Press Release: Common Cause Study Shows Top 20 Donors And Recipients Of Fracking Cash; Total Of $1.8 Million Given In Last Two Years

Press Release

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Sept. 19, 2013

Catherine Turcer, 614-579-5509

Common Cause Study Shows Top 20 Donors And Recipients Of Fracking Cash; Total Of $1.8 Million Given In Last Two Years

Columbus, OH-A study released today by Common Cause Ohio finds that companies engaged in fracking made $1.8 million in campaign contributions to Ohio’s elected officials, political candidates, and political parties between July 2011 and June 2013.

The study also finds that fracking lobbyists in Ohio reported spending $43,000 during 2011-2012-a figure that is dwarfed by the $12.7 million that fracking lobbyists reported spending in Pennsylvania over this same period, or nearly 300 times as much. Pennsylvania requires lobbyists to report how much compensation they receive from each of their clients, but Ohio does not-representing a significant weakness in Ohio’s lobbying law, according to Common Cause’s Catherine Turcer.

“People living with fracking in their communities wonder why the state is moving so quickly, and a big reason is the lobbying blitz by the industry,” Turcer said. “A full and fair debate about this issue depends on giving people a better look at how and why fracking interests have been so successful in Ohio.”

The top five recipients of fracking contributions cited in the study are Rep. Dave Hall (R) with $164,665; Speaker Bill Batchelder (R) with $137,893; Gov. John Kasich (R) with $101,065; Senate President Keith Faber (R) with $72,743; and Rep. Andy Thompson (R) with $72,267.

The top five donors cited in the study are Ariel Corporation with $246,810 in campaign contributions; The Ohio Oil & Gas Association with $244,187; Chesapeake Energy with $196,550; Dominion with $177,123; and NiSource with $166,793.

The full study is available at www.commoncause.org/oh/deepdrilling