STEVE MOAK
Steve Moak had it easier according to the Federal Elections Commission $592,550.00 was loaned to the campaign by Moak himself.
It's tough on the candidates that don't have a famous last name, nor can they whip out their checkbook.be
Excerpted from the Phoenix Business Journal
Moak, Quayle get heat, press asked to dig
Monday, August 16, 2010, 11:06am MST
Modified: Monday, August 16, 2010, 11:35am
Paradise Valley businessman Steve Moak and investment attorney Ben Quayle are being scrutinized in the crowded Republican primary to replace retiring U.S. Rep. John Shadegg, R-Phoenix as the race heads down the homestretch toward the Aug. 24 vote.
Moak is doing well in private polls, according to various sources, making the chairman of Synergy Solutions and NotMyKid founder a target for rivals, including Quayle.
Moak has touted his business experience in campaign ads and mailers to GOP voters in the district, which includes the Desert Ridge, Anthem and Camelback areas of Phoenix as well as the wealthy Paradise Valley enclave.
Synergy is a Scottsdale call center company, NotMyKid is a nonprofit that helps families deal with issues ranging from substance abuse to eating disorders. He previously owned a company called First Check Diagnostics, which sells drug testing kits.
Quayle jabbed at those credentials in a recent mailer to Republican voters, saying Moak did not report a $25 million deal involving First Check Diagnostics in a timely manner. Quayle’s mailer, based on an Aug. 9 Phoenix New Times story, asks voters to question their trust of the business owner.
Moak campaign spokesman Jerry Cobb disputed the assertion: “NotMyKid advocates the use of home drug testing as a prevention tool for parents. During the first four years of the organization’s existence, the Moaks personally purchased hundreds of drug test kits to give to parents during their presentations,” Cobb said. Moak and other investors bought First Check in 2004 when it was in bankruptcy and sold it in 2007 to Inverness Medical and Proctor & Gamble, he said. “Moak has not had any economic interest or position with the company since the sale.”
Other campaigns also are privately encouraging me and other reporters, to look into Moak and Synergy, saying call center personnel have made campaign calls on behalf of their boss and those expenditures are have not been reported on campaign finance statements.
Synergy Solutions COO Corey Conklin said a political communications firm contracted with Synergy to make calls on behalf of Moak and the company has done political work for other campaigns since 2000. “Synergy Solutions is paid by the communications firm and compensated on the Steve Moak for Congress campaign the same way we are compensated on any other political campaign,” Conklin said.
Synergy employees can opt out of political work if they wish, he said.
