Campaign Finance

National: “Trump Helped the GOP Raise $2 Billion. Now Former Aides and Allies Are Jockeying to Tap into His Fundraising Power.” by Josh Dawsey, Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, and Anu Narayanswamy (Washington Post) for MSN

Massachusetts: “State Officials Are Investigating Senator, Wife for Potential Campaign Finance Violations” by Matt Sout (Boston Globe) for MSN

New York: “N.Y. State Sen. Brian Benjamin’s Campaign Expenses Raise Questions About Propriety” by Michael Gartland for New York Daily News

Elections

National: “Corporations, Vocal About Racial Justice, Go Quiet on Voting Rights” by David Gelles for New York Times

California: “How California’s Recall Rules Could Spell Trouble for Gavin Newsom” by Ben Christopher (CALmatters) for San Jose Mercury News

Texas: “GOP Candidate from New Jersey Accused of Pandering After He Transforms into Cowboy for Texas Run” by Meryl Kornfield for MSN

Ethics

Maryland: “U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Investigating Marilyn and Nick Mosby” by Ron Cassie for Baltimore Magazine

Lobbying

National: “NRA Faces Internal Woes as It Girds for New Gun Control Fight” by Tom Hamburger (Washington Post) for MSN

Redistricting

North Dakota: “Transparency Advocates Raise Concerns Over North Dakota Redistricting Plan” by Jeremy Turley for Grand Forks Herald

Campaign Finance

National: “FEC Greenlights Campaign Spending for Bodyguards” by Daniel Payne for Politico

Ohio: “Ohio Campaign-Finance Reform Bill Gets First Look Since Emergence of Dark Money Scandal” by Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN

Texas: “Lawsuit Challenges Austin’s Fundraising Rules for Political Candidates” by Ryan Autullo (Austin American-Statesman) for MSN

Elections

National: “Dominion Voting Sues Fox for $1.6B Over 2020 Election Claims” by Colleen Long for Associated Press News

Georgia: “Georgia State Democratic Lawmaker Arrested While Trying to Watch Gov. Kemp Sign Voting Bill” by Amy Wang and Teo Armus (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

New York: “Bannon Criminal Probe in N.Y. Includes Embedded Investigators from State Attorney General’s Office” by Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “No ‘Dreamers’ Allowed: DACA recipients still can’t work for Congress” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN

Lobbying

New Mexico: “New Mexico Lawmakers Snub Lobbying Transparency. In Other States, It’s Business as Usual.” by Brian Metzger for New Mexico In Depth

National/Federal

Congressional Fundraisers Lobby Corporations That Suspended Political Donations Following Capitol Riot
MSN – Brian Schwartz (CNBC) | Published: 3/19/2021

Fundraisers for congressional candidates and party campaign arms have been lobbying corporations to resume donating after many suspended their political contributions. Dozens of corporations at least temporarily paused donations from their PACs after the January 6 Capitol Hill riot that led to at least five deaths. That day, more than 145 Republican lawmakers, encouraged by then-President Trump, voted to dispute the results of the Electoral College certifying Joe Biden as the next president.  Most companies have since said they are reviewing their PACs’ policies on who they give to in the future.

Court Reinstates Guilty Verdicts Against Flynn Partner Over Turkey Lobbying
Politico – Josh Gerstein | Published: 3/17/2021

A federal appeals court reinstated a jury’s guilty verdicts on the business partner of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn over the pair’s lobbying for Turkish interests during the 2016 presidential campaign. A three-judge panel of the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a judge’s ruling last year tossing out the guilty verdicts against Bijan Rafiekian, a businessperson who worked with Flynn on a lobbying and public relations campaign targeting a longtime opponent of the Turkish government, Fethullah Gulen. Judge James Wynn acknowledged the evidence against Rafiekian was far from overwhelming, but said jurors were free to convict the defendant based on circumstantial evidence and inferences.

David Cameron to Be Investigated by Lobbying Body
BBC – Staff | Published: 3/24/2021

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron is being investigated by a lobbying watchdog after reports he contacted government officials on behalf of financial services company Greensill Capital. The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists said it was looking into whether he had done unregistered consultant lobbying. A source close to Cameron said he was exempt from the register as he had been an in-house employee. The contact is said to have taken place after Cameron was prime minister.

HUD Secretary May Have Violated Ethics Law by Championing Democrats in Ohio Senate Race at White House
MSN – Tyler Pager (Washington Post) | Published: 3/20/2021

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, a former member of Congress from Cleveland, may have violated the Hatch Act at the White House when discussing the 2022 U.S, Senate race in Ohio and promoting Democrats’ chances to win the seat, experts said. Fudge answered a question about the race for the seat of retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). “… I think we’re going to put a good person in that race no matter who we choose …,” Fudge said. “I think we have a good shot at it. I know people have written off Ohio. I haven’’ written off Ohio. I believe we can win the Senate race.” The Hatch Act prohibits executive branch officials from engaging in political campaigns and related activities in an official capacity.

Intern Pay Was Supposed to Boost Diversity in Congress. Most of the Money Went to White Students
MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 3/22/2021

Pay Our Interns pushed lawmakers until they agreed to allocate $20,000 to each House office and about $50,000 to each Senate office annually for intern pay, starting in 2019. It would go a long way toward closing the intern diversity gap, hoped Carlos Mark Vera, founder of the group. Instead, the people getting paid internships were overwhelmingly white, 76 percent white, compared to just 52 percent of the national undergraduate population. Black and Latino students were underrepresented, comprising 15 percent and 20 percent of undergraduates nationally but roughly seven percent and eight percent of paid Capitol Hill interns. While interns rarely have much impact on lawmaking, they often go on to more important positions that can affect legislation.

Lobbyists See Biden’s Infrastructure Package as Windfall
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 3/23/2021

A massive White House spending proposal on infrastructure and other domestic priorities is setting the stage for a potential lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill, particularly as more lawmakers embrace a return to earmarks. Lobbying shops on K Street are eager to take on clients who would be competing for new government funding in the legislation expected to hit $3 trillion, and lobbyists on both sides of the aisle are excited about earmarks opening up new avenues of advocacy. Watchdog groups are excited about the legislation to deal with infrastructure, climate change, and global vaccine gaps, among other areas. But they are concerned corporate lobbyists could influence it beyond its intended scope.

Many House Members Averse to Cooperating with OCE, Study Shows
MSN – Chris Marquette (Roll Call) | Published: 3/17/2021

More than a third of U.S. House members investigated by the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) refused to fully cooperate with the probes since the office started investigating lawmakers in 2009. The Campaign Legal Center’s report shows that except for the 113th Congress, member cooperation has steadily declined. Unlike the House Committee on Ethics, the OCE lacks subpoena power and cannot issue sanctions. When members choose not to sit for OCE interviews or produce certain documents, the office is forced to complete its fact-gathering process without that information.

Rep. Tom Reed Apologizes for Sexual Misconduct Detailed in Post Report, Won’t Challenge Cuomo in 2022
MSN – Beth Reinhard (Washington Post) | Published: 3/21/2021

Days after a former lobbyist accused him of sexual misconduct, U.S. Rep. Tom Reed publicly apologized, vowed not to seek reelection, and abandoned a possible run against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Reed said in a statement that he was “struggling” in early 2017, when the incident occurred, and entered treatment for alcohol abuse that year. Reed recently has been weighing a bid to unseat Cuomo and had called for the governor to be impeached amid allegations he sexually harassed multiple women, mostly state employees. Since he was elected to Congress in 2010, Reed has cast himself as a champion of women’s rights.

Senators Turn to Democrats’ Overhaul of Elections and Ethics
MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 3/24/2021

As outside groups ramped up multimillion-dollar campaigns for and against it, U.S. senators took their first formal look at Democrats’ symbolic top-priority bill, a nearly 800-page overhaul of election, campaign finance, and government ethics laws. The bill’s fate may come down to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’ He is the lone Democrat in the 50-50 chamber who has not yet embraced the legislation, dubbed S1 and HR1, even though he signed on as a co-sponsor when the Senate was in GOP control in the last Congress and the bill had no chance of passing. Manchin told reporters the legislation “might divide us even further on a partisan basis” but indicated he supported some provisions.

Several of Biden’s Top White House Aides Aren’t Required to Disclose Personal Finances
Yahoo News – Soo Rin Kim and Libby Cathy (ABC News) | Published: 3/23/2021

Some of President Joe Biden’s top aides in the White House, including advisers overseeing the administration’s coronavirus response and vaccine operation, have not publicly disclosed their personal finances. Senior White House adviser Anita Dunn, deputy coronavirus response coordinator Andy Slavitt, and coronavirus vaccine coordinator Bechara Choucair are not required to file public financial disclosure reports that would reveal their past employment, source of income, personal assets and liabilities, due to the temporary nature of their positions or because they are paid below the reporting threshold, a White House official said.

Trump Faces an Onslaught of Legal Problems, as Investigations and Dozens of Lawsuits Trail Him from Washington to Florida
MSN – David Fahenthold, Amy Gardner, Shayna Jacobs, and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 3/18/2021

A district attorney is sifting through millions of pages of former President Trump’s tax records. The state attorney general has subpoenaed his lawyers, his bankers, his chief financial officer, and even one of his sons. That is just in New York. Trump is also facing criminal investigations in Georgia and the District of Columbia related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He must defend himself against a growing raft of lawsuits, including some seeking damages from Trump’s actions on January 6, when he encouraged a march to the Capitol that ended in a mob storming the building. The volume of these legal problems indicates that after a moment of maximum invincibility in the White House, Trump has fallen to a point of historic vulnerability before the law.

Trump Officials Hindered at Least Nine Key Oversight Probes, Watchdogs Said. Some May Finally Be Released in Coming Months.
MSN – Lisa Rein, Tom Hamburger, Michael Laris, and John Hudson (Washington Post) | Published: 3/22/2021

Politically sensitive work by government watchdogs, mandated by Congress to monitor federal agencies for waste, fraud, and misconduct, faced roadblocks or otherwise were dragged out during the Trump era. Across the government, at least nine key oversight investigations were impeded by clashes with the White House or political appointees. Tensions between federal watchdogs and the administration they monitor are not uncommon. But 11 inspectors general or their senior aides who served under Trump said hostility to oversight reached unprecedented levels during his time in office.

Widows Describe What It’s Like Running for Congress
MSN – Paul Fontello (Roll Call) | Published: 3/19/2021

Julia Letlow’s husband, U.S. Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, died of COVID-19 complications five days before he could be sworn in for the start of the new Congress. Now, Julia Letlow could join a small group of lawmakers in congressional history who succeeded their deceased spouses. According to Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics, 47 women have been appointed or elected to fill vacancies in Congress created when their husbands died. A century ago, that was a key path for women entering politics, according to Debbie Walsh, the center’s director. Widows were seen as dutiful rather than threatening, which helped them break the gender barrier.

Canada

Canada – Former Ambassador MacNaughton Did Not Violate Lobbying Act: Commissioner
Yahoo News – Canadian Press | Published: 3/23/2021

Canada’s former ambassador to the United States has been cleared of illegally lobbying federal government officials. Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger said David MacNaughton did not violate the Lobbying Act last year when he had dozens of communications with senior officials about government policy and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bélanger said MacNaughton had 49 communications with federal officials and offered the pro bono services of his current employer, Palantir Technologies Canada, in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Because those communications were short and did not constitute a “significant part” of his work for Palantir, Bélanger said they did not violate the law.

