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In the News
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Alleged Holocaust denier tied to bitcoin donation supporting Florida Republican Matt Gaetz
December 4, 2018 | Chuck Johnson, an alt-right activist who Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz controversially invited to a January 2018 State of the Union address, is the likely source of a dark money bitcoin contribution to a pro-Gaetz super PAC.
The Koch network's integrated strategy for social transformation
October 26, 2018 | The Koch network and its libertarian allies have battle-tested strategy for holding the line on a forgotten front in the info-wars.
An introduction to the Koch digital media network
October 9, 2018 | The Koch brothers are more famous for how they spend their money than for how they make it. Their political buys may hit $400 million this year. How much of that will go to digital ads?
Can these potential 2020 candidates afford to run for president?
September 14, 2018 | Whoever wants to be president in 2020 will have to raise millions. The fundraising histories of these potential candidates can help us gauge whether they've got what it takes.
How to search for the new Kavanaugh SCOTUS ads via the new Facebook and Twitter Transparency Tools
July 18, 2018 | Looking at the latest round of political advertisements for and against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh provides a good example of Facebook and Twitter's new Ad Transparency tools.
Andrew Wheeler's long history with the Energy sector
July 10, 2018 | Andrew Wheeler, the new acting administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency, has been through Washington's revolving door-he was a long time coal lobbyist and hasn't always been a Trump man.
EXCLUSIVE: Robert Mercer backed a secretive group that worked with Facebook, Google to target anti-Muslim ads at swing voters
April 5, 2018 | Most Americans have never heard of the far-right neoconservative dark money nonprofit that ran the ads. It has no employees and it's run out of the offices of a D.C. law firm. More importantly, most voters never saw the ads. And that was by design.
March Madness: A big money breakdown
March 12, 2018 | If the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament was a competition of federal lobbying, an Ivy League school would win its first title.
Trump's state in the eye of the Union
January 30, 2018 | What's to come in President Trump's first State of Union? Expect the phrase "America First." The name Gorsuch. And something will be "great."
Congolese factions lobbying for U.S. intervention
November 15, 2017 | In April, one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's most powerful opposition leaders requested Secretary Rex Tillerson's support for his return from exile in a letter sent through a prominent Washington lobbying firm. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld submitted the letter on behalf of Moise Katumbi, the leading opposition candidate in the Congo's…
Grant to Trump: How court cases influenced campaign finance
October 6, 2017 | When Ulysses S. Grant ran for president in 1868, he benefited from large contributions from wealthy entrepreneurs, such as railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt. "Never before was a candidate placed under such great obligation to men of wealth as was Grant," one historian said of Grant's donors' largesse. But if Grant was among the first presidents to…
Biggest share of inaugural funding came from Wall Street
May 4, 2017 | For someone who repeatedly berated Wall Street during his campaign, President Trump received a lot of inauguration help from its inhabitants. The securities and investment industry contributed the greatest chunk to Trump's inaugural festivities, $14.3 million, or about 13 percent of all donations. To compare, Obama received $4.6 million from Wall Street in 2009 and $3…
Trump's "beachhead" teams host dozens of former lobbyists
March 24, 2017 | Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has been mired in questions about his investments in the healthcare industry. As it turns out, some of the people helping him get grounded at the department are also prompting questions about their ties with the industry. Lance Leggitt, a lobbyist at Baker Donelson since 2006, was named…
Campaign regulators say Thornton firm violated state law; federal grand jury continues probe
March 2, 2017 | A version of this story was cross-posted with The Boston Globe. UPDATE: On April 18, 2018, a special prosecutor appointed to lead a criminal investigation of Thornton Law Firm's practices said he didn't find "sufficient evidence" that the firm had violated state campaign finance law. The FEC has yet to rule on a 2016 civil complaint…
Defense sector contributions locked in on committee members
March 2, 2017 | You couldn't blame defense contractors for being in a great mood this week. In his speech to Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump — who has repeatedly said he wants to build up American military dominance — announced that he's "sending Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the defense sequester and calls for…
Murray Energy bucks coal mining trend with record giving in 2016
February 28, 2017 | President Donald Trump wasted little time attending to one of his constituencies: Less than a month after taking office, and surrounded by applauding coal miners and a few friendly members of Congress, he put the knife in an Obama-era regulation barring coal mine waste from being dumped in waterways. And Trump is said to have more…
FEC is after Trump and his JFCs for anonymous donations, other violations
January 11, 2017 | The Federal Election Commission on Tuesday sent its harshest letter yet to Donald Trump's campaign committee, outlining violations that include accepting large donations from anonymous sources, taking contributions above the legal limits, failing to file reports of last-minute contributions and more. It wasn't the first such admonishment of the Trump campaign by the agency; he…
Holiday reading list: OpenSecrets Blog's best of 2016
December 22, 2016 | Boy, has 2016 been a whirlwind adventure. If you're like us, you have tabs and tabs of unread stories that caught your eye during the workday, but haven't had time to dive into yet. Now that the holiday break is upon us, we'll finally have the time to sink into that comfy chair by the…
HHS contenders: A crop of politicians with major funding from health sector
November 18, 2016 | Nov. 29 update: President-elect Donald Trump named Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) as his pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Unsuccessful GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson declared Tuesday that he has no interest in a position in the Trump cabinet and instead wants to serve the administration as an outside advisor because he…
No Secretary of State prospect donated to Trump
November 16, 2016 | Update Dec. 14: President-elect Trump tapped ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson. For background on his political contributions, click here. We continue our series on the money-in-politics histories of candidates for Donald Trump's future Cabinet by looking at those who have been mentioned as possibilities to run the State Department. (See our earlier analyses on prospects for…
Members of the military giving three times as much to Clinton as to Trump
November 4, 2016 | Active and retired members of the military have been showing far more support for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton than for her Republican rival, at least as measured by the checks they've written to her campaign. Individuals who listed their employers as the U.S. Department of Defense or major branches of the military, or who…
Trump's tax losses, and the political power of real estate
October 7, 2016 | The possibility that Donald Trump avoided paying income tax for nearly two decades has stirred debate about how, exactly, he managed to report almost $1 billion in net operating losses on his 1995 tax return. It has also triggered buzz about the copious benefits available to the real estate industry in our tax code. The exact…
FEC challenged again to find coordination in current campaigns
October 6, 2016 | New allegations that a pro-Hillary Clinton outside spending group and two that are backing Donald Trump have illegally coordinated with the candidates' campaigns are refocusing attention on a concept that regulators have never quite nailed down. In a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission today, the Campaign Legal Center contends that the pro-Clinton group,…
Donald Trump's fractional fundraising
September 29, 2016 | Donald Trump and Mitt Romney may not have much in common, and the 2012 GOP presidential nominee has made no bones about his visceral dislike of the pugilistic businessman who is carrying his party's banner this time around. When it comes to campaign fundraising, though, there's a lot of overlap in their pools of donors.…
A climate of cash in votes on global warming
August 29, 2016 | For years now, the scientific consensus has been that climate change is occurring and is caused mainly by the actions of human beings. So why, during the first month of the 114th Congress, did nearly half the Senate – all Republicans – vote against an amendment stating that human activities contribute significantly to climate change? We don't know.…
Number of registered lobbyists plunges as spending declines yet again
August 9, 2016 | The lobbying industry may start arguing for its own bailout bill, given the relentless decline in reported spending for its services. The first quarter of 2016 was sluggish, the second similarly so. And with it came a pronounced dive in the number of active registered lobbyists. With 325 fewer lobbyists registered in the second quarter of…
Fueled by unions and secret donors, liberal vets group spends millions boosting Democrats
May 31, 2016 | New tax documents obtained by OpenSecrets Blog suggest that one of the oldest, most politically active nonprofits in the country, VoteVets Action Fund, devoted most of its activities in 2014 to influencing that year's midterms. Vote Vets Action Fund — which last week attacked the presumptive GOP nominee, Donald Trump, as a "cheap fraud" — is currently…
Eighth annual K Street Classic: Parity returns, Aggies win close victory
March 15, 2016 | Already this NCAA men's basketball season has proven to be one for the record books. We've had six different No. 1 ranked teams throughout the season. AP-ranked top 10 teams have lost a total of 74 times, the most since 1948, when the AP started conducting its poll. This is not to say that there…
How Crossroads GPS beat the IRS and became a social welfare group
February 12, 2016 | When a group called Crossroads GPS sent the IRS an application for tax-exempt status in September 2010, Nancy Pelosi was speaker of the House, Snapchat hadn't started doing whatever it does, and Miley Cyrus was still Hannah Montana. A lot has changed since then, including the political influence of 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations like GPS, a…
Coal money takes the long road to Alabama Senate race
February 10, 2016 | Before a $100,000 contribution from Murray Energy Corporation found its way into the Alabama Senate race last month, it took a detour to California. Outside money is streaming into Alabama to support Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) in the Republican primary despite Shelby's considerable cash reserves. The main repository for those funds — Citizen Super PAC — has collected…
New IRS process for recommending nonprofit audits draws critiques
