Campaign Finance Reform/Money in Politics / Public News Service

Negotiating the costs of health care procedures using Medicare payments as a reference has proven effective in reducing health care spending, especially for large employers. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Colorado hospitals charge commercial insurers up to six times Medicare rates

The rates Medicare pays hospitals are carefully calculated to cover the actual cost of care in an efficient health care facility. But Anthem, Cigna…

Democrats have a chance for a reset at their August convention, but an SMU political science professor says the party must proceed carefully to pick its new presidential nominee in a smooth and graceful manner. (Fox_Dsign/Adobe Stock)

TX political science professor weighs in after Biden exits race

With fewer than four months before the November general election, Democrats are planning their next move following President Joe Biden's decision to …

By a 17-point margin, 53%-36%, voters favor Congress taking action to reform the Supreme Court and the way it operates, according to Stand Up America. (Adobe Stock)

UNLV law professor: SCOTUS has changed U.S. in 'dramatic ways'

A University of Nevada-Las Vegas law professor said the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has issued major decisions dramatically …

Voting by people who are not U.S. citizens already is illegal in federal elections, and there is no indication it's happening anywhere in significant numbers. (Adobe Stock)

Groups debunk claims of 'skyrocketing' numbers of non-citizen voters

After a recent flurry of claims that Democrats are allowing immigrants into the country illegally in order to register them to vote in the upcoming U.…

Of more than 7,300 lawmakers nationwide, just 116, or 1.6%, currently or last worked in manual labor, service industry, clerical or labor union jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Working class missing in state legislatures

Half of Americans go to work every day in the service industry, doing clerical work or in construction and other manual labor jobs but fewer than 2% …

A joint fundraising committee enables donors to contribute up to $13,200 during an election cycle, which can then be divided among multiple candidates. The individual donation limit of $6,600 per candidate per election cycle remains unchanged. (Wikimedia Commons)

Bush joins 'Squad' in rally for $100 million defense against AIPAC backlash races

In the midst of political tensions surrounding Israel's handling of the conflict with Hamas, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., is joining forces with …

A joint fundraising committee like that set up for Rep. Rashid Tlaib, D-Mich. enables donors to contribute up to $13,200 during an election cycle, which can then be divided among multiple candidates. (Chad Davis/Wikimedia Commons)

Tlaib and 'Squad' rally $100 million defense against AIPAC backlash

In the midst of political tensions surrounding Israel's handling of the conflict with Hamas, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has voiced her support for …

OpenSecrets has tracked more than $2.8 billion in dark money spending and contributions reported to the Federal Elections Commission since the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. FEC decision in 2010. (pla2na/Adobe Stock)

'Dark money' floods 2024 elections

Undisclosed funding, or "dark money," is pumping into the 2024 election cycle. Political spending by donors who stay hidden is reaching record …

As with most presidential elections, Wisconsin is viewed as a

Constitutional amendment highlights WI primary ballot

Early voting is underway for the Wisconsin primary election and while the presidential primaries already appear settled for now, pro-democracy …

A bill limiting campaign contributions to candidates is expected to head to Gov. Tina Kotek's desk soon. (Joaquin Corbalan/Adobe Stock)

New campaign finance law limits OR donor influence

Oregon lawmakers took a step toward limiting the impact of money on elections during the legislative session. Lawmakers passed House Bill 2024…

Many New Mexico lawmakers travel hundreds of miles for annual legislative sessions and must rent lodging for 30 to 60 days. (JohnMcGrawPhotog/Adobe Stock)

Women in NM Legislature make the case for an annual salary

New Mexico's Legislature is becoming more diverse but its lawmakers are still the only ones unpaid in the nation, limiting who can afford to serve…

If Senate Bill 131 is enacted, violators could be charged up to a felony and fined more than $1,000.(Adobe Stock)

Proposed UT bill targets AI in political ads

One Utah lawmaker wants to regulate artificial intelligence in political ads. Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, is behind Senate Bill 131, which …

More than 60% of candidates for Maine's legislative offices participated in the state's Clean Election program in 2022, up from 30% of candidates in 2000, when it began. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br />

Maine considers expanding 'clean elections' law to county candidates

Maine could become the first state in the nation to provide public funding to candidates seeking the office of district attorney. Lawmakers are …

If a Republican wins the White House in the future, the Heritage Foundation has a plan to overhaul such federal agencies as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to operate under conservative regulation. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Conservative groups write 'game plan' for U.S. government takeover

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service Collaboration Wealthy right-…

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va (far left), and other lawmakers join President Joe Biden as he signs the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Aug. 16, 2022. (Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm/Wikimedia Commons)

Super PAC spending in WV Senate race ramps up as Manchin bows out

By Harshawn Ratanpal for OpenSecrets.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the OpenSecrets-Public News Serv…

Despite concern over the influence of foreign money on statewide elections, Montana has just increased its campaign contribution limits for PACs and individuals to $1,120 from $1,000. (Adobe Stock)

