Category Archives: campaign finance

“Trump shares plans for new super PAC in Mar-a-Lago meeting”

February 26, 2021, 6:49 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico: President Donald Trump told political advisers Thursday that he’s chosen longtime ally Corey Lewandowski to run a yet-to-be-formed super PAC as part of his expanding post-presidential political apparatus, according to multiple people familiar with the discussion.The decision was… Continue reading

“Activist shareholders pressing companies to disclose more of their political activity after Capitol attack”

February 24, 2021, 6:42 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WaPo: A day after JPMorgan Chase announced it would freeze its political contributions in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the nation’s largest bank made an unpublicized move indicating it may not be eager to… Continue reading

“Secretary of State Weber Appoints Dr. Abby K. Wood to FPPC”

February 19, 2021, 7:38 amcampaign finance, election law bizRick Hasen

A great choice for the FPPC. Congrats Abby!

“Trump campaign enlisted influencer marketing firm”

February 18, 2021, 8:37 amcampaign finance, campaigns, cheap speechRick Hasen

Axios: In the second half of 2020, Donald Trump’s reelection campaign shelled out seven figures to an influencer marketing business linked to his White House’s former chief digital officer.Why it matters: The payments bought promotion from prominent conservative brands… Continue reading

“The Self-Destructive Downside to Corporate Political Spending; There are risks to the bottom line when a firm’s shadowy political donations run counter to its image of social responsibility”

February 3, 2021, 8:07 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Bill Snyder at Stanford Business.

“Trump’s Sleight of Hand: Shouting Fraud, Pocketing Donors’ Cash for Future”

February 2, 2021, 8:18 amcampaign finance, chicanery, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: Former President Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party leveraged false claims of voter fraud and promises to overturn the election to raise more than a quarter-billion dollars in November and December as hundreds of thousands of trusting supporters… Continue reading

“Trump raised $31.5 million in the weeks after Election Day for his new leadership PAC, filing shows”

January 31, 2021, 8:38 pmcampaign finance, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

WaPo: Former president Donald Trump’s new political action committee raised $31.5 million in the weeks after Election Day through a flurry of fundraising appeals purporting to fight election fraud and help Republicans maintain their majority in the Senate, new filings… Continue reading

“‘Dark Money’ Helped Pave Joe Biden’s Path to the White House”

January 25, 2021, 7:31 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Bloomberg: President Joe Biden benefited from a record-breaking amount of donations from anonymous donors to outside groups backing him, meaning the public will never have a full accounting of who helped him win the White House.Biden’s winning campaign was… Continue reading

“Shell companies and ‘dark money’ may hide details of Trump ties to DC protests”

January 22, 2021, 10:37 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Anna Massoglia for Open Secrets: Former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign aides played key roles orchestrating a rally protesting certification of President-elect Joe Biden‘s victory in the 2020 presidential election before hundreds of rioters breached the U.S.… Continue reading

“How the Capitol Riot Is Affecting Corporate Political Spending”

January 14, 2021, 6:57 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy blogs.

“How Sheldon Adelson’s Death Could Affect the G.O.P.’s Future”

January 13, 2021, 7:13 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: The death of Sheldon G. Adelson, the casino magnate who used his vast fortune to tip the balance of power in Washington over the last decade by helping Republicans take control of the House, the Senate and eventually… Continue reading

Sheldon Adelson, Probably the Biggest Individual Donor (with His Spouse) to Political Campaigns in American History, Has Died

January 12, 2021, 7:22 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

So reports the Las Vegas Review Journal. Condolences to his family. Adelson and his wife gave at least $218 million in contributions to federal candidates and committees just in the 2020 election cycle.

“Capitol Riot Prompts Some Big Banks and Companies to Pause Political Funding”

January 11, 2021, 7:50 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ: Two of the biggest U.S. banks and other corporations said they are pausing or reviewing their political action committee donations in the wake of last week’s riot at the Capitol.JPMorgan JPM -0.01% Chase & Co. and Citigroup… Continue reading

Breaking: Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case About Disclosure of Funders to Certain Nonprofit Organizations, With Implications That Could Lead Courts to Strike Some Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws

January 8, 2021, 3:48 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The Court’s order list is here. Here’s an earlier explanation from the Philanthropy Roundtable: For those following donor-privacy issues, there was an important development in the case known as Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Becerra in mid-December. The… Continue reading