August 22, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – August 22, 2025
National/Federal
Google Finds Workaround for Lobbying That Omits Big Bosses
MSN – Ted Mann (Bloomberg) | Published: 8/14/2025
Google executives in 2018 were tired of seeing stories in the media that showed the company spent more on federal lobbying than any other corporation. Then Google apparently found a workaround. A new analysis shows Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., used an internal reorganization to exclude the value of lobbying by its senior executives from disclosures. Google also moved its in-house lobbyists into a new subsidiary, called Google Client Services LLC. It is that unit which now files spending disclosures for Google’s lobbying activities.
Trump’s Answer to Numbers He Doesn’t Like: Change them or throw them away
MSN – Cat Zakrzewski, David Ovalle, Scott Dance, and Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/14/2025
President Trump presented inaccurate crime statistics to justify a federal takeover of the District of Columbia Police, announced plans for the census to stop counting undocumented immigrants, and ordered the firing of the official in charge of compiling basic statistics about the U.S. economy after a weak jobs report. It marked an escalation in Trump’s war on data, as he repeatedly tries to undermine statistics that threaten his agenda and distorts figures to bolster his policies.
Judge Dismisses 2 Counts Against US Rep. Cuellar of Texas, Moves Bribery Trial to Next Year
MSN – Juan Lozano (Associated Press) | Published: 8/14/2025
A judge granted a request by federal prosecutors to dismiss two of the 14 counts against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, as part of a federal bribery and conspiracy indictment. Prosecutors had asked the judge to dismiss the counts related to violating the prohibition on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal. Prosecutors said they were dismissing the two counts following a February memorandum from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that shifted the focus of charges filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Under Trump, the Education Dept. Has Flipped Its Civil Rights Mission
MSN – Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/18/2025
The Trump administration has upended civil rights enforcement at K-12 schools and colleges, prioritizing cases that allege transgender students and students of color are getting unfair advantages, while severe staff cuts have left thousands of other allegations unresolved. The office has a backlog of about 25,000 unresolved cases, up from about 20,000 when President Trump took office. At the same time, the civil rights office has announced investigations of at least 99 schools, often based on news coverage or complaints from conservative groups.
Newsmax to Pay $67 Million to Settle Dominion Defamation Lawsuit
MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 8/18/2025
The conservative cable channel Newsmax agreed to pay $67 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by the voting technology company Dominion Voting Systems over the network’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election. Dominion sued Newsmax in 2021, arguing the network “manufactured, endorsed, repeated, and broadcast a series of verifiable false yet devastating lies about Dominion” that made it out to be guilty in a “colossal fraud” to steal the election for Joe Biden.
Inside the DNC’s Money Problems
MSN – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 8/18/2025
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has fallen far behind in the cash race. Several months into rebuilding efforts under new party leadership, the DNC trails the Republican National Committee by nearly every fundraising metric. Major Democratic donors have withheld money this year amid skepticism about the party’s direction, while the small-dollar donors who have long been a source of strength are not growing nearly enough to make up the gap. The party has quickly churned through what money it has raised in the first half of the year.
Trump Budget Officials Claim Sweeping Spending Power from Congress, Records Show
MSN – Riley Beggin and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025
The Trump administration is asserting authority to withhold billions of dollars from low-income housing services, education assistance, medical research grants, and other programs approved by Congress, according to public documents. The new practices, which increase the leverage and power of budget chief Russell Vought, are likely to reignite a clash over the administration’s power to freeze dollars approved by Congress, usurping authority the legislative branch has under the Constitution.
Foundations Step in to Offer $37 Million Lifeline to Public Media
MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025
Major philanthropic organizations said they are committing nearly $37 million in emergency funding to keep public media stations afloat after Congress eliminated $1.1 billion in federal funding from PBS and NPR stations over the next two years. The Knight Foundation said it is most focused on helping the organizations that derived 30 percent of their annual budgets or more from federal funding doled out by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which recently announced it is shutting down in the face of defunding.
