Author Archive for: aratliff

Issue One joins crosspartisan coalition supporting transparency and oversight of coronavirus relief spending

Government transparency

This week, Issue One signed on to a crosspartisan letter to congressional leaders urging transparency and oversight of the forthcoming federal economic relief efforts amid the coronavirus crisis.  “Large-scale legislation that carries an unprecedented price tag necessitates an unprecedented level of independent oversight, not less,” officials from 32 groups across the ideological spectrum wrote in an April 6 letter addressed

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Four things we learned from the latest House and Senate campaign finance filings

2020 election, Campaign fundraising & spending

Congressional candidates filed their latest campaign finance reports last week, detailing their fundraising and expenditures between October 1 and December 31, 2019. Here are some key numbers to know, based on an Issue One review of these new filings. $1.4 million  The median amount of money raised during the fourth quarter by a sitting senator running for reelection in 2020

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Outside money plays major role in hotly contested North Carolina special election: Here are 7 numbers to know about the money in the NC-09 race

Campaign fundraising & spending, Dark money & super PACs

According to a new Issue One analysis of campaign finance data, roughly $20 million has poured into the special election in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, which voters will decide on Tuesday. Outside groups — including super PACs and dark money groups — have been major players in the race, spending nearly as much money in the race as the

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New FEC inspector general report describes a hobbled watchdog

Federal Election Commission

A new report from the Office of Inspector General at the Federal Election Commission (FEC) provides new information about how the agency’s internal watchdog has been hamstrung for months — a concerning state of affairs that was also detailed in Issue One’s recent report “Busted and Broke: Why the Federal Election Commission doesn’t work.” In short: The FEC’s Office of

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FEC approves proposal offering cybersecurity services to campaigns

Federal Election Commission, Foreign interference

At today’s Federal Election Commission (FEC) meeting, Chair Ellen Weintraub announced that the commission has issued a final advisory opinion approving the proposal of Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC), a bipartisan group (led by former campaign managers of Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns) that plans to offer cybersecurity services to political candidates and party committees at free or reduced rates. Weintraub

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Federal Election Commission discusses, then tables, proposal to speed up its enforcement process

Federal Election Commission

At today’s public meeting of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Commissioner Steven Walther, a self-identified independent who is typically part of the FEC’s Democratic bloc, introduced a measure that aims to speed up the agency’s enforcement process. Currently, enforcement matters can linger for up to four years before the agency is required to take any action. Once the matter is

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