Campaign Finance

Alabama: “Former Alabama House Majority Leader Sentenced to 3 Months in Prison” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Elections

Maine: “GOP Leader Jason Savage Says Controversial Website Is His, But Denies Ties to Party” by Steve Collins for Lewiston Sun Journal

Ethics

National: “Trump Administration Agrees to Post Visitor Logs for Some White House Offices” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

National: “Former Trump Aide Richard Gates to Plead Guilty; Agrees to Testify Against Manafort, Sources Say” by David Willman for Los Angeles Times

Idaho: “Idaho Lawmakers Agree to Hear New Statewide Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Bill” by Betsy Russell for Spokane Spokesman-Review

New Mexico: “Ex-Sen. Griego Gets 18 Months, $47,000 in Fines” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

New York: “How Albany Really Works: Cuomo loyalist exposes pay-to-play culture” by Shane Goldmacher for New York Times

Oregon: “John Kitzhaber Could Face Up to $50,000 in Fines for Ethics Violations” by Hillary Borrud for Portland Oregonian

South Carolina: “After Quinn’s Probation, Shock, Dismay, Joy and Wondering: What’s next?” by John Monk for The State

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump’s Inaugural Committee Paid $26 Million to Firm of First Lady’s Adviser” by Maggie Haberman and Kenneth Vogel for New York Times

New York: “Citizens United Can’t Hide Donor Lists from NY” by Nick Rummell for Courthouse News Service

Texas: “Austinites May Soon Be Able to Directly Support Candidates Through Voucher Donations” by Jessi Devenyns for Austin Monitor

Elections

National: “Mueller Charges 13 Russian Nationals with Interfering in 2016 Election” by Louis Nelson for Politico

Ethics

National: “Kelli Ward Touts Endorsement from Fake-News Site” by Jason Schwartz and Shawn Musgrave for Politico

District of Columbia: “D.C. Council Member Proposed Bill That Would Have Helped Firm That Offered His Son an Internship” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Tennessee: “How $225,000 Can Help Secure a Pollution Loophole at Trump’s E.P.A.” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

Lobbying

National: “K Street Reinvents Itself in the Era of Trump” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Delaware: “Lobbyists No Longer Have a Dedicated Room in Legislative Hall” by Scott Gross for Wilmington News Journal

Campaign Finance

National: “Sinclair Broadcast Group Solicits Its News Directors for Its Political Fundraising Efforts” by Paul Fahri (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

National: “I Approved This Facebook Message – But You Don’t Know That” by Jennifer Valentino-DeVries for ProPublica

Arizona: “House Passes Measure to Keep Cities From Banning ‘Dark Money’” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Capitol Times

Massachusetts: “OCPF Transparency Rules Could Discourage Donations, Critics Say” by Katie Lannan (State House News Service) for MassLive.com

Missouri: “Former Missouri State Senator Accused of Campaign Irregularities Loses Fight to Avoid $229K Fine” by Jack Suntrup for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

West Virginia: “Democratic Candidate Turns House of Delegates Eviction Into $45k Fundraising Haul” by Jake Zuckerman for Charleston Gazette-Mail

Ethics

Utah: “Taxpayers Reimbursed Former Lawmaker for Rooms Linked to Prostitution Allegations” by David DeMille for St. George Daily Spectrum

Legislative Issues

National: “Judges Say Throw Out the Map. Lawmakers Say Throw Out the Judges.” by Michael Wines for New York Times

Maryland: “Wife of 80-Year-Old State Senator Accompanies Him to Work Each Day. Some Say She Assists Him with Duties.” by Ovetta Wiggins for Washington Post

Lobbying

National: “Exiting Lawmakers Put in Calls to K Street” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Arkansas: “Former Arkansas Legislator Eddie Cooper Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement” by Wesley Brown for KUAR

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “St. Louis County Council Looks into the Wisdom, and Practicality, of Campaign Donation Limits” by Jason Rosenbaum for St. Louis Public Radio

