Financial Bailout: A look at the House GOP negotiators

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Continuing the theme of last night’s post (and of several prior posts — just scroll down), we’re taking a look at some of the key players in the financial bailout negotiations, looking at their career contributions from and personal interest in the industry. Thanks to Open Secrets, the Web site of the Center for Responsive Politics, all this information is easily accessible online.

Over the course of his political career, minority leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, has raised $2,933,009 from political action committees, employees and their immediate family members of organizations in the finance, insurance and real estate sector. That’s 18.3 percent of the $15,906,048. Among his top donors are the National Association of Realtors (they favor loosening regulations on short sales as an alternative to foreclosure) and the American Bankers Association (which has called for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to keep paying dividends, despite going bust).

Boehner disclosed holdings in numerous mutual funds, but his biggest asset, worth somewhere between $1 million and $5 million, is his profit sharing plan from Nucite Sales, a firm that serves as a sales force for manufacturers in the packaging and plastics industries.

Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., has raised $2,870,103 from employees, their family members and PACs in the financial, insurance and real estate sector over the course of his career, or 24.6 percent of his total take of $11,666,917. Among his top donors are Wachovia Corp. (the next institution to fall?), Capital One (getting out of the home mortgage business), Goldman Sachs and the National Association of Realtors.