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.
Few Answers in Bizarre Case of Russian Influence at the NRA (4/20/2018) - Someone needs to get to the bottom of a Russian oligarch’s funding of the NRA 
New York State Moves to Regulate Political Spending Online (4/3/2018) - Democracy Protection Act updates campaign finance laws to bring internet political ads under existing transparency rules
How Bank Lobbyists Get Away With Showering Lawmakers With Gifts (4/3/2018) - Members of Congress meeting with lobbyists to discuss legislation to deregulate the country’s largest banks
How the Federal Election Commission Got So Bitterly Divided (3/28/2018) - The Federal Election Commission’s view of its enforcement role has grown sharply divided along ideological 
White House Investigating Jared Kushner Over Shady Loans (3/27/2018) - The White House itself is now investigating $500 million worth of loans that Kushner’s business 
Some seek return to Congressional earmarks to encourage action (3/26/2018) - Some frustrated observers suggest that a return to earmarks would grease the wheels for appropriations 
Government Moves to Regulate Tanzania Political Speech Online (4/25/2018) - Bloggers and others running online platforms in Tanzania have two weeks to register with the 
Charged Cambodian Journalist Flees Amid Crackdown (4/25/2018) - Cambodian journalist Aun Pheap was charged with “incitement to commit a felony” over his election 
The Very Worrying State of Global Press Freedom (4/25/2018) - Global press freedom is facing new threats in major democracies as well as in repressive 
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 
Myanmar Policeman Testifies Arrested Reporters Were Set Up (4/21/2018) - Police officer testified that he and several colleagues were ordered to entrap two reporters working 
Lessons on Persuasion From the GOP Battle With Scientists on Climate (4/19/2018) - Shining light on the power of political persuasion as it relates to the debate on 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 
Sierra Leone trialing test of blockchain vote counting technology (3/15/2018) - Sierra Leone has become one of the first countries to trial the use of blockchain 
Text-deleting app leads to Missouri transparency controversy (2/21/2018) - Amid investigation, state government alters records policy, forbidding use of the text message-deleting app Confide
The right balance between government transparency and publicity (2/8/2018) - Does the public have a right to “full transparency” about what its government does? Or 
YouTube to label government funded videos (2/2/2018) - YouTube said that it would start labeling news broadcasters' videos that receive at least some 
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-regulatedmoney 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.
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, 
A Look at the Public Funding System For the NJ Gubernatorial Election (3/31/2017) - Two gubernatorial hopefuls vying to succeed Chris Christie received more than $1.7 million in public Few Answers in Bizarre Case of Russian Influence at the NRA (4/20/2018) - Someone needs to get to the bottom of a Russian oligarch’s funding of the NRA 
Circus Trump – A Dream Come True for the Establishment (4/3/2018) - The point is that it is not the political figureheads who determine the system in How the Federal Election Commission Got So Bitterly Divided (3/28/2018) - The Federal Election Commission’s view of its enforcement role has grown sharply divided along ideological White House Investigating Jared Kushner Over Shady Loans (3/27/2018) - The White House itself is now investigating $500 million worth of loans that Kushner’s business Some seek return to Congressional earmarks to encourage action (3/26/2018) - Some frustrated observers suggest that a return to earmarks would grease the wheels for appropriations 
Franking: Elected Officials Selling Themselves With Your Tax Dollars (3/24/2018) - Franking funds go to legislative updates, newsletters and notices about public events featuring the officeholder
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 court
Money Starting to Dominate State Supreme Court Elections (12/29/2017) - Causing the greatest distress is the growing prevalence of so-called “dark money” in state judicial Join the Election Reform Movement With DC!
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