Category Archives: campaigns
“The 2020 campaigns aren’t ready for deepfakes”
Axios:
The 2020 presidential campaigns appear to have done little to prepare for what experts predict could be a flood of fake videos depicting candidates doing or saying something incriminating or embarrassing.Driving the news: The recent manipulated video of… Continue reading
“Trump normalizes foreign election intervention ahead of 2020”
Jonathan Allen for NBC News:
On one level, Trump’s brash lobbying in foreign countries is just another case of norm-busting for a president who often rejects the niceties of both domestic and international politics. But at a deeper level, Trump’s… Continue reading
“In need of cash, Democratic presidential hopefuls turn to wealthy donors”
WaPo:
Across the Democratic field, candidates are embracing the big donors they distanced themselves from early on — a sign of increasing doubt that the small, online donations the campaigns have been chasing will be sufficient to sustain… Continue reading
Top 10 “Interest Group” Contributors to Congress for 2018 Elections
Lots of interesting and perhaps surprising information at the OpenSecrets.org site on the occupation of the “groups” that gave the largest contributions in the 2018 congressional election cycle. A couple points that stood out to me:
Those who list their… Continue reading
“Democrats roll out $90 million super PAC aimed at swing states”
Politico:
The nation’s largest super PAC devoted to grassroots Democratic turnout is launching its organizing efforts earlier than ever in seven swing states with a new campaign director and its largest budget to date: $80 million to $90 million.
“New Democratic Debate Rules Will Distort Priorities, Some Campaigns Say”
NYT:
The Democratic Party’s new directive that candidates must have at least 130,000 donors to qualify for the third primary debate in September arrived virtually without warning on Wednesday morning, and immediately sent shock waves through presidential campaigns worried that… Continue reading
“Mysterious ‘vote-shaming’ mailer investigated ahead of Northern California special election”
Sacramento Bee:
Just days before a state Senate special election Tuesday, a mysterious letter threatening to publicly expose voters who don’t cast ballots has begun appearing in mailboxes across Northern California, prompting a state inquiry into whether election… Continue reading
“Federal subpoena demands records on Andrew Gillum and his campaign for governor”
Tampa Bay Times:
Andrew Gillum is a focal point of a recently issued federal grand jury subpoena that demands information on the former Democratic candidate for governor, his campaign, his political committee, a wealthy donor, a charity he worked… Continue reading
“What’s Trump’s actual strategy with black voters?”
The Fix reports. “But, of course, Trump doesn’t need to win black voters. There are two strategies that may prove just as useful: Doing a bit better with black voters than he did in 2016 or keeping black turnout… Continue reading
“Loopholes Allow Foreign Adversaries to Legally Interfere in U.S. Elections”
Fred Wertheimer for Just Security.
“Trump campaign embraces groups trying to court minority voters – one with false pitches”
WaPo:
Nearly a year after a gay freelance hairstylist living in Harlem posted a Facebook video repudiating the Democratic Party, Brandon Straka found himself in Trump Tower on Thursday speaking with Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and a senior… Continue reading
“Facebook refuses to delete fake Pelosi video spread by Trump supporters”
The Guardian:
Facebook says it will continue to host a video of Nancy Pelosi that has been edited to give the impression that the Democratic House Speaker is drunk or unwell, in the latest incident highlighting its struggle to… Continue reading
“Trump Gives Attorney General Sweeping Power in Review of 2016 Campaign Inquiry”
NYT:
President Trump took extraordinary steps on Thursday to give Attorney General William P. Barr sweeping new authorities to conduct a review into how the 2016 Trump campaign’s ties to Russia were investigated, significantly escalating the administration’s efforts to place… Continue reading