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Original journalism from the Center's OpenSecrets News
Fossil fuel companies lobby Congress on their own solutions to curb climate change
May 17, 2019 | Fossil fuel companies have their own climate change solutions in mind, and they're eager to tell members of Congress about them.
Crude export issue saw a surge of lobbying ahead of omnibus
December 17, 2015 | The oil industry's victory in the battle to lift the crude export ban didn't come out of thin air. Opponents of the prohibition — long some of the biggest forces in the Washington influence game — began lobbying on the issue in earnest in early 2013, with the effort building until they accomplished their long-sought goal…
Ethics chair received contributions from donors linked to groups in Azerbaijan probe
August 4, 2015 | The House Ethics Committee has dropped its probe into 10 members of Congress who traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan in May 2013 with oil industry money, according to a Friday afternoon press release. The panel passed a trove of documents it collected to the Justice Department for a possible review of actions by parties outside Ethics' jurisdiction. But even as the…
5 Years Later: BP Spending Again, Targets Natural Resources Committee
April 21, 2015 | The House Committee on Natural Resources meets Wednesday to discuss how safety standards have improved since the catastrophic BP oil spill in 2010 — an offshore oil well explosion and fire that left 11 dead, 17 injured, and enduring environmental threats in the Gulf of Mexico. While money coming into Washington from the oil giant screeched…
Battle in the Bayou: Gusher of Oil Money for Landrieu, Though Cassidy Leads in Recent Fundraising
December 3, 2014 | This article was cross-posted at TIME.com. The defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline bill in the Senate last month may have been viewed as a blow to Sen. Mary Landrieu's re-election bid, but her battle to get the bill passed was warmly received by members of the oil and gas industry, including Keystone's parent company.…
For World Cup Sponsors, K Street Is A Whole Other Ball Game
June 18, 2014 | The ongoing FIFA World Cup is an occasion for fans to congregate in bars and yell at the television — and a time when multinational corporations get to market their brands far and wide through players' jerseys and billboards on the field. But the official sponsors of the championship are also key players in another arena: K Street. Six companies…
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.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 9: Rich Donors' Many Interests, Fracking Industry's Ongoing Pressure, and More
October 9, 2012 | The Center for Responsive Politics collaborates for an examination of wealthy donors' giving across the spectrum -- federal, state and local -- led by the Investigative News Network.
OpenSecrets' Mailbag: The Less-Than-1 Percent, Ron Paul's Army and More
March 2, 2012 | Welcome to the latest installment of OpenSecrets Blog's 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.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.
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Census lobbying continues amid concerns about citizenship question, funding
June 14, 2019 | Congressional Democrats aren't the only ones upset about the proposed addition of the citizenship question to the census. Numerous groups ave lobbied the Census Bureau opposing the question this year
Virginia Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, extends her conservative reach for 2020
June 5, 2019 | She is married to a Supreme Court justice and she wants to help Donald Trump. What comes next?
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.
Mexico tariffs draw sharp response from auto industry, business groups
June 4, 2019 | When it comes to tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, corporate lobbying doesn't seem to be swaying President Donald Trump.
Fossil fuel companies lobby Congress on their own solutions to curb climate change
May 17, 2019 | Fossil fuel companies have their own climate change solutions in mind, and they're eager to tell members of Congress about them.
Trade takes over K Street as lobbyists take aim at Trump tariffs
April 26, 2019 | A whopping 723 clients lobbied on issues of tariffs and trade, along with various bills related to trade issues and specific trade deals, to start 2019.
House Democrats broke fundraising records in 2018. They're on pace to eclipse those numbers
April 17, 2019 | House Democrats have already raised nearly $56 million in the first quarter of 2020, more than they did at this point last cycle.
Detention center contractors will keep reaping profit even after DHS upheaval
April 15, 2019 | As the case backlog in immigration court swells and detention beds fill, so do the pockets of private prisons and security contractors.
Major League Baseball is almost back, but it never left Capitol Hill
March 5, 2019 | A look at how Major League Baseball and its team owners get involved with politics, lobbying and campaigns.
Interest groups lobby for and against Democrats' HR1 ahead of Friday House vote
March 5, 2019 | As H.R.1 is getting ready for a vote on Friday, interest groups have been deeply involved in pushing for or against the bill.
AIPAC doesn't contribute directly to candidates. Which pro-Israel groups do?
February 11, 2019 | AIPAC spends considerable funds lobbying, but does not directly contribute to federal candidates. Which pro-Israel groups gave the most in 2018?
He gave to both the Trump inauguration and Clinton campaign and is now in the sights of federal investigators
February 5, 2019 | Federal investigators are looking into the Trump inauguration committee, particularly about a contribution from longtime Democratic donor Imaad Zuberi.
Most popular advertisers of Super Bowl LIII spend big political money
February 4, 2019 | What are the politics behind your faveorite Super Bowl ad? Here we take a look at the spending habits of the most popular advertisers from Super Bowl LIII.
A look back at Roger Stone's 'big league scam' super PAC
January 25, 2019 | In 2016, Roger Stone ran a pro-Trump super PAC that spent most of its money on legal fees, travel and a series of payments under scruntiny of Robert Mueller.
Inside the controversial operation that allegedly tricked veterans into lobbying for Saudi Arabia
December 11, 2018 | FARA filings reveal more details about a controversial foreign influence operation that allegedly ensnared veterans into lobbying on behalf of Saudi Arabia.
Democrats are rejecting corporate PACs: Does it mean anything?
December 7, 2018 | Fifty-two members of the 116th Congress — including 50 Democrats and 35 new members — pledged to reject money from corporate PACs this cycle.
Billionaire sex offender Epstein gave heavily to Democrats, until he didn't
December 4, 2018 | Jeffrey Epstein donated extensively to Democrats throughout the nineties until the investigations into the allegations of sexual coercion of a minor began.
Months after deadline, financial disclosures for Mnuchin, DeVos, Ross still not public
November 21, 2018 | Financial disclosures for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have yet to be released.
Blue wave of money propels 2018 election to record-breaking $5.2 billion in spending
October 29, 2018 | The Center for Responsive Politics projects that more than $5.2 billion will be spent this cycle, making the 2018 midterms the most expensive ever.
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.
Companies that funded Trump's inauguration came up big in 2017
January 19, 2018 | President Donald Trump's inaugural committee raised a record $107 million with the help of wealthy benefactors but also through donations from more than 200 corporations and anonymous LLCs, some of which held government contracts.
Fearing border tax, retailers boost lobbying 31 percent
June 23, 2017 | It's been a remarkably tough year for the retail sector. So far in 2017, retailers have set a record pace for bankruptcies and store closings. Household names are faring no better than small shops: J.C. Penney said it would shutter 138 locations in July; Macy's expects 68 locations to close this year; and Sears Holdings will turn off the…
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…
Fewer lobbyists, more money: What's going on?
April 24, 2017 | Note: Since some lobbyists file after the quarterly deadline, visit our lobbying summary for the most current data. Before President Trump was sworn in, his rhetoric and treatment of lobbyists seemed pretty harsh. He announced lobbyists would be kicked off the transition team and registered lobbyists couldn't work in his administration, and some lobbyists deregistered to…
Self-funded candidates lose big (except when they don't)
March 15, 2017 | Let's say you flip a coin, and it lands heads up. You flip it again, and it's heads a second time. You toss it once more — you're feeling exceptionally lucky — and it's heads for the third time in a row. The chances of that happening are 12.5 percent. In the 2016 cycle, that was precisely…
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…
Van Hollen led Congress in contributions from lobbyists
March 8, 2017 | Sen. Chris Van Hollen's (D-Md.) star has been on the rise in the Democratic party: After seven terms in the House, he won a Senate seat last November, and now occupies a much-coveted spot on the Appropriations committee while also chairing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the party's fundraising arm for its Senate candidates. A knack for…
Puzder out, Acosta in. Here's who cares most about labor.
February 16, 2017 | President Donald Trump announced Alexander Acosta, the dean of Florida International University College of Law, as his new pick to head the Department of Labor on Thursday. Despite backing from top industry trade groups, Puzder withdrew his nomination Wednesday after it became clear he didn't have enough GOP support in the Senate. Republicans began breaking away…
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…
A House rules change you didn't hear much about — and prosecutors won't like
January 5, 2017 | Feb. 23: This post has been updated to include a link to H.R. 5 The Office of Congressional Ethics was saved from the landfill — where House Republicans had tried to bury it — by public outcry and a couple of tweets from President-elect Donald Trump. But few noticed a sentence that did make it into…
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.…
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,…
Boehner joins the not-quite-a-lobbyist ranks
September 21, 2016 | Count former House Speaker John Boehner as the latest not-quite-a-lobbyist. For nearly a decade, the number of registered lobbyists has slipped each year. This summer, the figure finally dipped below 10,000 — the lowest it's been since the Center for Responsive Politics began keeping track in 1998. And that drop in lobbyists has been accompanied…
Where the (GOP) parties at?
