Also: Lobbying amid the coronavirus pandemic
Your weekly newsletter on money in politics.
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March 19th, 2020
This week in money-in-politics
Super PACs outmaneuver outdated rules to leave voters in the dark
March 15-21 is Sunshine Week, a national initiative celebrating open government and access to public records. Undisclosed spending by political actors undermines transparency and voters' ability to make informed decisions.
Super PACs on both sides of the aisle are abusing loopholes in campaign finance law to keep their donors secret, leaving primary voters in the dark about who is trying to influence them.
These groups are required to disclose their donors. But by launching a new super PAC just before an election, political actors can spend unlimited sums influencing races without disclosing their funding sources until after votes are counted.
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** Airlines and unions lobby Congress amid coronavirus bailout debate
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Major U.S. airlines are asking for $58 billion in government assistance as flights around the world are canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Airlines for America, a trade group representing industry giants such as American Airlines, United and Delta, have asked for a combination of grants, loans and tax relief for passenger airlines and cargo carriers. Labor unions insist that any stimulus bill must provide protections for workers.
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** Happy Sunshine Week!
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National Sunshine Week has been celebrated every March since 2005, thanks to the hard work of the American Society of News Editors. To celebrate Sunshine Week 2020, the Society of Professional Journalists is providing ideas for chapters, newsrooms and instructors to promote and further freedom of information in their communities. These ideas can be applied this week, or any time of the year. Let the sunshine in!
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** Business associations lobby Trump, Congress to ease paid sick leave requirements
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Amid the coronavirus pandemic, powerful business associations are lobbying the Trump administration and Congress to influence key components of economic relief bills to help Americans affected by the outbreak. In a series of developing changes to a larger, trillion-dollar stimulus package, the Treasury Department announced on Tuesday that it would support $250 billion in direct payments and tax cuts for small businesses.
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OpenSecrets to offer free online classes on money in politics throughout coronavirus crisis
To assist faculty who will be teaching students online for the foreseeable future, the Center for Responsive Politics will offer free 30-60 minute demonstrations via Zoom, Skype or GoToMeeting of OpenSecrets.org with a special emphasis on connecting money in politics data to issues related to campaign finance, lobbying, or political influence. We can customize these presentations to home in on a specific topic and will include time for questions from students if requested.
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OpenSecrets in the News
See where we've been cited by media outlets around the nation this week:
* ** Fact-Checking the Biden-Sanders Democratic Debate (The New York Times) ([link removed])
The New York Times turned to OpenSecrets (and others) to see how remarks made by Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders during Sunday's debate stacked up against the truth.
* ** Lobbyists got Trump to support Obama-era environmental regulation after spending $700K at his resort (Salon) ([link removed])
Trump has spent years gutting Obama's policies — but supported one that was backed by big-money lobbying group
* ** This Hawaii Defense Contractor Has Emerged As A Major Political Player (Honolulu Civil Beat) ([link removed])
Over the past decade, Martin Kao has become one of the most prolific political donors to come out of Hawaii. And you’ve probably never heard of him.
** The Washington Post ([link removed])
** The New York Times ([link removed])
** CNBC ([link removed])
** The Hill ([link removed])
** Bloomberg ([link removed])
** The Chicago Tribune ([link removed])
** Town and Country ([link removed])
** The Washington Free Beacon ([link removed])
** Lake Geneva Regional News ([link removed])
** The Press Democrat ([link removed])
** The Torrington Telegram ([link removed])
** The Washington Times ([link removed])
** Harvard Business Review ([link removed])
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