The Michigan Republican Party was roiled by accusations that money from a secretive account had been used to pay candidates to abandon their runs for office. Potential campaign finance violations aside, experts tell MCFN it may not be illegal.
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posted on 02/11/2021
A husband and wife duo held two of the highest-paying jobs as policy staff in the Michigan House. At the same time, their political consulting firm took in hundreds of thousands of dollars from members of the Republican caucus they helped oversee.
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posted on 12/30/2020
Nine districts attracted a total of more than $1 million in contributions — the most ever. In all but seven of the 110 districts the candidate with the most money won.
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posted on 12/30/2020
Vague FEC rules and a 2014 supreme court decision meant campaigns could use Michigan’s state parties to bypass contribution limits and spend unlimited amounts on political mail with campaigns' tailored messages.
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posted on 12/02/2020
Ads on broadcast television, radio and cable in Michigan, by themselves, eclipsed the total spending of the 2018 election.
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posted on 11/03/2020
Republicans have maintained a cash advantage heading into election day, despite Democratic candidates out-raising their GOP counterparts, in part through a new source of funding: small-dollar donations from outside Michigan.
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posted on 11/03/2020
At least $15 million will be spent advertising in Michigan's state House races, outpacing 2018 — both chambers included. Explore a district-by-district breakdown.
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posted on 10/30/2020
Outside groups have outspent than the candidates for both major parties as the ideological lean of the court hangs in the balance.
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posted on 10/28/2020
"Election season" or not, advertising spending in Michigan has increased explosively in the runup to in-person voting. And it’s not because Michiganders are generously contributing to their preferred candidates. Outside groups and dark money organizations are outspending campaigns two-to-one.
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posted on 10/21/2020
Talking points and footage left available by campaigns turns making political ads into paint-by-numbers for dark money groups.
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posted on 10/16/2020
More than $50 million from more than 40 outside groups paired with record spending on advertising is driving the race for U.S. Senate to be the most expensive Michigan has seen.
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posted on 10/01/2020
Spending records are already being shattered in the 2020 election with more than a month to the election, and a super PAC has emerged to support Democrats in key state house races.
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posted on 09/25/2020
While lobbyists' overall spending on food for state officials is less than half of what it was last year, the expensive meals that require disclosure are only down slightly.
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posted on 09/16/2020
This fall, Michigan Campaign Finance Network ans MLive are partnering to follow the money behind campaign mail around the state
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posted on 09/14/2020
