lobbying

February 10, 2015 - In a new report, "Tar Heel Power Brokers," Facing South/Institute for Southern Studies ranks the top 101 most influential special interests in North Carolina politics through a combination of lobbying power and political spending in N.C. state-level elections. These four interactive graphics tell the story of these power brokers' influence in state government.

January 28, 2015 - The Obama administration has proposed opening Atlantic waters to offshore oil and gas drilling after years of being lobbied by a coalition of coastal-state governors that had more than a little industry help. But a growing grassroots movement aims to keep the drills at bay.

December 22, 2014 - Environmentalists say a long-awaited federal rule governing disposal of the toxic waste left over after burning coal is "too little and too late" -- and that when the next disaster inevitably occurs the White House will share the blame.

November 21, 2014 - A report released this week by the Sunlight Foundation calculated what 200 of America's most politically active corporations invested in federal lobbying and campaign contributions over six years -- and the value of what they got in return: $760 in federal support and contracts for every $1 spent.

November 5, 2014 - Propositions dealing with hot-button issues including the minimum wage, fracking, marijuana, income taxes, abortion, Islamic Sharia law, and political corruption were on state and local ballots across the South this year. We take a look at how they fared.

July 23, 2014 - Environmentalists and others have condemned the Obama administration's decision to open up the Atlantic to seismic testing for oil and gas reserves, blaming political pressure from deep-pocketed oil and gas interests. Just how much is the industry spending to influence federal policy?

April 8, 2014 - After a flood protection authority in Southeast Louisiana filed a lawsuit against almost 100 oil and gas companies seeking to recoup billions of dollars for damages they've caused to the coast, the industry's friends in state government have scrambled to make the lawsuit retroactively illegal.