Campaign Contributions

Super PAC

Super PACs Already Spending Big On State Level Races

Ryan J. Reilly | May 7, 2012, 5:50AM

Six months ahead of the election, super PACs have already spend more than $12 million in congressional races, according to data compiled for TPM by the Center for Responsive Politics.

While super PACs have already had a major impact in the Republican presidential primary, observers expect state-level super PAC spending in Senate and House races to have an even bigger impact than it has in the presidential race. A total of 24 separate races have already received an influx of more than $100,000 in super PAC funds, money with much more potential to swing local races than it does national.

So far, the race for Indiana Sen. Dick Lugar's seat has seen the most super PAC money, with $2.5 million in the race, most of it against the Indiana Republican or in support of his primary opponent. Tea Party Republicans are backing state treasurer Richard Mourdock, and FreedomWorks alone has spent over half a million in the race.

Michael Grimm

GOP Rep Michael Grimm: I'd Be 'Very Stupid' To Take Cash Near FBI Building

Ryan J. Reilly | February 3, 2012, 4:25PM

House Speaker John Boehner said Friday that he was "not familiar with the details" of the unfolding campaign finance scandal involving Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY). Let's bring him up to speed.

The New York Times reported this week that Grimm worked closely with Ofer Biton (a top aide to the orthodox Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto) back in 2009 to recruit the rabbi's followers to donate to Grimm's campaign. Together, they collected more than $500,000 for his campaign, helping convince Republican leaders Grimm was a viable candidate.

Now Biton is now under investigation by the FBI, which just happens to be Grimm's former employer. Grimm himself is accused of accepting a cash donation of $5,000 "near the FBI building" and three followers of the rabbi told the New York Times that Grimm or Biton said they would find ways for the campaign to accept donations over the legal limit.

Super PAC

The $100K Club: Presidential Super PACs Almost Entirely Funded By Six Figure Contributions (CHART)

Ryan J. Reilly | February 2, 2012, 5:47AM

Mitt Romney

Six major "super PACs" backing former and current Republican presidential candidates were almost entirely funded by massive contributions from individuals and corporations of at least $100,000, according to a TPM analysis of campaign finance data.

Take Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting but totally not coordinating with Mitt Romney: 58 donations of over $100,000 given to the super PAC made up 82.59 percent of its intake during the second half of 2011.

It shouldn't come as much of a shock that big donations as opposed to a large number of small or medium-sized donations are really what matter most to independent expenditure-only political action committees. But the numbers really demonstrate just how little moderate donations -- the kind typically touted by political campaigns proud of their grassroots support -- are playing a part in the new age of unlimited campaign cash.

'Just The Beginning': Flood of 'Super PAC' Money Into Iowa Offers 2012 Preview

Ryan J. Reilly | January 3, 2012, 2:10PM

The ads are everywhere in Iowa: on cable, on network television -- during shows like "Dr. Phil," "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Tonight Show" -- and across the dial on talk radio (where it's gotten to the point that callers on talk radio shows are complaining about the onslaught). They walk, talk and act like campaign ads, but for the most part, they're not coming from candidates.

Welcome to the presidential campaign, post-Citizens United.

Vern Buchanan

Sessions Defends Buchanan Over Allegations Of Illegal Campaign Finance Scheme

Ryan J. Reilly | December 16, 2011, 2:00PM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is defending NRCC Finance Chair Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) over allegations he schemed to illegally reimburse employees of his former car dealership for donations to his political campaign.

Kinde Durkee

Kinde Durkee Hearing Delayed Because Feds Need More Time

Ryan J. Reilly | December 6, 2011, 6:45PM

Kinde Durkee

A court hearing scheduled for Friday for Democratic campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee, accused of stealing money from the political campaigns and charities whose finances she managed, has been pushed back until Jan. 26.

Federal Election Commission

FEC Deadlocks On Question Of 'Uncoordinated' Coordination

Ryan J. Reilly | December 1, 2011, 12:30PM

Updated: Dec. 1, 1:05PM

The Federal Election Commission deadlocked on a request by Karl Rove's "super PAC" to allow advertisements shot in coordination with candidates for federal office to be considered uncoordinated and not amount to in-kind donations. A motion in support of a draft opinion to reject the request failed on a three-to-three party line vote.

