NYT editorial out this morning responding to the recent scandals in New York: "Of all the proposed reforms, the most critical is to open up elections so that voters have real choices. And that means creating a workable public financing system to encourage more candidates to come forward, much as New York City did almost 25 years ago."

And in the Buffalo News: "One way to reduce the power of special interests is to move to a system of public financing of campaigns. New York City’s system provides $6 in public money for each dollar, up to $175, contributed by city residents." If you're in NY, attend a house party! Fred Wertheimer oped in Politico, Bill Samuels interview in Auburn Citizen. Tom DiNapoli in the NYDN.

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Times Union: Soros: "without public financing, you haven't done much"
Jonathan Soros on New York, says public financing is a necessary component of any reform legislation: "Increased transparency alone without creating this alternative — a colleague and friend has a great analogy to the Deep Water Horizon well that was gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico. There was a webcam focused on that well showing you what was coming into the Gulf. Wecould make that an HD web cam so we could see that more clearly, but it’s not going to stop the [oil] gushing in."

Boston Globe: Winslow presses FEC on contributions from same-sex spouses
Interesting FEC question from Mass. Senate candidate: "Winslow, through attorneys working on his behalf, asked the Commission to determine whether that rule applies to same-sex couples too. The federal Defense of Marriage Act defines a spouse as being only of the opposite sex. But Winslow, citing Massachusetts state law, encouraged the FEC to allow legally married same-sex couples to be recognized the same as opposite-sex couples for the purpose of their joint contributions." LA Times

WaPo: How long did you wait to vote? Depends on your race
SMH at this new report: "Viewed nationally, African Americans waited an average of 23 minutes to vote, compared to 12 minutes for whites; Hispanics waited 19 minutes."

AP: House and Senate differ on campaign financing
The West Virginia House passed legislation last week to make the state's judicial public financing system permanent. In the Senate yesterday, it was amended to cover just 2016 Supreme Court races.

AP: Maryland lawmakers approve campaign finance reform bill
In the last day of session, the Senate passed the House campaign finance bill sending it to Gov. O'Malley's desk- raising aggregate limits, more enforcement and transparency, closing the LLC loophole, and I believe a provision to allow counties to create public financing systems. They also expanded early voting and added same-day registration. Colorado Dems will introduce an election reform bill soon too.

ELB: Supreme Court will hear McCutcheon campaign finance case week of October 7th
According to Jim Bopp in BNA, the McCutcheon challenge on aggregate contribution limits will be heard the week of October 7th.

Congress/Admin
AP: McConnell fundraising nearing $12 million for re-election
McConnell raised $1.8M in the first quarter, has $8.6 million in the bank. Campaign manager: "Sen. McConnell's fundraising ability is second to none." For what it's worth, just $91,000 of the money he raised in 2011 and 2012 came from donations of $200 or less.

The Hill: Boehner to fundraise in Chicago
"Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is in President Obama's hometown on Monday for a high-priced fundraiser for House Republicans."

Mother Jones: The Ready for Hillary super PAC is the real deal
"Ready for Hillary appears to be the real thing. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that Harold Ickes, the longtime aide to Bill and Hillary and Democratic fundraiser extraordinaire, is advising Ready for Hillary. Another Clinton White House alum, James Carville, is also helping the super-PAC."

CPI: NCAA spent $1.6 million on lobbying in past decade
"The NCAA has employed in-house lobbyists since 1995. During the past decade, it has spent about $1.6 million on lobbying, including $150,000 in 2012 alone, according to records filed with the U.S. Senate."

Mother Jones: How Walmart, Exxon Mobile, and Coke buy Latino friends in Congress
Andy looks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institure and its corporate donors.

WaPo: Miami lawyer Wagar is leading pick for Singapore
"Now we’re hearing that Miami trial lawyer Kirk Wagar, who raised more than $1 million for Obama’s reelection effort, is the leading candidate to be ambassador to Singapore." NBCNews

The Hill: Anti-incumbent super-PAC returns with sights on new targets for 2014
"The anti-incumbent super-PAC Campaign for Primary Accountability is coming back for 2014 after shutting down last election cycle — and it’s already making a wish list of targets, including Reps. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Lamar Smith (R-Texas)."

The Hill: Tax-writers: secrecy needed for tax reform
With the House and Senate looking at tax reform, how much transparency is too much? How much has to be done away from those who can launch campaigns to attack or support certain provisions?

Roll Call: Lobby Reports Expected To Show $750+ Million in First Quarter Lobbying
On the new moneyline blog: "We anticipate the 2013 first quarter lobbying expenditures to be above $750 million. Lobbying reports are due by 4/22 and many are already being filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate."

Politico: Hard-core PAC for hard-right Republicans
"A former one-term congressman from Louisiana aims to keep stirring up trouble on Capitol Hill from the outside with a new super PAC to support hard-right conservatives in the House of Representatives."

Newsday: Fundraising jackpot follows Maloney's defense of marriage rights
"Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-Cold Spring) raked in more than $500,000 in campaign contributions during the first quarter this year -- an eye-popping haul that some political insiders relate to Maloney's outspoken defense of same-sex marriage."

NYT: Rivals for Kerry's Senate seat debate
At the Democratic primary debate in the Mass Senate special election, Rep. Stephen Lynch blasted billionaire Tom Steyer who has gone after him for his position on Keystone: "Just because he has a billion dollars doesn’t mean he gets to push people around. I’ve faced bullies my whole life, and I won’t put up with that!"

WaPo: Paul Ryan raises $600,000 in first quarter
"Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) enjoyed a productive first quarter fundraising period, bringing in about $606,000, spending about $400,000, and ending the period with about $1.6 million in the bank."

CPI: Ron Paul using campaign cash to aid his nonprofit
"On March 11, the Committee to Re-Elect Ron Paul donated $150,000 to the Foundation for Rational Economics and Education, a nonprofit charitable group Paul himself founded in 1976, according to documents filed today with the Federal Election Commission. Carol Paul, his wife, is the group's president, Internal Revenue Service documents show."

Other/States
Dallas News: Major Perry, Dewhurst, Straus donors have ties to firms getting cash from Texas' high-tech enterprise fund
"Interests that have received millions from the state’s high-tech enterprise fund have delivered $3.6 million in campaign contributions to Gov. Rick Perry and the state’s other two top elected officials" The three--Gov. Perry, Lt. Gov Dewhurst, and House Speaker Straus--oversee the grant-awarding process.

TBO: Gov. Scott kills higher campaign contribution limits
Good for Rick Scott: "Efforts to raise campaign contribution limit could be dead for this year after Gov. Rick Scott's office said today he is unlikely to approve any increase. " Also in FL, a provision tucked in an ethics bill would allow "any public official who wants to avoid disclosing embarrassing financial information on their financial disclosure forms could create a blind trust to hold their assets."

Rochester D&C: Common denominator of Albany and DC
Letter to the editor: "What do the New York State Legislature and the U.S. Congress have in common? They are both workplaces for the ethically, morally and fiscally challenged." That's the whole letter, by the way.