...After more than two years, California’s political ethics watchdog has closed its investigation into a controversial campaign donor network, concluding that the group followed legal advice from the state and therefore did not violate contribution limits. The decision clears the way for a bold new approach to raising and spending money in California elections. Political committees now have state regulators’ blessing to create an unlimited number of affiliated committees with different leaders, and then closely coordinate fundraising and candidate donations among them. That could exponentially increase their influence on campaigns... .