Congress on Sale! Politicians Put Their Mouths Where Their Money Is. - The List - Part I

If money talks, it is positively screaming in the health care debate. $80,831,142.00 in political contributions from individuals, industries, and political action committees from the insurance, big pharma, hospitals and health professionals on one side to retirees on the other, have contributed heavily in this election cycle to make sure that politicians are hearing them loud and clear.

Using data acquired on the individual and PAC activities of the senators and representatives in Congress from OpenSecrets.org, pooling together the data from all of the directly interested parties in the health care debate, it is clear that many elected officials home for the recess are putting their mouths where their money is.

There are very few in Congress who take no money from any of the people and groups with interests in health care policy. There are many who don't take much. All have been listed so you can see what money may be motivating your elected officials as the push towards health care reform continues.

Data was accumulated on the 2010 cycle. Senators' war chests stretch back to 2005 in the cycle. Reps are filed from 1-3 years. Insurance industry figures include both health care related and non-related insurance givers, but all tend to favor as little regulation as possible, so the cumulative giving is still focused on defeating or hamstringing health care legislation.

Regardless of whether you can break the money down into smaller chunks over time or not, or cherry pick the influencing groups, the total cash, including the staggering millions that Sen. John McCain has taken from the retirees, tell you that, without a very loud and active voice in the health care debate from the citizens who will vote in 2010, the moneyed interests will see their investments in political influence reap big dividends.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours...

John McCain's staggering take from the retirees is a legacy of his presidential bid, but of the others in the millionaires club here, Max Baucus, who is spearheading the health care legislation for the Dems, has $1.5 million in money from the insurance lobby and health professionals padding his seat at the table, almost $130,000 more than Chris Dodd, who was lambasted by the media for his ties to big insurance.

Elected Official		Pty		ST		Interest Group		Giver Rank		Amount		Total
Sen John McCain		R		AZ		Retired		1		$32,841,726.00		$32,841,726.00
Sen. John Cornyn		R		TX		Retired		1		$1,001,383.00		$1,797,846.00
						Health Professionals		4		$796,463.00
Sen. Mitch McConnell		R		KY		Retired		3		$908,480.00		$1,694,880.00
						Health Professionals		5		$786,400.00
Sen Max Baucus		D		MT		Health Professionals		2		$790,141.00		$1,514,216.00
						Insurance		5		$724,075.00
Sen. Chris Dodd		D		CT		Insurance		3		$1,381,556.00		$1,381,556.00
Sen. Chuck Grassley		R		IA		Health Professionals		1		$470,956.00		$1,334,941.00
						Insurance		2		$364,998.00
						Pharma/Health Products		4		$250,150.00
						Hospitals/Nursing Homes		5		$248,837.00
Sen. Mark Warner		D		VA		Retired		3		$1,331,885.00		$1,331,885.00

Takin' Care of Business...

It is little surprise that some of the loudest voices on Capitol Hill come out of this group whose campaign coffers received between half a million and $999,999.99.

