Friday, May 02, 2008

It's good to be an Esch


Jim Esch filed his FEC report -- on time!
Nice work Jim.

Esch has taken in nearly $80,000 this quarter for his challenge against Richard Carter for the Dem nomination for the 2nd District Congressional seat .

But lets take a look at who contributed.
We see that over $36,000 -- nearly 45% came from someone with the surname "Esch"-- all the primary max of $2,300.

(The list is not unlike the Who's of Whoville...)

There's...
David E. Esch
Dennis L. Esch
Holly Esch
(Jim's little sister, listed as a student)
John Esch (he actually shorted Jim $50 of the max -- he's off the Christmas card list!)
Katherine Esch
Kathy H. Esch
Kelly Christina Esch
Luke Esch
Lynette Esch
Paul T. Esch
Sara Esch
Scott Patrick Esch
Timothy Esch
William Esch
Yvonne Esch
Jennifer Esch-Swanson


Whew! That's a lot of Esches! If there was a Cindy-Loo-Who-Esch, we're sure that she would have kicked in her twenty-three hundred bucks as well. Oh, and 12 of those 16 max Esch donations came on April 22nd. Hmm...

So it's nice that Jim has his own family Esch-PAC. And we're sure they're getting ready to pony up another $2,300 each for the general.
That'll teach Richard Carter and his drug tests to challenge the Family.

***

As many of you know, Lee Terry has been running radio issue ads for some time -- the "Lee Terry Minute". All of these have now been put up on Terry's campaign website.

Here's the latest for you to listen to (we've turned it into a YouTube video, because audio's kind of a hassle):





An interesting angle on this. He's taken to spelling out the politics of the Democrat bill which has bipartisan support. We like the fact that it's something different, campaign ad-wise.

***

And if you want to get some down and dirty video from the Senate race, look no further than Nebraska Public Television's interviews with each Senate candidate.

They've broken it down by each candidate, on each issue -- Iraq, abortion, the economy, etc. You can watch the 30 second individual clip to see what Pat Flynn, Mike Johanns, Scott Kleeb and Tony Raimondo have to say.

Be sure to check out the rambling answer that Kleeb gives (again) on abortion. You can then see where the off-camera interviewer tries to nail down Kleeb to get him to admit that he is pro-choice, and Kleeb gets a little testy. Heaven forbid he answer the question...

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

How much did Calvert Collins donate? Or was her gift to JIm more along the lines of the non-traditional kind?

Anonymous said...

Well, regardless of where it came from, Jim Esch DID raise more than Lee Terry during the April 1 - April 23 timeframe.

Street Sweeper said...

...particularly that April 22 - April 23 timeframe.

Anonymous said...

Nothing like making a dreary day even moreso than listening to a compilation of "Lee Terry Minutes". The only good thing one can say is that they sparkle next to anything Johanns says. I wonder what it is about Nebraska that we get such boring, lightweights as potential leaders?

Anonymous said...

So that makes one out of how many FEC reports that Esch has filed on time? With all the Esch PAC money, Lee Terry still outraised him for the month of April. A question: if you have $111,511.52 in debt and $87,435.46 in cash on hand, doesn’t that mean you are still $24,000 in the hole and broke going into the primary?

Here is what the Terry campaign had to say.

The Terry for Congress campaign has raised $97,275 in April and enters the May 13 primary with $553,146 in the bank.

The campaign has filed a report with the Federal Election Commission showing that it raised $61,375 during the "pre-primary" period covering April 1-23 and ended that period with $517,245 in cash on hand.

Since then, Terry's campaign has filed "48 Hour" reports with the FEC showing additional receipts of $35,900. The total raised for the month of April is $97,275 with an estimated cash on hand at the close of business yesterday of $553,145.

"Our campaign continues to build momentum," said David Boomer, Terry's campaign manager. "Congressman Terry continues to do a tremendous job in representing the people of the 2nd district, and he looks forward to the upcoming campaign."

