April 12, 2018 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance National: “Facebook Fallout Deals Blow to Mercers’ Political Clout” by Nicholas Confessore and David Gelles for New York Times National: “NRA Discloses Two Dozen Additional Contributions from Russian Donors” by Pete Madden and Matthew Mosk for ABC News […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Facebook Fallout Deals Blow to Mercers’ Political Clout” by Nicholas Confessore and David Gelles for New York Times
National: “NRA Discloses Two Dozen Additional Contributions from Russian Donors” by Pete Madden and Matthew Mosk for ABC News
National: “Ex-Candidates May Face Restrictions on Campaign Cash” by Ken Doyle for Bloomberg Government
Missouri: “Missouri Defends Campaign Donation Limits in Eighth Circuit” by Joe Harris for Courthouse News Service
Elections
Kansas: “Kansas AG Wants Court to Bar Out-of-State Residents from Running for Governor” by Hunter Woodall for Kansas City Star
Ethics
Kentucky: “Kentucky Lawmaker Fined for ‘Inappropriate Text Messages’” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for Miami Herald
Ohio: “Amid FBI Investigation, Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger Resigns” by Chrissie Thompson and Jessie Balmert for Cincinnati Enquirer
Legislative Issues
National: “AP Finds Legislatures Lack Public Records on Harassment” by David Lieb (Associated Press) for Arizona Daily Star
Natoinal: “Speaker Paul Ryan Will Not Seek Re-election in November” by Jonathan Martin and Nicholas Fandos for New York Times
National: “Bipartisan Senators Unveil Compromise Special Counsel Bill Amid Hopes to Break Political Logjam” by Karoun Demirjian for Washington Post
Lobbying
Missouri: “Records Show Drop in Number of Lawmakers Bunking with Lobbyist” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 11, 2018 •
Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance New Mexico: Biggest Donors Get Around Contribution Limits by Marjorie Childress (New Mexico In Depth) for New Mexico Political Report New York: State BOE Moves to Curb Autonomy of Enforcement Counsel by Rachel Silberstein for Albany Times Union Ethics National: Top Government Ethics Official […]
Campaign Finance
New Mexico: Biggest Donors Get Around Contribution Limits by Marjorie Childress (New Mexico In Depth) for New Mexico Political Report
New York: State BOE Moves to Curb Autonomy of Enforcement Counsel by Rachel Silberstein for Albany Times Union
Ethics
National: Top Government Ethics Official Demands EPA Probe Pruitt’s Ethics Controversies by Brady Dennis (Washington Post) for Denver Post
National: Trump Advised to Stay Away from Fund for Staff in Russia Probe by Shannon Pettypiece for Bloomberg.com
National: Mueller Investigating Ukrainian’s $150,000 Payment for a Trump Appearance by Michael Schmidt and Maggie Haberman for New York Times
Colorado: Colorado State Sen. Vicki Marble Violated Ethics Rules Through Her Role in Oil and Gas Forum Last Year, Commission Rules by Jesse Paul for Denver Post
Florida: Hialeah’s ‘Junkyard Millionaire’ and His Son Charged in Opa-locka Corruption Case by Jay Weaver for Miami Herald
Georgia: Man Gets Prison for Obstruction in Atlanta Bribery Probe by Kate Brumback (Associated Press) for Washington Times
April 10, 2018 •
Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News
Elections South Dakota: “South Dakota a ‘Standout’ in Limiting Voters’ Ability to Bring Issues to the Ballot” by Dana Ferguson for Sioux Falls Argus Leader Ethics National: “F.B.I. Raids Office of Trump’s Longtime Lawyer Michael Cohen; Trump Calls It ‘Disgraceful’” […]
Elections
South Dakota: “South Dakota a ‘Standout’ in Limiting Voters’ Ability to Bring Issues to the Ballot” by Dana Ferguson for Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Ethics
National: “F.B.I. Raids Office of Trump’s Longtime Lawyer Michael Cohen; Trump Calls It ‘Disgraceful’” by Matt Apuzzo for New York Times
National: “Lobbyist Couple Had to Change the Locks on Pruitt” by Eliana Johnson for Politico
District of Columbia: “Emails: Ousted D.C. government watchdog frustrated the mayor’s aides” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post
Indiana: “Senate Candidate Braun Pushed Legislation Benefiting His Industry as a State Lawmaker” by Tony Cook, Kaitlin Lange, and Robert King for Indianapolis Star
Maryland: “Former Md. Liquor Board Commissioner Sentenced in Bribery Scheme” by Lynh Bui for Washington Post
Lobbying
