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Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign operation crossed the $1 billion fundraising threshold in September, two months after she took over as the Democratic Party's 2024 standard bearer, according to two people familiar with the numbers. That figure includes money raised by the campaign committee itself and by a campaign-affiliated joint fundraising committee that also collects cash for the Democratic National Committee and state parties. The staggering pace suggests Harris has been able to sustain enthusiasm among donors, large and small, as the campaign enters the stretch run before the Nov. 5 election. Presidential campaigns tend to take in more money as an election nears, but a clip of roughly half a billion dollars a month is unheard of. Harris has opened up a huge cash advantage over her Republican rival, Trump, who had raised just $309 million for his campaign through the end of August.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Harris, Donald Trump, Trump, — Organizations: Democratic, Democratic National Committee, Elon Musk's, Center for Responsive Politics, Republican, GOP Locations: Harris

☆ Democrats aim to show a judge how pro-Trump Georgia election board could spark certification ‘chaos’
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Sara Murray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Disputes across the country are brewing over the role of local election boards and how much power they have to question – or even throw out – election results. In Georgia, for instance, Trump-backed members of the state election board recently passed controversial rules that could allow local election boards responsible for certifying results to conduct investigations that threaten to delay certification. One of the Georgia rules, the “Reasonable Inquiry Rule,” would allow election officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying election results. The petitioners in the case argue that the rule would give partisan board members a wide ability to cast doubt on, or even reject, election results. In some cases, the threat of legal action has been enough to deter officials from pursuing challenges to the certification process.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, ”, Ben Berwick, ” “, ” Berwick, –, Mike Pence, Robert Froman, Joe Biden, Froman, ” Froman, State Francisco Aguilar, Aguilar, Gideon Cohn, Postar, “ It’s, ” Cohn, Trump, Ronna McDaniel Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Trump, Democratic National Committee, Georgia Democratic Party, Democratic, Democracy, Republicans, Georgia Republicans, Republican National Committee, Republican, Michigan Department of State, Detroit News, ACLU, State, Arizona voters, Institute for Responsive Government, Republican National, Commonwealth and Pennsylvania Department of State Locations: Georgia , Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin, Georgia, Kalamazoo County , Michigan, Michigan, canvassers, Washoe, Washoe County, Reno, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, North Carolina, Michigan’s, Wayne County, Detroit, Otero County , New Mexico

☆ Banks are restricting employees from donating to the Harris-Walz campaign. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-08 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Financial-services firms risk the wrath of the Securities and Exchange Commission if their employees make campaign contributions to state or local officials such as Walz. Donating to the campaign would violate the regulator's "pay-to-play" rule, which keeps firms from trying to sway politicians for favors such as managing their state's pension fund. Those employees are also required to get permission to donate to the Harris-Walz campaign. It is possible to sidestep the pay-to-play rule by donating to PACs or Super PACs that aren't directly tied to the relevant candidate. "The Pay-to-Play Rule, although well-intentioned, imposes unique, unquantifiable costs on individuals by impeding their ability to participate in the political process."

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Walz, Harris, Donald Trump's, Wells, Mike Pence, Pershing, Patricia Crouse, Crouse, aren't, Hester Peirce Organizations: Service, Street, for Responsive, Democrat, Minnesota Gov, Financial, Securities and Exchange Commission, Business, Citigroup, Citi, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Trump, Pershing, SEC, University of New Locations: Wells Fargo, Indiana, Massachusetts, Tallahassee , Florida, University of New Haven

18-22 View All 11 ImagesMeanwhile, Trump's campaign – and the national Republican Party – are having cash problems of their own. President Joe Biden's campaign raised $21.3 million in February – almost twice the $10.9 million Trump's campaign raised during the same period, according to filing with the Federal Election Commission. The Democratic National Committee also outraised its counterpart, with the Democratic group pulling in $16.6 million in February, compared to the $10.7 million the Republican National Committee raised in the same period. The amounts for both parties and candidates do not include money raised by outside groups or coordinated committees on behalf of each candidate. Big donors might be reluctant to contribute money to a Trump or GOP committee if they think it will go to pay Trump's private legal bills.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, boastful Trump, Letitia James, –, Republican Party –, Joe Biden's, Richard Lau, Lau, Biden, “, I’m, ” Biden, Donald, ’, it's, Sarah Bryner, Bryner, Donald Trump Jr Organizations: Republican National Committee, Republicans, Republican Party, Federal, Commission, Democrat, Trump, Democratic National Committee, Democratic, Save America PAC, RNC, Republican, GOP, Rutgers University, Biden –, Responsive, Trump Media, Acquisition Corporation Locations: New York, Dallas

