Dubie's Birthday Bash Rakes in Big Bucks
Lt. Governor Brian Dubie, the putative Republican nominee for governor, took in an impressive haul of birthday booty from a political fundraiser Tuesday night.
"I am truly humbled," said Dubie in a statement. His campaign event, at the Doubletree Hotel in South Burlington, raised $115,000.
Dubie said he set an initial goal of raising $30,000 and selling 150 tickets at $51. Instead, the campaign raised more than $115,000 in one night and drew 430 ticket buyers.
OK, 430 multiplied by $51 does not equal $115,000 (it's $21,981).
And, no Dubie isn't using Democratic fuzzy math to count his winnings. He'll leave that to lawmakers trying to close the $150 million-plus deficit.
You see, not all birthday tickets were created equal. Dubie's campaign asked some donors to sponsor the birthday party at higher levels than others — each level based on some pop culture or political event in 1959.
For example, folks willing to shell out the maximum of $2000 were listed as an "Eisenhower" sponsor since Republican Dwight David Eisenhower, also known as "Ike," was president in 1959. Other major donor levels included "Ben Hur" at $1000, "Mack the Knife" at $500, and "Gunsmoke" at $250.
Campaign Manager Corry Bliss provided Seven Days with a complete list of donors at each level, which are posted below.
No major surprises. Dubie is showing strong support from some top-name Republican donors, including national committeeman George Schiavone, Rodolphe "Skip" Vallee, who flirted with the idea of challenging Dubie in a primary, and Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon, as well as Burlington-area businessmen Fred Hackett (Hackett, Valine & Macdonald insurance), Ray and Trey Pecor (Lake Champlain Transportation), Jeff Davis (real estate developer), William Hauke (real estate developer), and Antonio and Ernest Pomerleau (real estate).
Businesses in the top level included Burlington Drug Company (a pharmaceutical wholesaler based in Milton), DEW Construction, Dowlings, Inc. (a distributor to convenience stores and grocers), The Red Can Family (a garbage hauler) and Bond Auto Parts.
Deb Ricker not only gave $2000 personally, but two of her companies — L&D Safety Marking Company and WorkSafe Traffic Control Industries — also pitched in $2000 apiece. Maybe a birthday hat in the shape of a safety cone?
More businesses gave at the $1000 level, which means they can give again during this election cycle. Those donors included Dairy Famers of America, the DairyLea Cooperative and Moe's Southwest Grill, as well as former House Speaker Walt Freed.
All in all, not a bad way to spend your birthday.
Here's the full list of donors:
Eisenhower - $2000
General Dwight Eisenhower was President
in 1959
Adam Rousselle, Andrew Fitzgerald, Antonio Pomerleau, Barbara Snelling, Barry Chouinard, Bernier Mayo, Bill Jenkins, Bill Sheldon, Bill Stenger, Bob & Sandra Willey, Bond Auto Parts, Bruce Lisman, Burlington Drug Company, Dan Feeney, Dave & Sherry Underwood, Debra Ricker, Donald Wells, DEW Construction, Doran Metzger, Dowlings Inc., Edward & Christine Sawyer, Ernest Pomerleau, Fred Hackett, Fred Peet, George & Linda Schiavone, Gordon & Debbie Winters, Greg Donahue, GW Plastics, Inc., Jan Rozendaal, Jeff & Karen Davis, Jim Harrison, John Handy, Kate Purcell, Ken Dromgold, Kevin Kittell, L & D Safety Marking Corp., Leandro & Amy Vazquez, Marvin & Barbara Harvey, Mitch Fleischer, Nicom Coatings Corp., Paul Hatch, Perry Sporn, Ralph Gerlach, Ray Pecor, Richard Spanier, Robert Beauregard, Scott & Kate Baldwin, Scott Milne, Skip & Denise Vallee, The Red Can Family, Thomas & Dina Dowhan, Thomas & Karen Lauzon, Trey Pecor, Vijay Desai, Wayne Lamberton, William Hauke, WorkSafe Traffic Control Industry.
Ben Hur - $1000
Ben Hur, released in 1959, was the first film to win 11 Oscars
Deslauriers & Company, Ayer Auto, Clarence Brown, Inc., Cota & Cota Inc., Craig Metz, Dairy Famers of America, DairyLea Cooperative, David Hill, Dawn Terrill, Don Weston, Frederick Riehl, Glenn Cotton. Greg Liebert, Jack & Lynn Russell, Jacob Verburg, John Kane, John R. Canney III, Kevin Burke, Lee Bissonette, Lee Merrill, Ludwig Schumacher, Mark Harvie, Michael Mayo, Northern Vermont Oral & Facial Surgery, Patrick & Stacy Guinee, Richard & Anne Adler, Robert Young, Ron & Sheila Lamell, Scott Riehl, Shawn Bushey, SueAyn Wood, Moe's Southwest Grill, Terry Wilson, Walter Freed.
