“This debate over airline security has quickly turned into a special-interest food fight, with campaign donors on either side trying to profiteer based on the clout of their donations,” Common Cause President Scott Harshbarger said.  “Senator McCain’s is right on point – this debate makes a good case for campaign finance reform.  After all, there are no PACs representing the flying public.”

Lobbying is especially fierce on the question of whether airport screeners ought to be federal employees.  Private security firms have formed the Aviation Security Association to oppose federalization, hiring big guns such as former Federal Aviation Administration general counsel Kenneth Quinn to press their case.  The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and American Federation of Government Employees are among the unions running ads urging Congress to make screeners a part of the federal workforce.  The Service Employees International Union, which represents 2,000 screeners, wants to keep them in the private workforce.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the airlines themselves are being lobbied by House Republican Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX). DeLay has asked airline lobbyists to work with him to oppose federalization.  But the airlines have more pressing issues to pursue in Congress:  How much of the cost of tough new terrorism measures will get passed on to them?

Here are some of the major players, and what they’ve given in the past decade in “soft money” contributions to the political parties and in PAC money to Members of Congress:

Total Soft Money And PAC Contributions From Select Unions And Major Airline Companies

From January 1, 1991 Through December 31, 2000

For more information, contact the Common Cause Press Office at 202/736-5770.

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