Lobbying

California: “Anaheim Councilwoman Criticized for Trip with Disneyland Lobbyist” by Adam Elmahrek for Voice of OC

Campaign Finance

“New Challenge Filed to Party ‘Soft-Money’ Limits” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

Alabama: “Federal Court Upholds Alabama PAC-to-PAC Transfer Ban Law” by Shaun Zinck for Legal Newsline

Montana: “Campaign Finance Rules Released, Upcoming Public Hearings” by Alexander Deedy for Helena Independent Record

Ethics

Pennsylvania: “Corruption Accusations Paint Troubling Picture of Politics in Philadelphia Region” by Jonathan Tamari and Chris Palmer for Philadelphia Inquirer

Michigan: “Recordings: State rep asked aide to hide relationship” by Chad Livengood for MLive.com

South Carolina: “S.C. Statehouse Corruption Probe Continues, but Where Will it Lead?” by Schuyler Kropf for Charleston Post and Courier

Texas: “Texas Watchdog Group Calls another Political Titan to Account” by Manny Fernandez for New York Times

Elections

Arkansas: “Arkansas Attorney General Approves Wording of Term Limits Amendment” by The Associated Press for Arkansas Business

Procurement

Mississippi: “Gov. Bryant Orders Contracting Reform” by Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Lobbying

“Bennet, Franken Introduce Lobbying Reform Bill – CWA Goes after Planned Parenthood Consultant – New Dems Break Fundraising Record” by Tarini Parti for Politico

Ohio: “Redflex-Funded Groups Helped Columbus Lobby for Cameras” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

Campaign Finance

“IRS Mismanaged Tea Party Groups, Senate Report Finds” by Bernie Becker for The Hill

Minnesota: “Mark Dayton Drew Big Inaugural Checks after Election” by Brian Bakst (Associated Press) for St. Paul Pioneer Press

Ethics

Georgia: “Investigator: Corruption in DeKalb County ‘stunning’” by Dave Williams for Atlanta Business Chronicle

Indiana: “Pence Cancels BMV Contract, Asks for Ethics Investigation” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star

Oregon: “Cylvia Hayes Must Turn Over Emails to Judge for Review, Release” by Nick Budnick and Laura Gunderson for Portland Oregonian

Pennsylvania: “Montco DA Charges Attorney General Kane” by Craig McCoy, Angela Couloumbis, and Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

West Virginia: “Law Restricts WV Elected Officials’ Self-Promotion Using Taxpayer Money” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette

Campaign Finance

“Rand Paul Super PAC Head Indicted over Alleged 2012 Campaign Finance Violations” by Sean Sullivan and Matea Gold for Washington Post

Connecticut: “CT Democrats Seek New Ruling to Resolve Malloy Campaign Investigation” by Mark Pazniokas and Keith Phaneuf for Connecticut Mirror

Massachusetts: “2 Businesses Fight State Ban on Campaign Contributions” by Shira Schoenberg for MassLive.com

Minneapolis: “MN Campaign Finance Board Gets Report about Holes in Disclosure Law” by J. Patrick Coolican for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Pennsylvania: “Reading Councilman Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Wisconsin: “Scott Walker, GOP Lawmakers Want to Change Elections Board by 2016” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Ethics

California: “Public Officials Named in New Findings from FBI Probe of ‘Shrimp Boy’ Chow” by Jonah Owen Lamb for San Francisco Examiner

Hawaii: “Ian Lind: Ex-Legislator May Make a Good Ethics Commissioner” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat

New York: “New York State Ethics Watchdog Panel Divided on Choice for New Top Administrator” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Legislative Issues

Kansas: “The Kansas Experiment” by Chris Suellentrop for New York Times Magazine

Lobbying

“Jon Stewart’s Next Act: Lobbyist?” by Darren Samuelsohn for Politico

California: “Measure Seeks to Reveal Names, Funding behind Indirect Lobbying” by Emily Green for San Francisco Chronicle

New York: “JCOPE Denies Request to Shield Abortion-Issue Donors” by Jimmy Vielkind for Capital New York

