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Washington, D.C. — Government watchdog Accountable.US released a new analysis finding that in August 2021 alone, the moderate Democrats holding up the reconciliation process, Sens. Sinema, Manchin, and U.S. Reps. Cuellar, Gonzalez, Gottheimer, Schrader, Murphy, banked over $150,000 in campaign donations from corporate interests — including those that are helping lead business groups opposing the bill. 

“Corporate money cannot be allowed to pollute this process. Moderate Democrats have a rare opportunity to deliver life-changing investments that will lower health and childcare costs and create good jobs for so many of their constituents,” said Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US. “It would be devastating to the economy to squander this opportunity by insisting rich special interests get what they want. There’s overwhelming public support for levelling the playing field by making big businesses finally pay their fair share, and that’s exactly what these lawmakers should do.” 

Last week, an Accountable.US analysis found that Senator Sinema — who has recently threatened to “derail” the reconciliation bill — has also taken at least $923,000 from the industry groups leading the lobbying blitz against the Build Back Better agenda, or from the individual corporations these groups represent. 

KEY POINTS FROM THE REPORT:  

  • Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s donors in August included Raytheon, AES corporation, and New York Life Insurance Co., companies whose CEOs are members of the Business Roundtable. The group has called the reconciliation bill “troubling” and has prepared to make a “significant multifaceted campaign” against the tax increases in the plan.
     
  • Senator Joe Manchin accepted campaign donations from Aflac, The International Paper Company, New York Life Insurance Co., and Marathon Petroleum. Aflac, The International Paper Company, and New York Life Insurance Co. all have executives who are members of the Business Roundtable, which opposes the bill’s tax increases. An executive at Marathon is a member of the board at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), which is lobbying against the package.
     
  • Rep. Henry Cuellar accepted contributions from Trinity Industries, the president of which serves on NAM’s board, and from Caterpillar, which’s chairman and CEO is a member of the Business Roundtable. Both business groups oppose the reconciliation package.
     
  • Rep. Vincente Gonzalez took contributions from Caterpillar, which’s chairman and CEO is a member of the Business Roundtable, a group that is fighting the tax increases in the bill.
     
  • Rep. Josh Gottheimer accepted campaign donations from Honeywell International, Pfizer, Bayer, and Delta Airlines. Honeywell’s president is a member of NAM’s board; Bayer and Pfizer are both part of PhRMA, which opposes the bill; and Delta’s CEO is a member of the Business RoundTable.
     
  • Rep. Kurt Schrader accepted donations from Aflac, which’s CEO is a member of the Business Roundtable, and from Teva Pharmaceuticals, which is a member of PhRMA—both opponents of the bill.
     
  • Rep. Stephanie Murphy accepted donations from Oracle, which’s CEO is a member of the Business Roundtable and UPS, which is part of the Rate Coalition, a group that was preparing a “seven-figure” ad campaign against the reconciliation bill. 

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