There Is No Debate: Mitt Romney Would Raise Taxes There Is No Debate: Mitt Romney Would Raise Taxes
Everyone's talking about how Romney won’t name the tax deductions he will reduce—but he’s named three.
Oct 3, 2012 / George Zornick
Mortgage Fraud Task Force Takes On JPMorgan Chase Mortgage Fraud Task Force Takes On JPMorgan Chase
A new civil filing in New York alleges that the bank’s subsidiaries engaged in widespread securities fraud before the financial collapse.
Oct 2, 2012 / George Zornick
So Allen West Wants to Talk About His Military Record… So Allen West Wants to Talk About His Military Record…
Representative Allen West is hitting his opponent for a 2003 arrest—but there’s a much uglier blot on his own record.
Sep 28, 2012 / George Zornick
GOP Candidates Feeling Pressure From NRSC’s Flirtation With Akin GOP Candidates Feeling Pressure From NRSC’s Flirtation With Akin
Senators who raised money for the national party will be in tough spot should it back Todd Akin again.
Sep 27, 2012 / George Zornick
GOP Unlikely to Help Akin—Will It Matter? GOP Unlikely to Help Akin—Will It Matter?
The national party isn’t likely to come back, leaving Akin with a coalition of hard-right funders.
Sep 26, 2012 / George Zornick
Mitt Romney Embraces Campaign Finance Reform Mitt Romney Embraces Campaign Finance Reform
Today at the Education Nation forum, Mitt Romney finally admitted that money distorts our democracy by improperly influencing politicians, and causing them to ignore their constituents in favor of powerful donors. He even called for action to end this problem, saying it’s “the wrong way for us to go.” Alas, the “powerful donors” that distressed Romney were teachers. His remarks, via Raw Story: “We simply can’t have a setup where the teachers unions can contribute tens of millions of dollars to the campaigns of politicians and then those politicians, when elected, stand across from them at the bargaining table, supposedly to represent the interests of the kids. I think it’s a mistake. I think we’ve got to get the money out of the teachers unions going into campaigns. It’s the wrong way for us to go. We’ve got to separate that.” By saying massive donations can skew political priorities, and saying “we’ve got to get the money out,” Romney is essentially endorsing the intellectual framework of opposition to Citizens United, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts influencing elections. Strange, because he has called Citizens United the “correct decision,” and even thinks corporations should be able to write unlimited checks to his campaign instead of bothering with outside groups. Apparently, it’s just the pernicious influence of educators Romney is worried about—not corporations. (Note that the AFT and NEA engage in relatively paltry outside spending, and also disclose their donors). For more on Mitt Romney’s disingenuity, read Ben Adler’s check on the candidate’s miserly donations to charity.
Sep 25, 2012 / George Zornick
The Massachusetts Senate Race Gets Ugly, Fast The Massachusetts Senate Race Gets Ugly, Fast
Video surfaced of Brown staffers firing up supporters by making "war whoops" and "tomahawk chops."
Sep 25, 2012 / George Zornick
Romney Tax Returns: Days Late, Dollars Short, Still Incomplete Romney Tax Returns: Days Late, Dollars Short, Still Incomplete
Romney’s tax returns reveal he pays a lower rate than typical middle-class families—and there's a lot we still don’t know.
Sep 21, 2012 / George Zornick
McCaskill’s First Debate Tars Akin As Extreme McCaskill’s First Debate Tars Akin As Extreme
The incumbent Democrat used the "legitimate rape" comments to paint a broader picture of Akin's views.
Sep 21, 2012 / George Zornick
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi: Free Pussy Riot Myanmar’s Suu Kyi: Free Pussy Riot
The pro-democracy leader called for the release of the popular Russian resistance rockers.
Sep 20, 2012 / George Zornick