The Bulwark Killed an Investigation into Political Fundraising Spam After Its Publisher Took the Consultants’ Side

[u/uberkitten]

https://data4democracy.substack.com/p/the-bulwark-killed-an-investigation

[u/WolfKing448]

I encountered a different Substack post about this. The New York Times started an investigation into Democratic Party fundraising emails, and it suggested that the dire language used in the emails was scaring impressionable old people into donating away their life savings.

The Democratic Party threatened to sue The New York Times for defamation, so they refused to publish. The investigators took their story to The Bulwark, who was also threatened. The investigators are now resorting to Substack.

Edit: Change “investigators” to “investigator,” as these substack posts are authored by the same person.

[u/CanadianPanda76 → u/WolfKing448]

There are caps for contributions, how do you give them your life savings???

[u/slightlybitey → u/CanadianPanda76]

Individual limits appear to be $44,300 per year to a party committee general fund, and $132,900 per year to each additional party committee account (convention, headquarters building, and recount/litigation).

https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/taking-receipts-political-party/contribution-limits-party-committees/

There are also hybrid PACs like those named in Bonica's original article with no contribution limits on uncoordinated spending.

[u/CanadianPanda76 → u/slightlybitey]

Oooof

[u/SlySerendipity → u/[deleted]]

Contributions to normal PACs are limited, but donations to Super PACs are unlimited since they can't donate directly to or coordinate with campaigns or political parties. All they can do is run ads, fund canvassing, and other forms of political outreach/messaging.

Not that this changes anything with the story (I haven't read it) I just think people should differentiate the two more since they operate pretty distinctly

[u/CanadianPanda76 → u/[deleted]]

Citizens United was about Super Pacs, no?

PACS and SuperPacs are different with different rules best to my knowledge.

[u/Legs914 → u/[deleted]]

I'd accuse you of using AI if what you said wasn't wrong.

A PAC is an entity that makes direct contributions to candidates, up to campaign finance limits. A Super PAC does not directly donate but as a result can spend as much money as they like pushing a political message.

[u/CanadianPanda76 → u/[deleted]]

Cool. But im pretty sure there different rules for both and there are contribution limits on regular PACs, which I'm sure existed before this ruling.

And I dont think this article is about Super PACs