April 22, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance North Dakota: “North Dakota House Passes Campaign Finance Bill Changing Deadlines, Donor Disclosures” by Grant Coursey (Bismarck Tribune) for Fargo Forum Ethics California: “Another Top Staffer Quits Oakland Public Ethics Commission” by Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN Hawaii: “Hawai’i County Moves to Adopt […]
Campaign Finance
North Dakota: “North Dakota House Passes Campaign Finance Bill Changing Deadlines, Donor Disclosures” by Grant Coursey (Bismarck Tribune) for Fargo Forum
Ethics
California: “Another Top Staffer Quits Oakland Public Ethics Commission” by Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN
Hawaii: “Hawai’i County Moves to Adopt Nepotism Rules for Government Employees” by Chad Blair for Honolulu Civil Beat
Nevada: “Nevada Lawmakers Often Fail to Disclose Rental Property Income, Point to Confusing Forms” by Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren for Nevada Independent
Ohio: “Ethics Probe Set Stage for Kenni Burns’ Firing as Kent State Football Coach, with Independent Firm uncovering $100K Loan from Booster” by Tyler Carey (WKYC) for MSN
Oregon: “Former OLCC Execs Agree to Ethics Fines for Diverting Pappy Van Winkle” by Noelle Crombie (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Tennessee: “Corruption Trial of Ex-House Speaker Casada, Aide Cothren Starts This Week. What to Know” by Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) for Yahoo News
Legislative Issues
Washington: “As in D.C., a Fight Breaks Out in Washington State Over Who Gets Access to Lawmakers” by Daniel Walters (InvestigateWest) for Spokane Public Radio
April 21, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Ethics California: “Former L.A. Councilmember Kevin de León Faces Ethics Fine for Voting on Issues in Which He Had a Financial Stake” by Ben Poston (Los Angeles Times) for MSN National: “After Harvard, Liberal Donors and Groups Fear New Scrutiny from Trump” by Theodore […]
April 17, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Florida: “State Workers Who Solicit Campaign Cash Could Face Criminal Charges Under Florida Bill” by Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenboge (Miami Herald) for MSN New Jersey: “Gottheimer Funnels $10 Million from Congressional Campaign into Group Supporting Bid for Gov” by Madison Fernandez […]
Campaign Finance
Florida: “State Workers Who Solicit Campaign Cash Could Face Criminal Charges Under Florida Bill” by Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenboge (Miami Herald) for MSN
New Jersey: “Gottheimer Funnels $10 Million from Congressional Campaign into Group Supporting Bid for Gov” by Madison Fernandez (Politico) for MSN
Elections
National: “DNC Leader Announces Plans to Primary Members of His Own Party” by Dylan Wells (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “SF Will Let Nonprofits Report Less About Themselves Due to Fears of Political Attacks” by Katie DeBenedetti for KQED
California: “Anaheim Chamber of Commerce to Close in Aftermath of Corruption Probes” by Hosam Elattar for Voice of OC
National: “Justice Department Must Provide Details of Attempts to Return Illegally Deported Man, Judge Says” by Steve Thompson and Katie Mettler (Washington Post) for MSN
Georgia: “2 Protesters at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall Are Subdued with Stun Guns” by Maya Miller (New York Times) for DNyuz
Hawaii: “Honolulu Director’s Free Trip to Poland Raises Ethics Questions” by Christina Jedra for Honolulu Civil Beat
New York: “NYCHA Paid Out Millions to Bribe-Paying Contractors Implicated in Corruption Takedown” by Greg Smith for The City
April 16, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Connecticut: “Ex-Bridgeport BOE Member’s Lie to Grand Jury Involved 2018 Campaign Event at Dolphin’s Cove: Records” by Jarrod Wardwell for Middletown Press New York: “NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Andrew Cuomo Denied $2.5 Million in Public Matching Funds Over Missing Information” by Chris Sommerfeldt […]
Campaign Finance
Connecticut: “Ex-Bridgeport BOE Member’s Lie to Grand Jury Involved 2018 Campaign Event at Dolphin’s Cove: Records” by Jarrod Wardwell for Middletown Press
New York: “NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Andrew Cuomo Denied $2.5 Million in Public Matching Funds Over Missing Information” by Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “‘Nothing But a Pattern’: Ethics advocates alarmed by delay for House watchdog” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN
National: “Harvard Hit with $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze After Rejecting Trump’s Demands” by Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) for MSN
Maine: “Trump Administration to Pull Maine K-12 Funding Over Trans Athletes Dispute” by Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Greene Bought Market Dip Before Trump Paused Tariffs, Profiting from the Rally” by Annie Karni (New York Times) for DNyuz
North Dakota: “North Dakota House Removes New Ethics Commission Position from Budget, Adds 6-Month Deadline” by Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) for Yahoo News
Pennsylvania: “Man Charged with Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion Denied Bail” by Justine McDaniel, Amber Ferguson, and Annabelle Timsit (Washington Post) for MSN
April 15, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Florida: “Here’s Where $10 Million Donation to DeSantis’ Hope Florida Effort Went” by Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Tampa Bay Times) for MSN Texas: “A Texas Republican Benefited from Out-of-State Donors. Now He Wants to Limit Their Impact” by Nolan McCaskill (Dallas […]
Campaign Finance
Florida: “Here’s Where $10 Million Donation to DeSantis’ Hope Florida Effort Went” by Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Tampa Bay Times) for MSN
Texas: “A Texas Republican Benefited from Out-of-State Donors. Now He Wants to Limit Their Impact” by Nolan McCaskill (Dallas Morning News) for MSN
Elections
North Carolina: “North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Most Challenged Ballots Must Stay in Election Count” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “Amid Trump’s Pause on Foreign Bribery Cases, One Involving a Company His Allies Targeted Will Proceed” by Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Some DOGE Staffers Hold High-Powered Jobs at Multiple Federal Agencies” by Faiz Siddiqui and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) for MSN
Illinois: “Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Resistance to Ethics Reforms Draws Criticism” by Jake Sheridan (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News
National: “Sarah Palin, New York Times to Face Off in Defamation Retrial” by Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
Montana: “Bill to Streamline Legislator-to-Lobbyist ‘Revolving Door’ Voted Down in Montana House” by Seaborn Larson (Montana State News Bureau) for Longview News-Journal
April 14, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Hawaii: “Hawai’I Lawmakers Appear Poised to Crack Down on Pay-To-Play Politics” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat Nevada: “Secretary of State’s Bill Would Allow Some Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) for Yahoo News Elections National: “House Passes […]
Campaign Finance
Hawaii: “Hawai’I Lawmakers Appear Poised to Crack Down on Pay-To-Play Politics” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat
Nevada: “Secretary of State’s Bill Would Allow Some Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) for Yahoo News
Elections
National: “House Passes Voter Registration Bill That Would Require Proof of Citizenship” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN
Ethics
California: “California’s Lieutenant Governor Leases Offices to the State. What If She’s Elected Governor?” by Alexei Koseff (CalMatters) for MSN
National: “At the Supreme Court, the Trump Agenda Is Always an ‘Emergency'” by Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) for DNyuz
Massachusetts: “Cape Cod State Rep. Accused of Stealing from Former Employer to Fund Campaign Expenses, Psychic Services” by Abby Patkin (Boston.com) for MSN
Minnesota: “Champion Directed Public Funds to Another Nonprofit He Later Did Legal Work For, Records Show” by Christopher Ingraham (Minnesota Reformer) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
New Mexico: “NM Governor Nixes New License Plates, State Bread, Lobbying Disclosure” by Julia Goldberg and Danielle Prokop (Source New Mexico) for Yahoo News
April 11, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 11, 2025
National/Federal Trump Sidelines Justice Dept. Legal Office, Eroding Another Check on His Power DNyuz – Charlie Savage (New York Times) | Published: 4/4/2025 The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has traditionally been a powerful guardrail in government. It has issued interpretations […]
National/Federal
Trump Sidelines Justice Dept. Legal Office, Eroding Another Check on His Power
DNyuz – Charlie Savage (New York Times) | Published: 4/4/2025
The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has traditionally been a powerful guardrail in government. It has issued interpretations of the law that bind agencies across the executive branch, decided which proposed policies were legally permissible, and approved draft executive orders before they went to presidents to be signed. But in President Trump’s second term, the office has largely been sidelined. As Trump issues policies that push legal limits and asserts an expansive view of his power, the White House has undercut its role, delaying giving it senior leadership and weakening its ability to impose quality control over executive orders.
