Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Hearing underrepresented small business, leaders say 
Love the headline. Our friends at the American Sustainable Business Council called out Rep. Issa (R-Calif.) yesterday in a telephone presser ahead of their government contractor hearing. "Small-business groups accused Republicans of shutting them out of a hearing held Thursday by the Congressional committee established to look out for their interests."
- Here's Public Citizen’s David Arkush's piece: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-arkush/chamber-election-spending_b_860872.html
- And here we have "Opposition grows to WH executive order on contractors" http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/05/12/opposition-grows-to-white-house-executive-order-on-contractors/
- And Issa wouldn't let Democracy 21’s Fred Wertheimer speak yesterday: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/160763-democrats-slam-issa-for-rejecting-oversight-witness

The dirty little secret of Arizona's Clean Elections
Another article blaming Arizona's political climate on Clean Elections instead of on, you know, its politics.

Congress/2012
IRS investigating donors to political nonprofits
AP picks up on the IRS going after the gift tax. David Donnelly: ""Major donors to the new political organizations may have to pay a heavy premium for staying in the shadows. It's clear that the law says these secret political donors can't have it both ways: If they choose to influence elections, they have to do it in the open or pay the taxman."
- And it's leading the Times today: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/business/13gift.html?ref=politics
- Tom Coburn's role: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/54905.html

Crapo attended fundraiser with BP lobbyist before hearing on oil subsidies
Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing with Big Oil executives. Just an hour before, Committee Member Mike Crapo held a fundraiser that was hosted by a lobbyist for BP.

Report urges U.S. to consider charging Ensign.
This Ensign report is pretty amazing. The Ethics Committee is urging DOJ and FEC to reopen the case.

Does the Tea Party make Ron Paul mainstream?
And Ron Paul is in!

Other
AARP: Lawmakers ignore voices of older voters, campaign finance reforms needed
The Idaho AARP is out with a new report on campaign cash in the state and a call for reform.

Senate ethics panel finds Fiesta Bowl ticket violations
"An Arizona Senate Ethics Committee review found some lawmakers may have violated state law by improperly accepting free football game tickets from the Fiesta Bowl, Chairman Ron Gould said Thursday."

SCOTUS needs an ethical code
Professor Herman Schwartz writes that the U.S. Supreme Court needs an ethical code. "Today, Supreme Court justices are subject to virtually no ethical standards — except those they impose on themselves. That is not good enough."

Parking meter corporation's PAC draws fire
Big Parking Meter strikes again!