Lobbying

“DNC Courts Lobbyist Cash with Promise of VIP Access at Convention” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Illinois: “Spending by Lobbyists Up This Year; Diana Rauner-Led Organization Tops List of Spenders” by Doug Finke for State Journal Register

New York: “JCOPE Issues Fines to Housing Activists, Others on Filing Violations” by Rick Karlin for Albany Times Union

Texas: “Opposition to Lobbying Resolution Organizes” by Elizabeth Pagano for Austin Monitor

Campaign Finance

“‘Fire Paul Ryan’? Rebel PACs Hit Republicans, and It Pays” by Eric Lipton and Jennifer Steinhauer for New York Times

Ethics

“DOJ: No criminal charges in IRS Tea Party probe” by Kevin Johnson and Gregory Korte for USA Today

Colorado: “New Working Group Could Slow Denver Ethics Code Changes” by Jon Murray for Denver Post

North Carolina: “NC Ethics Panel Gets Extra Funding to Chip at Backlog” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for Ashville Citizen-Times

Elections

“Jeb Bush Shakes Up His Struggling Campaign with Major Spending Cuts” by Philip Rucker for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

Kansas: “Kansas Legislation Is Most Anonymous in Nation” by Celia Llopis-Jepsen for Topeka Capital-Journal

Lobbying

“APA to Pay $9M to Settle Lobbying Fee Class Action” by Charley Himmel for Courthouse News Service

Arkansas: “Lobbyist Tells of Loan Made to Lawmaker” by Michael Wickline for Arkansas Online

Campaign Finance

Illinois: “Ruling: Campaign finance limits don’t apply to unions with city contracts” by Fran Spielman and Dan Mihalopoulos for Chicago Sun-Times

New Jersey: “N.J. Attorneys Accused of Concealing Political Donations” by Samantha Marcus (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

New Mexico: “Former Senator Is Still Spending Campaign Funds” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico: “Dianna Duran Resigns, Pleads Guilty to Two Felonies” by Heath Haussamen for NewMexicoPolitics.net

South Dakota: “Campaign Contribution Limits on Chopping Block” by Joe Sneve for Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Ethics

“One Ron Paul Staffer Convicted; Another Acquitted” by Grant Rodgers (Des Moines Register) for USA Today

“New Rules Rein in Lawmaker Spending” by Deb Reichmann (Associated Press) for Modesto Bee

Arkansas: “Ex-Arkansas Senate Head Got $120K from Group” by Claudia Lauer (Associated Press) for Arkansas Business

California: “For Kevin Johnson, Sacramento Mayor, Abuse Claims Resurface” by Adam Nagourney for New York Times

Wisconsin: “Assembly Approves Splitting GAB into Elections and Ethics Agencies” by Patrick Marley and Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elections

“Lincoln Chafee Ends Democratic Bid for President” by John Wagner and David Weigel for Washington Post

Pennsylvania: “Ethics Missteps Don’t Deter Pennsylvania Ex-LCB Officials” by Kari Andren for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Legislative Issues

“‘Supermajority’ of House Freedom Caucus to Back Paul Ryan’s Speaker Bid” by Mike DeBonis and Robert Costa for Washington Post

Lobbying 

“K Street Eyes Late-Year Rebound” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Divided D.C. Council Takes Aim at Mayor Bowser’s Super PAC” by Aaron Davis for Washington Post

Missouri: “Ten Missouri Megadonors Drive Largest Political Contributions” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Ethics

California: “Does Orange County Need an Ethics Commission? Voters to Decide in June” by Meghann Cuniff for Orange County Register

“Report Traces Jeb Bush’s Ties to Companies That Had Business with Florida” by Matt Flegenheimer and Steve Eder for New York Times

Wisconsin “Lawmakers Approve Bill Ending John Doe Probes of Political Crimes” by Patrick Marley and Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elections

“Biden’s Decision Boosts Clinton and Sets Up a Two-Way Race With Sanders” by Paul Kane and Karen Tumulty for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Paul Ryan Tells House Republicans He’s Willing to Run, If Conditions Are Met” by Mike DeBonis and Robert Costa for Washington Post

Lobbying

“The Strength of Citizen Government: Local grassroots advocacy” by Jeffrey Berry for Nonprofit Quarterly

