Presidential Candidate Transparency Rhetoric

This wiki compiles statements made by 2012 presidential candidates regarding government transparency.

= Michele Bachmann =

"Right now, there's a rule that the Obama administration is pushing so we can no longer have Freedom of Information Act requests. The government would be allowed under this rule to say that documents don't exist, when they do," Bachmann said.
 * Bachmann's History Lesson for Obama, CNN, October 28, 2011

"Well, think back with me: anyone remember Richard Nixon? Anyone remember Watergate? Under this rule, that President Obama is proposing, the Nixon administration could say, 'What tapes? We don't know about any tapes. They don't exist.'"
 * CNN/Tea Party Debate, Sept. 2011

Regarding Gov. Rick Perry's executive order requiring little girls to get the HPV vaccine: "BACHMANN: I just wanted to add that we cannot forget that in the midst of this executive order there is a big drug company that made millions of dollars because of this mandate. We can't deny that...""BLITZER: What are you suggesting?""BACHMANN: What I'm saying is that it's wrong for a drug company, because the governor's former chief of staff was the chief lobbyist for this drug company. The drug company gave thousands of dollars in political donations to the governor, and this is just flat-out wrong. The question is, is it about life, or was it about millions of dollars and potentially billions for a drug company?" "BACHMANN: Well, as president of the United States, I would not be reappointing Ben Bernanke, but I want to say this. During the bailout, the $700 billion bailout, I worked behind the scenes against the bailout, because one of the things that I saw from the Federal Reserve, the enabling act legislation is written so broadly that, quite literally, Congress has given the Federal Reserve almost unlimited power over the economy.""That has to change. They can no longer have that power. Why? Because what we saw, with all of the $700 billion bailout, is that the Federal Reserve opened its discount window and was making loans to private American businesses. And not only that, they're making loans to foreign governments.""This cannot be. The Federal Reserve has a lot to answer for. And that's why it's important that they're not only audited, but they have got be shrunk back down to such a tight leash that they're going to squeak." "Documents obtained via a FOIA request show that on at least 16 separate occasions Bachmann asked the federal government for direct financial help or aid for her state." "Bachmann, who once declared, “All this pork is bad” and has centered her campaign around denouncing out-of-control government spending, was less than truthful when disclosing the full extent of the earmarks she’s taken... Her insistence that “my husband and I have never gotten a penny of money from the farm,” directly contradicts her own financial disclosure forms, where she reported receiving between $32,503 and $105,000 in income from the farm, at minimum, between 2006 and 2009." "Voted against the DISCLOSE Act Voted for the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act" "“There are no standards, no transparency, no restraint. Earmarks are disbursed without regard to merit, based solely on partisanship and winks and nods. Instead of being a tool to fulfill the legitimate duties of government, earmarking has become another tool in Washington politics.'" "“I praise Senate Republicans for committing to an earmark ban like the House Republicans did earlier this year. Earmarks are part of the root problem with Washington’s spending addiction. Members have far too frequently sought favor with their districts by dropping frivolous earmarks in the dead of night into spending bills. Funding requests should be given ample opportunity to be scrutinized by the American people as we move into the new Congress.”"
 * CNN/Tea Party Debate, Sept. 2011
 * Michele Bachmann Repeatedly Sought Stimulus, EPA, Other Government Funds - Huffington Post, Aug. 18, 2011
 * Bachmann Personally Benefited From Earmarks, Then Falsely Claims She Never Did - Think Progress, June 27, 2011
 * Relevant Voting Record - The Political Guide
 * Bachmann Takes a Pledge Against Pork - Press Release, March 2008
 * Bachmann Praises GOP Senators’ Decision to Support an Earmark Ban - Press Release, November 2010
 * Other Relevant Votes - On the Issues

"'I recently submitted an idea on www.americaspeakingout.org to promote transparency in the long-term spending obligations of our government. When considering your family budget, you don’t spend money you don’t have, and our government should be no different. But Congress continues to turn a blind eye to our perilous financial situation, as our $13 trillion national debt stands to be dwarfed by future debt levels if Congress does not begin to reign in their reckless ways. I hope you’ll join the conversation by watching my video message and then by speaking out and making your voices heard!'" "Rep. Bachmann appears with Rep. Jackie Speier (CA) and Rep. Brad Sherman (CA) on CNBC to discuss the need for increased transparency in the Federal Reserve, as well as the accusations that Fed. Chairman Ben Bernanke strong-armed the Bank of America into buying Merrill Lynch." "“I was disappointed to hear that for a third time, the Congressional Oversight Panel has rejected a motion to improve the Panel’s transparency and accountability measures. In fact, I find it ironic that a panel created to provide oversight is rejecting oversight of its own operations,” said Congresswoman Bachmann. “The public outrage against TARP was, and still is, undeniable, and the taxpayers footing the bill for this program deserve to have access to all the oversight resources available.”"""""
 * Bringing Transparency to Government Spending Obligations - Townhall.com, August 2010
 * We Need More Transparency in the Fed [Video]
 * Bachmann Demands Transparency from Congressional Oversight Panel - Press Release, August 2009

= John Bolton =

"Jon Stewart takes the former U.N. ambassador to task about the Bush administration's lack of transparency. (9:23)"
 * Daily Show, March 2007 Video
 * Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security hearing: U.N. HEADQUARTERS RENOVATION: NO ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY - June 2006

