Category Archives: campaign finance

“Inside John Bolton Super PAC’s deal with Cambridge Analytica”

July 16, 2018, 6:26 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

CPI: John Bolton needed billionaire Robert Mercer’s attention and support — so badly, Bolton spent more than $1 million of his John Bolton Super PAC’s money on “comically bad” data from Mercer’s now-defunct voter profiling firm, Cambridge Analytica… Continue reading

“Donald Trump continues to build 2020 re-election war chest”

July 16, 2018, 5:16 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

CPI: “Trump’s campaign ended June with more than $33 million cash on hand — almost three times the size of its reserve from June 2017, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission.” Update: More on the… Continue reading

“Kavanaugh and Campaign Finance: Republican National Committee v. Federal Election Commission”

July 14, 2018, 9:46 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Charles Davis on SCOTUSBlog: Kavanaugh’s opinion showed hostility towards the Supreme Court’s views in McConnell. It questioned the theory that these [soft money] limits could be justified simply by the close connection between political parties and candidates or officeholders,… Continue reading

“The Mystery Firm That Became the NRA’s Top Election Consultant”

July 14, 2018, 9:41 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

Politico on the NRA’s payments to the consulting firm Starboard Strategic: It was not unusual for the NRA to spend large sums of cash in an election cycle. What was odd was where the money was going. Before 2013, Starboard… Continue reading

Judge Kavanaugh on Free Speech and Campaign Finance

July 12, 2018, 9:01 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Ken White writes that Judge Kavanaugh’s opinions “are consistent with the Supreme Court’s strong protection of free speech rights this century,” and that he has “voted to strike down campaign financing laws and regulations under the First Amendment.” Jonathan Adler… Continue reading

“Secret money funds more than 40% of outside congressional ads”

July 12, 2018, 8:37 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

USA Today on TV spending by groups that don’t disclose their donors in the current congressional election cycle.

“Five years ago, the FEC’s top lawyer resigned. No permanent replacement has yet been named.”

July 5, 2018, 7:22 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

CPI reports.

On Kavanaugh and Campaign Finance (and Allowing Foreign Interference in Our Elections): Methinks the Bopp Doth Protest Too Much

July 3, 2018, 5:09 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The National Law Journal has an interesting article on Jim Bopp sending a letter to President Trump and VP Pence arguing against Judge Brett Kavanaugh for SCOTUS on grounds that he’s not deregulatory enough when it comes to campaign finance… Continue reading

“When Political Spending and Core Values Conflict”

July 2, 2018, 3:16 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Bruce Freed blogs.

“How Justice Kennedy’s Successor Will Wreak Havoc on Voting Rights and American Democracy”

July 2, 2018, 11:34 amcampaign finance, Scalia, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement from the Supreme Court last week, was certainly the “swing justice” in key cases on major issues from abortion to gay rights. But when… Continue reading

“Supreme Court Defeat for Unions Upends a Liberal Money Base”

July 1, 2018, 8:41 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

NYT: The Supreme Court decision striking down mandatory union fees for government workers was not only a blow to unions. It will also hit hard at a vast network of groups dedicated to advancing liberal policies and candidates. Some of… Continue reading

Today’s Must-Read: Adam Liptak’s “How Conservatives Weaponized the First Amendment”

July 1, 2018, 8:22 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

NYT: On the final day of the Supreme Court term last week, Justice Elena Kagan sounded an alarm. The court’s five conservative members, citing the First Amendment, had just dealt public unions a devastating blow. The day before, the… Continue reading

“Will federal officials further regulate online political ads? Too soon to tell.”

June 28, 2018, 9:53 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, federal election commissionRick Hasen

CPI reports.

“Federal officials struggle to drag political ad rules into the internet age”

June 27, 2018, 7:41 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, federal election commissionRick Hasen

CPI: The American social media platforms Russian entities used to influence the 2016 presidential election are essentially attempting to regulate themselves, fearing a repeat during the 2018 midterms. Meanwhile, the federal government agency tasked with protecting U.S. elections from … Continue reading