LobbyComply Blog

National/Federal

Millions of Dollars in Secret Spending Could Upend the 2026 Midterms

Las Vegas Sun – Shane Goldmacher and Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 8/31/2026

A New York Times review of advertising data, campaign finance filings, and tax records revealed that about $1 billion in anonymous money is moving through the political landscape in 2026, a staggering sum and yet almost certainly a low-end estimate, given how difficult this money is to trace. Dark money is the term used by the campaign industry to describe political spending by groups that hide the names of their donors. The deluge is upending races from coast to coast, with billionaires, corporations, and special interests hiding their agendas and involvement with relative ease.

House Censures GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards Over ‘Inappropriate Conduct’ with Female Staffers

MSN – Scott Wong (NBC News) | Published: 9/1/2026

The House overwhelmingly voted to censure U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards after an ethics investigation found he “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.” Edwards had rejected the Ethics Committee’s findings, but he did end his re-election campaign after the committee recommended censuring him.

Influencers Have a Lot to Say About Politics. Many Are Quietly Paid for It.

Seattle Times – Ken Bensinger and Stuart Thompson (New York Times) | Published: 9/1/2026

As more people spend time scrolling on their phones, campaigns view these shows of support from influencers as a vital way to reach voters. They are also significantly less expensive than traditional advertising. But unlike campaign mailers, billboards, and television spots, these messages fall into a legal gray area. There are no federal regulations requiring disclosure of payments for political support on social media, and only a few states have such rules. That allows influencers, in most instances, to endorse candidates for a fee without ever disclosing those payments in their posts.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Three Candidates Now Face a Criminal Probe Over Public Campaign Funding Fraud Allegations

Yahoo News – Caitlin Sievers (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 9/1/2026

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is investigating three fringe candidates for statewide office facing allegations they falsely used voters’ information alongside fraudulent five-dollar donations to qualify for millions of dollars in public campaign funds. It has been reported that six Arizonans said their names and signatures had been used falsely by the three candidates so they could qualify for a total of more than $4.7 million in public funding. The voters also denied they had given any of the candidates money.

California – Cash Buried in LA Politician’s Backyard Helped Expose Marijuana Corruption Scheme

MSN – Richard Winton (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/28/2026

When the “green wash” of legalized cannabis was sweeping across California, one local official tried to style himself as a gatekeeper for the new industry. Ricardo Pacheco, a Baldwin Park city council member at the time, began meeting with other elected officials and new marijuana sellers, offering his services to smooth the regulatory challenges, prosecutors alleged. Authorities determined Pacheco was soliciting bribes and dug up $62,000 buried in his backyard early in the case, marking the beginning of a corruption scandal that has spread through several communities. Pacheco and another member of the scheme were sentenced recently.

California – Legislature Approves Anti-Corruption Crackdown on California Lobbyists

MSN – Lia Russell (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 8/31/2026

California lawmakers passed a bill that would banish lobbyists convicted of corruption from the Capitol for 12 years. It now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature, three weeks before Dana Williamson, his former chief of staff and a powerful lobbyist, is set to be sentenced after she pled guilty to fraud and lying to the FBI. Assembly Bill 2592 requires lobbyists to undergo ethics training and certify when registering as a lobbyist that they have not been convicted of public corruption within the last 12 years.

New Mexico – Lawmaker’s Campaign Finance Reports Under Scrutiny After Public Nudity Scandal

Yahoo News – Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 8/29/2026

Rep. Joseph Hernandez, who dropped his reelection bid after an embarrassing run-in with Chicago police, is facing new scrutiny over his campaign finance reports, which show a litany of questionable expenditures, from cash withdrawals to gift cards for unidentified workers and volunteers. Hernandez, who requested privacy for himself and his family after he was accused of running around naked at a Chicago hotel in July and banging on guest room doors, indicated in a statement that the accusations against him are overblown.

North Carolina – Despite Unexplained Donations, NC Election Board Kills Complaint About GOP Fundraiser

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 8/30/2026

The State Board of Elections in recent months has rejected a complaint filed by a campaign finance watchdog regarding a fundraiser the North Carolina Association of Indian Americans held for Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall in 2025. In February, the board said it lacked evidence to challenge the legality of the fundraiser, which a watchdog found had brought in more than $338,000 in contributions. Bob Hall, the retired executive director of Democracy North Carolina, also challenged some of the contributions, finding people who said they did not make the donations listed in campaign reports.

Ohio – As He Worked to Advance the Intel Project, an Ohio Senator’s Wife Was Invested in It

Yahoo News – Marty Schladen (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 8/28/2026

U.S. Sen. Jon Husted’s wife had as much as $15,000 invested in the struggling Intel megaproject in New Albany as her husband worked to push it forward, financial disclosures show. At least since Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Husted to the Senate at the beginning of 2025, Husted has had communications with Intel about potential deals with other businesses to revive the project. Husted has also received thousands in campaign contributions from Intel lobbyist Josh Rubin.

Pennsylvania – Dozens of Former Pa. Lawmakers Are Now Registered to Lobby Their Old Workplace

MSN – Stephen Caruso and Jaxon White (Spotlight PA) | Published: 9/1/2026

At least 48 former members of Pennsylvania’s General Assembly are now registered lobbyists seeking to influence policies they once shaped. They range from former rank-and-file lawmakers to the onetime most powerful members of the Legislature. Their clients span a range of prominent industries, often ones the lobbyist was once involved in legislating, a review of the state’s lobbying disclosure database shows. Efforts to tighten the reins on lawmakers becoming lobbyists have failed in Pennsylvania, despite bipartisan interest just a few years ago.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill limiting the maximum liability for late filing of campaign finance statements or reports. Senate Bill 1389 caps the current open-ended $10 per day liability for a late filing at an amount equal to the aggregate amount of any contributions, expenditures, and other amounts reported on the statement or report, or $100, whichever is greater. The bill becomes effective January 1, 2027.

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National/Federal

White House Official’s Move to Oil Company She Aided Raises Ethics Questions

MSN – Ian Stevenson, James Bikales, and Scott Waldman (Politico) | Published: 8/21/2026

People milling around before a press conference in Santa Barbara, California, in June might have mistaken Brittany Kelm, a White House staffer, for an oil company representative. During the tour of oil facilities run by Sable Offshore, a company that owns an offshore pipeline which the Trump administration had recently helped to get oil flowing through, Kelm sported a Sable-branded cap and a Sable-branded shirt with her name embroidered on it. Less than three months later, Kelm would announce her departure from her job at the council to take over Sable’s Washington policy office.

Supreme Court Eases Path for Trump’s Sweeping Limits on Mail-In Balloting

MSN – Justin Jouvenal, Patrick Marley, and Julian Mark (Washington Post) | Published: 8/24/2026

The Supreme Court eased the path for an executive order by President Trump that would impose sweeping new restrictions on mail-in balloting for November’s midterm elections, but the complex and fast-moving legal fight is not over. The executive order would bar the U.S. Postal Service from sending mail-in ballots to voters not on lists of citizens created by federal agencies. States also would be obligated to send the ballots in envelopes that can be tracked to thwart fraud.

