Big story in the NYT today: "Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman of New York has begun investigating contributions to tax-exempt groups that are heavily involved in political campaigns, focusing on a case involving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has been one of the largest outside groups seeking to influence recent elections but is not required to disclose its donors." A "wide-ranging subpoena" has been issued.

Yesterday, Public Campaign and Alliance for a Just Society put out an analysis of the NFIB and whether it really represents small business. "The NFIB’s reliance on big money donations to fight their legal battle highlights what we’re seeing in elections generally—a political and policy system increasingly driven by wealthy special interests."

And great LA Times story on conservatives being for disclosure before they were against it: "Today, with those fundraising restrictions largely removed, many conservatives have changed their tune. They now say disclosure could be an enemy of free speech."

An "interactive map of the dark-money universe" from Mother Jones.

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Bloomberg: The Supreme Court's cowardice
Editorial: "In summarily dismissing a Montana case in which the state’s high court had upheld an anti- corruption statute regulating corporate spending on elections, the U.S. Supreme Court this week opted to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no truth." Carter Eskew at WaPo, Youngstown Vindicator: "Supreme Court pretends that money can't corrupt politicians." Salt Lake Tribune: "Corruption Upheld."

AP: Court decision could embolden super PAC donors
"The Supreme Court's decision to uphold limitless political donations from corporations sets the stage for campaigns and outside groups to press boundaries even further." More on this from iWatch.

USA Today: Campaign-finance future haunted by Montana's past
Editorial: "Money spent anonymously to influence elections is almost by definition corrupting. If the public cannot make the connection between lawmakers' actions and the monied interests backing them, the temptation for almost extortion-like pressure is sure to follow. That prospect is very troubling. The future, it seems, might not be so far removed from Montana's past." Brad Smith has the opposing view.

Sunlight: OMB clears way for FCC to put political ads online
"Pushing back against the nation's broadcasters, the White House Office of Management and Budget has approved a rule requiring television stations in the nation's top markets to put information about political ad buys online."

Congress/2012
NYT: Rangel fends off challengers to win a Congressional primary
Rangel can't stop, won't stop! "Surviving one of the toughest re-election fights of his career, Representative Charles B. Rangel fended off four challengers on Tuesday to win the Democratic nomination for a 22nd term in Congress. " Oklahoma Rep. John Sullivan lost in an upset.

USA Today: Obama pushes donors, saying he'll be outspent
In an email to supporters yesterday, President Obama said, "I will be the first president in modern history to be outspent in his re-election campaign, if things continue as they have so far." Politico.

Politico: Obama to skip Hollywood fundraiser
"Young Hollywood will have to make do without Barack Obama at their Friday fundraiser."

NYT: Obama campaign banks on high-tech ground game to reach voters
Another story on the super PAC vs. ground game theory: "The aim is to 'break through the clutter,' as advisers say, of the hundreds of millions of dollars in negative television ads expected from Mitt Romney and the “super PACs” supporting him."

WSJ: Trump rep confirms Romney meeting for Thursday
Heh: "A representative for Donald Trump says that the reality television star will host a $50,000-a-head fundraiser with Mitt Romney this week. But the Romney campaign isn't so sure."

NaJo: How Congressional veep possibilities and K Street are linked
New analysis from First Street: "While likeability, politics and election strategies can set one vice presidential candidate above the rest, there's another way to rank the crowded field of veep potentials in Congress: K Street clout."

Star-Ledger: Mitt Romney rakes in $1.7M in second NJ fundraiser with Gov. Christie
"What New Jersey can’t offer Mitt Romney in votes, the blue state can give him in green."

CNN: Top super PAC donors
"The 9 largest super PAC donors have collectively donated over $60 million to various political causes. Who are these guys?"

Roll Call: Outsider privy to ethics case
"Just days before the House Ethics Committee was slated to hold a rare public trial of Rep. Maxine Waters, the committee’s then-ranking member, Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.), shared an email about the status of the case with a staffer in his personal office who did not serve on the committee."

NYT: Democrats feel pressure from gun lobby on contempt vote
"The National Rifle Association has joined a Republican push to make Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. the first sitting cabinet member to be held in contempt of Congress, turning a once obscure fight over a gun-smuggling investigation into a proxy war over gun control."

Sunlight: Utah sees $1.6 millon in outside spending, including a corporation
Sen. Hatch survived his primary challenge last night, a race with lots of money.

Republic Report: How the crop insurance industry helped buy a mutli-billion dollar cut to foot stamps
Good analysis from Republic Report of a crop insurance amendment.

NaJo: DCCC hits online fundraising record with Obama's help
"But yesterday Obama helped the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee break its online fundraising record with an email sent to the D-trip's email list."

Gannett: Bachmann pleads for donations to re-election campaign
"Rep. Michele Bachmann has gained a reputation as a prodigious campaign fundraiser, but her latest pitches for contributions warn that if she fails to meet her goal her constituents’ 'voice in Washington could cease to exist.'"

Other/States
ThinkProgress: Texas GOP platform calls for repealing Voting Rights Act of 1965
"The Republican Party of Texas released its platform this month, calling on Congress to repeal the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965."

AP: DC Mayor Gray to propose campaign finance reforms
"District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray is proposing a broad package of campaign finance reforms, including a ban on contributions by government contractors or those seeking large contracts."