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In the News
Original journalism from the Center's OpenSecrets News
Companies' political spending contradicts Pride support
June 13, 2019 | Beyond the press releases and branded content, many companies supporting Pride are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting politicians who oppose measures favored by the LGBTQ community.
World of influence: A guide to Trump's foreign business interests
June 4, 2019 | Two years into his presidency, Donald Trump continues to make money from properties and licensing deals in nearly two dozen countries around the world.
Breaking down the personal finances of the 2020 Democrats
May 29, 2019 | With less than a month until the first Democratic presidential debate, the public is getting its first look at the candidates' personal finances.
Trump has reported earning an estimated $2.3 billion since announcing presidential run
May 16, 2019 | President Trump reported earning an estimated $461 million in income last year, according to most recent disclosures to the Office of Government Ethics.
North Carolina candidates (and some super PACs) do battle in 9th District special election
May 10, 2019 | Tuesday's North Carolina 3rd District special election primary will decide which Republican faces Democrat Dan McCready, a powerhouse fundraiser.
Russian-tied Trump Tower lobbyist and GOP operative lobbying for Kazakh fugitive
May 3, 2019 | A Russian-tied lobbyist who attended the Trump Tower meeting and a longtime GOP operative are teaming up to lobby on behalf of a Kazakh fugitive.
Former Vice President Joe Biden finally enters 2020 presidential race
April 25, 2019 | After months of deliberation, former VP Joe Biden entered the 2020 Democratic primary. In the past, his donors have been heavily male.
Where are 2020 Democrats getting the most money from?
April 24, 2019 | Employees of law firms, tech companies and investment firms are contributing large amounts to Demcorats running for President in 2020.
Outside groups spending big in crowded North Carolina special elections
April 24, 2019 | With voting underway in the crowded North Carolina primaries, outside groups are spending to support their favorite candidates.
The most generous megadonors of the 2020 cycle — so far
April 22, 2019 | Just three months into the 2020 cycle, two dozen individuals have already given $200,000 or more to federal candidates and parties.
How will Eric Swalwell raise money in crowded Democratic field?
April 9, 2019 | Swalwell has a rather average fundraising background compared to some of his current opponents, raking in more than $3 million for his 2018 reelection.
Fueled by union cash, Tim Ryan enters 2020 Democratic primary
April 4, 2019 | Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) announced his presidential primary bid on Thursday. With a history of labor support, Ryan will look to secure their fundraising.
Shining a light on recent transparency reforms — did they work?
March 15, 2019 | As Sunshine Week comes to a close, we take a look back at two recent reforms that show the ups and downs of advocating for greater government transparency.
Embattled former Albanian official hires lobbyists to reverse US ban
March 11, 2019 | A former Albanian government official who is banned from entering the United States has hired two American lobbyists in an effort to get the ban repealed.
House Republicans accuse Cohen of failing to register as foreign agent in fiery hearing
February 27, 2019 | Michael Cohen, longtime personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, came under scrutiny for ties to foreign interests during a Congressional hearing on February 27th.
A guide to CPAC's sponsors: from a Japanese cryptocurrency startup to the NRA
February 26, 2019 | A second-amendment concert venue and restaurant. Japanese cryptocurrency start-up. Right-wing European political parties. Meet the sponsors for CPAC 2019.
State of Money in Politics: Wall Street, other major industries trending left
February 20, 2019 | Almost every major industry swung from Republicans to Democrats in 2018, a trend that cannot continue if the GOP is to recover in 2020.
California-focused super PAC looks to expand and 'flip the west' from red to blue
February 20, 2019 | Flip the 14, a super PAC, focused its 2018 efforts on unseating the Republican members of California's House delegation. Now, it is looking to expand.
Can Amy Klobuchar raise enough money to match her primary opponents?
February 8, 2019 | Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced her presidental bid on Sunday. But can she raise enough money to keep up with her well-funded Senate colleagues?
Everything you need to know about where Cory Booker gets his money
February 1, 2019 | Sen Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced his presidential bid on the first day of Black History Month. Take a look into where the profilic fundraiser gets his cash.
US lobbyists help Yugoslav prince on quest for royal family's gold
January 28, 2019 | A trust in rural Ohio is involved in an effort seemingly out of an "Indiana Jones" movie — it hired a lobbying firm to help reunite a European royal family with their personal gold.
Kirsten Gillibrand, rejecting PACs but backed by Wall Street, announces presidential bid
January 16, 2019 | Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who has gotten plenty of Wall St. money, announced that she has formed an exploratory committee for a presidential run.
Ocasio-Cortez, Romney, Omar among prominent freshmen to launch leadership PACs
January 11, 2019 | At least 24 different freshmen in the House and Senate have started their own leadership PACs so far, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ihlan Omar.
The revolving career of Jon Kyl
December 14, 2018 | Kyl, who will leave his seat Dec. 31, has had a decorated career in both Congress and the lobbying world.
The usual suspects placed bets on this year's most competitive races
November 28, 2018 | Winning Democratic challengers and losing incumbent Republicans drew from very different sources of funding during the 2018 election.
What Trump's major donors are spending in the midterms
October 30, 2018 | Some of the donors who spent big on President Donald Trump's campaign in 2016 have been spending millions on the midterms.
Lobbying spending at highest levels since 2010
October 25, 2018 | Nearly $2.6 billion has been spent on lobbyists so far, the most through three quarters since 2010 and $100 million more than at this point in 2017. Third-quarter spending is up by approximately $30 million over last year.
Personal wealth in the Senate Judiciary Committee
October 12, 2018 | The Senate Judiciary Committee is one of the most prestigious bodies in Congress, and this lofty status is often reflected in the depths of its members' pocketbooks.
Can these potential 2020 candidates afford to run for president?
September 14, 2018 | Whoever wants to be president in 2020 will have to raise millions. The fundraising histories of these potential candidates can help us gauge whether they've got what it takes.
Democrat Beto O'Rourke is creeping up on Ted Cruz in the Texas Senate race — both in fundraising and polls
August 27, 2018 | Although incumbent Ted Cruz is still favored to beat challenger Beto O'Rourke in November, this is the first time in decades a Democrat has even come close to a Senate seat in Texas.
Trump's top SCOTUS picks less wealthy than current court
July 6, 2018 | The median net worth of Supreme Court justices was $4.6 million in 2017. The reported frontrunners to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy are relatively less wealthy.
DCCC spends more than $110,000 backing a Republican in California House race
June 1, 2018 | John Gabbard, a Republican running in California's 48th District House race, is getting support from the DCCC, which some believe is an attempt to split the conservative vote across three candidates.
Eyes on California in next week's quasi-Super Tuesday
May 31, 2018 | Voters go to the polls Tuesday for primaries in eight states where candidates and outside groups have already spent nearly $200 million.
National Democrats pour more than $1.5 million into crowded California House races ahead of June primaries
May 23, 2018 | The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent more than $1.6 million in three competitive California districts this week. Democrats are hoping to flip those districts this fall.
Midterms attracting new deep-pocketed donors
February 20, 2018 | Twenty-seven new donors broke onto the scene last year by giving at least $100,000 to political causes after contributing no more than $20,000 from 1989 to 2016. It's an eclectic group to say the least.
Drain the swamp? Lobbyists are filling it up
January 26, 2018 | President Trump promised to drain the swamp. Instead, it's filling up. For the first time since 2007, the number of registered lobbyists went up in 2017.
Lobbying spending hits historic lows
October 23, 2017 | Note: Some lobbyists file after the quarterly deadline. Visit our lobbying page for the most current data. Washington lobbying groups spent less money and reported fewer lobbyists during the third quarter of 2017 than in any quarter since at least 2008, when Center for Responsive Politics began tracking the data. Congress spent the summer considering…
OpenSecrets releases new 2015 personal financial data: Senators get richer; others not so much
October 13, 2017 | The majority of Congress are still millionaires, but Senators increased their net worth in 2015 at a far greater rate than Congress as a whole. In 2015, the median net worth of Senate Republicans rose 13 percent from $2.9 million to $3.3 million, according to personal financial disclosure data filed by congressional members and reviewed by…
Why some campaign contributions get returned
October 10, 2017 | It's been a big week for politicians refunding tainted campaign donations. First, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. returned a $32,000 contribution from Donald Trump's personal attorney Marc Kasowitz, who made the donation in 2013 after Vance decided not to pursue a fraud investigation against Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Now, at least a…
What does the 2018 election hold for House leadership?
July 31, 2017 | The Center will soon be updating web pages for members to include 2018 cycle data. As a preview of what's coming, here are some preliminary numbers for House leaders Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House. Ryan is clearly popular with Wall Street – his candidate committee…
Outside groups kick into high gear post-primary in Georgia, South Carolina
June 19, 2017 | On Tuesday, voters in Georgia's 6th Congressional District will vote in the most expensive House election ever. A staggering $56.7 million (at least) has been spent on the special election, including $51.9 million on the two candidates left standing after the primary. The race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel is the most expensive House race…
Trump earned at least $1.3 billion in the last two and a half years
June 16, 2017 | The Trump presidency is less than five months old, but has been a quick study at one longstanding D.C. tradition: the Friday-night dump. Administrations often release promised documents once journalists have left the office for the weekend, hoping that any damaging info would get lost in the news cycle turnover. Today, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics has followed suit and released a…
In California 34th, one Dem is clear favorite of PACs and outside groups
June 2, 2017 | The original 23 contenders on the ballot to fill California's 34th district seat in the House have dwindled to two. And while one has the edge when it comes to funds raised, the other is the clear winner among outside spending groups. The last candidates standing, Democrats Jimmy Gomez and Robert Lee Ahn, head to a…
Biden's new PAC could be a signal…or not
June 1, 2017 | Remember when we told you super PACs are already gearing up for 2018, and even in some cases 2020? Looks like a potential challenger to President Donald Trump is also stocking a warchest more than three years in advance: former Vice President Joe Biden. "[T]he negativity, the pettiness, the small-mindedness of our politics today drives…
Biggest share of inaugural funding came from Wall Street
May 4, 2017 | For someone who repeatedly berated Wall Street during his campaign, President Trump received a lot of inauguration help from its inhabitants. The securities and investment industry contributed the greatest chunk to Trump's inaugural festivities, $14.3 million, or about 13 percent of all donations. To compare, Obama received $4.6 million from Wall Street in 2009 and $3…
Little outside spending but lots of self-funding in South Carolina special
April 28, 2017 | While you're not seeing much in terms of cheesy outside group ads in South Carolina's special election, there's no shortage of unique messaging going on in the race. Turn on the TV and you can catch one of candidate Sheri Few's ads, in which she's holding an AR-15 and condemning lawmakers from removing Confederate flags and…
Surge in LLC contributions brings more mystery about true donors
April 27, 2017 | Donald Trump's inaugural committee did well by almost any standard: Doubling the previous record for cash raised to fund festivities around a new president's swearing-in, it took in contributions from every major sector of the economy, and from donors who had steered clear of his campaign prior to the election. The committee also received about…
250 donors shelled out $100k or more for Trump's inauguration, providing 91% of funds
April 19, 2017 | What does it take to stage a welcome-to-the-neighborhood blowout? President Trump raised $107 million for his inaugural festivities, shattering previous records. The former titleholder, Barack Obama, raised half that, $53.2 million, in 2009 — though Obama imposed far stricter limits on amounts and sources of donations. At least 47 people or organizations gave $1 million…
OpenSecrets adds data on executive branch personal finances – but White House officials have yet to file disclosures
March 23, 2017 | Today, the Center for Responsive Politics is releasing new personal financial data for members of the Trump administration. Collected from reports that executive branch nominees are required to submit to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the data gives the public an inside look at the financial interests of what is likely the wealthiest cabinet…
More than Mar-a-Lago: Members of all Trump clubs could have access to the president
March 10, 2017 | With each of President Donald Trump's trips to the Mar-a-Lago Club questions mount about who, exactly, is there with him. Those wealthy enough to spend $200,000 for a club membership don't have to try to schedule a meeting with Trump in Washington when they can bump into him at the winter White House and bend…
Leftover campaign cash can signal future plans
February 10, 2017 | The money candidates raise and spend during the heat of a campaign are pretty good predictors of the outcome. In 2016, for instance, the candidate who spent more won in 94 percent of Senate contests and 96 percent of House races. But now that Election Day has come and gone, another set of figures can…
Lobbying numbers down again — but poised to shoot up with new administration
February 1, 2017 | Note: Since some lobbyists file after the quarterly deadline, visit our lobbying summary for the most current data. We started to spot the decline when Barack Obama took office: Fewer people registered to lobby, and less money was being spent to influence Washington. And that trend continued last year: By the end of 2016, companies spent $3.1 billion…
Trump's pick: Gorsuch is respected jurist — and another multimillionaire
January 31, 2017 | It's official: If Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's choice to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, is confirmed by the Senate, we'll have yet another millionaire on the court of last resort. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals judge is a respected jurist and elegant writer who's considered similar to the late justice whose seat he may…
Holiday reading list: OpenSecrets Blog's best of 2016
December 22, 2016 | Boy, has 2016 been a whirlwind adventure. If you're like us, you have tabs and tabs of unread stories that caught your eye during the workday, but haven't had time to dive into yet. Now that the holiday break is upon us, we'll finally have the time to sink into that comfy chair by the…
Rick Perry, with multiple ties to CEO of controversial pipeline project, tapped for Energy Dept.
