CCP
Spending and Amending: The Past and Future of Citizens United (Part Three: Republican Electoral Advantage?)
By Tom SwansonHowever, as always, there is more to the story. Spending totals seem to be heavily influenced by the enthusiasm and prospect of victory perceived by each side. In 2006, a year that saw a hapless Republican party soundly defeated by an energized Democratic base, conservative groups only spent $19.6 million, but they spent $68.5 million in 2004 and $119.7 million in 2008. This indicates that the amount spent is very much determined by the nature of the election. The more enthusiastic one side is about its chances for electoral success, the more that side spends. Donors are more interested in opening their checkbooks when they foresee a real chance of success. The prospect of victory influences spending at least as much as spending influences electoral victory.
Independent Groups
The Hill: IRS watchdog: Records of candidates, donors inappropriately disclosed
By Bernie BeckerPolitical candidates or donors had their tax records inappropriately authorized or disclosed four times in the last seven years — at least once on purpose, according to a Treasury inspector general.J. Russell George, Treasury’s inspector general for tax administration, told Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that his office referred the case where it found “willful unauthorized access” to the Justice Department, which declined to prosecute. George did not say whether IRS employees, other federal employees or state government staffers were behind the unauthorized access
Roll Call: IRS Political Organization Website Closed to Public Viewers
By Kent CooperThe Internal Revenue Service website that the public and media used to view and research political organization contributions and expenditures has been unavailable for use by the public for the last two weeks.This does not bode well for viewing new filings expected within a week from the Republican and Democratic Governors Associations, both Section 527 organizations. With a hot race for governor in Virginia, both associations are probably moving large amounts of money into the state.
Politico: GOP group: No more free pass for Club for Growth
By Elizabeth TitusA self-described centrist Republican group says it will go “dollar for dollar” against the Club for Growth in upcoming House races.“The era of the Club for Growth getting a free pass is over,” said former Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) in a statement from the group, Main Street Advocacy.
Candidates, Politicians, Campaigns, and Parties
National Journal: Mitch McConnell’s 20 Consultants
By Reid WilsonLest anyone feared Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wasn’t taking his re-election bid seriously, his latest campaign finance report shows he’s fully staffed up. In fact, McConnell looks like he’s making his own personal effort to reduce the unemployment rate among political consultants.McConnell’s campaign made payments to 20 different consulting firms over the last three months, the filings show, including to nine different fundraisers, three separate media firms and two Republican web consulting outfits. He’s hired some of the biggest Republican names in the business — Harris Media, Metzner Media, FLS Connect and Engage LLC, to name a few — in advance of what could be a difficult re-election bid against Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.
Lobbying and Ethics
Roll Call: Office of Congressional Ethics Refers 7 Cases to House Panel
By Emma DumainThe Office of Congressional Ethics referred seven of its nine pending cases to the House Ethics Committee for further review, according to its quarterly report released Tuesday.
Washington Post: Ex-representative Rivera used campaign cash for club dues
By Emily HeilBut for former representative David Rivera (R-Fla.), doing just that might have put him on the wrong side of the law. Rivera’s most recent campaign finance filings (he’s not a candidate anymore but his old campaign still carries debt, and so he must submit reports to the Federal Election Commission) show that he used $400 in campaign money to pay for membership at the Capitol Hill Club, the private GOP enclave on Capitol Hill that functions kind of like a country club for the Republican set.
State and Local
California –– TPM Livewire: Report: Grand Jury Involved In California Probe Of $11 Million Dark Money Donation
By Eric LachCalifornia’s attorney general and its campaign finance watchdog, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), have been investigating whether an $11 million contribution to a California group, the Small Business Action Committee, broke state disclosure laws. In early November, the FPPC forced the dark money group that made the donation, the Arizona-based Americans for Responsible Leadership, to disclose that the money had actually come from the conservative non-profit Americans for Job Security. A third group, The Center to Protect Patient Rights (CPPR), was also involved in the transition. (CPPR is a non-profit helmed by Sean Noble, a former congressional aide who has been tied to the movement of millions of dollars between political non-profits.)
