Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

Real Time Investigations

1. Recess! By Peter Olsen-Phillips Jul 1, 2013 midnight

   For most Americans, the Fourth of July means burgers, brats and blowing things up, but some members of Congress have different sorts of parties on their minds.  

2. Boehner travels to the Gem State, Harris parties with pharma pals, and Sanchez rocks out with the Rolling Stones By Polsenphillips Jun 24, 2013 12:01 a.m.

   Good morning partiers! Who knows what this busy pre-recess week in Washington will bring, given the surprises of the last? The 2013 iteration of the farm bill was defeated Thursday, with many Democrats revoking their support over cuts to food stamps. As reported by Sunlight, this failure comes in...  

3. Summer’s here: Bikini parties, golfing and rooftop events By Jake Harper Jun 14, 2013 4:48 p.m.

   The world of political fundraising is capricious, Partiers. Just some of what happened in the past week: Two days before he was to appear in Boston, President Barack Obama cancelled a fundraiser for Senate hopeful Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., before flying to Miami to rake in cash for the Democratic...  

4. Obama’s night on the fundraising trail By Jake Harper Jun 12, 2013 4:57 p.m.

   Though President Barack Obama’s last campaign is over, that hasn’t stopped him from fundraising! Our Partier-in-Chief has been out of the White House today, flying up and down the East Coast to rally voters and pull in dough for his fellow Democrats. Buckle in Partiers, it’s been...  

5. Two VPs and President Obama party hearty for Markey By Jake Harper Jun 11, 2013 2:49 p.m.

   Welcome to a Party Time special mid-week Massachusetts edition!  

6. Weiner rolls with tobacco, Biden goes West, Rangel wants a big birthday present By Jake Harper Jun 7, 2013 3:05 p.m.

   You might have heard that the former congressman who left office in 2011, after a scandal known as ‘Weinergate,’ is back in the fray, running to be New York City’s mayor. But despite the $4 million Weiner has in the bank already, he’s pushing for more. On Wednesday, tobacco...  

7. Bye-bye Bachmann, Barack becomes O’bay’ma, and baseball, bocce and Boozman By Jake Harper May 31, 2013 4 p.m.

   Sad news this week, Partiers. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., teased us a couple weeks ago by purchasing ad time, but she will not be running for Congress in 2014. With Bachmann go the numerous soirees that kept her going through the successful congressional campaigns and the failed presidential...  

8. Recess Revelry: Michelle helps Markey, ballpark bonanza, and weekend getaways By Jake Harper May 24, 2013 5:20 p.m.

   Well Partiers, we were spoiled with a whopping 39 fundraisers this past week. With all of the breakfasts, lunches and dinners (and small dinners) stretching our stomachs out, we were already hungrily searching for our next fix. But it looks especially grim with Congress taking yet another week off:...  

9. Break from the scandals with a bargain basement deal, a ladies night, and a VIP guest By Jake Harper May 17, 2013 1:51 p.m.

   Hey, Partiers. It’s been sort of a tough week in the nation’s capital, what with the scandal at the Internal Revenue Service, the outrage at the Justice Department and the drumbeat of GOP criticism over Benghazi. I could go on for pages about how bad it’s been for the White House — but others...  

10. Just another manic Monday: Obama to NYC for fundraiser, senators hit links By Jake Harper May 13, 2013 3:56 p.m.

    Harvey WeinsteinHey, Partiers! After golfing on Saturday, then celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday and hosting British Prime Minister David Cameron this morning, you might think that President Obama would be too tuckered out to deal with any fundraising. But you’d be wrong! (This is the Party Time...  

11. Guns, Getaways and Taylor Swift — This Week in Partying By Louis Serino May 10, 2013 5:46 p.m.

    Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. The life of a lawmaker is TOUGH. Take it from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who recently lamented the “soul-crushing” fundraising every congressmember has to do to survive! Murphy spoke of the dreaded call time, where he sat in a room for four to five hours a...