Lobbying

Missouri: “Free Food Fills Missouri Capitol’s Hallways as Ethics Bill Dies” by Virginia Young for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Missouri: “Republican Legislator Faces Ethics Complaint over Comments to Reporter about Gifts” by Eli Yokley for PoliticMo

New York: “Group Supporting de Blasio’s Agenda Is Said to Draw Interest of Ethics Panel” by Michael Grynbaum and William Rashbaum for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Obama Foundation Walks Fine Line in Efforts to Raise $500 Million” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

New York: “NY Assembly Votes for Closing Campaign Finance Loophole” by Michael Virtanen (Associated Press) for Bradenton Herald

Rhode Island: “Providence Rep. Almeida Admits to Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Katie Mulvaney for Providence Journal

Ethics

“Former Energy Department Official Wins Huge Pay Raise after Moving to Firm with Deep Ties to DOE” by Douglas Birch and Alexander Cohen for Center for Public Integrity

“10 Members of Congress Took Trip Secretly Funded by Foreign Government” by Scott Higham, Steven Rich, and Alice Crites for Washington Post

South Carolina: “South Carolina May Get Small Ethics Reform Package This Year” by Jeffrey Collins (Associated Press) for Washington Times

Texas: “Powerful Republican Slams ‘Superficial’ Ethics Reform” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

Illinois: “In Illinois Capitol, Lobbying Is a Growing Business” by Kurt Erickson for Quad City Times

Nevada: “Bill Imposes Cooling-Off Period for Ex-Lawmakers” by Sandra Chereb for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Vermont: “House Oks Bill Limiting Lobbyist Contributions during Session” by Erin Mansfield for VTDigger.org

Campaign Finance

“Hillary Clinton Embraces a ‘Super PAC,’ Trying to Erode a Republican Edge” by Maggie Haberman and Nicholas Confessore for New York Times

“The FEC’s ‘Non-Partisan’ Whistleblower” by Tarini Parti for Politico

Ethics

Florida: “Politicians Send Millions to Charity of Lobbyist’s Daughter” by Francisco Alvarado (BrowardBulldog.org) for Miami Herald

Indiana: “Expanded Disclosure, Ethics Rules Now Law” by Olivia Covington for WFYI

Massachusetts: “Brian Joyce Thrives at the Edge of a Fuzzy Boundary” by Andrea Estes for Boston Globe

New York: “Scarborough Pleads Guilty Twice” by Brendan Lyons for Albany Times Union

Texas: “Government Contract Disclosure Bill Advances” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

West Virginia: “‘Trinkets’ Defined as Ethics Commission Prepares for New WV Law” by Joel Ebert for Charleston Daily Mail

Legislative Issues

Hawaii: “Hawaii Lawmakers Quietly Dole Out Millions of Dollars in Grants” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Campaign Finance

“Cash Flows in Year of SuperPAC 2.0” by Tarini Parti for Politico

“F.E.C. Data Shows Campaign Fines Hit Record Low in 2014” by Eric Lichtblau for New York Times

“Hillary Clinton’s Big-Money Dilemma” by Glenn Thrush and Anna Palmer for Politico

Ethics

California: “Transparency Gets Win as Funds OK’d to Digitize Financial Disclosure by Public Officials” by Alexandra Bjerg for California Forward Reporting

Florida: “Broward Politicians Want Looser Ethics Code” by Brittany Wallman for South Florida Sun Sentinel

Georgia: “For Ga. Board, Common Cause’s ‘Different Path’ Leads to Protest” by Jonathan Shapiro for WABE

Hawaii: “Still No Love for Public Interest Bills at Hawaii Legislature” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat

New York: “Congratulations, New York, You’re #1 in Corruption” by Alan Greenblatt for Politico

New York: “Effort to Strip Pensions from Corrupt New York Officials Stalls” by Thomas Kaplan for New York Times

Washington: “Bothell Mayor Exonerated in Ethics Investigation” by Lynn Thompson for Seattle Times

Legislative Issues

Minnesota: “Minnesota House Floor Can Be a Theater of The Absurd” by Patrick Coolican for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Lobbying

Connecticut: “Malloy Urged Protection for Pharmaceutical Firms in Trade Pact” by Ana Radelat for CT Mirror

Tennessee: “ALEC’s Influence in the Tennessee Legislature” by Richard Locker for Knoxville News Sentinel

Texas: “Senate Tightens Up Reporting Requirements for Lobbyists” by Terrence Stutz for Dallas Morning News

