Jim Sedor, Author at State and Federal Communications

October 19, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance “Republican Lawmakers’ Posh Hideaway Bankrolled by Secret Corporate Cash” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity “US Judge Hears Fight over New Mexico Campaign Contributions” by Susan Montoya Bryan (Associated Press) for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Ethics California: […]

October 18, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance “Google, Facebook Putting an Early Mark on Political Advertising Bills” by Steven Overly and Ashley Gold for Politico Arizona: “Tom Horne Not Fined After Probe Finds He Used AG’s Office for Campaign” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona […]

October 17, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying California: “California Legislators Who Resign Face a Longer Wait Before They Can Lobby” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times Campaign Finance California: “San Francisco Looks to Restrict Fundraising Practice Favored by Los Angeles Mayor” by Aaron Mendelson for […]

October 13, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 13, 2017

National: How Russia Harvested American Rage to Reshape U.S. Politics New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Daisuke Wakabayashi | Published: 10/9/2017 A New York Times examination of hundreds of Facebook posts shows one of the most powerful weapons that Russian agents […]

National:

How Russia Harvested American Rage to Reshape U.S. Politics
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Daisuke Wakabayashi | Published: 10/9/2017

A New York Times examination of hundreds of Facebook posts shows one of the most powerful weapons that Russian agents used to reshape American politics was the anger, passion, and misinformation that real Americans were broadcasting across social media platforms. Some posts on the Russian pages used stilted language or phrases rarely found in American English. Yet their use of borrowed ideas and arguments from Americans, which were already resonating among conservatives and liberals, demonstrated a deft understanding of the political terrain.

Why Some Campaign Contributions Get Returned
Center for Responsive Politics – Andrew Mayersohn | Published: 10/10/2017

Refunds of campaign contributions are not rare, and most are not particularly scandalous. Losing campaigns often give back their leftover funds, although they are not legally obligated to. The issue came to the fore recently when Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. returned a $32,000 contribution from Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Marc Kasowitz, who made the donation after Vance decided not to pursue a fraud investigation against Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. At least a dozen Democrats have refunded or donated to charity contributions from media mogul Harvey Weinstein following reports alleging decades of sexual harassment.

Federal:

Trump Supporters Eager to ‘Drain the Swamp’ Help Fill Republican Party Coffers
Washington Post – Matea Gold | Published: 10/6/2017

Prodded by emails from President Trump urging them to fight “a weak and self-serving political class,” and angered by the sense the president is being treated unfairly, thousands of his loyal backers are helping redefine a party that has long cultivated rich donors, one small contribution at a time. In giving to support Trump, his backers are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the coffers of the Republican National Committee (RNC), which has raised more from small-dollar contributions at this point in the election cycle than the national party has collected in more than a decade. The low-dollar donations are helping fuel a massive fundraising advantage for the RNC, which has pulled in nearly twice as much as its Democratic counterpart this year.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Undisclosed Deal Guaranteed Roy Moore $180,000 a Year for Part-Time Work at Charity
Washington Post – Shawn Boburg and Robert O’Harrow Jr. | Published: 10/11/2017

Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, arranged to receive a salary of $180,000 a year for part-time work at the Foundation for Moral Law. A review of documents found errors and gaps in the group’s federal tax filings obscured until now the compensation paid to Moore. The charity helped Moore thrive, financially and otherwise, after his ouster from the court in 2003 for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from a courthouse. Charity and tax law specialists said the nonprofit’s activities raised questions about compliance with IRS rules, including prohibitions on the use of a charity for the private benefit or enrichment of an individual.

California: Big Oil Pulls Democratic Lawmakers Through the Revolving Door
CALmatters – Lauren Rosenhall | Published: 10/9/2017

Sacramento is full of termed-out or retired lawmakers who make second careers as lobbyists, strolling through a “revolving door” between government and the private sector. After failing last year to prevent a new law requiring massive cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, the oil industry came back this year lobbying hard. The industry’s goal was to shape the next phase of cap and trade through 2030. And it had hired four former lawmakers to advocate on its behalf. Two are from Kern County, the biggest oil producer in California. And three quit their elective office mid-term to work for industry.

