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JULY 2011 MEDIA HITS
07/29/2011
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.
Why Congress has such a hard time07/29/2011
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?
Tenaska opposition calls for Stamford to reconsider vote07/29/2011
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.
Study of medical device rules07/29/2011
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.
Report could sway US FDA device review process07/28/2011
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.
OSHA must take swift action on Beryllium exposure limits07/28/2011
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.
States feel time-crunch on exchanges07/28/2011
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.
07/28/2011
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.
Conflicts of interest in FDA advisory committees07/28/2011
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?
Zocor muscle injury07/27/2011
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.
Steroid drugs may pose vision danger07/27/2011
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.
A trade barrier to defeating AIDS07/27/2011
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.
Both parties scheme for Ponzi cash07/27/2011
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.
Overnight health: AARP backs tighter limits07/27/2011
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.
Public Citizen wants 'unethical' Canakinumab trials halted07/27/2011
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.
Activist who faked energy lease bids faces sentencing07/27/2011
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.
Key arrives in Washington to push trade talks07/26/2011
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.
Call bullsh*t on these crap trade deals07/26/2011
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.
Columbia Free Trade Agreement: violence, potential job losses hang over deal07/26/2011
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.
GOP struggles to please business allies without giving Obama win on trade deals07/26/2011
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.
US House votes to weaken consumer protections07/26/2011
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.
Drug prices to plummet in wave of expiring patents07/26/2011
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.
07/26/2011
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.
FDA chief defends approval process07/26/2011
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.
Up to 10 years in prison for Tim DeChristopher07/26/2011
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.
Lobbying Greek debt holders07/26/2011
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.
Perry environmental stance would transform EPA07/26/2011
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.
Activist who faked energy lease bids faces sentencing07/26/2011
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.
Free trade deals07/25/2011
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 Reps. vote to weaken consumer protections07/25/2011
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.
Eyes on spent fuel pools07/25/2011
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.
What's the agenda?07/25/2011
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.
Perry environmental stance would transform EPA07/25/2011
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.
House thwarts Watt's move to cut funding07/25/2011
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."
Musings on the state of our democracy07/25/2011
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.
Consumer groups asks Blue Cross for explanation07/22/2011
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.
Playing hide-and-seek with energy07/22/2011
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?
Report exposes Wall Street07/22/2011
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.
Future, authority of new consumer agency in doubt07/22/2011
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.
FDA joins Multaq review07/22/2011
FiercePharma: FDA joins Multaq review, reveals prelim study data- FDA has joined the Multaq review effort.
Wall Street takes aim at new transparency rule07/22/2011
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.
Thompson: friend of the underdog and the powerful07/22/2011
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.
Obama's tricky campaign cash07/22/2011
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.
07/22/2011
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."
Watt moves to slash ethics budget07/22/2011
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.
Trade talks top of agenda07/22/2011
Newstalk ZB: Trade talks top of agenda for Key- Trade talks are at the top of the agenda for John Key in the US
Top staffer for Rep. Issa's committee maintains financial relationship07/22/2011
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.
The achievements and future challenges of Dodd-Frank07/22/2011
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.
Too big to fail still looms07/22/2011
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
State societies feed local ties07/22/2011
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.
07/22/2011
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.
Obama vows fight over Republican efforts07/22/2011
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.
Complaints from Texas over cross-state pollution07/22/2011
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.
Ethics hires special prosecutor for Waters' case07/22/2011
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
NPR, Politico, WUSA, WJLA and others join ACLU07/22/2011
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.
Malpractice measure in 'Gang of Six' debt ceiling07/22/2011
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.
Military medicine scheme is alleged07/22/2011
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.
Collins pushes to delay boiler limit07/22/2011
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.
CELOC clock ticks toward F1 race07/22/2011
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.
How Congress started a holy war07/22/2011
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.
Key arrives in Washington to push trade talks07/22/2011
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
Government must investigate human experiments07/20/2011
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.
Texas grid operator fears electricity shortage07/20/2011
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.
The Colbert bump07/20/2011
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?
Watchdogs: Bonner has to go07/20/2011
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.
Obama vows fight over Republican efforts07/20/2011
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.
Debt ceiling games are evil07/19/2011
The Economic Populist: Saturday reads around the internets- debt ceiling games are evil- Blogger George Washington nails it on the debt ceiling agenda.
Automaker ads to protest Obama 56 mpg goal07/19/2011
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.
Rep. Jared Polis a champ at raising funds for Democrats07/19/2011 The Denver Post: Rep. Jared Polis a champ at raising funds for Democrats- We don't need free trade agreements with Panama, Columbia and Korea
07/19/2011
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.
07/19/2011
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.
Cordray nominated to lead watchdog agency07/19/2011
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.
Exit interview: Elizabeth Warren07/19/2011
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.
Obama aims to roll back roll-back of Dodd-Frank07/19/2011
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.
Fox vilifies efficient light bulbs07/18/2011
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.
Concierge medicine offers hands-on care07/18/2011
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.
07/18/2011
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.
Williamson officials defend hiring07/18/2011
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
No, Obama, we don't need free trade agreements07/18/2011
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.
Three Michiganians raise at least $250K for Obama campaign07/18/2011
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.
Ethics case against Massa reopens07/18/2011
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
House Republicans accuse EPA07/18/2011
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.
Radio ads will warn that CAFE standards are threat07/18/2011
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.
Wall Street strikes at regulations07/15/2011
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.
Polls show Americans overwhelmingly oppose07/15/2011
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.
The FTA hat trick07/15/2011
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.
Like water for gold in El Salvador07/15/2011
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.
Public Citizen calls for closing of hydrofracking07/15/2011
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.
Money, money everywhere07/15/2011
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.
Obama said ready to move07/15/2011
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.
FAA launches new plan07/15/2011
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.
House factions, outsiders impede debt deal07/15/2011
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.
Voldemort defeats Potter07/15/2011
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.”
07/15/2011
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.
Viatical company drops suit07/15/2011
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.
Luminant may shut power plants07/15/2011
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.
New Menendez introduces Shareholder Protection Act07/14/2011
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.
Viatical company drops suit against 'Twittersquatter'07/14/2011
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.
Protesters arrested as vote nears on US-Columbia trade deal07/14/2011
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.
Luminant may shut power plants over clean-air regs07/14/2011
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.
Factions in Congress, pressure from outsiders impede debt deal07/14/2011
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.
Should shareholders have a say in corporate campaign spending?07/14/2011
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.”
Trans-Pacific partnership agreement07/14/2011
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.
Wall Street's opposition to Dodd-Frank reforms07/14/2011
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.
Stephen Colbert and the Shareholder Protection Act07/14/2011
The Hill: Spider-Man, Stephen Colbert and the Shareholder Protection Act- As Spider-Man reminds us, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”
07/14/2011
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.
Lawsuits mounting over alleged health risks07/11/2011
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
Progressive musings07/11/2011
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.
Silicone breast implants: safe, with caveats07/11/2011
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.
Groups want House to restart Waters probe07/11/2011
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.
Toughening laws to prevent coal mine disasters07/11/2011
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
Oversight of doctors improves07/11/2011
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.
Texas aglow with effort to save incandescent light bulb07/11/2011
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."
07/08/2011
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?
Watchdog group calls for Ethics to move on case07/08/2011
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.).
Two rules at final stage07/08/2011
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.
EPA orders Texas to cut other states' pollution07/08/2011
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.
07/08/2011
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.
Ethics committee staffs up amid trial delays07/08/2011
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.
Nuclear industry weighs $1 billion emergency-response plan07/08/2011
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.
07/08/2011
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.
PHAC to publicly disclose conflicts of interest07/08/2011
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.
Gmail user delets bank's email07/08/2011
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.
Limits on first-year medical residency hours07/08/2011
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.
The case of the missing U.S. Ambassador07/08/2011
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.
NEA endorses Obama07/08/2011
Center for Responsive Politics: NEA endorses Obama- The National Education Association has endorsed President Barack Obama for re-election, Politico reported.
Wall Street versus main street07/08/2011
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.
Lies, damn lies, and safe nuclear power07/05/2011
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.
07/05/2011
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.
07/05/2011
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 odd man from East Texas07/05/2011
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.
Did the Fed sell out on debit card fee rule?07/05/2011
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.
Journal to scrutinize hip fracture study07/05/2011
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.
JUNE 2011 MEDIA HITS
06/30/2011
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.
How justice has become the privilege of corporations06/30/2011
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?
City hall hustle06/30/2011
The Austin Chronicle: City hall hustle: Skid marks on the dais- When the smoke cleared yesterday, Formula One was in the winners circle.
Fed caps debit card fees for merchants06/30/2011
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.
Why is Congress a millonaires club?06/30/2011
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.
Tim Pawlenty's ties to "swift boat" Bob Perry06/30/2011
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.
Overprescribing the healthy elderly06/30/2011
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.
Women should not use silicone breast implants06/30/2011
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.
FEC to get taste of Colbert nation06/30/2011
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.
Groups sue FDA06/29/2011
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.
Watchdog: We were right about Maxine Waters06/29/2011
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.
Cost of AIDS drugs may skyrocket06/29/2011
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.
New sources pushing trade deals06/29/2011
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.
With environmental deal, F1 may be nearing city approval06/29/2011
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.
Three free-trade agreements06/29/2011
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.
Flooding won't overcome nuclear plants06/29/2011
NPR: Flooding won't overcome nuclear plants, officials say- Two nuclear power plants in Nebraska, 100 miles apart, are completely surrounded by water
Supreme Court denies review of decision06/29/2011
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.
Kansas City Fed's Hoenig wants aid06/29/2011
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.
White House, Congress reach deals06/29/2011
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.
06/29/2011
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.
"Hot Coffee": Cup of cheer for plaintiffs06/29/2011
Texas Lawyer: "Hot Coffee": Cup of cheer for plaintiffs- As a plaintiffs' lawyer in Oregon, Susan Saladoff occasionally made short films of her clients.
How corporations award themselves legal immunity06/29/2011
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?
Review of documentary on lawsuits06/28/2011
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."
06/28/2011
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.
Future behavioral ad regulations06/28/2011
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.
How corporations award themselves legal immunity06/28/2011
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?
Public financing curtailed by high court in Arizona case06/28/2011
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.
Three U.S. nuke plants at risk to wildfire and floods06/28/2011
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.
06/27/2011
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.
The "hot news" doctrine after Fly On The Wall06/27/2011
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.
Patent agency would gain control of funding06/27/2011
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.
How FEC Democrats hold regulatory reform hostage06/27/2011
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.
Political ads on TV to rise06/27/2011
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.
International Energy Agency06/27/2011
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.
Real stories about the benefits of regulation emerge ahead of Senate hearing06/23/2011
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.
FDA: Breast implants basically safe, but won't last a lifetime06/23/2011
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.
Federal regulators deem silicone breast implants to be safe06/23/2011
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.
Silicone implants: Safe, need monitoring06/23/2011
CNN: Silicone implants: Safe, need monitoring- Silicone gel breast implants are safe according to the ongoing monitoring by the FDA.
FDA urges caution for silicone breast implant recipients06/23/2011
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.
Governor Christie's politicking lacks transparency06/23/2011
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."
FDA finds no health risks from silicone breast implants06/22/2011
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.
FedEx joins Ford06/22/2011
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.
06/22/2011
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.
FDA panel votes against gout drug06/22/2011
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.
EFF asks Supreme Court to protect "first sale" rights06/22/2011
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.
Nothing can stop Obama06/22/2011
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.
FDA approves first generic versions of Levofloxacin06/22/2011
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.
Obama helps Democrats outpace Republican fundraising06/22/2011
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.
Report gives conflicting views06/22/2011
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.
San Antonio to shutter coal plant06/22/2011
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.
News aggregators score big win06/22/2011
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.
A huge step backwards for the USPTO06/22/2011
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.
Congressional trading on advanced info not illegal06/22/2011
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.
Russ Feingold emerging as signficant force06/22/2011
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.
The freedom to be anonymous06/20/2011
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.
Obama big-money donors06/20/2011
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
FDA studies criticized06/20/2011
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.
Levaquin lawsuits06/17/2011
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.
New Jersey physicians: Beware!06/17/2011
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.
White House donor order becomes flashpoint in Congress06/17/2011
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.
Financial disclosures for two Colorado lawmakers06/17/2011
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."
06/17/2011
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.
06/17/2011
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.
06/17/2011
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.
Campaign cash06/17/2011
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.
06/17/2011
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.
Chamber launches website06/17/2011
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.
Don't cut access to data06/17/2011
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.
Politicians threaten to make hay of product safety06/17/2011
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.
Obama order on US campaign donations06/17/2011
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.
Obama rewards big bundlers06/17/2011
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.
Patent carve-out06/17/2011
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.
Watchdog asks Capito to disclose husband's job06/17/2011
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.
Election panel to consider donor disclosure06/17/2011
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.
06/17/2011
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.
Call for greater ethics reform06/15/2011
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.
DeMorning DeBonis: June 14, 201106/14/2011
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.
New sunscreen labels designed06/14/2011
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.
The Kochs' unlikely Democratic enforcer06/14/2011
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.
Congressional Travel Spikes06/13/2011
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.
Isn't health care a security artist?06/13/2011
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 Obama Administration's Ambivalent Regulator06/13/2011
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.
Consumer advocate blames financial, housing troubles on Congress06/13/2011
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.
Thomas case exposes ethics loophole06/13/2011
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.
What Cutbacks?06/13/2011
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.
Supreme Court Upholds Nevada Ethics Law06/13/2011
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.
Small-Business Regulation Bill Gets (and Loses) a Vote06/11/2011
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.
Recall of Zocor Should Have Been Issued06/10/2011
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.
FEC to Decide Facebook Ad Disclaimer Issue06/10/2011
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.
Residents near Texas nuke dump get health survey06/10/2011
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.
Judge Reviewing Richard Nixon Grand Jury Information06/10/2011
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.
Target CEO Annoyed By Critics06/10/2011
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.
Malpractice Payments at All-Time Low?06/09/2011
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.
Banks lose battle to delay cap06/09/2011
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.
Lawsuit Calls on FDA to Withdraw Approval06/09/2011
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.
Interest groups line up on small-business measure06/09/2011
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.
Insurer sues Twitter imposter who cheers death, mayhem06/09/2011
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.
Insurance firm sues a maligning Twitter prankster06/09/2011
All Voices: Insurance firm sues a maligning Twitter prankster - Who will you sue when an anonymous entity impersonates you, and worse, destroys your reputation?
Entertainment for a Cause or Just Because06/09/2011
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.
Zocor warning probably shouldn't come as a surprise06/09/2011
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.
Reimagining Capitalism06/08/2011
The Nation: Reimagining Capitalism: Bold Ideas for a New Economy - The Nation asked a playful question and got back serious answers.
Progress-Duke Merger Foes Hold Their Fire06/08/2011
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.
Senate Refuses to Delay Debit-Card Swipe Fee Cap06/08/2011
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.
Eli Lilly to Settle Dispute Over Drug Copies06/08/2011
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.
Want Money? Join the Political Game!06/08/2011
Injury Board Blog Network: Want Money? Join the Political Game! - So, you want to make money?
The Government Nudge06/08/2011 @import url(http://www.citizen.org/CuteSoft_Client/CuteEditor/Load.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/admin/stylesheet0.css?id=0);
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.
Evan Bayh, Andy Card to hit the road for Chamber campaign06/07/2011
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.
Colorado Case Could Affect Online Comment Rights06/07/2011
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.
Blame Grover Norquist06/07/2011
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.
Agitator by trade unhappy with Obama06/07/2011
The Hill: Agitator by trade unhappy with Obama - Lori Wallach doesn't sugarcoat her disappointment with President Obama.
Texas Passes Bills Promoting Energy Efficiency06/07/2011
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.
Law Firms That Backed Edwards in 200806/06/2011
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 Justice Department's Unwatched Revolving Door06/06/2011
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.
Judge Orders Unmasking of Wikipedia Users06/06/2011
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.
National Party Committees Reap Campaign Riches
06/06/2011
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.
Korean Pact May Threaten Area Jobs06/05/2011
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.
Edwards Case Puts Pressure on Justice Unit06/05/2011
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.
Power Politics
06/05/2011
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.
Behind the Board06/04/2011
Greenwich Times: Behind the Board: How a flawed system jeopardizes patient safety - It is supposed to be a bubble.
Stand Up for Main Street!06/03/2011
The Huffington Post: Stand Up for Main Street! - I'm becoming a pain in the ass.
Chief of Technology Division for State Finance Department Violating Law?06/02/2011
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.
Healthcare Law to Allow Generic Versions of Biotech Drugs06/02/2011
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.
MAY 2011 MEDIA HITS
05/31/2011
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.
Cellphone Radiation Suit05/31/2011
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.
FDA Sued Over Antibiotic Use in Livestock05/31/2011
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.
Humans at Risk from Antibiotics in Meat05/31/2011
OnEarth: You want superbugs with that? - Stuart Levy once kept a flock of chickens on a farm in the rolling countryside west of Boston.
FDA Sued over Antibiotics in Meat05/31/2011
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.
Drug Company Takes New Tack with Docs05/31/2011
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.
FDA Sued for Overuse of Antibiotics in Livestock05/31/2011
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.
Republicans Scramble to Block Warren05/31/2011
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.
AL State Official Milking System?05/31/2011
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.
Mixed Reviews on Energy Market Speculators05/31/2011
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.
WTO Policy Results in Unfair Generic Drug Seizures05/31/2011
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.
FOIA Needs Overhaul to be Effective05/31/2011
Science Blogs: Why FOIA needs reform - My former colleague Spencer Ackerman writes about a recent experience he had with a FOIA request.
Human Health at Risk from Antibiotics in Food05/31/2011
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.
CFPB Takes Aim at Murky Mortgage Process05/31/2011
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.
TX Drinking Water Radioactivity Under-Reported05/31/2011
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.
Suit Says LIvestock Overdosed with Antibiotics05/31/2011
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.
Antibiotics in Animal Production Subject of Suit05/31/2011
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.
Feds Take On False Advertising05/31/2011
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.
Suit Filed on Routine Antibiotic Dosing of Animals05/31/2011
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.
Fall Ruling Expected in Truckers' Workday Case05/31/2011
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.
Agriculatural Lobby Pushes Back on Antibiotic Use05/31/2011
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.
FDA Sued for Overuse of Antibiotics in Animal Feed05/31/2011
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.
Groups Sue FDA for Putting Pigs Before People05/27/2011
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.
House GOP Fights To Keep Federal Contractors' Donations Secret05/27/2011
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.
Michele Bachmann Appears Poised to Run05/27/2011
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.
FDA Accused of Endangering U.S. Health05/27/2011
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.
Time for the Meat Industry To Stop Overdosing on Antibiotics05/27/2011
BNET: Time for the Meat Industry To Stop Overdosing on Antibiotics - Five environmental and public health groups sued the FDA over the alleged overuse of antibiotics in industrial farming. The suit may finally shed some authoritative light on the endless, he-said/she-said debate over antibiotic use on farms, at least once it winds it way through the court system.
Consumer Agency: A Political Lightening Rod05/27/2011
NPR: Consumer agency: A political lightening rod - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will on July 21 officially become the nation's newest government agency — and the only one with the singular aim of looking out for the best interests of consumers.
You Want Superbugs With That?05/27/2011
OnEarth: You want superbugs with that? - Stuart Levy once kept a flock of chickens on a farm in the rolling countryside west of Boston.
Latex Gloves Pose Risks for Allergic Reactions05/18/2011
Safety BLR: Watchdog group files petition to ban latex gloves - The national nonprofit group Public Citizen has filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban gloves made from natural rubber latex or containing cornstarch.
Medical Boards Protecting Public Less05/18/2011
Kaiser Health News: State efforts to protect patients fall short, group says - News reports examine the role of physician boards in protecting patients as well as how a self-referral rule is faring in the courts.
Patient Safety Compromised by CT Action05/18/2011
New Haven Independent: Sex offender doc allowed to resume practice -In a controversial move, state officials are allowing a Greenwich physician who is registered as a sex offender to resume his medical practice in Connecticut.
TX Radioactive Waste Compact Progresses05/18/2011
Associated Press Texas: Texas House OKs taking in more radioactive waste -Texas House members voted Tuesday to let a remote low-level radioactive waste site in West Texas bury material from dozens of states.
05/18/2011
Austin Statesman: Texas House OKs expansion of radioactive waste site - The Texas House on Tuesday passed a measure that could increase the amount of radioactive waste dumped in Texas and might also enrich a chief contributor to Gov. Rick Perry along the way.
Study Omits Key Data on Alzheimer's Test05/18/2011
Philadelphia Inquirer: Alzheimer's-diagnosis article left out negative data - A consumer advocacy group has accused the authors of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - including employees of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals in University City and the University of Pennsylvania - of withholding important negative information about an experimental dye meant to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease.
Oil Industry Keeps Tax Breaks05/18/2011
Intl. Business Times: Big oil fends off Senate bill to repeal $21 billion tax break - A bill to repeal a $21 billion tax breaks to the oil industry failed in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, despite both the Republicans and the Democrats being focused on reducing the federal deficit.
05/18/2011
Fay Observer: Refineries reap record profits from oil - The conventional wisdom has been that gasoline shot to about $4 a gallon because the price of oil soared.
Unsatisfactory Settlement in DirectBuy Class Action05/18/2011
Wallet Pop: Judge denies proposed settlement of DirectBuy class-action suit - A Connecticut federal judge has rejected as "meager" the proposed settlement of a nationwide, class-action lawsuit against DirectBuy Inc. for fraudulent pricing practices.
SCOTUS Ruling a Setback for Whistleblowers05/18/2011
SEO Law Firm: Supreme Court outlaws use of FOIA requests in whistleblower suits - Information gained from a Freedom of Information Act request cannot be used to pursue a claim under the federal False Claims Act, according to the Supreme Court.
Annual Ranking of State Med Boards05/18/2011
About Lawsuits: State medical boards disciplined less doctors in 2010 - Throughout the United States, fewer doctors are being disciplined by state medical boards than in prior years, which the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen suggests is a failure on the part of those boards to protect patients from preventable injuries caused by medical mistakes.
Watchdog Warns about Alzheimer's Drug05/18/2011
Accident and Injury Lawayer Blog: Aricept recall? - Aricept (donepezil) is a drug used to treat moderate or severe cases of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer's Drug Poses Risk Without Benefits05/18/2011
Bloomberg: Higher doses of Pfizer Alzheimer's drug trigger ban request - Higher doses of an Alzheimer’s drug sold by Eisai Co. and Pfizer Inc. (PFE) endanger patients and don’t enhance the treatment’s effectiveness, according to a consumer group that wants the regimen banned.
Call to Ban High-Dose Alzheimer's Drug05/18/2011
Consumer Affairs: Dangerous Alzheimer's drug should be pulled - A drug used to treat moderate to severe cases of Alzheimer’s disease should be removed from the market immediately because of its risk of serious adverse effects and its lack of effectiveness, Public Citizen said today in a petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Worries About Political Spending Transparency05/17/2011
Times-News: Secret political spending faces scrutuiny after concern over federal contracts - Secret corporate spending on political campaigns may face the sharp rays of sunshine.
Poll Shows Citizens United Impact on Hill05/17/2011
Open Secrets: Did Citizens United decision empower lobbyists? - An informal study by the nonprofit organization Public Citizen shows that many Democratic congressional staffers believe the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission U.S. Supreme Court decision has strengthened the influence of lobbyists in the policy-making process.
Obama's Exec Order Riles U.S. Chamber05/17/2011
Huffington Post: The U.S. Chamber's big lie on election spending - A few weeks ago, the Obama administration circulated a draft executive order that would require companies seeking federal contracts to disclose their political spending, including the new spending that the Supreme Court permitted in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
State Medical Board Study05/17/2011
Boston Globe: Mass. medical board ranks poorly on MD discipline - Public Citizen, a consumer group with a focus on health care, issued its annual listing comparing medical boards based on how regularly they discipline doctors.
Name that Scandal05/17/2011
The Hill: Name the latest congressional banking scandal - On May 5, 44 members of the United States Senate affixed their signatures to a letter to President Obama.
Ranking State Med Boards05/17/2011
Modern Physician: On doc discipline, it's deja vu, with some twists - It's a rite of spring: In April or May, the Federation of State Medical Boards quietly posts it annual summary of board actions.
Varying Opinions on AT&T Ruling05/17/2011
Forbes: Why the Times is wrong about AT&T class action case - The New York Times has a gut-wrenching editorial today about AT&T vs. Conception, the recent decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld contracts that force consumers to settle their disputes in arbitration.
Tensions Rise on Contractor Disclosure Order05/17/2011
Federal Computer Week: House hearing heats up over contractor disclosure order - Arguments over disclosing federal contractors' political contributions heated up a House hearing on May 12 as supporters and opponents clashed over the purpose and possible effects of a recent draft executive order that would require greater transparency for those contributions.
Move to End Offshore Drilling Moratorium05/17/2011
Salem-News: Interest groups that supported resumption of offshore drilling contributed heavily to lawmakers - The House of Representatives passed HR 1229 - Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act on Wednesday by an overwhelming margin of 263 - 163, including more than two dozen Democrats who voted to support the measure, while not a single Republican voted against it.
Ranking State Medical Boards05/17/2011
Post Tribune: Indiana ranks midway in disciplinary action against doctors, study shows - Indiana’s Medical Licensing Board ranked just about in the middle of state disciplinary boards taking serious actions against physicians in trouble in 2010, according to a new study released by a national health care consumer advocacy group.
Public Citizen Debates American Petroleum Institute05/17/2011
PBS Newshour: Tax breaks for oil companies: Good for business or unfair advantage? - The latest effort by Congress to target the oil industry over taxes and profits is hardly the first.
Ohio Ranks 3rd in Doc Discipline05/17/2011
Dayton Daily News: Ohio 3rd in discipline against doctors - Ohio’s state medical board ranked third in the nation in the rate of serious disciplinary actions taken against physicians, according to a report released Thursday by the nonprofit Public Citizen.
N.C. Increases Actions Against Docs05/17/2011
Asheville Citizen-Times: N.C. medical board took actions against 13 western North Carolina doctors in 2010 - The North Carolina Medical Board took actions against 226 medical practitioners in 2010, a slight increase from 2009, according to an annual report released this week.
Bank CEOs Still Earn Rock Star Salaries05/17/2011
Business Journals: Paychecks of some bank CEOs have a pre-recession look - John Stumpf, CEO of San Francisco banking giant Wells Fargo & Co., took a 6 percent pay cut in 2010 and still made $17.6 million.
Koch Industries Loses Court Fight05/17/2011
Watching the Watchers: Court protects press release - A Utah federal court has dismissed a complaint by Koch Industries — the giant privately-held conglomerate of the politically controversial billionaire Koch brothers — over a prank press release issued in the company's name.
Watchdog Criticizes Flawed Alzheimer's Study05/16/2011
Health Imaging: Major PET trial of Alzheimer's criticized - Consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen has submitted a letter to the editor to the Journal of the American Medical Association, criticizing the Clark et al study, published Jan. 19, which reported a strong quantitative correlation between the biomarker florbetapir F18's signal on PET scans and the presence of beta-amyloid in the brain at death, suggesting that imaging biomarkers may be applied for diagnosing and determining early risks for Alzheimer's disease.
Industry Reacts to Proposed Latex Glove Ban05/16/2011
Plastics News: Firms respond to U.S. latex gloves rules - Responding to an effort to get medical gloves made of natural rubber or powdered with cornstarch banned, one glove maker defended its work to reduce allergy dangers, and another touted synthetic rubber gloves.
Lobbyists Weigh Heavy on Staffers05/16/2011
Huffington Post: Democrats increasingly scared of angering deep pockets, survey says - Democratic congressional staffers are increasingly wary of alienating corporate lobbyists for fear of inciting a massive advertising blitz against their bosses, according to an informal survey by the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen.
FDA Should Reject New Alzheimer's Treatment05/16/2011
Proactive Investors: U.S. consumer group alleges that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly withheld information about drug for Alzheimer's - A U.S. consumer group alleged on Tuesday that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:LLY) withheld important information from a medical journal in their study of an imaging drug for Alzheimer's disease.
Court Throws Out Koch Spoof Lawsuit05/16/2011
Media Post News: Parodists behind fake Koch Industries site score legal victory - The private conglomerate Koch Industries isn't entitled to learn the identities of Web users who created a fake site parodying the company's position on environmental regulations, a judge has ruled.
Obama and Bush's Old Trade Deals05/16/2011
NPR: U.S. trade deficit widens - U.S. exports hit an all-time high in March — but imports grew even faster.
Party Lines Crossed to Oppose Trade Deals05/16/2011
Roll Call: Trade deals unite left and right in opposition - Some tea party organizations have been quietly trading notes with left-leaning advocacy groups as both sides work to derail a series of upcoming free-trade agreements.
Spotlight on Awarding Federal Contracts05/16/2011
Times News Magic Valley: Secret political spending faces scrutiny after concern over federal contracts - Secret corporate spending on political campaigns may face the sharp rays of sunshine.
Study Reveals Lack of Medical Board Oversight05/16/2011
U.S. Politics Today: Are medical licensing boards negligent in their regulation of doctors? - A new Public Citizen report indicates that state medical boards have failed to discipline 55 percent of the nation's doctors who either lost their clinical privileges or had them restricted by the hospitals where they worked, based on a new analysis of data from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB).
Convoluted Argument Against Good Government05/16/2011
The Hill: When did sunlight become the infectant? - Reality seems to have been flipped on its head in the debate over the administration’s draft executive order to require federal contractors to disclose more information about their campaign contributions.
Oil Company Execs Testify Before Congress05/16/2011
WSAV: Oil execs called before Congress today, will defend record profits - As gas prices soar (about $4 per gallong nationwide on average) oil companies are making record profits.
Flawed Alzheimer's Study Criticized05/12/2011
Reuters: Key data left out of Alzheimer's study - In a letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Public Citizen criticized a January 19 study that assessed the effectiveness of brain scans using Lilly's Amyvid, an experimental dye to detect brain abnormalities.
Key Data Omitted in Alzheimer's Study05/12/2011
BioMed Reports: Key data left out of Alzheimer's study - A U.S. consumer group alleged on Tuesday that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:LLY) withheld important information from a medical journal in their study of an imaging drug for Alzheimer's disease.
Koch Industries Lawsuit Against Critics Dismissed05/12/2011
Electronic Frontier Foundation: Utah court strikes flow for free speech, dismisses trademark and CFAA claims against political activists - As we've noted before, many trademark owners are none too happy when political activists use their marks as part of a larger statement about the owners' business or political practices.
Recession on K Street?05/12/2011
Roll Call: Lobbyists-for-hire are losing market share - Over the past decade, many corporations, unions and other groups spent more money on in-house teams of lobbyists, shifting away from hiring outside firms to do their advocacy.
Draft Obama Order Causes GOP Backlash05/12/2011
Kansas City Star: Missouri's Graves in d.C. showdown over campaign cash - U.S. Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri has taken a lead role in a potential showdown with the White House over its attempt to tighten campaign spending rules.
05/12/2011
Bloomberg: Koch Industries' parody-website infringement case dismissed - Koch Industries Inc., the closely held energy and chemical company based in Wichita, Kansas controlled by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, cannot sue the creators of a parody website for trademark infringement, a federal court in Utah ruled May 9.
EU Drug Regulators Cozy with Drugmakers05/12/2011
EU Observer: EU drugs regulator accused of being too cozy with Big Pharma - The European Parliament has refused to sign off on the accounts of the EU agency responsible for making sure all medicines in Europe are safe and effective for its citizens to use, accusing the body of being too close to Big Pharma.
Critical Data Withheld from Research05/12/2011
NewsMax Health: Critical data withheld from Alzheimer's research, consumer group claims - A consumer group alleged on Tuesday that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly and Co. withheld important information from a medical journal in their study of an imaging drug for Alzheimer's disease.
Study of Alzheimer's Test Seriously Flawed05/12/2011
Fierce Biotech: Lilly study excluded key data on Alzheimer's imaging agent -Public Citizen is charging that Eli Lilly purposefully withheld data which demonstrated the unreliability of Amyvid, its experimental new imaging drug for Alzheimer's, when it submitted a study to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Lawmakers Threaten to Subpoena White House Budget Official05/11/2011
Joplin Globe: Lawmakers threaten to subpoena White House budget official - Two House of Representatives committee chairmen threatened Tuesday to subpoena a top White House official who's refused to testify at their joint hearing Thursday.
Public Citizen: Key Data Left Out of Alzheimer's Study05/11/2011
Fox News: Public Citizen: Key data left out of Alzheimer's study - A U.S. consumer group alleged on Tuesday that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly and Co withheld important information from a medical journal in their study of an imaging drug for Alzheimer's disease.
Democrats Increasingly Scared of Angering Deep Pockets, Survey Says05/11/2011
Huffington Post: Democrats increasingly scared of angering deep pockets, survey says - Democratic congressional staffers are increasingly wary of alienating corporate lobbyists for fear of inciting a massive advertising blitz against their bosses, according to an informal survey by the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen.
Parodists Behind Fake Koch Industries Site Score Legal Victory05/11/2011
Media Post: Parodists behind fake Koch Industries site score legal victory - The private conglomerate Koch Industries isn't entitled to learn the identities of Web users who created a fake site parodying the company's position on environmental regulations, a judge has ruled.
Losing the Battle Against Big Business, Thanks to the Supreme Court05/11/2011
Injury Board: Losing the battle against big business, thanks to the Supreme Court - Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that has effectively taken away your ability to defend yourself against mega corporations in the event that they ever cheat or harm you.
CMA Sues to Stop Borrowing from Calif. Medical Board05/11/2011
ModernPhysician.com: CMA sues to stop borrowing from Calif. Medical Board - The California Medical Association is petitioning the California State Supreme Court to overturn a March 30 state appellate decision concerning the state government's authority to borrow $6 million from a special fund used to finance the operations of the Medical Board of California.
JAMA: Major PET Trial of Alzheimer's Criticized05/11/2011
Health Imaging: JAMA: Major PET trial of Alzheimer's criticized - Consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen has submitted a letter to the editor to the Journal of the American Medical Association, criticizing the Clark et al study, published Jan. 19, which reported a strong quantitative correlation between the biomarker florbetapir F-18's signal on PET scans and the presence of beta-amyloid in the brain at death, suggesting that imaging biomarkers may be applied for diagnosing and determining early risks for Alzheimer's disease.
Firms Respond to U.S. Latex Gloves Rules05/11/2011
Rubber & Plastics News: Firms respond to U.S. latex gloves rules -Responding to an effort to get medical gloves made of natural rubber or powdered with cornstarch banned, one glove maker defended its work to reduce allergy dangers, and another touted synthetic rubber gloves.
Email Pranksters Win Legal Victory Against Koch Industries05/10/2011
The Guardian: Email pranksters win legal victory against Koch Industries - A victory for common sense to report from a courtroom in Utah.
Bedside Assistant Bed Handles Should Be Recalled, Public Citizen Warns05/10/2011
About Lawsuits: Bedside Assistant Bed Handles should be recalled, Public Citizen warns - The consumer watchdog group Public Citizen has filed a petition to ban a brand of bed rails that have been linked to the strangulation or suffocation of at least four people.
Judge Rules Against Koch Industries in Media Hoax05/10/2011
Associated Press: Judge rules against Koch Industries in media hoax - A federal judge on Monday sided with environmental pranksters behind a media hoax targeting Koch Industries Inc., upholding First Amendment protections for anonymous political speech on the Internet.
Utah Federal Judge Throws Out Koch Suit05/09/2011
Salt Lake Tribune: Utah federal judge throws out Koch suit - A federal judge in Utah tossed out a lawsuit Monday by Koch Industries that sought to uncover the identities of anonymous environmentalist pranksters who put out a fake news release saying the company had reversed itself on global warming issues.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Fake Koch Website05/09/2011
The Hill: Judge dismisses lawsuit over fake Koch website - A judge dismissed a lawsuit Monday brought by Koch Industries against a group of anonymous pranksters that created a phony website announcing that the company would change its position on climate change.
Koch Industries Climate Change Spoof No Grounds For Suit, Judge Finds05/09/2011
Huffington Post: Koch Industries climate change spoof no grounds for suit, judge finds - A U.S. district court in Utah effectively shut down an effort by Koch Industries, the Kansas-based industrial conglomerate whose namesake brothers are vocal skeptics of global warming, to unmask a group of anonymous climate activists who spoofed the company in a mock press release last December.
Koch Suit vs. Pranksters Dismissed05/09/2011
Politico: Koch suit vs. pranksters dismissed - A federal judge in Utah on Monday tossed Koch Industries's lawsuit against the pranksters who set up a fake website and sent out a bogus press release saying the company had found religion on climate change.
Top Utah Prescribers of Addictive Painkiller Face Scrutiny05/09/2011
The Salt Lake Tribune: Top Utah prescribers of addictive painkiller face scrutiny - Advanced practice nurse Kathleen Stillion-Allen gave a single patient 15,310 pain pills over 13 months, the equivalent of 39 a day.
States Eye Public Access to More Doctor Disciplinary Records05/09/2011
American Medical News: States eye public access to more doctor disciplinary records - A long-running push for increased transparency in the medical profession has led medical boards nationwide to release more information about physicians' professional and disciplinary history online during the last 15 years.
Report: Gutting TX Consumer Protection Agencies Would be Costly05/09/2011
Public News Service: Report: Gutting TX consumer protection agencies would be costly - The House State Affairs Committee is expected to reauthorize the Public Utilities Commission this week, but a controversial amendment to the bill could hamstring Texas' consumer protection agencies, according to a Public Citizen report released today.
During Mitch Daniels' Decade at Eli Lilly, the Drug Giant Paid Billions05/09/2011
iwatchnews.org: During Mitch Daniels' decade at Eli Lilly, the drug giant paid billions in fines and settled thousands of lawsuits - Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a potential Republican presidential candidate respected for his fiscal prudence, credits his success in government to the business skills he learned as a pharmaceutical executive.
Obama Order Could Make Corporate Political Spending Public05/08/2011
LA Times: Obama order could make corporate political spending public - A lobbying battle is raging largely behind the scenes over a seemingly obscure executive order that could - if signed by President Obama - make public the political spending that many corporations can now keep secret.
Advocacy Group Report Shows Consumer Agencies Earn Their Keep05/08/2011
Dallas-Fort Worth Business News: Advocacy group report shows consumer agencies earn their keep - As lawmakers grapple with cutting and possibly eliminating agencies that represent consumers, an advocacy group calculated that the agencies save Texas consumers far more than they cost.
Senate Republicans Give Up on Opposing Elizabeth Warren for CFPB, With a Twist05/07/2011
Huffington Post: Senate Republicans give up on opposing Elizabeth Warren for CFPB, with a twist - On Thursday, 44 Senate Republicans signed a letter to President Obama stating that they will oppose any nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) unless the Bureau is first weakened dramatically.
GOP Vow to Block Nominees Makes Warren Appointment More Likely05/07/2011
The Hill: GOP vow to block nominees makes Warren appointment more likely - A promise by Senate Republicans to block anyone President Obama nominates to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has increased the likelihood that Elizabeth Warren will get the job.
Consumer Groups Back Warren for CFPB05/06/2011
Wall Street Journal: Consumer groups back Warren for CFPB - Public-interest groups are pushing for President Barack Obama to appoint White House adviser Elizabeth Warren director of the new consumer-financial-protection agency, even as Republicans threaten to block any nominee.
Matthew Alexander on Torture, Tyson Slocum on Gas Prices05/06/2011
fair.org: Matthew Alexander on torture, Tyson Slocum on gas prices - This week on CounterSpin: The killin gof Osama bin Laden has delivered plenty of media themes: Can the U.S. trust Pakistan?
FMCSA Posts New HOS Data, Extends Comment Period and Publication Date for Final Rule05/06/2011
TheTrucker.com: FMCSA posts new HOS data, extends comment period and publication date for Final Rule - It appears everyone's going to have to wait past July to see the Final Rule on the current proposed rulemaking for Hours of Service.
Former Regulator Eyes Margin to Tamp Speculation05/06/2011
Market Watch: Former regulator eyes margin to tamp speculation - A former top Commodity Futures Trading Commission official is calling for further margin requirements on a wide-variety of commodity transactions in the wake of Thursday's plunge in commodities.
Public Citizen: Bed Handles Dangerous for Elderly05/05/2011
CNN Health Blog: Public Citizen: Bed handles dangerous for elderly - They are supposed to help elderly or sick patients maneuver in and out of bed, but the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen says some bed rail handles can be dangerous and have caused several deaths.
With Liberty and Justice for... Corporations?05/05/2011
FDL: With liberty and justice for... corporations? - On April 27, 2011, the Supreme Court of the United States once again ruled in favor of big business. In the highly anticipated case of AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, the Roberts led conservative block of the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that federal trumps state law in allowing companies to use arbitration clauses to prohibit consumers from joining class actions against the companies.
Bedside Devices a 'Death Trap," Says Advocacy Group05/05/2011
HealthLeaders Media: Bedside devices a 'death trap,' says advocacy group - The Food and Drug Administration should ban and order the recall of thousands of Bedside Assistant devices because they are blamed for the strangulation or asphyxiation deaths of four people and for entrapping a fifth patient in a hospital, says the health advocacy group Public Citizen.
Merck Serono Pays $44M to Settle Kickback Charge05/05/2011
Associated Press: Merck Serono pays $44M to settle kickback charge - The Department of Justice said May 4 that multinational drugmaker Merck Serono SA has agreed to pay $44.3 million to settle allegations that it illegally promoted one if its drugs using kickbacks to doctors.
Bedside Devices a 'Death Trap,' Says Advocacy Group05/05/2011
Health Leaders Media: Bedside devices a 'death trap,' says advocacy group - The Food and Drug Administration should ban and order the recall of thousands of Bedside Assistant devices because they are blamed for the strangulation or asphyxiation deaths of four people and for entrapping a fifth patient in a hospital, says the health advocacy group Public Citizen.
Watchdog Group Highlights Capito's Husband's Banking Job05/05/2011
WVGazette.com: Watchdog group highlights Capito's husband's banking job - A national watchdog group is highlighting the banking job of Rep. Shelley Moore Capito's husband as the congresswoman's committee weights legislation that affects the financial industry.
In the United States: With Liberty and Justice for... Corporations? for Lawyers?05/05/2011
Axis of Logic: In the United States: With liberty and justice for... corporations? for lawyers? - When California changed its law to require that arbitration results be publicly recorded, Public Citizen reviewed 34,000 California cases, and the results were stunning.
DOJ Says Drugmaker Merck Serono Will Pay $44.3M to Settle Allegations of Illegal Payments05/04/2011
Washington Post: DOJ says drugmaker Merck Serono will pay $44.3M to settle allegations of illegal payments - The Department of Justice said Wednesday that multinational drugmaker Merck Serono SA has agreed to pay $44.3 million to settle allegations that it illegally promoted one of its drugs using kickbacks to doctors.
Federal Rules Fight Sparks Reunion05/04/2011
Roll Call: Federal Rules Fight Sparks Reunion - Gary Bass is getting the band back together.
SCOTUS Hears Doctor Pharmacy Data Case05/04/2011
Information Week: Supreme Court to hear doctor pharmacy data case - The Supreme Court on Tuesday is slated to hear a case that could put an electronic muzzle on the use of some pharmacy data to target physicians based on their identifiable prescription records.
SCOTUS Backs AT&T05/04/2011 USA Today: Supreme Court backs AT&T, limits class-action suits - The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that consumers can be bound by an arbitration clause in a cellphone deal or other contract even when state law permits a class-action lawsuit for claims arising from the deal. SCOTUS Says Contracts Can Ban Class Actions
05/04/2011
Washington Post: Supreme Court says arbitration agreements can ban class-action efforts - Large corporations won a substantial victory at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, as ideologically split justices ruled that consumers may not band together in class-action arbitration to pursue their complaints.
SCOTUS Ruling Supports Binding Arbitration05/04/2011
Law 360: Arbitration contracts can ban class actions: High Court - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in a case over AT&T Mobility LLC customer contracts that the Federal Arbitration Act preempts state laws that invalidate class action arbitration waivers, a decision that could spell doom for classwide arbitration, attorneys say.
Companies Empowered to Block Class Actions05/04/2011 Los Angeles Times: Companies can block customers' class-action lawsuits, Supreme Court rules - Justices rule in a Southern California case that firms can force customers to arbritrate their complaints individually.
SCOTUS Limits Class Actions
05/04/2011
NPR: Supreme Court imposes limits on class actions - The U.S. Supreme Court has handed corporations a major victory.
SCOTUS AT&T Ruling Favors Business05/04/2011
Fox Business: U.S. Supreme Court ruling supports credit card company policies requiring arbitration - In a 5-4 decision that affects anyone who carries a credit card or signs a cell phone contract, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled April 27 that companies can require customers to waive their right to participate in a class-action lawsuit, the Los Angeles Times reported.
05/04/2011
Dallas News: Report finds companies didn't manipulate market during blackout - No one manipulated the Texas electricity market during the blackouts in February, according to a report by the Public Utility Commission’s independent market monitor.
SCOTUS AT&T Ruling Will Limit Class Actions05/04/2011
Free Speech Radio News: Supreme Court ruling limits consumers' rights to file class action lawsuits - Public interest advocates are warning that Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision will have sweeping implications for consumers, leaving them little choice but to sign contracts that bar class action lawsuits and limit legal recourse to binding arbitration.
Curing the State's Medical Regulation System05/04/2011
LA Times: Curing the state's medical regulation system - Are you an unfit or incompetent doctor in the state of California? You can rest easy, because the Medical Board of California is on your case.
Report: No Evidence of TX Electricity Market Manipulation05/04/2011
Austin Statesman: Analysis finds no electricity price-gouging in Texas' February blackouts - An independent study of February's rolling blackouts across Texas has concluded that the state's power generation companies did not manipulate the market by artificially withholding electricity in order to drive up prices.
Public Citizen Asks Court to Dismiss Koch Suit05/04/2011
Salt Lake Tribune: Court asked to dismiss lawsuit over climate change prank - An attorney for an anonymous group of environmentalist pranksters argued Thursday that one of the leading opponents of climate change science, Koch Industries, overstepped its bounds in suing the pranksters over a false news release issued from a near-exact copy of the company’s website.
Deval Patrick Hits the Road for Obama05/04/2011
Roll Call: Deval Patrick hits the road for Obama - The White House and Obama campaign officials have helped create two new organizations that will enable Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to become a lead defender of the president's signature health care reform law during the 2012 election campaign.
Public Citizen: Bed handles dangerous for elderly05/04/2011
The Chart: Public Citizen: Bed handles dangerous for elderly - They are supposed to help elderly or sick patients maneuver in and out of bed, but the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen says some bed rail handles can be dangerous and have caused several deaths.
With Liberty and Justice For...Corporations?05/04/2011
FDL: With liberty and justice for...corporations? - On April 27, 2011, the Supreme Court of the United States once again ruled in favor of big business.
Smart Meters New Hot Topic05/03/2011
Noozhawk: Smart meters focus of Santa Barbara forum - National experts led a discussion Thursday night on the dangers of smart meters at a “Get Smart” town hall forum.
Pressure Politics in Texas05/03/2011
Austin Statesman: Fraser cites activists' letter as proof of unfair elections at PEC - State Sen. Troy Fraser, one of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative's most persistent critics, is citing a recently surfaced letter to several co-op directors as evidence that the co-op's board election process is still not fair, despite many reforms over the past three years.
New Democratic Political Fundraising Groups Emulate the Karl Rove Model05/03/2011
The Nonprofit Quarterly: New Democratic political fundraising groups emulate the Karl Rove model - Recently resigned White House senior staff Bill Burton (former deputy press secretary) and Sean Sweeney (former advisor to chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel) have created new political fundraising organizations for the 2012 election campaign.
NRC Chief Comments on Reactor Safety05/03/2011
USA Today: NRC chief comments on reactor safety - Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief Gregory Jaczko ventured into the den of the anti-nuclear group Public Citizen on Monday, facing some critical questions about the industry he regulates.
Report: Louisiana Family (Almost) Singlehandedly Bankrolling Alaska Rep's Legal Fund05/03/2011
TPMMuckraker: Report: Louisiana family (almost) singlehandedly bankrolling Alaska Rep's legal fund - In the first three months of this year, scandal-dogged Rep. Don Young (R-AK) raised $92,000 for his legal defense fund.
FDA Panel Has No New Echo Contrast Agent Conclusions05/03/2011
medpagetoday.com: FDA panel has no new echo contrast agent conclusions - An FDA advisory committee met Monday to decide whether the black box warning on microbubble contrast agents used in echocardiography is too strict, but came to little agreement over whether the box should be removed.
Feds' Point Man on Diet Supplements was Industry's Public Face05/03/2011
Scripps News: Feds' point man on diet supplements was industry's public face - Daniel Fabricant's jump from industry insider to industry regulator is far from unusual in Washington, where former Wall Street executives occupy top spots in the Treasury department and defense contractors work inside the Pentagon.
Consumer Group Presses Capito to Announce Husband's New Banking Job05/03/2011
The Hill: Consumer group presses Capito to announce husband's new banking job - A consumer watchdog group is pressuring Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) to announce her husband's new position with Wells Fargo when a subcommittee she chairs considers legislation to alter a key piece of the Wall Street reform law.
Search Your Doctor: Study Finds Oversight Lacking in CA05/03/2011
NBC Bay Area: Search your doctor: Study finds oversight lacking in CA - California patients beware: You might not be the only one due for a check-up.
Biotech Execs Want Accelerated Approval05/02/2011
SignOnSanDiego: Congressional forum on biotech jobs focuses on FDA - Overly cautious government regulators, threats to basic science research funding and burdensome taxes are holding back job creation by drug and medical device companies and slowing the delivery of innovative new therapies to patients, biotechnology industry experts told federal lawmakers Thursday during a hearing in San Diego.
Loud Calls to Increase Offshore Oil Drilling05/02/2011
Sentinel Source: A year after the BP oil spill, pressure builds to expand drilling - A year after the BP oil spill put the brakes on full-bore domestic production, it’s back to “drill, baby, drill” as federal lawmakers, anxious about rising gasoline prices, push legislation to open offshore leases and make it easier to drill domestically.
Offshore Drilling Contractors May Be Regulated05/02/2011
Fox Business: Agency looking at applying 'all' regulations to drilling contractors - The U.S. offshore drilling regulator is reviewing its authority to apply "any" or "all" of its regulations to drilling contractors like Transocean Ltd. and Halliburton Co.
Expanding Oversight of Rig Contractors05/02/2011
Reuters: U.S. may expand oversight of rig contractors - Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has been examining its options for regulating rig contractors after official reports on the BP oil spill blamed actions by BP's contractors, Transocean Ltd and Halliburton, for contributing to the accident.
Doctor Pharmacy Data Fair Game?05/02/2011
Information Week: Supreme Court to hear doctor pharmacy data case - The Supreme Court on Tuesday is slated to hear a case that could put an electronic muzzle on the use of some pharmacy data to target physicians based on their identifiable prescription records.
Class-Action Lawsuits Limited05/02/2011
USA Today: Supreme Court backs AT&T, limits class-action suits - The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that consumers can be bound by an arbitration clause in a cellphone deal or other contract even when state law permits a class-action lawsuit for claims arising from the deal.
Arbitration Agreements Can Ban Class Actions05/02/2011
Washington Post: Supreme Court says arbitration agreements can ban class-action efforts - Large corporations won a substantial victory at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, as ideologically split justices ruled that consumers may not band together in class-action arbitration to pursue their complaints.
Class Actions Take High Court Hit05/02/2011
Law 360: Arbitration contracts can ban class actions: High Court - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in a case over AT&T Mobility LLC customer contracts that the Federal Arbitration Act preempts state laws that invalidate class action arbitration waivers, a decision that could spell doom for classwide arbitration, attorneys say.
Companies Win Supreme Court Victory05/02/2011
Los Angeles Times: Companies can block customers' class-action lawsuits, Supreme Court rules - Justices rule in a Southern California case that firms can force customers to arbitrate their complaints individually.
Limits Imposed on Class Actions
05/02/2011
NPR: Supreme Court imposes limits on class actions - The U.S. Supreme Court has handed corporations a major victory.
