Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years for corruption

2011-12-07T15:30:32Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for political corruption including attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by then pre...

Blagojevich lawyers ask for mercy in sentencing

2011-12-06T19:00:06Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Lawyers for disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich asked a federal judge on Tuesday to show mercy in sentencing him for his federal conviction on multiple corruption counts.

The lawyers said Blagojevich did not profit personally from his con...

NYC comptroller's lawyer quits amid donor probe

2011-11-17T18:00:09Z

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A prominent lawyer tapped by New York City Comptroller John Liu to review questions about Liu's fund-raising abruptly quit the probe on Thursday, a potential setback to the comptroller's ambitions to succeed Nevada has sanctioned killing black bears, but Moose hunting is still banned.Yes, whip out your crossbows, train them on lumbering animals guilty of nothing and shoot to kill. But if you are an elusive political animal who takes campaign money, does not disclose it and puts the cash in his personal account, have no fear: You're safe from harm.

Attorney Ge...

Obama recruits more big cash donors for re-election

2011-10-14T16:30:12Z

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The number of donors who raise big money for President Barack Obama jumped in the last three months as he builds a war chest for what will likely be the costliest presidential election ever.

At least forty-one people have raised at least half a mil...

Perry raises $17 million in first campaign period

2011-10-05T10:30:28Z

WASHINGTON/AUSTIN (Reuters) - Texas Governor Rick Perry raised $17 million in his first fundraising quarter since joining the race for the Republican presidential nomination, the campaign said on Wednesday, likely topping rival Mitt Romney for the period.

Perry's camp also r...

Big Republican donors wait on Perry-Romney duel

2011-09-14T13:30:36Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Big Republican donors are still undecided on Rick Perry or Mitt Romney as their party's best chance to defeat President Barack Obama in the November 2012 presidential election....

Republican group hauls $25 million for 2012 election

2011-09-02T12:00:22Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major Republican-linked fundraising group has amassed $25 million so far this year to finance its attacks on President Barack Obama and other Democrats in the 2012 elections.

American Crossroads, conceived by Republic...

Starbucks CEO urges halt to U.S. political donations

2011-08-15T16:00:17Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp Chief Executive Howard Schultz is winning support for his call to withhold political contributions from U.S. lawmakers until they strike a...

Groups filing FEC, DOJ complaint on Pro-Romney mystery million

2011-08-05T11:00:25Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two campaign finance watchdogs are asking the Federal Election Commission and Department of Justice to investigate a $1 million donation given to a pro-President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign fundraising is off to a roaring start, reaping $86 million last quarter -- a blistering pace exceeding even the one set during his record-breaking 2008 White House run.

In a video message sent to supporters early Wednesday, Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina

Obama helps Democrats outpace Republican fundraising

2011-06-20T11:30:16Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats beat Republicans in the race for campaign dollars during May, as the president stepped up fundraising ahead of the 2...

Dallas chooses ex-Pizza Hut executive as next mayor

2011-06-18T21:00:09Z

DALLAS (Reuters) - Dallas voters chose a former pizza chain executive over an ex-police chief on Saturday as the city's new mayor.

Mike Rawlings, the former chief executive who was credited with reversing the fortune of the Pizza Hut chain, won the support of voters apparen...

Obama order on contractor donations feared stalled

2011-06-14T14:30:13Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is under pressure from consumer activists to follow through with its plan to force government contractors to disclose their political contributions, a rule that companies say will politicize awards of government business.

Consumer group

Corruption case against former governor goes to jury

2011-06-09T16:30:13Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Rod Blagojevich may have talked a lot and sought campaign money, but he didn't do anything illegal, his lawyer told a federal jury on Thursday.

"He didn't commit one crime," attorney Aaron Goldstein told jurors in closing arguments in Blago...

Blagojevich 'flagrantly' violated law, prosecutor says

2011-06-08T18:30:13Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A prosecutor on Wednesday compared Rod Blagojevich to a dirty cop shaking down a motorist for money over a speeding ticket, and told the jury in closing trial arguments that the former Illinois gove...

Blagojevich quizzed on alleged Jackson deal

2011-06-07T16:31:03Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Prosecutors ended their cross examination of Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday by pressing the former Illinois governor to explain whether he was considering a deal worth $1.5 million in campaign contribut...

Former Ill. Gov. Blagojevich takes stand in own defense

2011-05-26T17:30:12Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Taking the stand in his own defense in his federal corruption trial, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday denied allegations that he tried to shake down business executives in exchange for official action during his six years in office.

Test...

Blagojevich defense promises "prominent" witnesses

2011-05-24T18:30:32Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Attorneys for Rod Blagojevich promised to call "prominent" witnesses as early as Wednesday when they begin presenting the defense of the former Illinois governor charged with using his office for pe...

Blagojevich linked signing law to political cash: aide

2011-05-17T16:30:08Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich delayed signing a law favorable to the horse racing industry to put pressure on a racetrack owner to raise $100,000 in political donations in 2008, a former advisor to the governor testified on Tuesday.

Lon Mon...

Blagojevich trial hears differing views on alleged favors

2011-05-16T18:00:12Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did not want to mix fundraising and governing, a former aide said on Monday, but other witnesses said political donations and government favors were linked.

The admission from former aide John Wym...

