Earlier this month the Chicago Police Department joined a growing list of law enforcement agencies around the nation under investigation by the Department of Justice for possible civil rights violations. The announcement of the Justice probe came on the heels of the November release of a video showing white Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke […]
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Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
For the GOP, A Small Step Forward on Campaign-Finance Reform
Conservative Republicans in Congress have taken one small step on campaign-finance reform, and one (potentially) giant leap forward for bipartisanship. Last week, Freedom Caucus conservative and Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar introduced a bill, the Stop Foreign Donations Affecting our Elections Act, that would close a loophole he says allows foreigners to illegally make online contributions […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
For Watchdogs, Budget Deal a Mixed Bag
For the past couple of weeks, a number of controversial riders aimed at deregulating the campaign finance system and curtailing President Obama’s ability to increase the transparency of undisclosed political spending have been at the center of federal budget negotiations. A coalition of progressive reformers has been mobilizing to stop the riders. And now, with […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Spending Bill Spares Planned Parenthood
Despite months of Republican threats and political bluster, a recently-unveiled $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that will fund the government until October 2016 includes no cuts to Planned Parenthood’s federal funding or to abortion access. The deal follows weeks of hostile negotiations on Capitol Hill. At stake were funds not only for Planned Parenthood, but […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
More Than a Dozen States Eye Automatic Voter Registration
Advocates of automatic voter registration won two legislative battles in Oregon and California this year, and lost another in New Jersey when GOP Governor Chris Christie vetoed automatic registration legislation last month. Now the question is whether 18 states mulling a variety of automatic voter registration bills will approve or reject those proposals. The bills […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Is Adelson Spending Going Underground?
Tonight, the leading Republican presidential contenders will descend upon Las Vegas to participate in this year’s final GOP debate. And in a perfect metaphor for the rising influence of billionaire mega-donors, the debate is being held at The Venetian, the palatial casino owned by notorious Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. Adelson spent close to $100 million […]
Posted inLaw and Justice
Koch Campaign Strains Criminal Justice Coalition
Until recently, progressives have largely embraced the involvement of the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch in the push for criminal justice reform, including changes in mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Before conservative activists embraced the issue, the crisis of mass incarceration had largely languished on the back burner. But the involvement of the Kochs and […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Voter Outrage Over Political Money Continues to Escalate
Even as most of the presidential candidates have pivoted their focus to foreign affairs and the rise of ISIS, poll after poll makes one thing clear: voters are still concerned about the influence of money in the political system. This voter alarm is escalating hand in hand with campaign spending. The Pew Research Center released […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Obama’s One Last Chance to Tackle Dark Money Spending
Progressives who have been pressuring President Barack Obama to sign an executive order that would require federal contractors to more fully disclose their political spending got fresh ammunition this week with the release of a scathing report faulting the president’s campaign finance “legacy of inaction.” President Obama has talked a big game on campaign-finance reform, […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
GOP Budget Rider Takes Aim at Campaign-Finance Rules
Republicans are once again using the politically volatile process of funding the government as a clearinghouse for a whole host of ideological riders-from defunding Planned Parenthood to curtailing the ability of the government to enforce labor and environmental regulations. And congressional Republicans are unified in backing all these riders-except one. Conservatives stirred up a GOP […]
