Hey, the FEC did something right--it approved campaign contributions via text message. Our press release and stories at Politico, AP, Reuters, NY Mag, McClatchy, and USA Today. Here's Public Campaign's Nick Nyhart in the LA Times: "With billionaires and 'super PACs' drowning out the voices of hardworking Americans, text message campaign contributions can enhance the role of small donors and, combined with public matching funds, could provide a megaphone for the masses. The FEC did the right thing today."

Other top stories: David Axelrod says Obama could push for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United in his second term, Washington Post has a "Watergate at 40" feature, and Sunlight Foundation has launched a great new tool to track what people are talking about in Congress and state legislatures and you can get alerts on campaign finance reports.

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
NYT: In Citizens United II, how justices rule may be an issue itself
Good Adam Liptak analysis of what's happening with the Montana case--which the justices will discuss in private conference on Thursday.

Politico: List political ads' sponsors on Web
Newton Minnow and Henry Geller write about requiring broadcasters to post TV ad information online: "If broadcasters insist this is too burdensome — they must be reminded of the extraordinary gift of exclusive use of the public airwaves they received in a broadcast license. In exchange for this gift, the law obligates broadcasters to serve the public interest — not merely receive the millions of campaign dollars to serve their own."

Congress/2012
CRP: Outside spending: the big picture (so far)
Important CRP analysis (with charts!) "In fact, the amount of spending by outside groups has grown dramatically since previous elections, and independent expenditures in particular -- messages that explicitly call for the election or defeat of a candidate -- are increasingly the preferred vehicle. Outside spending in all its forms has doubled since 2008, but independent expenditures have more than tripled."

National Journal: Potential VPs are powerful fundraisers
"And although Romney pays the usual deference to choosing someone who can lead the country in the president’s absence, a veep choice who can help him raise campaign cash has taken on heightened importance in a presidential election in which spending is expected to exceed $1 billion."

AJC: Mitt Romney campaign raises $3 million in Georgia
Romney raised $3 million at an event in Atlanta with Newt Gingrich yesterday. The WSJ reports that fundraising is getting "very easy" for Romney.

Baltimore Sun: Obama fundraiser has deep roots, pockets
"When President Barack Obama comes to Baltimore for a large fundraiser Tuesday at an Inner Harbor hotel, he'll first stop at the home of an Owings Mills developer who has kept a remarkably low profile despite having poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into Democratic campaigns over the past decade." He has six events in Baltimore and Philadelphia today.

AP: Romney keeps secrets--unless law says he can't
Secrets secrets are no fun! "But Romney, whose views have been shaped both by his years in politics and his nearly three decades in private business, has made a keep-it-under-wraps approach a hallmark of his campaign. He's often broken precedent set by presidential candidates of both parties."

PCAF Tumblr: Lobbyists for Romney!
Romney's having a "Young Professionals for Romney" event later this month, featuring several DC lobbyists.

Republic Report: Exclusive: Northrop Grumman awards lobbyist $500k bonus weeks before becoming low-paid congressional staffer shaping military policy
Good catch by Lee Fang. A senior staffer for Armed Services Chair Buck McKeon got a big payout from defense contractor Northrop Grumman before heading over to the hill to work on...defense issues.

Roll Call: The State of K Street
I mentioned this yesterday, but it's really worth the read. A few of the stories:
- From the Editor: The Secret Juice.
- Work in the Shadows
- Campaign finance: The nonprofit world's new weapon
- Traveling on whose dime?
- Health Care: The unlobbyist's clinical trial

Politico: Joe Ricketts holding big GOP fundraiser
"The billionaire who caught flak for allegedly considering funding an ad campaign linking President Barack Obama to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright will host a 'private dinner' at his home during the National Republican Congressional Committee’s leadership retreat in New York."

CREW: CREW calls for Army, OCE to investigate Rep. Rogers earmarks
"Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked the U.S. Army Inspector General to investigate why the Army paid approximately $17,000 for a replacement helicopter part that apparently could have been bought for a fraction of the price."

Americans United to Rebuild Democracy: Does California prove that term limits don't work?
"In fact, legislative term limits have not worked very well in California. But is it simply that term limits are a poor or ineffective reform? Or are there factors in California which doomed term limits in that state? What lessons can we learn about term limits from the California example? "

The Hill: GOP chairmen failing to cut checks from campaigns to NRCC
"More than two dozen House chairmen have not given any money from their campaign war chests to the Republican committee tasked with defending the GOP’s majority."

Politico: Study: Lobbying bad for business?
"In a surprising finding, a new study shows that massive lobbying in D.C. and campaign donations by corporations are linked with worse market performance. The Rice University study looked at the amount of money spent on lobbying and campaigning donations by 943 S&P 1500 firms between 1998 and 2008 and found that so-called political investments lead to weaker performance in terms of stock value and return on assets."

ThinkProgress: Group linked to House GOP leadership offers campaign ads for key votes
"The YG Network, a secret-money outside political group run by former aides to House Republican Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), launched a new radio ad campaign today designed to reward Republican Members of Congress who back Cantor and the party’s leadership on key votes. "

Other/States
Indy Star: PAC leader may target Kentucky state Rep. Larry Clark, who once fired him
What do you do if you're a wealthy 23 year old super PAC founder? Go after a guy that fired you 'cause you were a bad intern.

Daily News: Cuomo raked in $423,278 in lobby cash
"Gov. Cuomo received more donations from lobbying firms and their employees than any other elected official in the state, a new report reveals." More from Times-Union.

WNYT: Advocates cite large donations for State Senate opposition to minimum wage increase
"With only days remaining in this year's legislative session, there is no movement toward raising the New York minimum wage of 7 dollars and 25 cents an hour."