April 3, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Ethics Washington DC: “Transparency Law Slashed by D.C. Council as Lawmakers Want More Privacy” by Meagan Flynn and Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) for MSN Europe: “From Brussels to Berlin: The rules on transparency and ethics for European lawmakers” by Paula […]
Ethics
Washington DC: “Transparency Law Slashed by D.C. Council as Lawmakers Want More Privacy” by Meagan Flynn and Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) for MSN
Europe: “From Brussels to Berlin: The rules on transparency and ethics for European lawmakers” by Paula Soler (Euro News) for MSN
National: “Trump White House Plans to Shake Up Briefing Room Seating, Flexing Power Over Press Corps” by Brian Stelter (CNN) for MSN
Maine: “How the Trump Administration Took Aim at Maine” by Joanna Slater and Lisa Rein (Washington Post) for MSN
New York: “Judge Dismisses Bribery Case Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams” by Corinne Ramey and James Fanelli (Wall Street Journal) for MSN
Legislative Issues
Montana: “Ellsworth Receives Lifetime Ban from Montana Senate Floor for Ethics Violation” by Tom Lutey for Montana Free Press
Lobbying
National: “Pardoned by Trump, Rod Blagojevich Has New Job: Lobbying for Bosnian Serbs” by Aaron Schaffer, Beth Reinhard, and Michael Birnbaum (Washington Post) for MSN
Michigan: “Lawmakers Cleared for Free Conference Tickets” by Colin Jackson for Michigan Public
April 2, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Colorado: “Colorado Judges Made Campaign Contributions Despite Rules Prohibiting the Practice” by David Migoya for Denver Gazette Elections Florida: “Republicans Win – But Underperform – in Both Florida Special Elections” by Kimberly Leonard and Gary Fineout (Politico) for Yahoo News National: “Democrats Sue […]
Campaign Finance
Colorado: “Colorado Judges Made Campaign Contributions Despite Rules Prohibiting the Practice” by David Migoya for Denver Gazette
Elections
Florida: “Republicans Win – But Underperform – in Both Florida Special Elections” by Kimberly Leonard and Gary Fineout (Politico) for Yahoo News
National: “Democrats Sue Trump Administration Over Elections Executive Order” by Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) for MSN
Wisconsin: “Liberal Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Race in Blow to Trump” by Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “Disgraced Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Sentenced to Two Months in Prison” by Spencer Custodio for Voice of OC
South Dakota: “Kristi Noem Refused to Say Who Financed Some of Her Travel. It Was Taxpayers Who Were on the Hook” by Joshua Goodman, Jim Mustian, and Sarah Raza (Associated Press) for Yahoo News
Legislative Issues
Ohio: “More Women Than Ever Serve in the Ohio Legislature. But They Are Still Underrepresented – and They Still Face Hurdles” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Lobbying
Canada: “Ontario Lobbyist Found to Have Violated Rules, Including Relating to Greenbelt” by Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan (Global News) for MSN
April 1, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance California: “Alec Baldwin, a $227,000 Payment and a San Jose Fundraiser at Heart of Allegations Against Former Lawmaker” by Yue Stella Yu (CalMatters) for MSN Florida: “Taxpayer-Funded Staffers for Ron DeSantis Solicit Lobbyist Cash as His Wife Considers a 2026 Run” by […]
Campaign Finance
California: “Alec Baldwin, a $227,000 Payment and a San Jose Fundraiser at Heart of Allegations Against Former Lawmaker” by Yue Stella Yu (CalMatters) for MSN
Florida: “Taxpayer-Funded Staffers for Ron DeSantis Solicit Lobbyist Cash as His Wife Considers a 2026 Run” by Ken Dixon (NBC News) for MSN
Elections
Georgia: “Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law” by Kate Brumback (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Trump Order Launches Smithsonian and Its Visitors into Confusion, Dismay” by Manuel Roig-Franzia, Kyle Swenson, Emma Uber, and Gaya Gupta (Washington Post) for MSN
Michigan: “New Michigan Transparency Portal a Work in Progress, Leaving Some Disclosures Hard to Find” by Simon Schuster for Bridge Michigan
Legislative Issues
Colorado: “Colorado House Member Faced Investigation Over Ignored Harassment Complaint, Aide Mistreatment” by Seth Klamann for Denver Post
Lobbying
Canada: “Former Liberal Minister Worked Government Contacts to Ply COVID Contracts Without Registering as Lobbyist” by Patti Sonntag (National Post) for MSN
Florida: “Newberry’s Marden to Withdraw Lobbying Registration After Learning It Could Violate State Law” by Alan Festo (Gainesville Sun) for MSN
March 31, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Washington: “Seattle Committee Weighs Increased Levy Renewal for Public Campaign Financing” by Spencer Pauley (The Center Square) for MSN Elections Arizona: “Measure That Could Affect GOP 2026 Race for Governor Advances” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) for Arizona Capitol Times Ethics […]
Campaign Finance
Washington: “Seattle Committee Weighs Increased Levy Renewal for Public Campaign Financing” by Spencer Pauley (The Center Square) for MSN
Elections
Arizona: “Measure That Could Affect GOP 2026 Race for Governor Advances” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) for Arizona Capitol Times
Ethics
National: “Disbanded Anti-Kleptocracy Unit Had Entangled Trump Allies” by Peter Whoriskey (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Judge Orders Government to Preserve Signal Messages About Houthi Military Strike” by Michael Kunzelman (Associated Press) for MSN
National: “Ethics Watchdog Says Congressman Cory Mills May Have Lied About Finances and Isn;t Cooperating” by Jack Newsham and Brent Griffiths (Business Insider) for MSN
Massachusetts: “Massachusetts Mayor Who Shuttered a Libelous Newspaper Faces Renewed Corruption Allegations” by Michael Casey (Associated Press) for MSN
Oregon: “Washington County Sewer Officials Ran Up Huge Food Tab on Ratepayers’ Dime” by Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Lobbying
Colorado: “Colorado Lawmakers Kill Bill Aimed at Banning Lobbyists from Donating to Campaigns” by Seth Klamann for Denver Post
March 28, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 28, 2025

National/Federal Paul Weiss Chair Says Deal with Trump Adheres to Firm’s Principles DNyuz – Matthew Goldstein, Jessica Silver-Greenbergm and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 3/21/2025 The chairperson of Paul Weiss sought to reassure employees at the giant law firm that […]
National/Federal
Paul Weiss Chair Says Deal with Trump Adheres to Firm’s Principles
DNyuz – Matthew Goldstein, Jessica Silver-Greenbergm and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 3/21/2025
The chairperson of Paul Weiss sought to reassure employees at the giant law firm that the deal it reached with President Trump was consistent with principles the firm has long stood by. Brad Karp sent a firm-wide email, detailing the agreement he had reached with Trump, which allowed the firm to escape an executive order that could have cost it significant business. Despite Karp’s assurances, the deal caused concern among the broader legal community that large law firms were capitulating to Trump’s demands instead of fighting them in court.
Federal Judiciary Creates New Task Force with Threats on the Rise
DNyuz – Abbie Van Sickle and Mattathias Schwartz (New York Times) | Published: 3/26/2025
A task force of federal judges will consider how to respond to “current risks” for the judiciary, following a spate of threats against judges who have ruled against the Trump administration. The formation of the task force is another sign the judicial branch is taking seriously an increasingly hostile and politicized climate.
