National/Federal

Are Voters Ready to Elect a Woman? Democrats Say They Have No Doubt.

DNyuz – Jennifer Medina (New York Times) | Published: 8/22/2024

The first time Kamala Harris ran for president, in 2019, one question dogged her and the handful of others running to be the first female president: can a woman win? Three years earlier, Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump after a campaign she and her defenders believed was rife with misogyny and sexism. The question of whether Democrats wanted to try to break the gender barrier again was a running and fraught debate for months. Those doubts have mostly been banished this time.

He Regulated Medical Devices. His Wife Represented Their Makers.

DNyuz – Christina Jewett (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2024

For 15 years, Dr. Jeffrey Shuren was the Food and Drug Administration official charged with ensuring the safety of a vast array of medical devices. Consumer advocates see his tenure as marred by the approval of too many devices that harmed patients and by his own close ties to the $500 billion global device industry. While Dr. Shuren regulated the booming medical device industry, his wife, Allison Shuren, represented the interests of device makers as the co-leader of a team of lawyers at Arnold & Porter, one of Washington’s most powerful law firms.

The Year of the A.I. Election That Wasn’t

DNyuz – Sheera Frenkel (New York Times) | Published: 8/21/2024

This was supposed to be the year of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) election. Moe than 30 tech companies have offered AI products to national, state, and local campaigns in recent months. The companies make products that reorganize voter rolls and campaign emails, expand robocalls, and create AI-generated likenesses of candidates. But campaigns are largely not biting, and when they have, the technology has fallen flat. Much of the hesitation stems from internal campaign polls that found voters were nervous about AI and distrusted the technology.

SEC Fines Texas Investment Adviser $95k for ‘Pay to Play’ Rule Breach

Investment News – Leo Almazora | Published: 8/20/2024

A Texas-based investment adviser was fined $95,000 by the Securities and Exchange Commission after an investigation found the firm in violation of the “pay-to-play” rule under the Advisers Act. The violations stem from improper campaign contributions made by a newly hired associate, which ultimately led to Obra Capital Management illegally providing advisory services to a government client.

Justice Department Signals Plan to Salvage Obstruction Charges in Some Jan. 6 Cases

MSN – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 8/21/2024

The Justice Department said it plans to press ahead with obstruction charges against two January 6 defendants despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that limited the scope of a federal statute making it a felony to obstruct many government proceedings. Prosecutors contended they can still prove the two defendants are guilty of obstructing Congress even under the high court’s narrow interpretation of the law. The defendants, Don and Shawndale Chilcoat, are accused of surging with the mob onto the Senate floor during the riot at the Capitol.

Democrats Signal Voting Rights Bills Will Top the Agenda If Harris Wins

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 8/22/2024

Democratic leaders say passing sweeping legislation to expand voting rights and curb gerrymandering will be at or near the top of their governing agenda should Vice President Kamala Harris win the presidency this fall in a blue wave that also ushers in unified control of Capitol Hill. To do so, they are willing to bypass the filibuster, a staple of the Senate the party increasingly sees as one among a litany of tools that Republicans have used to thwart the popular will.

Fake Accounts on Meta Pushed Conservatives to Run for Office as Independents

MSN – Naomi Nix (Washington Post) | Published: 8/15/2024

A network of social media accounts used Meta to promote a fictitious political advocacy group that attempted to recruit conservative candidates to run as independents, part of a rush of campaigns infiltrating the platform. Meta removed dozens of social media accounts and pages amplifying Patriots Run Project. The social media influence operation, one of six Meta reported taking down, illustrates the looming threats facing online platforms as they prepare for the 2024 election. Along with domestic actors, foreign actors including Russia are renewing efforts to influence political discourse in the United States, according to Meta.

House GOP Accuses Biden of Impeachable Conduct with No Direct Evidence

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2024

House Republicans released a long-awaited report from their impeachment probe into President Biden’s activities as vice president, accusing him of obstructing federal and congressional investigations and improperly leveraging his power to benefit his family. Despite a trio of House committees finding Biden engaged in “impeachable offenses,” Republicans did not recommend further action just three months away from an election in which Biden is no longer running. The report failed to unearth any new evidence the president, during his time as vice president, directly acted to benefit his family’s business dealings.

