WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 (JTA) The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is going to have to update its Web site, where it brags about its Fortune magazine ranking as the second most powerful lobbying group in Washington.
In the magazine’s new rankings, the pro-Israel lobby slipped to fourth, after holding the second spot for the past two years.
The American Association of Retired Persons remained No. 1. Tied for second are the National Rifle Association of America, which was fourth last year, and the National Federation of Independent Business, which was third last year.
While AIPAC has used its high placing in the survey as a sign of its power, the group’s spokesman downplayed the annual list’s significance.
“Let’s put this into perspective,” Kenneth Bricker said. “We’re talking about an unscientific survey of 400 individuals. The real story here is that AIPAC, with the lowest operating budget of the so-called top 10 lobbies, continues to have a perennial place at the top of the list.”
Bricker said AIPAC’s annual budget is $16 million while AARP’s budget is $540 million and the NRA’s is $137 million. Bricker also noted that AIPAC is the only foreign policy and only Jewish group on the list.
Some have suggested that the Israel Policy Forum and Americans for Peace Now could become more of a force on Capitol Hill because of the relationship they have built over the years with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and members of his Labor Party.
Officials at both organizations, however, said AIPAC is still the top pro-Israel group.
Gene Burger, director of research for IPF, said that while “it’s good that other voices are being heard on the peace process,” AIPAC is still looked to by the Jewish community to do the “heavy lifting on bread and butter issues” such as foreign aid.
Lewis Roth, assistant executive director of public affairs for APN, said he didn’t see AIPAC’s drop as “meaningful.”
“They’re still No. 1,” he said.
The survey was conducted this fall by the Mellman Group, a Democratic polling firm, and Public Opinion Strategies, a Republican firm.
The questionnaire was mailed to 2,773 people, including every member of Congress, Capitol Hill staffers, senior White House aides, professional lobbyists, and top-ranking officers of the largest lobbying groups in Washington. Fifteen percent, or 427, of the surveys were completed and returned.
Respondents were asked to assess, on a scale of 0 to 100, the political clout of 114 trade associations, labor unions and interest groups.
