This week's newsletter is overflowing as we examine how the NFL and league owners deploy their wealth in Washington, how New York City's unusual campaign finance system is reshaping its mayoral race and why yet another member of Congress is stepping away from stock trading after committing an ethics violation. These stories pull back the curtain on how money influences politics.

The National Football League has seen astonishing 710 percent increase in value over the past two decades, with teams worth a collective $190 billion. And like any successful industry, the league (and team owners) apply some of those earnings toward political influence.

While franchise owners use political contributions to look out for their own interests, the league maintains a political action committee and a significant lobbying budget to pursue collective priorities, such as improved access to life-saving medical equipment, new stadiums and security measures.

Natalie Jonas, Alex Baumgart and David Meyers dug through the numbers to see how the league and team owners attempt to use their wealth to influence politics. 

Among the highlights:

In early September, Zohran Mamdani, the leading candidate to be the next mayor of New York, announced he could no longer accept campaign contributions even though the election was two months away.

“Do not send us any more money,” the Democratic nominee said in a video posted to social media.

That’s an odd statement from a candidate for office, but a necessary one from a person running in the Big Apple, where candidates rely not just on donations from supporters but also additional dollars provided by a public financing system.

The matching funds program, operated by the New York City Campaign Finance Board, is one of the oldest of its kind in the nation. Since its inception in 1988, the agency has worked to limit the influence of private money in elections through the matching funds program. 

The program allows candidates to opt into a program through which the city matches individual donations under the condition they abide by certain spending and contribution limits.

Hien An Ngo breaks down how the system works and its impact on this year's mayoral race.

A Democratic House member from Oregon has become the latest lawmaker to quit the stock-trading game after twice violating the disclosure provisions of a federal transparency and conflicts-of-interest law.

Rep. Val Hoyle confirmed to OpenSecrets that her husband’s retirement account, which contained dozens of individual stocks, “is being transferred into a mutual fund to avoid any potential conflict of interest.” Her decision comes at a moment when the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are both actively considering bipartisan bills that would force their members to give up stock trading altogether.

OpenSecrets earlier this month reported that Hoyle was weeks or months late disclosing 217 stock trades by her husband, Stephen, thereby violating the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, according to a review of congressional financial records. She was also late filing an annual personal financial disclosure report mandated by federal law.

Making a political donation shouldn’t be this dangerous (The Washington Post)

AZ Supreme Court allows GOP lawmakers to challenge voter-approved dark money disclosure law (Arizona Mirror)

Good government groups: N.Y. lobbyists must be mandated to report campaign contributions (Spectrum News 1)

Donors raise nearly $130M in the battle over California redistricting (LAist)

Who is George Soros, the famed philanthropist under attack? (CNN)

Soros, who has long been a funder of the Democratic Party, donated $125 million to one liberal super PAC in 2021, according to campaign finance tracker OpenSecrets. But wealthy Americans making political contributions is nothing new, and Republicans have their own megadonors, such as Charles Koch, Miriam Adelson and Timothy Mellon. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Meta’s A.I. Chatbot Is Dangerous for Kids (The New York Times)

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt demonstrates how anyone can use OpenSecrets.org to learn how big tech companies are trying to use political donations to influence policy, and he encourages voters to use that information when deciding how to cast their ballots.

‘Hobbled’ Campaign Finance Regulator Cancels Public Meetings Until 2026 (NOTUS)

Federal candidates, committees and organizations disclosed spending nearly $9.5 billion during the 2022 midterms, according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan nonprofit that tracks the flow of money in politics. The topline total has historically trended upward each election cycle, meaning the amount of money flowing into the upcoming elections is expected to soar past that sum.

Everytown wants stricter laws on guns. Now, they’ll also teach you to use one. (USA Today)

Last year, Everytown spent about $2.3 million on lobbying the federal government, according to Open Secrets. That’s compared to $7 million by the National Shooting Sports Foundation or $2.4 million by the Gun Owners of America or $2 million by the NRA.  

The ugly alliance of Hamas and Qatar (The Washington Times)

There is a long list of U.S. firms on the take for the Doha government, playing the double game of mediator and enabler. Russian Gen. Grigory Potemkin would be impressed by the deception. The long list of those law and public relations firms flacking for Qatar can be found at FARA.gov or OpenSecrets.org, which revealed millions of dollars in Qatari spending last year alone. 

Both parties responsible for failing to restrain Israel in Gaza (Idaho Statesman)

OpenSecrets tracks campaign contributions in Congress and lists former Sen. Joe Biden as the overall beneficiary of pro-Israeli campaign contributions totaling $4.2 million from 1990 to 2024, almost double the contributions of the next senator in line, who also happens to be a Democrat.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the OpenSecrets Merch Store! Now, you can support our mission while looking good doing it. Every purchase helps us provide comprehensive and reliable data, analysis and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens. 

Our collection — initially featuring a hoodie, crewneck, t-shirt and hat — is designed to spread awareness and make a difference. Whether you're treating yourself or finding the perfect gift, every item you buy helps fuel our cause. And every item in our store was manufactured by a certified ethical and “sweat-free” company.

Join us in wearing your support —  transparency has never been more comfortable!