Amb. John Bolton's testimony: "'Indeed, closely related to the issue of management reform is the importance of increasing the transparency and accountability of the myriad institutions within the UN system. We remain concerned about the independence and autonomy of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, or OIOS. OIOS is the Inspector General of the UN, the body charged within the UN system to provide internal auditing, investigation and evaluation of all activities under the authority of the Secretary-General. The problem, though, is that in several ways OIOS is potentially beholden to those it is responsible for investigating. This inherently creates a conflict of interest, whether any specific one is identified or not.'" = Herman Cain =

The association has yet to respond, and Cain has so far resisted calls for him to ask the association to disclose all of its records in the case. “As far as we’re concerned, you know, enough said about the issue,” he said Monday at the Press club. “There’s nothing else there to dig up.” As a factual matter, Cain is wrong. The details of what misdeeds the women alleged remain unreported, which threatens to leave Cain playing the role of the typical politician he distinguishes himself from on the stump. "Cain told the Bartlett crowd his goal for an economic plan was that it be both “simple and transparent.” That’s also his answer for criticism that’s been building around the plan."
 * Cain Unable, Time, 11/2/2011
 * Cain Makes Presidential Campaign Stop in Bartlett, Memphis Daily News, 10/14/2011
 * Neil Cavuto Show, April 30, 2009 [Video].

Regarding assertions made by the Obama Administration that the stimulus created 150,000 jobs. "'When they won't tell you how they determined it, you have to be skeptical.' 'The public remains buffaloed, or in the dark.'" "'...Some people say we ought to audit the Federal Reserve... The Federal Reserve already has so many internal audits it's ridiculous... I don't know why people think we're going to learn this great amount of information by auditing the Federal Reserve... There's no hidden secrets going on in the Federal Reserve to my knowledge...'"""
 * New World Radical, May 6, 2011 [Video].

= Chris Christie =

"It seems like a ban on dual-office holding and two public salaries, we can all agree on that, right? It's not a Republican or Democratic issue. We should all be able to come together and say it's wrong," Christie told the crowd packed into a senior center in Sayreville, as two local priests looked on from the front row. After all, who doesn't want more ethics?
 * Christie hammers home ethics reforms in town hall - ctpost.com, 9/21/2011

"Not even a hearing — they acted as if it's not even there," the governor said of the Democratic leaders in the Legislature. "What that tells me that they again don't want to tell you what's going on." "Christie picked a new theme to criticize lawmakers, deriding them for not enacting proposals he made last year to broaden disclosure requirements, restrict 'pay to play' and eliminate the practice of holding multiple elected offices." "'In 376 days we’ve done nothing, in this limited area we’ve done nothing,' Christie said. 'We look like Washington.'" "Governor Chris Christie promised New Jersey open and transparent government. In his first cabinet meeting, he laid down the ground rules: 'Folks in this state have a right to know what we're doing in their name every day.”" "But apparently those rules don’t apply to the governor. Days after being forced to answer questions over the discovery of a secret trip to address a group convened in Colorado by the right-wing Koch brothers, a gathering secret enough that static noise was reportedly blasted out at venue perimeters to discourage eavesdropping, Christie is now telling reporters who question him to get a life: 'I go a lot of places without telling you.'" "Christie is rapidly running away from the rule he says he runs his administration by - transparency - in order to conceal his movements and what they might mean for New Jersey policy.""When he was found to have used a taxpayer-funded state helicopter to attend private meetings in June, Christie first refused to release the logs of his trips, then refused to reimburse NJ taxpayers, because “he was always on duty.”""Earlier this year, it was discovered that Christie held a meeting with Roger Ailes, head of one of the most powerful television news networks in America. It was not on his schedule and he later claimed it was for private consultations because Ailes was a confidential advisor. The governor should stop hiding his actions from the public." "In an effort to increase government transparency, Governor Chris Christie launched a website that provides the public with data that makes it easier to understand New Jersey’s public finances. Included on this website, www.YourMoney.NJ.Gov, is an interactive map that displays the Garden States’ 3.1 million property tax assessment records..."
 * In town hall meeting, Gov. Chris Christie challenges N.J. Legislature to advance his agenda - Nj.com, 9/19/2011
 * New Jersey Deserves to Know What Gov. Christie is Hiding - New Jersey Newsroom, 9/14/2011
 * YourMoney.NJ.Gov

= Newt Gingrich =

"the country deserves accountability, and they deserve transparency" as he pressed Romney to do the same. On his campaign website, Gingrich lists accountability and transparency as cornerstones of his plan to overhaul the country's education system. He also proposed to reform the Federal Reserve "to promote transparency."
 * Spin Meter: Candidates use transparency as a club - Fox News, January 25, 2012

Gingrich told Fox News on Wednesday that he "would love to have a transparency and accountability debate with Mitt Romney." "then we must commit to improving education, especially in math and science, and moving from a bureaucrat-dominated status quo to an innovative system that emphasizes accountability, transparency, and parental choice Require transparency and accountability about achievement. Each state must set a rigorous standard that allows every student everywhere to master the skills they will need to be competitive, and develop a process for grading the effectiveness of every school." "The right way to andle the situation, Gingrich said, would be for both parties to “hold a press conference this week and say, ‘We’re going to ask through regular order every subcommittee to find savings. We’re going to do it out in the open. We’re going to it with expert testimony.’ ”"
 * Newt Gingrich on Education - Politicalnews.me, January 3, 2012
 * Gingrich: Super Committee Collapse 'Good for America'- National Journal, November 21, 2011

