Lobbying

Michigan: “Senator Sponsors Gambling Bill Pushed by Wife’s Firm” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press

Campaign Finance

“Billionaires Lining Up for Trump Aren’t Sure Where to Send Their Money” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

Utah: “In Audio, Utah Guv Says He’s Available and Will ‘Go Anywhere’ to Meet with Campaign Donors” by Robert Gehrke for Salt Lake Tribune

Vermont: “Vt. Contractors Funnel Money to Politicians” by April Burbank for Burlington Free Press

Ethics

“Social Media Finds New Role as News and Entertainment Curator” by John Herrman for New York Times

“Capitol Hill Newspapers, once a Protected Class, Redefine Themselves” by Nicholas Fandos for New York Times

Arkansas: “AG Mishandled Ethics Proposal, Attorney Claims” by Spencer Willems for Arkansas Online

Missouri: “Lawmakers Pass Ethics Laws but Fail on Gift Ban” by Associated Press for Columbia Tribune

Pennsylvania: “Prosecutors: Longtime Pa. congressman abused his office ‘over and over again’” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

Tennessee: “Tennessee Lawmaker Oversight Lax Compared to Other States” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Lobbying

California: “The Coastal Commission Hopes to Restore Public Trust with Its Latest Decision” by Dan Weikel for Los Angeles Times

California: “Brown Vetoes Bill Requiring Advocates for State Contracts to Register” by Jeremy White for Sacramento Bee

Rhode Island: “Paiva Weed Hoping for Lobbyist Reform This Session” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

“Lobbyists: Lawmakers turn up pressure to quiet HB2 opponents” by Laura Leslie for WRAL

Ethics

“Gov. Brownback Signs Bill Opening Officials’ Private E-mails on Public Business” by Bryan Lowry for Wichita Eagle

Ohio: “Columbus Mayor Ginther Addresses Ethics Concerns in First Executive Order” by Sam Hendren for WOSU

Rhode Island: “Was a Providence Councilman Stealing from the City’s Kids?” by Amanda Milkovitz for Providence Journal

Virginia: “Bristol Virginia Utilities Shows Culture of Corruption, Entitlement and Greed” by Dan Casey for Roanoke Times

Elections

“Trump’s Candidacy Sparking ‘a Surge’ in Citizenship, Voter Applications” by Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Does Size Matter? The Latest Battle Over State Supreme Courts” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing

Lobbying

“Lobbying Groups Descend on Battleground States” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Arizona: “Lobbying Complaint Filed against Former Arizona Lawmaker” by Staff for Arizona Business Daily

New York: “Court Is Asked to Compel de Blasio Nonprofit to Heed Subpoena” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

Campaign Finance

New York: “LLC Loophole Bill Moves to Senate Codes as Backers Push for Floor Vote” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union

Texas: “Nifty or Shifty: A campaign finance quiz” by Lauren Flannery for Texas Tribune

Ethics

Pennsylvania: “U.S. Charges State Sen. Farnese with Bribery” by Chris Brennan and Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Rhode Island: “Mattiello, Paiva Weed Back R.I. Ethics Bill” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Elections

“Trump vs. the Disappearing Tie” by Vanessa Friedman for New York Times

“How Many People Support Trump but Don’t Want to Admit It?” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Donald Trump, in Switch, Turns to Republican Party for Fund-Raising Help” by Maggie Haberman, Ashley Parker, and Nick Corasaniti for New York Times

California: “Company Donates Free Billboards to Englander as L.A. Weighs New Sign Regulations” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

California: “‘I Have, in Fact, Done the Crime’: Rep. Ami Bera’s father admits illegal campaign contributions” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania: “Allentown Engineer’s Plea in FBI Probe Revealed” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Morning Call

Ethics

“Conservatives Accuse Facebook of Political Bias” by John Herrman and Mike Isaac for New York Times

“Senior Gray Advisor Sentenced to Six Months for 2010 Mayoral ‘Shadow’ Campaign” by Spencer Hsu and Ann Marimow for Washington Post

Kentucky: “Kentucky’s Two Most Recent Governors Are Feuding, and It’s Ugly and Very Public, Too” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

Wisconsin: “Kevin Kennedy Stepping Down as Head of Embattled Elections, Ethics Board” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elections

“Our Fictional Pundit Predicted More Correct Primary Results Than Nate Silver Did” by Virgil Texas for Washington Post

