Tom Udall talks about his amendment strategy - Super PAC spends big backing Cain - Obama aide to movie lobby - Pro-Perry group makes massive independent expenditure Presented by Philip Morris International

EXCLUSIVE … PI TALKS WITH TOM UDALL ABOUT AMENDMENT STRATEGY: While acknowledging it’s a “a very high hurdle,” Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) says he’s fully committed to amending the Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which expanded the ability of corporations, unions and special interests to directly engage in political campaigns.

“I believe there is a significant grass-roots movement out there to take the money out of politics,” Udall, who earlier this week proposed an anti- Citizens United constitutional amendment with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), told PI this morning. “It’s pretty dramatic how the campaign landscape has changed. This decision is just not in the spirit of democracy. I come to no other conclusion than this is the way to go.”


Udall says that 10 of his colleagues have now agreed to co-sponsor the amendment, and he predicted that this number would grow. Reminded that it takes two-thirds of both congressional houses, plus three-fourths of state legislatures to amend the constitution, Udall said his effort is a “long-term effort” that he expects will gain momentum.



SUPER PAC SPENDS BIG BACKING CAIN: Our own Abby D. Phillip reports that a pro- Herman Cain super PAC responsible for a Web advertisement out this morning comparing reports of sexual harassment allegations against Cain to a “high tech lynching” spent heavily on voter lists and outreach to Iowa voters this week. That ad, in which the 9-9-9 Fund explicitly compares Cain’s allegations to those brought against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the 1990s, cost the group $5,000 in video production, according to the Federal Election Commission. Another $5,000 was spent on Drudge Report ads, the report shows. The group also spent a significant amount — nearly $300,000 this week alone — on outreach to voters in Iowa and elsewhere. The 9-9-9 Fund, also called Americans for Herman Cain, launched in mid-October as the first super PAC explicitly supporting Cain’s candidacy.

OBAMA AIDE TO MOVIE LOBBY: White House Associate Communications Director Kate Bedingfield is resigning today to join the Motion Picture Association of America, which is led by former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn). In a message to colleagues, Bedingfield writes: “Working for this President has been an unbelievable honor — and so has working with so many talented, dedicated, fun and funny people here every day.” She continues that she’s “very excited” about her new gig, “but of course it is incredibly hard to leave all of the wonderful people I work with here on a daily basis. … I’m only going right across Lafayette Park, so I expect to see all of you for a beer soon.”



GOOD FRIDAY, to you, PI nation, at the end of one wild week in politics, where we all now know more about National Restaurant Association conventions than we ever had expected. Head into the weekend by sending a juicy tip, rumor and other miscellaneous scuttlebutt to [email protected] and [email protected] — then follow that up by following us on Twitter. We’re at @apalmerdc and @davelevinthal.

AND DON’T FORGET … Read all the way to the end of PI to see the winners of our latest contest!

SUPERCOMMITTEE VS. CANCER: In “an effort to make cancer a national priority with lawmakers,” the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is up with a new national television ad “to ask Congress to remember the countless lives lost to cancer and the nearly 12 million cancer survivors living in America today when making decisions to address the budget deficit,” the organization says. The group says the ad will premier Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and also run on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC in November and December. Asked how much the ad buy is worth, spokesman Steve Weiss placed it at “six figures.” Watch the ad here: http://bit.ly/vG4MdW

THAT’S SOME EXPENSIVE MOO GOO GAI PAN: For a cool $250, you can join Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) not for filet mignon and glasses of 2001 Napa cabernet — but Chinese takeout. That’s right. The Nov. 30 fundraiser in D.C. is being hosted by Dan Mattoon and Mike Zarrelli, according to an invitation obtained by PI. A “host” will pay $500 for the designation, a political action committee $1,000 and a “host” PAC $2,000. See the invitation here: http://politi.co/rXVk3Q

SHELBY LENDING A HELPING HAND: Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) is headlining a luncheon fundraiser for Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) on Nov. 17. The event is at Johnny’s Half Shell for Brown, who is facing a challenge by way of former Obama adviser Elizabeth Warren. The cost to attend: $2,500 for PACs or $1,000 of personal money to host and $1,000 for PACs and $500 in personal money to attend.

PRO-PERRY GROUP MAKES MASSIVE INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE: New federal records indicate that Make Us Great Again, a super PAC supporting Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, spent more than $417,200 on a series of independently produced advertisements backing the Texas governor. Disclosed expenses include $203,345 and $178,010 both for “media buy” and $24,100 and $6,600 for “media production.” The expenditures occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday, federal records indicate.

CREW FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST HERMAN CAIN, PROSPERITY USA: More on the Cain front: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington today filed a complaint with the FEC against Cain’s presidential campaign, campaign treasurer Mark Block and conservative organization Prosperity USA. The complaint alleges that “Prosperity USA made illegal corporate contributions to Herman Cain’s presidential campaign by using $40,000 in corporate funds to buy iPads and pay for campaign trips to Iowa, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston and Dallas” in February and March. (Read the complaint here: http://bit.ly/ueyc9H ) A representative of the Cain campaign couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

BUSINESS FORWARD FETE: K Street and White House officials turned out Thursday evening for a “Welcome Reception” at the Capitol Hilton on the eve of the White House Business Council and the Business Forward Business Leader’s Forum. Attendees included: Commerce Secretary John Bryson; David Sutphen of Brunswick Group; Bert Kaufman of Business Forward; Kristin Solheim of Visa; Paul Thornell of Citigroup; Hank Dixon of Talisman Energy USA and Anna Lewis of Aqua Capital Advisors.

