TARP Money Funded Massive Lobbying Expenditures in 2009
The top eight spenders in the financial industry alone spent nearly $30 million to lobby Capitol Hill last year, according to Nathaniel Popper of the Los
Jul 31, 2020299.3K Shares3.9M Views
The top eight spenders in the financial industry alone spent nearly $30 million to lobby Capitol Hill last year, according to Nathaniel Popper of the Los Angeles Times— a 13 percent overall increase from 2008. That overall increase was fueled by a 12 percent increase — to 6.2 million — at J.P. Morgan Chase alone, with Well Fargo increasing its lobbying expenditures 27 percent and Morgan Stanley spending 16 percent more than last year. All three banks received TARP money from the federal government.
Overall, lobbying expenses across Washington increased less than 5 percent in 2009— higher than the rate of inflation, certainly, but nearly half of the average yearly increase in spending seen during the last several years.
The financial sector’s increased commitment to Washington lobbying in 2009 was driven by multi-million dollar budget hikes in the commercial banking, credit union, credit card and venture capitalsectors. Meanwhile, securities and investment firmsposted a slight decline in their lobbying expenditures, as did private equitycompanies.
Those companies would undoubtedly insist — in compliance with the Byrd Amendment, which prohibits companies from spending money received from the federal government on lobbying — that there was a strict demarcation between corporate money and federal TARP funds. But when those TARP funds were used to keep the corporation afloat, it’s a paper-thin wall at best.
Paolo Reyna
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Paolo Reyna is a writer and storyteller with a wide range of interests. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.
Paolo enjoys writing about celebrity culture, gaming, visual arts, and events. He has a keen eye for trends in popular culture and an enthusiasm for exploring new ideas. Paolo's writing aims to inform and entertain while providing fresh perspectives on the topics that interest him most.
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