Public Views Congress as Top Culprit in Debt Debate, Poll Finds. Mailbag: Pro-Israel Money, Ethics Inquires and More. Welcome to the latest installment of OpenSecrets.org Mailbag, where we answer your burning questions about the role of money in politics, political influence and the work we do here at OpenSecrets.org. So without further ado, this week's questions: QUESTION: What criteria do you use to classify a PAC as pro-Israel? I noticed that most of the PACs listed as pro-Israel do not have anything about Israel (or Jews) in their titles or in their mission statement filing with the FEC.
How do you decide that they should be considered pro-Israel PACs? -- Susan T. ANSWER: Jihan Andoni, the Center for Responsive Politics' research director, is here to field this one: Classifying pro-Israel political action committees isn't different from classifying any other special interest political action committee. A good example of the latter is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). QUESTION: Who makes up the Ethics Committee in the Congress and Senate? ANSWER: Six senators sit on the the U.S. Giffords’s Fellow Female Lawmakers Show Support.
Then there was the leader, a mother-hen type who made sure that some of the seats on the Armed Services Committee went to women, including the two new lawmakers. There was political plotting, and vacations by the lake. There was softball. There were double dates with their husbands, most recently with pizza. The four were reunited in Arizona for a few moments on Wednesday night, as one of the women, Representative , flicked open an eye as the sound of her friends’ voices filled her hospital room.
“I think it was a combination, perhaps, of the unexpected but familiar that really prompted her to open her eyes and look around,” said Dr. While Ms. “We met on our first day,” said Ms. They talked policy, they talked work days and they also talked about managing their lives. “Like all working moms, we do our best,” Ms. “We enjoy being there for each other,” Ms. “I don’t think I’d be talking out of school if I told you Kirsten and I are pretty good, and Gabby, not so much,” Ms. Ms. Once Ms. Ms. John Boehner turns down Air Force One ride to Tucson - John Bresnahan.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) turned down an offer by President Barack Obama to travel on Air Force One to Arizona for a memorial service on behalf of the victims of Saturday’s shooting, a decision that has upset some Democrats. Boehner is instead scheduled to attend a reception on Wednesday night on behalf of Maria Cino, a former top House GOP aide who is seeking the Republican National Committee chairmanship. Boehner is backing Cino’s challenge to current RNC Chairman Michael Steele.
Continue Reading VIDEO: Boehner remembers victims Boehner’s reception for Cino was first reported on Wednesday morning by POLITICO. “It is disrespectful for Speaker Boehner to skip joining the President’s and bipartisan congressional delegation to the Tucson Memorial so he could host a Washington D.C. cocktail party for RNC members,” said a Democratic leadership aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Boehner staffers also insisted that, as speaker, Boehner’s place is on Capitol Hill, not in Tucson.
House passes resolution honoring victims of Tucson shooting rampage. Updated: 6:20 p.m.: After more than six hours of often-emotional tributes delivered by lawmakers, the House on Wednesday approved a resolution condemning Saturday's shooting rampage in Tucson and honoring the victims of the tragedy, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). The House passed the resolution unanimously as it reconvened for its first day of business following the tragedy. House leaders have suspended all previously planned legislation in the wake of the shooting; instead, lawmaker after lawmaker took to the floor Wednesday to offer tributes to Giffords and the other victims.
For many freshman lawmakers, including Arizona Reps. Ben Quayle (R) and Dave Schweikert (R), their remarks on the tragedy Wednesday were among the first floor speeches of their congressional careers. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), choking up during his floor speech, urged Giffords to "keep at it. "Times like these make it unmistakably clear how important second chances are," Becerra said. Rep. Election Results 2010 LIVE. One of the powerhouse Democratic advocacy releases a long, probing statement on last night's election results.
Full text below: Last night was devastating, no question. Our members spent months working tirelessly for our progressive heroes and to help Democrats keep the House--and the results are far from what we wanted. We are glad our progressive hero, Barbara Boxer, will be returning to Congress, but we're deeply saddened at the losses of Russ Feingold, Tom Perriello, and Alan Grayson—all of whom have fought hard for progressive principles and the American middle class. These folks ran proudly on their records, but in the end, as Democratic incumbents, the combination of voter discontent and corporate cash was just too much for them to overcome. We have seen significant accomplishments over the last two years —more children have health care, more Americans are protected from predatory practices on Wall Street, and more students can afford to go to college. The Online NewsHour: About Us | Press Release.
DEMs. At 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear' by Two Satirists, Thousands — Billions? — Respond. It was a Democratic rally without a Democratic politician, featuring instead two political satirists, Mr. Stewart and Mr. Colbert, who used the stage to rib journalists and fear-mongering politicians, and to argue with each other over the songs “Peace Train” and “Crazy Train.” Though at no point during the show did either man plug a candidate, a strong current of political engagement coursed through the crowd, which stretched several long blocks west of the Capitol, an overwhelming response to a call by Mr.
Stewart on his “Daily Show.” The event, sponsored by Viacom’s Comedy Central network and televised live, was viewed by many in the crowd as a counterweight to Restoring Honor, a rally led by the Fox News Channel host near the Lincoln Memorial two months ago. The did not offer a formal crowd estimate. For many, the rally on Saturday was an opportunity to take control of the political narrative, if only for one sunny afternoon. Other signs were absurdist. Mr. Mark St.
Arizona shooting brings tension between left and Tea Party to boiling point. BlackburnReintroduces Bill To Kill Net Neutrality Rules - 2011-01-05 21:56:27.