With the Romney campaign forcing Paul Ryan to back off his own budget plan (and its unpopular Medicare changes), one could ask where those who voted for the plan--and received money from Ryan's leadership PAC (and insurance money) over the years--stand today. Here's that list. Friends of Democracy raised that question specifically with Dan Lungren, Sean Duffy, and Charlie Bass yesterday.

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Reuters: Regulators clear hurdle for text message donations
"Americans moved a step closer to being able to make campaign contributions by text message on Wednesday when the Federal Election Commission approved protections sought by wireless carriers over fraud and profitability." WaPo. Our analysis.

NYT: Missed chance to reject voting barriers
New York Times editorial on a judge upholding the voter suppression law in Pennsylvania: "The voter ID requirement does not specifically single out any class or group and applies uniformly to all, he wrote. But what Republicans know, and what the judge should have realized, was that many voters won’t be able to participate in the democratic process any longer."

Charleston Daily Mail: Fundraising sullies judicial candidates
West Virginia Citizen Action's Julie Archer takes on recent criticism of WV's judicial public financing program

Congress/2012
Patch: Bishop defends campaign finanace practices
"Rep. Tim Bishop, D-Southampton, is firing back at a Politico.com report that claims the five-term congressman's re-election campaign tried to shake down a wealthy Southampton resident in exchange for a favor."

USA Today: Obama, Romney should disavow super PAC ads
USA Today editorial: "Obama aides have said that campaign law bars them from having anything to do with an ad made by a super PAC, but that's just a dodge. Obama's staff and the president himself should disavow the ad. By the same token, Romney should retract his own demonstrably false accusations. The fact that neither candidate will do the right thing speaks badly of both, and makes an already tawdry campaign even worse."

Roll Call: Gift taxes apply to somer super PAC-linked groups
"The Congressional Research Service released a report this week indicating that existing gift tax statutes can apply to contributions made to offshoots of super PACs that are spending millions of dollars to influence state and national elections."

Hispanic Business Journal: Sen. Marco Rubio headlines Tulsa fundraiser for Romney campaign
"U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida headlined a low-profile, high-dollar Tulsa fundraiser for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney at the Doubletree Hotel Downtown on Tuesday.

WCNC: Protesters greet Romney during fundraiser at Charlotte mansion
"Republican Mitt Romney paid his second visit this week to the Charlotte area, spending some 90 minutes at a private fundraiser at the Duke Mansion in Myers Park."

Hollywood Reporter: Obama has more Hollywood fundraising events planned for fall
"In the wake of Mitt Romney's Aug. 11 announcement of Tea Party favorite Paul Ryan as his presidential running mate, entertainment industry politicos are mulling new ways to raise money and stir up support for President Obama. According to sources, several of Obama's top Hollywood backers want to stage concerts in New York, Chicago and San Francisco featuring A-list singers performing duets while urging young people to vote."

Politico: Romney meets his NASCAR friends
"Mitt Romney really does have friends who own NASCAR teams. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee proved it Wednesday during a $2,500-per-plate-minimum lunch in North Carolina, where a roster of racing royalty assembled to boost his campaign."

Financial Times: Donor urges Romney shift on banks
Interesting, though he still doesn't like Dodd-Frank: "Paul Singer, the billionaire hedge fund manager who is one of the Republican party’s most influential donors, is pressing Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, to make the case for tougher bank regulation that would go beyond the Dodd-Frank law."

US News: Ethics watchdogs planning to crash convention parties
Something to watch: "Armed with cameras and the press, the Sunlight Foundation and Public Citizen plan to crash convention parties in a double-teaming effort."

WSJ: Super PAC targets GOP in New York
"A super PAC trying to help Democrats retake the House of Representatives has launched a fundraising effort aimed at New York, where nearly a third of the congressional races are competitive."

Politico: Four states dominate super PAC giving
"MapLight, a nonpartisan research organization that tracks money's influence on politics, has crunched the numbers on super PAC contributions through the end of June and concludes that the bulk of the $306 million comes from just a few states"--Texas, Nevada, California, and New York.

Politico: Dennis Cardoza was negotiating job for weeks
Anna Palmer has more on Dennis Cardoza's quick job announcement after retiring--he was negotiating for weeks.

Salt Lake Tribune: Boehner raises money for Love
John Boehner continued his summer tour yesterday in Utah, where he "urged Mia Love supporters to give their money and support to the campaign to help Republicans keep control of the House and him at the helm."

Politico: Pro-gay rights super PAC backs 3 GOPers
"The super PAC created by one of the Republican Party’s most prominent donors to move candidates toward backing gay marriage is about to invest in its first three House races." None of the 3 support marriage equality.