“How the stampede for big money enabled Donald Trump’s rise”
This Matea Gold piece is spot-on and what I’ve been saying. The money story is the most underappreciated one of 2016.
Category Archives: campaign finance
Get Ready for the Supreme Court to Strike Down the Rest of McCain-Feingold, the Soft Money Ban
I just wrote about the latest Republican challenge to the McCain-Feingold soft money limits. The case is teed up to the Supreme Court:
No more Justice Scalia means that Court is likely evenly divided at best on the question. So… Continue reading
“Team Clinton sponsored 75 percent of TV ads in 2016 presidential race”
Republicans Appealing Soft Money Ruling to the Supreme Court
WaPo reports:
James Bopp Jr., the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs who sued the Federal Election Commission, said Monday that “we just believe they’re wrong, and we’re certainly appealing to the Supreme Court.”
Once an appeal is filed, Bopp… Continue reading
“Sixty billionaires and millionaires accounted for 57% of $370 million super PAC Spending”
WSJ on the most underreported story of the election season.
“10 Top Takeaways From 2016 When It Comes to Money in Politics”
David Donnelly blogs.
Federal Court Upholds Alaska Individual Contribution Limits, Aggregate Non-Resident Limit, and Aggregate Political Party Limits
Breaking: Three-Judge Court Rejects Challenge to McCain-Feingold Soft Money Issues, Teeing Up Issue for (New) Supreme Court
Back in August I wrote at NLJ about Republicans’ third attempt to overturn McCain-Feingold’s limits on how much political parties can raise from donors for election related advertising and other things. I wrote that if the Republicans would be successful… Continue reading
“Clinton’s super-sized fundraising machine pushes legal boundaries”
CPI:
Joint fundraising committees, often called “victory funds,” are not new in federal politics. Candidates routinely raise money through these collaborative operations that, by design, split the funds they collect among a number of beneficiaries, such as national and… Continue reading
“‘Super PACs’ Spend Freely as Control of New York Senate Hangs in Balance”
“Ohio GOP files election complaint against Democratic Party”
Cincinnati Enquirer:
The Ohio Republican Party has filed a complaint with federal election officials, claiming the Ohio Democratic Party sent mailers without required disclaimers to identify the source of the brochures or who paid for them.
The flyers, encouraging support… Continue reading
“Independent Spending in Senate Races over $500 Million”
Campaign Finance Institute:
With the Pennsylvania Senate race leading the way at over $113 million dollars in general election independent spending, all Senate races have combined for $532 million. This continues a trend over the previous two election cycles of… Continue reading
“Super PACs, ‘dark money’ groups eschew presidential race for Senate”
CPI reports.
In a striking departure from the 2012 election, super PACs and other non-candidate organizations have spent more on U.S. Senate races in July, August and September than on the presidential election, a new analysis shows.
The spending pattern… Continue reading
“How to fix Congress? Make representatives accountable to voters”
FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub for WaPo.