New York: “Mayor Wants City Charter Revision to Tackle Campaign Finance” by William Neuman for New York Times

Texas: “County Judge Sent $63K from Campaign Account to His Beer Company Without Reporting It” by Trent Seibert for Texas Monitor

Elections

Montana: “Montana’s Ban on Robocalls Upheld as Constitutional by Federal Judge” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

Ethics

Federal: “Federal Grants Meant for Clean Coal Misspent on Liquor, Spas” by Ari Natter for Bloomberg

National: “A Whirlwind Envelops the White House, and the Revolving Door Spin” by Peter Baker (New York Times) for MSN

Florida: “Miami Beach Official Accepted Stays from Hotelier. Now Both Face Corruption Charges.” by Joey Flechas and David Ovalle for Miami Herald

Kentucky: “Kentucky Bill Seeks New Ethics Rules for KFC Yum! Center Board” by Marcus Green for WDRB

Legislative Issues

National: “She Was Naming Lawmakers Who Took Oil-and-Gas Money – So They Barred Her from the Public Hearing” by Avi Selk for Washington Post

Lobbying

Hawaii: “Development Lobbyist Failed to Register with Honolulu Ethics Commission” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Campaign Finance

Alaska: “Group Picks Alaska to Challenge Unlimited Campaign Donations” by Becky Bohrer (Associated Press) for Bristol Herald-Courier

Connecticut: “An Unlikely Rebuke of the General Assembly Over Election Laws” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

Texas: “Anti-Abortion Group Deletes State Senator’s Video After Questions of Legality Raised” by Patrick Svitek and Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Ethics

National: “First-Class Travel Distinguishes Scott Pruitt’s EPA Tenure” by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis for Washington Post

National: “#MeToo Movement Lawmaker Investigated for Sexual Misconduct Allegations” by Carla Marinucci for Politico

California: “California Legislative Staff Get Whistleblower Protections” by Kathleen Ronayne (Associated Press) for KPCC

Canada: “Ethics Czar Calls for Tougher Sanctions for Breaking Conflict of Interest Laws” by Beatrice Britnoff for iPolitics.ca

Oregon: “Kruse to Resign after Finding of Groping, Unwanted Touching at Oregon Capitol” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

South Carolina: “Former S.C. House Majority Leader Rick Quinn Gets Probation in Misconduct Case” by Andrew Knapp and Glenn Smith for Charleston Post and Courier

Tennessee: “Mayor Megan Barry Affair: Ethics complaint alleges improper influence, prompts new probe” by Dave Boucher and Nate Rau for The Tennessean

Legislative Issues

Colorado: “If You Can Pay $250, Colorado Lawmakers May Let You Skip Security at State Capitol” by John Frank for Denver Post

Lobbying

Florida: “Scott Maddox Never Registered as Waste Pro Lobbyist” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

North Dakota: “Amid Backlash, Gov. Burgum Reimburses Xcel Energy $37,000 for Super Bowl Tickets” by John Hageman for Grand Forks Herald

Oklahoma: “New Lobbying Rule Gets Mixed Review from Lawmakers and Those Who Try to Influence Them” by Barbara Hoberock for Tulsa World

South Carolina: “Utility Watchdog Asks SCANA and Dominion How Much They Are Spending on Lobbying, Advertising” by Andrew Brown for Charleston Post and Courier

Redistricting

Pennsylvania: “Pa. GOP Proposes a New Congressional Map. Democrats Say It’s Still Gerrymandered” by Liz Navratil, Jonathan Tamari, and Jonathan Lai for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Campaign Finance

Alaska: Group Picks Alaska to Challenge Unlimited Campaign Donations by Becky Bohrer (Associated Press) for Bristol Herald-Courier

Texas: Anti-Abortion Group Deletes State Senator’s Video After Questions of Legality Raised by Patrick Svitek and Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Ethics

California: California Legislative Staff Get Whistleblower Protections by Kathleen Ronayne (Associated Press) for KPCC

