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Campaign Legal Center
Senior counsel with the Campaign Legal Center
PROFILE
Tara Malloy
Guest
FROM Tara Malloy
To the Point
Does Campaign Finance Reform Have a Future? By a vote of five to four, the US Supreme Court has taken another swipe at 40-year-old Watergate Era reforms designed to restrain the power of money in politics. An individual donor still can't give more than $2600 to a single candidate in a given election — but the total amount he or she can contribute is now unlimited. The majority says removing some limits on individual donors will strengthen democracy. The dissenters call that a threat to the very integrity of government. Political pros envision more money from mega-rich contributors as soon as this year's campaigns for Congress. Will that mean increased corruption, real or apparent? Will what's left of campaign reform survive the next challenge?
Which Way, L.A.?
Big Money, Secrecy and Control of the Congress For months, the Tea Party movement has dominated political news but, with a few exceptions, its candidates have not done very well. That trend continued yesterday in primary results from Michigan, Missouri and Kansas. The 800-pound gorilla in November's final elections will be unlimited campaign spending by corporations and unions, legalized by the US Supreme Court's ruling this January in the Citizens United case.
To the Point
Corporate Campaign Fundraising Goes into Overdrive The Tea Party movement has made political headlines, but the big news in this year's congressional races will be money. In January, the Supreme Court legalized unlimited campaign spending by corporations and unions, and corporate America is hoping to change control of the Congress. Right now, Democrats have more cash on hand, but corporate support for Republicans will be massive and contributors can remain anonymous. Money and secrecy can be a potent political combination. We talk about their potential impact on November's mid-term elections.
Recommended
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?