Daily Media Links 1/8: Messages Are in Dispute in Liu Fundraising Case, Confessions of a Young Lobbyist on Capitol Hill, and more…

January 8, 2013   •  By Joe Trotter   •  
Default Article
Independent Groups
 
NY Times: The Art of Getting Bloomberg ‘Super PAC’ Money 
By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM
In an interview this week, Mr. Bloomberg disclosed for the first time that he had rejected the entreaties of two candidates seeking his financial support after they asked him directly to spend money on their behalf.  
“One of them called me and said, ‘Can’t you use some of your PAC money to help me?’” the mayor recalled, sounding amused. “I said, ‘You don’t understand the law, but after this call — no, I cannot!’”  
Read more…
 
Politico: Stamping out big money in politics 
By MATTHEW MACWILLIAMS and EDWARD ERIKSON
“It’s a petition on steroids.” That’s the way Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, describes the Stamp Stampede — his guerrilla marketing campaign that uses money to get money out of politics. Literally.   
Read more…
 
SCOTUS/Judiciary
 
Reuters: Supreme Court won’t hear challenge over PAC disclosures 
Terry Baynes and Jonathan Stempel 
The case is one of several challenging the disclosure and reporting requirements for political groups in the wake of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a 2010 Supreme Court case that removed limits on what companies and unions can spend to support or oppose political candidates. 
 

Disclosure

 
Bloomberg: Wall Street Outspent Lawyers Funding Romney’s Bid 
By Jonathan D. Salant
Wall Street outdid the legal profession in raising money for Mitt Romney, making him the first major-party presidential nominee in at least two decades who didn’t rely on lawyers as his biggest source of funding. 
 
The Hill: Secret spending in 2012 election reinforces need for DISCLOSE Act 
By David Earley
On the first day of the 113th Congress, Rep. Chris Van Hollen reintroduced the DISCLOSE Act, a bill aimed at shining a bright light on who is spending in our federal elections. This marks the third time the DISCLOSE Act has been introduced in Congress. The legislation would bring much-needed transparency to our federal elections, allowing voters to be better informed, and helping guard against improper relationships between political spenders and elected officials.
 

Tax Financing

 
Connecticut Post: Ernest Newton arrested on campaign finance fraud charges 
By Tom Cleary and Brian Lockhart 
Newton, 56, of 190 Read St., is accused of falsifying documents to obtain $80,550 from the state’s Citizen Election Program to fund his campaign for the 23rd District State Senate seat last year.   
 

Candidates, Politicians and Parties

 
Bloomberg: AT&T, Microsoft Among Corporate Donors to Obama Inaugural 
By Jonathan D. Salant & Todd Shields
AT&T Inc. (T), whose political action committee backed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, is among the first donors to President Barack Obama’s inaugural committee, according to a contributors list released yesterday. 

 

Roll Call: Reid Has 51 Votes to Change Filibuster, Advocates Say

By Niels Lesniewski

Two leading advocates of overhauling the Senate’s filibuster rules put the decision about the size and scope of the package squarely in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s court Thursday afternoon.

 

 

Lobbying and Ethics

 
Roll Call: Confessions of a Young Lobbyist on Capitol Hill  
By Mickey Leibner
The most useful strategies I develop often comes out of these kinds of off-campus interactions with staffer friends. When we start nerding out over possible bill co-sponsors at our monthly poker game, for instance, we know we don’t have to filter our ideas — which means we can be more open, bold and innovative. These ideas aren’t always perfect, but the number of times a key strategy or piece of intel has come out of casual discussions during poker or Sunday football would probably surprise you. 
 
State and Local
 
New York –– NY Times: Messages Are in Dispute in Liu Fundraising Case 
By BENJAMIN WEISER and DAVID W. CHEN 
“Just make sure the handwriting looks as close to the donors’ as possible,” Ms. Hou wrote in an electronic message to Jorge Fanjul, who, like Ms. Hou, worked in Mr. Liu’s government office. “If too difficult, don’t take risk.”  

Joe Trotter

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap