Michael Beckel
@mjbeckel.bsky.social
Research Director: @issueonereform.bsky.social. Following money in politics and dark money since 2009. Alum: @opensecrets.org
Millions of dollars in dark money is fueling attacks against the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate ahead of next year's gubernatorial race in Georgia, leading the Georgia Republican Party to file a complaint with the State Ethics Commission
“Anonymous money fuels $5 million in attacks on Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Burt Jones” electionlawblog.org?p=153646
"Anonymous money fuels $5 million in attacks on Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Burt Jones" #ELB
AP: It’s the biggest mystery in Georgia politics right now: Who’s paying for the attacks on Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones? Someone operating under the name “Georgians for Integrity” has dumped around...
electionlawblog.org
December 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Millions of dollars in dark money is fueling attacks against the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate ahead of next year's gubernatorial race in Georgia, leading the Georgia Republican Party to file a complaint with the State Ethics Commission
To ring out the year, @issueonereform.bsky.social staffers, including yours truly, reflect on 2025 and look ahead to 2026 thereformcompass.substack.com/p/look-back-...
Looking for an easy-to-achieve New Year's resolution? Subscribe to the Issue One Substack!
Looking for an easy-to-achieve New Year's resolution? Subscribe to the Issue One Substack!
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Issue One staffers reflect on 2025 and look ahead to 2026.
thereformcompass.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
To ring out the year, @issueonereform.bsky.social staffers, including yours truly, reflect on 2025 and look ahead to 2026 thereformcompass.substack.com/p/look-back-...
Looking for an easy-to-achieve New Year's resolution? Subscribe to the Issue One Substack!
Looking for an easy-to-achieve New Year's resolution? Subscribe to the Issue One Substack!
More than 75% of the $740,000 raised last year by Patriot Voices — a nonprofit founded by former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) that has been opposing KOSA — came from tech trade association NetChoice, @issueonereform.bsky.social review of new tax filings reveals issueone.org/press/new-ta...
New tax documents detail how Big Tech underwrites advocacy efforts - Issue One
New previously unreported tax filings reviewed by Issue One illustrate how Big Tech helps underwrite advocacy efforts to weaken, dilute, and kill legislative and regulatory efforts to provide meaningf...
issueone.org
December 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
More than 75% of the $740,000 raised last year by Patriot Voices — a nonprofit founded by former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) that has been opposing KOSA — came from tech trade association NetChoice, @issueonereform.bsky.social review of new tax filings reveals issueone.org/press/new-ta...
Should nonprofits disclose if they get money from Big Tech? New tax documents detail how Big Tech underwrites advocacy efforts, via @issueonereform.bsky.social issueone.org/press/new-ta...
New tax documents detail how Big Tech underwrites advocacy efforts - Issue One
New previously unreported tax filings reviewed by Issue One illustrate how Big Tech helps underwrite advocacy efforts to weaken, dilute, and kill legislative and regulatory efforts to provide meaningf...
issueone.org
December 24, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Should nonprofits disclose if they get money from Big Tech? New tax documents detail how Big Tech underwrites advocacy efforts, via @issueonereform.bsky.social issueone.org/press/new-ta...
NEW: Rick Santorum's nonprofit Patriot Voices has been actively opposing the Kids Online Safety Act. New tax docs reviewed by @issueonereform.bsky.social show that more than 75% of the money it raised in 2024 came from tech-funded trade association NetChoice issueone.org/press/new-ta...
New tax documents detail how Big Tech underwrites advocacy efforts - Issue One
New previously unreported tax filings reviewed by Issue One illustrate how Big Tech helps underwrite advocacy efforts to weaken, dilute, and kill legislative and regulatory efforts to provide meaningf...
issueone.org
December 23, 2025 at 11:14 PM
NEW: Rick Santorum's nonprofit Patriot Voices has been actively opposing the Kids Online Safety Act. New tax docs reviewed by @issueonereform.bsky.social show that more than 75% of the money it raised in 2024 came from tech-funded trade association NetChoice issueone.org/press/new-ta...
Reposted by Michael Beckel
What could stop the escalating race to gerrymander the country? In our latest edition of "Ask Bolts," legal scholars weigh the merits of state constitutional amendments, a congressional ban on mid-decade redistricting, and proportional representation.
