A widespread mistrust of experts can lead to political decisions, like Brexit, that might have negative consequences for the very people who vote for them. How to fix it?
Read more
Campaign Financing Capture Index: A Third of Hillary Clinton’s Fundraising Comes from Big Donors
The presumptive Democratic nominee has raised 30.5 percent of her campaign contributions from donors who gave more than $100,000. Donald Trump, on the other hand, got 3.8 percent percent of his contributions from large donors.
Read more
Campaign Financing Capture Index: Out of the Remaining Presidential Candidates, Clinton Relies Most on Big Donors
Clinton’s main super PAC, Priorities USA Action, raised $8.5 millions in April. Bernie Sanders remains the only one of the remaining three candidates to not receive six-figure donations
Read more
Campaign Financing Capture Index: Historical Comparison Shows the Extent of Growth in Political Contributions From Big Donors
More than a third of total contributions raised by presidential candidates from both parties in the 2016 race come from donors who gave more than $5,000. At this point in the 2008 race, presidential candidates raised only $3.1 million from big donors.
Read more
Campaign Financing Capture Index: Record Concentration of Political Donors
41.3 percent of the money raised by the Cruz campaign and by PACs and Super PACs backing his candidacy came from donors who gave more than $100,000.
Read more
Campaign Financing Capture Index: Candidates on Fundraising Spree Attract Millions from Big Donors
With Marco Rubio out of the race, Ted Cruz is now the candidate with the largest fraction of political contributions over $5,000. Before dropping out, Rubio received 52 percent of his funds from donors contributing over $100,000.
Read more
Stigler Center Survey Reveals: Majority of Americans Concerned About the Influence of Campaign Donors on Candidates
Survey: 57 percent of Americans believe candidates who take money from big businesses, unions and special interest groups are under their control.
Read more
Donald Trump, Crony Capitalist
The sleep of reason produces monsters, at least according to Spanish painter Francisco Goya. What happens when the political reason is intoxicated by vested interests and corrupt campaign financing? The monsters it produces are even more frightening. This is my interpretation of the rise of Donald Trump, as I write in my latest New York Times Op-Ed.
Read more
Campaign Financing Capture Index
The first part of the new project by the Stigler Center on the influence of money on politics: of the remaining presidential candidates, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz rank highest on the Capture Index
Read more