Fwd: Chicago Sun-Times: EDITORIAL: Secret political donors to judges hurt the image of the bench

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Susan Ogden <susanfogden@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 29, 2017 at 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: Chicago Sun-Times: EDITORIAL: Secret political donors to judges hurt the image of the bench
To: <GMOM-volunteers@googlegroups.com>

no-sorry

I can do that

On Fri, Dec 29, 2017 at 1:57 PM Charlie Cooper <charlie.coop47@gmail.com> wrote:

Excellent, Susan. Did you send this to the GMOM blog? - C

 

From: gmom-volunteers@googlegroups.com [mailto:gmom-volunteers@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Susan Ogden
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2017 8:47 AM
To: GMOM-volunteers@googlegroups.com
Subject: Fwd: Chicago Sun-Times: EDITORIAL: Secret political donors to judges hurt the image of the bench

 

 

It's not just policy big money buys.

 

EDITORIAL: Secret political donors to judges hurt the image of the bench
Chicago Sun-Times

As more judges win office on waves of money from unnamed sources, the more ordinary citizens will doubt the impartiality of the courts. Read the full story

 

Shared from Apple News

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FEC may shut down for lack of quorum

https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/12/20/21410/new-hope-new-problem-will-federal-election-commission-shut-down

Observers wait to see whether current and impending vacancies get filled.

New hope, new problem: Will the Federal Election Commission shut down? | Center for Public Integrity

https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/12/20/21410/new-hope-new-problem-will-federal-election-commission-shut-down

NY considers disclosure laws for Internet ads

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/us/politics/governor-cuomo-internet-ads.html?_r=0

 

Proposals would require both spenders and Internet companies to disclose the identity of political advertisers.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

More on Sen. Corker's enrichment while a U. S. Senator

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/taibbi-bob-corker-corrupt-what-a-surprise-w514493

 

“In the first nine months of 2007, Corker made an incredible 1,200 trades, over four per day, including 332 over a two-day period.”

 

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Sen. Corker made lots of money trading stocks while in the U. S. Senate

https://campaignforaccountability.org/bob-corker-sec-senate-ethics-committee-concealed-information/

 

His investment advisers were his top campaign contributor.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

brennan on tax bill and MIP

https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/how-citizens-united-changed-politics-and-shaped-tax-bill

 

Here's a high-profile example of how big money has bought our government.

 

Doug Miller
www.voiceofdoug.com
443-690-4360
beacon7712@comcast.net

Words That Move

How Citizens United impacted passage of the tax bill

https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/how-citizens-united-changed-politics-and-shaped-tax-bill

 

Because of Citizens United v. FEC, a “few donors matter much more than they used to,” and they are getting their way in the halls of Congress. Arguments that money does not always determine which party wins an elections miss the point.

 

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Senate Parliamentarian strips repeal of Johnson Amendment from tax bill

https://www.christianpost.com/news/congress-fails-repeal-johnson-amendment-tax-bill-210538/

 

There will not be a tax-deductible path for corporations and individuals to spend (dark) money to influence the outcomes of elections.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

An Appropriations Bill Is Threatening to Make Politicians More Dependent on Big Donors - Center for American Progress

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/news/2017/12/19/444260/appropriations-bill-threatening-make-politicians-dependent-big-donors/

Would allow parties to take $1 million contributions and then coordinate more with candidates.

Illinois Dems face campaign-funding choce

http://nprillinois.org/post/key-question-democrats-billionaire-or-not-billionaire#stream/0

 

Self-funded candidate J. B. Pritzker offers to take over the IL Democratic Party. The party structure eagerly accepts, but there are some holdouts.

