The Washington Times has scored internal documents it claims show Barack Obama has been rewarding major donors to the Democratic Party with exclusive access to the White House, administration advisers and important meetings.
Political donations
Anna Bligh: just say no to political donations
In a Press Club address, the Queensland leader has called for a total — or partial — ban on political donations, saying it will help revitalise political parties at a grassroots level.
Barry O’Farrell sticks his neck out on donations reform
Barry O’Farrell has stuck his neck out on political donations reform, lobbyist activities and election expenditure in an attempt to make ground on Premier Rees. But his own political fundraising is under question, writes Lee Rhiannon.
Voters torn on political donations
Newspoll has produced some interesting results on the public’s perception of political funding, reports Possum Comitatus, with opinions on third-party donations splitting strongly along age and gender lines.
Political corruption not just in QLD
That fact that political donations, that hot little topic that Anna Bligh brought into the media spotlight this week, is controversial just proves reform is needed.
Liberals and Fielding block our right to know
Who purchased access to senior Labor ministers at the ALP national conference? If the Senate would pass pending legislation, we might just find out.
Is this the end of the $10,000 plate?
Anna Bligh’s attempts to curtailing the influence of lobbyists and political donations will have some dramatic repercussions for all politicians. Will business fundraiser dinners be a thing of the past?
New donations laws are bad news for NGOs
The proposed new rules to political donations may have signifcant effects on NGOs, since governments increasingly regard NGOs as direct competitors in the political system.
Lobbyists line up to speed date government ministers
Businesses have forked out thousands to sit down to meetings with senior Rudd Government ministers, out of the gaze of the media, as an official part of the ALP National Conference.
Palin fundraising has echoes of Obama
Sarah Palin’s fundraising haul this year has mostly come from small, grass-roots donors. It may not give her huge economic clout going into 2012, but, says Nate Silver, as Obama discovered, small donors often turn into activists and voters.
Media magnates split the bill on political donations
Australia’s media proprietors have given the major political parties around $1.6m in donations in the last two years.
Have NSW political donors failed to disclose donations?
A number of NSW political donors may have failed to disclose the full extent of their political donations, a comparison of NSW and Commonwealth electoral disclosure data shows.
The ALP’s budget fundraising bonanza
The Labor Party will again reap hundreds of thousands of dollars from business with its Budget Night dinner this year.
Axe Bishop, Andrews, Ruddock et al, say Lib donors
Big dollar big business donors are demanding Liberal Party renewal, according to a column from Glenn Milne.
Babcock & Brown political donations will be missed
When the helium-driven investment bank Babcock & Brown collapsed into the arms of the administrator last Friday, the major political parties lowered their flags to half mast, writes Alex Mitchell.
Coalition stymies donations transparency. Again.
The Government’s electoral reform bill has been blocked by the party that lost the election and a senator elected on the vote of 1.77% of Victorians, writes Bernard Keane.
NSW MP caught in jail privatisation conflict
Can the Public Service Association “comrades” union expect tireless support from Paul McLeay, their former deputy general secretary? Asks Alex Mitchell.
Business donations crossed the floor in 2007
The 2007-08 political donations data shows a massive surge in business donations to the ALP prior to the 2007 election, compared to prior to the 2004 election, writes Bernard Keane.
GetUp and its strange but well-heeled bedfellows
Monday’s list of political donations revealed left-leaning lobbyists GetUp spent a massive $1.2 million on political activity, writes Andrew Crook.
Rudd’s brilliant disaster diversion from China donations scandal
The ALP remains the only major political party in the world that actually runs pokies operations to help finance its campaigns, writes Stephen Mayne.
Former high flying businesses among biggest political donors
Amid a veritable plethora of corporate donations, a couple stand out from the list of media, property, coal and resource and Asian groups on the list, writes Glenn Dyer.
News Ltd sheepish in NSW political donation confusion
1700 firms and individuals have been caught on the wrong side of NSW political donations law. Confusion is a possibility, writes Bernard Keane.
ALP’s Budget night function to bring home the bacon
The ALP has issued invitations to its Budget Night function, to be held in the Great Hall at Parliament House. However, the ALP has advised invitees that it will be disclosing the purchase of tickets to the Electoral Commission, writes Bernard Keane.
Developer donations: Not bribing but taxing
Why would a property developer give money to political parties for no apparent return? John Addis ponders a quasi-Sicilian conclusion.
