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Original journalism from the Center's OpenSecrets Blog
F-35 Contractors, Under Fire, Spent Record Amounts in 2014
May 4, 2015 | Scathing reports have once again spotlighted the massive cost and delays surrounding the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a jet designed for multiple branches of the military that has been dubbed the single most expensive weapons program in history. Even as criticism has rained down upon them, though, the four main contractors on the project have made sure…
The Political One Percent of the One Percent in 2014: Mega Donors Fuel Rising Cost of Elections
April 30, 2015 | In the 2014 elections, 31,976 donors — equal to roughly one percent of one percent of the total population of the United States — accounted for an astounding $1.18 billion in disclosed political contributions at the federal level. Those big givers — what we have termed the Political One Percent of the One Percent…
Despite Predictions, Business is Down on K Street
April 24, 2015 | Some K-Street watchers predicted that the first quarter of 2015 would mark a return to boom times for lobbyists, what with a new GOP- dominated Congress digging in to legislation. But success for some of the top firms does not appear to have translated into a pickup overall. Once again, the first quarter of the…
Schock Still Spending Big — On Lawyers
April 15, 2015 | The campaign committee of former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), who resigned last month after allegations of improper spending by his congressional office, secretive investment deals with donors and fraudulent mileage reimbursement claims, filed its first quarter FEC report today, and it's a portrait of a shining career stopped short. Stopped short by a gigantic legal…
Turkeys, Auto Dealers, Propane and the "Death Tax"
April 15, 2015 | Happy Tax Day! We could think of no better way to celebrate than to fill you in on what's going on with the "death tax," once known as the estate tax until it fell victim to clever messaging by GOP opponents. As it turns out, the Death Tax Repeal Act is back, waiting for a vote in…
Crossroads GPS Might Soon Be Off the Hook for 2010, 2011 Spending
April 8, 2015 | On April 13, one of the largest and most controversial political groups of the post-Citizens United era will celebrate an important anniversary: The three-year statute of limitations will expire for statements made by Crossroads GPS on tax returns covering its first 18 months, making it nearly impossible for the group to be penalized for activity it reported in…
Company Awarded First Federal Offshore Wind Farm Spends Big in D.C.
March 30, 2015 | It has been nearly 15 years since a proposal to build wind turbines in federal waters was first floated by Cape Wind, but a Virginia power company with a much more substantial Washington money presence is poised to take the baton over the finish line. Dominion Resources, a company whose profits have charged up the…
Plenty of Cash to Sponsors of Bill from Industry Alleged to Have Written It
March 20, 2015 | A bill that would change chemical regulations may or may not have been written by a leading trade organization affected by the rules — but no matter the original source of the bill's text, it's a fact that the sponsors of the legislation have received plenty of campaign contributions from the group and its member…
Friends Helping Friends: Melgen's Contributions Came Early and Often for Menendez
March 9, 2015 | The Justice Department reportedly is on the brink of filing criminal corruption charges against Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) for allegedly pushing the interests of a Florida ophthalmologist in exchange for gifts and contributions. Menendez says he's done nothing wrong, and that Salomon Melgen's generosity over the years was spurred because the two are friends. Friends…
West Coast, East Coast: Silicon Valley Blurs the Distinction With Washington Presence
March 6, 2015 | Silicon Valley has staked its claim in Washington. From Capitol Hill to the White House, tech money is everywhere — and 2016 looks like it will be the industry's biggest year yet. Tech may not be pushing as much cash into politics as Wall Street, but its influence is on an upward climb. Its lobbying has…
Net Neutrality Fast Facts
February 26, 2015 | Update: A profile of the biggest supporters of net neutrality is available here. The Federal Communications Commission just approved new rules that allow it to regulate the Internet like a utility, establishing net neutrality. But only for now. The move has some very powerful opponents, starting with the cable and telecom companies — companies that control most…
Net Neutrality Fight Rife With Interests Connected to Commissioners
February 25, 2015 | The two Republican members of the Federal Communications Commission who have asked for a delay in the agency's vote tomorrow (Thursday) on net neutrality rules both have past connections to big money interests opposed to the rules. On the other hand, so does the FCC chairman, whose proposal is on the table. At stake is…
Will the Grass Grow Greener in D.C.?
February 25, 2015 | D.C. residents voted to legalize marijuana, but Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) wants to prescribe the District a different fate. Local officials, having defied Harris' rider in the year-end cromnibus prohibiting implementation of the city's Initiative 71, say legalization will begin tomorrow, Feb. 26 — though congressional Republicans are equally bent on blocking it. The ballot…
DOJ Announces First Prosecution for Illegal Coordination Between Candidate and Super PAC
February 12, 2015 | The U.S. Department of Justice announced this afternoon its first criminal prosecution for violation of campaign finance laws prohibiting coordination between candidates and outside groups working on their behalf. Tyler Harber, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of coordinated federal election contributions, and one count of making false statements to the FBI. According to federal court…
Beer and Taxes Make for Bitter Brew
February 10, 2015 | Craft beer is everywhere, and while that may seem like a good thing for beer lovers, the giants of the industry aren't thrilled. This isn't just a bar fight, either — it's a tension that often plays out on Capitol Hill. With a new Congress, the debate over Sierra Nevada v. Bud is fermenting anew —…
Some Winners, Some Big Losers Among 2014 Lobbying Firms
January 26, 2015 | Despite some last-minute jostling in the fourth quarter, most lobbying firms maintained their spots in the revenue standings in 2014. That said, some firms had a great year, more than doubling their income, and others felt the sting of growing pains from mergers or just a shortage of free-spending clients. Overall, la crème de la crème stayed…
In the Garden of Dark Money, the Thorny Case of Rosebush Corp.
January 22, 2015 | Ever since news broke in 2013 that the IRS had targeted the exemption applications of tea party and some other politically-oriented groups for extra scrutiny, conventional wisdom had it that the agency throws up roadblocks for organizations trying to obtain its seal of approval. But much evidence indicates the IRS backs down without much fuss…
Wall Street's Investments in Deregulation
January 14, 2015 | Wall Street did its part to make 2014 the most expensive midterm election ever, outpacing its 2010 total and once again putting the bulk of its financial muscle behind GOP candidates and groups. Donors from the securities and investment industry, otherwise known as Wall Street, contributed a total of $184 million to candidates, parties and outside…
Waning Influence? Part 3: Ups and Downs, by Industry
December 22, 2014 | Overall spending on lobbying has been on a downward trajectory since 2010 and the number of active lobbyists has seen an even longer-term and more drastic drop. Previous entries in this series have investigated where the people dropping off the lobbyist rolls are working now (the same places!) and whether congressional gridlock has been a…
Dems Won't Be Missing Cuban Money They Weren't Getting
December 19, 2014 | Wednesday's decision by President Barack Obama to normalize relations with Cuba left many Cuban-Americans and their political allies seething. Obama cited a number of reasons for his move, but one he didn't menton is likely that the group of wealthy Cuban-Americans who have played such an active role in supporting politicians who opposed normalizing relations simply aren't…
Uncommon Allies Against the Common Core
December 3, 2014 | What do the bulk of Republican presidential hopefuls share with the two major teachers' unions in the United States, besides mutual dislike? Turns out there is something: Growing opposition to the Common Core education standards. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) became the latest high-profile Republican to change his stripes and oppose the Common Core on Monday.…
Hark! The Return of the Politiquiz
December 2, 2014 | Still recovering from your Thanksgiving feast? Confined to your relatives' homes with nothing to do but squabble over religion, sports allegiances (get it together, Pats!), and politics? If it's the last of those, impress your family and friends with an informed analysis of the 2014 midterms. Here are some key talking points to work in while fixing yourself…
Ron Paul's Presidential Campaign Shells Out for Lawyers in Wake of Disclosures
November 18, 2014 | The Ron Paul presidential campaign of 2012 is not over. In fact, the legal entity that controlled the campaign had $576,000 in the bank on Sept. 30 — a substantial sum for a White House bid that effectively ended two-and-a-half years ago. Leftover campaign cash can be used for a variety of purposes, but since August,…
Lobbying Shops Win Some, Lose Some in Third Quarter
November 10, 2014 | It was the best of quarters for some and the worst of quarters for others in the lobbying world. The top rain-making lobbying firms for the first three quarters of 2014 were the usual suspects: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; Squire Patton; Podesta Group, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and Van Scoyoc Associates. Akin edged out Squire Patton…
K Street: End of the Slide?
November 10, 2014 | It may be too early to call 2014 the year that K Street's long decline ended, but the most recent round of reports suggest at least a leveling off. Third quarter 2014 lobbying expenditures totaled $771.9 million, which is only a bit lower than outlays during the same period in previous years. And spending for the…
Money Won on Tuesday, But Rules of the Game Changed
November 5, 2014 | Republicans made the most of their fundraising advantage and routed Democrats in Tuesday's midterms, but they seized the majority in the Senate and built their lead in the House even as fewer donors participated in the process and more of the dollars came from secret sources. Democrats weren't swamped when it came to the money…
Who's Spending What, When? Outside Groups Take Different Tack Than Candidates, Parties
November 3, 2014 | Last week the Wesleyan Media Project, along with OpenSecrets.org, released its most recent summary of campaign ad spending in the closest 2014 races. By combining data on specific ad buys with our information about the types of spenders (including how much donor disclosure is available) we were able to clarify the role of outside groups…
Straw Into Gold: Candidates Trading Leadership PAC Dollars for Campaign Cash
October 31, 2014 | This story is cross-posted at TIME.com With just a few days remaining in the first quarter of 2014, Mary Landrieu did something generous: The embattled Democratic senator from Louisiana, herself in the midst of an exceedingly tough re-election race, used her leadership PAC to give $5,000 to the campaign of Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who…
Overall Spending Inches Up in 2014: Megadonors Equip Outside Groups to Capture a Bigger Share of the Pie
October 29, 2014 | This Center for Responsive Politics report is part of #Money14, a series of independent reports exposing the role of money in American politics. Join us for an event around the fifth anniversary of Citizens United to hear more about the participating organizations' innovative research and work together for a more inclusive, transparent, and participatory democracy.…
Lobbying Giants Extend Spending Lead
October 23, 2014 | Lobbying heavyweights reasserted their dominance during the third quarter, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Realtors built on their already sizable second quarter spending totals and remained Nos. 1 and 2 on the list of top lobbying spenders. The National Association of Realtors — a trade organization boasting more than 1.2 million members…
Gun Groups Locked and Loaded for Nov. 4
October 6, 2014 | One month till the election? Welcome to the OK Corral — the shootout's just beginning. Both the National Rifle Association and Americans for Responsible Solutions, the pro-gun control group founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), have said they will unleash a fusillade of ads supporting and attacking candidates in some of the tightest contests in the…
Two Telecom Companies Work Their Networks in DC
October 1, 2014 | It takes a lot of networking to route phone calls for the U.S. government. To that end, two companies vying for a nearly half-billion dollar contract to run the Number Portability Administration Center have brought on board new teams of lobbyists to win regulators over. One of the firms being considered for the contract by…
Tempest in Hawaii: Groups Linked to Nick Ayers Went to Bat for Lingle in '12
September 24, 2014 | Fund for Freedom, a super PAC formed in the dead of winter in 2012, had a short life and a singular purpose. Barely more than a week before the election, it dropped $670,000 on TV ads praising Hawaii GOP Senate candidate Linda Lingle and attacking her opponent, the group's only election expenditure of the cycle.…
Gusher of Cash Follows Chemical Spill
September 19, 2014 | On Thursday, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) presented a new version of legislation to overhaul chemical safety regulations, dissenting from a bipartisan bill that was still being negotiated more than a year after it was introduced. But Boxer, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, isn't the only one putting up a fight: Several big…
Washington Wakes Up to Ebola Threat
September 19, 2014 | President Obama declared on Tuesday that the United States would send troops, medical equipment and aid workers to Western African countries ravaged by Ebola, a virus that has killed more than 2,400 people. "We know that if we take the proper steps, we can save lives," he said. "But we have to act fast." And yet,…
American Future Fund Goes to the Islands
September 12, 2014 | A politically active nonprofit that spent more than $25 million on ads to help Republicans in the 2012 elections has stepped into a messy dispute between the government of Puerto Rico and a bank that claims the commonwealth owes it money — not something that fits neatly with the group's activities in previous election cycles.…
Democratic Lawmakers Lead the Way in Personal Contributions
September 5, 2014 | Of the many methods that members of Congress can use to help out their colleagues, their party or some other political cause, digging into their own pockets may not seem the most appealing — not when they can establish joint fundraising committees, contribute from their campaign committees, or create leadership PACs to share the wealth.…
Two Grand Juries Continuing Probe Into 2012 Iowa Payola Scandal
September 4, 2014 | Last week's guilty plea by former Iowa State Sen. Kent Sorenson wasn't the end of the federal investigation into the 2012 Iowa caucus payola scandal — not by a longshot. OpenSecrets Blog has learned that FBI agents have been interviewing a slew of witnesses connected to Ron Paul's presidential campaign and grand jury subpoenas have been…
Waning Influence, Part 2: Does Congressional Gridlock Lock Up K Street?
August 18, 2014 | As the total amount of money spent on lobbying continues to fall, many analysts — including the staff at the Center for Responsive Politics — cite congressional gridlock as a cause of the decline. The 113th Congress, one of the least popular in history, is known for its apparent inability to pass legislation. Given the…
Money, Not Morals, Drives Marijuana Prohibition Movement
August 5, 2014 | The following is adapted from OpenSecrets.org's new marijuana issue profile. Read more about the marijuana industry's campaign donations and lobbying efforts as well as relevant marijuana focused legislation. In late November 2012, voters in Washington and Colorado passed ballot initiatives to fully legalize marijuana for recreational use. Coloradans were able to start purchasing recreational marijuana…
Lobbying in First Six Months Almost Level With Previous Year
July 30, 2014 | Spending on K Street through the first half of this year is barely lower than it was last year — perhaps an early sign that the lobbying industry is coming out of its slide. Federal lobbying expenditures have slipped from a high of $3.55 billion in 2010 to $3.23 billion last year, for reasons not fully…
One GOP Consultant, Two Campaigns and a Snarl of Outside Groups
July 28, 2014 | Bruce Rauner is a Chicago billionaire who has never held political office, yet this spring he mowed down a crowd of rivals and claimed the GOP nomination to be Illinois' next governor. David Perdue is a wealthy former executive who also has never been elected to public office, yet he too knocked off a string…
Travels With Don: The Lobbyists, the Nilgai and the Handsome Ranch Foreman
July 15, 2014 | In 2004, Randy DeLay was asked by the commissioners of the Port of Brownsville, Texas, to justify his $25,000 monthly lobbying bills. Why was he submitting such high travel expenses for what appeared to be junkets? DeLay, the younger brother of then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), explained to them that lobbying is expensive work, especially when you're trying to…
Politiquizz: Crack Open a Cold One
July 11, 2014 | The summer is heating up, with temperatures in the 90s this week from coast to coast. It's no wonder the beer, wine and liquor industry look forward to summer all year long. Sales soar during this season as Americans purchase alcoholic beverages, especially beer, to beat the heat and celebrate the holidays. Earlier this year, a…
RSLC Goes In With Developers to Turn Tide in NY State Senate
July 3, 2014 | A version of this story was co-posted on Urbanalia. In New York state, legislative politics are more than a little counterintuitive. Democrats have a majority in the state Senate, but since the 2012 elections, a group of breakaway members of that party have lined up with Republicans to keep the chamber under GOP control. The…
Dick Cheney Goes Dark: A Family Network of (c)(4) Groups
July 2, 2014 | In the years since he left office, former President George W. Bush has mostly stayed out of the public eye, happier to talk about what he'd do with a canvas than what the U.S. should do in Iraq or Afghanistan. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, on the other hand, has been more than willing to voice…
Politiquizz: Out-of-Pocket
June 30, 2014 | After being in the political arena for years, most big-name politicians have built themselves substantial war chests. Fundraising and relationship-building is at the forefront of any successful campaign, but especially so for established members of Congress. So what about challengers? While it's true that state and local politicians may have some leftover campaign funds squirreled…
Organizing for Action: Who's Giving to Obama-Linked Nonprofit?
June 17, 2014 | Since the beginning of the 2014 campaign cycle last year, 14 donors — running the gamut from a hedge fund manager to a gay rights activist to a little-known Salt Lake City venture capitalist — have given $100,000 or more to President Barack Obama's avowedly un-campaign committee, Organizing for Action. Another 26 have ponied up…
Is K Street Down the Road for Cantor?
June 13, 2014 | Though it has now come to a screeching finish, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.)'s leadership position in the House has brought him enduring connections, political clout and insider knowledge — in other words, potent K Street cred. "He brings incredible contacts with the whole Republican caucus in both houses" of Congress, said Ivan H. Adler, a…
More Insiders Aim to Move Up Leadership Chain
June 13, 2014 | Most Washington insiders seem convinced that House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will take over for Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) at the end of July; then again, most of these people were convinced Cantor would cruise to an easy re-election. But if the real race now is to see who takes over as Majority Whip,…
Most Senators File Financial Disclosures Electronically — Sort of
May 19, 2014 | For the first time, the U.S. Senate has given senators, candidates and staff the option of filing their required annual personal financial disclosure statements electronically. The Ethics Committee's newly refurbished website allows filers to enter their information electronically rather than submitting paper copies of their reports. That means the public has near-immediate access to the…
GenOpp, Too: Another Group Almost Wholly Funded by Koch Network
May 13, 2014 | Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce provided more than half the two-year budget of a conservative nonprofit geared toward youth that has been running controversial anti-Obamacare ads, according to tax documents obtained by OpenSecrets.org. In the three years for which tax information is available, Generation Opportunity has raised almost 86 percent of its funds from just…
Chemical, Pharmaceutical Industries See Huge Lobbying Increases
May 2, 2014 | Overall spending on lobbying may have fallen again in the first quarter of 2014, but not everyone decided to pull back. In fact, some companies and industries pumped up their lobbying in the quarter, with the chemical and pharmaceutical industries leading the pack. Dow Chemical was the company with the biggest jump from the fourth quarter of 2013…
Dark Money Spending Three Times More Than at Same Time in 2012 Cycle, CRP Testifies
April 30, 2014 | As Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) presides today over a Rules Committee hearing on dark money in the 2014 elections, tallies by the Center for Responsive Politics show that nondisclosing groups have already reported spending more than three times as much as they had at this point in the 2012 elections — a presidential cycle when higher spending…
OpenSecrets.org Provides Testimony, Data for Senate Rules Hearing on Dark Money
April 30, 2014 | In written testimony today for the Senate Rules Committee Hearing entitled "Dollars and Sense: How Undisclosed Money and Post-McCutcheon Campaign Finance Will Affect 2014 and Beyond," the Center for Responsive Politics highlighted the growing role in electoral politics of groups that don't disclose their donors.
Hot Races 2014: Biggest GOP Spending Groups Shying Away, So Far, from Georgia
April 28, 2014 | While big-spending conservative groups are active in Senate races across the country, they're still largely keeping quiet in Georgia; only a few outside spending groups have stepped into the still wide-open Republican race so far.
Aereo Takes Its Case To Washington
April 23, 2014 | Though little Aereo argued before the Supreme Court this week about copyright law, it has learned from its much large opponents when it comes to making its case in Washington -- with lobbying and campaign cash.
Nonprofit's Exemption Was Granted Despite Record Fine, Big Political Spending
April 14, 2014 | Americans for Responsible Leadership's application for 501(c)(4) status was being considered just as sparks were flying about the IRS' targeting of certain groups.
New, Improved IRS Data Available on OpenSecrets.org
April 9, 2014 | We've upgraded the data available on our site related to politically active nonprofits -- this time thanks to the IRS.
McConnell's Over-the-Limit Donors
April 3, 2014 | The Supreme Court didn't go far enough for Mitch McConnell yesterday, rejecting his argument that all limits on campaign contributions should be overturned. Turns out that about the same time, the FEC was issuing a warning to McConnell's campaign that 19 of his donors appear to have busted the caps.
Head of Paul's 50-State Operation is Accused of Earlier Questionable Work
March 28, 2014 | Doug Stafford earlier was accused of running a massive off-the-books mailing operation to help state legislative candidates in Iowa.