“Hillary Clinton Gives U.F.O. Buffs Hope She Will Open the X-Files” by Amy Chozick for New York Times

“Sanders, Trump Easily Win West Virginia Primary; Trump Picks Up Nebraska Too” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post 

Lobbying

Minnesota: “How Minnesota’s Citizen Lobbyists Seek Change” by Bill Salisbury, David Montgomery, Rachel Stassen-Berger, and Dave Orrick (St. Paul Pioneer Press) for INFORUM

Missouri: “Missouri Enacts Waiting Period Before Lawmakers Can Lobby” by Associated Press for Columbia Tribune

Campaign Finance

“Legislature Approves Bills Amending Campaign Finance Laws” by Associated Press for ABC15

“Women’s Rising Influence in Politics, Tinted Green” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times

Ethics

“The Corruption Continuum: When giving gifts bleeds to bribery” by Nancy Gertner for Washington Post

Alabama: “Chief Justice’s Suspension Adds to Alabama’s Political Mess” by Jay Reeves (Associated Press) for Santa Cruz Sentinel 

Oklahoma: “Former Oklahoma State House Member Is Charged with 44 Counts over Travel” by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman

Pennsylvania: “Behind the Scenes of an Intricate FBI Sting” by Mark Fazlollah, Craig McCoy, and Angeles Couloumbis for Philadelphia Inquirer

South Carolina: “State Lawmaker Lived at Contributor’s Half-Million-Dollar Property, Ducks Questions” by David Slade for Charleston Post & Courier

Elections

“Trump’s Empty Administration” by Darren Samuelsohn and Ben White for Politico

Lobbying

“Lobbyists Struggle with Trump Reality” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

“Lobbyist Spending Disclosures Due Soon” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette

Connecticut: “State Lawmakers Look to Lobbyists for Money” by Kellianne Jones for WTNH

New Mexico: “New Lobbyist Reporting Law Could Have Missed $80,000” by Sandra Fish (New Mexico In Depth) for Las Cruces Sun-News

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “AG: Burns has right to depose APS” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Florida: “Hialeah Mayor Pays $4,000 Ethics Fine – in Pennies and Nickels” by Enrique Flor (El Nuevo Herald) for Miami Herald

Iowa: “Ron Paul Ex-Aides Guilty in Campaign Payment Scandal” by Grant Rodgers for Des Moines Register

Missouri: “Missouri Voters Could Decide on Campaign Contribution Limits” by David Lieb (Associated Press) for Rock Hill Herald

Ethics

“How the Supreme Court Gets Corruption Totally Wrong” by Zephyr Teachout for Washington Post

“The U.S. Political System Is Flawed but Not Corrupt” by Stephen Medvic for Washington Post

“New Questions Emerge about Bentley’s Vegas Trip, Republican Governors Association’s Influence” by Connor Sheets for AL.com

Elections

“Bernie Sanders’s Online Foot Soldiers Weigh Their Next Campaign” by Jonathan Mahler and Nick Corasaniti for New York Times

Lobbying

California: “State Senator Calls for a Ban on Private Meetings with Coastal Commissioners to ‘Level the Playing Field’” by Dan Weikel and Kim Christensen for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

Kentucky: “FBI Agent: Illegal donations went to campaigns of Andy Beshear, Jack Conway” by John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader

Montana: “Montana Defends Campaign Finance Law Ahead of Elections” by The Associated Press for Billings Gazette

Ethics

“When It Comes to Politics, Corruption Is Subtler Than You Think” by Trevor Burrus for Washington Post

Louisiana: “Walter Reed Guilty on 18 of 19 Counts in Federal Corruption Trial” by Robert Rhoden for New Orleans Times-Picayune

New York: “From Albany to Prison: Ex-lawmakers on life behind bars” by Vivian Yee for New York Times

Rhode Island: “R.I. House Finance Chairman Resigns; Investigation Involves Prostitution” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Elections

“John Kasich Exits the Presidential Race, Leaving Trump as Presumptive Nominee” by David Fahrenthold, David Weigel and Philip Rucker for Washington Post

“Big Business Fears Campaign-Trail Criticisms Putting Policy Priorities at Risk” by Jim Tankersley for Washington Post

Lobbying

California: “Legislature Passes Bill to Disclose Lobbying on State Contracts” by Guy Marzorati for KQED

