20:
118:
we do, we'll get that $ 1 million matched. Then we've got to raise $ 5 million in 30 days; if we do, we'll get that $ 5 million matched as well. If both challenges are successful, then we'll have the money we need to compete in 5 races in 2014. Based on those results, we’ll launch a (much much) bigger effort in 2016—big enough to win."
117:
approaches in that specified fund-raising targets must be met by certain dates. Lessig explained that the immediate goal is to raise enough money to sway five elections to
Congress. He said, "We've structured this as a series of matched-contingent goals. We've got to raise $ 1 million in 30 days; if
84:
Mayday PAC's original strategy had four stages: (1) in 2014 testing intervention in
Congressional races, (2) in 2016 electing a Congressional majority in favor of reform, (3) in 2017 winning election reform legislation, and (4) pressing for whatever Constitutional reform is necessary to secure the
158:
an incumbent who lost her election, despite $ 299,999 spent by Mayday on her behalf. She was the first woman to be elected to a federal office from New
Hampshire. She was a vocal opponent of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision and supported the Consumer Protection Act. She voted for the
121:
On July 28, 2014, the PAC began a $ 12-million advertising campaign for the 2014 midterm elections. The plan was to spend the funds electing members of congress who are committed to getting money out of politics, regardless of their party affiliation. $ 4 million of this money was to be spent in
148:
who won his primary race on August 26 and was elected in
November 2014, becoming the only winning non-incumbent supported by Mayday PAC, which spent $ 149,999 in supporting him. He supports the Government by the People Act which favors establishing a system of elections in which candidates who
93:
Lawrence Lessig has advocated electoral reform for many years, and conceived the idea of a crowdfunded Super PAC as a way to achieve such reform. Mayday PAC began in May 2014, but before officially launching the fund raising effort, Lessig led 200 people on a walk from
486:, Accessed May 16, 2014, "Lessig tells NBC News that Mayday PAC has already raised more than $ 1 million in contributions from 11,000 donors (so about $ 90 per donor), and that the amount will increase from a combination of large and small donations"
699:, Accessed May 7, 2014, "an interesting twist on traditional crowdfunding: nothing will happen if the goal isn't met, but if it is, then two interesting things will happen: a matching donation and a second round, seeking $ 5 million"
168:
who won his election, was an incumbent who received $ 99,999 in support from Mayday. He was the only
Republican member of Congress to publicly support campaign finance reform and the only Republican co-sponsor of the
426:, Accessed May 7, 2014, "Mr. Lessig wants to first raise $ 1 million in 30 days and then an additional $ 5 million. ... Lessig says that he will ensure that the amounts will be matched, presumedly from rich donors."
75:
Mayday PAC has since announced a new, local approach, citing "Across the country, citizens are passing reforms to their local campaign finance laws. This takes courage that is currently lacking in
Congress."
194:
in the New
Hampshire Republican U.S. Senate primary, 24.5% to 49.9%. Mayday spent $ 1,512,261 in favor of Rubens, plus $ 128,747 against Brown, who went on to lose the general election to incumbent
65:
as the "super PAC to end all super PACs." The group spent over $ 10 million in the
November 2014 elections, but its strategic plan of electing candidates friendly to campaign finance reform failed.
211:. She was a former state senator who had pledged to support the Government By The People Act (public matching funds for small donors) and a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's
72:. Teachout left the post in December 2015 when she announced she was running for Congress in New York State and was replaced by Cyrus Patten, longtime anti-corruption advocate and policy reformer.
828:
714:
Super PAC to End Super PACs: Academic and activist
Lawrence Lessig says it's time to "pay the ransom" to take American democracy back from the moneyed interests he says hold it hostage
138:
The Mayday PAC spent significant money helping the campaign of each of these candidates in 2014. Each candidate was viewed by Mayday PAC as a supporter of campaign finance reform.
59:. It is notable for raising large sums from numerous contributors in a short span of time – nearly $ 11 million in 2014 – and was described in the
437:
643:
149:
choose to accept only small donations receive matching funds. Formerly elected in 2010, he served as assistant minority leader in the
Arizona House of Representatives.
1009:
696:
659:
Lawrence Lessig's call for state-based activism on behalf of a Constitutional Convention could provide the uprooted movement with a political project for winter
523:
1064:
110:; further walks are planned. He explained, "Yes, we want to spend big money to end the influence of big money... Ironic, I get it. But embrace the irony."
927:
68:
In August 2015, shortly before announcing his candidacy for President of the United States, Lessig resigned from the PAC and was replaced by board member
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876:
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ruling. As a state senator, Appel sponsored legislation (SSB 1173) that would have established public financing of elections in Iowa for the first time.