SCOTUS Ruling Favor Creditors05/02/2011
Fox Business: U.S. Supreme Court ruling supports credit card company policies requiring arbitration - In a 5-4 decision that affects anyone who carries a credit card or signs a cell phone contract, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled April 27 that companies can require customers to waive their right to participate in a class-action lawsuit, the Los Angeles Times reported.
05/02/2011
Dallas News: Report finds companies didn't manipulate market during blackout - No one manipulated the Texas electricity market during the blackouts in February, according to a report by the Public Utility Commission’s independent market monitor.
Crestor Attorneys05/02/2011
Seedol.com: Crestor attorneys - Crestor attorneys represent those that have been affected by taking the drug Crestor, also known as Rosuvastatin.
Protests To Ban Diet Drug Ally From The Market: Is It Really Justified05/02/2011
Daily News Pulse: Protests to ban diet drug Alli from the market: Is it really justified - Dr. Richard Besser, Senior Health and Medical Editor for ABC News said that the numbers needed to be put into perspective.
Push to Limit Trucking Hours05/02/2011
Fleet Owner: HOS proposals more politics than policy: NPTC - NPTC general counsel Richard (Rick) P. Schweitzer told Fleet Owner that the new HOS proposals - resulting from settlement of the third lawsuit by Public Citizen, the Teamsters and others - are "driven more by politics than policy or research."
APRIL 2011 MEDIA HITS
04/30/2011
Nieman Watchdog: Is the energy-fraud cop back on the beat? - Ever since May of 2008, when we had the last bubble in oil prices and gasoline -- in July of 2008, the price hit $147.17 per barrel of oil, which was a world record, and gas prices were the same rate they are today -- there has been evidence that has swamped Congress demonstrating that speculation in the price oil -- betting on the upward direction of the price -- sends a false demand signal to the market and has a substantial impact on the upward price of oil and the upward price of the principle derivative, gasoline.
Lawmakers chafe as push continues to privatize prison health care04/30/2011
Statesman.com: Lawmakers chafe as push continues to privatize prison health care - Efforts by private companies to get a piece of Texas' nearly $1 billion prisoner health care system are quietly continuing behind the scenes as company representatives make sales pitches to lawmakers and seek changes in state law to authorize privatization.
File-Sharing Copyright Suit an Odd Drama04/29/2011
Anime News Network: Some 'One Piece' downloaders settle out of court - On Monday, Evan Stone — the copyright lawyer who represented Funimation in the recently-dropped lawsuit against 1,337 alleged One Piece anime downloaders — told ANN that he negotiated settlements with some One Piece downloaders.
SCOTUS - Defenders of the Fine Print04/29/2011
San Francisco Chronicle: Supreme Court rejects class-action arbitration - In a resounding victory for businesses, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a company can require its customers or employees to arbitrate disputes individually rather than joining forces in a class action.
The Political Price of Oil04/29/2011
New Republic: Pumped Up - Oil is up around $110 per barrel; the price of gas at the pump is approaching $4 per gallon.
SCOTUS Strips Consumers of Legal Rights04/29/2011
The Register: U.S. Supremes deal death blow to class action lawsuits - The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a whopping victory to AT&T, the US Chamber of Commerce, and supportive corporations, by reversing previous court decisions that had prevented corporations from requiring individual arbitration of customers' complaint.
How Casino Proposal Became a Federal Case04/29/2011
Reno News Review: Ethics or Expression? - On Aug. 23, 2006, the Sparks City Council rejected the proposed Lazy 8 casino, planned for construction in a north Sparks neighborhood.
Market Manipulation Plunders Oil Resources04/29/2011
Colorado Springs Independent: Big Oil's great deception - You're being robbed, your pockets pilfered. As gas fills your tank, it empties your wallet. You know it.
Fighting Citizens United04/29/2011
Paradise Post: Tips on fighting court order - Ironically, "Citizens United" is the name of a conservative advocacy group that receives corporate funding to promote increased rights for corporations.
Free-Trade Fantasy and the Uses of Korean American Diaspora04/29/2011
Hyphen Magazine: Free-trade fantasy and the uses of Korean American diaspora - On Wednesday in Seoul, Korean President Lee Myung Bak welcomed a top-level American delegation.
AT&T Ruling May Be Salvageable by CFPB04/29/2011
Bank Investment Consultant: Supreme Court gives banks a win on arbitration, but will CFPB trump it? - A Supreme Court decision limiting class-action lawsuits was a win for banks and other corporations on Wednesday, but the victory may prove to be short-lived.
High Court Ruling on AT&T Pro-Business04/29/2011
Morning Call: Supreme Court limits access to class-actions - The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in a highly watched case doesn't sound like good news for consumers.
SCOTUS Upholds Arbitration, Slams Class Actions04/29/2011
Bloomberg: Court News - Class Actions Limited as U.S. Supreme Court Supports AT&T.
Report Cites Potential Risks of TX Toxic Dumpsite04/29/2011
Austin Chronicle: Report says no to more radioactive waste in Texas -The potential risks of allowing dozens of states to dump radioactive waste in a remote West Texas site have not been adequately addressed, the environmental group Public Citizen Texas said in a report released Thursday.
Report: No market manipulation during Feb. outages04/29/2011
Associated Press: Report: No market manipulation during Feb. outages - Energy markets were not manipulated during rolling electrical outages and the failure of dozens of power plants in early February as freezing weather blanketed parts of Texas, an independent analysis found.
In Which the Appeals Court Says I'm Wrong04/29/2011
Scienceblogs.com: In which the appeals court says I'm wrong - Imagine my surprise to get a Google alert with a link to the ruling in the appeal of Brayton v Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, a lawsuit I filed several years ago against the Bush administration for refusing a FOIA request for the settlement agreement they had signed with the European Union in a World Trade Order dispute over our attempts to prevent online gambling.
Exxon, Shell See Profit Hikes; Venezuela Unveils Oil Windfall Tax04/29/2011
Democracy Now: Exxon, Shell see profit hikes; Venezuela unveils oil windfall tax - Oil companies continue to report major profit increases amidst rising prices for gas and oil.
New Rule Protects Exempted Funds From Garnishment Orders04/29/2011
Fox Business: New rule protects exempted funds from garnishment orders - The latest in a series of new federal regulations intended to protect credit card holders and other indebted Americans is poised to kick in, and this measure covers brand new ground: It offers aid and comfort to some of the nation's most desperate debtors -- those who face frozen bank accounts and, ultimately, seizure of the funds in those accounts.
Nonprofits Expand Politicking04/29/2011
Open Secrets Blog: Nonprofits expand politicking, the fund-raising of 60 Plus Association - A Center for Responsive Politics analysis shows that several groups that stated they would not accept corporate or union donations in 2008 did not adhere to such declarations during the 2010 election cycle.
Group Works to Ban Latex Gloves During Operations04/29/2011
WBAL Baltimore: Group works to ban latex gloves during operations - Latex gloves could soon be a thing of the past in the operating room.
Watchdogs to call for investigation of new liberal groups04/29/2011
The Hill: Watchdogs to call for investigation of new liberal groups - Campaign finance watchdog groups came out forcefully Friday against two political groups started by former White House aides and pledged to request a federal investigation.
In 2012 Money Race, Democrats Say Game On!04/29/2011
TPMMuckraker: In 2012 money race, Democrats say game on! - Democrats, still smarting from the 2010 midterm defeats, are determined not to sit on the fundraising sidelines and be caught flat-footed again.
Allergic Reactions Demand Latex Glove Ban04/29/2011
WFSA: Ban Latex Gloves - Surgical and patient examination gloves that are made of natural rubber latex or have cornstarch on them pose a serious threat to patients and health care workers and should be banned, says the advocacy group Public Citizen.
Obscene Oil Profits04/29/2011
Bloomberg: Exxon profit surges as consumers and lawmakers fume over gasoline prices - Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), the world’s largest company by market value, posted its largest profit in almost three years as soaring gasoline prices fueled discontent among consumers and policymakers.
Report on Dangers of TX Toxic Dump04/29/2011
CHRON: Report says no to more radioactive waste in Texas - The potential risks of allowing dozens of states to dump radioactive waste in a remote West Texas site have not been adequately addressed, the environmental group Public Citizen Texas said in a report released Thursday.
New Opponent of TX Toxic Dumpsite04/29/2011
KERA: Ex-gubernatorial candidate opposes nuke site bill - Former Texas GOP gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina is speaking out against legislation that would allow dozens of states to send radioactive waste to West Texas.
Call to Ban Latex Gloves04/29/2011
ABC News: Public Citizen calls for ban on latex medical gloves - Amanda Bowers, an emergency room nurse, always keeps her EpiPen nearby during her 12-hour shift.
SCOTUS Empowers Anti-Consumer Campaign04/29/2011
Huffington Post: U.S. Supreme Court to major corporations: You write the rules - On Wednesday the U.S. Supreme Court sided with AT&T in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion -- a decision with devastating consequences for consumer protection and civil rights.
Oil Price Spike: Spot or Speculation?04/28/2011
Washington Examiner: The high cost of oil - The price of oil has remained above $100 per barrel in March and now April, while the average price for regular gas in New York City and most major metropolitan areas hovers around $3.90 and $4.30 a gallon.
One Disastrous Oil Spill is Enough04/28/2011
FavStocks: A year later, Congress has failed to enact 'a single recommendation' of spill commission - By the first anniversary of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform, which triggered the worst oil spill in U.S. history, lawmakers will have failed “to enact a single recommendation” offered to prevent a repeat disaster, a watchdog critical of the spill aftermath says.
Opposing Forces Allied on Radioactive Dumpsite04/28/2011
Dallas News: Strange bedfellows: The greens and the tea party - Former GOP governor's candidate Debra Medina is joining environmentalists in conducting a series of press conferences around the state protesting Waste Control Specialists plan to import low-level radioactive waste from 36 states to their site in Texas.
Wrestling with Moral Hazard in Recession04/28/2011
Huffington Post: On principal writedowns and moral hazard: Do we want to put out the fire or not? - We at Woodstock Institute have long argued that, in order for loan modifications programs to effectively prevent foreclosures on a broad scale, they need to include a component of reducing the principal owed on underwater homes.
Antiquated Process of Approving Medical Devices04/28/2011
JAMA: FDA ponders regulation and innovation - Most hip implants, ventilators, nonimplantable infusion pumps—even a radiology app for mobile phones—have traveled the same road from an inventor's mind to a physician's hands.
New Ruling Forces Google to Make Records Public04/28/2011
RCFP: Court closes 'loophole' that kept Google report secret - The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco (9th Cir.) yesterday reversed a federal district judge’s decision that the public has no presumptive right to access a report submitted by Google to the court in a case involving a bank's mistaken release of financial information to an unidentified Gmail user.
FDA Neglected OTC Use in its Acetaminophen Limit04/28/2011
GastroEndo News: Will lthe FDA action to limit liver toxicity by cutting acetaminophen dose in combination prescription products have the desired effect? - Clinicians striving to provide patients with pain relief, without risking toxicity, received some support from federal officials in January, when the FDA recommended limiting the dose of acetaminophen to 325 mg in prescription combination products.
Groups Protest Bills Advancing Toxic Dump04/28/2011
KSAT.com: Opponents rally against West Texas nuclear facility - Environmental and citizen groups rallied in San Antonio on Tuesday afternoon against proposed bills that would allow states to ship nuclear waste to a West Texas disposal facility.
Japan Nuke Crisis Derails TX Nuke Plan04/28/2011
NY Times: NRG abandons project for 2 reactors in Texas - The company planning the largest nuclear project in the United States, two giant reactors in South Texas, announced on Tuesday that it was giving up and writing off its investment of $331 million after uncertainties created by the accident in Japan.
TX Gun License Has Unintended Appeal04/28/2011
Austin Statesman: Everybody wants in on this deal - We have found an issue on which lobbyists for a whole bunch of diverse interests are in lockstep agreement.
Nuke Giant Withdraws Expansion Plans04/28/2011
Austin Statesman: NRG pulls financial support for South Texas nuclear plant expansion - A multibillion-dollar expansion of a South Texas nuclear facility appears to have been derailed by last month's tsunami in Japan.
Korea Trade Deal in 'Home Stretch'04/28/2011
Epoch Times: U.S. looks to close Korean trade deal -During a three-day visit to South Korea, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized that the United States is committed to ratifying a free trade with Seoul.
Road Rules on Truckers' Hours Unresolved04/28/2011
Trucking Info: Former FMCSA chief speaks out on HOS, EOBRs - Former Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator John Hill believes it's going to take Congressional action to put an end to the never-ending cycle of hours of service litigation and rewrites.
Spotlighting the FDA for Job Creation04/27/2011
your-story.org: Harris James Associates Update: Congressional forum on biotech jobs focuses on FDA - Overly cautious government regulators, threats to basic science research funding and burdensome taxes are holding back job creation by drug and medical device companies and slowing the delivery of innovative new therapies to patients, biotechnology industry experts told federal lawmakers Thursday during a hearing in San Diego.
Seven Senators to Step Down04/27/2011
Delaware Online: Michael Waldman: Senate's biggest scandal doesn't involve sex - The imminent resignation of Nevada Senator John Ensign, who was facing an ethics probe and a strong chance of expulsion, adds to a stampede for the exits.
Court Delivers Blow to Consumer Rights04/27/2011
Associated Press: Court imposes limits on class actions - The Supreme Court on Wednesday limited the ability of people to combine forces and fight corporations together when they want to dispute contracts for cell phones, cable television and other services, a move consumer advocates called a crushing blow.
AT&T Case Weakens Consumer Protections04/27/2011
Bloomberg: Class actions limited as U.S. Supreme Court supports AT&T - A divided U.S. Supreme Court bolstered the ability of businesses to channel customer and employee complaints into arbitration, ruling that companies can block people from pressing those claims as a group.
Decision Limits Class Actions04/27/2011
Washington Post: Supreme Court imposes limits on class actions in case over "free" cell phone - The Supreme Court on Wednesday limited the ability of people to combine forces and fight corporations together when they want to dispute contracts for cell phones, cable television and other services, a move consumer advocates called a crushing blow.
Court Backs Big Business04/27/2011
Reuters: US top court rules for AT&T in arbitration case - The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday handed businesses such as AT&T Inc (T.N) a major victory by upholding the use of arbitration for customer disputes rather than allowing claims to be brought together as a group.
Court Corrodes Class-Action Suits04/27/2011
USA Today: Supreme Court backs AT&T, limits class-action - The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that consumers can be bound by an arbitration clause in a cellphone deal or other contract even when state law permits a class-action lawsuit for claims arising from the deal.
Big Business Burns Class Action04/27/2011
Main Justice: Justicies side with big business in telecom arbitration case - The U.S. Supreme Court, in a ruling that was immediately seen as a big victory for big business, declared on Wednesday that dissatisfied cell phone customers of AT&T Mobility must arbitrate their disputes with the company on an individual basis rather than by joining in wide-ranging class actions.
AT&T Ruling Against Class Action04/27/2011
International Business Times: Supreme Court rules for AT&T in arbitration case - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday for an AT&T Inc unit seeking arbitration for a dispute over cellphone taxes rather than allowing customer claims to be brought together as a group.
Call to Ban Latex Gloves04/27/2011
FierceHealthcare: Group calls for FDA, hospitals to ban latex medical gloves - Doctors wear latex gloves during surgery and patient examinations to avoid spreading germs, but they may actually be putting patients--and themselves--at risk.
Concepcion Decision is 'Crushing'04/27/2011
Consumer Affairs: End of class actions? Supreme Court OKs AT&T arbitration - The U.S. Supreme Court has dealt what Public Citizen calls a "crushing blow" to consumer class actions - siding with AT&T's right to force customers into individual arbitration through the fine print in its service contracts.
Taking Advantage of the Peru FTA04/27/2011
Living in Peru: Analysis: Peru's environmental policy and the Amazon - The enormous segment of Amazonian rainforest that covers over half of the country has always been an issue of contention for Peru due to the number of indigenous tribes that inhabit it.
US Should Ban Latex Gloves04/27/2011
Occupational Health & Safety Online: Public Citizen seeks US ban of latex surgical, exam gloves - Public Citizen on April 25 submitted another petition asking the Food and Drug Administration to ban surgical and patient examination gloves with cornstarch on them.
'Reckless' Refusal to Ban Gloves04/27/2011
Health Leaders Media: FDA urged to ban medical use of latex gloves - The FDA's failure to ban latex gloves or the use of cornstarch in their manufacturing process "demonstrates astonishingly reckless and inexcusable disregard for the health and safety of patients and healthcare workers," says Public Citizen Health Research Group.
Free Speech and Pharmaceuticals04/26/2011
PharmaLive: Supreme Court to hear doctor pharmacy data case - The Supreme Court on Tuesday is slated to hear a case that could put an electronic muzzle on the use of some pharmacy data to target physicians based on their identifiable prescription records.
Dangerous Side Effects of Multaq Surface04/26/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: Multaq liver side effects leads group to warn against use of heart drug - The watchdog group Public Citizen is warning consumers to avoid use of the heart drug Multaq, due to potential side effects that may increase the risk of liver injury and liver failure.
Disallow Dangerous Gloves04/26/2011
Consumer Affairs: Latex medical gloves should be banned, Public Citizen tells FDA - Surgical and patient examination gloves that have cornstarch powder on them or are made of natural rubber latex should be banned because of the serious threat they pose to patients and health care workers, Public Citizen said in a petition filed late Monday with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Latex Gloves Threaten Patients, Workers04/26/2011
doctorslounge.com: Ban latex medical gloves: Group - Surgical and patient examination gloves that are made of natural rubber latex or have cornstarch on them pose a serious threat to patients and health care workers and should be banned, says the advocacy group Public Citizen.
Gloves Pose Serious Health Risk04/26/2011
Opposing Views: Is FDA ignoring risks of medical latex gloves? - What do you do when the people you turn to when you're sick, end up doing more harm than good?
Ban Latex Medical Gloves04/26/2011
Infection Control Today: Group tells FDA that latex medical gloves should be banned - Surgical and patient examination gloves that have cornstarch powder on them or are made of natural rubber latex should be banned because of the serious threats they pose to patients and healthcare workers, said the group Public Citizen in a petition filed late Monday with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Keep Tabs on Hypertension04/26/2011
Health News: Hypertensive patients face higher risk of death - The last century has seen a rise in hypertension with almost one-third of Americans having elevated blood pressure.
Oil Prices on the Rise04/26/2011
AlterNet: Oil prices: Gouge us baby one more time - Gas prices have been edging up since February, reaching $4 a gallon this Easter, and Republicans are gearing up to make a stink about it.
High Profits, High Oil Prices04/26/2011
Huffington Post: As oil profits soar, Obama seeks political wedge - Both political parties are eager to harness the public's growing, boiling rage over high gas prices.
"DO NOT USE": Multaq04/26/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: Multaq liver side effects leads group to warn against use of heart drug - A consumer watchdog group is warning the public to avoid use of the heart drug Multaq, due to potential side effects that may increase the risk of liver injury and liver failure.
Dangers of Korea FTA04/22/2011
The Foundry: KORUS trade pact keeps pressure on North Korea - By further cementing the positive relationship between South Korea and the United States, the pending South Korea-United States (KORUS) free trade agreement will further weaken the oppressive North Korean regime's strategic position and help disabuse the regime's leaders of any hopes they might have had of flagging U.S. support for the South.
Texas Nuclear Expansion Abandoned04/22/2011
Physics Today Politics and Policy: Reactor cancellation said to affect nuclear power prospects generally - Leaving aside the question's mixed-metaphore problem, can the wheels really fall off of a renaissance?
Away With Alli04/22/2011
The Baltimore Sun: Citizens groups wants weight loss drug taken off the shelves - As we shed the bulky sweaters and heavy coats for warmer weather, the extra pounds we put on over the winter become more noticeable.
Need for Regulation of Gas04/22/2011
eNews Park Forest: Obama's gas-price task force should also examine legal speculation of markets - The problem is not necessarily that gas prices are being driven by fraudulent or manipulative behavior by traders and speculators.
Concerned About Crestor04/21/2011
Seedol.com: FDA rejected Public Citizen's call to ban Crestor - Crestor can be treated or regarded as one of the most controversial medicines used in the treatment of heart attacks or strokes.
Earth Day Woes04/21/2011
Kansas City Star: On Earth Day, peer through the clouds and see the bright spots - As omens go, dead birds raining from the sky can be seen as pretty predictive of grim times environmentally.
Call to Condemn Crestor04/20/2011
Seedol.com: Crestor has received many negative comments and criticism for its side effects - Crestor has received many negative comments and criticism for its side effects.
Spill, Baby, Spill04/19/2011
Star-Telegram: One year after the BP oil disaster, a push for drilling - One year after the BP oil disaster put the brakes on full-bore domestic production, it's back to "drill, baby, drill" as federal lawmakers, anxious about rising gasoline prices, push legislation to open offshore leases and make it easier to drill domestically.
Wanted: BP (Better Protections)04/19/2011
Huffington Post: BP oil spill: It could happen again - On Wednesday, 365 days will have passed since the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed 11 workers and triggered the worst environmental disaster our country has ever seen.
Offshore Drilling Still Unsafe04/19/2011
AlterNet: Why the BP disaster in the Gulf could happen again tomorrow - On Wednesday, 365 days will have passed since the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed 11 workers and triggered the worst environmental disaster our country has ever seen.
Opposing ESA Proposal04/19/2011
The Hill: News Bites: Donald Trump and Canadian-style universal healthcare - Donald Trump favored Canadian-style universal healthcare when he contemplated a presidential run in 2000, Slate reminds us.
Urge to Ban Dangerous Diet Pills04/19/2011
fosters.com: Watchdog group makes 2nd push to ban diet pill - For the second time in five years, public health advocates are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to ban a fat-blocking drug sold over-the counter and via prescription, pointing to new reports of kidney stones and pancreatic damage.
Weight Loss Pills Not Worth the Risk04/18/2011
Kens5.com: Consumer group calls for ban on diet pill it claims is linked to organ failure - A consumer group is calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban two popular diet drugs.
Panama Trade Deal Advances04/18/2011
Roll Call: Panama tops list of upcoming trade fights - A long-stalled free-trade agreement with Panama got a huge boost last week, business lobbyists pushing for the pact said.
Diet Pills Pose Serious Threats04/18/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: Alli and Xenical recall petition filed over risk of kidney, liver problems - The consumer watchdog group Public Citizen has petitioned federal drug safety regulators to remove Xenical and Alli from the market, as the weight-loss drugs may cause damage to the kidney and liver.
Corporations Contaminating Campaigns04/18/2011
OUPblog: Citizens United: a first anniversary update - Little more than a year after the January 21, 2010 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Citizens United v Federa; Elections Commission, it is already apparent that the effects of the ruling are widespread, contaminate the democratic processes, and could be long-lasting.
"Happy" Income Tax Day04/18/2011
The Economic Populist: The only things certain are taxes and death - For those who try to dismiss people as human resources, numbers on a spreadsheet, think again. Lose just one job and your rate of dying prematurely increases 63%.
Weighing Risks of Diet Pills04/18/2011
Townhall.com: Don't ban useful medicines - When it comes to regulating pharmaceuticals, it is important to remember that there are no "safe" drugs.
Pushing to Get Alli, Xenical Off Shelves04/18/2011
drugwatch.com: Consumer advocacy group wants Alli, Xenical pulled from market - Citing risks such as liver, pancreas and kidney damage, consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is calling for the removal of two weight loss medications from the market.
Credit-Card Regulation Goes Awry04/18/2011
PointofLaw.com: More unintended consequences from credit-card regulation - Public Citizen's blog discovers that all that consumer protection they've asked for has resulted in a proposed Obama-administration regulation to prohibit the use of family income in determining credit-card issuance-- with the effect that stay-at-home spouses (mostly women) will be unable to get credit cards in their own name.
Petition to Ban Alli, Xenical04/18/2011
Injury Board: Consumer group calls for ban on Alli, Xenical Diet Pills - For the second time in 5 years, Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has issued a petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for the removal of the class of drugs known as orlistat, prescription brands Alli and Xenical diet pills, from the marketplace.
Appeasing Corporations in Texas04/18/2011
statesman.com: State consumer offices under fire - It's a tough time to be a state-paid advocate for consumers in Texas right now.
Public Perception Affects Ethics04/18/2011
Star-Telegram: Hirt says she would probably divest gas stocks if elected mayor of Fort Worth - Mayoral candidate Cathy Hirt said she and her husbnd would probably reinvest money they have in stocks of five companies involved in natural gas exploration, pipelines and storage if she is elected.
Health Risks Over Weight Loss04/17/2011
Top News: Public Citizen urges FDA to ban weight-loss drug Orlistat - The watchdog group Public Citizen has urged the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the approved weight-loss drug orlistat (Xenical, Alli) because the health risks associated with the drug are apparently far more than its "minimal clinical benefits."
Calling FDA to Ban Diet Drugs04/17/2011
News Locale: Clamor grows for banning weight loss pill Alli - While the US Food and Drug Administration's decision to approve over-the-counter weight loss pill, Alli, has made it possible to reach out to a larger market base, a number of health watch groups have asked the agency to ban the drug following a recent study that revealed that the drug increased the risk of severe kidney injury.
Limit Diet Pills to Save Liver04/16/2011
All Voices: Alli/Xenical diet drugs liver injuries reported - Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization has filed a petition with the FDA on Thursday, citing that there have been 47 cases of acute pancreatitis and 73 cases of kidney stones along with some rare cases of liver failure in those patients who had taken the diet drugs.
Diet Pill Users: Watch Out!04/16/2011
Cleveland.com: Watchdog group calls for ban of well-known diet drug Alli - Alli -- one of the nation's most marketed over-the-counter weight-loss drugs -- is under fire as a new study released this week revealed its key ingredient increases the risk of severe kidney injury.
Alli Deemed Dangerous, PC Says04/15/2011
PharmaTimes Online: GSK to sell off Alli and other non-core OTC brands - GlaxoSmithKline's streamlining of its consumer healthcare business will result in the divestment of $500 million worth of over-the-counter products, the most eye-catching being the controversial weight loss drug Alli.
Your Choice: Weight Loss or Liver Loss04/15/2011
medicalnewstoday.com: Ban weight loss drug tied to kidney, liver damage, says consumer group - The weight loss drug orlistat (known as Alli and Xenical) should be banned because of increasing evidence that it causes liver damage, kidney stones and pancreatitis, says Public Citizen, a US consumer advocacy group.
