Roll Call offers this report (paid subscription required), which begins: “Facing Democratic charges they’ve presided over a ‘do-nothing Congress,’ Republican leaders are trying to salvage a last-minute deal out of their four-month, intraparty standoff on lobbying reform. Republican aides said they are no closer to ironing out differences in the bills than they were over the summer, when a staring contest over the House-passed provision cracking down on 527s derailed progress. But even with chances of a breakthrough slim, top GOP lawmakers in both chambers are preparing to tackle narrow portions of the bill — at least those addressing earmark reform — with simple rules changes.” The newspaper also offers this related editorial, “Drop 527s–For Now.”