Campaign Finance

Wyoming: “Wyoming’s Campaign Finance Reforms Leave Several Holes for Dark Money Influence” by Nick Reynolds for Casper Star Tribune

Ethics

New York: “No Jail Time for Ex-Cuomo Confidant Todd Howe in Corruption Case” by Robert Gavin for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

National: “Thanks to Mueller, Foreign Agents Come Under Greater Scrutiny” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Alabama: “Ethics Bill Would Remove Limits on Lobbyist Gifts to Officials” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

California: “To Block California Soda Taxes, Companies Paid for ‘Black Panther’ Tickets, Fancy Dinners” by Samantha Young (California Healthline) for Los Angeles Times

Florida: “How the FBI Got a Flashy Lobbyist to Wear a Wire to Bring Down a Mayor” by Susannah Bryan for South Florida Sun Sentinel

North Carolina: “Request for More ‘Flexible’ Regulations Followed Lindberg Donations” by Travis Fain for WRAL

Washington: “A Washington State Senator Praised the Cambodian Government Last Year. Then It Gave Him a $500,000 Lobbying Contract.” by Jim Brunner and Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Campaign Finance

National: “Courts Have No Say When FEC Wants to Ignore Alleged Wrongdoing” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg Government

Ethics

California: “As Power of California Senate Leader Grows, So Does Her Spouse’s Consulting Business” by Liam Dillon for Los Angeles Times

Maryland: “Baltimore Board of Ethics to Investigate Mayor Pugh’s Sales of ‘Healthy Holly’ Books” by Doug Donovan and Meredith Cohen for Baltimore Sun

Michigan: “Mayor Mike Duggan Set Her Up to Succeed. That Raises Questions.” by Joe Guillen and Kat Stafford for Detroit Free Press

Legislative Issues

National: “You Elected Them to Write New Laws. They’re Letting Corporations Do It Instead.” by Rob O’Dell (Arizona Republic) and Mark Penzenstadler for USA Today

Lobbying

Alabama: “House Approves Permanent Economic Developer Lobbying Exemption” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Illinois: “Court: Illinois union lobbyist can keep public pension windfall he got for one day of substitute teaching” by Ray Long for Chicago Tribune

Rhode Island: “Rhode Island Reaches Lobbying Disclosure Agreement with Mastercard” by Hazel Bradford for Pensions and Investments

Campaign Finance

National: “At the Federal Election Commission, No Watchdog for the Watchdogs” by Dave Leventhal for Center for Public Integrity

Connecticut: “SEEC Says Campaigns Can’t Pay for Child Care” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

Elections

National: “Liberals Infuriated by Pro-Incumbent House Dem Policy” by Reid Wilson for The Hill

National: “Trump’s Takeover of the Republican Party Is Almost Complete” by Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Illinois: “Lori Lightfoot Elected Chicago Mayor, Making Her the First African-American Woman to Lead the City” by Bill Ruthhart for Chicago Tribune

Ethics

National: “An Intruder Brought Malware to Mar-a-Lago, Which Experts Have Warned Was Vulnerable” by Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “House Panel Votes to Authorize Subpoenas to Obtain Full Mueller Report” by Rachael Bade (Washington Post) for San Jose Mercury News

California: “Years After FBI Probe, SF Pay-to-Play Case Ends in Plea Deals” by Michael Barber for San Francisco Examiner

North Carolina: “NC GOP Chairman, Major Political Donor Indicted in Alleged Bribery Scheme” by Travis Fain for WRAL

Washington D.C.: “Jack Evans Scandal Revives Push to Ban Outside Jobs for D.C. Council Members” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

Massachusetts: “MassFiscal’s Biggest Funder Is a Nonprofit It Founded” by Matt Stout for Boston Globe

Mississippi: “Effort to Protect Identity of Nonprofit Donors Passes Amid Charges It Opens Door to ‘Dark Money’ in State Politics” by Bobby Harrison for Mississippi Today

Ethics

National: “Federal Appeals Court to Consider: Can Trump block his critics on Twitter?” by Ann Marimow (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

California: “A State Lawmaker Borrowed Nearly a Half-Million Dollars to Buy a Home. You Might Have Voted for Her Lender.” by Matt Levin for CALmatters

Pennsylvania: “GOP Legislator Prays to Jesus for Forgiveness Before State’s First Muslim Woman Swears In” by Reis Thebault (Washington Post) for MSN

