Lobbyists, special interests provide nearly all of Billy Long's contributions during last quarter of 2017

Fifty-two political action committees, five lobbyists, and an official from a public relations firm that represents pharmaceutical companies combined to contribute $103,936.60 to Seventh District Congressman Billy Long's campaign account, according to a quarterly report filed this week with the Federal Election Commission.

The PACs gave Long $97,236.60, with $19,000 of that coming from the pharmaceutical industry and another $18,000 from health, medical and insurance interests. The five lobbyists and the publicist all have pharmaceutical companies among their biggest clients, increasing that total $25,700.

Long received a total of $107,706.60 for the quarter, meaning that he received only $3,770 outside of the special interests.

During the same period in a non-election year, the fiscal conservative's campaign spent nearly double the amount it brought in- $197,673.

Included in that spending was $14,433.76 for 64 meals, including $2,830.13 at BLT Steak in Washington D. C., $2,641.25 December 26 at The Flame in Springfield and $1,781.53 at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab in Washington, D. C. October 10.

The list included six meals that cost more than $600.

On the positive side, two words that are not mentioned anywhere on the filing were "Las Vegas." Nearly all of Long's reports for the past few years have included one or more trips to Las Vegas.

***

Special interests PACS contributing $1,000 or more to Billy Long during the fourth quarter of 2017 included the following:

American Association of Clinical Urologists $1,000
Emerson Electric $1,000
Express Scripts $2,500
Leidos, Inc. $2,500
Google $2,510
American Academy of Neurology $1,000
Wal-Mart $1,000
Pfizer $1,000
Society of Interventional Radiology $5,000
Facebook $1,500
Marathon Petroleum $2,500
Bristol Myers $1,000
National Beer Wholesalers $2,500
CTIA The Wireless Association $3,000
Astellas $2,500
Novartis $1,000
Boeing $1,500
Professional Insurance Agents $1,000
American Medical Association $1,000
American College of Surgeons $3,000
General Motors $3,000
EMD Serono $1,000
Seasonal Employer $1,000
Novo Nordisk $1,000
Expedia $1,500
Boston Scientific $1,000
AstraZeneca $1,500
National Air Traffic Controllers $1,000
Vertex Pharmaceuticals $1,000
Johnson & Johnson $1,500
Quapaw Tribe $2,500
National Milk Producers $1,000
General Dynamics $1,000
Altria $1,500
Valero Energy $2,500
Abbvie $1,000
National Telecommunications $1,500
UPS $2,500
American Academy of Ophthalmology $1,500
American Osteopathic $3,500
Celgene $1,500
Chevron $2,000
Ameren $3,500
Kraft Heinz $2,000
Merck $2,000
Sanofi U. S. $1,500
Action Committee for Rural Electrification $2,500
Raytheon $1,000