July 22, 2015 | Relatively inexperienced IRS managers could take the reins of gatekeeping panels with significant sway over dark money groups under the terms of a memo sent to agency managers last week and obtained by OpenSecrets Blog. The panels determine whether non-profits involved in political activity are called out for audits. Effective July 17, a team of…
Ted Cruz gets to keep $51,100 in excess contributions with one small accounting maneuver
July 7, 2015 | Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will get to keep $51,100 in excess contributions to his presidential campaign from 19 donors by attributing the money to the donors' spouses, the campaign said in a letter to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. Cruz's campaign will move even more money to a separate general election account to be…
PhRMA companies push hard on House bill to ease testing of new drugs
June 16, 2015 | Pharmaceutical interests are pushing hard in favor of a bill that could speed up Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of new drugs. But the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which was approved last month by the the House Energy and Commerce Committee (the members of which have all sponsored the bill) and could reach the House floor by…
"Campaign donor" is not a job — but occupation can predict party preference
May 19, 2015 | In the world of money in politics, many interest groups behave predictably. Election after election, contributions from oil and gas companies, for instance, flow overwhelmingly to Republicans, while those who work in education favor Democrats. What about when contributions break down differently within industries? The CFO and the janitor, for instance, may have opposing political views,…
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…
A Hard Rain of Lobbying on Clean Water Act Rules
March 26, 2015 | Representatives of farmers unions, cattle interests and lumber companies, plus municipal representatives from across the country, filed into the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee's hearing room Tuesday as the panel met to hear stakeholder perspectives on proposed Clean Water Act regulations that have been a bone of contention for the last year. Major industries affected…
Waning Influence? Part 3: Ups and Downs, by Industry
December 22, 2014 | This report is the third (part 1/part 2) in a series examining the years-long decline in both spending on lobbyists and the number of active lobbyists. Overall spending on lobbying has been on a downward trajectory since 2010 and the number of active lobbyists has seen an even longer-term and more drastic drop. Previous entries…
Wall Street's Omnibus Triumph, and Others
December 12, 2014 | In the wake of the passage of the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill last night, it's no easy thing sorting out the winners and the losers. The wide variety of riders and add-ons means a slew of interest groups can claim victory, even if it's hard to pin down exactly who should claim credit for stuffing the…
Congressional Leadership Fund Collects Corporate Cash
October 16, 2014 | Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Chevron Corp. made a $2 million donation to CLF. It has been corrected to reflect the actual amount of the donation, $1 million. Chevron Corp. donated $1 million to a conservative super PAC with ties to Karl Rove's dark money network in early July, a rare instance of…
American Future Fund Goes to the Islands
September 12, 2014 | A politically active nonprofit that spent more than $25 million on ads to help Republicans in the 2012 elections has stepped into a messy dispute between the government of Puerto Rico and a bank that claims the commonwealth owes it money — not something that fits neatly with the group's activities in previous election cycles.…
Two Grand Juries Continuing Probe Into 2012 Iowa Payola Scandal
September 4, 2014 | Last week's guilty plea by former Iowa State Sen. Kent Sorenson wasn't the end of the federal investigation into the 2012 Iowa caucus payola scandal — not by a longshot. OpenSecrets Blog has learned that FBI agents have been interviewing a slew of witnesses connected to Ron Paul's presidential campaign and grand jury subpoenas have been…
Waning Influence? Part 2: Does Congressional Gridlock Lock Up K Street?
August 18, 2014 | This report is the second (part 1/part 3) in a series examining the years-long decline in both spending on lobbyists and the number of active lobbyists. As the total amount of money spent on lobbying continues to fall, many analysts — including the staff at the Center for Responsive Politics — cite congressional gridlock as…
Immigration, Net Neutrality Help Trigger Big Spending Increases in 2nd Quarter Lobbying
July 30, 2014 | Lobbying filings for the second quarter show that the public debate often seeps into the advocacy efforts of companies. This year: immigration, net neutrality and the right to channel a broadcast program using a tiny antenna have caused several companies to spend big in order to influence legislators. Meanwhile, some topics, including gun rights and defense spending,…
One GOP Consultant, Two Campaigns and a Snarl of Outside Groups
July 28, 2014 | Bruce Rauner is a Chicago billionaire who has never held political office, yet this spring he mowed down a crowd of rivals and claimed the GOP nomination to be Illinois' next governor. David Perdue is a wealthy former executive who also has never been elected to public office, yet he too knocked off a string…
Waning Influence? Part 1: Tracking the "Unlobbyist"
March 18, 2014 | What's fueling the twin decreases in spending on lobbying and the number of people doing it? The first in a series of occasional reports by CRP as we try to get behind the numbers.
Debt Crisis "Nay"-Sayers Received Large Sums from Business, Finance Interests
October 22, 2013 | A joint analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Washington Post shows that business interests played a key role in helping elect lawmakers who rejected their plea to raise the debt ceiling and end the shutdown.
OpenSecrets Politiquizz: Leader of the PAC
October 11, 2013 | Who's funding the top leadership PACs in both parties?
Senate Incumbents Stocking Up For Critical 2014 Races
July 26, 2013 | The results in just a handful of Senate races in November 2014 -- four, maybe five -- will likely go a long way in determining which party will walk away from the midterm elections with a chamber majority. But challengers to the incumbents in these seats have more than name recognition issues to overcome. For now, according to second-quarter campaign committee filings, the incumbents hold a decisive fundraising advantage over their opponents.
Coal Industry Fuels Opposition to Emissions Regulations
June 26, 2013 | In the wake of President Obama's climate change speech delivered Tuesday, some coal companies have already begun firing back. Power companies throughout the nation, along with a number of (mostly GOP) lawmakers supporting the coal industry's interests, criticized Obama's calls for increased regulations on carbon emissions. They're no strangers to attacking proposals coming from the president -- and they back up their statements with their political giving.
Owner Of Collapsed Indonesian Mine is Big Donor to Congress
May 21, 2013 | Last week's collapse of a massive precious metals mine in Indonesia, which killed at least 17 workers, brought unwanted attention to the American company that owns the facility, Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold. But the company is already well-known to many here in Washington: Its top executives, as well as the company PAC, contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars each election cycle to help fuel congressional campaigns.
Lobbyists 2012: Out of the Game or Under the Radar?
March 20, 2013 | Spending on lobbying as well as the number of active lobbyists was down in 2012. But nearly half of lobbyists who were active in 2011 but reported no lobbying in 2012 continued to work for the same employers -- suggesting that many have simply avoided the reporting limits while still contributing to lobbying efforts.
Capital Eye Opener, Feb. 22: Ideological Campaign Cash, Young Guns and More
February 22, 2013 | National Journal's liberal-conservative ratings of Congress are out. Also, Eric Cantor's YG Network files its first Form 990.
Capital Eye Opener, Feb. 5: Modern Gold Rush, and Invasion of the Blimps
February 5, 2013 | As the price of gold soars, what are mining companies doing on Capitol Hill? Also, don't look now: Big Blimp is watching you, or will be soon.
Capital Eye Opener, Jan. 11: Rockefeller Retires, and a Michele Bachmann Dust-Up
January 11, 2013 | Senator Jay Rockefeller wasn't just a solid Democratic vote; he was a reliable fundraiser who gave generously to other Democrats.
Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 24: Religious Right Isn't So Much, Coal in Their Stockings, and More
December 24, 2012 | Religious groups may tend right, but their money doesn't. Also, coal's not always a bad stocking-stuffer, big coal, joe manchin, hillary clinton, john mccain,peabody energy, consol energy, susan delbene
Gun Rights Groups' Political Spending Crushes That of Gun Control Supporters
December 14, 2012 | When it comes to lobbying, campaign contributions and outside spending, pro-gun rights groups are light years ahead of those that support stronger gun control. The NRA accounts for most of the spending.
Restore Our Future's Eleventh-Hour Binge
December 6, 2012 | The pro-Mitt Romney super PAC took in more than $22 million and paid out more than $45 million in the days before the election.
Capito Announces 2014 Senate Bid After Congressional Re-election
November 26, 2012 | Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito gives everyone plenty of notice as she announces her 2014 bid for one of West Virginia's Senate seats. Based on its past support, the mining industry is likely to back her in a major way.
Data Mining v. the Senate
October 16, 2012 | The Senate Commerce Committee hopes to shed light on database mining projects, but the companies that do the mining have a good bit of lobbying experience.
The Big Picture: CRP Collaboration With INN and Others Produces Rare Look at Wealthy Donors' Range of Giving
October 8, 2012 | CRP's collaboration with the Investigative News Network, the National Institute for Money in State Politics and news outlets in seven states yields a close look at wealthy donors' wide-ranging giving.
New Georgian Leader A Man With a Past — On K Street
October 2, 2012 | Billionaire Georgian businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili appears set to be the new prime minister of his country. That'll have repercussions on K Street, as well: Ivanishvili has spent some of his millions hiring lobbyists to represent him in the U.S.
Liberal Group With Ties to Unions Ends Donor Disclosure
August 23, 2012 | Patriot Majority's latest series of attack ads targets the conservative billionaires pumping money into the secretive world of right-wing non-profits, but offers few clues about who is funding its own activities. In a striking example of how the most ambitious actors in the realm of political funding have begun taking advantage of a shift in the legal landscape since 2010, the trail connecting Patriot Majority to its well-known progressive funders has all but melted away. Almost all of Patriot Majority's activities are now being carried out through a nonprofit that, under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code, doesn't have to disclose its donors.
Capital Eye Opener, August 21: Brand Names Step Up For Crossroads, Securities Lawyers Go Left, Humvee Veers Right
August 21, 2012 | The latest super PAC filings -- brand names you recognize writing checks to Crossroads, Wall Street backs Romney, but lawyers who sue Wall Street are organizing for Priorities USA, and the maker of Humvees chips in $1 million for Restore Our Future.