Anonymous said...

I wonder how David Boomer would define "tremendous job in representing the people of the 2nd district"?? Um, what HAS Lee accomplished in the last ten years?? Not much.

Anonymous said...

Question: Isn't it the SAFE Act? Not the SAVE Act? The first congressional minute is wrong. It is the SAFE Act (Security and Freedom Ensured Act). What does the "V" stand for?

Can't they get it right, Geez...
Shows just how inept this group really is.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, whoa, you're right! It's the SAFE Act idiot! Exactly WHAT is Lee Terry doing in Washington? The "SAVE Act"???? What the heck is THAT??? Shouldn't he KNOW that?

Street Sweeper said...

Slow down there, cowboys.

It's the "Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement", or SAVE Act.

Arguably that makes it the "SATVE" Act.

But it's not the "SAFE" Act.

See more from the Library of Congress site here.

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc110/h4088_ih.xml

Remember, the internet is your friend...

Anonymous said...

"Regardless of where it came from" is a phrase that that can earn a person finds or prison time.

The Nazi party? Columbian drug lords? FEC regulation scamming?

Anonymous said...

The SAFE Act aims to protect Americans’ civil liberties by making modest but important changes to several of PATRIOT’s most troublesome provisions.

It has nothing to do with immigration. Go get a real Education, DEMS.

The SAVE Act on the other hand deals with Immigration issues.It aims to dramatically reduce the number of illegal aliens in the United States through stepped-up enforcement of U.S. immigration laws.

Anonymous said...

The Lee Terry Love-In on Leavenworth Street ever end?

Anonymous said...

Esch still filed reports late from the 2006 campaign. I wonder if he was facing FEC fines if he didn't file those reports.

Anonymous said...

Oh man. Looks like our choice in the second district is either going to be Esch or Terry again?? Talk about trying to pick the lesser of two evils! Maybe I'll just write-in Hal Daub's name. Anyone with me?

Anonymous said...

So many Esch's...so little time.

Sweeper--do we have any idea why Jim did not disclose his 2002 D.W.I. conviction when he ran for Congress in 2006? Was he trying to hide this from the voters?

Street Sweeper said...

Unlike Pat Flynn, I don't think his goal was for it to be the centerpice of his announcement back then.

Besides, beyond the people who read the blogs, all the voters of the 2nd knew was that he had a (D) after his name -- in the Year of the Dem -- and they may have sat on his bus bench.

He could have failed Rich Carter's drug test back in 2006 and he still would have gotten 45%.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget Fluffy Esch, Rover Esch and Uncle Fungus Esch.

Anonymous said...

It is the SAVE Act. It was introduced by Democratic Congressman Heath Shuler.
Read it for yourself:

http://shuler.house.gov/

So V it is!

Anonymous said...

Two different Acts. I feel like I'm listening to Todd & Tyler in mornings with the discussion of all these different Acts!

Anonymous said...

Okay, Kids,

A little research (it took me less than 5 minutes on Google) will help you all not look like a bunch of idiots in the future.

The House Resolution (HR) that the Congressman is explaining to his Constituents in the "Congressional Minute" is HR 4088-The SAVE Act which deals with immigration reform by strengthening our existing illegal immigration laws-which according to what I read in the paper is what most of America wants!

Now that we have that cleared up, there is also a SAFE Act and a SAVE Act floating around Washington. However, neither of them in the House, but rather in the Senate (remember the concept of a 2 house system of Government?). The SAFE Act introduced by Sen. Larry Craig and Sen. Dick Durbin (how is that for the beginning of naughty joke!) is the Security And Freedom Insured Act. That Act deals with the believed evilness of the Patriot Act. The other SAVE Act, the one in the Senate, was introduced by Sen. Kit Bond and is known as the Security Against Foreclosure and Education Act. Addressing, as you might conclude from its name, the American Dream of homeownership and a College Education (both dreams that it does not appear any of the Esches will be having a problem achieving unless they all give Little Jimmy their trust funds to run for Congress).