Mack the Knife - $500
Bobby Darin’s "Mack the Knife" was Record of the Year
David Ayer, Bourdeau Brothers, Brady Toensing, Bridget H. Rivet, Christopher & Lyne Weinberg, David Gladstone, Dick & Lynn Dickinson, Felix & Gerry Callan, Friends of Washington County Republicans, George Lamphere, Jack McMullen, James Parker, Joey & Marcia Purvis, John "Jack" Lindley, Kevin Dorn & Kathy Finnie, Kevin Dwyer, Kevin Kamp, Marjorie & Robert Gepfert, Maurice Harvey, Max Gannon, Michael Donnelly, Paul Frascoia, Peter Cross, Phil & Helen Murdock, Rick & Sally Cochran, Robert Sims, SecurShred, Stephen Forbes, Steve Bourgeois, Todd & Margaret McGovern, William Sawyer.
Gunsmoke - $250
"Gunsmoke" was the Most Popular Television Show (it’s also Dubie's favorite show)
Alan Day, Alan Pike, Bill Baldwin, Christian & Stephanie Thwaites, David Boardman, Delicate Decadence, Harvey L. Gray, Henry & Natalie Harder, Jay Overton, Kurrle Fuels, Larry Dupont, Leon Graves, Mary Lou & Gordon Booth, Robert & Kristine Bickford, Robert Peisch, Robert Rich, Tom Anderson, Walter Bruska, Walter Milliken, Wes Pastor, William Chesbrough.
Shay, This is excellent - and very useful! Thanks so much. I love knowing which businesses really want to see the Dubinator in charge!
Posted by: Liz Schlegel | March 11, 2010 at 01:44 PM
I assume you'll do the same for dem contributors, down to the $250 level.
Posted by: Jimmy | March 11, 2010 at 02:29 PM
Hey Jimmy, it's all public record. That's why they agreed to provide the names.
Shay - How about telling us how many of these folks do business with the state or its instrumentalities (or expect to); how many have (or have had) projects / permits approved by those appointed by the governor; how many are working for the governor or are appointees on various boards and commissions; how many would benefit directly from reinstating the 40% capital gains exclusion; and so on?
Posted by: Doug Hoffer | March 11, 2010 at 04:50 PM
"Hey Jimmy, it's all public record."
As are Dem contributors - so I assume Shay will be listing those as well. Failure to do so is essentially a formal acknowledgement of political bias. From your additional info requests, it seems you feel that has already taken place. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's very different from impartial journalism.
Posted by: Jimmy | March 11, 2010 at 06:54 PM
Jimmy & Doug: Yes, I will be doing this for Democratic contributors as well. Throughout the 2010 campaign, as I did in the 2008 cycle, I plan to examine who's giving to whom and what interests they may represent. I've already done some of this in the column, and on the blog, for the Democratic candidates as a result of their July filing last year, and the folks hosting their DC fundraisers.
Posted by: Shay Totten | March 11, 2010 at 07:26 PM
Looking forward to a contributor list this comprehensive for all candidates. The pieces from July were very high-level, nothing like this.
Posted by: Jimmy | March 11, 2010 at 08:41 PM
See, if Shay does a story about a Republican raising money, it's liberal media bias. If he does a story about a Democrat or Prog raising money, it's just evidence that liberals are corrupt.
It's just the way it is. Don't question it.
Posted by: One_Vermonter | March 11, 2010 at 10:16 PM
This muckracking journalism by Shay is disgusting. 7days should be ashamed. I'm not even a GOP, I'm a Dem, but the worst part of this report is that it's painfully obvious that Dubie will win in November. The GOP is well organized, well funded, and unified in their support of one candidate. Meanwhile, over in Dem-land, there are 5 babbling idiots running all over the state trying to raise money from the same people. It's disappointing.
Posted by: Bob | March 12, 2010 at 12:05 AM
" . . . it's just evidence that liberals are corrupt."
Liberals *are* every bit as corrupt as Republicans. And hypocritical, to boot.
Wake up from your self-delusion.
Posted by: webber | March 12, 2010 at 12:17 AM
"This muckracking journalism by Shay is disgusting." Publishing a set of facts is muckraking? If only all reporters just kept to the facts, we would all be better off. Shay could have connected a number of other dots from the list, but apparently chose not to do so. Maybe next time?
Posted by: Older is Better | March 12, 2010 at 09:15 AM
I have to wonder how anybody comments on a liberal bias from the 7 Days as though it is a surprise or discovery. What I like about the 7 Days is that they don't waste their time pretending to be impartial. It's a liberal paper. It says some things I totally agree with and some that I totally disagree with. Impartial journalism is a myth and impossibility. In every other country in the world, the newspaper is an overt editorial not a passive-aggressively "impartial" one. So Shay, be as biased as you want to be, or as unbiased as you want to be, just don't pretend you're something you aren't.
Posted by: Jonny Adler | March 12, 2010 at 10:01 AM
"Impartial journalism is a myth and impossibility."
Traditional journalistic standards discourage overt bias, at least for reporters. It comes down to whether Shay is purporting to be a reporter or a commentator. He's saying he's going to be a reporter and give all candidates this same treatment. I take him at his word, and look forward to it.
