Quotes of the Week

Everyone agrees that there is a path to victory, but there is disagreement about what that path to victory is.

Travis Considine, speaking as he confirmed his departure and that of research director Andy Hemming from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's re-election campaign

I'm just trying to run for secretary of state. I hope I don't get indicted.

California state Sen. Leland Yee, speaking with undercover agents on his way to a meeting he had set up for $10,000

No matter how desirable it may seem, it is not an acceptable governmental objective to ‘level the playing field,’ or to ‘level electoral opportunities,’ or to ‘equalize the financial resources of candidates…’ The First Amendment prohibits such legislative attempts to ‘fine-tune’ the electoral process, no matter how well intentioned.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in his opinion in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission knocking down aggregate limits on campaign contributions

We hate it. We were joking around with the partners today: Guess my kids are going to community college. There is going to be no end in sight. Campaigns now will take as much as you will give.

Manuel Ortiz, a lobbyist at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, on the real aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court knocking down aggregate limits on giving to federal candidates and parties