Complete Transcript of Hanover Economic Debate- Time, October 11, 2011 "I want to repeat this. Bernanke has in secret spent hundreds of billions of dollars bailing out one group and not bailing out another group. I don't see anybody in the news media demanding the kind of transparency at the Fed that you would demand of every other aspect of the federal government. And I think it is corrupt and it is wrong for one man to have that kind of secret power." "The GOP formed its own opaque group dedicated to redistricting. Making America’s Promise Secure, which was headed by prominent Republicans Newt Gingrich and Trent Lott, was able to secure 501(c)4 status from the IRS as a 'social welfare'organization—the same status granted Disabled American Veterans and the Lumberjack World Championships Foundation. Groups with that status do not have to disclose donors or how they spend money. And there is no limit on how much individual donors can contribute." "'Gingrich cites transparency as a major issue in healthcare... Gingrich’s favourite cause is electronic health records, and particularly e-prescribing.'" "'Transparency is one of the few places where there really is a bipartisan alliance. Newt Gingrich created Thomas, the web resources for legislation, and the Republicans do have a history of advocating for open government and new models of communication, including C-Span, direct mail, and web communication.'" "'The use of information technology as a means for greater government transparency has a legacy that goes back many years, at least to the founding of Thomas.gov by then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the 1990s.'"
 * The Hidden Hands in Redistricting: Corporations and Other Powerful Interests- Pro Publica, September 23, 2011
 * Health Outcomes Communicator, December 1, 2008.
 * Open Left, July 11, 2008.
 * National Journal, November 25, 2010.

= Rudy Giuliani =

"“My government in New York City was so transparent that they knew every single thing I did, almost every time I did.'" "Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says government transparency has decreased since Obama took office. Giuliani says that the apparent rush to pass health care legislation is a sign of lack of transparency since it gives legislators and the public less time to read it. Giuliani adds that spending more time on the bill will allow the President to actually read it. (0:31)"
 * NYPD Confidential, December 2007
 * Giuliani: Government Transparency Down Under Obama - Talk Radio News, July 2009
 * AP IMPACT: Giuliani Secretive As Mayor - Huffington Post, December 2007

Regarding Giuliani's stint as Mayor of New York: "At times, the number of working water fountains in city parks was hard to ascertain without making a formal request. Under Giuliani, it became more difficult to determine the number of complaints filed against the city's home care program, the number of firearms discharged by police and the number of inspectors in the housing and buildings departments. Even details about the city's recycling program were hard to come by." "'...the fact neither he nor his campaign will disclose any concrete medical information is raising some questions about his campaign and transparency....pparently that pledge about transparency not applying to his current health crisis.'" = Jon Huntsman =
 * ABC's Tapper Attacks Giuliani's 'Lack of Transparency' - NewsBusters, December 2007

Former Gov. Tom Ridge (R-PA) on John Huntsman "I've talked to Jon about this and he and I are like-minded," said Ridge. "He has a modest super PAC [supporting him]. I have felt for the longest time, it is very unlikely that the Supreme Court of the United States would put financial limits on free speech. But I think it is within the power of the president and the Congress to say: 'Guess what? Any contribution in excess of $500 to $1,000 to you personally or the super PAC, it is on the Internet within 24 hours, so people can know.' Not quarterly. Transparency now, it is the best antiseptic."
 * Super PAC Disclosure Requirements Hot Topic Of Conversation Among GOP Candidates - Huffington Post, January 5, 2012

"In a 21st century world, if anybody wants to give a candidate one million or two million dollars, give it. But I want every journalist, every opponent, every taxpayer, every citizen to know that that's who gave it," said Ridge. "They may draw no conclusions. They may draw the wrong conclusion. They may draw the right conclusion."

"I asked Jon if he had thought about it," Ridge added. "He said, 'I'm there.'" "But let’s be real about what it takes to get into federal government service these days. Who on Earth from the private sector is ever going to want to give up their privacy and enter government service with the background checks, the financial disclosures, and everything else that serve as tremendous disincentives for good people to get into government?” Moderator Charlie Rose asked what he wants to do to change that. Huntsman responded: “Let’s get back to what we did a generation or two ago, when we were more open in terms of accommodating people from all backgrounds who wanted to take a little bit of their life and serve in government, and then leave, and go back to what it is they did best, whether on the farm, or whether insurance, or whether business, or whether academia.”" "'The former Utah governor held a lunch meeting with lobbyists at Emergent Biosolutions's offices above the swanky Willard Hotel downtown, a lobbying source said. Privately, lobbyists with several large firms and trade associations say that Huntsman's team has reached out recently to invite them to similar events – a sign Huntsman is casting a wide net as he tries to catch up with potential candidates who have spent months or even years building their national networks.'" "'Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. pledged a more open government during his campaign. Yet after his first year in office, Utah is more secretive than ever in how it doles out millions in taxpayer subsidies to lure companies to expand or relocate to the state...'"
 * Should We Backtrack on Transparency? - Des Moines Register, October 12, 2011
 * Jon Huntsman looks for K Street backing - Politico, May 2011
 * Salt Lake Tribune - February 2006

= Gary Johnson =

"5:21: 'Government needs to be transparent. The more transparent that governmentt is, the better off we all are.'" "5:54: 'The idea of transparency is something that I believe in, and something that I made - made state government open to the citizens of New Mexico. The President of the United States, let's open the books up. Let's make this as transparent as possible. There's no magic in these decisions.'"
 * The Alyona Show, June 23, 2011 [video]