From the States and Municipalities

California – L.A. to Pay Out $150,000 Over Lawsuit by Former Aide to Jose Huizar
MSN – Emily Alpert Reyes (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 3/24/2021

Los Angeles will pay up to $150,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former aide who alleged he was fired after speaking up about possible crimes committed by then-city Councilperson Jose Huizar. The decision marks the third payout made by the city to settle retaliation suits filed by former staffers for Huizar, who is now facing federal charges that include bribery, racketeering, and money laundering. The settlement involving former staffer Jesse Leon brings the city’s total tab for such lawsuits to $350,000.

Colorado – Aurora Lawmakers Sold on Lobbyist Reform, Delivery Fee Caps and Tax-Free Menstrual Products
Sentinel Colorado – Grant Stringer | Published: 3/22/2021

Aurora lawmakers finalized tighter rules on lobbying disclosures. Lobbyists will have to frequently disclose their activities in public reports. The law will create a public record of lobbyists attempting to sway the city’s decision-making targets. City council members, city staff, commission members and zoning officials who speak with them will also have to disclose activities with lobbyists.

Colorado – In Record Year for Colorado Campaign Finance Complaints, Republicans Cry Foul Over Enforcement
Colorado Sun – Sandra Fish | Published: 3/24/2021

Republicans are crying foul over campaign finance decisions by a deputy secretary of state who rejected recommendations by the Campaign Finance Enforcement team organized a year ago by Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat. A record number of complaints were filed in 2020 along with the second highest fine issued in recent years. But it is possible the system created in 2019 could be tested, as some Republicans challenge the claims filed against them. In at least two instances, the office’s Campaign Finance Enforcement team recommended dismissing complaints, but the deputy secretary of state reversed the recommendations.

Connecticut – Ex-GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Obsitnik Fined $90,000 by Election Enforcement Agency for 2018 Campaign Financing Irregularities
MSN – Jon Lender (Hartford Courant) | Published: 3/18/2021

Connecticut election regulators on fined former gubernatorial candidate Steve Obsitnik $90,000 over allegations he illegally coordinated with an independent expenditure committee created to help his failed 2018 campaign. The State Elections Enforcement Commission also alleged he failed to register his candidate committee within 10 days of declaring a run for governor. State Rep. Jason Perillo was fined $10,000 over allegations he made a “disallowed” contribution to Obsitnik’s campaign and helped coordinate with the independent expenditure committee.

Florida – ‘A Cloud of Corruption’: Democrats want DOJ probe of Florida state Senate races
Miami Herald – Alex Daugherty and Samantha Gross | Published: 3/25/2021

A week after former state Sen. Frank Artiles was arrested on felony charges of offering no-party candidate Alexis Rodriguez $50,000 to run as an independent in a South Florida state Senate race, Florida’s Democrats in Congress are asking U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for a corruption investigation. The lawmakers argued the potential illicit transfer of campaign funds across state lines warrants scrutiny from the federal government. Political committees used money from a “dark money” group to pay for the ads that touted independent candidates, which included language that mimicked Democrats’ platforms and seemed designed to confuse voters, the members of Congress wrote to Garland.

Georgia – Female Lawmakers in Georgia File Sexual Harassment Complaint After Lewd Comments
Courthouse News Service – Aimee Sachs | Published: 3/17/2021

Female lawmakers in the Georgia House filed a sexual harassment complaint to the ethics committee after a male colleague made an inappropriate comment. During a debate on legislation about outgoing surgery sedation, Rep. Kasey Carpenter made what he later said was intended to be a joke about rapper Cardi B’s buttocks. For at least a dozen of the House women, Carpenter’s comment was not only inappropriate and offensive but a reflection of a culture of toxic masculinity in the Capitol they are fed up with.

Georgia – Georgia Bill for New Leadership Money Heads to Governor
Associated Press News – Staff | Published: 3/18/2021

Georgia lawmakers passed a bill that would allow for the creation of new “leadership committees” that could raise campaign funds without limits and coordinate directly with individual candidates, including during a legislative session. It would allow for committees controlled by the governor, lieutenant governor, a political party’s nominee for governor or lieutenant governor, and by the Republican and Democratic caucuses in the state House and Senate. Democrats argued the bill will lead to more money interests being injected into state politics, while Republicans said the bill gives both parties equal opportunity to generate campaign funds.

Hawaii – The Hawaii Capitol Is Closed to The Public, But Some Lobbyists Still Have Entrée
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 3/24/2021

The public has been barred from entering the Capitol since March 2020, when Hawaii Sen. Clarence Nishihara tested positive for COVID-19 after a trip to Las Vegas. At the start of the 2021 legislative session, constituents were again banned from entering the Capitol and visiting offices and committee rooms. Instead, they testified remotely to legislative committees. But some individuals, including registered lobbyists, have been able to gain an audience with lawmakers in their offices after scheduling appointments.

Illinois – Executive Resigns from Hospital That Offered Early Vaccines to Employees at Trump’s Chicago Hotel
MSN – David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 3/24/2021

The chief operating officer of a small Chicago hospital resigned after reports he used coronavirus vaccines meant for low-income residents to vaccinate employees at his luxury wristwatch dealer, his regular steakhouse, and his condominium building, which is former President Trump’s Chicago tower. Anosh Ahmed’s actions had raised concerns that Loretto Hospital executives were putting their friends ahead of their patients. The city of Chicago had already cut off Loretto’s supply of new vaccines while it investigated.

Kentucky – Second Person Charged with Lying to Jury, FBI in Case Connected to Lexington Council
Lexington Herald-Leader – Beth Musgrave | Published: 3/19/2021

Jeffrey Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly lying to federal investigators and a jury about campaign contributions to Lexington City Council members. Collins, a then-employee of CRM Companies, faces two counts related to a $1,000 contribution he gave during the May 2018 council primaries. The lies allegedly occurred during the investigation and trial of former real estate executive Timothy Wellman, who worked for CRM Companies. No allegations of wrongdoing were made against council members.

Maryland – Complaints Filed About Maryland Lawmaker Who Tuned into Legislative Meetings from the Operating Room
MSN – Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/23/2021

A Maryland lawmaker who is also a surgeon twice tuned into General Assembly committee meetings from an operating room during a legislative session in which many hearings and votes have been held online because of the coronavirus pandemic. When Del. Terri Hill’s Zoom account was logged into a meeting of the Health and Government Operations Committee for about an hour, it showed multiple gowned and masked figures moving about, with sets of operating room lights visible on the screen. Hill defended the practice as not much different from listening to music or a recorded book while in the operating room. Complaints have been filed against Hill with the state Board of Physicians and the General Assembly’s ethics committee.

Maryland – Following Monthly Exposé, Maryland House Passes Bill Targeting Hogan’s Business Dealings
Washington Monthly – Eric Cortellessa | Published: 3/18/2021

The Maryland House passed a bill to reform state ethics law, following a news story about Gov. Larry Hogan’s advancing road and highway projects near properties his company owns, which can boost the value of those properties. Hogan dismissed he report as a “blog thing,” but the story was cited by proponents of the new bill. The legislation would tighten disclosure laws by requiring the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, and any agency head to notify state ethics officials and members of the General Assembly whenever they face a decision in which they or a relative have a monetary interest. It would also require all elected officials to reveal more information about businesses in which they have a stake.

Missouri – St. Charles County Lawmaker Wants to Impose Tough Ethics Rules – on St. Louis City Elected Officials
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 3/22/2021

A ranking member of the Missouri House wants to impose tougher ethics rules on officials in St. Louis. Rep. John Wiemann, the speaker pro tem, says just as state officials are barred from receiving gifts and must wait two years to begin lobbying their former colleagues, city officials also should face limits. Under changes in the state constitution approved by voters, lobbyists are banned from giving out gifts or meals to state lawmakers worth more than five dollars. But that prohibition did not include mayors, city council members, and other local officials.

Montana – Montana’s Governor Broke Rules to Kill a Yellowstone Wolf. A State Agency Gave Him a Warning.
Yahoo News – Erin Snodgrass (Business Insider) | Published: 3/23/2021

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte was let off with a warning for defying a state regulation before trapping and killing a Yellowstone wolf near the national park in February. Though wolves inside Yellowstone are protected from hunters, Montana law does allow for the trapping and hunting of wolves in other parts of the state, including those that wander out of the park’s boundaries. But Gianforte harvested the wolf without having completed a state-mandated wolf trapping certification course.

Nevada – Ex-Lawmaker Charged with Misusing Funds, False Records
Associated Press News – Michele Price | Published: 3/19/2021

The Nevada attorney general’s office charged former state Rep. Alex Assefa of misusing campaign funds and filing false voter registration and campaign finance records. Prosecutors filed 14 charges against Assefa, who before resigning in January in the wake of reports he was under investigation related to his finances and whether he lived in the legislative district he represented. Prosecutors alleged Assefa lied about his residence on voter registration forms, filed false campaign finance reports, and misappropriated at least $11,150 in campaign funds.

Nevada – Lobbyists Must Register, Report; Still Can’t Enter Legislature
This Is Reno – Jerri Davis | Published: 3/19/2021

Assembly Bill 110, which addresses lobbying the Capitol during the pandemic, was signed into law by Gov. Steve Sisolak. Lobbyists have not been allowed inside the legislative building.at all this session, which began February 1. Nevada law previously required lobbyists to register only if they were conducting business in-person. Under the bill, lobbyists can now register online. They will need to file reports on their activity since the start of the session.

New Jersey – Former Candidate Tied to N.J. Corruption Case Gets Probation Over $10K Campaign Contribution
Newark Star Ledger – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 3/18/2021

A former Morris County freeholder candidate tied to an ongoing New Jersey “pay-to-play” investigation was sentenced to probation over campaign contribution she took from a tax attorney who allegedly had been looking to lock-down lucrative municipal contracts. Mary Dougherty, the wife of the current mayor of Morristown, originally was charged with bribery, but pleaded guilty to reduced charges in February of falsifying a campaign finance report. The plea means she will not face prison. She was also required to forfeit the $10,000 contribution.

New Mexico – Lobbyist Caught Swearing During Virtual Senate Finance Committee Meeting
KRQE – Brady Wakayama | Published: 3/21/2021

Virtual meetings are now common during the pandemic and there are stories of people forgetting to mute themselves at the wrong time. That is exactly what happened recently at the New Mexico Legislature. The hot mic incident happened as lawmakers were discussing a tax reform package. It would expand a tax credit for low-income workers and expands the low-income comprehensive tax rebate. “I got legislative sessions going and these b****es are trying to throw taxes on us,” said one business lobbyist attending a virtual Senate Finance Committee meeting.

New York – Andrew Cuomo’s Family Members Were Given Special Access to Covid Testing, According to People Familiar with the Arrangement
MSN – Josh Dawsey, Amy Brittain, and Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) | Published: 3/24/2021

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration arranged special access to government-run coronavirus testing for members of his family and other well-connected people as the pandemic hit New York last year, according to three people with direct knowledge of the effort. As part of the program, a state lab immediately processed the results of those who were tested, the people said, even as average New Yorkers were struggling to get tested in the early days of the pandemic because of a scarcity of resources. New York law prohibits state officials from using their positions to secure privileges for themselves or others.

