Sunlight Foundation

NEWS:

• After losing ally John Kyl (R-AZ) in last years election, the online poker lobby is looking for new Republican friends on the hill. Harry Reid is a big fan of internet poker, but the deck appears stacked against passage unless a non-Nevadan Republican joins the game. (The Hill)
• Over the past 16 years Thomas Donohue has turned the US Chamber of Commerce into a lobbying powerhouse, research organization, and supreme court advocacy group. He's also raised a ton of money and pulled the Chamber far into partisan territory. (New York Times)
• Marco Rubio is using his PAC to raise money for Chris Christie. Both men appear interested in a 2016 White House bid, but helping each other now might be the best for both short term as Christie (POLITICO)
• President Obama is heading to California to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, but he's also planning to fit in some fundraising time among important discussions with the Chinese leader. (The Hill)
• Sallie Mae shareholders rejected a proposal that would have boosted its voluntary lobbying disclosures and information about giving to trade associations. While the proposal did not pass, it did garner a significant amount of support. (POLITICO)
• The OMB released an important inventory of federal programs across 24 departments last week. The inventory, the first of its kind, lists over 1,600 programs. (Government Executive)
• Former Obama administration officials are starting to cash in on their former experience as the President faces some high profile decisions. Top aides, who face restrictions on their ability to directly lobby the administration, have landed in high profile gigs as consultants, speakers, and media advisers for firms working on hot button issues like Keystone XL. (Washington Post)

NEWS:

• A major player in Nevada politics is facing up to 15 years behind bars after being convicted of making illegal campaign contributions to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Harvey Whittemore, real estate mogul and prominent state lobbyist, was convicted of illegally funneling close to $150,000 to Reid's last campaign through straw donors. (POLITICO)
• When Michelle Bachmann leaves Congress after the 2014 election she will take a strong list of small donors with her. Bachmann pulled in more money from small and medium level donors, $9.5 million or 62% of her total, during the 2012 than any other incumbent member of Congress. (Public Integrity)
• The folks behind OpenOakland are planning to use the National Day of Civic Hacking to set up an "Ask Jeeves" style search engine for city services. They hope to make Oakland's website more accessible by rewriting content and making it more easily searchable. (Tech President)
• Rand Paul, one of several young GOP Senators following the Obama model of using about 10 minutes in the body as a launching pad for their Presidential ambitions, is hitting up Google, Facebook, and eBay during a fundraising swing through Silicon Valley this week. Paul has been engaging heavily in technology issues recently. (The Hill)
• House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa isn't the only member of Congress using his investigatory power to look at alleged misdeeds by the Obama administration. Members like Trent Franks (AZ), Jim Jordan (OH), Charles Boustany (LA), and Jason Chaffetz (UT) are walking a tight rope between running effective investigations and not appearing overly eager to attack the administration. (POLITICO)
• Former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is heading to Apple, where she will help the company with environmental compliance issues. The move comes as Apple prepares to bring some of their manufacturing back to the US. (ars technica)
• Today's most ironic story emerges from a ceremony honoring employees of the Justice Department's Inspector General. Attorney General Eric Holder, who has seen his department hit with a number of critical reports by its IG over the past year, spoke at the ceremony, but snuck out before 11 staffers were awarded for their work on a report on Fast and Furious. (POLITICO)