Campaign contributions from private contractors to elected officials are pretty common at the federal level, and it's something we've covered here in the past. This morning, the Trenton Times reports on pay-to-play ordinances with the Fair Lawn Borough Council in New Jersey.

Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-N.Y) nomination as Secretary of State has opened up a vacancy with no dearth of applicants in the Empire State. In the Washington Post today, the reporter and his sources handicap the race. And what was one of the requirements? Fundraising prowess. To be more exact, the candidate must be able to raise an estimated $35 million for their 2010 election to keep the seat.

This morning as I was reading through my newspapers, I noticed the ad on the back page of Roll Call from finance giant Merrill Lynch congratulating the new administration and new Congress on their Election Day wins.