Campaign Finance Arizona: “Group Wants to Keep Dark Money Out of Politics” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for KAWC National: “Bill Would Require Disclosure of AI-Generated Content in Political Ads” by Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) for MSN Maine: “Portland City Council Establishes Clean Elections Program” by Rachel Ohm (Portland Press Herald) for Yahoo News Ethics Iowa: “Iowa Legislature Passes Bill Restricting State Auditor’s Access to Records” by Amy Wang (Washington Post) for MSN Michigan: “Will Michigan’s Financial Disclosure Law Reveal Politicians’ Long-Hidden Perks? It’s Up to Them.” by Simon Schuster for MLive Oregon: “Shemia Fagan Resigns as Oregon Secretary of State Following Cannabis Consulting Scandal” by Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake for Oregon Public Broadcasting Legislative Issues Nebraska: “Lawmakers Denounce Complaint Against Megan Hunt Alleging Conflict of Interest in Trans Bill” by Chris Dunker (Lincoln Journal-Star) for Omaha World Herald Lobbying California: “Cupertino Lobbyist Rules Likely to Weather Constitutional Challenge” by Natalie Hanson for Courthouse News Service

Campaign Finance National: “Top Republicans Balk at WinRed’s Plan to Charge More for Online Donations” by Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) for DNyuz Elections Florida: “The First Arrests from DeSantis’s Election Police Take Extensive Toll” by Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics Connecticut: “Do Bridgeport Officials’ Free Concert Tickets Break Ethics Rules?” by Brian Lockhart for Stamford Advocate National: “Democratic AGs Are Using the Courts to Win on Abortion, Gun Control” by Scott Wilson (Washington Post) for MSN Ohio: “Can Cincinnati Recover from ‘Culture of Corruption’ Reputation While Bribery Cases Linger in Court System?” by Paula Christian for WCPO Legislative Issues Colorado: “Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams’ Day Job as a Legislative Aide Raises Some Concerns at the Capitol” by Bente Birkeland for Colorado Public Radio Lobbying Montana: “Son Asked Montana Governor to Veto Anti-Trans Bill. It Didn’t Work.” by Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) for MSN Vermont: “Vermont Democratic Party Files Complaint Against True North Radio, Alleging Failure to Disclose Lobbying Activity” by Sarah Mearhoff for VTDigger.org

Campaign Finance

Washington: “Early WA Governor’s Race Skirmish? Campaign Finance Loophole Scrutinized” by Jim Brunner for Seattle Times

Elections

Florida: “Appeals Court Upholds Florida Voting Restrictions Approved by GOP Lawmakers” by Bruce Ritchie and Gary Fineout (Politico) for MSN

North Carolina: “North Carolina Court, with New Partisan Mix, Reverses Itself on a Key Voting Case” by Michael Wines (New York Times) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Fugees Rapper Pras Michél Guilty in Sprawling Corruption Trial” by Paul Duggan (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Pence Appears Before Jan. 6 Grand Jury in Trump Special Counsel Probe” by Jacqueline Alemany and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “Judge Rules Niles Cannot Have an Elected Ethics Board; Voters Won’t Learn Results of April 4 Election” by Caroline Kubzansky (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

South Carolina: “Final Sentences Issued in SC Statehouse Ethics Scandal Cases” by Jessica Holdman for Charleston Post and Courier

Lobbying

Nebraska: “Complaint Dismissed Against State Capitol Bible Study, Leader Says He’s Being More Careful” by Paul Hammel for Nebraska Examiner

National/Federal

Chief Justice Declines to Testify Before Congress Over Ethics Concerns

DNyuz – Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) | Published: 4/25/2023

Chief Justice John Roberts told the Senate Judiciary Committee he was declining its invitation to testify about ethics rules for the Supreme Court. In an accompanying statement on ethics practices, all nine justices, under mounting pressure for more stringent reporting requirements at the court, insisted the existing rules around gifts, travel, and other financial disclosures are sufficient.

The Campaign Finance Agency’s Press Shop Can’t Confirm or Deny the Existence of Complaints Anymore

Government Executive – Courtney Bublé | Published: 4/26/2023

The press office for the FEC can no longer confirm or deny the existence of complaints of alleged violations it has received, departing from years of practice and raising concerns about transparency. The vote was requested by Commissioner Allen Dickerson, citing legal advice from the agency’s Office of General Counsel in 2006 that was never followed.

Trump Can’t Stop Pence from Testifying to Jan. 6 Grand Jury, Court Rules

MSN – Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 4/26/2023

Donald Trump cannot block his former vice president from testifying before a grand jury investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol, a federal appeals court ruled. The ruling helps clear the way for Mike Pence to speak under oath about the pressure Trump put him under to declare the 2020 election results invalid. While Trump could seek to further forestall that testimony by appealing to the Supreme Court, other people in the president’s orbit have testified after similar losing battles in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Mike Lindell’s Firm Told to Pay $5 Million in ‘Prove Mike Wrong’ Election-Fraud Challenge

MSN – Chris Dehghanpoor, Emma Brown, and Jon Swaine (Washington Post) | Published: 4/20/2023

MyPillow founder and prominent election denier Mike Lindell claimed he had data showing Chinese interference in American elections and said he would pay $5 million to anyone who could prove the material was not from the previous year’s U.S. election. He called the challenge “Prove Mike Wrong.” A private arbitration panel ruled that someone did. The panel said Robert Zeidman, a computer forensics expert and Trump voter from Nevada, was entitled to the $5 million payout. Zeidman examined Lindell’s data and concluded that not only did it not prove voter fraud, it had no connection to the 2020 election.

Lobbying Firms Start Strong After Record $4-Billion Haul in 2022

MSN – Karl Evers-Hillstrom (The Hill) | Published: 4/20/2023

Leading Washington lobbying firms reported huge earnings, revealing business is still booming on K Street despite divided control of Congress. Lobbyists said they are busy influencing federal rules authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. Corporate clients are also heavily invested in a potential permitting reform bill and the debt ceiling fight, which has the potential to cause major damage to the U.S. economy.

The Conservative Campaign to Rewrite Child Labor Laws

MSN – Jacob Bogage and María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 4/23/2023

The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) and its lobbying arm, the Opportunity Solutions Project, have found success among Republicans to roll back certain child labor protections. They are gaining traction at a time the Biden administration is scrambling to enforce existing labor protections for children. The FGA achieved its biggest victory in March, playing a central role in designing a new Arkansas law to eliminate work permits and age verification for workers younger than 16. That law was met with such public outcry that state officials approved a second measure increasing penalties on violators of the child labor codes.

Biden Announces He Is Running for Reelection in 2024

MSN – Tolouse Olorunnipa, Tyler Pager, and Michael Scherer (Washington Post) | Published: 4/25/2023

President Biden officially announced his bid for reelection, saying in a video that he wants to “finish the job” he started when the country was racked by a deadly pandemic, a reeling economy, and a teetering democracy. Claiming his presidency has pulled the country back from the brink on all those fronts, Biden underlined his ambition to turn what he had once pitched as a transitional presidency into something far more transformational.

Law Firm Head Bought Gorsuch-Owned Property

MSN – Heidi Przybyla (Politico) | Published: 4/25/2023

For nearly two years beginning in 2015, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch sought a buyer for a 40-acre property he co-owned in Granby, Colorado. Nine days after he was confirmed for a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, the then-Circuit Court judge got one: the chief executive of Greenberg Traurig, one of the nation’s biggest law firms. Gorsuch did not disclose the identity of the purchaser. Since then, Greenberg Traurig has been involved in at least 22 cases before or presented to the court.

No Labels Is Getting on State Ballots, Drawing a Lawsuit and Concerns About a Spoiler

Oregon Public Broadcasting – Ben Giles (KJZZ) | Published: 4/26/2023

The centrist political group No Labels is getting on the ballot in individual states, causing consternation among members of the major political parties about the organization’s endgame. The group says it is not interested in running a presidential campaign. Nonetheless, the nonprofit is committed to raising roughly $70 million to gather signatures and qualify for the ballot in 2024. Ryan Clancy, lead strategist for No Labels, insists it is a one-ticket operation, a presidential “insurance project” for dissatisfied Republicans and Democrats.

On Eve of Trial, Discovery of Carlson Texts Set Off Crisis atop Fox

Seattle Times – Jim Rutenberg, Jeremy Peters, and Michael Schmidt (New York Times) | Published: 4/26/2023

The day before Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation trial against Fox News was set to begin, the Fox board of directors and top executives made a discovery that helped lead to the breaking point between the network and Tucker Carlson. Private messages sent by Carlson that had been redacted in legal filings showed him making highly offensive and crude remarks that went beyond the inflammatory, often racist comments of his prime-time show and anything disclosed in the lead-up to the trial.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Google Denies It Engaged in ‘Astroturfing’ to Lobby Ottawa Through Third Parties

Globe and Mail – Marie Woolf | Published: 4/20/2023

Google denied accusations it had engaged in “astroturfing” campaigns to lobby against federal bills in Canada by paying individuals and other organizations to oppose them. Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, faced questions from Members of Parliament in a committee hearing about lobbying over Ottawa’s online news bill, which would force Google to pay news publishers for reusing their work.

Arizona – Arizona Lawmakers Want Special Social-Media Treatment of Candidates

Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 4/23/2023

State lawmakers are poised to enact a measure designed to regulate how national and international social media platforms operate in Arizona. Senate Bill 1106 would put into state law that once people become candidates for any public office, they cannot have their posting rights taken away, essentially no matter what they say, truthful or otherwise. Only violations of the federal Communications Decency Act would result in loss of privileges. Social media sites that take down a candidate’s posting could face civil fines of up to $250,000 a day.

Arkansas – Former State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson Sentenced in Corruption Case

Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – Doug Thompson | Published: 4/25/2023

Former Arkansas Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, the son of a former U.S. senator and nephew of a soon-to-be announced presidential candidate, received a 50-month prison sentence court for corruption. Hutchinson is one of five former Arkansas lawmakers convicted after a federal Medicaid fraud investigation, along with six health care company executives and lobbyists. The 50 months was added to the 46 months Hutchinson was sentenced to in Arkansas. He now faces a total eight years in prison.

