Joe Arpaio

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Hasn't Delivered On Cash He Promised Fellow Border Hawks

Nick R. Martin | February 8, 2012, 6:21AM

When Sheriff Joe Arpaio launched his own federal political action committee last year, he vowed to move beyond his role as just a national leader for immigration hardliners. He wanted to become one of their more serious sources of campaign cash.

But months after announcing the creation of Joe PAC, the Arizona sheriff's desire to become a major financial backer for the movement is far from reality. Instead, it has been consumed by his own bid for reelection.

Read more »

Jan Brewer

Brewer Pledged Cash For Immigration Fight, Instead Spent It Buying Copies Of Her Own Book

Nick R. Martin | February 2, 2012, 11:47AM

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) signing copies of her book, "Scorpions for Breakfast," in Irvine, CA in November 2011.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) launched a special fundraising political action committee in October, pledging to use the money to fight illegal immigration and take on other issues she believes in. But based on financial disclosures filed this week, she has so far used it to do little more than buy copies of her own book.

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 »

PACs

'PACMEN' Fight Against Corporate Involvement In Elections

Ryan J. Reilly | July 7, 2011, 1:40PM

Turns out a there's a political action committee that fights against the influence of political action committees and doesn't rake in the corporate donations.

PACMEN, or "People Against the Corporate Manipulation of Elections and News," was started earlier this year by Massachusetts residents Jeromie Whalen and Scott Bloomberg, the duo behind the website WhatTheFuckHaveUnionsDoneSoFar.com.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Christine O'Donnell

Christine O'Donnell Will Use Committee To 'Investigate' Left-Wing Groups

Ryan J. Reilly | February 8, 2011, 1:55PM

Christine O'Donnell

Failed GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell is back, and she's telling supporters she wants her newly formed political action committee ChristinePAC to "investigate and counter attack leftwing groups."

O'Donnell, who wrote that her losing campaign sent "shockwaves" throughout the nation, said in an e-mail to supporters Tuesday that her group will look into the groups "funded with one million dollars or more from billionaire leftist George Soros."

Read more »

Christine O'Donnell

Christine O'Donnell Establishes PAC Based In Her Home

Ryan J. Reilly | January 19, 2011, 9:55AM

Christine O'Donnell

Former GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell is under investigation for paying her rent with campaign funds. Now she's made the very same home the headquarters of her newly established political action committee, ChristinePAC.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Campaign Finance

Sarah Palin Spends Like A Politician: Consultants And Pals Make Up Bulk Of PAC Payments

Christina Bellantoni and Rachel Slajda | July 14, 2010, 11:16AM

Former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (R)

To hear Sarah Palin tell it, she and her mama grizzlies are people-powered, grassroots examples of how Americans can get involved in politics. But a close look at SarahPAC's campaign finance report shows she spends her donations on the same old, standard consultants as every other politician. And like many others, she still finds ways to keep her inner circle in the money.

She pulled in just shy of $866,000 in donations from people hailing from Kissimmee, Florida to Rancho Palos Verdes, California. But Marylander Laurie Beitman's $35 and the bulk of Palin's small-dollar donations is going to more than Republican candidates the former Alaska governor wants to see win this fall. By our count, Palin spent nearly $400,000 on consultants, lobbying firms and the standard direct mail and fundraising firms politicians frequently use. (The AP had a stricter consulting tally, $210,000.) Just about the only maverick-style item she purchased was $4,000 worth of sausage.

Read more »

PACs

WaPo: Boehner's PAC Spending Money To Fund Luxury Trips

Eric Lach | June 2, 2010, 11:25AM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

Fancy meals. Trips to luxury resorts. These are among the purchases -- classified as "necessary to raise money" -- that House Minority Leader John Boehner's PAC has spent the bulk of its money on in this election cycle, according to The Washington Post.

Read more »