President Obama wants to make the United Auto Workers union the 55 percent owner of Chrysler. In that light, it’s worth looking at the UAW’s political activity.
As usual, in the 2008 election cycle the United Auto Workers’ PAC gave 99% of its campaign contributions to Democrats. As I mention in my K Street column today, the PAC funded 42 Senate candidates, 41 of them Democrats. The other? Arlen Specter.
From the Center for Responsive Politics’ website OpenSecrets.org, here’s some data on the UAW’s PAC activity in 2008:
* The PAC spent $ 13.1 million, making it the #14 PAC in the country, and placing it ahead of all business PACs except for the National Association of Realtors
* $4.9 million in reported independent expenditures, all of it dedicated to helping elect Barack Obama
* More than $2 million in direct contributions to candidates, with 99% of it going to Democrats
