OrangeSlimeSoda t1_j6x6hwr wrote on February 2, 2023 at 3:07 PM

Reply to comment by FormerKarmaKing in George Santos' campaign spent more than $26,000 at an Italian restaurant in Queens. That's enough to buy 1,131 orders of the rigatoni bolognese. by MrKleen10

I've never worked on a political campaign, but surely 32 meetings/events at the same business during a single election campaign cycle is unusual unless the politician has some sort of personal connection to the business or its owner, right?

EDIT: Did a bit of quick math. He announced his candidacy in June 2021, and between then and November 2022 was about 16 months, which is 64 weeks, which is 448 days. With 32 meetings, that comes out to a meeting/event there once every 14 days (or once every two weeks).

FormerKarmaKing t1_j6xofti wrote on February 2, 2023 at 5:02 PM

Santos almost certainly was getting kick-backs from the restaurant, but at least in the business world, 32 meetings at the same restaurant isn't impossible to believe.

When one is raising money - either for business or politics - one is essentially running a dramatic production. So I want as much control over the "set" of that play as possible.

Using the same restaurant means the staff, whom I tip regularly and above average, know how I like things and will step in the right times. Great waiters are also experts at making certain people have a good time. That can be a huge help as you wouldn't believe how many rich people are actually unhappy, bored, or both.

And the owner will love me because I bring them so much business, and likely, new wealthy customers, too. They'll make it a habit to come over, make certain everything is great, give us special stuff, even talk me up.

Regulars will see this and want to know me because people like people that other people like. I'll likely shake a few hands on my way to my regular table.

All of this increases the "halo" around me. Without saying anything to the investor / donor, I'm demonstrating that I'm special and that people like me. That alone won't make the invest/donate, but it definitely helps, even if it means they're just happy to take another meeting with me in the future.