Blagojevich aide testifies about ex-governor's greed

2011-05-03T15:00:47Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Rod Blagojevich's former top aide testified on Tuesday that he was asked by the Illinois governor what Barack Obama's vacant Sena...

Ex-governor Blagojevich wanted cash: prosecutor

2011-05-02T17:00:14Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich sold his office to meet pressing debts and sought to trade President Barack Obama's old ...

Group says Pa. governor advisers tied to shale problems

2011-04-27T15:00:29Z

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - An environmental group said on Wednesday that nearly half of the violations in the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation last year were committed by companies whose representatives sit on ...

Second Blagojevich corruption trial begins

2011-04-20T15:30:13Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The second corruption trial of disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich got under way on Wednesday with prospective jurors filling out questionnaires.

The two-term Democrat is charged with selling his office, including attempts to sell <...

Ex-Illinois governor faces second corruption trial

2011-04-20T05:30:16Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich goes on trial on Wednesday for a second time on charges he sold his office, including attempts to sell President Barack Obama's vacant Sena...

How to spend a billion: Obama will lavish on ads

2011-04-06T13:00:11Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - How do you spend a billion dollars?

President Barack Obama's campaign will lay out a huge amount of money to try to ensure he wins re-election in 2012, with many estimating that he will raise a record $1 billion.

But abandon romantic notions that the cash will go mostly to connect with voters at...

Secretary of state pulls no punches in Reid probe

2011-03-29T03:32:37Z

If anyone thought Ross Miller was going to fake it, think again.The Democratic secretary of state, asked to investigate the son of the most powerful Democrat in the country not residing on Pennsylvania Avenue, is hardly shirking his duty. Miller sent a letter to former gubernatorial hopeful Rory Reid and his accomplices Friday as he began a probe into a campai...

Supreme Court considers Arizona campaign finance law

2011-03-28T10:00:25Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court considered on Monday its first campaign finance case since ruling last year that corporations have the free-speech right to spend freely to support or oppose federal candidates.

The justices appeared divided along conservative-liberal lines in hearing arguments about an APNewsBreak: Federal authorities investigate Delaware Republican O'Donnell's campaign spending

A person with knowledge of a federal campaign-finance investigation says a criminal probe has been opened into whether Delaware Republican Christine O'Donnell broke the law by using campaign money to pay personal expenses.

The person sp...

Gov't had 'extreme interest' in Steinbrenner probe

2010-12-23T09:30:22Z

Special prosecutor expressed 'extreme interest' in Steinbrenner campaign contribution probe

Newly released documents show the special prosecutor in the Watergate case expressed "extreme interest" in a 1970s criminal investigation of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for illegal...

Complaint says Rangel improperly paid legal fees

2010-12-07T11:00:41Z

Group critical of Rangel says censured congressman improperly paid legal fees from PAC

A nonprofit group has complained to the Federal Election Commission that censured Rep. Charles Rangel of New York improperly paid legal bills from a political action committee.

The National ...

PCMA Announces Host City Charities for 2011 Meeting

2010-11-30T12:39:15Z

...

Ohio gov.-elect names head of workers' comp bureau

2010-11-29T14:45:27Z

...

AP Source: Ex-NC gov. expected to enter plea deal

2010-11-22T16:00:22Z

AP Source: Former NC Gov Mike Easley expected to enter plea deal in campaign finance probe

A person with knowledge of an investigation into the campaign finances of former North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley says he is expected to enter into a plea deal Tuesday in state court.

The person spoke to The Associated Press

Ex-NC gov. expected to enter plea deal

2010-11-29T14:41:13Z

...

FEC won't punish Ensign for cash to mistress

2010-11-19T14:00:37Z

FEC drops watchdog group's complaint against Ensign over his parents' payment to his mistress

The Federal Election Commission has dismissed a campaign finance watchdog group's complaint against Sen. John Ensign over a $96,000 payment his parents made to his former mistress and her family.

...

NJ Rep.'s campaign: Feds investigating ex-worker

2010-11-16T09:30:38Z

US Rep. LoBiondo's campaign says feds are investigating former campaign worker

Federal investigators are looking into "an issue with a former campaign worker," a New Jersey congressman's campaign said.

Amended finance reports filed last month by the Republican U.S. Rep. Frank ...

John Hugya

2010-11-30T13:52:37Z

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Obama Illinois Senate

2010-08-05T13:45:37Z

Illinois Democratic Senate Candidate Alexi Giannoulias takes the stage during a Democratic fundraiser, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, at the Palmer House in Chicago. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Obama

2010-07-26T13:01:01Z

President Barack Obama speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 26, 2010, to discuss campaign finance reform. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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Republican Spending Winery

2010-04-06T14:18:17Z

The Boyden Valley Winery is seen in Cambridge, Vt., Tuesday, April 6, 2010. The Federal Election Commission filing doesn't say whether the "office supplies" were a merlot, a chardonnay or a pinot noir. But it does say the Republican National Committee spent $982 on items it...

Campaign Finance

2010-06-25T21:06:01Z

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., left, accompanied by Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. talks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, to dicuss campaign finance reform after the Supreme Court ruling. (AP Photo/Lauren

APTOPIX Obama

2010-03-30T16:45:25Z

Supporters cheer as President Barack Obama speaks at a Democratic fundraiser in Miami, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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Reform Campaign Finance