Washington's Influence Olympics: The 4×400 Relay
August 7, 2012 | Today's Influence Olympics doesn't pit lobbyists against each other. Instead, we construct a Dream Team for the 4x400 meter relay.
Helping Themselves: 2012 Candidates Have Spent Over $130 Million Funding Their Own Campaigns
August 2, 2012 | Dozens of candidates have more than $130 million invested in their own campaigns ahead of the November elections, in races ranging from the recent Texas primary runoff to a Hail Mary Senate campaign in Arizona.
Restore Our Future Hauls in $20.7 Million From Top Conservative Donors
July 20, 2012 | Large checks from some of the biggest names in conservative campaign finance -- and some of the fanciest zip codes in the country -- fueled Restore Our Future's $20.7 million haul in the month of June, even aside from Sheldon Adelson.
Rich Rewards: One Man's Shadow Money Network
June 19, 2012 | Howard Rich was behind a slickly produced, anti-Earth Day video this year that's been watched more than 2 million times on YouTube. That's just one product to emerge from his tightly-knit network of tax-exempt groups that pass money back and forth and are active political players. The original donors, though, aren't known. Which is just the way he likes it.
Outside Spending: The Big Picture (So Far)
June 11, 2012 | Mitt Romney wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination with a good bit of help from Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting him. But just how big a role has outside spending overall played in the election so far? In fact, the amount of spending by outside groups has grown dramatically since previous elections, and independent expenditures in particular -- messages that explicitly call for the election or defeat of a candidate -- are increasingly the preferred vehicle.
Center for Responsive Politics Teams Up With MTV For "Fantasy Election '12"
April 26, 2012 | MTV today announced that a world-class coalition of philanthropic, technology, and political accountability partners including Knight Foundation, Center for Responsive Politics, PolitiFact, RealClearPolitics, foursquare and more are teaming up with the network to launch "Fantasy Election '12."
Two Years After Mine Disaster, Coal Lobby Is Still Growing
April 5, 2012 | Two years ago today, the Upper Big Branch mine exploded, killing 29 miners and injuring two others. In the months after, it became clear that the mine's owner, Massey Energy, had flouted safety regulations and tried to game the system. Now its CEO is gone and the company's been sold -- but the coal industry is only spending more on politicians and lobbyists.
All-Star Politics of the NBA
February 24, 2012 | An Obama fundraiser at the Orlando home of a Dallas Mavericks star last night wasn't the only evidence that NBA players and owners know how to play politics. They've contributed $2.6 million to federal candidates and political committees since 2009, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, and have shown a strong preference for Democrats.
Lobbying Expenditures Slump in 2011
January 26, 2012 | The nation's economy may be slowly rebounding, but during 2011, the economic engine of K Street sputtered. Overall expenditures on lobbying were down for the first time in more than a decade, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Lobbying Your True Love: The True Cost of Twelve Days of Christmas, 2011 Edition
December 19, 2011 | Finding the price of the bounty in the "12 Days of Christmas" carol a little steep? Well, no wonder. Do you have any idea how much the groups representing each of those presents spend lobbying the federal government each year?
Who is Behind the Attacks on Dem Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren?
December 12, 2011 | Nothing is known about the donors to Crossroads GPS -- a conservative group that, along with its affiliated super PAC, American Crossroads -- plans to spend $240 million during the 2012 election cycle. But the finance, insurance and real estate sector accounts for $1 out of every $9 that American Crossroads has raised. Yet Crossroads GPS recently slammed Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren for allegedly being too close to Big Finance.
Health Sector, Lawyers, Hollywood and Tech Industry Favor Obama With Campaign Cash
October 25, 2011 | Though President Barack Obama may no longer be Wall Street's preferred candidate, Obama continues to win the support of several smaller sectors and interest groups, including lawyers, health professionals, the technology industry and Hollywood.
Amazon's Lobbying Push, Ranking Corporate Transparency and More in Capital Eye Opener: Sept. 29
September 29, 2011 | According to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, Amazon spent $2 million on lobbying last year, while Apple spent $1.6 million -- despite its higher revenues and larger size.
Lobbying on Clean Coal, AFL-CIO Forms Super Labor PAC and more in Capital Eye Opener: Aug 26
August 26, 2011 | The AFL-CIO will soon join more than a hundred other groups in the ranks of those with super PACs. The organization says it will use its new power to harness unlimited contributions from union members and other donors for state elections, rather than on the national level.
Senate Dems Pick 'Super Committee' Members, How Much is $2.1 Trillion and More in Capital Eye Opener: Aug. 10
August 10, 2011 | Late Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced the identities of his three picks for the "super committee" tasked with cutting the nation's debt and spending -- Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.).
Will Presidential Campaigns Shine a Light on Their Top Fund-Raisers?
July 15, 2011 | Today the general public will get a detailed look at who is winning the money race -- and who exactly is bankrolling each of the candidates -- when campaigns file their official reports with the Federal Elections Commission. But one piece of crucial information will be missing from almost all the candidates' filings -- the names of their campaign bundlers.
God's Lobbyists: The Hidden Realm of Religious Influence
July 13, 2011 | When it comes to the government lobbying efforts of most religious institutions, their activities are notably shrouded in darkness, even as representatives of numerous faiths routinely pressure federal lawmakers on issues ranging from health care to international relations, poverty to abortion rights.
The Wedding-Industrial Complex, Lobbying to Stay Cool and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 13
July 13, 2011 | Wedding season is in full swing. As many soon-to-be-married people spend hundreds of dollars preparing for their weddings, major wedding vendors also spend a healthy amount of money attempting to influence government policy.
Some Super PACs Reveal Barest of Details About Funders
June 17, 2011 | Super PACs, a new breed of political action committee that may raise unlimited sums of money to fuel political advertisements known as independent expenditures, are subject to one major condition: they must disclose their donors. Or are they?
Will Ron Paul's Third Presidential Run Be a Charm for Texas Republican?
May 13, 2011 | Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), the granddaddy of the Tea Party movement, showed the world he could turn enthusiastic grassroots support into political gold during the 2008 election cycle. But as he again seeks the GOP presidential nomination this year, Paul hopes he won't be just playing second fiddle to the Romneys and Gingriches of the race.
Center for Responsive Politics / L.A. Times Collaboration Reveals How Mining Industry Helped Kill Safety Bill
May 8, 2011 | Campaign contributions from the mining industry to members Congress spiked last year in the aftermath of a deadly West Virginia coal mine explosion, which helped sour some lawmakers on legislation that would have tightly regulated industry safety standards.
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.
From Slaves to Pornographers, Campaign Contribution Records Rife With Characters
March 31, 2011 | Freedom fighters, pornographers and self-proclaimed evil rich men are among the cast of characters appearing in federal campaign finance documents stretching back more than two decades, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.
American Crossroads to Disclose Less Frequently, Chris Lee Returns Cash and More in Capital Eye Opener: March 14
March 14, 2011 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
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.
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
Political Powerhouses Tell House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa to Gut Regulations
February 10, 2011 | Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, this week released nearly 2,000 pages of documents from more than 100 companies and trade associations outlining federal regulations they'd like to axe. Most of these groups have also invested significant sums in lobbying and donations to lawmakers to make their political points, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Father-Son Duo Rand and Ron Paul Love Silver and Gold, But Differ Significantly in Personal Investment Strategies
December 27, 2010 | It's no secret that Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and his similarly libertarian-leaning son, Sen.-elect Rand Paul (R-Ky.), are big fans of gold. But while both Pauls are advocates of using gold and silver to curb inflation of the dollar, it appears the elder Paul may be doing more to practice what he preaches.
Crossroads GPS Whacks Pelosi, Cornyn and Thune Contradict Themselves on Spending and More in Capital Eye Opener: December 16
December 16, 2010 | Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics.
Which Industries Won and Lost in Election 2010?
November 10, 2010 | Imagine that every member of Congress represents the industry or special interests that have contributed the most to his or her campaign coffers. Which industries and special interests, then, lost or won seats in Congress during the 2010 midterm election?
Abortion Opponents Invest Fraction of What Abortion Rights Groups Do in 2010 Politicking
October 29, 2010 | Many federal candidates are receiving thousands of dollars from organizations on both sides of the abortion debate. And in this landscape, abortion rights groups are far out-spending groups opposed to abortion this election cycle.
GOP Presidential Hopefuls Shower Congressional Candidates With Cash, Attention Ahead of Own Potential 2012 Bids
October 25, 2010 | Various conservative straw polls from this year have put Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich on top as voter favorites. Although primaries don't begin for another 16 months, potential candidates are already laying groundwork for possible presidential runs. In the meantime, OpenSecrets Blog explores the financial activities during the 2009-2010 election cycle of the politicos who are angling to challenge President Barack Obama in the next presidential election.
'Super PAC' American Crossroads Continues Amassing and Utilizing Hefty War Chest Ahead of Election
October 21, 2010 | In just seven months, American Crossroads, the highest profile conservative "Super PAC," has raised more than $24.17 million* in the hopes of tilting the November midterm elections in favor of the Republican Party.
Academic Study Confirms Passing Through 'Revolving Door' Pays Off
September 23, 2010 | Using data from the Center for Responsive Politics, LegiStorm.com and Lobbyists.info, researchers from the Center for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics analyzed the employment histories and salaries of 1,100 politically connected federal lobbyists. Their study concluded that these lobbyists experienced a sizable drop in earnings when their old bosses left Congress.
