campaign finance

As Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) marks his line of opposition to a public insurance plan in the Democrats’ health reform bill, it’s worth noting that no industry has given more to Nelson’s congressional career than the insurers. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign contributions, insurance companies have donated nearly $1.3 million to Nelson [...]

Today marks the deadline for Capitol Hill lawmakers to file their third-quarter campaign finance disclosures with the Federal Election Commission, but don’t look for any immediate news from the Senate filings. That’s because, unlike House lawmakers, who since 2001 have been required to file electronically, Senate lawmakers have to file paper forms, which have to [...]

Last week, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) invited the public, via Twitter, to join him for a Texas A&M football game in October. The suite was reserved, he said. All you need to do is bring $2,000.
Yesterday we learned why Barton, the senior Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee who won his last [...]

Alexandra pointed out here last week that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), newly promoted to head the Senate Agriculture Committee, has been raking in the dollars from Big Ag this year, tallying at least $306,500 in the past eight months alone, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That figure puts her well above anyone else [...]

From the Twittering fingers of Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) comes this public invitation to join the congressman next month when Texas A&M, his alma mater, takes on Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. He’s reserved a suite for you. Oh, and don’t forget to bring the $2,000 admission fee.
‘Aggie fans-my campaign has a suite at [...]

He’s been advertising on the email lists of The Washington Times and Townhall.com, among other places, and claims to have raked in $200,000 so far. Here’s the pitch from one of the emails:

Here’s their joint statement released following this morning’s Supreme Court argument in Citizens United v. FEC:
It is important to note that the case reargued today does not affect the core of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law – the ban on large, unregulated donations to the political parties by corporations, unions and wealthy individuals. Nonetheless, at [...]

Brenda Wright, Director of Democracy Program at Demos, has posted some insights at the American Constitution Society’s blog on the big campaign finance case, Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, to be argued before the Supreme Court tomorrow. Here’s her take:
Overruling those cases would mean that corporate political spending no longer needs to be funded [...]

Arn Pearson, vice president for programs at Common Cause and host of a live Web chat on the Supreme Court case being argued tomorrow, Citizens United v. FEC, just noted that the fact that the Supreme Court is even hearing the argument tomorrow is a bad sign for both campaign finance reform and anyone concerned [...]

Anyone with questions about the case being heard for a second time by the Supreme Court tomorrow, Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, which I wrote about today, can participate in a live Web chat right now on the subject with Common Cause, by clicking here.