Category Archives: campaign finance

Stetson Symposium: Can Corporations Be Good Citizens? How Corporate Law, Litigation, Lobbying and Money in Politics Intersect

March 1, 2017, 5:25 pmcampaign finance, lobbyingRick Hasen

The Stetson Law Review will be hosting a symposium on the intersection of election law and corporate law on Friday, March 24, 2017. Great line-up and live webcast!

Ethics, Money, & Politics Conference March 24 in St. Louis

March 1, 2017, 1:23 pmcampaign finance, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Looking forward to participating in this event put on by the Center for Ethics in Public Life at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

New Review of My Book, Plutocrats United, in the Law and Politics Book Review

February 28, 2017, 2:09 pmcampaign finance, Plutocrats United, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Here, by Alex Keena.

CCP Statement on Loss of Independence Institute Case

February 27, 2017, 11:39 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Release: The Supreme Court today affirmed without comment a ruling in the case Independence Institute v. Federal Election Commission, upholding the constitutionality of a campaign finance disclosure law. The Court’s order reflects agreement with the lower court’s result, but not… Continue reading

“Outside groups spent more than candidates in 27 races, often by huge amounts”

February 27, 2017, 7:22 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Open Secrets analysis.

Breaking: Without Noted Dissent, Supreme Court Affirms Lower Court Allowing Disclosure in Major Campaign Disclosure Case

February 27, 2017, 6:34 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Today the Supreme Court affirmed (that is, agreed the lower court was correct, although not necessarily on the reasoning) in Independence Institute v. FEC, a major case which could have called into question the effectiveness of federal and… Continue reading

“Political Road Map: If you think it’s time to rein in money in politics, look to Sacramento or to California’s voters”

February 26, 2017, 8:03 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

John Myers LAT column on Ann Ravel.

“Bob Bauer Agrees With Us About Commissioner Weintraub, But Doesn’t Want to Do Anything About It”

February 24, 2017, 6:35 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Cause of Action responds to Bob Bauer’s post on FEC Commissioner Weintraub.

“The Forty-Year War on Money in Politics: Watergate, FECA, and the Future of Campaign Finance Reform”

February 24, 2017, 6:22 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Tony Gaughan has posted this draft on SSRN (Ohio State Law Journal). Here is the abstract: This article examines the 40 year history of the post-Watergate campaign finance reforms. Since Watergate, federal campaign finance law has been based on a… Continue reading

“How Citizens United gave Republicans a bonanza of seats in U.S. state legislatures”

February 24, 2017, 6:16 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Nour Abdul-Razzak, Carlo Prato and Stéphane Wolton in the Monkey Cage: Our research focuses on state legislative elections because we can more easily isolate the effect of Citizens United compared with other factors that influence election outcomes at various… Continue reading

“Republican Election Commissioners Just Released Key Legal Documents—Nearly a Decade Too Late”

February 24, 2017, 10:59 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Andy Kroll for Mother Jones: A strange thing happened last week at the Federal Election Commission, the nation’s watchdog for campaigns and elections. On Friday evening, the FEC’s three Republican members quietly released a slew of missing legal memos related… Continue reading

“Judge Won’t Order FEC to Pursue Conservative Nonprofit”

February 23, 2017, 8:04 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: A federal judge has refused to order the Federal Election Commission to disclose information about or take further enforcement action against a nonprofit group that spent millions of dollars on ads opposing House Democrats in the 2010 elections.… Continue reading

“Seattle tries voucher system to reform campaign finance”

February 21, 2017, 10:34 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Marketplace reports.

“FEC’s Direction in Doubt After Ravel’s Departure”

February 21, 2017, 10:13 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: “I admit when I came here [to the FEC], I was naive,” Ravel said in the phone interview Feb. 21. In her first year at the FEC, Ravel said, she “crossed party lines” and voted with the three… Continue reading