Following the (other) money

Bill Allison, The Sunlight Foundation

A Washington tale
Story by Ryan Singel Wireds Threat Level blog Wondered why Telcos got immunity

Followed the money

Notice the spike

Top Verizon executives, including CEO Ivan Seidenberg and President Dennis Strigl, wrote personal checks to Rockefeller totaling $23,500 in March, 2007. Prior to that apparently coordinated flurry of 29 donations, only one of those executives had ever donated to Rockefeller (at least while working for Verizon).

Dont ignore traditional money

Jim Morans earmarks

FedSpending.org top 100 contractors

(Aside: download contracting, lobbying and other data here)

Note the changed pattern

Repeated across Defense Approps

More big contractors, more money

Have you ever heard of a programmatic request?

Key language

These are programs

Lets look at at the E-2D AHE

In case thats not clear

Also shows who theyre buying from

From Northrop Grummans 2013 Q1 Lobbying report

So what does a programmatic request look like?

Heres what one actually looks like

Requested in 2012 by Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Conn.

Who builds Virginia Class Subs?

So I wrote up what Id found

Two last things

From PoliticalPartyTime.org

Invites to fundraisers galore

Finally, Scout.sunlightfoundation.com

Follow specific terms

Set up email or SMS alerts

Can also get FEC filings via FollowTheUnlimitedMoney.com

Tip sheet: http://bit.ly/MoneyFollow

Bill Allison 202-742-1520 ex.224 ballison@sunlightfoundation.com