15 States Have Already Taken Steps to Make the Electoral College Obsolete
“The candidate with the most votes should win.”
Page 97
Democratic Leaders Rake in Corporate Cash as ‘the Squad’ Sticks With Small Donors
A Sludge analysis of new second-quarter campaign finance reports has found that the Democratic leaders in the House combined to take in nearly $1.2 million in contributions from corporate and trade association PACs.
Days After Taking Money from Big Pharma, Bucshon Criticized Trump’s Drug Price Disclosure Rule
Bucshon's recent donors include the PACs of drug companies that sued the government to block the disclosure rule.
Donna Shalala Opposes Florida Drug Import Bill, and So Do Her Pharma Lobbyist Donors
The Democratic congresswoman and former HHS secretary called a bill to allow her state to import cheaper drugs from Canada “the silliest thing I’ve ever heard of.”
Private Equity’s Latest Scheme: Closing Urban Hospitals and Selling Off the Real Estate
Thousands are expected to rally Thursday against the closing of Hahnemann University Hospital, a 171-year-old facility in Center City Philadelphia.
SLUDGE REPORT: Using Campaign Cash to Fund Your Affairs, Corrupting a National Holiday, and Collaborating with the Russians
Your biweekly summary of the most shameful corruption in politics.
National Grid Asks Customers to Help it Lobby for a New Fracked Gas Pipeline
The utility company implemented a moratorium on new service in the NYC area after a billion-dollar fracked-gas pipeline project was rejected by New York and New Jersey governments, and is now pressing its customers in a last-ditch lobbying effort.
After Supreme Court Refusal, It’s Up to the People to End Gerrymandering
The first step is to transfer redistricting power away from legislators to independent commissions.
These Nonprofits and Businesses Are Making Millions From Detaining Immigrant Children
Dozens of nonprofit shelter groups and several for-profit companies have made enormous amounts of money from detaining and transporting migrant kids.
Rep. Gottheimer Asks Regulators to Deregulate Banks He’s Invested In
At the behest of a big-bank trade group, Gottheimer rallied 16 of his fellow Democrats to join him in urging financial regulators to gut a provision of Dodd-Frank that protects insured depository institutions from risky trading.