Other than their infuriating habit of using midget running backs to oust our favorite NFL team from the playoffs, we knew there was another good reason why we hated the San Diego Chargers.
They love giving money to Washington politicians.
From Open Secrets’ Capital Eye Blog:
The San Diego Chargers are hardly professional football’s most prolific team, having advanced to just one Super Bowl – they lost the game – in 43 years.
When playing politics, however, the Chargers are untouchable: Team owners, officials and players have combined to contribute more than $2.4 million to political candidates and committees since the 1990 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal campaign finance data indicates.
That’s nearly four times as much as the runner-up Houston Texans, whose associates have contributed more than $623,000 to federal candidates and committees during the past two decades.
As the 32-team National Football League begins its 2009 season, the Chargers and Texans stand among 20 clubs to donate more than $100,000 to federal political interests since the 1990 election cycle, according to the Center’s analysis. Executives and employees of the league itself have also teamed together to contribute more than $322,000 during that time frame.
The Chargers gave 98% of their money to Republicans and only 2% to Democrats. Meanwhile the Texans gave 99% of their contributions to Republicans and only 1% to Democrats.
The NFL team that’s given the least to political candidates? The Los Angeles Raiders – a measly $2,000.
For a detailed recap of all teams donations by partisan affiliation, visit the Open Secrets’ Capital Eye Blog by clicking here …
