Fair Elections Introduction

Alec Baldwin on Capitol Hill
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/06/alec-baldwin-on-capitol-hill/
Yesterday Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) held a press conference to introduce the Fair Elections Now Act with Reps. John Larson and Chellie Pingree, and actor Alec Baldwin.

• "If cash is speech the person with the most cash speaks the loudest and that's the problem. It winds up giving some people a very unfair advantage," Baldwin said, "Under a fair election system, candidates would be able to spend more time listening to the people they want to represent instead of dialing for dollars from special interest groups and jetting off to receptions with millionaires."

Durbin, Larson Push Plan With Alec Baldwin on Campaign Finance
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/04/alec-baldwin-dick-durbin-campaign-finance-/1
USA Today covers the re-introduction of the Fair Elections Now Act.
 
Alec Baldwin, Former Congressional Intern, Lobbies for Finance Reform
http://thehill.com/capital-living/in-the-know/154481-alec-baldwin-former-congressional-intern-lobbies-for-finance-reform
Thank god they pointed out what he was wearing! “Leaning against a wall in the Capitol and sporting sensible rubber-soled black loafers, a blue blazer, gray slacks and a gray tie, Baldwin waited his turn to address reporters at a press conference on the Fair Elections Now Act, a campaign finance reform bill championed by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).”
 
Alec Baldwin Makes Pitch for Larson’s Campaign Finance Bill
http://www.ctmirror.org/node/12126
The Connecticut Mirror also covers the Fair Elections Now Act introduction.
 
Star Tracks, Alec Baldwin
http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,20479777_20934381,00.html
Alec Baldwin’s appearance at the Fair Elections Press Conference makes it on People.com
 
Photo From AP Photo
http://billionaires.forbes.com/photo/09ev0Vw8wK99r
AP has some photos up from yesterday’s press conference.
 
LA Times Blog
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/04/alec-baldwin-30-rock-end-tina-fey.html
Apparently 30 Rock is going to end next year. Also, Alec Baldwin was in DC yesterday! “Baldwin, who traveled to Washington Wednesday to introduce the Fair Elections Now Act on Capitol Hill, has recently been cast in the film version <http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/03/monster-mash-2.html>  of the musical "Rock of Ages" with Tom Cruise.”
 
Campaign Finance/Ethics

Trying to Fix Fiesta Bowl is Not a Good Fit For Brewer, Pals
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/04/06/20110406roberts0406.html
“Brewer should instead focus on outlawing political freebies and putting some teeth into the no-free-tickets and financial-disclosure laws that should lead to trouble for a fair number of legislators - but likely won't.”
 
Legislators, Lobbyists Still Playing Ball
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/EJMontini/124360
After the Fiesta Bowl scandal, it seems that Arizona state legislators still plan to play in a softball game sponsored by the some of the state’s most powerful lobbyists.

• “Already the Arizona Advocacy Network's Linda Brown issued a press release Tuesday saying, “Getting mixed up with another lobbyist-fueled sporting event a week after the Fiesta Bowl scandal broke shows these legislators are completely tone deaf."

A Free Lunch for Arizona Lawmakers
http://www.kpho.com/politics/27447482/detail.html
John Loredo: “It's a big celebration basically hosted by all of the special interest lobbyists that get together and celebrate all of the victories that they got for their clients and all of the tax breaks that they got.”
 
The Cost of Good Government
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704101604576246802224562500.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Second story on the page – The Wall Street Journal is clearly not a fan of campaign finance reform.
 
Shrink Government to Limit Politicians’ Power
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/letters/2011-04-07-letters07_ST_N.htm
USA Today publishes letters to the editor on Clean Elections.
 
Congress
Lobbyists Get Busier as Shutdown Looms
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/56_107/Lobbyists-Busier-Shutdown-K-Street-204695-1.html?pos=hln
“A federal government shutdown would close some of Washington, D.C.’s most popular attractions and important outposts, but the influence industry won’t even slow down.”
 
Dems Fundraising Off Threat of Shutdown
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/fundraising/154403-dccc-fundraising-off-threat-of-government-shutdown
With a government shutdown in the next day and a half looking increasingly likely (who needs trash to be picked up in the district anyways!), Democrats are making the most of the opportunity to raise campaign cash.
 
Other
AFL-CIO Remains Opposed to Columbia Trade Deal
http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/04/06/afl-cio-remains-opposed-to-colombia-trade-deal/
"Union density in Colombia is below 5 percent, and even fewer workers can exercise their right to bargain collectively. We have no doubt that if 51 CEOs had been murdered in Colombia last year, this deal would be on a very slow track indeed."
 
Challenger Has Narrow Lead in Wisconsin Supreme Court Election
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/154199-wis-supreme-court-justice-has-narrow-lead-over-challenger
In what is being seen as a referendum on Gov. Scott Walker’s policies, challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg is leading the vote.