2Day in #OpenGov 2/23/2012

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Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.

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

News Roundup:

Campaign Finance
  • 25% of all money raised by super PACs in January came from five very wealthy individuals. (National Journal/The Atlantic Wire)
  • Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D), who has come out against super PACs, donated to the Democratic Governors Association’s super PAC. (iWatch News)

Government

  • A class-action suit was filed against the CIA on Wednesday, alleging that the agency has imposed unlawful requirements on Freedom of Information Act Requesters. (Politico)
  • San Francisco launched its 2012 Innovation Portfolio, an attempt to make the city more relevant to its booming tech industry and open up city data and services to innovation. (Tech Crunch)

Revolving Door

  • Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL) introduced the Stop the Revolving Door in Washington Act, which would ban lobbying by former members of Congress for five years and seek to close the loophole that allows many former members to exert influence without registering as lobbyists. (Republic Report)
  • Former Federal CTO Aneesh Chopra rejoined the Advisory Board Co., the healthcare research and consulting firm where he previously worked for almost a decade. He will serve as senior adviser for health care technology strategy. (Federal Computer Week)
  • Former Ambassador to Indonesia and Bolivia Robert Gelbard joined the public policy and regulation practice at SNR Denton. (Roll Call $)
International
  • Last year, the government of Finland moved to make all data generated with taxpayer money open to the public. This flood of data led Finland’s leading national paper to hold a contest for unique and usable data visualization apps. (Open Knowledge Foundation)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 2/23:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • H.R. 4030. Stop the Revolving Door in Washington Act. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Transparency events scheduled for 2/23:

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