CCP
New York Comptroller Needs to Prioritize, Not Waste Taxpayer Dollars
By David SilversSo when New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli filed a suit for the books and records of Qualcomm, our first thought was to look at the law. We would never impugn his motives just because he’s running for re-election in 2014, or because there are rumors that he aspires to even higher office. However, why does the Comptroller need political disclosure from this one company? Here’s what we found.
Independent Groups
Politico: Bloomberg gun control group airing TV ad
By MAGGIE HABERMAN and ALEXANDER BURNSThe anti-illegal guns group founded by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is going on air tomorrow with a spot that invokes the Sandy Hook massacre and features the mother of the young girl slain in the Tuscon, Ariz., rampage two years ago urging Washington to “stand up to the gun lobby.”
Politico: The ‘hell no’ caucus
By JIM VANDEHEI and MIKE ALLENFreshman Rep. Tom Cotton, a veteran of two wars and with a pair of Harvard degrees, got a pleasant surprise last year that helped him win a very competitive Republican primary — and then a very easy general election. It was a FedEx envelope full of checks that he didn’t ask for, from a group he hardly knew — the Club for Growth.
Corporate Governance
Roll Call: Coalition Presses for Rules on Corporate Political Spending
By Eliza Newlin CarneyA coalition of corporate investors, shareholders, activists and academics Tuesday urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to act quickly on plans to require corporations to more fully disclose their political spending.
Disclosure
Wall Street Journal: The SEC Ponders Circumventing Citizens United
By J.W. VERRETIn its January 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the First Amendment rights of corporations and unions to spend money in support of causes important to their members. In response, Democrats in Congress introduced a bill requiring publicly traded corporations to disclose these expenditures. The so-called Disclose Act would have expanded the Securities and Exchange Commission’s authority to require disclosure of financially relevant information to include small political expenditures.
Roll Call: DISCLOSE Act Causes Less Disclosure
By Eric WangThe wisdom of the ages tells us the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And so it is with the so-called DISCLOSE Act. Ever since the Supreme Court issued its Citizens United ruling in 2010, self-styled reformers have tried repeatedly to push the bill through Congress, including in the most recent session. The overly broad proposal has sucked all of the oxygen out of the air for any realistic legislation to address concrete, statutory issues resulting directly from Citizens United.
Lobbying and Ethics
Roll Call: Citing Flawed Process, Lawyers Call for Changes in Ethics Office Inquiries
By Amanda BeckerIn letters sent to the House Ethics Committee, a recent editorial and interviews with CQ Roll Call, members of the political defense bar have said their clients have scant information about why they are being investigated, are provided with little opportunity to meaningfully respond and agree to be interviewed at their own risk.
State and Local
Colorado –– Coloradoan: Ethics commission won’t drop investigation of Gessler
By Patrick MaloneColorado’s Independent Ethics Commission on Monday denied Secretary of State Scott Gessler’s request to end its investigation of his use of public funds. Gessler’s deputy, in turn, asked the commission’s permission to accept monetary donations beyond the constitutional limit for state officials to fund Gessler’s defense against criminal allegations.
New York –– Wall Street Journal: Candidate Challenges City Limits On Funding
By MICHAEL HOWARD SAULNew York mayoral candidate George McDonald on Monday filed a lawsuit to prevent the city’s Campaign Finance Board from taking enforcement action against his campaign for accepting contributions in excess of city limits and a loan that is prohibited by city law.
New York –– AP: NY proposal: Use casino money to fund NY campaigns
By Michael GormleyALBANY, N.Y. — An innovative proposal expected in the New York Legislature would take some revenue from casino promoters and opponents who spend millions in campaign contributions and create a fund designed to reduce the influence of money in politics.
