US News and World Report: Report could tighten FDA's oversight of medical devices- The U.S. Institute of Medicine plans to release a report Friday that could change the way medical devices are regulated.

Sacramento Bee: Here's why Congress has such a hard time on the debt limit- Why is it so hard to get a debt limit agreement?

Reporter News: Tenaska opposition calls for Stamford council to reconsider water vote- Two weeks after the Stamford City Council approved a water deal with Tenaska, organized opponents of the company's proposed coal power plant have called for the vote to be remanded back to the council.

New York Times: Study of medical device rules is attacked sight unseen-Allies of the medical device industry are waging an extraordinary campaign in Washington to discredit a coming report by one of the country’s pre-eminent scientific groups that examines possible new regulations on the industry.

Reuters: Report could sway US FDA device review process- The Institute of Medicine is poised to advise the U.S. drug regulator how it can refine its medical device approval process to get products to market quickly while protecting patients.

EHS Today: OSHA must take swift action on Beryllium exposure limits-Beryllium is a rare earth metal used in metalwork, electronics manufacturing and the nuclear energy sector.

The Hill: Overnight health: states feel time-crunch on exchanges- States whose legislatures haven't passed bills to establish an insurance exchange say they're feeling the time-crunch as they try to plan for an exchange.

 

International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development: Passage of US FTAs likely delayed until after August recess, with possible way forward in sight- The beleaguered process of ratifying the US trade pacts with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea is unlikely to conclude before the US Congress goes on its August recess next week, as Republicans and Democrats continue sparring over worker aid and the federal debt limit.

Project on Government Oversight: Conflicts of interest in FDA advisory committees: are weaker standards on the way?- Can a drug or device company use hidden payments to members of FDA advisory committees to ensure that that member will provide favorable advice to the FDA about their product?

Injury Litigation News: Zocor muscle injury-Grapefruits are full of health benefits like vitamin C, lycopene, and other free-radical-fighting antioxidants, but those who take a Zocor or other statin pills with a glass of grapefruit juice could experience a Zocor muscle injury, rhabdomyolysis, or in rare cases, life-threatening liver or kidney damage.

USA Today: Steroid drugs may pose vision danger, stronger warning urged- Steroid drugs such as prednisone taken by 25.5 million Americans for arthritis, cancer, transplants and other conditions need stronger consumer warnings about a rare but possibly irreversible vision impairment, a University of Michigan eye doctor and the consumer Public Citizen organization said Tuesday in a federal petition for stronger warning labels on the drugs.

New York Times: A trade barrier to defeating AIDS- In Friday’s Fixes column, I wrote about the Medicines Patent Pool, a new organization trying to make AIDS drugs better, cheaper and available sooner to people who need them in poor countries.

Washington Times: Both parties scheme for Ponzi cash- The fundraising arms for Democratic and Republican members of Congress don’t agree on much, except when it comes to all the big donations they’ve gotten over the years from jailed financier R. Allen Stanford.

The Hill: Overnight heatlth: AARP backs tighter limits on Medigap plans- After taking heat earlier in the year over making money from Medigap plans, AARP announced Tuesday that it supports new limits on the plans' profits.

Medscape News: Public Citizen wants 'unethical' Canakinumab trials halted- The watchdog group Public Citizen wants the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately suspend 2 clinical trials involving canakinumab (Ilaris, Novartis) in light of safety concerns that caused an FDA advisory panel to vote against approving the drug for acute flares of gouty arthritis.

Los Angeles Times: Activist who faked energy lease bids faces sentencing- In early 2009, one of the Obama administration's first moves was to rule that a last-minute George W. Bush administration sale of 77 energy leases on federal land in Utah's red rock country had been improperly administered.

Radio New Zealand: Key arrives in Washington to push trade talks- Prime Minister John Key has arrived in Washington for two days of top level talks culminating in a meeting with President Barak Obama.

MyFDL: Call bullsh*t on these crap trade deals- During a July 8 press conference in the Rose Garden just after the disastrous June jobs numbers were made public, our President went on the jobs offensive.

Huffington Post: Columbia Free Trade Agreement: violence, potential job losses hang over deal- As U.S. lawmakers inch closer to enacting a long-stalled trade agreement with Colombia, the deal's proponents have cited the safer atmosphere for Colombian union leaders and workers as a primary reason for finally pushing the deal through. 

Huffington Post: GOP struggles to please business allies without giving Obama win on trade deals- Congress is widely expected to vote on a series of major trade deals with Panama, South Korea and Colombia at some point before its August recess.

The Washington Independent: US House votes to weaken consumer protections- The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved HR 1315, also called the Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act.

MyFox Washington DC: Drug prices to plummet in wave of expiring patents-The cost of prescription medicines used by millions of people every day is about to plummet.

Reuters: Shale boom drives flaring spike- Flaring of natural gas from wells is on the upswing in Texas and North Dakota as oil and gas producers rush to develop new shale plays, and critics are not happy about it.

MedPage Today: Medical News: FDA chief defends approval process- FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, addressed on Monday the "increasing drumbeat" of criticism suggesting that the agency is slowing innovation by requiring drug and device companies to wait excessively long periods for approval. 

Mother Jones: Up to 10 years in prison for Tim DeChristopher- In December 2008, during the waning hours of the Bush administration, climate activist Tim DeChristpher walked in on a Utah auction and bid nearly $2 million on federal land for sale.

Bloomberg: Lobbying Greek debt holders, Finra warning, Erste Group bank: compliance- The Institute of International Finance, which lobbies on behalf of banks, is pressing members that hold Greek government debt to support a rescue package amid concern it may not reach its 90 percent participation target.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Perry environmental stance would transform EPA- As governor, Rick Perry has argued that the Environmental Protection Agency has strangled business and interfered with state environmental efforts, and he has championed a half-dozen lawsuits challenging federal air pollution and greenhouse-gas regualtions.

LA Times: Activist who faked energy lease bids faces sentencing- Tim DeChristopher could get up to 10 years for winning bids on 22,000 acres he couldn't pay for at a federal energy auction.

Huffington Post: Free trade deals: lobbying fever foreshadows winners, losers- The three major free trade agreements Congress will soon consider are being promoted as a big win for American workers.

Michigan Messenger: Michigan Reps. vote to weaken consumer protections-The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved HR 1315, also called the Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act.

Occupational Health & Safety: Eyes on spent fuel pools at reactor safety public meeting- The 12 recommendations made in the "Recommendations for Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century" by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Japan Task Force will be discussed July 28 in a public meeting of the commission in Rockville, Md.

Modernhealthcare.com: What's the agenda?- About 10 years ago, a well-known pharmaceutical asked Dr. Daniel Carlat to serve on a medical advisory board.

Austin American-Statesman: Perry environmental stance would transform EPA-As governor of Texas, Rick Perry has argued that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has strangled business and interfered with state environmental efforts, and he has championed a half-dozen lawsuits challenging federal air pollution and greenhouse gas regulations.

Charlotte Observer: House thwarts Watt's move to cut funding- The U.S. House on Friday roundly rejected a move by U.S. Rep. Mel Watt to slice the budget of an independent ethics office, a move several watchdog groups denounced and one called "a personal vendetta."

Midland Daily News: Musings on the state of our democracy- In the early 1770s, the American colonies were struggling economically because King George of England had blessed the East India Company with a monopoly in selling tea to the colonies.

Boston Globe: Consumer group asks Blue Cross for explanation on study response from White Coat Notes- On Wednesday, the day before researchers at Cambridge Health Alliance released the results of a study that found that even patients with good insurance coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts have a difficult time getting mental health care, the insurer’s spokesman e-mailed the hospital group with an objection.

Earthjustice: Playing hide-and-seek with energy efficiency information- Which of the following should online consumers have to do to be able to evaluate the operating costs of an appliance?

