Here is Thursday's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:
Campaign Finance
- Republican Presidential candidates are trying to lower expectations for reporting their third quarter fundraising totals to the FEC in advance of the October 15 deadline. (Washington Post)
- Super PACs supporting presidential candidates don't appear to be struggling. A PAC backing Mitt Romney raised $20 million between January and June, and a new PAC supporting Rick Perry hopes to spend more than $50 million to elect the Texas Governor. (National Journal)
- Campaign watchdogs have asked the IRS to investigate the tax-exempt status of 4 politically engaged groups connected to Super PACs. They claim that the groups use their status to avoid disclosing the identities of major political donors. (National Journal)
E-Gov
- Experts, including the Sunlight Foundation's Daniel Schuman, agree that it is difficult to measure the performance of E-Gov programs using regular metrics. However, they disagree on what this should mean for E-Gov funding levels, which are slated to be cut drastically. (Federal Computer Week)
State and Local
- The San Bernardino County, CA Board of Supervisors has approved a measure to limit donations to local campaigns. (Lobby Comply)
- The National Association of Government Webmasters has singled out three municipal websites for their high level of achievement in web design and development. (govfresh)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/28/2011
Here is Wednesday's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:
Super Committee
- The Super Committee has taken a turn towards the opaque, holding closed door meetings on back-to-back days. Members and staff have been tight lipped on the direction of discussion and the committee has no public meetings scheduled. (Politico) Sunlight Foundation Policy Director John Wonderlich shares his views here.
Campaign Finance
- Freshman Republicans, most of whom ran on a vehemently anti-establishment platform, are quickly learning the ways of Washington fundraising. House freshman have at least 100 fundraisers scheduled around town over the next two months. (Politico)
- Opinion: Candidate Super PAC's should never be considered independent, are inherently corrupt, and should be shut down according to this opinion piece. (Politico)
Government
- The House Small Business Committee is harnessing the power of the internet to better carry out their mission. The forum aims to connect the committee with small business owners who can't travel to Washington to share their views. (Federal Computer Week)
- The State Department and USAID are working to make their data more useful and usable. They are promoting data visualization projects and trying to draw in new data from the 24 federal agencies that are involved in foreign assistance projects. (nextgov)
Revolving Door
- Eric Cantor's (R-VA) senior policy adviser, Shimmy Stein, is leaving the Hill to join Blank Rome Government Relations as a principal. He will focus on tax, trade, financial services, and defense issues. (Roll Call)
State and Local
- The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has been using audience response technology at meetings and hearings to collect data on citizen priorities. The technology allows participants to provide feedback and vote on issues during meetings and helps the agency quickly analyze the data. (GovTech)
- Oklahoma's online Medicaid benefits portal has been a resounding success. Nearly 40% of applicants were using the portal within two months of its launch and it is projected to save the state $22 million over 5 years. (GovTech)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/27/2011
Here is Tuesday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.
