CQ.com - MoneyLine

NRCC Targets 14 House Democrats On Climate Change Vote

The campaign arm of Republicans in the U.S. House is using this week’s legislative recess to criticize some Democrats who backed a climate change bill the House narrowly passed last week.
The National Republican Congressional Committee’s advertising campaign consists mainly of low-cost radio advertisements and telephone calls against 14 Democrats, most of them from conservative-leaning districts, who helped provide the winning 219-212 margin in the June 26 vote. Eight Republicans also backed the climate change bill, which most Republicans described as a massive “national energy tax” on consumers. Full story

July 2, 2009 - 11:03 a.m.

Drug Industry Ad Buy Boosts Democrats Over House Recess

While members of Congress are home for recess, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is using a $2.5 million ad campaign to boost the health care records of several potentially vulnerable House Democrats.
Television commercials began running June 27 in six members’ home districts and will air for two weeks. Accompanying mailers were also sent to voters. Full story

July 2, 2009 - 11:00 a.m.

McCain and Feingold Use ‘Hold’ to Pressure Obama on FEC Picks

Campaign finance mavens John McCain , R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold , D-Wis., are joining forces once again – this time to block President Obama’s nomination of labor lawyer John J. Sullivan to the Federal Election Commission.
If confirmed by the Senate, Sullivan would fill one of three Democratic seats on the evenly divided FEC, taking over from Democrat Ellen Weintraub, who continues to sit on the commission even though her term expired on April 30, 2007. Full reason

July 2, 2009 - 10:38 a.m.

FEC Imposes Fine After Nearly Six Years

Sometimes it can take the Federal Election Commission a while to resolve campaign finance law violations. Think back to September 2003 when kids were watching “Finding Nemo” in the theatres, the New York Yankees were starting their run through the playoffs toward the World Series and Arnold Schwarzenegger had just won the California’s gubernatorial recall election.
The Karoly Law Offices in Allentown, Pa. were accused of using corporate funds to reimburse contributors to the presidential campaign effort that year by former House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo. While Gephardt’s White House bid soon evaporated, the FEC began investigating. Just last night the FEC announced it had penalized five of people connected to the investigation a total of $155,000.

July 1, 2009 - 1:33 p.m.

Drug Industry Lobbying Efforts, Campaign Funds Tilt Toward Democrats

The pharmaceutical industry, which has long invested heavily in federal lobbying, is now on course to smash its previous records as it tries to shape the health care overhaul pushed forward by Democrats.
The industry is increasingly employing Democratic lobbyists with ties to the Obama administration and congressional leaders such as Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Such efforts might be having an effect. The drug industry sealed a deal recently with Baucus to offer $80 billion in drug discounts for seniors as part of Medicare. Full story
• Related Graphics: Pharmaceutical industry lobbying on the rise | Top 10 recipients of drug company giving

June 30, 2009 - 11:58 a.m.

High Court Decides To Rehear Campaign Finance Case

The Supreme Court wants to hear a new round of arguments in a closely watched case about how nonprofits can weigh in during political campaigns, and has signalled that it might broaden the case to cover print advertising in addition to TV programming.
The case — which involves a critical cable documentary about Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton that a nonprofit funded and sought to run during the 2008 presidential primaries — will be reargued Sept. 9, the high court said Monday. Full story

June 29, 2009 - 2:28 p.m.

EMILY’s List Gives Nod to Governor Candidates Sink and Denish

Abortion right’s group and fundraising powerhouse EMILY’s List rolled out its first 2010 governor’s endorsements Friday, giving its stamp of approval to Democrats Alex Sink in Florida and Diane Denish in New Mexico. If elected, both would become the first female governors of their respective states. Full story

June 29, 2009 - 11:23 a.m.

FEC Changes Meetings to Allow Testimony

The Federal Election Commission is changing the format of its meetings to allow campaign representatives to answer questions as the six-member panel debates and considers complaints and other issues. Traditionally, committee deliberations have not allowed for testimony or questioning, even though the subjects of inquiries or audits are often in the room listening as the commissioners debate their cases.
Both Democratic and Republican commissioners have expressed frustration in recent months about how the meetings are conducted. According to a press release sent out today, the agency adopted the new procedures to increase “transparency and fairness” as it considers how to rule on advisory opinions and audits. The new format will be evaluated after a year to determine if it should be continued.

June 26, 2009 - 2:07 p.m.

Nothing In Common but a PAC Name

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., may not have a lot in common with Democratic Rep. Steve Israel of New York, but the two have similar tastes when it comes to naming their fundraising committees.
Franks registered a political action committee with the Federal Election Commission this week called Defending America’s Future, which is the same name as a PAC Israel registered in 2005. Israel, however, changed the PAC’s name earlier this year to ESPAC - Energy Security PAC. Franks’ new committee is expected to bolster his overall fundraising efforts, which raised less than $500,000 during each of his last two elections.

June 26, 2009 - 1:12 p.m.

Club for Growth Wants to Help Specter’s Donors Get Refunds

When Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter switched parties two months ago, he said he would issue contribution refunds ”upon request.”
Now the Club for Growth, the conservative political group that is a longtime Specter foe, wants to help any disgruntled Republican donors take now-Democrat Specter up on his offer.
The Club is asking the Federal Election Commission if it can send a letter or make a telephone call to Specter’s donors informing them that they can ask his campaign for a contribution refund. Full story

June 26, 2009 - 11:16 a.m.

FEC Punts on Kerry, Rules on Coleman

The Federal Election Commission could not reach a consensus Thursday on whether Sen. John Kerry should be allowed to invest campaign funds in a documentary film. Full story

June 25, 2009 - 6:52 p.m.

House Ethics Panel Opens Probe of Lawmakers’ Caribbean Trips

The House ethics committee said Thursday it has opened an investigation of trips by four House members and a delegate, including Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel , to conferences in the Caribbean that a conservative group says violated House rules. Full story

June 25, 2009 - 3:57 p.m.

Sanford Traveled South During Congressional Years

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who disclosed Wednesday he has been having an affair with a woman from Argentina, traveled to that country and other South American nations four times during his six terms in Congress from 1995 through 2001. The last trip to Argentina was in 1999, according to CQ MoneyLine records. Sanford also went to Argentina in 1995, according to House records. Both trips, made with other members of Congress, cost $3,600 and also included stops in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Panama.
In addition to these two trips, Sanford traveled two other times to South American countries with other members of Congress, once in 1997 and again in 1999, at a cost of about $2.900.
At a press conference today, Sanford said he began an affair with the woman over the last year. Before that, he said they have been friends for about eight years. In Sanford’s description of the relationship, the governor provided no dates to pinpoint whether he could have met her during any of the trips.

June 24, 2009 - 4:55 p.m.

Complaints Filed Against Ensign

A public watchdog group has filed formal complaints with the Senate Ethics Committee and the Federal Elections Commission calling for investigations of Sen. John Ensign. Full story

June 24, 2009 - 6:24 p.m.

Democrats Tout Four States as Takeovers in Governor Races

The Democratic Governors Association in a fundraising e-mail Tuesday highlighted Florida, Alaska, Georgia and Minnesota as 2010 takeover opportunities. Full story

June 24, 2009 - 12:02 p.m.

New York: Gillibrand Hypes Possible Pataki Run To Raise Cash

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is pleading for supporters to “rush” donations to the campaign before the end of the month, invoking the threat of a challenge by former Republican Gov. George Pataki. But there is little indication that Pataki is “seriously considering a run,” as the campaign says in its e-mail. Full story

June 24, 2009 - 12:01 p.m.

Senate Fundraising Arms Stay Competitive

Senate Republicans have just 40 seats and almost no chance of winning a majority in the 2010 elections, but their political organization is very competitive with the Democrats’ counterpart.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) reported raising $4.5 million in May and $17.2 million for the year, according to a report it filed with the Senate Office of Public Records. That single-month take gave the NRSC the edge in year-to-date receipts over its partisan counterpart, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), which raised $3.4 million last month and $17 million for the year. Full story

June 23, 2009 - 12:10 p.m.

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