January 9, 2018 •
Spokane, Washington City Council Overrides Mayor’s Veto of Campaign Finance Law
With a 6-1 vote, Spokane, Washington City Council overrode Mayor David Condon’s veto of a campaign finance reform ordinance. The new ordinance will cut in half the maximum allowable donation to candidates, from $1,000 to $500. Additional changes include a […]
With a 6-1 vote, Spokane, Washington City Council overrode Mayor David Condon’s veto of a campaign finance reform ordinance.
The new ordinance will cut in half the maximum allowable donation to candidates, from $1,000 to $500.
Additional changes include a pay-to-play provision to prohibit contributions from contractors, a restriction on when contributions may be received, and a requirement to disclose a committee’s top donors.
January 9, 2018 •
Ohio’s 12th Congressional District Special Election Dates Set
Gov. John Kasich announced the special primary election for Ohio’s 12th Congressional District will be held on May 8, and the special general election will be held on August 7. The seat is being vacated by Rep. Pat Tiberi, who […]
Gov. John Kasich announced the special primary election for Ohio’s 12th Congressional District will be held on May 8, and the special general election will be held on August 7.
The seat is being vacated by Rep. Pat Tiberi, who is resigning in order to lead the Ohio Business Roundtable.
The district is located north of Columbus.
January 4, 2018 •
See Us In Person
State and Federal Communications is hitting the ground running in 2018! Catch us at one of these events in January: January 8-12 PAC: Public Affairs Institute, Laguna Beach, CA January 9-13 PLEN Women in Public Policy, Washington, D.C. January 15 Akron […]
State and Federal Communications is hitting the ground running in 2018! Catch us at one of these events in January:
January 8-12 PAC: Public Affairs Institute, Laguna Beach, CA
January 9-13 PLEN Women in Public Policy, Washington, D.C.
January 15 Akron Urban League; Remember Dr. King’s Legacy Breakfast, Akron, OH
January 18 Akron Roundtable, Akron, OH
January 24 Akron Press Club, Akron, OH
January 24-27 US Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, Washington, D.C.
January 26-27 NCSL Executive Committee Meeting, Charleston, S.C.
December 18, 2017 •
Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup
Campaign Finance US Senate Hopeful Opens Coffers to Bitcoin Donations by Chuck Raasch for St. Louis Dispatch Ethics Has Ivanka Trump Repeatedly Broken Ethics Laws Since Joining The White House? By Cristina Silva for Newsweek Nevada Democrat, facing ethics probe, […]
Campaign Finance
US Senate Hopeful Opens Coffers to Bitcoin Donations by Chuck Raasch for St. Louis Dispatch
Ethics
Has Ivanka Trump Repeatedly Broken Ethics Laws Since Joining The White House? By Cristina Silva for Newsweek
Nevada Democrat, facing ethics probe, won’t seek re-election by The Associated Press for The New Jersey Herald
Canada: ‘Watch me, you’ll see,’ under fire, new ethics czar vows to let his record do the talking on Trudeau, Morneau investigations by Abbas Rana and Peter Mazereeuw for The Hill Times
Lobbying
With Billions at Stake in Tax Debate, Lobbyists Played Hardball by Kenneth Vogel and Jim Tankersley for The New York Times
Tax lobbying keeps on giving by Theodoric Meyer for Politico
Analysis: 2017 Has Been Nutty for K Street, but 2018 Could Be Insane by Kate Ackley for Roll Call
Illinois: Lake Forest city manager: Nearly $200K spent lobbying without council OK by Daniel Dorfman for The Lake Forester
South Carolina: Lobbying is completely unregulated in most S.C. cities, leaving room for possible corruption by Abigail Darlington for The Post and Courier
December 11, 2017 •
Al Franken’s Senate Seat Up for Grabs in November 2018 Special Election
U.S. Sen. Al Franken announced he would step down amid sexual harassment allegations on December 7, 2018. Franken’s resignation allows Gov. Mark Dayton to make a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy until the special election is held. Dayton has […]
U.S. Sen. Al Franken announced he would step down amid sexual harassment allegations on December 7, 2018.
Franken’s resignation allows Gov. Mark Dayton to make a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy until the special election is held.
Dayton has yet to announce an appointment for Franken’s seat.
