I've seen this discussed in several ongoing threads on multiple message boards, as well as in the past when Rutgers issues came to the fore in politics. Who and what would need to be involved to get this out of the casual discussion stage?
What steps would need to be taken to establish a Rutgers PAC?
- Thread starter DJ Spanky
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We need to organize offline. Step one would be to actually incorporate in NJ and maybe form a 501c4. But before forming an actual PAC/501c4 we would need to determine that we could actually raise the money needed to be effective. I would estimate that we would need a minimum of $100,000 to be considered effective at any level.
If we could develop a "mailing list" of say 75% - 80% of the 225,000 living Rutgers NJ alumni, that would be an effective tool as well.
We need an accountant and an attorney versed in campaign finance and election law. It might be best to have 2 attorneys, campaign finance and election law are not the same thing.
We need people willing to volunteer time to serve as Chairs/Co-Chairs and on an Executive Board.
It might be best to hire an Administrator/Field Organizer type person to ensure that the NJ political landscape is consistently monitored and outreach actions triggered.
We could probably offer internship opportunities to RU undergrads to research voting records and help develop and publish an annual voting guide & scorecard on legislative votes affecting Rutgers interests.
It will take committed time and work.
We also need to set aside political beliefs when scoring, endorsing and funding candidates and legislators.
For instance, I'm a pro-choice Democrat, but if an anti-choice Republican has a great record of supporting and protecting Rutgers, than I would be obligated to vote to endorse and/or fund them as a member of a "Friends of Rutgers" PAC.
If we could develop a "mailing list" of say 75% - 80% of the 225,000 living Rutgers NJ alumni, that would be an effective tool as well.
We need an accountant and an attorney versed in campaign finance and election law. It might be best to have 2 attorneys, campaign finance and election law are not the same thing.
We need people willing to volunteer time to serve as Chairs/Co-Chairs and on an Executive Board.
It might be best to hire an Administrator/Field Organizer type person to ensure that the NJ political landscape is consistently monitored and outreach actions triggered.
We could probably offer internship opportunities to RU undergrads to research voting records and help develop and publish an annual voting guide & scorecard on legislative votes affecting Rutgers interests.
It will take committed time and work.
We also need to set aside political beliefs when scoring, endorsing and funding candidates and legislators.
For instance, I'm a pro-choice Democrat, but if an anti-choice Republican has a great record of supporting and protecting Rutgers, than I would be obligated to vote to endorse and/or fund them as a member of a "Friends of Rutgers" PAC.
I didn't interpret the $100k as start-up cash. I took it to mean revenue net of expenses that could be targeted for use. You're right, it's an easy quarter-mil operation in Year 1.
FWIW, I've discussed this sort of thing with a couple of people as well.
Thanks Brista. Yeah, I thought $100k might be too low, but that may be doable out of the gate. I'd probably set a target of $250k with $100k being the basic benchmark we'd need to meet. $300k to $500k would be optimal and anything over that gravy.
I'd also restrict the charter to funding only state-level offices for instance Governor and state legislators.
I'd also restrict the charter to funding only state-level offices for instance Governor and state legislators.
This is something that's been on my mind recently as well but I have no idea what it would take. I am willing to volunteer some time and donate if this does happen. I know many people who would certainly at least join and give money. Does anyone know somebody with experience in this area?
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Posted from Rivals Mobile
That would be short-sighted and wasteful.
If you're going to get in the game, you have to build relationships. Part of understanding the overall political landscape is identifying local political candidates with higher aspirations. It doesn't cost much to fund them and you get them on the team early.
John Wisniewski comes to mind. Before he was the leader of the NJ Democratic Party, Deputy Chair of the Assembly and head of the Transportation Committee he was a very young mayor of Sayreville. Before that he was the tall kid who sat behind me in most of our high school classes.
Ok, I get it, but you wouldn't want to spread the PAC too thin, especially in the early years AND especially if the vote comes down to eliminate the BOT. At that point you want to hit those who voted to interfere with Rutgers hard, fast and low.
Many of you know I am a tax attorney. I would be more than happy to form the entity and get it going. However, I simply do not have the contacts the get the thing funded. This has always been a source major need. Money is influence.
