The lobbyists with the most money to throw around--get it while you can!

[Lobster Martini]

Few surprises on this list, but it's still interesting. Who'd have thought that the lobbyists with the most money to spread around would have included the telecommunications and pharmaceutical industries, oil companies, and defense contractors? To paraphrase Claude Rains in Casablanca, I am shocked!

New disclosure reports show twenty companies or associations spent more than $5 million in the last six months of 2006 lobbying the legislative and executive branches.

Chamber of Commerce of the U.S. $31,440,000
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform $17,780,000
AT&T Service Inc & Its Affiliates $13,545,451
AARP $11,040,000
American Medical Assn $10,740,000
Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) $8,840,000
American Hospital Assn $8,280,000
Exxon Mobil Corp $8,200,000
General Electric Co $8,020,000
American International Group $7,995,189
Northrop Grumman $7,834,365
Pfizer $7,720,000
National Cable & Telecommunications Assn $7,480,000
Southern Co $7,380,000
National Assn of Realtors $6,280,000
Altria $6,040,000
Amgen USA Inc $5,620,000
Edison Electric Institute $5,500,000
Business Roundtable $5,320,000
Boeing $5,120,000


(source: http://www.tray.com/fecinfo/)

[piesRsquare]

1. What about AIPAC?

You can't post this! Don't you know that AIPAC owns our government and you're not supposed to provide proof of the contrary? :sarcasm:

Ha!

[Mojambo]

2. Nah. These are just the cats that'll be making domestic policy. n/t