Campaign Finance

Idaho: “Sunshine Bill on Electioneering Stalls in Committee, Amid Nonprofits’ Concerns Over ‘Donor Privacy’” by Savannah Cardon for Idaho Press

Rhode Island: “Ex-GOP Candidate for Congress in R.I. Charged in Fraud” by Patrick Anderson for Providence Journal

Elections

National: “U.S. Cyber Command Operation Disrupted Internet Access of Russian Troll Factory on Day of 2018 Midterms” by Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

Maryland: “Md. Lawmaker Apologizes for Allegedly Using N-Word with Her Colleagues” by Ovetta Wiggins for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

California: “California Lawmakers and Lobbyists Hustle to Write Hundreds of Bills, Many Not Fully Cooked” by John Myers (Los Angeles Times) for San Diego Union Tribune

Lobbying

Kentucky: “Kentucky Senate OKs Bill to Reveal Executive Branch Lobbying” by The Associated Press for Miami Herald

Michigan: “Lobbyist Spending Topped the Charts in Michigan Last Year, Reports Show” by Carol Thompson for Lansing State Journal

Campaign Finance

Pennsylvania: “How Philly’s Electricians Union and Johnny Doc Converted Payroll Deductions into Political Influence” by Chris Brennan and Dylan Purcell for Philadelphia Inquirer

Elections

National: “Russian Spy or Hustling Political Operative? The Enigmatic Figure at the Heart of Mueller’s Inquiry” by Kenneth Vogel and Andrew Kramer (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

Arkansas: “Arkansas Grapples with Ethics Cleanup Amid Federal Probes” by Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) for 4029tv

Ohio: “Even After FBI Probe of Ohio Speaker, Tracking Lawmakers’ Travel Remains Challenging” by Jessie Balmert for Cincinnati Enquirer

Legislative Issues

Illinois: “At Chicago City Hall, the Legislative Branch Rarely Does Much Legislating” by Mick Dumke for ProPublica

Oregon: “2 Oregon Lawmakers Demoted for Rude Behavior” by Sarah Zimmerman (Associated Press) for Portland Oregonian

Lobbying

California: “The Political Playbook of a Bankrupt California Utility” by Thomas Fuller and Ivan Penn (New York Times) for MSN

Louisiana: “Louisiana Cap on Legislative Wining and Dining Grows to $62” by The Associated Press for Tacoma News Tribune

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “NJ Senate Approves Legislation Requiring ‘Dark Money’ Groups to Reveal Donors” by David Levinsky for Burlington County Times

Oregon: “Polluted by Money” by Rob Davis for Portland Oregonian

Elections

North Carolina: “After Harris Admissions, a New Election in 9th District” by Travis Fain for WRAL

Ethics

National: “Judge Broadens Gag Order Against Roger Stone After Instagram Post” by Darren Samuelsohn, Josh Gerstein, and Matthew Choi for Politico

Florida: “The SWAT Team Showed Up at a Florida Mayor’s Door. Then He Started Shooting, Police Say.” by Reis Thebault and Eli Rosenberg for Washington Post

Tennessee: “Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Regrets Wearing Confederate Uniform in College” by Jonathan Matisse and Scott Stroud for AP News

Lobbying

Canada: “Ontario Lobbyists Fear Loss of Access Unless They Sell Ford Fundraiser Tickets” by Jill Mahoney and Adam Radwanski for The Globe and Mail

Nevada: “Law Would Alter Nevada Financial Disclosure, Lobbyist Rules” by Bill Dentzer for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Campaign Finance

National: “Elections Commission Chief Uses the ‘Nuclear Option’ to Rescue the Agency from Gridlock” by Nihal Krishan for Mother Jones

California: “L.A. Ethics Commission Backs New Restrictions on Developer Donations” by Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Michigan: “Mayor Will File ‘Schor Lansing Fund’ with the IRS” by Kyle Kaminski and Berl Schwartz for Lansing City Pulse

Montana: “US Supreme Court Won’t Take Challenge to Montana Campaign Finance Law” by Corin Cates-Carney for Montana Public Radio

Washington: “SEIU State Council to Pay $128,000 in Civil Fines Over Campaign-Finance Lawsuit” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

