Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s fundraising accelerates in 2013, latest campaign disclosure report shows

By David Pendered

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has almost $1.5 million in cash in his campaign coffers, according to the latest campaign contribution disclosure report.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed

Reed is raising funds at a rate dramatically higher than last year. The mayor raised almost $325,000 in the first quarter of 2013. By comparison, Reed raised about $200,000 during the entire last half of 2012, reports show

The mayor is heading into a reelection campaign with no other contenders raising anywhere near the same amount of money, according to Reed’s report that was received April 5 by the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.

Two other announced candidates for the mayor’s seat have yet to file disclosure reports – Al Bartell and Paul Luna. Bartell’s report was not posted Monday, and Luna has not reported his candidacy to the state campaign finance commission, records show.

Reed’s campaign reports $1.48 million cash on hand. Contributions in the first quarter of 2013 were listed as $324,361; expenses during the period were listed as $75,212.

The full reports filed by Reed’s campaign are available here: Contributions; Expenses.

Reed’s contributions are notable for the wide span of those who donated to the campaign, listed below in no particular order:

• Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank: $1,000;
• Former chief justice, Georgia Supreme Court, Leah Ward Sears: $2,000;
• Former U.S. senator and CEO of Nuclear Threat Initiative Sam Nunn: $250;
• Points of Light CEO Michelle Nunn: $1,000
• Gov. Nathan Deal’s chief of staff, Chris Riley: $250;
• Andrew Young: $500;
• John Wieland Homes CEO John Wieland: $1,000;
• Atlanta public works Commissioner Richard Mendoza: $250.

Reed’s greatest single expense to date has been the payments to his fund-raiser, Amelia Bower. Bower has received $15,000 in payments that started Jan. 3, according to the disclosure.

Reed has traveled regularly to destinations where the purpose was listed as campaign related. A selection of campaign travel expenses, listed below in no particular order:

• Charlotte, Feb. 7: $493.30:
• St. Louis, March 16-17: $1,491;
• San Francisco, March 24-26: $4,451;
• Washington, D.C., Feb. 12 and March 7-10: $2,030.

Reed attended the inauguration of President Obama and listed travel dates of Jan. 17-22. Those expenses were listed for purposes such as lodging or simply, “Presidential Inauguration.” The expenses were not attributed to campaign purposes or business travel.