Category Archives: campaign finance

“Alaska campaign finance commission erases all limits on donations to political candidates”

March 4, 2022, 8:15 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Anchorage Daily News: The commission charged with enforcing Alaska’s campaign finance laws has lifted all limits on donations to candidates for governor, state legislative seats and municipal races — a decision that could allow a huge wave of cash… Continue reading

“The Federal Election Commission let Trump off the hook for allegedly using $2.8 million in charitable donations to veterans for political purposes”

February 24, 2022, 1:53 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Insider: The Federal Election Commission is letting former President Donald Trump off the hook even after the body’s legal counsel said he violated federal campaign finance laws with a fundraiser for Iowa veterans in 2016, according to documents … Continue reading

“These companies stopped campaign donations to election objectors. Their lobbyists did not.”

February 15, 2022, 6:45 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Politico: In the weeks following last year’s riot at the U.S. Capitol, Amazon suspended all campaign donations to the 147 Republicans who objected to certifying the election that day, calling their behavior “unacceptable.”Six months later, Amazon lobbyists began doling… Continue reading

“Democrats Decried Dark Money. Then They Won With It in 2020.”

January 29, 2022, 11:07 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT: Spurred by opposition to then-President Trump, donors and operatives allied with the Democratic Party embraced dark money with fresh zeal, pulling even with and, by some measures, surpassing Republicans in 2020 spending, according to a New York Times… Continue reading

Justice Breyer’s Most Significant Election Law Opinion

January 26, 2022, 10:40 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

With Justice Stephen Breyer’s upcoming retirement from the Supreme Court, it seems appropriate to offer some words about his legacy in the area of election law. Here is an initial post, and I suspect other ELB contributors will weigh in.… Continue reading

“Former Pa. Treasurer Barbara Hafer’s PAC collected $2.3 million from investments, paid daughter $500K since she left office”

January 26, 2022, 6:41 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Nice work if you can get it dep’t: In the 17 years since Barbara Hafer served in elected office, she’s all but disappeared from Pennsylvania politics.A Republican elected four times to statewide office, she was never again on a ballot… Continue reading

“Supreme Court Seems Ready to Back Ted Cruz in Campaign Finance Case”

January 20, 2022, 10:08 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Adam Liptak for the NYT: The Supreme Court seemed ready on Wednesday to side with a challenge to a federal campaign finance law brought by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, in what would be the latest in a… Continue reading

Federal District Court, Reconsidering Earlier Order, Dismisses Complaint that FEC Failed to Go After Jeb Bush for Illegally Coordinating with His Super PAC

December 31, 2021, 12:00 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

The court has held that the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 did not have standing to bring the complaint. The court’s earlier opinion explained the stakes: While Jeb Bush’s unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign may seem like a footnote in… Continue reading

“Convicted former top KY Democrat makes a case for U.S. Supreme Court consideration”

December 30, 2021, 11:49 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Kentucky.com: A month after he reported to prison, prominent Kentucky businessman and former Kentucky Democratic Party chief Jerry Lundergan has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider overturning his conviction for illegally funneling $200,000 to his daughter’s political… Continue reading

A Worrisome Run to Get the Supreme Court to Overturn the Ban on Corporate Campaign Contributions to Candidates, This One from a Leading Supreme Court Litigator Involving the Father of a Former Ky Democratic Secretary of State

December 28, 2021, 4:23 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the ban on corporate contribution limits in the 2003 case, FEC v. Beaumont. And in Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court noted that there is still a risk of corruption when contributions are… Continue reading

“Ted Cruz has never recouped more than $500,000 he loaned his first campaign. He’s working to overturn the law that’s blocked him.”

December 14, 2021, 1:03 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Texas Tribune: Locked in an expensive Republican primary for U.S. senator against a wealthy, better-known opponent, Ted Cruz loaned his campaign over $1 million in 2012.The cash helped him defeat Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff that… Continue reading

“Activists target corporate campaign cash in battle against voting restrictions”

December 13, 2021, 2:30 pmcampaign finance, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Kira Lerner: Members of the Defend Black Voters Coalition chose Detroit’s Huntington Center as their backdrop earlier this month when they issued a warning about the dangers of “voter suppression legislation” backed by Republican state lawmakers. The building… Continue reading

Lessig and Equal Citizens Group Make Another Run at Supreme Court, Arguing that States Can Limit Contributions to Super PACs Without Violating the First Amendment

December 2, 2021, 9:52 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Read the cert petition, with the following question presented: Petitioners are Alaskan citizens who challenged the Alaska Public Offices Commission’s (“APOC’s”) refusal to enforce Alaskan law regulating contributions to independent political action committees. APOC had defended its refusal on… Continue reading

“Dark Money Group Sought Trump Pardons”

December 1, 2021, 2:52 pmcampaign financeAlleged Campaign Finance ViolationsTabatha Abu El-Haj

Political Wire flags this story from the Daily Beast. “Former Trump acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker earned $400,000 last year by helping a conservative dark money group secure pardons from his former boss . . . Neither Whitaker nor the… Continue reading

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