Campaign Finance

National: “On Appeals Court, Kavanaugh Helped to Loosen Political Money Laws” by Peter Overby for National Public Radio

Oregon: “Campaign Spending Limits to Appear on Portland Ballots” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

Elections

National: “Democratic Party’s Liberal Insurgency Hits a Wall in Midwest Primaries” by David Weigel for Washington Post

Ohio: “Republican Holds Slim Lead in Ohio Special Election for House Seat” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for MSN

Ethics

National: “GOP Rep. Collins Indicted, Charged with Securities Fraud” by Kyle Cheney for Politico

National: “Trump’s D.C. Hotel, a Clubhouse for His Fans, May Also Be a 5-Star Conflict of Interest” by Ana Schecter, Rich Gardella, and Cynthia McFadden for NBC News

Florida: “The Messy Political Drama Behind a Miami-Dade Street That Could Be Cleaner” by Douglas Hanks for Miami Herald

New Mexico: “State Audit Hits LANL Coalition and Candidate Romero Over Reimbursements” by Associated Press for Albuquerque Journal

North Carolina: “Lawyers Spar Over Whether Proposed Amendments Are Misleading” by Matthew Burns and Laura Leslie for WRAL

Lobbying

Arizona: “Prosecutors Drop Bribery, Fraud Charges Against Former Utility Regulator, Others” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Campaign Finance

National: “LePage Will Release Over $1 Million in Campaign Funds” by Marina Villeneuve (Associated Press) for Raleigh News and Observer

Montana: “Billings House Candidate Insists Loan from Public Service Commissioner Wasn’t Campaign Contribution” by Matt Hudson (Billings Gazette) for Montana Standard

Elections

National: “A ‘Rainbow Wave’? 2018 Has More L.G.B.T. Candidates Than Ever” by Liam Stack and Catie Edmonson (New York Times) for MSN

National: “Kris Kobach Used Flawed Research to Defend Trump’s Voter Fraud Panel, Experts Say” by Eli Rosenberg (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

Ethics

National: “Where Are Retiring Congress Members Going to Work? Loopholes Let Them Job Hunt in Secret” by Bill Theobald for USA Today

Michigan: “Thanedar Discloses Ties to Radio Hosts Who Promoted Him” by Jonathan Oosting for Detroit News

Missouri: “Lawsuit Seeks to Knock Gerrymandering Issue Off Missouri’s November Ballot” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Tennessee: “Ousted Tennessee Lawmaker Fights for Retirement Benefits” by Daniel Jackson for Courthouse News Service

Lobbying

National: “Former Trump Campaign Aides Set Up Foreign Lobbying Shop in Corey Lewandowski’s Townhouse” by Soo Rin Kim for ABC News

Missouri: “Slay’s Role as Lobbyist Raises Questions Over Conflict of Interest in Quest to Privatize Airport” by Melody Walker for St. Louis Public Radio

Campaign Finance

National: “Judge’s Ruling Invalidates FEC Regulation Allowing Anonymous Donations to ‘Dark Money’ Groups” by Brent Griffiths for Politico

Elections

National: “Accused of Harassment, and Seeking Redemption at the Ballot Box” by Julie Turkewitz and Alan Blinder (New York Times) for MSN

National: “Beyond the N.R.A.: Maria Butina’s peculiar bid for Russian influence” by Matthew Rosenberg, Mike McIntire, Michael LaForgia, Andrew Kramer, and Elizabeth Dias (New York Times) for MSN

National: “President Admits Trump Tower Meeting Was Meant to Get Dirt on Clinton” by Michael Shear and Michael Schmidt (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

Missouri: “Missouri Voters Get to Decide Medical Marijuana, Minimum Wage, Ethics Reform in Fall” by Alison Kite for Kansas City Star

New York: “What Has JCOPE Actually Done?” by Kay Dervishi for City and State

Texas: “Texas Court Revives Lawsuit to Strip Ethics Regulators of Campaign, Elections Oversight” by Lauren McGaughey for Dallas News

Lobbying

Florida: “Panel Finds ‘Probable Cause’ That Five Municipal Officials, Five Lobbyists Violated State Ethics Laws” by John Haughey for Florida Watchdog

Campaign Finance

National: Corporate Donations Are New Test for Democratic Candidates by Lisa Lerer (Associated Press) for Lowell Sun

National: Trump Legal Fund Remains Mum on Donors, Payments by Ken Doyle for Bloomberg Government

Elections

North Carolina: Arrested, Jailed and Charged with a Felony. For Voting. by Jack Healy (New York Times) for WRAL

