TTW, L PACS, IEOPCS, WTH. WP. “Why don’t they just end the pretense and admit it — just say, ‘I am running for president’ and be done with it? Two reasons. First, there are distinct legal and practical reasons not to do so. And second, many actually haven’t decided whether to run.”
PAC AND THE FUTURE. Courier Journal. “Kentuckians for Strong Leadership – the potent super PAC formed two years ago for the purpose of re-electing U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell – is not closing shop now that it has achieved its initial goal.”
CT: INDEPENDENT MONEY. Courant.com. “Supporters of the taxpayer-financed program — which spent a record $32 million on all state races in 2014 — insist it’s not too late to correct at least some of the problems.”
CT: FOLEY SENTENCE. Middletownpress.com. “Brian Foley, a nursing home owner who illegally bankrolled former Gov. John G. Rowland’s consultant work on his wife’s congressional campaign, will not see the inside of a prison cell, a federal court judge said Friday.”
IL: SELF-FINANCING DISLIKE. Sun Times. “Outgoing Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn says Bruce Rauner ‘obliterated’ an ethics law that Quinn signed and that Rauner’s recent decision to deposit $20 million into his campaign fund was ‘thumbing his nose’ at campaign finance reforms in Illinois.”
ME: REFORM REVIVAL. Seacoastonline.com. “Maine could be a clean election bellwether for the nation, if a citizens’ initiative measure is successful this fall.”
MN: PAINTER ON REFORM. Minnpost.com. “University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter believes that Republicans should be afraid — very afraid — of the campaign finance system. And, as a Republican himself, he intends to do something about it.”
VT: NEW SYSTEM. Montpelierbridge.com. “Secretary of State Jim Condos today announced the launch of the new Vermont Lobbying Information System. The new system allows lobbyists, lobbyist firms, and lobbyist employers to register, manage their information, and make payments online.”
VA: ADVICE FOR MCDONNELL. Daily Press. “He contends that he did nothing wrong and argues that he was the victim of an overzealous Justice Department bent on criminalizing politics.”
HAVE A GOOD DAY.