The Biggest Contributors to the 2016 Presidential Candidates

The Albany Business Review published the thirty-one largest political contributors in this region.  There were three on the list from Saratoga Springs.

At #2 is someone named Andrew E. Beckwith III who gave $50,000.00 to American Bridge 21^st Century and Priorities USA.    American Bridge  has a website that describes itself as a “progressive” organization dedicated to holding Republicans “accountable for their words and actions.”  Priorities USA states on its “about” page that it is dedicated to electing Hillary Clinton.    A Google search didn’t produce anything regarding who Mr. Beckwith is.  Maybe one of the readers out there knows who he is.

At #6 is Joseph Kakaty who contributed $10,800 to Ted Cruz.  A Google search identified this name as the chief marketing officer with the College Loan Corporation whose headquarters are in Las Vegas.  Its website says it handles $10 billion dollars in student loans.  The name also came up in a Google search as the president of Poker Central which, as its name suggests, is dedicated to the world of professional poker players.  He is also identified as a supporter of the Saratoga Children’s Theater.

At #24 is Gary Dake who is the CEO of Stewarts Shops.  He contributed $3,700 to Gary Johnson.  Mr. Johnson is running as the Libertarian candidate.  Among Mr. Johnson’s many positions is the abolishment of Social Security.  Given the large number of part time employees that work for Mr. Dake’s company, the seven and a half percent of their salaries he must pay is probably a significant item on their expense sheet. 

At #28 is Gail Anderson who contributed $3,150.00 to Donald Trump and the Stop Hillary PAC.  Ms. Anderson, the daughter of the late Willard Anderson, is a realtor and developer and principal with the Anderson Group.  The Andersons own a huge chunk of real estate around Exit 14 .  They have been frustrated in their attempts to build a major development there.  They recently won a pyrrhic victory when they won a suit against the City of Saratoga Springs claiming that the city blocked their development claiming discrimination based on race and income.  Their project included some affordable housing.   The jury originally awarded them $1 million dollars.  The appeal reduced the award to $100,000.00.  The significant result of the decision was that it did not provide them a path to their project and they spent far more than $100,000.00 in legal fees.  Ms. Anderson’s support for Mr. Trump might add credence to the position of the project’s opponents who argued that the affordable housing was a tactic in their strategy  to build their massive development.