February 28, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – February 28, 2025
National/Federal
On X, Conservative Activists Find a Direct Pipeline to Musk’s Team
DNyuz – Zach Montague (New York Times) | Published: 2/26/2025
As his operation targets spending considered unaligned with President Trump’s agenda, Elon Musk has personally appealed to users of his social media platform X to help root out what he has termed “waste, fraud and abuse.” He has been responsive to complaints that go viral, with his team trumpeting the apparent changes pushed through as a result. For at least two prominent conservative activists, a Trump administration so carefully attuned to right-wing social media has created the opportunity to build an extraordinary pipeline of influence and access.
Justice Dept. Takes Broad View of Trump’s Jan. 6 Pardons
DNyuz – Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 2/26/2025
When FBI agents searched the home of Jeremy Brown in connection with his role in the attack on the Capitol, they found several illegal items. Brown was ultimately convicted on charges of illegally possessing weapons and classified material and was sentenced to more than seven years in prison. Now, federal prosecutors say because the second case was related to January 6, it was covered by the clemency President Trump issued on his first day in office to all the people charged in connection with the Capitol attack.
She Lobbied for a Carcinogen. Now She’s at the E.P.A., Approving New Chemicals.
DNyuz – Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) | Published: 2/26/2025
Formaldehyde can cause cancer and severe respiratory problems. So, in 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began a new effort to regulate it. The chemicals industry fought back. Its campaign was led by Lynn Dekleva, then a lobbyist at the American Chemistry Council, an industry group that spends millions of dollars on government lobbying. Dekleva is now at the EPA in a crucial job: She runs an office that has the authority to approve new chemicals for use.
MSN – Liam Riley (CNN) | Published: 2/26/2025
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos announced a “significant shift” to the publisher’s opinion page that led David Shipley, the paper’s editorial page editor, to resign. The changes upended precedent and rattled a media company that has already been shaken by years of turmoil and leadership turnover. The Post will now publish daily opinion stories on two editorial “pillars”: personal liberties and free markets, Bezos said. The opinion section will cover other subjects, too, Bezos wrote, but “viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
Trump, Schmoozing Saudis, Plays Two Roles: President and mogul
MSN – Natalie Allison, Abigail Hausohner, and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 2/24/2025
In back-to-back events, President Trump held court with Saudi government officials and investors who do business with his family’s firms. The meetings demonstrated how Trump has blended the roles of president and business mogul. The Trump Organization has treated Saudi Arabia as a critical partner in its efforts to expand its empire of hotels and resorts.
Firings of Some Federal Workers Should Be Halted, Watchdog Recommends
MSN – Justine McDaniel (Washington Post) | Published: 2/24/2025
A federal watchdog agency argued the Trump administration’s firings of probationary federal workers were likely illegal, recommending the terminations be halted pending an investigation. The request for the halt was issued by Hampton Dellinger, the embattled head of the independent Office of Special Counsel, whom Trump has tried to oust but a judge has temporarily kept in place. It is now in the hands of the Merit Systems Protection Board, another independent agency whose head Trump has tried to depose.
White House Will Decide Which Journalists Get Access to It in an Unprecedented Step
MSN – Justine McDaniel (Washington Post) | Published: 2/25/2025
The Trump administration is stripping the White House Correspondents’ Association of its role in managing the White House Press Pool, taking control of deciding who will be a part of the small rotating group of journalists and photographers who accompany the president. It is an aggressive move by the government to control which news outlets have access to the president, one that is unprecedented in modern American politics and comes amid President Trump’s long-standing efforts to erode Americans’ trust in fact-based reporting.
Experts Say Trump Comes Close to the Red Line of Openly Defying Judges
MSN – Justin Jouvenal, Leo Sands, and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 2/20/2025
Federal judges have blocked President Trump’s attempts to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans, halt billions in foreign assistance, and dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development. But in each case, the administration has said it still has legal authority to do at least some of those things, prompting judges and those challenging Trump’s actions to accuse him of failing to comply. Legal experts said the administration’s aggressive maneuvers have approached the red line of openly flouting court orders.
