Democratic Party Under New Chair Cynthia Busch Still Lagging In Fund Raising
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Broward County’s new Democratic Chair Cynthia Busch’s much-trumpeted stepped-up fund raising efforts have made little difference in the party’s fortunes.
Cynthia Busch
The Broward Democratic Party had $6,210 in contributions for the two months from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2015, according to contribution records. The party continues to hemorrhage cash, spending $25,625 for the same period.
The money Busch managed to raise is a long way from her goal — $250,000 for the 2016 General Election.
The October through December three-month reporting period were the first to reflect Busch’s running the party by herself. She was appointed in August in the middle of the last reporting period to replace longtime Chair Mitch Ceasar, who temporarily resigned while running for Broward Clerk of the Courts.
In this first reflection of Busch’s fund raising tactics, she raised just a little more than Ceasar in a similar period a year before the 2012 General Election. The party had $5,734 in contributions in Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2011.
Despite Busch’s vow to cut expenses, there has actually been an increase — $26,625 spent compared with $20,658 four years earlier.
The biggest expense is the salary for Busch handpicked aide Travis Perron, who was paid $1,194 every two weeks. The previous Democratic Party office worker Michael Howson received $773 every two weeks.
Busch has not had an easy time running the party. Her first move just days after taking office was to fire Howson, an African American gay, and replace him with Perron.
The firing was protested by some activists in the black community, which is a bedrock base of the party.
She also been under fire for leaving the phone unanswered in the Democratic headquarters in Plantation and allegedly threatening to purge the precinct committee members that she considered not working hard enough for the party.
The new chair blamed the phone problems on a technical failure, which she says is now solved. She called the threat to remove precinct committee members “a rumor” and said it was never part of her plans.
February 17th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Mitch made the Democratic Party relevant. It has disappeared under Busch. Now you indicate she can not raise money. Not so easy being Mitch.
February 17th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
Travis Perron stated that the Broward DEC was bankrupt when he was anointed, it was imperative to have an emergency fund raiser or file bankruptcy.
What happened to all the money?
Was the money used to satisfy any pending or past judgments committed with the hands of Mitch Ceasar the unlicensed masseur (No records found, FL DOH)?
Is Mitch Ceasar paid to be a talking head on cable news? If Ceasar is speaking on behalf of the DEC should those funds be put into their coffers? Or is Ceasar wearing his lobbyist fedora?
Speaking of fedora’s why was Percy prosecuted for doing the same thing that his superiors were committing with DEC Funds? Double standard?
Example:
$773 vs $1,194 before your eyes in black and white.
Come to (the) Plantation for the next meeting.
Cynthia Busch the people are tired of same ole corruption, divisiveness and backroom deals that continue even under your temporary faux control.
Not a phone issue it’s being a “phony” issue.
Great article December 2, 1996, fast-forward see the hollow frauds today, same mantra.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1996-12-02/news/9612010251_1_mitchell-ceasar-barbara-effman-democratic-party
More Hypocrisy? Is the campaign manager trying to butter both sides of toast?
http://www.browardbeat.com/dan-lewis-demo-boss-ceasar-needs-to-retire/
FROM BUDDY:
Mitch Ceasar is not to be a Democratic spokesman.
February 17th, 2016 at 7:23 pm
Broward County Democrats need a strong leader. Most likely Mitch wins his race. Busch doesn’t have the strength or charisma to lead the party. Come on, Lori (Parrish), step up to the plate…the party has waited long enough for you to take the lead.
February 17th, 2016 at 7:43 pm
There are 552,875 registered Dems in Broward, the key county to turn FL blue, elect a DEM President and secure the Supreme Court from the likes of Donald Trump and Ted Cruise.. If each one of us gave $2 at the Broward DEC online website, we would be fully funded for quite some time. Imagine how much could get done by your $2. Are you with me?
February 17th, 2016 at 8:04 pm
Could it be that the Democratic party is dead and is being replaced by the Socialist party? Maybe donors, who expect to get something back for their donations, do not wish to participate in socialism.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:58 pm
I learned in New York City – in the leftwing rich Upper West Side that no matter how you cut the cake, lobbyists, developers, lawyers who want to ingriate themselves with Judges raise the money even in Left wing “populist” races. It is sad but except for the Bernie Sanders campaign the average person seems disinterested in local politics outside these groups.
I was in food exports for thirty years and only twice did food industry people contribute despite most being liberal Democrats – one to the late Republican US Senator Jacob K. Javits so he would get them an EMPORT E from the Department of Commerce and once when the State of New York was starting a funding of export food sales. And that was in the 1970s before politics became a money game for the rich.
I don’t like Miss Busch’s politics or her personality but you can’t blame here for this. But where is all the money from the Young Democrats with patronage jobs we read about on this blog? Some young lawyers are doing very well – you meam Mike Moscowitz and his son Jared aren’t raising money for the County Demos? What about the County Commissioners? Their lobbyist husbands and allies?
February 18th, 2016 at 3:27 am
In fairness, their biggest fundraising event is just coming up now. So.