December 13, 2016 | The Dakota Access Pipeline protesters just got a new reason to keep their Standing Rock encampment intact: former Texas governor and two-time presidential candidate Rick Perry, tapped today by President-elect Donald Trump to head his Energy Department. Never mind that Perry — who now becomes the second of Trump's competitors named to his Cabinet (Ben…
Carson's cash: Highly conservative interests have fueled his campaign and kept food on the table
December 6, 2016 | No (public) experience required. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson has been tapped to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, despite never holding public office in his career. (Even Carson admitted he would be a "fish out of water" as a federal bureaucrat a few weeks back.) However, since the former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins did run…
Oilmen, pro-development financiers and Sarah Palin in the queue for Interior
November 28, 2016 | Update: In early December, Trump announced he would nominate Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke (R) to run Interior. Read more about Zinke here. While names were announced for a slew of appointments to President-elect Donald Trump's administration last week, there are still some significant posts left — like running the Interior Department, which is in charge…
HHS contenders: A crop of politicians with major funding from health sector
November 18, 2016 | Nov. 29 update: President-elect Donald Trump named Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) as his pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Unsuccessful GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson declared Tuesday that he has no interest in a position in the Trump cabinet and instead wants to serve the administration as an outside advisor because he…
No Secretary of State prospect donated to Trump
November 16, 2016 | Update Dec. 14: President-elect Trump tapped ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson. For background on his political contributions, click here. We continue our series on the money-in-politics histories of candidates for Donald Trump's future Cabinet by looking at those who have been mentioned as possibilities to run the State Department. (See our earlier analyses on prospects for…
Pentagon pick could have deep influence on Trump
November 15, 2016 | Updated Nov. 16. Update Dec. 1. President-elect Donald Trump chose retired Marine Gen. James N. Mattis as Secretary of Defense. President-elect Donald Trump has made inflammatory comments about some of the nation's current or possible defense policies. He has hinted at a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, supported use of nuclear weapons, called NATO…
Following the money of Trump's Treasury hopefuls
November 14, 2016 | Update Nov. 30: President-elect Donald Trump selected Steven Mnunchin as his Treasury Secretary. Read on for more information or see summary data on his contributions here. New administration, new Cabinet members. President-elect Donald Trump has already begun picking out his crew, but so far, his two concrete choices did not donate a penny to Trump's election…
The NRA Placed Big Bets on the 2016 Election, and Won Almost All of Them
November 9, 2016 | OpenSecrets Blog and The Trace partnered on this story; it was published by both outlets. In North Carolina, the NRA spent $6.2 million on the incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr, the most it has ever invested in a down-ballot race. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) The National Rifle Association took a historic gamble in 2016, and it paid…
$1.4 billion and counting in spending by super PACs, dark money groups
November 9, 2016 | Setting a new record and driving much of the higher cost of this year's elections over 2012's, outside groups that weren't formally connected to either political party broke $1.4 billion in outlays in the 2016 cycle. That's up from the $1 billion these groups — mostly super PACs and 501(c) organizations — spent in 2012,…
Where the money came from, not how much, mattered in the presidential race
November 9, 2016 | Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House despite raising half as much campaign cash as his Democratic opponent and benefiting from $162 million less in outside spending by groups devoted solely to helping him win. It's the first time since 1996 that the president-elect raised less money than his opponent, and the Dole v.…
Here's where World Series champ owners give their campaign cash
November 3, 2016 | It only took 108 years. The Chicago Cubs finally achieved what seemed to be the impossible, breaking the Curse of the Billy Goat in a remarkable comeback to beat the Cleveland Indians in the World Series 4 games to 3. In honor of the end of the drought, OpenSecrets Blog thought it would be only fitting to profile the…
Fundraising histories and lots of experience in speculative Clinton Cabinet
October 28, 2016 | Washington thrives on speculation and now, after months of guessing at things like primary contenders and vice presidential picks, it's time to draft potential cabinets. With no shortage of well-educated guesses on who might lead the various executive departments, certain names crop up more often than others, often officials and bureaucrats with substantial political and policy…
Total cost of 2016 election could reach $6.6 billion, CRP predicts
October 25, 2016 | Note: Please see our updated prediction of the cost of the 2016 election. Is 2016 the Year of the Billionaire when it comes to financing the election? There are plenty in the mix. And they've helped fuel what is turning out to be the most expensive election ever. The Center for Responsive Politics projects that candidates,…
Outside groups — mostly party establishment — playing big in GOP's vulnerable districts
October 13, 2016 | With scorching news about Donald Trump dominating the media, along with his equally blistering pushback, GOP members of Congress have had to make some tough decisions about where to position themselves vis-a-vis the top of the ticket. And situation's trickle-down volatility has done them no favors, helping to ensure that the latest Roll Call list…
Trump's tax losses, and the political power of real estate
October 7, 2016 | The possibility that Donald Trump avoided paying income tax for nearly two decades has stirred debate about how, exactly, he managed to report almost $1 billion in net operating losses on his 1995 tax return. It has also triggered buzz about the copious benefits available to the real estate industry in our tax code. The exact…
Pence, Kaine share long histories in the fundraising trenches
October 4, 2016 | Though divided ideologically, Indiana's Republican Gov. Mike Pence and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia have traced similar paths through state and federal politics on their way to being nominated for vice president. Both have served in Congress and as governors, and now hope to assume the government's second-from-the-top job. Though they may not discuss it…
Donald Trump's fractional fundraising
September 29, 2016 | Donald Trump and Mitt Romney may not have much in common, and the 2012 GOP presidential nominee has made no bones about his visceral dislike of the pugilistic businessman who is carrying his party's banner this time around. When it comes to campaign fundraising, though, there's a lot of overlap in their pools of donors.…
And the good times rolled: 17 donors gave three-quarters of Dems' convention money
September 28, 2016 | Talk about disproportional giving: The group organizing the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this year raised almost three-fourths of its donations from only 17 sources. The Dems' host committee raised $69.7 million, with $51.2 million of that coming in from contributions, grants, or in-kind donations worth $1 million or more each. That includes a $10…
In tight Wisconsin race, Johnson and Feingold take different paths to similar warchests
August 19, 2016 | Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) and his challenger Russ Feingold have raised almost exactly the same amount of money in their race for a Wisconsin Senate seat. But they've done so in very different ways. In terms of fundraising, the race is among the tightest in the country, not to mention one of the few where a challenger has raised…
Pharma cos. and celebrities flood DNC festivities
July 28, 2016 | The klieg lights were on full strength Wednesday at a star-studded lunch highlighting obesity treatment and, later, a Fergie concert, both put on by the Creative Coalition — with help from pharma giants like Novo Nordisk — on the third day of the Democratic National Convention. "I think you couple the artistry with celebrity to create…
GOP Veepstakes: The money behind the contenders
July 13, 2016 | The anticipation is killing us: What name will appear along with Donald Trump's on the Republican ticket? The presumptive nominee could announce his VP pick any day now, just in time for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next week. The Donald is reported to be appearing at a public event with his chosen running mate on Friday, according…
Bayh is back — with a bulging war chest
July 13, 2016 | When former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) retired from politics at the end of 2010, more than $10 million sat in his campaign account. Now, after five years of work as a partner in a lobbying firm and an adviser for a private equity group, Bayh is mounting a bid to return to the Senate. News that he planned…
Clinton and Wall Street: What's the deal, really?
July 12, 2016 | In May, Wall Streeters donated more than any other industry to Hillary Clinton's campaign and pro-Clinton super PACs – nearly $4.45 million out of her total $314 million raised. Retired people and the printing & publishing industry took the Nos. 2 and 3 spots. This news tracks with one of the major critiques of Clinton: that…
Pennsylvania Senate race draws highest outside money from the left
July 8, 2016 | Outside spending groups have poured more than $20.4 million so far into Pennsylvania's Senate race between Republican incumbent Pat Toomey and Democrat Katie McGinty, putting it close behind Ohio's Senate race, at $21.8 million, for the most outside spending in a congressional contest. But while Ohio's race is dominated by conservative groups backed by the Koch brothers, such as the political…
Jeb's magnificent super PAC: an autopsy
June 30, 2016 | Super PACs can churn through a lot of money. Exhibit A: Jeb Bush's Right to Rise USA. Led by veteran GOP operative Mike Murphy, Right to Rise was excoriated in the press for burning through $87 million in independent expenditures in support of Bush (and tens of millions more in operating expenses — $104 million total) without any discernible…
A gaping funding chasm between Clinton and Trump
June 21, 2016 | Last month, Donald Trump tweeted that his campaign had "perhaps more cash than any campaign in the history of politics." New Federal Election Commission filings show that he was very, very wrong. At the end of May, Trump's campaign had nearly $1.3 million in cash on hand, putting him significantly behind Hillary Clinton's $42 million.…
Wall Street's fab five: House members, candidates most reliant on funding from finance industry
June 1, 2016 | This post has been updated. Hedge fund and other private equity managers have created a huge imbalance in the campaign finance picture with their massive contributions to super PACs. But as an industry, Wall Street writ large makes its mark in the simplest of ways: by simply giving more, by far, to candidates than any…
The Hillary Clinton of the Maryland 8th?
March 11, 2016 | This story was cross-posted on TIME.com. Wrapped around D.C.'s northern tip and barely a precious stone's throw from the U.S. Capitol, Maryland's 8th Congressional District is one of the nation's wealthiest: Census Bureau figures show its residents have a median household income of more than $94,000. Plenty of cash there, then, to fund the numerous…
Exiled from Koch orbit, American Future Fund turns to GOP establishment for cash
March 7, 2016 | Last week, real estate mogul and current GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump tweeted to his 6.6 million Twitter followers about a "phony Rubio commercial" that was making hay out of Trump's ongoing legal troubles with the now-defuct Trump University. Phony Rubio commercial. I could have settled, but won't out of principle! See student surveys. https://t.co/KKHiBH554d —…
Candidates go head-to-head in Super Tuesday money race
February 25, 2016 | Next Tuesday could make or break some of the remaining presidential campaigns and leave us with just a handful. The race for cash from the Super Tuesday states looks very different from the race for delegates, though. Four candidates have won at least one of the dozen states with March 1 primaries or caucuses, measured…
The political money in Super Bowl 50
February 5, 2016 | With the veteran Denver Broncos matching up against the youthful North Carolina Panthers at Super Bowl 50 this weekend, one story line is about the quarterback matchup: newly minted MVP Cam Newton versus Peyton Manning, a five-time winner of that honor who is rumored to be retiring after Sunday. Of course, it's also all about…
Super PACs allow Wall Street to dominate presidential giving in 2015
February 2, 2016 | The securities and investment industry flexed serious financial muscle in the presidential money race last year. At $102 million contributed to all candidates, current and former, and the super PACs supporting them, it led all industries tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics, new data show. Super PACs allowed the industry to gain an outsize share…
$100 million floods into presidential super PACs in second half of 2015
February 1, 2016 | Well-known liberal and conservative political donors left the sidelines and injected tens of millions of dollars into the presidential race over the past six months. And once again, it was a tiny group of individuals and businesses who gave a great deal of the money now being deployed in the presidential nomination fights. Reports filed…
For lobbying, gravity's pull continues, floor not found yet
January 26, 2016 | We're running out of synonyms for "decline." For years, OpenSecrets Blog has reported essentially the same headline. Washington's influence industry appears to be contracting, and the trend continued in 2015. Overall spending dipped just slightly last year, from $3.24 billion in 2014 to $3.20 billion, but the number became the latest data point in the long, slow slide in…
Corker's top contributors are tenants in building he owns
January 20, 2016 | This post has been updated. The commercial building Sen. Bob Corker owns in Chattanooga, Tenn. has space for one restaurant, one retail store and at least three general offices. In one of the latter sits Corker's largest source of campaign contributions over his career, Center for Responsive Politics data show. Employees at the large southeastern law…
Lawmaker landlords: Members make millions from property owned
January 14, 2016 | How do you measure a year in the life of a lawmaker? How about…rent? Lawmakers received, at a minimum, $27.1 million from rental, capital gains, interest and dividend income from their property in 2014. Maybe unsurprisingly, the wealthiest members of Congress received the most. We've extensively documented how the richest members of Congress are wealthy,…
Reps. Israel and McDermott step off the fundraising circuit
January 6, 2016 | Two lawmakers, Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott (Wash.) and Steve Israel (N.Y.), announced their retirements this week, joining a parade of members of their party who will exit the House in 2017. In an interview with the New York Times, Israel indicated that the current campaign finance system, with its never-ending fundraising demands, had an impact…
Money begets money: For many lawmakers, salary is secondary
January 6, 2016 | Year after year, OpenSecrets.org data shows that Congress is a millionaire's club. That's true even though members make "only" $174,000 a year, largely because many of them are wealthy before they're elected. In fact, salary isn't the top source of income for a large group of these lawmakers: Their pay is outstripped by the interest…
List of lawmakers losing fundraising race is dominated by the scandal-plagued
December 11, 2015 | Several incumbent lawmakers who are giving off the whiff of scandal have another worry on top of their legal woes: They aren't keeping up with their challengers, many from within their own parties, in the fundraising arena. Take Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), who's facing a rematch against Ro Khanna, a former Obama administration official whom…
Personal wealth: a nation of extremes, and a Congress, too
November 17, 2015 | A yearly report from the Center for Responsive Politics. Wealth inequality in the United States is pervasive — so much so that it's apparent even in Congress. The House and Senate have their own form of inequality within their ranks. Of the 534 current members, the 53 richest owned nearly 80 percent of the estimated wealth held by…
Wisconsin may strike employer disclosure for campaign donors
November 5, 2015 | Update, Nov. 9: In the wee hours of Sunday morning, Wisconsin's state Senate passed a bill that ends the requirement for donors to disclose their employers when giving to state-level campaigns or other political committees. The bill, along with others that would raise contribution limits, eliminate the Government Accountability Board and allow coordination between candidates…
Lawyers backing Clinton, financiers flocking to Bush: Who's funding the race for the White House
October 22, 2015 | Lawyers are showing a lot of love for Hillary Clinton, while Wall Street is investing most heavily in Jeb Bush. Outside of retirees, a traditional and unsurprising donor base for most candidates, the 2016 presidential candidates looked to a variety of industries in their quest for campaign money from individuals in 2015's third quarter, a Center…
Women charged in UN bribery case were donors to Rep. Calvert
October 7, 2015 | Two women arrested Tuesday morning and charged in federal court with laundering money from Chinese businessmen each tried to give a California GOP lawmaker the maximum contributions allowed by law last year, Federal Election Commission records show. Jason Gagnon, communications director for Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), whose campaign and leadership PAC received the checks, said…
Boehner raised nearly $100 million over career, gave much of it to party and candidates
September 25, 2015 | Whatever else is said about him, you can't say he didn't share. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) raised $97 million for his House campaigns and leadership PAC from the time he received his first donations in 1989, Center for Responsive Politics data shows — far more than any other sitting House member. Only Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lamar…
Bush campaign rearranges some contributions in response to FEC query
September 3, 2015 | The campaign of former Florida governor and 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush on Monday told the Federal Election Commission (FEC) how it would deal with excess contributions in response to a July query from the agency. The July letter from the FEC stated that one section of Bush's report covering the second quarter of 2015 disclosed…
Emails show how Clinton fundraiser-turned-lobbyist used connections for clients
September 3, 2015 | A year after New York-based real estate company Delos Living committed $250,000 to a signature initiative of Hillary Clinton's State Department, the Clinton Global Initiative partnered with Delos on a $5 million project to build a "world-class" soccer stadium in earthquake-ravaged Haiti, documents show. Working the players at both ends were two old Clinton hands — Virginia Gov.…
Diverse 2016 candidates take in largely similar industry contributions
August 11, 2015 | As many Americans sat in front of their television sets Thursday evening to watch the first party-sanctioned debate of the 2016 presidential election season, they were probably not surprised that the GOP contenders attempted to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. As the Center's recently updated 2016 presidential profiles show, however, the candidates' top…
A few new faces — but not many — among megadonors to presidential super PACs
August 1, 2015 | The 2016 presidential race may be a whole new ballgame in terms of fundraising, but most of the players' names are awfully familiar — even if their faces are a bit more lined. Very few of the top donors to the super PACs backing one of the many GOP White House hopefuls or the handful…
Trash-talking Washington, but cleaning up with D.C. donors
July 29, 2015 | When former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) announced his run for the presidency back in June, he tried to cast himself as a Washington outsider — despite his family's long-standing ties to the nation's capital. "We are not going to clean up the mess in Washington by electing the people who either helped create it…
Clinton first, Trump last on share of funds from women
July 27, 2015 | Whatever Hillary Clinton's gender gap may be in the polls, she's able to raise money from men and women in roughly equal amounts — which puts her way ahead of the presidential candidate pack when it comes to bringing in contributions from her own sex. The former secretary of state has thus far raised 49.8…
At the National Constitution Center, all money is created equal
July 2, 2015 | Independence Day is just around the corner, and families across America will be in search of fun (and maybe even educational) activities to participate in over the weekend. For anyone in Philadelphia — where both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were approved and signed, a good place to start would be the National…
The dark money man behind the Donald
June 18, 2015 | Real estate mogul Donald Trump has toyed around with running for president many times before, only to decide later on that he wouldn't do so. Earlier this week, however, "The Donald" — a man who constantly flaunts his wealth and in recent years made a habit out of questioning the validity of President Barack Obama's…
Denny Hastert, the eclectic lobbyist
May 29, 2015 | Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-Ill.) indictment Thursday by the Justice Department on charges of evading cash transaction reporting requirements and lying to the FBI came as something of a shock to many, in part because Hastert has led a pretty low-key life as a lobbyist at Dickstein Shapiro LLP since leaving Congress in 2007. In…
Lawmakers who traveled to Azerbaijan urged action benefiting state oil company that funded trip
May 26, 2015 | Several lawmakers caught up in an investigation of their participation in a lavish overseas trip introduced legislation that would benefit the alleged host of their spring 2013 junket – the state-owned Azerbaijani oil company. Additionally, these lawmakers — and others on the trip — have received tens of thousands of dollars in donations from a…
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 —…
Rubio's Money Operation Reels In Serious Donors
April 23, 2015 | The nascent presidential campaign of Sen. Marco Rubio has its hurdles — not the least of which is trying to emerge from the shadow of a more senior fellow Floridian and White House hopeful. But the latest Federal Election Commission filings show that some big donors seem to want him in the game. Last week, the…
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…
The JCN Story: Building a Secretive GOP Judicial Machine
March 23, 2015 | This story was cross-posted at The Daily Beast. It was a cold winter night in Washington, D.C., not long after President George W. Bush won a second term, and the mood at the upscale Italian restaurant was downright celebratory. The most prominent guest was Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, but his table also boasted a…
Not Such a Schock? Big-Spending, Mileage-Accumulating Illinois Lawmaker Steps Down
March 17, 2015 | Rep. Aaron Schock's resignation today may slow the cascade of revelations in recent weeks about his elaborate Masterpiece Theater-inspired office decorations, his flights on private jets and stays in luxury hotels on the taxpayer's dime. Deeper troubles may lay ahead, though, for the Republican from Peoria as details of his involvement in real estate deals…
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…
Schock Campaign's Travel, Catering Bills Rival Those of Party Leaders
February 13, 2015 | Rep. Aaron Schock has had a bad few weeks. He's been mocked for redecorating his congressional office in the style of Downton Abbey, accused of selling his house to a campaign donor for an inflated price and savaged for his extravagant spending of taxpayer and campaign donors' money; that doesn't even include losing a key…
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…
K Street: Return to Normalcy, or a New Normal?
