Money, Wine & Politics: The Wholesalers’ Moneybags

Posted by Tom Wark on Mar 30, 2006

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No single wine related organization in America contributes more money to political campaigns than the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association. A national association representing 90% of America’s wine wholesalers, WSWA is a strong and powerful proponent not just for its members across the United States but for the entrenched three-tier system.

WSWA has been instrumental in crafting and delivering the message that minors can and are put in danger by direct shipping to consumers. WSWA was instrumental in getting passed in Congress the 21 Amendment Enforcment Act that allowed State Attorneys Generals to prosecute winemakers in Federal Court. WSWA has promoted front organizations that claim to be "citizens group" opposing direct shipping because it would harm kids. WSWA’s CEO and Executive Director, Juanita Duggan, formerly represented elements of the Big Tobacco as well as Big Chemical. Recently, WSWA has wieghed in via the media on varioius state battles over direct shipping and the rights of wineries to self distribute.

Clearly, WSWA’s primary strategy to gain access to the political process as well as to influence legislation is via campaign contributions.

Since 1998, WSWA has contributed $2.84 million to candidates for federal office and other PACs.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FEDERAL CANDIDATES & PACS
FROM WSWA BY ELECTION CYCLE
1998: $305,701
2000: $400,677
2002: $658,973
2004: $913,018
2006: $571,914

The current 2006 election cycle is far from over, meaning the 2006 number cited above is likely to increase. However, WSWA has been busy donating to federal candidates during 2005 and 2006. WSWA tends to give more donations to Republican candidates. For the 2006 campaign cycle, WSWA has bestwoed 73% of their donation upon Republican candidates.

Contributions by WSWA to federal candidates and PACs in 2005 and 2006..
(Sorted By Amount)

