Vote Hope 2008

Vote Hope 2008 (FEC ID# C00433227) is a 527 political action committee "founded by Steve Phillips, a San Francisco lawyer who is the son-in-law of two of the biggest Democratic donors, the California bankers Herb and Marion Sandler" to support the campaign of 2008 presidential hopeful Barack Obama (D-Ill.). "The Sandlers were among the biggest contributors to Democratic 527 groups during the 2004 election,"David D. Kirkpatrick wrote June 20, 2007, in the New York Times.

"Jenifer Ancona, a spokeswoman for Vote Hope, said the organization aimed to make up for the apparent absence of an Obama primary campaign in California, where the rival campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has already begun organizing," Kirkpatrick wrote.

Vote Hope 2008 states on its website "Bank it for Obama" and "We need a half a million votes in California before the Iowa caucuses start in January."

FEC filings
There have been no filings by this PAC to the Federal Election Commission since July 2007.

Donations
Prospective contributors are told they "may make contributions up to $5,000 per calendar year to Vote Hope federal account" and that contributions are "not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes."

Contact information
201 Spear Street Suite 1650 San Francisco, CA 94105 Phone: 415 541-9028 Web: http://www.votehope2008.org Web: http://www.votehope2008.com/ Weblog: http://www.votehope2008.org/blog/

Related SourceWatch articles

 * soft money

External articles

 * "MSNBC's Robach compared pro-Obama 527 with discredited Swift Vets group," Media Matters for America, June 22, 2007.
 * Michael Cooper, "Lessons Learned as Obama Shepherds a Following," New York Times, June 23, 2007.
 * Michael Kranish, "PAC tries new tactic to boost Obama run. Sees way around spending limits," Boston Globe, July 21, 2007.
 * Steve Hoersting, "Vote Hope 2008 marks little hope for 527s in 2008," Center for Competitive Politics, July 25, 2007.
 * Christopher Drew, "Digging Deep for Obama," The Caucus Blog/New York Times, August 6, 2007.
 * "NY Times falsehood: pro-Obama PAC allows supporters to break legal contribution limits," Media Matters for America, August 7, 2007.
 * Lance Williams, "Obama's supporters get around money limit," San Francisco Chronicle, August 8, 2007.
 * Carla Marinucci, "Obama blasts shadow fundraising group," San Francisco Chronicle, August 8, 2007.
 * Ben Smith, "California PAC gears up for Obama," The Politico, January 22, 2008.