July 16, 2016 | Numerous Republican elites are ditching their party's national convention in Cleveland this year. (And with some pretty lame excuses, too.) Boy, are they missing out. Sure, on what likely will be a fascinating main event, but mostly they're skipping out on some of the biggest soirées of the season. Special interests, lobbyists, politicians and the media…
Ohio Senate race attracts highest outside spending in Congress, big share of dark money
June 20, 2016 | Outside groups — including politically active nonprofits like the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity — have spent more money trying to influence the 2016 Ohio Senate race between Republican Sen. Rob Portman and his challenger, Democrat Ted Strickland, than any other congressional contest: $15.5 million so far. The RealClearPolitics polling average currently has the candidates in…
What's a hedge fund? A major donor industry, briefly explained
May 12, 2016 | It's probably fair to say that the average American doesn't understand hedge funds. After all, very few people have the expertise or the money necessary to participate in this corner of the financial market. But the industry is currently dominating political giving. In the 2016 cycle, they gave more than ever before to political candidates…
Pennsylvania company caught in a straw donor scheme; Toomey donates money to charity
April 28, 2016 | Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who's locked in one of the Senate's closest races this cycle, and one other current lawmaker were among politicians on the receiving end of donations from players charged with making illegal campaign contributions by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. Businessman David Stewart, the head of a Pennsylvania construction conglomerate, pleaded guilty last…
Steyer second in megadonor rankings, giving more to his super PAC than at this point in 2014 cycle
March 3, 2016 | To little fanfare, the super PAC founded by liberal climate change activist Tom Steyer has amassed $13 million of the California billionaire's own money this election cycle — so far. That outpaces the $9.3 million Steyer gave his outside group, Next Gen Climate Action Committee, by this point in 2014. Very little of that money has gone toward directly…
Outside spending for 2016 hits $200m
February 12, 2016 | This election cycle is flush with outside spending. As of today, super PACs, social welfare 501(c)(4) groups, trade associations, unions, parties and others (corporations, individuals etc) have spent $203.4 million this cycle. By this time in 2014, they'd spent less than half that much, Center for Responsive Politics data show, and in 2012 the number was…
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…
CRP closed for the holidays
December 25, 2015 | The Center for Responsive Politics is taking a holiday break to fatten up and get some rest in preparation for the presidential election year! We'll be out from Dec. 25 until Jan. 4. We'll be checking emails sporadically, but if you're a reporter with an urgent question on deadline you can call Viveca Novak at…
Crude export issue saw a surge of lobbying ahead of omnibus
December 17, 2015 | The oil industry's victory in the battle to lift the crude export ban didn't come out of thin air. Opponents of the prohibition — long some of the biggest forces in the Washington influence game — began lobbying on the issue in earnest in early 2013, with the effort building until they accomplished their long-sought goal…
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.…
Watchdog groups call on Ethics Committee to release findings in Azerbaijan case
August 26, 2015 | Ten government watchdog groups have called on House Ethics Committee Chair Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) to release the Office of Congressional Ethics' findings regarding all-expense-paid trips to Azerbaijan taken by 10 members of Congress in 2013, according to a Wednesday press release. Earlier this month, the Ethics Committee dropped its own…
Feds seek Schock's docs on players in foreign money scandal
August 13, 2015 | Federal agents are seeking documents from former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) that relate to a major GOP political vendor under indictment for allegedly conspiring to funnel foreign funds into a U.S. mayoral election, according to recently unsealed court documents and an OpenSecrets Blog analysis of campaign finance data. The vendor, ElectionMall Inc., and its CEO, Ravneet…
Ticket prices too high? Airlines in collusion probe have a way to make them seem lower
July 8, 2015 | The Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed earlier this month that it is investigating whether airlines have been colluding to limit vacant seats in order to keep ticket prices high. The nation's four main carriers — American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines — all said that DOJ had asked them for copies of communications they…
Harvard's billionaire benefactor also a GOP sugar daddy
June 4, 2015 | Founded in 1636, Harvard University is generally considered to be the oldest university in the United States. With a $36.4 billion endowment, it is generally considered to be the richest university in the United States as well. And Harvard just got richer, with some help from a big Republican donor. Yesterday, Harvard College President Drew…
Jewish Conservatives Form Infrastructure of Graham's Potential 2016 Donor Base
May 18, 2015 | Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) confirmed Monday on CBS's This Morning that he will be running for president in 2016 in part because he thinks "the world is falling apart." Graham, who is expected to officially launch his campaign on June 1, can take comfort in knowing that there are some major donors who may be…
For Earth Day, Industry-Backed Republicans Look to Delay Power Plant Rules While Obama Talks Them Up
April 22, 2015 | Happy Earth Day! President Obama celebrated with a trip to the Florida Everglades to highlight the perils of climate change and talk up his proposed power plant emission rules. Back in Washington, House Republicans observed the occasion with a subcommittee vote on a measure that would delay those rules. The sponsors of the bill, as it turns…
5 Years Later: BP Spending Again, Targets Natural Resources Committee
April 21, 2015 | The House Committee on Natural Resources meets Wednesday to discuss how safety standards have improved since the catastrophic BP oil spill in 2010 — an offshore oil well explosion and fire that left 11 dead, 17 injured, and enduring environmental threats in the Gulf of Mexico. While money coming into Washington from the oil giant screeched…
'I'm Not a Candidate': How Presidential Hopefuls Get Around Finance Rules
March 30, 2015 | This story was cross-posted with the The Guardian. The dinner invitations that dropped into the inboxes of political donors last week proudly boasted a list of guests whose names have already become very familiar in the crowded race for the Republican presidential nomination. Jeb Bush, Scott Walker and Rick Santorum are among nine confirmed speakers…
Will the Grass Grow Greener in D.C.?
February 25, 2015 | D.C. residents voted to legalize marijuana, but Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) wants to prescribe the District a different fate. Local officials, having defied Harris' rider in the year-end cromnibus prohibiting implementation of the city's Initiative 71, say legalization will begin tomorrow, Feb. 26 — though congressional Republicans are equally bent on blocking it. The ballot…
Investigation Into Ron Paul's 2012 Campaign "Making Progress"
February 19, 2015 | A federal investigation into events surrounding the Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign in Iowa is ongoing and "making progress," the Des Moines Register reported today. During a brief hearing that included federal prosecutors and the attorney representing a former Iowa state senator who has pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance rules in connection with the campaign, prosecutors said they are…
All Cooled Off: As Congress Convenes, Former Colleagues Will Soon be Calling From K Street
January 6, 2015 | Seven years after President George W. Bush signed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) into law and then-Sen. Barack Obama, (D-Ill.) declared it to be "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate," a joint analysis by the Sunlight Foundation and the Center for Responsive Politics suggests the effort may have misfired. A key…
Battle in the Bayou: Gusher of Oil Money for Landrieu, Though Cassidy Leads in Recent Fundraising
December 3, 2014 | This article was cross-posted at TIME.com. The defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline bill in the Senate last month may have been viewed as a blow to Sen. Mary Landrieu's re-election bid, but her battle to get the bill passed was warmly received by members of the oil and gas industry, including Keystone's parent company.…
Ron Paul's Presidential Campaign Shells Out for Lawyers in Wake of Disclosures
November 18, 2014 | The Ron Paul presidential campaign of 2012 is not over. In fact, the legal entity that controlled the campaign had $576,000 in the bank on Sept. 30 — a substantial sum for a White House bid that effectively ended two-and-a-half years ago. Leftover campaign cash can be used for a variety of purposes, but since August,…
As FEC Window Opened, Subjects of Dark Money "Issue Ads" Became Targets for Defeat
November 3, 2014 | It's official. Today, spending by "dark money" organizations on congressional elections surpassed that of all previous cycles. At $169.2 million so far, money spent by these groups that don't disclose their donors handily outpaces 2010's previous record for a midterm election, where dark money spending topped out at $135 million. It even, albeit barely, tops the $168.6 million spent…
Two Telecom Companies Work Their Networks in DC
October 1, 2014 | It takes a lot of networking to route phone calls for the U.S. government. To that end, two companies vying for a nearly half-billion dollar contract to run the Number Portability Administration Center have brought on board new teams of lobbyists to win regulators over. One of the firms being considered for the contract by…
A Well-Oiled Pipeline Brings Party Cash to Nebraska House Race
September 25, 2014 | In the Second District of Nebraska, a state that would be crossed by the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, an influx of cash from the national parties is adding fuel to the fire of a competitive House race. Eight-term incumbent Rep. Lee Terry (R) is facing one of the biggest challenges of his career in State Sen. Brad Ashford.…
Dems Getting Stingier With Campaign Cash to Colleagues
September 17, 2014 | In the run-up to the 2012 elections, Republican candidates spent more on political contributions than their Democratic counterparts for the first time in a decade, transferring $54 million from candidate committees to parties or other candidates. On the Democratic side, similar transfers peaked at $76.3 million in the 2008 cycle, after growing steadily since 2002. Though…
Candidates in Little New Hampshire Get Big Out-of-State Money
September 10, 2014 | His victory last night in New Hampshire's GOP primary means Scott Brown will continue to catch flak for moving from Massachusetts to try to take Democrat Jeanne Shaheen's Senate seat. Shaheen has been working hard to tag Brown with the carpetbagger label. But the reality is that almost all of the fuel for this fight…
Two Grand Juries Continuing Probe Into 2012 Iowa Payola Scandal
September 4, 2014 | Last week's guilty plea by former Iowa State Sen. Kent Sorenson wasn't the end of the federal investigation into the 2012 Iowa caucus payola scandal — not by a longshot. OpenSecrets Blog has learned that FBI agents have been interviewing a slew of witnesses connected to Ron Paul's presidential campaign and grand jury subpoenas have been…
Obama Campaign Alums Still In Demand In 2014
August 13, 2014 | Each election cycle, political vendors — advertising firms, direct mail companies, fundraising professionals, and the like — are paid billions of dollars to flood airwaves and mailboxes, but most voters never hear their names. Unless they succeed or fail spectacularly, vendors rarely receive much coverage even by the political press. With almost three-quarters of a…
Ayers' Firewall: Separating Perdue's Campaign From the Outside Groups
August 1, 2014 | Earlier this week, we detailed how a mysterious Ohio nonprofit suddenly materialized in two separate races to run attack ads. The only thing those two races had in common was that the candidate who benefited from the attack ads employed consulting firms run by a man named Nick Ayers. And, we discovered, that mysterious nonprofit…
Politiquizz: Cooperating for Cash
July 21, 2014 | In 1998, five active joint fundraising committees (JFCs) raised a total of $1.7 million. So far this year, 371 joint fundraising committees have raised more than $93.1 million with more than three months to go before Election Day — surpassing the total of nearly $92.5 million that JFCs raised in the entire 2010 mid-term election…
Tillis' New JFC
July 16, 2014 | Thom Tillis, the Republican challenger to Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in North Carolina, has been out-raised by more than $10 million, including $2 million in the second quarter of 2014. But he's hoping for at least a little help from a joint fundraising committee he's created, according to recent Federal Election Commission filings. The handful of donors who…
Travels With Don: The Lobbyists, the Nilgai and the Handsome Ranch Foreman
July 15, 2014 | In 2004, Randy DeLay was asked by the commissioners of the Port of Brownsville, Texas, to justify his $25,000 monthly lobbying bills. Why was he submitting such high travel expenses for what appeared to be junkets? DeLay, the younger brother of then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), explained to them that lobbying is expensive work, especially when you're trying to…
For World Cup Sponsors, K Street Is A Whole Other Ball Game
June 18, 2014 | The ongoing FIFA World Cup is an occasion for fans to congregate in bars and yell at the television — and a time when multinational corporations get to market their brands far and wide through players' jerseys and billboards on the field. But the official sponsors of the championship are also key players in another arena: K Street. Six companies…
FEC Will Examine Allegations Against Ron Paul Campaign
March 31, 2014 | The Federal Election Commission is the latest set of authorities to take a look at allegations that Paul's 2012 presidential campaign bought the loyalty of an Iowa state senator.
