RING CONVICTION AFFIRMED. Opinion. “On appeal, Ring argues that the district court’s instructions on the honest-services counts misstated the law, that the jury lacked sufficient evidence to find that an ‘official act’ underlay the illegal-gratuity charge, and that the district court ran afoul of Federal Rule of Evidence 403 and the First Amendment when it admitted evidence of his lawful campaign contributions. Although each of these arguments is weighty, we ultimately affirm Ring’s conviction.” MainJustice has more here. BLT has an item on this development here.

HAGEL ADS UP. Boston Globe. “The media campaign to scuttle Hagel’s appointment, unmatched in the annals of modern presidential Cabinet appointments, reflects the continuing effects of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which loosened campaign finance restrictions and was a major reason for the record spending by outside groups in the 2012 election.”

POST ON OFA. Here. “The president and his team may be wizards at social media and grass-roots organizing, but from an influence-peddling standpoint this organization looks to be fraught with hazard.”

CO: EMAIL DANGER. Story here. “The e-mail that went out Thursday to every lawmaker from the lobbying firm of Colorado Legislative Services LLC wasn’t supposed to be about Senate Majority Leader Morgan Carroll.”

MA: QUESTIONS ABOUT CONTRIBUTIONS. Story here. “Lt. Gov. Tim Murray vowed Friday to take responsibility for any campaign finance law violations he may have committed by accepting contributions raised by disgraced former Chelsea Housing Authority director Michael McLaughlin.”

NE: CFR PROPOSED. Story here. “Nebraska voters could learn more about the money behind candidates and ballot issues under a bill heard by a legislative committee Friday.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.