The Newsroom's Sam Waterston, a long-time Fair Elections supporter, has taped a new video for the Fair Elections for New York Campaign, the NYT reports this morning. Watch it here.

Yesterday, Public Campaign Action Fund and HCAN released a report looking at the insurance industry cash fueling the campaigns of House members who supported Paul Ryan's plan to voucherize Medicare. Check it out. ThinkProgress.

And Paul Blumenthal reports on the Wall Street billionaire funding a super PAC to defeat Oregon Rep. Pete DeFazio. Here's DeFazio, on what happened after getting attacked by Wall Street money last cycle: "After the last election, when I would ask my [colleagues] to cosponsor a speculator tax they'd say, 'I don't really want to make the people on Wall Street that angry and didn't somebody spend a lot of money against you?' It has a chilling effect against some people on legislation."

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
AP: Montana campaign donation limits reinstated by 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
"The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated Montana's campaign donation limits, telling the federal judge who struck down the limits that the panel needs to see his full reasoning so it can review the case." Public Campaign's Nick Nyhart says "This decision injects a welcome dose of sanity into the crazy that is our current campaign finance system."

NYT: Court blocks voter ID law in South Carolina, but only for now
"A federal court on Wednesday blocked South Carolina from enforcing its new voter photo ID law in next month’s election, saying that there was not enough time to educate voters and officials about it," but it can go in effect in 2013.

The Atlantic: The new price of American politics
The fight between those of us who believe regular people should control our politics and those who believe billionaires should: "Their battle is over the most-basic ideas of our democracy; at stake—according to both sides—is either the revitalization of politics, or its final capture by the powerful."

Campaign Legal Center: Unlimited donations to parties would be a huge mistake
Meredith McGehee: "Unlimited contributions to political parties would be a huge mistake. All this proposed 'reform' would do is give wealthy donors who are currently financing independent expenditures yet another avenue to buy access and influence with candidates and officeholders."

Congress/2012
WaPo: In race for campaign cash, everyone claimes to be outmatched
"Both Obama and his challenger, Republican nominee Mitt Romney, are certain to surpass the $1 billion mark in resources between their campaigns, parties and outside allies. The benchmark will easily make Obama and Romney the two most formidable political fundraisers in U.S. history. Yet both sides routinely cast themselves as paupers in danger of being outspent by a monied opponent."

Marketplace: How Citizens United has transformed campaigns: An introduction to Big Sky into Big Money
This looks great: PBS and Frontline have a new series "to break through the noise around one key issue: the fallout from the Supreme Court's decision two years ago in a case called Citizens United."

WaPo: Neither candidate's averse to this offshoring
"The camps of both President Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, are holding fundraisers abroad as the days before the election dwindle."

Washington Times: Among donors, a few zip codes put extra zip in campaign coffers
The Washington Times looks at where all the big donors live--you won't be surprised.

TPM: The Obama mega donor who got lost in the crowd
Interesting interview with Kareem Ahmed, the relatively unkown $1M donor to Obama's super PAC.

The Nation: Tagg Team: The Romney family recipe for crony capitalism
Lee Fang looks at Tagg Romney's private equity firm and how its investors could benefit from a Romney presidency. Me: "Romney can’t un-know that his son’s investment company could benefit financially from his policies. And the other investors—many of whom are likely Romney campaign donors—will have extra access and influence in a Romney administration.”

Politico: Unions struggle to help President Obama
"Despite the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision opening the door to direct and unlimited union (and corporate) contributions, several high-ranking union officials and Democratic operatives confirm that labor’s overall presidential race spending will likely be down from four or eight years ago."

CPI: Pro-environment group gave money to conservative nonprofit
Ineresting donation to GOP outside spending group American Action Network: ">So why did the Energy Foundation, a San Francisco-based organization that funds the Sierra Club, the National Resources Defense Council, the Environmental Defense Fund and Earthjustice give the conservative nonprofit a six-figure donation last year?

TNR: A coal company owner responds
Coal baron Robert Murray responds to all of the people saying he was intimidating his employees to donate to his preferred candidates.

Journal-Topics: Ryan visit to Rosemont raises $2.5 million
Ryan raised big bucks in his Chicago-area fundraiser Sunday: "Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan came to Rosemont to raise money Sunday. The breakfast fundraiser netted the Mitt Romney presidential campaign $2.5 million."

The Nation: Corporate lobbyists run almost every pro-Romney super PAC
A busy day for Lee yesterday--he looks at all the lobbyists connected to pro-Romney super PACs.

Orlando Sentinel: Mack campaign reports $2.7M in 3rd quarter
"The U.S. Senate campaign of U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV is announcing it raised $2.7 million in the third quarter of 2012, more money than it had raised in the previous three quarters combined."

HuffPost: Crossroads ad against Tim Kaine and Jon Tester takes different tack
It's a weird world we live in when a Republican super PAC is attacking Jon Tester for the money he's received from Wall Street after opposing swipe fee legislation.

PCCC: Former Scott Brown campaign staffer working for shadowy super PAC attacking Elizabeth Warren
A new super PAC has popped up to help Scott Brown and one of its staffers used to work for Brown.

Politico: Richard Mourdock rakes in $3 million in Indiana Senate race
"Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock topped $3 million in campaign donations during the third fundraising quarter, a campaign aide tells POLITICO."

The Nation: NFIB, a mainstream GOP group, backs Akin
The NFIB, a "voice of small business" funded by Karl Rove, has decided to start helping Todd Akin in Missouri.

WaPo: NRCC raises $12.4M in September
"The National Republican Congressional Committee raised $12.4 million in September and has $29.5 million cash on hand, a committee aide tells The Fix."

WNYC: Grimm's ethics issues remain central in Congressional race
"Since taking office two years ago, Republican Congressman Michael Grimm has been dogged by accusations of fundraising impropriety and shady business associations—accusations he denies."

CPI: Dems looking to pick up Chicagoland seats
"Redistricting in the Chicago metro area has endangered Republicans that hold House seats in the already Democrat-dominated region and attracted some major spending by a labor union and a liberal super PAC."

Texas Tribune: DeLay's appeal hinges on what "funds" are
"Attorneys for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay appealed his conviction on conspiracy and money laundering charges Wednesday, telling three appellate judges that the charges rest on a misreading of election and campaign finance law."

Other/States
WSJ: Wall Street faults state lobby law
"Wall Street and insurance groups are organizing an effort to overturn a New York ethics regulation requiring trade associations that lobby state government to publicly disclose their sources of funding."

WaPo: Former Gray aide Howard Brooks sentenced to 2 years probation
"A former aide to Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s 2010 campaign was sentenced to two years of probation Wednesday for lying to federal agents about campaign finance violations that federal prosecutors say tainted the mayoral election."