Vermont: “Ethics Commission Head Worried Organization Viewed as ‘Toothless’” by Mark Johnson for VTDigger.org

Washington D.C.: “Constituent Services Funds Are Supposed to Help D.C. Residents in Need. Do They?” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Lobbying

National: “‘Happy to Do It’: Emails show current FAA chief coordinated with ex-lobbyist colleagues on policy” by Derek Kravitz and Jack Gillum for ProPublica

Florida: “‘As American as Apple Pie’: How Miami commissioner’s aunt became a high-priced lobbyist” by David Smiley and Joey Flechas for Miami Herald

Campaign Finance

Idaho: “Campaign Finance Overhaul Passes House” by Nathan Brown for Idaho Falls Post Register

Massachusetts: “House Proposal for Caucus Funding Left Out of Budget Bill – but Caucuses May Still Fundraise” by Shira Schoenberg for MassLive.com

Massachusetts: “Mayor Walsh Has an Effective Fund-Raising Firm; It Employs His Girlfriend” by Matt Stout for Boston Globe

New Jersey: “Dark Money Disclosure Bill Advanced to Gov. Phil Murphy’s Desk” by David Levinsky for Burlington County Times

Oregon: “Oregon Campaign Finance Reformers Focus On ‘Dark Money’” by Jeff Mapes for Oregon Public Broadcasting

Elections

Florida: “Florida Agreed to Let Felons Vote. Now Republicans Are Trying to Limit Who Is Eligible” by Amy Gardner for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Barr’s Declaration on Trump Puts Justice Dept. Back in Political Crucible” by Charlie Savage, Mark Mazzetti, and Katie Benner (New York Times) for MSN

Maryland: “Ethics Committee Recommends Reprimand of Baltimore County Del. Jay Jalisi Over ‘Toxic’ Work Environment” by Pamela Wood and Luke Broadwater for Baltimore Sun

Redistricting

National: “High Court Questions Courts’ Role in Partisan Redistricting” by Mark Sherman for AP News

Ethics

National: “Trump’s Legal Troubles Are Far from Over Even as Mueller Probe Ends” by Rosalind Helderman and David Fahrenthold for San Jose Mercury News

National: “Prosecutors No Longer Pursuing 188 Inauguration Protest Cases” by Keith Alexander (Washington Post) for MSN

Connecticut: “State Ethics Board Drops Appeal of Edsall Nepotism Ruling” by Paul Doyle for Connecticut Post

Florida: “Ethics Board Aims to Put Teeth in Code, Seeks Greater Oversight of Tallahassee City Hall” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

Washington D.C.: “As D.C. Leaders Tout Reforms, Latest Ethics Scandal Evokes City’s History of Corruption” by Paul Schwartzman for Washington Post

Lobbying

Colorado: “Lawmakers Take Aim at Disclosure Loopholes in Colorado Lobbying Laws” by Sandra Fish for Colorado Sun

Florida: “Fisher Island Residents Needed a Lobbyist. They Hired Miami’s Mayor.” by Douglas Hanks and Joey Flechas for Miami Herald

Nevada: “After Kelvin Atkinson’s Downfall, Will There Be Strong Anti-Corruption Reforms in Nevada?” by James DeHaven for Reno Gazette-Journal

Campaign Finance

Massachusetts: “New Proposal for Massachusetts House Caucus Funding Raises Fears of Legislative ‘Slush Fund’” by Shira Schoenberg for MassLive.com

Elections

California: “L.A. City Council Candidate Sues to Stop Former Ethics Commissioner from Running” by Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

National: “Appeals Court Judges Appear Skeptical of Emoluments Case Against Trump” by Sharon LaFraniere (New York Times) for MSN

Indiana: “Complaint Could Cost Attorney General Curtis Hill His Law License – and Elected Position” by Tony Cook, Ryan Martin, and Kaitlin Lange for Indianapolis Star

Missouri: “Voters Approved Clean Missouri, but Lawmakers Want Them to Reconsider” by Galen Barcharier for Columbia Missourian

Oregon: “Cylvia Hayes Settles with Oregonian Over Legal Fees” by Ted Sickinger for Portland Oregonian

Washington D.C.: “D.C. Council Votes to Reprimand Jack Evans Over Ethics Issues” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Lobbying

New York: “9 Fund-Raisers in 1 Night: Democrats vow reform in N.Y., but money still flows” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

Oklahoma: “Do You Hire Lobbyists? Agencies Face Deadline from Stitt” by Tres Savage for NonDoc

