Beer Money: Anheuser-Busch and AB InBev

What’s going on here? Read this post to find out.

Note: Figures below include money attributed to both Anheuser-Busch and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Sources of information recognize AB as a political action committee and AB InBev as an organization. All charts are clickable to enlarge.

Anheuser-Busch

Campaign finance, from 1989 through Q2 2014: $15,619,200

Lobbying:

• All time: $58,700,812
• 2013-14: $6,150,000
• 2013-14 spending represented 10.5 percent of all-time amount
  Source

2013-2014 Cycle

Individual contributions:

Political Action Committee contributions:

All Time

Individual contributions:

Political Action Committee contributions:

AB InBev

Campaign finance, from 1989 through Q2 2014: $24,314,793

Lobbying:

• All time: $102,350,812
• 2013-2014: $18,450,000
• 2013-14 spending was 18 percent of all time amount
  Source

2013-2014 Cycle

Individual contributions:

Political Action Committee contributions:

All Time

Individual contributions:

Political Action Committee contributions:

Anheuser-Busch

Over last 24 years, top-five party committees have been:

• Florida Republican Party: $1,100,317
• Missouri Republican Party: $955,000
• California Democratic Party: $672,733
• Missouri Democratic Party: $656,778
• California Republican Party: $617,442
  Source

Anheuser-Busch

2014 Election Cycle

• Total Raised: $840,526
• Total Spent: $915,913
• Contributions to federal candidates: $575,898 (43% to Democrats, 57% to Republicans)
  Source

Anheuser-Busch InBev

2014 Election Cycle

Contributions: $1,243,919

Lobbying:

• $4,610,000 in 2014
• $50,020,406 since 1998
  Source

Legislation of Interest

Lots of attention where you’d expect:

• Energy
• Tax codes: distilled spirits and domestic production activities in Puerto Rico. I’m not familiar with an AB production facility in that country, but there is this listing.
• FDA involvement in menu labeling, which would require nutritional information for some alcoholic beverages.

Of all organizations, Anheuser-Busch had greatest interest in matters related to distribution, given their vast network throughout the country. Just a few areas of note included:

• Safe and Efficient Transportation Act and issues related to truck weights
• Highway Trust Fund Reauthorization
• Montana/North Dakota railroad issues

Others areas included monitoring of issues related to the malt industry and beverage packaging legislations such as proposals regarding alcohol excise taxes, included but not limited to Health Care Reform.

Beer Money series:

• Introduction
• MillerCoors
• Anheuser-Busch
• Heineken
• Brewers Association
• Beer Institute
• National Beer Wholesalers Association
• New Belgium and Boston Beer
• Discussion

Bryan Roth
“Don’t drink to get drunk. Drink to enjoy life.” — Jack Kerouac