In the News
Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio election laws are not so gloomy
By Brad SmithThe Enquirer’s recent in-depth report, “Will Ohio count your vote?” (July 29) does a public service by highlighting areas for potential improvement in Ohio’s voting laws and also the need for voters themselves to pay attention to the requirements for voting. Unfortunately, the report overstates problems in Ohio elections and may give voters a misleading impression that their ballots are unlikely to be counted this fall.
Washington Post: Influence Industry: Small group makes big dent on super PAC individual donations, study says
By Bill Turque“One might also say that the super-rich are providing a megaphone to ordinary voters,” Smith, chairman and co-founder of the Center for Competitive Politics, said in an e-mail Wednesday. “Think of how many Gingrich voters had their opinions heard because of Sheldon Adelson’s contributions to a pro-Gingrich Super PAC.”
Independent groups
Washington Post: Why attacking super PACs won’t work
By Chris Cillizza and Aaron BlakeA large majority of the country lack even the most basic knowledge of so-called super PACs, according to a new Washington Post-Pew Research Center poll — a finding that reinforces the difficulty Democrats face in trying to score political points by shining a light on these outside organizations in the 2012 presidential campaign.
Bloomberg: New Republican Super-PAC Aids Swing-State Political Organizing
By Greg GirouxA new Republican super-PAC will pay to deploy party activists and volunteers from states that aren’t politically competitive in the Nov. 6 election to states that are.
Washington Post (Blog): Democratic super PAC reserves air time in House races
By Sean SullivanA super PAC designed to help House Democrats retake the majority in November is spending nearly $2.5 million on fall television air time reservations in six media markets in California, New York and Texas.
Disclosure
NY Times: Further Review for Secret Donations
EditorialThe ploy of disguising secretly financed political machines as tax-exempt “social welfare” organizations has become one of the alarming trademarks of modern, big-money politics. Under cover of the tax code, the identities of donors are kept secret while they pay for attack ads against candidates, all the while claiming their main purpose is civic and nonpartisan. Operatives from both parties have gotten deep into this shell game.
NPR: Watchdogs Seek To Shed More Light On ‘Dark Money;’ It’s Not Easy
By Frank JamesA top concern raised by critics of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision was that it would unleash a torrent of poorly disclosed, if disclosed at all, spending by the superwealthy. Evidence continues to mount that’s precisely what’s happening.
Candidates and parties
The Hill: Axelrod: ‘Yes, I’m concerned about money’
By Geneva SandsObama strategist David Axelrod said on Thursday he was concerned about super-PACs and outside groups outspending the campaign.
FEC
Washington Post: FEC should encourage small donations by text message
EditorialIN AN ELECTION cycle marked by the emergence of multimillion-dollar contributions, everything possible should be done to encourage small-money donors. Such a proposal is now before the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which is being called on to clear the way for campaigns to solicit and receive donations through text message.
