National party committees and senior lawmakers on the committees that oversee credit unions are among the recipients of contributions from the political action committees of CUNA and NAFCU, according to reports filed recently with the Federal Election Commission.
CUNA's PAC, the Credit Union Legislative Action Council, gave $166,500 worth of contributions to federal candidates and committees in January. It raised $56,173 that month and had $920,484 in its account at the end of the month.
NAFCU's PAC, the National Association of Federal Credit Unions Political Action Committee, gave $6,250 in contributions to federal candidates and committees in January. It raised $15,852 and had $292,109 in its account as of Jan. 31.
CULAC contributed $15,000 to each of the main fundraising committees of both the Democratic and Republican parties. It didn't contribute to the Democratic National Committee because that organization doesn't accept money from organizations that lobby.
The lawmakers it gave money to include Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho), a freshman facing a tough re-election race who sponsored an amendment to remove the Consumer Financial Protection Agency from the regulatory restructuring bill and Rep Lamar Smith (R-Texas) the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
NAFCU's committee gave $5,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and $1,000 to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a senior member of the Banking Committee and the number three member of the Democratic leadership.
