news of the day 2/28/05

Money Spent on Campaign Finance Reform Lobbying

Political Money Online has issued a report (available to paid subscribers only here (I think, as I'm not a subscriber)). On the free portion of the website, it explains in pertitent part:

The campaign finance reform effort involved donations of almost $140 million to nearly one hundred organizations that educated people to the problem, mobilized support, and sought legislative and legal remedies. This also involved paying lawyers, academics, business leaders, media groups, and even getting involved with federal election campaigns.

This ten-year lobby effort is small in comparison to the other major lobbying campaigns. And it is only being disclosed now because of disclosures by the major foundations involved and some of the campaign finance reform organizations. In general, most 501c organizations do not voluntarily make their donors public.

BNA reports (paid subscription required) on the reactions of some of the groups to the report. Readers interested in this subject might check out this old article from the Philanthropy Roundtable. I also recall that there was a report a few years back from a conservative think tank called something like "Who Funds Campaign Finance Reform?" but I have not found it through a Google search.

"A Vote of Confidence"

This St. Petersburg Times article examines potential election administration reform in Florida.

"Campaign Cleanser"

This editorial appears in today's Houston Chronicle, with the subhead: "A bipartisan bill aims to pull the plug on sham issue ads and drain tainted corporate and union cash out of the Texas electoral process."

"Revamping Congressional Redistricting"

This opinion piece appears in today's Harvard Cimson.

"McCain-Feingold II: It's Deja Vu All Over Again"

Robert Kelner offers this Roll Call oped (paid subscription required) on the new 527 bill. A snippet:

What is remarkable about “McCain-Feingold II” is that, like McCain-Feingold I, it includes a gaping soft-money loophole. In an example of regulatory planned obsolescence, McCain-Feingold I left outside special interests free from the restrictions on political parties, making outside groups soft-money magnets. It also carved out an exception to its “soft-money ban” that allows Members of Congress to raise soft money for 501(c)s. So long as a Member is careful to label his or her fundraising a “general” solicitation of soft money, the Member may raise an unlimited amount, which can be used by 501(c)s on electoral advocacy.

"Georgia Map All But Redone"

Roll Call offers this report (paid subscription required), which begins: "Republicans in the Georgia Legislature have reached consensus on new Congressional boundaries, moving a proposed map forward that would shore up Rep. Phil Gingrey’s (R) swing district and potentially complicate the re-election efforts of Democratic Reps. John Barrow and Jim Marshall."

"Defendants' Ties to DeLay Draw Nation's Eyes to Texas Trial"

The New York Times offers this report.

L.A. Times Endorses Redistricting By Commission for California

See here.

New Article on California Recall Remedies

James M. Fischer has written: "Preliminarily" Enjoining Elections: A Tale of Two Ninth Circuit Panels, 41 San Diego Law Review 1647 (2004) (part of a remedies sympoisum). This looks very interesting!

"Uniformity at Polls May Be Elusive; Parties Sharply At Odds Over Election Reform"

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel offers this report, which discusses some ways I have suggested to overcome a partisan impasse on election reform.

Hitchens on Vote Totals and Fraud in Ohio

See this Vanity Fair column.

-- 
Professor Rick Hasen 
Loyola Law School 
919 Albany Street 
Los Angeles, CA  90015-1211 
(213)736-1466 - voice 
(213)380-3769 - fax 
rick.hasen@lls.edu 
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html 
http://electionlawblog.org