Corporate PAC cash takes a winding route to Democratic Senate challengers rejecting it
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Democrats’ narrow path to taking the Senate in 2020 goes through a handful of well-funded challengers, most of whom are banking on a pledge that worked wonders for the party during the 2018 midterms.
The top Democratic challengers want voters and donors alike to know they are rejecting corporate PACs. It’s a central talking point for Democrats in competitive races like Sara Gideon in Maine, Mark Kelly in Arizona and John Hickenlooper in Colorado. Read more
‘Dark money’ groups drove support for IRS rule eliminating donor disclosure
A proposed Trump administration rule to exempt some “dark money” groups from disclosing their donors to the Internal Revenue Service is making progress after experiencing roadblocks earlier this year. A federal judge in Montana overturned the rule in late July, ruling that the IRS must go through a notice-and-comment procedure before publishing a similar rule. Read More
Follow the money going to congressional committees
Want to know who is bankrolling the members of a particular Congressional Committee? You can use our Committees tool to uncover industry contributions to the entirety of a specific Senate or House committee — a helpful reference while watching the ongoing committee hearings throughout the impeachment process. Read More
Ukrainian foreign influence operation bankrolled by secret donors in coordinated effort
Foreign agents peddling influence for a controversial Ukraine politician were part of a coordinated effort bankrolled through a secretive network of shell companies and offshore entities, according to new foreign lobbying records. The foreign influence operation centered around Ukraine’s former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko. Read More
Luxury hotel stays, private flights, new nonprofits: Leadership PACs can pay for them
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Designed primarily to provide funding for other candidates running for office, leadership PACs are an important instrument for Washington politicos seeking leadership positions to raise money and build connections.
But for some, only a fraction of the money raised goes to support other candidates. In fact, many are instead funneling leadership PAC cash to closely-linked firms and nonprofits. Ahead of 2020, leadership PACs have combined to spend $56.6 million by far this year, but less than 30 percent of that money — totaling $16.5 million — went to other federal candidates’ campaigns. Read more