Justice Dept. Tries to Intervene on Trump’s Behalf in Jan. 6 Lawsuits
DNyuz – Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 3/20/2025
The Justice Department made an unusual effort to short-circuit a series of civil lawsuits seeking to hold President Trump accountable for his supporters’ attack on the Capitol. Department lawyers argued in court papers the cases that Trump was acting in his official capacity as president on January 6 and so the federal government itself should take his place as the defendant. That move, if successful, could protect Trump from having to face judgment for his role in the attack and from having to pay financial damages if he were found liable.
Lutnick Urges Fox News Viewers to Buy Tesla Stock, Raising Ethics Questions
MSN – Justine McDaniel and Sabina Rodriguez (Washington Post) | Published: 3/20/2025
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged Fox News viewers to buy Tesla stock, an apparent violation of federal ethics rules that prohibit officials from endorsing products or businesses. His promotion of Tesla was the latest move by a Trump administration official to bolster support for Elon Musk’s car company as it becomes a target for voters upset about the sweeping cuts Musk is leading across the federal government through the U.S. DOGE Service.
K Street Crashes Into ‘Nearly Un-Lobbyable’ Elon Musk
MSN – Sophia Call and Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 3/20/2025
Washington’s lobbying class is searching for an effective approach to an unprecedented challenge: how do you influence a mercurial outsider like Elon Musk who has immense but unofficial power and is the world’s richest person. But solving for Musk could pay huge dividends. If K Street can figure out how to lobby him, they can capitalize off the anxiety pervading Washington that drives companies and industries to sign six-figure retainers.
Health Benefits Company Co-Founded by Dr. Oz Could Be a Conflict of Interest
MSN – Lauren Weber and Caitlin Gilbert (Washington Post) | Published: 3/24/2025
Mehmet Oz, the nominee to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), co-founded health benefits company ZorroRX with his son last year. ZorroRX and similar companies promise to make hospitals money and save employers cash by connecting patients to the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. As head of CMS, Oz would lead an agency that could directly influence how much money hospitals, and in turn companies like ZorroRX, make from the federal system.
MSN – Betsy Kline (CNN) | Published: 3/23/2025
The White House, through an outside event production company called Harbinger, is soliciting corporate sponsors for this year’s Easter Egg Roll, which is prompting major concerns from ethics experts and shock from former White House officials from both parties. The solicitation for sponsorships marks an unprecedented offering of corporate branding opportunities on White House grounds running counter to long-established regulations prohibiting the use of public office for private gain.
Trump’s Washington Runs on Secret Chat App Signal
MSN – Shira Ovide, Danielle Abril, and Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) | Published: 3/25/2025
Two months into the Trump administration, there is a sweeping shift underway in Washington as federal workers, and some high-level administration officials, migrate their correspondence to the messaging app Signal in a zeal for secrecy. Adopting Signal and other surveillance-dodging tactics of spies and billionaires comes at the potential loss of a real-time history of the Trump administration. The Atlantic magazine’s top editor said he was accidently added to a signal group in which U.S. officials planned a recent military attack in Yemen.
Trump’s Crackdown on Top Law Firms Spreads to Congress
MSN – Dasha Burns, Caitlin Oprysko, and Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 3/24/2025
An email circulated by a Republican Senate staffer to GOP Senate offices instructs them to pay heed to the lobbying clients of Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie, two law firms that President Trump has singled out in his campaign to crack down on those that oppose his policies. A person familiar with the email said the goal was to signal “that maybe Senate Republican staffers should consider whether they should be helpful to these individuals [that hire Covington and Perkins Coie], given their affiliation with firms deemed to be anti-Trump.”
For Many, Proving U.S. Citizenship to Vote Could Be Costly and Difficult
MSN – Anumita Kaur and Gaya Gupta (Washington Post) | Published: 3/26/2025
Millions of Americans could be prevented from voting after President Trump signed an executive order requiring people to provide documents that prove they are citizens when they register to vote. High costs, bureaucratic delays, and transportation issues are among myriad hurdles preventing many Americans from acquiring these forms of identification, which means Trump’s new mandate will make it harder for citizens to reach the ballot box, experts said.
Masked Agents Whisk Away Tufts Student from Sidewalk, Video Shows
MSN – Niha Masih, Frances Vinall, and Julie Yoon (Washington Post) | Published: 3/27/2025
As Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk made her way to an interfaith center to break the Ramadan, plainclothes agents, some masked, descended on her. Within about a minute, the agents whisked her away in handcuffs. Ozturk’s lawyer said the agent belonged to the Department of Homeland Security. Ozturk is a Fulbright scholar on an F-1 student visa, her lawyer said. President Trump promised to deport international students he alleges are engaging in “pro-terrorist, antisemitic, anti-American” campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza.
From the States and Municipalities
Europe – Why Banning Huawei from the EU Institutions Is Harder Than It Seems
Euractiv – Anupriya Datta and Nicoletta Ionta | Published: 3/25/2025
The European Parliament quickly suspended lobbyists’ access after a new corruption case emerged involving Huawei, which allegedly paid bribes to politicians to support its 5G expansion in Europe. After the allegations became public, the European Commission issued internal instructions directing commissioners, cabinet members, and staff to immediately suspend all meetings and contacts with Huawei “until further notice.” But Huawei lobbyists could exploit loopholes to retain access to European Union premises despite the ban.
Canada – Canada’s Carney Calls Snap Election as Trump Looms Over Campaign
MSN – Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) | Published: 3/23/2025
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called a snap federal election for April 28, seeking to capitalize on momentum that has his Liberals resurgent. The campaign is likely to come down to one question: who can best handle President Trump and make Canada more resilient in the face of his threats? The election will pit Carney against Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, a populist firebrand who until recently held a commanding lead in the polls.
Arizona – GOP Lawmaker Undermines One of His Party’s Candidates for AZ Governor
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 3/27/2025
The head of the conservative Arizona Freedom Caucus is advancing legislation that would bar Republican Karrin Taylor Robson from becoming the next governor, even if she were to win the election over his favored GOP candidate. The resolution says nothing about Robson, but it does say no person is eligible to become a state elected official who for two years prior to the primary election was required to register as a paid lobbyist.
California – S.F. Is Weak and Ineffective at Preventing Conflicts of Interest, Report Finds
Mission Local – Xueer Lu | Published: 3/24/2025
Since January 2020, San Francisco has had eight department head-level employees forced out of office due to allegations of corruption. A new report suggests the city’s systems meant to limit conflicts-of-interest are lax and ineffective. The Budget and Legislative Analyst’s Office noted a distinct lack of process for reviewing financial disclosure forms, inconsistency across departments in ethics training, and failure of city employees to disclose secondary jobs and failure to catch and check them.
California – What Do the City Records Show About the Alleged Bribe in the Sacramento Mayor’s Race?
MSN – Joe Rubin (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 3/25/2025
Three weeks before allegedly offering a bribe to Sacramento mayoral candidate Flojaune Cofer, California Black Chamber of Commerce President Jay King had a previously undisclosed lunch meeting with then-City Manager Howard Chan and developer Paul Petrovich. During a September phone call, Cofer said she was asked by King to extend Chan’s contract. If she did, she said, King promised that Petrovich would make a substantial campaign contribution.
California – Ousted Official Used City Cash for Son’s UCLA Tuition, Probe Finds
San Francisco Standard – Gabe Greschler, Noah Baustin, Jonah Owen Lamb, and David Sijostedt | Published: 3/20/2025
Investigators revealed new details about a former San Francisco department head who allegedly enriched herself through a corrupt scheme of bribes and illegal gifts that went on for years. The city attorney’s office said Sheryl Davis, who has resigned as the Human Rights Commission director, received tens of thousands of dollars from a city-funded organization that benefitted her personal business ventures, expensive travel, and her son’s tuition at UCLA.
