OutSpent
Series 3: The Fine Print

Commemorative Series No. 3 · The Fine Print

OUTSPENTNo. 24/74
George Allen
George
Allen
U.S. Senate · R-VA
VOTED YES★ BOUGHT & PAID FOR ★THE FINE PRINT · 2005$S.256
Taken from the card industry
$71,408
S.256 · the bankruptcy bill · 2005tap to flip ⤺
★ BOUGHT & PAID FOR ★THE FINE PRINT · 2005$S.256
WHO THEY WORK FORNo. 24/74
Card-Issuing Banks$40,100
Am. Bankers Assn.Wells FargoCitigroupBank of AmericaJPMorgan
Credit Cards$31,308
Capital OneDiscoverVisaAmerican ExpressMBNA
Made it harder to clear credit-card debt in bankruptcy. Filings got ~38% costlier; insolvency didn't fall. · 109-1-44OUTSPENT

Card 24 of 74 · tap the card to see who they work for

Beyond the check

The check is only the part you can see.

They took
$71,408
The industry spent on the bill
$100M+

on an eight-year industry push to pass the bankruptcy bill

After office

We checked the public record. No industry job, board seat, or gift after this vote.

Sometimes the vote really is free.

The industry figure is lobbying spent on the bill, not a payment to this senator. Source: contemporary reporting (NBER; PBS Frontline). Everything here is documented public record; nothing alleges an illegal act.

★ Hall of Shame

Allen voted with the money in more than one set:

Don't recognize a logo? Here's the key.
Card-Issuing Banks$40,100
  • Am. Bankers Assn.$16,000
  • Wells Fargo$11,850
  • Citigroup$5,750
  • Bank of America$4,500
  • JPMorgan$2,000
Credit Cards$31,308
  • Capital One$15,883
  • Discover$6,475
  • Visa$4,200
  • American Express$2,750
  • MBNA$2,000
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