Politics

Donald Trump Lashes Out at Media While Detailing Gifts to Veterans
June 1, 2016 at 9:00 am

A defensive Donald J. Trump angrily listed more than two dozen veterans groups that he said had received $5.6 million thanks to his fundraising and personal largess during a contentious news conference Tuesday in which he repeatedly railed against reporters who questioned him. Criticizing the news media at length, Trump demanded that journalists credit him…

Bill to Cloak U.S. 'Dark Money' Seen as Harmful to Charity Fraud Fight
May 27, 2016 at 10:11 am

Fighting charity fraud could become more difficult under a Republican bill in Congress to prohibit the IRS from collecting the names of top donors to charities and other nonprofit groups, critics warned on Tuesday. Meant to protect the privacy of wealthy individuals who make anonymous, or "dark money," donations to politically active nonprofit groups, the…

Trump Said He Raised $6M for Veterans. Now His Campaign Says It Was Less.
May 24, 2016 at 9:50 am

One night in January, Donald Trump skipped a GOP debate and instead held his own televised fundraiser for veterans. At the end of the night, Trump proclaimed it a huge success: “We just cracked $6 million, right? Six million.” Now, Trump’s campaign says that number is incorrect. Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said the fundraiser actually…

Illinois Nonprofits Violate Federal Ban, IRS Does Little to Enforce Rule
May 17, 2016 at 9:26 am

Despite a strict prohibition against electioneering, nearly 90 nonprofit churches, hospitals and schools in Illinois collectively donated more than $80,000 to local campaign groups over the past decade with little or no consequences, a Better Government Association analysis found. While nonprofits, such as trade associations and unions, are allowed to engage in some campaigning, the…

Flint Mayor Accused of Deflecting Water-Crisis Donations to Her Campaign Fund
May 16, 2016 at 8:00 am

A former city employee sued Flint, Mich., and its mayor after being fired, alleging the city's head directed water-crisis donations to a campaign fund. The lawsuit, filed last week, claimed Maxine Murray, an assistant to Mayor Karen Weaver, came to city administrator Natasha Henderson "in tears" and confided that "she feared going to jail."...

Trump Vets Chair: Charity Money? Not My Problem
April 25, 2016 at 11:27 am

Trump campaign’s adviser for veterans issues can’t account for $6 million the billionaire raised for veterans charities—and from the sounds of it, couldn’t care less. "I could ask, but it’s not high on my priority list," Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire state representative, said. Back in January, Trump skipped an Iowa presidential debate due to…

Delay in $5M Gift to Iowa Football Raises Questions
April 19, 2016 at 9:17 am

The president of the governing body for Iowa's public universities often has used his $5 million pledge to the Hawkeye football program to build his image as a successful businessman and philanthropist. But years after his 2008 commitment was touted at a news conference as the largest gift to Iowa athletics, Bruce Rastetter has given…

Advocacy at Work: How MADD Helped Put the 'Affluenza' Teen Behind Bars
April 14, 2016 at 10:55 am

On January 11, Mothers Against Drunk Driving launched its #FightAffluenza advocacy campaign. Its goal: get Ethan Couch, the "affluenza" teen who in 2013 received 10 years probation on four counts of intoxicated manslaughter, tried as an adult, rather than as a juvenile. On Wednesday, Couch was sentenced to nearly two years in prison, in large part due to MADD's advocacy efforts...

FBI Probing New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Campaign, Foundation Fundraising Activities
April 14, 2016 at 9:57 am

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara now has New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in his crosshairs—investigating de Blasio's campaign fundraising activities as part of a widening probe into New York Police Department corruption, sources said last week. The feds are looking at how the mayor solicits campaign cash from members of the real-estate industry—and the fundraising…

Video: John Oliver Highlights Problems of Congressional Fundraising
April 12, 2016 at 10:03 am

Did you know there were an estimated 2,810 fundraisers for Congress held from 2013 to 2014? That’s just one of the eye-opening Sunlight Foundation statistics John Oliver cited on the April 3 episode of “Last Week Tonight” to paint a picture of how much time elected officials spend fundraising. Oliver dedicated the entire episode to the topic of congressional fundraising—and just how horrifying it is for everyone involved...