Campaign Finance

California: Donors to D.A. Jackie Lacey Included a Murder Suspect’s Parents and a Convicted Felon by Matt Hamilton and Harriet Myers for Los Angeles Times

Maryland: Baltimore Co. Council Approves Public Campaign Financing Measure by Alison Knezevich for Baltimore Sun

North Carolina: Ex-N Carolina Lawmaker Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for WRAL

Ethics

National: Mueller Sought Michael Cohen’s Emails Months Before FBI Raid, Warrants Show by Devlin Barrett, Matt Zapotosky, and Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) for MSN

National: Steve King Posts Meme Warning That Red States Have ‘8 Trillion Bullets’ in Event of Civil War by Reis Thebault (Washington Post) for MSN

Georgia: Former Ralston Aide Takes Over as Georgia Ethics Director by Staff for AP News

Illinois: The Consummate Political Insider Linked to the Burgeoning City Hall Corruption Probe by Jason Meisner for Chicago Tribune

Lobbying

Kentucky: Former Lobbyist to Pay $15,000 Ethics Fine. He Was Already Convicted in Bribery Case. by Bill Estep for Lexington Herald-Leader

Redistricting

Virginia: Supreme Court Divided Over Virginia Redistricting Case and Question of Racial Discrimination by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

Canada: “An SNC-Lavalin Lobbyist Attended Liberal Donor Events, Critics Say It Was Cash-for-Access” by Maura Forrest and Jesse Snyder for Cochrane Times

Arkansas: “Former Arkansas Senator Is Fined $11,000 by Ethics Panel” by Lisa Hammersly for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Illinois: “Debt Collector Indicted on Pay-to-Play Charges Linked to Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown” by Patrick O’Connell and Megan Crepeau for Chicago Tribune

Minnesota: “Lawmakers Look to Close Campaign Finance Loophole Affecting Minneapolis Elections” by Peter Callaghan for MinnPost

Elections

National: “Workers on Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Campaign Have Unionized” by Juana Summers for AP News

Kentucky: “Kentucky Legislature Passes Bill Stripping Grimes of Authority Over State Board of Elections” by Jessica Huseman for ProPublica

Ethics

California: “California Is Awash in Cannabis Cash. Some Is Being Used to Bribe Public Officials” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

Lobbying

National: “Trump-Connected Lobby Firms Cash in With Foreign Governments” by Theodoric Meyer for Politico

National: “Lobbying Case Against Democrat with Ties to Manafort Reaches Key Stage” by Kenneth Vogel and Katie Benner for New York Times

Campaign Finance

Nevada: Municipal Election Voters Blind to Campaign Donors by Shea Johnson for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Elections

California: ‘We Got Our Clocks Cleaned’: GOP quietly works to expand ballot-harvesting in California while criticizing Democrats for the practice by Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for San Jose Mercury News

Ethics

National: Former Spa Owner and Frequent Mar-a-Lago Guest Sparks Concerns About ‘Porous’ Environment at President’s Club by Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Emily Rauhala, Lori Rozsa, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN

National: GAO Urges More Transparency of Political Appointments, Compliance with Agency Ethics Programs by Nicole Ogrysko for Federal News Network

Arkansas: Former Arkansas Senator Is Fined $11,000 by Ethics Panel by Lisa Hammersly for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Maryland: Baltimore Mayor Pugh Didn’t Disclose Seat on Maryland Medical System Board, as Required on City Ethics Forms by Doug Donovan and Luke Broadwater for Baltimore Sun

Missouri: Missouri Considers Trimming Impeachment After Greitens’ Case by David Lieb for AP News

New Mexico: Legislature Seals Deal on Independent Ethics Commission by Trip Jennings for New Mexico In Depth

Campaign Finance

National: “2020 Dems Fight to Win Big-Money Purity Test” by Maggie Severns for Politico

New Mexico: “GOP Lawmakers Blast Campaign Finance Bill” by Colleen Heild for Albuquerque Journal

Ethics

Connecticut: “Ethics Office: Sen. Alex Bergstein Not Barred from Paying Staffer with Personal Funds” by Neil Vigdor for Hartford Courant

Illinois: “Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Ethics Reform Plan Stalls in City Council Committee” by John Byrne for Chicago Tribune

Iowa: “County Officials Vacationed at Vendor’s Florida Beach Condo” by Ryan Foley for AP News

