Previously in Sunlight Labs: Influence Explorer redesigned, James moved to Boston, and Capitol Words was released. So then why is Luigi cleaning out his desk? Where did Transparency Data go? Why is Ethan calling in to the morning check-in meeting? Find out on this episode of Labs Update! Goodbyes… Let’s start off with some terribleRead… Read more »
Earlier this week, appropriators held a hearing on funding for the legislative agencies that make government information available to the public. Three organizations, the Sunlight Foundation, the Participatory Politics Foundation, and PopVox, filed comments on the importance of making legislative information directly available to the public as a downloadable database, instead of item-by-item, which isRead… Read more »
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to favorably report a bill that would require the Supreme Court to allow television coverage of its arguments (S. 1945). Currently, only a limited number of citizens are able to see the court’s sessions in person. Audio files of proceedings are released after the fact, but are notRead… Read more »
Today must be redline day here at the Sunlight Foundation. We’ve taken the just-introduced 2012 version of the DISCLOSE Act and compared it to its 2010 predecessor (which didn’t get cloture in the Senate.) This comparison is much rougher version that I would have liked to generate, but we had to scrape the 2012 versionRead… Read more »
The company benefiting from today’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission decision to approve the construction of the first new nuclear plant in the U.S. in over three decades is an influential powerhouse in Washington. Southern Company, a power company based in Atlanta, has spent $130 million lobbying the federal government since 1998, ranking 17th among all organizations,Read… Read more »
House Democrats unveiled The DISCLOSE 2012 Act (HR 4010, not up on THOMAS yet) today, a crucial step toward transparency to address the corrupting influence unlimited, secret corporate and union money is having on our elections and our elected officials. Shortly before the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision, the SunlightRead… Read more »
Throughout the presidential campaign season, Mitt Romney has portrayed himself as a Washington outsider. In contrast to his leading Republican rivals — Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul — Romney has never had a political career in the nation’s capital. Still, when it comes to fundraising, Romney does not appear lacking in inside theRead… Read more »
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here is Thursday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Campaign Finance Senator John Tester (D-MT) took a cue from Senate candidates in Massachusetts and publicly challenged his Republican opponent, Rep. Denny Rehberg, to sign a pledgeRead… Read more »
Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here is Wednesday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Government Conference committees, meant to reconcile differences between House and Senate bills, have proved less and less useful in recent years. More often deals are being cutRead… Read more »
Super PACs have been a hot topic in the news recently as reporters, advocacy groups, and the public try to follow the money flowing into the political system as the 2012 elections approach. On January 31st MSNBC reported that Stephen Colbert’s super PAC, Americans for A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, was the first to submit itsRead… Read more »