Democratic Attorneys General Sue to Block Trump’s Voting Restrictions
MSN – Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 4/3/2025
A coalition of 19 Democratic state attorneys general sued the Trump administration seeking to block President Trump’s effort to impose new voting restrictions across the country, calling his recent executive order unconstitutional, antidemocratic, and un-American. Though the constitution grants most power over elections to the states, Trump signed an executive order last week demanding changes including a new requirement for voters to produce documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Justice Department Lawyers Struggle to Defend a Mountain of Trump Executive Orders
MSN – Carrie Johnson (NPR) | Published: 4/3/2025
In courtrooms all over the country, the Justice Department has been busy defending President Trump’s executive actions. But in many of those cases, the government’s own lawyers have been struggling to answer questions and having to correct the record. It is a function of how aggressively Trump has moved so far and how the attorneys have been having a hard time keeping up.
Judge Orders White House Ban on AP Lifted
MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 4/8/2025
A judge ordered the White House to lift a nearly two-month-long set of access restrictions it placed on the Associated Press (AP) while the news organization’s lawsuit against three Trump administration officials plays out. Since February 11, AP reporters have been prevented from being at Oval Office events, on Air Force One flights. and at other official presidential events because the news organization refused to primarily use the name Gulf of America when referring to the body of water, instead of the Gulf of Mexico.
As Tariffs Set to Take Effect, Confusion Reigns on K Street
MSN – Caitlin Oprysko and Gabby Miller (Politico) | Published: 4/8/2025
As the White House rolls out its tariff plan, lobbyists across Washington are working to decipher the administration’s muddled messaging and translate it into a strategy for relief for their clients. In some cases, lobbyists are still puzzling out who they should contact at the White House to ensure their concerns are heard, or how the new duties will be implemented.
House Rejects Proxy Voting for New Parents, Chooses ‘Pairing’ Instead
MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 4/8/2025
A weeks-long dustup over proxy voting for new parents in the U.S. House came to an end despite a last-ditch effort from one of its chief proponents. “Congress is stuck doing things the way that we did hundreds of years ago, and it’s time that we move it to the 21st century,” said Rep. Brittany Pettersen. She has led the charge to allow proxy voting for up to 12 weeks after birth.
Trump Directs Justice Dept. to Probe Officials Who Opposed Him in First Term
MSN – Kelly Kasulis Cho (Washington Post) | Published: 4/10/2025
President Trump signed sweeping presidential memorandums targeting two former government officials who opposed his actions in his first term, his latest effort to use the powers of the presidency to punish people and institutions who have challenged him. Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Chris Krebs and former homeland security official Miles Taylor, who penned an anonymous 2018 New York Times op-ed titled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.”
U.S. Will Monitor Immigrants’ Social Media for ‘Antisemitic Activity’
MSN – Anumita Kaur and María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 4/9/2025
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin screening immigrants’ social media accounts for antisemitic content as grounds to deny visa and green-card applications, a move immigration law and free-speech experts condemn as an alarming federal overstep. The announcement raised concern among experts that the policy is too vague and would rely heavily on the personal opinions of officials.
Trump Told People to Buy. Hours Later, His Tariff Pause Sent Markets Soaring.
MSN – Rachel Lerman and Douglas MacMillan (Washington Post) | Published: 4/9/2025
Less than four hours before President Trump’s announcement that he was pausing tariffs sent markets soaring, he posted online telling his millions of social media followers it was a good time to buy. Democrats are now accusing Trump of “market manipulation.” The president holds much of his net worth in his stake in Truth Social’s parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group. The company’s stock rallied with the broader markets after the tariff announcement, closing the day up more than 21 percent.
White House Says It Ignores Journalists Who Use Pronouns in Email Bios
MSN – Gaya Gupta (Washington Post) | Published: 4/9/2025
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she will not engage with reporters who list their pronouns in their email signatures, the Trump administration’s latest move to target expressions of gender identity in the workplace. Including one’s pronouns in introductions, over email and in-person, has become normalized across many industries in recent years as a way to show support with the transgender or nonbinary community and prevent misgendering. But the practice has since been fiercely rejected by Republican politicians.
US Appeals Court Blocks Trump from Removing Democrats from Labor Boards
Reuters – David Wiessner and Jonathan Stempel | Published: 4/7/2025
A federal appeals court blocked President Trump from removing Democratic members from two federal labor boards, setting aside its earlier ruling. The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit further complicates a pair of cases that are emerging as key tests of Trump’s efforts to bring federal agencies meant to be independent from the White House under his control.
He Said He Would Ban Congressional Stock Trading. Now in Office, He Trades Freely.
Scranton Times-Tribune – Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 4/6/2025
When Rob Bresnahan, Jr., a wealthy Republican business executive, was running to represent a competitive U.S. House district in Pennsylvania, he published a letter to the editor in a local newspaper demanding an end to stock trading by members of Congress. If elected, Bresnahan told voters, he would co-sponsor legislation to ban stock trading by members of Congress. More than two months after being sworn in, Bresnahan has not introduced or co-sponsored such a bill. He has emerged as one of the most active stock traders in the freshman class.
