Hillary News & Views 12.31: Fundraising, coal miners, NE, Secret Service -- End of year edition

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Today’s edition of Hillary News & Views has been put together by another substitute writer, hoping to match the excellent example set by our regular writer Lysis, who will (we hope!) return on Monday, January 4.

First, fundraising: The end of the year is also the end of the quarter, which means another FEC report that pundits will pore over looking for signs and omens. Dan Merica at CNN has jumped in with a prediction (also picked up by TheHill) that Clinton “will roll into 2016 by likely surpassing her campaign's $100 million fundraising goal for its first three quarters.” Merica also notes that “While many of Clinton's events in the first two quarters of her campaign were max out events -- with tickets costing $2,700 per person -- the presidential candidate headlined a number of events this quarter where tickets were as low as $250 and $500.” According to Merica, the biggest single fundraising month so far was October, when a strong performance in the debate and her stamina in the 11-hour Benghazi hearing inspired many supporters to donate to the campaign. The quarter doesn’t end until midnight tonight, so if you’ve been thinking about donating, there’s still time.

Second, a sad note: On Tuesday night, four Secret Service agents who had worked Clinton’s detail in New Hampshire earlier in the day were injured when another driver crossed the double yellow center line on Rte. 16 and crashed head-on into their vehicle. The other driver (who did not have a valid license) died and his two passengers were injured. Clinton’s motorcade was not in the area at the time of the crash. Three of the Secret Service agents were treated and released from the hospital by Wednesday afternoon; the fourth was transferred to Mass General Hospital in Boston and as of this morning is reported in serious condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Clinton released a statement Wednesday saying:

I was saddened and concerned to hear about the serious accident that occurred last night in New Hampshire in which four Secret Service agents were injured and a passenger in a second car killed. My husband and I send our prayers and condolences to all the victims and their families. We are grateful everyday for the service, dedication, and professionalism of the U.S. Secret Service.

Nebraska Leadership Council: Continuing her strategy of forming “Leadership Councils” in each state made up of elected officials and high-ranking Democrats who support her, on Wednesday Clinton followed up on her recent trip to Omaha by rolling out her Nebraska Leadership Council, ahead of that state’s March 5 caucus. The lead names on the list include Omaha investor Warren Buffett, philanthropist Susan Buffett, former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE), and Rep. Brad Ashford (D-NE) (who had formally endorsed Clinton on December 15).

Clinton supports union coal miners: Clinton issued a statement of support for United Mine Workers miners in their dispute with Birmingham, AL-based Walter Energy. The company (described as “the world's leading, publicly traded "pure play" metallurgical coal producer for the global steel industry,” and owner of the Brookwood, AL, mine where a 2001 methane explosion killed thirteen miners) is in bankruptcy court. Its goal is to cancel all its union contracts so it can sell off the profitable parts of the company free of nuisances like health coverage, while getting court approval to pay “retention bonuses” of up to $2 million to company executives. Here’s Clinton’s statement:

Walter Energy is attempting to shirk its healthcare and pension obligations to hardworking Alabama active miners, retirees, widows and dependents in order to appease Apollo Global Management and other investors. I am disappointed that the bankruptcy court in Birmingham has granted their request. These men and woman have put their own health and safety at risk to help power American economic success. They are entitled to the benefits they have earned and deserve. Ensuring healthcare and retirement security should be the first priority in a bankruptcy proceeding, not the last, and should certainly come before the $2 million in bonuses for Walter Energy executives the court approved yesterday.

I hope Walter Energy reverses course and does right by Alabama miners and their families. We must honor our commitments to the coal miners, transportation and power plant workers, their families and communities, who have given so much to our country. As President, I will do exactly that.

In other coal-related news, the anti-Democratic opposition researchers at America Rising PAC have given Clinton a back-handed compliment (in my opinion), slamming her for saying (at an event in Nashua, NH) that the US needs to move away from coal, and actually proposing a program to do just that. The PAC quotes investment analyst Jim Cramer as saying that if Clinton is elected, “it would be the end of coal production in the United States.” We can certainly hope so.

From the Twitter:

.@GeorgeTakei Thank you for endorsing @HillaryClinton for president! #ImWithHer#Hillary2016pic.twitter.com/jkywzgsYLP

All Aubri wants for Christmas is her hero, Hillary, to be president. #ImWithHerpic.twitter.com/frrhBlgf6C

Happy Last Night to all (and always designate a sober driver). I’ll hang around in the comments for a while.