This is Lynn Jenkins, she does not represent us
Tracking corporate cash in Congressional politics is mindboggling. So far there is a four-way tie for third place on who's given Lynn Jenkins' the most money for the 2010 race for reelection. The Every Republican is Crucial PAC, Honeywell International, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, and another Republican PAC the Freedom Project have each given Lynn Jenkins $10,000.
George Orwell, author of Animal Farm
The Every Republican is Crucial PAC only gives money to Republicans. Paraphrasing George Orwell's sentiment in Animal Farm, some Republicans are more crucial than others. Open Secrets reports that the newest Republican Member, Hawaii's Charles Djou, is the most crucial. He got $15,000. Lynn Jenkins, and about fifty other GOP Representatives each took $10,000. There's a handful of Republican legislators who are minimally crucial, getting only $208. But the strangest entry has to go to New York's Vito Fossella. He's listed as receiving a gift of a -$5,000. How's that work? Do they send him a bill? Read it for yourself at http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00384701&cycle=2010.
Charles Djou, the Most Crucial Republican
Vito Fossella, the Least Crucial Republican
So where did all that money come from? They came from Big Business, and Lynn Jenkins is no stranger to these folks. Here is the list from Open Secrets:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgave.php?cmte=C00384701&cycle=2010.
Rank Contributor Total Indivs PACs
1 Altria Group $42,250 $32,250 $10,000
2 SAC Capital Advisors $31,500 $31,500 $0
3 NorPAC $26,020 $26,020 $0
4 Paulson & Co $22,750 $22,750 $0
5 Blackstone Group $21,700 $19,200 $2,500
6 KKR & Co $20,000 $20,000 $0
7 MacAndrews & Forbes $16,000 $16,000 $0
8 Pfizer Inc $15,250 $250 $15,000
9 Crocs Inc $15,000 $15,000 $0
9 Dominion Resources $15,000 $5,000 $10,000
9 East West Partners $15,000 $15,000 $0
12 Monness, Crespi et al $13,000 $13,000 $0
13 Blue Cross/Blue Shield $12,500 $0 $12,500
13 Mortgage Bankers Assn $12,500 $2,500 $10,000
15 Merck & Co $10,500 $500 $10,000
16 Fidelity Investments $10,250 $250 $10,000
16 PricewaterhouseCoopers $10,250 $250 $10,000
18 Abbott Laboratories $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Aetna Inc $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 America's Health Insurance Plans $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 American Airlines $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 American Assn of Orthopaedic Surgeons $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 American Bankers Assn $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 American Express $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 American Health Care Assn $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 American Institute of CPAs $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Associated Builders & Contractors $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 AT&T Inc $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Automotive Free International Trade PAC $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Bank of America $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 BASF Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Boston Scientific Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Capital One Financial $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 CCA Industries $10,000 $10,000 $0
18 Chicago Mercantile Exchange $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Comcast Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Credit Suisse Securities $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 CVS/Caremark Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Ernst & Young $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Federal Express Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Food Marketing Institute $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 General Services Co $10,000 $10,000 $0
18 Genworth Financial $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Home Depot $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Indep Insurance Agents & Brokers/America $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 International Council of Shopping Cntrs $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Koch Industries $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Microsoft Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 National Assn of Convenience Stores $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 National Assn of Health Underwriters $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 National Assn of Home Builders $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 National Assn/Mutual Insurance Companies $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 National Beer Wholesalers Assn $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 National Restaurant Assn $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Northrop Grumman $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Northwestern Mutual Life $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Printing Industries of America $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Raytheon Co $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Reynolds Development $10,000 $10,000 $0
18 Royall & Co $10,000 $10,000 $0
18 Union Pacific Corp $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 United Parcel Service $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 USAA $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Verizon Communications $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 Weinstein Properties $10,000 $10,000 $0
18 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America $10,000 $0 $10,000
18 World Wrestling Entertainment $10,000 $10,000 $0
The Altria Group gave Lynn Jenkins $1,500. The Mortgage Bankers Association gave Lynn Jenkins $3,000. Pricewaterhouse Coopers gave Lynn Jenkins $10,000, remember that four-way tie for third? The American Bankers Association gave Lynn Jenkins $8,000. The American Association of CPA's gave Lynn Jenkins $1,499. Associated Builders & Contractors gave Lynn Jenkins $5,000. AT&T Inc, gave Lynn Jenkins $11,500. Bank of America gave Lynn Jenkins $1,000. Capital One Financial gave Lynn Jenkins $3,000. Comcast Corp. gave Lynn Jenkins $5,000. Credit Suisse Securities gave Lynn Jenkins $1,000. Ernst & Young gave Lynn Jenkins $6,000. Home Depot gave Lynn Jenkins $2,500. Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers/America gave Lynn Jenkins $6,000. International Council of Shopping Centers gave Lynn Jenkins $2,500. Koch Industries gave Lynn Jenkins $5,500. National Association of Convenience Stores gave Lynn Jenkins $1,000. National Association of Home Builders gave Lynn Jenkins $5,000. National Association/Mutual Insurance Companies gave Lynn Jenkins $3,000. National Beer Wholesalers Association gave Lynn Jenkins $3,000. Union Pacific Corporation gave Lynn Jenkins $1,000. United Parcel Service gave Lynn Jenkins $3,000. Verizon Communications gave Lynn Jenkins $1,000.
It's time to take the Pigs to task
Money flow through Washington like water through a sieve. Corporations give money directly to Members of Congress. Then they throw money at those same Members of Congress by supporting the partisan PAC's which oozes money in their direction. It is not a Republican problem. It is not a Democratic problem. It is an American problem.
Corporations don't have a butt to kick or a soul to save. They are not persons eligible to vote. Their voice in the affairs of state carries too much weight. There is a spending problem in Washington alright, but it is the money spent on buying access to power that's the problem. Lynn Jenkins is in her first term in Congress and already she's up to her neck in the muck and slime of business as ususal.
