Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Keeping it Clean: Maine's fight for Fair Elections
Do read this piece by Brooke Jarvis in Yes! magazine on Maine Clean Elections.

More companies shed light on political spending
"More American companies are bending to shareholder pressure to reveal their spending to sway political campaigns despite court decisions allowing unfettered corporate cash in elections, according to a study released on Friday."

Barack Obama's fundraising unrivaled, says Martin Frost
In the next installment of its money and politics series, Politico interviews former DCCC chair Martin Frost. He calls our current campaign finance system extreme--but says there is not a whole lot--short of a constitutional amendment--that we can do about it.

Congress/2012
Lobbyists playing key role in 2012 fundraising
The Post looks at the Republican primary and their lobbyist donors and bundlers. Public Campaign Action Fund's David Donnelly: “These lobbyist donors get an immense of amount of access and influence over elected officials, and the rest of us get one lousy vote. It is a business model that relies on lobbyists making campaign contributions, raising money for candidates and being in the most helpful position they can be in to benefit their clients down the line.”
- Chris Frates says this overplays their influence a bit: http://influencealley.nationaljournal.com/2011/10/-the-washington-post-has.php

Obama backers tied to lobbies raise millions
They aren't registered as lobbyists, but: "At least 15 of Mr. Obama’s 'bundlers' — supporters who contribute their own money to his campaign and solicit it from others — are involved in lobbying for Washington consulting shops or private companies."

Obama lost many donors from '08 race
"President Barack Obama has lost millions of dollars in support from former donors in Democratic strongholds and in districts that he won narrowly four years ago, according to an Associated Press analysis of the most recent federal campaign finance data."

Issa attended event hosted by Solyndra lobbyist
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who has been leading the charge about Solyndra, was at a Mitt Romney fundraiser the other day...with a Solyndra lobbyist.

The party's over
Outside spenders are going to make party committees less relevant.

Tech execs push for tax holiday, spectrum auction
"In letter sent to lawmakers today, a group of 54 technology executives and trade organization leaders urged members of the super committee to include spectrum auctions and a repatriation tax holiday in a deal to reduce the deficit."
- And Oklahoma Rep. Jim Lankford supports repatriation in this op-ed: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67034.html

Eric Cantor's Chicago speech--will he invite his billionaire donors?
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is giving his income inequality speech at Northwestern today (a week after canceling the Philly one due to protests). Maybe his billionaire Chicago donors will show up?

Another idea to slow the fundraising arms race
An idea on fundraising: "PPI executive director Lindsay Mark Lewis calls for banning fundraising for House members until the second session of Congress and making senators wait until year five of their terms before raising money. He argues that it would relieve legislators from constantly thinking about their next elections and improve relationships on the Hill."

Murkowski "frustrated" by closed door debt talks
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on the supercommittee: "I talk to lobbyists that come into the D.C. office and seemingly they have a heck of a lot more information than I do."

Other
Watchdog groups bemoan spending rise in judicial campaigns
"The nation's court system faces multiple threats posed by escalating campaign spending, a spike in judicial impeachment challenges, and dwindling public resources, a trio of watchdog groups conclude in a report released today."