Fundraising

Wednesday marks the first fundraising period since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on campaign finance reform.

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American Conservative Union Chairman David Keene says the House Conservatives Fund is engaging in a corrupt endorsement process.

The ACU is crying foul over a House primary endorsement in Connecticut, suggesting the candidate was chosen over another Republican because he shares a consultant with the group.

Connecticut state Sen. Sam Caligiuri was one of 10 GOP House candidates to earn an endorsement earlier this month from the House Conservatives Fund (HCF). The fund is a political action committee started by the Republican Study Committee (RSC) and headed by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.).

But the ACU points out that Caligiuri’s general consultant, Evan Kozlow, also does work for HCF. What’s more, Caligiuri’s primary opponent, former congressional aide Justin Bernier, was asked to fill out a confidential questionnaire that contained instructions to return it to Kozlow.

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A DC court ruled the Republican National Committee cannot raise soft money, the unlimited contributions from corporations and individuals, which was banned in 2002.

According to the Associated Press, the three-judge panel ruled it cannot overturn a Supreme Court ruling upholding the ban on soft money fundraising by national party committees.

The ban on soft money is one of the few parts of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law to survive court challenges.

The RNC argued it should be able to raise soft money for state elections, congressional redistricting, legal costs and other activities that it said had nothing to do with federal elections, according to the AP.

Some analysts have predicted the 2010 midterms will be the most expensive elections to date, thanks to the redistricting process that will happen afte the census and the recent Supreme Court ruling that said corporate and labor unions can spend directly on political campaigns.

UPDATED: RNC Chairman Michael Steele said in a statement the committee plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

Is this the man the DCCC wants to send its fundraising e-mails?

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) sent an e-mail soliciting funds for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Wednesday. But the same committee has often had to hit him up for his dues, and he has fallen short on them in the past.

“On Sunday, March 21st, we Democrats proved ‘Yes We Can,’” Kucinich wrote. “Your support will help Democrats in Congress echo the power of the people across the land as we strive to create the America which we know is possible.”

But Kucinich hasn’t always supported the committee as much as leaders would like. Reports show he didn’t contribute all of his dues to the committee last cycle and has a long way to go on them this cycle.

Members of each party are expected to contribute set amounts to their parties’ campaign committees each election season, with the amount set according to their rank in the caucus and committee assignments.

A January report obtained by The Hill showed Kucinich had contributed nothing toward his dues of $150,000 for this cycle. His office said he has contributed $10,000 to the committee since then.

Kucinich has plenty of time to fork over the rest, but FEC reports show he has failed to meet the goal before.

His dues were also $150,000 last cycle, according to dues reports obtained then, and FEC reports show Kucinich contributed just $125,000 – with almost all of it coming in the final month of the cycle.

Retiring Sen. Evan Bayh has donated $1 million to help elect Rep. Brad Ellsworth, who is running to succeed him.

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Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will host an event for Rhode Island state Rep. John Loughlin in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

The event will be at the National Republican Club, with a suggested contribution of $750.

Loughlin has also secured commitments from two other 2008 presidential hopefuls -- Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney -- to campaign for him.

He is the GOP favorite in the race to replace retiring Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.).

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is spending more than it's raising, again.

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The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) outraised its Democratic counterpart in February, $5.1 million to $4.4 million.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Thursday night floated the idea of implementing public financing for political campaigns as a long-term goal.

In an interview on MSNBC, the top House member was asked what she could do to limit the impact of a Supreme Court decision that could allow corporations to spend freely on politics.

"I hope that we can build a coalition for public financing of campaigns," she said. "It will be so much more wholesome for our country and for our democratic process and for the attitude that the public would have toward politics."

The Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission angered many Democrats, including President Barack Obama, who support limits on corporate political spending in order to reduce the influence of special interests. The ruling could also allow unions to spend in an unlimited fashion.

Pelosi's statement comes nearly a month after several hefty Democratic donors wrote Pelosi in support of public financing for congressional campaigns.

In the short-term, Pelosi touted a bill to be put forth by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) that would impose new accountability and disclosure requirements for corporations who want to spend an unlimited amount of money.

A Democratic aide said that Pelosi has long supported the idea, but it is unlikely to link it to the Van Hollen bill because it does not have the votes to pass.

Vice President Joe Biden will raise money for Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Ohio) on March 15.

The AP reports Biden will be speaking at a lunch for Driehaus, with tickets going for between $100 and $150.

Driehaus faces a rematch with former Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), whom he unseated in 2008. Chabot has been named to the final stage of the NRCC's Young Guns program for challengers, and the district is a top target.