February 13, 2008 4:24 PM

Blue Dog Dems & Telecom Money

The Blue Dog Democrats in the House are threatening to vote with Republicans if they don't get legislation that grants the big telecom companies retroactive immunity. These twenty-one Dems have the power to derail the good, immunity-free House RESTORE Act.

We were wondering what sort of money these Dems have received from the telecom industry. I went through to identify the donors, though when there are multiple contributions from PACs, I'm just attributing it to the industry. I'm also not counting contributions from QWest, as they're the one telecom that we know refused Bush administration requests to provide records or wiretaps without court order.

• Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, D-Iowa (AT&T: $5,000)
• Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark. (Telephone Utilities: $11,300)
• Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark. (Telephone Utilities: $3,000, Telecom Services: $3,000)
• Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D. (Telephone Utilities: $2,000)
• Rep. Robert E. "Bud" Cramer, D-Ala. (AT&T: $4,000)
• Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill. (AT&T: $6,000, Telecom Services: $5,802)
• Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C. (AT&T: $4,000)
• Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. (Telephone Utilities: $6,000, Telecom Services: $1,000)
• Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla. (Telephone Utilities: $6,000)
• Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. (Telephone Utilities: $9,100, Telecom Services: $1,000)
• Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla. (Telephone Utilities: $3,000)
• Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn. (Telephone Utilities: $9,300, Telecom Services: $3,000)
• Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah (Telephone Utilities: $5,500, Telecom Services: $6,000)
• Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn. ($0 in 2008; $5386 in 2006)
• Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. (Telephone Utilities: $4,500)
• Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind. (Telephone Utilities: $10,500
• Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. (AT&T: $2,000)
• Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La. (Telephone Utilities: $8,000, Telecom Services: $3,000)
• Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan. (Telephone Utilities: $4,500, Telecom Services: $2,000)
• Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Pa. (Telephone Utilities: $3,000)
• Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio (Telephone Utilities: $3,000)

In total, the telecom industry as sent $134,502 to these twenty-one congressmen in the 2008 cycle alone. And keep in mind - it's early in the cycle and these numbers are likely to grow and the congressmen who've been in the House more than one term have received even more money than this.

The question is - will these Democrats take their telecom money and work with Republicans to give the big telecoms retroactive immunity? Or will they stand up for the rule of law and vote with their Democratic colleagues for legislation that doesn't include immunity?

Please take action and call the Blue Dogs today and ask them to oppose retroactive immunity.

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Matt Browner Hamlin helped lead the fight against telecom immunity as part of Senator Chris Dodd's presidential campaign. He has joined the CREDO Mobile team to stop the Bush administration's illegal wiretapping program and hold the telecom companies accountable for their lawbreaking.