#FBF: Cramer’s Farm Bill Failures

Cramer Has History Of Playing Politics With Farm Bill

Don’t let the misinformation campaign fool you: Congressman Kevin Cramer – who has never even served on the House Agriculture Committee – has a history of playing politics with the Farm Bill.

Cramer voted for a purely partisan Farm Bill, despite the historically non-political nature of this legislation. He voted to cut funding to crop insurance and rural infrastructure – both of which North Dakota producers rely on. Cramer’s partisan bill also cuts over $20 billion in nutrition assistance programs, leaving behind North Dakota families who need assistance the most. That’s why over 300 ag-focused groups, the National Farmers Union, and North Dakota hunger relief advocates opposed the legislation.

Reminder: Cramer is a dues-paying member of an extreme anti-agriculture group that has pushed for eliminating the Renewable Fuel Standard, eliminating the sugar program, and for devastating cuts to crop insurance and nutrition programs, all of which help North Dakota farmers and ranchers.

This isn’t the first time Cramer played politics with the future of North Dakota’s farmers. In 2013, Cramer was criticized for holding up passage of a bipartisan bill over his partisan political tantrums, with the Williston Herald Editorial Board calling on him to make it his top priority and to legislate more like Senators Heitkamp and Hoeven.

Williston Herald Editorial Board: Cramer needs to take a lesson from Hoeven and Heitkamp.

  • North Dakota needs its representation to step up… We feel Cramer needs to take a lesson from Hoeven and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in how to wield influence.
  • He needs to partner with the neighboring states of Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota on both sides of the aisle to make this work. He needs to make the farm bill his No. 1 priority, whether it is pushing to reconsider the House version or passing the Senate version.
  • The bill and North Dakota farmers need Cramer to reach into his influence to sway his fellow House members and reach out for bipartisan support, if for no other reason but to show signs of life in the farm bill fight.
  • [North Dakota voters] need to see real leadership, real influence and real fight in passing the farm bill.

“There’s only one person in this race who has, and will continue, to advocate on behalf of North Dakota’s interests – and it isn’t Kevin Cramer,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL.

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#TBT: Cramer Calls Farmers’ Concerns Over Trade Fight “Hysteria,” Says They Need Higher “Pain Threshold”

As threats of a trade war heighten – with real, dire consequences for North Dakota farmers – Kevin Cramer calls concerns “hysteria,” telling farmers they “don’t have a high enough pain threshold.”

Cramer has pledged to be a rubber stamp for the President and vote with him 100 percent of the time and, when confronted with the harmful effects Trump’s trade fight is having on North Dakotans, Cramer has, at best, only given mealy-mouthed answers. Now we’re seeing what the consequences of Cramer’s reckless promise to vote with Trump all the time would entail:

WHSV: North Dakota farmers looking for answers amid tariff uncertainty.
“North Dakota farmers are scrambling for answers in Washington. As a trade war brews between the U.S. and its partners, an atmosphere of uncertainty looms. North Dakota agriculture leaders say can’t afford to lose these relationships.
…
With commodity prices already low, Mertz is fearful his industry could tank if a trade war with Mexico happens. He says they use North Dakota barley to make Corona. He doesn’t like being used as a negotiating tool.”

Washington Examiner: “But if the White House has found ways to shelter red-state farmers… they’ve been keeping it to themselves. On Thursday, China announced retaliatory tariffs on soybeans — a move that will disproportionately harm North Dakota.”

Wall Street Journal: Trade Fight Threatens Farm Belt Businesses.
“The president’s global trade offensive is threatening the livelihoods of many farmers. Mounting trade disputes, spurred by U.S. threats to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement and tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of goods from key trading partners, have cut U.S. agricultural exports and sent commodity prices tumbling. Many farmers, who depend on shipments overseas for one-fifth of the goods they produce, say they are anxious, especially because they are already expecting bumper harvests or grappling with a dairy glut.
…
Some farmers fear trade battles will jeopardize foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products that took decades to establish.
…
Others worry another bumper harvest this fall will compound pain inflicted by tariffs. The USDA expects farmers to reap the fourth-largest corn crop and third-biggest soybean crop in history.”