January 28, 2015 | K Street may not have pulled out of its slide quite yet, but a close read of the numbers suggests that things could be returning to normal. That's a new normal, however, without the big jumps in client spending that helped propel lobbying income to new heights just a few years ago. The last several…
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…
Who Cares About SOTU? We Have a Few Guesses
January 20, 2015 | The economy is growing steadily, unemployment is down, the stock market is soaring, gas prices are diving. Good luck getting a rise out of someone by mentioning the deficit at a Washington dinner party, something that would have been unimaginable in the not-so-distant past. There's plenty of good news for President Obama to dwell on…
One Member of Congress = 18 American Households: Lawmakers' Personal Finances Far From Average
January 12, 2015 | It would take the combined wealth of more than 18 American households to equal the value of a single federal lawmaker's household, the Center for Responsive Politics' latest analysis of congressional wealth finds. The median net worth of a member of Congress was $1,029,505 in 2013 — a 2.5 percent increase from 2012 — compared with an average American…
Waning Influence? Part 3: Ups and Downs, by Industry
December 22, 2014 | This report is the third (part 1/part 2) in a series examining the years-long decline in both spending on lobbyists and the number of active lobbyists. 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…
Wall Street's Omnibus Triumph, and Others
December 12, 2014 | In the wake of the passage of the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill last night, it's no easy thing sorting out the winners and the losers. The wide variety of riders and add-ons means a slew of interest groups can claim victory, even if it's hard to pin down exactly who should claim credit for stuffing the…
Drone Lobby Taking Flak from the FAA
November 26, 2014 | The lobbying effort to allow commercial drone use looks set to take a major hit, with the Federal Aviation Administration planning to issue a series of long-awaited regulations as soon as the end of December. And given what the FAA will be proposing, according to a report this week in the Wall Street Journal, businesses hoping to make use…
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…
Jeb Bush Raises Close to $1 Million for GOP Senate Hopefuls
October 14, 2014 | If Jeb Bush does decide to run for the GOP nomination in 2016, he may have five good friends in the Senate to rely on for support. Last month, Bush hosted a fundraising event in Tampa for the benefit of five GOP Senate challengers hoping to unseat Democrats in some of the most closely contested…
Khanna v. Honda: Challenger Outraising Incumbent in Democratic Faceoff
October 10, 2014 | California congressional candidate Ro Khanna is one of only eight challengers in the country who led their incumbent opponents in fundraising as of mid-year, and the only Democrat running to unseat a member of his own party. Khanna is trying to oust seven-term Rep. Mike Honda to represent California's 17th District, which includes much of…
Cracking the Contribution Cap: One in a Million Americans
September 2, 2014 | Americans who have taken advantage of the Supreme Court's decision earlier this year to toss aside overall political contribution limits are one in a million. Actually, they're slightly fewer than one in a million. Of the 318 million people in the U.S., a whopping 310 donors have given more than the total $123,200 they were allowed to…
In New York's 19th, Cash is Always Greener
August 1, 2014 | In New York's 19th district, a race between a former Army colonel, Republican Rep. Chris Gibson, and Sean Eldridge, the husband of Facebook co-founder and The New Republic publisher Chris Hughes, would seem to be a study in contrasts. And yet their fundraising style isn't so different: both have a donor base that is spread far and…
Immigration, Net Neutrality Help Trigger Big Spending Increases in 2nd Quarter Lobbying
July 30, 2014 | Lobbying filings for the second quarter show that the public debate often seeps into the advocacy efforts of companies. This year: immigration, net neutrality and the right to channel a broadcast program using a tiny antenna have caused several companies to spend big in order to influence legislators. Meanwhile, some topics, including gun rights and defense spending,…
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…
The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, Brought To You By Wall Street, Real Estate Developers and Insurance Companies
July 24, 2014 | Who says Congress can't get anything done? The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, first passed in the aftermath of 9/11 to relieve insurers of deep losses in connection with terrorist acts, was reauthorized easily in the Senate last week. The extremely deep pockets of industries that lobbied aggressively for the bill might have had something to…
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…
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…
Money is on Kevin McCarthy to Replace Cantor
June 12, 2014 | The surprising defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) shocked the GOP and delighted many Democrats, but it also sent the House Republican caucus into a frenzy over who would fill Cantor's shoes as the party's No. 2 man. Palace intrigue — already gathering steam due to speculation that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) would step…
Tea Party Money Gets First Big Win
May 28, 2014 | Last night Congress's oldest member, Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas) became the first serious trophy for Tea Party insurgents after a long string of defeats in other states. Hall, who was born in 1923, served in World War II and had a lengthy career as a Texas judge and state legislator before first being elected to…
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…
Banking Industry Has Connections to Shape Mortgage Overhaul
April 18, 2014 | As the Senate Banking Committee prepares to vote on a new bill overhauling the mortgage finance system, lobbyists from the banking and finance sector have connections and clout.
Waning Influence? Part 1: Tracking the "Unlobbyist"
March 18, 2014 | What's fueling the twin decreases in spending on lobbying and the number of people doing it? The first in a series of occasional reports by CRP as we try to get behind the numbers.
Real Estate, Private Equity Industries Fighting Camp's Tax Plan
February 28, 2014 | Any plan to overhaul the tax code is bound to poke the bee's nest of special interests, as Dave Camp is finding out.
Prominent Member of the Post-Watergate Class Retires
January 30, 2014 | Waxman, a champion of the health care overhaul and bane of the tobacco industry, calls it quits. Like his fellow retiring lawmakers, he's leaving some money on the table that may benefit other candidates.
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.
Millionaires' Club: For First Time, Most Lawmakers are Worth $1 Million-Plus
January 9, 2014 | A watershed moment for the finances of members of Congress: In 2012, more than half were millionaires, a new analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics shows. Also, Darrell Issa reclaims the top spot.
California Investigation Reveals Some Donors in Dark Money Scheme
October 24, 2013 | California's election-money watchdog group today released a list of 2012 donors to Americans for Job Security, one of the groups involved in an $11 million scheme to funnel money into two ballot initiative campaigns last year. OpenSecrets Blog was able to decipher a few big names in the mostly redacted pile.
OpenSecrets Politiquizz: Leader of the PAC
October 11, 2013 | Who's funding the top leadership PACs in both parties?
Rep. C.W. Bill Young Bows Out for 2014
October 9, 2013 | The longest-serving GOP lawmaker, a favorite of the defense industry, announced he won't seek re-election in 2014.
Americans for Job Security Gave Huge Grant to CPPR
October 7, 2013 | Americans for Job Security, one of the original dark money groups, gave far more to the Center to Protect Patient Rights -- a nonprofit tied to the Koch brothers that does little besides than make grants to other conservative groups -- than has been revealed in California litigation.
Rep. Spencer Bachus, Popular with the Finance Sector, to Leave Congress
September 30, 2013 | Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) announced today that he won't be seeking reelection in 2014. Here's a look at the money trail he left behind.
New Anti-Income Tax Coalition Has Dark Money Ties
September 3, 2013 | A new anti-income tax coalition was announced today, uniting four ostensibly independent conservative groups into one formidable group. While the groups have united to form a bloc against the 16th Amendment, which allowed for the creation of the income tax, they have always been close -- in some case, very close.
Outside Groups in Kentucky Senate Race Fueled by Out-of-State Money
August 1, 2013 | Kentuckians for Strong Leadership may indeed be for strong leadership, but it doesn't appear to involve many Kentuckians. The latest fundraising disclosures show that its attacks on Mitch McConnell challenger Alison Grimes are being paid for almost entirely by people other than Kentuckians. By the same token, liberal groups going after McConnell don't seem to have any Bluegrass State money, either.
Renzi's Decline Reflected in Personal Financial Reports
June 12, 2013 | Rep. Rick Renzi retired at the end of the 110th Congress, spurred by corruption charges, and was convicted this week. Opensecrets.org data shows his rise and demise.
Lautenberg Dies After Three Decades in the Senate
June 3, 2013 | Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) died Monday morning due to complications resulting from viral pneumonia. A longtime member of Congress, Lautenberg served in the Senate for 30 years, from 1983-2001 and then from 2003 until his death. Lautenberg raised a total of $21.8 million for his campaigns since 1989.
Sanford and Colbert Busch Roughly Even On Cash, not on Outside Spending
May 3, 2013 | The candidates facing off in Tuesday's special election in South Carolina have roughly the same amount of money at their disposal. But the outside spending in the race -- fueled by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC -- heavily favors Colbert Busch.
Voters Voting, Data Missing
April 30, 2013 | While Massachusetts voters are at the polls, we're unable to compare the candidates' fundraising profiles.
Site Spotlight #1: Senate Profiles
April 25, 2013 | Our first installment highlighting how to access and use the abundant data available on OpenSecrets.org
Johnson's Retirement Makes Way for GOP Takeover
March 26, 2013 | Sen. Tim Johnson was the sole remaining Democrat in the South Dakota Congressional delegation. His retirement could move the GOP closer to a Senate majority.
Senate Real Estate Prices Up
March 12, 2013 | A squabble over office space leads to shocking (shocking!) allegations of an attempted payoff.
Capital Eye Opener, March 7: Hillary's Third Super PAC, Another Senator Is Off to K Street
March 7, 2013 | A third super PAC coalesces around Hillary Clinton's maybe-yes-maybe-no 2016 presidential run. Also, the revolving door takes another turn, sending Jon Kyl to Covington & Burling.
American Tradition Partnership Files First 990, Reveals Little
February 21, 2013 | American Tradition Partnership -- formerly known as Western Tradition Partnership -- has an unusual history of political antics. In January, for instance, a Montana judge found that the group used "subterfuge" to avoid disclosing its donors. OpenSecrets.org has obtained the first 990 form the group has filed with the IRS -- but it sheds little light on ATP's activities.
Debt On The Hill: Some Lawmakers Face Fiscal Cliff Of Their Own
February 14, 2013 | Americans borrow a lot of money, and so do members of Congress. In 2011, lawmakers owed between $238.9 million and $568.3 million to various creditors, not including their home mortgage obligations. But it's not all student and car loans and carried-over credit card balances. Lawmakers borrow to buy planes and boats, and get involved in complex transactions involving lines of credit and margin loans with exclusive investment funds. And some carry credit card balances of more than $100,000.
Capital Eye Opener, Feb. 8: Pritzker Well-Fixed for Commerce, Steve King Fights Back, and More
February 8, 2013 | Democratic fundraising stalwart Penny Pritzker sits atop Obama's list of potential picks to run the Commerce Department. Also, is it odd that Rep. Steve King -- mentioned as a possible target of Karl Rove's new group that will pick favorites in GOP primaries -- actually benefited from money spent on his behalf in 2012 by Rove's old group?
Major GOP Donor Hires Lobbyist While Federal Investigation Continues
January 31, 2013 | Gary Morse's the Villages, one of the world's largest retirement communities, hires a federal lobbyist in connection with the very issue for which the company is under investigation by the IRS. But he's unlikely to have trouble opening doors among Republican lawmakers.
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.
Latest Inaugural Donors: Lawmakers, Unions, Corporations — But Few Details
January 20, 2013 | Labor unions finally show up on the list of inaugural donors, along with more big-name corporations and a sprinkling of celebrities. But once again, the Friday-night release of contributors is devoid of info to help viewers figure out who they are -- details like hometown and employer. And the list doesn't reveal how much each donor kicked in.
Millionaire Freshmen Make Congress Even Wealthier
January 16, 2013 | Think the Congress that just ended was out of touch with America? The new one may be no better, judging by how much it's worth. Overall, lawmakers are even wealthier than in previous years, according to our analysis of their 2011 financial disclosure statements, and 257 of them -- seven more than in 2010 -- are millionaires.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 11: Rockefeller Retires, and a Michele Bachmann Dust-Up
January 11, 2013 | Senator Jay Rockefeller wasn't just a solid Democratic vote; he was a reliable fundraiser who gave generously to other Democrats.
Post-Sandy, a Campaign Cash Storm Warning
January 8, 2013 | Not many of those who voted against the Sandy relief package last week can afford to ignore New York and New Jersey as sources of campaign cash.
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
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 21: Newark Mayor Eyes Senate Seat, Appropriations Panel Gets First Chairwoman, and More
December 21, 2012 | Cory Booker positions himself for a Senate bid, while Sen. Barbara Mikulski becomes the first woman to helm Appropriations.
