Public Campaign

Watchdogs Want Bright Light On 'Super Committee's' Activities

Susan Crabtree | August 4, 2011, 3:07PM

Two dozen public interest, consumer, and government watchdog organizations want to shine a bright light on the activities of the newly established super committee tasked with finding $1.5 trillion in additional deficit reduction this fall.

Specifically, the groups want members of the joint Congressional committee to put a halt to all political fundraising while they conduct their work and provide details of any and all meetings and contacts with with lobbyists and outside parties.

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Topics: Congress, Debt ceiling, Fundraising, Lobbyists, Public Campaign, deficit-reduction, super committee, transparency

Debt ceiling

Reid Not Surprised By Boehner's Debt Ceiling Vote Fail Given Their Recent Performance

Ryan J. Reilly | July 28, 2011, 11:10PM

TPM caught up with Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) just after he closed down business in the Senate for the night because House Republicans weren't able to get enough votes to pass House Speaker John Boehner's debt ceiling proposal.

Asked if he had expected the day to end with no vote in the House, Reid told TPM, "With their performance the last few days I don't expect anything."

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Topics: Debt ceiling, Harry Reid, John Boehner

Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan's $700-Wine-Sipping Buddies: Hedge Fund Manager And University Of Chicago Economist

Susan Crabtree | July 9, 2011, 5:24PM

It didn't take long for TPM readers to identify the two likeminded conservatives with whom Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) shared two pricey $350 bottles of Pinot Noir Wednesday night.

The two names repeatedly flooded into TPM's e-mail since our story on Ryan's big spending night first ran Friday, and we spent the next 24 hours trying to reach the pair to confirm their identities and get their side of the story.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Hey Big Spenders: What Else Could Wealthy Candidates Buy With All That Campaign Cash?]

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Topics: Clifford Asness, Debt ceiling, John Cochrane, Medicare, National Debt, Paul Ryan, Social Security, wine