Campaign Finance Effort Resumes, Without McCain

Staff / Truthdig Jul 29, 2006 The Arizona senator has withdrawn his co-sponsorship of a public financing bill that he and Sen. Russ Feingold (along with two House reps) had long championed. People close to the situation say McCain dropped his support because he is likely to run for president and may end up not abiding by public financing rules. We've known for some time that McCain has been doing all sorts of unseemly things in an attempt to lock up the nomination. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Move Along… There’s No Reform to See Here…

Staff / Truthdig Jul 28, 2006 After promising fast action on lobbying reform in the wake of numerous scandals, the Senate and the House have proved unable to put together a reform bill that both can live with -- so instead they've made plans to adopt vastly scaled-back versions. No wonder: USA Today reports that our Congress is on track to spending fewer days in session than the infamous 1948 "Do Nothing" Congress. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Molly Ivins: Reform the System Or Lose the Democracy

Molly Ivins / Truthdig May 30, 2006 Kenny Lay paid heaps in campaign contributions to use our president as his "errand boy," and democracy faltered. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

House Passes ‘Sham’ Lobbying Reform Bill

Staff / Truthdig May 4, 2006 House conservatives just passed a lobbying reform bill that the Washington Post called a "sham," ?diluted snake oil? and ?an insult to voters.? Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., said, "I happen to believe we are losing our moral authority to lead this place." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Molly Ivins: The No-Reform Lobby Reform Bill

Molly Ivins / Truthdig May 2, 2006 Calling this lobbying reform measure an "ethics bill" requires brass bravura. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

What? You Expected Real Lobbying Reform?

Staff / Truthdig Apr 24, 2006 House Republican leaders have stripped a pending bill of language that would require lobbyists to disclose their fundraising activities and contacts with lawmakers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

New Lobbying Law Falls Short on Reform

Staff / Truthdig Mar 30, 2006 The bill, which passed 90 to 8, requires lobbyists to disclose more information about their interactions with lawmakers, but there's little increase in the enforcement of ethics laws. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Abramoff Got Indicted, and All We Got Was This Lousy $20 Gift Ban?

Molly Ivins / Truthdig Feb 21, 2006 Reform follows scandal as night the day, except in these sorry times, when it appears we may not get a nickel's worth of reform out of the entire Jack Abramoff saga. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Surprise, Surprise: Ethics Reform Stalling

Staff / Truthdig Feb 20, 2006 Figuring that public indignation over the Jack Abramoff scandal will soon dissipate, Republicans in Congress are dragging their feet on promised reform measures. Unfortunately, this will probably work--because an indignant populace is sort of like a villain in a James Bond movie: We vow to stamp out a source of aggravation; we put the machinery in place for doing so; we flip the switch; and then we leave the room on the nave assumption that our plan is escape-proof. It'd be funny if this weren't, like, our government we're talking about. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Lawmakers Appear to Distance Selves From Lobbyists

Staff / Truthdig Jan 31, 2006 Both Republicans and Democrats are canceling meetings with lobbyists in the wake of the Abramoff scandal. | storyPardon our cynicism, but as long as lobbyists have money to dole out, lawmakers will find a way to the trough.Any lobbying-reform legislation that results from this scandal will be rendered moot as quickly as you can say "McCain-Feingold." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Boot Camps for Wayward Teens Go Unregulated Overseas

Blair Golson / Truthdig Jan 27, 2006 Sketchy US operators of "tough love" schools skirt American regulations by operating in other countries Sorta like sketchy U corporations that skirt American taxes by having mailboxes in other countries AlterNet's got the goods . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Frist File

Staff / Truthdig Dec 8, 2005 Was Frist playing doctor when he pushed legislation for medical reform or just lining his pockets? Get background on the accusations of Medicare fraud, conflict of interest and insider trading facing Sen. Bill Frist. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )