Sanders campaign seeks donations to fund delegates at convention

WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- The presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders is seeking donations to get its delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July.

Hillary Clinton was named the presumptive nominee by media organizations on June 6 after winning the California and New Jersey primaries. But Sanders has vowed to campaign through to the convention, pointing out that Clinton has not yet won the 2,383 delegates needed to secure the nomination.

The Sanders campaign sent an email message Tuesday to prospective donors, asking for $2.70 from each person to help underwrite the cost of sending Sanders' nearly 1,900 committed delegates to the convention and housing them for a week.

"Our delegates are not wealthy campaign contributors. They're not party insiders or establishment elites. They're working folks, and it's not easy for many of them to fly to Philly and stay in hotels for a week...You'd be shocked at how expensive it is to attend the Democratic convention. It can cost more than $4,000 per delegate!" campaign manager Jeff Weaver wrote in the email.

While elected officials can use campaign funds for lodging and other expenses, delegates who are not elected officials must pay their own way.

The Sanders push for donations to house delegates, permitted by Federal Election Commission laws, came on the same day the Sanders campaign announced it would hold "The People's Convention" in Philadelphia on July 23, two days before the start of the Democrats' convention, to ratify a "People's Platform."

The platform will outline issues central to Sanders' drive for the nomination, as identified in an Internet poll of over 800 participants. Racial justice, a living wage, income inequality, universal health care and climate justice top the list.