Campaign Finance

Op-Ed

Hard-Hitting TV Ads Push to Overturn Citizens United

by PRW Staff — July 30, 2013 - 6:02am
  • Topics: Activism, Campaign Finance

    • For many years now, the Center for Media and Democracy has joined with Public Citizen, Common Cause, People for the American Way, Move to Amend, Free Speech for the People, and other good government and grassroots groups in an effort to build momentum to overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court decision with an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

    Through countless collective and individual efforts, we are on a roll. In total, 16 states and roughly 500 communities have asked Congress to initiate the process of overturning Citizens United by amending our constitution. The Nation magazine dubbed it the "most successful and uncovered" political movement in America.

    News

    Group Focused on Goverment Ethics Puts Scott Walker on List of “Worst Governors in America”

    by Laura Steigerwald — July 22, 2013 - 6:04am
  • Topics: Campaign Finance, Corporations, Democracy, Ethics, Media, Politics, U.S. Government

    • This week, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a non-profit government watchdog group, released a report -- "The Worst Governors in America," and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker came in sixth in the top category. The report has an amusing circus theme and dubs Walker a "Ringmaster," but it is heavily documented and footnoted to reliable sources and primary documents. The criteria CREW used when assessing the nation's governors were the following: corruption, transparency, partisan politics, pressuring public officials, cronyism, self-enrichment, scandal and mismanagement.

    News

    New Report Exposes Bradley Foundation Funding Behind “Massive” Campaign to Promote School Privatization

    by Harriet Rowan — April 19, 2013 - 2:58pm
  • Topics: Campaign Finance, Children, Democracy

    • In a new report, entitled "P is for Payoff: Inside the Bradley Foundation's Campaign to Privatize Education in Wisconsin," the non-profit activist group One Wisconsin Now has detailed the Bradley Foundation's funding of a coordinated campaign to promote school privatization in Wisconsin and across the nation.

    News

    Sen. Sanders and Rep. Deutch Press for New Democracy Amendment

    by Brendan Fischer — March 20, 2013 - 8:50am
  • Topics: Election 2012, U.S. Congress, Campaign Finance, Corporations, Democracy, Ethics, Politics, U.S. Government

    • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) have introduced a new constitutional amendment to overturn the damage done by Citizens United, Buckley v. Valeo, and other judicial decisions that have diluted the role of ordinary people in American democracy.

    News

    Another WI Supreme Court Election Battle Dominated By Outside Spending

    by Laura Steigerwald — March 12, 2013 - 9:00am
  • Topics: Campaign Finance

    • Ever since Governor Scott Walker imposed his anti-union legislation on Wisconsin, the state has become exceptionally polarized. This polarization is reflected in the current race for Supreme Court. Once again Wisconsin is seeing massive spending from outside groups in a race that is officially nonpartisan.

    Press Release

    CMD and Allies Applaud Re-Launch of ‘Declaration For Democracy’ Campaign to Overturn Citizens United

    by PRW Staff — February 6, 2013 - 8:30am
  • Topics: Campaign Finance

    • Contact: Nikolina Lazic, nikolina@prwatch.org

    2,000 Public Officials Have Already Expressed Support for Constitutional Amendment

    WASHINGTON – This week The Center for Media & Democracy and ally organizations applauded the re-launch of the "Declaration For Democracy" campaign. Public officials signing the declaration are proclaiming their support for amending the constitution to limit the influence of money in our democracy and to restore the rights of the American people in the wake of the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC.

    News

    Frontline Gets Its Man: Lanny Breuer Leaves DOJ After Exposé

    by Mary Bottari — January 24, 2013 - 2:55pm
  • Topics: Campaign Finance, Real Economy Project

    • In a testament to the power of independent media, the award-winning public television show Frontline this week helped push a top Department of Justice (DOJ) official out the door.

    News

    In the Fight for Secrecy, Are the Koch Brothers Like Rosa Parks?

    by Brendan Fischer — January 22, 2013 - 8:25am
  • Topics: Campaign Finance, Corporations, Democracy

    • Civil rights organizations like the NAACP and groups dedicated to overturning the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision have found common ground in recent months, coming together under the "Money Out, Voters In" banner to fight the dual threats of money in politics and voter suppression. But on the other end of the political spectrum, right-wing activists like Karl Rove are drawing parallels between heroic African-American civil rights activists in 1950s Alabama and privileged 1%ers like the Koch brothers, arguing that a 1958 Supreme Court ruling protecting the NAACP's membership list should allow the super-rich to write million dollar checks without the public ever knowing.

    Press Release

    “Elections Confidential” Report Reveals Role of Dark Money Nonprofits and Shell Corporations in 2012

    by Brendan Fischer — January 17, 2013 - 10:06am
  • Topics: Election 2012, Campaign Finance, Corporations, Democracy

    • CONTACTS: Brendan Fischer, brendan@prwatch.org / Blair Bowie, bbowie@pirg.org

    Nearly One-Fifth of All Business Gifts to Super Pacs 
Were Contributed by Shell Corporations

    MADISON, WI — Mystery donors poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the 2012 elections via nonprofits and shell corporations, despite widespread public support for disclosure and decades of legal precedent supporting the public's right to know the sources of election-related spending.

    Editorial

    A New Year's Message to Our Readers

    by Lisa Graves — December 31, 2012 - 10:04am
  • Topics: Campaign Finance, Corporations, Democracy, Economy, Energy, Environment, Media, Politics

    • You helped make the world a better place this year. You helped expose corruption and thwart efforts to distort our democracy.

    1. You helped force 42 major corporations and 70 legislators to do something they did not want to do, leave the American Legislative Exchange Council.

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