Two Billionaires Demonstrate the Limits of Money in Elections
No amount of money can buy victory for candidates who fail to persuade voters.
Campaign Finance
The Bloomberg and Steyer Fiascoes Should Give Pause to Speech Restrictionists
No amount of money can buy victory for candidates who fail to persuade voters.
Bloomberg Drops Out, Demonstrating the Limits of Money and the Perils of Arrogance
The former New York City mayor has never been good at concealing his conviction that he is smarter and better than the rest of us.
Losers Bloomberg and Steyer Spent Millions. Stop Freaking Out About Money in Politics.
Michael Bloomberg spent at least $500 million in his bid for a Super Tuesday blitz. He came away with...American Samoa.
What Would Samuel Adams Think of Michael Bloomberg's Campaign?
"I hope our country will never see the time, when either riches or the want of them will be the leading considerations in the choice of public officers," Adams wrote in 1776.
Bloomberg, Steyer Showing Money Can't Buy Elections After Failed $200 Million Ad Blitz
The two Democratic billionaires have spent a combined $200 million on campaign ads already. That doesn't mean much to them, but the opportunity costs are staggering.
Los Angeles Bans Developers From Making Campaign Donations
In the midst of a housing crisis, L.A. politicians have decided to limit their own incentives to allow more housing construction.
'We Can Fact Check Your Ass,' but Not When It Comes to Political Ads
Twitter has made a bad decision when it comes to banning political ads from its site. They should trust users to decide what is right or wrong.
Does Volodymyr Zelenskiy's Take on His Chat With Trump Show the President 'Did Absolutely Nothing Wrong'?
The Ukrainian president's benign interpretation of Trump's conduct is relevant to the impeachment inquiry but not dispositive.
Privacy for Rights Isn't a Trade Americans Should Be Forced To Make
Should participation in an election hinge on a voter's identity being made public? Of course not.
Did Trump Commit a Crime by Seeking a Ukrainian Investigation of Joe Biden? And Does It Matter for Impeachment Purposes?
The president's critics have several legal theories, ranging from frivolous to debatable.
Democrats Join Trump in Seeking Balance by Policing Speech
The constitutional amendment they support, like the president’s plan to regulate social media, trusts the government to moderate our political debate.
Every Democrat in the Senate Supports a Constitutional Amendment That Would Radically Curtail Freedom of Speech
The Democracy for All Amendment aims to mute some voices so that others can be heard.
Senate Democrats Back Constitutional Amendment to Undo Citizens United
Plus: Marijuana banking, suing Facebook, and more...
Rep. Joaquin Castro's Doxxing of Trump Donors in His District Has Flipped the Campaign Finance Discourse on Its Head
Political donations are made public so that citizens can hold politicians accountable, not the other way around.
Is Money Speech? Free Speech Rules (Episode 5)
Episode 5 of Free Speech Rules, from UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh
Is Accepting Information About a Political Opponent From a Foreigner 'an Assault on Our Democracy'?
Nancy Pelosi's overwrought take on Donald Trump's receptiveness to "oppo research" is hard to take seriously.
Justice Department Tells Republicans to Hand Over Records on Cindy Yang and Other Chinese-American Supporters
Plus: humanitarians face felonies for helping migrants, Huawei scientists banned from reviewing prestigious journal, and more...
Giuliani Says There Was 'Nothing Wrong With Taking Information From Russians,' but Trump Clearly Thought Otherwise
Although it's not all clear that the Trump Tower meeting was criminal, the president knew it would look bad.
Bernie, Kamala, and Probably Beto Raised More Money in the First Quarter Than Gary Johnson Did During Entire 2016 Campaign
Sobering reminder for all current and future Libertarians: A previously unknown mayor from a midsized Indiana college town will soon shatter the high-water fundraising numbers for America's third party.
To Reduce Money in Politics, Slash the Size of Government
Reformers always have a new scheme to take "the money out of politics," but it usually just makes the government larger and campaign spending increase.
First on Nancy Pelosi's Agenda: Attacking Free Expression
Campaign finance legislation is always about inhibiting someone's speech.
Did Trump Violate Campaign Finance Laws?
Legal experts debate whether payments to kill stories about then-candidate Trump's affairs were undisclosed campaign expenditures.
