Welcome to Money and Politics

Activities

Welcome to moneyandpolitics.net

Promoting political integrity through the establishment of transparent and accountable systems of political finance and public ethics is a priority in emerging, consolidating, and established democracies. Recognizing that each environment requires a unique approach, IFES partners with international organizations and works with all key in-country stakeholders – government institutions, political parties, civil society groups, media, and scholars – in a collaborative and holistic manner to support effective and appropriate transparency and accountability measures.

IFES has identified a series of gaps related to political finance and public ethics in standards, information, capacity, monitoring and oversight, cross-border transactions, and advocacy. There is a need to address these gaps by conducting standard setting applied research, identifying best-practices, and assisting in-country partners to:

Identify and target reform areas;
Create or enhance the relevant legal, regulatory, and procedural frameworks;
Establish the institutions needed to administer, monitor, and enforce the process;
Improve the regulated community’s capacity to comply with regulatory requirements;
Enhance civil society and media monitoring and oversight;
Further applied research by academics and think-tanks;
Educate the electorate.

IFES blends standard-setting experience, sound research capacity, and a global network of experts, practitioners, and organizations to implement initiatives that apply tested best-practices in the field.

Supreme Court rejects 'millionaire's amendment' to campaign finance reform
Los Angeles Times
Richard B. Schmitt
Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times
June 27, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down part of the campaign finance reform law that allowed federal office-seekers running against wealthy opponents to exceed normal contribution limits. … (Complete Story)

Obama opts out of public campaign finance system
Associated Press
Jim Kuhnhenn
Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
June 19, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Thursday he'll bypass the federal public financing system in the general election, abandoning an earlier commitment to take the money if his Republican rival did as well. … (Complete Story)

Protester Drills McCain on Oil Money
The Wall Street Journal
Laura Meckler
Copyright © 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
June 18, 2008

As McCain was talking about his energy plans, a protester in the audience at Missouri State University yelled out that McCain had accepted a half million dollars this year from “big oil.” … (Complete Story)

Court says campaign finance rules too weak
Journalgazette.net
Pete Yost
Copyright 2008, www.journalgazette.net
June 16, 2008

A federal appeals court on Friday invalidated campaign finance rules that give wealthy donors broad latitude in underwriting expensive political ads. … (Complete Story)

Group files complaint against McCain campaign
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
JIM KUHNHENN
© 2008
June 9, 2008

A group that supports public financing of campaigns filed a federal complaint against John McCain's presidential campaign Monday, calling for an investigation into two financial transactions involving two top McCain aides. … (Complete Story)

Strasbourg - 4th European conference of Electoral management bodies : From September 20-21, 2007 IFES participated in the Venice Commission conference of electoral management bodies on the subject: "Fighting against electoral fraud – Complaints and appeals procedures". The event took place in Strasbourg, at the headquarters of the Council of Europe. Representatives of national authorities responsible for elections and international and regional organisations discussed such issues as definition of offences – striking the balance between administrative and criminal offences, distance voting – ensuring the secrecy of vote, and sanctions and proportionality principle.

Liberia – Workshop for the political parties of Liberia : On August 30 and 31 2007, the National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia together with IFES and IRI organised a workshop for the political parties of Liberia. The purpose of the workshop was to prepare the political parties for the annual financial reports that they are required to submit in September. The event covered everything from general principles of political finance and accounting to fundraising strategies and detailed discussions about the reporting forms to be used. The representatives from the political partie also had the opportunity to give their feedback on the reporting procedures. The trainers included staff from the NEC, IRI and IFES, including the Country Director for IFES Sierra Leone, Magnus Ohman. This will be the second year when the political parties of Liberia will submit annual reports, as part of a political finance transparency programme initiated in 2005 by the NEC and supported by IFES.

Achieving Consensus: Global Standards on Political Finance: Through its program on Political Finance and Public Ethics, IFES is assembling a coalition of researchers, experts, anti-corruption activists, and practitioners in the field of political finance to develop a set of global standards that clarify and define article 7 (3) of the United Nation’s Convention against Corruption.

Public Funding Solutions for Political Parties in Muslim Majority Societies

Recent Publications

Challenging Election Norms and Standards

Recent Editorials by IFES Board Members:

MAP - Money and Politics Program: Guide to Applying Lessons Learned

Political Finance in Post-Conflict Societies

Prosecution of Electoral Fraud Under United States Federal Law

These publications are available free of charge

IFES in the News

El Gobierno como Donante Encubierto. El caso argentino

La Prensa: Construir democracia no es para impacientes

La Prensa: Dinero sin control

Program Activities

Money and Politics (MAP)

Training in Detection and Enforcement (TIDE)

Conflict of Interest Needs (COIN)