New York: “New York AG Subpoenas Deutsche Bank for Records Related to 3 Trump Properties, Including Chicago’s Trump Tower” by David Fahrenthold and Jonathan O’Connell (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

Legislative Issues

Tennessee: “How Little-Known Meetings in Hard-to-Find Locations Can Make or Break Legislation in Tennessee” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Lobbying

National: “Paul Manafort Is Sentenced to a Total of 7 1 / 2 Years in Prison for Conspiracy and Fraud, and Charged with Mortgage Fraud in N.Y.” by Spencer Hsu, Rachel Weiner, and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) for MSN

Canada: “SNC-Lavalin Board Chair, a Former Top Bureaucrat, May Have Run Afoul of Federal Lobbying Rules” by Beatrice Paez for Hill Times

Florida: “Miami-Dade Ethics Board Dismisses Lobbying Complaint Against Beckham Group” by Joey Flechas for Miami Herald

Campaign Finance

National: “Election Watchdog Hits Jeb Bush’s Super-PAC with Massive Fine for Taking Money from Foreign Nationals” by Nihal Krishan for Mother Jones

New Mexico: “Changes Likely for Dark-Money in New Mexico Elections” by Associated Press for KOB

Ethics

Florida: “Gov. Ron DeSantis Hitches Ride to New York on South Florida Gambling Mogul’s Jet; GOP Picks Up Tab” by Steve Bousquet for South Florida Sun Sentinel

Nevada: “Former State Sen. Atkinson Pleads Guilty, Used $250K in Campaign Funds for SUV, Night Club” by James DeHaven for Reno Gazette-Journal

New York: “Freebies, No-Show Jobs and Bribes: Ex-Long Island official convicted of graft” by Sarah Maslin Nir and Arielle Dollinger for New York Times

Lobbying

National: “Incendiary N.R.A. Videos Find New Critics: N.R.A. leaders” by Danny Hakim (New York Times) for MSN

Canada: “Sask. Lobbyist ‘Loophole’ Should Be Closed: NDP” by Adam Hunter for CBC

New York: “Lobbyists Accused of Misconduct Create Quandary at Capitol” by Rachel Silberstein for Albany Times Union

Campaign Finance

West Virginia: “Lawmakers Vote to Raise Their Campaign Contribution Limits” by Erin Beck for Beckley Register-Herald

Ethics

National: “After Week of Infighting, Democrats Wonder Where to Draw Line on Speech” by Glenn Thrush and Sheryl Gay Stolberg (New York Times) for MSN

Kansas: “White Linen Restaurant Bans Lawmakers, Lobbyists After Altercation” by Sherman Smith for Topeka Capital-Journal

New York: “State Legislature Pushing to Revamp Embattled Ethics Board” by Michael Gormely for Newsweek

Washington D.C.: “D.C. Council, Bowser Administration Receive Federal Subpoenas in Jack Evans Ethics Probe” by Peter Jamison, Steve Thompson, and Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Lobbying

National: “How Lobbying Has Changed in Donald Trump’s Washington” by Luke Mullins for Washingtonian Magazine

Nevada: “RJ Investigation Finds Violations, No Enforcement of County Lobbying Disclosures” by Michael Scott Davidson for Las Vegas Review-Journal

New Mexico: “Lobbyists Weigh in on Disclosure, Ban on Spending Proposals” by Marjorie Childress for New Mexico In Depth

Campaign Finance

Michigan: “Dark Money Used to Evade Donor Disclosure Laws in Michigan” by Jonathan Oosting for Detroit News

Ethics

National: “The Mueller Report No One’s Talking About” by Darren Samuelsohn and Andrew Desiderio for Politico

National: “House Votes for Sweeping Ethics Overhaul That GOP Plans to Block” by Anna Edgarton for Bloomberg News

Connecticut: “State Ethics Board Fines Ex-UConn Diversity Official $20,000 for Improperly Giving Husband a $54,000 Fellowship” by David Owens for Hartford Courant

Florida: “Former City Manager Rick Fernandez Fined $6K in Ethics Case” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

Missouri: “Hawley Insider Had Seat at Table in Secretary of State Inquiry That Cleared Senator” by Jason Hancock, Steve Vockrodt, and Lindsay Wise for Kansas City Star

Oregon: “Oregon Ethics Commission Rejects Settlement with Cylvia Hayes, Ex-First Lady” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

Texas: “Former Richardson Mayor, Developer Found Guilty in Bribery, Corruption Trial” by Kevin Krause for Dallas News