Railroad Tracks Lead to Obama

Our friends at The Colorado Independent take a look at railroad companies’ sudden interest in political conventions.  Two of them, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe, have each given more more than $1 million to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.  The companies aren’t saying much, but their support comes at a time when congressional Democrats are inching toward re-regulating the railroad industry.  And if Barack Obama wins the presidency, Union Pacific could have an inside link.  

TWI tracked down FEC records — some via our pals at Open Secrets –  that show that the company has paid nearly a half-million dollars to Covington & Burling, a Washington law firm, whose roster of well-connected lobbyists includes Linda J. Morgan, the former Bill Clinton-appointed chair of the Surface Transportation Board. Among her colleagues at Covington and Burling is former U.S. attorney Eric Holder, who is leading Obama’s vice presidential search.