Ethics

National: These Lame Ducks Still Fly – On the Taxpayer’s Dime – Often to Faraway Countries by Bill Theobald for USA Today

Michigan: ‘I’m Ready’: Towing titan Fiore hauled off to prison for 21 months by Tresa Baldas for Detroit Free Press

Oregon: Oregon House Speaker, Senate President Accused of Sexual Harassment Cover-up by Fellow Democrat by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

Wisconsin: Ethics Commission Picks New Administrator by The Associated Press for Wisconsin Law Journal

Lobbying

Canada: B.C. Watchdog Warns of Legal Loophole Letting Ex-Staffers Lobby Leaders by David Ball for Toronto Star

Campaign Finance

Tennessee: “Tennessee Sued Over PAC Contributions ‘Blackout Period’ Before Elections” by Joey Garrison for The Tennessean

Vermont: “Vermont Campaign-Finance Limits Survive Appeal” by Nick Rummell for Courthouse News Service

Elections

National: “Campaigns Enter Texting Era with a Plea: Will U Vote 4 Me 🙏??” by Kevin Roos for New York Times

Washington D.C.: “The Voters Approved It. Should Lawmakers Erase the Result? In D.C., a Debate About Democracy.” by Reis Thebault for Washington Post

Ethics

Alabama: “Alabama’s ‘Beach House Sheriff’ Is Selling His Beach House” by Connor Sheets for AL.com

California: “San Diego Council Sets Up Ballot Measure to Double the Salary for Council, Mayor” by David Garrick for San Diego Union Tribune

California: “Vindicated Colonies Corruption Figure Sues San Bernardino County, DA in Federal Court for $40 Million” by Joe Nelson for San Bernardino Sun

Michigan: “Macomb Politician Gets 20 Months in Prison for Corruption” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

New York: “Ethics Commissioner Wants Option to Make Status of Probes Public” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

National: “Mueller Refers Foreign Agent Inquiries to New York Prosecutors” by Erica Orden (CNN) for MSN

National: “Lobbying Groups Join Fight Against Sexual Harassment” by Katherine Tully-McManus for Roll Call

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “Secretary of State Michele Reagan Again Delays Arizona Campaign Website Planned for 2015” by Dustin Gardiner for Arizona Republic

Michigan: “Former Michigan Secretary of State, Husband Agree to Pay $66K Fine” by Todd Spangler for Detroit Free Press

Minnesota: “Minnesota Political Donors Benefiting from State Campaign Refund Program” by Eric Chaloux for KSTP

Missouri: “Judge Strikes One St. Louis County Ballot Question on Campaign Contributions, but Other Two Are OK” by Jeremy Kohler for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Pennsylvania: “Lehigh County Pay-to-Play Law Crimps Donations from Political Candidates’ Own Parties” by Tom Shortell for Allentown Morning Call

Elections

National: “Facebook Has Identified Ongoing Political Influence Campaign” by Nicholas Fandos and Kevin Roose for MSN

Ethics

National: “FEMA Personnel Chief Harassed Women, Hired Some as Possible Sexual Partners for Male Employees, Agency’s Leader Says” by Lisa Rein (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “Company Used Convicted Chicago Schools Chief in ‘Highly Unethical’ Work to Win Millions in CPS Business, Watchdog Finds” by Juan Perez Jr. for Chicago Tribune

Lobbying

National: “Foreign Lobbying Overhauls Stall as Manafort Goes to Trial” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Campaign Finance

National: “Liberal Activists Embrace ‘Dark Money’ in Supreme Court Fight” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee (Washington Post) for Everett Herald

Elections

Georgia: “In Georgia Governor’s Race, a Defining Moment for a Southern State” by Kevin Sack and Alan Blinder for WRAL

Ethics

California: “Combatting Corruption: How effective is the political watchdog Jerry Brown helped create?” by Laurel Rosenhall and Robbie Short for CALmatters

New Mexico: “Investigators Move Sexual Harassment Case Against Legislator Forward” by Dan McKay and Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

Lobbying

National: “From Six Homes to a City Jail: Paul Manafort, who redefined lobbying, faces trial” by Rachel Weiner and Tom Hamburger (Washington Post) for The News-Times

National: “At Prayer Breakfast, Guests Seek Access to a Different Higher Power” by Kenneth Vogel and Elizabeth Dias (New York Times) for WRAL

National: “EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler’s Past Lobbying Ties Attract Scrutiny” by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) for MSN

Alaska: “Ethics Reform Bill Signed into Law” by Staff for Cordova Times

Elections

Missouri: “McCaskill, Vulnerable Democrat Running for Re-election, Targeted in Russian Hacking Attempt” by Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

