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Real Time Investigations

  1. #6 Political Partytime Podcast: Trump, Clinton and the numbers/parties to watch By Drew Doggett Nov 1, 2016 10:49 a.m.

    Sunlight's Melissa Yeager, Drew Doggett, Josh Stewart and Louis Serino get together for a discussion to chat about the big fundraising numbers to know and all the parties where politicians are raising big cash for the final few day of the election. We also talk a bit about some great money in...  

  2. #5 Political Party Time Podcast: Fundraisers, clipart and pancakes2016! By Drew Doggett Oct 25, 2016 10:10 a.m.

    Sunlight's Drew Doggett and Louis Serino get together for a quick podcast to talk about the big fundraisers this week and how Hillary Clinton is dominating the money race for the White House. We also chat a little bit about lobbyist fundraisers in the Indiana Senate race and why clipart is critical...  

  3. Trump Tower vs. Chappaqua: Battle of the hometown zip codes By Ben Berliner Aug 26, 2016 12:56 p.m.

    One candidate was born in the city; the other moved there before becoming Senator. One of them holds a significant fundraising edge over the other in New York City.  

  4. 44-to-1: How Clinton is outraising Trump in America’s wealthiest ZIP codes By Ben Berliner Aug 16, 2016 10:47 a.m.

    We know Hillary Clinton is out-fundraising Donald Trump this election, but the gap between the two in our nation's wealthiest areas is staggering.  

  5. #4 Political Party Time Podcast: Tracking influence at the conventions and lobbyists at the DNC By Drew Doggett Aug 3, 2016 11:11 a.m.

    Come listen to the Sunlight staff discuss what we learned at the RNC/DNC conventions and how we unmasked the DNC superdelegates.  

  6. Special interest groups double dip at RNC, DNC conventions By Libby Watson Jul 26, 2016 2:41 p.m.

    Corporations and special interests have flooded the RNC and DNC conventions. The most lucrative groups are those who get their money's worth by sponsoring events at both conventions.  

  7. New report: Democratic convention fueled by private donations By Ben Berliner Jul 25, 2016 11:20 a.m.

    Republicans and Democrats share one common trait: their party conventions are buoyed by private fundraisers and special interests.  

  8. Shalabh Kumar gives nearly $900,000 to Trump Victory By Ben Berliner Jul 21, 2016 3:14 p.m.

    Donald Trump’s campaign and the RNC got a major financial boost with a massive $898,800 contribution from Indian-American industrialist — and longtime GOP ally — Shalabh Kumar. Donations this big are possible thanks to Trump’s joint fundraising committee with the RNC and multiple state GOP...  

  9. New report shows GOP turning to deep-pocketed private donors to fund 2016 convention By Ben Berliner Jul 18, 2016 2:31 p.m.

    How many deep-pocketed individuals have ponied up $100,200 — the maximum limit allowed — to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland? How many millions in private funds has the GOP raised to pay for this year’s event? How much of that money came from high-dollar donors? The answer to...  

  10. Big money fuels expensive party conventions By Ben Berliner Jul 7, 2016 10:57 a.m.

    These aren't your grandfather's conventions. While the RNC and DNC extravaganzas continue to lose their shiny aura, they still perform one crucial role for the parties: fundraising.  

  11. Rubio returns with reception for the ages By Drew Doggett Jul 1, 2016 10:24 a.m.

    Welcome back to the fundraising circuit Senator Rubio. Thanks for lining up an all-star cast of PAC support.  

there's more

We're moving

By Sunlight Reporting Group Dec 6, 2013 5:37 p.m.

Look around and say ta-ta to the somewhat worse for wear furnishings surrounding this story: We at Sunlight's Reporting Group are packing up our trenchcoats and fedoras, our pencils and notebooks and surfing on over to join the rest of our Sunlight colleagues on the foundation's main blog.  Beginning next week, that's where you'll find all of our work. And we'll be starting off with a literal and figurative bang, so you'll definitely want to check us out on Monday.

Not to worry faithful readers: The same URL that you've already got bookmarked will take you there and any RSS feeds you've got automatically will transfer over. But if you have any problems, email us here.

For the foreseeable future, this site will remain live for those who want to check out some of our trackers in the carousel above. But all of our new writing will appear on the main blog. You'll also be able to enjoy and be enlightened by posts from Sunlight's labs, policy and communications teams there but if you want to filter for just the Reporting Group's posts, you can do that here, or by signing up for our RSS feed.

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Christmas comes early? US Chamber spends $750k in one week

By Peter Olsen-Phillips Dec 6, 2013 5:37 p.m.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent an astounding $750,000 in the past week alone on ad buys for mainstream Republican candidates in four different races, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and Senate hopeful Rep. Shelly Moore Capito, R-W.V.

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IRS takes aim at $300 million campaign influence industry

By Kathy Kiely Nov 26, 2013 5:03 p.m.

Updated: 11/26; 6 p.m.

Tuesday's surprise announcement that the Internal Revenue Service intends to take aim at campaign spending by so-called social welfare non-profits could substantially alter the political landscape  -- if the tax agency's proposed new regulations eventually take effect. That's a big if given the lengthy and, given the stakes involved, highly contentious path ahead.

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Happy Thankgiving! How does campaign cash affect the food on your plate?

By Nancy Watzman Nov 26, 2013 11:35 a.m.

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, with President Barack Obama scheduled to deliver the annual stay of execution for the National Thanksgiving Turkey on Wednesday. But on Capitol Hill, there's less goodwill: An end to the impasse on the farm bill is not in sight. Last year at this time we reported that Congress had let the massive bill that governs farm programs as well as food programs for the needy expired months before the holiday; this year is much the same, with little hope of the lawmakers -- who are off on their own holiday recess -- coming to agreement come December let alone by Thanksgiving Day.

Where there's controversy, there's political money, and agribusiness continues to pour campaign contributions into the coffers of the members of Congress who matter most:  So far this election cycle, top recipients of donations from agricultural services companies, according to Sunlight's Influence Explorer  were Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla, who happens to be chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee but, perhaps more to the point, he happens to be the Senate Republican leader. He's also facing a tough reelection fight next year that's likely to make him especially grateful for contributions.

MORE: See Party Time's list of fundraisers for members of the House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee.

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