Comcast Doling Out Campaign Cash
All but three of the 11 New York lawmakers who sent a letter to the FCC recently urging the commission to approve Comcast's merger with NBC Universal received money this election cycle from Comcast's political action committee, and/or individuals who work for the company.
Reps. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., and Dan Maffei, D-N.Y., received the most with $6,000 each. Not far behind were Reps. Scott Murphy, D-N.Y. and Chris Lee, R-N.Y., who took in $5,500 and $5,000, respectively. Reps. Yvette Clark, D-N.Y., Michael McMahon, D-N.Y. and Mike Arcuri, D-N.Y. raked in $2,000 each and $1,000 went to Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., according to figures compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Those lawmakers who signed the letter but have not received campaign cash from Comcast this election cycle include Democratic Reps. Eliot Engel, Steve Israel and Edolphus (Ed) Towns.
House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., who sent a letter Monday to the FCC in support of the merger, received $7,500 from the media giant.
Comcast spreads its support widely. Since 2008, 385 members of Congress have received contributions from the company's PAC or employees - nearly three quarters of Congress. The top recipients of these donations were Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter, who represents Comcast's home state of Pennsylvania and hauled in more than $106,000, and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, home to NBC Universal. Schumer has received more than $38,000.
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