Sunlight Foundation

Press Articles & Mentions Archives

July 2008

• The New York Times - Lobbyist Reports Show $181,000 for McCain

  WASHINGTON — Registered lobbyists have donated large amounts of money to Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, even as he denounces their profession. But Democratic candidates for Congress have also raised prodigious sums from lobbyists, outdoing the Republicans, according to reports filed for the first time under a new ethics law.

• San Antonio Express - Editorial: Earmark disclosure should be required

  In the fight against wasteful earmarks in federal spending, information is the most effective weapon.

• Frederick News Post - Editoral: Bad form

  One of the things the Nixon-era Watergate Scandal bequeathed us — specifically, to our public officials — was the Ethics in Government Act.

• Roll Call - What, Not Where Should Govern Internet Postings

  On June 24, Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.) sent a letter to House Administration Chairman Robert Brady (D-Pa.) urging the committee to update its guidelines governing Member Web sites. While Capuano’s proposal improved the status quo, it ignores the current practice by House Members.

• CNN - Congress wades through 'tweets'

  WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Forget the stamps, I will text you. That's what a handful of congressmen seeking to communicate with voters in real time are telling constituents.

• Glenn Post Star - Editoral: Congressional earmarks posted on Sunlight Foundation Web site

  Congressional earmarks, those pork barrel projects that pad the federal budget, had long been a big secret to most taxpayers. That’s because members of Congress didn’t like to let the general public know who was influencing them.

• Orange County Register - Congressman has financial stake in O.C. tollway

  One of Congress' strongest supporters of the Foothill tollway's controversial southern extension steered taxpayer money to and lobbied for the project while holding a financial interest in a connected tollway.

• The Examiner - Commentary - There they go again, stifling free speech

  Congressman Michael Capuano probably means well – and Big Government enthusiasts always try to sound like they really do – but I've never met the man, so I don't know for sure.

• Politico - McCain takes lead in transparency race

  John McCain today fired the latest round in his battle with Barack Obama over campaign finance transparency.

• The New York Times - In House, Tweets Fly Over Web Plan

  It began with a twitter from one of Capitol Hill's best-known technophiles.

• Congress Daily - Rules Panel’s Foray Into Online Video A Bit More Collegial

  The Senate Rules Committee will soon consider a proposal that would modify the chamber’s Internet usage rules in an effort to clarify the circumstances under which members are allowed to place videos on external Web sites.

• Roll Call - Teaching Can Pay Off

  Most part-time university professors are paid quite modestly, but that rule does not appear to apply to some Members of Congress who dabble in academia.

• Roll Call - Congress Fails When It Comes to Disclosure

  Every year on June 15 (unless given an extension), lawmakers release disclosure reports revealing their personal finances for the public to inspect. This year, in the wake of revelations that two Senators received preferential loan treatment from lender Countrywide Financial, the release of these reports highlights the failures inherent in the personal financial disclosures requirements.

• Time Magazine - The Citizen Watchdogs of Web 2.0

  From John Edwards' haircut to Hillary Clinton's tear, Web videos have played a well-publicized role in generating buzz about this year's presidential candidates. As influential as those viral clips may be, though, a broader role is arising for so-called voter-generated content. Civic-minded techies are increasingly bringing Web 2.0 to political activism, developing new watchdog tools that open up congressional machinery for ordinary citizens to scrutinize and critique.

• The Daily Journal (NJ) - N.J. earmarks target military bases, hospitals

  WASHINGTON -- New Jersey House members have inserted $53 million worth of special projects called "earmarks" for military bases, hospitals and universities in bills that would set the spending levels or lay out funding priorities for 2009.