Republicans Push the Limits to Revamp Campaign Finance Operations
MSN – Ramsey Touchberry (Washington Examiner) | Published: 8/20/2025
Senate Republicans are pushing the boundaries of fundraising laws to fill their campaign coffers and stretch their ad spending to counter Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms. The increased use of so-called joint fundraising committees to score cheaper ads is a relatively new trend that GOP operatives and candidates, particularly for the Senate, have leaned into the past year to save millions of dollars and mitigate what has historically been a Democratic fundraising advantage.
Seven Months In, Trump’s Revolving Door Reaching Full Swing
MSN – Caitlin Oprysko and Sophia Cai (Politico) | Published: 8/20/2025
Barely a half-year into President Trump’s second administration, a handful of senior White House aides are already heading for the exits and right through the “revolving door” between the federal government and K Street. The departures and the White House’s response to them illustrate the ways in which the administration continues to push the bounds of ethics norms and guardrails designed to prevent government officials from profiting off their time in public service.
California Races to Counter Texas in Nationwide Fight Over Election Maps
MSN – Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025
California Democrats are rushing to advance a plan to draw a new congressional map, aiming to counter Texas Republicans in a national fight between the two parties to seize an advantage in next year’s midterm elections. But the process in California has more hurdles because the state constitution requires that an independent nonpartisan panel draw its congressional maps. Voters must approve any constitutional amendment. The dueling efforts by the two most populous states mark an unusual mid-decade showdown over election maps.
Trump, GOP Portray Cities as Chaotic Dystopias in Need of Occupation
MSN – Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025
As President Trump ramps up the military presence in Washington, and hints he may move to take over other cities, his crackdown punctuates a frequent Republican message that American cities embody chaos, lawlessness, and immorality, despite widespread recent drops in violent crime. With cities increasingly liberal and rural stretches ever more conservative, Republicans have a growing incentive to attack urban areas as the epitome of all that is wrong with America.
Democrats Alarmed Over New Data Showing Voters Fleeing to GOP
MSN – Amie Parnes (The Hill) | Published: 8/21/2025
Democrats are sounding the alarm on new data showing they are losing voters to Republicans across the country. A devastating New York Times report showed that of the 30 states that maintain voter registration records by political party, Democrats fell behind Republicans in all of them between the 2020 and 2024 elections. In total, Republicans added up to 4.5 million voters compared to Democrats, creating a huge hold that could set Democrats back for years.
Government’s Demand for Trans Care Info Sought Addresses, Doctors’ Notes, Texts
MSN – Casey Parks and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 8/20/2025
The Justice Department is demanding that hospitals turn over a wide range of sensitive information related to medical care for young transgender patients, including billing documents, communication with drug manufacturers, and data such as patient dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and addresses. The government’s unprecedented effort to gather this type of information related to gender transition care is having a chilling effect. Since the subpoenas went out, more than a dozen hospitals across the U.S. have scaled back or ended gender transition programs for people under the age of 19.
Two Big Law Firms Said to Be Doing Free Work for Trump Administration
Seattle Times – Michael Schmidt, Matthew Goldstein, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2025
At least two large law firms that struck deals with President Trump to avoid punitive executive orders have committed to doing free legal work for the Commerce Department, according to two people briefed on the matter. In the past, some law firms have done work for the federal government at a reduced rate. But coming just months after they struck deals with the president, the free work is likely to raise new questions about whether Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Kirkland & Ellis felt compelled to do so to stay in Trump’s good graces.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Exclusive Ottawa Fundraising Event Draws Dozens of Lobbyists – Despite Liberal Promises
MSN – Maeve Ellis and Carly Penrose (Investigative Journalism Foundation) | Published: 8/19/2025
The annual Laurier Club Summer Reception and Garden Party is an exclusive event for Liberal supporters who donate the legal maximum of $1,750 to the federal party each year. It is a must-attend soiree not just for politicians, but also those hoping to influence them. An analysis found dozens of registered lobbyists attended this year’s event, gaining access to cabinet ministers without triggering federal lobbying disclosure rules.
Arizona – State Refers GOP AG Hopeful Rodney Glassman for Prosecution Over Illegal Donations
Yahoo News – Caitlin Sievers (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 8/19/2025
Prosecutors are investigating Rodney Glassman, a top Republican candidate for attorney general in Arizona, after state elections officials said they believe he violated campaign finance contribution limits numerous times over the last year. In 2024, when the limit in Arizona for individual donations was $5,400, Glassman accepted 22 donations for amounts beyond that, according to a complaint submitted to the secretary of state’s office.