Trump Loyalist Kash Patel Becomes Director of FBI, Which He Vows to Remake
MSN – Jeremy Robuck and Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 2/20/2025
The Senate narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director, installing a close ally of President Trump and a staunch critic of the bureau. Patel will take command of an organization with far-reaching surveillance powers and access to sensitive intelligence at a moment when it is engulfed by turbulence and uncertainty. Since Trump’s inauguration, at least eight top officials have been forced out, and people familiar with the FBI’s workforce say morale has plummeted amid fears of further staffing shake-ups.
As Trump Pursues His Policies, Democratic States Block His Path
MSN – Maeve Reston, Reis Thebault, Janna Slater, and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 2/22/2025
Amid a barrage of executive orders from President Trump and dramatic steps by billionaire Elon Musk to downsize the federal government, Democratic attorneys general have emerged as the new administration’s most persistent, and effective, adversaries. While congressional Democrats who lack control of either chamber have struggled to respond to Trump’s first weeks, state attorneys general have marched into court, pledging to rein in an administration intent on pushing the limits of presidential power.
Trump Wants More Power Over Agencies. Experts Worry About Campaign Finance Regulators
NPR – Ashley Lopez | Published: 2/20/2025
There are currently about 80 agencies across the federal government that were designed by Congress to be independent of the White House. An executive from President Trump seeks to require these agencies to run all new policies, rulings, and regulations by the president. Campaign Legal Center Executive Director Adav Noti said the FEC, in particular, was created following the Watergate scandal to be both bipartisan and independent, so it would not be “beholden to any particular president.” It is a view contested by the Trump administration.
FEC Clears Ted Cruz of Wrongdoing Over Podcast Syndicator’s Donations to Super PAC
Yahoo News – Jasper Scherer (Texas Tribune) | Published: 2/21/2025
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz did not run violate campaign finance laws when the company that syndicates his podcast contributed nearly $1 million through a series of payments to a super PAC supporting Cruz’s reelection bid, the FEC ruled. The agency dismissed a complaint filed by watchdog groups, who alleged Cruz could have violated campaign funding rules if he played any role in iHeartMedia’s contributions to the pro-Cruz Truth and Courage PAC. Under federal law, candidates can only direct or solicit up to $5,000 in donations to super PACs, which can otherwise raise unlimited sums to support candidates.
From the States and Municipalities
California – In Huntington Beach, Politics on a Plaque
Seattle Times – Orlando Mayorquin (New York Times) | Published: 2/24/2025
The Huntington Beach City Council, all of whom are Republicans, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the city’s central public library into a political statement, using their favorite acronym. The council-approved design of the plaque describes the library in this bold-letter fashion: Magical Alluring Galvanizing Adventurous. The wording of the plaque has thrown Huntington Beach into the national spotlight. But the dispute is part of a yearslong battle over the city’s political and cultural identity.
California – California Agrees to Drop Parts of Social Media Law Challenged by Elon Musk’s X
Yahoo News – Tyler Katzenberger (Politico) | Published: 2/24/2025
California agreed to drop portions of a law that requires large social media companies to disclose their policies for handling hate speech, disinformation, harassment, and extremism. A settlement between state Attorney General Rob Bonta and Elon Musk’s social media platform X stops short of tossing the entire law, as X demanded when it first filed the case, citing First Amendment complaints. But it deals a blow to California’s push to publicize how social media platforms define and referee speech on their platforms.
Colorado – Appeals Court Says State Campaign Finance Enforcement Framework Is Constitutional
Colorado Politics – Michael Karlik | Published: 2/26/2025
Colorado’s second-highest court said the state’s current method of adjudicating campaign finance complaints is constitutional and is not the “very definition of tyranny.” State law allows any person to file a complaint alleging a campaign finance violation, which the secretary of state’s office then screens, decides whether to dismiss or investigate, and potentially imposes a penalty. Campaign Integrity Watchdog argued the process consolidated legislative, executive, and judicial functions within “a single, partisan elected office.”
