Independent groups
Bloomberg: Buffett Shuns Super PAC Contributions While Backing Obama
By Margaret Collins“I don’t want to see democracy go in that direction,” Buffett said yesterday at the annual shareholders meeting of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A) (A) in Omaha, Nebraska. “You have to take a stand some place.”
Washington Post: Taking a scythe to the Bill of Rights
By George WillNow comes Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) with a comparable contribution to another debate, the one concerning government regulation of political speech. Joined by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 26 other Democrats and one Republican, he proposes a constitutional amendment to radically contract First Amendment protections. His purpose is to vastly expand government’s power — i.e., the power of incumbent legislators — to write laws regulating, rationing or even proscribing speech in elections that determine the composition of the legislature and the rest of the government. McGovern’s proposal vindicates those who say that most campaign-finance “reforms” are incompatible with the First Amendment.
LA Times: ‘Super PAC’ supporting Romney rethinks donations from federal contractors
By Matea GoldAnxiety about the effect of a ban on political spending by federal contractors is prompting new caution by a company connected to such donations and a “super PAC” that accepted them.
Roll Call: Virginia: Majority PAC Follows Crossroads GPS On the Air
By Kyle TrygstadA Democratic-aligned outside group announced today it is going on the air in the Senate race, targeting former Virginia Sen. George Allen. The ad comes one week after a GOP-aligned outside group took on Allen’s opponent, former Gov. Tim Kaine.
Politico: Stephen Colbert’s super PAC spawns mini PACs
By Dave LevinthalNo fewer than nine copycat super PACs, all playing off the name of Colbert’s Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow committee, are now operating, most having sprung to legal life in recent days, according to federal records.
Disclosure
NPR: ALEC, Common Cause And Peter Overby: When Is The Past Past?
By EDWARD SCHUMACHER-MATOSI am reminded of my past as I follow the criticism in recent weeks raised by Breitbart.com, NewsBusters, commentator Michelle Malkin and other Goldwater descendents against NPR reporter Peter Overby for not having sufficiently disclosed that he once worked for an affiliate of Common Cause.
Tax financing
NY Times: An Idea Worth Saving
EditorialPublic financing of presidential elections, the greatest reform to come out of the post-Watergate era, died this year after a long illness. It was 36 years old, and was drowned by big money and starved by the disdain of politicians who should have known better.
Candidates and parties
Roll Call: Obama Aide: ‘Extensive’ Ad Campaign Hits This Week
By Meredith ShinerDavid Axelrod, chief campaign strategist for President Barack Obama, said today that the Chicago-based operation is preparing to roll out an “extensive” advertising blitz this week defending the president’s first-term record.
The Hill: Romney ad: Millions ‘suffering in silence’ from Obama’s economy
By Meghashyam MaliMitt Romney’s campaign on Sunday unveiled a new Web video hitting President Obama on the April jobs figures report and saying that millions of Americans were “suffering in silence” from the administration’s economic policies.
The Hill: The gloves come off as President Obama launches reelection campaign
By Amie Parnes and Carlo MunozOpening what is likely to be a bitter and grueling election, President Obama held his first official campaign rally here in the Buckeye State, cranking up his populist pitch while slamming his likely opponent Mitt Romney and congressional Republicans.
The Hill: Rubio: Obama ‘has become like everyone else in Washington’
By Daniel Strauss“When this president ran for office in 2008, he said he was going to be different, he said he was going to be a post-partisan uniter that brings everyone together and three and a half years later the president, quite frankly, has become like everyone else in Washington D.C,” the freshman senator said on Fox News Sunday.
Politico: Checkout lines can fill campaign coffers
By DAVE LEVINTHAL and ROBIN BRAVENDERText messages. Reward programs. Even purchases from shopping sprees and beer runs.
Politico: DSCC buys nearly $3 million in fall time for Tester race
By Maggie HabermanThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has purchased nearly $3 million in statewide broadcast time in the Montana race between incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and GOP Rep. Denny Rehberg, a highly reliable media-buying source told POLITICO.
