Category Archives: campaign finance

“Corporate Political Spending: Policies and Practices, Accountability, and Disclosure (Second Edition)”

January 6, 2016, 7:59 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

New report from The Conference Board (free registration required to access): For corporations that choose to become involved in the political process, there should be a foundation of core principles, policies, and processes to help ensure a good governance structure… Continue reading

“Beyond Citizens United”

January 6, 2016, 7:29 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Nicholas Almendares and Catherine Hafer have posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Fordham Law Review). Here is the abstract: The doctrine announced in Citizens United rendered most efforts to regulate campaign financing unconstitutional. They will not be able to satisfy… Continue reading

Quote of the Day

January 5, 2016, 7:37 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

“I don’t think I can spend another day in another call room making another call begging for money…I always knew the system was dysfunctional. Now it is beyond broken.” –Rep. Steven Israel, announcing he won’t seek reelection to the House.

“FEC Drops Crossroads GPS Enforcement Cases”

January 5, 2016, 7:32 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: The Federal Election Commission dismissed two newly revealed enforcement cases that alleged the conservative nonprofit Crossroads GPS, linked to Republican political advisor Karl Rove, broke campaign finance laws by failing to report spending on campaign ads and collecting… Continue reading

“Watchdog accuses Bush of illegally conveying his intention to run”

January 5, 2016, 5:51 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Politico: A campaign watchdog is pouncing on Jeb Bush’s statement on Tuesday morning that he was “all in,” months before he formally announced his presidential campaign in June, saying it appears Bush may have violated multiple federal laws by… Continue reading

“Chris Christie’s 24-Hour Fix for Campaign Finance Woes”

January 5, 2016, 5:49 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WSJ’s Washington Wire reports.

“Do We Need a Constitutional Convention on Campaign Finance?” (Spoiler Alert: No!)

January 5, 2016, 12:52 pmcampaign finance, Plutocrats United, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have written this oped for the LA Times. It begins: Should the United States convene a constitutional convention to clean up the campaign finance mess created by the U.S. Supreme Court? My answer is absolutely not. That’s neither a… Continue reading

“Supreme Court, Meet Reality”

January 5, 2016, 12:37 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Larry Noble: Recently, it was reported that in an interview at Harvard Law School, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy commented that campaign finance disclosure is “not working the way it should.” Justice Kennedy’s statement provides an important insight into why… Continue reading

CA Secretary of State Urges Legislature to Pass Anti-Citizens United Measure

January 5, 2016, 12:35 pmcampaign finance, election administrationRick Hasen

This statement from CA SOS Alex Padilla seems inappropriate to me. Padilla is the person who counts the votes, not one who should take positions on ballot measures or candidates: Secretary of State Alex Padilla Statement on Proposition 49 Ruling… Continue reading

“California businessman pushes ballot measure for NASCAR-style disclosure”

January 5, 2016, 7:30 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Carla Marinucci for Politico: Business executive John Cox, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House and Senate in Illinois, has moved one step closer to placing an initiative on the ballot that would require state legislators to wear… Continue reading

“How Campaign Finance Reform Contributed to Polarization”

January 5, 2016, 7:28 amcampaign finance, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Seth Masket reviews LaRaja and Schaffner’s new book.

“Super PAC Donors Are Taking Charge; Unlike 2012, backers of Republican presidential candidates now seeking to keep a tighter grasp on their funds”

January 5, 2016, 7:04 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WSJ reports.

“Money Talks”

January 5, 2016, 7:03 amcampaign finance, Plutocrats United, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Glenn Altschuler reviews Plutocrats United at Huff Post Books: In Plutocrats United, Richard Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California, Irvine and the author of The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next… Continue reading