NEWS ROUNDUP Government Problems at the Library of Congress: The inspector general of the Library of Congress’ office has found... View Article
Continue readingDo lobbying and campaign contributions help corporate fraudsters?
Though those of us who study money in politics tend to focus on its effects on legislation and regulation, two... View Article
Continue readingRep. Honda Speaks on Bulk Access on the House Floor
This morning the House is debating passage of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill. Rep. Honda, the ranking member of the... View Article
Continue readingFEC says that using “Obamacare” counts as election ad
When is an advertisement an election ad?
The FEC considered that question Thursday at a hearing, and despite a lot of partisan disagreement, came up with one definitive answer: An ad that uses the term "Obamacare," an initially derogatory term for describing President Obama's 2010 health care law that Democrats have since tried to reclaim, qualifies.
At issue is how to categorize thinly veiled attack ads that don't directly call for the election or defeat of a named candidate. It's a question of intense interest to groups planning to run political ads this summer and fall but ...
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 6/7/2012
NEWS ROUNDUP Government New way of releasing jobs data runs into cries of “no way”: The “media lockup” that occurs... View Article
Continue readingAmericans for Prosperity campaigns without leaving a paper trail in Wisconsin
Much has been written about what Tuesday's Wisconsin recall race says about the influence of big money on politics, but the real story may be the influence of the money we don't know about.
Less than three hours after Democrat Tom Barrett conceded the $63 million-and-counting contest to Gov. Scott Walker, Americans for Prosperity, the big spending conservative group, sent an email to supporters hailing Walker's win and including a video highlight reel about "how AFP educated Wisconsin residents about Governor Walker's budget reforms."
The video shows footage of the customized AFP bus that rolled through ...
Continue readingGuess who’s giving to lawmaker trying to repeal tax on medical devices?
The Minnesota congressman leading the charge to repeal a medical device excise tax that is meant to generate a big chunk of funding for the health care reform law has taken the most campaign money--more than $64,000--from medical device manufacturers this election cycle.
Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., has attracted 240 cosponsors, including 11 Democrats, for his bill to repeal the 2.3 percent excise tax, which the House is scheduled to consider this week. Paulsen hails from a state where the medical device industry is a substantial employer. Companies such as Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, and Starkey Laboratories ...
Continue readingMajor Transparency Milestone in Bulk Access Statement
It may feel like an ordinary Wednesday, but today is a milestone for legislative transparency. The House’s leadership has issued... View Article
Continue readingIssa amendment denied, but leadership supports bulk access
This afternoon, the House Rules Committee rejected an amendment to H.R. 5882, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2013, that would... View Article
Continue readingHouse Republicans Vote to Protect Broadcasters’ Interests, Ignore the Public Interest
So determined are Republican members of Congress to kowtow to the broadcast industry that today members of a House Appropriations... View Article
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