Wal-Mart boosting political contributions - Marketplace - Brief Article

Modern Brewery Age, March 8, 2004

This year, Wal-Mart, the largest company in the U.S., is on track to become the biggest political contributor to the 2004 election campaigns.

The enormous retailer had little involvement in federal politics in its early years, but the company is currently the largest corporate donor through its political action committee (PAC), having given nearly $1.3 million to federal candidates until the end of January.

Political analysts said that Wal-Mart's elephantine entry into national politics reminds them of the entry of Microsoft in the mid-1990s. The software firm had once spurned involvement in Washington politics, but got religion when it was hit by a barrage of anti-trust investigations.

As recently as the 2000 presidential election year, Wal-Mart ranked 771st in direct contributions to federal politicians.

The company now employs Patton, Boggs and Blow, the powerhouse Washington lobbying firm.

More than 220 members of the House and Senate receiving checks of $1,000 to $17,500 so far this election cycle. About 85 per cent of the money has gone to Republicans.

The sudden emergence of a giant chain retailer as the biggest political contributor has raised alarm bells in the beer industry, which is facing the prospect of conflict with chains over three-tier system issues.