xxdr_zombiexx

PETER LEWIS AND THE MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT
OpenSecrets | March 16, 2004

Research by Doug Weber | Submitted by Mamabudz

Peter Lewis is already known as one of the most generous donors to Democratic-leaning 527 groups that aim to defeat President Bush in November. But the famously liberal chairman of auto insurer Progressive Corp. is generously funding at least one other cause: the legalization of marijuana.

Lewis gave $340,000 to a 527 account of the Marijuana Policy Project, according to records filed with the Internal Revenue Service and made available yesterday. According to its Web site, the Washington, D.C.-based MPP "focuses on removing criminal penalties for marijuana use" and emphasizes legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.

Lewis' contribution was the only one recorded last year by MPP's 527 committee, which was formed in September. Lewis also gave to the group's political action committee, the MPP Medical Marijuana PAC, which was created in August. His $5,000 contribution in December was the maximum allowed in 2003.

Lewis has given a total of more than $3.8 million to 527 groups since January of last year, making him one of the biggest individual donors to such committees. 527 groups, named for the section of the tax code that governs them, can raise and spend unlimited soft money contributions from corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals. Lewis has given nearly $3 million to [url=http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail2.asp?cycle=2004&ein=200094706&format =&name=Progressive+Corp&type=c&tname=America+Comin g+Together]America Coming Together, one of the leading 527 groups created to support the Democratic presidential nominee.
(snipped)


Center for Responsive Politics
1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 1030
Washington, DC 20005
202/857-0044; 202/857-7809
info@crp.org; http://www.opensecrets.org
Contact: Steven Weiss (202/857-0044; info@crp.org

The Center's contribution and expenditure figures for 527 groups are at the link below. The section is being updated weekly as new data is made available by the IRS.

http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtes.asp

This report, with links to relevant sections of the Center's Web
site, is available at
http://www.opensecrets.org/pressrele.../527s.3.16.asp

__________________
Torture Good, Healthcare Bad, Marijuana Evil.

There's no money for your issue so long as we're squandering $50 billion a year on the DrugWar. Ben Masel

Higher Self

Now here's a man who is probably heavily vested in an insurance company and endorses the decriminalization of marijuana. Do you think he would put the well being of Progressive into jepordy over a 'dangerous' substance? States going after witches who have traded their brooms in for cars is at the other end of this spectrum...

Suetaz

Thank you Peter Lewis! Too bad they can't use that money to run ads on Comcast.

__________________

innervision311

If every penny of profit generated from illegal sales of marijuana in the USA went to that PAC we could probably buy out an entire party...shouldn't that say something? Something illegal is generating enough money to change the way our government works...yay democracy