Priorities USA Roundup
Obama's campaign ad controversy
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7364466n&tag=contentMain%3BcontentBody
Adam Smith was briefly on CBS Evening News on Saturday to talk about the new Democratic outside group, Priorities USA. Lots of those on this list in the news over this. Here's a sampling:
- Feingold's statement: http://www.progressivesunited.org/news/feingold-blasts-new-pro-white-house-money-group
- PCAF statement: http://campaignmoney.org/press-room/2011/04/29/campaign-watchdog-priorities-usa-not-hypocritical
- Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/29/russ-feingold-priorities-usa_n_855671.html
- MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42825806/ns/politics-decision_2012
- NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/us/politics/30donate.html
- TPM: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/watchdogs-target-new-democratic-super-pacs.php
- Greg Sargent at Washington Post, "A little nuance please" http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/a-little-nuance-please/2011/03/03/AFPr6eEF_blog.html
- Democracy 21 wants an IRS investigation: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/158407-watchdogs-to-call-for-investigation-of-new-liberal-groups
- David Axelrod told David Gregory, "But it is the system we have. And you can’t expect one side to operate under one set of rules and the other side to operate under another." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/01/axelrod-on-govt-groups_n_855982.html

Other Campaign Finance
Editorial: Shine light on political gifts 
An editorial in support of President Obama's planned executive order on donor disclosure: "People who sell goods and services to the government shouldn't be able to influence government decisions through secret donations of large piles of cash to elect favored politicians."

Lobbyist: forcing contractors to disclose donations injects politics into policy
The American League of Lobbyists president says "This is injecting politics into a process that should not involve politics.” Right, because there have never been politics involved in government contracts. *cough* Haliburton *cough*

Behind the greenbacks
Eliza Newlin Carney’s latest column is on the executive order. "A White House plan to force federal contractors to more fully report their political spending has outraged business leaders and Senate Republicans, setting the stage for a legal challenge."

Congress/2012
Our view: GOP prepares to gut new consumer protection bureau
USA Today editorial on the House GOP's efforts to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "To understand what a feat that was, consider the campaign contributions that commercial banks lavished on members of the House Financial Services Committee, the gatekeeper for banking laws."
- Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) provides the opposing view: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2011-05-01-Consumer-Financial-Protection-Bureau-accountability_n.htm.

For-profit colleges field team of top lobbyists
For-profit colleges are beefing up in DC, with one of their lobbyists saying "“they are stumbling over each other" on the issue.

Panel lays down law: earmarks are over
Are lawmakers really serious about ending earmarks? "According to GOP and Democratic leadership aides, leaders in both parties appear to be taking seriously their vow to swear off earmarks, a sign of the shifting political winds in Washington, D.C., and the new reality brought on by last fall's elections."

Barack Obama's online army quietly gears up
The Obama online campaign is getting ready. "The central question, of course, is whether those millions still care, and whether the tens of thousands of active 2008 volunteers are ready to engage."

Springtime for Bankers
Another Paul Krugman column on GOP efforts to weaken financial regulations. "To see what’s really going on, follow the money. Wall Street used to favor Democrats, perhaps because financiers tend to be liberal on social issues. But greed trumps gay rights, and financial industry contributions swung sharply toward the Republicans in the 2010 elections. Apparently Wall Street, unlike the voters, had no trouble divining the party’s real intentions."

House GOP to hold hearing on White House visitor records
"House Republicans plan to probe the White House policy on disclosing its visitor records."

Trade groups lining up behind debt-limit hike
A few dozen trade associations are gearing up to give the White House cover on raising the debt ceiling

Republicans are pursuing a wider field for 2012 race
Republicans are saying, "really is this all we got?" about their 2012 candidates.

Rep. Rehberg, whose net worth is $31 million, says he's cash poor and struggling
And just for fun, watch Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg (R), who is worth $31 million, complain to constituents that he's struggling just like them.

Other
Fiesta Bowl trips spur push to revamp state rules
"Arizona's lobbying and financial-disclosure laws need to be revamped, advocacy groups and elected officials say, given last month's release of a Fiesta Bowl investigative report that disclosed a long-standing tradition of politicians accepting gifts from the bowl and its representatives outside the public's view."

Iowa's Miller should return big banks' donations
Our friend Hugh Espey, with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, writes in the Register, "Iowans shouldn't have to wonder if the national attorneys general settlement with the big banks is being unduly influenced by campaign contributions to Miller, the investigation's top dog."

Corporate donors dole out hefty sums to Democratic, GOP governors associations
CRP has this report on fundraising by the governors' associations

A conversation with John Paul Stevens
Former Supreme Court Justice Stevens decided to retire after reading his dissent in Citizens United from the bench. "Stevens was reading aloud from the bench part of his impassioned dissent when his voice faltered."