Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Overrule the Supreme Court on campaign finance reform  
A University of Baltimore law professor writes about the Court and its position on campaign finance. One way to respond? "The proposed federal Fair Elections Now Act is a good model; that statute would match small private campaign donations with larger amounts of public funds."

Dems, reformers fight to close political dark money loophole 
Rep. Chris van Hollen (D-Md.), along with the Campaign Legal Center, filed a brief yesterday in an effort to speed up their lawsuit against the FEC on secret money.

Close to home
An editorial from Greensboro, NC on the McComish decision: The state's public financing system is "worth saving, but finding a way to do it within the new parameters set by the court won't be easy. What applies to Arizona is going to affect North Carolina, too."

Congress
Our view: Alabama's lax campaign-finance laws make it a target for end runs around federal campaign-finance law
Mitt Romney may have a PAC in Alabama, but it didn't raise any money from Alabama and "Most of the money the PAC spent paid for Romney's political operation, including staffers, pollsters and consultants, leading up to his official campaign kickoff."

Mitt Romney raises $18.25 million
"Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney raised $18.25 million over the past three months, a sum likely to put him head and shoulders above his rivals for the 2012 Republican nomination in the dash for cash." It'll be interesting to see how many donors this is, though.

Newt Gingrich raises $2M, reveals significant debt
*Insert obligatory joke about Newt's Tiffany's line of credit*

Tuesday's fundraising wrap
A review of some 2nd quarter fundraising numbers.

DCCC robocalls target six Republicans on ethics
The DCCC is hitting six Republicans with robocalls on claims of "ethics failures"

Obamas, Biden make fundraising rounds
"The Obamas and Joe Biden have combined to attend 45 fundraising events since early April, an impressive number for this early in the cycle."

Jeff Sessions: Saying millionaires should share pain is "rather pathetic"
Sen. Jeff Sessions, a millionaire, is so over Democrats saying millionaires should have to pay higher taxes.

Boats, jets arm for tax fight
The boating association is now concerned. "The industries, suddenly on notice, have dispatched their lobbyists to Capitol Hill on a mission to explain to lawmakers that the proposals will only hurt American workers while barely putting a dent in the deficit."

Ex-House Dem Maffei joins lobby firm
The revolving door swings again with former Rep. Dan Maffei (D-N.Y.) joining Manatt, Phelps, and Phillips.

Other
Two GOP senators raise more funds than six Democratic challengers combined
A run down of the campaign finance numbers for the recall elections in Wisconsin

NOM loses bid to keep anti-gay marriage MN donors concealed out of "harassment" fears
"The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board rejected the National Organization for Marriage's bid to keep corporate donors anonymous in the state's gay marriage fight..."

Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposing new round of ethics reforms
Emanuel is pushing for a number of reforms of city government including closing the revolving door, providing more details about city lobbyists, and more transparency of campaign contributions

Judge upholds new Iowa campaign disclosure rules
"A federal judge has upheld key parts of a new Iowa law requiring corporations and unions to disclose spending for or against political candidates, saying the rules increase transparency while protecting the right to free speech."