Privacy

Voters savvy enough to negotiate ballot maze, experts say

October 4, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Copley News Service</p> <p>"Voters do not understand the measures they vote on in any detail and very few read the actual text," said John Matsusaka, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California. "What they do is rely on endorsements from informed sources they trust such as interest groups, media and politicians.</p>

GOP says Frist stock sale OK, but others disagree

October 1, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)</p> <p>Carmen Balber, with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the regulations are too lax and should not be policed by fellow senators. "Blind trusts need stricter rules," Ms. Balber said. "They have a lot of loopholes. Partisanship could overshadow a significant investigation."</p>

GOP Senate colleagues support Frist on HCA stock sale

September 29, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)</p> <p>Carmen Balber with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said she doesn't understand why Sen. Frist waited so long to sell his stock shares. "Either Senator Frist had a sudden change of heart or insider training occurred," said Ms. Balber.</p>

CALIFORNIA’S STEM CELL PROGRAM: Who will benefit more, consumers or drug firms?

September 29, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>INSTITUTIONS GETTING GRANTS HAVE LINKS TO INDUSTRY</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News</p> <p>The stem-cell program, created by Proposition 71 last year, is not expected to begin issuing research money until next year. But based on grants the program handed out two weeks ago to train students in stem-cell fundamentals, the public has cause for concern, according to the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Frist’s stock sale places him under ethical cloud

September 29, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Scripps Howard News Service</p> <p>Consumer groups are rattling the cage, demanding an investigation into the Tennessee lawmaker's sale of shares in the for-profit hospital chain HCA just before the release of a disappointing second-quarter report sent the stock price reeling.</p>

Lafayette event for governor expected to draw protesters

September 28, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>News of the fund-raiser was also published on the Web site arnoldwatch.org, which is run by the nonprofit Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Frist slow to recognize his potential conflict

September 24, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee)</p> <p>The public watchdog group Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee in April 2004 over Frist's position on medical malpractice liability suits. The group said that Frist's holdings gave an appearance of a conflict since HCA could financially benefit from the legislation. The Ethics Committee found no reason to act.</p>

SEC, Justice Investigate Frist’s Sale of Stock

September 24, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Washington Post</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR) urged congressional leaders to appoint an independent observer "to ensure a thorough, transparent investigation."</p>

Frist’s Sale of Stocks Reviewed;

September 24, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Justice Department and the SEC are investigating the Senate majority leader's divestment of HCA hospital holdings before values dropped.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a watchdog group based in Santa Monica, filed a complaint last year to the Senate Ethics Committee about Frist's ownership of HCA stock. The group said that because Frist deals with legislation that could enrich the company, he should not own its stock.</p>

SEC asked to review Frist stock divestiture

September 23, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Consumer group wonders if senator had inside info before asking blind trust to sell shares </h3><p class="source">Knoxville News-Sentinel</p> <p>The consumer foundation FTCR asked the SEC to check phone and financial records and other documents to determine whether Bill Frist received insider information from his brother or others at HCA before deciding to sell all his HCA stock.</p>

HCA insiders sold stock before dive, as Frist did;

September 23, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Senator's sale came as executives exercised longtime stock options</h3><p class="source">The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee)</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based group that complained to the Senate Ethics Committee about Frist's HCA holdings last year, has asked the SEC to investigate the sale.</p>

Company’s role in hiring questioned;

September 22, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Developer of Hyatt and Hilton helped interview candidates for city jobs overseeing business, planning.</h3><p class="source">The Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>Allowing a corporation to have a voice in selecting employees who oversee development creates "the possibility that the new hire feels indebted to the company in some way for getting their position,'' said Carmen Balber, a political reform expert at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "It's not the place of private corporations to choose or to have in a hand in selecting public officials,'' Balber said.</p>