How many trees have to die to satisfy our attorney general candidates’ ambitions? Facing a race dominated so far by defense attorney Karl Racine, the remaining candidates are putting their campaign treasuries into a final push in direct mail and ads, according to campaign finance reports filed earlier this week that cover Oct. 11 to Oct. 27.

Paul Zukerberg

Raised: $12,900.00. Spent: $30,692.13. Cash on hand: $45,817.51.

Zukerberg’s failed at-large campaign on behalf of marijuana decriminalization continues to pay dividends, with his campaign boosted by donations from pro-pot types. David Bronner, the soap magnate who helped bankroll the Initiative 71 pro legalization measure, gave Zukerberg $1,500. Also donating to Zukerberg, but with less obvious positions on pot: developer Doug Jemal ($500) and the Washington Teachers’ Union ($1,500).

Zukerberg’s campaign gave $20,768 to a direct-mail firm.

Lorie Masters
Raised: $61,135.00. Spent: $163,996.82. Cash on hand: $37,504.45.

Newly pugilistic white-shoe law firm attorney Masters loaned another $50,000 to her campaign, bringing her campaign’s total loan tab to $250,000. $29,580 of that went for ad time on NBC4.

Karl Racine

Raised: $107,915.00. Spent: $290,528.96. Cash on hand: $11,128.07.

Is the Bank of Karl tapped out? After personally loaning or contributing some $450,000 to his campaign in earlier reports, Racine didn’t make any personal contributions in this report.

To make up for the shortfall, Racine received some contributions that won’t exactly assuage voter concerns that he’s been handpicked by the Wilson Building crowd. Racine’s donors include councilmember-turned-lobbyist John Ray ($500) and a firm owned by lobbyist/lawyer David Wilmot ($1,500).

To help cement his lead, Racine’s spent a whopping $237,894.50 in just a few weeks on ads and campaign materials.

Edward “Smitty” Smith

Raised: $20,633.00. Spent: $105,785.65. Cash on hand: $26,188.43.

Smitty continues to burn down his cash reserves, splashing out $86,469.92 on direct mail. Judging from copies of the mailers provided to LL, many of them focus on his Anacostia background.

Lateefah Williams

Raised: $4,800.00. Spent: $5,981.74. Cash on hand: $5,182.95.

Williams has overcome both a history of filing inaccurate OCF reports and lackluster fundraising, pulling in some pretty respectable numbers for a fourth-place candidate. What’s behind her boosted totals? Perhaps the $3,033.63 she’s paid recently for fundraising help.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery