Category Archives: legislation and legislatures

“Wang: Lobbyist Association Content to Tread Water”

April 26, 2012, 7:54 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Eric Wang has written this Roll Call oped. It concludes: “Faced with withering attacks on a profession that is easily scapegoated, ALL has not retreated into a strategy of appeasement. However, the organization could do a better job at… Continue reading

“Inside the Worst Congress; Ever A look at some of the lowlights of Robert Draper’s new history of the House.”

April 25, 2012, 3:11 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Weigel on h Do Not Ask What Good We Do.

New Book by Mann and Ornstein

April 25, 2012, 9:53 amcampaigns, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

In the mailbag today is a copy of It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism. Here’s the book’s description: Acrimony and hyperpartisanship have seeped into every part of… Continue reading

Important Bob Barnes Piece on Using Legislative History at Supreme Court

April 23, 2012, 7:27 amlegislation and legislatures, statutory interpretation, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Here, at WaPo.

“Charity Status Of Conservative Group Challenged”

April 23, 2012, 7:25 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbying, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

NPR reports. MORE from Bloomberg.

Must-Read NYT Profile on ALEC

April 22, 2012, 1:29 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Here: Most of the attention has focused on ALEC’s role in creating model bills, drafted by lobbyists and lawmakers, that broadly advance a pro-business, socially conservative agenda. But a review of internal ALEC documents shows that this is only… Continue reading

“When Lobbyists Pay To Meet With Congressmen”

April 20, 2012, 7:28 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

The latest from NPR’s Planet Money.

“Why Lobbyists Dodge Calls From Congressmen”

April 19, 2012, 7:49 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest laws, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Interesting NPR report on rent extraction. I deal extensively with lobbyist fundraising and the problem of rent seeking/extraction in my recent Stanford piece.

“This is the town that Jack built, earmark by earmark, into an oasis of economic development projects for 36 years”

April 19, 2012, 7:27 amcampaign finance, campaigns, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Great lede in this Roll Call report on the PA-12 congressional race.

“Lobbyist Group Backs Raising Accountability Standards”

April 9, 2012, 8:29 pmlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Roll Call reports. Apparently the group favors congressional changes which would help lobbyists compete for business, but they don’t like changes which would break the connection between campaign fundraising and lobbying, one of the key features of the ABA… Continue reading

“Limits on Lobbyists as Hosts? Simply Unworkable, They Say”

April 7, 2012, 1:51 pmlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: “Tough new limits proposed on the way special interests could court executive branch officials have prompted a fierce counterattack from lobbyists who fear they will end a cherished Washington ritual: hosting federal workers at events like conferences, cocktail… Continue reading

“Ways and Means, Financial Services, and Energy and Commerce are top House fundraising committees”

April 2, 2012, 12:54 pmcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Lee Drutman offers this analysis for the Sunlight Foundation: “The analysis was conducted at the request of and in collaboration with This American Life and Planet Money public radio programs. It is featured on the March 31, 2012 episode of … Continue reading