Musk’s DOGE Using AI to Snoop on U.S. Federal Workers, Sources Say
Yahoo News – Alexandra Ulmer, Marisa Taylor, Jeffrey Dastin, and Alexandra Alper (Reuters) | Published: 4/8/2025
Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency’s communications for hostility to President Trump and his agenda. While much of DOGE remains shrouded in secrecy, the surveillance would mark an extraordinary use of technology to identify expressions of perceived disloyalty in a workforce already upended by widespread firings and cost cutting.
From the States and Municipalities
California – Pro-Car Great Highway Group Faces Ethics Fine for Skirting S.F. Campaign Laws
Mission Local – Eleni Balakrishnan | Published: 4/9/2025
Open the Great Highway faces a fine from the San Francisco Ethics Commission for violating campaign finance law. It has been reported that Open the Great Highway was campaigning against Proposition K and soliciting donations without registering as a PAC with the California Secretary of State, a requirement for any group soliciting political donations above a certain threshold.
Florida – Florida Teacher Loses Job for Calling Student by Preferred Name
MSN – Laura Meckler and Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 4/10/2025
A Florida high school teacher lost her job after calling a student by an alternative name without parental permission, sparking community backlash in the conservative area as school officials sought to comply with state law. It is the first known dismissal resulting from the campaign to shut down recognition of alternative gender identities, a policy piloted by Florida that spread to other Republican states and now has been taken up by the Trump administration.
Florida – Transgender Student’s Arrest for Violating Florida Bathroom Law Is Thought to Be a First
MSN – Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) | Published: 4/3/2025
A transgender college student declared “I am here to break the law” before entering a women’s restroom at the Florida Capitol and being led out in handcuffs by police. Civil rights attorneys say the arrest of Marcy Rheintgen is the first they know of for violating transgender bathroom restrictions passed by numerous state Legislatures across the country.
Florida – State Officials Steered $10 Million Settlement to Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida Charity
MSN – Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Miami Herald) | Published: 4/8/2025
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration diverted $10 million in state settlement money last year to the charity arm of a welfare initiative led by his wife. The unusual injection of cash was part of an undisclosed settlement agreement involving Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration. The money went to the Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit that was established by the state to help realize Casey DeSantis’s vision to reshape welfare.
Idaho – Idaho Republican’s Bill Would Have Let Her Husband Sue Boise. Rules Say It’s OK
MSN – Sarah Cutler (Idaho Statesman) | Published: 4/7/2025
State Sen. Codi Galloway sponsored a bill to ban homeless encampments in large Idaho cities, including Boise, which she represents. In its initial form, the bill would have allowed business owners to sue cities that failed to enforce the ban. Galloway did not disclose that her husband could be one of the people filing such a lawsuit.
MSN – Addison Wright and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 4/9/2025
The Illinois State Board of Elections said Senate President Don Harmon’s campaign committee has accepted $4 million in prohibited donations. At issue is whether a loophole that allows politicians to remove campaign contribution limits was in effect when he collected what is deemed extra cash. Harmon has repeatedly given or loaned his campaign fund more than $100,000 over the years, opening the loophole and allowing him to collect unlimited sums of money. It is a maneuver political insiders call “the money bomb.”
Illinois – Anointed by Powerful Father, State Sen. Emil Jones III Heads to Trial on Bribery Charges
Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 4/6/2025
Illinois Sen. Emil Jones III, whose father led the state Senate for years, is on trial for allegedly agreeing to help a red-light camera company alter legislation in exchange for $5,000 and a job for his legislative intern. It is the first case from a sprawling red-light camera probe to go before a jury, and will feature testimony from FBI mole Omar Maani, a founder and executive at SafeSpeed.
Indiana – Diego Morales’ $90K SUV Came from Dealership That Gave Him $65K in Campaign Donations
Indianapolis Star – Hayleigh Columbo | Published: 4/4/2025
Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith are under scrutiny after using state funds to buy premium SUVs costing the state around $90,000 each. In Morales’ case, his 2024 GMC Yukon Denali comes from Kelley Automotive Group in Fort Wayne, owned by Thomas Kelley, who has given Morales’s campaign $65,000 since 2022. Kelley sits on the state’s Motor Vehicle Advisory Board with Morales, which advises the secretary of state’s office on matters related to the regulation of automobile dealers in Indiana.
Kansas – Kansas Governor Signs Bill Doubling Campaign Finance Limits on Legislative Candidates
Yahoo News – Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 4/9/2025
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill into law that doubles campaign contribution limits to statewide and legislative candidates. The governor also signed legislation that creates a new definition for “cooperation or consent” in relation to express advocacy expenditures. For example, it would exclude a candidate’s or political party’s expenditures in response to inquiries about positions on legislative issues or the endorsement of a candidate.
Maine – Censured Lawmaker Seeks Immediate Restoration of Voting Rights in House
Yahoo News – Emily Allen (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 4/4/2025
A Maine lawmaker is asking a federal judge to immediately restore her ability to vote in the Legislature despite being over social media posts she made that identified a transgender student-athlete. Rep. Laurel Libby has argued the censure violates her First and 14th Amendment rights by punishing her for “protected speech outside the walls of the State House.”
Massachusetts – Canadian Utility Company Paid for Parts of Mass. Lawmakers’ Trip to Hydroelectric Facility
MSN – Chris Van Buskirk (Boston Herald) | Published: 4/9/2025
A group of Massachusetts lawmakers who visited Canadian hydroelectric facilities in March were ferried there at the expense of a public utility company that runs a power line between Quebec and Ayer. The cadre of elected officials, which was made up of three senators and eight representatives, touted the three-day trip as an “alternative energy fact finding” mission.
Massachusetts – Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson to Plead Guilty in Federal Corruption Case, and Will Resign
MSN – Gayla Cawley (Boston Herald) | Published: 4/8/2025
Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson plans to plead guilty in a federal public corruption case tied to allegations she stole thousands of dollars from taxpayers in a kickback scheme that took place in City Hall and intends to resign. Prosecutors recommend that Fernandes Anderson be sentenced to prison for a year and a day, and that she pay $13,000 in restitution.
Minnesota – DFL Senate President Steered Millions in Public Funds to a Legal Client
Yahoo News – Christopher Ingraham (Minnesota Reformer) | Published: 4/4/2025
Minnesota Senate President Bobby Joe Champion faces questions about a possible conflict-of-interest related to his legal work and funding bills he sponsored. It was reported that Champion worked with a client, the Rev. Jerry McAfee, on a pro bono basis. McAfee’s nonprofit group 21 Days of Peace later received state grant funds from an account that Champion worked to authorize.
