Two new groups — one Republican-leaning, the other pro-Democratic — seeking to capitalize on a Supreme Court ruling allowing the use of unlimited donations for ads targeting candidates have gotten the go-ahead from election officials.
The Federal Election Commission on Thursday approved plans by the conservative Club for Growth and by Democratic activists to collect big contributions for ads on candidates. Both say the committees set up to run the ads will disclose their donors and spending to the FEC in publicly available reports.
A Supreme Court ruling in January allows the use of unlimited donations from individuals, corporations and unions for election-time ads that urge people to vote for or against specific candidates and are run independently of campaigns and political parties. The court struck down restrictions on political ads, saying they violated free-speech rights.
The FEC’s decisions on the two organizations do not necessarily mean it will be clear to voters where all interest groups airing ads this election season are getting their money.
The two groups voluntarily decided to file with the commission as political committees and periodically reveal who their donors are, but there are some political activists who believe that under the Supreme Court ruling, that degree of disclosure isn’t required to legally raise corporate and union money for ads that target specific candidates.
The commission has yet to set new rules in light of the court decision that clearly spell out which ad spenders need to register with it, how much information they must give the public about their fundraising and spending, and when. It is unlikely to do so before the November election, when control of Congress is at stake. Legislation that would require those who air ads supporting or attacking candidates to disclose details about their activities has yet to clear Congress.
The Club for Growth told the commission its new committee will raise unlimited donations from individuals for the ads, and that it will run its ads on candidates without coordinating with campaigns, political parties or other outside groups.
The other group asking the commission for guidance on its plans, Commonsense Ten, said it will raise unlimited money from unions, corporations and individuals for ads calling for the election or defeat of candidates.
Matthew Forrest Launches Commercial/Branded Content Production Company Cloud Forest
Producer Matthew Forrest has officially launched Cloud Forest, a Los Angeles-based video production company specializing in commercials and branded content, with additional capabilities in emerging formats like AI and VR.
With the mantra “Where your vision meets our production precision,” Cloud Forest aims to serve brands, agencies and networks with a blend of creativity and operational efficiency.
Forrest brings over 20 years of experience to Cloud Forest. His portfolio includes producing commercial content for Square, Aveeno, and Lyft, branded content series for KitchenAid, Pizza Hut, and Verizon, and projects like Mariah Carey’s “Keys of Christmas.” Forrest’s career highlight came at Endemol Shine, where he earned a Sports Emmy in 2018 for producing Life VR’s “Capturing Everest.”
“Leveraging my varied experiences in both traditional and digital formats, I’m excited to create content across a wide array of platforms with the partners I admire,” said Forrest. “Our focus is on delivering excellence in commercials and branded content, while also offering cutting-edge solutions in AI and VR when appropriate for our clients’ needs.”
Cloud Forest’s talent roster currently features long-time Forrest collaborators such as commercial directors Ben Pluimer, Michael Belcher, Clyde Bessey, Christopher Louie and Kevin K. Shah; director/photographer Shawn Corrigan; photographers Gabriela Oltean and Will Deleon; and creative directors Natalie Perry and Drew Grossman. The studio’s strength lies in curating the right team and accurately defining the necessary resources--budget, roles, and technology--allowing every project to meet its creative and business goals.
This approach has earned praise from industry... Read More