News Roundup:
Continue reading
Government
- The Federal Government's 62 Inspector Generals are well worth the money. According to a new report by the GAO, they save the government $18 for every $1 spent on them. (POGO)
- Meanwhile, the E-Gov fund received mixed reviews from a new GAO report. Many of the problems came about when the programs funding was cut for FY2011 (Federal Computer Week)
- The Office of Personnel Management is preparing to release a new version of its USAJobs website. The upgraded system aims to provide a more user friendly, retail oriented experience for job seekers. (Government Executive)
Revolving Door
- The Head of the Justice Department's public affairs office, Matthew Miller, who has also worked for Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the House Democratic Caucus will leave government to become a partner at consultancy firm Vianovo. (National Journal)
Campaign Finance
- A group of 200 business executives has called on corporations to be more transparent about their political activities. They had harsh words for the Citizens United decision, and urged Congress to pass new disclosure laws. (Politico)
- Facebook has filed papers to launch a PAC. They will be joining Google and Microsoft, among other technology companies, with robust political funding operations. (techPresident)
State and Local
- Two Supervisors from San Bernardino County, CA plan to introduce a campaign finance law at the Board of Supervisor's next meeting. The law would impose and enforce limits on contributions to county elections. (Lobby Comply)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/26/2011
Here is Monday's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup:
Government
- Nobody is happy with President Obama's newly proposed set of ethics rules for executive branch employees. K Street thinks they are too stringent; reformers counter that they don't go far enough. (Roll Call $)(The Hill)
- Improved oversight and administration of defense contracts is necessary for the Pentagon to reach a 2017 deadline for auditable books, according to a Defense Department deputy inspector. (Government Executive)
- Many have suggested that agencies should create vendor management offices to oversee contractors' work quality. (Federal Computer Week)
- A CATO study gave Congress a C+ for how well it provides access to its legislative data. (GovFresh)
- A former White House official is serving a year in prison for lying to federal investigators about his dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff. (Federal Times)
- The Energy Department has not disclosed any records of being lobbied by the failed solar energy company Solyndra, despite its K Street lobbying firm reporting lobbying the department regarding the stimulus package. (The Hill)
- After spending mostly on the Democratic side in 2008, Google has gone on a "spending spree on the Republican side of the aisle." The company is now spending the same amount on lobbying as Microsoft. (techPresident)
Technology
- Government and technology are coming together to design apps to aid disaster response. (Federal Computer Week)
State and Local
- South Carolina's governor and other officials went overseas to attend the 49th International Paris Air Show, ultimately costing taxpayers $231,500. This information only came to light after the South Carolina Policy Council spent three months investigating, including filing multiple FOIA requests and writing a $270 check. (The Nerve)
- Philadelphia has approved regulations that will require lobbyists to register with the city's ethics board. (Philly.com)
- DC Council member Tommy Wells plans to introduce his draft legislation seeking to limit lobbyists' influence on city policymaking next week. (Washington Post)
- New York Governor Cuomo's new website, Citizen Connects, will be used to host live online chats with the governor and his staff. (GovTech)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/23/2011
Happy Friday! Here is today's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Federal Spending
- The GAO audit of the Federal Reserve was the first audit of the Fed's emergency lending programs, but was surprisingly under-reported in the mainstream media. A more thorough investigation of the Fed is due on October 18th. (Forbes)
- The Commission on Wartime Contracting's final report, released in August, found that the government has lost between $30 and $60 billion to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. These findings have left the government slightly unsure of how to remedy the problem. One early response came from Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), who introduced a bill to create a permanent inspector general for wartime contracting. (Federal Computer Week)
- On average OPM is paying $120 million annually in payments to deceased beneficiaries. (Government Executive)
Access to Information
- Executives from Solyndra, the failed solar power company that has been in the news recently for receiving large loans from the federal government, invoked their 5th Amendment right to remain silent before the House Energy Committee today. (Executive Gov)
- OpentheGovernment.org released their annual open government report last week, which expands upon much of what was discussed in the 2011 Knight Open Government Survey. Topics include aggregate FOIA data, the cost of FOIA, and the renowned FOIA backlogs. (Unredacted)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/22/2011
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.
Here's Thursday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.
