Brown campaign manager Jim Barnett referred questions about Brown's fundraising to his Federal Election Commission reports.
This composite image made from Associated Press photos shows Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren and Republican U.S. Senator Scott Brown. Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s campaign on Monday declined to reveal whether any J.P. Morgan executives were raising money for him, in response to Democratic questions on the issue.
Instead, the Brown campaign tried to turn the focus back to Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren’s Native American heritage – an issue that has been dogging her for weeks.
“Professor Warren likes to talk about accountability, but has not held herself to that standard,” said Jim Barnett, Brown’s campaign manager, in a conference call with reporters.
The Massachusetts Democratic Party has been asking Brown to reveal whether any J.P. Morgan officials are raising money for him as part of a New York fundraising committee. Brown has raised more than $50,000 from J.P. Morgan employees, according to campaign finance reports.
Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh said, “Scott Brown should tell us if people connected to J.P. Morgan are on his secret Wall Street fundraising committee, because Massachusetts families have a right to know if Scott Brown stands with them or with Wall Street.”
J.P. Morgan, the country’s biggest bank, disclosed a $2 billion loss on Thursday in a portfolio designed to hedge against risks the company takes with its own money. Two ratings companies downgraded the bank and the bank’s chief investment officer resigned. Warren has called on J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to step down from his position with the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Barnett, on the call, would not mention names of any Brown fundraisers but said, “Every dollar Scott raises is available to view on his campaign finance reports. That is transparency defined.” Barnett referred questions about Brown’s fundraising to his Federal Election Commission reports.
Barnett tried to keep the focus on Warren’s Native American heritage. He noted a newly revealed report from the University of Pennsylvania showing that Warren listed herself as a minority during her time teaching there, as well as at Harvard. He pointed out that so far, there has been no definitive proof that Warren has Native American ancestry – and some reports have found that a Warren ancestor was actually a member of a militia responsible for rounding up Cherokees.
“The question is not about Warren’s credentials, but about Warren’s integrity and truthfulness, and willingness to be transparent,” Barnett said.