Republican Staffers Tempted By Private Market, Labor Donations Large – or Small? – and More in Capital Eye Opener: September 10
September 10, 2010 | Republican? Former congressional staffer? You are in demand! According to Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times, lobbying groups and political consultants have been wooing Republicans in the past few weeks...
Solar, Wind Power Groups Becoming Prominent Washington Lobbying Forces After Years of Relative Obscurity
August 25, 2010 | In 1998, the entire alternative energy industry barely even registered as a political player in Washington, spending a mere $2.4 million on lobbying the federal government. Meanwhile, in the same year, the oil and gas, electric utilities and mining industries spent a combined $142 million advancing their own legislative interests. That landscape, however, has changed considerably.
The UFO Lobby, Civility Pledge Flops and More in Capital Eye Opener: July 6
July 6, 2010 | OUT OF THIS WORLD LOBBYING: Politico reports on avid UFO-seeker Wilbur Allen, who regularly photographs what he believes are unidentified flying objects hovering above the U.S. Capitol, and Stephen Bassett, who the newspaper calls the only registered lobbyist on issues of human interactivity with extraterrestrials.
Watchdog Accuses White House of Violating Disclosure Laws, Byrd's Death Endangers Democratic Agenda and More in Capitol Eye Opener: June 29
June 29, 2010 | But Byrd's views on climate change altered late in life and he looked liked to be a potential ally of legislation capping carbon emissions. There are doubts whether a freshman Democratic senator from West Virginia could withstand pressure from the coal industry to vote against such legislation.
House Committee Approves New Campaign Finance Regulations, Transparency Requirements in DISCLOSE Act
May 21, 2010 | The committee hearing room was crowded as the House Administration Committee met on Thursday afternoon to markup a bill that has become a top priority for congressional Democrats and the Obama administration. After three and a half hours of debate, the DISCLOSE Act was ultimately reported favorably out of the committee on a 6-3 party-line vote.
Republican and Democratic Senate Challengers Take on Party Establishments in Kentucky
May 17, 2010 | Intra-party fights in both the Republican and Democratic parties in Kentucky will be settled tomorrow as voters head to the polls to select U.S. Senate candidates.
Potentially Vulnerable Lawmakers Get Boosts from Party Programs
May 5, 2010 | Both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee have programs to help fund and support vulnerable incumbents. The DCCC runs the "Frontline Program" and the NRCC the "Patriot Program," and the increased financial support facilitated by these programs may be a determining factor in these candidates' success at the polls. So far this cycle, the average House Democrat participating in such a program took in took in nearly $600,000 more than the average non-assisted House member, and the average NRCC-assisted Republican collected about $200,000 above the non-assisted House average.
Supreme Court Justices Trade Barbs, Wit During Transparency and Disclosure Debate
April 28, 2010 | Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia leaned toward the microphone and looked down at lawyer James Bopp who stood beneath him. "You can't run a democracy this way, with everybody being afraid of having his political positions known," Scalia scolded. "Threats should be moved against vigorously, but just because there can be criminal activity doesn't mean that you have to eliminate a procedure that is otherwise perfectly reasonable."
More RNC Accounting Questions, Democratic Party Growing Pains and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 9
April 9, 2010 | WHOSE DEMOCRATIC PARTY?: The Huffington Post's Ryan Grim and Arthur Delaney spend more than 10,000 words examining the Democratic factions within the U.S. House of Representatives in their latest dispatch. The piece explores the significance played by progressive donors and outside groups like MoveOn.org and labor unions in electing new, conservative members to the House -- and the tensions that arise from this when trying to advance progressive legislation.
Murtha's Still Got it, More Trouble for Massey Energy and More in Capital Eye Opener: April 8
April 8, 2010 | Recent filings with the Federal Election Commission show Murtha's leadership PAC is still active in donating cash to Democratic campaigns. Majority PAC also cut a notable $10,000 check to the campaign of Mark Critz, Murtha's former district director...
Massey Energy, Owner of Ill-Fated Coal Mine, Frequently Targets Politicians
April 6, 2010 | Massey Energy, owner of a West Virginia coal mine where an explosion Monday killed at least 25 miners, has long involved itself in federal-level politics through campaign contributions and lobbying efforts, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.
Solar, Wind Power Groups Becoming Prominent Washington Lobbying Forces After Years of Relative Obscurity
March 30, 2010 | In 1998, the entire alternative energy industry barely even registered as a political player in Washington, spending a mere $2.4 million on lobbying the federal government. Meanwhile, in the same year, the oil and gas, electric utilities and mining industries spent a combined $142 million advancing their own legislative interests. That landscape, however, has changed considerably.
Dems Take Heat from All Sides As They Strive to Maintain Status Quo on Abortion
March 23, 2010 | One of the lawmakers President Barack Obama's executive order won over was Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who led a bipartisan fight in November to include stricter anti-abortion language in the House's version of the health reform legislation. By the Center for Responsive Politics' tally, Stupak is the only Democratic incumbent in the House to receive any money from special interest groups that oppose abortion so far this election cycle -- with a $500 contribution coming from the Right to Life of Michigan PAC.
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.
BCS Becomes Political Football as Lobbyists Blitz Congress
December 17, 2009 | House Resolution 390 will not result in troop deployments to Afghanistan, an overhaul of the U.S. health care system or the bolstering of an economy in tatters. But because it advocates a new college football playoff format, the legislation, in the minds of millions of fans and at least a few congressional members, is all the same a matter of national import.
Senators Backed By Pro-Choice Interests Block New Abortion Restrictions
December 9, 2009 | As the U.S. Senate weighs contentious changes to federal abortion policy, the Center for Responsive Politics has also found that pro-choice interests have given sitting senators roughly six times as much as pro-life interests have contributed to them. CRP has further found that senators who voted in favor of tabling an anti-abortion amendment offered by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) received an average of nearly $60,000 from abortion rights supporters and an average of just $80 from anti-abortion interests over the past 20 years.
Capital Eye Opener: Monday, November 30
November 30, 2009 | Make sure your browser is set to House.gov this afternoon, when the U.S. House of Representatives will be moving toward transparency by making members' office expenditures available electronically.
Spencer Bachus: 'No More Bailouts'
November 19, 2009 | Although Bachus isn't new to the House Financial Services Committee, he's relatively new to the committee's ranking member position, which he assumed in 2007. Since 1992, employees and political action committees associated with the financial sector have given Bachus $4 million -- exponentially more than any other sector during that time.
Crossing Wall Street
November 16, 2009 | As the United States continues digging itself out of a recession, the nation is poised to re-emerge in a dramatically altered financial climate. And after years of enjoying relatively little regulation, commercial banks, credit companies, hedge funds and securities and investment companies are facing the most extensive overhaul by the federal government since the Great Depression. Over the next seven days, Capital Eye will be following the special interest money in our "Crossing Wall Street" series as both the House and Senate tackle financial regulation.
House Democrats Backing Abortion Restrictions Received Significant Campaign Cash From Pro-Life Groups
November 10, 2009 | Democrats who supported an amendment that added restrictions to abortion-related health insurance benefits received considerably more campaign contributions from anti-abortion interests than Democrats who opposed the amendment, the Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Democrats Welcome Two New Congressmen As GOP Makes Gains in Governorships
November 4, 2009 | While Republicans in Virginia and New Jersey won their state's governorships, Democrats proved victorious in two big money Congressional special elections Tuesday in California and New York. Democrat Bill Owens triumphed over Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman by about 3 percentage points in New York, and Democrat John Garamendi beat Republican David Harmer in California.
Federal Lobbying Boom Continues, Third Quarter Reports Indicate
October 30, 2009 | 2009 is on pace to be another bumper year for lobbyists. During the third quarter, corporations, unions, trade associations and other special interests spent $849 million on federal lobbying, bringing the year-to-date total to $2.5 billion. Perhaps not surprisingly, the sectors that could be affected most by the Obama administration's domestic agenda -- particularly health, business and energy -- have been some of the biggest spenders over the course of the year.
'Round and 'Round They Go: Lawmakers Leave Congress for Lobbying Posts
October 29, 2009 | At least 44 lawmakers have left their congressional seats mid-term since 1990, and at least 16 of them went on to work at lobbying firms or at companies that hired lobbyists, CRP has found. Here, we take a closer look at a few of these individuals, examining which industries and clients they're now representing and the campaign cash they received while in Congress.
Capital Eye Opener: Friday, October 16
October 16, 2009 | A LIBERTARIAN STREAK IN WHOLE FOODS: John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods recently told Reason TV that he voted for Libertarian Bob Barr in the 2008 presidential election. According to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis, Mackey's sole contributions to federal candidates and committees have been to Libertarians -- totaling $6,500 between 1996 and 2000.
Capital Eye Opener: Wednesday, October 7
October 7, 2009 | CASTLE ON A (SENATE) CLOUD: Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) announced yesterday that he intends to run for the Senate seat left vacant by Vice President Joe Biden, turning the race into "one of the top races in the country," said National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas), according to The Hill. Cornyn also hinted that the race would be expensive.
View Lobbyists By Industry on OpenSecrets.org
August 11, 2009 | Today we've added a new feature to our website that will help you connect the dots between specific industries and the lobbyists going to bat for them. Now on OpenSecrets.org you can find a list of lobbyists and their firms associated with more than 100 industries. Sort by lobbyist or lobbying firm and download a spreadsheet that will show you the ties between the lobbyists, the firm employing them and their clients.
