Staff Reports
The 2024 political landscape is heating up, but it seems that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have decided to keep their top campaign fundraisers, or “bundlers,” safely tucked away in a locked drawer. The lack of disclosure on these big-money players certainly raises eyebrows, especially considering the increasing calls for transparency in campaign financing.
Bundler disclosure isn’t mandated by federal law, but that hasn’t stopped transparency advocates from demanding what many believe should be common practice. Historically, wealthy insiders have served as the backbone of campaign fundraising, and since George W. Bush’s “Bush Pioneer” program introduced funky titles like “Bush Rangers” and “Super Rangers” to the mix, this behind-the-scenes fundraising gig has enjoyed quite the glow-up. Every Democratic presidential candidate since Bush has released some bundler information, while Republicans have only done so when they felt like it — notably in 2004 and 2008. Makes you wonder if this is a trend worth following.
Vice President Kamala Harris’s top campaign fund-raisers are being treated to four days of glitz and glam during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago — hotel packages at the Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons, an on-field visit to Wrigley Field and, for the really big… pic.twitter.com/h1BjXCrDuU
— Norman Spector (@nspector4) August 21, 2024
On the Democratic front, it seems that bundlers for Harris are receiving extra special treatment as they bask in luxury at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Reports suggest they are being pampered with stays at ritzy hotels like the Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton, on-field visits to Wrigley Field, and even one-on-one meetings with Harris herself. Quite the VIP treatment, yet the identities of these illustrious fundraisers remain shrouded in mystery. Is it possible there’s a new class of “influencers” emerging in the world of politics?
Interestingly, Joe Biden had a clean slate when it came to bundler transparency before bowing out of the race — an about-face from his 2020 campaign where he played nice with disclosure. Trump, on the other hand, has consistently kept his bundler roster under wraps for both the 2016 and 2020 elections, and now in 2024. Clearly, he and Harris are on the same page when it comes to the “what happens in the campaign, stays in the campaign” approach.
It’s not just the Republican and Democratic camps that are eyeing this lack of transparency with suspicion. Watchdog groups from both sides are voicing their desires for a system that holds candidates accountable by revealing who really pulls the strings in these elections. For some, this isn’t merely about donations; it’s about the integrity of the political process itself. As the progressive founder of the Revolving Door Project suggested, unregulated campaign financing might lead to a race to the bottom. The question is: how low are candidates willing to go to keep their bundlers and their wallets a secret?
