Public Campaign - campaign contributions

Nick's Two Cents

Katie Schlieper — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:42:51 +0000

Have you heard about our new Two Cents campaign? We're asking all Clean Elections supporters who plan to make donations to candidates for public office this year to add .02 cents to the donation to signal your support for full public financing of elections. Our President and CEO Nick Nyhart writes in the Huffington Post today about what this campaign means to him. Read his piece then click here to learn more about giving your two cents!

Breaking the Logjam on Global Warming

Katie Schlieper — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:34:03 +0000

Jay Mandle, professor and member of Democracy Matters pens a monthly series called "Money on My Mind" that examines the campaign finance angle of current hot button issues. His latest piece, on global warming, follows.

Limits for Indiana

Katie Schlieper — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:25:34 +0000

People in Indiana are concerned about the Wild Midwest rules when it comes to campaign finance, namely the lack of limits on campaign contributions to candidates for office in the state. A few solutions to the unbridled influence of private money on the state's elections are being shopped around, including Clean Elections.

A Few Billion Among Friends

Jiefei Yuan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:50:39 +0000

A massive housing rescue package passed the Senate on Saturday after President Bush reluctantly dropped his opposition last week. The measure, which provides 300 billion dollars to help save 400,000 homeowners from foreclosure nationwide, is widely regarded as the single most important housing legislation in a generation. Upon closer examination, it appears Congress is actually tossing two lifelines – one to distressed homeowners and one to our best friends, Fannie and Freddie.

Water and Power

Katie Schlieper — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:39:24 +0000

What do water rates in Casmalia, CA have to do with lucrative telecommunications mergers? According to Thomas Elias of the Marysville Appeal-Democrat both felt the influence of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's need to appease his biggest campaign contributors.

Small Donors Getting Smaller

Jiefei Yuan — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:30:49 +0000

A report just released by the National Institute on Money in State Politics points to the relatively small percentage of unitemized donations, or small dollar donations, that comprise state-level campaign war chests. In fact the number seems to be getting smaller. All talks of the pending small donor revolution aside, Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) recent success may still be the exception rather than the rule.

Friends of Fannie and Freddie

Jiefei Yuan — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:04:09 +0000

The panic over the mortgage collapse and its wide-ranging consequences for the national and global economy led to Congress passing a $300 billion bailout plan for lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac this week just as newspapers were putting the finishing touches on their sans-serif "Apocalypse" typesettings. How nice for Fannie and Freddie that help was forthcoming in the form of a taxpayer-financed buy-out. Guess those millions they've poured into lobbying and campaign contributions through the years have paid off.

Immunity for telecoms, not from money's influence

Adam Smith — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:48:27 +0000

On the recently passed FISA legislation, MapLight did the work for us and found that those who voted for the legislation granting retroactive immunity (and supported by the industry) have received nearly double the amount of money in campaign contributions from industry PACs than those who voted against.

A class act.

Adam Smith — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:28:05 +0000

With many in Washington still in shock over the death of Tim Russert last week, members of Congress took to the floor of the House to celebrate Russert's life by passing a resolution honoring him. Some chose to honor big oil.

Maryland Senator Target of Investigation

Katie Schlieper — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:32:27 +0000

Yesterday evening the FBI carried out a raid on the home of Maryland State Senator Ullyses Currie (D) and the Lanham, MD headquarters of Supervalu, parent company of Shoppers Food Warehouse for whom Currie provided outside consultant services. He has not reported income received from Shoppers or Supervalu on any of his three most recent filings with the State Ethics Commission, nor has he ever filed forms indicating a possible conflict of interest between this consulting work and his position in the legislature.