Campaign Finance

• Super PACs have dominated campaign finance this election season, but so far major corporations haven’t embraced them. Instead, companies have been giving to politically active non-profits, allowing them to keep their donations secret while still exerting influence. (Politico)
• Senate Democrats are pushing to better regulate politically active non-profits. They are asking the IRS to institute a “bright line test” to ensure that these tax-exempt groups are devoting less than half their resources to political activities. They say they are prepared to move legislation if the IRS does not take administrative action. (New York Times)

Government

• Congress has been slow to act, or entirely absent, on substantive transparency and disclosure related measures. (USA Today)
• The Office of Government Ethics is planning to make the public financial disclosure reports of Senate confirmed political appointees more readily available online as soon as next week. (Washington Post)
• The award winning USDA CIO, Chris Smith, is planning to retire at the end of March. Smith has served in that position since 2008. (Federal Computer Week)
• Sunshine Week is coming up. Scheduled to start on Monday, March 11 the week is intended to celebrate and draw attention to the benefits of open government. (Investigative Reporting Workshop)