Obama’s affiliations speak louder than his words

Throughout the Presidential primary Senator Barack Obama has been claiming that he is going to bring “Change” to Washington.  

One argument he uses is his refusal to take contributions from lobbyists or Political Action Committees (PAC’s). His campaign web site states, “A High Standard: Unlike other candidates Obama’s campaign refuses to accept contributions from Washington lobbyists and political action committees.”  

Obama’s web site goes on to tout his “Plan to Change Washington” by saying “I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists — and won. They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president.”

He has consistently criticized his primary opponent Senator Hillary Clinton for taking contributions from lobbyists and PAC’s, as pointed out by the Boston Globe. Obama’s campaign put up an ad on YouTube to emphasize the point.  The ad attempts to tie contributions to political favors from elected officials.  

The ad concludes with the following text, "We can't end the Washington game until we change the players." In this “game” as Obama describes it there are two teams…the lobbyists and PAC’s…and the recipients of their largess. 

Senator Obama is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). The CBC is comprised of African American Members of Congress from the House and Senate and has several additional entities which include the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and its subsidiary the CBC Spouses. Senator Obama’s wife Michelle is a member of the CBC Spouses.   

Obama has consistently played down any relationship he has with lobbyists. However, research by MajorityAP.com shows a different story. As reported by MajorityAP.com  in June of 2007 the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses held a fundraising golf tournament on June 24 – 25, 2007 at the Four Diamond Award-winning Lansdowne Resort in Virginia, “Pledging the attendance of nearly a dozen member of Congress – including the Chair of the House ethics committee – the charitable foundation of the Congressional Black Caucus has been soliciting contributions of up to $80,000 from Washington, DC, lobbyists for its annual golf tournament …” Photo number 73 from this event on the CBC Foundation web site shows sponsors for this event. It lists lobbying firms, pharmaceutical and energy companies as well as several other organizations. 

Just one month later MajorityAP.com reported on another CBC event that targeted lobbyists for contributions to an Annual Legislative Conference. “In an e-mail solicitation widely distributed to Congressional lobbyists, Elsie Scott, President and CEO of the CBC Foundation, is asking for ‘a minimum purchase of a $10,000 Silver Table for the Annual Awards Dinner,’” which was held on September 26 - 29 at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center. “Scott promised to have the ‘42 members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) join with key political, business and civic leaders,’ and notes the event ‘is a well-chosen moment for bringing together businesses and savvy consumers.’" Photos number 28 and 50 from this event on the CBC Foundation web site show Senator Obama in attendance and smiling with guests.  

As they have done for several years the CBC Spouses are holding a fundraising golf tournament. It will be held on June 21 – 22, 2008 at the Four Diamond Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, Virginia. Sponsorships are being solicited for the event range from $5,000 to $100,000. A review of the tournament committee shows Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the Chairwoman of the House of Representatives Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (sometimes referred to as the Ethics Committee) as Co-chair.  The other Co-chair is a member of the CBC Spouses organization. The remainder of the committee lists several lobbyists and their organizations.  

The promotional page for the CBC Foundations 2008 Annual Legislative Conference being held September 24-27 at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center shows a photo of Senator Obama and lists pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly as the premier sponsor, a privilege that cost them $500,000. Additional sponsorships are available for this event starting at $500 and going to $300,000. 

There is ongoing financial interaction between lobbyists and the CBC organizations of which the Obama’s are members. 

As with lobbyists Obama has continually railed against Senator Clinton for taking contributions from PAC’s. While his Presidential campaign has not taken PAC contributions the same cannot be said for many who support him. 

So far Obama has accepted the endorsement of 95 Members of the House of Representatives (listed below).  

Every one of the members of the House of Representatives who are supporting Obama has taken PAC contributions - from a low of $63,500 to over $1,000,000. The list below shows the contributions these members have received from PAC’s so far this election cycle.

Combined these Members of Congress have taken in a total of $36,414,843 from Political Action Committees.  

As Obama said in his YouTube ad "We can't end the Washington game until we change the players."

If Senator Obama gets his way and “change[s] the players” it looks like he will be playing in an empty sandbox.

United States House of Representatives