"Was Citizens United decided correctly? 'Yeah. My issue with campaign finance is 100 percent disclosure. Wear a suit with patches from your big contributors. Depending on the size of the contribution, that's how big the patch should be.'" "'We have a judicial system that works pretty well if we actually use it and make sure all have access to it. This case is no exception. If the facts and the evidence can’t stand the light of day, then we have a much bigger problem than WikiLeaks. It’s a problem that that involves a lack of transparency, too much secrecy, and a general disregard of civil liberties.'""" = Fred Karger =
 * WNYC, April 21, 2011
 * Political Action, March 19, 2011

"'TNW: As a candidate for this country’s highest office, what are your plans to provide transparency in government? What new data would you provide to the public, and by what means of technology would you make the data available?""Fred Karger: I believe in full transparency. In fact, in my career I’ve worked extensively for transparency, something that was shown when I demanded that the National Organization for Marriage and the LDS Church disclose certain information that they wanted to keep quiet. I’m going to be making very thorough financial disclosures during the course of my campaign, and I challenge other Republican candidates to do the same.'" = Tom Miller =
 * TNW, May 11, 2011

"'Attorney General Tom Miller today announced enhancements of his office’s role in enforcing the state’s open meetings and public records laws." "Miller said Tuesday that he has appointed an Assistant Attorney General to specifically handle such cases, and that he has reached out to media groups and others, inviting them to help by reporting violations. He said his office will continue education and outreach efforts in this area and he also asked the public to contact the State Ombudsman with complaints needing investigation.'""" "'It's good that Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has pledged to more aggressively enforce the state's open-meetings and open-records laws. That, however, does not mean the Legislature should abandon a bill nearly enacted last session that would go even further to keep government open to Iowans." "The attorney general has assigned a lawyer in his office to handle cases when local governments are accused of violating state laws intended to make government transparent to the public. Miller's office will consider enforcement actions based on complaints from citizens, either directly or forwarded by the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman, which reported receiving 275 complaints or questions from citizens about public meetings and records in 2008.'" "'It includes Attorney General Tom Miller, whose ofﬁce pretends to be all for more “sunshine” in state and local government, but in fact is more worried about protecting his ofﬁce’s turf than supporting a new state board to enforce the open-meetings and open-records laws.'" = Ron Paul =
 * Ensuring Open Government, December 30, 2008
 * Sunshine Review, January 7, 2009
 * Iowa Newspaper Association Bulletin, April 7, 2010

Ron Paul's presidential campaign on Wednesday threatened to fight the seating of some Washington delegates to the Republican National Convention, saying there is a lack of transparency in how party officials from the state's largest county are chosen.
 * Ron Paul threatens to disrupt Wash. GOP caucus- Associated Press, 2/29/2012

 The Paul campaign said the King County GOP violated party rules by not revealing the names of certain party officials, known as precinct committee officers, who will take part in the caucuses. "Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) has repeatedly introduced legislation calling for a full audit of the Fed, but this legislation was rejected in favor of the scaled-back Dodd-Frank provisions. Earlier this year, Rep. Paul and his son, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), introduced similar legislation to require a more comprehensive audit of the Fed, including an examination of its monetary policy decisions and its lending to foreign banks. Legislation requiring a full audit of the Fed has garnered remarkable bipartisan (or transpartisan) support from a wide coalition of groups including POGO. As the Fed continues to play a central role in the government’s economic recovery efforts, we urge Congress to require even greater disclosure of the Fed's policy decisions by passing the 'Federal Reserve Transparency Act' (S. 202 / H.R. 1496) introduced by the Congressmen Paul." "In statements to ABC News, spokesmen for each campaign confirmed they would keep the names of their so-called “bundlers” secret -- or, in the case of Ron Paul, admitted “we don’t really have any.”" "Today's hearing deals with one of the most pressing issues this subcommittee will face during this Congress, the issue of Federal Reserve transparency. While the Federal Reserve is still far less transparent than it should be, recent disclosures of the Federal Reserve’s lending programs have greatly increased our knowledge of the Fed's monetary policy during the height of the financial crisis." "The conduct of the Fed and the operations of its lending facilities, especially during the most critical periods of the financial crisis, require intensive oversight and the utmost transparency." "'Three presidential candidates (Illinois Senator Barack Obama, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, and Texas Rep. Ron Paul) are being hailed by the Reason Foundation for putting their signatures on a pledge declaring that, should they win the presidency in 2008, they will issue an executive order during their first month in office instructing the entire executive branch to put into practice the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.'" "'How can lawmakers possibly do that without reasonable time allotted? This has long been a concern of mine, and for this reason I have reintroduced The Sunlight Rule. (H.RES 63) This proposed rule stipulates that no piece of legislation can be brought before the House of Representatives for a vote unless it has been available to members and staff to read for at least ten days. Any amendments must be available for at least 72 hours before a vote. The Sunlight Rule provides the American people the opportunity to be involved in enforcing congressional rules by allowing citizens to move for censure of any Representative who votes for a bill brought to the floor in violation of this act.'" Relevant Voting Record - The Political Guide "Ron Paul voted against the DISCLOSE Act. Ron Paul voted against the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold). Ron Paul voted in favor of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007."
 * Federal Reserve Transparency Roundup - POGO, September 27, 2011
 * Republican Presidential Candidates Keep Top Fundraisers Secret, Breaking With Precedent - ABC News, July 20, 2011
 * Fess Up, Fed - Ron Paul, LewRockwell.com, July 1, 2011
 * PAUL: Time to End Federal Reserve Secrecy - Washington Times, June 22, 2011
 * Free Republic, August 27, 2007
 * Congressman Ron Paul