Connecticut – New Head of IT at CT Election Enforcement Agency Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns
CT Insider – Joshua Eaton | Published: 2/25/2025
Mann Hasen left the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) in 2014. Since then, he founded a company that processes online credit card donations for campaigns, a process SEEC oversees. Hasen was also treasurer for a failed state Senate campaign that is now the subject of an open complaint with SEEC over allegations of improper in-kind donations. Hasen is named in that complaint. The SEEC recently re-hired Hasen as head of IT at the agency, which was his former position. “I have to really question the decision to hire from the very start, given the entanglements he has,” said Bilal Sekou of Common Cause Connecticut.
Florida – Florida Lobbying Ban Likely to Survive 11th Circuit Scrutiny
Courthouse News Service – Alex Pickett | Published: 2/26/2025
An attorney for a Florida mayor and county commissioner asked an appeals court to strike down part of a state constitutional amendment that restricts lobbying by elected officials. The amendment prohibits elected officials from paid lobbying of any government bodies “on issues of policy, appropriations or procurement” during their terms in office. The Florida Legislature then passed a law putting the amendment into effect and adding penalties. Plaintiffs argue the ban violated their First Amendment right to free speech.
Florida – Florida Appeals Court Overturns Ethics Committee’s Decision on Doug Underhill. Here’s Why.
MSN – Mollye Barrows (Pensacola News Journal) | Published: 2/26/2025
A state appeals court overturned decisions by the Florida Commission on Ethics that former Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill should have been removed from office over allegations he misused his public office and that he owed $35,000 for ethics violations while serving as commissioner. The appeals court ruled the ethics commission “abused its authority” in the case.
Florida – Centners’ Ex-Lobbyist Sues Them, Alleges They Let Him ‘Take the Fall’ in His Criminal Case
MSN – Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 2/25/2025
Miami lobbyist and attorney Bill Riley Jr. filed a lawsuit against his former clients David and Leila Centner, alleging the couple let him “take the fall” and failed to provide information to prosecutors that would have exonerated him in a now-dismissed money laundering and bribery case involving Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla. Prosecutors had alleged that nearly $250,000 in campaign contributions was channeled from the Centners to Díaz de la Portilla-controlled political committees to secure his support for an arena the Centners wanted to build.
Florida – In Trump’s DC, K Street Clamors for Florida-Linked Lobbyists
MSN – Kimberly Leonard (Politico) | Published: 2/20/2025
Powerful interest groups are moving to hire lobbyists with ties to Florida to influence the Trump administration. The president has chosen officials from the state for top positions, and he continues to spend plenty of time in Florida, making appearances at galas, hosting Republicans at Mar-a-Lago, and signing executive orders. Because the state legislative session in Tallahassee lasts only 60 days, some lobbyists say adding work in Washington is easy enough to juggle.
Georgia – Giuliani’s Legal Battle with Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss Has Finally Ended
MSNBC – Clarissa-Jan Lim | Published: 2/25/2025
After a protracted legal saga in which he was held in contempt twice, Rudy Giuliani has finally put an end to the defamation case brought by two former Georgia election workers, having “fully satisfied” the judgment against him. According to the federal court filing, Giuliani satisfied the judgement that required him to pay Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss nearly $150 million for spreading lies about them after the 2020 election.
Idaho – Idaho Legislators Address ‘Monetization of Politics’ in New Campaign Finance Bills
Yahoo News – Mia Maldonado (Idaho Capital Sun) | Published: 2/21/2025
House leadership introduced four bills to address the influx of out-of-state spending involved in Idaho elections. House Bill 309 would require lobbyists to disclose expenses on a weekly basis during the legislative session and a monthly basis outside of session.
Illinois – Rift Widens Between Johnson and Inspector General He Inherited
WBEZ – Fran Spielman | Published: 2/25/2025
The rift between Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the inspector general he inherited increased over efforts to remove what chief watchdog Deborah Witzburg views as roadblocks impeding her internal investigations. Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry responded after Wirtzburg accused Johnson and his predecessor Lori Lightfoot of withholding documents, selectively enforcing subpoenas, and demanding to have the Law Department sit in on interviews that “risk embarrassment” to the mayor.
