As stated in the note from the Sunlight Foundation′s Board Chair, as of September 2020 the Sunlight Foundation is no longer active. This site is maintained as a static archive only.

Sunlight Foundation

Follow Us

Tag Archive: Influence

Survey Says… House Republicans Schedule Bevy of Critical Dodd-Frank Hearings

by

House Republicans are on an anti-Dodd-Frank blitz, but with a populist twist, leading up to the financial reform law’s second birthday later this week.

The Republican-controlled Financial Services Committee has launched an "online survey," which asks users a series of questions about how Dodd-Frank affects “you, not Wall Street.” The survey comes as the committee has scheduled a half dozen hearings over a two-week period focusing on such topics as Dodd-Frank's impact on home mortgages, consumer choice, and access to credit and municiple finance.

We'll be covering one of those hearings — titled "Who’s In Your Wallet ...

Continue reading

Mexico’s president-elect hires DC lobbyists

by

Mexico’s President-elect, Enrique Peña Nieto, who takes office December 1, has hired lobbying firm Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates to represent him in Washington. According to documents filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the contract focuses on U.S. outreach and “monitoring of news and policy developments related to Mexico-U.S. interests.”

So far, six lobbyists with the firm have filed paperwork confirming they will work as part of the Peña Nieto account. 

The question is whether Peña Nieto, seen at right, should have filed sooner. This may not even be the first U.S. media ...

Continue reading

Told you so: Democrats voting against Holder got gun money

by

All 17 Democrats who sided with Republicans in Thursday's House vote to cite Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress have received contributions at some point in their careers from the political action committee of the National Rifle Association, which was lobbying hard to pass the resolution.Rep. Mike Michaud

The Democrats who receive the most money from the NRA's PAC and also face competitive races were even more likely to side with the NRA. Of the eight Democrats in tight races in November that have received the most from NRA's PAC (see a chart of these lawmakers in ...

Continue reading

After health care, what will happen to Dodd-Frank?

by

While the U.S. Supreme Court has now upheld the health care reform law as constitutional, conservative groups still are on a legal attack on the constitutionality of one of the other signature achievements of President Barack Obama’s term in office: the Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

Last week, C. Boyden Gray, an eminence grise of conservative Washington, along with the Competitiveness Enterprise Institute and the 60 Plus Association, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to challenge the constitutionality of Dodd-Frank, joining the Texas-based community bank, State National Bank of Big Spring. While the Dodd-Frank has been under ...

Continue reading

Gun money pushing some Democrats to vote against Holder?

by

Three Democrats who have said they plan to break party ranks in a historic rebuke of Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday are among the members of their party in tight races who have received the most money from the National Rifle Association's political action committee (PAC) over the course of their careers.

The National Journal reported Wednesday that Democratic Reps. Jim Matheson of Utah, John Barrow of Georgia and Nick Rahall of West Virginia have said they will vote with Republicans to find Holder in contempt of Congress because the attorney general has not released all the documents ...

Continue reading

Following the Chamber of Commerce down the campaign finance rabbit hole

by

US Chamber of Commerce LogoA New York Times report that New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is subpoenaing records of tax-exempt groups involved in politics underscores the difficulty of tracking campaign spending to its source following the 2010 Citizens United decision, a ruling that the Supreme Court reaffirmed this week. 

According to the Times story, Schneiderman is seeking emails and bank records to determine the legality of financial transactions made between the National Chamber Foundation and one of its donors, the Starr Foundation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The business trade association received $18 million from the Chamber Foundation in 2003 ...

Continue reading

Romney’s elite retreat: Who could be on the list?

by

Picture of Deer Valley LodgeAll eyes this weekend are set on Mitt Romney’s weekend retreat in Utah, where his campaign has reportedly invited a group of donors with fat wallets to meet the candidate, some of his potential runningmates, and top GOP strategists. A number of media outlets have reported that the minimum price of admission is a $50,000 contribution to his campaign. 

According to media sources, some 700 invitees are landing at Deer Valley Resort, which features 10 restaurants and an outdoor amphitheater. While it serves primarily as a ski resort in the winter months, summer activities include mountain biking, horseback ...

Continue reading

Did mystery Romney donors also play in Texas?

by

Two question marksA subsidiary of the Reynolds and Reynolds Company--which was apparently behind $1 million in contributions to the super PAC backing Mitt Romney through three shell companies last month--also gave at least $250,000 to super PACs earlier this election cycle through another subsidiary.

Yesterday we noted that three contributions for about a third of a million dollars each that originated from the same post office box in Dayton, Ohio on May 22 all seemed to be related to Reynolds and Reynolds. The company provides software and other services to car dealerships and related businesses. Chief Executive Officer Robert T ...

Continue reading

Music giant Universal and EMI owner lavish contributions on Senate anti-trust panel

by

(Clarification: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect the timing of Citigroup's donations)

At least half of the members of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, which Thursday will hold a hearing  on Universal Music Group’s proposed merger with EMI music, have received contributions from the two music giants or from rival firm, Warner Music. 

In the months leading up to and following last November's announcement of proposed merger -- which must win approval from both the U.S. government and the European Union -- the record companies and their corporate ownwers have made a stream of contributions ...

Continue reading

Who’s behind $1 million in corporate donations to Romney-aligned super PAC?

by

Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Mitt Romney, accepted three donations totaling $1 million from three different corporate entities at the same Dayton, Ohio post office box, according to campaign finance reports filed Wednesday. The checks--two for $333,333 and one for $333,334--were all dated May 22.

The checks came from "Waterbury Properties, LLC", "Fairbanks Properties LLC" and "CRC Information Systems, Inc." all with a return address of P.O. Box 2608, Dayton, Ohio 45401. CRC Information Systems was bought by The Reynolds and Reynolds Company in 2008--which has listed the same P.O. Box as a return ...

Continue reading

CFC (Combined Federal Campaign) Today 59063

Charity Navigator