Prisoner of War Chest

EchoStar is not alone. Twenty-eight employees of Nomura Securities, a Japan-based financial company, donated a total of $24,000 to McCain in December, with $10,000 of that money coming in on December 15. On December 28, seven employees of the New York law firm Kreindler and Kreindler wrote McCain seven $1,000 checks.

The Grand Canyon overflights issue proves that even small sums can raise eyebrows. In "An Endowed Chair," we reported that the United States Air Tour Association had boasted on its Web site that its influence with McCain soared after USATA members donated to the senator's campaign. The figure was small, $6,250, but the effect was big: McCain offered a floor amendment to an aviation bill that put the squeeze on the Federal Aviation Administration -- with the possible effect of eliminating noise pollution regulations the USATA hates and environmentalists love. The amendment was yanked after enviros complained. This latest campaign-finance analysis reveals that USATA members gave McCain an additional $1,500 two days after he offered the amendment, and before he pulled it.

You can see McCain's contributions yourself online at www.tray.com, the home of FECInfo, or at the FEC's official site, www.FEC.gov. Everything through December, that is. For the rest, you'll have to wait until April -- or 'til the senator decides to do some good with his own Web site.