California: Who’s Behind That Political Ad? Voters Will Know More in 2018
Sacramento Bee – Taryn Luna | Published: 10/7/2017

An effort to give Californians more information about the biggest donors to ballot measure campaigns was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a major victory for groups that insist the current system fails to help voters make an informed choice. The law will simplify the wording on political advertisements that discloses the top three donors of $50,000 or more to a campaign. It also changes existing state regulations on when and how to disclose “earmarked” donations in campaign finance reports, donations that are bundled together by a group such as a labor union or other membership organization.

Colorado: A New Colorado School Board Campaign Finance Law Is Having Unintended Impacts on Big-Ticket 2018 Races
Denver Post – Jesse Paul | Published: 10/10/2017

A new campaign finance law for Colorado school board races is causing headaches for candidates in the state’s top-line elections in 2018, from governor to attorney general and beyond, by requiring them to effectively file daily contribution reports more than eight months before their primary contests. State lawmakers last year passed legislation meant to make public last-minute contributions flowing into Colorado’s off-year school board races by requiring candidates to disclose contributions of $1,000 or more within 24 hours starting a month from the election. But House Bill 1282 accidentally applied the requirements to statewide races.

Florida: An Exodus from Puerto Rico Could Remake Florida Politics
New York Times – Michael Tackett | Published: 10/6/2017

Every day, Puerto Ricans flee their homes and lives ravaged by Hurricane Maria and come to Florida. That could remake politics in the state, where the last two presidential and governor’s races were decided by roughly one percentage point or less. There are more than a million Puerto Ricans in Florida, a number that has doubled since 2001, driven largely until now by a faltering economy. But their political powers have evolved slowly in this state, and the wave of potential voters from the island could quickly change that calculus. If the estimates hold, the Puerto Rican vote, which has been strongly Democratic, could have rough parity with the Cuban vote in the state, for years a bulwark for Republicans in both state and national races.

Florida: Governance Was Focus of 2010 Miami-Dade Ethics Probe
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 10/7/2017

An ethics probe in South Florida involving Tallahassee Commissioner Scott Maddox and his close friend Paige Carter-Smith found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing but unveiled plenty of political drama and some of the inner workings of their government consulting work. Among other things, the investigation, conducted in 2010, revealed that Maddox’s official residence was used for some time as a crash pad for visiting politicians, who called it “Governance House.” It also showed blurry lines between Carter-Smith’s Governance Services firm and Governance, Inc., the firm Maddox sold to her in 2010 in a handwritten note.

Florida: St. Petersburg Council Acts to Limit Big Money in City Elections
Tampa Bay Times – Charlie Frago | Published: 10/5/2017

The St. Petersburg City Council voted to become a pioneer in local campaign finance reform and likely invited a legal challenge that could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Council members passed an ordinance that limits contributions to PACs from individuals to $5,000, and bans donations from companies that are more than five percent foreign owned. Violators would be fined $500. City Attorney Joe Patner has warned the council that if they passed the proposal, they would face immediate court action. The ordinance takes effect in January 2018.

Georgia: Atlanta Contractors Get Prison Time in Contract Bribery Case
Bryan-College Station Eagle – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 10/10/2017

A federal judge gave prison sentences to two contractors for their role in a bribery scheme at Atlanta City Hall. E.R. Mitchell and Charles Richards both admitted to paying money to win city contracts. Mitchell gave more than $1 million in bribes and was sentenced to five years in prison. He will pay $1.12 million in restitution. Richards received a sentence of 27 months in prison and was ordered to pay $193,000 in restitution. The city’s former chief procurement officer, Adam Smith, pleaded guilty to conspiratorial bribery and is set to be sentenced in January. Prosecutors say Smith accepted bribes to give contracts to an unnamed vendor.

