SOLYNDRA ELECTION CONNECTION. The Hill. “Portions of emails released by House Republicans suggest that Obama administration officials pressed the now-bankrupt solar company Solyndra to delay announcing pending layoffs until after the 2010 midterm elections.”
O’DONNELL PLEA TOO HARSH. Story here. “A federal judge in Los Angeles rejected a plea agreement between prosecutors and prominent attorney Pierce O’Donnell on Monday, saying a six-month prison term for the lawyer’s illegal political contributions was too harsh.”
TRADE GROUPS COMMENT ON OGE PROPOSAL. Story here. “Trade organizations large, small and obscure are at odds with the Obama administration over a proposal that would ban lobbyists from giving gifts to federal employees.”
LIFE FOR STOCK ACT? Story here. “[Former Rep.] Baird, a six-term Washington Democrat who decided not to run for re-election last year, was featured in the CBS News show’s report on insider trading — all apparently legal — by members of Congress acting on advance knowledge of market-moving legislation or private government briefings.” An Indiana professor has more on the legal issues here. Peter Schweizer’s new book, “Throw Them All Out,” couldn’t be more timely.
CAMPAIGN SURROGATES. Story here. “Obama administration Cabinet members and senior aides are fanning out across the country in an aggressive fundraising drive, taking advantage of porous campaign finance laws that allow them to appear as marquee speakers and raise substantial money for the president’s reelection effort.”
CONGRESSIONAL TRAVEL RECAP. Story here. “Sectors ranging from financial services, energy and agriculture to more ideologically driven groups like the Aspen Institute and the National Democratic Institute have footed the bill for events largely considered educational. Often the trips allow industry players with business before Congress to get face time with lawmakers and their staff.”
BEREANO SEEKS REVERSAL OF CONVICTION. Story here. “Seventeen years after his 1994 convictions for mail fraud, Maryland lobbyist Bruce Bereano is looking to clear his name.”
HAVE A GREAT DAY.