Campaign Finance
Extra Extra Monday: Several enterprise stories tackle gun control issues
The Washington PostReview of FBI forensics does not extend to federally trained state, local examinersThe Washington Post reports that thousands of criminal cases at the state and local level may have relied on exaggerated testimony or false forensic evidence to convict defendants of murder, rape and other felonies, according to former FBI agents. The Journal…
Read MoreKarl Rove’s Dark Money Group Promised IRS It Would Spend ‘Limited’ Money on Elections
“In a confidential 2010 filing, Crossroads GPS — the dark money group that spent more than $70 million from anonymous donors on the 2012 election — told the Internal Revenue Service that its efforts would focus on public education, research and shaping legislation and policy.”
Read MoreState’s cancer-fighting agency funded projects of Perry campaign contributor
“A month after Texas voters approved a 10-year, $3 billion program to fight cancer, a Dallas businessman and several of his associates began to pour tens of thousands of dollars into the campaign funds of Gov. Rick Perry and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst. Millions from a new state agency would flow to two firms founded…
Read MoreHundreds of millions of dollars spent on election in CA alone
“Now that Tuesday’s election is over, CaliforniaWatch did an analysis to find out how much money was pumped into the political battles over California’s eleven propositions.” “The total they found was $363 million or $20 in political spending for each of California’s 18.2 million registered voters.”
Read MoreNew Jersey’s Campaign Cash: Where it comes from, which towns give the most, and the crazy difference in how they raise their millions in donations
The paper analyzed campaign finance data and found a striking disparity between the two presidential candidates, despite being nearly identical in money raised (Barack Obama has raised $5.3 million in New Jersey and Mitt Romney has raised $5.1 million. But Obama only makes $149 off of each contribution from a total of 35,565 contributors. Romney…
Read MoreIowa sees $29.6 million TV ad inundation
The Des Moines Register and eight other newspapers joined forces to gather and analyze TV political advertising spending data statewide in the 2012 presidential race. The effort revealed an unprecedented $30 million TV ad blitz that began last spring, continued through August and will pick up momentum heading into the final weeks of the race.…
Read MoreTaxpayers foot the bill for convention parties
“WTSP-Tampa has found, through federal filings, that the Republican & Democratic national conventions promise economic windfalls to host cities but most of the money spent comes from the U.S. Treasury, including money spent on alcohol and parties.“
Read MoreLawyers playing key role in fundraising for the 2012 presidential election
The Daily Business Review takes a closer look at the 2012 presidential election and the role lawyers have played in fundraising. They combed through FEC and OpenSecrets.org records to compile a story, with numerous charts with breakdowns on lawyers helping President Obama and Mitt Romney and the percentage of their funds that come from lawyers.…
Read MoreS.C House Speaker’s PAC channels hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican Party
“South Carolina’s House speaker is affiliated with a political action committee that has doled out hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and private contracts to sitting state lawmakers.” “According to publicly filed data analyzed by The Post and Courier, the Speaker’s PAC has channeled about a half-million dollars in the last four years to…
Read MoreKeeping tabs on super PACs and super donors
“To keep tabs on super PACs, and as of today, super donors, The Center for Public Integrity has a project to “out” the shadowy political organizations that have flourished in the wake of the Citizens United ruling.” Consider the Source “provides narrative to behind the flow of money and how the election is influencing a…
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