The Escalating Race to Redistrict: Your Questions Answered
How are the new maps changing the midterms? Would proportional representation help? Why are courts not doing more? You asked, and we’ve got answers about mid-decade redistricting.
boltsmag.org
December 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM
What could stop the escalating race to gerrymander the country? In our latest edition of "Ask Bolts," legal scholars weigh the merits of state constitutional amendments, a congressional ban on mid-decade redistricting, and proportional representation.
In @issueonereform.bsky.social's latest "Meet the Faces Of Democracy" Q&A, North Carolina’s former chief election official discusses running elections amid hurricanes as well as her love of travel and NC State sports issueone.org/interviews/m...
Meet the Faces of Democracy: Karen Brinson Bell - Issue One
An interview that's part of a series highlighting the election heroes who are the faces of democracy.
issueone.org
December 22, 2025 at 6:37 PM
In @issueonereform.bsky.social's latest "Meet the Faces Of Democracy" Q&A, North Carolina’s former chief election official discusses running elections amid hurricanes as well as her love of travel and NC State sports issueone.org/interviews/m...
Interested in fighting to defend the rule of law and advancing democracy reform? @issueonereform.bsky.social is hiring a new legislative manager to join our team in Washington DC! Details here issueonereform.bamboohr.com/careers/103
BambooHR
issueonereform.bamboohr.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Interested in fighting to defend the rule of law and advancing democracy reform? @issueonereform.bsky.social is hiring a new legislative manager to join our team in Washington DC! Details here issueonereform.bamboohr.com/careers/103
Bipartisan momentum continues to grow for discharge petition to ban congressional stock trading.
7 more House members backed this effort today, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI) & Cory Mills (R-FL)
clerk.house.gov/DischargePet...
7 more House members backed this effort today, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI) & Cory Mills (R-FL)
clerk.house.gov/DischargePet...
Discharge Petition No. 11, Bill Number: H.Res. 725, 119th Congress
SPONSOR: Anna Paulina Luna DESCRIPTION: Pursuant to clause 2 of rule XV, I, Anna Paulina Luna, move to discharge the Committee on Rules from the consideration of the resolution entitled, a resolution...
clerk.house.gov
December 10, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Bipartisan momentum continues to grow for discharge petition to ban congressional stock trading.
7 more House members backed this effort today, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI) & Cory Mills (R-FL)
clerk.house.gov/DischargePet...
7 more House members backed this effort today, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI) & Cory Mills (R-FL)
clerk.house.gov/DischargePet...
A bipartisan group of nearly two dozen election officials from across the country who are members of @issueonereform.bsky.social's Faces of Democracy campaign are urging Congress to step up and bolster U.S. election infrastructure ahead of 2026 midterms issueone.org/press/electi...
Bipartisan election officials from across the country urge Congress to step up and bolster U.S. election infrastructure ahead of 2026 midterms - Issue One
Nearly two dozen bipartisan election officials from across the country are urgently calling on Congress to provide at least $400 million to support the nation’s critical election infrastructure ahead ...
issueone.org
December 9, 2025 at 9:52 PM
A bipartisan group of nearly two dozen election officials from across the country who are members of @issueonereform.bsky.social's Faces of Democracy campaign are urging Congress to step up and bolster U.S. election infrastructure ahead of 2026 midterms issueone.org/press/electi...
Fact: Individual donors can give nearly 3,000% more to the national political parties today than they could during the 2010 election cycle when Citizens United helped usher in the super PAC era.
Limit then: $69,900 per cycle
Limit today: $2.1 million per cycle
Limit then: $69,900 per cycle
Limit today: $2.1 million per cycle
December 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Fact: Individual donors can give nearly 3,000% more to the national political parties today than they could during the 2010 election cycle when Citizens United helped usher in the super PAC era.
