“Fifteen Years Later, Citizens United Defined the 2024 Election”
New analysis from the Brennan Center.
Category Archives: campaign finance
“Trump Inauguration, Awash in Cash, Runs Out of Perks for Big Donors”
NYT:
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inaugural committee is no longer selling tickets for major donors to attend his swearing-in and accompanying private events in Washington, according to five people briefed on the conversations.
The committee has raised over $170 million,… Continue reading
“Trump sentenced to penalty-free ‘unconditional discharge’ in hush money case”
NBC News:
The New York judge who presided over Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday sentenced the president-elect to an “unconditional discharge,” meaning he is now a convicted felon in the eyes of New York state law but will… Continue reading
“‘Dark Money’ Is Tainting Washington Think Tanks. A New Report Shows It’s Worse Than You Think.”
Politico:
Washington’s think-tank industry, which sets the terms of debate for so much of American policymaking, is floating on a sea of foreign-government and Pentagon-contractor dollars.
That’s the conclusion of a brand-new report out this morning and shared with me… Continue reading
Biden DOJ Asks SCOTUS for Chance to Give Up Defense of Laws Limiting Political Parties from Becoming Conduits for Large Campaign Contributions; Trump DOJ Will File Instead
See this letter from the Solicitor General requesting an extension of time into the Trump Administration to file a response to the cert. petition in the NRSC case. Here is what I wrote in an earlier post on this case… Continue reading
“How Elon Musk Has Planted Himself Almost Literally at Trump’s Doorstep; For much of the period since Election Day, the billionaire has been staying at a $2,000-a-night cottage at Mar-a-Lago, giving him easy access to the president-elect.”
NYT:
Elon Musk plays many roles with President-elect Donald J. Trump. He is Mr. Trump’s most important donor, most influential social media promoter and a key adviser on policy and personnel.
For most of the time since Election Day, he… Continue reading
“This Was the Year of the Influencer Political Takeover”
Wired:
After years of sitting on the sidelines, content creators became a part of the mainstream political media this year, delivering election news, analysis, and political commentary to their online fans—all while sidestepping the traditional press.
Eighty-one-year-old Joe Biden… Continue reading
“Here’s why business leaders are spending big on Trump’s inaugural committee”
CNBC:
Top CEOs and their companies are pledging to donate millions of dollars to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural committee, as they seek to get on his good side and make inroads before he takes office.
Some of the planned … Continue reading
Ninth Circuit, on 2-1 Vote, Holds Unconstitutional Campaign Contribution Limits in Oxnard, California Elections
The majority and dissent agreed to apply the Supreme Court’s Randall framework, but disagree on application.
Perhaps the Ninth Circuit will take up this case en banc, as it seems in tension with other circuit precedent.
“Online Ad Spending in the 2024 Election Topped $1.35 Billion”
New from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, OpenSecrets, and the Wesleyan Media Project.
Key findings:
Between January 1, 2023, and November 5, 2024, online political advertisers spent $1.35 billion to buy ads on Google and Meta.
More… Continue reading
“Campaign Finance: Observations on Public Financing Programs in Selected States and Localities”
New GAO report:
States and localities have generally implemented public campaign financing programs using one of three models: (1) grants—participating candidates receive lump-sum grants of public funds; (2) matching funds—participating candidates receive public funds matching certain private contributions they raise,… Continue reading
Anna Massoglia: “A New Chapter: Why I Am Leaving OpenSecrets – And What’s Next”
I’ve long been a huge fan of Anna Massoglia and her data work at Open Secrets.
With the contraction of Open Secrets, Anna is out on her own, including with the new Influence Brief.
Looking forward to seeing her… Continue reading
As Supreme Court Sets TikTok Case for Oral Argument, Senator McConnell, Champion of First Amendment in Citizens United, Files Amicus Brief Saying Government Can Shut Down Platform to stop “deployment of subversive enemy propaganda through algorithmic curation.”
Quite the amicus brief from the purportedly free-speech Senator McConnell.
The Supreme Court set a very expedited schedule for oral argument in the TikTok case (unlike its dilatory tactics in the Trump immunity case).
TikTok Goes to Supreme Court Seeking Emergency Order to Block Law Requiring Sale/Shutdown, Citing Rejection of the Antidistortion Interest in Campaign Finance Cases
You can find the filing here (via NBC News). The relevant discussion of the antidistortion interest is on pages 25-26. See my earlier post on the parallels to the campaign finance cases.
UPDATE: Here is the docket.