Mississippi – Judge Tosses Former Miss. Governor’s Suit Against Pulitzer-Winning Reporter
MSN – Samantha Cherry and Avi Selk (Washington Post) | Published: 4/5/2025
A judge dismissed former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant’s defamation lawsuit against a news nonprofit that investigated his connections to a $77 million public welfare scandal, sparing the newsroom from being forced to reveal internal documents and confidential sources it used for the Pulitzer-winning series. The dismissal was applauded by press freedom groups that viewed the suit as an effort to punish Mississippi Today and its journalists for scrutinizing government officials.
New Jersey – A Teachers’ Union Is Spending Millions to Elect Its Boss Governor
DNyuz – Tracey Tully (New York Times) | Published: 4/9/2025
Sean Spiller failed to qualify for matching state campaign funds and fell short of the threshold to participate in two upcoming debates as he runs for governor of New Jersey. His spokesperson works for a consulting firm in Washington, and he has no paid campaign manager. But Spiller has something the other five Democrats running for governor do not: a $35 million blank check from a group with close ties to the labor union he leads, the New Jersey Education Association.
New Mexico – NM Ethics Commission Has Authority Over Lobbying Advertising Campaigns, Court of Appeals Rules
Yahoo News – Austin Fisher (Source New Mexico) | Published: 4/7/2025
The New Mexico Court of Appeals ruled that when lawmakers passed the State Ethics Commission Act, they intended to give the panel power to handle complaints not only about individual lobbyists and their employers, but also to organizations that run lobbying advertising campaigns. The ruling stems from a complaint filed against New Mexico Families Forward. Former Rep. Ambrose Castellano alleged the group violated the law by failing to disclose the identity of its donors, and how much they had given.
New York – This Agency Fights Corruption. New York City Leaders Have Weakened It.
DNyuz – Jan Ransom (New York Times) | Published: 4/6/2025
In recent months, New York City’s government has been rocked by corruption scandals at a pace not seen in nearly a century. Yet over the past few years, New York’s leaders have presided over a gradual weakening of the city’s leading corruption-fighting agency, the Department of Investigation. In recent months, the agency has been so strapped for funds that it has tapped millions of dollars forfeited by people convicted of crimes to cover basic operating costs.
North Carolina – Court Directive to Notify Voters in Close North Carolina Election Blocked for Now
MSN – Gary Robertson (Associated Press) | Published: 4/7/2025
The North Carolina Supreme Court temporarily halted enforcement of an appeals court decision that favored a Republican candidate in a close and unresolved November election for a seat on the state’s highest court. The Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of an order by a Court of Appeals panel that in part directed election workers to identify and contact potentially tens of thousands of voters whose ballots were challenged by Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin.
North Dakota – House Committee Recommends Removing New Ethics Commission Position, Adding Deadline
Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 4/8/2025
A House committee recommended several sweeping changes to the North Dakota Ethics Commission’s budget, including cutting a new full-time staff member and adding a new six-month deadline for processing ethics complaints. The commission called the changes “a roadblock intended to hamper the commission’s work.”
Ohio – House Republicans Propose Eliminating the State’s Campaign Finance Enforcer
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 4/4/2025
Ohio House Republicans want to eliminate a regulatory body that enforces deadlines and accuracy of candidates’ campaign finance spending and fundraising reports. While their proposed state budget does not repeal the section of state law that created the Ohio Elections Commission 30 years ago, it reduces its budget from about $432,000 this year to zero in the next two fiscal years.
MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 4/2/2025
Former Cleveland City Councilperson Basheer Jones was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for using his influence to benefit him and a romantic partner. The judge also ordered the one-time mayoral candidate to pay back $143,000 that he and others made off three schemes in which they swindled nonprofits. Jones is the sixth council member in the last two decades to be convicted of corruption-related charges.
Pennsylvania – Emails Between Pa. Lawmakers and Lobbyists Will Remain Hidden from the Public After Court Ruling
Yahoo News – Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) | Published: 4/8/2025
A panel of Commonwealth Court judges ruled the state Legislature can continue to shield from public view written interactions lawmakers have with lobbyists. Good-government advocates called the ruling a missed opportunity to create more transparency around the inner workings of the Legislature, which has exempted itself from having to disclose many records – including emails – the executive branch routinely makes public.
Tennessee – Pardoned Ex-Sen. Kelsey Wrangles for Amendment to Campaign Finance Bill
Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 4/9/2025
Straight off a prison stint cut short by a presidential pardon, former Tennessee Sen. Brian Kelsey is maneuvering for legislation to pay his legal expenses. Kelsey, who served two weeks in prison for directing an illicit campaign finance scheme, is lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation that would enable him to use his state campaign account to pay legal fees after three years of court battles.
Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott Sets Nov. 4 Special Election to Fill U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s Seat
MSN – Jasper Scherer, Kayla Guo (Texas Tribune), and Natalia Contreras (Votebeat) | Published: 4/7/2025
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott set November 4 as the special election date to fill the congressional seat left vacant by former U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s death, a timeline that leaves the solidly Democratic seat vacant for at least seven months as Republicans look to drive President Trump’s agenda through a narrowly divided Congress. Turner died March 5, two months into his first ter. State law does not specify a deadline for the governor to order a special election.
Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Former Aides Win $6.6 Million in Whistleblower Case
MSN – Ayden Runnels and Jasper Scherer (Texas Tribune) | Published: 4/4/2025
A judge awarded $6.6 million to four former senior aides to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who said they were improperly fired after reporting Paxton to the FBI. The case was sparked when eight former aides, including the four plaintiffs, reported Paxton to federal authorities in over his relations with Nate Paul, a friend and real estate investor. The whistleblowers accused Paxton of abusing his office to do favors for Paul, including by hiring an outside lawyer to investigate claims made by Paul and providing him confidential law enforcement documents.
VTDigger – Shaun Robinson | Published: 4/8/2025
The bag-soaking scandal that catapulted the Vermont House into national headlines last year and focused attention on the chamber’s internal committee that investigated the incident has prompted lawmakers to tweak the rules guiding inquiries into their colleagues allegedly bad behavior. The House gave preliminary approval to a set of rule changes that would give the secretive House Ethics Panel more leeway to describe its work to the public and the press. It would also require the panel to issue public reports on each of its investigations.
Wisconsin – Former Wisconsin Justice to Give Up Law License Over 2020 Election Review
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 4/7/2025
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman agreed to give up his law license for three years after facing a string of ethics allegations stemming from his error-riddled review of the 2020 election for Republican lawmakers. Gableman conceded that legal regulators had produced enough evidence to find he had violated state ethics rules for lawyers. He gave up his legal fight over the matter a week after a candidate backed by Democrats won a seat on the state’s high court and locked in a likely liberal majority for years.