Colorado – Trump Complained About a Portrait of Him in Colorado’s Capitol. Now It’s Being Removed.
MSN – Justine McDaniel (Washington Post) | Published: 3/25/2025
President Trump likes having his name and image on things, but there is one representation of his likeness that he wanted gone – a portrait that hangs in the Colorado Capitol. Trump took to Truth Social to complain about the painting, blaming the state’s Democratic governor for it and demanding it be removed. Republican then asked for the portrait to be taken down, and the Democratic lawmakers who hold the majorities in the Legislature signed off on removing it.
Florida – Florida’s Top Gambling Regulator Became a FanDuel Lobbyist. A Bill Would Bar a Repeat.
MSN – Alexandra Glorioso (Miami Herald) | Published: 3/20/2025
As Florida’s first gambling regulator, Louis Trombetta took an aggressive approach to fantasy sports betting, driving three companies to shut down their games in the state. Then he went to work for one of their competitors. The sudden about-face has raised questions by ethics experts about the “revolving door” between regulators and the industry, a door one state lawmaker wants to shut behind Trombetta.
Idaho – Committee Sends Overhaul of Idaho’s Campaign Finance Law to House
Moscow-Pullman Daily News – Laura Guido | Published: 3/25/2025
A major overhaul of Idaho’s campaign finance law moved to the House floor. House Bill 442 would increase campaign expenditure reporting frequency, raise individual contribution limits, and include a trigger to significantly increase donation limits if a legislative candidate has $50,000 spent against them.
Kansas – Kansas Lawmakers Vote to Let More Organizations to Pay for Their Travel Expenses
MSN – Jack Harvel (Topeka Capital-Journal) | Published: 3/26/2025
A bill sent to the Kansas governor would allow more nonprofits to reimburse politicians for travel to events and conferences and give more leeway for the executive branch to accept gifts or discounted tickets to entertainment events. Organizations like the National Conference of State Legislatures can pay travel-related expenses, but non-nationwide organizations are prohibited. The bill expands who can reimburse lawmakers to any nonprofit nonpartisan group that does not lobby in the state.
Kentucky – Democrat Grimes, Former Kentucky Secretary of State, Wins Appeal in Ethics Case
Yahoo News – Jack Brammer (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 3/23/2025
The Kentucky Court of Appeals unanimously has upheld a lower court order that cleared former Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes of ethics charges. The court said the Executive Branch Ethics Commission missed its statutory deadline to charge Grimes with improperly ordering the downloading and distribution of voter registration data from her public office while she was secretary of state. The commission argued it was not bound by any statute of limitations.
Louisiana – Supreme Court Presses Louisiana on Use of Race During 2022 Redistricting
MSN – John Fritze (CNN) | Published: 3/24/2025
The Supreme Court grappled with a years-old, messy legal battle over Louisiana’s congressional districts during an oral argument in which several of the court’s conservatives questioned whether the state had violated the Constitution because of its focus on race. Several of those justices signaled they are prepared to further weaken the influence that the Voting Right Act has on redistricting, although it was not clear if there was a majority to do so in Louisiana’s case. That is partly because lower courts had guided the state toward redrawing its lines with race in mind.
Maryland – Gov. Moore’s Planned Attendance at Political Fundraiser Raises Legal Questions
MSN – Brooke Conrad (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/27/2025
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore appearance at an upcoming event organized by the Unity First PAC is raising eyebrows in Annapolis. Maryland law places certain limits on fundraising activities by the governor and other state officials during the General Assembly session and the event is scheduled for April 2, five days before the conclusion of the session. David Mitrani, Unity First PAC’s lawyer, said the PAC does not “engage in activity that is covered under Maryland’s campaign finance law and is not a candidate committee … and is therefore not subject to the legislative session blackout period.”
Minnesota – Minnesota State Senator Resigns After He Was Charged with Soliciting a Minor for Prostitution
MSN – Steve Karnowski (Associated Press) | Published: 3/20/2025
Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn resigned after he was charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution, stepping down before the Senate could vote on whether to expel him. Investigators had placed multiple ads online offering sex for money, according to the charging documents. Eichorn exchanged text messages with an undercover officer purporting to be a 17-year-old girl for several days until they arranged a meet-up, where he was arrested.
Montana – Former Legislators Could Immediately Become Lobbyists Under Senate Bill
Daily Montanan – Jordan Hansen | Published: 3/20/2025
Former Montana legislators could immediately become lobbyists under legislation from Sen. Greg Hertz. Now, state lawmakers, elected state officials, department directors, appointed state officials, and members of an elected official’s personal staff are not allowed to be licensed as lobbyists if they have served in any of those positions over the previous two years. Senate Bill 222 would remove the statute entirely.
Montana – ‘Buckle Up’: In Montana, Republican lawmakers target the judiciary
DNyuz – David Chen (New York Times) | Published: 3/24/2025
As the Trump administration steps up its attacks on the federal judiciary, similar power struggles are unfolding at the state level. The Montana Legislature is weighing an avalanche of bills to reshape the judiciary and influence who gets to sit on the courts. Judicial elections would become partisan contests. A new court would be created to adjudicate constitutional claims, helmed by judges who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. At least two bills have even proposed that a judge’s “facial expressions” to be construed as evidence of bias, potentially resulting in disqualification.
Montana – Montana Senate Can’t Muster Enough Votes to Punish Former President Ellsworth
MSN – Tom Lutey (Montana Free Press) | Published: 3/24/2025
The Montana Senate drew to a stalemate over whether to expel Sen. Jason Ellsworth for ethics violations, though there is no limit to how many tries they get at taking some sort of disciplinary action. Lawmakers failed twice to get the necessary two-thirds majority required to expel a member. Between attempts to expel, senators were also unsuccessful at censuring Ellsworth. The latter entailed removing him from key committees and banning him from the Senate floor for a few weeks.
New Jersey – Sanctioned Trump Attorney Alina Habba to Be Interim N.J. Prosecutor
MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 3/24/2025
Alina Habba, a lawyer for President Trump who received sanctions and judicial reprimands while representing him, will be appointed interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey. Habba has been serving as a White House counselor and was a prominent figure on the campaign trail for Trump. Habba was heavily involved in Trump’s legal entanglements before the November election. In that role, she was sanctioned for running afoul of what judges considered appropriate attorney conduct.
New Mexico – One Signature Away from Becoming Law, Lobbyists Worry Over Reporting Bill
Yahoo News – Megan Gleason (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 3/20/2025
New Mexico lawmakers sent a bill to the governor that would require lobbyists or their employers to file reports disclosing stances on bills they are attempting to influence and, if positions change, to update their stances within 48 hours. Currently, lobbyists only need to publicly report who is employing them and money spent to benefit legislators for lobbying purposes. House Bill 143 has raised red flags for some lobbyists, who are concerned it would worsen existing logistical issues and be overly burdensome.
New Mexico – 60 Days Later, Cicero Institute’s Reason for NM Lobbying Still Hidden from Public
Yahoo News – Patrick Lohmann (Source New Mexico) | Published: 3/24/2025
The legislative session is over and hundreds of bills are closer to becoming law, but it is still unclear which of them a billionaire-backed think tank influenced when it hired two veteran New Mexico lobbyists. The Cicero Institute has been linked to legislative lobbying efforts in other states where lawmakers have made it a misdemeanor to camp in public. The lobbyists would not say, and state law did not require them to disclose which bills they lobbied for or against in the 60-day legislative session that ended March 22.