Now that we have all had our Civics lesson for the morning, can we get back to the discussion of, "Where did the Esches get all that loot?" inquiring minds want to know.

And thanks for the tip about the internet-I am guessing that is where you got all the info about these donations, www.FEC.Gov?

Anonymous said...

Anyone here know Butterbean Esch? Didn't see his name on the FEC report.

Anonymous said...

Why does Lee talk like he has a mouthful of Rocky Mountain Oysters?

Anonymous said...

I bet every candidates family gives money for that persons political campaign, dont really see what this postnwas meant to accomplish...

Anonymous said...

No, it is actually rather rare that a candidate's family, including younger siblings and cousins give money at the MAX OUT level. Actually, it is rather rare that the average donor gives more than $1000 per cycle. Unless they are Party activists and have the money to give. Best anyone can tell, the Esch Family was never active until Jimmy decided to run.

Go to www.fec.gov and click, View/Download Reports and you can view as many or as few of the reports as you wish. I bet Jim Simon didn't even have that many family members max-out to him and his family IS Omaha Steaks for goodness sake!

FYI, you can view all the old candidates report here, too-all the way back to the late '90's. The only one that recently disappeared is Scott Kleeb's reports for the last 3 years from his efforts to try to win District 3. I wonder where all that money that he was raising last year to run against Adrian Smith again went?

Anonymous said...

A mouthful of mountain oysters?

Rep. Barney Frank is on your side of the aisle.

Anonymous said...

I think is what is remarkable is that Carter was left in the Dust by the World-Herald. They could have done foe Lee what they did for Adrian Smith and not endorse a Dem. I think Carter's smear attack probably nudged the paper to teach Carter a lesson and endorse Esch. Another young over-ambitious democrat just became politically irrelevant.

Anonymous said...

Say, isn't it illegal for someone (maybe Jim's parents) to give money to someone else (i.e., Jim's little sister) to donate?

Anonymous said...

A Lee Terry minute? That's about 50 seconds more than you need to list his accomplishments. What a backbenching tool.

Anonymous said...

Hate to veer off subject...but has anyone else noticed how the Amendment One commercial with Bruning and Ol' Earmark is so not made in the same studio? A grade schooler could have merged those two clowns together. I am surprised they didn't suffer whiplash.

Anonymous said...

Don't apologize for veering off subject. This post has only been up for close to 4 days now. It's becoming stale pretty quick...

Also off subject, Raimondo's second commercial really isn't that bad. I was suprised the Herald endorsed him...

Street Sweeper said...

Hey, excuuuuuse us.
Some of us in the blogging world are employed and have lives...

Anonymous said...

SS,

Don't take it personally. I am sure Jim is just trying to divert attention from the potential FEC investigation into illegal campaign donations and loans.

BTW, where on earth did Jim spend enough time working in one place to have gained a vast knowledge of the Omaha business community? Or is he confusing multiple entries on a resume with a resume full solid work experience? I don't think they are the same thing.

Give me a break, Jim better get ready for another visit to "Shady Acres" because he's gonna need another rest after he actually works again this year. He told the World Herald that he was just physically and mentally drained after the last election so he took some time off to work on some family member's wind farm?

I wonder when the last time Congressman Terry took 4 months off from life?

Grow up Jim, it is now time to work for a living. BTW, congrats on your promotion to "managing partner" in the family real estate partnership. I suppose being born into it is a lot easier than actually earning it. If this "partner" thing doesn't work out, you could always try getting there the "other" old fashioned way.

Anonymous said...

It is what it is my man. Don't have the kid if you can't feed it....

Anonymous said...

I know A LOT of people would LOVE to give Lee Terry a permanent vacation!

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:17
by "A LOT" do mean the Esch family?