Nonprofit Lobbying Rights

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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As Predicted, Agencies Reporting Relatively Few Meetings with Lobbyists

Aug 31, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

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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Bonner & Associates Update

Aug 21, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

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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Two More Ethics Waivers

Aug 18, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

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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Forged Letter Scandal Highlights Need for Greater Disclosure

In June, Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) received a letter that was supposedly authored by Creciendo Juntos, a nonprofit group in his district. The letter urged him to oppose the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a bill designed to combat climate change. Perriello's office also received similar letters on letterhead from the local NAACP chapter. These letters turned out to be fake; they were sent by a lobbying firm hired by a trade group representing coal producers and power companies. Government ethics and transparency watchdog organizations responded, saying that using forged letters as part of a lobbying campaign is outrageous misconduct that harms the legislative process and highlights the need for increased disclosure.

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Revisiting Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure

Aug 12, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

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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Coming Soon: TARP Lobbying Rules

Aug 7, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

According to The Hill, the Treasury Department is waiting for the administration's approval before finalizing restrictions on lobbying for Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funding, only ten months after the program began.

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Just Don't Call Yourself a Lobbyist

Aug 4, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Business Week reports that, "just because a new President vowed to change business-as-usual in Washington and Congress heightened scrutiny," not much has really changed, except perhaps for the terminology. "At a time when lobbying is under assault, the most effective practitioner is sometimes someone who technically isn't a lobbyist."

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A Case for Disclosure?

Aug 3, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

The Washington Post follows up on an interesting case revealed last week. An employee of a lobbying firm forged a letter from a Latino social service group to Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA), urging him to make changes in a bill capping greenhouse-gas emissions. Reportedly, the firm found out about the issue and promptly fired the employee. The letter used the letterhead of Creciendo Juntos, and asked Perriello to add "pro-consumer" changes to the bill.

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Advocates Say New Recovery Act Lobbying Guidance Doesn’t Go Far Enough

On July 24, Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), released further guidance that amends restrictions on lobbying for Recovery Act funds. The document states that it is meant "to supersede all prior written OMB and other agency guidance on the subject." Despite the adjustments within the guidance, which advocates note is a significant step in the right direction, many say the changes do not go far enough to prompt disclosure of all lobbying and other contacts associated with Recovery Act spending.

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Still Waiting For Guidance on Lobbying for Stimulus Money

Jul 17, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Earlier this week Roll Call ($$) noted that formal guidance on lobbying for Recovery Act funding is still absent. Shortly after a post appeared on the White House blog on May 29, it was expected that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would soon release formal guidance.

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