ARISTOTLE’S HOLIDAY ETHICS RHYME. Here. “At Aristotle, we’re always happy when people have fun with compliance.”
LEVINTHAL ON THE FEC. The Atlantic. “As the nation heads into what will undoubtedly be the most expensive midterm election in history and a 2016 presidential election that, in no small way, has already begun, the FEC is rotting from the inside out.”
CROSSROADS CASE CLOSED. Politico. “The Federal Election Commission has closed a long-running investigation into the activities of Crossroads GPS — the nonprofit group founded by GOP strategist Karl Rove.”
SPOUSAL LOBBYING ISSUE. Politico. “Rep. Ed Whitfield is leading the charge on contentious animal welfare legislation — a push that his wife, a paid lobbyist for the Humane Society Legislative Fund, is urging Congress to support.”
AZ: LIMITS UPHELD. Story here. “Higher campaign-contribution limits — up to $4,000 per candidate in a statewide race — are in force for the 2014 elections, in the wake of a state Supreme Court ruling handed up late Tuesday.”
DC: CONTRIBUTIONS AND PARKING. WP. “Over the heated objections of Council member Vincent B. Orange (D-At Large) , who is also running for mayor, the council shut down an attempt by Orange’s biggest campaign contributor to win a $33-million contract to maintain city parking meters.”
MN: DATA PROBE. Star Tribune. “Minnesota lawmakers on Monday told the state’s campaign finance agency that it must move quickly to improve the accuracy and accessibility of state records on campaign donations.”
MO: NIXON SUPPORTS LIMITS. South County Mail. “Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joined a bi-partisan group of three western Missouri legislators Thursday, Dec. 12, to renew his call to restore the voter-approved limits on how much any one person or organization can contribute to a campaign.”
NY: AIDE’S WIFE QUITS FIRM. NY Post. “The wife of a key aide to Gov. Cuomo has quietly resigned as managing director of one of New York’s most aggressive lobbying and public-relations firms amid questions of whether she was cashing in on her administration ties to the governor, The Post has learned.”
OK: FAMILY LIMITS MAY BE GONE. NewsOK.com. “Under the old rules, families (defined as married couples and their children who are under 18 years old and living at home) have been prohibited from donating more than $5,000 to a candidate during a political campaign.”
HAVE A GREAT DAY.