Center for Responsive Politics

Women Must Vote with their Purses in 2012 Elections

Sam Bennett | Posted 04.23.2012

Read More: Women's Campaign Fund, 2012 Elections, 2012 Election, Women and the Vote, Vote With Your Purse, She Should Run, Gender Gap, Center for Responsive Politics, Women and Politics, Women News
Sam Bennett

Women can't ignore the fact that money, along with voting and volunteering, is critical to leveling the playing field between men and women in politics.

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A Bigger Threat to Our Democracy Than Citizens United

Michael Fauntroy | Posted 04.23.2012

Read More: Supreme Court, House of Representatives, Incembency, Liberalism, Center for Responsive Politics, Conservatism, Michael Fauntroy, Republicans, Joe Biden, Citizens United, Democrats, Barack Obama, Congressional Redistricting, Politics News
Michael Fauntroy

The majority of election cycles between 1964 and 2010 resulted in House incumbent reelection rates of at least 90 percent. Those are Kim Jung Il and Robert Mugabe numbers that legitimately call into question the fundamental tenet of American democracy.

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"Liberal Media?" Conservative Super PACs Got Over $350,000 From Media Execs, Companies in 2011

Corbin Hiar | Posted 04.04.2012

Read More: Super Pac, Sam Zell, Center for Public Integrity, New Prosperity Foundation, Mitt Romney, Restore Our Future, Citizens United, Hubbard Broadcasting, Steven Spielberg, Center for Responsive Politics, American Crossroads, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Priorities USA Action, Iwatch News, Media News
Corbin Hiar

Conservative complaints about a liberal bias in the media do not hold up, at least not when it comes to the free-spending groups known as "super PACs."

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Guess Which Political Party Benefits Most From NFL Contributions

Reuters | Eric Johnson | Posted 12.07.2011

Read More: Robert Mcnair, National Football League, Nfl, Political Contributions, Football, Houston Texans, Nfl Political Contributions, Center for Responsive Politics, Gop, Republicans, Politics News

(Reuters) - National Football League teams have donated at least $1.4 million to politicians, parties, and committees since 2009, with about two-third...

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Dan Froomkin

Candidate-Specific Super PACs Offer End Run For Maxed-Out Donors: Study

HuffingtonPost.com | Dan Froomkin | Posted 12.04.2011

Read More: Candidate-Specific Super PACs, Video, Super PACs, Elections 2012, Mitt Romney, Center for Responsive Politics, Campaign Legal Center, Elections-2012, Restore Our Future, Campaign Finance, Democracy 21, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- Further indicating that candidate-specific super PACs are being used to end-run traditional campaign contribution limits, a new analysis...

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Alex Becker

The Super Congress's Super Donors

HuffingtonPost.com | Alex Becker | Posted 10.17.2011

Read More: Super Congress, Super Committee, Chris Van Hollen, Patty Murray, Lobbyists, Center for Responsive Politics, Slidepollajax, Politics News

All eyes in Washington are on the 12 members of the new congressional supercommittee charged with finding $1.5 trillion in deficit reductions over a d...

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From Slaves to Pornographers, Campaign Contribution Records Rife With Characters

Posted 05.31.2011

Read More: Center for Responsive Politics, Political Campaign Donations, Federal Election Commission, Politics News

By Zachary Newkirk OpenSecrets.org Employer: "wife." Occupation: "slave." That, at least, is how Robert Hannay of Paradise Valley, Ariz., des...

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Why Voting Matters for the Climate Movement

Liz Butler | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Rggi, Politico, Right Wing, Henry Waxman, Citizens United, Gulf Oil Spill, Center for American Progress, Coal, Dirty Coal, Ed Markey, Proposition 23, votesmart.org, Conservatives, Big Oil, California Prop 23, John Kerry, Elections 2010, Oil, Gotv, Center for Responsive Politics, Climate Change, Global Warming, Voting, 1sky, Green News
Liz Butler

People in the climate movement -- or anyone who believes in what we're doing to avert a climate crisis and bring about an energy revolution -- can push back on Big Oil and Dirty Coal by exercising their right to vote.