Failure to Discipline Bad Doctors04/15/2011
NJ Spotlight: Unmanaged Care? - A recent national healthcare report is filled with dry data, statistics and details -- but the story it tells is dire.
Diet Pills Facility Sold04/15/2011
NewsObserver.com: GSK lists brands to shed - GlaxoSmithKline plans to sell 19 of its consumer-health brands, including the controversial Alli weight-loss drug and Goody's and BC, two headache powders invented in North Carolina.
Damages from Diet Pills04/15/2011
The Wall Street Journal: Glaxo to shet its OTC diet drug, Alli - Four years after launching the nonprescription diet pill Alli with much fanfare and a heavy marketing budget, U.K. drug maker GlaxoSmithKline PLC on Thursday said that it plans to sell off the drug along with a clutch of other over-the-counter brands.
Second Petition to Ban Diet Pills04/15/2011
The Commercial Appeal: Another push to ban Alli, Xenical - Public Citizen, a public-interest group, filed a petition with the FDA Thursday calling on the agency to remove GlaxoSmithKline's Alli and Roche's Xenical from the market.
Warning on Weight Loss Pills04/15/2011
webmd.com: Group calls on FDA to pull Alli, Xenical - The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is urging the FDA to immediately pull two weight loss drugs, Xenical and Alli, from the market.
Avoid Yaz or Yasmin, Says PC04/15/2011
News Inferno: Shareholders furious as Bayer's Yaz, Yasmin death toll hits 190 - Swiss media reports that nearly 200 women have died while taking Bayer's blockbuster contraceptives Yaz and Yasmin.
"Easy" Dieting is Unsafe04/15/2011
CNN.com: Why isn't there a safe weight-loss pill? - Obesity can't be cured by pills, shots or even surgery.
Diet Drugs Lead to Danger04/15/2011
HealthNews: New warnings on weight-loss drugs Alli and Xenical - Given the preponderance of obesity in America, and elsewhere in the world, it is not surprising that more and more people are turning to alternative means of losing weight, in addition to or rather than the tried-and-true exercise-diet combination.
Are Diet Pills Worth the Risk?04/15/2011
US News Health: FDA should ban weight loss drugs Alli, Xenical: Public Citizen - The growing number of reported health problems associated with the prescription weight loss drugs Alli and Xenical should prompt their removal from the U.S. market, says Public Citizen.
Advocating for Alli's Removal04/15/2011
UPI.com: FDA petitioned to remove Alli, Xenical - The over-the-counter weight-loss drug Alli and its prescription form Xenical should be removed from the U.S. market, a non-profit consumer advocacy group says.
D.C. Decision: Guild v. U.S. Department of State04/15/2011
leagle.com: Ancient Coin Collectors Guild v. U.S. Department of State - The Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act ("CPIA"), 19 U.S.C. §§ 2600-13, allows the President to enter into agreements to restrict importation of cultural artifacts pursuant to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
Diet Pill Damages04/14/2011
The Associated Press: Watchdog group makes 2nd push to ban diet pill - For the second time in five years, public health advocates are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to ban a fat-blocking drug sold over-the counter and via prescription, pointing to new reports of kidney stones and pancreatic damage.
UniStar Denied Third Nuclear Reactor04/14/2011
The Bay Net: Feds say UniStar application fails to meet requirements - The company that has applied for permission to build a third nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power plant in Lusby has been told by federal officials it doesn't meet the ownership requirements.
Patented Property Bill Passes04/14/2011
Washington Post: The Circuit: Patent reform, cuts to web freedom funds, Twitter's lost founder - The House Judiciary Committee will meet today to mark up the America Invents Act.
Egging on the FDA for Hearing04/14/2011
OHS Online: FDA denies hearing on egg irradiation rule - The Food and Drug Administration has rejected a request to hold a public hearing on its final rule allowing for irradiation of fresh shell eggs to reduce Salmonella pathogens.
Limit Licenses for Nuclear Reactors04/14/2011
PRNewswire: Fukushima fallout: 45 groups and individuals petition NRC to suspend all nuclear reactor licensing and conduct a "credible" Three Mile Island-style review - A total of 45 groups and individuals from across the nation are formally asking the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to immediately suspend all licensing and other activities at 21 proposed nuclear reactor projects in 15 states until the NRC completes a thorough post-Fukushima reactor crisis examination comparable to the process set up in the wake of the serious, though less severe, 1979 accident at Three Mile Island.
Petition to Remove Alli and Xenical04/14/2011
newsonwellness.com: Ban called for on Alli and Xenical - The group, Public Citizen, has called for the weight loss drugs Alli and Xenical to be removed from the consumer market.
Fighting Diet Pills04/14/2011
KansasCity.com: Consumer Memo | White iPhones, finally -Apple Inc. is expected to start selling a white version of its iPhone 4 in the next few weeks, after a 10-month delay.
Glaxo Gets Rid of Alli04/14/2011
The Augusta Chronicle: Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline to sell Aiken facility - The United Kingdom's largest drug maker, GlaxoSmithKline, is selling its fat-blocking drug Alli and the only facility where it is made, which is in Aiken.
Trade Deal Close to Conclusion04/14/2011
The Hill: US, Panama nearing agreement on trade deal - Panama's passage of tax-transparency legislation represents a major step in the long-stalled process of completing a free-trade agreement with the United States.
Reading Review: "Exhorbitant Privilege"04/13/2011
Seeking Alpha: Review of 'Exhorbitant Privilege' by Barry Eichengreen - Barry Eichengreen is a doyen of academic historians of currency, central banking and the evolution of global finance.
Controlling Corporate Cash Contributions04/13/2011
Open Secrets blog: Business targets campaigns of key committee members - It's no secret that corporations and special interest groups that dominate lobbying in the nation's capital routinely shower campaign cash on congressional committees directly affecting their business interests.
Texas to House Radioactive Waste04/13/2011
The Associated Press: Senate approves bringing in more radioactive waste - A low-level radioactive dump in remote West Texas could take in waste from dozens of states under a bill the Texas Senate approved Wednesday.
OSHA Needs to Improve Current System04/13/2011
Valley Advocate: Work at your own risk - Twelve years ago this spring, Patrice Woeppel was heading to her office in the Florida hospital where she worked as clinical director when she slipped on a dirty floor and fell to the ground.
Columbia FTA Ignores Economic, Human Rights Factors04/13/2011
Uprising Radio: Columbian free trade deal ignores violence, faces Colombian resistance - Congress is poised to ratify a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia in spite of vehement opposition both here in the U.S. and in Colombia.
Trade Study Conforms to GOP Wishes04/13/2011
Consumer Affairs: Korean auto imports threaten U.S. manufacturers - A newly released study by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) warns that the already hard-hit U.S. auto industry is in for more pain if a new trade agreement is approved by Congress.
Fox Debates the Cause of Oil Price Spikes04/13/2011
Fox Business: Oil company heroes (on O'Reilly tonight) - On The Factor tonight, O’Reilly will debate me about rising oil prices.
04/12/2011
infoZine.com: Changes to consumer product safety laws pose critical dangers to children - A proposal to amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) currently under review in the House of Representatives would undermine the critical public health protections aimed at children's products, according to a letter released by consumer protection, science and public interest groups.
Chipping Away at U.S. Jobs04/12/2011
Down With Tyranny: Colombia has more than just coke to sell... Slave wages and murder are big these days - Let's see... what else can Obama negotiate away for his corporate masters?
Slaves to Big Banks04/12/2011
The Hill: Mrs. Warren's profession - Goodness, some members of Congress really don't like Elizabeth Warren.
Dangerous Doctors at Large04/11/2011
The Clinical Advisor: State medical boards not acting against 'dangerous doctors' - State medical boards have failed to discipline 55% U.S. doctors who either lost their clinical privileges completely or had them restricted by the hospitals where they worked, according to a report from the watchdog group Public Citizen.
04/11/2011
Opposing Views: American greed: CEOs make 476 times more than average worker - "It's all about the Benjamins."
Pickens Plan Part II04/11/2011
Yale Environment: A new Pickens Plan: Good for the U.S. or just for T.Boone? - Remember the Pickens Plan?
FERC Failures Costly for Customers04/11/2011
New York Post: Surge protectors fail - They're asleep at the switch.
When Bourbon Gets Political04/10/2011
Courier-Journal.com: Korea trade agreement good for bourbon and Kentucky - Todd Tucker might be a native Kentuckian, but he clearly doesn't appreciate or understand the growing global significance of Kentucky's native spirit.
Big Business Targets Regulations04/10/2011
Roanoke.com: Burdened by regulation: Lawrence Cos. chairman is fed up - The first thorny issue involved a Rastafarian with dreadlocks.
SLAPPed With Costs04/10/2011
Lubbock Online: Our View: Citizens deserve means to combat lawsuits intended to silence them - The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of free speech, but it provides no protection against the expense one may bear in defending that right against a challenge in court.
No Going Green in Peru04/10/2011
Eurasia Review: Peru's less-than-benign environmental policy - The enormous segment of Amazonian rainforest that covers over half of the country has always been an issue of contention for Peru due to the number of indigenous tribes that inhabit it.
No Wrinkles, No Problem?04/10/2011
Online International News Network: FDA links anti-wrinkle drugs to deaths - The popular anti-wrinkle drug Botox and a competitor have been linked to dangerous botulism symptoms in some users, cases so bad that a few children given the drugs for muscle spasms have died, the government warned.
Free Trade Not So Free04/10/2011
The Economic Populist: Obama brings you more bad trade deals - Whenever there is noise in the media machine, you can be sure some agenda the American people absolutely reject will be enacted.
Capito Capitalzing on Wall St. Cronies04/08/2011
Morgan County USA: Capito defending Wall Street - Why is Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito defending Wall Street and attacking the police?
Environmentalists Seek More Input on Pipeline04/08/2011
Reuters: Groups demand more time and public say in Keystone XL pipeline review - Any day now, it's expected the U.S. State Department will be releasing a revamped version of its environmental review of the much-disputed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline.
240 Former Lawmakers Now Lobby for Nukes04/08/2011
NY Times: Former Hill stars add muscle to nuclear industry's post-Japan lobbying -As a congressman, Rep. Robert Walker extolled the safety of nuclear power, arguing that technology prevented radiation poisoning during the meltdown at Three Mile Island.
Study Shows Defensive Medicine Overblown04/08/2011
About Lawsuits: Defensive medicine not responsible for increasing medical costs - A recent report by the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen has found that claims that “defensive medicine” is pushing up the cost of health care significantly are unfounded.
Celebrate Freedom, Not FTA, This July04/08/2011
Reuters: U.S. business sees trade deals approved by July - A new U.S. deal with Colombia to address longstanding labor concerns should clear the way for Congress to pass three long-stalled free trade agreements by July, industry officials said on Friday.
Curbing Special Interest Money04/08/2011
South Source: Affecting change through campaign finance reform - They say that money talks, and in the world of government, that isn’t usually a good thing.
Obama Overrides Organized Labor Opposition04/07/2011
The Hill: Obama defies unions with Colombia deal - President Obama broke with union supporters Wednesday over a controversial trade agreement with Colombia that is vociferously opposed by organized labor.
Trade Agreement Abomination04/07/2011
Huffington Post: Obama's Colombia-Korea NAFTA expansion is disgusting - Today's announcement by the Obama administration of an "Action Plan" ostensibly aimed at addressing Colombia's horrific labor rights conditions is a remarkably cynical maneuver to facilitate passage of yet another of President Bush's leftover NAFTA-style Free Trade Agreements (FTA).
Fair Elections Now Act is Necessary04/06/2011
eNews Park Forest: Durbin, Larson introduce Fair Elections Now Act, Durbin announces hearing on campaign finance reform - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT) introduced the Fair Elections Now Act today, a bill that will dramatically change the way we finance Congressional elections.
Tragedy Sparks Questions04/06/2011
EHS Today: We remember: One year after Upper Big Branch Explosion - The Big Branch explosion, which is the deadliest U.S. mine disaster in 40 years, continues to echo in the hills of West Virginia and the halls of Congress.
When Neutrality Is a Commodity04/06/2011
The Hill: The big shill - A shill is a person who helps another person or organization to sell their goods or services, without disclosing his or her close relationship with the seller.
Uncertain About Estrogen04/06/2011
The New York Times: Medicine on the move - Sometimes you really do want to tell the medical profession to just make up its mind.
Google's Sealed Records at Issue in Suit04/06/2011
RCFP: Reporters Committee urges appeals court to revisit sealed records - The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press today urged a federal appeals court to review the automatic sealing of records in a legal battle between Internet search engine Google and the language-education company Rosetta Stone.
Spending Bill Wrong Forum to Attack Regs04/06/2011
OMB Watch: Broad coalition of 154 groups calls on White House, Senate leaders to leave policy riders out of funding bill - As negotiations on a bill to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year continue this week, a broad coalition of 154 organizations is calling on the White House and Senate leadership to reject all policy riders in such legislation.
Rabbi Pursues Bloggers, Again04/06/2011
Tech Dirt: Rabbi who tried (and failed) to uncover anonymous bloggers five years ago tries again - Paul Alan Levy alerts us to the news that Rabbi Mordechai Tendler, who tried to identify some anonymous bloggers nearly five years ago and had his attempt crushed as an anti-SLAPP effort (thanks to the work of Public Citizen and the EFF), is trying to identify the same bloggers again as part of a separate lawsuit involving a contractual dispute.
Radioactive Waste Plan Progresses04/06/2011
Austin Star-Telegram: Senate panel OKs changes for agency overseeing radioactive waste - A legislative plan geared to better oversee, and restrict, the commission that determines whether other states may send low-level radioactive waste to West Texas moved forward Tuesday.
04/06/2011
Bloomberg: KKR barbarians go green as buyout firms embrace more profit in less energy - For much of 2006 and into 2007, Environmental Defense Fund had been battling to stop TXU Corp., Texas’s largest power producer, from building 11 coal-fired plants.
FDA Criticized for Risky Statin Crestor04/06/2011
U.S. Recall News: Crestor-induced cardiomyopathy and rhapdomyolysis - Rosuvastatin calcium is a medication sold by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca under the brand name Crestor.
Free Speech Limited to Some04/06/2011
biggovernment.com: Free speech for me, but not for thee - In the year that has passed since the Supreme Court decided Citizens United v. FEC, the liberal elites have waged a war against the First Amendment.
Crystal River Remains Offline04/06/2011
Tampa Tribune: Crystal River nuclear reactor restart now delayed indefinitely - Progress Energy Florida officials have decided to keep their Crystal River nuclear power plant offline indefinitely while looking into new cracks in the containment structure around the reactor.
States Condoning Harmful Doctors04/06/2011
The Daily Record: Report: States lax on doctors - According to a report by Public Citizen, many state medical boards are not disciplining doctors even after their hospitals take action against them for incompetence, negligence or medical malpractice.
Sebelius Asserts CLASS is Unsustainable04/05/2011
The Foundry: Conservative Policy - One negative provision of Obamacare is back in congressional crosshairs.
Obama's Trade Agenda Creeps Forward04/05/2011
AFP: Pacific trade push sees momentum and criticism - Nine Pacific nations including the United States are moving ahead on building a ambitious free trade zone, but few believe they will meet a self-imposed November deadline as criticism mounts.
Public Health Jeopardized by Undisciplined Docs04/05/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: State medical boards fail to discipline thousands of bad doctors - A new report suggests that many state medical boards are not disciplining doctors for endangering patient health, even after the doctors have been disciplined by their own hospitals.
NJ Medical Examiners Defend Record04/05/2011
NorthJersey.com: Statistics don't tell whole story on medical disciplinary actions - In questionable hands" (Editorial, March 18) criticized the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners for a low rate of "serious disciplinary actions" against physicians who have been sanctioned by hospitals.
Proposed Pipeline Problems04/05/2011
Switchboard: 120 day comment period and field hearings critical for Keystone XL tar sands pipeline Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement - Yesterday, NRDC and over thirty other groups wrote to the State Department calling for the comment period on the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline to be extended from 45 days to 120 days, and requesting that hearings be schedule near the pipeline right-of-way.
FEC Terms Expire, No Appointments04/05/2011
Roll Call: More FEC terms expire, but replacements unlikely - By the end of the month, five of the six commissioners' terms at the Federal Election Commission will have expired, providing President Barack Obama the opportunity to profoundly change the leadership at the federal agency that administers and enforces the nation's campaign finance laws.
Ensuring Oversight for Novartis04/05/2011
FDAnews: OHRP should investigate Novartis trials, group says - The Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) has received a letter from the advocacy group Public Citizen requesting that the agency conduct a compliance oversight evaluation of any U.S. institutions involved in six Phase III studies of indacaterol maleate, Novartis' investigational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment.
Lawmakers Pressed to Reject Budget Riders04/04/2011
YubaNet.com: 139 groups call on White House, Senate leaders to leave policy riders out of a funding bill - On Thursday evening, Environment America joined a broad spectrum of 138 other advocacy organizations in calling on the White House and Senate Leadership to reject all policy riders in legislation to fund the government this year.
Report Debunks Defensive Medicine Concerns04/04/2011
Pharma Letter: Fear of litigation not cause of sykyrocketing U.S. health care costs, says Public Citizen - In the vast majority of circumstances, doctors act based on their clinical judgment and other factors, not based on liability concerns, according to a report released by US consumer advocacy Public Citizen.
Maryland Rep Develops Bipartisan Bill04/04/2011
Gazette.net: Edwards walks the line - An aide rushed in to see U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards at her Capitol Hill office one recent morning and whispered to her.
Debate Continues on Debit Card Swipe Fees04/04/2011
Helena Independent Record: Durbin amendment will help consumers - Mr. Lyle R. Knight, CEO of First Interstate BancSystem in Billings wrote a thoughtful opinion regarding the Durbin Amendment that allows the Federal Reserve to enact rules for debit card transactions.
AARP Sought Self-Serving Reforms04/04/2011
Washington Examiner: House to shine light on AARP's conflict of interest - Early in 2009 during the opening stages of the national debate on Obamacare, the blogosphere came alive with videos of stormy AARP chapter meetings in which angry members blasted their leaders for supporting President Obama's signature health care reform.
04/04/2011
WallStreetPit.com: U.S. government finds radiation traces in U.S. milk - The U.S. government said Wednesday that traces of radiation “far below” levels that pose a risk to humans have been found in milk in California and Washington state.
Feds Say Radiation Monitoring Has Increased04/04/2011
Bloomberg: Radiation 'far below' risk levels found in U.S. milk samples - Radiation “far below” levels that pose a risk to humans was found in milk from California and Washington, the first signs Japan’s nuclear accident is affecting U.S. food, state and federal officials said.
What Happens in a Government Shutdown?04/04/2011
Minyanville.com: Verizon CEO warns government shutdown will stunt economic recovery - During a press call yesterday for the Business Roundtable's Q1 CEO survey, Verizon (VZ) chief executive Ivan Seidenberg weighed in on the looming prospect of a U.S. government shutdown.
Nuke Crisis Has Led to New Scrutiny04/04/2011
Council on Foreign Relations: Nuclear power safety concerns - The March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami that severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi power plant has dampened what had been a renewed interest in nuclear power twenty-five years after the explosion at Chernobyl in northern Ukraine.
Warnings Against Free Trade Pacts04/02/2011
brecorder.com: Pacific trade push sees momentum and criticism - Nine Pacific nations including the United States are moving ahead on building an ambitious free trade zone, but few believe they will meet a self-imposed November deadline as criticism mounts.
MARCH 2011 MEDIA HITS
03/31/2011
modernhealthcare.com: Consumer group goes on offense about defensive medicine - Arguments to limit medical liability judgments in an effort to curb defensive medicine practices that inflate the cost of healthcare are based on biased surveys and not solid evidence, according to a report from the Public Citizen consumer advocacy group.
Risk of Radiation Increases03/31/2011
Bloomberg: Radiation 'far below' risk levels found in U.S. milk samples - Radiation "far below" levels that pose a risk to humans was found in milk from California and Washington, the first signs Japan's nuclear accident is affecting U.S. food, state and federal officials said.
Praise for Koch Industries03/31/2011
Bloomberg: Koch Industries wins labor praise for collective bargaining role - Koch Industries Inc., which spent $1.2 million in 2010 to help elect governors who oppose collective bargaining for public employees, won praise from a labor union official for backing the rights of factory workers.
Japan Crisis Informs Nuke Debates03/30/2011
San Antonio Current: Security of South Texas Project debated in the wake of Fukushima nuclear disaster - Decades without a major catastrophe and growing interest in low-carbon energy sources brought the nuclear power industry within grasp of a renaissance in recent years as utilities from San Antonio to China looked to nukes as the solution to energize 21st-century population growth.
Influencers Reaping the Benefits03/30/2011
The Center for Public Integrity: Green bundler with the golden touch - In connecting green technology startups with government money, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Steve Westly boasts of a special touch.
Unpopular Opinions Still Protected03/30/2011
missjia.com: Should anonymous 'trolls' be protected under the 1st amendment? - I've been an "active" member of the internet since about 1999/2000.
Taking on Wal-Mart03/30/2011
The Nation: Justice for Betty Dukes and the women of Wal-Mart? - "We, the women of Wal-mart, will have our day in court," Betty Dukes told me almost seven years ago, declaiming from a park bench neaer her lawyer's office in Berkely, California.
Political Free Speech Not a Threat03/29/2011
Baltimore Sun: Man convicted of threatening O'Malley gets second trial - When five law enforcement officers turned up on Walter Abbott's doorstep in Parkville barely two hours after he sent what prosecutors said was a threatening email to Gov. Martin O'Malley, his face turned ashen.
Nuclear Industry Buying Support?03/29/2011
kcet.org: Nuclear energy is safe (say industry-backed legislators) - Despite the recent disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, the nuclear industry still enjoys plenty of support back home, with legislators in both houses of Congress insisting that U.S. power plants are safe.
Fighting Citizens United Ruling03/29/2011
Daily News Pulse: Is Citizens United voice making a difference: Will they last - "We've already passed the danger point, and if you put all (the challenges) together, we could lose almost all of what we've had historically as campaign finance reform," said Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the non-profit group Public Citizen, which pushes to protect or expand campaign restrictions in Congress, at the Federal Election Commission and in the courts.
New Defensive Medicine Report03/29/2011
The Hill's Healthwatch: Overnight Health: Picking on the AARP - The GOP's attack against AARP for its support of healthcare reform takes off Wednesday when Ways and Means Republicans release a report that purports to detail "the conflict between AARP's drive for profits, the best interests of its members and the organization's tax exempt status."
Tricky Trade Agreements03/29/2011
Campaign for a Progressive America: Sovereignty and trade agreements - Cargill sued Mexico under Chapter 11 of NAFTA.
FTA Could Lead to 159,000 Lost Jobs03/29/2011
orlandosentinel.com: Rep. Webster: U.S.-Korea trade pact good for Cent. Fla. - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is touring Florida to generate support for the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, and on Monday leaned on an Orlando congressional ally to get it passed, U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden.
Defending Online Privacy03/29/2011
jdsupra.com: Response to order to show cause why Lipstick Alley should not be ordered to identify anonymous user - Jermaine Hall, the editor of Vibe magazine, and his wife sought discovery from a New York court to identify a poster on Lipstick Alley, a message board aimed at African-American women, that complained about his allegedly arranging for his wife to get writing opportunities which in the writer's view should have gone to African-American professionals.
Kochs Fight Back03/29/2011
weeklystandard.com: The conspiracy to exploit the Koch conspiracy - Over at Politico, Kenneth Vogel has his second piece in just a few days reacting to Matthew Continetti's cover story in THE WEEKLY STANDARD about the left's obsession with the Koch brothers.
Kochs Counterattack03/29/2011
Washington Post blog: Did the left blow its cover on the war on the Kochs? - As I have reported, the left has mounted a full-throated attack on David and Charles Koch, the billionaire libertarian brothers who give to pro-free-market causes that the left abhors.
Fed Lowers Debit Card Transaction Costs03/29/2011
myfoxal.com: Federal reserve makes new rules for debit cards - The federal reserve is set to implement new rules for debit cards later this summer.
Kochbeat: Round Two03/29/2011
reason.com: Koch kookery, kon and pro: a roundup - We are now in the second, more illuminating meta-round of coverage of the recent staggeringly successful spasm of Kochhate launched by the New Yorker's expose on these wealthy, politically active industrial tycoon brothers Charles and David Koch (who give money to the foundation that owns this website, among many other causes).
Malpractice Goes Unpunished03/29/2011
jdsupra.com: States fail to discipline rogue doctors whose own hospitals find them guilty of serial malpractice - A study conducted by Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, found that 63% of the doctors whose hospital privileges were restricted or revoked were not disciplined by the state's Board of Medicine and 32 states didn't even reprimand more than half of the offending physicians.
Unnecessary Surgery03/29/2011
WSJ.com: Medicare records reveal troubling trail of surgeries - Dr. Vishal James Makker had already operated on Ronald Johnson's spine six times in less than two years, but he had some grim news for the former machine-tool operator: X-rays showed Mr. Johnson needed a seventh surgery.
Japan's Dangerous Radiation Levels03/29/2011
countercurrents.org: Japan's leaking water radiation 100,000 times above normal - Initial March 27 Tokyo Electric (TEPCO) reports detected Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 radioactive water readings at ten million times normal levels, including...
Balance the Texas Budget and Go Green03/29/2011
statesman.com: Chairman says Senate won't approve gambling - The House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee meets at 8 a.m. today in E2.012 for what looks to be a lengthy hearing on a variety of gambling proposals, including bills that deal with casinos, slot machines at racetracks, bingo and eight-liners.
Consumer Groups Challenge File-Sharing Lawsuit03/28/2011
AfterDawn.com: Federal judge backs mass file sharing lawsuits - Efforts to sue thousands of people who downloaded and shared movies illegally on the web were challenged by several groups, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Public Citizen.
NYS MedMal Proposal Rankles Watchdog03/28/2011
Syracuse.com: Proposed cap on medical malpractice damages left out of NYS budget - One of the more polarizing issues in the state’s budget talks was Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to put a cap on medical malpractice payments.
