Campaign Finance Archives - Page 121 of 314 - State and Federal Communications

August 15, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Colorado: “Backers of Denver Campaign Finance Ballot Measure Agree to Deal That Would Delay Public Financing, Lower Limits” by Jon Murray for Denver Post New Mexico: “Cannabis Industry Grows as Source of Campaign Funds” by Steve Terrell (Santa […]

August 14, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Independents Uneasy About Taking Cash, Even from Indie Group” by Marina Villeneuve (Associated Press) for St. Louis Post-Dispatch California: “It’s an Election Year, and California’s Campaign Watchdogs Are Busy Fighting Among Themselves” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento […]

August 10, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

California FPPC to Consider Use of Cryptocurrency for Campaign Purposes

The Fair Political Practices Commission is considering changes to state campaign finance regulations. The commission was asked to consider the permissible use of cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, for campaign contributions and expenditures. Though similar to cash, such currency is not […]

August 10, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

NYCU Video Digest – August 10, 2018

You don’t want to miss this weeks News You Can Use Video Digest from State and Federal Communications intern Abigail Siegfried!

August 10, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – August 10, 2018

National: Accused of Harassment, and Seeking Redemption at the Ballot Box MSN – Julie Turkewitz and Alan Blinder (New York Times) | Published: 8/5/2018 Almost a year into an anti-harassment movement that has prompted a coast-to-coast cultural reckoning, more than […]

National:

Accused of Harassment, and Seeking Redemption at the Ballot Box
MSN – Julie Turkewitz and Alan Blinder (New York Times) | Published: 8/5/2018

Almost a year into an anti-harassment movement that has prompted a coast-to-coast cultural reckoning, more than a dozen politicians who have been accused of misconduct and are running for state legislative seats again anyway. Some candidates hope voters will accept their apologies. Others believe constituents will dismiss the allegations as untrue or deem them unimportant at a time when state Legislatures could play crucial roles either in advancing the Trump administration’s agenda or forming bulwarks against it. Apologies alone do not satisfy some of those who are working to ensure candidates accused of harassment do not retain political power.

Federal:

GOP Rep. Chris Collins Charged with Securities Fraud
Politico – Kyle Cheney, Jimmy Vielkind, and Laura Nahmias | Published: 8/8/2018

U.S. Rep. Christopher Collins was indicted on charges he used inside information about a biotechnology company to make illicit stock trades. The indictment charges Collins and his son, Cameron, and Stephen Zarsky, who is the father of Cameron Collins’ fiancée, with conspiracy, wire fraud, and other counts. Rep. Collins was Innate Immunotherapeutics’ largest shareholder and served on its board. He received an email from Innate’s chief executive alerting him the company’s highly touted drug had failed in clinical trials. Rep. Collins is alleged to have passed that information to his son, who notified Zarsky. Prosecutors say the three avoided about $768,000 in losses because of the information.

Judge’s Ruling Invalidates FEC Regulation Allowing Anonymous Donations to ‘Dark Money’ Groups
Politico – Brent Griffiths | Published: 8/4/2018

U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell struck down an FEC rule that allowed for anonymous donations to “dark money” groups. Howell ruled the FEC regulation allowing for those donors to remain anonymous fell below the standard that Congress meant to set when it passed laws on disclosing the sources of political donations. The ruling, which is likely to be appealed, means nonprofits could be required to reveal the identities of donors who give $200 or more toward affecting federal elections. The FEC has 45 days to issue temporary regulations that would require the so-called dark money groups to reveal more about their donors.

On Appeals Court, Kavanaugh Helped to Loosen Political Money Laws
National Public Radio – Peter Overby | Published: 8/8/2018

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been on the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia, a frequent destination for cases involving the FEC. His decisions have effectively pulled the campaign finance system rightward, letting in more money with less regulation. He is been roughly in sync with Anthony Kennedy, the justice he once clerked for and now might succeed. “I think his record on money and politics should be right up there alongside the likelihood that he’ll overturn Roe or strike down the [Affordable Care Act],” said Chiraag Bains, director of legal strategies for the progressive advocacy group Demos.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona: Prosecutors Drop Bribery, Fraud Charges Against Former Utility Regulator, Others
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 8/7/2018

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona filed a motion to dismiss the indictment of a former utility regulator and others who were charged in a bribery case that ended in a mistrial. Jurors could not agree whether former utility regulator Gary Pierce, his wife, Sherry, lobbyist Jim Norton, and water company owner George Johnson had participated in a bribery scheme, as prosecutors alleged. Taryn Jeffries served as the jury foreperson. She said she was not surprised the government decided not to retry the case, which she considered “weak.” Jeffries said the jurors deadlocked at seven-to-five with those believing the defendants were guilty in the minority.

