REID REFORMS. WSJ. “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) took to the Senate floor to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to limit the flow of outside money into political campaigns.”
RETHINK REFORM OP-EDS. NYT. “First is a $50 tax credit per donor per election cycle. Second is a voluntary matching fund system. People who donate up to $150 to a candidate who has agreed to lower contribution limits and the full disclosure of all donations will have that donation matched 6 to 1 with federal funds. If the candidate agrees to take no contributions higher than $150, the match rises to 9 to 1. And finally, it allows candidates to raise additional matching funds in the last 60 days of the election if the candidate feels he needs it to ward off a last-minute advertising blitz. (The bill has disincentives to keep that additional money from being used unless it is really needed.)”
CHECKS ISSUE. NBC. “Campaign finance reports filed by former Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox show a number of expense checks unaccounted for, including 23 last year, according to an analysis by The Associated Press conducted as federal authorities are looking at Fox’s campaign finance history.”
CA: BROWN SIGNS LAW. Sacramento Bee. “Nonprofit organizations that make political contributions in California will have to disclose more information about the source of their money under a law Gov. Jerry Brown signed Wednesday.”
GA: GIVEAWAY. Peach Pundit. “The Speaker’s race for reelection has certainly got some press over here at Peach Pundit the last couple of weeks. From the less than honest attack ads, to the lack of decorum and Southern courtesy, Col. Poole’s response, and a now a questionable giveaway, this race has been full of twists and turns.”
IL: LAVIN LANDS. NWTimes.com. “Under the law, certain state employees or former state workers cannot accept employment or compensation from a non-state employer if the worker, in the past year, made regulatory or licensing decisions or awarded contracts affecting the non-state employer.”
MN: REFORM PROSPECTS. MinnPost.com. “Legislative efforts to toughen reporting requirements for Minnesota campaign spending are floundering this year — despite an aggressive push after two U.S. Supreme Court rulings allowing major money to influence elections.”
MT: REMINDER. Missoulian. “As the June 3 primary election draws near and printed material from outside groups starts showing up in voters’ mailboxes across Montana, state Political Practices Commissioner Jonathan Motl is advising these groups and candidates in advance of the rules.”
MT: SENATOR CLAIMS. Montana Standard. “A Republican Senate leader claims in recently filed court documents that Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, the commissioner of political practices and two others conspired to remove him from office by accusing him of breaking campaign laws.”
NY: PUBLIC FINANCING DISPUTE. WSJ. “Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino on Thursday lambasted a new measure allowing some political candidates to use public funds for their campaigns.”
TX: FINES ON REPORTS. News-Sentinel. “The Allen County Election Board Friday fined 11 candidates in the May 6 primary – including seven currently holding office – for filing campaign-finance reports after the noon April 21 deadline.”
HAVE A GOOD DAY.