SUMMERTIME GIVING

While the students are away, it’s common practice for the University to tidy up a bit, which unfortunately this summer included closing the student woodshop and firing all of the residence hall librarians. It’s also apparently time for many U-M administrators, and also students and staff to open up the checkbook and give some money to their favorite political candidates. A quick check of the database over at FEC.gov reveals quite a few people in Ann Arbor have found time to contribute to the American political process. Both Joe Knollenberg and John Dingell have received plenty of support from Ann Arbor, and a number of others have participated in the impressive internet fund-raising of candidate for president Howard Dean.

Some highlights:

* President Mary Sue Coleman’s husband Ken Coleman, who has a long history of giving to liberal democrats including Paul Wellstone, Bill Clinton, and Bill Bradley, gave $1,000 to Howard Dean’s campaign – in March!

* Marvin Krislov, who came on under Bollinger and has led the admissions lawsuits for the University as general council, gave $250 to the Joe Lieberman for President Committee in June. Krislov was also a supporter of both Al Gore and Jennifer Granholm’s campaigns.

*Got extra $2,000 lying around? Apparently Regent Andrea Fisher Newman did – she gave that amount to George W. Bush’s re-election campaign in June. In the past 13 years, Newman has given well over $29,000 that I was able to track down to a variety of republican candidates, and the Northwest Airlines PAC (She is a VP there). Only Regent and Domino’s Pizza President David Brandon has given more than her to federal elections.

* Way back in March, U employee and fellow blogger Bob Goodsell put his money where his mouth is and gave the Kucinich for President campaign $250.

* V-P for Academic Affairs and professor Paul Courant, State Senator Liz Brater, and City Councilwoman Jean Carlberg, among many others all gave John Dingell’s campaign $250.

* Finally, classics professor and long-time teacher of Great Books classes H.D. Cameron gave $400 to the Democratic National Committee, more than his annual gifts have been in the past.

> View the ‘Summertime Giving’ page here
> Go to Political Giving at U-M page

Author: Rob