The FBI hasn't been the only group continuing to investigate lobbying firm PMA Group, which specializes in securing federal earmarks for its clients. At the Center for Responsive Politics, we've expanded our original analysis of contributions from the lobbying firm to lawmakers, specifically those o...

With a tanking economy, warming planet and multiple bloody conflicts abroad, President Obama has his work cut out for him. His biggest challenge, however, might be keeping his campaign promise to transform American politics, according to Robert Kaiser, author of the new book "So Damn Much Money: The...

So far the Obama administration has appeared to make efforts to slow down the revolving door for lobbyists going from the executive branch into the private sector (and vice versa). But does the new president's executive order prohibiting incoming members of the administration from working on issues ...

Interest groups spent $17.4 million for every day Congress was in session. Lobbying growth for finance sector and auto industry is smaller in tough times. WASHINGTON--While companies across the board were losing record amounts of money and laying off employees last year, at least one industry s...

If you're the kind of person who enjoys an illuminating data mash-up, 2009 is going to be a great year, because we'll be opening up CRP's vast databases to the world. Data-divers will be able to combine our campaign finance and lobbying data, among other types of information we collect and analyze, ...

Congressional and presidential candidates (winners and losers alike) must turn in their post-election campaign reports, which cover Oct. 16 until Nov. 24, to the Federal Election Commission by midnight tonight. We'll post summary numbers -- total raised, spent and other basics -- as the FEC makes th...

WASHINGTON -- The historic election of 2008 re-confirmed one truism about American democracy: Money wins elections. From the top of the ticket, where Barack Obama declined public financing for the first time since the system's creation and went on to amass a nearly two-to-one monetary advantage...

At the request of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Center for Responsive Politics conducted a study of donations from employees of the nation's 25 wealthiest foundations and 75 of the largest charities and found these individuals give overwhelmingly to Democrats. Out of $1.2 million contributed fr...

Unlike members of Congress who have to wait at least a year (two for senators) after retiring from public service to become registered lobbyists, the influence peddlers themselves don't face a cooling-off period if they want to run for Congress. With the help of the Center for Responsive Politics, U...

John McCain's military experience is hardly gaining him a financial edge from defense contractors, whose campaign contributions to the presumptive Republican presidential candidate are only about $4,000 more than those given to his likely Democratic challenger, Barack Obama, who has no military expe...