National/Federal

Paramount Board Clears Possible Path for Settling Trump’s ’60 Minutes’ Lawsuit

DNyuz – Benjamin Mullin, Lauren Hirsch, and Michael Grynbaum (New York Times) | Published: 4/29/2025

Lawyers for President Trump and Paramount, the parent of CBS News, are set to begin mediation over a lawsuit brought by Trump that accuses “60 Minutes” of deceptively editing an interview with his 2024 Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris. Paramount’s interest in settling has dismayed CBS’s news division, in particular the “60 Minutes” staff. Legal experts have called the suit baseless and an easy victory for CBS. But Paramount is entering the talks prepared to make a deal.

Secret Deals, Foreign Investments, Presidential Policy Changes: The rise of Trump’s crypto firm

DNyuz – Eric Lipton, David Yaffee-Bellany, and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 4/29/2025

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has opened lucrative new pathways for him to cash in on his power, whether through his social media company or new overseas real estate deals. But none of the Trump family’s other business endeavors pose conflicts-of-interest that compare to those that have emerged since the birth of World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency firm started by Trump and his sons. The president is now not only a major crypto dealer; he is also the industry’s top policy maker.

Judge Rejects Efforts to Free F.B.I. Informant Who Lied About Hunter Biden

DNyuz – Devlin Barrett (New York Times) | Published: 4/30/2025

A federal judge rejected a bid by the Justice Department to free a former FBI informant who had pleaded guilty to lying about Hunter Biden and evading his taxes, saying that nothing about the facts of the case had changed and the man might still flee if released. The longtime informant, Alexander Smirnov admitted he lied when he claimed to have information about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

Civil Rights Lawyers Leave En Masse as Justice Dept. Mission Shifts

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 4/28/2025

Harmeet Dhillon, the new head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, is reshaping the office to propel President Trump’s social agenda, prompting the departure of about half of the division’s lawyers. Dhillon redirected her staff to focus on combating antisemitism, the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, and what Trump and his allies have described as anti-Christian bias and the Democrats’ “woke ideology.” The division changed mission statements across its sections to focus less on racial discrimination and more on fighting diversity initiatives.

Drugmakers Have Spent Millions Targeting ‘Middlemen’ – and It’s Paying Off

MSN – Josh Dawsey, Kristina Peterson, and Maggie Severns (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 4/30/2025

Donald Trump’s second term has upended the business of K Street, with many industries feeling left in the cold. An exception is the drug industry’s campaign against so-called middlemen, or pharmacy-benefit managers, which manage prescription-drug benefits for health insurers. Drugmakers spent a record $31 million to lobby in Washington last year, and about $13 million in the first quarter of 2025. Millions more went to donations to political groups and ads, many of which blamed benefit managers for the high price of drugs.

Federal Campaign Finance Agency Won’t Have Enough Members to Enforce the Law

MSN – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 4/30/2025

The FEC is again without enough members to take official action after a Republican commissioner announced his departure. Allen Dickerson is the second commissioner to willingly leave the agency this year, following Sean Cooksey’s resignation in January. The agency is paralyzed without a quorum and cannot vote on things like the outcomes of investigations, citing committees for campaign finance violations, and issuing advisory opinions.

Fox’s False Claims About 2020 Race Were an Audience Strategy, Smartmatic Says

MSN – Sarah Ellison and Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 4/30/2025

Smartmatic accused Fox News in a court filing of embracing false claims that the voting technology company had helped steal the 2020 election for Joe Biden only after the network endured an audience backlash for calling the race in Arizona for Biden. Smartmatic, which makes voting machines and election management systems, has been engaged in a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News and its parent company since 2021.

