Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

1. Donor in Menendez probe hoped for riches from government contracts

   By Bill Allison Mar 19, 2013 3:42 p.m.
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2. As earmark lobbyist gets out of jail, former colleagues still on the trail

   By Bill Allison Mar 14, 2013 11:05 a.m.
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3. Supreme Court to review limits on campaign contributions

   By Bill Allison Feb 19, 2013 5:21 p.m.

   A case that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear next fall challenges campaign spending limits that have been in place since the Watergate scandal that toppled President Richard Nixon.

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4. Merger of American Airlines, US Airways creates lobbying titan

   By Bill Allison Feb 14, 2013 11:40 a.m.
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5. Inside spending: super PACs, dark money groups dominated by political insiders

   By Bill Allison Jan 23, 2013 9:38 a.m.

   By suppressing the speech of manifold corporations, both for-profit and nonprofit, the Government prevents their voices and viewpoints from reaching the public and advising voters on which persons or entities are hostile to their interests.

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6. Hagel appointment would give some lobbyists a friend in the Pentagon

   By Bill Allison Dec 20, 2012 12:15 p.m.
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7. Why American Crossroads' millions weren't enough on Election Day

   By Bill Allison Dec 10, 2012 11:56 a.m.

   American Crossroads, the super PAC whose success in the 2010 elections heralded a new era in big money in politics, came nowhere clost to matching that performance in 2012. Of the 30 largest outside spending groups that backed more than one candidate in the general election, it had the second lowest return on investment in the races in which it intervened. Despite having the second largest pool of money to play with among super PACs--it spent $104.7 million (only Restore Our Future, the organization backing Mitt Romney, spent more), in race after race it bet on the losing side, with the lone exception of former Sen. Bob Kerrey, who sought to reclaim a spot in the Senate he'd left in 2001.

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8. Big donors to Obama super PAC have lobbying priorities of their own

   By Bill Allison Nov 15, 2012 12:13 p.m.

   Priorities USA Action Fund, the third biggest super PAC in the 2012 elections, had 31 donors--individuals and organizations--who contributed $1 million or more to support President Barack Obama's reelection effort. At least 15 of them have business before the federal government, either directly, or through companies they own large stakes in, either from their own efforts or through inheritance. 

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9. Five reasons big money still matters after Election Day 2012

   By Bill Allison Nov 13, 2012 10:52 a.m.

   Just because some big players lost their shirts with their Election Day gamble doesn't mean Big Money won't be back at the table in upcoming contests.

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10. Obama campaign falls short of billion dollar goal--by $1.8 million

    By Bill Allison Nov 6, 2012 11:29 a.m.

    In the presidential fundraising race, President Obama came out on top, raking in $998.2 million to Mitt Romney's $834.5 million, an advantage of $163.7 million. But the president may need every last penny. Since Friday, outside groups gave $37.5 million to support Romney. The figure for Obama: $2.9 million.

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11. Dark money group attacks Obama on Benghazi

    By Bill Allison Oct 26, 2012 10:41 a.m.

    Special Operations Opsec Education Fund, a dark money group that shares an office with top aides to the 2008 campaign of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, is launching an $397,000 ad buy attacking the President Barack Obama and his administration over last September's Benghazi embassy attack, according to disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission. 

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12. Dead end disclosure: Ohio super PAC lists dark money donors

    By Bill Allison Oct 25, 2012 4:15 p.m.

    The Government Integrity Fund Action Network, a Columbus, Ohio-based super PAC that dropped a late $1.1 million ad buy opposing Connecticut House candidate Elizabeth Esty last week, disclosed today the big donors who funded it: A pair of political nonprofits that don't disclose their donors.

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13. Shadowy super PAC spends $1 million in Connecticut House race

    By Bill Allison Oct 15, 2012 4:23 p.m.

    The Government Integrity Fund Action Network, a super PAC that to date has disclosed just $10,500 in contributions, today reported dropping a money bomb in a Connecticut House race: $1.1 million in to produce and air ads in opposition to Elizabeth Esty, the Democratic candidate in her state's 5th Congressional District.

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14. Obama September surge leaves Romney in a $360 million hole

    By Bill Allison Oct 9, 2012 3:19 p.m.

    Unless Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney persuaded donors to cough up $360 million in September, President Barack Obama will remain the all-time king of political fundraising.

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Investigations by Sunlight Foundation reporter Bill Allison