California – SFMTA Commissioner Resigns After Illegal Lobbying

Mission Local – Joe Rivano Barros | Published: 4/25/2023

Gwyneth Borden, who has served on two city commissions over the past 15 years and was most recently the vice chair of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors, has resigned following her admission that she illegally lobbied city staff and officials. Borden was paid $12,500 as a “consultant” for the Italian eatery Fiorella, which was seeking to legalize a non-compliant outdoor deck. Borden sent 32 emails to city staff, planning commissioners, and one city supervisor seeking support for a permit at the restaurant.

Colorado – Influential Conservative Dark-Money Group Doesn’t Have to Reveal Donors, Face Campaign Finance Sanctions, Denver Judge Rules

Colorado Sun – Jesse Paul | Published: 4/21/2023

A conservative “dark money” political group does not have to reveal its donors and pay a $40,000 fine levied by state elections officials stemming from the $4 million it spent on 2020 ballot initiatives, a Denver District Court judge ruled. Judge David Goldberg found Unite for Colorado, which has since disbanded, did not violate a state law requiring political nonprofits to register as issue committees and reveal their funders when their spending on a ballot initiative is their “major purpose.”

Connecticut – West Haven’s Attorney Suspended After Awarding City Work to His Own Law Firm

CT Mirror – Andrew Brown | Published: 4/25/2023

West Haven’s corporation counsel has over the past three years funneled city work to his own private law firm, enabling him and his wife to represent the city in foreclosure cases and to bill up to $225 per hour for their services. As West Haven’s top attorney, Lee Tiernan has the power to hire outside counsel to assist the city in legal matters. But documents show he used that authority to assign work to his wife, Amanda Tiernan, through a private law practice that bears his name.

District of Columbia – D.C. Settles Suit Brought by 2 Journalists Detained During Trump Inauguration

MSN – Keith Alexander (Washington Post) | Published: 4/25/2023

The District of Columbia agreed to pay $175,000 to two journalists to settle a lawsuit that alleged police unlawfully detained the pair while they were covering demonstrations and vandalism in downtown Washington during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration in January 2017. A spokesperson for the journalists said writer Aaron Cantú and photojournalist Alexei Wood would split the settlement. Both were arrested and charged with rioting and other counts; Wood was acquitted at trial and prosecutors later dropped the charges against Cantú.

Florida – Disney Sues Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alleging Political Retaliation

MSN – Aaron Gregg and Lori Rozsa (Washinton Post) | Published: 4/26/2023

Walt Disney Co. is suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over what it calls a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power” – an escalation of the year-long clash between the company and DeSantis. The lawsuit came the same day the governor’s handpicked board declared a Disney-friendly deal null and void. The standoff began when Disney leaders criticized a controversial education bill advanced by DeSantis and other Republicans. Disney’s resorts are some of the state’s prime attractions, but DeSantis expressed outrage that the company dared criticize the education bill and began attacking the company.

Hawaii – Former Hawaii Charter Schools Head Admits to Ethics Violations

Yahoo News – Esme Infante (Honolulu Star Advertiser) | Published: 4/26/2023

The former executive director of the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission agreed to pay $5,000 in fines and admitted to committing more than a dozen violations of the state’s conflict-of-interest laws during his time at the agency. Sione Thompson signed off on multiple state contracts with three nonprofit organizations without disclosing he also served on the boards of those organizations, said the Hawaii Ethics Commission.

Illinois – Paul Vallas Seeks $700,000 from Campaign Consultant ‘For Services They Did Not Perform’

MSN – A.D. Quig and Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 4/21/2023

In Paul Vallas’ ultimately losing effort to become Chicago mayor, his campaign paid a political consultant nearly $700,000 to help win over Black voters – work Vallas now claims in a lawsuit was not performed. The suit, filed against Chimaobi Enyia and his business, says Vallas was the victim of fraud, unjust enrichment, and “in the alternative, breach of contract” by Enyia. Vallas claims Enyia used the pressure of the runoff election against Brandon Johnson to squeeze hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Vallas campaign.

Illinois – Prominent Lightfoot Supporter, Business Owner Pays $5,000 Ethics Fine for Lobbying City Hall Without Registering

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 4/24/2023

Businessperson Carmen Rossi was fined $5,000 by the Chicago Board of Ethics for violating the city’s lobbying law. Rossi lobbied the Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department on behalf of Chicago Parking Solutions even though he was not registered to lobby for the company. It won a contract to operate 13 parking lots on Chicago Public Schools property. But it was denied the licenses needed to operate those lots, prompting Rossi to send Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Ken Meyer an email asking him to expedite the licenses.

Michigan – Businessman Pleads Guilty to Bribing Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board Chairman

Detroit News – Craig Mauger and Robert Snell | Published: 4/21/2023

Businessperson John Dalaly pleaded guilty to providing bribes to Rick Johnson, the chair of Michigan’s medical marijuana licensing board, and told a federal judge he hired Johnson’s wife as a consultant at a rate of $4,000 a month. Dalaly faces up to 10 years in federal prison and became the first person to plead guilty in court as part of a wide-ranging corruption probe, examining Michigan’s awarding of licenses to sell and grow medical marijuana.

Michigan – In a Thriving Michigan County, a Community Goes to War with Itself

MSN – Greg Jaffe and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 4/22/2023

The eight new members of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners had run for office promising to “thwart tyranny” in their lakeside Michigan community of 300,000 people. In this case, the oppressive force they aimed to thwart was the county government they now ran. In an era when Americans had never seemed more divided and distrustful, county governments, at their best, helped define what remains of the common good. But Ottawa County was becoming a case study in what happens when one of the building blocks of democracy is consumed by ideological battles over race, religion, and American history.

Missouri – Missouri Lets Local Officials Take Unlimited Gifts from Lobbyists. Senators Move to Ban.

MSN – Kacen Bayless and Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) | Published: 4/21/2023

The Missouri Senate voted to ban mayors, city council members, county commissioners, and other local government officials, along with employees of local elected officials, from accepting gifts from lobbyists, years after voters approved eliminating gifts for state legislators. The legislation now heads to the House. The bill would close a gap left by the Clean Missouri constitutional amendment, which greatly restricted lobbyist gifts to lawmakers, and a subsequent amendment that eliminated them altogether. Both measures focused on the General Assembly, while leaving local officials free to continue accepting gifts.

Missouri – Missouri AG Withdraws from Gambling Case After Taking Donations from Other Side

St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jack Suntrup | Published: 4/25/2023

Lawyers working for Attorney General Andrew Bailey withdrew from a lawsuit lodged against the state by a politically connected company that has flooded Missouri with unregulated slot machines. The move follows tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations to a PAC supporting Bailey from committees that have received contributions from the plaintiffs in the case. The committees are also tied to Steve Tilley, a lobbyist for the two plaintiffs in the case.

Montana – Montana Republicans Bar Transgender Lawmaker from House Floor

MSN – María Paúl, Timothy Bella, Maham Javaid, and Ben Brasch (Washington Post) | Published: 4/26/2023

The Montana House blocked a transgender lawmaker from the chamber floor for the remainder of the legislative session after an escalating standoff over her remarks on transgender issues. Since Zephyr said those who support banning gender-affirming care for transgender children would have “blood on your hands,” Republican leaders have declined to recognize her on the floor and her microphone has been disabled when lawmakers have debated. In response, Zephyr and her supporters held a rally that resulted in seven arrests and upended proceedings at the Capitol as people jammed inside the chamber and kept chanting, “Let her speak!”

Nebraska – Four Men, Including Omaha City Councilman Vinny Palermo, Federally Indicted

Lincoln Journal-Star – Emily Nitcher, Jessica Wade, and Christopher Burbach (Omaha World-Herald) | Published: 4/21/2023

Four men, including Omaha City Councilperson Vinny Palermo, have been indicted in connection with alleged fraudulent activity involving the Latino Peace Officers Association and Police Athletics for Community Engagement. Court papers allege retired Omaha Police Captain Rich Gonzalez and Johnny Palermo provided personal and financial benefits, “to include airfare, luxury hotel accommodations, travel arrangements, and other items of value” in exchange for official actions taken by Vinny Palermo in his capacity as a city council member.

Nevada – Legal Finding Against Clark County Commissioner Prompts Call to Resign

Las Vegas Sun – Casey Harrison | Published: 4/26/2023

The Nevada Republican Party is calling on Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones to resign after a ruling from a federal judge found he was “not truthful” about text messages removed from his personal cellphone amid a legal battle over a housing development. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah ruled Jones flouted the county’s record-retention policy as well as Nevada Supreme Court precedent when text messages from his personal phone dated January 3, 2019 – shortly after Jones’ first days as a newly sworn-in commissioner – through April 17 of the same year were deleted.

New Jersey – Was He Corrupt When He Allegedly Accepted a Bag Full of Cash? Or Victim of an Overzealous Prosecutor?

MSN – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 4/24/2023

The exchange had been caught on surveillance recordings. A Baskin-Robbins bag stuffed with cash was handed over to the mayoral candidate by an informant cooperating with prosecutors. “I just want to be your tax guy,” he said. “Yeah. Done. That’s … easy,” replied the candidate. Was that a bribe under the law, as prosecutors allege? Or as defense attorneys argue, an example of overzealous prosecution that expanded the meaning of a state corruption statute that had never been intended to impose target someone who was just an “ordinary, private citizen?”

New Jersey – Head of NJ ELEC Sues Murphy, Says New Campaign Finance Law Overhaul Is Unconstitutional

Yahoo News – Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) | Published: 4/20/2023

Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) Executive Director Jeff Brindle sued New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy again, challenging the constitutionality of the recently signed Elections Transparency Act, which overhauled ELEC and campaign finance rules in the state. Brindle seeks to block contentious sections of the law that allow Murphy to directly appoint the four members of the agency board without the advice and consent of the Senate within a 90-day period, as well as a provision that slashes the amount of time the commission has to investigate campaign finance violations from 10 years to two years after a violation was committed.