New York – Cuomo Failed to Disclose Lobbyists Who Bundled Donations
New York Focus – Chris Bragg and Julia Rock | Published: 3/20/2025
.In a recent campaign filing, Andrew Cuomo disclosed having had no “intermediaries” – also known as bundlers – that raised money for his New York City mayoral bid. But records show Tonio Burgos sent out a fundraising email on March 7 seeking donations for Cuomo’s campaign. The email directed potential donors to a fundraising webpage set up by the Cuomo campaign which told them their donations would be matched with taxpayer dollars, even though Burgos’s work as a registered lobbyist means any gifts he solicits are ineligible for matching funds.
New York – Newly Unsealed Memo Sheds Light on Justice Department’s Rush to Drop NYC Mayor’s Corruption Case
Yahoo News – Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 3/25/2025
New court documents offer a behind-the-scenes look at how federal prosecutors built and then tried to salvage their criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams in the face of unprecedented pressure from President Trump’s Justice Department. The documents include a draft memo by the former interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who resigned in protest rather than carry out a directive from a top Justice Department official to dump the case against Adams.
Ohio – Romantic Partner of Ex-Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones Charged in Corruption Probe
MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 3/26/2025
The romantic partner of former Cleveland City Councilperson Basheer Jones was accused of lining her pockets with money from several schemes that authorities say the two carried out on nonprofits and through real-estate deals. Sinera Jones hid her relationship with Jones in the deals and allowed him to use his sway to get her a job with a nonprofit, according to prosecutors. Basheer Jones has pleaded guilty to similar charges.
Oregon – How Washington County Sewer Officials Scored Annual Hawaii Trips and 5-Star Lodging
MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 3/20/2025
It is not uncommon for government workers in agencies large and small to attend out-of-state conferences. But what makes trips taken by officials with Washington Count’s sewer agency to Hawaii unusual is their frequency, cost, lack of transparency, and that the recurring tropical location is the result of a local business decision made by design. The trips are not accounted for in the agency’s annual budgets even though ratepayers of Clean Water Services indirectly footed the bill.
Pennsylvania – Democrat Notches an Upset in Pennsylvania State Senate Race
DNyuz – Campbell Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 3/26/2025
A Democrat won a surprise victory in a special election for the Pennsylvania Senate, narrowly prevailing in a district that Donald Trump won by 15 points last fall. The election, conducted in the small towns and suburbs of Lancaster County where no Democrat had won since 1979, joined two currents that are powering the political moment.
Texas – Cornyn, Cruz Ask US Supreme Court to Hear Activist’s Case Against Texas Ethics Watchdog
MSN – Bayliss Wagner (Austin American-Statesman) | Published: 3/25/2025
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are supporting a conservative activist and political website publisher’s effort to have his case against the Texas Ethics Commission heard in the nation’s highest court. The senators filed a friend-of-the-court brief asking the Supreme Court to take up Michael Quinn Sullivan’s 10-year-old lawsuit challenging a $10,000 fine levied against him in 2014 by the commission. It unanimously found that Sullivan, then the president of advocacy group Empower Texans, failed to register as a lobbyist while he worked to influence state lawmakers.
Texas – Texas Senate Passes Weakened Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Ban Following GOP Amendment
The Texan – Brad Johnson | Published: 3/20/2025
The Texas Senate passed legislation intended to ban “taxpayer-funded lobbying” but tacked on an amendment that exempts groups like the Texas Association of School Boards. The bill prohibits local governments from hiring registered lobbyists and allows citizens to sue those localities if they violate the ban. It applies only to political subdivisions and not constitutional offices, like county sheriffs.
Vermont – Ways and Means: Experts say Vermont Legislature’s ethics disclosures are lacking
Seven Days – Hannah Bassett | Published: 3/26/2025
The public can follow much of Vermont lawmakers’ work easily these days. Bills are updated and tracked from the day they are introduced, and agendas are published online in advance of meetings. Since the pandemic, floor discussions and committee meetings are generally live streamed, and the recordings remain online for viewing after the sessions conclude. For a small state with relatively limited statehouse resources, this is a testament to how even Vermont’s oldest institutions can use modern tools to foster trust in government, when they choose to.
Wisconsin – Why Elon Musk and Tesla Have a Legal Bone to Pick with Wisconsin
DNyuz – Reid Epsien and Neal Boudette (New York Times) | Published: 3/26/2025
Elon Musk is far away the biggest spender in this year’s race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, throwing his fortune behind a conservative candidate aiming to topple the court’s four-to-three liberal majority. The $20 million and counting from Musk and groups tied to him comes as Tesla is suing Wisconsin over its law prohibiting vehicle manufacturers from selling cars directly to consumers. The case is now before a court in Milwaukee County, but it could proceed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the coming months.
March 27, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Wisconsin: “Why Elon Musk and Tesla Have a Legal Bone to Pick with Wisconsin” by Reid Epstein and Neal Boudette (New York Times) for DNyuz Elections Pennsylvania: “Democrat Notches an Upset in Pennsylvania State Senate Race” by Campbell Robertson (New York […]
Campaign Finance
Wisconsin: “Why Elon Musk and Tesla Have a Legal Bone to Pick with Wisconsin” by Reid Epstein and Neal Boudette (New York Times) for DNyuz
Elections
Pennsylvania: “Democrat Notches an Upset in Pennsylvania State Senate Race” by Campbell Robertson (New York Times) for DNyuz
Ethics
California: “What Do the City Records Show About the Alleged Bribe in the Sacramento Mayor’s Race?” by Joe Rubin (Sacramento Bee) for MSN
Kansas: “Kansas Lawmakers Vote to Let More Organizations Pay for Their Travel Expenses” by Jack Harvel (Topeka Capital-Journal) for MSN
New York: “Newly Unsealed Memo Sheds Light on Justice Department’s Rush to Drop NYC Mayor’s Corruption Case” by Michael Sisak (Associated Press) for Yahoo News
Oregon: “How Washington County Sewer Officials Scored Annual Hawaii Trips and 5-Star Lodging” by Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Legislative Issues
Colorado: “Trump Complained About a Portrait of Him in Colorado’s Capitol. Now It’s Being Removed.” by Justine McDaniel (Washington Post) for MSN
Lobbying
Texas: “Cornyn, Cruz Ask US Supreme Court to Hear Activist’s Case Against Texas Ethics Watchdog” by Bayliss Wagner (Austin American-Statesman) for MSN
March 26, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Idaho: “Committee Sends Overhaul of Idaho’s Campaign Finance Law to House” by Laura Guido for Moscow-Pullman Daily News Ethics California: “S.F. Is Weak and Ineffective at Preventing Conflicts of Interest, Report Finds” by Xueer Lu for Mission Local National: “Trump’s Washington Runs on […]
Campaign Finance
Idaho: “Committee Sends Overhaul of Idaho’s Campaign Finance Law to House” by Laura Guido for Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Ethics
California: “S.F. Is Weak and Ineffective at Preventing Conflicts of Interest, Report Finds” by Xueer Lu for Mission Local
National: “Trump’s Washington Runs on Secret Chat App Signal” by Shira Ovide, Danielle Abril, and Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) for MSN
New Jersey: “Sanctioned Trump Attorney Alina Habba to Be Interim N.J. Prosecutor” by Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) for MSN
Lobbying
Europe: “Why Banning Huawei from the EU Institutions Is Harder Than It Seems” by Anupriya Datta and Nicoletta Ionta for Euractiv
National: “Trump’s Crackdown on Top Law Firms Spreads to Congress” by Dasha Burns, Caitlin Oprysko, and Daniel Lippman (Politico) for MSN
Montana: “Former Legislators Could Immediately Become Lobbyists Under Senate Bill” by Jordan Hansen for Daily Montanan
