http://www.freep.com/news/politics/sen10_20001010.htm
Abraham near top in raising funds
High-tech industry aids $8.2-million war chest
Detroit Free Press, October 10, 2000
BY NIRAJ WARIKOO <mailto:warikoo@freepress.com>
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham has raised more money this election cycle than any
incumbent U.S. senator. And he's fourth overall among this year's Senate
candidates -- behind only Hillary Rodham Clinton, her opponent Rick Lazio in
New York, and Democrat Jon Corzine, a self-financed candidate in New Jersey.


What's more, according to federal campaign finance records, Abraham is the
biggest recipient of computer industry money in the U.S. Congress except for
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was a presidential candidate.
In his first term, Abraham, R-Auburn Hills, has become the darling of
computer companies because of his pro-immigration and technology
legislation.
The senator has received $216,624 from businesses that provide computer
equipment and services, according to figures from the Federal Election
Commission analyzed by the Free Press.
That's more than twice the amount of Congress' next biggest recipient, U.S.
Rep. Jay Inslee, a Democrat who represents the part of Washington state that
is home to software giant Microsoft Corp.
Among corporate donors to Abraham, only his home-state automotive companies
have given more than Microsoft, whose employees and political action
committees gave him $32,650 in this election cycle. Microsoft chief
executive officer Steve Ballmer gave $2,000 to Abraham; it was Ballmer's
largest contribution to any candidate.
The money highlights how Abraham has emerged as a leader, occasionally a
controversial one, on issues important to the interests of high-technology
companies.
Overall, Abraham had raised $8.2 million for the Senate race, as of Oct. 4.
He's also the leading Senate recipient, aside from McCain, of money from the
finance, real estate and insurance sectors, as well as the tranportation
industry.
His election opponent, U.S. Rep. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, has raised $4.8
million overall; her top contributor is Emily's List, a pro-choice
Democratic group that gave her $194,750.
Abraham spokesman Joe Davis said computer companies support the senator
because of his "visionary outlook on how the industry will impact the
economy and people's everyday lives."
The computer industry praises Abraham for writing legislation that fought
cyber-squatting, made it easier to electronically sign documents over the
Web and sponsoring a bill -- passed into law last week -- that would
increase the number of high-skilled immigrants allowed in the United States.


But some political observers worry about the relation between the money
Abraham receives and how that influences legislation.
"It's unfortunate to see somebody leading on an issue to be supported big
time by the special interests behind it," said Holly Bailey, a researcher
with the Center for Responsive Politics. She has studied the growing
influence of the computer industry.
Bailey expressed concern that Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.,
urged high-tech companies in April to raise money for a private group that
would run pro-Abraham ads in Michigan.
At the time, Abraham was in a tight re-election race and faced a blitz of
ads from FAIR, an anti-immigration group. Abraham, the grandson of Lebanese
immigrants and chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration,
played a key role in persuading Republican colleagues to maintain or
increase immigration levels for technology workers.
The H1-B visa bill he sponsored would increase to about 200,000 the number
of high-skilled workers allowed entry each year. The computer industry
thought the bill was important because it faced a shortage of workers.
But FAIR said it would take away American jobs.
Computer lobbyists and Abraham spokesman Davis said the visa issue is only
part of the reason why they support Abraham.
"He's gone above and beyond the call of duty for us," said Connie Correll,
with the Information Technology Industry Council, a computer industry
lobbying group. In March, the group named Abraham, along with U.S. Sen.
Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., the "High-Tech Legislators of the Year."
Contact NIRAJ WARIKOO at 734-432-6501 or warikoo@freepress.com
<mailto:warikoo@freepress.com>.