New Mexico: New Rule on Political Spending Takes Effect
Albuquerque Journal – Dan Boyd | Published: 10/10/2017

New disclosure rules for political spending took effect October 10 in New Mexico that require independent groups that spend heavily to influence the outcome of elections to name their contributors, under certain circumstances. The rules were designed by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver to help voters understand which individuals and special interests are paying for political advertising outside of direct campaigning by candidates. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision allows donors to give as much as they would like as long as candidates are not controlling how the money gets spent.

Oklahoma: Speakers Criticize Plan to Put Restrictions on Lawmakers, State Employees Who Want to Go into Lobbying
Tulsa World – Barbara Hoberock | Published: 10/5/2017

A proposed rule that would prohibit state lawmakers and employees from serving as a lobbyist or consultant for two years after they leave any state post was criticized at a recent public hearing before the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. Rep. John Enns said the Capitol has lost institutional knowledge due to term limits. If restrctions are placed on lawmakers who become lobbyists, it could slow down the Legislature’s work due to a shortage of people with experience with the process, Enns said. Commission Executive Director Ashley Kemp said the measure’s language may be modified.

South Carolina: Who Wins When Power Companies Make Political Contributions? The Lawmakers Who Police Utilities
The State – Avery Wilks | Published: 10/7/2017

Power companies have contributed at least $294,000 since 2005 to the campaigns of a handful of South Carolina lawmakers who help choose the watchdogs that oversee those utilities. The volume of the donations flowing to members of the legislatively controlled Public Utilities Review Committee is another sign South Carolina’s regulatory system is broken, critics say, noting the $1.7 billion that one utility was allowed to charge its customers for a failed nuclear construction project in Fairfield County. One House member said he soon will file a proposal to block regulated utilities from donating to campaigns of state-level candidates, including the lawmakers who decide who polices those utilities.

Texas: Texas AG Ken Paxton Faces New Investigation Under Bribery Statute over $100K Gift
Dallas News – Lauren McGaughy | Published: 10/5/2017

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is under investigation for accepting $100,000 from the head of a company that was being investigated for fraud, and a decision on whether to pursue bribery-related charges is expected soon. The money, part of almost $548,000 Paxton has collected to help pay for his legal defense against felony charges that he defrauded investors in private business deals in 2011, came from James Webb, president of Preferred Imaging. Kaufman County District Attorney Erleigh Wiley said she has been investigating whether accepting Webb’s donation violated state bribery laws that limit gifts from people subject to the “jurisdiction” of a public servant.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

October 12, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying Missouri: “Body Camera Company Vying for St. Louis Contract Hires Alderman, Former Board Counsel as Lobbyists” by Celeste Bott for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Campaign Finance “Why Some Campaign Contributions Get Returned” by Andrew Mayersohn for Center for Responsive Politics […]

October 11, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying California: “Big Oil Pulls Democratic Lawmakers Through the Revolving Door” by Lauren Rosenhall for CALmatters Missouri: “Will a Former Aide Break Greitens’ Ethics Rule?” by Kurt Greitens for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Campaign Finance “The ‘Resistance,’ Raising Big Money, Upends […]

October 10, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying Florida: “Governance Was Focus of 2010 Miami-Dade Ethics Probe” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat Campaign Finance “Trump Supporters Eager to ‘Drain the Swamp’ Help Fill Republican Party Coffers” by Matea Gold for Washington Post California: “Who’s Behind That […]

October 9, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying “Trump-Tied Lobbyists Cash in on Their Connections” by Tami Abdolah (Associated Press) for Detroit News Oklahoma: “Speakers Criticize Plan to Put Restrictions on Lawmakers, State Employees Who Want to Go into Lobbying” by Barbara Hoberock for Tulsa World Campaign […]

October 6, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 6, 2017

National: Angry GOP Donors Close Their Wallets Politico – Alex Isenstadt and Gabriel Debenedetti | Published: 10/5/2017 With the Republican agenda at a virtual standstill on Capitol Hill, the party is contending with a hard reality. Some of the GOP’s […]

National:

Angry GOP Donors Close Their Wallets
Politico – Alex Isenstadt and Gabriel Debenedetti | Published: 10/5/2017

With the Republican agenda at a virtual standstill on Capitol Hill, the party is contending with a hard reality. Some of the GOP’s most elite and influential donors, who spent the past eight years plowing cash into the party’s coffers in hopes of accomplishing a sweeping conservative agenda and undoing President Obama’s legislative accomplishments, are closing their wallets. The backlash is threatening to deprive Republicans of resources just as they are gearing up for the midterms. Party officials are so alarmed that U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who oversees fundraising for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told his colleagues that contributions had fallen off a cliff after the Obamacare flop.

