Latest news with #FederalElectionCommission
Axios
17 hours ago
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Dems propose corporate PAC ban
A group of congressional Democrats wants to ban for-profit corporations from forming and using political action committees, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The debate over the power of money in politics divided Democrats in their last two open presidential primaries. It could split them again in 2028. Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) — two potential presidential hopefuls — will introduce the Ban Corporate PACs Act on Tuesday, we're told. The legislation would ban corporations from establishing and managing a PAC or soliciting contributions from stakeholders, and eliminate existing corporate PACs. Using PACs, corporations can make contributions to candidates up to higher limits than individuals. The big picture: Polling indicates Americans believe elected officials are too influenced by money in politics. Kelly said corporate money has "way too much control" over Washington. Slotkin said banning the corporate PACs is a "no-brainer first step" to regaining the trust of the middle class. During the 2024 election, 1,659 corporate PACs spent a total of more than $350 million, according to data from the Federal Election Commission. They raised over $340 million. "I talked to two of my Republican colleagues recently about these corporate PACs. ... There is bipartisan interest," Kelly told Axios in an interview Tuesday. "Does that interest turn into bipartisan legislation? We'll have to see." Between the lines: Kelly and Slotkin have pledged to reject corporate PAC money, and have done so in their past campaigns.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Donald Trump says Beyoncé should be 'prosecuted' for alleged Harris endorsement payment
Donald Trump still has a political bone to pick with Queen Bey. The president, who has previously voiced criticism of celebrities who showed support for his election counterpart, Kamala Harris, took to social media on Saturday, July 26, to renew his unfounded claim that pop star Beyoncé was allegedly paid $11 million to endorse Harris' presidential bid. In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, the "Cowboy Carter" songstress made her endorsement of Harris official when she appeared at the former vice president's abortion rights rally in her hometown of Houston in October. She also cleared the usage of her 2016 song "Freedom" for Harris, and the tune became the Democratic nominee's official campaign song. "I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats after the presidential election and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, $11 million dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note...)," wrote Trump in a fiery Truth Social post, also citing alleged endorsement payments to media mogul Oprah Winfrey and civil rights activist Al Sharpton. USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Beyoncé for comment. "Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out!" Trump concluded. "Kamala and all of those that received endorsement money BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Trump's digital tirade comes just two months after he accused the Grammy-winning singer and other celebrities of being paid to publicly support Harris' candidacy. In a May Truth Social post, the GOP president announced plans for a "major investigation" into the Harris campaign's celebrity endorsements. Catch up: Trump calls Beyoncé's endorsement of Kamala Harris 'illegal' Did Beyoncé receive payment for Kamala Harris endorsement? At the time of Trump's original allegations in May, the Federal Election Commission had no record of an $11 million payment to Beyoncé from Harris' presidential campaign. Additionally, the agency does not have rules explicitly prohibiting candidates from paying for endorsements. It is unclear where Trump got the unsubstantiated $11 million figure. The Harris campaign last year rejected a rumor that it paid Beyoncé $10 million for her endorsement that spread on social media shortly after the music star's October 2024 appearance with Harris. Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, also pushed back at the $10 million rumor in a November 2024 Instagram post, calling it "false information" and a "lie." She added that the singer "actually paid for her own flights for her and her team." Oprah Winfrey says she was not paid a 'personal fee' for Kamala Harris rally What has Beyoncé said about Kamala Harris campaign? During her October 2024 appearance at Harris' rally, Beyoncé, who was joined by fellow singer and Destiny's Child alum Kelly Rowland, said "It's time for America to sing a new song" when describing Harris' presidential bid. "I'm not here as a celebrity. I'm not here as a politician. I'm here as a mother," the pop star added. "Your freedom is your God-given right, your human right." Harris has long been a fan of Beyoncé. The California-born politician attended the singer's Renaissance World Tour in 2023 just outside of Washington, D.C., after she gifted Harris tickets. Contributing: Caché McClay, Joey Garrison and Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Trump calls for Kamala Harris to be prosecuted over alleged paid celebrity endorsements
NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump has demanded the prosecution of former vice president Kamala Harris, alleging that she paid a "large amount of money" to celebrity artists for endorsements during last year's presidential election. "YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO. Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out!" Trump said in a social media post on Saturday. Harris was Trump's Democratic opponent during the 2024 presidential race, which the 79-year-old Republican leader eventually won, securing a second term in the White House. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that celebrities Beyonce, Oprah and Al Sharpton were paid "ridiculous fees" for "endorsement" and "expenses." "Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!" he said. According to The Hill newspaper, Oprah previously said she "was not paid a dime" to appear alongside Harris at a live-streamed event. However, production fees were covered by the campaign. "The people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story," the newspaper quoted her as saying. While the Harris campaign denied paying Beyonce for an endorsement, Federal Election Commission records show it paid USD 165,000 to her production company. According to the newspaper, such reimbursements are commonly linked to large-scale event production and cannot be donated to political campaigns.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrat who questioned Roger Marshall at Kansas townhall files campaign papers
