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Pro-Israel PACs Exercise Huge Influence Over Congress
By Janet McMahon
As part of their continuing campaign to keep John Sununu out of the U.S. Senate—an effort which failed in 2002, when then-Rep. Sununu (RN.H.) was first elected to “the world’s greatest deliberative body”—pro-Israel PACs bestowed a whopping $44,000 on would-be Democratic opponent Katrina Swett in 2007.
In case that name doesn’t ring a bell, Swett is the daughter of the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), who was one of Israel’s most ardent champions in the House. Her husband is former Rep. Dick Swett (D-N.H.), who, after two terms in the House and an unsuccessful Senate bid, managed to amass a respectable $95,500 in pro-Israel PAC contributions.
Will Sununu’s Democratic opponent, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, who received $72,022 in pro-Israel PAC contributions to oppose Sununu in 2002, find it in herself to rise above the crowd?
Janet McMahon is managing editor of The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. This astounding compilation of research was provided to AFP by that fine publication. For more information on The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, please write the publisher at P.O. Box 53062, Washington, D.C. 20009. Call them at 800-368-5788 or see their website at www.wrma.com
Top 2008 & Career Recipients of Pro-Israel PAC Funds
Compiled by Hugh Galford
HOUSE: 2008 CYCLE $
Berkley, Shelley (D-NV) 34,700
Hoyer, Steny (D-MD) 32,500
Pence, Mike (R-IN) 30,000
Kirk, Mark (R-IL) 27,000
Boehner, John (R-OH) 27,000
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) 25,500
Klein, Ron (D-FL) 16,150
Crowley, Joseph (D-NY) 15,745
Johnson, Tim (R-IL) 13,000
Bachmann, Michele (R-MN) 13,000
House: Career $
Berkley, Shelley (D-NV) 283,405
Engel, Eliot (D-NY) 193,418
Hoyer, Steny (D-MD) 171,775
Obey, David (D-WI) 156,100
Kirk, Mark (R-IL) 156,882
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) 156,730
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana (R-FL) 133,490
Lowey, Nita (D-NY) 130,738
Levin, Sander (D-MI) 124,221
Lantos, Tom (D-CA) 123,250
SENATE: 2008 CYCLE $
Levin, Carl (D-MI) 61,850
Swett, Katrina (D-NH) 44,000
Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ) 39,000
Pryor, Mark (D-AK) 37,500
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) 35,500
Collins, Susan (R-ME) 33,500
Coleman, Norm (R-MN) 31,000
Durbin, Richard (D-IL) 29,000
Reed, Jack (D-RI) 27,500
Landrieu, Mary (D-LA) 24,790
Senate: Career $
*Levin, Carl (D-MI) 720,737
*Harkin, Tom (D-IA) 526,950
Specter, Arlen (R-PA) 492,973
*Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ) 473,078
*McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) 412,685
Lieberman, Joseph (D-CT) 373,851
*Durbin, Richard (D-IL) 359,421
*Baucus, Max (D-MT) 342,648
Reid, Harry (D-NV) 320,301
Wyden, Ronald (D-OR) 277,562
*UP FOR RE-ELECTION
(Issue # 18, May 5, 2008)
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