Monsanto Banned from European Parliament
The Guardian – Arthur Nelson | Published: 9/28/2017

Lobbyists for Monsanto were barred from the European Parliament under new rules designed to force companies to submit to more scrutiny by lawmakers. The decision is the first time a company has violated European Union rules that came into force this January and means lobbyists for companies that do not co-operate in legislative hearings can have their access to parliament withdrawn. The parliament banned Monsanto lobbyists after the chemical company refused to attend a hearing into allegations that it interfered with safety studies.

Too Young to Vote, but Asking for Yours
New York Times – Lisa Foderaro | Published: 9/29/2017

Across the New York region, and indeed the country, young people are turning their attention to politics, motivated in part by the election of President Trump. From mayoral races to state legislative campaigns, teenagers and others who are too young to vote are canvassing neighborhoods and learning the intricacies of electoral politics. Some are running for office themselves.

Federal:

Health Secretary Tom Price Resigns After Drawing Ire for Chartered Flights
New York Times – Peter Baker, Glenn Thrush, and Maggie Haberman | Published: 9/29/2017

Tom Price, President Trump’s embattled health and human services secretary, resigned amid criticism of his extensive use of taxpayer-funded charter flights. Price, a multimillionaire and orthopedic surgeon by training, had announced he would reimburse the government for a fraction of the costs of his charter flights in recent months. Politico estimated the total expense of the taxpayer-funded trips exceeded $400,000. The ruckus prompted by the secretary’s travel habits followed complaints earlier this year by Democrats and other critics about his ethics for a separate reason: private investments he made while a House member in health-care companies that could have benefited from bills he sponsored.

Liberal Groups Got IRS Scrutiny, Too, Inspector General Suggests
Washington Post – Mike DeBonis | Published: 10/3/2017

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration identified scores of cases in which the IRS may have targeted liberal-leaning groups for extra scrutiny based on their names or political leanings. A 2013 report found 96 groups with names referencing “Tea Party,” “Patriot,” or “9/12” were selected for intensive review between May 2010 and May 2012, and the House Ways and Means Committee later identified another 152 right-leaning groups that were subjected to scrutiny. Those findings fueled accusations by Republican lawmakers that the Obama administration engaged in politically motivated targeting of conservatives. But Democrats have long challenged those claims, arguing that liberal-leaning groups were given close scrutiny alongside the conservative groups.

Russians Took a Page from Corporate America by Using Facebook Tool to ID and Influence Voters
Washington Post – Elizabeth Dwoskin, Craig Timberg, and Adam Entous | Published: 10/2/2017

The use of Facebook’s Custom Audiences tool by Russian operatives adds to an emerging picture of the effort to shape the U.S. election and sow division using tools built by American technology companies. It makes clear that Russians used Facebook to direct their influence campaigns to voters whom they had already tracked and to find new ones wherever they browsed the Internet, even if they used multiple devices such as a smartphone for work or a tablet at home. Targeted people might also have directed that same disinformation, whether intentionally or not, to people linked to them on social networks, such as their friends on Facebook.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Two Balch & Bingham Lawyers and One Drummond Executive Indicted in Bribery of State Legislator
AL.com – Kevin Faulk | Published: 9/28/2017

Two attorneys with a prominent Alabama law firm and a coal company executive have been indicted on charges of bribing a state legislator to oppose an environmental cleanup plan. Joel Gilbert and Steven McKinney are named on charges including conspiracy and bribery. They are partners handling environmental litigation with Balch & Bingham, one of Alabama’s leading law firms. Drummond Co. vice president David Roberson was charged with the same crimes. Top of Form The three are accused of bribing former state Rep. Oliver Robinson, who pleaded guilty to accepting $360,000 in payments. Prosecutors say the law firm represented Drummond, and Robinson got a contract to oppose an expansion of an environmental cleanup site linked to Drummond.