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “Ex-Birdsall Exec Admits Role in $1M Pay-to-Play Scheme” by S.P. Sullivan (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

New York: “Hearing Advances Reforms to City Campaign Finance System” by Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette

Ethics

“What is Corruption?” by Robert Gebelhoff for Washington Post

Alabama: “Zeigler Says He’ll File Court Motion Seeking Bentley Testimony” by Mike Cason for AL.com

New York: “Sheldon Silver, Ex-New York Assembly Speaker, Gets 12-Year Prison Sentence” by Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Yee for New York Times

Virginia: “Fla. Businessman Paid $10K for Va. Senator’s Trip to Meet Syrian President Assad” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Elections

“Ted Cruz Drops Out of the Republican Presidential Race” by Sean Sullivan and Katie Zezima for Washington Post

“Sanders Wins Indiana, but Clinton Looks to November” by Heidi Przybyla for USA Today

Legislative Issues

“Now, Dennis Hastert Seems an Architect of Dysfunction as Speaker” by Carl Hulse for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Clinton Fundraising Leaves Little for State Parties” by Kenneth Vogel and Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico

“Cruz’s Faltering Campaign Shows the Risks of Depending on a Few Wealthy Donors” by Joseph Tanfani and Noah Bierman for Los Angeles Times

Massachusetts: “Top Donors Could Gain More Access to Baker, Officials” by Jim O’Sullivan for Boston Globe

Washington: “Sen. Roach Wants AG to Decide If Campaign Donors Should Be Named on Petitions” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

Florida: “Nonprofit Contributions from Developers Get Scrutiny in Miami Beach” by James Teeple for The Real Deal

New York: “Executive Chamber Receives Subpoena; Percoco Said to Be Under Federal Gaze” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Pennsylvania: “Guilty: Aide to former PA Gov. Rendell pleas to wire fraud” by Marc Levy (Associated Press) for Binghamton Press & Bulletin

South Carolina: “Watchdogs Say Ethics Bills Could Instill Confidence” by Tim Smith for Greenville News

Elections

“Stricter Rules for Voter IDs Reshape Races” by Michael Wines and Manuel Fernandez for New York Times

Virginia: “Va. Republicans Hire Lawyer in Bid to Stop Restoration of Felons’ Voting Rights” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

“Sanders Is Biggest Spender of 2016 So Far – Generating Millions for Consultants” by Matea Gold and Anu Narayanswamy for Washington Post

Colorado: “House Votes for Disclosure of Independent Spending on Ads Touting Political Parties” by Jeff Roberts (Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition) for Colorado Independent

Colorado: “Groups May Take Aim at Denver Campaign Finance, Ethics Rules” by Jon Murray for Denver Post

New York: “De Blasio’s Office Gets Subpoenas as Inquiries into Fund-Raising Continue” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

North Carolina: “FEC Resets Campaign Donation Limits for NC Congressional Races” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Ethics

Alabama: “Henry to File New Impeachment Articles against Bentley” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Connecticut: “Questions Raised About Sale of Famous Political Collection” by Edmund Mahony for Hartford Courant

South Carolina: “Senate Passes Bills Aimed at Reforming State Ethics Laws” by Maya Prabhu for Charleston Post & Courier

Utah: “Donor Speed-Dating with Guv Doesn’t Sit Well with Some” by Robert Gehrke for Salt Lake Tribune

Elections

“Voters in Eastern Seaboard Primaries Embrace Trump” by Philip Rucker and Jose DelReal for Washington Post

“Clinton Decisively Wins Democratic Primaries in 4 States” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post

“How the Other Fifth Lives” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Texas: “Justices Leave Texas Voter ID Law Intact, with a Warning” by Adam Liptak for New York Times

Lobbying

California: “Here Are All the Sports Events California State Lawmakers Attended for Free” by Javier Panzar for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

Maine: “LePage Vetoes Proposed Fix to Maine Clean Election Fund” by A.J. Higgins for Maine Public Broadcasting

Ethics

“Dennis Hastert Sentenced to 15 Months, and Apologizes for Sex Abuse” by Monica Davey, Julie Bosman, and Mitch Smith for New York Times

Arkansas: “Leslie Rutledge Rejects Wording of Campaign Finance Measure” by Associated Press for Arkansas Business Journal

Rhode Island: “R.I.’s Sen. Sheehan Buys Ads to Promote His Ethics Bill” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Virgina: “McDonnell Trial: Supreme Court justices express skepticism of former Virginia governor’s conviction” by Robert Barnes and Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Elections

