Thursday, February 28, 2008

Transparency, Ethics and Lobbyists

Here's a comparison of Senators Clinton and Obama taken from Think on These Things.


Obama Clinton Winner?
Takes campaign money from federal Washington Lobbyists No Yes Obama
Takes money from state lobbyists Yes Yes Tie
Took lobbyist money for Senate campaign Yes Yes Tie
Takes federal PAC money No Yes Obama
Took subsidized corporate jets before January 2006 Yes Yes Tie
Took subsidized corporate jets after January 2006 No Yes Obama
Released complete record of correspondences from previous political position before primaries While his State Senate transcripts are publicly available, it is unclear whether his State Senate correspondences (appointments, meetings, and policy memos) exist. If so, no. Records from WH years and as First Lady of Arkansas do exist. Has not called for full expedited release before primaries. Tie?
Disclosed 2006 earmarks Yes No Obama
Disclosed pre-2006 earmarks No No Tie
Released names of any fundraising bundlers Yes; the first Democratic nominee to do so; (originally just did it for $50,000+) Yes, the last major Democratic nominee to do so; just does it for $100,000+) Tie for doing it, Obama for leadership on doing it
Released “cities or states” for fundraising bundlers No No Tie
Detailed the names of bundlers at all financial levels Yes No, just provides info on $100,000+ Obama
Releases details about campaign fundraising events No No Tie
Co-sponsored campaign finance reform legislation Yes No Obama
Released income tax returns to the public Yes No Obama
Use of Earmarks and Pork Spending See The Hill’s comparison
See The Hill’s Comparison Obama
Pledged to post all meetings as President online Yes No Obama
Has posted all meetings as U.S. senator online No No Tie
Has given an ethics speech and proposal Yes - Proposal - Speech Yes - Proposal - Speech Tie
Passed ethics legislation at state level Yes No Obama
Pushed ethics legislation in U.S. Senate
  • Passed a bill that created a searchable database that allows Americans to track how the government is spending their tax money! You can look at all federal government contracts. (www.usaspending.gov)
  • Pushed new Senate ethics bill to require candidates to disclose their bundlers
  • Pushed to create a Congressional Ethics Commission
  • Pushed a law banning subsidized corporate flights for candidates

Obama

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