Former US Rep George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Identity Theft in His Federal Case

MSN – Philip Marcello (Associated Press) | Published: 8/19/2024

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, short-circuiting the federal fraud case that led to his expulsion from Congress just weeks before it was set to go to trial. He faces more than six years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines and owes at least $370,000 in restitution. Santos was indicted on felony charges that he stole from campaign donors, used political contributions to pay for personal expenses, lied to Congress about his wealth, and collected unemployment benefits while working.

FBI Concludes Iran Tried to Hack Campaigns of Trump, Biden-Harris

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2024

The FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed Iran was responsible for recent attempted hacks into the Trump and Biden-Harris presidential campaigns. Campaign staffers received phishing emails that were designed to appear legitimate but could give an intruder access to the recipients’ communications.

Women Running for Office Are Talking About Their Reproductive History, Once Seen as a Liability

MSN – Dylan Wells and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 8/20/2024

Up and down the ballot, women running for office this year are talking about their own reproductive health, sharing their experiences with IVF, miscarriage, and abortion – topics that for years on the campaign trail were considered, at best, uncouth and, at worst, potentially damaging. But after the Supreme Court reversed abortion protections two years ago, that calculus has changed. Democrats in particular hope candidates speaking about their personal experiences will help them connect with voters.

Sen. Ted Cruz’s Campaign Says It Will Return Tens of Thousands in Illegal Donations

San Antonio Current – Sanford Nowlin | Published: 8/14/2024

The treasurer of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s reelection campaign confirmed in a letter to the FEC that it took 43 illegal donations during the second quarter and is now taking steps to refund them. In the letter, Ted Cruz for Senate Treasurer Cabell Hobbs also promised the campaign would look into contributions made by a pair of unregistered organizations and also refund them in 30 days if they were “not made with federally permissible funds.”

Harris and Trump Shield Their Big Campaign Fund-Raisers from the Public

Seattle Times – Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2024

American voters have less knowledge about the people helping the 2024 presidential candidates raise money than they have had in any election in 20 years. That is because, for the first time in modern presidential fundraising, neither the Democratic nor the Republican nominee has disclosed the names of so-called bundlers, the people who amass large financial contributions for presidential campaigns and, in the eyes of transparency advocates, wield significant power in campaigns and presidential administrations.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska Legislative Ethics Committee to Consider Reforms After Identity of a Complainant Was Exposed Online

Anchorage Daily News – Iris Samuels | Published: 8/19/2024

Alaska’s legislative ethics committee will consider new state laws after an individual who filed a complaint against a lawmaker said his identity was revealed online, leading to derogatory comments from one of the lawmaker’s supporters. Ivan Hodes said he filed a complaint against Rep. David Eastman alleging Eastman had violated laws prohibiting legislators from accepting campaign contributions during the legislative session. Hodes said that one of Eastman’s supporters posted a screenshot of the complaint form, including Hodes’ name.

Arizona – A Desperate Kennedy Campaign, and the Mystery of 110,000 Signatures

DNyuz – Rebecca Davis O’Brien (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2024

A longtime friend of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate for president, delivered boxes carrying 110,000 signatures to election officials in Arizona, to secure ballot access in a critical battleground state. A vast majority of those signatures were not gathered by local volunteers, or by paid canvassers working for the campaign. Instead, they came from a super PAC backing Kennedy that gathered signatures in Arizona months ago but set them aside after their efforts prompted legal challenges. Coordination between super PACs and campaign committees is banned under federal law.

Arizona – Kari Lake Promising Donors Extravagant Matches for Campaign Contributions. Does It Happen?

MSN – Laura Gersony (Arizona Republic) | Published: 8/19/2024

U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake is part of a group of candidates who this year are making promises of donation-matching that are even more sensational than the industry norm, and likely are not materializing, according to people who work in the fundraising industry and a review of records. Lake is one of several candidates tied to a fundraising firm whose campaigns have leaned on digitally delivered claims hey will boost a donation’s “impact” by massive multipliers.

Arizona – Apache County Attorney, School Superintendent Indicted on Corruption Charges

MSN – Robert Anglen and Elena Santa Cruz (Arizona Republic) | Published: 8/20/2024

The Apache County attorney and the school superintendent were indicted on public corruption charges, including misuse of public money and conflicts-of-interest. Michael Whiting and his wife, Joyclynn Whiting, are accused of improperly using their offices for political and personal gain. An investigation by the Arizona Republic found Michael Whiting took anti-bullying campaign materials paid for by taxpayers on overseas trips to further his relationship with a Norwegian popstar named Dagny. The indictment accuses Michael Whiting of tapping county attorney funds to purchase campaign material for his wife.

