Whittemore donates $51,000 to Democrats

Monday, Nov. 6, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

The Reno lawyer and his wife, Annette, gave $45,000 to three Democratic funds and $6,000 to Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., for her re-election bid, Federal Election Commission records reveal.

Whittemore said he has supported both Democrats and Republicans in past years, and gave contributions to Republican candidates in non-federal races this year.

"We support candidates who are giving of themselves in public service, regardless of party affiliation," said Whittemore, a lobbyist for the Nevada Resort Association, which represents the state's biggest casinos.

"I hope that people realize that you need to participate in the process if you believe in it. I believe in the political process."

Whittemore also was one of the organizers of a $500-a-person fund-raising dinner in April at Harrah's Reno for Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn.

At the time, Whittemore said it's a "political fact of life" that candidates must start early to collect money for their next race. Guinn is up for re-election in 2002.

State Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, said Whittemore uses the contributions to reward candidates who support his casino clients.

"If you vote Harvey's way, Harvey will give you money," said Neal, who's pushing for an increase in the state tax on casinos.

Northern Nevada's top individual contributors to federal campaigns are not the Whittemores, but Theodore "T.J." Day and his wife, Deborah, who gave a combined $99,000 to Republican causes, FEC reports show.

Day is a developer. His mother, Willametta Keck Day, was the daughter of Superior Oil founder William Keck and made the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans in the 1980s.

Northern Nevada's biggest contributor to federal campaigns for the 2000 election is Reno-based International Game Technology, which gave $280,000 to Republicans and $125,000 to Democrats, FEC reports show.