Campaign Finance | Center for Effective Government

Debunking the Texas Miracle

Aug 11, 2015 by Amanda Starbuck

In a Forbes opinion piece last week Christi Craddick, one of Texas’ three elected members of the Railroad Commission, the public entity responsible for regulating the oil and gas industries, asked that presidential candidates spell out their national energy plan – and suggested that Texas would serve as a good model. In her words, “Texas has developed a globally renowned model that allows industry to flourish in an environmentally responsible way.”

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State and Local Governments Can Enhance Campaign Finance Transparency

Nov 7, 2012 by Gavin Baker

I testified last week at a hearing of the District of Columbia Council about ways to strengthen campaign finance transparency. My message was that transparency should be part of any reform approach that the District pursues. My message to the D.C. Council was that transparency should be part of any reform approach that the District pursues. As I pointed out, "Transparency deters corruption, exposes abuse if it does occur, and empowers voters to hold public officials accountable."

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No News is Big News at the FEC

Mar 17, 2011 by Jessica Randall

The news out of yesterday's Federal Election Commission (FEC) meeting is that there is, yet again, no news to report. The FEC has delayed a final vote on an advisory opinion which was jointly requested by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. If this stalemate continues, it will be merely the latest in an unprecedented string of partisan deadlocks.

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Reid Plans to Bring DISCLOSE Act to Senate Floor before August Recess

Jul 16, 2010 by Lateefah Williams*

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to bring the DISCLOSE Act (the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act) to the Senate floor before the August recess. It was introduced in April by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to mitigate the effects of the January U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

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House Passes DISCLOSE Act!

Jun 25, 2010 by Lateefah Williams*

UPDATE: The House passed the DISCLOSE Act (HR 5175) on Thursday by a vote of 219 to 206.

House Democrats initially planned to pass it last week, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had to pull the legislation from the floor and scrap the vote due to backlash and differing opinions over an exemption for the National Rifle Association (NRA). After broad opposition to the exemption for the NRA, changes were made for the exemption to cover more groups.

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FEC Proposes Rules to Comply With EMILY’s List Decision

Dec 18, 2009 by Lateefah Williams*

On Dec. 17, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) proposed rules that would limit donations to some nonprofit groups that engage in campaign activity after the Justice Department announced that it would not appeal the EMILY’s List decision.

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Let the Mighty Waters Flow, Money That Is!

Sep 18, 2009 by Lateefah Williams*

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in the EMILY’s List case today, striking down Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations that limited donations to nonprofit groups that are used for campaign activity. The regulations are intended to limit how nonprofit organizations raise and spend money for political campaigns.

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