 

Charlie Cooper

Tax bill offers deductions for anonymous election spending

http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwo423nzo

 

CNN explains what a huge change the repeal of the Johnson Amendment would be

 

Charlie Cooper

Telecoms buy major influence in Congress

http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwge7Sjzc?oc=wa

 

This article lists cumulative contributions from telecoms (ISPs) for every sitting member of Congress.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Holiday Compilation: CEPR on the GOP Tax Bill | CEPR Blog | Blogs | Publications | The Center for Economic and Policy Research

his is a transparent giveaway to the people who fund their election campaigns. It is taking the corruption of politics in the United States to a new level."
http://cepr.net/blogs/cepr-blog/holiday-compilation-cepr-on-the-gop-tax-bill

America’s Wealth Inequality Has Reached Staggering New Levels | IPS

http://www.ips-dc.org/americas-wealth-inequality-reached-staggering-new-levels/

FCC rule killing net neutrality is counterfactual and illegal, commentator says

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/22/opinion/courts-net-neutrality-fcc.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

The very premise of the proposal is not supported by fact. This writer says the rule is intended to help big ISPs, and the courts will overturn.

CREW complaint results in record post-Citizens United penalty - CREW

https://www.citizensforethics.org/press-release/crew-complaint-results-record-post-citizens-united-penalty/

How elite white-collar criminals use corporate political power

http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2017/10/impossible-compete-unintentional-self-parody-trump-opioids.html#more-11159

 

 

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

(no subject) - theindialink@gmail.com - Gmail

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/15fcd4acf172874a

Monetary Competitiveness in State Legislative Races, 2015 and 2016 - FollowTheMoney.org 956

https://www.followthemoney.org/research/institute-reports/monetary-competitiveness-in-2015-and-2016-state-legislative-races/

Money and Incumbency in State Legislative Races, 2015 and 2016 - FollowTheMoney.org 954

https://www.followthemoney.org/research/institute-reports/money-incumbency-in-2015-and-2016-state-legislative-races/

History of voting rights expansion and contraction in the U. S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/opinion/sunday/voting-rights-never-safe.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

 

It is up to us to keep the voting rights we have and make sure the franchise is universal.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Free speech in the era of social media and "cheap speech"

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/opinion/twitter-first-amendment.html?&moduleDetail=section-news-1&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&pgtype=article

"At a minimum, new rules should bar social media companies from accepting money for political advertising by foreign governments or their agents."

The First Amendment in the era of social media and "cheap speech"

"At a minimum, new rules should bar social media companies from accepting money for political advertising by foreign governments or their agents"

New study shows how lobbying pays off for health care industry

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/25/upshot/the-unhealthy-politics-of-pork-how-it-increases-your-medical-costs.html?_r=0

 

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

 

Voter suppression and gerrymandering advocate nominated to federal court

http://billmoyers.com/story/north-carolina-voter-suppression-lawl-judge/

 

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Bob Menendez and the Redefining of Public Corruption - The Atlantic

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/menendez-mcdonnell-supreme-court/543354/

Facebook let malicious ads and fake accounts into German election

https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-allowed-questionable-ads-in-german-election-despite-warnings

 

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

A global look at corruption as a system of governance

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/review-essay/2017-08-19/kleptocracy-america

 

The U. S. is sliding into kleptocracy. It may join Guatemala and Azerbaijan.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

How wealthy donors funnel money to national parties via state parties

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2017/07/wealthy-donors-fund-national-party-giving-to-states/

Do Seattle’s democracy vouchers work? New analysis says yes | The Seattle Times

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/do-seattles-democracy-vouchers-work-new-analysis-says-yes/

Wealthy Oregonian charter-school owner pays to play in North Carolina

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article177836091.html

Charlie Cooper

Big money donors for Democrat-affiliated groups

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/07/us/politics/democrats-resistance-fundraising.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

This article talks about a upstart vs. establishment groups competing for money from wealthy liberal donors but does not illuminate policy differences.

How minority rule works in Presidential elections

http://billmoyers.com/story/america-held-hostage-minority-rule/

"The Post found that the [voter ID] laws widen the white advantage over blacks in turnout from 2.5 percent to 11.6 percent."

