1998 Union PAC Report

National Legal and Policy Center

Organized Labor Accountability Project

The Top 20 from the Top 20 of 1998

www.nlpc.org

INTRODUCTION

This study analyzes the political activity of the 20 largest union and labor organization political action committees (PACs) in the 1997-98 election cycle. The Top 20 Union PACs were ascertained by the amount of total disbursements this cycle. This study examined every contribution given to federal candidates for U.S. House and U.S. Senate by the Top 20 Union PACs from January 1, 1997 to August 31, 1998. In all, 20 months of 20 unions or 400 months of data. There are five categories of recipients to increase the information's usability: (1) Top 20 House Recipients, (2) Top 20 Senate Recipients, (3) Top 20 House Incumbent Recipients, (4) Top 20 House Challenger Recipients, and (5) Top 20 Republican Recipients. The data source for this study is the Federal Election Commission, 999 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20463.

This study looks at union PACs only. That means all this money was voluntarily contributed to the Top 20 Union PACs. Mandatory union dues are not directly reflected in this study. However, since most union PACs have substantial overhead cost subsidized by their connected union or labor organization, mandatory union dues do aid union PACs in these political activities. The sums in this study, although large, are a small fraction of political activity, such as “soft money” and field workers, that is legally undertaken by unions directly -- without the strict PAC reporting requirements.

Purpose
With the heavy involvement of unions and labor organizations in the 1996 election, this study seeks to answer a basic question: Which candidates are top union PACs investing in this election?

Key Points Learned from this Study

Power Begets Power. Top Democratic party leaders, such as Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (SD) and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (MO-03), made their respective Top 20 lists with ease.

Special Election Candidates Double Their Pleasure. Candidates who are on this November's ballot and won special elections during this cycle topped the House list. Rep. Lois Capps (CA-22) led all recipients with $222,900 from the Top 20 Union PACs.

Vulnerable Incumbents Mostly Freshmen. Most of the vulnerable incumbents that the union PACs are trying to protect are first-term members of both houses. Notable exceptions are Sen. Harry Reid (NV), Rep. Neil Abercrombie (HI-1) and Rep. Lane Evans (IL-17) which leads to the deduction that these three long-time incumbents are in serious trouble.

Unions Favor Democrats. No surprise here. Not one Republican made it on to any of the Top 20 lists for the House. Only Sen. Arlen Specter (PA) was able to eke out a 19th place finish on the Top 20 Senate list. Thus the inclusion of a separate Top 20 Republican list.

To see more Analysis of this study's results click here.

About NLPC
This study is part of NLPC's Organized Labor Accountability Project which is investigating and exposing corruption and abuses in the Teamsters, LIUNA, AFL-CIO and other labor organizations. NLPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation promoting ethics and accountability in government through research, education and legal action. NLPC was a plaintiff in the lawsuit which succeeded in opening the records of Hillary Rodham Clinton's Health Care Task Force. For more information on NLPC's Misson click here.

To see the Methodology of how this study was conducted click here.

To return to the index of The Top 20 from the Top 20 study click here.