Lobbying

Maryland: “Interim City Solicitor Pays Rent to Powerful Lobbyist’s Firm” by Doug Donovan for Baltimore Sun

Nevada: “Nevada High School Students Learn the Legislative Ropes and Pass Real Laws” by Sandra Chereb for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Campaign Finance

California: “Political Donations Flow as Rick Caruso Seeks Approval for a 20-Story Tower Near the Beverly Center” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

“House GOP Reverses Course on Gutting Ethics Panel” by Rachel Bade for Politico

Indiana: “Critics Want Tighter Restrictions on Post-Legislative Work” by Hayleigh Colombo for Indianapolis Business Journal

Montana: “Political Practices Commissioner to Remain in Office for Now” by Matt Volz (Associated Press) for The Missoulian

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma House Has Sketchy Recent History with Policing Its Own” by Barbara Hoberock for Tulsa World

Texas: “Senator Goes for Low-Hanging Fruit in Ethics Reform” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Elections

Minnesota: “In Minneapolis City Council Races, So Far There’s Left, and Further Left” by Adam Betz for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Legislative Issues

Maine: “1-Sentence Draft Bills Criticized for Lack of Transparency” by Marina Villeneuve (Associated Press) for Fairfield Citizen

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “Missouri Campaign Contribution Limits Remain in Place After Latest Hearing” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

New York: “Why Developers of Manhattan Luxury Towers Give Millions to Upstate Candidates” by Cezary Podkul and Derek Kravitz (ProPublica), and Will Parker (The Real Deal) for ProPublica.org

Ethics

“With No Warning, House Republicans Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office” by Eric Lipton for The New York Times

“Advertising’s Moral Struggle: Is online reach worth the hurt?” by Sapna Maheshwari for The New York Times

“The Enemy Within: Bribes bore a hole in the U.S. border” by Ron Nixon for The New York Times

Alabama: “After Release from Prison, Former Alabama Rep. Terry Spicer Lands Another State Job” by Jim Cook for Dothan Eagle

Connecticut: “Ethics Opinion: Aresimowicz can be House speaker, union staffer” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

New York: “How Cuomo’s Signature Economic Growth Project Fell Apart in Utica” by Vivian Yee for The New York Times

Elections

“David Fahrenthold Tells the Behind-the-Scenes Story of His Year Covering Trump” by David Fahrenthold for The Washington Post

North Carolina: “Judge Puts NC GOP Elections Board Makeover on Hold after Roy Cooper Sues” by Anne Blythe and Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

We have many things for which we are thankful at State and Federal Communications. Before the day gets away from us, we would like to thank you for following Lobby Comply Blog.

We’ve had a great year and look forward to giving our very best service to our clients in 2017. Happy Holidays from all of us at State and Federal Communications!

Lobbying

“Longtime Business Lobbyist Laments Loss of ‘Smoke-Filled Rooms’ in Washington” by Carl Hulse for New York Times

Campaign Finance

Alaska: “New Alaska House leaders embrace loophole to raise campaign cash from lobbyists” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dipatch News

Arizona: “Arizona Supreme Court to review Tom Horne’s campaign-finance case” by Bob Christie (Associated Press) for Arizona Republic

Massachusetts: “Campaign finance among bills passed” by Bob Katzen for Sentinel & Enterprise

New York: “De Blasio Is Fined $48,000 for Campaign Finance Violations” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

Ethics

“Trump’s billionaire-loaded cabinet will face a government ethics test after confirmation” by Kevin Hall for The Charlotte Observer

Illinois: “Lawmakers push package of ethics reform bills intended to mesh with Greitens’ goals” by Will Schmitt for Springfield News-Leader

South Carolina: “Companies say they weren’t trying to buy SC legislator’s influence” by Avery Wilks for SCNow

Elections

“North Carolina Governor Signs Bill Limiting His Successor’s Power” by Craig Jarvis for Governing

On December 16, the Commissioner of Political Practices’ proposed rule amendment increasing the threshold amount of payment triggering lobbyist and employer registration to $2,550 for 2017 and 2018 was adopted.

The payment threshold is adjusted by an inflation factor determined by the commissioner. The previous threshold amount was $2,500 for the calendar years 2015 and 2016.

Elections

“Stein Spent Nearly $1 Million of Recount Funds on Consultants, Staff, Admin Expenses” by Joe Schoffstall for The Washington Free Beacon

New Mexico: “Political Action Committees Spent Big in Closing Days of Election” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for Albuquerque Journal

Ethics

“Former Democratic Congressman Chaka Fattah Sentenced to Decade in Prison” by Deena Zaru for CNN

Connecticut: “Bilda, Hinchey to Face Ethics Hearings Over Derbygate” by Ryan Blessing for The Bulletin

New Hampshire: “Portsmouth Resident Tries Again With Ethics Complaint” by Jeff McMenemy for Seacoast Online

South Dakota: “Attorney General’s Office Pushes to Save Parts of Ethics Law” by The Associated Press for The Washington Times

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “KCMO Police Commissioner May Have Broken Missouri Law” by Andy Alcock for KHSB

New York: “Hearing Delayed in Staver-Sauer Case” by Andrew Setterholm for Post Bulletin

Wisconsin: “Report: PAC Spending on Wisconsin Legislative Races Soars in Wake of Campaign Finance Change” by Katelyn Ferral for The Capital Times

