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A NOTE FROM FRED
Launching today is a new newsletter released multiple times per week from Democracy 21 on the latest money in politics news. Wertheimer's Political Money Report will include my commentary on the most important developments and provide the best articles, op-eds and stories on campaign finance and political reform issues. Turn on the news, read the paper, listen to the candidates and money in politics is at the forefront of national discussion and debate. Combine that with national polls showing Americans overwhelmingly support a complete overhaul of our current campaign finance system and the time is now for a major backlash from citizens and the enactment soon of fundamental reforms.
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POLITICO details how Rubio's presidential campaign benefited from secret donors and dark money through the use of a 501(c)4 group. It is now the model for a how a candidate can inject unlimited, secret, corrupting money into their campaigns to benefit their election. That is precisely the kind of model that we do not need in America. Read more.
There are various reasons for McConnell's "standing in the school house door" opposition to Judge Garland’s SCOTUS nomination, but a central reason for his absolutist obstructionism is his career-long obsessive opposition to all campaign finance laws and his fear of what a new Court majority would do to reverse previous campaign finance decisions. Read more of Fred's op-ed for the Huffington Post.
Nick Confessore in the New York Times argues that the anti-establishment movement supporting the Trump campaign can be traced to the Citizens United decision where the Republican party embraced millionaires at the expense of average American voters. Read more.
In a CNN op-ed, Jonathan Soros pens a letter to Charles Koch agreeing with him that, "Those with money and relationships, like you and me, are on the inside, while everyday Americans find themselves increasingly left out. It's refreshing to see you acknowledge this." But disagreeing with Koch's solution. Soros argues for "enhancing the quality and integrity of democratic governance" instead of reducing government size. Read more.
In his latest column for the Washington Post. E.J. Dionne connects last week's voting problems in Arizona's Maricopa County and the cutting of 70% of the county's polling places to the Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act 2013. Read more.
Clinton on Jimmy Kimmel Live last week, "We have to raise money. I raise a lot of money at events and I raise a lot of money online, but there should not be these huge loopholes for corporations and billionaires to just put as much money as they want to and not even have to tell you who it comes from or really disclose very much at all." Read more.
Hopefully not all talk and no game - As seen on Kimmel, Clinton has joined Sanders in making campaign finance reform a central talking point of their respective campaigns, but if elected, reform groups want to see real commitments that the new president will actually take this issue to the country and promote it as a national priority. Read more.
The rise of corporate LLCs continues -- In 2010, just two super PACs received more than 10 percent of their total funds from LLCs. In 2016 so far, the count is up to 14, via data from Open Secrets. Read more.
In the Senate, Democrats' money woes grow as deep-pocketed outside groups on the right like Koch backed groups and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce prepare to spend big bucks to maintain the Republican Senate majority. Read more.
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2016 FACT OF THE DAY
$1 billion: The amount raised so far in this presidential election by campaigns and outside groups. At this point in 2012, only $400 million had been raised, according to data from the Campaign Finance Institute. Read more.
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NY: All of Gov. Cuomo's ethics proposals were left out of the budget agreement, despite Cuomo promising in January to regain the public trust with new reforms after numerous corruption abuses by state officials. Read more.
VT: The Senate passed a bill intended to make publicly financed campaigns more viable by moving up the date that candidates can seek public funds. Read more.
MA: Boston Globe editorial urges Gov. Baker to become more transparent in his fundraising after he refused to reveal the sources and the destination of money raised at two recent fundraisers. Read more.
By: Fred Wertheimer (@FredWertheimer) & Kathryn Beard (@KathrynBeard)
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