The 265 members of Congress who sold you out to ISPs, and how much it cost to buy them

Authored by theverge.com and submitted by ItsJudas
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Republicans in Congress just voted to reverse a landmark FCC privacy rule that opens the door for ISPs to sell customer data. Lawmakers provided no credible reason for this being in the interest of Americans, except for vague platitudes about “consumer choice” and “free markets,” as if consumers at the mercy of their local internet monopoly are craving to have their web history quietly sold to marketers and any other third party willing to pay.

The only people who seem to want this are the people who are going to make lots of money from it. (Hint: they work for companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.) Incidentally, these people and their companies routinely give lots of money to members of Congress.

So here is a list of the lawmakers who voted to betray you, and how much money they received from the telecom industry in their most recent election cycle.

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Note on the data below: donations include contributions from corporations in the telecom industry and employees of those corporations (individual and non-individual contributions). The largest donors tend to be corporations which contributed funds to the candidate and / or the candidate’s leadership organization (PAC). All figures only reflect donations tallied for the candidate’s most recent election — many have received total sums much larger than the figure reflected over the course of their career in Congress. Figures are from federal election data compiled by the National Institute on Money in State Politics (www.followthemoney.org).

Additionally, it’s important to note that the communications industry is one of the largest lobbying groups in US history; internet providers and the telephone companies before them are notorious for spreading wealth across the aisle. Regardless, one party seems more responsive to the industry’s demands.

US Senate MEMBER PARTY STATE TOTAL MEMBER PARTY STATE TOTAL Alexander, Lamar Republican TN $86,400 Barrasso, John Republican WY $63,000 Blunt, Roy Republican MO $185,550 Boozman, John Republican AR $56,450 Burr, Richard Republican NC $58,500 Capito, Shelley Republican WV $24,675 Cassidy, Bill Republican LA $34,909 Cochran, Thad Republican MS $123,750 Collins, Susan Republican ME $57,550 Corker, Bob Republican TN $43,600 Cornyn, John Republican TX $148,800 Cotton, Tom Republican AR $70,025 Crapo, Mike Republican ID $11,000 Cruz, Ted Republican TX $40,840 Daines, Steve Republican MT $38,700 Enzi, Mike Republican WY $45,100 Ernst, Joni Republican IA $28,200 Fischer, Debra Republican NE $21,850 Flake, Jeff Republican AZ $27,955 Gardner, Cory Republican CO $95,023 Graham, Lindsey Republican SC $74,522 Grassley, Chuck Republican IA $135,125 Hatch, Orrin Republican UT $106,750 Heller, Dean Republican NV $78,950 Hoeven, John Republican ND $25,800 Inhofe, Jim Republican OK $38,000 Johnson, Ron Republican WI $123,652 Kennedy, John Republican LA $1,000 Lankford, James Republican OK $21,000 Lee, Mike Republican UT $60,913 McCain, John Republican AZ $84,125 McConnell, Mitch Republican KY $251,110 Moran, Jerry Republican KS $130,950 Murkowski, Lisa Republican AK $66,250 Perdue, David Republican GA $37,000 Portman, Rob Republican OH $89,350 Risch, Jim Republican ID $27,000 Roberts, Pat Republican KS $100,200 Rounds, Mike Republican SD $40,166 Rubio, Marco Republican FL $75,535 Sasse, Benjamin Republican NE $31,800 Scott, Tim Republican SC $60,200 Shelby, Richard Republican AL $27,000 Strange, Luther Republican AL $0* Sullivan, Daniel Republican AK $10,550 Thune, John Republican SD $215,000 Tillis, Thom Republican NC $41,220 Toomey, Patrick Republican PA $143,456 Wicker, Roger Republican MS $151,800 Young, Todd Republican IN $28,670

*Senator Strange was appointed to Congress in February 2017 to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ seat.

