Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Utica Observer-Dispatch: Governor must push campaign finance reform
The Utica paper likes Gov. Cuomo's plan for a small donor system.

Huffington Post: New Yorkers want a more accountable government
Nick Nyhart's latest in Huffington Post on NY: "As we watch the federal campaign finance system move further and further into the hands of an elite few wealthy Americans, New York will hopefully move in a different direction -- one that could serve as an example to the rest of the country."

Roll Call: Some say nixing contribution limits will level playing field
"The former Massachusetts governor has put his finger on the key question hanging over the two-year anniversary of the landmark Citizens United ruling to deregulate campaign spending. That is, how long can the few remaining election laws withstand the tide of big money, ushering in a system of total deregulation?"

Common Cause launches "Amend2012" effort
Congrats to our friends at Common Cause on the launch of this important effort! "Two years after the Supreme Court turned unlimited corporate money loose on our elections in the reckless Citizens United decision, Common Cause has launched a national effort to help voters strike back."

Washington Post: Activist groups want to undo ruling that led to "super PAC" frenzy
Good article on the efforts of our friends at Common Cause, Public Citizen, and the Corporation Reform Coalition. "An array of liberal-leaning activist groups are marking the anniversary by launching new efforts to overturn the decision, including calls for a potential constitutional amendment."

Huffington Post: David Shuster calls out campaign finance as "cancer that threatens our democracy"
"David Shuster blasted the flood of corporate money into GOP candidates' campaigns, and called on viewers to stop it on Tuesday.

Did Citizens United lead to super PACs? Setting the record straight
From Rick Hasen on how Citizens United is the reason we have super PACs.

Congress/2012
Campaign finance watchdogs join SOPA blackout
Yesterday, the PC and PCAF sites went black in solidarity with the SOPA protests. Here's why.

Neon Tommy: Money talks even when speech is silent
A great piece that looks at why we went silent yesterday during the SOPA blackout.

Politico: Voters: Super PACs are super bad
"A majority of voters who are aware of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling allowing Super PACs believe the unlimited campaign spending is having a negative effect on the race, a new poll finds." PCAF and Democracy Corps will have some new polling out later this morning that looks at these issues too.

Politico: SOPA: Obama could pay for decision in lost Hollywood cash
On the White House's opposition to SOPA: &quotThat Hollywood can be taken for granted on one of its top priorities reveals a seismic shift in Democratic politics that could have a lasting impact in party fundraising in 2012 and beyond."

National Journal: On campaign finance, Romney thinking ahead
This piece says Romney is just looking at polling when he says he opposes super PACs--people don't like them either. It sort of ignores the fact that he supports unlimited money, which is really what people don't like.

Star-Tribune: Proposals aim to curb political donations
"Two Boston investment firms said Tuesday that they've submitted shareholder resolutions seeking to block corporate political contributions by Target Corp., 3M and the Bank of America."

National Journal: Obama's first ad, in the post-Citizens United world
Super interesting: "Nearly two years to the day after the Supreme Court allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts on political advertisements, President Obama's re-election campaign is using its first foray into paid media to lay a foundation against the outside groups that benefit from the Citizens United v. FEC ruling." More at NYT.

CBS: Big spenders on Capitol Hill got big tax breaks
New report from PIRG and Citizens for Tax Justice: 30 companies that paid more in lobbying than they did in taxes.

Roll Call: Members of Congress travel far on private groups' dime
"Private groups spent almost $6 million to send Members of Congress and staff on trips last year, more than in any year since Congress tightened its restrictions on outside groups paying for travel in 2007."

USA Today: 'Super PACs' top $27.5M in campaign spending
"Super PACs" have spent about $27.5 million to influence the presidential election, a good chunk coming from an independent group supporting GOP front-runner Mitt Romney." More opinion and news on super PACs at Bloomberg, LA Times, The Herald, USA Today, Politico, PBS News Hour, and the Sun-Sentinel.

Politico: Super PACs wreak havoc
From Fred Wertheimer: "The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, issued two years ago this week, is wreaking havoc on the 2012 elections."

Politico: Obama's not-so-super PAC
Interesting read on the Obama-aligned super PAC and its trouble raising money to help a guy who has long railed against big money.

NYT: Rejecting Keystone XL Pipeline proposal, Obama blames House Republicans
A rare loss for Big Oil: "President Obama on Wednesday rejected, for now, the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline, saying the $7 billion project could not be adequately reviewed within the 60-day deadline set by Congress."

The Hill: K Street headhunters enamored with class of retiring lawmakers
"Corporate headhunters are sizing up the K Street prospects of the retiring members of the 112th Congress — and they like what they see."

ABC: As a primary looms, Perry donors say "it's over"
Poor Rick Perry: "Behind the scenes, many fundraisers and supporters who once waxed ecstatic over Perry as the GOP’s white knight when he entered the race now say they’re deflated and upset that he didn’t appear ready for the task."

National Journal: Senior staff fundraising raises eyebrows
"Lawmakers have long given their time to lobbyists and contributors in exchange for campaign checks. Increasingly, their aides are offering themselves up for money, as well."

Bradenton Herald: FEC records detail decision to close Buchanan case
"The Federal Elections Commission has released records documenting its recently concluded investigation of charges that U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan broke campaign finance laws and its decision to close the matter."

Washington Post: Mitt Romney faces mounting pressure to release tax returns now
"Mitt Romney came under increasing pressure Wednesday to release his income tax returns immediately, rather than waiting until April, in an effort to contain the damage caused by his stumbling responses over two days." This won't help either. More on Romney's money, and its implications, in The Times.

iWatch: Obama rainmakers enjoy White House invites, appointments and contracts
"Dozens of Obama’s elite donors — many of them wealthy business figures — have been appointed to advisory panels and commissions that can play a role in setting government policy. Others have been invited to a range of exclusive White House briefings, holiday parties and splashy social events."

The Hill: Democrats receive more Bain Capital dollars than Republicans
"Democrats have accepted more political donations than Republicans from executives at Bain Capital, complicating the left’s plan to attack Mitt Romney for his record at the private equity firm."

Politico: Scott Brown to Elizabeth Warren: super PAC pledge needs teeth
The negotiations continue! "Republican Sen. Scott Brown is floating an unusual proposal to limit the influence of super PACs in his closely contested Senate race: Make each campaign pay."

Other
It's complicated: Taxi reform + campaign finance
"Two separate pieces here -- one from our Ken Lovett at the State Cap and one from our Reuven Blau at City Hall -- about the tangled web of campaign finance and transportation reform..."

WSJ: Liu's bundlers get scrutiny on donations
"Of the thousands of dollars in 2013 campaign donations returned by New York City Comptroller John Liu, more than half were connected to so-called intermediaries, often-prolific fund-raisers whose role in his operation has recently come under scrutiny."

Gov. Walker skips interviews, does NYC fundraiser
Wisconsin activists submitted 1 million signatures to recall Scott Walker on Tuesday, but he was too busy to talk--he was raising money in NYC.

MLive: Three Fortune 500 companies in Michigan spent more on lobbying than they paid in taxes
"Three Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Michigan spent more on lobbying in recent years than they paid in federal taxes, according to a new study released today by the Public Interest Research Group."

Independent: Carrboro declares corporations are not people
From NC: "Last night the Carrboro Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a resolution supporting an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would deny corporations personhood, affirming that corporations are not people, and money is not speech."