and long-shot presidential candidate Doug Burgum underscored a harsh political reality Monday as he suspended his campaign for the White House: Money can get you noticed. But as with most other self-funded candidates, his money didn't buy support. A study by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics earlier this year found that few self-funded candidates in the 2022 midterms actually won their elections. But self-funded candidates "were some of the biggest losers" in 2022, with just two of the top 10 self-financing candidates pulling out a win, Open Secrets found. As he departed the race Monday, Burgum said he had changed the debate by getting contenders to talk about energy policy.

Persons: Doug Burgum, Burgum, Joe Biden, he'd, ‘, Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Trump, –, Barack Obama, midterms Organizations: North Dakota Gov, White, Republican, Republican National Committee, University of Alabama, GOP, Trafalgar Group, Software, Microsoft, South, Responsive Locations: Tuscaloosa, Burgum, Milwaukee, California, South Carolina, Florida

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban is selling a majority stake of the Dallas Mavericks to Miriam Adelson and her family — the largest shareholders in Las Vegas Sands , a source familiar with the deal told CNBC. Adelson is selling $2 billion worth of company stock, or roughly 10% of her stake, according to an announcement from the company. Las Vegas Sands disclosed in filings Tuesday that it will buy $250 million worth of Adelson's shares. Owning a sports franchise will be a significant departure from the activities that Miriam Adelson and her late husband were known for. As a medical doctor, Miriam Adelson is also widely known for her focus on addiction.

Persons: Mark Cuban, Miriam Adelson, Adelson, Sheldon Adelson, Patrick Dumont, Sands, Miriam, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, –, Jessica Golden Organizations: Dallas Mavericks, CNBC, Cuban, Sands, NBA, Forbes, Vegas Sands, Las Vegas Sands, Republican, Center for Responsive Locations: Las Vegas Sands, Cuban, Macao, Singapore, Las, Las Vegas, Israel, United States

Miriam Adelson listens to Republican U.S. presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald J. Trump during the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. October 28, 2023. The previously unreported meeting during a gathering of Republican Jewish donors is likely a positive sign for Haley given Adelson's status as one of the pre-eminent Republican donors. Israeli-born Adelson also met with Trump in Las Vegas over the weekend. It was not immediately clear what other presidential candidates, if any, Adelson met. Sheldon Adelson, who died in 2021, headed the casino company Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS.N).

Persons: Miriam Adelson, Donald J, Steve Marcus, Nikki Haley, Haley, Adelson, Sheldon Adelson, Ron DeSantis, Jan, Joe Biden, DeSantis, Alexandra Ulmer, Ross Colvin, Rod Nickel Organizations: Republican U.S, Trump, Republican Jewish Coalition, Leadership, REUTERS, Casino, Florida, Republican, Democratic, Forbes, Center for Responsive, Vegas Sands Corp, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Las Vegas, Iowa, Israel

Shein has denied using forced labor and that it was planning to go public in the U.S. this year. U.S. lawmakers are also questioning Shein's data privacy and use of a U.S. duty exemption on low-priced direct shipments to consumers. Shein's $600,000 lobbying outlay, filed on Friday, does not put it "among the biggest spenders," Auble said. By contrast, U.S. retailers Walmart spent $1.62 million and Gap spent $140,000 in the second quarter, lobbying disclosures showed. Since the 2022 third quarter, Shein has paid lobbying firms Hobart Hallaway & Quayle Ventures $500,000; and Akin, Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld $270,000, the firms' filings showed.

Persons: Daniel Auble, Shein, Auble, Akin, Gump Strauss Hauer, Feld, Arriana McLymore, Richard Chang Organizations: YORK, Capitol, Center for Responsive, Securities and Exchange Commission, Reuters, Labor, Walmart, Hobart Hallaway, Quayle, Thomson, & $, & $ Locations: China, Singapore, U.S, New York City

☆ I make up to $13,000 a month from my digital-marketing business and still have the flexibility to travel and snowboard — here's how I built it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Perri Ormont Blumberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She and her partner made $180,000 in 2022 while maintaining the flexibility to ski and snowboard. I now live near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, during the winters to snowboard and run my digital-marketing agency, Snowmad Digital. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, the PR agency I was working for fired everyone, and I started wildland firefighting. One of my newer clients said they saw the video and just hired me this month largely because of it. I never work with my clients' competitors, and I work with clients all around the country and the world.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is angling to be Donald Trump's running mate in 2024, according to two people who have spoken to the firebrand second-term congresswoman about her ambitions. "She sees herself on the short list for Trump's VP. A second source who has advised Greene said her "whole vision is to be vice president." The source, who has ties to Trump but spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations, said he also believes Greene would be on Trump's short list. McCarthy stood by Greene at the time, facilitating the development of a political alliance.