US House of Representatives MEMBER PARTY STATE DISTRICT TOTAL MEMBER PARTY STATE DISTRICT TOTAL Abraham, Ralph Republican LA 5th $5,750 Aderholt, Robert Republican AL 4th $26,500 Allen, Rick Republican GA 12th $9,500 Amodei, Mark Republican NV 2nd $22,000 Arrington, Jodey Republican TX 19th $8,450 Babin, Brian Republican TX 36th $8,000 Bacon, Donald Republican NE 2nd $7,000 Banks, Jim Republican IN 3rd $12,100 Barletta, Lou Republican PA 11th $14,700 Barr, Andy Republican KY 6th $28,400 Barton, Joe Republican TX 6th $39,750 Bergman, Jack Republican MI 1st $21,200 Biggs, Andy Republican AZ 5th $5,000 Bilirakis, Gus Republican FL 12th $55,000 Bishop, Mike Republican MI 8th $40,500 Bishop, Rob Republican UT 1st $5,500 Black, Diane Republican TN 6th $27,750 Blackburn, Marsha Republican TN 7th $84,000 Blum, Rodney Republican IA 1st $5,500 Bost, Mike Republican IL 12th $29,750 Brady, Kevin Republican TX 8th $20,000 Brat, David Republican VA 7th $6,000 Bridenstine, Jim Republican OK 1st $1,000 Brooks, Susan Republican IN 5th $44,300 Buchanan, Vern Republican FL 16th $18,900 Buck, Ken Republican CO 4th $15,750 Bucshon, Larry Republican IN 8th $33,000 Budd, Theodore Republican NC 13th $10,000 Burgess, Michael Republican TX 26th $39,500 Byrne, Bradley Republican AL 1st $17,500 Calvert, Ken Republican CA 42nd $12,000 Carter, Buddy Republican GA 1st $12,250 Carter, John Republican TX 31st $22,500 Chabot, Steven Republican OH 1st $25,500 Chaffetz, Jason Republican UT 3rd $38,100 Cheney, Liz Republican WY 1st $18,400 Cole, Tom Republican OK 4th $14,000 Collins, Doug Republican GA 9th $42,850 Collins, Chris Republican NY 27th $57,500 Comer, James Republican KY 1st $14,750 Comstock, Barbara Republican VA 10th $56,457 Conaway, Mike Republican TX 11th $18,500 Cook, Paul Republican CA 8th $15,000 Costello, Ryan Republican PA 6th $38,750 Cramer, Kevin Republican ND 1st $71,750 Crawford, Eric Republican AR 1st $9,000 Culberson, John Republican TX 7th $8,000 Curbelo, Carlos Republican FL 26th $45,700 Davis, Rodney Republican IL 13th $49,000 Denham, Jeffrey Republican CA 10th $47,000 Dent, Charles Republican PA 15th $25,200 DeSantis, Ron Republican FL 6th $21,634 DesJarlais, Scott Republican TN 4th $3,000 Diaz-Balart, Mario Republican FL 25th $26,500 Donovan, Daniel Republican NY 11th $16,000 Duncan, Jeff Republican SC 3rd $12,610 Dunn, Neal Republican FL 2nd $13,750 Emmer, Thomas Republican MN 6th $18,500 Farenthold, Blake Republican TX 27th $19,000 Ferguson, Anderson Republican GA 3rd $7,000 Fitzpatrick, Brian** Republican PA 8th $32,600 Fleischmann, Chuck Republican TN 3rd $18,000 Flores, Bill Republican TX 17th $40,500 Fortenberry, Jeff Republican NE 1st $3,500 Foxx, Virginia Republican NC 5th $13,250 Franks, Trent Republican AZ 8th $16,500 Frelinghuysen, Rodney Republican NJ 11th $55,456 Gaetz, Matt Republican FL 1st $7,000 Gallagher, Mike Republican WI 8th $16,019 Garrett, Tom* Republican VA 5th $3,250 Gibbs, Robert Republican OH 7th $8,000 Gohmert, Louie Republican TX 1st $8,000 Goodlatte, Bob Republican VA 6th $73,950 Gosar, Paul Republican AZ 4th $2,000 Gowdy, Harold Republican SC 4th $15,750 Granger, Kay Republican TX 12th $15,000 Graves, John Republican GA 14th $34,000 