Alabama: “Ivey Signs Ethics Exemption for Developers into Law” by Kim Chandler for AP News
New York: “JCOPE Reaches Settlement with Top Lobbyist Over de Blasio Donation” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
April 9, 2018 •
Monday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance National: “Facebook’s New Rules Aim to Thwart the Kind of Ads Bought by Russian Trolls During the Election” by Tony Romm for Washington Post Arizona: “Ducey Signs Bill Overriding Local Laws on Certain Campaign-Finance Disclosures” by Howard Fischer […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Facebook’s New Rules Aim to Thwart the Kind of Ads Bought by Russian Trolls During the Election” by Tony Romm for Washington Post
Arizona: “Ducey Signs Bill Overriding Local Laws on Certain Campaign-Finance Disclosures” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star
Ohio: “Critics Say Rep. Jim Renacci May Have Used ‘Straw Donor’ Scheme to Fund State Campaign Account” by Deirdre Shesgreen (USA Today) for Cincinnati Enquirer
Ethics
National: “Mueller Probe Tracking Down Trump Business Partners, with Cohen a Focus of Queries” by Kevin Hall, Ben Wieder, and Greg Gordon for McClatchy DC
Colorado: “Sexual Harassment, Misconduct Prevalent but Largely Unreported at Colorado Capitol, New Report Finds” by John Frank and Jesse Paul for Denver Post
West Virginia: “WV Ethics Commission Takes Issue with New Public Service Volunteer Law” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette-Mail
Legislative Issues
Hawaii: “What’s Up with All the Gut-And-Replace Trickery at The Legislature This Year?” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat
Lobbying
National: “Lobbyist Tied to Pruitt’s Condo Had Roster of Clients Facing EPA” by Jennifer Dlouhy and Jennifer Jacobs for Bloomberg.com
Canada: “Facebook Claims Its Very Busy Man in Ottawa Is Not a Lobbyist” by Murad Hemmadi for Macleans.ca
April 5, 2018 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance Colorado: “Denver DA Drops Grand Jury Investigation into Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams” by Jesse Paul for Denver Post New Mexico: “Judge Approves Settlement Over New Mexico Campaign Cash” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for Virginian-Pilot Ethics […]
Campaign Finance
Colorado: “Denver DA Drops Grand Jury Investigation into Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams” by Jesse Paul for Denver Post
New Mexico: “Judge Approves Settlement Over New Mexico Campaign Cash” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for Virginian-Pilot
Ethics
National: “‘Fat Leonard’ Affected Pentagon’s Pick to Lead Joint Chiefs” by Craig Whitlock for Washington Post
Kentucky: “Sexual Harassment Case: No ethics charges for three lawmakers” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for State-Journal
Pennsylvania: “Former Philly Sheriff John Green Beats Every Charge in Federal Bribery-Conspiracy Trial” by Craig McCoy for Philadelphia Inquirer
Pennsylvania: “In a First, Pennsylvania Supreme Court OKs Noneconomic Damages for Turnpike Whistleblower” by Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call
Legislative Issues
Minnesota: “Tony Cornish’s Capitol Visit Might Spark Restraining Order” by Kevin Featherly for Minnesota Lawyer
Lobbying
Kansas: “Second Sunshine Bill Sent to Gov. Colyer to Fix Kansas Transparency Issue” by Hunter Woodall for Kansas City Star
April 4, 2018 •
Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance Canada: “Facebook Makes It Easy to Run Illegal and ‘Astroturf’ Ads, Say Canadian Digital Political Strategists” by Peter Mazureeuw for Hill Times Hawaii: “Super PAC’s Attack Reveals Gaps in Hawaii Campaign Finance Law” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu […]
Campaign Finance
Canada: “Facebook Makes It Easy to Run Illegal and ‘Astroturf’ Ads, Say Canadian Digital Political Strategists” by Peter Mazureeuw for Hill Times
Hawaii: “Super PAC’s Attack Reveals Gaps in Hawaii Campaign Finance Law” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat
Elections
National: “Young Women Help Lead Campaigns to Success at the Polls” by Michael Tackett for New York Times
Ethics
National: “Top Pruitt aide at EPA also shopped for housing on his behalf” by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis for Washington Post
National: “Pruitt Had a $50-a-Day Condo Linked to Lobbyists. Their Client’s Project Got Approved.” by Eric Lipton for New York Times
