Bush Contributors Exposed
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Republican Corporate Contributors

We are continuing to add information to this page as it becomes available.

Bush's Major Contributors:
Total Receipts: $191,617,196 Total Spent: $183,052,265 Cash on Hand: $8,599,869

(source Center for Responsive Politics as of 6-1-00) www.opensecrets.org
BUSH MONEY TRAIL BY INDUSTRY GROUP
Agribusiness: Bush : $2,148,624 - Gore $240,350
Oil & Gas: Bush $1,463,799 - Gore $95,460 (Bush once said "You can't get too close to the oil industry")
Construction: Bush $3,472,821 - Gore $920,938
Real Estate: Bush $3,661,372 - Gore $1,213,310
Automotive: Bush $1,019,581 - Gore $79,085
Drug companies: Republicans/Bush 73% of $13,800,000 - Democrats/Gore 23% of $13,800,000 (Wall Street
Journal 7-7-00)

From Brian's research:
Republians get practically no funding from unions and citizens’ advocacy groups--but they more than make up for those gaps in money from corporations associated with them. Here’s a few of the big ones:

The Top Five

AT&T funnelled more money into Republican campaigns than any other corporation during the 1999/2000 cycle. It made a total of $4,479,653 in soft-money donations, 62% of which went to Republican groups. Of that money, the majority went to the Republican National Committee--the branch of the GOP best able to funnel soft money into presidential campaigns. Verizon Communications made $2,874,921 in soft-money donations, 63% of which went to Republican groups. Philip Morris earmarked 79% of its $2,500,880 in soft-money for republican campaigns, and UPS contributed 76% of its $2,013,853.

Other large supporters include MBNA America Bank (82% if $2,193,550), Fedex (65% of $2,095,328), Enron (76% of $2,013,853--Enron also tops the Center for Public Integrity’s list of Bush’s career patrons), Merril Lynch (74% of $2,000,025), and Pfizer Inc, the makers of Zoloft and Viagra (84% of $1,810,572). Also of note: America OnLine--the nation’s largest Internet Service Provider (ISP)--leans Republican. AOL earmarked 56% of its $1,404,487 in soft money donations for republican groups.

Other Major Supporters

Green Mountain Energy/The Wyly Family

Green Mountain Energy (formerly GreenMountain.com) is majority owned by Texas’ Wyly Family, which made it it onto the Center for Public Integrity’s list of Bush’s top ten careen patrons. The brothers Sam Wyly and Charles Wyly gave over $200,000 to Bush’s gubernatorial campaigns. During the 99/00 election cycle, Sam Wyly, who sits on Green Mountain’s Board of Directors, gave $250,000 to the Republican National Committee [RNC]. During the primaries, he and his brother, Charles Wyly, personally funded $2.5 million worth of "issue" advertisements attacking Sen. John McCain’s environmental record and promoting Bush’s during the Republican primary (the ads seemed so well-orchestrated with Bush’s campaign that McCain’s campaign charged the Bush campaign had participated in planning them--which is illegal under campaign finance law). To top it all off, the Wyly brothers hosted Bush’s record-breaking $21.3 million fundraiser on April 26, 2000.

Sam Wyly is also Chairman and Director of the Michaels Stores chain, Sterling Software, Sterling Commerce, Scottish Annuity & Life Savings, and a founding partner of Maverick Capital.

As for Green Mountain Energy, which provides "green" electricity to environmentally-conscious consumers under utility deregulation: the company has drawn fire from GreenPeace, Public Citizen, and dozens of other groups on grounds ranging from deceiving its customers to polluting unnecessarily. According to such attacks, Green Mountain invests so little money in building and developing clean energy sources that, at best, it is merely "re-packaging" electricity that was already being generated and marking up the price. At worst, Green Mountain stands accused of using highly-polluting energy sources--most notably waste incinerators and landfill gas contaminated with toxic chemicals that form even more dangerous compounds when burnt--and then deceiving its customers about them. Throughout its existence, Green Mountain has lobbied for utility de-regulation that could weaken current environmental controls, and has publicly supported George Bush for his deregulation efforts in Texas. Already, several environmental groups (the Environmental Health Network and the Student Environmental Action Coalition, among others) have already called for a boycott (see www.boycottgreenmountain.com).