National: “Top Ethics Watchdog Rejects Ross’s Financial Disclosure Form” by Bill Allison for Bloomberg

National: “A Federal Employee’s Ethics Guide During Future Government Shutdowns” by Nicole Ogrysko for Federal News Network

Texas: “Sen. Angela Paxton Files Bill That Would Allow Her Husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, to Issue Exemptions from Securities Regulations” by Emma Platoff for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

National: “Lawmakers Launch New Probe Into ‘Complex Web’ of Alleged Ties Between NRA, Russians” by Pete Madden and Matthew Mosk for ABC News

Ohio: “Highland Heights Mayor Scott Coleman Expected to Resign After Embezzlement Accusation” by Sabrina Eaton for Cleveland Plain Dealer

Elections

California: “Nation’s First All-LGBTQ City Council Tests Modern Meaning of Diversity” by Scott Wilson (Washington Post) for San Francisco Chronicle

Ethics

National: “Trump Can’t Run the Mueller Playbook on New York Feds” by Darren Samuelsohn for Politico

National: “Flynn Pushed to Share Nuclear Tech with Saudis, Report Says” by Chad Day for AP News

National: “Intimidation, Pressure and Humiliation: Inside Trump’s two-year war on the investigations encircling him” by Mark Mazzetti, Maggie Haberman, Nicholas Fandos, and Michael Schmidt (New York Times) for MSN

Lobbying

Arkansas: “Panel: No food, drink for legislators at event” by Michael Wickline for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Michigan: “Michigan Senator Seeks to End ‘Revolving Door’ of Lawmakers Turned Lobbyists” by Lindsay Van Hulle for Bridge Michigan

Campaign Finance

Oregon: “‘Give Me the Money, and I’ll Give It to Her.’ Former Oregon Lawmaker Describes Participating in Dubious Campaign Practice” by Rob Davis for Portland Oregonian

Elections

National: “The Growing Need for Opposition Research – on Yourself – in Today’s Political World” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing

Ethics

National: “Capitol Police Crackdown on Press Escalates to Physical Altercation” by Katherine Tully-McManus for Roll Call

Maine: “Maine Paid for 40 Rooms at Trump Hotel for LePage, Staff” by Scott Thistle and Kevin Miller for Portland Press Herald

New Jersey: “This N.J. Mayor Is Getting Paid to Fight Legal Weed. Here’s Why That’s Causing Trouble.” by Payton Guion (NJ Advance Media) for Bergen Record

New York: “Victims Offer Harrowing Testimony at Sexual Harassment Hearing” by Rachel Silberstein for Albany Times Union

South Carolina: “After Corruption Scandal, SC Lawmakers Push Changes at Electric Cooperatives” by Avery Wilkes for The State

Campaign Finance

National: Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Increasingly See Small-Dollar Donations as a Sign of Viability by Michelle Ye Hee Lee (Washington Post) for San Francisco Chronicle

Alabama: Few Disclosure Requirements for Money Raised After an Election by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Louisiana: Campaign Funds Can Be Used for Child Care, Louisiana Ethics Board Rules in Reversal by Julia O’Donoghue for New Orleans Times-Picayune

Rhode Island: Political Donations by Strip-Club Industry Made in Lobbying Firm’s Name by Brian Amaral for Providence Journal

Ethics

National: Supreme Court Takes Up Trump Administration’s Plan to Ask About Citizenship in Census by Robert Barnes (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

New Mexico: Senator Wants Ethics Panel’s Work Mostly Secret by Andrew Oxford (Santa Fe New Mexican) for New Mexico Political Report

Virginia: Richmond’s Donor Class and the VMI Brotherhood Stand Behind Embattled Virginia Governor by Gregory Schneider for Washington Post

Lobbying

National: Former Trump Officials Are Supposed to Avoid Lobbying. Except 33 Haven’t. by Derek Kravitz for ProPublica

Campaign Finance

National: “Court Ruling Doesn’t Stop Untraceable Election Spending” by Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) for apnews.org

Tennessee: “Tennessee Lawmakers Appeared to Violate Fundraising Rules – but They’re Unlikely to Face Penalties” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Elections

National: “How Manafort’s 2016 Meeting with a Russian Employee at New York Cigar Club Goes to ‘the Heart’ of Mueller’s Probe” by Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

National: “Former Federal Election Commission Chair Ann Ravel Runs for State Senate in San Jose” by Casey Tolan for San Jose Mercury News

Oregon: “Oregon Secretary of State Proposes $95K Fine for Ballots Turned in Late” by Hillary Borrud for Portland Oregonian

Ethics

National: “Top Leader at Interior Dept. Pushes a Policy Favoring His Former Client” by Coral Davenport for New York Times

Montana: “Who Should Fall Under the Montana Legislature’s Anti-Harassment Policy? No Easy Answer” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

New Mexico: “Ethics Commission Measure Unveiled” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

Lobbying

Washington: “Seattle Ethics Commission May Shine Light on Political Work, City Hall Lobbying” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times

Procurement

California: “To Do Business with L.A., City Contractors Now Must Disclose Ties with the NRA” by Dakota Smith for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

Louisiana: “Ethics Board to Reconsider If Louisiana Candidates Can Pay for Child Care with Campaign Funds” by Elizabeth Crisp for New Orleans Advocate

Ethics

National: “Rick Scott Won’t Put His Wealth in a Blind Trust Anymore” by Steve Contorno for Tampa Bay Times

Canada: “Ethics Inquiry Opened Over Justin Trudeau’s Actions in Bribery Case” by Ian Austen for New York Times

Colorado: “John Hickenlooper Ethics Complaint Over Travel Is Moving Forward After Commission Refuses to Dismiss” by Nic Garcia for Denver Post

Florida: “The Lawmaker Who Dressed in Blackface Is Pushing an Ethics Bill Today. Does It Matter?” by Lawrence Mower for Tampa Bay Times

North Dakota: “North Dakota Bill Would Keep Ethics Complaint Process Largely Secret” by Patrick Springer for Inforum.com

Lobbying

National: “Ex-Lawmakers Face New Scrutiny Over Lobbying” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

National: “National Enquirer’s Parent Firm Asked U.S. If It Should Register as Foreign Agent for Saudis” by Josh Lederman for NBC News

New Mexico: “Public Disclosure of Legislation a Lobbyist Works on Moves Forward” by Marjorie Childress for New Mexico In Depth

Campaign Finance

Michigan: “Benson: Pro-Whitmer group broke campaign finance law, will pay fine” by Jonathan Oosting for Detroit News

New York: “Analysis: Public matching program increases heft of small donors” by David Lombardo for Albany Times Union

Ethics

National: “House Democratic Leaders Call Ilhan Omar’s Tweets ‘Anti-Semitic’ and ‘Deeply Offensive’” by Rachel Bade, Kristine Phillips, Mike DeBonis, and Meagan Flynn for Washington Post

Georgia: “Ethics Commission Director Resigns in Middle of Ethics Investigation” by Dale Russell for WAGA

Pennsylvania: “No Prison Time for Former Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s Top Aide” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call

Texas: “In Texas, More Than a Million Dollars in Ethics Fines Have Gone Unpaid” by Johnny Kampis for Texas Monitor

Virginia: “Virginia Democrats Looking for a Clear Path Forward from Scandals” by Amy Gardner and Jenna Portnoy (Washington Post) for San Francisco Chronicle

Lobbying

New York: “Claiming Attempt to Silence Them, Advocacy Groups Oppose Cuomo Lobbying Proposal” by Lysette Voytko for Gotham Gazette

Campaign Finance

National: “FEC Raises Contribution Limits for 2020” by Reid Wilson for The Hill

California: “Downtown L.A. Developer Donated $50,000 Before Pivotal Vote Involving High-Rise Project, Records Show” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

National: “Prosecutors Probing Enquirer after Bezos Report” by Michael Sisak, Michael Balsamo, and Zeke Miller (Associated Press) for MSN

Florida: “City Manager Goad: City email to non-profits asking for tickets ‘out of step’” by Karl Etters for Tallahassee Democrat

Hawaii: “Former OHA Trustee Rowena Akana Hit with $23K Ethics Fine” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Missouri: “Missouri House Passes Bill on Closing Public Records” by Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) for Jefferson News Tribune