PressTV: Report exposes Wall Street lobbty against CEO pay reform-Remember the big Wall Street showdown? Thought that ended a year ago, when President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation? Think again.

New Orleans City Business: Future, authority of new consumer agency in doubt- A brand new federal agency tasked with regulating the nation’s consumer financial industry – including everything from debt collection practices to mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer contracts – is set to launch. And its future couldn’t be more unclear.

FiercePharma: FDA joins Multaq review, reveals prelim study data- FDA has joined the Multaq review effort.

TPMMuckraker: Wall Street takes aim at new transparency rule for executive pay- Wall Street has deployed an army of lobbyists to try to whittle away as much of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill as possible, spending $242.2 million on 712 hired guns to press their message on Capitol Hill since the beginning of 2010, according to a new report by Public Citizen.

Texas Tribune: Thompson: friend of the underdog and the powerful- When a special interest group tried to defeat her insurance bill this session with a flier condemning the “nanny state” and showing an infant suckling a woman’s breast, Houston state Rep. Senfronia Thompson couldn’t contain her outrage.

Fox News: Obama's tricky campaign cash: Insider fundraising events and wooing Wall Street- The 2012 election is expected to break fundraising records, with some estimates putting President Obama raising upwards of $1 billion -- which brings into focus the creative and tricky lines the Obama campaign has to walk to bring in cash.

The Wall Street Journal: The Senate's lawsuit factory- Somewhere, in some secret drawer at Tort Bar Headquarters, is an instruction manual labeled "How To Wring Legal Jackpots Out of Congress."

Politico: Watt moves to slash ethics office budget by 40 percent- After coming under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) in the 111th Congress, Democratic Rep. Mel Watt (N.C.) is trying to get revenge in a time-honored Washington fashion - he's looking to slash the independent ethics watchdog's budget by 40 percent.

Newstalk ZB: Trade talks top of agenda for Key- Trade talks are at the top of the agenda for John Key in the US

Think Progress: Top staffer for Rep. Issa's committee maintains financial relationship with lobbying group- When he became chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) hired a large new staff to assist him with investigations.

Free Speech Radio: The achievements and future challenges of the Dodd-Frank Protection Act- Today is the first anniversary of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the legislation that aims to curb some of the financial practices that led to the 2008 crisis.

Firedoglake: Too big to fail still looms, a year after Dodd-Frank- In addition to being the launch date for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, this is the one-year anniversary of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law

Capitol News Connection: State societies feed local ties in Washington- For over 100 years, the Iowa State Society has allowed Iowans in Washington to socialize, raise money for charities – and do some politicking.

UPI.com: Dodd-Frank rules slowly kick into consumer's lives- The Dodd-Frank law is slowly kicking into U.S. consumers' lives, one year after the most sweeping U.S. financial regulation since the Great Depression was enacted.

Money News: Obama vows fight over Republican efforts to weaken Dodd-Frank: President Barack Obama said he would push back against Republican attempts to alter the Dodd-Frank regulatory overhaul, in particular the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The Washington Independent: Complaints from Texas over cross-state pollution rules hint at coming battles with EPA- In the two weeks since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new rule limiting cross-state air pollution from power plants, Gov. Rick Perry and state environmental officials have been complained about the regulation in the usual terms — saying it’s a job-killer, fueled by the federal government’s thirst for regulation.

TPMMuckraker: Ethics hires special prosecutor for Waters' case amid turmoil- The House Ethics Committee has hired a special prosecutor to handle the case against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), a two-year investigation that has become mired in allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and partisan maneuvering

Washington Post: NPR, Politico, WUSA, WJLA, and others join ACLU brief in Redskins owner Daniel Snyder's lawsuit- Fourteen news and public-interest groups added their names to the amicus brief filed Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation’s Capital in the matter of Daniel M. Snyder vs. Creative Loafing, Inc., et al. — better known as the defamation lawsuit filed by the owner of the Washington Redskins against Washington City Paper and writer Dave McKenna.

eNews Park Forest: Malpractice measure in 'Gang of Six' debt ceiling proposal shifts costs from negligent doctors to U.S. taxpayers- They just don’t give up, despite the fact that their “solution” won’t save money.

San Antonio Express News: Military medicine scheme is alleged- On a sunny spring day last year, a federal investigator visited an office building at Energy Plaza on the North Side and headed to Suite 705 — headquarters of the T.R.U.E. Research Foundation.

Morning Sentinel: Collins pushes to delay boiler limit- Citing the worries of a Maine business, Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon introduced a bill Wednesday that would delay new federal regulations limiting emissions from industrial boilers.

Austin Chronicle: CELOC clock ticks toward F1 race- What's a CELOC? That's been the question puzzling Formula One enthusiasts and detractors alike, and it was answered July 16 when the Circuit Events Local Organizing Committee held its first public meeting in the offices of Armbrust & Brown.

Reno News & Review: How Congress started a holy war by elevating politics over science-Richard Bryan no longer remembers where he was or what he was doing when he heard the news.

Radio New Zealand: Key arrives in Washington to push trade talks- Prime Minister John Key has arrived in Washington for two days of top level talks culminating in a meeting with President Barack Obama

PharmaLive: Government must investigate human experiments that test a dangerous Novartis drug- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), which is housed in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, should suspend studies of a dangerous drug and promptly investigate allegations that these studies are unethical and fail to comply with federal regulations that protect human subjects, Public Citizen said today in letters to the two agencies.

Austin American-Statesman: Texas grid operator fears electricity shortage under new EPA rule- Texas could face a shortage of electrical generation within a few years if the federal government moves forward with a new rule meant to cut down on power plant smokestack emissions, the chief executive of the state's grid operator warned on Tuesday.

Chicago Tribune: The Colbert bump: Who benefits most from the Colbert bump?- What do Sarah Palin, the Federal Election Commission, the United Farm Workers of America, Wikipedia, U.S. Speedskating, pop singer Rebecca Black and Northwestern University have in common?

TPMMuckraker: Watchdogs: Bonner has to go to fix broken House ethics system- Ethics watchdogs are calling on Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) to step down as chairman of the House Ethics Committee -- at least temporarily -- for his role in the ongoing turmoil over Rep. Maxine Waters' (D-CA) case.

San Francisco Chronicle: Obama vows fight over Republican efforts to weaken Dodd-Frank: President Barack Obama said he would push back against Republican attempts to alter the Dodd-Frank regulatory overhaul, in particular the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The Economic Populist: Saturday reads around the internets- debt ceiling games are evil- Blogger George Washington nails it on the debt ceiling agenda.

USA Today: Automaker ads to protest Obama 56 mpg goal- Automakers are launching a new radio ad campaign Tuesday, accusing the Obama administration of threatening the industry's recovery by seeking a 56-mpg fuel economy target by 2025.

The Market Oracle: We don't need free trade agreements with Panama, Columbia and Korea- Obama is still pushing for free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and Korea, albeit with the thin fig leaf of demanding they be accompanied by money for so-called Trade Adjustment Assistance, a "painkiller" program designed to blunt the harm to laid-off workers.

IWatchNews: Senate Republicans vow to fight Obama nominee to head consumer bureau- Just three days before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau throws open its doors for business, President Obama nominated former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to head the new agency.

NPR: Cordray nominated to lead watchdog agency- President Obama Monday nominated former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to be the first director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

ABC News: Exit interview: Elizabeth Warren : 'I'm not throwing rocks'- President Obama today nominated former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to be director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

InvestmentNews: Obama aims to roll back roll-back of Dodd-Frank- President Obama said he would push back against Republican attempts to alter the Dodd-Frank regulatory overhaul, in particluar the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Media Matters for America (blog): Fox vilifies efficient light bulbs- The conservative media campaign in support of House GOP efforts to overturn light bulb efficiency standards signed into law by President Bush centers on two primary claims.

