Category Archives: legislation and legislatures

“Effective legislators or fantastic fundraisers? New book examines party reward systems in the House of Representatives”

March 28, 2012, 10:19 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

The University of Michigan Press has issued this release on Congressional Parties, Institutional Ambition, and the Financing of Majority Control by Eric S. Heberlig and Bruce A. Larson.

“Generation X Joining K Street”

March 25, 2012, 9:38 pmlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Politico reports.

It’s Not Every Day the Severability Doctrine Makes the NY Times Op-Ed Page

March 23, 2012, 7:18 amlegislation and legislatures, statutory interpretationRick Hasen

Must-read Abbe Gluck and Michael Graetz on the severability argument in the health care case. It concludes: It’s not clear why the Obama administration has chosen this course. Perhaps it made a strategic choice to raise the stakes of striking… Continue reading

“Lobbying association responds to criticism by calling for more regulation, education”

March 22, 2012, 7:43 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

This important WaPo article begins: “Washington lobbyists are making a strange request: more regulation of lobbying.” The article shows that some lobbyists are supporting lobbying reform out of self-interest, and it provides an opportunity to get meaningful reform done.

“Lobbying and transparency: A comparative analysis of regulatory reform”

March 21, 2012, 7:45 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Craig Holman and William Luneberg have written this article for the new journal, Interest Groups & Advocacy. Here is the abstract: As citizens grow increasingly wary of whose interests are being represented in the public policy arena, especially in… Continue reading

“Obama’s sin is not hypocrisy but naivete”

March 9, 2012, 3:15 pmcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Ruth Marcus: “Steve Ricchetti is a once and, no doubt, future lobbyist. So it was inevitable that Vice President Biden’s decision to hire Ricchetti as a senior adviser would prompt howls about Obama administration hypocrisy. After all, it had… Continue reading

“‘Misunderestimating’ Campaign Finance Reform”

March 8, 2012, 11:57 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbying, political partiesRick Hasen

Jonathan Backer responds to Ezra Klein’s review of Larry Lessig’s and Jack Abramoff’s books. (Lessig’s response to Klein is here.) Klein’s general take is that concern over campaign finance and lobbying reform is overblown. Backer says it is a… Continue reading

“Tribes rip Abramoff, ethics watchdogs”

March 7, 2012, 7:36 amcampaign finance, chicanery, conflict of interest laws, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

The Hill:“Native American tribes are questioning the ethics of government watchdog groups that have partnered with Jack Abramoff since his release from prison. The criticism has turned the tables on watchdog officials, who are usually the ones pointing the… Continue reading

Obama ♥ K Street

March 7, 2012, 7:23 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Dana Milbank: “Three years into his presidency, Barack Obama has finally overcome his pesky, puritanical aversion to K Street. As a candidate, Obama pledged that lobbyists ‘will not run my White House.’ But on Monday, the president brought in… Continue reading

More on Whether Angus King Would Caucus with Democrats

March 6, 2012, 12:52 pmcampaigns, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Following up on this post,The Fix offers this analysis.

“Abramoff says his corrupting influence reached into the media”

March 6, 2012, 12:37 pmchicanery, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

The Hill: “Abramoff said he tried to get scholars at think-tank organizations to write opinion articles for his clients and get them placed in large newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal.” More from Politico. Having read Abramoff’s… Continue reading

“Fixing Washington”

March 6, 2012, 8:54 amcampaign finance, chicanery, conflict of interest laws, ethics investigations, legislation and legislatures, lobbying, political partiesRick Hasen

I have posted this draft book review essay on SSRN. Here is the abstract: This Essay reviews recent books about lobbying, campaign finance, and the problems of Washington by Lawrence Lessig and Jack Abramoff. Together, Lessig and Abramoff offer… Continue reading

Democrats Emulate Republicans’ K Street Project (and that’s not a good thing)

March 3, 2012, 4:12 pmcampaign finance, chicanery, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Politico: “Democrats on K Street are warning their corporate clients: Give to Republican challengers in the 2012 election, and you’ll regret it come tax reform time.” Forgot about the K Street Project? Nick Confessore reminds us.

“Our Corrupt Politics: It’s Not All Money”

March 2, 2012, 9:04 amcampaign finance, chicanery, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Ezra Klein has written this review of Larry Lessig and Jack Abramoff’s new book for the NY Review of Books. Coincidentally I recently completed a review of the same two books, which I’ll be posting on SSRN and sending out… Continue reading