Mum On His Donors
Under Oath, Mitch McConnell Remains Vague About Political Contributors
The TomPaine.com Staff
The following is an excerpt from a deposition of Sen. Mitch McConnell for the case of Adams et al. v. FEC by John Bonifaz, the executive director of the National Voting Rights Institute on Sept. 23, 2002. The Adams case is challenging the hard-money increases in the new Bipartisan Campaign Reform law, which went into effect on Nov. 6, 2002.
John Bonifaz: You stated earlier that you know some people who have given you the maximum level of contributions. Do you know any schoolteachers who've given you that maximum level of $1,000?
Mitch McConnell: I -- I don't know what the professions are of the donors. The FEC records I believe require to make our best effort to get that. But I couldn't tell you off the top of my head what the incomes -- or I wouldn't know what their income was or what their profession is of donors.
Bonifaz: Do you know any waiters or waitresses who've given you a $1,000 or more?
McConnell: As I said, I don't know the income level or the occupations. I have no recollection of that, of the people who support me.
Bonifaz: Do you know any coal miners who have given you $1,000 or more?
McConnell: As I said, I don't -- I don't -- we don't check our donors to find out what their occupations are or what their income level is.
Bonifaz: Do you know any nurses who have given you $1,000 or more?
McConnell: As I said, we don't check on the occupation or the income level of donors.
Bonifaz: Do you know any janitors or maids who have given you $1,000 or more?
McConnell: I don't -- as I've said, I don't know the occupation nor do I know the -- how much that my donors make.
Bonifaz: Do you know anyone who holds a minimum wage job who's given you $1,000 or more?
McConnell: As I've said, I don't know the income level or occupation of the donors that have contributed to me.
Bonifaz: Do you know any corporate executives who have given you $1,000 or more?
McConnell: As I said, I don't -- I don't look at the income level or the occupation.
Bonifaz: Senator, you understand you're under oath?
McConnell: I do.
Bonifaz: Do you know any corporate executives who have ever given you $1,000 or more?
McConnell: I know a number of people who've given me $1,000 or more in a whole variety of different occupations.
Bonifaz: Do you know if any of them are corporate executives?
McConnell: Some of them are corporate executives; some of them are other things.
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Published: Dec 03 2002
