Site Discloses Salaries, Riles Capitol Aides

Brokerage firms arrange meetings with legislators

(NEWSER) - Congressmen aren’t the only ones trading on their inside info . A lucrative practice has sprung up in Washington, in which hedge funds and other investors pay handsomely for private meetings with top lawmakers or their aides, who give them an early scoop on market-moving news, the Wall Street Journal reports. On Dec. 8, 2009 , for example, several hedge funds learned of a health care reform deal that would kill the public option—and hence boost shares of private insurers—hours before the public did. More»

President takes more hands-on approach to legislation

(NEWSER) - President Obama is growing more assertive on Capitol Hill. Since he took office, the president's supporters have criticized him for not exerting enough control over the details of legislation, instead letting Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi hammer out specifics—even on major administration goals, like the health care bill. On legislation this week concerning the Gulf oil spill and financial regulation, Obama has switched to a prescriptive style, reports Politico . More»

(NEWSER) - Amid the praise for the late Ted Kennedy, one blogger reminds that the Massachusetts senator was the first member of Congress with his own website. “Back in 1993, this was no small feat,” writes Paul Blumenthal for the Sunlight Foundation. “At the time there were no congressional offices connected to the Internet.” More»

NFL hiring rule may translate to Capitol Hill

(NEWSER) - Congressional staffs are so overwhelmingly white that Capitol Hill needs its own version of the NFL rule requiring teams hiring a head coach to interview at least one person of color, critics tell the Hill. Frustrated staffers, lobbyists, and aides point out that even though more minorities are being elected, just two Senate chiefs of staff aren’t white. “Given such poor numbers, let’s just acknowledge that there is something broken about this process,” said one lobbyist. More»

Former administration officials find bad economy, overwhelmed job market

(NEWSER) - Former Bush administration staffers are feeling the economic pinch as acutely as other victims of the sagging economy, Politico reports. GOP job-seekers in Washington face a triple whammy of economic chaos, minority status on Capitol Hill, and an excess of qualified Republicans. “The Washington side is a bit of a black hole because there are so many people with so much experience looking and the economy’s so tight,” said one 14-year DC veteran. More»