Just a couple of quasi-related items...

In 2008, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. contributed $4600 dollars to the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. This is the most a private party can contribute to one candidate in a given election cycle.

From 1989-91 Obama lived in Cambridge, MA.. Cambridge cops gave him 17 parking tickets which he ignored. In 2008, members of Obama's campaign staff payed the delinquent tickets because they thought the tickets looked bad and would be used against Obama.