“It’s no surprise that someone who likened voting against Trump’s agenda to cheating on your wife would blindly follow such an ill-conceived policy, even when it’s detrimental to North Dakotans,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “North Dakota farmers are already experiencing devastating pocketbook consequences from Cramer’s inaction. It’s clear that his blind loyalty and his political ambitions are more important to him than standing up for North Dakota farmers and businesses.”

Background:

Cramer Asked North Dakotans To Blindly Trust Trump’s Actions On Trade:

  • Cramer On Trade: “President Trump Is Asking For Something That We Are To Give Him And That Is Patience […] The Longer Time We Give Him I Think The Better The Trade Deal Is At The End Of It.” CRAMER: “President Trump is asking for something that we are to give him and that is patience. And the longer that we, the longer time we give him I think the better the trade deal is at the end of it.” [Breitbart News Daily – Interview with Kevin Cramer – 6/29/18]
  • Cramer Claimed The Trade Negotiation Would End Quicker If “We” Stand With Trump And Help Him. CRAMER: “Right now, while we’re in the middle of a negotiation, I think if we want this to end quickly what we are to be doing is standing with our president and help him.” [NPR – Interview with Kevin Cramer – 6/15/18]
  • Cramer Claimed A Soybean Tariff Would Cause “Short-Term Pain,” But That Pain Did Not Change “The Long Term Goal.” According to NBC News, Cramer stated, “‘North Dakotans are sophisticated people and with a soybean tariff, it’s gonna be short-term pain, but that doesn’t change the long term goal.’” [NBC News, 4/8/18]

Cramer Refused To Acknowledge The Negative Effects Of Trump’s Trade Policies:

  • Amid Soybean Tariffs, Cramer Claimed It Was Not “All Doom And Gloom” For North Dakota Producers. According to KNOX-AM, “Many in the farm sector are concerned about a possible trade war with China having a negative impact on North Dakota soybean growers. But Congressman Kevin Cramer says he doesn’t believe it’s all doom and gloom.” [KNOX-AM, 1:04PM, 5/17/18]

Cramer Claimed Concern Over Trade Policies Was “Hysteria.”

  • Prairie Public HEADLINE: “Cramer: Cool The ‘Hysteria’ Over Chinese Tariffs.” [Prairie Public, 4/9/18]
  • On Tariffs, Cramer Claimed He Did Not “Fall For The Hysteria Thing.” According to Bismarck Tribune, “With that, he said the situation is ‘not without risk’ and ‘it causes me some concern’ but ‘I don’t fall for the hysteria thing.’” [Bismarck Tribune, 6/1/18]

Cramer Exploited Veterans for Political Purposes

Cramer Used Footage of North Dakota Veterans Cemetery for Campaign Purposes, Ignored Concerns of Veterans to Take It Down

(BISMARCK, ND) – In 2014, Congressman Cramer used footage of the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in a campaign ad, even though the Department of Veterans Affairs expressly prohibits the filming of political ads. Despite explicit calls from local veterans and service members to stop airing the ad, Cramer dragged his feet – and even after he said he’d pull the ad from TV, he continued to “encourage people to view the ad online.”

There’s more: when confronted with why Cramer was so disrespectful to use this footage without permission, he didn’t apologize – in fact, he doubled down, saying “there’s nothing illegal” about it.

Here’s what North Dakota veterans had to say:

Vietnam veteran Neil Prochnow: “I would say it’s inappropriate…He should’ve used better judgment.” 

Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan veteran Bryan Watters: “I don’t think any political candidate should be cashing in on the sacrifices made by veterans in their final resting place. Let them rest in peace.”

Iraq veteran Christopher Deery: “Instead of showing us and the service members laid to rest in that cemetery the respect we deserved, he kept his ad online for the course of the campaign… Cramer didn’t care then whose rules he was breaking that he had disrespected veterans, and doesn’t care now.”

“Congressman Cramer campaigned on fallen soldiers’ graves, deciding that it was more important to exploit veterans for political purposes than to respect their final resting place and follow the rules,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “He even ignored calls from North Dakota vets and service members and kept directing folks to watch his ad online. It’s sad that North Dakotans have come to expect nothing less from Cramer: his refusal to admit wrongdoing is just another example of him putting his own interests above North Dakotans.”