Will Money Fix the GOP's Ground Game in 2014?
March 25, 2014 | Obama's campaign excelled at voter contact in 2012, and the GOP vowed to catch up. An analysis of party expenditures seems to indicate Republicans are indeed investing in their ground game.
Flood Insurance Attracts Lobbying Dollars
March 24, 2014 | A bill just signed by the president continues subsidizing homeowners in flood-prone areas. Neither it nor a 2012 bill that would have done away with subsidies over time happened without a lot of lobbying action.
Happy Sunshine Week: McClatchy, CRP Push on E-Filing
March 16, 2014 | Editorials in at least a dozen McClatchy newspapers today urged the Senate to get on board with all other federal elected officials and candidates and e-file their campaign finance reports. Sign CRP's AskThem petition and get this to the Senate floor.
Consultants Profiting From Polarization
February 21, 2014 | It's tough to figure out who's getting rich from the gusher of political spending -- even more so when the client writing the checks is a dark money nonprofit.
Eastman Part of Coalition that Quashed Stricter Bill on Chemicals
February 12, 2014 | An overhaul of the aging Toxic Substances Control Act would have tightened oversight of chemicals -- until it got deep-sixed by the industry.
Politiquizz: Sarbanes Champions Small Donors
February 10, 2014 | One of the sponsors of the "Government By the People Act" relies almost completely on individual contributions when it comes to campaign funds. What industries give to him most heavily?
Congress' Student Loan Pinch Hits Both Parties
February 7, 2014 | Dozens of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reported owing money on student loans in 2012.
Big Corps. Don't All Play at Money-in-Politics
February 4, 2014 | While most major corporations are also big sources of money in politics, a few choose not to establish PACs or lobby the federal government at all.
Primary Schooling: Recent Battles Offer Hints About 2014's Face-Offs
February 3, 2014 | The primary season is almost upon us. A look back at how primaries have changed -- and not -- in the last few cycles, and what that teaches us about 2014.
H.R. 7: The Money Behind the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act"
January 29, 2014 | The antiabortion bill, H.R. 7, passed the House yesterday.
Wall Street's Rightward Bolt
January 28, 2014 | Nazi comparisons aside, venture capitalist Tom Perkins echoed what a number of wealthy people have been demonstrating with their checkbooks.
Divided We Stand
January 28, 2014 | State of the Union -- 9 p.m. tonight. But Obama's list of 2014 priorities may sound a lot like last year's roster, due in part to a deadlocked Congress that produced a historic year of inaction.
Strong Evidence Emerges on Right to Work's Political Activity
January 24, 2014 | Newly released emails and recordings of conversations show top officials from the National Right to Work Committee were deeply involved with a huge off-the-books mass mailing operation benefiting state candidates in 2010, indicating the organization may have falsely told the IRS it didn't engage in politics.
Most Likely to Exceed: Who's Poised to Double Down Post-McCutcheon
January 15, 2014 | In anticipation of the Supreme Court's ruling in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the Center for Responsive Politics and the Sunlight Foundation have teamed up to look at the deep-pocketed donors who could give even more if the justices strike down another limit on the amount of money in U.S. politics.
SeaWorld Comes to Washington
January 15, 2014 | The betting is that "Blackfish," which raises all kinds of questions about marine theme parks like SeaWorld, will turn up Thursday on the list of Oscar nominees for Best Documentary Feature. Here's how SeaWorld has tried to make its case in Washington since the killing of one of its trainers in 2010.
Budget Deals a Blow to More Campaign Finance Transparency
January 14, 2014 | Congress doesn't want bidders for federal contracts to have to disclose their contributions -- including those to political nonprofit groups.
OpenSecrets.org Releases New, Improved Lobbying Data
January 13, 2014 | We're now able to show which lobbyists weighed in on which bills, and the agencies they visited.
Personal Financial Disclosure Analysis: What Took Us So Long?
January 9, 2014 | You may be thinking we're a little slow on the uptake. But there are a lot of steps between the filing of these disclosures and their appearance on our site, in searchable form.
The Koch Network: A Cartological Guide
January 7, 2014 | Billionaire conservatives Charles and David Koch have created a labyrinthine network of political nonprofits and LLCs to try to influence voters to elect more conservatives, as OpenSecrets Blog has regularly reported. Our collaboration with the Washington Post found the network raised more than $400 million during the 2012 elections, and we produced a map showing how the coalition operated.
Americans for Responsible Leadership Wholly Funded by Koch-Linked Group
December 13, 2013 | The Arizona-based dark money group got almost 98 percent of its 2012 revenues from the Center to Protect Patient Rights. It spent $25.2 million, about 13 times what it spent in 2011 -- a non-election year.
McConnell's Growing Ties to Rand Paul: Trouble Brewing?
December 10, 2013 | Mitch McConnell has been paying yet another consultant linked to Rand Paul. But some of McConnell's hires from the Paul orbit are facing accusations that they broke the law before joining the minority leader's campaign.
SEC Drops Political Spending Disclosure from 2014 Agenda
December 3, 2013 | CRP joins others in urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to add the proposed rule on corporate disclosure of political contributions to its 2014 rulemaking agenda.
At Least 1 in 4 Dark Money Dollars in 2012 Had Koch Links
December 3, 2013 | With most of the annual tax filings for nondisclosing nonprofits now in, it's clear that no liberal or conservative dark money network matched, in combined size and complexity, the constellation of Koch-linked groups that churned hundreds of millions of dollars into elections around the country last year. The Center to Protect Patient Rights provided a big chunk of it, giving out more than $112 million in grants.
Obama's Pick To Lead Air Force a Former Exec for Major Defense Contractor
December 2, 2013 | Deborah Lee James, President Obama's nominee for Air Force Secretary, worked for a major defense firm with financial ties to Capitol Hill.
McConnell Campaign Hired Key Figure In National Right To Work Complaint, Records Show
November 26, 2013 | A consultant who figures prominently in accusations about paying a legislator for his support in the 2012 Iowa caucuses, as well as providing illegal campaign assistance to Iowa legislative candidates, is on Mitch McConnell's payroll, too.
National, Iowa Right to Work Groups Subsidized State Candidates, Misled IRS, Former Employee Charges
November 25, 2013 | An ex-employee of National Right to Work and its Iowa affiliate claims that the groups provided free labor to conservative state legislative candidates as well as candidate mailers written, produced and mailed by the anti-union groups -- allegations that, if true, could to violate state law. Beyond that, they told the IRS they engaged in no political activity, a statement that appears to be false.
YG Network Has a Big Haul, and Pays a Big Salary
November 21, 2013 | YG Network, the fledgling conservative 501(c)(4) with links to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), came on strong in 2012 with big donors and a big salary for its director.
Priorities USA Relied on Handful of Donors
November 20, 2013 | Priorities USA, the politically active nonprofit that backed President Barack Obama's re-election in 2012, raised $8.4 million in 2012, with most of it coming from just five individual donors. The group spent more than half its budget -- just under $5 million -- on grants to other nonprofits.
Northrop Grumman's Drone Campaign
November 8, 2013 | Northrup's big lobbying push paid off when Congress brought the Global Hawk drone back to life. Still, demand is soft for military hardware, and it's unclear what approach the company will take.
Wellspring's Flow: Dark Money Outfit Helped Fuel Groups on Political Front Lines
November 5, 2013 | From 2008 to 2011, a mysterious dark money group called Wellspring distributed more than $17 million to front-line political groups across the country. An OpenSecrets.org and National Public Radio investigation into the group details who is organizing this group and how far and wide the group's money has been sent.
Key Figure at UnitedHealth Group Was Major Obama Donor
October 28, 2013 | The executive vice president of the UnitedHealth Group, which will be responsible for fixing the government's ailing healthcare website, has been a key donor to the president over the years.
Debt Crisis "Nay"-Sayers Received Large Sums from Business, Finance Interests
October 22, 2013 | A joint analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Washington Post shows that business interests played a key role in helping elect lawmakers who rejected their plea to raise the debt ceiling and end the shutdown.
Campaign Spending Habits: Democrats v. Republicans
October 22, 2013 | With our spiffy upgraded expenditures database, we looked at how Democratic and Republican campaigns spent their money from 2002-2012.
Supreme Court and Campaign Finance: McCutcheon Chapter
October 8, 2013 | Could a decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission be based on misconceptions about how campaign finance actually works -- much as the 2010 Citizens United decision was?
OpenSecrets Politiquizz: Women Donors and the 2012 Cycle
October 4, 2013 | This week's Politiquizz draws from our recent report, "Sex, Money and Politics" to ask about women as political donors.
Marijuana Heating Up as Midterm Election Issue
October 2, 2013 | As burning topics go, marijuana's not up there with the government shutdown. Still, it's more likely than ever before to be a topic in the midterm election.
Sex, Money and Power: New Report on Women as Donors and Candidates
September 26, 2013 | While women are playing bigger roles as candidates and as donors than they were twenty-plus years ago, in some ways things have changed surprisingly little. In the 1990 campaign cycle, 22 percent of all itemized federal contributions came from women. So far in this election cycle, the number's up to just 25 percent. This 3 percent increase, substantially smaller than the increase seen in the numbers of female elected officials, is one telling component in a much more complex story about how campaign donations by women have changed over time.
Ted Cruz's Corporate Contributors
September 26, 2013 | Sen. Ted Cruz's marathon speechifying seemed meant to please a certain subset of the Texan's supporters -- and it did. But what about his corporate contributors? They're big backers of the Republican establishment, which didn't much like his "filibuster."
PolitiQuizz: Defense, Money, and Congress
September 23, 2013 | Congress and the defense sector were in the spotlight at the start of this month, as calls both for and against a military strike on Syria overtook the headlines before August recess was even over. Which members of Congress are the sector's favorites?
Gingrey's Revolving Door
September 19, 2013 | Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey's comments about congressional staffers' ability to leave Capitol Hill and go "make $500,000 a year" as lobbyists drew the wrong kind of attention to the lawmaker, who is hoping to become a senator next year. He is, of course, partly right: His former chief-of-staff is now a lobbyist for, among others, a health care company that is Gingrey's biggest donor.
Exclusive: Largest Dark Money Donor Groups Share Funds, Hide Links
September 10, 2013 | OpenSecrets Blog has learned that the Center to Protect Patient Rights, the biggest shadow money group that does nothing but give grants to conservative politically active nonprofits, has received tens of millions of dollars from a similar group, TC4. But that's been hidden from the public: TC4 was sending the money to wholly-owned units of CPPR operating under different names. Other groups, too, have used this subterfuge, the latest trick in the (c)(4)s' grab-bag of nondisclosure tricks.
OpenSecrets.org's New Dark Money Data Measures Groups' Politicization
September 9, 2013 | Building on our previous work on "dark money" nonprofits, the Center for Responsive Politics is rolling out new information on the activities of these groups that are playing an increasing role in U.S. elections.
CRP Sharpens Focus on Campaign Spending
August 30, 2013 | With new categories and an overhauled database, CRP is taking a closer look at the way campaigns and other political committees spend their money -- making it easier to see how politicians translate contributions into votes, which consultants and other vendors are in demand and more. Check it out.
Back-to-College Special: Academic Contributions Aren't Just Cerebral
August 29, 2013 | President Obama might hope that his new education initiative doesn't rile too many in academia: By reputation, college professors and staff members are solid Democrats, and a deeper look at their campaign contributions by the Center for Responsive Politics mostly backs that up -- though certain types of schools tend to skew more left than others.
Ethanol Takes on Big Oil
August 26, 2013 | The ethanol industry's trade group is ramping up its p.r. war on the oil and gas industry. It'll have trouble keeping up with Big Oil's lobbying and contribution numbers, though.
Ron Paul Campaign Accused of Trying to Buy Iowa Endorsements
August 7, 2013 | The Ron Paul presidential campaign may have been involved with negotiations to offer financial compensation to an Iowa state senator in exchange for his endorsement and support in the 2012 Iowa caucuses, according to emails obtained by OpenSecrets.org.
Bread and Water for Lobbyists? Top-Spending Clients Cut Back Yet Again
July 25, 2013 | Second quarter lobbying reports show more declines in spending. With a couple of exceptions -- the American Hospital Association and NCTA -- cutbacks were the rule from April through June.
Big Pharma Shrinks Peddling of Big Influence
July 23, 2013 | In the first quarter of 2013, Big Pharma spent more than $66.5 million on lobbying -- more than any other industry. But its lobbying efforts in the second quarter shrunk dramatically; at least two companies spent less than half what they paid out from January through March.
FISA, NSA Spying a New Focus of Tech Lobby
July 23, 2013 | Tech firms and others listed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the NSA's collection of Internet and phone data as issues they lobbied on in the second quarter of the year. Big tech companies backed off a bit from their explosive lobbying growth, though they hadn't previously mentioned these issues as concerns.
Advocacy Fund Spends Millions to Lobby on Immigration
July 22, 2013 | The Advocacy Fund, a liberal politically active nonprofit with ties to the Tides Foundation, spent more than $2.1 million lobbying in the second quarter of 2013. That's a remarkable number for any group, but particularly striking given that the organization spent only $10,332 in the first quarter of 2013 -- or that it has never spent more than $640,000 on federal lobbying in an entire year.
Agribusiness and the Farm Bill: Wayward Dems Benefit from Contributions
July 16, 2013 | In the days leading up to the defeat of the original farm bill, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) proposed an amendment that would have reduced crop insurance funding to avoid cuts to the food stamps program. A largely party-line vote ensured the amendment's defeat. But it wasn't just the GOP that sank the measure: Eight Democrats joined the Republican majority and helped reject it. It turns out that many of these Dems have received significant political contributions from agricultural organizations that benefit from crop insurance subsidies, according to an OpenSecrets.org analysis.
Rep. Kline Turns Chairmanship into Profitable For-Profit Haul
July 15, 2013 | Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), who chairs the House Education Committee, didn't get a single campaign contribution from the beginning of April to the end of June from any students, professors, faculty, teachers' groups or nonprofit universities. The for-profit education industry, however, accounted for almost one quarter of his substantial fundraising in 2013's second quarter.
Student Loan Rate Rise Likely to Help Sallie Mae
July 1, 2013 | Lawmakers failed to reach a deal to prevent federally subsidized Stafford loan interest rates from doubling today, making students the latest casualty of the impasse gripping Congress and likely benefiting private lenders such as Sallie Mae.
Crop Insurance Figured as Key Issue in Farm Bill Debate
June 21, 2013 | The debate over the farm bill roiled the House this week, and crop insurance -- the new way to get money into farmers' pockets as direct payments are phased out -- figured as a key issue in the proceedings. Like the program or not, there's no denying that crop insurance firms have ramped up their political activity in recent years.
Student Loan Debate, Redux, as Donor Schools Weigh In
May 29, 2013 | A feeling of déjà vu permeates the current student loan debate. Just last June, President Barack Obama and Congress agreed on holding the interest rate for unsubsidized Stafford loans at 3.4 percent. However, that agreement expires on July 1. Our data shows that the education industry has invested heavily in members of the House and Senate who currently are working on bills to address the issue.
Wall Street Shaped Bill Easing Oversight, and Kept Contributions Coming
May 24, 2013 | Lobbyists from the banking industry had significant input into the wording of a bill exempting certain kinds of trades from regulation under the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul. Players in the industry also had their checkbooks out for lawmakers on the House Financial Services Committee in the first quarter of this year.
Shape-Shifting by Liberal Dark Money Groups Seems Meant to Confuse
May 22, 2013 | Two liberal tax-exempt groups, Citizens for Strength and Security and Patriot Majority, have killed themselves off and re-established multiple times, and sprouted various offshoots that play by different sets of rules. It makes them virtually impossible to track for the average citizen -- and maybe for the IRS, too.
Conservative Groups Granted Exemption Vastly Outspent Liberal Ones
May 16, 2013 | Conservative nonprofits that received tax-exempt status since the beginning of 2010 and also filed election spending reports with the Federal Election Commission overwhelmed liberal groups in terms of money spent on politics by a factor of nearly 34-to-1.
Site Spotlight #2: Profiles of Interest Groups
May 6, 2013 | Our second piece highlighting the abundant resources available on OpenSecrets.org.
Koch Industries, Business Groups Lobby Against Donor Disclosure
April 25, 2013 | Plenty of companies and trade groups are weighing in against being required to disclose their contributions to secretive tax-exempt groups that are active in the political arena. Just such a proposal may be coming from the SEC, and a bill is pending in Congress that would address the issue too.
Spending on Gun Lobbying Doesn't Match Rhetoric
April 22, 2013 | Not surprisingly -- and per the usual pattern -- lobbying expenditures by pro-gun rights groups in the first quarter of 2013 far surpassed that of groups on the other side. But there wasn't as much of a jump in that spending as some expected, given the Sandy Hook shootings.
Shadow Money Magic: Five Easy Steps That Let You Play Big in Politics, Hide Your Donors and Game the IRS – Step 5
April 19, 2013 | In the final installment of our report, we talk about what happens when a group gets caught being too politically active, and prospects for change.
Shadow Money Magic: Five Easy Steps That Let You Play Big in Politics, Hide Your Donors and Game the IRS – Step 4
April 18, 2013 | In Step 4 of our series, we check out the amazing correlation between how much money a politically active "social welfare" group has and whether or not it's an election year.
Golden Bears Victorious In 5th Annual K Street Classic
March 20, 2013 | The University of California, though seeded only 12th by the denizens of March Madness, bested the competition in our 5th Annual K Street Classic!
Lobbyists 2012: Out of the Game or Under the Radar?
March 20, 2013 | Spending on lobbying as well as the number of active lobbyists was down in 2012. But nearly half of lobbyists who were active in 2011 but reported no lobbying in 2012 continued to work for the same employers -- suggesting that many have simply avoided the reporting limits while still contributing to lobbying efforts.
Paul Ryan's Connections to Insurance Companies
March 13, 2013 | Paul Ryan's latest budget, like his previous ones, shakes up Medicare, potentially creating more customers for health insurers. The insurance industry has been Ryan's top contributor over the course of his career (after retired people).
Remembering CREEP, and the High Price of Easy Money
March 11, 2013 | There are similarities between some of the biggest campaign donors of the CREEP era decades ago and those of today.
Revolving Members of the Last Congress
March 8, 2013 | We've gathered revolving door information on former members of the 112th Congress. Check it out.
Special Interests Battle Over Immigration Reform
March 4, 2013 | Skirmishing over proposals to overhaul the nation's immigration laws has begun in earnest, but lobbying on the issue picked up months ago. Last year more clients reported lobbying on immigration than in any year since 2008.
Capital Eye Opener, Feb. 28: Feingold PAC Slams Obama's OFA, Southern Co. to Close Gov't Deal After Donation
February 28, 2013 | A fellow Democrat, though a sometimes wayward one, skewers the Obama group's fundraising plans. And Southern Co. is close to closing its $8.3 billion loan guarantee deal with the government. Oh yes, and recently it gave $100,000 to Obama's inaugural committee.
Members of Congress Feel Student Loan Pain Firsthand
February 7, 2013 | When lawmakers debate whether to extend low rates on subsidized student loans later this year, many of them will be feeling firsthand the pain of student loan debt: Five senators and 41 members of the House report that their liabilities include money still owed on loans to finance their own education or that of their children.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 30: Federal Unions Growing, Hillary's Biggest Fan, and Samsung Opens DC Lobbying Office
January 30, 2013 | Public employee unions continue growing, and so (for the most part) does the amount they spend to lobby Washington. Also, one university professor has started two pro-Hillary super PACs.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 29: K Street Talks Cybersecurity, Defense PACs Make Year-end Investments, and More
January 29, 2013 | Everyone from Wal-mart to Boeing wanted to be heard on cybersecurity in 2012's final quarter. Also, defense PACs made many post-election investments in Capitol Hill allies.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 25: Lobbying for Filibuster Changes, SEC Nominee's Reverse-Revolving, and More
January 25, 2013 | Good government types, labor unions and others have lobbied to change filibuster rules. Also, some of the clients of Mary Jo White's law firm will be watching her actions at the SEC, if she's confirmed as chief, with more than passing interest.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 23: Tech Companies' Lobbying Up — Though Not as Much as the Chamber's
January 23, 2013 | The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its subsidiaries were by far the fourth quarter's biggest spenders on lobbying. But don't forget Google -- or the American Dehydrated Onion and Garlic Association.