GOP Appeals Campaign Finance Setback to Supreme Court

MSN – Ramsey Touchberry (Washington Examiner) | Published: 8/26/2026

Congressional Republicans will make a final attempt to gain a midterm spending boost against Democrats after an appeals court dealt them a blow by ruling coordinated ad buys between political parties and joint fundraising committees are not entitled to cheaper candidate rates. The Monday decision from the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which came in response to a legal challenge from Democrats, reverses part of a Supreme Court ruling in June that allowed unlimited coordinated spending between political parties and candidates.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Dan Sullivan Joins Dan Sullivan on the November Ballot in Confusing Alaska Race

MSN – Victoria Craw (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2026

Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher whose candidacy in Alaska’s open U.S. Senate primary sparked accusations of deception, has advanced to the general election in a move that is likely to spark further frustrations for the Republican incumbent – whose name is also Dan Sullivan. The development marks the latest twist in a saga that has seen Dan J. Sullivan accused of acting in bad faith by trying to confuse voters and split support for the Republican incumbent. Dan J. Sullivan has denied the claims, citing a genuine desire to effect change as the driving force behind his candidacy.

Arizona – Arizona AG Declines to Charge Gov. Katie Hobbs Over Pay-to-Play Allegations

Yahoo News – Jacques Billeaud (Associated Press) | Published: 8/21/2026

State prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs over allegations she took part in a “pay-to-play” scheme with a group home company that received a rate increase from the state after contributing $100,000 to her inaugural celebration. Hobbs has been accused of giving preferential treatment to Sunshine Residential Homes after the Arizona Republic revealed the company contributed to the inaugural fund and Arizona Democratic Party and later received a 30 percent payment increase. Only Sunshine and one other company were given increases during the 2022-2023 contracting period.

Illinois – Chicago Ethics Board Hits 1 Year Without a Leader, as Executive Director Retires and Election Season Begins

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 8/26/2026

As the Chicago Board of Ethics prepares to enforce the city’s ethics laws during the 2027 municipal election, it has been without a permanent leader for more than a year, and its longtime executive director, Steve Berlin, will retire at the end of August. In addition, the terms of two members of the board have expired, including Vice Chairperson Ryan Cortazar, who has led the board since former Chairperson William Conlon stepped down in July 2025. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s failure to name a new chairperson for 13 months has infuriated good-government advocates.

Michigan – Proposal to Ban DTE, Consumers Energy Political Spending Poised to Make November Ballot

MSN – Danielle James (MLive) | Published: 8/26/2026

A proposal seeking to ban for-profit utilities and some of Michigan’s largest corporations from spending on campaigns is poised to make the November general election ballot. The petition initiative was voted through the state House on Tuesday, a first step to rerouting the proposal away from voters. But Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks said her chamber would not vote to take up the ballot measure. Without further action, the petition is poised to clear a legislative review period and be placed on the midterm ballot.

Michigan – Detroit’s Top Legal Officer Faces Ethics Probe for Lear Role

MSN – Louis Aguilar (Detroit News) | Published: 8/21/2026

The Detroit Board of Ethics has ordered an investigation into the city’s chief legal officer for his lucrative position as a member of the board of directors for an auto supplier with a plant in Detroit, as well as whether he properly disclosed that his son works for the city. At issue is whether Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallet Jr. properly disclosed he is on the board of directors for Lear Corp. and whether that role is a potential conflict-of interest. Mallet was the city’s deputy mayor at the time the auto supplier received a multi-million-dollar tax-incentive deal in 2021 for building a new plant in the city.

New York – Lobbyists Are Still Feeling Good in Mamdani’s New York

City & State New York – Jeff Coltin and Annie McDonough | Published: 8/24/2026

Zohran Mamdani had just won the Democratic mayoral primary, and lobbyists were nervous. The man who could be leading New York City was an anti-capitalist. And for a business where phone numbers are currency, Mamdani was not a part of the scene. “People were concerned there was going to be a ban – they weren’t going to be able to get access,” said Diane Savino, who works as a lobbyist with Allied Government Affairs. But that has not happened.

Oklahoma – Ex-Vendor Sues Oklahoma Ethics Board Over Ethics System Replacement, Seeks $6M in Damages

Yahoo News – Emma Murphy (Oklahoma Voice) | Published: 8/24/2026

A Texas company countersued the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, alleging it suffered $6 million in losses after the agency ended a contract to replace the state’s campaign finance system. RFD and Associates claimed the commission unnecessarily terminated its contract and delays in the project were due to issues with provided datasets and unclear and changing expectations.

National/Federal

ABC Sues FCC, Claiming First Amendment Violations, Escalating Months-Long Feud

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 8/18/2026

ABC sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), alleging the commission’s early review of its broadcast licenses is unconstitutional under the First Amendment. The network, along with parent company Disney, accused the FCC of waging a “retaliatory campaign” against them because the Trump administration disapproves of their programming. The lawsuit is an escalation of a months-long feud between the FCC, run by Trump appointee Brendan Carr, and ABC.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – This Mayoral Candidate Alleged Unregistered Lobbying. But Did He Do Just That?

MSN – CBC | Published: 8/13/2026

When Ottawa mayoral candidate Alex Lawson recently accused incumbent Mark Sutcliffe of having a “cozy relationship” with a government relations firm, his complaint focused in part on allegations of unregistered lobbying. But CBC News has learned that Lawson himself previously sent emails to several city council members without registering the communications. In January 2025, Lawson asked them for help to set up a training academy for residential construction, an industry in which he is involved as the owner of a home framing company.

Alaska – Votes Surge in Favor of Ballot Measure 1, Reinstating Alaska Campaign Contribution Limits

Yahoo News – Margaret Carmel (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 8/19/2026

Early returns from Alaska’s statewide primary election showed overwhelming support for a ballot measure which will restrict the amount of money that candidates can accept from groups and individuals. The early results, with nearly 94 percent of precincts reporting, are preliminary with thousands more ballots set to be counted in the coming days. Ballot Measure 1 would limit individual contributions to $2,000 for candidates and $5,000 for political parties and would limit groups to donating a maximum of $4,000 to candidates and $5,000 to parties.

California – San Diego County Supervisors Pass ‘Anti-Corruption’ Restrictions Tied to Prediction Markets, Lobbying

KPBS – Kevin Trevellyan (City News Service) | Published: 8/19/2026

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors passed a measure to restrict post-employment lobbying and prohibit some county officials from using prediction market platforms, such as Kalshi, for insider trading. The proposal asks staff to design a two-year prohibition on former officials and employees lobbying the county, including alternatives to close a “strategic consulting loophole” allowing them to direct lobbying campaigns without personally contacting lawmakers.

Colorado – Colorado Ballot Questions, Meant to Keep Special Interests in Check, Are Increasingly Created by Them

Colorado Sun – Colleen Selvin | Published: 8/18/2026

Between 1960 and 2024, Colorado had the third highest number of voter-initiated ballot measures, behind California and Oregon. Colorado’s 14 statewide ballot questions in 2024, half citizen-initiated and half from the Legislature, were the most in any state that year. But a process that Colorado adopted over a generation ago as a way for voters to challenge powerful interests and lawmakers’ prerogatives has increasingly become a tool for those same interests.

Hawaii – Ban Taxpayer-Funded Mailers During Elections, Ethics Chief Says

Honolulu Civil Beat – Ben Angarone | Published: 8/20/2026

Honolulu City Council members are allowed to spend taxpayer dollars touting their accomplishments in mass mailers, even close to election time when name recognition is a valuable commodity. But the Honolulu Ethics Commission’s new director, Dandy Ma, wants to make that practice illegal. Ma’s proposal would ban taxpayer-funded mass mailers within 60 days of elections.

Indiana – Ethics Panel Clears Braun Administration Official to Join Construction Firm, Lobby Lawmakers

Yahoo News – Casey Smith (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 8/13/2026

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun’s administration’s top contract-oversight official can immediately begin lobbying state lawmakers for a construction company after an ethics panel waived a one-year restriction on such work. The Indiana State Ethics Commission unanimously approved the waiver for Department of Administration Commissioner Brandon Clifton, who plans to become director of government affairs for Hagerman Group.

New Hampshire – Former NH House Speaker’s Nonprofit Collected $274,000 from Casinos with No Sign of Charitable Work

New Hampshire Public Radio – Catherine McLaughlin (Concord Monitor) | Published: 8/17/2026

Former New Hampshire House Speaker George Roberts Jr., who is a retired lobbyist, took in more than $250,000 in charitable gaming proceeds over the past seven years for an inactive nonprofit, a Concord Monitor investigation found. In January, Roberts accepted a nearly $131,000 check from one of the state’s largest casinos, the Nash. Despite its earnings, the Monitor found no evidence the organization has engaged in any public activity, such as holding an event or a meeting.

New Jersey – ELEC Defends Removal of Decades of Campaign Finance Reports from Website

New Jersey Globe – David Wildstein | Published: 8/18/2026

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) is defending its decision to remove decades of campaign finance reports from its website, saying the temporary restriction is necessary to prevent the disclosure of home addresses protected under Daniel’s Law. The records have not been sealed and may still be obtained by contacting ELEC or filing an Open Public Records Act request. But unlike the immediate access previously available online, agency employees must now review each request and apply legally required redactions.

New York – NY’s Government Oversight Entities Vulnerable to Politics, Fragmentation, Report Finds

MSN – Dan Clark (Albany Times Union) | Published: 8/11/2026

New York has myriad entities that oversee ethics in state government, but their work can be stunted by uncertainty over funding, political interference, and a lack of coordination, according to a new report. The findings are the result of an analysis from Reinvent Albany, a good government group, and students at the State Policy Advocacy Clinic at Cornell University. They examined the network of entities charged with preventing and addressing corruption and misconduct in state government to identify gaps that could be addressed through changes made by the Legislature.

National/Federal

Ex-Southern Poverty Law Center Official Indicted Over Payments to Informants

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck and Olivia George (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2026

A former top official at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was indicted on fraud charges, an escalation of the Justice Department’s ongoing case against the civil rights organization. Federal prosecutors accused Heidi Beirich, an expert on political extremism and a former director of the SPLC’s intelligence project, of overseeing payments to informants working undercover in a variety of hate groups. A lawyer for Beirich denounced the charges as an attempt by the Trump administration to “silence political opponents.”

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Ethics Commission Delays Revolving Door Advisory Opinion

Alabama Political Reporter – Mary Clare Wooten | Published: 8/6/2026

The Alabama Ethics Commission delayed action on a proposed advisory opinion clarifying how the state’s “revolving door” law applies to retiring officials who establish private consulting businesses after leaving state government. The request came from Antoine Dunklin, producer licensing director for the Alabama Department of Insurance. He said he plans to retire in 2027 and establish a consulting firm. He asked whether he could contract directly with the Department of Insurance to provide consulting services.

Alaska – Legislative Immunity Clause Protects Alaska Ethics Investigations, State Supreme Court Says

Yahoo News – James Brooks (Alaska Beacon) | Published: 8/7/2026

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit by former state Sen. Lora Reinbold against the state of Alaska and the Alaska Legislature’s committee on legislative ethics. Reinbold had sued the committee and the executive branch in 2022 after the committee concluded Reinbold violated the Legislative Ethics Act by blocking people from commenting on her legislative Facebook page “solely for expressing opinions in disagreement with her own.”

Delaware – Koch-Backed Lobbying Firm Asks Third Circuit to Halt Delaware Donor Transparency Law

Courthouse News Service – Jackson Healy | Published: 8/10/2026

A lobbying firm asked the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals to pause a Delaware law requiring advocacy groups to disclose the names and addresses of their donors just weeks ahead of state elections. Americans for Prosperity and the related Americans for Prosperity Foundation, a nonprofit lobbying group and political research organization founded by conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, sued Delaware’s attorney general and state election commissioner in April, arguing the state’s donor disclosure laws violate the First Amendment.

Michigan – A Ballot Fight Over Corporate Money in Michigan Politics Is Coming to Voters

Yahoo News – Minnah Arshad (Michigan Advance) | Published: 8/11/2026

Voters will decide whether to upend campaign finance in Michigan when they head to the polls in November as outrage over money in politics intensifies pressure for reform. The ballot initiative would ban companies with over $250,000 in annual state government contracts, as well as regulated gas and electric utilities, from spending in Michigan elections. The proposal would also prohibit people and organizations with “substantial connections” to the utilities and contractors from spending, such as lobbyists or the immediate family members of executives.

New Mexico – 10th Circuit: New Mexico campaign finance law interferes with political expression

Courthouse News Service – Joe Duhownik | Published: 8/11/2026

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived a former state senator’s challenge to a New Mexico law that governs what types of donations politicians can make with campaign funds, finding a portion of the statute violates the First Amendment on its face. Vacating a summary judgment ruling for New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the panel decided the secretary cannot discern what donations carry political expression when making exceptions to the Campaign Reporting Act, a statutory ban on campaign fund donations to non-501(c)(3) organizations or individuals.

New Mexico – NM State Ethics Commission Reaches Settlement with Group Behind Project Jupiter Ads

KRQE – Fallon Fischer | Published: 8/11/2026

New Mexico’s ethics commission and Elevate New Mexico, a Virginia-based corporation, have reached a settlement over claims that the corporation did not comply with the state’s Lobbyist Regulation Act. The state claimed in a lawsuit that Elevate New Mexico violated the law when it launched an advertising campaign earlier this year for the purpose of lobbying for the proposed Project Jupiter data center campus in Doña Ana County.

North Carolina – NC Lawmakers Got All-Access Passes to NASCAR Coca-Cola 600. Now We Know Who Went

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 8/12/2026

Twenty-three North Carolina lawmakers and a former state senator attended this year’s Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. All but one received at least two all-expense-paid passes for the event. The average value per attendee was $850. All told, the speedway spent $51,000 on the lawmakers and the people they invited to come along. For the first time since 2019, the speedway has reported the expenses to the state this year.

Ohio – White House Officials Tamped Down Efforts to Oust Max Miller in Final Days

MSN – Meredith Lee Hill, Mia McCarthy, and Erin Doherty (Politico) | Published: 8/10/2026

Embattled U.S. Rep. Max Miller is staying in the race for his Ohio congressional district, defying those within his own party who urged him to step aside as he faced domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife. At one point, Republicans in the state discussed scheduling the required meeting to replace Miller, in the hopes it would pressure him to drop out of the race. But Ohio Republicans scuttled that effort as White House officials warned them that Miller would not drop out, and Republicans would likely have to defend the seat without a new GOP replacement contender.

Ohio – JobsOhio Chairman Lobbies for Intel, a Company That Got Millions from JobsOhio

Yahoo News – Marty Schladen (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 8/7/2026

JobsOhio says it has been transparent and its board has been free of conflicts as it has handed out $2 billion in public money to private corporations. But the chairperson of its board is a lobbyist who represented Intel just as the board of which he was a member disbursed more than $2 million to the company as part of a package of grants for what is now a severely delayed project. The lobbyist, Josh Rubin, was being paid to promote Intel’s agenda to the governor’s office when Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the JobsOhio board, which he had also actively lobbied on Intel’s behalf as recently as a year earlier.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – New Foreign Influence Office Won’t Prevent Foreign Interference, Commissioner Says

MSN – CBC | Published: 8/4/2026

Canada’s new foreign influence office will not prevent foreign interference, but it will provide more transparency for Canadians who want to know who is trying to influence their government officials on behalf of foreign governments, said Anton Boegman, Canada’s first foreign influence transparency commissioner. Anyone who works with or on behalf of a foreign government or agency to influence a politician or government official at the federal, provincial, or municipal level will now have to register. Fines for failing to comply with the new rules range from $250 to $1 million.