The Tangled Web of Washington Influence03/28/2011
Washington Post: Lawsuit over fees details alleged 'low visibility' influence effort - A fee dispute brought by the former running mate of onetime presidential candidate Ross Perot against a patent-holding company could provide a window into one behind-the-scenes effort to lobby against patent reform.
Price of Admission to Presidential Politicals03/28/2011
NY Times: How much does it cost to run for president? - The answer to that question is remarkably complicated.
Lawsuits Could Arise from Darvon Ban03/28/2011
Digital News Report: Darvon and Darvocet, popular painkillers subject of potential lawsuits - Law firms are looking into potential lawsuits involving the popular painkiller Darvocent and Darvon.
SCOTUS Hears Public Campaign Financing Case03/28/2011
Tucson Citizen: U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to hear First Amendment challenge to Arizon campaign finance law 'matching funds' provision - Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom Club PAC v. Bennett”, SEIU, Obama Administration, Public Citizen and Rep. Alan Grayson (Ret.) filed briefs opposing AZ Free Enterprise Club’s free speech position in case Phoenix, AZ.
Little Legal Basis for WI Judge's Ruling03/28/2011
Open Market: Wisconsin judge's strange ruling blocking limits on collective bargaining surprises legal observers - Wisconsin legal observers were “surprised last week when Madison-based judge Maryann Sumi issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of Gov. Scott Walker’s bill to limit public-sector collective bargaining.”
Vibe Editor Confuses Criticism with Defamation03/28/2011
Black Star News: Vibe editor shouldn't sue for defamation - The editor of Vibe magazine and his wife may not like what an anonymous online critic said about them, but that's not enough for a court to order the critic's identity to be unmasked, Public Citizen has told a New York state court.
Industry, Obama Sticking to Nuke Message03/28/2011
NY Times: Lobbyists' long effort to revive nuclear industry faces new test - One flash point in the remarkable revival of interest in nuclear energy here — a revival now threatened by the calamity in Japan — came almost by accident at a late-night brainstorming session in a senator’s office in 1997.
Texas v. EPA03/28/2011
KENS5: Texas keeps up fight over EPA regulations - At a time when state leaders are checking under the cushions of every couch at the Texas Capitol for loose change, there is one area where the state has plenty of money: litigation against the EPA for the right to define what a greenhouse gas is.
Assessment of Stimulus Impact onTX03/28/2011
Texas Observer: The stimulus teeters on a lege - Sonograms, voter ID, and now a bill that makes it illegal to discriminate against creationists in schools.
Safety a 'Moral' Issue, Says Trucking Industry03/28/2011
Truck News: Regret for the past is a waste of spirit - In life as in business we have the enormous benefit over all other creatures of being able to review the decisions we have made over our lifetimes.
FEC a Victim of Political Paralysis03/28/2011
Washington Post: FEC still hasn't issued new campaign spending rules - A year after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision easing campaign spending restrictions for corporations and interest groups, the Federal Election Commission has yet to issue regulations spelling out the full implications of the decision.
Sporting Events Political Cash Cows03/25/2011 McClatchy: Lawmakers use sports events to rake in cash from lobbyists - Congress has devised its own form of March Madness, using the NCAA men's basketball tournament and other spring sports events as popular fundraisers. Trade Pacts Muddle Investor Rights
03/25/2011
The Progressive: Obama didn't get the memo on CAFTA - President Obama and Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes discussed immigration, drug trafficking, and the economy during Obama’s trip to El Salvador. But missing was mention of the controversial Central America Free Trade Act (CAFTA).
Public Pulling Back from Nuclear Power03/25/2011
IPS News: Poll finds support for freeze on nuke plants - Although President Barack Obama has ordered a review into the safety of U.S. plants in the wake of the Japanese disaster, he has continued to reaffirm his commitment to nuclear power as "an important part of our energy future".
DOJ's Primary Anti-Fraud Weapon03/25/2011
Westlaw/Reuters: 2010 year-end False Claims Act update: Part l - False Claims Act litigation and enforcement exploded in 2010 with unprecedented intensity.
Ethics Committee Out of Order03/25/2011
TPM Muckraker: Watchdogs to House Ethics Committee: What's up with that Maxine Waters Case? - A coalition of reform groups are calling on the House Ethics Committee to resume its work on the investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA).
Odd Turn of Events in Wisconsin03/25/2011
Washington Examiner - Wisconsin judge's strange ruling blocking law opposed by government-employee unions surprises legal observers - Wisconsin legal observers were “surprised last week when Madison-based judge Maryann Sumi issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of Gov. Scott Walker’s bill to limit public-sector collective bargaining.”
File-Sharing Lawsuit Swamps ISPs03/25/2011
Hollywood Reporter: Mass-suing of pirates gets shot in arm thanks to D.C. judge - A federal judge in Washington has issued what may be the most important decision to date in the ongoing mass-litigation campaign against thousands of individuals who traded copyrighted movies on BitTorrent.
Infighting Hobbles Ethics Panel03/25/2011
Washington Post: Government reform grops call on ethics committee to resume Maxine Waters probe - Six government reform organizations are calling on the House Committee on Ethics to resume its work on an investigation into Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) that has been stalled since late last year.
Congressional Ethics Panel Stalled03/25/2011
Roll Call: Groups call on ethics panel to complete Waters case - Government reform advocates called Wednesday for the House Ethics Committee to complete its stalled investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters, calling an indefinite postponement of the inquiry “unfair” to the California Democrat and the House.
No Downside to Shorter Hospital Shifts03/23/2011
Medpage Today: No harm from cuts in residents' hours - While reducing work hours for resident physicians doesn't seem to have interfered negatively with medical training -- the shortened shifts also haven't done anything to improve patient safety, a new study found.
Groundwork Being Laid for Next Election03/23/2011
Bloomberg: Obama challengers would need $5990,000 a day to match his 2008 fundraising - Barack Obama raised $59 million for his presidential campaign during the first half of 2007.
Protesters 'Greet' WI Pols at Fundraiser03/23/2011
The Progressive: Badger Rebellion comes to DC -After wiping out 50 years of union rights inWisconsin, GOP state senators from the badger state made the journey to Washington ,DC on Wednesday to attend a $1,000-a-head corporate fundraiser hosted by the BGR lobbying firm.
Tragic Results of Unchecked Dangerous Doc03/23/2011
Philadelphia Inquirer: 'Complete regulatory collapse': Why complaints about abortion doctor went nowhere -Cassandra Barger knew something was wrong almost immediately.
Faith in Nuclear Power Shaken, Again03/23/2011
CBS News: Can Japan crisis unplug U.S. nuclear energy? -Right now, the South Texas Project, as this nuclear power plant southwest of Houston is called, produces nearly 8% of the electricity used in Texas.
UVA Debate on Future of Political Money03/23/2011
OpenSecrets.org: Court battles over campaign disclosure loom, legal experts predict -A storm is brewing over political disclosure rules.
States Let Disciplined Docs Practice Privately03/23/2011
NJ Star-Ledger: Hearing would determine if doctors are policing themselves - A consumer watchdog group issued a report recently that says 57 percent of the state’s doctors whose hospitals suspended or revoked their privileges between 1990 and 2009 were not disciplined by the Board of Medical Examiners.
Fake Patient Group Lobbies for Industry03/23/2011
Technorati: George Orwell comes to Washington: The 'Protect Patients Now' lobbying group - If you wanted to lobby for a law that wipes out the rights of patients to hold hospitals, drug manufacturers and doctors accountable when they hurt people by carelessness and wrongful conduct, what would you call your group?
03/23/2011
Daily Kos: Citizens United didn't give enough away to far right, corporate interests - Citizens United, the Supreme Court decision that allows unlimited corporate spending in "independent" political advertising isn't enough for conservative political activists, Politico reports.
Libyan Lobbyists Made Overtures in '0803/23/2011
El Paso Times: Libya contacts U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes in 2008 to help revamp country's image - The government of Libya's strongman Moammar Gadhafi lobbied U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes during a critical period in U.S.-Libyan relations in 2008.
Texas' Feb. Energy Shortage Under Scrutiny03/23/2011
Austin Statesman: A blackout electric bill comes due -It will be several more weeks before the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) releases a report by an independent market monitor that could show who made and lost money during last month’s rolling blackouts.
Will DISCLOSE Act Be Revived?03/23/2011
OpenSecrets.org: Results of government transparency initiatives a mixed bag - On paper, the White House's Open Government Initiative fulfills many of the promises that President Barack Obama made on the campaign trail.
New Access to Most Records in Keyword Suit03/23/2011
RCFP: 4th Cir. unseals some records in trademark appeal - On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., (4th Cir.) ordered the partial unsealing of multiple volumes of court documents submitted in a high-profile trademark dispute between Rosetta Stone Ltd. and Google Inc.
Voters Should Know Who Funds War Chests03/23/2011
OpenSecrets.org: Where's the sunshine on Senate campaign finance reports? - In late January, first-term Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) called on the Interior Department to allow a regulated wolf hunt in Montana. A few days later, he urged Taco Bell to use Montana beef in its restaurants.
STOCK Act Makes Comeback03/23/2011
The Hill: Lawmakers introduce bill to prohibit insider trading on Capitol Hill - Two House Democrats are pushing legislation that would prohibit lawmakers and federal employees from profiting from non-public information they obtain in their jobs official positions while requiring greater oversight.
States Not Acting on Disciplined Docs03/23/2011
Deseret News: Doctors disciplined by hospitals but not state boards - A new report from a watchdog group claims state medical boards aren't doing their job to protect patients. The numbers suggest dozens of Utah doctors should have been disciplined but weren't.
Rep. Markey Calls for NRC Updates on Japan03/23/2011
Reuters: U.S. nuclear panel urged to give daily Japan updates - A U.S. lawmaker on Friday called on the top U.S. nuclear regulator to provide daily briefings assessing the nuclear crisis in Japan to ensure the public is getting accurate assessments of the situation.
Environmentalists Urge U.S. Leadership in Nuke Crisis03/23/2011
The Hill: Green groups press White House on nuke plant info - Several environmental organizations, citing conflicting statements from U.S. and Japanese officials about risks from the stricken nuclear reactors, are urging President Obama to release information on what’s known about radiation emanating from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
Obama's Latin Nation Tour Omits Trade Partners03/21/2011
Washington Times: Fearful Obama hides from American allies - When President Obama begins his tour of Latin America on Friday, two countries will be conspicuously missing from his itinerary: Colombia and Panama.
Disciplined Docs Escape State Sanctions03/21/2011
Salt Lake Tribune: Utah flagged for failure to investigate rogue doctors - Utah is among a group of states flagged by a consumer watchdog group for failing to sanction doctors who have been punished by the hospitals where they worked.
First Environmental Studies, Then Permits03/21/2011
Houston Chronicle: Corps should say no to White Stallion coal project - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has "go" or "no-go" decision- making power on a project that could greatly impact all Houston area residents and future generations.
NJ Gives Pass to Docs in Trouble03/21/2011
NorthJersey.com: In questionable hands - Going in for surgery is scary, but a soothing thought is that your doctors know what they're doing.
FDA Allowed Questionable Drug Trials03/21/2011
AboutLawsuits: Public Citizen calls for ethics probe into Novartis clinical trials - The consumer watchdog group Public Citizen is calling for the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) to launch an investigations into clinical trials conducted by Novartis for the drug indacaterol, which is being developed to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), after accusing the drug maker of ethics violations for allegedly allowing people to suffer a potentially life-threatening respiratory illness for several months without proper care.
Global Drug Firm Pays Stiff U.S. Fine03/21/2011
The Lawyer.com: Bribery/abtu-corruption: Novartis -In October 2010 global pharmaceuticals company Novartis was fined $422.5m (£259.7m) to settle charges brought against it by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) under the False Claims Act (FCA).
Japan's Crisis Reinvigorates U.S. Nuke Debate03/21/2011
PBS Nightly Business Report: President Obama tries to calm U.S. nuclear radiation fears - Under Japanese law, power companies operating nuclear reactors are responsible for any damage, except in cases of a grave natural disaster of an exceptional character.
White House Stands Pat on Nuke Policy03/21/2011 Soaring Drug Prices, No Relief in Sight
03/21/2011
National Journal: GAO: Drug prices rising quickly - Prescription drug prices have risen more quickly over the past four years than costs for other medical goods and services, the Government Accountability Office reported on Monday.
Florida Assures Residents of Local Nuke Safety03/21/2011
Palm Beach Post: Nuclear crisis like Japan's unlikely at Fla. reactors - Florida's five nuclear energy reactors are built to withstand a Category 5 hurricane.
TX Energy Co-ops Pull the Blinds03/21/2011
Austin Statesman: State senator files bill regulating Pedernales, other electric co-ops - On Friday, the last day to file a bill in the 82nd Legislature, state Sen. Troy Fraser , R-Horseshoe Bay, filed legislation that would require more openness from electric cooperatives primarily Pedernales Electric Cooperative, which Fraser has often criticized.
GA's Gingrey Twice Bitten by Past03/21/2011
The Hill: Gingrey's grilling - Rep. Phil Gingrey's past has been under a microscope since the Georgia Republican took the lead on medical malpractice reform.
For Rent: Political Email Lists03/21/2011
Politico: How to pay off your campaign debt - A puzzled colleague forwards over an emails to HillaryClinton.com's online community.
Nation in Need of Transparency Laws03/21/2011
Roll Call: We can't rely only on whistleblowers - Earlier this month, WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning learned he was facing 22 charges for allegedly providing information to Julian Assange.
Doctors Restricted by Hospitals Escape State Action03/21/2011
Angie's List Medical News: Many docs sanctioned by hospitals not punished by state boards - The consumer group Public Citizen released a report finding that state boards have failed to discipline more than half of the nation's doctors who have been sanctioned by the hospitals where they had privileges.
States Not Following Up on Disciplined Docs03/21/2011
Health Media Leaders: 55% of censured docs face no licensing action by state medical boards - More than half of U.S. physicians whose negligence, malpractice, sexual abuse, fraud, or other behaviors result in censure by hospital peer review escape any state medical board licensing action, according to national health watchdog group, Public Citizen.
Big-Wig Lobbyists Party with Wisconsin Pols03/21/2011
Digital Journal: Wisconsin Republicans to meet with corporate lobbyists in DC - Any pretense that the Wisconsin GOP's Koch binge aimed at destroying union workers was meant to save Wisconsin's budget woes flew out the window when details of their meeting with corporate lobbyists in DC were revealed.
Union Busters Rewarded by Big Business03/21/2011
The Cap Times: Wisconsin GOP legislators head to D.C. for payoffs, er, campaign contributions - Wisconsin state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, the consigliere for Gov. Scott Walker in the legislative fight to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public workers and to make it easier for the governor to transfer public property to campaign donors in no-bid deals, traveled to the nation’s capital Wednesday to collect tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from Washington-based lobbyists for corporate interests.
Generosity of Departing Lawmakers Questioned03/21/2011
Little Falls Times: Arcuri gave big bonuses before leaving office - When former U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri left office in January, he gave his staff some parting gifts in the form of salary increases and bonuses totaling about $117,000, according to a report by the government transparency group LegiStorm.
Ethics Partisanship Apparently Unavoidable03/18/2011
Talking Points Memo: Ethics committee in turmoil over partisan staff - Government watchdogs are condemning a decision to allow a Republican office to become a safe haven for supposedly nonpartisan Ethics Committee staff, saying it's one of the leading reasons why the panel is so dysfunctional.
The Worst Time to Weaken SEC03/18/2011
The Hill: A failure of funding for the SEC -Usually in America, when we fail to prevent a disaster, we redouble our efforts.
Japan's Crisis Causes U.S. Nuke Concern03/18/2011
Huffington Post: Would a nuclaer calamity in U.S. require a billion dollar taxpayer bailout? Yes - With all eyes and hopeful prayers focused on the unfolding calamity at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, there's been a significant uptick in attention to our own domestic nuclear power industry, with its attendant benefits and concerns.
U.S. Industry Upbeat in Face of Nuke Crisis03/18/2011
DesMoines Register: Backers still seek to expand nuclear power in Iowa- Work to expand Iowa's nuclear power industry is expected to proceed despite a potential increase in public uncertainty as the world watches Japan's fight to prevent meltdown at earthquake- and tsunami-damaged nuclear plants.
Despite Past Protest, Dodd Scores Plum Gig03/18/2011
McClatchy: Meet Chris Dodd, Hollywood's new man in Washington - Chris Dodd's favorite movies are classics like "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "On the Waterfront," movies that, as he puts it, "are more likely to have adult conversations."
03/18/2011
City Pages: Jeff Larson used RNC piggy bank to pay friends - On a September evening in 2009, a few dozen guests, many of them Minnesota's most elite, filed into a private party at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.
Senators Attack Debit-Card Regs03/18/2011
Wall St. Journal: Bill would delay Fed's debit-card fee rule - Sen. Jon Tester and a bipartisan group of U.S. senators Tuesday formally launched their legislative attack on the Federal Reserve's plan to regulate debit-card transaction fees, a move cheered by banks and credit unions but slammed by retailers.
What To Do About the Electoral College03/18/2011
DakotaVoice.com: Looko who's working against the electoral college - About a month ago, as the South Dakota Legislature considered moving away from the electoral college system our founders gave us and toward a popular presidential vote, I wrote about why that would be a bad idea.
Fine Tuning Nation's Financial System03/18/2011
Washington Post: Bills would delay swipe fee rules - Lawmakers from both parties embarked Tuesday on an uphill battle to delay a controversial law that would reduce the fees banks receive from merchants each time a debit card is swiped, following weeks of fervent lobbying by the financial industry.
Public Jeopardized When Docs Escape State Oversight03/18/2011
Sun Sentinel: States fail to discipline rogue doctors - For the past two decades, state medical boards responsible for disciplining doctors have failed to punish more than half of those whose hospitals revoked or restricted their privileges, according to a new report released Tuesday.
Disciplinary Failures Cause Danger03/17/2011
NorthJersey.com: Hospital actions often don't spur doctor discipline - More than half of the New Jersey doctors whose hospitals suspended or revoked their privileges to practice medicine were not disciplined by the state agency that licenses doctors, according to Public Citizen, a Washington consumer watchdog group.
Surgeon Wrongfully Sues Online Critics03/16/2011
San Francisco Weekly: S.F. Plastic surgeon wants to shut down negative web commenters - First Amendment attorneys in Washington, D.C., have taken up the case of a man being sued by a San Francisco plastic surgeon for posting negative comments about her online.
High Court Limits Personal Rights to Persons03/16/2011
Reuters: U.S. top court rejects AT&T corporate privacy rights - AT&T Inc and other corporations do not have personal privacy rights to prevent disclosure of federal government records about them, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday.
GOP Addicted to Dollars03/16/2011
Huffington Post: Intervention for conversatives about their Koch problem - The only things I know about interventions are from watching reality TV, listening to Dr. Drew, and this wikiHow.
AT&T Suffers 'Personal' Defeat03/16/2011
First Amendment Center: Court's FOIA decision cheers openness advocates - The Supreme Court’s decision yesterday denying the right to “personal privacy” for corporations under the Freedom of Information Act was a cause for celebration , and some laughter, for advocates of openness.
55 Percent of Doctors Go Unpunished03/16/2011
Washington Post: Report: State boards don't always discipline doctors sanctioned by hospitals - State medical boards have failed to discipline 55 percent of the nation's doctors who were sanctioned by the hospitals where they worked, according to a report released Tuesday by Public Citizen.
Texas Doesn't Discipline Doctors03/16/2011
statesman.com: UPDATED Report: Texas fails to discipline doctors hospitals have punished - A new report says Texas is among the states that does not pursue many of the doctors who have been punished by hospitals, including ones the hospitals have barred.
New OHSA Rule Engages Employers03/16/2011
The Hill: Lobbying battle on tap over proposed changes to workplace-safety rules - Business and labor are preparing to wage a lobbying battle over a new rule expected later this year that could have a profound effect on how health and safety are handled in the workplace.
Hospitals Overwork Resident Physicians03/16/2011
Evansville Courier Press: Coming guidelines for new doctors will slash the longest shifts - It's a few minutes after 8 a.m. and Dr. Justin Neill has already been at the Women's Hospital for nearly seven hours.
Breast Cancer "Not Serious" According to Surgeons03/16/2011
medpagetoday.com: Breast implant link to lymphomas further explored - Breast implants have been linked with an indolent form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a small number of women -- a concern that has stirred up considerable controversy and charges that plastic surgeons may be misleading patients about the safety of the devices.
Progressive Groups Crash Wisconsin GOP Fundraisers03/16/2011
TPMMuckraker: As Wisconsin Sens head for DC, labor brings the war to them - On Wednesday evening, Republican state legislators from Wisconsin will gather at the offices of prominent DC lobbying firm BGR Group for a high-dollar fundraiser.
Hospitals Act, State Boards Don't03/16/2011
Kaiser Health News: Report: Many docs sanctioned by hospitals not punished by state boards - The consumer group Public Citizen released a report finding that state boards have failed to discipline more than half of the nation's doctors who have been sanctioned by the hospitals where they had privileges.
Doctors Don't Receive Necessary Discipline03/16/2011
Texas Watch: Report: State boards don't punish all doctors sanctioned by hospitals - State medical boards have failed to discipline 55 percent of the nation's doctors who were sanctioned by the hospitals where they worked, according to a report released Tuesday by Public Citizen.
Disciplinary Disaster03/16/2011
FierceHealthcare: State med boards not punishing dangerous docs - State medical boards have failed to discipline 55 percent of the nation's doctors who had their clinical privileges revoked or restricted by the hospitals where they worked, according to a report released Tuesday by Public Citizen.
States Fail in Follow Up Discipline03/16/2011
Hospital Financial and Business: When hospitals restrict MD privileges, states don't follow up - Fifty-five percent of physicians whose privileges were revoked or restricted by their hospitals were not disciplined by their states' medical boards, according to Public Citizen.
State Prevents Dangerous Doctors from Practicing...Sometimes03/16/2011
Park Rapids Enterprise: Report: Minnesota medical board disciplines docs about half the time - About half of Minnesota doctors who have had their privileges revoked or restricted by hospitals have not been disciplined by the state medical board, according to a new report.
Unlimited, "Legal" Corporate Money03/16/2011
The Hill: License to spend - Thanks to last year's U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission decision, it's a whole new world for corporate power.
Protecting Intellectual Property03/16/2011
Intellectual Property Watch: US IP enforcement ambitions in Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement stir reactions - An alleged official document leaked last week showed that the United States is taking the lead in escalating intellectual property rights enforecement in negotiations for a regional trade agreement among countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.
Reform Groups Work to Change FEC03/16/2011
Open Secrets Blog: Calls to fix the FEC, Wisconsin's national money and more in capital eye opener: March 16 - Reform groups have offered some choice words for the Federal Election Commission, the agency that exists to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act, the statute that governs the financing of federal elections.
Dangerous Doctors Walk Free03/16/2011
stltoday.com: Study says state medical boards don't punish dangerous doctors - Last year, our investigation of the health care system portrayed the agency that regulates Missouri doctors as one of the nation's weakest.
Medical Boards Fail to Discipline Doctors03/16/2011
US News and World Report: Health Highlights: March 16, 2011 - A new study says that state medical boards failed to discipline 55 percent of U.S. doctors punished by hospitals between 1990 and 2009.
Bill to Delay Limits on Swipe Charges03/15/2011
New York Times: 9 senators seek to delay debit card fee changes - A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill on Tuesday that would delay a new federal regulation to lower the swipe fees that banks could charge merchants for processing debit card transactions.
PC Applauds SaferProducts.gov03/14/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: CPSC product safety database launched - Federal regulators have launched a new product safety website where consumers will be able to search a database of products that have been identified as having potential safety issues and file new reports about problems they have experienced.
Drug Penalties a 'Pittance' Compared to Profits03/13/2011 FDA Fast Tracks Prenatal Drug
03/13/2011
StLtoday.com: FDA's fast-track approval of Makena could backfire on KV - In approving local drug maker KV Pharmaceutical Co.'s new prenatal drug, Makena, the Food and Drug Administration took a calculated risk -- that its likely but not-yet-confirmed benefit in reducing pre-term births would outweigh any adverse reactions.
Civil War on Poor and Middle Class03/12/2011
opednews.com: In memory of Granny D. and notes on American's Civil War with Karl Rove, the Koch brothers and who knows - "Money and Democracy Update" is Public Citizen's weekly e-newsletter about the intersection of money and politics.
Dangerous Waste03/12/2011
Greenpeace: The myth of nuclear containment - Our thoughts are with our colleagues, friends and all the people of Japan as they continue to deal with the aftereffects of yesterday's earthquake and tsunami.
Public Citizen Gets April Date to Fight Koch Bros.03/11/2011
Associated Press: Hearing set on Koch lawsuit over Internet hoax - A federal judge will hear arguments next month on whether to quash subpoenas filed by Koch Industries seeking the identities of the environmental pranksters behind a media hoax and bogus website.
Proposed Merger of NC Energy Titans03/11/2011
Charlotte News Observer: Progress, Duke to seek regulators' blessing - Since announcing their merger plans in January, Duke Energy and Progress Energy have touted their corporate union as a windfall to customers, local communities and investors alike.
TX Sunset Bill No Great Leap Forward03/11/2011
Texas Insider: RR Commission Sunset Bill not ethics cure-all - The long-awaited Sunset Bill of the Texas Railroad Commission was released late yesterday, and it’s mostly what we’d expected, but not everything we’d hoped for.
House GOP Set to Stifle CPSC Progress03/11/2011
The Hill: Consumer advocates decry defunding threat as product safety database goes live - The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen marked Friday's formal launch of a new product safety database with a warning cry that its days could be numbered.
Japan's Natural Disaster Sparks Reactor Failures03/11/2011
scrippsnews: Nuclear reactors hit by quakes can suffer unforseen failures - Japan's struggles to maintain cooling of two nuclear reactors in the aftermath of Friday's massive earthquake underscore global concerns that even plants supposedly designed to withstand tremors two or three times stronger than the worst expected for a particular spot can have unforseen failures.
Protesting Environmental Reviews03/11/2011
New York Times: U.S. Chamber begins push to limit environmental reviews of energy projects - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants Congress to shrink the time allowed for protesting proposed energy projects.
Legal Search for 'Friendly' Jurisdictions an Abusive Trend03/11/2011
PointOfLaw.com: The need for federal anti-SLAPP law - Paul Alan Levy documents how Dan Snyder forum-shopped to find a jurisdiction where he could harass investigative journalists who criticized him without running into anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law.
FDA Ignoring Risks of Popular Osteoporosis Drug03/11/2011
Consumer Affairs: Osteoporosis drug Reclast linked to kidney failure - Does Canada care more about its citizens' health than the U.S.?
Proposed Texas Power Plant Costly, Dangerous03/11/2011
change.org: Stop the White Stallion coal power plant in Bay City, Texas - Over its lifetime, the White Stallion coal plant -- proposed for Matogorda County, Texas -- will lead to an estimated 600 deaths.
Ethics Panel Stuck in Starting Gate03/10/2011
Roll Call: Ethics Committee has slow start - Following a year in which it conducted more than 100 inquiries and a rare public trial, the House Ethics Committee has had a glacial start in the 112th Congress.
Koch-Backed Korea FTA Killed03/10/2011
AFL-CIO Now Blog: Senate measure backing Korea-U.S. FTA Dies - Legislation before the Washington State Legislature-- pushed by multinational corporations and the notorious billionaire Koch brothers-- urging Congress to pass the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has died without a vote in the state Senate.
Lobbying Firm Hosts Fundraiser for Wisconsin's GOP03/10/2011
TPMMuckraker: Wisconsin GOPers to huddle with corporate lobbyists in DC after worker rights vote - More details on the upcoming fundraiser for members of the Wisconsin state Senate GOP in the headquarters of a prominent DC lobbying firm are coming to light.
More Price Increases on Oil?03/10/2011
Business Intelligence- Middle East: Beijing urged to hoard gold as crude oil rebounds, eurozone bond yields soar - The price of physical gold and silver bullion rallied near record highs once again in London on Wednesday, while European stock markets slipped and crude oil rebounded to recover half of yesterday's sharp losses.
Fundraising Limitations at 2012 Democratic Convention03/09/2011
Politico: Democrats' convention-cash quandary - Alas, the much-mocked Roman columns from Barack Obama's 2008 nomination acceptance speech aren't very likely to make an encore appearance at the 2012 Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Government for Sale03/09/2011
City Beat: Money changes everything - In the 14 months since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned restrictions and allowed for unlimited corporate spending in campaigns for elections, the political landscape of America already has dramatically changed.
Walmart Influences San Diego City Council03/09/2011
California Progress: Corporate power, Walmart and the undermining of the democratic process - On February 1, the San Diego City Council repealed its recently passed "Big-Box Statute" which required an economic and environmental impact study precede approval to build stores of 90,000 or more square feet with 10 percent of floor space dedicated to nontaxable items such as groceries and prescription drugs.
Ensign Won't Run for Re-Election03/08/2011
Minyanville: Goldman Sachs "Wall Street Casino" senator to step down - Back in April, Goldman Sachs (GS) executives famously took a beating on Capitol Hill, repeatedly being accused of running nothing more than a rigged Las Vegas casino.
Court Narrows FOIA Exemptions03/08/2011
First Amendment Center: Justices again rein in exemption to FOIA - March 2011 is turning out to be a very good month for advocates of maximum disclosure of government documents under the Freedom of Information Act.
Public Citzen to Argue Against Koch in April03/08/2011
businessweek.com: Hearing set on Koch lawsuit over Internet hoax - A federal judge will hear arguments next month on whether to quash subpoenas filed by Koch Industries seeking the identities of the environmental pranksters behind a media hoax and bogus website.
Vermont Conference Against Citizens United03/08/2011
VTDigger: Sanders, et. al., united against Citizens United - It was an old-fashioned revival meeting.
Sunshine Week is March 13-1903/08/2011
OMB Watch: Celebrate open government during Sunshine Week - From March 13-19, Americans will commemorate the importance of open government during Sunshine Week.
Ethics Committee Should Not Drop Ensign's Case03/08/2011
TPMMuckraker: Watchdogs to Ethics Panel: Keep pursuing Ensign hush money case - Watchdogs are calling on the Senate Ethics Committee to continue digging into the hush money case against Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) despite his decision not to run for reelection.
FEC Not Up to Standard03/08/2011
StLToday: Time to wake up the sleeping watchdog that is the Federal Elections Commission - Perhaps the only good thing about the Supreme Court's ruling last year in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was that it called for greater tranparency in political campaign contributions.
Dodd Opens Revolving Door to Hollywood03/07/2011
flick filosopher: Question of the day: What does Hollywood want with former U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd...and vice versa? - Glenn Greenwald, one of my favorite muckraking political journalists, last week posted a piece on former Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, who has long been a friend to corporate interests but, when he announced his retirement, insisted that he would not take a job working on behalf of those corporate interests to lobby his former Senate colleagues.
Prescription Privacy Reaches U.S. Supreme Court03/07/2011
Vermontbiz.com: Feds, 35 states, 100,000 doctors support Vermont AG's appeal over prescription privacy law - The federal government, 35 states, organizations representing over 100,000 doctors, consumer groups and privacy experts have supported Vermont's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the state's Prescription Confidentiality Law.
Internet Free Speech Protects Criticism03/07/2011
Tech Dirt: Just because you don't like something online, doesn't mean we should blame third parties - Last Thursday and Friday were a pair of very interesting conferences about secondary liability in the Bay Area.
Unemployment Continues, So Do Wall Street Bonuses03/07/2011
Huffington Post: The unified pay theory - The state of play: One in ten American workers remain unemployed.
Citizens United Promises Future Abuse03/07/2011
Progress Illinois: Battle over campaign spending is not a fair fight - The 2010 election cycle was the first since the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, which opened the floodgates for corporate interests to influence campaigns through huge, untraceable donations.
Win for Transparency03/07/2011
eNews Park Forest: U.S. Supreme Court rejects broad interpretation of Freedom of Information Act exemption - The U.S. Supreme Court today delivered a victory for government transparency in Milner v. Department of the Navy, when the court refused to allow an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to become an "all-purpose back-up provision to withhold sensitive records."
Defending Online Free Speech03/07/2011
Augusta Free Press: Groups defend right to post anonymous reviews online - Five anonymous individuals who wrote negative online reviews of a San Francisco plastic surgeon did not violate the law, and the surgeon should not be permitted to force disclosure of their identities, lawyers for Public Citizen and the Virginia American Civil Liberties Union argued in papers filed on Monday.
Full Disclosure Necessary on Campaign Funds03/06/2011
StLToday: FEC locks horns on secret campaign funds - If an impasse at the Federal Election Commission remains, corporations, unions and wealthy individuals will be able to fund hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign advertisements for next year's presidential and congressional elections while keeping their names and roles secret.
Texas Luminant Plants Fail Financially03/06/2011
dallasnews.com: Giant Luminant plants that failed during Texas winter storm are major part of Energy Future Holdings' financial woes - After the Texas power grid went down Feb. 2 in a series of rolling blackouts, it was impossible to miss a single, unsettling fact: Much of that outage was caused by the failure of four coal-burning plants, all owned by Luminant, the state's largest power generator.
Chamber of Commerce Planned Lawless Invasion of Watchdogs03/06/2011
National Journal: Chamber of Secrets - It is ironic that a trio of defense contractors who concocted a high-tech plan to descredit liberal critics of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce chose "Team Themis" as their moniker.
Vaccine-Design-Defect Not Protected in Court03/06/2011
The Daily Record: Preemption ruling draws ire from plaintiffs' lawyers - The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that a federal vaccine statute preempts state law vaccine-design-defect claims has drawn fire from victims' attorneys, who say that the federal compensation system set up by the law fails those who are injured by vaccines.
Overseas Lobbying03/06/2011
Boston Herald: Critics rip gov's overseas biz trip - Gov. Deval Patrick's 10-day overseas trip is a rare chance for a handful of high-powered Bay State execs and lobbyists to wheel and deal with him, as they travel together on a 10-day junket that some critics say could be a bonanza for "undue influence peddling."
Limiting Medical Residents' Longest Shifts03/05/2011
Courier Press: Coming guidelines for new doctors will slash the longest shifts - It's a few minutes after 8 a.m. and Dr. Justin Neill has already been at the Women's Hospital for nearly seven hours.
Annie Leonard's Primer on Citizens United03/04/2011
Colorado Independent: Citizens United gets the Story of Stuff Treatment - With her 20 minute “Story of Stuff” web-video, Annie Leonard explained some of the downside of consumerism to a lot of Americans.
Citizens United Decision Revisited in VT03/04/2011
The Republic: Vt. senator hosts meeting Saturday on campaign finance ruling - Last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance will be the subject of a town meeting being hosted by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Debate on Gas Drilling, Radioactive Wastewater03/04/2011
Bloomberg Businessweek: Fracking - The great shale gas rush - The Pennsylvania homes of Karl Wasner and Arline LaTourette both sit atop the Marcellus Shale, a geologic formation that stretches from Tennessee to New York and holds vast deposits of natural gas.
Soft-Pedaling Cancer Risk Was Wrong03/04/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: Groups remove info downplaying rsik of cancer from breast implants - Two organizations representing plastic surgeons have removed information from their websites that some critics say was telling their members to downplay the risk of that cancer may be caused by breast implants.
Groups Pull Web Advice on Cancer Risk03/04/2011
Skin & Allergy News: Plastic surgery groups remove breast implant webinar - Two plastic surgery professional organizations have removed a members-only webinar in the wake of complaints by an advocacy group that the program downplayed the risk of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma in women who have breast implants.
Plastic Surgeons Downplay Breast Cancer03/03/2011
BNet: When is breast cancer not "cancer"? When you're funded by breast-implant makers - When is breast cancer not "cancer," not malignant and not a tumor?
VT State Bill Seeks Redefinition of Personhood03/03/2011
Valley Advocate: Challenging corporate personhood - Vermont state senator Virginia Lyons, who recently introduced a bill in that state's Legislature to redefine personhood (and by extension citizenship) as only applying to human beings, has been continuing to gather support for her bill in both the general population and the business community.
Don't Read Dodd's Lips on Lobbying03/03/2011
Salon.com: Chris Dodd shows how Washington works - Over the last two years -- particularly during the debate over the financial reform bill -- Sen. Chris Dodd served on multiple occasions as chief spokesman for, and defender of, the interests of Wall Street and corporate America.
Cancer Related Info Removed03/03/2011
Internal Medicine News: Plastic surgery groups remove cancer-implant webinar after complaints - Two plastic surgery professional organizations have removed a members-only webinar in the wake of complaints by an advocacy group that the program downplayed the risk of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) in whomen who have breast implants.
Video Calls Upon Citizens03/03/2011
Care2: Animated call to action - 'The Story of Citizens United v. FEC' - Do corporations wield too much influence among America's elected officials?
Wall Street Embraces Deferred Compensation03/02/2011
Consumer Affairs: Main Street hurting but Wall Street has second best year ever - Cash bonuses paid to New York City securities industry employees declined by nearly 8 percent to $20.8 billion in 2010, about one third less than paid out in 2007 before the financial crisis, according to an estimate released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
Latest Effort to Block Nuke Expansion Fails03/02/2011
Star-Telegram: Opposition to plant expansion dismissed - An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board panel dismissed opponents' final contention against expanding the Comanche Peak nuclear plant, the latest blow to critics who raised numerous safety and environmental issues.
Loan Modification Requirements Overwhelm Homeowners03/02/2011
Best Syndication News: Loan modification programs - Why some modifications fail - The government loan modification process can be difficult, but there have been successes. So why are petitions from homeowners rejected and why do homeowners who make it through the trial period not get a permanent modification?
TX Utility Shifts Costs to Residential Users03/02/2011
KHOU: Why the state thinks Houstonians pay too little for natural gas - The big utility company selling natural gas to Houston residents is shifting costs from industrial and commercial customers to residential customers.
Will CPSC Complaint Database See Daylight?03/02/2011
Next Gov: Too much transparency? - Less than two weeks before the scheduled launch of the federal government's first website devoted to consumer complaints about unsafe products, the budget stalemate is threatening to strangle the newborn in its online crib.
Energy Giant Stepping on Landowners' Toes03/02/2011
Solve Climate News: In Keystone XL pipeline negotiations, charges if bad faith tactics - While TransCanada has maintained all along that its negotiations are fair and accomplished in good faith, landowner holdouts along the proposed six-state route for Keystone XL beg to differ.
Unsafe Supplements03/02/2011
L.A. Times: Supplements lack science, safety proof - "Lost your essence after excessive lovemaking?" BioRay said it has a supplement for you.
Interior Department Approves Drilling Permit03/02/2011
eNews Park Forest: Interior Department's shortsighted approval of drilling permit is a recipe for disaster - Statement of Tyson Slocum, Director, Public Citizen's Energy Program.
Challenging Plastic Surgeons03/02/2011
Bloomberg: Breast implant risks downplayed by plastic surgeons, consumer group says - Plastic surgery organizations have drawn criticism from U.S. regulators by trying to downplay the risk of cancer with breast implants, a consumer group said.
Citizen United Short03/02/2011
The Nation: The Story of 'Citizens United' vs. the FEC - This is the best short history of the growth of corporate power that I've ever read, heard or seen. It's also a primer on exactly why the Supreme Court's closely divided Citizens United decision is incompatible with basic notions of democratic governance.
Heavy Trucks Could Become Trend03/02/2011
SeacoastOnline: Big trucks back on Main Street after restriction ended - After a one-year hiatus, heavy trucks are again rumbling through small towns across Maine and Vermont.
Tar Sands Threaten Gulf03/02/2011
Cherokeean Herald: STOP members speak in Jacksonville - Opposition is popping up and down the Keystone Pipeline's interstate path on two fronts: environmental concerns and objections to eminent domain.
FEBRUARY 2011 MEDIA HITS
02/28/2011
Tech Insider: Too much transparency? - Less than two weeks before the scheduled launch of the federal government's first website devoted to consumer complaints about unsafe products, the budget stalemate is threatening to strangle the newborn in its online crib.
High Oil Prices Might Move Congress02/28/2011
NY Times: Soaring oil prices become popular argument for just about anything - As the price of oil climbs over $100 for a barrel, it's fueling arguments for congressional action from groups with very different agendas.
Congress Exempt From Insider Trading02/27/2011
LoHud.com: Members of Congress, often millionairs, set own investment rules - Even after she was appointed to the House Financial Services Committee last month, freshman GOP Rep. Nan Hayworth wasn't required to sell her portfolio of banking stocks.
Koch Supports Limits on Union Negotiations02/24/2011
Bloomberg: Chemical firm spends to stick it to unions - Koch Industries Inc. and its employees and subsidiaries spent $1.2 million in the last election helping to elect Republican governors who are trying to take away bargaining rights of state workers.
The Real Villain of High Healthcare Costs02/23/2011
Huffington Post: Our unsafe healthcare system is the issue, not caps on tort settlements - A little-noticed proposal in the President's budget managed to squeak by without a ripple in the media, or comment from savvy political pundits and progressive activists.
Wasteful Medical Spending a Matter of Definition02/23/2011
The Hill: Tort reform opponents knock 'defensive medicine' argument - Trial lawyers and consumer advocates are trotting out a novel argument as they fight off tort reform proposals: they say medical malpractice suits, rather than driving over-use of costly tests by risk-averse doctors, instead prevent rationing.
Supreme Court Sides with Vaccine Makers02/23/2011
USA Today: Supreme Court rules against parents in vaccine case - The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the parents of a child who suffered seizures after a routine vaccination cannot sue the drugmaker.
What Worries Google in Trademark Dispute?02/23/2011
ABA Journal: Google fights to kekep documents secret in trademark appeal - Google is famous for bringing information to the Internet, but it’s fighting to keep several documents secret in a pending appeal.
Debate Over Heavyweight Trucks Rumbles On02/23/2011
TheTrucker.com: Heavy trucks return to the road in Maine, Vermont - After a one-year hiatus, heavy trucks are again rumbling through small towns across Maine and Vermont.
Koch Billionaires Financing Assault on Unions02/23/2011
Washington Post: Koch funneled $1.2 million to governors battling unions - Koch Industries Inc. and its employees and subsidiaries spent $1.2 million in the last election helping to elect Republican governors who are now trying to take away bargaining rights of state workers.
Agency Hints at Some Relief for Truckers02/22/2011
Fleetowner: FMCSA leaning to 10-hour limit on truck drivers behind the wheel - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is now in favor of limiting truck drivers to just 10 hours behind the wheel under its hours of service (HOS) reform proposals.
Google Fighting Documents Release in Lawsuit02/22/2011
Paid Content: Google pushes to keep reams of documents secret in major trademark case - Rosetta Stone v. Google, one of the most important trademark cases of the digital age, is pending in a Virginia federal appeals court, and Google is fighting a remarkable battle to keep thousands of pages of documents secret.
Soft-Peddling Implant Surgery Risk02/22/2011
ABC News: Is rare breast implant risk cancer or 'condition?' - You might call it a scrap over semantics, but the stakes go far beyond words.
Lawmakers, Lobbyists Keep Trading Places02/22/2011 Congress.org: Lobbyists join Capitol Hill staffs - The revolving door can also spin the other way. TX Lawyer Again Fails to Join Cases
02/22/2011
Dallas Observer: Judge drops 1,105 defendents from case over BitTorrent piracy - A week ago, we mentioned that Denton lawyer Evan Stone (not to be confused with, you know, Evan Stone) had run afoul of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Citizen
TX Judicial Clear-Cutting Expedition02/22/2011
ars technica: Texas chainsaw massacre: Senior judge "severs" most P2P lawsuits - Texas no longer welcomes mass Internet file-sharing lawsuits.
Feds Upwardly Revise Human Worth02/22/2011
New York Times: As U.S. agencies put more value on a life, businesses fret - As the players here remake the nation’s vast regulatory system, they have been grappling with a subject that is more the province of poets and philosophers than bureaucrats: what is the value of a human life?
Legal Argument "Joinder" Prevails in Texas Suit02/22/2011
Electronic Frontier Foundation: Don't mess with Texas continued: Thousands of defendants severed - When we said that Texas was no place to file suit if you want to bypass due process, we weren't kidding. Senior federal judge Royal Furgeson has "severed" thousands of Does in these and several other cases.
Leadership PACs Target Lawmakers02/22/2011
Desert Sun: Conservative Group: Rep. Mary Bono Mack moved right in 2010 - Rep. Mary Bono Mack's 2010 votes in Congress brought her highest score ever from a key conservative group.
Hillary Fundraisers in Hot Water02/22/2011
Bloomberg: Hillary Clinton fundraisers indicted for reimbursing campaign contributors - One of Hillary Clinton’s top fundraisers for her presidential campaign was indicted with a second man for improperly reimbursing $186,600 to donors, the U.S. Justice Department said.
When Business as Usual is No Business02/22/2011
TPM Muckraker: Watdhdogs: Campaign finance agency AWOL - A coalition of watchdog groups are calling for congressional hearings into what they regard as systematic failings of the Federal Election Commission, the agency charged with enforcing campaign finance law.
No Cost-Benefit Analysis on Global Warming02/22/2011
ABA Journal: U.S. agencies raise value of life by millions of dollars, justifying tougher regs - In the last few years, several U.S. agencies have raised the value of human life by millions of dollars, a calculation that justifies tougher regulations in a cost-benefit analysis.
Brutul Calculus of Big Price Spikes02/22/2011
Huffington Post: Gambling on hunger: Is Wall St. fueling global unrest? - Since July, the price of corn has jumped 62 percent.
When Lawmakers Are Exempt from Law02/22/2011
Minyanville: Insider tradling laws do not apply to members of Congress. No, seriously. - On March 8, Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam will stand trial on insider trading charges involving 35 stocks, among them Google (GOOG), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), IBM (IBM), and Goldman Sachs (GS).
AT&T Wireless Case Could Gut Class Actions02/22/2011
WestLaw News: Supreme Court to decide if states can ban class-action waivers - In a case that could affect the future of class-action litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument Nov. 9 to determine if federal arbitration law preempts state laws that ban class-action waivers in contracts.
Misappropriation of "Hot News" or Freedom of Speech?02/22/2011
Forbes: The Internet age and the hot-news doctrine converge - Barclays Capital Inc. v. Theflyonthewall, Inc., a case expected to be decided in the coming weeks by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, highlights the importance of defining a balance vis-à-vis the fundamental tension in the Internet Age between restricting free speech and preserving (quasi) intellectual property rights.
Surgeon Groups Tell Docs to Soft-Pedal Certain Cancer Risk02/21/2011
MedPage Today: Plastic surgeons told to downplay cancer risk, consumer group says - The advocacy group Public Citizen sent a letter to FDA officials this week alleging that two plastic surgeon groups instructed doctors to downplay the recently-discovered link between breast implants and a rare cancer when talking to patients.
Docs Told to Be Dishonest with Implant Patients02/21/2011
Star-Tribune: Group says implant risk downplayed - When talking to patients about a rare type of cancer linked to breast implants, plastic surgeons should call it "a condition" and avoid using the words cancer, tumor, disease or malignancy, the president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons advised members during an online seminar on Feb. 3.
Public Safety Requires Strong CPSC02/21/2011
Consumer Affairs: Attempts to defund, defang Consumer Product Safety Commission decried - A House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing, designed to undo recent protections laid out in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) and to slash funding for the critical Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is a step in the wrong direction, Public Citizen said.
Doctors Do Harm by Trivializing Cancer Risk02/21/2011
Injury Board: Plastic surgery organizations tell doctors to downplay risks of breast implant related cancer - Two leading plastic surgery organizations have decided to call a cancer related to breast implants a “condition” instead of cancer, tumor or malignancy and tell doctors they should use the same term with patients, despite new warnings from the FDA.
New Indictments for Hillary's Former Fundraisers02/21/2011
Washington Post: Several big donors to Hillary Clinton now facing criminal allegations - The indictment of a top Northern Virginia fundraiser last week is the latest in a series of criminal cases that have ensnared campaign donors to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who relied heavily on wealthy bundlers in her failed 2008 bid for the presidency.
Continued Debate over Mexican Truck Safety02/18/2011
Latin American Herald Tribune: Mexican government urged to ban imports of used trucks from U.S. - Mexico should immediately ban imports of “shoddy used trucks” from the United States, the Canacar trucking association said Thursday in a paid newspaper ad.
Plastic Surgeons Told to Avoid Saying 'Cancer'02/18/2011
Consumer Affairs: Public Citizen: Plastic surgery groups give misleading advice on breast implant-related cancers - The presidents of two leading plastic surgery organizations urged members to downplay the significance of recent evidence about the risks of breast implant-related cancer when speaking to female patients, according to the transcript of portions of a Feb. 3 members-only Webinar sent to Public Citizen by a concerned plastic surgeon.
Truckers, Carriers Rail Against Proposed Rule02/18/2011
Today's Trucking: Real truckers give FMCSA an earful on HOS - Drivers and fleet managers who took time to tell FMCSA what they think of the government's new hours-of-service proposal appeared nearly unanimous in opposing the changes.
Drug Side Effects that Can Cripple02/18/2011
CBS12, West Palm Beach: ITeam investigation: Prescription for problems? - When you are prescribed a drug, do you read all of the important side effect information from the pharmacy?
02/18/2011
Health Leaders Media: Plastic surgeons trivialize cancer in implant patients, group says - Several weeks after reports that unusual cases of lymphoma have been detected in 34 U.S. women with breast implants, two plastic surgeon organizations urged their members to inaccurately "trivialize" or "play down the risks" to their patients, charges the Public Citizen Health Research Group.
When Doctors Withhold the Scary Truth02/18/2011
Wall St. Journal blog: A.M. Vitals: Parsing words - On a members-only webinar given by two plastic-surgery groups, one association’s president advised surgeons to use more benign terms than “cancer” or “tumor” when discussing a very rare form of cancer associated with breast implants with patients, the New York Times reports.
Medical Society Takes Heat over Cancer Comment02/18/2011
Fair Warning: Plastic surgeons told to soft-pedal cancer risk from breast implants - The president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has advised the group’s ranks to soft-pedal the risk of a rare cancer for women seeking breast implants.
Offshoring Hurts U.S. Economy, Workers02/17/2011
Huffington Post: Myths of offshoring, the imperative of manufacturing - For fully two decades, the American people have been fed the canard that the offshoring of literally millions of American manufacturing jobs is an acceptable price to pay for lower cost imported consumer goods.
Industry Titans Sue Critics02/17/2011
Mediaite.com: Koch Industries attempts to reveal people behind "Youth for Climate Change" - Koch Industries, the conglomerate owned by conservative brothers Charles Koch and David Koch, is currently trying to get to the bottom of a fake press release claiming the company’s oil processing arm would be “restructuring its support of climate change research and advocacy initiatives” and would discontinue funding for organizations “whose positions on climate change could jeopardize America’s continued global competitiveness.”
Korea Trade Deal a NAFTA Rerun02/17/2011
Huffington Post: The Korea Trade Deal is lose-lose - The Obama administration's effort to convince Congress to pass a NAFTA-style trade pact with South Korea on foreign relations and national security grounds took a beating last month when a large delegation of Korean opponents of the pact came to Washington.
Deregulation Drives Up TX Electric Bills02/17/2011
Star-Telegram: New report hits ERCOT, electricity deregulation - A report released today concludes that electric deregulation has cost Texas residential consumers more than $11 billion in higher rates and that the operator of the state's major power grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has been poorly managed and industry-dominated.
02/17/2011
Electronic Frontier Foundation: Don't mess with Texas: Another Texas judge scrutinizes mass copyright litigation - Looks like the Texas courts are no place to file suit if you want to bypass due process.
The No-Cure Cold02/16/2011
USA Today: The cure for the common cold? There is none -Americans catch an estimated 1 billion colds each year.
Ethics Rules Pliable for Lawmakers02/16/2011
Poughkeepsie Journal: On investment ethics, Congress lets it own foxes guard the hens - Even after she was appointed to the House Financial Services Committee last month, freshman Republican Rep. Nan Hayworth wasn't required to sell her portfolio of banking stocks.
Google's Close Legal Encounters02/16/2011
Search Engine Land: Texas officials, public interest lawyers push for more disclosures from Google - The effort to get Google to disclose more information about how it ranks sites and the details of its algorithm is nothing new.
