Several years ago, at a Senate hearing, I heard Robert Squier, a pioneer of big-time, big money campaign consulting, trying to explaining why candidates at times take contributions from questionable sources. He said that when you're at a point in a campaign when you're desperate for cash, that's when problems start.

I was reminded of Squier's remarks reading the NY Times story about Hillary Clinton's campaign cash troubles (I'm not picking on Clinton - this happens in a lot of campaigns at all levels). The story says "the campaign is actively hunting for new wellsprings of cash" and facing a "daily challenge ... to scrounge up new names of people to ask for money." Clinton, according to the piece, is has been "exhorting fund-raisers to `think outside the box.'"

One place they're looking may be outside the "box" of campaign finance laws - 527's and other groups that spend money purportedly independent of the campaign. One fundraiser said, somewhat defensively and not too convincingly, "These are very smart people who are being very thoughtful about it." The word "thoughtful" conjures up notions of being careful to do the right thing (as opposed to pushing the legal envelope). I doubt it.

Campaign Finance Institute: Presidential Fundraising in 2007 Doubles 2003

In 2004, inspired by Howard Dean's amazing campaign, I ran for State Representative in Connecticut's 149th assembly district.  I had never been involved in politics to any great extent before Governor Dean's Presidential bid, and yet when I got interested in politics, I fell hard.  Initially a complete political novice, I ended up running the house party program in Connecticut for Dean, and served on the Dean for CT steering committee.  When he ended his campaign, Governor Dean asked his supporters to run for office.  My husband looked into the races in our area, and found the State Rep seat in our district had been unopposed for almost 10 years.  So I threw my hat in the ring.

I quickly found that running for office is time intensive and exhausting - but surprisingly not that difficult, with one exception.  That exception was fundraising.  I had all sorts of help in terms of strategy and campaign advice.  There were free campaign trainings available in Connecticut, and I had a very helpful mentor in the legislature.   Volunteers from the Dean campaign in Connecticut were generous with their time and helped me out a great deal.  I had all the pieces in place - except the money.  I am naturally a pretty shy and reserved person, and it was very very difficult for me to call people and ask for their money.  Intellectually I understood that the money wasn't for me personally, but it was still very very difficult for me to make those calls.  As well, I was fairly unknown in the district except among the local grassroots community (who unfortunately were not wealthy enough to fund my campaign).  I tried my college alumni list which produced some results, and raised some money over the internet.  It was a struggle to get past about $5000.  My opponent, meanwhile, a well liked incumbent, had no trouble raising almost $40,000 in the blink of an eye.   I was extremely fortunate in that Governor Dean ended up coming to my house to host a fundraiser for me, and we ended up raising about $9000 total - enough for a couple mailings and some lawn signs.  

Last week, reporters seized on a detail revealed in FEC filings: John Edwards gets $400 haircuts. The story reinforces what a lot of us think about politicians - that they raise too much money and that they waste most of it on extravagant luxuries.

But the truth is that, while the candidates may splurge on a few indulgences while on the campaign trail, they don't keep the money they raise nor do they spend most of it on themselves. Where does most of that money go? To television stations.

In competitive races, between 50 and 60 percent of a campaign budget goes to 30-second spots. 30-second spots that make broadcasters rich, but too often leave our democracy poorer.

$2.1 billion was spent on political ads in 2006. Experts say the presidential candidates alone could spend $1 billion on ads this cycle. But you won't hear that story in the mainstream media. They'd much rather you focus on a silly haircut than their massive profiteering on our publicly-owned airwaves.

Trouble in Maryland:  reportedly an aide to State Senator Paula Hollinger, who is running for a Congressional seat, offered General Assembly members a donation from Hollinger's state committee in exchange for a donation to her federal account.  Big no-no, that one.

She'd better hope the caller wasn't acting on the authority of the campaign.  An eight-way primary doesn't leave a whole lot of room for scandal.

Fundraising in Maryland used to be much like fundraising anywhere else; candidates gather hundreds of supporters at big blowout events.

These days, however, candidates in Maryland are going about their political business a little differently, by hosting small private, invite-only gatherings at private residences and properties.  Today's Baltimore Sun has an in-depth look at what this means for a local campaign for Howard County executive, and Common Cause Maryland places it in the bigger picture of money in politics:

Now, I'm certainly not an expert on Maryland politics, and perhaps someone out there can help me out and explain this to me - but what in the world does a candidate for county executive need over $300,000 for?