Reply #3: A Developer, His Deals and His Ties to McCain = "$250,000 so far"

[L. Coyote]

A Developer, His Deals and His Ties to McCain
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and JIM RUTENBERG
Published: April 22, 2008 - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/us/politics/22diamond.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Donald R. Diamond, a wealthy Arizona real estate developer, was racing to snap up a stretch of virgin California coast freed by the closing of an Army base a decade ago when he turned to an old friend, Senator John McCain.

When Mr. Diamond wanted to buy land at the base, Fort Ord, Mr. McCain assigned an aide who set up a meeting at the Pentagon and later stepped in again to help speed up the sale, according to people involved and a deposition Mr. Diamond gave for a related lawsuit. When he appealed to a nearby city for the right to develop other property at the former base, Mr. Diamond submitted Mr. McCain’s endorsement as “a close personal friend.”

Writing to officials in the city, Seaside, Calif., the senator said, “You will find him as honorable and committed as I have.”

Courting local officials and potential partners, Mr. Diamond’s team promised that he could “help get through some of the red tape in dealing with the Department of the Army” because Mr. Diamond “has been very active with Senator McCain,” a partner said in a deposition.

....

A longtime political patron, Mr. Diamond is one of the elite fund-raisers Mr. McCain’s current presidential campaign calls Innovators, having raised more than $250,000 so far. .........

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Donald R. Diamond - http://www.diamondventures.com/overview/management.html
Chairman, Diamond Ventures, Inc.
Mr. Donald R. Diamond is Chairman of Diamond Ventures, Inc. His business interests include
a variety of real estate investments and development projects in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
.... Mr. Diamond enjoyed a successful career in the commodities business as vice president of ACLI International in New York City.
.... Mr. Diamond was an owner and president of NBC-affiliate KVOA-TV (1971- 82) in Tucson; a partner in Arizona Mail Order (1975-98), one of the largest national mail order firms in women's ready-to-wear apparel; a founder, vice president and one of the principal owners of the Phoenix Suns (1968-87); owned an interest in the Arizona Diamondbacks; and a board member of the United Bank of Arizona and its holding company, United Bancorp (1975-88).