New York – Cuomo Ethics Commissioners Block Subpoena to Governor’s Office
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 3/23/2021

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s appointees to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) blocked a subpoena seeking information about the unpaid volunteers playing an outsized role in the COVID-19 response. If issued, the proposed subpoena would have sought information about which volunteers aiding Cuomo have been exempted from normal ethics rules under executive orders issued by the governor. The subpoena also would have sought information about whether those volunteers ever recused themselves from governmental matters that posed potential conflicts-of-interest with their day jobs.

Ohio – Florida Authorities Say Columbus Lobbyist’s Death an Apparent Suicide
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Andrew Tobias | Published: 3/17/2021

Police believe a longtime Ohio lobbyist charged in connection with the House Bill 6 probe took his own life. Michelle Batten, a spokesperson for the Collier County sheriff’s office in Florida, said investigators do not suspect foul play was involved in Neil Clark’s death. Prosecutors say Clark played a role in a $61 million bribery scheme, funded by FirstEnergy and its affiliates, to pass the bill that bailed out two power plants owned by a former FirstEnergy subsidiary.

Ohio – Nursing Home Association Gave $135,000 to Dark Money Group Indicted in Ohio Bribery Case
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 3/22/2021

An entity representing Ohio’s nursing home industry contributed at least $135,000 to a “dark money” group that has pleaded guilty to its role in an alleged racketeering scheme involving former House Speaker Larry Householder. The nonprofit 501(c)(4) entity, 55 Green Meadows, is affiliated with the Ohio Health Care Association. In 2017 and 2018, 55 Green Meadows, donated the money to Generation Now, group that prosecutors say Householder secretly controlled. Both these nonprofit entities, known as “social welfare” organizations under federal tax law, can legally spend unlimited sums influencing politics so long as this is not the organization’s “primary activity.”

South Carolina – An SC Councilman’s Company Did Work for His City for Years. No One Asked Questions.
Charleston Post and Courier – Stephen Hobbs and Thad Moore | Published: 3/20/2021

Every year, elected officials in South Carolina flood the State Ethics Commission with paperwork intended to reveal potential conflicts-of-interest. But for more than a decade, a medical practice owned by Dillon’s current acting mayor, Dr. Phil Wallace, made money from the city and he never disclosed it. The relationship was hardly a secret. Wallace’s medical practice had a list of clients on its website and “Historic City of Dillon, S.C.” was at the top of the list. The case shows how in South Carolina, clear entanglements can fall through the cracks.

South Carolina – SC AG Alan Wilson’s Office Gives Public Corruption Cases to Upstate Prosecutor
MSN – John Monk (The State) | Published: 3/18/2021

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office will give four high-profile cases involving alleged public corruption by three former state lawmakers and a political consultant to a state prosecutor. The charges against Richard Quinn Sr. and the lawmakers that will now be handled by Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette stem from special prosecutor David Pascoe’s investigation into statehouse corruption. In January, after state Supreme Court decision in one of Pascoe’s corruption cases placed limits on Pascoe’s authority, he turned over his pending cases in his investigation to Wilson for disposal.

Texas – Texas’s Chief Energy Regulator Fiercely Defended Fossil Fuels After Historic Blackouts. She Also Profits from Oil and Gas.
MSN – Neena Santija and Aaron Gregg (Washington Post) | Published: 3/19/2021

Christi Craddick, who chairs a commission overseeing the oil and gas industry in Texas, defended said natural gas producers were not responsible for the widespread powers outages the state suffered in the wake of a recent winter storm. Craddick and her father, a well-known state representative who sits on two committees overseeing oil and gas, have direct financial ties to that industry, including with some of the same gas-producing companies that have admitted to shutdowns of their own facilities during the storm. Critics say the ownership stakes reflect a conflict of interest for the Craddicks and exemplify a major ethics loophole in Texas, where regulators can have financial interests in the companies they oversee.

Vermont – Zoom Boom: Will Statehouse livestreaming continue when lawmakers return?
VTDigger.org – Kit Norton | Published: 3/22/2021

Before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the statehouse last year in Vermont, legislative committee meetings were relatively difficult for the public to access. They were taped for posterity, but recordings were hard to come by. Only House and Senate floor proceedings were available via livestream, courtesy of Vermont Public Radio. In the year since, lawmakers have grown accustomed to conducting business and members of the public, the press, and lobbyists have grown accustomed to accessing video of those proceedings on YouTube. Now, the Senate is considering legislation that could make Statehouse business available to the public even after the pandemic is over.

Washington DC – ‘It’s Not a Local Issue Anymore’: D.C. statehood moves from political fringe to the center of the national Democratic agenda
MSN – Mike DeBonis and Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 3/20/2021

With Joe Biden as president, a Democratic majority in Congress behind him, and a fast-evolving political landscape has propelled District of Columbia statehood up the Democratic priority list after it passed the U.S. House for the first time last year. The jolt of momentum stems in part from an increasingly urgent desire among Democrats to act while they have power to erode what they see as Republican structural advantages in the nation’s democracy, including the Senate. Statehood would probably result in two additional Democratic senators, shifting the dynamic in a chamber where members from conservative, rural states can wield disproportionate influence over legislation, federal courts, and presidential nominations.

Wisconsin – Bill Would Require Legislators and Their Staff to Stop Deleting Public Records
Wisconsin Examiner – Melanie Conklin | Published: 3/18/2021

The Wisconsin Legislature is required to respond to open records request, just as any other government entity in the state. But in its own statutes, the body gives itself a major pass that allows its records such as emails and correspondence, and therefore its actions, to be shielded from the public. Legislators and staff may simply delete or throw out the records. Unlike other governmental entities, there is no requirement that they save records, prior to those documents being requested via an open-records request.

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “In Record Year for Colorado Campaign Finance Complaints, Republicans Cry Foul Over Enforcement” by Sandra Fish for Colorado Sun

Ohio: “Nursing Home Association Gave $135,000 to Dark Money Group Indicted in Ohio Bribery Case” by Jake Zuckerman (Ohio Capital Journal) for MSN

Ethics

National: “HUD Secretary May Have Violated Ethics Law by Championing Democrats in Ohio Senate Race at White House” by Tyler Pager (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Several of Biden’s Top White House Aides Aren’t Required to Disclose Personal Finances” by Soo Rin Kim and Libby Cathy (ABC News) for Yahoo News

Maryland: “Complaints Filed About Maryland Lawmaker Who Tuned into Legislative Meetings from the Operating Room” by Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) for MSN

Montana: “Montana’s Governor Broke Rules to Kill a Yellowstone Wolf. A State Agency Gave Him a Warning.” by Erin Snodgrass (Business Insider) for Yahoo News

New York: “Andrew Cuomo’s Family Members Were Given Special Access to Covid Testing, According to People Familiar with the Arrangement” by Josh Dawsey, Amy Brittain, and Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

National: “Lobbyists See Biden’s Infrastructure Package as Windfall” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

Canada: “Former Ambassador MacNaughton Did Not Violate Lobbying Act: Commissioner” by Canadian Press for Yahoo News

Hawaii: “The Hawaii Capitol Is Closed to The Public, But Some Lobbyists Still Have Entrée” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat

Campaign Finance

National: “Congressional Fundraisers Lobby Corporations That Suspended Political Donations Following Capitol Riot” by Brian Schwartz (CNBC) for MSN

Nevada: “Ex-Lawmaker Charged with Misusing Funds, False Records” by Michelle Price for Associated Press News

Ethics

National: “Trump Officials Hindered at Least Nine Key Oversight Probes, Watchdogs Said. Some May Finally Be Released in Coming Months.” by Lisa Rein, Tom Hamburger, Michael Laris, and John Hudson (Washington Post) for MSN

Georgia: “Female Lawmakers in Georgia File Sexual Harassment Complaint After Lewd Comments” by Aimee Sachs for Courthouse News Service

Legislative Issues

National: “Intern Pay Was Supposed to Boost Diversity in Congress. Most of the Money Went to White Students” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN

Vermont: “Zoom Boom: Will Statehouse livestreaming continue when lawmakers return?” by Kit Norton for VTDigger.org

Lobbying

Colorado: “Aurora Lawmakers Sold on Lobbyist Reform, Delivery Fee Caps and Tax-Free Menstrual Products” by Grant Stringer for Sentinel Colorado

Missouri: “St. Charles County Lawmaker Wants to Impose Tough Ethics Rules – on St. Louis City Elected Officials” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

New Mexico: “Lobbyist Caught Swearing During Virtual Senate Finance Committee Meeting” by Brady Wakayama for KRQE

Campaign Finance

Kentucky: “Second Person Charged with Lying to Jury, FBI in Case Connected to Lexington Council” by Beth Musgrave for Lexington Herald-Leader

Elections

National: “Widows Describe What It’s Like Running for Congress” by Paul Fontello (Roll Call) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Rep. Tom Reed Apologizes for Sexual Misconduct Detailed in Post Report, Won’t Challenge Cuomo in 2022” by Beth Reinhard (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Access, Influence and Pardons: How a Set of Allies Shaped Trump’s Choices” by Kenenth Vogel and Nicholas Confessore for New York Times

Maryland: “Following Monthly Exposé, Maryland House Passes Bill Targeting Hogan’s Business Dealings” by Eric Cortellessa for Washington Monthly

South Carolina: “An SC Councilman’s Company Did Work for His City for Years. No One Asked Questions.” by Stephen Hobbs and Thad Moore for Charleston Post and Courier

Wisconsin: “Bill Would Require Legislators and Their Staff to Stop Deleting Public Records” by Melanie Conklin for Wisconsin Examiner

Legislative Issues

Washington DC: “‘It’s Not a Local Issue Anymore’: D.C. statehood moves from political fringe to the center of the national Democratic agenda” by Mike DeBonis and Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

Nevada: “Lobbyists Must Register, Report; Still Can’t Enter Legislature” by Jerri Davis for This Is Reno

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “Ex-GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Obsitnik Fined $90,000 by Election Enforcement Agency for 2018 Campaign Financing Irregularities” by Jon Lender (Hartford Courant) for MSN

Georgia: “Georgia Bill for New Leadership Money Heads to Governor” by Staff for Associated Press News

New Jersey: “Former Candidate Tied to N.J. Corruption Case Gets Probation Over $10K Campaign Contribution” by Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star Ledger

Ethics

National: “For Political Cartoonists, the Irony Was That Facebook Didn’t Recognize Irony” by Mike Isaac for New York Times

National: “Many House Members Averse to Cooperating with OCE, Study Shows” by Chris Marquette (Roll Call) for MSN

Ohio: “Florida Authorities Say Columbus Lobbyist’s Death an Apparent Suicide” by Andrew Tobias for Cleveland Plain Dealer

South Carolina: “SC AG Alan Wilson’s Office Gives Public Corruption Cases to Upstate Prosecutor” by John Monk (The State) for MSN

Texas: “Texas’s Chief Energy Regulator Fiercely Defended Fossil Fuels After Historic Blackouts. She Also Profits from Oil and Gas.” by Neena Santija and Aaron Gregg (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

National: “Court Reinstates Guilty Verdicts Against Flynn Partner Over Turkey Lobbying” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

National/Federal

Army Initially Pushed to Deny District’s Request for National Guard Before Jan. 6
MSN – Paul Sonne, Peter Hermann, Ellen Nakashima, and Matt Zapotosky (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

The Army pushed to reject the District of Columbia’s request for a modest National Guard presence ahead of the January 6 rally that led to the Capitol riot, underscoring the reluctance of some at the Pentagon to involve the military in security arrangements that day. In an internal draft memo, the Army said the U.S. military should not be needed to help police with traffic and crowd management, as city officials had requested, unless more than 100,000 demonstrators were expected. The memo said the request should be denied because a federal agency had not been identified to run the preparations and on-the-day operations; the resources of other federal agencies had not been exhausted; and law enforcement was “far better suited” for the task.

