Category Archives: campaigns

“Meet the little-known ‘big fish’ megadonor setting the tone for GOP primary races”

April 30, 2018, 10:32 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Behind just about every divisive Senate Republican primary this year, an amiable Midwestern businessman is bankrolling the candidate who claims to be the most hard-charging, anti-establishment conservative in the race. Richard Uihlein, a wealthy shipping-supplies magnate from Illinois who… Continue reading

“House Intelligence Committee Releases Findings on Russian Election Interference”

April 27, 2018, 7:35 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: The House Intelligence Committee released on Friday a roughly 250-page report on Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, laying out Republicans’ conclusion after a yearlong investigation that they had found no evidence that the Trump campaign aided Moscow’s… Continue reading

Facebook’s Definition of Issue Ads is Broad Enough to Encompass Lots of Non-Election Related Advertising

April 26, 2018, 11:16 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Via the Intercept, comes this new definition from Facebook of what counts as a “political ad” which will count for certain new vetting procedures (my emphasis below): A “political ad” is defined as an ad that: Is… Continue reading

“Under New Rules, Zuckerberg Will Be Our Top Propaganda Cop”

April 25, 2018, 11:00 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Steven Rosenfeld writes.

Don Blankenship Refuses to Disclose Finances in Connection with Senate Run in West Va., Gets Attacked by McConnell Super PAC

April 25, 2018, 7:29 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Mr. Blankenship offers no apology for his many contradictions and personal and business decisions, some of them previously undisclosed. Though he lives a baronial lifestyle thanks to a fortune built on coal scratched from West Virginia’s mountains, he says… Continue reading

“DNC chairman defends lawsuit against Russia, Trump campaign, WikiLeaks”

April 22, 2018, 8:29 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Weigel: The chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Sunday defended a new multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Russian government, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, with talk show hosts asking whether it was distracting from efforts to rebuild the Democratic Party.… Continue reading

“D.N.C. Lawsuit Alleges Trump-Russia Conspiracy”

April 20, 2018, 11:21 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: The Democratic National Committee opened a new legal assault on President Trump on Friday by filing a lawsuit in federal court alleging that the organization was the victim of a conspiracy by Russian officials, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks… Continue reading

Today’s Must-Watch: Watch Jordan Peele use AI to make Barack Obama deliver a PSA about fake news

April 18, 2018, 8:23 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

If this doesn’t scare the hell out of you about the next election season, you are not paying attention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=72&v=cQ54GDm1eL0

“Trump Campaign Rebukes Indiana Candidate Signs” (Rokita)

April 18, 2018, 6:57 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

AP: Donald Trump’s re-election campaign has demanded that Rep. Todd Rokita take down yard signs it says give the false impression the president endorsed the Indiana Republican’s Senate bid, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Associated… Continue reading

“Top GOP super PAC books $48 million in ads for House races”

April 17, 2018, 7:29 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: The Congressional Leadership Fund, the leading Republican super PAC focused on the House, is booking $48 million in ad reservations ahead of the November midterm elections — giving its first indications of where it intends to focus its considerable… Continue reading

“Eyeing 2020, Trump Fund-Raisers Return to Familiar Well: Small Donors”

April 16, 2018, 7:12 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT reports.

“How Russian Facebook Ads Divided and Targeted U.S. Voters Before the 2016 Election”

April 16, 2018, 7:10 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Wired: WHEN YOUNG MIE Kim began studying political ads on Facebook in August of 2016—while Hillary Clinton was still leading the polls— few people had ever heard of the Russian propaganda group, Internet Research Agency. Not even Facebook itself… Continue reading

“Billionaire vs. Billionaire: A Tug of War Between 2 Rogue Donors”

April 13, 2018, 8:32 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Two rogue billionaires — one on the left, one on the right — have emerged as the biggest political spenders of the 2018 elections, defying their own parties and pouring millions of dollars into confrontational campaign tactics. Tom Steyer,… Continue reading

“GOP Primary Challenger Invents George Soros Connection to Attack Incumbent Republican”

April 13, 2018, 8:24 amcampaignsRick Hasen

The Intercept: Friends of Democracy is a Super PAC that was launched by Jonathan Soros (his father, George, has nothing to do with it). Its mission was to support members of Congress who support campaign finance reform — in other… Continue reading