BNA Money and Politics (subscription required) reports that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the congressional sponsors of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in regards to the federal court ruling in the Wisconsin Right to Life Inc. (WRTL) case. It was ruled that the group had the constitutional right to sponsor three grassroots lobbying advertisements during the 2004 election. WRTL filed a motion asking the Supreme Court to expedite consideration of the FEC's appeal. Both sides want the Supreme Court to review the case quickly.

Reuters reports that aid worker violence reached a high in 2006 with 90 major incidences. Over 40 percent took place in Sudan. The article addresses the need for non-governmental organizations to be recognized as neutral and impartial, regardless of skin color. "It's not just that aid workers are associated with political actors; they are political actors. In conflict situations, attacking them is seen as an effective way of controlling the local population."

The House ethics proposals were announced yesterday and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reaffirmed promises of reform. The proposals included the creation of a panel within the Appropriations Committee that will oversee intelligence agencies and a House task force to consider establishing an outside ethics panel.

Earlier in the week Roll Call (subscription required) reported that the Federal Elections Commissioned (FEC) was likely to fine some 527 groups involved in the 2004 campaign. Yesterday, the FEC fined three 527 groups, Swift Boat Veterans, the League of Conservation Voters and MoveOn.org’s Voter Fund, after determining that the organizations violated requirements to register as political committees. The groups registered with the IRS as 527s which bars them from express advocacy, but the FEC determined that their large donor funds set involvement in campaign activity as their major function.