By the Numbers: 15 Years of Citizens United
From OpenSecrets:
OpenSecrets has published new analysis showing the impact that the Citizens United decision has had on our campaign finance system in the 15 years since the ruling. In 2008, outside spending was only about $574 million. Last year, it reached almost $4.5 billion, a nearly 9-fold increase. Wealthy individual donors have also been empowered. The percentage of federal election spending funded by the top 100 donors rose from 1.5% in 2008 to 14.8% in 2024. To put it another way, that means 0.00003% of Americans were responsible for almost 15% of all federal elections spending. Dark money, funds for which the source is not disclosed, has skyrocketed to $1.4 billion last year.
Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign could be on the hook for $10 million
From POLITICO:
The New York City Campaign Finance Board has extended their audit of Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign, as they are investigating it for a potential “potential campaign-related fraud.” If Adams’ campaign is found to have made serious violations of campaign finance laws, it could be required to pay back more than $10 million in matching public funds it received. Adams was denied his request for $4.3 in matching funds for the 2025 campaign, as a result of his pending federal criminal investigation.
Kyrsten Sinema’s campaign spending report includes a Saudi hotel and Taylor Swift merch
From NBC News:
From October through December 2024, outgoing Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s campaign spent more than $700,000. Notable expenses include $20,000 at a “swanky” hotel in Saudi Arabia, along with almost $19,000 at a luxury hotel in NYC, and thousands of dollars more at several other luxury hotels. Her campaign also spent more than $15,000 on air travel, and $15,000 on event catering. No other outgoing Senator spent nearly as much as Sinema at the end of the year. The FEC prohibits the use of campaign funds for “personal expenses,” even for retiring members of Congress.
As Cuomo Considers Bid for Mayor, His Allies Prepare a Super PAC
From The New York Times:
Allies of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are preparing for him to potentially jump into the NYC Mayoral race, though he has not officially said whether or not he plans to run. Emails obtained by the NYT show that one of Cuomo’s senior advisors is involved with planning a potential PAC’s advertising strategy. The ability of a Super PAC to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money could allow Cuomo to quickly launch a widespread campaign shortly before the Democratic primary in June.
When Did the Supreme Court Get Money in Politics So Wrong?
From American Promise:
On the 49th anniversary of the Supreme Court case Buckley v. Valeo, in which the Court struck down bipartisan campaign spending limits, we examine part of the justification for that ruling. The Court argued that limiting campaign spending would restrict “the number of issues discussed, the depth of their exploration, and the size of the audience reached.” When looking at the negative campaign ads placed in elections today, does this argument hold up?