See more:
MSNBC: Tasteless GOP political ad still online, despite rebuke.
Bismarck Tribune, LTE: Cramer continues to ignore rules.
Inforum: Cramer criticized for using vets cemetery as backdrop for ad.
MSNBC: Veterans’ cemeteries are not campaign props.

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Does Congressman Cramer Still Think Military Spending is “Difficult Pill to Swallow”?

(BISMARCK, ND) – When it comes to funding our military, Congressman Cramer thinks less is more. In the most recent government funding bill, Cramer complained that a necessary increase in military spending to supply up-to-date equipment and training to keep our troops safe was a “difficult pill… to swallow.”

“Ahead of Independence Day, North Dakotans deserve to know: does Congressman Cramer still think military funding – including vital equipment and training upgrades – is a ‘difficult pill to swallow,’” asked Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “North Dakotans want a Senator whose priorities are in line with their own – and Cramer’s comments make it clear that he is not that person.”

This isn’t the first time Cramer has sided against essential funding for our security:

Cramer On Funding For Pay Raises, Equipment, And Training For Active Duty Military: “There’s No Question It’s A Very High Priority, But It’s Becoming A Very Difficult Pill.” According to Reuters, “House Republicans emerging from a closed meeting on Tuesday morning, said there was little information provided by leadership about the state of play. ‘Most of the discussion … is trying to convince us that defense is so critical that we have to swallow everything else to give our soldiers and airmen and Marines and sailors the pay raise they need and the equipment and training they need,’ said Republican Representative Kevin Cramer. ‘There’s no question it’s a very high priority, but it’s becoming a very difficult pill,’ Cramer said.” [Reuters, 3/20/18]

Cramer Voted Against Motion To Concur With Senate Bill That Would Provide Funding For Department Of Homeland Security. [CQ, 3/3/15; H.R. 240, Vote 109, 3/3/15]

Cramer Opposed Shifting Additional Funds To Customs And Border Protection, Cutting ICE Administrative Funding. [HR 2217, Vote #197, 6/5/13]

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Does Congressman Cramer Still Think Military Spending is “Difficult Pill to Swallow”?

(BISMARCK, ND) – When it comes to funding our military, Congressman Cramer thinks less is more. In the most recent government funding bill, Cramer complained that a necessary increase in military spending to supply up-to-date equipment and training to keep our troops safe was a “difficult pill… to swallow.”

“Ahead of Independence Day, North Dakotans deserve to know: does Congressman Cramer still think military funding – including vital equipment and training upgrades – is a ‘difficult pill to swallow,’” asked Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “North Dakotans want a Senator whose priorities are in line with their own – and Cramer’s comments make it clear that he is not that person.”

This isn’t the first time Cramer has sided against essential funding for our security:

Cramer On Funding For Pay Raises, Equipment, And Training For Active Duty Military: “There’s No Question It’s A Very High Priority, But It’s Becoming A Very Difficult Pill.” According to Reuters, “House Republicans emerging from a closed meeting on Tuesday morning, said there was little information provided by leadership about the state of play. ‘Most of the discussion … is trying to convince us that defense is so critical that we have to swallow everything else to give our soldiers and airmen and Marines and sailors the pay raise they need and the equipment and training they need,’ said Republican Representative Kevin Cramer. ‘There’s no question it’s a very high priority, but it’s becoming a very difficult pill,’ Cramer said.” [Reuters, 3/20/18]

Cramer Voted Against Motion To Concur With Senate Bill That Would Provide Funding For Department Of Homeland Security. [CQ, 3/3/15; H.R. 240, Vote 109, 3/3/15]

Cramer Opposed Shifting Additional Funds To Customs And Border Protection, Cutting ICE Administrative Funding. [HR 2217, Vote #197, 6/5/13]

The Best “Volunteer” Job in America? Crooked Kevin Cramer Misleads About His Own Nepotism, Payments to Family Members

Crooked Cramer also subject to FEC complaint for misusing campaign funds for personal gain

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer definitely wants you to forget that he’s used his long career in politics to get rich. He’s now trying to fool North Dakotans – saying that his “family is involved on a volunteer basis in a very, very big way.” If that’s the case, it must be the best volunteer gig in America.

The fact is that Cramer and his family have gotten “very, very big” paychecks from their involvement in his political career. Cramer and his family have pocketed more than $375,000 during the past few years – a practice a leading ethics watchdog called “morally kind of sticky.” Former Senator Kent Conrad went even further – slamming Cramer for making “a virtual cottage industry out of his campaigns.”

“Crooked Kevin Cramer can’t lie his way out of this one – voters know that he’s a self-serving corrupt politician who has used his campaigns as a ‘get rich quick’ scheme for himself and his family,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “The facts are clear – Cramer and his family have made more than $375,000 off of his career in politics and his net worth has nearly doubled since he went to Washington. You can’t drain the swamp without booting Cramer out of office.”

Burgum Air: Governor’s Use of Private Planes at Taxpayer Expense Raises Auditor’s Eyebrows

State Auditor chastises the Governor for jet-setting on North Dakotans’ dime, using government planes for “commuting” and carrying “non-state employees without a business purpose”

(BISMARCK, ND) — Governor Doug Burgum is in hot water with North Dakota’s State Auditor over improper use of state aircraft. The report cites the Burgum and Dalrymple administrations for violations including using the planes for personal commuting, carrying “non-state employees without a business purpose,” and choosing to fly on the taxpayer’s dime in a private aircraft out of state, even while available commercial flights were cheaper.

The report also advised that the Governor’s office submit Request for Air Transportation forms to the business purpose of each trip could be established, an oversight that is used for every other government agency using state aircraft. But the Governor pushed back in the report, insisting that it is one rule for him and a different rule for everyone else.

“Unfortunately for everyone concerned with good governance in North Dakota, Governor Burgum has continued to lack transparency and bend the rules to benefit his own convenience at taxpayer expense,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Instead of jumping on 94 for his trips between Fargo and Bismarck like every other commuter, he’d rather call up personal Uber for the Air and leave taxpayers with the bill. For an elected official who is calling on North Dakota’s K-12 teachers, higher education instructors and administrators, mental health professionals, and first responders to do more with less and proposing massive cuts to the state’s public services, a different standard seems to apply.”

Dem-NPL Passes Day of Action Goal

Hundreds of volunteers reached out to over 14,000 voters, beating expectations and energizing supporters

(BISMARCK, ND) — By the time President Trump took the stage at the Scheels Arena in front of 6,000 people, the Democratic-NPL had already doubled that number of voters reached in North Dakota and was on its way to speaking with many more.

The Dem-NPL originally had the goal of speaking with 12,000 voters on its Day of Action,but ended up surpassing their benchmark by listening to over 14,000 North Dakotans thanks to nearly 300 volunteers who made phone calls and knocked on doors across the state.

“It was amazing to see the groundswell of support for our federal, statewide, and legislative candidates,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Our amazing volunteers showed up and spent hours making phone calls or knocking on doors throughout the state. While President Trump talked at 6,000 in the Scheels Arena and Kevin Cramer readily admitted that he would be a rubber stamp for any of his policies, regardless of the effect on the state, the Dem-NPL and its volunteers listened to 14,000 voters who want to see independent leadership that puts North Dakotans first.”

Trump Visit Comes After Cramer’s Disastrous Month and as His Trade War Threatens North Dakota Farmers and the Economy

 

(BISMARCK, ND) — Kevin Cramer was desperate for a lifeline – after all, he’s had a disastrous month of headlines and missteps and his trade war is threatening the livelihood of North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers. That’s not to mention the open FEC complaint that was filed against Cramer yesterday for once again misusing campaign dollars to enrich himself and his family. Read more from the Forum and the Wall Street Journal below:

Forum: McFeely: Cramer hopes to get a needed jolt from Trump

  • From defending a peeping Tom as “a very good man” to saying that all chain-link fences are created equal, whether they are holding children like caged dogs or simply enclosing a playground, it’s been a rough past few weeks for Kevin Cramer.

  • When you defend putting children as young as 3 into cages after they’ve purposely been separated from their parents by the U.S. government because “chain-link fences are around playgrounds all over America, all over North Dakota,” it tends to make headlines.

  • When you pick a fight with the president’s legislative affairs director, suggest Trump gives Heitkamp preferential treatment “because she’s a, you know, a female,” insult the Koch Bros.-fueled Americans For Prosperity because the conservative advocacy group gave money to Heitkamp and generally whine that the president isn’t giving you enough love — as Cramer has done just in the past month — the political world is going to pay attention.

  • His has not exactly been an inspiring campaign thus far.

  • But in deeply conservative North Dakota, the fact that Heitkamp is hanging around is a story in itself. She is personally popular, liked by voters in both parties and has cast herself as a moderating voice in a crazy political atmosphere.

Wall Street Journal: Close North Dakota Senate Race Shadowed by Trump and Trade

  • The Senate race is shadowed by the growing threat of a trade war that could hurt North Dakota’s export-dependent farmers, and Ms. Heitkamp is working to align herself with them.

  • Soybeans are the state’s No. 1 export, generating about $1.1 billion in 2016, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Agriculture Department. China is the number one destination for those soybeans, according to the North Dakota Soybean Council.

  • Tom Campbell, a potato farmer who dropped his own Senate bid and is now a Cramer backer, warned that if the economic fallout of a trade war hits during fall harvest it could hurt Mr. Cramer.

  • Small-state intimacy could help Ms. Heitkamp’s efforts to draw ticket-splitting voters like John Dusek, an insurance agent who voted for Mr. Trump in 2016 but is inclined to support Ms. Heitkamp for reelection.

  • “She’s from a small town. She does what’s best for North Dakota. She’s a good person,” Mr. Dusek said while watching the Grafton parade.

  • Still, it may be risky to go too hard. Mr. Cramer acknowledges in one of his ads, “We all like Heidi.”

Kevin Cramer Faces Open FEC Complaint and Accusations of Corruption as President Trump Visits Fargo

Crooked Kevin Cramer Misused Campaign Donations, Declines to Answer Specific Questions  

(BISMARCK, ND) — As Crooked Kevin Cramer (R-Harold Hamm) finally gets some much-desired attention from the president, it comes as he’s under fire for misusing campaign funds and faces and open FEC complaint. Yesterday, a Grand Forks attorney and candidate for Attorney General, David Thompson, filed the complaint against Crooked Cramer.

It’s not the first time Cramer has been criticized for misusing campaign donations – he’s paid himself and his family more than $375,000 from his campaign account, a practice ethics watchdogs called ‘morally kind of sticky.’ Additionally, as Public Service Commissioner, Cramer was slammed by a judge for taking campaign donations from industries he was supposed to regulate – calling Cramer’s actions “ill-advised, devoid of common sense, and raises legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.”

Read and watch more about Crooked Cramer’s latest scandal:

WDAY: “U.S. Representative Kevin Cramer is being accused of taking money out of his campaign funds for personal reasons.”
Click above to watch WDAY’s report

Forum: AG candidate accuses Rep. Cramer of breaking campaign finance rules

  • David C. Thompson, a Grand Forks Democrat running for state attorney general, has again taken aim at Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., accusing him of “corruption,” specifically improper reimbursements to himself with his Senate campaign funds.

  • Thompson, an attorney by trade, said he’s been concerned about Cramer specifically since Cramer was on the state Public Service Commission, which regulates coal and other industries.

  • Cramer campaign spokesman, Tim Rasmussen, declined to answer specific questions from The Forum.

High Plains Reader: FEC COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST CRAMER

  • Once again, corruption charges were filed against current Congressman Kevin Cramer, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

  • The complaint outlined three points: Cramer is giving himself a stipend to live and eat from campaign funds, he’s reimbursing himself for travel expenses from campaign contributions, and he has missed deadlines for reimbursements, but paid himself back anyway.