Brussels Lobbying Business Picks Up Despite Pandemic
Politico – Lily Bayer | Published: 3/10/2021

Not even a pandemic can keep European Union (EU) lobbyists down for long. While some endured revenue falls and staff cuts after the coronavirus crisis first hit, consultancies and other lobbying outfits have become increasingly active since then. Some of the uptick is due to the crisis itself. Private sector clients and others are eager to influence the EU’s post-coronavirus recovery plans. Some of it is due to Brussels entering what are traditionally the busiest years of a legislative cycle, with the European Commission in its second year in office.

Corporate PAC Donations to Parties and Candidates Plummet after Capitol Riot
MSN – Kate Ackley and Herb Jackson (Roll Call) | Published: 3/16/2021

Campaign finance data show companies and organizations largely stuck to their public pledges to pause at least some of their political donations after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol and 147 Republicans in the House and Senate voted to reject electoral votes from certain states that President Biden won. The coronavirus pandemic also put a dent in giving during the earliest weeks of this year. But PACs would normally use checks in January after an election year to introduce themselves to new office holders, help candidates build up funds to scare away potential challengers or to retire old campaign debt, and assist party committees gearing up for another campaign cycle. Disclosures from 2021 show this did not happen.

House Committee Seeks Financial Records for Trump’s Washington Hotel
MSN – Jonathan O’Connell and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

A House committee asked the Biden administration to provide detailed financial records on former President Trump’s Washington, D.C. hotel, which is in a federally owned building and must give the government financial data as part of its lease. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee first asked for records on the hotel in 2019. But for two years, while Trump’s administration was the Trump International Hotel’s landlord, the government refused to hand them over. Those records, if made public, would reveal the inner workings of a hotel that became a place where the sitting president’s company could be paid by foreign governments, Republican allies, and companies with business before the Trump administration.

House GOP Super PAC Launches Hard-Money Arm
Politico – Zach Montellaro | Published: 3/17/2021

The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC with close ties to House Republican leadership, is launching a hard-money arm that will allow it to endorse and contribute directly to candidates and members of Congress. The effort, dubbed the CLF Trailblazers Fund, marks a new step for the high-spending super PAC that will allow it to have a more direct role in congressional races, potentially including GOP primaries.

How 535,000 Covid Deaths Spurred Political Awakenings Across America
New York Times – Maggie Astor | Published: 3/17/2021

Many people who have lost loved ones, or whose lives have been upended by long-haul symptoms of COVID-19, have turned to political action, seeking answers and new policies from a government whose failures under the Trump administration allowed the U.S. to become one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic. Dozens recently participated in an advocacy training session over Zoom, run by a group called Covid Survivors for Change. The group organized virtual meetings with the offices of 16 U.S. senators and more than 50 group members lobbied for the coronavirus relief package.

‘I Still Don’t Feel Safe’: House lawmakers adjust to metal detectors, new normal
MSN – Chris Cioffi (Roll Call) | Published: 3/12/2021

Since January, lawmakers have been queuing up at the chamber doors, rummaging through their pockets, and sliding bags and other belongings across a table before they walk through the metal detectors. It is a common sight at sports stadiums or concert venues, less so in the U.S. House. Two months later, the outrage has cooled somewhat, but a question remains: Is this the new normal? Republicans who once made a scene, shouting at Capitol Police or dodging the screenings, are now complying as quietly as they would at the airport. They may not be happy about it, but it is starting to feel routine.

‘Manels’ Flourished During Key Period in Congress, Research Finds
MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 3/16/2021

When U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa convened a hearing on birth control with mostly male witnesses in 2012, some Democratic women staged a walkout. Less noticed is the lack of women in more mundane settings, where the effects of gender are not as obvious. Caroline Bruckner of American University wanted to see who got a voice at the witness table as Republicans pushed through an overhaul of the tax code. There were 12 hearings and just 19 percent of the witnesses were women. Five of the hearings featured only men. Bruckner is looking at past panels, working with a team of other researchers at American University to track gender representation at legislative hearings for 15 committees going back 10 years.

Putin Targeted People Close to Trump in Bid to Influence 2020 Election, U.S. Intelligence Says
Seattle Times – Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials in Moscow sought to influence the 2020 election by spreading misleading information about Joe Biden through prominent individuals, some of whom were close to former President Trump, the U.S. intelligence community said in a report. It does not identify those individuals by name, but it appears to reference Trump’s onetime personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, whose repeated meetings with a suspected Russian agent came under scrutiny by U.S. officials. While foreign disinformation and interference was a major concern heading into the 2020 campaign, domestic efforts to disrupt the race, including by Trump and his allies, turned out to be of greater significance.

Two Arrested in Assault on Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, Who Died After Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
MSN – Spencer Hsu and Peter Hermann (Washington Post) | Published: 3/15/2021

Federal authorities arrested and charged two men with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the January 6 Capitol riot but have not determined whether the exposure caused his death. Julian Khater and George Tanios are charged with nine counts including assaulting three officers with a deadly weapon. They are also charged with civil disorder and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Lawmakers Move to Block Private Funds for Elections
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 3/15/2021

Raising the specter of Mark Zuckerberg influencing who holds office in Arizona, Republican lawmakers moved to block counties from taking money from any private source to help run future elections. The party-line vote by the Senate Government Committee follows the disclosure that nine Arizona counties got more than $6 million last year from the Center for Tech and Civic Life. The grants were to help defray some of the costs of running an election during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Jennifer Marson, executive director for the Arizona Association of Counties.

California – Bill to Increase Transparency of Lobbying Activities Passed in Senate Committee
California Globe – Evan Symon | Published: 3/16/2021

Legislation that would increase the transparency of lobbying activities in Sacramento was approved by the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee. Senate Bill 305 would allow electronic signatures on lobbyist registration forms and documents. Presently, a handwritten signature is required. The forms are also currently restricted to be handed in-person at the secretary of state’s office or sent through the mail. Sen. Brian Jones introduced the bill because of the delay current procedures have on keeping the public informed.

California – French Laundry Friend Now Banned from Lobbying California Gov. Gavin Newsom
MSN – Sophia Bollag (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 3/16/2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom adopted an expanded lobbying ban for his political consultants, months after he drew criticism for dining with lobbyist Jason Kinney at an expensive restaurant in violation of his own pandemic restrictions. Under the new rules, appointees “with a high level of influence over the Administration’s policy decisions” are prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists. The rule applies to Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, senior officials at agencies and departments, policy advisers, and “any equivalent position.” The administration also asked the Fair Political Practices Commission to maintain a list on its website of everyone registered to lobby Newsom and executive branch agencies.

California – Get Ready for California Recall to Break the Bank in 2021
Politico – Jeremy White | Published: 3/16/2021

Limitless money, a slew of candidates, and undivided national attention are about to converge in a battle for California’s future. An effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is highly likely to qualify after supporters submit their last signatures. The ensuing campaign will be a melee free from the constraints that inhibit other statewide contests in California. Donation caps do not apply. Hundreds of millions of dollars are likely to inundate the state as the full might of California’s Democratic establishment vies with a concerted Republican effort to oust a humbled blue state leader.

California – Oakland’s Transparency Problem: Thousands of public records requests are backlogged
Vallejo Times Herald – Annie Sciacca | Published: 3/15/2021

When people try to obtain public records from the city of Oakland, especially police reports, many probably feel their requests have been tossed into the abyss. In more than 6,300 cases, the police department and other city offices either have not responded to record requests or have not supplied all the sought-after documents, according to a review of Oakland’s NextRequest portal, which pulls all the requests into one place. Under the California Public Records Act, government agencies must let people who request documents know within 10 days whether they possess them, intend to withhold them and, if so, on what legal basis. Agencies can extend the 10-day period another 14 days.

Colorado – Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Sues City Over Recent Campaign Finance Changes
Canon City Daily Recortd – John Aguilar (Denver Post) | Published: 3/17/2021

Aurora Mayor Michael Coffman sued his own city, claiming a campaign finance reform measure passed by the city council last year is “designed to silence” him by barring officeholders in Aurora from organizing campaigns on behalf of candidates or ballot issues. The mayor said he supports the bulk of the ordinance, which limits individual donations to a candidate or his or her political committee to $400 per election cycle in a ward race and $1,000 in an at-large or mayoral race.

Florida – Florida Property Rights Bill Was Written by a Development Company
Tampa Bay Times – Zachary Sampson | Published: 3/16/2021

A bill in the Florida Legislature that would bolster a state property rights law that critics say already scares local governments away from protecting the environment was written by representatives of a major development business that has donated to its state Senate sponsor. Sen. Ray Rodrigues said he worked with a lobbyist for the Barron Collier Companies and Collier Enterprises Management to draft the proposal. An email shows the lobbyist passed along draft language from an executive at Barron Collier Companies, one branch of a real estate and investment empire left by Collier County’s namesake.

Florida – Police Raid Home of Former GOP Lawmaker Who Bragged About Planting No-Party Candidate
Miami Herald – Ana Ceballos, Samantha Gross, and David Ovalle | Published: 3/17/2021

Authorities raided the house of former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles. He is believed to be tied to a state investigation involving a sham no-party candidate who likely swayed the outcome of a key 2020 Miami-Dade state Senate race. While details remain sealed, it was reported that Artiles got involved in the Senate District 37 race when he recruited and boasted about planting Alex Rodriguez, an auto-parts dealer, to run in the race. Rodriguez was on the ballot as a no-party candidate, shared the same surname as the incumbent Democrat, and his mysterious candidacy has been under investigation since November.

Hawaii – Hawaii Lawmakers Seek Exemption from Political Ad Disclosures
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 3/18/2021

The public could have less transparency in elections and less insight into what political advertisements candidates are paying for under a pair of measures moving through the Hawaii Legislature.  House Bill 144 and House Bill 674 would exempt candidates from filing reports on ads with the state. That law was intended to shine a light on how much money candidates and political committees are spending on ads during election season to sway voters. Wording in the ad reporting law has confounded some campaigns and led to significant fines in recent years.

Illinois – At Trump’s Chicago Tower, Employees Got Vaccinated Early – Thanks to a Hospital Whose COO Lives in the Building
MSN – David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 3/17/2021

Employees at former President Trump’s Chicago tower got early access to coronavirus vaccines, arranged by a hospital whose chief operating officer owns a $2.7 million condo in the building. Seventy-two employees of Trump’s hotel and condo tower were vaccinated on March 10 and 11, despite city guidelines saying hotel employees would not be eligible until March 29. The city asked for more details about the vaccination event from its organizer, Loretto Hospital. The small hospital is in a majority-Black neighborhood nine miles from Trump’s downtown tower and says its mission is to provide vaccines to the “minority communities hardest hit” by the pandemic.

