Nancy Pelosi is declaring war against Stephen Colbert and his super PAC.
Today Pelosi and the Democratic House leadership introduced a new bill to require full disclosure from the super PACs and nonprofits empowered by the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling to spend unprecedented sums in federal elections. The bill is a follow-up to the DISCLOSE Act of 2010, which fell short of passage by one vote due to a Republican filibuster in the Senate. Unlike the DISCLOSE Act of 2010, this year's bill does not include provisions that were singled-out for opposition by congressional Republicans including those banning certain groups, like government contractors, from contributing to super PACs and the inclusion of exemptions from disclosure for big, influential membership organizations like the National Rifle Association and AARP. It appears to simply be a pure disclosure bill that includes stand-by-your-ad provisions requiring donors to groups to be identified in ads and having the head of the advertising organization state their approval of the ad.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the bill's lead sponsor, has also filed a discharge petition to bring the bill to the floor without having to go through the normal committee process. The discharge petition needs at least 218 signatures to reach the floor.
The Sunlight Foundation has a red-lined copy of the 2010 and 2012 DISCLOSE Acts explaining which sections have been changed.
A couple reactions from the money-in-politics crowd:
Fred Wertheimer, Democracy 21: "With this new bill, the issue for members of Congress is clear and straight forward: do you support disclosure or do you support secrecy? Do you support disclosing to the American people the donors who are funding campaign expenditures to influence their votes or do you support keeping this information secret from the American people?"
Ellen Miller, Sunlight Foundation: "This simplified bill is a good solution to the 'dark money' problem. The updated bill also removes extraneous or controversial provisions, instead focusing on what the public demands -- transparency."
Republicans opposed the bill in 2010 as a political move to quiet speech. This opposition, however, was largely rooted in the provisions that have since been removed. Some Republicans who voted against the 2010 DISCLOSE Act have since changed their tune on super PACs. These include Sens. John McCain and Scott Brown.
The Chamber of Commerce has gone up with another major ad buy in 12 congressional races across 8 states. The ad buy, according to the Wall Street Journal, is around $10 million. Targets for negative ads include Senate candidates Tim Kaine and Tammy Baldwin and incumbent Senators Jon Tester, Sherrod Brown, and Claire McCaskill. The candidates supported by the Chamber ads include Senate candidates George Allen, Linda Lingle and Rick Berg, incumbent Senator Dick Lugar, incumbent Republican congressmen Sean Duffy, Fred Upton, Joe Heck, Frank Guinta, and Charlie Bass, and, the odd man out, Democratic congressman Jim Matheson.
CREW has succeeded in getting 25,000 signatures to their We The People petition asking the White House to address why the president has not appointed replacements for the five out of six Federal Election Commission commissioners whose terms have expired. The White House now must issue a response.
Newt Gingrich's money man Sheldon Adelson is under federal investigation for violating the Federal Corrupt Practices Act in the operation of his casinos in Macau.
Another super PAC truce at works? Could happen up in the race between Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg in Montana.
Wealthy Democratic donor Haim Saban may give to the Obama super PAC.
Pete Hoekstra pulls his Asian-baiting ad after his primary rival "Conservative Republican" Clark Durant calls him out for his "demeaning ad."
This super PAC appears to have been named by a North Korean government official: Winning Patriotic Michigan Citizens For A Free Glorious And Prosperous American Destiny.
