chair of the california fair political practices commission and currently vice chair of the federal election commission. thank you for joining us. >> thank you, mr. chairman. ranking member roberts, and senator udall. thank you for inviting me to testify today. as indicated i am the vice chair of the federal election commission, but i am not testifying in that capacity today. nor am i speaking for the commission. instead, my testimony concerns a case pursued during my tenure as chair of the california fair political practices commission, fppc, to expose dark money in a california election. fppc versus americans for responsible leadership and i'm going to use the word of the day, is a byzantine story of campaign contributions being funneled all over the country in an apparent effort to avoid revealing to the public who is behind political campaigns. we discovered that networks of nonprofits, anonymously injected millions of dollars into our election by using shell corporate entities, wire transfers, and fund swapping. this allowed donors to skirt disclosure laws and cloak their identities from the publi

chair of the california fair political practices commission and currently vice chair of the federal election commission. thank you for joining us. >> thank you, mr. chairman. ranking member roberts, and senator udall. thank you for inviting me to testify today. as indicated i am the vice chair of the federal election commission, but i am not testifying in that capacity today. nor am i speaking for the commission. instead, my testimony concerns a case pursued during my tenure as chair of the california fair political practices commission, fppc, to expose dark money in a california election. fppc versus americans for responsible leadership and i'm going to use the word of the day, is a byzantine story of campaign contributions being funneled all over the country in an apparent effort to avoid revealing to the public who is behind political campaigns. we discovered that networks of nonprofits, anonymously injected millions of dollars into our election by using shell corporate entities, wire transfers, and fund swapping. this allowed donors to skirt disclosure laws and cloak their identities from the publi

it is not the fault of the courts or the federal election commission. it is the direct consequence of the poor decision congress made when it passed the mccain-feingold bill. i opposed that bill. it would restrict people's rights to participate in the political process. it would simply divert money out of the system to other avenues. supporters of the bill of course denied it and assured us that it would not happen, that our system would be better. it should be clear know who was right and wrong. rather than admit they were wrong the proponents have just proposed new regulations. because the courts have properly found much of their last efforts to be unconstitutional they have proposed new regulatory schemes under the guise of disclosure. no longer able to simply prohibit speech, they do not like, they seek to prevent it by imposing onerous disclosure requirements on those who wish to speak. respectfully, as we consider suggestions for ways to improve the system of last people we should be asking for a device at this hearing are those who helped write t

. >>> the federal election commission unanimously approved the use of bitcoins for political donations, but the fcc wants campaign treasurers to make sure they're vetted to avoid any evidence of illegality. >>> the nfl draft and all the sports highlights. we'll be right back. >>> this morning on "today," loving the skin you are in. how one woman's mission to show the world what real weight loss looks like went viral. she is live in studio with a big announcement. >>> now to sports. and the first round of the nfl draft. giant men with tears of joy. as expected, the houston texans chose jadeveon clowney as the number one overall draft pick. he goes number one. some other notables, the bills traded up to the fourth spot to claim sammy watkins. earlier in the day, eblanc proposed to his girlfriend. check this out. how sweet. >>> after seeing teammates chosen ahead of him, johnny manziel got called up as the 22nd pick to the cleveland browns. rounds two and three of the nfl draft are tonight. >>> now to the nba, in san antonio, a shocking surprise for trailblazers forward thomas robinson be

earlier this month the federal election commission voted to allow bitcoin political donations. >>> heres another sign it's election season. joe biden is paying a fund raiding visit to the bay area. a week from tomorrow he'll attend an afternoon reception. the priciest ticket to meet the vice president is 10,000 bucks. it's very intimate with attendance capped at 50 people. >>> we separated a space scientist who spent decades to make a big discovery. >> richard vogh is an undergraduate. not only does neither of them yet have a college degree, michael has taken a sum total of one astrophysics class. that didn't stop them for shooting from the stars and finding them. >> reporter: they're no longer made looking at an observatory. they are made crunching numbers on a computer. it's why within assistant san jose state physics and astronomy professor wanted to teach an eager student how to find a newly discovered type of galaxy he pointed him not to a telescope but a set of data. it took that student about a year to learn how to even do the search but when he did earlier this year. >> it was t

pointed out that not all congressmen use the their pacs for their personal benefit, but the federal election commission abuse "substantial." its former chairman, trevor potter, says the commission has consistently recommended to congress that it outlaw the personal use of leadership pacs. and what's happened to that recommendation? >> potter: nothing. you know, it enters a black hole. >> kroft: that's because the leadership pacs have become a political annuity for congress that members can cash in when they leave office, or hold onto for the future. >> potter: what you see more often is that members will keep the leadership pac, and they will use it in retirement for everything that is vaguely a political expense. if they become a lobbyist, which about half of members who leave congress do nowadays, that becomes their lobbying slush fund. it just keeps going, at least until death. >> kroft: and even beyond death. >> potter: well, even beyond death, someone else is spending that money. >> kroft: when republican congressman paul gillmor of ohio died suddenly from a heart attack in 2007, his staff decided