Iowa – Iowa Extended Contact Tracing Contract with Company Owned by Republican Party Donor as Cases Plummeted
Associated Press News – Ryan Foley | Published: 3/12/2021

As coronavirus virus cases plummeted, Iowa quietly extended a $3.9 million contact tracing contract with a company owned by a major Republican Party donor and supporter of Gov. Kim Reynolds. After a one-day emergency bidding process in November, the state Department of Public Health hired MCI, a telemarketing firm, to trace the contacts of residents infected with COVID-19. The award of the two-month, $2.3 million contract came during a surge in cases that filled up hospitals with patients and after months of complaints from counties about a shortage of contact tracing workers. MCI performed telemarketing and data work for Donald Trump’s two presidential campaigns and also provided services for Reynolds’ political campaign.

Kentucky – ‘Not a Knee-Jerk Reaction.’ Legislators Say Ethics Bills Not Just Aimed at Beshear.
Lexington Herald-Leader – John Cheves | Published: 3/12/2021

The Kentucky Legislature is moving two government ethics bills aimed at Gov. Andy Beshear – but also, lawmakers, say, at future governors from both parties who will follow him. The House appeared poised to give final passage to Senate Bill 6, which would create ethics rules for the people who work on transition teams for newly elected governors and other state constitutional officers, such as attorneys general and state auditors. The other measure is House Bill 454, which would reorganize the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, the panel that enforces a code of ethics on most of state government.

Maine – Legislation That Would Silence Foreign Companies During Maine Ballot Campaigns Gets First Look
Portland Press Herald – Scott Thistle | Published: 3/15/2021

A trio of bills seeking to silence the influence of foreign companies on statewide ballot questions in Maine drew support and opposition during a public hearing before the Legislature. At stake is an ongoing, $1 billion powerline-expansion project spearheaded by Central Maine Power Co. and Hydro-Quebec, an energy company owned and operated by the Canadian province of Quebec. The legislation, offered by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, would prohibit Hydro-Quebec from spending in an attempt to influence the outcome of a ballot question in November that would require the Legislature approve the project. It has been approved by state and federal regulators.

Maryland – Baltimore Clarifies Rules to Govern Board of Estimates Votes, Abstentions
Yahoo News – Tim Prudente (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/13/2021

Baltimore’s Board of Ethics clarified the voting rules for the city spending panel, finding a member may in fact vote on matters pertaining to units of city government under his or her control. In a written opinion, the ethics panel concluded a 2013 change to city law limits instances in which members of the Board of Estimates must abstain from voting because of a conflict-of-interest. “… However, the BOE is free to adopt additional voting abstention policies to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest,” the opinion states.

Maryland – Ex-Baltimore Mayor’s Associate, the Final Defendant in ‘Healthy Holly’ Case, Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison
Yahoo News – Justin Fenton (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/4/2021

The final defendant in the case against former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh ended when the former director of a nonprofit job training center was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison on tax fraud charges. Roslyn Wedington was director of the Maryland Center for Adult Training, where Pugh served on the board of directors. Pugh aide Gary Brown helped Wedington earn an off-the-books salary so she could for years avoid paying taxes and wage garnishment.  Brown was sentenced to 27 months in prison for his role, as well as a fraud scheme related to Pugh’s “Healthy Holly” children’s books. Pugh is serving a three-year sentence in federal prison.

Maryland – Unlike Many Other States, Maryland’s Legislature Is Moving to Make It Easier to Vote Early or by Mail
Yahoo News – Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/12/2021

Inspired by – or perhaps infuriated by – the contentious 2020 presidential election, Maryland lawmakers are pushing dozens of bills to change the way the state’s voters cast their ballots. Maryland’s Democrat-led General Assembly is moving to make it easier to vote by mail and to vote early, partially driven by the pandemic election that saw record turnout in the state by those means. Republican lawmakers, who are significantly outnumbered in Annapolis, are pushing bills they say would cut down on voter fraud, such as requiring identification at the polls and checking signatures on mailed ballots.

Michigan – Michigan Officials Dodge Transparency Reforms Enacted Elsewhere, Reject Dozens of Bills
Yahoo – Craig Mauger (Detroit News) | Published: 3/16/2021

The Michigan Legislature has rejected more than 130 bills aimed at boosting transparency and ethics in government since a national nonprofit organization rated the state last in the subjects six years ago. The statistic shows Michigan officeholders’ ongoing resistance to laws that would provide the public more information about their decisions, including disclosing their communications and revealing potential conflicts-of-interest. Similar measures have already been enacted in most other states. But proponents of the reforms hope the tides are changing in Michigan.

New Jersey – N.J. Mayor Weighs November Re-Election Bid – When He’ll Be 97
Newark Star Ledger – Steve Strunsky (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 3/15/2021

In the summer of 2017, when Vito Perillo was 92, he resolved to do something about Tinton Falls’ steadily increasing property taxes, a rise documented by saving every one of his tax bills since 1980, the year he retired as a civilian defense employee. He ran and won the mayor race in the Monmouth County borough. Four years later, with Perillo’s first term expiring at the end of the year, he must decide whether to seek a second term in November. Perillo, one of the oldest mayors in the state and the nation, if not the oldest, will be 97 years old at that point.

New York – A Father’s Gift to a Mayoral Candidate: A $1 Million Super PAC
New York Times – Dana Rubinstein | Published: 3/17/2021

With New York City’s mayoral primary a little more than three months away and a deadline to qualify for the city’s matching-funds program having just passed, pleas for donations have been in overdrive in recent days. But in the background, another spigot of money has opened for two Democratic candidates who are trailing in early polls. An independent expenditure committee for Raymond McGuire, a former Wall Street executive, has garnered more than $3 million, with more than 70 donations from business magnates. A new super PAC for Donovan, a former cabinet member in the Obama administration, has drawn $1.02 million from just two donors – the primary benefactor being his father, Michael Donovan, who donated $1 million.

New York – Cuomo Impeachment Probe Authorized by New York Assembly Speaker as Sexual Harassment Claims Grow
MSN – Dan Mangan (CNBC) | Published: 3/11/2021

The speaker of the New York Assembly authorized an impeachment investigation into allegations of misconduct by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been the subject of multiple sexual harassment claims in recent weeks. The probe was set in motion hours after more than 50 Democratic state lawmakers, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and the National Organization for Women demanded Cuomo resign. The developments came a day after a newspaper reported a member of Cuomo’s staff had accused him of aggressively groping her in the governor’s mansion last year.

New York – New York’s Vaccine Czar Called County Officials to Gauge Their Loyalty to Cuomo Amid Sexual Harassment Investigation
MSN – Amy Brittain and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 3/14/2021

New York’s “vaccine czar,” an adviser to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, phoned county officials recently in attempts to gauge their loyalty to the embattled governor amid an ongoing sexual harassment investigation, according to officials. One Democratic county executive was so unsettled by the outreach from Larry Schwartz, head of the state’s vaccine rollout, that the executive filed notice of an impending ethics complaint with the public integrity unit of the state attorney general’s office. The executive feared the county’s vaccine supply could suffer if Schwartz was not pleased with the executive’s response to his questions about support of the governor.

New York – Report: Rochester police, mayor ‘knowingly suppressed’ information in Prude case
National Public Radio – Vanessa Romo | Published: 3/12/2021

Rochester city officials, including the former police chief and the mayor, “knowingly suppressed” information from getting to the public, and some officials made “untrue statements” about the events leading to the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man experiencing a mental health episode who was asphyxiated by police while restrained and handcuffed. An independent report chronicles how ex-Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary and Mayor Lovely Warren, over the course of more than five months, took deliberate steps to avoid disclosing the disturbing nature of the encounter between Prude and the officers.

Ohio – Advocates Call for Greater Transparency in Ohio Campaign Contributions Raised by Lobbyists
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Andrew Tobias | Published: 3/16/2021

Common Cause Ohio wants the state to require lobbyists to disclose fundraising they coordinate on behalf of politicians, saying the change would give voters a better idea which groups are trying to influence state policy through their campaign money. Ohio currently requires lobbyists to disclose the money they spend entertaining elected officials. State campaign finance laws require political donors to disclose their name, address, and employer. But those requirements do not reflect the lobbyists who may coordinate the donations.

Ohio – Cincinnati Elections Commission Reverses Decision, Tightens Contribution Rules. It Could Cost Aftab Pureval
MSN – Scott Wartman (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 3/11/2021

The Cincinnati Elections Commission reversed its January decision on the rules for use of previous campaign contributions for mayoral candidates. The board decided individual donors to mayoral and council candidates cannot exceed the $1,100 campaign contribution limits for any race going back four years to the previous mayoral race. The vote reverses a decision from that said candidates could use funds raised in non-city races before the previous general election.

Ohio – Federal Utility Regulator Investigates FirstEnergy’s Lobbying on House Bill 6
MSN – Jesse Balmart (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 3/17/2021

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is looking into how FirstEnergy lobbied for a $1 billion nuclear bailout in 2019. The FERC, which is tasked with regulating utilities like FirstEnergy, is investigating the company’s lobbying on House Bill 6, a bill that overhauled Ohio’s energy policies and included $1 billion in subsidies for two nuclear plants in the state, then-owned by FirstEnergy Solutions. FirstEnergy was directed to preserve documents and information related to lobbying. This investigation is in addition to an ongoing FERC audit of FirstEnergy.

Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Will Hear Argument of ‘Political Retribution’ by LaRose Against Summit County GOP Chair
MSN – Doug Livingtston (Akron Beacon Journal) | Published: 3/15/2021

The Summit County Republican Party is accusing Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose of spinning “inaccurate and incomplete” facts to “exact political retribution” against its local leader. LaRose rejected the reappointment of Bryan Williams, who is vice president of the state central committee and chairperson of the Summit County GOP, to another four years on the Summit County Board of Elections. LaRose gave the party’s county executive committee a deadline to give him another name for the open seat. Local party leaders met and voted to sue LaRose instead.

South Dakota – South Dakota Legislature Adopts Bill Barring Public Agencies from Collecting, Releasing Information About Nonprofit Donors
Ballotpedia – Staff | Published: 3/16/2021

The South Dakota Legislature approved a bill that would bar public agencies from requiring individuals or groups to disclose identifying information about a nonprofit’s donors, clearing the way for Gov. Kristi Noem’s signature. Senate Bill 103 would bar any public agency, including state and municipal government units and courts, from requiring a current or prospective contractor to provide a public agency with a list of the nonprofits “to which it has provided financial or nonfinancial support,” among other provisions. The legislation does not bar public agencies from furnishing personal information about a nonprofit’s donors or supporters for campaign finance reporting requirements.

Utah – Secretive Out-of-State Group Pushes Bill That Makes It Harder to Get a Voter Initiative on the Ballot
MSN – Bethany Rodgers (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 3/11/2021

This legislative session, supporters of a bill tightening the rules for ballot initiatives stressed that the measure would protect Utah from the influence of outside interests, which have previously dumped money into signature-gathering campaigns on medical cannabis and Medicaid expansion. What some state lawmakers might not have realized was this legislation was promoted by a shadowy, out-of-state group called the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). While ballot initiative campaigns must disclose their donors, the public has no idea which wealthy benefactors might have helped the FGA advance its political agenda in Utah, said Spencer Stokes, a state lobbyist and the co-owner of a signature-gathering firm.

