Campaign Finance

• Eric Cantor vs. The Establishment? Eric Cantor (R-Va), the House Majority Leader, is dealing with the revelation that he donated $25,000 to the anti-incumbent super PAC Campaign for Primary Accountability. The PAC has spent freely to unseat incumbent members from both parties. (Politico)
• Netflix goes to Washington: Netflix formed a political action committee, adding to their arsenal of tools to exert influence in Washington. The Company has already grown their lobbying practice significantly in the past 3 years. (Politico)
• Every dollar counts: Most political fundraisers that make the news are high dollar affairs aimed at elite donors. But, candidates at every level are exploring ways to engage small donors with less traditional offerings. (The Hill)

Government

• GSA waste causes action: Cause of Action, a nonpartisan government accountability watchdog group, filed FOIA requests to 28 federal agencies and their IGs in an effort to uncover wasteful federal spending in the wake of the GSA conference scandal. (Government Executive)
• GSA goes Hollywood: Seven videos produced at the lavish conference will probably continue to fuel the GSA spending controversy. (Huffington Post)

• Public information portal: TuDerechoaSaber.es, based on similar systems for the EU and UK, allows citizens to make requests for government information and track their progress. (Access-Info)

• Corruption in Tajikistan: Causes and Consequences. GMU. Mon. 4/9. 12:00-2:00 pm. Founders Hall, Room 113, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201. 
• Integrating Official and Crowdsourced Crisis Information. Woodrow Wilson Center. Mon. 4/9. 4:00-5:00 pm. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004.
• Securing the Benefits of Trade & Investment Through Transparency & Anti-Corruption. WCL. Mon. 4/9. 4:30-9:00 pm. WCL Room 603 and Student Lounges, 4801 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016.
• The Congressional Budget Office: Honest Numbers, Power, and Policy Making. UMD. Tues. 4/10. 12:15-1:30 pm. 1207 Van Munching Hall, 7950 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, MD.
• Prospects for Democracy in Sudan: Electoral Reform, Election Observation, and Sudan’s Evolving Political Landscape. NDI. Wed. 4/11. 10:00 – 11:30 am. 455 Massachusetts Ave NW, 8th floor, Washington, DC.
• Grand Innovation Challenges of the 21st Century. IT and Innovation Foundation. Thurs. 4/12. 9:00-10:30 am. 1101 K Street NW, Suite 610, Washington, DC 20005.
• The Accuracy of Self-Reported Pollution Data: Evidence from the Clean Water Act. Resources for the Future. Thurs. 4/12. 10:30 am – 12:00 pm. 1616 P Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036.
• Occupy DC Presents: Money Out of Politics Conference: How Cross-Partisan Citizen Movements Can Reform Our Democracy in 2012 and Beyond. Occupy DC. Sat. 4/14. 9:15 am – 4:00 pm. All Souls Unitarian Church, 1500 Harvard Street NW, Washington, DC 20009.