." >>> federal election commission has unanimously decided that bit coin donations can be received asns. >>> voter i.d. law that requires state residents to show further identification. >>> tea party has lost some steam over the last four years. among republicans, support has dropped to 4 %, down from 51% in 2010 and support nationwide has dropped to 22% from 32%. senate majority leader harry reid doesn't appear to be on the 2016 band wagon just yet. he told nbc's chuck todd he loves the clintons but wouldn't say if he wants hillary to be the 2016 nominee. >> i believe that the primary with obama and clinton was an extremely healthy process. i think it was wonderful. >> and you can catch more of chuck todd's exclusive interview on "the daily rundown" at 9:00 am eastern. >>> most admired first lady over the last 25 years? nbc news/wall street journal poll finds it's a tie between barbara bush and hillary clinton for 27%, michelle obama comes in next at 24% and laura bush has 17%. if we look at just michelle obama and hillary clinton, there is a narrow 3%. >>> state senator dan patrick.

we have had the supreme court rulings, but the federal election commission has issued regulations that basically have narrowed disclosure to a level that is almost absurdly impossible to meet. people giving money specifically for an advertisement. i know that you see it as a vote best the federal election commission. you're a very litigious guy. and repeated instances you have and judges have rebuffed those regulations. but in this particular case the district court judges so and then the panel of the d.c. circuit sent it back. did you talk for just a couple of minutes about the destruction of the federal election commission and its role in the problems that we had but also the state of play in that particular -- >> and let me start with the latter. you are right best, we essentially won the case at the district court level. on appeal the court actually found against us in part but then sent the case back to the federal district court level to look at the other piece of the case. in fact, it is spending as we are gathered here now, and we have some hope and optimism that the, you know,

federal election commission, no. 12-536 >> public comment? >> we need a motion for go into closed session? >> the public comment on the motion? >> is there a motion to move into closed session? >> so moved. >> second. >> public comment on the closed session? >> i think that it absolutely makes sense for you to hold the close session, i just wanted to comment on what i understand as the implications of it and i hope that you will consider what legislation that you might bring before the board of supervisors to amend it in relation to the aggregate contribution limits that you might have options, and analyze what those options might be, and both in the near term and in the other implications. and long term and that you would not decide in closed session to pursue any of those tonight but that will bring those back to the commission before further discussion before doing anything, legislatively, and considering the timing and the implication on elections that are already in progress with the aggregate limit that we have now. >> thank you. >> and

. ♪ >> this just in, the federal election commission has allowed -- voted to allow a political action to make decisions about bitcoin. there were lingering disputes and a long-running debate over how to deal with bitcoin transactions under federal campaign law. both republican and democratic commissioners were debating whether they should be subject to the $100 limit in place for cash comp pain country since. human services secretary kathleen sebelius on her way out, the nominee to take over the job sylvia mathews burwell -- sylvia mathews burwell testified for the first time. what did she have to say about the future of obamacare? >> this is still a very incendiary topic here in washington. she tried to walk a line. she defended the law in her testimony and said it would be her job if she is chosen to implement that law, but she also said she will be trying to engage both parties if she gets the job. even still, republicans on the committee, including lamar and scott, use this hearing to voice this -- their grievances. nozick tries is there. we also heard from democratic senator kay

the federal election commission and law, election law provide for them to one either a skeleton campaign committee, even if they are not running actively for office or sit on it for years, decades. >> how long? >> well, we have - you mentioned joe kennedy. he's sitting on $2.6 million for 15 years. he made no overtures of running for office. there's talk of him running for senate. he said he wasn't doing it. we tried to pursue him. we heard nothing back from him. other candidates too, people who were candidates, members of congress and said "well, i don't have plans for it now at all. i have no answer." do we have a sense of how much money the members of congress are holding on to? >> we do. when you add it up. there's nine of them with seven figures sitting in dormant campaign accounts. and a couple of dozen others. when you add it up, altogether it's nearing about $100 million. it's sitting there on the table, idling, collecting dust. spread over the country. we reached out to a lot of charities for the story and posed a simple question. and said "what would a million dollars do for yo

the federal election commission said michael moore could have his movie but citizens united couldn'tow the law plays out and seems to tilt one way and seems to tilt their way and now that the law has been removed and now that everyone can speak their mind, they don't like it. >> don, good to see you. thanks for being here. >> thank you. >> up next, a former bangle's cheerleader sues a website. what are your rights now if somebody says something about you online that is defamatory? we'll tell you why some lawyers are suggesting that ruling in this case could change the internet forever. ♪ [ female announcer ] there's a gap out there. ♪ that's keeping you apart from the healthcare you deserve. ♪ but if healthcare changes... ♪ ...if it becomes simpler... the gap begins to close. ♪ when frustration and paperwork decrease... when doctors are better connected... when grandparents get to live at home instead of in a home... ♪ ...the gap closes even more. ♪ and you begin to live a healthier, happier life. test test. ♪ let's close the gap between people and care. ♪ between people and care. th

>> absolutely sources on the ground here and talked to a former federal election commission source whoold me today secretive probe going on targeting conservatives for the last three years now. longer if you take a look back at the targeting of scott walker's former aides and assistants when he was the milwaukee county executive director. this really does change the i do mick on the ground. we will see how that plays out in a civil rights lawsuit that's been filed against the prosecutors in that john dough investigation. >> thank you, matt. and there is growing outrage around the world tonight after sudan sentence as 27-year-old pregnant woman execution. her crime? marrying a christian. ambassador john bolton is here to talk about that next. plus more trouble for former new england patriot aaron hernandez. prosecutors say the former nfl star was the gunman in a double murder. a live report from boston coming up. we are a collection of smalls. a home saved. a hero homebound for a new opportunity. a kitchen that kick starts careers wells fargo invests in our communities a little differen

the repeal of federal campaign finance laws and the immediate abolition of the despotic federal election commission, end of quote. they have come so far in 34 years that that is now the position of a number of republicans, including, as i understand it, the chairman of the national republican party. and what does that mean? it means that if you repeal all campaign finance laws, the koch brothers and other billionaires will not just be able to spend as much as they want on independent campaign expenditures. they will be able to give money directly to the candidates. the presiding officer: all time for debate has expired. mr. sanders: so let me conclude by saying i hope everybody pays attention to what the koch brothers stand for. and with that, i would yield the floor. the presiding officer: under the previous order, there will be two minutes of debate prior to a vote on the talwani nomination. mr. sanders: madam president, i would yield -- i would ask for unanimous consent to yield back time on both sides. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. the question occurs on the nomination.

the federal election commission said michael moore could have his movie but citizens united couldn'tou how the law plays out and seems to tilt one way and seems to tilt their way and now that the law has been removed and now that everyone can speak their mind, they don't like it. >> don, good to see you. thanks for being here. >> thank you. >> up next, a former bangle's cheerleader sues a website. what are your rights now if somebody says something about you online that is defamatory? we'll tell you why some lawyers are suggesting that ruling in this case could change the internet forever. ♪ don't miss a step... ♪ nothing's missed with tenatwist ♪ ♪ don't miss a beat... ♪ nothing's missed with tenatwist ♪ ♪ oooh discover the fearless protection of tena. so absorbent even when you twist not a drop escapes. ♪ nothing's missed with tenatwist ♪ where you've learned youa thing or two. age this is the age of knowing what you're made of. so why let erectile dysfunction get in your way? talk to your doctor about viagra. 20 million men already have. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy en

conservative faculty americas are at risk of becoming an endangered species according to federal election commissionmpaign contributions from ivy league faculty and employees went to barack obama. 96%. there was more disagreement among the old paul -- than it was among ivy league donors. >> i'm curious, just how many college campuses have you been on, mr. bloomberg, as of late? i think he got it all wrong. universities don't want to stamp out ideas. that's right. universities want ideas to progress. in the 2012 election liberals looked for a way to make america look better for everyone. conservatives looked to reagan. bloomberg endorsed president obama during the election he needs to remember why. if michael bloomberg thinks we'll believe conservatives are the victims he can keep on pretending. i don't just make things for a living i take pride in them. so when my moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis was also on display, i'd had it. i finally had a serious talk with my dermatologist. this time, he prescribed humira-adalimumab. humira helps to clear the surface of my skin by actually working i

this is an outrage in the 2012 presidential race, according to federal election commission data, 96%lty and employees went to barak obama. a liberal arts education must not be an education in the art of liberalism. >> he went on to say, there was more disagreement among the old soviet bureau than among ivy league donors. >> he's absolutely rate. he also talked about ray kelly, his police commissioner, who went to brown university seven months ago and hooted down by 100 students who were protesting just the fact that he was there. he said, what were the students afraid of hearing? why did administrators not step in to prevent the mob from silencing speech? look, when you're in a university, the whole idea is to open your mind. look at all the sides and for them to have such a narrow little lefty view of the world, is that money well spent? it certainly isn't time well spent. you want to hear it all. >> open your minds and welcome debate. just don't open up a big gulp and salty potato chips. >> i would take the days of debating the big gulp band to what we have now, allowing ferrets an

the organization, which is required to name names to the federal election commission has raised justors private is reportedly raising more cash than ever. tax exempt groups are expected to play an even larger role this time around. >> you're saying the harry reid strategy against the koch brothers is making american politics even less transparent? >> it appears it's pushing money into the darker corners of our system. >> still ahead, amazing for me, humble bee keeper. that's how i ran. that's how i started. >> you were a swashbuckler. >> i was a swashbuckler. i would go in to get products -- >> you need honey. >> we have somebody who is a humble bee keeper to being an international beauty product producer. the unlikely story of the man behind the multi-million dollar company bert's bees. as a matter of fact, i'm wearing it right now. up next, the chapter of hillary clinton book that's going to be the most important if she runs for president. but first, bill karins. the weather absolutely unbelievable. yesterday was one of the most beautiful october days we've had in may in a long tim

the federal election commission has given the green light for political campaigns to collect bitcoinnimous vote the fec said political action committees can accept donations of up to $100 worth of the virtual currency but must convert it into u.s. dollars. one of the first members of congress to turn bitcoins is colorado democrat jared polis joins us for a first on cnbc interview. good to see you congressman. >> good morning. >> why are you accepting bitcoins? because you yourself are a bitcoin believer? >> well, look, as somebody who runs for political office, i'm a believer in accepting help from those who want to help me and if some of them support my work in support of digital currencies and use digital currencies they ought to be able to support me with digital currencies. >> the reason i ask because of your background. you were an internet entrepreneur and you have a number of businesses related to the cloud and sitlycon valley. i wouldn't be surprised to hear you are a supporter yourself. >> we've been doing development work, getting ready for the decision, ready to go live wi

elections are multi-billion dollar industry according to federal election commission two thousand andelve stock candidates parties and outside groups spend a combined seven billion dollars according to the entire g.d.p. of the country of moldova the system is put the electoral process into the hands of a minuscule amount of. wealthy individuals but one man is standing up to big money in politics and the most ironic way possible with big money and politics yes on may first right now to academic and harvard professor lawrence lessig launched a crowd funded super pac that will invest in political candidates who promise to overturn the system of legalized bribery lessig super pac has already raised over half a million dollars in just five days and he joined me earlier to discuss it i started by asking him to break down the two stages of modern elections. basically what we've allowed to evolve in the american political system is the separation of two stages to get elected the first stage of candidates and incredible amounts of time raising money from a very tiny number of electoral votes w

button did actually link to an article called feds approved for campaign contributions the federal election commission unanimously approved its use as a political donation thursday after months of debate on the issue so however the commissioners impose several conditions among them no anonymous bitcoin contributions will be allowed in campaign treasurers must scrutinize the donations for a quote evidence of illegality oh yeah as a rear guard action they will attempt to contain bitcoin in a box and some way but that's impossible the same way that they could never contain p.g.p. file swapping but totally transformed the music industry continues to grow pirated so-called pirated p.g.p. file swapping is booming and. the intellectual property business by the way is also reporting record profits the idea that some out file swapping on line was going to cut into hollywood revenues it was fate that was folks that was photo that was false and back to hollywood an effort. then why don't you know so the same thing with bitcoin big point improves the economy it liberates people like in china who are now seeing th

conversations with the election commission the united states or agency for international development is supporting the conduct of elections. through our partnership with ipc international federation for election systems. we also expect in addition to the very large observer mission that the osce will be deploying in a deep as our deployed here to ukraine on we will expect large delegations from our political party institutes from the national democratic institute from the international republican institute. i think this is a signal to the ukrainian people are that they will enjoy strong engagement strong support from the international community certainly from the united states as they move towards is critically important elections for the united states as i've said before deciding the most important thing is that this election be free and fair to reflect the will of the ukrainian people are traces of the ukrainian people any help to continue the process of recapturing ukraine's democracy. they began god began on february february twenty first. so maybe with those opening remarks let me turn it over to questions and we can take their conversation whatever direction would be useful

federal court in manhattan, dinesh d'souza pleads guilty. >> i don't know. i was facing two charges, megan. the first one was exceeding the campaign financially mitts. the second one was causing the government, the election commission to file a false report and that second charge a maximum of five years in prison. so what happenedcy pleaded guilty to the charge of exceeding the campaign financially mitts and the government agreed to drop the other charge. >> there was never any doubt you did it. >> right. >> you're defense in this case was not i didn't do it. it was i didn't do it with intent, i didn't do it with the right requisite of mind and selective prosecution of the government who doesn't go after anybody for this kind of crime except one of the president's biggest critics. >> interestingly i didn't say at the beginning, i didn't exceed the limits and now i'm saying the opposite. on the contrary of the facts that i, you know, induced two of my close associates to contribute i reimbursed them. i did do that. it's an end run around the campaign finance law. i did admit doing that from the beginning. but i did contest the issue of selective prosecution, why was i being -- we made a motion before the judge on se