Q1 LDA REPORT REMINDER. Courtesy of the Office of the Clerk here. “The first quarter report is due Wednesday, April 20, 2011, covering January 1, 2011 through March 31, 2011.”
“GOVERNMENT ETHICS LAW IN NORTH CAROLINA” BLOG. Are you dealing with North Carolina issues or just interested in a new perspective on ethics laws? Check our the Government Ethics Law in North Carolina blog here. (I also added the site to my list of links to your right.) “The central theme of [the] blog is the question: have government ethics laws improved public perception of government, and if so, is it worth the cost? The blog also explores ways to reduce costs without sacrificing the benefits such systems provide.” I look forward to checking-in often.
THE PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT GAME. Cillizza explains. “First, forming an exploratory committee and then, a few weeks or month later, announcing formally for president allows candidates two bites at the media apple. That is, the press — including the Fix — cover the exploratory committee AND the official announcement, allowing the candidate to get two free media hits for what is, essentially, a single declaration. Second, there are things that presidential exploratory committee are allowed to do under campaign finance laws that a leadership PAC like Pawlenty and Romney have maintained for the last few years simply can’t.”
SANTORUM TTW. The Hill. Politico. The Post.
TERMINATING THE COMMISSION. A bill to terminate the Election Assistance Commission is the topic of this hearing today on Capitol Hill. Roll Call coverage is here. “Getting rid of the EAC would save millions and reduce government redundancy, according the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Gregg Harper.”
THE COSTS OF DISCLOSURE. John Samples poses some provocative questions about the costs of disclosure here. “We might begin by gaining a more realistic view of the disclosure calculus. That more realistic view should include the costs of disclosure including lower participation and the ways mandated disclosure make public debates more irrational. At a minimum, existing disclosure thresholds should be dramatically raised.”
SYRACUSE DROPS LOBBYIST. Story here. “For Syracuse Mayor Jamie Nagle, the decision came down to basic economics. Her city spent $18,000 annually to retain the help of a D.C. lobbyist, but it has been a few years since that lobbyist helped secure any federal funding.” Sensitive readers from Syracuse might avoid this link to a story about the Siouxland-Washington conference with video.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.