Out-of-State Donations Flow to Many Members of Congress
August 3, 2009 | Senators, on average, raised 57 percent of their individual contributions from out-of-staters during the first six months of 2009. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, on the other hand, raised a median of 77 percent of their individual contributions from in-state donors.
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.
Gun Amendment Supporters Backed by NRA Donations
July 22, 2009 | The Senate narrowly voted down an amendment this afternoon that would have permitted gun owners to carry concealed firearms across state lines into states with tighter gun regulations. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and attached to a defense spending bill, rallied lawmakers who have received significant donations over their careers from gun-related issue organizations.
Democrats Aligned with Abortion-Rights Opponents Receive Money From Them
July 22, 2009 | Although abortion-rights opponents have given Republicans 95 percent of their $6.9 million in campaign contributions since 1989, several Democrats are among those pushing for an abortion funding ban in the health care bill. Many of the Democrats involved have collected money from pro-life groups but not pro-choice organizations, the CRP has found.
Center for Responsive Politics Praises Measure to Require Disclosure of Lawmakers' Personal Transactions
July 17, 2009 | Given that the Center for Responsive Politics has long gathered, sliced, diced and scrutinized the personal financial reports of members of Congress and other public officials, we noted with special interest ta bill that would prohibit lawmakers from using "nonpublic information" that they have gathered through official channels. Here are our thoughts on the legislation.
Maplight.org Uses Center for Responsive Politics Data In Cap-and-Trade Analysis
July 15, 2009 | If you had any doubt that special interests tried -- and sometimes succeeded -- to shape the cap-and-trade energy bill that the House passed in June, you need to check out Maplight.org's analysis of the money behind the votes on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.
With CRP Data, Common Cause Follows the Money Behind Climate Bill
July 10, 2009 | Using CRP data, Common Cause this week provided more evidence that oil and gas companies, mining companies and electric utilities are focusing their energy-and money-on legislation that would limit the emission of greenhouse gases.
Dr. Ron Paul Prefers Free Market Approach to Health Reform
July 1, 2009 | Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is an OB-GYN who has delivered more than 4,000 babies. Since 1995, he has also collected $1.1 million from the health sector as he advocates for market-based reforms for health care.
Legislators Opposed to Climate Bill Get Double the Funds from Energy Sector
June 29, 2009 | The climate change bill that the House of Representatives passed 219 to 212 late Friday night flew in the face of some of the special interests fighting against the legislation's cap-and-trade provision and its more stringent limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Although the industries that opposed the bill ultimately didn't get their desired legislation, it seems their politicking efforts weren't entirely for naught.
With CRP data, Sunlight Maps Baucus's Health Care Lobbying Network
June 23, 2009 | As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus is playing a key role in determining the shape, size, and cost of health care reform. The Montana Democrat's influence may be even keener as a result of the lobbyist web that flows from his office.
Health Professionals Stand Divided
June 23, 2009 | Health care providers may have the same basic goal in mind--to provide quality care to the sick--but the group splinters when determining the best way to do that and cut costs. The debate over health care reform pits doctors against nurses, primary care physicians against specialists. And each group is spending plenty of cash to ensure Congress understands their diagnoses
Drug Makers Cash In On Lobbying Efforts
June 18, 2009 | Pharmaceutical companies, like the insurance industry, strongly oppose any proposal to create a public health insurance option, fearful that private insurers would be marginalized and government price controls would limit what the industry can charge for its products. And with drug companies as the No. 1 all-time spender on lobbying, at $1.6 billion since 1998, Congress is bound to at least entertain their concerns.
Diagnosis: Reform
June 17, 2009 | For some individuals, how Congress aims to reform America's health care system is literally a matter of life and death. For some industries, it could mean the difference between weathering the economic storm or shuttering their businesses. Over the next month, Capital Eye will be following the money as the various special interest groups continue to play politics in response to Congress's health reform proposals. Follow the month-long series here.
White House Takes a Positive Step Toward Lobbying Disclosure
June 1, 2009 | CRP commends the administration's latest move to extend the ban on oral communications beyond registered lobbyists to include ANYONE who is connected to a competitive bid application for recovery funds.
Follow the Money as the Global Warming Hearings Heat Up
April 22, 2009 | Today is Earth Day and lawmakers are doing their part to look out for the well-being of Mother Nature with hearings throughout the week related to global warming and climate change. Here we offer a few resources on OpenSecrets.org that can help you follow the political influence of the industries most vested in these debates.
CPI: Coal Industry Launched "Unprecedented Corporate Campaign"
April 21, 2009 | Using CRP data extensively, the Center for Public Integrity released an interesting report today about the coal industry's comprehensive-and expensive-campaign to win support from both the public and lawmakers for clean-coal technology.
Supreme Court Opens Curtain on Anti-Hillary Clinton Movie Case
March 23, 2009 | The Supreme Court tomorrow will tackle a question that pits First Amendment freedom of speech rights against congressional efforts to limit the influence of special interests that have millions of dollars to spend on speech. Capital Eye will cover Tuesday's oral argument, but for now, here's a synopsis of the case.
Power Players: Natural Resources Committee Chair Mines Support from Homestate Industry
March 5, 2009 | At 27, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.V.) was the youngest member of the first Congress he served in, landing spots on the Interior and Public Works committees in his first term in 1976. Now, as chair of the House Natural Resources Committee (formerly the Interior Committee) and the No. 2 Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (formerly Public Works), he's got the support of transportation unions, the mining industry and oil and gas companies.
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.
Special Interests to Listen Carefully to Obama's Address
February 24, 2009 | When President Obama addresses the nation tonight in a State of the Union fashion, it won't just be Congress and members of the public tuning in. Special interests, too, will be paying close attention to what the president has to say about upcoming plans that could affect them. Capital Eye takes a look at the key issues Obama is likely to discuss--and the industries, sectors and groups that will be listening closely to his message.
Power Players: With Health Sector's Money Supporting Him, Baucus Offers Prescription for Reform
January 23, 2009 | As chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is a target for campaign contributions from Wall Street and the health sector. He's outlined his own vision for health care reform and his committee will have to decide if the overhaul is fiscally possible.
2009 Legislative Preview
January 15, 2009 | Within the next few months, it will become increasingly clear how the federal government intends to tackle pressing issues, including the economy, health care reform and curbing global warming. Those efforts, led by a Democratic president and an expanded Democratic majority in Congress, might look drastically different from those of the last eight years under Republican President Bush. What won't change, however, are the attempts by special interests to influence legislation. Capital Eye looks at which industries are spending money to shape the economic stimulus, health care reform, energy policy and labor laws.
Interior Motives
December 16, 2008 | Barack Obama seems poised to appoint Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) to the position of Secretary of the Interior, following a tradition of giving the post to a leader from one of the Western states, where natural resources and land use are prominent policy issues. In this role, Salazar, who has collected a total of $321,800 from the energy and natural resources sector during his short time in the Senate, will oversee the Bureau of Land Management.
Campaign Finance Comes to the Highest Court
November 17, 2008 | The Supreme Court has agreed to take up the issue whether a feature-length movie that supports or opposes a candidate for federal office should be considered an "electioneering communication" and, therefore, subject to campaign finance laws.
To E-file or Not to E-file? That Was the Question for Sen. Ensign
October 21, 2008 | As we've pointed out many times on this blog, the chairman of the committee that raises money for Republican Senate candidates, Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, has been holding up a no-brainer bill requiring senators to file their campaign finance reports electronically. So several of us from the Center for Responsive Politics went to the National Press Club to see if we could get Ensign to explain himself.
Lawmakers and Insider Trading
October 17, 2008 | Should insider trading by members of Congress be illegal? ProCon.org, a nonpartisan site for examining all sides of issues, is addressing this sticky question, and they have used data from the Center for Responsive Politics on the richest lawmakers to help sort out the answer. According to ProCon, 45 corporations, spanning finance, insurance, oil, pharmaceutical, telecom and other industries, made the 10 richest senators' top five stocks owned, purchased and sold lists in 2007. Many of these lawmakers hold positions on committees that have influence over the financial success of the companies they are invested in.
As Economic Storm Brewed, Congressional Wealth Grew 13% Last Year
October 16, 2008 | An economic recession is looking increasingly likely, but the personal finances of members of Congress suggest they will be able to withstand the slowdown far better than most Americans, according to a new analysis of lawmakers' latest personal financial reports by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Industries Seeking Rescue Gave Twice as Much to Senators Who Backed Bailout
October 3, 2008 | The finance, insurance and real estate sector has contributed twice as much money to senators who supported bailing out the struggling sector this week than those who opposed emergency legislation, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has calculated following the 74-25 Senate vote Wednesday night that sent the bill to the House of Representatives for passage this afternoon.
Finance Sector Gave 51 Percent More to House Bailout Backers
September 29, 2008 | Members of the House of Representatives who supported bailing out the financial sector with $700 billion in taxpayer money have received 51 percent more in campaign contributions from the finance, insurance and real estate sector in their congressional careers than those who opposed the emergency legislation, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics calculated following the 228-205 vote on Monday that defeated the House bill.