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.
Americans for Responsible Leadership Wholly Funded by Koch-Linked Group
December 13, 2013 | The Arizona-based dark money group got almost 98 percent of its 2012 revenues from the Center to Protect Patient Rights. It spent $25.2 million, about 13 times what it spent in 2011 -- a non-election year.
Big Banks Lobbied Against Stricter Regulation — And Lost
December 11, 2013 | Despite intense lobbying from heavy hitters in the commercial bank industry, regulators have approved the Volcker rule, which seeks to curb high-risk trading.
McCutcheon's Multiplying Effect: Why An Overall Limit Matters
September 17, 2013 | On Oct. 8, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in McCutcheon v. FEC, a case challenging the overall contribution limits for individual donors that were first enacted in the mid-1970's. Caps on donations to specific candidates, party committees and PACs -- put in place to prevent corruption or the appearance of it -- aren't directly affected by the case. Without an overall limit, though, those caps would lose much of their force.
CRP Sharpens Focus on Campaign Spending
August 30, 2013 | With new categories and an overhauled database, CRP is taking a closer look at the way campaigns and other political committees spend their money -- making it easier to see how politicians translate contributions into votes, which consultants and other vendors are in demand and more. Check it out.
Top Recipients of Lobbyists' Cash, 2013: An OpenSecrets Analysis
July 2, 2013 | Fancy dinners with members of Congress are all but verboten for lobbyists these days. But they can still make an impression with campaign contributions. An OpenSecrets.org analysis has crunched the available numbers from the 2014 election cycle.
Computer Industry, Unions Big Donors to Immigration Bill Supporters
June 24, 2013 | Senators who voted for cloture on a key amendment to the comprehensive immigration overhaul bill tended to receive much more money from the computer industry, human rights groups and labor unions. The 27 senators who voted against the amendment, which strengthens border security but is also a step towards passing the overall immigration package, on average received very little money from those three types of groups, but did receive heavy support from donors in the agribusiness industry.
Pritzker and Froman, by the Numbers
May 2, 2013 | Obama announces the nominations of Penny Pritzker as Commerce Secretary and Michael Froman to be U.S. Trade Representative. Both were bundlers for his campaigns.
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.
Members of Congress Feel Student Loan Pain Firsthand
February 7, 2013 | When lawmakers debate whether to extend low rates on subsidized student loans later this year, many of them will be feeling firsthand the pain of student loan debt: Five senators and 41 members of the House report that their liabilities include money still owed on loans to finance their own education or that of their children.
Lobbying Cutbacks by Some in Oil and Gas Industry
January 23, 2013 | A few oil companies increased their lobbying budgets last year, but others cut back, some by a lot. Stand by for 2013, though, if climate change legislation begins percolating through Capitol Hill.
Obama's Shadow Money Allies File First Report
January 8, 2013 | The tax return of the nonprofit linked to the main pro-Obama super PAC shows links to other liberal groups and more payments to Paul Begala. What it doesn't show is donors' names.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 7: Chuck Hagel's Distance From Defense, and More
January 7, 2013 | Chuck Hagel, President Obama's pick to take charge of the Defense Department, had little to do with the defense industry when he was in Congress.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 4: Shell's Arctic Oil Drilling, and Barney Frank as Senator?
January 4, 2013 | The recent grounding of a Shell oil rig near Alaska has once again focused attention on questions about Arctic oil drilling -- something the company has fought for long and hard in Washington. Barney Frank is making noise about returning to Congress -- as a senator?
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 11: Banks in Potentially Crippling Lawsuits, A Cultural Misunderstanding Over Wal-Mart Lobbying, and the Death Star Petition
December 11, 2012 | Some of the nation's biggest banks are defendants in a whole new round of lawsuits over subprime mortgages, with potential liability in the hundreds of billions. WalMart is accused of illegal lobbying in India, though it all seems to be a misunderstanding.
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.
Capital Eye Opener, Nov. 29: BP Banned From Contracts, Super PACs Moving On, and More
November 29, 2012 | BP is banned from government contracts for now, but will that affect its slow climb back in the political realm? Also, what to do next if you're a super PAC or other independent-expenditure group? Why not try lobbying?
Drones: Despite Problems, A Push to Expand Domestic Use
November 27, 2012 | Privacy and safety questions remain unresolved, but a law pushed by makers of unmanned aerial vehicles requires the Federal Aviation Administration to open up airspace to the devices. Police departments, universities, private corporations -- everyone wants one.
Latest Lobbying Reports Show Continued Decline in Spending
November 2, 2012 | Don't look to the lobbying industry to stimulate the economy. Despite the outlays of notable exceptions like Google, spending on lobbying continues its decline.
Car Dealers Help Drive Auto Industry Cash To Romney
November 1, 2012 | Romney's been focusing on the automobile industry during the closing days of the campaign. In campaign finance terms, he's already the industry's favored candidate. A breakdown of the numbers, though, shows that's largely attributable to support from car dealers and their employees. Obama wins when it comes to donations from the Big Three automakers' workers.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 31: Happy Halloween! It's Not Just Candy, It's a Special Interest! And More
October 30, 2012 | Think there's no politics in candy? Think again. Also, the fight for Ohio's auto workers, and a troubled medical device maker's robust Washington presence.
Outside Groups Outspend Candidates in 26 House Races
October 30, 2012 | In 26 House races, spending by outside groups -- super PACs, nonprofits and party committees -- outstripped that of the candidates themselves. Among them: the misshapen plot of land that has been dubbed the "rabbit on a skateboard," aka the Illinois 17th.
Shadow Money's Top 10 Candidates
October 25, 2012 | Never before has so much outside money been dispensed in an election cycle. Likewise, never before has so much spending been done by outside groups that don't disclose the identities of their donors: Their outlays broke $200 million this week. Here, we give you the top 10 candidates attracting shadow money attention.
Shadow Money Group Discloses Adelson Donation
October 23, 2012 | The New American Energy Opportunity Foundation is running radio ads with money from Sheldon Adelson, it disclosed to the FEC last week.
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.
Backed by Adelson, Republican Pro-Israel Group Targets Obama
October 17, 2012 | With support from casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and a board laden with well-connected luminaries of GOP fundraising, the Republican Jewish Coalition is making a strong push to turn just enough Jews against Obama to deny him re-election.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 12: Romney's 360 on Abortion, Strange Bedfellows in the 501(c) World, and More
October 12, 2012 | Romney may have tried to tack to the center on abortion, but less than 48 hours later he was back to attacking Planned Parenthood -- which has shown its muscle as an outside spending group this cycle.
Capital Eye Opener, Oct. 9: Rich Donors' Many Interests, Fracking Industry's Ongoing Pressure, and More
October 9, 2012 | The Center for Responsive Politics collaborates for an examination of wealthy donors' giving across the spectrum -- federal, state and local -- led by the Investigative News Network.
OpenSecrets PolitiQuizz: 'Modern' Emmy Winners Get Political
September 24, 2012 | The cast of the hit television show "Modern Family" won four Emmys last night. But who among them has a penchant for political cash?
New OpenSecrets.org Tool: One-Page Profiles of 20,000 Corporations, Unions and Trade Groups
September 13, 2012 | OpenSecrets.org unveils its latest tool -- at-a-glance profiles of more than 20,000 organizations that include lobbying, campaign finance and other information on one page to help you easily measure an organization's influence in Washington.
Capital Eye Opener, Aug. 10: New York AG Takes On Nonprofits, Romney Halfway to $800 Million Goal and More
August 10, 2012 | New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman requests financial information from political nonprofit groups. Mitt Romney to crack $400 million in fundraising. And Barack Obama losing his edge among student donors.