IFES Success Stories

Activities		Welcome to moneyandpolitics.net Promoting political integrity through the establishment of transparent and accountable systems of political finance and public ethics is a priority in emerging, consolidating, and established democracies. Recognizing that each environment requires a unique approach, IFES partners with international organizations and works with all key in-country stakeholders – government institutions, political parties, civil society groups, media, and scholars – in a collaborative and holistic manner to support effective and appropriate transparency and accountability measures. IFES has identified a series of gaps related to political finance and public ethics in standards, information, capacity, monitoring and oversight, cross-border transactions, and advocacy. There is a need to address these gaps by conducting standard setting applied research, identifying best-practices, and assisting in-country partners to: Identify and target reform areas; Create or enhance the relevant legal, regulatory, and procedural frameworks; Establish the institutions needed to administer, monitor, and enforce the process; Improve the regulated community’s capacity to comply with regulatory requirements; Enhance civil society and media monitoring and oversight; Further applied research by academics and think-tanks; Educate the electorate. IFES blends standard-setting experience, sound research capacity, and a global network of experts, practitioners, and organizations to implement initiatives that apply tested best-practices in the field. Supreme Court rejects 'millionaire's amendment' to campaign finance reform Los Angeles Times Richard B. Schmitt Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times June 27, 2008 WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down part of the campaign finance reform law that allowed federal office-seekers running against wealthy opponents to exceed normal contribution limits. … (Complete Story) Obama opts out of public campaign finance system Associated Press Jim Kuhnhenn Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. June 19, 2008 WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Thursday he'll bypass the federal public financing system in the general election, abandoning an earlier commitment to take the money if his Republican rival did as well. … (Complete Story) Protester Drills McCain on Oil Money The Wall Street Journal Laura Meckler Copyright © 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved June 18, 2008 As McCain was talking about his energy plans, a protester in the audience at Missouri State University yelled out that McCain had accepted a half million dollars this year from “big oil.” … (Complete Story) Court says campaign finance rules too weak Journalgazette.net Pete Yost Copyright 2008, www.journalgazette.net June 16, 2008 A federal appeals court on Friday invalidated campaign finance rules that give wealthy donors broad latitude in underwriting expensive political ads. … (Complete Story) Group files complaint against McCain campaign The Associated Press State & Local Wire JIM KUHNHENN © 2008 June 9, 2008 A group that supports public financing of campaigns filed a federal complaint against John McCain's presidential campaign Monday, calling for an investigation into two financial transactions involving two top McCain aides. … (Complete Story)
	Strasbourg - 4th European conference of Electoral management bodies : From September 20-21, 2007 IFES participated in the Venice Commission conference of electoral management bodies on the subject: "Fighting against electoral fraud – Complaints and appeals procedures". The event took place in Strasbourg, at the headquarters of the Council of Europe. Representatives of national authorities responsible for elections and international and regional organisations discussed such issues as definition of offences – striking the balance between administrative and criminal offences, distance voting – ensuring the secrecy of vote, and sanctions and proportionality principle. Liberia – Workshop for the political parties of Liberia : On August 30 and 31 2007, the National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia together with IFES and IRI organised a workshop for the political parties of Liberia. The purpose of the workshop was to prepare the political parties for the annual financial reports that they are required to submit in September. The event covered everything from general principles of political finance and accounting to fundraising strategies and detailed discussions about the reporting forms to be used. The representatives from the political partie also had the opportunity to give their feedback on the reporting procedures. The trainers included staff from the NEC, IRI and IFES, including the Country Director for IFES Sierra Leone, Magnus Ohman. This will be the second year when the political parties of Liberia will submit annual reports, as part of a political finance transparency programme initiated in 2005 by the NEC and supported by IFES. Achieving Consensus: Global Standards on Political Finance: Through its program on Political Finance and Public Ethics, IFES is assembling a coalition of researchers, experts, anti-corruption activists, and practitioners in the field of political finance to develop a set of global standards that clarify and define article 7 (3) of the United Nation’s Convention against Corruption. Public Funding Solutions for Political Parties in Muslim Majority Societies

Recent Publications
	Challenging Election Norms and Standards Recent Editorials by IFES Board Members: Battles fought without regard to truth Postal voting is a giant fiddle Loans for lordships: the joker in the middle State funding for parties in a fact-free zone It's their party, and we pay for it MAP - Money and Politics Program: Guide to Applying Lessons Learned English Français Español Political Finance in Post-Conflict Societies Prosecution of Electoral Fraud Under United States Federal Law These publications are available free of charge

IFES in the News
	El Gobierno como Donante Encubierto. El caso argentino La Prensa: Construir democracia no es para impacientes La Prensa: Dinero sin control

Program Activities
	Money and Politics (MAP) Training in Detection and Enforcement (TIDE) Conflict of Interest Needs (COIN) IFES Success Stories