YOU’VE BEEN WARNED. Inside Political Law. “Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau issued an advisory reminding political campaigns about the restrictions placed on the use of autodialed calls, prerecorded calls, and text messages by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (‘TCPA’) and the FCC’s corresponding rules.”
IRS LAWSUIT UPDATE. The Hill. “A federal judge sided with the IRS on Thursday, tossing out two lawsuits filed against the tax agency over its improper scrutiny of Tea Party groups seeking tax-exempt status.”
AND THE FIRST CAMPAIGN TO ACCEPT APPLE PAY IS? Apple.
CALLS ANSWERED” HuffPo. “This infusion has finally pushed spending by pro-Republican nonparty groups past the totals reported to the Federal Election Commission by similar Democratic Party groups.”
FORMER AIDES SUPER PAC. Argus Leader. “U.S. Senate candidate Larry Pressler is finally getting some outside support — from his former Senate aides.”
TOP LOBBYISTS. The Hill. “From corner offices all over town, the members of The Hill’s Top Lobbyists list are the advocates, lobbyists and professional agitators who shape the policy decisions made in the nation’s capital.”
ROBERT TIERNAN, 85. WP. “Robert O. Tiernan, a lawyer and stalwart of Rhode Island Democratic politics who served four terms in the U.S. House and became one of the original members of the Federal Election Commission, died Oct. 15 in Providence.”
HI: SUPER PAC COMPLAINT. HI News Now. “A Hawaii Super PAC is facing a complaint that it failed to report spending more than $86,000 on fliers in the 2012 elections.”
MA: RULING AFTER ELECTION. Boston Globe. “The New Jersey state treasurer’s office said Tuesday it will not make public its review of the legality of GOP gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker’s controversial donation to Governor Chris Christie’s state party until after the Massachusetts gubernatorial election.”
RI: SCHILLING HEARING. Prov. Journal. “The inquiry into whether ex-Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling violated Rhode Island’s lobbying laws appears headed for a close on Friday, Oct. 31 — yes, Halloween.”
SC: PLEA DEAL. NYT. “The suspended speaker of the South Carolina House, Robert W. Harrell Jr., avoided prison but lost the legislative seat he has held for more than 20 years after he pleaded guilty Thursday to six campaign finance violations.”
VT: ISSUES FOR GROUP. Watchdog.org. “According to complaints filed with the Attorney General’s Office over the past two months, Vermont Leads Inc., a prominent advocate of single-payer health care, received a $66,000 donation in March from the Vermont NEA, the teachers union whose membership dues typically go to left-leaning causes.”
WA: MOST MEALS. Bellingham Herald. “After topping a list of legislators who received free meals, drinks and golf games from lobbyists last year, Whatcom County Sen. Doug Ericksen has accepted at least 50 meals and other goods from lobbyists in 2014, according to reports submitted to the state.”
WI: QUESTION CONFUSION. WISN. “The question reads, ‘Only human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights, and money is not speech, therefore, regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting political speech.'”
HAVE A GOOD DAY.