The Hill News

Have Washington’s partisans found something to agree about?
 
In a rare moment of agreement, it seems members of both parties want to take action to prevent political spending from leading to political favoritism.
 
In an unexpected reversal, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has launched an investigation into White House ties to campaign donors seeking government contracts, loans, and other benefits. This move comes just a few months after news of an executive order that would bring greater transparency to government contracts was leaked to the press â€" and a few months after Issa came out against such efforts.

At the time, Issa was against requiring companies bidding on government contracts to disclose their political spending, including any currently-masked spending done through third-party groups. Now, as chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he wants to probe the system for granting government contract! s and regulatory approvals.

In this moment of rare bipartisan agreement, President Obama should sign his draft executive order without delay.

Read more...