‘MONEY FOLLOWS POWER:’ The totals rolling into Indiana’s race for secretary of state are nearly twice those of recent elections.
The following report was written by Indiana journalists Barb Berggoetz and Steve Hinnefeld for The Indiana Citizen. November 3, 2022 Indiana’s hotly contested and closely watched campaign for secretary of state has drawn more than $2 million in contributions – far more than recent contests for the sometimes overlooked state office. Republican Diego Morales has brought in over $1.2 million, much of it in five- and six-figure contributions from businesses and the state GOP. The amount is comparable to the total raised by all candidates in each of the past two campaigns for the office, $1.3 million in 2014 and…
ANALYSIS: Bringing up the rear
This analysis by Julia Vaughn, executive director of Common Cause Indiana, was originally published by the Indiana Capital Chronicle and is republished according to Indiana Capital Chronicle republishing guidelines. In Indiana, there’s been no serious effort to reform campaign finance laws since the mid-1990s and neglecting the issue has gained us another Hall of Shame moment. A recent study published by the nonpartisan Coalition for Integrity ranked Indiana’s campaign finance laws 51st, weaker than every other state and the District of Columbia. From transparency to enforcement, Indiana’s score was eight points lower than next-to-worst Utah. It’s both embarrassing and outrageous. Why does it matter?…
WE’RE DEAD LAST: Study calls Indiana’s campaign finance laws the weakest in the nation
When it comes to transparency and the regulation of contributions to political campaigns, Indiana ranks last in the nation, according to a first-ever analysis by the nonpartisan Coalition for Integrity. The nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C. ranked states based on 10 criteria for its State Campaign Finance Index 2022, and Indiana scored a 38.33 out of 100. The state of Washington topped the list at 83.99. Coalition for Integrity takes into account who is in charge of election laws in each state; the amount of money individuals, corporations and unions can give to candidates or political parties; and the disclosure…
The big money behind the big campaigns: A report from The Indiana Citizen
In our continuing mission to provide accurate and impartial information about the civic life of Indiana, The Indiana Citizen is reporting on the money contributed to the campaigns of key state officials in 2020, based upon the latest round of campaign finance reports filed with the Indiana Secretary of State. The following report was written by veteran Indiana journalists Janet Williams and Bob Caylor for The Indiana Citizen. For more information: A very basic primer on Indiana campaign finance February 16, 2021 *** Indiana’s 2020 election cycle drew huge sums of money into the campaigns for governor, attorney general and…
A very basic primer on Indiana campaign finance
To accompany The Indiana Citizen’s reporting on campaign finance, the following is a brief summary written by retired lawyer Bill Moreau, co-founder and president of the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation and publisher of The Indiana Citizen. February 16, 2021 *** When you read information about political contributions governed exclusively by Indiana law, you will see some very large amounts. Your reaction might be, “Can this possibly be legal?” The answer is almost certainly, “Yes.” The Indiana General Assembly establishes by statute the limitations, if any, on political contributions. Notice the “if any.” The General Assembly has placed annual limitations on…
Campaign finance and the General Assembly: A report from The Indiana Citizen
In our continuing mission to provide voters with accurate and impartial information, The Indiana Citizen is reporting on the money spent by their campaign committees, based upon the latest round of campaign finance reports filed with the Indiana Secretary of State. The following report, focusing on campaigns for the Indiana General Assembly, was written by veteran Indiana journalists Greg Weaver and Bob Caylor for The Indiana Citizen. *** If you’re looking for the seat in the Indiana House of Representatives that was the hardest-fought of 2020 -- the most expensive contest among the 100 House districts -- you won’t…