Lobbying

Maine: “Maine Ethics Watchdog: Tighten lobbying limits for ex-legislators” by Michael Shepherd for Bangor Daily News

Campaign Finance

“It Was Huge: Trump inaugural drew slew of top-dollar checks” by Julie Bykowicz and Nancy Benac (Associated Press) for ABC News

“Ivanka Trump’s Global Reach, Undeterred by a White House Job” by Danny Hakim and Rachel Abrams for New York Times

California: “Real Estate Investor Fined $17,000 Over Excess L.A. City Council Campaign Donations” by Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times

Montana: “Montana House Rejects Bill to Raise Campaign Contributions” by Associated Press for U.S. News & World Report

Ethics

Illinois: “Independent Contractor Exemption Suffers Surprise Council Defeat” by Fran Spielman for Chicago Sun-Times

New Jersey: “Ex-Passaic Mayor Alex Blanco Gets 27 Months in Prison” by Richard Cowan and Kaitlin Kanzler for Bergen Record

Texas: “TABC Chief Will Resign after Agency Used Your Tax Dollars to Travel to Booze Industry Conferences” by Dagney Pruner for Dallas News

Elections

Georgia: “Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, Narrowly Misses Outright Win in Georgia House Race” by Jonathan Martin and Richard Fausset for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Florida: “Miami Lawmaker Apologizes on Senate Floor for Using Racial Slur” by Patricia Mazzei, Steve Bousquet, and Kristin Clark for Miami Herald