NEWS ROUNDUP:

• When the CFPB rolled out expanded access to its consumer complaint database recently the information lacked a certain amount of context. Now, the agency is working on a pilot project that would fill in some outstanding details on consumer complaints about credit cards that they hope can be expanded to all of the complaints in the database. (Tech President)
• With a week left until election day the increasingly absurd race between Mark “Appalachian what?” Sanford and Elizabeth “Don’t call me Colbert (but really, do call me Colbert” Busch keeps making headlines. Yesterday, it was revealed that the DCCC is spending to ensure victory  against the Zombie corpse of Sanford’s political career which, despite being abandoned by the national GOP, is still managing to raise enough money to compete in the final week. (Roll Call, Roll Call, Washington Post)
• Vice President Biden came out in favor of disclosure of a Senate Intelligence report on the use of torture or enhanced interrogation that is currently classified. He was agreeing with a sentiment expressed by Sen. John McCain at a joint event held on Friday. (Roll Call)
• A national group of GOP donors supporting gay marriage is stepping up their efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers to switch positions on the issue. American Unity PAC and its lobbying arm American Unity fund are targeting state legislation, spending nearly $1 million in recent weeks in Rhose Island, Delaware, Indiana, West Virginia, Utah, and Minnesota.  (Washington Post)
• The growing number of Senators that have recently announced their impending retirements can look to some former House members for cues on how to spend the money sitting in their campaign accounts. A number of recently retired lawmakers sent large sums to various charities, foundations, and educational institutes last quarter. (Roll Call)
• Paul Singer, a major Republican bundler, is quietly inserting his influence into the immigration debate. He recently cut a six figure check to the National Immigration Forum, a group that works to get conservatives to support reform. (POLITICO)
• The Supreme Court upheld a lower court opinion that said state government agencies are only required to respond to FOIA requests from residents of their state. A man from California and another from Rhode Island, who was a former resident of Virginia, sued the state for access to state records, but were denied based on their residency. (The Verge)
• A new report suggests that the CIA has been delivering bags of cash to the offices of Afghan President Hamid Karzai on a regular basis for more than a decade. They payments reportedly help the government pay off war lords, fund diplomatic efforts, and likely provide a little extra lining for their pockets. The White House declined to comment after the story broke. (POLITICO, New York Times)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

• None.

HAPPENING TODAY 4/30:

• Book signing: Democracy’s Fourth Wave – A conversation with Philip Howard and Muzammil Hussain. Elliot School. 5:30-7:30 pm. 1957 E Street NW, Lindner Family Commons, Washington, DC 20052.

HAPPENING TOMORROW 5/1:

• Drones and the Rule of Law and War. Bipartisan Policy Center. 10:00 – 11:15 am. 1225 I Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005.

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