With the republican brand damaged it looks like the GOP plan may be to use 527s and other 3rd party issues and fund raising groups even more than before. Also make it harder to track and expose embezzlement and easier to get at that lucious lobby money...According the a BNA Fund raising Report; (subscription required)

GOP Members Deadlock FEC, Undermining Positions on 527s, Embezzlement, Disclosure

In their first six months in office, newly appointed members of the Federal Election Commission have rolled back major precedents and transformed the agency's enforcement policies in key areas, according to a BNA review of FEC documents made public since the new commissioners arrived last summer. In a series of deadlocked votes that took place in closed sessions and have received little public attention, the FEC's three Republican commissioners have voted to reverse the agency's course on key issues, including:

• limits on so-called Section 527 political organizations;
• penalties for campaign aides who may have embezzled funds from political committees; and
• requirements for campaigns to use their "best efforts" to disclose identifying information about each contributor giving over $200, including the contributor's occupation and employer.

This is definitely something to keep an eye on headed into the midterms in 2010 and the prep for the onslaught of 2012. Especially the 527 bit which I am sure is going to give us all sorts of fabulous club for growth type shenanigans.