Update on Rockefeller’s Telecom Contributions
As I mentioned earlier, we have been heads-down all day researching political donations to Sen. Jay Rockefeller. Based on the Federal Election Commission’s records, Rockefeller received substantially more money in 2007 from the telecom industry than in 2006 as was reported here last week and in the Times today. However, I have a problem with the data provided by the FEC, and do not want to roll out all the details until I know the information provided by the FEC is applicable and credible. However, this is the big picture of what I am seeing.
According to the FEC’s reporting system for the 2007 - 2008 cycle, Rockefeller has received $2,915,542 in total contributions this year. Most of that is broken down into “Individual Contributions” and “Non-Party (e.g. PACs) or Other Committees”. More specifcially Individual Contributions total $1,558,067 and PAC totals $840,798. When those contributions are broken down by each contribution, the record reflects Rockefeller received $223,500 from the telecommunications industry this year, but the FEC has many of those contributions with a record date from prior years — some as far back as 2001. Either those records are wrong or there is some screwball accounting practice they are employing, for whatever reason, to officially apply the contributions to 2007 - 2008 cycle.
Maybe they are applying the same principle as Rockefeller intends to do with the telecom companies. He gives them retroactive immunity and the FEC is applying retroactive accounting for his contributions.
If I extract all contributions that have a record date prior to 2007, Rockefeller has received $106,000 in telecom related donations, but at the moment I can’t say which amount is correct.
For now let’s assume the $106,000 is reasonably accurate. That’s certainly enough to get his attention and make him think twice about handing out get out of jail free cards.
More later.
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