"“Average Americans often wonder how so much pork-barrel spending happens in Washington, and why it can’t be stopped,” Paul stated. “One big reason is that most members of Congress have no idea what’s really in the bills they pass. The latest budget vote is a perfect example. We voted at 4 in the morning on a huge bill that wasn’t even finished until midnight. Nobody could have read it. It funded thousands of pet projects and earmarks. Is this any way to vote on a budget that spends 2.7 trillion dollars?”" “That’s why I introduced the Sunlight Rule, to let Congress actually read the bills they pass,” Paul concluded. “It’s the least they can do with your money.” "'I find it hard to believe that changing the congressional ethics rules or placing new restrictions on lobbyists will do much good. After all, we already have laws against bribery, theft, and fraud. We already have ethics rules in Congress. We already have campaign finance reform. We already require campaigns and lobbyists to register with the federal government and disclose expenditures. We already require federal employees, including the president and members of congress, to take an oath of office. None of it is working, so why should we think more rules, regulations, or laws will change anything?'" "'The larger the federal government becomes, the more it controls who wins and who loses in our society. The temptation for lobbyists to buy votes-- and the temptation for politicians to sell them-- is enormous. Indicting one crop of politicians and bringing in another is only a temporary solution. The only effective way to address corruption is to change the system itself, by radically downsizing the power of the federal government in the first place. Take away the politicians' power and you take away the very currency of corruption.'" "'Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) has been the driving force behind H.R. 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, which would give the Government Accountability Office (GAO) authority to examine the Fed’s books and report to Congress on the performance of the national bank.'" "Regarding whether the Federal Reserve fundled money to the Watergate burglars, Ron Paul said, 'Isn't it to our advantage - the Congress, the Federal Reserve, and the people - to allow us to know what's going on so that you can settle these arguments once and for all... I want the air to be clear... I think it's irresponsible to ignore what the Fed does in secrecy... If there's the slightest chance then why don't we clear the air on this? So I think the irresponsibility falls on the Congress for ignoring the Fed, no oversight.'" "'On July 29, 2010 Congressman Ron Paul introduced the SEC Transparency Act of 2010 (HR 5970), a bill designed to force greater transparency in the Securities and Exchange Commission. The bill is designed to repeal the amendments made by section 929I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act relating to the confidentiality of materials submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission.'" "“Taxpayers are weary of bailing out privileged banks and corporations in the US, and we certainly cannot afford to bail out entire countries. The possibility of this happening behind a veil of Federal Reserve secrecy is not acceptable,” stated Congressman Paul. “This compromise language represents a huge missed opportunity by Congress to finally make the Fed accountable for trillions of taxpayer dollars it administers. Full transparency, via a full GAO audit, is the only acceptable option.'"
 * Congressman Ron Paul, March 2006
 * Congressman Ron Paul, January 23, 2006
 * Congressman Ron Paul, January 9, 2006
 * All Gov, June 15, 2009
 * CBS News, March 3, 2010 fed fundled money to the Watergate burglars
 * RonPaul.com
 * RonPaul.com, May 6, 2010

= Tim Pawlenty =

"Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has also opted to keep details of his top financing team secret. “We are following the FEC's disclosure laws to the fullest extent,” said spokesman Alex Conant. Pawlenty reported raising $4.4 million between April and June." = Rick Perry =
 * Republican Presidential Candidates Keep Top Fundraisers Secret, Breaking With Precedent - ABC News, July 20, 2011

“You know, the Freedom of Information Act — they have exempted themselves from that. They don’t have to show the conversations or the emails or the texts — I mean, that’s what Americans are really upset with,” Perry said. “And you think that there’s a party going on in Washington, D.C. — and you know, what? There is a party going on — and it’s on our dime and we are tired of paying for it. "'Governor Perry has always released his tax returns and Mitt Romney and the other candidates should do the same,' Perry spokesman Mark Miner told POLITICO." "Gov. Rick Perry raised the ire of some open government advocates earlier this year by wanting to keep confidential records showing how much the state paid to supply security to the governor and members of his family on out-of-state and international trips." "Via Perry blogger call: Perry will propose a searchable regulation database -- 'so you don't need an army of lawyers or lobbyists.'"
 * Perry: a part-time congress is not a radical concept, NewsMax, 11/17/2011
 * Perry campaign calls on Romney to release tax returns, Politico, 10/25/2011
 * Texas gets B minus grade on website transparency ranking, Texas Watchdog, 11/1/2011
 * @mattklewis (Matt Lewis)
 * Rick Perry's governing style: Secrecy over straight talk? - Politico, 9/15/2011

