Follow the money: "Macaca," George Allen and the entertainment industry

Allen sneers about his opponent's ties to Hollywood, but he takes more money from the entertainment industry.

Published September 6, 2006 3:14PM (EDT)

In the midst of his "macaca" moment last month, Sen. George Allen sneered that S.R. Sidarth's boss, Democratic challenger Jim Webb, was off in California, raising money from "a bunch of Hollywood movie moguls."

Here comes the Washington Post with the push-back: According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Allen ranks 16th among all 535 members of Congress when it comes to taking campaign contributions from the entertainment industry. Over the past two years, Allen has received more than four times as much money from the industry as Webb has -- despite the fact that Webb has worked on several Hollywood movies, including as executive producer of "Rules of Engagement."

The Post says Allen's contributors include Time Warner, News Corp., Comcast, Univision Communications Inc., America Online, Krikorian Premiere Theatres, the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and the Walt Disney Co. Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for the California-born Virginia senator, tells the Post that it's unfair to lump those contributors in with Webb donors like Rob Reiner. "I classify most of those as communications companies," Wadhams explains.


By Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog.

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