Trump Company Strikes Qatari Golf Resort Deal in a Sign It’s Not Holding Back from Foreign Business

MSN – Bernard Condon (Associated Press) | Published: 4/30/2025

The Trump family company struck a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar in a sign it has no plans to hold back from foreign dealmaking during a second Trump administration, despite the danger of a president shaping U.S. public policy for personal financial gain. The project is the first foreign deal by the Trump Organization since Donald Trump took office and unlike any done in his first ter

Trump and GOP Ramp Up Investigations on Democrats’ Top Fundraising Platform

MSN – Maeve Reston and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 4/24/2025

President Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate fundraising platforms such as ActBlue, the central fundraising apparatus of the Democratic Party, escalating his effort to use his powers to target his political opponents and, in this case, the core machinery of the opposition party. Trump campaigned extensively on a promise to exact revenge on his political adversaries and frequently made unsubstantiated claims about corrupt Democratic fundraising practices.

Judge Blocks Part of Trump’s Order Requiring Citizenship Proof to Vote

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 4/24/2025

A federal judge temporarily blocked election officials from implementing parts of President Trump’s executive order to require people to prove they are citizens when they fill out federal voter registration forms. The sweeping order sought to overhaul how the 2026 midterm elections are run, even though the Constitution says voting policies are to be set by the states and Congress. Democrats and voting rights groups quickly sued, leading to the preliminary injunction.

Ex-US Rep. George Santos Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity Theft

MSN – Philip Marcello (Associated Press) | Published: 4/25/2025

Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos was sentenced to over seven years in prison, sobbing as he learned his punishment for the crimes that led to his expulsion from Congress. Santos served in Congress barely a year before becoming just the sixth member of the House to be ousted by colleagues. He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people to fund his campaign. His plea deal included agreeing to pay roughly $580,000 in penalties.

Reporters’ Phone Records Could Again Be Searched, Justice Dept. Says

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 4/25/2025

The Justice Department rescinded a Biden-era policy that prevented officials from searching reporters’ phone records when trying to identify government personnel who have leaked sensitive information to news organizations. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in an internal memo that the media should not be afforded such protections, noting leaks of government information during the Trump administration.

Elon Musk’s Conflicts of Interest: $2.37 billion in potential federal penalties, report says

MSN – Laurence Darmiento (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 4/28/2025

Elon Musk and his companies faced at least $2.37 billion in potential federal fines and penalties the day President Trump took office, according to a congressional report that highlights the possible conflicts-of-interest posed by the billionaire’s cost-cutting work in government. The memo by the minority staff of the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is the most exhaustive attempt yet to detail Musk’s alleged conflicts as an advisor to Trump and chief promoter of his team called the Department of Government Efficiency.

The MAGA Lobbyists Upending Washington with McDonald’s and Bear Hunting

MSN – Kristina Peterson and Maggie Severns (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 4/28/2025

Many high-profile lobbyists steered clear of Donald Trump in the days after the Capitol riot and skipped fundraising for him during the 2024 election. Now, as the Trump administration seeks to upend industries across America with tariffs and legal threats, it is also upending the business of lobbying, by rewarding loyalty and making K Street the latest battleground for Trump’s war on elites. The shift is reshaping the pecking order in Washington’s influence industry.

Grants Tie Trump’s Anti-DEI Order to Election Security Money

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 4/29/2025

Federal election officials are suggesting states must pledge to follow President Trump’s directive curbing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as a condition for receiving $15 million in election security funding. The new requirement has sent Democratic secretaries of state around the nation scrambling to assess the financial, legal, and operational implications of accepting the money. The dispute is complicated by the vagueness of the revised grant agreement, which some state officials fear could be turned against them.

From the States and Municipalities

Europe – European Commission Bans Lobbyists Vouching for Huawei Amid Corruption Probe

MSN – Edith Hancock (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 4/24/2025

The European Commission banned officials from meeting with lobbyists acting on behalf of Huawei Technologies after a bribery scandal rocked Brussels this year. It was reported that prosecutors suspected Huawei representatives of lobbying European Parliament members with payments, food, and travel gifts, and invitations to watch soccer matches to promote the company’s interests in the region.

