The $410 billion bill to keep the government running apparently contained thousands of earmarks, according to The Post. According to sources, several of the Democratic leaders defended the earmarking process, saying it was better for members of Congress to pick projects in their districts than to leave to federal agencies the task of developing them.
A Florida donor was indicted for “funneling illegal campaign contributions” to several candidates and a political party, according to this Times report. The indictment charges that those suspect donations were in fact illegally orchestrated and reimbursed by Mr. Ali to circumvent caps on individual contributions as well as a ban on donations from foreign citizens. […]
Gov. Bob Riley seeks to overhaul ethics laws in the state’s “war on corruption.” Riley’s proposal, among other things, would: — Require the registration of lobbyists who lobby the executive branch. — Cap what lobbyists can spend on a public official’s meal to $50 or an aggregate value of $200 from any one source during […]