Leadership PACs let cash flow to congressmen from lobbyists, special interests

Chambliss’ Republican Majority Fund PAC also regularly picks up the tab for fancy dinners and parties, including a $6,300 dinner at a Ruth’s Chris steakhouse in Washington in March.

Where does the money come from? Almost all of it was contributed by lobbying groups and special interest organizations, such as the National Chicken Council, the National Beer Wholesalers Association and political action committees of Aflac, Coca-Cola, Federal Express, Home Depot and other companies.

Two years ago, Congress made it illegal for lobbyists to buy gifts or pay for travel for members of Congress.

But through “leadership PACs” such as Chambliss’ Republican Majority Fund, members of Congress can raise all the money they want from lobbyists and special interest groups — in increments of up to $5,000 per election cycle — and use it just about any way they want. Through June of this year alone, Chambliss’ PAC raised more than $185,000, according to FEC records; some leadership PACs raise and spend millions of dollars each year.

There’s nothing illegal or new about leadership PACs.

“This is a perfectly legal entity, and many senators have similar fund-raising organizations,” said Bronwyn LanceChester, Chambliss’ spokeswoman. She said the senator would not be available for an interview for this story.

In the wake of the new lobbying rules, leadership PACs have grown in popularity. A recent investigation by the nonprofit watchdog journalism group ProPublica found that more than 70 percent of members of Congress — on both sides of the political aisle — have leadership PACs. The ProPublica investigation featured Chambliss prominently and resurrected details about his leadership PAC that were first uncovered by the AJC in November.

In Georgia’s congressional delegation, both senators and 11 of its 13 representatives have leadership PACs. Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson of Lithonia and Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Athens are the exceptions — mainly because they’re relatively new to Congress, spokespeople for the congressmen said.

Critics say the contributions that pour into leadership PACs are just more evidence that money from lobbyists and special interests still rules in Washington.

“This just amplifies the already clear message that there’s an overwhelming influence of money in the whole process,” said Bill Bozarth, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, a public advocacy group.

Few limits on expenses

Ostensibly, leadership PACs are used by incumbent members of Congress to raise money for the campaigns of new candidates in their party or those who are up for re-election.

Chambliss’ PAC, for instance, gave $5,000 earlier this year to the U.S. Senate campaign of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and $5,000 to the re-election campaign of fellow Georgia Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson. The PAC also gave to the re-election campaigns of GOP senators and representatives from states stretching from Louisiana to South Dakota.

There are few limits on how leadership PAC money can be used. Like Chambliss, some members of Congress use the money to host golf tournaments and other events to raise even more money. Others use PAC money for other expenses.

Democratic Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada spent $39,000 from his leadership PAC to throw an inauguration party, for instance, and U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel, a New York Democrat who’s currently facing an ethics investigation, spent $64,000 from his PAC on an oil portrait of himself, according to ProPublica.

In Georgia’s congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, a Gainesville Republican who’s running for governor, spent about $10,000 for an event last year at a golf course in Chattanooga through his Red Rooster Leadership PAC, records show. Included in the expenses was $4,700 for photographs.

Isakson has used money from his 21st Century Majority Fund leadership PAC to pay for dinners and Christmas gifts for his staff, plane tickets for his wife, Dianne, to travel from Atlanta to Senate-related events in Washington, and for catered barbecue from a Marietta restaurant for an annual gathering for GOP senators.

Isakson’s PAC also paid about $50,000 to host a two-day golf tournament in Atlanta earlier this month that — like Chambliss’ golf outings — was designed to raise more money to be forwarded to party candidates.

In an interview, Isakson said that — with few exceptions — his leadership PAC doesn’t pay for any of his personal expenses. He also pointed out that his PAC holds only two fund-raising/entertainment events a year, the Atlanta golf tournament and a catered dinner in Washington. The vast majority of money his PAC takes in goes to other candidates.

Asked about his wife’s plane tickets, Isakson said it was a legitimate expense for a leadership PAC — and better than using taxpayer money to pay for it.

Isakson also downplayed any potential of influence peddling by PAC contributors.

“I don’t look at a campaign gift as a quid pro quo for anything,” he said. If contributors to his PAC don’t like what he’s doing or where their money is going, he added, they can simply quit giving.

Chambliss’ spokeswoman defended the costs of his golf outings and golf-related events, saying they’re necessary to raise money for the PAC that in turn can be used to support Republican candidates.

“The RMF [Republican Majority Fund] has traditionally raised money through golfing events, which, by their nature, are more expensive to host than other types of fundraising events,” LanceChester said in a statement.

From PACS come perks

Besides good meals and good fun, politicians get other benefits from leadership PACs.

For one, giving money to party candidates makes them look good in the eyes of party leaders and colleagues, which in turn can result in help with their own campaigns, as well as better committee assignments and other perks.

“I don’t care what member you are, you get noticed when you help other people,” said Michael Andel, chief of staff for Democratic U.S. Rep. David Scott of Atlanta.

Leadership PACs also help assure partisan contributors that their money isn’t going to money or causes they don’t support.

That’s one of the reasons U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, a Savannah Republican, started his 13th Colony Leadership Committee PAC, spokesman Chris Crawford said. Contributors to the PAC don’t need to worry that their money is going to any Democratic candidates or causes, unlike with other contributions they may make, Crawford said.

Golf tournaments seem to be the preferred type of fund-raiser for leadership PACs — even for politicians who don’t golf.