North Carolina: “‘I Have Not Been Involved,’ NC Supreme Court Justice Says of Bill Targeting Opponent” by Wil Doran for Raleigh News and Observer

West Virginia: “West Virginia Official Rejects Blankenship’s Third-Party Senate Bid” by Jordain Carney for The Hill

Ethics

National: “Cohen Says Trump Approved Trump Tower Meeting with Russians” by Darren Samuelsohn, Quint Forgey, and Andrew Restuccia for Politico

National: “Allen Weisselberg, Trump Organization’s Finance Chief, May Be Questioned” by Maggie Haberman, Michael Schmidt, and Sharon LaFraniere (New York Times) for MSN

Florida: “Jack Latvala Cleared of Criminal Charges by State Prosecutor” by Steve Bousquet, Mary Ellen Klas, and Emily Mahoney for Tampa Bay Times

New York: “Sheldon Silver, Ex-Assembly Speaker, Gets 7 Years in Prison for Corruption Conviction” by Jon Campbell for Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Lobbying

Maine: “Lawmakers, Lobbyists to Get Annual Anti-Harassment Training” by The Associated Press for Albany Times Union

Missouri: “Divided KC Council Defeats $5 Gift Proposal – ‘We’re Doing Fine’” by Bill Turque for Kansas City Star

Campaign Finance

California: County Won’t Name Everyone Who Broke Campaign Money Laws by Nick Gerda for Voice of OC

Illinois: Rauner Blasts Chicago Mayoral Candidate Willie Wilson’s Cash Giveaway, State Says He Didn’t Violate Campaign Rules by John Byrne and Rick Pearson for Chicago Tribune

Montana: Gov. Bullock Sues IRS Over Decision to Stop Requiring Some Tax-Exempt Groups to Identify Donors by Amy Beth Hansson (Associated Press) for Helena Independent Record

New York: Sugarman Cracks Down on Former-IDC Campaign Accounts by David Lombardo for Albany Times Union

Elections

National: There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing. by Alexander Burns (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

National: Federal Judge Allows Emoluments Case Against Trump to Proceed by Ann Marimow, Jonathan O’Connell, and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) for MSN

National: Wilbur Ross Actively Pushed to Add Citizenship Question to 2020 Census, Documents Show by Tara Bahrampour (Washington Post) for San Francisco Chronicle

Illinois: Lawmakers Question Possible Conflicts of Interest in Tollway Contracts by Mary Wisniewski for Chicago Tribune

Lobbying

National: Two Trump Allies, Seeing Unlimited Opportunity, Instead Drew Scrutiny by Kenneth Vogel, Mark Mazzetti, Maggie Haberman, and David Kirkpatrick (New York Times) for MSN

Pennsylvania: Board of Ethics Says Pro-Soda Tax Coalition Violated Lobbying Law by Alison Burdo for Philadelphia Business Journal

Redistricting

National: Drive Against Gerrymandering Finds New Life in Ballot Initiatives by Michael Wines (New York Times) for MSN

Campaign Finance

National: “Donations to Nunes Improperly Used to Charter a Private Jet, Says Complaint to FEC” by Kate Irby for McClatchy DC

California: “Ref Rodriguez Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Resigns from L.A. School Board” by Howard Blume and Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times

Colorado: “Colorado Campaign Finance Loophole Allows Dark Money Flyers” by Sandra Fish for Colorado Independent

New York: “Who Needs Small Donors When You Have Friends? Ask Gov. Cuomo.” by Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) for WRAL

Elections

Hawaii: “Candidates Say ‘Pay To Play’ Is Unfair For Newspaper Voter’s Guide” by Andrew Perala for Honolulu Civil Beat

Ethics

National: “Russian Billionaire with U.S. Investments Backed Alleged Agent Maria Butina, According to a Person Familiar with Her Senate Testimony” by Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) for MSN

Georgia: “Georgia Leaders Condemn Jason Spencer, Lawmaker Who Used Slurs on Sacha Baron Cohen Show” by Sopan Deb (New York Times) for MSN

Indiana: “Secret Donations to Fuel Hill’s Defense Against Groping Allegations” by Tony Cook, Kaitlin Lange, and Ryan Martin for Indianapolis Star Tribune

North Dakota: “Anti-Corruption Measure Headed for North Dakota Ballot” by John Hageman for West Fargo Pioneer

West Virginia: “Ethics Complaints Closed Against W.Va. Supreme Court Justices” by Wendy Holdren for Beckley Register-Herald

Campaign Finance

National: “Tabloid Company, Aiding Trump Campaign, May Have Crossed Line into Politics” by Jim Rutenberg and Ben Protess (New York Times) for MSN