Charlie Cooper

Federal authority to intervene in state election laws

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/ginsburg-slaps-gorsuch/amp

 

Gill v. Whitford is a potential landmark case on gerrymandering. This article summarizes a key Constitutional dispute between wings of the high court.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

Campaign limits are gone, and Maryland's special interests are very busy

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-money-in-campaigns-20170929-story.html

 

Maryland’s 2018 elections may bring in a new era.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

Supreme Court will decide gerrymandering case

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/opinion/gerrymandering-supreme-court.html

 

Republicans have rigged Wisconsin’s legislative districts so that they won 60% of the seats in the State legislature with 48% of the vote.

 

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 

 

New study claims common political campaign contacts are worthless

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/campaign-tactics-study_us_59ca64dce4b01cc57ff5a46c?ncid=APPLENEWS00001

 

 

Charlie Cooper

M: 410-624-6095

Wealth gap widens even as middle class gains

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/sns-bc-us--fed-financial-health-survey-20170927-story.html

Median black family has 10% of wealth of median white family. Wealth of top 10% grew 17 times faster than wealth of typical family.

Charlie Cooper

A New Study Shows Just How Many Americans Were Blocked From Voting in Wisconsin Last Year – Mother Jones

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/09/a-new-study-shows-just-how-many-americans-were-blocked-from-voting-in-wisconsin-last-year/

Gov. Hogan's Redistricting Commission meets after long hiatus

https://marylandmatters.org/2017/09/26/will-redistricting-panel-issue-new-recommendations/

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

How the financial manipulators (and others) buy votes in Congress

http://inthesetimes.com/article/20543/corporate-money-citizens-united-corruption?link_id=3&can_id=fe1e1d50f292aa277e9a06a609e90126&source=email-us-trained-warlords-committing-atrocities-in-afghanistan-proof-that-corporate-money-influences-politicians&email_referrer=email_238509&email_subject=us-trained-warlords-committing-atrocities-in-afghanistan-proof-that-corporate-money-influences-politicians

 

“for every $100,000 that Democratic representatives received from finance, the odds they would break with their party’s majority support for the Dodd-Frank legislation increased by 13.9 percent. Democratic representatives who voted in favor of finance often received $200,000–$300,000 from that sector, which raised the odds of switching by 25–40 percent.”

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Dems plan internet ad bill; Facebook announces disclosure measures

http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/21/media/warner-klobuchar-bill-facebook-ads/index.html

Whites and blacks underestimate income and wealth gaps

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/09/18/white-people-are-really-confident-things-are-getting-better-for-black-people/?utm_term=.bb6cf55be50e&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1

 

Yale study shows gaps not improving over decades. Faulty public perceptions may lead to misguided legislation.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Trump’s FEC nominee has questioned the value of disclosing political donors - The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/09/15/trumps-fec-nominee-has-questioned-the-value-of-disclosing-political-donors/?utm_term=.ae57deb22f28

Top Trump donor ponies up to take out Flake - POLITICO

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/09/trump-jeff-flake-robert-mercer-kelli-ward-241454

America's $1 Trillion National Security Budget

​Posting this here in case we need to refer back to DEFENCE SPENDING​

http://www.pogo.org/straus/issues/defense-budget/2016/americas-1-trillion-national-security-budget.html

Lawsuits, Falsehoods, and a Lot of White Men: Trump’s Election Commission Meets Amid Growing Controversy – Mother Jones

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/09/lawsuits-falsehoods-and-a-lot-of-white-men-trumps-election-commission-meets-amid-growing-controversy/

How to account for Facebook expenditures in disclosure laws?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/09/mark-zuckerberg-president-facebook-algorithm?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=242992&subid=1408221&CMP=GT_US_collection

 

It’s not clear that Facebook spending can be accounted for as things stand. But if Zuckerberg himself runs for President, he will have access to Facebook’s ability to reach people and connect people in a way no candidate ever has had.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

De Blasio’s $21 billion revolution - NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/de-blasio-21-billion-revolution-article-1.3461772?cid=bitly

Compilation of how big money supresses news and research

https://www.nationofchange.org/2017/09/03/big-money-buys-off-criticism-big-money/

Big money funders of universities, foundations, and think tanks require filters to suppress investigation and dissemination of information about the role of big money in politics.