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New Leader In Political Giving

Wall Street Journal | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Honeywell, Political Giving, Political Donations, Honeywell Donations, Corporate Donations, Corporate Giving, Center for Responsive Politics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, David Cote, Politics News

Amid this year's heated debate over corporate campaign cash, the top donor to House and Senate campaigns is a company that was an also-ran in politica...

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'Army' Of Former Regulators Join Lobbying Ranks After Financial Reform Bill

nytimes.com | ERIC LICHTBLAU | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Lobbyists in Washington, Lobbyists, Financial Reform, Federal Reserve, Center for Responsive Politics, Banks, Regulators, K Street, Business News

Nearly 150 lobbyists registered since last year used to work in the executive branch at financial agencies, from lawyers for the Securities and Exchan...

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More College Employees Give To Democratic Candidates

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: The Chronicle, College Employees Give Mostly to Democrats, College News, Inside Higher Ed, Report on Link Between Colleges and Federal Campaigns, College Rankings, Center for Responsive Politics, College Employees Contribute to Federal Campaigns, College News

Although non-profit institutions are not allowed to contribute funds directly to political candidates, their staff and faculty are -- and according to...

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The F Word: Campaign Cash From Rate Hikes

Laura Flanders | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Supreme Court, F Word, Nancy-Ann De Parle, Molly Ivins, Grit Tv, The F Word, Sheila Krumholz, Citizens United, Elections, 2010, Laura Flanders, Insurers, Insurance, Rate Hikes, Center for Responsive Politics, Grittv, Midterms, Health Care, Healthcare, Politics News
Laura Flanders

"Corporate interests are buying the elections? Oh no", Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, told the New York T...

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Hedge Funds Getting 'Pretty Sweet Deal' In Financial Reform Bills: Politico

politico.com | Chris Frates | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Private Equity Council, Hedge Funds, Financial Reform, Center for Responsive Politics, Sec, Private Equity, Financial Regulation, Managed Funds, Business News

The Private Equity Council and the Managed Funds Association paid lobbyists more than $7.3 million last year and almost $2 million in the first three ...

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MAPLight.org Shows Links Between Politicians' Votes, Campaign Contributions

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Congress, The Dylan Ratigan Show, Open Secrets, Dylan Ratigan, Democrats, Influence, House, Campaign Donations, Campaign Finance Reform, Center for Responsive Politics, Gop, Audit the Fed, Republicans, Campaign Donors, Video, Politics News

It's no mystery that money has become a key factor in American politics. But until now it's been difficult to show voters just how closely politicians...

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A Different Kind Of Tournament, This Time For Federal Lobbying

The Huffington Post | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Ncaa, Final Four, March Madness, NCAA Tournament, Bracket, Federal Lobbying, Federal Expenditures, Texas a&M, K Street College Classic, OpenSecrets.Org, Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics, Open Secrets Bracket, Center for Responsible Politics Bracket, College News

March Madness isn't only for basketball. The Center For Responsive Politics seeds schools based on their federal lobbying efforts in what they call "T...

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The Corporatists - Running the Nut House from Bizarro World

Joanne Doroshow | Posted 02.17.2010

Read More: Evan Bayh, Al Franken Senate, American Association for Justice, Bill Maher, Lilly Ledbetter, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Patients-Bill-of-Rights, Center for Responsive Politics, Citizens United, Securities Fraud, Manhattan Institute, Medical Device Safety Act, Senator Arlen Specter, Politics News
Joanne Doroshow

With virtually infinite resources, corporate America has had a grip on the executive and legislative branches of government for some time.

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Arthur Delaney

Campaign Contributions Up Five Percent In Fourth Quarter As Big Donors Beg For The Begging To Stop

HuffingtonPost.com | Arthur Delaney | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Campaign Donations, Political Money, Center for Responsive Politics, Political Fundraising, Campaign Contributions, Political Donations, Center Responsive Politics, Politics News

Campaign contributions to members of the House of Representatives increased 5.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to a preliminary anal...

