Only 2.93 percent of respondents say that “Strengthening the U.S. military” is a top priority. However, 88.12 percent of respondents so far say that “Reducing the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups in Washington” is a “top priority”.

The list of out-of-state special interests sending money to Nick Popaditch goes on and on. A central question for the campaign in 2012 is whether Popaditch will continue to depend so heavily on lobbyists and other donors with a profit motive to invest in his candidacy.

Wisconsin Republican Mark Neumann is campaigning to replace Herb Kohl in the United States Senate in next year’s election. Neumann criticizes other politicians easily, saying that they’re “threatening it all by pandering”. Yet, even before he’s gained his own party’s nomination, Neumann is pandering himself – to corporate lobbyists. The day after tomorrow, Neumann will [...]

This year, Timmons has personally lobbied Congress on behalf of the Air Transport Association of America, ASTAR Air Cargo, and US Airways. Timmons was once a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Transportation, but spent most of the 1990s as the head lobbyist for America West Airlines. John Timmons has also written two checks for Paul Gosar’s re-election campaign.

Roy Blunt was in South Carolina meeting with members of the 1 percent, the upper crust financial elites who treat members of Congress as portions of their great estates. The 99 percent of Missouri were in Saint Louis today, marching from Kiener Plaza from to the Justice Center.

Republican Senator Scott Brown drove by the Occupy Boston protests against corporate greed last week. He didn’t get out of his car. He didn’t talk to any of his constituents. He didn’t even roll down his window. He didn’t have time for people peaceably assembling to petition for the redress of grievances. That’s old-school constitutional [...]

The pro-Republican American Action Network was legally required to report its independent expenditures in the 2010 congressional election within 48 hours, but it didn’t disclose the spending until over 300 days afterwards. The organization’s Board of Directors is filled with representatives of elite financial companies, corporate lawyers and representatives from lobbying firms.

Fossil fuels money already flows thick for Sandy Adams, and her first term in office isn’t yet even four months old. It would be downright unprofitable for Representative Adams to take a stand against the economic interests of the dirty energy industry.

In the 112th Congress, Representative Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan has stepped back from his HAPPY ACT of yesteryear. The HAPPY ACT (more formally H.R. 3501) was introduced by McCotter in the 111th Congress to make any and all pet expenses up to $3,500 every year tax-deductible. Tax deductions exist as a way of rewarding behavior [...]

Senator Saxby Chambliss is leaving the beltway of Washington, DC this weekend. Is he heading home to Georgia, the state he represents? That depends on whether you count Georgia airspace. Senator Chambliss will be heading to the state of Florida instead, where he’ll be hosting a fundraiser for his “Republican Majority Fund”, a “leadership committee” [...]