Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

Mel Watt's ties to the banking industry

(CORRECTION: This post has been updated to eliminate the name of the American Bankers' Association's Michael Hunter, incorrectly identified in earlier versions as an alumnus of Watt's office. Hunter worked for former Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Okla.) 

What Jon Kyl won't be lobbying on

Jon Kyl, the number two Senate Republican leader before retiring in January, has quickly become an advisor to influence powerhouse Covington & Burlington, a firm that has spent nearly $100 million lobbying in the nation's capital, Sunlight's Influence Explorer shows. Kyl will be joining a bipartisan stable of heavy hitters that includes Stuart Eizenstat, a top official in the Carter and Clinton administrations, and Senate parliamentary wizard Marty Gold.

Merger of American Airlines, US Airways creates lobbying titan

Inside spending: super PACs, dark money groups dominated by political insiders

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.

Revolving door: Jo Ann Emerson leaves Congress for rural electrification co-op

Less than four weeks after winning re-election to a ninth term in Congress with more than 70 percent of the vote, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced Monday that she'll be leaving in February to head the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Emerging from a Depression-era effort to bring electricity to farm communities, the non-profit association has grown into a heavy Washington hitter: It's Influence Explorer profile shows more than $27 million in campaign contributions and $46 million in expenditures to lobby Congress, mainly on energy and tax issues.

Revolving door from CFTC to lobbying firm

A former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner has gone through the revolving door to the law and lobbying firm firm Patton Boggs, where he'll work as a senior policy advisor, the firm announced Tuesday.

Futures industry nabs former government regulator as new leader

In the latest example of a former financial regulator finding employment in the industry, the Futures Industry Association (FIA) has announced that its new president will be a former leader at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

SOPA revolvers: Sixteen former Judiciary staffers lobby on online copyright issues

As the House Judiciary Committee readies to consider a controversial bill that supporters say will crack down on websites pirating content, some interest groups may have a leg up on influencing the legislators.

Moody's has most employees leaving through revolving door

Moody's credit rating service -- one of the major credit rating agencies that was cited as a contributor to the 2008 financial meltdown -- has more employees go through the revolving door to work at companies they used to rate than any other credit rating agency, according to new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings required under the Dodd-Frank financial law.

In response to Renco lobbying, activists mount their own campaign

A coalition of environmental advocates has launched a letter writing campaign directed at government officials who intervened in a dispute between Renco Group and its Doe Run Peru subsidiary and the government of Peru. The campaign came after the Sunlight Foundation reported that Renco had hired eight former government officials in less than three months to lobby on its behalf.

Lobbyists move into unlimited money territory

Jeffery Scott Bensing, a registered lobbyist and former Chief of Staff to Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., filed paperwork in January with the Federal Election Commission to create the Freedom Path Action Network, a new independent expenditure only committee.These committees--also known as Super PACs because they can raise unlimited funds from any source and spend it to support or oppose federal candidates--played critical roles in some races in the 2010 mid-term elections.

Current and former officials intervene on company’s behalf in battle with Peru

Battling the government of Peru over an inactive metal smelter in one of the most polluted places on earth, billionaire Ira Rennert’s Renco Group hired eight former government officials from five lobbying firms in a span of 82 days since November.

New lobbying tracker makes it easier to follow the revolving door

Former health policy aides try to shape ex-employers' positions from K Street

At least 69 people formerly employed by some of the 40 or so Congressional leaders present at yesterday's healthcare summit have gone through the revolving door to lobby for the health industry, representing a combined 180 companies and trade associations, Center for Responsive Politics data shows. Many worked on health issues as Hill aides, garnering policy chops on the issues that matter to health insurance companies, medical professionals associations, and pharmaceutical companies. But they also have easier access to their former colleagues on Capitol Hill.