Big news in the campaign finance world: The Federal Election Commission is taking a huge step forward by making data accessible through a modern API. Here's how to get started with this informative new resource.
Continue readingMuch of Northrop Grumman’s Washington influence flies under the radar
Northrup Grumman spends millions on lobbying and campaign contributions — but those only tell part of the story.
Continue readingInfluence Analytics: What is the Utility Air Regulatory Group, which opposes Obama’s Clean Power Plan?
Among the 1.3 comments submitted to the EPA on proposals to curb global warming was a lengthy missive from an opaque group of utilities with a record of fighting proposals to combat climate change: the Utility Air Regulatory Group.
Continue readingFixed Fortunes: Biggest corporate political interests spend billions, get trillions
Between 2007-2012, America’s most politically active corporations spent $5.8 billion on federal lobbying and campaign contributions. A Sunlight Foundation analysis suggests, however, that what they gave pales compared to what they got: $4.4 trillion in federal benefits.
Continue readingContest for the Senate in charts: Outspent Dems lean on super PAC donors in homestretch
The story of outside money in this year's contest for control of the Senate, told in handy, embeddable charts.
Continue readingWelcome to Docket Wrench, SEC and CFTC!
Support from Transparency International and a partnership with Thomson Reuters Foundation has enabled Sunlight to make data from the two important financial regulatory agencies available for analysis.
Continue readingOutside groups spend at least $120 per Alaska voter
Voters in states with competitive races are being overloaded with advertising from outside interests trying to influence their vote. In red-hot Alaska, outsiders have spent at least $120 for each likely voter.
Continue readingInfluence Analytics: Ebola edition
Sunlight tools allow you to track the government response to Ebola.
Continue readingOutside spending nears $500 million in Election 2014; Sunlight’s new overview pages break it down
Less than three weeks before Election Day, spending reported to the FEC by outside groups trying to influence the outcome of campaign 2014 is approaching $500 million. Now, Sunlight's giving you new functionality to track it.
Continue readingInfluence Analytics: Drones in domestic skies
The use of drones in America is ramping up — and the issue is getting a lot of attention in Washington.
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