Mon. political law links

LEAHY 1A PUSH.  Brattleboro Reformer.  “U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., ushered a proposal out of committee this week that would amend the U.S. Constitution and allow for limits on campaign contributions. The Judiciary Committee, of which Leahy is chair, passed the proposal, 10-8.”

THE POINT OF REFORM.  WFB.  “The campaign finance reform efforts of a massive network of liberal and Democratic groups are explicitly designed to limit conservatives’ ability to oppose key parts of the left’s agenda, according to the head of the group coordinating those efforts.”

SUPER PAC TARGET.  RC.  “Senate Majority PAC launched a TV ad Saturday aimed at the Republican vying for Michigan’s open Senate seat.”

SUPER PAC DISCLOSURE.  Yahoo.  “Nearly all of the money raised by the Citizens for a Working America PAC, a super PAC that’s spent more than $2 million on ads boosting businessman David Perdue in Georgia’s contentious Republican U.S. Senate primary, has come from two ‘social welfare’ nonprofits connected to an Ohio lobbyist, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of campaign finance records.”

RIVERA ENDS BID.  Sunshine State News.  “Former U.S. Rep. David Rivera, R-Fla., announced on Friday that, with congressional redistricting up in the air, he was ending his bid for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., the man who beat him in 2012. Rivera announced he will run for the Florida House in 2016.”

CA:  PROPOSED ROBOCALL PENALTY.  Turlock City News.  “An update has been provided in the joint investigation with the Attorney General’s office involving four automated telephone calls, or ‘robocalls,’ attacking then-Turlock City Councilmember Mary Jackson.”

IN:  LOOPHOLES CITED.  JCOnline.com.  “At least Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma agrees that it’s time to close the loopholes in the ethics policies for state employees.”

MT:  WATCHDOG ALLEGATIONS.  Daily Chronicle.  “On Tuesday, Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl issued a decision stating Tom Kitts violated Montana election laws by coordinating with and accepting contributions from WTP.”

VA:  SUBPOENAS SOUGHT.  Roanoke.com.  “Former Gov. Bob McDonnell asked U.S. District Judge James Spencer on Thursday to permit 20 additional blank subpoenas for the defense, which would keep those witnesses’ names secret, for now.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

political law links, 7.11

FUNDRAISERS AT AIDE’S HOUSE.  Breitbart.  “Sen. Thad Cochran’s longtime executive assistant, Kay Webber, frequently rents the first floor of the stately Capitol Hill house she owns as a venue for fundraisers, including to Cochran’s campaign.”

AMENDMENT MOVES. Fox. “To change the Constitution, two-thirds of the Senate and the House would have to back the measure. Republicans, who generally oppose such a change, have 45 seats in the 100-member Senate. Democrats have 53 seats and two political independents caucus with them — falling short of two-thirds.”

SUPER PAC ALLEGATIONS.  Chattanoogan.  “The Chuck Fleischmann campaign said challenger Weston Wamp’s super PAC ‘is launching hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising today, and it brings to light some stunning hypocrisy on the part of Wamp.'”

SUPER PAC RESERVES.  Boston Globe.  “A political action committee focused on boosting Democrats in the US House of Representatives has reserved more than $1.4 million in television time in the Boston media market, adding to the expected deluge of political ads focused on congressional elections in the weeks before the November election.”

SUPER PAC COMMITS.  Examiner.  “A Democrat-backed super PAC called Maine Forward has committed to spending $2 million against Republican Gov. Paul LePage and for Democratic nominee Mike Michaud in the run-up to the Pine Tree State’s elections this fall, according to the Bangor Daily News.”

CT:  RULES CLARIFIED.  Rep-Am.  “The head of Ducci Electrical Contractors in Torrington is being advised that state contractors may legally sidestep a state ban on direct contributions to state political parties.”

MA: UNION AGAINST DISCLOSURE. Boston Globe. “The union and its allies are in a behind-the-scenes struggle with the bill’s Senate supporters and campaign finance reform advocates, as labor leaders try to remove language that would require political action committees to disclose the top five donors in their television ads, say two sources with knowledge of the negotiations.”

NJ:  SPIRIT OF PAY TO PLAY.  NJ.com.  “Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop solidified his position as a reformer in part because of his tough stance on banning ‘pay to play.'”

CAN:  BITCOIN DONATIONS.  Vancouver News.  “Of the 17 federal political parties in Canada, only two are soliciting Bitcoin donations on their official websites.”

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

Thurs. political law links

COCHRAN AMENDS.  WAPT.  “U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran’s campaign staff is amending its campaign finance reports because of a $50,000 payment to a staff member.”

WEAPONIZING CAMPAIGN FINANCE.  Mackinac Center.  “The growing labyrinth of government campaign finance regulation is an institutional ‘down escalator’ for the political free speech rights at the core of this democracy.”

SUPER PACS DRAINED.  WSJ.  “A contentious primary season has taken a toll on pro-Republican super PACs, which spent heavily on election battles among GOP candidates and are looking to the November with less cash on hand than their Democratic counterparts.”

AZ:  REASONABLE CAUSE.  Phoenix New Times.  “Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Attorney General Tom Horne is under investigation.”

CO:  FRACKING GROUP MATTER.  CBS.  “An administrative law judge in Denver is hearing a complaint alleging that a group promoting fracking limits isn’t properly disclosing its source of money.”

FL:  COMPLAINT AGAINST CRIST.  Tampa Bay Times.  “Democratic candidate for governor Charlie Crist failed to accurately report his income on his financial disclosure forms, according to an ethics complaint filed Wednesday.”

HI:  GOLF INVESTIGATION.  HI News Now.  “Government contractors provided thousands of dollars in free golf outings for more than a dozen state workers who deal with their projects.”

ME:  SUIT FILED.  Sun Journal.  “Supporters of independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Monday, alleging that Maine’s current election laws unfairly prevent them from giving as much money to Cutler as backers of party candidates can donate to their preferred nominee.”

MD:  PUBLIC FINANCING ALIVE.  WBAL.  “Republican Larry Hogan will use public campaign finance money for his general election run for governor of Maryland, a move that will effectively tap out the state’s fund unless it is replenished, a state elections board official said Wednesday.”

NC:  COMPLAINT LODGED.  WFMY.  “In short, Walker says his opponent, and his father, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, Sr., are trying to use their political power to ‘buy this election’.”

NC:  SUPER PAC INVESTIGATION SOUGHT.  News-Record.  “Mark Walker has called for an investigation into donations made to the super PAC Keep Conservatives United, which supports Phil Berger Jr., his opponent for the GOP nomination to the 6th Congressional District.”

NY:  DEBLASIO RELAUNCH.  NYDN.  “Barely seven months into his four-year term, de Blasio has registered an account with the city’s Campaign Finance Board for the next city-wide election cycle, the first step toward launching his re-election campaign.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.