When it finally arrived a week after state law said it was due, Chokwe Lumumba's campaign-finance form revealed that he raised a fraction--20 percent--of the amount first-place finisher Jonathan Lee raised going into the May 7 Jackson municipal elections.
Dated May 6, the report shows that Lumumba raised $68,753 since the beginning of the year and spent $59,292, leaving the campaign fund with $17,963 in cash on hand.
Categorizing Lumumba's donors is a tricky endeavor. Eleven people on Lumumba's form list their address as "N/A" despite Lumumba's admission that he has held at least three out-of-state fundraisers in the California Bay Area, in New York City and in Washington, D.C., but none of the people on the donor form list addresses near those cities.
Lumumba has explained the out-of-town fundraisers saying that fellow human-rights activists throughout the country support his candidacy. Saladin Muhammad, a North Carolina labor leader, gave $1,000. The Washington, D.C.-based Black is Back coalition that advocates for reparations, single-payer health care, ending U.S.-led wars, freeing prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal and other "U.S. political prisoners/POWs/exiles" and rescinding the Patriot Act, gave $265. Eve Rosahn, who was indicted for providing a getaway car in a famous 1981 Brink's robbery, also gave $265. Prosecutors eventually dropped the charges against Rosahn, who works at a legal-aid clinic in New York City.
Several attorneys, law firms and businesses donated as well. Lumumba's largest donor was attorney Barry Howard who contributed $10,000 while Lumumba gave himself $4,500 in two installments. Howard has given to at least one Democratic candidate for statewide office, Gary Anderson, who ran for insurance commissioner in 2007. Dr. Demitri Marshall of Port Gibson gave $2,000 and Jeannette Felton, also of Port Gibson, gave $1,000.
Fidelity Refund and Check Cashers, whose telephone number went to an AT&T store in Michigan when called last week, gave $300; Moore's Used Auto Sales on Gallatin Street in Jackson, gave $1,300 and La Quinta Inn and Suites gave $500. Marlboro, Md.-based Bowie Construction LLC and Jackson Fuel each gave $500. A1 Bail Bond in west Jackson gave another $500.
John Burge, whose address is not listed on the form, contributed $3,500. Michigan attorney Adam Shakoor, a former law partner of Lumumba's who has contributed to Democratic and Republican candidates in his home state, gave Lumumba $1,000. Cochran Firm Mississippi, the local branch of the law office the late defense attorney who represented O.J. Simpson founded, and Precious Martin Sr. & Associates, each gave $1,000. Lumumba's law partner, Harvey Freelon, gave $1,100.
Top Contributors
Barry Howard, attorney, $10,000
Chokwe Lumumba, $4,500
John Burge, unknown, $3,500
Demitri Marshall, physician, $2,000
More like this story
More stories by this author
Support our reporting -- Follow the MFP.
