November 1, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – November 1, 2024
National/Federal
An Ethical Minefield Awaits a Possible Second Trump Presidency
DNyuz – Ben Protess, Maggie Haberman, and Eric Lipton (New York Times) | Published: 10/29/2024
Days before Donald Trump became president in 2017, he promised to rein in his company’s freewheeling ways, assuring the American people his family business would not “take advantage of” his presidency. Nearly eight years later, he is making no such promises. The former and possibly future president is cashing in on a variety of new ventures as he seeks a second term, without offering to reinstate the guardrails from his first, according to financial filings and interviews with people familiar with his finances.
In Election’s Final Days, Dark Money and ‘Gray Money’ Fund Hidden Agendas
DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 10/30/2024
Across the country, supporters of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are taking advantage of a patchwork of lax laws that allow partisans to funnel millions of dollars through daisy chains of opaque entities into hard-hitting campaign tactics, all to try to sway the tiny slice of swing-state voters who could make the difference. Campaign operatives and donors have long deployed creative accounting to mask the flow of money into politics. But since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, it has become particularly difficult to follow the big-money flow in the weeks before Election Day.
Ethics Office Clears Federal Official for His Project 2025 Involvement
Government Executive – Eric Katz | Published: 10/25/2024
The federal government’s ethics czar said a top official at the Federal Communications Commission did not violate any laws or agreements when he helped write a chapter of Project 2025, the controversial document spearheaded by former Trump administration officials to outline agenda items for the Republican presidential nominee. More than a dozen House Democrats requested a probe into whether Carr violated ethics laws, noting the ties between Project 2025 and Trump and its stated goal of shaping policy decisions by presidential candidates.
The New Dark Money: How influencers get paid big bucks to court your vote
MSN – Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2024
Political campaigns and their surrogates are pouring millions of dollars into social media influencers with scant regulatory oversight or public transparency, as they embrace a marketing tactic that has revolutionized the U.S. economy. Online influencers earning thousands of dollars for a single TikTok or Instagram post on behalf of groups backing Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. Political groups that use other forms of advertising are required to disclose their affiliations, but freelance online creators are under no such obligation for political posts, even though federal regulations demand they say so when promoting a commercial product.
Elon Musk’s Pro-Trump PAC Awards More $1 Million Prizes Despite DOJ Warning
MSN – Perry Stein, Trisha Thadani, and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2024
Elon Musk’s pro-Donald Trump political group awarded two additional $1 million prizes to swing-state voters despite warnings from the Justice Department the daily giveaways could violate election laws. The day before, the Justice Department sent a letter to America PAC, warning its contest offering registered voters in swing states a chance to win $1 million for signing a petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms could be illegal.
GOP Focus on Rare Noncitizen Voting May Continue Long After Election Day
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2024
Eight states, including the swing state of North Carolina, are taking up ballot measures also that would toughen bans on noncitizen voting, part of a broad and concerted Republican effort to stoke fears that hordes of noncitizens will illegally vote for Kamala Harris and deprive Donald Trump of a return to the White House. While that could inspire more Trump supporters to show up to the polls, voting rights activists warn the emphasis on removing noncitizens from the voter rolls could scare away recently naturalized citizens or eligible voters who have family members who are in the country illegally.
Spanish-Language Election Misinformation Has a Mass Audience – and a Long Shelf Life
MSN – Sarah Ellison and Adriana Usero (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2024
Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S. and the fastest-growing segment of the American electorate. They stand to play a crucial role in the coming election for president and control of Congress, particularly in key states such as Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Latinos face misinformation from political actors at home and abroad. Specific storylines can resonate differently depending on a person’s cultural background. Certain social media habits place Latinos who consume at least some of their news in Spanish, regardless of national origin, in an especially difficult position when confronting efforts to mislead.
At Trump’s Request, Judge Delays Immunity Filing in Jan. 6 Prosecution
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 10/28/2024
A federal judge granted the request from Donald Trump’s lawyers to push back the deadline for filing their view of whether the former president is immune from prosecution in the2020 election subversion case until two weeks after the presidential election. Trump’s attorneys asked to have until November 21, instead of November 7, to file a brief arguing why Trump’s efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory should be immune from criminal prosecution, citing disruptions caused by Hurricane Milton to the work of several of Trump’s Florida-based attorneys.