Liberal Activists Stand Up, Toughen Up02/15/2011
Washington Post: Common Cause suddenly uncommonly forceful in fighting Koch Industries - Common Cause has long been something of a nerd among the jocks.
FDA Criticized for Approval Process02/15/2011 New York Times: Medical treatment, out of reach -Late last year, Biosensors International, a medical device company, shut down its operation in Southern California, which had once housed 90 people, including the company’s top executives and researchers. Business Holds 'Keys to Kingdom'
02/15/2011
Forbes: Obama hasn't given enough ground to business to spark growth - President Obama’s visit with the Chamber of Commerce this week has infuriated the anti-business Left.
TX Governor, Budget Scrutinized02/15/2011
Dallas Morning News: Fact check: Examining Gov. Rick Perry's take on state, budget - “Today, I’m challenging our institutions of higher education to develop bachelor’s degrees that cost no more than $10,000, including textbooks,” Perry said.
Toyota Still Embattled02/15/2011
Financial Post: Toyota's media car crash - A year ago in this space I wrote: “Toyota is already the victim of one of the most irresponsible and destructive bouts of media thuggery in history.”
02/15/2011
NBC DFW: Critics question price spike during rolling blackouts - At least two investigations will examine whether it was extreme weather and high demand -- or perhaps power companies' greed -- that led to last week's rolling blackouts across Texas.
Advocates Unconvinced by Toyota Report02/15/2011
Fortune: The safety police go after Toyota again -The word of the rocket scientists apparently wasn't good enough.
Questionable Donation Taints Research Study02/15/2011
Politics Daily: Company pays government to challenge pesticide research linked to Parkinson's - In an unusual scenario that raises questions of conflict of interest, a company that conducts research on behalf of the pesticide industry has paid a U.S. government agency to help prove some controversial chemicals are safe.
Public Protections: Necessary and Non-Partisan02/15/2011
Politico: Bad idea to rein in regulators - These should be tough times for deregulators, who critics now link to a host of recent calamities: a massive oil spill, an economic collapse that has cost millions of jobs, countless food and toy recalls and repeated tragedies in mines and other workplaces.
02/15/2011
Legal Times: New group in Congress pushes to change legal system - Conservative lawmakers are organizing in a more formal way to promote an array of changes to the civil justice system, including proposals related to medical malpractice reform, venue and federal pleading standards.
SOTU Skirts Climate Change02/15/2011
AOL News: Obama's underpowered energy policy - If President Barack Obama's budget proposal tracks the broad game plan for energy policy that he laid out in his State of the Union address, be prepared for a letdown when the numbers come out on Monday.
Texas Blackouts Under Examination02/15/2011
StatesMan.com: Senate hearing on rolling blackouts begins today - Nearly two weeks after electric blackouts rolled across Texas, the power industry and state agencies are being called on the carpet at the Capitol today to explain what happened and why.
Kochs Attempt to Unveil Critics02/15/2011
The Tech: Koch Industries quashes global warming parody - In December, a fake news release was sent out by a group claiming to be Koch Industries, the pol processing company owned by Charles D.G. Koch '57 and David H. Koch '62, the Republican donors, arts benefactors and global warming skeptics.
Radical Talk from Anti-tax Flak02/14/2011
The Raw Story: Anti-tax activist forgot his past alliances with progressives - An anti-tax activist told an audience at a conservative forum recently that the left on the political spectrum consisted of nothing more than "competing parasites," not "friends and allies" of the right.
Prank Results in Koch Brothers' Lawsuit02/14/2011
New York Times: A conglomerate's tack to quash a parody site -Satire, George S. Kaufman once said, is what closes on Saturday night.
GOP Death Threat to Public Financing of Elections02/14/2011
Courier-Journal: McConnell plan cuts off public campaign funds -It has been a familiar part of federal tax forms since the 1970s.
Congress Gets a Pass on Insider Trading02/14/2011
Democrat and Chronicle: Investing rules absent in Congress - Even though he serves on the House committee that handles transportation issues, freshman Republican Rep. Richard Hanna isn't required to sell his transportation stocks.
Tragic Stories in Wake of Drug Recall02/14/2011
Cincinnati.com: Drug's belated recall a bitter pill - Tammy and John Gilbert had read the medical pamphlet.
Deregulation Leads to Higher Rates02/14/2011
Star-Telegram: Study tallies cost of deregulation: more than $11 billion in higher residential rates - A report released Monday concludes that electric deregulation has cost Texas residential consumers more than $11 billion in higher rates and that the operator of the state's major power grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has been poorly managed and industry-dominated.
Issa Threatens Necessary Regulations02/11/2011
CSRwire: GOP wages war on safeguards that protect us all - Matt Madia, a Policy Analyst at OMB Watch, Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen, Peter Iwanowicz of the American Lung Association, and Jeffrey Hollender, Co-founder of Seventh Generation and the American Sustainable Business Council joined together to call attention to Representative Darrell Issa's plans to hold hundreds of hearings to investigate the Obama administration this year, and to hold a hearing on "job-killing" regulations this week.
Public Citizen Issues Warning About Onglyza02/11/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: Onglyza side effects raise concerns for consumer group Public Citizen - The consumer watchdog group Public Citizen is raising questions about the effectiveness and possible side effects of Onglyza, a relatively new diabetes drug.
Research Shows Effects of FTA With Peru02/10/2011
Eurasia Review: Peru trade deal unraveled - In 2007, a determined Democratic caucus put their collective feet down. They refused to consider any more free trade agreements without a new model, with stronger protections for labor, human rights, and the environment.
Corporate Donations Under Scrutiny02/10/2011
Roll Call: K Street donors not so kind to members' charities - Lobbyists appear to be significantly cutting back on the money they give to support the favored charities of Members of Congress, one of the long-standing ways firms have curried favor with powerful Members.
Questionable Ethics of Ethics Committee02/10/2011
Roll Call: Gilbert: OCE gives public window into Congress' self-policing - In 2008, following a wave of Congressional corruption cases and bad behavior, the House of Representatives created the independent Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate potential ethical violations by lawmakers and recommend further action to the Ethics Committee.
Constituents Voice Opposition02/10/2011
Sun Herald: Two thirds of Rep. Green's constituents oppose bill to block EPA from updating health protections - Sixty-five percent of Rep. Gene Green's constituents in the Texas 29th Congressional District oppose a controversial bill to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to reduce carbon dioxide and other pollutants, a new poll reveals.
Electric Prices Soar After Outages02/10/2011
nbcDFW: Critics question price spike during rolling blackouts - At least two investigations will examine whether it was extreme weather and high demand -- or perhaps power companies' greed -- that led to last week's rolling blackouts across Texas.
Consequences of Outages02/10/2011
The Texas Tribune: Will Texas blackouts cause higher electric rates? - Lots of Texans are asking that question in the wake of last week's rolling blackouts, and nobody's going to be happy with the answer, which is: "It depends" (if you ask electricity experts); or "Yes" (if you ask consumer advocates).
Darvocet and Darvon Now Gone02/10/2011
Digital Journal: Popular painkillers Darvocet and Darvon pulled from market - In November 2010, Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc. voluntarily pulled two of its popular prescription pain medications from the market -- Darvon and Darvocet.
ERCOT Under Scrutiny After Outages02/10/2011
mySanAntonio.com: Outages put ERCOT in spotlight - Until last week, most state residents had never heard of Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the entity that helps keep their houses warm, lights on and computers running.
Political Gridlock at FEC02/09/2011
Mother Jones: Will Obama oust the FEC's right-wing ringleader? - When the Supreme Court handed down its controversial Citizens United decision, President Barack Obama ripped the high court's ruling for giving "a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics."
Pre-Case Discovery Not Fishing Expedition02/09/2011
Media Post News: Engineering company seeks to unmask gossip bloggers - In the latest case aimed at unmasking Web users, a company that repairs turbine generators is asking a judge to order Google to disclose the identity of the author of a gossip blog.
Campaign Finance Reform Groups02/09/2011
OpenSecrets Blog: Advocate for campaign finance reform - There are a number of groups that advocate to one degree or another for campaign finance reform -- some liberal, some conservative.
Unapproved Med Devices Available Offshore02/09/2011
Miami Herald: Case of the convoluted valve job - Isaac Hariton, an 86-year-old retired surgeon from Aventura, had a clogged heart valve that was life-threatening.
Feds Slow to React to Overdose Epidemic02/09/2011
Houston Chronicle: Are Americans ready for 'generation RX'? - A decade after Congress began dramatically increasing imports into the United States, Americans are consuming more than 70 percent of the world's legal medicinal supply of opiates — poppy-based pain drugs related to heroin, a Chronicle analysis of the Congressional Record and international treaty data shows.
Utilities Off to Bumpy Start with Smart Meters02/09/2011
Mother Jones: More smart meter questions answered - When I posted on smart meters a few weeks back I expected some amount of hoopla in the comments section, and gosh was I right!
Obama Woos Business Lobby02/09/2011
AFP: Obama courts top U.S. executives, vows cooperation - President Barack Obama warmly courted top US executives, pledging to scrap regulation and lay the groundwork for innovation in a bid to "make America the best place on Earth to do business."
Attorney Out to Bust File Sharing02/09/2011
ars technica: Meet Evan Stone, P2P pirate hunter - Evan Stone is not the devil; indeed, the antipiracy lawyer sees himself on the side of the angels.
Obama Makes Nice with Business Lobby02/09/2011
New York Times: Obama presses business leaders to hire and invest - President Obama urged American businesses on Monday to “get in the game” by letting loose trillions of dollars that they are holding in reserve, saying that they can help create a “virtuous cycle” of more sales, higher demand and greater profits that will put people back to work.
Political Storm Follows Rolling Blackouts02/09/2011
Austin Statesman: State to investigate causes of power outages - Senate leaders on Monday quizzed power company executives and electric grid operators about last week's rolling blackouts as the Texas Senate prepared for a public hearing on Feb. 15.
Fair Litigation Tricky in Mass Suits02/09/2011
Electronic Frontier Foundation: Judge, watch out for fairness in mass copyright suits - One of the major problems with the mass copyright lawsuits we seen over the last year is that the judges hearing the cases often aren’t aware of the full legal and practical context of the litigation.
Dark Shadow of Citizens United02/09/2011
Cape Cod Times: Undoing court's electoral misstep - When Cape Air founder and CEO Dan Wolf was running for the state Senate seat that he eventually won in November, he began hearing complaints from a growing number of voters in the final weeks of the campaign.
Duke Partners with Med Center in India02/09/2011 Government Clears Toyota
02/09/2011
AP: Toyota trying to move beyond safety concerns - Toyota Motor Corp., which built its reputation in the U.S. on safety and reliability, has been cleared by the government of electronic problems in its vehicles.
Business Ties to Federal Judges?02/09/2011
Wall St. Journal Law Blog: Are federal courts biased towards big business? - A panel discussion today at the New York University School of Law explored the touchy subject of whether business interests hold too much sway over federal judges.
FDA Faces Demands By Medical Device Industry02/09/2011
The New York Times: Medical treatment, out of reach - Late last year, Biosensors International, a medical device company, shut down its operation in Southern California, which had once housed 90 people, including the company's top executives and researchers.
Investigators Clear Toyota02/09/2011
Wall St. Journal: U.S. blames drivers, not Toyota - Federal highway safety officials on Tuesday absolved the electronics in Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles for unintended acceleration, and said driver error was to blame for most of the incidents.
NHTSA, NASA Absolve Toyota02/09/2011
Wall St. Journal Law Blog: Oh what a feeling! Study pins accleration blame on drivers - Talk about a reversal of fortune. After a year of fending off allegations that faulty electronics were to blame for its cars’ unintended acceleration problems, Toyota got a huge dose of good news on Tuesday.
House Looks to Question Kirk02/08/2011
The Hill: Obama trade rep to make House debut - President Obama's trade representative has been on the job for two years, but has never appeared at a hearing with the House panel that oversees trade.
Obama Backs Big Business02/08/2011
Boston Herald: Obama's appeal to U.S. business group falls flat - Conservatives and liberals agree on one thing: They aren't buying President Obama's appeal yesterday to business leaders to set aside their differences with him in order to promote jobs and to bolster the U.S. economy.
Obama Abandons Signature Issues in Speech02/07/2011
Washington Post Voices: Obama's speech to U.S. Chamber of Commerce disappoints progressive groups - The President Obama who appeared before the Chamber of Commerce on Monday morning was nothing like the one the lobbying group's members had gotten to know over the two years they were at war.
Obama Encourages Businesses to Invest02/07/2011
The Hill: Obama asks business to get off 'sidelines,' invest $2T in economy - President Obama on Monday implored U.S. businesses to "get in the game" and invest the $2 trillion they hold in reserves in the U.S. economy.
Obama On Board with Chamber of Commerce02/07/2011
truth-out.org: Corporate media push wrong story on Obama's relationship with business - President Barack Obama is hoping to “mend ties” with big business by speaking to the US Chamber of Commerce (COC), Washington DC’s top lobbyist.
Önkel Case Important Precedent02/07/2011
Dallas Observer: Private parts: Denton attorney pursuing porn downloaders runs into judge and the EFF - Our first mention of Denton lawyer Evan Stone and his court fight against porn pirates (recall: not that Evan Stone, though we heard he was in town this weekend) centered on his case representing Germany's Mick Haig Productions, and their Cassevetes-esque family drama, Der Gute Önkel.
Shifting Political Loyalties02/04/2011
Orlando Sentinel: To the political victor go the special-interest contributions - What a difference an election and a few weeks make.
Drug Companies Leading Scofflaws02/04/2011
The Independent: David Prosser: Pushing the pills may be the world's most risky business - Just who would be chief executive of a major pharmaceuticals business?
Abuse of Process in Copyright Suit02/04/2011
ARS Technica: P2P lawyer accused of issuing ISP suppoenas without court approval - A few weeks ago, a man headed home from work and found that his wife had already opened a letter from their ISP, Comcast.
Aggressive Fundraising, Political Favors02/04/2011
Jackson Sun: Special-interest groups increase donations as Blackburn advances - Rep. Marsha Blackburn's donations from special-interest groups skyrocketed during the last election cycle as she assumed a leadership role on a powerful House committee, reports filed this week show.
Lawyer Dropped Suit But Not off the Hook02/04/2011
TechDirt.com: Public Citizen & EFF plan to continue pursuing Evan Stone over questionable subpoenas - We recently wrote about the odd situation in which mass copyright letter sender lawyer Evan Stone hastily, but petulantly, dropped a case, after the lawyers representing the defendants (from Public Citizen and the EFF) noticed that he appeared to have totally ignored the fact that the court had not allowed him to issue subpoenas, and had gone ahead and issued them anyway.
Blackouts Will Jack Up Electric Bills02/04/2011
KHOU.com: Electric customers could pay dearly for blackouts - Customers who are not locked into a contract with their retail electric provider could end up with much higher bills after rolling blackouts in many parts of the state on Wednesday.
Defending Internet Free Speech02/03/2011
guardian.co.uk: Koch email pranksters speak out for the first time: Last December, on the final day of the Cancún climate talks, a press release landed in my inbox with the heading, "Koch Industries Announces New Environmental Commitments".
Ensign Case Raises Ethics Concerns02/03/2011
TPMMuckraker: Why can't Congress police itself? Ensign case is exhibit A - The Senate Ethics Committee's decision to appoint a special counsel to lead the investigation into activities surrounding Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) affair with a political staffer is raising age-old questions about the panel's relevancy.
Korea FTA Incites Criticism02/02/2011
California Watch: Local labor, business clash over U.S.-Korea trade pact - As the campaign for a U.S.-Korea free trade agreement kicked off last week at the Port of Long Beach, so did the battle between California's business groups, unions and free trade critics.
Lawmakes Skirt Ethical Disclosues02/02/2011
The Washington Times: Ethics rules let D.C. Council members shield outside income - D.C. Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown last year reported earning $45,000 in outside income on top of his six-figure government salary for 2009, but who paid him and why is anybody's guess.
JANUARY 2011 MEDIA HITS
01/31/2011
AP: Appeals ruling mixed on La. lawyer ad rules - Some of the Louisiana Supreme Court's new restrictions on lawyer advertising are unconstitutional, but several other rules can be enforced, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.
Korea Trade Deal a Job-Killer01/31/2011
WTDY, Madison, WI: Lori Wallach - Obama sells out on trade - President Obama made free trade a central part of his state of the union address and often directly contradicted what he promised on the campaign trade.
FDA Reports Old News01/31/2011
Consumer Affairs: Consumer watchdog group says breast implant/cancer link is old news - On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a possible link between a rare form of cancer known as Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) and breast implants.
Money Watch for 201201/31/2011
Center for Public Integrity: Potential 2012 GOP slow to enlist big-dollar lobbyist bundlers for federal accounts - One strong sign of a politician’s interest in the presidential race is always the amount of early money raised.
Report on Medical Devices Biased01/31/2011
DotMed News: Report gives good marks to European device regulations - An industry-funded report argues that the medical device regulations in Europe are as safe as in the United States, even though the Continental system is thought to be much faster.
Trucker, Highway Safety Lawsuit Stalled01/31/2011
Landline Magazine: Public Citizen, FMCSA agree on continued delay of HOS lawsuit - The lawsuit that sent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration back to the drawing board on the hours-of-service regs will remain on hold until a final rule is published.
Kochs Sue Pranksters01/31/2011 Salt Lake Tribune: Utah lawsuit over fake Koch news release challenged - An anonymous group of environmentalist tricksters is behind a fake press release and website that attempted to skewer Koch Industries, said to be the major source of funds for efforts to debunk global warming science. Lots of Advice for Common Cold
01/31/2011
USA Today: No cure in sight for the common cold - Americans catch an estimated 1 billion colds each year.
Sides Entrenched on Korea Trade Deal01/31/2011
AFP: Fight to finish on U.S.-S. Korea trade pact -With US President Barack Obama and his main foes both embracing a trade pact with South Korea, opponents are racing against the clock to regain momentum while supporters are leaving nothing to chance.
We Are the Competition01/28/2011
InTheseTimes.com: Obama to push bogus 'competitiveness' theme in SOTU address - Boosting "American competitiveness" and creating jobs through increased exports will reportedly be the key theme of President Obama's plan for economic recovery detailed in tonight's State of the Union speech.
Intricacies of Trade Agreements01/28/2011
Intl. Economic Law and Policy Blog: Legal protectionism: Tariffs vs. other measures - Todd Tucker of Global Trade Watch recently complained that the WTO Government Procurement Agreement restricts the ability of the U.S. government to favor domestic solar panel producers through its Buy America procurement policies.
Straight Trade Talk01/28/2011
OpenLeft.com: SOTU Warm-up and open thread - Whether trade creates U.S. jobs depends on net export gains and reducing the trade deficit, which our past policies have not done.
Flawed Defibrillators Reported01/28/2011
Consumer Affairs: FDA wants safer automated external defibrillators - Nearly 300,000 Americans collapse from cardiac arrest each year.
High Court Skews Elections01/28/2011
The Consumerist: Guess what? Letting corps. make anonymous unfetter political donations quadrupled contributions! - A year ago, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations could not be banned from political spending during elections through either independent expenditures from corporations' general funds or "electioneering communications," i.e. political ads.
Just Say No to Corporations01/28/2011
Huffington Post: At 'Summit for People,' cautious optimism about ending Citizens United - For Annabel Park, founder of the Coffee Party USA, the influence of corporations on elections is a "cancer in our political system."
Bigger Coal Role?01/28/2011
Bloomberg: Senator who shot cap-and-trade bill in ad named to energy panel - The Senate committee with primary jurisdiction for U.S. energy policy added Joe Manchin, the former West Virginia governor who won office after using climate-change legislation for target practice in a 2010 ad.
In Defense of Pranksters01/28/2011
Mother Jones: Koch attempts to unmask climate pranksters - A few weeks ago, I reported that Koch Industries didn't take too kindly to the anonymous pranksters who spoofed their position on climate change last month with a fake website and press release.
Email Tackles Football Coach01/28/2011
Tampa Bay Online: Deposition: Storm coach forwarded porn, racist e-mails at work - The coach and general manager of the Tampa Bay Storm spent time on his work computer viewing potentially pornographic and racist e-mails that were sent to him and he later forwarded, according to a Hillsborough County Court deposition released Thursday.
Koch Sues Pranksters01/28/2011
ABA Journal: Koch Industries sues over fake press release; does First Amendment protect pranksters? - Koch Industries is asking a federal court in Utah to force two Internet companies to reveal who issued a fake press release suggesting an unexpected about-face in environmental stance by the conservative leaning conglomerate.
Lawmaker Scolds FDA01/28/2011
New Haven Independent: DeLauro: FDA favors companies over patients - U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro says the Food and Drug Administration is favoring corporate interests over those of patients in new changes to its process for approving medical devices.
Free Speech Covers Fake News01/28/2011
Associated Press: Advocacy group defends pranksters behind Koch hoax - Lawyers representing the environmentalists behind a media hoax targeting Koch Industries Inc. have asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by the Wichita-based company seeking the pranksters' identities.
Media Hoax Riles Koch01/28/2011
Wichita Business Journal: Group seeks dismissal of Koch's lawsuit against anonymous posters - The Washington-based Public Citizen Litigation Group says those who launched a fake Koch Industries press release and website should be allowed to remain anonymous.
Obama Courting Business01/28/2011
FAIR.org: Robert Weissman on Obama and big business - Pundits scoured Barack Obama's State of the Union address for many things, but one concern that seems to be abiding is whether Obama makes sufficient overtures to the business class.
Drug Company Fraud Spikes01/28/2011
U.S. Legal News: Whistleblower lawsuits on the rise - According to consumer watchdog group Public Citizen, the pharmaceutical industry has surpassed the defense industry to become the leading defrauder of the federal government.
House Decides To Reform Campaign Financing01/27/2011
The Seattle Times: House votes to end public financing for campaigns - The Republican-controlled U.S. House voted today to eliminate public financing of presidential campaigns almost four decades after the Watergate scandal that led to its adoption.
FDA Tougher On New Drugs01/27/2011
Chicago Tribune: Abbott cutting 1,900 jobs; 1,000 in Illinois - Pharmaceutical companies, long considered some of the most prolific moneymakers in American business, are coming under increased profit pressure from all sides, including generic drug companies, the new health care reform and government regulators, which have stepped up scrutiny.
01/27/2011
MPR News: Court ruling challenges residents' identity as students - The Supreme Court's recent ruling that medical residents are employees -- not students -- raises questions beyond whether they should be paying into Social Security and Medicare.
Uniting Against Citizens United01/26/2011
TruthOut.org: At "Summit for the People," call for action on Citizens United - According to Annabel Park, founder of the Coffee Party USA, the influence of corporations on elections is "a cancer in our political system."
Empowered Corporations Fueled Campaigns01/26/2011
Wall St. Journal: The incumbent's bane: Citizens United and the 2010 election - Last Jan. 27, President Obama stunned his State of the Union audience with an unprecedented attack on the Supreme Court and its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
Electric Board Spat01/26/2011
Statesman: Co-op bylaw could disqualify director Chris Perry from serving on board - The Pedernales Electric Cooperative board of directors voted Monday to review a recently passed bylaw that could disqualify one of its members from serving on the board.
Obama Needs New Trade View01/26/2011
International Business Times: Trade policies in focus as Obama makes State of the Union address - As President Barack Obama makes the annual state of the union address to the nation tonight, issues like jobs, exports, competitiveness and trade deals will hog much of the limelight.
Tricks of the Trade (Policy)01/26/2011
International Business Times: Will FTAs, trade deals help create jobs in U.S.? - Public Citizen, a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, says a lot of trade policies in the past have not resulted in better jobs and exports opportunities.
Wind's Edge Over Natural Gas01/26/2011
Texas Tribune: Why Texas is using more coal, wind and less gas - When Texans turn on their lights, run their air conditioning or plug in their iPads, they are getting an increasing amount of power from the wind — and from coal plants.
Docs Must Stop Pushing Antibiotics01/26/2011
Counterpunch.org: The overuse of antibiotics - Reading a recent issue of Public Citizen's excellent Health Letter titled "Know When Antibiotics Work," I recalled the recent tragic loss of a healthy history professor who was rushed to a fine urban hospital, with a leading infectious disease specialist by his side.
Pluses, Minuses to Suing the Boss01/26/2011
Wall St. Journal: Workplace lawsuits are on the rise - Companies are facing a growing number of lawsuits related to discrimination, wages, hours and benefits--a trend that could both hurt and help workers.
Independent Campaign Spending Causes Greater Competition01/25/2011
Wall Street Journal Opinion: The incumbent's bane: Citizens United and the 2010 election - Last Jan. 27, President Obama stunned his State of the Union audience with an unprecedented attack on the Supreme Court and its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
Saving Free Speech for Humans01/25/2011
Green Living Examiner: Dear Valerie, From Annie Leonard - This morning I received this email from Annie Leonard.
Address Will Likely Focus On FTAs01/25/2011
International Business Times: Trade policies in focus as Obama makes State of the Union address - As President Barack Obama makes the annual state of the union address to the nation tonight, issues like jobs, exports, competitiveness and trade deals will hog much of the limelight.
Protests to Overturn Citizens United01/25/2011
Cap Times: In contest between corporate power and people power, we're with the people - Across the country today, citizen reformers will push back against an activist U.S. Supreme Court -- demanding that the court’s decision to allow corporations to buy elections be overturned.
Findings Show FTAs Hurt Exports01/25/2011
International Business Times: Will FTAs, trade deals help create jobs in US? - Public Citizen, a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, says a lot of trade policies in the past have not resulted in better jobs and exports opportunities.
Citizens United Controversy Grows01/25/2011
Columbus Dispatch: Citizens United ruling still dividing - Supporters hailed it as a victory for political free speech, while critics say it elevated the power of corporations and created a "wild, wild West" of spending on campaigns.
Wind, Coal Power in Texas01/25/2011
Texas Tribune: Why Texas is using more coal, wind and less gas - When Texans turn on their lights, run their air conditioning or plug in their iPads, they are getting an increasing amount of power from the wind — and from coal plants.
Antibiotics Sometimes Inappropriate01/25/2011
counterpunch.org: The Overuse of Antibiotics - Reading a recent issue of Public Citizen's excellent Health Letter titled "Know When Antibiotics Work," I recalled the recent tragic loss of a healthy history professor who was rushed to a fine urban hospital, with a leading infectious disease specialist by his side.