New Mexico – Text Messages Last Year Urged N.M. Voters to Support a Ballot Measure. An Ethics Settlement Unraveled Who Was Behind the Campaign.

Albuquerque Journal – Dan McKay | Published: 4/24/2023

A New York-based advocacy group paid an $11,000 civil penalty and disclosed the donors behind a text-messaging campaign after it was accused of violating New Mexico’s campaign finance law. The payment and disclosure come after the State Ethics Commission filed a lawsuit last year alleging the Working Families Organization tried to conceal its role in text messages urging voters to support a ballot measure to boost education funding.

New York – Cuomo Sues Ethics Commission, Saying It’s Too Independent of the Governor

Albany Times-Union – Joshua Solomon | Published: 4/26/2023

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, facing the possibility of paying millions of dollars to the state, is suing New York’s new ethics commission, and alleging it is so independent from the current governor it is unconstitutional. Cuomo action comes ahead of him scheduled to be the subject of a proceeding before the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government on June 12. He is facing ongoing scrutiny from the ethics agency over his $5 million book deal recounting his administration’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New York – Rape Allegation Against Donald Trump Heads to Trial

MSN – Corinne Ramey (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 4/23/2023

A civil trial is set to begin concerning advice columnist E. Jean Carroll’s allegations that Donald Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has denied Carroll’s claims, saying the encounter never happened and she made it up for publicity. The case centers on a complaint she filed when New York state opened a yearlong window in which people who say they were sexually assaulted as adults could sue their alleged abusers, no matter how long ago the conduct occurred.

Ohio – What Can Ohio Regulators Do to Prevent Future Utility Corruption Scandals?

Energy News Network – Kathiann Kowalski | Published: 4/27/2023

Regulators taking proactive steps could reduce the risk of future utility corruption scandals like that which led to the guilty verdicts for former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges, say advocates. Yet for now the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is dealing only with specific cases linked to the current scandal surrounding the state’s coal and nuclear bailout law, House Bill 6. Critics say the PUCO should take steps through rule-making or otherwise to provide more transparency and accountability.

Oklahoma – Okla. Official Resigns Amid Accusations of Racism, Talk of Killing Journalists

MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 4/20/2023

Mark Jennings, a county commissioner in Oklahoma, resigned amid growing backlash after a local newspaper reported he and other officials talked about lynching Black people and threatened to assassinate two reporters in a conversation secretly recorded by one of those journalists. Gov. Kevin Stitt had called on Jennings and three other McCurtain County officials to step down, saying he was “appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments.” The other officials are Sheriff Kevin Clardy, sheriff’s investigator Alicia Manning, and county jail administrator Larry Hendrix.

Oregon – Oregon Democrats Weigh Competing Proposals to Cap Political Donations

Portland Oregonian – Grant Stringer | Published: 4/24/2023

New proposals introduced in the state Senate recently would set strict limits to quell the exorbitant spending in Oregon elections without the same loopholes included in other bills introduced by Democrats this session. Sen. Jeff Golden introduced two amendments to Senate Bill 500 mirroring 2024 ballot initiatives by Honest Elections Oregon and the League of Women Voters. Those groups seek stringent limits on campaign donations and transparency in political advertising. Oregon is one of just a handful of states that allows donors to give unlimited sums of money to political campaigns.

Pennsylvania – The Super PAC Backing Jeff Brown’s Mayoral Campaign Has Agreed to Sit on the Sidelines Through the Primary

MSN – Sean Collins Walsh (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 4/24/2023

A judge approved a limited agreement between the Philadelphia Board of Ethics and For A Better Philadelphia, a super PAC backing Jeff Brown’s campaign for mayor, that will keep the political group on the sidelines through the May 16 primary. The agreement does not affect the broader case the ethics board is pursuing against For A Better Philadelphia, which is an independent expenditure committee that is legally required to operate separately from Brown and his campaign.

Tennessee – Tennessee Lawmaker Resigns After Violating Harassment Policy

MSN – María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 4/21/2023

Tennessee Rep. Scotty Campbell was walking to the Capitol in Nashville when a reporter stopped him to ask about allegations of harassment brought against him by an intern. Campbell said he “had consensual, adult conversations with two adults off property.” Six hours later, the lawmaker, who two weeks ago voted to expel three Democratic colleagues, over decorum violations, submitted a letter of resignation. An ethics subcommittee reported it found Campbell had violated the General Assembly workplace policy on discrimination and harassment after an internal investigation.

Vermont – Full Disclosure: Conflict of interest rule leaves plenty of leeway for legislators’ other jobs

VTDigger.org – Kristen Fountain | Published: 4/19/2023

While nearly half of the Vermont Senate and roughly a third of the state House are retired, the rest supplement their modest legislative salaries with jobs, ranging from selling real estate to nursing. The Legislature’s rules define a conflict-of-interest so narrowly they almost never prevent lawmakers from crafting and voting on bills even when they or their employers stand to benefit financially.

Virginia – Virginia Politicians Can Spend Campaign Donations on Just About Anything. Here’s Why Reform Efforts Have Failed.

MSN – Katie King (Virginian-Pilot) | Published: 4/23/2023

In Virginia, politicians can legally spend campaign donations on essentially anything, and there is no limit on who can donate or how much they can give. The lax rules make the state an outlier when it comes to laws on campaign spending. Some say stricter laws are not needed because donors should trust the candidates they choose to support. But others argue guardrails are needed to prevent the misuse of funds, especially as more money pours into races. Campaign finance issues have been on Virginia’s radar for decades, with a commission created in 1992 by then-Gov. Douglas Wilder advising the state to overhaul its laws.

Wyoming – Lawmakers to Examine Legislative Ethics, Misconduct Rules

WyoFile – Maggie Mullen | Published: 4/25/2023

Wyoming Rep. Karlee Provenza drew national attention, multiple formal complaints, and at least one call for her ouster from committee assignments for a controversial social media post. The high-profile dust-up, and House Speaker Albert Sommers’ decision not to punish the lawmaker for a post some perceived as threatening, have intensified interest in what otherwise promised to be one the Legislature’s more obscure off-season assignments: redrawing the boundaries of acceptable lawmaker conduct and reexamining the process for handling ethics complaints and other grievances.

Campaign Finance National: “The Campaign Finance Agency’s Press Shop Can’t Confirm or Deny the Existence of Complaints Anymore” by Courtney Bublé for Government Executive Missouri: “Missouri AG Withdraws from Gambling Case After Taking Donations from Other Side” by Jack Suntrup for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Ethics Arkansas: “Former State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson Sentenced in Corruption Case” by Doug Thompson for Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Connecticut: “West Haven’s Attorney Suspended After Awarding City Work to His Own Law Firm” by Andrew Brown for CT Mirror National: “Chief Justice Declines to Testify Before Congress Over Ethics Concerns” by Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) for DNyuz Florida: “Disney Sues Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alleging Political Retaliation” by Aaron Gregg and Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) for MSN New York: “Cuomo Sues Ethics Commission, Saying It’s Too Independent of the Governor” by Joshua Solomon for Albany Times-Union Vermont: “Full Disclosure: Conflict of interest rule leaves plenty of leeway for legislators’ other jobs” by Kristen Fountain for VTDigger.org Legislative Issues Montana: “Montana Transgender Lawmaker Barred by GOP from 2023 Session” by Amy Beth Hanson, Sam Metz, and Matthew Brown for Associated Press News Lobbying California: “SFMTA Commissioner Resigns After Illegal Lobbying” by Joe Rivano Barros for Mission Local

Campaign Finance New Mexico: “Text Messages Last Year Urged N.M. Voters to Support a Ballot Measure. An Ethics Settlement Unraveled Who Was Behind the Campaign.” by Dan McKay for Albuquerque Journal Oregon: “Oregon Democrats Weigh Competing Proposals to Cap Political Donations” by Grant Stringer for Portland Oregonian Elections National: “Biden Announces He Is Running for Reelection in 2024” by Tolouse Olorunnipa, Tyler Pager, and Michael Scherer (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics National: “Law Firm Head Bought Gorsuch-Owned Property” by Heidi Przybyla (Politico) for MSN Nebraska: “Four Men, Including Omaha City Councilman Vinny Palermo, Federally Indicted” by Emily Nitcher, Jessica Wade, and Christopher Burbach (Omaha World-Herald) for Lincoln Journal-Star New Jersey: “Was He Corrupt When He Allegedly Accepted a Bag Full of Cash? Or Victim of an Overzealous Prosecutor?” by Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) for MSN Legislative Issues Wyoming: “Lawmakers to Examine Legislative Ethics, Misconduct Rules” by Maggie Mullen for WyoFile Lobbying Illinois: “Prominent Lightfoot Supporter, Business Owner Pays $5,000 Ethics Fine for Lobbying City Hall Without Registering” by Heather Cherone for WTTW

Campaign Finance Pennsylvania: “The Super PAC Backing Jeff Brown’s Mayoral Campaign Has Agreed to Sit on the Sidelines Through the Primary” by Sean Collins Walsh for Philadelphia Inquirer Virginia: “Virginia Politicians Can Spend Campaign Donations on Just About Anything. Here’s Why Reform Efforts Have Failed.” by Katie King (Virginian-Pilot) for MSN Elections Illinois: “Paul Vallas Seeks $700,000 from Campaign Consultant ‘For Services They Did Not Perform'” by A.D. Quig and Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) for MSN Ethics Arizona: “Arizona Lawmakers Want Special Social-Media Treatment of Candidates” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) for Arizona Daily Star National: “Tucker Carlson Is Out at Fox News After Dominion Lawsuit Disclosures” by Jeremy Barr and Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) for MSN New York: “Rape Allegation Against Donald Trump Heads to Trial” by Corinne Ramey (Wall Street Journal) for MSN Lobbying Canada: “Google Denies It Engaged in ‘Astroturfing’ to Lobby Ottawa Through Third Parties” by Marie Woolf for Globe and Mail National: “The Conservative Campaign to Rewrite Child Labor Laws” by Jacob Bogage and María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) for MSN

