Skeletal remains of the system of federal laws that regulate political contributions could be further weakened in another landmark case three years after the historic Citizens United decision opened the gateway for record election spending and unprecedented secrecy for wealthy donors. The Supreme Court agreed last month to hear a case that challenges federal limits on [...]
The first true test of the post-Citizens United campaign financing landscape resulted in a cash “arms race”that drove election spending to unthinkable records, but with surprisingly little to show for the big checks cut by a cache of wealthy donors. The 2012 campaign will end up costing a total of over $6 billion, with $2 [...]
The 2012 election had long been predicted to set new records for money raised and spent during a single political campaign, but updated figures show that the actual money race has blown past expectations and is likely to be the most expensive in American history by nearly $1 billion. The dismantling of national campaign finance [...]
The frenetic pace in which big money is pouring into this year’s presidential and congressional campaigns is steadily increasing with less than two months until Election Day after already setting new records. Both sides are relying on a limited number of wealthy donors like never before to bankroll a torrent of advertising backing Barack Obama [...]
The 2012 election will be the most expensive in history thanks to fewer regulations on political fundraising, and the national party conventions that kick off this week with the Republicans gathering in Tampa are similarly being transformed by the avalanche of big money and corporate largess. The Republican National Convention in Florida and next week’s [...]
“IT SHOWS HOW MUCH DESIRE THERE IS FOR SECRECY AMONG HUGE DONORS WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPEND MONEY TO INFLUENCE THIS ELECTION WITHOUT LEAVING ANY FINGERPRINTS.” So-called “social welfare” nonprofits groups are spending more money to influence the 2012 election than the super-PACs loosely connected to the actual campaigns, a new report [...]
` THE END OF EURO AUSTERITY: NEW FRENCH GOVERNMENT ORDERS UP HIGHER TAXES ON THE RICH AND POWERFUL (Business Week) ` The program of mass fiscal austerity imposed by Germany and Eurozone financial leaders on European nations struggling through the continent’s crippling debt crisis and recession appears to be dead, with policy changes from the new French government taking aim at the core [...]
` SUPREME COURT REAFFIRMS “CITIZENS UNITED” RULING BY REMINDING MONTANA THAT “CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE, TOO.” (The Nation) ` Lost in the excitement over the ruling the gutted three-quarters of Arizona’s controversial immigration law was the Supreme Court’s resounding 5-4 decision to strike down the state of Montana’s ban on corporate contributions in state and local elections. Montana’s regulations had [...]
The most generous contributors to Mitt Romney’s campaign will be rewarded with a lavish retreat at a “posh” Utah resort this weekend where they will rub elbows with some of the biggest names in conservative politics, meet the men on Romney’s short list for running mate, be given direct access to the candidate and help [...]
“I’M AGAINST VERY WEALTHY PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO OR INFLUENCING ELECTIONS”: SHELDON ADELSON, CONSERVATIVE BILLIONAIRE WHO JUST PLEDGED “LIMITLESS” FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MITT ROMNEY’S CAMPAIGN The “poster billionaire” for those warning about the perils of unlimited political contributions from a small pool of super-rich businessmen determining the outcome of elections may very well be [...]
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