Another myth debunked: Kagan's campaign donations not unusual
Published
Laura Ingraham falsely suggested that Elena Kagan's campaign donations to Democrats -- including President Obama -- were somehow unusual. In fact, Chief Justice John Roberts -- who was appointed by President Bush -- donated to Bush's campaign in 2000, and dozens of Bush judicial appointees reportedly donated to Bush or other key Republicans prior to becoming judges.
Ingraham suggests Kagan's donations are somehow unusual
The day Obama announced Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court, Ingraham tweeted: “2000-2008 Kagan donated $12,550 to Democrats, more than half of it to Barack Obama.”
Numerous Bush-appointed judges -- including Chief Justice Roberts -- made donations to Bush and other Republicans
FACT: Roberts donated to Republican candidates, including George W. Bush. According to a July 20, 2005, Associated Press report:
Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts has donated to the political campaigns of several Republican candidates, including one senator who will vote on Roberts' appointment to the high court.
In recent election years, Roberts has contributed more than $3,700 to Republican candidates, including $1,000 to George W. Bush's successful bid for the presidency in 2000.
Roberts, who grew up in Indiana, gave $500 to the 2000 re-election bid of Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., according to campaign contribution reports.
He also contributed $1,235 to the 1998 campaign of Republican Peter Fitzgerald, who defeated Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, a Democrat. Fitzgerald only served one term. Roberts gave $250 to Peter Rusthoven, a Republican who failed to gain the GOP nomination against Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., in 1998.
Much of Roberts' political giving was to his law firm's political action committee. He gave more than $5,600 to the Hogan & Hartson PAC, especially during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles.
FACT: Roberts had a history of involvement in GOP campaign activity. According to his Senate Judiciary questionnaire for his Supreme Court nomination, Roberts was a member of the “Executive Committee, D.C. Lawyers for Bush-Quayle '88” and “Lawyers for Bush-Cheney” in 2000 and “assist[ed] those working on behalf of George W. Bush on various aspects of the recount litigation.”
FACT: Dozens of Bush-appointed judges “made political contributions to key Republicans or to the president himself while under consideration for their judgeships.” According to a 2006 study by the Center for Investigative Reporting:
At least two dozen federal judges appointed by President Bush since 2001 made political contributions to key Republicans or to the president himself while under consideration for their judgeships, government records show.
A four-month investigation of Bush-appointed judges by the Center for Investigative Reporting reveals that six appellate court judges and 18 district court judges contributed a total of more than $44,000 to politicians who were influential in their appointments. Some gave money directly to Bush after he officially nominated them.