The pernicious influence of money politics has a long history in America, but recent years have seen more spending and less transparency than ever before. Get the latest news about American money politics below and also be sure to visit our main section on American Democracy.
VIDEO: Improving New York City’s Campaign Finance Program (8/18/2018) - The NYC Campaign Finance Board hosted a panel discussion at NY Law School with elected 
New Campaign Seeks Politicians to Take Stance On Election Reform (8/13/2018) - Common Cause launched campaign addressed questions to include campaign finance, ethics, voting rights, redistricting, the 
Trump Clashes With Koch Brothers, Key Republican Political Donors (7/31/2018) - Billionaire industrialists lashed out at Trump for imposing tariffs on foreign imports and not controlling 
Supreme Court Nomination Lobbying Breaks Records With Ease (7/29/2018) - As of today, groups supporting or opposing Kavanaugh have already spent more than $1.1 million 
Saving America’s Family Farms (7/23/2018) - For decades, especially since 1991, federal policy has set the price of farm milk below 
REVEALED: Maryland Elections Vendor Owned by Russian Firm (7/14/2018) - A vendor that provides key services for Maryland elections has been acquired by company linked 
Mali And The New Trend of Internet Blackouts In Africa (8/17/2018) - Internet blackouts are a growing trend for Africa. Governments, like in Mali, claim to have 
A Free Press Works For All Of Us (8/17/2018) - The cause of investigative reporting, a crucial element of our democracy, benefits enormously from our 
Long Prison Terms For Editors Of Dervish News Outlet In Iran (8/17/2018) - Iran media focusing on Dervish minority says two of its editors received lengthy prison sentences 
My Thoughts On The NFL Anthem Protest Controversy (8/15/2018) - I too love our nation and our flag. We should strive to be a nation 
Chinese Professor Detained During VOA Interview Reportedly Returns Home (8/13/2018) - Chinese professor taken away by authorities during live TV interview with VOA's Mandarin nearly two 
FBI Task Force Sharing Information About Online Election Trolls (8/7/2018) - New foreign influence task force is sharing information about online trolls with technology companies to 
Bill Proposes Greater Accountability For New York Prosecutors (8/18/2018) - In 2013, ProPublica published a series of reports finding that New York prosecutors are never 
Lawsuit Seeks Public Info About Controversial Voting Purge Letter (8/7/2018) - The Brennan Center is suing the Justice Department today for refusing to turn over documents related 
Election Commission Documents Cast Doubt on Claims of Voter Fraud (8/5/2018) - Thousands of documents show that commission’s work was driven by a small number of members 
Cambodian Government Blocks 15 Independent News Sites (7/28/2018) - The Cambodian government has ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to block the websites of 15 
The Era of Blockchain Elections is Coming (7/8/2018) - While America is far away from adapting blockchain for government, the first adaptation may come 
New App Monitors What Congress is Talking About (4/25/2018) - Propublica is using data to track the things Congress talks a disproportionate amount about every money politics: an american story
According to election reform advocacy group Common Cause, billions of dollars have been spent on buying American elections since that ruling and much of it has come from completely anonymous organizations. At least six billion dollars amount spent on the 2012 election according to an estimate by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics. Candidates backed by huge one-time donations from the wealthy are inevitably more beholden to special interests. Money is exchanged directly for political favors, such as generous campaign donations for a lucrative government contract.
The problem with money politics is not so much the amount that is spent on campaigns as it is who pays for them, what they get in return, and how that affects public policy, spending priorities, and even war. Thanks to decades of rulings by Justices and politicians who molded the law to favor elite interests, corporations today are granted so-called “rights” that empower them to deny citizens the right to full democracy.
transparency in money politics
It is important to remember that transparent governments allow the public to review government practices as completely as possible. Increasing standards of transparency and accountability for decisions while adding controls for self-interested abuse of the democratic system. The federal law requiring partial or full disclosure of previously unreleased documents controlled by the government, the Freedom of Information Act, is not effective having been degraded by President George W. Bush’s OPEN Government Act (Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government) and President Barack Obama’s Executive Order 13526.
Also take a look the transparency reference websites Judgepedia and Ballotpedia that are also great references.
state and local money politics
Just how much cash is being spent independently on elections for state office or in the 39 states that elect their lower court judges? The answer is unknown in most states, according to the latest National Institute on Money in State Politics analysis of disclosure requirements for independent spending. They found that only fifteen states ‘require full disclosure of both forms of independent spending: express advocacy and electioneering communications’. Amazingly, twenty-six states fail to provide clear disclosure of election spending making state politics a perfect arena for corruption without any transparency.
VIDEO: Improving New York City’s Campaign Finance Program (8/18/2018) - The NYC Campaign Finance Board hosted a panel discussion at NY Law School with elected 
NYC’s public campaign finance system is in trouble (1/29/2018) - The New York City public campaign finance system is sending its first real warning signs of 
The Essential Benefits of Small Political Donor Tax Credit System (6/20/2017) - A revolutionary approach to boosting political capital of the average voter gets a second look
Homeless Political Donors Are Now a Thing in Seattle (6/17/2017) - Every Seattle voter now gets four vouchers to donate twenty-five dollars to a political campaign
How Campaign Spending Caps Could Level Election Playing Field (6/15/2017) - Capping campaign spending may lead to a higher number of people running for office
Fixing Political Party Funding For Transparency and Accountability (4/4/2017) - Discretionary power over use of funds by political parties must be exercised justly, fairy, honestly, 
Ukraine, Russia, and Trump: Jury Gets Manafort Case (8/16/2018) - The fate of President Donald Trump’s former campaign chief Paul Manafort is in the hands 
The Philosophy Behind the Wall Street Cabal of Greed (8/10/2018) - The problem with America is Wall Street-style heartless capitalism where the guys at the top 
Woodward and Bernstein Still Atop the News, Long After Watergate (8/1/2018) - More than 40 years after they became the world's most famous journalism duo, Bob Woodward 
Where Are The Civil Rights Leaders? (7/30/2018) - I deeply respect and acknowledge what Black Lives Matter is doing. They are current to 
Foxconn Comes to America. But Who’s Being Conned? (7/22/2018) - How come hedge fund managers and people who get paid in stocks only pay 20% 
Mitch McConnell Was Chased Out Of A Restaurant. Sorry Not Sorry (7/21/2018) - Hey Mitch, now you know it doesn’t feel so good being chased and yelled at 
Another Trump Supreme Court Nominee and Danger Ahead (7/8/2018) - This unmerciful biased court is going to undo not just the Great Society of President 
VIDEO: Rick Hasen on the Complicated Legacy of Justice Scalia (3/12/2018) - Antonin Scalia left behind a complex legacy as a conservative legal thinker and disruptive public 
Citizens United Dealt Major Setback In New York Courtroom (3/7/2018) - Citizens United handed a defeat in New York where they tried to prevent charities from 
It’s getting harder to prosecute politicians for corruption (2/16/2018) - On the Supreme Court’s increasingly narrow definition of corruption, including the crimes of bribery and 
How weak democratic institutions led to an out-of-control Internet (1/28/2018) - Companies that should have been the subject of government scrutiny instead self-regulated
Secret super PAC donors sought in money laundering lawsuit (1/17/2018) - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is taking the Federal Election Commission to courtJoin the Election Reform Movement With DC!
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