CUNA said it made $211,000 in campaign contributions last month, the highest since the peak of last fall's elections.
Much of the contributions went to help develop or cement ties with newly elected House members, including: John Kuhl (R-NY), $1,000; Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), $1,000; Jim Costa (D-CA), $1,000; G.K. Butterfield (R-NC), $1,000; Geoff Davis (R-KY), $1,000; Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), $1,000); Melissa Bean (D-IL), $1,000; Bobby Jindahl (R-LA), $1,000: Charlie Melancon (D-LA), $1,000; Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), $500; and Cathy McMorris (R-WA), $500. The biggest contributions last month went to: Sens. Jon Kyle (R-AZ), $5,000; Orrin Hatch (R-UT), $5,000; Kay Hutchison (R-TX), $5,000; George Allen (R-VA), $5,000; Reps. Tom DeLay (R-TX), $5,000; Ben Chandler (D-KY), $5,000; Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), $5,000; William Jefferson (D-LA), $5,000; Brad Sherman (D-CA), $5,000; Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), $5,000, and Steven LaTourette (R-OH) $5,000. CUNA also made contributions to several leadership PACs, including PAC to the Future, House Minority Leader's Nancy Pelosi's PAC ($5,000); the Blue Dog PAC to elect for centrist Democrats ($5,000); and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's Volunteer PAC ($1,000).
Meantime, CUNA's political action committee, which made a total of $3.3 million in political contributions, including $2 million to individual congressional campaigns in the 2003-2004 elections, was ranked No. 11 among all PAC contributors, according to a new list compiled by the FEC.
The leading CU PAC also raised a new high of $3.5 million during the two-year election cycle, putting it seventh among all trade groups. The only special interests ahead of CUNA on funds raised were: the NRA ($12.8 million); National Realtors Association ($7.7 million); Trial Lawyers of America ($6.4 million); Automobile Dealers Association ($4.7 million); American Medical Association ($4.3 million); and the National Right to Life Association ($4.2 million). The American Bankers Association, which runs the biggest bank PAC, was No. 13 at $2.6 million raised.
