Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
FEC to tell Mike Lee he can't form his very own super PAC
"The Federal Election Commission is set to tell Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), a member of the Tea Party Caucus, that he can’t become the first politician in the country to form his very own “super PAC” during their public meeting next week."

Election financing: Paths and pitfalls
A handful of responses to Professor Lessig's recent NYT op-ed--including from our friends at the Brennan Center and Fair Elections Oregon.

The branding of the Occupy movement
Interview with the AdBusters editor that branded #occupywallstreet. One thing he wants? To overturn Citizens United.

Reclaim state elections
This editorial from the Buffalo News calls for public financing in New York.

Congress/2012
Lobbyist Loeffler now raising cash for Huntsman super PAC
Shocking! "The super PAC behind a $1.5 million New Hampshire television ad blitz for Jon Huntsman has been quietly benefiting from the fundraising muscle of lobbyist Tom Loeffler, who until recently was a top Huntsman campaign official."

Legal questions on Perry's use of super PAC video
Is the pro-Perry super PAC testing the limits of coordination restrictions?

Lobbyist bundled $17.1 million since 2009
New report from Sunlight Foundation: Lobbyists have bundled $17.1 million for 76 recipients since 2009.

Democrats post big fundraising numbers for 2012 House races
"House Democrats have raised $52.1 million to the Republicans’ $48.7 million. The difference is small, but it’s significant given that no minority party has been able to get such an edge in fundraising since the 1994 election cycle."
- But, individually, some House Republicans are raking it in.

Secret fed loans gave banks undisclosed $13B
Bloomberg's analysis of some fed documents around the bailout. Frustrating line: "Saved by the bailout, bankers lobbied against government regulations, a job made easier by the Fed, which never disclosed the details of the rescue to lawmakers even as Congress doled out more money and debated new rules aimed at preventing the next collapse."

Donors hedge bets on Romney, Perry with cash to both
"Romney and Perry have the most double-dipping donors, the center says, with 261 people giving at least $200 to both of them through the end of September."

Romney gains support of top Wall Street donor
Wall Street donors piling up for Romney: "Stephen Schwarzman, the chairman of the world’s largest private equity firm Blackstone Group, will host a fundraiser at his Park Avenue apartment next month for the former Massachusetts governor"

Lobbyist eyes 2013 for corporate tax fix
Reuters profiles corporate tax lobbyist Kenneth Kies.

Eric Cantor plays super PAC man
"The star fundraiser is throwing his weight behind a powerful new GOP super PAC backed by Speaker John Boehner, the Congressional Leadership Fund, and a second one, the YG Action Fund, launched by former Cantor deputy chief of staff John Murray."

K Street firms back to "normal"
A lobbyist's work is never done! "The 12-member panel tasked with coming up with $1.2 trillion in spending cuts was a golden opportunity for lobbyists to try to reach an elite concentration of powerful lawmakers. But now that the committee has admitted defeat, lobbyists’ work is far from over."

Television attack ads aim at Obama early and often
Gosh this election is going to be obnoxious: "Nearly a year before Election Day, Republican presidential candidates and conservative action groups are already spending heavily on television advertising aimed at casting Mr. Obama as a failure."

NBA stars teaming up for the "Obama Classic" fundraiser
"With ample time on their hands because of the strike, some of the elite players in the NBA are taking part in  an exhibition game next month to raise money for President Obama's reelection campaign."

Congress prepares to act in response to insider trading report
Support for investing legislation for members of Congress continues to grow.

No more tax holidays for corporations
Great letter from the Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition on our report with US Action on tax repatriation: "It's unclear why Congress would even consider such an outrageous request. Until you follow the money."

Oil industry batting 1.000
"The oil industry is batting 1.000 this year when it comes to preserving its tax breaks."

Newt Gingrich Inc: How the GOP hopeful went from political flameout to fortune
Gingrich didn't let resigning in disgrace stop him--he's built a huge brand in Washington, D.C. A think tank, political consulting, and more!
-  But, you know, he got the Union-Leader endorsement.

Chamber misspells Tester's name
What with all that money from big corporations and its CEO making a $5M salary, you'd think the Chamber could afford copy editors.

Opponents of Missouri congressional candidate Ann Wagner claim Enterprise Rent-A-Car is buying House seat
Huh: "In her quest to represent Missouri’s Second Congressional District, former Republican National Committee co-chair Ann Wagner is hauling in more money than any other non-incumbent running for Congress. But her political opponents say the election is for sale, and one company is buying: Enterprise Rent-A-Car."

Rep. George Miller requests documents on NLRB member's resignation threat
George Miller is not pleased with the NLRB member threatening to quit over the NLRB spending too much effort protecting workers. From the letter: "I have read reports of special interest organizations and individuals calling on you to resign precisely to incapacitate the board. The open calls to resign, followed by the threats you allegedly have made, raise the specter of private requests as well. I am concerned that any decision to resign prematurely will be the result of objectionable motives or improper influence."

The growing tension between capitalism and democracy, by Harold Meyerson
Interesting column from Meyerson. "What Stubb is proposing, and what the markets are doing, is, in essence, extending to the realm of once-equally-sovereign nations the one-dollar-one-vote principle that our Supreme Court enshrined in its Citizens United decision last year. The requirement that one must own property to vote — abolished in this nation in the early 1800s by the Jacksonian Democrats — has been resurrected by powerful financial institutions and their political allies. To the nations of the European currency union, the “property” they need to secure their right to vote is a proper credit rating."

Other
SC Gov's husband wanted wine chiller
"South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's husband contemplated using taxpayer money to chill wine, some of which was donated by a business that later was given a private reception at the governor's mansion, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press."

Hydrofracking debate spurs huge spending by industry
"Energy companies have been pouring millions of dollars into television advertising, lobbying and campaign contributions as the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo enters the final phase of deciding when and where to allow a controversial form of natural gay extraction that is opposed by environmental groups."

Firms with interests in Md. pour cash into DGA
Something to watch out for: "Some companies with interests in Maryland have found a new way to show support for Gov. Martin O'Malley: They're contributing tens of thousands of dollars to the Democratic Governors Association."