Campaign Finance

Minnesota: “Gov. Mark Dayton Vows to Veto GOP Campaign Cash Changes” by Rachel Stassen-Berger for St. Paul Pioneer Press

New York: “Albany Shivers after Bharara Flips a Major Donor” by Jimmy Vielkind for Capital New York

Ethics

New Jersey: “With Bridge Case Charges, a Cloud Descends on Christie’s White House Hopes” by Michael Barbaro for New York Times

New Jersey: “Forget Bridgegate. New Jersey’s Actually the Most Ethical State.” by Nicholas Kusnetz for Washington Post

Pennsylvania: “Loopholes in Pennsylvania’s Ethics Act Allow Family Hires” by Andrew Staub (PA Independent) for Watchdog.org

Elections

“Mike Huckabee Joins Republican Presidential Race” by Trip Gabriel for New York Times

“Campaign Coverage via Snapchat Could Shake Up the 2016 Elections” by Jonathan Mahler for New York Times

Lobbying

Tennessee: “Out-of-State Groups Seek Influence in Tennessee” by Tom Humphrey (Knoxville News Sentinel) for The Tennessean

Campaign Finance

“Hollywood Bundlers Are Losing the Spotlight” by Todd Purdum for Politico

“F.E.C. Can’t Curb 2016 Election Abuse, Commission Chief Says” by Eric Lichtblau for New York Times

California: “L.A. Port Police Chief Indicted in Alleged Fraud Scheme” by Matt Hamilton for Los Angeles Times

Connecticut: “Wolcott Man Gets Prison in Chris Donovan Campaign Case” by Nicholas Rondinone for Hartford Courant

New Jersey: “Chris Christie Vetoes Anti-Corruption Law to Limit Wall Street Campaign Cash” by David Sirota and Andrew Perez for International Business Times

New Jersey: “State of Corruption: N.J.’s most infamous political scandals” by Jonathan Salant (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

New Jersey: “Key Christie Ally Pleads Guilty to Role in Bridgegate, Two Others Indicted” by Rosalind Helderman and Robert Costa for Washington Post

New York: “Dean Skelos, New York Senate Leader, and Son Are Arrested on Corruption Charges” by William Rashbaum, Thomas Kaplan, and Susanne Craig for New York Times

Elections

“Ben Carson Says He’ll Seek 2016 G.O.P. Nomination” by Trip Gabriel for New York Times

“Carly Fiorina Announces 2016 Presidential Bid” by Amy Chozik for New York Times

Legislative Issues

“Antagonist-in-Chief Stickland Faces His Foes” by Morgan Smith for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

New York: “Education Groups Were Top Lobbyists of 2014” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Campaign Finance

“FEC Decision May Allow More Foreign Money in U.S. Votes, Critics Say” by Michelle Conlin and Lucas Iberico Lozada for Reuters

“Scott Walker’s Strength in Donors” by Derek Willis for New York Times

Missouri: “A Mega Donor’s Influence in Missouri Politics” by Steven Anthony for KBIA

New Jersey: “N.J. Supreme Court Won’t Hear Sharpe James’s Bridgegate Argument, Campaign Cash Appeal” by Bill Wichert for Newark Star-Ledger

Ethics

“FDA Could Approve Drugs for New Uses on Less Data: Draft law” by Toni Clarke for Reuters

New York: “JCOPE Watchdog Denies Conflict as Attorney” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Washington: “WaLeg: Rep. Fagan faces ethics charges, will resign” by Jim Camden for Spokane Spokesman-Review

Elections

“Bernie Sanders Brings Liberal Zeal in Challenge to Hillary Clinton” by Jonathan Topaz for Politico

Procurement

New Mexico: “Review: Former Albuquerque police chief may have violated ethics rules with no-bid Taser deal” by Ryan Foley and Vik Jolly (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Lobbying

Texas: “Wining and Dining Disclosure Bills Advance” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

“How Super PACs Can Run Campaigns” by New York Times Editorial Board for New York Times

New York: “Bill to Close Campaign Finance Loophole Clears Committee” by Michael Virtanen for Legislative Gazette

Ethics

Colorado: “Denver City Employee Indicted on DIA Contract Bribery Charges” by Mark Jaffe for Denver Post

Georgia: “Ga. Ethics Commission Chooses Ritter as New Leader Following Troubled Period” by The Associated Press for Columbus Republic

Indiana: “Gov. Pence to Sign Ethics Reform Bill” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star

New Jersey: “The Dinner Proposal That Led United into Corruption Probe” by David Kocieniewski and David Voreacos for Bloomberg Business

Texas: “Tough Ethics Bills May Hit Too Close to Home for Texas Legislature” by Eva-Marie Ayala for Dallas Morning News

Elections

“G.O.P. Struggling With Shifts on Gay Marriage” by Adam Nagourney for New York Times

Procurement

New York: “With Dean Skelos’s Son Aboard, AbTech Seemed Confident in Bid for Nassau County Contract” by Thomas Kaplan for New York Times

Lobbying

“Kevin Spacey’s Brilliant and Weirdly Effective Campaign to Win over DC” by Noam Scheiber for Washingtonian Magazine

“Collapse of Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger Shows Limits of Lobbying” by Tony Romm and Alex Byers for Politico

California: “New Technology Makes Sacramento Politics More Transparent” by Joe Garofoli for San Francisco Chronicle

North Carolina: “Not Just Photo-Ops: Businesses gain from political visits” by Caitlin Byrd for Asheville Times-Citizen

Campaign Finance

“Never Before Have So Many People with So Much Money Run for President” by Matea Gold and Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

Maine: “Effort to Place Repeal of Maine’s Clean Election Law on the Ballot Faces Opposition” by Alanna Durkin (Associated Press) for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Ethics

“Clinton Foundation Acknowledges ‘Mistakes,’ Emphasizes Transparency” by Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Indiana: “For Indiana Lawmakers, a $500,000 Ethics Question” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star

Montana: “Senate Confirms Motl as Political Practices Commissioner” by Charles Johnson for Helena Independent Record

Texas: “Ethics Watchdogs Question Fraser’s Energy Holdings” by Jay Root and Jim Malewitz for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

“Bill Shuster Muscled Through Transportation Bill Pushed by Lobbyist Girlfriend” by Anna Palmer, Jake Sherman, and John Bresnahan for Politico

“Taco Bell Lobbyists Thank Congressional Staff with 6,000 Tacos” by Lee Fang for The Intercept

California: “For Statewide Change, Advocates Are Making Their Battles Local” by Melanie Mason for Los Angeles Times

Indiana: “Trinkets, Website Part of Gov. Pence’s Unique Lobbying Effort” by Ryan Cook for Indianapolis Star

New York: “Skelos Probe Sparks Competing Calls for Change in Nassau County” by James Galloway for Island Now

Campaign Finance

Pennsylvania: “Council Moves to Illuminate Super PAC Money” by Tricia Nadolny for Philadelphia Inquirer

Rhode Island: “Raimondo Signs into Law New Campaign Finance Measures” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Ethics

Illinois: “Ex-State Rep. Smith, Who Pocketed $7,000 Bribe, Gets 5 Months in Prison” by Jason Meisner for Chicago Tribune

Elections

Missouri: “Resignations after Election of Black Mayor Put Missouri Hamlet in Spotlight” by John Eligon for New York Times

Procurement

Florida: “Inspector General Questions County Contractor Deals” by Andy Reid for South Florida Sun Sentinel

Lobbying

“The Very Simple Reason More Money Is Spent on Lobbyists than on Congress” by Philip Bump for Washington Post

“Drinks, Dinners, Favors Helped PG&E Lobbyist Build PUC Ties, Emails Show” by Marc Lifsher for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

“Jeb Bush Prepares to Give Traditional Campaign a Makeover” by Thomas Beaumont for AP.org

“Feds Face New Pressure on Corporate Giving” by Lydia Wheeler for The Hill

“Ariz. Court: Groups can’t conceal attack-ad funding sources” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for East Valley Tribune

“Kansas to New Political Group: Fix your ‘stupid’ name” by Dion Lefler for Wichita Eagle

“Gov. Signs Campaign Finance Bill into Law” by Lisa Baumann (Associated Press) for Flathead Beacon

“Campaign Finance Reform: Kate Brown urges lawmakers to pass donation limits” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian

“Ethics Board Looks to Strengthen City Campaign Finance Laws” by Claudia Vargas for Philadelphia Inquirer

Ethics

“Free Golf Tickets OK’d by Legislative Ethics Board” by Chad Sokol (Murrow News Service) for Spokane Spokesman-Review

Lobbying

“What We Get Wrong about Lobbying and Corruption” by Lee Drutman for Washington Post

“Lobbyists Slow to Cash in on Republican-Led Congress” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Campaign Finance System Is Broken Says GOP Super-Lawyer Jim Bopp” by Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity

Kansas: “Ex-Lawmaker Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail for Bank Fraud” by Nicholas Clayton (Associated Press) for Kansas City Star

