Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
High court backs foreign contribution ban
Hey, the U.S. Supreme Court got something right! They affirmed a lower court ruling keeping the ban on foreign nationals from donating money to candidates in place.
- Read Rick Hasen's take: http://electionlawblog.org/?p=27557
- Democracy 21: http://democracy21.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={91FCB139-CC82-4DDD-AE4E-3A81E6427C7F}&DE={C5323053-C31E-4EB9-8092-E3EDB3FDD63A}
- CLC: http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1580:january-9-2012-supreme-court-upholds-ban-on-campaign-contributions-and-independent-expenditures-by-foreign-nationals&catid=63:legal-center-press-releases&Itemid=61

Overturning Citizens United: A movement moment
"Today in the 21st century, people across the country are once again seeking to exercise their right to amend the Constitution to restore integrity to our democratic process."

U.S. Rep Sean Duffy offers suggestion to remove all campaign funding
Republican Rep. Sean Duffy: "U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy said Monday he would support a constitutional amendment that limits corporate, union and political action committee spending meant to influence politicians and elections."

Could the SEC please give democracy a hand?
Read Ciara Torres-Spelliscy's latest on SEC rule making on corporate political spending.

Letter to the editor
Read the second one down! "We should push for the overturn of CU and implement the only fair way to run elections - with public funding. Until then, millionaires and their surrogates will rule the day and qualified people who aren't wealthy or can't raise enormous amounts of cash will be disqualified."

Congress/2012
Private equity industry hits back after attacks on Romney's Bain days
Obviously the private equity industry disagrees with people hitting Romney, but they might not want to use Romney donors to rebut criticism (see comment from Ken Spain in this post.)

The biggest danger of super PACs
"But the greatest danger of Super PACs is that they may skew the legislative process in the next Congress in favor of the interests of large Super PAC contributors."

McCain: Super PACs will result in scandal, corruption
"Republican Sen. John McCain on Monday blasted the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling that eventually paved the way for the rise of super PACs, blaming it for the election cycle's increasing ad wars."
- The Hill: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-primaries/203233-mccain-super-pacs-damaging-gop-field.

The power of super PACs
The Washington Post is not a fan of super PACs.

Can America afford corporate lobbyists?
On the influence of lobbyists, citing our report on companies paying more on lobbying than taxes.

Tough dilemmas for companies on campaign spending
"Should companies use funds from the corporate treasury to advocate directly for or against political candidates in contested elections? This basic question — now made immediate with the opening of the election season in the Iowa caucuses — raises dilemmas for boards and business leaders."

The corporate candidates
The New York Times says of the GOP field: "For voters worried about the economy, neither a past record of buyouts nor lobbying should inspire any confidence."

Ad battle heats up for contest in South
The battle moves to South Carolina: "Campaigns and the 'super PACs' that support them are signaling where they think the real primary fight is, and it is not here."
- Romney super PAC upping its spending in SC: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/pro-romney-super-pac-to-drop-2-3-million-in-south-carolina/?ref=politics

Mitt Romney in New Hampshire engages Occupy Wall Street protesters
LOL. "In a rare moment on the campaign trail, Mitt Romney directly engaged the Occupy Wall Street protestors who are making themselves a regular presence at his events. In doing so, Romney seemingly announced his support for a federal public financing program for campaigns, ripping President Barack Obama for opting out of it."

Jon Huntsman PAC eyed Mitt Romney Bain film
"Before Newt Gingrich’s super PAC paid $40,000 for the stinging anti-Mitt Romney documentary that’s roiling the GOP presidential campaign, Jon Huntsman’s allies expressed interest in it."

Pro-Mitt Romney PAC to Florida: Air our ads
"A pro-Mitt Romney super PAC is demanding that Florida television stations keep airing its television ads critical of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich after Gingrich’s lawyers asked they be removed for inaccuracies."

Ron Paul 2012 super PAC Endorse Liberty avoids disclosure
"Yet another super PAC — this one supporting presidential candidate Ron Paul — has used a federal campaign finance loophole to avoid disclosing its donors until the month’s end, when several caucuses and primaries will already have concluded."

Casino mogul's $5 million check to pro-Gingrich group a harbinger of GOP help to come
Shel Adelson has his money on Newt right now, but win or lose, he'll give even more in the general.
- More at the Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/us/politics/sheldon-adelson-a-billionaire-gives-gingrich-a-big-lift.html

Norm Coleman on the influence of PACs in politics
Norm Coleman, a lobbyist and chair of a super PAC and American Action Network talks super PAC influence in politics.

Scott Brown raises $3.2 million in final quarter of 2011
It's going to be a heck of a battle in the Bay State!

Other
Campaign-finance regulations go before high court
"Justices of the Oregon Supreme Court are pondering whether the state should enforce campaign-finance regulations that Oregon voters approved in 2006 despite their rejection of a companion constitutional change in the same election."

Ex-Sen. Specter to debut on Maryland Public Television
Arlen Specter's new tv show starts Friday, with the first episode focusing on campaign finance

District 3 City Council candidates discuss experience and city's finances
A debate over Santa Fe's public financing system! "Sarr, however, said that everyone he has spoken to about public campaign financing believes it will 'take influence peddling out of the equation' and should be applied to federal office as well."