Ciara Torres-Spelliscy’s “Democracy & Destiny” Podcast, Episode 3, with Professor Rick Hasen WBAI version
Pleased to be a guest on Ciara’s show.
Category Archives: campaign finance
“Oregon Legislature abandons attempt to postpone campaign finance limits”
Oregon adopted campaign contribution limits in March 2024, and gave themselves a cushion until 2027 for implementation. Earlier this week, after the Secretary of State said he needed more time, there was a last-minute amendment to a bill that… Continue reading
“With $25 Million, Pro-Cuomo Super PAC Shatters Outside Spending Records”
The NYT reports on the largest super PAC in a NYC mayoral election. (So far.)
“Interviewing FEC Filings with llm-fecfile”
Data journalist Derek Willis has an interesting new tool:
Today I’m releasing a new Python command-line library that allows users to ask questions of federal campaign finance filings by leveraging large language models, with some built-in help. This project,… Continue reading
“Colorado has been expanding some of its privacy protections, but how do they work, and who qualifies?”
Colorado Public Radio has a story on privacy protections (and concerns) with respect to the voter rolls, the state’s campaign finance database, and beyond.
“As N.Y.C. Mayoral Primary Nears, Money Talks as Mamdani Walks”
N.Y. Times
Zohran Mamdani tried to get the Campaign Finance Board to raise his spending cap, given the amount of independent spending buoying Cuomo’s bid. The Board, however, has told him it is not possible within the rules.
Meanwhile, Mamdani… Continue reading
Montana Plan is not Without Its Skeptics
Earlier this week, I blogged about a new initiative in Montana that seeks to rein in corporate political spending by amending the state’s constitution to limit the powers conferred on corporations. In a new article for the local Independent Record… Continue reading
“Bloomberg pours more cash into Cuomo super PAC, bringing his total contribution to $8.3M”
Politico
“With the latest gift, Bloomberg is now single-handedly responsible for one-third of the PAC’s total haul of $24 million since it launched in March, according to a POLITICO analysis. Other real estate and finance executives who make up New… Continue reading
New Montana Initiative Seeks to Use Corporate Law to Restrain Corporate Political Spending
Veteran election leaders today unveiled “The Montana Plan,” a ballot initiative that seeks to eliminate corporate and dark money from Montana politics without running afoul of Citizens United. The initiative would amend Montana’s constitution to prohibit the state from granting… Continue reading
“Bernie Sanders, seven other senators urge Democrats to break with billionaire donors”
Washington Post
Leveraging public concerns about Elon Musk’s role in the 2024 election and in shaping Trump administration policies, Sanders and seven other Democratic Senators are calling on the Democratic Party to break with their own billionaire donors and eschew… Continue reading
“Billionaire Michael Bloomberg opens his wallet for Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral bid”
Politico:
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg was no fan of Andrew Cuomo when the two served overlapping tenures as mayor and governor. But on Friday all appeared forgiven, with Bloomberg’s $5 million donation to a super PAC boosting Cuomo’s mayoral bid.
It’s… Continue reading
“Ex-New York Assembly Candidate Charged With Campaign Finance Fraud”
NYT:
A former New York State Assembly candidate used fake donations and forged signatures to fraudulently inflate the share of public matching funds he received in last year’s election, federal prosecutors said on Friday.
The former candidate, Dao Yin, was… Continue reading
“Trump lawyers ask appeals court to move his hush money case to federal court”
Politico:
One year after his criminal conviction in the Manhattan hush money case, Donald Trump is still fighting to shed his felon status.
The president’s personal lawyers appeared before a federal appeals court Wednesday, urging a three-judge panel to transfer… Continue reading
Kim, “Restoring Public Trust in Elections: An Empirical Study of How Campaign Finance Reform Can Restore Public Trust in Elections”
New publication from Matthew D. Kim in the Texas A&M Law Review:
The American public has become deeply distrustful of elections. This distrust is partly due to Supreme Court decisions curtailing campaign finance restrictions, on First Amendment grounds, to… Continue reading