Leaked Voicemails Reveal “unseemly dealmaking” DNC Employs for “high-dollar donations”


The DNC’s fundraising practices and special treatment of big dollar donors have been revealed by WikiLeaks.  The 19,000 emails and voice mail, hacked by what experts believe to be a Russian state-sponsored hacker, has left the DNC exposed for the devious backdoor dealings.

At least two former U.S. ambassadors called the Democratic National Committee to speak about personal meetings with the president, according to audio recordings of the calls included in the leaks. One is heard on a recording from May for now outgoing DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz seeking to confirm plans to attend a “small dinner” with Obama. Another had a staffer call DNC fundraising officials for tickets to a St. Patrick’s Day event with the president.

There are emails that describe a donor angling for seats next to Obama at a roundtable discussion and one about assigning seats for donors at a White House state dinner. In one, a major contributor from Maryland who had cancer was bumped from a seat next to the president because another, more prolific giver was attending the same event.

Many, like finance director Jordan Kaplan, who oversees DNC fundraising is mortified that his private conversations are available for the world to read, many of them contained indelicate communication.

“It was conversation we were having amongst our team, and again, I’m sorry people have read them, and I’m embarrassed it’s out there,” Kaplan said.

In emails, he asked finance staffers to compile a list of high-dollar donors who wanted to play golf with Obama. A draft of the list of presidential golf partners is among the hacked documents.

John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, states the disclosure of donor information is now exposed to the world.

“What was disclosed is the personal information of our donors, and it’s always worrisome when personal information is stolen,” he told ABC News. “And that’s true whether it’s Target or Sony or, or the DNC.”

A review of the documents by ABC News found the material includes detailed personal information about many of the party’s wealthy supporters. One file, titled “Big Spreadsheet of All Things,” appears to list every donation made to the party, Hillary Clinton and Obama and details about each event where money was raised.

A number of the emails expose not only personal information about the donors but also the sensitive task of vetting donors to determine whether the candidate can feel comfortable accepting their money or being seated next to them at an event.

Buying access and favors is part of the game and the DNC have been caught with their party pants down.

John Cordisco, the chairman of the Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Democratic Committee, said that as long as fundraising is an element of the political process, these kinds of transactions will also be present.

“If you can show me in the past 20 years where that has not taken place, I want to see it,” he said.

Source: ABC News



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