Political law links, 2/21/13

NEW NONPROFIT. Roll Call. “Watts said his new organization, a 501(c)(4), would formalize an event that he has held in Haymarket, Va., for the past three years that served to connect African-Americans, Hispanics and other minorities interested in working for Republicans on Capitol Hill with GOP offices.”

JACKSON FACES PRISON. The Post. “Court documents filed Wednesday outlined for the first time how extensively Jackson and his wife, Sandra Stevens Jackson, 49, used campaign funding for personal expenses — from the extravagant to the mundane. In addition to high-end items such as a gold watch and fur wraps, the Jacksons used campaign cash and credit cards to pay for movie tickets, health club dues, dry cleaning, private-school tuition and trips to Costco.”

GUILTY PLEAS IN JACKSON CASE. Chicago Tribune. “Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, former Chicago Ald. Sandi Jackson, pleaded guilty today in what prosecutors said was a conspiracy to siphon about $750,000 in federal campaign funds for their personal use.”

JUDD MEETS. The Hill. “Last week, Judd met with Democratic donors in the state at a dinner at the home of Christy Brown, the widow of Jack Daniel’s whiskey magnate Owsley Brown II, who is active in state politics.”

AXE ON LIMITS. HuffPo. “David Axelrod, the former top political adviser to President Barack Obama, called for the end of candidate contribution limits as a way to wrest control of elections from the less accountable super PACs and other groups that have proliferated since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling.”

PRAISE FOR VOTING COMMISSION. The Post. “Conservatives question why the federal government needs to get more involved with voting. Voting-rights activists wonder why the president needs a commission when he could champion any of the sensible reform proposals already sitting in Congress.”

FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR TO DENMARK. The Post. “Rufus Gifford, former Democratic National Committee finance chair and more recently President Obama’s near-legendary 2012 campaign fundraising chief, is said to be the leading pick for ambassador to Denmark.”

GASPARD TO SOUTH AFRICA. Story here. “Patrick Gaspard, the longtime labor organizer and adviser to President Barack Obama, is poised to be tapped as ambassador to South Africa, sources confirmed to POLITICO.”

HAVE A GREAT DAY. I’ll send around the next set of links on Monday. Have a great weekend.

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