Interest groups spent $17.4 million for every day Congress was in session. Lobbying growth for finance sector and auto industry is smaller in tough times. WASHINGTON--While companies across the board were losing record amounts of money and laying off employees last year, at least one industry s...

Why, when Wall Street took the fast lane to grab its share of $700 billion in federal bailout funds, does the auto industry seem stuck in neutral? The carmakers' campaign contributions to Congress suggest one reason: Most lawmakers, especially those on the finance committees that heard this week fro...