Canada – In Stunning Comeback, Carney’s Liberals Win Canada’s Federal Election

MSN – Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) | Published: 4/28/2025

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals were set to win a federal election in an extraordinary comeback that was fueled in part by President Trump’s tariff policies and attacks on Canada. Just months ago, Carney’s party was headed for a potentially historic defeat. Amid the U.S. president’s trade war and threats to annex its northern neighbor, voters flocked to Carney, a political novice who led the Bank of Canada during the global financial crisis. He pitched himself as a steady hand at a destabilizing time.

Alaska – With Lawmakers’ Help, Alaska Political Donation Limits Could Come Before 2026 Election

Alaska Beacon – James Brooks | Published: 4/29/2025

Four years after a federal appeals court eliminated Alaska’s limits on campaign contributions, lawmakers took a step toward reimposing them. The House approved legislation which mirrors the language of a ballot measure slated to go before voters in 2026. Alaskans are expected to approve the upcoming measure by a wide margin, but that approval would bring new limits into effect for the 2028 elections at the earliest. If the Legislature approves a substantially similar bill, it would allow limits for the 2026 election and remove the upcoming initiative from the ballot.

Arizona – Kari Lake’s Campaign Debt Is Unlike Most Former Senate Candidates. Here’s What to Know

Arizona Republic – Ronald Hansen | Published: 4/27/2025

Kari Lake’s $1 million campaign debt to others easily exceeds that of other former U.S. Senate candidates who do not hold elected office and raises concerns about how she can repay her creditors while working for the Trump administration. Records show the Arizona Republican is one of 23 Senate candidates whose campaigns have debts totaling at least seven figures, but in most cases that is for loans the politicians owe themselves. That is not the case for Lake, who did not loan her campaign any of her own money.

Arizona – Trump Wants Voters to Prove Citizenship. Arizona Tried That and Bungled It.

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 5/1/2025

Donald Trump and Republicans want to require voters to prove their citizenship as they claimed without proof that large numbers of noncitizens were illegally casting ballots. It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, and glitches with Arizona’s registration system illustrate the risks of enacting policies that may keep eligible voters from participating in the democratic process.

Florida – Tina Descovich Must Leave Ethics Commission After Senate Again Fails to Take Up Nomination

Florida Politics – Jacob Ogles | Published: 4/25/2026

The Florida Senate is again declining to take up two of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s state ethics commission appointees, including Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich. That means neither can be reappointed and must leave their posts at the end of legislative session. Descovich had been unanimously elected as Vice Chair of the Ethics Commission. But her involvement in the politically active Moms for Liberty has made her a subject of public controversy.

Hawaii – Hawai’i Lawmakers Kill Pay-to-Play Bill – Again

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 4/25/2025

The Legislature refused to close a loophole in state law that has allowed millions of dollars to flow to Hawaii campaigns from people who get big state contracts. House Bill 371 would have prohibited donations from the executives of state and county contractors and grantees as well as their immediate family members. The bill had cruised through the session, winning a unanimous vote in both chambers. But legislative leaders injected last-minute amendments that sought to weaken the measure.

Illinois – Jury Deadlocks, Mistrial Declared in Federal Bribery Case of Sen. Emil Jones III

NPR Illinois – Hannah Meisel (Capitol News Illinois) | Published: 4/25/2025

A judge declared a mistrial in the case of Illinois Sen. Emil Jones III after a jury deadlocked over whether Jones agreed to take bribes from red-light camera entrepreneur-turned-government cooperator Omar Maani then lied to the FBI. The federal government’s wide-ranging public corruption probe first made public in 2018 has mostly resulted in elected officials either resigning or pleading guilty after being hit with charges. It is also the third high-profile public corruption trial in seven months in Illinois to end in a hung jury.

Indiana – Former Indiana Congressional Candidate Gets Prison Sentence in Campaign Finance Fraud Case

Yahoo News – Casey Smith (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 4/29/2025

Former Indiana congressional candidate Gabriel Whitley was sentenced to three months in federal prison Tuesday after he falsified campaign finance records and lied about raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions ahead of the May 2024 primary. “We need to have confidence in the process and the integrity of the system, even if the political candidate doesn’t have that same integrity,” said U.S. District Court Judge James Sweeney.