Florida: Panel Finds ‘Probable Cause’ That Five Municipal Officials, Five Lobbyists Violated State Ethics Laws
Florida Watchdog – John Haughey | Published: 8/3/2018

The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that five lobbying firms filed inaccurate financial disclosure reports for 2016. The evidence turned up in random audits of executive branch lobbying firms. Among the commission’s notable actions was finding probable cause that former Madeira Beach City Manager Shane Crawford “accepted prohibited gifts from lobbyists, or alternatively, failed to report discounts valued at more than $100 as gifts.”

Kansas: ‘That Is a Conflict’: Kobach should recuse himself from a recount, experts say
Kansas City Star – Bryan Lowry, Steve Vockrodt, Jonathan Shorman, and Hunter Woodall | Published: 8/8/2018

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said he does not plan to recuse himself from a potential recount effort in the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary, despite being a candidate in the race. He said while his office oversees recounts, it does not directly participate in vote-counting, which is done at the county level. Kobach is leading Gov. Jeff Colyer by fewer than 200 votes in the closely watched race. If Colyer requests a hand recount after all provisional and mail-in ballots are counted, the secretary of state’s office will decide how much the governor’s campaign would have to pay for a recount. Kobach is not required by law to recuse himself, but legal and political experts said it would be in his best interest to do so.

Maine: After Court Battle, Maine’s Clean Elections Candidates to Get $1 Million In Campaign Funds
New England Public Radio – Steve Mistler | Published: 8/8/2018

Maine Gov. Paul LePage has complied with a court order that he release about $1.4 million in public campaign funding he had held up by refusing to sign routine financial orders. The move means about 120 candidates for the Legislature and one for governor will be getting money soon to help run their campaigns under the Maine Clean Election Act. Seven candidates and the Maine Citizens for Clean Elections sued LePage because he refused to release the funds, which would come from unspent money from the 2016 election cycle.

Missouri: Lawsuit Seeks to Knock Gerrymandering Issue Off Missouri’s November Ballot
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 8/6/2018

An attorney who helped draw the boundaries of Missouri’s current legislative districts is trying to knock a question off the November ballot designed to end partisan gerrymandering. Eddie Greim said the proposed referendum violates a provision in the Missouri Constitution that prevents multiple subjects from being combined into one ballot proposal. The referendum asks whether voters want to tighten campaign contribution limits, ban lobbyist gifts, institute a two-year waiting period for lawmakers-turned-lobbyists, start a new redistricting system in 2020, and require lawmakers to adhere to the Sunshine Law.

Missouri: Slay’s Role as Lobbyist Raises Questions Over Conflict of Interest in Quest to Privatize Airport
St. Louis Public Radio – Melody Walker | Published: 8/6/2018

Francis Slay, just weeks before leaving office as mayor in April of last year, initiated the process that could lead to the privatization of St. Louis Lambert International Airport. In June of this year, Slay was hired by Ferrovial Airports, a company with experience in managing airports in Europe, and considered one of three top contenders in the bidding process for Lambert. Slay registered as a lobbyist in June “to lobby local elected officials.” His role as a lobbyist for a company seeking to lease the city’s largest asset through a process he initiated while mayor has raised some eyebrows, and some serious questions about a conflict-of-interest.

New York: BOE Approves Regulations That Could Hinder Independent Investigations
Albany Times Union – David Lombardo | Published: 8/8/2018

The New York State Board of Elections is moving to weaken the powers of an independent watchdog. The board voted to require the state’s independent enforcement counsel to justify in writing each subpoena they want to issue when investigating alleged campaign finance and election law cases. The board already had control over whether subpoenas could be issued in specific cases, but the new rule means the counsel must get approval on a subpoena-by-subpoena basis. Good-government groups criticized the move, which state Attorney General Barbara Underwood said will “gut” the counsel’s independence and lead to more corruption.