“Is the U.S. Ready for Post-Middle-Class Politics?” by Charles Homans for New York Times

“Ted Cruz Names Carly Fiorina as His Running Mate, Seeking a Jolt” by Jonathan Martin, Matt Flegenheimer, and Alexander Burns for New York Times

“Rep. Fattah Becomes First Lawmaker to Lose Primary” by Cristina Marcos for The Hill

Elections

“Clinton Decisively Wins Democratic Primaries in 4 States” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post

“Voters in Eastern Seaboard Primaries Embrace Trump” by Philip Rucker and Jose DelReal for Washington Post

North Carolina: “Federal Judge Upholds North Carolina Voter Rules” by Alan Blinder and Richard Fausett for New York Times

Ethics

Colorado: “Court: Ethics Commission’s Frivolous Complaint Rulings are Final” by Marianne Goodland for Colorado Independent

Kentucky: “AG Asks for Ethics Probe of Bevin Allegations” by Deborah Yetter for Louisville Courier-Journal

Missouri: “Some Progress on Missouri Ethics Reform, But Does It Go Far Enough?” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

New Jersey: “Questions Raised on New N.J. Supreme Court Justice’s Role in Campaign Case” by Salvador Rizzo for Bergen Record

Virginia: “Ethics Lawyer: ‘Common Interest’ in Sports Clears Va. Officials to Accept Free Tickets” by Graham Moomaw for Richmond Times-Dispatch

Lobbying

New Hampshire: “Ethics Panel Calls for Broader Conflict Disclosure for State Lawmakers” by Dave Solomon for Manchester Union-Leader

Campaign Finance

“Checks: Political Money and Democracy” by Justin Miller for American Prospect

Lobbying

California: “The Most Influential Person on the Coastal Commission May Be This Lobbyist” by Kim Christensen for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

“Congressmen Challenge ‘Bipartisan Shakedown’ Pressuring Members to Raise $18,000 Every Day” by Chance Seales for WCMH

Alaska: “Parade of Politicians Expected to Appear at Trial over Alaska Campaign Donation Limits” by Alex DeMarban for Alaska Dispatch News

Michigan: “Labor Unions Sue State of Michigan over Election Law” by Kathleen Gray for Detroit Free Press

New York: “De Blasio Team Violated Campaign Finance Laws, Report Says” by William Neuman and Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Ethics

Alabama: “Jon Mason Should Be Concerned about Ethical Conflicts, Former Ethics Officials Say” by Connor Sheets for AL.com

Hawaii “Les Kondo Confirmed As State Auditor” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Idaho: “Initiative Proposes Sweeping Changes to Idaho’s Campaign Finance Laws” by Betsy Russell for Spokane Spokesman-Review

Elections

“Ted Cruz and John Kasich to Coordinate Against Donald Trump” by Matt Flegenheimer and Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Virginia: “Virginia Governor Restores Voting Rights to Felons” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Erik Eckholm for New York Times

Lobbying

“Lobbyists Capitalize on Election Scramble” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Alabama: “Muslim Activists from Alabama See the Capitol’s Sights, but Not Their Delegation” by Abigail Hauslohner for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

“Gyrocopter Pilot Who Landed at U.S. Capitol Sentenced to Four Months in Prison” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post

Florida: “With Uncertainty at Top of Ticket, Republicans Back Off in Some States” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Maryland: “Fundraising Ban Loophole Allows Some Maryland Lawmakers to Take Lobbyist Cash” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

New Jersey: “Birdsall CEO Gets 4 Years in Huge N.J. Pay-to-Play Scheme” by S.P. Sullivan (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

Ethics

“Senate Backs Ethics Panel Plan That’s Seen as Too Little, Too Late” by Mark Johnson for VTDigger.org

Missouri: “State Lawmakers Send Ethics Bills to Governor” by Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) for Springfield News-Leader

Pennsylvania:”Mike Fleck, Allentown Mayor’s Adviser, Friend Charged in FBI Probe” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call

Indiana: “Indiana Lawmaker Defends Taking Family on California Trip” by Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) for Sacramento Bee

Elections

“Special Election Results Buoy Hope for Reform” by David Howard King for Gotham Gazette

“Pro-Hillary Super PAC to ‘Correct’ Reddit and Facebook” by Steven Klett for Epoch Times