Valentine’s Day ethics, earmarks, and Facebook advocacy in political law links for today

LOVE IN DC. It’s complicated, especially if your significant other works on the Hill or elsewhere in government.  Lobbyists.info.

TANKER FACEBOOK LOBBYING UNDER THE RADAR. Roll Call reports.  “If you are a Facebook user who expressed an interest in national security issues or who lives in a Gulf Coast state, you may be hearing from the people who want to build a new refueling tanker for the Pentagon.”

EARMARK BAN AND MILITARY SPENDING. The Hill reports on workarounds.  “Defense budget experts say the campaign to banish earmarks from Congress is unlikely to succeed because lawmakers will find other ways to direct money to military projects in their districts.”

GOOGLE UNDER SIEGE. Politico explains.  “In an interview with POLITICO, a Google spokesman argued that a cabal of antitrust lawyers, lobbyists and public relations firms is conspiring against the Internet search giant. The mastermind? Google says it’s Microsoft.”  (On a side note, it looks like some of Politico will be going “pro.”  That means I can’t link to stories behind the pro pay wall.)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE FACT AND FICTION.  Wendy Kaminer discussed campaign finance at the Atlantic here.  “Should you believe what you read about campaign finance in editorials and commentaries in the New York Times or the Washington Post? Not necessarily.”

“SURPRISINGLY LITTLE” WRITTEN ABOUT DEM CONVENTION MONEY MOVE.  That’s what the Post’s Greg Sargent thinks, as noted here.  “The plan is an ‘important first step’ in closing the last remaining hole that allows unlimited corporate cash to flow to parties, according to a non-partisan campaign finance expert I spoke with today.”

BUDGET CUT HITS ETHICS OFFICE. News from Nevada.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

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