I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The Sunlight Foundation pulled no punches in criticizing a reported deal on a federal campaign finance bill that would exempt large groups, such as the National Rifle Association, from disclosing their donors and the ads they pay for. The transparency group said Democratic leaders “caved to” the National Rifle Association “so the NRA would not oppose the DISCLOSE Act.”
Sunlight’s Government Affairs Consultant wrote:
We are disheartened that some would forgive the exemption on the grounds that it is so narrow it won’t open the floodgates for secret money in elections. Perhaps it won’t. But the simple fact that the NRA could demand such an exception in a shadowy backroom deal demonstrates why we need more, not less, sunlight on the entire process. It also raises the concern that yet another organization will demand its own carve-out as the bill works its way through the Senate. And perhaps another during conference? Where does the deal-making end and backbone begin?
The proposed exemption reportedly would only apply to very large, established groups. According to reports, the groups would have to be at least ten years old, have a million members and members in each of the 50 states.
