The Rainmakers: California's top political donors, 2001-2011
Lavishing their largesse on legislators and political committees alike, the largest donors to California politics spent $1.25 billion from 2001 through 2011. The group — 50 special interests and 50 wealthy individuals — spans the Golden State's social order. They are corporate leaders and venture capitalists, real estate developers and Hollywood scions. They are energy and tobacco companies, labor unions and tribal governments. Collectively, they shelled out a third of all the money given to campaigns in the state during the 11-year period. This data includes only contributions to candidates and ballot measure committees, not independent expenditure groups.
Fence Sitter
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| 3 | Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Francisco, CA Energy company (electricity, natural gas) 1,792 donations: 1,659 to candidates, 46 to ballot measures and 87 to parties |
|
$66,897,713 |
| 4 | Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, Temecula, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 1,182 donations: 1,054 to candidates, 47 to ballot measures and 81 to parties |
|
$52,597,794 |
| 5 | Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Cabazon, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 413 donations: 314 to candidates, 23 to ballot measures and 76 to parties |
|
$50,428,228 |
| 6 | Chevron Corp., San Ramon, CA Energy company (oil, gas and geothermal) 1,321 donations: 1,196 to candidates, 37 to ballot measures and 88 to parties |
|
$50,405,905 |
| 9 | Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Palm Springs, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 1,449 donations: 1,360 to candidates, 32 to ballot measures and 57 to parties |
|
$38,348,438 |
| 13 | Pala Band of Mission Indians, Pala, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 109 donations: 77 to candidates, 27 to ballot measures and 5 to parties |
|
$20,368,354 |
| 14 | Mercury General Corp., Los Angeles, CA Auto insurance 540 donations: 469 to candidates, 37 to ballot measures and 34 to parties |
|
$19,176,108 |
| 2 | Andrew Jerrold "Jerry" Perenchio, Los Angeles, CA Univision 121 donations: 63 to candidates, 19 to ballot measures and 39 to parties |
|
$16,927,588 |
| 18 | San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Highland, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 610 donations: 542 to candidates, 10 to ballot measures and 58 to parties |
|
$14,982,690 |
| 19 | Edison International, Rosemead, CA Energy company 90 donations: 61 to candidates, 7 to ballot measures and 22 to parties |
|
$14,503,204 |
| 23 | Pfizer Inc., New York, NY Pharmaceutical company 490 donations: 432 to candidates, 8 to ballot measures and 50 to parties |
|
$11,605,296 |
| 26 | GlaxoSmithKline, London, England Pharmaceutical company 727 donations: 701 to candidates, 7 to ballot measures and 19 to parties |
|
$10,945,786 |
| 27 | California Association of Realtors, Los Angeles, CA Trade association 1,466 donations: 1,273 to candidates, 81 to ballot measures and 112 to parties |
|
$10,667,811 |
| 29 | Merck & Co. Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ Pharmaceutical company 220 donations: 215 to candidates, 3 to ballot measures and 2 to parties |
|
$10,189,760 |
| 32 | AT&T, Dallas, TX Telecommunications company 3,383 donations: 3,174 to candidates, 18 to ballot measures and 191 to parties |
|
$9,829,843 |
| 33 | Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, El Cajon, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 302 donations: 249 to candidates, 14 to ballot measures and 39 to parties |
|
$8,717,457 |
| 34 | California Professional Firefighters, Sacramento, CA Labor union 2,708 donations: 2,313 to candidates, 233 to ballot measures and 162 to parties |
|
$8,653,027 |
| 39 | Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, Alpine, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 357 donations: 311 to candidates, 7 to ballot measures and 39 to parties |
|
$7,440,651 |
| 40 | California Building Industry Association, Sacramento, CA Trade association 2,268 donations: 2,139 to candidates, 34 to ballot measures and 95 to parties |
|
$7,319,368 |
| 42 | California Motor Car Dealers Association, Sacramento, CA Trade association 1,270 donations: 1,238 to candidates, 13 to ballot measures and 19 to parties |
|
$7,274,551 |
| 43 | Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA Pharmaceutical company 427 donations: 349 to candidates, 14 to ballot measures and 64 to parties |
|
$7,178,405 |
| 44 | California Dental Association, Sacramento, CA Trade association 1,742 donations: 1,606 to candidates, 10 to ballot measures and 126 to parties |
|
$6,958,908 |
| 45 | State Building & Construction Trades Council of California, Sacramento, CA Labor Union 1,194 donations: 1,080 to candidates, 30 to ballot measures and 84 to parties |
|
$6,806,799 |
| 46 | Sempra Energy, San Diego, CA Energy company 1,416 donations: 1,262 to candidates, 24 to ballot measures and 130 to parties |
|
$6,441,136 |
| 49 | Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, IN Pharmaceutical Company 668 donations: 647 to candidates, 4 to ballot measures and 17 to parties |
|
$5,706,051 |
| 12 |
Angelo K. Tsakopoulos, Sacramento, CA
AKT Development
70 donations: 59 to candidates, 3 to ballot measures and 8 to parties
|
|
$4,421,316 |
| 14 |
Vinod Khosla, Portola Valley, CA
Venture capital
21 donations: 13 to candidates, 6 to ballot measures and 2 to parties
|
|
$3,982,418 |
| 18 | William H. Lyon, Newport Beach, CA Home builder 160 donations: 127 to candidates, 13 to ballot measures and 20 to parties |
|
$3,450,243 |
| 28 |
Eli Broad, Malibu, CA
Real estate, retirement investment
116 donations: 83 to candidates, 22 to ballot measures and 11 to parties
|
|
$2,011,793 |
| 36 | William E. Oberndorf, San Francisco, CA Investment management 47 donations: 37 to candidates, 6 to ballot measures and 4 to parties |
|
$1,518,328 |
| 41 |
Frank E. Baxter
Investment management
143 donations: 110 to candidates, 13 to ballot measures and 20 to parties
|
|
$1,445,506 |
| 46 | Franklin P. Johnson Jr., Palo Alto, CA Venture capital 43 donations: 25 to candidates, 15 to ballot measures and 3 to parties |
|
$1,302,910 |
| 48 | Robert A. Day, Los Angeles, CA Investment management 60 donations: 39 to candidates, 10 to ballot measures and 11 to parties |
|
$1,298,607 |
| 49 | Donald G. Fisher, San Francisco, CA The Gap Inc. 64 donations: 47 to candidates, 14 to ballot measures and 3 to parties |
|
$1,279,642 |
Source: Contribution data from National Institute on Money in State Politics
Credits: Interactive by Michael Corey, Coulter Jones and Chase Davis. Reporting by Coulter Jones. Badge design by Thomas Guffey. Additional reporting by Stanford University students enrolled in a Communications Department investigative reporting class under the direction of California Watch Editorial Director Mark Katches. The project began in January 2011. Students participating were: Devin Banerjee, Daniel Bohm, Kathleen Chaykowski, Tom Corrigan, Cassandra Feliciano, Jamie Hansen, Amy Harris, Josh Hicks, Ellen Huet, Julia James, Paul Jones, Ryan Mac, Valentina Nesci, Dean Schaffer, Elizabeth Titus and Kareem Yasin. Bohm, Hansen, Huet, Harris and Titus continued to work on the project as California Watch interns under the direction of Associate Editor Denise Zapata.
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