Using the political system, J.P. Morgan donates money to key officials who oversee the food stamp program. After J.P. Morgan began to profit from the food stamp business, officials doubled their donations to congressional committee members who oversee food stamps.House and Senate Agricultural Committee members control the Department of Agriculture, which is in charge of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the bureaucratic title for food stamps.
According to the Government Accountability Institute, between 1998 and 2002, J.P. Morgan’s total contributions per election cycle averaged $82,897.
After J.P. Morgan entered the EBT services market, up to the 2010 election cycle, its average donation per cycle more than doubled to $215,120, the GAI said. The contributions were targeted to the agricultural committee members who had significant influence over the food stamp program.
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