The DFL: The party of the Rich?

From a GOP-MN email communication:

WHO IS ALIDA MESSINGER?

A Secretive Ultra-Rich Rockefeller Heiress & Liberal ATM Machine With A Taste For Attack Politics

Mike Hatch’s Stealth Campaign For Governor: Now Brought To You By Super-Rich Liberal Elite Alida Messinger:

To Attack Governor Pawlenty, Rockefeller Heiress Alida Messinger Has Already Poured $625,000 Into The Alliance For A Better Minnesota. “[A]lida Messinger, a Rockefeller heiress and ex-wife of U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, is making her mark by financing Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a DFL-leaning political consortium. Messinger provided $625,000 of the group's nearly $1 million in revenue so far this year. It has been buying radio and television commercials attacking Pawlenty and plans to campaign door-to-door.” (Pat Doyle, “Big-Buck Donors Find Outlets For Their Clout,” Star Tribune, September 20, 2006)

Messinger Is A Secretive Rockefeller Heiress:

Messinger Is Daughter Of Standard Oil Magnate John D. Rockefeller III. “A group pushing to reduce political contributions and end gerrymandering has raised about $500,000 and is cautiously optimistic about getting three constitutional amendments on the Nov. 8 ballot. … The group has raised money from a variety of sources including: Alida Messinger, of New York, a major donor to liberal causes and daughter of oil magnate John D. Rockefeller III…” (Jim Siegel, “Group Pushing Election Reform Inches Closer To Ballot,” Columbus Dispatch, July 22, 2005)

Messinger Secretive About Her Outsized Role In Minnesota Politics. “Messinger declined a recent request to talk about it, according to [Alliance for a Better Minnesota chairman David] Foster…” (Pat Doyle, “Big-Buck Donors Find Outlets For Their Clout,” Star Tribune, September 20, 2006)

Messinger Uses Big Bucks To Flood Liberal Campaign Coffers & Attack Republicans:

Star Tribune: “Prior To Making This Year's Contribution To Alliance For A Better Minnesota, Messinger Gave Nearly $800,000 To State Candidates, Parties And Political Committees Since 1998, The Campaign Finance Board Said.” (Pat Doyle, “Big-Buck Donors Find Outlets For Their Clout,” Star Tribune, September 20, 2006)

Star Tribune: “Messinger Contributed Nearly Another $900,000 To Candidates For Federal Office And To The Federal Arms Of Democratic Political Parties And Committees.” (Pat Doyle, “Big-Buck Donors Find Outlets For Their Clout,” Star Tribune, September 20, 2006)

Messinger Huge Backer Of Liberal 527 Groups. “She also plays a major role among a new breed of big-bucks donors who can avoid normal reporting requirements as well as spending limits if they give to issues-advocacy groups called 527s. Those groups need not report to the Federal Election Commission as long as they refrain from advocating for or against a specific candidate. She gave $4.4 million to 527s from 2003-06, much of it going to the Democratic voter outreach group America Coming Together, Planned Parenthood and Defenders of Wildlife Action, according to IRS records reviewed by the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington.” (Pat Doyle, “Big-Buck Donors Find Outlets For Their Clout,” Star Tribune, September 20, 2006)

Messinger & George Soros: Two Of The Nation’s Preeminent Mega Liberal Donors:

“The largest contribution to RON [Reform Ohio Now] was $125,000 from Rockefeller heir and frequent Democratic donor Alida Messinger of New York City, who gave the same amount to the Citizens group. The Citizens group had four $300,000 contributions, including from Progessive Corp. chairman and philanthropist Peter Lewis and billionaire George Soros, a patron of MoveOn.org.” (Carrie Spencer Ghose, “Opponents Of Election Issues Slightly Outspent Backers,” The Associated Press, December 16, 2005)

Ultra-Rich Messinger Wants Minnesotans To Pay Higher Taxes:

Along With Her Liberal Allies At So-Called “Growth & Justice” Special Interest Group, Messinger Is Pushing For Higher Income Taxes On Minnesotans. (Growth & Justice Website, http://www.growthandjustice.org/vertical/Sites/{37868357-92E3-43F1-8750-86F10C440D7F}/uploads/signers.doc, September 25, 2006)

Star Tribune: “More Than 200 Wealthy Minnesotans Signed A Full-Page Ad Thursday In The Star Tribune Asking The State To Raise $2 Billion A Year For Various Initiatives By Increasing The Income Tax…” (Mark Brunswick, “Pawlenty Encourages Ad Signers: Send A Check,” Star Tribune, June 28, 2006)

Messinger Fun Fact:

Messinger Sat On President Clinton’s Council On Sustainable Development With Enron’s Ken Lay. (The Dow Chemical Company Press Release, “Sustainable Development Council Key Forum to Define Relationship of Environment, Economy, Gore Says,” July 20, 1993)