ABC News had a great piece on presidential bundlers yesterday and the Scott Walker recall is today and Mother Jones has facts about the big spending.

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
The Hill: Lobbyists ask Congress for a mandate on ethics
"An association of Washington lobbyists is asking Congress to give teeth to a provision from a 2007 reform law that would make ethics training mandatory for lobbyists."

BNA: Drafts Hint FEC May Deadlock Over AO On Disclosure of Conservative Group's Ads
"The Federal Election Commission may be headed for deadlock at a June 7 meeting in which the FEC commissioners are expected to consider an advisory opinion regarding reporting requirements for political advertisements, known as “electioneering communications."

NYT: Justices refuse to hear ex-governor's appeal
"The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the appeals of former Gov. Don E. Siegelman of Alabama and the man convicted of bribing him, a case which has tested the murky limits of when a campaign donation can be considered corrupt."

Politico: Congress needs to fix campaign giving rules
Former Rep. Martin Frost has an op-ed in Politico blaming BCRA for our current problems, saying we need to 1) pass a constitutional amendment and 2) allow soft money once again to go to political parties.

Congress/2012
NPR: Big money: stuffing the ballot box?
"With billionaires dashing off multimillion-dollar checks to superPACs, political scientists and some politicians themselves are worried that candidates have become mere bystanders in their own campaigns." Public Campaign's Nick Nyhart: "I do think the current system will get worse until we have significant reforms."

CT Post: Rove, Pelosi, Boehner en route to Greenwich, Stamford
"He took her gavel. But John Boehner can't take away Nancy Pelosi's ATM card. The current U.S. House speaker and his predecessor are both scheduled to help their respective parties make hefty withdrawals in back-to-back days of fundraisers early next week on Connecticut's Gold Coast."

Republic Report: Senator Marco Rubio's chief of staff maintains financial ties to lobbying firm
Rubio's chief of staff still has a financial interest in the lobbying firm he founded.

The Hill: Romney uses Vogue editor's campaign ad to portray Obama as out of touch
Republicans are bashing Obama for raising money in the wake of the jobs report, calling him "out of touch." The guy with a car elevator may protest too much.

Texas Tribune: Mitt Romney visiting Texas this week
"A week after Texas voters gave him enough delegates to secure the GOP presidential nomination, Mitt Romney travels to the Lone Star State this week to collect money for his campaign and tout his economic proposals."

Yahoo News: Romney's rich donors "buying tax relief," Obama spokesman charges
"Mitt Romney's wealthy donors are 'essentially buying tax relief' rather than looking to help get the country's finances in order, White House spokesman Jay Carney charged during a combative exchange in his daily briefing on Monday."

WaPo: Bill Clinton lends star power, Wall Street savvy to Obama fundraisers in NY
"Bill Clinton lent his star power to President Obama’s reelection campaign with a trio of fundraisers in New York on Monday, lauding the president’s handling of the economic downturn and warning that his defeat would be “calamitous” for the nation." NYT.

Buzzfeed: Karl Rove super PAC blasts Obama for using politics of fear
Yes, that Karl Rove.

ABC: Condoleezza Rice to host super PAC fundraiser in DC
"Former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice will host a fundraiser later this month for a super PAC that supports Republican women, Yahoo News has learned."

Boston Globe: Senator Brown sought to loosen bank rules
"Senator Scott Brown has trumpeted his role in casting the deciding vote in favor of the 2010 Wall Street overhaul, but records show that after he voted for the law, he worked to shield banks and other financial institutions from some of its tough provisions."

Cincinnati Enquirer: Mandel on 5-hour fundraising blitz in DC
"Josh Mandel, the Ohio state treasurer and U.S. Senate hopeful, is on a fundraising swing through Washington today. And from the look of the GOP candidate’s schedule (kindly provided to us by Ohio Democrats), Mandel will be scooping up a lot of cash from DC’s top lobbyists."

iWatch: Dems target independent in California House race
"Groups hoping to help Democrats pick up a House seat in November have spent more than $1 million aimed at boosting their favorite candidate and knocking off an independent challenger."

Orlando Sentinel: Florida election non-citizen voters: A ham-handed solution to a problem that doesn't exist
Great Leonard Pitts column on voter suppression efforts in Florida: "This is a thumb on the scales. It is a blatant use of the machinery of government in the cause of voter intimidation and suppression."

DW: German giants spend millions lobbying US
"US finance firms poured almost half a billion dollars last year into lobbying the US government. The goal: Soften the blow of new financial rules. DW has learned that two German firms are among the big spenders."

The Hill: Former Rep. Minnick blazes his own trail
"Walt Minnick has always blazed his own trail in Washington, and his new lobbying career is no exception. ...Now he will only represent clients whose views do not conflict with his own."

WaPo: Wisconsin's election marks the start of something great for progressives
Katrina vanden Heuvel on Wisconsin and what it means for progressives: "Indeed, we are witnessing the first major battle between astronomical numbers of people and astronomical amounts of money."

Other/States
NYT: Gambling group gave $2 million to a Cuomo ally
"A group closely allied with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo received $2 million from gambling interests last December as he developed a proposal to expand casino gambling in New York."

News and Observer: Legislators, lobbyists mix business with pleasure
"Legislators are back in town for their summer session, mixing business with pleasure. During the day, they debate bills and, behind the scenes, listen to lobbyists vying for their attention. In the evenings, the social events, more like sorority-fraternity mixers than business meetings, include more women in sundresses than in suits, more laughter than debate, more nicknames than salutations."

News and Observer: New super PAC gets involved in Supreme Court race to back Newby
"One of the most consequential elections in North Carolina this year has received little attention so far: the lone seat on the N.C. Supreme Court that is up for a vote, held by Justice Paul M. Newby. But the campaign pitting Newby against Democratic challenger Sam Ervin IV, a judge on the state Court of Appeals, should start drawing more attention as plans for a new super PAC begin ramping up fundraising on behalf of the incumbent."