Texas: Dwaine Caraway Resigns from Dallas City Council, Pleads Guilty to Federal Corruption Charges
Dallas News – Robert Wilonsky, Holly Hacker, and Miles Moffeit | Published: 8/9/2018

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway pleaded guilty to federal charges of receiving $450,000 in bribes and kickbacks and resigned from the city council. Caraway admitted taking the payments exchange for votes in favor of a camera company, Force Multiplier Solutions (FXS), which sought contract work with Dallas County Schools. At times, Robert Leonard, the owner of FXS, would pay Caraway in checks that he would cash at liquor stores and pawn shops. Leonard also admitted to paying Rick Sorrells, a former Dallas County school superintendent, more than $3 million in bribes and kickbacks. Their actions, prosecutors said, helped FXS secure more than $70 million in contracts and agreements with Dallas County Schools.

Texas: Texas Court Revives Lawsuit to Strip Ethics Regulators of Campaign, Elections Oversight
Dallas News – Lauren McGaughey | Published: 8/3/2018

A conservative advocacy group’s legal challenge to the Texas Ethics Commission took a leap forward after the lawsuit, dismissed in 2016 by a District Court judge, was revived by an appeals court. The decision by the Third Court of Appeals is the latest in an ongoing series of blows between Empower Texans, an influential group led by Michael Quinn Sullivan, and the commission, which years ago investigated the organization for alleged campaign law violations. The lawsuit asks whether the ethics panel has the legal authority to carry out many of its core functions, including enforcement and oversight of campaign finance rules.

Vermont: This 14-Year-Old Is Running for Governor Before He Can Even Vote
Washington Post – Kayla Epstein | Published: 8/8/2018

Unlike most states, Vermont has no age requirement for gubernatorial candidates, only a residency requirement. So, Ethan Sonneborn, who has lived in Bristol for 14 years – his entire life – makes the cut. Sonneborn declared his candidacy for governor back in August 2017, and then told his parents about it. After the secretary of state consulted with the attorney general, it was decided he would be allowed to run, but his parents would have to sign a form acknowledging they knew he was running and did not oppose him doing so.

August 9, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “On Appeals Court, Kavanaugh Helped to Loosen Political Money Laws” by Peter Overby for National Public Radio Oregon: “Campaign Spending Limits to Appear on Portland Ballots” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian Elections National: “Democratic Party’s Liberal […]

August 8, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “LePage Will Release Over $1 Million in Campaign Funds” by Marina Villeneuve (Associated Press) for Raleigh News and Observer Montana: “Billings House Candidate Insists Loan from Public Service Commissioner Wasn’t Campaign Contribution” by Matt Hudson (Billings Gazette) […]

August 7, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Lawsuit Filed to Remove Issue from Missouri Ballot

A lawsuit has been filed to remove a referendum from the Missouri ballot. On August 2, Sec. of State Jay Ashcroft certified an ethics initiative for the November general election ballot. The proposal would limit legislative gifts from lobbyists, reduce […]

August 7, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

FEC Disclosure Regulation Invalidated by Court for Being Too Narrow

On August 3, a federal court ruled a campaign finance disclosure regulation, followed for decades by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), failed to uphold disclosure requirements required by a federal statute. Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell of the United States District […]

On August 3, a federal court ruled a campaign finance disclosure regulation, followed for decades by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), failed to uphold disclosure requirements required by a federal statute. Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell of the United States District Court for The District of Columbia issued an order, in CREW v. FEC, vacating 11 C.F.R. §109.10(e)(1)(vi), but stayed the vacatur for 45 days to give time for the FEC to issue interim regulations comporting with the statutory disclosure requirements of 52 U.S.C. §30104(c). The court also has allowed the FEC 30 days to change an earlier FEC dismissal to conform with the court’s ruling.

The case originated because of independent expenditures made in a 2012 Ohio senate race by the non-political social-welfare nonprofit Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS), an affiliate of the American Crossroads Super PAC. Crossroads GPS did not report donors when reporting its independent expenditures, while it acknowledged receiving contributions over $200, arguing the donors did not donate funds directly tied to any specific reported expenditure, as the FEC interpreted 11 C.F.R. §109.10(e)(1)(vi) to require. Non-political committees making independent expenditures over $250 in a calendar year must comply with disclosure obligations closely analogous to those imposed on political committees.