Georgia – Georgia Ethics Cops Nix Judge, Put First Liberty-Linked GOP PACs on Hook for $45K

Hoodline – Ray Bianchi | Published: 8/4/2026

Georgia’s ethics commission rejected a judge’s ruling that cleared two conservative political groups, reopening the path to civil penalties over allegedly hidden election spending. The Georgia Republican Assembly and its affiliated PAC now face a fresh legal headache after the commission unanimously rejected the administrative law judge’s findings. The commission is expected to take up penalties in September.

Hawaii – ‘Culture Of Corruption’? Records Link Arrested Lawmaker to Lobbyist

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 7/27/2026

Prosecutors allege lobbyist Tobi Solidum paid Rep. Ryan Yamane in a series of cash and check installments to take official actions culminating in a scheme, prosecutors allege, to direct emergency funds to a Covid-testing program run by the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii. Solidum made millions of dollars from the testing program, according to court documents. Yamane is now the third member of the House to be accused of bribery in recent years.

Hawaii – Hawai’i Lawmakers Demand Special Session Following Bribery Indictments

Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 7/30/2026

Hours after four defendants pleaded not guilty to bribery and other charges, a coalition of lawmakers and community groups are calling for the Hawaii Legislature to act. They want a special session to be held before the general election in November to immediately pass legislation that would prohibit government contractors from making campaign donations.

Maine – Federal Appeals Court Hears Maine Test Case on Regulating Super PACs

Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 7/29/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision that struck down limits on independent political spending does not need to be overturned to rein in Big Money in politics, Neal Katyal argued before the First U.S. Court of Appeals in defense of Maine’s 2024 referendum regulating political spending. Whether the three-judge panel agrees could determine whether the Maine test case will go before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has been the goal of those behind the ballot referendum from the outset.

Michigan – El-Sayed Edges Out Establishment Candidate in Crucial Michigan Senate Primary

MSN – Erin Cox and Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 8/5/2026

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official who built a surging progressive movement in Michigan, overcame a spending disadvantage and opposition from the Democratic establishment to win the U.S. Senate primary. El-Sayed used a populist message to beat U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens. El-Sayed’s win both accelerates an ideological fight within his party and launches a hypercompetitive general election contest with national implications.

Michigan – Top Detroit Official Earned $1.8M at Company Getting City Tax Breaks

USA Today – Violet Ikonomova (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 8/6/2026

The Lear Corporation’s auto supply plant opened in Detroit with help from millions of dollars in tax breaks brokered by City Hall and a city development nonprofit. One man held, and still holds, leadership roles in all three organizations: Conrad Mallett. He is the top lawyer at City Hall, representing departments that pushed for or approved a tax break for Lear. Mallett is also board chair of the nonprofit Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, whose staff recommended a tax break for Lear and worked on the broader plant deal.

North Carolina – SBI Director Appears at NC Fundraiser. Why Ethics Experts Say That’s a Problem

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 8/5/2026

The director of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) attended a political fundraiser at a restaurant for a North Carolina lawmaker. The next day, an SBI social media post praised lawmakers for their support. This happened as the bureau is conducting an expanding criminal investigation into a politically connected nonprofit, Greater Carolina, that took lawmakers on two trips in Kentucky that were paid for in part by liquor businesses.

Ohio – Judge Tosses 3 Charges Against Ex-FirstEnergy Exec, Leaves Bribery Charges Intact

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/4/2026

A judge dismissed three charges against former FirstEnergy lobbyist Michael Dowling but left intact the central bribery accusations against him and former Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones as the case heads toward a second trial. Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross threw out two counts of tampering with records and one count of telecommunications fraud against Dowling.

Texas – Who’s Lobbying Austin City Hall? Data Shows the Biggest Players and Who They’re Talking To

MSN – Michael Zhang and Chaya Tong (Austin American-Statesman) | Published: 8/2/2026

The Austin officials contacted most frequently by registered lobbyists are not Mayor Kirk Watson or the 10 other members of the city council. Instead, the list is dominated by city employees who review zoning cases, development proposals, and other policy matters before they reach elected officials. New disclosure rules expanded the types of lobbying contacts that must be disclosed to include emails, text messages, phone calls, and other communications. Lobbyists are now responsible for reporting their own contacts with city officials.

National/Federal

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow New Limits on Mail Ballots

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/27/2026

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to clear the way for a sweeping executive order that would place major new restrictions on mail-in voting for November’s midterm elections. A divided panel of an appeals court upheld a federal judge’s block on the order, finding it would “sow confusion” and “threaten disenfranchisement of many eligible voters.” Trump claims that voting irregularities are widespread, despite a lack of evidence.

Government Withdraws Subpoenas of 3 Reporters for The New York Times After Admitting Legal Errors

Yahoo News – Michael Sisak, Eric Tucker, and Larry Neumeister (Associated Press) | Published: 7/22/2026

Criticized by a federal judge for sloppy legal work, the government withdrew subpoenas that would have compelled three New York Times reporters to testify about their sources for articles about President Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. The withdrawals come at a time when the Trump administration is vigorously going after news organizations whose reporting and coverage it does not like, and also trying to crack down on leaks inside the government.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Lobbyist Admits Lunch with Mayor’s Staffer Broke Rules, but Says She’s Been Vindicated

MSN – Arthur White-Crummey | Published: 7/27/2026

After a complaint about Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s relationship with a lobbying firm was resolved without penalty, the company’s chief executive has acknowledged she did not comply with the rules by buying lunch for the mayor’s chief of staff. Integrity commissioner Karen Shepherd was asked to investigate a complaint made by mayoral candidate Alex Lawson, who alleged Syntax Strategic and its Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Stewart breached the city’s lobbying law and code of conduct in at least five different ways.

Arizona – GOP Arizona Corporation Commission Candidate Faces Loss of $370,000 from Clean Elections

KJZZ – Wayne Schutsky | Published: 7/29/2026

A Republican running for the Arizona Corporation Commission is facing allegations he filed misleading financial reports and is at risk of losing out on publicly funded campaign dollars. This year, qualified Corporation Commission candidates are eligible for up to nearly $370,000 in Clean Elections funding. But state Rep. Ralph Heap might not see a dime. That is because he has not filed a sworn statement affirming he has filed accurate campaign finance reports that show how much money his campaign raised and how it was spent.

California – Sweeping FBI Raids in San Bernardino, Beverly Hills Tied to Larger Foreign Influence Probes, Sources Say

MSN – Richard Winston (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/28/2026

A series of recent FBI raids involving San Bernardino County elected officials and a Chinese-language media company are part of a growing probes into public corruption and foreign influence in Southern California, law enforcement sources say. FBI agents searched the homes and offices of a San Bernardino County supervisor, an Ontario City Council member, and the offices of EDI Media, a well-known Chinese-U.S. media producer. Officials also raided a Beverly Hills mansion owned by a Chinese family and obtained records at Ontario International Airport.

Hawaii – Bribery Charges: Sylvia Luke, ex-state rep and others indicted in corruption case

Honolulu Civil Beat – Madeleine Valera, Blaze Lovell, and Christina Jedra | Published: 7/24/2026

A grand jury indicted Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, as well as ex-state Rep. Ryan Yamane, local businessperson Tobi Solidum, and other individuals, accusing one of the state’s highest ranking public officials of corruption. The felony indictments are part of the attorney general’s investigation into an “influential” lawmaker who federal prosecutors said took $35,000 from a federal bribery suspect in 2022, a mystery that has gripped the state for more than a year. The new charges represent another monumental moment in a political scandal that already landed two of Luke’s former colleagues in prison.

Indiana – ‘Dreamy’ Suite Views and a Corvette: Here’s how Hogsett uses mayoral perks

MSN – Hayleigh Colombo (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 7/29/2026

During Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s decade in office, the city’s private suites at Gainbridge and Lucas Oil Stadium served as gathering spots for a “revolving door” of well-connected guests. Despite making a vow to “renounce all perks of the office” if he was elected mayor, Hogsett and his family have been frequent attendees of Pacers and Colts games and other events. The suites, controlled by the mayor’s office and provided to the city as part of the facilities’ operating agreements, are intended to be used by city officials and employees for city business.

Maine – Democrats Pick New Senate Candidate in Maine in Aftermath of Platner Debacle

MSN – Alexei Koseff (Washington Post) | Published: 7/26/2026

The Maine Democratic Party formally selected Troy Jackson as its new Senate nominee, ending three tumultuous weeks that nearly derailed the party’s quest to unseat veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Jackson is a 58-year-old logger and former leader of the Maine Senate. He won the nomination by commandeering the progressive movement that had propelled Platner. Jackson’s supporters swept the delegate selection process for a hastily organized convention to choose Platner’s replacement, compelling most of Jackson’s rivals to drop out ahead of the meeting.

Michigan – Lobbying Ban Tackles One Gap in Michigan Ethics and Transparency Laws

MSN – Clara Hendrickson (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 7/28/2026

New laws in Michigan law aim to slow the “revolving door” between holding public office and lobbying, creating a waiting period before state lawmakers, the governor, and other officials can capitalize on their political experience in the private sector. The legislation also prevents current lawmakers from receiving compensation for lobbying activities in Michigan or another state. The laws will take effect January 1, 2027, at the start of a new legislative session.

New Mexico – Loophole Lets Federal PACs Bypass New Mexico Disclosure Rules

New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 7/30/2026

As New Mexico voters headed to the polls this spring, mailers promoting a State Land Commissioner candidate began appearing in mailboxes. The mailers came from American Energy Action Fund, a federal super PAC that promotes renewable energy. When the mailers appeared in May, the group had no filing in the state’s campaign finance database. But American Energy was not necessarily required to disclose its spending in the weeks before the primary election because, unlike other political committees, out-of-state groups registered with the FEC do not always have to register with New Mexico or follow its reporting deadlines.

National/Federal

DOJ’s Subpoenas in Air Force One Probe Included Journalists’ Families, NYT Says

MSN – Cheyanne Daniels and Emilio Perez Ibarguen (Politico) | Published: 7/20/2026

The Trump administration’s attempt to subpoena the phone records of New York Times journalists in a probe about a leak on the security of President Trump’s new Air Force One jet was more extensive than initially disclosed and included journalists’ family members, according to newly unsealed court documents. The subpoenas follow a different set issued earlier in July that sought to compel reporters to testify before a federal grand jury.

Court-Appointed U.S. Attorney for Seattle Sues Over Firing by Trump

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2026

The Seattle region’s court-appointed U.S. attorney, who was abruptly fired by the White House hours after the announcement of his new job, sued the Trump administration, teeing up a consequential legal fight over the president’s power to install loyalists in top prosecutorial roles without Senate approval. It was only the latest instance of the White House moving swiftly to terminate a U.S. attorney appointed by the courts since Donald Trump’s return to the White House last year. But Roger Rogoff’s suit is the first time one of those dismissed prosecutors has launched a legal challenge to their termination.

House Passes Stock-Trading Restrictions for Lawmakers, but Not a Full Ban

MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2026

Following years of demands that members of Congress limit their stock trading, the House passed a bill that would bar lawmakers, their spouses, and dependent children from buying individual stocks but allow them to keep and sell stocks they already own. But the legislation is probably dead-on-arrival in the Senate because House GOP leadership inserted into it an unrelated requirement that voters present photo identification in federal elections, a proposal that is unlikely to gain the needed votes from Senate Democrats.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Over 3 Years, Homeless Nonprofit Paid More than $1.7 Million to Companies Owned by Its Chief Executive

MSN – Andrew Khouri and Alene Tchekmedyian (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/22/2026

In recent years, the nonprofit A Step to Freedom has grown rapidly, collecting millions of dollars from the government to house and feed homeless people coming out of jail in Los Angeles County. The expansion enabled A Step to Freedom, run by chief executive Kenya Croom, to help far more people, but it also had another, less visible beneficiary: Croom herself. According to a review of public and internal records, over three years, the nonprofit paid more than $1.7 million to Croom’s two for-profit businesses that provided food for the shelters and, in its most recent tax filings, did not disclose her ties to them as required.

Delaware – Koch-Backed Group Loses Bid to Pause Delaware Campaign Finance Transparency

Spotlight Delaware – Jacob Owens and Matt Butler | Published: 7/20/2026

Since 2012, the Delaware Elections Disclosure Act has mandated that organizations engaging in political advertising in the state must disclose the names and addresses of anyone donating over $100 to their organization nationwide. Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political advocacy group, is seeking to overturn the law and increase its presence in politics ahead of the 2026 elections. But the rules around campaign finance transparency in Delaware are unlikely to change ahead of the September primary elections after a judge denied a conservative foundation’s request for their immediate pause.

Hawaii – Lt. Gov.’s Books Were a Mess. Political Insiders Say It’s Not the Norm

Honolulu Civil Beat – Madeleine Valera | Published: 1/14/2026

A $6,000 donation from an alcoholic beverage wholesaler. A $4,500 payment to a local catering company. Tens of thousands paid to her own campaign staff.  These are just some examples of expenditures that, for years, went unmentioned in Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke’s campaign finance disclosures. Whether they were innocent errors or actions taken with criminal intent is now up to state Attorney General Anne Lopez to decide. Several individuals who have worked on Hawaii political campaigns said Luke’s alleged error rate was unacceptable.

Indiana – Ethics Watchdog Hasn’t Met in Years Under Hogsett. One Member Didn’t Know He Was on It.

Yahoo News – Hayleigh Colombo (Indianapolis Star), and Emily Hopkins and Peter Blanchard (Mirror Indy) | Published: 7/21/2026

The little-known Indianapolis Ethics Commission was created to safeguard Marion County residents from public corrupt. The commission is entirely appointed by Mayor Joe Hogsett, who campaigned on ethics reforms in 2015. But for a mayor who touted public integrity as a top priority, his ethics commission has been largely dormant. During Hogsett’s decade in office, the commission has met just once.

New York – Donations to AG James for Trump Defense Diverted Amid Ethics Concerns

WRVO – Jimmy Vielkind (Gothamist) | Published: 7/21/2026

A legal defense fund tapped by Attorney General Letitia James is redirecting some donations after experts said the arrangement is an ethical quagmire. The Democratic Attorneys General Association last year launched a legal defense fund, which has paid nearly $720,000 to lawyers defending James against federal mortgage fraud charges. But the group recently redirected $5,200 from two donors after Gothamist published details about their giving being motivated by a desire to help James.

