WASHINGTON – As election time draws closer, the Credit Union Legislative Action Council (CULAC) of CUNA has begun seriously unloading its war chest. CULAC started May with $372,586.22, took in nearly $150,000, and closed the month with $340,899.21 for a total of $179,688.17 worth of disbursements. Bankruptcy conferees were a popular choice for CULAC contributions. Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) received $5,000; Senator Jeff Session (R-Ala.) got $3,500; House bill author George Gekas (R-Pa.) received $3,727.22; Conference Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) received $2,000 from CULAC; and Representative John Dingell (D-Mich.) got $1,500. CULAC made maximum contributions of $10,000 to Senate candidates Representative James Talent (R-Mo.), running against incumbent Jean Carnahan (D-Mo.), and David Walters (D-Okla.), running against incumbent Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), and House candidate Rob Bishop (R-Utah), running for the seat occupied by the retiring Jim Hansen (R-Utah). Other top recipients include Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) for $6,500; Gresham Barrett running for the open seat of Representative Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is running for the Senate; Congressman Ed Bryant (R-Tenn.) for $5,000 looking to win the seat of retiring Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.); the National Leadership PAC, a Democratic group out of New York at $5,000; and DASH PAC, a Democratic group out of Washington, D.C. for $5,000. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), who has repeatedly tried to introduce an amendment allowing credit unions to use secondary capital in their net worth ratios, received $4,000 from CULAC. [email protected]