Posted by: Jimmy | March 12, 2010 at 10:34 AM
The most interesting thing about all of this is to see how much the Pomerleau boys give to relative Pat Leahy.
Posted by: dale tillotson | March 12, 2010 at 02:42 PM
How is this even a negative story about Dubie?
He raised a bunch of money. Is that a crime? No. It's what pols do.
Somehow the GOP commenters here are worried that people are going to find out that Dubie is raising a bunch of money -- and they are attacking Shay for talking about it.
Posted by: Page Larson | March 13, 2010 at 12:32 AM
@ Page:
"Somehow the GOP commenters here are worried that people are going to find out that Dubie is raising a bunch of money -- and they are attacking Shay for talking about it."
I don't think that's true. First off, I don't think you can or should assume that everyone who questions journalistic bias in 7D is a Republican. I'm not. Second, some of us are just pointing out what appears to be obviously unequal treatment. I don't EVER EVER EVER remember seeing on a 7D blog posting, or in the print edition, the COMPLETE list of EVERY donor at a Vermont fundraiser for any of the following people:
-Leahy
-Sanders
-Welch
- any of the five Dem candidates for Governor.
What's up with this? Fair is fair. Let's see Shay do the same excrutiatingly-detailed list of donors for each of the other five candidates for Gov.
Posted by: webber | March 13, 2010 at 10:51 AM
Deb Markowitz held a fundraiser the same night as the one detailed here, with $100, $250, $500, and $1000 contribution levels, also with clever names.
Who were the donors at each level?
Waiting...
Posted by: Jimmy | March 13, 2010 at 11:08 AM
Hey, not to worry, folks. I just checked the "liberal" Vermont gubernatorial campaign website. Here are the names of the donation categories for their fundraiser:
$100 - The Flatlander Environmentalist: "Sure I came here tonight in a limo, but one of the 4 cars I keep at my Vermont house is a Prius."
$250 - The Real Vermonter: "I just love Vermont! That's why I sold my software business in California for a gazillion dollars last week and moved to Stowe. Stowe's in Vermont, right? Hey, this brie is delicious. Can I have some more Chardonnay, please? Isn't Bernie's so cute! Give 'em hell, Bernie! Hey, now that I'm a Vermonter, wanna hear my 15 brilliant ideas for improving Vermont?"
$500 - The Trustafarian: "Geez, I don't understand why so many people are complaining about their property taxes. The nice man at the bank in New York City takes care of mine. In fact, I don't even know what my taxes are because the town clerk sends the bill directly to the bank! Thanks, Grandpa! Hey, let's go skiing! My folks have a place at Killington."
$750 - The Flatlander Environmentalist, Take Two: "Sure I'm an environmentalist, but don't build that windfarm anywhere near MY Vermont mansion. I didn't buy 100 acres of "Vermont" to have my view marred by a wind turbine. And, geez, I wish those people next door would move their smelly farm somewhere else."
$1,000 - The Flatlander Environmentalist, Take Three: "Yeah, shut down all business. Don't allow any business to continue, start, expand, or relocate here. Business is so declasse, un-hip, and un-environmental! I certainly don't work for a living, and I've never met any working class people in Vermont, so why do we need any businesses here, anyway? I'll have another double latte, please."
$5,000 - The Flatlander Environmentalist, Take Four: "You bet I'm concerned about global warming! We need to do something about it! Why, just the other day I was talking to Al Gore about climate crisis. We were on his private jet flying to his vacation house in Switzerland so he could pick up an award and take in some skiing. Hey, come to think of it, Switzerland is a lot like Vermont -- well, except they have business and industry there. But anyway . . ."
$1,000,000 - The Hollywood: "Sure, I live in a compound in Beverly Hills. Sure, I have a gazillion dollars and 12 houses. Sure, I've never stepped foot in Vermont. (Vermont's in New England, right?) Sure, I have no idea what the average working stiff in Vermont lives like. Nor do I care. I'm a superwealthy liberal and I have the right to influence Vermont elections."
Posted by: webber | March 13, 2010 at 05:07 PM
Hey everyone,
In case you missed it: Since there was interest in the comments about the Deb Markowitz fundraiser, I did post something the other day about her Burlington event and was able to get a list of some, but not all, of the donors via her campaign. I also provided a little analysis of the key major donors.
Here's the link: http://7d.blogs.com/blurt/2010/03/markowitz-continues-to-barnstorm-fundraising-circuit.html
Cheers,
Shay
Posted by: Shay Totten | March 18, 2010 at 06:42 PM
Hmm. Turns out Shummy's a millionaire. Based in large part on being a real estate mogul. Dubie's fundraiser raised less than half of what Shummy The Millionaire paid in taxes last year based on his enormous wealth. I don't think Dubie's fundraiser was the real story after all. The real story is that Shummy does not represent real Vermonters. Not even close. The average Vermont income ($35,000?) is 1/28th of what Shummy took in last year. It's time for 7D to do an expose on Shummy's real estate holdings and other income sources.
Posted by: webber | April 21, 2010 at 12:49 AM