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.

Read more »

Eric Massa

Long Gone From Congress, 'Tickler' Eric Massa Still Pays Wife With Campaign Cash

Nick R. Martin | February 1, 2012, 12:40PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.)

Eric Massa may be long gone from the US House, but that hasn't stopped the confessed congressional tickler from using leftover campaign cash to pay his wife a nice monthly salary.

The former New York congressman resigned two years ago amid a bizarre scandal in which he admitted to tickling and roughhousing with male staffers while insisting it wasn't sexual.

Read more »

James Bopp Jr.

Citizens United Lawyer: I Hate Super PACs Too

Ryan J. Reilly | February 1, 2012, 10:38AM

The Republican lawyer on the case that arguably helped pave the way for the creation of so-called "super PACs" told TPM this week that he hopes politicians will realize that the contribution limits on their campaigns are putting them at a huge disadvantage, and will pass legislation dashing such restrictions.

An odd position for a key player in the opening of the anonymous-campaign-cash floodgates to have? James Bopp Jr. says no.

"I'm very hopeful and actually expect that incumbent politicians are going to look at themselves and say we are severely handicapped" in comparison to super PACs, Bopp told TPM, arguing that political campaigns were more accountable to voters than super PACs.

Read more »

Herman Cain

Former New York Post Publisher Funded Herman Cain Super PAC

Ryan J. Reilly | January 26, 2012, 10:50PM

Herman Cain announces 'suspension' of his presidential campaign, in Atlanta, Georgia. December 3, 2011 (Associated Press)

The "super PAC" formed by former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain after he dropped out of the presidential race was fueled by just one $50,000 donation from a top Republican donor who used to own and publish the New York Post, according to a just disclosed Federal Election Commission report.

Peter S. Kalikow is a New York city real estate magnate and the former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He said he "[hadn't] been [as] excited about a presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan ran in 1980" when he endorsed Cain's presidential campaign last year.

Read more »

FEC

Vern Buchanan's Lawyers Also Represented Witnesses

Ryan J. Reilly | January 23, 2012, 11:42AM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

Florida Republican Vern Buchanan's campaign claims he was vindicated by the Federal Election Commission investigation into allegations he was involved with illegally reimbursing employees of his car dealerships for donations to his political campaign. But a review of the full FEC file on his case, posted on the FEC website, last week, paints a murkier picture.

For one, the FEC originally "found reason to believe" that Buchanan "knowingly and willfully" accepted excessive contributions as well as contributions routed through another person. A subsequent report by the FEC general counsel only found that there wasn't sufficient available testimony or evidence to support the allegations and the commissioners voted to close the file on Feb. 1, 2011.

Read more »

Vern Buchanan

Florida GOPer Vern Buchanan Said FEC 'Exonerated' Him -- It Didn't

Ryan J. Reilly | December 21, 2011, 11:26AM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

The Federal Election Commission thinks Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) either lied to them or has a terrible memory problem.

An FEC report obtained by TPM about allegations that Buchanan had his former car company reimburse employees for donations to his political campaign finds that there wasn't enough evidence to show that Buchanan broke the law. Buchanan's team had previously claimed that he was "completely exonerated" by the commission, citing letters from the FEC.

Read more »

Newt Gingrich

FEC Complaint Filed Over Gingrich Campaign Paying $42K For Candidate's Mailing List

Ryan J. Reilly | December 19, 2011, 1:21PM

A government watchdog group has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich following a report that his campaign paid Gingrich $42,000 for the use of his personal mailing list without disclosing it in their campaign finance filings. They also asked the FEC to investigation whether Gingrich Productions, Inc. held campaign events in conjunction with his book signings.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Stephen Colbert

Blues Harp Player And His Occupy-Inspired Super PAC 'Riding The Coattails' Of Stephen Colbert

Ryan J. Reilly | December 14, 2011, 8:55AM

Updated: Dec. 14, 6:07PM

Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today?

Perhaps that's what individuals seeking to donate to Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert's political action committee Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow will be asking themselves if they stumble upon a newly formed -- and similarly named -- super PAC called Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Today.

There's no actual connection between Colbert's 'super PAC' -- which the comedian has used as a means to sarcastically advocate for fewer restrictions on money in politics -- and Americans For A Better Tomorrow Today, which filed its paperwork with the Federal Election Commission last week. But Todd Bailey, custodian of records and treasurer for the new group, said Colbert had "raised a lot of awareness around the issue" and provided his (mostly anonymous) clients with an opportunity.

