Money in Politics: In the News

4-29-20 - Rising Income Inequality Is Direct Result Of Campaign Finance Cases - "The massive rise in income inequality in the U.S. is directly related to campaign finance cases, such as Citizens United, being decided in favor of society's top earners, said a constitutional scholar in his recent book. ‍

3-31-20 - Seattle's public funding for candidates survives Supreme Court challenge - A constitutional challenge to Seattle's "democracy voucher" program, the only system of its kind for subsidizing political campaigns with taxpayer funds, has fallen on deaf ears at the Supreme Court. ‍

3-30-20 - U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to Seattle’s ‘democracy vouchers’ - The constitutionality of the vouchers program “is now settled,” Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said in a news release. “The appellants have no second opportunity to petition the court to review their case.”‍

3-26-20 - High court rules against a donor's secrecy, maybe boosting disclosure - In what is being hailed as a victory for campaign finance transparency, the Supreme Court has rejected an attempt to keep secret the name of a donor who gave $1.7 million to a Republican super PAC eight years ago. The decision holds some potential to make it more difficult for so-called dark money groups to shield the identities of their biggest contributors in this campaign season and beyond. Increasing sunlight on the forces pouring so many millions into American politics is a main goal of democracy reform groups at a time when increased regulation is not a realistic hope.