Fitchburg Gives $21,000 in Campaign Cash in 2006; Glodis Gets Over $1,500 from Employees

Candidates for Massachusetts political offices have received over $21,000 from Fitchburg addresses this year, including over $6,000 for Worcester Sheriff Guy Glodis – who received over $1,500 from employees in his own department with Fitchburg addresses – according to a review of campaign finance reports.

The entire list of all 150-plus donations, detailing $21,559 in contributions, can be found by exploring the Office of Campaign and Political Finance website. Glodis, the first-term sheriff, outpaces the rest of field in Fitchburg, followed by district attorney candidate Joseph Early. Third is Republican gubernatorial candidate Kerry Healey, with $3,215. The reports cover the entire year through Aug. 15.

State representative candidates do not need to file their first reports until next month, and it’s likely at least City Councilor Stephen DiNatale will zoom to the top of the list when those reports are filed. State rep candidates must file eight days before the primary election, eight days before the general election, and at the end of the year. Candidates for county and statewide offices must file every month.

The reports find minimal donation activity by the state rep candidates, which would pop up in monthly filers’ accounts (but not other state reps, like say, House Speaker Sal DiMasi). DiNatale has donated $275 (including $100 to both Glodis and Early) and former Mayor Mary Whitney has donated $75 to the Democratic State Committee. Former City Councilor David LeBlanc has made no contributions, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

The largest single employer for contributors is the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, including a civil process server for the county. The Sheriff’s Office runs the process service in the county. Eight donations totally $1,730 were made by office employees. All of it went to Glodis, except for a $100 donation to register of deeds candidate Kathleen Daignault.

Included in the total is a $500 from former Gardner Rep. Brian Knuttila, who uses a Fitchburg law firm address in his listed donations. Knuttila left his seat earlier this year to become general counsel for the Sheriff’s Office.

While it is not illegal for candidates to receive contributions from employees, many politicians don’t allow their employees to donate to their campaigns, feeling it gives the impression they are putting pressure – intentional or otherwise – on employees to donate to the campaign.

For the most part, Fitchburg has sat on the sidelines in the governor’s race. Democrats have raised only $685, and almost all of that ($625) has gone to Attorney General Tom Reilly. Chris Gabrieli has raised no money from Fitchburg. Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Tim Murray, the Worcester mayor, has received $775 from Fitchburg.