April 10, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Illinois: “Illinois Senate President Don Harmon Improperly Accepted $4 Million in Campaign Cash, Election Authorities Say” by Addison Wright and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) for MSN Kansas: “Kansas Governor Signs Bill Doubling Campaign Finance Limits on Legislative Candidates” by Tim Carpenter (Kansas […]
Campaign Finance
Illinois: “Illinois Senate President Don Harmon Improperly Accepted $4 Million in Campaign Cash, Election Authorities Say” by Addison Wright and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) for MSN
Kansas: “Kansas Governor Signs Bill Doubling Campaign Finance Limits on Legislative Candidates” by Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) for Yahoo News
New Jersey: “A Teachers’ Union Is Spending Millions to Elect Its Boss Governor” by Tracey Tully (New York Times) for DNyuz
Elections
North Carolina: “Court Directive to Notify Voters in Close North Carolina Election Blocked for Now” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Judge Orders White House Ban on AP Lifted” by Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) for MSN
Florida: “Transgender Student’s Arrest for Violating Florida Bathroom Law Is Thought to Be a First” by Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) for MSN
North Dakota: “House Committee Recommends Removing New Ethics Commission Position, Adding Deadline” by Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) for Yahoo News
Legislative Issues
National: “House Rejects Proxy Voting for New Parents, Chooses ‘Pairing’ Instead” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN
Lobbying
Massachusetts: “Canadian Utility Company Paid for Parts of Mass. Lawmakers’ Trip to Hydroelectric Facility” by Chris Van Buskirk (Boston Herald) for MSN
April 9, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Elections Texas: “Gov. Greg Abbott Sets Nov. 4 Special Election to Fill U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s Seat” by Jasper Scherer, Kayla Guo (Texas Tribune), and Natalia Contreras (Votebeat) for MSN Wisconsin: “Former Wisconsin Justice to Give Up Law License Over 2020 Election Review” by […]
Elections
Texas: “Gov. Greg Abbott Sets Nov. 4 Special Election to Fill U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s Seat” by Jasper Scherer, Kayla Guo (Texas Tribune), and Natalia Contreras (Votebeat) for MSN
Wisconsin: “Former Wisconsin Justice to Give Up Law License Over 2020 Election Review” by Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Justice Department Lawyers Struggle to Defend a Mountain of Trump Executive Orders” by Carrie Johnson (NPR) for MSN
National: “Musk’s DOGE Using AI to Snoop on U.S. Federal Workers, Sources Say” by Alexandra Ulmer, Marisa Taylor, Jeffrey Dastin, and Alexandra Alper (Reuters) for Yahoo News
Florida: “State Officials Steered $10 Million Settlement to Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida Charity” by Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Miami Herald) for MSN
Idaho: “Idaho Republican’s Bill Would Have Let Her Husband Sue Boise. Rules Say It’s OK” by Sarah Cutler (Idaho Statesman) for MSN
Massachusetts: “Boston City Councilor Signs Plea Deal in Federal Criminal Case, Records Show” by Phil Tenser (WCVB) for MSN
Lobbying
Pennsylvania: “Emails Between Pa. Lawmakers and Lobbyists Will Remain Hidden from the Public After Court Ruling” by Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) for Yahoo News
April 8, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Ethics National: “He Said He Would Ban Congressional Stock Trading. Now in Office, He Trades Freely.” by Annie Karni (New York Times) for Scranton Times-Tribune National: “US Appeals Court Blocks Trump from Removing Democrats from Labor Boards” by David Wiessner and Jonathan Stempel for […]
Ethics
National: “He Said He Would Ban Congressional Stock Trading. Now in Office, He Trades Freely.” by Annie Karni (New York Times) for Scranton Times-Tribune
National: “US Appeals Court Blocks Trump from Removing Democrats from Labor Boards” by David Wiessner and Jonathan Stempel for Reuters
Minnesota: “DFL Senate President Steered Millions in Public Funds to a Legal Client” by Christopher Ingraham (Minnesota Reformer) for Yahoo News
Mississippi: “Judge Tosses Former Miss. Governor’s Suit Against Pulitzer-Winning Reporter” by Samantha Cherry and Avi Selk (Washington Post) for MSN
New York: “This Agency Fights Corruption. New York City Leaders Have Weakened It.” by Jan Ransom (New York Times) for DNyuz
Texas: “Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Former Aides Win $6.6 Million in Whistleblower Case” by Ayden Runnels and Jasper Scherer (Texas Tribune) for MSN
Legislative Issues
Maine: “Censured Lawmaker Seeks Immediate Restoration of Voting Rights in House” by Emily Allen (Portland Press Herald) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
New Mexico: “NM Ethics Commission Has Authority Over Lobbying Advertising Campaigns, Court of Appeals Rules” by Austin Fisher (Source New Mexico) for Yahoo News
April 7, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Ohio: “House Republicans Propose Eliminating the State’s Campaign Finance Enforcer” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN West Virginia: “Senate Moves Vetoed Election Bill Across Legislative Finish Line” by Emily Rice for West Virginia Public Radio Elections […]
Campaign Finance
Ohio: “House Republicans Propose Eliminating the State’s Campaign Finance Enforcer” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
West Virginia: “Senate Moves Vetoed Election Bill Across Legislative Finish Line” by Emily Rice for West Virginia Public Radio
Elections
National: “Democratic Attorneys General Sue to Block Trump’s Voting Restrictions” by Maeve Reston (Washington Post) for MSN
North Carolina: “Ruling Says More Than 60,000 N.C. Voters Must Prove Eligibility in Court Race” by Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Trump Sidelines Justice Dept. Legal Office, Eroding Another Check on His Power” by Charlie Savage (New York Times) for DNyuz
Indiana: “Diego Morales’ $90K SUV Came from Dealership That Gave Him $65K in Campaign Donations” by Hayleigh Columbo for Indianapolis Star
Ohio: “Ex-Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones Sentenced to 2 Years, 4 Months in Prison for Corruption Schemes” by Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “‘Everyone Is Terrified’: Business and government officials are afraid to cross Trump on tariffs” by Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) for MSN
April 4, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 4, 2025
National/Federal Disbanded Anti-Kleptocracy Unit Had Entangled Trump Allies MSN – Peter Whoriskey (Washington Post) | Published: 3/27/2025 For 14 years, a team at the Justice Department investigated foreign kleptocrats, recovering hundreds of millions in cash and valuables that had been […]
National/Federal
Disbanded Anti-Kleptocracy Unit Had Entangled Trump Allies
MSN – Peter Whoriskey (Washington Post) | Published: 3/27/2025
For 14 years, a team at the Justice Department investigated foreign kleptocrats, recovering hundreds of millions in cash and valuables that had been embezzled by corrupt politicians. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded the “kleptocracy team,” explaining the move was necessary to redirect staff to prosecuting drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations. Left unmentioned the team’s investigations had entangled three prominent allies of President Trump who had done business with an accused kleptocrat or a close associate.
