Category Archives: campaign finance

“Nestled in House Spending Bill: Campaign Finance Deregulation”

September 10, 2017, 12:26 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ: The inclusion of the deregulatory measures in the spending package is prompting pushback from campaign-finance watchdogs, who worry they may ultimately become law. If they do, churches may be able to contribute to candidates without fear of losing their… Continue reading

“I Ran Digital For A 2016 Presidential Campaign. Here’s What Russia Might Have Got For $100,000”

September 9, 2017, 12:19 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Kevin Bingle: One common response to the news that a Kremlin-linked online operation in Russia bought $100,000 worth of Facebook ads during the 2016 election campaign has been that the money is a drop in the bucket relative to the… Continue reading

“Will Donald Trump let the Federal Election Commission rot?”

September 8, 2017, 10:03 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Dave Levinthal for CPI.

“Russian Facebook Political Ad Buys During 2016 Election Draw DOJ & FEC Complaints”

September 8, 2017, 9:50 amcampaign finance, chicanery, Department of Justice, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Release: Today Common Cause filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that one or more unknown foreign nationals made expenditures, independent expenditures or disbursements in connection with the 2016 presidential… Continue reading

“Russia’s Facebook Ads Could Spell Trouble for Any American Who Lent a Hand”

September 8, 2017, 7:38 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Brendan Fischer blogs.

“FEC Might Act on Russia-Linked Facebook Political Ads: Official”

September 7, 2017, 9:26 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicanery, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: The revelation that Russian sources financed political ads on Facebook in the 2016 presidential campaign could prompt enforcement action by the Federal Election Commission, agency Vice Chairwoman Caroline Hunter said. “It’s something we can and should deal with… Continue reading

“Did Facebook ads traced to a Russian company violate U.S. election law?”

September 7, 2017, 2:14 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Matea Gold for WaPo.

Trump Jr. Appears to Acknowledge He Knew Meeting with Russians to Get “Dirt” on Clinton Raised Legal Questions

September 7, 2017, 8:42 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Donald Trump Jr. told Senate investigators on Thursday that he set up a June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer because he was intrigued that she might have damaging information about Hillary Clinton, saying it was important to learn… Continue reading

“NYC Campaign Program Boosts Importance of Small Donors”

September 7, 2017, 7:14 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ report.

“Facebook says it sold political ads to Russian company during 2016 election”

September 6, 2017, 1:10 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WaPo: Representatives of Facebook told congressional investigators Wednesday that it has discovered it sold ads during the U.S. presidential election to a shadowy Russian company seeking to target voters, according to several people familiar with the company’s findings. Facebook officials… Continue reading

“Liberty, Equality, Bribery, and Self-Government: Reframing the Campaign Finance Debate”

September 4, 2017, 10:35 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Deborah Hellman has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Democracy by the People: Reforming Campaign Finance in America (Kuhner & Mazo eds., Cambridge UP, 2018). Here is the abstract: Campaign finance law is often framed as a tension between liberty… Continue reading

Kid Rock to Common Cause: “Go F___ Yourselves”

September 2, 2017, 6:09 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Billboard: Watchdog group Common Cause has filed a complaint against Kid Rock‘s future Senate run with the Federal Election Commission and Department of Justice. In the complaint, the group urges attorney general Jeff Sessions and deputy attorney general Rod… Continue reading

Three on Campaign Finance from the Center for Public Integrity

August 31, 2017, 6:41 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

1.) Democrats say ‘Citizens United’ should die. Here’s why that won’t happen. — By Sarah Kleiner 2.) Statehouses, not Congress, hosting biggest political money fights — By Ashley Balcerzak 3.) Campaign regulation foes targeting state-level restrictions — By Ashley Balcerzak

“Former Walker Aide, Target in John Doe Probe, Loses Seventh Circuit Appeal”

August 30, 2017, 8:18 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

WisBar News: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has ruled that Cynthia Archer, a former aide to Gov. Scott Walker, cannot pursue claims against six Milwaukee prosecutors and investigators who targeted her in a John Doe probe.… Continue reading