You might be overestimating the sort of money we're talking about here, on a per-candidate basis.
PACs work in two ways. First, you donate to the worthy election causes of useful candidates. But we're talking about a couple grand for an Assembly or Senate candidate and literally a couple hundred to local candidates. This money - direct contribution - is thin to begin with.
Most PAC money doesn't go directly to political candidates. Most of it goes to marketing. The second, more powerful way in which PACs work is to publicly endorse the "good" candidates and trash the bad ones. This PAC would, for example, buy advertising over the next few months specifically to claim that Stephen Sweeney once raped a rescue greyhound.
I think RU4Real is on the right track and unless a PAC is up and running ASAP, that's the way to go.
Keep most of the spending for important issues and politicians that will help at State and Federal level.
But don't forget , down the road, there will be new politicians to deal with and if you have established a relationship with them when they are in the local scene , you have a better chance to have them on your side at the higher levels.
So a little money now, will go a long way later.
Recognizing the ones that will be moving up is a must and you might just gain a friend at a higher level that is supporting the local guy you help out ( even if very little money is put in his/her campaign).
Just my opinion.
One way to do this would be to train and recruit Rutgers alum to run for offices at all levels in NJ.
I think this could be highly effective with way less cash. I tailgate with members of the NJ leg and various political operatives. I'm not one myself, but we talk about this topic often. Talking to them (dudes who run PACs and campaigns in NJ), they say the most effective thing would be to to specifically target politicians that take major stands against RU at key moments. So when Senator X publicly says "RU screwed up, we need a commission, blah blah blah" and basically grandstands against us, then the next day there is a full page ad in their local paper that basically says "Senator X SUCKS!"
Then announce that you have 5k waiting for Senator X's main challenger whenever the next election is. Total cost: under 10k.
Then, when Senator Y is considering opening his mouth about the next RU drama, they will think twice. You don't even need to have the second 10k in the bank.
The key here is that most of these guys pick on RU because we are an easy target. There is absolutely no downside to hypocritically grandstanding against us. We don't need to be major power players trying to get legislation passed that allows us to dump toxic sludge in school yards. That takes real money. We just need to make RU not an easy target and get them to think twice.
Now having a 100k war chest would certainly be 10x better than having 10k and spending it. But we would send a big shot across the bow of Trenton by just picking the first good target to make an example of and spending that first 10k.
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This post was edited on 6/27 6:35 PM by Eagleton96
Then announce that you have 5k waiting for Senator X's main challenger whenever the next election is. Total cost: under 10k.
Then, when Senator Y is considering opening his mouth about the next RU drama, they will think twice. You don't even need to have the second 10k in the bank.
The key here is that most of these guys pick on RU because we are an easy target. There is absolutely no downside to hypocritically grandstanding against us. We don't need to be major power players trying to get legislation passed that allows us to dump toxic sludge in school yards. That takes real money. We just need to make RU not an easy target and get them to think twice.
Now having a 100k war chest would certainly be 10x better than having 10k and spending it. But we would send a big shot across the bow of Trenton by just picking the first good target to make an example of and spending that first 10k.
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This post was edited on 6/27 6:35 PM by Eagleton96
Also, this would be 90% aimed at the NJ legislature. Maybe a little at local officials where we have campuses.
Maybe start off metting at tailgates and Rutgers events with a few Rutgers Alumni and Supporters talking about sports
and issues to make Rutgers strong enough to keep Trenton's mitts off of it.
Then have everyone involved in those things branch out the best they can to start their own little group.
Once groups get established a little bit, have a get together for everybody in groups to meet each other and then find out who among the attendees would be willing to run for office and who would take the time to help him/her campaign for office.
The trick is starting off meeting in small groups and expanding membership to be a force and everyone getting together at some kind of outing to meet each other and plan ways to help Rutgers.
I think official Rutgers and Rutgers Alumni meeting would not be the place to have a political gathering, even if it is for Rutgers benefit.
This is just a rough outline, that needs a lot of work to make it a worth a try.
Just as a matter of strategy, I'd go for someone weaker to make an example of. Find someone who is in a vulnerable district and POP.