California – Public Funding for Elections? The Idea Is Back in California
MSN – Frank Stoltze (LAist) | Published: 8/19/2025
A group of legislators is seeking to lift the ban on public financing for elections in California, a move to counter the ever-increasing amount of money spent on campaigns in the state. Supporters say the California Fair Elections Act could be a game changer for underfunded candidates facing well-financed opponents and make races more competitive. Right now, only cities governed by their own charter may enact public financing. Five of the state’s 121 charter cities have done that.
Orange County Register – Kaitlyn Schallhorn | Published: 8/14/2025
How much are social media followers worth to a congressional campaign? That question, along with how a candidate can go about amassing a following, are at the crux of a recent campaign finance complaint involving two Democratic rivals in the race for California’s 40th Congressional District. The use of social media is not new for campaigns, but it is still a bit of a “Wild West” in terms of how it is regulated by the FEC, said Michael Kowal, an expert in campaign finance and social media who teaches at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.
District of Columbia – Justice Department Investigating D.C. Police Over Alleged Fake Crime Data
MSN – Perry Stein and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025
The Justice Department is investigating whether Distrct of Columbia police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and local officials who have repeatedly cited drops in violent crime to protest the need for a federal takeover of law enforcement. The criminal probe is expected to examine the actions of multiple police officials, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Florida – How Miami Officials Use a Private Marlins Suite Meant for Charities
MSN – Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 8/20/2025
Using more than a dozen complimentary tickets, City Commissioner Ralph Rosado attended a recent game Miami Marlins game with his family, staff from his district office, and some of their family members. The group watched the game from one of the stadium’s “MVP Suites,” which can cost as much as $4,566 per game. But the specific box Rosado was in is not meant for elected officials and their inner circle. The purpose of the box, which an operating agreement refers to as the “community suite,” is for “public or charity use.”
Indiana – Energy Lobby Ramped Up Spending on Lawmakers Amid Push for Nuclear. It Worked
Indianapolis Star – Marissa Meador | Published: 8/21/2025
The Indiana legislators ushering in a new era of nuclear power were showered with sports tickets and meals from the very utility companies that stood to benefit from the incentive-packed legislation, lobbying records show. Among those lawmakers were powerful utility committee chairs, Sen. Eric Koch and Rep. Ed Soliday, who led the charge on legislation to incentivize small modular reactors.
Louisiana – New Orleans Mayor Misused Public Funds on Romantic Getaways, Prosecutors Say
MSN – Ben Brasch (Washington Post) | Published: 8/15/2025
A federal grand jury indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, accusing her of pursuing an illicit affair with her police bodyguard at taxpayers’ expense, then lying to federal officials and deleting evidence to hide the relationship. Investigators allege Cantrell cost the public about $70,000 by bringing the bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie II, on the trips. At the time, Vappie was a New Orleans police officer. Vappie was indicted on similar charges in July after allegedly joining the mayor on trips to Los Angeles, Orlando, Scotland, and the United Arab Emirates.
Michigan – Michigan Lawmaker Cites Sheetz Hiring of Local Official, Drafting Bill to Ban Practice
MSN – Dave Boucher (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 8/18/2025
State Rep. Donni Steele told local Republican leaders in Oakland County she wants to change Michigan law to bar county elected officials from holding outside jobs, citing a powerful elected Democrat who also works for a gas station empire. Steele referenced Oakland County Commission Chairperson Dave Woodward’s side job working as a consultant for Sheetz, a convenience store chain looking to expand in southeast Michigan.
Minnesota – Security Panel Tackles Question of Guns, Metal Detectors at Minnesota Capitol
MSN – Nathaniel Minor (Minneapolis Star Tribune) | Published: 8/20/2025
Guns and metal detectors at the Minnesota Capitol could become a sticking point this fall among members of a committee that advises lawmakers on security issues. Minnesota is one of about 10 states that do not require security screening such as metal detectors to enter their Capitol buildings. Security at the Minnesota Capitol complex has been under renewed scrutiny since Sen. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed at their homes in June.
