Best resource of the day? Sunlight Foundation's cheat sheet on super PACs: http://reporting.sunlightfoundation.com/2012/super-pac-table/. Add it to your bookmarks!

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Time to amend: No more half measures in campaign finance reform
Common Cause's Derek Cressman had this piece back at the end of December that's worth a read: "Perhaps the time has come to move beyond incrementalism and demand radical changes to the campaign finance system rather. Perhaps it’s time for a constitutional amendment."

McCain: Supreme Court ignorant on politics.
Look who's back-ish: "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) says the U.S. Supreme Court showed its 'ignorance' about politics in its landmark Citizens United ruling." Though, to be fair, he did just endorse a presidential candidate who has called for unlimited campaign contributions.

Campaign reform tips from the top
"During his State of the State presentation on Wednesday, Cuomo skipped over one hot topic of reform — his desire for nonpartisan redistricting — but called for system of public finance for campaigns."

Montana puts Supreme Court's corporate cash ruling on notice
"But the Montana Supreme Court last week issued a forceful rebuke of the decision that has opened the door to game-changing, free-spending corporate contributions in the current election season."
- Looks like a conservative group is going to appeal: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71133.html

Judicial ethics and the Supreme Court
The Times is not thrilled with John Roberts basically dismissing questions about ethical misconduct on the court. "Adopting a conduct code would clarify the rules that apply to the justices and greatly bolster public confidence in the court."

Congress/2012
Big growth in Democrats' small donors
Interesting analysis from CRP--the DCCC has seen a dramatic increase in small donors.

Forget stocks or bonds, invest in a lobbyist
"Corporations don't lobby Congress for fun. They lobby because it helps their bottom line. Getting a regulation gutted or a tax loophole created means extra cash for the corporation. But getting laws changed can be very expensive. How much money does a corporation get back from investing in a good lobbyist?"

Mitt's Big NYC fundraiser
Mitt Romney has a massive NYC fundraiser coming up. Interestingly, at least 6 of the hosts and chairs are also big donors to his super PAC.

In act of defiance, Democrat stalls Obama choice for court
Oh, Senator. "Mr. Menendez would not comment. But the nominee, Patty Shwartz, has been in a relationship for more than two decades with the head of the public corruption unit for New Jersey’s federal prosecutor. And that unit investigated the senator during his 2006 election fight, an inquiry Mr. Menendez has long contended was politically motivated."

Former Portman health aide heads to AMGA
Sen. Rob Portman's former health aide during supercommittee negotiations is going to work for a medical trade association. Nothing to see here, folks!

Gillibrand raising money overseas
New York's junior senator is heading to Europe to cash in with some expats. Common Cause's Mary Boyle: this "shows the insane lengths that candidates and members of Congress go to raise money for their reelection campaigns."

Forget cynicism: Get angry instead
Another must-read by Bill McKibben: "We’ve reached the point where we’re unfazed by things that should shake us to the core. So, just for a moment, be naïve and consider what really happened in that vote: the people’s representatives who happen to have taken the bulk of the money from those energy companies promptly voted on behalf of their interests."

Rick Perry: End Congress insider trading
Good for him: "Rick Perry writes in a new piece in RedState that it is time to “uproot and overhaul Washington” by ensuring that members of Congress engaged in insider trading are sent to prison."

Dems unveil convention fundraising packages
"Paper has been circulated on K Street on the Charlotte 2012 Convention Host Committee's fundraising packages as downtowners have begun keying in on how active they'll be in North Carolina this fall."

Former lawmakers defeated in 2012: you may now lobby
Yay K Street! "For nearly 100 ex-Members of Congress who were wiped out in the 2010 elections or who left office on their own terms, the shackles came off this week. They are now free to lobby on Capitol Hill."

Newt Gingrich: Get rid of the super PACs
"Newt Gingrich, who has faced an onslaught of negative ads funded anonymously by so-called super PACs new to this presidential campaign cycle, says that he thinks these new fundraising operations should be eliminated." Says no limits, but disclosure, is required. Again, to be clear, disclosure is necessary, but it won't stop our government from being bought.
- "Our view: Close super PAC loopholes" http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/01/05/2180217/our-view-close-super-pac-loopholes.html
- "Super PACs promote campaigns by the rich, for the rich" http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_19683402
- "Are super PACs living up to Supreme Court's intentions?" http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/jan-june12/superpac_01-05.html
- And from Jim Hightower, "Corporate cash storms Iowa." http://www.laconiadailysun.com/node/126069/18664

Ethics watchdog alleges that Gingrich might have violated lobbying laws
CREW  "alleged Thursday that Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s past work for healthcare industry clients might have violated the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA)."

5 days from next contest, rivals race for money
"As they try to derail Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, his challengers face an urgent task: raising enough cash to compete."

Santorum surge brings ethics questions
Someone's a frontrunner! "Rick Santorum's powerful finish in the Iowa caucus is bringing fresh attention to his tenure in Congress, including ethics questions that dogged him about a preferred mortgage he received from a bank run by campaign donors, and federal funds that went to a real estate developer who backed his charity."
- And remember when he started the K Street project? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/rick-santorum-lobbyists-k-street-project_n_1186606.html

After Santorum left senate, familiar hands reached out
More on Santorum's post-Senate careeer. "But a look at his record both in and out of the Senate finds overlaps between the two, suggesting that connections he made while in office helped soften the sting of his unexpected re-election defeat."
- WaPo does a work up on this too: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/santorum-plays-down-long-history-as-washington-insider/2012/01/05/gIQAHQFYdP_story.html

BlueCross execs fuel Santorum's S.C. campaign
More than a quarter of the money Santorum has received from South Carolina came from BlueCross executives.

$10 million campaign to support Employee Rights Act
An anti-labor group has launched a $10 million campaign to push anti-labor legislation from Orrin Hatch and Tim Scott.

Pro-Santorum super PAC dodges disclosure
"Don’t expect to learn in full who’s funding a pro-Rick Santorum super PAC for another three-plus weeks." That's right, they exploited the same loophole that Romney's and Huntsman's super PACs did.

Other
Three charged in John Doe investigation of Walker aides
 "Three individuals - including a former top aide to Gov. Scott Walker - were charged Thursday with felonies as part of the ongoing John Doe investigation into Walker staffers."

Scott Walker slams out-of-state money in Wisconsin recall while in Washington for fundraiser
LOL: Headline sort of says it all.

Special interests gave money, gifts to new Senate GOP leader
"Behind the legislative record of newly chosen Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff is a host of special interests that have funded his campaigns and given him expensive gifts."

Is it a conflict of interest? Yes, but it's legal in Illinois
"In most states and municipalities, government officials who vote to spend taxpayer dollars on proposals that also put money in their own pockets as lobbyists could be accused of illegal conflicts of interest. Not in Illinois."