National: “Elizabeth Esty, Saying She Mishandled Abuse Claim, Won’t Defend House Seat” by Liam Stack for New York Times
National: “The FBI Says Bob Brady and Marjorie Margolies Conspired to Violate Election Laws. Why Weren’t They Charged?” by Andrew Seidman for Philadelphia Inquirer
National: “First Sentence Handed Down in Mueller Probe” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post
Arizona: “Lawmaker: Prosecutors investigating ‘sexually explicit communications’ tied to House probe” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona Republic
Tech and Social Media
Maryland: “Maryland, ACLU Reach Settlement Over Governor Deleting Critical Comments on His Facebook Page” by Ovetta Wiggins for Washington Post
April 3, 2018 •
Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance Arizona: “‘Dark Money’ in the States: Arizona GOP Blocks Cities from Implementing Transparent Elections” by Josh Keefe for Newsweek New York: “Appeal to End ‘LLC Loophole’ Is Rejected” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union Ethics National: “Rushed […]
Campaign Finance
Arizona: “‘Dark Money’ in the States: Arizona GOP Blocks Cities from Implementing Transparent Elections” by Josh Keefe for Newsweek
New York: “Appeal to End ‘LLC Loophole’ Is Rejected” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Ethics
National: “Rushed EPA Ethics Ruling on Pruitt Condo Deal ‘Problematic,’ Experts Say” by Stephanie Ebbs, Matthew Mosk, and John Santucci for ABC News
National: “Top Government Ethics Chief Walter Shaub and Staff Used Headspace Meditation App to Deal with Stress of Working Under Trump” by Dan Mangan for CNBC
National: “From Mueller to Stormy to ‘Emoluments,’ Trump’s Business Is Under Siege” by Jonathan O’Connell and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) for MSN
Alabama: “State Rep, Former AL GOP Chairman Arrested on Bribery Charges” by Melissa Brown for Montgomery Advertiser
Maryland: “Nathaniel Oaks Is the Latest Maryland Politician to Be Convicted. Is Enough Being Done to Prevent Corruption?” by Luke Broadwater for Baltimore Sun
Oregon: “The Oregonian Places Lien on Home of Kitzhaber Fiancée” by Gary Warner for Bend Bulletin
Lobbying
National: “Congressman Files Papers Clarifying Lobby Registration Dates” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for WRAL
April 2, 2018 •
Monday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance New York: “Cuomo, in Writing, Reinterprets Fund-Raising Ban on Appointees” by Shane Goldmacher and Brian Rosenthal for New York Times Elections Wisconsin: “Gov. Scott Walker Calls Special Elections; Senate Chief Drops Bill to Sidestep Court Order” by Jason […]
Campaign Finance
New York: “Cuomo, in Writing, Reinterprets Fund-Raising Ban on Appointees” by Shane Goldmacher and Brian Rosenthal for New York Times
Elections
Wisconsin: “Gov. Scott Walker Calls Special Elections; Senate Chief Drops Bill to Sidestep Court Order” by Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Ethics
National: “Conn. Congresswoman Kept Aide on Staff for 3 Months After She Learned of Threat Allegation” by Elise Viebeck for Washington Post
National: “EPA Chief Pruitt Joined by Family in Condo Tied to Lobbyist ‘Power Couple’” by John Santucci, Matthew Mosk, and Stephanie Ebbs for ABC News
Oregon: “Commission Approves Kitzhaber Ethics Settlement” by Paris Achen for Portland Tribune
Legislative Issues
South Carolina: “Is Vote-Trading by South Carolina Lawmakers Illegal? Question Arises from Allegation” by Tim Smith for Greenville News
Lobbying
National: “Inside the Lobbying Campaign That Caught Mueller’s Attention” by Theodoric Meyer and Marianne Levine for Politico
Alabama: “Controversial Economic Developer Bill Goes to Gov. Kay Ivey” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser
March 29, 2018 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News
Elections National: “Manafort Associate Had Russian Intelligence Ties During 2016 Campaign, Prosecutors Say” by Spencer Hsu and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post Ethics National: “D.C., Maryland May Proceed with Lawsuit Alleging Trump Violated Emoluments Clauses” by David Fahrenthold and Jonathan […]
Elections
National: “Manafort Associate Had Russian Intelligence Ties During 2016 Campaign, Prosecutors Say” by Spencer Hsu and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post
Ethics
