Fair Elections/Campaign Finance

Curbing Big Money
http://www.publicampaign.org/blog/2011/04/08/nation-curbing-big-money
David Donnelly and Nick Nyhart discuss the Fair Elections in The Nation.

• “Against this rising tide of big money, several proposals would begin to rebalance our election system. Fair Elections–style public financing, a constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, disclosure of the funding behind independent political advertising and shareholder approval policies for corporate political expenditures are all necessary, but each faces tough opposition in the current Congress. That’s not to say progress isn’t possible. On April 6 Senator Dick Durbin and Representatives John Larson, Walter Jones and Chellie Pingree reintroduced the Fair Elections Now Act—with fifty-four co-sponsors, more than ever before.”

 
Cuomo Leads Charge for Public Financing in New York
http://www.thenation.com/blog/159753/cuomo-leads-charge-public-financing-new-york-state
Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation, writes on the importance of the fight for public financing in New York.
 
Pingree Keeps Pushing on Campaign Finance Reform
http://www.pressherald.com/blogs/maine_washington_politics/119405794.html
“The American people deserve a better government than they are getting,” Rep. Chellie Pingree said. “It’s time to get corporate money out of politics and put elections back in the hands of ordinary Americans.”
 
The Need for Public Campaign Financing
 http://www.newsday.com/opinion/the-need-for-public-campaign-financing-1.2806603
Newsday editorializes on the need for public financing (subscription required).
 
Money Rules
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/04/08/1113729/money-rules.html
The News & Observer editorializes on North Carolina’s judicial public financing system.

• “North Carolina's move to insulate judicial campaigns from special-interest contributions is regarded as a national model. If anything, funding should be ramped up to help candidates raise their profiles and help voters make better-informed decisions. If the U.S. Supreme Court knocks the pegs out from under public financing, as it may be on the point of doing, that would be a big step backwards.”

Congress

Group Blast Boehner Over Saturday Fundraiser
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2011/04/07/group-blasts-boehner-over-saturday-fundraiser/
Public Campaign Action Fund put out a press release yesterday blasting Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for scheduling a big money fundraising event during a possible government shut down.

• Here’s the press release: http://www.campaignmoney.org/Boehner_fundraising_during_budget_impasse

• The Washington Post’s “The Fix” also mentions the release: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/afternoon-fix-squabbling-over-the-shutdown/2011/04/07/AFrIwxwC_blog.html

Bank Bill Could Pit Durbin vs. Schumer
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/154769-bill-could-pit-durbin-vs-schumer
“K Street sources say Schumer (D-N.Y.) will support legislation sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) that would delay regulations curbing the fees that banks may charge on debit cards. Tester’s bill has strong backing from banking interests in New York. Tester’s bill would weaken legislation strongly backed by Durbin (D-Ill.), who has delivered impassioned floor speeches in defense of a measure passed last year as part of a Wall Street reform bill.”

Other

Redistricting Battle Under Way with Lobbyists and Lawyers
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/08/us/politics/08redistricting.html?_r=1
“Beyond hiring lobbyists, major players in Washington — including high-priced lawyers, union officials, House leaders and national party operatives — are spending time and money to influence how officials in state capitals design the political maps that will affect the balance of power in Congress for the next decade.”
 
No Prison Time for Abramoff Figure Albaugh
http://www.rollcall.com/news/no_prison_time_for_abramoff_figure_albaugh-204726-1.html?pos=htmbtxt
Abramoff Scandal Update: Former Congressional Staffer John Albaugh won’t receive prison time.
 
Shareholders United: SEC Rules That Political-Spending Proposal Must Go to a Vote
http://www.bnet.com/blog/corporate-governance/shareholders-united-sec-rules-that-political-spending-proposal-must-go-to-a-vote/366
Last week, the SEC ruled that companies must allow shareholder proposals that seek an annual review and vote on corporate political expenditures.
 
Corrected Brookfield Tally Puts Prosser Ahead After 7,500-Vote Gain
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/119410124.html
Something seems fishy here. A clerk in a Republican stronghold in Wisconsin magically found thousands of untallied votes for conservative incumbent Justice David Prosser.