Campaign Finance Colorado: “Influential Conservative Dark-Money Group Doesn’t Have to Reveal Donors, Face Campaign Finance Sanctions, Denver Judge Rules” by Jesse Paul for Colorado Sun New Jersey: “Head of NJ ELEC Sues Murphy, Says New Campaign Finance Law Overhaul Is Unconstitutional” by Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) for Yahoo News Elections National: “Mike Lindell’s Firm Told to Pay $5 Million in ‘Prove Mike Wrong’ Election-Fraud Challenge” by Chris Dehghanpoor, Emma Brown, and Jon Swaine (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics Michigan: “Businessman Pleads Guilty to Bribing Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board Chairman” by Craig Mauger and Robert Snell for Detroit News Legislative Issues Montana: “House Speaker Matt Regier Refuses to Recognize Rep. Zooey Zephyr on Floor Until She Apologizes” by Arren Kimbel-Sannit for Montana Free Press Tennessee: “Tennessee Lawmaker Resigns After Violating Harassment Policy” by María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) for MSN Lobbying National: “Lobbying Firms Start Strong After Record $4-Billion Haul in 2022” by Karl Evers-Hillstrom (The Hill) for MSN Missouri: “Missouri Lets Local Officials Take Unlimited Gifts from Lobbyists. Senators Move to Ban.” by Kacen Bayless and Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) for MSN

National/Federal

DEA Chief Faces Probe into ‘Swampy’ Hires, No-Bid Contracts

Associated Press News – Joshua Goodman and Jim Mustian | Published: 4/20/2023

A federal watchdog is investigating whether the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration under Anne Milgram improperly awarded millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to hire her past associates, people familiar with the probe said. Among the spending under scrutiny by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General is $4.7 million for “strategic planning and communication” and other contracts that were used to hire people Milgram knew from her days as New Jersey’s attorney general and as a New York University law professor at costs far exceeding pay for government officials.

Clarence Thomas Has for Years Claimed Income from a Defunct Real Estate Firm

MSN – Shawn Boberg and Emma Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 4/16/2023

Over the last two decades, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has reported on required financial disclosure forms that his family received rental income totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a firm called Ginger, Ltd., Partnership. But that company has not existed since 2006. That year, the real estate company was shut down and a separate firm was created, records show. Since that time, however, Thomas has continued to report income from the defunct company – between $50,000 and $100,000 annually in recent years – and there is no mention of the newer firm, Ginger Holdings, LLC, on the forms.

Russians Boasted That Just 1% of Fake Social Profiles Are Caught, Leak Shows

MSN – Joseph Menn (Washington Post) | Published: 4/16/2023

The Russian government has become far more successful at manipulating social media and search engine rankings than previously known, according to documents recently leaked on the chat app Discord. The Russian operators boast they are detected by social networks only about one percent of the time, one document says. A board set up to coordinate U.S. government policy on disinformation was disbanded last year after questions were raised about its purpose and a campaign was aimed at the person who had been selected to lead it.

Washington Used to Abhor Talking About Mental Health. No More.

MSN – Myah Ward (Politico) | Published: 4/17/2023

For six weeks, while U.S. Sen. John Fetterman received treatment for clinical depression at Walter Reed Medical Center, handwritten cards poured into office. His staff fielded phone calls from constituents passing along well wishes. Others called simply to thank him for being upfront about his condition. The reaction has been, overall, a pleasant surprise to Fetterman’s team, which worried about their boss and felt anxious about how the public would respond to revelations he has depression. What they and others have discovered is the country is increasingly open about it. And the politics are changing around it.

Democrats Still Face Feinstein Dilemma as Replacement Bid Fails

MSN – Liz Goodwin, Maeve Reston, and Cleve Wooten Jr. (Washington Post) | Published: 4/18/2023

Democrats’ plan to replace ailing U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee fell apart amid Republican opposition, leaving the party still grappling with a dilemma over stalled judicial nominees that has inflamed some in the Democratic base and complicated the race to succeed her in California. The powerful committee, which is probing allegations of financial conflicts-of-interest against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, also lacks the votes to issue subpoenas in her absence.

DeSantis Group Plans Field Program, Showing the Expanding Role of Super PACs

MSN – Michael Scherer, Isaac Stanley-Becker, and Ashley Parker (Washington Post) | Published: 4/19/2023

Never Back Down, a technically independent super PAC that unlike federal candidates can accept donations of any value from wealthy individuals and corporations, is organizing and funding efforts to assist Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in his yet unannounced campaign for president. The arrangement marks a new frontier in the rapidly shifting campaign finance landscape that governs presidential bids, as outside groups allied with candidates behave more and more like traditional campaigns.

Becerra Violated Hatch Act by Advocating for Senator’s Election, Report Finds

MSN – John Wagner (Washington Post) | Published: 4/18/2023

The Office of Special Counsel determined Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra violated a law that restricts political activities of federal employees when he advocated for the election of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event. In a letter relaying the finding to President Biden, Special Counsel Henry Kerner said Becerra violated the Hatch Act when he spoke “in his official capacity” at the institute’s annual awards gala in September.

A New Smithsonian Boss Settled Multiple Employee Retaliation Lawsuits

MSN – Manuel Roig-Franzia and Thomas Floyd (Washington Post) | Published: 4/20/2023

When the Smithsonian Institution announced the selection of Nancy Yao to be the founding director of the new American Women’s History Museum planned for the National Mall or alongside the Tidal Basin, the timing seemed apt – it was national Women’s History Month. But in some corners of the museum world, the choice of Yao has evoked uncomfortable echoes of a recent and traumatic period in the history of American women: the national reckoning over sexual harassment brought on by the #MeToo movement.

Fox Was Resigned to a Tough Trial. Then, a Secret Mediator Stepped In.

MSN – Sarah Ellison, Josh Dawsey, and Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) | Published: 4/19/2023

For months, as the pretrial proceedings wore on and the embarrassing internal messages kept spilling into public view, executives at Fox News resigned themselves to a slog of a trial followed by a possible loss before a jury in the $1.6 billion lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems. But at a pre-trial hearing, Judge Eric Davis asked the lawyers for both companies to try to work out their differences. After the jury was seated and before opening arguments could begin, Davis announced, “The parties have resolved the case.”

Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property from Clarence Thomas. The Justice Didn’t Disclose the Deal.

ProPublica – Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski | Published: 4/13/2023

Businessperson Harlan Crow purchased three properties belonging to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his family, in a transaction worth more than $100,000 that Thomas never reported. The 2014 real estate deal shines a new light on Thomas’s decades old relationship with Crow, a real estate magnate and longtime financier for conservative causes. That relationship and the material benefits received by Thomas have fueled calls for an official ethics investigation. A disclosure law requires justices and other officials to disclose the details of most real estate sales over $1,000.

If Tennessee’s Legislature Looks Broken, It’s Not Alone

Yahoo News – Michael Wines (New York Times) | Published: 4/13/2023

Nationwide, candidates for roughly four of every 10 state legislative seats run unopposed in general elections. And across the country, one-party control of state Legislatures, compounded by hyper-partisan politics, widespread gerrymandering, an urban-rural divide, and uncompetitive races, has made dysfunction more the rule than the exception. The lack of competition means incumbent lawmakers face few consequences for their conduct. Their legislative actions are driven in large part by the fraction of partisans who determine their fates in primary elections, the only contests where they face serious opposition.

From the States and Municipalities

Europe – EU Parliament Tightens Lobbying Rules for Ex-MEPs

Macau Business – Agence France Presse | Published: 4/17/2023

The European Parliament will prohibit former members from lobbying legislators for six months after leaving office. The reform comes as the Parliament grapples with the fallout from the scandal involving the alleged bribery of members said to have been paid to push the interests of Qatar and Morocco.

Canada – Ontario NDP Set to Try to Tighten Family Gift Rules after Ford Stag and Doe

Global News – Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello | Published: 4/17/2023

The Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) will introduce legislation aimed at closing a loophole that allows family members of politicians to receive gifts from people attempting to influence government policy, bringing the province’s conflict-of-interest rules in line with its federal counterparts. NDP Leader Marit Stiles said she was calling for the new rules after it was reported that several developers, considered to be “personal friends,” attended a fundraising event for Premier Doug Ford’s daughter.

Arizona – Fight to Ban State Benefits for Lobby Group Dies – Again

Arizona Capitol Times – Camryn Sanchez | Published: 4/18/2023

State Sen. Steve Kaiser revived a long-running fight at the Legislature to block employees of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns from getting state retirement benefits. The league and a few other non-government groups were not allowed to get State Retirement System benefits until 2004, when the law was changed to accommodate another group, but Kaiser argues that is not an appropriate use of state funds. He also insisted he is not out for revenge although the League opposed some of his bills this session, although the League thinks differently.

Arizona – Effort to Return Ousted Arizona Lawmaker to House Seat

Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 4/18/2023

Local Republican Party officials want former Arizona Rep. Liz Harris restored to the legislative seat from which she was just ousted. But whether that is legally or politically possible remains unclear. As required by law, precinct committee members submitted three names to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled to choose a replacement. In addition to Harris, the committee members chose Julie Willoughby, who lost to Harris in last year’s GOP primary by 270 votes, and Steve Steele.

California – SFMTA Commissioner Admits She Illegally Lobbied City Staff

Mission Local – Joe Rivano Barros | Published: 4/18/2023

Gwyneth Borden, the vice chair of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors, and a member of two different city commissions over the course of 15 years, was censured by the city Ethics Commission.  A proposed settlement lays out the case that she spent six months illegally lobbying city staff, planning commissioners, and a city supervisor on behalf of a restaurant that paid her $12,500.

California – Santa Clara Official Indicted on Felony Perjury Charge Related to 49ers Probe

MSN – Ron Kroichick and Lance Williams (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 4/14/2023

A Santa Clara City Council member and former mayoral candidate who received campaign contributions from the San Francisco 49ers was indicted for allegedly lying about leaking information to a team employee. Anthony Becker was indicted for perjury in connection with allegedly leaking a secret civil grand jury report to the 49ers’ chief lobbyist. He also was charged with failing to perform his official duty. That charge alleged Becker breached confidentiality of a grand jury’s watchdog report, which criticized the 49ers’ heavy involvement in local politics.