Virginia: “Virginia Sen. Tommy Norment Was an Editor for VMI Yearbook Filled with Racist Photos and Slurs” by Katherine Hafner, Elisha Sauers, and Dave Ress for The Virginian-Pilot

Lobbying

Colorado: “High Cost of Influence: $33 million spent last year lobbying Colorado lawmakers” by Eric Garcia for Denver Post

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “Democrats Want More Disclosure of Campaign Advertising, But Dark Money Remains an Issue” by Sandra Fish for Colorado Sun

Ethics

National: “‘It’s the Human Way’: Corruption scandals play out in big cities across U.S.” by Richard Fausset, Monica Davey, and Tim Arango for New York Times

National: “Case Closed Against Sen. Bob Menendez After Committee Finds That He Paid Back All Gifts” by Rodrigo Torrejon for Bergen Record

National: “Elizabeth Warren Apologizes for Calling Herself Native American” by Annie Linskey and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Anti-Corruption, Campaign Finance Reform Bills Preview Likely 2020 Campaign Theme” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Virginia: “Democrats Grapple with Fairfax Assault Accusation in #MeToo Era” by Jenna Portnoy, Laura Vozzella, and Antonio Olivo for Washington Post

Virginia: “Virginia Attorney General Herring Says He Wore Blackface in College” by Gregory Schneider and Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Wyoming: “As Lawmakers File Financial Disclosures, House Wants More” by Angus Theumer Jr. for WyoFile.com

Lobbying

Kentucky: “After Democratic Kickback Scheme, State Lawmaker Pushes for Ethics Bill” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

Oklahoma: “Senate Leader Puts Brakes on Lobbyist Parking at Capitol” by Barbara Hoberock for Tulsa World

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump Inaugural Committee Ordered to Hand Over Documents to Federal Investigators” by Maggie Haberman and Ben Protess (New York Times) for MSN

Massachusetts: “Massachusetts Campaign Finance Regulators Prepared to Lower Unions’ Donation Limit” by Shira Schoenberg for MassLive.com

Ethics

National: A Lobbyist at the Trump Tower Meeting Received Half a Million Dollars in Suspicious Payments” by Emma Loop, Tanya Kozyreva, Anthony Cormier, John Templon, and Jason Leopold for BuzzFeed News

Kentucky: “The Curious Case of a Kentucky Cybersecurity Contract” by Daniel Desrochers (Lexington Herald-Leader) and Jessica Huseman for ProPublica

Maryland: “Olszewski Proposes Public Financing for Baltimore County Executive, Council Elections” by Alison Knezevich for Baltimore Sun

New York: “Former Assemblyman Joseph Errigo and Lobbyist Robert Scott Gaddy Indicted in Bribery Plot” by Gary Craig and David Andreatta for Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Lobbying

National: “Lean Job Market for Dems on K Street” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

National: “Firms Recruited by Paul Manafort Investigated Over Foreign Payments” by Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) for MSN

New Mexico: “Governor Signs Lobbyist Disclosure Bill, Others Martinez Had Vetoed” by Andrew Oxford (Santa Fe New Mexican) for NMPolitics.net

Campaign Finance

Illinois: “Aldermen Named in Secretly Recorded Chat Admit Sending Business to Reyes’ Firm” by Fran Spielman for Chicago Sun-Times

Mississippi: “Lt. Governor Candidate Hughes Sidesteps Campaign Finance Reform Law He Pushed for in 2017” by Luke Ramseth for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Ethics

Arkansas: “State Lawmakers Roll Out Ethics Reform Package to Address Capitol Corruption” by Wesley Brown for talkbusiness.net

Louisiana: “Politics and the Suite Life for Saints Playoffs? Insiders Got Wish Granted by Gov. Edwards” by Tyler Bridges for New Orleans Advocate

Lobbying

Alabama: “Economic Developers Seek Extension, Expansion of Lobbying Exemption” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

California: “Sebastian Ridley-Thomas’ Work as a Lobbyist Sparks Criticism in California Capitol” by Melody Gutierrez for Los Angeles Times

Connecticut: “When the Governor’s Adviser Is Married to a Lobbyist” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

New Mexico: “Bill Would Reveal the Cost of a Free Lunch for Lawmakers” by Dan McKay for Albuquerque Journal