Judge Orders Government to Preserve Signal Messages About Houthi Military Strike
MSN – Michael Kunzelman (Associated Press) | Published: 3/27/2025
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to preserve records of a text message chat in which senior national security officials discussed sensitive details of plans for a U.S. military strike against Yemen’s Houthis. The images of the text chain show the messages were set to disappear in one week. American Oversight sued to ensure the records are kept in accordance with the Federal Records Act.
Ethics Watchdog Says Congressman Cory Mills May Have Lied About Finances and Isn;t Cooperating
MSN – Jack Newsham and Brent Griffiths (Business Insider) | Published: 3/27/2025
U.S. Rep. Corey Mills, whose military background and fortune from a grenade-manufacturing business helped him win a Florida congressional seat in 2022, is being investigated by Congress for possibly lying on his personal financial disclosures and campaign finance filings. The board of the Office of Congressional Conduct said Mills’ inconsistent financial statements raised questions about how he got $1.8 million to fund his campaign in 2021 and 2022.
Trump Order Launches Smithsonian and Its Visitors into Confusion, Dismay
MSN – Manuel Roig-Franzia, Kyle Swenson, Emma Uber, and Gaya Gupta (Washington Post) | Published: 3/28/2025
President Trump’s executive order to eliminate what he considers “anti-American ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution cast the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex into a state of confusion. Trump’s executive order makes clear he intends to influence the finances of the Smithsonian, which receives about 60 percent of its funding from congressional appropriations and federal grants and contracts.
Democrats Sue Trump Administration Over Elections Executive Order
MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 3/31/2025
Several Democratic groups and lawmakers sued the Trump administration over an executive order calling for changes to the election system, including a requirement that people provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. President Trump has baselessly claimed the 2020 presidential race was riddled with fraud. Specifically, he has said noncitizens voted illegally in the race.
Trump White House Plans to Shake Up Briefing Room Seating, Flexing Power Over Press Corps
MSN – Brian Stelter (CNN) | Published: 3/30/2025
In the Trump administration’s latest assertion of power over the press corps, the White House intends to take over the seating assignments in the press briefing room, according to a senior official. The plan may cause a tug-of-war with the White House Correspondents’ Association, the independent group that currently assigns seats and manages the relationship between the White House and the press corps.
Pardoned by Trump, Rod Blagojevich Has New Job: Lobbying for Bosnian Serbs
MSN – Aaron Schaffer, Beth Reinhard, and Michael Birnbaum (Washington Post) | Published: 4/2/2025
Less than two months after President Trump pardoned Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois who served prison time on corruption charges has been hired to lobby on behalf of the Bosnian Serb republic. The contract with Blagojevich’s firm, RRB Strategies, was filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. It calls for Blagojevich to engage in a sweep of activities to boost the Bosnian Serb republic, including taking aim at long-held U.S. government policies intended to keep the peace in Bosnia.
Appeals Court: Trump pardon ‘plainly’ did not cover Jan. 6 defendants’ unrelated crimes
MSN – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 4/2/2025
A federal appeals court rejected the Justice Department’s claim that President Trump’s pardon of crimes related to the riot at the Capitol is so broad it sweeps in convictions for illegal possession of weapons five months later. The panel’s majority concluded the “plain terms” of Trump’s mass pardon for the defendants included only crimes directly connected to the attack on the Capitol, not those discovered by “happenstance” during the investigation of the riot.
Trump-Allied Prosecutor Looks to Undermine Biden Pardons
Seattle Times – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 4/2/2025
Ed Martin, the Trump loyalist serving as interim U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, is pursuing an inquiry into whether former President Joe Biden was competent to pardon his family members and others during his final days in office. The inquiry includes previously unreported letters to Biden’s family and former White House staff members. The letters are informal but provocative, questioning a presidential clemency power that has generally gone unchallenged.
From the States and Municipalities
Europe – From Brussels to Berlin: The rules on transparency and ethics for European lawmakers
MSN – Paula Soler (Euro News) | Published: 4/2/2025
A string of recent headlines, including a fresh corruption probe linked to Chinese company Huawei and the findings of the French court debarring Marine Le Pen for embezzlement, has put transparency and ethics in Europe under the spotlight. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) must follow a code of conduct with rules on transparency and ethics. First introduced in 2012 and refreshed in 2023, it is designed to keep MEPs in check, ensuring they act with integrity, transparency, and honesty, all while safeguarding the institution’s reputation.
MSN – Patti Sonntag (National Post) | Published: 3/31/2025
An Ontario lobbyist with close connections to Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party violated the province’s lobbying rules, according to the integrity commissioner, after requesting lands be removed from Greenbelt on behalf of a client and offering government staff tickets to a hockey game. Nico Fidani-Diker was found in non-compliance with the Lobbyists Registration Act in five separate instances, ranging from unregistered lobbying to placing public office holders in a position of conflicts-of-interest.
Canada – Ontario Lobbyist Found to Have Violated Rules, Including Relating to Greenbelt
MSN – Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan (Global News) | Published: 3/31/2025
Sheila Copps said she did not lobby during the pandemic for providers of personal-protection equipment. But newly released emails show Copps requested at least two meetings in connection with multiple medical equipment supply companies during the pandemic. She did not record these meetings in the lobbying registry. Canada’s Lobbying Act requires hired lobbyists to register communications about meetings and contracts. It requires potential contractors to register the activities of their in-house lobbyist if that employee spends 20 per cent or more of their time lobbying.
Arizona – Measure That Could Affect GOP 2026 Race for Governor Advances
Arizona Capitol Times – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 3/27/2025
The GOP head of the Arizona Freedom Caucus is advancing legislation that would bar fellow Republican Karrin Taylor Robson from becoming the next governor, even if she were to win the election. The resolution says nothing about Robson, who formally jumped in the 2026 gubernatorial race earlier this year. But what the measure crafted by Sen. Jake Hoffman does say is that no person is eligible to become a state elected official who, for two years prior to the primary, has been required to register as a paid lobbyist.
California – Alec Baldwin, a $227,000 Payment and a San Jose Fundraiser at Heart of Allegations Against Former Lawmaker
MSN – Yue Stella Yu (CalMatters) | Published: 3/29/2025
Former Assemblyperson Evan Low was fined $106,000 for campaign reporting violations. Most of the allegations concern payments to actor Alec Baldwin for a campaign appearance as Low was running for Congress. The proposed penalty stems from an investigation into Low and the nonprofit he founded. He has reported raising $505,000 for the Foundation for California’s Technology and Innovation Economy. Ethics experts have cautioned those “behested payments” could give groups special access to officials.