Arizona: ASU, AU Shield Lobbying Expenses Via Foundations
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting – Jim Small | Published: 9/29/2017

The state’s two largest public universities have for years been represented at the Capitol by powerful lobbying firms, though neither Arizona State University or the University of Arizona has records of hiring a contract lobbyist. Instead, each school’s nonprofit foundation has contracted directly with outside lobbyists to advocate at the Legislature on behalf of the schools. As a result, it is impossible for the public to know how much lobbying firms are being paid to represent the interests of public universities. State law does not require university foundations to disclose donors or expenditures, aside from the information required to be made public by federal tax laws governing 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Annual 990 forms require only summary figures for broad categories of income or expenses.

Florida: Figures in FBI Probe Worked Uber Ordinance Behind the Scenes
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 9/29/2017

Two central figures in the FBI’s public corruption probe in Tallahassee worked behind the scenes to help Uber and its taxicab rivals as city commissioners hashed out changes to their regulations on ride-sharing. Uber hired Paige Carter-Smith, executive director of the Downtown Improvement Authority and a close friend of city Commissioner Scott Maddox, as part of its consulting team. On the other side, Yellow Cab hired Adam Corey, a lobbyist and longtime friend of Mayor Andrew Gillum. But their work on the ordinance was never publicly disclosed, and neither one of them ever registered with the city as lobbyists for their respective clients.

Florida: Report: Review shows Florida’s utility watchdog has become a lapdog
Miami Herald – Mary Ellen Klas | Published: 10/2/2017

A watchdog group is calling for changes in the state’s Public Service Commission, citing a series of decisions involving Florida Power & Light (FPL). The result, said Integrity Florida, is that FPL and the state’s other large investor-owned utilities influence the governor and Legislature through lobbying and campaign contributions, and they have used that power to pursue favorable decisions by the commission, the group said in a report.

Maryland: Loosened Fundraising Rules Unleashing Big Cash for 2018 Maryland Elections
Baltimore Sun – Erin Cox | Published: 10/1/2017

The 2018 election cycle in Maryland, which includes races for governor, attorney general, General Assembly, and several county executives, is the first full cycle since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling lifted the cap on the total amount donors may give to candidates. That 2014 ruling and a 2010 high court decision on PACs, analysts say, could unleash campaign spending up and down the ballot unlike anything Maryland has seen. “It really opened the floodgates,: said Jared DeMarinis, director of candidacy and campaign finance at the State Board of Elections.

Missouri: GOP Mega Donor Should Face $320,000 Ethics Fine, Missouri Democrat Says
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 10/4/2017

State Rep. Mark Ellebracht is calling on the Missouri Ethics Commission to levy fines totaling $320,000 against a major Republican campaign donor. Ellebracht said businessperson David Humphreys employed a lobbyist for the past two years who was not registered. The lobbyist, Paul Mouton has admitted to the commission that he worked for Humphreys and discussed proposed legislation with state lawmakers and their staff during the 2016 and 2017 legislative sessions. Mouton was fined $2,000 for not registering but will only have to pay $200 if he does not violate state lobbying laws within the next two years.

New York: More Corruption Trials? Possible Reprise Makes Albany Groan
New York Times – Jesse McKinley | Published: 10/4/2017

With the recent reversals of guilty verdicts on corruption charges of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, the former state Senate majority leader, it seems inevitable that Albany’s dirty laundry, and the actions of some of its powerful participants, will once again be hung out for examination. This time around, the courtroom rehashing of alleged misdeeds may occur during an election campaign, one in which Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be seeking a third term and all 213 Assembly and Senate seats will be up for grabs.

