Money In Politics
The two Presidential campaigns combined have reported raising $394.4 million from small donors giving less than $200, who are at least 1,972,000 individuals. Just 629 big donors giving at least $100,000 were responsible for $393.4 in Super PAC donations.
11/01/2012
Data Byte
While it is likely that much of the business money coming into the elections is funneled through dark money sources such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which so far has spent at least $35 million on races nationwide, the analysis found that business corporations remain the second largest source...
11/01/2012
Data Byte
Outside spending organizations reported $1.11 billion in spending to the FEC through the final reporting deadline in the 2012 cycle. That’s already a 400% increase over total 2008 outside spending.
11/01/2012
Data Byte
Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, have given $52.2 to Super PACs in the 2012 cycle, which, though a significant sum, is just .21% of their net worth. It would take more than 322,000 average American families donating an equivalent share of their wealth ($162) to match just the Adelsons’ giving....
11/01/2012
Data Byte
A new analysis of pre-election data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and other sources by U.S. PIRG and Demos shows that outside spending in the first presidential election since Citizens United is living up to its hype: new waves of “outside spending” have been fueled by dark money and...
11/01/2012
Publication
The Roberts Court's campaign finance jurisprudence has one over-arching theme: morphing the First Amendment into a tool for powerful interests and wealthy individuals to use to dominate the political process. This has tied the hands of advocates and policymakers working to curb the influence of big...
10/19/2012
Blog
Other outside dark money groups get the press, but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce gets results. That's because the Chamber, the biggest lobbying organization in the country, doesn't disclose its donors, among whom are the most powerful companies in the country. Those corporations use the Chamber's to...
10/19/2012
Blog
When being the mayor of New York City isn’t enough, it’s time to start playing with the big boys. In 2012, that means starting a Super PAC. Michael Bloomberg is taking his fabled centrism on the road.
In all, Mr. Bloomberg intends to invest in as many as a dozen House and Senate races...
10/18/2012
Blog
Being a whistblower and exposing wrongdoing at large, well-established corporations is not all Erin Brokovich makes it out to be. The cases have traditionally been an uphill battle whose benefits, if any, come late. Americans may love a good David and Goliath battle, but the power of large...
10/07/2012
Blog