Power Struggle: Coal, Nuclear Industries Lobby to Keep the Lights On
August 7, 2008 | Coal and nuclear power are the biggest sources of electricity in the U.S., accounting for roughly 70 percent of the nation's electricity. While producers of both sources believe that the country needs a well-balanced fuel portfolio, both industries are seeking an advantage by spending their fair share on campaign contributions and lobbying this election cycle, reminding those in Congress of their integral role in keeping the lights on.
Power Struggle: Energizing the Presidential Race
July 17, 2008 | Like a gas tank hungry for cheap fuel, Americans are yearning for an energy policy from their next president. But various industries and interests, from oil companies to agriculture and environmental groups, also have a serious stake in the next president's energy policy, and are showing it with campaign contributions and lobbying efforts.
Power Struggle: Industry Standards
July 10, 2008 | Industries across the board have a stake in the outcome of energy legislation, either because they are looking for handouts or trying to minimize harm. Capital Eye profiles the major players, their concerns and the money they're spending to be heard on Capitol Hill.
Determining a Lawmaker's Worth
May 20, 2008 | Watchdogs and journalists are finding it difficult to determine just how much members of Congress are worth because they report their personal investments in wide ranges.
Corporate Sponsors Get the Party Started
May 15, 2008 | Sometimes all it takes to be the coolest kid on the block is throwing the best party--at least that's what the more than 50 corporations that signed up to underwrite the biggest Democratic bash of the year are banking on.
Pale Green
April 18, 2008 | When environmentalists, lobbyists and eco-friendly citizens come a-knockin' on lawmakers' office doors on Earth Day next week, Democrats (and some Republicans) will detail their legislation that directs taxes collected from the oil and gas industry towards renewable energy initiatives. What they probably won't mention is that lawmakers themselves aren't taking a risk on them with their own money.
Washington Lets In More Sunshine, But Halls of Power Are Still Too Dark
March 20, 2008 | Since Sunshine Week 2007, a few rays of sunlight have lit up Congress and the Bush administration in the form of ethics legislation and other bills mandating fuller disclosure. As these changes are implemented, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics is examining their effects on the public's ability to know what's going on in campaign finance, lobbying and other areas related to money and politics.
Congress Has Wealth to Weather Economic Downturn
March 13, 2008 | As Americans worry about their own finances, their elected representatives in Washington—with a collective net worth of $3.6 billion—are mostly in good shape to withstand a recession.
Super Tuesday's Money Race
February 7, 2008 | Although money plays an undeniably powerful role in the election process, the Super Tuesday primary contests were a reminder that money can't buy you love. For the Democratic presidential candidates, two out of every three states voted on Tuesday for the candidate who had collected the most in contributions from that state through Dec. 31.
Coal Executive Richard Stickler Continues Leading Mine Safety Agency
January 10, 2008 | For a few days at the start of 2008, Richard Stickler, head of the U.S. Mine Safety Health Administration, was out of a job. But President George W. Bush last week ensured that the former coal-mining executive would continue to head the Labor Department agency despite Senate Democrats' concerns.
Lawmakers Divest Because of Darfur
December 20, 2007 | Congress supported divestment from Sudan this week, but some lawmakers still have a financial stake in companies tied to the genocidal regime.
Innovation Insulation
November 7, 2007 | As Congress debates patent reform legislation, a variety of industries are lobbying to ensure that damage awards for infringement don't deter innovation.
Cultivating Support in Washington
July 12, 2007 | A variety of interest groups are trying to influence lawmakers to honor their wishes for the 2007 farm bill.
Supreme Court Targets McCain-Feingold
June 26, 2007 | A ruling this week opens the door for business corporations and unions to fund issue ads as they like until the day of an election.
Power Play Series: Energy & Oil and Gas
June 21, 2007 | Now that Democrats are in charge, oil companies have "targets on their backs," but the industry remains a lobbying machine.
Power Play Series: Energy & Environmental Groups
June 21, 2007 | Largely ignored when Republicans controlled Congress, environmentalists have come out of the wilderness.
Power Play Series: Energy & Electric Utilities
June 21, 2007 | Generators of electricity say they can't meet demand without still relying on fossil fuels.
Power Play Series: Energy & Coal Mining
June 21, 2007 | The industry tries to convince policymakers that coal can be clean.
Power Play Series: Energy & Auto Manufacturers
June 21, 2007 | U.S. carmakers worry that mandates for better fuel efficiency will harm their already struggling industry.
Power Play Series: Energy & Alternatives
June 21, 2007 | The "anything but oil" mantra has put industries offering alternatives in their best position in decades.
Power Play Series: Energy & Agriculture
June 21, 2007 | Farmers whose crops have potential as fuel see a way to bolster their struggling industry, while others worry that greater demand for biofuels will raise food prices.
Power Play
June 21, 2007 | A look at where energy interests are putting their energy during the Senate debate.
Border Patrol
June 14, 2007 | As lobbyists for industries and interest groups monitor and try to influence Congress's debate over immigration, Capital Eye analyzes the key players involved.
Under the Radar
April 12, 2007 | Loopholes in disclosure rules have allowed at least $223 million in "stealth" lobbying to remain a mystery, Center finds.
Heating Up
March 8, 2007 | Now that Democrats control Congress, the political dynamic of climate change has shifted. Many industries and interests have a stake. By Lindsay Renick Mayer March 08, 2007 | The earth is warming at an unnatural pace, but this isn't the only climate change that has multiple industries re-assessing their political strategy. As the debate over…
Elephants Are Red, Donkeys Are Blue
February 13, 2007 | These politically active couples show their love for candidates with hefty checks. By Lindsay Renick Mayer February 13, 2007 | Software entrepreneur Paul Egerman courted his wife, Joanne, more than 25 years ago at a politician's victory party. "From my standpoint, it was a great date to go on," he said. "I didn't have to…
State of the Union Preview
January 22, 2007 | Global warming, the Iraq war and balancing the budget are likely to be among the issues the president addresses. By Lindsay Renick Mayer January 22, 2007 | When President Bush takes the podium on Tuesday night to deliver his annual address, he will do so before a nation that is far less supportive of his…
Statement on FEC's Enforcement Action Against Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
December 13, 2006 | WASHINGTON—In response to a 2004 complaint by a coalition of nonpartisan watchdog groups that included the Center for Responsive Politics, the Federal Election Commission announced today that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth will pay a fine of under $300,000 and disband the 527 organization that expressly (and illegally) advocated for the defeat of Sen. John…
New Web Tools Track Congressional Finances and Travel
October 10, 2006 | Easy-to-search databases add to free offerings of award-winning OpenSecrets.org ____________________ The non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics has added two new features to its award-winning money-in-politics Web site, OpenSecrets.org. One database details more than $2.4 billion in assets reported by members of Congress, the president and other top federal officials, making their personal financial disclosures fully…
Campaign Ads Drill Incumbents for Taking Oil Money
August 7, 2006 | As gas prices rise, Republicans are taking most of the heat for their industry ties, but contributions have flowed to Democrats as well. By Lindsay Renick Mayer August 07, 2006 | Political analysts may argue about how oil factored into America's decision to invade Iraq, but there's little debate about the oil and gas industry's…
Too Much Information
July 24, 2006 | In disclosing their personal finances, Congress members who have led efforts to prevent identity theft revealed their Social Security numbers and other sensitive information. Voluminous attachments to annual filings make it more difficult to assess lawmakers' wealth. By Lindsay Renick Mayer July 24, 2006 | As personal data on millions of Americans has slipped out…
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…
Interior Secretary Nominee Mined Industries for Campaign Cash
March 23, 2006 | As senator and governor, Kempthorne got support from industries he would regulate if confirmed By Courtney Mabeus March 23, 2006 | If Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne is confirmed as the next U.S. Secretary of the Interior, his tenure in elected office, as well as his roster of campaign contributors, suggests he will hew to the…
Supreme Court Declines to Settle BCRA Bickering
January 23, 2006 | By remanding Wisconsin case to lower court, justices avoid re-examining Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act until O'Connor leaves bench By Courtney Mabeus January 23, 2006 | The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to resolve a dispute between an anti-abortion group and the federal government over the constitutionality of federal law dictating how political advertisements can be…
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text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
DUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 1 August 2011—The OCLC Board of Trustees will engage OCLC members in the process to select a successor to Jay Jordan, who plans to retire as OCLC President and CEO at the end of June 2012.
Larry Alford, Chair, OCLC Board of Trustees, and Chief Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries, announced today the composition of an Executive Search Committee from the OCLC Board that will lead the process to select a new leader of the cooperative. Committee members are:
- Chair, Sandy Yee, Dean of the Wayne State University Libraries and Library and Information Science Program
- Ed Barry, President Emeritus, Oxford University Press
- Maggie Farrell, Dean of Libraries, University of Wyoming
- Bernadette Gray-Little, Chancellor, University of Kansas
- Kathleen Imhoff, Library Consultant
- David Lauer, Former President and COO, Bank One, NA
- James Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian, Columbia University
- Elisabeth Niggemann, Director General, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
The OCLC Board has hired Heidrick & Struggles, an executive search firm that operates from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, to aid in the search process. The Executive Search Committee will develop and oversee a plan to ensure that perspectives from the OCLC Board, members and staff are included in the search process. The committee will develop a timeline and a search plan in conjunction with the search firm to ensure broad national and international exposure for the position, as well as consideration of internal candidates.
The committee will soon form a Community Advisory Group that will involve the OCLC membership, OCLC staff and the library community at large in the process to select the next president.