New York – Homeless People Said They Were Paid to Be Listed as Donors for a Senate Candidate
Albany Times Union – Emilie Munson | Published: 8/15/2025
An Albany Times Union investigation uncovered information that Caleb Slater, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the New York Senate last year in the Syracuse region, reported contributions of $250 from several homeless people who told the newspaper they never donated money to his campaign and were paid to submit contribution forms for the campaign. One man said he was paid to recruit donors and front the contributions on their behalf. Two other donors said they contributed money to the campaign and were paid double for their donations by Slater.
New York – Brother’s Keepers: How two top Adams officials helped their sibling succeed
MSN – Greg Smith (The City) | Published: 8/18/2025
David Banks, the then-chancellor of the New York City school system, appeared in a video touting the benefits of 21st Century Education products as used in city school districts. The video, posted to YouTube, ends with a solicitation by the company: “Give us a call today so we can future-proof your students and educators.” This endorsement of a for-profit firm by the head of the nation’s biggest public school system did not come about completely out of the blue. As it happened, 21st Century Education had made a prescient behind-the-scenes investment by hiring a government relations consultant: David Banks’ brother.
New York – Eric Adams Advisor Winnie Greco Handed a CITY Reporter Cash Stuffed in a Bag of Potato Chips
MSN – Greg Smith and Yoav Gonen (The City) | Published: 8/20/2025
A former top City Hall advisor and current campaign aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams attempted to give money to a reporter following a campaign event. The failed payoff – a wad of cash in an envelope stuffed inside an opened bag of potato chips – was made by Winnie Greco, who resigned last year from her position as the mayor’s liaison to the Asian community after she was targeted in multiple investigations. A spokesperson said Greco has been suspended from the campaign.
New York – Appeals Court Voids $500 Million Fine in N.Y. Case Against Trump, Leaves Fraud Finding
MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025
A state appeals court voided the civil fraud penalty against President Trump, calling the roughly $500 million verdict against him and his real estate empire “excessive: while leaving in place a lower court’s finding that fraud was committed. New York Attorney General Letitia James won the civil case against Trump, his company, two of his adult children, and two former executives last year when a state court judge determined they collectively committed a long-running fraud and specific illegal acts were employed including falsification of business records, conspiracy, and insurance fraud.
New York – ‘They Can Kiss My Ass’: Top Adams aide ran brazen pressure campaign, indictments claim
Politico – Jeff Coltin | Published: 8/21/2025
The former top aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams ran bribery schemes out of City Hall, selling off her help as a public official four different times to people willing to give her money or gifts, according to a series of indictments. Ingrid Lewis-Martin is accused by a grand jury of helping friends secure city contracts and expediting their regulatory issues with city government in exchange for cash payments to her son, karaoke parties, free home renovations, nearly $10,000 worth of seafood for city events, and a guest appearance on the television show “Godfather of Harlem.”
New York – Crypto-Fueled Pro-Adams Super PAC Slow to Disclose Spending to City Panel
Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 8/19/2025
A cryptocurrency industry-backed super PAC that is boosting Mayor Eric Adams’ reelection run failed to disclose its spending to New York City campaign finance regulators for weeks, potentially opening it up to fines. Empower NYC has to date spent more than $330,000 on ads, consultants, and get-out-the-vote canvassing efforts as the mayor faces long odds as an independent candidate in November’s election. PACs must start reporting expenditures every Monday to the CFB once they exceed $1,000 in spending on any given race.
New York – Turkish Businessman Hit with Probation, Fines for Funneling Illegal Cash to Mayor Adams’ Campaign
Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt and Molly Crane-Newman (New York Daily News) | Published: 8/15/2025
Construction company executive Erden Arkan was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay more than $27,000 in fines after pleading guilty to pumping illegal straw donations into New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign coffers as part of a scheme prosecutors say involved Turkey’s government. Though the related criminal case against Adams is over, it was revealed that Arkan has been cooperating in the city Campaign Finance Board’s ongoing investigation into allegations the mayor’s 2021 and 2025 campaigns engaged in a variety of straw donor schemes.
