State Comptroller Sues Qualcomm for Data on Its Political Contributions Posted on January 3, 2013 (November 13, 2020) Challenging Super PACs Nicholas Confessore New York Times January 3, 2013 The New York State comptroller, seeking to force greater public disclosure of corporate political spending, has sued Qualcomm, demanding to view internal records of political expenditures by the company, one of the country’s largest makers of computer chips for mobile devices. Read More
NBC: Election’s biggest corporate donor an enigma that gave $5.3 million; Companies have spent $75 million this cycle Posted on November 5, 2012 (October 30, 2020) Challenging Super PACs NBC News has just published a great report focusing on major examples of corporate spending on the 2012 elections. Here are some key excerpts: The biggest corporate contributor in the 2012 election so far doesn’t appear to make anything — other than very large contributions to a conservative super PAC. Specialty Group Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., donated nearly $5.3 million between Oct. 1 and Oct. 11 to FreedomWorks for America, which is affiliated with former GOP House Majority Leader Dick Armey… Read More
Chevron gives $2.5 million to a super PAC, the largest corporate gift to influence our elections since Citizens United Posted on October 29, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Challenging Super PACs The Chevron oil company has made a gift of $2.5 million to a super PAC. According to the Washington Post: Read More
A Foreign Corporation Makes $1 Million Contribution to Influence U.S. Presidential Election (via Center for Public Integrity) Posted on October 5, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Challenging Super PACs When Citizens United opened the door to corporate funding of elections, many people expressed concern that there would be no way to prevent foreign-owned corporations from exercising influence over U.S. elections. (Campaign contributions from people who are non-U.S. citizens are illegal.) Read More
Report: Citizens United ruling accounts for 78 percent of 2012 election spending Posted on September 26, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Challenging Super PACs By Adam Gabbatt, The GuardianMonday, September 24, 2012 (Excerpt:) Almost $465m of outside money has been spent on the US presidential election campaign so far, including $365m that can be attributed to the supreme court’s landmark Citizens United ruling, according to a report released on Monday. Super Pacs, which came into effect following the 2010 Citizens United verdict, accounted for $272m of the expenditure in the study, conducted by the Sunlight Foundation, a non-profit organisation devoted to increasing transparency in government. Read More
Trevor Potter, former FEC Commissioner (R), on Citizens United, why corporations shouldn’t participate in our elections Posted on September 25, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Challenging Super PACs Bill Moyers’ latest video is an interview with Trevor Potter, a Republican former Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission, best known as Stephen Colbert’s attorney and also Senator John McCain’s former General Counsel. Mr. Potter makes several important points in the 45-minute interview. Here are some of the choicest excerpts, below (not in chronological order): Read More
‘Dark Money’ Hits $172 Million In 2012 Election, Half Of Independent Group Spending Posted on July 30, 2012 (September 25, 2020) Challenging Super PACs Paul Blumenthal Huffington Post July 29, 2012 Read More
Super Pacs, donors turn sights on judicial branch Posted on April 4, 2012 (September 11, 2020) Challenging Super PACs Brady Dennis Washington Post March 29, 2012 Read More
ABC/Washington Post poll: Seven in 10 Would Send Super PACs Packing Posted on March 14, 2012 (September 11, 2020) Challenging Super PACs Super PACs are unwelcome guests at the 2012 election party: Seven in 10 Americans say these private, campaign-spending organizations should be illegal. Echoing widespread disapproval of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that authorized super PACs in 2010, a bipartisan 69 percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll would ban them now. More than half, 52 percent, feel that way strongly. Read More
Independent Fundraising Groups Influencing US Voters Posted on February 24, 2012 (September 4, 2020) Challenging Super PACs More coverage of the rally we organized yesterday along with the Coffee Party and Common Cause: Voice of America Jim Malone February 24, 2012 Read More