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CPI Index
Public Campaign

Corruption Perception Index

The Corruption Perception Index and Ouch! are alternating biweekly e-mail bulletins
on money in politics and how it hurts our average citizens and our democracy as a whole,
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CPI #13, Bush's Payback Time
January 4, 2001

  • Expected price tag for Bush-Cheney inauguration: $30 million.1
  • Portion coming from private contributions: 100%.
  • Cost of a table at any of three candlelight dinners on January 18 that President-elect George W. Bush and Vice President-elect Dick Cheney are expected to visit: $25,000.2
  • Maximum contribution that the Bush-Cheney Presidential Inaugural Committee is accepting from private donors: $100,000.3
  • Number of donors who gave a total of $100,000 or more to parties and candidates in the 2000 elections awarded positions on George W. Bush’s Transition Advisory Teams: 14.4
  • Amount that Bush’s Energy Department Secretary nominee, Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI), received from energy industry donors in his failed 2000 Senate race: $366,298.5
  • Rank of Abraham among all current senators in contributions accepted from energy industry donors in the 2000 elections: 1.6
  • The number of industries that Bush Justice Department nominee, Sen. John Ashcroft (R-MO), ranks in the top ten for contributions in the 2000 elections: 42, many of which have anti-trust and other matters pending before the agency.7
  • Rank of health industry professionals among donors to Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Republican Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson in his last race: 1.8
  • Rank of transportation industry among donors to Democrat Norm Mineta, Bush’s pick for Transportation Department Secretary, in his last House race: 1.9


1 Jonathan D. Salant, “Committee to Raise up to $30 Million,” Associated Press, December 21, 2000.
2Karlyn Barker and Roxanne Roberts, “Bush Planners Promise ‘Inclusive’ Celebration,” The Washington Post, January 3, 20001.
3Alan Sipress, “Groups Criticize Inaugural Funding Plan,” The Washington Post, December 29, 2000, p. B01.
4“Returning the Favor: President-elect Bush’s Advisory Teams Include Big Campaign Donors,” Center for Responsive Politics, January 2, 2001. www.crp.org.
5Center for Responsive Politics. Abraham collected $366,298 from the energy and natural resources industry.
6Center for Responsive Politics.
7Center for Responsive Politics.
8National Institute on Money in State Politics.
9Center for Responsive Politics. Campaign money profile for 1993-94 election cycle. Mineta resigned his House seat mid-session, in 1995, for position with defense contractor Lockheed-Martin.