AD WATCH
Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Rick Berg
Spot: "Rick Berg Supports The Keystone XL Pipeline"
Link: [http://youtu.be/1LRtnfU1uYw]
Market: North Dakota.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: George Allen
Spot: "George Allen - Blueprint"
Link: [http://youtu.be/ogOvSHNe19U]
Market: Virginia.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Sean Duffy
Spot: "Protect Wisconsin Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/kcNirEQm1eM]
Market: Wisconsin-07.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Charlie Bass
Spot: "Charlie Bass - Keep Fighting"
Link: [http://youtu.be/HjmFeL2TYMU]
Market: New Hampshire-02.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Judy Biggert
Spot: "Judy's for Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/BHxRFJIUJjc]
Market: Illinois-11.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Linda Lingle
Spot: "Working for Hawaii"
Link: [http://youtu.be/HmdU_A6hLGI]
Market: Hawaii.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Jim Matheson
Spot: "Jim Matheson for Utah"
Link: [http://youtu.be/IGfaT-IAIbk]
Market: Utah-04.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick
Spot: "Protecting Pennsylvania Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/L_E5JK0k70M]
Market: Pennsylvania-08.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Fred Upton
Spot: "Fighting for Michigan Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/xIdy_lUZsA8]
Market: Michigan-06.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Dan Lungren
Spot: "Protecting California Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/4iw1UtHrhXg]
Market: California-07.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Mike Coffman
Spot: "Mike Coffman for Colorado"
Link: [http://youtu.be/W0IkRC00zKc]
Market: Colorado-06.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Sen. Dick Lugar
Spot: "Dick Lugar for Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/i-7t4ANs8Fs]
Market: Indiana.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Robert Dold
Spot: "Robert Dold for Illinois Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/x0DadSLjfkU]
Market: Illinois-10.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate supported: Rep. Jim Renacci
Spot: "Protecting Ohio Jobs"
Link: [http://youtu.be/OVpuGVkmI04]
Market: Ohio-16.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate opposed: Sen. Claire McCaskill
Spot: "Supports Obamacare"
Link: [http://youtu.be/RVxEceHTe4o]
Market: Missouri.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate opposed: Sen. Sherrod Brown
Spot: "What Planet Are You On?"
Link: [http://youtu.be/2QADOQlGUKU]
Market: Ohio.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate opposed: Tammy Baldwin
Spot: "Meet Tammy Baldwin"
Link: [http://youtu.be/ybImkZ36ITI]
Market: Wisconsin.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate opposed: Tim Kaine
Spot: "No Great Achievements"
Link: [http://youtu.be/RDXkpu0L3VQ]
Market: Virginia.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Candidate opposed: Sen. Jon Tester
Spot: "The Wrong Way"
Link: [http://youtu.be/5Mzu5MQkDA0]
Market: Montana.
Buy: Part of a $10 million ad buy across 8 states.
Committee: Restore Our Future
Candidate opposed: Newt Gingrich
Spot: "Continue to Fail"
Link: [http://youtu.be/dbaFqjIPoAk]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Pete Hoekstra for Senate
Spot: "Spend"
Link: [http://youtu.be/DFjz0L8Nn4o]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Clark Durant for Senate
Candidate opposed: Pete Hoekstra
Spot: "Tired of Washington?"
Link: [http://youtu.be/9I6kULeaW_U]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: American Bridge 21st Century
Candidate opposed: Sen. Dick Lugar
Spot: "Lugar: Senator From Virginia"
Link: [http://youtu.be/rvWri174o1k]
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:
These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.
Newt Gingrich (R), $5,226,377 to support, $17,091,517 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $2,216,953 to support, $5,073,059 to oppose.
Rick Perry (R), $4,167,697 to support, $1,404 to oppose.
Ron Paul (R), $3,662,886 to support, $133,333 to oppose. (+$29,670)
Rick Santorum (R), $2,247,927 to support, $397,503 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $2,453,204 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $24,468 to support, $735,730 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $501,717 to support, $954 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
NONE
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
Moving Arizona Forward, Cortado, Ariz., Treasurer: Charla Bailey. (Super PAC)
Winning Patriotic Michigan Citizens For A Free Glorious And Prosperous American Destiny, Hamtramek, Mich., Treasurer: none listed. (Super PAC)
CAVPAC, Springfield, Va., Treasurer: Robert F. Carlin. (Leadership PAC for Rep. Mike Pompeo)
Michigan Jobs Alliance, Lansing, Mich., Treasurer: David W. Staudt. (Super PAC)
American Working Families, Alexandria, Va., Treasurer: John Balduzzi. (Super PAC)
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation PAC, Anchorage, Alaska, Treasurer: Rodney Butch Lincoln.
Conservatives for Freedom, Tampa, Fla., Treasurer: Nancy Watkins. (Super PAC)
SHEPAC, Arlington, Va., Treasurer: Tim Crawford.
Protect America Today, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: Robert H. Brockhaus. (Super PAC)
Southern Arizona Conservative PAC, Sahuarita, Ariz., Treasurer: R. David Kryder.
Retire Pryor, Little Rock, Ark., Treasurer: Carlton Saffa. (Super PAC opposing Sen. Mark Pryor)
Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.