In the News
Market Watch: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates “Two Cheers for Super PACs: Money in Politics is Still Overregulated” at New Venue, September 12
David Keating, President of the Center for Competitive Politics and Jacob Sullum, senior editor of Reason, will argue in support of the motion. Jonathan Soros, Senior Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and co-founder of Friends of Democracy with Trevor Potter, who represents Stephen Colbert’s Super PAC and was formerly General Counsel to the John McCain 2008 and 2000 Presidential campaigns, will argue against the motion.
Independent groups
Politico: Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer help out Senate Democrats’ super PAC
By ANNA PALMER and JOHN BRESNAHANSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) gave $450,000 last month to a super PAC designed to help Democrats keep their Senate majority.
Politico: House Democratic super PAC pulls in $765K
By Anna PalmerHouse Majority PAC, a super PAC supporting Democratic House candidates, brought in nearly $765,000 in July.
Wall Street Journal: Big Checks Boost Pro-Romney Super PACs
By Danny YadronPresident Barack Obama could use a Bob Perry these days.
Politico: Priorities USA Action spending dips
By Kenneth VogelAs President Barack Obama’s campaign ramped up its advertising budget last month, the super PAC supporting him scaled back its own ad assault, spending less than half what it did in June.
Washington Times: ‘Social welfare’ funders sidestep rules of super PACs
By Luke RosiakOrganized under the tax code, these so-called “social welfare” groups are able to keep their finances secret because of their ostensibly nonpolitical purposes. But the flurry of political ads that the groups are running raises the question about how much is too much — and whether anything will be done about it if these groups overstep their boundaries.
Disclosure
Politico: Liberal group targets Koch brothers with $500K ad buy
By Kenneth VogelThe campaign, which is funded by Patriot Majority, kicks off Tuesday with a $500,000 cable television ad buy accusing Charles and David Koch of trying “to buy this year’s elections and advance their agenda.”
Politico: Peter Thiel gives $1M to Club for Growth super PAC
By DAVE LEVINTHALTea party-aligned super PAC Club for Growth Action in July trounced its fundraising totals from previous months thanks to a cast of familiar political financiers led by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, new federal disclosure reports show.
Candidates and parties
Wall Street Journal: Obama Plays Down Issue of Tone
By CAROL E. LEE and SARA MURRAYWASHINGTON—President Barack Obama, in a surprise White House news conference Monday, said the tone of his re-election campaign has been within “bounds,” but he distanced himself from a super PAC ad suggesting Republican rival Mitt Romney’s business dealings contributed to a woman’s death from cancer because she lost her health insurance.
Politico: Todd Akin hurt by GOP cash withdrawals
By ROBIN BRAVENDERIn the last two days, Missouri Senate hopeful Todd Akin has drawn scorn from his party’s presidential candidate, his colleagues in Congress and tea party activists.