  • “Legally murky and morally sticky maneuvers seem to be the norm for Congressman Cramer,” Thompson said. “He has always considered himself above the rules, and cannot be trusted to handle his own campaign finances. Congressman Cramer’s behavior goes to show in my estimation the worst in Washington and goes to show why many North Dakotans have lost faith in politics. He has used his campaign as a get-rich quick scheme, and owes North Dakotans an explanation. He is not above the law, or above the rules.”

Cramer Begs, Then Lashes Out at President Trump

(BISMARCK, ND) — After Congressman Cramer made clear that an out-of-state billionaire– and not the overtures of President Trump – pushed him into the race, Cramer has been busy begging President Trump for his attention on the campaign trail. But when his overtures haven’t worked, or he’s cornered on bad policy, Cramer is prone to throwing clumsy and petulant insults at the White House – and the president himself.

Ahead of President Trump’s visit to North Dakota, here’s a look back at Cramer’s greatest tantrums when he’s forgotten his fidelity to the president and let his emotions get the best of him:

  • When President Trump liked Heidi too much. When Cramer thought President Trump was working with Senator Heidi Heitkamp too much, Cramer seethed and blamed the White House for Republican failures in Congress – delivering what Cramer called a “shot across the bow”:

    “If Marc Short was very good at his job, you know, we’d have a repeal and replacement of Obamacare,” Cramer said in a surprising display of animosity toward a White House official.

  • When he was mad at the president for changing his mind. After President Trump changed his mind on immigration legislation, Cramer vented to the Wall Street Journal, insinuating President Trump was an amateur, inexperienced president:

    “This is one of the consequences of having a commander-in-chief who has never been in politics before. […] It’s difficult sometimes when you get out there on a limb for him on CNN or Fox Business and then have him change his mind the next day or two.”

  • When the president is pushing a trade war that would be devastating for North Dakota. Before Congressman Cramer tweeted – then quickly deleted his “opposition” to President Trump’s trade war – Cramer was on the fence about the harmful policy and lobbed insults about President Trump’s policy judgement, calling the president’s reactions “emotional” and short-sighted before rushing to walk back his attack:

    “So, yes, there are these short-term sort of emotional reactions by the markets and others, and frankly, by the president himself.  And this is one of my concerns again. He tends to have rather emotional responses rather than you know sort of long game more thought out perhaps communication.”

ICYMI: Kevin Cramer (R-Harold Hamm) Doubles Down on Loyalty to Out-of-State Billionaire

Crooked Kevin Cramer Said No to President Trump and North Dakotans, Yes to Out-of-State Billionaire Harold Hamm

(BISMARCK, ND) — Once again, Congressman Kevin Cramer (R-Harold Hamm) is showing where his loyalties lie – and it’s not with North Dakotans. Cramer once again doubled down on his loyalties to an out-of-state billionaire, with E&E reporting that he didn’t get into the Senate campaign after urging from North Dakotans or President Trump – it was because of out-of-state billionaire Harold Hamm who pledged to be his national finance chair and rake in the big bucks.

We’ve got to wonder – is Cramer going to use Hamm’s cash for his campaign, or to line his own pockets? After all, he does have a history of using his campaigns as a get-rich-quick scheme and has an open FEC complaint against him.

Highlights from E&E below:

E&E: The energy executive behind Kevin Cramer’s run

  • Billionaire energy executive Harold Hamm’s fingerprints — and money — are all over North Dakota Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer’s quest for the Senate.

  • Influential and willing to leverage his $18 billion wealth, Hamm has backed Cramer’s political career for years. To hear the congressman tell it, it was Hamm, founder and CEO of Continental Resources Inc. and a fracking industry pioneer, who drove him into the Senate race.

  • For months, the congressman said no. He initially rejected pressure from national Republicans, including President Trump, who were desperate for a solid candidate to take on Heitkamp. It took Hamm’s nudging and pledge of support.

  • “When Harold talked to my wife, Kris, and he said, ‘Kris, if Kevin does this, if you guys get into this, I will be his national finance chairman.’ That was pretty compelling,” Cramer said.

  • Campaign finance documents show Hamm dollars flowing to a number of groups backing Cramer, including $50,000 to the Cramer Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee. These outfits share fundraising costs and divide contributions, allowing donors to write one large check.