Kentucky – Former Kentucky Secretary of State Wins Ethics Case

Yahoo News – Jack Brammer (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 4/29/2025

After years of legal wrangling, former Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is free of any state ethics violation charges. The Executive Branch Ethics Commission, which brought charges against her in 2021, has decided not to appeal a decision by the Court of Appeals that cleared Grimes of any wrongdoing. The end of the legal case could open the door for a possible run for another political office.

Michigan – Hall Calls for Oversight Committee Investigation into Michigan’s New Campaign Finance Portal

Yahoo News – Kyke Davidson (Michigan Advance) | Published: 4/30/2025

As the Michigan Department of State works to transition its campaign finance data into another system, Speaker Matt Hall is slamming the new platform, prompting the House Oversight Committee to look into how the funding for the system was being spent. The department launched its new personal financial disclosure system on March 14, 2025, and has faced criticism since its launch from reporters, campaigns, and transparency advocates.

Minnesota – Ethics Panel: MN Senate President must disclose possible future conflicts

Yahoo News – Alex Derosier (Pioneer Press) | Published: 4/24/2025

The Senate Subcommittee on Ethics advised Minnesota Senate President Bobby Joe Champion to disclose potential conflicts-of-interest in future bills he sponsors. Though in that same motion, the panel made no finding on whether Champion had a conflict when he carried a 2023 bill that gave state money to a nonprofit whose founder he had done free legal work for in the past.

Nevada – Wife of Top Clark County Official on Team of Lucrative Government Project

MSN – Mary Hynes (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 5/1/2025

The wife of a key Clark County public works official is part of a team that received a multi-million-dollar contract from the department, fueling concerns about a potential conflict-of-interest in the bidding process and a failure of transparency in the use of public funds. The county awarded a $10 million construction management contract to Diversified Consulting Services, which teamed up on its proposal with Rock Solid Project Solutions. Rock Solid is owned by Raquel Floyd, the wife of Jimmy Floyd, who heads the county’s construction management division and managed the bidding process.

New York – Cuomo Won’t Release Consulting Clients from His Time Out of Public Eye

MSN – Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 4/28/2025

New York City mayoral front-runner Andrew Cuomo is pledging to recuse himself, if elected, from potential conflicts-of-interest stemming from his recent legal consulting business. Yet he refuses to disclose his clients, making his guarantee impossible to verify. As the former governor seeks to take over a City Hall beset by corruption scandals, he is effectively setting up an honor system on his promise to avoid conflicts that could arise if his clients at Innovation Strategies have business before the administration.

New York – Andrew Cuomo Is Whispering to His Super PAC

MSN – Jeff Coltin (Politico) | Published: 4/28/2025

New York City mayoral campaigns are not allowed to strategize with super PACs that support their candidates, but Andrew Cuomo has found a way around that. With significantly less cash on hand than he had hoped due to a paperwork error, the Democratic frontrunner is relying on a legal practice known as redboxing to communicate his preferred messaging to anyone reading the fine print at the bottom of his website. If the reader happens to work for a super PAC backing Cuomo, that messaging could find its way into the ads the group is airing on his behalf.

New York – For a Yonkers Political Dynasty, a Succession of Blurred Lines

New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 4/30/2025

Nick Spano faced potential ruin when he was sentenced to prison in 2012 as clients fled his Albany-based lobbying firm. But his younger brother, Mike, had just been elected mayor of New York’s third-largest city. In the years since, Nick Spano’s lobbying firm has been resurrected. His client list has swelled with nearly two dozen companies and interest groups that have business before his brother’s administration.

New York – NYC Mayor Adams’ Indictment, Despite Dismissal, Still Grounds for Denying Him $4M in Matching Funds: Records

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 4/30/2025

Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption indictment is dead, but New York City’s Campaign Finance Board is not forgetting about it. The board will continue to deny Adams’ reelection campaign $4 million in public matching funds due to his indictment, as it still has “reason to believe” he and his team broke “various” federal and local laws despite the controversial dismissal of his case, according to communications obtained by the New York Daily News.