1059:
832:
229:
536:
377:
56:
672:
483:
755:"Mayday PAC: Outside Spending: Independent Expenditures, Electioneering Communication & Communication Costs by Targeted Candidate"
854:
802:
727:
773:
716:, Accessed May 10, 2014, "The Mayday PAC, as it's called, seeks to raise enough money to sway five House elections in 2014"
563:
254:
who lost his election, despite $ 403,573 from Mayday plus $ 1,684,501 from Mayday spent attacking his opponent, incumbent
423:
207:
who lost her election, despite $ 17,334 spent by Mayday in support of her, and $ 714,638 spent attacking her opposition,
980:
754:
1033:
500:
224:
who lost his election, despite $ 875,390 in spending from Mayday and $ 290,522 spent against his opponent, governor
462:
954:
360:
208:
95:
170:
901:
228:. Weiland was regional director of FEMA, director of the South Dakota AARP, and a previous candidate for
438:"Larry Lessig's super PAC to end super PACs raised $ 2.5 million in just 2 days. Here's what comes next"
241:
who lost his election, despite $ 1,430,775 from Mayday spent attacking his opponent, incumbent Senator
106:, stopping at coffee shops and small events to talk with people about money in politics, to generate
191:
932:
364:
52:
177:, legislation to reveal the donors behind campaign advertisements. He is also a critic of the
99:
163:
8:
732:
44:
153:
61:
806:
777:
713:
69:
48:
23:
19:
955:"Rick Weiland Has A Minivan, $ 300,000 And A Guitar. Can He Get To The Senate?"
195:
1053:
249:
143:
114:
103:
382:
352:
219:
174:
37:
34:
644:"Has a Harvard Professor Mapped Out the Next Step for Occupy Wall Street?"
758:
397:
356:
242:
225:
202:
123:
1010:
Lessig's Anti-SuperPAC SuperPAC Raises First $ 1 Million In Just 12 Days
673:"Harvard Professor, Obama Aide Fight Super PACs By Creating A Super PAC"
255:
236:
185:
127:
905:
392:
107:
40:
855:"Bill to strengthen 'government by the people' finds broad support"
387:
697:
Larry Lessig Launches Crowdfunded SuperPAC To Try To End SuperPACs
524:
Harvard professor's 'super PAC' aims to end power of 'super PACs'
463:"What do you mean by "Citizen-Funded, Kick-started" Super PAC?"
621:
599:
585:
877:"House Republican joins effort to force vote on Disclose Act"
774:"Making government accountable to people, not corporations"
537:"The Super PAC to end Super PACs makes a strategic retreat"
1040:
Campaign Finance and the Nihilist Politics of Resignation
829:"Shea-Porter Blasts McCutcheon Decision on House Floor"
796:
794:
484:
Campaign Cash Reformers: If You Can't Beat'em, Join'em
765:
113:
The fund-raising plan was a variation on traditional
1026:
791:
919:
846:
494:
492:
670:
925:
826:
820:
800:
635:
51:. Its purpose is to help elect candidates to the
1051:
489:
728:"Spending Big to Fight Big Donors in Campaigns"
619:
592:
562:Tau, Byron; Vogel, Kenneth (November 6, 2014).
460:
928:"How ironic: Mayday PAC wants to end all PACS"
874:
578:
230:South Dakota's at-large congressional district
998:
899:
893:
771:
514:
512:
510:
1065:Campaign finance reform in the United States
868:
702:
641:
378:Campaign finance reform in the United States
16:American crowd-funded non-partisan Super PAC
852:
691:
689:
725:
507:
498:
454:
435:
262:
173:(matching funds for small donors) and the
1060:United States political action committees
414:
412:
133:
1034:The Unstoppable Walk to Political Reform
972:
686:
613:
600:"The Plan: A Critical Mass of Reformers"
561:
529:
18:
1052:
476:
409:
981:"Mayday PAC secures matching pledges"
952:
726:Confessore, Nicholas (29 July 2014).
695:Mike Masnick, May 1, 2014, TechDirt,
482:Mark Murray, NBC News, May 15, 2014,
429:
79:
664:
13:
642:Alesh Houdek (November 16, 2011).
424:Lawrence Lessig Starts a Super PAC
14:
1076:
1018:
978:
946:
747:
719:
803:"Congressional Full Biography"
555:
363:, Brad Burnham, David Milner,
351:Match donors for $ 1 million:
1:
831:. US Congress. Archived from
805:. US Congress. Archived from
418:David Leonhart, May 1, 2014,
403:
88:
1004:Mike Masnick, May 15, 2014,
518:Maeve Reston, May 23, 2014,
171:Government by the People Act
7:
708:Denver Nicks, May 1, 2014,
671:Kaitlyn Schallhorn (2014).
