The Facts
“If there is one lesson to be drawn from the recent Supreme Court ruling, it is that politicians’ longstanding reliance on private contributions undermines competition and the free market principles that made our country great.”
- Frank CarlucciFormer Secretary of Defenese
ACR Advisory Board Member
Money in Politics and the Environment
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Energy Industry Invests $3 billion in Washington
- The energy industry, including oil and gas, electric utilities, mining, and waste management, contributed $455 million to federal candidates between 1990-2006
- The energy industry spent $2.3 billion to lobby the federal government between 1998-2008
- 63% of energy industry contributions between 1990-2008 came from PACs and soft money; the remaining 37% came in large individual contributions
- Members of the U.S. House and Senate received an average of $43,658 and $161,423, respectively, in 2008 energy industry contributions as of July 28, 2008
Energy Industry Outspends Environment 20:1
- The energy industry contributed $20 to federal candidates for every $1 contributed by environmental groups between 1990-2008
- The energy industry spent $225 million to lobby the federal government in 2008 compared with $11 million by environmental groups, a factor of 21:1
- The disparity in energy industry versus environmental contributions to members of Congress rose to 30:1 in the lead-up to landmark 2005 energy legislation
Energy Money Targets Regulators, Incumbents
- 82% of energy industry contributions in 2008 were given to incumbents in both parties
- Eight of the top ten House recipients in 2008 were members of the House Natural Resources, Energy & Commerce, and Transportation committees responsible for energy policy; the remaining two top recipients were members of senior leadership in both parties
- Eight of the top ten Senate recipients in 2008 were members of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources, Environment & Public Works, and Transportation committees (excluding presidential candidates)
- The average contribution to top ten recipients was $280,000 and $393,000 for House and Senate, respectively, or between 3-6 times the congressional average
Energy Money Follows Partisan Trends
- Although overall energy industry contributions favored Republicans between 1990-2008, the proportion given to each party followed partisan trends
- When Democrats controlled Congress, they received an average of 40% of total contributions, compared with 26% when they were in the minority
Source: Center for Responsive Politics analysis of campaign finance disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission, 1990-2008
