by Tyler Evilsizer | 2009-03-26
Fumo: A Master Politician?
On March 16, 2009, a federal jury found former state Sen. Vincent Fumo guilty of 137 counts of corruption and fraud. He is currently awaiting sentencing and faces more than 10 years in federal prison.
During his 30-year career as a Pennsylvania senator, Vincent Fumo rose to become "arguably the most powerful political politician in the state."1 The Democrat served as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee from 1984 until he resigned from the position after his indictment in February 2007. Under a headline that read, "One-word definition of power: Fumo," the Patriot-News of Harrisburg described Fumo as "the master politician, the deal sealer, the kingmaker."2 According to Fumo's office, the senator was responsible for channeling slightly less than $8 billion to Philadelphia during his 13-year tenure as Senate Appropriations Chair.3 On March 12, 2008, he withdrew from his reelection campaign, citing the ongoing federal investigation as the reason rather than his heart attack of two weeks earlier.
The National Institute on Money in State Politics has campaign finance data for all Pennsylvania senators starting in 2000. That data shows that Fumo was a fundraising powerhouse even when he was not up for election, regularly raising twice as much money as any other Pennsylvania senator. He was always the top fundraiser in senate races, and he was still ahead in fund raising through the 2008 primary. Since 2000, Fumo raised almost $13 million in campaign contributions.
Nor was the vast amount of campaign funds needed for a competitive race. For example, when Fumo was up for election in 2004, he raised over $4 million, or 32 percent of all the contributions to 52 senatorial candidates. His opponent in the primary, James Tayoun, raised $319,584. The general election was virtually uncontested, with Republican opponent John Morley raising only $2,475.
YEAR | STATUS | TOTAL | NEXT-LARGEST SENATE FUNDRAISER | NEXT-LARGEST TOTAL |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Won | $1,912,504 | Tilghman, Richard A. | $800,849 |
2002 | Not Up for Election | $2,450,395 | Tomlinson, Robert Tommy | $1,198,264 |
2004 | Won | $4,098,195 | Brightbill, David J. | $915,013 |
2006 | Not Up for Election | $2,805,150 | Jubelirer, Robert C. | $1,964,304 |
2008 | Withdrew | $1,605,734* | Pileggi, Dominic | $1,450,097* |
Total | $12,871,978 |
*The Institute has not completed data collection for 2008. Data is current through the primary election reports.
Fumo raised $12.9 million from 2000 to 2008; 64 percent of that came from individual donors. Businesses and special interests gave 19 percent, while labor organizations were responsible for 10 percent.
Fumo had a relatively small base of consistent donors. Almost half of Fumo's campaign funds ($6.3 million) came from slightly more than 400 people who contributed in more than one year. The average repeat donor gave Fumo $14,974, compared to $1,847 for a one-time donor.
Over the years, the top contributor was the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters and Joiners, which gave $696,950. Next was close friend Stephen C. Marcus of Villanova, Penn., who had made his fortune in direct mailings. Marcus contributed $391,500 to Fumo's campaign committees.4 The Pennsylvania 2100 Committee, a political action committee controlled by Fumo, gave $358,000. AFSCME Council 13 gave $260,000 over the five elections.
The Institute only has information for contributors to Fumo's official campaign committee, not affiliated political action committees such as Pennsylvania 2100.
INDUSTRY | TOTAL | % OF TOTAL |
---|---|---|
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate | $2,189,825 | 17% |
Lawyers & Lobbyists | $2,178,172 | 17% |
Bauwesen | $1,501,118 | 12% |
Labor | $1,367,900 | 11% |
General Business | $801,300 | 6% |
Transport | $457,450 | 4% |
Committees Controlled by Fumo | $429,312 | 3% |
Political Parties & Candidates | $415,519 | 3% |
Agriculture | $195,473 | 2% |
Other/Retiree/Civil Servants | $185,850 | 1% |
Money Given To Others
Committees controlled by Fumo distributed $3.7 million. Fumo's official campaign committee, Fumo for Senate, gave $3 million, while three other committees–Pennsylvania 2100, Public Service PAC, and Committee for a Democratic Majority—associated with Fumo6–gave another $736,362.
The top recipient of over $1.1 million from Fumo was the Democratic State Senate Campaign Committee, which in turn distributed money to other Pennsylvania senate candidates. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party received the next largest chunk: $645,860.
Fumo himself was the third largest recipient, transferring $411,312 from committees he controlled to his official campaign fund. In 2002, Auditor General Bob Casey received $222,534 from Fumo in his unsuccessful bid for governor.7 After Casey lost in the 2002 primary, Fumo's campaign gave $200,000 to Democratic nominee and current governor, Ed Rendell. Casey was elected as one of Pennsylvania's U.S. Senators in 2006.
- 1. Karen Araiza, "Fumo Guilty on All Counts," NBCPhiladelphia, March 18, 2009, available from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29727890/, accessed March 18, 2009.
- 2. "Biography of State Senator Vincent J. Fumo," official web site of Sen. Fumo, available from http://www.fumo.com/biography/default.htm, accessed March 18, 2009.
- 3. Tom Namako, "The Fumo Theorem," Philadelphia City Paper, October 8, 2008, available from http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/10/09/the-fumo-theorem, accessed October 10, 2008.
- 4. Craig R. McCoy, Mario F. Cattabiani, and Bonnie L. Cook, "Friend tapped trust fund to give Fumo cash: Stephen C. Marcus' $1 million gift in 2000 belonged to a daughter," The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 22, 2009, available http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090222_Friend_tapped_trust_fund_to_give_Fumo_cash.html, accessed March 20, 2009.
- 5. Based on employer and occupation information provided on campaign finance forms. The Institute was able to identify a sector for 79 percent of Fumo's contributions.
- 6. "Juror Questionnaire, United States v. Fumo and Arnao, September 10, 2008, available from http://fumo.blogs.citypaper.net/blogs/mu/files/2008/09/juryselectionquestions.pdf, accessed March 20, 2009.
- 7. Casey also received $5,000 in 2000 and $115,100 in 2004.
Clearly, you're interested in following the money.
It costs more than $2 million a year to provide these verifiable facts about money in politics.
Do you know we simply give it to you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
How often does that happen elsewhere in your life?
Please donate. You'll help us keep democracy transparent!