Category Archives: lobbying

“White House Ethics Hub Goes Live Online”

March 8, 2012, 1:29 pmcampaign finance, lobbyingRick Hasen

The Caucus: “The Obama administration introduced a central online hub for information about ethics, lobbying and campaign contributions on Thursday, making good on a campaign pledge President Obama made in his 2008 campaign. The Web site, Ethics.gov, allows… 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

“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

“Lobbying links dent Santorum’s outsider image”

March 6, 2012, 7:14 amlobbyingRick Hasen

The Financial Times reports.

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

“Lessig: Campaign Donations by the Rich are ‘Legal Corruption'”

March 1, 2012, 3:28 pmcampaign finance, lobbyingRick Hasen

Bloomberg Law has posted this interview with Larry Lessig about campaign finance reform. As will be clear in my forthcoming review of Larry’s book, I have much sympathy with what he’s trying to accomplish but I’m very skeptical the… Continue reading

“Campaign Finance Reform Panel with Jack Abramoff “

March 1, 2012, 9:57 amcampaign finance, chicanery, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

“Former Lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Campaign Finance Reform Leaders to Discuss How to Fix Washington” at National Press Club March 5 at 7 pm.

What’s Wrong With Washington, Continued

March 1, 2012, 8:30 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest laws, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

If Senator Snowe moves to K street, she could make $1 million per year as a lobbyist. As I explain, the revolving door is one of the most dangerous aspects of Washington lobbying. I’ll have more to say about… Continue reading

Biting Hand that Feeds You Dept.

February 28, 2012, 9:07 amcampaign finance, lobbyingRick Hasen

The Hill: “Democratic lobbyists who have been barred from fundraising for President Obama’s campaign are showing little interest in donating instead to a super-PAC that supports him.”

Financial Times on Rent-Seeking and Economic Decline

February 27, 2012, 7:27 pmlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

See this interesting article. I discuss how the prevention of rent-seeking and the promotion of national economic welfare could justify some additional regulation of lobbying activities in my just-published Stanford Law Review article.