Category Archives: campaign finance

“Google sets new rules for U.S. election ads”

May 4, 2018, 8:00 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Axios: The gritty details: Under Google’s new rules, people or groups who want to advertise in elections will have to go through a process that includes producing a “government-issued ID” as well as other information, like a Federal Election Commission… Continue reading

“Another Trump Effect on Midterms: More Small Donor Money for Democrats”

May 4, 2018, 7:58 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT reports.

“The Legal Issues Raised by the Stormy Daniels Payment, Explained”

May 3, 2018, 5:06 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Charlie Savage and Ken Vogel for the NYT.

“Regulating Campaign Finance through Legislative Recusal Rules”

May 3, 2018, 4:19 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Gene Mazo has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Timothy K. Kuhner and Eugene D. Mazo (eds.), Democracy by the People: Reforming Campaign Finance in America). Here is the abstract: Each time reformers have sought to regulate campaign finance by… Continue reading

“Rudy Giuliani May Have Just Implicated President Trump In Serious Campaign Finance Violations”

May 2, 2018, 9:29 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: Donald Trump’s new lawyer Rudy Giuliani took to Sean Hannity’s Fox News program Wednesday night to defend the president from the ongoing Mueller investigation and to calm the waters for the… Continue reading

Giuliani Says Trump Repaid $130K Payment to Cohen for Stormy Daniels Agreement, Raising New Questions About Campaign Finance Violations

May 2, 2018, 7:18 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

I’m exploring them in this Twitter thread.

Breaking: Ninth Circuit Denies Rehearing En Banc in Montana Campaign Contributions Case, Teeing Up Issue for Possible Supreme Court Review

May 2, 2018, 12:32 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Back in October, I wrote the following: Post navigation In Major Victory in Case with National Significance, Ninth Circuit on 2-1 Vote Upholds Montana Contribution Limits; Judge Bea Would Appear to Hold *All* Limits Unconstitutional Posted on October 23, … Continue reading

“Secret Donors Lose Round as Court Expedites FEC Disclosure Case”

May 2, 2018, 7:35 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: The federal appeals court in Washington will quickly review whether to keep secret the identity of “John Doe” plaintiffs trying to prevent the Federal Election Commission from revealing their role in campaign spending. Briefing in the case, known… Continue reading

“Open-seat House hopefuls spend millions”

May 1, 2018, 7:45 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Open Secrets reports: The growing number of departures by House incumbents this cycle is leaving a Wild West of open-seat races, some of which feature deep-pocketed candidates elbowing for a two-year stint in Congress. The top self-funded candidates so far… Continue reading

“New Report on Impact of Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program on Candidates’ Ability to Rely on Constituents for Fundraising”

May 1, 2018, 1:51 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Release: Today, Free Speech For People released a new issue report on The Impact of Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program on Candidates’ Ability to Rely on Constituents for Fundraising. In 2015, Seattle voters enacted a novel democracy voucher program for… Continue reading

“A dubious anniversary for the Federal Election Commission”

April 30, 2018, 1:07 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

CPI: In separate interviews Thursday with the Center for Public Integrity, each of the four “holdover” commissioners — who may continue to serve until President Donald Trump and the U.S. Senate replace them — confirmed that they have no… Continue reading

“Trump campaign has paid portions of Michael Cohen’s legal fees: Sources”

April 30, 2018, 10:54 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

ABC News: The Trump campaign has spent nearly $228,000 to cover some of the legal expenses for President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, sources familiar with the payments tell ABC News, raising questions about whether the Trump campaign may… Continue reading

“Meet the little-known ‘big fish’ megadonor setting the tone for GOP primary races”

April 30, 2018, 10:32 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Behind just about every divisive Senate Republican primary this year, an amiable Midwestern businessman is bankrolling the candidate who claims to be the most hard-charging, anti-establishment conservative in the race. Richard Uihlein, a wealthy shipping-supplies magnate from Illinois who… Continue reading