The Hill News

Defeated Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.) suggested in a recent interview that Chinese interests contributed to her loss in the November midterm elections.

Shea-Porter, who first won her seat in the Democratic sweep of 2006, said that special interest money has damaged the integrity of Congress.

{mosads}"I think it's strangling us," she told ABC News in a recent interview. "They're in the halls of Congress everywhere, and it means, for example, that you sit on a committee and you say something about concern about Chinese influence or something, you don't even know if in the next election, somehow or another, they manage to send some money to s! ome group that now doesn't even have to say where they got it."

Shea-Porter was defeated by Republican Frank Guinta 54-43 percent on Nov. 2. Her district had previously been represented by Republican Rep. Jeb Bradley.

During the midterm campaign, Democrats railed against Republicans for blocking a campaign finance law that would have counteracted the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling that lifted many restrictions on corporate and union political spending.

Democrats accused outside groups with anonymous donors may have funneled foreign money and influence into the elections.

U.S. political campaigns are barred from accepting donations from foreign entities. No evidence has been presented that Guinta accepted foreign donations.

Shea-Porter raised eyebrows in January when she said it would have been easier for Congress to pass the healt! hcare reform overhaul if "We sent the men home."