Category Archives: campaigns

“Did Bill Clinton violate election rules by going into a polling location?”

March 2, 2016, 8:11 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Boston.com: Hillary Clinton’s campaign has been “reminded” not to solicit votes near polling sites after President Bill Clinton ventured into a polling location in Boston on Tuesday, the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office said. Massachusetts election rules forbid the… Continue reading

“Machiavelli Would Love This Plot Twist From Banks’ Washington Book Club”

March 1, 2016, 7:13 amcampaign finance, campaigns, lobbyingRick Hasen

Bloomberg: A lobbyist generally donates $2,000 from their company’s political action committee at each meeting, though there is no required amount, the people said. Attendees are given a book, often signed by the congressman, and lunch. The group doesn’t… Continue reading

Freeing Republican Delegates at Convention to Kill Trump Nomination?

March 1, 2016, 4:36 amcampaigns, political parties, primariesRick Hasen

Trip Gabriel’s NYT story yesterday concludes as follows: “I think the establishment will do anything in their power to try to stop Donald Trump at the national convention,” said John Patrick Yob, the former delegate strategist for Senator Rand Paul… Continue reading

“Big-Donor Money Has Not Worked in the 2016 Campaign. Yet.”

March 1, 2016, 4:26 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT editorial.

“Corporate America’s Wasted Investment in Jeb Bush”

March 1, 2016, 3:05 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy blogs.

Bernie Sanders Raising Ever More Money from Small Donors as His Chances Fade Quickly

February 29, 2016, 8:26 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

New influx of money for Sanders, while the race appears to be all but over on the Democratic side. Assume Hillary seen as presumptive nominee by March 15. What does Sanders do with his funds and his time, especially if… Continue reading

“Even as He Rises, Donald Trump Entertains Conspiracy Theories”

February 29, 2016, 8:22 amcampaigns, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Maggie Haberman for the NYT: It was a question that most major presidential candidates would have quickly dismissed as absurd, even offensive: What do you make of these theories that Justice Antonin Scalia was murdered? For Donald J. Trump,… Continue reading

Putting a Donald Trump Anchor Around John McCain’s Neck

February 29, 2016, 8:12 amcampaignsRick Hasen

A small taste of the ads to come.

“How Dialing for Dollars is Undermining our Democracy — And How to Stop It”

February 29, 2016, 8:00 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Sean Eldridge at Medium with some nice words about vouchers.

“Jeb Bush’s ambitions paid dividends for GOP admaker over the years”

February 29, 2016, 7:54 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Since 1998, when Murphy helped Bush remake his image and win the Florida governor’s office after an earlier failed bid, the strategist’s firms have received nearly $36 million from Bush’s campaigns, allied political committees and educational foundation, according… Continue reading

“EXCLUSIVE: Foreign Clinton Donor Made Donations To U.S. Campaigns”

February 29, 2016, 7:53 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Daily Caller: Hansjorg Wyss, a billionaire Swiss citizen and multi-million dollar Clinton Foundation donor, gave 30 contributions to American political campaigns over a nine-year period, according to an investigation by The Daily Caller News Foundation. Federal law has imposed… Continue reading

“A.F.L.-C.I.O. Prepares to Create Its Own ‘Super PAC’ to Get Voters to the Polls”

February 29, 2016, 7:49 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: The second motivation is a concern on the part of A.F.L.-C.I.O. officials thatthe network of conservative philanthropists assembled by Charles G. and David H. Koch is far along in building a sophisticated turnout infrastructure that could give… Continue reading

Republicans Lament that Their Billionaire Overlords Have Not Saved Them from Trump

February 27, 2016, 6:16 amcampaign finance, campaigns, Plutocrats UnitedRick Hasen

Indispensable reporting from Burns, Haberman, and Martin: Late last fall, the strategists Alex Castellanos and Gail Gitcho, both presidential campaign veterans, reached out to dozens of the party’s leading donors, including the casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and the hedge-fund manager… Continue reading