Elected Official		Pty		ST		Interest Group		Giver Rank		Amount		Total
Joe Lieberman		I		CT		Retired		5		$995,788.00		$995,788.00
Sen. Arlen Specter		D		PA		Pharmaceuticals/Health Products		2		$510,549.00		$915,332.00
						Health Professionals		5		$404,783.00
Sen. Ben Nelson		D		NE		Insurance		1		$611,086.00		$896,879.00
						Pharmaceuticals/Health Products		3		$285,793.00
Sen. Orrin G Hatch		R		UT		Pharma/Health Products		1		$606,081.00		$885,881.00
						Health Professionals		5		$279,800.00
Sen. John Thune		R		SD		Retired		1		$858,490.00		$858,490.00
Sen Tom Harkin		D		IA		Health Professionals		2		$498,651.00		$823,865.00
						Pharma/Health Products		5		$325,214.00
Sen. Claire McCaskill		D		MO		Retired		3		$784,134.00		$784,134.00
Sen. Deborah Ann Stabenow		D		MI		Retired		3		$394,429.00		$762,184.00
						Health Professionals		4		$367,755.00
Sen. Richard Burr		R		NC		Pharma/Health Products		1		$403,848.00		$747,224.00
						Health Professionals		4		$184,776.00
						Insurance		5		$158,600.00
Sen. Mark Udall		D		CO		Retired		2		$734,258.00		$734,258.00
Mike Enzi		R		WY		Pharma/Health Products		1		$353,912.00		$725,711.00
						Insurance		3		$194,250.00
						Health Professionals		4		$177,549.00
Sen. Jon L Kyl		R		AZ		Health Professionals		4		$709,083.00		$709,083.00
Sen. Edward M Kennedy		D		MA		Pharmaceuticals/Health Products		3		$389,490.00		$689,697.00
						Health Professionals		4		$300,207.00
Sen. Sherrod Brown		D		OH		Health Professionals		2		$676,139.00		$676,139.00
Sen Blanche Lincoln		D		AR		Health Professionals		1		$401,700.00		$629,700.00
						Hospitals/Nursing Homes		5		$228,000.00
Sen Tom Carper		D		DE		Insurance		1		$355,680.00		$623,200.00
		D		DE		Pharma/Health Products		5		$267,520.00
Sen. John Ensign		R		NV		Health Professionals		3		$346,475.00		$648,937.00
						Insurance		4		$302,462.00
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson		R		TX		Retired		1		$601,290.00		$601,290.00
Sen. Kent Conrad		D		ND		Insurance		2		$327,125.00		$598,158.00
						Health Professionals		4		$271,033.00
Sen James Webb		D		VA		Retired		3		$573,651.00		$573,651.00
Sen. Saxby Chambliss		R		GA		Insurance				$558,836.00		$558,836.00
Sen. Tom Udall		D		MN		Retired		2		$539,949.00		$539,949.00
Sen. Olympia J. Snowe		R		ME		Retired		1		$179,708.00		$517,867.00
						Health Professionals		2		$174,574.00
						Insurance		3		$163,585.00
Sen. David Vitter		R		LA		Health Professionals		1		$321,000.00		$516,848.00
						Retired		5		$195,848.00
Sen. Bob Corker		R		TN		Health Professionals		5		$512,539.00		$512,539.00
Sen. Mike Crapo		R		ID		Insurance		2		$304,950.00		$502,750.00
								3		$197,800.00
Sen. Jeff Sessions		R		AL		Retired		2		$295,421.00		$502,231.00
						Health Professionals		4		$206,810.00

For the list of mid-six figure politicians, see part II. The HuffPo system is only designed to handle so many lines to an article.

CONTINUED...

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Comments

[pixiepotpie]

Disgusting. Our country really Is owned by the insurance industry.

[DragonflyChase]

Brian, I thought this was more of a problem till I saw Lawrence O'Donnell say that when he was on the Hill a good politician knew how to take money from the special interest and still support the constituents. I guess it's been happening that way for decades. When a congressman votes for his constituents instead of the special interests, he/she gets re-elected. I guess the lobbies try anyways cuz a fair number do end up betraying the constituent for the campaign contributor.

Thanks for gathering and providing the above data. Hmmm...John McCain, what WILL he do?

[Brian Ross - Huffpost Blogger]

I would have to disagree with O'Donnell or your interpretation of what he said. If you take $69,000 you may be able to end-run your givers because collectively they are a drop in the bucket of your campaign war chest. You take $100,000 or more, you are selling a bit more attention. $500,000 or more and you are running an agenda. $32 million? They own your soul.

[Maggie Van Ostrand - Huffpost Blogger]

Ross should get a Pulitzer for this. What I cannot understand is the dearth of comments on something this earthshaking.

Have we, as a nation, become so lethargic that information gathered here to help us get real about Congress has no impact?

Maybe it's impatience and hundreds of comments will be forthcoming.

Pulitzer Pulitzer Pulitzer

[Brian Ross - Huffpost Blogger]

They have to post it in politics before many people will see it, but thank you! There was no source that compiled the information, but it needed to be out there.

[pontesisto]

If you would like to help pressure Congress to pass single payer health care in a democratic and constructive way please join our voting bloc at:
http://www.votingbloc.org/Health_Bloc.php