Obama Campaign Contributions

[jm23494]

There are a series of tv commercials airing here in PA of Obama denouncing lobyists and their activity of supporting campaigns. Here is an interesting article contradicting what he says (SURPIRSE!).

Obama's funds claim disputed

Lobbyists among candidate's donors

Thursday, April 10, 2008 BY BRETT LIEBERMAN

Of Our Washington Bureau

The crowd of 2,000 was on its feet and roaring with approval as Democratic Sen. Barack Obama railed against lobbyists and special interests who control the agenda and have blocked health care and energy reforms.

"We can't just change political parties in the White House and think that things are going to change here in Harrisburg," Obama said during a recent presidential campaign stop at The Forum. "We've got to change how politics is done in Washington."

That's why Obama told the crowd he doesn't accept contributions from political action committees or lobbyists.

"They're not funding my campaign. They won't run my White House," he said.

However, campaign finance records state that Obama has received tens of thousand of dollars from people in many of the same groups and industries he regularly rails against.

"He may not take money from [political action committees] or lobbyists, but he is taking interest money," said Sheila Krumholtz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign finance issues.

"He's getting a lot of money from individuals representing lawyers and law firms, security firm, real estate, and Hollywood," Krumholtz said. "You can't say that he doesn't take special-interest money."

State lobbyists or nonwage-earning spouses of lobbyists and lobbying firm employees have contributed $115,163 to Obama's campaign through March 20, according to the center.

People in the oil and gas industries have given $222,309 to Obama. He received $528,765 from the pharmaceutical and health industry, making him the largest recipient of the sector's largesse.

Obama's Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, has raised $309,363 from the oil and gas industry and $506,001 from the health care and pharmaceutical industry.

Her campaign received $865,290, the most of any candidate, from lobbyists.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., an Obama supporter, acknowledged that Obama's campaign has taken contributions from state lobbyists and people in business sectors.

"Sure, sure he has. But I think when you line up the way he's raised money with the way most presidential candidates in both parties have for a generation, there's no comparison," Casey said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

On that program, Gov. Ed Rendell, a Clinton backer, said it's "a little disingenuous to say, 'I don't take money from special interests.'"

Rendell pointed out that Obama's campaign has received large bundled contributions from nuclear power, utility and oil company executives.

"They've both taken money from people connected to industries and organizations," Rendell said.

But Obama spokeswoman Debbie Mesloh said there's a distinction.

"The main thing is that Senator Obama has been consistent," she said. "He's said, 'I don't take money from PACs or federally registered lobbyists.'"

Clinton's campaign on Wednesday unveiled a radio ad responding to an Obama television commercial in which the Illinois senator says, "I don't take money from oil companies or Washington lobbyists."

"There's a very simple reason" why Obama doesn't take contributions from oil companies, state Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney, a Clinton supporter, said. "It's illegal to take money from oil companies."

FactCheck.org, run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, calls Obama's ad technically true but misleading.

"It's true that Obama doesn't take money directly from oil companies, but then, no presidential, House or Senate candidate does," Fact Check.org said. "They can't."

[stevebeilgard]

i'm shocked! mr. obama actually accepts money from special interests? tell me it ain't so, joe... lol