2Day in #OpenGov 10/5/2011

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Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.

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

News Roundup:

Campaign Finance
  • Third quarter fundraising reports are due soon, and early numbers are starting to leak. Rick Perry has exceeded predictions and raised around $17 million for the quarter, nearly matching Mitt Romney’s second quarter take. (National Journal)
  • Mitt Romney, who has kept expectations low for his third quarter fundraising haul, has some very strong supporters. At least 50 donors, who have already contributed the maximum allowed amount to his presidential campaign, have also given princely sums to the Super PAC fighting for his election. (Yahoo/AP)
  • House Majority Leader Eric Cantor might soon get some super support of his own. Reports suggest that Cantor’s deputy chief of staff is departing to start a Super PAC dedicated to raising the Congressman’s national profile in advance of a possible Vice Presidential run. (National Journal)
Revolving Door
  • The government relations and public affairs firm Cornerstone Government Affairs LLC is opening new offices in Houston, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi. Representative John Culberson’s (R-TX) chief of staff, Tony Essalih, has been hired to run the Houston office. (National Journal)
  • Susan Collins (R-ME) will see Molly Wilkinson, a senior member of her staff, move to Regions Bank. Wilkinson will serve as a senior vice president of government affairs for the bank. (Federal Computer Week)
  • The Glover Park Group is losing Aoife McCarthy, a director, to government service. She will join the Corporation for National and Community Service as its press secretary. (National Journal)
Government
  • The White House’s online petition site, We The People, has proved so popular in its first week that the administration has quadrupled the number of signatures required for a petition to qualify for a response. The site is considered part of the Obama administration’s transparency efforts. (Nextgov)
State and Local
  • More than 1 million people have signed up for digital updates from the Indiana state government. The program, launched in 2008, sends out monthly updates via email and text messaging services. (GovTech)
  • A California state senator is preparing to propose legislation that would expand the number of people subject to the state’s revolving door provision. Members of the public appointed to serve on boards would have to wait twelve months after terminating their service before lobbying former colleagues. (Lobby Comply)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 10/5:

Senate

  • Judiciary. Constitutional Role of Judges. 216 HSOB, 2:30 pm. Full Committee Hearing.
House
  • Energy and Commerce. Line-by-Line Budget Review. 2322 RHOB, 9:30 am. Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.

Transparency events scheduled for 10/5:

 

 

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