Washington: Armed with a Marimba, Lawmaker Puts on Concerts to Cover Legal Fees from Ethics Case
Tacoma News Tribune – Melissa Santos | Published: 9/28/2017

Washington Rep. Melanie Stambaugh is having marimba concerts at her business to pay for the $35,000 in legal costs she racked up during a recent ethics case over her social media posts. She was found to have committed 44 ethics violations for posting videos and photos produced by legislative staff to her Facebook page. Stambaugh said the concerts also include inspirational talks that focus in part on the confidence it took for her to stand up to the Legislative Ethics Board. It is possible the marimba concerts could cause her to run afoul of the ethics board once again.

Wisconsin: Kennedy’s Vote Is in Play on Voting Maps Warped by Politics
New York Times – Adam Liptak and Michael Shear | Published: 10/3/2017

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could reshape American democracy by considering whether extreme partisan gerrymandering violates the Constitution. There was something like consensus that voting maps warped by politics are an unattractive feature of American democracy. But the justices appeared split about whether the court could find a standard for determining when the practice had crossed a constitutional line.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

October 5, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance “Steve King Employs Family as Year-Round Campaign Staff, an Unusual Approach in Congress” by Jason Noble for Des Moines Register California: “California Bill Takes Aim at Dark Money in Politics – Will Jerry Brown Sign It?” by Katy […]

October 4, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying “Lobbyists Use of Capitol Meeting Space Raises Questions” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call Campaign Finance Missouri: “In Missouri, New Campaign Limits Spur Growth of PACs” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Pennsylvania: “Former Judge Admits Concealing Payments […]

October 3, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying “Monsanto Banned from European Parliament” by Arthur Nelson for The Guardian “‘Little Lobbyists’ Help Save the Health Care Law, for Now” by Robert Pear for New York Times Arizona: “ASU, AU Shield Lobbying Expenses Via Foundations” by Jim Small […]

August 18, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – August 18, 2017

Federal: In Ukraine, a Malware Expert Who Could Blow the Whistle on Russian Hacking New York Times – Andrew Kramer and Andrew Higgins | Published: 8/15/2017 A hacker known as Profexer wrote computer code alone in an apartment and sold […]

Federal:

In Ukraine, a Malware Expert Who Could Blow the Whistle on Russian Hacking
New York Times – Andrew Kramer and Andrew Higgins | Published: 8/15/2017

A hacker known as Profexer wrote computer code alone in an apartment and sold his handiwork on the anonymous portion of the internet known as the Dark Web. Profexer’s posts, already accessible only to a small band of fellow hackers and cybercriminals looking for software tips, blinked out in January, just days after American intelligence agencies publicly identified a program he had written as one tool used in the hacking of the Democratic National Committee. But while Profexer’s online persona vanished, a flesh-and-blood person has emerged: a fearful man who the Ukrainian police said turned himself in early this year, and has now become a witness for the FBI.

Inside the Elizabeth Warren Merchandising Empire
Politico – Lauren Dezenski | Published: 8/13/2017

Elizabeth Warren is not just a progressive icon, she is a merchandising industry unto herself. The U.S. senator and presidential prospect is at the center of a sprawling business built around her appeal to liberals across the country, a reminder of the devotion she inspires on the left and the footprint she will cast in the 2020 Democratic primary. Warren’s campaign store has expanded beyond traditional political fare such as buttons, bumper stickers, tote bags, and T-shirts to offer a line of products that capitalize on the “Nevertheless, she persisted” meme spawned by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s much-publicized admonishment of Warren on the Senate floor earlier this year.

Justice Dept. Demands Data on Visitors to Anti-Trump Website, Sparking Fight
New York Times – Charlie Savage | Published: 8/15/2017

The Department of Justice has requested information on visitors to a website used to organize protests against President Trump. Dreamhost, a web hosting provider, claimed that complying with the request would amount to handing over roughly 1.3 million visitor IP addresses to the government, in addition to contact information, email content, and photos of thousands of visitors to the website, which was involved in organizing protests against Trump on Inauguration Day. “hat information could be used to identify any individuals who used this site to exercise and express political speech protected under the Constitution’ First Amendment,”DreamHost wrote in a blog post.

