Sunday 5/7/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/114699344933230.xml&coll=2 – Deadline looming for signing up for Medicare Part D.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/114699347933230.xml&coll=2 – GOP primary candidates go after each other.

http://www.al.com/opinion/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/opinion/114699350633210.xml&coll=3 – Editorial commentary on the legislature’s failure to enact bill to create the Center for Rural Alabama.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/114699379433250.xml&coll=1 – Article profiles Don Siegelman’s campaign during his corruption trial.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/114699378633250.xml&coll=1 – Health care reform forum planned for Huntsville.

http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/114699369033250.xml&coll=1 – Editorial reviews Alabama’s reliance on federal court orders to compel state to meet its responsibilities to citizens.

http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/114699373633250.xml&coll=1 – Commentary by Alabama Policy Institute says that legislature, not courts, determine priorities and responsibilities of state government.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060507/baxley.shtml – Baxley says she’s the only Democratic candidate capable of defeating Riley.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060507/siegelman.shtml – Siegelman says he will look to an older, wiser staff if elected to Governor’s chair.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060507/debate.shtml – Immigration issue in Alabama not split along party lines.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060507/OPINION0101/605060346/1012/OPINION – Calli Patterson’s commentary on community violence and measures to address issue.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060506/APX/605060819 – New South Coalition endorses Baxley, other state wide candidates.

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060507/NEWS/605070367/1011 – 300 turn out for KKK rally in Russellville protesting illegal immigrants.

FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:

Riley’s campaign funds outpace opponents

By Brian Lyman
Star Capitol Correspondent

05-07-2006

MONTGOMERY – The rich got richer in the most recent round of political fundraising.

Gov. Bob Riley raised $479,900 and spent $1.4 million on his re-election campaign in the first three months of the year, according to filings with the Secretary of State’s office.

The governor’s campaign reported $3.6 million on hand on March 31, nearly double the combined treasuries of the other three gubernatorial candidates in the campaign.

Riley’s campaign received money from a broad range of sources. The largest single donations were $20,000 from Cullman developer Eddie Canady, and an equal amount from AmSouth Bank.

The governor’s spending was more than Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, had in her entire campaign treasury at the end of March.

“We have a good story to tell, and it takes a lot of money to tell that story,” said Josh Blades, a spokesman for Riley’s campaign.

Baxley’s campaign reported raising $384,141.16 from January to March, and had $1.3 million on hand.

Baxley said Friday that she was “pleased” with her fundraising efforts, considering that she was not able to start campaigning in earnest until the end of the legislative session early in the morning of April 18.

“I’ve had to divide my time between fundraising and going all over the state,” she said. “It’s very time-consuming. If you’re governor, you get to criss-cross state in a jet. If you’re not governor, you’re in automobile.”

Baxley said she would begin radio and television advertising in about 10 days.

Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore raised $583,000 in the first three months of the year.

Moore, who is trailing Riley for the Republican nomination, claims to have brought in more than 16,340 contributions. His campaign filing, however, only reports about $248,000 of the money raised. The remainder is “nonitemized;” Alabama law does not require candidates to report contributions of $100 or less, although contributions in that category are listed on the campaign report. Moore campaign spokesman J. Holland said they listed those contributions when the total amount of the donor’s contributions reached $100.

The filing shows a large number of out-of-state donors. Blades accused Moore of drawing “94 percent” of his financial support from out-of-state sources, and questioned why Moore did not name all his donors.

Holland dismissed the criticism.

“They’re only giving money because they support the ideals of Judge Moore,” he said. “It’s not like special interest (political action committee) money, I’ll tell you that. It comes with no string attached.”

Moore has said he will not accept PAC money, and has attacked Riley for doing so.

The Moore campaign also took out a $500,000 loan in January, which Holland said has been repaid. Holland said Moore is not concerned with Riley’s fundraising edge.

“We’ll have enough money, and when you have enough money, that’s all you need,” Holland said. “This man has great name-recognition, and they know what he stands for.”

Former governor Don Siegelman raised $82,283 in the first three months of the year and reported $357,823 on hand at the end of March. Siegelman is currently on trial in Montgomery on charges of accepting contributions in exchange for political appointments and government contracts.

Chip Hill, a spokesman for Siegelman, said the governor felt it would “not be appropriate” to approach contributors with the trial pending.

“Once we have this trial behind us, we have no doubt we’ll raise more money faster than any candidate in the history of Alabama politics,” he said.

Hill also touted a poll released last week by SurveyUSA, a polling firm that does work for television stations around the country, showing Siegelman had a 47 to 38 percent advantage over Baxley. Baxley said she had not seen the poll, but suggested that Siegelman’s campaign was using it to tout the former governor’s claims that the trial was politically motivated.

“I’m assuming he’s using that as a defense in his criminal charges,” she said. “I will win the Democratic primary, and you will see polls showing all kinds of things, but I will win Democratic primary.”

In local races, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Anniston, reported about $739,000 on hand, according to a filing made with the Federal Election Commission last month. The candidate reported raising $84,000 from January to March. His opponent, Greg Pierce, did not enter the race until April and was not required to filed a campaign report for that period.

“We’re just beginning that process, and that process is kind of odd,” Pierce said. “We’re hiring a fundraising consultant.”