The Tennessean: Concierge medicine offers hands-on care at a price- At first, Rita Mitchell thought she might bolt from her doctor of 10 years after learning she’d have to pay a $1,500 annual fee to stick with him when he switched to a strategy that trimmed his patient load but promised more hands-on care to those who remained.

USA Today: Automaker ads protest Obama 56 mpg goal- Automakers are launching a new radio ad campaign Tuesday, accusing the Obama administration of threatening the industry's recovery by seeking a 56-mpg fuel economy target by 2025.

Austin American-Statesman: Williamson officials defend hiring of legislative lobbyists- The Williamson County Commissioners Court is facing criticism over spending more than $100,000 on lobbyists to help get a bill passed in the Texas Legislature that speeds up the environmental review process for transportation projects

Huffington Post (blog): No, Obama, we don't need free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and Korea- Obama is still pushing for free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and Korea, albeit with the thin fig leaf of demanding they be accompanied by money for so-called Trade Adjustment Assistance, a "painkiller" program designed to blunt the harm to laid-off workers.

Detroit Free Press: Three Michiganians raise at least $250K for Obama campaign last quarter- Three Michiganians raised at least $250,000 for President Barack Obama's re-election in the most recent reporting quarter, according to a list his campaign released today.

Roll Call: Ethics case against Massa reopens- The House Ethics Committee on Friday announced it has re-convened an investigative subcommittee to look into allegations that former Rep. Eric Massa sexually harassed a male staff member

New York Times: House Republicans accuse EPA, enviros of collusion- Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) believes that U.S. EPA has worked out a nifty way to make an end run around both Congress and the federal regulatory process when it wants to implement a new rule that may be politically sensitive.

Detroit Free Press: Radio ads will warn that CAFE standards are threat to auto industry recovery- Automakers are publicly taking the gloves off in the fight over upcoming fuel economy standards, launching a campaign of radio advertisements accusing the Obama administration of threatening the industry’s fragile recovery.

Politico: Wall Street strikes at regulations- Wall Street’s epic battle over financial reforms didn’t end when the Dodd-Frank law was enacted a year ago.

AFL-CIO Blog: Polls show Americans overwhelmingly oppose bad trade deals- With free trade agreements between the United States and Panama, South Korea and Colombia set to hit the congressional floor as soon as this month, lawmakers should check out recent polling which shows American voters are overwhelmingly opposed to trade deals that end up sending jobs overseas.

Infoshop News: The FTA hat trick and the climatic free fall- Republican Representative Sam Graves shot wide of the mark in a recent article, published on Politico last Friday, touting the upcoming free trade agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Colombia and Panama on the basis of defending small businesses.

The Nation: Like water for gold in El Salvador- Thirty years ago, several thousand civilians in the northern Salvadoran community of Santa Marta quickly gathered a few belongings and fled the US-funded Salvadoran military as it burned their houses and fields in an early stage of the country’s twelve-year civil war.

Aboutlawsuits.com: Public Citizen calls for closing of hydrofracking loophole -The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is pressing lawmakers to close loopholes that allow energy companies to contaminate drinking water supplies through a controversial gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing. 

The Day: Money, money everywhere- If the election were held tomorrow and the outcome were based on campaign funds raised rather than votes cast, Barack Obama would win in a landslide.

Reuters: Obama said ready to move on South Korea trade bill- President Barack Obama will soon send a free trade pact with South Korea to Congress for approval despite Republican threats to vote against it because of a retraining program for workers displaced by trade, White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley said on Thursday.

Huffington Post: FAA launches new plan to keep air traffic controllers from sleeping on the job- After several well-publicized reports of air traffic controllers falling asleep in recent months, the Federal Aviation Administration and the controllers union began discussing new fatigue regulations.

Keene Sentinel: House factions, outsiders impede debt deal- Besieged by single-interest groups, vocal constituencies insisting on ideological rigidity and influential fundraisers they’re eager to please, many congressional lawmakers are dividing into small blocs that could make it hard to pass any deficit-reduction deal.

Center for Responsive Politics: Voldemort defeats Potter in political contributions- Millions of fans will line up outside movie theaters across the world at midnight to watch the premiere of the last Potter installment, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, featuring the anxiously awaited battle between the Dark Lord and the “boy who lived.”

Kansas City infoZine: Protesters arrested as vote nears on U.S.-Colombia trade deal- Fifty-one black cardboard coffins were paraded in front of the White House Monday by members of labor, religious and environmental organizations protesting the pending U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.

ABA Journal: Viatical company drops suit against "Twittersquatter"- A company that sued a so-called Twittersquatter for using its name to post sarcastic tweets has dropped its legal effort.

WJTV: Luminant may shut power plants over clean-air regs- The major electric power provider for much of North and West Texas is considering how to respond to new federal clean-air regulations, including closing or reducing operations at some of its coal-fired plants and coal mines, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.

Politicalnews.me: New Menendez introduces Shareholder Protection Act- US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced the Shareholder Protection Act, which requires a shareholder vote before corporate treasury funds are spent on political campaigns.

ABA Journal: Viatical company drops suit against 'twittersquatter'- A company that sued a so-called Twittersquatter for using its name to post sarcastic tweets has dropped its legal effort.

Kansas City infoZine: Protesters arrested as vote nears on US-Columbia trade deal- Fifty-one black cardboard coffins were paraded in front of the White House Monday by members of labor, religious and environmental organizations protesting the pending US-Columbia Trade Promotion Agreement.

MoneyWatch.com: Luminant may shut power plants over clean-air regs- The major electric power provider for much of North and West Texas is considering how to respond to new federal clean-air regualtions, including closing or reducing operations at some of its coal-fired plants and coal mines, according to a  regulatory filing Wednesday.

The State: Factions in Congress, pressure from outsiders impede debt deal- Besieged by single-interest groups, vocal constituencies insisting on ideological rigidity and influential fundraisers they're eager to please, many congressional lawmakers are dividing into small blocs that could make it hard to pass any deficit-reduction deal.

Minyanville.com: Should sharholders have say in corporate campaign spending?- Introduced today by Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) and Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the Shareholder Protection Act is, in the words of Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for non-profit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, a “necessary response to the US Supreme Court decision last year that let corporations spend as much money as they want to influence elections.”

Intellectual Property Watch: Trans-Pacific partnership agreement: did US move to threaten public health?- Civil society groups say a leaked document from regional free trade negotiations between countries bordering the Pacific Ocean shows the United States favouring giant pharmaceutical companies at the expense of public health.

eNews Park Forest: Wall Street's opposition to Dodd-Frank reforms echoes its resistance to new deal financial safeguards- As the nation approaches the first anniversary of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, opponents are claiming that the new measure is extraordinarily damaging, especially to Main Street.

The Hill: Spider-Man, Stephen Colbert and the Shareholder Protection Act- As Spider-Man reminds us, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”

StarNewsOnline.com: Perdue's vetoes, redistricting are on the line as Honorables return to Raleigh- Round two of the 2011 N.C. General Assembly session officially begins today, as the Republican majority attempts to draw districts designed to guarantee more victories in state and congressional races next year.

New Jersey Star-Ledger: Lawsuits mounting over alleged health risks of Bayer's Yaz contraceptive- Michelle Pfleger, a teenager from Hackettstown, was familiar enough with the birth control pill Yaz to ask for it when she visited her doctor before heading off to college

The American Spectator: Progressive musings- If you were looking to be shocked last week, you needed to travel no farther than Northwest Washington's Omni Shoreham Hotel, the site of this year's Campus Progress national conference.

NPR: Silicone breast implants: safe, with caveats- Silicone breast implants were pulled off the market in 1992 amid concerns that leaks from the implants could lead to cancer or autoimmune disease.

Washington Times: Groups want House to restart Waters probe- A coalition of reform groups wants the House Committee on Ethics to resume its work on the long-pending investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters and provide a public accounting of the status of the case against the California Democrat.

