WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Democratic congressman filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the Federal Election Commission, widening efforts to expose anonymous campaign donations as the 2012 U.S. election gets under way.

US President Barack Obama is weighing an order requiring firms seeking government contracts to disclose their political donations, the White House said Wednesday, drawing Republican outrage.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich goes on trial on Wednesday for a second time on charges he sold his office, including attempts to sell President Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich goes on trial on Wednesday for a second time on charges he sold his office, including attempts to sell President Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

MADISON, Wis (Reuters) - A Wisconsin railroad executive was charged with two felonies on Monday for making illegal campaign contributions to Republican Governor Scott Walker and other candidates, according to court records.

Bipartisanship has arrived in the capital, and it is ugly to behold.Once again, lawmakers are conspiring in their less-than-clever way to entomb reasonable campaign reform measures because they would create the horrifying result of more transparency.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - How do you spend a billion dollars?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is no longer the outsider candidate who fueled his bid for the White House in 2008 with a flood of small donations from new and young voters inspired by his message of hope and change.

President Barack Obama will launch his 2012 reelection campaign next week via an electronic message to his staunchest supporters, according to US media.

An upcoming book about Google claims that Eric Schmidt, who is to step down next week as chief executive, once asked for information about a political donation he made to be removed from the Internet giant's search engine, The New York Times reported Friday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court considered on Monday its first campaign finance case since ruling last year that corporations have the free-speech right to spend freely to support or oppose federal candidates.

Gay rights activist Fred Karger is running for president. The Republican filed his paperwork with the FEC on Wednesday. Gay rights activist Fred Karger is running for president. The Republican filed his paperwork with the FEC on Wednesday. ?Today is a very significant day for my community and me,? Karger said in a statement. ?I have just submitted my papers to the Federal Election Commission, making me the first candidate to file for the 2012 Republican nomination for President.? The former GOP consultant announced he was a considering a run at the White House last year in New Orleans during the annual Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC), the most prominent Republican meet up outside of the Republican National Convention. He went on to form a presidential exploratory committee, stumped in early caucus states New Hampshire and Iowa, and released ads in those states. The 61-year-old Karger, who in 2008 founded Californians Against Hate, a group that led boycotts against majo

If anyone thought Ross Miller was going to fake it, think again.The Democratic secretary of state, asked to investigate the son of the most powerful Democrat in the country not residing on Pennsylvania Avenue, is hardly shirking his duty. Miller sent a letter to former gubernatorial hopeful Rory Reid and his accomplices Friday as he began a probe into a campaign financing web that clearly violated the spirit and intent of the state's campaign financing laws.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Friday he would not step down after it emerged that he had received political donations from a foreign national, days after his foreign minister quit over a similar issue.

It was an unfortunate comparison, but all too apt.In arguing the legality of an outrageous scheme to allow Rory Reid's gubernatorial campaign to take a deÊfacto $750,000 contribution from one source, his law partner said this week: "The (state's) campaign practices act is not unlike the federal money laundering law."

Retail giant Target has said it was 'surprise and disappointed' that Lady Gaga walked away from an exclusive deal over gay rights issues. Retail giant Target has said it was 'surprise and disappointed' that singer Lady Gaga walked away from an exclusive deal over gay rights issues. Target announced last month that it would be selling a deluxe edition of Lady Gaga's second studio album Born This Way starting in May. On Tuesday, gay glossy The Advocate reported that the deal was off. In a interview with Billboard magazine, Lady Gaga, an avid supporter of gay rights, said that the decision ?hinged? on Target making ?amends for the mistakes they've made in the past.? ?Our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those [anti-gay] groups,? she said. ?We were very surprised and disappointed by the statements made by Lady Gaga's organization related to her partnership with Target,? the company said i

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara rejected a plea from the prime minister to stay in his post after he offered his resignation over criticism for accepting political donations from a foreign national, Kyodo news agency said on Sunday.

Rory Reid kept using the word "transparent" last week to describe an elaborate ruse so he could accept a $750,000 contribution from a single political action committee ? 75 times the legal limit.He's right. It was transparent. But not in the way he means it.

Legislature should pass a bill to provide real transparency in elections. Secretary of State Ross Miller has proposed an overhaul of Nevada's campaign finance laws, which is badly needed.In a hearing in the Assembly on Tuesday, Miller noted that on several high-profile studies, Nevada had been given an F for transparency. Miller told the Assembly that his proposals, contained in Assembly Bills 81 and 82, were intended to "let voters know who's funding the campaigns."

Earthquake-hit New Zealand wants US talk show hosts Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman to help fundraising efforts after the disaster that devastated Christchurch, a report said Monday.