North Carolina – As Candidate, NC Senator Lobbied for Husband’s Energy Company Amid Federal Probe

Yahoo News – Brian Gordon (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 7/14/2026

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this year accused American Efficient of operating “one of the largest and most brazen fraud schemes” in the agency’s history. The company has a link to North Carolina politics. Benjamin Abram, cofounder of American Efficient and head of its parent Modern Energy, is married to North Carolina Sen. Sophia Chitlik. What has not been previously reported is the lobbying Chitlik did alongside her husband on behalf of American Efficient during the FERC investigation.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez Drops Out of the Governor’s Race

Yahoo News – Adam Edelman (NBC News) | Published: 7/17/2026

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out of the governor’s race, just days after her campaign discovered major inaccuracies related to its financial reporting. The decision from Rodriguez, who had been among the front-runners in the Democratic primary, roils a wide-open race for governor in the battleground state. It also prompted at least one former candidate to revive their campaign.

Trump Fires Members of Bipartisan Elections Commission

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 7/10/2026

President Trump dismantled a long-standing bipartisan elections board, four months before a midterm contest that will determine which party controls Congress. Trump dismissed members of the Elections Assistance Commission less than two weeks after the Supreme Court gave the president broad leeway to reshape boards that were designed to be independent. Congress created the panel to strengthen and secure elections in response to the challenges of the 2000 contest.

Trump’s Attorneys, Justice Dept. Leaders Misused Courts in IRS Case, Judge Says

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck and Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 7/13/2026

A federal judge denounced President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS as an improper attempt to “manipulate” the court process and legitimize a controversial deal that afforded him significant tax protections and sought to establish a nearly $1.8 billion fund for alleged victims of politicized prosecutions. U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams suggested that Trump’s attorneys and top Justice Department officials who signed off on that agreement could face professional sanctions. She barred them from citing any provision of their private resolution in future official proceedings.

FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts from Paramount as the Company Needed Approval for Billion-Dollar Deals

MSN – Corey Johnson (ProPublica) | Published: 7/15/2026

Despite regulating broadcast media, Federal Communications Commission members have accepted expensive tickets to the Kennedy Center honors gala from CBS or its parent company, now Paramount. Ethics experts say that by accepting the gifts, the commissioners are compromising the agency’s impartiality and should avoid acting on Paramount’s pending merger.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Dunleavy Vetoes Campaign Contribution Limits, Allowing Alaska Ballot Initiative to Proceed

Yahoo News – Iris Samuels (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 7/10/2026

Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a bill that would have enacted new campaign contribution limits in Alaska ahead of the November election. Lawmakers had narrowly passed the bill in the final hours of the legislative session that ended in May, looking to preempt a ballot measure that seeks to reinstate limits on contributions to candidates, after previous limits were invalidated by a federal court in 2021. The veto now assures that voters will be asked in August whether they would like to reinstate limits on campaign contributions.

Arizona – Corp Comm Incumbents Accept ‘Prohibited Donations’ Despite Claims to the Contrary

Arizona Capitol Times – Reagan Priest | Published: 7/15/2026

Two Arizona Corporation Commissioners seeking reelection have said they are not influenced by the utility companies they regulate. But campaign finance reports show they have each accepted small-dollar donations from individuals with vested interests in their decisions, potentially violating the commission’s own code of ethics. Commissioners Nick Myers and Kevin Thompson have outpaced their opponents in taking contributions from utility executives, lobbyists, energy industry executives, real estate developers, and attorneys who appear before the commission, the reports show.

Hawaii – New State Laws Enacted to Deter Corruption in Hawaii Government

Yahoo News – Andrew Gomes (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) | Published: 7/11/2026

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed three bills related to improving trust in and honest behavior from local government officials. In a signing ceremony, the governor highlighted one measure that extends the statute of limitations under state law for bribery prosecutions against public officials. Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who authored the bill, said it was needed due to a cloud hanging over state government after Attorney General Anne Lopez announced an investigation into allegations involving an unnamed “influential” state legislator who allegedly accepted $35,000 in a paper bag.

Maine – How the Supreme Court Campaign Finance Ruling Is Altering Maine’s Ongoing Legal Battle

Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 7/10/2026

The PAC that sued Maine over its 2024 law limiting contributions to super PACs are arguing the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent campaign finance ruling affirms their case. But the other side argues the ruling, which effectively eliminated limits on coordinated party expenditures, is not relevant to the Maine case.

Montana – Lawyers Give Opening Statements in Ellsworth Trial

Yahoo News – Jordan Hansen (Daily Montanan) | Published: 7/15/2026

Attorneys presented opening arguments in the trial of former Montana Sen. Jason Ellsworth, who is accused of abusing his power while in office to give an approximately $170,000 no-bid contract to a friend. Ellsworth was stripped of nearly all privileges as a political official last year, though the Senate stopped short of expelling him. He is charged with official misconduct and could face up to a $500 fine and six months in prison.

North Carolina – Free Charlotte Speedway Passes for NC Leaders Went Undisclosed. That’s Going to Change

Yahoo News – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 7/15/2026

The Charlotte Motor Speedway has had little difficulty winning favorable legislation from North Carolina lawmakers over the years without the need of a lobbyist. The speedway has not had a registered lobbyist since 2016. But it has continued to give state lawmakers and other officials special access passes worth several hundred dollars to each of its two marquee races without reporting those expenses to the secretary of state, which regulates lobbying. The passes continued after 2019, but the reporting stopped – until now.

Oregon – Director of Oregon Ethics Commission to Face External Inquiry into Alleged Ethics Violations

Yahoo News – Shaanth Nanguneri (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 7/10/2020

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission agreed to ask another state agency to probe allegations of ethics violations against its executive director, as commissioners debate the best way to combat what they describe as a rise in politically motivated complaints. The commission has declined to release details surrounding its allegations, and it faces a 60-day timeline to complete the review and present findings to commissioners to determine if there is cause for a deeper investigation.

National/Federal

Alibaba Gets Reprieve on Lobbying Ban Tied to DoD Blacklist

MSN – Kate O’Keeffe (Bloomberg) | Published: 7/6/2026

A federal judge ordered the Pentagon to give Alibaba Group a reprieve from a law that caused all its lobbyists to drop it as a client while she considers the constitutionality of the measure, in a case set to test the U.S.’s ability to curtail Chinese companies’ activities. Washington’s most powerful lobbying firms rushed to sever ties with Alibaba and other Chinese tech giants after a new law targeting entities allegedly aiding China’s military took effect.

Trump Ethics Disclosure Throws Curveball at Senate Crypto Talks

MSN – Mark Schoeff Jr. (Roll Call) | Published: 7/2/2026

The newly disclosed scale of President Trump’s personal cryptocurrency-related profits since taking office last year comes at a sensitive moment for Senate negotiations on a major digital assets bill that Republican leaders want to bring to the floor in July. Trump’s potential crypto conflicts have been a sticking point in negotiations over a crypto market structure bill that is pending in the Senate.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Supreme Court Upholds Voter-Approved Anti-‘Dark Money’ Law

MSN – Taylor Seely (Arizona Republic) | Published: 6/30/2026

The Arizona Supreme Court upheld the state’s voter-approved law that requires people who spend thousands of dollars to influence the outcome of elections to identify themselves. The court said the challengers failed to show how the Voters’ Right to Know Act was unconstitutional in all or even most cases and donations to fund campaign media are not private affairs protected from disclosure. The ruling is not an entire loss for the conservative challengers. The justices allowed one of their claims to continue in trial court, and that could create a blueprint for donors to challenge similar laws in other states.