Graves, Sam Republican MO 6th $31,000 Griffith, Tim Republican AR 2nd $16,915 Griffith, Morgan Republican VA 9th $36,500 Grothman, Glenn Republican WI 6th $10,600 Guthrie, Steven Republican KY 2nd $81,500 Harper, Gregg Republican MS 3rd $33,800 Harriis, Andy Republican MD 1st $3,000 Hartzler, Vicki Republican MO 4th $10,500 Hensarling, Jeb Republican TX 5th $10,000 Hice, Jody Republican GA 10th $6,000 Higgins, Clay Republican LA 3rd $300 Holding, George Republican NC 2nd $31,100 Hollingsworth, Trey Republican IN 9th $10,000 Hudson, Richard Republican NC 8th $45,400 Huizenga, Bill Republican MI 2nd $7,500 Hultgreen, Randy Republican IL 14th $10,000 Hunter, Duncan Republican CA 50th $19,000 Hurd, William Republican TX 23rd $63,000 Issa, Darrell Republican CA 49th $66,275 Jenkins, Lynn Republican KS 2nd $34,750 Jenkins, Evan Republican WV 3rd $10,000 Johnson, Bill Republican OH 6th $56,500 Johnson, Sam Republican TX 3rd $16,700 Jordan, James Republican OH 4th $24,750 Joyce, David Republican OH 14th $16,500 Katko, John Republican NY 24th $32,250 Kelly, Trent Republican MS 1st $3,300 Kelly, Mike Republican PA 3rd $34,700 King, Steve Republican IA 4th $20,500 King, Peter Republican NY 2nd $9,000 Kinzinger, Adam Republican IL 16th $75,250 Knight, Steve Republican CA 25th $32,500 Kustoff, David Republican TN 8th $16,300 Labrador, Raul Republican ID 1st $10,000 LaHood, Darin Republican IL 18th $15,500 LaMalfa, Doug Republican CA 1st $5,000 Lamborn, Doug Republican CO 5th $28,400 Lance, Leonard Republican NJ 7th $43,000 Latta, Bob Republican OH 5th $91,000 Lewis, Jason Republican MN 2nd $10,500 LoBiondo, Frank Republican NJ 2nd $14,500 Long, Billy Republican MO 7th $57,250 Loudermilk, Barry Republican GA 11th $8,000 Love, Mia Republican UT 4th $16,500 Lucas, Frank Republican OK 3rd $14,500 Luetkemeyer, Blaine Republican MO 3rd $21,000 MacArthur, Tom Republican NJ 3rd $19,000 Marchant, Kenny Republican TX 24th $12,000 Marshall, Roger Republican KS 1st $20,500 Massie, Thomas Republican KY 4th $2,750 Mast, Brian Republican FL 18th $10,500 McCarthy, Kevin Republican CA 23rd $99,100 McCaul, Michael Republican TX 10th $37,200 McHenry, Patrick Republican NC 10th $51,000 McKinley, David Republican WV 1st $24,500 McSally, Martha Republican AZ 2nd $40,500 Meadows, Mark Republican NC 11th $4,000 Meehan, Patrick Republican PA 7th $64,200 Messer, Luke Republican IN 6th $18,750 Mitchell, Paul** Republican MI 10th $10,000 McMorris-Rogers, Cathy** Republican WA 5th $75,900 Moolenaar, John Republican MI 4th $12,500 Mooney, Alexander Republican WV 2nd $6,000 Mullin, Markwayne Republican OK 2nd $47,250 Murphy, Timothy Republican PA 18th $26,000 Newhouse, Daniel Republican WA 4th $10,000 Noem, Kristi Republican SD 1st $38,200 Nunes, Devin Republican CA 22nd $37,750 Olson, Pete Republican TX 22nd $57,500 Palazzo, Steven Republican MS 4th $11,100 Palmer, Gary Republican AL 6th $2,000 Paulsen, Erik Republican MN 3rd $50,500 Pearce, Steve Republican NM 2nd $20,400 Perry, Scott Republican PA 4th $17,000 Poe, Ted Republican TX 2nd $23,000 Poliquin, Bruce Republican ME 2nd $47,500 Posey, Bill Republican FL 8th $3,000 Ratcliffe, John Republican TX 4th $24,500 Reed, Thomas Republican NY 23rd $31,500 