A recent bipartisan poll conducted by the George W. Bush Institute, Biden Center and Freedom House shows that money in politics is one of the top reasons people believe the government does not represent them.
Americans know that too many politicians are in the pocket of special interests which is one reason why voters in Colorado’s sixth congressional district said that were 62% more likely to support a candidate who pledges to reject corporate PAC money.
That spells trouble for Congressman Mike Coffman who has taken $1.7 million from corporate special interests over the course of his career. Meanwhile his opponent Jason Crow is rejecting corporate PAC money.
With that in mind, we wanted to highlight some of Coffman’s largest campaign contributors and the votes he’s taken to benefit them at the expense of Coloradans.
1. $40,000 from KochPAC
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Coffman supported the House tax plan to give his corporate donors a tax cut with one analysis showing that the Koch Brothers could make between $1 billion and $1.4 billion more each year under the new tax bill — while many middle class Coloradans will end up paying more in taxes during the life of the bill.
2. $28,500 from McKesson PAC
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Despite the fact that McKesson recently paid a $150 million fine for its role in the opioid crisis and was at the center of a recent Colorado lawsuit for its role in promoting opioid use, Coffman continued to take money from the largest drug manufacturer.
3. $12,500 from Bridgepoint Education Inc.
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With a career total of $12,500 from the for-profit college system, Coffman voted to repeal regulations on for-profit colleges that defined credit hours and set minimum requirements for all high education institutions.
4. $13,500 from Wells Fargo & Co PAC
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Coffman voted along party lines for the Financial Choice Act, which allowed the President to readily fire the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency responsible for protecting the rights of everyday Americans against predatory financial practices, and shut down public access to the Agency’s database of consumer complaints.
5. & 6. $40,000 from Chevron PAC & $36,500 from Exxon Mobil Corporation PAC
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With a grand total of $8200,000 from the oil and gas industry, Coffman voted against bills that would’ve held oil and gas companies responsible for spills or disasters.