The special election will be held on November 6, 2018, and the special primary election will be held on August 14, 2018.
December 7, 2017 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup
Campaign Finance Kentucky: Did Jeff Hoover Violate Campaign Finance Laws? It’s Unclear by Lisa Autry for WEKU New Jersey: N.J. power broker DiVincenzo settles campaign-finance case for $20,000 by Andrew Seidman for The Philadelphia Inquirer Ethics Arizona: Arizona, tax money […]
Campaign Finance
Kentucky: Did Jeff Hoover Violate Campaign Finance Laws? It’s Unclear by Lisa Autry for WEKU
New Jersey: N.J. power broker DiVincenzo settles campaign-finance case for $20,000 by Andrew Seidman for The Philadelphia Inquirer
Ethics
Arizona: Arizona, tax money to be used for House ethics investigation by Howard Fischer for The Arizona Daily Sun
Florida: City introduces new ethics ordinances by Mariel Carbone for WCTV
Massachusetts: State Senate opens ethics inquiry into Stan Rosenberg by Joshua Miller for The Boston Globe
Vermont: Scott adds sexual harassment clause to code of ethics by Neal Goswami for WCAX
Lobbying
Lobbyists push GOP in last-minute scramble to save tax breaks by Theodoric Meyer, Aaron Lorenzo and Colin Wilhelm for Politico
Healthcare lobbyists not optimistic on changing GOP tax bill by Harris Meyer for Modern Healthcare
December 5, 2017 •
Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup
Campaign Finance New York: Lawmaker’s business boosted by aide’s public campaign funds by Chris Bragg for The Albany Times Union Ohio: Columbus City Council May Clear Up Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements by Adora Namigadde for WOSU Elections Georgia: More elections […]
Campaign Finance
New York: Lawmaker’s business boosted by aide’s public campaign funds by Chris Bragg for The Albany Times Union
Ohio: Columbus City Council May Clear Up Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements by Adora Namigadde for WOSU
Elections
Georgia: More elections scheduled for January to fill state Senate and House seats by Mark Niesse for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Minnesota: Special elections set to replace departed Minnesota lawmakers accused of sexual harassment by Erin Golden for The Minneapolis Star Tribune
Ethics
Obama’s Ethics Chief: Trump Lawyer’s Claim The President Can’t Face Obstruction Charge is “Baloney” by Harriet Sinclair for Newsweek
Conyers Won’t Seek Re-election in Wake of Harassment Claims, Relative Says by Yamiche Alcindor for The New York Times
Manafort Associate Has Russian Intelligence Ties, Court Document Says by Kenneth Vogel for The New York Times
Massachusetts: Rosenberg steps down as ethics probe begins by Christian Wade for The Salem News
Lobbying
Former Podesta, BGR lobbyists start new firm by Theodoric Meyer for Politico
Procurement
Govt flags new IT hardware procurement marketplace by Leon Spencer for ARN
December 4, 2017 •
West Virginia Governor Calls Special Session
On December 1, Gov. Jim Justice called a special session to convene on December 4 to consider legislation to authorize the sale of state road bonds. The special session coincides with the Legislature’s monthly interim meetings scheduled to begin on […]
On December 1, Gov. Jim Justice called a special session to convene on December 4 to consider legislation to authorize the sale of state road bonds.
The special session coincides with the Legislature’s monthly interim meetings scheduled to begin on December 3 and conclude on December 5.
