Special interests jump in to give to House freshmen

WASHINGTON — 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, a Paste BN analysis of post-election reports shows. 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.

"To be able to build those relationships early as they are coming into Congress is important," Laurie Knight, executive vice president of government affairs for the beer wholesalers, said of contributions to incoming members. Knight said the group consults with its member companies and talks with candidates about the industry's top issues as it decides who gets campaign contributions.

A key priority in the new Congress, she said, 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.

"You have these people who are coming to Washington with the idea they are bringing a fresh perspective, and the first thing they do is raise money from special interests," he said."It's 'Welcome to Washington, and here's the check and here are the three or four issues we are really pushing this time.' "

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.

Dingell spokesman Liz Boyd said Dingell didn't single out PACs for solicitations. "People responded to her message of bringing people together and looking for solutions," Boyd said. "She held fundraisers, but she appealed to everyone — individual donors and business people and labor."

Other top recipients of money from political committees include Reps.-elect Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and David Young, R-Iowa, who collected $212,000 and nearly $157,000 respectively. PACs contributing to Moulton included those affiliated with unions and health-care companies.

Moulton spokeswoman Carrie Rankin said "the vast majority of the campaign's resources came from individuals, some from groups that support veterans, hardworking middle class families and others. In Congress, Seth will always fight for his constituents and their values."

The Tea Party Leadership Fund, a PAC that funneled small contributions from its supporters to conservative candidates, accounted for nearly 10% of Young's contributions from political committees in the post-election report.

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.

Maine Republican Bruce Poliquin's donations from political committees jumped to 72% of the money he received in the post-election report, up from 11% in pre-election filings.

The beer wholesalers, the Ernst & Young auditing firm and the American Bankers Association were among the PACs stepping up to help Poliquin retire his campaign debts after the election, records show.

Poliquin, a former Maine state treasurer, already has been named to the House Financial Services Committee, which has broad oversight of the U.S. banking industry. Poliquin's campaign manager did not return messages.

Ernst & Young officials declined to comment on the firm's political giving.

In an e-mail, James Ballentine, who oversees congressional relations for the American Banking Association, said the group has "a long history of working with members on both sides of the aisle — from freshman members to congressional leadership and everyone in between."

A similar analysis of post-election reports for all incoming senators could not be completed immediately. Senate candidates are not required to file their campaign-finance reports electronically.

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.