Amgen, Inc.

In the 1999/2000 election cycle, Amgen funnelled $333,250 (93% of its total soft-money giving) in soft money into republican campaigns, which brings it into the top ten bracket of Bush supporters both in the state of California and in the biotech sector. That figure includes a $100,000 donation to the RNC from Gordon M. Binder, CEO and and Chairman of Amgen’s Board of Directors. Amgen is the world’s largest independent biotech company, and holds several lucrative patents on drugs used to treat cancer and mitigate the effects of chemotherapy, such as Neupogen. Binder’s in a good position to profit from the so-called "cancer industry": in addition to being chair of Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and serving on the Board of Directors for the Biotech Industry Organization, he sits on the boards of the Healthcare Leadership Council and the American Cancer Society. The latter two have drawn considerable fire from health activists for deflecting public attention and charitable giving away from cancer prevention (and mitigating environmental causes of cancer) to emphasize research and treatment--areas where companies like Amgen make their money

2nd set of research

Big Soft Money Supporters:

The ten corporations that funnelled the most soft money into Bush’s campaign, according to FEC data, are as follows: AT&T directed 62% of its $4,479,653 in soft money donations to Republican groups--of that amount, the vast majority went to the RNC, which traditionally uses its money to finance presidential campaigns. Seventy-six percent of UPS’s $2,662,994 in soft money went to Republican groups, along with a whopping 79% of Philip Morris’ $2,565,880. Verizon Wireless funneled 63% of $2,874,921 to Republican groups. MBNA America Bank put 82% of $2,193,550 into Republican campaigns. Enron, which made first place on The Center for Public Integrity’s top ten list of career-long Bush patrons, gave 76% of $2,015,853 to Republican warchests, mostly through the RNC. Merril Lynch devoted 74% of $2,000,025 to Republican groups. Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of Zoloft and Viagra, diverted 84% of $1,810,572 to Republican campaigns. Bristol-Myers Squibb gave 84% of $1,751,442. Fedex gave 65% of $2,095,328.

Of course, FEC data on soft money doesn’t account for all the support a candidate gets--people can privately finance "issue advertisements" that lean havily towards one candidate without reporting their spending. And it certainly doesn’t account for the work some people do publicly supporting candidates (as in newspaper editorials by "business leaders") and using their personal networks to raise more funds. Here’s some of the others

Dell Computers executive Michael Dell has also played a big part in the Bush campaign. He’s personally donated $250,000 to the RNC, and his company’s given has swung heavily to Republican organizations--$353,000 vs $145,549 for Democratic groups. Dell has also been a very public supporter of Bush, lending his name to the campaign in several published letters and editorials.

Affinity Group, Inc chair Stephen Adams has, according to the Ventura County Star, invested $1 million in soft money in Bush’s campaign. Affinity’s main businesses are the Good Sam Club, which provides RV services, and Trailer Life magazine. *

Aurora Capital Partners chair Gerald Parsky, considered to be a likely candidate for U.S. Secretary of the Treasury in a Bush administration, has used his money, his time, and his status as a UC Regent to get Bush elected. He’s personally given $200,000 to the RNC, Aurora has donated $80,000 more; s California Director of Bush’s campaign, Parsky has accompanied Bush on several fundraising swings over the last year and a half (one, in the summer of 1999, raised $2 million; one in May of 2000 raised $4 million). Bush reportedly retained him to "penetrate the state’s vast network of campaign donors"--in July, Parsky drew fire for abusing his status as a UC regent after allegedly trading lurative contracts with the University for donations to the Bush campaign.

