Card clubs and other special interests give to Jerry Brown charities

In the nearly three years since he took office, California Attorney General Jerry Brown has raised nearly $10-million for charities he oversees, including more than $100,000 from gambling establishments regulated by his office. Five Los Angeles-area “card clubs” have donated to two Bay Area charter schools that Mr. Brown founded during his tenure as mayor of Oakland. Corporate giants such as Pacific Gas & Electric, AT&T, and Wal-Mart have given $50,000 or more to the schools. Mr. Brown, a two-time Democratic presidential candidate and former California governor who is viewed as a leading candidate to reclaim his old job in next year’s state elections, said the donations have no effect on his public work, asserting, “I have an unimpeachable record of integrity.”

Full text of this article by Shane Goldmacher is available via the Los Angeles Times, 11/3/09.

Cuomo's pay-to-play rap for nonprofits

Dozens of New York State charities have been ordered by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to take back illegal political contributions or risk losing their tax-exempt status. A spokesman for Mr. Cuomo’s office said an investigation found “widespread” donations by nonprofit groups to candidates and officeholders, including state legislators and New York City Council members, in violation of federal and state law. Many of the groups reportedly received government grants arranged by the politicians they supported.

Full-text post by Fredric Dicker and Sally Goldenberg is available via the New York Post, 10/23/09.

Corzine reveals donations by his foundation

Under pressure from his Republican challenger, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has released details of his charitable foundation’s giving for the past year. The more than $3-million in donations benefited community organizations, African-American churches, cultural groups, and foundations, some with ties to New Jersey power brokers and to the head of the state’s Black Ministers Council, who last week endorsed the incumbent Democrat. Republican candidate Chris Christie pressed Mr. Corzine to release the records, claiming that much of Corzine’s philanthropy is politically motivated. The Corzine campaign had originally planned to make the foundation records public after the election.

Full-text post by Chris Megerian is available via The Star-Ledger, 10/22/09.

Vast Obama Network Becomes a Political Football

It is the biggest and broadest American political force ever created -- a vast, electronically linked network of activists, neighborhood organizers and volunteers who raised record amounts of money and propelled Barack Obama to the White House.

Full-text article by Peter Wallsten and Tom Hamburger is available via the Los Angeles Times, 11.14.08.

Debate on Economy Grows More Urgent

A surprisingly bleak employment report sent tremors through Washington and roiled the presidential campaign recently, infusing new urgency into the debate over how to reverse an accelerating economic slide and fueling a political contest over who to blame for it.

Full-text article by Peter Baker is available via The Washington Post, 3.8.08.