The new issue of SFR has a big crazy chart on where Republican Congressional candidates Tom Mullins and Adam Kokesh are pulling their financial support.

Would-be muckrakers who try finding their campaign finance information on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s new Campaign Finance Information System will come up dry. That’s because the candidates in US House and Senate races file reports with the same agency that tracks Presidential campaign money: the Federal Election Commission.

Unfortunately, while the FEC website is full of historical and up-to-date information, it’s not exactly easy to navigate. To make matters worse, many FEC pages don’t identify second or third donations to a candidate from the same source, adding obstacles to the long slog toward reportorial accuracy.

That’s why the Center for Responsive Politics’ campaign finance site, OpenSecrets.org, is so handy.

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Today, New Mexico’s own US Sen. Tom Udall (D) brought some fresh, reformist air to the Senate Rules Committee. Here’s Udall on the need, recently obviated by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, for overhauling campaign finance:

Udall’s “ideal solution,” he says, is a constitutional amendment—the only way to truly curb corporations’ ability to weigh in heavily on political campaigns—but he says he plans to introduce a bill anyway. The forthcoming bill, Udall says, “makes fundamental, wholesale changes” to campaign finance and “contains a finding that America’s faith in the election system has been fundamentally corrupted by big money from outside interest groups.”

Yeah, Udall! Let’s hope this doesn’t somehow get twisted into a partisan showdown. Here’s the kicker: “It’s my hope that the high court’s disappointing decision will provide the push we need to put elections back in the hands of average Americans.”

The Sunlight Foundation and the Center for Responsive Politics have released an extremely timely and thorough expose,
“Curious Clusters“, involving “hidden” Congressional campaign contribution bundling by health care special interests. Here’s their 1-2-3 on the investigation:

The investigation identified outside lobbyists that donated to the same members of Congress as their clients, and strongly suggests that special interest giving is enhanced by the K Street contributors they hire…

There is no indication that the extra giving by lobbyists was part of a planned effort by the healthcare firms to solidify their support among key members of Congress. But whether coordinated or not, the newly-found clusters of lobbyist giving clearly illustrate the intensity of the full-court press that the industry is currently waging on Capitol Hill.

In all, 61 members of Congress—39 in the Senate, 22 in the House, 38 Democrats and 23 Republicans—got money from 10 or more outside lobbyists whose healthcare or health insurance industry clients also contributed to their campaigns.

Sen. Max Baucus, the Senate Finance Committee chairman who recently voted down two public-option amendments, was the third largest recipient after Republicans Sen. John McCain and Sen. Mitch McConnell. (click the chart to enlarge). Of the 61 members, only two New Mexican names turn up: Sen. Tom Udall and Rep. Martin Heinrich, both Democrats.

According to the research, Udall accepted $2,250 from two health-related organizations—Roche Holdings and UnitedHealth—which was then “enhanced”  ten-fold by $22,700 in donations from 21 lobbyists. Heinrich accepted $2,250 from Amgen, which was then amplified by $9,850 from 11 lobbyists.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, one of the original “gang of six” assigned to hash out a health reform bill and one of the eight Senate Finance members to vote for both public option amendments, was not one of the 61 Congressmen. Nor was Rep. Ben R. Lujan or Rep. Harry Teague.

The Attorney General’s Office has filed its third witness list in the case against Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr and his father, Jerome Block Sr; the prosecution’s filing lists as its new witness committee treasurer, Jacob Martinez, who was responsible, at least on paper, for handling the public campaign funds Block allegedly embezzled.

The document also lists as a witness a state police officer, Rafael Gomez, who concluded an investigation into a September break-in into Block’s home with the implication that it was an inside job, or at least perpetrated by someone intimately familiar with the house. The “ransacking” of Block’s home involved the alleged stealing of campaign finance documents and the words “Spic Liar” written on the wall of his office in green crayon.

The Blocks are accused of a range of felonies, including embezzlement, election law violations, tampering with evidence and conspiracy.

When last SFR spoke with Martinez, he said he could not comment on Block due to the pending case.

Tortilla Coast, DC’s unbuckle-your-beltway Mexican joint, is hosting a fundraiser for Rep. Ben Ray Lujan on Sept. 22. That’s a Tuesday and, according to TC’s web site, that means it’s Burrito Night! Yay! Burritos! The menu includes “The Big House” burrito, a veggie burrito, the “Inside Out” burrito, the “Big Tex” burrito, the “Sunset” burrito, and a”BBQ” burrito. Your choice for just $7.99.

Oh, wait. Make that $1,007.99.

The Sunlight Foundation’s Political Party Time site has posted information regarding Lujan’s latest fundraiser, including directions and a flyer. The event costs $1,000 for “guests,” $2,500 for “PAC sponsors” and $5,000 for “PAC Hosts.” Oh, but no nachos for federal lobbyists; your money’s no good with Lujan.

So, who, then, is shelling out the loot for a chance to chew the beans with Ben Ray? Spokesman Mark Nicastre says he’ll get back to us, via email, “We do not have final numbers or confirmed attendees for Tuesday’s event. Any contributions will be reflected on the 3rd quarter report, which will be released on October 15.”

CD-1’s Rep. Martin Heinrich is more of a breakfast man. He had one this morning at Jacob’s House and another brekkie scheduled for Tuesday at Johnnie’s Half Shell, each costing $500 per individual.

CD-2’s Rep. Harry Teague is the busiest fundraiser of all this week (and in all cases, the minimum price is $1,000):

Sept. 23rd, Breakfast @ Tortilla Coast
Sept. 22nd,  Energy Breakfast @ American Gas Association
Sept. 20th, Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants @ Cowboys Stadium
Sept. 17th, Labor Community Lunch @ Tortilla Coast

Lujan flyer after the jump.

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