Kentucky – Questions Spur Further Investigation of London Mayor’s Improper Contributions to Beshear Campaign
Yahoo News – Tom Loftus (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 2/21/2025
The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance wants more information in the investigation of whether London Mayor Randall Weddle made illegal contributions to help Gov. Andy Beshear win reelection in 2023. The registry staff recommended the board find Weddle violated the law by making numerous contributions in the names of other people to Beshear’s campaign for governor and the state Democratic Party, but Weddle did not know his actions violated the law. Registry members said they were unsure of many important details of what happened and could not make any findings for now.
Maine – Maine House Votes to Censure Lawmaker Over Social Media Posts Showing Transgender Minor
Maine Public – Kevin Miller | Published: 2/26/2025
The Maine House voted to censure Rep. Laurel Libby, whose social media posts about a transgender high school athlete have drawn national attention to the student and to Maine’s policies. The censure resolution accuses Libby of “reprehensible” actions as part of an effort to “advance her political agenda” – actions the resolution and Democrats said could endanger the student.
Maine Wire – Libby Palanza | Published: 2/18/2025
Two lawmakers want to increase the campaign contribution cap for unenrolled candidates running for office in Maine. Under state law, candidates are limited in the amount of money from any given individual or PAC during an election. Legislative Document 390 would double these limits for candidates who are not associated with one of the officially recognized political parties.
Maine – Portland Establishes Ethics Commission More Than 2 Years After Voters Approved It
Yahoo News – Grace Benninghoff (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 2/24/2025
The Portland City Council passed an order that establishes a city ethics commission. Ever since voters approved the creation of the commission more than two years ago as a part of an overhaul of the city charter, the council has been working to put it in place. In the intervening years there have been multiple workshops, more than two dozen proposed amendments, and several opportunities for public comment.
Maryland – Maryland Lawmakers Want Governors to Face Stronger Ethics Laws
MSN – Natalie Jones (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 2/27/2025
Lawmakers want Maryland governors to place their personal financial holdings into a blind trust months after conflicts-of-interest were raised during the state’s U.S. Senate race between former Gov. Larry Hogan and now-Sen. Angela Alsobrooks. Companion bills in the House and Senate would require the governor to either place their financial interests into a certified blind trust approved by the State Ethics Commission or divest from any interest the commission determines may pose a conflict with the governor’s public duties.
Michigan – Michigan House Passes Plan to Close ‘Revolving Door’ of Lawmakers, Lobbyists
MSN – Arpan Lobo (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 2/20/2025
The Michigan House passed legislation that would impose a waiting period on themselves before they could become lobbyists. The bills would ban executive officeholders, including the governor and heads of state departments, from engaging in lobbying for the first two years after they leave office.
Mississippi – Mississippi City Stuns Newspaper with Restraining Order Over Editorial
MSN – Ann Branigin (Washington Post) | Published: 2/20/2025
A newspaper in Mississippi was ordered to take down an editorial that criticized public officials. The city of Clarksdale filed a defamation lawsuit against the Clarksdale Press Register following the editorial that called out the mayor and city council for holding a meeting about a proposed tax without alerting the media. City leaders said they were “chilled and hindered” in their efforts to lobby for the tax in the state capital “due to libelous assertions and statements” made in the article. The order was condemned by free-speech advocates.
New Jersey – In Stunning Development, Corruption Charges Against N.J. Political Boss Dismissed
MSN – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 2/26/2025
The indictment against one of the most powerful political figures in New Jersey was thrown out of court in a startling decision by a judge who found no crime had been committed. George Norcross, a wealthy insurance executive from Camden who has never held elected office but held far-reaching sway over government and politics, was accused of orchestrating a wide-ranging corruption scheme. Authorities charged that enterprise diverted state-funded tax breaks intended to spark economic development in the state’s poorest city.
New Mexico – Lobbyist Transparency Bill Clears First Hurdle
New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 2/25/2025
Legislation in New Mexico that would bring more transparency to lobbying behind the scenes at the statehouse began moving through the legislative process with almost four weeks to go in the session. Senate Bill 248 would require more details about the money lobbyists spend to achieve policy goals.
