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Campaign Finance Reform

Sam Stein

Senators Explore Two Reform Options For IRS

HuffingtonPost.com | Sam Stein | Posted 05.22.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- The fallout from the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of tea party groups is not yet complete. But already, a slate of senators are ...

The Get Money Out Campaign

Lauren Windsor | Posted 05.20.2013 | Los Angeles
Lauren Windsor

A project of the Money Out/Voters In (MOVI) Coalition, the Get Money Out Campaign seeks to unite activists, politicians, and personalities working on diverse issues to address their root causes -- Citizens United and campaign finance reform.

Targets In IRS Scandal Make Little Sense

AP | KEN THOMAS and STEVE PEOPLES | Posted 05.18.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON — There's an irony in the Internal Revenue Service's crackdown on conservative groups. The nation's tax agency has admitted to inapp...

Secrets Revealed: Corruption, Money and Power In Washington

Josh Silver | Posted 05.18.2013 | Politics
Josh Silver

Money in politics corruption is universally reviled by the American public. It blocks progress on most issues, squanders billions of dollars from philanthropists and stymies the most skillful public interest advocates. It even drives issues like the sizzling IRS scandal, though you wouldn't know it by watching the news. But it would be foolish to believe that a culture of corruption that developed over decades can be undone overnight. It will take time, exactly the same kind of slow and painful social change that created the corruption in the first place. We have to create the conditions where politicians representing their constituents is "normal." And even if we do, all politicians will not suddenly become enlightened. It just means we'll have a better chance that the actual needs of society will more frequently be met by the actions of its government.

IRS Scandal Leads To Rove Downer For Reformers

Salon | Posted 05.14.2013 | Politics

After an election in which hundreds of millions of dollars were funneled through "dark money" nonprofit groups by people like Karl Rove, campaign fina...

Paul Blumenthal

Senator Calls Out 'Soul-Crushing' Congressional Activity

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 05.07.2013 | Politics

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) unloaded about the "soul-crushing" fundraising work required to run a political campaign, speaking at ...

Weep for the Senate

Gary Hart | Posted 05.06.2013 | Politics
Gary Hart

By the time we reach the 2014 election, almost one third of the current Senate will have resigned in the past three elections. Recent reports indicate that those formerly considered to be virtually automatic candidates are rejecting the opportunity to seek the vacated seats.

Paul Blumenthal

Campaign Finance Reform Faces Notorious Hurdle

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 05.02.2013 | Politics

In downtown New York City on Wednesday, state Sen. Jeff Klein, the leader of the Independent Democratic Conference, launched the first of four public ...

Paul Blumenthal

Obama Accused Of Failing 'This Critical Test'

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.30.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- All five sitting commissioners at the Federal Election Commission are now serving expired terms, while the sixth seat remains unfilled s...

Paul Blumenthal

Bipartisan Duo Hopes To Fix Big Citizens United Problem

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.23.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) unveiled on Tuesday the first bipartisan campaign disclosure bill in the Senate s...

California Democratic Party Disses Fracking, Still Loves Money

Wendy Block | Posted 04.23.2013 | Politics
Wendy Block

It's heartbreakingly clear that the Democrats won't act courageously. But a number of non-partisan outside groups will.

U.S. Senate Succumbs to NRA Protection Racket: Filibuster Assures Easy Access to Guns for Criminals, Mentally Ill People and Terrorists

Richard Painter | Posted 04.18.2013 | Politics
Richard Painter

Many taxpayers are tired of supporting a government that spends enormous amounts of money but can't take the most basic steps to protect them and their children from harm.

Paul Blumenthal

Citizens United Bills Call For Questionable 'Reform'

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.12.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- Before the next election cycle heats up, state lawmakers are trying to rein in the independent groups that -- thanks to the Supreme Cour...

Think Again: Campaign-Finance Reform in an Age of Corporate Influence

Eric Alterman | Posted 04.11.2013 | Media
Eric Alterman

The problem, however, is that while such support is wide, it is rarely deep. Since it is an electoral-process issue, it does not frequently excite voters -- and even when it does, it usually fails to excite reporters.

More Big Money In Politics Awaits GOP Gov's Signature

The Huffington Post | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.10.2013 | Politics

Politicians running for office in Arizona could soon be able to raise far more money from donors if a bill passed by the state legislature is signed i...

Political Spending Reaches Record Highs

AP | STEVE PEOPLES | Posted 04.06.2013 | Politics

BOSTON -- Operating with few rules and limited oversight, outside groups spent a record $1 billion to influence last year's election. Politicians of ...

Paul Blumenthal

N.C. Gov, Mini-Koch Target 'Clean Elections'

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.04.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- In early 2011, after Republicans swept into power in both houses of the North Carolina state legislature, the conservative John Locke Fo...

Paul Blumenthal

State Advances Campaign Finance Reform

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.02.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- After letting its public campaign financing system become obsolete, Hawaii is finally moving forward with a bill to bring the 30-year-ol...

Paul Blumenthal

Election Reformers See Big Chance In Key State

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 04.01.2013 | Politics

A coalition of groups calling for public financing of candidates in New York is launching an advertising and grassroots push on Monday to raise awaren...

Lawmakers: Overturn Citizens United

The Huffington Post | John Celock | Posted 03.29.2013 | Politics

The Democratic-controlled West Virginia House of Delegates voted Thursday to call on Congress to enact a constitutional amendment overturning the Citi...

Paul Blumenthal

Obama Campaign Supporters Unleashed In Test Of Grassroots Power

HuffingtonPost.com | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 03.27.2013 | Politics

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's reformatted campaign organization held a conference call with New York state supporters Wednesday night to stok...

Obama Group Jumps In To Help New York Governor

The Huffington Post | Paul Blumenthal | Posted 03.26.2013 | Politics

The reorganized Obama campaign, now called Organizing for Action, is jumping into the New York state legislative effort, pushed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (...

Discovered: A Cure for Political Corruption

Josh Silver | Posted 05.19.2013 | Politics
Josh Silver

Elections have become auctions, and nearly every issue is paralyzed by the overwhelming influence of money. But you knew that. The real challenge is how to fix what has become one of our nation's most pressing political challenges. Despite noble efforts, the public interest community has made little headway over the past 40 years. To break that losing streak, it requires that we rethink reform strategies and go big. Really big. And it requires that we replace cynicism about prospects for success with recognition that giving up is tantamount to giving up on the future of our nation. Democracy cannot and will not survive unless reformers and philanthropists rethink reform completely. The stakes are that high.

Matt Ferner

Sirota Moderates Discussion On Campaign Finance Reform

HuffingtonPost.com | Matt Ferner | Posted 03.07.2013 | Denver

Political columnist and former Denver radio personality David Sirota is back in Denver moderating a panel on campaign finance reform in his first publ...

Aggregate Contribution Limits Promote Electoral Competition

Jonathan Backer | Posted 05.05.2013 | Politics
Jonathan Backer

McCutcheon presents an opportunity for the Supreme Court to reaffirm the importance of contribution limits in preventing political corruption and to recognize their role in promoting electoral competition. The Court should adhere to firmly established precedent and uphold the aggregate contribution limit.