New York
WBFO: State Senator arrested on corruption charges
NY State Senator Malcolm Smith was arrested yesterday on corruption charges. Citizen Action of New York's Karen Scharff: "New Yorkers don’t really need another scandal to know that big money has a corrupting influence in politics and in Albany."

It's time for the legislature to take action. Full statement from Fair Elections campaign on the charges: "Now it’s time to stand shoulder to shoulder with Governor Cuomo and the growing bipartisan majority of New Yorkers who support comprehensive campaign finance reform, which must include a system of publicly financed elections at its core." YNN Albany, YNN Rochester, Auburn Citizen.

There was an amazing quote from NYC councilmember Dan Halloran in the criminal complaint that really sums things up: "That's politics, that's politics, it's all about how much. Not about whether or will, it's about how much, and that's our politicians in New York, they're all like that, all like that. And they get like that because of the drive that the money does for everything else. You can't do anything without the f*cking money."

Times Union: For evidence, Mr. Smith
Great editorial: "What better evidence can there be of the need for such reform than this case, in which one of their own, the onetime Senate president and Democratic leader, stands accused of trying to bribe Republican leaders to get a place on the ballot as a GOP candidate for mayor of New York City?"

Journal News: Campaign finance advocates: reform could stem public corruption
"Advocates of campaign finance reform said the first step toward changing the culture of Albany that results in an endless stream of corruption cases is to put the voters, instead of large donors and special interests, at the center of funding campaigns."

YNN Buffalo: Clean Air coalition takes aim at campaign spending
"The Western New York Clean Air Coalition is looking for support in creating a new platform for campaign funding. Residents and coalition members voiced concerns about campaign funding Tuesday in the Town of Tonawanda. The group wants to bring attention to money lawmakers get from local polluters."

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Huffington Post: Hawaii advances public financing bill to fix outdates system
Great story on the efforts in Hawaii to pass a public financing upgrade, featuring quotes from Voter-Owned Hawaii's Kory Payne and stare Reps. Della Au Belatti and Karl Rhoads. Belatti: "It's a good way to amplify the smaller donors' voice and it requires candidates to really, kind of, get into the community and connect with the voters."

The Hill: 28,000 workers in danger of seeing bank information published online
Stock Act deadline coming up: "Congress is running out of time to prevent the stock and bank account holdings of 28,000 federal workers from being posted online on April 15."

MSNBC: Can Obama's new voting panel defuse the voting wars?
On new voting commission: "The panel faces some significant challenges. Its recommendations are non-binding, and even if Obama decides to take them up, he’d need the support of Congress to make real improvements."

Congress/Admin
WaPo: As Obama begins fundraising swing, campaign finance watchdogs growl
On Obama's upcoming fundraising trip for the DCCC: "But if his target is the GOP, Obama himself has become the target of one-time allies in the open-government watchdog community who are disillusioned by the president’s reluctance to fully embrace the campaign finance reform he once vowed to make a top priority." CNN on the trip, Reuters.

Politico: Rand Paul-backed group attacks Republicans
So there is a gun group that thinks the NRA is too willing to compromise (!) and Rand Paul is fundraising for them: "Sen. Rand Paul, the tea party favorite and possible 2016 presidential candidate, is raising money for a conservative gun-rights group that’s targeting fellow Republicans, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

AP: Democratic leaders bash McConnell, ask for money
"The Kentucky Democratic Party has been using Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell's re-election bid as a catalyst to raise money even before a serious challenger gets into the race."

Politico: Republicans make another try to woo Silicon Valley
Republicans still itching for that tech money: "At the same time, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Whip John Cornyn will headline several Bay Area fundraisers, including a TechNet, Google PAC and Oracle PAC fundraiser at the Stanford Park Hotel in Menlo Park on Thursday."

USA Today: Super PAC ready for Hillary Clinton in 2016
"The Ready for Hillary super PAC launched its website Tuesday, declaring itself set to go in case the former secretary of State wants to jump into the 2016 presidential race. Clinton, who lost the 2008 Democratic nomination to Barack Obama, left the Cabinet post about two months ago."

AZ Capital Times: FEC fines Franks' campaign $14,000
"The Federal Election Commission has fined Rep. Trent Franks’ campaign committee $14,000 for failing to report spending of more than $300,000, mostly on mailings, from 2009 to 2011."

The Hill: Green gets billionaire ally, money
"Tom Steyer, who made his riches as a hedge fund manager, told The Hill on Tuesday that he wants to make climate change a campaign issue for years to come and Democratic support for environmental protections as widespread as support for gay marriage and immigration reform."

CPI: Sanford gets late boost from NYC millionaire
Sanford won the Republican runoff last night: "New York millionaire real estate developer Howard Rich, renowned for his support of conservative causes, has given a last-minute boost to the congressional campaign of former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. "

Boston Globe: Mass GOP files ethics complaint against Markey
"The state Republican party has filed an ethics complaint against US Representative Edward Markey, the leader in the race for the Democratic nomination in the US Senate special election, alleging he improperly used video recorded at a House committee hearing and in a government building, in two campaign ads. Markey campaign officials, however, insist that neither of the ads improperly uses video footage and say that the complaint amounts to a political stunt."

Other/States
Fayetteville Observer: On sale--it's why we need public campaign financing
Great editorial in North Carolina one efforts to defund the important public financing system there: "It's a shame that some lawmakers in Raleigh want to dismantle this state's system of public campaign financing. Some sensitive elected positions especially need to have the public's trust and avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest.

Mankato Free Press: Voter fraud case over for 86-year-old St. Peter woman
Oh man, this story: "A felony voter fraud charge filed against an 86-year-old St. Peter woman will be wiped from her record under an agreement brought to a judge Tuesday."