Building Support for Constitutional Amendment01/25/2011
Denver Post: Marchers to protest High Court ruling on corporations - Denver's 16th Street Mall will play host Friday to a march and petition drive protesting a U.S. Supreme Court decision on campaign finance laws.
Changing Tune on Regulations01/25/2011
Businessweek: The regulator: Why business loves rules (really) - The rolls of red tape spilling from landmark food safety legislation approved by Congress before Christmas represent precisely the sort of governmental intrusiveness that business detests.
Growing Movement to Undo Citizens United01/25/2011
Wall St. Journal blog: Advocates call for reopening campaign finance ruling - The first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to roll back longstanding bans on corporate campaign contributions has spawned calls to reopen the ruling.
Employment-Related Lawsuits Increase01/25/2011
Wall Street Journal: Workplace lawsuits are on the rise - Companies are facing a growing number of lawsuits related to discrimination, wages, hours and benefits--a trend that could both hurt and help workers.
FDA Passes Buck on Medical Devices01/24/2011
DotMed.com: FDA riles patient safety advocates - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled more than a score of changes it intends to make this year to the so-called fast-track 510(k) medical device clearance process.
01/24/2011
AboutLawsuits.com: FDA streamlines medical device approval process, despite safety concerns - Critics say the FDA has kowtowed to industry pressure by avoiding substantial changes to a medical device approval process that has taken fire in recent years for allowing dangerous devices onto the market without requiring device manufacturers to conduct rigorous pre-market testing.
Phaseout Possible for Dirty Coal Plants01/24/2011
Platts: Texas lieutenant governor weighs bill to retire coal-fired plants - Texas Lt Gov David Dewhurst, a Republican, is developing a plan to provide financial and regulatory incentives for retiring some of the state's oldest and least efficient coal-fired power plants.
Conflicting Opinions on Gas Prices01/24/2011
Christian Science Monitor: Gas prices rise: Is Obama to blame? - This is the time of year when gasoline prices normally go down.
FOIA Experts Call for More Transparency01/24/2011
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: White House transparency critiqued at D.C. conference - Leading experts on transparency issues and representatives of the Obama administration gathered Thursday at American University's Washington College of Law for the "Transparency in the Obama Administration: A Second-Year Assessment" conference. Participants at the all-day event, hosted by the college's Collaboration on Government Secrecy, praised and criticized the Obama administration's government transparency policies.
Movement Against Corporate-Funded Elections01/24/2011
The Nation: 'Legalize Democracy!' campaigners attack corporate control of elections - "The greatest political reform of our time will be to abolish the legal concept of 'corporate personhood' and the inherently anti-democratic equation of money with political speech," says Bill Moyer, the energetic founder and executive director of the Backbone Campaign, the grassroots movement to embolden Americans to push back against corporate power and political corruption.
Depressed Surgeons01/24/2011
Ventura County Star: Doctors think of suicide more, survey shows - Pressed by depression, burnout and anxiety over past medical mistakes, 1 of 16 surgeons said they considered suicide over a 12-month period.
Unlikely Red Tape Will Change Color01/24/2011
Boston Globe: Obama -- the great deregulator? - When President Barack Obama announced last week that he was ordering executive agencies to scrap “outdated’’ federal regulations “that conflict, that are not worth the cost, or that are just plain dumb,’’ and to ensure that new rules use the “least burdensome’’ means of achieving their goals, the response from the right was polite but doubtful.
NAFTA History Should Not Be Repeated01/24/2011
Huffington Post: Stop the Korea Free Trade Agreement! - You would think America had learned its lesson from NAFTA, which the Labor Department has estimated cost us 525,000 jobs.
Special Interests Lavish Millions on Lawmakers01/24/2011
Houston Chronicle: Special interests donate millions after election - After the votes were tallied and the winners announced in last November's elections, more than $13.4 million poured into the campaign coffers of the 181 winning Texas legislators and the state's top two elected officials.
Transportation Groups Oppose Safety Measure01/24/2011
Heavy Duty Trucking: ATA mounts assault on HOS proposal - American Trucking Associations is gearing up a multi-front campaign to stop the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's proposal to change the hours of service rules.
Battle Lines Drawn Over Political Money01/24/2011
The Hill: Left, right gear up for campaign-finance clash before 2010 elections - Liberals and conservatives alike are gearing up for battles over campaign financing rules in anticipation of the 2012 election, which will decide control of the White House and Congress.
Political Money Reforms Losing Steam?01/24/2011 National Journal: Democrats struggle with Citizens United ruling - The one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling has generated lots of noise in recent days, from protesters on Capitol Hill and pundits and lawyers sparring over its real impact. Unwinding Citizens United
01/24/2011
McClatchy: Commentary - Citizens United fallout is much worse than we had expected - Now that we have suffered through our first post-Citizens United election, it is time for critics of the Supreme Court's decision to admit we got it wrong. The impact has been far greater and far worse than we anticipated.
Corporations No Longer "Individuals" After Court Ruling01/24/2011
truth-out.org: At "Summit for the People," call for action on Citizens United - According to Annabel Park, founder of the Coffee Party USA, the influence of corporations on elections is "a cancer in our political system."
Pedernales Electric Co-op To Review Bylaw01/24/2011
statesman.com: Co-op bylaw could disqualify director Chris Perry from serving on board - The Pedernales Electric Cooperative board of directors voted Monday to review a recently passed bylaw that could disqualify one of its members from serving on the board.
FDA Hasty on Fast-Tracking Devices01/21/2011
TheHill.com: FDA announces changes to common review process for medical devices - The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday announced that it will be making 25 changes this year to its most commonly used approval process for medical devices.
Citizens United Fulfills Forecast01/21/2011
Miller-McCune: Following the money a year after Citizens United - Observers thought heaps of anonymous cash would flood U.S. campaign coffers after the controversial Supremem Court decision.
Rush to Market Risky Business01/21/2011
Minneapolis Star Tribune -FDA smooths approval path for new medical devices - After months of review, debate and discussion, the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday released new guidelines governing the way most medical devices are approved by the federal agency.
Oversight Re-org For Ocean Drilling01/21/2011
Government Executive: Interior announces new structure for regulating deepwater drilling - The Interior Department created two independent bureaus and an advisory panel on Wednesday as Secretary Ken Salazar announced widespread structural changes designed to streamline federal regulation and response to emergencies related to deepwater oil drilling.
Regulations Can Avert Disasters01/21/2011
ScienceBlogs.com: Safety harnesses and benefits of regulation - In the new executive order, which Rena Steinzor wrote about yesterday, President Obama stated that agencies must "propose or adopt a regulation only upon a reasoned determination that its benefits justify its costs."
Fast-tracking Medical Devices Unsafe01/21/2011
DotMed News: FDA riles patient safety advocates - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled more than a score of changes it intends to make this year to the so-called fast-track 510(k) medical device clearance process.
Energy Exec Becomes Nuke Fan01/21/2011
Austin Chronicle: AE's nuclear option - Last summer, when Pedernales Electric Cooperative ousted general manager Juan Garza, some onlookers, many of them environmentalists, thought that might prove good news for Austin Energy.
Money Talks Loud and Clear01/21/2011
Newbury News: Corporate money in politics - Friday, Jan. 21, marks the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which allows corporations to spend, without disclosure, unlimited amounts of money on our elections.
Movement Fights Money in Politics01/21/2011
Huffington Post: Citizens United v. United Citizens: Building a movement to drive money out of politics - Friday, January 21st, marks the one-year anniversary of Citizens United, a Supreme Court case that dramatically accelerates the corruptive force of money in U.S. politics.
Damaged Vehicles Subject of Bill01/21/2011
Body Shop Business: Bill calling for greater vehicle damage disclosure introduced in Congress - U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, has introduced H.R. 164 directing the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require greater disclosure of information relating to the market value and safety of damaged motor vehicles.
Wanted: Smarter Trade Policy01/21/2011
Progressive States Network: Korea FTA presents more economic hurdles for states - As the nation’s unemployment rate ticks close to ten percent, the Obama administration has announced it will push for early 2011 passage of the largest trade agreement since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Citizens Protest Trade Deal01/21/2011
Infoshop News: Six Revolts Tea Party-obsessed corporate media overlooked - Some of the most undercovered stories of 2010 were actions taken by ordinary people standing up for a more just and equitable society.
FDA Restricts APAP01/20/2011
NY Times: FDA plans new limits on painkillers - The government announced Thursday that it would sharply restrict some of the nation’s most popular prescription painkillers, saying they cause many patients to poison themselves with overdoses of the drug acetaminophen.
Oil Spill Report Done, Effects Linger01/20/2011
UprisingRadio.org: Government, BP ignore shocking health effects from spill - The National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Deepwater Drillilng on Tuesday released its final report to the President.
Lobbyists and Loopholes01/20/2011
Houston Chronicle: Watchdog slams city's reworked ethics rules - City Council may have passed one of the most sweeping updates to its ethics ordinance in years, but watchdogs say there remains a gaping loophole: elected city officials still can legally travel on the dime of a contractor or lobbyist, as long as the business interest paying for the trip comes along.
FDA Wants APAP Reduction01/20/2011
AllVoices.com: FDA demands acetaminophen be decreased in pain meds - This Thursday has brought an announcement from Federal health officials they will impose a limit on the strength of Vicodin and other popular prescription medications for pain relief.
Aftermath of Painkiller Ban01/20/2011
NewsOK.com: Bans of popular painkiller Darvon, Darvocet and their generics lead to lawsuits - Oklahomans took almost 15 million pills of a popular painkiller last year and now the drug manufacturers could be facing potentially billions of dollars nationally in product liability and negligence lawsuits.
Why is OMB Silent on Lobbyists?01/20/2011
TheHill.com: Budget office keeps comments on lobbyist policy under wraps - The Office of Management and Budget has not released public comments on its guidance banning lobbyists from federal advisory boards, frustrating public interest groups who find the nondisclosure out of sync with President Obama's transparency agenda.
OMB Opaque on Lobbyist Ban01/20/2011 UPI.com: Secrecy shrouds U.S. lobbyist debate - The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has not released comments on a lobbyist ban, frustrating some observers. FDA Proposes APAP Cap
01/20/2011
Sun Chronicle: Easier to swallow - Prescription pain-relief drugs like codeine and hydrocodone can make severe pain more bearable, but the drugs often come combined with large doses of acetaminophen which has been linked to severe liver damage when taken in excessive amounts.
Drug Firm Penalities Should Equal Profits01/20/2011
Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphia is a hotbed for drug-industry whistleblower lawsuits - When three employees of a Schering-Plough Corp. subsidiary became convinced a decade ago that the company was committing fraud, they hired a lawyer and eventually ended up working with federal prosecutors in Philadelphia.
Executive Peace Pipe?01/20/2011
FoxNews.com: Taking page from GOP playbook, Obama orders review of federal regulations - Obama planned to sign an executive order Tuesday telling federal agencies to look for rules that place an unreasonable burden on businesses.
Drug Industry Has Most Legal Headaches01/20/2011
Financial Times: GSK charge underlines regulatory fears - Public Citizen, a US watchdog, tallied total payments by drug companies at $20bn (£12.5bn) since 1990, outstripping all other industry sectors.
Progressive Entrepreneurs Protest01/20/2011 WSJ blog: McCain-Feingold crunch - Two scoops of McCain-Feingold Crunch, please: Ben & Jerry unite against Citizens United. Obama's Regulation Review
01/20/2011
Inc.com: Obama seeks to ease small business regulations - President Barack Obama's latest overture to the business community appeared in a place where he is often criticized: The opinion section of The Wall Street Journal.
Speculators Spike Gas Prices01/20/2011
KFOXtv.com: Gas prices reach $3 in borderland - Gas prices have reached more than $3 a gallon in El Paso.
Obama Moves in on Regs01/20/2011
MSNBC.com: Obama walks fine line with review of regulations - As Republicans flex their muscles in Congress, the Obama administration Tuesday launched a broad review of government regulations that appears designed to blunt attacks on new laws governing everything from health care to Wall Street.
President's Op-Ed Grabs Attention01/20/2011
Wall Street Journal: Move reflects shift in President's tone - Barack Obama didn't turn into the reincarnation of Ronald Reagan when he signed an executive order titled "improving regulation."
Obama Op-Ed01/20/2011
Bloomberg.com: Obama writes pro-business op-ed for WSJ - President Barack Obama extended his latest peace offering to businesses in a venue where he often finds himself the target of criticism: The op-ed section of the Wall Street Journal.
Obama Warming to Business01/20/2011
TPMDC.com: Obama all alone over business-friendly regulatory plan? - Speaking of things Republicans claim credit for, they began the day Tuesday morning citing themselves as the inspiration for President Obama's decision this week to require federal agencies to tailor rules and regulations in a more business-friendly way.
Overture to Small Business01/20/2011
LawnAndLandscape.com: Obama looks to ease small business regulation - In a government-wide review, the President is asking officials to offer entrepreneurs special treatment, including extended compliance deadlines and total tax exemptions.
Obama Reaches Out to Business01/20/2011
FairWarning.org: Reaching out to big business, Obama orders sweeping review of regulations - President Barack Obama has signed an executive order mandating a government-wide review of environmental, health and safety regulations, in a search for redundant or unnecessary rules that hinder economic growth.
New Bill Focuses on Damaged Vehicles01/20/2011
AfterMarketNews.com: Florida Rep. Stearns introduces bill calling for greater vehicle disclosure - U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, has introduced H.R. 164 directing the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require greater disclosure of information relating to the market value and safety of damaged motor vehicles.
Medical Residents Gain Worker Status01/13/2011
The Hill.com: Supreme Court ruling on medical residents sparks renewed calls for worker protections - U.S. Supreme Court ruling Tuesday that medical residents are workers, not students, is rekindling debate over the length of their shifts.
Political Turbulence over Waters' Investigation01/13/2011
TheHill.com: Ethics Committee debates hiring outside counsel for Waters investigation - The leading Republican and Democrat on the House ethics committee are debating whether to hire outside counsel to handle the investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), according to a source familiar with the internal committee proceedings.
Texas Agencies Face Makeover01/13/2011
Houston Chronicle: Sunset panel proposes changes for 9 state agencies - A panel of lawmakers issued final sunset reviews Wednesday for nine state agencies, recommending that the five-member Texas Transportation Commission be abolished and that the Texas Youth Commission and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission merge, among a slew of other changes.
Insurance Commissioner Turns Lobbyist01/13/2011
Health Leaders Media: BCBSA's Holland rejects conflicts of interest criticism - A consumer watchdog group is criticizing the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's hiring this week of a high-profile former state insurance commissioner as a lobbyist, saying the appointment of Kim Holland raises "tremendous concerns" about the revolving door between politics and lobbying.
Powerful Antibiotic Risky01/13/2011
LawyersandSettlements.com: Avelox antibiotic linked to tendon ruptures - Avelox (moxifloxacin hydrochloride, is in a class of drugs known as fluoroquinolones, which includes Cipro and Levaquin. Avelox (moxifloxacin hydrochloride, is in a class of drugs known as fluoroquinolones, which includes Cipro and Levaquin.
Tuscon Shooting Shakes Capitol Hill01/13/2011
TheHill.com: Lawmakers call for briefing on mental illness danger signs -A leading lawmaker on mental-health issues is calling for a bipartisan debate on how to keep lawmakers and their staff and families safe in the wake of Saturday's deadly shooting in Tucson, Ariz.
Questioning FDA Approval Process01/13/2011
SignOnSanDiego.com: 2010 drug approval extends frustrating trend for biotech companies - After spending millions of dollars and several years testing a weekly formulation of its approved twice-daily diabetes drug, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and its shareholders thought the new therapy was headed for approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
Texas to Revamp Oil & Gas Agency01/13/2011
Houston Chronicle: Whistle of change blows for agency - The Texas Railroad Commission, a storied regulatory body more than 100 years old, could be in for big changes if recommendations by Sunset Advisory Commission staff members are adopted during the legislative session that began Tuesday.
Texas Toxic Waste Decision Hasty01/13/2011
Houston Chronicle: Commission decision to open radiioactive waste facility to nation seems rushed - We don't necessarily oppose the decision (by the tongue-twistingly titled Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission) to vastly expand the number of potential users of a West Texas waste storage site.
Potential Health Risks at Nevada Hospitals01/13/2011
Public News Service: Nevada lawmakers urged to tackle medical errors - Infection rates are the kinds of statistics Nevada consumers should be aware of before they enter a local hospital, according to Nevada attorney Bill Bradley.
Elected Official Still Leads PAC01/13/2011
Iowa Independent: Groups call on Greiner to resign from American Future Fund - Now that she is serving as a member of the Iowa Senate, Sandy Greiner should step down from her position as president of the controversial nonprofit American Future Fund (AFF), several government watchdogs said Tuesday.
Corrupt Congressman Pays Piper01/13/2011
FiredogLake.com: Three years for stealing my vote - The sentencing of Tom DeLay that occurred on Monday has good aspects, most especially that his wily scheming didn’t slip away altogether form the justice system.
Temporary Halt to TX Nuke Dump01/11/2011
Houston Chronicle: Judge halts radioactive dump plan for now - A Texas judge ordered a temporary halt Thursday to a proposal that could allow three dozen states to dump their radioactive waste in far West Texas, a ruling that sided with environmentalists and caught the state attorney general's office off guard.
Congressman Caught Concealing Loans01/11/2011
Washington Post: New Fla. congressman quietly reported loans in Dec. - U.S. Rep.-elect David Rivera did not report more than $130,000 in loans from a marketing firm involved in a successful effort to expand casino slot-machine gambling until he quietly amended his congressional financial disclosure forms weeks after winning election, according to the filings obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Texas Gets More Toxic01/11/2011
Huffington Post: Commission lets 36 states dump nuclear waste in Texas - A Texas commission approved rules on Tuesday that pave the way for 36 states to export low-level radioactive waste to a remote landfill along the Texas-New Mexico border.
Business Agenda for GOP Majority01/11/2011
Chicago Tribune: House GOP asks business for advice on regulations - House Republicans are turning to their business allies as they move to scrap Obama administration programs and regulations as varied as controlling greenhouse gases, regulating the Internet and modifying home mortgages.
Rep. Issa Has Business Agenda01/11/2011
UprisingRadio.com: Rep. Darrell Issa pushes for end to corporate regulations - Republic Darrell Issa, the new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, blames slow job creation on regulation of all kinds.
What Price Free Trade?01/11/2011
InTheseTimes.com: Will anger over offshoring, free-trade deals, cost Obama in 2012? - With nearly 9 out of 10 Americans convinced that the "offshoring" of jobs to Mexico, China, and India was a top reason for job loss and America's struggling economy, how did the Democrats manage to turn November 2 into such a massacre for their candidates?
FDA Darvon Ban No Surprise01/11/2011
ChicagoInjuryBoard.com: Popular painkillers yanked from pharmacies due to heart risk - Propoxyphene (PPX), a prescription painkiller sold under the names Darvon and Darvocet, has been linked to heart complications and removed from the market.
Obama Engages Mexico on Trucking01/11/2011
Latin American Herald Tribune: Mexico welcomes talks with U.S. on trucking dispute - The Mexican government welcomed a U.S. proposal for talks aimed at resolving a cross-border trucking dispute that dates back to 2009.
GOP Lawmakers Miss the Boat01/11/2011
Philadelphia Inquirer: Apology from GOP Rep. Fitzpatrick for swearing-in gaffe - Two days after they missed their swearing-in on the House floor, Reps. Mike Fitzpatrick of Bucks County and Pete Sessions of Texas apologized Friday for the blunder.
Obama Pick Raises Questions01/07/2011
FoxNews.com: Obama names 'fellow Chicagoan' William Daley chief of staff -President Obama on Thursday named "fellow Chicagoan" William Daley as his next chief of staff, voicing confidence that the banking executive and former U.S. commerce secretary could help his White House team turn the economy around.
Daley Appointment Irksome01/07/2011
CNN.com: Liberal groups skeptical of Daley - Weighing in on President Obama's choice for chief of staff, the progressive organization MoveOn.org criticized William Daley for his close ties to "big banks and big business."
Wall Street's Daley Rattles Obama Base01/07/2011
USA Today: Obama's chief of staff pick draws heat from left - President Obama's new White House chief of staff -- or, more precisely, his corporate ties -- are drawing some catcalls from members of his liberal political base.
Obama Signals Wall Street01/07/2011
Canada.com: Obama recruits Wall Street mandarin Daley as chief of staff - President Barack Obama hired Wall Street executive Bill Daley on Thursday as the new White House chief of staff, signalling plans to adopt a more pro-business and politically centrist tack during the final two years of his first term.
Victory for Internet Free Speech01/07/2011
MediaPostNews: Court reverses order unmasking politician's critics - Backing online commenters' right to anonymity, an appellate court in Pennsylvania has overturned an order requiring a Web site operator to disclose the identities of commenters who slammed a local politician.
Obama Resets Inner Circle01/07/2011
AP: Meet the new boss: Daley is Obama Chief of Staff - Overhauling his team at the top, President Barack Obama on Thursday named banker and seasoned political fighter William Daley as his new chief of staff, hoping to rejuvenate both a White House storming into re-election mode and an economy still gasping for help.
Licensing Board Sides with Anti-Nuke Activists01/07/2011
Gazette.net: Judge nuclear power against wind and solar, panel says - Federal regulators agree with opponents of a proposed third reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant that a draft report did not sufficiently consider alternative power sources, such as wind and solar, to the $10 billion, 1,600-megawatt project.
Corporate Campaign Spending01/07/2011
Iowa Independent: American Future Fund among top campaign spender in 2010 - American Future Fund — a nonprofit with numerous ties to Gov.-elect Terry Branstad and based out of a P.O. Box in Des Moines — spent $9,599,806 in 2010, ranking 7th nationally in spending by outside political organizations, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Business Gains Foothold01/07/2011 KITV.com: Unemployment rate dropped after release of December jobs report - Friday in Washington, all eyes are on employment and the first jobs numbers of the New Year. New Study on Pharma Fraud, Lawsuits
01/06/2011
DrugAlert.org: Study highlights recent drug lawsuit trends -A recent study published by Public Citizen on their website explains that in the last 20 years, “U.S. spending on prescription drugs has increased from $40 billion in 1990 to $234 billion in 2008.
Nuclear Dump to Expand01/06/2011
Houston Press blog: Texas & nuclear waste - Environmental groups are crying foul over a federal judge's decision to lift a ban on allowing a state commission to greatly expand Texas's ability to accept nuclear waste from other states.
Nuclear Industry, Politics Sway Court01/06/2011
Courthouse News Service: Political pull protested as Texas expands radioactive waste dump - Texas today will "rush through adoption of rules to permit importation of radioactive waste from up to 36 states as a political favor to benefit Governor Rick Perry's second-largest campaign contributor," civil rights groups say.
Lucrative Radioactive Waste01/06/2011
NuclearStreet.com: Vote expected today on Waste Control Specialists site expansion - Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission is likely to make a decision today on whether Texas can accept radioactive waste from other states after a federal judge on Monday lifted a restraining order that prevented a commission from voting on the matter.
Withdrawal of Painkiller Heralds Lawsuits01/06/2011
NewsInferno.com: Darvon, Darvocet lawsuits will make news in 2011 -Lawsuits involving the recalled painkillers Darvon and Darvocet could be one of the big legal and health stories of 2011.
Public Health Expert Departs FDA01/06/2011
InVivo Blog: Sharstein Leaving FDA: What does it mean? -The news that FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein is leaving the agency broke late yesterday, via a tweet by CQ HealthBeat.
Ex-Public Citizen Staffer Leaves FDA01/06/2011
gooznews.com: Smart move, Josh, but tough assignment - Congressional Quarterly is reporting that Joshua Sharfstein, the deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, is resigning to take the top job as health commissioner for the state of Maryland.
Indian Decision on AIDS Drug Significant01/06/2011
Intellectual Property Watch: Patent on AIDS medicine denied in India - A decision by the Indian Patent Office to reject a patent on an AIDS drug last week has drawn acclaim from civil society and Indian generic pharmaceutical industries.
Deepwater Drilling Resumes in Gulf01/06/2011
Huffington Post: Gulf deepwater drilling resumes without changes to spill liability - As deepwater drilling returns from a months-long hiatus in the Gulf of Mexico, the protections that Congress drew up to help victims of oil spills remains stuck in legislative limbo with no clear or likely path to passage.
GOP's Glitzy Celebration01/05/2011 McClatchy: Business as usual - GOP fundraiser kicks off new Congress -
01/05/2011
New York Times: GOP asks businesses which rules to rewrite - Companies spend millions of dollars each year complaining to Congress about burdensome laws and regulations, pressing their concerns in public campaigns and in private meetings.
Texas Invites Toxic Waste from States01/05/2011
NewsWest9.com: Andrews waste rule approved - On Tuesday, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission approved a rule allowing dozens of other states to store their waste at a site in Andrews County.
Texas Expands Nuclear Dumpsite01/05/2011
Wall Street Journal: Texas Welcomes Nuclear Discards - A Texas commission Tuesday set in motion the importation of low-level radioactive-waste from 36 other states, a move long sought by the nuclear-energy industry and long opposed by environmentalists.
Druggists a Step Ahead of FDA01/05/2011
News-Leader.com: Area pharmacists support pulling of painkillers - The painkillers Darvon and Darvocet were pulled off the market recently at the request of the Food and Drug Administration, but some area pharmacists said they had stopped recommending the drugs years ago.
Mine Safety Bill Fails01/05/2011
Safety.BLR.com: Advocates fault Congress for failing to pass mine legislation - The advocacy group Public Citizen says lawmakers “left workers in the dust” by failing to pass mine safety legislation.
New Destination for Toxic Waste: Texas01/05/2011
PublicBroadcasting.net: Nuclear waste moves west - The Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission voted 5-2 approving a plan that greatly expands the number of states allowed to dump at an Andrews County site owned by Dallas-based Waste Control Specialists.
Competing Theories on Gas Prices01/05/2011
International Business Times: Can the U.S. drill its way to low gasoline prices? - Former Shell Oil CEO John Hofmeister's prediction a fortnight ago that retail gasoline prices would hit $5 per gallon by 2015 has gone viral since then, drawing attention largely on the U.S. drilling policies but also spooking consumers and polarizing analysts in the process.
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