The Sunlight Foundation's Capitol Words project has finished processing Senator Rand Paul's filibuster of John Brennan's nomination to head the C.I.A. from the Congressional Record.
Continue readingAnti-immigration lobby runs first ad targeting Lindsey Graham
The first issue ad of the immigration reform battle hit the airwaves in South Carolina last week, targeting Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who is up for reelection in 2014. NumbersUSA, one of the leading groups opposing comprehensive immigration reform paid for the ads, reports filed with the Federal Communication Commission show. The group, headed by long time advocate Roy Beck, has been around since the late '90s and argues that increased immigration will deplete the country’s resources, leading to sprawl, congestion and restrictions on individual liberties.
The new ad targets two key elements of the immigration debate, granting ...
Continue readingOFA–A Dark Money Group by Any Other Name
Organizing for Action (nee Obama for America), the campaign committee that morphed into an outside money haven, is trying change... View Article
Continue readingMark Sanford drops third ad in special election
Ahead of the primary in South Carolina's special congressional election later this month, former Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican who's trying to make a comeback after a particularly public scandal, released a new TV ad Thursday.
It’s Time to Give the Public Access to CRS Reports
Today, Representatives Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) reintroduced legislation that will make it easier for the public, the media,... View Article
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 3/7/2013
NEWS ROUNDUP:
- Oshkosh Wisconsin manages to make information from across 12 city departments publicly available online for less than $9,000 per year. (Government Technology)
- The snow storm that wasn't prevented some members of Congress from performing one of their most essential duties, fundraising, yesterday. At least three Members postponed fundraisers due to the threat of weather. (Politico)
- Two of the most powerful men in Georgia (the country) waged an expensive proxy war in Washington last year. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and billionaire turned prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili spent almost $5 million in Washington as they battled for power in elections last year. (The Hill)
- Former Rep. Laura Richardson missed a December deadline to pay a $10,000 fine for ethics violations. According to her lawyer, Richardson has arranged a plan to pay off the fine she received for forcing her congressional staff to perform personal and campaign tasks and then attempting to obstruct the related investigation. (National Journal)
- Hudson Hollister, executive director of the Data Transparency Coalition and former congressional staffer, has registered to lobby for his group. The coalition, whose members include technology firms, pushes for the federal government to institute consistent data standards. (Public Integrity)
- Mitt Romney has a new job with his son Tagg's investment firm Solamere Capital. Romney will serve part time as chairman of the firm's executive committee. (Washington Post)
- Former Senate Minority Whip John Kyl has a new job at Covington & Burling as the firm moves to expand its public policy practice. The recently retired Kyl will advise clients as he runs out the clock on his two year lobbying cooling off period.(Politico)
What Jon Kyl won’t be lobbying on
Jon Kyl, the number two Senate Republican leader before retiring in January, has quickly become an advisor to influence powerhouse Covington & Burlington, a firm that has spent nearly $100 million lobbying in the nation's capital, Sunlight's Influence Explorer shows. Kyl will be joining a bipartisan stable of heavy hitters that includes Stuart Eizenstat, a top official in the Carter and Clinton administrations, and Senate parliamentary wizard Marty Gold.
Technically, the powerful Arizonan will of course not be "lobbying." U.S. statute (relevant section here) prohibits former senators from lobbying their ex-colleagues for two years.
As Sunlight has documented ...
Continue readingNo sequester for political ads
In honor of the snowquester, as the Washington Post's cheeky Weather Gang has dubbed the spring storm that so far has proven more effective than the Tea Party in reining in government, Sunlight has decided to take a look at the efforts getting underway by various groups to keep the actual sequester at bay.
Like the Atlantic snowstorm, this effort is starting slowly but likely to build.
The Sunlight Reporting Group is using two of our foundation's tools, Ad Hawk and Political Ad Sleuth, to keep an eye on this year's political ads. We'll be updating ...
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 3/6/2013
NEWS ROUNDUP:
- If Cory Booker decides to run for Senate in New Jersey he's going to have to disclose how much he makes via speaking fees. They dynamic speaker hinted recently that he has made around $1 million, but given much of it away.(Politico)
- Apparently everything's coming up K Street in 2013 following a disappointing election year for the lobbying industry. With Congress set to consider a wide range of issues from guns to immigration to tax reform. (The Hill)
- According to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that many agencies are ignoring cost saving recommendations from their Inspectors General. All told, the Committee identified 17,000 recommendations that could save $67 billion. (Executive Gov)
- Following a major corruption scandal, and lacking any real transparency or freedom of information laws, the Spanish government is exerting strict control over the press, reportedly forcing them to watch press conferences on video and not allowing questions. (Tech President)
- The House Ethics Committee has released revised disclosure forms for Members and staff to fill out before and after taking privately financed trips. The revisions are part of the Committee's efforts to collect more targeted information about lobbyist connected travel. (Roll Call)
- President Obama is caving to Congress in an effort to get his preferred CIA director confirmed. The administration is going to allow Congress to see classified legal opinions justifying the policy of killing American citizens suspected of terrorism with drones and other methods. (Politico)
- Opinion: Singapore portrays itself as business friendly and open, but the government maintain a strong culture of censorship and control over political dissent. (Tech President)
Greetings from #OpenData Land
Publishing open data has many practical and normative implications which can be noted and explored in the text of the open data policy. We've rounded up some of the interesting reasons policymakers in cities across the country have pursued these policies. Check them out in our #opendata policy postcards.
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