☆ Factbox: When it comes to spending big on elections, few can challenge America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While readily-comparable numbers aren't available across nations, India's spending in 2019 was at least in the neighborhood of the estimated $8 billion spent on U.S. federal elections in 2016, the year Republican Donald Trump won the White House. In the United States, campaigning often begins more than a year before election day and regulators put no limits on spending by campaigns. FRANCEFrance also places strict limits on spending. During France's presidential elections in 2022, all 12 candidates combined spent just over 83 million euros, or about $88 million, according to the French government. President Emmanuel Macron spent the most, with his campaign spending 16.7 million euros.

☆ Colorado's Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor, addresses 'horrific' shooting at an LGBTQ club
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States, on Sunday decried Saturday's “horrific” deadly shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub. “This is horrific, sickening, and devastating,” Polis, a Democrat, said in a statement addressing the attack at Club Q. He is the second out LGBTQ person to be elected governor of a state, after Gov. Before his career in politics, Polis was a tech entrepreneur and amassed a fortune worth nearly $400 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In addition to being Colorado's first openly gay governor, he is also the state's first Jewish governor.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX Team Among Top Political Donors Before Bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Paul Kiernan | Stephanie Stamm | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and members of his team rose from relative obscurity in Washington to be among the biggest donors in U.S. politics, contributing more than $70 million to election campaigns in less than 18 months. Mr. Bankman-Fried personally gave $40 million to politicians and political-action committees ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, mostly to Democrats and liberal-leaning groups, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks campaign donations. Ryan Salame, another top FTX executive, donated more than $23 million, mainly to Republicans and conservative groups.

☆ Private Equity Spends Nearly $150 Million to Fuel 2022 Races
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Chris Cumming | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Employees of private-equity firms have given $146.8 million to political candidates and committees for Tuesday’s U.S. elections, federal records show. The sum is the most the buyout industry has ever spent on a nonpresidential election cycle, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit group in Washington that tracks political spending. The total is 26% more than the industry’s former record, set in the 2018 midterm elections.

But none of that explains why political campaigns have been turning away from Facebook. Political ads have always been a small part of Facebook's overall business. The pandemic accelerated that trend since so many consumers turned to streaming platforms while stuck at home, and content for cord-cutters proliferated. Ad tracking firm AdImpact projected that of the $9.7 billion spent on political ads this cycle, $1.4 billion would go to connected TVs. Apple's crackdown has indeed diminished Facebook's position in political advertising.

☆ U.S. banks cut donations to federal candidates, up Democrats' share ahead of mid-terms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Pete Schroeder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Following the 2007-09 financial crisis when Democrats cracked down on banks, lenders have typically looked to business-friendly Republicans for support in Congress. And of the top-20 congressional recipients of bank PAC donations this cycle, 10 are Democrats compared with six in 2020, three in 2018, and one ahead of the 2016 election. Reuters GraphicsThe shift in giving patterns shows how banks are rethinking their allegiances amid increased political partisanship. To be sure, the party in power commonly enjoys a bounce in donations and banks are also spreading their bets ahead of a tightening contest, said Ballentine and the other sources. Nine of the top 10 recipients of industry donations are Republicans, including Representative Patrick McHenry who is likely to chair the House finance panel if Republicans win that chamber.

☆ A pro-Trump super PAC made illegal contributions to the president's reelection campaign, a watchdog group says
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-18 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center accused s uper PAC Our American Century spent illegally large sums of money to redistribute Trump campaign political advertisements. uper PAC Our American Century spent illegally large sums of money to redistribute Trump campaign political advertisements. The Campaign Legal Center accused Our American Century of spending up to $251,000 to redistribute an existing Trump campaign video while failing to reveal the super PAC — not the Trump campaign — bankrolled the ad blitz. A representative for the Trump campaign, which is not accused in the complaint of wrongdoing, also could not be reached. Scenes from the Federal Election Commission headquarters located at 1050 First St. NE Friday Sept. 21, 2018.

