Four Mass. Democrats commit extra funds to national races
WASHINGTON -- Four members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, including Senator John F. Kerry, announced yesterday that they will give more of their campaign money to help Democratic national committees in an effort to win control of Congress.
The action follows criticism by party activists of Democrats who have hoarded campaign cash despite having safe seats, but the Massachusetts members insisted their gifts were unrelated to such pressure. Kerry, who ended the 2004 presidential campaign with about $16 million in the bank, came in for extra criticism.
Kerry and Senator Edward M. Kennedy both said they were giving $500,000 each to national Democratic committees, while Representative Edward Markey of Malden said he was giving $100,000 and Representative Michael Capuano of Somerville said he was giving $50,000.
But Representative Martin Meehan of Lowell, who has more cash on hand than any other member of the US House -- $4.9 million -- is abiding by his decision not to give any more cash directly from his campaign to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to spokesman Sandra Salstrom.
Meehan has said he met his obligation to pay $125,000 to the campaign committee in recommended dues, which are assessed according to leadership positions, and said others who have failed to pay in full should do so.
Representative Stephen Lynch is the only Bay State member of the House delegation not to pay his full dues, providing $50,000 out of $150,000. His office did not respond immediately to questions last night about whether Lynch would pay more.
The liberal activist group Moveon.org has been organizing a campaign of telephone calls and e-mails to 70 Democrats across the country who have safe seats and large campaign accounts, urging them to give 30 percent of their funds to help Democrats in tight races. The group made Meehan its "number 1 target," but also has been calling some other members of the Massachusetts delegation.
Capuano, who received some of the calls, said they had nothing to do with his decision to give another $50,000 to the DCCC, above his recommended dues of $150,000.
"On some levels, they make me want to not give the money," Capuano said of the Moveon.org members who called his offices. "The people who call mean well, and they are good people who have the same type of agenda I do, but their political understanding is minimal. . . . I have done more for the Democrats around the country than most members of Congress."
The size of Markey's campaign account made him second on the national list of targets compiled by Moveon.org organizers, who wanted him to give $708,000 of his $2.4 million campaign account to the DCCC or Democratic candidates.
Markey spokesman Israel Klein said the congressman's decision to give $100,000 yesterday should not be characterized as capitulation to Moveon.org. "He was planning on giving more and raising more," Klein said.
Kerry and Kennedy each gave $250,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the same amount each to the DCCC.
Adam Green, a spokesman for Moveon.org, hailed the announcements as "a great example for other Democrats."
The actions came on a day when Massachusetts Democrats were hosting what they called the biggest fund-raiser to be held outside Washington for the DCCC during this election cycle. A party last night at the Weston home of nursing-home magnate Alan Solomont , to be attended by about 150 wealthy contributors, was expected to raise $1.4 million.
The party was expected to be attended by the committee's chairman, Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois; Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who would become speaker of the House if Democrats take over the chamber; and former president Bill Clinton.
