Posts By Melanie Buck

Sunlight Foundation: President's Budget Proposes Senate Efiling

Via this tweet, we just discovered that the President’s budget proposes that the Senate should be required to electronically file their campaign finance reports. In this document, you can find the following section: The Budget proposes that Senate Campaign Committees berequired to file campaign finance reports electronically with the Federal Election Commission, in keeping withRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: Electronic Government Fund Would Grow Slightly Under President's Plan

Important government transparency programs would receive a small boost if the President’s proposed budget for FY 2013 were enacted. The Electronic Government Fund, which supports Data.gov, the IT Spending Dashboard, and USASpending.gov, among other programs, would increase by $4.2 million in FY 2013, from $12.4 million in FY 2013 to $16.665 million in FY 2013.Read… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: 'Back to the Source': Military Defense Contractors, Lobbyists Support Mrs. McKeon

Military defense contractors and lobbyists are rushing to support the wife of Congressional House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon in her bid for California state assembly, according to a Slate article earlier this month. The article reports that in the first few months of fundraising, Patricia McKeon was able to collect $19,200 from defenseRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: 2Day in #OpenGov 2/14/2012

Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here is Tuesday’s take on transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Campaign Finance Most Republican presidential candidates have declined to disclose the identities of their bundlers. (Yahoo/AP) At least four Cabinet secretaries have signaled their willingness to participateRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: Secret Cabinet of Cash

Byron Tau makes a great point in Politico: Obama’s reversal on super PACs returns “to a system where corporate donors, unions and other wealthy individuals are able to pay big money for access to policymakers, lawmakers and key administration aides.” The President’s announcement not only opened the door to cabinet members and top White HouseRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: 2Day in #OpenGov 2/13/2012

Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here is the week’s first look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Campaign Finance A major donor to the Rick Santorum supporting Red, White, and Blue Fund, Wyoming Millionaire Foster Friess, was at CPAC last week toRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group: Hundreds of DC insiders descend on pricey Romney policy talks, reception

For a candidate who says he hasn’t spent a lot of time in Washington, Mitt Romney seems comfortable around D.C. insiders — at least judging by the droves he drew to fundraisers and exclusive huddles in the nation’s capital on Thursday. Hundreds of deep-pocketed Romney supporters, who paid thousands of dollars apiece, flocked to theRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group: Arab Spring: One Year Later

International lobbying is the hidden story to come out of the Arab Spring, which hits a major landmark Saturday, the first anniversary of ex-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation. Lobbying represents a vital puzzle piece in an international structure of power that propped up dictators and oppressed millions of people. The Sunlight Foundation has been trackingRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: 2Day in #OpenGov 2/10/2012

Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post. Here is the week’s last look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events. News Roundup: Government Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) is under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics for possible insider trading violations. (Washington Post) The House Administration CommitteeRead… Read more »