Ethics

“Storm Gathers around Clinton Finances” by Niall Stanage for The Hill

Illinois: “Judge Says Berrios Doesn’t Have to Pay $10,000 Ethics Fine” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

Montana: “Montana Senate Committee Tables Confirmation of Political Practices Commissioner” by Charles Johnson for The Missoulian

Texas: “Texas House OKs Change in Investigating Public Corruption” by Eva Ruth Moravec (Associated Press) for Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Virginia: “Ex-Virginia First Lady McDonnell Tries to Get Corruption Convictions Tossed” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

Procurement

Texas: “House Launches Contracting Inquiry at 11 State Agencies” by Aman Batheja for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

Arkansas: “30-Day Grace Vexes State’s Ethics Panel” by Michael Wickline for Arkansas Online

Campaign Finance

“House Quietly Passes Tax Exemption for Megadonors” by Kenneth Vogel and Hillary Flynn for Politico

“Big Money in Politics Emerges as a Rising Issue in 2016 Campaign” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

Ethics

Florida: “Florida Ethics Panel Recommends Fining Former Lawmaker David Rivera $58K” by Kathleen McGrory for Miami Herald

Florida: “Even after the Gift Ban and Reform, Freebies Flow to Florida Lawmakers” by Michael Van Sickler for Tampa Bay Times

Kentucky: “Head of State Ethics Agency to Take Top Post at Kentucky Registry of Election Finance” by Jack Brammer for Lexington Herald-Leader

New Jersey: “Ferriero Convicted on Racketeering Count; Ex-Democratic Chief Used Political Clout for Profit” by Peter Sampson for Bergen Record

New York: “Carl Heastie, New York Assembly Speaker, Benefited from Mother’s Embezzling” by Russ Buettner and David Chen for New York Times

Pennsylvania: “Montco Businessman Charged in PennDot Graft Probe” by Ben Finley for Philadelphia Inquirer

Redistricting

North Carolina: “US Supreme Court Tosses NC High Court Decision on State’s GOP-Drawn Electoral Maps” by Ann Blythe for Raleigh News & Observer

Lobbying

“Bill Shuster Admits ‘Private and Personal Relationship’ with Airline Lobbyist” by John Bresnahan, Anna Palmer, and Jake Sherman for Politico

Campaign Finance

“Clinton Campaign Will Accept Donations from Lobbyists and PACs” by Sam Stein and Paul Blumenthal for Huffington Post

New York: “New York State Elections Board Retains a Corporate Donation Loophole” by Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Rhode Island: “Campaign Finance Measures Sent to Governor” by Jennifer Bogdon for Providence Journal

Ethics

“Clinton Foundation to Restrict Foreign Donations” by Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Alabama: “Hubbard Defense Claims Prosecutorial Misconduct in Ethics Case” by Kim Chandler (Associated Press) for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Georgia: “Ga. Ethics Commission Search for Leader Down to 4 Finalists” by Kathleen Foody (Associated Press) for Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Indiana: “Ethics Legislation Gets Closer to Becoming Law” by Alec Gray for Indianapolis Business Journal

Virginia: “Legislature Approves Ethics Bill with $100 Aggregate Gift Cap” by Jim Nolan and Markus Schmidt for Richmond Times-Dispatch

Washington: “Washington Auditor Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Indictment” by Gene Johnson and Derrick Nunnally (Associated Press) for The Sun Herald

Lobbying

“Europe at Risk of Corruption from Lobbying – Report” by Damian Grammaticas for BBC

“Lawmakers in No Rush to Disclose Wining and Dining” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

“REBNY Members Gave a Tenth of all N.Y. Campaign Money” by Bill Mahoney for Capital New York

Ethics

“Postal Worker Lands Helicopter on U.S. Capitol Grounds to Make Special Mail Delivery” by Eric Katz for GovExec.com

“Kate Brown Takes Questions as Lawmakers Air Ethics Proposal” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian

“Senate Urged to Restore Ethics Powers” by Jennifer Bogdon and Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

“John Doe Reform Bill Stalls in Legislature” by M.D. Kittle for Watchdog.org

Elections

“In Perception Primary, It’s Folksy Hillary Clinton vs. Statesmen-Looking Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio” by Patrick Healy for New York Times

“Chelsea’s Invisible Hand” by Kenneth Vogel for Politico

Legislative Issues

“Tennessee House Votes Bible as Official State Book” by Dave Boucher for The Tennessean

“Lack of Virginia’s General Assembly Openness Is Criticized” by Dave Ress for The Daily Press