Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Limits on political donations invalidated
"A federal appeals court on Monday struck down a Wisconsin law limiting how much any one person can donate to independent political action groups."

Occupy activists to meet with progressive leaders
Ten OWS organizers will meet with members of the progressive caucus this week. "An aide with knowledge of the meeting said the protesters “are uniquely concerned with getting money out of politics and with a jobs agenda.”

Congress/2012
Romney-Christie fundraiser pulls in $1.1 million
Mitt Romney made $1.1 million at a fundraiser with Chris Christie in NJ yesterday.

Ex-U.S. congressmen draw bigger lobbying fees: analysts
Not surprising: "Former U.S. lawmakers who lobby the federal government command higher average fees for their lobbying firms than other Washington lobbyists do, a new analysis shows."

GOP senators block new consumer bureau chief. You lose
On Senate GOP's decision to block Rich Cordray's nomination to the CFPB: "The financial industry has bought itself lots of friends in Washington. You haven't. The industry won. You lost."

Super PAC backing Romney gets a delay in identifying donors
Oh, good: "Some of Mitt Romney’s biggest supporters will remain anonymous until Jan. 31, after voters in four states have cast their votes among the Republican presidential contenders."

Newt Gingrich: The emodiment of the politican
"...the Tea Party is ignoring its own roots as an anti-corruption movement by backing Gingrich.  Tea Party activists must ask themselves if they can they rely on Newt Gingrich and the conservative principles he eloquently mouths -- given the absence of the character, political courage, and personal integrity that he so routinely demonstrates."

Crossroads to let loose $1 million in ads against Obama, Ben Nelson
"President Obama and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) are about to become the latest targets in a barrage of television attacks ads emanating from Crossroads GPS, a conservative outside group formed by former Bush adviser Karl Rove."

Obama backers make president top fundraiser from business
"President Barack Obama, who has been characterized as anti-business by his political opponents, has received more in campaign contributions from business executives this year than any Republican presidential candidate."

Actually, corporations that lobby and make campaign contributions get special benefits
"With rare bi-partisan consensus, all members of Congress assure their constituents that money spent lobbying them and campaign contributions to their campaigns does not influence their judgment.  Yet, despite these assurances, 75% of all Americans believe money influences Congress. Several recent academic studies support the public's concern."

GOP benefited from MF Global money too
On Republican attacks on Jon Corzine and his money: "While Corzine has given $3.9 million to Democrats over two decades, according to the Center for Responsive Politics — money that National Republican Congressional Committee officials now say is tainted and should be returned — Republicans have also been well-funded by his firm."

Keystone claptrap
The New York Times slams House Republicans for pushing to include Keystone provisions in the spending legislation.

Holder to wade into debate over voting rights
Good: "The Obama administration on Tuesday will wade into the increasingly divisive national debate over new voting laws in several states that could depress turnout among minorities and others who helped elect the president in 2008."

New Republican data shows no need for vote ID laws
On a new report from the Republican National Lawyer's Association: "Viewing the data for the period 2000-2010, the report by its own account shows there is no link between voter fraud in states and the need for stricter voter ID laws."

Boehner's team had role in creating Timken "peninsula"
More on the odd last-minute carve out for Jim Renacci's district in Ohio. "While Slagle doesn’t have proof, he’s convinced that the contributions were the reason for the last-minute change despite Dittoe’s statement that 'campaign contributions do not dictate where congressional lines are drawn.'"

Republican tax and unemployment bill would help hospitals owned by doctors
This is interesting: "The House Republican bill to hold down payroll taxes and extend unemployment benefits, coming up for a vote on Tuesday, offers a special dispensation to doctors who invest in hospitals." Doctors with financial stakes in hospitals, generally, order more tests and procedures raising health care costs for Medicare, etc. I wonder if there is any money there...