CCPSuper PACs Without CandidatesBy Sarah LeeOne thing people weren’t focused on in the wake of Citizens United and SpeechNow was what super PACs would be up to when there were no candidates to support but still money to be raised and spent. While some are still heavily focused on promotion of candidates — and new ones pop up every day with that primary goal — issue advocacy seems to be a focus for a great many. Which begs the questions: will issues drive candidates’ positions more than in the past given the larger amounts of money devoted to those issues afforded by super PACs? And if that happens, will that be a good or bad thing?Independent GroupsWall Street Journal: 21st-Century WatergateBy James TarantoIn an effort to avoid the regulatory thicket, politicians and activists devised new types of organizations: political action committees, super PACs, issue-advocacy groups known as “527s” and nonprofit corporations called 501(c)(4)s.It is such a group, a super PAC known as Progress Kentucky, that is reportedly behind the Watergate-like intrusion at Sen. McConnell’s office.Washington Post: Organizing for Action raises $4.9 million in first quarterBy Juliet EilperinOrganizing for Action, a political group allied with President Obama, raised a relatively modest $4.9 million in its first quarter of operation, with an average donation of $44, the group reported Friday.Politico: Amateur hour in politicsBy KEVIN ROBILLARD and BYRON TAUThe political establishment has some advice for anyone out there thinking of forming a super PAC: leave it to the pros.Washington Post: Kentucky group is the PAC that couldn’t shoot straightBy Rachel Weiner and David A. FahrentholdTheir story illustrates a flip side to the new tools of American political camouflage. The same things that are used to make powerful interests seem humble and ordinary — the equal-access platform of Twitter, the cloaking devices of modern campaign finance — served, in this case, to make the ordinary seem powerful.Candidates, Politicians and Parties
The Week: 5 interesting nuggets buried in the latest round of campaign finance reportsEver since the Watergate scandal broke in the 1970s, political reporters have taken the adage “follow the money” quite seriously. It’s even more important since NPR reported that current campaign finance laws are not being enforced in an age of record political spending.FEC
NY Times: When Election Regulators Are MockedEditorialIt is an open scandal in Washington that the Federal Election Commission is completely ossified as the referee and penalizer of abuses in national politics.State and LocalArizona –– CBS: Governor signs bill drastically increasing campaign contribution limitsBy Greg ArgosThursday, Gov. Jan Brewer a new bill into law that drastically increases individual campaign contributions.Florida –– Tampa Tribune: To ban or not to banBy PAULA DOCKERYSo while it is illegal to accept a drink from a lobbyist under the gift ban, it is perfectly acceptable to accept $25,000 or even $100,000 from the same lobbyist for your Committee of Continuous Existence. And then, if you’re still thirsty, you can use some of the money legally contributed to buy your own drink and some for your colleagues and you can invite that lobbyist to join you.New York –– NY Times: A Phantom Ad Comes to New YorkEditorialNew York City voters have enjoyed the best and fairest campaign finance system in the country for almost 25 years. Now, a shadowy group organized as New York City Is Not for Sale is attempting to influence this year’s mayoral race with a secretive, independent committee much like those that have so tainted federal elections in recent years. This is the last thing the city needs.On Monday, the group began a four-week, $250,000 campaign with a television ad attacking the City Council speaker, Christine Quinn. Ms. Quinn is the leading candidate in September’s Democratic primary.
