Now this is interesting, unanimous agreement! I wonder what the republicans in congress will do when the vote comes? The democrats should immediately pass the bill in the house and see if the republicans bite. Donald will be wild about it (assuming he's not in jail or prison), it cuts right into his grift and the purpose of the big lie, any republican that votes for the new law will be fucked with Trump!
They can have a bill on the floor of the senate in a week and should, other republican sleazoids are doing the same grift, Joe will sign it double quick
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The FEC wants Congress to ban a fundraising tactic used by the Trump campaign: 'It's almost like theft' (yahoo.com)
The FEC wants Congress to ban a fundraising tactic used by the Trump campaign: 'It's almost like theft'
The Federal Election Commission in a rare unanimous vote has urged Congress to ban a campaign donation tactic reportedly used by former President Donald Trump's team last year.
The FEC on Thursday unanimously voted to recommend Congress ban political campaigns from using prechecked boxes to steer supporters toward making recurring contributions by default,
The New York Times reports.
"It's important that donors be able to exercise their choices freely," FEC Democratic commissioner Ellen Weintraub told the
Times.
"If their money is being taken from them because of some reverse checkoff option they didn't notice, then they are not giving their money freely. It's almost like theft. I don't want to see donors tricked."
The
Times previously reported that
Trump's campaign in 2020 "deployed prechecked boxes to enroll every donor in weekly withdrawals — unless they unchecked the box,"
describing this as an "intentional scheme." The Trump operation also reportedly prechecked an additional box that doubled an individual's contribution unless it was unchecked, and they ended up having to refund over $122 million to supporters, according to the
Times. This tactic has also been used by Democrats, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,
The Hill notes.
The FEC said in its recommendation that "many contributors are unaware of the 'pre-checked' boxes and are surprised by the already completed transactions appearing on account statements." Adav Noti, who formerly served in the FEC's general counsel's office, told the
Times that for the FEC's Republican and Democratic commissioners to come to a unanimous agreement on a "substantive campaign finance law" recommendation like this is "pretty rare."