In the News
Wall Street Journal: The New Rules for Political Donations
By Rachel Louise EnsignTo give, “the donor should contact the super PACs he thinks may be ideologically in tune with him. Like when you give to any organization, you have to do due diligence,” says David Keating, president of the Center for Competitive Politics, a group based in Alexandria, Va., that advocates looser limits on campaign donations, and founder of SpeechNow.org, the winner of one of the 2010 landmark campaign-finance decisions.
Independent groups
Huffington Post: Workers’ Voice, AFL-CIO Super PAC, Relinquishes Control Over $4.1 Million War Chest (EXCLUSIVE)
By Sam SteinWASHINGTON — In a move described as unprecedented in the history of organized labor, the largest union-affiliated super PAC will relinquish control of its funds, giving union and non-union members the chance to have direct say over its $4.1 million campaign war chest.
SCOTUS/Judiciary
Associated Press: Tale of a lying politician, ambitious aide and his agreeable wife plays out at Edwards trial
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Andrew Young first saw John Edwards speak at an oceanfront hotel in 1998. He was captivated by the U.S. Senate candidate’s speech and told his future wife Edwards was going to be president someday — and he was going to work for him.
Disclosure
Wall Street Journal: FCC Approves Political Ad Rule
By Amy SchatzThe Federal Communications Commission on Friday approved new rules that will require television broadcasters to post political advertising information online, including how many ads they ran and how much they cost. Stations will have to provide the information soon after they air the ads.
Roll Call: FCC Approves New Rule on Political TV Advertising
By Ambreen AliThe Federal Communications Commission approved new regulations Friday requiring broadcasters to publish political advertising data online, a move that could shed light on who is trying to influence elections amid unprecedented campaign spending.
Huffington Post: FEC Disclosure Loophole Closes On Secret Donors As Court Won’t Stay Ruling
By Paul BlumenthalWASHINGTON — A court ruling requiring non-disclosing political groups — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity — to disclose their donors is one step closer to going into effect after a district court refused to stay its ruling in the face of an appeal.
Huffington Post: FCC Brings Sunlight to Elections, But the SEC Needs to Help, Too
By Ciara Torres-Spelliscy2010 was a dark, even apocryphal election during which much of the political spending was from groups who did not reveal themselves. In the 2012 election, we might just have a bit more transparency.
US News: Republicans Support ‘Disclose Act’ … Next Year
By Robert SchlesingerLegislation like the “Disclose Act” really does have GOP support and could pass … in the next Congress, the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee said Thursday. Not this year, though, that would be rash.
Candidates and parties
National Journal, Influence Alley: Will McCain Fight For Campaign Finance Reform?
By Andrew JosephMcCain could have his fight this summer–if he truly wants one. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring a basic reform proposal–the so-called Disclose Act–to the floor, maybe in June. The bill is drafted to meet the Supreme Court’s standards: It places no limits on speech but requires immediate disclosure on the Internet (as the justices suggested) of donations and expenditures of more than $10,000. The legislation would close the “dark-money” loopholes that have let donors make secret gifts of as much as $10 million to political groups like Crossroads GPS. “Disclosure of corporate, union, and independent spending in our elections is the key” and the act “accomplishes that fundamental purpose,” the League of Women Voters said in endorsing the measure.