Florida – They Gave James Uthmeier’s Campaign $25,000. Then His Office Stepped in to Help

MSN – Lawrence Mower (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/7/2026

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has used his office to intervene on behalf of donors since taking office last year, inserting the state’s lawyers into civil disputes to help developers and car dealers. In at least three separate instances, the attorney general’s office got involved in a legal battle soon after a donor gave $25,000 to Uthmeier’s campaign. He also helped expunge the criminal history of a wealthy businessperson’s daughter this year.

Georgia – Influential Georgia Evangelical Group Fined for Ethics Violations

Yahoo News – Ross Williams (Georgia Recorder) | Published: 7/9/2026

Frontline Policy, an influential conservative lobbying group in Georgia, is facing $17,500 in fines in connection to complaints over unregistered lobbying and failing to file more than $380,000 in mandatory disclosure reports. Since its founding in 2021, Frontline has touted its role in helping pass legislation. But according to the state ethics commission’s findings, Frontline skirted the law some of the time that it was lobbying legislators. It was previously fined more than $4,000 by the commission for violating lobbying laws.

Hawaii – Luke Campaign Violations Referred to AG For Possible Prosecution

Honolulu Civil Beat – Madeleine Valera and Chad Blair | Published: 7/8/2026

The Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission voted to refer a set a set of alleged campaign finance violations by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke’s campaign to the state attorney general’s office for possible prosecution. The commission’s executive director, Kristin Izumi-Nitao, filed the complaint in May accusing the campaign, Friends of Sylvia Luke, of mishandling funds in 2021 and 2022. It alleges eight counts of filing false reports and four counts of unauthorized handling of campaign funds. Luke has been on unpaid leave since April after becoming the target of a bribery investigation.

Maine – Graham Platner Ends U.S. Senate Campaign in Maine

MSN – Alexei Koseff and Dan Merica (Washington Post) | Published: 7/8/2026

Graham Platner, the populist political newcomer who Democrats had hoped could flip a critical U.S. Senate seat in Maine, ended his campaign after a woman he previously dated publicly accused him of sexual assault. Even as he withdrew from the race, Platner remained insistent that the accusations against him, as well as other controversies dating back to October, were false and part of a larger campaign “by the establishment to put structural pressure on us.” The development injects fresh chaos into Democrats’ battle to retake the Senate in November.

Mississippi – Former Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba Pleads Guilty in Jackson Bribery Scandal

Yahoo News – Charlie Drape (Mississippi Clarion Ledger) | Published: 7/6/2026

A week after Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens pleaded guilty, former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba followed suit, as he admitted guilt in federal court in a bribery case that has hung over Jackson for nearly two years. Lumumba had consistently denied wrongdoing after being indicted in November 2024 and was scheduled to stand trial alongside former Jackson City Councilperson Aaron Banks, who also pleaded guilty an hour later.

Missouri – What Exactly Does Ty Masterson Do at Koch-Funded Office? Rival Calls It a ‘No-Show Job’

MSN – Matthew Kelly (Kansas City Star) | Published: 7/8/2026

Kansas Republican governor hopeful Ty Masterson has two offices. One is on the third floor of the Capitol, where he presides as Senate president. The other is on the campus of Wichita State University. Before it opened in 2017, Masterson was named director of “GoCreate, a Koch Collaborative” where students and community members can design, 3D print, laser cut, weld, saw, and stitch their creations into being. The details of his employment arrangement with the university, including the source of his privately funded salary, are opaque.

North Carolina – More NC Lawmakers Identified as Attending Bourbon Trip, Search Warrant Says

Yahoo News – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 7/6/2026

A newly released search warrant identifies two more North Carolina lawmakers who attended at least one of two bourbon tours in Kentucky, and one of them is the current co-chair of the House Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee. The warrant is the second made public in a probe by the State Bureau of Investigation into a nonprofit known as Greater Carolina, which hosted the trips. Four lobbyists face a misdemeanor charge of violating the state’s ban on gifts to lawmakers.

The Delaware General Assembly adjourned on July 1. Lawmakers passed House Bill 344, which clarifies and streamlines the disclosure and enforcement provisions of campaign finance laws. Changes include extending the requirement for political committees to retain records from three years to five years and requiring biennial training for committee treasurers. The bill will be effective July 1, 2027, if approved by Gov. Matt Meyer.

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National/Federal

Supreme Court Says Fed’s Cook Can Keep Her Job for Now, but It Upholds Other Trump Firings

MSN – Mark Sherman (Associated Press) | Published: 6/29/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court dramatically expanded presidential power, upholding President Trump’s firings of the heads of independent federal agencies with one important exception: the Federal Reserve. The justices allowed Fed governor Lisa Cook to stay in her job while she fights the president’s effort to fire her over allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied. But other than at the nation’s central bank, the court held that presidents have free rein to fire agency heads at will, despite federal laws that require a cause for such dismissals and a 91-year-old decision that had limited executive authority.

Supreme Court Loosens Campaign Finance Laws, Opening Up Flood of Midterm Cash

Yahoo News – Jessica Piper and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 6/30/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down limits on coordinated spending between candidates and political parties, which will fundamentally change how tens of millions of dollars are spent in congressional elections. The decision will have an almost immediate impact on the midterms. Removing the limit on coordinated spending effectively gives candidates direct control over a far greater amount of money being spent on their races. It is also likely to increase the flood of political advertising that hits the airwaves each fall. The ruling held that the limits violate the First Amendment.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan Can Face Challenge from Other Dan Sullivan, Court Says

MSN – Lisa Kashinsky (Politico) | Published: 6/29/2026

The Alaska Supreme Court ruled that a retired teacher named Dan J. Sullivan can appear on the ballot as a Republican alongside incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, a ruling that reverses a top election official’s decision to disqualify the challenger. The new ruling appears to end a bizarre saga that has dominated Alaska politics for weeks. It could hurt Sen. Sullivan’s effort to fend off a challenge from his Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, in a contest that could decide control of the Senate.

Indiana – Hogsett’s Former Chief of Staff Quickly Took Job at Major City Contractor

MSN – Jordan Smith (Indianapolis Star) and Emily Hopkins (Mirror Indy) | Published: 6/25/2026

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s former top deputy in city government is now working at an engineering firm run by major Hogsett donors that has received contracts worth up to $62 million since the mayor took office. The top Hogsett official, former chief of staff Dan Parker, signed many of those contracts himself while he led the Department of Public Works from 2017 to 2022. Parker’s move to American Structurepoint comes as one of the company’s contracts with the city is facing scrutiny for being too expensive.

Kentucky – KY Supreme Court Rules Restructuring of Ethics, Fair Boards Unconstitutional

MSN – Beth Musgrave and Hannah Pinski (Lexington Herald Leader) | Published: 6/26/2026

The Kentucky Supreme Court said two bills passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly giving other officer holders the ability to appoint members of the State Fair Board and the Executive Branch Ethics Commission were unconstitutional because it removed executive branch oversight. Gov. Andy Beshear challenged the General Assembly’s changes, arguing the state constitution requires separation of powers and the governor must retain oversight of executive branch operations.

Maryland – Casino Lobbyists Wrote Maryland Faming Regulators’ Letter to Feds

WBFF – Patrick Hauf (Spotlight on Maryland) | Published: 6/30/2026

Maryland gaming regulators urged federal officials last year to crack down on sports prediction markets using a letter drafted by casino lobbyists, according to public records. The records raise questions about the independence of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, which is responsible for regulating the state’s gambling industry but relied on language written by the industry’s chief lobbying organization before sending an official policy position to federal regulators.