National: “D.C., Maryland May Proceed with Lawsuit Alleging Trump Violated Emoluments Clauses” by David Fahrenthold and Jonathan O’Connell for Washington Post
National: “Trump’s Lawyer Raised Prospect of Pardons for Flynn and Manafort as Special Counsel Closed In” by Michael Schmidt, Jo Becker, Mark Mazzetti, Maggie Haberman, and Adam Goldman for New York Times
Canada: “Canadian MPs Accepted $620K Worth of Free Travel from Third Parties, Foreign Entities in 2017” by John Paul Tasker for CBC News
West Virginia: “Justice Signs Bill Expanding State Ethics Act” by Jake Zuckerman for Charleston Gazette-Mail
Wyoming: “Casper Leaders Plan to Repeal and Replace Ethical Code for Public Servants” by Katie King for Casper Star-Tribune
Lobbying
National: “Rep. Didn’t Report $50K in Donations as Registered Lobbyist” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for Cleveland Plain Dealer
South Carolina: “Emails: Santee Cooper lobbyists tried to thwart governor’s plans to sell utility” by Avery Wilks for The State
Redistricting
National: “Supreme Court Again Weighs Voting Maps Warped by Politics” by Adam Liptak for New York Times
March 28, 2018 •
Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance National: “Wyden Presses NRA to Divulge Foreign Donations and How They Were Spent” by Peter Stone and Greg Gordon for McClatchy DC Elections National: “California Sues Trump Administration Over Addition of Citizenship Question to Census” by Samantha Schmidt […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Wyden Presses NRA to Divulge Foreign Donations and How They Were Spent” by Peter Stone and Greg Gordon for McClatchy DC
Elections
National: “California Sues Trump Administration Over Addition of Citizenship Question to Census” by Samantha Schmidt for Washington Post
Ethics
Canada: “Trudeau Breaks His Silence on Exchange of Gifts with Aga Khan” by Elizabeth Thompson and Katie Simpson for CBC News
Louisiana: “In a Legal No-No, New Orleans RTA Board Member Solicited Business from Firm Under Contract with the Agency” by Jessica Williams for New Orleans Advocate
Lobbying
National: “Political Lobbyists Are the New Hot Thing in Pop Culture” by Tom Teodorczuk for MarketWatch
National: “Watchdog Group Files Ethics Complaints Against Lobbyists Who Joined Trump Administration” by Ali Dukakis for ABC News
National: “Facebook Goes on a Hiring Spree for Washington Lobbyists” by Naomi Nix, Billy House, and Bill Allison for Bloomberg.com
Pennsylvania: “Lobbyist, Lawmakers Entwined in Complex Relationship: Is it influence peddling, or essential?” by Susan Phillips for StateImpact Pennsylvania
March 27, 2018 •
Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance England: “Using Digital Firm, Brexit Campaigners Skirted Spending Laws, Ex-Employee Says” by David Kirkpatrick for New York Times Colorado: “Denver Grand Jury Investigates Colorado Secretary of State for Handling of Campaign Finance Complaints” by Jon Murray for Denver […]
Campaign Finance
England: “Using Digital Firm, Brexit Campaigners Skirted Spending Laws, Ex-Employee Says” by David Kirkpatrick for New York Times
Colorado: “Denver Grand Jury Investigates Colorado Secretary of State for Handling of Campaign Finance Complaints” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Elections
National: “Former Cambridge Analytica Workers Say Firm Sent Foreigners to Advise U.S. Campaigns” by Craig Timberg and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post
National: “Attorney Says Roy Moore Supporters Offered Him $10,000 to Drop Client Who Accused the Senate Candidate of Sexual Impropriety” by Shawn Boburg and Dalton Bennett (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune
Wisconsin: “Wisconsin GOP Will Aim to Block Judge’s Order to Gov. Scott Walker to Call Special Election” by Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Lobbying
National: “Fund-Raiser Held Out Access to Trump as a Prize for Prospective Clients” by Kenneth Vogel and David Kirkpatrick for New York Times
Arizona: “Lawyer Seeks to Block Testimony from Wife of Indicted Ex-Arizona Utilities Regulator” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star
New York: “Corruption Trial Bruises Powerful Law Firm” by Robert Gavin for Albany Times Union
March 26, 2018 •
Monday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance National: “Bolton Was Early Beneficiary of Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook Data” by Matthew Rosenberg for New York Times New York: “De Blasio Donor Says He Steered Thousands in Bribes to Mayor’s Campaigns” by Brian Rosenthal for New York Times […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Bolton Was Early Beneficiary of Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook Data” by Matthew Rosenberg for New York Times
