Category Archives: campaign finance

“New Washington campaign-finance law targets ‘gray money’ PACs”

May 20, 2019, 7:40 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Seattle Times: For example, Conscience of the Progressives is actually funded by conservatives and last year sent election mailers to aid Republicans in swing-district legislative races. It is funded almost wholly by another PAC named Send A Message, whose… Continue reading

“U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Let Businesses Donate to Candidates”

May 20, 2019, 7:08 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Bloomberg: The U.S. Supreme Court declined an opportunity to give businesses broader rights to contribute money to political candidates and causes.The justices, without comment Monday, refused to question a Massachusetts law that bars for-profit corporations from making campaign donations.

“9th Circuit rejects challenge to foreign-donation ban”

May 16, 2019, 9:04 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Politico: A federal appeals court has rejected a legal challenge to Congress’ ban on most foreign nationals donating to state and local election campaigns.The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban Thursday, saying that a “summary” Supreme Court… Continue reading

“Don’t Rebrand Corruption”

May 16, 2019, 10:28 ambribery, campaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy blogs.

“FEC lawyers find evidence of illegal campaign contributions by Boston’s Thornton law firm, but commissioners dismiss complaint anyway”

May 15, 2019, 7:30 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Boston Globe: Lawyers at the Federal Election Commission found that Boston’s Thornton Law firm likely used a phony program to repay partners for political donations, but the case was dismissed after commissioners deadlocked on whether to pursue it.FEC staff lawyers… Continue reading

“Grasswho? Members raised hundreds of thousands, almost none from small donors”

May 15, 2019, 3:12 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Roll Call: Democrats have long touted the importance of raising small amounts of money from a large number of donors as a sign of political strength on the campaign trail and in Congress.But recent campaign finance disclosures show some lawmakers… Continue reading

“Why candidates should embrace public campaign finance system”

May 14, 2019, 7:54 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Paul Smith oped in The Hill.

Breaking: DC Circuit Denies En Banc Consideration in Crew v. FEC Case, Essentially Giving Republican Commissioners Unfettered Ability to Block All Campaign Finance Enforcement Matters with No Judicial Review of the Decision

May 14, 2019, 8:37 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Huge decision not to take the case en banc today. Under the ruling, if the FEC deadlocks (typically along party lines) on an enforcement matter and those blocking enforcement claim “prosecutorial discretion,” there can be no meaningful judicial review of… Continue reading

“Bernie Sanders, a Front-Runner With Financing to Prove It, Struggles to Retain Outsider Status; The candidate who blasted the campaign-finance system as ‘corrupt’ has drawn support from outside groups with few restrictions and undisclosed donors

May 14, 2019, 7:18 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WSJ reports.

“Ex-Fugees rapper charged in campaign finance conspiracy case”

May 11, 2019, 8:23 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

AP: One of the founding members of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees has been charged in a campaign finance conspiracy that took place during the 2012 presidential election, the Justice Department said Friday.A four-count indictment accuses Prakazrel “Pras”… Continue reading

“Feds open foreign-money investigation into Trump donor Cindy Yang”

May 10, 2019, 7:39 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Miami Herald: The FBI has opened a public corruption investigation into Republican donor and South Florida massage-parlor entrepreneur Li “Cindy” Yang, focusing on whether she illegally funneled money from China into the president’s re-election effort or committed other… Continue reading

“South Dakota Out-of-State Donor Ban Ruled Unconstitutional”

May 9, 2019, 2:36 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Release via email: A federal judge has ruled unconstitutional South Dakota Initiated Measure 24, a state law which would have banned Americans from other states from contributing to ballot measure campaigns in South Dakota. The Institute for Free Speech and… Continue reading

“Federal Election Commission Lays Bare Internal Conflicts and Challenges in Letters to Congress”

May 9, 2019, 2:33 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

CPI: The Federal Election Commission’s four leaders are offering lawmakers clashing perspectives on the agency’s very purpose.The FEC’s greatest challenge to fulfilling its mission is a misperception that “adherence to the rule of law and sensitivity to Americans’ First… Continue reading