Who is financially contributing to the Megan Barry Campaign?

Megan Barry

Campaign financial disclosures reports for candidates for local races are now on-line and I have started the process of reviewing those reports. The first to be reviewed is that of mayoral candidate and current Council member Megan Barry. The report is for the period ending January 14th, 2015. Candidates who had not yet raised money were not required to file a report.

 Below is what I found of interest in Ms Barry’s report. I am sure others would find other things of interest. Some of the people you know may not be the same people I know, so you might find it interesting that certain people contributed to her campaign that I overlooked. If you want to know more about who is supporting Megan Barry’s candidacy follow this link to view her report.

One of the most interesting things I found from reviewing her report is how much money she got from professors and others associated with Vanderbilt University. I have not reviewed the report of the other candidates yet, so I don’t know how her support from Vanderbilt compares, but she is getting a lot of financial support from Vanderbilt.

Lydia Howarth wife of  Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos gave $3000. Other contributions from Vanderbilt, most of them from Vanderbilt professors, include the following: Larry Churchill $500, Gay Welsh $1000, Richard Lloyd $1000, Bill Ivey $600, Vareen Bell $500, Bonnie Dow $1800, Pearl Sims $250, Beth Conklin $250, Dan Cornfield $3000, Ruth Brown $1000, Vicki Green $1000, Jaky Akbari $175, John McCammon $2000, Tae Park $500, Virginia Scott $1000, Ranga Ramanujam $1500, Ray Fiedman $1500, Ellen Clayton $1500, Lou Outlaw $500, Ginny Shepherd $1000, and Ted Fischer $1500.

Out of town contributors include Arthur and Joyce Skodney of New York City who gave a combined total of $6000 to the campaign. I don’t know who they are and a Goggle search did not turn up anything of interest, but I just found it interesting that a New York couple put $6000 into her campaign. Other out of town contributors are Janet Meuller of Overland Park, Kansas who gave $3000 and $1500 from Lanfred Claus of Viena VA and $1500 from Neta Moye of Viena Va.

Other contributions of interest are these: former council member Anna Page $1535, Renato Soto of Conexion America $250, former state Rep Janice Sontany and employee of the Davidson County Clerk's office gave $900, the manager of the Global Mall Ravishanker Shetkar $1500, School Board Member Will Pinkston $500, famed divorce lawyer Rose Palermo $1000, and former council member Betty Nixon $500.

The Venick for Council Campaign gave her $1500. Butch Eley, CEO of Infrastructure Corporation of America and former Chief of Staff  for Nashville Mayor Bill Bonner gave her $250 and philanthropist Martha Ingram gave her $3000. Actress Ashley Judd gave $500, attorney Bob Tuke $1000, attorney Elliot Ozment $500, and former councilman and member of the Planning Commission Stewart Clifton $250.

Community activist Gene Tesselle and his wife gave a combined total of $1100. Rusty Lawrence, Executive Director of Urban Housing Solutions, gave $500. Liza Quigley, chief of staff for Congressman Jim Cooper gave $1600. Women for Tennessee’s Future donated $7900, Gaylord Entertainment Co. PAC $1000, Americana artist Buddy Miller  $1000 and Thomas Wills, Director of Vending for the homeless newspaper, The Contributor, gave $1500.

This one surprised me. Roy Dale, who is a former Metro Councilman, a developer, and someone who I assume is a Republican gave her $1500 and his wife Lisa Dale who is an outspoken conservative and prolific poster on Facebook also gave $1500. Why these two people who I perceive to be conservative are contributing to the most progressive candidate for Mayor in the race, I don't know.

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