Republican FEC member Donald McGhan lead the questioning of a lawyer for American Crossroads, the conservative "super PAC" that is requesting to run advertisements featuring federal candidates for office.

Mike Lee

FEC To Tell Mike Lee He Can't Form His Very Own Super PAC

Ryan J. Reilly | November 23, 2011, 5:02PM

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)

The Federal Election Commission is set to tell Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), a member of the Tea Party Caucus, that he can't become the first politician in the country to form his very own "super PAC" during their public meeting next week.

A draft ruling posted by the FEC on Wednesday in response to a request for an advisory opinion Lee filed last month would deny the Utah Republican and his leadership PAC, the Constitutional Conservatives Fund PAC, the ability to create a separate account for unlimited contributions -- or "soft money" -- used to fuel independent expenditure ads.

Stephen Colbert

Uncoordinated Coordination: Six Reasons Limits on Super PACs Are Barely Limits at All

November 21, 2011, 1:20PM

Stephen Colbert outside the FEC

by Marian Wang ProPublica

Ask any campaign-finance expert about super PACs and you'll likely keep hearing one word: "coordination." That's because Super PACs -- the super-powered groups that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from anyone -- have just one crucial restriction on their powers: By law, they're not supposed to coordinate with candidates.

Think that sounds clear? Think again.

Fiesta Bowl

Feds: Illegal Donations From Fiesta Bowl Employee Went To Arizona Republicans

Ryan J. Reilly | November 17, 2011, 11:00AM

A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment this week against former Fiesta Bowl employee Natalie Wisneski for allegedly making illegal campaign contributions to Arizona Republicans in the name of others.

The feds say Wisneski, 47, also filed false tax returns as an officer and "high-paid employee" of the Fiesta Bowl. They say she solicited campaign contributions from Fiesta Bowl employees for federal, state and local candidates while agreeing to reimburse the employees for their contributions with Fiesta Bowl money.

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon: D.C. Socialite Wasn't Made Ambassador Just Because She Had 'Big Bosoms'

Ryan J. Reilly | November 10, 2011, 3:25PM

Former President Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon wanted prosecutors to get something straight during his grand jury testimony on the Watergate controversy: wealthy D.C. socialite Perle Mesta wasn't made ambassador to Luxembourg just "because she had big bosoms." It was just because she "made a good contribution."

Mesta -- pictured here -- was appointed to the Luxembourg post by President Harry Truman in 1949 and died in March of 1975. Nixon's grand jury testimony was three months after she died.

John Edwards

Judge Won't Toss John Edwards Campaign Finance Case

Ryan J. Reilly | October 27, 2011, 10:52AM

John Edwards

Updated: Oct. 27, 11:34AM

A federal judge in North Carolina has declined to dismiss campaign finance charges against John Edwards. The case is set to proceed to trial in January, according to the Associated Press.

Edwards' lawyer argued Wednesday that the case was politically motivated and shouldn't move forward.

American Crossroads

Watchdogs Ask IRS To Probe Non-Profits Affiliated With Karl Rove And Obama Aides

Ryan J. Reilly | September 28, 2011, 11:35AM

Karl Rove

Two good government groups have formally asked the IRS to investigate the actions of Crossroads GPS, Priorities USA, American Action Network and Americans Elect, who they say should be inelligible for tax exempt status.

Under the Internal Revenue Code, officials with the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 write, section 501(c)(4) organizations "are required to primarily engage in the promotion of social welfare in order to obtain tax exempt status."

Belinda Cook

Illegal Contributions By Michael Steele's Sister Cost His Senate Campaign $54K In FEC Fines

Ryan J. Reilly | September 22, 2011, 11:40AM

Michael Steele

Illegal contributions by the sister of former Republican National Committee Chairman and current MSNBC contibutor Michael Steele got his former Senate campaign fined $54,000 by the Federal Elections Committee, the agency disclosed this week.

It all started back in 2006, when Steele's sister Monica Turner hosted two fundraisers at her home in Bethesda, Md.