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 17: Manchin on Gun Control, S.C.'s New Senator and More
December 17, 2012 | West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) is one of the few Democrats who receives campaign cash from the National Rifle Association, but this morning he said he was ready to talk about gun control.
Lawyers, Education Consistent as Obama's Top Industries, Wall Street True to Romney
December 12, 2012 | With the final fundraising numbers filed, Barack Obama's leading contributing industry was lawyers and law firms with $27 million, while Wall Street was Mitt Romney's, giving him $21 million.
After Spending Millions to Defeat Her, Wall Street May Answer to Warren
December 4, 2012 | In spite of Wall Street's efforts to keep Warren out of power, she's likely to have a heavy hand in regulating banks.
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.
Possible Secretary of State Candidate Has Millions Invested in Banks, Energy Companies
November 29, 2012 | U.N. Ambassador and Secretary of State candidate Susan Rice is one of the wealthiest members of the executive branch, and she has millions of dollars in the finance, insurance, real estate and energy and natural resources sectors.
Lawyers Win Big While Wall Street Splits the Difference
November 15, 2012 | Lawyers and lobbyists invested their contributions in winners to a far greater degree than did Wall Street, health professionals, and the real estate industry.
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.
Mystery Firm is Election's Top Corporate Donor at $5.3 Million
November 5, 2012 | The biggest corporate contributor in the 2012 election so far doesn't appear to make anything–other than very large contributions to a conservative super PAC.
Hot Race for Nevada Senate Seat: Dean Heller vs. Shelley Berkley
November 2, 2012 | Democratic congresswoman Shelley Berkley tries her luck against Republican incumbent Dean Heller in Nevada's $45 million Senate race.
Capital Eye Opener, Nov. 1: Lobbyists Flood Insurance Legislation, Anti-Humane Society Group Gets Political, and More
November 1, 2012 | Flood insurance is a popular topic for lobbying; the group Protect the Harvest isn't what it seems; and Sam Zell, philanthropist and Republican donor (but you might not want to sell him your newspaper company).
2012 Election Spending Will Reach $6 Billion, Center for Responsive Politics Predicts
October 31, 2012 | Earlier this year, the Center for Responsive Politics estimated that the 2012 election would cost $5.8 billion -- an estimate that already made it the most expensive in history -- but with less than a week to go before the election, CRP is revising the estimate upwards. According to CRP's new analysis of Federal Election Commission data, this election will likely cost $6 billion.
White House Candidates Draw Funds From the Usual Suspects, but Poach on Hostile Turf Too
October 22, 2012 | With Election Day looming and the need for cash urgent, core constituencies for each of the presidential campaigns stepped up their support in the month of September. But each candidate also made headway fundraising from industries that have been stalwarts for their opponents.
More Romney Bundlers Revealed
October 17, 2012 | Sixty-three registered lobbyists have raised $14.3 million for the Romney campaign, and despite the campaign's refusal to publicly disclose its list of bundlers -- elite fundraisers who tap their personal and professional networks to raise funds. In addition, we've identified 37 of Romney's other, non-lobbyist bundlers, whose names the campaign has refused to disclose.
The Big Picture: CRP Collaboration With INN and Others Produces Rare Look at Wealthy Donors' Range of Giving
October 8, 2012 | CRP's collaboration with the Investigative News Network, the National Institute for Money in State Politics and news outlets in seven states yields a close look at wealthy donors' wide-ranging giving.
Capital Eye Opener, September 5: Party Time in Charlotte, With Corporate Cash Present
September 5, 2012 | After a week of political pageantry and Republican politics in Tampa Bay, the spotlight turns to Democrats this week, as they kick off their own party convention in the battleground state of North Carolina. Readers of this blog know all too well what that means: It's party time.
Romney Bundlers Enjoy Yacht Party At Convention
August 31, 2012 | Although the Romney campaign refuses to publicly release the list of its donors, a number of these elite fundraisers (those who have raised $1 million or more for the campaign) enjoyed a celebratory gathering on a yacht Tuesday. OpenSecrets Blog was at the marina to witness the comings and goings.
Super PAC Spending Skews Right As Heavy Hitters Tap Familiar Sources of Cash
August 22, 2012 | Super PAC spending has taken a hard turn for the right -- conservative super PACs have now spent $100 million more than their liberal counterparts. But who is funding super PACs? It turns out several of the top super PACs have developed distinctive bases of financial support.
Washington's Influence Olympics: The 100 Meter Dash
August 8, 2012 | Usain Bolt's success got us thinking -- which company is the top "sprinter" this year in Washington? In other words, which groups have rushed out the door the quickest to spend the most money on lobbying through first half of 2012?
Capital Eye Opener, August 3: Polling about Super PACS, NYC Preps for Outside Spending and More
August 3, 2012 | "Super PAC" may be a household term to readers of this blog, but most Americans don't know what one is. NYC anticipates local super PAC activity and adopts stronger disclosure regs, and the DCCC says "sorry" to Sheldon Adelson.
Helping Themselves: 2012 Candidates Have Spent Over $130 Million Funding Their Own Campaigns
August 2, 2012 | Dozens of candidates have more than $130 million invested in their own campaigns ahead of the November elections, in races ranging from the recent Texas primary runoff to a Hail Mary Senate campaign in Arizona.
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.
Romney's Gender Gap Widens and Super PACs on Left Narrow Money Gap with Right: Our Breakdown of the June Reports
July 27, 2012 | The share of Romney's fundraising take from women hits a new low for 2012, while Obama's is again on the rise, and Wall Street falls out of the top five industry donors to the Republican candidate. And the gap between liberal and conservative super PAC spending is narrowing.
Capital Eye Opener, July 24: Texted Donations on the Slow Boat, Hedge Fund Owner Seeds New Super PAC and More
July 24, 2012 | Don't expect to donate to Obama or Romney via text, no matter what the FEC said last month; turns out nobody checked with the cellphone carriers. Meanwhile, hedge fund bigwig Robert Mercer, who's given $1.35 million to the pro-Romney super PAC and Club for Growth, sends another $500,000 to the new Prosperity First. And the cruise industry spends quality time with EPA.
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.
A Heartbeat Away? The Money-and-Politics Veepstakes: Kelly Ayotte
July 12, 2012 | After being elected to the Senate just two years ago, Ayotte is in the running as a possible veep candidate. She's one of Sarah Palin's "mamma grizzlies," and has attracted lots of checks from other politicians' leadership PACs as well as from insurance and financial firms.
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 9: The A.C. Lobby, ESPN Scores Political Ads and More
July 9, 2012 | We assume most Americans won't be sweating this return to more comfortable temperatures this week. Unless, of course, you work as a lobbyist for the air conditioning industry, in which case you may feel the need to turn up the heat on Congress, lest it forget how essential heating and cooling issues are to your average American.
A Heartbeat Away? The Money-and-Politics Veepstakes: Marco Rubio
July 6, 2012 | After riding an anti-establishment Tea Party wave into office in 2010, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has gone from being a relatively unknown state representative to a potential vice presidential pick in just two short years. Although some have reported that GOP candidate Mitt Romney is not vetting Rubio, the campaign insists it is considering the 41-year-old Florida native for the VP slot.
Rangel Faces the Voters, Madoff-Linked Financier Settles and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 25
June 25, 2012 | Voters are poised to go to the polls in Rangel race while Madoff ally J. Ezra Merkin, a big contributor to both Dems and Republicans, reaches a settlement agreement with New York's attorney general. And the Washington Post again relies on CRP data for investigation of how lawmakers rearranged their portfolios during the financial crisis.
Obama and Romney Tread Familiar Fundraising Ground in May
June 22, 2012 | But other than the Hollywood bump, the sources of Obama's campaign cash remained fairly static. The president raised nearly $3 million from retired donors in May, a group which has held the top spot for both Obama and Romney for the entire cycle so far.
Disclosure day, GOP vs. IRS and more in Capital Eye Opener: June 21
June 21, 2012 | Super PAC and presidential campaign finance reports, conservatives fighting IRS inquiries to 501(c)(4) groups and the latest on the FCC's new rule requiring online access to broadcasters' political files.
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.
Law and Lobbying Powerhouse Dewey & LeBoeuf Goes the Way of the Titanic
May 29, 2012 | When a giant New York law firm falls, the reverberations can be strong in the nation's capital. The firm Dewey & LeBoeuf filed for bankruptcy Monday, after shutting its Washington lobbying practice two weeks ago. Its clients at the time it closed included several insurance giants, such as Lloyd's of London and Aflac.
Bear Market For Wall Street's Contributions
May 21, 2012 | It was a bear market last month in terms of Wall Street's investment in the presidential race -- candidates and super PACs alike. OpenSecrets.org data shows that both the Mitt Romney campaign and Restore Our Future, the super PAC that is backing him, have seen significant drops in contributions from the securities and investment industry.
Mystery Health Care Group Funneled Millions to Conservative Nonprofits
May 18, 2012 | A secretive, well-funded group provided $44 million in 2010 to a host of 501(c)(4) groups, many of which were among the most active in airing ads attacking Democrats in the midterm elections. The Center to Protect Patient Rights was the source of more than half the budget of the group American Future Fund, for example. The Center's role in funding the groups has not previously been reported.
Did OpenSecrets.org Foil A Chinese Propaganda Hit?
May 15, 2012 | A Chinese state-run newspaper tried to mock U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke for not disclosing his personal finances -- apparently unaware that Locke had, and OpenSecrets.org has the record. The ensuing media dust-up is a great reminder of OpenSecrets.org's extensive trove of personal financial disclosures -- with a new round of disclosures due today!
Obama Bundlers Include Many Who Are LGBT
May 14, 2012 | Ticket sales for tonight's Ricky Martin-hosted Obama fundraiser in New York sold out in a flash after Obama made his historic announcement about gay marriage. According to OpenSecrets.org data, about one in nine of Obama's top bundlers is gay.
Dog Bites Man: Lawyers for Obama, Wall Street Backs Romney
April 24, 2012 | This is no man-bites-dog story. Law firms led the list of top donors to Barack Obama's presidential campaign in March, while top financial firms were the chief backer's of Mitt Romney's bid. And the top industry donating to super PACs: wealthy individuals in finance. Overall, an analysis of OpenSecrets.org data shows, the candidates didn't stray far from their past fundraising patterns: industries that have been well represented in the top ten stayed there, with a few variations.
Unions Finally Make a Showing On Super PAC Stage
April 22, 2012 | Labor unions injected themselves into the super PAC story line in March to a greater degree than at any time yet this election cycle, increasing by 50 percent the amount given by organized labor in the previous 14 months.
Clown Scandal Officials Spun Through the Revolving Door
April 5, 2012 | A casualty of the clown scandal, now-former GSA Administrator Martha Johnson has been around Washington for a long time. Like many top agency officials, she has jumped back and forth between the private and public sectors, earning her a profile on OpenSecrets.org's revolving door tool. She's joined by Robert A. Peck, one of Johnson's deputies.
Super PACs Cast Long Shadow Over 2012 Race
March 21, 2012 | New fundraising reports filed this week show a handful of super PACs continue to cast a long shadow over over a volatile 2012 presidential contest, raising and spending millions of dollars on behalf of preferred candidates, and in some cases, propping them up entirely.
American Future Fund's Wall Street Fantasy
March 13, 2012 | In an ad that started running at the end of February, the American Future Fund (AFF) tries to portray President Barack Obama as being cozy with Wall Street. Anyone who takes time to look at the facts (and that will be a small pool, AFF is likely betting) will find that the case is seriously overstated. And Center for Responsive Politics data is used to make a misleading point.
Moneyed Sectors Returned to Santorum After Big Win in Iowa
February 29, 2012 | January proved to be a financially fruitful month for presidential candidate Rick Santorum, bringing a spike in contributions from individuals in several important industries. See what sectors and industries were the most important to Santorum's campaign.
Wall Street Money Continues to Flow to Republican Mitt Romney
February 2, 2012 | Republican Mitt Romney relied on the finance, insurance and real estate sector for roughly $2 out of every $11 he raised during the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a new analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics of campaign finance documents submitted Tuesday to the Federal Election Commission.
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.
Dig into Presidential Candidates' Personal Financial Disclosures on OpenSecrets.org
January 13, 2012 | The 1978 Ethics in Government Act requires presidential candidates to file personal financial disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission. And the Center for Responsive Politics is making it even easier for citizens and journalists to dig into these documents.
California Republican Elton Gallegly Becomes Latest House Member to Retire
January 9, 2012 | Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) has become the latest incumbent member of the U.S. House of Representatives to set his sights on the exit. This weekend, Gallegly announced his plans to retire at the end of his current term rather than seek reelection in a district that would pit him against House Armed Services Committee Chair Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.).
OpenSecrets Blog PolitiQuizz: Who's Giving to Political Campaigns This Year?
December 12, 2011 | The true fuel for modern political campaigns is campaign contributions -- and only a tiny fraction of Americans donate $200 or more to federal political candidates.
Who is Behind the Attacks on Dem Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren?
December 12, 2011 | Nothing is known about the donors to Crossroads GPS -- a conservative group that, along with its affiliated super PAC, American Crossroads -- plans to spend $240 million during the 2012 election cycle. But the finance, insurance and real estate sector accounts for $1 out of every $9 that American Crossroads has raised. Yet Crossroads GPS recently slammed Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren for allegedly being too close to Big Finance.
OpenSecrets Mailbag: Small-Dollar Donors, Congressional Insider Trading and More
December 9, 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.
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.
Which Democrat Will Next Head the House Financial Services Committee?
November 29, 2011 | With upcoming retirement of Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), House Democrats will be vying for the role of top dog on the House Financial Services Committee, where Frank has been the highest ranking Democrat since 2003. Like Frank, many of the other high-ranking Democrats on the committee exhibit intimate ties with the industries with interests before them. Here's a primer on who could be next in line for the reigns of Democratic power after Frank's departure next year.
Barney Frank, Top Democrat on Powerful House Financial Services Committee, to Retire
November 29, 2011 | Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) announced earlier today that he would not seek re-election. Frank, who is in his 16th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, is the highest ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. In recent years especially, he's been a prolific fund-raiser, often raising huge sums from the industries that the Financial Services Committee regulates.
Where Will Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Charlie Gonzalez Land After Retirement Next Year?
November 28, 2011 | Is the lure of the private sector too much for Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas)? Over the weekend, Gonzalez, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and a seven-term congressman, announced that he would not seek re-election at the end of his term next year.
Hundreds of Donors Spread the Financial Love to Multiple Presidential Candidates
November 23, 2011 | When deciding where to invest, spreading your money around increases the chance you'll pick a winner, and limits your losses if you pick a loser. In the same way, the wealthiest Americans often diversify their investments in the presidential candidates to increase the chances they'll be a part of to the winning candidate's victory.
New Joint Analysis: 15 Tea Party Caucus Freshmen Rake in $3.5 Million in First Nine Months
November 18, 2011 | Despite their anti-Washington rhetoric, many freshmen members of the House Tea Party Caucus have been increasingly reliant on special interest political action committees, a joint analysis by iWatch News and the Center for Responsive Politics has found.
