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Representative Mark Takano Introduces Bill to Mandate Disclosure of Political Payments to Social Media Influencers

Representative Mark Takano Introduces Bill to Mandate Disclosure of Political Payments to Social Media Influencers

Representative Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced legislation in June aimed at increasing transparency in political campaign spending on social media. The proposed bill would require campaigns and political committees to disclose payments made to social media influencers, mirroring existing disclosure requirements for traditional campaign advertising. This move comes in response to a growing trend where political campaigns are increasingly utilizing social media personalities to promote candidates online, often without public disclosure of these financial arrangements. A New York Times investigation highlighted instances where influencers received payments from campaigns, sometimes leading to a shift in their public stance on candidates. The investigation also revealed that some campaigns have explicitly advised influencers against disclosing payments, and that compensation is frequently channeled through multiple layers of vendors, further obscuring the source of funds. The current federal law does not mandate...

La Mesa Mayoral Race Heats Up with Two Councilmembers Vying for Open Seat

La Mesa Mayoral Race Heats Up with Two Councilmembers Vying for Open Seat

La Mesa, California, is preparing for a significant mayoral election this November as current Mayor Mark Arapostathis is termed out. The race features four candidates, with two prominent figures being Councilmember Patricia Dillard and Councilmember Laura Lothian. Dillard, a 25-year resident of La Mesa and a mortgage broker, has served on the City Council for four years and is the vice chair of the city’s Community Police Oversight Board. Her campaign focuses on ensuring economic opportunities and high-quality education for all La Mesans. Lothian, a real estate agent who has also served on the City Council for over four years, is known for spearheading the hiring of a community cleanup coordinator and advocating against a battery storage facility in a residential area. Her platform includes simplifying the city's permitting process, protecting small businesses, and addressing graffiti and litter. The other two candidates are Jim Stieringer, a retired businessman and former city treasurer, and Quinn Reese, ...

Noncitizen voting claims animate Trump's attacks on midterms and set up potential result challenges

Noncitizen voting claims animate Trump's attacks on midterms and set up potential result challenges

President Donald Trump and his allies are pressing hard about the perceived threats of voting by people who aren't U.S. citizens as the November election approach

California State Board of Equalization Faces Key Elections and Reduced Powers in 2026

California State Board of Equalization Faces Key Elections and Reduced Powers in 2026

In 2026, California voters will elect members to all four district seats of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), an obscure but historically significant elected body. Each district represents approximately 10 million residents, making BOE members responsible for populations larger than many U.S. states. A fifth seat on the board is held ex officio by the state controller, currently Democrat Malia Cohen, who is also seeking re-election. Established in 1879, the BOE is the only elected tax board among the 50 states, originally tasked with equalizing taxation across California's counties. However, its powers were significantly curtailed in 2017 by Assembly Bill 102, signed by Governor Jerry Brown. Most of its authority was transferred to two new governor-appointed bureaucracies: the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the Office of Tax Appeals. Despite these reductions, the BOE still oversees 58 county tax assessors, sets statewide property tax rules, assesses and collects the...

Representative Gabe Amo Discloses $216.8K in New Fundraising, Holds $1.9M Cash on Hand

Representative Gabe Amo Discloses $216.8K in New Fundraising, Holds $1.9M Cash on Hand

Representative Gabe Amo has reported $216.8K in new fundraising, as detailed in a Pre-Primary FEC disclosure filed on August 28th, 2026. This places his recent fundraising among the top 193 pre-primary reports this year, with 64.7% of contributions coming from individual donors. Amo's campaign spending amounted to $100.9K during the same period. He concluded the filing period with a substantial $1.9 million in cash on hand, ranking him 179th among politicians in terms of cash reserves from pre-primary reports this year. Quiver Quantitative estimates Representative Amo's net worth at $100.3K as of August 29th, 2026, making him the 462nd wealthiest member of Congress. Approximately $27.3K of his assets are invested in publicly traded securities. Amo has also been active in legislative efforts, proposing bills such as the Strengthening Export Controls Compliance Act (H.R.8288), the NOAA Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Research Act (H.R.7896), the SUPPLIES Act (H.R.7307), the PARK Act (H.R.7089), the NO ...

Savannah Morning News

Meta settlement adds new teen safety rules for users

Meta settlement adds new teen safety rules for users

Meta will implement new teen safety limits and parental controls as part of a massive multistate settlement deal.

On This Day in 2012: Mitt Romney Became the Republican Presidential Nominee

On This Day in 2012: Mitt Romney Became the Republican Presidential Nominee

Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign officially began on June 2, 2011, marking his second bid for the presidency after being the runner-up for ...

X Corp. Loses First Amendment Challenge to New York's 'Stop Hiding Hate Act'

X Corp. Loses First Amendment Challenge to New York's 'Stop Hiding Hate Act'

A federal judge in the Southern District of New York has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X Corp. (formerly Twitter) challenging New York's 'Stop Hiding Hate Act.' This act mandates social media companies operating in New York with over $100 million in annual revenue to submit two annual reports to the state's attorney general. These reports must detail 'whether and how platforms define hate speech, disinformation, extremist or racist content, harassment, and foreign political interference.' X Corp. had argued that these provisions infringed upon its First Amendment rights by interfering with its editorial judgments regarding content moderation. However, District Judge John Cronan ruled that the law's disclosure requirements are permissible under the First Amendment, likening them to commercial speech regulations that require businesses to truthfully disclose information about their offerings. The court also determined that the law is not preempted by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, ...

Influencer Marketing Reshapes Brand Protection Strategies Amidst Legal Risks

Influencer Marketing Reshapes Brand Protection Strategies Amidst Legal Risks

Influencer Marketing Industry Reaches $21.1 Billion Valuation in 2023, Driven by Consumer Trust

Influencer Marketing Industry Reaches $21.1 Billion Valuation in 2023, Driven by Consumer Trust

Influencer Marketing Industry Reaches $21.1 Billion Valuation in 2023, Driven by Consumer Trust

Pro-Israel Lobby Spends Record Sums in US Midterms Amid Growing Backlash and Shifting Public Opinion

Pro-Israel Lobby Spends Record Sums in US Midterms Amid Growing Backlash and Shifting Public Opinion

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its affiliated 'super PAC,' the United Democracy Project (UDP), have spent a record $54 million on congressional races in the current US midterm election cycle, making UDP the largest outside spender. The broader pro-Israel donor network has contributed $71 million, second only to the cryptocurrency industry. This significant financial investment aims to support candidates committed to Israel and defeat critics of unconditional US military aid, primarily in Democratic primaries. Despite this record spending, AIPAC-backed candidates have faced setbacks, including an unsuccessful $30 million effort in Michigan to prevent Abdul El-Sayed from winning the Democratic Senate nomination. Progressive candidates in California, Illinois, and New York have also defeated AIPAC-supported opponents, often making the group's spending a campaign issue. Unease about AIPAC's influence is spreading beyond Democrats, with allies of Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers i...

The Latest: Trump administration appeals latest ruling halting his mail voting order

The Latest: Trump administration appeals latest ruling halting his mail voting order

President Donald Trump’s administration has appealed the latest ruling blocking his mail voting order from taking effect