Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

1. Outspending peers, Club for Growth helps unseat Lugar

   By Keenan Steiner May 9, 2012 6:54 p.m.

   Sen. Richard Lugar's loss in yesterday's Indiana Republican primary — the third such primary loss for a Republican senator since 2010 — was a victory for state treasurer Richard Mourdock and the conservative wing of the Republican Party, which painted the six-term senator as too liberal. But, Lugar's loss may say more about the increasing role of outside money than either of the candidates in the race.

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2. Anti-incumbent super PAC backs former incumbent turned lobbyist

   By Keenan Steiner May 7, 2012 7:55 p.m.

   The Campaign for Primary Accountability, a super PAC that's raised $2.5 million and has been active in about a dozen races across the country, maintains that long serving incumbents should be ousted because their campaigns are accountable to lobbyists, not district voters. Yet in one district, the challenger it's backing in Tuesday's Indiana primary is a former House member who went on to work as a registered lobbyist.

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3. Under-the-radar political ads: A guide to electioneering communications

   By Keenan Steiner May 3, 2012 2:50 p.m.

   Already in this election cycle, nonprofit groups using the cover of "issue advertisements"—thinly disguised attacks or promotions of a particular candidate—have spent about $30 million on general election ads, according to a new study. But only about $4.4 million of buys have been disclosed to the Federal Election Commission.

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4. Better off than four years ago? Not when it comes to political ads, report says

   By Keenan Steiner May 3, 2012 12:08 p.m.

   More than two thirds of all ads aired in the presidential race so far have been attacks, a drastic increase compared to recent presidential campaigns, according to a new study by the political ad-tracking Wesleyan Media Project that covers the race from the start of 2011 through April 22 of this year.

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5. Oops, Never mind! Newt to endorse Romney but can't erase attack ads

   By Keenan Steiner May 1, 2012 5:12 p.m.
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6. FCC expects political ad buys to be online before 2012 election

   By Keenan Steiner Apr 27, 2012 5:36 p.m.

   The Federal Communications Commission voted to give the public online access to reports detailing new political ad buys from affiliates of the top four networks in the 50 largest media markets before November’s election, despite objections from the nation’s broadcasters.

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7. FCC requires online posting of political ad files

   By Keenan Steiner Apr 27, 2012 10:51 a.m.

   Handing open-government advocates a partial victory in a better than decade-long battle, the Federal Communications Commission voted Friday to require major network affiliates in the top 50 TV markets to post information about their political ads online.

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8. Tea Party standout joins leadership of disruptive super PAC

   By Keenan Steiner Apr 20, 2012 6:29 p.m.

   Tea Party activist Mark Meckler has joined the leadership of the Campaign for Primary Accountability (CPA), a disruptive super PAC aimed at ousting long-term incumbents from Congress. He has become part of a four-person, conservative leadership team of a group that says its aims are nonpartisan.

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9. As Renco's lobbying drive fades, so does congressional support in its dispute with Peru

   By Keenan Steiner Apr 12, 2012 11:33 a.m.

   A group of lawmakers is urging Obama administration officials to oppose a multinational U.S. company's efforts to sue Peru in a mining dispute, citing the company's environmental and health record.

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10. Panel clashes on Citizens United, agrees on real-time disclosure

    By Keenan Steiner Mar 27, 2012 5:56 p.m.

    A discussion about whether to limit money in politics, and how to do so, led to little consensus Tuesday morning among a panel divided between politicians who favor limits on political contributions and election law practicioners who find ways to legally get around or challenge them. But the politicians and lawyers could more or less agree on one thing: more disclosure of campaign giving. 

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11. FEC: Perry can use some presidential funds to create super PAC

    By Keenan Steiner Mar 22, 2012 2:28 p.m.

    The Federal Election Commission green-lighted Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s request to turn the funds he collected for his presidential campaign to other political uses -- just not all the funds.

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12. On IPO bill, Democratic senators nibble on the hand that feeds them

    By Keenan Steiner Mar 22, 2012 9:11 a.m.

    A bill backed by President Obama and largely drafted by some of his Silicon Valley donors is causing an embarrassing rift in his party's ranks and creating an awkward situation as Democratic leaders in the Senate try to make last-minute changes today before sending it to the White House.

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13. Fight to oust Hatch fuels a $1 million outside money blitz

    By Keenan Steiner Mar 16, 2012 12:08 p.m.

    With Sen. Orrin Hatch appearing to pass a first crucial political test on Thursday night when his supporters swelled attendance at GOP caucus meetings in his state to record numbers, the inundation of outside money in the Utah Senate race may only pick up steam. Super PACs have played a bigger role in the multi-stage contest that will decide the 36-year Senate veteran's fate than any other 2012 congressional contest so far. And that's not even counting the money spent by a nonprofit group spending hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting Senator Hatch.

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14. Crusading lawyer takes aim at contribution limits

    By Keenan Steiner Mar 14, 2012 5:04 p.m.

    The attorney who has been pushing the FEC to ease a host of campaign finance rules is at it again.

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Investigations by Sunlight Foundation reporter Keenan Steiner