Kingston’s leadership PAC, for instance, pays about $30,000 a year to host a golf tournament fund-raiser in Alexandria, Va.

But since Kingston doesn’t golf, Crawford said, about the only thing he gets out of it is a free lunch.

Georgia PACS

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Republican Republican Majority Fund

Examples of contributors: Action Committee for Rural Electrification; American Hospital Association; American Meat Packers Association; National Association of Convenience Stores; Aflac PAC

Examples of expenditures: Breakers resort, $48,000; Bayonet & Black Horse resort, $3,000; Pebble Beach resort, $6,000; Charlie Crist for Senate, $5,000; Johnny Isakson for Senate, $5,000

Sen. Johnny Isakson, Republican 21st Century Leadership Fund

Examples of contributors: Union Pacific Fund for Effective Government; Lowe Engineers LLC, Home Depot Better Government Committee; Lockheed Martin Employees PAC; Aflac PAC

Examples of expenditures: Charlie Crist for Senate, $5,000; Lisa Murkowski for Senate, $5,000; Sam Olens for Attorney General, $250; Cest Moi gift shop, $38.50; Washington Nationals baseball tickets, $315; Atlanta Country Club, $58,800; East Lake Golf Club, $28,268

Rep. John Barrow, Democrat

Dawg PAC

Examples of contributors: Blue Dog PAC

Examples of expenditures: Northwest Airlines, $1,992

Rep. Sanford Bishop, Democrat

Gold PAC

Examples of contributors: American Association for Justice; Employees of Northrop Grumman Corp.; General Electric PAC; Wal-Mart Stores Inc. PAC

Examples of expenditures:

Sam & Harry’s catering, $831; NPG Software, $600; Murtha for Congress (Pennsylvania) $2,000; Stephen Camp for Congress (Georgia) $1,000

Rep. Nathan Deal, Republican

Red Rooster Leadership PAC

Examples of contributors: American College of Cardiology PAC; American College of Radiology Association; American Cable Association Inc. PAC; American Academy of Opthalmology; Home Depot PAC

Examples of expenditures: The Honors Course golf club, $3,620; Limestone Gallery photography, $4,723; Delta Air Lines, $227; Starwood Hotels, $225

Rep. Phil Gingrey, Republican

Doc PAC

Examples of contributors: Aflac PAC; Nuclear Energy Institute Federal PAC; Wal-Mart Stores PAC; American Dental Association PAC; EnergySoultions PAC; Boston Scientific Corp. PAC

Examples of expenditures: Goddard for Congress (Georgia) $4,000; Tim Walberg for Congress (Michigan) $5,000; Doug Lamborn for Congress (Colorado) $5,000; Jean Schmidt for Congress (Ohio) $3,000

Rep. Jack Kingston, Republican

13th Colony Leadership Committee

Examples of contributors: Independent Insurance Agents of America; American Association of Crop Insurers; General Dynamics Voluntary PAC; American Peanut Shellers Association PAC

Examples of expenditures: Ken Calvert for Congress (California) $1,000; Friends of Roy Blunt (Missouri) $1,000; Johnson for Governor (Georgia) $1,702; Belle Haven Country Club (Virginia) $28,300

Rep. John Lewis, Democrat

House Majority Fund

Examples of contributors: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Aflac PAC; United Food & Commerical Workers International

Examples of expenditures: Dina Titus for Congress (Nevada) $1,000; David Scott for Congress (Georgia) $1,000; Shulman for Congress (New Jersey) $1,000; Carmouche for Congress (Louisiana) $1,000

Rep. John Linder, Republican

Vision for Tomorrow Fund

Examples of contributors: National Association of Realtors; Aflac PAC; Jim Stephenson; Donna Stephenson

Examples of expenditures: Deal for Governor (Georgia) $5,000; Committee to elect John Stone (Georgia) $5,000; Bill Cassidy for Congress (Louisiana) $1,000; Friends of John Fleming (Virginia) $1,000

Rep. Jim Marshall, Democrat

Georgia PAC

Examples of contributors: Blue Dog PAC

Examples of expenditures: N/A

Voice for Freedom PAC (Rep. Tom Price, Republican)

Examples of contributors: American Bankers Association; American Society of Anesthesiologists; American Association of Neurological Surgeons; Home Depot PAC; National Emergency Medicine PAC

Examples of expenditures: Brian Bilbray for Congress (California) $1,000; Friends of Roy Blunt (Missouri) $1,000; House Conservatives Fund, $5,000; Paul Broun Committee (Georgia) $1,000; Deal for Governor (Georgia) $2,000; National Republican Congressional Committee, $7,000

Rep. David Scott, Democrat

Brave PAC

Examples of contributors: Blue Dog PAC; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Independent Insurance Agents of America; Aflac PAC

Examples of expenditures:

Bright for Congress (Alabama) $1,000; Frank Kratovil for Congress (Maryland) $1,000; Griffith for Congress (Alabama) $1,000; Minnick for Congress (Idaho) $1,000

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, Republican

Acton PAC

Examples of contributors: Electrical Contractors PAC; Aflac

Examples of expenditures: Caucus Room restaurant, $2,662; Ruth’s Chris restaurant, $456; Vaughn Ward for Congress (Idaho) $1,000; Delta Air Lines, $576.12; Marriott International, $412.02

NOTES: Contributions are up to $5,000 each

SOURCE: Federal Election Commission