Canada: Ethics Czar Calls for Tougher Sanctions for Breaking Conflict of Interest Laws by Beatrice Britnoff for iPolitics.ca

Legislative Issues

Colorado: If You Can Pay $250, Colorado Lawmakers May Let You Skip Security at State Capitol by John Frank for Denver Post

Lobbying

Florida: Scott Maddox Never Registered as Waste Pro Lobbyist by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

North Dakota: Amid Backlash, Gov. Burgum Reimburses Xcel Energy $37,000 for Super Bowl Tickets by John Hageman for Grand Forks Herald

South Carolina: Utility Watchdog Asks SCANA and Dominion How Much They Are Spending on Lobbying, Advertising by Andrew Brown for Charleston Post and Courier

Campaign Finance

California: “Peskin Wants Big Political Donors to Disclose Investments” by Joshua Sabatini for San Francisco Examiner

District of Columbia: “D.C. Council Approves Fair Elections Act” by Julia Airey for Washington Times

Elections

National: “Hero or Hired Gun? How a British Former Spy Became a Flash Point in the Russia Investigation.” by Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Ethics

Nebraska: “Is the Time Right for an Ethics Board in the Nebraska Legislature?” by Jo Anne Young for Lincoln Journal Star

New York: “State Senate’s New Sexual Harassment Policy Draws Criticism” by Rachel Silberstein for Gotham Gazette

Oregon: “Report Finds Kruse Groped Women at Oregon Capitol, Misbehavior Escalated after Warnings” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

South Carolina: “S.C. House Ethics Committee Warns Legislators Don’t Use Campaign Cash to Defend Misconduct Allegations” by Seanna Adcox for Charleston Post and Courier

Tennessee: “Mayor Barry Recommended City Job for Daughter of Officer with Whom She Had Affair” by Anita Wadhwani for The Tennessean

Lobbying

California: “California Lobbyists Could Receive a Four-Year Ban for Sexual Harassment Under New Legislation” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Missouri: “Senators Propose Limiting Gifts from Lobbyists to $40 a Day” by Marshall Griffin for St. Louis Public Radio

Canada: “Democracy Watch Asks Court to Force Lobbying Commissioner to Investigate Aga Khan” by Elizabeth Thompson for CBC

Redistricting

North Carolina: “Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Stanford Professor’s Election Districts for Wake and Mecklenburg” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News and Observer

Campaign Finance

Virginia: “Dozens of Virginia Churches Have Been Donating Cash to Campaigns for Years, Despite Law” by Bill Bartell for The Virginian-Pilot

Elections

Florida: “Judge Strikes Down Florida’s System for Denying Felons’ Voting Rights” by Steve Bousquet for Tampa Bay Times

Ethics

Florida: “Tallahassee Commission Adopts Broad New Ethics Rules” by Jeffrey Schweers for Tallahassee Democrat

Massachusetts: “Hefner Had Access to Rosenberg’s E-mails” by Yvonne Abraham for Boston Globe

South Carolina: “SC Special Prosecutor Wants to Toss Out Quinn’s Guilty Plea If He Won’t Admit Crime” by John Monk for The State

Tennessee: “Mayor Megan Barry Potentially Violated Her Own Ethics Rules During Affair with Officer, Experts Say” by Adam Tamburin (USA Today) for The Tennessean

Lobbying

California: “Oakland Asks District Attorney to Investigate Alleged Bribes by Cannabis Lobbyist” by Darwin BondGraham for East Bay Times

Redistricting

National: “Opponents of Gerrymandering Keep Winning, But It Might Not Affect 2018” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

National: “In Blow to GOP, U.S. Supreme Court to Allow Pennsylvania Redistricting” by Jonathan Lai and Liz Navratil for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ethics

Federal: “In Shocking Move, Feds Drop All Charges Against Bob Menendez” by Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star Ledger

Federal: “CDC Director Resigns Because of Conflicts Over Financial Interests” by Lena Sun for Washington Post

National: “Clinton Says She Regrets Not Firing Aide Accused of Sexual Harassment During 2008 Campaign” by John Wagner for Washington Post

