MAPLight.org Launches New Tool for Transparency

A new search engine tracking money and politics has just been launched by MAPLight.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Berkeley, CA.  By utilizing the information from both the Library of Congress and the Center for Responsive Politics, on campaign contributions, users can now easily view the links between funds received and voting record in Congress.

Due to the cost of effective political campaigns today, MAPLight.org saw the need to monitor the correlation between donations and legislative action taken by our Representatives and Senators.  The ability to see your own elected official's allegiance with certain political interests or industries can be heartwarming or horrifying, but at least now it's out in the open.

We first met the folks from MAPLight.org when they visited the Berkman Center in January for an event co-hosted with the Sunlight Foundation - an educational organization, designed to use the Internet and technology to create greater transparency in government.  There is a fantastic video of highlights from the event and additonal interviews on MediaBerkman.

Congratulations to MAPLight.org and all of the other great projects that received grants from the Sunlight Foundation earlier this year.