Monday, June 06, 2011

AZGOP Still On the Wrong Track Financially, Democrats Kicking our Asses

I'm finally getting around to reviewing the May FEC report for the AZGOP, and unsurprisingly, the numbers don't look any better.


For the period of April 1 to April 30, 2011, the AZGOP raised less than $30,000, spent $43,000, and still has debts of $52,000.

For contrast, over the same period the Democrats raised $72,000 (more than twice what the GOP raised), spent $111,000 (3x), and have no debt.

For the year, the AZGOP has raised $200k, and spent $189k.  They have $34k in the bank.
The Dems have raised $340k, spent $376k, and have $32k in the bank.

It doesn't take a financial wizard to see that there's a problem with those numbers.

Now, let's take a look at what the AZGOP is spending their meager funds on:
  • $4000 to Teresa Martinez for "Party Operations Consulting"
  • $1200 for "legal fees"
  • $2000 to Mark Spinks for "Party transition consulting"
  • $1300 to Wilma J. Swart for "bookkeeping services" - Wait, isn't that the treasurer's job?
Much of the spending this month was to pay off some of the enormous debt, including $1300 for data entry services, $3700  of the $14,000 owed for "web page consulting", and the property taxes on the HQ building. 

Despite that, the actual amount of debt still grew over March's amended numbers.

Again, I'm no financial wizard, but I do know that money spent to pay off debt, or for legal fees or "transition consultants" or bookeeping is not money spent on voter registration and other party building activities.

One more thing- if there have been any payments made by the AZGOP for the services of the Honorable Thayer Verschoor, they don't appear on these reports.  No payments to Joy Communications, or whatever the company is called now.  No payments directly to Thayer Verschoor.  No other obvious shell companies.  

So, how is Thayer being compensated for his work?  More debt?  Is he working off the books?  What's the arrangement?




Since Tom Morrissey has taken over, the Democrats have outraised him, outspent him, and did it all without incurring debt.  Unless there is a change in leadership, this trend will continue.

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