In the News
Wall Street Journal: Welcome to Boycott Nation
By Brad SmithIt’s becoming hard to know with whom one can do business.
Independent groups
Politico: Coordination rules a one-way street
By Maggie HabermanWhen former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie joined Mitt Romney’s campaign last month, he cut ties with other groups he’d been involved with after seeking legal advice — most notably American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, two of the most prominent conservative groups playing a major role in third-party spending this cycle.
USA Today: Pro-Romney super PAC starts $4.3M ad campaign
By Catalina CamiaThe super PAC supporting Mitt Romney begins a major TV blitz Thursday in nine battleground states, kick-starting its general election efforts with a $4.3 million investment.
Politico: Newt Gingrich drops out: ‘Truly wild ride’ is over
By Ginger GibsonFor all intents and purposes, his campaign was over months ago.
ABC News: Campaign Spending Topped $1B Last Year
By Elizabeth HartfieldPresidential and congressional campaign spending, coupled with spending by political action committees and parties, totaled $1.3 billion in 2011, according to a report released by the Federal Election Commission.
Trial
Politico: Aide testifies about Edwards’ fury
By Mackenzie WeingerA former aide to John Edwards said Wednesday that the former Democratic presidential candidate was “really upset,” cursing and “red” in the face during a conversation about his affair, according to reports.
Baltimore Sun: John Edwards: Here’s a man who could have used a Super PAC
By David HorseyThe more I read about John Edwards’ shenanigans during the 2008 presidential campaign, the more I’m convinced he is a mirror-gazing, fork-tongued, tramp-chasing weasel. But the more I read about the federal case against him, the more sure I am that he does not deserve to go to jail.
Corporate Governance
Huffington Post: America Tells the Securities Exchange Commission to Mandate Disclosure of Corporate Political Activity
By Jack UcciferriYou too can still join the more than 178,000 people and organizations that have asked the SEC to “create rules that would push corporate political spending into center stage,” as Lisa Gilbert of Public Citizen puts it.
Candidates and parties
Politico: Invested campaign cash yields $652,000 for Sherman
By JOHN BRESNAHANThe investments are completely legal, and Sherman has plenty of company in Congress. Dozens of lawmakers — especially those with big bank balances and safe seats — have used campaign cash to dive into the stock market, invest in Treasury bills or take advantage of other money-yielding opportunities.
NY Times: Obama’s Not-So-Hot Date With Wall Street
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE“You call some people on Wall Street up, and they’re undecided,” one Obama bundler said. “They’re ‘waiting for clarity’ — that’s the term they use. Or they say the administration ‘hasn’t led sufficiently’ on an issue.”
ABC News: Newt Gingrich Ends Presidential Campaign
By Elicia DoverNewt Gingrich officially ended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination Wednesday.
Politico: Third-party candidate for POTUS: Anyone? Walker?
By ALEXANDER BURNS and EMILY SCHULTHEISIt’s the dream that won’t die: a plain-spoken, pure-hearted independent sweeps into the presidential race, talks straight with the American people and upends a broken process with a historic third-party campaign.
