Which candidate has the least special interest ties?

[Killarney]

One of the things that pisses me off about Bush most is that everything he seems to do is tied into money and/or cronies. Iraq--Halliburton. Medicare? AdvancePCS. Energy Bill? you see where I'm going.

So, which candidate(s) have the least ties to special interests? I really want a candidate that is going to do the right thing, not do what is best for himself and his cronies and the stock options he has with company ABC.

TIA! :)

[Wetzelbill]

1. Kucinich

[Mairead]

2. Without the slightest doubt: Dennis Kucinich

'Nobody likes him but the people'

[jjmalonejr]

5. Don't Know

But I can tell you this...

John Kerry was elected to the Senate in 1984 and re-elected 3 times (including a hard-fought battle against popular Gov. William Weld) WITHOUT TAKING A SINGLE DIME IN SPECIAL INTERST PAC MONEY.

He's running his presidential campaign the same way.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

13. Kerry has certainly gone far that way

he really is a standard bearer for integrity.

[blm]

40. actually, he never took ANY pac money from the left, either.

So that would make him the least attached to any special interest, right or left.

I think we tend to excuse the lefty money because it's OUR money. I know I do.

[no name no slogan]

3. Kucinich

He cannot be bought, period.

[Killarney]

4. I'd also like to know who has the MOST special interest ties.

In your opinion.

Thanks. :)

[dpbrown]

12. Bush

;-)

[Wetzelbill]

15. let's just say Dean for fun

[Hippo_Tron]

30. You mean Chenney right...

Bush can't even spell let alone define special interests.

[blm]

38. Koch Industries big for Bush and Cheney...

wonder why they would involve the governor of Vermont in a deal that is now under seal?

[blm]

6. Kucinich and Kerry. No corporate pac money for those two.

Of course, if you call the support of environmental groups "special interest"...heheh...I'll take that.

[leftbend]

7. Kucinich

That's one of the main reasons he has my support.

[MuseRider]

8. Kucinich

can't be bought.

[oostevo]

9. OpenSecrets.org

You might check out www.opensecrets.org for more information on candidate contributions in the past.

[Jerseycoa]

24. Thanks

Dean

Individual contributions
$25,327,097
100%

PAC contributions
$15,500
0%

Candidate self-financing
$0
0%

Federal Matching program
$0
0%

Other
$44,896
0%

PAC Contribution Breakdown:

Business
$1,000
12%

Labor
$0
0%

Ideological/Single Issue
$7,100
88%



Clark

Individual contributions
$3,484,108
100%

PAC contributions
$7,000
0%

Candidate self-financing
$0
0%

Federal Matching program
$0
0%

Other
$0
0%


PAC Contribution Breakdown:

Business
$0
0%

Labor
$0
0%

Ideological/Single Issue
$3,200
100%


Kerry

Individual contributions
$17,225,964
86%

PAC contributions
$48,084
0%

Candidate self-financing
$0
0%

Federal Matching program
$0
0%

Other
$2,769,583
14%

PAC Contribution Breakdown: (Not shown)


Kucinich

Individual contributions
$3,367,231
99%

PAC contributions
$16,000
0%

Candidate self-financing
$0
0%

Federal Matching program
$0
0%

Other
$16,478
0%


PAC Contribution Breakdown:

Business
$0
0%

Labor
$38,500
99%

Ideological/Single Issue
$550
1%



The rest of the candidates reports can be viewed by clicking on the candidate's name. (Got tired.)

Source: Open Secrets

[dpbrown]

10. Easily Kucinich

He's the only candidate whose taken on corporations and won for real people.

[redqueen]

11. Kucinich

Not even a contest.

[KoKo]

14. Kucinich and Dean.

and if you take out NOW then Moseley-Braun.

[blm]

20. How do you figure Dean when his campaign was SEEDED with energy money?

.

[dpbrown]

22. Don't forget the AOL executives

Oh, well.

[dajabr]

33. Link please...

And don't send me to opensecrets.org (read the disclaimer in red on the top donor by company page).

Thanks!

[blm]

28. KoKo, haven't you seen this before?

http://timesargus.nybor.com/Legislature/Story/43125.html


Dean raises money from energy sources

February 27, 2002

By David Gram

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONTPELIER — When Gov. Howard Dean wanted to raise money for a possible presidential bid, he followed the example of a former governor of Texas and called on his friends in the energy industry.

>>>>>>>
“Administration actions going back some years betray an inappropriate coziness with the utilities,” said Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Service Research Group. “I am not prepared to say it’s a result of contributions given. But these contributions present the appearance of impropriety or appearance of influence that it probably would have been better to avoid.”
>>>>
A list of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers includes Green Mountain Power Corp.’s chairman, two company board members and a vice president, all of whom made donations to the Fund For A Healthy America. It also includes two longtime utility lobbyists.

