The Lobbyist's Web Around Watkins Abbitt: Part I

By: Mark
Published On: 11/4/2007 3:32:54 AM

The web of lobbyists orbiting Watkins Abbitt is complicated. He is surrounded by lobbyists whose clients have donated to his campaign. Keep reading for some fantastic coincidences.

The graphics in Part II, courtesy of Contributing Editor Lisa Blanton, make it easier to see the connections and the figures clearly in their context.

(Note: at each of these links, you can find where these companies donated their money during the cycle in question.)

These are the current clients of Madeline Abbitt. I am sure she represents them well. Notice Barr Laboratories and MedQuest. They are two of her biggest clients.

~Join me on the "flip" for much more.~
These are her clients for 2006 - 2007. Notice the heavy number of medical/medical supply clients. The list below was her registered clients for 2005 - 2006. Again, medical/medical supply companies dominate the list. Below is the amount of money taken by Watkins Abbitt for his reelection campaigns during the same years.
2007 Health care Category (VPAP) Health Care $20,400
2005 Health Care Category (VPAP) Health Care $8,400
Health care is not the only category:
2007 Telecommunications Category (VPAP) AT&T $500
Plus another $2,250 from other telephone companies/carriers (same link)
2005 Telecommunications Category (VPAP) AT&T $500

Plus another $1,500 from other telephone companies/carriers

Since my time and space here are limited, and you don't want to read all the numbers here anyway, do yourself a favor. Go to the links above, and read for yourself about donations to Watkins Abbitt's campaign. You may have thought this was a small slice taken out of Abbitt's donations in order to prove a point. I do have a point to prove. Beyond Mrs. Abbitt, there are other family-connected lobbyists for companies that donate to Abbitt as well.

Anne Leigh Kerr, Esq, serves as the Director of State Government Affairs for the Virginia office of the Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group. Her practice specializes in state and local government relations, including legislative lobbying work before the Virginia General Assembly and the Executive Branch. Ms. Kerr represents national business interests and trade associations in a variety of areas including alcohol beverage control, health care, insurance, and natural resources. (source: (VLTA)
Anne Leigh Kerr is Watkins Abbitt's niece, the daughter of his sister. In Part II, we will discover who her clients are and how much they donated to Watkins Abbitt.

I will leave you now with these statistics: The overall amount Watkins has taken from various groups this year, and the percentage of his contributions that are less than $500. (the little guy)

Real Estate/Construction $32,960
Business - Retail, Services $29,762
Finance, Insurance $29,126
Health Care $20,400
Transportation $20,350
Energy, Natural Resources $17,611
Law $15,762
Political $12,951
Agriculture $9,850
Technology, Communication $7,000
Public Employees $5,547
Miscellaneous $5,225
Undetermined $4,950
Manufacturing $4,550
Single-Issue Groups $2,500
Defense $1,750

Percentage of donors above $500.00 - 73%

Percentage of donors below $500.00 - 27%

Source: Virginia Public Access Project

Comments



We are having some (Mark - 11/4/2007 3:34:44 AM)
fun now!!

zzzzzzzzzzzz



For Some Reason (Gordie - 11/4/2007 8:59:14 AM)
Newspapers think that since this is common practice it is an okay practice. When reporters write their articales they never question the ethics of such a practice.

It does not bother them that for these contributions the candidate may have commited an unethical issue.

Just what makes anyone think that because the polititcians got money from anyone that they should vote that way? And it is the right way to vote?