Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

1. In years before Waco explosion, fertilizer trade groups lobbied for lax oversight

   By Lindsay Young Apr 19, 2013 12:58 p.m.

   Photo source: istockphoto

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2. Looking back at mega donor Bob Perry's political giving

   By Sunlight Reporting Group Apr 15, 2013 10:38 a.m.
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3. Could sequester hit Israel?

   By Lindsay Young Feb 20, 2013 11:07 a.m.

   When John Kerry takes the stage at the University of Virginia today to deliver his first major address as secretary of state, he'll be making a plea  for one of the spending areas likely to draw the least amount of sympathy when the sequester axe hits. In a letter to the Senate, Kerry warned that foreign aid may have to absorb a $2.6 billion hit if a deal to avert the automatic budget cuts isn't reached.

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4. As sequester nears, Northrop Grumman looks and lobbies for new markets

   By Lindsay Young Feb 14, 2013 1:01 p.m.
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5. Influence profile: Interior nominee Sally Jewell

   By Lindsay Young Feb 6, 2013 5:28 p.m.
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6. Oil companies line up to schmooze with Libyan representatives

   By Lindsay Young Dec 18, 2012 3:05 p.m.

   The U.S.-Libya Business Association, whose membership includes major oil companies, is meeting today with a top official of that once-ostracized nation. Libya is actively courting foreign investors to its rich oilfields.

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7. Outside spenders' return on investment

   By Lindsay Young Dec 17, 2012 noon

   --Updated Dec. 18-- Outside groups spent more than $1.3 billion in independent expenditures to influence the outcome of the election, we now get to see just what all that money bought them -- or didn't. Turns out some of the smart money wasn't so smart after all when it came to making political bets. This year, the pro-business GOP Crossroads fundraising combine and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce weren't as good at picking winners as the labor movement, which appears to be one of the surprise winners of Election Day.

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8. Egyptian military aid still flying high

   By Lindsay Young Dec 12, 2012 9 a.m.

   The planned delivery of 20 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter planes to Egypt is the perfect symbol of iron triangles at work--special interests and their lobbyists, federal agencies and the lawmakers who fund them. But in the years since President Dwight Eisenhower delivered his warning about the inertia of defense contracts in 1961, the lobbying has only grown more sophisticated. The U.S. government gives Egypt foreign aid, which it uses to buy U.S. military hardware. Lobbyists for the Egyptian government and Lockheed Martin (they both used the same firm) arranged meetings between the buyer and the seller, between representatives of Egypt's military and the Defense Department and key members of Congress who provided Egypt with the U.S. taxpayer dollars--some $213 million--to pay for the planes.

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9. Tallying the Adelsons' $92 million

   By Lindsay Young Dec 7, 2012 12:40 p.m.

   The Adelson’s have given a mind-blowing $92.28 million dollars to outside spending groups this election. The Casino mogul and his physician wife were the impetus behind Newt Gingrich’s primary campaign. After Gingrich left the race, donations to “Winning our Future” became donations to “Restore our Future” the pro-Romney group that the Adelson’s would give the most to, $30 in all.

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10. Maxine Waters gets promotion despite ethics questions

    By Lindsay Young Dec 5, 2012 2:40 p.m.

    Congresswoman Maxine Waters will serve in the top Democratic position in the House Financial Services Committee, despite uncertain ethics, a past Office of Government Ethics (OGE) investigation, and a history of questionable fundraising.

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11. Post-election campaign finance disclosures: What we are watching

    By Lindsay Young Dec 5, 2012 12:20 p.m.

    Federal Election Commission voyeurs rejoice! Last-minute super PAC donors are about to be revealed.

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12. Outside spenders' return on investment: Capitol Hill edition

    By Lindsay Young Nov 29, 2012 9:50 a.m.

    Sunlight calculates outside spenders return on investment for congressional races and hosts a webinar on how to use the data

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13. Caffeinated lobbying

    By Lindsay Young Nov 15, 2012 3:03 p.m.
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14. John Kerry: Influence Profile

    By Lindsay Young Nov 14, 2012 4:01 p.m.

    Sen. John Kerry, now reportedly under consideration for one of two top jobs in President Obama's cabinet, has spent 28 years on Capitol Hill and run for the highest office in land, during the course of which, he has left a considerable money trail.  The Massachusetts Democrat, who saw his 2004 presidential run swift boated away from him, is being mentioned as a potential replacement for either Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, both of whom plan to leave office at the end of Obama's first term. The latter possibility comes as something of a surprise, since Kerry first burst onto the national scene as a Vietnam veteran opposed to that conflict (a position that came back to haunt him in his presidential race) and, as recently as September was criticizing the Republicans unyielding spending on defense.

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Investigations by Sunlight Foundation reporter Lindsay Young