New Mexico: “60 Days Later, Cicero Institute’s Reason for NM Lobbying Still Hidden from Public” by Patrick Lohmann (Source New Mexico) for Yahoo News
March 25, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Elections Canada: “Canada’s Carney Calls Snap Election as Trump Looms Over Campaign” by Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics California: “Ousted Official Used City Cash for Son’s UCLA Tuition, Probe Finds” by Gabe Greschler, Noah Baustin, Jonah Owen Lamb, and David Sijostedt […]
Elections
Canada: “Canada’s Carney Calls Snap Election as Trump Looms Over Campaign” by Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “Ousted Official Used City Cash for Son’s UCLA Tuition, Probe Finds” by Gabe Greschler, Noah Baustin, Jonah Owen Lamb, and David Sijostedt for San Francisco Standard
National: “Health Benefits Company Co-Founded by Dr. Oz Could Be a Conflict of Interest” by Lauren Weber and Caitlin Gilbert (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “‘This Is Not Your Grandmother’s Easter Egg Roll’: White House seeks corporate sponsorships for Easter event” by Betsy Kline (CNN) for MSN
Kentucky: “Democrat Grimes, Former Kentucky Secretary of State, Wins Appeal in Ethics Case” by Jack Brammer (Kentucky Lantern) for Yahoo News
Minnesota: “Minnesota State Senator Resigns After He Was Charged with Soliciting a Minor for Prostitution” by Steve Karnowski (Associated Press) for MSN
Legislative Issues
Montana: “‘Buckle Up’: In Montana, Republican lawmakers target the judiciary” by David Chen (New York Times) for DNyuz
Redistricting
Louisiana: “Supreme Court Presses Louisiana on Use of Race During 2022 Redistricting” by John Fritze (CNN) for MSN
March 24, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance New York: “Cuomo Failed to Disclose Lobbyists Who Bundled Donations” by Chris Bragg and Julia Rock for New York Focus Ethics National: “Lutnick Urges Fox News Viewers to Buy Tesla Stock, Raising Ethics Questions” by Justine McDaniel and Sabina Rodriguez (Washington Post) […]
Campaign Finance
New York: “Cuomo Failed to Disclose Lobbyists Who Bundled Donations” by Chris Bragg and Julia Rock for New York Focus
Ethics
National: “Lutnick Urges Fox News Viewers to Buy Tesla Stock, Raising Ethics Questions” by Justine McDaniel and Sabina Rodriguez (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Paul Weiss Chair Says Deal with Trump Adheres to Firm’s Principles” by Matthew Goldstein, Jessica Silver-Greenberg, and Ben Protess (New York Times) for DNyuz
Montana: “Senate Ethics Committee Adopts Final Report Detailing Facts of Ellsworth Contract” by Micah Drew for Daily Montanan
Lobbying
National: “K Street Crashes Into ‘Nearly Un-Lobbyable’ Elon Musk” by Sophia Call and Daniel Lippman (Politico) for MSN
Florida: “Florida’s Top Gambling Regulator Became a FanDuel Lobbyist. A Bill Would Bar a Repeat.” by Alexandra Glorioso (Miami Herald) for MSN
New Mexico: “One Signature Away from Becoming Law, Lobbyists Worry Over Reporting Bill” by Megan Gleason (Albuquerque Journal) for Yahoo News
Texas: “Texas Senate Passes Weakened Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Ban Following GOP Amendment” by Brad Johnson for The Texan
March 21, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 21, 2025

National/Federal Elon Musk’s Starlink Expands Across White House Complex DNyuz – Maggie Haberman, Kate Conger, Eileen Sullivan, and Ryan Mac (New York Times) | Published: 3/17/2025 Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is now accessible across the White […]
National/Federal
Elon Musk’s Starlink Expands Across White House Complex
DNyuz – Maggie Haberman, Kate Conger, Eileen Sullivan, and Ryan Mac (New York Times) | Published: 3/17/2025
Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is now accessible across the White House campus. It is the latest installation of the Wi-Fi network across the government since Musk joined the Trump administration as an unpaid adviser. Musk, who is now an unpaid adviser working as a “special government employee” at the White House, controls Starlink and other companies that have regulatory matters before or contracts with the federal government. Questions about his business interests conflicting with his status as a presidential adviser and major Trump donor have persisted for weeks.
With Orders, Investigations and Innuendo, Trump and G.O.P. Aim to Cripple the Left
DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel and Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) | Published: 3/19/2025
President Trump and his allies are attacking the players and machinery that power the left, taking a series of partisan official actions that, if successful, will threaten to hobble Democrats’ ability to compete in elections for years to come. So far, the attacks have been diffuse and sometimes indiscriminate or inaccurate. But inside the administration, there are moves to coordinate and expand the assault. It is not unusual for partisans in Congress or their outside allies to push for investigations into political groups on the other side of the aisle, but using the levers of government to target the opposition is considered an abuse of power.
Judges Fear for Their Safety Amid a Wave of Threats
DNyuz – Mattathias Schwartz and Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) | Published: 3/19/2025
President Trump’s angry call for the impeachment of a federal judge who ruled against his administration on deportation flights set off a string of social media taunts and threats, including images of judges being marched off in handcuffs. The threats and intimidation may have not become actual violence, but they appear to be mounting, as Trump, his advisers, and his supporters are questioning the legitimacy of the American legal system. There is no evidence that jurists’ judgment has been warped by their antagonists. But at the least, public perceptions of judicial decisions could be shaped by the volume of attacks on the courts.
Trump’s Ending of Hunter Biden’s Security Detail Raises Questions About Who Gets Protection
DNyuz – Eileen Sullivan (New York Times) | Published: 3/19/2025
While former President Joe Biden and his wife are by law allowed to have protection for the rest of their lives, their adult children had it only for a few months. Before leaving office, Biden issued an executive order that extended the protection to them, but President Trump revoked their detail. Despite the legitimate questions of cost for protecting so many people, the sudden announcement of the cessation of protection for Hunter Biden, coupled with Trump’s fixation on the former president and his only living son, raised questions about whether this move was the latest stop on the president’s revenge tour.
Two Democratic Commissioners Fired from FTC
MSN – Julian Mark, Cat Zakrzewski, and Will Oremos (Washington Post) | Published: 3/18/2025
President Trump fired the only two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, handing the remaining Republican commissioners exclusive control over the agency that oversees antitrust and consumer protection laws and serves as the U.S. government’s primary regulator of the tech industry. Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter announced their dismissals on social media, with both calling their firings illegal. Bedoya indicated that he intends to sue over his firing.
Judge Says Trump Penalties on Law Firm Send ‘Chills Down My Spine’
MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 3/12/2025
A federal judge blocked provisions of President Trump’s executive order targeting attorneys at Perkins Coie. U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell said Perkins Coie was likely to ultimately prevail in court with its challenge of the order, which was prompted by the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and its prior work for Trump’s political opponents. Howell warned that the order could damage the integrity of the entire legal profession, intimidating lawyers from taking up cases that the president views as going against his interests.
Trump Asks Supreme Court to Curb Judges’ Power to Block Policies Nationwide
MSN – Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 3/13/2025
President Trump is asking the Supreme Court to eliminate a key tool that lower courts have used to block various aspects of his agenda, Trump asked the justices to rein in or shelve three nationwide injunctions lower-court judges have issued against his bid to end birthright citizenship. But his request could have repercussions far beyond the debate over the controversial citizenship plan.
