The Congressmen who sent letters to the FCC condemning Net Neutrality received 2.3 times more campaign contributions from the cable industry than average. The analysis, conducted with Maplight's Congressional transparency tools, shows that Dems are cheaper to bribe than Republicans (GOP members received 5x the Congressional average from Big Cable; Dems only 1.2x) and shows what a chairmanship of a powerful committee is worth: Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), who chairs the FCC-overseeing Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, got $109,250 (the average congressscritter got $11,651).
29 Congresscritters own stock in Comcast, and Comcast is the 25th most-held stock in Congress.
The 28 representatives signing letters to the FCC against Title II reclassification of the internet as a public utility, a position allied with the cable industry, have received, on average, $26,832 from the cable industry, 2.3 times more money than the average for all members of the House of Representatives, $11,651.
Republicans signing the letters against Title II reclassification of the internet as a public utility have received, on average, $59,812 from the cable industry, 5 times more than the average for all members of the House, $11,651.
Democrats signing the letters against Title II reclassification of the internet as a public utility have received, on average, $13,640 from the cable industry, 1.2 times more times more than the average for all members of the House, $11,651.
Letter signer Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) has received more money from the cable industry than any other member of the House of Representatives: $109,250 over the last two years. Walden is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, which has jurisdiction over the FCC.
Top Five Recipients (Letter Signers) of Contributions from Cable Interests:
*
Greg Walden (R-Ore) has recieved $109,250*
Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has received $80,800*
John Boehner (R-Ohio) has received $75,450*
Fred Upton (R-Mich.) has received $65,000*
John Barrow (D-Ga.) has received $60,500Twenty-nine members of Congress own stock in Comcast, making Comcast the 25th most held stock among members of Congress. Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) owns more Comcast stock than any other member
Contributions to House Members Lobbying against Net Neutrality from Cable Interests [Pamela Behrsin/Maplight]
(via /.)
(Image: Winsor McCay, 1930, Alan Light, CC-BY)
