And we’re back, coming to you with the fastest 2 & 1/2 minutes in government, ethics, lobbying and campaign finance News You Can Use!

National:

It’s a Steep Hill to Climb for Women Running for State Office
Center for Public Integrity – Kristian Hernandez | Published: 3/6/2018

Nearly 500 women have shown interest in running for Congress in this year’s midterm elections, twice as many as compared with the same time in 2016. More women have raised their hand to run for governor in 2018 than in the past seven years combined, and scores of women plan to run for attorneys general, legislative seats, and more. Women still have a long way to go before political offices reflect the U.S. population. But women’s success in politics might not be all about winning this year, said Kim Olson, the Democratic candidate for Texas agriculture commissioner. She said the elections might be as much about planting seeds that will one day grow and fill the gender gaps in the halls of Congress, governors’ mansions, and statehouses across the country.

Federal:

Companies Court Lawmakers with Charitable Giving, but Don’t Always Disclose the Funds
Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine | Published: 3/5/2018

By law, corporations and organizations that lobby the federal government must disclose certain charitable contributions to nonprofits, including ones such as the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation that are intimately tied to lawmakers. They also must disclose spending to “honor” lawmakers and high-level executive branch officials if the spending meets certain criteria. But an analysis found more than 20 companies and trade associations that have failed to disclose payments made to nonprofit groups aligned with government officials or aimed at honoring lawmakers they may want to influence. In every instance, other companies disclosed payments linked to the same events, though varying circumstances and exceptions to federal rules allow some omissions.

Companies, Nonprofits Put Brakes on Foreign Lobbying Bills
Roll Call – Kate Ackley | Published: 3/2/2018

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation to strengthen enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The new bill indicates that momentum to revamp foreign lobbying disclosures persists as the Russia probe has kept concerns about international influences in the spotlight. But opposition remains. Representatives of foreign-owned businesses and multinational nonprofit organizations say they do not want the stigma of being defined as foreign agents. They are pushing for changes to separate legislation that passed the House Judiciary Committee but has not yet been scheduled for floor action.

Trump Spoke to Witnesses About Matters They Discussed with Special Counsel
MSN – Michael Schmidt and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 3/7/2018

The New York Times reported the special counsel in the Russian election meddling probe has learned of two conversations in which President Trump asked witnesses about matters discussed with investigators. Trump told an aide that White House counsel Donald McGahn should issue a statement denying a report in January that said McGahn told investigators the president had once asked him to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump also asked his former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, how his interview with the special counsel investigators had gone and whether they had been “nice.” The episodes demonstrate that even as the inquiry appears to be intensifying, the president has ignored his lawyers’ advice to avoid doing anything publicly or privately that could create the appearance of interfering with it.

What Swamp? Lobbyists Get Ethics Waivers to Work for Trump
CNBC – Associated Press | Published: 3/7/2018

President Trump and his appointees have stocked federal agencies with former lobbyists and corporate lawyers who now help regulate the industries from which they previously collected paychecks, despite promising as a candidate to drain the swamp in Washington. A week after his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order that bars former lobbyists, lawyers, and others from participating in any matter they lobbied or otherwise worked on for private clients within two years before going to work for the government. But records show White House counsel Don McGahn has issued at least 24 ethics waivers to key administration officials at the White House and executive branch agencies.

From the States and Municipalities:

Colorado: Colorado Rep. Steve Lebsock Is Expelled Following Harassment Complaints from Five Women
Denver Post – Brian Eason and Jesse Paul | Published: 3/2/2018

The Colorado House voted to expel Rep. Steve Lebsock after hours of emotional debate in which several members broke down in tears. Lebsock had been accused of harassing five women, including a fellow state legislator, a lobbyist, and a former staffer, in 11 separate complaints. Lebsock has denied the charges, even distributing a dossier that detailed personal information about his accusers. He is the second lawmaker in the nation to be removed from office over harassment allegations since the rise of the #MeToo movement.

District of Columbia: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Says She Won’t Testify About Schools Chief’s Resignation
Washington Post – Peter Jamison | Published: 3/7/2018

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said she will refuse to testify under oath to the city council about the circumstances of the resignation of the former chancellor of the public school system, setting up a showdown with lawmakers, the outcome of which could weigh on her re-election campaign. She said she would instead cooperate with a parallel investigation by the city inspector general’s office that is underway. Bowser demanded the resignations of Chancellor Antwan Wilson and the deputy mayor for education, saying she had just been notified the pair had transferred Wilson’s daughter to one of the city’s most desirable high schools, skipping a waiting list of more than 600 students, in violation of city policy. But Wilson said Bowser knew about the transfer four months ago and raised no objections.