California – Disgraced Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Sentenced to Two Months in Prison
Voice of OC – Spencer Custodio | Published: 3/28/2025
Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu was sentenced to two months in prison and a year of supervised release, along with a $55,000 fine after pleading guilty to corruption charges. The sentence comes nearly three years after revelations of an FBI corruption probe into Anaheim City Hall surfaced when federal investigators first detailed a sketchy Angel Stadium sale process and the outsized influence Disneyland resort interests have on the city.
Colorado – Colorado Judges Made Campaign Contributions Despite Rules Prohibiting the Practice
Denver Gazette – David Migoya | Published: 4/1/2025
More than a half dozen judges in Colorado, each of them specially appointed and paid to oversee a divorce case since 2019, have made at least one political contribution while serving in that capacity despite a prohibition against the practice. The private judges handle civil cases, nearly all divorces by wealthy couples, away from the courthouse and the public, and their salaries and expenses are paid for by both parties.
Colorado – Colorado House Member Faced Investigation Over Ignored Harassment Complaint, Aide Mistreatment
Denver Post – Seth Klamann | Published: 3/31/2025
Rep. Regina English has been repeatedly accused of retaliating against and mistreating her legislative aides, including documented allegations she ignored an aide’s complaint of sexual harassment by a relative of the lawmaker last year. At the direction of a bipartisan legislative committee, English was quietly investigated by a third-party last year. English is at least the second state legislator to be investigated for allegedly mistreating aides in the past year.
Colorado – Colorado Lawmakers Kill Bill Aimed at Banning Lobbyists from Donating to Campaigns
Denver Post – Seth Klamann | Published: 3/28/2025
Colorado lawmakers defeated a proposal that would have prohibited lobbyists from donating to legislators, statewide elected officials, or candidates for those offices. The bill would have expanded a law that bars lobbyists from donating to campaigns during the Legislature’s 120-day annual session.
District of Columbia – Former D.C. Council Member, Expelled After Bribery Charge, Seeks Reelection
MSN – Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 3/31/2025
Former District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr., who faces a federal bribery indictment that led to his expulsion in February, will run again for his old seat on the council. White enters the race while facing significant legal jeopardy in the case, in which he could face up to 15 years in prison. He remains a popular figure in the ward, however. He won reelection in November with more than 20,000 votes, even as he was under indictment.
District of Columbia – Transparency Law Slashed by D.C. Council as Lawmakers Want More Privacy
MSN – Meagan Flynn and Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 4/1/2025
The District of Columbia Council voted to shut the public out of many of its meetings, including any meetings with Mayor Muriel Bowser on any topic. The short-term legislation could have lasting impacts on public access to elected leaders’ discussions if lawmakers ultimately make the changes permanent. Because lawmakers passed the legislation on an emergency basis – meaning it will take effect for 90 days, unless Bowser vetoes it – council members were able to quickly push it through without having to hold public hearings.
Florida – Trump-Backed Patronis, Fine Are Projected to Win House Special Elections in Florida
MSN – Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) | Published: 4/1/2025
Republicans won special elections to fill two House seats in Florida, withstanding a well-funded effort by Democrats to flip the solidly red districts and pull off a major upset that could have derailed President Trump’s agenda in Congress. The GOP margins of victory were notably smaller than when Trump carried each district by more than 30 percentage points in November. The wins give House Republicans a little more breathing room as they ramp up efforts to pass Trump’s legislative priorities in one ambitious bill this spring.
Florida – Newberry’s Marden to Withdraw Lobbying Registration After Learning It Could Violate State Law
MSN – Alan Festo (Gainesville Sun) | Published: 3/29/2025
Newberry City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Tim Marden plans to withdraw a recently filed federal lobbying registration form after learning it could violate state law. The issue was raised during a forum streamed by the city of Newberry, where Marden was asked how he would serve as a nonpartisan mayor while also lobbying for the John Birch Society and chairing the local Republican Party.
Florida – Taxpayer-Funded Staffers for Ron DeSantis Solicit Lobbyist Cash as His Wife Considers a 2026 Run
MSN – Ken Dixon (NBC News) | Published: 3/28/2025
Taxpayer-funded staffers in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office have been making fundraising calls to state lobbyists, asking them to commit to raise money for a DeSantis-aligned political committee as his wife considers a campaign for governor. “It’s kind of a no-brainer for most of us. Of course we will give. He’s the governor,” said one person who said they received a call.
Georgia – Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law
MSN – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 3/31/2025
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed the Justice Department to dismiss a lawsuit challenging a sweeping election overhaul that Republican lawmakers in Georgia passed in the wake of Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state. The lawsuit, filed in June 2021, alleged the Georgia law was intended to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot. Bondi said the Biden administration was pushing “false claims of suppression.”
Hawaii – Government Reform Bills Move Ahead at Hawaii Legislature
Yahoo News – Dam Nakaso (Honolulu Star-Advertister) | Published: 4/2/2025
Bills aimed at clamping down on campaign contributions from government contractors while separately providing more public money to run for political office remain alive following a key Senate committee hearing, joining other bills aimed at government reform that continue to move through the Hawaii Legislature. House Bill HB 412 would void state contracts if there are violations of state lobbying laws.
Illinois – Mayor Brandon Johnson Adds Springfield Alderwoman to Lobbying Team
Yahoo News – A.D. Quig, Jeremy Gorner, and Alice Yin (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 3/28/2025
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office will hire Lakeisha Purchase, a current Springfield City Council member and registered state lobbyist, on a contract basis. Although state lawmakers are prohibited from lobbying other units of local government, local elected officials are not barred from lobbying in Springfield. State lobbyists are, however, required to declare they hold a local elected office on their registration forms.
Kansas – New Kansas Law Limits Groups Funded by Foreign Money from Supporting Referendums
Topeka Capital-Journal – Jack Harvel | Published: 4/3/2025
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly allowed a bill to become law without her signature that bans campaigns for state constitutional amendments from accepting large amounts of foreign money. The law prohibits organizations that have received over $100,000 in foreign funds over the past four years from contributing to campaigns concerning constitutional amendments.
Maine – How the Trump Administration Took Aim at Maine
MSN – Joanna Slater and Lisa Rein (Washington Post) | Published: 4/2/2025
President Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills had a brief but pointed exchange during a National Governors Association event at the White House. Trump demanded that Maine comply with his executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports. Trump threatened to cut off all funding to the state. “See you in court,” Mills responded. Since then, the state has been subjected to unusual, overlapping investigations and arbitrary reversals of funding, turning it into a test case for the Trump administration’s approach to perceived adversaries.