California – Judge Declares Mistrial in Bribery Case of Former L.A. Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan

Yahoo News – Michael Finnegan (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 4/13/2023

A judge declared a mistrial in the federal bribery prosecution of former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan after doctors confirmed his attorney needs months to recover from a recent hospitalization. Chan is the last defendant to face trial in a corruption scandal that exposed pervasive graft in the city’s byzantine process for approving real estate projects in downtown Los Angeles.

Colorado – House Passes Caps for Candidate Contributions in Colorado’s Local Elections

Colorado Springs Gazette – Hannah Metzger (Colorado Politics) | Published: 4/18/2023

The Colorado House approved a bill to establish a statewide limit on contributions made to candidates in local elections, sending the proposal to the Senate for consideration. House Bill 1245 would cap donations from individuals and political parties at $400 and contributions from small-donor committees at $4,000 in municipal elections, among other records and reporting requirements. Proponents said it is intended to decrease the role of money and wealthy individual donors in local elections, while critics said it would put more administrative burden on local governments and violate local control.

Colorado – New Bill Aims to Stop Colorado Utilities from Spending Ratepayer Money on Politics

Energy and Policy Institute – Joe Smyth | Published: 4/20/2023

A new bill in Colorado would stop investor-owned utility companies from using ratepayer money to fund lobbying, trade associations, promotional advertising, and other political influence efforts. The bill and hearings followed months of pressure from ratepayers on utilities, regulators, and policymakers in response to high gas and electricity bills this winter driven by high methane gas prices, and increased public scrutiny of how utilities fund their political influence efforts in Colorado.

Florida – Corruption Trial Begins for Man Who Almost Beat DeSantis

MSN – Brendan Farrington (Associated Press) | Published: 4/18/2023

Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum pocketed illegal campaign contributions because he was having a hard time paying for his lifestyle after quitting his job to run for governor in 2018, a prosecutor said as a corruption trial began. Gillum had a large mortgage, was making payments on two expensive cars, and was paying private school tuition for his children when he quit his $120,000-a-year job at People for the American Way to run for the Democratic nomination for governor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Milligan said in opening statements.

Florida – Ex-Venezuelan Treasurer, Husband Sentenced to 15 Years in Miami Bribery Case

Yahoo News – Jay Weaver (Miami Herald) | Published: 4/19/2023

A federal judge sent a former Venezuelan national treasurer and her husband to prison for 15 years after they were convicted of accepting tens of millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for lucrative government contracts and then moving some of their illicit money to Miami in an unprecedented foreign corruption case. In addition to prison time, the judge imposed a financial forfeiture penalty of $136 million for Claudia Díaz Guillen and her husband, Adrian Velásquez, and an additional fine of $75,000 each to be paid to the U.S. government.

Georgia – Former Executive Pleads Guilty to Bribing Atlanta Officials

Yahoo News – Associated Press | Published: 4/19/2023

A former executive for a longtime city of Atlanta vendor pleaded guilty to paying bribes in exchange for millions of dollars in city contracts and to bribing an official in a neighboring county to get business there. Lohrasb “Jeff” Jafari also pleaded guilty to failing to pay more than $1.5 million in taxes. He is the latest in a string of people, including numerous former Atlanta officials, to plead guilty or be convicted by a jury as part of a federal investigation into corruption during former Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration. Reed himself was never charged with wrongdoing.

Indiana – Donor Privacy or Secrecy? Nonprofit Disclosure Bill Nears Law

Indiana Capital Chronicle – Leslie Bonilla Muñiz | Published: 4/17/2023

State and local governments in Indiana could not require nonprofits to disclose information about their donors under a bill in the state Legislature. House Bill 1212 would block all levels of government from forcing nonprofits to hand over “personal information” – defined as any compilation of data identifying nonprofit members, supporters, volunteers, or donors. It would additionally ban the public release of that information. The bill treads a narrow path between broad protections for donors and nonprofits and a detailed list of exceptions.

Iowa – Gov. Kim Reynolds Must Comply with Public Records Law, Iowa Supreme Court Rules

MSN – William Morris (Des Moines Register) | Published: 4/14/2023

A lawsuit accusing Gov. Kim Reynolds of failing to follow Iowa’s public records law can continue, the state Supreme Court ruled, saying the governor’s office can be sued just like any other public entity for not producing requested documents in a timely way. The decision came in a suit  by three plaintiffs represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, who accused Reynolds’ office of “stonewalling” public records requests, in some cases for more than a year.

Kansas – Gov. Laura Kelly Signs Compromise Bill to Change Ethics Commission Subpoenas, Procedures

Yahoo News – Andrew Bahl (Topeka Capital-Journal) | Published: 4/14/2023

Gov. Laura Kelly signed a compromise effort to change the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission’s subpoena powers, as well as certain procedures in the agency charged with overseeing campaign finance and ethics matters. The move is a less aggressive version of a bill that received pushback from commission Executive Director Mark Skoglund, who criticized it for potentially allowing behavior under investigation in a major probe into legislative Republicans, county party officials, and interest groups.

Kentucky – Craft Claims Ignorance of Husband’s $1.5M Campaign Donation. Election Agency to Review

MSN – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 4/19/2023

The biggest source of funding for Commonwealth PAC, a group supporting Kelly Craft’s campaign for governor, is her husband Joe Craft, who gave the group $1.5 million. Kentucky Registry of Election Finance Executive Director John Steffen said it “certainly raises concerns about potential coordination” between Craft’s campaign and the PAC, which would be a violation of state law. When asked if she knew about her husband dropping such a large amount of money into the PAC, Craft said she did not know who funded the group.

Michigan – Vendor Admits Bribing Madison Heights School Leader to Win Millions in Contracts

Yahoo News – Tresa Baldas (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 4/14/2023

Contractor John David pleaded guilty to funneling thousands of dollars in bribes to a Madison Heights school board president who used the money on Florida trips and a boat slip, perks Albert Morrison got for helping his friend secure $3.1 million worth of school contracts. Prosecutors allege David paid $561,000 in bribes to Morrison, though the vendor did not admit to that amount in his plea agreement or in court.

Missouri – Missouri Lawmakers Target Revolving Door at State Lottery

St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 4/19/2023

The former head of the Missouri Lottery left her post last year, but Republican lawmakers are not done battling over her tenure. After stripping funding for advertising from the Lottery in recent years, members of the House Budget Committee heard testimony on a proposal that would bar Lottery officials from working or lobbying for companies that do business with the state agency. The measure is a response to former Director May Scheve Reardon, who left the top job at the Lottery to take a job with a company that sells materials related to the Lottery’s scratch off ticket business.

Montana – Lawmakers Vote Down Proposed Changes to ’24 Senate Election

Helena Independent Record – Sam Wilson | Published: 4/19/2023

A proposal to rewrite the rules for the 2024 election for U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s seat went down on a nearly unanimous committee vote after a Republican lawmaker said had been heavily lobbied by voters to oppose it. The legislation would have created an election in which candidates run together in the same primary, and then the top-two vote-getters advance to the general election. the proposal was written to only apply to Montana’s 2024 U.S. Senate race, earning accusations of partisan chicanery by the GOP.

Montana – Lawmakers Move to Slash Timeline for Prosecuting Campaign Finance Violations

Helena Independent Record – Sam Wilson | Published: 4/14/2023

House Bill 947 would cut the time allowed to pursue campaign finance violations in Montana to two years, instead of the current four-year period allowed for those cases to take shape. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. George Nikolokakos, told a Senate committee the legislation would bring the timeline closer to that of some other types of cases, like property damage. Former Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl said that timeline would have prevented him from pursuing a high-profile case against Art Wittich, who was found guilty in 2016 of illegally accepting corporate campaign contributions and illegally coordinating with a political group.

Nebraska – Nebraska Legislature Slow to Adopt Ethics Changes in the Year After Groene’s Resignation

Omaha World Herald – Erin Bamer | Published: 4/17/2023

It has been over a year since former state Sen. Mike Groene resigned amid allegations of workplace misconduct, and the Nebraska Legislature has not adopted many changes aimed at heading off future scandals. Some changes may be on the way, as the state’s Executive Board prepares to vote on a list of recommendations made by an interim ethics committee. But lawmakers are split in their views on whether these suggestions are sufficient. Groene resigned after news broke that he took photos of a former female staff member without her knowledge.

New Mexico – Ethics Allegations Move Forward Against State Treasurer Laura Montoya

Albuquerque Journal – Dan McKay | Published: 4/17/2023

The general counsel for the State Ethics Commission found probable cause to support allegations that Treasurer Laura Montoya violated New Mexico’s campaign finance and financial disclosure laws while running for office. The case will go before a hearing officer. The allegations center on whether Montoya failed to properly disclose the source of $10,000 in contributions and incorrectly filled out paperwork disclosing her personal finances.

New York – N.Y. Budget Chief’s Exit Prompts Inquiry into Covid Contract Deals

DNyuz – Jay Root (New York Times) | Published: 4/15/2023

The departure of two state officials in New York is now part of an inspector general review. As the deadline drew near for the state’s $220-billion-plus budget, it was announced that Sandra Beattie, the acting budget director who assembled the proposal, was being replaced. Beattie’s exit triggered a state investigation into tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money used for no-bid contract expansions that went to private consultants under pandemic emergency decrees. Upon leaving, Beattie turned in a cellphone that had been wiped clean, making it difficult for investigators to discover if she had used it to hide potentially damaging communications.

North Dakota – Bill for Changes Sought by North Dakota Ethics Panel Goes to Burgum

Bismarck Tribune – Jack Dura | Published: 4/13/2023

Proposed changes to the North Dakota Ethics Commission’s procedures were sent to Gov. Doug Burgum. Senate Bill 2408 includes extending the time frame to notify an accused person of an ethics complaint, and adding criteria for who can make complaints. The ethics panel originally sought to add about 8,960 executive branch employees to its jurisdiction over “public officials,” but a Senate committee cut that proposed expansion from the bill.

