Pay to Play

Understanding Pay-To-Play Academics

Charles Ferguson | Posted 05.22.2012

Read More: Corruption, Compass Lexecon, Brattle Group, Conflict of Interest, Predator Nation, Lobbying, Lobbyists, Berkeley Research Group, Glenn Hubbard, Larry Summers, Criterion, Charles River Associates, Wall Street, Analysis Group, Financial Crisis, Academics, Pay to Play, Business News

Over the last thirty years, in parallel with deregulation and the rising power of money in American politics, significant portions of American academia have deteriorated into "pay to play" activities. No where is this more pronounced than in the realm of economics.

Read Post

Chris Christie Ally Proposes Curtailing Unions' Political Clout

HuffingtonPost.com | John Celock | Posted 05.09.2012

Read More: Video, Chris Christie, Tom Kean Jr, Tom Kean, New Jersey Ethics, New Jersey Politics, New Jersey Pay to Play, Pay to Play, Chris Christie Unions, Tom Kean Jr Pay to Play, Unions, Labor Unions, Politics News

A close legislative ally of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) is planning to introduce a bill that would curtail the political power of unions in the...

Read Whole Story

Tea Party Candidate Seen Doing Business With Campaign Donors

HuffingtonPost.com | Michael McAuliff | Posted 05.07.2012

Read More: Dick Lugar Richard Mourdock, Richard Lugar Richard Mourdock, Indiana Senate, Video, Dick Lugar, Indiana Senate 2012, Elections 2012, Richard Mourdock, Pay to Play, Richard Mourdock 2012, Dick Lugar 2012, Richard Mourdock Pay to Play, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- More details have emerged about Republican Indiana Senate challenger Richard Mourdock taking campaign donations from people who may have...

Read Whole Story

Once Again, Academics Get an F When It Comes to Retirement Math

Jane White | Posted 04.22.2012

Read More: Public Sector Pensions, 401(K), Laurence Kotlikoff, Pay to Play, Alicia Munnell, Bernie Madoff, Pensions, Retirement, Retirement Plans, Money News

As an advocate for 401(k) participants, the only thing more frustrating for me than not being able to get Capitol Hill to make the plans walk and talk like pensions is tackling "innumeracy" on the part of academics who portray themselves as experts.

Read Post

Pay 2 Play: Democracy's High Stakes -- Documentary Examines Impact of Citizens United

Joan Brunwasser | Posted 12.24.2011

Read More: Elections Film, Campaign Reform Film, Pay 2 Play, Campaign Finance Film, Citizens United Film, Citizens United Documentary, Ennis Documentary Interview, Pay to Play, Ennis Film Interview, Entertainment News

The era of digital video and social media don't make citizen journalism possible, but mandatory. PAY 2 PLAY explores ways to reclaim our campaigns from the highest bidder.

Read Post

Is Public Education Still Free If It Costs Money?

Posted 07.29.2011

Read More: Shawnee Mission School District, AB 165, Ricardo Lara, Pay to Play, School Fees, Public Education, Medina City Schools, Hartzell v. Connell, Education Reform, Education News

An Ohio school district is the latest to implement a controversial "pay to play" policy, reports The Wall Street Journal. Medina Senior High, faced wi...

Read Whole Story

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Wonderland

Robert Weissman | Posted 07.10.2011

Read More: Government Contracting, Democracy Is for People, Pay-to-Play, Public Citizen, Money and Politics, Executive Order, Political Transparency, Big Business, Citizens United, Obama Executive Order, Citizens United v. FEC, Disclosure, Open Government, Government Contractors, Chamber of Commerce, US Chamber of Commerce, DISCLOSE Act, Politics News

It's a good rule of thumb: If the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- the trade association for large corporations -- is whipped up about something, there's p...

Read Post

Dear Legislators, Support Education and Avoid Being the Next Ozymandias, King of Kings

Jessica Levinson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Obama, Pay-to-Play, Barack Obama, No Child Left Behind, Education, Education News

There must be a way to exert influence beyond one's reign or term. And, of course, there is. Education.

Read Post

Ex-'Car Czar' Reportedly Close To Settlement On Pay-To-Play Scandal

AP | MARCY GORDON | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Quadrangle Group, Car Czar, Securities Exchange Commission, Pay to Play, Sec, Steven Rattner, Rattner SEC Settlement, Business News

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday postponed a vote to settle a case with the Obama administration's former auto in...

