A conservative nonprofit, formerly called the Center to Protect Patient Rights, which gives money to other advocacy groups.
Issues: campaign finance
Ending Spending Action Fund
A fiscally conservative super PAC chaired by TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts.
Americans for Job Security
A Republican, pro-business advocacy group with close ties to other conservative organizations.
NextGen Climate Action
A liberal super PAC founded by San Francisco billionaire and climate-change activist Tom Steyer that focuses on environmental issues.
Alabama Mystery Solved
The mystery of who was behind a largely bogus attack ad in Alabama’s Republican gubernatorial runoff election has been solved. The answer: the Alabama Education Association, an organization headed by the co-chairman of the state Democratic Party.
But don’t look for the answer in the state Elections Division. You have to go the IRS to track down the shadowy group’s financing.
According to IRS reports, the Conservative Coalition for Alabama formed on June 22 as a 527 political committee.
Committee for Truth in Politics
Conservative-leaning group represented by a lawyer in the Citizens United case.
When $3 Million is Too Much
The Supreme Court’s June 8 decision in Caperton v. Massey established that there is such a thing as too much money, at least when it comes to campaign support for a judge who is hearing a case involving the supporter. And $3 million is definitely over the line, according to the majority opinion by Justice Anthony Kennedy in the landmark 5-4 decision.
Excessive campaign contributions to or in support of a judicial candidate can subvert the due process clause of the Constitution,
Nancy Pelosi’s Personal Jet
Q: Did Nancy Pelosi order up a 200-seat jet for her personal use?
A: The Democratic House speaker normally flies in a 12-seat Air Force jet, just as her Republican predecessor did. This rumor stems from a request by the House sergeant at arms, not Pelosi, for a jet large enough to reach California without refueling.
No Personal Use of Campaign Money
Q: Can the presidential candidates keep their campaign money?
A: No. They can donate any contributions they haven’t spent to charities or political parties, and they can pay leftover campaign bills. The big rule is: no personal use.
That’s ‘Former Lobbyist’ to you
The Obama campaign has been pushing a connection between John McCain and lobbyists — as in saying that McCain has them working on his campaign. This ad, for instance, claims that “John McCain’s chief adviser lobbies for oil companies” and his “campaign manager lobbies for corporations outsourcing American jobs.” But neither of those campaign staffers are currently lobbyists – a McCain campaign conflict-of-interest policy doesn’t allow it.
The ad refers to campaign manager Rick Davis, who formerly lobbied for telecommunications companies and Airborne Express.