Though the GOP's conservative wing has scored a few upsets, campaign finance data collected by Real-Time FEC show just how much of their resources have gone to losing candidates.
Continue readingOutside groups dump nearly $11M into four primary states
Almost all of the money has been spent in Republican primary elections, reflecting the party's continuing, costly rift.
Continue readingVerizon lobbyists host fundraisers for Intelligence Committee members
Lobbyists for Verizon Communications, which is refusing comment on a now-confirmed report that the telecommunications giant turned millions of its customers' records over to the National Security Agency, have thrown fundraisers for members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, records compiled by the Sunlight Foundation show.
According to the Political Party Time database, which tracks candidate fundraising events, lobbyists for Verizon Communications have hosted at least five fundraising events for Sens. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and Susan Collins, R-Maine. Louis Dupart, of the lobbying firm The Normandy Group, hosted at least three events, two for Mikulski and one for Collins, while Wayne Berman hosted two more for Collins, including a birthday reception in 2010. Both senators voted in 2008 in favor of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which shielded telecom companies, including Verizon, from lawsuits related to an earlier wiretapping controversy.
Lobbyists for Verizon have also hosted a fundraiser for Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., an ex officio member of the Senate committee, and Rep. Thomas Rooney, R-Fla., a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Continue readingSenators Appointed to Conference Committee Connected to Financial Industry
Senators selected to work to combine the House and Senate financial regulation bills in a conference committee are some of... View Article
Continue readingIn Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a lobbyist hired by Gov. Sonny Perdue is taking heat for his ties to Jack Abramoff. … Lobbying reform, passed last year by the Florida Legislature, is already having an effect, and lawmakers are unhappy. The Miami Herald reports that lawmakers must now shell out $28 to go a big annual party thrown by the biggest lobbying group in Florida. Some lawmakers are challenging the legislation in court claiming that it bans lobbyists from making campaign contributions, a violation of the First Amendment. … New York legislator and union leader Brian McLaughlin’s offices were raided last Thursday as “part of a joint city and federal probe into an alleged bid-rigging scam,” according to the Village Voice. … REVOLVING DOOR ALERT: Bob Brooks, the chief of staff to Rep. Jim McCrery (R-FL), who is in line to be the next Ways of Means Chairman, will soon be lobbying on issues that come before his boss’ committee. Roll Call reports that Brooks has left Capitol Hill to work as a lobbyist at the Alpine Group where he will work on tax and financial services legislation. … According to the Washington Post, Maryland legislative leaders are calling for an investigation into government officials’ ties to Comcast. … The Hill reports that Democrats are indecisive in how they should treat their K Street affiliates. Should they court them? Should they avoid them? Should they avoid them before they court them? … Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) is being targeted by the Dem affiliated Senate Majority Project for his son’s work as a lobbyist, according to U.S. News and World Report.
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