Independent Groups
The Hill: Karl Rove: The biggest loser
By Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder and national coordinator, Tea Party PatriotsWhile Barack Obama is busy shredding the Constitution, Washington, D.C. insider Karl Rove is busy trying to destroy what is left of the Republican Party by launching a multi-million dollar Super PAC to usurp representative democracy, disenfranchise American voters, and concentrate even more power in Washington DC.
NY Times: New Rove Effort Has G.O.P. Aflame
By JEFF ZELENYWASHINGTON — Their battle with Democrats will have to wait. For now, Republicans have their hands full fighting one another.
Politico: Karl Rove vs. tea party in big money fight for GOP’s future
By KENNETH P. VOGEL, ALEXANDER BURNS and TARINI PARTIThe message from Karl Rove’s allies to rich donors is pretty simple: We need your cash to avoid repeating the problems that tanked our $300 million 2012 effort, and we can promise you anonymity.
Wall Street Journal: Crossroads Spat Turns Personal Over ‘Hater’ Comment
By Patrick O’Connor and Neil King Jr.In a morning interview with a conservative radio talk show, Jonathan Collegio, a spokesman for Republican super-PAC American Crossroads, dubbed conservative author L. Brent Bozell III a “hater” for his frequent criticism of GOP leaders in Washington. Hours later a group of influential Bozell supporters shot a letter to Crossroads President Steven Law calling for Mr. Collegio’s head.
SCOTUS/Judiciary
NY Times: Justice(s) at Work
By LINDA GREENHOUSEBut the story led me to think back to a decision the court issued last June 21. In the breathless run-up to the health-care decision, which came a week later, Knox v. Service Employees International Union didn’t get a great deal of attention. It should have, not so much for what the court actually decided but for what the decision portends for the future of labor law in the hands of an anti-union conservative majority, as well as for the majority’s plan of attack on precedents it finds inconvenient or disagreeable.
Candidates, Politicians and Parties
USA Today: Ex-House members spend campaign money after they depart
By Fredreka SchoutenWASHINGTON — Former House members are spending their leftover money to pay for everything from luxury cars to foundations that bear their names, a USA TODAY review of new campaign-finance reports shows.
Lobbying and Ethics
Washington Post: Lobbying down, but advocacy up
By TW FarnamIs the lobbying business shrinking or just changing? It’s hard to say.
State and Local
Florida –– Politico: Scott plans $100M campaign vs. Crist
By Alexander Burns and Maggie HabermanRick Scott is preparing to defend his Florida governorship with the most expensive reelection campaign in state history, drawing up plans for a battleship-sized political operation aimed at overcoming the Republican’s deep personal unpopularity.
Florida –– Orlando Sentinel: Campaign-finance-reform bill has major loophole
By Aaron DeslatteTALLAHASSEE — Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford says he wants to crack down on the big-money interests that thwart public disclosure by funneling millions of dollars for ads, entertainment and other campaign largesse through obscure, third-party groups.
Florida –– Miami Herald: Weatherford: Latvala ‘posturing’ over CCEs
House Speaker Will Weatherford on Friday slapped back the suggestion that his proposal to radically change campaign finance laws — including the elimination of lawmaker political committees — is a surreptitious move to keep power in the hands of Tallahassee’s politically annointed.
New York –– Politicker: John Liu’s Campaign Trial Postponed After Controversial Donor ‘Involuntarily Committed’
By Colin CampbellOliver Pan, the donor accused of breaking campaign finance laws on Mr. Liu’s behalf, was “involuntarily committed with a mental health condition,” according to Judge Richard Sullivan, who’s overseeing the case. He did not elaborate on the specifics, outside of saying it’s unclear when (or if) he will recover.
New York –– AP: Ex-Aides’ Trial Puts NYC Politician in Spotlight
NEW YORK (AP) — A mayoral hopeful’s reputation and popularity may be at stake when his former campaign treasurer and a fundraiser go on trial this week on charges of conspiring to break campaign finance laws to raise ever more money for him.