Developer’s Trail of Campaign Donations Lead Through "Towson Gateway” - The Baltimore Post

http://thebaltimorepost.com/developers-trail-campaign-donations-lead-towson-gateway

Tweet from DemocracyIsForPeople (@democracy4ppl)

DemocracyIsForPeople (@democracy4ppl) tweeted at 3:00 PM on Fri, Aug 25, 2017:
We need to fight HARD to save the #JohnsonAmendment. Pick up the phone and tell your MOC not to subject our elections to more secret money. https://t.co/O7gjMa2qVb
(https://twitter.com/democracy4ppl/status/901157339050409986?s=03)

Betsy DeVos and Her Family Are Funding the Republican Candidate for Governor in Virginia | Diane Ravitch's blog

https://dianeravitch.net/2017/08/23/betsy-devos-and-her-family-are-funding-the-republican-candidate-for-governor-in-virginia/

Trump has hired more than 100 former lobbyists, group's tally shows.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/21/president-donald-trump-lobbyists-hired/416749001/

The Real News Documentary on Mercer family connections with Pres. Trump

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=19811

This 30 minute piece draws connections between hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer and his daughter, Breitbart News (Steve Bannon), and Citizens United (the right-wing propaganda 501(c)(4) headed by David Bossie). The Mercers also run Cambridge Analytica, a cutting-edge polling firm linked to Kellyanne Conway.

Out of the swamp... or into the shadows? • OpenSecrets

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports/shadow-lobbying

Companies Linked To Mike Pence Seek An Upper Hand In Infrastructure Policy

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/companies-linked-mike-pence-seek-upper-hand-infrastructure-policy-2578480?amp=1

Trump administration weakening regulation of Wall Street

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-easing-of-postcrisis-wall-street-rules-gains-momentum-1502622005

 

At behest of Wall Street, agencies begin broad pullback of regulations under Dodd-Frank reforms.

NOTE: Requires subscription to WSJ to read entire article.

 

Charlie Cooper

“We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Is an Incumbent Delegate Getting Pushed Out? | Seventh State

http://www.theseventhstate.com/?p=8367

Our Broken Economy, in One Simple Chart - The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/07/opinion/leonhardt-income-inequality.html?_r=0

Income growth inequality then and now

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/07/opinion/leonhardt-income-inequality.html

 

After decades of increasing influence of money in our politics, this chart shows the result of policies on the ability of people at various points in the income spectrum to grow their income.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Dark money trail reveals significant influence in Colorado elections

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2017/07/dark-money-trail-reveals-significant-influence-in-colorado-elections/

Corporate Cash Could Help Republicans Keep Control Of State Governments, Influence Redistricting

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/corporate-cash-could-help-republicans-keep-control-state-governments-influence

Security experts find "unfixable" problems with electronic voting

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/computing/networks/defcon-hackers-find-holes-in-every-voting-machine

 

Hackers easily broke into voting machines at security conference and find fatal flaws in their design and lack of auditability. Other parts of election system are also vulnerable.

 

Charlie Cooper

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Democratic Governors’ Fundraising Trails Republicans, Except When It Comes To Big Pharma

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/democratic-governors-fundraising-trails-republicans-except-when-it-comes-big

Bernie Sanders’ Drug Price Bill Would Save Billions, Congressional Analysts Say

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/bernie-sanders-drug-price-bill-would-save-billions-congressional-analysts-say

ACLU statement on voter registration ruling - ACLU Massachusetts

https://aclum.org/uncategorized/statement-aclu-massachusetts-voter-registration-ruling/

Review of voting legislation in the states

https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/voting-laws-roundup-2017

 

Excellent summary shows more action to restrict access to the ballot in 2017 than to expand.