National Democratic Committees to Stage Town Halls in House GOP Districts
MSN – Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) | Published: 3/14/2025
A coalition of national Democratic committees is launching town hall meetings in Republican-held House districts across the country, ramping up the party’s efforts to put politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers on the defensive over President Trump’s agenda. The groups aim to hold town halls in all 50 states.
Amid ‘DEI’ Purge, Pentagon Removes Webpage on Iwo Jima Flag-Raiser
MSN – Jon Swaine and Alex Horton (Washington Post) | Published: 3/17/2025
Until recently, a page on the Defense Department’s website celebrated Pfc. Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian who was one of the six Marines photographed hoisting a U.S. flag on Iwo Jima in 1945. But the page, along with many others about Native American and other minority service members, has now been erased amid the Trump administration’s wide-ranging crackdown on what it says are “diversity, equity and inclusion” efforts in the federal government.
How Matt Gaetz Poisoned the House Ethics Committee
MSN – Haily Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 3/18/2025
Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz is gone from Congress, but the wounds he inflicted on the House ethics committee that investigated him remain fresh. As the committee prepares in the coming weeks to ramp up after a monthslong delay and a pileup of potential cases, it is still regrouping from its crisis last year over whether to break with recent precedent and release the results of an investigation into Gaetz, who was being considered for attorney general.
Jury Selection Underway in Bribery Trial of Wife of Convicted Ex-New Jersey Senator
Yahoo News – John Russell | Published: 3/18/2025
The public corruption trial of Nadine Menendez, the wife of former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, is underway, having been split off from her co-defendants’ trial last year and then postponed by medical adjournments. Nadine Menendez was initially charged alongside her husband, accusing the couple of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes and gifts, including gold bars, from several businesspeople in exchange for the senator’s political influence.
From the States and Municipalities
Europe – Huawei Lobbyists Banned from Accessing European Parliament After Bribery Arrests
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 3/14/2025
The European Parliament banned lobbyists working for Huawei from its premises following the arrests of several people in a corruption probe linked to the company, in yet another scandal to hit the Legislature. Huawei is suspected by Belgian prosecutors bribing European Union lawmakers. The European Parliament said the decision to suspend the access of Huawei lobbyists has been taken as a precautionary measure, in line with its security rules.
California – An L.A. City Council Member Is Launching a Nonprofit. Ethics Experts Have Questions
Los Angeles Times – Dakota Smith | Published: 3/15/2025
Los Angeles City Councilperson Tim McOsker is launching a nonprofit to pay for basic services, including street lighting and park improvements, in his district, an unusual move that raises questions for ethics experts. The One Five Fund, which formally launches in the next few months, “will make requests of folks throughout the city for money,” McOsker said. McOsker will fundraise for One Five but will not be involved in allocating the money, according to his office.
California – Will Disgraced Former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Serve Prison Time?
Voice of OC – Spencer Custodio | Published: 3/17/2025
Federal prosecutors asked a judge to sentence disgraced former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu to eight months in prison and a $40,000 fine for wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and lying to FBI agents about trying to ram through the corrupted Angel Stadium sale to get $1 million in campaign support. Sidhu is asking for three years of probation and community service or a home arrest sentence. Sidhu resigned shortly after revelations of the corruption probe in 2022, and the stadium sale was canceled around the same time.
District of Columbia – D.C. Drops Lawsuit Against Proud Boys, Oath Keepers Over Jan. 6 Attack
Philadelphia Tribune – Ellie Silverman (Washington Post) | Published: 3/17/2025
The District of Columbia dropped a lawsuit against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers over the attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying the city was unlikely to recover enough money to justify continuing legal action against the far-right groups and others it had sought to hold responsible for the riot. The suit marked the first effort by a government agency to hold individuals and organizations civilly liable for the violence at the Capitol that day.
Florida – 2 Miami-Dade Health Inspectors Accused of Fabricating Violations to Extort Restaurants
MSN – David Goodhue (Miami Herald) | Published: 3/12/2025
Two Miami-Dade County health inspectors were arrested on accusations they extorted bribes from restaurant owners. In total, Charles Bryant II and Craig Bethel extorted $14,620 from 15 businesses, Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said. Both men, who worked for the Department of Environmental Resources Management, are accused of making up bogus health violations and threatening the businesses with shutting them down if they did not pay them money.
Florida – Ron DeSantis’ Team Is Urging Florida Lobbyists Not to Back Rep. Byron Donalds for Governor
MSN – Matt Dixon (NBC News) | Published: 3/18/2025
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s political operation is making calls to state lobbyists, urging them not to support U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, whose 2026 bid for governor has already collected more than $3 million, much of which has come from President Trump’s donors. Donalds announced his Trump-backed bid for governor in February, but there remains the prospect that DeSantis’s wife, Casey, also jumps into the race, which would set up a heavyweight Republican primary and continue the long-running political proxy war between Trump and DeSantis.
Florida – Lee School Board’s $180K Lobbying Contract Sparks Conflict-of-Interest Concerns
Yahoo News – Mickenzie Hannon (Naples Daily News) | Published: 3/13/2025
Some Lee County residents are questioning a new $180,000 contract the school board approved with Ballard Partners for federal lobbying services, raising concerns over potential conflicts-of-interest. Some residents voiced concerns about Ballard Partners’ ties to political consultant Terry Miller, who joined the firm as a partner in the Fort Myers office in 2023. He has also worked on campaigns for several board members. Critics argued the contract could give Miller undue influence over district affairs.
Hawaii – ‘Clean Government’ Bills Have Renewed Support
Yahoo News – Dan Nakaso (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) | Published: 3/18/2025
A series of bills aimed at further cleaning up government ethics, lobbying practices, and campaign contributions, while making it easier for new candidates to campaign for office, are suddenly enjoying renewed energy in the Hawaii Legislature after a lull in 2024. Collectively, the bills that remain alive this session are designed to tighten many of the practices that have directly or indirectly been linked to recent federal trials, guilty verdicts, and pleas by state and county officials.
Kansas – Kansas Senate Adds to Potential Makeover of State Elections with Passage of Two More Bills
Yahoo News – Sherman Smith and Anna Kaminski (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 3/17/2025
Lawmakers passed two bills that would ban the use of ranked-choice voting in Kansas and restrict funding for election-related activities, such as voter registration efforts. The Legislature now has sent three election bills to the governor’s desk. The other one would narrow the window for advance ballots to arrive at county election offices.
Kansas – Kansas GOP Activist, Democrat Legislator Find Common Ground in Opposition to Campaign Finance Bills
Yahoo News – Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 3/17/2025
Democratic Rep. Alexis Simmons and former Kansas Republican Party Executive Director Kris Van Meteren stand uncommonly side-by-side against elimination of contribution limits for political party committees. Both said they could see logic to House Bill 2054’s doubling of contribution limits for candidates seeking election as governor and other statewide offices, the state Legislature and State Board of Education.
Kentucky – Secrecy Shrouds Campaign to Form New Suburban City in Louisville Metro
WDRB – Marcus Green | Published: 3/11/2025
The battle over a new city proposed for Jefferson County has been waged on yard signs, in online forums, and through word of mouth. But one front where the campaign is not occurring is on disclosure forms bringing transparency to groups fighting for and against the city of Eastwood. In many cases, local and state laws require those advocating for high-profile issues in Louisville and Frankfort to identify themselves and explain how much they are spending to influence decision makers. That is not happening in the Eastwood debate.
