DOJ MOVE ON SCAM PACS.   DOJ.  “U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  ‘As alleged, the defendants secretly operated numerous political action committees, raising small-dollar donations from people who believed their hard-earned money would support the causes described in solicitation calls and mailings.  In reality, as alleged, these PACs were political action committees in name only – they engaged in no advocacy campaigns, education efforts, or political operations, and donated less than one percent of the money they raised to candidates for office, all while personally enriching the defendants.  Now, these so-called PACs are no longer defrauding donors, and the defendants have been charged with federal crimes.'”

REFORMING RULES.   TRR.  “Contribution limits have become obsolete in the age of the Internet and social media because technology puts at a disadvantage candidates who are not well-known celebrities, explains Gaughan.”

CA:  INQUIRY CLOSED.   UD.  “The California Fair Political Practices Commission has formally closed two inquiries into possible violations by Calaveras County District 4 Supervisor Dennis Mills.”

CO:  ALLOWING BITCOIN.   9NEWS.  “Could Colorado be ready to accept bitcoin as a way of making donations to candidates?”

HI:  ALLEGED MISUSE.   CHRON.  “A Hawaii congressional candidate is accused of misusing funds donated to his campaigns for the state House, including using campaign money for personal expenses.”

NY:  COUNCILMAN FINED.   NYP.  “A former Queens Councilman was slapped with more than $21,000 in fines by the city’s Campaign Finance Board Thursday for numerous violations during his failed 2013 bid to become borough president.”

TX:  BLOGGER LAWSUIT.   L360.  “A Texas appellate court on Thursday held that a conservative activist and blogger who was fighting a $10,000 fine from the Texas Ethics Commission for failing to register as a lobbyist cannot use a state free speech law to dismiss his own administrative appeal of the fine.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.