Limit then: $69,900 per cycle
Limit today: $2.1 million per cycle
Limit then: $69,900 per cycle
Limit today: $2.1 million per cycle
If the Supreme Court decides to cut down the so-called "coordination limits" between political parties and candidates, more money will flow to the political parties from big donors to help underwrite candidates' campaigns
The Supreme Court is considering a Republican-led drive, backed by President Donald Trump’s administration, to overturn a quarter-century-old decision and erase limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president. https://to.pbs.org/3XIwqTa
LISTEN LIVE: Supreme Court weighs Republican appeal to end limits on party spending in federal elections
The Supreme Court is considering a Republican-led drive to erase limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president.
to.pbs.org
December 9, 2025 at 3:50 PM
If the Supreme Court decides to cut down the so-called "coordination limits" between political parties and candidates, more money will flow to the political parties from big donors to help underwrite candidates' campaigns
Rules like the coordination limit between political parties and candidates exist to guard against corruption and the appearance of corruption. This anti-corruption guardrail could be at risk in the NRSC v. FEC SCOTUS case, as @paulblumenthal.bsky.social reports for @huffpost.com 👇
SCOTUS will hear arguments today to decide whether or not to strike down party coordination limits.
The court's recent history on campaign finance has been marked by a naivety (willful blindness?) to the impact of these decisions. What could go wrong this time?
www.huffpost.com/entry/suprem...
The court's recent history on campaign finance has been marked by a naivety (willful blindness?) to the impact of these decisions. What could go wrong this time?
www.huffpost.com/entry/suprem...
The Supreme Court Looks At Eliminating A 50-Year-Old Rule
Experts argue it’s a decision the Supreme Court has no business making.
www.huffpost.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Rules like the coordination limit between political parties and candidates exist to guard against corruption and the appearance of corruption. This anti-corruption guardrail could be at risk in the NRSC v. FEC SCOTUS case, as @paulblumenthal.bsky.social reports for @huffpost.com 👇
Reposted by Michael Beckel
2017: Trump “instructed [his attorneys] to take all steps realistically possible to make it clear that he is not exploiting the office of the presidency for his personal benefit.”
2025: Trump Store says “Have yourself Ameri-Christmas” as it tries to sell you an $85 “Trump 45-47” flag ornament.
2025: Trump Store says “Have yourself Ameri-Christmas” as it tries to sell you an $85 “Trump 45-47” flag ornament.
December 9, 2025 at 12:12 AM
2017: Trump “instructed [his attorneys] to take all steps realistically possible to make it clear that he is not exploiting the office of the presidency for his personal benefit.”
2025: Trump Store says “Have yourself Ameri-Christmas” as it tries to sell you an $85 “Trump 45-47” flag ornament.
2025: Trump Store says “Have yourself Ameri-Christmas” as it tries to sell you an $85 “Trump 45-47” flag ornament.
What's at stake in the Supreme Court's NRSC v. FEC case tomorrow? This SCOTUS decision will have major ramifications on the amount of money flooding into elections, as I discussed with @washingtonexaminer.bsky.social earlier this year www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3460254...
How a Supreme Court case on campaign finance could change elections
The Supreme Court could upend the way Republican and Democratic parties raise money, with experts warning it could drastically alter the influence of big
www.washingtonexaminer.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:01 PM
What's at stake in the Supreme Court's NRSC v. FEC case tomorrow? This SCOTUS decision will have major ramifications on the amount of money flooding into elections, as I discussed with @washingtonexaminer.bsky.social earlier this year www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3460254...
Reposted by Michael Beckel
In the past six months, Trump’s DOJ has been harassing more than a dozen states to gain access to unredacted voter roll information: Social Security numbers, drivers’ license info, party affiliation.
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
bit.ly
December 8, 2025 at 7:44 PM
In the past six months, Trump’s DOJ has been harassing more than a dozen states to gain access to unredacted voter roll information: Social Security numbers, drivers’ license info, party affiliation.
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of 90 former members of Congress who are now part of @issueonereform.bsky.social’s ReFormers Caucus urged the House to swiftly adopt a ban on congressional stock trading issueone.org/press/former...
December 4, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of 90 former members of Congress who are now part of @issueonereform.bsky.social’s ReFormers Caucus urged the House to swiftly adopt a ban on congressional stock trading issueone.org/press/former...
Polling in October by @issueonereform.bsky.social found that roughly 3 in 4 Montana voters would, if given the chance, vote to eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections issueone.org/wp-content/u...
