2012-02-03T22:17:26-05:00 http://www.iwatchnews.org/rss http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8086

Conservative complaints about a liberal bias in the media do not hold up, at least not when it comes to the free-spending groups known as “super PACs.”News companies and their executives donated more than $350,000 to conservative super PACs in 2011, according to financial disclosure forms filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.The donations included $100,000 from St.

2012-02-03T13:23:52-05:00 2012-02-02T15:56:36-05:00 <p>Samuel&nbsp;Zell, chairman of the Tribune Company, handed $200,000 to conservative super PACs in 2011. His&nbsp;media group owns 11 daily newspapers, including the <em>Chicago Tribune</em> and <em>Los Angeles Times</em>, 23 television stations, and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.&nbsp;</p> Corbin Hiar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/corbin-hiar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8083

Led by a top juvenile court judge, a special task force in Los Angeles County is releasing a report attacking excessive student suspensions and cautioning against law enforcement solutions to truancy.The Center for Public Integrity has a near-final draft of the report, which has some illuminating lessons about the types of attendance-improvement efforts that succeed — and fail — in certain parts of the populous Southern California region and other areas of the country.The School Attendance Task

2012-02-02T14:17:29-05:00 2012-02-02T12:16:30-05:00 Susan Ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/susan-ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8080

Outside groups that funded numerous attack ads in the GOP primaries collected $49 million in donations in 2011, with huge contributions coming from billionaires, corporations and labor unions, something that would have been illegal were it not for pivotal court decisions in early 2010.The top recipient among these so-called “super PACS” was Restore Our Future, which raised $30.2 million to assist the candidacy of former Massachusetts Gov.

2012-02-03T20:09:05-05:00 2012-02-01T17:54:39-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Astrotech Space Operations in Cape Canaveral, Fla.</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8078

Billionaire casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson seems to be signaling his intention to plow millions more into conservative groups to influence this year’s elections, in addition to $10 million he and his wife gave a super PAC backing Newt Gingrich.

2012-02-02T07:53:58-05:00 2012-02-01T16:30:51-05:00 <p>&nbsp;</p><p> <meta charset="utf-8"> Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO&nbsp;Sheldon&nbsp;Adelson&nbsp;and his wife Miriam Ochsorn</p> Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8076

The Center for Public Integrity and NPR News have been named a finalist for the prestigious 2012 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The two organizations collaborated on a major air pollution investigation called Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities.The Goldsmith Prize is conferred by the Joan Shorenstein Center for the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University.

2012-02-01T17:20:11-05:00 2012-02-01T14:47:37-05:00 Randy Barrett http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/randy-barrett http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8074

Sen. John McCain incorrectly claimed that earmarks nearly doubled from $7.8 billion to $14.5 billion in Newt Gingrich’s first two years as House speaker. Actually, the increase was about half that.Furthermore, earmarks first peaked, then declined under Gingrich.

2012-02-01T13:19:12-05:00 2012-02-01T13:19:34-05:00 <p>Sen.&nbsp;John&nbsp;McCain, R-Ariz., and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., appear on NBC's "Meet the Press."</p> FactCheck.Org http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/factcheckorg http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8073

Winning Our Future, the super PAC associated with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and credited with keeping his campaign alive, raised $2.1 million in 2011, according to a report filed Tuesday night with the Federal Election Commission.The group is best known for its top patron, casino owner and billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who, together with his wife, have given it $10 million.

2012-02-01T18:04:14-05:00 2012-01-31T22:15:31-05:00 <p>Former House Speaker and Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich</p> Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8069

A handful of Democratic super PACs and nonprofits reported raising together just over $19 million last year, a paltry sum compared to the leading GOP groups.The groups formed last year to help President Barack Obama win a second term and improve Democrats’ congressional fortunes.The total is based on a joint press release the groups issued Tuesday evening.

2012-02-01T16:35:55-05:00 2012-01-31T21:17:47-05:00 <p>Current White House Aide&nbsp;Bill&nbsp;Burton, as deputy White House press secretary in 2010.</p> Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8068

The patriotically named Red White and Blue Fund, a super PAC created to support former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's bid for the White House, only managed to raise about $730,000, according to a Federal Election Commission filing.Of the total, $331,000 came from Foster Friess, an investor from Jackson, Wyoming.Thus far, all the group's spending has been in support of Santorum, with one big exception.

