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.
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| 2 | Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Washington, DC Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology lobbying group 552 donations: 203 to candidates, 311 to ballot measures and 38 to parties |
|
$71,608,063 |
| 1 | Stephen L. Bing, Los Angeles, CA Screenwriter and movie producer 56 donations: 23 to candidates, 19 to ballot measures and 14 to parties |
|
$52,500,782 |
| 8 | Philip Morris USA Inc., Richmond, VA Tobacco company 364 donations: 286 to candidates, 67 to ballot measures and 11 to parties |
|
$39,553,382 |
| 10 | Aera Energy, Bakersfield, CA Energy company (oil, natural gas) 33 donations: 0 to candidates, 33 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$33,435,243 |
| 11 | R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, NC Tobacco company 354 donations: 251 to candidates, 84 to ballot measures and 19 to parties |
|
$25,850,024 |
| 12 | United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria, Auburn, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 140 donations: 100 to candidates, 33 to ballot measures and 7 to parties |
|
$21,886,982 |
| 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 |
| 15 | Clean Energy Fuels Corp., Seal Beach, CA Energy company (natural gas, alternative fuels) 32 donations: 13 to candidates, 17 to ballot measures and 2 to parties |
|
$18,894,800 |
| 16 | League of California Cities, Sacramento, CA Lobbying group 109 donations: 0 to candidates, 109 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$16,541,585 |
| 19 | Edison International, Rosemead, CA Energy company 90 donations: 61 to candidates, 7 to ballot measures and 22 to parties |
|
$14,503,204 |
| 3 |
Charles T. Munger Jr., Palo Alto, CA
Physicist at Stanford University
60 donations: 25 to candidates, 25 to ballot measures and 10 to parties
|
|
$14,093,488 |
| 25 | California Association of Public Hospitals & Health Systems, Oakland, CA Trade association 215 donations: 54 to candidates, 153 to ballot measures and 8 to parties |
|
$11,077,454 |
| 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 |
| 30 | Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Los Angeles, CA Energy company (oil, natural gas) 249 donations: 239 to candidates, 9 to ballot measures and 1 to parties |
|
$9,978,000 |
| 5 | Peter V. Sperling, Phoenix, AZ University of Phoenix 24 donations: 13 to candidates, 7 to ballot measures and 4 to parties |
|
$9,155,000 |
| 35 | Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Brooks, CA Tribal government with gaming interests 51 donations: 38 to candidates, 10 to ballot measures and 3 to parties |
|
$8,341,241 |
| 37 | Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA Environmental advocacy group 55 donations: 0 to candidates, 55 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$7,988,856 |
| 8 |
Henry T. Nicholas III, Newport Coast, CA
Broadcom semiconductor company
7 donations: 1 to candidates, 6 to ballot measures and 0 to parties
|
|
$7,501,406 |
| 10 |
Thomas Steyer, San Francisco, CA
Investment management
12 donations: 6 to candidates, 5 to ballot measures and 1 to parties
|
|
$6,144,400 |
| 48 | National Education Association, Washington, DC Labor union 8 donations: 0 to candidates, 8 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$6,135,888 |
| 11 | James E. Holman, Coronado, CA Publishing 74 donations: 9 to candidates, 65 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$5,151,586 |
| 13 | Robert "Bob" W. Wilson, Brooklyn, NY Investor 5 donations: 0 to candidates, 5 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$4,000,100 |
| 14 |
Vinod Khosla, Portola Valley, CA
Venture capital
21 donations: 13 to candidates, 6 to ballot measures and 2 to parties
|
|
$3,982,418 |
| 15 | William A. Robinson Business executive 20 donations: 9 to candidates, 9 to ballot measures and 2 to parties |
|
$3,843,850 |
| 17 |
Rob Reiner, Los Angeles, CA
Entertainment
84 donations: 38 to candidates, 39 to ballot measures and 7 to parties
|
|
$3,452,200 |
| 19 |
Robert N. Klein II, Fresno, CA
Real estate investment
32 donations: 16 to candidates, 15 to ballot measures and 1 to parties
|
|
$3,144,964 |
| 20 | Ann Howland Doerr, Woodside, CA Environmental advocacy group 34 donations: 25 to candidates, 6 to ballot measures and 3 to parties |
|
$3,137,425 |
| 21 |
George Soros, Westchester, NY
Investment management
8 donations: 1 to candidates, 7 to ballot measures and 0 to parties
|
|
$3,035,000 |
| 23 |
Jerry L. Keenan, Fair Oaks, CA
Auto insurance
36 donations: 7 to candidates, 29 to ballot measures and 0 to parties
|
|
$2,848,866 |
| 29 |
Bruce E. Harrington, Newport Beach, CA
15 donations: 2 to candidates, 13 to ballot measures and 0 to parties
|
|
$1,989,258 |
| 35 | Wendy Schmidt, Atherton, CA Schmidt Family Foundation 8 donations: 4 to candidates, 4 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$1,580,900 |
| 43 |
Sergey Brin, Los Altos, CA
Google
4 donations: 0 to candidates, 4 to ballot measures and 0 to parties
|
|
$1,400,000 |
| 45 | Michele Singer Reiner, Beverly Hills, CA Entertainment, social activism 5 donations: 2 to candidates, 3 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$1,326,400 |
| 47 | Brian L. Harvey, Los Angeles, CA Real estate 20 donations: 9 to candidates, 11 to ballot measures and 0 to parties |
|
$1,300,420 |
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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