Saturday, January 20, 2007

Nifong's Last Campaign Finance Report

The fourth quarter report for Mike Nifong's campaign has just been posted by the state Board of Elections.

A few items:

1.) For the campaign, Nifong spent a total of $79,895.

2.) The presence of "Spoiler Steve" Monks might have prevented a Cheek victory, but the Recall Nifong effort had an impact: the campaign needed to spend money to hold off the Cheek effort.

With Nifong still struggling to raise funds, therefore, he could not repay to himself the full amount of his earlier loans and simultaneously fund the campaign. He is still owed $8633 in outstanding personal loans (which it's hard to imagine he'll be able to raise, with the possibility of disbarment looming). With his legal bills doubtless starting to mount, this could turn out to have been a very expensive election "victory" for Nifong.

3.) For the year, Nifong spent $12,190 in advertising for the Herald-Sun. Given the coverage he received, that was money very well spent.

4.) 100 percent of the itemized contributions that Nifong received between October 22 and December 31 came from lawyers with business before his office.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

You don't think the Herald-Sun coverage would be affected by $12k-plus in ad revenue, do you? Isn't it just as possible that Ashley is a third-rate journalist?

Anonymous said...

between this,.... the law suits that will arriving on his door step and the 2 lawyers he just hired...he better have a very healty Money Tree in his back yard!

Anonymous said...

$12,000 for display ad space in the
H-S is peanuts. Find out the column inch political rate and see how many ads that gets you.

The free editorial and news space
alone was worth at least a hundred grand.

What you are missing here is how cheap the November election was when you have the backing of the Machine.

Anonymous said...

KC

Does the report specify lawyer donors by name?

Anonymous said...

Remember Watergate: Follow the money!

But I would agree that the free publicity and propaganda that Nifong received from the Hurled-Scum was very helpful to his campaign. However, as we look back, my guess is that for Nifong, this is going to be a case of "Be careful for those things you wish, because you just might get it!"

Anonymous said...

Has anyone looked into the possible Nifong-Monks connection?

Anonymous said...

Money well spent.

Anonymous said...

100 percent of the itemized contributions... came from lawyers with business before his office.

I guess thats how things work in Durham.

Anonymous said...

Why not post them?

Anonymous said...

KC

Did anyone donate after the Dec 15 hearing?

How about after the Bar ethics charges were filed?

kcjohnson9 said...

No donations after 12-15. Can't imagine why . . .

Anonymous said...

100 percent of the itemized contributions... came from lawyers with business before his office.

How the hell is this even legal?

Anonymous said...

What happened at the NC bar meeting this week, does any one know if a statement was issued ?

I suppose they are just mixing the plaster to COVER UP the Fong cracks.

2 lawyers; it's got to be a slap on the wrist and you naughty boy , don't do it again Mr Fong.

Imagine,any one who has been up against the Fong will now be considering a possible retrial...it's going to be a real mess?

Anonymous said...

His debt will grow and he will lose his law license, maybe even some pension benefits. His reputation is permanently destroyed.

So you can add Nifong to list of Nifong victims.

Joe said...

Someone should start a "Nifong Legal Offense Fund." To help fund lawsuits naming him. That would be a fun twist on standard terminology.

Anonymous said...

6:24
I was wondering the same. Guess they got "Snowed" out,

Anonymous said...

Most corruption exists in obscurity, a luxury no longer available to the bullying cowards in this sorry tale.

Anonymous said...

Does Nifong have to pay his lawyers, or is the tab picked up by the state, since the charges relate to his actions as a DA?

Anonymous said...

He's been morally bankrupt for quite some time; soon his financial status will be the same.

Old Coot

Anonymous said...

At this point, I'm nore upset with the G88/87 than Nifong. Prosecutors come and go, but faculty are tenured!

Not to give Nifong a pass; his day in court is coming. And yes, let's establish an "offensive" fund. Great twist and great strategy!

dl

Anonymous said...

I guess the lax defense lawyers should have contributed. That would probably have solved the situation.

Anonymous said...

7:00
I agree with you.
Nifong is history but G88 represents a very dismal future.

Anonymous said...

7:06 -

Guess I'll have another drink....I'm now officially depressed and need to self-medicate.

dl

Anonymous said...

7:00 PM
I agree. The reason this case is so important is that it embodies a minimum of 3 threats to every US citizen: Proescutorial Misconduct, False Accusations, and Tenured Faculty egging it all on.

The G88/87 would still be actively egging this on if they were not called on it. Now they are passively condoning it, although they "stand firmly by the principle of the presumption of innocence", wink-wink.

Anonymous said...

KC: Thus, his conflict of interest had a conflict of interest. Crooked as a ram's horn.

-Esquire-
-Maryland-

Anonymous said...

Some of us Helped by sending Contributions of One Cent; I think I gave a Nickel, to his Campaign via Paypal....cost the Fong money to process.....

Anonymous said...

After making remarks about ,if your innocent why do you need a lawyer and here he is with not one but two attorneys. what a JERK.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully it will truly be his LAST campaign.

At this point, the only service Nifong can provide to society is as a bad example for everyone else to learn from.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering the same thing as 6:55 - is Nifong paying for these lawyers out of his own pocket? Does anyone know whether the state covers this cost for him or not?

Anonymous said...

2 lawyers - I must have missed something - whats that about?Any word on how Nifong is doing?

Anonymous said...

There's an article at the N&O about the problems with Coman: Coman may be no prize by Barry Saunders which talks about what the blogs were discussing a week ago. I guess the media can't keep up with the blogs.

One funny note was the first sentence of the article: [Chill, homes.]

I think that he meant to write: Chill, homies.

At any rate, there's nothing new to folks here in that article but it is good to know that the MSM is only a week behind.

Anonymous said...

10:27
Someone might want to keep a sharp eye on the statute of limitations for Nifong's crimes, so they don't expire and his charges similarly tossed.

Anonymous said...

12k is chump change for advertising in a major daily.

It's extremely low in a contested race, even considering that Federal law requires that during the 45 days preceding a primary election or run-off, and during the 60 days preceding a general election, ad rates charged to "legally qualified candidates," for advertisements that are "uses," may not exceed the "lowest unit charge" provided to commercial advertisers for the same amount and class of time during the same time period.

Anonymous said...

Slighlty off topic but I've seen the pictures of all the demonstrators who held signs "Castrate them" "Tell the Truth" "Rapist". (Aside from the Duke 88 who will never acknowledge the role they played in the hoax) I look at their faces and are surprised their are alot of white women and men also (students, teachers and Durham citizens) I'm wondering if any of them want to clean their conscience and apologize for taking part in causing so much pain to so many. Or is it just a day at Duke, for the cause or for the agenda it doesn't matter if you destroy lives, slander people without a thought for the consequences. Can any of those people be held legally accountable for harrasment, slander etc.?

Anonymous said...

When are we going to focus on the possible explanations for the "survivor's" latest story? I'm partial to the story that she was raped by the 3 lax players, cleaned up, then gave it away out the window at red lights on the way to Kroger to 5 homeless men, who are the 5 DNA strands which were found on her. What do you guys think?

Anonymous said...

I think you need to put that bottle down and go sleep it off.