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Healthcare lobbyist bundles big bucks for key Senate Democrats' campaigns

By Kevin Bogardus - 10/25/09 02:59 PM ET

A vital player in the battle over healthcare reform raised the most campaign contributions for Senate Democrats so far this fall, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.

Ken Raske, president and CEO of the Greater New York Hospital Association, collected donations worth more than $152,000 for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) in September alone, according to the latest FEC reports.

Raske is an important voice in this year’s healthcare debate. His association, representing more than 300 not-for-profit and public hospitals in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, has spent more than a $1 million on federal lobbying in 2009 so far. Raske was also one of three hospital association representatives invited to the White House in May for a meeting with President Barack Obama and other administration officials to discuss healthcare reform.

After Raske, Al Cardenas of Miami-based law firm Tew Cardenas raised the most money among lobbyists this fall.

Cardenas, a former head of the Florida Republican Party, bundled more than $66,200 this fall for Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R), who is running for the Senate. Crist also collected more than $25,400 from Daniel Murphy of BG&R Group.

Under an ethics law Congress passed in 2007, politicians must report to the FEC lobbyists who have bundled money for their campaigns. A bundler is a person who collects political donations from others and then directs the funds to one candidate.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attracted the most money bundled by lobbyists in the third quarter.

Lobbyists including Tony Podesta of the Podesta Group, Paul DiNino of DiNino Associations, Linda Daschle, wife of ex-Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), and the political action committee for law firm DLA Piper raised a total of $100,100 for Reid, according to FEC reports.

Reid is expected to face a tough re-election bid in 2010. Recent polls have show Reid trailing two Republicans hoping to unseat him.

Senior Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.) also found backing among lobbyists this past quarter, collecting $81,750 in bundled contributions. PACs for Delta Airlines and stock exchange NASDAQ OMX as well as Zachary Williams of Cauthen Forbes & Williams raised money for Schumer. 

According to third quarter FEC reports, lobbyists and lobbyist-registered PACs also bundled checks for several other senators or Senate hopefuls. They raised $27,050 for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), $23,450 for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and $16,348 for Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), who is running for the Democratic nomination against Sen. Arlen Specter (D).


Source:
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/64655-healthcare-lobbyist-bundles-contributions-for-senate-dems
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Comments (7)

