Category Archives: campaign finance

“Judge says ex-Congressman Bob Beauprez’s group must pay $17,000 in campaign finance fines”

April 27, 2017, 9:36 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Colorado Independent: Former Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, who ran for governor in 2014, should have registered a nonprofit as a political committee, a judge ruled. The decision came in response to a dark-money lawsuit filed by Matt Arnold, a… Continue reading

“Schock wants campaign finance charges dropped”

April 27, 2017, 9:34 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

The Hill: Former Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), who has been indicted on two-dozen fraud-related charges, wants a federal court to dismiss five counts on the falsifying of campaign finance records. His lawyers at McGuireWoods argue that the charges infringe on… Continue reading

“Should ‘Dark’ Money Power the Resistance to Trump?”

April 27, 2017, 1:46 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Eliza Newlin Carney for TAP: Watchdogs have faulted the IRS for failing to put the brakes on political spending by tax-exempt groups, which operate outside the disclosure rules. Technically, 501(c)(4) social welfare groups may not focus on politics as their… Continue reading

“Klobuchar & Hirono Probe Thapar on Money in Politics”

April 27, 2017, 7:10 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

PAW: One of the several concerns that have been raised about Sixth Circuit nominee Amul Thapar centers on a case in which he used a severely flawed First Amendment analysis to strike down Kentucky’s ban on state judicial candidates contributing… Continue reading

Millions Spent on Soda Tax Fight in Santa Fe, NM

April 26, 2017, 8:53 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Albuquerque Journal: Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made a $400,000 cash donation to the political committee supporting the proposed tax on sugary beverages in Santa Fe, bringing his investment in the effort to more than $1.13 million.… Continue reading

Free Speech for People, Prof John Coates File Complaint Against CITGO Contributions to Trump Inaugural Committee

April 26, 2017, 7:56 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Watchdog group Free Speech For People, joined by Harvard Law Professor John Coates, just filed an FEC complaint against Citgo and the Trump inaugural committee alleging that federal law prohibits “foreign nationals” from donating to presidential inaugural committees. Read the … Continue reading

TrackYourCompany.Org

April 26, 2017, 7:52 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Interesting new tool from the Center for Political Accountability: a corporate political spending database.

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Alabama Campaign Finance Case

April 24, 2017, 6:59 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Today without noted dissent the Supreme Court denied cert. in Alabama Democratic Conference v. Marshall, a First Amendment campaign finance challenge to Alabama law brought by Democrats (unusual these days). The cert petition (signed by Bob Bauer, Rick Pildes,… Continue reading

“‘Dark money’ vs. corporate cash: Democratic rivals clash over funding”

April 21, 2017, 7:39 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo on the Va governor’s race.

On Party Line Vote, FEC Rejects Continued Exemption from Disclosure for Socialist Workers Party

April 20, 2017, 9:18 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

The Supreme Court has long recognized that a group facing a realistic threat of harassment for revealing its donors or vendors has a First Amendment right to exemption from generally applicable campaign finance laws. The case establishing this principle, Bro… Continue reading

“Trump Inaugural Drew Big Dollars From Donors With Vested Interests”

April 20, 2017, 7:40 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT: The casino magnate and philanthropist Sheldon G. Adelson wants some big things from the Trump administration: banning the online poker sites that compete with his luxury casinos, for example, and moving the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.… Continue reading

“Investors To Seek Political Spending Disclosure in U.S. Proxy Season”

April 20, 2017, 7:26 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ reports.

“Sheldon Adelson Gave $5 Million for Trump’s Inauguration”

April 19, 2017, 8:02 amcampaign finance, Plutocrats UnitedRick Hasen

NYT: Sheldon G. Adelson, the casino magnate and stalwart Republican donor, gave $5 million to support the festivities surrounding President Trump’s inauguration. The gift was the largest single contribution ever given to an inauguration, but far from the only… Continue reading