From the Washington Post: Members of Congress argue that these restrictions are necessary to reduce the spurious e-mails sent on behalf of constituents. Frankly, this is ludicrous. These extremely rare occurrences do not explain the majority or even a small percentage of the increase in communications with Congress.

From Roll Call: [Reform] groups are set to rally around a bill expected this week from Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Marty Meehan (D-Mass.) that will include reform provisions that were dropped or blocked from the leadership-approved overhaul measures. The bill would create an Office of Public Integrity to oversee compliance with new lobbying rules; require more frequent and fuller disclosures by lobbyists of their activities; ban gifts to lawmakers; and force them to pay fair market value for rides they catch on private planes.

Last week, the House approved an amendment offered by Steve King striking the federal funding for a gay and lesbian center. He says: “The gay and lesbian center in Los Angeles is free to advocate their views, but I do not believe that taxpayers should be forced to subsidize an organization that is so radically opposed to traditional values the overwhelming majority of Americans hold dear.” For the whole press release.

Newt Gingrich on BCRA, and the electioneering communications rule: This is horribly wrong. What would the Founding Fathers have thought of such free speech “blackout periods”? The days leading up to an election ought to be filled with debate. Free speech and activism, by informing and organizing the public, empower average citizens to promote a cause they believe in and to demand honest and responsive representation. Instead, the incumbent politicians that supported McCain-Feingold prefer to keep us quiet and prevent us from making noise about their records as Election Day gets closer.