Keenan Steiner : Sunlight Foundation

FEC deadlocks on and delays key decisions

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Sep 12, 2013 5:39 pm

In a session marked more by delay than by decision, the Federal Election Commission did not approve a request by the Democratic Governors Association to use soft money to fund a new group that would participate in federal get-out-the-vote efforts, a matter it put off voting on at its last meeting in August.

By forming a separate organization, the group of state governors was seeking to get around a legal ban on groups of state lawmakers from playing in federal elections with unlimited funds.

The two Democrat-appointed commissioners voted against approval, disappointing the three GOP commissioners who believed the DGA ...

Missouri just the latest state to test limits of gun law nullification

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Sep 11, 2013 11:03 am

One day after Colorado voters ousted two state senators over their support for gun control, Missouri lawmakers are debating whether to try to make federal gun control measures illegal in their state. In a special legislative session opening today, opponents of gun control in the Show-Me State are vowing to override Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill that would effectively nullify federal gun control measures.

The law would make it illegal for state employee to enforce them. Nixon (pictured right) called it unconstitutional when he vetoed the measure in July.

As Sunlight first reported in March, the ...

FDA board considers “modified risk” tobacco products

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Aug 16, 2013 9:40 am

Now, for the first time, if tobacco companies want to claim that their product does less harm than average cigarettes, they have to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The change comes after a long campaign by public health advocates and thanks to a new law passed in 2009.

Citing Sunlight Foundation report, watchdog groups file complaint against Santorum

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Aug 14, 2013 2:38 pm

Campaign finance watchdog groups filed a complaint Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Rick Santorum's presidential campaign illegally directed a donation to a super PAC.

The complaint is based on a Sunlight Foundation report in which Louisiana mega donor Bill Doré recounted how he was instructed to donate $1 million to the Red, White and Blue Fund, the super PAC supporting Santorum's 2012 run for the presidency. It comes days after Santorum triggered speculation about an encore presidential run with a visit to Iowa, the state that will kick off the 2016 campaign with its much-watched ...

Just how big is Cory Booker’s financial edge in Tuesday’s primary?

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Aug 13, 2013 10:40 am

Cory Booker has had a huge financial advantage to help propel him to a likely victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary for the special Senate election in New Jersey.

Obama library bid gets lobbyist donors

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Aug 6, 2013 3:09 pm

President Barack Obama has yet to pick a site for his presidential library, but Hawaii's bid for it got a $5,000 donation from the global law and lobbying firm Skadden Arps.

The disclosure was made last week, when lobbyists reported their 2013 contributions to candidates and for presidential libraries and other causes. The donation came in January when Skadden Arps co-sponsored the Hawaii Presidential Center Inaugural Gala in Washington during the weekend of Obama's second inauguration.

While the money did not go to the president or any committees associated with him, it's an early indication of ...

New super PACs drawing big bucks

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Aug 2, 2013 10:32 am

Among super PACs organized this year, 13 of them have raised at least $50,000 already. Altogether, the 13 newcomers have raised $16.5 million just months after forming. That's more than a quarter of the $59 million that all super PACs have brought in so far this cycle.

Zimbabwe opposition figure hires D.C. lobbyists

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Aug 1, 2013 11:04 am

Morgan Tsvangirai may have been cheated out of yet another election against Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe in Wednesday's landmark election, but a key figure in his party is ramping up his presence in Washington.

Anti-super PAC super PAC gets big money from Silicon Valley

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Jul 26, 2013 1:23 pm

Friends of Democracy, the hybrid super PAC founded by the son of George Soros that wants to spend millions of dollars to take money out of politics, raked in about $1.8 million in the first half of this year, with six-figure contributions from Silicon Valley venture capitalist Sean Parker and Google engineer Matt Cutts.

FEC puts off enforcement fight

by Keenan Steiner

investigations

Jul 25, 2013 6:55 pm

The Federal Election Commission demonstrated a rare burst of productivity Thursday, when commissioners settled one major issue, investigated another, but put off a brewing fight over how it conducts investigations for another day.

The Republican and Democratic commissioners had no trouble giving the green light to requests brought by two separate committees to treat same-sex married donors the same as opposite-sex donors. Married donors can jointly contribute $10,400 to a candidate, even if only spouse earns income. The move was expected after the Supreme Court's reversal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

The commissioners were also unified in ...