Enron’s Campaign Contributions, 1989-2001- Senate & House

Center For Responsive Politics ^ | January 2002 | N/A

[Saundra Duffy]

The democraps will have to back off now.

[demsux]

DICK gephardt and tom DASSHOLE picked up some change here.

[NC Conservative]

Looks like Enron is solid republican. sarcasm.

[dead]

Considering that the totality of the "Whitewater" charge of the liberal press is that Enron gave money to Bush and other Republicans, this "scandal" is headed the way of an Ellen Degeneres series - they'll try and try to keep it alive, and weep for their loss when it dies a lonely unlamented death.

[07055]

Enron knew how to play the game: It's all a protection racket. You need to give to both sides of the aisle.

If Enron didn't know this already, the Microsoft case sure taught them.

[angkor]

Hitlery as well.

Second to last on Senate side.

[GallopingGhost]

Albert R. Wynn (D-Md) $125

Dammit, I want this guy investigated.

[dead]

$125! Seriously, that guy's a loser.

They tip caddies better than that.

[Eva]

Please make sure that Bill O'Reilly gets a copy of this. He is hot on the Enron issue because he owned stock in it.

[Tall_Texan]

Most of these folks received round-numbered contributions and yet Gary Condit received $1,041. Wonder why?

[Commiewatcher]

"Enron knew how to play the game: It's all a protection racket. You need to give to both sides of the aisle."

And this list just includes the current House/Senate members. They probably gave to many of their opponents in the elections as well. It's common practice for industries to hedge their bets by giving to both.

[GSWarrior]

Is there really a senator from Idaho named Crapo?

[Gritty]

It looks like Republicans are the majority recipients, but ENRON made sure to hedge it's contributions everywhere. Note the biggest $ contributions went to politicians from Texas, so that could have some bearing on the lopsidedness of the figures as most of them are Republicans. IMHO, if the majority of officeholders were Democrats, the figures would likely have been reversed.

Here are some nice graphs from the same source:

Enron Total Contributions, 1989-2001*

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Election Cycle	Total Contributions	Soft Money Contributions	Contributions from PACs	Contributions from Individuals	% to Dems	% to Repubs
1990	$163,250	$0	$130,250	$33,000	42%	58%
1992	$281,009	$75,109	$130,550	$75,350	42%	58%
1994	$520,996	$136,292	$189,565	$195,139	42%	58%
1996	$1,141,016	$687,445	$171,671	$281,900	18%	81%
1998	$1,049,942	$691,950	$212,643	$145,349	21%	79%
2000	$2,441,398	$1,671,555	$280,043	$489,800	28%	72%
2002	$172,859	$124,059	$32,000	$16,800	11%	88%
TOTAL	$5,770,470	$3,386,410	$1,146,722	$1,237,338	27%	73%

NOTE: Soft money contributions were not publicly disclosed until the 1991-92 election cycle. 
*Based on FEC data downloaded 11/1/01.

Top Congressional Recipients 
of Enron Contributions, 1989-2001*

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Contributions to Current Members of Congress, 1989-2001*

SENATE	#  of Members	Average Contribution	Total Contributions
Democrats	29	$3,811	$110,513
Republicans	41	$10,182	$417,480
Independent	1	$2,500	$2,500
TOTAL	71	$7,472	$530,493

HOUSE	#  of Members	Average Contribution	Total Contributions
Democrats	71	$3,622	$257,140
Republicans	117	$2,960	$346,348
TOTAL	188	$3,210	$603,488

Top Presidential Recipients 
of Enron Contributions, 1989-2001*

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Name	Total
George W. Bush (R)	$113,800
Bob Dole (R)	$95,650
Al Gore (D)	$13,750
George H. W. Bush (R)*	$13,000
Bill Clinton (D)	$11,000

NOTE: Totals do not include the 1988 election cycle, when George H.W. Bush first ran for president. 
 *Based on FEC data downloaded 11/1/01.

[dead]

Most of these folks received round-numbered contributions and yet Gary Condit received $1,041. Wonder why?

That’s what it costs to rent an industrial wood chipper for the weekend.

[angkor]

I was wondering about Clay Shaw, Jr.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Where is the $100,000 given to the DNC by Enron in November?????? AFTER the President's team rebuffed ENron's plea for a bailout.

[3catsanadog]

Thank you for listing this. I wrote on another post that I had read somewhere recently that Enron contributed funds to Democrats also. I rest my case!

[princess leah]

THe $100,000 was bribe money by the DNC to Enron, "we know you're going belly up...contribute to our cause and we'll nail Bush"

[Ditto]

A total of $5 million over 12 years spread over 250+ politicians does not sound like a lot of money somehow.