While campaigning in 2008, the Obama-Biden ticket listed “ethics” as a core element of their agenda, promising to shine light on lobbying through the creation of a central database focused on exposing special interests. The idea that government is more accountable when it is transparent is a principle that President Obama has worked hard to make a reality in his administration.
This site, ethics.data.gov, is designed to be a fulfillment of that promise.
It’s one place where anyone can come and search through the records of seven different datasets:
• White House Visitor Records
• Office of Government Ethics Travel Reports
• Lobbying Disclosure Act Data
• Department of Justice Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Data
• Federal Election Commission Individual Contribution Reports
• Federal Election Commission Candidate Reports
• Federal Election Commission Committee Reports
While all this information has previously been available elsewhere, it’s never before been aggregated in a centralized location.
In other locations, this data exists in a range of formats. At ethics.data.gov, the information all exists in a uniform, digestible, user-friendly format.
