Wednesday: Sunlight Live to check in on super committee

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When the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or super committee, emerges from the shadows on Wednesday morning to hold its first public hearing in a month, the Sunlight Live team will be there to shine a light on who’s influencing the panel.

As the 12 members inch closer to proposing at least $1.2 trillion in federal cuts or new revenue sources before the end of November, little has come out about their ideas even as reports have surfaced about daily or twice-daily “unofficial” meetings.

More than 200 groups or people — with health care lobbyists leading the way — have reported lobbying the committee so far as members consider cuts that could affect virtually every industry across the nation.

The FEC last week released its reports on third-quarter fundraising, revealing supercommittee member Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., more than tripled how much money he raised since the previous quarter. Van Hollen brought in about $254,000 during quarter three, while committee co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, raised more than $470,000, an increase of $155,000.

And several members have recently held fundraisers and have more planned in the near future, including events this week that will benefit members co-chair Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.

Sunlight’s team has more behind-the-scenes influence data and expertise to share live on Wednesday as members ask questions about discretionary spending of witness Doug Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office. Elmendorf also testified in September at the committee’s second public meeting.

Join us at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at sunlightlive.com as our team of investigative reporters live blogs with real-time context, money and influence data and information on the crowd of lobbyists and others in the hearing room.