Just a few minutes ago, the House of Representatives passed a version of the STOCK Act that differs from the... View Article
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 2/8/2012
Here is Wednesday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:
- Conference committees, meant to reconcile differences between House and Senate bills, have proved less and less useful in recent years. More often deals are being cut behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny. (Washington Times)
- A new report found that, despite an earmark moratorium, a number of lawmakers directed tax dollars to a variety of programs that benefit their family members and areas near where they own property. (Washington Post)
- An amendment to the STOCK act will require political intelligence professionals to register under the lobbying disclosure law. But, they will not be subject to a cooling off period if they leave the Hill to work for a political intelligence firm. (National Journal)
- Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) hired Blue State Digital's client manager and senior communications strategist, Alex Kellner, to be her new digital director. (Tech President)
- Mzalendo is a transparency website dedicated to monitoring the Parliament of Kenya. It has been around for several years, but recently undertook a major overhaul. (My Society)
- Ghana's president, up for reelection this year, is facing a massive corruption scandal that has already led to the resignation of two cabinet ministers. (Sahara Reporters)
The News Without Transparency: Colbert Super PAC Leads FEC Reporting, Gingrich Campaign and Others Follow
The News Without Transparency: Colbert Super PAC Leads FEC Reporting, Gingrich Campaign and Others Follow Super PACs have been a... View Article
Continue readingDark money in the twilight of 2011
Dark money has haunted the psyche of good government reformers. Recent changes in campaign law raise the prospect of unlimited donations, routed to political action committees through 501(c)4 "social welfare" organizations that don't have to disclose contributors' names. That could allow innocuously named groups to shelter powerful individuals and corporations and the influence they're exercising to determine who wins a federal office.
So far, that scenario has been the dog that didn't bark, but that doesn't mean it has been defanged.
Sunlight looked at the super PAC filings in search of 501(c)4 ...
Continue readingEllen Miller responds
Sunlight Executive Director Ellen Miller responds to this guest post by Mike Godwin: There is little in Mike Godwin's response that we disagree with. As he writes, the debate over SOPA and PIPA was changed not by "politics as usual" or a late infusion of interest group lobbying cash, "but the participation of the online community, including Wikipedia, Reddit, and others, to let policymakers know about their unhappiness with the direction and process of the legislation." Amen to that. Our blogger, Lee Drutman, did not argue that this was not grassroots or that it was solely organized by Google or other tech lobbies.
Continue readingGuest blogger: Sunlight got it wrong
A Sunlight analysis of the fight on Capitol Hill over SOPA is generating some pushback in the online community from activists who think we overstated the role of money and corporate lobbying in the debate. In the interest of broadening and deepening the conversation, we asked one of our critics, Mike Godwin, a former counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Wikimedia, for permission to print his counterpoint: I believe that Sunlight (and one of its primary sources, OpenSecrets.org) missed the story. Just as I would not write an Occupy movement story grounded in how much money was spent for food, medical care, and tents, I wouldn't write about a "net-roots" popular movement focusing on the convenient fact that money was spent inside the Beltway during the time that the popular movement seems, temporarily, to have given some tech companies some traction on one issue. It's well-established that Google's estimable DC presence -- their many dollars and their top-notch personnel -- had little effect on the ETAs of the SOPA and PIPA legislation before the holiday break. What changed the debate was not "politics as usual" or an infusion of cash, but the participation of the online community, including Wikipedia, Reddit, and others, to let policymakers know about their unhappiness with the direction and process of the legislation. This response was not organized by Google or any tech money at all (except perhaps the meager salaries that tech-policy writers tend to receive).
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 2/7/2012
Here is Tuesday's take on transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:
- More than a third of advertising related to the presidential race has come from nonprofit groups that can keep their donors secret. (Washington Post)
- Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, regularly raises money from the defense industry. This year the industry found another member of his family to court, donating more than $19,000 to his wife Patricia, who is running for a seat in the California Legislature. (Republic Report)
- Former Senator Russ Feingold (D-Minn) a longtime advocate of campaign finance reform, came out strongly against President Obama's decision to promote the super PAC supporting him. (Politico)
- The Department of Energy recently launched a new web portal. They have run into some problems with data access and are still migrating some of their information. Additionally, the DOE has large amounts of information that they do not release to the public. (POGO)
- Federal CTO Aneesh Chopra covered a wide range of topics, including SOPA and open government, in his first major interview since announcing that he will step down. Wednesday is his last day as CTO. (The Atlantic)
- Russia is in the process of becoming a full party to the OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention. Bribery has been a problem in Russia for some time. (Transparency International)
An almost live look at today’s H. Leg Branch Approps hearing
Crossroads, Planned Parenthood advertise in presidential battlegrounds
As if independent expenditures by super PACs weren't enough, two major political players have notified the Federal Elections Commission of recent electioneering communications in states likely to be battlegrounds this fall.
Crossroads GPS reported spending $500,000 on ads against President Obama in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri, while Planned Parenthood Action Fund Inc., spent $36,000 on ads in Florida and Michigan. Electioneering communication are TV or radio ads that refer to a candidate for office within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election but stop short of calling for a vote for ...
Continue readingRevolving door from CFTC to lobbying firm
A former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner has gone through the revolving door to the law and lobbying firm firm Patton Boggs, where he'll work as a senior policy advisor, the firm announced Tuesday.
"Regulatory agencies should be accessible to the businesses and industries they regulate," said Michael Dunn, the former commissioner, in a statement today. "I am excited to join the firm, and I look forward to helping clients navigate complex regulatory processes and agencies."
Appointed to the CFTC by former President George W. Bush, Dunn specialized in agricultural issues at the agency. His new employer is ...
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