Tech, Entertainment PACs Favoring Republicans in 2014 Campaign Cycle
Financial contributions of PACs for tech companies and entertainment groups are leaning Republican in this year's election cycle, according to OpenSecrets. But such PAC spending among House Judiciary IP Subcommittee members was split somewhat evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Many of the same companies, including Amazon, Facebook, Google and Yahoo, increased their federal lobbying spending in Q3 compared to the same period last year (see 1410220049).
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Both parties on the House Judiciary IP Subcommittee are “very much invested” on copyright issues, and the PAC “spending reflects that,” particularly Google's, said Casey Rae, Future of Music Coalition vice president-policy and education, in an interview.
Google’s NETPAC gave House Judiciary IP Subcommittee members $126,500, with $62,000 to Republican members and $64,500 to Democrats, said OpenSecrets. That included $10,000 to House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. Google also gave $10,000 each to Reps. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Darrell Issa, R-Calif. Some of the subcommittee Republicans that received larger sums from Google included Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, ($8,500); Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, ($5,000); and Ted Poe, R-Texas ($4,000). Subcommittee Vice Chairman Tom Marino, R-Pa., received $2,000 from Google. Outgoing Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble, R-N.C., received $1,000 from Google. Its overall House spending favored Republicans ($426,250) over Democrats ($398,000).
Google gave $10,000 each to House Judiciary IP Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and member Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. Google gave $5,000 each to House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, D-Mich., and subcommittee members Ted Deutch, D-Fla.; Karen Bass, D-Calif.; Cedric Richmond, D-La.; and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. Google also donated to subcommittee members Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. ($6,000); Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. ($4,000); and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas ($4,000). (See [Ref:1411030054] on Google’s executives' individual contributions.)
Google has been “trying to make some in-roads” with Republicans, because it has a “pro-business story to tell,” said Rae. Google’s PAC spending on behalf of Republicans shows that the company has a presence in Washington that has “matured,” he said.
House Republicans ($348,500) received more funding from Microsoft’s PAC than House Democrats ($294,500), said OpenSecrets. Microsoft gave both Goodlatte and DelBene $10,000. It also made sizable contributions to Jeffries ($8,500); Conyers ($7,500); Issa ($7,500); Nadler ($6,500); Marino ($5,500); Chaffetz ($5,000); and Lofgren ($5,000). House Judiciary IP Subcommittee member Jason Smith, R-Mo., received $6,000 from Microsoft.
Amazon’s PAC favored House Republicans ($64,500) over House Democrats ($41,500), OpenSecrets said. Amazon didn’t contribute to Goodlatte, but gave DelBene $3,500. Cohen and Conyers each received $3,000 from Amazon. Marino ($1,500) and Chaffetz ($1,000) also received funds from Amazon.
Facebook’s PAC donated $10,000 to Goodlatte and $7,500 to Lofgren, said OpenSecrets. Chu ($2,000); Nadler ($2,000); DelBene ($1,000); and Jeffries ($1,000) also received funds from Facebook. The social media company’s total House spending leaned Republican ($117,000) over Democrat ($95,000).
Yahoo’s PAC gave Lofgren $3,500, more than any other House member, said OpenSecrets. Yahoo gave Goodlatte $1,500. Bass ($1,000); Chu ($1,000); DelBene ($1,000); Jeffries ($1,000); Nadler ($1000); and Marino ($500) also received contributions from the Internet company. House Republicans ($23,800) barely edged out House Democrats ($21,000) in Yahoo’s overall House spending.
MPAA gave Goodlatte $5,500, said OpenSecrets. MPAA spent $2,000 more on House Republicans ($19,000) than House Democrats ($17,000) overall. House Judiciary IP Subcommittee member Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Chu each received $3,000 from MPAA. Conyers, DelBene and Nadler each received $2,000 from MPAA. Collins, DeSantis, Issa and Richmond each received $1,000 from MPAA; Bass received $1,500.
RIAA gave both Conyers and Goodlatte $5,000, said OpenSecrets. RIAA spent $5,000 more overall on House Republicans ($24,500) than House Democrats ($19,500). The music industry advocacy group contributed $4,000 to Holding and $3,000 to Jeffries. Bass, Collins, DeSantis and Nadler received $2,000 each. RIAA gave $1,000 each to Deutch, Issa, Richmond, Sensenbrenner, L. Smith and J. Smith.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce didn’t donate to any House Democrats, but gave House Republicans $104,925, OpenSecrets said. The chamber donated $4,175 to Goodlatte.