Read Whole Story

Trading Places: Fraud in the Commodities Market

Vivian Norris | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Hsbc, Commodities, Markets, Dan Akroyd, Kickbacks, Pay-to-Play, Trading Places, Silver, Gold, JP Morgan, Eddie Murphy, Ipos, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Manipulation, Business News

In the past six months a huge fraud concerning manipulation and racketeering in the silver market (and now it seems also gold) looks like the making of a horror film.

Read Post

Swiss Banker's Reaction to U.S. Treasury Hiding A.I.G. Loss

Iris Mack | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Shares, Fired, Payments, White Collar Crime, Losses, U.S. Treasury, Commissions, Federal Reserve, Collusion, Institutional Clients, Accounting Entry, Asset, Krisken Management, Citizens, Ubs, Goldman Sachs, Aig, Inspector General Barofsky: U.S. Treasury Hid a.I.G. Loss., Go Bust, Defraud, Bailed Out, Accountants, Subsidized, Pay to Play, Foreclosed Homes, Accounting, Revalue, Negligence, Disclaimer, Depreciate, Repurchase, American Tax Payer, Tax Evasion, Racketeering, Swiss Baker, Write Off, Auditors, JP Morgan, Proceeds of the Sale, Intermediaries, Christopher Hill, Tax Returns, Job, Banks, Business News

Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan are being subsidized by the Federal Reserve. Why can't the Fed instead subsidize Americans who want a job? How stupid do they think the American taxpayer is?

Read Post

Rattner's Case Just Another Chapter in a Frightening New Trend

David Spencer Seconi | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Fraud, Cheating, Pay to Play, Steven Rattner, Pension Funds, Andrew Cuomo, Cerberus Capital Management, Finance, Sec, Auto Industry, Business News

When pension funds are caught up in scandals, it is not the embarrassment of the funds that should be making headline news, but rather the fact that they are playing with future security of millions of workers.

Read Post

Changing Politics as Usual: Why We Need Andrew Romanoff, the Grassroots Choice

Michele Swenson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Bank Lobbies, Pay-to-Play, Democrats Squander Majority, Corporatocracy, Oil Company Lobbyists, Voter Disaffection, Government-of-the-Highest Bidder, Right-Wing Supreme Court Majority, Philip Anschutz, Colorado U.S. Senate Race, Senator Michael Bennet, Rahm Emanuel, Health Care Reform, Speaker Andrew Romanoff, Right Wing Deficit Hawks, Grassroots Campaign for Change, Denver News

Obama supporters are being told that they should support the "president's choice" for Colorado's U.S. Senate seat, and that it is good that Bennet collects huge sums of corporate money.

Read Post

Supreme Court Backs Plutocracy, Targets Arizona Clean Elections Matching Funds

Michele Swenson | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Roberts Court, Goldwater Institute, U.S. Senate Candidate Andrew Romanoff, Bush-Cheney 2000 Decision, 1998 Arizona Clean Elections Act, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Pay-to-Play, Matching Funds, Level Playing Field, Rehnquist Court, Corporate Court, U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Matching Funds, Publicly Funded Campaigns, Infringement of First Amendment, Colorado Clean Campaigns, Tikkun, Erosion of Democracy, Plutocracy, Todd Lang, Millionaires Amendment, Samuel Alito, Initiative 53, Federal Elections Now Act, Chamber of Commerce, Institute for Justice, Chilled Speech, Fair Elections Now Act, PAC Money, Attorney General Candidate Stan Garnett, Denver News

The Colorado Citizens (Publicly-Funded) Campaigns Initiative 53 is not modeled on Arizona and other states' public funding initiatives that use matching funds to level the election playing field.

Read Post

New Mexico Needs a 12-Step Program

Julia Goldberg | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: 12-Step, Politics, Gov. Bill Richardson, New Mexico, Voters, Pay to Play, State Investment Council, Addiction, Santa Fe, Politics News

KUNM, New Mexico's public radio station, has been soliciting "State of the State" commentaries, following Gov. Bill Richardson's last State of the Sta...

