Lugar Among Roberts' Donation Recipients

Yahoo! News
Lugar Among Roberts' Donation Recipients

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.

In 1998, the Hogan & Hartson PAC made $111,800 in political donations, with more going to Republicans than Democrats. The same was true in 2000; Hogan & Hartson gave $67,000 to Republicans and $37,250 to Democrats.

Roberts' wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, also contributed $250 to Fitzgerald in 1998. The rest of her political contributions were to her law firm's political action committee. Mrs. Roberts is a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.

She gave more than $4,000 to the firm's PAC. Unlike Hogan & Hartson, her firm favored Democrats over Republicans in campaign giving, contributing $126,750 to Democrats in 2000 and $78,550 to Republicans. In 1998, Shaw Pittman gave $76,350 to Democrats and $64,000 to Republicans.