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Frank Received $87,225 in Bundled Contributions in First Six Months of 2009

Bundling disclosures continued to stream into the Federal Election Commission’s servers Wednesday afternoon, as Democratic lawmakers and political action committees so far have reported more than $100,000 worth of lobbyists’ gifts that were made during the first six months of the year. House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) raised a combined $87,225 in bundled gifts from the American Council of Life Insurers, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and lobbyist Robert Raben. According to Senate records, Raben’s firm represents Microsoft, the Property Casualty Insurers Association and the National Financial Services Consortium. New Democrat Coalition Chairman Joe Crowley (N.Y.) also disclosed bundled gifts from lobbyists in disclosure statements filed this week. Davis & Harman lobbyist Jamey Delaplane directed $19,750 in gifts to the Empire State lawmaker, according to new FEC filings. Delaplane is registered to lobby on behalf of insurance giant Aetna, the Business Roundtable, General Motors, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and financial services providers the Vanguard Group and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association — College Retirement Equities Fund. Freshman Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) also received bundled gifts totaling $18,000 from Jeffrey Trammell, a registered lobbyist for Group Hospital and Medical Services Inc. The disclosure of bundled campaign contributions — long a favorite way for K Street to curry favor on Capitol Hill — was a main component of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, a Democratic-backed ethics reform package that passed in 2007 after the new majority came to power. As part of the new rules, campaigns and PACs are required to disclose individuals who channel $15,000 or more in contributions to a Member during a six-month period.

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