Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
3 views on future of Arizona's campaign finance system
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2011/07/03/20110703arizona-campaign-finance-system-future-3-views.html
The Arizona Republic talked to three people about the McComish decision, included our friend Linda Brown at the Arizona Advocacy Network: "The court ruling is a chance to improve Clean Elections, Brown and her allies say."
- An LTE in AZ opposed to McComish
- An op-ed in Maine
- The Albany Times Union also disagrees with the decision
- And Chris Hayes and Dahlia Lithwick talked about the decision on MSNBC

Arizona conservatives scramble after campaign finance law's defeat
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-arizona-campaign-finance-20110705,0,6076414.story
Interesting read in the Times over how Clean Elections helped conservatives.

Campaign finance: Joke is on the voters, by Dana Milbank
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110703/OPINION03/107030359/Dana-Milbank-Campaign-finance-Joke-voters
Milbank opines on Stephen Colbert's new Super PAC. "But what he proposes to do isn't nearly as abusive as what's already going on."

Amend Big Isle project
 http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorials/20110701_Amend_Big_Isle_election_project.html
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser says the Big Island project should be amended to address the ruling. "In a proposal favored by the nonprofit advocacy group Voter Owned Hawaii, the candidate needing more campaign funds could start by soliciting more small donations of no more than $20 each from registered voters in their district. These contributions would be compounded through a four-to-one match from the campaign fund"

Congress/2012
Obama's deadline dollar dash
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/58178.html
The Obama's campaign was doing all it could to meet its second quarter goal. Nick Nyhart on the antiquated prez system: "You have a choice between running a modern presidential campaign and a system built in the 70s and hasn’t had a tune-up. You wouldn’t go to the Indy 500 or Daytona 500 and run in a 1970s car that hasn’t been maintained."

What to watch for in President Obama's fundraising totals
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/what-to-watch-for-in-president-obamas-fundraising-totals/2011/07/04/gHQAQf6LyH_blog.html
A break down of what to look for when the Obama campaign announces its fundraising.

GOP uses budget, other tools to sap financial law
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jCTQ3Qn_SDSuPqwXG6HvPXugBapg?docId=4b450294a8b6412c919bbdbd662a7ff7
Barney Frank, on Republicans efforts to stop financial reform from happening: "It's mostly setting a marker for the election. And it helps with their campaign contributions."

Newt Gingrich offers bleak view of campaign finances
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-gingrich-fundraising-20110704,0,4379549.story
Newt might have to dip into his Tiffany's line of credit to cover the debt he's going to show in his 2nd quarter filings.

Mitt Romney raises $20M in 2nd quarter; outstrips Pawlenty's $4.2M
http://www.christianpost.com/news/gop-presidential-candidates-announce-2nd-quarter-fundraising-totals-51798/
Romney raised $20M in the 2nd quarter--far outpacing any other GOP candidate so far.

New breed of "super PACs," other independent groups could define 2012 campaign
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/new-breed-of-super-pacs-other-independent-groups-could-define-2012-campaign/2011/06/29/gHQAo47FyH_story.html
"The rise of these independent groups, which can raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions and other wealthy donors and spend it to help their favored candidates, could end up defining the 2012 campaign."

House ethics panel extends consideration over cases of Reps. Meeks and Schmidt
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/house-ethics-panel-extends-consideration-over-cases-of-reps-meeks-and-schmidt/2011/07/01/AGfSu1tH_blog.html
House Ethics has extended its consideration of whether Reps. Greg Meeks (D-NY) and Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) violated House rules--Meeks over financial disclosures and Schmidt over legal services from a Turkish-American group.

New mileage rules debated by carmakers and White House
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/04/business/energy-environment/04mileage.html
The debate over new mileage standards for U.S. automakers is heating up--"The lobbying is already in full swing."

Wall Street looks to fill Treasury Secretary post after Geithner exit. 
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/banking-financial-institutions/169521-wall-street-looks-to-fill-treasury-post-after-potential-geithner-exit
Can Wall Street get one of their own installed as Treasury Secretary once Geithner leaves?

Other
Justice Ginsburg not leaving court "anytime soon"
http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20110704/NEWS/110702023
"There are few more indelicate questions to put to a Supreme Court justice, but Ginsburg has said gracefully, and with apparent good humor, that the president should not expect a retirement letter before 2015."

Foreign company admits illegal cash donations to U.S. state campaigns
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/foreign-company-admits-illegal-cash-donations-us-state/story?id=13979521
"A foreign subsidiary of U.S. corporate giant Koch Industries acknowledged making thousands of dollars in illegal contributions to state candidates between 2005 and 2009 and agreed to settle a case brought by the Federal Election Commission, the agency announced Friday."

Georgia lawmakers defend lobbyist dollars
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jul/05/georgia-lawmakers-defend-lobbyist-dollars/
Lobbyists in Georgia wined and dined lawmakers during the recent legislative session, but it totes cool says the lawmakers. "“If you think buying me dinner or taking me to play golf is going to buy my vote, you and I need to talk, and you’re not going to like the conversation.”

Corporate interests trump consumers before the court
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/opinion/ci_18403991
Vermont Govenor Peter Shumlin writes, "This is the same court that opened the door in the Citizens United case for corporations to manipulate our elections; the same court that has consistently sided with corporate interests against consumers in recent years."

Rick Perry's RGA rakes in $22.1 million
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58305.html
The Republican Governor's Association raked in big bucks in the second quarter.