Ohio’s soft money favors Bush by a greater margin than in any other state: Bush held fundraisers at the homes of the state’s five richest individuals, who donated quite a bit themselves: Al Lerner, owner of the Cleveland Browns, gave $260,000 in soft money; The Limited founder Leslie H. Wexman gave over $500,000 (her company’s executives chipped in $260,000 more); Timken Inc.’s W.R. Timken Jr. gave, along with his family, a total of $400,000; the Dewitt & Reynolds investment firm’sWilliam O. Dewitt Jr. and Merer Reynolds III gave, along with their co-workers, a combined total of over $600,000.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, Bush’s big supporters include Cisco CEO John Chambers, who gave $310,000 in soft money; Charles R. Schwab of Charles Schwab Investments, who gave $270,000; and Leach Capital’s Howard Leach, also a UC Regent, who gave $120,000.

LV search from:
http://www.opensecrets.org/2000elect/other/bush/pioneer.htm
also see http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/
Early Important Bush Fundraisers (this list does not reflect all the "Pioneer fundraisers" only the early ones)
This is a partial list of "Pioneer" volunteer fundraisers for Governor Bush's presidential effort, as released by the campaign. A "pioneer" has raised at least $100,000 (with limits of $1,000 from individuals and $5,000 from PACs) for the campaign. "

First

Last

City

State

Occupation

Anthony J.

Alexander

Akron

OH

FirstEnergy Corp

Joe B.

Allen

Houston

TX

Vinson & Elkins

Paul

Anderson

Deerfield Bridge

FL

JM Family Enterprises

Jorge

Arrizurieta

Fort Lauderdale

FL

Huizenga Holdings

Alfred S.

Austin

Tampa

FL

AS Austin Co

Jeanie

Austin

Orlando

FL

Jeanie Austin & Assoc

Joe

Barton

Ennis

TX

Member of US House

Lee M.

Bass

Fort Worth

TX

Lee M Bass Inc

George

Bayoud

Dallas

TX

Former Texas Secretary of State

Louis

Beecherl

Dallas

TX

Beecherl Investments, formerly Texas Oil & Gas

Dennis R.

Berman

Irving

TX

Denitech Corp

Wayne

Berman

Washington

DC

Berman Enterprises

Roland W.

Betts

New York

NY

Chelsea Piers Management

Teel

Bivens

Amarillo

TX

Texas State Senator

James J.

Blosser

Fort Lauderdale

FL

Poole & McKinley

Joseph

Bogosian

Arlington

VA

McGuire Woods Consulting

Michael M.

Boone

Dallas

TX

Haynes & Boone

Rudy

Boschwitz

Plymouth

MN

Home Valu Inc

Katherine E.

Boyd

Hillsborough

CA

Katherine E Boyd Interior Decoration

Dan

Branch

Dallas

TX

Langley & Branch

Stephen

Brauer

Bridgeton

MO

Hunter Engineering

Tim

Bridgewater

Provo

UT

Interlink Management

Nancy

Brinker

Dallas

TX

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

William O.

Brisban

Cincinnati

OH

WO Brisben Co

Les

Brorsen

Falls Church

VA

Ernst & Young

Lee

Brown

Louisville

KY

Brown-Forman Corp

C. David

Brown II

Windermere

FL

Broad & Cassel

Christopher B.

Burnham

Stamford

CT

Columbus Circle Investors

Jonathan

Bush

New Haven

CT

J Bush & Co/Riggs Bank

William H.T.