Realtors' Lobbying Budget Nearly Doubled in 2012
January 22, 2013 | Fourth-quarter lobbying reports show the National Association of Realtors to be one of the biggest spenders of 2012 -- with one of the biggest increases on lobbying spending over the last year.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 9: Major Super PAC Donor Runs Into Trouble In Texas, New House Oversight Chair and More
January 9, 2013 | Texas billionaire Harold Simmons, who donated more than $20 million to American Crossroads, was fined by the Texas Ethics Commission for making illegal contributions to 18 Texas lawmakers in 2011.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 8: Club For Growth and the Hell No Caucus, SEC Takes Up Campaign Finance and More
January 8, 2013 | The Club for Growth gave a huge helping hand to a group of new Republican congressmen known as the "Hell No Caucus."
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 7: Chuck Hagel's Distance From Defense, and More
January 7, 2013 | Chuck Hagel, President Obama's pick to take charge of the Defense Department, had little to do with the defense industry when he was in Congress.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 4: Shell's Arctic Oil Drilling, and Barney Frank as Senator?
January 4, 2013 | The recent grounding of a Shell oil rig near Alaska has once again focused attention on questions about Arctic oil drilling -- something the company has fought for long and hard in Washington. Barney Frank is making noise about returning to Congress -- as a senator?
For Outgoing Lawmakers, Connections Mean Chance to Cash In
December 26, 2012 | It's that time of the year where retiring members of Congress or those who were forced out by voters begin looking for jobs elsewhere -- such as K Street. Making the jump from lawmaker to lobbyist is lucrative. Some members aren't even waiting for their terms to expire.
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 24: Religious Right Isn't So Much, Coal in Their Stockings, and More
December 24, 2012 | Religious groups may tend right, but their money doesn't. Also, coal's not always a bad stocking-stuffer, big coal, joe manchin, hillary clinton, john mccain,peabody energy, consol energy, susan delbene
Exclusive: Nonprofit Funneled Money to Kochs' Voter Database Effort, Other Conservative Groups
December 21, 2012 | A previously unreported nonprofit network funneled millions of dollars to the Koch brothers' effort to catch up with Democrats' voter microtargeting. And beyond that, it sent money to a collection of other tax-exempt groups that worked to get Republicans elected in the last two campaign cycles.
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 19: Proposed Changes in NY's Shadow Money Rules, Fischer's New PAC, and More
December 19, 2012 | New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's proposed requirement that politically active nonprofits disclose their donors could be a bellwether -- or a bust.
Gun Rights Groups' Political Spending Crushes That of Gun Control Supporters
December 14, 2012 | When it comes to lobbying, campaign contributions and outside spending, pro-gun rights groups are light years ahead of those that support stronger gun control. The NRA accounts for most of the spending.
Unions Gave Democratic Super PACs Last-Minute Burst of Cash
December 7, 2012 | Two super PACs devoted to electing Democrats to the House and Senate, as well as the one backing Obama's re-election, brought in close to $10 million from labor between Oct. 18 and Election Day, FEC reports indicate.
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 7: Multimillions for Priorities, Adelsons Come Through for Crossroads, and More
December 7, 2012 | Priorities USA Action brought in $15 million in the weeks before the election, and after the vote still had $4 million in the bank. The Adelsons send $23 million to American Crossroads in the final days. A union-funded group spends $1 million against Scott Brown just before the vote. And FreedomWorks for America picks up another $5 million-plus from the mysterious Specialty Group.
Restore Our Future's Eleventh-Hour Binge
December 6, 2012 | The pro-Mitt Romney super PAC took in more than $22 million and paid out more than $45 million in the days before the election.
Rising Stars: Newly-Elected Lawmakers to Watch
December 5, 2012 | Newly elected members of Congress are weeks away from claiming their seats. Here is CRP's shortlist of newcomers expected to make some waves.
Farm Bill Still Hanging: More Than 70 Groups Lobby on Food Stamps
December 3, 2012 | This year's Farm Bill, including its food stamp provisions, stalled in the House before the election. But the program has a big constituency, and it's not just poor people -- something lawmakers looking for budget cuts might want to keep in mind.
Grimm's Fundraising Robust Despite Accusations of Campaign Fraud
November 30, 2012 | Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) has been operating under a shadow since shortly after his election in 2010, accused of participating in major campaign finance wrongdoing. But even as his legal troubles continue to mount, Grimm has seen his fundraising efforts thrive and won re-election in his Staten Island district earlier this month.
Capital Eye Opener, Nov. 29: BP Banned From Contracts, Super PACs Moving On, and More
November 29, 2012 | BP is banned from government contracts for now, but will that affect its slow climb back in the political realm? Also, what to do next if you're a super PAC or other independent-expenditure group? Why not try lobbying?
Tech Industry Lobbying, Led by Google, Defies General Lobbying Decline
November 28, 2012 | The tech industry continues to expand its lobbying efforts, defying the overall trend of declining lobbying expenditures. Google leads the way.
Capital Eye Opener, Nov. 9: Undecided Races, Iowa Rules Turnout and More
November 8, 2012 | Nine races are still officially undecided, though news outlets have begun calling some of them. Also, six-term incumbent Joe Baca may have fallen due to Mayor Bloomberg's super PAC. And could Ashley Judd beat Mitch McConnell?
Blue Team Aided by Small Donors, Big Bundlers; Huge Outside Spending Still Comes Up Short
November 7, 2012 | President Barack Obama clinched a second term last night relying on many of the same campaign finance tools he used in his pre-Citizens United victory in 2008: party support and an in-house campaign finance operation that turned to individual donors and a web of elite bundlers to expand its reach. He received comparatively little help from outside spending groups. But that's not to say super PACs and secretive nonprofit groups had no influence on the election -- although they heavily favored conservative candidates, many of whom lost, they created an arms race that helped drive the cost of election to record levels.
Mixed Results for Challengers That Outraised Incumbents
November 7, 2012 | Some winning challengers yesterday had a cash advantage to neutralize the incumbent advantage, though a couple of races where challengers won the fundraising battle are still too close to call.
Massachusetts, Virginia Senate Among 2012's Most Expensive Races
November 6, 2012 | The role of outside spending in federal elections dramatically changed in 2010 with the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case, which opened the doors for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money advocating for or against candidates. The Center for Responsive Politics estimates this election likely will cost $6 billion, shattering the previous record by more than $700 million, much of which is due to the massive increase in outside spending.
Latest Lobbying Reports Show Continued Decline in Spending
November 2, 2012 | Don't look to the lobbying industry to stimulate the economy. Despite the outlays of notable exceptions like Google, spending on lobbying continues its decline.
Capital Eye Opener, Nov. 2: Mystery Super PAC Attacks Stabenow, Voter Fraud App Launched by Pro-Gingrich Group, and More
November 2, 2012 | Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, is under attack by a pop-up super PAC that won't have to report its donors till after election Day. Meanwhile, a free new app from the pro-Gingrich super PAC encourages citizens to report what they think could be voter fraud, and new faces on our celebrity donor list -- including The Donald.
Car Dealers Help Drive Auto Industry Cash To Romney
November 1, 2012 | Romney's been focusing on the automobile industry during the closing days of the campaign. In campaign finance terms, he's already the industry's favored candidate. A breakdown of the numbers, though, shows that's largely attributable to support from car dealers and their employees. Obama wins when it comes to donations from the Big Three automakers' workers.
Hot Race for Arizona Senate Seat: Jeff Flake vs. Richard Carmona
November 1, 2012 | It would appear that Jeff Flake holds all the cards in his campaign to win Arizona's open Senate seat. But despite having outraised his Democratic opponent, and having more outside spending going his way, Flake's move to the other side of the Capitol is far from certain.
Super PACs, Nonprofits Favored Romney Over Obama: Citizens United Decision Helped Romney Neutralize Obama's Fundraising Advantage
October 30, 2012 | Super PACs and nonprofits unleashed by the Citizens United Supreme Court decision have spent more than $840 million on the 2012 election, with the overwhelming majority favoring Republicans, particularly GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. The spending helped close the gap on Obama's considerable fundraising advantage over his rival.
Outside Groups Outspend Candidates in 26 House Races
October 30, 2012 | In 26 House races, spending by outside groups -- super PACs, nonprofits and party committees -- outstripped that of the candidates themselves. Among them: the misshapen plot of land that has been dubbed the "rabbit on a skateboard," aka the Illinois 17th.
Capital Eye Opener Oct. 30: Kaine Pulling Away in Top Outside Spending Contest, Lingering Prez Super PACs Sitting on Money, and More
October 30, 2012 | Virginia Senate candidates Tim Kaine (D) and George Allen (R) have been going head-to-head in a race that's seen more outside spending than any other congressional battle. Most of it has been aimed against Kaine -- but he seems to be holding a lead in the polls.
Shadow Money Group Discloses Adelson Donation
October 23, 2012 | The New American Energy Opportunity Foundation is running radio ads with money from Sheldon Adelson, it disclosed to the FEC last week.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 23: Defense Spending Deadlock, Romney's Mourdock Ad, and More
October 23, 2012 | Contributions from the defense sector have been evenly split between Obama and Romney, despite the military's preference for Obama. Oil and gas contributions fall to four-month low for Romney, but he still tops Obama.
Women Continue to Favor Obama With Their Wallets
October 22, 2012 | Women continue to give more to Obama than Romney, although they still account for only about one-third of contributions to all candidates this cycle.
House Races Less Financially Competitive Than in 2010
October 21, 2012 | Campaign finance filings submitted this week confirm that, financially at least, House races look less competitive this year than in 2010 when Republicans retook control of the chamber.
Data Mining v. the Senate
October 16, 2012 | The Senate Commerce Committee hopes to shed light on database mining projects, but the companies that do the mining have a good bit of lobbying experience.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 16: Compound Lobbying, Obama's Box Office Success, and More
October 16, 2012 | Compounding pharmacies, like the one that made the steroid that's been linked to cases of deadly meningitis, aren't new to the ways of Washington. Also, celebrity supporters of Obama cut new ads for him.
Conservative Super PAC Finds Voice Through Small Donors
October 12, 2012 | Small donors are giving a conservative super PAC a strong voice in the 2012 election.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 11: Too Many Tanks, Affirmative Action Case's UT Supports Obama and More
October 11, 2012 | The Army says it doesn't need any more M-1 Abrams tanks, but it may get them anyway. The company that makes them just happens to be one of the largest contributors to campaigns nationwide.
Play Ball! Orioles Circle the Bases for D's, But Other Playoff Teams Lean Right in Contributions
October 10, 2012 | Peter Angelos and the Baltimore Orioles outslug other playoff teams by a mile when it comes to campaign contributions. While the O's bat left-handed, most other teams are righties.
The October Surprise: Majority of Outside Spending Likely to Come in Final Month
October 8, 2012 | Yep, the amount of cash laid out by outside groups has soared in this election cycle. And if history holds true, it's likely to double in the month before the election. A comparison of 2012's outside spending with previous cycles at the same point in the year.
Read the Transcript of our WebChat on the Effects of Citizens United
October 4, 2012 | The Center for Responsive Politics sponsored a webchat this afternoon on the fallout from Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. If you missed it, read the transcript here.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 4: Debate Remarks Reflect Donors, Monsanto's D.C. Presence May Help Cushion Bad News, and More
October 4, 2012 | In a roundabout way, Mitt Romney spoke up for the interests of big banks -- which occupy slot Nos.1 through 8 on the list of his top contributors. Meanwhile, Monsanto's big investment in Washington could help soften the impact of the sort of bad news it has been receiving in recent weeks.
Hot Race in the Minnesota 8th: Chip Cravaack vs. Rick Nolan
October 4, 2012 | There are plenty of disparities in the contest between Rick Nolan and Chip Cravaack, including the fact that Cravaack has raised about $1 million more. But outside spending is the real story of this race.
OpenSecrets Webchat Oct. 4: Ask the Experts — How Will Citizens United Affect 2012?
September 27, 2012 | Next Thursday, Oct. 4, the Center for Responsive Politics will sponsor a webchat on the fallout from Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. A roundtable of experts will be on hand to discuss, among other things, how the 2010 decision has led to a surge in independent expenditures by unions and corporations, and the impact of new money sources on candidates, parties and the groups themselves.
Liberal Super PACs Outraise Conservative Groups; Obama Still Strong With Small Donors
September 21, 2012 | For the first time all year, super PACs with a liberal bent outraised conservative ones.
Restore Our Future Tapping Out?
September 20, 2012 | The super PAC supporting Mitt Romney sees its second monthly fundraising decline in a row, and spends triple what it took in.
Female Donors Spent Big Backing Women Vote! Super PAC In August
September 19, 2012 | The super PAC affiliated with Emily's List, the group that supports pro-abortion rights women candidates, had a very good month in August, collecting $1.9 million in new cash. About half of that money came in the form of cash transferred from another part of the organization, but at least five individual female donors made six-figure donations to the organization.
Capital Eye Opener, Sept. 19: Shadow Money Shuffle, Cash Quest Trumps Campaigning, and More
September 19, 2012 | It may look like a network of misfiring neurons, but our visualization, done in collaboration with Newsweek & the Daily Beast, actually shows the connections between shadow money groups.
Capital Eye Opener, Sept. 18: Citizens United's New Movie, Ways & Means' Closed-Door Meeting, and More
September 18, 2012 | Citizens United is back, four years later, with another hour-long documentary about another Democratic presidential candidate! We're trying not to get too nostalgic. But good luck finding it on your local cable lineup.
Capital Eye Opener, Sept. 17: Cheeseheads' Choice, Big Donor's Bad Math and More
September 17, 2012 | The race between Tammy Baldwin and Tommy Thompson for a Wisconsin Senate seat shows Thompson's fundraising has been far less hearty than Baldwin's -- but what a difference name recognition makes.
Capital Eye Opener Sept. 6th: Celebrities at the DNC, Rahm Joins Priorities
September 6, 2012 | Labor unions not the stars of this year's convention, celebrities, however, seem to be making quite the splash, and Rahm Emanuel seeks to make a bigger splash by moving to the super PAC world.
Liberal Group With Ties to Unions Ends Donor Disclosure
August 23, 2012 | Patriot Majority's latest series of attack ads targets the conservative billionaires pumping money into the secretive world of right-wing non-profits, but offers few clues about who is funding its own activities. In a striking example of how the most ambitious actors in the realm of political funding have begun taking advantage of a shift in the legal landscape since 2010, the trail connecting Patriot Majority to its well-known progressive funders has all but melted away. Almost all of Patriot Majority's activities are now being carried out through a nonprofit that, under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code, doesn't have to disclose its donors.
Capital Eye Opener, Aug. 7: UK PACs, Airport Scanners Turn To Washington, Lobbying From The Heart
August 7, 2012 | The UK is third in the Olympics medal count, but first when it comes to foreign-linked PAC contributions to U.S. candidates. Companies that make full-body scanners get serious about lobbying, and we examine a mega-hospital corporation's ties to Washington.
Washington's Influence Olympics: The Shooting Competition
August 1, 2012 | To arms! The latest round of Washington's Influence Olympics pits weapons manufacturers against each other. We promise minimal bloodshed.
2012 Election Will Be Costliest Yet, With Outside Spending a Wild Card
August 1, 2012 | The 2012 presidential and congressional elections will be the most expensive on record, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics estimates, though they likely won't beat 2008's number by much. Outside spending, though, is a wild card that makes predictions tricky, and it's clear that it will account for a larger share of the total than ever before.
Texas Senate Duel is Off the Charts for Outside Spending
July 31, 2012 | Ted Cruz and David Dewhurst have been collecting Republican endorsements like so many gold coins, but the real gold was the independent spending in the race by 17 different organizations. All told, $7.7 million was spent by outside groups supporting Cruz, while $6.2 million favored Dewhurst, helping make the race the costliest non-presidential race so far this election cycle.
Capital Eye Opener, July 26: Small Donors Big on Elizabeth Warren, Bundler Blues, and American Future Fund Wants More
July 26, 2012 | Elizabeth Warren's record-breaking fundraising includes huge amounts from small donors -- almost half of the $24.5 million she's raised in the 2012 cycle. Meanwhile some of Obama's 2008 bundlers are blocked from helping him this year because, as ambassadors, they're government employees, while Romney still won't make public who his bundlers are. And American Future Fund, a 501(c)(4), wants to set up joint fundraising committees with candidates and super PACs, breaking down more walls between different types of politically active organizations.
Capital Eye Opener, July 25: A Spike in Super PAC Money from Individuals, Signs of Life at the IRS on Political Nonprofits and More
July 24, 2012 | Individual donors are loving super PACs, posting a big spike in contributions in 2012's second quarter. The IRS shows signs of life when it comes to politically active 501(c) groups. And the YG Network runs ads calling for greater transparency in the budget sequestration process, though it's not disclosing who's funding the ads.
Several Controversial Banks Curb Lobbying Expenses
July 20, 2012 | Amid recent media reports of banks manipulating interest rates, cheating consumers, and doing business with money launderers, the Center for Responsive Politics' early review of second quarter lobbying filings reveals a a noticeable drop in lobbying expenditures for a few (now infamous) banks. Barclays, whose CEO Bob Diamond resigned last month after the British bank was fined for manipulating information that affects a key interest rate known as LIBOR, barely registered a lobbying presence over the last three months.
Capital Eye Opener, July 20: 'Dark Knight' Donations, Romney Nourished by Supplements, and Lunch Gets Political at CRP
July 20, 2012 | Actors and others tied to new blockbuster love Obama (well, mostly). Dietary supplement makers, not so much -- they bundle for Romney. But the Republican candidate would rather eat Jimmy John's.
A Heartbeat Away? The Money-and-Politics Veepstakes: Dark Horse Candidates
July 19, 2012 | The veepstakes is more art than science. Mindful of the fact that Mitt Romney could choose a running mate who's not prominent on anyone's radar screen, we bring you a list of sometimes-mentioned possibilities.
Capital Eye Opener, July 12: Pro-lesbian Super PAC Launches, Santorum's Nonprofit Alters Course and the NAB Keeps Up Ad Disclosure Fight
July 12, 2012 | LPAC will back candidates of both parties as long as they support gay rights and abortion rights; a new "mission" for Santorum nonprofit; and the NAB still doesn't want to disclose info on political ads.
OpenSecrets PolitiQuizz: Judicious Investments
July 9, 2012 | Which Supreme Court justice's investment portfolio could be affected by the health care ruling?
A Heartbeat Away? The Money-and-Politics Veepstakes: Tim Pawlenty
July 9, 2012 | Working-class roots and a solid fundraising record could help the former Minnesota governor get the nod.
Capital Eye Opener, July 6: $200M Ad Spending, Pauls' Internet Crusade, McCotter's Saucy Script
July 6, 2012 | Campaign for Liberty, a libertarian activist group run by Rep. Ron Paul and his son, Sen. Rand Paul, has released a manifesto pushing for 'free Internet', according to Buzzfeed, signaling a shift in focus for the family's libertarian cause.
A Heartbeat Away? The Money-and-Politics Veepstakes: Paul Ryan
July 3, 2012 | Although many in the Republican Party initially wanted Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) to run for president in 2012, they still may get to see him on the ticket as Mitt Romney's running mate.
Capital Eye Opener, July 2: Crossroads hits ND and NM; Former IRS official targets ALEC; Shadow money in the spotlight;
July 2, 2012 | Political nonprofits face increased scrutiny. Crossroads spending network makes new media buys. And ALEC is accused of tax violations.
Obama Health Law Stands: The Money Roundup
June 28, 2012 | The health care law stands, and so does the health sector's history of heavy giving to lawmakers, especially Republicans.
Experts talk "Shadow Money" at Center for Responsive Politics Conference
June 20, 2012 | Conference on nondisclosing outside groups prompts lively debate on the current landscape and what -- if anything -- should be done.
Rich Rewards: One Man's Shadow Money Network
June 19, 2012 | Howard Rich was behind a slickly produced, anti-Earth Day video this year that's been watched more than 2 million times on YouTube. That's just one product to emerge from his tightly-knit network of tax-exempt groups that pass money back and forth and are active political players. The original donors, though, aren't known. Which is just the way he likes it.
