Quayle Staffers Forsake Pay to Boost FEC Totals

Senior advisors to Dan Quayle’s 2000 presidential campaign voluntarily went without paychecks recently, padding his fund-raising totals for the public reporting period that ended March 31.

“This is very common in campaigns. There is an understanding that you have to do whatever is needed to put the FEC report in the best possible light,” campaign spokesman Jonathan Baron said. “Nobody’s here for the money, and that’s the way it should be.”

Top officials of former American Red Cross President Elizabeth Hanford Dole’s campaign also were not paid in March, nor was anyone who was working for publisher Steve Forbes’ campaign.

In his report to the Federal Elections Commission, former Vice President Quayle said he raised $2.1 million in the first quarter of 1999, second only to the early front-runner, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, in a field of at least 10 potential candidates.

Quayle reported 35,251 contributors, more than the 23,339 people who gave to Bush. Overall, Quayle spent $1.6 million on the campaign.

The Quayle campaign, however, ran into the red. He had reported debts of $675,788, compared with a campaign bank account balance of $500,443.

Former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander was the only other candidate to run a deficit during the first three months of 1999.

He reported owing $212,405 and having just $86,916 in the bank.