Contributions from political committees to new House
lawmakers jumped during the final days of the midterm campaign and in the weeks
after Election Day as a growing number of special interests began investing in
Congress' new crop of political winners. All but four of 55 incoming House
freshmen saw an increase in the percentage of contributions they received from
political committees. Among some of the political action committees (PACs)
giving the most donations to the freshly elected lawmakers: The National Beer
Wholesalers Association, which represents 3,300 beer distributors.
A key priority in the new Congress will be ensuring that any
plans to reduce corporate taxes also are extended to beer distributors, which
typically are closely held corporations taxed under individual rates. Bill
Allison of the Sunlight Foundation, which tracks political fundraising, said
the post-election calendar is littered with fundraisers for incoming lawmakers
trying to pay off campaign bills and raise money for the next election.
Among the biggest recipients of PAC money: Rep.-elect Debbie
Dingell, D-Mich., who received more than $154,000 from political committees.
These committees gave more than 68% of the contributions she received during
the final weeks of the campaign and immediately after the election.
Dingell, a former top executive with General Motors'
foundation and a prominent figure in national Democratic circles, long was
considered a strong favorite to fill the seat her husband, retiring Rep. John
Dingell, has held since 1955. More than 70 PACs donated to Dingell's campaign
during that period, ranging from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to the
Wine Institute's political arm.
The analysis examined contributions received between Oct. 16
and Nov. 24 — the period covered in newly filed, post-election reports — and
compared them to all PAC contributions the candidates received through Oct. 15.
In all, PAC donations accounted for 35% of donations in post-election reports,
up from 22% during the previous portions of the election cycle. The analysis
did not include three lawmakers elected on Nov. 4 who were immediately sworn in
to fill open seats in the current session of Congress or those whose contests
were not decided on Election Day.
Political action committees spread donations from corporate
employees, union members and others with shared interests. Incoming lawmakers
also received contributions from so-called leadership PACs connected to
congressional incumbents. Some newly elected House members saw their PAC
contributions soar dramatically.
At least one senator-elect, Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton,
held a fundraising event the week after the election to whittle down his
campaign debt, according to an invitation obtained by the Sunlight Foundation. Cotton
reported more than $835,000 in unpaid bills as of Nov. 24. A review of reports
filed by political action committees show more than 60 PACs stepped up to help
Cotton, donating more than $208,000 after Election Day to his campaign.
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