2Day in #OpenGov 10/29/2012

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NEWS ROUNDUP:

Government
  • Group with Obama ties talks tax breaks with Treasury: A group with ties to President Barack Obama talked to the administration about tax breaks for its clients, according to the Treasury Department. The communications firm was trying to secure tax breaks for offshore revenues. (New York Times)
  • Former McCotter staffer sentenced: A staffer for former U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI), who resigned from Congress in light of revelations about false petition signatures, was sentenced to 20 days in a work program for involvement in the fraud. Two other former McCotter staffers are still facing sentencing for their involvement. (The Hill)
  • WaPo calls for better congressional ethics: A Washington Post editorial called for better policing of congressional ethics in light of an investigation that found many members of Congress could have benefited from legislation they sponsored. The Post suggested increasing the power of the Office of Congressional ethics. (Opinion – Washington Post)
  • Fed jailed for misusing government charge card: An employee in the Health and Human Services Department was sentenced to six months in prison for using government charge cards to rack up more than $114,000 in expense on personal items. (GovExec)
Campaign finance
  • Secret money plays a large role in 2012: Groups spending big money to influence elections often do not have to disclose their donors thanks to loopholes, which means dark money is playing a bigger role than ever before in a campaign season. This steady stream of dark money also comes during an election that is seeing record numbers of outside spending. (Public Integrity)
  • More mystery in Montana: Who is behind the group leading challenges to campaign finance laws in Montana? Public Integrity investigated and found answers that those with ties to the group might prefer to keep a mystery. (Public Integrity)

Technology

  • Voters using pens out of sci-fi: In what might seem straight out of a sci-fi movie, more than 100,000 people have used remote-controlled pens to fill out voter registration forms online this year. The device captures the hand motions for a signature through a tablet device and transfers that information to a  voter-registration form online. (TechPresident)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

  • None

HAPPENING THIS WEEK 10/29 – 11/2: 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

  • None. 

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