Invitations to the event said they were paid for by Steele for Maryland, Inc. But because the campaign was apparently low on funds, Turner paid $6,578.35 in catering, security and valet expenses for a July event and $7,850 in expenses for an October event.

Kinde Durkee

Bank Keeps Clients Of Arrested Treasurer Kinde Durkee From Accessing Their Cash

Ryan J. Reilly | September 15, 2011, 3:05PM

Kinde Durkee

The Los Angeles County Democratic Party passed around a donations basket at a meeting and laid off one employee this week, unsure they'd be able to make payroll. Fifty-one college students can't get access to scholarships issued by the Legislative Black Caucus Policy Institute. That's all thanks to the arrest of prominent California treasurer Kinde Durkee, accused of making personal use of her clients' funds.

As Durkee and her lawyer meet with federal prosecutors and pour over the evidence in her case, the bank where she keep most of her clients' money is refusing to release control of the accounts until they agree to "hold the Bank harmless" for any misdeeds in the Durkee case.

Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Chamber To Rank Politicians On Whether They Vote To Keep Contractor Donations Secret

Ryan J. Reilly | July 28, 2011, 5:41PM

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has written a letter to members of the House telling them that voting for federal contractors to be more transparent about their political spending will negatively impact their legislative scorecard.

Charles Koch

Koch Industries Foreign Subsidiary Admits Making Illegal Donations

Ryan J. Reilly | July 1, 2011, 1:53PM

David and Charles Koch

A Luxembourg-based subsidiary of Koch Industries has admitted to making illegal campaign contributions to political candidates and committees.

INVISTA is a limited liability company involved in the textile manufacturing business that is organized in Luxembourg but headquartered in Kansas. They admitted in a filing with the Federal Election Commission that was disclosed this week that they made 12 contributions totally $26,800 to various political committees between Nov. 2005 and Oct. 2009.

James Bopp Jr.

FEC: Politicians Can Solicit Donations For 'Super PACs,' But Only Up To $5K

Ryan J. Reilly | June 30, 2011, 4:05PM

RNC Committee Member James Bopp Jr. and the FEC building

As Stephen Colbert did his victory lap outside the Federal Election Commission's headquarters on Thursday, the six commissioners still inside the hearing voted on a measure that will have a much bigger effect on the 2012 election.

FEC

Outside FEC, Stephen Colbert Says His 'Super PAC' Is No Joke (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | June 30, 2011, 11:50AM

Stephen Colbert

The Federal Election Commission gets it -- Stephen Colbert is punking them. But the FEC treated the Comedy Central host's request for an advisory opinion like anyone else, and on Thursday granted him the ability to form a "super PAC."

Their ruling allows his parent company Viacom to pay for most of their "coverage" of Colbert Super PAC's activities under a press exemption without having to disclose such expenditures as in-kind donations.

Stephen Colbert

Campaign Reformers Say Stephen Colbert's FEC Joke Has Gone Far Enough

Ryan J. Reilly | June 29, 2011, 6:45PM

Stephen Colbert

Your average meeting of the Federal Election Commission is lucky to attract one reporter - usually Ken Doyle, the senior editor of the trade publication BNA's Money & Politics Report. "I've been there many times when he and I were the only people in the audience," campaign finance lawyer Brett Kappel told TPM.

Rielle Hunter

How John Edwards' $400 Haircut Lead To Alleged Illegal Donations

Ryan J. Reilly | June 3, 2011, 12:25PM

John Edwards

It was April 2007 and Bunny Mellon, a then 96-year-old wealthy supporter of former Sen. John Edwards, was angry over how the media was over-blowing the news that the North Carolina Democrat got a $400 haircut.

Anna Eshoo

Eshoo: Chamber Having 'Sissy Fit' Over Campaign Disclosure

Ryan J. Reilly | June 3, 2011, 9:20AM

Rep. Anna Eschoo (D-CA)

Lawmakers on Thursday offered two competing amendments to a bill addressing the anonymous flow of taxpayer money to third party political groups. One would have required disclosure of such donations, the other would ban the government from doing anything to shed any light on the financial flows.

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) said her amendment, which was ruled out of order, would "require that anyone that receives an appropriation, a contract, doing business with the federal government produce full disclosure relative to political expenditures." She said it would eliminate "a dark corner of our system that is not being addressed."

