Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Democrat and Chronicle: Action needed on campaign reform
Editorial from New York: "So Cuomo says he will introduce a bill in the coming weeks that would call for public financing of campaigns and limits on the maximum donations that can be made to candidates. Good. He must then follow through — forcefully."

Demoracy is not a game
Liz Kennedy at Demos writes on Citizens United: "Justice is blind, of course, but it is not meant to be blind to reality and common sense."

San Jose Mercury News: The prescription for Citizens United
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) writes, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and two years after Citizens United, disclosure remains the best available weapon to combat the corrosive effects of the court's decision. Corporations aren't people, and shouldn't be treated like them. The president must use his authority and issue the long-awaited executive order straight away." Public Citizen and MoveOn delivered a petition with 100,000 signatures on this issue.

NYT: Montana takes on Citizens United
A little late to the game, but here's the New York Times editorial on the recent Montana decision: "In Citizens United, the conservative majority turned itself into a copper kings’ court. The Montana Supreme Court, faced with tangible effects of corporate electioneering, shows how that decision undermines the fight against political corruption — and can make it far worse."

Campaigns & Elections: Will the FEC grant "super" fundraising powers?
"A national Tea Party group has asked the Federal Election Commission for permission to expand its ability to raise unlimited contributions. If its petition is successful, the case will further chip away at the old regime of regulations that has governed political speech for decades."

Congress/2012
Washington Post: Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown deserve major props for campaign finance truce
Brown and Warren reached an intersting deal on trying to restrict outside spending. PCAF's David Donnelly: “It’s good for them, it’s good for voters, and it’s a good model for every competitive race in the country.” More on this from Roll Call, Boston Globe, National Journal and Politico.

Reuters: Keystone activists to protest oil, Congress ties
"A coalition of environmental groups plans to stage a rally against 'Big Oil's corruption' on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, hours before President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to Congress."

The Hill: National right to life creates super PAC to battle Obama
"A prominent anti-abortion rights group has created a super PAC to take on President Obama in 2012."

HuffPost: Jon Stewart rebuffs Stephen Colbert's request for return of super PAC
Stewart is unwilling to give Colbert back control of the super PAC.

New Yorker: Super PACs: worse to come
Jeffrey Toobin's latest: "It is also true that most attempts to limit the money in politics have failed to eliminate its influence. But some will always keep trying—because, the Supreme Court notwithstanding, most politicians who have been bought tend to stay that way."

Journal-Times: Congressman Ryan's campaign has over $4.6 million cash on hand
"Chairman of the House Budget Committee U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. is starting the year with $4.6 million cash on hand, according to his campaign finance report filed this month with the Federal Election Commission."

Reuters: Romney reports tax bill of $6.2 million for 2010-2011
"Bowing to increasing political pressure to provide more detail about his vast wealth, the former private equity executive released tax returns indicating he and his wife, Ann, paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent in 2010. They expect to pay a 15.4 percent rate when they file their returns for 2011." He also got rid of a Swiss bank account in 2010 because it could be "politically embarrassing," a reason why he should hand over more than just a year or two in returns. More at Mother Jones, Washington Post, and the Times.

USA Today: Pro-Paul super PAC pumps $1.4M into Florida ads
"A super PAC trying to boost Ron Paul's candidacy says it will spend $1.4 million on radio and TV ads ahead of the Florida primary."

Roll Call: Christopher Shays to formally announce Senate bid
Reformer Chris Shays back in action? "Former Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) will formally declare his candidacy for Senate at noon Wednesday at the Old State House in Hartford."

HuffPost: Gingrich super PAC gets millions from casino mogul's wife
The wife of casino mogul Shel Adelson has given $5M to the pro-Gingrich super PAC. Shel has already given $5M. Nope, not corrupting. More at The Times and Politico, and LA Times.

National Journal: Romney's Freddie Mac attack rattles Gingrich
"In what may have been one of Mitt Romney's finest debate moments yet, he attacked Newt Gingrich's ties to Freddie Mac and knocked the usually surefooted Gingrich into a defensive crouch and kept him there throughout the exchange." Bloomberg on this and Romney has a new ad on Gingrich's Freddie Mac ties too.

CS Monitor: Mitt Romney super PAC outspending rivals 20-to-1 in Florida
Romney's super PAC spending "is more than 20 times the amount spent in Florida so far by any other group supporting a Republican candidate."

The Hill: West raises $1.75M in fourth quarter
Not a bad haul: "Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) pulled in $1.75 million in campaign contributions in the last three months of 2011, his campaign announced Monday, giving him a war chest of more than $2.7 millio n heading into the new year."

White House petition targets MPAA chief Dodd over statements to Fox News
When even Entertainment Weekly looks at money in politics...

TPM: Vern Buchanan's lawyers also represented witnesses
"Florida Republican Vern Buchanan’s campaign claims he was vindicated by the Federal Election Commission investigation into allegations he was involved with illegally reimbursing employees of his car dealerships for donations to his political campaign. But a review of the full FEC file on his case, posted on the FEC website, last week, paints a murkier picture."

The State: Money spent on TV ads didn't translate into votes
"Republican presidential candidates spent $13.2 million on TV ads in South Carolina — money that did not translate into votes for the top spenders."

The Hill: Black Caucus charges voter ID laws aimed at Obama supporters
Good: "The Congressional Black Caucus on Monday night took to the House floor to charge that voter ID laws popping up around the country are aimed at dissuading minority voters from voting, and making it harder for President Obama to win re-election."

The Hill: With T-Mobile deal dead, AT&T is scaling back on lobbying force
"Telecom behemoth AT&T has begun shedding lobbyists in the wake of its failed merger with T-Mobile."

Other/States
Lewiston Sun Journal: Maine lawmakers introduce bill challenging Citizens United decision
"A Portland lawmaker has joined the growing list of those challenging the U.S. Supreme Court's "Citizens United" decision by submitting a proposal that would ban unlimited corporate and union campaign contributions to candidates."

City and State NY: Cuomo friend replaced by Cuomo donor on Medicaid task force
"The healthcare consultant, whose tenure on his friend Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team was marked by controversy, has been replaced by Joseph Belluck, a top trial attorney and Cuomo donor who gave more than $60,000 to the governor this month."

Wisconsin State-Journal: Walker campaign reports raising $4.5 million since mid-December for recall fight
"Gov. Scott Walker has raised more than $4.5 million since Dec. 11, his campaign announced Monday, dwarfing totals reported by his recall rivals the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and United Wisconsin." Due to a quirk in the law, Walker can raise money for his recall in unlimited sums. On the fears this raises among Dems nationally who need union money.