Washington Post: Toughening laws to prevent coal mine disasters- It has been more than a year since an explosion in the Upper Big Branch mine killed 29 miners in West Virginia, yet Congress has failed to pass legislation needed to prevent the next disaster

The News Journal: Oversight of doctors improves- In the wake of the failure of medical and law-enforcement officials to stop pediatrician Earl B. Bradley from sexually abusing girls he treated, lawmakers last year enacted a slew of laws aimed at cracking down on incompetent doctors and those who fail to report wrongdoing.

Los Angeles Times: Light bulbs: Texas aglow with effort to save incandescent light bulb- It doesn't have the ring of "Remember the Alamo," but a new battle cry has gone up in Texas: "Remember the incandescent bulb."

Daily Kos: The extraordinary hidden costs of boiling water, cheaply- How much will the Fukushima nuclear power disaster cost the Tokyo Electric Power Company, the Japanese economy, and the Japanese taxpayer?

The Hill: Watchdog group calls for Ethics to move on case against Rep. Waters- A half-dozen public-interest watchdog groups sent a letter to the House Ethics Committee on Friday calling on the secretive panel to announce its intentions with regards to its stalled case against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

Occupational Health & Safety: Two rules at final stage in OSHA's latest agenda- Hours of service rules highlighted the semiannual regulatory agendas published July 7 by various federal agencies, with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration combining its electronic on-board recorder rulemaking with its pending hours rule.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: EPA orders Texas to cut other states' pollution- A federal rule announced Thursday could force a substantial number of Texas power plants to add more pollution controls to reduce emissions that contribute to health-threatening smog. 

 

enews Park Forest: OSHA drags its feet on study regarding workers' exposure to toxic substance- The release of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) regulatory agenda today reveals that the agency has failed to take any concrete steps since last year on limiting workers’ exposure to the toxic substance beryllium and has no plans to do so anytime soon.

National Legal and Policy Center: Ethics committee staffs up amid trial delays-Last week's announcement by the House Ethics Committee that it is investigating Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), a year after questions about his finances were in the headlines, has put the spotlight back on the Committee's ability to do its job.

San Francisco Chronicle: Nuclear industry weighs $1 billion emergency-response plan- The Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry's U.S. trade group, is considering a $1 billion plan that would create regional centers to store equipment for delivery to reactors within 24 hours of an emergency.

International Centre for Trade and International Development: U.S. FTAs reach Congressional Committees, only to face political limbo over worker aid- After signs last week from the White House that the US Congress was ready to move on the long-awaited free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea, Republicans in both chambers have renewed their push against the reauthorization of extensions to a worker aid programme, even at the expense of slowing the ratification of these FTAs.

CMAJ: PHAC to publicly disclose conflicts of interest of external experts on advisory panels- Few commodities hold more value in the field of public health than trustworthy advice.

MediaPost Publications: Gmail user delets bank's email before account 'deactivated'- The Gmail user who was mistakenly sent confidential records by Rocky Mountain Bank marked the message as spam four days after it was sent without ever opening it, newly unsealed court records show.

Arizona Republic: Limits on first-year medican residency hours will be studied- Regulations limiting hours first-year medical residents can work take effect this month, fueling debate over whether the change will affect patient care or harm crucial competencies for physicians in training.

American Thinker: The case of the missing U.S. Ambassador- The U.S. Ambassador was conspicuous by his absence at the recent unveiling of a Ronald Reagan statue in London.

Center for Responsive Politics: NEA endorses Obama- The National Education Association has endorsed President Barack Obama for re-election, Politico reported.

Truthout: Wall Street versus main street: Leaving a hearing before the subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee a few weeks ago, a pleasant woman approached us and introduce herself, noting she and her companions worked for SIFMA—the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. 

Mathaba.net: Lies, damn lies, and safe nuclear power- 3 nuclear power stations have been in full meltdown poisoning half of the world for thousands of years to come with radiation of the worst kind, in the world's worst ever disaster, entirely man-made, and unreported by your main stream media.

Computerworld New Zealand: NZ needs to protect itself from US corruption: Harvard professor- New Zealand should be protected from US law and politics which are tainted by commercial special interests, says Harvard University law professor Lawrence Lessig.

The Hill: Wall Street looks to fill Treasury Secretary post after Geithner exit- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's potential departure is highlighting how much Wall Street's reputation might have recovered from the financial crisis — and sparking chatter that one of their own could take his place.

The Austin American-Statesman: The odd man from East Texas- For whatever reason and for whatever it says about their region, East Texans occasionally send us lawmakers who are just a bit different.

About.com: Did the Fed sell out on debit card fee rule?- The U.S. Federal Reserve has issued its final federal regulation limiting the so-called "swipe fee" banks can charge for debit card transactions.

The Boston Globe: Journal to scrutinize hip fracture study: inquiry follows allegations of ethical breach- A leading medical journal is launching an investigation into the work of a research team led by a Harvard doctor, after federal health regulators accused the scientists of failing to inform elderly nursing home residents of serious health risks discovered during a hip fracture study.

The American Spectator: FDA decision dooms cancer patients- Opponents of medical progress are celebrating the decision of a Food and Drug Administration panel to revoke approval of the use of Avastin in treating advance breast cancer.

Houston Chronicle: Parker replaces campaign treasurer- Mayor Annise Parker's campaign treasurer lobbied City Council on behalf of a client seeking a $20 million city cellphone contract for the past two weeks.

Bloomberg Businessweek: Comedia Colbert wins U.S. approval for fundraising 'Super PAC'- Comedian Stephen Colbert got permission from the U.S. Federal Election Commission to form a “super PAC” that can raise unlimited money from corporations, unions and individuals to support or oppose candidates in 2012.

GPB News: New rules on medical residents' hours spurs debate- Dr. Emil Oweis is ready for anything Washington Hospital Center throws at him.

Wall Street Journal: Regulators back "fracking" in New York- New York state regulators will recommend Friday that the use of hydraulic fracturing to drill for natural gas be allowed in much of the state, but remain banned in areas that supply drinking water to New York City and Syracuse, officials said Thursday

KVNO News: Brownville residents not worried about nuke station- Nebraska’s two nuclear power stations have made front page news around the country this week.

Wall Street Journal: Stephen Colbert gets FEC permission to form 'Super' PAC- Comedian Stephen Colbert won approval from the Federal Election Commission to start a political organization that he plans to use to promote or oppose candidates in the 2012 election

Huffington post: A true grassroots victory in San Antonio- We're still celebrating last week's announcement by San Antonio Mayor Joaquin Castro that not only will the city shut down its 900 megawatt Deely coal-fired power plant by 2018, but San Antonio plans to replace the power with a combination of traditional sources like natural gas, renewable energy, including solar energy, and energy efficiency.

National Journal: Stephen Colbert brings reality TV to the FEC- Stephen Colbert came to the Federal Election Commission on Thursday as a walking and talking funhouse mirror, utterly distorting and strangely clarifying American politics at the same time.

Wall Street Journal: FEC lets candidates solicit funds for outside groups- The government’s election referee – the Federal Election Commission – spends most of its time getting bashed by both people who want to tighten election rules, and those that want to loosen the rules.

TPMMuckraker: Campaign reformers say Stephen Colbert's FEC joke has gone far enough- Your average meeting of the Federal Election Commission is lucky to attract one reporter - usually Ken Doyle, the senior editor of the trade publication BNA's Money & Politics Report.

The Guardian: Women gang-raped by 7 Halliburton employees "signed away" her right to sue? How justice has become the privilege of corporations- Worried about the influence of money in American politics, the huge cash payouts that the US supreme court waved through by its Citizens United decision – the decision that lifted most limits on election campaign spending?

The Austin Chronicle: City hall hustle: Skid marks on the dais- When the smoke cleared yesterday, Formula One was in the winners circle.

