Independent Groups
Mother Jones: Revealed: The Massive New Liberal Plan to Remake American Politics
By Andy KrollA month after President Barack Obama won reelection, top brass from three dozen of the most powerful groups in liberal politics met at the headquarters of the National Education Association (NEA), a few blocks north of the White House. Brought together by the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Communication Workers of America (CWA), and the NAACP, the meeting was invite-only and off-the-record. Despite all the Democratic wins in November, a sense of outrage filled the room as labor officials, environmentalists, civil rights activists, immigration reformers, and a panoply of other progressive leaders discussed the challenges facing the left and what to do to beat back the deep-pocketed conservative movement.
Politico: Holding Congress accountable
By Leo Linbeck IIIIn the 2012 races where an incumbent faced a nonincumbent challenger (the only type of race we’ll most likely see in 2014), our record was nothing short of astonishing. If a challenger spent $250,000 and CPA spent $200,000 in both messaging and ground operations, we had a 100 percent track record of success.How did we do that? First, our super PAC spending in those races neutralized the typical funding advantage enjoyed by incumbents. Second, we were able to increase turnout on average by 22.4 percent in the districts where we were engaged.
Bloomberg: Giffords Gun-Control Packs Texan Cash: Trial Lawyers in for $1 Million
By JULIE BYKOWICZSteve Mostyn, one of the top contributors to a super political action committee that helped President Barack Obama’s re-election effort, is listed as treasurer of Giffords’s new super-PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions. Mostyn said the group will have a nonprofit wing, which will be used to conduct a public education campaign.
Corporate Governance
Politico: Campaign finance fight lands at the SEC’s door
By ANNA PALMER and ZACHARY WARMBRODTComing off the most expensive election in the country’s history, the Securities and Exchange Commission is weighing a move to force public companies to stop hiding their political spending of shareholders’ dollars.
LA Times: Advocates cheer SEC consideration of corporate disclosure rule
By Matea GoldIf approved by the SEC, the regulation could require all publicly traded corporations to detail how much money they give for political activities, including to tax-exempt advocacy groups and trade associations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. But the move faces stiff opposition from many in the business community, including the Chamber.
Candidates, Politicians and Parties
USA Today: Federal contractors donate to Obama inaugural events
By Fredreka SchoutenWASHINGTON — Two companies, AT&T and Microsoft, helping to underwrite President Obama’s Jan. 21 inaugural festivities have multimillion dollar contracts with the federal government and a third stands to benefit financially from the new federal health care law being implemented during his second term.
AP: Obama inauguration planners soliciting $1 million contributions
WASHINGTON — Planners of President Barack Obama’s second inauguration are soliciting high-dollar contributions up to $1 million to help pay for the celebration in exchange for special access.The changes are part of a continuing erosion of Obama’s pledge to keep donors and special interests at arm’s length of his presidency. He has abandoned the policy from his first inauguration to accept donations up to only $50,000 from individuals, announcing last month that he would take unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations.
The Hill: DCCC using Obama campaign tactics to raise funds
By Alexandra JaffeThe Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is reusing a fundraising ploy that worked well for President Obama, offering donors added entries into a sweepstakes to win a free trip to inauguration if they donate to the committee.
Lobbying and Ethics
Washington Post: Ethics group questions who picked up tab for lawmaker lunches
By Al KamenMembers of Congress frequently eat meals there that they list in federal filings as “campaign” or “political” expenses, apparently counter to House rules barring them from conducting their campaign business on House property, according to an upcoming report. That rule — the same one that sends lawmakers scurrying from their offices to nearby rental spaces to make fundraising calls — is designed to keep taxpayer-funded official business separate from the dirtier matter of pursuing reelection.
NY Times: Group Pushing Deficit Cuts Has Deep Business Ties
By NICHOLAS CONFESSOREMr. McCrery did not mention his day job: a lobbyist with Capitol Counsel L.L.C. His clients have included the Alliance for Savings and Investment, a group of large companies pushing to maintain low tax rates on dividend income, and the Win America Campaign, a coalition of multinational corporations that lobbied for a one-time “repatriation holiday” allowing them to move offshore profits back home without paying taxes.
State and Local
Kansas –– AP: Push to change Kansas’ ethics enforcement coming
By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. — Some conservative Republicans’ long-standing frustrations with the Kansas ethics commission are likely to prompt legislators to consider overhauling the watchdog agency this year or even stripping it of its enforcement duties. Carol Williams, the commission’s executive director, expressed concern Tuesday about one proposal to have county prosecutors and the attorney general’s office pursue potential fines against officials who violate ethics and campaign finance laws. She said those officials are likely to make such cases a low priority because of existing caseloads.