California – Campaign Contribution Limits for West Covina City Council Candidates Upheld

Courthouse News Service – Michael Gennaro | Published: 8/16/2024

A federal judge upheld an ordinance in the Southern California city of West Covina that limits contributions to city council candidates to $500 per year. The plaintiff, council candidate Rambod Sotoodeh, said the ordinance “significantly limited” his ability to run an effective campaign. U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald ruled the city satisfied its burden in showing a “sufficiently important governmental interest” in the contribution limit.

California – Do Outgoing Legislators ‘Shop’ for Lobbying Jobs in Final Weeks of the Session?

MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 8/15/2024

A review of the 180 California lawmakers who left office since 2012 reveals around 40 of them registered as lobbyists, worked as political consultants, or took executive-level jobs with companies or organizations actively lobbying at the Capitol. Experts say the prospect of current lawmakers’ job hunting as they are voting on bills raises concerns their future employers could influence their votes in the final weeks of the session. There are no requirements for legislators to disclose if they are negotiating or have a new employment agreement with an outside organization trying to influence state polic

California – Local News Is Dying, but Not in San Francisco

Spokane Spokesman-Review – Eli Tan (New York Times) | Published: 8/16/2024

News deserts are growing across the country, and over half of counties in the United States now have just one or no remaining news outlet. But in San Francisco, local news is seeing a resurgence thanks to a willingness to experiment. Half-century-old neighborhood news organizations are becoming nonprofits. Others are banking on the help of wealthy supporters. As local news driven by advertising revenue declines, news sites are relying on subscriptions to fill in the gaps.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council to Investigate White Amid Bribery Allegations, Consider Expulsion

MSN – Meagan Flynn and Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2024

District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr. is accused by federal prosecutors of agreeing to accept a total of $156,000 in cash and kickbacks this summer in exchange for using his influence and position on the council to try to help a pair of companies lock down lucrative city contracts involving violence prevention. The allegations threaten White’s political future months before he was expected to coast to a third term, while adding another chapter to the District of Columbia’s annals of alleged corruption or misdeeds.

Florida – Florida Supreme Court Allows for Ballot Language Abortion-Rights Activists Fought

MSN – Arek Sarkissian (Politico) | Published: 8/21/2024

The Florida Supreme Court rejected a request to strike a financial statement tied to a ballot initiative seeking to expand abortion access after that statement was revised with the help of anti-abortion advocates. Financial impact statements rarely see much attention as a ballot initiative moves toward Election Day. But the stakes around Amendment 4 are higher than other measures. It seeks to abolish a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy that Republicans approved last year.

Florida – A Lobbyist Paid for City’s $594 Supper. Then Came the Warning about Broward’s Gift Prohibitions.

NewsBreak – Lisa Huriash (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 8/16/2024

A paid lobbyist paid for a $594 meal for Tamarac city leaders during an excursion to Washington, D.C., a reminder of how elected officials must stay vigilant about the limits on accepting gifts, according to the Broward Office of the Inspector General. The findings were outlined in a report that shows the city’s lobbyist, Valerie Gelnovatch-Massolo of The Ferguson Group, arranged a nine-person dinner on March 29, 2023. The inspector general noted how Broward’s elected officials should be mindful of the ethics code, which prohibits accepting any gift with a value that exceeds five dollars from a lobbyist, vendor, or contractor.

Florida – Sarasota City Commission Votes Down Ordinance for Formal Lobbying Rules

Yahoo News – Christian Casale (Sarasota Herald-Tribune) | Published: 8/19/2024

A proposed ordinance to establish formal lobbying rules in Sarasota failed a city commission vote. A majority of commissioners argued the proposal entailed too much regulation for an issue they did not consider to be a big problem. Regulation of lobbying by corporate interests has been pushed by Commissioner Erik Arroyo. He said while many people who present their views to the commission are citizens genuinely concerned about their community, there remains uncertainty about those who might represent “interests beyond the common welfare.”

Georgia – This Georgia Republican Defied Trump. Now He’s Fighting a Defamation Suit.

