SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2020

THE SUNDAY EXTRA Billionaires’ political spending grew rapidly in 10 years

RYAN TEAGUE BECKWITH Tribune News Service WASHINGTON — Billion- aires gave 37 times as much in political contributions in the last election as they did 10 years earlier, according to a new study. During the 2018 election cycle, billionaires gave $611 million, up from $17 million in 2008, according to the report from Americans for Tax Fairness and The Institute for Policy Studies. They are now also playing a much bigger role. In 2008, donations from billionaires were less than 1% of all politi- cal contributions, but by 2018 they made up nearly 10%, the study found. “Billionaires have an outsized influence on our economy, pol- itics and society,” said Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness, a liberal advocacy group. The report cites the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Com- mission, which struck down campaign spending limits on PATRICK SEMANSKY, ASSOCIATED PRESS corporations and labor unions, Anti-abortion protesters hug June 29 outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law leading to a wave of outside regulating abortion clinics, reasserting a commitment to abortion rights over fierce opposition from dissenting conservative justices in the first big spending in federal elections. abortion case of the Trump era. Both parties have benefited from the flood of new contri- butions from billionaires. The study showed that bil- lionaires gave more than twice as much to Republicans in the Supreme Court’s abortion 2012 election, but just 20% more to the GOP in the 2016 election, and slightly more to Democrats in the 2018 midterms. From 1990 through May of this year, the top billionaire ruling raises election stakes donors included Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, casino mag- DAVID CRARY deliver an easy victory to the right reelected so that he may be able Mike Gonidakis, the president nates who favor Republicans, Associated Press in culture war issues during an to appoint more pro-life justices,” of Ohio Right to Life, questioned at $308 million; Tom Steyer, a NEW YORK — Supporters of election year; one ruling protects Bopp said. the wisdom of pushing now for hedge fund manager who backs abortion rights are elated, foes of gay, lesbian and transgender peo- The Rev. Frank Pavone, national sweeping bans. He noted that an Democrats and liberal causes, abortion dismayed and angry, but ple from discrimination in em- director of Priests for Life and a Ohio bill sharply restricting late- at $275 million; and former they agree on one consequence of ployment, and the other rejected member of the Trump campaign’s term abortions had taken effect, New York City Mayor Michael the Supreme Court’s first major Trump’s effort to end protections Catholic voter outreach project, while the courts blocked a mea- Bloomberg, who has given to abortion ruling since President for young immigrants. noted that two of the liberal jus- sure passed last year that would both, at $181 million. Donald Trump took office: The Now, anti-abortion leaders say tices — Ruth Bader Ginsberg and ban most abortions as early as six The totals do not include upcoming election is crucial to there’s an urgent need to reelect Stephen Breyer — are the oldest weeks into pregnancy. Steyer’s and Bloomberg’s un- their cause. Trump so he can appoint more members of the court. “We have to be methodical, successful campaigns for the Both sides also say the recent justices like Gorsuch and Kava- “Nobody can predict the future, strategic, and take an incremental Democratic presidential nomi- ruling is not the last word on naugh. Abortion rights activists, but who’s going to name their re- approach,” he said. “A lot of peo- nation in 2020. In that primary, state-level abortion restrictions. with equal fervor, say it’s crucial placements when the time comes? ple want to go from 0 to 60 — you Steyer spent $340 million and One abortion rights leader evoked to defeat Trump and end Repub- That is a question that motivates a usually end up with nothing.” Bloomberg spent more than $1 the image of playing whack-a- lican control of the Senate, where lot of voters,” Pavone said. The president of a national an- billion. mole as new cases surface. the GOP majority has confirmed Anti-abortion activists swiftly ti-abortion group, Marjorie Dan- The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 scores of conservative judges made clear that the ruling would nenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony decision, struck down a Louisiana during Trump’s term. not dissuade them from continu- List, said she and her allies would law seeking to require doctors who The Louisiana law “was an ob- ing to push tough abortion restric- encourage states to continue perform abortions to have admit- vious challenge to our reproduc- tions through state legislatures. pressing forward with proposed Analysis ting privileges at nearby hospitals. tive freedom, and it points to the In recent years, several states restrictions that stopped short of Continued from previous page For both sides in the abortion de- urgent need to vote for pro-choice have enacted near-total bans near-total bans. bate, it was viewed as a momen- candidates from the top of the bal- on abortion only to have them “These measures are extremely Democrats have a deep bench tous test of the court’s stance lot all the way down,” said Heidi blocked by the courts. However, popular in some battleground of tax increases to call on if they following Trump’s appointments Sieck of #VOTEPROCHOICE, an Texas Right to Life urged law- states,” she said. “Prioritizing them need more money. The Finance of two conservative justices, Neil online advocacy group. “Do this makers there to press ahead with is part of our electoral strategy.” panel’s top Democrat, Ron Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. in primaries, do this in runoffs, a proposed three-pronged mea- Abortion rights advocate Nancy Wyden of Oregon, wants to gen- Both justices joined the con- do this in special elections and do sure that would start with a ban on Northup, the CEO of the Center erate $1.5 trillion by taxing paper servative bloc’s dissent that sup- this in the general in November.” late-term abortions and proceed for Reproductive Rights, ac- gains on unsold assets held by ported the Louisiana law. But they James Bopp Jr., general counsel to a total ban. knowledged that the ruling “will the wealthiest households each were outvoted because