Voters are going to the polls today in southeastern Missouri to select a replacement for their former congresswoman, Jo Ann Emerson, and as is always the case, they've been preceded by monied interests trying to influence the outcome. So let's review the bidding:
Although Sunlight's Follow the Unlimited Money tracker shows that there are many other races (including some that won't take place until next year), there's still a bit of intrigue. On Monday, our colleagues over at the Center for Public Integrity revealed that Conservative Strikeforce Super PAC, the group spending in the race on behalf of the GOP standard-bearer (and odds-on favorite in the ruby Republican red corner of the Show-Me State) Jason Smith, timed the expenditure so that the donors won't have to be revealed until after Election Day. We've seen this trick before.
Continue readingTax preparers lobby heavily against simple filing
As Americans struggle through complex rules and messy paperwork to meet today's tax deadline, it might be somewhat discomforting to know that some companies are lobbying against simplifying the arduous process.
Continue readingPolitical heavy hitters lining up behind gay marriage
Updated: 1:20 p.m.
As the Supreme Court weighs the issue of equal marriage rights, the political momentum -- and money -- appears to be lining up behind gay rights, an analysis of campaign finance reports for some key organizations involved in the debate indicate.
Gay rights activist rallies outside high court Wednesday
That balance was on display in front of the Supreme Court Wednesday as the justices considered a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act. At least several hundred sign-wielding gay rights activists filled the sidewalk before the steps of the Supreme Court and only a handful of gay ...
Continue readingEleven House races drawing 11th-hour outside money
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It doesn't take a whole lot of money to make a big difference in some House races, and as the days dwindle down to hours before polls close on Nov. 6, some outside interest groups are trying to do just that. Sunlight's weekly survey of independent campaign expenditures found that some congressional contests that hadn't previously registered on our radar were suddenly drawing lots of outside cash late in the campaign.
Seven of ...
Continue readingSunlight Live to cover Rick Perry’s debate debut in California
With a new face officially in the mix, eight Republican candidates will take the stage again next week to spar about the economy, jobs, budget deficit and more at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library in Simi Valley, Calif.
It will mark the first debate for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who joined the race in August just as former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty threw in the towel. Several of the latest polls now show Perry on the top of the pack, outshining Mitt Romney, who has led the group for several months.
Sunlight Live will cover the debate starting at ...
Continue readingSunlight on ‘Technology for Greater Transparency’ Panel
Today the director of Sunlight Labs, Tom Lee, will be speaking at a Sunshine Week event hosted by OpenTheGovernment.org and the Center for American Progress.
Continue readingSunlight’s Politiwidgets Makes Your Reporting Brighter. One Widget at a Time.
Everyone’s writing about politicians these days — especially these days — so Sunlight’s developed a tool to help enliven that... View Article
Continue readingFix Congress’ Personal Financial Disclosures
A Wall Street Journal investigative report revealed yesterday that at least 72 hill staffers “traded shares of companies that their... View Article
Continue readingIn House and Senate, appropriators got most contributions from earmark recipients
The Center for Responsive Politics and Taxpayers for Common Sense -- two of our favorite organizations -- have released their comprehensive earmark and influence database for fiscal year 2010 requests.
Among House members, Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., a member of the Appropriations Committee, tops the list of members who have gotten campaign contributions from earmark recipients (complete breakdown here). Interesting to note that Moran's top donor so far, Mantech International, got a $2 million earmark from the Northern Virginia congressman.
In the Senate, Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye received the most contributions from earmark beneficiaries. Inouye secured earmarks for his ...
Using TransparencyData.com to track Goldman’s partners
We all know, thanks to the Center for Responsive Politics, that Goldman Sachs is a heavy hitter--in the 2008 presidential cycle, among the top donors to both Barack Obama and John McCain, that its employees, their family members and its PAC favor Democrats in their giving by a two to one margin (and three to one in the 2008 election cycle), and Goldman Sachs has been among the top 100 donors to 286 election campaign committees for members of Congress.
But what about others involved in the financial instrument that the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges was fraudulent? Is ACA ...
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