Contributions From Pro-Israel PACs Give Campaign Budgets More than a Boost

By Sally Clark Nyhan

Charts in the August and September issues of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs listed the contributions made by pro-Israel political action committees (PACs) in the 1987-88 election cycle. The chart in this issue presents contributions made in the last three election cycles (1984, 1986, and up through June 30 of this year), to all candidates for Senate or House seats this year. The 1984 figures, based on compilations by Edward Roeder of Sunshine News Services in Washington, DC, are incomplete as they include only contributions reported as of June 30 of that year, four months before the elections. The 1986 and 1988 figures were compiled by the Washington Report through filings made by 91 pro-Israel PACs, 51 of which had made 1988 contributions as of June 30.

This is also a good time to look at the contributions to congressional candidates from Arab/American, Islamic, or other PACs concerned with US Middle East policy from other than a pro-Israel viewpoint. There are nine such PACs registered with the Federal Elections Commission. Of these nine, only NAAA PAC (National Association of Arab Americans PAC) and the American Council PAC have reported contributions to candidates running for Congress in the last six years. As of June 30, 1988, NAAA PAC had contributed a total of $19,100 to congressional candidates for the 1987-88 election cycle. It contributed $49,225 in the 1985-86 election cycle, and $17,350 in the 1983-84 election cycle. The American Council PAC (ACPAC), which was incorporated in 1987, had contributed $500 as of June 30 of this year.

$10.6 Million in the Last Six Years

In contrast, based upon the incomplete figures available to the Washington Report, pro-Israel PACs have donated at least $10.6 million in the last six years to favored congressional candidates. This includes $ as of June 30, 1988, in the current election cycle, $4.3 million in the 1986 election cycle, and at least $4.25 million in the 1984 election cycle.

A Preference for Incumbents

Donation patterns make it clear that pro-Israel PACs, indeed PACs in general, prefer incumbents to challengers. One of 1988's most interesting senatorial races is taking place in Connecticut, where the state's Democratic attorney general, Joseph Lieberman, is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Lowell Weicker. Lieberman is Jewish. Weicker, a member of the defense subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is a longtime supporter of Israel. As of June 30, none of the pro-Israel PACs surveyed had contributed to Lieberman's campaign, while Weicker had received $74,000. The message to incumbents is that if they support positions of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), these pro-Israel PACs will support them against any challengers. It works both ways, of course. An incumbent who votes contrary to positions espoused by the Israeli lobby will probably confront a well funded challenger in the next election.

The amount of money awarded to the same pro-Israel candidate can fluctuate wildly from election to election. A striking example is Rep. Tommy Robinson (D-AK), a member of the Armed Services Committee, who received no money in 1984 and $3,500 this year, but received $2 1,000 in the 1986 election cycle.

Another House Armed Services Committee member, Jon Kyl (RAZ), received $9,250 in the 1986 election cycle but only $1,000 this year.

Such fluctuations generally indicate that AIPAC has put out the word that a friendly congressman is facing a strong opponent and needs more than token assistance.

Regular Recipients

Other members of Congress receive regular contributions from pro-Israel PACs in every election cycle. This list includes Rep. Sam Gejdenson (D-CT), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who received some $62,000 in the 1984, 1986, and 1988 election cycles; Rep. Dante Fascell (D-FL), also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who received a total of $50,750; and Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-IN), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, who received over $31,500 in the three cycles. This early, "sure-thing" money can work wonders for a campaign budget.

Sally Clark Nyhan is director of publications for the American Educational Trust.