Ask Roll Call: Twitter Q&A Transcript
Posted February 28, 2011 at 10:01pm
Roll Call is continuing Twitter Q-and-A sessions, and the latest edition was with Paul Singer, editor of Roll Call’s reporting team that includes lobbying, ethics and investigations.
Since it was on Twitter, of course, his answers were kept to under 140 characters. A transcript follows.
Roll Call’s @singernews prepares to take your questions in 3, 2, 1 … https://twitpic.com/43aj82
Welcome to our 6th Twitter Q&A w/ @singernews ! He is our editor handling investigations, lobbying & malfeasance. Has been here 4 yrs
Thanks for all your questions — let’s get started!
.@nasonator Public sector groups (ports, etc) panicking, flooding Hill w/ prayers for relief. ^@singernews
We’re taking questions for @singernews, who, as @davidmdrucker puts it: “If you’re a Member of Cong & he’s calling you, be afraid:”
.@nasonator Remember also, budget involves EVERY interest group; all hoping the other guy gets axe ^@singernews
Q2! MT @JulianJMiller: @rollcall will the #GOP primary in #VASen be plurality or majority? (Too many candidates may split anti-Allen vote)
.@JulianJMiller Simple majority, which is one reason George Allen team wanted primary not convention. ^@singernews
Q3! From inside the newsroom. You wrote about https://roll.cl/hakHf9 trendy Buy American push recently, did it pass?
.@rollcall No/was out of order during CR debate. Just watch, it’ll be back. Congress <3’s Buy American, can’t do much ’bout it ^@singernews
Q4! MT @song1964 Same Sex couples recognized by foreign diplomats/yet US citizens can’t sponsor foreign born spouses.
.@song1964 In other odd consequences, House tried to recognize gay marriages 4 financial disclosure https://roll.cl/gjmh8Y ^@singernews
.@song1964 Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. ^@singernews
Q5! You did this Capitol Hill Money Map showing where the checks from big donors are sent: https://roll.cl/dLmJr8 What does it show us?
.@rollcall You see the places Members go to make fundraising calls, turns out Cap Hill is a warren of dialing for dollars dens ^@singernews
Q6! RT @nathanlgonzales: @rollcall @singernews What is the quickest way for a Member to become the subject of an Ethics investigation?
.@nathanlgonzales Short of sleeping w/ staff, paying family members always gets attention. Sadly almost no one gets in trouble ^@singernews
Q7! Will ex-Rep. Chris Lee face any sort of investigation?
.@rollcall No, Congress loses authority when you quit. That’s why now-Gov Deal wasn’t fully investigated https://roll.cl/gAk3ir ^@singernews
.@fairdoc No, raising money is generally job one for Members. This is why people argue for public financing. ^@singernews
Q9! MT @edmondesq: What is RC doing to let folks outside beltway know how amazing & informative you are? Everybody in DC tracks RC
.@edmondesq Shucks, thanks. We are trying to reach more people, tweeting, etc., + more exciting things coming soon ^@singernews
Q10! MT @jashsf: @rollcall @singernews you’d think @darrellissa would investigate that instead. (re: members rarely in trouble)
.@jashsf Issa’s committee mostly focused on executive branch (run by Dems), not Congress. ^@singernews
Thanks so much to @singernews for our 6th Twitter Q&A — transcript to be posted later. @congressorg reporter @ambreenali will be next wk
(Editor’s note: We’re actually going to reschedule Ambreen Ali for next week and host the award-winning CQ Roll Call photo department this Thursday instead. Stay tuned for details.)
Follow @rollcall on Twitter and follow our staff list for the full complement of reporters and editors.
Read our previous Twitter Q&A transcripts with Steven T. Dennis here, Jennifer Bendery here, Steve Peoples here, John Stanton here and Stu Rothenberg here.