Ohio: “Columbus Lobbyist Pleads Guilty to Extortion” by Csaba Sukosd for WTTE

Campaign Finance

“Meet Jeb Bush’s Top White House Fundraisers” by Fredreka Schouten and Christopher Schnaars for USA Today

Connecticut: “Political Campaigns Rake in Cash despite Ban” by Ken Dixon (Hearst Connecticut Media) for The Day

New Jersey: “Among Christie Donors, a Slew of State Contractors” by Andrew Seidman and Maddie Hanna for Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania: “Pittsburgh City Council Passes New Campaign-Finance Rules” by Robert Zullo for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ethics

“Hidden Cash Financed Lawmakers’ Turkey Trips” by Hannah Hess for Roll Call

Elections

“This Chart Shows Why Republicans Are in a Much Stronger Position Than You Think” by Chris Cillizza for Washington Post

“Webb Exits the Democratic Presidential Primary” by Jose DelReal and David Weigel for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

Missouri: “New Missouri House Speaker Hopes to Restore Legislature’s Tarnished Image” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Lobbying

Missouri: “On the Trail: Lawmakers struggle to close General Assembly’s ‘revolving door’” by Jason Rosenbaum for KRCU

New York: “Education, Real Estate Tax Breaks Drove $131 Million Lobbying Spending” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Campaign Finance

“The Inside Story of Trump Campaign’s Connections to a Big-Money Super PAC” by Matea Gold, Tom Hamburger, and Jenna Johnson for Washington Post

New Mexico: “Duran Proposes New Rules for Campaign Finance” by Deborah Baker for Albuquerque Journal

Ethics

California: “‘Behested Payments’ Let Private Groups Curry Favor with Politicians – New Law Will Limit Disclosure” by Marisa Lagos for KQED

Virginia: “State Ethics Commission Recommends $15,000 Pay Raise for General Assembly Members” by Graham Moomaw for Roanoke Times

Elections

“Even with Rising Debt and Sinking Polls, Candidates Find Dropping Out Is Hard to Do” by Noah Bierman for Los Angeles Times

“The Women in the Van” by Hadas Gold for Politico

Legislative Issues

“The Obsession of the House Freedom Caucus” by Jake Sherman for Politico

Lobbying

“Illegal Lobbying Practice Got Scant Pentagon Attention” by Austin Wright for Politico

Campaign Finance

“How Trump Blurs the Line” by Katy O’Donnell for Politico

“‘Outsider’ Presidential Candidates Prove Competitive in Fund-Raising” by Nicholas Confessore and Eric Lichtblau for New York Times

California: “New California Rules Meant to Deter Coordination in Campaigns” by Jim Miller for Sacramento Bee

Ethics

Arizona: “Public Disservice: Few punished in Arizona discrimination cases” by Rob O’Dell and Craig Harris for Arizona Republic

California: “In Sacramento, Limits Are Few on Revolving Door between Government and Private Jobs” by John Myers for KQED

Hawaii: “Kirk Caldwell’s Many ‘Tokens of Aloha’ Came from Influential Parties” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat

New York: “Reform Proposals Fly as Panel Evaluates Ethics Watchdog” by Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette

Ohio: “Court Documents: A second Redflex executive pleaded guilty in bribery conspiracy” by Doug Caruso for Columbus Dispatch

Pennsylvania: “Ethics, Campaign Finance Bills Advance in Pittsburgh City Council” by Robert Zullo for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Lobbying

“K Street Has Tough Time Counting on Republican Congress to Pass Business Priorities” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

California: “Prop. C’s Proposed Lobbying Crackdown Irks Nonprofits” by John Wildermuth for San Francisco Chronicle

New York: “JCOPE Announces Amnesty Program for Some Lobbyists” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Campaign Finance

“The Gender Gap in Political Giving” by Jeremy Merrill for New York Times

“Voters Are Mad about Mega-Donors, and It’s Helping Trump and Sanders” by Matea Gold and Jenna Johnson for Washington Post

Montana: “Court Rejects Appeal by Group Suing over State Election Laws” by The Associated Press for Great Falls Tribune

Washington: “Attorney General’s Office Sues Union over Campaign-Finance Laws” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

Connecticut: “State Urges High Court to Reinstate Conviction against Former Hartford Mayor Perez” by Edmund Mahony for Hartford Courant

