The New York Times revealed today that over 40 members of Congress read statements on the floor that parrotted talking points prepared for them by lobbyists for pharmaceutical giant Genentech. As sundin notes, the story is a must-read and perhaps “all too believable,” given the way Washington works. But the Times misses a key piece …
Tag: health care investigative unit
Bill Moyers exposes Washington’s revolving door
Last Friday, LittleSis got a fantastic mention from veteran reporters Bill Moyers and Michael Winship on Salon.com. You know Bill Moyers from his excellent Sunday interview show, Bill Moyers Journal. The Senate Finance Committee will be voting on Sen. Max Baucus‘ health reform bill tomorrow and the healthcare lobby has been doing its job overtime …
Baucus tax chief is former insurance and pharma lobbyist
Just when you thought the Baucus revolving door couldn’t spin faster: the Senate staffer responsible for devising the tax policies at the heart of the Baucus plan is a former lobbyist for health insurance and pharmaceutical interests, including an insurance industry front group. Cathy Koch, who heads the Senate Finance committee’s tax department, was director …
Who is framing the “Cadillac-plan” debate?
If you’ve turned on the TV this morning you know the networks can’t stop talking about “gold-plated Cadillac plans,” insurance coverage that costs upwards of $10,000 more than the national average. Senator Kerry has proposed taxing the insurance companies that offer them in order to raise money for universal health coverage. The New York Times …
More health care lobbyists with congressional ties unearthed, search now expanded
A few weeks ago, we set out to build a list of congressional-staffers-turned-health care lobbyists. With the help of some incredible citizen journalists at the Huffington Post Investigative Unit, our list of lobbyists has grown exponentially this week. Here are a few trends we’ve found thus far. Where they work Three lobbying firms have acquired …
Six at the table, how many in the room?
Six centrist Senators got some attention from the New York Times today for their role in shaping health care reform. Never mind that the room is small and the “debate” couldn’t be framed more narrowly; Senator Olympia Snowe tells us that Max Baucus, the ringleader, is “very inclusive.” The story includes an annotated photograph of …
Welcoming the Huffington Post Investigative Fund’s citizen journalists
As the health care fight intensifies, a wide range of research and journalism initiatives are taking a closer look at the special interests seeking to influence upcoming legislation. One of the more innovative efforts is the Health Care Investigative Unit, a project of the Huffington Post Investigative Fund. We’re pleased to announce that starting this …