August 3, 2023

Congressional leadership rakes in millions ahead of ‘most expensive election in history’

New fundraising totals lend insight into the $40 million congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have raised this cycle according to quarterly FEC filings.

Deep-pocketed dairy industry continues war on plant-based milk as FDA hears comments on new draft guidance

The FDA is working to finalize its recommendations about whether companies should be able to label plant-based beverages using dairy terms like “milk,” and dairy organizations have had a lot to say — and spend — on the issue. 

Shein’s lobbying spending soars amid supply chain probes

Amid scrutiny about possible forced labor in its supply chains, the fast-fashion retailer Shein more than doubled its lobbying spending last quarter spending $600,000 on federal lobbying during the second quarter of 2023. 

Planned Parenthood leads in federal lobbying spending among abortion-related groups

Despite a slight decrease in its federal lobbying spending from this time last year, Planned Parenthood has still outspent other abortion right groups and top spending anti-abortion rights groups in 2023.

Dive deeper into the data behind the headlines

This week's chart of the week comes from our story on congressional fundraising for the current election cycle. Five Democratic congressional leaders collectively have $19 million cash on hand, while the Republican leaders hold a whopping $47 million cash on hand. 

In the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) raised the most money, raking in $10.6 million in campaign funds this cycle and ending the quarter with $13 million cash on hand, an OpenSecrets’ review of FEC filings found. 

Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) raised $1.4 million this cycle and has the largest amount of cash on hand coming in at $17.8 million. Despite Thune’s massive amount of cash on hand, he is not up for reelection until 2028.

On the Democratic side of the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) raised about $768,000 from his campaign committee and leadership PAC, ending with $9.6 million cash on hand FEC filings show. Schumer is also not up for reelection until 2028 but has the most cash on hand compared to the other Democratic congressional leaders OpenSecrets reviewed.

See our media citations from outlets around the nation this week:

Who is the judge handling Trump’s initial court appearance? (New York Times)

Former President Donald J. Trump’s court appearance in Washington on Thursday, his first since he was indicted in the 2020 elections case, will be presided over by Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya. She donated at least $2,550 to political candidates, all Democrats, in the decade before her judicial appointment, according to OpenSecrets.

Long-shot Republican candidates spend millions on their own campaigns (The Guardian)

The TV doctor Mehmet Oz, who lost the 2022 race for Senate in Pennsylvania, funded more than half his campaign by himself, according to the non-profit OpenSecrets, which tracks campaign finance and lobbying.

The U.S. Clean-Energy Company That Hit the Subsidies Jackpot (Wall Street Journal)

During the first three months of this year, as the U.S. government considered green tax-credit details, the company spent $270,000 on lobbying—nearly 80% of its entire 2022 spend, according to data collated on OpenSecrets.org.

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