The omnibus appropriations deal made last night to stave off a government shutdown included a tiny change of 19 words that will allow the White House to issue an executive order that would dramatically increase the amount of disclosure around hidden political spending.
After a draft executive order requiring all groups seeking contracts from the government to disclose all of their political contributions, even to trade groups and certain non-profits, leaked out of the White House congressional Republicans passed numerous riders banning the administration from spending money to implement such an order.
While the omnibus language appears to block implementation of contractor contribution disclosure, the change of 19 words enables the White House to require disclosure for contractors after they have won a contract, but not during the bidding process. [HuffPost]
Dem super groups plan to form super PAC league to fight the organized super PACs of the Right. [Bloomberg]
The pro-Romney super PAC is going to go up with a $300,000 ad buy bashing Gingrich in Florida. The big spending by the group has helped stave off Gingrich's rapid climb in the polls in Iowa. [The Hill]
Meanwhile, the Romney campaign is going on the air in South Carolina with a positive spot. [HuffPost]
In the fight to roll back Citizens United a host of groups, individuals, and members of Congress have introduced constitutional amendments to, one way or another, reverse the controversial Supreme Court decision. The folks at United Republic put together a nice run-down of what each amendment says and does. [United Republic]
FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub is none-too-happy about the FEC's failure, again, to approve new rules around disclosure post-Citizens United: "Such a proliferation of anonymous, negative speech cannot be good for our democracy. Nor is it consistent with the view of eight Justices of the Supreme Court, who ruled that 'effective disclosure' is what 'enables the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages.' Moreover, as Justice Scalia recently noted in another case: 'Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed... [A] society which ... campaigns anonymously ... hidden from public scrutiny and protected from the accountability of criticism ... does not resemble the Home of the Brave.' I remain hopeful that the Commission will one day take this insight to heart."
CAMPAIGN VIDEOS
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: Mitt Romney for President
Spot: "Milford, NH" -- Mitt Romney talks to people in Milford, NH in this video that aims to highlight Romney's connection with voters. The main theme is jobs and the economy.
Link: [http://youtu.be/y2KgYpFii_M]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Rick Santorum for President
Spot: "Sing, Sing, Sing" -- The first TV ad from the Santorum camp highlights his conservative stances on life and welfare reform. Santorum also uses a quote from his opponent Newt Gingrich, "No one has done more than Santorum to alert Americans to the dangers of...Iran."
Link: [http://youtu.be/5GEwj2AwOa0]
Market: Iowa.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Jon Huntsman for President
Spot: "Jon Huntsman Is The Candidate We Can Trust" -- This web video uses footage of one of Huntsman's extended answers during Thursday night's debate where he expounds on the deficit of trust in America.
Link: [http://youtu.be/TiRukKRG4I4]
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: David Dewhurst for Senate
Candidate opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "Broken Promises" -- This ad uses some of Obama's lofty rhetoric during the 2008 campaign in contrast with the President's more muted performance in a recent "60 Minutes" interview. Dewhurst proclaims, "We've got to stop President Obama and take back this country."
Link: [http://youtu.be/DYP6tmYMRZo]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Oregon Democratic Party
Candidate opposed: Rob Cornilles
Spot: "The Real Face of Game Face" -- Rob Cornilles, running a special election in Oregon's first district, is being hit from all sides by the Democrats. This web video traces the history of the company run by Cornilles, Game Face, Inc., which is not portrayed in a positive light.
Link: [http://youtu.be/3DFcy06_HL4]
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Iowans for Christian Leaders in Government
Candidate opposed: Newt Gingrich
Spot: "Newt Gingrich. Partial Birth Abortion." -- Another video from the shadowy group pounding Gingrich for his alleged sins against God. This one features an animated fetus with singing about Jesus over it and text explaining how Gingrich supported candidates who supported so-called partial birth abortion. I much preferred this video when it was the music video for Massive Attack's "Teardrop."
Link: [http://youtu.be/f4K-igXuNOw]
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.
Rick Perry (R), $1,972,058 to support, $0 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $1,864,956 to support, $0 to oppose. (+$409,483)
Newt Gingrich (R), $0 to support, $826,718 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $462,217 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $0 to support, $357,929 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $0 to support, $329,473 to oppose.
Rick Santorum (R), $200,500 to support, $0 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
Our Destiny PAC, $409,483 to support Jon Huntsman for President.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
NONE.
Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.