The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Obama raised a "record" $150 million in September, but as Dan Eggen at Washington Post points out, "One aide said the campaign had its best fundraising month 'ever,' while another said only that it was a record for 2012. The difference could be vast." Either way, it is a lot of money.

Must-read from Alec MacGillis at TNR on coal magnate Robert Murray who forced miners to attend a Mitt Romney rally recently--he also pressures his employees to donate to his preferred candidates. One letter from Murray states, "“We have been insulted by every salaried employee who does not support our efforts.”

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
NaJo: GAO Can't Find Voter Fraud In States With New ID Laws
"In a report released Thursday, the GAO could not document voter fraud in any of the numerous states that have recently passed stricter voting regulations, citing a lack of data."

AP: Court blocks voter approved campaign finance reform
"The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that restrictions on campaign finance that Oregon voters approved in 2006 can’t be enforced. The restrictions were approved in a 2006 ballot measure — Measure 47 — but they’ve never been put to use because voters struck down a companion measure — Measure 46 — that would have changed the state constitution to allow such restrictions."

Democracy 21: FEC Deadlocks on Issuing New Contribution Disclosure Rules for Outside Spending Groups; Van Hollen Case Returns to Federal District Court
On yesterday's FEC decision: "As a result, the FEC has left standing regulations that have gutted the statutory requirement for outside groups making “electioneering communications” to disclose their donors. This has resulted in an almost complete failure by these groups to disclose any of their contributors financing their "electioneering communications" to the public."

Congress/2012
Roll Call: Groups make case for inclusion of their issue in next debate
Hey, talk about campaign finance in the debates! Meredith McGehee: "I can see exactly why they didn't. They are both up to their eyeballs in it. To go through these three debates and ignore the elephant in the room would be a disservice. ... But I'm kind of hesitant to tell reporters how to do their jobs."

NaJo: Obama poised to nearly double '08 ad spending
"President Obama's campaign has spent more than $300 million on television advertising, according to new figures compiled by sources watching the ad market, an amount that puts him on track to nearly double his own record-breaking spending from the 2008 election cycle."

CPI: Canadian-owned firm's mega-donation to super PAC raises ‘legal red flags’
Ohh: "A million-dollar donation by a foreign-owned corporation to a Republican super PAC has raised legal concerns and opened up the controversial Citizens United Supreme Court decision to new criticism."

Slate: James Bopp Jr. gets creative
I've sort of wondered this myself - how Bopp funds his work and connection to the "James Madison Center for Free Speech." Slate explains: "for more than 15 years, the Indiana-based charity has helped fund Bopp’s influential litigation by channeling tax-exempt, mostly anonymous donations to his for-profit law firm."

Washington Examiner: Was Obama rattled by developing donor scandal story?
I doubt the answer to that headline is "yes," but this is something to watch: "according to knowledgeable sources, a national magazine and a national web site are preparing a blockbuster donor scandal story. The story, supposedly: "a taxpayer watchdog group conducted a nine-month investigation into presidential and congressional fundraising and has uncovered thousands of cases of credit card solicitations and donations to Obama and Capitol Hill."

CNN: Pro-Romney super PAC raises big money after debate
"The founder of Restore Our Future, a super PAC supportive of Mitt Romney, said Thursday the group saw money pour in one day after the GOP nominee pulled a widely applauded performance in the first presidential debate." Charlie Spies: "will probably be the best fund-raising day we've had, if not one of the top two fund-raising days we've ever had"

DL Online: Republican VP hopeful Ryan slots Minn. fundraiser
"Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan is planning his first stop in Minnesota since joining Mitt Romney's ticket with a Minneapolis fundraiser slated for next week.

PCAF: Paul Ryan raising money with billionaire who said the wealthy have "insufficient influence" in politics
Paul Ryan will be in Chicago tonight at a fundraiser hosted by billionaire Ken "the wealthy have insufficient influence in politics" Griffin.

CPI: Health insurance PACs have a love hate relationship with health care reform
"Between January of 2007 and August of 2012, the political action committees of the 11 largest health insurance companies and their primary trade group gave $10.2 million to federal politicians with nearly two-thirds of the total going to Republicans who oppose the law or support its repeal, according to the Center for Public Integrity’s analysis of Federal Election Commission filings."

Politico: Romney ads target Ohio, Nevada
"The Romney campaign released a series of new TV ads Friday morning, two of them targeting the swing states of Ohio and Nevada specifically."

Politico: Paul Ryan outraised by House opponent
Though, at the last filing, Ryan had several million in the bank: "Rob Zerban is cashing in on the fact his opponent for the House of Representatives is also the Republican vice presidential nominee. Zerban’s campaign announced Thursday it raised $770,000 in the third quarter of 2012, outpacing Rep. Paul Ryan."

Politico: Tester has best fundraising quarter
"Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) raised $2.3 million in the three-month period that ended on Sept. 30, marking his best fundraising quarter yet as his reelection bid remains one of the closest Senate races in the nation."

Crain's Chicago Business: Super PAC headed toward $2 million for Joe Walsh
"A Texas super PAC has once again upped its bet on Congressman Joe Walsh, R-North Barrington, and now looks like it may well hit the $2 million mark on his behalf in the northwest suburban 8th District."

Hartford Courant: Elizabeth Esty Criticizes Andrew Roraback For Boehner Fundraiser In Hartford
"Democrat Elizabeth Esty is criticizing Republican Andrew Roraback for an upcoming fundraising visit by the U.S. Speaker of the House."

Other/States
AP: Fundraiser describes payoffs to former mayor
Hey, remember Kwame Kilpatrick? "A fundraiser for Kwame Kilpatrick told jurors Thursday that she regularly pulled money from her bra to pay kickbacks to the then-Detroit mayor, whom she considered like her own son."