REPORTS OF PROBE.  CPI.  “Federal prosecutors in Boston have opened a grand jury investigation into potentially illegal campaign contributions from lawyers at the Thornton Law Firm, a leading donor to Democrats around the country, according to two people familiar with the probe.”

TRUMP AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE.  IBT.  “More research is clearly required, but at this point I think the default hypothesis should be that the entire political campaigning industry is a colossal fraud.”

ETHICS AND TRANSITION.  WP.   “While executive branch employees are subject to a variety of ethics rules, those rules have no power over administrations-in-waiting, which exist in legal limbo. All presidents-elect in modern history have developed codes of conduct, though.”

TOMORROW AT THE FEC.  The agenda for tomorrow’s Federal Election Commission meeting is online.

OK:  FACING ALLEGATIONS.  EDW.  “A 32-page affidavit issued Nov. 3 alleges that Hofmeister for more than a year conspired with several others to funnel money from a donor corporation and two education groups into an independent expenditure fund that would finance a negative campaign ad against Barresi.”

UT:  VETO QUESTIONS.  DN.  “Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County are the only Utah municipalities that have campaign finance laws that differ from state code, which requires candidates to file disclosures during their own election years, seven days before primary and general elections, and 30 days after a general election.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.