December 4, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Polling in October by @issueonereform.bsky.social found that roughly 3 in 4 Montana voters would, if given the chance, vote to eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections issueone.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Michael Beckel
Reposted by Michael Beckel
BTW, if you're into Bolts' coverage of today's elections (which are still ongoing!), I would be remiss to remind you it's Giving Tuesday today, and Bolts is a nonprofit! Become a member :)
This fall, Bolts was an essential resource to help you track elections: Beyond headlines, we informed you of local contests all around.
2026 will be a far bigger year—and we’re determined to do the same.
Support us this Giving Tuesday, & help us prepare:
2026 will be a far bigger year—and we’re determined to do the same.
Support us this Giving Tuesday, & help us prepare:
Support Bolts
We are a nonprofit publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change, from the local up, and we need reader support to build our journalism.
boltsmag.org
December 3, 2025 at 2:27 AM
BTW, if you're into Bolts' coverage of today's elections (which are still ongoing!), I would be remiss to remind you it's Giving Tuesday today, and Bolts is a nonprofit! Become a member :)
Reposted by Michael Beckel
Just in: "90 former members of Congress urge passage of bipartisan stock trading ban this year"
via @issueonereform.bsky.social
issueone.org/wp-content/u...
via @issueonereform.bsky.social
issueone.org/wp-content/u...
December 3, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Just in: "90 former members of Congress urge passage of bipartisan stock trading ban this year"
via @issueonereform.bsky.social
issueone.org/wp-content/u...
via @issueonereform.bsky.social
issueone.org/wp-content/u...
Nearly 100 former lawmakers urge passage of bipartisan proposal to ban stock trading by members of Congress, reports @davelevinthal.com for @opensecrets.org about new letter to Speaker Johnson & @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social organized by @issueonereform.bsky.social www.opensecrets.org/news/2025/12...
Nearly 100 former lawmakers call on House to ban stock trading by members of Congress - OpenSecrets News
Ninety former members of Congress today urged U.S. House leaders to quickly pass legislation that would “eliminate the persistent appearance…
www.opensecrets.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Nearly 100 former lawmakers urge passage of bipartisan proposal to ban stock trading by members of Congress, reports @davelevinthal.com for @opensecrets.org about new letter to Speaker Johnson & @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social organized by @issueonereform.bsky.social www.opensecrets.org/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Michael Beckel
Please watch this.
The Senate killed a bill to ban state regulation of AI by a vote of 99-1 this spring. Now the industry - eager to stay unregulated - and Trump are scheming to shove the provision in the national defense bill.
You need to know this, so you can help stop it.
The Senate killed a bill to ban state regulation of AI by a vote of 99-1 this spring. Now the industry - eager to stay unregulated - and Trump are scheming to shove the provision in the national defense bill.
You need to know this, so you can help stop it.
November 24, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Please watch this.
The Senate killed a bill to ban state regulation of AI by a vote of 99-1 this spring. Now the industry - eager to stay unregulated - and Trump are scheming to shove the provision in the national defense bill.
You need to know this, so you can help stop it.
The Senate killed a bill to ban state regulation of AI by a vote of 99-1 this spring. Now the industry - eager to stay unregulated - and Trump are scheming to shove the provision in the national defense bill.
You need to know this, so you can help stop it.
PhRMA has contributed $42 million since 2010 to the American Action Network, the main dark money group aligned with House Republicans, tax documents reviewed by @issueonereform.bsky.social show issueone.org/press/how-dr...
November 25, 2025 at 6:37 PM
PhRMA has contributed $42 million since 2010 to the American Action Network, the main dark money group aligned with House Republicans, tax documents reviewed by @issueonereform.bsky.social show issueone.org/press/how-dr...
Polling last month by @issueonereform.bsky.social found that 74% of Montanans — including 84% of Democrats, 69% of Republicans, and 64% of independents — would vote in favor of this proposed ballot measure to eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections issueone.org/press/new-po...
November 25, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Polling last month by @issueonereform.bsky.social found that 74% of Montanans — including 84% of Democrats, 69% of Republicans, and 64% of independents — would vote in favor of this proposed ballot measure to eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections issueone.org/press/new-po...