Lobbying

California: “Lobbying Class Teaches Sacramento State Students ‘Rough and Tumble’ Politics” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

Missouri: “Lawmakers Bunking with Lobbyists Show More Cozy Connections in Capitol” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “Bill Overhauling Campaign Finance Laws Heads to Arizona Governor” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Indiana: “Exclusive: Special prosecutor investigating allegation against Monarch Beverage” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star

Ethics

Michigan: “Feds Charge 12 Detroit School Principals with Bribery” by Katrease Stafford and Tresa Baldas (Detroit Free Press) for USA Today

Missouri: “Missouri Lawmakers Pass Limits on Paid Political Consulting” by Adam Aton and Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) for Kansas City Star

Texas: “Indictment Aside, Crystal City Mayor is Running Again” by Jim Malewitz for Texas Tribune

Vermont: “Trimmed Down Ethics Commission Plan Gets Committee’s OK” by Mark Johnson for VTDigger.org

Elections

Ohio: “Surprising Source of GOP Petition” by Arden Farhi for CBS News

Lobbying

Minnesota: “Governments Spend Millions Lobbying Government” by J. Patrick Coolican for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Missouri: “State Law Murky on Who Qualifies as a Local Lobbyist” by Caitlin Campbell for Columbia Tribune

Campaign Finance

“Marco Rubio’s Secret (Money) Legacy” by Shane Goldmacher for Politico

“House Wants Campaign Finance Study” by Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Ethics

“Ethics Advocates Decry Opaque Budget Negotiations” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Florida: “Opa-locka’s ‘Shadow’ Force Moves Millions in City Contracts” by Jay Weaver, Michael Sallah, and Katie Lepri for Miami Herald

Ohio: “City Hall Scandals Prompt Ginther to Propose New Ethics Rules” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

South Carolina: “Solicitor David Pascoe Says He Won’t Step Down from Corruption Probe Unless Court-Ordered to Do So” by Cynthia Roldan and Glenn Smith for Charleston Post & Courier

Elections

“How Clinton’s Email Scandal Took Root” by Robert O’Harrow, Jr. for Washington Post

“Campaign Manager for Donald Trump Is Charged With Battery” by Maggie Haberman and for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Maryland: “Maryland Lawmakers Want Gender Pay Gap Closed. They Should Look at Their Own Payroll.” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Union ‘Persuader’ Rule to Offer Rare Look inside DC Consulting” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

“FOI Agency, In Role Reversal, Opposes Disclosure of Connected Lobbyist’s Emails” by Jon Lender for Hartford Courant

Texas: “Travis County to Create Its First Code of Ethics” by Sean Collins Walsh for Austin American-Statesman

Campaign Finance

California: “Valley Councilwoman’s Aides Sought $5 and $10 Donations That Are Focus of U.S. Inquiry” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

Alabama: “Governor’s Political Adviser Discloses Pay from Nonprofit” by Kim Chandler (Associated Press) for Montgomery Advertiser

Florida: “Gov. Rick Scott Signs Anti-Corruption Bill” by Matt Reed and James Call for Tallahassee Democrat

Kentucky: “Beshear Aide Charged in Kickback Scheme” by Joseph Gerth, Andrew Wolfson, and Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

Missouri: “Despite Fast Start, Legislative Progress on Ethics Reform Slows” by Ellen Cagle for Fulton Sun

Montana”Montana Lawmakers Rarely Refrain from Voting on Personal Interests” by James DeHaven for Helena Independent Record

Elections

“Uninformed Voters Are a Problem. This May Be a Solution.” by Mike Maciag for Governing

“How the G.O.P. Elite Lost Its Voters to Donald Trump” by Nicholas Co
nfessore for New York Times

Campaign Finance

California: “Bernie Sanders’ Campaign Legacy Could Be How He Raises Money from So Many People” by Evan Halper for Los Angeles Times

Arkansas : “Ex-Judge Gets 10-Year Sentence for Taking Bribe” by John Lyon for Arkansas News

Ethics

Kentucky: “Ex-State Lawmaker Keith Hall Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison” by John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader

Elections

“Feeling G.O.P. Peril, Muslims Try to Get Out Vote” by Alan Rappeport for New York Times

“Bernie Sanders Seizes 3 States, Sweeping Democratic Contests” by Amy Chozick for New York Times

“Donald Trump Can’t Stop Saying Nasty Things about Women. It Could Cost Him.” by Jose DelReal and Jenna Johnson for Washington Post