Renacci, Jim Republican OH 16th $48,000 Rice, Hugh Republican SC 7th $18,500 Roby, Martha Republican AL 2nd $33,200 Roe, Phil Republican TN 1st $500 Rogers, Mike Republican AL 3rd $25,000 Rogers, Hal Republican KY 5th $12,500 Rohrabacher, Dana Republican CA 48th $1,350 Rokita, Todd Republican IN 4th $20,200 Rooney, Laurence Republican FL 19th $16,625 Rooney, Tom Republican FL 17th $19,000 Roskam, Peter Republican IL 6th $33,600 Ross, Dennis Republican FL 15th $17,000 Rothfus, Keith Republican PA 12th $30,900 Rouzer, David Republican NC 7th $15,000 Royce, Edward Republican CA 39th $14,000 Russell, Steven Republican OK 5th $16,450 Rutherford, John Republican FL 4th $6,000 Scalise, Steve Republican LA 1st $121,750 Schweikert, David Republican AZ 6th $4,000 Scott, James Republican GA 8th $6,000 Sensenbrenner, Jim Republican WI 5th $30,000 Sessions, Pete Republican TX 32nd $40,400 Shimkus, John Republican IL 15th $104,425 Shuster, Bill Republican PA 9th $35,500 Smith, Jason Republican MO 8th $47,500 Smith, Adrian Republican NE 3rd $28,500 Smith, Christopher Republican NJ 4th $6,000 Smith, Lamar Republican TX 21st $56,200 Smucker, Lloyd Republican PA 16th $8,000 Stewart, Chris Republican UT 2nd $12,500 Stivers, Steve Republican OH 15th $27,000 Taylor, Scott** Republican VA 2nd $14,000 Tenney, Claudia Republican NY 22nd $8,500 Thompson, Glenn Republican PA 5th $16,500 Thornberry, Mac Republican TX 13th $32,025 Tiberi, Patrick Republican OH 12th $53,250 Tipton, Scott Republican CO 3rd $23,500 Trott, Dave Republican MI 11th $12,500 Turner, Mike Republican OH 10th $6,000 Upton, Fred Republican MI 6th $108,250 Valadao, David Republican CA 21st $37,400 Wagner, Ann Republican MO 2nd $45,750 Walberg, Timothy Republican MI 7th $38,500 Walden, Gregory Republican OR 2nd $155,100 Walker, Bradley Republican NC 6th $16,750 Walorski, Jackie Republican IN 2nd $21,250 Walters, Mimi Republican CA 45th $47,450 Weber, Randy Republican TX 14th $4,000 Webster, Daniel Republican FL 11th $2,500 Wenstrup, Brad Republican OH 2nd $9,400 Westerman, Bruce Republican AR 4th $11,000 Williams, Roger Republican TX 25th $5,500 Wilson, Joe Republican SC 2nd $11,500 Wittman, Rob Republican VA 1st $11,050 Womack, Steve Republican AR 3rd $15,500 Woodall, Rob Republican GA 7th $9,250 Yoho, Ted Republican FL: 3rd $4,000 Young, Don Republican AK 1st $28,650 Young, David Republican IA 3rd $41,750

*Data for this representative obtained from the Virginia Public Access Project.

**Data for this representative obtained from Open Secrets.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Scott Garrett (R-NJ) as a Yes vote. Unfortunately for Mr. Garrett, he was voted out of Congress in 2016. The correct Garrett is Tom Garrett of Virginia. We apologize for the error.

supremecrafters on November 23rd, 2017 at 07:11 UTC »

$27,000 over 726,000 people means I'm worth less than 3.72 cents to my representative. Asshole.

Randomscreename on November 23rd, 2017 at 03:28 UTC »

Some of these people didn't even crack 5 digits. Grassroots crowdfunding could easily beat out states like LA, OK, and TN, where it took as little as $500.

VanDownByTheRiverr on November 23rd, 2017 at 01:51 UTC »

So, every single one was a Republican?