dark money
“In this episode of Toppling the Duopoly, nationally-recognized expert in election reform and host Shawn Griffiths interviews John Pudner, the executive director of the nonpartisan nonprofit Take Back Our Republic. Take Back Our Republic is committed to educating the public on conservative solutions to reform. In the process, it builds nonpartisan coalitions to take on corruption in the political process, shine a light on dark money, end partisan gerrymandering, and implement instant runoff voting (more well known as ranked choice […]
Read MoreThe whole purpose behind representation is to ensure that elected officials are beholden to their voters. But the source of their campaign funds force these officials to court the interests of a select few, the wealthiest of their donors, the neo-nobility of America. Dark money, secret political spending funneled through groups like LLCs to avoid disclosure and scrutiny for conflicts of interest, will still have a huge influence on the fate of Boyle Heights, Salt Lake City, and other parts of the […]
Read MoreThe problem with funneling tens of millions through secret channels in the past decade is that, in the short term, it lets the politicians have their cake and eat it, too. As they line at least their allies’ campaign coffers or in some cases even their own pockets with secret money that no one knows about, nothing will stop unless they get arrested on bribery charges. The best-case scenario is an official gets arrested and everyone they know sees it […]
Read MoreCritics of dark-money political groups argue that all funds donated to these organizations are fungible in the sense that giving money to a group for a specific purpose helps offset the costs of the group’s other activities and overhead. “At some point the money you’re giving is freeing up resources to spend elsewhere and you are contributing to that – whether you like it or not,” said John Pudner, executive director of Take Back Our Republic, a conservative watchdog group […]
Read MoreAccording to a variety of polls from the Associated Press/University of Chicago Center for Public Affairs Research, The New York Times and the Center for Public Integrity/Ipsos, both Democrat and Republican voters believe the wealthy disproportionately affect elections with their donations and that there should be more campaign finance disclosures and laws to increase campaign finance transparency. To read the article in it’s entirety click here.
Read MoreWhoa! Gadzooks! Eureka! Thank you, John Pudner (Monitor Opinion, April 26). In case you missed it, Democrats and Republicans have and should find, something to agree upon in what Pudner has to say. Take the time to read it. Get behind it and support this bill. Let’s get dark money out of our elections and campaigns for public office. Restore our democracy to the people. Contact your state representatives in the House and Senate now to support HB 504. Did I say […]
Read MoreThis morning Executive Director John Pudner outlined in New Hampshire’s Concord Monitor why New Hampshire Republicans want limits on political spending. “But entrenched political groups often benefit from the status quo and oppose reform. Even reforms supported by GOP voters. Even reforms that might help GOP candidates, such as improved disclosure of political spending. Democrats held a huge edge in secret (sometimes called “dark”) money for the first time ever in 2018. Act Blue, Soros, Bloomberg and Steyer, and […]
Read MoreLast night Take Back Our Republic coordinator Lars Wiechman spoke about the founding principles of TBOR and the need to “follow the money” in South Carolina at the York County GOP meeting. Lars also had the chance to speak to South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette about the many conservative solutions we advocate for at TBOR. Meanwhile, Executive Director John Pudner was in Charleston South Carolina with leaders from across the political spectrum for Saturday’s funeral of Pat Caddell, who […]
Read MoreBut when it comes to the big-money world of outside spending, over which candidates have little control, it appears that liberal groups had a banner year in 2018. For the first time since the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which struck down campaign spending limitations for corporations and unions, liberal “dark money” groups outspent conservative groups, according to a new report from Issue One that analyzed data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Dark money groups spent $150 million in the 2018 midterms. […]
Read MoreWe have previously written extensively about the rise and fall of former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, particularly his use of dark money. Now, we know a little more about A New Missouri, the 501c4 organization built to promote his agenda. Tax filings show that the group raised a whopping $6.1 million from 67 donors. Two of those donors gave $1 million and all gave over the $2,600 maximum contribution. Clearly, the entity was built for the sole purpose of circumventing […]
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