Political law links for today

REGULATING THE INTERNET.  Slate.  “According to Ann Ravel, an FEC commissioner as well as its former chairwoman, the commission has largely declined to update its pre-smartphone era rules to keep up with changing times, and this has allowed savvy political actors to exploit gaps in the regulations.”

APPLE AND GOP.  Politico.  “Apple CEO Tim Cook will host a fundraiser with House Speaker Paul Ryan next week as the iPhone maker tries to strengthen its relationships with key Republicans — despite its decision to pull support for the GOP convention because of its distaste for Donald Trump.”

CASE SETTLES.  Cincinnati.com.  “Former Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt faces a $2,500 fine for not reporting legal fees paid by a pro-Turkish group.”

T EMERGENCY.  VF. “Donald Trump’s boasts in the primary season that he would largely fund his own presidential campaign have slowly given way to more traditional methods of campaign finance as he’s pivoted to the general election.

T REPORT$:

  • MJ.  “He raised a grand total of $5.6 million from May 1 to May 31, $2.2 million of which was in the form of loans from Trump personally.”
  • WP.  “Trump’s small haul came as presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton continued to stockpile money: she raised more than $28 million in May and started June with $42 million in cash.”
  • NPR.  “As of the end of May, Trump’s campaign account held just $1.3 million compared to Clinton’s $42 million. Ben Carson, whose bid for the GOP nomination ended in early March, had $1.8 million in his campaign fund.”

SUPER PROBLEM.  MJ.  “Trump and his advisers went into the race with no super-PAC game plan (which was in keeping with most other aspects of his unconventional campaign).”

NH:  UNION LEADER ON REFORM.  NHUL.  “Updating and streamlining the New Hampshire campaign finance system would provide a clear and level playing field for all candidates. And that would lower the incentive for candidates to avoid the labyrinth entirely by outsourcing their campaigns to Super PACs and other independent expenditures.”

NJ:  MOVE TO SIMPLIFY.  PNJ.  “Even as Super PACs and other independent groups have emerged as a serious concern to voters in the presidential election, both sides of the political aisle in New Jersey’s legislature are showing renewed interest in improving state campaign finance laws.”

NJ:  ELEC INVESTIGATES.  PT.  “The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) is investigating councilman Andre Sayegh’s campaign finance reports from the past three elections, according to a letter provided by a source to the Paterson Times.”

WI:  GAB ENDS.  Madison.com. “Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board, the election and campaign agency that supporters laud as a pioneering success and critics call a failed experiment, ends this month after nearly a decade in existence.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

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