Big news yesterday on the Democratic fundraising front: "Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — a legendary fundraiser and political strategist before he won elected office — has dropped his honorary chairmanship of the Obama campaign to help raise big-dollar contributions, so that Democrats can compete with what is emerging as a clear GOP fundraising advantage this election cycle, campaign and fundraising individuals said." Nick Confessore at NYT gets an interview with Emanuel.

Trevor Potter to AP on this: "It meets the current, pathetic legal definition of `independent,' not the common-sense one." Roll Call, Bloomberg, USA Today.

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Public Campaign: Reform groups urge wireless companies not to gouge small donors for text message donations
Public Campaign and 11 other groups sent a letter to major wireless carriers yesterday urging them to adopt a low, uniform rate for fees on text message donations.

AP: Eighth circuit blocks Minnesota campaign finance law
"A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked a Minnesota campaign finance law that it said overburdened corporations that want to spend money to influence elections."

Bloomberg: New campaign to get SEC to require corporate disclosure
"A new campaign is beginning in Washington targeting the Securities and Exchange Commission over campaign finance." It includes "ads in Washington’s subway system and trading cards with the pictures of the five SEC commissioners. The coalition of public officials and others is campaigning to pressure the SEC into enacting the disclose rule." Roll Call.

Campaign Legal Center: Lesser of two evils: Dem's vague platform improvement over GOP absurdity
"With its radical convention platform, the Republican Party has now abandoned decades of Republican support for meaningful campaign finance disclosure. By contrast, the Democratic Party’s language is fairly pro forma, and in all truth, disappointingly tepid."

AP: Campaign finance question on Colorado ballot
Colorado: " An initiative to encourage Colorado’s congressional delegation to propose a U.S. constitutional amendment to limit campaign contributions and spending will be before voters this November. "

Congress/2012
CPI: Super PAC appeal: give until it "feels good"
At a Priorities fundraiser on Tuesday in Charlotte, Paul Begala told donors, “I want you to give until it feels good." WSJ.

WaPo: Worried Democrats scramble to close fundraising gap with GOP
"Democratic Party leaders are working feverishly behind the scenes of their national convention here to cajole wealthy donors into giving more money, a sign of growing concern that a widening Republican financial advantage could doom President Obama and other Democratic candidates."

Bloomberg: Banker plan would fund super PACs to sway Senate races
American Bankers Association: "A banking trade group is preparing to set up a political fund that would allow members to funnel money anonymously to pro-industry candidates in the final months of the U.S. elections."

NYT: The Campaign-Super PAC revolving door
Andrew Rosenthal: "Rahm Emanuel announced today that he was stepping down as co-chair of the Obama campaign in order to help raise money for Priorities USA Action, a super PAC that supports President Obama, but of course never, ever coordinates with the campaign, because that would be illegal."

HuffPost: Democratic convention fundraising hosted by corporate lobbyists, super PACs
Paul Blumenthal runs down some of the fundraising events with Washington lobbyists and special interests this week.

Politico: Dems lower sights on donors
There aren't any Adelson's in Charlotte, but "on the sidelines of their convention, they’re targeting a donor middle class of sorts — folks who can give tens of thousands, not millions, of dollars to keep Barack Obama in the White House. And they’re pushing them hard." Marketplace.

Sunlight: First Lady courts LGBT donors over lunch
"After a rousing convention speech Tuesday night that, among other things, commended LGBT Americans for their courage to marry, Michelle Obama spent about an hour Wednesday at a downtown Charlotte Marriott trying courting well-heeled gay donors."

The Nation: Bill Clinton: GOP voter suppression laws a sign of desperation
At the Arkansas Delegation breakfast in Charlotte, Bill Clinton said: "“Do you really want to live in a country where one party is so desperate to win the White House that they go around trying to make it harder for people to vote if they’re people of color, poor people or first generation immigrants?" He also talked voting rights in his speech from the stage last night.

Salt Lake Tribune: Paul Ryan lands in Utah for private campaign fundraisers
"Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan arrived in Utah Wednesday afternoon to raise money in a state that has been a cash cow for his running mate, Mitt Romney."

Huffington Post: Conservative third party groups pull tv advertising dollars out of Pennsylvania, Michigan
Interesting: "Mitt Romney's allies have pulled their advertising from Pennsylvania and Michigan while redoubling efforts in other battleground states. The move indicates that at least for now, efforts by outside groups to help Romney compete in more states have stalled."

Holland Sentinel: Romney fundraiser in Saugutuck Monday
"West Michigan Supporters of Romney for President will host a fundraiser for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan at Clearbrook Restaurant."

Chattanoogan: Report says Ann Romney to appear at $10,000-per-plate dinner at Corker home
"Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, will appear at a $10,000-per-plate campaign fundraiser at the Chattanooga home of Senator Bob Corker, according to a Nashville Tennessean blog report."

Politico: Anna Wintour fundraisers for Obama in England, Paris this month
"Vogue editor Anna Wintour is set to host two more fundraisers for President Barack Obama's reelection effort, according to a list of events circulated by the campaign for the next month."

Politico: Ex-Senate aide Doug Hampton gets probation
"A former aide to ex-Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), Doug Hampton, was sentenced Wednesday to one year probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor violation of federal ethics statute, court records show." (Ensign has never been charged.)