Do you think money might influence legislative decisions? 94 House Democrats changed their mind about FISA. 83 of them accepted donations from telecom companies within the last three years.
There’s a lot more wrong with the FISA bill than offering retroactive immunity, but it doesn’t look so good for members of Congress to be taking money from people significantly affected by the legislation on which the Congressfolk are voting. (For a lengthy analysis of the FISA bill problems see this analysis at PolicyBeta).
For an impassioned response to the proposed FISA bill see Senator Chris Dodd’s speech from June 24.
From Neil Simon at Media General News Service -
“WASHINGTON- The 94 House Democrats who reversed course last week and supported retroactive legal immunity for telephone companies under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act received an average of $8,359 in campaign contributions from the companies — and some received much more.”
Florida House members that changed their mind are Congressman Allen Boyd, Congressman Alcee Hastings, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Congressman Tim Mahoney, Congresswoman Kathy Castor, and Congressman Ron Klein.
Between January 2005 and March 2008 Representative Boyd received $9,000 in PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, and/or Sprint.
Between January 2005 and March 2008 Representative Hastings received $5,500 in PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, and/or Sprint.
Between January 2005 and March 2008 Representative Brown received $4,500 in PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, and/or Sprint.
Between January 2005 and March 2008 Representative Mahoney received $4,000 in PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, and/or Sprint.
Between January 2005 and March 2008 Representative Castor received $2,000 in PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, and/or Sprint.
Between January 2005 and March 2008 Representative Klein received $1,000 in PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, and/or Sprint.
Steny Hoyer, who led the charge, received $29,000.
(source Maplight.org)
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