Saturday, February 23, 2013

Oscars and Political Money

Previous posts have discussed the political leanings of the entertainment industry. The Center for Responsive Politics reports on the contribution patterns of Academy Award nominees:
Of the 51 actors, directors and producers nominated for the top six categories (Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Director and Best Picture), 25 nominees or their spouses have contributed to a political candidate or committee since 1990. Most supported Obama either in 2008 or 2012, or both. And in Congress, Oscar nominees tended to play favorites with Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.),Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).
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The only Republican contributions from the crowd of Oscar nominee-political donors -- since 1990 -- also came from Spielberg, but they're practically ancient. He gave Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter and Rudy Svorinich, a Republican on the Los Angeles City Council, $1,000 each in the 1998 election, and sent another $2,000 to Specter in 2004. He followed up with a $2,400 check to Specter after he switched parties to become a Democrat.