OKAY, FAIRNESS - AT 8:41 A.M. ET:  In our first post today, I complained loudly about a biased piece in the Washington Post, which reported only on contributions by health insurers to moderate Democrats, but which was silent on liberals.  Now, I'm happy to say, the Congressional Quarterly has provided some balance:

Some of the largest expenditures from lobbyists and their clients during the first six months of this year went to hosting events and making charitable donations in honor of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy , D-Mass.

On Wednesday, the American Medical Association, for example, reported spending $195,965 on an event in March honoring Kennedy, who is chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, as well as Rep. Nathan Deal , R-Ga, the ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

Boston-based Partners Healthcare also reported making a $200,000 donation in June toward the Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, a research center to be established in Boston based on the senator’s political career.

Kennedy wasn't the only liberal so honored:

The deadline for reporting lobbying expenditures and donations on behalf of lawmakers is midnight tonight. But reports already filed include: a $250,000 donation from Cigna to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation in honor of Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy , D-R.I., a foundation board member; a $38,720 expenditure by the American Psychological Association Practice Organization to honor Sen. Jeff Bingaman , D-N.M.; and $60,715 in expenditures from the Lupus Foundation of America honoring Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski , D-Md., and Rep. James P. Moran , D-Va.

COMMENT:  At least we're getting some fairness in the reporting, if only from CQ. 

July 31, 2009