Fair Elections/Campaign Finance Watchdog group blasts Dean Scontras for comments on Clean Elections Campaign Money Watch put out this statement yesterday blasting Maine House Candidate Dean Scontras, for saying Clean Elections was “bad for business.” Campaign Money Watch Director David Donnelly: "In 1996 when I managed the initiative campaign for Clean Elections, Maine voters made it clear they wanted elections of, by, and for the people. And that's as true today as it was back then, and as true in Washington as it is in Augusta." Obama’s focus on election funding spurs guarded optimism among campaign finance reformers Will all this focus on secret spending, etc, spur action on campaign finance? Sheila Krumholz: “This may be the beginning of the post Citizens United chapter in history which replaces scrutiny and limits with emphasis on free speech. And that might bolster a passionate response from the public to strengthen and reinvigorate disclosure and even limits to try and counter what the courts have done.” Congress Tactic helps big political spenders stay under radar In which a spokesperson for the “King Street Patriots,” a group in Texas accused of voter intimidation in minority precincts, says the NAACP doesn’t have to disclose its donors, so why should they? Craig Holman: “We are plunging deep into scandal.” Lungren at center of campaign cash debate This column discusses Rep. Dan Lungren’s (R-Calif.) campaign finance plan – all disclosure, no limits. Well, disclosure on candidate donations. Fred Wertheimer: “The idea of lifting contribution restrictions is a formula for corruption and legalized bribery.” Rep. Kirk wants outside groups to disclose donors Mark Kirk says donors should be disclosed. Big business lobby reports huge spending The Chamber spent $29 million on lobbying in the third quarter, it’s biggest quarter of the year. Can the GOP block special interests? The GOP says it’ll bring new discipline to Washington, but the special interests bankrolling the 2010 elections are probably going to keep that from happening. Voters do care about secret cash Greg Sargent has a teaser of some new NBC/WSJ polling on secret spending – it looks like 74% are concerned whether these secret donors have their own agenda. Also in this link: MoveOn launching 28 ads in Senate and House races “hammering Republicans for benefitting from corporate front groups.” John Roberts’ America “Your average voter can dash off a letter to the editor, or fire up a blog, or put up a yard sign — a nice fantasy of citizen democracy.  Your corporate equal can spend $23 million (the outsider amount spent so far in Colorado)  to bludgeon the electorate.  And, with loopholes in the tax system, they can do it while making it virtually impossible to know who they are.”