Category Archives: campaign finance
“Freedom Caucus Member’s Book Slams Money-Obsessed Politicians”
Roll Call reports:
In his book, Buck writes: “Money rules in Washington.”
He recounts in detail the contributions that House Republicans are expected to forward to their campaign arm as dues to serve on congressional committees. Lesser committee spots,… Continue reading
Fewer Than 200 Ultra-Wealthy People Collectively Spent $1 Billion on 2016 Election
That tidbit and much more in Open Secrets tally of Election 2016:
That’s why we also looked at the top 1 percent of 1 percent of donors, a group of less than 200 people who spent almost $1 billion combined… Continue reading
In Surprise Move, Trump DOJ Defends McCain-Feingold’s Soft Money Limits at #SCOTUS
Via Bloomberg BNA, comes news of this motion to dismiss or affirm a challenge brought by the Republican Party of Louisiana to the soft money limits in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (the McCain-Feingold law). The Court upheld… Continue reading
“Political Parties and Candidates Dominated the 2016 House Elections While Holding Their Own in the Senate”
New CFI analysis:
Perhaps it is time to stop bemoaning the weakness of political parties in financing federal elections. The prevailing opinion is that since the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC, “outside groups” accepting unlimited contributions… Continue reading
Look at How Much Influence Super PAC Donors Have Over Even Very Rich Presidents
NYT:
Mr. Bannon’s allies have already begun discussing a post-White House future for him. On Friday, his main political patron, Rebekah Mercer, the daughter of Robert Mercer, a major Trump donor, holed up in her office at Cambridge Analytica in… Continue reading
“The Lost History of the Millionaire’s Amendment”
Katherine Shaw has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming Election Law Journal). Here is the abstract:
This piece excavates the history of the Millionaire’s Amendment, a short-lived provision of campaign finance law that played a significant role in Barack Obama’s… Continue reading
“Enter Justice Gorsuch. What now for campaign finance reform?”
NM: “Governor vetoes campaign finance reform”
New Mexico in Depth:
Gov. Susana Martinez, who has touted herself as a champion of transparency, on Friday vetoed a piece of legislation that would have required greater public disclosure by those who spend big money in New Mexico political… Continue reading
Chevron Corp., Private Prison Corporation Give Money to Super-PAC Running Islamophobic Ad Against Jon Ossoff
Good catch by Adam Smith.
More here on the ad tying the Democratic candidate in the GA special election to Osama bin Laden.
UPDATED: “Vermont’s campaign finance law survives legal challenge”
[updated and bumped to the top.]
AP:
Dean Corren, an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor, sued the state in Vermont’s federal district court for violating his First Amendment rights, alleging that a restriction on fundraising for publicly-financed candidates is… Continue reading
More Posts in Demos’ “Beyond Corruption” Symposium
“What Makes Sheldon Whitehouse Angry?”
Jeffrey Toobin:
Sheldon Whitehouse is a politician with a great name, a bad haircut, and a pissed-off attitude. The second-term Democratic junior senator from Rhode Island has built his career around two seemingly unrelated issues—climate change and money in politics—and… Continue reading
Judge Gorsuch Gives Dissatisfying Written Answer About Citizens United and Expenditures
During the hearings, I criticized an answer Judge Gorsuch gave to Senator Leahy which suggested there was ample room for Congress to regulate expenditures after Citizens United. Derek Muller pushed back a bit but conceded “Judge Gorsuch’s answer is… Continue reading