Spin Cycle: Presidential campaigns can launder money because of Supreme Court decision

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/11/30/how-state-political-parties-helped-big-money-pay-for-the-2020-election/

 

Sheldon Adelson can give Pres. Trump only $2,700 per year, but he and his wife gave almost $1.2 million to Trump Victory Fund, which distributed it to over 40 state Republican parties. [Note that the Adelsons contributged over $172 million in total for this federal election cycle!] The parties immediately transferred it to the Republican National Committee. Democrats do the same thing on the same scale. All this is made possible by the April 2014 SCOTUS decision McCutcheon v. FEC.

 

Charlie Cooper

Federal Reserve studying the possibility of opening accounts for everyone

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/forget-checks-how-about-giving-everyone-a-federal-reserve-account/

 

The St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank has studied how to open an account for every person in the nation. Relief during crises could be delivered directly to households and businesses as is now done with banks.

 

Charlie Cooper and Angad Singh

 

 

Ballot measures can mislead in judging voters’ minds | HeraldNet.com

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-ballot-measures-can-mislead-in-judging-voters-minds/

 

Contributions to ballot issue committees can't be limited, per Supreme Court decision. Interesting that the decision was based on the constitutional right of free association, not free speech.

 

Contributed by Sheila Ruth

nuanced view of role of money in politics

https://www.facebook.com/HillTVLive/videos/381364359771274/

 

Money matters more in primaries and down-ballot races. The money race is less likely to determine races with lots of media attention. But the money race benefits a consultant class that runs campaigns and that holds sway in the mainstream Democratic Party.

 

 

Thanks to Bill Harvey for this one.

 

 

Gory details: Pelosi's fundraising prowess secures her re-election as Speaker despite electoral losses

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/11/pelosi-fundraising-edge-in-speaker-race/?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pelosi-funds-111620&utm_source=1+News+Notifications&utm_campaign=49b25c7dd9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_26_08_46_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_776aca4f13-49b25c7dd9-212295006

 

Charlie Cooper

Charles Koch tries to make nice with Biden while sending huge money to Georgia GOP candidates

https://popular.info/p/money-talks?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo2MDE2NTUsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE4ODk1MjM3LCJfIjoiNHRGUUYiLCJpYXQiOjE2MDU1NDUwNjQsImV4cCI6MTYwNTU0ODY2NCwiaXNzIjoicHViLTE2NjQiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.Xq1RKEWGKTtl4Y-QVSvtpv2p5O-015ZjD3FFXE8VCWw

 

Hypocrisy revealed.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

 

Open Secrets: Trump seems to be raising money for 2024 presidential run

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/11/trump-2024-door-open-fundraising-push/?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=funds-trump-2024-111220&utm_source=1+News+Notifications&utm_campaign=08249d67ea-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_26_08_46_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_776aca4f13-08249d67ea-212295006

 

He states he is raising money “to fighting for a recount” and other 2020 election-related matters, but he paid off campaign debts and is now funneling funds to a “leadership PAC.”

 

Charlie Cooper

 

Amidst pandemic retail is consolidating fast

https://prospect.org/economy/the-end-of-retail/

 

A retail landscape monopolized by Amazon will mean worse labor standards, fewer options for consumers, and the closure of shopping malls in some communities, much like what happened during the rise of discounters decades ago.

 

Charlie Cooper

 

Citigroup fined $400 million, but charges not made public

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2020/10/citigroup-is-slapped-with-a-400-million-fine-for-doing-something-so-bad-it-cant-be-spoken-out-loud/

 

Has Citigroup done something improper regarding the tens of billions of dollars it has spent buying back its own stock? Until March 31, 2015, Citigroup was spending hundreds of millions of dollars a quarter to buy back its stock. But beginning with the quarter ending June 30, 2015, it started to spend billions of dollars a quarter. And, as we headlined on July 24, Citigroup Has Been Paying Out More than It Earned for Years; Now It Has $102.5 Billion in Debt Maturing within Three Years.

 

Charlie Cooper

Wall Street firms big donors to Biden

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2020/11/big-wall-street-donors-to-biden-will-maneuver-for-key-posts/

 

“Finance, Insurance & Real Estate” donated a stunning $201,675,240 to Biden’s campaign and PACs supporting him. Add to that the category of “Lawyers and Lobbyists,” which donated $52,378,087, and you’re looking at a cool quarter of a billion dollars.

 

Charlie Cooper

Oregonian ballot question passes to regulate political money

https://thefulcrum.us/oregon-constitution

 

from Hank Prensky

Senate Democrats raised record cash, but much went to losing candidates • OpenSecrets

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/11/senate-democrats-raised-much-went-to-losing-candidates/?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=senate-democrats-raised-much-110420&utm_source=1+News+Notifications&utm_campaign=024685697e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_26_08_46_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_776aca4f13-024685697e-212295006