The lobbying industry has donated $545,173 to 2020 presidential campaigns with nearly 80 percent going to Democratic candidates, even as many of those hopefuls vow not to take donations from lobbyists.

Over $114,498 of that has gone to President Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Pelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act MORE’s re-election while the rest, $430,675, has been given to Democrats, including those who have dropped out of the race, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

The total is based on the Federal Election Commission data released on Oct. 16., through third-quarter 2019 fundraising.

ADVERTISEMENT

The numbers paint a complicated picture. Democratic candidates and their progressive allies in the current cycle have put new scrutiny on lobbyists as well as on taking money from other special interest or corporate groups. But that hasn't completely stopped the flow of money to candidates and campaigns.

K Street's top ranks are filled with former Democrats, many with ties to the candidates. And watchdog groups say that while the focus is on federally registered lobbyists, donations from others tied to the industry, such as state- and local-level lobbyists, often trickle through.

“The states are an area that are ripe with influence. In part because it takes lower dollar amounts to influence and people are usually making contributions at a lower level,” Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs at Public Citizen, a watchdog group The Hill.

The Center for Responsive Politics number includes state and local lobbyists, lobbying firm’s political action committees (PACs) as well as people who work at lobbying firms who are not registered – including support staff and lawyers. Lobbyists who are in-house at a corporation are not included in the count.

If a contribution from a federally registered lobbyist was returned by the campaign, it would be subtracted from the calculation, according to the group.

The over $500,000 figure includes both donations to campaigns and money directed to outside groups, like candidates’ political action committees.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to the center's data, former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Joe Biden should enact critical government reforms if he wins MORE has received over $90,000 from the lobbying industry, Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisPelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act What Kamala Harris' VP nomination means to us Harris slams Trump's Supreme Court pick as an attempt to 'destroy the Affordable Care Act' MORE (D-Calif.) has received over $75,000, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE has received over $30,000, and Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerSunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for SCOTUS confirmation hearings before election The movement to reform animal agriculture has reached a tipping point Watchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump MORE (D-N.J.) has received over $30,000.

"Vice President Biden does not accept contributions from federal lobbyists and has been a leader throughout his career in working to eliminate the influence of big money in politics," campaign spokesman Michael Gwin told The Hill.

Also, Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (D-Minn.) has received over $20,000, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) has received over $16,000 and former Housing Secretary Julian Castro Julian CastroSanders says Democrats should have given more speaking time to progressives Castro says DNC should have put more Latino speakers on stage from beginning Jill Biden defends husband's cognitive ability from Trump attacks: 'It's ridiculous' MORE, Sen. Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Next crisis, keep people working and give them raises MORE (D-Colo.) and Rep. John Delaney John DelaneyCoronavirus Report: The Hill's Steve Clemons interviews Rep. Rodney Davis Eurasia Group founder Ian Bremmer says Trump right on China but wrong on WHO; CDC issues new guidance for large gatherings The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says country needs to rethink what 'policing' means; US cases surpass 2 million with no end to pandemic in sight MORE (D-Md.) have all received over $10,000.

Just over $2,000 has gone to Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersTrump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Sanders tells Maher 'there will be a number of plans' to remove Trump if he loses Sirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters MORE (I-Vt.) and just under $600 to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi GabbardRepublicans call on DOJ to investigate Netflix over 'Cuties' film Hispanic Caucus campaign arm endorses slate of non-Hispanic candidates Gabbard says she 'was not invited to participate in any way' in Democratic convention MORE (D-Hawaii), while businessman Andrew Yang Andrew YangBiden's latest small business outreach is just ... awful Doctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls MORE, and Marianne Williamson Marianne WilliamsonMarianne Williamson discusses speaking at People's Party Convention Fewer people watched opening night of Democratic convention compared to 2016 Marianne Williamson: Democratic convention 'like binge watching a Marriott commercial' MORE have all accepted over $250.

The Gabbard campaign told The Hill they will return the contributions.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We're planning to return the $594 in lobbyist contributions and going forward our policy will be to return any lobbyist contributions over $50. We will rely on the reporting by Open Secrets to help us track this information,” a spokesman told The Hill.

The Buttigieg campaign said it was committed to ensuring campaign finance reforms to crack down on special interest money.

“As President, Pete will enact critical campaign finance reforms to restore faith in our Democracy, including strengthening the FEC and pushing to overturn Citizens United and Buckley v Valeo,” a spokesman told The Hill.

In response, Warren’s campaign cited their plan, introduced in September, that would ban lobbyists from making political contributions, bundling donations or hosting fundraisers for candidates. Currently, her campaign refuses donations from lobbyists to the federal government and also from foreign agents.

Sanders’ campaign noted that they don't accept donations from corporate lobbyists. The senator introduced a plan in October to would ban donations from federal lobbyists and corporations.

And, Williamson’s campaign said they evaluate contributions on a case by case basis.

Other campaigns declined to comment for the story or did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.

Unlike most Democrats, Trump, has not shied away from corporate money. Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld William (Bill) WeldRalph Gants, chief justice of Massachusetts supreme court, dies at 65 The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden visits Kenosha | Trump's double-voting suggestion draws fire | Facebook clamps down on election ads Biden picks up endorsements from nearly 100 Republicans MORE, the only other Republican presidential contender other than Trump counted in the tally, has accepted over $200.

Still, the donations from those connected to the lobbying industry as a whole pale in comparison to political contributions from other controversial industries.

The oil and gas industry has donated over $4.5 million on the 2020 election, over $4 million of that going to Trump alone and the pharmaceuticals and health products industry has donated $1.7 million with over $450,000 going to Trump, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Democrats who have pledged not to take money from lobbyists in Washington have returned checks in many cases, but that doesn’t often extend to donations from state and local lobbyists or from people who work at lobbying firms.

State and local lobbyists are seen as different because they do not directly lobby the president or Congress. But critics say that state and local lobbyists are still prominent in the advocacy space.

"Certainly as we think about decisions that campaigns are making or campaign finance rules that we want, we are paying equal attention to money spend in the federal and state level," said Gilbert from Public Citizen.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gilbert said that as Democratic candidates crack down on special interest money the field of acceptable donors will also narrow.

“Just as we first saw no pharma money or no oil money, and then it became no corporate money. Its logical that the next step might be no state lobbyists,” Gilbert said.

Others noted that optics of accepting campaign contributions from state and local lobbyists are less controversial.

“Candidates understand that contributions from lobbyists are a valid and regulated method of political engagement. This is why we see them taking funds from those at the state and local level, which is sometimes less scrutinized than federal-level campaign contributions,” said Kelly Memphis, manager of government relations and stakeholder engagement for the Public Affairs Council, an association for public affairs professionals.

Memphis also questioned the criticism over accepting lobbying money.

"Candidates often refuse dollars from federal lobbyists and national corporate PACs to keep up appearances in line with the overblown national narrative that these types of contributions are part of a broken system,” Memphis said.

ADVERTISEMENT

But those views have taken hold in the Democratic field, with many candidates proposing tough reforms to cut off lobbyist donations.

Even new entrants are vowing not to take donations from Washington lobbyists.

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s campaign will not be taking contributions from lobbyists, according to the campaign, and Bloomberg, a billionaire, is self-funding entirely.

Fellow billionaire Tom Steyer Tom SteyerTV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month Inslee calls Biden climate plan 'perfect for the moment' OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump administration finalizes plan to open up Alaska wildlife refuge to drilling | California finalizes fuel efficiency deal with five automakers, undercutting Trump | Democrats use vulnerable GOP senators to get rare win on environment MORE is also against taking lobbyist money.

“Tom doesn't take money from lobbyists because he's proposing real structural reforms to break the corporate stranglehold in Washington, like term limits for Members of Congress and national referendums,” spokesman Benjamin Gerdes told The Hill.

The campaign for Gov. Deval Patrick Deval PatrickRalph Gants, chief justice of Massachusetts supreme court, dies at 65 It's as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Top Democratic super PACs team up to boost Biden MORE’s (D-Mass.), other new candidate, did not respond to a request for comment.