A key to congressional decision-making

Posted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, 31 January 2008

"If a player sliding into home plate reached into his pocket and handed the umpire $1,000 before he made the call, what would we call that? A bribe. And if a lawyer handed a judge $1,000 before he issued a ruling, what do we call that? A bribe. But when a lobbyist or CEO sidles up to a member of Congress at a fund-raiser or in a skybox and hands him a check for $1,000, what do we call that? A campaign contribution." -- Bill Moyers, "Restoring the Public Trust," TomPaine.com, Feb. 24, 2006

Open Secrets
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00024874&cycle=2008

The top industries supporting Dennis Cardoza are:
Crop Production & Basic Processing, $69,250
Dairy, $19,350
Livestock, $16,640
Beer, Wine & Liquor, $16,538
Industrial Unions, $16,000
Commercial Banks, $14,750
Real Estate, $14,100
Lawyers/Law Firms, $12,300
Retail Sales, $10,000
Lobbyists, $8,500
Home Builders, $8,500
Misc Finance, $8,480
Electric Utilities, $7,000
Hospitals/Nursing Homes, $6,800
Building Trade Unions, $6,500
Health Professionals, $6,500
Public Sector Unions, $6,000
Casinos/Gambling, $6,000
Misc Unions, $6,000
Agricultural Services/Products, $5,500
Transportation Unions, $5,500
General Contractors, $5,500

Dennis Cardoza is a top House recipient from the following industries for the 2007-2008 election cycle: Livestock

DENNIS CARDOZA (D-CA)
Top Contributors

Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, $10,000
E&J Gallo Winery, $8,800
American Crystal Sugar, $7,000
Edison International,$6,000
American Bankers Assn, $5,000
AT&T Inc, $5,000
California Dairies Inc, $5,000
California Rice Industry Assn, $5,000
Dean Foods, $5,000
Farmers' Rice Cooperative, $5,000
National Assn of Home Builders, $5,000
National Thoroughbred Racing Assn, $5,000
United Food & Commercial Workers Union, $5,000
American Hospital Assn, $4,000
Farm Credit Council, $4,000
Granite Construction, $4,000
MoneyTree Inc, $4,000
Trical Inc, $4,000
Honeywell International, $3,500
Financial Center Credit Union, $3,300
Joseph Gallo Farms, $3,300