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Hess "Driver" Maxed Out To McCain
The Washington Post's Matthew Mosk turns up yet another interesting contribution to McCain from a Hess employee:
Rocchio is not the only person employed by Hess who made a large contribution to McCain. In addition to the top exectives, Charles Harris, who lists his occupation as a "driver" for Hess, gave $2,300 to the presumptive Republican nominee in March.
That's hardly $28,500, of course, and it's a perfectly feasible donation. Nonetheless, in addition to their big contributions to the RNC's committee, the Rocchios also both maxed out to the McCain campaign this year, each giving him $2,300, along with this "driver." So another question is how many low-level Hess employees maxed out straight to the McCain campaign.
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Did Hess suggest that its employees better give to McCain because the "other guy" is going to kill their jobs? If Wal Mart did it, why not Hess?
August 4, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn, Greg, I'm impressed. You're faster that most of the traditional media. Let's see how deep the rabbit hole goes.
August 4, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder if those who donate receive 'bonuses' equal to the amount of their donation?
Just a thought.
August 4, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I understand that's how its usually done, yes. A little stinky, but better that than an envelope (or a briefcase) full of twenties.
August 4, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
TPM and this story just got a shout out from Rachel Maddow on MSNBC!
August 4, 2008 6:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Charlie Gibson on ABC news just questioned a McCain advisor about these "donations"
August 4, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
AND??????
August 4, 2008 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
How many drivers even have health insurance? Unless this driver is a driver in the same way that an executive assistant to a President or CEO at a major institution or corporation is really a kind of high-level executive (Private Secretary to Her Majesty the Queen?), the donation hardly sounds "feasible."
I would expect most drivers live paycheck to paycheck and do not save up their money just to fritter it away on a political campaign. A motorcycle...big speakers...a flat-screen TV...a diamond ring for their sweetheart: maybe. But a political campaign? No.
August 4, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not only that, but when did they max out? Is it really even plausible that the CEO called his office manager and said: "I want you and your husband to each donate $28K to McCain today!"?
Strange things are afoot at the CircleK
August 4, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is the question. The driver gave his money on Jan. 31, 2008 and the Rocchio's the very next day. In fact, on those two days, ten Hess peeps made max out contributions.
The Post writer is just plain wrong about it being from march.
August 4, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, this is what happens when you focus like a laser on a story and do good old-fashioned reporting.
Sniff sniff, so proud, my little Greg's all grown up!
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 4, 2008 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glad to see this story getting picked up and gaining some steam. This all stinks to high heaven.
August 4, 2008 6:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just up on the NY Times Political Blog.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/mccains-oil-co-donors/
August 4, 2008 6:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
NYT adds some details:
August 4, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Call the lawyers! Information is going public! O. My. God. !!!!!
This story is a nice round scoop by our own Greg!
August 4, 2008 6:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey should we take our 60k savings and upgrade our 1993 Chevy? Nah, lets just give it all to John McCain.
August 4, 2008 7:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are the Hess family in any way related to Michael D. Hess, RudyG's lawyer?
August 4, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
So Hess is clearly bundling at amounts over $15,000 and, apparently, giving employees large amounts to offer as donations as "their own" money. The latter, being money laundering?
August 4, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not money laundering, but it is against the law. It's essentially a corporation making a campaign donation, which is a big no-no. See 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a).
August 4, 2008 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks! I was unclear of what specifically the violation was, but I thought it was a no-no.
August 4, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was the one who went down a separate money laundering trail.
Corporations making donations this way is probably more common than anyone realizes.
That's all I'm going to say, but if I worked for the FEC, I'd look more closely at a whole lot of corporate donations.
August 4, 2008 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
"If you worked for the FEC", you'd probably be the only one working given the recent efforts of the present administration :)
August 4, 2008 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome work by TPM, greg et al.
Bravo. You put the MSM to shame.
August 4, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only slightly OT: Seperated At Birth?
August 4, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmm. Try this:
http://blah3.com/images/hess-burns.gif
August 4, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, don't scoff at "drivers."
In DC, the chauffeur for HHS Secretary Leavitt makes $90k a year.
And, also in DC, the two chauffeurs for Transportation Secretary Mary Peters make approx $64k each.
http://sweetness-light.com/archive/govt-has-642233-cars-plus-chauffeurs
So just imagine in NYC!
August 4, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
This... doesn't sound like news to me, or even suspicious. How many people do you know who maxed out to $2300 for Obama even though their financial situation didn't altogether make that easy?
August 4, 2008 6:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. The driver story doesn't strike me as very suspicious. The other story, though, reeks.
August 4, 2008 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
O you are kidding me!
O dude.
This entire thing is rotten - the Hesses have quite the donation scheme worked out.
Lord.
August 4, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
And how many of those people then turned around and forked over another $28K at the same time as their bosses?
August 4, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Answer - None.
please.
August 4, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know anybody who makes under $100K who gave $2300 to Obama IN ONE DONATION! That simply doesn't happen.
August 4, 2008 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
ok, so I am assuming that we are going to find all sorts of maxed out donors, who cant afford to, in all of the oil companies, no?
August 4, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not just oil companies.
August 4, 2008 7:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's like this with me. If the American electorate are so goddamn stupid to put another Republican in the White House, Fuck Us All.
The hell of it is, I only hold the democratic party in slightly less regard. Very slightly.
August 4, 2008 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, keep digging. Maybe you just found something big. Maybe there are other companies like Hess doing the same thing. This stinks for miles and it's just the tip of the iceberg.
August 4, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
And here we're always complaining because ordinary folks can't afford to make campaign contributions.
Who knew? :)
August 4, 2008 10:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama claims that the McCain campaign is using race because it is the sole tool the GOP candidate’s staff has to use against him.
Actually, it’s the reverse. Obama is exploiting the race card because it is all he has in his arsenal. He has no experience, no accomplishments, no special knowledge, no particular gifts aside from reading a teleprompter well. Especially compared to McCain and Clinton. So he has to fall back on trying to “guilt-trip” people into voting for him.
Nobama Never.
August 5, 2008 12:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Aren't you late for the cross-burning, sir? I'd hate for you to show up hoodless and befuddled due to late-night posting on a blog that -- at least nominally -- caters to folks who have evolved beyond your moronic white-privilege talking points. I mean, what ever would Boss Hogg have to say about that lack of priorities on your part? Shorter version: get over it. And yourself. If you're a Dem, support Obama. If you're not, what the fuck are doing here pretending otherwise?
August 5, 2008 1:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah if you are a Dem you gotta support the Say Anything Never Done Nothin' Hussein Obama no matter what!
And if you don't support him then you are a racist!
And that little Obabots is exactly why Hussein Obama is going down, snatching defeat from etc. etc.
But hey, I hear the job of White House Lawn Jockey is open... maybe just maybe Hussein can qualify for that.
Shaniqua is more problematic but she can always go back to pole dancing...
August 5, 2008 5:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Time to remove your hood and crawl back into your coffin for the day. The sun is risin. Here we have a blatant racist showing his ignorance and hate. not really worth responding to I suppose. Fuck off. Soon a black man will be the President of the country and his wife will be first lady, and they will live in that cozy cottage with their family over on Pennsylvania avenue.
August 5, 2008 6:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
not supporting obama doesn't make you a racist.
being racist is what makes you a racist.
August 5, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, if a Hess driver can give $2k, I'm working at the wrong place.
August 5, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink