SUPER PAC UP. The Hill. “A conservative super-PAC is airing radio ads hammering the top three House GOP leaders for negotiating a trillion-dollar spending package that didn’t directly challenge President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.”
LAW OF THE LAND. USAT. “Obama signed the bill without ceremony.”
BUSH TESTING AND/OR EXPLORING. WSJ. “Jeb Bush on Tuesday announced plans to launch a leadership PAC, a move that catches him up with other 2016 hopefuls who have already taken that step, as the former Florida governor announced he is actively exploring running for president.”
BUSH NOT EXPLORATORY. Politico. “Notably, Bush is not creating an exploratory committee. He said he plans to create a leadership PAC, a fundraising vehicle already used by several other potential candidates. An exploratory committee puts in place various legal tripwires and has the same official weight as being a declared candidate.”
$700 MILLION BRIBE ACCORD NEAR. Bloomberg. “The fine would be the largest criminal penalty paid to the Justice Department under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, overshadowing the $450 million that Siemens AG paid in 2008. Siemens paid an additional $350 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Alstom isn’t subject to SEC scrutiny because its shares don’t trade in the U.S.”
ENFORCEMENT WEAK. The Hill. “While complaints about compliance and enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) is nothing new among professionals in that part of the K Street space, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) plans to issue a paper that details the law’s shortcomings and the prevalence of lobbyists flouting it.”
CONTRIBUTIONS AND LEGISLATION. Kansas.com. “U.S. House members who voted in favor of $1.1 trillion appropriations bill, which includes a controversial policy rider to roll back a regulation for major banks, received on average nearly three times more money in campaign contributions from banks than representatives who voted against it, according to a website that tracks the influence of money in politics.”
WHAT ELECTIONS COST. NYT. “The F.E.C., and most organizations that rely upon its data, report campaign finance figures in current dollars, not adjusting for inflation.”
TODAY AT THE FEC. Today’s agenda at the Federal Election Commission is online here.
HOLIDAY LEVITY FROM LOBBYISTS.INFO. 12 Days of Lobbying.
NY: INVESTIGATORS ON THE JOB. Timesunion.com. “The state Board of Elections on Monday speedily approved a resolution conferring ‘special investigator’ status on Chief Enforcement Counsel Risa Sugarman and three former law enforcement officers who have been hired to handle campaign finance probes.”
OH: AKRON LIMITS. Cleveland.com. “Akron City Council voted Monday to increase campaign finance limits in time for 2015, when all 13 council seats and Mayor Don Plusquellic are up for reelection.”
HAVE A GOOD DAY.