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Enter the programmer: Lobbying, money and data
California's state Capitol in Sacramento, home of the goverrnor's office and Legislature (Photo: Shutterstock)A huge piece of political spending involves the payments by well-heeled interest groups to lobbyists – there are about 1,800 lobbyists registered in California — who represent their clients before the Legislature and state government. In 2017, these groups spent about $339 million. Dave Middleton, a local programmer and former political operative has created what he says will be a useful, open-source tool to help researchers and journalists to follow the money.