Campaign Finance

“Super PAC Doppelgangers Eclipse Candidates in Campaign Money Chase” by Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity

California: “Campaign Money Has MTA Board Members Missing Votes” by David Zahniser and Katie Shepherd for Los Angeles Times

Maine: “Anti-Gay Marriage Group Suffers another Loss in Bid to Conceal Donors to Maine Campaign” by Steve Mistler for Portland Press Herald

New York: “New York State Lawmakers Spend Millions in Campaign Funds on Legal Fees” by Susanne Craig and Thomas Kaplan for New York Times

Ethics

Massachusetts: “Voters May Have a Say on Boosting Public Records Access” by Todd Wallack for Boston Globe

Redistricting

New York: “Democrats Unveil a Plan to Fight Gerrymandering” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Lobbying

New York: “Documents Reveal New York State Agency’s Role in Adirondacks Mining Proposal” by Susanne Craig for New York Times

Wisconsin: “Legislation Seeks to Limit Lobbying in City Government” by Simon Schatzberg for WISC

Campaign Finance

“Limits Unclear on New Political Party ‘Slush Funds’” by Carrie Levine for Center for Responsive Politics

Arizona: “Attorney General Flips, Bans Public Funds for Anti-Pot Campaign” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Sun

Ethics

“House Ethics Panel Clears Lawmakers over 2013 Azerbaijan Trip” by John Bresnahan for Politico

California: “City Ethics Commission Picks Get Political” by Greg Moran for San Diego Union-Tribune

Texas: “Paxton Surrenders in Securities Fraud Indictment” by Patrick Svitek for Texas Tribune

Elections

“Donald Trump Is Cash Cow for GOP State Parties” by Kyle Chaney, Katie Glueck, and Eli Stokols for Politico

California: “Recall Election History Bodes Ill for Richard Pan Opponents” by Jeremy White for Sacramento Bee

Procurement

“As Cloud of Corruption Passes in D.C., Regular Dysfunction Back in Spotlight” by Aaron Davis for Washington Post

Lobbying

Maryland: “Gun Groups Are No Longer Major Spenders in Maryland Lobbying Game” by Josh Hicks for Washington Post

Ohio: “Three on Columbus Council Paid for Football Trip after Bribe Probe Revealed” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

Campaign Finance

“‘Dark Money’: ALEC wants image makeover” by Tarini Parti for Politico

“Scam PACs Keep Money Churning, but Not to Candidates” by Will Tucker for Center for Responsive Politics

Georgia: “Student Project Leads to Ethics Investigation, Subpoenas” by Jodie Fleischer for WSB

New Mexico: “Council Rejects Increase in Campaign Matching Funds” by Daniel Chacón for Santa Fe New Mexican

Pennsylvania: “City’s Campaign Contribution Limits at Heart of Fattah Case” by Chris Brennan for Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania: “City Adopts New Reporting Requirements for Campaign Financing” by Wendy Ruderman for Philadelphia Daily News

Virginia: “Clinton Donors Also Pumped Millions into McAuliffe’s Coffers” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Ethics

Alabama: “Tom Albritton, Alabama’s New Ethics Executive Director, Wants to Be Fair, Consistent” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Elections

“Billionaire Koch Brothers’ Network Takes Cue from Obama’s Playbook” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Billionaire Donors Bypass K Street” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Nebraska: “Number of Groups Hiring Nebraska Lobbyists Reaches New High” by Grant Schulte (Associated Press) for Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “Super PACs Start Dominating Local Races in N.J.” by Matt Friedman for Politico

Ethics

Missouri: “McCaskill Calls for Advocacy Group to Give Missouri Capital Interns ‘Someone to Talk to’” by Jo Mannies for KCUR

New York: “Despite Unprecedented Scandal, Calls for Special Ethics Session Fall on Deaf Ears” by David Howard King for Gotham Gazette

Oregon: “Ethics Reforms after Kitzhaber: Going slow means getting it right, Oregon lawmakers argue” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian

Pennsylvania: “Pa. Congressman Fattah Indicted on Corruption Charges from 2007 Mayor’s Race” by Paul Kane and Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

Elections

“Facebook Expands in Politics, and Campaigns Find Much to Like” by Ashley Parker for New York Times

“A Dream Undone” by Jim Rutenberg for New York Times

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Clean Election Referendum Includes Call to End $6 Million in Maine Corporate Tax Breaks” by Steve Mistler for Portland Press Herald

Missouri: “Missouri’s ‘Wild West’ Campaign-Finance Rules Are Making Candidates Look Terrible” by Karyn Bruggeman for National Journal

Wisconsin: “Emails Show Contact between GAB Head and IRS Mostly Personal in Nature” by Andrew Beckett for Wisconsin Radio Network

Ethics

Florida: “Former Lt. Gov. Carroll Admits Breaking Ethics Law” by Michael Auslen (Tampa Bay Times) for Miami Herald

Hawaii: “Honolulu Ethics Commission Loosens News Media Policy” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

New Jersey: “Christie Has Made Habit of Appointing High School Friends” by Jill Colvin (Associated Press) for Raleigh News & Observer

New York: “New Hire for Ethics Board Attacked” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Elections

“As the G.O.P. Base Clamors for Confrontation, Candidates Oblige” by Jackie Chalmes for New York Times

“Are Voters Ready to Cast a Vote Against the Supreme Court?” by Greg Stohr for Bloomberg.com

Lobbying

Arkansas: “Ethics Panel Reaffirms Past Ruling on Ticket Sales to Legislators” by John Lyon (Arkansas News Bureau) for Arkansas News

Ohio: “City Council Officials Got Box Seats at Ohio State Game” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

Campaign Finance

“Chamber Gearing Up to Take Out GOP Incumbents” by Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for Politico

Arizona: “Election Director Threatens Lawsuits against ‘Dark Money’ Watchdogs” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Service) for Arizona Daily Sun

Nevada: “Nevada Lobbyists Spend Record Amount on Legislators” by Sandra Chereb for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Pennsylvania: “Documents Show Pennsylvania GOP’s Courtship of Gas Industry” by Rich Lord for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ethics

Florida: “Ethics Board Facing Criticism from Amendment Backers” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

Mississippi: “Sources: FBI probing Pickering campaign funds” by Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Missouri: “Missouri Senator Resigns Seat, Continues to Deny Allegations He Sexually Harassed Interns” by Alex Stuckey for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

New York: “John Sampson, New York State Senator, Is Guilty on Some Federal Charges” by Stephanie Clifford for New York Times

Lobbying

Colorado: “Colorado Senator Says He Has No Records on His Lobbyist-Written Elderly Care Bill” by Arthur Kane for Colorado Watchdog

Campaign Finance

“D.N.C. Lifts Ban on Convention Fundraising” by Maggie Haberman for New York Times

Rhode Island: “R.I. Board of Elections Drops Fines in 208 Cases” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Ethics

“Criminal Inquiry Is Sought in Clinton Email Account” by Michael Schmidt and Matt Apuzzo for New York Times

“Drug Companies Pushed From Far and Wide to Explain High Prices” by Andrew Pollack for New York Times

District of Columbia: “New Details Emerge about Metro Contract That Raised Ethical Questions” by Lori Aratani for Washington Post

Hawaii: “Hawaii’s Student Travel Still Up in the Air as Free Trips Debated” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat

New Jersey: “N.J. Lawmaker Plans Bill Curbing Governors Use of Public Funds for Out-of-State Trip Expenses” by Melissa Hayes for Bergen Record

Texas: “Appeals Court Rejects One Count in Perry Indictment” by Patrick Svitek for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

“Top Navy Nominee Cleared of Improper Lobbying” by Jeremy Herb, Philip Ewing, and Austin Wright for Politico

“‘Influencers’ Poll Gives Grades to Lobby Groups” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Rick Perry Finance Chairman Does Super PAC Two-Step” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

Washington”Seattle’s Richest, Whitest Areas Dominate Campaign Giving, Say Reform” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times

Ethics

Massachusetts: “Lobbying Picks Up on Proposed Public Records Law” by Todd Wallack for Boston Globe

New York: “Dean Skelos and His Son Face New Bribery Charges” by Susanne Craig for New York Times

New York: “New York Ethics Panel Chief Taking State Tax Job” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

South Carolina: “Key FBI Informant, 3 Others Sentenced in Pinson Case” by John Monk for The State

Wisconsin: “Jobs Agency Gov. Scott Walker Led Dogged by Allegations of Shoddy Lending, Political Influence” by Jeff Horwitz (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Lobbying

“K Street Bouncing Back in 2015” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Washington: “PDC’s Lobbyist Filings to Get Upgrade” by the Editorial Board for The Olympian

Campaign Finance

“The Only Realistic Way to Fix Campaign Finance” by Lawrence Lessig for New York Times

“Dems Urge Obama to Veto Bill over Campaign Finance Restrictions” by Cristina Marcos for The Hill

Kansas: “Brownback Campaign Sought Cash from Westar Official amid Ongoing Rate Case” by Jonathan Shorman for Topeka Capital-Journal

Pennsylvania: “Teachers’ Union Gets Schooled for Violating Campaign Law” by Mensah Dean for Philadelphia Daily News

Ethics

Hawaii: “Will Honolulu Ethics Commission Take the Gag Off its Director?” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Illinois: “Court Overturns Some Blagojevich Senate-Seat Convictions” by The Associated Press for New York Times

Elections

“Ohio Gov. Kasich Joins GOP Race with Message of Conservatism, Compassion” by Dan Balz for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Jeb Bush Promises to Curb Lobbying and Cut Size of Government” by Michael Barbaro for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Seeing Crowd, G.O.P. Donors Holding Back” by Nicholas Confessore and Sarah Cohen for New York Times

Alabama: “Alabama Lawmakers Again Try to Tighten Campaign Finance Law” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Delaware: “Delaware Wins Appeal, Can Enforce Law on Election Ads” by Jonathan Stempel for Reuters

Ethics

California: “Cleaning Up Politics or ‘Vindictive’ Nosy Neighbor? Shirley Grindle Is Making Last Stand as a Watchdog” by Martin Wisckol for Orange County Register

Ohio: “Red-Light-Camera Lobbyist Removed Himself from Committee Due to Conflict” by Mark Ferenchick for Columbus Dispatch

Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania Turnpike Employees Continue to Get Free Ride on Toll Road” by Melissa Daniels for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Vermont: “State Contracts Needed by Scott’s Company May Impact ’16 Race” by Neal Goswami for The Times-Argus

Wisconsin: “Walker Calls for Dismantling of State Elections Board” by Scott Bauer (Associated Press) for Albany Times Union

Elections

“Who Advises Candidate Trump? (Hint: His Name Is Donald)” by Maggie Haberman and Michael Barbaro for New York Times

Lobbying

California: “Lobbyist Fee Set to Increase” by David Garrick for San Diego Union-Tribune

Colorado: “How Effective are Lobbyists in Colorado at Passing, Killing Legislation?” by Arthur Kane for Colorado Watchdog

Campaign Finance

“Presidential Campaign Donors Hedge Bets” by Carrie Levine, Michael Beckel, Ben Wieder, and Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity

“Small Donor Myth Debunked” by Kenneth Vogel and Tarini Parti for Politico

North Carolina: “Gov.’s Legal Counsel Knew of Board Member Interest Conflict” by Michael Biesecker and Mitch Weiss (Associated Press) for Raleigh News & Observer

Utah: “Sign Company’s PAC Buys Billboards for Biskupski; Becker Camp Protests” by Christopher Smart for Salt Lake Tribune

Ethics

California: “Director Concerned over Ethics Pick” by Greg Moran for San Diego Union-Tribune

Pennsylvania: “FBI Looking at Same Contractors in Reading and Allentown” by Matt Assad, Scott Kraus, Paul Muschick, and Emily Opilo for Allentown Morning Call