In North Carolina, for those with very rich friends, campaign finance laws no longer matter. According to a recent ruling by the state board of election, outside groups funded by wealthy donors can now coordinate directly with campaigns. The law does not apply to federal races but does to every other race on the ballot.
In the wake of the Citizens United ruling, nonprofit “social welfare” groups sprung up all over the country, including a bunch in North Carolina. They’ve been operating for several election cycles and have had a dramatic impact on elections. In 2010, the Art Pope-funded group Real Jobs NC essentially underwrote the GOP effort that took control of the legislature. Pope spent millions on ads attacking Democrats in the legislature and, in the wave election, maximized Republican victories across the state.
However, these were always called “independent expenditures” and supposedly done without the direct knowledge of the campaign. There was always a bit of a wink-and-nod to the process, but the nonprofits and campaigns couldn’t directly share information about strategies and tactics. And the IEs couldn’t directly advocate for the election or defeat of a candidate. Instead, they focused on the pros or cons of issues which they then attached to specific candidates.
Now, Kim Strach, Executive director of he State Board of Elections, says outside groups and candidate campaigns can directly coordinate. They can share information such as opposition research, polling, and even when ads are bought and on what topics. The exception lies in the nonprofits running ads mentioning a candidate’s name in the 60 days prior to an election.
However, as we saw in the 2014 Senate contest, races now last a year. Campaigns can essentially sub-out major portions of their campaigns. Campaigns spend tens of thousands of dollars on opposition research that they no longer have to pay for. A statewide poll can cost as much as $45,000, another item candidates can take off the books. Focus groups? Another $15,000 or so per session. The total could reach into the millions of dollars.
So what does all this mean? It means that small groups of rich people have increasing influence over our campaigns—and candidates. We’ve already seen it in the GOP presidential primary where candidates vie for the affections of conservative billionaires. Now, we’ll see it in state campaigns where candidates tryout for support of the secretive groups funneling money.
The game is played on both sides of the aisle. Democrats may complain about big money in politics more, but they aren’t about to disarm under the current rules. The result is a growing oligarchy that’s taking control of big campaigns. Pushing back are angry voters on both sides of the aisle who feel left out of the system and believe that the world is slipping out of their control.
The collision is happening between the two sides is happening now at the national level with the rise of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. We’ve seen hints of the same phenomenon at the state level in the battle over state parties. As power shifts even more to the few at the expense of the many, we’ll see more disruption in the future, not less.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
Who care about this except how to fix it? The only way I can see fixing this is for way more grassroots political activism. Sadly even party officers are being bought off not by direct payoffs but by promises of access and perhaps connections that might be profitable to them in the near future. People are getting pissed off and the pitchforks aren’t far away. So Democratic party insiders had better start getting more inclusive and diverse (instead of trying to reduce quorum requirements) otherwise they’ll be doomed to permanent minority power in this state due to their own selfishness.
The details of the poll shows both well within the margin of error, and more importantly, much higher results for Clinton with Independents, Women, Blacks and Latinos against Trump, Cruz and Rubio. I would still say, however, that the state of the GOP Clown Show is so strange that polls are probably not reliable for anyone, including Clinton and Sanders. The other factor, of course, is how any of this looks on a state by state basis and how many more voter repression tactics the states under GOP control can dream up over the next few months. (I fully expect them to further disenfranchise real flesh and blood people and find a way to allow corporations to vote as people!)
Sanders continues to out-poll Clinton against ALL major Republican opponents in General Election potential match-ups.
Has highest favorable rating of any other candidate, Democrat or Republican.
New Quinnipiac poll released today:
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2307
It is going to take much, much more that electing Bernie sanders to the Presidency, he would be treated no better that Obama was by a republican majority in congress. The Repugs and oligarchy have been laying out the Ground work for this weaponless coup d’etat since the days of Nixon’s impeachment.
That was one of the reasons that the first thing that the first republican majority pushed for was to end the Broadcast Fairness Doctrine which would have neutered Citizens United had it still been in place.
They also were infecting local and state Government offices like Eboa making sure that their party had running candidates for every office whether they thought that it was important or not. We are faced with the results of that effort today. in school boards, judges, regulatory agency heads
this Attack on the Nation has been coordinated by a resentful 1980 candidate for Vice President of the United States from the United States Libertarian Party David Koch , who apparently has made up his mind that if he can’t win position of power in America , he will do the next best thing, he will buy the country. the Republican were selected because they were “desperate” to return to power and had no problem with selling democracy to the highest bidder.
The second amendment stance of the Republican party indicates their perfect willingness to incite their constituency to violence to get their way. Your biggest mistake would be believing that you are dealing with a “Normal” republican party.
Having enlisted the aid of his fellow Oligarchs, Mitt Romney, Rupert Murdoch,Blackstone corp to name a few have created a astounding Propaganda machine. Election results were tampered with across the country.rest assured , the last election was stolen…
The Only possible solution , the Democratic ,Progressive parties along with labor unions must match the Republican tactics move for move and sweep the election in 2016 in every local , state and national elections. their can be no un-challenged vacant office ever again.
Remember each challenge dilutes there strength no office no matter how small must have a democrat running for it. Why do to think that koch underwrote so many libertarian candidates that had no chance of wining? that tactic combine with other underhanded tricks is why Kay Hagan lost …
If the Democrats don’t get their act together in 2016 Democracy is dead
Perhaps we should design an online “game” for folks to bid on the agency of their choice! All proceeds to charity, of course. Seriously you are correct in the analysis.
I think we are at a crossroads in this country, unlike any since 1860. We cannot survive as a democracy with elections purchased by the highest bidder. Yes, the wealthy had enormous control for decades after the establishment of this country, but the room for growth and new frontiers eased the disenchantment, while providing new places for the independent minded.Today, the country is interconnected as never before and information spreads with the speed of light. Today, the picture of inequality is literally in your face every day via TV or social media. Will most people acquiesce in their slow loss of rights and their continued downward spiral financially for themselves and their children? Do the Art Pope’s and Koch brothers, et al, think that they know what is best for all of us? Possibly, but the history of the world is generally not one that should lead them to sleep well. Somehow I don’t think the people in this country can be reduced to peasants doing as the wealthy expect and demand.
Thomas: Why don’t be just have a bidding war? Put each state office (governor, state legislature, judges and the like) up for sale and let those with enough money bid on them. The highest (or should it be the lowest?) bid wins. We could auction off these offices and save all the trouble we have with this messy democracy. N’est-ce pas?
But wouldn’t that put campaign consultants out of business? Or perhaps they could be hired to do the bidding.