Bush

St Louis

MO

Bush, O'Donnell & Co

Joseph

Canizaro

New Orleans

LA

Columbus Properties

Alvin R. "Pete"

Carpenter

Jacksonville

FL

CSX Transportation

Claiborne

Carrington

San Antonio

TX

Real Estate Investor

Charles

Cawley

Wilmington

DE

MBNA America Bank

George W. "Bill"

Ceverha

Dallas

TX

Lobbyist/Consultant

Elaine

Chao

Louisville

KY

Heritage Foundation/wife of Sen. Mitch McConnell

Martha

Chayet

Manchester

MA

Oxbridge Group

James

Click

Tucson

AZ

Jim Click Automotive Group

Herb

Collins

Boston

MA

Boston Capital

Peter

Coneway

Houston

TX

Goldman, Sachs & Co

James M.

Connolly

West Roxbury

MA

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Jim

Culbertson

Winston-Salem

NC

Financial Computing Inc

William J.

Danhoff

East Lansing

MI

Miller, Canfield et al

Robert

Day

Los Angeles

CA

Trust Co of the West

Robert H.

Dedman Jr

Dallas

TX

Club Corp USA

Robert M.

Devlin

Houston

TX

American General Financial Group

Bill

Dewitt

Cincinnati

OH

Reynolds, Dewitt & Co

Jennifer

Dunn

Bellevue

WA

Member of US House

Patrick

Durkin

Greenwich

CT

Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette

Richard J. "Dick"

Egan

Hopkinton

MA

EMC Corp

John

Engler

Lansing

MI

Governor of Michigan

Charles W.

Evers III

Orlando

FL

Consensus Communications

Nelson

Fairbanks

Clewiston

FL

US Sugar Corp

Martha

Fallgatter

Bakersfield

CA

Lobbyist

Robert

Fee

Orangeburg

NY

Turner Construction

Thomas M. "Marty"

Fiorentino

Ponte Vedra Beach

FL

CSX Corp

C. Edward

Floyd

Florence

SC

Floyd Medical Assoc

Tom

Foley

Greenwich

CT

NTC Group

William P.

Foley II

Santa Barbara

CA

Fidelity National Financial

Jose

Fourquet

Brooklyn Heights

NY

Goldman, Sachs & Co

Sam

Fox

Clayton

MO

Harbour Group Ltd

James B.

Francis Jr

Dallas

TX

Texas Public Safety Commissioner

Brad

Freeman

Los Angeles

CA

Freeman, Spogli & Co

Jeff

Fuqua

Orlando

FL

Amick Construction

David

Girard-diCarlo

Villanova

PA

Blank, Rome et al

D. Stephen

Goddard Jr

Katy

TX

Arthur Andersen

Steve

Goldsmith

Indianapolis

IN

Mayor of Indianapolis

Robert

Grand

Indianapolis

IN

Barnes & Thornburg

Maurice R. "Hank"

Greenberg

New York

NY

American International Group

Adele

Hall

Shawnee Mission

KA

Hallmark Cards

Timothy

Hammonds

Washington

DC

Food Marketing Institute

James "Buck"

Harless

Gilbert

WV

International Industries

Joyce

Haver

Phoenix

AZ

Joyce A. Havers & Assoc

Richard

Heath

Dallas

TX

BeautiControl Cosmetics

John M.

Hennessey

New York

NY

Credit Suisse First Boston

R. Steven

Hicks

Austin

TX

AMFM Inc

Michael R.

Hightower

Jacksonville

FL

Blue Cross/Blue Shield

J. Roger

Hirl

Dallas

TX

Occidental Chemical

Al

Hoffman Jr

Fort Myers

FL

Watermark Communities Inc

Robert B

Holland III

Dallas

TX

Triton Energy

David

Horowitz

Los Angeles

CA

Center for the Study of Popular Culture

N.D.

Horton Jr

Eatonton

GA

Horton Homes

Allan B.

Hubbard

Indianapolis

IN

E&A Industries

Kathy

Hubbard

Indianapolis

IN

E&A Industries

R.D.

Hubbard

Palm Desert

CA

Hollywood Park Inc

James R.

Huffines

Austin

TX

Morgan Keegan & Co

Richard E.