February 18th, 2016 at 7:57 am
Cynthia lost her bff, counsel and money man Nick Steffens. Reminds me of Bova Prine shuttering after Rothstien went down. Hopefully the DEC or any candidates won’t get hit having to pay back money on a clawback action.
February 18th, 2016 at 8:04 am
It is not possible to make an accurate judgement about the state of the organization’s fundraising by taking a snapshot of several months.
I know nothing about the Broward Democratic Party’s finances, but I would guess that its revenues do not come in evenly spaced, month to month. Are any big fundraising campaigns or special events scheduled prior to the elections that are projected to bring in significant amounts of cash? If so, the Oct. though Dec. income may have very little predictive value.
FROM BUDDY:
The party has been holding fund raising events since Cynthia Busch was appointed. So far she is doing no better than Mitch Ceasar, who didn’t hold these events.
However, the biggest fund raising event is indeed coming up. She will have to raise a lot of money to reach her goal.
February 18th, 2016 at 9:08 am
Sorry to blog twice but politico ny just announced political local funding is off 20 percent therw so lets not blame local Dems for what appears to be a possible national trend in local politics
February 19th, 2016 at 10:06 am
Of course, the question is what does the money return in GOTV production, not the to date amount. You may soon find that people who would have never considered giving funds before (for various reasons), will give a little or are finally considering giving more than a little.
What else is the limited funds so far producing: Long hours for free by a host of the actual doers including developing a field plan (imagine that! A field plan not a robocall plan), sitting in chairs registering voters all day, updating the website to include better fundraising capabilities, doing phone banks from the office or elsewhere — YES, OMG! The office is used & often after 5pm! And on wkends. And just for DEC efforts. (Despite the obvious need for a much larger space), calling donors, fielding calls, trainings on the VAN (no, not the thing you drive around in), trainings of all sorts, fielding A LOT of calls from Presidents of other clubs who are buying into the plans.
Point being, it is a renewal of energy and the base of a serious GOTV effort for November elections. Perhaps you should attend a training, or if you really do nothing but post, then just send money via the Broward DEC website. Buy in to the future, grow the base of voter activists and enjoy the ride.
As DWS said at a rally, “we need 10,000 Cynthia Busch’s”. Personally, I believe there a quite a few already (who know who they are), but we could definitely use 20-50 more so IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD THEN STEP FORWARD as VOLUNTEERS AND FUNDS ARE NEEDED.
February 19th, 2016 at 11:12 pm
@11 – People may also want to see that renewal of energy for themselves by going to Deicke Auditorium (in Plantation, just northwest of Broward Blvd & SR 7) on (Tuesday) March 15th at 7 PM.
The Broward Democratic Party is at:
http://browarddemocrats.org
Local Grassroots Support page here:
https://act.myngp.com/Forms/-3944325771943671808
February 20th, 2016 at 11:53 pm
O how the mighty have fallen!!!
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/jeb-bush-dropping-out-set-up-to-fail-213662
Inside Jeb Bush’s $150,000,000 Failure
…He couldn’t escape his last name. His millions couldn’t buy popular support. Given how the race has gone, the real mystery of Jeb Bush’s campaign isn’t why he failed — but why anyone ever thought he would succeed.
February 21st, 2016 at 9:32 am
One thing esp. on th e national scene there- is the DNC doesn’t need any more money just fresh new ideas and jobs, jobs, jobs. W/ the Tarp money, stimulus money(lots) Where are the jobs???. As far as raising money look at Jeb Bush raised over a 150 mill and still counting- just to come back to Florida after th e beating he got from Trump. Well at least Gov.Bush finally, finally ditched the glasses(little late). My point is they the DNC not just nationally but locally as well they need more blue collar workers and average Joe’s to take the stage(th e money will come but lets see them prove themselves before we dish out the Benjamins($$). Also to take note some of you big -wigs in the DNC who would please tell Mrs.Clinton, one, leave the dog barking to the late night comedians and also lower the tone of your voice(woke up th e other day w/ her screaming where gonna take Nevada, then this state screaming louder and louder, and please whats w/ the suit top zipped up, bottomed up, all the way up her neck like she has a straight jacket on under it(oh say one thing she got the get up in every color(I mean really). Save your money people-make these politicians earn your cash…
February 21st, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Now that Jeb has decided to take his toys and go home how much will the BREC raise from Lincoln Day?
Way to go Chip and David on getting the BREC hooked up with Jeb as a speaker. Your stellar leadership continues.
February 21st, 2016 at 8:43 pm
National political fundraising except for Bernie Sanders is a millionaires game since the 1950s Dollars For Democrats was abandoned in 1960.
States’ fund raising has been unions, business groups n lobbyists since the 1980s.
County funding raising has been less n less unions n business grouos n more n more lobbyists n non profit groups thru their employees n pacs.
Municipal races are funded in the main by bundled real estate interests n government vendors.
The internet has been used by both conservative n liberal pacs n campaigns but only President Obama n Senator Sanders have been significantly successful at it.
Locally here in South Florida lobbyists at the county n municipal level have significant success with much less for unions or business groups.
Rick Scott n Philip Levine on Miami Beach are the prime examples of self funding as Mr Trump is doing.