2012-02-01T11:50:31-05:00 2012-01-31T20:19:32-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen.&nbsp;Rick&nbsp;Santorum&nbsp;speaks at a campaign town hall in Northfield, N.H.</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8067

Mitt Romney cemented his position as the favorite to win the GOP nomination with a first-place finish in Florida Tuesday thanks in no small part to an outside spending group that raised $30 million last year, more than the campaigns of any one of his rivals."Restore Our Future" raised nearly $18 million in the second half of 2011 to go with the $12.2 million the group brought in for the first half of the year.

2012-02-01T11:15:58-05:00 2012-01-31T19:48:44-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and his wife Ann celebrates his&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;primary&nbsp;election win.</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8066

Midnight Jan. 31 was the deadline for super PACs and presidential campaigns to file their end-of-the-year financial disclosure statements with the Federal Election Commission.

2012-02-02T11:44:29-05:00 2012-01-31T19:48:19-05:00 iWatch News http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/iwatch-news http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8064

Super PAC American Crossroads and its sister organization raised more than $51 million last year with more than 60 percent of the total flowing into Crossroads GPS, the nonprofit arm that is not required to report its donors.American Crossroads, a super PAC that reports to the Federal Election Commission, raked in $18.4 million last year, including a $5 million donation from Texas tycoon Harold Simmons, plus another $2 million from Contran, a company that he controls, according to Crossroads sou

2012-02-02T16:03:10-05:00 2012-01-31T19:24:36-05:00 <p>Karl&nbsp;Rove, former Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush</p> Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8063

"Make Us Great Again," the presidential super PAC that supported Texas Gov.

2012-02-02T15:01:36-05:00 2012-01-31T17:52:38-05:00 <p>GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry</p> John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8061

President Barack Obama’s campaign added 90 new big-money bundlers in the fourth quarter, bringing its army of major backers to 445, according to information released by the campaign Tuesday.Total funds raised by bundlers — well-connected groups of fundraisers who tap their networks to collect large checks — reached at least $74.4 million.The newest bundlers accounted for at least $8.2 million.

2012-02-01T11:47:26-05:00 2012-01-31T17:32:20-05:00 <p>President&nbsp;Barack&nbsp;Obama&nbsp;greets supporters</p> Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta Fred Schulte http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/fred-schulte Elizabeth Lucas http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/elizabeth-lucas http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8060

A Michigan teenager is at home on suspension for hair that's too long. Meanwhile, the state of Maryland may actually restrict suspensions to offenses that are violent or truly harmful to others. Two wildly different takes on when to remove a student from classrooms, a hot debate now among educators, parents and others concerned about kids' welfare.

2012-02-01T13:11:14-05:00 2012-01-31T17:08:20-05:00 Susan Ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/susan-ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8059

Supports: Herman Cain Principals: Stephen Colbert, Shauna Polk More...

2012-02-01T12:13:44-05:00 2012-01-31T15:59:34-05:00 Alexandra Duszak http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/alexandra-duszak http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8056

Supports: Republicans Principals: Mike Duncan, Steven Law, Carl Forti, Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie, Haley Barbour More...

2012-01-31T21:29:13-05:00 2012-01-31T14:03:03-05:00 Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8057

Herman Cain, barely two weeks after suspending his presidential bid, founded his own super PAC called Cain Connections.The problem is that Herman Cain may — by the letter of the law — still be an active presidential candidate.“Suspending” one’s campaign means nothing legally to the Federal Election Commission, according to the agency.

2012-02-01T17:19:40-05:00 2012-01-31T13:53:04-05:00 <p>Republican presidential candidate&nbsp;Herman&nbsp;Cain&nbsp;glances up as he speaks at the Congressional Health Caucus Thought Leaders Series in Washington.</p> Rachael Marcus http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/rachael-marcus http://www.iwatchnews.org/node/8054

Pat Magroin, Ibin Yerkinoff, and Frumunda Mabalz – these are among the supporters of comedian Stephen Colbert’s super PAC, “Americas for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow,” which reported raising $825,000 through January.

2012-02-01T11:18:11-05:00 2012-01-31T13:37:22-05:00 <p>Stephen&nbsp;Colbert, center, and Jon Stewart, right, hold hands during The&nbsp;Colbert&nbsp;Report. During the episode,&nbsp;Colbert&nbsp;legally transferred his super political action committee to Stewart, his friend and Comedy Central cohort.</p> Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta