Open Secrets

While you're off grilling your brats or watching college football, consider this Labor Day that labor unions aren't pausing when it comes to politics. Dave Levinthal http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#levinthal

Calls and e-mails to the Center made on Monday will be returned beginning Tuesday. Communications http://www.opensecrets.org/news

Craigslist.com founder Craig Newmark -- under fire by government officials and human rights organizations who believe his namesake website's "adult services" section facilitates prostitution and child sex trafficking -- has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and committees, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates. Dave Levinthal http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#levinthal

After many moons of financial second-fiddledom, national Democratic political committees find their fortunes waxing during the final weeks before crucial midterm elections in which Republicans hope to recapture numerous congressional seats. Dave Levinthal http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#levinthal

A Washington, D.C.-based interior decorator faces a felony fraud charge brought by the Department of Justice. But Darlene Mathis-Gardner, president and founder of Systems Design Inc., is not just any interior decorator. Michael Beckel http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php

TEA PARTY, NRA GET BOOSTS FROM CHUCK NORRIS: Action movie star and conservative activist Chuck Norris badly wants you to vote this November. Norris stars in a new ad for the National Rifle Association as part of the group’s “Trigger the Vote” campaign. Michael Beckel http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php

David L. Mejias, a domestic violence lawyer and former Democratic congressional candidate who's now running for a New York State Senate seat, faces menacing, stalking and reckless endangerment charges stemming from an incident Thursday with an ex-girlfriend. Mejias, who says he's innocent, also has a history of contributing to prominent Democrats in Congress. Dave Levinthal http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#levinthal

Despite trouncing his primary challengers in Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District, Democratic state Rep. Cedric Richmond’s campaign has no interest in discussing accusations of impropriety raised by a group that spent more than $92,000 on independent expenditures against him in the final days before Saturday’s election. Michael Beckel http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php

An oil rig owned by Mariner Energy, Inc. exploded Thursday morning, just west of the where the Deepwater Horizon accident occurred in April. Although Mariner and its employees have not been very politically active during the last two decades, there is a pending merger with a subsidiary of Apache Corp., a hyper-political company. Megan R. Wilson http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#wilson

REPUBLICANS LEAD IN POLLS AND TOTAL MONEY RAISED: A new Gallup poll gives Republicans their largest lead ever -- a 10-point spread, 51 percent to 41 percent --- in Gallup’s tracking of midterm elections, which dates back to 1942. But GOP candidates are also leading the race in another arena: campaign funding. Lauren Hepler http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php

This has not been a kind year for campaign finance reformers. Setting aside the now-famous Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling from the Supreme Court, which allowed corporations and unions to spend freely on campaign advertisements, there has been a flurry of challenges to other campaign finance laws in the courts. Andrew Kreighbaum http://www.opensecrets.org/news

On Tuesday, the Federal Election Commission announced that the National Right to Life political action committee had filed “inaccurate” and “incomplete” financial disclosure forms during the 2006 election cycle. Megan R. Wilson http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#wilson

For every diamond-clad money-in-politics rule, there's an exception. And this morning, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is a big, grizzly exception in the most remarkable of ways: She's conceding defeat to a hitherto all-but-unknown challenger, lawyer Joe Miller, in a partisan primary. Dave Levinthal http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#levinthal

A barrage of independent expenditures from a group operated by a deep-pocketed New Orleans trial lawyer couldn’t deflate the candidacy of state Rep. Cedric Richmond, who, on Saturday, won the Democratic Party nomination to vie for the congressional seat occupied by Rep. Joseph Cao (R-La.). Michael Beckel http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php

FORMER BUSH ADVISOR THE NEW FACE OF GAY RIGHTS?: Ken Mehlman may have headed Republican George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign the same year the president backed a constitutional amendment to ban marriage for same-sex couples, but today Mehlman finds himself in a more personal role on the opposite side of the issue. Lauren Hepler http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php

Companies that are known for giving us our much-needed caffeine fix have also been known to spend big in politics. In this week’s PolitiQuizz, OpenSecrets Blog wants you to investigate the pocketbooks of the political side of your beverage. Megan R. Wilson http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#wilson

Your daily dose of news and tidbits form the world of money in politics. Dave Levinthal http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#levinthal

Despite a tight relationship between oil interests and politicians, some campaign contribution checks, though written, never end up in the pockets of the oil interests’ intended politician or committee. There are several reasons why this may occur, both rare and relatively common. Megan R. Wilson http://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff.php#wilson

Firm knowledge of congressional members. Understanding of their districts. Near-clairvoyance for their concerns. These are the elements needed to become a successful environmental lobbyist. And for half a day in July, OpenSecrets Blog had unfettered access to an environmental lobbying force in action. Summer Lollie http://www.opensecrets.org/news

In capping the Center for Responsive Politics' weeklong series, "Fueling Washington: How Oil Money Drives Politics," join us NOW for a live Web chat with the series' directors and authors. Communications http://www.opensecrets.org/news