Conservatives’ “Confidential” Fundraising Memo Asks for Election Funds

A letter sent to potential donors says an election is imminent.

The latest Tory fundraising letter was apparently designed to appeal to supporters’ sense of intrigue. Arriving in an envelope marked “Confidential Memo Enclosed,” the letter appears to be an internal correspondence between Conservative fundraiser Sen. Irving Gerstein and national campaign chair Guy Giorno, but it reads more like a campaign brochure, declaring that Michael Ignatieff is determined to bring down the government after the next budget. The mail-out asks for money to fund pre-election “preparedness.” As they have in past campaigns, it appears the Conservatives intend to spend large sums before an election is officially called in order to exploit their fundraising advantage over other parties. Once the campaign starts there are limits on how much parties can spend.