Analysis shows that working for a long-serving senator — especially one in a key leadership position — is a very good stepping stone to a lucrative career in lobbying.
Continue readingOutside groups spending record amounts on mid-term elections
Since January 2010, spending by outside organizations to influence congressional elections totals some $57 million--up more than $20 million from a comparable time period in 2006, the most recent non-presidential election cycle--according to reports collected by the Federal Election Commission.
Though the rising independent expenditures--money spent by outside groups on anything from phone banks and mailing lists to negative political ads to influence a federal election--come after the Supreme Court decisions that weakened campaign finance laws, it's unclear whether those rulings are fueling the boom.
While some labor unions have taken advantage of the rulings to directly make independent ...
Continue readingOil & Gas Contributions to Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee
The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources is currently holding a hearing into responses to the Gulf oil spill... View Article
Continue readingLabor, Enviro Groups Use Arkansas Senate Primary As Citizens United Testing Ground
The Arkansas Senate primary between Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Lt. Gov. Bill Halter is acting as a testing ground for... View Article
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 readingSunlight Live: Financial Regulation Debate
Starting at at 2pm ET today, Sunlight is going to be covering the endgame of the financial reform in the Senate with our pretty-awesome-if-we-do-say-so-ourselves Sunlight Live platform.
Continue readingPrimary Sources: Arkansas
There’s a primary election in Arkansas today. I’ve collected some useful sources on the candidates below: Democrats: Sen. Blanche Lincoln... View Article
Continue readingRevolving Door From Capitol Hill to Big Banks
Concerned about seeing their huge profits cut, six big banks are leading the charge to weaken or block new financial... View Article
Continue readingSen. Lincoln’s proposed reform moves to the Senate floor for debate
The financial reform legislation regarding derivatives voted 13-8 out of the Senate Agriculture Committee this morning and on to the Senate floor. It’s intended to fend off any future government bailouts and prohibit the risky behavior banks participate in that caused the 2008 financial meltdown. But of course, the very organizations that these new laws will affect are using their money and expertise to influence the lawmakers in charge of making reform happen.
The proposed bill, introduced by Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., is planned to be folded into the bill Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., proposed this week on financial ...
Senate Agriculture Committee Members Pull In Finance Contributions
The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up a bill to regulate trading in derivatives in a markup today. The committee... View Article
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