A new Sunlight analysis of campaign finance records from the Democratic National Committee finds party operatives have made frequent use of the White House grounds during the past four years.
Continue readingNew Koch brothers PAC the biggest fundraiser of Q3
A new Koch brothers group raised $15 million in the third quarter of campaign 2014, the most of any committee that filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday.
Continue readingLiberal super PAC donors gearing up; Bankers and teachers groups lurch to life
Wednesday's filing deadline at the FEC brought with it a new trove of campaign finance data. See some of the juiciest nuggets in our monthly filing round-up.
Continue readingOutside groups seek to influence vote on LGBT workplace discrimination
The Senate's Monday cloture vote on the 2013 iteration of the Senate Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is either an important political litmus test for a Republican party in search of a new, more inclusive image or a crucial referendum on American civil liberties -- depending on your viewpoint. The bill would extend federal anti-discrimination protections to workers discriminated against because of their gender or sexual orientation. While observers are skeptical of the legislation's chances in the House, outside groups have spent bucketloads on grassroots and traditional lobbying in support of the law. On the other side? Not so much.
Continue readingTV air wars in VA gov’s race? Not so much
A review of the race's top outside spenders -- compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project -- combined with political advertisements gathered by Sunlight's Political Ad Hawk and data from Influence Explorer, sheds a little more light on the strategies of the outside groups jockeying for Virginians' votes. These figures represent the ad money spent at the major news affiliates in the state's four biggest markets.
Continue readingFollow the money from big Dem donors to super PACs to races
Big money won big on Election Day. That is, big money supporting Democrats.
In this year's campaign, many wealthy individuals and groups with large campaign coffers were involved -- directly with contributions to candidates or indirectly through outside spending. Sunlight decided to zero in on five mega-donors who gave the most to super PACs backing liberal candidates. They comprise two millionaires, two unions and a political action committee with strong ties to labor:
- Media executive Fred Eychaner, who gave $12 million;
- Retired hedge fund manager James Simons, $7.5 million;
- The National Education Association (NEA), $8.5 million;
- The United ...
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