http://www.unionleader.com/art...
CONCORD - State Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley, who has helped Senate Democrats pile up nearly $1 million in the past 18 months, has been paid well for his work.
BUCKLEY
Campaign finance reports filed this week show that Buckley collected $147,000 in consulting fees from the New Hampshire Senate Democratic Caucus political action committee since March 2007. Since February 2005, the PAC has paid Buckley a total of nearly $250,000.
The committee reported this week that it raised $431,000 and spent $324,000 over the past 16 months. Senate Democrats who filed their own reports this week showed cash on hand that exceeds $537,000.
Senate President Sylvia Larsen, D-Concord, chair of the committee that hired Buckley, said yesterday, "Obviously we have one of the best talents in the nation and we feel Ray Buckley is worth the money we spend on him."
She said the payments represent more than three years of fundraising and consulting work.
"We had started him out low because we didn't have any funds to pay him," she said. "It's reasonable and he's worth every penny."
While I disagree with Ray on many issues, he is honest and has a right to make a living. The GOP critics on this page are acting hypocritically. GOP office holders and operatives have done this for decades. Mitt Romney paid a small fortune to Tom Rath and many others and they rightly earned it
- paul needham, derry, nh
Buck(le)y: From a Republican: I am proud of you! You took a small political party of NH nutcases and raised them like a son who just got promoted to CEO of his own company. You dropped the anti-gun, pro-tax policies and adopted GOP principles.
While the GOP has gone in circles the past few years you guided the DEMs to the point of where they are today.
AND, make no doubt about it, Kathy Sullivan and company did NOT do it, it was you behind the scenes making it happen. I hope you take your money and go on vacation... a very long one and give us a break so we can reorganize.
- Mike, goffstown
Ray is making what he is worth.
He has helped the Dems win three straight elections, take the NH House, Senate, Governorship and both seats in the US House. $147,000 is a bargain.
If our GOP leaders would stop sobbing over spilt milk and actually stand for something, Ray would not be making what he is.
Good for him for being competent.
That is more than I can say for the hacks on the other side.
- William Simpson, Concord, NH
Great over it, folks. What you're looking at is a vital party vs. a party in full drift with a noisy chairman.
- Bill Duncan, New Castle
Ray Buckley is a hard working conscientious person who works tirelessly for what he believes. Rarely has the State or City of Manchester experienced so high a percentage of voter turnout as we have seen under Ray. His work behind the scenes in helping manage Democratic efforts has made a difference in voter reaction. For all this work he is not actually paid enough. Our State and Local politics need more dedicated individuals such a Mr. Buckley.
- Norman R. Gill, Hooksett,NH
Wow - I'm glad I'm not a contributor to the Democrat Party! I would think that money would be spent on getting the candidates information to the voters not just funding Ray Buckley's life.
- Sue, Manchester
As usual the democrats in New Hampshire stand by Ray, like a bunch of sheep. If they did not have any money and Ray took 200,000.00 for salary they would say the same thing. But we all know the dems are smarting from this revelation, that none of them knew about. How much money did Kathy Sullivan pay herself when she ran the state party? I bet she did not take a nickle, but Ray gets away with it? I belive one year ago he was paid 1000.00 per week which was enough, now its over 125,000.00? Something is very wrong here.
- Peter S., Bedford
I thought it used to be that the Republican party was the part of big money? The amount of money being raised in these Senate races is obscene. D'Allesandro has to be kidding me. This kind of money inoculates talented individuals in both parties from considering running for office because they lack the war chest to even get a gasp of their platform out to the public. But Mr. Buckley seems content to allow this unfortunate spiral to continue with his gluttonous fund raising tactics. All while he lines his own pockets.
- D.J. Bettencourt, Salem, NH
By my reading Ray has avergaed roughly 80k per annum over three years. Not bad, and certainly worth it on an outcomes based analysis. I am left with two questions...how the hell did he live all those years when he was not raking it in, but always working for Democrats to get elected, and two where to go from here ? Good for you and us man.
