Category Archives: Campaign Finance Reform

CD8 Heats Up

Jonathan Shurberg   October 27, 2015   No Comments on CD8 Heats Up

The candidates and the super PAC have been boating away at each other all afternoon. John Fritze in the Sun assesses the impact of the Mayday super PAC ad on behalf of Jamie Raskin in CD8. Kathleen Matthews’ campaign for Congress fired back Tuesday at a super PAC supporting state Sen. Jamie Raskin, arguing the group focused on campaign finance reform… Read more »

NYT Follows The Money

Jonathan Shurberg   October 11, 2015   No Comments on NYT Follows The Money

And finds that more than half of the amounts being spent on the 2016 presidential race - including super PACs - was contributed by only 158 families, and overwhelmingly to Republican candidates. They are overwhelmingly white, rich, older and male, in a nation that is being remade by the young, by women, and by black and brown voters. Across a… Read more »

Follow The Money

Jonathan Shurberg   August 4, 2015   No Comments on Follow The Money

In keeping with the exhortations of its most famous source (at least in the movie version of the story), the Post has compiled a lovely chart with the fundraising numbers for all the presidential candidates, complete with totals and the names of major donors. And it’s clickable so you can see the names and figure out their almost assuredly honorable occupations - environmental… Read more »

Edwards, Van Hollen Feud Over Money

Jonathan Shurberg   July 29, 2015   No Comments on Edwards, Van Hollen Feud Over Money

The Huffington Post has a good rundown of the recent escalation in the feud between Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen over the impact of outside money in the Senate primary. Maryland’s U.S. Senate Democratic primary between Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards, both strong proponents of campaign finance reform, is descending into a battle over who can be the… Read more »

Andrews on Gerrymandering

Jonathan Shurberg   July 5, 2015   No Comments on Andrews on Gerrymandering

I share former Councilmember Phil Andrews’ goals on redistricting reform, open primaries and public financing, but it’s not going to happen any time soon. Too many legislators just don’t want to take the risk of bucking the system to advocate for a more open electoral process. Reforming gerrymandering is imperative, but not sufficient alone to bring about truly representative legislative bodies. In… Read more »

DFE to Lead $$ Task Force

Jonathan Shurberg   April 22, 2015   No Comments on DFE to Lead $$ Task Force

Donna Edwards has been named by Nancy Pelosi to head a Democratic task force to address campaign finance reform issues. Bloomberg has the story, and has remarks made by Edwards at today’s press conference: “It doesn’t take the landing of a gyrocopter on the Capitol to underscore the frustration that the American people feel about our campaign finance and election system,” said… Read more »

Bronrott Out

Jonathan Shurberg   April 17, 2015   No Comments on Bronrott Out

He only recently joined the CD8 list and now he’s out. And for the same reason Nancy Floreen bailed. Money. More precisely, the raising of it. From Bethesda Magazine: The potential field of candidates for the 8th District seat narrowed a bit late Thursday, when former Del. Bill Bronrott, D-Bethesda, said he had decided against running. “This would be a dream… Read more »

Exclusive Audio - Chris Van Hollen, John Sarbanes and Phil Andrews on Campaign Finance Reform

Jonathan Shurberg   March 31, 2015   No Comments on Exclusive Audio - Chris Van Hollen, John Sarbanes and Phil Andrews on Campaign Finance Reform

Hot off the presses audio you won’t find anywhere else! Maryland PIRG had an event in College Park last night to discuss campaign finance issues. Scheduled to appear were Chris Van Hollen, Donna Edwards, John Sarbanes and former Montgomery County Councilman Phil Andrews (author of the county’s public financing law passed last year). Van Hollen gave opening remarks and then… Read more »