Montana political candidates receive among highest foreign donations

New research from a campaign finance-tracking group shows foreign corporations are investing heavily in statewide elections. Montana is one of a …

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision held that the freedom of speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations. (Adobe Stock)

Tracking foreign interests in Colorado political campaigns

Despite federal laws that prohibit campaign contributions by people who are not United States citizens, foreign-influenced corporations and their …

Seattle is the largest city in the U.S. to ban political contributions from foreign-influenced companies. (JHVEPhoto/Adobe Stock)

Report: Foreign-influenced companies give big in WA elections

A report analyzed the impact of money from foreign-influenced corporations on elections in six states. Washington topped the list for most donations…

The Jan. 6 Committee's final report revealed members of the Oath Keepers and other Trump allies stockpiled weapons near Washington, D.C., as they waited for the former president to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Social media's 'networked incitement' the latest challenge to democracy

The use of social media to organize the Jan. 6 insurrection marked a turning point in American political protest, according to a leading media and …

Most candidate elections in Arizona are determined in the Primary Election, where only about 23% of registered adults voted in August 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Bipartisan AZ group pushes for open primaries on 2024 ballot

This week, a bipartisan group in Arizona officially launched its campaign to do away with the state's current system of primary elections - which are …

Gov. Andy Beshear speaks at an economic development event in Henderson in 2022. (Tkayne/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

Kentucky’s gubernatorial race breaks records, exceeds $44 million

By Anna Massoglia and Jimmy Cloutier for OpenSecrets.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the OpenSecrets-Pu…

Aside from his constituents, the Nassau County Republican Party has asked Rep. George Santos to resign from office. This was initially based on a New York Times investigation revealing Santos had fabricated portions of his r�sum� to win election. (Adobe Stock)

NY Rep. George Santos survives expulsion vote. Now what?

A vote to expel U.S. New York Rep. George Santos, R-Queens, from the House failed last week to reach the needed two-thirds majority. But his troubles …

In terms of campaign funds, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has far outraised his Republican challengers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Sen. Brown maintains grassroots fundraising lead in Ohio U.S. Senate race

By Harshawn Ratanpal for OpenSecrets.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Ohio News Connection reporting for the OpenSecrets-Public News Service Co…

A write-in effort for a presidential primary ballot in New Hampshire is not without precedent. President Lyndon Johnson won the New Hampshire primary in 1968 as a write-in candidate, although he surprised the nation and dropped out of the race 19 days later. (Adobe Stock)

NH Democrats begin Biden primary write-in campaign

Some New Hampshire Democrats have begun a write-in campaign for President Joe Biden since his name will no longer appear on the state's 2024 president…

Incumbent Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has raised more than three times as much as his Republican rival in the general election, Attorney General Daniel Cameron. (Wikimedia Commons)<br />

Kentucky governor’s race on track for new fundraising record

By Anna Massoglia for OpenSecrets.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the OpenSecrets-Public News Service C…

Rep. Debbie Lesko becomes the 16th current member to announce they will retire or seek another office next year. (Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons)

AZ Republican leaves Capitol Hill, cites dysfunction

Arizona U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko - R-Peoria - recently announced she will not be seeking re-election next year. In a statement, Lesko said traveling …

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating democracy. It has gained momentum since it was first observed in 2012. (DEEP/Adobe Stock)

About 1 in 3 Missourians Isn't Registered to Vote

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and Missourians have many locations where they can register to vote - from community colleges and …

In 2012, candidates took 7%, on average, of all their out-of-state money from ideologically-driven donors. But in the 2022 election cycle, ideological donors typically made up 13% of the out-of-state donor pool, according to Open Secrets. (Adobe Stock)

Local and State Politics Grow Increasingly 'Nationalized'

Political candidates running for federal office have grown increasingly reliant on out-of-state donations, according to a new report. Government …

Supporters say Washington's Fair Campaign Practices Act is needed more than ever in the era of online political ads. (tashatuvango/Adobe Stock)

Campaign Finance Watchdogs Support WA Disclosure Law in Meta Case

Campaign-finance watchdog groups are standing up in favor of Washington's disclosure law in court. Facebook parent company Meta has challenged the …

Corporate donations were the largest source of spending in Maine's 2020 election cycle, including some from foreign-owned companies. (Adobe Stock)

Maine 'Clean Elections' Campaign Shifts to November Ballot

Advocates for "clean" elections in Maine are gearing up for a November ballot referendum that would ban foreign government spending in state elections…

Critics of the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission say it gave greater political influence to wealthy donors and corporations by allowing them to spend unlimited funds on elections. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers Consider Changes to Maine’s Clean Election Law

Lawmakers in Maine are considering legislation to allow candidates seeking county level offices to receive taxpayer funds under the Maine Clean Electi…

Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows Massachusetts has four counties in the top 20 list of most expensive places for child care, including Middlesex and Norfolk counties, where families pay more than $26,000 annually in child care expenses. (Adobe Stock)

