O'Malley Calls for Rivals to Disclose Donor Lists in DNC Chair Contest
Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley disclosed the identities of his donors for his DNC chair campaign, aiming to pressure his rivals to reveal their supporters as well.
TroibNews 
Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is disclosing the names of individuals who contributed to his Democratic National Committee campaign, aiming to pressure his rivals to divulge their own donor lists ahead of the February 1 election.
O'Malley's donor list, initially shared with PMG, includes more than 350 contributors who collectively donated around $350,000. His spokesperson urged the other candidates for DNC chair to “do the same” by Saturday.
O'Malley, currently seen as a third-place contender in the race, seems to be targeting Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, known for his significant fundraising efforts. Wikler's close ties to major contributors, such as LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, have drawn criticism from competitors. Hoffman's past actions, particularly his 2018 launch of a voter data organization that state party chairs view as a valuable asset, have made him unpopular with some DNC members.
A spokesperson for Wikler’s campaign indicated that they have support from 1,000 donors but chose not to release the full list. They plan to disclose their donors by midnight on January 31, which is when they must file their 527 non-profit and hybrid federal PAC with the Federal Elections Commission.
“It's no secret that Ben has raised more money for Wisconsin than any state party chair in the country — and he's used it to power critical, razor-thin wins in the Senate, Supreme Court and legislative victories in the state,” the spokesperson stated. “The DNC needs a chair with a proven record of raising serious funds to fight for working people and Democratic values. As Chair, Ben will also supercharge sustainable grassroots funding, as he has in Wisconsin, and treat donors at all levels like human beings rather than ATMs.”
Ken Martin, the head of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a frontrunner in the race, also indicated that “they would have no problem releasing the names of their donors.”
Last week, Martin made subtle criticisms of Wikler for his connections to wealthy individuals in Hollywood. When asked during a DNC forum whether Wikler’s relationship with Democratic donors could be seen as unfavorable, Martin acknowledged Wikler's fundraising prowess but expressed concern about his ties to Hoffman, albeit without mentioning him by name.
O'Malley has recently trailed behind Wikler and Martin in the publicly available whip counts, but he remains committed to promoting transparency within the DNC. "It begins with the release of this list," said his spokesperson, Chris Taylor.
“The common theme throughout conversations with DNC Members is a lack of openness and transparency within the party,” Taylor added. “It must be a leader we can trust at every level whether to set a primary nomination calendar in a fair process, overhaul vendor selection, or open up the DNC’s books to its members.”
Candidates for DNC chair are not obligated to release their donor information before the February 1 election, during which 448 DNC members will select their new leadership. Campaigns utilize various fundraising mechanisms, such as federal campaign accounts and 527 nonprofit groups, each governed by different regulatory standards for disclosure.
O'Malley’s campaign confirmed that he is raising funds through a 527 group, which allows for unlimited contributions from donors.
Jessica Piper contributed to this report.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
O'Malley's donor list, initially shared with PMG, includes more than 350 contributors who collectively donated around $350,000. His spokesperson urged the other candidates for DNC chair to “do the same” by Saturday.
O'Malley, currently seen as a third-place contender in the race, seems to be targeting Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, known for his significant fundraising efforts. Wikler's close ties to major contributors, such as LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, have drawn criticism from competitors. Hoffman's past actions, particularly his 2018 launch of a voter data organization that state party chairs view as a valuable asset, have made him unpopular with some DNC members.
A spokesperson for Wikler’s campaign indicated that they have support from 1,000 donors but chose not to release the full list. They plan to disclose their donors by midnight on January 31, which is when they must file their 527 non-profit and hybrid federal PAC with the Federal Elections Commission.
“It's no secret that Ben has raised more money for Wisconsin than any state party chair in the country — and he's used it to power critical, razor-thin wins in the Senate, Supreme Court and legislative victories in the state,” the spokesperson stated. “The DNC needs a chair with a proven record of raising serious funds to fight for working people and Democratic values. As Chair, Ben will also supercharge sustainable grassroots funding, as he has in Wisconsin, and treat donors at all levels like human beings rather than ATMs.”
Ken Martin, the head of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a frontrunner in the race, also indicated that “they would have no problem releasing the names of their donors.”
Last week, Martin made subtle criticisms of Wikler for his connections to wealthy individuals in Hollywood. When asked during a DNC forum whether Wikler’s relationship with Democratic donors could be seen as unfavorable, Martin acknowledged Wikler's fundraising prowess but expressed concern about his ties to Hoffman, albeit without mentioning him by name.
O'Malley has recently trailed behind Wikler and Martin in the publicly available whip counts, but he remains committed to promoting transparency within the DNC. "It begins with the release of this list," said his spokesperson, Chris Taylor.
“The common theme throughout conversations with DNC Members is a lack of openness and transparency within the party,” Taylor added. “It must be a leader we can trust at every level whether to set a primary nomination calendar in a fair process, overhaul vendor selection, or open up the DNC’s books to its members.”
Candidates for DNC chair are not obligated to release their donor information before the February 1 election, during which 448 DNC members will select their new leadership. Campaigns utilize various fundraising mechanisms, such as federal campaign accounts and 527 nonprofit groups, each governed by different regulatory standards for disclosure.
O'Malley’s campaign confirmed that he is raising funds through a 527 group, which allows for unlimited contributions from donors.
Jessica Piper contributed to this report.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