A Johnson County Democrat who made national news by driving to Oakley in western Kansas for U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall's townhall has filed paperwork indicating she will run against the senator. Anne Parelkar, of Overland Park, filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on July 24. She hasn't officially announced a campaign. Parelkar had previously set up a website where she said she was exploring a U.S. Senate run. She also launched a listening tour and spoke at an April 5 protest at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka. "Kansans deserve leaders who tell the truth, listen first, and put people over politics," the website states. "Anne Parelkar is a Kansas attorney and aspiring public servant exploring a run for U.S. Senate. She believes elected officials should answer to the people. Not to party leaders. Not to political donors. Just to the people." Parelkar was one of the Kansans who drove to Oakley for Marshall's March 1 townhall, where she asked about cutting federal workers. Marshall ultimately walked out of the contentious townhall meeting and was showered by boos. He later walked back a claim that troublemakers were paid to attend the meeting, admitting he did not have evidence to back up the allegation. Parelkar's FEC paperwork designates Anne for Kansas as her principal campaign committee for the 2026 election. Marshall was elected to the Senate in 2020 after previously represented the 1st Congressional District that primarily encompasses western Kansas. He received 53% of the vote, compared to Democrat Barbara Bollier's 42% and Libertarian Jason Buckley's 5%. Marshall's reelection campaign has about $2.7 million cash on hand according to his most recent FEC filings. More: New FEC campaign finance filings show how much money Kansas congressional team has Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@ Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Democrat files FEC paperwork to run against Sen. Roger Marshall Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Meet the 10 candidates campaigning to take on Ken Calvert in the 2026 midterm election
The midterms are coming up in 2026, and candidates vying for California's 41st Congressional District are already firing up their campaigns to run against longtime incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert. Republican voters are using their donations to fight against Democrats who are pushing to turn the district blue. As of July 14, Calvert has raised more funds than all of his challengers combined — $2.5 million, to be exact, according to the latest filings by the Federal Election Commission. In 2024, Democrat Will Rollins faced Calvert and lost by a mere 3% margin of defeat, two years after Rollins also unsuccessfully challenged the incumbent. Rollins announced that he will not be running in this election cycle, but there is a growing list of newcomers who have stepped up. Fundraising and campaign efforts are only just beginning, so there are bound to be shifts on the ballot come next year. Even so, this race could play a role in the Democrats' fight for a House majority, so it's one to watch closely. Under California's "top two" primary system, the two people receiving the most votes in the 2026 primary — regardless of party — will advance to the general election. Although that usually means one Democrat and one Republican, it doesn't have to. Given Calvert's over 30-year run in Congress, taking his Congressional seat has proven to be a challenge — so who's ready to rise to the occasion? Meet the eight Democrats and two Republicans looking to oust Calvert in November 2026. Katherine Aleman Inland Empire native Katherine Aleman is a middle school teacher and the owner of a small farming business. Endorsed by former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, Aleman is running on a platform of affordability. She proved that she can swing Republican voters in 2020 after being elected to the Norco City Council as a Democrat, despite the city's nearly 30% Republican voter registration advantage. Aleman was not reelected in 2024. Learn more: Jason Byors Jason Byors has lived in Southern California since the 1990s, and he has a background in financial services and computer engineering. Trying to turn the district blue, Byors is running on being pro-democracy and pro-human rights. Learn more: Abel Chavez Having grown up in Romoland and Nuevo, Democrat Abel Chavez is a former high school science teacher who is now the president of the Nuview Union School Board. His key issue areas are housing, healthcare, education and supporting small businesses. Learn more: Anuj Dixit As a lawyer, Anuj Dixit says he fought for the middle class, and he plans to do the same alongside Democrats in Congress. Dixit grew up in an immigrant family on March Air Force Base in Riverside County. If elected, he wants to break up monopolies and get corporate PACs out of politics. Learn more: David Karson David Karson is a Navy veteran who has worked in finance and tech, and he is running against Calvert as a Democrat. If elected, he intends to focus his policymaking on social security, Medicaid, healthcare and affordable housing. He is also interested in increasing funding for programs in schools and wants to create a national AI cloud. Learn more: Ferguson Porter As a film school graduate, Ferguson Porter sees his creativity as an advantage for writing legislation. He is a small business owner from Texas who has lived in Palm Springs for 15 years. Porter is a Democrat passionate about bringing justice and equality to the constituents of California's 41st district. Learn more: Brandon Riker In Congress, Brandon Riker hopes to confront the issue of income inequality and provide better futures for the 41st district. Since working as an economist and entrepreneur, Riker currently serves on the board of SafePlace International. His Congressional campaign has raised a record-breaking $900,000 in its first quarter. Riker is a Democrat who has lived in the Coachella Valley for nearly a decade. Learn more: Tiffanie Tate Inland Empire resident and retired OB-GYN Tiffanie Tate is running to champion reproductive rights, education and economic stability for the district. Dr. Tate is also a retired U.S. Naval officer, a published author, and morning radio show co-host. Running as a Democrat, she hopes to be an advocate for all. Learn more: Shaaf Patel Nuevo resident Shaaf Patel was a small business owner prior to being shut down by the Small Business Association. Now, he is running as a Republican to support small business owners and fight against government overreach. The current status of his campaign is not clear. Learn more: Cody Wiebelhaus Cody Wiebelhaus is going against Calvert as a member of his own party. The only other Republican in the race, Wiebelhaus had said on social media that he 'believes in standing for the people, not the party' and wants to reject political extremism on both sides of the aisle. Wiebelhaus is a managing director with Independent Healthcare Consultants, and he promises to advocate for healthcare and LGBTQ+ rights. Learn more: (As of July 22, the site is not yet active) This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Election 2026: Everybody who is running against Ken Calvert