It's schoolyard psychology. You get surrounded by a bunch of bullies. The biggest one (who can kick your ass) is starting up with you. Turn to one of the other kids that you CAN beat and take him down. Then they all leave you alone.
But, if this became real, then the Board would have to think long and hard about who the first target is. And I'm sure there are considerations well beyond what we have identified here. The point is to get started.
It's schoolyard psychology. You get surrounded by a bunch of bullies. The biggest one (who can kick your ass) is starting up with you. Turn to one of the other kids that you CAN beat and take him down. Then they all leave you alone.
But, if this became real, then the Board would have to think long and hard about who the first target is. And I'm sure there are considerations well beyond what we have identified here. The point is to get started.
Yes, good list. I'd suggest a portal/collab tool that is a little more private to start. Facebook can be used when there is a clearly identified structure and plan. We can publicize and add people through there and social media in general. But for strategy lets go closed at first. Google Docs/Hangout maybe to start or something like Nationbuilder that can we build off of as we go public.
The plot thickens.
I want to remind people that we raised 10k on this message board for two full page ads in the Star Ledger, attacking the Star Ledger, when the Bob Mulcahy "scandal" went down. I organized that effort. We raised half from small donations through pay pal, and half from bigger donors who read the message boards and contacted me and sent a couple big checks.
I want to remind people that we raised 10k on this message board for two full page ads in the Star Ledger, attacking the Star Ledger, when the Bob Mulcahy "scandal" went down. I organized that effort. We raised half from small donations through pay pal, and half from bigger donors who read the message boards and contacted me and sent a couple big checks.
I would be willing to donate some of my time and my IT know how, whatever the latter is worth. However right now with what we've gone through with Tyler I am in no shape to donate financially. But I really think this is a great long term idea for Rutgers, and it is something we need to start working on now. What are the first steps to getting this organized?
Real, check out Nationbuilder which I linked in a post below as well. There are a lot of off the shelf tools for political organizing out there now. I actually have some pretty decent knowledge and insight into this, but I'm not a techie or developer.
The first step is to set up the governance. We need an attorney to help us incorporate, and we need bylaws, governance structure, mission, operating rules etc. And it would be much better (though not essential) if we could get an experienced political operative intimate with how PACs work, to advise us on the structure.
THEN we can start to raise the funds.
THEN we can start to raise the funds.
Also, SuperPACs and issue advocacy groups allow for anonymous donations. That will help a lot. Many of the people that would gladly donate to this effort to take a pot shot at a politico to help RU, can't do it publicly because they have careers in this sector.
In general, I'm wildly against anonymous campaign cash. But while it's legal we should take full advantage.
In general, I'm wildly against anonymous campaign cash. But while it's legal we should take full advantage.
I can work on this. I've been on the boards of nonprofits and have worked through bylaws and governance structures multiple times. Yes, someone intimately experienced with PACS is a must have.
Step 1: Bylaws & Mission
Step 2: Governance Structure and Operating Rules
Step 3: Incorporation
Step 4: First Board/Exec Committee Meeting
Step 5: First General Membership Meeting
How about Vincent Prieto out of Secaucus? He's the Assemblyman who introduced Sweeney's BOT bill into the lower house.
plus, when you look at the other bills he's introduced in his career, I think we can all come to a consensus that he should be the first hit.
Prieto website
Well let's do it. I have founded two 501c3 nonprofits. But this will be a lot different. But I think I know enough to help. A couple of years ago, I'd volunteer to dive into this. But I have a couple of big projects right now. So I can help, I just can't lead.
MidwestKnight, if you take a first cut at bylaws, and research what corporate status is right, I can look it over. I can also ask some of my politico friends if they would be willing to help out as informal advisers.
That has to be a bedrock principle of this whole thing. Nothing else matters. Mouth off against RU (in an unfair way that is against the school's interests) and it's automatic: BLAMO.
I think equally important is to mobilize volunteers in each voting district to help communicate concerns/priorities to constituents and elected officials. I think even a small committee in each district to start grassroots would help give voice to Rutgers alumni. I don't know if this would be officially associated with the PAC or a separate citizen action group but it's also important to have.
Will do. Give me about a week to 2 weeks to get something developed and circulated. I have client deadlines tomorrow, 7/1, 7/3, 7/8 and 7/9.
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