Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Who's Minding the Campaign Finance Store?

    The 2016 presidential race is on track to be the most expensive ever at $100 billion. The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a lot of the rules that used to limit how much money political campaigns can raise. But there are still a few left. The only problem is that the Federal Election Commission, is no longer able or willing to enforce them.

    • rss
    • apple-podcasts
    • spotify
    • Share
    By Madeleine Brand • May 4, 2015 • 1 min read

    The 2016 presidential race is on track to be the most expensive ever at $100 billion. The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a lot of the rules that used to limit how much money political campaigns can raise. But there are still a few left. The only problem is that the Federal Election Commission, is no longer able or willing to enforce them. At least that’s what the Democratic chair of the FEC told the New York Times. In an article yesterday, she was quoted as saying, “People think the F.E.C. is dysfunctional. It’s worse than dysfunctional.”

    The full episode

    1 of 4
    Hollywood and Campaign Finance, Growing Up in Scientology, TV Roundup
    1. 0:00Who's Minding the Campaign Finance Store?You’re reading this
    2. 9:08Campaign Finance Changes and Hollywood Power
    3. 17:06TV Roundup: Pirating the Fight of the Century, 'Game of Thrones'
    4. 26:15Growing Up Scientology
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jolie Myers

      Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Eric Lichtblau

      New York Times

      News

    The full episode

    1 of 4
    Hollywood and Campaign Finance, Growing Up in Scientology, TV Roundup
    1. 0:00Who's Minding the Campaign Finance Store?You’re reading this
    2. 9:08Campaign Finance Changes and Hollywood Power
    3. 17:06TV Roundup: Pirating the Fight of the Century, 'Game of Thrones'
    4. 26:15Growing Up Scientology
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand