2016 contenders court mega-donors – Kenneth P. Vogel – POLITICO.com

2016 contenders court mega-donors – Kenneth P. Vogel – POLITICO.com.

And so it begins again!

Supreme Court rejects Montana campaign finance limits – Dave Levinthal – POLITICO.com

Supreme Court rejects Montana campaign finance limits – Dave Levinthal – POLITICO.com.

Mourdock defeats Lugar in Republican U.S. Senate race : Elections- The Times

Mourdock defeats Lugar in Republican U.S. Senate race : Elections.

BRIAN HOWEY: Mourdock’s Office And Campaign In The Shadows: The Times

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“…In taking Lugar to task for his record, Mourdock has raised a relatively paltry sum of $1.3 million to run a statewide campaign that, if serious, would cost $600,000 a week to reach a statewide TV audience. What is happening is that a triumvirate of outsiders — the NRA, Club for Growth and FreedomWorks — are funding the Mourdock campaign. They can do this because of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United, which allows unions and outside advocacy groups to pour as much money into a campaign as they can without attributing from where and who that money comes. These “super political action committees” can talk to each other, but by law, they cannot coordinate with a political campaign, such as Mourdock’s. So while Mourdock is castigating Lugar for living in Virginia and spending so much time traveling the world to reduce and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, the fate of his own campaign relies on outside, Washington-based groups. In the next eight weeks, you will get to see all of this play out on your TV set, computer screen and mailbox. FreedomWorks is coordinating and paying for ground game materials. Club for Growth is bundling money — most from outside the state — to finance TV on behalf of Mourdock. The NRA will provide direct mail and communicate “every way possible” the message against Lugar…”

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/brian-howey/brian-howey-mourdock-s-office-and-campaign-in-the-shadows/article_e25dd2a4-b75d-5246-92bf-dcda7151b6c8.html#ixzz1p0Kpmdo

‘Super PAC’ leaders profit from lack of oversight: LA Times

‘Super PAC’ leaders profit from lack of oversight.

25% of super PAC money coming from just 5 rich donors – USATODAY.com

25% of super PAC money coming from just 5 rich donors – USATODAY.com.

Two Justices Suggest Citizens United Should Be Reconsidered: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/two-justices-suggest-citizens-united-ruling-should-be-reconsidered-in-montana-case/2012/02/17/gIQAJ07kKR_story.html

Looks like the millions already dumped into the 2012 campaign by Super-PACs are getting people’s attention.

Obama, defending ‘super PAC’ shift, points to impact on GOP race: The Chicago Tribune

Obama, defending ‘super PAC’ shift, points to impact on GOP race.

BILL PRESS: Koch brothers driving anti-Obama hate machine- The Chicago Tribune

Koch brothers driving anti-Obama hate machine.

Obama campaign urges donors to back super PAC: LA Times

Obama campaign urges donors to back super PAC.

UPDATED: Here is the link to the blog post from Obama campaign manager Jim Messina on this decision: http://www.barackobama.com/news/entry/we-will-not-play-by-two-sets-of-rules