☆ EXCLUSIVE: Jared Kushner helped create a Trump campaign shell company that secretly paid the president's family members and spent $617 million in reelection cash, a source tells Insider
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-18 | by ( Tom Lobianco | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

American Made Media Consultants became the source of consternation for President Donald Trump's campaign staff, who were kept in the dark about its operations. Despite its $617 million spending through AMMC, the Trump campaign publicly disclosed little information about the company, including how it used the money. Insider independently verified details of this person's account with other people close to the Trump campaign. The shell company — incorporated as American Made Media Consultants Corp. and American Made Media Consultants LLC — allowed Trump's campaign to skirt federally mandated disclosures. "Nothing was done without Jared's approval," the former Trump campaign advisor said.

☆ A powerful group of lobbyists and donors pushed Mitch McConnell to take a 'hard red line' that delayed a stimulus bill for months
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-16 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

A powerful group of business organizations has pushed for the liability shields and donated generously to McConnell and other Republicans. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty ImagesThe Chamber of Commerce's big giveThe Chamber of Commerce has been among the most vocal proponents of liability protections. Overall, however, Walmart's workers and PAC gave about evenly to Democrats as to Republicans this election. Its PAC gave $9,000 to McConnell's campaign and gave $3,000 to Cornyn. During the past three decades, McConnell has received robust support from some of the industries lobbying hard for liability protections.

☆ Joe Biden owed Philly money after leaving a muddy mess from a campaign event. After a delay, the city says it's now getting paid.
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-04 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Philadelphia is demanding that Joe Biden's campaign pay up following a campaign event in November left the city cleaning up a water-logged FDR Park. Liza Acevedo, a spokesperson for the Biden presidential transition committee, confirmed Friday evening that the final payment is on its way. The rainy drive-in campaign event at FDR Park on November 01, 2020 left a water-logged muddy mess that the city had to clean up. Philadelphia City Hall has already raised taxes, cut some services, and laid off hundreds of government workers to balance its books. Philadelphia, meanwhile, is hoping that Biden's team will pay up faster than Democrat Hillary Clinton, who conducted a campaign event near Philadelphia City Hall in 2016.

☆ Twitter terminates its political action committee and donates leftover money to 2 charities that promote diversity and inclusion
▼ + stars: | 2020-10-22 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Twitter has closed its political action committee and donated its surplus cash — more than $117,000 — to a pair of charities. Of the charities benefiting from Twitter's money, one focuses on engaging Latinos in the political process, and the other works to "eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice, and improve race relations" in sports. "This funding will be used to further our mission of promoting full, nonpartisan participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service," Vargas said. To better support and defend our users, Twitter has created #PAC." Despite axing its PAC, Twitter still maintains a robust lobbying presence in Washington, DC.

☆ Meet the GOP's biggest Hollywood donors
▼ + stars: | 2020-08-26 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

America First Action, the most notable super PAC backing President Donald Trump, has directly criticized Hollywood. Donors from Hollywood-area ZIP codes also rank among the most generous donors to key Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida. 3 donor ZIP code in the nation, trailing only ZIP codes in Houston and Palm Beach, Florida, which is home to his Mar-a-Lago Club resort. Bill Pugliano/Getty ImagesTrump continues to profit from HollywoodIn messages to supporters this year, Trump has decried "liberal HOLLYWOOD donors" and "MEGA HOLLYWOOD DONORS," while his son Donald Trump Jr. has castigated the "Hollywood Elite." As president, Trump's pension earned him more than $84,000 in 2017, about $91,000 in 2018, and about $78,000 in 2019, his personal financial disclosures showed.

☆ Trump's most important 2016 donor is sitting out 2020
▼ + stars: | 2020-07-24 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

Robert and Rebekah Mercer ranked among President Donald Trump's most influential backers in 2016. A representative for Priorities USA Action, a leading pro-Biden super PAC, said the organization wasn't underestimating Trump's reelection forces, Mercers or no Mercers. (Bossie, like former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and many others, has recently found himself back in Trump's favor.) The Cambridge Analytica data that the Trump campaign paid for was "so stupidly wrong" and a "complete joke," Spicer added. But sources familiar with the Mercers' political spending said they have no evidence that the Mercers are doing so.

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