CCP
The Truth About Tax-Funded Campaigns
By Luke WachobIt may be the case that offering grants of tax dollars to candidates induces more people to run for office, but it shouldn’t be surprising or noteworthy that offering free money for something gets more people to do it. The true test of whether tax-funded campaigns are a good idea is their impact on legislatures and legislation. As the evidence shows, these programs don’t increase diversity or competition, and they don’t sever the tie between legislators and organized interests. Lewis’ boasts fall flat on their face.Hayes’ claim that her candidate’s political success is partially attributable to tax-funded programs is a dubious claim in the first place. Saying her favorite candidate is independent of influence from the “1%” is laughable. As co-panelist Josh Barro pointed out during the segment, her candidate “also raised a lot of money from the real estate industry… so, I think we overstated [the impact of public financing] a little bit…” No doubt that New York celebrities, most of whom are wealthy, will also have a great deal of influence with her favorite candidate. Of course, the media, often owned by big corporations, will have a great deal of influence too.
Independent Groups
Wall Street Journal: The Press and the IRS: Journalistic partisanship fed the scandal.
By James Taranto
The Washington Post is credited with exposing the Watergate conspiracy and helping to bring down a corrupt presidency. Forty years later, the Post played a role in the corruption of the Internal Revenue Service, to the benefit of an incumbent president in a bitter and close re-election.A staff memo released earlier this week by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee provides an “interim update” on the investigation of the IRS scandal. A central finding: “Media attention caused the IRS to treat conservative-oriented tax-exempt applications differently” from liberal or progressive ones.The memo presents no evidence that the White House directly ordered the IRS to crack down on political opponents. Instead, it is consistent with the theory, described here in May, that IRS personnel responded to “dog whistles” (in Peggy Noonan’s metaphor) in public statements from the president and his supporters.
SCOTUS/Judiciary
More Soft Money Hard Law: Evaluating the Stakes in McCutcheon
By Bob Bauer
As the McCutcheon case nears argument, there is more discussion of the consequences if the Court strikes down the individual aggregate contribution limits. The court could certainly take the occasion to alter the basic Buckley framework and tighten the scrutiny applied to contribution limits. But another line of argument holds that the consequences would be sufficiently drastic if the limits fell but the fundamental constitutional law of the land did not change. On this view, the aggregate contribution limit would invite massive spending for the benefit of candidates that would heighten the risk of corruption.
Candidates, Politicians, Campaigns, and Parties
Roll Call: DSCC Tops Debt-Free NRSC in August Fundraising (Updated)
By Kyle TrygstadThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee topped its Republican counterpart in fundraising last month, the seventh time in eight months the majority party has done so.The DSCC raised $3.3 million in August and ended the month with $9.4 million in cash on hand, according to numbers provided by the committee. Since its last monthly Federal Election Commission report, the DSCC paid down its debt to $8.7 million by the end of August, a spokesman said.
Lobbying and Ethics
AP: Donovan campaign aide sentenced to 2 years
The campaign manager for former state House Speaker Christopher Donovan was sentenced Thursday to two years and four months in prison after he made an emotional apology for his role in a scheme involving illegal contributions to Donovan’s failed congressional campaign last year.
NY Times: Lobbyists Look for a Euphemism
By FRANCIS X. CLINESThe American League of Lobbyists, a powerful institution that defends and defines the role of Washington’s booming influence industry, is surveying its members to see whether it should drop what would seem to be the existential word “lobbyist” from its identity. The term “Government Relations Professionals” is used in some of the leading choices for a new name, according to The Hill newspaper, which first reported the league’s “rebranding” plans.
State and Local
New York ––Times Union: Panel seeks advisers
By Jimmy VielkindThe special commission charged with rooting out official corruption is in the process of hiring consulting firms to help it crunch reams of financial and other data, the Times Union has learned.
New York –– NY Times: De Blasio Has Early Advantage in Fund-Raising
By THOMAS KAPLANAs the race for New York City mayor turns toward November’s general election, Bill de Blasio has a modest fund-raising advantage over Joseph J. Lhota, according to new campaign finance filings.Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, has at least $700,000 in his campaign account that he can use for the general election, according to a filing on Friday. Mr. Lhota, a Republican, has about $500,000.
Virginia –– Washington Post: McAuliffe’s fundraising prowess gives him lead in TV ads, particularly in pricey N.Va.
By Ben PershingAttorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s II campaign for Virginia governor has leaned heavily on outside allies as the candidate tries to stay competitive on the airwaves with businessman Terry McAuliffe, whose fundraising prowess has allowed him to carve out a significantly larger presence in the pricey Northern Virginia television market.
