Our New Newsletter, Corporate Monitors, Campaign Contributors and Much More!

VoterWatch does not endorse the contents of the following video (and he’s no longer in the running, anyway), but it sure is interesting—and worth viewing:

A few days ago, we launched our first newsletter! Our weekly newsletter will provide an overview of our work at VoterWatch, while promoting the initiatives of other transparency and citizen engagement-centered organizations. If you didn’t receive it, be sure to send an e-mail to and we’ll add you to our contact list. Or, visit our homepage and sign up there!

Now that the long weekend has passed (hopefully everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day), we are back with our Transparency Recap. Starting this edition off is the POGO blog with its coverage of a report released by the United States Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General. The report highlights the mismanagement of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to contractors in Iraq. Even more troubling is the overall lack of oversight and control present in the dispersion process:

“The report is rife with examples of millions of dollars being handed out on the basis of a few hastily scribbled words on slips of paper with no indication of what was being purchased, why it was being purchased, or if the good or service was ever delivered or performed.”

Over at All Things Whistleblower, Dylan Blaylock covers “corporate monitors”—programs that enable corporations who have engaged in wrongful action to avoid prosecution. According to Blaylock:

“In what is really a shocking abuse of government power, it is now known that at least 30 former government prosecutors in the Bush administration have secured controversial lucrative positions as “corporate monitors...”

Check the story out for more details.

The Washington Posts’ Stephen Barr reports on a new bill that was introduced by Reps. David E. Price (D-N.C.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.). The bill “...would create graduate-level scholarships for students who commit to public service.” According to estimates, one-third of the government’s experienced professional/technical employees will be retiring within the next five years. Clearly, this is causing alarm, as this Baby Boomer generation’s exit will free up a plethora of government jobs. This is definitely an interesting proposal to monitor.

And who wouldn’t be completely enthralled by OpenSecrets’ most recent post where you can see who the top industry backers are for McCain, Clinton and Obama? These figures are preliminary—and they’re based on April’s contributions.

Over on the CREW blog, Ron Paul is at the center of political chatter. According to CREW, Paul has a number of family members on his campaign staff. With his campaign money staying “all in the family,” there are some potential ethics issues to consider. While he’s not breaking the law, the public surely has the right to question where these contributions are going—to his campaign, or to his family members.

by billy

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