Independent groups
The Hill: Super-PAC founder defends controversial Romney attack ad
By Daniel StrausThe ad’s narrative has been questioned. Fact-checkers pointed out that Soptic’s wife, Ranae, died six years after Romney left Bain and that she had health insurance through her own employer. Also, Romney was running the Salt Lake Olympics at the time Soptic’s plant was closed.
CBS News: Super PAC pres. says their money “dwarfed” by Labor dollars
By Alicia BundichThe head of the Karl Rove-backed American Crossroads super PAC is confident that, although Mitt Romney will likely have a “significant…advantage over President Obama” in the fundraising race moving forward, when the election is over, neither side will be significantly outspent by the other.
Washington Post: Scotts Miracle-Gro goes out on a limb with political donation
By TW FarnamIn an election year filled with secret campaign money, the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has made the unlikely choice to go public with a big political donation.
Associated Press: Unions ready to send volunteers out for Obama
For the first time, unions can use their funds to target non-union households as well as those with family members in a union. That change comes as a result of the Supreme Court’s landmark campaign finance decision in Citizens United.
CBS News: Obama supporter defends his story in super PAC ad
By Stephanie Condon(CBS News) The makers of a new Romney attack ad, as well as the steelworker featured in the television spot, are standing by the highly-scrutinized ad, saying the ad does not suggest that Romney is responsible for a woman’s death from cancer.
Washington Times: Labor chief Trumka vows stronger ground game for elections
By Sean LengellAFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka on Thursday outlined a strategy that will emphasis grass-roots efforts over TV ads, vowing that at least 400,000 volunteers — 100,000 more than during the 2008 election season — will hit the streets nationwide this autumn.
Fox: Pint-sized super PAC aims to bring Congress together over round of beers
By Stephanie McNealWith the battle raging in Congress over the budget deficit, a group of college students say they wish lawmakers would just set their differences aside and solve the issue — over a few rounds of beer.
Disclosure
NY Times: Groups’ Campaign Spending Scrutinized in New York
By NICHOLAS CONFESSOREAttorney General Eric T. Schneiderman of New York is escalating his inquiry into the fastest-growing but darkest corner of the campaign world, requesting in recent weeks tax returns and other financial documents from dozens of tax-exempt groups that are among the biggest spenders in this year’s election, people with knowledge of the requests said.
Tax financing
Washington Guardian: Obama videographer: Official record or taxpayer-financed politics
By PHILLIP SWARTSBut the videographer’s early work — a “West Wing Week” package summarizing Obama’s work week complete with feel-good music and footage of enthusiastic crowds — has some wondering whether taxpayers are footing the bill for what they say amounts to a political ad.
Lobbying and ethics
Washington Post: How lobbyists became Congress’s leading policy wonks
By Suzy KhimFrom the outside, it sure looks like this Congress is getting nothing done. From the inside, Hill staffers tell a different story: Their schedules are totally overloaded. Jessica Lee, a legislative aide to Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), rattles off the hodgepodge of issues that she’s responsible for covering: “Foreign policy, defense, women’s issues, veterans’ issues, and immigration,” Lee said Tuesday at an New America event on Congress. “It’s pretty impossible portfolios that a lot of staff members [have] to manage. . .It’s a very stressful job.”
The Hill: Super-PAC hits four House Republicans on lobbyist ties
By Cameron JosephFriends of Democracy, the new super-PAC from Jonathan Soros targeting congressmen who oppose campaign finance reform, is up with $700,000 worth of ads attacking Reps. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.), Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) and Charlie Bass (R-N.H.) for the donations they’ve received from special-interest groups.
