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Did Congress write a prescription for Chantix?
By Anupama Narayanswamy Jun 24, 2008 2:02 p.m.Last week, some members of Congress called for an immediate suspension of a drug testing program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs after ABC News and the Washington Times reported that one of the side effects a specific drug that helps kick the smoking habit could possibly be suicide.
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A little digging into FEC disclosures
By Bill Allison Jun 20, 2008 3:41 p.m.A while back, Jim Geraghty of the Campaign Spot wrote a pair of interesting posts, the first noting that, during his 2000 campaign to unseat Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., Barack Obama took "on credit card debt to finance his effort," while the second raised additional questions but seemed to put the credit card issue to rest, by quoting a New York Times article that looked at the campaign committee's finances:
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Who's lobbying for Countrywide?
By Bill Allison Jun 19, 2008 9:38 p.m.The Senate Office of Public Records database shows that one of the outside lobbying firms employed by Countrywide is Eris Group, formerly known as Bartlett, Bendall & Kadesh, LLC. Among the firm's lobbyists, (and they're currently lobbying on subprime mortgage bailout legislation) is Jennifer Bendall. The firm's Web site tells us that...
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CRP lists Countrywide's big campaign cash recipients
By Bill Allison Jun 19, 2008 4:47 p.m.The excellent post by Irene Kan, along with a list of all the members in the 110th Congress who've taken campaign cash from Countrywide's PAC, employees and their family members, is online here. Note that Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., is number two on the list. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., is tied for 23d place, by my count.
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Subprime 6, 60...well, at least 13...
By Bill Allison Jun 18, 2008 11:02 p.m.Glenn Reynolds notes that the Politico reports that Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, called for a wider investigation than the one ongoing into the burgeoning Countrywide preferential loan scandal. Politico notes that, "no other Republican leader jumped on Hensarling's bandwagon Monday, and aides said they were reluctant to push forward with a probe because they didn't know what it might reveal," prompting Reynolds to write, "That's because it'll probably turn out to be more like the subprime sixty" (as opposed to the six figures currently implicated).
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Following Hastert Through the Revolving Door
By Anupama Narayanswamy Jun 2, 2008 9:39 p.m.Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's days raising money for his political campaigns might come in handy when he sits down with the clients of his new employer, law and lobbying firm Dickstein Shapiro LLP.
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Legislation Languishes in Congress as Miners Fight for their Benefits
By Anupama Narayanswamy May 14, 2008 4:28 p.m.Glen Charles, who had been a miner in West Virginia for 42 years, was diagnosed as having black lung, for which he received benefits under the Black Lung Act up to the time of his death in August 2005. Under federal law, surviving spouses of miners who die from the disease are eligible to continue receiving those benefits. But soon after Charles died, his checks stopped arriving, leaving Emma Charles, his 75-year-old widow, financially unstable.
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More tidbits from trainings
By Bill Allison Apr 25, 2008 6:44 p.m.American Express says that they'll start disclosing information on their donations to 501(c) groups (trade associations, political 501(c)4s and so on) that engage in political activity, provided that the groups disclose this info to Amex:
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Tidbits from trainings
By Bill Allison Apr 24, 2008 11:29 p.m.Lately I've been doing a lot of traveling, training reporters on using some of the campaign finance resources that Sunlight supports, and doing a lot of research in the process. I've come across some interesting stuff along the way, including this General Dynamics statement on their political contributions:
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Contract but no Contacts: McCain Campaign Official's Firm Collects Millions from Saudis but no Meetings with Members of Congress
By Anupama Narayanswamy Apr 15, 2008 2:50 p.m.In the five years prior to joining Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, Thomas Loeffler's lobbying firm contacted U.S. government officials, including members of Congress, staff and executive branch officials, an average of 58 times during every six month reporting period on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia. In the year that Loeffler has served on McCain's campaign, employees at the firm reported only one contact on behalf of the Saudis, though it continued to receive fees from the oil kingdom some $3.5 million in all, according to the federal disclosure documents.
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New Iraq FARA filings
By Anupama Narayanswamy Mar 5, 2008 10:25 p.m.The day after President Bush vetoed the 2008 Defense Appropriations Act, mainly because he objected to a section relating to Iraq, a little known New Jersey law firm filed lobbying disclosure forms on behalf of the Iraqi government requesting ...Presidential action to preclude Section 1083 from becoming law as to Iraq," documents show. The firm, Maggs & McDermott LLC, filed registration forms with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act on Dec. 29, 2007.
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Bonner earmark #13
By Bill Allison Feb 28, 2008 5:25 a.m.Rep. Jo Bonner joined Sen. Richard Shelby in securing a $9,089,000 earmark for the University of Alabama "for construction, renovation, and equipment" in the Labor, HHS and Education appropriations bill, according to our good friends at Taxpayers for Common Sense. The earmark originated with Sen. Shelby--employees and family members of the University of Alabama collectively are his 11th most generous career patron, having contributed $$62,769 to his campaign committee. In the course of his House career, Bonner has taken in roughly a third of that -- $21,150 -- from University of Alabama employees, making them the 19th most generous contributor on his career list.
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Bonner earmark #s 11 & 12
By Bill Allison Feb 28, 2008 3:56 a.m.The next two earmarks are went to the same recipient. Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., secured a $352,500 earmark for Team Focus, a Mobile, Ala.-based nonprofit which aims to "provide young men that do have a father figure in their life, ages 10 18 with leadership skills, guidance, Godly values, and a continual relationship with a mentor," according to its Web site. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., joined Bonner in sponsoring the earmark in the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill. Team Focus got another earmark in the same bill for $517,000--this one sponsored by Sens. Shelby and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and joined by Bonner. The first earmark is for mentoring and education, while the second is for youth education and mentoring. (This information comes from Taxpayers for Common Sense, something I haven't pointed out as I should.)
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More Bonner earmarks...
By Bill Allison Feb 27, 2008 10:16 p.m....later tonight. Right now I'm going to the check out the PorK Fest...
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