National/Federal

George Santos’ Campaign Treasurer Gets Probation

Courthouse News Service – Nina Pullano | Published: 5/28/2025

The treasurer for former U.S. Rep. George Santos’s congressional campaign was sentenced to three years of probation after admitting to filing false campaign finance reports. Judge Joanna Seybert handed down the sentence to Nancy Marks about a month after she gave Santos more than seven years in prison under his own guilty plea. Seybert also ordered Marks to pay more than $178,000 in restitution.

Complaints Languished as Johnson’s Delays Hobbled House Watchdog

DNyuz – Michael Gold (New York Times) | Published: 5/30/2025

In the first three months of this year, the independent watchdog that investigates members of the U.S. House received more than 4,000 messages from the public, some accusing lawmakers of serious misconduct. Not one was examined, because Speaker Mike Johnson had yet to constitute the office charged with doing so. Under House rules, the Office of Congressional Conduct cannot start inquiries, hire staff members, or take formal action on public complaints without a board named by the speaker.

Ernst Posts Snarky Reply After Telling Town Hall ‘We All Are Going to Die’

MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 6/1/2025

Sen. Joni Ernst dismissed voters’ concerns in recent days that people could die if Republicans cut Medicaid as they have promised to do in President Trump’s immigration and tax package. Speaking at a town hall, Ernst was explaining how the bill would affect Medicaid eligibility when one audience member yelled out that individuals who lost coverage because of the cuts could die. “Well, we all are going to die,” Ernst replied as the crowd groaned. While outrage at Ernst’s comment was immediate, the senator doubled down with a sarcastic response on Instagram.

Trump’s Law Firm Sanctions, Harshly Rejected in Court, Still Have Impact

MSN – Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 6/1/2025

President Trump’s attempts to punish law firms that employed his perceived foes or handled cases he disliked have been rejected by courts, with three federal judges lambasting them as retaliatory and unconstitutional. But the president’s court losses, with a fourth case pending, are only part of the story. Other firms have struck deals with the administration, hoping to avoid similar punishments. Lawyers say both the sanctions and the negotiated deals have had a chilling effect, with some firms declining to work on issues counter to the administration’s goals.

Trump Administration to Prioritize ‘Patriotic Americans’ for Federal Jobs

MSN – Robin Bravender (Politico) | Published: 5/30/2025

As President Trump moves to slash the size of the federal workforce, his administration unveiled a plan to ensure any new hires are “patriotic Americans” who vow to advance the president’s policy priorities. The White House and the agency that serves as the government’s human resources arm released directives for departments to use when recruiting employees in a memo that represents a dramatic shift in federal hiring procedures.

Discrimination Cases Unravel as Trump Scraps Core Civil Rights Tenet

MSN – Julian Mark and Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 6/1/2025

For decades, the federal government has used data analysis to ferret out race and sex discrimination, winning court cases and reaching settlements in housing, education, policing, and across American life. Now the Trump administration is working to unwind those same cases. The Justice Department is reviewing its entire docket and has already dismissed or terminated “many” cases that were “legally unsupportable” and a product of “weaponization” under the Biden administration, said Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Trump Pardons Drive a Big, Burgeoning Business for Lobbyists

MSN – Matt Dixon (NBC News) | Published: 6/2/2025

Seeking a pardon from President Trump has become big business for lobbying and consulting firms close to the administration, with wealthy hopefuls willing to spend millions of dollars for help getting their case in front of the right people. Cozying up to a president’s allies or hiring lobbyists to gain access to clemency is not new. But along with a price spike, what is different now is that Trump is issuing pardons on a rolling basis rather than most coming at the end of the administration.

Tester, Weintraub Join Democratic Organization to Counter Corruption

MSN – Filip Timotija (The Hill) | Published: 6/2/2025

Former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and onetime FEC Chairperson Ellen Weintraub are officially joining the nonprofit group End Citizens United to help fight corruption and get big money out of politics. Both Tester and Weintraub will work at End Citizens United, a group that advocates for campaign finance reform, as senior fellows. The pair will be doing press interviews, writing op-eds, helping advise on legislation, and participating in town halls and other public events across the country.

Sharp Spike in Threats to Judges Prompts Calls for More Security

MSN – Derek Hawkins (Washington Post) | Published: 5/29/2025

A spike in threats against federal judges since President Trump took office is prompting calls for new funding and security measures, with current and former jurists, lawmakers, and law enforcement officials saying existing protections are not enough. Experts offer a range of proposals for bolstering safety around the judiciary, including increasing the number of marshals assigned to protect judges. A simpler solution, several former judges said, would be for Trump administration officials to cool their rhetoric, which they believe fuels threats from extremists.

