Mark,

The Post's headline language, "corporate contributions" is even more inaccurate than you suggest.  The bulk of the contributions are directly from individual employees, not through PACs.  The underlying numbers come from the Center for Responsive Politics which makes its definitions perfectly clear on any page on which its numbers are reported.  Its definitions do result in some strange quirks, which would be hard to correct in any automated procedure.  For example, the University of California (a 501c3) shows up as the top contributor to Barack Obama in 2008, Harvard is third and Stanford tenth.  Obviously, these are employee (mostly faculty) contributions.  But with the definitions in hand, you can decide whether you like them.  The Post and most other media do not take the time to define, creating a misleading impression.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Michael J. Malbin
Executive Director
Campaign Finance Institute
1667 K Street NW (Suite 650)
Washington, D.C. 20006
PH:  202-969-8890. ext. 28
FAX: 202-969-5612
email:  mmalbin@CFInst.org
web: http://www.CFInst.org
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 2:52 PM, Scarberry, Mark <Mark.Scarberry@pepperdine.edu> wrote:

The Washington Post story repeatedly refers to contributions by "companies" (presumably corporations or LLCs) and by "corporations." Wouldn't it be helpful if the news media were clearer that such contributions (as opposed to possible independent expenditures) were from PACs funded by individuals associated with the companies and corporations?

 

It's easier to take complaints seriously when they involve accurate reporting.

 

Mark Scarberry

Pepperdine

 

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From: election-law-bounces@mailman.lls.edu [election-law-bounces@mailman.lls.edu] On Behalf Of Rick Hasen [hasenr@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2011 10:44 AM
To: Election Law
Subject: [EL] Electionlawblog news and commentary 1/22/11

January 22, 2011

***"Contributions Mount for House GOP Chairmen"

The Washington Post offers this report.

Posted by Rick Hasen at 11:55 AM

 

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