Category Archives: campaign finance

“Will the Justice Department Investigate the Trump Foundation?”

June 17, 2018, 8:38 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT: Election law experts from across the political spectrum largely agreed that the New York attorney general made a compelling case this week that President Trump’s campaign and his charitable foundation violated federal campaign finance laws during the 2016 election.… Continue reading

Breaking: FEC Refuses to Act on Complaint Donald Trump Used Campaign Resources for Personal Use

June 15, 2018, 12:30 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Statement from dissenting FEC Commissioner Weintraub: Trump hotels, Trump steaks, Trump water, Trump golf courses, Trump wine. The Complaint in this matter cites to an unprecedented catalog of candidate-branded products and properties used along the 2016 campaign trail. According to… Continue reading

“Why the I.R.S. Should Go After Trump”

June 15, 2018, 11:54 amcampaign finance, campaigns, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Philip Hackney NYT oped: The New York State attorney general yesterday filed a lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation and its directors, accusing the charity and the Trump family of violating campaign finance laws, self-dealing and illegal coordination with… Continue reading

“The Curious Campaign Role of Donald Trump’s Foundation”

June 15, 2018, 11:35 amcampaign finance, campaigns, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy blogs.

D.C. Circuit, in 2-1 Votes, Makes It Much Harder to Challenge Decisions by Republican FEC Commissioners Not to Enforce Federal Campaign Finance Laws

June 15, 2018, 9:35 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

This opinion by Senior Judge Randolph, joined by Judge Kavanaugh is most unfortunate. As Judge Pillard suggests in her dissent, the opinion insulates FEC Commissioners’ refusal to enforce certain campaign finance laws from judicial review under the guise of “prosecutorial… Continue reading

Federal District Court Holds Colorado Law Allowing Private Individuals to File Campaign Finance Complaints Violates the First Amendment

June 12, 2018, 6:58 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

This opinion (by Obama appointee Raymond Moore) is perhaps the worst-written and reasoned election law opinion I’ve read from a federal court. I’m not saying the result is necessarily wrong (though my early thoughts are that it is). But much… Continue reading

“IRS revokes dark money group Americans for Job Security’s tax exempt status”

June 12, 2018, 11:29 amcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Big news from Issue One: This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it revoked the dark money group Americans for Job Security’s tax exempt status. The announcement followed a complaintfrom Issue One and the Campaign Legal Center… Continue reading

8th Circuit Holds Unconstitutional Missouri Law Requiring Political Committees Influencing Elections to Be Formed at Least 30 Days Before an Election

June 12, 2018, 10:27 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

This ruling makes sense to me: Assuming, without deciding, that this [anti-corruption] interest is compelling, the formation deadline is unconstitutional because it is not narrowly tailored. The formation deadline indiscriminately prohibits (or significantly burdens) speech by individuals or groups who… Continue reading

“Maine Democrats Focus on Campaign Finance in Congressional Primary”

June 11, 2018, 9:03 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ reports.

“Second member resigns from California campaign finance watchdog panel”

June 11, 2018, 9:01 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

LAT reports.

“Hidden Super-PAC Contributors Win Round as Court Upholds Secrecy”

June 11, 2018, 6:07 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: A federal court upheld the Federal Election Commission’s dismissal of disclosure charges involving two wealthy contributors who allegedly funneled $14 million to super-political action committees through obscure companies. The FEC’s three Republican commissioners, who voted to dismiss the… Continue reading

“Trump learns to love megadonors”

June 8, 2018, 8:08 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico reports.

“Missouri House drops effort to get documents from Greitens’ secretive nonprofit”

June 7, 2018, 8:04 amcampaign finance, chicanery, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

KC Star: The Missouri House has dropped its effort to enforce a subpoena demanding documents from former Gov. Eric Greitens’ secretive dark money nonprofit. Lawmakers had asked Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem to force Greitens’ nonprofit, called A… Continue reading

“Washington state sues Facebook, Google over political ads”

June 6, 2018, 7:21 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

CBS: Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson on Monday sued Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOG), saying the companies failed to maintain information about political advertising as required by state law. Washington law requires the companies to maintain… Continue reading