Timber Companies Donations to Political Parties Grow Lush
12/17/97
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Headline: Timber Companies Donations to Political Parties Grow Lush
Source: The Associated Press
Date: 12/17/97
Author: Karen Gullo
Copyright 1997 Associated Press This mmaterial may
not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright 1997 ABCNews and StarwaveCorporation This
material may not be published, broadcast,rewritten, or redistributed in
any form.
The Power of Political Cash
Timber Donations Grow Lush
W A S H I N G T O N, Dec. 17 - Timber
companies that will benefit from the expansion
of a federal subsidy program for building
logging roads made more than $8 million in
political contributions to candidates and the
two major political parties.
An analysis of federal election records
shows that the companies and a timber lobbying
group have given $5.6 million to individual
candidates through political action committees
since 1991 and contributed an additional $2.7
million in so-called soft money to the
Republican and Democratic parties over the
same period, the watchdog group Common Cause
said Tuesday
When Congress took up a proposal to do
away with the logging road subsidy, the
industry stepped up its contributions, the
study shows.
The timber industry gave $1.5 million in
soft money during the 1996 presidential
election cycle, triple what it gave in the
1992 election, and sank nearly $3 million into
lobbying expenses this year as the Senate
moved toward a decision on whether to
eliminate the logging road credit program.
The proposal was defeated in September. A
cap on how much credit the government can give
companies was also eliminated.
Under the program, the Forest Service
spent $40 million last year reimbursing timber
companies for building the roads. The
companies can use the credits to bid on timber
sales.
Boise Cascade Corp., which has received
nearly $19 million in subsidies since 1991,
gave more than $200,000 in political
donations, said Common Cause. Its study shows
that other timber companies receiving
subsidies gave also six-figure donations.
The big contributions helped the logging
industry gain leverage with lawmakers, said
Ann McBride, the group's president.
"What happened to the road credit program
in 1997 was an outrageous demonstration of the
power of big money on public policy," said
McBride.
Common Cause wants tighter rules for
political contributions and a ban on soft
money.
Soft money donations are unlimited
contributions from corporations and wealthy
donors that can be used for party-building
activities but not for individual candidate
support.