Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Mother Jones: Sen. Carl Levin plans to grill the IRS over dark money
Andy Kroll on Levin's interview with Joe Nocera and talk of 501c4s: "Finally, someone in power plans to grill the IRS on why it is allowing hundreds of millions of dollars in secret money to flow through supposedly nonpartisan 'social welfare organizations' and into our elections."

Roll Call: House Ethics to formally investigate Rob Andrews, Don Young
Ohh: "The House Ethics Committee on Tuesday announced that it has formed investigative subcommittees to probe whether Reps. Robert E. Andrews, D-N.J., and Don Young, R-Alaska, violated rules by allegedly misusing campaign funds and making false statements."

Roll Call: Office of Congressional ethics is a singular success
Meredith McGehee defends the OCE: "The OCE has been a singular success at a time when the rest of Congress is wallowing in dysfunction. Since its inception, the OCE has compiled a record of professionalism and, more amazing, a record of bipartisan success." Bloomberg, NYT. TPM: "Are we having Don Young investigation deja vu?"

Common Cause: "Stuffy old men" and campaign finance
Dale Eisman takes on the RNC's report and its call to gut campaign finance regulations.

ELB: Libertarian Party wins procedural victory in campaign finance case involving a bequest
"On March 19, U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Wilkins ruled that the Libertarian Party’s campaign finance case involving a bequest to the party can be certified to the entire panel of U.S. Court of Appeals Judges in the D.C. Circuit."

Congress/2012
Politico: Robert Menendez courted Obama, Harry Reid
Controversial Sen. Menendez donor Salomon Melgen was also trying to butter up Obama and Reid, Politico reported last night, including this: "Melgen flew Reid on his company’s private plane last summer to Boston and back for a Majority PAC event, Reid’s office confirmed to POLITICO." Sunlight on Melgen and government contracts.

The Hill: Former Rep, Bono Mack heads to K Street
Natch: "Former Rep. Mary Bono Mack is headed to K Street, where the longtime GOP California lawmaker will consult on issues involving technology, Internet privacy and energy for FaegreBD Consulting, the lobby shop announced Tuesday."

Moyers and Co: Following the dark money with Matea Gold
Michael Winship interviews Matea Gold, one of the best in the influence reporting biz, about dark money.

PCAF Tumblr: Amgen donates to fundraising committees
A quick note on our Tumblr about Amgen covering their bases in February - $15,000 each to the DSCC, NRSC, DCCC, NRCC.

Roll Call: Republican super PAC war splits the party
Eliza's latest: "A cottage industry of new Republican super PACs run by a diverse array of tea party activists, conservative organizers and established operatives is making the GOP look less like a political party than a collection of competing outside groups."

Sunlight: March Madne$$ - Lawmakers use NCAA tourney to net some cash
"At least eight March Madness-themed political fundraisers, some of which cost up to $5,000 a head, have surfaced in the Party Time database" My favorite is Mike Crapo, who's having a "March Madness" fundraiser at the offices of Diageo, a large liquor conglomerate. Which is interesting for him.

The Hill: Interest groups with stake in reform line up for meetings with House tax-writers
What could go wrong? Ways and Means working groups: "Lawmakers on the 11 working groups are quietly meeting with lobbyists and groups interested in preserving tax breaks and a variety of credits and deductions that could be targeted in legislation."

Bloomberg: Tea Party-backed super PAC is latest challenge to Rove
"Tea Party leaders have established a super-political action committee that will counter political strategist Karl Rove’s effort to get Republicans to nominate candidates he views as electable.

Roll Call: Unlikely alliance presses for sunscreen approvals
"An unusual coalition of skin cancer groups, dermatologists and companies that make sunscreens is prodding Congress and the Food and Drug Administration to speed up approvals for new ingredients to block the sun’s rays."

CPI: Shaun McCutcheon hopes donations in S. Carolina election will be first of many nationwide
The guys at CPI interviewed the man behind the aggregate contribution limits challenge, Shaun McCutcheon.

CPI: Purdue University to slash government lobbying
"Purdue University — among the strongest lobbying forces in higher education — will soon slash its government affairs efforts in Washington, D.C., two federal lobbyists familiar with the decision tell the Center for Public Integrity."

Town Talk: Louisiana Rep. Alexander among congressmen with relatives on campaign payroll
Local story on USA Today's report on family members on the payroll of campaigns: "Thirty-two members of Congress -- including Rodney Alexander of Quitman -- dispensed more than $2 million in campaign funds to pay relatives' salaries during the 2012 election cycle, an analysis of the most recent campaign records shows."

Cnet: FCC cracks down on campaign robocalls to cell phones
"The Federal Communications Commission has issued citations that accuse two companies of bombarding wireless customers with millions of illegal robocalls during last year's presidential election."

Other/States
AP: Judge tosses campaign finance case against Tom Horne
In Arizona: " An administrative law judge has thrown out a civil complaint accusing Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne of illegally coordinating his 2010 election campaign with a separate group supposedly operating independently."

Reuters: Arkansas Voter ID Bill Approved By State Senate, Headed To Mike Beebe's Desk
Let's hope Beebe does the right thing: "The Arkansas state Senate approved a measure on Tuesday to require voters to show photo identification before they can cast a ballot, sending it to Democratic Governor Mike Beebe who has not said whether he would sign it into law. "

MoJo: Rick Perry's $487 million corporate slush fund doesn't need your stinkin' audit
Audit? Rick Perry doesn't need an audit: "Watchdog groups have long argued that the Texas Enterprise Fund, a taxpayer-funded program that has awarded more than $487 million to big businesses that set up shop in the Lone Star State since 2004, is a slush fund that allows Gov. Rick Perry to reward allies and political donors."