Am I an enormous snoop?

[crispini]

I'm tearing around on FundRace.org compiling a list of locals who have made big dollar contributions to Democrats to invite to a local fundraiser, and I must say, I am really enjoying seeing who has given what to whom. It's amazing how many names I am recognizing.

should I feel guilty? I feel like I'm looking around in their underwear drawer, or something.

[miss_kitty]

1. yeah...but i think it's natural

to be curious. unless you are president Incurious George.

i took in a couple checks from a really rich guy who had bought artwork at a charitable auction, he had asked the president of the org. if he could write 2 checks to keep the tax deductible amt separate from the taxable amt. i knew the tax deductible amt was $10k. i put them in a drawer, with the 10k check on the bottom. I never broke eye contact with the donor-I didn't want him to SEE me snoop. but as soon as he left, I opened the drawer and looked.

[eyesroll]

2. You're fine, but be careful...

The FEC does frown upon people using FEC-3 contribution records to get more money.

In fact...they allow campaigns to plant up to 10 fake donors in their records, with addresses that return to the campaign, to determine whether someone's using the contribution files for that purpose. (One of the cooler bits of miscellanea I found out when assistant-treasurer-ing a campaign.)

That said -- if you're familiar with the names, they're real people and not the fake donors, and you should be fine. Everyone does this anyway; they're just not supposed to.

[crispini]

3. oooooooooooo

Thanks, I did NOT know that. Good call!

Hm, I don't know (personally) all of the PEOPLE I've been collecting... but I certainly know all of the ADDRESSES... So I guess I'm cool.

All these laws... good thing I know so many lawyers now (from working on their campaigns) ... :7

[Lefta Dissenter]

4. when you're done with your invites,

spend a few minutes searching on names of actors, musicians and other well-known people. It's pretty entertaining. :D (not that I'm nosy or anything)

[Kathleen04]

5. Don't worry about it

It's fun. :) I haven't looked at that site for a long time..I was searching around and found out that one of my uncles gave $1K to Kerry! Awesome.

[crispini]

6. 5 out of 6

of people with my last name are Democrats. Yay.