It pays to have friends in high places, especially when it comes to politics. John F. Kennedy Jr. had Frank Sinatra, George Bush Sr. had the Saudis, and of course our exiting leader had dad.
State Senate candidate Michael Moore doesn’t have such auspicious connections, but thanks to an old friend he has something his opponents don’t: free advertising in the form of a 30-foot bus bearing his name, otherwise known as the Moore Wagon.
Best of all, Moore doesn’t have to record the bus as a political contribution. That’s because long-time friend John Direnzo, of Direnzo Towing and Recovery in Millbury, didn’t give Moore the bus to use on the campaign trail. In fact, he didn’t give Moore the bus at all.
Direnzo has owned the blue behemoth that came from the Worcester Police Department for three years. The vehicle’s transformation into the Moore Wagon was nothing more than a gesture of support.
“Everyone has a bumper sticker on their cars, so I said I’m going to go one step farther,” Direnzo says.
According to Moore, the bus that bears his name came as a complete surprise the week before primaries.
“I got home early that day and was waiting for my daughter to get off her bus and then we saw this thing coming,” Moore says. “I ran out with her. We were all amazed and in shock.”
Moore is quick to mention his campaign had no knowledge of Direnzo’s plan and consequently has no obligation to financially record it.
“It’s my understanding that this has nothing to do with the campaign,” Moore says. “We didn’t purchase it; we don’t own it; we didn’t authorize it. This was independently done. This was something [Direnzo] did on his own.”
Because his campaign did not ask Direnzo to paint the bus, he does not have to record it as an in-kind contribution, according to Brad Blazer, Deputy Director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
But Blazer says the bus isn’t quite the same thing as a giant bumper sticker as Direnzo would like to believe. If an individual spends over a $100 supporting or opposing a clearly identified candidate, he or she needs to file a report for an independent expenditure with the OCPF, something Direnzo said he has no intention of doing.
Direnzo argues that technically he didn’t spend a dime creating the Moore Wagon since a friend of Direnzo’s who owed him a favor painted the bus pro bono.
Moore notes the Wagon is a big hit with voters.
“People love it,” he says. “We’ve gotten all positive comments.”
The bus can be seen parked on private land next to heavily trafficked areas, like across the street from the Millbury Municipal Building. Most of the time, however, Direnzo keeps the vehicle at his business in Millbury, cruising the streets whenever he has some spare time.
“Sometimes I just drive around for a couple hours, so people see the bus,” Direnzo says. “It keeps me out of trouble.”
If the OCPF determines that the bus’ “free” paint job cost over $100, Direnzo might find himself on the hook for a few bucks. The agency notes that if someone does not report an individual expenditure over $100 that supports or opposes a clearly identified candidate, he or she can be fined $10 a day every day after the expenditure was made.
Still, if the bus demonstrates anything, it’s that politicians can always benefit from good friends, especially when they’re in the towing and recovery business. o
