2Day in #OpenGov 2/29/2012

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Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.

Enjoy this extra special leap day look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

Lobbying

  • The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity is losing its President later this year. Steve Miller led the group for 17 years and helped grow it from a regional shop into a major player in Washington. (National Journal)
  • Quinn Gillespie & Associates is losing one of its top Republican lobbyists. The firm has had some high profile staff changes and seen its earnings slip over the past year. (The Hill)

Campaign Finance

  • Mitt Romney spoke out about the relationship between super PACs and campaigns. He called regulations governing coordination “very strange, awkward and inappropriate” and suggested throwing out and rewriting campaign finance laws. (National Journal)
  • The New York Times Developer Network is now updating FEC data through its campaign finance API every 15 minutes. (Lobby Comply)
  • A former News Corporation executive is co-hosting a high profile fundraiser for President Obama. Other notable co-hosts include movie producer Harvey Weinstein, designers Tory Burch and Michael Kors, and HBO co-president Richard Plepler. (Politico)
State and Local
  • The New York City Council is expected to vote on a wide-reaching open data bill that would require all city agencies to provide data online in machine-readable formats through a single, citywide portal. Agencies would have until 2018 to fully comply with the law. (Tech President)
  • A Utah Representative introduced a bill that would funnel anonymous political contributions of more than $50 to the entity where the position the candidate is pursuing exists. For example, a local school board candidate would have to transfer any anonymous donations over $50 to their school district’s general fund. (Lobby Comply)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/29:

  • Markup of H.R. 452, the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011. Energy and Commerce. 10:00 am. 2322 RHOB. Subcommittee on Health.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.
Transparency events scheduled for 2/29:

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