Hillarysworld

Even as former eBay CEO Meg Whitman acted as a high-profile backer and adviser to 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain, her top aide Henry Gomez -- now an eMeg gubernatorial campaign majordomo -- donated the maximum to Democrat Barack Obama, federal records show.

Gomez, a trusted top insider in Republican Whitman's 2010 gubernatorial campaign, donated the maximum $2,300 allowed to the general election campaign of Obama in the days before -- and the weeks following -- the former eBay CEO's high profile televised address to the GOP National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he accompanied Whitman around the clock.

Gomez is a registered Democratic voter in New Jersey, according to records of the Bergen County Registrar's office.

And here's a twist: Gomez's donation to Obama came as Tucker Bounds, now chief spokesman for Whitman's gubernatorial drive, acted as the voice of McCain's presidential campaign.

Whitman and Gomez on the floor of the GOP National Convention. He maxed out to Obama in the days before and after.

Bounds, reached today for comment about Gomez' political affiliations with Obama during Whitman's stint with McCain, said that the donations of the campaign aide are not news. "There's no question who Meg supported in the 2008 election; she worked hard to elect John McCain,'' as did he, he said.

Still, Gomez's front-and-center role in Whitman's political career has been a key to her aspirations: he is described by insiders as a hands-on campaign "gatekeeper" responsible for putting her campaign team together, making its major hires, and shaping her speeches and campaign messages.

With just five months until the June 8 primary campaign, Gomez's generous donations to the Democratic presidential candidate could ruffle feathers in the conservative GOP grassroots -- and raise questions about Whitman's conservative cred as she seeks to maintain her advantage in the polls. Especially since former South Bay Rep. Tom Campbell is expected to drop out of the gubernatorial contest Thursday to enter the U.S. Senate race, making it a two-way GOP slugfest between Whitman and State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.

Records show Gomez, whose legal residence is in Saddle River, New Jersey, donated $1,000 to Obama's primary campaign in March 2008. He gave Obama an additional $1,800 on Aug. 31 -- four days before Whitman addressed the national GOP gathering at McCain's nomination --and another $500 by the end of September 2008. He listed his occupation as "self-employed," according to federal records.

A year earlier, in February 2007, Gomez donated $2,100 to the presidential campaign of Republican Mitt Romney -- whom Whitman had originally endorsed -- but listed his occupation as "EBay president.''

Whitman's website describes Gomez as heading eBay's public relations "during most of Meg's tenure,'' as well as being her current communications adviser and lead speechwriter.

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