Richard Risman has contributed 31 small donations to Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016, but not because he agrees with the Democratic presidential nominee’s policy views.

Instead, the Syracuse University College of Law professor’s donations represent his belief in the Democratic process.

“I want it to be fair,” Risman said. “The Republicans this year have a very wealthy candidate with a lot of money, and I want to try to balance that out a little bit by giving money to (Clinton).”

In past elections — whether it be presidential, congressional or local — Risman said he has donated to candidates in both parties. Sometimes he’s even donated to candidates opposing each other in the same race, he said.

“I really believe in the Democratic process and I want both sides to have enough money to run good campaigns,” he said. “… I’ve supported all kinds of candidates, and I don’t necessarily agree with all their views but I will support them financially so they can get their word out.”

Risman is among the dozens of SU faculty, staff and administrators who in 2016 have donated to political candidates or committees supporting political candidates.

They donate for different reasons and with different objectives. Most, like Risman, are small donors, but others have made the maximum contributions to candidates. Some donate to presidential candidates, while others prefer giving to those running for Congress.

In all, SU faculty, staff and administrators in 2016 made 586 federal donations totaling $66,261.21 as of Sept. 30, according to a review of the most recently available Federal Election Commission data.

Aviva Abramovsky, the associate dean for international initiatives in the College of Law, in March made a $1,000 donation to Colleen Deacon, who was then competing for the Democratic nomination in the race for New York’s 24th Congressional District.

Abramovsky said she generally targets her money to the candidates she believes will bring the best future to the Syracuse region specifically.

“Professors live in the community. This is also our home,” Abramovsky said. “And I am personally engaged in the future of both our city and the region. … I believe in the future of Syracuse. I think Colleen is the right person in this election.”

For other SU community members who donated, the “right person” was anyone opposing their least-preferred candidate.

Lee McKnight, an associate professor in SU’s School of Information Studies, said he was turned off by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He donated $150 to the Democratic National Committee, hoping to get as many Democratic voters to the polls on Election Day as possible.

“I think it’s an important election and I find Trump unfit for office,” he said.

Todd Blumen, a video coordinator for the Syracuse men’s basketball team, also finds the upcoming election to be of particular importance — but unlike McKnight, his donation was made in an effort to keep Clinton, not Trump, out of the Oval Office.

Blumen in May gave $28 to Trump’s campaign, making him one of only a handful of SU community members who have contributed to the Republican presidential nominee. He said Clinton’s proposed policies would be “detrimental” to the country, adding that he wants to ensure she doesn’t get to appoint the ninth Supreme Court justice.

“That could really set the tone for the next 30 to 40 years for this country,” Blumen said. “And I think we’ve already gone too far, where there’s been decisions coming down from the Supreme Court where I feel that they’re legislating from the bench, versus just upholding what the Constitution says.”

Blumen said he’s donated to politicians in past elections, and the same is true for many individual donors at SU. Others, though, said they were relatively new to the process.

Susan Henderson, a professor of architecture, said she always votes in elections but generally doesn’t contribute to campaigns because most candidates, she said, don’t advocate for the “serious change” she believes is necessary.

But that changed during the primary season, when Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tightly contested Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

“I was really excited to see a progressive that was not only running, but had a chance of winning,” she said. “That’s why I started actively sending cash.”

Henderson on seven occasions donated $25 to Sanders’ campaign, making her a small donor, similar to the majority of individual donors at SU. But the university has its share of big donors as well: of the 586 donations that were made, 75 were for more than $200.

Sean O’Keefe, a University Professor in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, gave $2,700 — the maximum an individual can give per election to a federal candidate — to both Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.).

O’Keefe said he’s donated in every election in recent memory, always “in the spirit of being a citizen participant.”

“It’s my way of telling them, ‘I want to help advance the agenda that you’re advocating, because I advocate it too,’” he said.

Catherine Bertini, a professor of practice and the vice chair of public administration and international affairs in Maxwell, made $2,500 in donations to businessman Steven Wells, who ran in the Republican primary for New York’s 22nd Congressional District. Bertini also donated $1,000 to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who competed for the Republican presidential nomination.

Bertini said her first priority in donating is to the regions she lives and works in: Madison and Onondaga counties, respectively. That’s why she often donates to congressional candidates. In addition to donating to Wells, she contributed in past elections to retiring Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), who has represented New York’s 22nd Congressional District in the House since 2013.

Additionally, Bertini said she sometimes has close friends running for office or reelection and tries to help them. Bertini knew Wells personally before donating to him and served on Kasich’s national security advisory group.

“I like to donate to people whom I have a lot of respect,” she said, “and to whom I think would be really good representatives of the people.”

Published on October 30, 2016 at 8:58 pm

Contact Michael: mdburk01@syr.edu