One-Percent Pols Visit Occupy Sites, Pelosi Helps Rangel Raise Cash And More in Capital Eye Opener: Nov. 16
November 15, 2011 | Protesters in the Occupy movement have kept their distance from lawmakers, but a few Democratic lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to show solidarity with the protesters by visiting the protest sites in person. Problem is, some of those politicians count themselves among the very same elite 'one-percent' class the movement is railing against.
Norquist's 'Super' Influence, Lawmakers Use Insider Status on Stock Market and More in Capital Eye Opener: Nov. 15
November 15, 2011 | As the deadline approaches for the supercommittee to agree on $1.2 trillion in cuts to the federal budget, the influence of one unelected player may make the difference, the Wall Street Journal reported. Antitax advocate Grover Norquist could be a big reason for the supercommittee's stalemate, thanks in part to his nonprofit's deep pockets.
K Street Targets E-Verify, Interest Groups Double Down on Internet Poker and More in Capital Eye Opener: November 4
November 4, 2011 | The contentious bill has not only gained attention during the GOP presidential debates, with shout-outs from former Massachusetts governor and current presidential candidate Mitt Romney, but also with some high profile organizations lobbying on the bill.
Health Sector Groups Most Aggressively Lobby the Supercommittee
November 2, 2011 | During the third quarter of 2011, more than 400 companies, unions, trade associations and other groups reported lobbying the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, popularly known as the debt supercommittee, according to a new analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics of reports filed last month with the U.S. Senate.
Third-Quarter Lobbying Reports Reveal Who's Up and Who's Down
November 2, 2011 | Lobbying expenditures fell during the third quarter of 2011 for many of the country's most prominent companies, especially those in the energy and natural resource sector, according to a preliminary analysis of about 90 percent of all third-quarter lobbying reports by the Center for Responsive Politics.
OpenSecrets.org Details What Special Interest Groups Spent Most on Third-Quarter Lobbying
October 31, 2011 | During the third quarter of 2011, more than 10,000 individual lobbyists actively worked to advance the interests of their clients and monitored political developments in the nation's capital. That's roughly 20 lobbyists for every member of Congress.
As Presidential Candidates Seek Finance Sector Money, Wall Street Donors Flock Most to Mitt Romney
October 17, 2011 | The finance sector accounts for more than 23 percent of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's total war chest, more than any other candidate. Moreover, Romney has received nearly twice as much as President Barack Obama from the finance, insurance and real estate sector.
Ron Paul's Moneybomb Success, Mitt Romney Finds Support from the Big Apple and More in Capital Eye Opener: Oct. 3
October 3, 2011 | Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's fund-raising this year puts him ahead of where he was four years ago when he also sought the GOP nomination.
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.
Five Money-in-Politics Facts about Herman Cain, Winner of Florida GOP Presidential Straw Poll
September 25, 2011 | Who is Herman Cain, and who is funding his presidential campaign? OpenSecrets Blog is here to tell you more.
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.
FEC Fines Maryland Donor, Facebook Likes Erskine Bowles and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 9
September 9, 2011 | Erskine Bowles, the former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and political jack-of-all-trades, will join the board of directors of Facebook. Bowles brings a variety of experience to the social media giant, including co-chairing President Barack Obama's bipartisan deficit commission last year and serving as president of the University of North Carolina system.
Labor Lobbying, Union PAC Contributions and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 5
September 5, 2011 | It's Labor Day, and to commemorate, OpenSecrets Blog is offering a look at how labor unions spend money to gets things done politically.
What Special Interests are Bankrolling the 2012 Presidential Candidates?
August 30, 2011 | So how do the major presidential candidates stack up in terms of who is bankrolling their campaigns? OpenSecrets Blog investigates.
Obama Victory Fund Brings in Cash From Lawyers, Wall Street and Hollywood
August 25, 2011 | The Obama Victory Fund, a joint fund-raising committee that supports both President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee, raised a total of $39 million during the first half of 2011. And according to a new analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, the Obama Victory Fund has relied on donors on both coasts as well as deep in the heart of Texas.
New Feature on OpenSecrets.org Highlights Top Contributors to Debt Supercommittee Members
August 17, 2011 | Many special interest groups have invested heavily in supercommittee members on both sides of the aisle, including the securities and investment firms, the real estate industry and health professionals, according to new research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Sectors With Much at Stake in Debt Talks Heavily Invested in Supercommittee Members
August 17, 2011 | The 12 members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction won't be legislating in a vacuum: They bring with them ties to particular industries and loyalties to particular issues.
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.
Amid Budget Debate, Some Members of Congress Own Bits of U.S. Debt
August 1, 2011 | In 2010, at least 14 veteran members of Congress personally owned a portion of the U.S. debt, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of congressional personal financial disclosure reports.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Which Companies Are Top Contributors to Both Reid and McConnell?
August 1, 2011 | Both Reid and McConnell received most of their money from lawyers, health professionals, the real estate industry and the securities and investments industry between 2005 and 2010. And employees and political action committees associated with at least four companies contributed heavily to both men during this time period.
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?
Near-Bankrupt Alabama County Once Hired D.C. Lobbyists
July 27, 2011 | As the nation watches the debt-ceiling debate continue, residents of Jefferson County, Ala., anxiously watch as their county commissioners decide whether to file for bankruptcy.
Financial Sector Helps Barack Obama Score Big Money for Re-election Fight
July 22, 2011 | One-third of the money President Barack Obama's elite fund-raising corps has raised on behalf of his re-election has come from the financial sector, according to a new Center for Responsive Politics analysis. Individuals who work in the finance, insurance and real estate sector are responsible for raising at least $11.3 million for Obama's campaign and the Democratic National Committee, according to the Center's research.
Defense Dollars to Democrats, the Odd Couple: McCotter and Unions and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 8
July 8, 2011 | Historically, Democrats in Congress have been perceived as the bigger proponents for cuts in defense spending. But recent campaign contributions from political action committees show party affiliation alone doesn't translate to support -- or lack thereof -- from defense interests.
Union Contributions Low in 2011, Rick Perry Gets a Super PAC and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 7
July 7, 2011 | Union donations to federal candidates for the first three months of 2011 are far lower than donations during the same period in 2009 and in 2007, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Republican Presidential Candidate Thad McCotter Long Aided by Financial Interests, PACs
July 6, 2011 | In terms of fund-raising and name recognition, Rep. Thad McCotter (R-Mich.) falls a few rungs below his fellow conservative colleague Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) -- and several below Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). But those details didn't stop McCotter, a five-term congressman, from officially joining the GOP presidential field on Saturday.
Dozens of Congressmen File for Extension on Financial Disclosure Documents
June 15, 2011 | Instead of today, 76 House representatives will sometime this summer release reports on their stock, bond and mutual fund holdings, as well as investments in real estate, ownership interests in private companies and cash, according to a tally by the Center for Responsive Politics.
One-Fifth of Senate Gets Filing Extension for Personal Financial Disclosure Reports
June 15, 2011 | One-fifth of the senate, or 20 members, according to a tally by the Center for Responsive Politics, have filed for extensions, meaning the financial disclosures won't be released until later this summer.
Congressional Members Slated to Release Personal Financial Disclosure Documents
June 15, 2011 | For citizens curious about how their elected officials are personally investing their money, today is like Christmas -- the one day each year when congressional sources release documents detailing lawmakers' assets and liabilities.
From Plumbers to Bankers, Anthony Weiner Long Enjoyed Diverse Campaign Cash Support
June 6, 2011 | Weiner's top donors hailed from his home state and belonged to the real estate and law industries, as well as the securities and investment and television and music industries.
Congressional Personal Financial Disclosures Covering Calendar Year 2010 Due Today
May 16, 2011 | While congressional personal financial disclosure forms will be filed with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate today, they will not be made publicly available for another month.
Lobbying on Guns, Abortion, Labor Spikes During New Congressional Session
May 3, 2011 | Several of the year's hottest political topics have witnessed the greatest increase in lobbyists' attention during the first months of the 112th Congress, according to a preliminary analysis of lobbying reports by the Center for Responsive Politics.
OpenSecrets.org Mailbag: Invading the Colonies, the Congressional Retirement Plan and More
April 29, 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.
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.
House Financial Services Committee: Hotbed of Money From Financial Sector Interests
April 15, 2011 | The House Financial Services Committee is a furnace in which legislation affecting Wall Street is forged. It's also a hotbed of money from individuals and political committee committees connected to the financial sector.
Conservative Ex-Sen. Rick Santorum Faces Financial Hurdles as Potential Presidential Candidate
April 14, 2011 | Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) revealed Wednesday night on Fox News that he is forming an exploratory committee in a quest to potentially seek the GOP presidential nomination. His hang-up? Campaign cash.
Business Targets Campaigns of Key Committee Members
April 13, 2011 | It's no secret that corporations and special interest groups that dominate lobbying in the nation's capital routinely shower campaign cash on congressional committees directly affecting affect their business interests. But a study by the Center for Responsive Politics and The Fiscal Times found that special interests routinely target members of Congress who can do them the most good.
Financial PACs 'Invest' in Influential Freshmen
April 13, 2011 | Five House Republican freshmen who received substantial campaign contribution from the financial industry after the Nov. 2 election are taking the lead in trying to repeal or replace parts of the sweeping Dodd-Frank financial services reform law.
A New DNC Chair, a Super PAC for Obama and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 7
April 7, 2011 | Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) is the new chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. She succeeds former Virginia governor Tim Kaine who held the post since 2009.
From Slaves to Pornographers, Campaign Contribution Records Rife With Characters
March 31, 2011 | Freedom fighters, pornographers and self-proclaimed evil rich men are among the cast of characters appearing in federal campaign finance documents stretching back more than two decades, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.
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.
Finance Sector Loves Tim Pawlenty, Whirlpool Loves Tax Credits and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 22
March 22, 2011 | Republican Tim Pawlenty, who yesterday launched a presidential exploratory committee, built a massive war chest during the 2010 election cycle to aid fellow Republicans. Who was fueling this money machine?
Ensign Out, Scalia and Thomas Under Fire and More In Capital Eye Opener: March 8
March 8, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics
What Unites Pete King and Keith Ellison, D.C. Spy Games and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 7
March 7, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Republican Newt Gingrich Wants to Party Like It's 1995
March 3, 2011 | Former Republican Congressman Newt Gingrich of Georgia, who served as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 through 1998, is testing the waters of a presidential run.
National Popular Vote Plan Pushers Hire New Lobbyists, Bring on Deep-Pocketed Help
February 23, 2011 | Supporters of a plan to dramatically reshape the way Americans elect presidents have brought in some new, big guns.
American Solutions for Winning the Future: Republican Newt Gingrich's Mighty Political Committee
February 22, 2011 | During the past five years, Republican Newt Gingrich has raised about $52 million for his tax-exempt 527 committee, including $28.2 million during 2009 and 2010, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis.
Google, Facebook Lead New Generation of Technology Companies Pressing Government for Favorable Treatment
February 17, 2011 | For Google and Facebook, the president serving as their pitchman is indicative of their meteoric rise both outside and within Washington, D.C. And it marks how the political landscape has rapidly shifted for computer and Internet companies, with Washington nonentities of just a few years ago now ranking among the most prominent players in the capital.
Donald Trump's Donations to Democrats, Club for Growth's Busy Day and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 17
February 17, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Rep. Chris Lee, Resigning Amid Sex-Tinged Scandal, Had Been Strongly Supported By Conservatives
February 9, 2011 | Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.), who resigned from Congress this evening after website Gawker published a shirtless photo of the married politico that he e-mailed to a woman he met on Craigslist, had previously enjoyed solid conservative backing, the Center for Responsive Politics finds.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: It's A Family Affair
January 31, 2011 | For this week's PolitiQuizz, we're asking you to identify one former member of Congress who's following his father through the "revolving door" this month.
Lieberman Retires, ChristinePAC Questioned and More in Capital Eye Opener: January 19
January 19, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Embattled Virtual Mortgage Registry MERS Retains Top Lobbying Talent
January 5, 2011 | One company embroiled by the foreclosure crisis is not unprepared for a fight. In Washington, D.C., Merscorp Inc. has retained several well-heeled lobbyists and invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying efforts since the start of the mortgage crisis and economic meltdown.
Father-Son Duo Rand and Ron Paul Love Silver and Gold, But Differ Significantly in Personal Investment Strategies
December 27, 2010 | It's no secret that Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and his similarly libertarian-leaning son, Sen.-elect Rand Paul (R-Ky.), are big fans of gold. But while both Pauls are advocates of using gold and silver to curb inflation of the dollar, it appears the elder Paul may be doing more to practice what he preaches.
Capital Rivals: Nancy Pelosi vs. John Boehner
December 2, 2010 | Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and John Boehner (R-Ohio) lawmakers have been in Congress for at least two decades, and have plenty influence to show for it. Political watchers are prepared for the rivals -- their positions switched -- to resume their sparring in January. OpenSecrets Blog, meanwhile, details who may have the key political advantages as the curtain opens on the 112th Congress.
OpenSecrets Blog PolitiQuizz: Who is the Richest Member of Congress?
November 29, 2010 | This week's PolitiQuizz asks you to delve into the personal finances of the nation's lawmakers.
Who's Backing the New Top Blue Dogs' Bark, Bite?
November 22, 2010 | The Blue Dogs have elevated Reps. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), John Barrow (D-Ga.) and Mike Ross (D-Ark.) as their new leaders. Which donors and special interests have these men relied upon to fill their war chests?
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, Suspended Over Political Donations, Has Political History of His Own
November 19, 2010 | MSNBC's newest suspension victim is former Congressman Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.), the current co-host of the network's "Morning Joe" program. Scarborough's recent political contributions build upon a history of giving to Republican candidates.
Convicted: House Panel Says Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel Guilty of Ethics Violations
November 16, 2010 | In a rare trial, a special House ethics committee panel today convicted Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), the once powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, on 11 counts of violating House ethics policies.
Which Industries Won and Lost in Election 2010?
November 10, 2010 | Imagine that every member of Congress represents the industry or special interests that have contributed the most to his or her campaign coffers. Which industries and special interests, then, lost or won seats in Congress during the 2010 midterm election?
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.
Wall Street's Double Standard, What's New at OpenSecrets and More in Capital Eye Opener: November 4
November 4, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Election 2010 to Shatter Spending Records as Republicans Benefit from Late Cash Surge
October 27, 2010 | Center for Responsive Politics predicts midterms could cost nearly $4 billion.
'Super PAC' American Crossroads Continues Amassing and Utilizing Hefty War Chest Ahead of Election
October 21, 2010 | In just seven months, American Crossroads, the highest profile conservative "Super PAC," has raised more than $24.17 million* in the hopes of tilting the November midterm elections in favor of the Republican Party.
Led By George Soros' Son, Student Contributions Buoy Democrats in 2010 Midterms
October 20, 2010 | In the run up to the 2010 midterm elections, Soros joins a handful of young, emerging political heavyweights, many of whom are related to other prolific political donors. And they're helping tip the scales toward Democrats in the competition for students' campaign cash, the Center's analysis indicates.
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.
