2Day in #OpenGov 6/28/2011

by

Collected today by Policy Intern Jacob Hutt.

Here is Tuesday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

Lobbying

  • New research by two IMF economists identifies the effectiveness of lobbying by well-connected K Street firms, pointing to three interesting trends in how money influences politics. (Financial Times)
  • The Finance Industry Regulatory Authority is lobbying the U.S. government for responsibility over investment adviser oversight, which is currently handled by the SEC but could be granted to FINRA as a cost-saving measure. (Bloomberg)
  • Opinion: special interest lobbyists manipulated the 2012 Agriculture appropriations bill to include several provisions that are antithetical to healthy nutrition and will aggravate obesity in the U.S. (The Hill)

Access to Information

  • Controversy over status of lawmakers’ text messages arose in New Hampshire, as some argued that texts are public documents if sent during public meetings. (Tech President)
  • An Obama political appointee came under fire after a Freedom of Information Act request by Americans for Limited Government revealed he made thirteen trips to Seattle, his home city, in the first several months of his appointment. (The Daily Caller)
  • Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul called for enhanced transparency and access to information in hearings and legislation on gold reserves. (Coin News)

Revolving Door

  • In a reverse revolving door study, lobbyists were shown to take pay cuts of around $100,000 to begin working on Capitol Hill. (The Hill)
  • The National Retail Federation has added two lobbyists to its government relations team, one of whom formerly served as a legislative assistant in the House. (NRF)
  • Multiple members of a JP Morgan legal team that negotiated a settlement with the SEC were Former Senior SEC Officials. (Project on Government Oversight)

Campaign Finance

  • The Supreme Court struck down an Arizona campaign finance law that provided additional funds to candidates outspent by wealthy opponents, with Justice Kagan emerging as a strong dissenting voice and advocate for campaign finance laws. (The Hill)
  • Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, both previously vocal opponents of super PACs, have reversed course and are soliciting donations of $5000 or less for House Majority PAC and Majority PAC, two progressive super PACs which will spend money in the 2012 House and Senate races. (Politico)
  • White House officials maintained that Obama’s video message filmed by a crew from the DNC did not violate campaign regulations that generally prohibit fundraising by a federal employee in a federal office building. (Real Clear Politics)

International

  • The Local Government Association slammed Whitehall, the central administrative body of the UK, for an absence of transparency and accountability in government spending. (Public Service)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 6/28:

Senate

  • None.

House

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.

Transparency events scheduled for 6/28: