>> Despite history of selling lead-tainted toys, Mattel’s given an exemption from independent lead testing. Yep, Mattel’s one of the companies that basically prompted the government to enact a new law requiring independent lead testing for children’s toys.

Eco baby clothing companies and handcrafted toymakers that never sold lead tainted toys say the hundreds to thousands they’ll need to shell out to comply with the law could drive them out of business — but Mattel’s scored a government exemption and will be testing its own toys, keeping things cheap.

“It’s really ironic that the company that was a principal source of the problem” is now getting favorable treatment from the government, said Michael Green, executive director of the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland.

>> Money Near Votes shows exactly how much lobbyist are sending lawmakers — right around a crucial vote. The site, launched by MAPLight.org, shows how bank lobbyists shelled out $271,000 around a vote on a credit card reform measure. Wired’s Threat Level notes:

Often contributions come the day before, the day of, or one day after a crucial vote…. And donations from people for and against the bill track very cleanly with the lawmakers’ votes — i.e., the lawmakers tended to vote for the side that contributed the most to them; or, contributors favored the politicians they expected would vote their way.

Here’s a video that shows how Money Near Votes works.

Photo by cursedthing

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