The Community Advisory Group will provide input on the position profile that might include key attributes, skills and other considerations in a candidate. The group may offer specific referrals for consideration, and will work collaboratively with the Executive Search Committee to represent the interests of various stakeholders, including OCLC members and staff.
"The Board is committed to a search process that engages OCLC members," said Mr. Alford, during a meeting June 28 with OCLC staff in Dublin, Ohio. "The board believes that, given the culture of OCLC as a member-owned and -governed organization, and our commitment to member engagement, we should conduct this process in an open manner consistent with our desire to recruit the strongest possible leader for the OCLC cooperative."
A brief explanation of the process presented by Mr. Alford to OCLC staff is available on the Web.
The search process is expected to take up to a year. "Jay wanted to give us sufficient advance notice to provide time for a thorough search and a smooth transition for his successor," said Mr. Alford.
Mr. Jordan announced his plans to retire during the OCLC President's Luncheon at the ALA Annual Conference on June 27. He is the fourth president of OCLC, the nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization founded in 1967. By June 2012, Mr. Jordan will have served 14 years as president and CEO, the longest tenure of any OCLC president.
About OCLC
Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing library costs. More than 72,000 libraries in 170 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the world's largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat on the Web at www.worldcat.org. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.
OCLC, WorldCat and WorldCat.org are trademarks/service marks of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks/service marks of their respective owners.
Bob Murphy
Manager, Media Relations


text:
Wonderful Mandalas Designs by EDDA Froehlich / EDDArt | This beautiful blue red colored FOLK ART MANDALA will makes you happy and brings joyful energy in your life. SPREAD YOUR GOOD MOOD! | You miss other products with this design? Feel free to contact me: email@example.com I will do it for you! HAVE FUN & BE HAPPYFun for all, share the joy and happiness with your friends. Our playing cards are of industry standard in terms of print quality and thickness. Comes boxed, our playing cards feature 52 standard cards along with 2 jokers, ideal for playing poker with your friends. Cards measure 2.5"(w) x 3.5"(h).
Real Product Video:
If you order more than 50 pcs items (can be combined), please click here to contact us for whole price quotation, please include the SKU# and the quantity you want for each of them. For order less than 50 pcs, please order directly from our website.


text:
Sarah's "Sunshine Bright" Room
Like this entry? Favorite it below!
- Name:
- Sarah
- Location:
- Tacoma, WA
- Division:
- Light
- Inspiration for my palette:
- My love of turquoise and crisp white.
- Colors used in my room:
- Benjamin Moore Tundra
Benjamin Moore North Sea Green
- Tips for using color successfully:
- Add lots of white in with bold pops of color.
- Palette:
- Sunshine Bright


text: SEC directs specific communication to employees regarding whistleblowing Global Investigations Insights Series Global Investigations Insights Share this 13 OCT 2016 Par: In many investigations, whether internal or in response to government inquiries, employers may take action to terminate employees. A recent US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) resolution in the context of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) suggests employers should exercise significant care in ensuring that former employees will not be prohibited from communicating with regulators or enforcement authorities. While the SEC has previously emphasized the need to protect whistleblowers, this most recent resolution goes a step further in directing employers to specifically advise employees that they are not prohibited from reporting misconduct to the SEC. The SEC's heightened emphasis on this point will likely impact how companies address these issues in employee severance agreements in particular. On September 28, 2016, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev) entered into an administrative resolution with the SEC through a cease-and-desist order in which the company agreed to pay $6 million to settle allegations that a wholly-owned subsidiary in India violated two separate provisions of the FCPA (the books and records, and internal controls provisions) through its usage of a third-party sales promoter to make improper payments to Indian government officials in order to increase sales and to increase brewery hours in certain regions. The order also resolved allegations that AB InBev violated the "Whistleblower Incentives and Protections" provision contained within the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd Frank Act) based on a separation agreement that its India-based subsidiary entered into with a former employee in December 2012. That employee had previously reported allegations of misconduct to personnel at the India-based subsidiary in 2010 and 2011, and had also voluntarily cooperated and shared information with the SEC regarding the potential FCPA violations in India up until the execution of the separation agreement. The separation agreement contained confidentiality restrictions but did not provide a carve-out exception for communications with government regulators. The agreement also contained a liquidated damages clause of $250,000 for any violation of the separation agreement's provisions. The SEC alleged that because of this potential liability, the employee stopped voluntarily cooperating with the SEC and did not re-engage with the agency until he was subpoenaed for testimony and documents. The administrative order entered required the company to include in its severance agreements specific carve-out language which advised employees that they were not barred from reporting conduct to enforcement authorities. In addition, the company was required to make a proactive communication to some former employees to reiterate that message. This resolution highlights a continued focus by the SEC on companies ensuring an environment in which whistleblowers are protected and not prevented from external reporting of misconduct. The whistleblower program, which may allow individuals who report violations of law across a wide range of activities in the financial markets to obtain a financial reward in recoveries obtained by the SEC, has generated a significant increase in whistleblower reports since its promulgation in 2010. This has in turn exposed companies to greater scrutiny and potential liability for compliance violations. In light of this, companies should consider reviewing their employment agreements to ensure that they include appropriate provisions to protect employees communicating with regulators.


text:
Narita Airport is 66 kilometres from town. I can jump in a cab and go broke, or leap aboard the Metro and become fodder for the infamous pushers, hired to cram the cars at rush hour.
I spot the "Friendly Limousine" counter. "Downtown Tokyo for 3,000 Yen ($30)." Sounds good.
"I'm afraid our coaches only stop at five-star hotels," says the smartly dressed girl rather sniffily.
"What was the name of your hotel again? Ah yes," she adds, squinting at the map. "I see you are close to The Marriott Ginza. It shouldn't be much of a walk."
The coach, like all means of Japanese transportation, leaves exactly on time. Bags are loaded. Doors close. The girl in charge bows and holds her bow until we have completely passed by.
Whoops! We stop again. A young man climbs aboard displaying a yellow sign.
"Use of cellphones not permitted on the bus."
He retreats down the steps, then bows. One-and-a-half hours later I am heading for the reception desk at The Marriot with my rolling backpack. Four receptionists bow. Feeling quite unworthy of all the fuss, I blurt out that I am actually staying down the road.
A doorman graciously leads me to my hostelry. I soon discover that bowing is still a charming way of life in Japan. Train conductors. Car rental clerks. Museum attendants. They are all at it. Waitresses tend to kneel beside your table. Obviously, it helps to be supple in the service industry.
My room is in a "business hotel." Yes, it is diminutive, but efficient, equipped with everything a chap needs plus a few extras like a trouser-press, cotton swabs, shower caps etc. The bathroom began life as a cube in the Toto factory.
"How to" notes in Japanese and English are posted beside all moving parts. Just as well because the toilet is quite a complex-looking piece of machinery.
Once seated on the toilet, a gurgling sound comes from below.
Flushing is straightforward but it's the lights and buttons on the bar at lap level that confuse me.
According to the rather explicit graphics, it seems to be all about jets of water. Warm or hot? Straight up or bidet style? Extra strong or gentle? No wonder it's called a "Washlet." Little towels are provided for the drying process.
The Tsukiji fish market moves over two million kilograms of fish daily — the largest in the world (all that sushi/sashimi). The tuna auction tops the "must-see" list in any respectable guidebook. All good things come at a cost even — if it's free.
Instructions in my Lonely Planet are clear. Be there no later than 4 a.m. Only the first 120 people get in.
Jet-lag sometimes comes in handy. At 3:30 a.m. I am walking briskly down The Ginza, the most expensive real estate in Tokyo. I pass all the world's top names in fashion. Lavish Christmas lights are already twinkling in store windows despite a countrywide Christian population of around one per cent. I hang a right past the Kabuki theatre. Twenty minutes later I join a line of bleary-eyed tourists. At 4:15 a.m. the lucky ones, including me, are ushered inside. A TV screen tells us this is a business, not a sideshow. Basically, behave or risk being sent home.
An hour later, and dressed in lime green jackets, we are herded through the "danger zone." Tiny motorized carts dodge and weave around us like choreographed bumper cars. Bobcats reorganize mountains of empty Styrofoam boxes twice their height. The place is going at full tilt.
We survive to be led into the auction room. Row upon row of flash-frozen Bluefin tuna are being poked and prodded with instruments resembling small sickles by potential buyers. Two men mark the fish using cans of red paint. Each of these tuna will sell for $10,000 and up.
Suddenly the auctioneer rings a bell, delivers the usual indecipherable blur of words typical of auctioneers, and an hour and a half later all the fish is sold.
I join a lineup at one of hundreds of Tokyo's best little sushi bars that surround the market and wait my turn.
It's only 9 a.m. as I amble back towards my hotel. A crowd is forming outside the Kabuki theatre. I discover I can buy a ticket to a single act from a production that will last a full day — a convenient way of getting a taste of an ancient Japanese art. For a few yen, headsets delivering the high-pitched dialogue in English make all the difference.
Most one-act visitors are relegated to standing in the nosebleeds. I spot a seat with enough legroom for a 10-year-old. But it's a seat! I was lucky to find a used copy of Shogun before leaving home, so when the leading actor dramatically grabs his sword and commits seppuku, (suicide), on stage I know he is doing the honourable thing!
The sidewalks are danger zones. Middle-aged cyclists and pedestrians are a poor mix. Bells and helmets haven't come here yet and, despite a yellow line that supposedly divides the pavement, each group tends to claim ownership of the whole thing. The only warning I get is the creaking of old knees and loose chains approaching from behind.