 

Charlie Cooper

Anthony Scaramucci, Trump’s New Communications Director, Said Citizens United Made Possible a “Sleeper Cell” of Hedge Fund Managers

https://theintercept.com/2017/07/21/anthony-scaramucci-trumps-new-communications-director-said-citizens-united-made-possible-a-sleeper-cell-of-hedge-fund-managers/

Kobach plans to weaken federal voter registration law

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/three-things-trump-could-do-to-hurt-obamacare/

This article contains interesting voting rights info although its headline focuses on Obmacare.

Charlie Cooper

Voting integrity: ID check

The 1993 National Voter Registration Act was aimed at making it easier for more Americans to vote by coupling registration opportunities with driver’s license and public assistance applications and making it harder to kick registered voters off the rolls. Now there’s evidence that Kris Kobach, the vice chairman of Trump’s new Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, wants to change that law.

In emails that were released last week as part of a lawsuit brought against him by the American Civil Liberties Union, Kobach wrote of planned legislation that would amend the National Voter Registration Act so that it explicitly allows states to require proof of citizenship — a passport or a birth certificate — for a voter to register. That news has only added fodder for the chorus of criticism aimed at Kobach and his commission.

We’ve written previously about the many problems with Kobach’s claims of widespread voter fraud. The short version: Nobody knows exactly how much illegal voting occurs, but all the available data points to it being extremely rare. Interestingly, though, it’s just as hard to prove the negative effects of the voter ID laws Kobach has championed.

As with illegal voting, it’s difficult to study voter ID laws, and nobody knows for sure whether they reduce turnout — effectively suppressing legal votes. No two states have exactly the same laws, and most of the laws have been in effect for less than five years. Maybe most importantly, there are confounding factors that make it difficult to tease apart cause and effect — for instance, the states that had adopted a strict voter ID law by 2015 already had lower voter turnout than those that did not. That comes from an analysis of peer-reviewed research on this topic published in May by Benjamin Highton, a political scientist at the University of California, Davis. He found just four studies that were designed to account for these kinds of real-world problems; all came up with results that suggest ID laws have very limited impacts (less than 4 percentage points) on voter turnout.

This is unlikely to be the final word on the subject, of course. Scientifically, this question is at the starting gate, not the finish line. But it’s possible that American politics is currently fighting a heated partisan battle over two risks — voter fraud and ID-law-related voter suppression — that are both extremely small.

 

 

House Democrats are starting to outraise their Republican counterparts - The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/07/20/house-democrats-are-starting-to-outraise-their-republican-counterparts/?utm_term=.b0a39656067f

Bill in House would counter gerrymandering and 2-party monopoly

https://theintercept.com/2017/07/05/new-house-bill-would-kill-gerrymandering-and-could-move-america-away-from-two-party-dominance/

 

MD’s Rep. Raskin co-sponsors this innovative bill.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Baptist leaders speaks out against House action weakening Johnson Amendment

https://baptistnews.com/article/bjc-head-warns-johnson-amendment-rollback-divide-churches/#.WW_7yumQzSE

 

 

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 

 

House Republicans offer language to weaken Johnson Amendment

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/340284-gop-spending-bill-would-ease-enforcement-of-political-activity-by-churches

 

 

Charlie Cooper

Election official on "Voter Integrity" panel accidently released Social Security numbers

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-blackwell-voter-commission-20170709-story.html

 

Charlie Cooper

Map of states' responses to Kobach Commission data request

https://www.brennancenter.org/latest-updates-fraud-commission

 

 

Charlie Cooper

Seattle has a new twist on small donor finance: "Democracy Vouchers"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/07/democracy-vouchers-seattle-politics-low-income-homeless?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Howard County Council takes majorl step to set up public campaign finance

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-county-council-hearing-recap-0713-20170703-story.html

 

The Council overrode the veto of the County Executive.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

DOJ letter requesting voter data from states gets less notice

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/department-of-justice-voter-purge_us_595d22b1e4b0da2c7326c38b

 

DOJ letter sent same day as Election Integrity Commission request.

