Kennedy to Refund Donations From Fossil Fuel Lobbyist
A lobbyist for natural gas and pipeline companies gave Kennedy the legal maximum contribution, a violation of the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge that Kennedy signed.
Top Stories
Corporate Lobbyists Vote To Keep Corporate Lobbyists In the DNC
By David Moore DNC Primary category in which blog post is published
Here Are the Billionaires Funding Trump’s Voter Suppression Lawsuits
By Donald Shaw Democracy Primary category in which blog post is published
‘It’s a Secret, a (c)(4) Is a Secret’: Dark Money Powers $60 Million Bribery Scheme in Ohio
By David Moore Democracy Primary category in which blog post is published
Kamala Harris’ Deep History Of Letting Facebook Off The Hook
Vice president candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has gone easy on Facebook and tech giants for years, and in her 2020 presidential bid she was rewarded with many maxed-out contributions from Silicon Valley executives.
Opinion
In Race for Open Kennedy Seat, Pharma and Private Equity Execs Cut Big Checks
While candidates in the race for Joe Kennedy's seat have sworn off super PAC backing and corporate PAC money, many are still accepting large donations from powerful health care CEOs, pharma lobbyists, and private equity firms.
Following Sludge Report, Kennedy’s Trust Fund Sells Fossil Fuel Stocks
Rep. Joe Kennedy said this week that his family trusts had divested from oil and gas company stocks, though one of the funds recently bought stock in Berkshire Hathaway, a conglomerate which owns natural gas and coal companies.
Dark Money Floods in to State Elections, Revealing Cracks in Disclosure Laws
Political spending in state elections by LLC's and nonprofit groups has surged in the decade since Citizens United, but some states are leading the way in strengthening disclosure laws around who’s buying and funding campaign ads.
Joe Kennedy, a Top Recipient of Hedge Fund Cash, Declined to Back Tax Fairness Act
Unlike his Democratic Senate primary opponent Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Joe Kennedy has declined in multiple sessions to co-sponsor legislation to end the carried interest tax loophole enjoyed by hedge fund and private equity managers.
Trump Admin Bails Out Oil and Gas Companies That Gave Millions to GOP Groups
As the economy collapsed in the pandemic, oil and gas companies that have donated over $10 million to Republican super PACs got tax breaks and lease pauses from Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, a former fossil fuel industry lobbyist.
Justin ‘No Bailouts’ Amash’s Company Received Up To $2 Million in Coronavirus Bailout Funds
Amash was one of the only representatives to oppose the CARES Act, which established the PPP program. He also voted against the TRUTH Act, which sought to increase transparency around companies that receive PPP funds.
Big Donors and PACs Dominate Campaign Funding in Nearly Every State, Report Finds
Nearly three-quarters of contributions in state elections come from large donors and PACs, but small-dollar donations could make up that share if states move to adopt public financing for campaigns.
EXPOSED: Reps Pass Bills That Benefit Their Own Private Companies
Nearly 100 House representatives hold positions at private companies. There's nothing stopping them from using their legislative power to pad their bottom lines.
Cattle Lobbyist Running for Congress Backed by Cattle Lobbyist-Funded Super PAC
Longtime lobbyist Josh Winegarner is benefiting from huge spending by his cattle industry employer in the Republican runoff against Ronny Jackson, former White House doctor to President Trump.
As Markets Crashed, DeVos Sold Shares in Secretive Cayman Island Fund
Billionaire Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sold up to $5 million in securities through an offshore fund that appears in the Paradise Papers.
Police Foundations Scrub Corporate Partners and Board Members From Their Websites
In at least four major U.S. cities, foundations affiliated with police departments have taken down information on their partners and board members after activists began calling on them to cut ties.
Poorer Cities Spend More of Budget on Police, Even Where Crime Is Lower
Data analysis of 473 cities nationwide finds that spending on police takes up almost one-third of municipal budgets, independently of local crime rates—with poorer cities spending a higher share.
Washington Takes Down Financial Disclosures, Claiming Concerns Over Foreign Hackers
Senators are calling for the disclosures, which are meant to expose conflicts of interest, to be kept offline and available only upon request.
Law Enforcement PACs Give Millions to the Politicians Who Set Their Budgets
Police groups have donated almost $15 million to state and local elected officials since 2015, with two-thirds going to Democrats, according to new data from the NoMoreCopMoney project.
Engel’s Top Donor is an AIPAC-Tied Group That Backs Powerful GOP Politicians
Pro-Israel America PAC has given Engel at least $127,981 this cycle.
Corporate Backers of the Blue: How Corporations Bankroll U.S. Police Foundations
Companies that say they stand with protesters have been funding police foundations for years.
Grassroots NY Challengers Take on the Pandemic and the Big Money Machine
With the state's public financing system not yet in place, New York candidates going up against entrenched incumbents face new fundraising challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
