by Carrie Tian, policy intern

NEWS:

• Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue recently launched an online portal that allows citizens to enter some personal information to receive their Taxpayer Identification Number. Government officials hope the new portal will help cut down on fraud. (FutureGov)
• In California, legal defense funds are under scrutiny – bank accounts that politicians can open when an investigation or civil action against them is filed. There is no limit to how much a single person or corporation can give to these funds. Technically, they’re only supposed to be used for legal fees, but restrictions have been lax. (Common Blog)
• The Senate Conservatives Fund, a leading Tea Party-aligned super PAC, has taken to attacking Senate Minority Mitch McConnell, warning that the “least electable” senator could cost the Republicans their chance at the majority in 2014. (Washington Post)
• Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst organization is positioning itself as a major outside advocacy group, having tripled its fundraising haul in its second year and expanding into 18 states. (POLITICO)
• Mayor Michael Bloomberg is hosting a fundraiser at his house for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). Manchin may be safe in his seat until 2018, but this seems to be part of Bloomberg’s ongoing effort to reward the politicians who supported the Senate’s gun control bill – and punish those who didn’t. (BuzzFeed)