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Without better laws, "dark money" groups will prosper in 2014 state races
Campaign spending is flooding all levels of government in the post-Citizens-United era. What is worse than the millions flowing freely, however, is that much of this is so-called “dark money”—the...
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Do nonprofits' names imply political activity?
Trevor Potter — a Republican lawyer and president of the Campaign Legal Center, which advocates for stronger campaign finance regulations — says that the Internal Revenue Service is right to be on the...
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Funds from Adelson-backed super PAC boost GA nonprofit
One of the largest super PACs active in Virginia’s high-profile U.S. Senate race last year has ceased operations and transferred its leftover funds to a Georgia-based nonprofit — though what the group...
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Funds from Adelson-backed super PAC boost Georgia nonprofit
One of the largest super PACs active in Virginia’s high-profile U.S. Senate race last year has ceased operations and transferred its leftover funds to a Georgia-based nonprofit — though what the group...
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OPINION: hidden influence-peddling in Washington
I was not among those who believed the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision would open the floodgates of corporate money to influence elections and public policy. While the decision enables...
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IRS rarely denies 'social welfare' applications
During its past four fiscal years, the Internal Revenue Service has formally denied the applications of just 60 organizations seeking recognition under Section 501(c)(4) of the U.S. tax code as “social...
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'Upset' emissions: Flares in the air, worry on the ground
BATON ROUGE, La. — Shirley Bowman noticed the smell after 8 a.m. on June 14, 2012, her 61st birthday. In Baton Rouge, where the petrochemical industry dominates the landscape, foul odors resembling...
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Clean Air Act law, reality collide
Nothing in the law allows for the invisible danger from “upset” emissions to persist, but legislation and reality often collide.On the contrary, the federal Clean Air Act was meant to reduce harmful...
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Nuclear security bill clears House but Senate prospects unclear
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly approved legislation to ensure the United States complies with two broadly supported international nuclear security accords, but...
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Release of offshore records draws worldwide response
ICIJ’s investigative series on offshore secrecy – which draws from a cache of 2.5 million secret records – has ignited reactions around the globe.Since the initial release of stories by the ICIJ and...
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Pro-Rand Paul super PAC's name may violate law
Supporters of Republican Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have launched “Rand PAC 2016.” But because the super PAC uses the potential presidential candidate’s first name, this action may violate federal...
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Senators investigating Apple own company stock
Two senators serving on a subcommittee that Tuesday grilled Apple Inc. executives over the company's offshore tax practices are themselves owners of Apple stock, either directly or through a spouse,...
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Two DOE electric car loans, two different paths
They are two cutting-edge electric car makers, headquartered in California and backed by powerhouses of politics and money. In 2009, each secured half-billion dollar loan commitments from President...
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Conservative nonprofit seeks to oust IRS official
The American Future Fund, a Republican-aligned “social welfare” nonprofit, is circulating a petition to “fire Lois Lerner,” the Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the ongoing political...
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Vitter's hunt for super PAC cash limited — but watch out, alligators
During his time at an upcoming “Louisiana Bayou Weekend” super PAC fundraiser, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., will be able to ask attendees how they like the Cajun cooking. And he’s free to inquire whether...
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Practice attack on Moscow was anything but routine
An ailing, 69-year-old Yuri Andropov was running the Soviet Union from his Moscow hospital bed in 1983 as the United States and its NATO allies conducted a massive series of war games that seemed to...
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OPINION: a cynical search for loopholes
There is an age-old tradition in this country: if you don't like a law and can't get rid of it, look for a loophole.That's what some companies that don't want to comply with an important Obamacare...
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Eyelid lifts skyrocket among Medicare patients, costing taxpayers millions
Aging Americans worried about their droopy upper eyelids often rely on the plastic surgeon’s scalpel to turn back the hands of time. Increasingly, Medicare is footing the bill.Yes, Medicare. The public...
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Super PAC to tout North Carolina House speaker
A new super PAC called "Grow NC Strong" has formed to promote North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis, a Republican who is considering a U.S. Senate bid in what could rank among the nation's more...
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Texas passes ethics bill, but many proposed reforms are left on the cutting...
When Texas’s biennial legislative session began earlier this year, many advocates for tougher ethics laws sounded an upbeat tone. Since a large crop of new lawmakers was coming aboard, some said at the...
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