The vacated regulation required the identification of each person who made a contribution in excess of $200 to the person filing a disclosure report, including for non-political 501(c)(4) non-profits entities making independent expenditures, if the contribution was made for the purpose of furthering the reported independent expenditure. The court found the regulation, as construed and applied by the FEC, did not require the disclosure of donors, absent the donor’s express agreement that the funds be used for the specific expenditures reported to the FEC, even though the donor may otherwise support and in fact contribute for the purpose of funding those expenditures. The court found the regulation impermissibly narrows the mandated disclosure in 52 U.S.C. §30104(c)(2)(C), which requires the identification of such donors contributing for the purpose of furthering the non-political committee’s own express advocacy for or against the election of a federal candidate, even when the donor has not expressly directed that the funds be used in the precise manner reported.

August 7, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Judge’s Ruling Invalidates FEC Regulation Allowing Anonymous Donations to ‘Dark Money’ Groups” by Brent Griffiths for Politico Elections National: “Accused of Harassment, and Seeking Redemption at the Ballot Box” by Julie Turkewitz and Alan Blinder (New York […]

August 6, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: Corporate Donations Are New Test for Democratic Candidates by Lisa Lerer (Associated Press) for Lowell Sun National: Trump Legal Fund Remains Mum on Donors, Payments by Ken Doyle for Bloomberg Government Elections North Carolina: Arrested, Jailed and […]

August 3, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – August, 3, 2018

National: As Midterm Elections Approach, a Growing Concern That the Nation Is Not Protected from Russian Interference Washington Post – Ellen Nakashima and Craig Timberg | Published: 8/1/2018 Two years after Russia interfered in the American presidential campaign, the nation […]

National:

As Midterm Elections Approach, a Growing Concern That the Nation Is Not Protected from Russian Interference
Washington Post – Ellen Nakashima and Craig Timberg | Published: 8/1/2018

Two years after Russia interfered in the American presidential campaign, the nation has done little to protect itself against a renewed effort to influence voters in the coming congressional midterm elections, according to lawmakers and independent analysts. They say voting systems are more secure against hackers, thanks to action at the federal and state levels, and the Russians have not targeted those systems to the degree they did in 2016. But Russian efforts to manipulate American voters through misleading social media postings are likely to have grown more sophisticated and harder to detect, and there is not a sufficiently strong government strategy to combat information warfare against the U.S.

Campaigns Enter Texting Era with a Plea: Will U Vote 4 Me 🙏??
New York Times – Kevin Roos | Published: 8/1/2018

Candidates in this year’s midterm elections are still sending mailers, putting ads on television, and knocking on doors to drum up support. But they have added a new, hard-to-ignore tool to their arsenal: personalized text messages sent to voters’ phones. When TV ads are skipped and email inboxes automatically filter out junk and promotions, it is not surprising that campaigns are desperate for a tool that can reliably get voters’ attention. What is surprising is how influential the lowly SMS text message has remained. Both Democratic and Republican campaigns are relying on mass-texting apps that take advantage of a clever legal loophole to send huge numbers of texts per day without running afoul of anti-spam laws.

Federal:

At Prayer Breakfast, Guests Seek Access to a Different Higher Power
WRAL – Kenneth Vogel and Elizabeth Dias (New York Times) | Published: 7/27/2018

The National Prayer Breakfast has long brought together people from all over the world for an agenda built around the teachings of Jesus. But the annual event has become an international influence-peddling bazaar, where foreign dignitaries, religious leaders, diplomats, and lobbyists jockey for access to the highest reaches of American power. The subculture around the breakfast was thrust into the spotlight with the indictment of Maria Butina, who was charged with conspiring to act as a Russian agent. Her goals, prosecutors said, included gaining access to the breakfast “to establish a back channel of communication” between influential Russians and Americans “to promote the political interests of the Russian Federation.”

