Donor with Deep Pockets a Stealthy Visitor

An item about the same-sex marriage issue that was under-reported in Maine during the campaign was the funneling of more than $500,000 by Wall Street financier S. Donald Sussman to the "No on 1" campaign.

That's a huge chunk of cash by Maine standards, so why didn't it get such subdued coverage in the media? When it comes to donors to political causes, locally and nationally, few have deeper pockets than Donald Sussman.

So why hasn't Sussman become a household name in Maine?

It isn't like he just started to hand out money here. Paloma Partners, the hedge fund he started, has contributed more than $70,000 over the past two years to help his good friend Chellie Pingree win her seat in the U.S. Congress.

Sussman has been linked romantically to the First District Congresswoman although Pingree aides insist they are “only friends."

Whatever their connection, Paloma Partners, has been a big donor to Pingree's campaigns since her Senate run against Susan Collins in 2002. According to the website OpenSecrets.org, donations from Paloma Partners continue to flow in. From 2002 until a month ago, the fund had donated $72,800 to Pingree.

Despite all this, Sussman, a leading benefactor of liberal candidates and causes outside of Maine as well, has managed to escape major notice by the sleepy local media. When he was in town to help Pingree celebrate her victory last fall, the only newsman to show real interest was Chris Busby, the editor of the Bollard, an alternative weekly.

The cheeky Busby wrote a detailed and entertaining story on Sussman's appearance at Pingree's victory celebration last year. Part of the story involved Busby's vain attempt after the party to visit the modest house on Munjoy Hill where Sussman entertains friends when he is in town.

Few other than Busby even knew its location because Sussman doesn't broadcast his local activities. On his company's web page, his residences are listed as Greenwich CT, New York City and St. Thomas, in the Virgin Islands.

Portland is not mentioned.