As we continue our effort to keep you up-to-date with all the news on how money continues to corrupt American government and politics, BillMoyers.com is pleased to publish this daily digest of money and politics news compiled and edited by Adam Smith, communications director of the non-partisan campaign finance reform group, Every Voice.
The Center for Public Integrity’s Ben Wieder looks at the political spending of 5-Hour Energy’s founder: “The 62-year-old Bhargava and several of his Michigan-based companies have given at least $5.3 million to candidates for state office and political groups around the country since 2009, according to state and federal campaign filings.”
Campaign Finance/Elections
WaPo: A Campaign Finance Idea Whose Time Has Come –> Harold Meyerson has a great column today on the Government By the People Act: “If you’re one of these anti-plutocrats, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) has a bill for you.” Spanish-language version of last week’s oped by Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Sarbanes.
Sun-Times: Lesson of Aaron Schock: Let the Public Follow the Money –> Common Cause’s Miles Rapoport in Chicago: “President Obama should issue an executive order requiring increased disclosure of the money these companies spend on elections, and by extension, on influencing the awarding of federal contracts.”
Maryland Senate candidates Reps. Donna Edwards (D) and Chris Van Hollen (D) will both speak at a Maryland PIRG event on money in politics Monday that includes a screening of the documentary, Pay 2 Play.
WaPo: Supreme Court Hands Win to Opponents of Alabama Redistricting Plan –> “The Supreme Court sided with black challengers Wednesday and told a lower court to reconsider whether a redistricting plan drawn by Alabama’s Republican-led legislature packed minority voters into districts in order to dilute their influence.” The Nation, NYT, The Onion on gerrymandering.
Roll Call: Ethics Committees Take Their Missions Seriously, So Should Congress and Staffers –> Dan Schwager: “In the middle of a highly charged atmosphere on Capitol Hill, there is one center of bipartisanship in each chamber of Congress that remains above politics: the Ethics committees.”
WSJ: Super-PAC Strategies for 2016 Success –> Karl Rove has thoughts.
Congress/Admin/2016
NYT: In Menendez Inquiry, Government Renews Push for Friend’s Cooperation –> “Federal investigators met with Dr. Melgen’s lawyers recently in an effort to persuade him to cooperate in the corruption case they are building against Mr. Menendez, according to officials and others close to the investigation.”
Every Voice: Here’s What $2,700 Can Buy in the Real World –> In yesterday’s WaPo story on bundlers complaining, one fundraiser said “$2,700 won’t even get you a parking spot at a super PAC event.” We take a look at what $2,700 can pay for in real America (health insurance, nine weeks of pay for a minimum wage worker, etc.)
Bloomberg: Bernie Sanders Hates Campaign Cash, the Very Thing He’ll Need to Beat Hillary Clinton –> On Bernie Sanders needing to raise big bucks to take on Hillary Clinton.
POLITICO: Jeb Bush’s Tricky Path to an Economic Plan –> “But outside observers say Bush is going to need to go heavy on new blood in the coming months in order to meet some huge policy and political challenges for a candidate who is raising money in massive sums from elite Wall Street financiers and takes criticism on both the right and left for his establishment credentials. ”
Buzzfeed: Hillary Clinton’s New, No-Drama Fundraising Machine –> On Dennis Cheng: “The man behind Clinton’s campaign fundraising will run a very different kind of operation from Clinton 2008 and Obama 2012. New names, no general election money upfront, and a tightly controlled structure that directly reports to him.”
CNN: Jeb Bush Fundraising is a Family Affair –> “Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s fundraising swing through Texas this week will be a family affair. Both former Bush presidents will reportedly attend fundraising events for the expected presidential hopeful in Jeb Bush’s home state.”
ThinkProgress: Scott Walker’s Spectacular Flip-Flop on Political Contributions From the Gambling Industry –> This is interesting! As a state lawmaker, Scott Walker wanted to ban contributions from gambling interests. You’ll never guess what happened next!
Time: How Super PACs Are Taking Over –> “A new breed of high-dollar outside groups is reshaping the 2016 presidential race”
National Journal: Illinois GOP Finds an Anti-Schock to Replace Aaron Schock –> “Illinois Republicans may elect a media-shy, ethics-focused political scion as their newest representative later this year — in other words, the antithesis of resigning Rep. Aaron Schock, the man being replaced. ”
US News: Ted Cruz’s Rollout Breaks the Rules, Scores a Quick Million –> Some details (and vanity metrics) on Ted Cruz’s post-announcement fundraising.
WaPo: Rep. Beyer Set to Replace Rep. Van Hollen as DCCC Finance Chair –> “Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) is set to become the next national finance chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he told The Washington Post Wednesday. He will succeed Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who is running for the US Senate.”
TPM: DNC Attacks Scott Walker For Fundraising Off Voter ID Law –> Scott Walker tried raising money off SCOTUS’s decision to reject a challenge to WI’s voter ID law. (Reminder: there is no voter fraud in Wisconsin)
New ACLU/Center for Accessible Technology report –> “Barriers to Online Voter Registration for Citizens With Disabilities”
The Hill: Maine Clean Elections Law Could Provide Model for the Country –> Ben Cohen on the ballot initiative in Maine: “In the past few months, Republicans, Democrats, independents and Greens all came together to get an initiative on the ballot. If successful, this measure will increase transparency and raise penalties for candidates who break Maine’s campaign finance laws.”
Other/States
CPI: Secretive Group Destroys Candidates’ Chances, Leaves Few Fingerprints –> Who is the secretive Law Enforcement Alliance of America? “It hasn’t filed required IRS reports in two years, and its leaders, once visible on television and in congressional hearings, have all but vanished” but, “It has succeeded in helping knock out 12 state-level candidates in 14 years, including an Arkansas judicial candidate last year.
CNY: Cuomo Ethics Proposal for Expenses Would Change Little –> LOL: “Governor Andrew Cuomo has highlighted his inclusion in this year’s budget of a ban on the personal use of campaign funds, as he promotes his commitment to ethics reform. But it is difficult to identify a single currently legal expense made by a legislator in the past decade that would not still be allowed if governor’s proposal is approved.”
Local News 8: Idaho House Approves New School Board Campaign Finance Rules –> “The Idaho House has passed a plan requiring school board candidates in roughly half of Idaho’s school districts to file campaign finance reports.”
Glasgow Daily Times: Campaign Finance Bill Fails –> A bill in Kentucky aimed at disclosure is dead after legislative leaders tried to use it as a vehicle to raise contribution limits.
To read more go to everyvoice.org.
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