Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
GOP: Corporate donation ban unconstitutional
From the department of bad optics: "The century-old ban on corporate donations to federal political campaigns should be junked as unconstitutional, the Republican National Committee argued in a legal brief filed Tuesday that could lead to new attacks on the GOP as beholden to corporate money."
- Froomkin has more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/rnc-corporate-campaign-contributions_n_1197836.html

Cuomo proposes some public funding of campaigns
Good AP story on the effort in New York. League of Women Voters' Barbara Bartoletti: "Voters have to understand that no matter what issue they care about — whether it be education, health care, property taxes, whatever — it all comes back to campaign finance."

Will Obama issue an order exposing big corporate political spenders in Citizens United era?
"A executive order requiring that federal contractors disclose their electoral spending—by top officers and as corporations—is being reconsidered by the White House despite stiff opposition from the business lobby after it was first proposed last spring, according to civil rights attorneys working on the issue."

Citizens United seen as root of evils by editorial writers across the country
"At newspapers all across the country and (nearly) all across the political spectrum, editorial boards are expressing profound alarm at the outsized effect of money on the political process"

Congress/2012
Obama may move convention speech to Bank of America stadium
"President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is considering moving the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Bank of America Stadium to sell more skyboxes to wealthy donors, according to three Democrats involved in the fundraising."

Crossroads GPS to spend millions on issue advocacy this year.
"The conservative independent advocacy group Crossroads GPS is preparing to spend millions of dollars this year to define issues ranging from health care to tax reform in a way that helps Republican candidates and sets the stage for legislative victories in 2013. "

Haley Barbour's back at his old firm
"Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R), who left office today, wasted no time in lining up his next career move. As expected, the former uber-lobbyist and founder of BGR Group will return to his old firm, the lobby shop announced today."

Romney takes momentum to hard-hitting South Carolina
Sure, Romney's riding high, but he's about to get a taste of his own super PAC medicine in South Carolina.

Pro-Mitt Romney super PAC goes in for the kill in Florida
"The super PAC supporting Romney’s campaign has increased its ad buy in Florida by $3.6 million — a huge number that comes on top of the $2.3 million in ads the super PAC, Restore Our Future, bought in South Carolina on Monday."

Shaken by attacks on Romney's work at Bain, campaign tries to douse flames
"Campaign advisers to former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, stung by unexpectedly fierce attacks from Republican rivals on his career as a corporate buyout specialist, are scrambling to avoid a prolonged and nasty battle over his business record before it does lasting damage to the front-runner."

Super PACs operating in virtual secrecy
Another editorial against super PACs: "First, and most importantly, it allows a few, those with outsized wealth, to have an undue influence on a political campaign. Second, and nearly as significantly, the ads appear to come from no one, to back no particular candidate."
- Sac Bee says "Congress should act, not just talk, about disclosure" http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/11/4178462/congress-should-act-not-just-talk.html
- "Super PACs run amok" http://www.registerguard.com/web/opinion/27441857-47/super-adelson-pacs-gingrich-federal.html.csp
- FINALLY, someone is writing in defense of these big spenders: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/super-pacs-money-spent-article-1.1004161

Super PAC windfalls: How deep pockets are funding the 2012 election
CS Monitor looks at the impact of super PACs

After New Hampshire primary, Mitt Romney supporters plan Beltway fundraiser
"Supporters of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney are circulating an inside-the-Beltway policy roundtable and fundraising reception notice just hours before the Massachusetts Republican is poised to win the New Hampshire primary."

Joe Kennedy III exploring run for Congress in 4th district
A candidate for Barney Frank's seat (not the one in the headline) says his candidacy is "a natural extension of my efforts for the ballot question creating the Massachusetts ‘Clean Elections’ Law."

Perry's big financial sector donors
Rick Perry keeps hitting Romney for his time as a corporate buyout specialist, but he's got some private equity money behind his campaigns.

How super PACs got their name
Did you know it was Eliza Carney at Roll Call (previously National Journal) who named super PACs?

Colbert in South Carolina
Fun data point from South Carolina: "Just 33% of likely voters think that 'corporations are people' compared to 67% who think that 'only people are people.'"

The revenge of Buddy Roemer
While Roemer did not finish ahead of Perry as this lede says he might, it's still a good read. Though, to be clear, Perry didn't too much better than Roemer last night.

Oil lobby's financial pressure on Obama over Keystone XL pipeline revealed
"New analysis of oil industry contributions to members of Congress has revealed the level of the oil lobby's financial firepower that Barack Obama can expect to face in the November elections if he refuses to approve the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline."
- Here's the full report: http://maplight.org/content/72909

Former lobbyist promoted at White House
"Cecilia Munoz, who was one of the lucky few lobbyists to get a waiver to join the Obama administration, is moving up from her position as the director of intergovernmental affairs to director of the Domestic Policy Council, the White House announced today."

House Republicans file resolution criticizing recess picks
Oh, Rep. Diane Black is NOT happy about the Rich Cordray recess appointment.
- For what it's worth, financial sector her biggest giving industry: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=2012&cid=N00031539&type=I

SOPA opera tells you which politicians support of oppose SOPA--and who's paying them
"Opponents of the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act have been busy building tools to identify which corporations have lobbied for the bill to better boycott their products. Now one coder has built a site that comprehensively tracks politicians’ stances on the bill–and which industries are filling their coffers."

Other
Lawmakers disagree on how to fix Maine's Clean Elections law
Update from Maine.