The Federal Election Commission is still living up to its unfortunate nickname as the Little Agency That Wouldn’t. This means that in the pricey and already in full swing 2016 presidential election, the FEC is likely to be sitting on its hands instead of enforcing the law.Source: The Justice Department Is Now on the Campaign Finance Beat...
Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson urged Congress to pass legislation guaranteeing “religious rights” for all Americans in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision on gay marriage.Source: Carson Calls Congress a ‘Peanut Gallery,’ Urges a Bill Protecting ‘Religious Rights’...
Americans for Prosperity has been the most politically active of all the nonprofit groups in the Koch orbit. Since 2011, the Virginia-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit has spent $37 million on express electoral expenses and tens of millions more on issue advertising targeting political candidates.Source: Charles Koch Denies Dark Money Donations...
The ACLU says an Indiana law barring voters from taking pictures of their ballot in the voting booth violates the First Amendment, but the state is countering that the legislature is trying to prevent voter fraud.Source: Federal Court Hears Arguments Over ‘Ballot Selfie’ Law...
Congressional dysfunction may have hit an all time high (or is it low?). Despite sizable legislative majorities, Republicans are unable to pass basic legislation or even organize their caucus. Political polarization may be part of the reason (although not necessarily in the way some might expect).Source: How campaign finance regulation contributes to congressional dysfunction...
Last week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1461, a bill sponsored by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez and supported by new Secretary of State Alex Padilla, that would follow Oregon’s lead in using motor vehicle records to add voters automatically to the rolls.Source: Automatic for the People: CA Governor Signs “New Motor Voter” Bill...
NBC announced today that the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will host the Nov. 7 episode of Saturday Night Live—his second time hosting the sketch comedy show.Source: Donald Trump will host “Saturday Night Live”...
The 2016 presidential campaign may generate a record $10 billion in spending. At the same time, the Federal Election Commission, the 6-member bipartisan body charged with enforcing the nation's campaign finance laws, remains, according to FEC Chair Ann Ravel, "worse than dysfunctional.Source: Federal Election Commission Chair Ann Ravel on Record Campaign Spending and Overcoming Gridlock...
The top Democratic presidential contenders are continuing to outpace their Republican counterparts when it comes to raising money directly for their campaigns, according to third-quarter fundraising totals that have been announced so far.Source: Everything you need to know about the 2016 money race so far...
Targeting California’s recent record-low voter turnout, Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday signed a measure that would eventually allow Californians to be automatically registered to vote when they go the DMV to obtain or renew a driver’s license.Source: Gov. Brown approves automatic voter registration for Californians...
