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.
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EXPOSED: Reps Pass Bills That Benefit Their Own Private Companies
By Justin Glawe Investments Primary category in which blog post is published
Big Donors and PACs Dominate Campaign Funding in Nearly Every State, Report Finds
By David Moore Democracy Primary category in which blog post is published
Cattle Lobbyist Running for Congress Backed by Cattle Lobbyist-Funded Super PAC
By Donald Shaw 2020 Primary category in which blog post is published
As Markets Crashed, DeVos Sold Shares in Secretive Cayman Island Fund
By David Moore Investments Primary category in which blog post is published
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.
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.
AOC Attacked by Super PAC Funded by Primary Opponent’s Husband
Mailers and digital media opposing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are being distributed by a super PAC that has received the majority of its funding from Stephen Dizard, the husband of her primary opponent, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera.
NY Candidate and Pharma Heir Faces Questions on Drug Pricing Independence
After months of questions from local activists, Adam Schleifer, running in the NY-17 Democratic primary, tells Sludge he supports a Senate bill that sets price restrictions on drugs developed with public funding.
Klobuchar Worked With Law Enforcement Group to Increase Police Budgets
The possible Democratic vice presidential pick sought to dramatically increase the budget for a key cop-hiring program created by Joe Biden’s 1994 crime bill.
‘Dark Money’ Groups Back Engel Against Progressive Challenger Bowman
Two nonprofits, recently incorporated in Delaware, have spent $260,000 on ads and mailers backing Engel. The groups are not required to reveal their donors.
Dark Money Pours Into West Virginia Ahead of State Supreme Court Election
A Republican Party group funded by the shadowy Judicial Confirmation Network is among the groups spending big ahead of West Virginia's Supreme Court elections.
‘Bloomberg Loophole’ Paves the Way for Rich Donors to Ignore Contribution Limits
After Mike Bloomberg transferred a leftover $18 million from his campaign to the Democratic National Committee, watchdog groups are calling on the Federal Election Commission to close the loophole allowing unlimited donations to a party—but the agency still has no meetings scheduled.
Verizon and AT&T Partner With Pro-Police Militarization Lobbying Group
The National Sheriff's Association, which counts the telco giants as "platinum partners," lobbies Congress to make the Defense Department's 1033 military equipment transfer program permanent.
‘Liberate’ Rally Organizers Worked to Criminalize Anti-Pipeline Protests
The Save Our Country coalition, which supports “liberate” protesters, is deeply tied to ALEC, a conservative group that has helped to pass laws in eleven states ratcheting up penalties for protesting near oil and gas pipelines.
Trump Admin Finalizes Rule That Could Protect Foreign Dark Money in Elections
The rule, which takes effect today, allows dark money nonprofits to cease reporting information to the IRS that the government would need to enforce campaign finance laws.
Arati Kreibich vs. the Human Fundraising Machine
A progressive challenge for Trump’s favorite New Jersey Democrat
Three More States Expand Vote-By-Mail, Leaving Five Holdouts
With preparation time running short, Connecticut, Kentucky, and South Carolina recently expanded access to absentee ballot requests, as court challenges play out in Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas around vote-by-mail during the pandemic.
As His District Became a Coronavirus Hotspot, Engel Jetted to Florida Resort
The Florida fundraiser was just the beginning of Rep. Eliot Engel’s (D-N.Y.) absence from his district as it suffered from one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country.
Here Are the Corporate Lobbyists on the DNC Committee That Blocked the Climate Debate
Ten of the 17 votes in the Resolutions Committee against holding a climate-focused presidential debate last year came from members put forward by DNC Chair Tom Perez.
