LAWYERS LEAD IN GIVING TO REELECT BUSH

The White House has repeatedly blamed lawyers for clogging the court system with frivolous lawsuits, but the legal profession nevertheless is President Bush's top source of campaign money.

Lawyers and lobbyists directed $1.37 million to the campaign through May 31, more than any other profession, according to the Washington-based National Library on Money and Politics.

Donors who reported they were retired were the second largest source of donations at $1.17 million, followed by securities-investment ($775,700), doctors and health professionals ($682,473), and real estate ($567,845), the study said.

Rounding out the top 10 givers by profession were oil-gas ($535,882), manufacturing ($477,705), insurance ($349,500), commercial banks ($337,450) and business services ($313,745).

The single largest source of donations was tobacco-products giant UST Inc., whose executives, employees, and their families contributed $92,950.