Fireworks As a Campaign Strategy?

Here's another peek at what some of your campaign contributions go toward. Hint: They're loud, colorful and illegal in some states.

Yes, they're fireworks. The Center for Responsive Politics says the general consensus is: Set off the sparkle, win the White House.

Not only do politicians buy fireworks for events on the campaign trail (no news there), but the fireworks industry is tossing a fair amount of cash at lawmakers and lobbying efforts to battle what it views as unfair regulations post Sept. 11.

Since 2000, federal candidates, parties and committees have spent almost $50,700 on fireworks for advertising and fundraising. The Republicans spent far more in the White House races. The Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign spent nearly one-fourth of that $50,700 for an event in New Castle, Pa., the nation's fireworks capital. The Gore-Lieberman camp apparently spent nothing. The Republican National Committee spent $13,000 for the 2004 White House race, while John Kerry only spent half of that.
In Congress, the top fireworks spender has been Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, a Democrat whose district borders to New Castle's. Murtha spent $2,000 on fireworks last April, and has received $3,000 from New Castle residents.

This year, New Castle residents, including the president of fireworks firm Pyrotecnico have donated around $42,700 to federal candidates, parties and committees.

Since 2000, the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA), reported spending $100,000 to lobby on Capitol Hill; it spent $40,000 last year; second quarter lobbying reports are due July 21. Charlie Black, now an adviser to John McCain's presidential campaign, has lobbied for the APA. The group says fireworks are classified as more dangerous than they actually are and that the industry is unnecessarily burdened by forcing pyrotechnicians to undergo repeated background. It also stresses that there has been a 44% decrease in the injury rate of fireworks-related accidents; most people are injured because they're improperly using the explosives, they say.

It should be a policy of "'one credential, one clearance, you're golden," APA Executive Director Julie Heckman told Capital Eye.