CUNA Cultivates CongressionalLeaders

WASHINGTON - (07/19/05) -- CUNA continued to guide campaignfunding towards congressional leaders last month, with campaigncontributions going to so-called leadership PACs like: LeadershipPAC 2006 ($5,000); The Bluegrass Committee ($5,000); The FreedomProject ($5,000) and the Mike R Fund ($2,500). The contributionswent to such well-heeled congressional leaders as House FinancialServices Committee Michael Oxley, R-Ohio, Senate Majority WhipMitch McConnell, R-Ky., Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio and Mike Rogers,R-Mich., all of whom will be critical players as important creditunion legislation makes its way through Congress. So far this year,CUNA has guided $66,000 to leadership PACs, which allow specialinterests like CUNA to give the maximum allowable campaigncontributions of $10,000 twice to congressional leaders. Thebiggest recipient of CUNA funds last month was credit unionchampion Paul Kanjorski, the Pennsylvania Democrat, who receivedthe maximum allowable $10,000 contribution. Other largecontributions went to: Reps. Bob Ney, R-Ohio ($9,000) and JosephCrowley, D-N.Y. ($9,000); and Barbara Lee, D-Calif. ($5,000); MikePence, R-Ind. ($5,000); Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D. ($5,000); and GusBilirakis, a Florida Republican running to succeed his fatherMichael Bilirakis, who is retiring after 11 terms in the House($5,000). CUNA's PAC had its busiest month of the year in June,making 124 contributions for a total of $191,900.