Hug

Arnold

MD

Environmental Elements Corp

Gaylord

Hughey

Tyler

TX

Attorney

Christopher

Jenny

Wayland

MA

Parthenon Group

Thomas L.

Johnson

Austin

TX

Associated General Contractors of TX

Walter E.

Johnson

Houston

TX

Southwest Bank of Texas

Robert Woods

Johnson IV

New York

NY

Johnson Co

Don

Jordan

Houston

TX

Reliant Energy

Sheldon "Shelly"

Kamins

Potomac

MD

Blum, Frank & Kamins/chairman, GOPAC

Stephen

Kass

Tarzana

CA

Investor

Craig

Keeland

Dallas

TX

Youngevity Inc

Nancy

Kinder

Houston

TX

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners

Rich

Kinder

Houston

TX

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners

Dorothy Bush

Koch

Bethesda

MD

Homemaker/George W. Bush's sister

C. Michael

Kojaian

Bloomfield Hills

MI

Kojaian Companies

Thomas R.

Kuhn

Potomac

MD

Edison Electric Institute

David

Laney

Dallas

TX

Jenkens & Gilchrist

James C.

Langdon

Washington

DC

Akin, Gump et al

Franklin

Lavin

Canton

OH

Citibank

Kenneth

Lay

Houston

TX

Enron Corp

Howard

Leach

San Francisco

CA

Cypress Farms

Steve

Ledbetter

Houston

TX

Reliant Energy

Nancy

Loeffler

San Antonio

TX

Arter & Hadden

Thomas

Loeffler

San Antonio

TX

Arter & Hadden/former US House member

Jeff B.

Love

Houston

TX

Locke, Liddell & Sapp

John

Mahaffey

Springfield

MO

Mahaffey Enterprises

Thomas P.

Marinis Jr

Houston

TX

Vinson & Elkins

Robert

Martinez

Tampa

FL

Carlton Fields/former governor of Florida

Sharon

McCutchin

Dallas

TX

Homemaker

Dean

McWilliams

Austin

TX

Chief of Staff for Texas Sen. Mike Galloway

Andrea

McWilliams

Austin

TX

Lobbyist/Consultant

Jules Frank

Mermoud

Washington

DC

Investor

David

Metzner

Alexandria

VA

American Continental Group

Vance

Miller

Dallas

TX

Henry S Miller Realtors

David

Miner

Cary

NC

North Carolina State House member

Stephan

Minikes

Washington

DC

Thelen, Reid & Priest

Suzie

Mitchell

West Bloomfield

MI

Mitchell Research

Philip

Montgomery III

Dallas

TX

POB Montgomery & Co

H. Gary

Morse

Lady Lake

FL

Villages of Lake Sumter

Dennis

Muchmore

Haslett

MI

Muchmore Herrington Smalley

Charles "Chuck"

Nash

San Marcos

TX

Chuck Nash Auto Dealership

Patrick

Nesbitt

Los Angeles

CA

Windsor Capital Group

James "Jim"

Nicholson

Detroit

MI

PVS Chemicals

Dennis

Nixon

Laredo

TX

International Bancshares Corp

Alan P.

Novak

Coatesville

PA

Conrad, O'Brien et al

Erle

Nye

Dallas

TX

Texas Utilities Co

Joseph

O'Donnell

Cambridge

MA

Boston Concessions Group

Joseph I.

O'Neill III

Midland

TX

O'Neill Properties

John

Ong

Akron

OH

BF Goodrich

Bill

Owens

Denver

CO

Governor of Colorado

Patrick C.

Oxford

Houston

TX

Bracewell & Patterson

Marshall

Payne

Dallas

TX

Cardinal Investment

Thomas F.

Petway III

Jacksonville

FL

Zurich Insurance

Robert H. "Bob"

Pickens

Dallas

TX

Pickens Co

Don

Powell

Amarillo

TX

First National Bank & Trust Co

Heinz

Prechter

Southgate

MI

ACS Inc/Precter Holdings

John

Price

Salt Lake City

UT

JP Realty

John S.