Michigan – Detroit Chamber Can’t Comp Lawmakers for Mackinac Conference
MIRS – Staff | Published: 3/11/2025
The Detroit Regional Chamber is not allowed to give lawmakers free admission to their annual Mackinac Policy Conference, which other attendees pay $3,200 apiece to attend, the secretary of state’s office said in a preliminary ruling. Normally, registration is $3,200 for chamber members, but state law bans gifts worth more than $79 from lobbyists, like the Detroit Regional Chamber. The Senate is advancing a bill that would allow lawmakers to continue receiving tickets to charity events or admission to a conference or educational event directly related to their duties, like the Mackinac Policy Conference.
Michigan – Michigan House Democrats Take Second Run at Ethics and Transparency Legislation
Yahoo News – Jon King (Michigan Advance) | Published: 3/18/2025
Michigan House Democrats used Sunshine Week, which acknowledges the importance of transparency in government, to re-introduce a package of bills they say will provide needed accountability to the finances of elected officials. The bills failed to get through the House last year during the lame duck session. Several of the sponsors saying the package would improve accountability by stopping election and campaign finance law violations in real-time, while also curtailing the influence of lobbying and financial interests on the legislative process.
Montana – Witness Testimony Wraps in Ellsworth Ethics Probe as Business Associate Skirts Subpoena
Bozeman Daily Chronicle – Seaborn Larson and Blair Miller (Lee Newspapers) | Published: 3/17/2025
Witness testimony over three days before a legislative ethics committee fortified allegations that Sen. Jason Ellsworth failed to disclose an extensive personal and professional relationship when organizing a state-funded contract for a friend, special counsel Adam Duerk argued. The committee’s final meeting before it begins crystalizing its forthcoming report for the Senate included a video statement from Bryce Eggleston, the contractor whom Ellsworth awarded a $170,100 state-funded contract to analyze the rollout of the GOP’s judicial reform agenda after the 2025 legislative session.
Nevada – Nevada Official Faces Ethics Commission over Golden Knights Perks
MSN – Mary Hynes (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 3/19/2025
Dwayne McClinton, director of the Nevada Office of Energy, is the subject of a state ethics complaint that claims he accepted free Vegas Golden Knights tickets and solicited access to a private watch party while negotiating a potential taxpayer-funded partnership with the National Hockey League team. McClinton neither disclosed the gifts nor abstained from further work on the partnership project.
New Jersey – Pay-to-Play
MSN – Riley Yates (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 3/20/2025
Two years ago, the New Jersey Legislature eviscerated the state’s pay-to-play law, a once-heralded good government measure that seeks to prevent construction companies, insurance brokers, and law offices from buying contracts through campaign donations. That has helped funnel campaign funds to political machines across New Jersey. In total, public contractors poured $3.8 million last year into political parties at the state, county, or local level, more than double what they gave in 2023, when the new rules first took effect.
New Mexico – Campaign Finance Reform Is ‘Dead,’ Says Sponsor
KUNM – Marjorie Childress (New Mexico In Depth) | Published: 3/16/2025
A bill meant primarily to close loopholes in New Mexico’s law governing the reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures crashed in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs committee. Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth has sought to close loopholes in the Campaign Reporting Act since several groups exploited them in a partially successful attempt to evade disclosing their donors and spending in the 2020 election.
New Mexico – Major Lobbyist Transparency Bill Nears Finish Line
New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 3/18/2202
The New Mexico Senate voted to require new reports from registered lobbyists and those that pay them about the legislation they support or oppose. The House must now agree with changes made to House Bill 143. Sen. Jeff Steinborn has pushed for this type of lobbyist reporting since 2017, but his bills have not made it far in the Senate before.
New York – Adams’s Associates Under Federal Investigation Over Ties to China
DNyuz – Bianca Pallaro, Jay Root, Michael Forsythe, and William Rashbaum (New York Times) | Published: 3/18/2025
The Trump administration appears likely to succeed in having federal corruption charges dropped against New York City Mayor Eric Adams in Manhattan. But in Brooklyn, a separate group of prosecutors has been conducting a long-running investigation involving the mayor’s most prominent fundraiser, and at one point searched her homes and office for evidence of a possible Chinese government scheme to influence Adams’s election, according to a search warrant.
New York – Judge Upholds Income Limits for State Legislators
Jamestown Post-Journal – John Whittaker | Published: 3/20/2025
A New York Supreme Court justice upheld outside income limits for state legislators but struck down a section of the law that would strip lawmakers of their voting rights if they violate the income limits. Republicans asked the judge to declare the law unconstitutional under the state and federal constitutions while the state argued limiting outside income falls within the Legislature’s legitimate interest in preventing conflict-of-interest and ethics issues caused by outside earned income.
Ohio – Six Years After Bribery Scandal, Ousted First Energy Lobbyists Still Aren’t Talking to the PUCO
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 3/13/2025
Nearly six years ago, the Ohio General Assembly passed legislation that benefitted FirstEnergy, which was later deemed to be the fruit of a bribery scheme. Three corporate lobbyists and one executive, all since ousted from their roles with FirstEnergy, once again avoided answering questions under oath about what happened. The goal of the hearing was to establish a process and build a record that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio could take to court, where a judge could issue an order compelling them to testify while giving immunity from being held criminally accountable for whatever answers they may provide.
Yahoo News – Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) | Published: 3/17/2025
State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters agreed to pay a $5,000 settlement after being accused of ethics violations for pushing for Donald Trump’s election on a social media account with his official title. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted to settle three cases against Walters over his social media posts in support of Trump. It also voted to sue Walters over alleged campaign finance violations.
Oregon – Oregon’s 3 Most Populous Counties Don’t Track Who Lobbies Their Leaders
MSN – Austin De Dios (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 3/14/2025
None of Oregon’s most populous counties track with whom lobbyists meet or how much they spend on events with public officials. The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners is looking to change that.
Tennessee – No Formal Ethics Commission Training Yet for Lee’s Cabinet After September Pledge
Des Moines Register – Vivian Jones (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 3/10/2025
Additional ethics training has not occurred for members of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s cabinet nearly six months after a state ethics board recommended that they do so. Last year, Lee and Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds both repaid travel payments to nonprofits with connected political groups that employ lobbyists after media reports led to ethics complaints that alleged the travel expenses constituted illegal gifts.
Texas – How At-Large Voting Creates Conservative Majorities on Texas School Boards
MSN – Jeremy Schwartz (ProPublica) and Dan Keemahill (Texas Tribune) | Published: 3/19/2025
The way communities elect school board members plays a key, if often overlooked, role in whether racially diverse districts experience takeovers by ideologically driven conservatives seeking to exert greater influence over what children learn in public schools In Texas. Since the pandemic, such groups have successfully leveraged the state’s long-standing and predominantly at-large method of electing candidates to flip school boards in their direction.
Texas – Bills Filed to Ban ‘Deepfakes’ in Political Ads in Texas
MSN – Bethany Blankley (The Center Square) | Published: 3/19/2025
Two bills were filed in Texas that would require additional disclosures for political ads. The bills were filed after the state Ethics Commission expanded disclosure requirements for campaign ads on social media posts. House Bill 366 would require disclosures on political ads that contain altered images known as “deep fakes.”
