Category Archives: campaign finance

Fred Woocher Talks to Bob Stern’s Class on Citizens United, Prop 59, and More

November 1, 2016, 7:04 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Listen and learn. Bob’s description: This is a podcast for about 20 minutes of my sixth class at UCLA Extension with Fred Woocher, one of the leading campaign finance lawyers in California, who discusses the Citizens United case; independent… Continue reading

“Disney Breaks Its Own Spending Record in This Year’s Anaheim Council Election”

November 1, 2016, 4:14 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Voice of OC: With a week to go until the election, The Walt Disney Company’s spending on Anaheim City Council races has blown past the record it set in 2014 and is approaching the $1-million mark, according to the most… Continue reading

“Schimel gave leak cursory review”

November 1, 2016, 3:02 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Patrick Marley: Attorney General Brad Schimel’s initial inquiry into a leak of John Doe documents was so cursory no one from his office contacted prosecutors who had access to the material. And while the Republican attorney general hopes to launch… Continue reading

“UPDATE: Federal judge upholds Montana campaign disclosure law”

November 1, 2016, 2:49 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

AP: Montana’s new campaign disclosure law has survived its first test, with a federal judge rejecting arguments that it unconstitutionally interferes with the free speech of groups that want to influence elections without revealing where they get their money or… Continue reading

“Nonprofits With Secret Donors Spend Millions in Key Senate Races”

October 31, 2016, 7:58 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: Nonprofits that keep donors secret but are closely linked to Democratic and Republican Senate leaders have spent more than $10 million on television, radio and mail ads in key races that may determine control of the Senate,… Continue reading

“How Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Are Flouting Campaign Finance Rules”

October 31, 2016, 2:53 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Brendan Fischer for Moyers & Co.

“Pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC accepted illegal contributions”

October 31, 2016, 2:48 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

CPI: Pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC Correct the Record accepted $250,000 in illegal contributions from a charity backed by a Boston-based construction firm already in trouble this year for its political donations. Suffolk Cares Inc., a nonprofit charity registered under section… Continue reading

“Right-Wing Group Citizens United Again May Have Tried to Trick the Elderly Into Giving It Cash”

October 31, 2016, 11:13 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Sick.

“Citizens vs. Citizens United”

October 31, 2016, 7:47 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo editorial: Voters in four states — California, Missouri, South Dakota and Washington — will vote on statewide ballot measures dealing with abuses in the campaign finance system. The measures range from support for a constitutional amendment to overturn… Continue reading

“Complaint: GOP illegally funneled corporate contributions to NC Republican Party”

October 30, 2016, 9:21 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WRAL: ecently filed state and federal campaign finance reports suggest a national Republican organization may have piped as much as $1.5 million in corporate contributions to the North Carolina Republican Party, prompting a formal complaint from Democrats that the GOP… Continue reading

“Prominent Democratic law firm pays questionable ‘bonuses’ to partners for campaign contributions”

October 29, 2016, 5:40 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Boston Globe/Center for Responsive Politics: From 2010 through 2014, Strouss and Bradley, along with founding partner Michael Thornton and his wife, donated nearly $1.6 million to Democratic Party fund-raising committees and a parade of politicians — from Senate minority… Continue reading

“Donald Trump Adds $10 Million of His Own Money for Advertising”

October 28, 2016, 9:01 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ: Mr. Trump’s cash infusion brings his total contributions to his campaign to $66 million, including about $30,000 he gave earlier this month in in-kind contributions, according to a report the campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday.… Continue reading

“Arpaio files election complaint against Soros-funded group”

October 28, 2016, 7:44 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

WAFB reports.

“Money Flows Down Ballot as Donald Trump Is Abandoned by Big Donors (Even Himself)”

October 28, 2016, 7:25 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday revealed tens of millions of dollars in late donations and transfers to Republican “super PACs” focused on down-ballot races, suggesting a significant last-ditch effort to protect Senate and House candidates… Continue reading