Abandoned But Still Fighting, Party Nominees Press on Without Establishment Support
October 5, 2010 | Maybe these unlucky candidates face a well-funded incumbent, or run in a district that doesn't align with them ideologically. Or perhaps they are just too quirky for the ballot box. Whatever the reason, these candidates face a harsh political Darwinism -- they have been judged unelectable by their affiliated party, and are effectively left to fend for themselves, come November.
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.
Wall Street Aggressively Filling Republican Coffers After Many Months Supporting Democrats
September 7, 2010 | Wall Street-related political donations are bolstering Republicans' political fortunes this summer after financial interests suddenly -- and dramatically -- shifted their contributions away from the Democrats they had largely favored last year.
Recap of Tuesday's Primaries, John Boehner's Economic Interests and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 25
August 25, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Aviation Corporation, Previously Maxed-Out Donors Spend Big to Help Florida Democrat's Senate Bid
August 18, 2010 | The first $75,000 that the Florida Is Not For Sale committee raised came from prolific Democratic donors who all previously gave the legal maximum amounts to Meek's campaign in June 2009, with one using a corporate account to do so.
Economic Gurus Celebrate Birthdays, New Website Tracks Corporate Dollars in Elections and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 18
August 18, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Insurgent Senate Candidates Fueled By Small Donors Test Establishment Picks, Upset One in Colorado
August 11, 2010 | Donors giving $200 or less helped propel anti-establishment challengers in both the Republican and Democratic U.S. Senate primaries in Colorado, where voters Tuesday backed a conservative Republican favored by many Tea Party activists and nearly ousted the third incumbent senator this year.
Wall Street-Related Political Contributions Shift Toward Republicans
August 10, 2010 | Financial firms and the people who work for them are increasingly donating their political cash to Republicans, a preliminary Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal campaign finance data indicates.
Army of Lobbyists Raking in Massive Sums, Second-Quarter Lobbying Reports Reveal
July 31, 2010 | More than 11,100 corporations, trade associations, unions and other groups hired 10,500 lobbyists during the second quarter, the Center for Responsive Politics has found -- outnumbering members of Congress roughly 20 to 1. Overall, special interest groups spent more than $852 million on lobbying between April and June.
Tea Party Caucus Members Bankrolled by Health Professionals, Retirees, Oil Interests
July 30, 2010 | A Center for Responsive Politics analysis shows that the biggest contributors to the 49 members of the newly-established congressional Tea Party caucus -- it so far includes only Republican -- are health professionals, retired individuals, the real estate industry and oil and gas interests. Furthermore, donations from health professionals, oil and gas interests and Republican and conservative groups are, on average, higher for Tea Party caucus members than for members of the House of Representatives in general and even their fellow House Republicans.
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.
Florida Billionaire Spends Millions, Court Takes On Campaign Finance Law and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 16
July 16, 2010 | The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in New York invalidated provisions of the law banning campaign contributions from lobbyists and objected to a trigger system for public financing of candidates. Two out of three gubernatorial candidates have received matching state funds for their campaigns.
BP Pays Big, Fannie and Freddie Cut from the NYSE and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 17
June 17, 2010 | BP AGREES TO PAY: BP has agreed to pay $20 billion into an escrow account to pay out the claims it faces as a result of the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama and senior administration officials met with BP executives at the White House during a four-hour meeting in which negotiations on handling the oil spill took place.
Personal Finance Information for Congressional Members Released Today, but it Won't Be Easy Reading
June 16, 2010 | This week, lawmakers' documents concerning financial activities in calendar year 2009 will be made available for the first time. Yet even then, many lawmakers aren't required to release the information in user-friendly formats, and reporters and ordinary citizens alike must overcome a series of hurdles to even count cash.
Congressional Ethics Watchdog Investigating Finance Sector Contributions to Lawmakers
June 15, 2010 | Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, political action committees within the finance, insurance and real estate sector contributed $276,750 to eight House members at the center of a recently launched ethics probe investigating whether lawmakers received money in exchange for votes, the Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Financial Reform Bill to Be Finalized by Members Who Benefit from Wall Street Cash
June 10, 2010 | Democratic and Republican leadership in both the House and Senate have named 43 individuals to a conference committee tasked with hammering out the final version of the Congress' financial regulatory reform legislation. These members comprise just 8 percent of Congress, but they have been far more likely to benefit from Wall Street's cash.
Reversing 2009 Trend, Business Money Now Flowing More to Republicans
May 25, 2010 | Democrats have historic majorities in the House and Senate, but during the first quarter of 2010, the amount of campaign cash Democrats received relative to Republicans from all business interests dropped by about 12 percent compared to last year, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of campaign finance data.
Senators Who Opposed Financial Reform Got More Cash on Average from Wall Street Interests
May 24, 2010 | Senators who voted against the sweeping financial regulatory reform bill Thursday have received about 16 percent more money from the finance, insurance and real estate sector over their careers than senators who supported the measure, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis.
Campaigns of Few House Incumbents Fueled by the 'Small Donors'
May 18, 2010 | Reps. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) don't agree on health care reform. They don't agree on energy legislation, nor do they agree on immigration. Politically, they may not agree on much at all. However, they do share one distinction. Both have received nearly two-thirds of their campaign contributions from donors who contribute $200 or less, the Federal Election Commission's threshold for itemized disclosure. By comparison, the average House member only received 7 percent of their contributions from such "small donors."
Republican Charles Djou Holds Cash Advantage Ahead of Special Election in Heavily Democratic Hawaii District
May 13, 2010 | Votes are already being cast in the free-for-all special election in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District, and a Republican candidate has emerged with the most cash on hand in the campaign's final stretch. Republican Charles Djou, a city council member in Honolulu, has nearly $170,000 more in the bank than the most well-financed Democratic candidate.
Billionaire Jeff Greene, Donor to Kendrick Meek, Files Senate Primary Bid Against Him
April 30, 2010 | Billionaire Jeff Greene is seeking the Democratic nomination for Florida's open U.S. Senate seat, challenging presumed front-runner, Rep. Kendrick Meek, a man Greene whose campaign Greene supported with cash just five months ago. According to a Center for Responsive Politics review of campaign finance reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission, Greene donated $500 to Meek on Nov. 21.
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.
Push for Disclosure, Charlie Crist Plans to Leave GOP and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 29
April 29, 2010 | FIGHT TO DISCLOSE: Campaign finance observers are expecting Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to introduce a bill designed to mitigate the effects of the Supreme Court's decision in its January Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling. The Citizens United decision cleared the way for corporations to spend without limit on ads designed to influence elections.
Dems and GOP Square Off on Wall Street Reform, Other Issues Crowd the Calendar and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 26
April 26, 2010 | A bill to overhaul the nation's financial regulatory system is due for a pivotal test vote in the Senate this evening, and all eyes will be on Senate Republicans, who promised to filibuster the legislation without certain changes.
Congressmen Become Lobbyists, Charlie Rangel Challenged and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 14
April 14, 2010 | More than 125 former congressional personnel, from aides on the banking committees to elected officials, are now working on behalf of financial companies, using their expertise and connections to influence legislation that is meant to regulate the financial industry
Focus Returns to Financial Reform, GOP Money Race in Kentucky and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 13
April 13, 2010 | FOCUS RETURNS TO FINANCIAL REFORM: Delivering reform to the financial sector remains a crucial goal for the Obama administration as well as Senate Banking Committee Chairman, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who faces a renewed lobbying campaign by banks and financial institutions hoping to shape the eventual legislation to their liking.
Democrats Pocket More Campaign Cash from Special Interests Ahead of 2010 Midterm Elections
April 8, 2010 | The cost of the 2010 election cycle is on pace to break the record for a midterm election, set during the 2006 cycle. And across the board, Democrats, who now control the White House and both chambers of Congress, are on the receiving end of far more campaign cash than they were four years ago, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis.
Retirees, Doctors and Lawyers Helped Propel Scott Brown to U.S. Senate Seat
March 31, 2010 | In the hotly contested special election that sent Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate, Brown and his opponent, Democrat Martha Coakley, squeezed their fund-raising efforts into a rapid scramble for money that lasted just weeks, not months.
Sunshine Week Report Card on Government Transparency
March 25, 2010 | As the Center for Responsive Politics celebrates Sunshine Week this year, we commend the steps taken by the White House and Congress for greater government transparency. Neither the White House nor Congress, though, should rest on their laurels. Despite the good progress made via some specific steps, there remains much to be done. Here are a several matters that require attention this year.
Corporate-Funded Ads in Texas, Chamber Counsel Moves to 527 and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 25
March 25, 2010 | CORPORATION ON THE ATTACK IN TEXAS: Deep in the heart of Texas, election observers have spotted what may be the first corporate-funded independent advertisement against a politician post-Citizens United.
ACORN Cracks, Barack Obama Signs Health Reform and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 23
March 23, 2010 | HEALTH CARE LOOMS OVER MIDTERMS: Today, President Obama will sign the comprehensive health care reform bill passed by the House on Sunday, and the Senate will began considering the associated reconciliation bill. With the main bill passed, many groups have now turned their attention to how it will affect the midterm elections in November.
Democrat Rep. William Delahunt to Retire, Philly-style Ethics Reform and more in Capital Eye Opener: March 5
March 5, 2010 | Citing a grueling U.S. House schedule and family commitments, Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass.) will today announce he's not seeking reelection.
J.D. Hayworth Readies for Republican Rumble with a Well-Heeled John McCain
February 16, 2010 | J.D. Hayworth's Republican primary challenge to Sen. John McCain will be a difficult and expensive endeavor. McCain benefits from a war chest of more than $27 million as well as a host of Republicans both young -- Sarah Palin, Scott Brown -- and veteran -- Dick Armey, Grover Norquist -- ready to campaign on his behalf.
Lobbyists Earn $1.3 Million Per Hour As Lawmakers Log Long Days
February 16, 2010 | Federal lobbying soared to a record $3.5 billion last year, as lawmakers clocked long hours and worked at a pace to be, in the opinion of one congressional scholar, the most productive Congress in decades. This translates to approximately $1.3 million spent on lobbying for every hour that Congress was in session in 2009, the Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Good-bye Evan Bayh, Charles Taylor the Lobbyist and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 16
February 16, 2010 | HOOSIER NEW SENATOR? Unclear, thanks to U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) announcing hours after Valentine's Day that he's breaking up with government.
Rep. Patrick Kennedy Headlines Week of Prominent Political Retirements
February 12, 2010 | This week has seen a string of high-profile retirements in Washington D.C., including Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.), Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and lobbyist Billy Tauzin, the president of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). In addition, last month Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) announced his retirement under allegations of ethics transgressions. To cap the week off, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), son of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, announced today in a video on his website that he would not seek re-election after 16 years in the U.S. House.
Federal Lobbying Climbs in 2009 as Lawmakers Execute Aggressive Congressional Agenda
February 12, 2010 | The economy stunk. Corporations slashed jobs. And some firms, once juggernauts of American industry, simply ceased to exist. But for federal lobbyists, 2009 proved to be a year of riches unlike any other, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
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.
Chris Dodd's Quackability, a Bank Tax Blowback and More in Capital Eye Opener: January 21
January 21, 2010 | Will Sen. Chris Dodd crack under pressure from the financial industry and opponents in Congress and drop the idea to create the independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency as part of financial regulatory reform legislation?
Massachusetts' End Game, New York's Need for Ethics Reform and More in Capital Eye Opener: January 19
January 19, 2010 | No need to wait for November for Election Day, as Massachusetts finds itself in the midst of one heckuva U.S. Senate race -- a race that concludes today with a special election.
Campaign Cash From Wall Street Favored Representatives Who Opposed Finance Reform Bill
December 12, 2009 | Lawmakers in the House who voted against the finance reform bill collected an average of about $849,200 from Wall Street interests over their careers, while lawmakers who supported the bill collected an average of about $694,000, the Center for Responsive Politics found. This means members of the House who opposed the bill received an average of 22 percent more from the finance, insurance and real estate sector since 1989 than supporters.
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.
Republican Senator Robert Bennett Seeks to Permanently Sunset TARP Program
November 20, 2009 | Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) originally supported of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) enacted by President George W. Bush in October 2008. He later opposed the second TARP authorization under President Barack Obama, and he now believes that the TARP program has served its purpose and should expire at the end of this year.
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.
Barney Frank Pushes for Regulation Despite Financial Industry Funds
November 18, 2009 | As chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank is busy this year in ways he may not have expected when he assumed the post in 2007, just before the country's economy slipped into a recession. Frank's promotion from ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee to chairman helped earn him about 37 percent more from the industries footing his campaign bills compared to the 2006 election cycle.
Real Estate, On the Wane, Fights to Stay Politically Relevant Amid Financial Reform
November 17, 2009 | Mass property foreclosures and plunging property prices precipitating a veritable real estate crisis last year, compounded more recently by a glut of available credit that in turn has flash-frozen property buying. It's ugly. It's costly. And the federal government wants to ensure that the risky mortgage products that in part helped hurl the nation headlong into this mess are strictly regulated.
Democratic Sen. Jack Reed Envisions New Financial Regulations
November 17, 2009 | Viewed as a champion of regulatory reform, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) is an advocate of new regulations regarding financial markets, products and institutions -- including new regulation regarding credit derivatives, "dark pool" markets and hedge funds. Within the Banking Committee, he is chairman of the securities, insurance and investment subcommittee.
Financial Policy Tools Help You Follow the Money During Reform Debate
November 17, 2009 | Sure, our "Crossing Wall Street" series this week is going to be comprehensive, answering your questions about which financial industries are spending big bucks to influence the outcome of financial regulation legislation. But you might want to do some snooping around of your own. So we're providing the tools you need to do so.
Blue Dogs and New Democrats Find Friends on Wall Street
November 17, 2009 | Like the health care reform debate, financial regulation legislation has divided members of the same party, opening a rift between liberal and moderate Democrats. But unlike the health care reform debate, where the moderate Blue Dog Democrats have been rabid in their opposition to a public insurance option, a different group has emerged to voice moderates' concerns over financial regulation -- but both are magnets for cash from the financial sector.
Crossing Wall Street
November 16, 2009 | As the United States continues digging itself out of a recession, the nation is poised to re-emerge in a dramatically altered financial climate. And after years of enjoying relatively little regulation, commercial banks, credit companies, hedge funds and securities and investment companies are facing the most extensive overhaul by the federal government since the Great Depression. Over the next seven days, Capital Eye will be following the special interest money in our "Crossing Wall Street" series as both the House and Senate tackle financial regulation.
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.
Congressmen Lose Big Bucks in 2008, But Still Rank Among Nation's Richest
November 4, 2009 | Even members of Congress – many among the country's richest people -- aren't impervious to the nation's economic recession. Current congressional members' median wealth uncharacteristically dropped nearly 5 percent in 2008 when compared to the prior year, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal personal financial disclosure reports indicates.
Federal Lobbying Boom Continues, Third Quarter Reports Indicate
October 30, 2009 | 2009 is on pace to be another bumper year for lobbyists. During the third quarter, corporations, unions, trade associations and other special interests spent $849 million on federal lobbying, bringing the year-to-date total to $2.5 billion. Perhaps not surprisingly, the sectors that could be affected most by the Obama administration's domestic agenda -- particularly health, business and energy -- have been some of the biggest spenders over the course of the year.
