skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

One million acres of forest protected under The Conservation Fund, including in OR; Trump seeks to set aside his New York hush money guilty verdict after Supreme Court immunity ruling; 'Share the Pennies' weatherization program tackles climate solutions, reduces cost; Utah feels the impact of California's ban on gestation crates.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

SCOTUS gives former President Trump a huge win in terms of immunity, which might apply to charges of election interference. A new poll finds future court appointments are crucial for voters, and President Biden continues to face post-debate calls to leave the race.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Ugly, imperfect produce destined for the landfill is being upcycled by a California candy company, a Texas volunteer uses his Navy training to map the gaps in broadband, and Pennsylvania has a new commission tasked with reversing its shrinking rural population.

Clean Elections Groups Slam Supreme Court Ruling on Campaign Finance

play audio
Play

Tuesday, May 17, 2022   

Good-government groups are criticizing the Supreme Court's decision Monday eliminating rules on how much a candidate can spend to pay back loans he or she made to the campaign.

The justices sided with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who sued over rules, which said a candidate can only raise $250,000 after an election to pay back a personal loan.

Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs for Common Cause, said this means big donors can funnel huge amounts of cash directly to newly elected officials.

"This decision is yet another example of the Supreme Court allowing more big money in politics and further opening the door to corruption and big moneyed interests calling the shots," Scherb contended.

The decision undermines part of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

In the supporting brief, Chief Justice John Roberts said the rule placed too great a burden on core political speech. In a dissent, Justice Elena Kagan argued the decision, quote, "greenlights all the sordid bargains Congress thought it right to stop ... and can only bring this country's political system into further disrepute."

Scherb emphasized he hopes it will drum up more support for the DISCLOSE Act, which would require campaigns and groups spending money to influence politics to report more about their funding, but he is not optimistic.

"We're not holding our breaths that 10 Senate Republicans would vote for something like this," Scherb acknowledged. "But if more big money is going to be spent in politics, it absolutely has to be disclosed. The public deserves to see who's trying to influence their voices and their votes."

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
There are no income or registration requirements for kids to participate in the state's Summer Meals program, which serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner to all youths up to age 18. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

With school cafeterias closed for the summer, community groups and nonprofits are working to ensure that Colorado's one in five children who go …


Health and Wellness

play sound

As summer kicks into full gear, North Carolina dentists stressed the importance of maintaining children's dental health. Dr. Miranda Kalaskey…

Social Issues

play sound

By Ashli Blow for Tennessee Lookout.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…


Although citywide bans on camping and other laws disadvantaging homeless people grew widely from 2006 to 2019, homeless encampments grew by 1,300% in all 50 states. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Connecticut advocates are distressed about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Gloria Johnson. The ruling said public camping bans …

Environment

play sound

New polling shows most Americans still favor non-fossil fuel energy sources, but support for certain renewables is not quite as strong these days and …

The Conservation Fund says it aims to protect five million acres of forest by 2035. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

The Conservation Fund, which works to protect land and nature across the U.S. has announced it has protected more than 1 million acres of working …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A Virginia community health center is part of a program addressing food scarcity. The National Association of Community Health Centers' 2024 …

Environment

play sound

New York's Building Code Council is set to include the All-Electric Buildings Act in its 2025 code update. The 2023 law bans natural gas and other …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021