$6,162
Before they feast, politicians may give thanks to turkey producers and their lobby, the California Poultry Federation. Pols have gobbled $518,000 in poultry-related donations since 2000. This year, the lobbyists feted lawmakers at a capital steak house whose entrance features a glass-fronted cooler where chunks of beef age. The cost was not chicken feed: $6,162. —Dan Morain
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