Our Shadow Money Conference, Rajat Gupta's Democratic Dollars and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 19
June 19, 2012 | On Wednesday, the Center for Responsive Politics will host a conference at the National Press Club on the growing role of groups like these -- politically active non-profit organizations -- in elections.
With Dimon Set to Testify Again, JPMorgan Chase Favors GOP on House Panel
June 18, 2012 | JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon's time in the Washington spotlight will continue Tuesday when he testifies before the House Financial Services Committee. His company has heavily favored Republicans on the panel with its campaign contributions.
New OpenSecrets Feature: Top Lobbyist Donors
June 12, 2012 | If campaign donations facilitate access to power, a select group of Washington lobbyists will be scheduling many meetings on Capitol Hill after the 2012 elections. These deep-pocketed individuals regularly donate the maximum allowable amount of money to federal candidates (currently $117,000 per 2-year cycle). Today, the Center is releasing a new feature, displaying the top 25 lobbyist contributors to federal candidates, parties and outside spending groups.
Outside Spending: The Big Picture (So Far)
June 11, 2012 | Mitt Romney wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination with a good bit of help from Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting him. But just how big a role has outside spending overall played in the election so far? In fact, the amount of spending by outside groups has grown dramatically since previous elections, and independent expenditures in particular -- messages that explicitly call for the election or defeat of a candidate -- are increasingly the preferred vehicle.
Romney Victory Inc.: Another Weird Disclosure Twist
May 24, 2012 | The presidential and political party committees have all submitted their April monthly campaign finance reports to the FEC. But we won't know Romney's true number until his new joint fundraising committee, formed with state and national GOP committees, submits its report. Oddly, it's not on the same filing schedule as all the others.
Pharma, Utilities and Big Ag Lead Lobbying in 2012
April 27, 2012 | Pharmaceuticals, utilities and big agriculture have led the lobbying charge so far this year, according to preliminary figures from latest lobbying disclosures.
No Taxes, No Disclosure: Secret Donors Fund Norquist's Crusade
April 17, 2012 | It's Tax Day, and that means Grover Norquist is likely to be on the TV pundit circuit. But his own group, Americans for Tax Reform, needn't worry: it's a 501(c)(4) group, and thus tax-exempt. It's also exempt from reporting its donors, even though it can engage in a significant amount of political activity.
Capital Rivals: Rumble in Silicon Valley
April 4, 2012 | Yahoo recently sued Facebook over allegations of patent infringement. In this edition of Capital Rivals, we're pitting internet companies Yahoo and Facebook against each other to see who wins the money-in-politics game. It's a closer match-up than you might expect.
Who's Talking To Mary Bono Mack About Internet Privacy?
March 30, 2012 | At a hearing yesterday on a proposed new law that would limit on how easily advertisers could track Internet users, Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) said she'd received no letters of support for the law from constituents. But she has received tens of thousands of dollars for her campaign from opponents of the law.
The (Michael) Huffington Network: Romney's Evolving Relationship With His Donors
March 29, 2012 | The Mitt Romney of 1994 spoke passionately about the influence of money in politics and decried big-money campaigns like those of his then-Senate opponent, Ted Kennedy, and California Rep. Michael Huffington. But many Huffington donors from that era are now among the most generous contributors to Romney's presidential bid.
Blue Dog Fundraising Climbs as Coalition Fights Extinction
March 20, 2012 | Blue Dog Democrats are an endangered species on Capitol Hill, but their fundraising suggests they may be clawing their way back with a little help from Democratic leadership PACs, among others.
The FreedomWorks Network: Many Connections, Little Disclosure
March 16, 2012 | If six-term Senate veteran Orrin Hatch had gone down to defeat in yesterday's Utah GOP caucuses, Dick Armey might have claimed some credit.
All-Star Politics of the NBA
February 24, 2012 | An Obama fundraiser at the Orlando home of a Dallas Mavericks star last night wasn't the only evidence that NBA players and owners know how to play politics. They've contributed $2.6 million to federal candidates and political committees since 2009, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, and have shown a strong preference for Democrats.
Some GOP Candidates Leaned Heavily on Super PACs as Early Voting Got Underway
February 21, 2012 | The GOP presidential candidates and the super PACs supporting them accelerated their fundraising -- and especially their spending -- in January as the first primary and caucus voters went to the polls. But Mitt Romney -- heretofore the best-funded of the Republican hopefuls -- may face hurdles going forward as more than half his donors have hit the legal maximum they can give to him for the primary season.
Double-Duty Donors, Part II: Large Numbers of Wealthy Donors Hit Legal Limit on Giving to Candidates, Turn to Presidential Super PACs in Continuing Trend
February 21, 2012 | Super PACs supporting presidential candidates continue to take in six- and seven-figure contributions from individuals who also have given the legal maximum to the candidate's campaign committee.
Super PAC Spending Boosts Santorum
February 16, 2012 | Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's sweep of last week's races in Minnesota, Colorado, and Missouri was aided in no small part by a super PAC, the Red, White and Blue Fund.
EXCLUSIVE: Obama Campaign Refunding Money Donated by Federal Lobbyists
January 27, 2012 | President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is refunding the donations of five registered federal lobbyists who gave to the committee last year, OpenSecrets Blog has learned. Some of these refunds were triggered after OpenSecrets Blog brought the contributions to the campaign's attention. The Obama campaign has pledged to refuse contributions from lobbyists, continuing a policy it set during the 2008 campaign.
Lobbying Expenditures Slump in 2011
January 26, 2012 | The nation's economy may be slowly rebounding, but during 2011, the economic engine of K Street sputtered. Overall expenditures on lobbying were down for the first time in more than a decade, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Looking Back at South Carolina Winner Newt Gingrich's Long Money-in-Politics Past
January 21, 2012 | Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina GOP presidential primary, and despite claiming to be an outsider, he has been in Washington a long time.
What to Do While Waiting for Presidential Campaign Reports
January 19, 2012 | Kicking off his 1996 presidential campaign, Republican Phil Gramm told a crowd that he had "the most reliable friend you can have in politics -- ready money." We'll see how much friendship each of this year's White House hopefuls has collected on Jan. 31, when campaign finance disclosure reports from the presidential campaigns are due at the Federal Election Commission. While we're waiting, though, it's worth taking a look at the candidates' finances thus far in the race, and how this race compares to previous ones.
Three Money-in-politics Tidbits to Remember about New Hampshire
January 10, 2012 | Voters in New Hampshire are heading to the polls today for the first-in-the-nation presidential primary contest. Here are three money-in-politics facts about the contest in the Granite State to consider as these votes are cast.
Center for Responsive Politics Welcomes New Editorial and Communications Director
December 12, 2011 | An award-winning investigative journalist and former deputy director of FactCheck.org, Viveca Novak, has joined the Center for Responsive Politics as the nonpartisan organization's editorial and communications director.
Energy Giant Alpha Natural Resources Agrees to Mine Disaster Settlement
December 6, 2011 | The parent company of Massey Energy has agreed to pay a $209 million settlement for its subsidiary's role in the Upper Big Branch explosion that killed 29 miners in a West Virginia coal mine last year. Alpha, which became the second-largest U.S. coal company when it purchased Massey in January, has greatly increased its spending on lobbying and contributions to politicians in recent years.
OpenSecrets Blog PolitiQuizz: Donald Trump's Political Cash
December 5, 2011 | Donald Trump, the billionaire real estate mogul and reality TV star, will add a new title to his name later this month: debate moderator. As research by the Center for Responsive Politics shows, Trump hasn't exactly been a neutral political observer in the past.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Which Political Party Committee Has Raised More This Year?
November 28, 2011 | In the contentious battle for control of the majority in Congress, one of the most important battlegrounds for this upcoming election is party fund-raising. The Democratic and Republican parties raise millions of dollars from individuals and political action committees through their affiliated groups, some of which are specifically designed to aid Senate and House candidates.
Some Lobbyists Say Gobble, Gobble
November 24, 2011 | The noble turkey has representation in Washington, D.C. Or at least the farmers and industry behind the plump North American birds do.
Religious Lobby on the Rise
November 21, 2011 | The number of religious organizations playing the influence game in Washington has swelled since 1970, according to a new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. In 1970, less than 40 groups were involved with lobbying or advocacy efforts. Now, that number has risen to more than 200.
Department of Veterans Affairs Increasingly Targeted by Lobbyists
November 11, 2011 | More companies, unions and other groups could lobby the Department of Veterans Affairs this year than ever before, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics. Through the end of September, 254 organizations reported lobbying the VA.
Labor Unions' Big Win in Ohio, Google's DC Head Retires And More in Capital Eye Opener: November 9
November 9, 2011 | Voters in Ohio last night went to the polls and enacted a referendum to repeal a law that restricted the collective bargaining rights of many of the state's public sector employees. Many of the biggest public sector unions spent heavily in Ohio to influence turnout. And they also spend plenty of dollars on influence in Washington, D.C.
Boulder Voters Weigh Corporate Influence, Cain Supporters Keep the Faith And More in Capital Eye Opener: November 2
November 2, 2011 | On Tuesday, voters in Boulder, Colorado passed a referendum protesting the notion that corporations share equal First Amendment free speech rights as people, and can therefore spend unlimited sums on political advertising.
GOP-Leaning Donor Touts Dem Mayor as '2 Legit 2 Quit,' Internet Fight Ahead and More in Capital Eye Opener: Oct. 28
October 28, 2011 | Ron Conway, the man behind the YouTube hit "Ed Lee is 2 Legit 2 Quit" has actually given more money to Republican candidates and groups -- about 70 percent of the $246,000 he's donated at the federal level over the years.
Health Sector, Lawyers, Hollywood and Tech Industry Favor Obama With Campaign Cash
October 25, 2011 | Though President Barack Obama may no longer be Wall Street's preferred candidate, Obama continues to win the support of several smaller sectors and interest groups, including lawyers, health professionals, the technology industry and Hollywood.
Where in the World are Obama's Bundlers, Pt. 2
October 20, 2011 | Nearly lost in the troves of campaign finance data recently released by presidential candidates was an updated list of bundlers for President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. These 359 well-connected supporters have raised at least $56 million for Obama and the Democratic National Committee so far this year, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Supercommittee U, Battleground Bus Tour and More in Capital Eye Opener: Oct. 19
October 19, 2011 | As the deadline for budget reforms by the supecommittee nears, the voices of possibly threatened sectors continue to grow louder. Various higher education groups have concentrated lobbying efforts toward the committee to keep the cuts off of students and universities, who rely on loans, grants and tax deductions for funding.
9-9-9 Architect Once Backed Romney, American Crossroads' Bold Request and More in Capital Eye Opener: Oct. 14
October 14, 2011 | Richard Lowrie, Jr., a Wells Fargo financial analyst in a small town in Ohio, is the man behind Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan. In 2008, Lowrie contributed the legal maximum of $2,300 to Romney's presidential campaign, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics. So far this year, he's only given $500 to Cain.
Starbucks' Stimulus Plan, Cementing Regulatory Foes and More in Capital Eye Opener: Oct. 5
October 5, 2011 | Starbuck's Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz has announced that the company will begin accepting donations online and in stores of $5 or more to promote job creation, starting Nov. 1. The move comes after Schultz pledged to "withhold any further campaign contributions to the president and all members of Congress until a fair, bipartisan deal is reached that sets our nation on stronger long-term fiscal footing."
Major GOP Presidential Candidates Mum on Plans to Disclose Campaign Bundlers
September 30, 2011 | As the third quarter draws to a close and candidates race to fill their campaign war chests, most presidential candidates remain mum on the topic of bundlers -- the well-connected fund-raisers who help bring in the big bucks and are often rewarded for their service.
Health Insurance Industry Opens Check Books for Mitt Romney, Barack Obama
September 27, 2011 | Research by the Center for Responsive Politics shows that President Barack Obama and his GOP rival Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, are the only two presidential candidates to have raised more than $40,000 from the health insurance industry so far this election cycle.
Alec Baldwin's Emmys Stand, Lobbying For Foreign Countries and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 19
September 19, 2011 | Actor Alec Baldwin made headlines over the weekend for a joke involving the News Corp. phone-hacking scandal, which was cut by network officials before it made it to the airwaves during the Emmys. Baldwin's political contributions indicate he leans Democratic, unlike Fox and News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch.
House Rebukes Labor Board, Pennsylvania's Presidential Ambitions and More In Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 16
September 16, 2011 | A bill (H.R. 2587) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday that aims to prevent the National Labor Relations Board from ordering companies to close or relocate employees.
OpenSecrets.org Informs Congressional Debates
September 14, 2011 | Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., routinely rely on the Center for Responsive Politics to inform the conversation on some of the hottest topics and high-profile policy fights.
Obama vs. Lobbyists, Elizabeth Warren Enters Senate Race and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 14
September 14, 2011 | A report released last week by the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest, which uses data from the Center for Responsive Politics, argues that to President Barack Obama's attempts to reduce the influence of lobbyists in Washington have instead led to decreased transparency and harmed the public interest.
Haley Barbour Joins American Crossroads, Mega Fund-Raising Goals and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 12
September 12, 2011 | The conservative powerhouses of Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies and American Crossroads will add the Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour to its ranks, according to a press release on the groups' website.
New Tools on OpenSecrets.org Illustrate Supercommittee Members' Campaign Cash Connections
September 8, 2011 | As the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction meets for the first time today, the Center for Responsive Politics is unveiling new tools to help you investigate the money behind the 12 lawmakers on the new panel, which is tasked with cutting $1.5 trillion from the national debt.
Conflicts of Interest in Congress, Robert Gates' Revolving Door Move and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 7
September 7, 2011 | Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' spin through the revolving door means that William & Mary will have a new weapon in its lobbying arsenal.
Justice Department Stalls Plans of Political Giant AT&T
August 31, 2011 | AT&T, which is trying to buy telecommunications rival T-Mobile, is no stranger to Washington politics.
The Civil Rights Lobby, Huntsman Corp. Exec Starts Super PAC and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 30
August 30, 2011 | Decades after former NAACP counsel Thurgood Marshall joined the U.S. Supreme Court, the NAACP is still fighting to eliminate racial prejudices and to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens. And part of that fight involves lobbying in the nation's halls of power.
New PAC Touts Support of 'True' Conservatives, Wrigley Field Fund-raising and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 23
August 23, 2011 | Tonight in the Windy City, Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs will face off against the Atlanta Braves. And for the right price, you could be on the field beforehand to see the action up close and personal -- and aiding one local pol.
Boycotting Campaign Contributions, Protecting the 'Spotted Owl' and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 17
August 17, 2011 | According to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, Schultz, along with his wife, Sheri, has donated $183,650 to federal candidates and political committees since the 1994 election cycle when he made his first known donation. Of that sum, 95 percent has benefited Democrats, including $100,000 to the Democratic National Committee.
Barack Obama's Bus Tour, Tom Tancredo's Super PAC and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 16
August 16, 2011 | Fresh off his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign as the Constitution Party candidate in Colorado, ex-Rep. Tom Tancredo has founded his own super PAC. The group, which is known as the American Legacy Alliance, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Friday.
Senate Dems Pick 'Super Committee' Members, How Much is $2.1 Trillion and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 10
August 10, 2011 | Late Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced the identities of his three picks for the "super committee" tasked with cutting the nation's debt and spending -- Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.).
GOP Presidential Hopefuls Use Leadership PACs to Expand Clout
August 8, 2011 | Republican candidates in the crucial early primary and caucus states of Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire benefited significantly more than their counterparts in other states from the leadership PACs of the GOP presidential hopefuls.
Bush Bundlers Reluctant to Give, Super PAC Mystery Money and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 5
August 5, 2011 | Republican presidential hopefuls' underwhelming second-quarter fund-raising totals can be attributed, in part, to a large network of elite GOP fund-raisers that remains untapped, the New York Times reported.
Money Talks: OpenSecrets.org's Interview with Top Campaign Finance Attorney Trevor Potter
August 3, 2011 | OpenSecrets Blog recently sat down with attorney Trevor Potter, the head of the Campaign Legal Center, to discuss the changing campaign finance landscape. The wide-ranging conversation touched on the seriousness of comedian Stephen Colbert's super PAC, how political speech isn't for "sissies" and how the U.S. Supreme Court is made up of "theorists" who are "not in touch with reality" when it comes to how money is being raised and spent.
Lobbying for Cowboys and Aliens, Dunkin's Stock Market Dunk and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 1
August 1, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics
Pennsylvanians Love Santorum, K Street Power Couples and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 28
July 29, 2011 | At least 27 percent of the $582,100 Santorum raised through June 30 has come from residents of the Keystone State, according to a preliminary analysis of campaign finance filings by the Center for Responsive Politics.
First Presidential Campaign Finance Reports Show Clout of Wall Street, Retirees
July 28, 2011 | President Barack Obama has raised $48.7 million for his re-election campaign and his GOP challengers have raised a combined $36.7 million. But where is that money coming from?
Groups Seek to Limit Nonprofit Political Spending, Lobbying Against Google and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 28
July 28, 2011 | Fairsearch.org will not be giving Google a +1. To combat what they see as "the Google problem," Fairsearch.org hired lobbyists for the first time and spent 80,000 lobbying during the second quarter on behalf of "competition in the search market," according to a review of lobbying disclosure reports by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Transportation Industry Players See Lobbying Boom
July 26, 2011 | Companies and unions in the transportation sector are pumping up their lobbying efforts to match or surpass their expenditures from 2009 when a federal bailout helped some of them stay afloat, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of recently filed second-quarter lobbying reports.
Ross Retires from Congress, Bunny Mellon Defends Edwards and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 26
July 26, 2011 | Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), one of the 25 remaining Blue Dog Democrats in Congress, announced Monday that he would not be seeking a seventh term, leaving his seat in a GOP-leaning district up for grabs.
High-Profile Energy Companies Reduce Lobbying Expenditures
July 25, 2011 | Seven high-profile energy companies have spent a total of $30.2 million on lobbying so far this year. That's 6 percent less than what they spent during the first half of 2010 -- and 39 percent less than their expenditures during the first half of 2009.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Why is Eric Cantor So Invested in the Debt Ceiling Debate?
July 25, 2011 | House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has held strong as a leader among Republicans unwilling to compromise in negotiations to raise the debt ceiling.
Can You Hear Me Now? Lobbying Surges by AT&T, Other Communications Companies
July 22, 2011 | Many companies in the communications and electronics sector are spending an increasing amount of money to make their presence on Capitol Hill more influential.
The Free Tibet Lobby, Moody Credit Rating Agencies and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 20
July 20, 2011 | Tibet has had a longstanding effort in Washington to lobby the U.S. government for support in the form of the International Campaign for Tibet. The group, which spent $160,000 on lobbying in 2009 and $145,000 in 2010, advocates for assistance to Tibet on a number of different issues.
Palin Spends Thousands on Holy Land Tour, Romney's Donors Max Out and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 19
July 19, 2011 | Excluding her airfare to Israel, Palin, a Republican, spent more than $12,000 from her political action committee, SarahPAC, to fund her journey. That total includes a $5,794 tour by Sar-El Tours & Travel, which promises customized "biblically oriented journeys through the Holy Land."
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: How Much Did News Corp. Spend on Federal Lobbying in 2010?
July 18, 2011 | News Corp., listed by the Center for Responsive Politics as a "Heavy Hitter" for its expansive influence on Capitol Hill, has spent millions on campaign contributions and lobbying the federal government during the last two decades. It also owns news organizations such as Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.
God's Lobbyists: The Hidden Realm of Religious Influence
July 13, 2011 | When it comes to the government lobbying efforts of most religious institutions, their activities are notably shrouded in darkness, even as representatives of numerous faiths routinely pressure federal lawmakers on issues ranging from health care to international relations, poverty to abortion rights.
The Wedding-Industrial Complex, Lobbying to Stay Cool and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 13
July 13, 2011 | Wedding season is in full swing. As many soon-to-be-married people spend hundreds of dollars preparing for their weddings, major wedding vendors also spend a healthy amount of money attempting to influence government policy.