'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.
Capital Eye Opener: Wednesday, October 28
October 28, 2009 | LIEBERMAN OPTS OUT OF OPT-OUT PLAN: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) didn't win any fans among liberal democrats yesterday in announcing that he'd back a Republican filibuster of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) health care reform proposal. Since 1989, only 10 other current senators have brought in more cash from the health sector than Lieberman.
Congressional Opponents of Consumer Financial Protection Bill Got Big Money from Wall Street Interests
October 26, 2009 | On Thursday, the House Financial Services Committee approved H.R. 3126, which would create a new executive branch agency to oversee consumer financial protections, on a 39-29 vote. CRP has found that $527,500 is the average amount a committee member who voted "no" received from financial groups' PACs and employees between January 2007 and June. The average amount a member who voted "yes" received was $438,900.
Barack Obama Nominates Politically Connected Ambassadors for Hungary, New Zealand
October 15, 2009 | Politically connected ambassadors will soon represent the United States in Hungary and New Zealand. President Barack Obama has nominated philanthropist and real estate developer Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis to be ambassador to Hungary, while he nominated lawyer David Huebner to serve as the nation's top diplomat in New Zealand and Samoa. The Center for Responsive Politics has found that both Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis and Huebner have been active donors to federal politicians over the past 20 years.
Support for Charles Rangel Wanes In Midst of Alleged Ethics Scandals
October 15, 2009 | Republican members of the House last week attempted to oust Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) from his powerful chairmanship of the House Ways & Means Committee for the duration of a House Ethics Committee investigation into alleged ethical misconduct surrounding his real estate investments and dubious personal financial disclosure reports. And although the effort failed and Rangel can sit tight for now, signs that he's sustained political damage are emerging.
Capital Eye Opener: Thursday, October 15
October 15, 2009 | BACHMANN'S MONEY BOMB: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) tried to send a message to Democrats yesterday by holding a one-day fundraising blitz, which brought in $95,011.38, according to her site.
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.
Aides, Lobbyists and Contributors Among Those Left in Wake of Sen. John Ensign's Alleged Ethics Scandal
October 8, 2009 | Despite a lack of support from key leaders in his own political party, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) said resolutely this week that he has no plans to resign from Congress in the face of accusations that he's deeply embroiled in an ethics scandal. But it's not just his own party's support at risk -- campaign contributors, current and former staffers and even lobbyists may be re-considering their ties to a man who once served as the GOP's primary fund-raiser in the Senate.
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.
Journalist Robert Kaiser Weaves Tale Of Lobbying Boom & Statesmanship Bust
September 23, 2009 | Kaiser, who has worked for the Washington Post for 46 years, talked Tuesday night at the National Press Club about the skyrocketing cost of political campaigns and the boom of the lobbying industry. Kaiser shares the body of his observations about politics and campaigns in his new 400-page tome So Damn Much Money: The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government.
Blue Dog Democrat Mike Ross Benefits From Real Estate Deal With Drug Company
September 22, 2009 | Using CRP data, ProPublica and Politico put out a great report today about a 2007 real estate transaction between Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) and an Arkansas-based pharmacy, USA Drug. The sale of the property and its assets, plus the negotiation of a noncompete agreement with Ross' wife, Holly, yielded the couple at least $1 million and as much as $1.67 million -- much more than a county assessment said it was worth, according to the report.
Capital Eye Opener: Tuesday, September 22
September 22, 2009 | MOTIVE: POLITICAL FUNDRAISING?: Hassan Nemazee, head of a private equity firm, has been indicted for defrauding Bank of America and HSBC, adding to his indictment for defrauding Citigroup. Nemazee and his family have raised $824,500 total for at least 75 lawmakers since 1993, including President Barack Obama ($13,800), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ($33,500) and Vice President Joe Biden ($23,700) of Massachusetts.
Where Might James Traficant, Itching for a Political Comeback, Get Campaign Cash?
September 7, 2009 | At this juncture, it isn't entirely clear how ex-con James Traficant would fund a campaign if he makes a political comeback. But a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of Traficant's campaign finance reports indicates that unions, the real estate industry and lawyers/law firms most strongly supported Traficant during his 2000 run for Congress -- before the feds came knocking in earnest.
Economic Downturn Hits Some Industries, K Street Firms Hard
September 6, 2009 | Washington, D.C., is enjoying the long Labor Day weekend, and the Center for Responsive Politics is no different. But in your leisure time, check out this front-page story by Washington Post reporter Dan Eggen, who uses our research and data in noting Sunday: "In a year when Washington's influence industry should be thriving, with epic battled over health-care and energy legislation, lobbying in many sectors is in marked decline as defense contractors, real estate firms and other companies pull back in a down economy."
Potential Ted Kennedy Replacements Bring New Mix of Special Interest Support
September 2, 2009 | The death of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has left Democratic lawmakers scrambling to fill his seat in the midst of intense debate over one of Kennedy's highest legislative priorities -- health care reform. We thought we'd take a look at some of the possible candidates and how their fundraising compares to that of the late senator.
Health Interests, Lobbyists Rank High Among Industries Increasing Campaign Contributions
August 19, 2009 | Political action committees and individuals associated with health industries, each of which are intimately involved in the nation's ongoing health care reform debate, are donating more to federal candidates during the second quarter of 2009 than the first quarter, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis.
Democratic Party Committees Maintain Slight Fundraising Edge
August 18, 2009 | Democratic Party committees raised only slightly more than their Republican counterparts during the year's first six months, closing the gap between the two parties that existed during the 2008 election cycle.
Capital Eye Opener: Wednesday, August 5
August 5, 2009 | Here's (some of) what's going on in the world of money-in-politics today.
Big Money Senate Race in Pennsylvania Heats Up With Joe Sestak Announcing Official Challenge to Arlen Specter
August 4, 2009 | One of the nation's hottest U.S. Senate contests is officially off to the races, as Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) today is officially challenging incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter, a long-time Republican who switched his party allegiance to become a Democrat earlier this year.
Capital Eye Opener: Monday, August 3
August 3, 2009 | Your daily dose of money-in-politics news includes the latest about the campaign finance regulation-related Supreme Court case Citizens United v. FEC and analysis of second quarter campaign contributions.
Congressional Candidates Raised $168.5 Million During Second Quarter
July 31, 2009 | Since lawmakers filed their second quarter campaign finance reports earlier this month, our researchers have been busy coding and standardizing the data by organization and industry. Here are some of our overall observations--expect more in-depth analysis next week.
Capital Eye Opener: Friday, July 31
July 31, 2009 | In today's installment: Execs bring their plastic to the White House, Wall Street wages battle and the press can't get enough of our health care OpenSecrets.
Health, Energy and Finance Sectors Dominate 2nd Quarter Lobbying
July 29, 2009 | Want to launch your own investigation into second quarter lobbying expenditures? Start here.
Financial and Real Estate Firms Feel Economic Pinch as Lobbying Efforts Wane
July 29, 2009 | From families to cities to businesses, a terrifically awful national economy is causing most everyone to crimp their spending. Financial institutions and real estate firms, some financially marginalized to the brink of insolvency or beyond, are no exception, particularly when it comes to their government lobbying efforts.
Newly Appointed Wall Street Investigators are Big Campaign Contributors
July 17, 2009 | House and Senate leaders last week named 10 members to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, a bipartisan panel that Congress created in May to investigate the causes of last year's financial crisis. The selections include businessmen, ex-lawmakers, and academics who have together donated more than $1 million to federal candidates since 198
Unlikely Groups Enter Federal Health Care debate
July 9, 2009 | Though health care companies and consumer advocacy organizations are the most active players in the nation's debate over health care reform, non-medical groups are also lobbying to promote pet causes. They are shelling out considerable cash in the hope of influencing the direction of reform this summer.
Another Batch of Obama's Ambassador Picks Have Money-in-Politics Ties
July 1, 2009 | President Obama's fifth consecutive week of naming new ambassadors brought with it five people with long histories of donating campaign cash, including two donors who also bundled more than half a million dollars each for the president's campaign war chest.
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.
With CRP data, Sunlight Maps Baucus's Health Care Lobbying Network
June 23, 2009 | As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus is playing a key role in determining the shape, size, and cost of health care reform. The Montana Democrat's influence may be even keener as a result of the lobbyist web that flows from his office.
Wall Street's Greenbacks Fill Democrats' Coffers
June 10, 2009 | Although the economy didn't show many signs of improvement in the first few months of 2009, Democrats were benefiting more from Wall Street than they had in any previous cycle, pulling in 58 percent of all contributions that the finance, insurance and real estate sector gave between January and March.
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.
Capital Eye Report: Congress Barks Back at Society's Watchdogs
May 5, 2009 | A Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing tomorrow will take a look at the future of newspapers and what, if anything, Congress can do to help the struggling industry. But journalists are at a disadvantage compared to other industries that can give campaign contributions and aren't publicly scrutinizing the lawmakers.
Vote Highlights Tension For Senators Between Constituents, Funders
May 1, 2009 | The finance, insurance & real estate sector has been the No. 1 career contributor to six of twelve Democratic senators who voted against a bill that the industry opposed.
Not Quite the Hard-Knock Life on K Street
April 30, 2009 | Given all of the variables, measuring the impact of the economy on K Street isn't exactly a science. But the Center for Responsive Politics has conclusively found that lobbying during the first three months of 2009 has actually increased slightly compared to the same period of time last year. Here you can check out how much which industries and clients have spent the most on lobbying so far this year and which have increased or decreased the most since the start of 2008.
Senator Arlen Specter Leaves the GOP, Will His Contributors Follow Him?
April 28, 2009 | Embattled Sen. Arlen Specter became a Democrat today, a move that could attract new donors and turn others off.
OpenSecrets Makes (Another) Appearance on the Colbert Report
April 15, 2009 | Anyone watching last night's "Colbert Report" on Comedy Central may have caught his OpenSecrets shout-out when discussing Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who is sponsoring a bill to regulate the payday loan industry.
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.
Sunshine Week: Grading Your Government
March 19, 2009 | Happy Sunshine Week! In observance of the national government transparency initiative, CRP offers this money-in-politics disclosure report card, grading the federal government on its efforts to shed some light on the ties between its decisions and the private money affecting those decisions. Although the government has made strides in a few key areas since Sunshine Week 2008, it still has a whole lot of homework to do.
Power Players: Senate Commerce Chair Hears Telecom Companies Loud and Clear
March 12, 2009 | New to the chairmanship this year, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) will have a chance to re-direct the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee as he sees fit. Before this year, Rockefeller's spot on the committee has attracted money from the telecom industry--money that he's gotten some heat for.
Sen. Gregg Profits from Earmarks He Directed Home, AP Reports
February 27, 2009 | The Associated Press reported today that Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) helped funnel $66 million in earmarks to his home state to help create a business park at the decommissioned Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth, N.H. That in itself wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that some of the senator's personal investments are wrapped up in the project.
Following the money in the Wall Street shakeout? Start here.
February 25, 2009 | OpenSecrets.org has many, many resources for anyone interested in following the money as Washington policymakers craft their solution to the shakeout that continues on Wall Street. Here's a handy guide to what we've got online.
Keeping Tabs on Wall Street, Stimulus Efforts and the Bailout
February 25, 2009 | Since August 2008, when the economic crisis started making headlines and companies began asking lawmakers for some financial help in the form of billions of dollars, CRP has been taking a look at the political influence of companies and industries looking for a government lifeline. This archive contains what we've produced as we follow the money behind the Wall Street shakeout and the government's attempts to jump-start the economy.
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.
TARP Recipients Paid Out $114 Million for Politicking Last Year
February 4, 2009 | The companies that have been awarded taxpayers' money from Congress's bailout bill spent $77 million on lobbying and $37 million on federal campaign contributions, CRP has found. The return on investment: 258,449 percent.
New RNC Chair Brings Fundraising Prowess to Post
February 2, 2009 | The GOP has selected former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele to lead its fundraising efforts as the chair of the Republican National Committee. Although Steele lost his 2006 bid for Senate, he raised nearly as much money as his opponent, Congressman Ben Cardin.
Power Players: Embattled Congressman Leads Ways and Means with Finance Money Behind Him
January 30, 2009 | Fixing the economy is a huge undertaking for the 111th Congress, and any measures to cut or raise taxes will have to win the approval of the House Ways and Means Committee, which Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) has chaired since 2007. This position has made Rangel a magnet for cash from the finance, insurance and real estate sector.
Washington Lobbying Grew to $3.2 Billion Last Year, Despite Economy
January 29, 2009 | While companies across the board were losing record amounts of money and laying off employees last year, at least one industry seemed to weather the recession: lobbying. Special interests paid Washington lobbyists $3.2 billion in 2008, more than any other year on record and a 13.7 percent increase from 2007, CRP has found. Corporations in the finance, insurance and real estate sector and automotive industry actually slowed or decreased their lobbying spending overall last year, relying instead on trade associations to represent them.
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.
Power Players: Struggling Financial Firms Are Banking on Dodd
January 27, 2009 | Although Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) is chair of one of the more powerful congressional committees, he probably isn't the envy of his peers these days with an economic crisis growing larger by the day. Dodd has put in two years as chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and is now charged with shaping legislation to jump-start the economy and help floundering companies, including those that have contributed to his campaigns.
Power Players: With Health Sector's Money Supporting Him, Baucus Offers Prescription for Reform
January 23, 2009 | As chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is a target for campaign contributions from Wall Street and the health sector. He's outlined his own vision for health care reform and his committee will have to decide if the overhaul is fiscally possible.
Power Players: Despite Industry Funds, Frank Cracks Down on Bailout Recipients
January 22, 2009 | Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., continues his role as chair of the House Financial Services Committee this year in the midst of an economic recession. But the money he's received from the finance sector hasn't won his unconditional support of doling out bailout cash to floundering companies.
No Logos, but Corporate Representation at Obama's Inauguration
January 15, 2009 | There won't be any corporate advertising on the dais, but a number of major corporations and influential industries will be represented at Barack Obama's inauguration by individuals who've contributed as much as $50,000 apiece--and bundled up to $300,000--to underwrite the festivities. According to a new analysis of inaugural donors by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, individuals associated with Microsoft, Google, Citigroup and many more companies are among the upcoming event's biggest contributors.
Power Players: New Appropriations Chair Popular with Defense
January 13, 2009 | As the chair of the defense appropriations subcommittee, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) has been a popular target for the defense industry's campaign contributions. Capital Eye analyzes the money behind the lawmaker who recently replaced Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) as chair of the entire Senate Appropriations Committee.
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.
N.Y. Times Examines Schumer's Buck-raking on Wall Street
December 15, 2008 | A New York Times front-pager on Sunday that examined the ties between Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Wall Street employed data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Schumer has received more money from the securities and investment industry than almost any other member of Congress since 1989-$6.2 million. (Only President-elect Barack Obama and other 2008 presidential candidates received more.) Using data from CRP and OpenSecrets.org , the Times reported Sunday that Schumer is a champion of Wall Street who has often sided with the financial industry in debates over deregulation.
