Though Google+ launched this past June, they only just this week launched Google+ Pages for groups, nonprofits and businesses. You... View Article
Continue readingNew Super PAC inspired by Stephen Colbert
Comedian Stephen Colbert, who started his own ironic-sounding and controversial Super PAC earlier this year, has also inspired at least one other man to form his own Super PAC.
Ken Davis, a former state House candidate in Arizona, this week launched perhaps one of the loftiest-named Super PACs yet: A Promise to Our Children.
Davis said he did not know that forming a Super PAC, or independent expenditure-only committee, would be so easy until Colbert explained the process. Earlier this year, the comedian demonstrated how to fill out a form to start such a committee. Later, he went to the ...
Continue readingSunlight Live: GOP candidates debate foreign policy, national security
The Republican presidential candidates will again be behind podiums on Saturday for a debate in the key early-primary state of South Carolina, just three days after a showdown in Michigan. As usual, the Sunlight Live team will be behind computer screens checking the candidates' facts and inserting data on money and influence in politics into the conversation at sunlightlive.com.
Whereas Wednesday's debate dealt with the stalled economy, Saturday's meeting will focus on national security and foreign policy, an area some have said is a weak spot for most candidates.
Wednesday's debate was relatively calm with the ...
Serial PAC Filer Floods FEC
From the man who brought Florida the Billionaire Josue Larose's Dating Women Committee, Josue Larose has filed the forms with the FEC to create 20 new super PACs. Clearly, there are few hurdles to creating a super PAC or multiple super PACs, that can then accept unlimited contributions.
The PACs of Larose have broad-ranging themes: one is named the Hillary Clinton For A Better America Super PAC, while another is called George W Bush For A Better America Super PAC. George W. Bush cannot constitutionally seek another term in office, so it is unclear what the political motive of ...
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 11/10/2011
This week is a short one, enjoy its end with Thursday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Super Committee
- Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called for the Super Committee to open its doors last night on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. (Politico)
- Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) has a healthy fundraising schedule for November, with at least 4 events planned, including one to celebrate his 50th birthday. (National Journal)
- Sen. Patty Murray's Washington state staff has a retreat planned for this week. It is being held at the offices of Strategies 360, a major Washington lobbying firm. (National Journal)
- Users are having trouble finding government information on the internet. Better search systems might help remedy the problem. (Federal Computer Week)
- Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) have called on the nation's Archivist to make the Commission on Wartime Contracting's records publicly available. The records are currently sealed for 20 years. (POGO)
- Americans Elect, a group dedicated to electing a third party presidential candidate, is being targeted by campaign finance watchdogs for its tax-exempt status. Watchdogs are accusing the organization, along with Republican groups Crossroads GPS and American Action Network and Democratic group Priorities USA, of being too political for tax-exempt status. (Roll Call $)
European Central Bank borrowing from Federal Reserve on the rise
The European Central Bank (ECB) today announced more than $2 billion in borrowing from the Federal Reserve's currency swap line, the highest amount since the U.S. central bank reopened this facility in May 2010.
The increased borrowing comes amidst reports that the private foreign currency market is chilling, with the cost of European banks obtaining dollars on the rise. While the conditions are not nearly as bad as they became during the 2008 financial crisis, when foreign exchange markets froze and Fed currency swaps with foreign central banks rose to $586 billion, the increasing amounts are another indicator ...
Continue readingFor Clues About Who They’re Meeting, Check Lobbyists Tweeting
Companies, politicians, celebrities and journalists have all taken to Twitter to promote their brands. But based on a search of Twitter’s API for the names... View Article
Continue readingTop lobbyist hones his craft on Twitter
Lobbying may be lagging behind other industries in its use of Twitter, as lobbyists favor more confidential communications, but that... View Article
Continue reading2Day in #OpenGov 11/9/2011
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: Super Committee
- Democratic lawmakers are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the Super Committee, arguing that it is anti-democratic and lacking in transparency. (The Hill)
- San Francisco launched a mobile app this week. The city hopes to make it easier for citizens to access services and get help and information from the government. (Government Technology)
- We The People, the White House's online petition site, has proved popular. So popular, in fact, that the White House has been struggling to keep up the pace with their responses. (Federal Computer Week)
- After several slow years, the market for local television stations has picked up recently. Major increases in political ad spending are boosting revenue and making local stations more attractive to prospective buyers. (New York Times)
- Ten months ago, Alabama passed a new ethics law, capping the amount of money lobbyists are allowed to spend on public officials. Since then the Alabama Ethics Commission has received nearly 200 exemption requests. (Lobby Comply)
- The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld North Carolina's ban on lobbyist contributions to candidates for the Legislature and Council of State. (Lobby Comply)
2Day in #OpenGov 11/8/2011
Here is Tuesday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Campaign Finance
- American Crossroads filed an advisory opinion request with the FEC asking if independent expenditure-only PACs can use incumbent members of congress in their advertisements. The PAC admits that these ads would be intended to improve public perception of the member and seeks guidance as to how such ads might effect their ability to independently expend funds in support of the candidate. (Lobby Comply)
- A new pro-Rick Perry Super PAC has emerged. Texas Aggies for Perry 2012 seems likely to focus on raising money from people with connections to Texas A&M, Perry's Alma Mater. (Washington Post)
- Google's director of public policy and government affairs, Alan Davidson, is leaving his post after six and a half years. He was Google's first employee in DC and oversaw rapid growth in their government affairs operation. (Washington Post)
- A battle is brewing between internet retailers and more traditional "brick and mortar" companies. Traditional retailers, who collect state sales taxes, want internet retailers to be subject to the same rules. Several bills have been introduced to this end and both sides are marshaling their lobbying forces. (Politico)
- Many potential voters turn to the internet for information about polling places, issues, and candidates according to a recent poll by the Voting Info Project. The VIP aims to make this information easy to find through Google and other search engines. (techPresident)
- The National Archives and Records Administration is gearing up to launch a Citizen Archivist Dashboard in December. The Dashboard will allow volunteers to tag, transcribe and write articles about scanned NARA documents. They hope to engage regular citizens who have an interest in archival research. (Nextgov)
- Google has instituted a new search algorithm that may make it harder to find some government websites. The algorithm focuses heavily on newer content and could push pages that do not update very often down the list of search results. (Federal Computer Week)
- Code For America has videos of 13 CFA fellows demoing their apps at the October Code For America Summit. (govfresh)
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