Adam Smith's blog

Fire the lobbyists

Adam Smith — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:54:38 -0500

This weekend, word leaked that Doug Goodyear, the man hired by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to run the GOP convention this summer, had represented the brutal military regime in Myanmar.One down, over 100 more to go.

Two out of three

Adam Smith — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:41:08 -0500

The USA Today spends some time in an editorial today highlighting the ever-increasing role of money in the political process and the need for full public financing of elections for Congress and a fix for the presidential public financing system.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Adam Smith — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:29:17 -0500

Post Office's get named after people all the time, they're just usually dead first.Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) is trying to name a post office after Cyndi Taylor Krier, who just happens to be a lobbyist for financial services giant USAA.

New Ad in Maryland

Adam Smith — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:45:42 -0500

Earlier in the week, our partners in Maryland put a full page ad in the Baltimore Sun highlighting the correlation between electricity deregulation and campaign contributions from the industry.

Power to...the Special Interests?

Adam Smith — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:22:58 -0500

Public Campaign Action Fund has released the following online advertisement regarding the disaster of electric utility deregulation in Maryland and its correlation with campaign contributions to elected officials in the state.

Hedging his bet

Adam Smith — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:51:34 -0500

In yesterday's Congress Daily, we saw that Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA) will be resigning from Congress to become president of the Managed Funds Association, a hedge fund trade association. As former chair of the House committee that deals with these issues, it's not surprising he's friendly with the industry. But if you follow the money, you see how friendly Baker and the banking and investments industries have become.

Kucinich, Gravel, and Obama respond

Adam Smith — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 13:00:01 -0500

Following former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC), former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AK) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) have responded to our question about Fair Elections.

Whatever makes sense for Romney

Adam Smith — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:14:43 -0500

Over the course of his campaign for president, former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) has often been accused of changing his personal opinions based on what's most politically expedient. His position on campaign finance reform is no different.

Maybe the F is Silent

Adam Smith — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:50:11 -0500

Continuing on their quest to make elections about money instead of voters, the Center for Competitive Politics has a letter published in DC newspaper, The Hill, this morning about the need for higher limits on campaign contributions.

Ethics Bill Becomes Law

Adam Smith — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:11:09 -0500

On Friday, President Bush signed into law the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (S. 1)--one of the most sweeping ethics and lobbying reform bills in decades. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said the bill was "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate."