Independent groups
Politico: Super PACs get new use — as lobbying arms on Hill
By Dave LevinthalSo for some issue interest groups, super PACs are a potentially major complement to — if not upgrade over — traditional, Capitol Hill lobbying in their ability to bring heat on lawmakers and twist their arms toward their agendas.
The Hill: Pro-Romney super-PAC launches $2.2 million ad buy
By Alexandra JaffeRestore Our Future, one of the main super-PACs backing Mitt Romney, is launching its second ad buy in Wisconsin and Michigan attacking President Obama on his handling of the economy.
SCOTUS/Judiciary
The Hill: Federal court tosses out lawsuit challenging Obama’s lobbyist ban
By Kevin BogardusU.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Wednesday granted the government’s motion to dismiss the case after finding that the lobbyists’ constitutional rights were not infringed by the White House’s prohibition against them serving on advisory boards, specifically the Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITACs).
Corporate Governance
Corporate Counsel: Are Shareholders Happy With Your Company’s Political Spending?
By Michael Stocker and Matthew MoehlmanTwo years after the U.S. Supreme Court vastly expanded the scope of permissible corporate political spending with Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, evidence is mounting that this new freedom may come with perils for public companies and their shareholders.
Politico: Report ranks corporate political openness
By Dave LevinthalIn an era of record-setting election spending, don’t expect massive corporations such as Berkshire Hathaway, Charles Schwab and Cardinal Health to volunteer one iota more information about their political activity than they must.
Candidates and parties
Politico: Democrats shift ad buys in bid for House
By ALEX ISENSTADTSearching for a path to the House majority, Democrats are shuffling a series of TV ad buys in districts across the country, scaling back in races that are increasingly seen as long shots while adding investments in others.
Lobbying and ethics
NY Times Blog: After Waters Inquiry, House Panel Recommends New Ethics Rules
By ERIC LIPTONSaying that public trust is at stake, a special House ethics panel on Tuesday called for new rules to prevent lawmakers and their staffs from violating conflict of interest standards and proposed other new measures designed to keep partisan squabbles from undermining future investigations of such wrongdoing.
Politico: Report details Maxine Waters ethics case debacle
By John BresnahanThe long saga of the Maxine Waters ethics investigation is a chronicle of mistakes, partisan and intraparty squabbles, allegations of racism, bitter personal rivalries and failed attempts to bring the investigation to a close months and even years before it ended.