Virginia – Northam Restores Voting Rights for 69,000 with Felony Convictions
MSN – Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam restored the voting rights of 69,000 people convicted of felonies under a policy change that speeds up the process, no longer requiring former prisoners to go through lengthy probations before qualifying to seek restoration. Virginia is one of a handful of states  that permanently disenfranchise all those convicted of felonies unless they have their rights restored by the governor. This year, Virginia’s General Assembly gave preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights for felons as soon as they complete their incarceration. In the meantime, Northam said he was taking a cue from that proposal and changing the timing of his process, reviewing rights as soon as someone is freed.

Washington – Washington AG Bob Ferguson Wants an Additional $2.8 Million in Legal Fees from Tim Eyman
Spokane Spokesman-Review – David Gutman (Seattle Times) | Published: 3/12/2021

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson wants an additional $2.8 million in legal fees and costs related to his lawsuit against anti-tax initiative promoter Tim Eyman. The lawsuit dragged on because of what Ferguson called Eyman’s “cost-inflating, frivolous, obstructive and defiant litigation tactics.” Eyman was found liable recently of “numerous and particularly egregious” violations of campaign finance law for laundering political donations to enrich himself, accepting kickbacks from a signature-gathering firm, secretly shuttling money between initiative campaigns, and concealing the source of other political contributions.

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Sues City Over Recent Campaign Finance Changes” by John Aguilar (Denver Post) for Canon City Daily Record

Hawaii: “Hawaii Lawmakers Seek Exemption from Political Ad Disclosures” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat

South Dakota: “South Dakota Legislature Adopts Bill Barring Public Agencies from Collecting, Releasing Information About Nonprofit Donors” by Staff for Ballotpedia

Elections

National: “Putin Targeted People Close to Trump in Bid to Influence 2020 Election, U.S. Intelligence Says” by Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) for Seattle Times

Florida: “Police Raid Home of Former GOP Lawmaker Who Bragged About Planting No-Party Candidate” by Ana Ceballos, Samantha Gross, and David Ovalle for Miami Herald

Virginia: “Northam Restores Voting Rights for 69,000 with Felony Convictions” by Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “House Committee Seeks Financial Records for Trump’s Washington Hotel” by Jonathan O’Connell and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “At Trump’s Chicago Tower, Employees Got Vaccinated Early – Thanks to a Hospital Whose COO Lives in the Building” by David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

California: “French Laundry Friend Now Banned from Lobbying California Gov. Gavin Newsom” by Sophia Bollag (Sacramento Bee) for MSN

California: “Bill to Increase Transparency of Lobbying Activities Passed in Senate Committee” by Evan Symon for California Globe

Ohio: “Federal Utility Regulator Investigates FirstEnergy’s Lobbying on House Bill 6” by Jesse Balmart (Cincinnati Enquirer) for MSN

Campaign Finance

National: “Corporate PAC Donations to Parties and Candidates Plummet after Capitol Riot” by Kate Ackley and Herb Jackson (Roll Call) for MSN

Elections

Arizona: “Arizona Lawmakers Move to Block Private Funds for Elections” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Servies) for Arizona Daily Star

New Jersey: “N.J. Mayor Weighs November Re-Election Bid – When He’ll Be 97” by Steve Strunsky (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star Ledger

Ethics

National: “Army Initially Pushed to Deny District’s Request for National Guard Before Jan. 6” by Paul Sonne, Peter Hermann, Ellen Nakashima, and Matt Zapotosky (Washington Post) for MSN

Michigan: “Michigan Officials Dodge Transparency Reforms Enacted Elsewhere, Reject Dozens of Bills” by Craig Mauger (Detroit News) for Yahoo

Ohio: “Ohio Supreme Court Will Hear Argument of ‘Political Retribution’ by LaRose Against Summit County GOP Chair” by Doug Livingtston (Akron Beacon Journal) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “‘Manels’ Flourished During Key Period in Congress, Research Finds” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN

Lobbying

Florida: “Florida Property Rights Bill Was Written by a Development Company” by Zachary Sampson for Tampa Bay Times

Ohio: “Advocates Call for Greater Transparency in Ohio Campaign Contributions Raised by Lobbyists” by Andrew Tobias for Cleveland Plain Dealer

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Legislation That Would Silence Foreign Companies During Maine Ballot Campaigns Gets First Look” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald

Elections

National: “For Voting Rights Advocates, a ‘Once in a Generation Moment’ Looms” by Nicholas Fandos and Michael Wines for New York Times

Missouri: “‘Clear and Present Danger’: Republicans fret about Greitens’ comeback” by Alex Isenstadt for Politico

Ethics

National: “Two Arrested in Assault on Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, Who Died After Jan. 6 Capitol Riot” by Spencer Hsu and Peter Hermann (Washington Post) for MSN

California: “Oakland’s Transparency Problem: Thousands of public records requests are backlogged” by Annie Sciacca for Vallejo Times Herald

Iowa: “Iowa Extended Contact Tracing Contract with Company Owned by Republican Party Donor as Cases Plummeted” by Ryan Foley for Associated Press News

Maryland: “Baltimore Clarifies Rules to Govern Board of Estimates Votes, Abstentions” by Tim Prudente (Baltimore Sun) for Yahoo News

New York: “New York’s Vaccine Czar Called County Officials to Gauge Their Loyalty to Cuomo Amid Sexual Harassment Investigation” by Amy Brittain and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN

New York: “Report: Rochester police, mayor ‘knowingly suppressed’ information in Prude case” by Vanessa Romo for National Public Radio

Campaign Finance

Ohio: “Cincinnati Elections Commission Reverses Decision, Tightens Contribution Rules. It Could Cost Aftab Pureval” by Scott Wartman (Cincinnati Enquirer) for MSN

Utah: “Secretive Out-of-State Group Pushes Bill That Makes It Harder to Get a Voter Initiative on the Ballot” by Bethany Rodgers (Salt Lake Tribune) for MSN

Washington: “Washington AG Bob Ferguson Wants an Additional $2.8 Million in Legal Fees from Tim Eyman” by David Gutman (Seattle Times) for Spokane Spokesman-Review

Elections

Maryland: “Unlike Many Other States, Maryland’s Legislature Is Moving to Make It Easier to Vote Early or by Mail” by Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) for Yahoo News

Ethics

Kentucky: “‘Not a Knee-Jerk Reaction.’ Legislators Say Ethics Bills Not Just Aimed at Beshear.” by John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader

New York: “Cuomo Impeachment Probe Authorized by New York Assembly Speaker as Sexual Harassment Claims Grow” by Dan Mangan (CNBC) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “‘I Still Don’t Feel Safe’: House lawmakers adjust to metal detectors, new normal” by Chris Cioffi (Roll Call) for MSN

Lobbying

Europe: “Brussels Lobbying Business Picks Up Despite Pandemic” by Lily Bayer for Politico

National/Federal

Another Oath Keeper with Links to Roger Stone Charged in Capitol Riot
Politico – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein | Published: 3/9/2021

A second member of the Oath Keepers militia who provided security to longtime Donald Trump adviser Roger Stone has been charged with storming and breaching the Capitol. Joshua James, who has been seen in photos flanking Stone ahead of the riot, was later seen on camera inside the building amid a crush of rioters who overran police. The arrest, made public a day after prosecutors revealed they charged fellow Oath Keeper and Stone security guard Roberto Minuta for entering the Capitol, is the latest evidence that prosecutors are homing in on the extremist group with key ties to organizers of pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” events.

Biden Signs Executive Order Promoting Voting Rights on 56th Anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’
Seattle Times – Felicia Sonmez and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 3/7/2021

President Biden signed an executive order aimed at promoting voting rights amid a push by Republican-led state Legislatures to roll back voting access in the wake of former President Trump’s 2020 loss and his baseless effort to cast doubt on the integrity of U.S. elections. The order comes on the 56th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” the day that state troopers violently beat hundreds of marchers, including John Lewis, the late civil rights icon who served as a Democratic member of Congress from Georgia, on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

Digging in as an All-GOP Firm in a Democratic Town
MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 3/4/2021

Many of K Street’s power players have gone in search of Democratic talent now that the party controls official Washington, D.C., but one shop went in a totally different direction, recruiting its newest partner from the Trump administration. The CGCN Group, an all-Republican lobbying and communications outfit, plans to remain a single-party firm, and unapologetically so, even though Democrats hold the Senate, House, and White House. The firm’s lobbyists and employees previously worked with lawmakers and officials who span the GOP’s ideological spectrum.

Feds Investigating Hagedorn Appearances on Minnesota Talk Radio Station
SouthernMinn.com – Daniel Newhauser (Minnesota Reformer) | Published: 3/5/2021

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is probing a news radio station’s financial relationship with U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, questioning whether the station broke the law by allowing a man paid by Hagedorn’s campaign to interview the congressman on air. The investigation began after media reports on business dealings between Hagedorn and Al Travis Thielfoldt. Neither revealed during interviews on Thiefoldt’s show that Hagedorn had entrusted Thielfoldt with more than $1.4 million to place ads on local stations. The FCC is investigating whether Hagedorn’s campaign paid Thielfoldt or KTOE for the interviews, and whether the station violated the law by failing to publicly disclose the financial relationship between the men.

House Democrats End Controversial Consultant Ban
Politico – Ally Mutnick | Published: 3/9/2021

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is officially ending its controversial ban on political consultants who work with candidates challenging sitting Democratic incumbents, clinching a victory for progressives. Though it was in place for fewer than two years, it still stymied some liberal primary challengers. The policy forbade the committee from contracting with or recommending to any House campaign a consultant or firm who worked to primary a sitting Democratic incumbent. It spurred a strong backlash but was popular with members who are more prone to primary challenges and do not want their party apparatus, to which they pay dues, to enable their opponents.

House Restarts Push to Enforce Subpoena for Trump Financial Records
MSN – Todd Ruger (Roll Call) | Published: 3/4/2021

The federal courts have spent so long deciding whether House Democrats could subpoena Donald Trump’s personal financial records from his accounting firm that the ongoing legal saga has a new wrinkle: what changes now that he is a former president? The House Oversight and Reform Committee reissued the subpoena to Mazars USA in February, and it is identical to the one from 2019 that ultimately led the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a new test for when Congress could obtain those records.

Inside the Lincoln Project’s Secrets, Side Deals and Scandals
New York Times – Danny Hakim, Maggie Astor, and Jo Becker | Published: 3/8/2021

The Lincoln Project collected more than $87 million in donations and produced scores of viral videos that were intended to drive then-President Trump to distraction. The men who founded the Lincoln Project – Steve Schmidt, John Weaver, Reed Galen, and Rick Wilson – moved to set themselves up in the new enterprise, creating TLP Media last fall. Its aim was to transform the original project, a super PAC, into a far more lucrative venture. The behind-the-scenes moves by the founders showed that whatever their political goals, they were also privately taking steps to make money from the earliest stages and wanted to limit the number of people who would share in the spoils.

Oil Refiner Valero to Disclose Climate Lobbying After Criticism
MSN – Gerson Freitas Jr. and Saijel Kishan (Bloomberg) | Published: 3/3/2021

Valero Energy, one of the largest U.S. oil refiners, is planning to publish details of its climate lobbying activities after an investor pressed for more disclosure. Valero will release a report later this year. The decision follows discussions with Mercy Investment Services, which had filed a proposed shareholder resolution demanding to know how Valero’s lobbying aligns with global efforts to fight climate change. That resolution has now been withdrawn, Valero said.

