Comcast, GE shower contributions to key lawmakers ahead of merger hearing

Comcast and NBC Universal's parent company have showered campaign contributions on members of two panels holding hearings Thursday on the cable giant's proposed purchase of the television network.

Comcast and General Electric have already spent $474,000 on contributions to members of the panels, about 70 percent of what they spent over the entire political cycle of 2008, according to The Hill's analysis of data on OpenSecrets.org.

Comcast in particular has ramped up its donations to key members of both committees. It didn't give a dime in the last cycle to Rep Rick Boucher (D-VA), but has donated $5,000 in this cycle to the chairman of the House Commerce Subcommittee on Technology, Communications and the Internet, which will hold the first hearing on the merger on Thursday.

After not donating to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) in the last cycle, Comcast has given $15,500 to Schumer's political committee and his leadership political action committee this cycle. Schumer is a key member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, which will also hold a hearing Thursday on the merger.