May, 11 2020, 12:00am EDT
New "Power Map" Preserves Record Of Bundlers and Donors In 2020 Primary
New “Power Map” Preserves Record Of Bundlers And Donors In 2020 Primary
WASHINGTON
The Revolving Door Project launched its new "Presidential Power Map" tool today, which shows holistically how powerful sectors of the U.S. economy funded each of the major 2020 Democratic candidates. By breaking down high-dollar support by sector, this tool encourages users to draw direct lines between big money fundraising and a president's choices regarding personnel and executive power.
As Joe Biden consolidates support and embarks on the transition-planning process, the Power Map provides clues as to which people and sectors might have a seat at the table now and in the future. To further clarify these connections, members of the Revolving Door Project's team have authored a series of pieces that shed light on Joe Biden's ties to important sectors, including Tech, Private Equity, and Real Estate.
The Presidential Power Map also adds new and important context to the contest for the vice presidency, by illustrating which major sectors propelled their campaigns. Several candidates, including some with vice-presidential ambitions and some who likely have aspirations for Cabinet-level appointments, have now removed their lists of disclosed bundlers from campaign websites, making the Power Map an important archive of political influence over prominent Democratic figures.
Each candidate's Power Map displays the names and job titles of major donors and bundlers from significant companies across 25 business sectors. Color-coded data visualizations allow viewers to quickly assess which industries fund which politician. Moreover, a search function and database provide more detail on individual donors and bundlers. The full methodology can be found here, and the RDP team would be happy to walk reporters through the database at their leisure.
Revolving Door Project Executive Director Jeff Hauser said "Corruption and the influence of wealthy donors was a major issue throughout the 2020 primary. It's arguably the defining issue in our politics today. This Power Map tool, for the first time, lets anyone see clearly how the most important sectors of our economy have cultivated financial relationships with prominent members of the Democratic party, including the presumptive presidential nominee. Figures like Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Amy Klobuchar won't disappear from our politics anytime soon, so the public deserves to know who is signing and collecting the checks that have sustained their careers."
In the coming weeks, the Power Map tool will be updated with new features for easier cross-referencing of donors and bundlers who contributed to multiple campaigns.
The Revolving Door Project (RDP) scrutinizes executive branch appointees to ensure they use their office to serve the broad public interest, rather than to entrench corporate power or seek personal advancement.
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