Political Activity Law

The Times has the latest on the FEC nomination news.

Eliot Spitzer will refund contributions, according to the NY Post. 

E-mails have been sent to supporters of the disgraced former governor, saying, “We intend to re-distribute the campaign’s remaining funds on a pro-rata basis.”

I previously noted this issue here.

New Hampshire’s Governor will sign the “Granny D” bill today.

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch plans to sign into law today the “Granny D” bill, which will set up a commission to look into how the public funding of elections can work in the state.

Named after campaign finance reform activist Doris Haddock, the “Granny D” bill sets up a seven-member commission to study the issue and make recommendations.

Haddock, who’s 98, is known for walking 3,200 miles across the country to draw attention to campaign finance reform.

The new 19 year-old mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma, seeks campaign finance reform, according to this report.

Hammons wants to hit the ground running as mayor, but there has been no shortage of distractions since he won Tuesday’s runoff election with nearly 70 percent of the vote over Hershel McBride, 70, a former three-term mayor. He replaces Wren Stratton, who decided not to seek re-election.

Besides numerous interview requests, Hammons has received a proposal for a book deal, invitations to appear on national talk shows and three offers for a reality television program.

As mayor, his first priorities are the creation of an independent ethics commission to monitor elected and appointed city officials. He also wants to establish campaign finance reporting requirements for those running for office.

“I’m sure the (city) council will work with me on these issues,” he said. “I campaigned on this, and this is something I intend to push.

“First and foremost, Muskogee is my one and only interest right now,” Hammons said from his office inside the city’s municipal building.

The senior class president at Muskogee High School in 2007, he served as president of both the Young Republicans and the Young Democrats clubs.

“I threw my name in both rings … and lo and behold, both groups elected me,” he said.

Hammons, a registered Republican, is Oklahoma’s youngest at-large delegate to the Republican National Convention. But when it comes to serving as mayor of Muskogee, an unpaid position, he plans to govern in a nonpartisan way.

“Politics stop at the door,” Hammons said. “If someone wants to talk politics, I will literally leave the office and leave the building if I have to. In this office, it needs to be Muskogee-oriented.”

Senate Rules will hold a hearing for three nominees to the FEC on Wednesday, May 21, at 2 p.m.

In September 2007, the Committee held a hearing on four nominees to the FEC.

Why is the legislature failing to move campaign finance reform in Wisconsin?  One editorial theorizes:

Take that name - campaign finance reform. Eyes glazing over? Getting woozy? Feeling a sudden compulsion to turn away to watch paint dry? We don’t blame you. So, let’s not call this thing campaign finance reform anymore.

How about the Draining The Swamp Act? No, sounds like something that the Department of Natural Resources would consider - until it was blocked by a Legislature in thrall to a lobbying group representing folks selling swamp gas.

Several sources (including CNN) report that a joint fundraising committee was formed with Clinton, Obama, and the DNC as participants.

The agreement, announced Wednesday, creates a new entity, the “Democratic White House Victory Fund” — a move which will allow both candidates to fundraise for the cash-strapped Democratic National Committee, and to help shoulder some of their primary and general election expenses. John McCain has already created his own Victory Fund with the Republican National Committee – but those funds are usually created after a nominee has been decided.

No word on whether the joint fundraising committee will accept certain contributions the Obama campaign itself declines as a matter of policy.  The Obama campaign asks donors to confirm that each

contribution is not made from the funds of an individual registered as a federal lobbyist or a foreign agent, or an entity that is a federally registered lobbying firm or foreign agent.

In addition, the Obama campaign accepts online donations from 16 year-olds; the Clinton campaign sets the minimum age of online donors at 18.  The written joint fundraising agreement might include provisions addressing these issues, along with the other requirements of a joint fundraising committee formed under the relevant FEC regulations.

Today’s Birnbaum discusses a Redskins memo outlining how ethics rules might apply to the acceptance of skybox passes.

Their sales force has given a one-page handout to a potential customer that states that congressional officials could accept a free “Suite Guest Pass” to a skybox as long as they have a ticket for anywhere else in the stadium, including a $25 standing-room-only ticket.

The document, a copy of which was obtained by The Post, says that such guest passes allow for only a “short visit.” It does not define “short visit” or say who would monitor the requirement.

It looks like CQ Moneyline has gone subscription-only.   One useful feature was their collection of the latest filings.  I don’t see why the FEC couldn’t set up an RSS feed where users could receive by daily (or instant) email links to the latest filings in a variety of categories:

1. New committee registrations
2. IE Reports
3. Form 9’s
4. Form 10’s
5. New reports filed by state and type of committee
6. New reports filed by campaigns by CD.

 This feature would “push” the FEC’s data out, as opposed to a static web listing.  And, of course… no subscription fees.

The opinion is here.