Well, well, well. Bruce Lisman’s Republican-in-sheep’s-clothing policy shop, the Campaign for Vermont, has finally revealed some financial information. Credit the Vermont Press Bureau with getting it out there first:
In a lobbyist disclosure form filed with the secretary of state today, Bruce Lisman, founder of Campaign for Vermont, revealed he spent more than $200,000 of his own money on the nascent organization between Jan. 1 and March 31.
(I had previously stated that CFV didn’t have to reveal its finances until the spring of 2013. This is true regarding IRS rules; I hadn’t realized that CFV had registered with the state as a lobbying organization.)
Before we go on, please note that CFV’s unavoidable ad campaign actually began in November 2011, so the actual dollar total is significantly higher than $200,000.That’s a lotta meatballs by Vermont standards, especially when it’s not yet campaign season. Presumably Mr. Lisman realized this, because he put his own spin on the news in a press release today. It provided more fodder for our contention that CFV is far from the nonpartisan enterprise it claims to be. Indeed, his words make it clear why El Jefe General John McClaughry described Lisman in 2010 as the “one Vermonter… that Vermonters ought to listen to in these trying economic times.”
Which is a tacit admission that nobody listens to John McClaughry, but never mind. Let’s go to the CFV release:
“I am spending my own money, because I am concerned about the economic damage current policies are having on lower and middle income Vermonters,” [said] Lisman. …
“Across the board, the future of Vermont’s prosperity is at risk. From the pursuit of expensive energy, an impenetrable education financing system, an all-in-bet on a new health care coverage system and a state budget growing faster than our economy, Vermonter’s hopes for a more realistic and common sense approach for a prosperous economy are being highjacked,” explained Lisman.
I think you mean “hijacked” there, Bruce. And that’s a pretty thorough and vociferous takedown of the Shumlin Administration’s top priorities — more openly partisan than CFV’s countless radio commercials. Which, by the way, is where Lisman spent almost all of his 200 large. The first-quarter totals:
…compensation – $15,000; advertising – $194,343; other expenditures – $3,000.
So, advertising and pocket change. Which is noteworthy, since the primary purpose of 501c4 organizations like CFV is supposed to be lobbying, not electioneering. That’s why CFV had to file this disclosure — with the Secretary of State, as a lobbying group. I guess that’s why Lisman refers to “direct and indirect lobbying” as the group’s focus. To him, “indirect lobbying” apparently means “advertising.” CFV has done precious little at the Statehouse, which is what we usually think of as lobbying.
One other thing from the CFV release: a bit of greenwashing, courtesy of CFV Founding Partner Dawn Terrill — who was Neale Lunderville’s predecessor as Secretary of Transportation, and served in the Douglas Administration for its first four years:
“When we see the support Bruce Lisman gives to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, the VSO, UVM, the Shelburne Museum, the ACLU/VT, and the Preservation Trust of Vermont it just shows time and time again that he invests in positive things for Vermont.
Yeah, and I bet he likes puppies, too.
In an address to the Associated Industries of Vermont last Fall Lisman called for healthcare legislation to be put on the back burner indefinitely due to the economic “uncertainties” brought on by Hurricane Irene. The group’s latest ad release takes on the possible cloud business tax the state is debating. He may want to spend a bit more to elaborate on how his call to delay indefinitely health care legislation and stop a tax on business cloud computer storage systems shows his concern for the poor and middle class. It may take some explaining because basically there’s one narrow policy problem that they come back to without fail and that is taxes.
http://www.greenmountaindaily….
It seems he’s willing to spend several years’ taxes every year in order to keep his taxes down.
With financial savvy like that, it’s no wonder he’s having a hard time dealing with some of the lowest tax rates in US history.
As if.
I may not be reading this correctly but is this disclosure only what was spent? Maybe it is disclosed elsewhere but what about other large (and small?) donations to his group?
Citizen Lisman does make it chest thumping-ly clear this time it was all his money spent and it’s not like they appear to need it but I wonder if anyone else shoveling money into this Campaign for Vermont.
Lisman’s Campaign for Vermont is registered as a 501(c) (4) nonprofit with the tax department, and is permitted to raise unlimited amounts of money without disclosing the names of donors. This kind of smokes up Lisman’s room for claiming transparency.