SUPER PAC FUNDRAISING AND FEDERAL CANDIDATES. Story here. “Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are planning to speak at fundraising events for super PACs supporting their presidential bids, POLITICO has learned.”
SUPER PAC CRAZE. The Hill. “More than 320 super-PACs and independent expenditure committees have registered with the FEC since a string of court decisions in 2010 that helped to clear the way for their creation. Almost 60 of the groups registered in 2012 alone.”
SUPER PAC DERIVATIVES. Politico. “This financial wilding is likely to escalate until it thoroughly corrupts our democracy.”
SUPER PAC AD LAUNCH. The Post. “A group supporting Newt Gingrich will launch a nationwide radio advertising campaign Thursday morning intended to capitalize on questions being raised among conservative voters about rival presidential contender Mitt Romney.”
SUPER PAC PROBE SOUGHT. The Post. “A watchdog group on Wednesday asked the Justice Department to investigate two ‘super PACs’ helping President Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney, alleging that the groups are ‘engaged in illegal activities’ by coordinating too closely with the presidential campaigns.”
SANTORUM’S RETURNS. The Post. “Rick Santorum released four years of tax returns Wednesday night, more years than any of the other Republican presidential candidates.”
TODAY AT THE FEC. The agenda for today’s Federal Election Commission meeting is online here.
FIRMS WITH ADMINISTRATION TIES. The Post. “Obama’s program to invest federal funds in start-up companies — and the failure of some of those companies — is becoming a rallying cry for opponents in the presidential race.”
H&K PR. The Hill. “One of Washington’s preeminent lobby shops is expanding its public relations team.”
THE GOP AND BACHUS. Roll Call. “Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) might be wondering what it says about his current situation when the only person publicly vouching for him is his longtime nemesis on the Financial Services Committee, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).”
GRIMM’S BUSINESS TIES. The Times.
GRAND JURY IN NV. Story here. “Federal grand jury subpoenas served on Harvey Whittemore’s employees and family members seek documents related to campaign contributions they made, as well as copies of checks to and from the politically connected lobbyist, the Las Vegas Review-Journal has learned.”
AL TRIAL CONTINUES. More here. “Attorneys played an explosive recording in which a casino owner suggested a lobbyist expose herself to a senator to pass gambling legislation and fought over whether to play recordings of controversial statements made by state Sen. Scott Beason during a high-profile corruption case on Tuesday.”
ETHICS BILL REFILED. From Missouri. “One of the original sponsors of a 2010 ethics reform law wants to move quickly to get it back into law, now that the Missouri Supreme Court has ruled it unconstitutional. The Court’s decision was not based on the content of the law, but because it was passed as part of an unrelated bill.”
REFORM IN NY. The Times. “In his State of the State address last month, Mr. Cuomo noted that a smaller percentage of New Yorkers contribute to candidates running for state office than anywhere else in the nation. He called for a better campaign system to get more people invested in their politicians. He can start right now.”
HAVE A GREAT DAY.