#Democracy #MainstreamMedia #moneyinpolitics #corruption #corporate #tyranny

https://youtu.be/CO-sJzi-BSY

There is a dangerous loophole in our political financing rules https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/there-is-a-dangerous-loophole-in-our-political-financing-rules/ #UnincorporatedAssociations #ElectoralCommission #MoneyinPolitics #moneyinpolitics

Hopefully, you’ve already seen this extraordinary article a few times.

“The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Here’s another chance to read it:

#SCOTUS #moneyinpolitics

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

NEW: Intuit, the company that owns TurboTax, spent more money than ever on federal lobbying, $3.5 million in 2022, amid heightened scrutiny of its influence operations and revolving door lobbyists. #Lobbying #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/turbotax-parent-company-intuit-is-pouring-more-money-than-ever-into-lobbying-amid-push-for-free-government-run-tax-filing/?_thumbnail_id=41272&utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fintuit-lobbying%2F2%2F17%2F23

Congressional candidates poured about $300 million of their own money into self-funding campaigns in the 2022 midterm election cycle but few ultimately won their races, a new OpenSecrets analysis found. #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/top-self-funding-congressional-candidates-were-among-the-2022-midterm-election-cycles-biggest-losers/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fself-funding%2F2%2F13%2F23

ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, ramped up lobbying spending as the video-sharing app is under increased scrutiny for Chinese government ties and data security issues. The Chinese-owned social media company poured more than $13.4 million into lobbying since it first reported payments to federal lobbyists in 2019, a new OpenSecrets analysis of disclosures found. #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/bytedance-ramps-up-lobbying-concerns-over-tiktoks-china-ties-and-data-security-mount/?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=linkk_tiktok-lobbying%2F2%2F8%2F23

Chinese conglomerate Tencent has spent $6.3 million lobbying the federal government since 2020, the year former President Donald Trump tried to ban its WeChat app. #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/after-us-scrutiny-of-wechat-chinese-conglomerate-tencent-holdings-spent-millions-on-federal-lobbying/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fwechat-lobbying%2F2%2F7%2F23

Pharmaceutical and health product companies poured over a record $372 million into lobbying Congress and federal agencies last year, outspending every other industry and making up over half of all health sector lobbying efforts, OpenSecrets’ analysis of recent federal disclosure filings revealed. #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/despite-record-federal-lobbying-spending-the-pharmaceutical-and-health-product-industry-lost-their-biggest-legislative-bet-in-2022/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fpharma-lobbying%2F2%2F2%2F23

“Dark money” groups have poured billions of dollars into influencing federal elections since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision on Jan. 21, 2010, as elections become increasingly expensive and less transparent. Outside spending to influence federal elections has since topped $9 billion, a new OpenSecrets analysis found. #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/federal-lobbying-spending-reaches-4-1-billion-in-2022-the-highest-since-2010/?cache=&utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Ffederal-lobbying%2F1%2F26%2F23

A Virginia legislative panel formed to study campaign finance reform failed to deliver its final report on Wednesday in yet another setback for advocates who say the cost of elections in the commonwealth is untenable. #MoneyinPolitics

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/a-missed-opportunity-virginia-subcommittee-on-campaign-finance-reform-has-little-to-show-after-2-year-study/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fva-transparency%2F1%2F13%2F23

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who announced her 2024 U.S. Senate bid on Tuesday, raised more money than other House Democrats during the 2022 election while rejecting corporate PAC and lobbyists contributions. #MoneyinPolitics

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/rep-katie-porter-raised-more-money-than-other-house-democrats-during-2022-election-without-contributions-from-corporate-pac-or-lobbyists/?utm_source=Reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=r%2Fporter-senate%2F1%2F12%2F23

NEW: U.S. senators securing military construction earmarks in the omnibus bill received an average of 51% more money from the defense sector than other senators during the 2022 election cycle. #MoneyinPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/defense-sector-contributed-heavily-to-45-senators-who-secured-1-8-billion-in-military-construction-earmarks/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fdefense-earmarks%2F1%2F5%2F23

The conservative advocacy group Club for Growth announced late Wednesday that it had reached a deal with the Congressional Leadership Fund — a hybrid PAC endorsed by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — “on support for Speaker Kevin McCarthy” as the U.S. House speaker battle enters its third day. #MoneyInPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/01/club-for-growth-cuts-deal-with-congressional-leadership-fund-to-support-kevin-mccarthys-house-speaker-bid?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fcfg-clf%2F1%2F5%2F23

A little nerdy, but 🎄 reading is in: the new draft legislation on political parties in The Netherlands.

Legislation enabling a ban on parties that undermine democracy. Moreover parties will be required to be more transparent about finances, internal organisation and use of ads.

[Draft legislation 🇳🇱 for public consultation: https://www.internetconsultatie.nl/wpp/b1]

#democracy #advertising #moneyinpolitics #commodon @communicationscholars @politicalscience

State ballot measures attracted $945 million during the 2022 election cycle. Sixty-two measures in states across the country covered topics such as abortion, cannabis use and online sports betting. #MoneyInPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/12/state-ballot-measures-attracted-945-million-during-2022-midterm-elections/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fstate-ballots%2F12%2F9%2F22

GOP's biggest donor funneled $20M to nationwide election denial network

#GOP #ElectionDenial #Election2020 #MoneyInPolitics #DickUihlein #RestorationActionInc #Trump #TheBigLie
https://www.rawstory.com/dick-uihlein-2658789982/

President Joe Biden’s administration approved plans to build the nation’s largest oil export terminal off the Gulf Coast of Texas last month — a move that comes after the project’s developer expanded its federal lobbying operation, an OpenSecrets analysis of Enterprise Products Partners’ lobbying disclosures found. #MoneyInPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/12/biden-administration-approved-offshore-oil-project-following-lobbying-push/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=m%2Fbiden-oil%2F12%2F5%2F22

GOP's biggest donor funneled $20M to nationwide election denial network

#GOP #ElectionDenial #Election2020 #MoneyInPolitics #DickUihlein #RestorationActionInc #Trump #TheBigLie
https://www.rawstory.com/dick-uihlein-2658789982/

Incumbent Democrats outraised GOP challengers in five swing districts, with some winning reelection to the House by razor-thin margins in 2022 midterms after the DCCC put out a "Red Alert. #MoneyInPolitics https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/11/fundraising-fueled-incumbent-democrats-bids-beat-republican-challengers-key-swing-districts-narrowing-gop-house-majority/

Brennan Center for Justice: Billionaires Provided 15 Percent of Funding for the Midterms

"In the 2022 midterms, the 100 largest donors collectively spent 60 percent more than every small donor in the United States combined, according to a Brennan Center analysis of publicly available data. (Small donors are those who give $200 or less.)"

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/billionaires-provided-15-percent-funding-midterms

#USPol #Elections #Politics #Midterms #CampaignFinance #MoneyInPolitics