Nothing could be further from the truth, said Catherine Frazier, a Perry campaign spokeswoman who until recently had worked for Perry in the governor’s office. "“Gov. Perry has always been a strong supporter of government transparency, a priority that he will carry with him to the White House if elected,” Frazier told POLITICO. She asserted her boss “has led by example on this front,” partly by putting the governor’s office budget online “so that citizens can clearly and easily see how their tax dollars are being spent.”" Frazier did not answer a question about whether Perry would try to implement an email deletion policy as president, but she did cite a 2009 report from open government groups that named Texas the top state for putting public records online. Perry’s 2010 reelection campaign also touted the study on a transparency section of its website, which boasted Perry “has made spending transparency a plank of his budget reform agenda.” When asked whether he’d voluntarily release more information about his schedule, Perry said in an October 2010 interview “I think we give so much information already that it is boring.” "Gov. Rick Perry’s state office has temporarily stopped deleting emails every seven days — as its official document retention policy allows — thanks to the efforts of a Wisconsin-based political activist who thinks they should be preserved longer.""“Unfortunately, what has happened in Texas is the record of Rick Perry is being systematically destroyed on a weekly basis,” said Keith Elkins, director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. 'It’s not the way that state agencies are told to conduct their business, and I don’t think it’s correct for the chief executive officer of Texas either.”" "Another Perry spokeswoman, Lucy Nashed, said the request from Washburn has prompted the governor's office to save items it would have deleted. 'In the interest of transparency and in order to maintain all the emails he has requested, we have suspended the process by which we normally remove transitory emails,' Nashed said." "Perry was not impressed by Washburn's request the first time around, telling a group of reporters in his office that the emails had largely centered on inner-office chat that was of no interest to the public. 'If we’re allowed to make a determination on keeping records that really matter, then I think we do that,' Perry said at the time. 'If we're going to spend our time gleaning through those for hours instead of doing the work of the people of the state of Texas, I think we’re headed in the wrong direction.”"
 * Email Destruction Halted in Texas Governor's Office - The Texas Tribune, 9/14/2011
 * CNN/Tea Party Debate, Sept. 2011

Regarding Gov. Perry's executive order mandating young girls to get the HPV vaccine: "BACHMANN: What I'm saying is that it's wrong for a drug company, because the governor's former chief of staff was the chief lobbyist for this drug company. The drug company gave thousands of dollars in political donations to the governor, and this is just flat-out wrong. The question is, is it about life, or was it about millions of dollars and potentially billions for a drug company?" BLITZER: All right. I'll let Senator Santorum hold off for a second. You've got to response to that. PERRY: Yes, sir. The company was Merck, and it was a $5,000 contribution that I had received from them. I raise about $30 million. And if you're saying that I can be bought for $5,000, I'm offended. "It's been widely reported that since Rick Perry became governor, Houston homebuilder Bob Perry has given him more than $2.5 million in campaign contributions. But now, filings in a lawsuit over the 2006 governor's race suggest that the Houstonian's largesse has been considerably more impressive than the governor's campaign contributions reports indicate.""'It calls into question whether there is an intent to evade disclosure,' [Craig Holman] noted." "Now, as Gov. Rick Perry embarks on a presidential campaign, it is unlikely the public will access records that provide many revealing details about his decade-long tenure as governor. While Perry extols open government - most recently challenging Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to 'open the books' of the nation's central bank - he has adopted policies that shroud his own office in a purposeful opaqueness that confounds prying reporters - or any member of the public questioning his policies." "Over the past decade, the Perry administration has withheld information in response to some 100 open-records requests, instead seeking review by the Texas Attorney General's Office. In two cases in the past year, Perry's office acknowledged it failed to meet legal deadlines for responding to the requests, or otherwise delayed in violation of well-established procedures outlined in the Texas Public Information Act." "Texas Governor Rick Perry has been on a Bernanke-bashing binge this week, demanding on Wednesday that the Federal Reserve 'open their books up.'" "'They should open their books up. They should be transparent so that the people of the United States know what they are doing,' the Texas governor said at a packed breakfast meeting in Bedford, New Hampshire...'It would go a long way to showing if there had been activities that had been improper,' Perry said...Without such action, 'there will continue to be questions about their activities and what their true goal is for the United States,' he added." "How much is this ever-present phalanx of state policemen costing the taxpayers of Texas? They won’t know at least until after next year’s presidential election, thanks to a provision, tucked into a school finance bill in July, that will keep the governor’s travel records sealed for 18 months.""After the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express and Austin American-Statesman sued the DPS, two Texas courts ruled that the records should be released. They were overturned last month by the state Supreme Court. But the case is still alive: the Supreme Court sent it back to a lower court, ordering DPS to cite precisely which records would put Perry in danger if they were released.""One Republican legislator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the governor as “extremely concerned” about keeping his records sealed, and said Perry was actively lobbying key legislators to get it passed in the waning days of the special session. The legislator said Perry’s wife, Anita, also was pressing legislators on the issue.""“The governor believes that we need to strike the right balance of transparency and accountability to taxpayers while maintaining a priority on security,” said Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for Perry.""“The Perry administration is trying to hide the true cost of his out-of-state travel to the taxpayer,” said Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice." "Despite paying lip service to transparency and open government, Perry has gone out of his way to mask his activities in the Texas governor's office. As the Houston Chronicle reported, Perry is unlikely to hand over the kind of information—travel and meeting records, schedules, donor contacts, and more—that George W. Bush provided, more than 3,000 pages in all, when he left the Texas governor's mansion for the White House.""'He has been governor longer than anyone in Texas history,' the Chronicle said, 'but there is a lot the public does not know about Rick Perry.' Perry and his administration have withheld information in 100 public-records requests during his time in Austin, and on occasion failed to respond on time to other records requests as required by state law. His administration has also refused to hand over notes and records about how the state's two honeypots for economic growth, the Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund, decided to dole out grant money, including on one occasion to a company owned by a Perry donor. The Chronicle went so far as to sue the Perry administration for refusing to hand over notes on its decision not to grant clemency to Cameron Todd Willingham, a man who was executed in 2004 after being convicted of multiple murders on the basis of flawed arson pseudoscience.""A Rick Perry presidency, it appears, could deal an even harsher blow to transparency and openness in federal government than seen under President George W. Bush and, to some extent, under President Obama. In March, Ellen Miller, the director of the Sunlight Foundation, a DC-based organization committed to more open government, blasted Obama's record on transparency, saying his administration was 'tremendously disappointing' in 2010 and that 2011 wasn't looking any better." &lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
 * Did Perry Contributor Earmark Contribution? - Houston Chronicle, 9/3/2011
 * Perry's Long Tenure is Short on Particulars - Houston Chronicle, 8/28/2011
 * What does Rick Perry really want from the Fed? - CNN Money, Aug. 18, 2011
 * Rick Perry keeps up pressure on Fed - Reuters, Aug. 17, 2011
 * Perry's travel, security costs will stay secret until after 2012 - Washington Post, Aug. 27, 2011
 * Rick Perry: Transparency is Good - Except When I'm in Charge - Mother Jones, Aug. 29, 2011

