13 Days Until the New Election: Best Month Ever

Best month ever!  Very Nice!

Yesterday we looked at Chad Smith’s most recent campaign finance reports, to see who is giving him money and what he is spending it on.  Today, it’s Baker’s turn, and we’ll repeat some of yesterday’s caveats:

Keep in mind, this reporting period is for the calendar month of July, which, looking back, went something like recount, court appeal, second recount, court orders new election, Deputy Chief election, then we’re pretty much in August.  The new election was ordered by the Supreme Court on July 21 (see our riveting blog here).

Baker’s report though, covers July 15-August 15, so his numbers should, and are, higher than Smith's.

In fact, the Baker campaign might call July 15-August 15 the best month ever.  The Supreme Court didn’t make Smith chief, even though they counted more votes for Smith.  Baker’s Deputy Chief fave S. Joe Crittenden won the runoff election, and then got sworn in as APCSJC on August 14.  Then on August 15, Baker turned in a report showing that he raised almost $100,000 in those 30 days, which is almost half as much as he raised from other folks this whole election cycle up until July 15.  And he didn’t have to add to the $155,000 in loans he’s made to his campaign.  So again, a pretty good month for Baker. 

His contributors include a few folks who gave to Smith before, so some people may be hedging their bets.  Contributors of note include $1000 bucks from election commissioner-to-be Susan Plumb, $500 from freedmen advocate David Cornsilk, and $2000 from former Supreme Court Justice and Chief candidate Stacy Leeds.  Also, another big donation from a Cherokee Truth reader, but we’ll let that person ID themselves if they wish.

Baker’s expenditures for the month totaled $68,438.79.  His biggest expenses were related to the recount and other miscellaneous ($28,500) and printing ($26,969).

Baker’s attorney Kalyn Free got $10k for ‘lawsuit’ and a DC firm got $20,000 for mail printing.

Baker’s cash on hand was $61,176.20 on August 15.

Baker’s total contributions from others so far now total $291,445.62.

That’s on top of the $155,000 loan, which puts the total money in his campaign so far at $446,445.62.

The September 15 reports will be out soon, and we’ll get you information on those as quick as we can.  If any of our readers have access to those reports, please email them to cherokeetruth@gmail.com.