Group Formed to Modify Voter Registration

The Committee to Modernize Voter Registration has been formed to work on overhauling the nation's voter registration system. The group consists of bipartisan members led by co-chairs Trevor Potter, general counsel for Senator John McCain's (R-AZ) presidential campaigns, and Marc Elias, lawyer for Senator Al Franken (D-MN) during the recount. The two charge that their campaign experiences have led them to believe that the country needs to move toward a more automated registration system.

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As Predicted, Agencies Reporting Relatively Few Meetings with Lobbyists

Despite President Obama's order that officials have to disclose their contacts with registered lobbyists that try to influence Recovery Act funding, the government continues to capture very little information. The Associate Press reports that "few such communications have been reported even though lobbyists say they are busier than ever with the multibillion-dollar stimulus.

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TARP Recipients' PACs and Lobbyists Donated $6 Million and Hosted 70 Fundraisers for Members

A new report by Public Citizen says that representatives of the banks that received the most money from the federal bailout have spent millions of dollars in campaign donations to Members of Congress. The study was based on the 10 banks that received the most funds under the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) and of five trade associations. Public Citizen analyzed fundraiser invitations collected by the Sunlight Foundation and campaign contribution disclosures.

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Judge Rules Government Violated Charity's Rights

A federal judge ruled that the government cannot freeze an organization's assets without obtaining a warrant based upon probable cause. The court also found that the organization must first have notice of the basis for freezing its assets and an opportunity to defend itself. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the Treasury Department froze tens of millions of dollars in assets held by eight charities within the United States without warrants and court approval.

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Bonner & Associates Update

A total of nine nonprofits' names have been used by the lobbying firm Bonner & Associates in letters falsely advocating opposition to climate change legislation. As an update to this controversy, investigators have recently found more letters sent to members of Congress. The Washington Post has copies of the letters.

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Public Citizen Launches Don'tGetRolled.org to Highlight Citizens United Case

Public Citizen launched a campaign to bring attention to the potentially significant consequences of the Citizens United case, which the Supreme Court will rehear very soon on Sept. 9. Public Citizen warns that the Court may "roll back - a century's worth of legal precedents designed to curb corporate influence over federal elections."

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McCain and Feingold Introduce a Bill to Replace the FEC

Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced a bill (S.1648) on Aug. 7 to replace the current Federal Election Commission (FEC) with a new three member administrative body, called the Federal Election Administration. The measure would replace the current six member bipartisan FEC with a three member agency. The bill is the latest version of a similar proposal which was first introduced in 2003, but no congressional action has ever taken place.

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Two More Ethics Waivers

Two more ethics waivers have been issued to White House associate counsels, permitting Chris Weideman and Jonathan Kravis to continue working on issues involving former President George W. Bush. A White House blog post announced that "authorization is needed because President Bush's counsel this summer joined a firm at which the two Associate Counsels formerly worked.

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Revisiting Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, who opposed the House passed climate change bill remains under attack for sending fake letters to House lawmakers. The firm sent out letters using the names of an N.A.A.C.P. chapter and a network of nonprofit organizations serving Latinos. Reportedly, more nonprofits' names were used including the American Association of University Women and the Jefferson Area Board for the Aging.

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Former Lobbyist Missed the Cutoff to need an Ethics Waiver

Controversy still surrounds the rules covering executive branch hiring and former lobbyists who now work in the Obama administration. Three new U.S. Attorney nominations have been made including former Business Software Alliance lobbyist and aide to Vice President Joe Biden, Neil MacBride, for the Eastern District of Virignia. Reportedly, a waiver is not needed in this case.

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