Lindsay Young : Sunlight Foundation

Serial PAC Filer Floods FEC

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Nov 10, 2011 11:39 am

From the man who brought Florida the Billionaire Josue Larose's Dating Women Committee, Josue Larose has filed the forms with the FEC to create 20 new super PACs. Clearly, there are few hurdles to creating a super PAC or multiple super PACs, that can then accept unlimited contributions.

The PACs of Larose have broad-ranging themes: one is named the Hillary Clinton For A Better America Super PAC, while another is called George W Bush For A Better America Super PAC. George W. Bush cannot constitutionally seek another term in office, so it is unclear what the political motive of ...

Senators on super committee collecting less campaign cash this quarter

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Nov 4, 2011 5:46 pm

All but one Senate member on the super committee collected less campaign funds this quarter compared the previous quarter. Only Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, had a modest increase collecting a total of $85,532.

So far in this election cycle, Portman has raised $53,000 from individuals and $106,000 from PACs. Here's a compilation of all of recent PAC donations to Portman’s election committee.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash, raised $30,654 in the third quarter of the year; that is 85% less than she raised in the second quarter. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass raised $16,135 this ...

Gaddafi’s long history of lobbying comes to an end

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Oct 20, 2011 1:31 pm

Libyan Dictator Moammar Gaddafi was killed today in his hometown of Sirte, a showman to the end, “brandishing a golden pistol.” Lobbying, in many ways, was part of his political arsenal that boosted Gaddafi’s international prowess, helped protect him from additional sanctions and promoted the business interests of the Libyan ruling elite and U.S. business. We’ve covered several of these instances in the past. Here’s a look at a few:

Paul Blumenthal reported, on the Monitor Group, an international firm that contracted with the Libyan dictator, which should have filled under the Foreign Agent Registrant Act ...

Meet the first “Corporate” Super PAC

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Oct 17, 2011 4:07 pm

Today came a moment campaign finance watchers have been waiting for: the first corporate "Super PAC"--that is a PAC whose sole source of funding is corporate money--filed its paper work with the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC).

However, the PAC, known as American Phoenix, is not necessarily what people have been fearing after the U.S. Supreme Court, in its Citizens United decision, permitted corporations and unions to give unlimited amounts to Super PACs. As reported by Dan Eggan at The Washington Post, the source of funding is a Florida firm known as Deep Sea Burial Corp., which ...

Longtime lobbying campaign pays off for South Korea with recent trade deal

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Oct 14, 2011 4:12 pm

Trade agreements stem from long-winded talks, some heavy handed diplomacy and, as it turns out, a substantial amount of lobbying. The newest trade deal between South Korea and the U.S. was a massive operation which cost the Koreans $39.9 million in lobbying and PR fees in 2010 alone.

The Department of Justice shows nineteen international contracts currently operating with South Korean entities. Four of those contracts are primarily for lobbying. Four deal with public relations. Three promote trade. Another three offer policy consultation. Other firms provide tourism promotions and distribute broadcast material. In 2009, the Korea lobby spent ...

Israel, Palestine spend millions on lobbying, PR campaigns

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Sep 22, 2011 3:28 pm

As the United Nations considers the Palestinian referendum for statehood, possibly as early as Friday, both parties are vying for an approval from the UN Security Council and for a U.S. vote. Both Israel and Palestine have a long history of lobbying the U.S. and in the past year alone, the Palestinian Liberation Organization spent over one million on public relations. During the same time, Israel spent over $13 million on lobbying, public relations and related costs. Both interests contacted important policy makers and set up a vast PR campaign.

In the last few months as the issues ...

Canadian government, oil interests keep close watch on oil pipeline verdict

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Aug 26, 2011 11:16 am

Environmental protesters gathered Wednesday in front of the White House calling to stop the extension of a crude oil pipeline, from the midwest to the Gulf coast ahead of a State deparment environmental study due to come out today. And with pressure from the Obama administration to resolve the deadlock to either go ahead with the project or not by the end of the year, the Canadian government has stepped up their lobbying efforts.

Earlier Alberta Energy, a government entity, is expanding lobbying in the United States and has hired Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP for a maximum of $150 ...

A look back at Gaddafi’s lobbying as his regime falls

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Aug 22, 2011 2:31 pm

Libyan rebel forces now hold most of Tripoli. Gaddafi’s sons have been captured but the eccentric Libyan dictator remains elusive.

Gaddafi’s political craftsmanship carried him through 42 years. The reign of Gaddafi “Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution” was bolstered first by the fear of the international community, then its support, achieved by the Libyan dictator’s skillful pirouette from flouting international norms to making concessions to come back into the international fold. That he did so with the aid of Western lobbyists, intellectuals and former heads of state is less well known.

While the public recalls ...

Egypt’s transitional government lobbies on seeking funds, debt reduction

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Aug 18, 2011 11:06 am

While the Egyptian uprising earlier this year saw the ousting of long time leader Hosni Mubarak and ignited a mass movement across the Middle East, the regime change has not translated to a different approach to U.S. policy. Lobbying records filed by the hired guns of the Egyptian government show a seamless transition from promoting the Mubarak regime to the transitional military rule, seeking funds for Egypt and then asking for a reduction in Egypt’s debt burden.

Lobbying records filed by the Livingston Group show that they lobbied the U.S. federal government and military command on these ...

Suspicions of mortgage fraud on the rise

by Lindsay Young

investigations

Aug 4, 2011 2:44 pm

In 2006 and 2007, at least 12 Riverside, Calif., residents with good credit found a real estate investment that seemed too good to be true. All they had to do was fill out a few forms and in return they could expect to receive checks of up to $50,000. The only problem was, the plan was a sham.

And earlier this year, Riverside county authorities finally caught up with the ploy and arrested Jose Ochoa and others accusing them with grand theft for the purported mortgage fraud. He was accused of misusing information from people with good credit to ...

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