The Money Trail: Campaign Money, Part 1

This is the beginning of a  multiple part investigation into the money trail powerering Rep. Charlie Wilson.
Who are his contributors?  Who are the special interests?  Who really has Charlie's ear?

First, where does the campaign stand now?  As of 9/30/09, Wilson's campaign has $391,339 on hand with 75% of the money coming from PAC's and none from himself.  His listed opponent, Dr. Donald Allen, has a mere $2,399 on hand and has been 89% self-financed.

Where has all the money come from?  American Electric Power is the top contributor with over $14,000 in contributions, followed by Blue Dog Pac with $10,000.  The International Brotherhood of Electical Workers (an AFL-CIO affiliated union) also contributed $10,000 to Wilson.  He is in "good" compancy since the IBEW gave 99% of their contributions to Democrats and $10,000 each to fellow Democrats including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Whip Clyburn, Charlie Rangel, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Chuck Shumer and Ohioans Mary Jo Kilroy, Tim Ryan, Zach Space and Betty Sue Sutton.

Here is a run down of other contributors:
American Bankers Association:  $6,000 
AT & T:  $5,000 (Ameritech is an affiliate of AT & T)
KeyCorp: $5,000 (Cleveland based holding company for KeyBank, which provides retail and commercial banking services)
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union: $5,000 (shipbuilders and railroad workers union)
National Funeral Directors: $5,000 (no surprise here!)
Operating Engineers Union: $5,000 (another AFL-CIO Union--heavy equipment operators, mechanics)
National Venture Capital Assn.: $4,000 ("represents the U.S. venture capital industry")
American Assn for Justice: $3,500 (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America--the people trying to prevent Tort reform)
First Energy Corp: $3,500 (Ohio electric company)
PricewaterhouseCoopers: $3,500 (accounting firm trying to prevent regulation of accounting industry)
UPS: $3,499
American College of Radiology: $3,000
Investment Co Institute $3,000  (National Association of Investment Companies)

National Assn of Convenience Stores $3,000
Air Line Pilots Assn $2,500

American College of Emergency Physicians $2,500
American Optometric Assn $2,500
American Podiatric Medical Assn $2,500
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu $2,500 (major accounting firm, lobbies against regulation of the accounting  industry, investigated for accounting scandal at Adelphia Communications)


Grant Thornton LLP $2,500 ("audit, tax and advisory services")
Huntington Bancshares $2,500 (Huntington Bank)
International Assn of Fire Fighters $2,500 (another AFL-CIO union)
Laborers Union $2,500
National Beer Wholesalers Assn $2,500 (small business supporter)
New York Life Insurance $2,500
Teamsters Union $2,500
USEC Inc $2,500 (supplies enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants)

So, who are the top industry contributors to Charlie Wilson?  Are they reflective of his district's interests (home based) or his committee assignments (Washington based) or both.

Wilson's committee assignments are the powerful House Financial Services (he serves on the subcommittees Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit and Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises Committee) and the House Science and Technology Committee (subcommittee:  Space and Aeronautics and Investigations and Oversight) He is also part of the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democrat Coalition. 

Congressman Wilson is a member of the Rural Caucus, Rural Education Caucus, Rural Health Care Coalition, Appalachian Caucus, Sudan Caucus, Democratic Israel Working Group, Community Pharmacy Coalition, Community Health Centers Caucus, Career and Technical Education Caucus, Labor and Working Families Caucus, Rural Housing Caucus, Autism Caucus, STEM Education Caucus , Wine Caucus, Sportsmen's Caucus, Vision Caucus, and is an Executive Board member of the Steel Caucus.

Whose got's Charlie's ear?  Here's the industry run down curtesy of opensecrets.org.
The following color code is my opinion of which donation is reflective of which interest:
Red highlight is Committee Interest Driven
Green  reflects  District Interest
Pink is unknown
1.  Insurance $24,750   (Charlie is on the Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises subcommittee)

2. Electric Utilities $23,900 (He is part of the House Science and Technology Committee.  The Electric utiliites do appear to be Ohio based)
3.  Commercial Banks $19,150 (He is on the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit subcommittee)
4.  Health Professionals $17,900 (He belongs to various health related caucus.  He also uses his place on the Science Committee to bring home technology to local hospitals.)
5.  Industrial Unions $16,000 (Most Dems recieve heavy union backing and Wilson comes from a Union heavy district)
6. Misc Services $15,000
7.  Democratic/Liberal $12,000 (He's a Blue Dog)
8.  Building Trade Unions $8,500 (Again, most Dems get heavy Union backing--reflects district interests)
9.  Accountants $8,500 (House Finacial Services Committee member)
10.  Securities & Investment $8,000  (House Finacial Services Committee member)
11.  Lawyers/Law Firms $7,550 (House Finacial Services Committee member)
12.  Transportation Unions $7,000 (reflects district interests)
13.  Telephone Utilities $6,000 (House Science and Technology Committee, but also Ohio based supporter)
14.  Public Sector Unions $5,500 (district interest)
15.  Retail Sales $4,000
16.  Beer, Wine & Liquor $3,500
17.  Air Transport $3,499
18.  Finance/Credit Companies $3,000
19.  Hospitals/Nursing Homes $2,500
20.  General Contractors $2,400

Total: 
Washington Based Interest Contributions: $116, 349
Local/Union Interests: $28,400
Unknown/Not Sure:  $32,900 (Health Professionals and Misc.)


Summary:
80% of the industries that contribute to Wilson's campaign are connected with his Committee Assignments.  Only 20% of the industries that contribute to Wilson's campaign are related to the District.  This is counting all Union contributions as district related. Wilson recieves the bulk of his campaign contribution from various financial service industries which correlates to his placement on the Financial Services Committee.  However, it should be noted that the Electric Utilities who have contributed heavily are also Ohio based companies.