📣The NYS Senate + Assembly included full funding ($116.1M) for the state’s landmark Public Campaign Finance Program, matching Gov. Hochul’s executive budget proposal. This support signifies an investment in civic participation at a time when American democracy really needs it.

In a new high (low?) for the super PAC era, the pro-Trump MAGA Inc. raised $305 million AFTER the last election Trump can run in. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

Sixteen years ago today, #SCOTUS handed down its infamous Citizens United ruling that ignited a rush of money into American politics. This decision has since dangerously expanded the already outsized political power of the wealthiest donors in our elections. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Americans face a fusion of public power and private wealth to a degree not seen in the past century, if ever. Our latest report outlines nine solutions to combat corruption. Far-reaching reforms are long-overdue. bit.ly/4r62EnZ

NYC voters are deciding on a ballot measure aimed at shifting odd-year city elections to even years. Such a change would increase voter turnout and save the city millions of dollars. bit.ly/3WsjJes

President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao who pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023. Binance is also reportedly a major supporter of the Trump family's World Liberty Financial. www.wsj.com/finance/curr...

📢ICYMI: Today, the New York Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a state law moving many county and town elections outside of New York City to even-numbered years. This is a huge win for New York’s democracy. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

📣NEW: Large majority of New York voters (64%) support the state’s historic small donor public financing program. This support spans across party lines and all corners of the state, from Rochester to Riverhead. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

📣ICYMI: The NYC Charter Revision Commission is moving forward with a ballot proposal that would shift NYC elections to even-numbered years, aligning with the presidential cycle. This marks a crucial step forward for the city’s democracy. www.nyc.gov/assets/chart...

Big money is flooding this year’s state elections starting with the New Jersey gubernatorial race. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

The Governor, Senate, & Assembly have committed to fully funding NY’s Public Campaign Finance Program, but now, more than two weeks past the budget deadline, there are rumors that some lawmakers want to change the program in ways that would undermine its purpose.

In a joint letter with @aclu.org, @lwvsf.bsky.social, NAACP and NAACP LDF, we explained to the Election Assistance Commission why it would be unlawful for them to follow the president's recent exec order—which could block millions from voting—and urged them to stand firm and comply with the law. 1/4

The main thing to know about the Trump Executive Order on Elections is that it is a massive overreach and will certainly end up in court before much of it can be executed. But on substance, a couple of points...

Does evidence that small donors play some role in polarization tell us that small donors--or public financing programs that empower them--are bad? Nope, small donors are still good for democracy… 🧵

NEW: the NYS Senate and Assembly have included $114.5 million for public campaign financing in their one-house budgets, matching Gov. Hochul’s executive budget proposal. This commitment to full funding will ensure the state’s historic program can keep delivering benefits to everyday New Yorkers.

In bad news for election security, the Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday it's cutting $10 million in funding to the Center for Internet Security.

No surprise to see Elon Musk, the president’s top campaign donor and right-hand-man, at the address tonight. Musk spent almost $270M to help elect the president and has promised to keep spending big to promote his allies—all thanks to Citizens United. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

"Campaign financing made up of small contributions and the public matching funds they unlocked was 45% of overall funding in the 2024 cycle, whereas small contributions made up just 5% of campaign financing in prior cycles before the public funding was available." readsludge.com/2025/02/27/n...

You might think Trump's claim to economic populism would mean he'd like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. His move to shut down the CFPB seems to align with what some of his biggest donors want. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

A must-read from @eepetry.bsky.social on how to uncover corruption and self-dealing at the federal level in this critical moment for our democracy ⤵️

When it comes to presidential politics, it’s a billionaire’s world. But the 2024 elections in New York showed another way is possible. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

Important read from my colleagues @larrynorden.bsky.social and Derek Tisler on the latest moves in Washington to erode key safeguards that protect election infrastructure. ⤵️

1/ Elon Musk is accessing private government systems and shutting agencies, seemingly w/o regard for his massive conflicts of interest. The power of money in US politics is nothing new. But today it is *different* than what we have seen before. To fix the problem we need to understand what’s changed

Since the Supreme Court decided Citizens United 15 years ago, the ultrawealthy have fueled campaigns and drowned out small donations from everyday Americans. But New York State is showing the country how to meet this moment: small donor public financing. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Here are some of the outcomes of NY’s small donor matching program’s inaugural run: ✔️Candidates relied more on small donations from constituents ✔️Small donors’ participation boomed ✔️328 candidates from both parties signed up for the program, representing the vast majority of legislative candidates

In the last election, New York implemented the most powerful response to the big money politics of Citizens United: public financing. Under the program, small donors in a candidate’s district became a more important source than large donors or corporations. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Yesterday marked 15 years since the Citizens United ruling that swept away key limits on political spending, vastly expanding the role of big money in politics. Here @brennancenter.bsky.social shows how forces unleashed by the decision defined the 2024 election. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

NEW from the Brennan Center: Citizens United, the controversial Supreme Court decision that led to the rise of super PACd and dark money, turns 15 this month. The decision shaped the 2024 campaign like no other before. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

The excesses of money in politics in the 2024 election💸started with the🏛️Citizens United🏛️decision, which turns 15 this month.🎂We may have forgotten, but almost all this craziness was illegal in 2010. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...