Pictured: West Virginia Governor Jim Justice
December 4, 2017 •
Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup
Campaign Finance Trump Gives Rich Donors Massive Tax Cuts, Then Asks Them for Campaign Donations by Summer Meza for Newsweek Wisconsin: Southern Door County joins push for campaign finance reform by Liz Welter for Green Bay Press-Gazette Ethics Bush ethics […]
Campaign Finance
Trump Gives Rich Donors Massive Tax Cuts, Then Asks Them for Campaign Donations by Summer Meza for Newsweek
Wisconsin: Southern Door County joins push for campaign finance reform by Liz Welter for Green Bay Press-Gazette
Ethics
Bush ethics lawyer: Trump lawyer should be disbarred if he wrote Flynn firing tweet by Jacqueline Thomsen for The Hill
Ethics panel asks for details of past harassment cases against serving lawmakers by Cristina Marcos for The Hill
Georgia: Atlanta ethics office investigates airport conflict of interest issue by Kelly Yamanouchi for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Texas: Denton City Council to meet with ethics attorney by Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe for Denton Record-Chronicle
Texas: Laredo politicians undergo ethics training at TAMIU by Maria Salas for LMT Online
Lobbying
New Excise Tax Targets Big-Money Nonprofit Executives by Kate Ackley for Roll Call
Analysis: More than 6,000 lobbyists have worked on taxes in 2017 by Megan Wilson for The Hill
November 29, 2017 •
San Francisco Ethics Commission Approves Anti-Corruption and Accountability Ordinance
At its November 27 meeting, the San Francisco Ethics Commission gave final approval to recommend and transmit to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors its Anti-Corruption and Accountability Ordinance. The ordinance would create or expand certain pay-to-play prohibitions on political […]
At its November 27 meeting, the San Francisco Ethics Commission gave final approval to recommend and transmit to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors its Anti-Corruption and Accountability Ordinance.
The ordinance would create or expand certain pay-to-play prohibitions on political contributions, institute new disclosure requirements, create local rules for reporting behested payments, and create new rules regarding conflicts of interest.
The Commission will transmit its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, where at least eight votes will be required to adopt the proposal.
November 29, 2017 •
Idaho Working Group Approves Potential Changes to Campaign Finance Laws
A bipartisan working group of lawmakers unanimously approved a proposed bill amending the state’s campaign finance laws. Among the changes, the proposal would require year-round, monthly campaign finance reporting, prohibit PACs from accepting more than $1,000 from groups not registered […]
A bipartisan working group of lawmakers unanimously approved a proposed bill amending the state’s campaign finance laws.
Among the changes, the proposal would require year-round, monthly campaign finance reporting, prohibit PACs from accepting more than $1,000 from groups not registered and disclose the source of their funds, and increase potential fines from $250 to up to $25,000. Additionally, use of the internet and social media would be included in the definition of electioneering communications.
The bill will be introduced during the 2018 legislative session.
The group declined to take up the issue of raising the lobbyist registration fee, not wanting to jeopardize the bill’s success. Member’s stated raising the fee is a legitimate concern and should be examined during the session.
The current $10 per client fee has not increased since 1974, when the lobbying statute first became law.
November 29, 2017 •
Special Election Set in Florida for Open House Seat
Gov. Rick Scott has set a special election for an opening in the state House of Representatives. A primary election for House District 39 will be held on February 20, 2018, with a general election on May 1. Rep. Neil […]
Gov. Rick Scott has set a special election for an opening in the state House of Representatives.
A primary election for House District 39 will be held on February 20, 2018, with a general election on May 1.
Rep. Neil Combee resigned the position after being appointed Florida’s State Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency.
With the legislature’s 2018 session scheduled through March 9, the seat will remain empty for the duration of the session.
Photo of former Rep. Neil Combee
November 29, 2017 •
California Assemblyman Resigns
State Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. Bocanegra initially stated he would resign in September and not seek reelection when allegations first surfaced. However, his resignation was accelerated after additional sexual harassment allegations emerged. Gov. Jerry Brown has […]
State Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.
Bocanegra initially stated he would resign in September and not seek reelection when allegations first surfaced. However, his resignation was accelerated after additional sexual harassment allegations emerged.
Gov. Jerry Brown has two weeks from Bocanegra’s resignation to declare a special election to fill the vacancy in Assembly District 39.
November 29, 2017 •
Fort Wayne City Council Approves Pay-to-Play Ordinance
The Fort Wayne City Council approved a pay-to-play ordinance on November 28. The ordinance will prohibit contractors who have donated more than $2,000 a year to an elected official’s campaign from bidding on city projects. The restriction includes natural or […]
The Fort Wayne City Council approved a pay-to-play ordinance on November 28. The ordinance will prohibit contractors who have donated more than $2,000 a year to an elected official’s campaign from bidding on city projects.
The restriction includes natural or legal persons with a 7.5 percent or more interest in the bidding entity and extends to a bidder’s spouse and any children living in the same household.
Mayor Tom Henry has 10 days to sign or veto the legislation.
If approved, the ordinance will become effective on January 1, 2018.
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.