| | | Revealed: Obama Campaign Bundler Helping Fund Libertarian in Tight Va. Gubernatorial Race
Nov. 5, 2013
theblaze.com
A major Democratic Party benefactor and Obama campaign bundler helped pay for professional petition circulators responsible for getting Virginia Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Robert C. Sarvis on the ballot — a move that could split conservative votes in a tight race.
Campaign finance records show the Libertarian Booster PAC has made the largest independent contribution to Sarvis’ campaign, helping to pay for professional petition circulators who collected signatures necessary to get Sarvis’ name on Tuesday’s statewide ballot.
Austin, Texas, software billionaire Joe Liemandt is the Libertarian Booster PAC’s major benefactor. He’s also a top bundler for President Barack Obama. This revelation comes as Virginia voters head to the polls Tuesday in an election where some observers say the third-party gubernatorial candidate could be a spoiler for Republican Ken Cuccinelli.
Obama bundler Joe Liemandt helping fund Libertarian candidate in governors race
A Sarvis campaign bumper sticker, “Paid for by the Libertarian Booster PAC.” (Image: Robert Sarvis/Facebook)
A spokesman for Sarvis provided no direct answers late Monday when TheBlaze asked about Liemandt’s Democrat ties and whether Sarvis had been recruited to split conservative votes as a way to aid Democrat Terry McAuliffe.
“We’re coordinating Sarvis interviews with Richmond, Norfolk and Charlottesville TV news teams to reach Virginia voters – our first priority – on Election Eve,” John Vaught LaBeaume, Sarvis communications director and strategist, responded in an email to TheBlaze.
According to Virginia election filings posted by the Virginia Public Access Project, Liemandt contributed $150,000 of the Texas-based Libertarian Booster PAC’s $229,000 revenue. The Libertarian Booster PAC reported providing $11,454 to pay for signature collection, yard signs and campaign materials for Sarvis and another $4,690 for four Libertarian candidates running for the Virginia state legislature. |
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