Enron Overtaken by MBNA as Bush's Top Financial Supporter

[bigtree]

By GLEN JUSTICE
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/politics/trail/index.html

The bankrupt energy trader has lost its standing as the top campaign contributor in President Bush's political career, a position it held for years, as company executives gave Mr. Bush $602,625 throughout his tenure as Texas governor and his days in the White House, according to the Center for Public Integrity.

Enron fell to second place in January behind the MBNA, a leading issuer of credit cards. MBNA took the top spot, with its employees giving more than $603,000 to Mr. Bush.

Campaign finance experts say the change symbolizes a continuing shift in the president's financial support, moving away from his usual backers like oil and gas companies and toward financial-services companies that have become increasingly supportive.

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Among those companies that made Mr. Bush's list in January are Merrill Lynch at about $586,000, PricewaterhouseCoopers at $576,000; UBS AG Inc. at $488,500, Credit Suisse at $485,000, Ernst & Young at $426,000 and Goldman Sachs. The totals count money contributed by company employees and political action committees.

[kiahzero]

1. I'd boycott, but they give a ton of money to my college

*shrug*