Ohio – Former Columbus City Hall Lobbyist to Be Resentenced in Bribery Scheme

MSN – Daniel Griffin (WCMH) | Published: 4/15/2023

A federal appeals court ruled a former Columbus lobbyist must be resentenced. John Raphael faced up to 20 years in prison for accepting bribes, but U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson sentenced him to just one day and then suspended that sentence.

Oklahoma – Okla. Governor Calls on Officials to Resign After ‘Horrid’ Audio Emerges

MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 4/18/2023

County officials dispatched with the agenda and ushered citizens out of a recent public meeting in southeastern Oklahoma, they spoke among themselves without realizing they were being secretly recorded. It was reported some officials hinted at assassinating a journalist who had reported on their alleged misconduct, and a county commissioner lamented about how they could no longer yank Black people out of the jail, “take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a … rope,” according to McCurtain Gazette-News.

Pennsylvania – Voters Are Still Getting Mailers from an Outside Group Boosting Jeff Brown for Mayor Despite a Judge’s Order

MSN – Anna Orso (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 4/19/2023

The nonprofit that was sued by the Philadelphia Board of Ethics over allegations it illegally coordinated with mayoral candidate Jeff Brown says it can continue circulating literature ahead of the primary election, under certain circumstances. But the Board of Ethics disagrees on what those ads can look like, and the matter will likely need to be settled in court. A judge told leaders of A Better Philadelphia and a PAC that it funds they must, at least temporarily, stop spending money to influence the May 16 primary election. But some residents have received mailed advertisements from the nonprofit recently.

South Carolina – SC GOP Consultant Richard Quinn’s Guilty Plea Brings Closure to Statehouse Probe

Charleston Post and Courier – Caitlin Ashworth | Published: 4/19/2023

Richard Quinn, once considered South Carolina’s most powerful Republican political consultant, pleaded guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice charges tied to the investigation into corruption at the statehouse. Quinn entered an Alford plea, where he did not admit guilt but agreed a jury would likely convict him. The charges came after Quinn testified before a grand jury as part of an agreement to drop previous charges in the corruption probe that examined conflicts among lawmakers and consultants, along with state agencies and large businesses, that lobby the General Assembly.

Vermont – Full Disclosure: Vermont’s legislative ethics forms are hard to find, out of date and limited in scope

VTDigger.org – Sarah Mearhoff | Published: 4/18/2023

In Vermont, lawmakers and candidates must file reports about their financial interests. But the information, while technically available to the public, is challenging both to unearth and decipher – in some cases coming in the form of barely legible handwritten documents. Some of those are available only by going to the statehouse in Montpelier and knowing who to ask. Of the 48 states that require candidates to file such disclosures, Vermont is the only one that has no statutory mechanisms to enforce its own rules, said Christina Sivret, executive director of the state’s Ethics Commission.

Campaign Finance Colorado: “House Passes Caps for Candidate Contributions in Colorado’s Local Elections” by Hannah Metzger (Colorado Politics) for Colorado Springs Gazette Kentucky: “Craft Claims Ignorance of Husband’s $1.5M Campaign Donation. Election Agency to Review” by Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) for MSN Pennsylvania: “Voters Are Still Getting Mailers from an Outside Group Boosting Jeff Brown for Mayor Despite a Judge’s Order” by Anna Orso (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN Elections Montana: “Lawmakers Vote Down Proposed Changes to ’24 Senate Election” by Sam Wilson for Helena Independent Record National: “DeSantis Group Plans Field Program, Showing the Expanding Role of Super PACs” by Michael Scherer, Isaac Stanley-Becker, and Ashley Parker (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics National: “Fox, Dominion Reach $787M Settlement Over Election Claims” by David Bauder, Randall Chase, and Geoff Mulvihill (Associated Press) for Yahoo News Legislative Issues National: “Democrats Still Face Feinstein Dilemma as Replacement Bid Fails” by Liz Goodwin, Maeve Reston, and Cleve Wooten Jr. (Washington Post) for MSN Lobbying California: “SFMTA Commissioner Admits She Illegally Lobbied City Staff” by Joe Rivano Barros for Mission Local Missouri: “Missouri Lawmakers Target Revolving Door at State Lottery” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Campaign Finance New Mexico: “Ethics Allegations Move Forward Against State Treasurer Laura Montoya” by Dan McKay for Albuquerque Journal Ethics National: “Washington Used to Abhor Talking About Mental Health. No More.” by Myah Ward (Politico) for MSN Oklahoma: “Okla. Governor Calls on Officials to Resign After ‘Horrid’ Audio Emerges” by Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) for MSN Vermont: “Full Disclosure: Vermont’s legislative ethics forms are hard to find, out of date and limited in scope” by Sarah Mearhoff for VTDigger.org Legislative Issues Arizona: “Effort to Return Ousted Arizona Lawmaker to House Seat” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) for Arizona Daily Star Lobbying Canada: “Ontario NDP Set to Try to Tighten Family Gift Rules after Ford Stag and Doe” by Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello for Global News Europe: “EU Parliament Tightens Lobbying Rules for Ex-MEPs” by Agence France Presse for Macau Business Ohio: “Former Columbus City Hall Lobbyist to Be Resentenced in Bribery Scheme” by Daniel Griffin (WCMH) for MSN

Campaign Finance Indiana: “Donor Privacy or Secrecy? Nonprofit Disclosure Bill Nears Law” by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz for Indiana Capital Chronicle Montana: “Lawmakers Move to Slash Timeline for Prosecuting Campaign Finance Violations” by Sam Wilson for Helena Independent Record Ethics California: “Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony Becker Indicted for Lying About Leaking Grand Jury Report to the 49ers” by Grace Hase (Bay Area News Group) for MSN National: “Clarence Thomas Has for Years Claimed Income from a Defunct Real Estate Firm” by Shawn Boberg and Emma Brown (Washington Post) for MSN Kansas: “Gov. Laura Kelly Signs Compromise Bill to Change Ethics Commission Subpoenas, Procedures” by Andrew Bahl (Topeka Capital-Journal) for Yahoo News National: “Russians Boasted That Just 1% of Fake Social Profiles Are Caught, Leak Shows” by Joseph Menn (Washington Post) for MSN New York: “N.Y. Budget Chief’s Exit Prompts Inquiry into Covid Contract Deals” by Jay Root (New York Times) for DNyuz Legislative Issues Nebraska: “Nebraska Legislature Slow to Adopt Ethics Changes in the Year After Groene’s Resignation” by Erin Bamer for Omaha World Herald

Elections Montana: “Facing Tough Senate Race, Montana G.O.P. Looks to Change the Rules” by Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) for DNyuz National: “Landmark Trial Against Fox News Could Affect the Future of Libel Law” by Michael Grynbaum (New York Times) for Yahoo News Ethics California: “Judge Declares Mistrial in Bribery Case of Former L.A. Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan” by Michael Finnegan (Los Angeles Times) for Yahoo News National: “Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property from Clarence Thomas. The Justice Didn’t Disclose the Deal.” by Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica Florida: “Grand Jury Updates Charges Against Andrew Gillum, Eliminating Two” by Andrew Ogles for Florida Politics Iowa: “Gov. Kim Reynolds Must Comply with Public Records Law, Iowa Supreme Court Rules” by William Morris (Des Moines Register) for MSN Michigan: “Vendor Admits Bribing Madison Heights School Leader to Win Millions in Contracts” by Tresa Baldas (Detroit Free Press) for Yahoo News Legislative Issues National: “If Tennessee’s Legislature Looks Broken, It’s Not Alone” by Michael Wines (New York Times) for Yahoo News

National/Federal

Appeals Court Upholds ‘Obstruction’ Charge Used Against Hundreds of Jan. 6 Rioters, for Now

ABC News – Ryan Reilly | Published: 4/7/2023

A federal appeals court panel affirmed the government’s use of an obstruction charge used against hundreds of defendants arrested in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol, though the complex opinion appears likely to result in additional litigation and leaves questions about the future of the use of the statute. A three-judge panel upheld the use of the obstruction of an official proceeding charge against defendants who assaulted law enforcement during the attack.

NPR Quits Elon Musk’s Twitter Over ‘Government-Funded’ Label

ABC News – Timothy O’Brien (Associated Press) | Published: 4/12/2023

National Public Radio (NPR) is quitting Twitter after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk stamped NPR’s account with labels the news organization says undermine its credibility. Twitter labeled NPR’s main account as “state-affiliated media,” a term also used to identify media outlets controlled or heavily influenced by authoritarian governments, such as Russia and China. Twitter later changed the label to “government-funded media.”

Judge Limits Fox’s Options for Defense in Dominion Trial

DNyuz – Jeremy Peters (New York Times) | Published: 4/11/2023

A judge ruled Fox News could not argue it broadcast false information about Dominion Voting Systems on the basis that the allegations were newsworthy, limiting a key line of defense for the network as it faces the beginning of a potentially costly defamation trial. The judge also ruled Dominion could not refer to the assault on the Capitol except in very narrow circumstances, saying he did not want jurors to be prejudiced by events that were not relevant to the central question in the case: did Fox air wild claims about Dominion’s purported involvement in a conspiracy to steal the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump knowing they were lies?

New Pressure to End Old Senate Practice After Mississippi Judicial Pick Is Blocked

DNyuz – Carl Hulse (New York Times) | Published: 4/11/2023

Democrats hoped they were on the verge of a judicial breakthrough when President Biden nominated a Baton Rouge lawyer for a U.S. District Court vacancy and the two Republican senators from Louisiana offered no objections. Getting Republican senators to sign off on Biden nominees in their home states has been a struggle, slowing the Democratic drive to fill as many judicial slots as possible. But U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Republican of Mississippi, then said she would not allow the nomination of Scott Colom, a candidate for a court vacancy in the state, to move forward, citing his past political support from the left, among other reasons.

Witnesses Asked About Trump’s Handling of Map with Classified Information

DNyuz – Maggie Haberman, Adam Goldman, and Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 4/12/2023

Investigators are asking witnesses whether former President Trump showed off to aides and visitors a map he took with him when he left office that contains sensitive intelligence information. The map has been just one focus of the Justice Department probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents after he departed the White House. One person briefed on the matter said investigators have asked about Trump showing the map while aboard a plane. Another said investigators appeared to believe Trump showed the map to at least one adviser after leaving office.