The New York Times: Fed caps debit card fees for merchants- Fees paid by retailers to banks for debit card purchases, a $20 billion annual expense that has been the subject of a furious political battle over the last year, will be cut in half after the Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to cap the charges.

CBS News: Why is Congress a millonaires club?- The evidence is clear: Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Congress and don't believe their representatives share their priorities.

Huffington Post: Tim Pawlenty's ties to "swift boat" Bob Perry- Tim Pawlenty may not have great name recognition but he does have one very important thing for a presidential candidate: a hand in the pocket of Texas billionaire Bob J. Perry.

Scientific American: Overprescribing the healthy elderly: Why funding research and drug safety is paramount- My frail, 92-year-old mother was prescribed 80 mgs of the cholesterol-lowering drug, or statin, simvastatin for years.

AboutLawsuits.com: Women should not use silicone breast implants: Public Citizen- Public Citizen, a consumer watchdog group, indicates that the FDA did not go far enough in warning women about the risks associated with silicone breast implants last week, suggesting that women should be advised against having the implants. 

NBC: FEC to get taste of Colbert Nation- He has already entertained (and angered) Congress during an immigration hearing. Now, Stephen Colbert is taking his talents to the drab halls of the Federal Election Commission.

American Veterinary Medical Association: Groups sue FDA over drug use in livestock- Five nonprofit organizations are suing federal drug authorities whom they accuse of failing to restrict antimicrobial use in livestock, despite the risks of harm to humans.

National Legal and Policy Center: Watchdog: We were right about Maxine Waters' trial delay- Nancy Pelosi was quick to refer the Anthony Weiner scandal to the House Ethics Committee.

VietNameNet: Cost of AIDS drugs may skyrocket- The VNP+ said it and other organisations in the region were aware that the US had declared war on generic AIDS medicines through free trade negotiations with countries in the region.

Roll Call: New sources pushing trade deals- With American companies panicking that a trade agreement between the European Union and South Korea is poised to rob them of millions of dollars, business groups are increasing pressure on Congress to pass a similar deal this summer.

Statesman.com: With environmental deal, F1 may be nearing city approval- Formula One racing appears to have secured the City Council's approval after negotiating a familiar Austin issue: the environment.

Washington Times: Three free-trade agreements linked to aid for workers- President Obama and Senate Democrats announced a deal Tuesday to link three pending free trade agreements to enhanced aid for displaced workers, saying it paves the way for Congress to vote - but GOP leaders said the move could cost the administration the support of Republicans who will be needed to pass the deals.

NPR: Flooding won't overcome nuclear plants, officials say- Two nuclear power plants in Nebraska, 100 miles apart, are completely surrounded by water

Huffington Post: Supreme Court denies review of decision upholding constitutionality of public financing law- The Supreme Court today denied a request for the Court to review the decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Green Party v. Lenge that upheld the constitutionality of the provisions of the Connecticut public financing law for the financing of minor party candidates.

Automated Trader: Kansas City Fed's Hoenig wants aid for manufacturers over banks- Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Thomas Hoenig, along with other panel members at a conference Tuesday, argued that U.S. policies have tended to boost Wall Street at the expense of the nation's manufacturing industry.

Channel NewsAsia: White House, Congress reach deals on key trade pacts-The White House and top lawmakers have reached a deal to allow stalled trade pacts with South Korea, Colombia and Panama to move ahead in Congress, officials said on Tuesday.

Roll Call: Hatch opposes potential Senate deal on trade pacts- Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus said Tuesday that Members and the administration have reached a deal on a trade adjustment assistance measure — a move that is expected to help clear the path for three long-stalled trade pacts, including one with South Korea.

Texas Lawyer: "Hot Coffee": Cup of cheer for plaintiffs- As a plaintiffs' lawyer in Oregon, Susan Saladoff occasionally made short films of her clients.

Press TV: How corporations award themselves legal immunity- Worried about the influence of money in American politics, the huge cash payouts that the US Supreme Court waved through by its Citizens United decision- the decision that lifted most limits on election campaign spending?

NewsBusters: WaPo TV critic slams conservatives in review of documentary on lawsuits- Washington Post staffer Hank Stuever started off with a fair point in his review of the new HBO documentary "Hot Coffee."

KVNO News: Touring Nebraska's flooded nuke plants- The images are stunning: two nuclear power plants completely surrounded by water, as sandbags, levees and makeshift walls hold back the rising Missouri river.

Ars Technica: How a drug marketing ruling could limit future behavioral ad regulations- Thursday's decision striking down a Vermont regulation of drug industry marketing practices could have implications for privacy law more generally.

The Guardian: How corporations award themselves legal immunity- Worried about the influence of money in American politics, the huge cash payouts that the US Supreme Court waved through by its Citizens United decision – the decision that lifted most limits on election campaign spending?

Deseret News: Public financing is curtailed by high court in Arizona case- The U.S. Supreme Court, in a decision that deepens the divide over campaign finance regulations, ruled that a 13-year-old Arizona public financing law violated the speech rights of opposing candidates.

The Talk Radio News Service: Three U.S. nuke plants at risk to wildfire and floods- Anti-nuclear activists are having the biggest “We told you so moment” since the earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors earlier this spring as Mother Nature puts scare intro three U.S. nuclear facilities.

Bloomberg: Public financing curtailed by High Court in Arizona case- The U.S. Supreme Court, in a decision that deepens the divide over campaign finance regulations, ruled that a 13-year-old Arizona public financing law violated the speech rights of opposing candidates.

Electronic Frontier Foundation: The "hot news" doctrine after Fly On The Wall: surviving, but on life support- A federal appellate court this week issued a fascinating decision on whether the much-maligned “hot news doctrine” – which confers a quasi-property right in facts -- will survive in the digital age. The answer? Yes, but barely, and not as an easy way to defend an outdated business model.

Bloomberg: Patent agency would gain control of funding under House measure-The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office would be able to set its own fees and have greater control of its budget under legislation approved by the House to revamp the patent system and speed legal protection for innovation.

The Weekly Standard: How FEC Democrats hold regulatory reform hostage- It has been written a million times: The Federal Election Commission is a “dysfunctional” agency. But don’t jump on that bandwagon just yet.

International Business Times: Political ads on TV to rise in 2012 elections- A Moody's report predicts a steep rise in political advertising in the 2012 elections due to the Supreme Court's decision in 2010 to remove all caps on political ads spending.

Kansas City Star: International Energy Agency releases oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower prices- Industrial countries took a shot Thursday at lowering oil prices.

OMB Watch: Real stories about the benefits of regulation emerge ahead of Senate hearing- For months, the country has been bombarded with increasingly negative and misleading messages about federal regulation, and Congress has responded by launching attacks against public protections that safeguard our air, our water, our food, our workplaces, and our economy.

Doctors Lounge: FDA: Breast implants basically safe, but won't last a lifetime- Silicone-gel breast implants don't last forever, with as many as half of women with the devices requiring removal within 10 years of the initial surgery, U.S. health officials said Wednesday.

Bloomberg News: Federal Regulators deem silicone breast implants to be safe after post-marketing study- Silicone breast implants made by Allergan Inc. and Johnson & Johnson were deemed safe by U.S. regulators after a review of clinical studies on the devices and the side effects reported by patients during five years of marketing.

CNN: Silicone implants: Safe, need monitoring- Silicone gel breast implants are safe according to the ongoing monitoring by the FDA.  

The Boston Globe: FDA urges caution for silicone breast recipients- Women with silicone breast implants need to know that they probably will not last forever and might need to be removed or replaced within a decade of implantation, according to a report released yesterday by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Christie is transparent with state government, not so much with his politicking- On the day of his inauguration in 2010, Gov. Christie declared that a "new era of accountability and transparency is here."

National Journal: FDA finds no health risks from silicone breast implants-Silicone breast implants appear to be safe, although the surgery itself is not foolproof, the Food and Drug Administration reported on Wednesday.

