RE: FLAG: Politico asking state parties about HRC JFA direct transfers back to DNC

There's been no coverage that we've found, which is what we wanted. Will continue to monitor. Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone -------- Original message -------- I agree – just the emphasis that the money coming in is being range of general election prep. I leave it to you, but I think we probably want to be on the same page as HFA here given that Beth Jones is the HVF treasurer making the disbursements to the parties and I’m sure they are being asked too. Graham M. Wilson | Perkins Coie LLP Direct. +1.202.434.1638 We should NOT add that extra point you suggested. We want to emphasize the opposite, which is that we set up these committees with both campaigns early – albeit it one of the campaigns hasn’t used theirs – precisely because we need to raise the resources NOW to have the infrastructure in place for the general election. The money the state parties are transferring back to the DNC is still helping the state parties. Point them to this bullet in the talking points: · It’s important to note, the funds that the DNC and state parties get through the joint victory funds help strengthen, for example, our national voter file and communications, research and digital support for state parties and down ballot candidates. That includes training across a variety of areas, for example, and access to media monitoring and rapid response support. This is helping us build infrastructure for the general election. Luis Miranda, Communications Director Democratic National Committee 202-863-8148 – MirandaL@dnc.org - @MiraLuisDC Messages coming in from lots of state parties now. He’s asking about FEC reports that show transfers from state parties to the DNC of exact dollar amounts raised by the HFA / state party JFAs. So in other words, let’s say HFA raised 300k for PA Dems… PA Dems sending that money back to DNC. I assume he wants to write that this money won’t be used for state parties or downballot races, but that it’s all going to the DNC for the presidential campaign, and the state party JFAs are a workaround. I can call Josh and Zac with HFA and see what they’re thinking. Which direct transfers is he asking about? Do we know HFA is saying? Graham M. Wilson | Perkins Coie LLP Direct. +1.202.434.1638 PA Dems and OH Dems just got a call about it from Politico. Reporter wants to know why the direct transfers have been happening for exact dollar amounts. He wants to write the Paul Blumenthal angle, but Politico can be more aggressive and sensational. I can supply the TPs that we’ve used before which nibble around the issue (JFA money goes to winning races up and down the ballot, investing in infrastructure, blah blah blah) but I think it may be worth adding an extra talking point if pressed. · It’s way too early to start determining where the money will be most useful in the run-up to the election, and even if it was time to make that determination, we wouldn’t discuss funding allocations in the press for the RNC to see what we’re doing. Any objections? TPs we’ve used before: - For Background Only - Talking Points on Joint Fundraising Committees We welcome any effort by our candidates to help raise money for the DNC and state parties. Similar agreements were set up with both the Clinton campaign and the Sanders campaign early in the cycle, precisely because of the urgency to build a strong national infrastructure now that will help elect Democrats up and down the ballot in November. The Sanders campaign has not used theirs. It’s important to note, the funds that the DNC and state parties get through the joint victory funds help strengthen, for example, our national voter file and communications, research and digital support for state parties and down ballot candidates. That includes training across a variety of areas, for example, and access to media monitoring and rapid response support. This is helping us build infrastructure for the general election. These arrangements are not new or unusual. Similar joint fundraising committees were established with our Democratic candidate in both 2008 and 2012. And again, both campaigns have signed on and have the option of using joint victory funds. And let’s be clear, neither the DNC nor state parties are subsidizing fundraising through these committees for either campaign. For whatever each campaign raises under the agreement that then goes to their campaign, that campaign pays a directly proportional amount for the cost of that fundraising. Rick Hasen, an influential academic on campaign finance, posted an analysis on the Election Law Blog that addressed this issue. Hasen states in the article that “it is hard to see what provision of the law” is at issue in the letter. As the blog points out, “legally” the criticism of the fund “seems weak.” http://electionlawblog.org/?p=81996 Eric Walker walkere@dnc.org 732-991-1489 @ericmwalker NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you have received it in error, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you. NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you have received it in error, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you.