In the News
Washington Times: Smallest political donors appeal Florida’s restrictions to Supreme Court
By Kellan Howell“The people shouldn’t have to hire attorneys and accountants and experts to speak out on issues of the day,” said Allen Dickerson, legal director for the Center for Competitive Politics, which last week joined with the libertarian Cato Institute in a “friend of the court” brief urging the Supreme Court justices to accept the case.“If true grass-roots actors want to be able to discuss issues in their community, they are going to be treated like a large entity even though they don’t have those resources,” Mr. Dickerson argued.The issue started when plaintiff Andrew Worley and two other community members decided to pool together $600 to fund local radio advertising opposing an amendment on property taxes to the Florida Constitution during the 2010 election cycle. Under Florida law, citizens must form a PAC to disclose all campaign funding in order to contribute.
CCP
Proposal would severely burden Michigander’s First Amendment Rights
By Joe TrotterThe Center for Competitive Politics (CCP) submitted comments responding to the State Bar of Michigan’s (SBM)declaratory ruling request regarding issue advertisements about elected judges, pointing out that the request would place severe burdens on Michiganders’ First Amendment rights.“What is most disappointing about the request is that the SBM asks [the Secretary of State] to ignore not only the meaning of state law, but also the First Amendment and forty years of Supreme Court precedent,” wrote CCP President David Keating in his comments.The request asks “[M]ust all communications referring to judicial candidates be considered ‘expenditures’ for purposes of the MCFA [Michigan Campaign Finance Act], and thus reportable to the Secretary of State, regardless of whether such payments entail express advocacy or its functional equivalent?”
Disclosure
Wall Street Journal: Using ‘Disclosure’ to Silence Corporate America
By Jonathan MaceyA word to company officers and shareholders: Ignore the index. It is another salvo by activists in the continuing political war against corporate America.The index’s headline claim is that increased disclosure is “a competitive advantage.” Yet nearly 82% of shareholder votes among Fortune 250 companies refused to support activist shareholder proposals seeking increased disclosure of expenditures on what the activists dub “political spending,” which includes payments to tax-exempt, issue-advocacy groups, including trade associations.The index may acquire an air of legitimacy from its association with a venerable business school, but its ranking system is deeply flawed. The design and metrics are outcome-oriented, reflecting the subjective and political biases of the index’s sponsors. It simply isn’t a valid indicator of whether a corporation is using shareholder funds properly.
Candidates, Politicians, Campaigns, and Parties
The Atlantic: Americans Spent $36 Million on Negative 2014 Campaign Ads Last Month
By Philip BumpWhat’s really baffling is why Americans would spend $36.2 million on congressional elections at a time when the body has never been less popular. Obviously, a lot of that money, particularly on the Democratic side, was meant to help elect Democrats to replace the Republicans — but Ted Cruz isn’t up for reelection until 2018. And the Republicans took in $5.3 million for races in a body it already controls. America, this is a bad investment. It is a bad investment because it rewards bad behavior. It is a bad investment because it turns the power of determining where to invest in races over to party committees. It is a bad investment because it is largely dissociated from victory.Americans get the significance. Contributions to political parties are like party-line votes that you can take any time you want. “I was so mad at Ted Cruz,” some guy in Los Gatos, California, probably said, “that I gave $100 to the DNC.” It’s a mark of displeasure for everyone that didn’t get a call from Gallup.
State and Local
Alabama –– AP: Alabama considers creating commission similar to Federal Elections Commission
Florida –– Tampa Bay Times: Trump contribution to Pam Bondi’s re-election draws more scrutiny to her fundraising
Montana –– KXLF: Bullock campaign violated campaign finance law
HELENA – Montana’s campaign and election regulator has found that Governor Steve Bullock violated state campaign finance laws during last year’s election by accepting contributions above the legal limit.The Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) issued its decision this week saying there were three donations which exceeded the state’s limits, totaling $860.
New York –– NY Post: De Blasio backtracks on campaign finance reform
EditorialBut de Blasio felt a tad differently when it came to capping union donations. Indeed, back in 2005 then-City Council member de Blasio pushed a law that created a special exception to let unions — and only unions — skirt a $4,950 cap on gifts to candidates.So today, while common folk and businesses looking to exercise their First Amendment rights must abide by the limit, unions can keep the cash flowing to their favorite candidates.Oh, yeah — guess who most big unions are backing? That’s right: de Blasio.The problem isn’t just de Blasio’s hypocrisy when it comes to funding his own campaign. It’s his tendency to do special favors for his union-boss pals while holding down everyone else.
Alabama –– AP: Alabama considers creating commission similar to Federal Elections Commission
By Philip RawlsMONTGOMERY, Alabama — Alabama legislators who have been studying state election laws say there’s a problem: Candidates for state offices have to report their contributions and expenditures to the secretary of state, but little is being done to make sure the reports are filed accurately.The solution could be to create a small state agency similar to the Federal Elections Commission.
Florida –– Tampa Bay Times: Trump contribution to Pam Bondi’s re-election draws more scrutiny to her fundraising
By Michael Van SicklerBondi apologized last month after she persuaded Gov. Rick Scott to delay an execution so she could host a fundraiser at her South Tampa home that ended up raising $140,000.Now comes criticism of a $25,000 contribution made by one of Donald Trump’s foundations to a political committee associated with Bondi. The donation came three days after an Attorney General’s Office spokeswoman said Bondi was reviewing allegations in a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general against get-rich-quick seminars associated with Trump.
