Fundraising

Eleven Republican senators are pressing the Internal Revenue Service to keep secret the donor lists for nonprofit groups, including ones affiliated with the Tea Party.

A dozen GOP senators wrote a letter to the IRS in March questioning whether Tea Party-affiliated organized were being more closely scrutinized when applying for 501(c)(4) status, which is exempt from taxes. They said the IRS acknowledged requesting donor information from some 501(c)(4) applicants.

In response, the IRS provided “assurances” that its actions against the nonprofit applicants were not “for political gain,” according to the GOP senators.

But the Republican senators on Monday said the IRS’s reply did not address whether the donor lists of the groups that applied for tax-exempt status would be kept confidential. 

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is on the brink of reaching $71 million in contributions to conservative candidates, super-PACs and non-profits.

Donations would be capped between $10 and $50 per billing cycle; both Obama and Romney supported the measure

A prominent Republican donor who has already donated more than $1 million to the Super PAC supporting Mitt Romney's campaign is looking to create his own outside organization that would encourage GOP candidates to support gay marriage.

Paul Singer, a hedge fund billionaire, told the New York Times Saturday he would spend at least $1 million more to a new group that will urge Republicans to support same-sex relationships. Dubbed American Unity PAC, the group aims to provide financial cover for conservatives worried that embracing gay marriage could alienate them from prominent donors.

Singer told the paper he believed there were many Republicans "who could be on the verge of support" or are "harboring and hiding their views."

Romney and the RNC raised $76.8 million to Obama and the DNC's $60 million in May, their first head-to-head match-up.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) may approve a request to allow campaign contributions from voters’ text messages as soon as Friday, an adviser to the commission’s chairwoman said.

In an FEC meeting on Thursday, attorneys with Arent Fox — the firm representing the consulting and aggregation firms asking for the ruling — appeared before the commissioners to answer questions and assuage fears of campaign finance abuse.

Arent Fox submitted an advisory opinion request in May on the text donations for clients Red Blue T and ArmourMedia. M-Qube, a "merchant billing aggregator" that would be “party to these transactions,” was also included on the request, as The Hill reported at the time.

A third draft of the request, discussed at Thursday's meeting, seemed to satisfy most of the commission.

The commission concerned itself most with how cellphone numbers would be aggregated, recorded and tracked so donors and campaign committees would be able to operate within FEC regulations and restrictions — such as the personal donation limit of $2,500 to federal candidates and the $5,000 limit to political action committees.

Obama’s campaign said more than 572,000 people donated last month.

Democrats are increasingly worried about GOP super-PACs. "It’s time to step it up,” said one top Democrat.

Watchdog groups say disclosure rules aren’t keeping pace with record-breaking campaign spending.

Mitt Romney and the RNC will help Republicans in tough House and Senate races with fundraising.