Congress Tried to Fix Presidential Transitions. Trump Is Testing the Changes.
MSN – Lisa Rein and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/31/2024
After Donald Trump refused to concede the 2020 election, Congress moved to fend off a repeat of the 20 days of chaos that had obstructed the executive branch handover to Joe Biden. But the first test of one little-known change to the presidential transition process is now causing anxiety among government officials as Trump is potentially poised to return to power. If there is no apparent winner within five days of the election, every federal agency will be required on November 11 to open its doors to both Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s campaigns so they can simultaneously begin the sprint to install a new administration.
Election Day Poses Test for Justice Dept. Monitors in GOP-Led States
MSN – David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2024
The Justice Department’s ability to monitor local jurisdictions for voting rights irregularities on Election Day, already curtailed by the Supreme Court, is facing a new hurdle: opposition from Republicans who are seeking to block federal authorities from polling sites. While the Justice Department has the legal right to request access to polling sites, inflamed partisanship and ideological extremism has contributed to greater resistance to such activities in some GOP-controlled states, legal experts said. Those states have attempted to politicize the process and cast federal monitors as partisans from the Biden administration who cannot be trusted.
For Jeff Bezos and His Businesses, Washington Has Become More Important
MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker, Aaron Davis, Josh Dawsey, and Christian Davenport (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2024
Jeff Bezos’s interests in Washington have expanded, with the federal government now contracting billions of dollars to Amazon’s cloud-computing subsidiary and Blue Origin, which is competing with SpaceX, the company founded by Donald Trump ally Elon Musk. Bezos has faced backlash since The Washington Post announced its editorial board would not endorse a candidate in this presidential election or in future ones. Commentators and a deluge of readers who canceled their subscriptions said they saw Bezos as upending a decades-old tradition to protect business interests that could be vulnerable in a second Trump administration.
Fires Set in Drop Boxes Destroy Hundreds of Ballots in Washington and Damage 3 in Oregon
Yahoo News – Gene Johnson and Claire Rush (Associated Press) | Published: 10/28/2024
Incendiary devices were set off at two ballot drop boxes, one in Portland and another in nearby Vancouver, Washington, destroying hundreds of ballots in what one official called a “direct attack on democracy” about a week before Election Day. The fire at the drop box in Portland was extinguished quickly and just three ballots were damaged there. The ballot box in Vancouver had a fire suppression system inside, but that failed to prevent hundreds of ballots from burning, said Greg Kimsey, the auditor in Clark County, Washington.
They Were Lobbying on Legislation Before His Committee. They Were Also Employing His Son.
Yahoo News – Benjamin Guggenheim (Politico) | Published: 10/24/2024
Rep. Richard Neal became chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee in January 2019. A year later, his son Brendan Neal launched a one-person public affairs firm. Then the payments started from Richard E. Neal for Congress Committee to Brendan Neal Strategies for “strategic consulting services,” which now total more than $196,000. Brendan Neal’s cash haul from working for his father’s campaign while representing others with interests before the committee heightens concerns for liberal tax policy advocates and led some to publicly voice their concerns about Richard Neal.
Yahoo News – Aidan Hughes, Cait Kelley, and Daryl Perry (Politico) | Published: 10/30/2024
The nonprofit arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has hosted hundreds of trips to Israel for U.S. lawmakers. AIPAC is one of the most influential lobbyist organizations on K Street and promotes the Israeli government’s agenda. Now, as lawmakers face pressure from both sides on U.S. aid to Israel.
From the States and Municipalities
Yahoo News – Iris Samuels (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 10/24/2024
The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) found backers of a ballot initiative to alter the state’s voting system repeatedly violated campaign finance law by funneling their money through a church and inaccurately reporting their income and spending. The commission fined the backers more than $94,000 in January. APOC staff said the groups and individuals failed to pay the full fines levied against them and have not fulfilled the campaign reporting requirements spelled out by the commission.