Struggling Companies and Industries Still Found Funds to Sponsor Political Conventions
December 10, 2008 | Weeks before they turned to the federal government for rescue, companies such as AIG, Ford, Citigroup and Freddie Mac were among the biggest sponsors of the summertime political conventions that nominated Barack Obama and John McCain for president, according to a new analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, in collaboration with the Campaign Finance Institute.
While in Congress, Indicted Illinois Governor Supported Current Lawmakers
December 9, 2008 | Before he was the governor of Illinois who was taken into custody on corruption charges, Rod Blagojevich was a member of Congress relying on lawyers and law firms, unions, finance companies and fellow lawmakers to fund his campaigns. Blagojevich also helped pay for some of his colleagues' campaigns, including a few that are still in Congress.
Can Senate Democrats' New Fundraiser Win Over Wall Street?
November 25, 2008 | Under the leadership of New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee collected more than $12.8 million in this election cycle from the securities and investment industry, more than double what Wall Street provided before the New Yorker took over. But for the 2010 cycle, when he'll be up for re-election, Schumer is passing the DSCC baton across the river, to New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez.
Essay Winner: Campaign Contributions Stoked the Fire Behind Wall Street Meltdown
November 21, 2008 | The Center for Responsive Politics is pleased to announce that Kristin Schaaf, a freelance writer from Altoona, Iowa, is the winner of OpenSecrets.org's second Citizen Journalism Contest, which asked: "Did campaign contributions and lobbying by the financial sector contribute to the meltdown on Wall Street?"
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.
U.S. Election Will Cost $5.3 Billion, Center for Responsive Politics Predicts
October 22, 2008 | The 2008 election for president and Congress is not only one of the most closely watched U.S. elections in years; it's also the most expensive in history. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics estimates that more than $5.3 billion will go toward financing the federal contests upcoming on Nov. 4.
Preview: CRP Predicts Cost of 2008 Election
October 22, 2008 | At $5.3 billion, the 2008 contests will add up to the most expensive U.S. election in history (and, thus, probably the most expensive election the world has ever seen). CRP will be releasing its pre-election analysis and predictions late tonight, but in the meantime, we provide a preview of what we've found.
As Economic Storm Brewed, Congressional Wealth Grew 13% Last Year
October 16, 2008 | An economic recession is looking increasingly likely, but the personal finances of members of Congress suggest they will be able to withstand the slowdown far better than most Americans, according to a new analysis of lawmakers' latest personal financial reports by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Races to Watch IX: Wall Street's Favorite Candidates
October 9, 2008 | Not at all to the chagrin of oil and gas companies (and lawmakers who have received campaign donations from them), Wall Street is the new black for congressional candidates looking to link their opponents to an unpopular industry. As federal lawmakers have wrestled with an economic bailout plan worth $700 billion, candidates who have received contributions from the financial sector are on the defensive. Find out which candidates are filling their war chests with money from the finance sector in Capital Eye's final installment of Races to Watch.
In House's Final Bailout Vote, Money from Finance Sector Sided with Bill's Supporters
October 3, 2008 | Members of the House of Representatives who voted Friday afternoon in favor of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 had received 41 percent more money from the financial sector over their congressional careers than those who opposed the legislation, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Industries Seeking Rescue Gave Twice as Much to Senators Who Backed Bailout
October 3, 2008 | The finance, insurance and real estate sector has contributed twice as much money to senators who supported bailing out the struggling sector this week than those who opposed emergency legislation, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has calculated following the 74-25 Senate vote Wednesday night that sent the bill to the House of Representatives for passage this afternoon.
Races to Watch VII: Where Cash Has No Competition
October 2, 2008 | Like reading tea leaves, one way to predict how a congressional race is going to go is by looking at the disparity in fundraising between the candidates. So far this election cycle, 280 House and Senate incumbents on November's ballot have collected at least 10 times more than the opponent they face in the general election. In this installment of Races to Watch, Capital Eye looks into why some of these incumbents have been such successful fundraisers.
Finance Sector Gave 51 Percent More to House Bailout Backers
September 29, 2008 | Members of the House of Representatives who supported bailing out the financial sector with $700 billion in taxpayer money have received 51 percent more in campaign contributions from the finance, insurance and real estate sector in their congressional careers than those who opposed the emergency legislation, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics calculated following the 228-205 vote on Monday that defeated the House bill.
Races to Watch III: Big Money, Small Money
September 29, 2008 | Barack Obama defended his decision not to accept public financing by arguing that running a campaign for the White House based on small contributions accomplishes what the public financing system aims to do but falls short of doing: curb the influence of outside interest groups. In many congressional races, the issue of who's backing the candidate--wealthy donors or everyone else--is finding its way into debates over the best way to fix the economy and whether campaign contributions and lobbying by the financial sector had anything to do with today's economic crisis. Capital Eye takes a closer look at some of these races.
Races to Watch II: Candidates Supported by Their Party
September 25, 2008 | Private interests and members of the public aren't the only ones betting their money on the congressional candidates they hope will win (or retain) congressional seats. Lawmakers in both parties have a vested interest in seeing their own candidates succeed this November, with Democrats wanting to strengthen their majority and Republicans hoping to minimize their losses. Here we look at some of the candidates getting the largest cash infusions from their own parties, indicating a close race.
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.
Retirees Propel McCain to the Fundraising Finish Line
September 3, 2008 | Preparing for a general election in which he cannot collect private donations, John McCain vaulted in front of Barack Obama in fundraising from one of the biggest groups of donors in American politics: the senior set. A new analysis of the Republican nominee's summer fundraising by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has found McCain leading Obama among retired donors almost two to one in June and July, $8.1 million to $4.5 million.
The Keating $50,000
September 3, 2008 | Individuals at a law firm founded by Charles H. Keating, Jr., who symbolized how political influence contributed to the collapse of savings and loans in the 1980s, have bundled at least $50,000 to John McCain's presidential campaign since June, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has calculated, making the Cincinnati-based firm McCain's sixth-largest contributor during that period.
Financial Industry Lobbyists Keep Bankers' Hours
August 26, 2008 | For every star-studded concert and poker tournament when the sun goes down over the Rockies, there are dozens of mundane corporate events during the day that resemble what goes on in Washington nearly every other day of the year. Such was the scene Tuesday at a daytime event sponsored by the Financial Services Roundtable, an influential alliance of the nation's biggest banks, insurers, mortgage lenders, investment advisors, credit card companies.
Professors Spent Their Summer Vacations Giving to Obama
August 26, 2008 | While school was out, college professors and other educators were putting money into Barack Obama's presidential campaign, according to a new analysis of the Democratic nominee's summer fundraising. Educators contributed at least $2.3 million to his campaign in June and July, surpassed only by lawyers, who make up Obama's top-giving industry since the campaign's start, and retirees.
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.
The Money Behind Biden
August 23, 2008 | Now that Barack Obama has announced his running mate, reporters will be scrambling to cover every aspect of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.)--his politics, his personal life, what he adds to the Democrats' presidential ticket and what aspects could make him a liability for the party. At the Center for Responsive Politics, we've strung together our own observations about Biden's campaign fundraising and personal finances.
You Have So Many Open Secrets!
August 7, 2008 | The recently redesigned OpenSecrets.org reached a milestone this week: 1,000 people have signed up for personalized MyOpenSecrets profiles, which allow you to "watchdog what you want" and have the information waiting for you every time you visit the site. Here at the Center for Responsive Politics we're delighted that so many people are taking advantage of this new feature we launched in May.
Rangel's Fundraising for Nonprofit Center Gets Him in an Ethics Tangle
July 21, 2008 | Having served 38 years in the House, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) has accomplished quite a bit. This election cycle is no exception, receiving more money than any other member of Congress from seven different industries. Lately, however, Rangel's methods of raising money have been questioned.
McCain Discloses A Bundle of Information
July 15, 2008 | John McCain's campaign has updated, and improved, the online roster of hundreds of individuals who are helping the Republican nominee-to-be raise money -- the folks we refer to as "bundlers."
NYT Columnist: Obama's Donors Mirror Democrats'
July 1, 2008 | It appears that being the candidate of change doesn't necessarily mean appealing to a new set of donors. New York Times columnist David Brooks used extensive data from the Center for Responsive Politics today to argue that Barack Obama's fundraising base looks a whole lot like those of Democrats past and present.
Home Is Where the Cash Is
June 11, 2008 | Most women will say that being a homemaker is a rewarding job, even though they don't earn any money from it. Campaign finance reports, however, make the important work look surprisingly lucrative.
In Two Trials, One Fundraiser Goes Free
June 5, 2008 | Criminal trials for two Democratic fundraisers concluded this week and only one came out of court a free man.
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.
2007 Personal Finance Reports Due Yesterday
May 16, 2008 | Personal financial disclosure forms for Members of Congress, candidates for federal office, senior congressional staff, nominees for executive branch positions, Cabinet members, the president and vice president and Supreme Court justices were due to be filed yesterday covering calendar year 2007.
Housing Law in Hands of Senator with Strong Interest in Real Estate
May 12, 2008 | Republican John McCain isn't the only federal lawmaker making headlines today for his role in some questionable real estate deals. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., shares that distinction. Shelby's strong ties to the real estate industry formed during his career as a successful title insurance executive, landlord and real estate developer.
Lobbyists in McCain Land Deal Have Close Ties to Senator, Post Reports
May 9, 2008 | The Washington Post's story this morning about a land deal supported by John McCain that benefits his donors, bundlers and staffers illustrates how furiously Washington's revolving door spins. It's enough to make even a senator dizzy.
The Millionaire on the Ballot
April 24, 2008 | The U.S. Supreme Court had its hands full with money this week—more specifically, with campaign finance dollars. The justices considered Tuesday whether it's constitutional to "level the playing field" in congressional elections by increasing the dollar limit on individual contributions for candidates who face wealthy, self-funded opponents.
Another Record Year for Lobbying
April 10, 2008 | Corporations, industries, labor unions, governments and other interests spent a record $2.79 billion in 2007 to lobby for favorable policies in Washington, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has calculated.
Congress Has Wealth to Weather Economic Downturn
March 13, 2008 | As Americans worry about their own finances, their elected representatives in Washington—with a collective net worth of $3.6 billion—are mostly in good shape to withstand a recession.
Obama Donor on Trial
March 2, 2008 | A few years ago Democrat Barack Obama bought property from Chicago real-estate developer Tony Rezko. Today Rezko goes on trial on corruption charges, calling into question his deal with the presidential hopeful. Obama has called the purchase a mistake but said he did nothing wrong.
Indicted Congressman Has Relied on Real Estate, Insurance Industries
February 28, 2008 | Republican Rep. Rick Renzi (Ariz.) said this week that he won't step down from Congress after a federal grand jury indicted him on 35 charges of corruption, including embezzlement, money laundering and extortion. Renzi has been under investigation since 2006 over allegations that he promoted a land swap in his home state that benefited himself and a business partner.
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.
Seeking Stimulation
January 31, 2008 | Industries are sending in lobbyists with their wish lists as Congress and the president debate a package to revive the ailing economy.
Barack Obama Dumps Contributions from Jailed Developer Tony Rezko
January 31, 2008 | For Barack Obama, the money raised by Chicago real estate developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko lost considerable value this week when Rezko was arrested on federal charges of extortion and money laundering.
Tony Rezko, Barack Obama Presidential Campaign Donor, Arrested
January 28, 2008 | Real estate developer Tony Rezko, who collected $80,000 in contributions for Democrat Barack Obama, was arrested today after his bail was revoked. Rezko has "pleaded not guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, influence peddling and demanding kickbacks from companies seeking Illinois state business," according to CNN.
Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter Drop Presidential Bids
January 24, 2008 | Voting in South Carolina and Nevada last weekend narrowed the Republican field to six.
Obama Gives Away Rezko Dollars
January 20, 2008 | Democrat <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00009638&cycle=2008″>Barack Obama</a> is giving more than $40,000 of contributions he received from real estate developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko to charity. Rezko is facing federal corruption charges. "Rezko, a longtime fundraiser for Obama, is charged with fraud, attempted extortion and money laundering. Prosecutors say he conspired to get campaign money and payoffs from firms…
Most Presidential Bundlers Work in Law, Finance, Real Estate
December 20, 2007 | More than half of the top fund-raisers for the 2008 presidential candidates come from just three segments of the U.S. economy: law, finance and real estate, according to a new study of these bundlers.
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.
Fred Thompson, After Testing the Waters
October 22, 2007 | Before Fred Thompson entered the race in September, he was already raising money through a "testing the water" committee. His actual campaign for president has brought in a whole lot more money, but it looks an awful lot like his exploratory committee, "Friends of Fred Thompson."
Exploring Fred Thompson's Finances
August 3, 2007 | Southern donors, lawyers, retirees and investors are major backers to the undeclared candidate's exploratory committee, the Center for Responsive Politics finds.
Small Donors Raised Their Voices in Presidential Campaign's 2nd Quarter
July 19, 2007 | While lawyers and Wall Street are still the biggest givers, the candidates raised 84 percent more—or more than a quarter of their money—from smaller donors in the last three months.
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.
The (Un)Usual Suspects
April 18, 2007 | For the most part, the industries contributing the most to the presidential candidates are the same as in the elections past—law firms, retirees, real estate, etc. But a few unusual industries have emerged as major players for some candidates in the first quarter. The crop production and processing industry ranked among six candidates' top 20…
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.
Money for Nothing
November 3, 2006 | House and Senate candidates who didn't even make it to Election Day spent almost $100 million raised from contributors and their own pockets. By Lindsay Renick Mayer and Miranda Blue November 03, 2006 | Every two years, candidates running for Congress plead with friends, family and people they've never met to dig deep into their…
Center for Responsive Politics Predicts '06 Election Will Cost $2.6 Billion
October 25, 2006 | This year's intensely competitive election for control of the House of Representatives and Senate will be the most expensive midterm election ever, the Center for Responsive Politics predicts. Candidates, national political parties and outside issue advocacy groups will spend roughly $2.6 billion by the end of 2006 to influence the 472 federal contests around the United States and pad the war chests of incumbents not running this year.
New Web Tools Track Congressional Finances and Travel
October 10, 2006 | Easy-to-search databases add to free offerings of award-winning OpenSecrets.org ____________________ The non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics has added two new features to its award-winning money-in-politics Web site, OpenSecrets.org. One database details more than $2.4 billion in assets reported by members of Congress, the president and other top federal officials, making their personal financial disclosures fully…
Too Much Information
July 24, 2006 | In disclosing their personal finances, Congress members who have led efforts to prevent identity theft revealed their Social Security numbers and other sensitive information. Voluminous attachments to annual filings make it more difficult to assess lawmakers' wealth. By Lindsay Renick Mayer July 24, 2006 | As personal data on millions of Americans has slipped out…
Making Hay Out of GOP Straw Poll
March 23, 2006 | GOP activists favor these candidates for the White House in 2008. But who will the money follow? By Courtney Mabeus March 23, 2006 | Republican Party leaders and activists gathered in Tennessee this month, and in a straw poll anointed native son Bill Frist as their chosen one to run for president in 2008. The…
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…
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