Trump Plausibly Pleads Ignorance in His Latest Defense Against Criminal Charges for Campaign Finance Violations
Even if hush payments to his alleged mistresses amounted to illegal campaign contributions, the president says, he did not know that at the time.
Former Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen Sentenced to Three Years in Prison
Cohen blames Trump for sending him down a "path of darkness"
Give Nixon, McCain, and Bush Some Blame for Trump's Campaign Finance Trouble
Republicans all too often adopt themselves many of the most misguided beliefs of the left. Among these misconceptions: money is inherently corrupt.
Give Nixon, McCain, and Bush Some Blame for Trump's Campaign Finance Trouble
Republicans all too often adopt themselves many of the most misguided beliefs of the left. Among these misconceptions: money is inherently corrupt.
Is Rand Paul Right About Special Prosecutors Being Wrong?: Podcast
Also: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez owns the cons while spouting policy B.S.
Trump's Cluelessness Remains His Best Defense Against Charges That He 'Knowingly and Willfully' Violated Campaign Finance Law
If Trump did not recognize hush payments to his (alleged) former mistresses as illegal campaign contributions, he is not criminally culpable.
Despite Donald Trump Jr. Retweet, Libertarian Senate Candidate Rick Breckenridge Did Not Drop Out
Montana L.P. candidate Rick Breckenridge says he was misinterpreted by a reporter.
Stop Whining About Not Being 'Allowed' to Criticize John McCain
Your unfettered expression is only one click away, and the late senator himself engaged in ritual self-criticism, Matt Welch argues on Bloggingheads.
Ignorance Is Trump's Excuse
Given the president's confusion about campaign finance law, how could he have "knowingly and willfully" violated it?
Trump's Campaign Finance Catch-22
Is hush money to a politician's mistress "for the purpose of influencing an election" or "personal use"?
Trump Might Be a Criminal. But So Is Everyone Else.
A question that now hangs like a miasma over D.C. is "Which of my staffers would hang me out to dry in order to avoid going to federal prison?"
Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort Are a Reminder That Donald Trump Surrounds Himself With Crooks
It's no surprise that the president's has shady associates. It's still damning.
Rep. Duncan Hunter Uses Campaign Funds for Steam Games and Hawaiian Shorts
"Of course they are all campaign. Why else would I charge them to the campaign [credit] card."
Rep. Devin Nunes Spent How Much on Celtics Tickets?
An FEC report highlights lavish spending on basketball games, wineries, and trips to Las Vegas.
Critics of Corporate Campaign Cash Silent When Donors to Light Rail Initiatives Ink Light Rail Contracts
Complaints about corporate influence in elections are almost never actually about the corporate influence.
New York Times Goes Off the Rails With Claims About Secret Koch Plot to Kill Public Transit
A failed ballot initiative in Nashville had much more to do with hum-drum local factors than shadowy billionaire-backed conspiracies.
Victory in Lawsuit Over Colorado's System of Private Enforcement of Campaign Finance Law
Federal Judge Raymond Moore applies strict scrutiny to a system with the power to restrict political speech and finds it unreasonable to outsource that power to anyone and everyone.
First Opinion by James Ho (a Recently Appointed Fifth Circuit Judge)
It's a dissent from denial of rehearing en banc, joined by Judge Edith Jones, in a case that upheld a $350 cap for contributions to Austin City Council races.
GOP to Libertarian Legislator: Your It's a Wonderful Life Screening Is Against the Law
Neither Laura Ebke nor her cinema-loving constituents seem very scared.
Money in Politics Apparently Isn't So Bad When Democrats Win
When Democrats spend more and win, the campaign finance advantage doesn't come up as often.
Did 15 Years of War Win the Presidency for Donald Trump?
Or is partisanship such a strong indicator of voter choice that the specifics of a candidate's stances might not matter?
Lawsuit Calls Seattle's "Democracy Vouchers" Compelled Speech and a First Amendment Violation
Being forced to fund the campaigns of candidates you disagree with is just wrong.
Should the Feds 'Unmask' Anonymous Political Speech?
Unmasking anonymous Twitter users who discuss politics is like demanding "dark money" donors disclose their identities for supporting political speech.
This Self-Taught Programmer Is Bringing Transparency to California Politics
A laid-off grocery bagger learned to code and is now shining a light on spending by politicians, their campaigns, and outside groups.