From the States and Municipalities

Arkansas – Trump Pardons Former Arkansas Lawmaker Who Took Bribes from Springfield Nonprofit

Springfield News-Leader – Marta Mieze | Published: 6/2/2025

President Trump pardoned a former Arkansas lawmaker who admitted to taking bribes from a nonprofit organization as part of a large public corruption scheme. Jeremy Hutchinson pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal programs bribery and in 2023 was sentenced to 50 months in prison running consecutively to a 46-month sentence for bribery and tax fraud he pleaded guilty to in state district court.

California – ‘That Person Will Absolutely Become the Most Powerful Person’: LA looks for a new king

MSN – Emily Schultheis (Politico) | Published: 6/1/2025

Elected county executives are common around the country but remain a novel concept in California. Since the mid-19th century, local governments across the state’s 58 counties have been led by five-member boards of supervisors without an elected role above them. In 2024, voters in Los Angeles County decided to create a new office to oversee their government. Now the county must determine the scope of a position that will, by representing the nearly 10 million people, become perhaps the most powerful in American local government and immediately reshape California politics.

California – Meals, Hotels, Office Supplies: City leaders want to be able to raise more money for ‘officeholder’ expenses

MSN – Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein (Oaklandside) | Published: 6/2/2025

Local elected officials in California often use money from officeholder accounts to pay for the expenses of holding office, including meals, travel, hotels, and mailers about city events. Officeholder accounts cannot expenditures for a future election or wages for staff. Oakland has put some restrictions on these kinds of committees. Right now, elected officials like council members are not allowed to raise more than $25,000 (or $30,000 for the at-large seat) for their officeholder accounts. But a group of council members believes the limit should be higher.

California – Lurie Campaigned as an Ethics Crusader. Now He’s Gutting SF’s Top Watchdog

San Francisco Standard – Fitzgerald Rodriguez and Gabe Greschler | Published: 6/3/2025

On the campaign trail, Daniel Lurie vowed to vanquish City Hall corruption, promising to fully fund the San Francisco Ethics Commission. Now, as mayor, Lurie just blew a gaping hole in the department’s budget, sparking an outcry from its leader. The cuts may include axing the roles of four staffers in the 28-person department who identify loopholes in ethics rules and train city officials on the law. They are crucial to curbing corruption before it takes hold, said Patrick Ford, executive director of the Ethics Commission.

Connecticut – Lamont Aide Jonny Dach Misused State Vehicle, Investigation Finds

MSN – Mark Pazniokas (Connecticut Mirror) | Published: 6/2/2025

An investigation commissioned by Gov. Ned Lamont concluded that his former chief of staff and current senior advisor, Jonathan Dach, chronically violated state rules by using a state vehicle as his personal car for nearly two years and driving at speeds constituting reckless driving under Connecticut law. A referral to the Office of State Ethics for disciplinary action is mandatory.

Florida – Judge Orders J.C. Planas to Pay First-Ever Fine for Filing ‘Frivolous’ Miami-Dade Ethics Complaint

Florida Politics – Jesse Scheckner | Published: 5/29/2025

A Miami-Dade County court has ordered lawyer and former Rep. Juan-Carlos Planas to pay the legal expenses former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Góngora incurred while defending a “frivolous” ethics complaint in 2023. Planas, who specializes in ethics and elections law and last year ran unsuccessfully for Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections, contends the ruling is out of order, literally and figuratively.

Illinois – Responding to Supreme Court, Lawmakers Look to Expand Lawsuit Protections for Press

WTTW – Bridgette Fox (Capitol News Illinois) | Published: 5/23/2025

Illinois lawmakers are seeking to extend lawsuit protections to regular news reports following a recent ruling by the state Supreme Court that allowed a defamation suit against the Chicago Sun-Times to progress. Senate Bill 1181 would explicitly name the press in an existing state law that aims to protect against “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” otherwise known as SLAPP lawsuits.

Louisiana – Mortgages, Mardi Gras and Country Clubs: Louisiana campaign funds could soon cover these expenses

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 5/29/2025

Louisiana politicians would be able to use money they raise to run for elected office on a much broader group of expenses, including their home mortgages, country club fees, and gym memberships under legislation Gov. Jeff Landry is pushing. House Bill 693 loosens dozens of restrictions placed on the people and political groups who raise and spend money on state and local elections.

Maryland – Maryland’s Primary Elections Are Unconstitutional, Lawsuit Alleges

MSN – Kate Mettler (Washington Post) | Published: 5/29/2025

Maryland residents who register as unaffiliated with a political party are not allowed to vote in primary elections. A lawsuit alleges the state’s partisan, or closed, primary process is unconstitutional and violates the rights of registered voters who are not affiliated with a political party. Maryland is one of 14 states that closes its primaries to unaffiliated registered voters. If a state judge was to find Maryland’s election process illegal, it could force lawmakers and party leaders to overhaul how they run primaries.

