2020 Daily Trail Markers: De Blasio accused of financial "shell game"
FROM THE CANDIDATES
BILL DE BLASIO: The New York City mayor's team is reviewing a watchdog group's accusation that de Blasio "concocted a shell game" to circumvent individual donor limits, a campaign spokesperson told CBS News Campaign Reporter Zak Hudak. The non-profit Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Wednesday that argues de Blasio used two PACs he created last year to funnel donor money into his campaign, and then he took the maximum-allowed $2,800 from at least two dozen donors who had already maxed out their donations to those PACs.
De Blasio appears to have used the PAC money while his campaign was in exploratory stages, but the complaint says "there is reason to believe" de Blasio's campaign violated campaign finance laws by accepting and not reporting excessive contributions and by failing to disclose expenses.
CORY BOOKER: The New Jersey Senator released a climate change bill Thursday morning aimed at reducing agriculture emissions and sequestering carbon emissions, according to CBS News Campaign Reporter Jack Turman. The plan includes a "massive reforestation" effort by planting over four billion trees by 2030 on federal, tribal and non-governmental lands. The bill also proposes increased funding to existing Department of Agriculture conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Rural Energy for America Program.
IN THE STATES
$$$ IN IOWA: Across five major television stations in Ames and Des Moines, IA, four 2020 Democratic candidates have collectively spent $1,041,764 on 2,883 advertisement spots so far in 2019, CBS News Political Unit Associate Producer Ellee Watson and CBS News Political Unit Intern Julia Cherner report. Billionaire businessman Tom Steyer has spent the most, with $697,776 on a total of 1,937 ads. Former Rep. John Delaney came in second, spending $184,643 on 529 ads. Sen. Kamala Harris spent $100,735 on 150 ads and Representative Tulsi Gabbard has spent $58,610 on 267 ad spots, according to documents posted on the website of the Federal Communications Commission.
OTHER 2020 BATTLEGROUNDS
ARIZONA CANYONS: Daniel McCarthy, a Republican businessman from Phoenix, held a conference call with supporters Tuesday night about his impending decision on whether or not to challenge Sen. Martha McSally in a Republican primary, according to CBS News Associate Producer Ellee Watson. In the call, McCarthy said he hadn't made a decision to run or not yet, but he will be traveling across Arizona in a listening tour to hear what Arizonians want from their senators. In the call, he said that President Trump's endorsement on Twitter of McSally would not deter him from running.