Read Post

Source: Bill Richardson To Be Clear Of Fed Pay-To-Play Probe

AP | BARRY MASSEY | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Richardson Donor, Richardson and Federal Investigation, New Mexico, Richardson Scandal, Obama, Richardson Investigation, Bill Richardson, Pay-to-Play, Obama Administration, Politics News

SANTA FE, N.M. — A dark cloud over Gov. Bill Richardson's political future has lifted after the federal government's decision against indictment...

Read Whole Story

Blago Bracketted

Shawn Healy | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Richard Nixon, Rod Blagojevich, Blagojevich Downfall, Blagojevich Nixon, Elizabeth Brackett, Pay to Play, Blagojevich Scandal, Blagojevich Trial, Barack Obama, Blagojevich Corruption, Chicago News

Obama's straight and narrow contrasts with Blagojevich's down and dirty, and it is no wonder that one man sits in the White House while the other awaits a federal home of a different variety.

Read Post

County Contractors Pouring Money Into Todd Stroger's Reelection Campaign

Daily Herald | Robert McCoppin | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pay to Play, Cook County Board President Race, Todd Stroger, Todd Stroger Reelection, Cook County Politics, Chicago News

Politically connected Cook County contractors chosen over lower bidders continue to cash in as their projects expand - and continue to contribute to C...

Read Whole Story

American Conservative Union: Conservative Group Offers To Sell Endorsement For $2M

Politico | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Fedex, Acu, David Keene, Chairman David Keene, Pay to Play, Grover Norquist, American Conservative Union, Conservative Group Offers to Sell Endorsement for $2m, Americans for Tax Reform, Pac, Business News

Politico reported this morning on a pay-for-play scheme between the American Conservative Union and FedEx. The ACU would offer their group's endorsem...

Read Whole Story

Pay To Play: New Man in Springﬁeld

Elizabeth Brackett | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Rod Blagojevich, Michael Ascaridis, Bradley Tusk, Charles Wheeler, Michael Madigan, Mike Madigan, Pay to Play, Judy Baar Topinka, Dick Mell, Jesse White, Blagojevich Corruption, Blagojevich Book, Chicago News

Standing in the governor's ofﬁce, toe to toe with Blagojevich, Jesse White fumed, "Governor, for whatever you think of [former governor] George Ryan... I've known him for thirty years. He never lied to me once. You've lied to me 15 times in six months."

Read Post

SEC's Pay-to-Play Rules To Be Revisted, Schapiro Says

Bloomberg | Jesse Westbrook | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Andrew Cuomo, Cuomo Pay to Play, Pay to Play, Sec, Securities and Exchange Commission, Business News

April 21 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is considering rules to restrict money managers from paying to win state business ...

Read Whole Story

Rajinder Bedi, Former Blagojevich Fundraiser, Resigns State Job

AP | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pay to Play, Rod Blagojevich, Jesse Jackson Jr., Blagojevich Jesse Jackson Jr., Rajinder Bedi, Pat Quinn, Chicago-Illinois, Chicago News

CHICAGO (AP) -- An aide to Rod Blagojevich with fundraising ties to the former governor has resigned from the state's Department of Commerce and Econo...

Read Whole Story

Soldier Field Cleaning Firm Says It Was Dumped For Daley Fundraiser

Chicago Sun-Times | Mark J. Konkol | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Mayor Daley, Elzie Higgenbottom, Pay to Play, Soldier Field Janitor Contract, Soldier Field, Yvonne McGinnis, Chicago News

Yvonne McGinnis says her janitorial company got swept out of a $1.5 million Soldier Field contract thanks to "typical Chicago pay-to-play" politics....

Read Whole Story

Adolfo Carrion Engaged In 'Pay To Play' As Bronx Borough President: NY Daily News

NY Daily News | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Adolfo Carrion, Pay to Play, Bronx Borough President, Carrion Urban Affairs, Politics News

The man who is President Obama's newly minted urban czar pocketed thousands of dollars in campaign cash from city developers whose projects he approve...

Read Whole Story

Did Judd Gregg Conceal Donors Who Received Millions In TSA Contracts While He Served As Approps Chair?

Mark Nickolas | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Senate Appropriations Committee, TSA Contracts, Homeland Security, Hal Rogers, Appropriations, Political Corruption, Judd Gregg, Pay to Play, FEC Reports, Politics News

Did Gregg deliberately conceal nearly a dozen contributors to his leadership PAC -- White Mountain PAC -- at the very time he served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee?

Read Post