San Francisco Chronicle: FedEx joins Ford in House tax cheif's portfolio- Since becoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in January, Representative Dave Camp has invited executives from 13 publicly traded companies to testify on tax and trade policy. The chairman owned shares in six of them.

The Hill: A year later, Massa case gathers dust- Three days after Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) resigned, then-Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) introduced a measure demanding that the House Ethics Committee issue a final report on the scandal by June 30, 2010.

Wall Street Journal: FDA panel votes against Gout drug- The Food and Drug Administration is grappling with the novel question of whether a Novartis AG gout-pain drug should be marketed when patients receiving just one injection had a higher rate of serious infections in clinical studies.

Electronic Frontier Foundation: EFF asks Supreme Court to protect "first sale" rights- EFF asked the Supreme Court yesterday to weigh in on Vernor v. Autodesk,a case that tests whether the "first sale doctrine" will survive in the digital age.

Firedoglake: Nothing can stop Obama from adjourning Congress, making recess appointments- According to Public Citizen, there’s nothing stopping the President from circumventing the Congress for recess appointments of key positions, including Elizabeth Warren for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Medscape News: FDA approves first generic versions of Levofloxacin- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday approved applications from 12 companies to manufacture generic versions of levofloxacin (Levaquin, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), a widely used fluoroquinolone antibiotic.

Reuters: Obama helps Democrats outpace Republican fundraising- President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats beat Republicans in the race for campaign dollars during May, as the president stepped up fundraising ahead of the 2012 contest for the White House.

Iowa Politics: Reports give conflicting views of Iowa's economy, business climate- National reports released Monday by two conservative, Republican-leaning groups gave conflicting views of Iowa’s economic picture and business climate.

KUT News: San Antonio to shutter coal plant- San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro announced today that City Public Service's Deely coal-fired plant will be shut down by 2018.

CNN: News aggregators score a big win- A ruling in Barclays v. TheFlyOnTheWall shifts the balance of power away from content producers in favor of news aggregators. But Google News may still face obstacles.

The Hill: A huge step backwards for the USPTO- As two former Chairs of the House Judiciary Committee, we understand that reforming the patent system is long overdue.

CNBC: Congressional trading on advanced info not illegal: SEC- When you buy and sell stocks based on secrets you learned at the office, it could be insider trading.

Huffington Post: Russ Feingold is emerging as a significant force against corporate control of our government- It seems like every week another scandal is bringing down one of the high profile "stars" in Congress.

Denver Post: Editorial: The freedom to be anonymous- A judge's recent decision to allow aggrieved owners of a high-end clothing retailer to unmask anonymous Internet critics could have profoundly chilling effects on free speech. 

NPR: Report: Obama big-money donors got plum posts- President Obama and the first lady attended a total of six fundraising events last week, half of them small gatherings with top-dollar donors. They also got a reminder of what comes with reliance on high rollers: An unflattering analysis of how many big givers in 2008 wound up with jobs in the administration

Star Tribune: Studies of FDA criticized as med-tech industry spin- As the government looks at how it regulates medical devices, a steady stream of critical studies emerge.

Consumer Affairs: Levaquin lawsuits: inadequate warning of tendon damage-Fourteen more lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of Levaquin, a popular antibiotic that has been linked to severe tendon problems, especially in older users.

Physicians News Digest: New Jersey physicians: Beware!- The New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners, often considered by New Jersey physicians as difficult and unreasonable, has adopted a more aggressive approach than ever before in disciplining physicians.

The Hill: White House donor order becomes flashpoint in Congress- President Obama’s draft executive order that would have government contractors disclose their political contributions has become a flashpoint for partisan fights in Congress.

Denver Post: Financial disclosures for two lawmakers from Colorado show "unethical but not illegal" connections- Reps. Scott Tipton and Ed Perlmutter have reported financial interests that potentially conflict with committee assignments in the U.S. House, a situation that an ethics watchdog calls "unethical but not illegal."

Denver Post: Judge orders ISP to release names of Wikipedia posters who slammed Facconable- In a ruling that could have broader implications for online privacy and free speech, a federal magistrate judge in Denver has ruled that anonymity for Internet commenters goes only so far.

Houston Chronicle: HISD trustee confirms vendor-lawmaker set up Costa Rica trips- Houston school board member Larry Marshall last year took two trips to Costa Rica arranged by state Rep. Borris Miles, an insurance agent who contracts with HISD and promotes health care options in the Central American nation.

NPR: Republican group targets its own party- It wasn't long ago that the conservative, free-market Club for Growth was viewed by a swath of Republicans as a furtive, well-heeled enemy whose efforts to purge moderates from the GOP had to be thwarted.

Gulf Times: Campaign cash- The White House is under pressure from consumer activists to proceed with plans to force government contractors to disclose their political donations - rules that companies warn will politicise awards of government business.

Huffington Post: Stop oil speculation now- The increased cost of oil and gasoline is damaging the American economy and is causing severe economic pain to millions of people, especially in rural America, who often have to drive long distances to work.

Roll Call: Chamber launches website in support of trade pacts- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce unveiled a new website Wednesday as part of its jobs-focused campaign to win Congressional approval for three long-stalled trade pacts. But the pro-trade, big-business lobby isn’t the only organization speaking up on the issue this week.

Roll Call: Watchdog: in culling websites, don't cut access to date- The Obama administration’s plan to cut the number of government websites in half is raising concerns about the public’s access to government data.

Sun-Sentinel: Pandering politicians threaten to make hay of product safety- On one side are handmade-toy manufacturers, booksellers, librarians and the motorcycle industry. On the other side are physicians, scientists, safety advocates, consumer watchdogs and -- perhaps most notably -- the Consumer Product Safety Commission itself.

Reuters: Obama order on US campaign donations feared stalled- The White House is under pressure from consumer activists to proceed with plans to force government contractors to disclose their political donations -- rules that companies warn will politicize awards of government business.

iWatch News: Obama rewards big bundlers with jobs, commissions, stimulus money, government contracts, and more- Telecom executive Donald H. Gips raised a big bundle of cash to help finance his friend Barack Obama’s run for the presidency.

Roll Call: Patent carve-out finds opponents left and right- Nothing brings liberals and libertarians together like the prospect of banks winning a sweet deal in Congress.

Charleston Gazette: Watchdog again asks Capito to disclose husband's job- A national watchdog group is trying to keep a spotlight on Rep. Shelley Moore Capito's husband's banking job, saying she is steering policy that directly involves his employer.

San Francisco Chronicle: Election panel to consider increased donor disclosure for 2012- The U.S. Federal Election Commission today is scheduled to discuss requiring greater disclosure of donors to independent groups poised to spend millions on attack ads in the 2012 presidential race.

Corporate Crime Reporter: At Capito hearing on too big to fail, too conflicted to govern- At a hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday on "too big to fail" banks, both corporate parties were posturing.

Greater Greater Washington: Real ethics reform goes beyond rearranging the deck chairs-The District of Columbia is in an ethical crisis of unparalleled proportions thanks to the DC Council's pitiful standards.

The Washington Post: DeMorning DeBonis: June 14, 2011 - Let's take a break from ethical matters this morning, and deal with some old-fashioned budgetary minutiae.  

CNN: New sunscreen labels designed to better protect outdoor enthusiasts - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday it will implement new rules for sunscreen products, in order to help Americans reduce their risk of skin cancer and early aging. 

Politico: The Kochs' unlikely Democratic enforcer - Back when Philip Ellender was getting started in Louisiana, the Koch brothers' enforcer wondered whether he had the right stuff for the cutthroat world of politics. 

The Daily Beast: Congressional Travel Spikes, Despite Vows of Austerity - With America's economy in the gutter, lawmakers pledge to cut back--except, apparently, when it comes to fancy trips around the globe at the expense of taxpayers and special interests. 

