Political consultant Mike Murphy has been much sought-after by candidates vying to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger—including both Meg Whitman and her opponent in the GOP primary, Steve Poizner. So it's curious that Whitman's financial disclosure report for 2009 recorded an investment of more than $1 million in Tools Down!, a film production company Murphy founded. Even more curious: The investment came at the very moment that, according to staffers for Poizner, Murphy was about to sign up with Poizner's campaign, the New York Times disclosed.
It appears that she bought Murphy's support—along, that is, with the $90,000 a month that flows from her campaign coffers to his political arm, Bonaparte Films. Yahoo notes that neither Schwarzenegger nor any sitting members of Congress owns a piece of Tools Down!, suggesting that it isn't Murphy's custom to shake down political clients for investments in his screenwriting and production efforts. (More Meg Whitman stories.)
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