Last week, the Sunlight Foundation’s reporting blog responded to a post I wrote about my experience as a lobbyist convincing members of Congress not to impose a retroactive tax on inverted companies, including my then-client, Tyco. Inverted companies are those who reincorporate overseas, primarily to avoid paying US corporate taxes. Tyco was actually purchased by
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Ever notice the endless procession of television ads praising the value of fracking, or the amazing number of D.C.-based “institutes” and “foundations” promoting the controversial drilling method, despite growing scientific evidence that this sort of natural gas extraction is poisoning the water table and leaking carcinogenic chemicals into the environment? Many of the pro-fracking think
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Last week, Republic Report noted that six governors from both political parties attended a secretive trade talks conference in Washington, D.C. sponsored by a number of multi-national corporations, including Philip Morris International. These governors apparently were comfortable with allowing themselves to be wined and dined by some of the world’s most powerful corporate entities while
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Utah Rep. John Mathis (R) has introduced a bill that would criminalize individuals who take undercover video footage at factory farms, a practice which is often done to expose the abuse of animals and conditions that would make food unsafe for human consumption. The bill would make this filming a Class A misdemeanor and a
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Republic Report earlier reported that the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), an industry group representing over the counter drug makers, spent a whopping $194,957.76 in Kentucky in January alone lobbying against stricter regulations on the sales of certain cold medicines that can be used to produce methamphetamine. The CHPA is also lobbying heavily in Oklahoma, and scored
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Later today, governors from both parties will gather at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington D.C. for an evening with powerful corporate lobbyists and businessmen to discuss a new free trade deal. Trade officials from the Obama administration are expected to brief attendees with information of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a new trade agreement that
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What happens when you leave your job on the Hill? You’re welcomed with open arms on K Street. At least, that was the case for nearly 400 former House staffers who left Congress to register as lobbyists from 2009 to 2011, according to a new Sunlight Foundation study. Sunlight’s Leo Drutman writes: More than two
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Last month, Gawker’s Adrian Chen toyed around with Facebook’s new targeted advertising tool to reveal broad information about Facebook users. We we tried as well, and found some interesting results. Around 1,750 people in Washington D.C. “Like” lobbying. For Facebook users who currently work in Congress (staffers in both the House and Senate), 140 people
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