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The Greed Olympics: Banks and Insurers Battle for the Gold

Peter Dreier | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Gregory Curl, Cigna, National Retail Federation, Tom Harkin, Jamie Dimon, Angela Braly, John Stumpf, Humana, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Americans for Financial Reform, Center for Responsive Politics, Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, America's Health Insurance Plans, Campaign Contributions, Lloyd Blankfein, Citigroup, American Banking Association, Health Care for America Now, Lobbying, United Health Group, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ina Drew, Kathleen Sebelius, Barack Obama, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, JP Morgan, Wall Street, National Association of Manufacturers, Peter DeFazio, Health Care Reform, Wellpoint, Harry Reid, Banking Reform, Ahip, Business News
Peter Dreier

As the Greed Olympics heats up, it is time for Americans to stop being spectators. The President and Congress shouldn't be the only ones judging the competition and handing out the medals.

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Federal Lobbyists Made 2009 A 'Year Of Riches'

Center For Responsive Politics | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Lobbying, CRP Lobbying, Lobbyists, Center for Responsive Politics, Lobbying 2009, 2009, Lobbyists 2009, Politics News

The economy stunk. Corporations slashed jobs. And some firms, once juggernauts of American industry, simply ceased to exist. But for federal lobbyist...

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Campaign Finance Outrage: Democracy for the Highest Bidder

Jim Wallis | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Supreme Court, Precedents, First Amendment, Washington, Supreme Court Ruling, Elections, Economy, Campaign, Poor, Lawmakers, America, Government, Bailout, First Amendment Rights, Defense Contractors, Washington Lobbyists, Justice, Democracy, Electoral Process, Money, Politics, Democrat, Dissent, Election, Corporations, Campaign Finance Law, Spending, Banks, Center for Responsive Politics, Candidate, Special Interests, Sonia Sotomayor, Politics News
Jim Wallis

Corporations can now directly intervene in campaigns with candidate-specific ads. The only requirement remaining is that they not be coordinated with a campaign. But that's a requirement more of form than substance.

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Think Again: Money for Nothing?

Eric Alterman | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Campaign Contributions, Kai Wright, Health Care Reform, Center for Responsive Politics, Joe Lieberman, Paul Krugman, Open Secrets, Hendrik Hertzberg, Media News
Eric Alterman

While most in the media prefer to focus on personalities of these influential "consensus builders," "moderates," and "conservatives," they would be wiser to obey that old Watergate adage and "follow the money."

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Michael Bennet's Wall Street Ties Bring Him Money, Criticism

The Denver Post | Mike Riley | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Philip Anschutz, U.S. Senate, Andrew Romanoff, Wall Street, George Soros, Senate Banking Committee, Harry Reid, Chris Dodd, Michael Bennet, Center for Responsive Politics, Senate, Denver News

WASHINGTON -- With a push in Congress to reform regulation over Wall Street, financial firms have been spending big, and among the major beneficiaries...

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Michael Bennet Fundraiser Hosted By Rahm Emanuel Takes In $628,000

The Denver Post | Michael Riley | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Andrew Romanoff, 2010, Chicago Fundraiser, Robin Carnahan, Rahm Emanuel, Michael Bennet Fundraising, Chris Dodd, Michael Bennet, Center for Responsive Politics, Denver News

Anyone looking for evidence of the priority the White House is making the election of Sen. Michael Bennet doesn't have to look much farther than a gli...

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Happy Holidays from America's Banks

Michael Winship | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: US Economy, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Congress, Americans for Financial Reform, Food Stamps, Center for Responsive Politics, Banks, Barack Obama, American Bankers Association, National Assistance Corporation of America, Business News
Michael Winship

Never mind Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope. It's the audacity of the banks that takes your breath away.

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A New Social Movement

Jay Mandle | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Social Justice, Progressive Movement, Activism, Campaign Finance, FECA, Center for Responsive Politics, BCRA, Barack Obama, Campaign Finance Reform, Politics News
Jay Mandle

Progressives have typically avoided addressing the way the electoral system is financed. They have concentrated on the outcome of politics, but not on the political process.

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