Peter Overby http://kunc.org en IRS Official's Silence Riles House Committee Members http://kunc.org/post/irs-officials-silence-riles-house-committee-members Transcript <p>RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: <p>The IRS has admitted to targeting conservative groups seeking tax exempt status. And yesterday at a House hearing the IRS director of exempt organizations said, quote: "I have not done anything wrong." She then declined to testify. Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000 Peter Overby 44701 at http://kunc.org Some Lawmakers Want Big-Budget Groups Included In IRS Debate http://kunc.org/post/some-lawmakers-want-big-budget-groups-included-irs-debate <p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l2s_q_kfrU</p><p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdYjp8-RMwA</p> Thu, 16 May 2013 22:01:00 +0000 Peter Overby 44421 at http://kunc.org Why Lobbying Is Now Increasingly In The Shadows http://kunc.org/post/why-lobbying-now-increasingly-shadows While ideological gridlock continues to immobilize Capitol Hill, another of Washington's institutions is morphing behind the scenes.<p>The lobbying industry is becoming more secretive — reversing a trend that dates back to the 1990s. And campaign money now looms ever larger as a critical element in the persuasion business.<p>Ever since Congress strengthened the lobbying disclosure laws in 1995, most lobbyists have routinely registered and filed their quarterly disclosures of clients, issues and fees. Fri, 03 May 2013 07:24:00 +0000 Peter Overby 43781 at http://kunc.org Why Lobbying Is Now Increasingly In The Shadows FEC: DOMA Limits Political Donations By Gay Married Couples http://kunc.org/post/fec-doma-limits-political-donations-gay-married-couples Maybe it's not your first thought after saying "I do," but federal election law gives married couples some advantages in making political contributions. The Federal Election Commission tried Thursday to make those same breaks available to couples in same-sex marriages — but commissioners said they're thwarted by the federal Defense of Marriage Act.<p>True, President Obama's Justice Department no longer defends DOMA, and the Supreme Court is weighing whether to get rid of it. But the FEC didn't want to get too far out in front. Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:36:00 +0000 Peter Overby 43453 at http://kunc.org FEC: DOMA Limits Political Donations By Gay Married Couples IRS To 'Social Welfare' Groups: Show Me The Political Ad Money http://kunc.org/post/irs-social-welfare-groups-show-me-political-ad-money There are still unanswered questions about the politically active 501(c)(4) "social welfare" groups. The anonymously funded entities' multimillion-dollar ad budgets helped to clog the airwaves last year.<p>How much did they really spend to intervene in the 2012 campaign? What kinds of sources supplied their money? Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:51:00 +0000 Peter Overby 42251 at http://kunc.org IRS To 'Social Welfare' Groups: Show Me The Political Ad Money