Tokyo is a vibrant city of 20,000,000. I find that riding a hop-on-hop-off bus is a good way of discovering countless districts and their specialties. Kappabashi is famed for producing look-alike plastic meal displays to help gaijin (tourists) like me. Shimo-Kitazawa is a hot spot by day for funky used clothing and by night for lively bars and theatres. Jimbocho is the place for books. Asakusa looks busy and interesting. Maybe tomorrow?
Time to give the Metro a try. I head for one of the many Ginza stations. I guess at the fare to my destination. If I underpay, a few yen in the top-up machine will empower my ticket to open the exit gate. Pushers are thankfully absent.
I pass a ramen (noodle) restaurant on my way home. The pictures and prices look good. I find an empty stool at the wall counter and wait — and wait! Finally a gap-toothed waitress grabs me by the arm and leads me to a floor-to-ceiling machine by the door.
I am to choose my combination. Feed in the cash and take the ticket to a line of chefs. Soon a delicious steaming bowl is put in front of me. Ramen restaurants are serious eating places. Most customers are alone, in a rush, and anxiously checking their iPhones for evening plans or the next appointment. Slurping is considered essential to fully enjoy the texture and taste.
I am now exhausted and head back to my hotel where I note a few oddities of the day. Signs on the sidewalk stating "Do not smoke while walking" actually mean: "Save your butts for restaurants like McDonald's where smoking is allowed." The Metro is brilliant if you remember the exit number — Ginza has more than 20 to choose from.
Best of all, Japanese people are over-the-top helpful and will always assist if you are lost. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
If you go
• Important stuff: If you intend to rent a car, (I did twice), get an International Driver's Licence in Canada — your Canadian licence doesn't cut it.
If you want to use the bullet trains, (who wouldn't), buy a rail pass before you go. A one-week pass runs around $300.
Japanese don't expect to be tipped. If you feel you must, put the cash in an envelope and use two hands to surreptitiously hand it to your chosen recipient.
• Hotels: My excellent hotel in Tokyo — The Hotel Gracery Ginza (ginza.gracery.com) — ran around $100 a night for a single. Currencies change — at the time of writing 100 Yen equalled $1 Cdn. In Japan you can pay very different rates for different nights. Weekends can cost a lot more. Try to book in advance. Japanese are not used to drop-ins.
• Food: From $10 for a simple meal to the sky is the limit. Wine is sold in grocery stores at generally cheap prices. More expensive in restaurants.
• Safety: Japan is the safest country I have ever visited.
• When to go: I went in November. The leaves were changing. Kyoto was especially stunning. It snowed in Hokkaido!
• Guide book: I found that Lonely Planet did a very good job on Tokyo and Japan in general. Buy a decent map at home. The novel Shogun by James Clavell is a great travel companion on a first trip to Japan.
• Overall: Japan has long been suffering from deflation. Once a stunningly expensive destination it is now a surprisingly reasonable country to visit.


text:
Ezio Auditore £16 play.com
What better way to bone up on Renaissance Italy than with everybody's favourite Florentine death-dealer, in 7in form? Ezio comes with a variety of hands, so he can hold even more killing tools and should help with your Assassin's Creed III preparations.
Black Phantom £15 shop.lego.com
This bad guy from Lego's Hero Factory range is a lesson in the history of weapons – from a sabre and mace combo to an 'arachnix drone'. Take him apart to build all-new super weapons.
Catwoman £tba (due June) dccomics.com
As with all truly great sculpture, this statuette of Anne Hathaway's feline fatale from the forthcoming The Dark Knight Rises held our attention for a very long time. Some might say too long.
George £15 amazon.co.uk
Fact: George in Gremlins 2 was named after George Milton, from John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Compare and contrast, making specific reference to the foolishness of post-midnight feeding.
Eddie £18 forbiddenplanet.co.uk
Iron Maiden's 1981 album Killers is the thinking man's metal, offering lessons from history ('Genghis Khan') and literature ('Murders in the Rue Morgue'). Obviously this visual aid is essential.
Amazon Cloud Drive app for Windows and Mac is live
WisePilot Navigator Europe comes to Windows Phone
Rdio takes on Spotify with UK launch


text:
From the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe Annette has been making brides beautiful for almost ten years. Trained in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Annette has worked on numerous hair shows, bridal fashion shows and print. She has owned Salons and worked on many bridal parties.
Annette can also cut, color and style your hair for any occasion. Most of all Annette listens very closely to create the perfect look for you (the bride) for your special day. Using the most advanced techniques and products you won't regret hiring Annette.
Annette is quick and precise, she usually take 30min. to 45min. per service, but of course more time is spent on the bride.
Trials are always recommended for the bride which can take approx. 1hr-1 1/2 hrs. (bring any vails or hair accessories.)
On- Location Bridal Services:
For the Bride:
Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, Flower Girls:
Consultations are always FREE! Make-up parties available too! Travel prices may vary outside of Bay Area.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve date of service. If additional artists are needed prices may also vary. Visa & Mastercard excepted.


text:
|OpenBSD General Other questions regarding OpenBSD which do not fit in any of the categories below.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Force traffic over interface instead of loopback
I have setup an OpenBSD box with two nics (10.50.0.100 and 10.50.0.101).
I would like to send traffic between these interfaces, but would like to force the traffic over the wire and not over the loopback interface.
Any ideas on how this could be accomplished?
Welcome back.
I cannot recommend placing two NICs on the same subnet. What are you trying to accomplish?
I'm trying to run both the client and server of tcpbench on the same host. But this won't be useful if the traffic is going over the loopback interface.
Network benchmarks
As a concept, I understand why you would want to test your NICs in this manner. With a cross-over cable there are no external devices that might inadvertantly skew performance results.
However... even if you could get a functional test, your results will not match any real network load. And, unles your test is able to peak CPU 0 at 100% load you will be unable to isolate the component that limits performance. (With this OS, the network stack is in-kernal and runs only on CPU 0.) And on OpenBSD, there's no way to set affinity to other CPUs for your tcpbench processes.
I believe you should test with at least three systems: the client, the server, and the system under test.
When benchmarking network performance, you should model your actual network. I will refer you to a recent discussion thread on the misc@ mailing list about 10Gbit Ethernet benchmarks. The discussion thread began here. You might find it helpful.
Two NICs on one subnet
You need to be very careful if you do this. As I mentioned above, I never recommend it. If you search (perhaps with Google) using the search terms two nics one subnet, you will find many recommendations to avoid this. You can have problems with ARP resolution and routing on the subnet. I will refer you to the first hit on Google with those search terms in that order, a brief white paper from National Instruments which may be helpful: Best Practices for Using Multiple Network Interfaces (NICs) with NI Products
Loopback routing via two NICs
Even if you are able to correctly configure two Ethernet NICs on one subnet, you cannot use a single layer 2 IP subnet in the manner you intend, due to how subnets on IP are defined and routed.
You might be able to establish and use a point-to-point tunnel on separate subnets, using gif(4) or gre(4), but then you would be testing the tunnel protocol's performance over Ethernet, rather than Ethernet, and you would still not be sure you were connecting via lo(4) or your NICs without further analysis.
Last edited by jggimi; 27th August 2013 at 12:38 AM. Reason: typos, clarity
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text:
Capt. Abhimanyu
Hon'ble Finance Minister, Haryana
Finance Department, Haryana
The Finance Department, Government of Haryana is responsible for management of
finances of the State Government. It is concerned with all economic and
financial matters affecting the State as a whole including mobilisation of
resources and allocation of resources for infrastructural development, social
welfare, human development and administrative purposes. Prior to introduction
of any new scheme / proposal, the approval from the Finance Department is
sought. The Finance Department gives approval after taking into consideration
all the financial aspects.
The Finance
Department of Haryana mainly deals in allocating annual Budget to various
departments, managing their releases, monitoring expenditure, re-appropriation
of funds, interaction with Treasuries and Accounts and Accountant General,
issuing Loans & Advances to employees of the State, Monitoring of Ways
& Means Position of the state, Issuing instructions related to Pension, DA,
Foreign tours, study abroad and on other Economy control measures, giving
sanctions to new posts, vehicles, issuing POL Coupons to all the Departments
for running their vehicles.
Finance Department
also acts as a guide to various departments in matters relating to financial
rule, framing of rules, amendments thereto in keeping with the changing times
to bring about efficient financial administration.
New Updates
Web Site Designed, Developed and Hosted by NIC, Haryana State Centre,
Chandigarh. Contents owned, maintained and updated by the respective
departments/offices of Haryana Government.
Best viewed in IE5.5+ (1024X768) resolution.


text:
Full Day Wine Country
This full day Napa and Sonoma Wine Country tour takes in the best of California's world famous premium wine making region. Napa Valley lies 50 miles north of San Francisco and is North America's premium wine making region. Your tour begins in San Francisco, heading through the Marina district and the Presidio before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge for a 10-minute photo stop. Taking in the scenery in Marin County, we enter the wine country in the southern region of Carneros, just south of Sonoma. We will visit between 3 wineries including a mass production and a smaller boutique winery. After a full day of relaxation and wine tasting at the beautiful wineries, we will depart from the wine country between 3:30pm and 4:30pm, arriving back to San Francisco between 5:00pm and 6:00pm. Book this full day Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Tour today!