= Buddy Roemer =

" “I think Americans Elect ought to fully disclose where they got their money. Fully disclose! And I will make that point over and over again... “Here’s what the alternative is: to do nothing, to stand by and take a corrupt political system like it is. ”" "In fact, pending the outcome of American Crossroads' Request, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow plans to coordinate a non-'coordinated' ad with presidential novelty candidate Buddy Roemer. A rough example of which can be found here: www.colbertsuperpac.com/undaunted-non-coordination. It should be clear that there was no collusion with Governor Roemer, as he vehemently opposes and passionately questions the legality of the ad that he agreed to appear in." "We need a government that’s free of the corruption of special-interest money. In my view, we won’t fix Congress, we won’t fix government, and we won’t regain the respect of the American people until we fix this...until we confront money in politics, we won’t have the capacity to solve this almost endless list of critical problems. Leadership not free to lead does not lead, cannot lead, and will not lead.""Nevertheless, we have to craft a system of independence for Congress within the boundaries given to us by the Court. Here’s how we should begin: we need a Congress that’s independent enough to represent the people—not just people with money... In my campaign for the presidency, I have committed to do just this by accepting no more than a hundred dollars from any one person and no PAC contributions." "'Right now, too often the political debate has become about the money and not about the issues. And those who have the money have a vested interest in the results and you never know who they are. [...] I have full disclosure and I challenge my opponents to do the same. [...]'" "Chris Cillizza: 'The problem I see is that by limiting himself to $100 (or lower) contributions, it seems like he is tying both hands behind his back before the fight even starts... I think lots and lots of people agree with the sentiment that there is too much money in politics. But, by placing such strict regulations on his own fundraising, Roemer is going to struggle to communicate that message to voters.'" "“I decided to look for somebody who was going to be free to lead, somebody who pushed himself away from the special interest money and then turned and looked at the problem... And he says everyone who gives him even one dollar will be publicly named by his campaign. He says that will give him the freedom to stand up to big corporations, insurance companies, Wall Street and other institutions.”"
 * Ex-Louisiana Gov. Roemer Rubbers Road With Indy President Skips - Bayou Bizz, 2/27/2012
 * Undaunted Non-coordination, November, 2011. With Steven Colbert's Super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow. From Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow's comments to the FEC
 * Leadership, Free to Lead - Buddy Roemer, Boston Review, July 21, 2011
 * GOP Presidential Candidate Gov. Roemer Slams Lobbyists As ‘What’s Wrong With The American System’ - Think Progress, May 2011
 * Washington Post, March 2011
 * Roemer to Run as Irritant to Republicans in 2012 - New York Times, March 2011