Arizona: “Angry Arizona Voters Demand: Why Such Long Lines at Polling Sites?” by Fernanda Santos for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Money Can’t Buy Love – or in Some Cases, Even Elections” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call

“Trump Camp Says $25,000 Charity Contribution to Florida AG Was a Mistake” by David Fahrenthold and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Florida: “Committee Votes to Ban Personal Spending of Campaign Money” by Geoff Pender, Kate Royals, and Jimmie Gates for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

West Virginia: “Supreme Court Agrees Benjamin, Wooton Should Get Public Campaign Financing” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette

Ethics

California: “Former L.A. City Council Aide, Wife Acquitted of Embezzlement in Corruption Case” by Marisa Gerber for Los Angeles Times

Florida: “Florida State Fair Executive Director Resigned after Accepting Rays Tickets and Hot Tub” by Tony Marrero and Sue Carlton for Tampa Bay Times

New York: “Oft-Criticized Ethics Watchdog Names Cuomo Aide as Executive Director” by David Howard King for Gotham Gazette

Vermont: “Full Disclosure? Slow Going for Ethics Reform in the Vermont Senate” by Paul Heintz for Seven Days

Elections

“Presidential Candidates Walking a Tightrope over the Fight on Terrorism” by David Sanger and Maggie Haberman for New York Times

“Trump’s Growing List of Apostasies Puts Him at Odds with Decades of Republican Beliefs” by Philip Rucker and Dan Balz for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

Minnesota: “A New Internship Program Aims to Inject Diversity at the Minnesota Capitol” by Mila Koumpilova for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Lobbying

California: “Tech Consultants May Soon Have to Register as Lobbyists” by Samantha Young for Techwire.net

Missouri: “Lobbyists, Liaisons Would Take Sexual Harassment Training under Measure” by Alex Stuckey for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Campaign Finance

“Will a Liberal Supreme Court Limit Money in Politics?” by Mark Schmitt for New York Times

Montana: “Lawsuit Says Disclose Act is Unconstitutionally Overbroad” by James DeHaven for Helena Independent Record

Vermont: “Corren, Attorney General Still at Odds on Campaign Finance Case” by David Gram (Associated Press) for Rutland Herald

Elections

“How Does Trump Get So Much Air Time? Media Ethics under Fire” by Harry Bruinius for Christian Science Monitor

“Clinton and Trump Win Arizona; Cruz Picks Up Utah; Sanders Takes 2” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Ethics

New York: “Another Cuomo Insider for JCOPE” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Legislative Issues

“Congress Setting New Bar for Doing Nothing” by Lauren French for Politico

Kansas: “Kansas Senate Passes Judicial-Impeachment Bill” by Dion Lefler for Wichita Eagle

Lobbying

New York: “Nonprofit Linked to Mayor de Blasio Is Closing” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

New York: “Harold Ickes, Mentor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Builds Lobbying Victories” by Michael Grynbaum for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Scorecard: Essential disclosure requirements for contributions to state campaigns, 2016” by Staff for National Institute on Money in State Politics

“How ‘Ghost Corporations’ Are Funding the 2016 Election” by Matea Gold and Anu Narayanswamy for Washington Post

Massachusetts: “Large Donations Help Mass. GOP Avoid State Cap” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe

Mississippi: “Many Mississippi Officials Take from Closed Campaign Accounts, Review Reveals” by The Associated Press for New York Times

Montana: “For Some Montana Office Seekers, It’s Not about Winning” by Bobby Caina Calvan (Associated Press) for Great Falls Tribune

Elections

“The U.S. Has ‘Worst Elections of Any Long-Established Democracy,’ Report Finds” by Rick Noack for Washington Post

“Trump Wannabes Shake Up Cable Airwaves” by Hadas Gold for Politico

Ohio: “Cleveland Prepares for Unrest at GOP Convention” by Tracy Jan for Boston Globe

Redistricting

Virginia: “Supreme Court May Decide against Va. Republicans in Redistricting Fight” by Robert Barnes and Jenna Portnoy for Washington Post

Lobbying

Illinois: “Cook County Lobbyists Were Paid $2.95 Million to Lobby County Officials in 2015, Most Ever, Report Says” by Carrie Baden for Cook County Report

Campaign Finance

Montana: “Campaign Violation Backlog Cleared, but Enforcement Needed” by Matt Volz (Associated Press) for Brown County Democrat

South Carolina: “SC Lt. Gov. McMaster Ordered to Repay $72,700 in Campaign Contributions” by Andrew Shain for The State

Ethics

“GOP Lawmaker’s ‘Meals with Constituents’ Draw Scrutiny” by Scott Wong for The Hill

Connecticut: “Administrator Who Angered Watchdog Agencies Resigns” by Jon Lender for Hartford Courant

New York: “Albany Area Lawmakers Who Also Run Businesses Criticize Outside Income Limit Proposals” by Marie French for Albany Business Review

Pennsylvania: “Wolf’s Reform Plan Targets Campaign Cash, Gifts to Lawmakers” by Marc Levy (Associated Press) for WPXI

Elections

“The Great Unsettling” by David Maraniss and Robert Samuels for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

“Even as Political Spending Explodes, Disclosure Remains Hazy” by Mary Spicuzza (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and Jeremy White (Sacramento Bee) for CTNewsJunkie.com

Arizona: “House Panel OKs Significant Changes to Campaign Finance Laws” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Hawaii: “Honolulu Ethics Director on Leave after Internal Investigation” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii: “Passing The Buck: When Hawaii politicians give to each other” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Washington: “Voters Could Get $150 to Give to Candidates under Proposed Initiative” by Jim Brunner for Seattle Times

Ethics

“Supreme Court Nomination Drives Groups from Left and Right to Fight” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

California: “‘Dark Money’ Measure Pulled by California Campaign Reform Backers” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

California: “How a State Senator – Whose Family is in the Taxi Business – Put the Brakes on Two Uber Bills” by Liam Dillon for Los Angeles Times

Florida: “FBI Agents Blow Lid Off Opa-locka City Hall Corruption Probe” by Jay Weaver, Michael Sallah, and Katie Lepri for Miami Herald

West Virginia:”Lawmakers Killed Ethics Bills on Session’s Last Day” by Eric Eyre for Charleston Gazette

Elections

“Hillary Clinton Wins 4 Races, Rebounding From Michigan Loss” by Patrick Healy and Amy Chozick for New York Times

“Donald Trump Takes 3 States; John Kasich Wins Ohio” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for New York Times

“Rubio’s Demise Marks the Last Gasp of the Republican Reboot” by Robert Costa and Philip Rucker for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Capitol Benches That Provided Comfort to Lobbyists Have Been Ordered Removed” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dispatch News

Lobbying

California: “California Watchdog Considers Rule Narrowing Secret Lobbying” by Alison Noon (Associated Press) for Los Angeles Daily News

Florida: “Broward Commissioners Reject ‘Gift’ from Boys & Girls Club” by Brittany Wallman for South Florida Sun Sentinel

New Jersey: “Sweeney’s Office and Horizon Swapped Notes before Key Speech” by Susan Livio (NJ Advance media) for Newark Star-Ledger

North Carolina: “Group Attacks NC House Member Justin Burr for Dating a Lobbyist” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Vermont: “Lawmakers Switch Tack on Lobbyist Donations” by Jasper Craven and Anne Galloway for VTDigger.org

Virgina: “Virginia Legislative Session Ends with Agreements and Bickering” by Travis Fain for The Daily Press

Campaign Finance

New Mexico: “Questions Raised about Martinez’s Inaugural Spending” by Justin Horwath for Las Cruces Sun-News

Virgina: “Lawmakers Switch Tack on Lobbyist Donations” by Jasper Craven and Anne Galloway for VTDigger.org

Washington: “Judge Finds Grocery Group Violated Campaign Laws in 2013” by Donna Gordon Blankenship (Associated Press) for Tacoma News-Tribune

Ethics

New York: “Heastie Outlines Assembly Ethics Plan” by David Howard King for Gotham Gazette

South Carolina: “Group Sends SC House Members $2 Each, Asking for their Vote” by Jamie Self for The State

Elections

“Donald Trump’s Presidential Run Began in an Effort to Gain Stature” by Maggie Haberman and Alexander Burns for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Alabama: “Momentum to Remove Confederate Symbols Slows or Stops” by Alan Blinder for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“K Street Money Set Looks to Contain Trump Damage” by Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for Politico

California: “Citizens United Is Only 15% of the Political Cash Problem” by Nick Penniman and Wendell Potter for Los Angeles Times

Ethics   

Florida: “Bill Aimed at Cutting Public Corruption Goes to Gov. Scott” by The Associated Press for WINK