Legislative Issues

Missouri: “Missouri Democrats Push Anti-Corruption Agenda as Legislative Session Approaches” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lobbying

“Lobbying Muscle May Help Tech Titans Trump Trump” by Allan Holmes and Jared Bennett for Center for Public Integrity

Campaign Finance

“Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call

Elections

“Completed Wisconsin Recount Widens Donald Trump’s Lead by 131 Votes” by Matthew DeFour for Wisconsin State Journal

Ethics

“Aaron Schock Pleads Not Guilty To Slew of Federal Charges” by Aryn Braun for Roll Call

Wisconsin: “State Ethics Commissioner Resigns, Citing Dysfunction in New Watchdog Agency” by Mark Sommerhauser and Molly Beck for Wisconsin State Journal

Legislative Issues

“Budget Shortfalls Expected in the Most States Since Recession” by Liz Farmer for Governing

Lobbying

“K Street Eyes Outgoing Lawmakers for Jobs” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

“Exxon-Mobil: No Stranger to Lobbying the ‘Swamp’” by Lesley Clark (McClatchy) for The News & Observer

“Trump Transition Trade Staffer Defended NAFTA, was Chamber of Commerce Lobbyist” by Andrew Kaczynski and Chris Massie for CNN

Missouri: “Opinion: The Christmas Spirit of Lobbyists” by Phill Brooks for The Springfield Business Journal

Procurement

New York: “DiNapoli Proposes Procurement Reforms” by Matthew Hamilton for Times Union

Campaign Finance

Florida: “Dozens of Florida Political Committees Being Fueled by Millions in ‘Dark Money’” by Tia Mitchell for The Florida Times-Union

Massachusetts: “Campaign Finance Law Shields Violators” by Stephanie Ebbert for The Boston Globe

Elections

“Senate and House Leaders Call for Inquiry of Russian Hacking in Election” by Jennifer Steinhauer for The New York Times

Ethics

“Trump Invites Trouble if He Keeps Businesses: Ethics Experts” BY Bernard Condon and Julie Bykowicz (Associated Press) for McClatchy DC

“Why All Billionaire Politicians Are Not Created Equal” by Ruairi Arriet-Kenna for Politico

Lobbying

“Insurers Step Up Lobbying With an Eye to Health-Law Changes” by Anna Wilde Mathews and Louise Radnofsky for The Wall Street Journal

“Big Law Lobbying Efforts Fail to Kill 9/11 Litigation Against Saudi Arabia” by Michael D. Goldhaber for The American Lawyer

Missouri: “Lobbyist Gifts to Missouri Legislators Have Dropped Significantly” by Walker Moskop for St. Louis Dispatch

Texas: “Edinburg Hires DC Lobbying Firm” by Naxiely Lopez for The Monitor

Here is our December calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

December 6-9   NCSL Capitol Forum, Washington, DC

December 6   SGAC Holiday Reception, Washington DC

December 7   Ohio Holiday Reception, Washington, DC

December 7   WGR Holiday Party, Washington, DC

December 8   DDC Advocacy Holiday Party, Washington, DC

December 11-14   COGEL Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana

Speaker-Designate Richard Corcoran recently proposed sweeping changes to House Rules for when lawmakers return to Tallahassee next year. Corcoran is specifically taking aim at lobbyists and their interactions with House members.

Some of the proposed changes include banning lobbyists from texting lawmakers while in committee or in the House chamber, proposing a constitutional amendment banning elected officials from lobbying for six years after leaving office, and requiring lobbyists to disclose the bill or amendment they are trying to influence.

Newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in on November 22, 2016, and the 2017 regular session will begin on March 7.

Here is our November-December calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

November 16-18   NABPAC Biennial Post-Election Conference, Breakers Palm Beach, Florida

November 19-22   SGAC Leaders’ Policy Conference, Dana Point, California

December 2   Advocacy Leaders Network – Benchmarking, Training, & Next-Level Advocacy, Washington, DC

December 6-9   NCSL Capitol Forum, Washington, DC

December 7   Ohio Holiday Reception, Washington, DC

December 7   WGR Holiday Party, Washington, DC

December 11-14   COGEL Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana

A federal judge has upheld the constitutionality of Montana’s campaign finance disclosure law.

The 2015 Disclose Act, aimed at combating an increase in dark money spending, faced a constitutional challenge asserting the law interfered with the free speech of groups wanting to influence elections without revealing the source of their money or how it is spent. The law requires political committees in Montana to report spending and donors within 60 days of an election if the committee’s advertisements mention a political candidate.

In his opinion, Judge Dana Christensen, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, cited to the ruling in Citizens United. He referenced the notion that while disclosure requirements may burden the ability to speak, they do not prevent anyone from speaking.

There are still two legal challenges to the Disclose Act pending, one at the state level and one in federal court.

Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd will not seek reappointment when her current term expires at the end of December. Shepherd has been the commissioner since the creation of the position in 2008.

The Governor in Council will appoint a new commissioner after consulting with the leader of every recognized party in the Senate and House of Commons.

Following the consultation, the Senate and House of Commons must approve the appointment by resolution.

Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd says her office is investigating Liberal Party fundraisers to see if they violate the Lobbying Act.

Opposition members of Parliament argue the fundraisers are “pay to play” and violate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ethic guidelines.

Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson stated the fundraisers do not violate the Conflict of Interest Act, but she believes the practice to be unsavory and is calling for changes to Canada’s laws to restrict the practice.