= Mitt Romney =

In GOP debates last November, Romney advocated greater transparency in the nation's health care and immigration systems. But efforts by Romney and his staff to keep records from his term as Massachusetts governor from becoming public are inconsistent with his calls for openness. "Romney, whose most recent disclosure in August estimated his personal wealth as high as $250 million, said yesterday he had already released extensive financial information and had no “current plans” to make his tax returns public. If the former Massachusetts governor wins the nomination and sticks to his plan, he would be one of the only presidential nominees in the last three decades to withhold his income tax return. While income tax information is private and there is no legal obligation to disclose it, presidents and nominees for the office have done so routinely since the 1970s. “We follow the tax laws, and if there's an opportunity to save taxes, we -- like everybody else in this country -- will follow that opportunity,” Romney told reporters in Lancaster, New Hampshire, according to a partial transcript of his remarks provided by his campaign." "“I think the Supreme Court’s decision was following their interpretation of the campaign finance laws that were written by Congress. My own view is now we tried a lot of efforts to try and restrict what can be given to campaigns, we’d be a lot wiser to say you can give what you’d like to a campaign. They must report it immediately. And the creation of these independent expenditure committees that have to be separate from the candidate, that’s just a bad idea.”" "“This is a strange thing in these campaign finance laws,” Romney said. “They’ve set up these new entities, which I think is a disaster, by the way. Campaign finance law has made a mockery of our political campaign season. We really ought to let campaigns raise the money they need and just get rid of these super PACs.”" "If elected president, he said, he would follow a policy of transparency, doing 'what is required by the law and then some.'" "'Ed Conard had a company...gave a million dollars to a PAC that supports me, then he said 'oh it's me'...he's given to me before...it's not hidden, it's all out in the open...given the fact that he said 'oh its me'...no harm no foul.'" "'Money plays a much more important role in what is done in Washington than we believe...to get that kind of money you've gotta cozy up to...special interest groups...and that kind of relationship has an influence on the way you're going to vote...associations between money and politics are wrong...I'd like to have campaign spending limits...I also would abolish PACs, I don't like them...Lobbyists I want to register and know who they are...contributions are fine, I just don't want them to be larger and larger." "Links to numerous news organizations criticizing the Obama Administration for a lack of transparency" "Just before Mitt Romney left the Massachusetts governor's office and first ran for president, 11 of his top aides purchased their state-issued computer hard drives, and the Romney administration's e-mails were all wiped from a server, according to interviews and records obtained by the Globe."
 * Spin Meter: Candidates use transparency as a club - Fox News, 1/25/2012
 * Romney Won't Release Tax Returns if He's GOP Nominee - Daily Herald, 12/23/2011
 * Did Mitt Romney just come out for unlimited campaign contributions? - Washington Post, 12/21/2011
 * Mitt Romney: Campaign Finance law changes making 'mockery' of campaign season - Washington Post, 12/20/2011
 * Romney's missing harddrives raise questions over government records - MSNBC.com, 12/16/2011
 * Romney $1 Million Mystery Donation - Youtube/ CNN 9/25/2011
 * Romney on Campaign Finance Reform - Youtube/CSPAN 10/11/94
 * Romney Press Release: Obsessed with Secrecy - TIME, 11/17/2011
 * Mitt Romney Staff Deleted Emails Before GOP Governor Left Office to Run for President - Huffington Post, 11/17/2011

Health costs may haunt Romney, Union Leader, 10/27/2011 "“This bill places critical health care cost and quality information in the hands of businesses and consumers. By creating cost and quality transparency, individuals will make more informed decisions about where and how to seek care,” Romney wrote." "One of Mitt Romney's top advisers is the co-chairman of a powerful Washington lobbying firm but the identities of the corporate clients he works for are shrouded in mystery. Former Sen. Jim Talent of Missouri has been acting as a Romney surrogate and adviser for months while also working at Mercury Public Affairs, a self-described 'high-stakes public strategy firm' staffed by former members of Congress and Capitol Hill aides." "Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who disclosed all the names of his bundlers during the 2008 primary campaign, will only now reveal the identities of five registered lobbyist-bundlers who helped him net $18 million in the second quarter." "“We disclose all of the information about our donors as required by law, and anyone who is interested can review it publicly,” Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in a statement." "The New Hampshire and Alabama Democratic Parties filed a joint amended Federal Election Commission complaint following a complaint filed in April, producing new evidence that Mitt Romney's campaign may be circumventing campaign finance laws by using its state Political Action Committees (PACs), including its Alabama State PAC, to raise unlimited funds in excess of federal limits and then using those funds to aid his presidential campaign."
 * Romney Aide Mum on his Corporate Clients - Salon, 8/30/2011
 * Republican Presidential Candidates Keep Top Fundraisers Secret, Breaking With Precedent - ABC News, July 20, 2011
 * NH and AL Democratic Parties File New Evidence with Federal Election Commission and State Authorities of Romney's End Run Around Campaign Finance Law, Call on Romney to Provide Detailed Accounting of State PAC Expenditures - PR News Wire, July 14, 2011

= Rick Santorum =


 * Today on the Trail: Santorum Campaign still fuming over Michigan delegate decision - Talking Points Memo, 3/3/2012

 “This request is not about the allocation of a single delegate; it is about ensuring a transparent electoral process, avoiding unscrupulous tactics and backroom deals by establishment figures and campaigns who may have not received the result they hoped for at the ballot box,” their complaint reads.

"Santorum said that when he was in Congress the members would 'publicly request' earmarks in an 'open process'" "FORMER SEN. RICK SANTORUM, (R-PA.), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I agree with an audit on the Federal Reserve. I believe that what we should do with the Fed is to make it a single charter instead of a dual charter. I think the second charter that was instituted that had it be responsible for increasing employment and dealing with that leads to a fundamental distrust among the American people that they are taking their eye off the ball, which is sound money. They should be a sound money Federal Reserve. That should be their single charter, and that is it." "He favors streamlining the patent process, reforming the transparency of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process, and limiting the ability of federal agencies to expand laws through regulations." "Voted in favor of the Lobbying Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006 - 527 Reform Act of 2006 Voted against the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (Also known as McCain-Feingold) Voted in favor of H.R. 4762, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require 527 organizations to disclose their political activities."""""
 * Fact-Mauling in Mesa - FactCheck.org, February 23, 2012
 * CNN/Tea Party Debate, Sept.
 * Santorum raps Obama on jobs; offers plan for American economic resurgence - Des Moines Register, July 5, 2011
 * Relevant Voting Record - The Political Guide

= Vern Wuensche =

"'I show my specific views on 97 issues so that I might be completely transparent. And I have included information on my background such that you can determine how unchanging and rock solid my views are.'" Views on Government Reform Issues "Reduce the number of government regulations""Require govt. departments to expire after a fixed time unless renewed""Institute term limits on congressmen""Eliminate lobbying by former government officials""Eliminate campaign finance laws""Require contributions to candidates to be disclosed weekly"
 * Vote for Vern