Dodd Decries Rudy’s ‘Shameless’ Tactic
By David Lightman, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
Sep. 25–WASHINGTON — Rudy Giuliani’s supporters are trying to raise money by asking for $9.11 from contributors, a tactic Chris Dodd’s campaign today called “shameless and sickening.”
Giuliani, a Republican candidate for president, was mayor of New York City at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; and his stump speech is full of recollections how he took charge and became known as “America’s Mayor.”
The Associated Press reported that the fund-raising pitch is part of an event to be held Wednesday at the home of Abraham Sofaer in Palo Alto, Calif., — one of many the Giuliani campaign is holding throughout the country. Sofaer, a Republican donor who was a State Department official in the Reagan administration, said the $9.11 contribution was not his idea, telling AP “there are some young people who came up with it.”
Giuliani campaign officials said the money was sought without their knowledge.
Giuliani spokeswoman Maria Comella told AP: “These are two volunteers who acted independently of and without the knowledge of the campaign. Their decision to ask individuals for that amount was an unfortunate choice.”
According to the invitation, “$9.11 for Rudy” is an “independent, non-denominational grass-roots campaign to raise $10,000 in small increments to show how many individual, everyday Americans support ‘America’s Mayor.’” The Dodd campaign was quick to protest.
“Exploiting the September 11th attacks for fundraising purposes is absolutely unconscionable, shameless and sickening,” said spokesman Colleen Flanagan. “Mr. Giuliani was quick to express much vitriol for the independent ad created by MoveOn.org last week; we would hope he would express the same kind of outrage and indignation about this group that he is the beneficiary of.”
And, said Flanagan, “Mr. Giuliani should reject and/or return any money raised and ask that their activities on his behalf stop immediately.”
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