Friday, February 17, 2006
Democrats Top GOP in Lobbyist Cash
Democrats have taken nearly 10 percent more in campaign contributions from lobbyists than Republicans since 1990, an analysis by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics revealed this week.
The study deflates Democratic claims that Republicans have created a "culture of corruption” in Congress. It found that Democrats accepted approximately $53 million from lobbyists. In contrast, Republicans accepted $48 million.
In 2005, however, Republicans took in more donations – roughly 55 percent of lobbyist money. That total generally corresponds to the Republican share of Congress.
And it stands in stark contrast to the donations Democrats generated in the early 1990s. Benefiting from control of Congress, Democrats at that time routinely hauled in more than 70 percent of lobbyist donations.
For their part, Democrats are sticking to the template. "Republicans can point to the past,” Rebecca Kirszner, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told the Washington Times, "but they can’t justify the present.”
"It is a simple fact,” she continued, "lobbying is booming under Bush. Since George Bush came to town, the number of lobbyists has doubled in Washington.”
Democrats have taken nearly 10 percent more in campaign contributions from lobbyists than Republicans since 1990, an analysis by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics revealed this week.
The study deflates Democratic claims that Republicans have created a "culture of corruption” in Congress. It found that Democrats accepted approximately $53 million from lobbyists. In contrast, Republicans accepted $48 million.
In 2005, however, Republicans took in more donations – roughly 55 percent of lobbyist money. That total generally corresponds to the Republican share of Congress.
And it stands in stark contrast to the donations Democrats generated in the early 1990s. Benefiting from control of Congress, Democrats at that time routinely hauled in more than 70 percent of lobbyist donations.
For their part, Democrats are sticking to the template. "Republicans can point to the past,” Rebecca Kirszner, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told the Washington Times, "but they can’t justify the present.”
"It is a simple fact,” she continued, "lobbying is booming under Bush. Since George Bush came to town, the number of lobbyists has doubled in Washington.”
