Here's a recap of Public Campaign and Public Campaign Action Fund's (PCAF) work from March 12 through March 23, 2012.

• The troubling consequences of special interest influence. PCAF issued a press release on NRA political giving in Florida and the sad, sad story of Trayvon Martin.

• "I am shocked to learn that there is super PAC fundraising going on in this house." Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum thanked a donor last month. The catch...she was a million dollar donor to his super PAC. If there's no coordination between his campaign and super PAC (which is against the law), then how did he know to thank her, considering the donation was reported on Tuesday? 

• Predatory democracy. PCAF, along with PICO National Network issued a press release on predatory lenders giving big money to Mitt Romney, who has pledged to get rid of consumer protections if elected president. PCAF's David Donnelly in the release: "These payday lenders are the real vulture capitalists in communities around the country, and now they're investing in a candidate who has pledged to get rid of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.”

• $100,000 for Romey super PAC, Ken Griffin? If you claim the super wealthy have "insufficient influence," maybe you should pony up a little more. I mean, come on, get with the billionaire democracy program.

• Another day in special interest lobbyist fundraising paradise. Freshman GOP members of Congress caught jet-setting down to Florida for a big money fundraiser. One wonders how their constituents, many of whom are struggling in a difficult economy, feel about that.

• Against the law? Eh...A new Los Angeles Times report on government contractors giving money to a group supporting Governor Mitt Romney’s presidential run highlights the need for immediate action by President Barack Obama and his administration to enforce the law and increase transparency of these types of donations.

• When the ridiculous becomes absurd. Noted climate change denialist, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), has upped the ante by claiming that "environmentalists spent far more money lobbying than the energy industry." Absolutely, demonstrably, categorically false.

• What Wall Street excess tells us about Washington, D.C. On the heels of former Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith blowing the whistle on Wall Street malfeasance, PCAF's David Donnelly shows the similarities between what went on (goes on) on Wall Street and in the halls of Congress.

• Big Labor goes to bat for hard-working Americans who are being drowned out by big money. The AFL-CIO comes out strongly against Citizens United, and our democracy that is increasingly being thrust into the hands of the wealthiest Americans.

• Misplaced priorities. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), after saying that his number one priority is making President Obama a one term president, has added one to the list. Work for his fellow Kentuckians? Nope. Fight for more jobs? Try again. His new priority...keeping his job.

• Sen. Kelly Ayott (R-N.H.) wants to keep tax cuts for the wealthy. Methinks her dinner guests agree. 

• "Serve the people? Nah, I serve the banks." While he didn't lose his primary, Wall Street darling, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), race was made much closer than it would have been becuase of his all-too-cozy relationship with the financial sector.

• What? Your friends don't own sports teams? It's no secret that Mitt Romney isn't the most liked guy in the country. But hey, he's tight with NFL OWNERS. And that's not all. We musn't forget NASCAR owners.

• Texas' attempt to flush certain minority groups civic duty down the toilet thwarted by the plunger of Justice. The Department of Justice recently blocked Texas' voter ID law. PCAF praised the decision to stop making it harder to participate in our democracy.

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