Category Archives: campaigns

“Why Fund-Raising Is Important, Even if You Are Trump”

September 3, 2015, 7:43 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Smart Lynn Vavreck NYT Upshot column: Mr. Trump may continue to eschew money from lobbyists and special interests and condemn those candidates who take it, but a closer look at the F.E.C. fund-raising numbers reveals an interesting pattern that… Continue reading

“How Team Bush Divides in Order to Conquer”

September 3, 2015, 7:30 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Bloomberg: But “not coordinated” isn’t clearly defined, and candidates have taken advantage of that. This year almost every presidential candidate in the field has at least one supporting super-PAC that’s ostensibly acting independently of his or her campaign, though… Continue reading

“Why Lawrence Lessig Should Love Money in Politics”

September 3, 2015, 7:27 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

David Keating for the Daily Caller: That’s why the quick rush to cover Lessig is important to note. You see, passing even more complicated campaign finance laws isn’t actually about saving America from corruption. Lessig, the media, and the rest… Continue reading

“Stephen Colbert one-ups Jeb Bush raffle with 1 of his own”

September 2, 2015, 3:41 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

AP reports.

“CNN Charging 40 Times Its Usual Price for Spots in Republican Debate”

September 2, 2015, 11:09 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Advertising Age says it is all about Trump.

Will @Lessig Reach His Fundraising Goal?

September 2, 2015, 7:52 amcampaign finance, campaigns, ELB PodcastRick Hasen

He’s at $734K, and says he needs to reach $1 million by Labor Day in order to run for president. Will he reach it? Will he nonetheless run if he falls a bit short? (You can hear my ELB… Continue reading

“Corporations playing politics with ballot measures”

September 2, 2015, 7:30 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

CPI reports.

“New James O’Keefe video sting catches Clinton campaign being kind to a Canadian”

September 1, 2015, 7:32 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Weigel: Conservative undercover journalist James O’Keefe has released the second in an ongoing series of videos inside Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. The latest from Project Veritas Action accuses the Democratic frontrunner’s director of marketing and FEC compliance director of… Continue reading

“Donald Trump and Campaign Finance Reform”

September 1, 2015, 7:26 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Fred Wertheimer writes for Huff Post (Entertainment!).

“Donation to Pro-Bush Super-PAC Tied to Florida Homebuilder”

September 1, 2015, 7:24 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Bloomberg: An obscure company that contributed to the super-PAC backing Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign has ties to the chief operating officer of the nation’s second largest homebuilder, public records show.

“The Donald Trump of the Left; Larry Lessig may have the most distorted views of what the presidency is.”

August 31, 2015, 7:35 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Seth Masket at Pacific Standard: Overall, Lessig seems to be treating the presidency as a symbol, or simply a bulletin board on which to attach his reform manifesto. The presidency may be those things (and has certainly been used as… Continue reading

“The Lessig-Mann Dustup”

August 31, 2015, 7:12 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Bauer weighs in.

“Defection of Perry Aide to Trump Camp Has Iowans Fearing for Image”

August 30, 2015, 6:48 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Fascinating Trip Gabriel for the NYT: Is Iowa for sale? That is the perception sending shudders through the state’s Republicans, after the leader of Rick Perry’s Iowa campaign quit when Mr. Perry suspended pay to staff members, then quickly went… Continue reading

“What’s the Deal with Trump? Cleaning up elections, beating up corporations”

August 30, 2015, 6:32 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Weekly Standard: This economic critique fits into a sophisticated attack on the present state of presidential campaign finance. It is not a call for reform. It is a boast of his own unbuyability in a world where all politicians… Continue reading