“America’s Top 100 Donors Heavily Favor Trump and the Republicans”
Mother Jones parses the most recent campaign finance data.
Politico has thoughts (“Wall Street Titans Shake Off Qualms and Embrace Trump”), which Anthony Scaramucci echoes.
Category Archives: campaign finance
“$800,000 wire transfer from billionaire donor to US Chamber raises curtain on dark money”
The lede in The Hill:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce received an $800,000 wire transfer from billionaire donor Hank Meijer days after it endorsed his son, then-Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), in a contentious 2022 primary, according to previously unreported internal… Continue reading
“Fake Donations Helped a Candidate Get $162,000 From Taxpayers”
The N.Y. Times with the report on matching funds in a state Assembly race that’s something of an outlier:
The report also contrasts the state system with the city’s system:
For years, government watchdogs had urged state leaders to adopt… Continue reading
“With a Democrat’s Help, the F.E.C. Goes From Deadlock to Deregulation”
There’s a lot to drive discussion in this NYT piece on the FEC and Commissioner Lindenbaum’s role in a recent series of votes. (Disclosure: I was serving at the White House when Commissioner Lindenbaum was nominated.)
I haven’t had the… Continue reading
“Second Circuit Holds No Special Standard for Charging Campaign Contributions As Bribes”
Paul Tuchmann explores the First Amendment implications of the 2d Circuit’s March decision in US v. Benjamin, about the indictment of the former Lieutenant Governor for an alleged deal to “funnel state money to a now-deceased developer in exchange for… Continue reading
“Missouri Ethics Commission finally has a quorum — but still can’t meet or take action”
They’ve finally got four out of six appointees, but only three of them can meet.
“Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted gifts worth millions of dollars over 20 years, analysis finds”
Analysis from Fix the Court says it adds up to $2.4 million between 2004 and 2023. Which CNBC has helpfully put into a bar chart.
“Trump raises millions in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills in post-conviction appearances”
The LA Times reports on the former President’s fundraising since the verdicts were announced.
North Carolina: “Surprise GOP campaign finance law proposal prompts walkout by Democratic senators”
NC Newsline:
in a surprise move that caught most Legislative Building watchers off-guard, Republican lawmakers unveiled legislation on Thursday that would make significant changes to state campaign finance law. The sudden move prompted all 20 Senate Democrats to walk out… Continue reading
“The $64 million mystery: How a wave of anonymous donations is fueling the 2024 presidential campaign”
Daniel Klaidman for CBS News:
Washington hates a secret.
Yet in the summer of 2020, when a blandly named entity called the Impetus Fund received a $64 million donation from a single anonymous source, it touched off a guessing game… Continue reading
“How a Drop in Small-Dollar Donations Is Shaking Up Both Parties”
NOTUS:
In a stark reversal from recent political history, both parties have seen a significant decline this election cycle in the small-dollar contributions they harvest via text and email, largely from rank-and-file voters of modest means. Gone are the days… Continue reading
“Courting Risk: Corporate Underwrites & State Attorneys General”
New report from CPA.
From the foreword by Jacob Hacker & Paul Pierson:
Political spending to support controversial policies and leaders thrives in darkness. And no spending has defied necessary scrutiny more than the bigger and bigger donations that public… Continue reading
“Likely Trump Hush Money Appeal Could Center on New York Election Law Theory”
National Law Journal:
Erica Hashimoto, who directs the Georgetown Law Appellate Litigation Program, said Trump’s appellate lawyers could challenge the three “unlawful means” that the jury was told to consider. These three are violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act,… Continue reading
“Trump’s Campaign Donor Website Crashes After Guilty Verdict”
NYT:
WinRed, the payment processor for Republican campaign donations, crashed after former President Donald J. Trump’s felony conviction, a technical issue that his campaign attributed to the number of people trying to donate in the immediate aftermath of the verdict.… Continue reading