Good morning, here are Monday’s political law links (10/29)

RECOUNT TEAMS ON THE TARMAC. Politico. “As the frenzied race for the White House comes down to the wire, tens of thousands of partisan lawyers are mobilizing under the radar in battleground states, all steeling for one terrifying scenario: a recount that could decide the presidency.”

SUPER PAC DONORS. Story here. “The hand-wringing is officially over: Democrats have joined the super PAC game.”

ETHICS ISSUE IN NV RACE. The Times. “Mr. Heller made no public appearances during the week, but his ubiquitous television ads have hammered at the congresswoman, who is being investigated by the House over allegations that she used her office to help her husband’s medical practice.”

CAMPAIGN ORG. LA Times. “Mitt Romney’s campaign has directed $134.2 million to political firms with business ties to his senior staff, spotlighting the tightknit nature of his second presidential bid and the staggering sums being spent in this election.”

DONATIONS IN THE NEWS. Boston.com. “So who’s behind one of the largest batches of election contributions this year? There’s a questionable trail.”

CA: SUIT OVER DONORS. Story here. “‘It seems to strain credulity that the donors would not know it’s going to be used for a campaign in California,’ Ann Ravel, the commission’s chairwoman, said in a recent interview. The Arizona group, Americans for Responsible Leadership, has not handed over any documents, calling the investigation politically motivated. In a court filing, the group says it has a 1st Amendment right to keep the identities of its donors secret.”

MT: DONATION IN DEBATE. Story here. “Democratic Steve Bullock and Republican Rick Hill exchanged harsh words in a governor’s candidate debate Saturday night over Hill’s acceptance of a disputed $500,000 donation from the Montana Republican Party.”

OH: FRAUD ALLEGATIONS. Story here. “Two volunteer poll workers at an Ohio voting station told Human Events that they observed van loads of Ohio residents born in Somalia — the state is home to the second-largest Somali population in the United States — being driven to the voting station and guided by Democratic interpreters on the voting process. No Republican interpreters were present, according to these volunteers.”

TX: ETHICS COMPLAINT REJECTED. Story here. “The ethics commission sent Shelton and Davis certified letters this week stating the complaint didn’t meet ‘legal and technical form requirements’ but the complaint was quickly resubmitted after corrections are made. ‘We are not surprised at all and recognized the complaint as a dishonest political stunt from the outset,’ said Anthony Spangler, a spokesman for the Davis campaign. ‘Mark Shelton must hide a failed record that includes votes to block life-saving cancer screening to hundreds of thousands of women in Texas.'”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

Good morning, here are Friday’s political law links (10/26)

Q3 LOBBYING NUMBERS. Politico Influence. “The 50 largest lobbying spenders together spent $176 million from July through September — an increase of about $16 million from the same time last year, a PI analysis of new lobbying disclosures indicates.”

THE CANDIDATES AND CU. Alaska Dispatch. “Where does each presidential candidate stand on how to regulate money in politics?”

PRESIDENTIAL SPENDING. Bloomberg. “The 2012 presidential campaign was expected Thursday to pass the $2 billion mark in fundraising, according to accounting statements submitted to the government, thanks to an outpouring of cash from both ordinary citizens and the wealthiest Americans hoping to influence the selection of the country’s next leader.”

INAUGURATION DAY UPDATE. The Post. “The presidential election isn’t over and Inauguration Day is still months away, but Metro riders can start preparing now. The transit agency’s board of directors approved plans on Thursday that would extend service and hit riders with additional costs.” More on the 57th Presidential Inauguration is online here (JCIC).

ABA LOBBYING DROP. BLT. “The American Bar Association this week reported that its most recent quarterly lobbying expenses were $230,000, the lowest sum it has spent on federal government advocacy thus far this year.”

CA: FPPC MOVES ON GROUP. Story here. “The Fair Political Practices Commission is seeking records that could be used to unmask the donors behind the nonprofit Americans for Responsible Leadership.”

MI: LOBBYISTS AND THE WORLD SERIES. Story here. “With the Tigers in the World Series, the most popular folks in this town are not the relatives of Justin Verlander. They are the lobbyists who have all sorts of connections to help answer the question posed in the first sentence.”

MT: CASH FREEZE IN THE NEWS. Story here. “Rick Hill’s campaign is simultaneously contesting and trying to comply with a state judge’s order temporarily barring him from spending a disputed $500,000 donation whose source was revealed Thursday as the Republican Governor’s Association.”

MT: CANDIDATE RETURNS. Story here. “Attorney general candidate Tim Fox has returned a disputed $32,000 donation made to his campaign by the state Republican Party.”

NJ: JERSEY CITY PAY TO PLAY UPDATE. Story here. “With two proposed revisions to Jersey City’s pay-to-play law on the agenda for tonight’s City Council meeting, council members are set to decide whether to follow the lead of Mayor Jerramiah Healy or his political rival, Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop.”

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

Good morning, here are Thursday’s political law links (10/25)

MORAN’S SON RESIGNS AFTER VIDEO. Story here. “The field director for Virginia Democratic Rep. Jim Moran – his son Patrick Moran – has resigned after being secretly recorded seemingly advising an conservative journalist masquerading as a supporter that utility bills could be used to aid in voter fraud.”

HLOGA POLL. Politico. “Most lobbyists believe the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act makes it harder for them to interact with staffers on Capitol Hill and is damaging elected officials’ ability to get informed on legislative issues, according to a new survey of hundreds of professional federal lobbyists.”

CA: FPPC TO SUE? Story here. “The legal action could become a test of a new state regulation requiring nonprofits to disclose the identity of their donors if they know the money is going to be used in a California campaign.” A decision may be made today, according to this update.

FL: CONFUSING LETTERS RECEIVED. Story here. “Officials on Monday said voters who had received the letters thus far are white, registered Republicans who consistently vote in elections.”

FL: STATE CHARGES. Story here. “Investigators with the Florida Commission on Ethics found that Rivera’s secret deal to work as a political consultant for the Magic City Casino — formerly the Flagler Dog Track — created a conflict of interest for the lawmaker. The ethics panel also found that the Republican broke state ethics laws by failing to fully disclose his finances from 2005 to 2009.”

FL: FEC DISMISSES. Story here. “The Florida Commission on Ethics has dismissed two complaints filed against former Florida House member Keith Fitzgerald, a Democrat who is now running for a congressional seat.”

IL: UPDATE ON LIMITS. Story here. “A federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday that an Illinois law limiting contributions to political campaigns can remain in force at least until the November 6 election.”

NYC: FRAUD CHARGED. Story here. “A Queens politician was charged Wednesday with fraud in connection with his unsuccessful run for the City Council two years ago and obstruction of justice for allegedly threatening people who cooperated with the investigation.”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.