The Advertiser: Isn't health care a security artist? - Public Citizen in May drew attention to the division of our world: "Countries that cover all of their citizens with health insurance and those that do not." 

The Huffington Post: The Obama Administration's Ambivalent Regulator - When President Barack Obama let it be known in January 2009 that he had selected law professor Cass Sunstein to be his regulatory czar, it was an early example of how some of this staffing decisions would undercut his lofty campaign promises.  

The Missoulian: Consumer advocate blames financial, housing troubles on Congress, 'liar loans' - The Academy Award-winning documentary "Inside Job" fuels the cynical view that power and wealth corrupt. 

The Washington Times: Thomas case exposes ethics loophole - Next year, Comcast's franchise agreement to provide cable television services across Washington expires, so the cable giant has a keen interest in keeping D.C. lawmakers happy.  

The Daily Mail: What Cutbacks? U.S. lawmakers 'enjoy more foreign jaunts on the taxpayer and think tanks' - Despite all the supposed political belt-tightening, it seems U.S. lawmakers are enjoying more jaunts to far-flung destinations on someone else's dime. 

NPR: Supreme Court Upholds Nevada Ethics Law - The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a broad state ethics law, ruling that legislators have no personal, First Amendment right to vote on a measure. 

The New York Times: Small-Business Regulation Bill Gets (and Loses) a Vote - Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, the top Republican on the Senate Small Business Committee, finally got the vote she sought for legislation that would make sweeping changes to federal rule making by requiring more deference to small-business interests.  

About Lawsuits: Recall of Zocor 80mg Dose Should Have Been Issued: Consumer Group - The FDA did not go far enough in restricting the use of high does of the cholesterol drug Zocor, and approval for 80 mg simvastatin medications should have been withdrawn according to Public Citizen, a prominent consumer group. 

Open Secrets: FEC to Decide Facebook Ad Disclaimer Issue - The Federal Election Commission will vote June 15 on whether political advertisements on Facebook are subject to regular disclaimer regulations. 

The Associated Press: Residents near Texas nuke dump get health survey - Residents living near a low-level radioactive waste burial groung in West Texas will be asked to complete a health survey as part of a study commissioned by state officials. 

The BLT: Blog of Legal Times: D.C. Judge Reviewing Richard Nixon Grand Jury Information - A federal judge in Washington is privately reviewing information about individuals named in the grand jury testimony of former President Richard Nixon as he addresses the privacy concerns the Justice Department asserted in urging the court to keep the testimony under seal. 

Opposing Views: Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel Annoyed by Critics - Opponents of corporate money's corrupting influence in politics made their presence known loud and clear during Target Corporation's annual shareholder meeting yesterday in Pittsburgh.  

Physician's Weekly: Malpractice Payments at All-Time Low? - A report from Public Citizen, a self-touted advocacy group, finds that both the frequency and value of medical malpractice payments appeared to drop for the seventh straight year in 2010. 

Boston Globe: Banks lose battle to delay cap on invisible fee - US banks lost a Washington battle yesterday to delay the advent of lower "swipe fees" that merchants pay when customers use debit cards to settle their bills, a move hailed as a victory by retailers and consumer groups. 

Quality Assurance & Food Safety: Lawsuit Calls On FDA to Withdraw Approval for Certain Antibiotic Uses in Food Animals - The suit claims that the FDA has unlawfully failed to take action to protect the public's health despite its recognition for decades that the low dose use of penicillin and tetracyclines in healthy animals can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can lead to life-threatening infections in people. 

The Hill: Interest groups line up on small-business measure - Heavy-hitting interest groups from both sides of the theological spectrum are lobbying hard on a Senate vote, expected later Thursday, that deals with the regulations faced by small businesses. 

Reuters: Insurer sues Twitter imposter who cheers death, mayhem - Life insurance firm Coventry First is suing an anonymous critic for sending fake Twitter messages in which the company appears to cheer for the death of policy holders. 

All Voices: Insurance firm sues a maligning Twitter prankster - Who will you sue when an anonymous entity impersonates you, and worse, destroys your reputation?  

City Watch: Entertainment for a Cause of Just Because - This Sunday evening, June 12, Public Citizen hosts a comedy program designed to help raise some much needed funding. 

Los Angeles Times: Zocor warning probably shouldn't come as a surprise - When the FDA announced that the popular cholesterol drug simvastatin, brand name Zocor, would need a new label warning, it simply reinforced something that many doctors already knew: The highest "recommended" dose of 80 milligrams a day is so dangerous that it probably be recommended at all. 

The Nation: Reimagining Capitalism: Bold Ideas for a New Economy - The Nation asked a playful question and got back serious answers.  

The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC):  Progress-Duke merger foes hold their fire - Nine business and other organizations have objections to the proposed merger of Progress Energy and Duke Energy, according to filings made before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, one of the agencies that will review the utilities' union. 

Consumer Affairs: Senate Refuses to Delay Debit-Card Swipe Fees - The U.S. Senate dealt big banks a setback today, refusing to pass a plan to postpone new regulations that sharply reduce the fee that banks and card processors can impose each time a consumer swipes a debit card to make a purchase. 

The Financial Times: Eli Lilly to Settle Dispute Over Drug Copies - Eli Lilly is poised to make a cash payment to settle a long-running dispute with Indian generic drugmakers over low-cost copies of the US company's medicines that were impounded within the European Union. 

Injury Board Blog Network: Want Money? Join the Political Game! - So, you want to make money? 

The Nation: The Government Nudge: A Public Role in the Private Sector - It's not easy envisioning a more democratic and just economy not dominated by large corporations. 

The Hill: Evan Bayh, Andy Card to hit the road for Chamber campaign - Former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and one-time White House chief of staff Andy Card have joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's campaign against burdensome regulations. 

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Colorado Case Could Affect Online Comment Rights - A federal judge in Colorado is considering a case that could affect the developing law concerning rights of anonymous Internet posters. 

The Huffington Post: Blame Grover Norquist for Dismantling Financial Services Reform, Democracy - If you need evidence that this country has been hijacked by special interests, look no further than the hell that compromised politicians are putting Elizabeth Warren though. 

The Hill: Agitator by trade unhappy with Obama - Lori Wallach doesn't sugarcoat her disappointment with President Obama. 

The Texas Tribune: Texas Passes Bill Promoting Energy Efficiency - Environmentalists lost several battles this legislative session--there will be no statewide solar rebates, and no overhaul for the Texas Railroad Commission. 

The American Lawyer: A look back at the Law Firms that backed Edwards in 2008 - Throughout his political career, John Edwards--whose refusal to accept jail time reportedly contributed to the collapse of his plea negotiations with federal prosecutors--relied heavily on lawyers to help fund his campaigns.  

The Daily Caller: The Justice Department's unwatched revolving door - The Justice Department's Civil-Rights Division has hired dozens of Democratic-affiliated lawyers from organizations that have a huge financial stake in the agency's decisions and policies.

Techdirt: Judge Orders Unmasking of Wikipedia Users; Fails to follow standard anonymity protections - Over the years, we've covered tons of lawsuits about attempts by people to uncover the identity of anonymous critics. 

Center for Responsive Politics: Democrat or Republican, National Party Committees Reap Campaign Riches From Registered Lobbyists - The Democratic National Committee has a policy against accepting donations from registered lobbyists, but the other national party committees appear all too happy to take lobbyists' money. 

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Korean pact may threaten area jobs - A consumer advocacy group claims a U.S.- South Korea free-trade deal would threaten more than 33,000 jobs in northeast Indiana. 

USA Today: Edwards case puts pressure on Justice unit - The decision to prosecute two-time presidential candidate John Edwards raises the stakes for the U.S. Justice Department to demonstrate it can bring politically charged cases to trial and win—after botching the 2008 conviction of then-Alaskan senator Ted Stevens, experts say. 