NEA Endorses Obama, Freshman Senator Becoming Key Tea Party Player and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 5
July 5, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics:
Capital Rivals: A Telecom Battle Royal
June 30, 2011 | Facing potentially stifling federal regulations that threaten to short-circuit their profits, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile have each dumped millions of dollars into campaign contributions and federal lobbying expenditures, hoping that a barrage of political influence will subdue any unwanted restrictions.
FEC Approves Colbert Super PAC, Debates Viacom Disclosure Requirements
June 30, 2011 | A master of satire, Stephen Colbert wields political influence even greater than that of some politicians. On Thursday, that influence further expanded, when the Federal Election Commission confirmed he could operate a super PAC.
Legislation to End Marijuana Prohibition, Huntsman's Family Politics and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 23
June 23, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Ethics Watchdogs Scowl at White House, Big Media Discovers Bi-partisanship and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 21
June 21, 2011 | Your latest news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
BP Continues to Increase Donations to Federal Political Candidates
June 18, 2011 | Oil company BP continues its slow climb out of political purgatory, as its political action committee on Friday reported donating thousands of dollars in May to federal-level politicians hailing from a variety of states.
Ethanol's New PAC Plan, IBM Turns 100 and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 17
June 17, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
More Political Action Committees to Get 'Super' Powers?
June 15, 2011 | On Tuesday, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction in the campaign finance case Carey v. Federal Election Commission. The move opens the door for political action committees that are not connected to corporations, unions or trade associations to raise unlimited contributions, even if they directly donate money to candidates.
Checking the Hockey Lobby, Potato Growers Eye Political Support and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 15
June 15, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Gabrielle Giffords' Political Future, Chris Frates Bolts Politico and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 13
June 13, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Gingrich's Senior Staff Resigns, FEC to Vote on Disclaimers for Facebook Ads and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 10
June 10, 2011 | Republican Newt Gingrich's rocky campaign for the presidency fell even further apart Thursday when all of his senior staff resigned. Notably, two of the staff members that resigned, Rob Johnson, Gingrich's campaign manager, and Dave Carney, a senior strategist, are former staffers to Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry, furthering speculation that Perry may also run for president.
Lobbying Push Targeting Federal Regulatory Agencies Continues in Wall Street Reform Fight
June 1, 2011 | It's been more than 10 months since President Barack Obama signed massive financial regulatory reform legislation into law, but the special interests it directly affects are sustaining a federal lobbying onslaught now aimed at shaping the law's implementation.
Obama Names Donor Ambassador to Russia, Relationships Muddy Spending Rules and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 31
May 31, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
John Edwards Indictment Ahead, Retirees Heart GOP Senators and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 27
May 27, 2011 | Although a variety of factors likely went into each senator's decision to vote down the Ryan budget, interestingly, retirees -- who often lean Republican in their political contributions, as OpenSecrets Blog has previously noted -- are among the top donors to all four Republican senators who voted against the bill.
Koch Industries and ExxonMobil Among Hundreds of PACs to Switch Party Allegiances After Election 2010
May 26, 2011 | In an election year where more congressional incumbents were ousted from power than any time since 1948, political action committees were quick to switch allegiances from one party to the other in the aftermath of the historic Democratic losses.
GOP Hopefuls Kick Off Fund-raising, Abnormal Stock Returns for House Members and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 25
May 25, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics:
Mitch Daniels' Family Matters, Continued Cash Blast in NY-26 and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 23
May 23, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Cindy Crawford's Split Political Loyalties, Off-Shore Drilling in Alaska and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 18
May 18, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Senate Finance Committee's Connection with Oil, American Solutions Changes Strategies and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 13
May 13, 2011 | The Senate Finance Committee conducted a hearing Thursday on whether to end tax breaks for the nation's five biggest oil companies. Senate Democrats have proposed eliminating $21 billion in tax cuts during the next 10 years.
Citizens United Decision Profoundly Affects Political Landscape
May 5, 2011 | An analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics reveals that the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court ruling of January 2010 has profoundly affected the nation's political landscape.
Cinco de Mayo Political Cash, Ashcroft's Revolving Door Spin and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 5
May 5, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Pakistan's Lobbyists, Dennis Kucinich's Small-Donor Money Machine and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 4
May 4, 2011 | What do you do when you're a foreign government facing heat from U.S. lawmakers about whether you were officially hiding, aiding or abetting Osama bin Laden? Turn to federal lobbyists for assistance, of course.
Tiny Towns Spend Big Bucks on Lobbyists to Reap Federal Government Riches
May 4, 2011 | Investment in federal lobbying spurs huge returns for some small cities.
Corporate Donors Dole Out Hefty Sums to Democratic, GOP Governors Associations
April 29, 2011 | Unlike political committees or candidates for federal office, the Democratic Governors Association and Republican Governors Association both may receive unlimited amounts of money in their bids to support gubernatorial candidates across the nation. And raise cash they did.
Easter Politicking, Gambling on Ensign and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 25
April 25, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
On Earth Day, Environmental Lobby Sees Green in Bid to Promote Causes
April 22, 2011 | Many of last year's top groups in the pro-environment industry have filed first quarter federal lobbying reports suggesting they are still very much engaged with Congress, a preliminary Center for Responsive Politics analysis shows.
BP Firing Up Political Machine One Year After Start of Oil Spill
April 19, 2011 | After a year of largely self-imposed campaign finance exile, embattled oil company BP is again making federal political contributions from the political action committee sponsored by its North American subsidy, a Center for Responsive Politics review of federal records indicates.
FEC Audits Obama's 2008 Campaign, Vilsack to Run in Iowa And More in Captial Eye Opener: April 19
April 19, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Seven Score and 10 Years Later, Civil War Battles Persist
April 19, 2011 | Last week marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War, when the bombardment of Fort Sumter ignited four years of bloody conflict. And even though the last combatant died decades ago, plenty of organizations are still spending money on the Civil War -- much of it concerning education and preservation, although some blue-and-gray greenbacks are spent lobbying the federal government, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
Corporations, Special Interests Lobbying Taxes to Death
April 18, 2011 | Businesses hate taxes, which is why they love lobbying the federal government in a bid to keep them low, lower or less than that. And on this day -- Tax Day 2011 -- the Center for Responsive Politics pause a moment to reflect on the corporation, trade associations and special interest groups that lobbied most during 2010 on taxation issues.
OpenSecrets Blog PolitiQuizz: The Air Transport Industry's Hired Congressional Guns
April 18, 2011 | The air transport industry has experienced significant turbulence in recent weeks, thanks to a few serious safety flaps and subsequent increases in public and federal scrutiny.
Congressional Freshmen Saddled With Debt Turn to PACs
April 14, 2011 | Many of the 87 House GOP freshmen who ran as Washington outsiders are now turning to K Street lobbyists and other special interest groups to help pay off their sizable campaign debts and prepare for their re-election campaigns.
Paul Ryan's Health Industry Ties, Barack Obama's Bundlers and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 8
April 8, 2011 | Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) released his budget proposal Tuesday calling to cut spending by $5.8 trillion over the next ten years. Ryan himself is actually one of the top Republican recipients of political action committee contributions from the health sector.
Media Outlets Capitalize on Political Committees' Use of Subscriber Lists
April 6, 2011 | The tactic of reaching out to potential new donors via newspaper and magazine subscribers is not uncommon among political committees. And renting out lists is a lucrative business and utilized by groups on both sides of the partisan divide.
Political Equation for Physician Hospitals of America: 'Money = Access'
April 5, 2011 | "In politics money = access," a donation solicitation from the Physician Hospitals of America obtained by OpenSecrets Blog states as one of five reasons to financially support the organization's political action committee. "We need access to our politicians to educate them about who we are, what we provide, why we exist and how we benefit patients, physicians, communities and the healthcare industry."
Nuke Pressure, Snow Donations and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 28
March 28, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Arizona Public Financing Law Faces Major Supreme Court Test
March 28, 2011 | The U.S. Supreme Court today will hear the first challenge to laws regarding public financing systems for political campaigns since the 1970s. Here is OpenSecret Blog's synopsis of the case.
Influx of Corporate Political Cash Followed Pivotal Federal Court Decision
March 25, 2011 | Corporate treasury money accounted for about $15.5 million of the cash donated to so-called "super PACs" -- political committees created by the dozen in the wake of the SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission ruling one year ago, the Center for Responsive Politics finds. That represents more than 17 percent of these new groups' funds.
Gay Republican Declares Presidential Run, Crossroads GPS Launches Website and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 24
March 24, 2011 | Fred Karger, a California gay-rights activist and former political operative, submitted papers Wednesday to the Federal Elections Commission to become an official 2012 Republican presidential contender.
Scott Brown Protects Planned Parenthood, CREW Files Suit and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 23
March 23, 2011 | With all the news coming in from Japan, Libya and other countries in the Middle East, news coverage over the budget debate seems to have been sidelined somewhat. Nonetheless, legislators on Capitol Hill are still working to come to some sort of compromise..
OpenSecrets.org Mailbag: Gubernatorial Money, Lobbying Disclosure and Exploratory Committee Donations
March 18, 2011 | Welcome to the latest installment of OpenSecrets.org Mailbag, where we answer your burning questions about the role of money in politics, political influence and the work we do here at OpenSecrets.org.
Where's the Sunshine on Senate Campaign Finance Reports?
March 18, 2011 | In late January, first-term Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) called on the Interior Department to allow a regulated wolf hunt in Montana. A few days later, he urged Taco Bell to use Montana beef in its restaurants. In between, Tester introduced S. 219, the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act. The measure would require senators and U.S. Senate candidates to file their campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission -- electronically.
Irish Pubs and Politics, New Congressional Wealth Graphics and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 17
March 17, 2011 | Happy St. Patrick's Day! In the spirit of the holiday, OpenSecrets Blog sees it fit to celebrate by highlighting all "Irish" money and politics connections
Unions, Businesses Vie to Fill Democratic Pocketbook
March 16, 2011 | Even as many Democrats have stood in solidarity with workers whose collective bargaining rights have come under fire in Wisconsin and elsewhere across the country, at the federal level, Democratic candidates and groups have increasingly relied on the business community for support.
Nuclear Power Industry Primed for Political Fight if Officials Sour on Plant Expansion Plans
March 14, 2011 | If a political fight over nuclear power materializes, advocates of nuclear energy in the United States are primed for it, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal lobbying and campaign finance data indicates.
OpenSecrets.org Fights for Your Right to Know
March 14, 2011 | This Sunshine Week, help promote transparency with a contribution to the Center for Responsive Politics.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Labor Unions On Offensive, Defensive
March 14, 2011 | For this week's PolitiQuizz, we want you to take a closer look at the lobbying efforts of three unions.
Lobbyists Aggressively Targeted Democrats' Top Priorities During Barack Obama's First Two Years
March 10, 2011 | One out of every four groups that lobbied on any issue at the federal level during 2009 or 2010 targeted their efforts on health care reform, financial regulatory reform, the stimulus and cap-and-trade climate proposals, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Democrats Planning a 'Super' Group, American Petroleum Institute to Increase Cash Flow and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 25
February 25, 2011 | Conservative groups certainly flexed their muscles during the 2010 mid-term elections, outspending their liberal counterparts $190 million to $94 million in the realm of outside political messaging
Chicago's New Mayor, Bill Richardson's New Stint and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 24
February 24, 2011 | Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, can add another title to his extensive resume of public and private sector careers. On Wednesday, Richardson joined APCO Worldwide, a global public relations firm.
Earmark Loopholes, Energy Standards in Flux and More In Capital Eye Opener: February 9
February 9, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Federal Lobbying Expenditures Plateau After Years of Rapid Growth
February 4, 2011 | The nation's financial malaise is finally catching up to K Street, where federal lobbying activity plateaued for the first time in a decade, the Center for Responsive Politics' research indicates. After a record $3.49 billion in lobbying spending in 2009, lobbying expenditures in 2010 by corporations, unions, trade associations, universities and other organizations will, at most, eclipse that amount by the narrowest of margins.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Once Again Biggest Spender on Lobbying Activities
January 21, 2011 | The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the perennial No. 1 top spender on lobbying and a vocal opponent of many of the Obama administration's top legislative priorities, once again ended the year with a lobbying surge.
OpenSecrets.org Mailbag: Dead Donors, Political Leanings and Finding Florida
January 21, 2011 | Welcome to the latest installment of OpenSecrets.org Mailbag, where we answer your burning questions about the role of money in politics, political influence and the work we do here at OpenSecrets.org.
Senators Supporting Ethanol Subsidies Reap Riches From Corn Interests
January 3, 2011 | In habitually partisan Washington, D.C., a bipartisan group of senators last week helped extend contentious federal tax provisions designed to aid domestic ethanol production. The senators mostly shared common ground on two fronts: geography and contributions from the political action committees of ethanol producers, high-profile ethanol promoters and the leading industry groups for corn, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
Capital Rivals: U.S. Chamber of Commerce vs. SEIU
December 28, 2010 | This edition of Capital Rivals takes an intimate look at two of the biggest big players in politics: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Service Employees International Union.
Business Leaders Bring Significant Lobbying Muscle To Meeting With President Barack Obama
December 15, 2010 | The 20 companies represented at today's summit spent $104.6 million on federal lobbying this year, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis. That is, these 20 businesses alone fueled 4 percent of the $2.61 billion spent by all companies, unions and other organizations during the first three quarters of 2010.
General Motors' Political Committee Cut Big Checks to Lawmakers Who Voted Against Company's Bailout
December 7, 2010 | GM's corporate political action committee waited until July of this year -- 19 months after it first got government aid to continue its operations -- to begin contributing again to lawmakers. And the PAC has made 184 individual donations totaling more than $330,000 between July and Election Day, with 52 percent benefiting Republicans, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of contributions to federal candidates, leadership PACs and party committees.
House Censures Rangel, Fun with PACs and More in Capital Eye Opener: December 3
December 3, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics....
The Turkey Lobby, Gay GOP Presidential Candidate Launches TV Ads and More in Capital Eye Opener: November 24
November 24, 2010 | Turkey-oriented groups have spent nearly $200,000 on federal lobbying so far this year. And the big birds aren't the only part of your Thanksgiving meal to have representation in Washington.
The Wave of Unlimited Influence, 7-Eleven's Slurpee Summit and More in Capital Eye Opener: November 19
November 19, 2010 | A Center for Responsive Politics study finds that both the number of groups not disclosing their donors and the number of groups collecting unlimited amounts of money more than doubled since the 2008 election
Groups Fight to Put DISCLOSE Back on the Senate Floor, Face Resistance
November 18, 2010 | Public Citizen, along with the leaders of five other organizations, met in a grassy area outside the Capitol to advocate that a stripped down version of the DISCLOSE Act be put back on the Senate floor during the 111th Congress' lame duck session.
Congressional Members' Personal Wealth Expands Despite Sour National Economy
November 17, 2010 | Despite a stubbornly sour national economy congressional members' personal wealth collectively increased by more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2009, according to a new study by the Center for Responsive Politics of federal financial disclosures released earlier this year.
Lobbyists' Newest Targets in Wall Street Reform Battle? Federal Oversight Agencies
November 11, 2010 | While you we worrying about Aqua Buddha, and whether you were about to vote for a candidate who was a witch or wasn't, financial services companies and their hired Washington guns blitzed the federal regulatory agencies charged with crafting and implementing new tough rules for Wall Street.
EXCLUSIVE: Confidential JPMorgan Chase Memo Predicts Congressional 'Gridlock'
November 9, 2010 | JPMorgan Chase, the $2 trillion bank and financial services firm, predicts that the newly Republican-controlled U.S. House will clash with the still-Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate to the point where progress on large legislation is completely halted, according to a confidential memorandum dated Nov. 3 and obtained by OpenSecrets Blog.
Midterm Money Boost, Rezko Gave Congressman Home Perks and More in Capital Eye Opener: November 9
November 9, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Some Corporations and Trade Associations Hedged Bets on Winners of Midterm Elections
November 5, 2010 | Some corporations and trade groups seemingly believe that no political party is inherently better than another. And they donate as such.
Several Big-Name Energy Companies' Lobbying Efforts Wane in 2010
October 30, 2010 | While 2010 lobbying expenditures have dropped for some big names in energy -- such as BP, Halliburton, Koch Industries and ExxonMobil -- a handful of oil and gas heavyweights are still flexing the industry's muscle and stepping up their spending, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of third-quarter federal lobbying reports, which were filed last week with the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate.
Senators Who Pocket Money From Foreign-Connected PACs Fight Against International Influence in Elections
October 28, 2010 | Last week Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter, co-signed by 14 other Democratic senators, to the Federal Election Commission, requesting that they "repair and strengthen protections against foreign influence of American elections." But how deep does their desire to strengthen protections against foreign influence go?
Gold's Gym Gay Rights Showdown, Top Races for Outside Spending and More in Capital Eye Opener: October 27
October 27, 2010 | Gay rights advocates have taken aim at Gold's Gym after its parent company and parent company's chief executive donated a combined millions to American Crossroads, the top conservative group, which is backing many Republican candidates unsupportive of gay rights. American Crossroads is a "Super PAC" which can raise unlimited amounts of money from individuals and corporations.
Nalco, Company Behind Dispersants Used in Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Clean Up, Ratchets Up Politicking in 2010
October 27, 2010 | The Illinois-based company that manufactured the dispersants used by BP after the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico spent exponentially more on federal lobbying in the disaster's wake than it has historically.
JPMorgan Chase Prevails in Lobbying Battle of Big Banks
October 24, 2010 | New York-based financial services firm JPMorgan Chase spent $2.74 million on federal lobbying from July through September this year, topping the list of big-spending commercial banks, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of third-quarter federal lobbying reports, which were filed last week.
Koch Industries Continues to Expand Political Influence
October 21, 2010 | Koch Industries, the massive petroleum-based conglomerate and perennial political heavy weight, continued to expand its role in the political arena, filling the coffers of federal candidates in September and spending more than $2 million on federal lobbying efforts during the year's third quarter.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Lobbying Spending Up Sharply Over Same Period Last Year
October 21, 2010 | Reports covering all federal lobbying activities performed between July and September were filed with the House and Senate Wednesday, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- one of the most vocal opponents of the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats -- continues to shell out tens of millions of dollars for lobbying expenditures.
Small Donors Play Major Role in Several Candidates' Third-Quarter Fund-Raising Surges
October 21, 2010 | In recent years, Barack Obama, Howard Dean and Ron Paul all earned accolades for their ability to harness the internet's power to collect substantial sums from people making small campaign contributions. This year, individuals who donate political pocket change continue making waves in some high-profile races.
In Tightest House Races, Democrats Maintain Financial Advantage Heading into Campaign's Final Weeks
October 18, 2010 | As enthusiasm among conservatives surges, embattled Democrats may be placing their faith in the old Washington maxim that money delivers success on Election Day. That's because heading into the final weeks of the campaign season, Democrats -- not Republicans -- maintained a financial edge in the most competitive House races across the country, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
Foreign-connected PACs Increase Giving During 2010 Cycle
October 18, 2010 | Until the 2006 election cycle, federal-level, foreign-connected PACs greatly favored Republicans. But since then, they have been aggressively bipartisan. For example, in most cases, a large donation to Republican party committee or candidate is balanced by one of equal size to Democratic counterparts.
Retirees Heart Republican Candidates, GOP Takes Aim at New Targets and More in Capital Eye Opener: October 12
October 12, 2010 | Quick -- which "industry" has spent the most on the 2010 midterm elections? A cool $51 million from health professionals? Chump change. Maybe the $61 million from big banks? Not even close. Retired individuals have already spent more than $98 million on federal elections this cycle...
Tea Party-Loving Republican Senate Candidates Propelled by Cash from Ideological Groups, Small Donors
October 7, 2010 | Thirteen Tea Party-backed Republicans want the U.S. Senate to experience a new brand of political brew after November 2. The question isn't whether they will or won't, but rather, how many of them will be in office? And donations from people making modest campaign contributions appear poised to play an integral role in propelling them into office.
Contrary to Linda McMahon Campaign's Assertions, World Wrestling Entertainment Lobbied on Legislation
October 4, 2010 | Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Linda McMahon, who has repeatedly challenged the truthfulness of her Democratic opponent, Richard Blumenthal, has had her own problems with splitting hairs.
