Dick Burr: Stuck to Big Business

The "Independent" in Durham is out with a lengthy investigative piece on would-be senator Richard Burr, with a few nuggets like this: "...collectively, U.S. tobacco manufacturers have given Burr more money than any other member of the House of Representatives, according to a campaign finance database run by the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan, nonprofit watchdog group."

And "the early entrance of third-party advertising in the Burr-Bowles race shows that Burr's corporate backers are deeply invested in promoting him to the ... Senate chamber this fall."

And "Burr ranks No. 1 in PAC donations among all House members, and fourth among all members of Congress, amassing $1.6 million already this campaign season, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. PAC donations make up nearly a third of Burr's total campaign treasury, with 83 percent coming from business and industry PACS and 17 percent from ideological or single-issue groups, including so-called 'leadership PACS' run by fellow Republican lawmakers. When it comes to specific industries, Burr appears among the top five House recipients for 34 industries and special interest groups -- 33 more top-five appearances than any other North Carolina House member."

Whose bidding do you suppose he'll do if he beats Erskine Bowles?