527 groups

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Gingrich's PAC Isn't Exactly Raking in Cash

It's pulled in just $53,000 this year

(Newser) - Newt Gingrich’s political action committee has raised a paltry $53,000 so far this year, according to the latest FEC numbers, and Politico sees that as a troubling sign for the would-be candidate. Sure, Gingrich’s 527 group American Solutions for Winning the Future has pulled in tens of...

Democrats' Big Money Men Sitting Out 2010

Conservative groups outspending liberal ones by 7 to 1 margin

(Newser) - The Democrats' normal stable of megadonors has largely failed to show up for the 2010 race, while their Republican counterparts are going wild, the New York Times reports. Even reliable donors like George Soros are sitting on their wallets—Soros “believes that he can be most effective by funding...

Special Interests Pouring Cash Into Mass. Race

With health care on the line, spending could top $3M in final days

(Newser) - Attack ads are flying in the final week of the Massachusetts Senate race, many of them coming from outside special interest groups. The American Future Fund and US Chamber of Commerce have both spent sizable amounts on ads attacking Democrat Martha Coakley, while Americans for Responsible Health Care recently began...

Gingrich Honors Porn Exec, Invites Her to 'Intimate Event'

Former House Speaker's group says it mistakenly sent letter

(Newser) - A group founded by Newt Gingrich has named a porn executive “Entrepreneur of the Year” and invited her to an “intimate event” with the former House speaker, Talking Points Memo reports. “I’m honored, and more than a little surprised,” Allison Vivas responded in a statement....

McCain Camp Strives to Skirt McCain-Feingold

Expert on campaign finance reform laws helps McCain test the limits

(Newser) - John McCain is making a concerted effort to get around the campaign finance laws he championed, the New York Times reports. A lawyer who played a key role in defending the reform act known as McCain-Feingold from challenges is now on the McCain team, expertly advising on the loopholes through...

McCain Backers Finding Ways Around Law He Sponsored

GOP governors fund is major finance loophole

(Newser) - Desperate to keep up with Barack Obama's powerful fundraising apparatus, John McCain’s allies have found ways of skirting the very campaign finance laws the Arizona senator helped write, the Wall Street Journal reports. Republican strategists are pushing donations toward a fund used to elect governors—not subject to dollar...

MoveOn Axes Big-Money Fundraising Arm

MoveOn folds 527 group to match Obama's pledge

(Newser) - One day after Barack Obama became the first candidate since Watergate to reject general election public financing, a prominent liberal grassroots group has disbanded its 527 operation. "We, like Senator Obama, believe that this election can be won by ordinary Americans giving small donations,” MoveOn said in a...

'Swift Boating' Fears for Obama May Be Premature

Third-party groups aren't appearing on the horizon

(Newser) - Democrats fretting over a reprise of the swift boating that marked the 2004 campaign may be hearing false alarms, Politico reports. Third-party organizations, aka 527 groups, have thus far been unable to drum up enough opposition to Barack Obama to fund an offensive. It's early yet, but antagonists like T....

McCain Blasts Obama for Declining Funds

But Dem blames Mac for having to opt out of public financing

(Newser) - Following fast on Barack Obama’s decision to abandon public financing, a McCain rep said the Dem has failed “the true test of a candidate”—whether he'll stick to his word, Time reports. But Politico notes that an Obama rep blamed McCain: “Our campaign counsels met, and...

McCain to Rely on RNC Money
McCain to Rely on RNC Money

McCain to Rely on RNC Money

Lacking Obama's fundraising machine, eyes 'unprecedented' cash from party

(Newser) - Lagging behind Barack Obama's fundraising juggernaut, John McCain is planning to rely heavily on the Republican National Committee for general-election cash, the New York Times reports. The RNC has $40 million in the bank, compared with McCain’s $21 million, and has big-gun fundraisers like President Bush lining its coffers....

McCain Ousts Consultant Over Conflict of Interest

He also worked for tax-exempt 527 group

(Newser) - The McCain campaign gave the boot to veteran conservative consultant yesterday after it came to light that he also was a paid consultant for a tax-exempt political group designed to attack Democratic candidates, Politico reports. The campaign says it never coordinated its activities with the so-called 527 group—which would...

Interest Groups Gain in Cash —and Influence

As party $$$ dips, issue $$$ rises; will further polarize 2008 election

(Newser) - The swift-boating of John Kerry was only the first wave—election spending by groups unaffiliated with the major political parties nearly tripled between 2000 and 2006, the Wall Street Journal reports, to 19% of the total. And the so-called "527" groups, which don't have to disclose their donors, are...

12 Stories