Fierce Clean Elections opponent, Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce (R), was handily defeated in his recall election last night. The Huffington Post reported on the news last night. Pearce opponent, Jerry Lewis "won with roughly 54 percent of the vote," state officials announced on Tuesday evening.

At last night's Republican presidential debate, Rep. Michele Bachmann went after Rick Perry for taking money from Merck, a pharmaceutical giant, and then issuing an executive order that required Texas schoolgirls to receive vaccinations that Merck produces. While this is certainly troubling, and her noting of the influence of wealthy corporate and special interests is correct, her own record makes it clear that those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

The "Super Congress" created in the debt ceiling deal to address additional spending cuts or revenues will make it cheaper for Wall Street, tax dodging corporations, and special interest lobbyists to influence the spending cuts and revenue debate in Washington, according to a statement from Public Campaign Action Fund (PCAF).

Here's a round-up of Public Campaign and Public Campaign Action Fund's work for the week of July 25-July 29, 2011.

Millions of Americans rejoiced yesterday when a fierce negotiation involving billions and billions of dollars resulted in a deal that both sides are content with. No, I’m not talking about the debt ceiling impasse, which continues to threaten the economy, and America’s reputation all over the world.

The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. The latest Ken Burns Civil War documentary. Sesame Street. According to Gov. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), these programs and the countless others on PBS and NPR represent a "special interest." That's how Scott justified cutting all state funding to public television and radio last week.

Flaglerlive.com reported yesterday on Gov. Scott's veto of that portion of the state budget, noting that he called the action a "rejection of special interests."

Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) has an op-ed today in Politico that bemoans the heavy influence wealthy special interests have in distorting our elections and policymaking, and once again calls for the Fair Elections Now Act as a remedy.

"Today, it is those well-funded, but narrowly construed, special interests that provide the lion’s share of campaign funds — and exercise undue influence in tax and spending matters as a result."

The Washington Post has an editorial today on the Maryland General Assembly and the lack of action on good government reforms, despite a number of recent scandals.

"Only in the Maryland General Assembly, where reform legislation goes to
die, would so few be struck by the irony that bills to shine a light on
government and dampen the influence of special interests are killed more
or less in secret."

Politico has a story today on a recent poll commissioned by Common Cause, Change Congress and Public Campaign Action Fund that shows that voters believe special interests run the show in Washington. The survey also showed voters strongly favor revamping the campaign finance system with the Fair Elections Now Act.

The National Journal's blog "Under the Influence" has a posting today with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) discussing the impending U.S. Supreme Court decision on Citizens United vs. FEC and why it could be the impetus for Fair Elections campaign reform.