Revocation of Grants to Help Fight Hate Under New Scrutiny After Charlottesville
New York Times – Ron Nixon and Eileen Sullivan | Published: 8/15/2017

A grant awarded by the Obama administration to an organization dedicated to combating right-wing domestic extremists was rescinded by the Trump administration. After the violent clash in Charlottesville, the move to pull back the money from an organization dedicated to helping people leave hate groups is receiving renewed scrutiny. The decision to rescind the grant highlights the different approach between Donald Trump and Barack Obama over whether Muslim extremists or white supremacist groups pose a greater domestic threat. Organizations that received funding from the Trump administration work almost exclusively on programs to deal with terrorist threats from Islamic extremists, even as research shows white supremacist groups have been linked to most domestic terrorist attacks in recent years.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Alabama Ethics Commission Punts on Lobbyist Opinion
Montgomery Advertiser – Brian Lyman | Published: 8/16/2017

The Alabama Ethics Commission voted to table a staff opinion that would have specifically classified site consultants as lobbyists under state law. State Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield argued the opinion could imperil what he characterized as “confidential” negotiations for various economic development projects. “If companies considering multiple states to relocate existing operations were to have to disclose themselves publicly to the state, would they … consider Alabama when they have other states to consider where their confidentiality will be protected?” Canfield asked.

California: Hundreds of Dollars in ‘Gifts’ from Contractors to Supervisor Nelson Raise Legal Questions
Voice of OC – Nick Gerda | Published: 8/16/2017

Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson received more than $700 worth of wine and cigars from two contractors after he voted to award them county contracts, and his handling of the items may be a way around the county’s gift ban. Nelson used campaign funds to reimburse the lobbying firm Potomac Partners for $539 worth of wine, and Kevin McCarthy for $169 worth of cigars. Nelson said his approach is legal because he repaid the contractors, and the wine and cigars are not for his personal use, but rather for “officeholder” purposes. “Nobody anticipated that some guy that was doing business with the county could bring in an unsolicited gift, and then you just pay for it [with campaign funds the contractor contributed to] and it’s no longer a gift,” said Shirley Grindle, who helped write the county’s gift ban.

District of Columbia: ACLU Sues Washington, D.C., Transit System for Removing Milo Yiannopoulos Ads
Los Angeles Times – Matt Pearce | Published: 8/10/2017

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for pulling or rejecting controversial ads, which the organization claims violates freedom of speech. In the lawsuit, the ACLU is representing a wide range of plaintiffs, including an abortion provider, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and conservative firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos. One of the rejected ads featured the text of the First Amendment in English, Spanish, and Arabic, which the group proposed after President Trump escalated his feud with the media earlier this year. The authority rejected the ad on the grounds it “intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions” or “intended to influence public policy.”

Florida: FBI Agents Went Undercover in Florida’s Capital for the ‘Biggest Investigation in Years’
USA Today – Sean Rossman | Published: 8/14/2017

Mike Miller was a developer willing to spend millions of dollars to revitalize downtown Tallahassee as the capital city longed to rebrand itself. But Miller was not what he appeared to be. After spending nearly two years infiltrating the ranks of up-and-coming entrepreneurs and wooing the town’s politicians, he vanished – until early this summer, when a pair of FBI subpoenas were served on City Hall. Miller, it turned out, was no ordinary developer. He was an undercover FBI agent, the lynchpin in an elaborate scheme to ferret out public corruption – a multi-year investigation of local politicians, their friends, and millions of dollars in taxpayer redevelopment money.

