LONGTIME PROSECUTOR ASSUMES COMMAND. NLJ. “Longtime prosecutor Raymond Hulser was named Thursday the new chief of the Public Integrity Section at the U.S. Department of Justice.”
D EDGE. OCR. “The Super PACs created in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling seemed like a boon for Republican interests. But Democrats last year surpassed the GOP in Super PAC funding, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks money in politics.”
ENCOURAGING PAC SUPPORT. Reuters. “The new approach to workplace giving is called ‘E2E,’ or employer-to-employee outreach. These PACs donate to both Democrats and Republicans, depending upon who supports policies and issues favourable to the business interests of the corporation.”
CU AND HISTORY. USAT. “Record levels of campaign spending are attributable in large part to a landmark 2010 decision by the Supreme Court — a case formally known as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and a constant source of political dispute.”
SUPPORT FOR SUPER PAC LAW. LAT. “For example, a super PAC’s activity would be considered ‘coordinated’ if the group were founded or managed by a candidate’s former employees or consultants or if it communicated about campaign matters with a candidate’s relatives. And the bill would tighten up restrictions on candidates soliciting funds on behalf of Super PACs.”
CA: TICKET QUESTIONS. Sacbee.com. “Pasadena’s law allows officials to receive tickets for a variety of reasons, including cultivating the city’s business interests.”
CT: BILL LANGUISHES. CTP. “After special interest groups spent $18 million in the 2014 governor’s race, campaign finance reformers are waiting with bated breath to see if a bill that curbs outside money in statewide elections is passed by the General Assembly.”
IL: BUSINESS GROWING. Pantagraph. “According to a review of state records, the number of lobbyists patrolling the marble-floored statehouse is at its highest level in five years.”
IN: HIGH COURT CANDIDATE CONTRIBUTIONS. IN Gazette. “Democrats out-raised Republicans by a lopsided margin through the end of the five-week reporting period Monday, the reports show, and at least four Democratic candidates already have bought expensive TV time to air ads leading up to the May 19 primary election.”
MA: INQUIRY SOUGHT. BG. “Senate President Stanley Rosenberg on Friday asked for a State Ethics Commission investigation of Senator Brian A. Joyce, who is under scrutiny for allegedly using his public office to enhance his law practice.”
MT: NOT GOOD ENOUGH. MTS. “National authorities are praising Montana’s new campaign finance law as a vast improvement over the state’s former law, but they say it still needs toughening up to end anonymous ‘dark money’ spent by groups known as incidental committees.”
TX: DAVIS FINED. FWBP. “The Texas Ethics Commission has fined former state senator and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wendy Davis $5,000 after finding ‘credible evidence’ that she failed to include her relationship with two lobbyists on financial disclosure forms filed during her 2012 senate re-election campaign.”
VA: REDISTRICTING FINANCES. Daily Press. “Marc Elias, lead attorney on the Democratic side of this fight, questioned why the public would need to know who’s paying.”
VT: HOUSE APPROVES LIMIT. BFP. “The Vermont House overwhelmingly agreed to prohibit lobbyists from contributing to leadership political action committees until after the Legislature adjourns at the end of each state biennium.”
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
