"The Egyptian government's lobbyists made the third most reported lobbying contacts of all Arab nations during the previous reported period in 2010. Surpassing Egypt's 366 lobbying contacts were the United Arab Emirates (407 contacts) and Morocco (653 contacts).
Only three other governments of Arab nations or territories reported any lobbying contacts over the same period in 2010. These include Algeria (50 contacts), Saudi Arabia (20 contacts), and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank (19 contacts)."
Showing posts with label Foreign Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign Money. Show all posts
Egypt and the Arab World's 2010 Lobbying Contacts
Sunlight Foundation:
"FEC Seems Headed for Continued Deadlock On Rule Following Citizens United Decision"
Election Law: "
A 143-page draft expected to be supported by the FEC's three Democratic commissioners includes provisions that could require disclosure of all contributors above a threshold level to groups spending money on federal campaigns. The Democratic draft also includes a proposal to restrict campaign spending by companies that have more than a minimum level of ownership or control by foreign nationals.
A rival 91-page draft believed to be backed by the three Republican commissioners excludes the proposals on disclosure and foreign nationals and concentrates more narrowly on eliminating existing regulatory provisions that restrict campaign spending by corporations and unions."
Canadians file lawsuit to be able to make contributions to US political campaigns
Courthouse News Service:
"Two Canadian citizens living in the U.S. will have a three-judge court hear their challenge to the so-called Alien Gag Law, a section of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act that blocks foreign nationals from giving money to political candidates, a federal judge ruled.
Benjamin Bluman and Dr. Asenath Steiman, both New Yorkers, filed a federal lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission in October, claiming that the law wrongfully blocks them from contributing money in the last election, though they live, work and pay taxes in America."
Senate Democrats Ask for Tighter Rules on Foreign Money in Campaigns
Roll Call: "But Democrats have been unable to offer evidence to back up the accusation, a point that Allison Hayward, who works at the libertarian Center for Competitive Politics, emphasized in a statement Tuesday.
“Federal law and FEC regulations already mandate ample restrictions, including a prohibition on foreign nationals playing any role in political spending decisions,” she said. “This is a manufactured conspiracy theory unjustified by any showing of a real problem.”"
“Federal law and FEC regulations already mandate ample restrictions, including a prohibition on foreign nationals playing any role in political spending decisions,” she said. “This is a manufactured conspiracy theory unjustified by any showing of a real problem.”"
Senate Democrats Ask for Tighter Rules on Foreign Money in Campaigns
Roll Call: "But Democrats have been unable to offer evidence to back up the accusation, a point that Allison Hayward, who works at the libertarian Center for Competitive Politics, emphasized in a statement Tuesday.
“Federal law and FEC regulations already mandate ample restrictions, including a prohibition on foreign nationals playing any role in political spending decisions,” she said. “This is a manufactured conspiracy theory unjustified by any showing of a real problem.”"
“Federal law and FEC regulations already mandate ample restrictions, including a prohibition on foreign nationals playing any role in political spending decisions,” she said. “This is a manufactured conspiracy theory unjustified by any showing of a real problem.”"
Marc A. Thiessen - Are foreign and illegal workers funding Democrats' attack ads?
Washington Post: "With its baseless charge that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is using foreign money to influence the November elections, the Obama administration and its liberal allies have opened up a can of worms they may come to regret."
Dems have raised more than $1 million this cycle from foreign-affiliated PACs
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room: "Democratic leaders in the House and Senate criticizing GOP groups for allegedly funneling foreign money into campaign ads have seen their party raise more than $1 million from political action committees affiliated with foreign companies.
House and Senate Democrats have received approximately $1.02 million this cycle from such PACs, according to an analysis compiled for The Hill by the Center for Responsive Politics. House and Senate GOP leaders have taken almost $510,000 from PACs on the same list."
House and Senate Democrats have received approximately $1.02 million this cycle from such PACs, according to an analysis compiled for The Hill by the Center for Responsive Politics. House and Senate GOP leaders have taken almost $510,000 from PACs on the same list."
Axelrod Calls for End to Mystery Donors
Roll Call: "Outside groups favoring GOP candidates and causes are pummeling Democratic-leaning outside groups in spending. The administration has argued that because the groups are not required to disclose their donors, foreign money could be playing an illegal role in U.S. politics, but it has not been able to show evidence to back up the accusation.
Axelrod sought to make the broader point during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” that voters do not know the source of the money behind the campaign ads of groups known as 501(c)s. The nonprofit organizations are not obligated to disclose donors if their primary mission is not political."
Axelrod sought to make the broader point during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” that voters do not know the source of the money behind the campaign ads of groups known as 501(c)s. The nonprofit organizations are not obligated to disclose donors if their primary mission is not political."
Campaign finance: Does anyone care?
