2Day in #OpenGov 11/8/2011

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Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.

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:

Campaign Finance

  • American Crossroads filed an advisory opinion request with the FEC asking if independent expenditure-only PACs can use incumbent members of congress in their advertisements. The PAC admits that these ads would be intended to improve public perception of the member and seeks guidance as to how such ads might effect their ability to independently expend funds in support of the candidate. (Lobby Comply)
  • A new pro-Rick Perry Super PAC has emerged. Texas Aggies for Perry 2012 seems likely to focus on raising money from people with connections to Texas A&M, Perry’s Alma Mater. (Washington Post)
Lobbying
  • Google’s director of public policy and government affairs, Alan Davidson, is leaving his post after six and a half years. He was Google’s first employee in DC and oversaw rapid growth in their government affairs operation. (Washington Post)
  • A battle is brewing between internet retailers and more traditional “brick and mortar” companies. Traditional retailers, who collect state sales taxes, want internet retailers to be subject to the same rules. Several bills have been introduced to this end and both sides are marshaling their lobbying forces. (Politico)

Technology

  • Many potential voters turn to the internet for information about polling places, issues, and candidates according to a recent poll by the Voting Info Project. The VIP aims to make this information easy to find through Google and other search engines. (techPresident)
  • The National Archives and Records Administration is gearing up to launch a Citizen Archivist Dashboard in December. The Dashboard will allow volunteers to tag, transcribe and write articles about scanned NARA documents. They hope to engage regular citizens who have an interest in archival research. (Nextgov)
  • Google has instituted a new search algorithm that may make it harder to find some government websites. The algorithm focuses heavily on newer content and could push pages that do not update very often down the list of search results. (Federal Computer Week)
  • Code For America has videos of 13 CFA fellows demoing their apps at the October Code For America Summit. (govfresh)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 11/8:

  • Judiciary. Oversight of the US Department of Justice. 226 DSOB. 10:00 am. Full Committee Hearing.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.
Transparency events scheduled for 11/8:
  • None.

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