Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Recuse me  
Linda Greenhouse writes this column about calls for judicial recusal--focusing mostly on Prop 8 but also mentioning Common Cause's efforts with Scalia and Thomas, and Sierra Club with Scalia.

Watchdogs urge action on White House's contractor donation disclosure order
"Ethics watchdogs are pressuring President Obama to sign off on a draft executive order that would force government contractors to disclose their political contributions."
- OMB Watch: http://www.ombwatch.org/node/11643
- And good rebuttal of critics from Tara Malloy at Campaign Legal Center: http://clcblog.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=419:critics-distort-constitution-to-protect-secret-campaign-spending-by-government-contractors-

Congress/2012
Chamber seeks to extend reach into communities
"The Chamber of Commerce hopes to more than double its grass-roots activists around the country from 5.5 million to 12 million in the next year, leaders of the pro-business group said in a conference call with members Wednesday afternoon." This should be interesting to watch--said they might open district offices too (probably cause the local chambers think the national doesn't represent them).

Liberal group's video campaign assails Koch Brothers
Brave New Films is launching a serious of videos that were filmed outside the Koch's many homes

New W.H. battle: corporate taxes
Washington is gearing up for the fight over corporate taxes--and the influence peddling on that is going to be "a feast for K Street."

The influence industry: poker lobby pushes for legalization in wake of indictments
"Now, poker advocates in Washington are attempting to turn the bust to their advantage by renewing a push to legalize online poker in the United States."

Koch is neutral, not with Mitt Romney
"Billionaire David Koch's public proclamation that he's uncommitted in the 2012 Republican field runs counter to what top Mitt Romney supporters had stated as fact for the past year — that the wealthy libertarian industrialist was firmly in Romney's camp." This story pleases me.

Crossroads eyes sending help to NY special
Republicans are worried they could lose the seat recently held by Chris Lee (R-Craiglist) and American Crossroads might be sending some help.

House Democrats to start unveiling energy agenda
Looks like House Democrats are going to roll out their energy legislation package

Iran, other nations press interests in US
Foreign governments spent big on lobbying in the first quarter of 2011.

GOP presidential candidate Gov. Roemer slams lobbyists as "what's wrong with the American people."
Do read/listen to this interview by Lee Fang with Gov. Buddy Roemer. "The reason the tax code is four thousand pages long and paid no taxes last year and made five billion dollars? It’s [campaign] checks. That’s whats wrong with the American system. It’s not free anymore. It’s bought. [...]"

Other
Railroad executive to be sentenced for campaign law violations
A major donor to Scott Walker's campaign will be sentenced on Thursday for violating campaign finance laws.

Florida Senate to vote on elections law Thursday
It's of course complete coincidence with 2012 that Florida lawmakers are pushing legislation to make it harder to vote.