Read more »

Newt Gingrich

Did Newt Gingrich Violate Campaign Finance Laws?

Ryan J. Reilly | December 6, 2011, 4:03PM

Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks at a press conference before a tea party rally at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island, New York on December 3, 2011.

A campaign finance lawyer flags this part of the Washington Post's story on Newt Gingrich's massive $1.2 million campaign debt:

One of the campaign's biggest creditors is Gingrich himself, who billed the campaign more than $125,000 for a mailing list and travel expenses, about half of which remained unpaid at the end of last quarter.

Read more »

PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
Topics: FEC, Federal Election Commission, Newt Gingrich

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.

Read more »

FEC

Four Ways The FEC Could Rule On Uncoordinated Coordination By American Crossroads

Ryan J. Reilly | November 28, 2011, 1:05PM

The Federal Election Commission is supposed to rule this week on an issue Stephen Colbert has given a lot of attention: a request from Karl Rove's American Crossroads "super PAC" to let groups like theirs coordinate filming "uncoordinated" advertisements with federal candidates.

Last week, the FEC posted four draft responses to the request for an advisory opinion. That means there's a strong possibility that the FEC wouldn't give any advice on the topic because they can't get four votes for any of the drafts. But just in case they do, here's how each finding would break down.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Josue Larose

Super PAC Man Gobbles Up Regulators' Time, Patience

November 18, 2011, 12:45PM

by Kim Barker ProPublica

In the peculiar post-Citizens United world of political money, Josue Larose has assumed a new alter-ego: Super PAC man.

Since the Supreme Court ruling paved the way for groups to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on behalf of candidates, 240 so-called Super PACs have registered with the Federal Election Commission. Larose -- purported millionaire, alleged economist and general man of mystery -- has formed 60 of them, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group that tracks money in politics.

Read more »

FEC

FEC Data Show Big Jump in Spending by Super PACs and Outside Groups

November 10, 2011, 11:15AM

by Marian Wang, ProPublica

As we reported earlier this week, the Federal Election Commission, which regulates the flow of political cash, has been plagued by persistent gridlock on some key areas of campaign finance.

Why's that important? Because as we explain, more money is coming in and much of it is flowing in through new and barely regulated groups.

Take a look at these graphs -- found in a report [PDF] recently posted by the commission -- that shine a spotlight on independent spending, or spending that's technically not coordinated with candidates and their campaigns:

Read more »

Herman Cain

FEC Complaint Filed Against Cain Aide Over iPads, Campaign Trips

Ryan J. Reilly | November 4, 2011, 11:37AM

Herman Cain

The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Herman Cain chief of staff Mark Block over allegations his former group Prosperity USA footed the bill "for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses for such items as iPads, chartered flights and travel to Iowa and Las Vegas" to help get the Cain campaign off the ground.

The complaint, CREW said in a news release, alleges that Block "personally violated the Federal Election Campaign Act by authorizing the illegal corporate contributions as president of Prosperity USA, and then by accepting the illegal contributions as treasurer of Friends of Herman Cain." CREW says this would make Block "the first person in the history of the Act to have both given and received the same illegal contributions."

Read more »

Herman Cain

Ex-Herman Cain Staffer On That Other Scandal: 'Would I Trust Mark Block? Resoundingly No.'

Evan McMorris-Santoro and Ryan J. Reilly | November 3, 2011, 1:20PM

Relying on Herman Cain's Chief Of Staff Mark Block to investigate his own financial dealings is "like asking Willie Sutton to hire an independent counsel," a former Cain regional field staffer told TPM in an interview this week.

The staffer, who worked with Block and implemented his campaign strategy, said the famous smoker is not to be trusted to get to the bottom of whether, as documents appear to show, his company Prosperity USA footed the bill "for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses for such items as iPads, chartered flights and travel to Iowa and Las Vegas" to get the Cain campaign off the ground.

Read more »

Herman Cain

Aides' Corporation May Have Illegally Gotten Cain Campaign Off The Ground

Ryan J. Reilly | October 31, 2011, 9:30AM

Updated: October 31, 11:35AM

Long before Herman Cain chief of staff Mark Block was appearing in the most mocked campaign ad of the presidential campaign so far, he and deputy chief of staff Linda Hansen started a Wisconsin corporation that the Journal Sentinel reports illegally helped the GOP presidential candidate get his campaign off the ground.

