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Not Always Clear Who's Funding Politics-Related Ads
August 3, 2012 The presidential campaign air war is already being waged to the tune of $20 million a week. Republican Mitt Romney is benefiting from millions of dollars in ads by so-called social welfare organizations, tax-exempt groups that don't have to disclose their donors.
Part Of Romney's Foreign Itinerary: Raising Money
July 25, 2012 As campaign budgets keep pushing upward, politicians from would-be congressmen to would-be presidents are looking overseas — especially to London. Republican Mitt Romney plans to hold two fundraisers there on his weeklong trip, along with another in Jerusalem.
Romney Sprints Ahead In Race For Cash
July 21, 2012 President Obama's campaign committee reported more cash-on-hand than Mitt Romney's in Friday's monthly report. But Obama's campaign spending far outstripped fundraising in June. Meanwhile, financial support for Romney has been flowing in from many different places.
New Romney Fund Highlights Fundraising Muscle
July 16, 2012 Republican Mitt Romney's presidential campaign says a recently formed arm of the organization collected $140 million during a three-month period this spring, mostly from high-end donors. The analogous arm of President Obama's re-election drive took more than a year to raise $185 million.
Gay Donors Open Wallets On Both Sides Of The Aisle
July 3, 2012 In politics, money talks. And money from gay and lesbian donors is talking louder than ever in this election cycle. That's partly a result of President Obama endorsing same-sex marriage, and partly because Republicans are starting to see contributions as well — a huge change from a few decades ago.
It's All Politics
Obama Saw Immediate Fundraising Spike After Same-Sex Marriage Announcement
June 27, 2012 An NPR analysis of recently filed financial disclosure reports shows a nearly three-fold increase in donations over the 72 hours following the May 9 announcement that he supports gay marriage.
It's All Politics
Supreme Court Says Montana Cannot Ignore 'Citizens United' Ruling
June 25, 2012 The justices say a state law cannot supersede its 2010 Citizens United ruling, which let corporations deploy their money to help or attack specific candidates. Montana had argued that a history of corporate-financed corruption in state government should let tough state laws remain in force.
It's All Politics
New SuperPAC Financial Reports Reveal More Big Spenders
June 21, 2012 The superPAC supporting President Obama attracted three $1 million donors last month. The pro-Romney superPAC also saw some new names popping up on its donor list — and it got a million-dollar donation in three chunks from a return address in Dayton, Ohio.
'Citizens United' Case Gets Renewed Scrutiny
June 18, 2012 A Montana case could lead the Supreme Court to take a second look at Citizens United, a campaign finance decision that politicians have been fighting about since it was handed down in 2010. Recently, some of the criticism has been aimed at Chief Justice John Roberts and his role in the case.
It's All Politics
Hate The Latest Political Ads? Don't Blame 'Citizens United'
June 13, 2012 Unlike superPACs, which must regularly disclose their donors to the public, politically oriented social welfare groups never have to reveal the identities of their donors. That's where much of the recent campaign money is flowing. And the Supreme Court had nothing to do with it.
It's All Politics
Casino Owner Expected To Make $10M Donation To Pro-Romney SuperPAC
June 13, 2012 The reported contribution is coming from a man who previously supported Mitt Romney's GOP primary rival, Newt Gingrich. But Sheldon Adelson has long made it clear that his top priority is defeating President Obama in November. He has said he might spend as much as $100 million on this election.
Sky's The Limit In Campaign Cash For Wis. Governor
June 5, 2012 Scott Walker vastly out-raised and outspent his Democratic challenger in the state's recall election, largely on the strength of big donations from out of state. He was helped by a quirk in Wisconsin law, which lets a governor facing a recall vote bypass political donation limits.
It's All Politics
NPR Analysis: Crossroads GPS Funded Heavily By $1 Million-Plus Donations
June 1, 2012 Think "grass-roots politics," and what's the first thing that comes to mind? How about two dozen multimillionaires with open checkbooks? An NPR analysis of annual IRS filings by Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies shows most of its first $77 million came from donors who gave at least $1 million.
Why Political Ads In 2012 May All Look Alike
June 1, 2012 There's supposed to be a difference between a candidate's ads that are financed by relatively small and disclosed money, and the big-budget, secretly funded ads from outside groups. But this year, those supposed differences don't mean much.
Campaign Finance 2012: Where Your Money Can Go
June 1, 2012 Recent court cases have changed the rules about money in federal politics, but there still are rules. Here's a snapshot of fundraising limits and regulations across the political spectrum — ranging from the candidates themselves to the new superPACs.
