So far, the NRA has invested more than $108,000 to help a Republican candidate win a hotly contested special election next month in Florida.
Continue readingTraining for reporters covering election 2014: Turn dark money and hard dollars into good stories
Three investigative newsrooms well versed in covering campaign finance — including Sunlight — are teaming up to offer training that helps reporters make sense of all this data ahead of the 2014 elections.
Continue readingInfluence profile: Retiring Rep. John Dingell
The longest serving member of congress in history, John Dingell has benefited from his ties to the automotive and utility industries.
Continue readingIRS intimidation? House GOP turns the tables as tax agency considers limits on outside political spending
On the week that the IRS is closing the books on comments about its proposed new regulations of political non-profits, Republicans are using their control of the House agenda to not-so-subtly signal their views.
Continue readingSome retiring lawmakers could walk away with a big green parting gift
More than 20 departing members of Congress could be walking away from their political careers with a special parting gift — a combined total of $828,474 in campaign donations that they're allowed to keep for personal use.
Continue readingIs Cantor eyeing a (White) House run?
OK, so no House member has been promoted to the White House since 1880. But House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has ambition -- and a national network of loyalists thanks to his fundraising prowess.
Continue readingLandrieu’s political prospects tied to the energy industry
Mary Landrieu has been named the new chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee – a sector which has contributed handsomely to her campaigns over the years.
Continue readingUkraine lobbying exposes holes in foreign agent registration
Ukraine's embattled rulers may have connected lobbyists swarming Congress or even the White House pleading the case of President Viktor Yanukovich — but because of a change to disclosure requirements for agents of foreign powers, the public may never know.
Continue readingOutside spending favors Jolly in FL-13
Political groups not affiliated with any candidate have already spent more then $3.2 million on the special election for Florida's 13th District, Real-Time FEC shows, and thus far the outside money has favored David Jolly, R, the former lobbyist and staffer for the District's longtime Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young.
Continue readingCongressman has close ties to “independent” groups in New Mexico
A nonprofit and super PAC run by the former campaign manager of Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., and funded by campaign donors, are making their presence felt — running ads in a municipal election and fighting a proposed endangered species regulation.
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