Common Cause, the public interest lobby, says that from 1983 to 1988 the insurers' groups gave more to candidates than those from any other industry except banking and energy.

Special interest groups gave $9.8 million in speaking fees to members of Congress last year, trying to influence legislation, the public interest lobby Common Cause said Tuesday.

It responded faster when Common Cause, the public interest lobby, complained about the savings and loan meddling.

All we had to do to raise money was trot out our big Congressional leaders and have them put the arm on a bunch of interest lobbies.

"People on the committee haven't been doing their job," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Common Cause, the public interest lobby.

Almost every special interest lobby was organized to prevent reform.

Morris also never quite spells out what would prevent the big special interest lobbies from manipulating the Internet just as they manipulate every other form of public opinion today.

For a long time he was also a force in the National Housing Conference, an influential Washington public interest lobby.

The first call for the inquiry came from Common Cause, the public interest lobby, although the demand was later picked up by House Republicans.