Capital Eye Opener, Aug. 8th: Expensive Primaries, Pandora's Politics, and a Law Firm Blogs on Campaign Finance
August 8, 2012 | Missouri Rep. Todd Akin prevails in a primary that split the tea party, Pandora won't let you dodge political ads, and a law and lobbying firm starts a blog on campaign finance.
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.
Capital Eye Opener, July 31: An Olympic Ad Boosting Romney, the Teamsters Stay in the Game, and More
July 31, 2012 | Restore Our Future follows Priorities USA Action in using the Olympics to talk about Romney, this time in a positive light. But will Olympic officials come down on this super PAC as it did on Priorities? Also, how corporations embroiled in scandal deal with contributions to politicians, and the Teamsters stand strong in the realm of political giving.
Washington's Influence Olympics: The Opening Ceremony
July 27, 2012 | Millions of people all over the world today will tune in for the event that comes but once every four years: the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics. This year, there are 53 official corporate sponsors of the Olympics, most of which have a multinational reach. And just about any major company that's doing business in the U.S. is likely to a have a stake in what's going on in Washington. Of the 53 Olympic sponsors, 29 have lobbied the federal government since the last Summer Games, even those that are not based in the U.S. Welcome to the Influence Olympics!
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.
Lawmakers Who Took Sweetheart Loans Also Benefited From Countrywide Campaign Cash
July 5, 2012 | Six lawmakers that received special loan deals from troubled mortgage dealer Countrywide were also the beneficiaries of more than $105,000 in collective campaign contributions from the subprime giant.
Capital Eye Opener, June 28: Medical Pros Square Off, NY AG vs. US Chamber and GM Revs Political Engine
June 28, 2012 | The primary battle between Republican James Bridenstine and Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) in Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District was not only a clash of Tea Party and establishment Republicans, but of different types of medical professionals.
BP Keeps Low Profile Two Years Later
April 20, 2012 | As one of the largest corporations in the world, BP has always had a healthy presence here, but its involvement with politicians mostly came to a screeching halt after the Deep Water Horizon exploded and oil began gushing. Whether it was due to politicians refusing to take the money (which actually did happen) or BP trying to keep a low profile, the British oil money did stop flowing into Washington -- faster, in fact, than the actual oil stopped flowing into the Gulf. The company revived its Washington operations last year, but the comeback has been slow.
Capital Rivals: Rumble in Silicon Valley
April 4, 2012 | Yahoo recently sued Facebook over allegations of patent infringement. In this edition of Capital Rivals, we're pitting internet companies Yahoo and Facebook against each other to see who wins the money-in-politics game. It's a closer match-up than you might expect.
Blue Dog Fundraising Climbs as Coalition Fights Extinction
March 20, 2012 | Blue Dog Democrats are an endangered species on Capitol Hill, but their fundraising suggests they may be clawing their way back with a little help from Democratic leadership PACs, among others.
The FreedomWorks Network: Many Connections, Little Disclosure
March 16, 2012 | If six-term Senate veteran Orrin Hatch had gone down to defeat in yesterday's Utah GOP caucuses, Dick Armey might have claimed some credit.
OpenSecrets' Mailbag: The Less-Than-1 Percent, Ron Paul's Army and More
March 2, 2012 | Welcome to the latest installment of OpenSecrets Blog's 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.
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.
Contran's (Sort Of) Donation to the U.S. Billionaires Super PAC
February 9, 2012 | Harold Simmons may be a generous and savvy player in the world of GOP campaign finance, but his Contran Corp.'s PAC was taken in by Josue Larose, a political committee entrepreneur.
Where in the World Are Barack Obama's Bundlers, Part 3
January 31, 2012 | Last year, 445 bundlers collectively raised at least $74.4 million for Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee. That represents $35 out of every $100 the two organizations have raised since April, when Obama launched his re-election bid.
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.
Lawmakers Press FEC For Transparency and Clarity in Deliberations
November 4, 2011 | The first check-up in more than seven years was a painful one for the Federal Election Commission. At a long-overdue oversight hearing on Thursday the House Administration Committee, which oversees FEC, insisted upon greater transparency within the commission and greater clarity in its enforcement of election laws.
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.
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 Blog PolitiQuizz: Which Early Primary State Has Given the Least?
October 24, 2011 | Which of the five early primary and caucus states has contributed the least to the presidential candidates and what Republican has received the most money from that state?
OpenSecrets.org Unveils New Interactive Features To Monitor 2012 Presidential Money Race
October 21, 2011 | As the presidential money chase continues to heat up, the Center for Responsive Politics is rolling out several new features to help you keep tabs on the 2012 race for the White House.
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.
Moody Downgrades, BP Returns and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 23
September 23, 2011 | Moody's evaluation was meant to be apolitical. But Moody's itself doesn't stay above the fray. Last year, the company spent $1.5 million on federal lobbying, and during the first half of this year, it spent $610,000.
High-Profile Energy Companies Reduce Lobbying Expenditures
July 25, 2011 | Seven high-profile energy companies have spent a total of $30.2 million on lobbying so far this year. That's 6 percent less than what they spent during the first half of 2010 -- and 39 percent less than their expenditures during the first half of 2009.
Congressmen Sell Transocean Stock, Alec Baldwin Could Run for Office and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 20
June 20, 2011 | Several congressmen were eager to sever all ties with the companies responsible for one of the biggest environmental disasters in the nation's history. OpenSecrets Blog previously reported that high-ranking members of congress dumped their BP assets in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill last year. And another analysis of personal financial disclosure documents released last week shows that many also divested their stocks for Transocean, the company that owned the Deepwater Horizon oil platform that BP operated.
BP Continues to Increase Donations to Federal Political Candidates
June 18, 2011 | Oil company BP continues its slow climb out of political purgatory, as its political action committee on Friday reported donating thousands of dollars in May to federal-level politicians hailing from a variety of states.
Prominent Congressmen Dumped BP Stock After Oil Spill
June 15, 2011 | High-ranking congressmen made a concerted effort to financially distance themselves from BP in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, either by reducing or altogether dumping their stock holdings, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of lawmakers' personal financial disclosure documents released Tuesday.
BP Back in Politics, T-Paw Makes it Official and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 24
May 24, 2011 | BP may still be reeling from its tarnished reputation following last year's Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but it continues its attempted comeback -- at least in the political sphere.
Senate Finance Committee's Connection with Oil, American Solutions Changes Strategies and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 13
May 13, 2011 | The Senate Finance Committee conducted a hearing Thursday on whether to end tax breaks for the nation's five biggest oil companies. Senate Democrats have proposed eliminating $21 billion in tax cuts during the next 10 years.
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.
Gary Johnson Launches Presidential Campaign, Van Hollen Sues FEC and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 22
April 22, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Pace of Federal Lobbying Slows in First Quarter
April 21, 2011 | Facing a newly divided Congress and a murky legislative outlook in the near future, many of the nation's most active government lobbying powerhouses are slowing the pace of their spending, preliminary analysis of first quarter federal lobbying reports show.
BP Firing Up Political Machine One Year After Start of Oil Spill
April 19, 2011 | After a year of largely self-imposed campaign finance exile, embattled oil company BP is again making federal political contributions from the political action committee sponsored by its North American subsidy, a Center for Responsive Politics review of federal records indicates.
Seven Score and 10 Years Later, Civil War Battles Persist
April 19, 2011 | Last week marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War, when the bombardment of Fort Sumter ignited four years of bloody conflict. And even though the last combatant died decades ago, plenty of organizations are still spending money on the Civil War -- much of it concerning education and preservation, although some blue-and-gray greenbacks are spent lobbying the federal government, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
OpenSecrets Blog's PolitiQuizz: Planned Parenthood Survives Cuts, But What Next?
April 11, 2011 | For this week's PolitiQuizz, we want you to take a look at the lobbying activity of groups on both sides of the abortions rights debate.
Nuclear Power Industry Primed for Political Fight if Officials Sour on Plant Expansion Plans
March 14, 2011 | If a political fight over nuclear power materializes, advocates of nuclear energy in the United States are primed for it, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal lobbying and campaign finance data indicates.
Lobbyists Aggressively Targeted Democrats' Top Priorities During Barack Obama's First Two Years
March 10, 2011 | One out of every four groups that lobbied on any issue at the federal level during 2009 or 2010 targeted their efforts on health care reform, financial regulatory reform, the stimulus and cap-and-trade climate proposals, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Freshmen in 112th Congress Exceedingly Wealthy Despite Struggling National Economy
March 9, 2011 | U.S. House and Senate freshmen are together a notably wealthy bunch, enjoying exponentially greater wealth than most of the Americans they represent, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal personal financial disclosure reports.
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
Ex-Countrywide Chairman Angelo Mozilo, Namesake of Controversial VIP Mortgage Program, Once Aided Pols
February 25, 2011 | Before the subprime mortgage meltdown, accusations of fraud and insider trading and congressional investigations into his VIP mortgage program, Countrywide Chairman Angelo Mozilo was a generous campaign donor. Between January 1989 and June 2008 -- when Mozilo left Countrywide -- he donated about $120,000 to federal candidates and committees, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of campaign finance records.
The Politics of Weather, Issa Investigates Countrywide and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 18
February 18, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Jane Harman Leaves Congress, Obama Meets the Chamber of Commerce and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 8
February 8, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money and politics.
Federal Lobbying Expenditures Plateau After Years of Rapid Growth
February 4, 2011 | The nation's financial malaise is finally catching up to K Street, where federal lobbying activity plateaued for the first time in a decade, the Center for Responsive Politics' research indicates. After a record $3.49 billion in lobbying spending in 2009, lobbying expenditures in 2010 by corporations, unions, trade associations, universities and other organizations will, at most, eclipse that amount by the narrowest of margins.