DNyuz – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 8/16/2024

Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, has been forced to spend $500,000 defending himself in court for having stood up to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The only way to spare himself from the defamation lawsuit he has been fighting, he and his lawyer say, would be to lie. The lawsuit centers on a video that purported to show election fraud in Georgia. Multiple news media outlets and the secretary of state’s office have debunked the claims of election fraud made in the presentation to legislators.

Georgia – State Supreme Court Rules Open Records Act Applies to Private Contractors Working for Governments

Georgia Recorder – Jill Nolin | Published: 8/14/2024

A Georgia Supreme Court’s decision reversing a lower court’s ruling that a private contractor was exempt from the state Open Records Act is being hailed as a win for open government. The court ruled unanimously that a private contractor working for a public entity is still subject to the law and can be sent requests for public records they may possess.

Hawaii – A Maui County Appointee Oversaw Grants to Nonprofits Tied to Her Family Members

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 8/15/2024

Two nonprofits with family ties to Luana Mahi, an economic development director for Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, won more than $1 million in county grants overseen by Mahi since she was appointed in 2023. Mahi’s husband was paid directly under a county grant for a watershed project. A company owned by her son was hired to manage that grant. Another one of her son’s nonprofits got a $44,000 grant from the county to build a “Maui Wall of Fame” now in the Kahului Airport.

Kentucky – ‘Deeply Uncomfortable & Increasingly Unsafe:’ Women allege harassment by KY lawmaker

Yahoo News – Austin Horn and Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 9/20/2024

Three more women have come forward to detail specific instances of alleged sexual harassment by state Rep. Daniel Grossberg, even as Kentucky officials continue to investigate previous allegations of improper interactions. The three women, all involved in the political scene in Frankfort, contacted the Lexington Herald-Leader after its initial story where other women said Grossberg sent them unwanted “creepy” and “weird” text messages they said crossed ethical lines.

New Jersey – After Ex-N.J. Mayor’s Indictment, City Revising Rules That Could Help Pay for Her Defense

MSN – Matthew Enuco (New Jersey Advance Media) | Published: 8/16/2024

Two months after the former mayor of Camden was indicted in a sweeping corruption case, the city is revising rules that could help pay for her legal expenses. The city council gave initial approval to changes that lifts a fixed cap on legal expenses and offers legal defenses to former employees and officials. The change also specifically notes criminal matters. Former Mayor Dana Redd was indicted on racketeering charges along with George Norcross III, a Democratic powerbroker, his brother, and two others.

New Jersey – Feds Investigate Property Flip Involving Two New Jersey State Senators

Yahoo News – Matt Friedman (Politico) | Published: 8/15/2024

Federal authorities are investigating a real estate deal involving two state senators in New Jersey who bought public land and then flipped it for seven times the original price. One of the companies that flipped the property, Nova Investments, is listed as a major source of income by state Sen. Michael Testa on his financial disclosure forms. Another company, Dotia Investments, was registered by state Sen. Doug Steinhardt, and is listed on his financial disclosure form. He was not a senator at the time of the purchase but was when the property was sold.

New York – Eric Adams and His Campaign Receive Subpoenas in Federal Investigation

DNyuz – William Rashbaum and Dana Rubinstein (New York Times) | Published: 8/15/2024

Federal prosecutors investigating New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his 2021 campaign have served a new round of grand jury subpoenas in their long-running corruption inquiry, issuing them to Adams himself, to City Hall, and to his election committee. The subpoenas contain similar language and seek information in a number of areas, including travel by the mayor, his aides and others, as well as campaign fundraising.

New York – Letitia James Fights to Preserve Trump’s Penalty of Over $450 Million

DNyuz – Kate Christobek and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 8/21/2024

The New York attorney general’s office urged a state appellate court to uphold a more than $450 million civil fraud judgement against Donald Trump, arguing the punishment was needed to protect “the integrity of the marketplace.” Attorney General Letitia James defended a judge’s February ruling that Trump conspired to inflate the value of his properties to receive favorable loans and other financial benefits. Trump, the attorney general’s office has argued, exaggerated his net worth by as much as $2.2 billion in any given year.

North Carolina – More Questions for Robinson. Store Says Reported Campaign Purchases Never Happened.

