How much are financial firms spending on lobbying?  The Post takes a look.

The pace that the financial, insurance and real estate industries spent on lobbying during the first half of the year puts them on pace to meet last year’s record spending of nearly $460 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a political watchdog group.

Employees and political action committees in those same industries have contributed more than $53 million this year to members of Congress and the political parties.

Lobbyists for financial industry have defended their actions, saying it is within their constitutional right to petition government leaders.