The Hill's Pundits Blog: "It is a whole new money game with profound implications, but we are three weeks away from Election Day and the debate over campaign finance is going nowhere. The White House is picking fights with the Chamber of Commerce over the question of foreign money being used to pay for ads supporting Republican campaigns. The president and his senior adviser, David Axelrod, have raised the question but have provided no evidence that it's happening.
Americans are tuning the whole thing out."
Americans are tuning the whole thing out."
SPIN METER: Foreign money in politics? Not proven
Associated Press: "WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration and its allies are going all out against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and GOP-leaning groups, accusing them of using foreign money to help finance political ads. Trouble is, they're providing no evidence."
Obama Scales Back Campaign Finance Criticism After Claims Decried as 'Baseless'
FoxNews.com: "President Obama on Sunday scaled back his claim that Republicans are taking foreign money for their campaigns, using slightly more ambiguous language at a rally in Philadelphia after GOP strategists warned Democrats against telling 'baseless' lies to win votes.
Democrats had been directing their criticism at the Chamber of Commerce and other GOP-supporting groups. But after the latest Democratic National Committee ad outright claimed 'it appears they're even taking secret foreign money to influence our elections,' White House senior adviser David Axelrod acknowledged that 'no one knows' where the money is coming from."
Democrats had been directing their criticism at the Chamber of Commerce and other GOP-supporting groups. But after the latest Democratic National Committee ad outright claimed 'it appears they're even taking secret foreign money to influence our elections,' White House senior adviser David Axelrod acknowledged that 'no one knows' where the money is coming from."
Brad Smith: Chambergate, and the unwittingly radical reach of reform
Center for Competitive Politics: "We have noted the absurdity of Chambergate and the liberal groups that are pushing the claim that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is somehow 'stealing' American elections with foreign money. I have also been critical of those who foster such conspiracy views as raising valid questions.
Professor Richard Hasen argues that all these questions would go away - or at least be alleviated - if the FEC merely had the power to conduct random audits of political actors. Now, during my time as FEC Commissioner and Chairman, I publicy favored (and still do) giving the FEC the power to conduct random audits of political committees (others at CCP do not). But Professor Hasen's proposal goes far beyond that.Professor Hasen appears to want the FEC to have the authority to conduct random audits of any political actor or speaker. That is, he makes no distinction between political committees, i.e. the parties and candidate campaigns, and PACs that contribute directly to candidates, and any American citizen or group of citizens that chooses to exercise its Constitutional rights to make independent political expenditures."
Professor Richard Hasen argues that all these questions would go away - or at least be alleviated - if the FEC merely had the power to conduct random audits of political actors. Now, during my time as FEC Commissioner and Chairman, I publicy favored (and still do) giving the FEC the power to conduct random audits of political committees (others at CCP do not). But Professor Hasen's proposal goes far beyond that.Professor Hasen appears to want the FEC to have the authority to conduct random audits of any political actor or speaker. That is, he makes no distinction between political committees, i.e. the parties and candidate campaigns, and PACs that contribute directly to candidates, and any American citizen or group of citizens that chooses to exercise its Constitutional rights to make independent political expenditures."
Topic of Foreign Money in U.S. Races Hits Hustings
NYTimes.com: "“Just this week, we learned that one of the largest groups paying for these ads regularly takes in money from foreign corporations,” Mr. Obama said. “So groups that receive foreign money are spending huge sums to influence American elections.”
But a closer examination shows that there is little evidence that what the chamber does in collecting overseas dues is improper or even unusual, according to both liberal and conservative election-law lawyers and campaign finance documents."
But a closer examination shows that there is little evidence that what the chamber does in collecting overseas dues is improper or even unusual, according to both liberal and conservative election-law lawyers and campaign finance documents."
Democrats mounting attack on outside political spending
Radio Business Report/Television Business Report - Voice of the Broadcasting Industry: "The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling has opened the money spigots, and allowed unaffiliated political organizations to attack candidates without revealing who is funding the advertising. Democrats are charging that illegal foreign cash is finding its way into the process, and are attempting to enlist the IRS and FEC to investigate.
Max Baucus (D-MT) is trying to bring the IRS into the issue. He says that entities operating as 501(c) organizations are supposed to have a reason for being other than the elect and/or defeat political candidates. He thinks that many such organizations operating this year were formed specifically for political purposes and warrant investigation. One prominent target, among many, is Karl Rove’s American Crossroads."
Max Baucus (D-MT) is trying to bring the IRS into the issue. He says that entities operating as 501(c) organizations are supposed to have a reason for being other than the elect and/or defeat political candidates. He thinks that many such organizations operating this year were formed specifically for political purposes and warrant investigation. One prominent target, among many, is Karl Rove’s American Crossroads."
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