Mueller’s Digging Exposes Culture of Foreign Lobbying and Its Big Paydays
WRAL – Mark Mazzetti and Katie Benner (New York Times) | Published: 8/1/2018

The case against Paul Manafort is part of a broader inquiry into the lucrative work done on behalf of the former president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, and special counsel Robert Mueller has handed some elements of the investigation to federal prosecutors in New York. Beyond Mueller’s office, the Justice Department has also recently been pursuing such cases with greater urgency under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and related to foreign influence operations more broadly. All of this has prompted lobbyists to hunt for advice about how to comply with laws governing that sphere. “The phone rings much more often with this question than it did two years ago,” said Tom Spulak, a partner at the King & Spalding law firm who advises on lobbying compliance.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: Ethics Reform Bill Signed into Law
Cordova Times; Staff – | Published: 7/27/2018

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker signed a bill into law that bars lobbyists from buying meals or alcoholic beverages for lawmakers. House Bill 44 also requires that when legislators vote on an issue they or their immediate family have a financial stake in they must disclose it, among other provisions.

California: Combatting Corruption: How effective is the political watchdog Jerry Brown helped create?
CALmatters – Laurel Rosenhall and Robbie Short | Published: 7/25/2018

California voters overwhelmingly approved the Political Reform Act, which also created the Fair Political Practices Commission to enforce the new ethics rules championed by Jerry Brown when he first ran for governor in 1974. Yet while Brown rose to power in the 1970s expressing a passion for cleaning up politics, he has not demonstrated the same zeal in the sunset of his career. The idealism of a young candidate has been replaced with the resignation of an experienced politician who seems to doubt how much the government can regulate human foibles.

Florida: Jack Latvala Cleared of Criminal Charges by State Prosecutor
Tampa Bay Times – Steve Bousquet, Mary Ellen Klas, and Emily Mahoney | Published: 7/26/2018

Tallahassee’s state attorney, Jack Campbell, said he could not find enough evidence to charge former Florida Sen. Jack Latvala following claims he engaged in a sex-for-vote scheme. Lobbyist Laura McLeod alleged Latvala intimated on multiple occasions if she had sex with him or let him touch her that he would lend his influential support to issues she was promoting. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) concluded Latvala did not unlawfully exert his influence. Campbell submitted a letter to FDLE concurring there was not enough evidence to support the claims of public corruption.

Georgia: In Georgia Governor’s Race, a Defining Moment for a Southern State
WRAL – Kevin Sack and Alan Blinder (New York Times) | Published: 7/28/2018

Georgia’s gubernatorial race between Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams has taken on the dimensions of a defining moment, one that will determine what the state represents and how it is perceived. That voters chose these two candidates reflects how Americans are embracing politicians on the basis of culture and identity, and how Georgia’s politics are catching up with its rapid demographic change. More starkly than in most midterm campaigns, the contest between Kemp, the two-term Republican secretary of state, and Abrams, a former Democratic leader in the state Legislature, has come to mirror the polarization of the Trump era and expose the consequences of a primary system that increasingly rewards those who appeal to the fringes.

Illinois: Company Used Convicted Chicago Schools Chief in ‘Highly Unethical’ Work to Win Millions in CPS Business, Watchdog Finds
Chicago Tribune – Juan Perez Jr. | Published: 7/31/2018

A for-profit company that educates at-risk students won tens of millions of dollars from Chicago Public Schools with help from then-district Chief Executive Officer Barbara Byrd-Bennet and her co-conspirators. That “highly unethical conduct” was essential for Camelot Education to open four campuses several years ago, Inspector General Nicholas Schuler said in a report. Schuler’s office asked the Board of Education to disqualify Camelot and two unnamed company executives from future business. If the board concludes doing so would be too disruptive, Schuler recommended the board fine Camelot $6.7 million and appoint an independent monitor to review the company’s conduct for three years.

Maine: Judge Orders LePage to Release Clean Elections Cash
centralmaine.com – Scott Thistle | Published: 8/2/2018

A judge ordered Maine Gov. Paul LePage to release about $1.4 million in campaign funds for candidates running under the state’s clean elections law. The order would provide public funding for the campaigns of about 174 candidates for the Legislature and one candidate running in the governor’s race. The ruling does not affect an additional $4.8 million in clean elections funding that is tied up in a partisan dispute in the state House.