New York – Hochul Announces Guardrails Around Eric Adams
MSN – Nick Reisman and Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 2/20/2025
Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled guardrails hemming in New York City Mayor Eric Adams in light of his alliance with President Trump and Trump’s leverage over Adams. The governor, facing pressure to remove the mayor, is proposing a series of oversight measures she said are meant to prevent undue influence by the White House. Hochul left open the possibility of forcing Adams from office.
New York – Judge Appoints Outside Lawyer to Argue Against Dropping Adams Charges
MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 2/21/2025
The federal judge overseeing the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams appointed an outside lawyer to present arguments in opposition to the Justice Department’s efforts to dismiss the charges. U.S. District Court Judge Dale Ho declined a request from top leadership at the department to immediately close the case. Instead, he appointed Paul Clement, U.S. solicitor general under President George W. Bush, to advise the court on the matter.
North Dakota – House Defeats Bill to Streamline North Dakota Ethics Commission
Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 2/25/2025
The North Dakota House overwhelmingly defeated a bill that aimed to give the state’s Ethics Commission more freedom over how it investigates potential violations. The Ethics Commission pushed for House Bill 1360 as a way to simplify the rules and laws that govern its work. Commission staff said this would both help reduce the commission’s backlog of complaints, as well as make the process easier to navigate for the public.
Ohio – Vivek Ramaswamy Launches Campaign for Ohio Governor
MSN – Patrick Svitek and Dylan Wells (Washington Post) | Published: 2/24/2025
Vivek Ramaswamy, the 2024 Republican presidential candidate and short-lived co-chairperson of President Trump’s government efficiency commission, launched his campaign for Ohio governor, joining a contested primary that will test his star power in the Trump-led GOP. Ramaswamy’s candidacy could add to a major period of transition for Republicans in Ohio, a onetime battleground state in presidential elections that has become more comfortable territory for Republicans under Trump.
Oregon – Questions Over Oregon Politician’s Pay Lead Defense Department to Terminate Agency Funding
Portland Oregonian – Les Zaitz (Malheur Enterprise) | Published: 2/23/2025
State Rep. Greg Smith’s unsupported pay claims and effort to boost his own pay resulted in the federal government pulling funding for an agency that was supposed to create jobs, preserve parts of the Oregon Trail, and protect wildlife on a former military base in eastern Oregon. That could cost the Columbia Development Authority nearly $800,000 a year, a loss that local governments may have to make up if they want the small agency to survive.
Oregon – Multnomah County Awards a Billion Dollars in Contracts Each Year Without Lobbying Rules
Willamette Week – Anthony Effinger | Published: 2/26/2025
Unlike the state of Oregon, the city of Portland, and many large counties on the West Coast, Multnomah County does not require contractors or their lobbyists to register or report hours spent pitching their services to public officials. People familiar with the county’s operations say the lack of lobbying requirements opens the door for abuse. County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards is working on lobbying rules for the county. She oversaw compliance with lobbying and ethics rules across the country as a senior director at Nike.
Pennsylvania – Johnny Doc’s Bribery Conviction Just Cost His Former Union Local 98 Another $25,000 in Ethics Fines
MSN – Chris Palmer (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 2/20/2025
The union that convicted labor leader John Dougherty once molded into one of the state’s most powerful political forces agreed to pay nearly $25,000 to the Philadelphia Board of Ethics to resolve issues that stemmed from Dougherty’s criminal conduct a decade ago. The penalties relate to Dougherty’s failure to register as a lobbyist as he and the union he directed sought to influence government officials between 2014 and 2016.
Texas – Texas Lawmaker Is Targeting Publicly Funded Lobbying. Will Restrictions Pass This Session?
MSN – Alex Driggars (Austin American-Statesman) | Published: 2/26/2025
State Sen. Mayes Middleton is taking aim at local taxing entities’ long-standing ability to hire lobbyists to help them navigate the Texas Legislature. Middleton filed Senate Bill 19, which would prevent local governments, such as school districts and cities, from hiring lobbyists with public money or paying dues to organizations that lobby on their behalf. One such organization is the Texas Association of School Boards, a named target of Middleton’s bill, which drew the ire of some Republican lawmakers last session for its opposition to school vouchers.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