RNC Joint Candidate Committee, Washington, DC    $35,000
Republican National Committee, Washington, DC    $15,000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm, Washington    $7,500
Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm, Washington    $7,500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt    $7,500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt    $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm, Washington    $7,500
National Republican Congressional Comm, Washington    $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm, Washington, D    $7,500
National Republican Senatorial Comm, Washington, D    $7,500
America’s Foundation, Washington, DC    $5,000
American Success PAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
ARMPAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
Cantor For Congress, Richmond, VA    $5,000
Congressional Majority Committee, Alexandria, VA    $5,000
Eric PAC, Richmond, VA    $5,000
Freedom Project, Washington, DC    $5,000
Friends Of Kent Conrad, Bismarck, ND    $5,000
Friends Of Kent Conrad, Bismarck, ND    $5,000
Friends Of Robert C Byrd Comm, Washington, DC    $5,000
Glacier PAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
Great Plains Leadership PAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
Hatch Election Committee, Salt Lake City, UT    $5,000
HAWKEYE PAC, Des Moines, IA    $5,000
Hoosiers Supporting Buyer For Congress, Monticello    $5,000
Hoosiers Supporting Buyer For Congress, Monticello    $5,000
House Conservatives Fund, Arlington, VA    $5,000
KOMPAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
National Leadership PAC, New York, NY    $5,000
New Republican Majority Fund, Alexandria, VA    $5,000
Pryce Project, Alexandria, VA    $5,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC    $5,000
RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC    $5,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY    $5,000
Searchlight Leadership Fund, Washington, DC    $5,000
Senate Majority Committee, Washington, DC    $5,000
Talent For Senate Exploratory Committee, St Louis,    $5,000
TOMPAC, Arlington, VA    $5,000
Trent Lott For Mississippi, Jackson, MS    $5,000
Victory In November Elections PAC, Washington, DC    $5,000
VOLPAC, Nashville, TN    $5,000
CPC-PAC, Washington, DC    $4,000
Hastert For Congress Committee, Batavia, IL    $4,000
Jon Kyl For U S Senate, Phoenix, AZ    $4,000
Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA    $4,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA    $4,000
Prosperity PAC, Alexandria, VA    $4,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX    $4,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX    $4,000
Restore America Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA    $3,500
Friends Of Craig Thomas, Casper, WY    $3,000
Honorable John Ensign, Las Vegas, NV    $3,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA    $3,000
Trent Lott For Mississippi, Jackson, MS    $3,000
CAMPAC, Midland, MI    $2,500
David Scott for Congress, Atlanta, GA    $2,500
Freedom Project, Washington, DC    $2,500
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL    $2,500
Friends Of Mark Foley For Congress, Chantilly, VA    $2,500
Friends Of Rahm Emanuel, Chicago, IL    $2,500
Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA    $2,500
Kentucky PAC, Louisville, KY    $2,500
LINC-PAC, Washington, DC    $2,500
LINC-PAC, Washington, DC    $2,500
Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA    $2,500
MINT PAC, Alexandria, VA    $2,500
NELSON 2006, Washington, DC    $2,500
NEW PAC, Visalia, CA    $2,500
Reform PAC, McLean, VA    $2,500
Senate Victory Fund, Alexandria, VA    $2,500
The Bluegrass Committe, Washington, DC    $2,500
The Bluegrass Committe, Washington, DC    $2,500
The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA    $2,500
The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC    $2,500
Whitfield For Congress Comm, Hopkinsville, KY    $2,500
Whitfield For Congress Comm, Hopkinsville, KY    $2,500
Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA    $2,000
Blackburn for Congress, Franklin, TN    $2,000
Chris Chocola For Congress Inc, South Bend, IN    $2,000
Dreier For Congress Committee, Upland, CA    $2,000
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT    $2,000
Friends of Mike Sodrel, Jeffersonville, IN    $2,000
Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO    $2,000
HALPAC (Help America’s Leaders PAC), Washington, D    $2,000
Hatch Election Committee, Salt Lake City, UT    $2,000
Jon Kyl For U S Senate, Phoenix, AZ    $2,000
Mchenry For Congress, Cherryville, NC    $2,000
Mike Ferguson For Congress, Red Bank, NJ    $2,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA    $2,000
Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai    $2,000
Rogers For Congress, Brighton, MI    $2,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA    $2,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA    $2,000
Sue Myrick For Congress, Charlotte, NC    $2,000
TENN PAC, Alexandria, VA    $2,000
Texas Freedom Fund, Alexandria, VA    $2,000
Trent Lott For Mississippi, Jackson, MS    $2,000
Western Action PAC, Alexandria, VA    $2,000
Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA    $1,500
Freedom Project, Washington, DC    $1,500
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT    $1,500
House Republican Campaign Committee of PA (HRCC),    $1,500
Re-elect Bobby Jindal, Metairie, LA    $1,500
Ted Poe For Congress, Humble, TX    $1,500
The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC    $1,500
Upton For All Of Us, St. Joseph, MI    $1,500
A Lot Of People Who Support Jeff Binga, Falls Chur    $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY    $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY    $1,000
Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY    $1,000
Ben Cardin For Congress, Baltimore, MD    $1,000
Berkley 2004, Las Vegas, NV    $1,000
Bill Nelson For U S Senate, Tallahassee, FL    $1,000
Bill Nelson For U S Senate, Tallahassee, FL    $1,000
Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg,
PA    $1,000
Bob Beauprez For Congress Committee, Wheatridge, C    $1,000
Bob Ney For Congress, St Clairsville, OH    $1,000
Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Brown-Waite For Congress, Brooksville, FL    $1,000
Burgess for Congress, HIGHLAND VILLAGE, TX    $1,000
Cantor For Congress, Richmond, VA    $1,000
Cardoza For Congress, Sacramento, CA    $1,000
Chandler For Congress, Lexington, KY    $1,000
Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA    $1,000
Charlie Melancon Campaign Committee Inc, Napoleonv    $1,000
Charlie Melancon Campaign Committee Inc, Napoleonv    $1,000
Chris Chocola For Congress Inc, South Bend, IN    $1,000
Coble For Congress, Arlington, VA    $1,000
Coble For Congress, Greensboro, NC    $1,000
Comm To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, LA    $1,000
Comm To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, LA    $1,000
Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY    $1,000
Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY    $1,000
Congressman Bart Gordon Comm, Murfreesboro, TN    $1,000
Cooper for Congress, Nashville, TN    $1,000
CPC-PAC, Washington, DC    $1,000
Crowley For Congress, Elmhurst, NY    $1,000
Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI    $1,000
Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI    $1,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm, Quincy, MA    $1,000
Delahunt For Congress Comm, Quincy, MA    $1,000
Demint For Senate Committee Inc, Greenville, SC    $1,000
Doris Matsui for US Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND    $1,000
Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND    $1,000
Engel For Congress, Bronxville, NY    $1,000
Friends For Cliff Stearns, Ocala, FL    $1,000
Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL    $1,000
Friends Of Craig Thomas, Casper, WY    $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA    $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA    $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA    $1,000
Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA    $1,000
Friends Of George Allen, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Friends Of John Conyers, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Friends Of John Peterson, Pleasantville, PA    $1,000
Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN    $1,000
Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN    $1,000
Friends of Mike Sodrel, Jeffersonville, IN    $1,000
Friends of Mike Sodrel, Jeffersonville, IN    $1,000
Friends Of Ray Lahood, Peoria, IL    $1,000
Hastert For Congress Committee, Batavia, IL    $1,000
Heartland Values PAC, Sioux Falls, SD    $1,000
Herseth For Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Honorable John Ensign, Las Vegas, NV    $1,000
Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD    $1,000
Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD    $1,000
Hudson Valley Victory Fund, Katonah, NY    $1,000
Hulshof For Congress, Columbia, MO    $1,000
Hulshof For Congress, Columbia, MO    $1,000
Inslee For Congress, Seattle, WA    $1,000
J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ    $1,000
JAZZPAC, Washington, DC    $1,000
Jim Ramstad Volunteer Comm, Minnetonka, MN    $1,000
Jim Ramstad Volunteer Comm, Minnetonka, MN    $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm, Washington, DC    $1,000
John D Dingell For Congress Comm, Washington, DC    $1,000
Keller For Congress, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Kenny Marchant For Congress, Carrollton, TX    $1,000
Larson For Congress, East Hartford, CT    $1,000
Lee Terry For Congress, Omaha, NE    $1,000
Lesley ‘Les’ Miller For Congress, Tampa, FL    $1,000
Lewis For Congress Committee, Redlands, CA    $1,000
Lieberman Committee, New Haven, CT    $1,000
Lieberman Committee, New Haven, CT    $1,000
Lincoln Diaz-Balart For Congress Committee, Coral    $1,000
Linder For Congress, Atlanta, GA    $1,000
Linder For Congress, Atlanta, GA    $1,000
Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Washington, DC    $1,000
Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Wausau, WI    $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA    $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA    $1,000
Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA    $1,000
Marion Berry For Congress, Jonesboro, AR    $1,000
Mark Udall For Congress Inc, Westminster, CO    $1,000
Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA    $1,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA    $1,000
McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA    $1,000
Mchenry For Congress, Cherryville, NC    $1,000
Menendez For Congress, Union City, NJ    $1,000
Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Moore For Congress, Lenexa, KS    $1,000
NELSON 2006, Washington, DC    $1,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA    $1,000
Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA    $1,000
Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA    $1,000
Otter For Idaho, Boise, ID    $1,000
Oxley For Congress, Findlay, OH    $1,000
Pearce For Senate, Hobbs, NM    $1,000
People For English, Erie, PA    $1,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA    $1,000
People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA    $1,000
Pete Sessions For Congress, Dallas, TX    $1,000
Pete Stark Re-Election Comm, Fremont, CA    $1,000
Phil PAC, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Price For Congress, Roswell, GA    $1,000
Rangel For Congress, New York, NY    $1,000
Rangel For Congress, New York, NY    $1,000
Re-elect Bobby Jindal, Metairie, LA    $1,000
Re-Elect Harold Ford Jr, Memphis, TN    $1,000
Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai    $1,000
Reed for Lieutenant Governor, Duluth, GA    $1,000
Renzi for Congress, Flagstaff, AZ    $1,000
Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY    $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm, Chevy Chase, MD    $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm, Chevy Chase, MD    $1,000
Richard E Neal For Congress Comm, Chevy Chase, MD    $1,000
Rocky Mountain PAC, Washington, DC    $1,000
Ron Lewis For Congress, Elizabethtown, KY &n
bsp; $1,000
Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI    $1,000
Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI    $1,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Santorum 2006, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Schakowsky For Congress, Evanston, IL    $1,000
Schultz Debbie Wasserman, Weston, FL    $1,000
Searchlight Leadership Fund, Washington, DC    $1,000
Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI    $1,000
Simpson For Congress, Blackfoot, ID    $1,000
Sue Kelly For Congress, Scarsdale, NY    $1,000
Sue Myrick For Congress, Charlotte, NC    $1,000
Team Emerson, Cape Girardeau, MO    $1,000
TENN PAC, Alexandria, VA    $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX    $1,000
Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX    $1,000
The Congressman Joe Barton Committee, Ennis, TX    $1,000
The Freedom Fund, Washington, DC    $1,000
The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA    $1,000
Thelma Drake for Congress, Virginia Beach, VA    $1,000
Tiahrt For Congress, Wichita, KS    $1,000
Tiahrt For Congress, Wichita, KS    $1,000
Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX    $1,000
Tom Feeney For Congress, Oviedo, FL    $1,000
Tom Feeney For Congress, Oviedo, FL    $1,000
Volunteers For Shimkus, Springfield, IL    $1,000
Walden For Congress, Hood River, OR    $1,000
Wally Herger For Congress Comm, Marysville, CA    $1,000
Weller for Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Weller for Congress, Washington, DC    $1,000
Westmoreland For Congress, Sharpsburg, GA    $1,000
Westmoreland For Congress, Sharpsburg, GA    $1,000
Charlie Crist Campaign Fund, Tallahassee, FL    $500
Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT    $500
Mccaul For Congress Inc, Austin, TX    $500