87% percent of Americans find, “reducing corruption in the federal government,” to be “extremely,” or, “very important” according to a new Gallup poll on American’s top priorities for the next president.  This is the #2 issue, following only job creation. Corruption in government usually ranks as an important issue when it is asked about specifically, though it is not
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The Partnership for a Secure Financial Future is working on image rehab for the financial industry. They released a lovely video that features a slew of financial services employees talking about how they help their community and why they like their jobs.The Partnership is supported by the Consumer Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association, Financial Services Institute, and The Financial Services Roundtable. Directly next
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GOP lawmakers huddled with fossil fuel industry lobbyists on Monday to lay the “groundwork for the party’s official energy platform at August’s national convention.” The Hill quotes Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) as explaining, “Everyone just kind of threw in a pitch. There were a lot of different people up there.” By everyone in this “small group discussion,” he meant
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On March 19 at Finish Line Ford in Peoria, Illinois, Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL) hosted a big fundraiser with Mitt Romney.  Tickets cost $250 or $500 per person, or $5,000 for a table of 10 and a guarantee of a photograph with Schock and Romney.  At least 8 employees of Caterpillar inc., according to FEC filings, were in attendance.  Four gave
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Thanks to what is being called “Rhode Island’s DISCLOSE Bill,” Super-PACs and other political groups in Rhode Island are now required to report donors and expenditures.  Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the bill, known as the Transparency in Political Spending Act (TIPS), to increase the information available to voters. State Representative Chris Blazejewski, a co-sponsor of the
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Freshman Congressman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) received a great deal of help in his first election two years ago. Though he took on one of the most senior Democrats in office at the time, Budget Committee chair John Spratt (D-SC), Mulvaney had help from thousands of dollars from the Koch Industries political action committee, and hundreds
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An OpenSecrets investigation revealed that non-profits, which don’t have to disclose their donors, have become the real heavyweights in the 2012 election cycle, outspending their Super-PAC counterparts 3 to 2 on political expenditures. Ninety percent of these shadowy groups never reveal their donors. The Obama administration has made positive steps towards calling for disclosure of secretive nonprofits
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Last week, Governor Dannel Malloy (D-Conn.) had an opportunity to enact significant statewide campaign finance reform. Instead, he vetoed legislation that promised to be one of the most powerful disclosure laws in any state. As Public Campaign’s Nick Nyhart put it: “Malloy had a chance to be a national leader on reform, but opted to side with wealthy
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