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Citizens United

Activist groups urge support for Darden Rice proposal limiting outside money in St. Pete city elections

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Back in July, St. Petersburg Council member Darden Rice proposed an ordinance that would cap donations to political action committees that use money to influence local elections. Her fellow council members voted 6-1 to send her proposal to a committee of the whole for consideration. If it passes that group, it could come back before the city council for a formal vote. Rice’s proposal has gained steam with local activists and, now, on the eve of Thursday’s committee meeting, a…

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Joe Henderson: Hillary Clinton, Citizens United and ‘never-ending’ thirst for cash

in 2017/Top Headlines by

One of the themes of Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the presidency has been her opposition to Citizens United. From the podium, she preaches that she doesn’t like the idea of the wealthy few using their money to buy influence over policies that determine the future for the rest of us. She says he wants to overturn that controversial ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that has allowed our politics to be bartered out to the uber rich. Well, OK. She…

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Martin Dyckman: Thinking of voting for Donald Trump? Do yourself a favor and ask why

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

“I do not like thee, Doctor Fell, “The reason why — I cannot tell; “But this I know and know full well, “I do not like thee, Doctor Fell.” Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both have their liabilities, but his are so much more numerous and serious than hers that the race should not be nearly as close as it seems to be. Why is he even competitive? More depends on the answer to that question than rested upon on the…

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Adam Goodman: ‘We, the People’ — How to fix what Congress won’t

in 2017/Top Headlines by

Campaigns are the embodiment of barely controlled chaos. In conduct, and by nature, they are modern-day morality plays that feature candidates slugging it out for their political — and reputational — lives. Great theater, I suppose, but rest assured it’s the kind of mortal combat that leaves their campaign disciples reaching for Maalox, and the contenders seeking out Deepak Chopra for spiritual relief. Cue the Army of Trump, who over the past few inglorious weeks saw their pugilistic champion hit…

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Martin Dyckman: Supreme Court nominees no reason to elect Donald Trump

in 2017/Top Headlines by

Some Republicans to whom Donald Trump is the skunk at their garden party would have you elect him president nevertheless. Mark Sanford is one. When last heard of, he was the governor of South Carolina, canoodling with a mistress in Argentina while his office pretended that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. Now he’s a congressman, and he had an op-ed in The New York Times last week (Aug. 14) strongly criticizing Trump for refusing to release his tax returns.…

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David Jolly “speaks the truth” on fundraising reform

in 2017/Top Headlines by

U.S Rep. David Jolly‘s quixotic “Stop Act” proposal to bar sitting members of Congress from raising money on the job may have gotten him in hot water with some in his party, but it also seems to have won him some admirers in the press. The plan at least “deserves a look,” writes Dana Milbank of the Washington Post. Jolly speaks the truth. Lawmakers know what needs to be done to clean up the corrupt system — but nothing happens. Democrats talk…

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Billionaire car dealer Norman Braman betting big-time on Carlos Lopez-Cantera

in 2017/Top Headlines by

Wealthy Florida car dealer Norman Braman is hoping to recoup his losses from backing Marco Rubio for President by doubling down on Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera‘s bid for the Senate seat Rubio is vacating. As Alex Gloriso of OpenSecrets.org writes, Braman is using every available avenue for money – traditional, unconventional, and questionable – in order to boost CLC’s chances over his Republican primary rivals. The wealthy car dealer leads the statewide finance committee for Lopez-Cantera. He’s also given $200,000 to the single-candidate super PAC backing him – almost…

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