Arizona: “Investigation Concludes Rep. Shooter Violated Sexual Harassment Rules Multiple Times” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Sun

North Dakota: “Proposed Ballot Measure Filed by North Dakotans for Public Integrity” by Staff for Bismarck Tribune

South Carolina: “Former Environmental Director Joins S.C. Water Utility Just Months After Leaving State Payroll” by Andrew Brown for Charleston Post and Courier

Virginia: “Facing New Scrutiny, Powerful Utility Turns to Old Friends” by Alan Suderman (Associated Press) for Fredericksburg.com

Lobbying

National: “Lobbying’s Top 50 Pour $540M Into Influence Campaigns” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Illinois: “IG Office: Sex harassment legislation needs teeth for lobbyists” by Maximilian Kwiatkowski for State Journal-Register

Redistricting

National: “Just How Bad is Partisan Gerrymandering? Ask the Mapmakers.” by Michael Wines for New York Times

Campaign Finance

National: “Republican Governors Association to Cut All Ties with Steve Wynn Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegation” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post

Ohio: “Tool Will Allow the Public to Follow the Money in Ohio Politics” by Laura Bischoff and Kyle Nagle (Dayton Daily News) for WHIO

Ethics

New York: “2 Donors Plead Guilty, but the Mayor Is Not Charged. Why?” by William Rashbaum and William Neuman for New York Times

South Dakota: “Government Ethics Measure Approved to Appear on 2018 Ballot” by Associated Press for Rapid City Journal

Lobbying

Alabama: “Patricia Todd Says Campaign Subpoena Was ‘Last Straw’ in Decision to Not Seek Re-election” by Roy Johnson for AL.com

Florida: “Proposed Change to Sexual Harassment Bill Adds Sex to Lobbying Gift Ban” by Ana Ceballos for Florida Politics

Hawaii: “Hawaii Lieutenant Governor to Resign, Join Lobbying Firm” by Audrey McAvoy (Associated Press) for Hawaii Tribune

Kansas: “Kansas Officials’ Path to Lobbying Would Be Slowed Under Transparency Bill” by Hunter Woodall for Kansas City Star

South Dakota: “Ex-SD Lawmaker Returns Lobbyist Credentials Amid Concerns” by Bob Mercer for Rapid City Journal

Campaign Finance

National: “How the Koch Network Learned to Thrive in the Trump Era” by James Hohmann and Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post

Illinois: “Cook County Cook County Assessor Berrios Sues Over Ordinance Limiting Campaign Contributions” by Ray Long for Chicago Tribune

Maine: “Maine GOP Director’s Links to Anonymous Website Add Fuel to Ethics Complaint” by Michael Shepherd for Bangor Daily News

Texas: “Does Business Group’s Use of ‘Dark Money’ for Its Political Action Committee Follow State Ethics Rules?” by Jay Root and Ryan Murphy for Texas Tribune

Ethics

National: “Andrew McCabe, FBI Deputy Director, Steps Down Amid Trump and Republican Criticism” by Kevin Johnson and David Jackson for USA Today

Kansas: “Kansas Intern Confidentiality Rule: What happens in a lawmaker’s office stays there” by Lindsay Wise (McClatchy) and Hunter Woodall for Kansas City Star

Legislative Issues

Maryland: “Ethics Panel Finds Baltimore Del. McCray Breached Legislature’s Conduct Standards” by Staff for Baltimore Sun

North Carolina: “In Power Struggle with GOP Lawmakers, Cooper Wins Election Board Revamp Lawsuit” by Annew Blythe for Raleigh News and Observer

Lobbying

United Kingdom: “New Lobbying Rules for Business to Come into Force” by Staff for Insider.co.uk

Ethics

Federal: “Arguments Begin in Emoluments Suit against Trump” by David Fahenthold and Jonathan O’Connell for Washington Post

Federal: “Patrick Meehan Won’t Seek Re-election in Pennsylvania” by Kenneth Vogel and Katie Rogers for New York Times

