National News

• A new bill being considered in the House could allow companies to avoid filing reports to the SEC in open data formats. (fed scoop)
• The Supreme Court has been notoriously hesitant to adopt new technologies or open up their proceedings to appease transparency advocates. While state courts are beginning to embrace webcasting and other technologies the Supreme Court of the land seem unlikely to follow suit. (Washington Post)
• A few years ago, the argument that campaign finance disclosure was a threat to first amendment rights, personal safety, and liberty, was championed by only a few conservative voices. Today that same argument is being embraced almost as gospel by many prominent, right wing, members of the Republican party. (National Journal)
• The Defense Department revealed their internal “revolving door” database in response to a FOIA request from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Military officer’s have to request ethics rulings when they plan to leave the Pentagon for civilian employment. The department has kept a list of these rulings for the past several years. (Government Executive)

International News

• With the OGP Summit in London set to kick off later this week a new report looks at the “influence of the Open Government Partnership on the Open Data discussions.” (EPSI Platform)

State and Local News

• A top Humane Society official in California has a side gig walking the state’s First Dog, Governor Jerry Brown’s Corgi Sutter. Jennifer Fearing’s influence with the political pooch may have spilled over to its owner. The legislature passed and Brown signed all six bills that Fearing lobbied on during this year’s session. (Washington Times)
• President Obama acting locally with his campaigning prowess, biting in to some famous Brooklyn cheesecake during a campaign stop for Bill De Blasio, who is likely to win the race to replace Michael Bloomberg as mayor of New York.   (Washington Post)
• A new report from Justice at Stake, the National Institute on Money in State Politics, and the Brennan Center for Justice explores the gorwing role of big money in judicial elections. Judicial elections, which were often relatively sleepy affairs in years past, have been inundated by the same flood of spending and negative ads as other races in the post Citizens United world. (Roll Call)

Events

• Markup of H.R. 2860, the OPM IG Act; H.R. 3316, the Grant Reform and New Transparency Act 0f 2013 (GRANT Act); and other business. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Tues. 10/29. 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
• 21st Century Regulations: Using technology and data analysis to improve results. Progressive Policy Institute. Tues. 10/29. 12:00 – 1:30 pm. Mayflower Hotel, the State Room, 1127 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036.
• Future Research on Money in Politics. Bipartisan Policy Center. Fri. 11/1. 10:00 – 11:30 am. 1225 I Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005.

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