Arizona – Arizona’s Ballot Is So Long It Could Create Election Day Problems
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Blair Guild (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2024
The ballot in Arizona this year is long. Very long. In Maricopa County, home to a majority of voters, there are full lists of the presidential electors from four parties, judges seeking to retain their seats, and 13 statewide ballot questions on abortion, taxes, illegal immigration, and a host of other issues. Election officials across the state worry this unusually long ballot could lead to a host of problems on and after Election Day in the key state that could determine the outcome of the presidential election.
California – California Mental Health Agency Director to Resign Following Conflict of Interest Allegations
California Healthline – Molly Castle Work (KFF Health News) | Published: 10/25/2024
California’s mental health commission announced its executive director would resign amid revelations he traveled to the United Kingdom courtesy of a state vendor while he sought to prevent a budget cut that would have defunded the company’s contract. Documents show Toby Ewing tried to protect state funding for Kooth, a London-based digital mental health company with a contract to develop a virtual tool to help California tackle its youth mental health crisis.
California – State Watchdog Agency Is Investigating Donations to Kevin de León’s Reelection Campaign
Los Angeles Times – Dakota Smith | Published: 10/26/2024
The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating donations received by Los Angeles City Councilperson Kevin de León’s reelection campaign. The investigation was prompted by allegations involving a nonprofit that distributes food to homebound seniors and low-income families in De León’s district through a contract with the city. The complaint alleged contributions to De León’s campaign from employees of the nonprofit, as well as its founder’s wife and daughter, may have violated a law that aims to prevent “pay to play practices.”
California – L.A. County Wants to Crack Down on Corruption. Is It Worth Up to $21 Million?
MSN – Rebecca Ellis (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/28/2024
The city and county of Los Angeles each moved forward this election season with ballot measures to try to crack down on unethical behavior by public officials. The city wants to bolster its nearly 35-year-old ethics commission with Charter Amendment ER, which would give the watchdog body a minimum yearly budget of $7 million. The county wants to create its first ethics commission with Measure G, which could cost as much as $21.9 million a year, with salaries and employee benefits making up most of the price. The cost estimates have left supporters and detractors with sticker shock.
California – Some California Legislators Miss Hundreds of Votes, but Even ‘Excused’ Absences Count as a ‘No’
MSN – Sameea Kamal (CalMatters) | Published: 10/21/2024
Seven California Assembly members missed more than a quarter of their votes this year, most involving illness or family matters. When it comes to voting on bills, however, the Legislature does not distinguish between a lawmaker who is absent, excused or not, and a legislator who is present but does not vote. They all count the same as a legislator who casts a “no” vote, but they are categorized as “No Vote Recorded” or NVR.
California – No ‘Pattern of Corruption’ in Contracts Inked During Ridley-Thomas’ Tenure, Probe Finds
MSN – Rebecca Ellis (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/30/2024
The bulk of contracts Los Angeles County signed during the 12-year tenure of former Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was convicted last year on corruption charges, were untainted by fraud, according to an outside investigation. But the report said the county’s contracting process, closely scrutinized during the nearly three-year forensic audit, is full of holes.
California – What Does Another Corruption Scandal Mean for Orange County?
Voice of OC – Spencer Custodio | Published: 10/24/2024
Former county Supervisor Andrew Do will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in a scheme that enriched his family anywhere from $550,000 to $730,000. The scandal comes a little more than two years after a federal corruption probe rocked Anaheim City Hall, one that saw former Mayor Harry Sidhu plead guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to federal investigators about trying to ram through the Angel Stadium sale for $1 million in campaign support.
Florida – Red Lights, Green Cash: How a Florida legislator boosted school bus cameras and benefited her family
MSN – Nandhini Srinivasan (The Tributary) | Published: 10/27/2024
Personal connections, aggressive lobbying, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions fueled the rapid rise of an obscure school bus camera vendor, BusPatrol, which quickly became a major player in a niche industry that did not exist in Florida until last year. BusPatrol’s fortunes echoes the comeback of Florida Rep. Vicki Lopez, with whom BusPatrol is inextricably linked. Last year, Lopez co-sponsored a bill allowing cameras on school buses statewide. Within months, her family had cashed in on the new industry through a web of connections built with BusPatrol, which stands to make millions of dollars from traffic tickets.
Florida – Long-Delayed Public Corruption Trial of Suspended Miami-Dade Commissioner Set to Begin
MSN – Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) | Published: 10/24/2024
After repeated delays since last Thanksgiving, the public corruption trial of one of Miami-Dade County’s longest-serving public servants began. Former Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez was suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis in September 2022. Martinez is alleged to have collected $15,000 from a shopkeeper in his district in exchange for sponsoring a law that would have benefited the owner of the shopping plaza. The charges could land Martinez in prison for as many as 20 years.
Illinois – Hazy World of Springfield Politics at Center of Ex-Speaker Madigan’s Trial
MSN – Ray Long, Jason Meisner, and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/27/2024
In the rapidly unfolding federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, Illinoisans are getting a close-up view of how the longtime-Democratic chieftain lorded over the insider world of Springfield politics. Madigan and his lobbyist ally Michael McClain may be the center of the case. But in many ways, so is the opaque manner in which Springfield does business.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Plans to Pick New Administrator Before Landry Appointees Sworn In
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 10/29/2024
The Louisiana Board of Ethics plans to hire its new ethics administrator in December, just before Gov. Jeff Landry’s overhaul of the board membership takes place in January. The current administrator, Kathleen Allen, is leaving her job at the end of the year. Earlier this year, Landry pushed through a new law to give himself, as governor, more control over the board.
Mississippi – Court Rules Ballots That Arrive Late Shouldn’t Be Counted Despite Postmarks
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/15/2024
A federal appeals court ruled invalid a Mississippi law that allows election officials to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by then. The ruling came less than two weeks before the presidential election and could have implications for other states with similar laws. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit did not rule on how the state should handle ballots for this election, saying that matter should be addressed later by a trial court judge.
Mississippi – How an FBI Corruption Probe in Tallahassee Is Similar to the Jackson, MS Bribery Scandal
Yahoo News – Charlie Drape (Jackson Clarion-Ledger) | Published: 10/29/2024
In 2015, two undercover FBI agents posed as crooked developers and infiltrated Tallahassee City Hall by offering bribes to elected officials in exchange for their support in favor of the developers for coveted real estate projects. That undercover FBI investigation into the city government in Tallahassee, Florida, offers striking similarities to Jackson’s ongoing bribery scandal. Both concern alleged bribes from “developers” to elected officials. Like Jackson, Tallahassee is a state capital.
New York – Harlem Woman Charged by Bragg in Adams Campaign Straw Donor Scheme Pleads Guilty
Gothamist – Samantha Max | Published: 10/29/2024
A woman accused of recruiting elderly residents of her housing complex to give illegal donations to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Millicent Redick is not expected to face any jail time, as long as she follows the court’s conditions, the plea agreement states. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Redick and five other people with allegedly conspiring to collect donations from people who would later be reimbursed, also known as straw donations.
New York – Former New York Budget Chief Robert Mujica’s Consulting Sparks Revolving Door Questions
New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/29/2024
Former state budget director Robert Mujica’s consulting work for a powerful hospital lobbying group this year raised questions about his adherence to a law seeking to limit the “revolving door” between public servants and outside interests. New financial disclosures show Mujica began consulting for the Greater New York Hospital Association two months ahead of its multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign to pressure Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase Medicaid spending, and before the group held multiple lobbying meetings with Mujica’s former agency, the Division of the Budget.
Yahoo News – Emily Ngo (Politico) | Published: 10/28/2024
U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota, who is facing a tough reelection fight, starred recently in a promotional video for a cancer treatment practice around the same time he took in a generous batch of campaign donations from its doctors. LaLota praised the “upbeat spirit” at the New York Cancer & Blood Specialists in a spot posted within days of affiliated physicians and a related PAC contributing $18,000 to his reelection bid. They also gave $130,000 to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Grow the Majority committee, half of which then went to LaLota.
