The Minneapolis-based retailer spent less on traditional lobbying but about the same if its $1M gift to President Donald Trump’s inaugural fund is counted.

MAGA Inc. has relied on multimillion-dollar donors to raise an unprecedented amount in support of a lame duck president.

The 2026 primaries will likely see even bigger levels of corporate and issue-based PAC spending. But there may be diminishing returns on these investments.

The 2010 Supreme Court decision further tilted political influence toward wealthy donors and corporations.

Trump is running a private equity playbook on Venezuela

Well into his second term, the president and his allies have continued aggressively raising money. Many donors have interests before his administration, The Times found.

The justices will hear arguments on Tuesday in NRSC v. FEC, a case cooked up by the GOP itself.

Washington hasn’t seen graft like this for at least a century.

Federal lawmakers can protect the American public by passing a new law to fully implement the Constitution’s oldest anticorruption safeguards.

Federal lawmakers can protect the American public by passing a new law to fully implement the Constitution’s oldest anticorruption safeguards.

The pardon follows months of efforts by Changpeng Zhao to boost the Trump family’s own crypto company.

Listen to this episode from The Briefing with Michael Waldman on Spotify. We are living in a new era of corruption, one that combines personal self-dealing and vast funds pouring into the political process. Whether it’s the crypto industry dominating Congress, the world’s wealthiest man bankrolling the winning presidential campaign, regulatory decisions used to pressure businesses, or the government quashing the bribery investigation of a top official, public power and private gain are fusing into one. Experts lay out a plan to end the culture of kleptocracy. Speakers:Jane Mayer, Staff Writer, The New YorkerDaniel I. Weiner, Director, Elections and Government Program, Brennan CenterHost, Michael Waldman, President and CEOIf you enjoy this program, please give us a boost by liking it, subscribing, and sharing it with your friends. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, please give it a five-star rating. Recorded on October 15, 2025.Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing, at https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

Our new recurring feature covers key stories from the world of campaign finance and influence buying, from the AI industry to super PAC support for a lame-duck president.

I asked Dan Weiner of the Brennan Center to write a bit about the interesting position they’ve taken in the NRSC campaign finance case. Here is his guest post: On Monday the Brennan Center for Justice...

Experts lay out a plan to end the culture of kleptocracy.

Mounting forces of violence and fundraising pressure have made Congress increasingly inhospitable to change.

All practicing lawyers within and outside the government are bound by ethical rules, standards, and commitments that protect against abuses of power.