keeping track of elections: following the money – week one brant houston university of illinois...
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Keeping Track of Elections:Keeping Track of Elections:Following the Money – Week OneFollowing the Money – Week One
Brant HoustonBrant HoustonUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois
Disclosure: The need for Disclosure: The need for transparency in moneytransparency in money
• Why disclosure?Why disclosure?
• CorruptionCorruption
• Quid pro quoQuid pro quo
• InfluenceInfluence
• Hide and Seek Hide and Seek
Following the moneyFollowing the money
• ContributionsContributions
• ExpendituresExpenditures
• LobbyingLobbying
• LegislationLegislation
• HiringHiring
• ContractsContracts
Campaign Finance ReformCampaign Finance Reform
Sunlight Foundation – Lots of focus on CongressSunlight Foundation – Lots of focus on Congresshttp://sunlightfoundation.com/policy/disclosingmoney/
An aggregation of articles on Illinois campaign finance An aggregation of articles on Illinois campaign finance reformreform
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/illinois-campaign-finance-reform/
Campaign Finance ReformCampaign Finance Reform
Illinois in 2009 Illinois in 2009 http://
www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/illinois-enacts-campaign-contribution-limits.aspx
Campaign Finance ReformCampaign Finance Reform
Brennan Center Report on IllinoisBrennan Center Report on Illinois
““Campaign finance laws seek to make government Campaign finance laws seek to make government more honest and accountable to ordinarymore honest and accountable to ordinary
people, so that bread-and-butter issues – such as people, so that bread-and-butter issues – such as education, taxes, and health care – are noteducation, taxes, and health care – are not
held hostage to moneyed interests.”held hostage to moneyed interests.”
Campaign Finance ReformCampaign Finance Reform
Arguments against:Arguments against:
• Favors incumbentsFavors incumbents
• Written to favor partiesWritten to favor parties
• Limits free speechLimits free speech
Campaign Finance Un-ReformCampaign Finance Un-Reform
Slate article on Supreme CourtSlate article on Supreme Courthttp
://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/03/the_supreme_court_s_citizens_united_decision_has_led_to_an_explosion_of_campaign_spending_.html
Mother Jones on Dark MoneyMother Jones on Dark Moneyhttp://
www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/history-money-american-elections
Contribution LimitsContribution Limits
For the past decade, Illinois has been one of just six For the past decade, Illinois has been one of just six states that did not limit contributions to states that did not limit contributions to candidates. Earlier in 2009, New Mexico enacted candidates. Earlier in 2009, New Mexico enacted limits, bringing that number down to five. With the limits, bringing that number down to five. With the passage of SB 1466 in Illinois, just four states passage of SB 1466 in Illinois, just four states remain without limits on contributions.remain without limits on contributions.
• http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/illinois-enacts-campaign-contribution-limits.aspx
Sample of contribution LimitsSample of contribution Limits
• Limits on Contributions to CandidatesLimits on Contributions to Candidates
• $5,000 from an individual$5,000 from an individual
• $10,000 from a corporation, labor union, $10,000 from a corporation, labor union, or associationor association
• $50,000 from a political action committee $50,000 from a political action committee or another candidate political committeeor another candidate political committee
Contribution LimitsContribution Limits
• $200,000 for statewide candidates$200,000 for statewide candidates
• $125,000 for a candidate political committee $125,000 for a candidate political committee established to support a candidate seeking established to support a candidate seeking nomination to the Senate, the Supreme Court nomination to the Senate, the Supreme Court or Appellate Court in the First Judicial District, or Appellate Court in the First Judicial District, or an office elected by all voters in a county or an office elected by all voters in a county with 1,000,000 or more residentswith 1,000,000 or more residents
Government Web sites for campaign Government Web sites for campaign disclosuredisclosure
• Federal Election Commission Federal Election Commission http://www.fec.gov/pindex.shtml
• Illinois Campaign Disclosure GuideIllinois Campaign Disclosure Guide
http://www.elections.il.gov/downloads/campaigndisclosure/pdf/campdiscguide.pdf
• Illinois State Election BoardIllinois State Election Boardhttp://www.elections.il.gov/
Nonpartisan web sites for campaign Nonpartisan web sites for campaign disclosuredisclosure
Center for Responsive Politics – Federal dataCenter for Responsive Politics – Federal datahttps://www.opensecrets.org/
National Institute on State Money in PoliticsNational Institute on State Money in Politicshttp://www.followthemoney.org/
Maplight – matching giving and legislationMaplight – matching giving and legislationhttp://maplight.org/
The Election Calendar for this yearThe Election Calendar for this year
http://champaigncountyclerk.com/http://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/docs/2014/2014_calendar.pdfelections/docs/2014/2014_calendar.pdf
Campaign Finance Report DatesCampaign Finance Report DatesPage 53-61Page 53-61
•2013 December Quarterly Report 2013 December Quarterly Report •General Primary Election General Primary Election •March Quarterly ReportMarch Quarterly Report•June Quarterly Report June Quarterly Report •September Quarterly Report September Quarterly Report •General Election General Election •December Quarterly Report Schedule A-1 December Quarterly Report Schedule A-1 Reports ($1,000 or more)Reports ($1,000 or more)
Campaign Finance Report DatesCampaign Finance Report DatesPage 53-61Page 53-61
•2013 December Quarterly Report 2013 December Quarterly Report •General Primary Election General Primary Election •March Quarterly ReportMarch Quarterly Report•June Quarterly Report June Quarterly Report •September Quarterly Report September Quarterly Report •General Election General Election •December Quarterly Report Schedule A-1 December Quarterly Report Schedule A-1 Reports ($1,000 or more)Reports ($1,000 or more)
Web sites for candidatesWeb sites for candidates
• Champaign County ClerkChampaign County Clerkhttp://champaigncountyclerk.com/http://champaigncountyclerk.com/
elections/candidates.phpelections/candidates.php
• Illinois State Board of ElectionsIllinois State Board of Electionshttp://www.elections.il.gov/http://www.elections.il.gov/
infoforcandidates.aspxinfoforcandidates.aspx