News Roundup:
Super Committee
Continue reading
- Members of the Super Committee are facing a lobbying blitz as they scramble to fulfill their mandate. (New York Times)
- Rick Perry's former chief of staff, Mike Toomey, has earned more than $17 million from his lobbying practice over the past decade. Through the same period, Toomey's lobbying clients have given more than $5 million to Perry's political campaigns. (Washington Post)
- BP's PAC had taken a break from political donations in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon spill. In March they quietly started giving again. Fred Upton (R-Mich) is the only politician who has returned a donation since. (Politico)
- Unsurprisingly, K Street is not happy with new lobbying rules proposed by the Office of Government Ethics. Trade groups are worried that the new regulations will prevent government employees from attending trade shows and conferences. (Politico)
Revolving Door
- Formerly senior counsel to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, James Wrathall, will join Sullivan & Worcester LLP as counsel. (National Journal)
- Representative Pete Sessions' (R-TX) legislative director, Keagan Lenihan, will leave his post on Friday. He will start as McKesson Specialty Health's federal government relations director on October 3. (National Journal)
Ethics
- Nevada Republicans have filed an ethics complaint against Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV) alleging that she used her office to promote legislation and intervene with federal regulators to help her husband's company and enrich her family. Rep. Berkley is currently running for a Senate seat in Nevada. (New York Times)
State and Local
- The Philadelphia Board of Ethics has approved regulations to define lobbying activity and require lobbyists to register and report spending. The rules will likely go into effect in November. (Lobby Comply)
International
- Despite more stringent rules instituted by the government after the events of Arab Spring, Saudi Arabian journalists and bloggers are hopeful for the future of open reporting in the country. New technologies have made it more difficult for authorities to stop the spread of information. (Yahoo/Reuters)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/21/2011
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Celebrate the week's halfway point with Wednesday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Revolving Door
- The Hill has a roundup of recent moves. Notably, Dutko Grayling has hired Joanne Zurcher, a former aid to Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), and Jeff Anders, who worked for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions before becoming a lobbyist for PhRMA. (The Hill)
- Tom Strickland, former chief of staff to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who was intimately involved with the Deepwater Horizon spill, will join WilmerHale, a firm defending BP. Strickland claims that his work will not involve BP. (National Journal)
- Representatives John Conyers (D-MI) and Donna Edwards (D-MD) have proposed legislation that would effectively overturn the Citizens United decision. The measure would amend the constitution and permit Congress and the states to limit corporate political spending. (The Hill)
- Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has donated $5 million to her campaign. The donation comes after revelations that a former campaign treasurer to Feinstein and many other California Democrats had committed massive acts of fraud. (Politico)
Lobbying
- After finding themselves closely linked with the President Obama, Google has been working hard to build ties with the Republican party. Meanwhile, in a sign that neither party trusts them too far, Google faces the Senate Judiciary Committee antitrust subcommittee today. (Politico)
Government
- The Project on Government Oversight is enthusiastic about President Obama's Open Government Partnership speech and the new U.S. National Plan on Transparency. The plan utilizes many of POGO's suggestions. (POGO)
- The Energy Department's home weatherization program has been rife with waste, fraud, and abuse according to the department's Inspector General. (Yahoo/Daily Caller)
Ethics
- The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will be investigating wireless start up LightSquared. The investigation is a response to allegations that LightSquared used donations to the Democratic Party in a concerted effort to influence the White House. (Yahoo/Daily Caller)
- Watchdog group Citizens For Responsibility and Ethics in Washington have released their 7th annual report on the "most corrupt" members of congress. The group hopes the report will bring focus to the highly politicized ethics enforcement process. (The Hill)
State and Local
- Chicago has launched City Hall in Your Community, a new website that tracks the movements of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Users can view pictures of the mayor and find information about why he was visiting specific sites. (GovTech)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/20/2011
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here's Tuesday's look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Open Government Partnership
- The global Open Government Partnership will launch today in New York. President Obama and 7 other heads of state will announce their action plans for promoting open government at the UN. Follow along with a liveblog. (O'Reilly Radar)
- Google is hosting The Power of Open: A Global Discussion at their New York offices as part of the launch. The event will be streamed live. (techPresident)
- The UK may tie future international aid funding to transparency measures. The plan, which British officials will present as part of their commitment to the Open Government Partnership, would withhold aid from countries that fail to detail how international funds are spent. (Yahoo/AP)
Government
- Late last week the White House released a status report on its open government initiative. The report attempts to counter criticism while touting the Obama administration's progress on its transparency goals. (nextgov) Proposed budget cuts could provide serious setbacks to government transparency efforts, however. (iwatchnews)
