that you can call Manhattan's Upper East Side "Bush Country" - with its 10021 ZIP code exceeding all other locations in the United States, including Houston, as the address of top contributors to Bush, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based group that tracks political spending. Nevertheless, Manhattan's 10021 ZIP code is also the top watering hole for John Kerry's campaign. According to records, Kerry has collected even more money from this area than Bush - $2.022 million to the president's $1.298 million.

Critics say that, during the past four years, many major fund-raisers for Bush have gotten quite a return on their political investments. They've benefited from reduction on taxes for the wealthy, gotten to keep more of their Wall Street dividends, and their businesses have flourished from changes in energy and health care policies. They've also been named to four cabinet positions, 29 ambassadorships and several have spent the night in the Lincoln bedroom.

"Big business really owns this administration and they've done it within the law by the networking of corporate executives," said Joan Claybrook, president of the nonpartisan Public Citizen, another group that tracks campaign donations and their effect on public policy as part of its program called "White House For Sale." "They've gotten such payback that they are making more than they gave."

The Bush campaign adamantly denies its fund-raisers are seeking to buy access or unduly affect public policy.

Disclosure debate

While Kerry and other Democrats have been reluctant at times to name their top fund-raisers, Bush's campaign has proudly touted the names of its top fund-raisers on its Web site, encouraging a competition.

"The president believes in full disclosure and a transparency in who is building up our campaign," said campaign spokesman Kevin Madden. He noted how the public naming of top fund-raisers - not required under the current federal election law - has brought greater "energy" to the campaign. "There's always going to be an element of reflexive cynicism that drives critics. But the idea of Rangers and Pioneers and Mavericks is that they are often leaders in this campaign."

While Kerry has raised far more than any Democratic presidential nominee in history, Bush's fund-raising juggernaut is unprecedented, experts say. In addition to direct Bush fund-raising efforts by 221 Rangers and 323 Pioneers, the Republican National Committee has compiled 69 "Super Rangers" giving $300,000 or more to the party's overall efforts this campaign. Among these "Super Rangers," more than 45 are also Rangers gathering another $200,000 directly for the Bush campaign - adding up to at least $500,000 raised for the GOP by these individuals.

Enron's influence

Four years ago, then-Gov. Bush relied on many Texas-area friends and allies, particularly those from the energy field, to help fund his fledgling campaign. Among his top rainmakers was Kenneth Lay, then president of Enron Corp., who was indicted this year on fraud and conspiracy charges in the energy trading company's collapse. Back in 2000, Lay was a prominent Pioneer who raised more than $100,000 for Bush.

In total, Enron and its executives raised $413,000 for Bush during that campaign, including donations for the inaugural, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, another campaign study group.

"When you see so many donations coming from one company, you have to ask why," said Steven Weiss, of the Center for Responsive Politics. "And what they wanted was to influence legislation and get their opinion heard on federal energy policy."

Weiss points out that Lay and other Enron officials were rewarded for their support with top-level access to the White House, including an April 2001 meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney about national energy policy.