Good morning, here are today’s political law links (Wed., 5/16)

MCCAIN HUDDLES.  The Hill.  “Sen. John McCain is talking with Democrats about a joint effort to require outside groups that have spent millions of dollars on this year’s elections to disclose their donors.”

VAN HOLLEN STAY UPDATE.  CLP Blog.  “The D.C. Circuit yesterday denied motions for an emergency stay pending appeal of the district court’s ruling in Van Hollen v. FEC.”

SUPER PAC EMBRACE.  The Hill.  “A major fundraiser for President Obama who sits on his national finance committee said there was no need for Obama’s reelection campaign to embrace the super-PAC supporting him.”

SUPER PAC UPDATE.  Politico.  “Congressional Democrats who publicly proclaimed that super PACs are the scourge of modern politics are now going all out to chase the big money that’s fueling the 2012 campaign.”

EARMARKS IN THE NEWS.  Story here.  “With that kind of muscle, the provision’s backers just needed a way around the earmark ban. So the money isn’t directed to the facility by name, it was requested by the administration and the legislative language doesn’t specify a precise dollar amount — rather it gives the Energy Department the power to spend ‘up to’ a certain amount on the project.”

WILL EDWARDS TESTIFY?  Story here.  “The end of the John Edwards trial came into view Tuesday as his defense team told the judge that only three potential defense witnesses remain — the defendant, his daughter, Cate, and his former mistress, Rielle Hunter.”

VIEW ON EDWARDS.  The Post.  Ruth Marcus: “Nothing in the evidence so far has shaken my view that this case is an unfortunate instance of prosecutorial indiscretion.”

CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND NE.  Story here.  “Today’s primary in Nebraska for the Republican nomination for Senate is important for several reasons, but in particular it may turn out to be a milestone for the current state of campaign finance — if longshot Deb Fischer shocks two statewide elected officials and wins the seat of retiring Ben Nelson.”  Fischer won.

LOBBYIST MOVES.  The Hill.  “Charles Landgraf, part of Dewey & LeBoeuf’s managing team, is leaving the law firm.”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

Political law links for Tues., May 15th

HATCH ACT REFORM? Scott Coffina’s discussion of Hatch Act reform is online here. “The purpose of the proposed amendments to the Hatch Act are to spare government employees from some of this law’s harshest applications. This motive is to be applauded, but its execution should be complete, with comprehensive amendments that truly meet that goal.” House Oversight is holding a hearing tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

EDWARDS TRIAL UPDATE. The N&O. “The treasurer for the John Edwards 2008 presidential campaign testified Monday that even after the criminal indictment was issued against the former Democratic candidate, she did not think it was necessary to change public finance reports to reflect the hundreds of thousands of dollars that now have him in court.”

JUDGE BARS TESTIMONY.  More here.  “In a setback for the defense, the judge in John Edwards’s corruption trial on Monday barred the testimony of a former federal elections official who was prepared to say Mr. Edwards did not violate campaign finance laws.”

NONPROFIT AND PAUL.  Story here.  “A libertarian organization that paid for plane tickets and other expenses for Rep. Ron Paul says after an audit that the Texas Republican defrauded the group for about $20,000.”

DEWEY CLIENTS.  Story here.  “The unraveling of legal giant Dewey & LeBoeuf could leave a small but lucrative lobbying practice up for grabs on K Street.”

FCC AND BROADCASTERS.  Story here.  “TV broadcasters look at the Federal Communications Commission’s recent drive to move them off frequencies and put their political advertising rates on the Internet and draw one conclusion: The FCC has it in for television.”

FORMER OFFICIAL GUILTY.  The Times.  “Pedro Espada Jr., the pugnacious former Democratic state senator who fought his way through a perennial cloud of suspicion to the top ranks of state government only to later become one of the most glaring examples of endemic corruption in Albany, was convicted on Monday of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the nonprofit health care network he founded.”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

Good morning, here are Monday’s political law links (5/14/12)

QUESTIONS ON ADS.  Roll Call.  “Members are largely restricted from using official funds to promote, host or advertise events that do not directly serve their constituents. However, guidance from the House Administration Committee, the franking commission and the House Ethics Committee gives lawmakers enough leeway to at times fund events outside their districts.”

CHAMBER ON YOUTUBE.  Story here.  “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on pace to spend upward of $50 million on voter mobilization this campaign cycle, has launched a YouTube advertising campaign targeting residents of seven Congressional districts. More ads in other districts are likely on the horizon.”

FEC MEETING PRESS RELEASE.  A press release on last Thursday’s meeting is online here.

EDWARDS DEFENSE.  Story here.    “The first witnesses to be called by the defense include former Federal Election Commission chairman Scott Thomas, political pollster Harrison Hickman and ex-Edwards attorney Wade Smith. Edwards’ attorneys have not indicated whether he will take the stand.”

REP. OWENS TO REPAY.  Story here.  “Congressman Bill Owens says he will repay more than $20,000 dollars for a junket that he took last December to Taiwan.”

JPMORGAN’S LOBBYING.  Story here.  “Several visits over months by the bank’s well-connected chief executive, Jamie Dimon, and his top aides were aimed at persuading regulators to create a loophole in the law, known as the Volcker Rule.”

PERSONAL FUNDS BAN IN THE NEWS.  The Hill.  “The Federal Election Commission (FEC) renewed its charge to Congress Thursday to extend a ban prohibiting personal use of campaign funds to all political committees.”

LOOKING AT LOBBYING.  The Times.  “The steady take-over of this unofficial branch of government by WPP, Omnicom, Interpublic and other conglomerates has turned premier lobbyists, strategists and political operatives into a species of bureaucrat, now vested in bottom-line corporate goals. Their interest in the substance of what Congress accomplishes, in policy outcomes, and in the direction of the country, has diminished. In fact, one could say that the more legislative dysfunction, the more billable hours.”

WAL-MART ALLEGATIONS IN THE NEWS.  The Post.  “The U.S. and Mexican governments reportedly are investigating the chain. Wal-Mart’s stock is down almost 5 percent since the allegations surfaced. The company and top executives are being sued by angry investors. And some shareholders are planning to vote against the re-election of several board members at Wal-Mart’s annual meeting next month.”

ROBOCALL TRIAL RESULT.  Story here.  “A Republican campaign consultant was convicted Friday of conspiracy for 2010 robocalls that prosecutors said were aimed at keeping black voters from the polls during Maryland’s gubernatorial election.”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.