Steven Bing ?

[GaryP]

I don't know who this guy is. But a caller on C-Span just a while back claimed that ABC news reported this morning that Bing has donated $16 million to the DNC and that it has been discovered he has mob ties.

I just listened to the ABC radio news and it was not mentioned.

And isn't $16 Mill just slightly over the limit that one can donate to a political party?

Anybody know anything of this guy and/or what the caller was referring to?

[Hypatia]

This is what I initially found with a web search (http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/edwards/edwards.html)

Looks like Bing made big donation ($900k) to a PAC formed by John Edwards called New American Optimists.

In August 2001 Edwards formed a leadership PAC, the New American Optimists. The "Optimists" brought on Steve Jarding, a top-notch operative, as its director starting January 2002. Despite Edwards' support for campaign finance reform legislation, the Optimists went after major donations far more aggressively than any of the other 2004 presidential prospects' PACs; all told it took in 30 contributions of $50,000 or more, 28 from attorneys or law firms. Steven Bing, the Los Angeles producer, was most generous, contributing $900,000.

I haven't looked for contributions by Bing to the DNC, though.

[scrumpy]

Here's the ABC item:

Fattest Cat: Officials: Democrats’ Biggest Money Man Has Mob Connections (http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Politics/Vote2004/convention_stephen_bing_040728-1.html)

He is Stephen Bing, a wealthy film producer who, with little fanfare, has managed to steer a total of more than $16 million of his money to Democratic candidates and the supposedly independent groups that support them.

<snip>

In fact, Democratic Party officials said they knew nothing about the man who law enforcement officials tell ABC News is Bing's friend and business partner — Dominic Montemarano, a New York Mafia figure currently in federal prison on racketeering charges.

Montemarano has a long criminal record and is known to organized crime investigators by his street name, Donnie Shacks.

"Donnie Shacks' main activity was murder. No question about it. That was his main function for the Colombo family and for organized crime in general. He was one of the top hit men in the New York area," said Joe Coffey, a former NYPD investigator.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Bing paid Montemarano's legal fees after his most recent scrape with the law. Montemerano's lawyer said his client was an employee of Bing's.

After a recent private lunch with Democratic vice-presidential candidate Edwards, Bing also declined to answer questions about his relationship with Montemarano.

[shome42]

Incedentally, Steven Bing is also the father of Elizabeth Hurley's baby.