"Stop doing your job, and get to work!" That, of course, is not an actual quote from Republican party leadership, but after some members of the class of 2010 reported low fundraising numbers this quarter, one could imagine them hearing it. Open Secrets has a blog post today that delves into the fundraising numbers of the freshman class of lawmakers, who were sent here presumably to legislate, and have found that's not necessarily the priority. 

Here's a round-up of Public Campaign and Public Campaign Action Fund's work for the week of July 11-July 15, 2011.

This makes previous campaign fundraising records seem almost quaint. Politico reports today on President Obama's record-shattering fundraising haul of $86 million. Obama wasn't alone in stockpiling campaign cash ahead of the 2012 election.

Here's a round-up of Public Campaign and Public Campaign Action Fund's work for the week of July 5-July 8, 2011.

Here's a round-up of Public Campaign and Public Campaign Action Fund's work for the week of June 27-July 1, 2011.

Here's a round-up of Public Campaign and Public Campaign Action Fund's work for the week of June 20-24, 2011.

Who has time to govern when there's so much fundraising to do for the next election? An op-ed in the Virginia News Leader answers the question correctly: not Congress!

From the op-ed:

"This endless electioneering limits the work of governing, especially at the national level where large amounts of money are needed to campaign effectively, compelling candidates to spend more time fundraising."

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) will hold a hearing today as chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to “explore the challenges of separating politics from policy under the Hatch Act,” according to Politico. The Hatch Act prevents federal employees from participating in partisan political activity.

"Don't hate the players, hate the game." That old saying seems particularly appropriate for our current campaign finance system that seems to reward those who least deserve it. The Washington Post's Ezra Klein had a piece yesterday bemoaning how despite bringing our economy to the brink of collapse, being bailed out by the taxpayers, and getting protected in Congress, Wall Street continues to be the go-to spot for high-dollar campaign fundraising.

Former Sen. George Allen (and current Senate candidate) is holding a fundraiser today with some of his former colleagues at Cava, a Mediterranean restaurant, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.