Over the years, the governor has sided with the utilities on many of the most pressing issues, including the push for deregulation of the electric industry, and later backing away from that as a goal. Among other major decisions:

— After years of pushing for the companies to absorb the excess costs of their expensive contract with Hydro-Quebec, Dean’s Department of Public Service agreed to let ratepayers be billed for more than 90 percent of what those excess costs are expected to be in the coming years. The extra costs will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
>>>>>>>

[Zomby Woof]

16. DK,in every way

nt

[Tom Rinaldo]

17. Easily DK

But of the other candidates with significant support I put Clark or Sharpton second. Sharpton has highly specialized special interests behind him, and I'm not quite sure how to weigh those, because they flow from his status as an African American leader, not the typical monied special interests.

[JohnKleeb]

18. Kucinich

What I see he gets the most money from the steelworkers of America and the Croatian Lodge. I would say him easily.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Dennis

hands down

[PissedOffPollyana]

21. Definitely Kucinich. No doubt.

My husband said something the other day while we were talking about the primaries & election, which really resonated in my mind.

"Dennis Kucinich is the sort of President that it seems would be happy to get the pension and have the status to positively influence peaceful diplomacy & progressive activism globally."

I really, honestly believe that. On the converse, I don't really see any of the other candidates NOT moving on to a post-Pres. high-powered career. That is one of the largest reasons I support Dennis Kucinich. He really does want to be President to make our lives better, not his.

[ecstatic]

23. why hasn't anyone mentioned Braun / Sharpton? nt

[yaledem]

25. Edwards - zero PAC money, zero washington lobbyist money.

A claim that no other candidate can make.

[Jerseycoa]

26. That's right nt

[HFishbine]

27. That's Wrong

Edwards has accepted lobbyists money.

[maddezmom]

29. Which ones? n/t

[HFishbine]

31. Womble Carlyle

for one.

[arewethereyet]

35. how do you find this stuff out ?

really curious, not doubtful as I doubt you would say it if its easy to know

[arewethereyet]

37. OK I checked out opensecrets.com

it says zero PAC on the summary

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/summary.asp?ID=N00002283

and apparantly comes from Federal Election Commission data

are they not a good source ?

[HFishbine]

39. Answers

Hi,

PAC (Political Action Committee) money is not the same as money from lobbyists. PACs are organizations, like the NRA, for example. Lobbysists are people or firms that work to influence legislation through direct contact with elected officials. Anyone who gets paid to try to influence legislation, must register as a lobbyist. Some PACs have lobbyists, but not all lobbysists are PACs.

It's not always easy to find info on lobbysists contributions. But here's the skinny on Edwards and Womble Carlyle.

Start here to see that Womble Carlyle is a registered lobbyist for Fedex: http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/lobbyist.asp?ID=98718&year=2000

Then go here to see their $14,250 contribution to Edwards in 2000: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00002283&cycle=2000

and here, to see their $31,600 contribution to Edwards in 2002: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00002283&cycle=2002

[SahaleArm]

43. How To Read This Chart:

This chart lists the top donors to this member of Congress during the current election cycle. The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.

He has received zero PAC money so we can deduce they acted as individuals when contributing.

[HFishbine]

47. And if the individual contributors

were also registered lobbyists?

[arewethereyet]

44. thanks, that helps

but still not a lot of PAC/special interest money lately.

still good if not goodest

[blm]

45. they aren't necessarily pac

unless they say so. It could also read that individuals IN those industries gave on a personal level. pac money is usually listed as such.

[yaledem]

49. I think you're a little confused

Womble Carlyle is a law firm, and some of its lawyers do lobbying. The links you provided show that Edwards received 14,250 and 31,600 from different lawyers in that firm in 2000 and 2002, but the lawyers that gave to him were not registered federal lobbyists. This has been looked into extensively, and Edwards has never taken any money from Washington Lobbyists in his entire political career. In fact, he even has a disclaimer on his donation page, requiring people to affirm that they are not federal lobbyists, a stipulation no other candidate makes.

[arewethereyet]

34. I like Edwards but I would not make that claim

I think he is relatively un-tied but Kucinich probably does take this cake. That is admirable but makes his candidacy difficult.

[Osolomia]

32. All but Kucinich are pandering to Miami mafia who stole the last election

but it's rather a taboo subject around here evidently:

http://www.lawg.org/pages/new%20pages/Misc/prez-candidates1.htm

[tameszu]

42. Actually Clark said that he opposes the embargo

He said so during one of the debates, I think.

It's been one of his most interesting/against the grain stances, but it hasn't gotten much play.

[Osolomia]

46. N onsense. Check the facts before you vote!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=250379#250431

[bobthedrummer]

36. Kucinich, of course

n/t

[morgan2]

41. the whole idea of "special interest" is invalid

Every group that isn't every single American is a "special interest." People need to start using clearer terms.

[LWolf]

48. Kucinich.

Nobody buys him.