Amgen, AstraZeneca and Their Lobbyists Were Lead Givers to Baucus' Warchest

(MoneyWatch)  Amgen, PhRMA and their lobbyists gave more money to congressmen than any other drug companies, according to an investigation by the Center for Responsive Politics.

The CRP found a new pattern, in which lobbyists make the same donations to politicians' campaign warchests that their clients do, thus enhancing their influence:

61 members of Congress -- 39 in the Senate, 22 in the House -- got money from 10 or more outside lobbyists whose clients also contributed to their campaigns.

Leading the pack was Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who is the author of the healthcare reform bill and chair of the committee that controls it. The CRP:

From January 2007 through June 2009, Baucus collected contributions from 37 outside lobbyists representing PhRMA, the pharmaceutical industry's chief trade association, and 36 lobbyists who listed drug maker Amgen Inc. as their client.

PhRMA and Amgen were the organizations with the most outside lobbyists chipping in with extra contributions. Some 32 members of Congress got money from 10 or more PhRMA lobbyists over the last two-and-a-half years. Amgen's lobbyists did the same for 24 members.

... Behind them were Roche Holdings, with 16 members, Pfizer Inc. with 13, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield with 11.

The CRP has produced a highly amusing "Wheel of Healthcare Contributions" (above, click to enlarge).

• Among the givers to Baucus's re-election campaign are:
• Amgen: $111,049
• PhRMA: $88,899
• AstraZeneca: $56,799
• Pfizer: $41,700
• Merck: $61,400
• J&J: $32,250

Previous coverage of lobbying by the pharma industry:

• Sanofi Also Linked to FreedomWorks, Group That Urged Healthcare Town Hall Disruptions; Armey Quits DLA Piper
• BMS, DLA Piper Distance Selves From Healthcare Town Hall Disruptions
• UPDATED: BMS Funded Anti-Reform Group But Its Execs Keep Health Coverage After Layoffs
• The Dog Ate My Homework: Medicines Co. Lobbied Against Deadlines, Not Healthcare Reform
• UPDATED: BMS Had $400M Motive to Use Healthcare Town Hall Rioters
• Claim: BMS, The Medicines Co., Funded Healthcare Town Hall Riot Group
• Amgen, GSK Lobby on Healthcare as Execs Enjoy Luxury Benefits
• As Lilly, Pfizer Lobby Against Obama Healthcare Plan, Their Execs Enjoy Gold-Plated Coverage
• Pharma Lobbying Money: Who's Spending What Fighting Healthcare Reform
• Lilly, Pfizer and AstraZeneca Jockeying for Position on Healthcare Reform
• Lilly CEO Lechleiter and PhRMA's Boogeyman: a "Government-Run Plan"
• Claim: AstraZeneca CEO Brennan's Pay Too High; Spends Too Much on Lobbying
• Drug Makers Gave Lobbyists an Xmas Gift -- Millions More to Lobby Obama Administration