Local

Fund raised millions from special interest groups, corporations for DNC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Eyewitness News looked over thousands of entries on the FEC filing for New American City, the fund the DNC set up to accept corporate donations.

New American City raised $20 million from special interest groups and corporations for the DNC, on things like public relations, consulting, travel, venue and equipment rentals and host committee worker salaries.

In fact, the fund used corporate money to pay Dr. Dan Murrey's salary -- $180,000 a year -- as he ran the host committee, which vowed not to take corporate dollars.

As Eyewitness News anchor Scott Wickersham dug deeper into the documents, another thing caught his eye.

The Charlotte Housing Authority, a taxpayer funded agency, gave $3,000.

A spokesperson said it was donated through their nonprofit group for an affordable housing forum the DNC hosted, not to support the Democratic Party.

Eyewitness News also found that a company called Florida Sugar Crystals out of West Palm Beach donated $450,000.

Eyewitness News asked if it has a Charlotte connection but didn’t hear back on Friday.

Local corporations were also big contributors. Bank of America gave $5 million, Duke gave $4 million, Wells Fargo gave $500,000, and Belk and US Airways each gave $100,000.

Eyewitness News asked people for their take on all this.

“I guess they went back on their word,” one person said.

“The big corporations make the world go around,” another said.

But others called it a good effort in making the convention more about the average person.

“There were a lot of regular people like me that were able to go,” one person said.

On Friday afternoon, officials with the host committee emailed Eyewitness News, saying the master contract with the DNCC required no money from corporations pay for goods and services for the convention. But that doesn't include administrative costs.