Category Archives: campaign finance

“Kris Kobach Uses Border Wall Group to Fund Senate Bid, Likely Illegally”

August 1, 2019, 6:37 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Daily Beast: Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is using a nonprofit group he advises to raise money for his U.S. Senate campaign, and legal experts say one recent fundraising push likely ran afoul of federal campaign finance… Continue reading

Breaking: Federal Court Holds IRS Violated Administrative Procedure Act with Rule that Exempted 501(c)(4) Political (and Other) Organizations from Filing Their List of Donors With the IRS

July 30, 2019, 6:34 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

The court ruled that if the IRS wants to enforce such a rule, it has to go through the notice and comment period.

“Political Fundraising Has a Big, Nasty Secret; U.S. campaign-finance laws have been written to prevent donors from taking advantage of politicians—but do little to protect donors from being scammed.”

July 30, 2019, 7:11 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

David Graham for The Atlantic.

“Democrats swore off donations from lobbyists and fossil fuel execs. But some are skirting their own rules.”

July 29, 2019, 7:27 amcampaign finance, campaigns, lobbyingRick Hasen

WaPo: Among New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s donors to his presidential campaign is a vice president of a leading pharmaceutical company. The senior vice president of Comcast who oversees the company’s lobbying efforts hosted a fundraiser for former vice… Continue reading

“How Fundraisers Convinced Conservatives to Donate $10 Million — Then Kept Almost All of It.”

July 28, 2019, 8:10 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

ProPublica and Politico: After recruiting thousands of donors for the American Conservative Union — the powerful organization behind the annual CPAC conference — a Republican political operative pushed the same contributors to give millions to a PAC that promised to… Continue reading

“A Republican Wants Old Campaign Cash to Fund His Nonprofit. A Democrat Might Show the Way.”

July 26, 2019, 5:11 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

CPI reports.

“Unlimited Donations to Candidates, Coming Soon? Former Solicitor General Paul Clement may get the Supreme Court closer to killing what’s left of campaign-finance limits.”

July 26, 2019, 6:17 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have written this piece for The Atlantic. It begins: During the George W. Bush administration, then–Solicitor General Paul Clement successfully defended the constitutionality of the 2002 McCain-Feingold law, which tightened electioneering and fundraising regulations. Can Clement now get traction… Continue reading

“Should Regulators Let Jett-Setting Tom Price Use Campaign Cash for Nonprofit Travel and Expenses?

July 25, 2019, 10:16 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

CPI reports.

“Pharma contributions to politicians who support restricting abortions could reverberate”

July 24, 2019, 8:45 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

STAT: Take the case of Pfizer (PFE), Merck (MRK), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ). Each company sells contraceptive products. Pfizer markets Depo-Provera, Merck sells Nexplanon, and J&J markets Ortho-Novum.But last year, all three… Continue reading

“Republican FEC commissioners let Clinton campaign off the hook for super PAC coordination”

July 23, 2019, 5:48 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Open Secrets: Deadlocked on a party-line vote, the Federal Election Commission has dismissed a complaint that Hillary Clinton’s campaign illegally coordinated with a super PAC during the 2016 presidential election cycle.Continuing a recent trend with the embattled regulatory agency that… Continue reading

“Dem front-runners cash in on slippery definition of lobbying”

July 23, 2019, 5:44 amcampaign finance, lobbyingRick Hasen

Politico: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and other leading Democratic presidential candidates have sworn off contributions from Washington lobbyists as a way to insulate themselves from those who might try to shape their agendas if elected.But they’re hardly… Continue reading

“A Banner Proxy Season for Political Disclosure and Accountability”

July 22, 2019, 7:18 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Bruce F. Freed, Dan Carroll, and Karl J. Sandstrom blog.

“De Blasio used state account he controls as campaign slush fund”

July 20, 2019, 11:23 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

The NY Post discusses some questionable state-PAC spending on a federal race. A related Politico story notes that de Blasio is claiming that his presidential campaign launch video was not a presidential campaign expense.

“Prosecutors Are Asked Why Trump Wasn’t Indicted for Campaign Violations”

July 20, 2019, 11:22 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

The WSJ covers the House Oversight letter.

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