The Boston Globe: Power politics - The proposed merger between Boston's NStar and Connecticut based Northeast Utilities is as much about politics as it is about business. 

Greenwich Times: Behind the Board: How a flawed system jeopardizes patient safety - It is supposed to be a bubble. 

The Huffington Post: Stand Up for Main Street! - I'm becoming a pain in the ass. 

The Birmingham News: If the chief of the technology division for the state Finance Department is violating state law, he should resign immediately - Talk about a long commute. 

Los Angeles Times: Healthcare law to allow generic versions of biotech drugs - In 2001, Abbott Laboratories spent nearly $7 billion on the biggest acquisition in the company's 123-year history, primarily to  get access to one drug: Humira.

Ars Technica: Criticism and takedown: how review sites can defend free speech- Last week we reported on the story of Dr. Ken Cirka, a Philadelphia dentist who required his patients to sign a "mutual privacy agreement" as a condition of getting medical care.

The Associated Press: Texas Legislature has mixed environmental results- The Texas Legislature ended its regular session with a mixed bag of environmental rules, passing some bills that put it ahead of the nation and others that are bound to infuriate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

SolveClimate News: EPA's Greenhouse Gas Ruling Safe Despite Lawsuit, Legal Experts Say- Texas and 14 other states clearly want to deep-six the endangerment findings.

KUT News: Texas environmentalists mostly disappointed with legislative session - Texas environmental activists are pleased with changes in fracking disclosure laws and renewable energy initiatives that cleared the state legislature this session, but they are unhappy with cuts to state parks, delays in air quality requirements for oil and gas miners, and environmental legislation that died before making it to the Governor's desk. 

Reuters: Cell phone study raises profile on safety lawsuits - The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the fate of litigation against cell phone makers over safety risks, just as the industry comes under more scrutiny in the wake of a health report from the World Health Organization. 

San Diego Union Tribune: Orexigen shares soar on news of diet pill update - Investors sent shares of Orexigen Therapeutics soaring more than 18 percent Wednesday after the San Diego drug developer said it would update the regulatory status of its experimental diet pill Friday morning. 

Fox News: Consumer group helps student suing CIA over Opus Dei records - Arguing that the CIA has no right to withhold records that are more than 30 years old, a watchdog group filed a motion this week seeking a federal court to compel the spy agency to reveal what it knows about the conservative Catholic group that is the stuff of legend. 

Opposing Views: CIA Won't Release All Info on Catholic Group Opus Dei - Public Citizen is back in court fighting yet another Freedom of Information Act case.

Law 360: US Asked to Weigh in on Cellphone Radiation Suit-The U.S. Supreme Court asked the solicitor general Tuesday to weigh in on whether reviving a putative class action accusing several cellphone providers of failing to shield users from allegedly hazardous radio frequency emissions would undermine federal regulatory responsibilities.

Empowher:  Groups sue FDA to stop widespread antibiotic use in livestock - Old MacDonald had a farm, and on that farm he had chickens, pigs, cows and antibiotics--or so the story should go today on commercial farms.

OnEarth:  You want superbugs with that? - Stuart Levy once kept a flock of chickens on a farm in the rolling countryside west of Boston.

Food Product Design:  Advocacy groups sue FDA over antibiotics in meat - A number of consumer advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 25 alleging the agency has failed in its legal responsibility to address overuse of antibiotics in animal feed.

NewsWorks:  AstraZeneca stopys flying doctors to international conferences - Drug company AstraZeneca has announced it will stop paying for doctors to attend international medical and scientific conferences.

Consumer Affairs:  Drugged livestock endanger public health, suit argues - A group of scientists and consumer activists say that a deadly oubreak of untreatable infections in the U.S. is just around the corner because federal agencies have failed to crack down on the use of antibiotics in animal feed. 

Free Speech Radio News:  Republicans block Warren appointment to new CFPB - Senate Republicans have vowed to block Elizabeth Warren’s appointment to head the country’s new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

Alabama.com:  State official lives in Texas, flies to Montgomery three days a week for nearly $173,000 salary - One of the highest-paid officials in Gov. Robert Bentley's administration is an assistant finance director in charge of technology who was first hired in 2003 and lives in Texas, usually working only three days a week in Montgomery.

Nightly Business Report:  Feds investigate gas price gouging - Even if you decide to stay close to home this weekend, you might find yourself at a gas station wondering how prices got so high.

Intellectual Property Watch:  Proposed EU customs regulation may not dispel fear of wrongful drug seizures - The European Commission has issued a new draft customs regulation that it says addresses past concerns over wrongful seizures of generic drug shipments transiting through European ports. 

Science Blogs:  Why FOIA needs reform - My former colleague Spencer Ackerman writes about a recent experience he had with a FOIA request.

Journal Sentinel: Overuse of antibiotics in animal feed subject of suit against FDA - The U.S. government has failed to address the mounting health threat posed by overuse of antibiotics in animal feed, a practice linked to a rise in drug-resistant infections in humans since the early 1970s, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by a coalition of health and consumer organizations. 

Scripps News:  Clearer mortgage disclosure forms proposed - The new consumer finance regulator has proposed simplified mortgage disclosure forms, aiming to ensure that borrowers receive clear and easy-to-understand information about home loans when they apply for credit.

UK Progressive:  Texas drinking water contains radioactive contaminants - For more than 20 years, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) under-reported the amount of radiation found in drinking water provided by communities all across Texas.

Fair Warning:  Superbug-wary activists sue to rid livestock feed of antibiotics - Charging that the Food and Drug Administration has long known the danger of putting antibiotics into animal feed, several environmental and health groups are suing the federal agency to force it to curb the practice.

Cattle Network:  Groups sue FDA over antibiotic use in animals - The Natural Resources Defense Council filed a lawsuit this week against the Food and Drug Administration claiming that FDA has not adequately addressed the use of antibiotics in animal production.

Minyanville:  Neutraceuticals on Trial:  FTC v. Acai - If you've logged onto the Internet at any point during the past few years, you're likely familiar with a "miracle" drug/food/gift from the gods called acai.

Third Age:  Antibiotic resistance by bacteria:  Consumer groups file lawsuit - Antibiotic resistance by bacteria in animal feed has led to consumer groups filing a lawsuit, saying the FDA has not met its legal responsibility to protect public health.

Landline Magazine:  Final HOS rule expected in October; legal wrangling continues - There won’t be a new final hours-of-service regulation until late October according to a May 20 court filing by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Food Safety News:  AG coalition says antibiotic facts are on its side - The consumer advocacy groups that went to court this week in an attempt to take non-therapeutic antibiotics away from animal agriculture ignored science, failed to cite any data and did not bring any new information to the table, says Ron Phillips of the Coalition for Animal Health.

World Poultry:  FDA sued over antibiotics in poultry feed - A coalition of health and consumer organisations have filed a federal lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration, claiming that the FDA failed to take action to protect human health.

The Huffington Post: Groups Sue FDA for Putting Pigs Before People - Force-feeding prescription drugs to healthy people, just to make them grow faster, would be considered ludicrous by any doctor. Possibly even criminal.

TPM Muckraker: House GOP Fights To Keep Federal Contractors' Donations Secret - Republicans are working on multiple fronts to stop President Barack Obama from making companies bidding on federal contracts disclose their donations to third-party political groups.

USA Today: Michele Bachmann appears poised to run in 2012 - Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., last week amended nearly three years worth of public financial reports filed by her congressional campaign committee, a sign, campaign finance experts say, the three-term congresswoman is on the cusp of launching a presidential bid.

Courthouse News Service: FDA Accused of Endangering U.S. Health by Caving to Cattle Farms on Antibiotics - A supine Food and Drug Administration is allowing the use of low doses of antibiotics in animal feed to deal with cramped and unsanitary conditions on cattle farms, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists and four other groups, raising the "specter of untreatable infections" just around the corner.