New York: “De Blasio Donor Says He Steered Thousands in Bribes to Mayor’s Campaigns” by Brian Rosenthal for New York Times
Washington: “Bill Aims to Curb the Filing of Campaign Finance Complaints” by Jerry Cornfield for Everett Herald
Elections
National: “Beyond Gun Control, Student Marchers Aim to Upend Elections” by Alexander Burns and Julie Turkewitz for New York Times
National: “‘You Should Do It’: Trump officials encouraged George Papadopoulos’s foreign outreach, documents show” by Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post
Ethics
California: “L.A. County Has Repeatedly Violated State Open Records Laws, L.A. Times Lawsuit alleges” by Jack Dolan for Los Angeles Times
Florida: “Commission Adopts New Public Records Policies Resulting from Democrat Lawsuit” by Jeffrey Schweers for Tallahassee Democrat
Missouri: “An Affair, a Photo and a Felony Charge: Missouri’s governor is waging a campaign for political survival” by Sean Sullivan for Washington Post
March 22, 2018 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance National: “Federal Election Officials Failed to Enforce Campaign Finance Requirements on Outside Group in 2010, Judge Rules” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post National: “Controversy Swirls as Lawmakers Eye Campaign Finance Changes” by Kate Ackley for […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Federal Election Officials Failed to Enforce Campaign Finance Requirements on Outside Group in 2010, Judge Rules” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post
National: “Controversy Swirls as Lawmakers Eye Campaign Finance Changes” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call
Washington: “Wash. Gov Signs Universal Voter Registration Law” by Reid Wilson for The Hill
Elections
Illinois: “Denounced by His Party as a Nazi, Arthur Jones Wins Illinois G.O.P. Congressional Primary” by Liam Stack for New York Times
Mississippi: “Mississippi Governor Defies White House with His G.O.P. Appointee to Senate” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for New York Times
Ethics
National: “Judge Rules Defamation Case Against Trump May Proceed” by Mark Berman and Frances Stead Sellers for Washington Post
National: “White House Job Requirement: Signing a nondisclosure agreement” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Maggie Haberman, Michael Shear, and Katie Rogers for New York Times
Hawaii: “Former Hawaii House Speaker Forced Out Over Sexual Harassment” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat
Lobbying
New Mexico: “Avenue for Lobbyist Harassment Complaints Unclear” by Marie Baca and Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal
March 21, 2018 •
Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance California: “Californians Appointed to State Posts Could Soon Be Barred from Writing Checks to Lawmakers Who Vote on Their Nomination” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times Nevada: “Lack of Transparency Questioned in Campaign Theft by DA’s Aide” […]
Campaign Finance
California: “Californians Appointed to State Posts Could Soon Be Barred from Writing Checks to Lawmakers Who Vote on Their Nomination” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times
Nevada: “Lack of Transparency Questioned in Campaign Theft by DA’s Aide” by Jeff German and David Ferrara for Las Vegas Review-Journal
Ohio: “Ohio’s Campaign-Finance Laws for Judges Debated at Sixth Circuit” by Kevin Koeninger for Courthouse News Service
Elections
National: “There’s Never Been a Native American Congresswoman. That Could Change in 2018.” by Julie Turkewitz for New York Times
Kansas: “Kansas Voting Trial Over. One More Court Day, a Contempt Hearing, Ahead for Kobach” by Bryan Lowry for Kansas City Star
Ethics
Florida: “Voters Could Get Say on Government Ethics” by News Service of Florida for Orlando Sentinel
Maryland: “Md. House Approves Overhaul of Anti-Harassment Policy; Fate in Senate Unclear” by Ovetta Wiggins and Rachel Carson for Washington Post
Redistricting
Pennsylvania: “Supreme Court Refuses to Stop New Congressional Maps in Pennsylvania” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post
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