<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2713.1100" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face="Formal436 BT" color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=alerts@crp.org href="mailto:alerts@crp.org">Center for Responsive Politics</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=alerts@crp.org href="mailto:alerts@crp.org">Alert Recipient</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 27, 2002 10:07 AM</DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Money in Politics Alert, March 27, 2002</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS<BR>NEWS ADVISORY  MARCH 26, 2002<BR>tel: 202-857-0044, fax: 202-857-7809<BR>email: <A href="mailto:info@crp.org">info@crp.org</A>, web: <A href="http://www.opensecrets.org">www.opensecrets.org</A><BR><BR>Buying Access: Energy Task Force Meetings Included Big<BR>Contributors<BR><BR>By Vikki Kratz<BR><BR>The Center for Responsive Politics has posted the Energy<BR>Department's summary list of businesses and lobbyists who met<BR>with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham while the Bush<BR>administration was formulating its energy plan last year. The<BR>Energy Department list shows that Abraham met with the top<BR>executives of several energy companies, including many who are<BR>big donors to the Republican Party. The 39 business executives<BR>and lobbyists who met with Abraham have given $6.3 million in<BR>individual, PAC and soft money contributions since 1999, the<BR>Center's analysis found. Of that, $4.5 million went to<BR>Republicans. To see the full report, visit the link below.<BR><BR><A href="http://www.opensecrets.org/alerts/v6/alertv6_48.asp">http://www.opensecrets.org/alerts/v6/alertv6_48.asp</A><BR><BR>The Center will be releasing the contributions of additional<BR>organizations and individuals who were consulted by Vice<BR>President Cheney's energy task force as they are made available.<BR><BR>-30-<BR><BR></BODY></HTML>