Super Congress/Deficit Commission
Make-up of deficit reduction "supercommittee" nearly set
We have 9 of 12 members of the super committee. "A coalition of liberal groups has called on committee members to suspend fundraising activities. 'Putting Senate Democrats' leading fundraiser in charge of a committee that will see a lobbying push like never before sends the wrong message to the American people,' said Nick Nyhart of Public Campaign, a group that opposes special-interest money in politics."
- More in the Hill
- Weekly Standard
- Tribune wire story
- Seattle PI
- Daily Beast quoting Mary Boyle, "We thought the choice of Senator Murray said ‘business as usual."
- Murray pushes back, also with quotes from POGO and CRP.
- Fox

LCV and Public Campaign Action Fund Question Big Oil Bias of Rep. Upton
With LCV, we got this statement out yesterday blasting Fred Upton as a selection on the committee.
-LCV quoted
- Michigan Messenger

White House: Request for super committee members to stop fundraising is "silly criticism"
And it seems that Jay Carney called this criticism "silly."
- We don't think so

Deficit super committee. Who will they look out for?
Our round up of campaign cash for the named committee members.

Who bankrolls the Super Congress?
Politico's round up of members' campaign cash

Congress/2012
Mitt Romney raised more money from lobbyists than all other 2012 GOP candidates combined
Headline sort of says it all, but just in case: "According to disclosure reports filed at the end of July, 61 registered lobbyists and five lobbyist-linked political action committees contributed $137,650 to Romney's campaign between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2011. The former Massachusetts governor raised more money from lobbyists during this period than all of his competitors combined."

Is Austin Scott working for his constituents or Washington lobbyists?
Dana Milbank wrote a column yesterday about Rep. Austin Scott's legislation to end Legal Services after a company his district got busted by them for shortchanging American workers for "cheaper" migrant workers. We did some digging--and you will (not) be surprised by what we found.

Boehner to attend Minnesota fundraiser next week
John Boehner is heading to Minnesota. "According to an invite given to Minnesota Public Radio News, tickets for a round of golf at the Spring Hill Golf Club with the Speaker and a lunch cost $10,000, while lunch-only tickets run $1,000."

Steelman calls for Congress to get back in session, offers to drive members back
GOP MO Senate candidate Sarah Steelman went after Todd Akin (her GOP primary opponent) and Claire McCaskill for fundraising during recess: "Today we learn that Senator Claire McCaskill and Congressman Todd Akin are vacationing and throwing $5,000 a plate fundraisers. I could not imagine a more perfectly stated encapsulation of the problem in this nation."

A murky million for Romney
The Globe editorializes on that secret Romney donation from last week. "The scheme hatched by Conard and Casey clearly violated the spirit of these laws, and the election commission should investigate whether they violated the letter of the law as well."
- And New Balance is having to distance itself from its chairman's donation to the same committee

Rick Perry's got Texas-sized money-raising skills
"But one of the biggest factors making Perry instantly credible is money."

Colbert's super PAC targets Perry.
Ha. Script: A storm is gathering over Iowa. A money storm. Out-of-state groups like Grow AC and Jobs for Iowa PAC are flooding the airwaves telling you to vote for Rick Perry at the Ames straw poll. They think they can buy your vote with their unlimited super PAC money. But Americans for a better tomorrow, tomorrow, ask, what about our unlimited super PAC money? We want you to vote for Rick Perry too, but not their Rick Perry, our Rick Parry. On august 13, write in, ‘Rick Parry.’ That’s parry with an ‘A’ for America – with an ‘A’ for Iowa."

Liberal groups launch contract of their own
Roll Call picks up the launch of the Contract for the American Dream

The most wanted 2012 campaign donors
Politico lays out the "most wanted" 2012 GOP donors

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
8 ways to fix our politics
Daily Beast/Newsweek offers its prescription for fixing our politics. Number 2? Fair Elections, with a quote from Sen. Durbin.

Lawyers group wants tougher lobbying laws
New ABA rec's on lobbying include: "The ABA recommends that Congress amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act to enact a two-year ban on lobbyists engaging in fundraising efforts for members of Congress they lobby and to narrow the lobbying reporting threshold from 20 percent of one’s professional work to a “reasonable,” but unspecified percentage."

"Study shows who breaks campaign laws: Finance rules tend to trip small and grassroots groups, state finds."
Don't necessarily believe the hype that this means "onerous" regulations effect the little guy: "As can be seen, the vast majority of penalties are when committees simply miss their filing. It has nothing to do with complexity and having or not having lawyers and analysts to look over stuff.”

Other
Wisconsin's warning to union busters
The NYT writes: "It was probably a stretch for union supporters to go after six incumbent senators, rather than concentrate their forces on the most vulnerable. Nonetheless, voters around the country who oppose the widespread efforts to undermine public unions — largely financed by corporate interests — should draw strength from Tuesday’s success, not discouragement."