Category Archives: tax law and election law
“Super PACs, ‘dark money’ groups eschew presidential race for Senate”
CPI reports.
In a striking departure from the 2012 election, super PACs and other non-candidate organizations have spent more on U.S. Senate races in July, August and September than on the presidential election, a new analysis shows.
The spending pattern… Continue reading
“Despite Investigations, Obama’s IRS Has Never Stopped Targeting Conservatives”
Paul Jossey for The Federalist.
“Pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC accepted illegal contributions”
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
“The Republican mission to quell the IRS”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in The Hill:
The GOP’s crusade against Commissioner Koskinen may seem overblown, but it makes a lot of sense when you consider motive: Republicans need dark money, and dark money needs a cowering IRS.
(h/t Paul Caron… Continue reading
McConnell’s SuperPac to Save Republican Senate Gets $11 Million Infusion from Non-Disclosing 501(c)(4)
Teddy Schleifer for CNN:
The super PAC has flipped that money almost immediately into a new advertising push in a half-dozen states financed entirely by the late checks. Those contributions will not be reported until December, though many expect Sheldon… Continue reading
This Would Make a Great Final Exam Question on Express Advocacy
Yale Record:[corrected]
In its 144-year history, The Yale Record has never endorsed a Democratic candidate for president. In fact, we have never endorsed any candidate for president. This is, in part, due to our strong commitment to being a… Continue reading
“No Guardians of These Names”
National Institute on Money in State Politics:
On Sept. 14, 2016, The Guardian released 1,500 pages of leaked documents pertaining to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s alleged coordination with conservative dark money groups during the 2011 and 2012 Wisconsin recall… Continue reading
“Assigning a Tax Lesson: The Relationship between the Trump Foundation and Trump’s Tax Returns”
Ellen Aprill and Lloyd Mayer have written this oped for TaxProf. It begins:
As the debate between the Vice Presidential candidates Wednesday night made clear, Donald Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns remains an important campaign issue. The extraordinary… Continue reading
“Disclosure Feud Over Corporate Campaign Money”
Bloomberg BNA:
But, an escalating feud over disclosure of corporate campaign money issues has made it clear that a few million dollars in disclosed super PAC contributions are not all that’s at stake. More important is the money companies are… Continue reading
“Kentucky gov. urges politics at pulpit despite federal law”
Lexington Herald Leader:
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin urged a group of preachers to embrace political speech at the pulpit by telling them not to fear a federal law that prohibits candidate endorsements by tax-exempt churches.
“Trump Used Foundation Funds for 2016 Run, Filings Suggest”
Real Clear Politics:
That check is one of at least several donations to suggest Trump used his private foundation, funded by outside donors, to launch and fuel his political ambitions. Such contributions, if they were made solely for Trump’s benefit,… Continue reading
Contrary to Early Reports, Sheldon Adelson Now Coughing Up $25 Million or More for Trump
Earlier I noted that Sheldon Adelson was giving only $5 million to a Trump Super PAC, only a small fraction of what he spent helping Gingrich then Romney in 2012.
But now Teddy Schleifer reports the amount is likely to… Continue reading
Tweet of the Day: Karl Rove Edition
Here:
Karl Rove on my NYC-DC @Amtrak train last night. He saw my @OpenSecretsDC laptop sticker & said "you people are a pain in my ass."
Success.
— Anya Gelernt-Dunkle (@HaLachmaAnya) May 19, 2016