Rep. Eric Swalwell Sues Trump Over Jan. 6 Riot, Alleging He Poses Risk of ‘Inciting Future Political Violence’
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 3/4/2021

A House impeachment manager and intelligence subcommittee chairperson filed a federal lawsuit against former President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Rudolph Giuliani, and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, claiming they should be held liable for injuries and destruction caused by their incitement of the January 6 mob assault on the Capitol. U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell alleged Trump and his fellow speakers at a rally near the White House that day were directly responsible for mobilizing a crowd of tens of thousands of pro-Trump supporters to march on the Capitol and priming them for violence.

State Department Aide Appointed by Trump Stormed the Capitol, Beat Police with a Riot Shield, FBI Says
San Diego Union Tribune – Katie Shepherd (Washington Post) | Published: 3/5/2021

The FBI arrested Federico Klein, a political appointee of former President Trump, on charges he stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, marking the first member of the administration arrested in connection with the insurrection. Klein was still employed at the State Department as a staff assistant when he joined a mob in a tunnel leading into the Capitol, the FBI said. Then he allegedly “physically and verbally engaged with the officers holding the line” at the building’s entrance, according to the complaint. After ignoring officers’ orders to move back, he assaulted officers with a riot shield that had been stolen from police, the complaint said, and then used the shield to wedge open a door into the Capitol.

Trump’s Fundraising Whiplash Highlights GOP’s Small-Donor Issue
MSN – Bridget Bowman (Roll Call) | Published: 3/10/2021

Donald Trump’s conflicting statements about whether Republican campaign committees can use his likeness to fundraise has underscored a broader problem facing the GOP: tapping into the grassroots donors who fueled the former president’s record-breaking campaign hauls. While GOP candidates have tried to tap into grassroots fundraising, Trump has energized small-dollar donors for his own campaign. In recent days, he has threatened to cut Republican campaign committees off from using his name to fundraise.

U.S. House Republicans May Follow Democrats in Rebooting Shamed ‘Earmarks’
Reuters – Jarret Renshaw | Published: 3/9/2021

U.S. House Republicans are weighing whether to join Democrats in getting back into earmarks, the practice of loading spending bills with legislators’ pet projects. Sources said sentiment is growing in the GOP toward embracing earmarks roughly a decade after the party decided to scrap the long-standing practice amid a raft of high-profile controversies. Democrats who control the House agreed to bring back earmarks this year.

From the States and Municipalities

California – As Newsom Pushes to Extend Emergency Spending Authority During Pandemic, Lobbyist Influence Remains Opaque
Capital Public Radio – Scott Rodd | Published: 3/4/2021

While lobbyists in California must disclose efforts to influence policy and legislation, they are not required to disclose lobbying activities when vying for lucrative contracts. Government ethics experts say that is an area that demands greater transparency for Californians to understand how their government awards contracts and opportunities, especially as Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes to extend his emergency spending authority for another year. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office warns that under the extension, “there would be no reasonable checks and balances on the Governor’s COVID-19 spending authority.”

California – City Hall Corruption Probe: Former S.F. official and girlfriend to Mohammed Nuru agrees to plead guilty, cooperate with feds
MSN – Michael Williams (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 3/9/2021

Sandra Zuniga, the former director of San Francisco’s Office of Neighborhood Services, agreed to plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and will cooperate with the federal investigation into City Hall corruption. Prosecutors alleged she conspired for years with former city Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru to launder the proceeds of his alleged fraud. Prosecutors said Zuniga, at one point a romantic partner to Nuru, deposited the proceeds from alleged bribes into her own bank account. Those funds, federal officials said, were later used to make mortgage payments on a vacation home Nuru owned.

California – New Escondido Council Erases Campaign Finance Reforms Enacted by Predecessors
San Diego Union Tribune – Joe Tash | Published: 3/4/2021

Five months after adopting new campaign finance rules for city elections, the Escondido City Council reversed course and voted to strip away two of the changes enacted by the previous council. In October, the council reduced the contribution limits for city offices such as mayor, city council, and city treasurer, and established a prohibition on candidates carrying over surplus campaign funds from one election to the next. The council also voted to impose its new contribution limits on all persons and organizations, including political parties, businesses, and labor unions. The council voted to do away with the prohibition on rolling over campaign funds and exempted political parties from the contribution limits.

California – S.F. City Hall Corruption: Recology to repay customers $94.5 million for rates Mohammed Nuru helped set
MSN – Megan Cassidy (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 3/4/2021

San Franciscans will recoup nearly $100 million in overpaid trash-collection fees after a probe by the city attorney’s office detailed how the waste management company Recology improperly hiked its prices over the last four years. The settlement with Recology represents the latest twist in the sprawling City Hall corruption saga centered around former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, other city officials, contractors, and nonprofit groups. Nuru played a key role in the rate-setting process for Recology. Multiple investigations alleged Nuru accepted bribes from Recology in exchange for allowing the company to inflate its rates. A former Recology executive was fired and arrested in November in light of those allegations.

California – San Jose School District Denies Improper Lobbying Charges
San Jose Spotlight – Lloyd Alaban | Published: 3/10/2021

Officials with San Jose’s biggest school district denied charges they improperly hired lobbying firms to push a teacher housing proposal, saying at least one of the firms never lobbied for them at all, despite meeting with officials who would approve the plans. The allegations stem from a grand jury report. It found that San Jose Unified School District failed to disclose conflicts-of-interest and lobbying contracts related to a proposal to build affordable housing for teachers and staff. The school district’s board rejected concerns that the contracts with two different firms working on the housing project had been inappropriate. But it agreed to provide more transparency around such agreements in the future.

Georgia – Georgia Republicans Want to Reshape Voting Laws, Burdening Voters of Color
Georgia Public Broadcasting – Carrie Levine, Kimberly Cataudella, and Stephen Fowler | Published: 3/5/2021

Election experts say the 2020 election was fair, and courts have tossed out dozens of lawsuits filed by former President Trump’s campaign and allied groups after finding no evidence of fraud. Nonetheless, Republicans around the country are sponsoring measures to constrain voter access, arguing they are responding to the perception that elections need to be more secure. Georgia, with a Republican-controlled Legislature, is at the epicenter of that fight. Record participation from voters of color in the 2020 election and subsequent runoff helped Democrats flip the state’s electoral votes and both U.S. Senate seats.

Illinois – How Michael Madigan’s Departure Accelerates a Shift in Chicago Politics from Old-School Machine to New-Era Progressives
Yahoo News – Bill Ruthhart and John Byrne (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 3/4/2021

The last two Cook County Democratic Party bosses suffered embarrassing losses to political newcomers for county assessor and mayor. A congressional seat held for decades by a powerful establishment family now belongs to a progressive outsider. Several longtime white machine politicians in Chicago have been defeated by first-time candidates of color. The change is being driven by generational, ideological, and demographic shifts, with federal law enforcement and organized labor providing major assists. The result is a move away from old-style bosses toward a more diffuse leadership structure that is more diverse and practices an increasingly progressive style of politics centered on economic and racial equity.

Illinois – State’s Ex-Pot Regulators, Pols Are Cashing In On the Exploding Industry. A Proposed Crackdown Won’t Stop All of Them.
Chicago Sun-Times – Tom Schuba | Published: 3/10/2021

A year after recreational cannabis sales kicked off in Illinois, legalization has been a boon for the few multimillion-dollar companies granted permission to grow and sell marijuana and a windfall for local and state governments strapped for cash. It has also been a jackpot for a host of former cannabis regulators. On top of that, two sponsors of the law that legalized recreational cannabis are also benefiting from the pot industry, albeit through connections to firms operating in other states. State Rep. Marty Moylan introduced legislation that would strengthen conflict-of-interest provisions in the law that aim to prevent lawmakers, regulators, and their families from profiting off the industry.

Iowa – Journalist Acquitted in Iowa Case Seen as Attack on Press
MSN – Ryan Foley (Associated Press) | Published: 3/10/2021

An Iowa jury acquitted a journalist who was pepper-sprayed and arrested by police while covering a protest, in a case that critics have derided as an attack on press freedoms and an abuse of prosecutorial discretion. The jury found Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri and her ex-boyfriend Spenser Robnett not guilty on misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse and interference with official acts. More than 100 groups called for the dismissal of charges last summer, but prosecutors aggressively pursued them, arguing tSahouri and Robnett did not comply with police orders to leave the chaotic scene and interfered with the officer who arrested Sahouri.

Maine – Maine Ethics Commission Says Senate District 14 Candidate Violated Election Law, but Assesses No Penalty
Portland Press Herald – Jessica Lowell (Kennebec Jouirnal) | Published: 3/8/2021

A state Senate candidate violated Maine’s election sign law but will not be assessed a penalty, the Commission on Governmental and Ethics Practices ruled. The commission said in failing to initially add a disclosure statement to those signs, William Guerrette violated state campaign laws. In a separate action, it voted to assess no penalty against Guerrette. The complaint said the four electronic signs urging people to vote for Guerrette failed to include a disclaimer explaining who paid for the signs and who authorized them. Initially, Guerrette was told the signs were fine, but when his campaign was directed to add disclosure statements, the statements were added.

Massachusetts – Body Armor and Pepper Spray: Politicians can buy safety gear with campaign funds after Capitol attack
MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 3/7/2021

An advisory opinion from the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance allows the state’s elected officials to use campaign funds to buy bulletproof vests, gas masks, and other gear to protect themselves and their staffs following the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Michael Sullivan, the campaign office’s director, noted the agency previously allowed candidates to use campaign money to pay for a security detail or a home security system. Sullivan citied the “recent events in our nation’s capital” and that officials or their staffs could reasonably be concerned about their safety at the statehouse or elsewhere.

Michigan – Auditor-Recommended Election Reforms Approved in Michigan House
MLive.com – Samuel Dodge | Published: 3/9/2021

The Michigan House approved a series of election reform bills, including a package addressing recommended changes by the state auditor general. A report from the auditor general recommended ways to improve the process, including cleaning up the qualified voter file’s list of names, ensuring better training of local clerks, and improving campaign finance reporting. In addition, House Bill 4130 moves back the date for lobbyists to submit their reports by one month. House Bill 4131 extends the deadline to correct errors and omissions in campaign finance statements.

Michigan – Feds Probe MDOT Corruption Case with Alleged Ghost Contractors, Bonuses for Wives
Yahoo News – Robert Snell (Detroit News) | Published: 3/6/2021

Five Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) contractors are targets of an FBI investigation over whether they defrauded taxpayers out of more than $7.3 million by overbilling, submitting phony expenses, and giving no-show, six-figure jobs to their wives. Search warrant filings reveal a years-long, ongoing wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering investigation targeting at least five executives at Surveying Solutions. The company is one of the state’s preeminent surveying firms and has worked on more than 150 MDOT projects in recent years’ worth $29.3 million.

Michigan – Lobbyist Advanced Client’s Plan as Appointee on Michigan Pot Panel
Yahoo News – Craig Mauger (Detroit News) | Published: 3/5/2021

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency created the Racial Equity Advisory Work Group to develop policy recommendations and make Michigan a “leader on diversity, equity, and inclusion” in the marijuana industry. When the workgroup’s ideas were unveiled, the top recommendation was to create a new license type, allowing for “marijuana microbusinesses.” An Ann Arbor-based business, Tranquility Fields, wants to franchise small marijuana operations across the state. Among the group’s lobbyists is Berton Brown, one of the 21 workgroup members. Critics argue having a lobbyist on an official state workgroup advancing recommendations that could boost his employer is a conflict-of-interest.