Political Candidates Pad Profits of Embattled BP, Citgo Through Campaign Expenditures
January 27, 2011 | Many political candidates in Washington and on the campaign trail had plenty to say about oil company villainy during the 2010 election cycle. But some campaigns and political committees had little problem padding the profits of two embattled companies in particular -- BP and Citgo.
Political Future Unknown, Alec Baldwin a Major Democratic Donor in Past and Present
January 26, 2011 | Regardless of what Baldwin's future brings, his past and present is marked by notably high and sustained levels of political giving, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal campaign finance data.
OpenSecrets.org's Top 10 Money-in-Politics Stories of 2010
December 31, 2010 | A review of the most notable money-in-politics events during 2010, as determined by the staff of OpenSecrets.org.
OpenSecrets Blog PolitiQuizz: Which Senator Has Made the Most From the Airport Body Scanner Manufacturer?
December 13, 2010 | With the winter holiday travel season in full swing, many travelers will become intimately acquainted with L-3 Communications' much-talked about full-body scanning machines. But while controversy over the scanners has been increasing in recent months, so too have political donations from the company's political action committee.
Orszag Revolves, Bernie Sanders' Filibuster Fund-raiser and More in Capital Eye Opener: December 13
December 13, 2010 | ORSZAG GOES TO CITIGROUP: Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Peter Orszag, who resigned in June, has gone through D.C.'s famed revolving door between public service and the private sector and landed in comfort at Citigroup.
OpenSecrets Blog PolitiQuizz: Which Oil and Gas Company is the Biggest Lobbying Spender?
December 6, 2010 | This has been a turbulent year for the oil and gas industry after April's BP Gulf oil spill, but oil and gas companies are continuing to flex their political muscle in Washington.
Potential Conservative Challenger of Republican Sen. Dick Lugar Sole Beneficiary of BP PAC Money in Late October
December 2, 2010 | On Oct. 18, BP's political action committee wrote a $250 check to Indiana Republican Mike Delph, a state senator first elected in a 2005 special election who is reportedly mulling a 2012 primary challenge against incumbent Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.).
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.
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.
Top Industries Put Brakes On Federal Lobbying Spending During Third Quarter
November 18, 2010 | Despite expending massive sums of money, some of the industries most active in lobbying the 111th Congress slowed their spending during this year's third quarter in the face of the midterm elections and a changing political tide, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal data.
Alaska Senate Race Called for Murkowski, U.S. Chamber Paid by Insurers to Oppose Reform and More in Capital Eye Opener: November 18
November 18, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Congressional Members' Personal Wealth Expands Despite Sour National Economy
November 17, 2010 | Despite a stubbornly sour national economy congressional members' personal wealth collectively increased by more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2009, according to a new study by the Center for Responsive Politics of federal financial disclosures released earlier this year.
Center for Responsive Politics is Crucial Part of 'New Journalism Ecosystem' According to American University
November 12, 2010 | American University's Investigative Reporting Workshop has named the Center for Responsive Politics to its inaugural list of nonprofit news and research organizations that compose the "new journalism ecosystem."
Suspended Keith Olbermann's Initial Replacement on MSNBC, Chris Hayes, Also Made Campaign Contributions
November 6, 2010 | MSNBC quickly reconsidered its decision to insert Hayes into Olbermann's slot, perhaps in part because of this story in September by OpenSecrets.org's own Megan R. Wilson, who discovered that Hayes was among dozens of identifiable reporters, editors and other news professionals to have this election cycle made political contributions.
Several Big-Name Energy Companies' Lobbying Efforts Wane in 2010
October 30, 2010 | While 2010 lobbying expenditures have dropped for some big names in energy -- such as BP, Halliburton, Koch Industries and ExxonMobil -- a handful of oil and gas heavyweights are still flexing the industry's muscle and stepping up their spending, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of third-quarter federal lobbying reports, which were filed last week with the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate.
Senators Who Pocket Money From Foreign-Connected PACs Fight Against International Influence in Elections
October 28, 2010 | Last week Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter, co-signed by 14 other Democratic senators, to the Federal Election Commission, requesting that they "repair and strengthen protections against foreign influence of American elections." But how deep does their desire to strengthen protections against foreign influence go?
Dems Get Personal, Lobbyists Invest in Top Republicans, and More in Capital Eye Opener: October 28
October 28, 2010 | According to a recent report by the Wesleyan Media Project, in 2010, "pro-Democratic ads focused on the personal characteristics of Republican candidates in 21 percent of their attack ads
Nalco, Company Behind Dispersants Used in Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Clean Up, Ratchets Up Politicking in 2010
October 27, 2010 | The Illinois-based company that manufactured the dispersants used by BP after the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico spent exponentially more on federal lobbying in the disaster's wake than it has historically.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Lobbying Spending Up Sharply Over Same Period Last Year
October 21, 2010 | Reports covering all federal lobbying activities performed between July and September were filed with the House and Senate Wednesday, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- one of the most vocal opponents of the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats -- continues to shell out tens of millions of dollars for lobbying expenditures.
BP Campaign Cash: Still Toxic Six Months After Oil Spill
October 19, 2010 | BP's PAC did not write a single check to federal lawmakers in September, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of campaign finance documents filed today. In fact, the PAC has not donated a dime to any federal lawmakers since May.
Oil and Gas Contributions Still Rising in 2010, Republicans Receiving Bulk of Industry Cash
October 1, 2010 | This spring and summer, hundreds of millions of gallons of oil seeped into the Gulf of Mexico. Simultaneously, debate raged in Congress about ocean drilling, energy independence, cap and trade legislation and a shift away from fossil-fuel energy sources. Nevertheless, congressional candidates and federal political committees nationwide have raked in more than $17 million from the oil and gas industry so far during the 2010 election cycle -- a number on pace to easily exceed that of the most recent midterm election four years ago.
Campaign Fund-raising Blitz, Financial Sector Bailouts and More in Capital Eye Opener: Oct. 1
October 1, 2010 | Forget Christmas, candidates know this is the season for giving. With just a month until the midterm elections, campaign cash collecting has shifted into high gear. Politico reported that members or candidates for the House and Senate will be having 400 fundraisers in a mere 14 days.
Some Congressional Challengers Flex Bigger Fund-Raising Muscles Than Incumbents
September 28, 2010 | Incumbency is a monumental obstacle to overcome for any political challenger. But 11 congressional challengers -- nine Republicans and two Democrats -- have managed to raise more money than their incumbent rivals, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis found.
Mariner Energy, Owner of Latest Exploding Gulf Oil Rig, Slated to Merge with Political Lobbying Force Apache Corp.
September 2, 2010 | An oil rig owned by Mariner Energy, Inc. exploded Thursday morning, just west of the where the Deepwater Horizon accident occurred in April. Although Mariner and its employees have not been very politically active during the last two decades, there is a pending merger with a subsidiary of Apache Corp., a hyper-political company.
Rejected, Donated or Lost, Sometimes Politicians Never Pocket the Oil Money Directed at Them
August 27, 2010 | Despite a tight relationship between oil interests and politicians, some campaign contribution checks, though written, never end up in the pockets of the oil interests' intended politician or committee. There are several reasons why this may occur, both rare and relatively common.
Lobbyist in Action: How A Veteran Congressional Influencer Works Her Craft
August 27, 2010 | Firm knowledge of congressional members. Understanding of their districts. Near-clairvoyance for their concerns. These are the elements needed to become a successful environmental lobbyist. And for half a day in July, OpenSecrets Blog had unfettered access to an environmental lobbying force in action.
Bipartisan Bill to Price Carbon Faces Long Odds — and Many Lobbyists — Despite BP Oil Spill
August 27, 2010 | Glaciers are melting faster than the U.S. Senate is taking action to limit greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming. And it's clear that a significant share of this dearth of movement is because of the clout of powerful special interest groups. Even a basic, bipartisan carbon emissions measure hasn't escaped from the treacherous terrain.
Congressmen Maintain Massive Portfolio of Oil and Gas Investments
August 27, 2010 | Own stocks in oil or gas companies? If you're a member of Congress, the odds are about one-in-five that the answer is yes. Oil and gas industry holdings are some of the most popular investments among lawmakers and their spouses, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Trial Lawyer Embraces Approach of Energy Tycoons to Influence Elections In New Orleans
August 25, 2010 | In the final hours before primary election day, a shadowy new political group is comparing Louisiana Democratic Congressional candidate Cedric Richmond to a comic book villain and accusing him of committing all seven deadly sins. Want to know who's funding the attack? Too bad.
Congressmen's Taxpayer-Funded Vehicles Reveal Hodgepodge of Fuel Efficiency, Government Transparency
August 24, 2010 | Congressional members' vehicles are hardly created equal when it comes to how much you, as a taxpayer, are subsidizing them. What's equally unequal: How much information members of the U.S. House of Representatives are willing to reveal about the wheels you're providing them.
Oil Spill Bills Stall in Senate as Industry, Environmental Lobbyists Battle
August 23, 2010 | The oil industry spent nearly $75 million between January and June -- equivalent to the government budget of a mid-sized American city -- lobbying the federal government.
Pro-Environment Groups Outmatched, Outspent in Battle Over Climate Change Legislation
August 23, 2010 | With significant majorities in Congress, a president promising action and favorable public opinion all on their side, many environmentalists believed their political stars had properly – and finally – aligned. Yet even as these groups seemed poised to capitalize on favorable trends, moneyed opponents girded for a fight with more financial capital than ever before.