Special Counsel Focuses on Trump Fundraising Off False Election Claims

MSN – Josh Dawsey, Devlin Barrett, Rosalind Helderman, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 4/12/2023

Federal prosecutors probing the attack on the U.S. Capitol have in recent weeks sought a wide range of documents related to fundraising after the 2020 election, looking to determine if former President Trump or his advisers scammed donors by using false claims about voter fraud to raise money. The fundraising prong of the investigation is focused on money raised during the period between November 3, 2020, and the end of Trump’s time in office, and prosecutors are said to be interested in whether anyone associated with the operation violated wire fraud laws, which make it illegal to make false representations over email to swindle people out of money.

Meta Won’t Say If Politicians Can Post AI-Made Fakes Without Warnings

MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) | Published: 4/7/2023

Political campaign operatives wrote to Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, asking how the company planned to address AI-generated fake images on its platforms. The inquiry testified to growing concern about the technology’s impact on American democracy among some of the top strategists preparing for the 2024 election. A Meta employee replied to the operatives saying such images, rather than being treated as manipulated media and removed under certain conditions, were being reviewed by independent fact-checkers who work with the company to examine misinformation and apply warning labels to dubious content.

New Report Outlines the Deep Political Polarization’s Slow and Steady March

MSN – Paul Kane (Washington Post) | Published: 4/8/2023

New research by David Wasserman, senor editor at the Cook Political Report, examines all 435 U.S. House districts to explain the geographical roots of political polarization and how hollowed-out the political middle has become. Although legislative gerrymandering plays a key role in letting representatives choose their constituents, the nation’s “urban/rural polarization” has been a much bigger factor over the past 25 years, Wasserman wrote. “The electorate has simply become much more homogenous than it used to be,” he said.

Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire

ProPublica – Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, and Alex Mierjeski | Published: 4/6/2023

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips around the globe for more than two decades, including travel on a superyacht and private jet, from a prominent Republican donor without disclosing them. ProPublica reported on an array of trips funded by Harlan Crow, a Dallas businessperson. There are few restrictions on what gifts justices can accept. But Thomas’s failure to report the flights appears to violate a law that requires justices, judges, members of Congress, and federal officials to disclose most gifts, ethics law experts said.

Pressured by Their Base on Abortion, Republicans Strain to Find a Way Forward

Yahoo News – Jonathan Weisman (New York Times) | Published: 4/11/2023

Republican leaders have followed an emboldened base of conservative activists into what increasingly looks like a political cul-de-sac on the issue of abortion – a tightly confined absolutist position that has limited their options ahead of the 2024 election season, even as some in the party push for moderation. Some Republicans are warning the uncompromising position of their party’s activist base could be leading them over an electoral cliff next year.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Republican Said She ‘Barely’ Met with Lobbyists, but Her Calendar Shows Otherwise

Arizona Mirror – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Published: 4/10/2023

Arizona Sen. Justine Wadsack recently said she “barely” meets with lobbyists after she faced criticism from gun control lobbyists who she refused to meet, but a copy of her legislative calendar shows the lawmaker meets regularly with lobbyists and special interest groups. Public records revealed the majority of Wadsacks’ meetings were with lobbyists, many of whom do not reside in her legislative district. Wadsack’s calendar listed four meetings with voters from her district, and more than 30 meetings with lobbyists and special interest groups.

Arizona – Arizona House Republicans Expel One of Their Own

DNyuz – Neil Vigdor (New York Times) | Published: 4/12/2023

The Arizona House expelled a Republican lawmaker who organized a presentation by an insurance agent who made unsubstantiated accusations that a wide range of politicians, judges, and public officials of both parties took bribes from a Mexican drug cartel. Rep. Liz Harris’s ouster came a day after the House Ethics Committee determined Harris violated legislative rules by inviting a witness to present false testimony.

Arizona – Printer Glitches in Ariz. Election Not Due to Malfeasance, Review Finds

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) | Published: 4/10/2023

The combination of heavier paper and longer ballots was responsible for problems tabulating votes at dozens of polling places in Maricopa County, Arizona, during last November’s midterm elections. The report’s public release marks the latest chapter in the board of supervisors’ quest to tamp down conspiracy theories about elections in the county, which is home to more than half the state’s voters. The printer problems caused confusion on Election Day as tabulators at the affected sites rejected faulty ballots.

California – What Happened on Ash Street? How a Criminal Probe into Suspected Conspiracy to ‘Defraud the City’ Was Settled with a Single Misdemeanor

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union Tribune) | Published: 4/9/2023

When an investigator for District Attorney Summer Stephan was seeking warrants to search Jason Hughes’ home and office, he described a far-reaching conspiracy to swindle San Diego taxpayers out of millions of dollars through two separate real estate deals. Nearly two years later, Hughes pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor charge, the only defendant in a criminal probe that had earlier implicated some of the most powerful elected officials and political donors in the city. Legal experts and pundits are debating what drove judges to push for settlements in the criminal and civil cases and why San Diego officials agreed to them.

California – Bredefeld, Chavez Slap Back at Fresno County Campaign Transfer Limit. It’s Heading to Court

Yahoo News – Tim Sheehan (Fresno Bee) | Published: 4/12/2023

Two Fresno City Council members filed a motion asking a judge to find unconstitutional a county ordinance limiting what they can transfer into their pending campaigns for county office. Fresno County adopted an ordinance in 2020 that put a $30,000 cap on transfers or contributions from a candidate’s campaign account for non-county elective offices into their campaign for county offices. In its lawsuit the county is asking a court for declaratory relief and decide whether that limit can be applied.

Colorado – Tina Peters, Trump Loyalist and Former Clerk, Is Sentenced in Obstruction Case

DNyuz – Neil Vigdor (New York Times) | Published: 4/11/2023

Tina Peters, who was barred from overseeing elections in a Colorado county after her indictment on charges relating to tampering with voting equipment, was sentenced to home detention after she was convicted in a separate obstruction case. Peters, the former clerk in Mesa County, was given four months of house arrest and 120 hours of community service. A jury convicted her of stonewalling investigators from the district attorney’s office when they tried to seize an iPad from her that she had used to record a court proceeding.

District of Columbia – D.C. Housing Director’s $41,250 Bonus at Issue in Council Hearing

MSN – Steve Thompson (Washington Post) | Published: 4/12/2023

District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) Director Brenda Donald recently received a $41,250 bonus on top of the $275,000 she makes annually to lead the embattled authority. She was questioned about the bonus by city council member Donald White. He also raised concerns that the DCHA is not sufficiently transparent about its affairs. At the routine oversight hearing, Donald told White that who approved the bonus and by what rationale was not his business as chair of the Housing Committee.

Hawaii – Ex-Hawaii Lawmaker Gets 2 Years in Prison for Taking Bribes

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 4/6/2023

Former state Rep. Ty Cullen was sentenced to two years in prison for taking cash bribes of more than $25,000 as well as payments in the form of poker chips totaling $22,000 between 2015 and 2021 as part of a scheme to influence legislation involving wastewater and cesspools. He was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine on top of a $23,000 forfeiture. Cullen assisted federal prosecutors as part of an ongoing investigation into public corruption in Hawaii.

Hawaii – Campaign Cash Flowed to Hawaii Senators Just Before an Energy Bill Vote. Reform Measures Won’t Stop It

Honolulu Civil Beat – Stewart Yerton | Published: 4/10/2023

Hawaii lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit registered lobbyists from donating to lawmakers during the legislative session. Individuals and entities who are not registered lobbyists, like the energy company executives, would still be allowed to donate during a session. A bill that would have prohibited all contributions was defeated. The bill is headed to a conference committee, where lawmakers will try to work out differences in House and Senate versions.

Illinois – Chicago Will Host 2024 Democratic Convention as Party Returns to Midwest

MSN – Katie Glueck and Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) | Published: 4/11/2023

Chicago will host the 2024 Democratic National Convention, elevating a large liberal city in the heart of the Midwest, a critical battleground region. In the final deliberations, Chicago beat out New York – another progressive city whose advocates had boasted of its infrastructure and fundraising resources – as well as Atlanta, in a presidential battleground state. Republicans plan to hold their national convention in Milwaukee, underscoring the fierce competition for the Midwest on the cusp of another presidential election.

Illinois – Federal Judge Sentences Longtime Political Operative to Probation in Corruption Probe

Yahoo News – Madeline Buckly and Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 4/12/2023

A federal judge lamented the pervasiveness of public corruption in Illinois as she ordered a one-year probation sentence for a longtime Chicago fire inspector and precinct captain who admitted to lying to the FBI in connection with a bribery probe into former state Sen. Martin Sandoval. Rudy Acosta pleaded guilty to misleading the FBI in a series of interviews about its investigation into Sandoval and other elected officials. The judge stressed the importance of sending a message to those in positions of power to deter official misconduct but took into account Acosta’s health issues and his “extensive” cooperation in FBI probes.

Kansas – Judge Won’t Toss Subpoenas Directed at Kansas Republican Officials Amid Ethics Probe

Yahoo News – Andrew Bahl (Topeka Capital-Journal) | Published: 4/11/2023

A judge declined to toss a sweeping series of subpoenas issued to local Republican Party leaders, clearing a potential path for the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to be able to be enforce the documents in court.  The probe into the campaign finance activities of prominent legislators and state GOP officials has become increasingly open in recent months, with the ethics panel going to court to enforce the subpoenas and drawing pushback.

Kansas – Wichita Council OKs Airport Marketing Contract, Will Talk More About Conflicts of Interest

Yahoo News – Michael Kelly (Wichita Eage) | Published: 4/11/2023

The Wichita City Council approved a media buying contract for Eisenhower National Airport with Copp Media. The contract, approved a week after the council voted it down, includes new language prohibiting Copp from taking on mayoral or city council candidates as clients while doing business with the city. The council also voted to schedule a workshop where staff will present a policy for discussion about the ethics of double-dipping in city campaign work and city contract work.