Carolina Public Press – Sarah Michels | Published: 8/21/2024

During North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s 2020 campaign, he claimed to spend $2,374 at Lake Outfitters for “campaign clothes and accessories.” The five transactions, recorded on his expenditure reports with the State Board of Elections, spanned eight months.  The owners of Lake Gaston Outfitters, located at the recorded address, say those purchases never happened. “… We sell kayaks. We wouldn’t have anything here in our store that he would want,” said the owner, Dave Blodgett. The transactions are part of a larger investigation into Robinson’s 2020 campaign for lieutenant governor.

North Dakota – Holmberg Case Causes North Dakota Lawmakers to Review Travel Policies

North Dakota Monitor – Mary Steurer | Published: 8/12/2024

Former North Dakota Sen. Ray Holmberg’s guilty plea on a charge related to child sex tourism may prompt a review of rules governing lawmaker travel, House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Lefor said. Holmberg confessed in federal court to taking several trips to Prague with the intent to pay for sexual contact with children. Some of those visits line up with cultural exchange trips funded by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and organized by the North Dakota School Boards Association. Travel records even suggest some of his flight tickets to Prague were paid for with state money.

Ohio – Ohio Ballot Board OKs Language for Redistricting Issue; Backers Say It Will Deceive Voters

Yahoo News – Jessie Balmert (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 8/16/2024

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office proposed loaded ballot language for the redistricting reform measure, including references to manipulating the boundaries of legislative districts and repealing constitutional protections against gerrymandering. The proposed ballot language for state Issue 1 paints a picture of a measure that encourages rather than curbs gerrymandering, defined as drawing lines to unfairly favor one political party over another.

Oregon – Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Spent Thousands in City Funds to Polish Wikipedia Page

MSN – Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/9/2024

Rene Gonzalez, the Portland city commissioner and mayoral candidate, recently paid $6,400 to spruce up his profile on Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia maintained by volunteer editors. He did so using taxpayer dollars. Gonzalez’s office at City Hall hired a New York-based company to develop a handful of requested edits to the Wikipedia page and train a “designee” on the submission process.

Rhode Island – RI Prisons Director Agrees to Pay Penalty After Failing to Disclose Out-of-State Travel

MSN – Eli Sherman (WPRI) | Published: 8/20/2024

Rhode Island Department of Corrections Director Wayne Salisbury agreed to pay a $200 penalty after failing to disclose out-of-state travel paid for by third parties as required by law. The ethics investigation was launched after Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers President Richard Ferruccio filed a complaint in June. The investigation found Salisbury omitted the out-of-state travel and did not amend the filings until after the media reached out with questions.

Texas – Ken Paxton Sues to Shut Down Houston Immigration Nonprofit for Posts Criticizing Trump, Abbott

MSN – Benjamin Wermund (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 8/15/2024

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to shut down an immigrants rights group in Houston, alleging it is “systematically” flouting nonprofit rules. It is the latest attempt by the attorney general to shutter groups aiding immigrants in Texas. But the drive against FIEL Houston takes a new tact, arguing the group has run afoul of federal rules governing how far nonprofits can go in seeking to influence legislation, and barring certain nonprofits from backing political candidates.

Utah – Utah Senate, House Approve Proposal to Put Question to Voters on Ballot-Initiative Process

KSL – Tim Vandenack | Published: 8/21/2024

The Utah Senate and House passed a measure to put a constitutional amendment proposal to voters that, if passed, would give lawmakers leeway to revise and change citizen-led ballot initiatives. Republican leaders say the change is key in checking the ability of special interest groups to insert language in ballot questions meant to benefit them. Critics see the move as an attempted power grab by Republican lawmakers and a blow to the authority of citizens to pursue ballot initiatives.

Virginia – Chesapeake Mayor Asked City Attorney to ‘Look Into’ Stepbrother’s Personal Legal Issue

WHRO – Ryan Murphy | Published: 8/15/2024

In 2022, Chesapeake Mayor Rick West got an email from his stepbrother asking for a favor. He wondered if the mayor could have city attorneys look into a legal issue he ran into while building on a property in Georgia. “I have wasted a pile of money already … and do not want to waste another [$3,000 to $10,000] dollars to find out there is nothing we can do legally,” Jonathan West wrote. Rick West took his stepbrother’s request to then-City Attorney Jay Stroman. Ethics experts say what West did likely was not illegal under Virginia’s lax ethics laws for public officials, but it does raise red flags.