Michael J. Copps examines America’s national regression over 2019 and highlights shared blame between 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and other State institutions.
Political Lobbying articles on Democracy Chronicles
Political lobbying is a legal practice of petitioning the government enshrined in the Constitution but has been supersized in the modern era by well-financed lobbies having outsized impact on government decision making. Efforts to highlight and correct the oversized impact that the powerful few have over government will be highlighted in this section. Also see our sections on American democracy and Money Politics.
Democrats subpoena Pompeo for Ukraine documents
House Foreign Affairs Committee subpoenaed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for documents relating to the Trump administration’s dealings with Ukraine.
Trump has spent years financially compelling people to attend his rallies
President Trump accuses activists of being paid by powerful liberal forces, but many attendees at his own events were financially compensated to be there.
States Curbing the Revolving Door Between Government and Industry
Three states in particular have developed revolving door restrictions that effectively prevent former state officials from conducting any lobbying activity.
Why There Have Been No 2020 Super-PAC Presidential Donations Yet
Voters support limiting influence of big donors, politicians have publicly declared support for reducing the influence of money on our political system.
A Voting Machine Company Pushing For New Election Security Laws
Major voting machine vendor reversed course and urged Congress to pass legislation mandating paper trails for all votes as an anti-hacking protection.
How Payday Lenders Spent $1 Million At Trump Resort – And Cashed In
Payday lenders offer loans on the order of a few hundred dollars, typically to low-income borrowers, who have to pay them back in a matter of weeks.
How Sunday Church Collections Land In Pockets Of Lobbyists
The U.S. Catholic Church spent $10.6 million on lobbyists to prevent victims of clerical sex abuse from suing for damages.
Uighur Activists Lobby for US Bill on Xinjiang Crackdown
Uighur rights advocates in the United States are ramping up efforts to persuade the U.S. Congress to pass a bill focusing on China’s growing persecution.
75% of FTC Officials Have Revolving Door Conflicts With Industry
Most top officials at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) become lawyers and lobbyists for major technology companies after they leave the agency.