article_snippet.sent: Even at New York's Chuck Schumer most progressive moments, President Barack Obama relied on Wall Street donations for both of President Barack Obama campaigns.
article_snippet.sent: Despite all the talk from conservatives about left-wing "socialism" in the White House, the financial community has been willing to open the financial community coffers to Democrats without much concern, even in the 2012 election.
article_snippet.sent: The enormous pressures for parties to raise funds in campaigns has for many decades created pressure on Democrats, despite Democrats political base, to court big donors.
article_snippet.sent: During the 1980s, California Democrat Tony Coelho, serving as the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and then as majority whip, made a strong appeal to savings and loans executives before the crash of the industry to catch up to Republicans who had been outflanking savings and loans executives in raising money.
article_snippet.sent: In 2008, Obama disappointed many supporters upon becoming the first president to abandon the post-Watergate public finance system for campaigns altogether, preferring to raise money himself for the general campaign.
article_snippet.sent: While small donors were enormously important to his victories, so too were business and Wall Street executives.
article_snippet.sent: As The Washington Post reported, the scandal that might bring down New Jersey Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez is the first involving large scale super PAC donations.
article_snippet.sent: At the heart of the story is almost $600,000 that physician Salomon Melgen gave to Senate Majority PAC, possibly in exchange for favors.
article_snippet.sent: In this election cycle, independent campaign donors are causing a huge stir.
article_snippet.sent: In conservative circles, the Koch brothers and their allies are throwing around enormous amounts of money to candidates who will support their deregulatory agenda.
article_snippet.sent: Individual donors such as Las Vegas gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson are causing ripples every time candidates speak, pressuring Individual donors such as Las Vegas gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson to adjust Individual donors such as Las Vegas gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson agenda.
article_snippet.sent: Democrats have found Democrats own magnates for political support, such as Tom Steyer and George Soros.
article_snippet.sent: More often than not, campaign finance reform is an issue that gets sidetracked with little more than some pro forma words of support.