Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
A plan to take on the super PACs
Interesting piece about super PACs, Rep. John Sarbanes, and the Fair Elections Now Act.

Time to revive democracy in the US: tell shareholders how their dollars are used in politics
Good read on corporate political spending disclosure.

Portland to consider Citizens United measure
"Portland’s City Council will consider a measure Thursday that, for all intents and purposes, spells out whether corporations should enjoy the same rights as people."

Calling time-out in money chase, Lindsay Mark Lewis
What if we just called a time out? "Congress should amend its ethics rules to require an off-year 'fundraising quiet period.' House members would be forbidden to accept campaign donations except during an election year. For senators, the time out would apply through the first four years of each six-year term — leaving the last two years to fundraise."

Congress/2012
Warren stuns with a massive fundraising haul
Wow, Elizabeth Warren raked in $5.7 million in the 4th quarter--compared to Scott Brown's $3.2 Her average contribution? $64.
- Some of that cash is from Hollywood: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/elizabeth-warren-barbra-streisand-jeffrey-katzenberg-280642

Romney raises $24 million in fourth quarter
Romney had a pretty good 4th quarter haul - $24 million.
- We say, hey Mitt, how about releasing the bundlers helping bring in all this cash? http://campaignmoney.org/press-room/2012/01/11/watchdog-responds-romneys-24-million-haul-release-your-bundlers

President Obama raised $68 million in fourth quarter
Obama raised $42 and the DNC raised $24. 583k donors in the 4th quarter, 98% in donations of $250 or less, $55 average donation. Romney did not release that data.

Candidates outsource ditty work to super PACs
USA Today doesn't like super PACs, still likes public financing. "When the money is unlimited, it's a scandal waiting to happen."
- Romney super PAC treasurer defends himself in opposing view: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/story/2012-01-11/Romney-super-PAC/52506330/1
- CRP's Sheila Krumholz on the need for disclosure: http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/where-did-they-get-the-money-for-that/
- More on super PACs in the Hightower Report: http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2012-01-13/the-hightower-report/

PAC ads adding confusion
On super PACs, etc. Interesting quote from deformer Brad Smith: "Gratitude is not enough of a justification to abridge First Amendment rights. It really has to be bribery.” You say gratitude, I say...

Anti-Romney Bain video by pro-Gingrich super PAC gets wide release
And that anti-Romney video is out in its entirety.

Why won't Romney release his tax returns?
"Release your tax returns and bundlers, Mitt!" - Washington Post editorial board

Gingrich super PAC has spent $1.6 million in South Carolina
"Winning Our Future, a super PAC backing Newt Gingrich's presidential bid, is set to begin running television ads Wednesday in South Carolina attacking Mitt Romney's time at the private equity firm Bain Capital."

Messina hits RNC over call for corporate money
Smart: "President Barack Obama's campaign manager, Jim Messina, is going after the Republican National Committee for endorsing the idea of direct corporate donations to candidates and national political parties."

New super PAC breed pushed by group
If the FEC approves a new request, "a corporate PAC 'could solicit up and down its entire supply chain of vendor and vendee companies, and their executives … plus their own non-restricted, and even union, employees' to support a super PAC account"

3 billionaires who'll drag out the race
"Meet the three billionaires who could drag out the GOP presidential primary, bloody up front-runner Mitt Romney and weaken the odds of defeating President Barack Obama: Sheldon Adelson, Foster Friess and Jon Huntsman, Sr."

Democratic National Convention rules set off K St. scramble
K Street is trying to figure out how to get around rules for the DNC banning corporate and lobbyist donations.

Ethics study: More employees report seeing illegal donations
"The number of employees of major companies who claim to have witnessed illegal contributions to public officials is four times higher than it was two years ago, according to a new study from a business ethics watchdog group."

Hollywood or Silicon Valley? President Obama must choose
On SOPA: "If Obama signs the bill, he will dash the hopes of Silicon Valley executives who donated heavily to his 2008 campaign and are vehemently opposed to the anti-piracy measure. But the entertainment industry would see a veto as a betrayal by the administration on its most significant priority."

Gingrich is on every side of the negative ad debate
Truth: "Newt Gingrich has taken every position possible on the issue of negative ads."

Chamber opponents prebut Donohue address
The U.S. Chamber's Tom Donohue will give his annual address today. Chamber Watch's Christy Setzer: "They represent a handful of wealthy corporations who fund their lobbying budget, and that's it."

Congresswoman accepts money tired to for-profit colleges, then touts schools' efficience
Virginia Foxx likes for profit colleges and they like her!

Alcee Hastings admits sexual comments but denies harrassment
Some action on Alcee Hastings ethics issues.

Other
Gov. Walker accused of over 1,000 violations of campaign finance law, could face $557,500 fine
"Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) may have violated his state’s campaign finance law over 1,000 times in the 2010 gubernatorial campaign by failing to properly report contributions, according to a new report."

Watchdog group files complaint alleging MNGOP hid debt
CREW "filed a complaint with federal election officials Wednesday alleging the Republican Party of Minnesota violated campaign finance laws by hiding debt."

James O'Keefe's group appears to commit voter fraud in order to gin up hysteria over non-existent fraud problem
"James O’Keefe’s latest video features surrogates appearing to commit voter fraud in yesterday’s New Hampshire primary election, all in an attempt to highlight voter fraud, a problem which is by-and-large nonexistent in the Granite State."

Voting in plain sight
"This is such a busy election season, both at the polls and in court, that it will be easy to lose sight of the photo ID issue, a problematic solution to a non-problem. The administration’s intervention in South Carolina is most likely not the end of the matter. But it’s a necessary beginning and a refreshing change."