The Beneficiaries of Whitman's Big Spending

We all know that Meg Whitman spent an amazing amount of money in 2010. Spending a total of $178.5 million, she ran the most expensive nonpresidential campaign in American history. But today California Watch's Lance Williams delves into the payouts to political consultants, including a single $7.7 million check Whitman wrote, as her campaign hit turbulence, to the Virginia-based firm that bought her TV airtime:

Other Whitman payouts were hefty as well. Republican campaign strategist Scott Howell was paid $5.5 million. The corporate jets of ACM Aviation cost $1.1 million. The campaign staff was well compensated: campaign manager Jill Hasner ($948,000); senior adviser Jeff Randle ($550,000); finance director Sara Myers ($439,438); deputy campaign managers W. Todd Cranney ($389,000) and Tucker Bounds ($324,572.) ...

he single biggest check written by the campaign was $7,745,894, to Smart Media, on Oct. 10.

On that day the campaign was in meltdown as Whitman tried to fend off accusations that she had known the truth about her Mexican housekeeper's immigration status when she hired her nine years before.

Read the full story at California Watch.