Chief Jus- for National Right to Life, made a The ruling “highlights the need not stop those hell-bent on ban- year. But the proposal has ven- tice John Roberts concurred with similar appeal, from an opposite for pro-life states to pass laws that ning abortion.” ture capital and real estate in- the court’s four more liberal jus- vantage point. directly protect pre-born children “We will continue to fight state terests, which have poured cash tices. “This decision demonstrates in new and dynamic ways rather by state, law by law to protect our into Democratic campaigns this The ruling was yet another how difficult it is to drain the than get distracted on regulating constitutional right to abortion,” cycle, at DEFCON 4. major decision in which the con- D.C. swamp and how important the corrupt abortion industry,” a she said. “But we shouldn’t have Biden’s plan to raise the ef- servative-leaning court failed to it is that President Trump gets Texas Right to Life statement said. to keep playing whack-a-mole.” fective marginal tax rate on mil- lionaires’ investment income to 44.6%, from 23.8% today, while eliminating tax-free transfers to heirs at death, seems vanilla by comparison. But it still faces a Dems still can’t shake November nightmare steep climb. Finance Democrats Menen- DAVID CATANESE Democrats, party back in April of those ballots, people are still going dez, Maria Cantwell of Wash- Tribune News Service officials had been 2019. to show up.” ington, Mark Warner of Virginia WASHINGTON — Long taking steps to Whereas the Rep. Dwight Evans, who rep- and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania lines. Electronic tablets failing. avoid — or at least party traditionally resents a majority African Amer- had reservations in 2010 when Last-minute legal haggling. De- reduce — chances ramps up these ef- ican district in Philadelphia, said party leaders tried to tax invest- layed results because of a surge in for such an abom- forts in the fall be- many of his constituents don’t ment fund managers’ “carried absentee balloting. And a presi- inable ordeal, with fore the election, trust a vote-by-mail process at a interest” at ordinary income dent casting doubt over the whole early staffing and this cycle the DNC time when the president is threat- rates. They thought investors “rigged” process. new technology Biden Trump has been prepar- ening resources for the U.S. Postal needed a preferential tax rate to As Joe Biden expands his na- to pinpoint and ing for challenges Service. compensate for the opportunity tional and state polling lead over remedy problems. at the ballot box for more than a “It gives a sense of uncertainty. cost and risk-taking associated President Donald Trump, Demo- Incidents that materialized year, dedicating voter protection That’s why they go to the polls and with locking up cash for years in crats can’t shake this nightmare during this spring’s messy pri- directors to states like Virginia and vote. Because they feel as if — and businesses that might go south. November scenario: That even maries in states like Georgia, Wis- Pennsylvania last year. I can’t argue — it looks like it’s a They tried a variety of compro- a Biden advantage heading into consin and Pennsylvania height- The coronavirus has ensured strategy to prevent them from hav- mises to protect venture capital Election Day could be nullified ened the unease, but also served this election will look different ing full access to the polls,” Evans and real estate, but the broader by chaos at the polls, layered as valuable training ground for regardless. But new pressure on fi- said. “In their heads, the only way tax bill faded anyway as the by added confusion around the what’s to come this fall. nancially strapped states to safely they feel that they are going to actu- midterms loomed. fast-changing voting laws that “What I worry about is going administer elections as older, vet- ally ensure that their vote will count In 2016, Democratic presi- officials are adjusting for an -on into an election 3-4-5 points up eran polling workers opt to stay is they go to the polling place.” dential candidate Hillary Clin- going pandemic. ... that could be impacted in close home to protect their health is Evans is sounding the alarm for ton addressed such fears by “The thing that I am probably swing states if people don’t have causing fresh problems. Pennsylvania to add more staffers proposing preferential rates for most concerned about,” Biden the ability to cast votes,” said Dan “I think the thought was, and secure voter drop boxes to assets held for longer periods. campaign manager Jen O’Malley Kanninen, a strategist who has maybe, well, we’re going to mail minimize waits at polling places That would be complex and Dillon acknowledged to former worked for Mike Bloomberg and ballots, so more people will vote after it took his state more than a raise less money, but would Barack Obama campaign manager Obama. by mail and we don’t need as week to tally its June primary re- shield venture investment in David Plouffe on his podcast re- A fleet of Democratic-aligned many in-person voting locations. sults. Biden recently said on “The places like Pennsylvania, a bio- cently, “is voting in this country.” and nonpartisan groups are rais- I think what you’ve seen in Geor- Daily Show” it could take until De- tech and life sciences hub. It’s risen to such a priority that she ing awareness, lobbying state and gia and Nevada specifically is that cember for a winner to be declared Nonetheless, Congress indicated the campaign is debat- county policymakers and insti- that’s not true,” said Reyna Wal- in the state where he was born. should “seriously consider” ing running ads explicitly on voter gating lawsuits to enhance voting ters-Morgan, the DNC’s director “This to me should be the No. 1 Biden’s plan, Casey said in a education. access. The Democratic National of voter protection. “You can’t issue ... no matter who you’re for, statement, adding: “It’s far past Even before voter accessibility Committee demonstrated its replace in person voting loca- Biden or Trump,” Evans said. “You time to make sure our tax code was seen as arguably the most commitment to the issue earlier tions. You have to have enough can’t take this for granted. This works for everyone, and not just significant potential hurdle to than ever before by beginning in-person voting options avail- system doesn’t have the capacity those at the top.” a successful election year for staffing its voter protection team able because even if you do mail for the election in 2020.”