Independent groups
ABC News: End of Campaign Means Rick Santorum Could Grab Hold of Super PAC
By Shushannah WalsheThat’s because the super PAC is becoming Santorum’s PAC, while also remaining his super PAC. Yes, it’s confusing, but it’s a legal change that turns the Red, White, and Blue Fund into a hybrid political action committee that will also work as a traditional leadership PAC to push Santorum’s message, support his political travel, cover administration costs and donate money to candidates he supports with similar views.
Reuters: Super PACS: Follow the money – if you can
December 2011 was a busy month for supporters of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. The former speaker of the House had surged ahead of his Republican rivals in several polls. Suddenly he was being barraged by negative TV ads produced by Restore Our Future, a Super PAC for rival candidate Mitt Romney.
Disclosure
Prosecution rests in John Edwards trial
By Michael BieseckerProsecutors rested their campaign fraud case against John Edwards on Thursday after 14 days of dramatic and often unflattering testimony that focused on the once-promising politician’s infidelity and the secret money they say he used to cover up the affair he feared would derail his presidential ambitions.
MSNBC: John Edwards’ Prosecution Ends with ABC Video of Him Lying
By JAMES HILL, BETH LOYD and RUSSELL GOLDMANThe prosecution wrapped its case against John Edwards today hoping to convict the former presidential candidate by replaying an ABC News interview from 2008 in which he denied having fathered a child with his mistress.
Washington Post: John Edwards sought to seal political future while campaign fizzled, ex-aide testifies
By Manuel Roig-FranziaAnd he planned to use that endorsement to further his political career, a former top adviser told jurors and a capacity audience in a downtown federal courtroom here Thursday. Edwards envisioned himself in a Supreme Court justice’s robes and was willing to support whichever candidate — Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton — could make that happen, the former adviser, Leo Hindery, testified.
Candidates and parties
CBS: Obama set for George Clooney fundraiser tonight
By Mark KnollerIt was originally thought the event would raise $6 million dollars for President Obama’s re-election bid. But just yesterday, an Obama campaign official said $14 million was expected to be raised. That would make it the single biggest fund-raising event for Mr. Obama since he filed with the Federal Election Commission on April 4, 2011 as a candidate for re-election.
FEC
Politico: FEC deadlocks on Dianne Feinstein
By Robin BravenderThe Federal Election Commission deadlocked Thursday over whether the California Democrat could ask for replacement funds from some donors who had already given the maximum amount allowed under campaign finance laws. Feinstein and her attorneys argued in a February request that the money embezzled by former treasurer Kinde Durkee was never legally “accepted” by the campaign. Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76160.html#ixzz1uWrDlB6E
Roll Call: FEC Fails to Approve Plans to Allow Dianne Feinstein to Resolicit Donors
By Amanda BeckerSen. Dianne Feinstein’s re-election campaign can’t approach donors who already contributed the maximum amount permitted by law in order to replace roughly $4.5 million that was siphoned from its accounts in an embezzlement scheme — at least for the time being.