Candidates' Ties to Lobbyists Pose Obstacles in 2010 Campaigns
October 4, 2010 | Dollars spent on lobbying are set to increase over all other years if spending remains on its current course. And in context of 2010 congressional campaigns, the top lobbyist-funded House and Senate candidates have received more than $9 million to fuel their campaigns.
Many Incumbents Weave Political Safety Nets While Dominating Competition in Money Race
October 4, 2010 | Not all congressional districts are created equal when it comes to the amount of campaign contributions flowing to candidates. Sometimes, the discrepancy between an incumbent's war chest and that of a challenger is only thousands of dollars. Sometimes, it's millions. And in many congressional districts, incumbents are blowing their competition out of the water.
Oil and Gas Contributions Still Rising in 2010, Republicans Receiving Bulk of Industry Cash
October 1, 2010 | This spring and summer, hundreds of millions of gallons of oil seeped into the Gulf of Mexico. Simultaneously, debate raged in Congress about ocean drilling, energy independence, cap and trade legislation and a shift away from fossil-fuel energy sources. Nevertheless, congressional candidates and federal political committees nationwide have raked in more than $17 million from the oil and gas industry so far during the 2010 election cycle -- a number on pace to easily exceed that of the most recent midterm election four years ago.
GOP Aims to Thwart Democrats in Races to Fill Open Senate Seats Controlled by Republicans
September 30, 2010 | The GOP needs to net 10 Senate seats this fall to regain majority status, and Democrats are defending seven open seats and are facing an uphill battle in their efforts to poach an open seat away from Republican control.
Political Committees Spend Big on Ads, American Crossroads Continues Basks in National Spotlight and More in Capital Eye Opener: September 30
September 30, 2010 | Have you been seeing advertisements from both Republican and Democratic national congressional committees? If you have, chances are you live in a district with a highly competitive race...
Candidates in Hotly Contested Races Collect Big Money from Wall Street Interests
September 27, 2010 | Ahead of the November election, top 20 House beneficiaries of the people and political action committees associated with the finance, insurance and real estate sector have together collected more than $16.2 million from Wall Street interests since January 2009. Meanwhile, the Senate candidates and sitting senators to receive the most from Wall Street interests raked in more than $41.3 million since January 2005 -- the beginning of their six-year election cycle.
College Professors, Administrators Heavily Invested in Midterm Political Elections
September 22, 2010 | Geriatric medicine. Woodworking. Business. Psychology. Educators may have varied academic interests. But some of the most politically active of them share one thing in common: the habit of donating huge sums of money to federal candidates, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal campaign records indicates.
Journalists, Media Professionals Donating Frequently to Federal Political Candidates this Election Cycle
September 14, 2010 | No fewer than 235 people that identified themselves on government documents as journalists, or as working for news organizations, have together donated more than $469,900 to federal political candidates, committees and parties during the 2010 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates. Aboute two-thirds of this sum has benefited Democrats.
Senate Debate Troubles in Nevada, Freedomworks' Large Savings Account and More in Capital Eye Opener: September 13
September 13, 2010 | Republican Sharron Angle's campaign has allegedly switched its decision to debate Democratic rival, Sen. Harry Reid.
Mariner Energy, Owner of Latest Exploding Gulf Oil Rig, Slated to Merge with Political Lobbying Force Apache Corp.
September 2, 2010 | An oil rig owned by Mariner Energy, Inc. exploded Thursday morning, just west of the where the Deepwater Horizon accident occurred in April. Although Mariner and its employees have not been very politically active during the last two decades, there is a pending merger with a subsidiary of Apache Corp., a hyper-political company.
Hiltons Donate Big, National Right to Life PAC Fined for Botched Filings and More in Capital Eye Opener: September 1
September 1, 2010 | On Tuesday, the Federal Election Commission announced that the National Right to Life political action committee had filed "inaccurate" and "incomplete" financial disclosure forms during the 2006 election cycle.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Politicos Get Caffeine and Fund-Raising Fixes
August 30, 2010 | Companies that are known for giving us our much-needed caffeine fix have also been known to spend big in politics. In this week's PolitiQuizz, OpenSecrets Blog wants you to investigate the pocketbooks of the political side of your beverage.
Lobbyist in Action: How A Veteran Congressional Influencer Works Her Craft
August 27, 2010 | Firm knowledge of congressional members. Understanding of their districts. Near-clairvoyance for their concerns. These are the elements needed to become a successful environmental lobbyist. And for half a day in July, OpenSecrets Blog had unfettered access to an environmental lobbying force in action.
Bipartisan Bill to Price Carbon Faces Long Odds — and Many Lobbyists — Despite BP Oil Spill
August 27, 2010 | Glaciers are melting faster than the U.S. Senate is taking action to limit greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming. And it's clear that a significant share of this dearth of movement is because of the clout of powerful special interest groups. Even a basic, bipartisan carbon emissions measure hasn't escaped from the treacherous terrain.
Congressmen Maintain Massive Portfolio of Oil and Gas Investments
August 27, 2010 | Own stocks in oil or gas companies? If you're a member of Congress, the odds are about one-in-five that the answer is yes. Oil and gas industry holdings are some of the most popular investments among lawmakers and their spouses, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Joe Miller's Tea Party Cavalry, Parties Chase Campaign Cash and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 26
August 26, 2010 | How did Republican attorney Joe Miller make such a comeback against incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski? One thing is for sure, Miller benefited from the financial support of the Our Country Deserves Better PAC, a political operation run by the Tea Party Express.
Congressmen's Taxpayer-Funded Vehicles Reveal Hodgepodge of Fuel Efficiency, Government Transparency
August 24, 2010 | Congressional members' vehicles are hardly created equal when it comes to how much you, as a taxpayer, are subsidizing them. What's equally unequal: How much information members of the U.S. House of Representatives are willing to reveal about the wheels you're providing them.
Pro-Environment Groups Outmatched, Outspent in Battle Over Climate Change Legislation
August 23, 2010 | With significant majorities in Congress, a president promising action and favorable public opinion all on their side, many environmentalists believed their political stars had properly – and finally – aligned. Yet even as these groups seemed poised to capitalize on favorable trends, moneyed opponents girded for a fight with more financial capital than ever before.
Not Just News Corp.: Media Companies Have Long Made Political Donations
August 23, 2010 | News Corp.'s million-dollar donation to the Republican Governors Association in June may have received a wave of press and critics yelling, "Told ya so." But the company, owned by conservative Rupert Murdoch, has not been the only corporate conglomerate featuring prominent television media organizations to have donated big money to politics
Chamber of Commerce, Other Groups Skirt Letter of Law in Reporting Political Ads
August 20, 2010 | "If the Campaign Legal Center had infinite resources, we might file complaints in this area out of principal -- to force the Federal Election Commission to either acknowledge that these groups are breaking the law or to claim to the public that the Commission doesn't view the ads as candidate ads," Paul Ryan, an attorney with the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center told OpenSecrets Blog.
Republican Governors Association Raises Big Q2 Money, Congress' Tweeting Habits and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 17
August 17, 2010 | The Republican Governors Association received more than $19 million in contributions during the second quarter, far exceeding those of Democratic Governors Association...
527 Groups Find Big Donors, Resort Company Donates Big Despite Loss and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 12
August 12, 2010 | Individuals -- many of them wealthy CEOs and executives from some of the nation's more moneyed businesses -- contributed more than $20.5 million to 527 political action groups in the second quarter of 2010, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis.
Nonprofit Groups Defend Big Oil, FEC Announces Fines And More in Capital Eye Opener: August 5
August 5, 2010 | An advocacy group recently began a public relations campaign in defense of the oil industry with some pointed criticism from BP -- after the corporation rebuffed a request for a donation from the group. Groups like the Institute for Energy Research are organized as nonprofits and thus can wage ideological battles with little disclosure of their funding or motives, the Washington Post reports.
Partisan Politics and Journalism Intermingle as Sidney Harman, Husband of Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, Buys 'Newsweek'
August 3, 2010 | Thanks to her husband, billionaire industrialist Sidney Harman, Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) ranks as one of the richest members of Congress. Now, this powerful federal official can add another element to her acumen: wife of a media mogul.
Legislative Battles Drive Second-Quarter Lobbying Spending by Major Corporations, Special Interests
July 29, 2010 | While some organizations dramatically reduced their investments in federal lobbying during this year's second quarter, others paid out more in fees to lobbyists than during any other quarter since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of reports filed with the U.S. Senate and U.S. House last week.
Lobbying By Obama Administration Foe U.S. Chamber of Commerce Grows To More Than $44 Million This Year
July 22, 2010 | The lobbying powerhouse U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with its subsidiaries, spent a whopping $13.4 million on federal, state-level and grassroots lobbying during the second quarter, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of new reports filed this week.
John Boehner Butts Out, the Defense Industry Plays Offense and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 22
July 22, 2010 | House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), a long-time smoker, had stated his intentions to quit smoking in an effort to encourage a friend to do the same. Curious development since Boehner is one of big tobacco's favorite politicos.
Millions of Influential Dollars Later, Senate Passes Wall Street Reform
July 19, 2010 | Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) voted against the Democrats' Wall Street reform bill because he thought it wasn't strong enough to prevent another economic meltdown. Feingold was in a position to stand up to Wall Street like few other senators. Contributions from the finance, insurance and real estate sector account for just 3.75 percent of Feingold's overall contributions over his career. Just two other senators have relied less on money from the financial sector.
Members of Congress Seek K Street Cash
July 13, 2010 | Twenty-eight members of Congress and congressional candidates have received at least $100,000 from lobbyists during the first five quarters of the 2010 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis shows.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Around and Around They Go
July 12, 2010 | Feel like you're going in circles? Maybe you should check out OpenSecrets.org's revolving door database, where we endeavor to track the continuous loop made by government employees and lobbyists.
The Soccer Lobby, Doctors' Influence Ills and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 12
July 12, 2010 | Now that Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 to win the World Cup and bathe in the four following years of international glory that comes with it, we wondered, as we would: Does soccer have a lobby? Sure does.
Threadbare Politics: How Partisan is Your Clothing?
June 29, 2010 | Although the clothing industry is pretty evenly divided overall, individual companies in the clothing manufacturing business tend to be notably partisan in their federal political donations, more so than almost any other industry.
Lawmakers Go Out To The Ballgame, Sometimes For Campaign Cash
June 29, 2010 | At least a dozen lawmakers have held fund-raising events at baseball games at Nationals Park this year, including three slated to play in tonight's annual congressional baseball game, based on a Center for Responsive Politics review of invitations leaked to PoliticalPartyTime.org.
House Passes DISCLOSE Act For New Reporting Requirements on Independent Expenditures
June 24, 2010 | In a 219-206 vote on the House floor today, the House voted to pass H.R. 5175, known as the DISCLOSE Act, an acronym for Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections.
Congress Shines Light on For-Profit Education Sector as Industry Makes Lobbying Surge
June 23, 2010 | Hearings to set to begin Thursday in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, led by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), will shine more light on the ongoing squabble with the Department of Education over issues like incentive pay to recruiters and gainful employment measures. But Congress is just catching up to industry lobbyists on many of the issues.
Bailed-Out Insurance Giant AIG Got Less Love in 2009 from Its Previous Lawmaker-Investors, New Reports Show
June 17, 2010 | Just 10 lawmakers held assets in the one-time insurance industry titan AIG, or its subsidiaries, at the end of 2008. And according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of those lawmakers' newly released personal financial reports, that number has further eroded.
Big Oil's Six-Figure Love for Congressional Candidates, Sarah Palin's Snub and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 3
June 3, 2010 | The oil and gas industry has funneled six-figure chunks of campaign cash to a dozen different candidates in all this election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
Discuss Federal Elections on OpenSecrets.org with New Comments Feature
June 1, 2010 | Got something to say about your favorite congressional races? Say it on OpenSecrets.org! We have added a new "Discuss This Race" box to each and every congressional election profile on our website.
Battle over Derivatives, Republican Rep. Mark Souder Resigns and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 19
May 19, 2010 | DERIVATIVES BATTLE: In a rather startling, but maybe not surprising report, the nonprofit advocacy group, Public Citizen, contends that since the beginning of 2009, financial industry lobbyists have opposed a controversial overhaul of derivatives regulation by a ratio of 11-to-1.
First Lady Michelle Obama, Nutrition Advocates Aim to Navigate Resistance from Agribusiness, Corporate Lobbies
May 12, 2010 | Upon her arrival in the White House, first lady Michelle Obama launched the "Let's Move" campaign, encouraging healthier eating habits and reduced obesity rates -- a campaign for which she formally unveiled the goals Tuesday. Yet as the first lady and lawmakers work to enact these goals, they must navigate substantial corporate interests when making decisions about the strictness of regulations and standards for nutrition.
Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan a Loyal Democratic Donor, Foe of 'Citizens United'
May 10, 2010 | The move to promote Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court comes at a time when the Obama administration is criticizing the court's January ruling in the high-profile campaign finance case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Kagan herself led the government's defense in that case.
Hordes of Hired Guns Earned About $19 Million Per Day As Lobbying Soared to Nearly $1 Billion in First Quarter
April 29, 2010 | Hoards of hired K Street guns are in high demand as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats seek to implement grand legislative plans. And a Center for Responsive Politics review of recently filed lobbying reports indicates companies, trade associations, unions and other groups spent nearly $1 billion on lobbying during the first three months of 2010.
Disclose, Disclaim, Report: Democrats Reveal New Campaign Finance Legislation
April 29, 2010 | That's the message some House and Senate lawmakers sent to corporations, unions and trade associations today in unveiling legislation designed to increase transparency and accountability in the nation's campaign finance system.
Smackdown on Voter Registration Plan, Misleading Letters and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 28
April 28, 2010 | SMACKDOWN ON VOTER REGISTRATION: Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon of Connecticut, the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment, has cancelled a plan to pay bonuses in a voter registration project for those who sign up with the GOP.
Supreme Court to Grapple With First Amendment, Disclosure and Transparency in Ballot Measure Case
April 28, 2010 | In a high-profile legal challenge, the U.S. Supreme Court tomorrow will tackle questions about First Amendment freedom of speech rights, the nature of signing petitions for ballot measures, the public's right to know and the government's interests in preserving the integrity of the election process.
Monied Lobbying Forces Gird for Immigration Reform Battle
April 27, 2010 | Hundreds of lobbyists are primed to swarm Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of a wide variety of business interests and ideological groups, all of which have a stake in immigration reform policy – Congress' focus du jour.
Coincidence? Hospital Where Executives Donated to Republican Rep. Joseph Cao Among His Earmark Requests
April 22, 2010 | Freshman Rep. Joseph Cao (R-La.) is one of just three House Republicans bucking their party leadership by offering appropriation requests for fiscal year 2011. Cao's requests -- better known as earmarks -- total about $517 million, of which $800,000 would be destined for two projects at a hospital in New Orleans. While that's itself a small slice of Cao's total requests, it's notable since Cao also accepted campaign contributions from two of its executives.
Special Interests Continue Federal Lobbying Blitz, New Reports Indicate
April 21, 2010 | As President Barack Obama works with the Democratic Congress to advance his ambitious legislative priorities, lobbying efforts by special interest groups continue unabated. Lobbying reports for the first three months of 2010 were due to the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate by midnight last night, and a preliminary Center for Responsive Politics analysis of these reports show many major players continuing to shell out big dollars on their lobbying operations.
Young Adults, Teens Forming Political Action Committees to Achieve Civic Goals
April 8, 2010 | They aren't old enough to legally buy a beer. They can't vote or join the Army, and they can barely get a driver's license. But they are operating federally registered political action committees.
The Easter Lobby, A New Job for an Embattled Fund-Raiser and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 5
April 5, 2010 | So, no. A giant, basket-toting rabbit doesn't formally lobby the federal government. Nor does the International Amalgamated Lily Growers Union or the U.S. Consortium of Fluffy Chicks. But close.
Wal-Mart, UBS and Other Groups Added to OpenSecrets.org List of Top Political Givers
April 2, 2010 | Today, the Center for Responsive Politics' list of the top-spending corporations and special interest groups peppering politicians with overwhelming amounts of money in hope of influencing the political process just got bigger.
Congressmen Push for Transparency, RNC Splurges on Expenses and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 30
March 30, 2010 | PUSHING FOR A MORE TRANSPARENT CONGRESS: With input from us here at the Center for Responsive Politcs and our friends at the Sunlight Foundation, Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) introduced new legislation to shine more sunshine on many federal records.
Dems Take Heat from All Sides As They Strive to Maintain Status Quo on Abortion
March 23, 2010 | One of the lawmakers President Barack Obama's executive order won over was Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who led a bipartisan fight in November to include stricter anti-abortion language in the House's version of the health reform legislation. By the Center for Responsive Politics' tally, Stupak is the only Democratic incumbent in the House to receive any money from special interest groups that oppose abortion so far this election cycle -- with a $500 contribution coming from the Right to Life of Michigan PAC.
Big Labor Gave Big Support to Health Reform Supporters, Health Interests Lent More Support to Opponents
March 22, 2010 | President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats achieved a major legislative victory last night as members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to adopt the version of health insurance reform legislation passed in December by the U.S. Senate. Supporters of both measures received out-sized support from labor unions, the Center for Responsive Politics found, based on an examination of contributions to lawmakers' campaign committees and leadership PACs going back to 1989.
Financial Carrots, Sticks Offered in Final Push for Health Care Reform
March 17, 2010 | Democratic congressional leaders, President Barack Obama and their reform-supporting allies are this week aggressively wrangling the necessary votes to pass health insurance reform legislation.
'Citizens United' and Marital Bliss, Student Lenders Get Reconciled and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 17
March 17, 2010 | WIFE OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AIMS TO GAIN FROM CITIZENS UNITED: The Supreme Court shook up the world of money-in-politics when it opened the doors to increased corporate spending in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
Foreign Subsidiaries Get Political, Evan Bayh for 'Fair Elections' and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 9
March 9, 2010 | The Organization for International Investment, a trade association representing U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies, has hired a Democratic lawyer to lobby against legislation that would potentially ban its members' money from U.S. politics.
2009 Brings Big Money in Key Congressional Races
March 2, 2010 | As Democrats try not to let political turbulence slim their ranks and Republicans focus on winning back the majority, money continues to pour into campaign coffers. Big-money congressional races are often in competitive states or districts that could wind up flipping for Republican or Democratic, a Center for Responsive Politics review of campaign finance reports through the end of 2009 shows.
Politicians Have Numerous Options for Unused Campaign Cash After Leaving Elected Office
March 1, 2010 | Now that Sen. Evan Bayh and other congressional members are leaving elected office when their terms end early next year, where does all their campaign money go?
Barack Obama's Beer Bet Lost, the Health Sector's Newest Lobbying Push and more in Capital Eye Opener: March 1
March 1, 2010 | It came with, perhaps, an overabundance in interest in learning Sunday night that President Barack Obama will this week ship a case of Molson Canadian to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- the spoils of a bet lost on the United States v. Canada Olympic hockey gold medal finals.
International Olympic Committee Once a Gold Medal Lobbying Force
February 13, 2010 | With the 2010 Winter Olympics having commenced this weekend in Vancouver, politics are hardly a focus of competition waged not in governmental halls, but on hillsides, tracks and skating surfaces. Once upon an Olympic prelude, however, the International Olympic Committee, tasked then with coordinating the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, vaulted into the rarified eshelon of million dollar federal lobbying forces, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates
Federal Election Commission Fines Arlen Specter's Senate Campaign, Treasurer For Donation Violations
February 5, 2010 | U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican-turned-Democrat facing a contentious re-election bid, will do so with less campaign cash after the Federal Election Commission fined him for accepting "excessive contributions from individuals and political committees." The FEC decision, announced Thursday, names both Specter's campaign committee and committee treasurer Stephen Harmelin, as respondents in the case. The FEC ruling states that they must pay a $10,900 civil penalty and refund or pay $37,950 for excess contributions to the U.S. Treasury.
Center for Responsive Politics Submits Statement on Campaign Finance to U.S. Senate Committee
February 2, 2010 | Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, submitted the following statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration regarding the Supreme Court's recent decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission to allow unlimited independent corporate and union expenditures in elections.
