With the nation’s attention riveted by the Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz victories in Wisconsin’s presidential primary, an arguably far more important political battle came to a head as a state district judge tried to unseat Republican Governor Scott Walker’s hand-picked choice for the state Supreme Court. In a bid to shift the ideological makeup […]
Justin Miller
Justin Miller covers politics and state government for the Texas Observer. He is a former Prospect writing fellow, and has also written for The Intercept, The New Republic, and In These Times. Follow @by_jmiller
Posted inLaw and Justice
DOL Releases Bold New Retirement Investment Protections
Flanked by Democratic allies in Congress on Wednesday, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez unveiled the final version of the long-awaited fiduciary rule, which requires that, like doctors and lawyers, retirement account brokers must act in their clients’ best interest. “It really puts in place a fundamental principle of consumer protection into the American retirement marketplace, […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Republican FEC Commissioners Say They Will Crack Down on Shadowy LLCs. But Do They Mean It?
Three Republicans on the Federal Election Commission who have signaled their willingness to crack down on the growing use of secretive limited liability companies (LLCs) to make campaign contributions will soon be put to the test on the issue. The FEC faces multiple complaints from watchdog groups regarding the alleged use of LLCs to make […]
Posted inEconomic Policy
The Labor Prospect: The Department of Labor Is on a Rulemaking Run
The Obama administration moves to solidify the president’s legacy on labor issues, and economists debate the impact of minimum-wage increases.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Big Money Descends on Big Senate Races
Big money isn’t just pouring into the 2016 presidential race-which is already on pace to break several campaign spending records. The campaign-finance arms race has also driven big money into several contentious U.S. Senate races much earlier than usual. “Early money is like yeast, or so goes the saying, implying that when you raise and […]
Posted inWorking in America
Supreme Court Case That Almost Busted Public-Sector Unions is Dead. What Now?
A dark cloud that’s loomed large over public-sector unions has cleared away-for now. The Supreme Court split 4-4 Tuesday in its decision on Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a case centering on the legality of “fair-share” fees, which non-union members are required to pay to cover collective bargaining costs. And while the decision came down […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Arizona Becomes Ground Zero in Fight Over Secret Political Spending
Republicans have taken direct aim at the state’s campaign-finance disclosure laws, but critics warn that the move will unleash a flood of dark money.Â
Posted inWorking in America
The Labor Prospect: The Fight for 15 Has Its Biggest Win Yet
California reaches minimum-wage deal, and New York might be next. But victories in other states still face an uphill climb.
Posted inWorking in America
The Labor Prospect: How Garland Would (and Would Not) Be a Pro-Labor Justice
Predicting how Garland would rule on labor cases, Trump’s working class appeal, and measuring the “gig economy.”
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Will Disclosure Fight Doom SEC Nominees?
The question of whether the Securities and Exchange Commission should require public corporations to more publicly disclose their political spending has emerged as a growing point of contention in Senate deliberations over who should serve on the SEC. At a Senate Banking Committee hearing this week to consider two potential commissioners nominated by President Barack […]
