Friday, July 16, 2010

(There's a website--OpenSecrets.org-- that you can enter in any industry, and see how much that industry spent lobbying Washington over the past decade. Just to check it, I entered "Financial Sector"  & "Real Estate/Mortgage Banks"and top 20 contribution receivers in congress for 2008. This is what pulled up:)

Finance/Insurance/Real Estate-Mortgage Banks: Money to Congress


Top 20 Members


CandidateAmount
Obama, Barack (D)$39,717,344
McCain, John (R)$29,046,121
Clinton, Hillary (D-NY)$20,297,774
Dodd, Chris (D-CT)$5,965,036
Coleman, Norm (R-MN)$2,819,240
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY)$2,428,158
Cornyn, John (R-TX)$2,097,448
Sununu, John E (R-NH)$1,804,380
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA)$1,723,028
Baucus, Max (D-MT)$1,623,625
Biden, Joseph R Jr (D-DE)$1,617,986
Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC)$1,545,541
Rangel, Charles B (D-NY)$1,360,119
Durbin, Dick (D-IL)$1,356,933
Smith, Gordon H (R-OR)$1,341,419
Paul, Ron (R-TX)$1,330,294
Lautenberg, Frank R (D-NJ)$1,308,619
Kanjorski, Paul E (D-PA)$1,270,336
Collins, Susan M (R-ME)$1,242,537
Udall, Mark (D-CO)$1,209,457

(Dick Durbin was right: the banks DO own congress. And they own a cool million worth of him, too.

SO I pulled up another list, this time the pharmaceutical industry's top 20 beneficiaries of lobby money so far for 2010:)



Health/Pharmaceutical Industry: Money to Congress


Top 20 Members



Burr, Richard (R-NC)$218,619
Reid, Harry (D-NV)$198,450
Specter, Arlen (D-PA)$182,200
Hatch, Orrin G (R-UT)$166,065
Eshoo, Anna (D-CA)$150,850
Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR)$137,850
Camp, Dave (R-MI)$120,300
Murray, Patty (D-WA)$109,750
Kirk, Mark (R-IL)$109,710
Mikulski, Barbara A (D-MD)$108,874
Dodd, Chris (D-CT)$107,300
Schumer, Charles E (D-NY)$105,100
Matheson, Jim (D-UT)$103,500
Meek, Kendrick B (D-FL)$100,500
Boehner, John (R-OH)$99,450
Capuano, Michael E (D-MA)$98,350
Inslee, Jay R (D-WA)$94,300
Bennett, Robert F (R-UT)$93,750
Schwartz, Allyson (D-PA)$89,872
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY)$89,700
(So, if you are ever unsure how much corporate lobbyists influence a candidate from your area or any candidate in whom you are interested, consult OpenSecrets.org and see how much corporate money influences that candidate--jef)

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