Kentucky

From:

 

Anne Sherwood, Communications Specialist

National Institute on Money in State Politics

annes@statemoney.org    @MoneyInPolitics

Phone 406-449-2480

The Kentucky State Legislature is in full swing, and lawmakers are looking at controversial payday lending legislation. Although a final vote often gets the media attention, the real action occurs in legislative committee proceedings, where political donors and lobbyists do most of their work to influence legislation.



The Legislative Committee Analysis Tool (L-CAT) on FollowTheMoney.org displays legislative committee rosters alongside campaign donor data. This data mash-up provided by the National Institute on Money in State Politics and Project Vote Smart allows citizens to see which special interests have (or don?t have) political-donation relationships with lawmakers who sit on influential committees; committees that have the power to pass laws that directly affect these interests.



?Major legislative victories are won in the committees," said Edwin Bender, executive director of the National Institute on Money in State Politics, whose Web site is FollowTheMoney.org. "Powerful political players know that legislative committees are where they can affect legislation, good or bad, often with little public input. We are arming citizens with critical information that can be used to counter the well-heeled special-interest lobbyists."



For example, a quick glance at who contributed to the election campaigns of members of the Kentucky House Committee on Banking and Insurance illuminates some noteworthy facts. Contributors with strong economic ties to Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate gave $114,725 to committee members' campaigns, with the Kentucky Association of Realtors, and the Kentucky Bankers Association leading the giving.



Contributors with direct business connections to payday/title loans contributed $12,550 to elected officials in Kentucky.



Interested in other special-interest legislation being considered in Kentucky? FollowTheMoney.org displays who gave to Kentucky?s committee members.



The nonprofit, nonpartisan National Institute on Money in State Politics collects and analyzes campaign contribution information on state-level candidates, political party committees, and ballot committees. The data for all 50 states is nearly complete, with committee rosters in place. In coming weeks more states will be added to the list. Explore the free, searchable database of contributions online at FollowTheMoney.org and watch for more information on Kentucky as the legislative session continues.



 

 

Anne Sherwood, Communications Specialist

National Institute on Money in State Politics

annes@statemoney.org    @MoneyInPolitics

Phone 406-449-2480