Campaign finance

Legislation by Senators Feingold, Collins and Representatives Price, Shays Would Protect Integrity of Electoral Process and Reduce Role of Big Contributors

December 5, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and U.S. Representatives David Price (D-NC) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) have introduced legislation to repair and strengthen the presidential public financing system.    » read more »

December 5, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Today U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) joined Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) in introducing the Presidential Funding Act of 2007, to strengthen the existing presidential public financing system funded by voluntary taxpayer contributions. Shortly after his election to the Senate in 1972, Sen. Biden called for public financing for campaigns in testimony before the Senate Rules Committee. He has since been one of the Senate’s most ardent and steadfast advocates for overhauling campaign funding laws in favor of public financing.    » read more »

In Comments to Agency, Public Citizen Documents the Rise of ‘Bundling for Dollars’ by Campaigns

Nov. 30, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Election Commission (FEC), which is devising rules for handling fundraisers who bundle large sums of money for candidates, should use the opportunity to create a full and well-developed disclosure system for all bundling activity, Public Citizen said in comments submitted today to the agency.    » read more »

November 30, 2007 -- Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today called a special session of the Wisconsin Legislature for December 11, 2007 at 11 a.m. to take action on comprehensive, bipartisan campaign finance reform. The legislation will modernize Wisconsin’s public financing system by increasing candidates’ spending limits and maximum public grant amounts, ban fundraising during the budget process, and establish a separate fully-funded campaign finance system for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates.    » read more »

Commissioner Weintraub Leads Agency Away from Gutting the Provision Altogether

Nov. 20, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Public Citizen applauds Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chairman Robert Lenhard and Commissioner Ellen Weintraub for significantly reining in a potentially aberrant FEC rulemaking today on “sham issue ads.” The new rule at least partially preserves the ban on soft money funding for campaign ads in general. However, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision in FEC v.    » read more »

Campaign finance monitoring, public funding top commission’s duties

05 November 2007 -- Washington -- Candidates for president of the United States come from all walks of life. Many are career politicians; others are political activists, wealthy businessmen, or even professional entertainers.    » read more »

$62 Million In Total Receipts For The Year

Oct 04, 2007 -- Boston, MA – Today, Romney for President announced it is expected to report over $18 million in total receipts for the Third Quarter, ending September 30, 2007. The Campaign again opted to raise no general election funds and is expected to report $10 million in primary contributions. The total receipts include Governor Romney's loan of $8.5 million.    » read more »

04 October 2007

Democratic candidates edge out Republicans in the race for funds

By Stuart Gorin
USINFO Special Correspondent

Washington -- At the end of each quarter of the calendar year, U.S. presidential candidates must reveal how much money they have raised to fund their campaigns. The monies pay for such expenses as campaign travel, office space, television and radio advertising, telephone service and printing literature.    » read more »

September 24, 2007 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Rules and Administration Committee, today attempted to move common sense legislation that would require Senate campaign finance reports to be filed electronically. And for the third time this year, the effort was blocked by a Republican Senator.

Senator Feinstein spoke on the Senate floor this afternoon in support of S. 223, and asked for unanimous consent to pass the legislation. However, Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) objected to the motion.    » read more »

July 5, 2007 -- Fundraising results for the second quarter of 2007 are in, and the Republican's lackluster results make one thing certain—the Republican presidential candidates are just not catching on with the American people.

As the New York Times reported yesterday, these poor fundraising numbers have “underscored the tough political environment for their party and the big money advantage that the Democrats have built” and raise questions about the "health of their party."    » read more »

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

July 3, 2007 -- "The next bill before me is Introductory Number 586-A, sponsored in conjunction with the Administration by Speaker Quinn and Council Members Felder, Rivera, Comrie, Fidler, de Blasio, Dickens, Arroyo, Jackson, Garodnick, Gentile, Gerson, Gioia, James, Lappin, Mark-Viverito, McMahon, Nelson, Recchia, Reyna, Seabrook, Stewart, Vacca, Weprin, White, Liu and Mendez.    » read more »

June 27, 2007 -- “In 1998, City voters passed a referendum in support of pay-to-play reforms, and our Administration has long pushed for them to be implemented,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

“We have worked closely with Speaker Quinn and the City Council on legislation that fulfills the voters’ mandate, and today, I congratulate them for passing the most comprehensive pay-to-play reforms in the country.    » read more »

Narrow Majority of Court Rules to Allow Groups to Air “Issue Ads” Immediately Prior to an Election

June 25, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Supreme Court’s ruling that some broadcast advertisements that depict candidates immediately before an election are exempt from campaign finance regulation is a setback that will undermine but not eliminate limits on electioneering funded by corporate and union “soft money,” Public Citizen said today. The case is Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc.    » read more »

Statement By Christine Anderson, Press Secretary To The New York State Governor, Regarding Campaign Finance Reform

May 1, 2007 -- "For years, the single greatest impediment to fixing our broken campaign finance system has been Senator Joe Bruno and the Republican Senate majority. Once again, they are leading the fight against reform and for the status quo.

Their main objection to reform? Closing the gaping LLC loophole, which allows wealthy donors to funnel an unlimited amount of campaign cash through corporate entities.    » read more »

April 17, 2007 -- Senator Feinstein spoke on the Senate Floor to urge passage of legislation that would require Senate campaign finance reports to be filed electronically on April 17, 2007.

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, today spoke on the Senate Floor to urge passage of legislation that would require Senate campaign finance reports to be filed electronically.    » read more »