Read more »

Herman Cain

Herman Cain Campaign's Payments To His Own Company Okay As Long As He Paid Fair Price

Ryan J. Reilly | October 18, 2011, 8:47AM

Herman Cain

Herman Cain's political campaign has been paying his own company out of his campaign coffers, TPM reported on Monday night:

A review of Cain's last two FEC reports shows the campaign transferring just over $100,000 in cash to Herman Cain T.H.E. New Voice, a company that promotes Cain's books and political philosophy.

The Federal Election Commission has provided "wide latitude for candidates when it comes to campaign spending," Public Citizen's Craig Holman explained: "But such spending for goods and services from a personal business cannot be less than market value, or it would constitute an illegal corporate contributions, and it cannot be above market value, or it would indicate converting campaign funds for personal use."

"Nevertheless, no serious presidential candidate will wade into these murky waters," Holman continued.

Read the whole thing here.

FEC

Linda McMahon's Appearance In WWE's 'Make-A-Wish' Ad Violated FEC Rules

Ryan J. Reilly | October 17, 2011, 11:15AM

Former and possible US Senate candidate Linda McMahon (R-CT)

Linda McMahon's appearance in a World Wrestling Entertainment ad for the Make-a-Wish Foundation during her 2010 run for Senate violated elections law, but the Federal Election Commission is going to let is slide.

The Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee alleged that the WWE -- run by McMahon's husband, Vince -- illegally coordinated corporate in-kind contributions with her campaign.

In a decision made public on Friday, the FEC found that everything besides the Make-a-Wish Foundation ad was on the up-and-up and decided not to do anything about her two-second appearance in the ad as a matter of prosecutorial discretion.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Gabby Giffords

FEC Rules Gabby Giffords Can Use Campaign Funds To Secure Home

Ryan J. Reilly | September 1, 2011, 1:57PM

Rep. Gabriel Giffords (D-AZ)

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) can use campaign funds to make home improvements that would enhance her security, the Federal Election Commission ruled Thursday.

Her campaign had requested to use about $2,200 to improve her home's exterior lighting and locks and install a duress alarm button.

Read more »

PACs

Behold The 'Hybrid PAC': All The Benefits Of A Regular PAC With The 'Super' Bonuses

Ryan J. Reilly | August 25, 2011, 6:15AM

Until now, there's been two kinds of political action committees. There's your classic PAC, capable of making contributions to federal candidates, but which only runs on donations from individual donors capped at $5,000. Than there are "super" PACs, fueled by unlimited donations from corporations and capable of making independent expenditures, but unable to donate directly to candidates.

Now, thanks to a lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission, you can have the best of both worlds with what the campaign finance world has already dubbed a "hybrid PAC." If you're stuck with a regular old PAC, it's super easy to upgrade. All you have to do is open a separate bank account.

Read more »

MoveOn.org

MoveOn.Org To Pay $43K Fine For 'Inadvertent' Campaign Finance Violations

Ryan J. Reilly | August 19, 2011, 3:45PM

The progressive organization MoveOn.org has reached an agreement with the Federal Election Commission to pay $43,000 in civil penalties for failing to notify the agency about independent expenditures totaling over half a million dollars during the 2008 election.

Read more »

Gabby Giffords

Giffords Campaign Seeks To Use Donations For Security Improvements

Ryan J. Reilly | August 19, 2011, 6:00AM

Rep. Gabriel Giffords (D-AZ)

The chairman of the congressional campaign of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) is asking the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to authorize the use of $2,200 in campaign funds to pay for security improvements to the family home where she's recovering from her injuries.

Security updates recommended by Capitol Police include improving the home's exterior lighting and locks and the installation of a duress alarm button.

Read more »

Barack Obama

Political Action Committee To Defeat Barack Obama As Soon As They Spell His Name Correctly

Ryan J. Reilly | August 2, 2011, 2:32PM

A newly formed political action committee aimed at defeating President Barack Obama took in $9,780.00 in just a few months. And they didn't even have to spell his name correctly to do it.