Massachusetts – Massachusetts Mayor Who Shuttered a Libelous Newspaper Faces Renewed Corruption Allegations
MSN – Michael Casey (Associated Press) | Published: 3/28/2025
For years, the mayor of a Boston suburb dreaded Wednesdays. That was the day when a local weekly would publish shocking allegations that he was on the take, sexually harassing women, or under investigation by the FBI. But almost everything the paper wrote about Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria turned out to be fake, enabling him to win a $1.1 million settlement that shut down the paper. Now preparing for his seventh mayoral campaign, he has been accused of padding his salary with bonus payments and this time, Massachusetts is pressing the city council to take action.
Michigan – New Michigan Transparency Portal a Work in Progress, Leaving Some Disclosures Hard to Find
Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 3/28/2025
A multimillion-dollar update to Michigan’s transparency portals is a work in progress after the Department of State rolled out the new software. Used to provide the public with information about campaign finance, lobbying reports, and personal financial disclosures of politicians, the new Michigan Transparency Network provides less information to the public in its current form than the old system.
Michigan – Lawmakers Cleared for Free Conference Tickets
Michigan Public – Colin Jackson | Published: 4/2/2025
Michigan public officials can continue accepting free tickets to the Mackinac Policy Conference. The gathering hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber often draws big names in government and business to Mackinac Island each May for a few days of informational sessions, networking, and partying. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson changed course in her final ruling after receiving information from the Detroit Regional Chamber, which had sought her guidance.
Montana – Ellsworth Receives Lifetime Ban from Montana Senate Floor for Ethics Violation
Montana Free Press – Tom Lutey | Published: 4/1/2025
Montana Sen. Jason Ellsworth was banned from the Senate floor for life as part of a censure stemming from an ethics investigation into a government contract awarded to a friend. The Legislative Audit Division concluded Ellsworth attempted to split the work into two contracts to avoid a $100,000 threshold that would have required the work to go out for bid.
New York – New York Mayor Eric Adams’s Corruption Case Dismissed by Federal Judge
MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 4/2/2025
A judge dismissed the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. U.S. District Court Judge Dale Ho denied a request by federal officials for the option of reinstating the charges because it could appear the mayor was beholden to government demands. The Justice Department’s decision to seek the dismissal of charges against Adams led to the resignations of several federal prosecutors, including the former interim head of the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, who alleged federal officials and Adams engaged in a “quid pro quo.”
North Dakota – Democratic ND Senator Proposes Doubling Ethics Commission Budget, Citing Holmberg Case
Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 4/2/2025
Sen. Tim Mathern wants to more than double the staff for the North Dakota Ethics Commission, arguing the state should be doing more to prevent public corruption. He said his proposal was prompted by news coverage of former Sen. Ray Holmberg’s prison sentence. The Ethics Commission also faces an unprecedented number of complaint filings.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 3/30/2025
The Ohio General Assembly has 46 women serving in its two chambers, more than at any other time in the state’s 222-year history. That figure, which has been steadily trending up in recent years, is significant not just because it reflects the ability of Ohio women to make inroads into the halls of power. Several women lawmakers say it has a real effect on what happens at the statehouse, including what issues are prioritized. At the same time, women are still underrepresented in Columbus.
Oregon – Washington County Sewer Officials Ran Up Huge Food Tab on Ratepayers’ Dime
MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 3/22/2025
Washington County’s sewer agency paid a long list of food and beverage expenses for its executives, employees, and others over five years that cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. The agency spent four times more on meals during that time than its counterparts in Portland and Clackamas County combined. Its expenditures offer a glimpse into lax spending practices at a sizable government agency that receives limited public scrutiny despite filling a crucial public need.
South Dakota – Kristi Noem Refused to Say Who Financed Some of Her Travel. It Was Taxpayers Who Were on the Hook
Yahoo News – Joshua Goodman, Jim Mustian, and Sarah Raza (Associated Press) | Published: 3/29/2025
As then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem crisscrossed the country stumping for Donald Trump and boosting her political profile beyond her home state, she refused to reveal what her extensive travel was costing taxpayers. In the weeks since Noem became Homeland Security secretary, that mystery has been solved: South Dakota repeatedly picked up the tab for expenses related to her jet-setting campaigning.
Texas – Hakeem Jeffries Threatens Lawsuit Over Delayed Texas Special Election
MSN – Melanie Zanona (NBC News) | Published: 4/2/2025
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is threatening a lawsuit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for holding off on calling a special election to fill a vacant House seat in Houston, which Democrats allege is a deliberate move designed to help pad the GOP’s razor-thin majority. the Houston-area district, which has a predominantly Hispanic and Black population could go as long as seven months without representation in this Congress, unless Abbott calls a special election.
Washington – Seattle Committee Weighs Increased Levy Renewal for Public Campaign Financing
MSN – Spencer Pauley (The Center Square) | Published: 3/27/2025
A Seattle City Council committee is deliberating a levy renewal to fund a public campaign financing voucher program, with signs pointing to council support. The renewal proposal totals $45 million over 10 years. Central Staff Policy Analyst Brian Goodnight said the jump in revenue is needed to cover increased administrative costs and is the amount city officials said avoided putting revenue in the red under anticipated spending over a 10-year period.
Wisconsin – Liberal Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Race in Blow to Trump
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 4/1/2025
Wisconsin voters elected Susan Crawford to the state Supreme Court, maintaining the court’s liberal majority in a setback for President Trump and Elon Musk, who backed her conservative rival. It was the most expensive court race in American history, costing more than $100 million, nearly doubling the past record. The loss was a rebuke to Musk, whose outpouring of cash appeared to do little to close the electoral gaps conservatives have faced in recent Wisconsin court races.
April 29, 2019 •
NYCU Video Digest – April 29, 20198
More ethics and campaign finance changes happening at the state level. Check out which states are making moves in today’s NYCU Video Digest!
More ethics and campaign finance changes happening at the state level. Check out which states are making moves in today’s NYCU Video Digest!
April 29, 2019 •
Washington Legislature Adjourns Sine Die
The Washington Legislature adjourned sine die April 28. During the 105-day legislative session, lawmakers passed House Bill 1195 amending the definitions of commercial advertiser and independent expenditure. House Bill 1195 requires independent expenditures to be reported electronically with the Public […]
The Washington Legislature adjourned sine die April 28.
During the 105-day legislative session, lawmakers passed House Bill 1195 amending the definitions of commercial advertiser and independent expenditure.
House Bill 1195 requires independent expenditures to be reported electronically with the Public Disclosure Commission if the aggregate value of similar expenditures from the same source exceeds $1,000.
The Legislature also passed House Bill 1379 raising the threshold for identifying and disclosing the top five contributors of a political advertisement sponsored by a political committee from $700 to $1,000.
House Bill 1379 requires political advertisements to disclose the sponsor’s top five contributors and if any are political committees the sponsor must also disclose the top three donors to those contributors.
The bills have been delivered to the Gov. Jay Inslee to sign, veto part of it, or veto all of it.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