New York: “New York Assemblywoman Sexually Harassed Aide, Ethics Panel Says” by Vivian Yee for New York Times

Elections

“Can Labor Still Turn Out the Vote?” by Steven Greenhouse for New York Times

“Soros and Other Liberal Donors to Fund Bid to Spur Latino Voters” by Nicholas Confessore and Julia Preston for New York Times

“The Convention the GOP Doesn’t Want” by Julian Zelizer for The Atlantic

Lobbying

New York: “As Lobbying Money Rises, deBlasio’s Agency Disclosure Pledge Goes Unfufilled” by Laura Nahmias for Capital New York

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “‘Dark Money’ Rules Eased in AZ Senate Campaign Finance Bill” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Montana: “Montana Campaign Contribution Limit Challenge Coming to a Head” by Matt Volz (Associated Press for The Missoulian

Oregon: “Lawmakers Leave Salem without Taking up Campaign Finance Reform” by Taylor Anderson for Bend Bulletin

Ethics

Colorado: “Audit: Colorado’s ethics commission rarely helps those filing complaints” by Joey Bunch for Denver Post

Florida: “Facing Ethics Probe, Judge Lakin Decides to Retire” by Dale White for Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Minnesota: “House Speaker Daudt Sued by Debt Collectors, Was Tardy on Taxes” by Brian Bakst for MPR News

Pennsylvania: “Former LCB Chairman Who Took Gifts Drops Out of Ethics Panel” by Kari Andren for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Elections

“Donald Trump, the Winning Wild Card” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

“Democrats Increase Their State House Majority in Special Elections” by Jack Brammerf and John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader

Lobbying

New Mexico: “Transparency Legislation Isn’t Quite as Transparent as Billed” by Sandra Fish for New Mexico In Depth

New York: “PR Firms File Suit over ‘Hopelessly Vague’ JCOPE Lobbying Definition” by Bill Mahoney for Capital New York

Campaign Finance

“The FEC Just Made It Easier for Super PAC Donors to Hide Their Identities” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

“Ben Carson’s Small-Dollar Donors Could Keep Yielding Big Money” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

Connecticut: “A Legislative Mystery: Who changed a watchdog’s bill?” by Mark Pazniokas for CT Mirror

Mississippi: “No State Officials Enforce Campaign Finance Laws” by Mollie Bryant, Geoff Pender, and Katie Royals for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Ethics

California: “Golfing, Tequila and Spa Treatments: These are the gifts given to California lawmakers in 2015” by Patrick McGreevy and Liam Dillon for Los Angeles Times

Wisconsin: “Politics Apparent in Appointments to New Ethics, Elections Panels” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Elections

“Michael Bloomberg Says He Won’t Run for President” by Maggie Haberman and Alexander Burns for New York Times

“Ted Cruz Keeps Up Pressure on Donald Trump; Bernie Sanders Takes 2 on ‘Super Saturday’” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

North Carolina: “Trump Cracks Down on Protesters” by Ben Schreckinger for Politico

Legislative Issues

Indianapolis: “State to Locals: You can’t do that. Or that.” by Brian Eason for Indianapolis Star

Lobbying

California: “Santa Monica Rewrites Lobbying Rules” by Gary Walker for Argonaut Online

New Jersey: “Pensions, Other Big Issues Spurred $70M in Spending to Sway N.J. Leaders” by Samantha Marcus and Susan Livio (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

Campaign Finance

Arkansas “Former State Legislator Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Fraud” by John Lyon for Arkansas News

Massachusetts: “Mass. Campaign Finance Regulators’ Office Gets Hip to Memes” by Steve Annear for Boston Globe

Virginia: “State Lawmakers Can’t Raise Campaign Money While in Session, but There’s a Loophole” by Patrick Wilson for The Virginian-Pilot

Ethics

California: “L.A. County D.A.’s Corruption Case against Three Irwindale Officials Is Dismissed” by Marisa Gerber for Los Angeles Times

Connecticut: “Connecticut Election, Information and Ethics Watchdog Agencies Fear Results of Deep Cuts” by Mary O’Leary for New Haven Register

Kentucky: “Legislation Allowing the Executive Branch Ethics Commission to Set Lobbying Registration Fees by Regulation Heads to House Floor” by Kevin Wheatley for cn/2

Procurement

“Lobbyists Plan for Battle over Contractor Fair Pay Rule” by Ben Penn for Bloomberg BNA