Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
How big money finds a way in
The NYT on the rise of outside spending: "For interest groups and wealthy individuals, the shifts have meant more direct influence in elections. For American democracy, the effect may well be disastrous."

First, show your face, by Tova Wang
Good piece from Tova in the Economist on voter suppression efforts. "But the sort of deception that showing a government-issued photo ID would prevent—voter-impersonation fraud, in which one person on the voter rolls tries to vote as someone else—is very rare. Too rare, say some opponents, to justify erecting barriers that will disproportionately disenfranchise poor, young and minority voters, who tend to support Democrats."

Corporations are not people, by Joel Bleifuss
Bleifuss writes on the need for a constitutional amendment "to counter Citizens United would be to pass a constitutional amendment that would reassert the right of both federal and state governments to regulate how money is raised and how it is spent on elections.

Congress/2012
Upton to forgo more fundraising
And Fred Upton became the 5th member of the supercommittee to make changes to his fundraising schedule while serving on the supercommittee. Good for him.

Dave Camp won't add fundraisers during supercommittee
Supercommittee member Dave Camp's hometown paper reports on adjustments to his fundraising schedule. "Fundraisers have become a hot topic, with various government watchdog groups calling on the committee's 12 members to cancel all fundraising while the group deliberates."

$1.2 trillion? Panelists should strive for more
The Charlotte Observer wants supercommittee transparency. "The 12 members should, as the Sunlight Foundation and other watchdog groups urged last week, voluntarily and in real time disclose the names of special interests lobbying them, as well as all campaign contributions they receive."

Bundlers poised for power over supercommittee
Politico looks at some bundlers and the supercommittee. And this, "Fundraising for supercommittee members has become a sensitive topic." That's right it has!

Deficit panel tries working in a bubble
Coming to a deal on the supercommittee is going to be hard, "and sources close to the committee suggest that any outside pressures, even from the president, will make that road much tougher." That's why members should stop fundraising and provide complete transparency of their interactions with these "outside pressures."

Hundreds gather for Wall Street protests
Protestors occupied Wall Street this weekend. "Participants of the event cited a number of motivating issues, ranging from the environment to social justice concerns, but many were disturbed by the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case last year, arguing that it would grant corporations too much sway over the political process."

Rick Perry's in a New York state of mind today
"Texas Gov. Rick Perry is expected to start off his week with meet-and-greets and fundraising events in the city that never sleeps."

How Super PACs could eclipse official campaigns in 2012
"Presidential campaigns are so 2008, like boyfriend jeans or Tila Tequila. If you want to win the White House these days, “Super PACs” are the thing to have. And all the Republican hopefuls know it."

Michele Bachmann links Rick Perry on HPV vaccine to Solyndra
Michele Bachmann says that Rick Perry's favors for Merck donors is just like what's happening with the Obama administration and solar company Solyndra. 

Bachmann claims Wall Street reform is "killing the banking industry," as banks post record profits
Bachmann rails against Dodd-Frank financial reform. PCAF looked at her Wall Street money recently.

Lawmakers side jobs help bolster their paychecks
"Members of Congress last year tripled their income since 2006 from private-sector jobs and companies they own, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of financial-disclosure statements." Craig Holman: "It's a problem to see members of Congress pulling in more and more outside income while trying to fulfill their duties on Capitol Hill."

Political embezzlement rises as U.S. campaign accounts swell
Bloomberg looks at the California campaign embezzlement scandal and past stories on the issue. "As candidates raise more money for their campaigns, there is greater opportunity for nefarious treasurers to embezzle campaign cash from politicians accustomed to putting their careers in the hands of consultants, aides and volunteers, said Michael Toner, a former Federal Election Commission chairman."

Paul Ryan calls for increasing taxes on middle class but dismisses millionaires tax as "class warfare."
Paul Ryan calls taxing millionaires "class warfare." 

Other/States
State ban on corporate political donations before Montana Supreme Court
In Montana: "The state Supreme Court will hear a case Wednesday that could have major impacts on future elections as it decides whether to retain or toss out Montana's century-old ban on direct corporate spending for or against political candidates."

Treasurer's state mailing sent out to big-time donors
It is completely a coincidence that the Illinois State Treasurer, who is considering a run for governor, sent a gov't-funded mailing on his office's "successes" to a list of mostly campaign donors. 

NJ political bosses pose a hurdle to reform of repugnant payoff system
An op-ed from New Jersey on government contracts and campaign contributions. "The only difference is that when the payoff is a political contribution, it is perfectly legal."

Do new voting laws suppress fraud? Or Democrats?
NPR looks at "voter fraud" efforts. Ari Berman: "A voter is more likely to be struck by lightening than they are to impersonate another voter at the polls."