Rainey

Anderson

SC

Attorney

Mercer

Reynolds

Cincinatti

OH

Reynolds Dewitt & Co

James M.

Reynolds III

Greensboro

GA

Real Estate Developer

Tom

Ridge

Harrisburg

PA

Governor of Pennsylvania

A.W. "Dub"

Riter Jr

Tyler

TX

Pinstripe Investments

Raul

Romero

Houston

TX

S&B Infrastructure

John

Rood

Jacksonville

FL

Vestcor Companies

Evans

Rose

Pittsburgh

PA

Cohen & Grigsby

Edward W. "Rusty"

Rose II

Dallas

TX

Cardinal Investment

A.R. "Tony"

Sanchez

Laredo

TX

Sanchez Oil & Gas

Dwight

Schar

McLean

VA

NVR Inc

William

Scherer

Fort Lauderdale

FL

Conrad, Scherer et al

Rockwell A.

Schnabel

Los Angeles

CA

Trident Capital

Peter

Secchia

Grand Rapids

MI

Universal Forest Products

Nicholas T.

Serafy

Brownsville

TX

Proficiency Testing Service

Allan "Bud"

Shivers

Austin

TX

Shivers Group

Ned

Siegel

Boca Raton

FL

NLS Communities

James P.

Simmons

Phoenix

AZ

James P Simmons & Assoc

Clifford

Sobel

Short Hills

NJ

Net2phone Inc

Alex G.

Spanos

Stockton

CA

AG Spanos Co/San Diego Chargers

Ronald P.

Spogli

Los Angeles

CA

Freeman, Spogli & Co

Manuel

Stamatakis

Wayne

PA

Capital Management Enterprises

Dorothy

Stapleton

Greenwich

CT

Marsh & McLennan Companies

Craig

Stapleton

Greenwich

CT

Marsh & McLennan Companies

Roger

Staubach

Dallas

TX

The Staubach Co/former Dallas Cowboys quarterback

Glenn

Steil

Grand Rapids

MI

Compatico Inc/Michigan State House member

Peter

Terpeluk

Chevy Chase

MD

American Continental Group

Jack C.

Vaughn Jr

Dallas

TX

Vaughn Petroleum

Ray

Wagner

St. Louis

MO

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Roger W.

Wallace

San Antonio

TX

Public Strategies Inc

Frederick

Webber

Arlington

VA

Chemical Manufacturers Assn

Ronald

Weiser

Ann Arbor

MI

McKinley Assoc

William

Weld

Cambridge

MA

McDermott, Will & Emery/former Mass. Governor

Paul

Welday

Farmington Hills

MI

Chief of Staff to Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)

Jimmy

Westcott

Dallas

TX

Westcott Communications

Robert H.

Whilden

Houston

TX

Vinson & Elkins

George M.

Williams

Houston

TX

Williams Partners Inc

Roger

Williams

Dallas

TX

Wilson, Williams & Molberg

Robert

Wright

Harlingen

TX

Wright Way Construction

Charles

Wyly Jr

Dallas

TX

Sterling Software/Maverick Capital

Zach

Zachariah

Sea Ranch Lakes

FL

Physician

 

 

Useful Research Sites

www.tray.com

Contains what are probably the most extensive database of FEC data on campaign finance and spending

www.opensecrets.com

Wel-organized FEC data--search engines make it particularly easy to track soft money.

http://www.publicintegrity.org/reports/bop2000

The Center for Public Integrity’s "Buying of the President 2000" report, includes searchable databases on candidates’ personal assets, speaking honoraria, travel sponsorships, and FEC investigations into campaign finance violations.

Issue-Specific

www.boycottgreenmountain.com

This boycott site includes dozens of press clippings and watchdog reports relevant to the boycott on GreenMountain energy.

 

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