Lobbying
- The retail industry is planning to beef up its lobbying operations in Washington. The National Retail Federation has upped its budget by $10 million and hired new government relations and communications staff to bolster their efforts. (WSJ $)
Ethics
- The Republican National Lawyers Association has filed an ethics complaint against Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), chair of the Democratic National Committee. The complaint was filed in response to a video released by the DNC last week that the RNLA believes violated House ethics rules. (Yahoo/Daily Caller)
State and Local
- Philadelphia has partnered with private firms, not-for-profits, universities, and other partners on Open Data Philly. The website, operated through a public-private partnership, is part of a wider effort to release municipal data-sets in open, developer friendly formats. (govfresh)
International
- Six independent filmmakers with ties to the BBC have been detained in Iran. According to Iranian state television the filmmakers were arrested for providing BBC Persian with negative news reports about Iran and its government. (Yahoo/AP)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/19/2011
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here's Monday's look at the week's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Super Committee
- Over the past year "bundlers" have directed $1.6 million to members of the Super Committee and House and Senate campaign committees. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash), co-chair of the committee, has received the most cash from these sources, but other members have also benefited. (Politico)
- Herman Cain has been touting a new economic plan, but refusing to disclose the names of those who helped him create it. (Washington Times)
- Rick Perry's surge in popularity has also brought increased attention to his,not-so-transparent record. The litany of issues is a stark contrast to the Perry campaign's stated commitment to transparency. (Politico)
Government
- 2010 was a very lucrative year outside the halls of Congress for lawmakers. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, outside income reported by members of Congress tripled between 2006 and 2010. (National Journal)
- The Government Printing office is going to begin blogging in conjunction with the Federal Deposit Library Program. They hope to share their professional expertise and perspectives with other like minded individuals. (FDLP)
- The Federal Government is looking to upgrade their web presence, and wants advice from the public. The National Dialogue to Improve Federal Websites will ask the public to help guide how federal websites are created and managed. (Federal Times)
Technology
- Competition is heating up among contractors competing for $2.5 billion worth of government funds dedicated to providing cloud based email services for government agencies. (Politico)
Ethics
- According to a new study by the Ethisphere Institute, allowing employees to work from home reduces their rate of ethics violations. (Federal Computer Week)
International
- Myanmar lifted bans on many prominent news websites and began allowing access to YouTube late last week. The change came the day after a U.S. Special Envoy ended his first trip to the notoriously restrictive country. (Yahoo/Reuters)
2Day in #OpenGov 9/16/2011
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Happy Friday! Celebrate the end of another week by checking out today's transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Super Committee
- The Super Committee will hold its next public meeting on September 22. The hearing is slated to focus on tax policy. (Roll Call)
- The Office of Government Ethics has proposed a new regulation that would ban all government employees from accepting gifts from lobbyists. The rule as currently written only applies to political appointees. (The Hill)
- Former Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has added two members to his team at the Motion Picture Association of America. Laura Nichols, previously a senior vice president of communications and strategies at the Center for American Progress, will serve as executive vice president of global communications. Lori McGrogan, formerly Dodd's Senate deputy chief of staff, will take a role as his senior adviser. (Roll Call)
- Facebook held a reception for members of Congress on Wednesday to promote their efforts to protect children online. The event was part of Facebook's effort to respond to congressional criticism that it is too easy for children under the age of 13 to log on. (National Journal)
- Following up on yesterday's story about LightSquared's efforts to lobby the White House, Republican lawmakers have called for an investigation into ties between the Obama Administration and the company. (National Journal)
Technology
- White House New Media Director Macon Phillips has answered some questions about We The People, their new online petitions platform that is set to be activated soon. (techPresident)
- Several New Jersey officials have called for changes to the state's Pay-to-Play laws while criticizing the current system as "meaningless". They want a simpler system with tighter contracting rules and more complete disclosure of contractor contributions. (Lobby Comply)
- The ethically challenged Washington, DC City Council is trying to change. Tommy Wells and Vincent Orange, two council members who have kept their noses comparatively clean recently, announced dueling ethics bills yesterday. If passed, the bills could create a task force on ethics and accountability, institute term limits, and bar lawyers from offering discounted services to politicians, among other reforms. (DCist)
International
- Corruption has emerged as a major issue in upcoming elections in Bulgaria. In response, a group of NGO's has created a website, For Fair Elections, to track electoral violations all over the country. Reports will be collected entirely online via Facebook, Twitter, and email. (techPresident)
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