The tragic explosion north of Waco, Texas, was preceded by years of lax oversight. As Reported by Bloomberg, OSHA had not inspected Adair Grain’s West Fertilizer Company facility since 1985. Mark Drajem and Jack Kaskey also reported that when other agencies—including the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency—did swing by, they found violations and issued thousands of dollars in fines. With a dubious track record, how did the Texas plant avoid regulation?
Part of the blame rests with Congress and the special interests that target it. Consider ...
Continue readingThe District’s Campaign Finance Records on Influence Explorer
Just in time for next week's special city council election, Sunlight is sneak-previewing our latest addition to Influence Explorer — DC campaign finance data — as well as our wish list for how it can be made better.
Looking back at mega donor Bob Perry’s political giving
Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 80, poured millions into conservative causes during his lifetime. He was part of an elite cohort of people able to write million-dollar checks, and over the course of his lifetime contributed to candidates, PACs, party committees and super PACs. Overall, he contributed $53 million, according to data in Influence Explorer.
Though he was overshadowed in the 2012 campaign by megadonors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, there were times during the contest when Perry “lead the pack” of super PAC donors, giving hefty amounts to Restore Our Future ...
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 readingRep. Cohen: I Gamed Politwoops to Get Out Message
Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., says he recently utilized the Sunlight Foundation's Politwoops site that monitors deleted tweets from politicians to stage an elaborate trick on the media (or ethics lesson, depending on how you see it), saying, "The best way to get a message out is to tweet and delete."
Continue readingObama taps Romney donors for labor board
Whether it's a sign of post-partisanship or sheer exasperation is hard to say, but two of the three nominees that President Barack Obama today tapped for seats on the National Labor Relations Board donated to the Republican who wanted to take his place.
Harry I. Johnson donated $1,500 to Mitt Romney's unsuccessful presidential campaign last year and Philip Miscimarra gave Romney $1,000, according to data downloaded from Sunlight's Influence Explorer.
Both are Republican labor attorneys who, while not prolific donors, have also made other contributions to GOP committees. To view Johnson's donations, click here ...
Continue readingBaseball’s (political) heavy hitters
While MLB players will be taking the field for Sunday's opening day games in hopes of winning a World Series title in October, team owners may have their sights set on winning a different sort of Fall Classic.
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 readingNHL champs LA Kings visit White House, but owners wish someone else were in it
If Los Angeles Kings owners Ed Roski and Phil Anschutz had their way during last year's election, someone other than President Obama would be greeting the Stanley Cup champions Tuesday when they arrive in D.C. for the traditional White House fete.
Continue readingNew Labor nominee Perez an active political giver and getter
Tom Perez, tapped today by President Barack Obama as his next labor secretary, has a national network of friends in Democratic donor circles and has shown a knack for both getting and giving campaign donations.
Records compiled by the National Institute on Money and State Politics and available via Sunlight's Influence Explorer show that Perez attracted more than $800,000 in campaign contributions from labor unions, members of Congress and a Cabinet member during a short-lived run six years ago for Maryland state attorney general.
For a complete list of donations to Perez in the 2006 campaign cycle, see ...
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