Meehan could keep $5.1 million war chest if he leaves Congress
WASHINGTON --If Rep. Martin Meehan becomes chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, he'd walk away from Congress with a $5.1 million campaign account, the largest of any House member nationwide.
But Meehan wouldn't have to give away his cash.
He could give some or all of the money to political parties. He could write checks to charity or to other candidates. He could return contributions to his donors.
Or Meehan, who has considered running for Senate in recent years, could simply keep his account intact to jump-start his candidacy if either Sen. John Kerry or Sen. Edward Kennedy leaves office.
"If he has political aspirations down the road, he can keep his money sitting in the bank earning interest and take it up again when there's an office for him to run for," said Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan watchdog group. "If John Kerry or Ted Kennedy retire, this money could be waiting for Meehan to take up again."
Meehan, D-Mass., was interviewed recently by the university's search committee about the chancellor's position. He declined public comment about the job, or what he might do with any leftover campaign funds if he became chancellor, citing the confidentiality of the search process.
Former members of Congress are given broad latitude on how to spend surplus campaign funds, though the funds cannot be used for personal expenses.
Mary Boyle of Common Cause, a government watchdog group, said it is not unusual for lawmakers departing Capitol Hill to retain their campaign accounts.
Former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, D-Mass., had about $1.4 million in his campaign account when he left Congress in 1998. He has held onto the money, which has grown through various investments to more than $2 million, according to Kennedy's 2006 year-end fundraising report. Kennedy, whose future in politics is unclear, heads Citizens Energy Corp., a non-profit group that delivers cheap home heating oil to the poor.
When former Rep. Brian Donnelly, D-Mass., retired from Congress in 1993, he had more than $700,000 in surplus campaign funds. He used some of the money for an unsuccessful 1998 gubernatorial bid. Donnelly later closed down the congressional account and used the money to create a charitable group.
Former members of Congress are not permitted to use leftover campaign funds for personal expenses, said Federal Election Commission spokesman George Smaragdis.
"But there's nothing in our regulations that says a committee has to disburse these funds, Smaragdis added.
Meehan, who has gained national stature as a campaign finance reform advocate seeking to curb the influence of money in politics, has also become one of the most prolific fundraisers on Capitol Hill.
His 2006 year-end fundraising report filed Jan. 31 showed a $5,103,074 account balance. Meehan's total far outpaced fellow House members.
The second-largest House war chest for the 2006 election cycle belonged to Meehan's colleague, Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. Markey had a $2.4 million 2006 year-end balance, less than half of Meehan's total.
Meehan raised much of his money over the past few years in anticipation of a campaign for Kerry's seat had the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee won the White House. Meehan's Senate ambitions were snuffed out again recently when Kerry bowed out of the 2008 presidential race, saying he would run for Senate re-election.
Meehan, who was elected in 1992, faced no opposition in last fall's general election.
If Meehan, 50, were to leave Congress, there would be a special election to fill his seat.
Meehan gave no clues to his intentions in an e-mail response to a reporter's questions.
"It is a pleasure and an honor to represent the Fifth Congressional District in Congress," Meehan said in the statement. "I plan to run for re-election in 2008. I will use the funds available to me in my campaign account for that election and any future races."