North Dakota – North Dakota Ethics Attorney Calls Out AG’s Office; Lawmakers Call for Civility
Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 8/15/2025
A career attorney who assisted in a state Ethics Commission investigation told lawmakers that she thinks the attorney general’s office is pressuring the commission’s staff to resign. The attorney general’s office and the Ethics Commission have been at odds since this year’s legislative session. In February, the agency told lawmakers the commission would infringe on the state constitution if it tried to penalize officials who violate ethics laws. The Ethics Commission says the constitution grants it this authority.
Ohio – Ohio Ethics Commission OKs Public Officials Keeping Frequent Flyer Miles from Work Travel
MSN – Kaitlin Durbin (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/14/2025
Ohio public officials and government employees may now keep and personally benefit from frequent flyer miles, hotel points, and other rewards earned during official travel under certain conditions, according to a new ruling from the Ohio Ethics Commission. The advisory opinion clarifies that such rewards may be kept for personal use so long as they are accrued under the same conditions available to the public and do not increase the cost to the government.
Ohio – Cleveland Councilman Joe Jones Threatened to Kill Staffer, Report Finds
MSN – Cory Shaffer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/14/2025
Cleveland City Councilperson Joe Jones threatened the life of a staffer earlier this year, according to a letter from council leadership summarizing the results of an outside investigation that found credible a new set of allegations into the embattled council member. The council will vote at its September meeting to censure Jones, who was already stripped of his committee assignments in January after a separate investigation into multiple complaints of bullying and harassment.
Oklahoma – Oklahoma Will Test Some Incoming Teachers with ‘America-First’ Exam
MSN – Daniel Wu (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025
Teachers from New York and California who apply to teach in Oklahoma will now have to answer questions meant to screen out “woke indoctrinators” with left-wing views, the latest attempt by Oklahoma officials to push the state’s education system rightward. Teachers unions have criticized the move as a political stunt that will discourage applicants as Oklahoma faces a teacher shortage.
MSN – Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/19/2025
State and local officials said they will not investigate allegations that a group of seven Portland city council members broke transparency rules, citing a state law that provides only a narrow window in which grievances can be filed. The decision drew sharp criticism from experts, who warned the provision undermines accountability. Complaints were made following a Willamette Week article that reported a council bloc constantly over a private text message thread throughout public budget meetings this spring.
Rhode Island – R.I. Ethics Commission Wrestles with Lawmaker’s Bid to Rejoin List of Attorneys Hired by State
Yahoo News – Christopher Shea (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 8/19/2025
Does a state lawmaker qualify as an independent contractor when hired by Rhode Island’s court system to represent clients who cannot otherwise rely on a public defender? Rhode Island Ethics Commission staff say the state’s ethics code bars Rep. Jason Knight from rejoining the judiciary’s roster of attorneys representing indigent clients because he is a lawmaker and thus an independent contractor that would be paid by the court. But the panel is now exploring whether there is a way to let him back without running afoul of its own “revolving door” rule.
Tennessee – Critical Report Shows How Knox County Officials Abused Their Power: Cars, hotels and data
MSN – Allie Feinberg and Tyler Whetstone (Knoxville News Sentinel) | Published: 8/9/2025
From using county SUVs and trucks for personal travel to staying in pricey hotels to making whopping profits on property transactions made with insider information, some Knox County government staff blurred the lines of legality, state watchdog investigators say. In two cases, a grand jury decided, they demolished those legal lines: Property Assessor Phil Ballard and former director of operations Jason Dobbins were charged with felony counts of official misconduct.
West Virginia – Casting a Long Shadow: Former state auditor employee, foundation president may have tested West Virginia’s lobbying rules
Parkersburg News and Sentinel – Steven Allen Adams | Published: 8/16/2025
In April, West Virginia Family Policy Council President Caiden Cowger was upstairs at the Capitol lobbying lawmakers during the recent legislative session to support bills of importance to his organization. Downstairs, Cowger was working for the state auditor’s office. Cowger is alleged to have violated state law by lobbying while working as a part-time temporary public employee and parted ways with the auditor’s office after it was brought to their attention. But questions remain about what Cowger’s role at the office was and his job responsibilities there, as well as his lobbying work.
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