[OG Note--But look: "The committee. . . spent $425,289, much of that on operating expenditures." So, what is this? A legal method of giving someone a make-work job while allowing contributors to deduct the cost? I mean, why else would contributors give money to something that spends roughly 2/3 on "operating expenditures"? Charities have been ruined for spending that much on admin. Also note that Hill's PAC gave $10k to Torricelli and her biggest contributor, who gave the maximum $5k, was the Slimfast guy.] Clinton PAC raises $662,325 in first six months

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's political action committee raised $662,325 in its first six months and handed out $100,000 in contributions to other lawmakers, according to records filed late Thursday night with the Federal Election Commission.

HILLPAC still had $223,127 cash on hand when the reporting period closed at the end of June, the records showed. The committee, which Clinton formed in January shortly after being sworn into the Senate, spent $425,289, much of that on operating expenditures.

Among HILLPAC's donations was $10,000 to the legal defense fund of embattled New Jersey Democratic Sen. Robert Torricelli. Clinton doled out $1,000 donations to many of her Senate colleagues including Dick Durbin, of Illinois; Jean Carnahan, of Missouri; Max Cleland, of Georgia; Max Baucus, of Montana; and Carl Levin, of Michigan.

Many of HILLPAC's donors were among the larger contributors to the former first lady's Senate bid, such as Slimfast president S. Daniel Abraham, who gave the maximum individual donation of $5,000. Some of the larger PAC donors included a laundry list of labor unions and the Association of the Trial Lawyers of America.

HILLPAC allows New York's junior senator to contribute to other federal candidates, pay for her political travel across the country and boost her stature with party leaders.

AP-ES-07-20-01 0104EDT  !--END-->

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001