564:"How to waste $ 10 million"
371:
190:who lost his bid to defeat
10:
1081:
926:Kathie Obradovich (2014).
827:Carol Shea-Porter (2014).
801:Carol Shea-Porter (2014).
367:, Joanne Wilson, Vin Ryan.
953:Stein, Sam (2014-10-09).
902:"Political Reform Agenda"
622:"The Plan (on Mayday.US)"
499:MAYDAY PAC (2014-11-18).
436:Brian Fung (2014-07-07).
620:Lawrence Lessig (2014).
526:, Accessed May 26, 2014,
461:Lawrence Lessig (2014).
1012:, Accessed May 16, 2014
933:The Des Moines Register
875:Danial Strauss (2014).
326:2014 Final Fundraising
263:Fundraising information
181:Supreme Court decision.
57:campaign finance reform
47:professor and activist
900:Ruben Gallego (2014).
772:Ruben Gallego (2014).
134:Targeted races in 2014
27:
586:"www.cyruspatten.com"
333:$ 10,947,947 (final)
22:
853:Sue Sturgis (2014).
308:$ 1 million (total)
164:Walter B. Jones, Jr.
1036:Lessig talks on TED
1042:, Lessig essay in
733:The New York Times
420:The New York Times
45:Harvard Law School
28:
961:. Huffington Post
959:Huffpost Politics
520:Los Angeles Times
348:
347:
336:November 4, 2014
312:Los Angeles Times
154:Carol Shea-Porter
80:Original strategy
62:Los Angeles Times
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1030:
1029:
1027:Official website
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904:. Archived from
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543:. March 17, 2015
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122:Senate races in
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442:Washington Post
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417:
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374:
285:Match amount *
265:
213:Citizens United
179:Citizens United
136:
108:media attention
91:
82:
70:Zephyr Teachout
49:Lawrence Lessig
33:is an American
24:Lawrence Lessig
17:
12:
11:
5:
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857:. Facing South
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302:$ 1.1 million
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196:Jeanne Shaheen
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503:. MAYDAY PAC.
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910:. Retrieved
906:the original
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884:. Retrieved
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859:. Retrieved
848:
837:. Retrieved
833:the original
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807:the original
782:. Retrieved
778:the original
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737:. Retrieved
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677:. Retrieved
666:
658:
653:November 17,
651:. Retrieved
648:The Atlantic
647:
637:
626:. Retrieved
624:. Mayday PAC
615:
603:. Retrieved
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568:. Retrieved
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545:. Retrieved
540:
531:
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501:"Donor Data"
478:
467:. Retrieved
465:. Mayday PAC
456:
445:. Retrieved
441:
431:
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383:Rootstrikers
353:Reid Hoffman
341:
319:
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296:$ 1 million
293:Raise money
282:Date raised
276:Date needed
248:
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220:Rick Weiland
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175:DISCLOSE Act
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38:non-partisan
35:crowd-funded
30:
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759:OpenSecrets
398:Every Voice
365:Fred Wilson
357:Peter Thiel
243:Pat Roberts
226:Mike Rounds
209:David Young
203:Staci Appel
192:Scott Brown
43:created by
1054:Categories
1046:April 2014
965:2015-08-18
939:2014-08-25
912:2014-08-25
886:2014-08-25
861:2014-08-25
839:2014-08-25
813:2014-08-25
784:2014-08-25
679:2014-08-25
675:. Fox News
628:2014-08-30
566:. Politico
547:August 18,
469:2014-08-25
447:2014-08-27
404:References
342:MAYDAY PAC
256:Fred Upton
237:Greg Orman
186:Jim Rubens
89:Background
31:Mayday PAC
605:April 19,
570:25 August
393:Issue One
159:CARD Act.
41:Super PAC
1006:TechDirt
990:1 August
985:Politico
881:The Hill
388:Wolf PAC
372:See also
320:TechDirt
316:Politico
288:Sources
252:(D, MI),
239:(I, KS),
222:(D, SD),
205:(D, IA),
188:(R, NH),
166:(R, NC),
156:(D, NH),
146:(D, AZ),
85:reform.
55:to pass
53:Congress
739:29 July
102:in the
26:in 2008
100:Nashua
270:Goal
992:2014
741:2014
655:2011
607:2016
572:2015
549:2015
126:and
124:Iowa
98:to
1056::
1008:,
983:.
957:.
930:.
879:.
793:^
757:.
730:.
712:,
688:^
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