Congressional Comeback Spearheaded by CUs

SAN DIEGO – Credit unions raised more than $25,000 in the final days of last month’s mid-term elections to help fuel Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray’s return to Congress. Among those contributing to a last-minute fundraiser at Mission FCU were: California CU League President Bill Cheney ($500); First Financial CU President Marla Shepard ($500); USA FCU President Mary Cunningham ($500); North Island CU President Michael Maslak ($500); California Coast CU President Jim McPheters ($500); CO-OP Financial Services CEO Stan Hollen ($300); Miramar FCU President Max Paul ($250); San Mateo CU President Barry Jolette ($250); and the political action committees for CUNA ($4,000); Orange County Teacher’s FCU ($1,000); First Future CU ($900); First Financial CU ($500) and Wescom CU ($500), according to records filed last week with the Federal Elections Commission. The group raised tens of thousands of dollars to help Bilbray, who served in Congress until 2000, win a special election in May to serve the final six months of the unexpired term of Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham, after Cunningham was sent to prison for accepting bribes while in Congress. Bilbray was so appreciative of the credit union effort that immediately after returning to Washington he signed on as co-sponsor of the CU Regulatory Improvements Act, or CURIA.