The party was ahead of events today at the White House, where more than 120 business leaders from across the country came to brief senior administration officials on what needs to get done to create jobs. Participants included senior execs from BF member companies, business leaders who have hosted and participated in Business Forward and White House Business Council roundtables across the country, and entrepreneurs, investors and venture capitalists.

DENHERDER DIRECTLY IMPACTED: Direct Impact CEO Dave DenHerder has been tapped to be the new U.S. CEO of DI’s parent firm, Burson-Marsteller. Nicole Cornish, DI’s president, is taking over as the new CEO of DI. DenHerder will take on his new role Jan. 1. He replaces Patrick Ford, who has served as Burson-Marsteller’s U.S. CEO since 2006. Ford will take on the newly created role of global vice chairman, client service.

PI’S WEEKLY STORM-THE-HILL ADVERTISING INDEX: A big lump of bituminous for one winner of this week’s PI survey of special interest advertisers, where we track the pitches placed in the print editions of D.C.’s daily political papers — POLITICO, Roll Call and The Hill. And for the other, a slick new smartphone and some free 4G LTE.

With eight full-page ads each, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity – a coalition of more than 35 primarily energy and utility companies — and CTIA — The Wireless Association beat the rest of the field. The first panned the Environmental Protection Agency for what it considers an anti-coal ruling while the second told D.C. powerbrokers: “Let’s clear the air. Freeing up wireless spectrum builds up our economy.” The National Association of Realtors and Express Scripts / Medco each placed seven full-page ads, while the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the American Public Transportation Association each recorded six.

Goldman Sachs, a coalition of unions supporting the Keystone XL pipeline and a coalition of hospitals and rehabilitation providers led by the American Hospital Association each placed five full-pagers for the week among the three publications. Meanwhile, Boeing placed three ads of its own and appeared as a partner in separate ads for the Super Hornet Block II jet and GDM One project.

Meanwhile, the International Council of Shopping Centers, placed a notable four full-pagers for the week, urging Congress to force online-only retailers to pay sales tax. Betsy Laird, senior vice president of global public policy, tells PI that her organization launched such an aggressive ad campaign because “we feel like the momentum is there — it’s all about timing, and this is a good time to educate people about the issue.”

Last week’s top advertisers: AT&T (9 full-page ads), CTIA-The Wireless Association (7), Toyota (6).

CONTEST WINNERS! On Wednesday, we asked you to create your very own imaginary super PAC, and explain what kind of candidate (or candidates) it would support. And we promised authors of the most creative, nonboring, anti-white bread super PAC name proposals that they’d be featured in Friday’s edition of PI — and win a copy of Timothy Garton Ash’s book “ Facts are Subversive: Political Writing from a Decade Without a Name.” http://bit.ly/uIBgam

So without further ado, a super-hearty congratulations to this week’s PI contest winner, Aron Goldman of Miami Beach, Fla., who got hyperpartisan on us with this submission: RATPACK — Republicans Against Tea Partiers & Crazy Kooks, which he described as “a super PAC supporting pragmatic pachyderms and reasonable RINOs.”

Plenty of quality honorable mentions this week, too:

Doug Hochberg of Columbus, Ohio, recommends Americans Searching for Ken Starr, because “we know he can get the whole story” from the Herman Cain campaign about whether he sexually harassed employees while leading the National Restaurant Association.

Kevin B. Gilnack of Boston wants to form the Taking America Higher PAC, which “will support candidates who pledge to help elevate our nation's spirits through the legalization of marijuana.” Additionally, he recommends the Maybe Next Time PAC as an elixir to “persistently failing Massachusetts Republican candidates for Congress.”

Staying with the Cain theme, Westley Bayas of New Orleans played on a statement infamously uttered by President George W. Bush in fake-creating the Practicing Our Love For Women PAC, a nonpartisan PAC that he says would currently support Cain and have previously supported Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and ex-Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.). Former President Bill Clinton and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would serve as honorary co-chairmen.

John Geahan of Chicago wants to launch the GOP Super PAC (Grandpas On Porches), which is “fighting to stay crotchety and keeping kids off the lawns. This already encompasses most of our electeds, not only federal level, but at the state and local level. Possible collaborative partnership opportunities with the AARP.”

Denny Salas of D.C. suggests the Get Hammered Everyday, Today, Tomorrow, Onward PAC, which “supports pro-union, pro-construction, anti-free trade candidates.”

Thanks to everyone who participated, and we’ll have a new contest out later this month.

PI ON AM: Dave talks with Tom Egelhoff of KMMS-AM 1460 in Montana about the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision and the 2012 presidential election. Listen here: http://bit.ly/uZVOTW

NEW POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES:

Redneck Party PAC International of Screven, Ga. — Treasurer: Gwendolyn L. Glover



Cafe Con Leche Republicans of Marshall, Minn. — Treasurer: Robert T. Quasius Sr.



RECENT LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS: (Firm: Client)

Boschwitz Associates: Ball Aerospace &Technologies

Meyers and Associates: Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Oxbow Carbon: Oxbow Carbon

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