FEC Cites 12 Campaigns, Satanism in Nevada's Senate Race and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 23
August 23, 2010 | On Friday, the Federal Elections Committee cited 12 campaigns for failing to file their pre-primary financial reports.
Emmitt Smith the Contribution Champ, Politicians Who Return Money and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 16
August 16, 2010 | With the National Football League season upon us, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame having recently enshrined its class of 2010, it's worth noting that just one inductee has ever used his vast wealth to make a reportable federal campaign donation.
Facebook and Its Former Chief Privacy Officer Get Political as Online Privacy Debate Rages
August 11, 2010 | Offline and online, arguments rage that Facebook is not taking privacy concerns seriously enough. And as public ire has focused on Facebook's privacy policies, Chris Kelly, the company's former chief privacy officer, has become a highly political figure -- running for the post of attorney general in California and donating tens of thousands of dollars to fellow Democrats.
PMA Group Founder Indicted For Fraud, FEC Hits PAC With Hefty Fine and More in Capital Eye Opener: August 6
August 6, 2010 | PMA GROUP CHARGED IN ETHICS PROBE: Revolving door ex-lobbyist Paul Magliocchetti, once one of Washington's most powerful lobbyists and founder of the PMA Group, a defense lobbying firm. On Thursday, Magliochetti, a former aide on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, stood accused by federal prosecutors of overseeing one of the largest campaign frauds in U.S. history.
Nonprofit Groups Defend Big Oil, FEC Announces Fines And More in Capital Eye Opener: August 5
August 5, 2010 | An advocacy group recently began a public relations campaign in defense of the oil industry with some pointed criticism from BP -- after the corporation rebuffed a request for a donation from the group. Groups like the Institute for Energy Research are organized as nonprofits and thus can wage ideological battles with little disclosure of their funding or motives, the Washington Post reports.
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.
Legislative Battles Drive Second-Quarter Lobbying Spending by Major Corporations, Special Interests
July 29, 2010 | While some organizations dramatically reduced their investments in federal lobbying during this year's second quarter, others paid out more in fees to lobbyists than during any other quarter since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of reports filed with the U.S. Senate and U.S. House last week.
Republicans Thwart New Campaign Finance Disclosure Rules As DISCLOSE Act Fails Procedural Vote in Senate
July 27, 2010 | Senate Republicans today blocked legislation calling for new disclosure rules for campaign advertisements. A unified Democratic caucus generated 57 "yes" votes -- three shy of the 60 votes needed to break a Republican filibuster and allow the legislation, known as the DISCLOSE Act, to advance to an up-or-down vote.
Investigate the Many Ways BP Seeks to Influence Federal Politics
July 25, 2010 | With the Gulf of Mexico's oil spill crisis far from over, OpenSecrets.org now features a central resource page helping you track oil company BP's political money.
Some Congressional Challengers Defy Odds by Out-Raising Rival Incumbents
July 23, 2010 | Incumbency is a monumental obstacle to overcome for any political challenger. But 10 congressional challengers have managed to raise more money -- an average of about $640,000 -- than their incumbent rivals, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis found.
Big Oil's Ever-Expanding Influence, Schumer's Haul and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 23
July 23, 2010 | Reports released Thursday by two major Washington, D.C. publications are highlighting the extent of the oil and gas industry's political influence, which has increased in the wake of the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
Van Hollen, 'Corporate Candidate' Murray Hill Spar Over Political Rights of Businesses
July 21, 2010 | SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Mike Hensal, the designated human delegate of public relations firm Murray Hill Inc., basked in the newfound political influence corporations enjoy.
Politically Well-Connected Goldman Sachs Sees Slump in PAC Giving, Retains Hefty Balance For Future Contributions
July 21, 2010 | In June, the sole beneficiary of Goldman Sachs was House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), to whom the PAC cut a $5,000 check on June 8, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of campaign finance documents filed Tuesday.
RNC May Face Fine, Obama Sits on Huge Cash Reserve And More in Capital Eye Opener: July 21
July 21, 2010 | Although Pullen has already filed amended reports, possible fines could put a dent in the RNC's war chest as the midterm elections approach. The RNC has also retained former FEC chairman Michael Toner as outside counsel. Toner has a history as a lobbyist and counsel to Republican campaigns, in addition to his six year stint at the FEC.
Federal Contributions from Political Action Committee of Beleaguered Oil Giant BP Slow to a Trickle
July 20, 2010 | Oil giant BP's political action committee didn't spend a penny on federal campaign contributions during the month of June, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of its latest campaign finance report filed today.
White House Appointment of Baucus Staffer and Former Health Care Exec Draws Liberal Ire
July 16, 2010 | Liz Fowler, a Senate staffer who helped write the Democrat's landmark health care reform legislation after serving as a health insurance industry executive, is now moving up to help implement the new law. But her appointment has drawn outrage from liberal bloggers and activists who call it an unacceptable example of industry influencing policy and a violation of Obama's promise to end the revolving door between the lobbying industry and the government.
Senators Question BP's Role in Release of Pan Am Bomber, Decline to Answer Questions about Campaign Cash
July 16, 2010 | The four senators from New York and New Jersey came out with strong criticism of BP this week for its admitted role in the release from prison of the only person convicted for the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing over Scotland. Despite the fierce criticism, their offices seemed at a lack of words on whether their boss' would refuse to accept campaign contributions from BP's political action committee or its employees -- or return contributions already received. Only one spokesman confirmed that his boss had already parted ways with cash from BP.
Halliburton Continues to Flood Lawmakers With Contributions After Oil Spill
July 9, 2010 | Halliburton, the company once headed by former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, contributed $15,500 to federal candidates during June, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of their political action committee's most recent campaign finance filing. That amount represents the third largest month of donations by the PAC this election cycle.
Did Senators' Ties to Oil Industry Predict Their Concerns in BP Hearing?
July 2, 2010 | An analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics shows that the committee members with the most campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry more frequently commented on the alleged failures of the federal government's cleanup effort and excessive red tape connected to the Jones Act and the Clean Water Act.
State and Local Governments Aggressively Lobby the Federal Government in Hope of Federal Aid
July 2, 2010 | Take a little national health care reform, mix it with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and add a jobs bill. It's proving to be a recipe for state and local governments -- some of which are running massive budget deficits -- to spend near-record levels of money hiring professional lobbyists in a bid for federal aid.
House Passes DISCLOSE Act For New Reporting Requirements on Independent Expenditures
June 24, 2010 | In a 219-206 vote on the House floor today, the House voted to pass H.R. 5175, known as the DISCLOSE Act, an acronym for Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections.
BP Lobbyist Fundraises for GOP, Democratic Divisions on Derivatives and More in Capitol Eye Opener: June 24
June 24, 2010 | WHO WANTS BP MONEY?: This afternoon, BP lobbyist Dan Meyer will co-host a fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate Cory Gardner at Washington D.C.'s Hotel George, the Sunlight Foundation reports. Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) will also be in attendance.
Obama Moves to Block Lobbyists from Serving on Advisory Boards, A Hollywood Lobbying Success and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 22
June 22, 2010 | The Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved the futures contracts over movie industry objections, but Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) overrode that decision by inserting tough derivatives language into the Senate's version of financial reform. Now, the Motion Picture Association of America "is furiously lobbying members of the House-Senate conference committee to ensure the ban is written into the final bill," Politico reports.
BP's Chief Executive Enjoys a Yacht Race, Romney Donates Big to Nikki Haley and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 21
June 21, 2010 | YACHT A GOOD IDEA?: BP's chief executive, Tony Hayward, came under fire once again on Saturday for spending the day off the coast of England watching his yacht compete in for the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, a yacht race around the Isle of Wight.
BP's Political Action Committee Donated to House Energy Committee Member, Several California State Candidates in May
June 18, 2010 | According to the Center for Responsive Politics' review of a monthly campaign finance report filed today with the Federal Election Commission Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas), a member of the House Energy Committee, was the sole federal beneficiary of BP's PAC between May 1 and May 31.
BP's Favorite Lawmakers, A Setback for DISCLOSE Act and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 18
June 18, 2010 | In the aftermath of Thursday's congressional hearing on oil company's BP, we're getting this question over and over again: Who are the lawmakers who've received the most money from the company? While we've reported the answer time and again, no better time to rehash it than now.
Bailed-Out Insurance Giant AIG Got Less Love in 2009 from Its Previous Lawmaker-Investors, New Reports Show
June 17, 2010 | Just 10 lawmakers held assets in the one-time insurance industry titan AIG, or its subsidiaries, at the end of 2008. And according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of those lawmakers' newly released personal financial reports, that number has further eroded.
Rep. Joe Barton Likes BP — and the Company Likes Him Back with Cash
June 17, 2010 | Individuals or PACs associated with the oil and gas industry as a whole have been Barton's biggest patron since he entered Congress in 1999, donating more than $1,448,380. The figure puts him at No. 1 among all House members for donations from the industry, fifth among members of Congress and fourth among active members of Congress.
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.
Numerous Congressional Members Deeply Invested in BP Stock, Reports Indicate
June 16, 2010 | At least seven members of Congress reported holding a minimum of $15,000 in BP stock at the end of 2009, according to a preliminary analysis of personal financial disclosure reports by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Sen. Michael Bennet Sold Off Millions in Securities upon Taking Office, Owns Stock in Company Backing His Campaign
June 16, 2010 | Days after Democrat Michael Bennet was sworn into the U.S. Senate, the freshly minted senator sold off at least $2 million worth of investments, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of newly released personal financial disclose reports.