Elections

Georgia: “She’s Mexican-Born and a New U.S. Citizen. But Can She Run for the Georgia House?” by Richard Fausett (New York Times) for WRAL

Ethics

California: “New Head of California Political Watchdog Agency Says It Is Moving on After Period of Tumult” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

Florida: “Secret Tapes Reveal Undercover FBI Agents Trying to Take Down Hallandale Mayor” by Susannah Bryan for South Florida Sun Sentinel

Maryland: “Howard County Studies Loosening Some Ethics Law Reporting Rules” by Kate Magill for Baltimore Sun

Lobbying

National: “Busy Trump, Congress Keep K Street Booming” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Ohio: “Cincinnati Firm Lobbies for Taxpayers – and Companies That Want Their Money” by Dan Horn for Cincinnati Enquirer

Pennsylvania: “PPA Lobbyist Paid $3,000 a Month. For What?” by William Bender for Philadelphia Inquirer

Campaign Finance

National: How Members of Congress Cultivate Wealthy Donors Through a Little-Known PAC by Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post

Arizona: APS Spends Big to Keep Clean-Energy Measure Off Ballot – but What Was Paid for Isn’t Clear by Rachel Leingang for Arizona Republic

Elections

National: New Tactic by Politicians: Set up fake news websites as a campaign gambit by Tim Johnson for McClatchy DC

National: ‘A Difficult Situation’: Republican women run in the Trump era by Rachel Bade for Politico

National: States Slow to Prepare for Hacking Threats by Eric Geller for Politico

Ethics

Alabama: ‘Beach House Sheriff’ Under Federal, State Investigation Over Jail Food Money by Connor Sheets for AL.com

Florida: South Miami’s Mayor Shut Down an Opponent at Meetings. Now he faces an investigation. by Aaron Liebowitz for Miami Herald

New York: New York Is Said to Open Tax Inquiry into Trump Foundation by Vivian Wang (New York Times) for WRAL

Campaign Finance

National: “The Biggest Spender of Political Ads on Facebook? President Trump” by Sheera Frenkel (New York Times) for CNBC

Idaho: “Lawmakers Work on Campaign Finance Reform Proposals, Want More Disclosure” by Betsy Russell for Idaho Press

North Carolina: “Report Ties NRA Money to Tillis Campaign Consultants Via Third Group” by Travis Fain for WRAL

Elections

California: “State Supreme Court Removes Measure to Split California into Three States from November Ballot” by Maura Dolan for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

National: “Commerce Secretary Ross to Sell All Stocks After Ethics Office Warning” by Bill Allison for Bloomberg.com

Arizona: “Mistrial Declared in Bribery Case Involving Arizona Corporation Commission” by Michael Kiefer and Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic

Arizona: “Arizona Rep. Paul Mosley Accused of Inappropriate Comments Involving Women, Religion” by Rachel Leingang and Yvonne Winget Sanchez for Arizona Republic

California: “Supervisor Leticia Perez Criminally Charged in Connection with Conflict of Interest with the Marijuana Industry” by Jason Kotowski for Baskersfield Californian

Florida: “‘Look Right into My Soul,’ Michael Grieco Said. But He Was Lying, Ethics Board Alleges” by Nicholas Nehamas for Miami Herald

New York: “State Resources Went to Cuomo Campaign Effort, Records Show” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Rhode Island: “Ethics Commission to Put All State, Municipal Officials’ Financial Disclosures Online” by Katie Mulvaney for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

Montana: “Report: Rosendale uses accounting to skirt contribution limits” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

Elections

National: “4,500 Tech Workers, 1 Mission: Get Democrats elected” by Kevin Roose and Sheera Frenkel (New York Times) for CNBC

Ethics

National: “In Trump’s U.K. Visit, Some See ‘Infomercial’ for Money-Losing Golf Resort” by Katie Rogers for New York Times

National: “Maria Butina, Russian Gun Rights Advocate, Charged in U.S. with Acting as Russian Federation Agent” by Tom Jackman and Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) for MSN

Arizona: “Video: Arizona lawmaker caught speeding says he drives as fast as 140 mph, claims immunity” by Rachel Leingang and Kimberly Rapanut for Arizona Republic

Maryland: “As Governor, Larry Hogan’s Real Estate Business Continues to Thrive – Prompting Questions” by Luke Broadwater for Baltimore Sun

Michigan: “Michigan Lawmakers Go Public with Their Finances in Effort to Boost State Integrity” by Kristian Hernandez for Center for Public Integrity

New York: “Ex-New York Pension Director Gets 21 Months for Pay-to-Play” by Chris Dolmetsch and Bob Van Voris for Bloomberg.com