Maryland – Chaos Erupts in House of Delegates as Tension Grips Final Moments of General Assembly Session

Maryland Matters – William Zorzi | Published: 4/11/2023

The Maryland General Assembly ended the 2023 session with high drama in both chambers as the final minutes in the House of Delegates devolved into a partisan shouting match, and the Senate president interrupted a motion for final adjournment with a last-seconds vote. The House descended into pandemonium in the final minutes amid a debate over a bill that would prohibit police from stopping or searching a person based solely on the odor of marijuana.

Michigan – Feds Unveil Corruption Charges in Mich. Marijuana Probe Involving Rick Johnson

Detroit News – Robert Snell and Craig Mauger | Published: 4/6/2023

Rick Johnson, the former chair of Michigan’s now-defunct Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, pleaded guilty alongside three others as part of a public corruption probe surrounding the state’s system for regulating medical marijuana. Johnson, who also served as House speaker, was charged with accepting bribes in exchange for licenses to launch marijuana facilities, federal prosecutors said. Also pleading guilty were two lobbyists who were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery – Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown.

New Jersey – Advocates See Few Upsides to Recent Pay-to-Play Overhaul

New Jersey Monitor – Nikita Biryukov | Published: 4/10/2023

Good government advocates warn changes to New Jersey’s “pay-to-play” laws under the Elections Transparency Act will enable corruption. Advocates warn the campaign finance bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law  will weaken safeguards meant to prevent local and state officials from steering public contracts to donors. The law ends local “pay-to-play” ordinances that are often stricter than state law, permits the executive branch to award contracts through a system that critics have decried as a loophole, and removes donations to political parties from the list of those that invoke the anti-corruption protections.

New Jersey – N.J. Town Approves Legal Weed Business Represented by State Democratic Chair’s Lobbying Firm

Newark Star Ledger – Jelani Gibson (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 4/13/2023

The East Orange City Council approved a cannabis dispensary applicant represented by a lobbying firm belonging to New Jersey Democratic Party Chairperson Leroy Jones Jr. while rejecting a local applicant who had pointed out that connection, a move that drew scorn from residents at a council meeting. Precious Osagie-Erese, co-founder of the local applicant for a dispensary, Roll-Up Life, had been critical of Nimbus Holdings being represented in the municipality’s selection process by Jones’ lobbying firm, 1868 Public Affairs.

New York – Key Campaign Player for NYC Mayor Adams Raised Reelection Funds While Taking Money to Lobby His Office, Sparking Ethics Concerns

MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 4/9/2023

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign fundraising manager solicited donations for the mayor’s reelection bid last year while simultaneously being paid to lobby his administration on behalf of a Manhattan property owner with business before the city, according to a review of public records. There is no indication the aide, Brianna Suggs, ran afoul of any laws in playing the dual roles.

New York – Manhattan D.A. Sues Congress Members for ‘Brazen’ Attack on Trump Prosecution

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 4/11/2023

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan and others for what the prosecutor says is a brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on the prosecution and investigation of former President Trump. The civil complaint in seeks to interrupt an investigation launched by Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Jordan and his committee are trying to obtain confidential investigative materials compiled during the district attorney’s criminal probe.

North Dakota – Bills to Boost Campaign Finance Transparency Hit Dead End in North Dakota Legislature

Fargo Forum – Jeremy Turley | Published: 4/10/2023

A recent rise in nebulous political spending has increased the desire among lawmakers for reforming North Dakota’s campaign finance law, but most measures to expand reporting requirements fell flat this year. A unique feature of thew law means groups designated as multicandidate committees are not required to list the recipients of their expenditures.

Oregon – Oregon Secretary of State’s Office Uses Business Registry to Try to Drum Up Support for Budget Request

Oregon Capital Chronicle – Julia Shumway | Published: 4/10/2023

An email from a state division director asking customers to advocate for the agency’s budget raised eyebrows among business owners and lawmakers. The request comes as legislative budget writers urge agencies to trim their budgets, keeping open positions vacant and spending less amid economic uncertainty. Corporation Division Director Eloisa Miller emailed everyone who has registered a business in Oregon asking them to submit written testimony supporting the request.

Pennsylvania – The Philadelphia Board of Ethics Is Accusing Mayoral Candidate Jeff Brown of Illegally Coordinating with a Super PAC

MSN – Chris Brennan, Sean Collins Walsh, and Anna Orsco (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 4/10/2023

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics accused a super PAC called For a Better Philadelphia and a nonprofit of the same name of coordinating with mayoral candidate Jeff Brown to circumvent the city’s contribution limits. The board asked Common Pleas Court Judge Joshua Roberts to issue an emergency order prohibiting the groups from spending money to influence the May 16 primary election and cancel any planned television advertising or other efforts to support Brown’s campaign. The board is also seeking $162,000 in fines to be paid jointly by the two groups for repeatedly violating the city’s campaign finance laws as part of the alleged scheme.

Pennsylvania – How a Pa. City Manager Allegedly Stole Thousands of Taxpayer Dollars with Virtually No Oversight

Spotlight PA – Min Xian and Angela Couloumbis | Published: 4/10/2023

Herm Suplizio, the manager of DuBois, a small city about two hours from Pittsburgh, was arrested for stealing more than $600,000 from public accounts over which he had signatory control. The scheme was so elaborate, according to officials, that investigators with backgrounds in organized and financial crimes were brought in to untangle what charging documents describe as a web of money moving in and out of accounts, with little oversight or accountability. Residents are wondering if Suplizio is convicted, how could such a large theft in a place so small occur without anyone noticing?

Tennessee – Black Lawmaker Who Was Expelled Reinstated to Tennessee Seat

Associated Press News – Jonathan Mattise, Travis Loller, and Kimberlee Kruesi | Published: 4/11/2023

One of the two Black Democrats who were expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House was reinstated after Nashville’s governing council voted to send him back to the Legislature. The unanimous vote by the Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes to restore Rep. Justin Jones to office just four days after Republicans stripped him of his seat. The expulsions made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy and propelled the ousted lawmakers into the national spotlight.

Tennessee – In Tennessee, Second Expelled Black Democratic Lawmaker Is Reappointed

MSN – Robert Klemko and Karin Brulliard (Washington Post) | Published: 4/12/2023

Justin Pearson, one of two Black Democratic lawmakers expelled by Republican representatives for leading a gun-control protest on the Tennessee House floor, was reappointed to the office, returning to his seat after a tumultuous week that deepened partisan rancor in the state and transformed the pair into national political figures. Shelby County commissioners voted unanimously to reinstate Pearson two days after commissioners in Nashville voted unanimously to return the other expelled lawmaker, Justin Jones, to the statehouse.

Tennessee – Tennessee Expulsions Prompt Senate Democrats to Call for DOJ Inquiry

MSN – Matthew Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 4/12/2023

U.S. Senate Democrats urged the Department of Justice to investigate the expulsions of two state representatives in Tennessee to determine whether their removal violated the Constitution or federal civil rights law. Their letter is the first formal effort by federal lawmakers in response to the removals. The Republican-dominated Tennessee House expelled Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson both Democrats, after they led protesters in chants for gun control from the floor of the chamber.

Tennessee – Judges Block Tennessee Move to Cut Nashville Council in Half

Yahoo News – Jonathan Mattise (Associated Press) | Published: 4/10/2023

The Democratic-leaning city of Nashville’s Metropolitan Council will get to keep all 40 of its seats for now under a temporary decision issued by three state judges. The ruling stymies an effort by state Republican lawmakers to cut the council in half after it blocked the 2024 Republican National Convention from coming to the Music City. Nashville has operated under a combined city-county government system with 40 council members since 1963, when leaders were wrestling with consolidating the city and surrounding county as advocates worked to ensure Black leaders maintained strong representation.

Texas – Texas Senate Approves Ban on Local Governments Using Public Funds on Lobbyists

MSN – Hogan Grace (Austin American-Statesman) | Published: 4/12/2023

The Texas Senate approved legislation that would restrict how local governments could fund lobbyists to help them influence proposed state laws and policies moving through the Legislature. Senate Bill 175 would ban cities, counties and school districts from spending public funds to hire registered lobbyists tasked with pressing lawmakers for action. The bill also prohibits political subdivisions from using public funds to pay nonprofit state associations or organizations, such as the Texas Municipal League, that contract registered lobbyists.

Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott Announces He Will Push to Pardon Daniel Perry After Murder Conviction

MSN – Tony Plohetski, Claire Osborn, and Ryan Autullo (Austin American-Statesman) | Published: 4/10/2023

Less than 24 hours after a jury found Daniel Perry guilty of shooting to death a protester, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would pardon the convicted killer as soon as a request “hits my desk.” The unprecedented effort came as Abbott faced growing calls from national conservative figures to undo the conviction. “Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand your ground’ laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or progressive district attorney,” Abbott said in a statement.

Virginia – Hounded by Baseless Voter Fraud Allegations, an Entire County’s Election Staff Quits in Virginia

MSN – Jane Timm (NBC News) | Published: 4/10/2023

Three weeks ago, Buckingham County Registrar Lindsey Taylor, along with two part-time staffers, quit. Their resignations followed a deputy registrar who left in February. The four departures left residents without a functioning registrar’s office; there was no way to register to vote or certify candidate paperwork, at least temporarily. In January, the GOP assumed control of the Buckingham County Electoral Board that oversees Taylor’s office, and local Republicans began advancing baseless voter fraud claims that baffled her. The electoral board made it clear it wanted her out of the job.

Wisconsin – Two Candidates Tied in a Town Election. They Settled It with a Dice Roll.

MSN – Kyle Melnick (Washington Post) | Published: 4/10/2023

When Nate Bell received a photo of his Wisconsin village’s election results, he was in disbelief. The photo showed he and the other candidate for the village board’s president, Rob Zoschke, had each received 256 votes. Bell wondered how the tie would be resolved. The Village of Sister Bay’s board settled on a game of chance: a dice roll. A dice representing Bell landed on six; Zoschke’s dice stopped on two. Bell’s number was larger, so he was selected as the village’s new president.