Utah – Utah on Path to End Automatic Mail Ballots after Wave of Misinformation
MSN – Patrick Marley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 3/17/2025
Utah is poised to abolish its practice of automatically mailing ballots to all voters, handing a victory to President Trump and Republicans who have vilified voting by mail since his 2020 election defeat. The likely changes in Utah are modest compared with Trump’s calls for ending mail voting altogether but would nonetheless mark a dramatic shift in a Republican stronghold that has long embraced mail balloting as convenient and secure.
Vermont – Vermont House Passes Change to Ethics Law, Despite Objections from the State’s Ethics Commission
VTDigger.org – Shaun Robinson | Published: 3/14/2025
The state panel tasked with reviewing alleged violations of Vermont’s ethical standards for government officials has been at odds with lawmakers over a bill that would limit the panel’s role in reviewing potential misconduct by state leaders. The House passed the bill that would, among other changes, exempt the panels and boards that investigate alleged misconduct by legislators, judges, and attorneys from a legal requirement to “consult” with the state ethics commission.
West Virginia – WV House Republicans Join Dems 54-41 to Reject Bill Allowing Direct Corporate Political Donations
West Virgina Watch – Caity Coyne | Published: 3/13/2025
The West Virginia House rejected a bill that would have allowed businesses and corporations in the state to directly donate up to $2,800, and potentially more, to candidates. Under House Bill 2729, business owners could have given the maximum amount of money to candidates multiple times by donating through their businesses, individual giving, and PACs.
March 20, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Elections Kansas: “Kansas Senate Adds to Potential Makeover of State Elections with Passage of Two More Bills” by Sherman Smith and Anna Kaminski (Kansas Reflector) for Yahoo News Texas: “How At-Large Voting Creates Conservative Majorities on Texas School Boards” by Jeremy Schwartz (ProPublica) […]
Elections
Kansas: “Kansas Senate Adds to Potential Makeover of State Elections with Passage of Two More Bills” by Sherman Smith and Anna Kaminski (Kansas Reflector) for Yahoo News
Texas: “How At-Large Voting Creates Conservative Majorities on Texas School Boards” by Jeremy Schwartz (ProPublica) and Dan Keemahill (Texas Tribune) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Judges Fear for Their Safety Amid a Wave of Threats” by Mattathias Schwartz and Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) for DNyuz
National: “With Orders, Investigations and Innuendo, Trump and G.O.P. Aim to Cripple the Left” by Kenneth Vogel and Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) for DNyuz
Hawaii: “‘Clean Government’ Bills Have Renewed Support” by Dan Nakaso (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) for Yahoo News
Nevada: “Nevada Official Faces Ethics Commission over Golden Knights Perks” by Mary Hynes (Las Vegas Review-Journal) for MSN
Oklahoma: “Ryan Walters Used His Official-Looking X Account to Support Trump. It Cost Him $5K to Settle Ethics Complaint.” by Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
Florida: “Lee School Board’s $180K Lobbying Contract Sparks Conflict-of-Interest Concerns” by Mickenzie Hannon (Naples Daily News) for Yahoo News
Michigan: “Detroit Chamber Can’t Comp Lawmakers for Mackinac Conference” by Staff for MIRS
March 19, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Ethics National: “Amid ‘DEI’ Purge, Pentagon Removes Webpage on Iwo Jima Flag-Raiser” by Jon Swaine and Alex Horton (Washington Post) for MSN National: “How Matt Gaetz Poisoned the House Ethics Committee” by Haily Fuchs (Politico) for MSN National: “Jury Selection Underway in Bribery Trial of […]
Ethics
National: “Amid ‘DEI’ Purge, Pentagon Removes Webpage on Iwo Jima Flag-Raiser” by Jon Swaine and Alex Horton (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “How Matt Gaetz Poisoned the House Ethics Committee” by Haily Fuchs (Politico) for MSN
National: “Jury Selection Underway in Bribery Trial of Wife of Convicted Ex-New Jersey Senator” by John Russell for Yahoo News
National: “Elon Musk’s Starlink Expands Across White House Complex” by Maggie Haberman, Kate Conger, Eileen Sullivan, and Ryan Mac (New York Times) for DNyuz
Montana: “Witness Testimony Wraps in Ellsworth Ethics Probe as Business Associate Skirts Subpoena” by Seaborn Larson and Blair Miller (Lee Newspapers) for Bozeman Daily Chronicle
New York: “Adams’s Associates Under Federal Investigation Over Ties to China” by Bianca Pallaro, Jay Root, Michael Forsythe, and William Rashbaum (New York Times) for DNyuz
Tennessee: “No Formal Ethics Commission Training Yet for Lee’s Cabinet After September Pledge” by Vivian Jones (Nashville Tennessean) for Des Moines Register
Lobbying
New Mexico: “Major Lobbyist Transparency Bill Nears Finish Line” by Marjorie Childress for New Mexico In Depth
March 18, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Kansas: “Kansas GOP Activist, Democrat Legislator Find Common Ground in Opposition to Campaign Finance Bills” by Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) for Yahoo News New Mexico: “Campaign Finance Reform Is ‘Dead,’ Says Sponsor” by Marjorie Childress (New Mexico In Depth) for KUNM […]
Campaign Finance
Kansas: “Kansas GOP Activist, Democrat Legislator Find Common Ground in Opposition to Campaign Finance Bills” by Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) for Yahoo News
New Mexico: “Campaign Finance Reform Is ‘Dead,’ Says Sponsor” by Marjorie Childress (New Mexico In Depth) for KUNM
Elections
Utah: “Utah on Path to End Automatic Mail Ballots after Wave of Misinformation” by Patrick Marley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “An L.A. City Council Member Is Launching a Nonprofit. Ethics Experts Have Questions” by Dakota Smith for Los Angeles Times
Washington DC: “D.C. Drops Lawsuit Against Proud Boys, Oath Keepers Over Jan. 6 Attack” by Ellie Silverman (Washington Post) for Philadelphia Tribune
Kentucky: “Secrecy Shrouds Campaign to Form New Suburban City in Louisville Metro” by Marcus Green for WDRB
Vermont: “Vermont House Passes Change to Ethics Law, Despite Objections from the State’s Ethics Commission” by Shaun Robinson for VTDigger.org
Lobbying
Europe: “What Rules Apply to Lobbying the European Parliament?” by Romane Armangau (Euronews) for MSN
March 17, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Ethics Commission Pursuing Ryan Walters for Campaign Finance Violations” by Emma Murphy for Oklahoma Voice West Virginia: “WV House Republicans Join Dems 54-41 to Reject Bill Allowing Direct Corporate Political Donations” by Caity Coyne for West Virgina Watch Elections National: “National […]
Campaign Finance
Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Ethics Commission Pursuing Ryan Walters for Campaign Finance Violations” by Emma Murphy for Oklahoma Voice
West Virginia: “WV House Republicans Join Dems 54-41 to Reject Bill Allowing Direct Corporate Political Donations” by Caity Coyne for West Virgina Watch
Elections
National: “National Democratic Committees to Stage Town Halls in House GOP Districts” by Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Judge Says Trump Penalties on Law Firm Send ‘Chills Down My Spine'” by Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Trump Asks Supreme Court to Curb Judges’ Power to Block Policies Nationwide” by Josh Gerstein (Politico) for MSN
Florida: “2 Miami-Dade Health Inspectors Accused of Fabricating Violations to Extort Restaurants” by David Goodhue (Miami Herald) for MSN
Ohio: “Six Years After Bribery Scandal, Ousted First Energy Lobbyists Still Aren’t Talking to the PUCO” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Lobbying
Oregon: “Oregon’s 3 Most Populous Counties Don’t Track Who Lobbies Their Leaders” by Austin De Dios (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
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.