OpenSecrets.org Offers 2010 Legislative Preview Ahead of Barack Obama's State of the Union Address
January 27, 2010 | The past year proved to be a legislative whirlwind in Washington, with a new administration, and expanded Democratic majorities in Congress, tackling an ambitious legislative agenda against the backdrop of two wars and an economic meltdown. Twelve months later, the story is much the same.
The Dingells' Love Affair With GM and More in Capital Eye Opener: January 11
January 11, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics: IS THE DINGELL FAMILY TOO CLOSE FOR POLITICAL COMFORT?
Stakeholders in Health Insurance Reform Debate Gave Big to Senators
December 24, 2009 | Senators who opposed the health insurance reform bill passed on Christmas Eve received an average of nearly 30 percent more political donations from political action committees and individual employees of health and health insurance-related groups and companies since 1989, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis has found.
Senators Backed By Pro-Choice Interests Block New Abortion Restrictions
December 9, 2009 | As the U.S. Senate weighs contentious changes to federal abortion policy, the Center for Responsive Politics has also found that pro-choice interests have given sitting senators roughly six times as much as pro-life interests have contributed to them. CRP has further found that senators who voted in favor of tabling an anti-abortion amendment offered by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) received an average of nearly $60,000 from abortion rights supporters and an average of just $80 from anti-abortion interests over the past 20 years.
What Exactly Did Sen. Chris Dodd Promise Regarding Campaign Cash from AIG Employees?
December 4, 2009 | Top Connecticut Republican and Democratic party officials are battling over what exactly Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) meant earlier this year when he spoke of donating to charity campaign contributions he received from embattled executives at American International Group.
Down But Not Quite Out: An Examination of Insurance Giant AIG's Waning Clout
December 3, 2009 | Insurance giant AIG's political clout is waning as fast as its finances. Since its near-collapse and government bailout last fall, AIG disbanded its lobbying team. It hasn't donated a dollar from its political action committee this year. Furthermore, contributions from individual AIG employees since January are merely a sliver of what they've been in previous cycles -- although a few notable politicians retain financial or political ties to the embattled company. Among these lawmakers is Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, who pledged to return contributions from AIG employees who got post-bailout bonuses but has nonetheless retained tens of thousands of dollars from them given before the bailout.
Capital Eye Opener: Thursday, December 3
December 3, 2009 | Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) makes the second member of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition in the last two weeks to announce that he'll be retiring at the end of his term, leaving the Blue Dogs to find new members of their pack.
Hedge Funds, Private Equity Firms, Payday Lenders Seek Financial Security from Congress
November 30, 2009 | Legislation aimed at regulating the securities and investment industry is as complex as the industry itself. But the trade groups representing these interests all seem to have at least one thing in common: they fear additional government regulation will damage their business, which especially concerns them given the ailing economy.
Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, a Favorite of Wall Street, Leads Regulatory Reform Fight
November 23, 2009 | Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) chairs the powerful Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Dodd is now spearheading new efforts to tackle financial sector regulatory reform. Over the past 20 years, Dodd's most generous campaign supporter has also been the finance, insurance and real estate sector, which is filled with companies directly affected by legislation shepherded by the Banking Committee.
Finance and Credit Companies Lobby Lawmakers As Congress Moves to Aggressively Regulate Them
November 19, 2009 | The various companies and trade groups within the finance and credit industry have contributed about $62.4 million to federal candidates, committees and leadership PACs since 1989, with 62 percent of that sum going to Republicans. In the 2008 election cycle, however, the employees and political action committees of these organizations directed a majority of their money to Democrats for the first time since the 1990 election.
Spencer Bachus: 'No More Bailouts'
November 19, 2009 | Although Bachus isn't new to the House Financial Services Committee, he's relatively new to the committee's ranking member position, which he assumed in 2007. Since 1992, employees and political action committees associated with the financial sector have given Bachus $4 million -- exponentially more than any other sector during that time.
Capital Eye Opener: Tuesday, November 17
November 17, 2009 | On Monday night, the Obama administration announced its intent to nominate Beatrice Wilkinson Welters to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. Welters and her husband, Anthony, an executive with UnitedHealth Group, co-founded the AnBryce Foundation in 1995, which provides academic and leadership programs for underserved youth. They also bundled at least $300,000 for President Barack Obama's committees and have been prolific campaign contributions to federal candidates and committees.
Sen. Richard Shelby a Formidable Foe for Democrat-style Financial Reform
November 16, 2009 | Name: Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). Positions: A fifth-generation Alabamian and University of Alabama alumnus, state loyalty flows through Shelby's crimson blood. So do conservative politics. Party loyalty is another matter.
House Democrats Backing Abortion Restrictions Received Significant Campaign Cash From Pro-Life Groups
November 10, 2009 | Democrats who supported an amendment that added restrictions to abortion-related health insurance benefits received considerably more campaign contributions from anti-abortion interests than Democrats who opposed the amendment, the Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Chuck Grassley Challenger Roxanne Conlin Gave Big to Democrats, Trial Lawyers
November 9, 2009 | Attorney Roxanne Conlin today announced her intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), providing the veteran lawmaker with some notable and potentially well-financed competition. With a strong pedigree in Iowa politics, she brings supporters with deep pockets, and the ability to draw on her own personal wealth. A CRP analysis shows that Conlin, and her husband, James, have contributed nearly $360,000 to federal candidates and committees over the past 20 years.
Opponents of House Health Reform Bill Received 15 Percent More in Health Industry Contributions Than Supporters
November 8, 2009 | The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed its version of a landmark health insurance reform bill Saturday night, 220-215, and opponents of the measure have received an average of 15 percent more from health industry and health insurance companies, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis has found.
Congressmen Denouncing U.N. Inquiry Receive Handsome Donations from Pro-Israel Lobby
November 5, 2009 | The members of the House who voted in favor of a pro-Israel resolution have received $51,260 more on average from pro-Israel organizations ($81,020 versus $29,770) since 1989 than those who opposed it, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Capital Eye Opener: Friday, October 30
October 30, 2009 | USING FEDERAL BAILING MONEY TO SECURE ... MORE BAILOUT MONEY? Financial services giant GMAC is effectively broke. Federal officials -- and taxpayers -- may be interested to learn, however, that GMAC has spent nearly $1 million during the first three quarters of this year to lobby the very federal government it's begging for our greenbacks, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis finds.
'Round and 'Round They Go: Lawmakers Leave Congress for Lobbying Posts
October 29, 2009 | At least 44 lawmakers have left their congressional seats mid-term since 1990, and at least 16 of them went on to work at lobbying firms or at companies that hired lobbyists, CRP has found. Here, we take a closer look at a few of these individuals, examining which industries and clients they're now representing and the campaign cash they received while in Congress.
Big Donors Ramp Up to Fight FCC Net Neutrality Decision
October 28, 2009 | The Federal Communications Commission's decision last week to begin developing open Internet regulation has left a few big-time political donors and lobbying forces in the telecom industry wondering whether their message got lost in transmission.
Capital Eye Opener: Friday, October 23
October 23, 2009 | ANTI-RAPE AMENDMENT HAS LOBBYIST FOES: Defense contractors are lobbying Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) to remove or water down language from the defense appropriations bill that prohibited defense contractors from denying victims of assault or rape the ability to bring their case to court, reports Sam Stein at the Huffington Post, who also cites CRP data in his article.
U.S. Chamber Dominates Third Quarter Lobbying As Large Health, Energy Companies Also Continue to Spend Big
October 21, 2009 | Some of the usual suspects with K Street clout have once again filed lobbying reports demonstrating their prowess on Capitol Hill, a Center for Responsive Politics review of newly filed third quarter lobbying reports has found. Leading the way was the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a leading opponent of many initiatives backed by the Obama administration.
Patton Boggs Partner Anne Slaughter Andrew, Wife of Former DNC Chair, Named Ambassador to Costa Rica
October 20, 2009 | Lobbyist. Lawyer. Democratic donor. Wife of a presidential superdelegate. To these titles, Anne Slaughter Andrew will soon add the title ambassador. On Thursday night, President Barack Obama tapped Andrew, who along with her husband has given about $88,000 to federal Democratic candidates and committees over the past twenty years, to represent U.S. interests in Costa Rica.
House Financial Services Committee Considers Regulating Industries That Heavily Fund Members' Campaigns
October 14, 2009 | The House Financial Services Committee today begins marking up a bill that would create a new consumer protection agency and increase regulation of a number of financial products. Even as members of the committee consider how to prevent another economic collapse, they may have another financial issue in mind -- the industries opposing the measure have contributed $77.6 million to the 71 members of the committee since 1989.
Capital Eye Opener: Friday, October 2
October 2, 2009 | ADULTEROUS SENATOR & AIDE MAY HAVE VIOLATED REVOLVING DOOR RULES: Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) helped his long-time friend and aide Douglas Hampton join a political consulting firm and lined up several campaign donors as his lobbying clients, after Ensign had an affair with Hampton's wife, the New York Times reports. And, the Times notes, subsequent meetings and actions may have violated the ban on lobbying by former Senate staffers within 12 months after their departures.
Paul Kirk, Massachusetts' Interim U.S. Senator, Intimately Tied to Business, Lobbying and Democrats
September 24, 2009 | The U.S. Senate vacancy created by the death of liberal lion Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is prompting another trip through the revolving door of political influence for longtime Kennedy ally Paul G. Kirk, Jr. Kirk was an aide to Kennedy from 1969 until 1977. He subsequently went on to join the law firm Sullivan & Worcester, where he has worked as a partner and lobbyist. Since 1989, he and his wife have also given $65,325 to Democratic candidates and committees.
Sallie Mae Finds Friends As Major Student Loan Bill Moves Through Congress
September 23, 2009 | Although Sallie Mae didn't get the result it wanted out of the House last week, the lawmakers who sided with Sallie Mae by voting against a bill to create a direct federal loan program have collected more money, on average, from the company than those who supported the bill.
Politicians Score Significant Cash From NFL Owners, Coaches and Players
September 17, 2009 | As the 32-team NFL begins its 2009 season, the Chargers and Texans stand among 20 clubs to donate more than $100,000 to federal political interests since the 1990 election cycle, according to the Center's analysis. Executives and employees of the league itself have also teamed together to contribute more than $322,000 during that time frame.
Insurers On Alert Have Given $4 Million to Committees Grilling Them
September 15, 2009 | A number of lawmakers have requested that insurers disclose their financial records, including details on executive pay and entertainment expenditures. Members of three of the committees to receive this information have also collected millions from these companies for their campaigns.
Rep. Joe Wilson's Comments and Connections Still in the Spotlight
September 14, 2009 | Joe Wilson -- the Republican Congressman from South Carolina who is at the center of Washington's latest brouhaha for shouting "you lie" at President Barack Obama during the president's health reform speech before a joint session of Congress -- has long relied on financial support from health-related industries. Two of his top staffers have also lobbied and advocated for health-related clients in recent years.
George LeMieux, Newest Republican Senator from Florida, Has Close Ties to Governor/Senate Candidate Charlie Crist
September 11, 2009 | Florida's Republican governor, Charlie Crist, tapped his former chief of staff and long-time adviser, George LeMieux, to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy left by the early retirement of Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.). Over the years, LeMieux, and wife, Meike, have also occasionally made campaign contributions to Crist.
Supreme Court Poised to Overhaul Parts of Campaign Finance System
September 9, 2009 | If the Supreme Court is currently the dam blocking the flow of unlimited corporate funds used for political expenditures, today's re-hearing of the campaign finance case Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission indicated that the justices may be poised to put at least a few holes in that barricade.
Boston Globe Calls OpenSecrets.Org "Delightful"
July 24, 2009 | Media observer Alex Beam discussed his experience with OpenSecrets.org's Donor Lookup feature in a Boston Globe column published this morning and called his sojourn to our site "delightful."
Lawmakers Who Called Lewin Group's Data 'Nonpartisan' Collect Cash From Parent Company UnitedHealth
July 23, 2009 | For years, congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have regarded the Lewin Group, a Virginia-based research firm, as an unbiased, nonpartisan auditor of health care legislation. Yet as the Washington Post reported Wednesday, few who have cited recent Lewin data mention that the company belongs to a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, which opposes the public health option and has given money to the lawmakers citing Lewin's stats.
Capital Eye Report: Direct or Indirect Loans? Either Way, It's Win-Win Deal for Major Political Contributor Sallie Mae
July 23, 2009 | With deficit worries gripping Washington, lawmakers including House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) and Rep. Thomas Petri (R-Wis.) have proposed cutting taxpayer subsidies to private institutions that issue student loans. But groups such as Sallie Mae are spending big money in opposition to such proposals.
Gun Amendment Supporters Backed by NRA Donations
July 22, 2009 | The Senate narrowly voted down an amendment this afternoon that would have permitted gun owners to carry concealed firearms across state lines into states with tighter gun regulations. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and attached to a defense spending bill, rallied lawmakers who have received significant donations over their careers from gun-related issue organizations.
Committee Members Speak Out–Or Stay Mum–On Health Care
July 9, 2009 | Over the past three weeks, Capital Eye has contacted members of five Capitol Hill committees responsible for drafting health care reform legislation this summer. Here are their responses (and non-responses) and the money they're collecting from various industries.
Congressional Lawmakers Invest in Their (Financial) Health
July 9, 2009 | As members of Congress assess the proper dose of reform for the nation's health care system, many of them have likewise invested hundreds of thousands of dollars of their personal funds into the very companies whose financial fortunes depend on what measures become law.
Democrats Chuck Schumer and Chris Dodd Stand Strong for Public Option
July 9, 2009 | Despite raising millions of dollars from the insurance and financial services industry during their careers, Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) rank among the Senate's most vocal champions of the public health insurance option.
Defense Contractor Charged With Kickbacks Helped Fund Murtha's Campaigns
July 7, 2009 | Richard Ianieri, the defense contractor charged today with accepting $200,000 in kickbacks from a subcontractor, was the president of a company that gave more money to Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.) than any other lawmaker--including the years after Ianieri left Coherent Systems International and Argon ST bought it.
Insurance Industry's Top D.C. Advocate Shells Out Campaign Cash
July 2, 2009 | As chief executive of America's Health Insurance Plans, Karen Ignagni has emerged as a central figure in the debate over health care reform. And like many other registered lobbyists, Ignagni has extended her influence and connections by opening her wallet to political candidates.
Democratic Doc Favors Single-Payer Health Care For All
June 30, 2009 | Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) is a physician and psychiatrist who is one of the leaders of the House Progressive Caucus on health reform. He has long favored a single-payer health care system, although the health sector is his second largest financial backer.
Center for Responsive Politics Welcomes New Communications Director
June 29, 2009 | Former Dallas Morning News writer Dave Levinthal joins the Center for Responsive Politics as the non-partisan organization's communications director.
Will $1.2 Million a Day Convince Congress to Buy Big Pharma's Rx for Change?
June 25, 2009 | In the first three months of 2009, the pharmaceutical and health products industry has spent more than $66.5 million on lobbying–an amount that translates into $1.2 million every day Congress has been in session. Just how much influence will that amount buy?
Amid Push for Regulation, Hedge Funds Spend Big on Lobbying
June 22, 2009 | As the White House and Congress propose new financial regulations in the wake of the recession, the hedge fund industry is stepping up its lobbying efforts. This morning's Wall Street Journal (subscription only) cites CRP data detailing hedge funds' political spending this year--$1.6 million in the 1st Quarter of 2009 on lobbying--as pro-regulation Democrats have assumed control over both Congress and the White House.
Senators Opposed to "Public Option" Haul in Health Care PAC Dollars
June 22, 2009 | Twice in the past week, statistician and blogger Nate Silver has used CRP data to analyze the relationship between political spending by the health care industry and key Senate players' stances in the debate over health care reform. While CRP cannot vouch for Silver's methodology, his research has yielded some interesting observations.
Diagnosis: Reform
June 17, 2009 | For some individuals, how Congress aims to reform America's health care system is literally a matter of life and death. For some industries, it could mean the difference between weathering the economic storm or shuttering their businesses. Over the next month, Capital Eye will be following the money as the various special interest groups continue to play politics in response to Congress's health reform proposals. Follow the month-long series here.
Some Wall Street Interests Scale Back on Political Giving
June 9, 2009 | As the economic crisis continued during the first three months of 2009, many institutions in the powerful finance, insurance and real estate sector have scaled back on contributions to lawmakers, CRP has found.
Allen Converts Congressional Energy Into Lobbying Post
June 3, 2009 | Although being the No. 3 recipient of campaign cash from the energy sector didn't help former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) win his re-election campaign in 2006, those connections will likely come in handy in his latest gig: head of a new energy lobby.
Despite Filing for Bankruptcy, GM to Continue History of Political Spending
June 2, 2009 | Before becoming a symbol of the nation's economic problems, General Motors had long been considered a reliable cash cow for lawmakers of both parties.
Capital Eye Report: Credit Rating Agencies Under Fire Drop More Dollars on Political Influence
May 14, 2009 | As Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) eye new rules and regulations to ameliorate the financial turmoil, credit rating agencies are coming under increased scrutiny and are reaching out to K Street for a helping hand.
Power Players: Winning Union Cash Easy Work for Chair of Labor Committee
March 26, 2009 | Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) became chair of the House Education & Labor Committee in 2007, after serving as ranking member for six years before Democrats won control of the House. Whether it's because he has played a prominent role on the committee for years or because he has dedicated himself to workers' issues, unions are unabashed supporters of the congressman.
Power Players: Senate Health Committee Chair Gets a Large Dose of Finance, Health Industry Funds
March 25, 2009 | Even as he deals with his own health challenges, as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has committed himself to focusing on improving the quality and accessibility of American health care. Kennedy's interest in the country's health care issues has brought him money from various health-related industries.
Supreme Court Reviews "Hillary: The Movie"
March 24, 2009 | If the nine justices of the Supreme Court had already made up their minds about whether a 90-minute film about a candidate for federal office should be subject to the same campaign contribution limits and disclosure requirements as a 30-second ad, they didn't show it Tuesday morning. But their decision in the case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, could impact how corporations, unions and ideological groups fund their political messages.
Empty Disclosure
March 19, 2009 | Some lobbyists appear to collect money for nothing--more than half a billion dollars from clients over the last decade, Center finds.
Before the Fall, AIG Payouts Went to Washington
March 16, 2009 | As long as everyone's talking today about AIG's payouts to its executives and foreign banks, let's remember the payouts AIG has made over the years to politicians. In the last 20 years American International Group (AIG) has contributed more than $9 million to federal candidates and parties through PAC and individual contributions.
Congressmen Overseeing Defense Budget Got $8 Million from PMA Group and Clients
March 2, 2009 | The FBI hasn't been the only group continuing to investigate lobbying firm PMA Group, which specializes in securing federal earmarks for its clients. At the Center for Responsive Politics, we've expanded our original analysis of contributions from the lobbying firm to lawmakers, specifically those on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, to include contributions from PMA's clients, as well.
Special Interests to Listen Carefully to Obama's Address
February 24, 2009 | When President Obama addresses the nation tonight in a State of the Union fashion, it won't just be Congress and members of the public tuning in. Special interests, too, will be paying close attention to what the president has to say about upcoming plans that could affect them. Capital Eye takes a look at the key issues Obama is likely to discuss--and the industries, sectors and groups that will be listening closely to his message.
UBS AG Helps Fill Lawmakers' Coffers
February 19, 2009 | Swiss bank UBS AG agreed today to pay $780 million to settle claims by the U.S. Department of Treasury that it helped American customers evade paying taxes by hiding their Swiss bank accounts from U.S. tax authorities. But that's not the only help that UBS has provided Americans. In the 2008 election cycle, the foreign bank contributed $3.1 million to federal candidates, parties and PACs.
Power Players: Without Automakers' Fuel, Waxman Steers House Energy Committee in New Direction
February 12, 2009 | In a blow to the struggling auto industry that has financially supported Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) for years, the House Energy & Commerce Committee chairman was ousted this year, replaced by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who hasn't received a penny from the industry. Instead, Waxman has collected money from doctors and health professionals.
Wealthy Freshmen Increase Congressional Net Worth
January 28, 2009 | New members of Congress are worth $1 million more than the average incumbent, CRP has found after analyzing the lawmakers' personal financial disclosure reports. As they make decisions about the economy, freshmen and incumbents are heavily invested in the struggling financial sector.