Missouri: Divided KC Council Defeats $5 Gift Proposal – ‘We’re Doing Fine’
Kansas City Star – Bill Turque | Published: 7/26/2018

The Kansas City Council voted down a bill that would limit lobbyists’ gifts and taxpayer-funded travel. The measure slashed the maximum value of gifts from $1,000 to five dollars. It restricted city-funded council and mayoral travel to two trips per four-year term, except when representing the city before the state or federal government. It also doubled from one to two years the time ex-officials must wait before lobbying the city or working as a contractor.

New York: Sheldon Silver, Ex-Assembly Speaker, Gets 7 Years in Prison for Corruption Conviction
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle – Jon Campbell | Published: 7/27/2018

Sheldon Silver, the former New York Assembly speaker who brokered legislative deals for two decades before corruption charges abruptly ended his career, was sentenced to seven years in prison. Silver’s initial conviction on the charges in 2015 was tossed out by an appeals court, but a jury once again found him guilty of taking nearly $4 million in return for legislative favors he performed for a cancer researcher and real estate developers. His sentencing comes 10 days after Dean Skelos, the former New York Senate leader, and his son, Adam, were convicted of extortion, wire fraud, and bribery at a retrial for each of them.

North Carolina
‘I Have Not Been Involved,’ NC Supreme Court Justice Says of Bill Targeting Opponent
Raleigh News and Observer – Wil Doran | Published: 7/26/2018

North Carolina legislators took another step that critics say amounted to meddling in this year’s election for a seat on the state Supreme Court. State lawmakers voted along almost entirely partisan lines, deciding that only one of the two Republicans running for the seat would have her party affiliation listed on the ballot. Republicans are worried the candidate the bill affected, Chris Anglin, is not truly a Republican but rather part of a Democratic plot to influence the election. Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jackson said she did not ask for the bill targeting Anglin. Jackson said she hardly ever speaks with legislators about anything to avoid conflicts-of-interest.

Pennsylvania: Lehigh County Pay-to-Play Law Crimps Donations from Political Candidates’ Own Parties
Allentown Morning Call – Tom Shortell | Published: 7/30/2018

Lehigh County’s “pay-to-play” law has become a factor in one of this year’s most closely watched congressional races, with one candidate’s campaign saying it has impeded fundraising. Outside groups have pumped millions of dollars into the race, which they see as a critical swing district in a fight to control Congress. But all that money flowing toward Marty Nothstein’s campaign could create complications in Lehigh County. Because Nothstein is an elected member of the county Board of Commissioners, any donations he would receive from county vendors could trigger the “pay-to-play” provisions.

Vermont: Vermont Campaign-Finance Limits Survive Appeal
Courthouse News Service – Nick Rummell | Published: 7/31/2018

An appeals court ruled Vermont does not trample the First Amendment by hinging public financing of political candidates on their adherence to certain rules. The opinion upholds the dismissal of a lawsuit by a candidate for lieutenant governor who argued his receipt of public financing should not force him to curtail expenditures and contributions from private parties. “Given the free choice to accept the grants and restrictions that public financing entails or to engage in unlimited private fundraising, candidates cannot complain that electing the former course burdens their rights,” Judge Robert Katzmann wrote.

August 2, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Tennessee: “Tennessee Sued Over PAC Contributions ‘Blackout Period’ Before Elections” by Joey Garrison for The Tennessean Vermont: “Vermont Campaign-Finance Limits Survive Appeal” by Nick Rummell for Courthouse News Service Elections National: “Campaigns Enter Texting Era with a Plea: […]

August 1, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Arizona: “Secretary of State Michele Reagan Again Delays Arizona Campaign Website Planned for 2015” by Dustin Gardiner for Arizona Republic Michigan: “Former Michigan Secretary of State, Husband Agree to Pay $66K Fine” by Todd Spangler for Detroit Free […]

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

California FPPC to Consider Use of Cryptocurrency for Campaign Purposes

NYCU Video Digest – August 10, 2018

News You Can Use Digest – August 10, 2018

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Lawsuit Filed to Remove Issue from Missouri Ballot

FEC Disclosure Regulation Invalidated by Court for Being Too Narrow

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

News You Can Use Digest – August, 3, 2018

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

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