Should a court case on whether Washington state must disclose the identities of people calling for a referendum affect the... View Article
Continue readingMembers, staffers on both sides of “Chinese wall” between earmarks, fundraisers?
If nothing else, Jeffrey Smith's story in the Washington Post proves that Mark Twain's critique of congressional investigations still holds: "One does not blindfold one's self in order to investigate an object." So it is in the matter of PMA Group, the lobbying group that was a top donor to members of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee who were top earmarkers for PMA Group's clients.
The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct--better known as the House Ethics Committee--looked at the hundreds of thousands of dollars that PMA Group and its clients contributed to lawmakers and the ...
Farm Subsidies Still Missing from USDAs Data-Rich Website
Farm subsidies have a way of inciting people. Here, in the words of the Environmental Working Group, is why:
Just ten percent of America's largest and richest farms collect almost three-fourths of federal farm subsidies cash payments that too often promote harmful environmental practices.
For the past five years, EWG has undertaken the arduous task of acquiring subsidy-payment data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Freedom of Information Act, cleaning up millions of records and assembling them into a database that can be searched by name, county, city, farm program, crop and congressional district. The database ...
New Ways and Means head courted by tax lobbyists
The Ways and Means committee skipped the seniority process and appointed Rep. Sander Levin to the helm of the powerful tax committee, and lawyers and lobbyists that specializes in tax issues will have an early opportunity to congratulate him.
Later this month, the law and lobbying firm William & Jensen will host donors to Levin at their townhouse in Washington, D.C. The firm was founded "with
the primary mission of advancing the tax policy interests of clients,"
its Web site states, and it adds that "Our consistent involvement in
Federal tax legislation has given
Williams & Jensen a reputation as one ...
Following the Money: New House Expenditure Reports Available Online
For the second time ever, the House of Representatives released an online update to its “House Expenditure Reports” — a... View Article
Continue readingA Brief History of Senate Reconciliation Votes
As Democrats move forward to pass health care reform attention has focused on a key piece of Senate rules known... View Article
Continue readingRangel bows out at Ways and Means
The Hill reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped California Democrat Rep. Pete Stark to fill in for Charles Rangel, who's taken a leave of absence from the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee after being admonished by the Select Committee on Ethics. Unlike Rangel, who was a favorite of banks, brokerages and insurers, Stark's most generous supporters are tax exempt organizations.
Potential House Health Care Vote Switchers Reliant on Party Campaign Money
Seven key Democrats seen as potential vote-flippers on the health care reform bill are heavily reliant on campaign funds from... View Article
Continue readingRangel Out: The Particulars
Rep. Charlie Rangel temporarily resigned his chairmanship of the House Ways & Means Committee pending the completion of various ethics... View Article
Continue readingBarney Frank deals a bill, internet poker lobby antes up
Via the Real Time Ticker, the Federal Election Commission has posted the latest form 3-L -- or bundling report -- from Rep. Barney Frank's campaign. The disclosure lists the names of lobbyists who have raised at least $16,000 from donors to give to Frank's campaign committee. Page two of the latest filing from the Frank campaign shows that John Pappas, a lobbyist for the Poker Players Alliance, bundled $51,200 for the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, who also happens to be the sponsor of the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act. The Poker Players ...
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