Virginia: “McDonnell Formally Asks Supreme Court to Take Up His Case” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

Elections

“Hillary Clinton’s Debate Performance Complicates Biden’s Path” by Dan Balz for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Republicans Gone Wild: Q&A with Mann and Ornstein” by Francis Wilkinson for BloombergView

Lobbying

California: “California Doctors’ Lobby Group Pushes Agenda with Swagger” by Christopher Cadelago for Sacramento Bee

Campaign Finance

Washington: “Seattle Council Candidate Alleges Political Shakedown by Developer” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times

Ethics

“While at State, Clinton Chief of Staff Held Job Negotiating with Abu Dhabi” by Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

“Trial Begins for Veterans of 2012 Ron Paul Campaign” by David Weigel for Washington Post

New York: “A Guide to What the JCOPE Review Commission Will Be Looking At” by Bill Mahoney for Capital New York

Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania Legislature Spent $2.8M on Criminal Lawyers over 4 Years” by Mark Scolforo (Associated Press) for Allentown Morning Call

Wisconsin: “Lawmakers clash on GOP elections, campaign finance bills as they speed toward passage” by Mark Sommerhauser for Wisconsin State Journal

Elections

“The GOP Sinks Deeper into Chaos. Can It Still Function as a Party?” by Karen Tumulty for Washington Post

“In Choreographed Campaigns, Candidates Stumble Over Choice of Music” by Ben Sisario for New York Times

Wyoming: “Wyoming’s Chief Election Officer Steps Down, Citing ‘Philosophical Differences’ with Newly Elected Secretary of State” by Trevor Brown for Wyoming Tribune

Lobbying

Alabama: “Jarrod Massey: Looking for a second chance after prison in bingo case” by Charles Dean for AL.com

Florida: “City Council President Proposes Cellphone Ban during Meetings; Citizens Group Plans to File Lawsuit” by Christopher Hong for Florida Times Union

Campaign Finance

“The Families Funding the 2016 Presidential Election” by Nicholas Confessore, Sarah Cohen, and Karen Yourish for New York Times

“Nonprofit Masks Source of Ads Backing Rubio” by Jonathan Martin and Nicholas Confessore for New York Times

Wisconsin: “GOP Proposal Rewrites State’s Campaign Finance Laws” by Matthew DeFour for Wisconsin State Journal

Ethics

Connecticut: “In Hartford, Case of Treasurer Adam Cloud Prompts Calls to Strengthen Ethics Code” by Jeff Cohen for WNPR

South Dakota: “Democrats Plan New Push for Ethics Commission over GEAR UP” by James Nord (Associated Press) for Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Elections

“How Can an Introvert Like Jeb Bush Get Elected President?” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post

Procurement

“Through Executive Orders, Obama Tests Power as Purchaser-in-Chief” by Gregory Korte for USA Today

Redistricting

Florida: “Judge Rejects House, Senate Redistricting Map, Recommends Challengers’ Plan” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald

Lobbying

Florida: “Hillsborough to Post Paid Lobbyists’ Visits Online” by Mike Salinero for Tampa Tribune

Pennsylvania: “House Passes Legislation to Increase Lobbying Fines” by Staff for Pennsylvania Business Daily

Campaign Finance

“Experts: John Kasich political ads chart new territory” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today

New York: “Advance Group Fined $26k by Schneiderman, Campaign Finance Board” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Pennsylvania: “Allentown Council Passes Anti-Pay-to-Play Bill in Wake of FBI Probe” by Emily Opilo for Allentown Morning Call

Ethics

“Corporations Improve Reporting of Political Activity – with Exceptions” by Dave Levinthal and Cady Zuvich for Center for Public Integrity

Illinois: “Former Chicago Public Schools Chief to Plead Guilty to Bribery Scheme” by Jason Meisner and Juan Perez, Jr. for Chicago Tribune

New York: “Three Cuomo-Tied Hires Spark JCOPE Board Unrest” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Ohio: “Ginther among Those Being Investigated Over Trip to Big Ten Title Game” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

Legislative Issues

“House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Drops Out of Race for House Speaker” by Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

“Group Tries to Teach Lawmakers How to Talk about Pot” by Evan Halper for Los Angeles Times

California: “California’s High Court Appears Ready to Allow Voters to Weigh in on Citizens United” by Maura Dolan for Los Angeles Times