Read more »

Vern Buchanan

Ex-Buchanan Biz Partner Accused FL GOPer Of 'Running' Donations Through Dealership

Ryan J. Reilly | July 26, 2011, 2:45PM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

A former business partner of Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) told federal officials back in 2009 that the congressman instructed him to have employees of their car dealership write checks to his political campaign for which they would then be reimbursed.

Read more »

Turn Right USA

Controversial 'Cash B*tch' Ad Leaves Turn Right USA Super PAC $8K In Debt

Ryan J. Reilly | July 26, 2011, 6:00AM

Donors didn't exactly throw money at the political action committee behind an offensive campaign video that featured "gangsters" tossing cash at a stripper portraying Rep. Janice Hahn (D-CA), who won the special election for CA-36 earlier this month.

Turn Right USA's recent report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) shows the group took in just $285 in July, a reporting period that covered the two-week period after the group released the controversial Internet video aimed at drawing attention to Hahn's supposed connections to "hardcore gangsters."

Read more »

Vern Buchanan

Former Buchanan Business Partner Accuses FL GOPer Of Campaign Scheme Cover-Up

Ryan J. Reilly | July 20, 2011, 5:50PM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

The ex co-owner of a car dealership formerly owned by Rep. Vern Buchanan accused the Florida Republican in federal court of a scheme to break election laws and making threats against his co-conspirators in an attempt to cover it up.

Sam Kazran said he has a voicemail from Buchanan in which the congressman warned of "consequences should [Kazran] chose to disclose his knowledge" and tried to get him to sign an affidavit that cleared Buchanan of any wrongdoing.

Read more »

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert's Super PAC Wouldn't Report Donations Until 2012

Ryan J. Reilly | July 11, 2011, 12:10PM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert's new "Super PAC" Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow will not report donations until 2012.

The treasurer of the political action committee created by the Comedy Central host wrote a letter to the Federal Election Commission informing the agency they would be changing the filing frequency to semi-annual for 2011. That means the group wouldn't have to report who donated to the group until January 2012.

Read more »

FEC

Is FEC Ruling On Super PACs A Win For Campaign Reformers?

Ryan J. Reilly | July 5, 2011, 5:45AM

RNC Committee Member James Bopp Jr. and the FEC building

When the Federal Election Commission unanimously approved an advisory opinion last week that said federal candidates could only solicit up to $5,000 on behalf of so-called super PACs, they were either scoring one for campaign finance reform or helping politicians delude democracy. It just depends on who you ask.

Read more »

Stephen Colbert

Colbert's Super PAC Not Actually Called Colbert Super PAC

Ryan J. Reilly | July 1, 2011, 5:25PM

Stephen Colbert outside the FEC

Turns out that Stephen Colbert's "Super PAC" won't be called "Colbert Super PAC" after all.

Instead, according to paperwork Colbert filed in person with the Federal Election Commission in person yesterday, the "Super PAC" will go by "Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow."

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Ron Johnson

Johnson $10M Payday Could Raise Red Flags For IRS

Susan Crabtree | June 30, 2011, 9:24AM

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)

Sen. Ron Johnson's $10 million post-election windfall from his former company not only raises eyebrows among election lawyers, but the lump-sum payout also could raise serious red flags for the IRS, according to legal experts and accountants.

The Wisconsin Republican, a Tea Party favorite who defeated Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) last year, received a $10 million payment in deferred compensation from his former plastics company, Pacur, weeks after his $9 million self-financed 2010 campaign for Senate came to an end.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Christine O'Donnell

Republican FEC Commissioners Stopped Probe Of Christine O'Donnell

Ryan J. Reilly | June 29, 2011, 11:17AM

Christine O'Donnell

Former Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell told supporters in an email earlier this month that the Federal Election Commission "dismissed the politically motivated complaint against me that was filed by my opponents last summer."

Read more »

Stephen Colbert

Joke's On Them? FEC Set To Let Stephen Colbert 'Report' On His Super PAC

Ryan J. Reilly | June 25, 2011, 12:40PM

Stephen Colbert

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) looks set to approve Stephen Colbert's request for a press exemption that would allow him to promote his "super PAC" on-air without Viacom having to report it as an in-kind contribution.

Poking fun at Karl Rove offering "commentary" on his own super PAC American Crossroads on Fox News under a press exemption, Colbert said he wanted to report on his "super PAC" without Comedy Central's parent company Viacom having to report the air time and production costs as an in-kind contribution.

Read more »