The Cheat Sheet

brooklynmutt:

@greggiroux: There’s a “Hall and Oates Fans for America” super-PAC.

I, For One, Can’t Go for That. No Can do!

Bravo.

Reblog with your favorite relevant lyric. (“You can rely on the old man’s money,” etc.) 

Frontpage: Tuesday, April 17th 

1. U.K. Nabs Terror Funder: British authorities arrested Abu Qatada, who allegedly raised money for terrorist groups and inspired a 9/11 hijacker.
2. Billionaires Rally to Romney: After an expensive primary spent backing dark-horse candidates like Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, the super PAC billionaires still have money to burn, and they’re spending it on Mitt Romney and the GOP establishment.
3. Breivik Takes Stand in Trial: Anders Behring Breivik, the man accused of massacring 77 people, mostly teens, in Norway, took the stand to boast of his attack. “I have carried out the most spectacular and sophisticated attack on Europe since World War II,” Breivik told the court. “These acts are based on goodness, not evil.”
4. Santorum Won’t Endorse Mitt Yet: Just because Rick Santorum is out of the presidential primary race, doesn’t mean he’s going to automatically endorse the presumptive Republican nominee. Monday evening the former Pennsylvania senator declined the opportunity to endorse Mitt Romney and to urge his supporters to vote one way or another. “As far as you vote, that’s up to you,” he said during a conference call. 
5. Up to 20 Secret Service Implicated: Investigators said on Tuesday that up to 20 Secret Service agents may be involved in misconduct during President Obama’s trip to Colombia—and at least two are senior officials. Eleven Secret Service agents have already been put on leave after allegations that the president’s elite security detail had entertained prostitutes. 

Photo: The hunt for Joseph Kony— Thirty-two UPDF soldiers travel through the Vovodo River in the Central African Republic searching for any sign of the LRA.  Earlier this year, a different UPDF squad had killed an LRA soldier and captured another in the area. More photos from the hunt for Kony. (Trevor Snapp / Pulitzer Center for Newsweek)

Frontpage: Wednesday, Mar 21st

1. Romney Sweeps Illinois Primary: Mitt Romney took another major step toward silencing the GOP’s doubters with a decisive win in Tuesday night’s Illinois primary, where he took 46 percent of the vote to Rick Santorum’s 35 percent, and nearly three times as many delegates. 
2. Obama Plans Korea Border Visit: In a bid to turn up the heat on North Korea before a critical nuclear-security meeting, President Barack Obama plans to visit the demilitarized zone on Sunday. The White House said the trip will show American support for South Korea as the country squares off against its neighbor to the north over nuclear disarmament.
3. French Police Besiege Suspect: Two days after a shooter on a motorbike killed four people at a Jewish school in Toulouse, French police launched a predawn raid on a house in the city where the only suspect was hiding. Two cops were injured in the hours-long standoff, during which they exchanged fire with the suspect and arrested his brother, who was in the house. 
4. Super PACs Outspend Donations: A Federal Election Commission (FEC) report filed today shows that the pro-Romney super PAC called Restore Our Future raised just more than $6 million in February—but spent twice that amount. The super PAC has $10 mil in cash left. 
5. NYPD Boots 300 Occupiers: Spring weather means more Occupy protesters are coming out of hibernation, and the New York Police Department is getting straight to work. The NYPD, dressed in riot gear, threw 300 protesters out of Union Square Park overnight on Wednesday. One person was arrested. 

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Photo: Women celebrate the Persian New Year Nowruz in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Mustafa Najafizada / AP Photo, Mustafa Najafizada)

More Photos of the Day

newsweek:

Super PAC donors by occupation.

FYI

ilovecharts:

Attack of the Super PACs

Frontpage: Wednesday, Feb 22nd

1. Super PACs Give Rise to Super-Donors: Super PACs, which can take unlimited donations, have given rise to a new type of political donor that is dominating the GOP primary race. Both The New York Times and The Washington Post lead with the example of Harold C. Simmons, a Texas businessman who has given more than $14 million to Republican super PACs this election. 
2. Quran Burning Protest Continues: The protests over Qurans burned at Bagram air base in Afghanistan show no signs of abating. At least four people have been killed and 20 injured in the second day of demonstrations. 
3. Angelina Jolie Joins NewsBeast Summit: Next month, inspiring women leaders and activists from around the globe—including Nobel winner Leymah Gbowee, Angelina Jolie, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, Meryl Streep, Madeleine Albright, and many more—will convene in New York City for Newsweek and The Daily Beast’s third annual Women in the World Summit.
4. Obama to Unveil Corporate Tax Cut: President Obama is preparing to unveil a corporate-tax plan that would cut the rate businesses pay from 35 percent to 28 percent, senior administration officials tell The New York Times.   
5. Santorum ‘Satan’ Comment Resurfaces: A comment Rick Santorum made four years ago may come back to haunt him during tomorrow night’s GOP debate in Arizona. A headline reading “Santorum’s Satan Warning” posted on the Drudge Report Tuesday morning is making the rounds in the media. “This is the spiritual war. And the Father of Lies has his sights on what you think [he] would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country—the United States of America.” 

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Photo: The Other Havana: Cuba Libre Photography by Michael Dweck (Michael Dweck Studios)

The GOP primaries, along with President Obama’s decision last week to support his affiliated super PAC, have raised the ominous specter of a campaign waged between super PACs, not candidates, in November. But while Obama and the eventual GOP nominee will be backed by cash-rich and nominally independent outside groups, the influence of super PACs is likely to be significantly reduced in the general election. They will still be important, but, for a number of reasons, they will not be as decisive in determining the victor.

Are Super PACs overhyped?  

“We’re not going to play by two sets of rules.” That was the bombshell message from President Obama delivered Sunday through Jim Messina, campaign manager for Obama for America. And, I have to ask: “Why the hell not?” Why not play by the right rules if you are the president?

Obama’s now pushing for donations to be made to Super PAC rather than “play by two sets of rules.” Mark McKinnon asks why the hell not? 

centerforinvestigativereporting:

Who’s donating to super PACs? Click through and use our new searchable database to see all major donors to nearly 300 super PACs since January 2011.

1. Romney Paid 13.9 Percent Tax in 2010: A release of a preview of his tax returns shows Romney had an income of $21.7 million in 2010, and $20.9 million in 2011. None of the money was from wages. 
2. ‘Hugo,’ ‘The Help’ Rule Oscar Nods: The Help, The Descendants, and Hugo picked up the most nods, and favorite comedy Bridesmaids scored two major nominations.
3. Gulf States Pull Syrian Observers: The Arab League observer mission in Syria is set to lose six more member countries on Sunday, as the Gulf Cooperation Council prepares to withdraw.
4. Campaign Gets Nasty in Florida: After getting drubbed by Newt Gingrich in South Carolina, Mitt Romney is redoubling his attempt to bury him in negative advertising. Romney’s super PAC spent another in $5 million in airtime yesterday, bringing total investment in Florida to $13 million.  
5. Ex-CIA Agent Charged With Leaks: The Justice Department has charged a former CIA officer John Kiriakou, 47, with leaking classified information about the capture and interrogation of alleged terrorists, including al Qaeda suspect Abu Zubaydah. Kiriakou gave an an interview with ABC about the brutal interrogation technique of waterboarding. 

Photo: Ron Paul in Nashua, NH on January 6th. (Charles Ommanney for Newsweek)

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Frontpage: Jan 18th

1. Websites Go Dark to Protest Piracy Bills: Wikipedia and several other websites have gone dark in protest of two Internet piracy bills—the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act. The tech industry argues that the laws will effectively censor the Internet by making companies liable for displaying links to sites that host illegal copies of a film. 
2. Shipwreck Search Put on Hold Again: Search and rescue has been suspended again at the Costa Condordia site. 24 are still missing. 
3. Rivals Attack Romney on Tax Rate: Mitt Romney may wait till April to release his tax returns, but his comment that his tax rate is “probably closer to the 15 percent rate than anything” is enough for critics to start with. 
4. Obama Campaigners Want Super PAC: Some aides worry that Obama’s super PC, Priorities USA Action, hasn’t raised enough money. Obamas’ raised $5 mil to Romney’s $12 in the first half of last year. Dick Harpootlian, a member of the Obama campaign’s national finance committee, notes, “He’s flat-out opposed to it.” But, pointing to Romney’s organization, he says that opposition is “dangerous.” “We can’t unilaterally disarm.”
5. Report: FBI to Arrest 2 for Insider Trading: Sources told Reuters Wednesday that the FBI will make several more arrests as part of a crackdown on insider trading. 

Photo: The web sites on Wednesday of, clockwise from top left, Google, Mozilla, Wired and Wikipedia. (via NYTimes)

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