Massachusetts: SJC May Be Option in ‘Union Loophole’ Case
Lowell Sun – Andy Metzger (State House News Service) | Published: 3/7/2018

The Supreme Judicial Court is considering whether Massachusetts can constitutionally bar corporations from making political contributions, while allowing labor unions and nonprofits to do so. James Manley, an attorney representing two Massachusetts businesses, said his clients simply want corporations to be on equal footing with other entities, and that federal law requires it. The plaintiffs would be somewhat satisfied if the court decided to rein in unions’ abilities to contribute politically, Manley told reporters.

New Mexico: Steve Pearce, State Move to Settle Lawsuit Over Gubernatorial Campaign Funds
Las Cruces Sun News – Andrew Oxford (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 3/6/2018

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce are moving to settle a dispute about access to campaign money that Pearce raised while in Congress and sought to use in his run for governor. Under the proposed agreement, the state would allow candidates to use donations collected while in federal office for state office campaigns. The contributions cannot be larger than what it is allowable under New Mexico law, and they must have been reported to the FEC. “Those conditions were included to prevent future federal-to-state transfers from becoming a loophole around New Mexico’s campaign finance laws,” said Joey Keefe, a spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office.

New York: As Jurors Decide Fate of Key Cuomo Ally, Political Verdict May Be In
New York Times – Jesse McKinley and Shane Goldmacher | Published: 3/6/2018

Federal prosecutors in the corruption trial of a former top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented unflattering tales of how Cuomo conducts himself and how his administration has conducted the people’s business in Albany. The governor has not been accused of illegal acts, but the trial may well tarnish the well-groomed reputation of Cuomo, who is facing re-election in the fall. It may also complicate or undercut any national ambitions of Cuomo, which would need to take flight in places like Iowa and New Hampshire next year.

North Carolina: GOP’s 8-Member Elections-Ethics Board Struck Down. Is a Third Lawsuit on the Horizon?
Raleigh News and Observer – Anne Blythe | Published: 3/5/2018

A panel of state judges decided a recent North Carolina Supreme Court ruling favoring Gov. Roy Cooper means only a portion of a 2017 law combining the state ethics and elections boards is now struck down. Republicans at the General Assembly passed small changes related to the combined board’s membership and Cooper’s powers after the Supreme Court decision. Cooper’s lawyers had argued the Supreme Court ruling meant the judges should void the entire law. That would have opened the door to Cooper’s wishes. He wanted the law to revert to what it was before December 2016 – separate elections and ethics boards, and Democrats getting a majority of elections board seats.

Oregon: Multnomah County Political Spending Limits Unconstitutional, Judge Finds
Portland Oregonian – Gordon Friedman | Published: 3/6/2018

Multnomah County’s voter-approved limits on campaign contributions are an unconstitutional infringement on free speech, a county judge ruled. Judge Eric Bloch said the county and its voters cannot cap donations to candidates for county office at $500 per donor, force disclosure of the largest contributors to political mailers, or limit other types of spending. The limits are “impermissible” under the free speech guarantees within the Oregon Constitution, Bloch wrote, citing a related state Supreme Court opinion.

Pennsylvania: Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski Guilty on Most Charges in Pay-to-Play Trial; Must Leave Office
Allentown Morning Call – Peter Hall, Emily Opilo, and Daniel Patrick Sheehan | Published: 3/1/2018

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski was convicted of selling his office to campaign donors in a scheme meant to fuel his political ambitions. Jurors convicted him of 47 of the 54 charges he faced, a verdict that will force Pawlowski from office and end his tenure as leader of Pennsylvania’s third-largest city. Prosecutors said Pawlowski masterminded a plan to rig city contracts for legal, engineering, technology, and construction work, all in a bid to raise money for his statewide campaigns. Pawlowski ran for governor in 2014 and U.S. Senate in 2015, suspending the latter campaign days after the FBI raided City Hall.

Tennessee: Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Resigns from Office; ‘I love you, Nashville,’ she says
The Tennessean – Joey Garrison and Nate Rau | Published: 3/6/2018

Megan Barry resigned as Nashville’s mayor, weeks after admitting an affair with the police officer who ran her security detail. She announced her resignation shortly after she pleaded guilty to a felony theft charge related to the affair. Barry agreed to reimburse the city $11,000 and serve three years’ probation. The scandal drew attention to the overtime Sgt. Rob Forrest accrued while managing her detail. An affidavit detailed nude photos the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said appeared to be Barry taken on the phone of Forrest during city trips. Forrest pleaded guilty to property theft and was sentenced to three years of probation. He will reimburse the city $45,000 that was paid to him as salary and/or overtime during times when he was not performing his duties as head of the mayor’s security detail.