North Carolina – North Carolina Judges Block GOP Law to Strip Governor’s Election Board Powers

MSN – Gary Robertson and Makiya Seminera (Associated Press) | Published: 4/24/2025

North Carolina trial judges threw out another Republican attempt to strip the governor of his authority to appoint State Board of Elections members, declaring a law shifting the task to the state auditor is unconstitutional. The governor picks the five board members, three of whom are traditionally members of the governor’s party. Appointments are made from candidates provided by the two major parties. The latest law would have given the responsibility to new GOP Auditor Dave Boliek, with the expectation that Republicans would assume a majority on the board.

Ohio – Judge Grants Immunity to Ex-FirstEnergy Officials, Clearing Path to Testimony on Bribes

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 4/24/2025

A judge gave legal immunity to four former FirstEnergy officials, all ousted amid criminal investigations into the company’s two bribery schemes of state officials, clearing the way for them to testify to state regulators. The three lobbyists – Joel Bailey, Justin Biltz, and Ty Pine – plus ex-senior vice president Dennis Chack, all previously invoked their constitutional rights against self-incrimination and refused to testify to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio about their own and others’ involvement in the passage of House Bill 6.

Oregon – Two Former OLCC Employees Settle Ethics Investigation in Rare Bourbon Scandal

Salem Statesman Journal – Dianne Lugo | Published: 4/25/2025

Two former Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) employees will each pay a $500 fine for their role in the 2023 rare bourbon scandal, according to final orders issued by the Government Ethics Commission. The commission voted to penalize former budget director Bill Schuette and former information services director Jon-Kai Nakashima as part of a settlement of the commission’s investigation into OLCC executives using their positions for exclusive access to rare bottles of bourbon.

Texas – Fight Over ‘Truth’ in AI Political Ads Heats Up as Texas House Passes Transparency Bill

MSN – Nolan McCaskill (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 4/30/2025

The Texas House passed a bill that would ban the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in political ads “with the intent to influence an election” unless the ad conveys that what is portrayed did not occur in reality. House Bill 366 would require the disclosure of political advertising that uses generative AI technology to alter images, audio, or video of an officeholder or candidate.

Washington – New Washington Energy Chair’s Industry Ties Raise Ethics Question

Cascade PBS – Brandon Block | Published: 4/30/2025

Kurt Beckett’s work at Strategies 360, a Seattle lobbying and public relations firm where he served as chief operating officer, has provided potential conflicts-of-interest in his new job as chairperson of Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. Some have questioned Beckett’s close ties to permit applicants and whether any safeguards prevent him from influencing his former clients’ projects behind the scenes.

Washington – Spending on Lobbying in Washington State Has Doubled in a Decade. What’s It Buying?

KUOW – Scott Greenstone | Published: 4/25/2025

There were nearly 1,000 lobbyists in Washington state last year. That is more than six for every lawmaker. In the last decade, money spent lobbying in Washington rose more steadily than other U.S. states that track lobbying money, from around $41 million in 2014 to more than $90 million last year. Colorado is the only other state that tracks lobbying spending where it steadily grew to more than double in the same time.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Supreme Court Suspends Judge Accused of Aiding Man Avoid Immigration Authorities

MSN – Vanessa Swales and Daniel Bice (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) | Published: 4/30/2025

The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended a judge charged with two federal counts on allegations of trying to help an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest after he appeared in her courtroom. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of trying to help Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican immigrant, avoid arrest by federal immigration officials after he appeared for a pretrial conference.

Wyoming – BLM Wyoming Director on Leave After Probe Finds Ethics Violations

WyoFile – Katie Klingsporn | Published: 4/30/2025

Wyoming’s Bureau of Land Management state director was placed on administrative leave after a federal investigation found he violated ethics regulations. The investigation found Andrew Archuleta accepted a gift of dinner and drinks, misused his assistant’s time when he asked her to make travel arrangements for his girlfriend, and drove his girlfriend to and from Buffalo in a government vehicle.