 

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 

 

MIchigan elections chief completes 36 years service and warns about dark money

http://michiganradio.org/post/warning-about-dark-money-michigan-campaigns

 

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Appropriations rider seeks to maintain secret corporate political spending

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/campaign/340517-time-to-get-corporate-america-to-be-honest-about-political

 

1.2 million people and thousands of investors are pressuring the Securities Exchange Commission to mandate disclosure of political spending by publicly-traded companies. Republican subcommittee in Congress has authored a rider to the budget bill to strip SEC of the power to pass such a rule.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Texas Supreme Court upholds campaign finance laws

https://www.texastribune.org/2017/06/30/texas-supreme-court-upholds-state-limits-corporate-campaign-contributi/

 

Unanimously rules that disclosure is required and that corporations cannot make direct contributions in Texas

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

 

Texas Supreme Court rejects Tea Party challenge to campaign finance laws | The Texas Tribune

"Secret money in politics is corrosive to our democracy, which the Texas Legislature recognized decades ago," he said. "There are a lot of political organizations out there that frankly have just flaunted disclosure rules under the belief that they weren't constitutional. Folks should now understand that disclosure of campaign funds is the law." 


https://www.texastribune.org/2017/06/30/texas-supreme-court-upholds-state-limits-corporate-campaign-contributi/

Arundel article mentions GMOM

https://www.arundelpatriot.org/2017/06/21/time-hit-mute-button-voice-money-maryland-politics/

 

WP Volunteer Becca Chilbert has published an article, featuring GMOM. SO

 

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out – Maryland (GMOM)

 

 

 

4th Anniversary of Shelby County V. Holder

capac-chu.house.gov/press-release/capac-members-mark-fourth-anniversary-shelby-county-v-holder

This unfortunate decision by SCOTUS gave legal and cultural permission for various voter suppression techniques applied by many of the states in the past 4 years.

Charlie Cooper

Justices to Hear Major Challenge to Partisan Gerrymandering - NYTimes.com

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/06/19/us/politics/justices-to-hear-major-challenge-to-partisan-gerrymandering.html?mi_u=33603389&_r=0&referer=

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

C: 410-624-6095

www.GetMoneyOutMD.org 

 

Political operatives expose sensitive data on EVERY voter in U. S.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-gop-data-breach-20170619-story.html

 

The L. A. Times reports that sensitive data on every U. S. data was exposed without even password protection for a period of 12 days.

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

C: 410-624-6095

www.GetMoneyOutMD.org 

 

“We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

Investigative reporter accuses Georgia GOP of voter suppression

https://www.democracynow.org/2017/6/15/greg_palast_how_racist_voter_suppression

 

Charlie Cooper

H: 410-578-8291

C: 410-624-6095

www.GetMoneyOutMD.org 

 

Dems try to erode public campaign finance in CT

https://www.nationofchange.org/2017/06/07/10-years-ago-connecticut-got-big-money-elections-now-democrats-gutting-program/

 

 

Charlie Cooper

www.GetMoneyOutMD.org 

 

“We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

Kansas Secretary of State to lead Trump Voter Integrity Commission

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/14/us/kris-kobach-voter-fraud.html?_r=0

 

Critics charge him with xenophobia.

 

Charlie Cooper

www.GetMoneyOutMD.org 

 

“We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis

 

Candidates are accepted public financing in Montgomery County's election

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-montgomery-financing-20170604-story.html

 

 

Charlie Cooper

www.GetMoneyOutMD.org 

 

“We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” – Louis Brandeis