Chamber of Commerce

Transparency Efforts By Corporations Undermine Chamber's Anti-Disclosure Stance

Ryan J. Reilly | June 2, 2011, 10:25AM

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims that a draft executive order being considered by the Obama administration would be an assault on free speech. The proposed order would require federal contractors to disclose donations to third party groups. But many of the companies affiliated with the Chamber have extolled the values of disclosure and already publicly reveal their donations voluntarily.

Citizens United

Judicial Takebacks: Reagan Nominee Overlooked Supreme Court Ruling On Corporate Donations

Ryan J. Reilly | May 31, 2011, 6:50PM

Last week a federal judge nominated by President Ronald Reagan rocked the campaign finance world when he ruled that corporations could give directly to candidates. Now he's signaled he might want a do over.

Campaign Donations

Why Democrats Are Losing The Messaging War On Federal Contractor Disclosure

Ryan J. Reilly | May 28, 2011, 11:00AM

United States Chamber of Commerce

Campaign finance reformer advocates aren't only facing setbacks in federal courtrooms -- they're also getting beat on the messaging war with Republicans over a proposal to make federal contractors disclose their donations to third-party groups.

Citizens United

Federal Judge Rules Corporations, Just Like People, Should Be Able To Give To Candidates

Ryan J. Reilly | May 27, 2011, 1:45PM

Last year the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United opened up the coffers of political action groups to corporate funds because the court found that companies -- just like people -- should be able to donate to political causes. Now a federal judge has ruled that based on that logic, corporations should be able to give directly to politicians just like human beings.

PACs

Watchdogs Warn Congress That Soliciting For Super PACS Breaks Law

Ryan J. Reilly | May 25, 2011, 1:20PM

Two good government groups are warning members of Congress that soliciting donations for "Super PACs" would be illegal. In a letter to members of the House and Senate, Campaign Legal Center President Trevor Potter and Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer wrote that the members of Congress themselves would be breaking the law if they agreed to solicit funds on behalf of the groups.

FEC

Dem PACs To FEC: If 'Republican Super PAC' Can Coordinate With Candidates, We Will Too

Ryan J. Reilly | May 20, 2011, 1:07PM

Two Democratic political action committees are asking the Federal Election Commission if the Republican Super PAC's plan for politicians to solicit donations on their behalf is legal. And if it is, you can count them in.

FEC

Watchdogs: Campaign Finance Agency Is AWOL

Susan Crabtree | February 17, 2011, 8:28AM

FEC Commissioner Donald McGahn

A coalition of watchdog groups are calling for congressional hearings into what they regard as systematic failings of the Federal Election Commission, the agency charged with enforcing campaign finance law.

In a letter to the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate oversight committees, the coalition urges the panels to hold hearings on the FEC's "frequent refusal to enforce the campaign finance laws passed by Congress."

Iowa

Split-Personality Iowa Embezzler Who Donated To Political Campaigns Gets 6 Years

Rachel Slajda | January 26, 2011, 1:55PM

Phyllis and Marla Stevens

A woman who embezzled $6 million from the insurance company where she worked, spent $175,000 on political campaigns and blamed it all on her split personalities has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Prosecutors say that Phyllis Stevens, who is 59, siphoned money off Des Moines-based Aviva USA for years by creating fake insurance agents and paying them huge commissions, which were wired into a bank account that Stevens and her wife, Marla, held in another state.

The Stevenses donated some $175,000 to state and federal candidates in 2006 and 2008, They chose mostly Democrats, including former Rep. Betsey Markey (D-CO) and Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) and Democratic groups, like MoveOn and the Democratic Party of Iowa, but also gave to some Republican women.

Citizens United

One Year Post Citizens United, Deep Divide Remains

Ryan J. Reilly | January 20, 2011, 2:56PM

The U.S. Supreme Court building

One year after the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate influence of elections, a deep divide still remains over whether that's a good thing or a bad thing for the county. And both sides think the Founding Fathers would be on their side.

Barack Obama

Tea Party Nation Founder: Obama Wants China To Fund His Campaign Like Hamas Did In '08

Jillian Rayfield | January 19, 2011, 10:39AM

Judson Phillips, leader of Tea Party Nation.

Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips thinks this week's state dinner with China has a much more sinister purpose than the White House would have us believe: "In 2008, Obama even received campaign contributions from Gaza (I.e. Hamas). So where does a corrupt, unpopular President from the party of treason go for reelection cash? China, of course."

FEC

FEC Rejects Bid For Text Message Campaign Donations

Ryan J. Reilly | December 13, 2010, 10:02AM

The Federal Election Commission has rejected a leading wireless trade association's request for permission to enable political campaigns to solicit donations via text message, ABC News reports.

Charles Rangel

Report: FEC Investigating Rangel For Legal Fees

Rachel Slajda | December 6, 2010, 11:42AM

Rep. Charlie Rangel

Trouble isn't over yet for Rep. Charlie Rangel.

The New York Post reports that the Federal Elections Commission is investigating a complaint made against Rangel, alleging that he illegally used PAC funds to pay lawyers defending him in a House ethics investigation.

Citizens United

Citizens United President Enjoys 'Bitching And Moaning' Over Supreme Court Case

Ryan J. Reilly | December 1, 2010, 8:37AM

Citizens United President David Bossie

The "newfound freedoms" granted in the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision will allow the conservative movement to participate on a "level playing field" with groups like MoveOn.org and labor unions, Citizens United President David Bossie said Tuesday.

Bossie also said he enjoys hearing liberals complain about the outcome of the Citizens United case. "Somebody's always bitching and moaning," Bossie said.

He specifically mentioned former Justice John Paul Stevens, who said in an interview aired on 60 Minutes over the weekend that the court made several mistakes in the Citizens United ruling.

Campaign Contributions

New Tool Tracks How Shopping Habits Impact Political Process

Ryan J. Reilly | November 30, 2010, 2:06PM

https://checking.influenceexplorer.com/

Worried your donation to the Human Rights Campaign could be diluted thanks to your Target habit and the company's support of anti-gay politicians?

The Sunlight Foundation has you covered with their new Checking Influence tool, which analyzes online bank account and credit card statements to show how your spending is being used to influence the political process. The tool allows users to determine if their spending habits are aligning with their political beliefs.

FEC

Txting 4 Campaign $$$: Donations Via Cell Phone Could Change Elections

Ryan J. Reilly | September 21, 2010, 11:22AM

A leading wireless trade association is requesting an opinion from the Federal Election Commission on whether it would be legal for political candidates to solicit donations via text message -- a development which could have as much of an impact on the campaign finance business as it has on charities.

The nonprofit trade association CTIA - The Wireless Association filed a request this month for the FEC to determine whether it would be allowable to accept small contributions to federal candidates, parties and political committees of approximately $10 via Common Short Codes (CSC) -- more commonly known as text messages.

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Topics: Campaign Contributions, FEC

David Vitter

Vitter Cleared in FEC Probe Of Donations From Barbour PAC

Megan Carpentier | August 10, 2010, 10:50AM

Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

The Federal Elections Commission yesterday ruled that there was no reason to look further into allegations that former Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS) used Gov. Haley Barbour's (R-MS) PAC to funnel campaign contributions to Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) in order to avoid bad publicity.

Pickering, of course, last made national news when his wife sued his long-time mistress for alienation of affection in Mississippi; Vitter's reported extramarital assignations with prostitutes are well-documented.

Joe Barton

Barton's Top Campaign Contributor Is Implicated In Gulf Oil Disaster

Justin Elliott | June 17, 2010, 3:07PM

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)

It's well-known that Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), the congressman who made headlines today for apologizing to BP for the "$20 billion shakedown" of the new escrow account, has been drenched in oil and gas industry money for years.

But here's a nice catch by 538:

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

GOP Rep. Promises Donors: 'I Would Turn To You For Advice'

Zachary Roth | April 23, 2010, 10:17AM

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) has canceled a fundraiser after questions were raised about her promise of special access to donors.

The conservative lawmaker sent out an email last week inviting potential donors to "serve as a member of my advisory group by attending my April 27 dinner," and making a $2,500 contribution. It continued: "When the GOP regain[s] the majority, I would turn to you for advice on pertinent issues affecting our nation."

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