Texas: Talk About Big Bucks: Deer semen donations are fueling South Texas campaign
Dallas News – Jackie Wang | Published: 3/1/2018

A candidate in the race for a Texas House seat has received $87,500 in campaign donations, more than half of which is made up of deer semen. Ana Lisa Garza has received $51,000 in in-kind donations to her campaign, listed as individual donations of frozen deer semen straws. The containers are reportedly a common way for deer breeders in the state to donate to political campaigns. Garza’s campaign has valued the straws at $1,000 each. The group does not give the semen directly to the campaign, but accepts the straw donations and sells them at auction. Attorney Buck Wood said the donations technically were not “in-kind” since the money, not the semen, was given to the campaign.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

A bill passed by the Utah Legislature last month amending parts of the state’s election code was signed by Gov. Gary Herbert this week and is effective immediately.

House Bill 20, introduced and sponsored by Rep. Jeremy Peterson and Sen. Wayne Harper, modifies provisions relating to filling a State Board of Education candidate vacancy and a State Board of Education office vacancy.

The bill also addresses the handling of, and access to, a financial disclosure form filed by a candidate and shortens the deadline for a filing officer to forward a financial disclosure form to the lieutenant governor in certain situations. Included in the bill was also a clarification of the definition of expenditure under the Lobbyist Disclosure and Regulation Act.

The Utah Legislature is set to adjourn its regular session today. A number of bills passed by the Legislature have yet to be signed by Gov. Herbert.

In Oregon, a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge found county campaign finance reforms unconstitutional.

Judge Eric Bloch ruled the voter-approved limitations on campaign contributions and independent expenditures were impermissible under the free speech guarantees within the Oregon Constitution, citing a related Oregon Supreme Court opinion.

He ruled they also cannot force disclosure of the largest contributors to political mailers and other forms of communication.

The Multnomah County voters adopted the reforms with an 89 percent “yes” vote in November 2016. An appeal of the judge’s decision is expected.

Campaign Finance

National: “Adviser to Emirates with Ties to Trump Aides Is Cooperating with Special Counsel” by Mark Mazzetti, David Kirkpatrick, and Adam Goldman for New York Times

Massachusetts: “SJC May Be Option in ‘Union Loophole’ Case” by Andy Metzger (State House News Service) for Lowell Sun

New Mexico: “Steve Pearce, State Move to Settle Lawsuit Over Gubernatorial Campaign Funds” by Andrew Oxford (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Las Cruces Sun News

Oregon: “Multnomah County Political Spending Limits Unconstitutional, Judge Finds” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

Elections

National: “It’s a Steep Hill to Climb for Women Running for State Office” by Kristian Hernandez for Center for Public Integrity

Ethics

National: “EPA Chief Pruitt’s Aide Given Permission to Work for Private Clients on the Side – but Their Identities Will Be Kept Secret” by Michael Biesecker (Associated Press) for Denver Post

National: “Ethics Office Finds Kellyanne Conway Broke Law in Alabama Race” by Jennifer Epstein for Bloomberg.com

Lobbying

Alabama: “Watchdog Accuses Key PAC in Alabama Race of Hiding Donors” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

South Carolina: “Gov. McMaster Suspects Santee Cooper Is Meddling with Effort to Sell the Utility” by Avery Wilks for The State

Campaign Finance

Texas: “Talk About Big Bucks: Deer semen donations are fueling South Texas campaign” by Jackie Wang for Dallas News

Ethics

Colorado: “Colorado Rep. Steve Lebsock Is Expelled Following Harassment Complaints from Five Women” by Brian Eason and Jesse Paul for Denver Post

Kentucky: “Company Tied to Gov. Matt Bevin Gets $400K Through State’s ‘Angel Investment’ Program” by Tom Loftus for Lousivelle Courier-Journal

Maryland: “Current, Former Md. Lawmakers Accused of Inappropriately Touching Women in Annapolis” by Ovetta Wiggins for Washington Post

Michigan: “Sen. Bert Johnson Pleads Guilty, Resigns” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

Lobbying

Federal: “Companies Court Lawmakers with Charitable Giving, but Don’t Always Disclose the Funds” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

Florida: “Florida Democrat Demands Probe of NRA Lobbyist Marion Hammer’s Influence” by News Service of Florida for Orlando Sentinel