Massachusetts – Ex-Massachusetts State Police Union President, Lobbyist Get Some Convictions Reversed

MSN – Rick Sobey (Boston Herald) | Published: 6/2/2025

Dana Pullman, the former president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts, and lobbyist Anne Lynch were sentenced in 2023 for racketeering, fraud, obstruction of justice, and tax crimes. The federal convictions for the former trooper and the ex-head of the political lobbying firm Lynch Associates arose out of alleged kickback schemes between the two. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed some of the convictions.

New York – NYC Campaign Finance Board Withholds $1.3M in Matching Funds from Cuomo, Awards Adrienne Adams $2M

Yahoo News – Josephine Stratman and Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 5/30/2025

New York City’s Campaign Finance Board dealt a blow to mayoral frontrunner Andrew Cuomo, withholding $675,419 in matching funds from him, but gave a lifeline to his opponent Adrienne Adams, clearing her for $2 million in critical public money as the Democratic mayoral primary election looms weeks away. The board withheld the money from Cuomo due to their suspicion his campaign improperly coordinated with Fix the City, a super PAC boosting his run. That comes on top of more than $620,000 it earlier denied Cuomo for the same reason.

North Carolina – NC Lawmakers Leave Controversial Kentucky Distillery Tour Off Disclosure Reports

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 5/30/2025

Last year, two North Carolina nonprofits took lawmakers on expensive trips outside of the state. One took them on a distillery tour near Louisville, Kentucky, and the other to the Summer Olympics in Paris. But what the public can learn about who paid is incomplete, due to limitations in the state’s ethics and lobbying laws. The nonprofit behind the Paris trip disclosed the legislators and other officials who went and how much it cost. The nonprofit behind the distillery tour has not. A review of financial disclosures by officials known to have gone on the trips shows nearly the same pattern.

Oregon – Oregon Sen. Lisa Reynolds Mulls Conflict of Interest Declaration After Ethics Report

Yahoo News – Shaanth Nanguneri (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 5/30/2025

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission referred a state lawmaker to the Legislature for clarity over whether a bill she authored that could benefit her medical practice raises a substantial conflict-of-interest. The commission said Sen. Lisa Reynolds’ decisions regarding votes and bill introductions were within the purview of the Legislature and its legal counsel. Senate Bill 28 would mandate commercial insurers reimburse independent primary care clinics at rates equal to those of clinics owned by hospital systems.

Texas – U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear GOP Activist’s Lawsuit Challenging Texas Ethics Commission’s Lobbying Fine

MSN – Kate McGee (Texas Tribune) | Published: 6/2/2025

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider a lawsuit from conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan against the Texas Ethics Commission, serving another blow to his more than decade-long challenge against the state agency that enforces Texas’ campaign finance and lobbying laws. Sullivan, who used to lead a powerful advocacy group called Empower Texans, challenged an Ethics Commission decision to fine him $10,000 for failing to register as a lobbyist in 2010 and 2011.

Texas – Failure of Texas Proof-of-Citizenship Law Is Not the End

MSN – Patrick Marley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 6/3/2025

A bid in Texas to establish one of the most unwieldy voting laws in the nation flamed out, but a broader effort backed by President Trump to demand that voters throughout the country provide proof of citizenship is hardly dead. Not only could the Texas bill resurface, but three other states over the past nine months have adopted similar laws requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship, and a raft of others are considering them.

Texas – Las Vegas Sands Lobbyist’s Contact Appears in Filings for ‘Dark Money’ Group in Irving

MSN – Chase Rogers (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 5/29/2025

A phone number tied to a “dark money” group that spent more than $160,000 to influence a recent Irving City Council election also appears on lobbying disclosures filed in Dallas by a registered lobbyist for Las Vegas Sands Corp. The phone number, listed in both city and state filings, suggests a potential link between Las Vegas Sands and the Lone Star Conservative Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, which is not required to disclose its donors under state law.

Washington – Seattle Councilmember Cathy Moore Pulls Her Ethics Bill

Seattle Times – David Kroman | Published: 5/30/2025

The Seattle City Council is dropping an effort to change the city’s ethics code after intense public blowback and facing an uncertain political path. Councilmember Cathy Moore, who sponsored the bill to make it easier for members to vote on matters in which they may have financial interest, announced she was pulling her legislation. She stood by the contents of the bill but seemed to acknowledge it lacked enough support.

Washington – New Rules for WA Lawmakers with Conflicts of Interest

Seattle Times – Shauna Sowersby | Published: 6/2/2025

Washington lawmakers passed important changes to the Ethics in Public Service Act. The bill, signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson, allows lawmakers to have up to a 10 percent stake in corporations or properties before they are considered “beneficial interests” and must be reported. It does not require lawmakers to recuse themselves on votes that might present a conflict-of-interest. Senate Bill 5143 also increases the maximum value of a gift that lawmakers can accept to $100.