Author | Lightnews

Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 23h

The consequence of financial elites getting such special treatment is that the public’s trust in government will continue to erode. Reform has never been more urgent.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 23h

As my Brennan Center colleagues have noted, there are currently roughly 15,000 applications for commutations and pardons pending at DOJ. Those should be the priority. www.brennancenter.org/media/7083/d...

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 23h

Politicized pardons and favorable legal treatment certainly did not start with Trump. But the scale and frequency of these decisions over the past year have been unprecedented.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 23h

This is only the latest example of a pardon or other favorable legal treatment going to one of the President’s benefactors. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

Political Donors Should Not Be Above the Law

The line between public service and private gain continues to blur as financial elites secure pardons and regulatory leniency following campaign contributions.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 23h

Moreover, Binance is a key player in the crypto industry, an industry that has donated heavily to Trump’s campaign and inauguration. (There’s no record of Binance specifically contributing to the inaugural fund.) www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Money in Politics Roundup — October 2025

Our new recurring feature covers key stories from the world of campaign finance and influence buying, from the AI industry to super PAC support for a lame-duck president.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 23h

President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao who pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023. Binance is also reportedly a major supporter of the Trump family's World Liberty Financial. www.wsj.com/finance/curr...

Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder

The pardon follows months of efforts by Changpeng Zhao to boost the Trump family’s own crypto company.

www.wsj.com

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 8d

Up next: NYC voters can show they are ready to bring this policy to their communities by voting for Proposal 6 this fall to move city elections to even years. Doing so will show Albany they too want an even-year system, with all the benefits of a more inclusive democracy.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 8d

Experience across the country shows that this policy boosts turnout + promotes participation by a more representative electorate. Communities across NYS deserve to experience these benefits, and starting next year, many voters will.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · 8d

📢ICYMI: Today, the New York Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a state law moving many county and town elections outside of New York City to even-numbered years. This is a huge win for New York’s democracy. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

New York Court of Appeals Rules State’s Even-Year Election Law Constitutional

Today the New York Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a 2023 state law moving many county and town elections outside of New York City from odd to even-numbered years.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Aug 15

Leaders in Albany must listen to what the majority of voters want ahead of the 2026 cycle and fund this historic system so it can deliver the responsive government which communities across New York want and deserve.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Aug 15

Voters' strong backing of public financing follows the program’s successful first run, where candidates relied much more on local, everyday New Yorkers – demonstrating an alternative path forward from last year's billionaire-funded elections elsewhere. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

New York State’s Public Campaign Financing Program Empowers Constituent Small Donors

The matching program’s inaugural run expanded legislative candidates’ reliance on small donors from within their districts.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Aug 15

The poll from @dataforprogress.org & @citizenactionny.bsky.social also found that 89% of voters are concerned w/ the influence of wealthy donors in NY politics + two-thirds want lawmakers to prioritize countering this influence. That includes funding the new program (62% of voters support doing so).

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Aug 15

📣NEW: Large majority of New York voters (64%) support the state’s historic small donor public financing program. This support spans across party lines and all corners of the state, from Rochester to Riverhead. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

Poll Shows New Yorkers Continue to Support Public Campaign Finance

After its successful start in 2024, a large majority of voters across parties want state leaders to keep funding New York’s small donor public financing program.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Jul 2

What’s next: the Commission will meet on July 21 to finalize the ballot language. With such a proposal on this year’s ballot, NYC voters will have the opportunity to show they are ready to see the pro-voter results of moving low-turnout city elections to even-numbered years in their communities.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Jul 2

Moving city elections from odd to even-numbered years can address this problem head-on. Experience across the country shows that this policy boosts turnout + promotes participation by a more representative electorate. NYC deserves to experience these benefits. www.brennancenter.org/media/13920/...

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Jul 2

Take 2023: only 12.8% of eligible NYC voters cast a ballot in November for all City Council races, with only 6.1% of young voters and an even lower rate for voters of color in certain neighborhoods. www.nyccfb.info/pdf/2023_Vot...

www.nyccfb.info

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Jul 2

Odd-year elections contribute to New York’s dismal voter turnout in city elections, which particularly affects young voters + voters of color.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Jul 2

📣ICYMI: The NYC Charter Revision Commission is moving forward with a ballot proposal that would shift NYC elections to even-numbered years, aligning with the presidential cycle. This marks a crucial step forward for the city’s democracy. www.nyc.gov/assets/chart...

www.nyc.gov

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Reposted by Marina Pino

Ian Vandewalker @ianvan.bsky.social · Jun 17

Big money is flooding this year’s state elections starting with the New Jersey gubernatorial race. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

Super PACs Push Up Price of New Jersey Governor Election

Fueled by wealthy interests and out-of-state money, record spending by super PACs made this year’s gubernatorial primaries the most expensive yet.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Apr 16

We need to keep moving toward a democracy that works for all New Yorkers, not just the wealthy few. @governor.ny.gov, @leaderasc.bsky.social, & @speakercarlheastie.bsky.social must keep their commitment to this vital program in the budget negotiations ahead.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Apr 16

These findings show New Yorkers – both candidates and everyday donors – embraced a path forward where ordinary constituents who make small donations are at the center of campaign fundraising.

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Apr 16

With the Governor’s and lawmakers’ support, the program flourished. In 2024, small donations up to $250 leaped from 5% of overall funding to 45% when including matching funds. Donations from big money groups decreased from 72% of funding in 2022 to 38%. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

New York State’s Public Campaign Financing Program Empowers Constituent Small Donors

The matching program’s inaugural run expanded legislative candidates’ reliance on small donors from within their districts.

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Apr 16

This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about this potentially destructive change. In 2023, Gov. Hochul vetoed the proposal, saying it “would effectively reduce the impact of small donors on elections, in direct contravention” of the program’s purpose. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

New York Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Have Weakened Small Donor Public Campaign Financing Program; Brennan Center Reacts

Governor’s veto ensures the program matches only small donations with public funds; more than 160 candidates have already opted in for 2024 election cycle

www.brennancenter.org

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Apr 16

As is, the program only allows matching funds for donations up to $250. One supposed change would allow matching funds for the first $250 of large donations up to the max campaign contribution limit. This could be as large as $18,000 for statewide races. www.newsday.com/news/region-...

Albany lawmakers discuss public campaign financing in budget talks

Hochul and lawmakers are negotiating a state spending plan and the campaign finance changes could be tucked into a final budget agreement, sources said.

www.newsday.com

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Marina Pino @marinapino.bsky.social · Apr 16

The Governor, Senate, & Assembly have committed to fully funding NY’s Public Campaign Finance Program, but now, more than two weeks past the budget deadline, there are rumors that some lawmakers want to change the program in ways that would undermine its purpose.

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