Federal: “Trump Groups Raised Millions, Then Paid It Out to Loyalists and a Trump Hotel” by Kenneth Vogel and Rachel Shorey (New York Times) for Las Vegas Sun

Federal: “Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit” by Michael Schmidt and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) for MSN

Florida: “Hallandale Mayor Freed From Jail After Arrest in FBI Sting” by Susanna Bryan and Paula McMahon for South Florida Sun Sentinel

New York: “Campaign Donor Pleaded Guilty to Trying to Bribe Mayor de Blasio” by William Rashbaum and William Neuman for New York Times

Wisconsin: “Wisconsin Ethics Commission Hits Pause Button after Senate Rejects Director” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Lobbying

Iowa: “Iowa GOP Activist Fined for Not Disclosing Saudi Arabia Work” by David Pitt (Associated Press) for WRAL

Oregon: “Oregon Ethics Watchdog Rejects Conservative Group’s Complaint about Kate Brown” by Hillary Borrud for Portland Oregonian

Campaign Finance

Canada: “Coalition of Unions Challenging Ontario’s Campaign Finance Law as Unconstitutional” by Robert Benzie for Toronto Star

Utah: “Special Interests Gave Utah Lawmakers $9 of Every $10 in Campaign Funds They Raised” by Lee Davidson for Salt Lake Tribune

Elections

National: “Inside Facebook’s Year of Reckoning” by Elizabeth Dwoskin for Washington Post

Ethics

Idaho: “High School Page Says 2 Idaho Lawmakers, Lobbyist Harassed Her Last Year” by Ruth Brown for Idaho Statesman

Maine: “A ‘Pro-White’ Town Manager Who Wants Races to Separate Refused to Quit. So Town Officials Fired Him.” by Marwa Eltagouri and Kristine Phillips for Washington Post

Maryland: “Former Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance Indicted on 4 Counts of Perjury” by Liz Bowie and Doug Donovan for Baltimore Sun

Nevada: “Barlow to Plead Guilty to Fraud, Resigns from Las Vegas City Council” by Jamie Munks for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Legislative Issues

Kansas: “No More Secret Votes, ‘Gut-and-Go’ Maneuvers in Kansas Legislature, Democrats Propose” by Judy Thomas, Hunter Woodall, and Laura Bauer for Kansas City Star

Lobbying

National: “Tax Law Showers Cash on Lobby Firms” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Texas: “Austin Lobbyists Agree to Disclose How Much They’re Paid” by Elizabeth Findell for Austin American-Statesman

Campaign Finance

National: “Alleged Payment to Porn Star Was Illegal Donation to Trump Campaign, Watchdog Says” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

New York: “Vance Bans Donations from Lawyers with Pending Cases” by James McKinley Jr. for New York Times

Ethics

National: “Trump Business Ethics Pledges Left Plenty of Room for Profiting” by The Associated Press for Tampa Bay Times

Federal: “Justice Department Says It Will Retry Sen. Robert Menendez Following Mistrial on Bribery Charges” by Devlin Barrett and Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

California: “Group That First Raised Sexual Harassment Issues in Sacramento Now Has an App to Report Misconduct” by Jazmine Ulloa for Los Angeles Times

Wyoming: “As Reports of Sexual Harassment Spike, Wyoming’s Legislature Looks to Rewrite Policy” by Arno Rosenfeld for Casper Star-Tribune

Legislative Issues

Wisconsin: “Senate Votes to Force Out State Ethics and Elections Leaders” by Mark Sommerhauser for Wisconsin State Journal

Lobbying

Canada: “Six-Fold Increase in Senate Lobbying Under Trudeau, with Independents Taking Most Meetings” by Marie-Danielle Smith for National Post

Redistricting

Pennsylvania: “Pa. Supreme Court Strikes Down Congressional Map as Unconstitutional, Orders Change Before May Primary” by Jonathan Lai, Liz Navratil, and Angela Couloumbis for Philadelphia Inquirer