In this week's newsletter: New committee chairs have found new supporters among political action committees, notably PACs affiliated with organizations that may have business before those congressional panels.

When he ran for re-election during the 2023-24 election cycle, Kentucky Republican Brett Guthrie raised $851,493 during the first nine months of his campaign.

Then he ascended to the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in January 2025 — and more than tripled his fundraising. 

And the amount of money he raised from political action committees — the vehicle that allows corporations and other special interests to help fund congressional campaigns — also grew, to $1.6 million between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 from $651,800 during the same period two years earlier, Federal Election Commission records show. That was more money from PACs than any other House candidate except Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

Guthrie isn’t alone. A look at congressional fundraising during the first six months of 2025 found several newly minted Senate and House chairs receiving checks from special interest PACs that had kept their checkbooks closed until the lawmakers got their hands on a gavel.

“It’s the obvious game of campaign contributions,” said Craig Holman, who lobbies on campaign finance issues for Public Citizen. “You make campaign contributions and expenditures to those who have direct influence over what policies you’re pursuing. That’s the influence peddling game at its rawest. This is the classic case of why campaign contributions really are legalized bribery.”

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That same level of clarity can also inform your future. In honor of National Estate Planning Awareness Week, we are sharing a free estate planning resource to help you protect what matters most.

By making or updating your will today, you can:

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Every day, we keep Americans informed about the role of money in politics to support a thriving democracy. This week, we hope to support your and your family with this estate planning information and free resources.

And if you have already included a gift to OpenSecrets in your estate plans let us know so we can thank you for your lasting support for our mission!

Want to know who’s funding the candidates and causes shaping our democracy? With OpenSecrets.org’s Donor Lookup, you can quickly and easily:

Whether you’re a concerned voter, journalist, researcher, or just a curious citizen, Donor Lookup puts transparency at your fingertips.

While Some Democrats Ditch AIPAC, Cory Booker Cashes In (Sludge)

Nevada local governments spent a record-breaking amount on lobbying in 2025 (The Nevada Independent)

Ballot proposals advance, aiming to get ‘dark money’ out of politics (WKAR)

Supporters are way ahead in fundraising for Newsom’s Prop. 50, but the race remains close (CalMatters)

The Real Lesson of the Shutdown: We Need Term Limits (The New York Times)

Incumbents routinely out-fund-raise their challengers by nearly insurmountable margins. In the 2024 election, according to data collected by OpenSecrets, PACs contributed more than $11 to congressional incumbents for every $1 they sent to challengers. 

Lobbying firms record 3rd quarter gains amid Trump policy shifts (Reuters)

Companies, trade groups and other entities have continuously spent more money on lobbying since 2016, according to non-profit group OpenSecrets, which compiles lobbying records. In 2024, companies spent more than $4.44 billion to lobby Congress and federal agencies.

Soros-backed prosecutor downplays reaction to Dem AG nominee's violent rhetoric as 'false outrage' (Reuters)

Soros Fund Management and Democracy PAC (separate from Democracy PAC II) are top multimillion-dollar donors to Justice and Public Safety PAC, according to OpenSecrets. (Fox News)

Time for Nonprofits to Generate Their Own Revenue for Political Power (Nonprofit Quarterly)

According to OpenSecrets, the top 20 lobbying industries in 2024 spent $2.8 billion to influence federal legislation. This does not include Super PACs and lobbying at the state and local levels. 

Behind in fundraising, Democrat calls for public financing of congressional campaigns (Hartford Courant)

Larson, who has served in Congress since winning a multi-candidate battle in 1998, has relied on money from corporate PACs for more than half of his campaign funds in the last five elections over the past 10 years, according to public records. That money includes contributions from committees operated by insurance, finance, real estate, health care, and defense interests, among others. Of the PAC money, about 85% is from business interests and about 12% from labor groups, according to OpenSecrets, which tracks political money for congressional candidates in all 50 states.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the OpenSecrets Merch Store! Now, you can support our mission while looking good doing it. Every purchase helps us provide comprehensive and reliable data, analysis and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens. 

Our collection — initially featuring a hoodie, crewneck, t-shirt and hat — is designed to spread awareness and make a difference. Whether you're treating yourself or finding the perfect gift, every item you buy helps fuel our cause. And every item in our store was manufactured by a certified ethical and “sweat-free” company.

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