Obama on Gulf Cleanup, a Tea Party Democrat and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 16
June 16, 2010 | Lincoln offered to compromise on the derivatives provision Monday, but the largest Wall Street banks "quickly indicated that they would lobby fiercely to defeat the entire provision," the New York Times reports.
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.
DISCLOSE Act Exemptions for the NRA, Obama Takes on BP and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 15
June 15, 2010 | DEMS WORK FOR NRA-FRIENDLY DISCLOSE ACT: Congressional Democrats have reached a breakthrough on legislation to require campaign advertisements to disclose more information about who is funding them, according to Politico.
Company Behind Exploded Gas Pipeline Stepping Up K Street Presence This Year, Owner a Major GOP Donor
June 8, 2010 | The company that owns a pipeline that exploded Monday in north Texas, Houston-based Enterprise Products Company, is on pace spent more on federal lobbying this year than any other year they've lobbied the federal government, according to a Center for Responsive Politics review of lobbying reports.
Unions Taking Advantage of 'Citizens United', Nudists Descend on Capitol Hill and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 8
June 8, 2010 | A new report by Mother Jones says labor unions, not corporations, are taking advantage of new spending opportunities in the wake of Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission...
Public Will Get Faster Look at BP Political Action Committee's Finances
June 3, 2010 | Because of a switch in its federal reporting method, oil company BP's political action committee will reveal information about its income and expenditures days, if not weeks earlier than it would have otherwise, OpenSecrets Blog has learned.
Big Oil's Six-Figure Love for Congressional Candidates, Sarah Palin's Snub and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 3
June 3, 2010 | The oil and gas industry has funneled six-figure chunks of campaign cash to a dozen different candidates in all this election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
Moonlighting Lobbyists, Corporations' Good Looks and More in Capital Eye Opener: June 1
June 1, 2010 | Nearly 160 federally registered lobbyists have collectively raised about $9 million during the past year for federal parties and candidates.
BP Goes with Mud, Comcast Works K Street and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 27
May 27, 2010 | BP GOES WITH MUD: After several failed attempts to seal the blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, BP on Wednesday entered a new phase in the ongoing effort. Their weapon of choice? Mud. The National Law Journal also reports that Halliburton, which was involved as a contractor with the now-sunken oil rig, has hired D.C. lobbying powerhouse Patton Boggs for legal counsel.
Ward Loses to Labrador in Idaho, Rep. Moran Plays the Market and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 26
May 26, 2010 | A POTATO FLAVORED TEA PARTY: On Tuesday, Republicans from the 1st Congressional District in Idaho chose state Rep. Raul Labrador as their candidate in the general election. Labrador defeated Vaughn Ward even though Labrador entered the race late and also faced a significant monetary disadvantage.
Unions to Flex Political Muscles, Sarah Palin Links Obama to BP Money and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 25
May 25, 2010 | UNIONS PLAN TO FLEX MUSCLES: Two major unions plan to spend $100 million to influence the upcoming elections, The Hill reports. The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) intends to invest $67 million and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will spend $44 million.
Financial Reform Passes the Senate, the BP Oil Spill Saga Continues and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 21
May 21, 2010 | FINANCIAL REFORM PASSES THE SENATE: After months of deliberation, the Senate passed a bill to reform the finance industry. Its supporters hope the bill will prevent a recurrence of a financial meltdown by strengthening oversight and creating a series of new regulations. Four Republicans joined most of the Democratic caucus in the final vote.
Pressuring Sestak, Raising the Cap and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 14
May 14, 2010 | In an interview last February, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) said that the White House had offered him a government post -- thought to be Secretary of the Navy -- to dissuade him from running against Republican-turned-Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter in the state's Democratic primary. Interfering in an election this way would be a felony.
Strike 'Tea,' a 'Citizens United' Rebuke and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 10
May 10, 2010 | In what Tea Party advocates are calling a coup for their cause, Utah Republicans on Saturday declined to advance sitting U.S. Sen. Robert Bennett to a party primary, effectively ending the 76-year-old lawmaker's career in electoral politics come January.
Arizona Diamondbacks Hit for GOP, Former Rep Bolts for Minor Party and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 6
May 6, 2010 | Perhaps it's a witch's brew of bad luck and worse geography that's propelling the Arizona Diamondbacks crosswise into a debate not about inconsistent pitching or subpar batting, but ... immigration reform. Or perhaps not.
The Politics of Oil, Joe the Plumber, and More in Capital Eye Opener: May 5
May 5, 2010 | "Drill baby, drill" or "dead on arrival"? As clean-up crews battle the sprawling effects of last week's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, politicians and advocacy groups are already speculating how this oil rig accident and resulting environmental disaster will impact the politics of American offshore drilling.
Sen. Mary Landrieu: 'No Plans' to Return BP Campaign Contributions
May 3, 2010 | Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), the top congressional recipient of BP-related campaign cash during the last election cycle, has no plans to return contributions from the company responsible for one of the worst environmental disasters to beset her state, her office tells OpenSecrets Blog.
BP Enjoys Lobbying Strength, Close Ties to Lawmakers as Federal Investigation Looms
April 30, 2010 | In 2009, the company spent a massive $16 million to influence legislation. During the first quarter of 2010, it spent $3.53 million on federal lobbying efforts, ranking it second (behind ConocoPhillips) among all oil and gas industry interests.
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.
Goldman Sachs' Congressional Inquisitors Also Beneficiaries of Firm's Financial Largesse
April 28, 2010 | Barack Obama, numerous senators have taken in five- and six-figure sums from Goldman Sachs associates and political action committees.
Oil Lobby Presses Drilling, Sunshine State Showdowns and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 23
April 23, 2010 | Tuesday's oil rig explosion near the Louisiana coast does not seem to be slowing the pace of offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Special Interests Continue Federal Lobbying Blitz, New Reports Indicate
April 21, 2010 | As President Barack Obama works with the Democratic Congress to advance his ambitious legislative priorities, lobbying efforts by special interest groups continue unabated. Lobbying reports for the first three months of 2010 were due to the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate by midnight last night, and a preliminary Center for Responsive Politics analysis of these reports show many major players continuing to shell out big dollars on their lobbying operations.
Scrutiny of Goldman Sachs Increases After Fraud Charges
April 20, 2010 | Government allegations that financial giant Goldman Sachs defrauded investors are creating a political storm, with some lawmakers hoping that the civil lawsuit filed Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission is just the beginning.
Hedge Fund Manager in Goldman Sachs Fraud Case is a Major Donor to Both Democrats and Republicans
April 16, 2010 | A New York investor named John A. Paulson is at the heart of the fraud lawsuit filed today by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Goldman Sachs. While Paulson is not charged with any wrongdoing, his company allegedly paid Goldman to design a financial tool that earned them $1 billion by betting subprime mortgages would fail. His only financial transactions, however, have not taken place on Wall Street.
U.S. Government Sues Major Political Player Goldman Sachs For Investment Fraud
April 16, 2010 | The Securities and Exchange Commission today filed a civil lawsuit against financial giant Goldman Sachs and one of its vice presidents, alleging the company defrauded investors by "misstating and omitting key facts about a financial product tied to subprime mortgages as the U.S. housing market was beginning to falter." By doing so, the government has set its sights on one of the largest wielders of political clout.
Google, Facebook Among Young Tech Companies Firing Up Lobbying Efforts
March 15, 2010 | Google's exponential increase in federal lobbying is representative of many Internet companies. And few industries have grown as quickly as the computer and Internet industry has.
Barack Obama Holds Health Reform Summit, Joseph Cao Goes to Court and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 25
February 25, 2010 | HCR SUMMIT: At 10 o'clock this morning, President Barack Obama is convening a bipartisan summit at Blair House, across the street from the White House, to discuss health insurance reform. The televised six-hour meeting will include Democratic and Republican leaders from Congress, as well as officials like Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
A Letter to Nancy Pelosi, DCCC Feuds with Parker Griffith and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 18
February 18, 2010 | DEAR NANCY: Several top political donors have written an open letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in support of legislation that will curb the effects of the Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case.
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.
Peyton Manning, Jonathan Vilma Foes Both in Super Bowl, Politics
February 4, 2010 | Come Super Bowl Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning will stand on one side of the line of scrimmage, inches away from New Orleans Saints' Pro Bowl linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who's tasked with dislodging the all-galaxy quarterback's head. But the outcome of football's biggest game isn't the only point on which Manning and Vilma disagree. In a teeny, tiny Super Bowl subplot, the two rivals are political foils, too.
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.
New Lobbying Reports Show Big Business Keeps Spending to Influence Politics
January 21, 2010 | While the U.S. economy had a tough year in 2009, the economy on K Street continued to boom.
Finance and Credit Companies Lobby Lawmakers As Congress Moves to Aggressively Regulate Them
November 19, 2009 | The various companies and trade groups within the finance and credit industry have contributed about $62.4 million to federal candidates, committees and leadership PACs since 1989, with 62 percent of that sum going to Republicans. In the 2008 election cycle, however, the employees and political action committees of these organizations directed a majority of their money to Democrats for the first time since the 1990 election.
Insurers Seek Cover From New Federal Regulations
November 18, 2009 | Risk and uncertainty are as certain as death and taxes. So, to share the burden of risk and hedge against the full financial liability, companies have long offered consumers a variety of insurance products. Facing the prospect of new regulation, the insurance industry is on pace to break a record $154 million it spent on federal lobbying efforts last year. During the first nine months of this year, insurers spent $122 million and hired 953 lobbyists.
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.
