Category Archives: campaign finance

“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

Lessig: “Mick Mulvaney shows why we need to radically change our elections”

April 30, 2018, 10:16 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Larry Lessig WaPo oped.

Indiana: “Rokita, Messer deny wrongdoing in possible straw donor scheme”

April 27, 2018, 8:12 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

IndyStar: Three Indiana members of Congress gave and received money from Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci in what experts said may have been an improper straw donor scheme — including two Indiana congressmen running for the U.S. Senate. The Senate candidates,… Continue reading

Don Blankenship Refuses to Disclose Finances in Connection with Senate Run in West Va., Gets Attacked by McConnell Super PAC

April 25, 2018, 7:29 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Mr. Blankenship offers no apology for his many contradictions and personal and business decisions, some of them previously undisclosed. Though he lives a baronial lifestyle thanks to a fortune built on coal scratched from West Virginia’s mountains, he says… Continue reading

Mick Mulaney Sold Access to Lobbyists as a Member of Congress (But Don’t Worry Because That’s Not Corruption According to Justice Kennedy)

April 24, 2018, 5:42 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT: Mick Mulvaney, the interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, told banking industry executives and lobbyists on Tuesday that they should increase their campaign donations to influence lawmakers, revealing that he would meet only with lobbyists who contributed… Continue reading

FEC Commissioner Weintraub Says It Is Time to “Pull the Fire Alarm” and Have Complainants Bypass the FEC and Go to Court

April 19, 2018, 4:11 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Statement from Commissioner Weintraub: Fire alarms are sometimes housed in boxes labeled “Break glass in case of emergency.” The Federal Election Campaign Act has such a box; it’s the provision that allows complainants to sue respondents directly when the Federal… Continue reading

“Rick Scott Super PAC Donations Challenge Federal Anti-Corruption Rule”

April 19, 2018, 11:32 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Capital and Main: A super PAC led by Florida Gov. Rick Scott raked in donations from two private equity executives after Scott’s administration directed lucrative state pension investments to their firms, according to government records reviewed by MapLight and Capital… Continue reading

En Banc 5th Circuit, on a Vote of 12-2, with One of Trump’s Appointees Issuing a Blistering Dissent, Denies Rehearing to Consider Challenge to Austin’s $350 Contribution Limit

April 19, 2018, 7:51 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Via How Appealing comes news of this vote to deny rehearing en banc in Zimmerman v. City of Austin. The vote is not all that surprising given that since Randall v. Sorrell, courts generally have not struck down campaign finance… Continue reading

“The Changing Story of the NRA and Russia”

April 19, 2018, 7:36 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Must-read Ciara Torres-Spelliscy: Ultimately, an entity with subpoena power can resolve the mystery of whether any substantial money from Russia was funneled through the NRA in 2016. That will require more than polite inquiries from the Senator from Oregon. It… Continue reading