Catholic groups funnel millions to National Organization for Marriage

Gay-rights activists have long speculated that the Mormon Church was the primary benefactor behind the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). But the Knights of Columbus disclosure shows the Catholic group played a pivotal role in funding NOM’s efforts to deny marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples.

Palin’s Iowa trip stirs 2012 speculation

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MCCL, others await Sept. 20 ruling on effort to halt disclosure law

The fallout from the revelation that Target, Best Buy, and other corporations made independent expenditures on behalf of GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer continues, this time in the courts. The Star Tribune reports that, in the wake

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Except in the narrowest circumstances, FEC won’t enforce disclosure requirements

A relatively obscure document released by the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday bodes particularly ill for the chances of any form of meaningful campaign finance disclosure from independent groups during the upcoming election cycle.

Ahead of midterms, politicians ask whether pork really brings home the bacon

Earmarks represent a minuscule portion of the federal budget. But they are acting as potent weapons in political contests this midterm election season, given the widespread concern about the national debt and the yawning budget deficit.

The neverending mosque debate

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Mormons take to the airwaves in Minneapolis, eight other cities

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — aka the Mormon church — is running a mega ad campaign in nine mid-sized and mostly non-coastal American cities, including Minneapolis  to tell us… they’re normal people!
The ads are…

RNC overhauls 2012 presidential primary calendar

Following an hour of contentious debate, the Republican National Committee voted Friday afternoon to adopt changes to its 2012 presidential primary calendar. The measure received 103 votes out of the 144 members voting, just clearing the two-thirds majority threshold required for passage.

RNC addresses tepid fundraising, vows to investigate leaks

Two pieces of news from the Republican National Committee summer meeting in Kansas City. First, the RNC’s budget committee approved a $10 million line of credit to make up for the committee’s fundraising woes:

U.S District judge strikes down Prop 8

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker decided today that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry, thereby striking down Proposition 8 — the California measure narrowly approved by voters in 2008 that bans same-sex marriage.