Michigan – Ad Targeting US House Hopeful Prompts Debate Over Reach of Michigan AI Law

USA Today – Beth LeBlanc (Detroit News) | Published: 6/24/2026

An ad targeting a candidate for the U.S. House is prompting new questions about state limits on the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in political ads, with the Michigan Bureau of Elections maintaining the state law does not apply to federal races. A complaint alleges the ad violates a state law passed in 2023 that requires political ads using AI to disclose as much within the ad. It is unclear whether the ad was generated using AI, though the video footage in the ad is clearly manipulated.

Mississippi – The Supreme Court Upholds Grace Periods for Mail-In Ballots, Siding Against the GOP

NPR – Ashley Lopez | Published: 6/29/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Mississippi law that allows election officials to count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but received up to five days after it. The ruling is a loss for the Republican Party, which brought the case, ahead of this year’s midterm elections. These grace periods have historically provided voters time to get their absentee ballots to officials in case there are any issues with the Postal Service, as well as any other unforeseen issues, such as weather events. But Republicans have been fighting these grace periods in recent years, an effort led by President Trump.

New Jersey – New Jersey Lawmakers Steered State Money to Employers, Relatives and Clients

MSN – Daniel Han (Politico) | Published: 6/26/2026

A media examination of similar last-minute spending additions tucked into New Jersey’s three most recent state budgets found one lawmaker requested state money for a nonprofit founded and run by his aunt, a grant worth roughly four times the organization’s annual revenue. Other lawmakers sent money to local governments where they are on the payroll or have financial ties. The appropriations raise questions in a state where political connections have long been a form of currency.

Ohio – Judge Dismisses $20M SEC Lawsuit Against Ex-FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/29/2026

A federal judge dismissed a $20 million securities fraud lawsuit against former FirstEnergy Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones over his role in the $60 million scandal that prosecutors have called the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history. Jones was accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of misleading investors about bribing former House Speaker Larry Householder, who used $60 million in FirstEnergy money to secure the passage of House Bill 6. The law provided a $1.3 billion ratepayer-funded bailout for two aging nuclear power plants.

National/Federal

Judge Blocks Use of Federal Database to Check Citizenship, Saying It Could Wrongly Purge Voters

Associated Press News – Ali Swenson and Fatima Hussein | Published: 6/22/2026

A federal judge ruled that a recently revamped version of a federal tool central to the Trump administration’s efforts to nationalize elections can no longer be used. U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle Sooknanan sided with advocacy groups that argued the recent upgrades to the program, called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements aggregated Americans’ sensitive personal data in a way that could result in voters being wrongly purged from voter rolls.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Hobbs Vetoes State Contract Transparency Measure Amid GOP ‘Pay-to-Play’ Allegations

Arizona Capitol Times – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 6/23/2026

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed financial disclosure legislation that was inspired by controversy over a 60 percent increase in a state contract awarded by her Department of Child Safety. The bill would have required any company bidding on state contracts to immediately disclose any donations made to the governor, to any campaign committees or inaugural funds, and to any entity that “advocates for the election of the governor or for the defeat of an electoral opponent of the governor.”

California – S.F. Lawmaker Wants City-Funded Nonprofits to Report Their Lobbying Efforts at City Hall

MSN – J.D. Morris (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 6/24/2026

San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey will propose an ordinance that would eliminate a provision in city law that exempts nonprofits from local rules requiring organizations to register their lobbyists and publicly report when they seek to influence officials at City Hall. Dorsey said the legislation was intended to create more transparency around how city-funded nonprofits are allocating their resources.

California – Proposal to Limit Lobbying in City of San Diego Politics Moves Forward

MSN – City News Service | Published: 6/24/2026

The San Diego City Council’s Rules Committee voted unanimously to direct staff to begin drafting a proposed ethics reform package aimed at lobbyists and dark money. “[Current disclosure rules] do not fully capture modern influence campaigns, including paid mailers, texts, digital ads, mass communications, and other outside spending designed to shape public opinion and pressure elected officials on city decisions,” Councilperson Sean Elo-Rivera said.

Indiana – Hogsett Vowed to Fight Insiders. His Campaign Advanced Their Interests Behind Closed Doors

Yahoo News – Emily Hopkins and Peter Blanchard (Mirror Indy) and Hayleigh Colombo (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 6/23/2026

A media investigation found Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s campaign acted behind closed doors to advance the interests of the insiders who bankrolled his mayoral bids. On multiple occasions, for instance, Hogsett’s top campaign fundraiser arranged for wish lists of donors’ preferred city contracts to be hand-delivered to the city’s public works chief at the time, according to a person familiar with the arrangement.

Maryland – Maryland Lawmaker Helped Launch State Fund That Bankrolls His Nonprofit

WBFF – Patrick Hauf (Spotlight on Maryland) | Published: 6/17/2026

A Maryland lawmaker helped establish an energy fund that later sent about $19 million in state tax dollars to his nonprofit, raising concerns from some experts and a fellow lawmaker about ethics and conflicts-of-interest. Records show Civic Works, the Baltimore nonprofit led by Del. Dana Stein, received $18.8 million through the Strategic Energy Investment Fund between 2009 and 2025.

New Hampshire – Ayotte Signs Law Raising Cap on Anonymous Campaign Donations

Yahoo News – Ethan DeWitt (New Hampshire Bulletin) | Published: 6/23/2026

This election season, donors will be able to contribute more money to New Hampshire candidates while staying anonymous under a new law signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte. Senate Bill 405 raises the total contribution cap for an anonymous donor to $200 per election cycle. The change puts New Hampshire in a small group of states that allow anonymous contributions up to $200.

New York – Chief of Staff to Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams, 3 Others Charged in Federal Bribery Probe

MSN – Dave Collins, Jake Offenhartz, Michael Sisak, and Alanna Durkin Richer (Associated Press) | Published: 6/24/2026

A chief of staff to former New York City Mayor Eric Adams was charged with accepting more than $100,000 in bribes to steer a lucrative migrant shelter contract to a Queens hotel. Frank Carone’s arrest was the latest in a string of corruption allegations that have rocked the one-term mayor and his inner circle. It came the same day federal authorities executed search warrants related to a separate bribery investigation involving high-ranking police officials under Adams, the latest sign that prosecutors are continuing to probe the previous administration.

Texas – Husband of Fort Worth Mayor Listed as Lobbyist for Data Center Industry Group

MSN – Harrison Mantas (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) | Published: 6/22/2026

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s husband, David, is listed as having been a lobbyist for a data center industry trade group since January. The Data Center Coalition describes itself as representing and advancing the interests of the data center community through policy advocacy, informing public officials, and promoting the benefits of the industry. The city is considering new rules to regulate data center development amid increasing opposition from residents. David Parker serves as the managing director of government affairs and strategy with the lobbying firm Longbow Partners.

Washington – $35M Campaign Finance Fine Against Meta Upheld by WA Supreme Court

Yahoo News – Jake Goldstein-Street (Washington State Standard) | Published: 6/18/2026

Facebook’s parent company must pay the largest campaign finance fine in Washington history, the state Supreme Court affirmed. Meta urged the justices to declare a state law unconstitutional under the First Amendment to avert the $35 million penalty. It repeatedly had not provided required records for digital political advertisements hosted on its platforms.

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) will hold a public hearing on July 21 regarding the commission’s implementation of Executive Order 19. The order directed state agencies to identify hidden or unnecessary “junk” fees that can be reduced or eliminated. ELEC is accepting written comments on fees connected with campaign finance and lobbying compliance until the day of the hearing.

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