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2Day in #OpenGov 11/16/2011

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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: Government

  • The GPO has released its first mobile application. The app aims to provide the public with quick, easy access to information on members of Congress and is based on the GPO's guide to House and Senate members. (FDLP News)
  • Judicial Watch released emails that show Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan discussing President Obama's healthcare law when she was Solicitor General. Judicial Watch suggests that Kagan should recuse herself from court decisions relating to the law, but if she did not discuss its constitutionality it might not be necessary. (Washington Post)
  • The House Ethics Committee is on the verge of deciding if they will formally investigate allegations that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill) improperly tried to obtain President Obama's Senate seat. (The Hill)
Lobbying
  • Former Rep. Zach Space (D-Ohio) has joined Vorys Advisors. The consulting firm is led by David Hobson (R), another former member of Congress from Ohio. (Roll Call $)
  • Rumors that the Super Committee might target tax deductions has lobbyists preparing for battle. If a plan is sent to Congress major lobbying groups are expected to launch campaigns to save their preferred deductions. (The Hill)
Campaign Finance
  • A new report shows that chairman and ranking members accept large amounts of money from industries under the purview of their committees. (Roll Call $)
State and Local
  • Wayne County, Michigan hopes to have a comprehensive ethics ordinance in place by February. The ordinance aims to set enhanced standards for official conduct and improve disclosure requirements. (Lobby Comply)
  • The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board released a memo concerning electronic filing of campaign reports. Electronic filing will be mandatory in Minnesota for most committees in the 2012 calendar year. (Lobby Comply)

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Moody’s has most employees leaving through revolving door

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Moody's credit rating service -- one of the major credit rating agencies that was cited as a contributor to the 2008 financial meltdown -- has more employees go through the revolving door to work at companies they used to rate than any other credit rating agency, according to new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings required under the Dodd-Frank financial law.

Eighty-two Moody's employees have moved on to jobs at big banks such as Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America over the past five years, according to the filings, which are available here. This is nearly four times ...

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Senators grilling FTC commissioner on obesity guidelines took campaign money from industry

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When Jon Leibowitz faced a Senate committee yesterday afternoon for a hearing on his renomination as commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), he got a grilling from several Senators, Democrats and Republicans alike, on a controversial issue: the agency’s proposed guidelines on advertising food to children, meant to help in the fight to reduce childhood obesity.

All of these senators have taken substantial sums in campaign contributions from food industry and media interests that have been lobbying against the proposed guidelines, which the food industry has charged go too far.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, asked Leibowitz if ...

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