Category Archives: campaign finance

Kim, “Restoring Public Trust in Elections: An Empirical Study of How Campaign Finance Reform Can Restore Public Trust in Elections”

June 8, 2025, 9:03 amcampaign financeDerek Muller

New publication from Matthew D. Kim in the Texas A&M Law Review: The American public has become deeply distrustful of elections. This distrust is partly due to Supreme Court decisions curtailing campaign finance restrictions, on First Amendment grounds, to… Continue reading

“Trump says Elon Musk will face ‘very serious consequences’ if he funds Democratic candidates”

June 7, 2025, 11:31 amauthoritarian threats in US, campaign financeRick Hasen

NBC News: President Donald Trump on Saturday said there would be “serious consequences” if tech mogul Elon Musk funds Democratic candidates to run against Republicans who vote in favor of the GOP’s sweeping budget bill. “If he does, he’ll have… Continue reading

“A Super PAC Is Encroaching on the DCCC’s Territory”

June 6, 2025, 8:20 amcampaign finance, campaignsDerek Muller

NOTUS: A super PAC with close ties to House Democratic leadership is taking a more active role with House candidates ahead of next year’s elections, expanding its political operation into the realm traditionally occupied by the Democratic Congressional Campaign… Continue reading

Elon Musk, GOP, and the challenges of Super PACs

June 4, 2025, 8:29 amcampaign financeDerek Muller

And a reason why political parties are trying to get more control of campaigns. From Politico: The top two congressional Republicans rebutted Elon Musk’s criticism of their “big, beautiful bill” Wednesday as the tech mogul and former Trump… Continue reading

“Judge tosses Democratic Party challenge to Trump order’s impact on FEC”

June 4, 2025, 3:59 amcampaign finance, campaigns, federal election commissionDerek Muller

Politico: A federal judge has dismissed a Democratic Party lawsuit claiming an executive order issued by President Donald Trump was intruding on the independence of the Federal Election Commission. In a ruling Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali… Continue reading

“Some of Trump’s Biggest Inaugural Donors Benefit From Early Government Actions”

June 4, 2025, 3:47 amcampaign financeDerek Muller

Wall Street Journal: The biggest contributor to President Trump’s inauguration was chicken processor Pilgrim’s Pride, which gave $5 million. In April, its Brazilian parent company, JBS, received government approval for a U.S. stock listing that it had long sought. … Continue reading

“Judicial Candidates Try TikTok and Tinder in Mexico’s Sprawling Elections”

May 31, 2025, 11:10 amcampaign finance, campaigns, cheap speech, judicial electionsJustin Levitt

I mentioned Mexico’s historic upcoming judicial elections a few days ago, but hadn’t then focused on the campaign finance regime. Now the NYT digs a little deeper: They weren’t allowed to buy ads on television, radio, billboards or… Continue reading

“Trump’s flurry of pardons include some to campaign contributors”

May 30, 2025, 11:09 amcampaign finance, ethics investigationspardons, political corruptionJustin Levitt

An ABC analysis: Of Trump’s 60 pardons or commutations unrelated to Jan. 6, about one in five of them have gone to those who have some sort of financial or political connection to him. Here is a list of… Continue reading

“Cuomo Loses Another $675,000 Over Suspected Super PAC Coordination”

May 30, 2025, 11:08 amcampaign financecoordinationJustin Levitt

The NYT reports on the NYC campaign finance board’s decision, which turns on “redboxing” – the practice of campaigns issuing public documents that sure look like very-thinly-veiled instructions to SuperPAC allies, in an attempt to skirt local prohibitions on… Continue reading

Democratic Party, in Marc Elias Brief, Seeks to Intervene in NRSC Case at Supreme Court to Defend Limits on Coordinated Spending by Parties

May 30, 2025, 11:07 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Well this is a very interesting development in the case I’ve been tracking closely and expect the Supreme Court to hear, especially given that Marc Elias has not been one to generally defend campaign finance limits applied to political parties.… Continue reading

“Watchdog links Florida Dem to more potential House rules violations”

May 30, 2025, 11:06 amcampaign finance, ethics investigationsJustin Levitt

From Politico: A congressional watchdog office has found reason to believe that Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick requested community project funding, also known as earmarks, on behalf of a for-profit entity — a potential violation of House rules. The findings of… Continue reading

“Proposed budget would kill independent elections commission”

May 30, 2025, 11:05 amcampaign finance, political partiesJustin Levitt

The Blade reports on a proposed Ohio state budget to eliminate the bipartisan commission enforcing state campaign finance law, which would leave the secretary of state’s office with statewide enforcement authority and the ability to break ties on county enforcement… Continue reading

“Trump pardons ‘humbled’ John G. Rowland, former CT governor”

May 29, 2025, 12:45 pmcampaign finance, ethics investigationspardons, Pay-to-Play, political corruption, public corruptionJustin Levitt

An excerpt from the CT Mirror about a governor convicted of corruption and campaign finance charges: John G. Rowland, the thrice-elected and twice-convicted former Republican governor of Connecticut, said he was “humbled and appreciative” Wednesday after learning he was the… Continue reading