U.S. Chamber Dominates Third Quarter Lobbying As Large Health, Energy Companies Also Continue to Spend Big
October 21, 2009 | Some of the usual suspects with K Street clout have once again filed lobbying reports demonstrating their prowess on Capitol Hill, a Center for Responsive Politics review of newly filed third quarter lobbying reports has found. Leading the way was the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a leading opponent of many initiatives backed by the Obama administration.
Capital Eye Opener: Tuesday, August 18
August 18, 2009 | I'M DOWN WITH FEC, YEAH YOU KNOW ME: The Supreme Court will allow Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to intervene in next month's campaign finance restrictions showdown, Citizens United v. FEC, the Washington Post's Robert Barnes is reporting.
Capital Eye Opener: Monday, August 17
August 17, 2009 | DONOR DO-NOT CALL LIST: If you gave cash to Sen. Arlen Specter before his switch from the GOP to the Democratic party, you might want to make sure your caller ID is working properly.
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.
Oil and Gas Companies Try to Take Capitol Hill By Storm in Second Quarter
July 29, 2009 | Oil and gas companies have significantly increased their spending to send their lobbying foot soldiers into the battle over the cap-and-trade energy bill. Between April and June, these companies spent $37.7 million, which represents a 30 percent increase from what they spent during the same time last year, we've found.
Hank Paulson's Questioners Are Not Bankers' Favorites
July 16, 2009 | The securities and investment industry may be the 13th-heaviest spender on lobbyists. And the two institutions under fire this morning, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, both make the top 100 list of all-time contributors in federal politics. But lawmakers on the House Oversight panel have received little of their money.
Defense Contractor Charged With Kickbacks Helped Fund Murtha's Campaigns
July 7, 2009 | Richard Ianieri, the defense contractor charged today with accepting $200,000 in kickbacks from a subcontractor, was the president of a company that gave more money to Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.) than any other lawmaker--including the years after Ianieri left Coherent Systems International and Argon ST bought it.
Keeping Tabs on PMA Group's Clients
June 26, 2009 | As the House Ethics Committee continues its investigation of the lawmakers financially connected to the defunct lobbying firm PMA Group, we want to make sure you've got updated tools to do some of your own detective work.
Ethics Panel Members Received Paltry PMA Contributions
June 15, 2009 | The House Ethics Committee members who began an investigation into the activities of now-defunct lobbying firm PMA Group last week have received relatively little in the way of campaign donations from the firm and its defense-contractor clients.
Capital Eye Report: Donors Weigh in on Close Ties Between Moran Brothers
June 9, 2009 | Brian Moran enters today's Virginia gubernatorial primary loaded with contributions from the campaign fund of his older brother, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) and their mutual allies in the Northern Virginia defense industry. While there is nothing new about politicians supporting their family members' bids for office, the Moran brothers' ties have attracted national notice as Brian has become locked in a three-way battle for the Democratic nomination.
Visclosky Leaves Subcommittee to Member Without Strong Financial Ties to PMA
June 2, 2009 | Under the shadow of a federal investigation, Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) announced today that he is temporarily giving up his post as chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, leaving the spot to Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.).
Obama's Choice For Army Secretary Received Money from Labor & Defense Interests, Including PMA Group
June 2, 2009 | President Barack Obama's choice for the Secretary of the Army, Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.) would bring with him strong ties to the defense industry's checkbooks and lobbyists, including Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and PMA Group.
Murtha's Warchest Includes Cash from Embattled Defense Contractor Kuchera
May 29, 2009 | While Kuchera Defense Systems' recent troubles may not have anything to do with Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.), the congressman can't deny a strong financial connection to the contractor: In addition to the millions he's secured in earmark funds for the company, he has also collected more political funds from employees at Kuchera than any other current member of Congress since 1992.
Visclosky's Office Subpoenaed in Connection with PMA Group
May 29, 2009 | The feds have issued subpoenas to the congressional office, campaign committees and employees of Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) in the FBI's continuing investigation into whether now-defunct lobby shop PMA Group violated campaign finance laws. Do a little investigating yourself using these OpenSecrets' resources.
Ethanol Producers Fueled By Oil and Gas Companies
May 28, 2009 | As biofuel companies and oil and gas companies form an unlikely--though perhaps inevitable--alliance, the smaller biofuels are benefiting both by the capital and the backing of an industry with longstanding influence over the federal government.
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.
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.
Justice, Defense Department Employees At Odds Over Next Leader
October 23, 2008 | 2008 appears to be the first race in recent presidential elections where there is a clear partisan preference among campaign contributors who work in the federal government, as well as in state and municipal government--and even a distinct preference within major federal agencies, including the high-profile departments of Justice and Defense. Barack Obama has collected nearly three times more than John McCain from civil servants and public officials ranging from U.S. attorneys to small-town mayors.
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.
Palin's Net Worth Exceeds $1 Million, Financial Disclosure Shows
October 6, 2008 | Just before the weekend, the McCain campaign released Sarah Palin's first personal financial disclosure report as well as her tax returns for the past two years. The investment picture we get from her FEC-mandated financial disclosure filing is vague, since values and income are only reported as ranges, but it is clear that the Palin family is worth at least $1 million.
Races to Watch IV: Money Flowing from Oil and Gas
September 29, 2008 | The oil and gas industry, under the spotlight this fall with energy at the forefront of political discourse, isn't hesitating to put some of its record profits into the hands of candidates who support its cause (or those it's seeking to convert). So far this election cycle, the oil and gas industry has given $12.3 million total to congressional candidates. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has identified the candidates who have received the most money from oil and gas interests in this election cycle, and Capital Eye selected a few races to more deeply examine the impact of well-digger dollars on politics.
The Money Behind Palin
August 29, 2008 | John McCain surprised political pundits this morning by inviting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to join him on the Republican ticket. Because Palin's political career is relatively new (she was mayor of Wasilla, an Anchorage suburb, and became governor after the 2006 election), there's little information available in the way of a campaign finance profile. But at the Center for Responsive Politics, we've strung together these observations about Palin's campaign fundraising and money --- and money-related scandal -- in Alaska politics.
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.
Oil Industry Leans Toward McCain, But Big Producers Favor Obama
August 7, 2008 | Much has been made of Barack Obama's TV ad this week that accuses John McCain of being "in the pocket" of the oil industry, and yesterday the Democratic Party launched a website pairing McCain and Exxon Mobil as running-mates. While McCain has raised considerably more money from this unpopular industry, CRP was surprised to notice that it's actually Obama who has received more from the pockets of employees at several of Big Oil's biggest and most recognizable companies.
Lawmakers Keep Quiet on Journalist Shield Law
August 5, 2008 | Here at the Center for Responsive Politics, we're used to demanding more disclosure and transparency from our lawmakers, but it's another story for lawmakers to demand greater disclosure from journalists. Senate Republicans, whose campaign contributions from the print industry are at the lowest they've been since 1989, have blocked debate on a law that would protect journalists from being forced to reveal confidential sources.
Oil Magnate and GOP Contributor Tests the Wind
July 25, 2008 | T. Boone Pickens was born into oil. With a father who worked as an oil and mineral rights leaser and a mother who rationed gasoline during World War II, it's hardly a surprise that Pickens became an oilman himself. But this CEO of energy hedge fund BP Capital Management is now turning to wind power instead, despite his longtime support--both spoken and financial--for Republican candidates, including fellow Texas oilman George W. Bush.
Muddled Vetting
June 19, 2008 | While presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain survey the political landscape for running-mate options, they have also found time to pick apart each other's search committee, criticizing the members' links to special interests.
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.
Oil/Gas Shareholders in Senate Hear Testimony from Industry Execs
May 21, 2008 | With gas prices the highest they've ever been, the oil and gas executives who testified this morning before the Senate Judiciary Committee had to feel like they were in the hot seat. But as they were being grilled about skyrocketing prices, they could take some comfort in the strong financial relationship their industry has with lawmakers, including those on the committee.
Pale Green
April 18, 2008 | When environmentalists, lobbyists and eco-friendly citizens come a-knockin' on lawmakers' office doors on Earth Day next week, Democrats (and some Republicans) will detail their legislation that directs taxes collected from the oil and gas industry towards renewable energy initiatives. What they probably won't mention is that lawmakers themselves aren't taking a risk on them with their own money.
Oil Executives Testify Before Congress–and a Shareholder
April 3, 2008 | The ranking Republican on the House Select Committee on Energy and Global Warming has owned $1.2 million in stock in the oil and gas companies whose executives testified this week before the panel. Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin reported at least $100,000 of his own money in each of four of the five companies represented at Tuesday's hearing.
Subprime Mortgage Companies Fund Democrats' Campaigns
March 28, 2008 | As Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama talk about ways they'd regulate the troubled subprime mortgage industry, they're drawing attention to one another's financial connection it.
Clinton Lends Campaign $5 Million
February 6, 2008 | In preparation for a tough race against Democrat Barack Obama, who is reporting bringing in about $32 million in January, Hillary Clinton loaned her campaign $5 million, according to the Associated Press.
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.
Power Play Series: Energy & Oil and Gas
June 21, 2007 | Now that Democrats are in charge, oil companies have "targets on their backs," but the industry remains a lobbying machine.
Clients of Lobbying Firm Under Investigation Contributed $6 Million to Lewis and Appropriations Committee
June 22, 2006 | Copeland Lowery Jacquez Denton & White haven't just hired appropriations staffers to gain influence. The lobbyists and their clients have bankrolled committee members' campaigns and PACs. By Massie Ritsch June 22, 2006 | Clients of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm under federal investigation have contributed at least $6.2 million to the campaigns and political action…