Illinois: Lobbyist Registrations Surge After Fines Tied to Emanuel Emails
Chicago Sun-Times – Fran Spielman | Published: 8/16/2017

An “all-time record” of 759 lobbyists are now registered with the Chicago Board of Ethics, a 27 percent increase over the last year, according to Steve Berlin, the board’s executive director. Board of Ethics Chairperson William Conlon noted the registration surge coincided with the agency’s decision to come down hard on those who lobby Mayor Rahm Emanuel through the mayor’s private emails, but fail either to register as lobbyists or report the activity. “So much is being made public that it is now very hard to hide in the gray area,” said Cindi Canary, founder of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

Louisiana: Conflict of Interest or Educational Opportunity? La. Legislators Have Benefited from $73K-Worth of Free Travel Since 2016
New Orleans Advocate – Elizabeth Crisp | Published: 8/12/2017

State lawmakers in Louisiana accepted complimentary hotel stays, travel, and conference admissions valued at more than $73,000 combined since January 2016. The trips, which do not face the same caps that limit gifts from lobbyists, are reflected in signed affidavits that lawmakers must file with the state Board of Ethics within 60 days of traveling for free to conferences and seminars or to give speeches to sponsoring groups. Some watchdogs question whether special interests use the trips as a way to win face time and curry favor with lawmakers often at beach-side locales or in major cities; legislators generally defend them as taxpayer-money saving educational opportunities.

Oklahoma: State Ethics Rules Often Hide Sources of Lobbyists’ Gifts, Meals
Oklahoma Watch – Trevor Brown | Published: 8/13/2017

A review of thousands of gifts and meal purchases made during the first six months of 2017 found it is impossible to confirm through records who was bankrolling efforts to influence policymakers for a quarter of the record-setting $485,000 that lobbyists spent on state officials and legislators. That is because Oklahoma, unlike dozens of other states, does not require lobbyists to reveal what bill or topic they are discussing when they buy a meal for a state official. Lobbyists also do not have to list what client they are representing when they buy a meal or a gift.

Oregon: Oregon Judge to Decide If Political Spending Limits Are Legal
Portland Oregonian – Gordon Friedman | Published: 8/15/2017

Oregon is one of six states with no limits on campaign donations and spending. State law also allows individuals and groups to pay for political ads without disclosing they are the source. Multnomah County voters overwhelmingly approved new limits on political contributions last year. Now Multnomah County Circuit Judge Eric Bloch will begin the process of determining whether the measure is constitutional. Bloch promised to provide as a ruling “as quickly as I possibly can.” That is expected to be before September 1, when the new campaign spending limits take effect. Bloch said his decision will likely not be the final one, given that both sides have indicated their openness to appeals.

South Carolina: Emails: South Carolina AG coordinated with key figure in statehouse probe on letter booting special prosecutor off case
Charleston Post and Courier – Glenn Smith | Published: 8/5/2017

Legal observers criticized South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson for sharing confidential information and for seeking advice concerning a potential criminal investigation with one of the subjects of that probe. They said Wilson should not have asked his longtime political consultant and friend Richard Quinn Sr. in October 2014 to help edit a letter that would have informed independent prosecutor David Pascoe that he would play no further role in any future prosecutions stemming from an investigation into statehouse corruption. The exchange came as Pascoe prepared to dig deeper into a State Law Enforcement Division report detailing alleged misdeeds by sitting lawmakers. Named in that document were Quinn and his son, state Rep. Rick Quinn, who was also identified as a potential target of the probe.

Texas: Federal Court Invalidates Part of Texas Congressional Map
Texas Tribune – Alexa Ura and Jim Malewitz | Published: 8/15/2017

A federal court invalidated two congressional districts in Texas, ruling they violated racial discrimination prohibitions. The three-judge panel’s unanimous decision could lead to a battle to redraw the districts in time for the 2018 elections. The court ordered the Texas attorney general’s office to indicate whether the state Legislature would take up redistricting to fix those violations. Otherwise, the state and its legal foes will head back to court on September 5 to begin re-drawing the congressional map.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

August 15, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s State Government and Ethics News

Lobbying Louisiana: “Conflict of Interest or Educational Opportunity? La. Legislators Have Benefited from $73K-Worth of Free Travel Since 2016” by Elizabeth Crisp for New Orleans Advocate Oklahoma: “State Ethics Rules Often Hide Sources of Lobbyists’ Gifts, Meals” by Trevor Brown […]

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