"Dark money ads plunged when reporting requirement kicked in."
Wertheimer's Political Money Report
October 20, 2016
A NOTE FROM FRED
 
Our campaign finance system is in shambles. If Democrats win control of the Senate next month, they will be able to take building block steps in the next Congress to advance the cause of fundamental reforms. Hearings could be held to document the dangers of the current campaign finance system, to make the case for legislative reforms and to build a record to justify a new jurisprudence approach to upholding the constitutionality of campaign finance laws. Efforts could be made to develop bipartisan leadership for reform legislation. Legislation could be brought to the floor for debate and votes and Senators could be put on record for their constituents. Floor votes could show that majorities exist in the Senate for reform. Even if legislation could not overcome a filibuster or pass a Republican controlled House, real progress could be made in advancing reforms to strengthen our democracy.

"Dark money ads plunged when reporting requirement kicked in." As of Sept. 9, the FEC's reporting window for electioneering communications opened. Now, spending on all ads that mention candidates must be reported to the agency, says Open Secrets. Before this, only spending on ads that called on viewers to vote for or against a candidate had to be disclosed. Dark money groups sponsored 42.5% of ads by outside spending groups in competitive Senate races through Sept. 15. Since the reporting deadline, they are responsible for just 11% of the ads. Read more

Congressional Democrats raise record amounts of cash. The DSCC raised $19 million last month, its largest one-month fundraising haul ever. The DCCC raised $21 million last month. This signals a "growing expectation among donors that the party will win a majority in the Senate and significantly diminish Republican strength in the House of Representatives," says the Wall St Journal. Read more


House Republicans scramble for cash. Two top House Republicans held a conference call Wednesday urging their colleagues to "pony up cash to endangered colleagues," says POLITICO. "The warnings come as the Congressional Leadership Fund, the top House Republican super PAC, has begun spending millions of dollars to build a firewall around previously safe GOP seats that Democrats could pick off." Read more

Legal loophole helps Democrats bypass the limits on coordinated spending between parties and candidates, says POLITICO. FEC rules limit parties to $48,100 of spending in direct coordination with most House candidates. But, a candidate who words their ads to refer to generic "Democrats" and "Republicans" can split the cost of the ads with their party without affecting the spending cap. "More than a dozen Democratic challengers are benefiting from such “hybrid” advertising." Read more


Outside spending surges in state judicial races, says new report by the Brennan Center. "Special interest groups, many of which do not disclose their donors, have invested heavily in state supreme court races this election cycle." Outside groups have spent more than $1.2 million in six states over the past two weeks. This raises "concerns that campaign cash could affect decisions in the courtroom". Read more

2016 FACT OF THE DAY

200 million people in America are now registered to vote for the first time in U.S. history. Read more

IN THE STATES
MO: Missouri voters will vote on a ballot measure on Election Day to put a $2,600 limit on donations to candidates for state office. Read more

MA: Sheldon Adelson donated $1 million to the campaign opposing the ballot measure to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts. Read more

NV: Adelson also gave $2 million to the campaign opposing the efforts in Nevada to legalize marijuana. Read more

MD: The husband of Amie Hoeber has donated $3.8 million to a super PAC supporting his wife's campaign for Maryland's 6th congressional district. Read more

By: Fred Wertheimer (@FredWertheimer) & Kathryn Beard (@KathrynBeard)
 
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