MA Bill Would Let Candidates Use Campaign Funds for Child Care

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill to allow candidates seeking state or local office to use campaign funds for child care. Child care is …

The Whooping Crane -- the tallest bird in North America -- is known to make stopovers on the Platte River in Nebraska. Conservation efforts have increased the Whooping Crane population from a low of about 20 birds in the 1940s to an estimated 600 today. (Adobe Stock)

Recovering America's Wildlife Act Helps Wildlife, Farmers and Ranchers

CORRECTION: The number of species at risk in Nebraska is nearly 800. A previous version of the story listed only those the state currently considers …

Campaign contributions for this year's Wisconsin Supreme Court race have more than doubled the previous record for a state-level judicial election. (Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Pexels)

WI Supreme Court Race: Record Spending Leads to Reform Calls

Leading up to this week's election, Wisconsin voters have been inundated with campaign ads for the high-profile state Supreme Court race, and …

According to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice, the financial power of small donors could increase sevenfold, from 6% to 41% of all campaign funds through the Public Campaign Finance Program. (Adobe Stock)

Campaign Finance Program Facing Delays From NY Legislators

New York's Public Campaign Finance Program is facing delays from the very people who approved it - New York legislators. The program was approved by …

The 163 billion cubic feet of lost methane on public lands represents enough wasted natural gas to meet the needs of 2.2 million households; nearly as many households as New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming combined, studies show. (Adobe Stock)

Report: $500 Million Gas Lost at Oil and Gas Fields on Public Lands

Oil and gas operators waste a half billion dollars worth of natural gas on public lands every year, according to a new report. Chad Franke, …

While mortality rates for pregnant women have decreased globally, they continue to rise in the United States, with Black women three times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women. (Inez/Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Women’s Rights a Canary in Coal Mine for Democracy

By Jennifer Weiss-Wolf for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

Senate File 40 aims to hold federal and state political action committees to the same standards. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Legislature Tackles Election Integrity

Election integrity has emerged as a top concern for Wyoming lawmakers gathered in Cheyenne, but it remains unclear what priorities will emerge from …

According to OpenSecrets, the 2021 Georgia contests that decided party control of the Senate were the top two most expensive congressional elections in the country. (Pixabay)

Runoff Continues Record Spending in Georgia's U.S. Senate Race

Control of the U.S. Senate could once again be decided in Georgia as a tight race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican …

Medicare provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act are projected to reduce the federal deficit by $237 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Biden’s Medicare Move Projected to Lower Drug Prices, Federal Deficit

Over the next 10 years, some 64 million people on Medicare, and American taxpayers, will save $100 billion, thanks to provisions in President Joe …

One in five Ohioans surveyed said threats to democracy are a top concern before the 2022 midterms.(Adobe Stock)

Ohio SOS Launches New Election Investigation Unit

Instances of voter fraud are few and far between, but Ohio election officials want to ensure voters have confidence in the integrity of the system…

Families hike in the mountains near Riverside, Calif. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

For Hispanic Heritage Month, People Reconnect with Public Lands

Hispanic Heritage Month begins this week and runs through mid-October, and conservation groups are encouraging people to celebrate by getting the …

A handful of large corporations, including AT&T, Chevron, ExxonMobil, FedEx, GM, Merck and UPS, together gave almost $1.5 million to candidates that denied the results of the 2020 presidential election, according to an Americans for Tax Fairness Report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wealthiest Americans Pumped Millions into 2022 Midterm Campaigns

Most West Virginians pay taxes on every dollar they earn, while large corporations and billionaires use tax loopholes to pay as little as zero in …

Loss of rural populations to urban centers has caused many hospitals in Nebraska to reconfigure their budgets. (Adobe Stock)

Keys to Keeping Nebraska's Rural Hospital Doors Open

Without federal intervention, a new report warns, rural hospitals across the United States, including many in Nebraska, could be forced to reduce …

During the U.S. Senate primary, Pennsylvania saw $99 million spent with a large portion of that coming from Super PACs, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Dark Money in PA Senate Race Distracts from Issues that Matter

Pennsylvania's Senate race is garnering national attention, with Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz running to replace retiring …

The Supreme Court, following in the footsteps of the Citizen's United decision, has weakened campaign finance laws in the name of free speech. (Lost in the Midwest/Adobestock)

Clean Elections Groups Slam Supreme Court Ruling on Campaign Finance

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…

While some national party leaders might no longer view Iowa as a battleground state, political experts say it still has

Caucus Shakeup Prompts Concern about Candidate Vetting

When the 2024 presidential primary season kicks off, there's a good chance Iowa's caucuses won't be in the spotlight as much. Last week, the …

California has set a goal to make the state's electricity system carbon-free by 2045. (ULP/Adobestock)

CA Gets a “D” on the 2022 Environmental Scorecard

California only got a "D" grade on this year's Environmental Scorecard, a report card put out each year since 1973 by the nonprofit California …

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