Missouri – After Judges Rewrite GOP Lawmakers’ Ballot Language, Missouri House Votes to Strip Their Power
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jack Suntrup and Maria Benevento | Published: 3/10/2021

After Missouri courts last year threw out and rewrote the Legislature’s ballot language for a proposed change to the state constitution, Republican lawmakers moved to strip judges’ power to rewrite ballot language. The effort follows rulings from two courts in the run-up to the November election that tossed the Legislature’s wording for a question that changed the way Missouri was to draw state legislative districts after the 2020 Census. In addition to the redistricting changes, the measure banned lobbyist gifts. But Cole Circuit County Judge Patricia Joyce rewrote the summary.

New Mexico – Political Spending Transparency Bill Clears Senate
New Mexico In Depth – Bryan Metzger | Published: 3/10/2021

The New Mexico Senate approved a bill that would close a loophole in the state’s transparency laws and require lawmakers running for federal office to disclose their contributions every 10 days during the legislative session. The loophole allows nonprofit organizations to avoid disclosing donors behind political spending if those giving the money requested in writing that their donations not be spent for political purposes, even if the group decides to use the money for politics anyway.

New York – Cuomo’s Behavior Created ‘Hostile, Toxic’ Workplace Culture for Decades, Former Aides Say
MSN – Amy Brittain, Josh Dawsey, Hannah Knowles, and Tracy Jan (Washington Post) | Published: 3/6/2021

Fresh accounts of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s workplace behavior by former aides come after several women have publicly accused him of inappropriate personal comments or unwelcome physical contact. The allegations have engulfed one of the country’s top Democratic officials in crisis and put a focus on the workplace culture he has fostered during his three decades in public office. Many former aides and advisers described a toxic environment in which the governor unleashes verbal attacks on subordinates. Some said he seemed to delight in humiliating his employees, particularly in group meetings.

New York – Is NYC’s Expensive Campaign Finance Program Worth the Cost?
Gothamist – Cindy Rodriguez | Published: 3/3/2021

New York City’s Campaign Finance Board recently doled out $37 million in matching funds to candidates running for public office, the highest in its history. Their eight-to-one matching program is supposed to level the playing field and encourage campaigns to rely on small donors instead of big money and special interests. But in two different special elections in Queens, several candidates received tens of thousands of dollars in public financing and only a few hundred votes, leaving some to question whether, during a financial crisis, city taxpayer money should be spent differently. “‘’m concerned that we are wasting a tremendous amount of public funds for people to have vanity projects,” said Patrick Jenkins, a district leader in Queens.

New York – NY Officials Removed Fuller Tally of Nursing Home Deaths
Associated Press News – Staff | Published: 3/5/2021

The state Health Department confirmed that members of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 task force altered a report to omit the full number of nursing home patients killed by the coronavirus, but insisted the changes were made because of concerns about the data’s accuracy. It has been reported that gubernatorial aides pushed state health officials to edit the July report so it counted only residents who died inside long-term care facilities, and not those who became ill there and later died at a hospital. It is the latest blow for Cuomo, who has been besieged by scandals involving his handling of nursing home deaths and accusations he sexually harassed two former aides and a woman he met at a wedding he officiated.

New York – Top NYC Lobbyist Settles Ethics Case in de Blasio Fundraising Probe
New York Post – Carl Campanile | Published: 3/9/2021

Suri Kasirer, New York City’s top lobbyist, agreed to a $5,000 settlement with the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) over her firm’s dealings with the non-profit group created to promote Mayor Bill de Blasio’s agenda. The settlement noted Kasirer assisted in raising money for the since defunct Campaign for One New York after the mayor personally asked her for assistance in raising funds for the group. The Lobbying Act prohibits lobbyists and their clients from giving gifts to a public official, which includes gifts to third parties on behalf of or at the behest of a public official. JCOPE investigated whether donations by individuals with business before the city were a gift to the mayor.

North Dakota – North Dakota House Expels Lawmaker Accused of Misconduct
Associated Press News – James MacPherson | Published: 3/5/2021

The North Dakota House voted to expel Rep. Luke Simons, who was accused of threatening and sexually harassing women at the Capitol, the first time in state history a lawmaker has been expelled. Simons is accused of a pattern of sexually aggressive, lewd, and threatening behavior. Rep. Emily O’Brien said his harassment was so pervasive that she switched desks to get away from him.

Ohio – 5 More Householder Campaign Finance Claims Referred in Ohio
Associated Press News – Julie Carr Smyth | Published: 3/5/2021

Ohio’s elections chief said he has amended his massive list of campaign finance violations against suspects in an alleged $60 million bribery scheme to include five additional allegations against former House Speaker Larry Householder. Secretary of State Frank LaRose said a routine examination of state filings by Householder showed five individuals exceeded legal giving limits between March 11, 2019, and January 15, 2020. Householder, who has been ousted as speaker but remains a state representative, and four others were arrested and indicted on federal racketeering charges for what has been called the biggest corruption scandal in state history.

Ohio – Bankruptcy Judge Questioned FirstEnergy Solutions’ Law Firm on a Draft Political Contributions Motion That Was Never Filed
Energy and Policy Institute – Dave Anderson | Published: 3/10/2021

Bankruptcy court records show lawyers for FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) drafted, but never filed, a motion seeking a judge’s approval to make political contributions shortly before the company gave $500,000 to the Republican Governors Association during the closing weeks of the 2018 elections. The $500,000 contribution represents nearly half of the over $1 million FirstEnergy has spent in support of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine since 2017. FirstEnergy’s financial support is one of several factors that has drawn DeWine into the scandal surrounding House Bill 6, which was set to deliver a $1 billion ratepayer bailout to two nuclear power plants then owned by FES before courts halted the payments.

Ohio – In Filing, FirstEnergy Said State Regulator Acted for the Company’s Benefit as a Result of $4.3 Million Payment
MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 3/4/2021

A previously unnoticed disclosure by FirstEnergy Corp. sheds additional light on company’s view of the $4.3 million it paid to an unnamed state official shortly before that person took a job as a top utility regulator in Ohio. In legal disclosures, the utility said the payment to a consulting firm tied to that person led to “conduct corresponding to such payment,” and to that person “acting at the request or for the benefit of FirstEnergy as a consequence of receiving such payment.” The company said the payment led it to update its terms with its lenders on November 17. The day before, the FBI raided then-Public Utilities Commission Chairperson Sam Randazzo’s home. Randazzo quit on the day after FirstEnergy disclosed the payment.

Oregon – A Timber Lobbyist Called Our Investigation ‘Completely Bogus.’ We Have the Receipts to Show It’s Not
ProPublica – Rob Davis (Portland Oregonian) and Tony Schick (Oregon Public Broadcasting) | Published: 3/8/2021

With the Oregon Legislature taking up bills to overhaul or eliminate the Oregon Forest Resources Institute after a media investigation, lobbyists have repeatedly attacked the reporting as incorrect. The institute is a quasi-governmental agency meant to promote forestry education. The investigation found the institute had acted as a de facto lobbying arm of the timber industry, in some cases skirting legal constraints that forbid it from doing so.

Oregon – Lobbyists Try for Influence, Without as Much Access to Oregon Lawmakers
Portland Oregonian – Jake Thomas (Salem Reporter) | Published: 3/3/2021

An impromptu five-minute conversation can be politically effective in the halls of the Oregon Capitol. Such encounters have long been crucial for the army of lobbyists hoping to get a moment with a state legislator. But that personal style of lobbying has been checked by the coronavirus pandemic. The Capitol has been closed since last March to the public and to lobbyists. Now, those representing everyone from acupuncturists to veterinarians must make do with text messages, emails, and video conferences. Now, lobbyists must book virtual meetings weeks in advance for conversations that would normally take five to 10 minutes.

South Carolina – SC Government Waste and Corruption Revelations Confront Culture Resistant to Change
Charleston Post and Courier – Tony Bartelme and Glenn Smith | Published: 3/7/2021

Media reports on gas authorities, fire districts, and other special-purpose districts in South Carolina that operate with little outside scrutiny led one agency to reconsider its spending practices. Gov. Henry McMaster and some lawmakers called for more scrutiny of special-purpose districts and a bill was filed to ratchet up ethics reporting requirements for these entities. Other agencies remain unmoved. Their leaders defend traveling with spouses to five-star resorts for “work retreats” – trips that involved just a handful of meetings but plenty of time for golf, and, in one case, glass-blowing lessons. Truly changing a public service culture that has operated for decades with loose restrictions will take time and effort, watchdogs caution.

Texas – Twitter Sues Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Asks Court to Halt His Investigation of the Social Media Company
Texas Tribune – Marissa Martinez | Published: 3/8/2021

Twitter filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court and asked a judge to halt the state’s top lawyer from investigating the company. Twitter’s court filings include a request for a temporary restraining order that would keep Paxton and his office from enforcing a demand that seeks documents revealing the company’s internal decision-making processes for banning users, among other things. Paxton, a fervent supporter of former President Trump, sent the company a civil investigative demand after it banned Trump from its platform following January’s siege at the U.S. Capitol.

West Virginia – Ethics Commission Breaks Up County Prosecutor’s Hiring of Her Boyfriend
Charleston Gazette and Mail – Phil Kabler | Published: 3/4/2021

A county prosecutor violated the law by hiring her boyfriend as an assistant prosecutor, and must terminate his employment within 30 days, the West Virginia Ethics commission ruled. A key point in the decision was the prosecutor had failed to advertise the job opening but had reached out to local lawyers about the vacancy. The commission also concluded that an organization that lobbies the Legislature may recognize a lawmaker by making a charitable contribution in the legislator’s name to a local homeless shelter in excess of the $25 limit on gifts in the Ethics Act.

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump’s Fundraising Whiplash Highlights GOP’s Small-Donor Issue” by Bridget Bowman (Roll Call) for MSN

New Mexico: “Political Spending Transparency Bill Clears Senate” by Bryan Metzger for New Mexico In Depth

Ohio: “Bankruptcy Judge Questioned FirstEnergy Solutions’ Law Firm on a Draft Political Contributions Motion That Was Never Filed” by Dave Anderson for Energy and Policy Institute

Elections

Missouri: “After Judges Rewrite GOP Lawmakers’ Ballot Language, Missouri House Votes to Strip Their Power” by Jack Suntrup and Maria Benevento for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ethics

California: “City Hall Corruption Probe: Former S.F. official and girlfriend to Mohammed Nuru agrees to plead guilty, cooperate with feds” by Michael Williams (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN

Illinois: “State’s Ex-Pot Regulators, Pols Are Cashing In On the Exploding Industry. A Proposed Crackdown Won’t Stop All of Them.” by Tom Schuba for Chicago Sun-Times

Iowa: “Journalist Acquitted in Iowa Case Seen as Attack on Press” by Ryan Foley (Associated Press) for MSN

Texas: “Twitter Sues Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Asks Court to Halt His Investigation of the Social Media Company” by Marissa Martinez for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

National: “U.S. House Republicans May Follow Democrats in Rebooting Shamed ‘Earmarks’” by Jarret Renshaw for Reuters

New York: “Top NYC Lobbyist Settles Ethics Case in de Blasio Fundraising Probe” by Carl Campanile for New York Post