Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

Super PACs fund final push in Michigan

Voting in today's Michigan primary follows a week in which super PACs spent more than $2.7 million to influence the contest. And nearly all of that money was spent either in support of or in opposition to Rick Santorum.

Influence at the Oscars

Update: The contribution amounts coming from George Clooney and Kathleen Kennedy have been corrected.

Abramoff's 'bribes' exaggerated?

In addition to painting himself as a reformer of Washington, convicted felon and former lobbyist Jack Abramoff last week took up the mantle of unsolicited, sage dispenser of advice on how to be an effective lobbyist. In a blog post for United Republic, a money-in-politics watchdog nonprofit where he is a senior fellow, Abramoff criticized a lobbyist for telegraphing his plans.

Restore our Future spends heavily in states going to the polls soon

The pro-Mitt Romney super PAC, Restore our Future, burned through $4 million in just three days this week on independent expenditures in half a dozen states with upcoming primaries. If it keeps up this rate, the super PAC would spend more than $16 million in the 12 days leading up to Super Tuesday, topping the total it spent in January.

Mapping outside spending

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Super PAC disclosures: Simmons hedges his bets; PayPal co-founder hearts Ron Paul

Monday was the day that super PACs on a monthly filing schedule file financial disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission.  Sunlight Foundation's Reporting Group is watching as they go online to see who is writing big checks. Highlights so far:

Embattled financial services chairman hits up friendly industry for campaign dollars

Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., under investigation for possible violations of insider trading laws and facing a primary challenge over his close ties to the banking industry, will be seeking campaign help from that industry on Monday.

Rick Perry forming super PAC?

Former presidential candidate Rick Perry is urging the Federal Election Commission to let him convert his presidential campaign contributions into a political action committee  -- and is asking whether he might turn his campaign apparatus into a super PAC, able to raise and spend money in unlimited amounts.

Money to burn? Flush GOP-linked groups host swanky D.C. forum

Not all dark money flows in the same direction. That was one lesson that could be drawn this week as two deep-pocketed sister nonprofits, Crossroads GPS and American Action Network, provided a forum for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, to highlight his conservative credentials. 

Big banks press financial agencies on Volcker rule

Big banks paid calls on federal financial agencies in the days leading up to Monday's midnight deadline for the public to submit comments on the controversial Volcker rule, a provision of the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory legislation meant to prohibit banks from using customers' money to make risky bets on the market.

No government money to criticize soda, says freshman lawmaker

Outraged that federal stimulus money has been used for local advertisements targeting soda as unhealthy, Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., has introduced the Protecting Foods and Beverages from Government Attack Act, which would make it illegal to use federal funds to criticize a legal food or beverage product.

Hundreds of DC insiders descend on pricey Romney policy talks, reception

For a candidate who says he hasn’t spent a lot of time in Washington, Mitt Romney seems comfortable around D.C. insiders -- at least judging by the droves he drew to fundraisers and exclusive huddles in the nation's capital on Thursday.

Arab Spring Data

Arab Spring: One Year Later