Paper: Donors Benefited from Transportation Nominee's Earmarks
January 14, 2009 | As President-elect Barack Obama's pick for Transportation Secretary, former Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) is going to have to put the brakes on funneling money to his home district, a practice he became accustomed to during his time in Congress. The Washington Post used CRP's data today to determine which of LaHood's biggest earmark beneficiaries were also his most generous campaign contributors.
Power Players: Cantor Whips up Support from Finance Sector
January 8, 2009 | A rising star among House Republicans from day one, Cantor will now replace Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri as House minority whip. In this position, Cantor is charged with corralling support among his colleagues for the Republican leadership's proposals. Capital Eye kicks its Power Players series off with a profile of Cantor's fundraising, industry support and personal investments.
Agriculture Nominee Vilsack Couldn't Cultivate Funds During Presidential Bid
December 18, 2008 | Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Barack Obama's pick for Secretary of Agriculture, will bring to the position an enthusiasm for the marriage of agriculture and renewable energy that rivals the president elect's. He won't bring with him, however, the ties to campaign contributions from the agriculture industry that other candidates to the post could have, despite his brief bid for the White House in 2007.
Finance Sector Lobbied for Money…Without the Money to Lobby
November 21, 2008 | The surge of activity in the nation's capital to revive the country's economy apparently hasn't caused a torrent of lobbying funds by the insurance companies, investment banks, mortgage companies and savings and loans central to the government's actions. While unions, companies and organizations across all industries increased their lobbying expenditures 2 percent in the 3rd Quarter of this year compared to the first three months of 2008, the finance, insurance and real estate sector apparently scaled back, decreasing its spending by 9 percent.
Obama's Pick for Chief of Staff Tops Recipients of Wall Street Money
November 5, 2008 | A day after being elected president and acknowledging "the worst financial crisis in a century," Barack Obama asked one of the biggest recipients of Wall Street campaign contributions to be his chief of staff. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois congressman who was an aide in the Clinton White House, was the top House recipient in the 2008 election cycle of contributions from hedge funds, private equity firms and the larger securities/investment industry--not the most popular of industries in the current economy.
Perhaps Anticipating Reform Debate, Health Money Swings to Dems
October 30, 2008 | Widely perceived to be one of the nation's biggest challenges, health care reform will be at the top of the next administration's agenda, and a battle over proposed changes is certain. For the past 15 years, the health sector, which is already gearing up for next year's fight, has given more money to Republicans than Democrats. But with Democrats in control of Congress-and likely to pick up a few more seats next week-the tide is turning.
Drug Industry Dough Shifting to Dems
October 14, 2008 | As the Democrats stand to make substantial gains in both the House and Senate on November 4th, the pharmaceutical industry appears to be following the power. Since the 2006 election cycle, donations from the drug industry have shifted starkly from favoring Republicans to reflecting parity among the parties. So far in this election cycle, Democrats and Republicans have received nearly equal shares of pharma money, 49 percent and 51 percent respectively.
Races to Watch V: Lobbyists' Favorite Candidates
September 30, 2008 | Registered lobbyists aren't just getting the attention of lawmakers while on the job. Like any other member of the public, they, too, are able to contribute up to the maximum amount per election to candidates of their choice. The Center for Responsive Politics has identified the congressional races with candidates who are receiving the most money from registered lobbyists.
Races to Watch IV: Money Flowing from Oil and Gas
September 29, 2008 | The oil and gas industry, under the spotlight this fall with energy at the forefront of political discourse, isn't hesitating to put some of its record profits into the hands of candidates who support its cause (or those it's seeking to convert). So far this election cycle, the oil and gas industry has given $12.3 million total to congressional candidates. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has identified the candidates who have received the most money from oil and gas interests in this election cycle, and Capital Eye selected a few races to more deeply examine the impact of well-digger dollars on politics.
Races to Watch I: Challengers Outraising Incumbents
September 24, 2008 | With few exceptions, incumbents will out-raise their challengers--so far this election cycle, incumbents for Congress have raised nine times more than their challengers, on average, and there is not a single Senate race where the challenger has raised more money than the sitting senator. Although challengers aren't winning the money race on the Senate side, the Center for Responsive Politics has identified 14 House races where the challenger surpassed the incumbent in fundraising after the most recent reporting period, through June.
Money and Votes Aligned in Congress's Last Debate Over Bank Regulation
September 23, 2008 | The last time Congress seriously debated how to regulate the financial industry, the result was legislation that allowed the nation's largest banks to get even larger and take risks that had been prohibited since the Great Depression. A look back at that debate, which was over the 1999 Financial Services Modernization Act, reveals that campaign contributions may have influenced the votes of politicians who, a decade later, are now grappling with the implosion of the giant banks they helped to foster.
Bundlers for McCain, Obama Are Among Wall Street's Tumblers
September 18, 2008 | How did Wall Street's largest firms also become some of the largest donors to John McCain and Barack Obama's presidential campaigns? Take a look at the candidates' rosters of bundlers on OpenSecrets.org, and it becomes clear.
CRP Watchdogs Spotted in Denver, St. Paul
September 9, 2008 | CRP watchdogs Sheila Krumholz and Massie Ritsch weren't barking up the wrong trees these last two weeks at the national party conventions, where they spent part of their time sniffing out the money behind the scenes at the convention and most of their time engaging members of the press to tell the world about that influence. The Politico featured Sheila, CRP's executive director, and Massie, our communications director, in an article Tuesday, describing their adventures in both Denver and St. Paul.
The GOP Takes the Heartland's Pulse
September 4, 2008 | Republicans descended on the Midwest for their convention this week, promoting John McCain's credentials, introducing vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and hoping to win the support of the region's voters come November. If money determined the winner in each state, McCain would take Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kansas, North Dakota, Nebraska and South Dakota. He wouldn't, however, manage to win Minnesota, which hosted the Republican National Convention this week, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois or Missouri.
Like a Good Neighbor
September 2, 2008 | Whether it's political posturing or out of the goodness of their hearts, both presidential candidates are responding to Hurricane Gustav's havoc along the Gulf Coast--John McCain by curtailing the opening of this week's Republican National Convention and Barack Obama by asking supporters to donate money to the Red Cross. In the wake of such natural disasters, insurance companies, too, play politics, and this election cycle is no exception, with both presidential candidates collecting money from the industry.
Visa and US Bank Pay for Freshmen to Party
August 27, 2008 | Congressional newbies who feared they came to Capitol Hill too late to enjoy the famed convention parties thrown by corporate interests (a practice banned by recent ethics laws) will have a chance this afternoon to do just that. Visa and US Bank (a subsidiary of US Bancorp)--which have spent a total of $2.6 million on lobbying in the first six months of the year--are hosting a reception in the late afternoon for the freshman members of the House of Representatives. These lawmakers have also collected $19,450 in campaign contributions from the two companies' employees and PACs since they were elected.
Biden's Son a Registered Lobbyist
August 25, 2008 | Barack Obama may be trying to keep lobbyists out of his campaign, but after selecting Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate in the upcoming presidential election, he won't be able to keep lobbyists out of the family. Biden's son, Hunter, has been a registered lobbyist since 2001, pushing the agenda of universities and biotech companies on Capitol Hill.
How to Teach a Blue Dog Red Tricks
August 24, 2008 | There is an emboldened breed of politician strutting around Denver this week and tonight, as part of the Democratic Party's convention, multiple corporations will be throwing a late-night bash in honor of these creatures. A group of fiscally conservative Democrats known as the Blue Dog Coalition has been able to leverage centrist appeal and an increasing Democratic majority into strong gains in the House of Representatives. The group's unique appeal is evidenced in the Blue Dogs' formidable fundraising coalition.
Power Struggle: Plastics Manufacturing Lobby Sends Environmentalists a Message in a Bottle
August 7, 2008 | You can't turn your head without seeing plastic: computers, phones, bottles, furniture, clothing accessories. But plastic is made from oil--a fact most Americans aren't aware of--and rising oil prices have jacked up the price of plastic in the last few months. Up to eight percent of the country's oil goes into producing plastic, according to some estimates, and as Americans increasingly look for ways to reduce their environmental impact, plastics are beginning to be drawn into the energy debate.
Power Struggle: Alternative Energy Looks to New Administration, Congress for Progress
July 31, 2008 | Long in the shadow of traditional energy sources, alternative energy has come into the spotlight as a potential energy crisis looms. For some producers of alternative energy sources, this is the perfect time to promote their legislative wish list--and spend more money than they ever have before to do it. Others are considering the new push as just hype in the on-again, off-again quest for renewable energy.
Power Struggle: Division Within Biofuels Community Complicates the Energy Equation
July 24, 2008 | Producers of corn-based ethanol have had a strong relationship with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. But as the price of corn and other foods go up and the pitfalls of such ethanol become more pronounced, an array of next-generation biofuels have hit the scene, all grappling for government funding and feuding among themselves.
Power Struggle: Industry Standards
July 10, 2008 | Industries across the board have a stake in the outcome of energy legislation, either because they are looking for handouts or trying to minimize harm. Capital Eye profiles the major players, their concerns and the money they're spending to be heard on Capitol Hill.
TIME.com: CRP Leads Digital-Watchdog Charge
July 8, 2008 | The Center for Responsive Politics is at the head of the digital watchdog pack, with a bark that's coming across loudly, clearly and digitally, according to TIME.com. In an article about the citizen watchdogs of Web 2.0, TIME.com cited CRP for its work, including the relaunched OpenSecrets.org, "with a new palette of offerings to let people dig up and expose links between political contributions and subsequent decision making."
Florida Sweetens the Deal for Sugar
July 2, 2008 | The Sunshine State is planning to buy out the U.S. Sugar Corp. for the hefty price of $1.75 billion, and give the 187,000 acres of land currently inhabited by sugar cane back to the alligators and pelicans of the Florida Everglades. But this isn't the first time that money has passed between government and the sugar industry.
Money Gap Narrows Between Parties
June 16, 2008 | Republican party committees are currently collecting more overall than their Democratic counterparts, but the traditional money gap between the two is closing, according to a new report from the Federal Election Commission.
Grappling for Green
June 6, 2008 | Capitol Hill has ceased its green battle-for now. The U.S. Senate voted against continuing the debate over new climate change legislation, but environmentalists will likely continue to lobby for greener living, while energy and business lobbyists will continue to focus on those green dollar bills.
Revolving Door: Hastert's New Gig
June 5, 2008 | Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert didn't have far to jump between Capitol Hill and K Street.
Senator-Turned-Lobbyist Presents Subprime Situation for McCain
May 30, 2008 | The White House's new resident in January is going to have one heck of a complex economic mess to deal with. If that person is John McCain, he'll be there in part because of the hard work of a man whom economists are blaming for the crippling subprime meltdown.
Presidential Candidates' April Reports Due May 20th
May 19, 2008 | Tuesday, May 20 at midnight is the deadline for the presidential candidates to file their fundraising reports for April. At the Center for Responsive Politics we will grab the electronically filed data on Wednesday morning and go to work on categorizing donations by geography, industry, company, etc.
Corporate Sponsors Get the Party Started
May 15, 2008 | Sometimes all it takes to be the coolest kid on the block is throwing the best party--at least that's what the more than 50 corporations that signed up to underwrite the biggest Democratic bash of the year are banking on.
Pale Green
April 18, 2008 | When environmentalists, lobbyists and eco-friendly citizens come a-knockin' on lawmakers' office doors on Earth Day next week, Democrats (and some Republicans) will detail their legislation that directs taxes collected from the oil and gas industry towards renewable energy initiatives. What they probably won't mention is that lawmakers themselves aren't taking a risk on them with their own money.
A Friend in Need, Wall Street Gets Help from Washington
March 20, 2008 | The federal government's interest in the plight of investment and commercial banks is driven by the urgency of securing the U.S. economy, but the close ties between Wall Street and Washington may hint at other motives for lending a hand to these struggling financial institutions. The employees and political action committees of these firms bankroll federal campaigns like few other companies; the securities and investment industry ranks third among all industries in contributing to candidates and parties this election cycle, giving $71.5 million, with 60 percent to Democrats.
Retirement Funds
February 21, 2008 | For congressmen who have been in office for decades, fundraising is easy and campaigning is cheap. And when they decide to leave office, donors' contributions can finance an extended retirement party.
Cost of '08 Presidential Race Already Tops All Elections Prior to '04
February 4, 2008 | While Republicans saw gains, exclusive analysis of year-end contributions finds Democrats maintained their hold on most top-giving industries. Lawyers, retirees and Wall Street still dominate. Candidates are on pace to break 2004 records before parties officially nominate.
Obama Hopes for Post-Iowa Fundraising Surge
January 5, 2008 | Immediately after Barack Obama won the Iowa caucuses last week, his campaign was calling his opponents' top donors in hopes that they'd back him. The winners of the Iowa caucuses have traditionally seen a boost in the money they bring in, according to the Washington Post.
Mike Huckabee Pulls $150,000 Ad Blasting Mitt Romney on Abortion Stance
January 2, 2008 | When Republican Mike Huckabee announced that he wasn't going to run an ad costing $30,000 attacking opponent Mitt Romney, he didn't mention his additional decision not to use the TV footage, radio spots and mail pieces that cost his campaign $120,000.
Biggest Donors Are Digging Deeper for '08
November 15, 2007 | Top industries and interest groups have increased their giving over 2004 by 46 percent, Center finds. As money shifts to Democrats, giving from Republican strongholds is mostly flat.
Retirees Got Active in Presidential Campaign's 3rd Quarter
November 1, 2007 | Exclusive analysis finds lawyers are still the biggest givers to candidates for the White House, but retired contributors have edged out Wall Street. A year before '08 election, Democrats have the edge in nearly every major industry.
An Apple a Day Won't Keep the Lobbyists Away
August 1, 2007 | As Congress and the president debate just how much to spend on funding health insurance for children, various industries are trying to ensure they're not paying for it.
FEC Rolls Out Red Carpet to the White House
July 25, 2007 | Commissioners approve incentive to encourage entertainers to volunteer for campaigns—but how does the "currency of cool" fit into campaign finance regulations?
Shades of Green (Part of the "Cultivating Support in Washington" Series)
July 12, 2007 | Environmentalists, ethanol advocates, fiscal conservatives and conservationists want to see a move away from the New Deal.
Weighing In (Part of the "Cultivating Support in Washington" Series)
July 12, 2007 | Nutrition groups push for the farm bill to focus on Americans' eating habits.
Crops Compete for Scarce Resources (Part of the "Cultivating Support in Washington" Series)
July 12, 2007 | Wheat, citrus and sugar producers have their own wish lists for the 2007 farm bill.
Of Rice and Men (Part of the "Cultivating Support in Washington" Series)
July 12, 2007 | A battle rages over whether agricultural policy should support farmers or crop processors.
Cultivating Support in Washington
July 12, 2007 | A variety of interest groups are trying to influence lawmakers to honor their wishes for the 2007 farm bill.
Power Play Series: Energy & Oil and Gas
June 21, 2007 | Now that Democrats are in charge, oil companies have "targets on their backs," but the industry remains a lobbying machine.
Power Play Series: Energy & Coal Mining
June 21, 2007 | The industry tries to convince policymakers that coal can be clean.
Power Play Series: Energy & Alternatives
June 21, 2007 | The "anything but oil" mantra has put industries offering alternatives in their best position in decades.
Power Play Series: Energy & Agriculture
June 21, 2007 | Farmers whose crops have potential as fuel see a way to bolster their struggling industry, while others worry that greater demand for biofuels will raise food prices.
Border Patrol Series: Immigration & Agribusiness
June 14, 2007 | Heavily reliant on immigrant workers, the farming industry is largely united in support of the immigration bill.
Border Patrol Series: Immigration & Business
June 14, 2007 | Business speaks with a loud voice, but its sub-industries have varying views.
Can You Help Us Identify These Mystery PACs?
May 29, 2007 | Politicians set up so-called leadership PACs to raise even more money. But they don't want you to know what they're doing. __________________ Currently, a leadership political action committee, or leadership PAC, is not required to disclose the lawmaker with whom it is affiliated. North Carolina Rep. Walter B. Jones is hoping to shine more light…
Financiers, Along with Lawyers, are Underwriting the Race for the White House, Watchdog Finds
April 18, 2007 | New, exclusive analysis on OpenSecrets.org finds attorneys have given candidates the most, but Wall Street's biggest firms top all other companies. Candidates have relied on their personal connections for early fundraising.
Congressional Preview
April 7, 2007 | New leadership in the 110th Congress means newfound influence for interests friendly to Democrats By Miranda Blue and Lindsay Renick Mayer January 04, 2007 | With the changing of the guard on Capitol Hill comes a shift in lobbying efforts. In December, the Republican-led 109th Congress closed with a late-night flurry of bills to appease…
Heating Up
March 8, 2007 | Now that Democrats control Congress, the political dynamic of climate change has shifted. Many industries and interests have a stake. By Lindsay Renick Mayer March 08, 2007 | The earth is warming at an unnatural pace, but this isn't the only climate change that has multiple industries re-assessing their political strategy. As the debate over…
Fundraising Wasn't for the Forefathers
February 22, 2007 | The earliest candidates for president would have a hard time imagining a $1 billion campaign. By Lindsay Renick Mayer February 22, 2007 | It's a scene that George Washington couldn't possibly have envisioned in 1789: Presidential candidates entering the race with millions of dollars in the bank, Hollywood parties bagging $1.3 million for a single…
Democrats Set Their Sights on Iraq Contracts
February 8, 2007 | A generous giver to Republicans, the defense sector is facing new scrutiny now that Democrats are in control. By Lindsay Renick Mayer February 08, 2007 | In questioning just how many taxpayer dollars have been wasted on bloated contracts to fight the war in Iraq, members of a congressional oversight committee refuted the notion Wednesday…
Money Divided House Vote to Tax Oil Industry
January 23, 2007 | Members of Congress who voted against raising taxes for Big Oil received more in contributions from the industry. By Lindsay Renick Mayer January 23, 2007 | (Correction 11/7/2007: This story has been corrected to reflect Kay Bailey Hutchison's position as a U.S. senator.) When the House of Representatives voted last week to raise taxes on…
State of the Union Preview
January 22, 2007 | Global warming, the Iraq war and balancing the budget are likely to be among the issues the president addresses. By Lindsay Renick Mayer January 22, 2007 | When President Bush takes the podium on Tuesday night to deliver his annual address, he will do so before a nation that is far less supportive of his…
OpenSecrets.org Monitors Washington's 'Revolving Door'
January 4, 2007 | With the capital's post-election 'NBA draft' in full swing, a new online database tracks the public and private employment of 6,400 well-connected individuals ____________________ WASHINGTON – As Congress debates ways to slow the "revolving door" between Capitol Hill and K Street lobbying firms, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has added a new feature to…
Foley Contributed Nearly $745,000 to Republicans
October 3, 2006 | Florida congressman in scandal was a major donor to the Republicans' effort to hold the House. Candidates in close races are dumping his money—but Foley has nearly $2.8 million left. By Massie Ritsch October 03, 2006 | At the center of an online sex scandal involving teenage pages, Rep. Mark Foley is the latest disgraced…
Campaign Ads Drill Incumbents for Taking Oil Money
August 7, 2006 | As gas prices rise, Republicans are taking most of the heat for their industry ties, but contributions have flowed to Democrats as well. By Lindsay Renick Mayer August 07, 2006 | Political analysts may argue about how oil factored into America's decision to invade Iraq, but there's little debate about the oil and gas industry's…
Debate Over Internet Equality Is Hardly Neutral
June 23, 2006 | Senators take up the network neutrality issue, which pits entrenched telecom interests against the Internet's newcomers. By Neil Tambe and Eric Warren June 23, 2006 | The Senate is now considering legislation that would ensure the Internet remains based on a principle of equal and open connectivity. Opponents of so-called network neutrality legislation have contributed…
Center for Responsive Politics Welcomes New Communications Director
January 9, 2006 | Former journalist Massie Ritsch joins non-partisan group studying money in politics ____________________ A former reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Massie Ritsch, has joined the Center for Responsive Politics as the non-partisan organization's Communications Director. Through its award-winning, publicly accessible website, www.OpenSecrets.org, CRP examines the influence of money on elections and public policy, especially in…