Ohio – Ex-Columbus Zoo Exec, Dubbed ‘Most Egregious’ Offender in $2.3 Million Theft, Sentenced
MSN – Dean Narciso (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 10/28/2024
The last of five former employees of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sentenced to five years in prison, ending a four-year investigation into a nearly $2.3 million theft scheme. A judge also ordered restitution of $639,297 and a $10,000 fine from Peter Fingerhut, the zoo’s former marketing director. Fingerhut was considered one of the masterminds of a decade-long theft spree. He set up VIP ticket contracts for himself and his family at sports and entertainment venues intended for zoo promotional use, among other schemes.
WCPO – Paula Christian | Published: 10/29/2024
Cincinnati officials spent $11,500 on five signs that critics say are political and were initially proposed to come down the day after Election Day. The signs credit President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris with upcoming road projects that received funding from a bipartisan infrastructure law. They were originally supposed to credit only Biden. But before the signs were installed, city officials decided to add Harris’s name after she became the Democratic presidential candidate.
Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court: Attorney general can’t reject proposed constitutional amendments based on title
Yahoo News – Susan Tebben (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 10/30/2024
The Ohio Supreme Court spelled out the authority the state attorney general has when it comes to approving or rejecting constitutional amendment initiatives in a new ruling. The court ruled unanimously that Attorney General Dave Yost should not have rejected the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights proposal based on the title of the initiative.
Pennsylvania – Judge Strikes Down GOP Effort to Change Rules Over Military, Overseas Ballots
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2024
A federal judge in Pennsylvania threw out a lawsuit brought by six Republican members of Congress from the state that sought stricter scrutiny of ballots from overseas, including from members of the military stationed abroad. The lawmakers claimed that because local election officials in Pennsylvania are not required to verify the identity or eligibility of voters who register overseas, those ballots are vulnerable to fraud.
Rhode Island – Investigation Finds Insufficient Evidence to Prosecute McKee for Influencing Award of ILO Contract
Yahoo News – Alexander Castro (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 10/29/2024
State Attorney General Peter Neronha rebuked Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee over a state contract awarded to ILO Group but found there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges in the matter. ILO was one of the top two bidders seeking a federally funded contract to help schools meet COVID-19 safety protocols. The attorney general’s investigation centered around state bribery law, which requires prosecutors to show a quid pro quo occurred and benefited a state official in a personal or political capacity.
Tennessee – State Campaign Finance Agency Demands Transparency from Nashville’s Pro-Transit Campaign
Yahoo News – Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 10/30/2024
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance sent a letter to Nashville Moves Action Fund ordering them to register as a referendum committee by Election Day and submit financial disclosure reports as soon as possible. Nashville residents will decide on November 5 whether to establish a dedicated source of funding for transit improvements. The pro-transit campaign registered with the state under the Green Lights for Nashville PAC. Green Lights for Nashville filings show all of its cash donations came from one place: Nashville Moves Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. These sorts of nonprofits usually do not have to identify their donors.
Virginia – Supreme Court Allows Virginia Effort to Strike Possible Noncitizen Voters
MSN – Ann Marimow and Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2024
A divided U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Virginia officials to remove about 1,600 voters from the state’s registration rolls less than one week before the presidential election. Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked the justices to intervene after two lower courts blocked his efforts to cancel the registrations of voters who could be noncitizens, an issue that Republican officials have seized on nationally to energize supporters even though noncitizen voting is extremely rare.
WTVR – Tyler Lane | Published: 10/24/2024
The campaign for a Richmond City Council candidate has reported thousands of dollars in donations from people who said they have never contributed any money, but no government official or agency said they were investigating the situation. The responses from local and state officials are raising questions about the role of finances in politics and the mechanisms for accountability, and some advocates and experts believe Virginia’s campaign reporting laws are not strong enough.
Washington – Campaign Watchdog Won’t Reconsider Penalty Against Let’s Go Washington
Yahoo News – Jerry Cornfield (Washington State Standard) | Published: 10/25/2024
Let’s Go Washington will not get another shot at convincing the state Public Disclosure Commission it did not violate campaign finance laws. Commissioners said they would not reconsider their October 9 ruling that the political committee failed to obtain and disclose information on payments to subvendors used by firms it hired to gather signatures for a slate of initiatives, including the four on the November ballot.
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