Fair Elections/ Campaign Finance Can Self Funded Campaigns Help the American Public? Public Campaign President Nick Nyhart spoke with WBEN radio in Buffalo, NY about the importance of Fair Elections over the possible advantages of self funding.   Senate Dems Push Ethics, Campaign Package In New York state, Senate Democrats are working to pass public financing of elections and other reforms. Minority Leader John Sampson: “Why don’t people trust us, and how can we fix this? … For years, the problem with Albany has not been what is illegal, but rather what is legal.”   Common Cause asks Court About Thomas Speech The New York Times covers Common Cause’s research on Justice Clarence Thomas’ appearance at a Koch Brothers retreat. Common Cause Vice President Arn Pearson: “’I don’t think the explanation they’ve given is credible,’ Mr. Pearson said in an interview. He said that if Justice Thomas’s visit was a ‘four-day, all-expenses paid trip in sunny Palm Springs,’ it should have been reported as a gift under federal law.”   Bold Step for Fair Courts in New York This New York Times editorial praises the move to bar elected judges from hearing cases involving any lawyer or party who has donated more than $2,500.   2012 Strategy: Raise Cash Later It seems many potential GOP contenders for the White House aren’t rushing to be the first to raise campaign cash. This quote seemed poignant: “’I think if they are serious about winning the nomination and challenging the president, every day they aren’t raising money is a wasted day,’ said Tad Devine, an adviser to 2004 Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry.”Maryland Needs to Greater Campaign Finance TransparencyMaryland needs to step up their disclosure laws. Congress K Street’s Freshman Shun Lobbyist Tag More than a dozen retired or defeated lawmakers from last Congress have jobs on K Street, but they aren’t rushing to register as lobbyists.

• “Not registering as a lobbyist has distinct advantages for former lawmakers. It allows them a chance to escape the stigma attached to moving from Congress to advocacy, and they are not required to disclose their client list to the public. “

Freshmen Gearing up to Work off Debt From Their ’10 Campaigns Money still rules the race: “No matter what form it comes in, though, the ability to quickly raise the cash to get out of that post-election money hole will prove the earliest sign of strength ahead of 2012.”   This is Their Home: Freshman Reps are Sleeping on the Job to Make a Point Some freshmen lawmakers may be refusing Congress’ health care plan and sleeping in their offices, but CREW is questioning if it’s all legal: “On Thursday, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington asked the congressional ethics office to investigate the couch-sleepers. It questioned whether they were breaking tax laws ‘by failing to report lodging as a taxable fringe benefit.’”

• More on the end of the pajama party here: http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1102/wakeup_call_on_the_hill.html

  Liberals Launch Anti-Darrell Issa Crusade A new group called “The Third Lantern” has created a website called “The Issa Files” for the sole purpose of making “public documents more public, make life difficult for Issa and sow seeds of doubt on his investigations.”   Other Rachel Maddow on Justice Thomas Last night Rachel Maddow looked at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ ongoing involvement with Koch industries and tonight Common Cause President Bob Edgar will be on her show.   Shirley Sherrod Sues Andrew Breitbart Over Video Conservative activist and blogger Andrew Breitbart was served with papers with at the Conservative Political Action Conference from one of his victims, Shirley Sherrod, a former dept. of Agriculture employee.   FBI Releases File on the Late Ted Stevens It seems that the FBI had a rather large file on former Sen. Ted Stevens, including many allegations of corruption that came long before the contractor scandal.