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Welcome in the weekend with today's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:

Here is Monday's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:

• A former White House official is serving a year in prison for lying to federal investigators about his dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff. (Federal Times)
• The Energy Department has not disclosed any records of being lobbied by the failed solar energy company Solyndra, despite its K Street lobbying firm reporting lobbying the department regarding the stimulus package. (The Hill)
• After spending mostly on the Democratic side in 2008, Google has gone on a "spending spree on the Republican side of the aisle." The company is now spending the same amount on lobbying as Microsoft. (techPresident)

Happy Friday! Here is today's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Federal Spending

Here is Tuesday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Super Committee

• The Super Committee has launched their website. It includes video of the committee's meetings and a way for citizens to provide their input. (National Journal)
• An Oregon newspaper has chimed in with an editorial calling for the Super Committe to be "super transparent". They point out that more than 100 lobbyists previously worked for members of the committee and note that Sen. John Kerry is currently the only member who has announced he will stop fundraising until the committees work is over. (Mail Tribune)

• More than 5,000 former congressional staffers and 400 Members of Congress have become lobbyists over the past ten years, according to a study by Legistorm. The study also shows that the revolving door works both ways with more than 600 former lobbyists taking jobs with lawmakers. (Washington Post)
• Jim Manley, former spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, will join the lobbying and communications firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates as a Senior Director in the firms communications and government affairs department (New York Times)
• Comcast has been beefing up its lobbying operation. Their recent hires include former FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker and Rebecca Arbogast, a former FCC and Justice Department official (Politico)
• Facebook has also made a few high profile hires recently. Louisa Terrell, a former Special Assistant to the President, will be joining as director of public policy and Erin Egan, formerly at Covington & Burling, will be director of privacy. They have also retained Erika Mann, a former EU member of parliament, to start a Brussels office. (National Journal)

• A new survey shows that citizens prefer interacting with the government via web portals. This method was picked by more respondents than mail, telephone, e-mail, in person and mobile. (Federal Computer Week)

• A liberal advocacy group is filing an ethics complaint against Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The complaint alleges that Issa has repeatedly used his public office for personal gain. An Issa spokesman claimed the allegations were without merit. (The Hill)

• Developers Derek Eder and Nick Rougeux have collaborated with Cook County (IL) Commissioner John Fritchey on Look at Cook. The open data and visualization project aims to make county budget information available and easy for the public to read. (GovFresh)

• Brazil has some tentative plans for Open Government reforms. They include a freedom of information law and upgrades to transparency and open government online infrastructure. (techPresident)

Here's Monday's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Super Committee

• Sen. Kerry (D-MA) says he will avoid lobbyists and fundraisers while the Super Committee tries to find $1.5 trillion in spending cuts. (Boston Globe)

It's still raining, but at least it's Friday! Here's today's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Government

• Watchdog groups want the SEC to require full disclosure of corporate political spending by publicly traded companies which, according to a new Harvard/Public Citizen report, could even boost the companies' market value. (TPM)
• House Democrats are pushing for tougher ethics standards for Supreme Court justices, advocating for a hearing on a bill that would require justices to witdraw from cases where they may have a financial or political conflict of interest. (NYTimes)
• The Health and Human Services Department is updating its regulations to address new technologies. (Federal Computer Week)
• The FBI is investigating half a billion dollars in federal loan guarantees granted to Solyndra, a California-based solar panel manufacturer that collapsed last week. (Washington Post)

Here is Thursday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Super Committee

• A bipartisan bill aimed at increasing the transparency of the Super Committee was introduced Wednesday by Reps. Renacci, Loebsack, and Quigley. (The Hill)
• Lobbyists from all sides are targeting the Super Committee, looking to avoid being subjected to deep spending cuts as the committee tries to reduce $1.5 trillion from the federal budget. (Politico)
• At least nine of the twelve Super Committee members have campaign fundraisers lined up for this fall, including one fundraiser scheduled for the night before the committee's first meeting. (Washington Post)

• Many federal websites are not up to par, with almost a quarter being unreachable and only a third using modern content management systems, according to a newly released data analysis. (techPresident)
• The SEC has ordered its enforcement staff to stop destroying investigative records. (Washington Post)
• $40.3 million in social security benefits have been paid to deceased people since 2008, according to a Social Security IG report. (POGO)

• Google Plus is not yet an effective tool for government agencies to add to their social network presence. (Government Technology)
• White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is hosting a Twitter town hall on Friday to answer questions from @WhiteHouse followers who applied to attend via web form. (techPresident)