With Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act at the Supreme Court this week, here's a new WaPo op-ed by Congressman John Lewis on why we still need it:

"Evidence proves there are forces in this country that willfully and intentionally trample on the voting rights of millions of Americans. That is why every president and every Congress, regardless of politics or party, has reauthorized Section 5.

"The right to vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy. I risked my life defending that right. Some died in the struggle. If we are ever to actualize the true meaning of equality, effective measures such as the Voting Rights Act are still a necessary requirement of democracy."

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
HuffPost: Campaign finance poll finds most support limits
"In fact, restrictions on both the amount of money Americans can donate to individual federal candidates and the total amount they can donate over a two-year election cycle enjoy broad support from the public, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll." Noah Feldman on McCutcheon. Michael Tomasky.

Roll Call: Messaging ramps up before key voting rights case
"A steady drumbeat of press briefings and messaging events is reaching a crescendo as the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments Wednesday in a case that questions whether a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is still needed." More previews at Reuters, WaPo, NPR, and NYT's Room for Debate.

AP: NY campaign reform advocates cite tax loopholes in effort
More on efforts last week to tie corporate tax loopholes to the need for Fair Elections in New York.

Congress/Admin
NYT: Obama's backers seek big donors to press agenda
Must-read NYT look into Organizing for Action, which "has plunged the president and his aides into a campaign finance limbo with few clear rules, ample potential for influence-peddling, and no real precedent in national politics." More in the Washington Post.

New Yorker: House of Pain
Some money-in-politics bits in this Ryan Lizza profile of Eric Cantor - Walter Jones getting knocked off Financial Services for not raising enough money on a money-raising committee and Huelskamp saying outside groups give him more independence from the party.

The Hill: Qualcomm agrees to disclose political spending online
In a settlement with NY AG Schneiderman, Qualcomm put its political spending online. One interesting donation is $1 million to Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the group behind "Fix the Debt." Qualcomm has faced criticism in the past for offshoring billions to avoid taxes.

Roll Call: Sequester spells bitter K Street failure
"The seemingly inevitable sequester cuts that will slash $85 billion from the federal budget on Friday reflect not only Washington’s political paralysis but a bitter lobbying failure for K Street interests across the board."

The Hill: Business fears sequester ax will cut through profits
"The defense industry, led by the Aerospace Industries Association, and several medical trade groups have mounted a full-throated lobbying campaign against the budget sequester, which is set to take effect on Friday."

Politico: Priorities USA thinks about life after Obama
"Priorities USA Action, which spent roughly $65 million helping President Barack Obama win reelection, isn’t ready to close up shop, but its place in the Democratic money world is uncertain."

Politico: Liberal group hits McConnell on guns
PCCC is back hitting Sen. McConnell on guns. The ad says, "The NRA and the gun manufacturers have given a ton of money to Sen. Mitch McConnell. And now he’s blocking reform. Senator, whose side are you on?" TPM, HuffPost. Planned Parenthood is going after him too.

AP: Ex-Candidate accused of campaign finance violations surrenders
"A failed South Florida congressional candidate linked to former U.S. Rep. David Rivera was charged Friday with violating federal campaign finance laws by concealing the true source of thousands of dollars, accepting illegal contributions and trying to cover up the scheme with false campaign filings." Miami Herald.

NBC Latino: Private prison lobby pushes for tougher immigration enforcement to increase profits
Stephen Nuno highlights the influence of private prison lobbyists and campaign donors in the immigration debate: "Behind the prison lobby encouraging these kinds of programs are groups like The GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) who have contributed millions to ensure that politicians support their efforts to increase the prison population."

The Hill: Romney energy adviser to lobby for top natural gas company
"Rebecca Rosen, a lead architect of Mitt Romney’s energy platform in the 2012 election, is joining the big natural gas producer Devon Energy Corp. as a senior lobbyist.

Other/States
Politico: Andrew Cuomo plans mega fundraisers
"New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is planning a string of high-profile fundraisers over the next six months, including two events in Florida and a Paul Simon concert, according to a rough outline circulating among potential donors.

NPR: Top voter ID crusader loses Virginia election panel post
! "So it was news that von Spakovsky, a Republican lawyer and scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation, failed to get a second term on the electoral board of Fairfax County, Virginia's largest county, despite being the top choice of the county's Republican Party."

Billings Gazette: Campaign finance reform is essential
Letter in Montana: "Effective, long-term action on any of the problems facing our nation today will not happen until we change our campaign finance laws. Since the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, the rise of the Super PACs has ushered in the steroid era for our political races."

Sacramento Bee: State Sen. Michael Rubio resigns, will take job with Chevron
"State Sen. Michael Rubio announced today that he is resigning from the state Legislature and taking a job directing California governmental affairs for Chevron Corporation."

Times-Herald: Florida's newest lobbyist: Mike Haridopolos
Revolving door in Florida: "You guessed it. The latest to cash in on the executive lobbyist windfall in Tallahassee, former Senate President Mike Haridopolos. He's gone to work for Railex LLC, a company that manufactures refrigerated rail cars to transport fruits and vegetables."