Want to lower healthcare costs? Increase SNAP food credit for diabetics and low income Americans on restricted diets: This would increase JOBS in the food industry, at the same time!BY Cindy Merrill on 10/25/2009 at 16:27
Imagine That! K streeters are on the job. What the FEC won't admit to is ,they hove NO total oversight power.Un documented transactions are not in their report.So, whoever wants to gamble can. Not that anybody would.BY GRO on 10/25/2009 at 17:17
The article just revealed what politicians we should not vote for. Remember, with this money, they are not representing us! OUT WITH ALL INCUMBENTS!!!!! !!!!!!!!BY George on 10/25/2009 at 19:05
it doesnt matter who raises the most money, the outragous amounts only pizz the rest of us off, how about donating your bundle to help people? the voter has the final word on who is elected, and considering the state of affairs right now, bringing in the most money may not be a good thing. its a waste since soo many people are out of work and losing their homes. its like you are just rubbing it in about how much money you can raise, why dont you have fund raisers for the people to get the money instead of a stupid campaign? its like waving a burger in front of a starving person and saying, look , i have food and you cant have any. the dems have got to go now. you may not like either candidate, but do you like the way the counry is heading? if not, then vote for a repub. or independent, just not a democrat.BY cargo65 on 10/25/2009 at 19:06
A non profit? I'll bet Soros is somewhere in the background. In Massachusetts there is a 38million dollar law suite by a hospital against the state because…the state owes them $38million. Aaa universal healthcare ain't it great?BY Susan on 10/25/2009 at 19:35
Isn't it time to get the crud out of Wahington DC. No wonder the dumbterds aren't listening to the people. Let's let His association, representing more than 300 not-for-profit and public hospitals in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, has spent more than a $1 million on federal go Bankrupt just like General Motors. We don't need this slobs running America.BY jake2 on 10/25/2009 at 19:56
* Russia to considering dropping dollar in bilateral China trade says RIA-Novisti, and of course the Chinese have been pushing all their trade partners to discuss abandoning the dollar. The oil producers want to say bye, bye, and the Euros are fed up with US deficits that - as is clear to everyone except the US Government - there is no intention of reducing leave alone ending. * Doubtless you have heard many times recently that the dollar is on life-support and few want to stick with it anyone. So okay, a shift to a new global currency, which will be a basket that will include the yuan and like the rouble aside from the usual suspects, is going to take time. But we should make no mistake: it is going to happen for the very simple reason the continuing decline in the dollar benefits no one except the US. And here, no secret, US has been borrowing abroad not to finance investment, but to finance consumption. Aint just you and me that's been living high on credit, US Government has too, in grand style. * As for as we are concerned, the death of the dollar cannot come soon enough. Yes, it will probably destroy the US economy for at least ten years, not least because interest rates on new debt will skyrocket and because US debt holders will dump dollars. The hardship will be great and widespread. This is not something the Editor is looking forward to in his sunset years. * But here is the good part: burying the dollar as the international medium of trade will dramatically catapult the United States and its citizens into the cruel, real world. We will have to drastically cut consumption, and to rebuild the dollar, we will have to run decades of budget surpluses. This will lay the foundation for a sound future for our children. * What will the death of the dollar mean for US national security? Great question. We've paid for Gulf II, Afghanistan, and the rest of the GWOT on borrowed money. We haven't raised taxes, because that would really upset the public, who wants to go first class in everything without paying the bill. So clearly we will have to raise taxes or cut back on defense. Though editor is a taxpayer, he will not get into the discussion one side or the other. If his taxes are raised, provided the Fat Cats are socked proportionately , he has no problem. if US decides it has to reduce its involvements overseas and reduce its forces, no problem. * Why is the Editor being bilious? Two reasons. First, he believes in America and he believes in a Pax Americana. But the basis of military power is economic power, and the Americans have been completely, 100% irresponsible in maintaining their economic strength. How can you stand up to the Arabs who are funding Al Qaeda and the Taliban when you depend wholly on their oil? How can you stand up to the Chinese when you rely on them to buy your debt? How can you confront Iran, knowing you as a nation are totally energy dependent - despite 35 years having passed from the 1970s oil shocks? The decline of the British Empire is directly correlated to the decline of Britain as an economic power and the rise of Germany, Japan, and the US. To be a debtor nation reliant on the most basic of commodities and now increasingly even intermediate manufactures and claim to be King of the Hill is absurd. * Second, the health care debate. Huh? What has health care to do with national security? Everything. It is all too clear that our America has no resolve to face the obvious: if you are going to insure everyone, you have to raise taxes. This business of cutting costs to pay for insuring everyone is a crock. You know it. I know it. So how will universal health care be paid for? Deficits, which will send us down the path of becoming a second class nation that much faster. * Please don't misunderstand. Editor supports universal health care. He supports rebuilding the national infrastructure. He wants the government to pour hundreds of billions each year into R and D. He wants school district funding equalized - which by the way will reduce the absurd real state prices in counties with good schools. He is all for the government spending the 3, 5, or whatever trillion needed to make us energy independent. * But this, you will say, means that taxes will have to return to the levels of the Kennedy years. * Exactly. * That extra money can come only at the expense of our consumption. To be the King of the Hill means you have to sacrifice. You cannot be a warrior and then make consumption the focus of your existance. * Easy for you to say, you will say sarcastically. You spend less than $50 a year on clothes, eat pasta for dinner every single night, don't smoke, drink, go to concerts, eat out, buy "antiques", always pack your own sandwich lunch, boast you have stepped inside a Starbucks twice in your life, one time to buy nothing, the other to buy a $1 pastry for which you reprimanded your self all week, keep the winter thermostat at 60 during the day and the heat off at night etc etc. * Okay, so Editor is a Puritan. Except in the matter of drooling and panting after women, but you do know that women cost big bucks, and its not the Editor is a miser, its he wants to leave his kids with as much as possible because who knows what future awaits them. * So go ahead and be a spendthrift. Object to higher taxes. But then resign yourself to living in what will soon become a second-class state. Editor has made his choice and his position clear. Rest is up to you.BY Lloyd C on 10/25/2009 at 21:28

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