Like Tom DeLay, Shadegg is close to lobbyists and special interests, and getting closer.

Lobbyists ranked fourth among Shadegg’s industry campaign donors in the current election cycle; in contrast, lobbyists ranked 16th in 2004 cycle and 13th in the 2002 cycle and 18th over the span of his congressional career, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The bulk of his contributions overall come from industries that his committee—Energy and Commerce—has jurisdiction to regulate: health professionals, electric utilities, oil and gas, and telecommunications.

Top Industries: 2005-2006

1. Health Professionals $44,200 2. Electric Utilities $29,767 3. TV/Movies/Music $21,500 4. Lobbyists $12,500 5. Insurance $12,000 6. Computers/Internet $11,000 7. Oil & Gas $,7,775 8. Telephone Utilities $6,000 8. Health Services/HMOs $6,000 10. Beer, Wine & Liquor $5,000 Source: opensecrets.org

While the Arizona representative once received most of his contributions from in state, since 2005, Rep. Shadegg has received the second highest amount of contributions from the DC metro area, home to lobbyists and special interest groups.

Like Tom Delay, Shadegg has Connections to the Abramoff Scandal
Rep. Shadegg shed more than $6,900 in campaign contributions from sources connected with lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Three contributions involved the congressman's use of sports suites provided to him for fund-raisers at hockey and basketball games at the MCI Center in Washington and one fund-raising dinner paid for by Abramoff partner Kevin Ring. The total value was calculated as $5,444. Shadegg is among the more than 30 congressional Republicans who signed letters on behalf of Abramoff clients just days after Abramoff or his clients gave them money or hosted fundraisers for them.

According to the Associated Press, "Rep. John Shadegg, R- Ariz., along with more than two dozen other members of Congress, signed a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton on Feb. 27, 2002, that helped lobbyist Jack Abramoff's clients.” 1

Shadegg is Close to Tom DeLay
John Shadegg has taken $4,520 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. Rep. Shadegg voted with Tom DeLay nearly 95% of the time between 1991 and 2005. 2

Like Tom DeLay, Shadegg Likes to Travel on the Dime of Special Interests
Some members have proposed banning the kind of privately funded trips that became notorious as a result of the Abramoff scandal. Rep. Shadegg doesn’t agree, and he called them “truly educational.” Shadegg went on to say, "A complete ban … would be an overreaction that doesn't get to the root of the problem…".3 Shadegg and family members have enjoyed several trips in the last few years paid for by conservative think tanks and Shadegg donor Cerner Corporation, a health care information technology firm.

ENDNOTES
1) The Arizona Republic, US Newswire and other sources: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0112shadegg-donation.html.

2) www.pcactionfund.org.

3) Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-
lobby18jan18,0,3346128.story?coll=la-story-footer&track=morenews.