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from: Technology Daily

Telecom Sector Donates To Senate Commerce Chairman

By David Hatch

(Friday, May 12) Telecommunications, media and Internet conglomerates seeking regulatory relief from the Senate Commerce Committee are giving generously to the campaign coffers of panel Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.

The largesse is notable because Stevens, who is drafting the most comprehensive overhaul of telecom laws in a decade, is not up for re-election until 2008. "The election cycle never stops for an industry that cares about its business in Congress," said Massie Ritsch, a spokesman for the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics.

Commerce spokesman Aaron Saunders said it is "ludicrous" to suggest that Stevens shapes policy based on contributions. "Frankly, it's offensive," he said.

Stevens received $130,750 from the industry during the period covering 2005 and the first third of 2006 -- substantially more than he garnered from any other sector, according to the nonpartisan PoliticalMoneyLine. Top corporate benefactors included AT&T with $10,000 in donations, Time Warner with $8,000 and Sony Pictures with $8,000, according to Federal Election Commission data compiled by PoliticalMoneyLine.

CBS parent Viacom gave Stevens $6,500. The National Association of Broadcasters, ABC parent The Walt Disney Company, DirecTV, Fox parent News Corp., and the Recording Industry Association of America each donated $5,000. The contributions were made through political action committees that can give $5,000 per candidate for a primary and another $5,000 toward the general election.

Stevens is not the biggest money draw. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., up for re-election in 2006 and a potential presidential contender in 2008, attracted $237,032 in industry PAC donations, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.

The National Cable and Telecommunications Association, NAB, Siebel Systems and Verisign each gave Allen $10,000. PACs operated by Cisco Systems and Microsoft separately gave $9,000, followed by MCI with $8,000. MCI merged with Verizon Communications in January. News Corp. gave $8,000, AT&T gave $7,000, Verizon offered $6,000, and Yahoo donated $6,000.

The largesse does not extend to Senate Commerce ranking member Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii. He received $16,000 from the sector, with $10,000 from Siebel Systems.

Despite his outspokenness on communications issues, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., received no industry money. He is a former head of Senate Commerce. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., also did not receive corporate contributions. Neither faces re-election in 2006.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., whose seat is considered vulnerable this year, does not accept corporate dollars.

By contrast, the coffers of Senate Commerce members whose seats are being contested in November are brimming with tech money. Top recipients include Conrad Burns, R-Mont., with $201,831 and John Ensign, R-Nev., at $179,439.

Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, received $130,377. Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, drew $104,500 in PAC dollars from telecom and media players. Both are up for re-election, with DeWine in a close race against Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Some of the biggest benefactors are senators who hold ample sway but have minimal involvement on telecommunications, such as Rick Santorum, R-Pa., who is in a tough re-election battle. He raked in $150,500 from the sector.

Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., also facing re-election, received $101,100.