Lobbying

“Big Pharma Braces for 2016 Assault” by Peter Sullivan for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Is Pro-Bush Super PAC Obscuring Spending?” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

“Cruise Control: D.C. lobbyists pay up for a weekend with Patrick Leahy” by Paul Heintz for Seven Days

California: “More Transparency Coming for Referendums” by David Garrick for San Diego Union-Tribune

California: “San Jose Council Makes Sweeping Changes to Election Law” by Ramona Giwargis for San Jose Mercury News

Ethics

Alabama: “Ethics Commission: Lawmakers can’t lobby for employers” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

California: “OC Supervisors Bring Ethics Commission a Step Closer to Reality” by Nick Gerda for Voice of OC

Wisconsin: “GOP Bills Would Hike Contribution Limits, Split GAB into Two Agencies” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elections

“Gallup Gives Up the Horse Race” by Steven Shepard for Politico

Legislative Issues

Minnesota: “Questions Raised about Lack of Public Access to Capitol” by John Croman for KARE

Lobbying

Kentucky: “Kentucky Lawmakers, Lobbyists May Already Be Violating New State Ethics Laws” by Jonathan Meador for Insider Louisville

Campaign Finance

“How Hillary Clinton Kept Her Wealthy Friends Close While at State Department” by Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

“Menendez’s Defense Relies on Odd Twist” by Salvador Rizzo for Bergen Record

California: “Regulators Propose Rules to Prevent Illegal Coordination” by Judy Lin (Associated Press) for Albany Times Union

Virginia: “Ex-Treasurer for Va. Senate Minority Leader is Accused of Stealing from Him” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Ethics

“Donald Trump’s Candidacy Raises Novel Ethics Questions” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today

Florida: “North Miami Senior High’s Night-School Principal Arrested on Corruption Charges” by David Ovalle for Miami Herald

Elections

“The Man Who Launched the GOP’s Civil War” by Jonathan Katz for Politico

Legislative Issues

North Carolina: “Legislature’s Last-Minute Rush Prompts Criticism” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Lobbying

Kansas: “Lobbyists Spend $500,000 on Food, Drink for Kansas Lawmakers” by Bryan Lowry for Wichita Eagle

Ohio: “Redlight Camera Lobbyist Agrees to Plead to Extortion, Releases Statement” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

Campaign Finance

“At End of Fundraising Quarter, O’Malley Seeks to Lessen Role of Money in Politics” by John Wagner for Washington Post

Connecticut: “Court Fight Heats Up Over Subpoena of Democrats’ Emails about Malloy’s Campaign” by Jon Lender for Hartford Courant

Maine: “A Wary Ethics Panel Sends Campaign Spending Proposal to Legislature” by Steve Mistler for Portland Press Herald

New Mexico: “New Corruption Fine Could Be Applied to Duran Case” by Deborah Baker for Albuquerque Journal

North Carolina: “Advisory Letter Could Permit Bigger Role for Outside Groups in NC Elections” by Mark Binker for WRAL

West Virginia: “Bobby Harrell Says He Won’t Immediately Pay Ethics Order” by Schuyler Kropf for Charleston Post & Courier

Ethics

New Jersey: “Christie’s DOT Chief Steps Down” by Shawn Boberg and Dustin Racioppi for Bergen Record

Elections

“Pithy, Mean and Powerful: How Donald Trump mastered Twitter for 2016” by Michael Barbaro for New York Times

Campaign Finance

Mississippi: “Mississippi Campaign Finance Laws Allow Golden Parachute for Politicians” by Steve Wilson for Mississippi Watchdog

New Mexico: “AG: Office’s legal counsel off-limits to secretary of state” by Steve Terrell for Santa Fe New Mexican

Ethics

Alabama: “GOP Lawmaker Challenges Hubbard for Alabama House Speaker” by Kyle Whitmire for AL.com

Georgia: “Investigators’ Report Finds ‘Appalling Corruption’ in DeKalb, Calls on CEO to Resign” by David Allison for Atlanta Business Chronicle

Michigan: “Rep. Tinsley-Talabi Linked to Detroit Corruption Case” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

Elections

“How Bernie Sanders Would Transform the Nation” by David Fahrenthold for Washington Post

North Carolina: “NC Primaries Officially on March 15 with Signing” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for Raleigh News & Observer