West Virginia: “Armstead: Investigation underway after lobbyist used access card to enter Capitol” by Jake Zuckerman for Charleston Gazette-Mail

Campaign Finance

National: “Provisions Attached to Budget Bills Could Reshape Campaign Finance Laws” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post

California: “Individual Campaign Contribution Limits Upped to $1,500 for Top Spots in City Elections, Per Annual Adjustment” by the Staff for Los Feliz Ledger

Missouri: “Missouri Attorney General Announces Probe into Greitens’ Former Charity” by Jack Suntrup for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ethics

Florida: “What Happened to Florida’s #MeToo Moment? As Spotlight Shifted, the Bills All but Died” by Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald) for Tampa Bay Times

Maryland: “Former Maryland Lawmaker Guilty of Taking Cash Bribes for His Vote on Liquor Law” by Lynh Bui for Washington Post

Pennsylvania: “Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski Guilty on Most Charges in Pay-to-Play Trial; Must Leave Office” by Peter Hall, Emily Opilo, and Daniel Patrick Sheehan for Allentown Morning Call

Lobbying

National: “The NRA Has a Secret Weapon to Fight Gun Control: A powerful app” by Joshua Green for Bloomberg.com

National: “Companies, Nonprofits Put Brakes on Foreign Lobbying Bills” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

The Los Angeles, California City Ethics Commission announced the annual adjustments to campaign contribution limits.

The contribution amount allowable per-person increased for mayoral, city attorney and controller elections, but not for Los Angeles City Council elections.

The amounts apply to city elections in which the primary election fundraising window opens after March 1, 2018.

The limits do not apply to Los Angeles Unified School District elections.

A packed week of campaign finance, lobbying, elections and ethics news coming to you in this edition of NYCU Video Digest!

National:

The True Source of the N.R.A.’s Clout: Mobilization, not donations
MSN – Eric Lipton and Alexander Burns (New York Times) | Published: 2/24/2018

To many of its opponents, a long string of victories is proof the National Rifle Association (NRA) has bought its political support through campaign contributions. But the numbers tell a more complicated story. In states across the country, as well as on Capitol Hill, the NRA derives its political influence instead from a powerful electioneering machine, fueled by tens of millions of dollars’ worth of campaign ads and voter-guide mailings, that scrutinizes candidates for their views on guns and propels members to the polls. The NRA’s impact comes, in large part, from the simplicity of the incentives it presents to candidates: letter grades, based on their record on the Second Amendment, that guide the NRA’s involvement in elections.

Federal:

How Skadden, the Giant Law Firm, Got Entangled in the Mueller Investigation
New York Times – Kenneth Vogel and Matthew Goldstein | Published: 2/24/2018

When one of its former lawyers, Alex van der Zwaan, admitted lying to the special counsel investigating Russian election interference, it exposed a profitable line of business that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom mostly keeps quiet: its work for unsavory foreign figures and their Washington, D.C. lobbyists. Robert Mueller’s team has scrutinized Skadden for its own work for the former president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, and its role advising two other K Street firms paid to bolster his government, Mercury Public Affairs and the Podesta Group. Rick Gates, the onetime deputy campaign chairperson for Donald Trump, has admitted he knowingly misled Skadden in a scheme to avoid complying with the Foreign Agents Registration Act over his work for Ukraine.

Kushner’s Business Got Loans After White House Meetings
MSN – Jesse Drucker, Kate Kelly, and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 2/28/2018

Two companies made loans worth more than $500 million to Jared Kushner’s family real estate firm after executives met with Kushner at the White House. Kushner is a White House senior adviser and the son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The New York Times reported that private equity firm Apollo Global Management lent $184 million to Kushner Cos., and Citigroup lent Kushner Cos. and one of its partners $325 million. There is little precedent for a top White House official meeting with executives of companies as they contemplate sizable loans to his business, say ethics experts. “This is exactly why senior government officials, for as long back as I have any experience, don’t maintain any active outside business interests,” said Don Fox, a former acting director of the Office of Government Ethics.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Ethics Reforms on Hold; Panel Will Study Issues for Next Year
AL.com – Mike Cason | Published: 3/1/2018

A bill introduced recently would make dozens of changes to Alabama’s ethics law. But legislators will not vote on that bill this year. Instead, it will provide a framework for a newly created Ethics Clarification and Reform Commission. State Attorney General Steve Marshall said individuals and businesses affected by the ethics law have asked that certain parts of it be made clearer, and there is also an effort to tighten the law. “We’ve identified, along with the Ethics Commission, certain areas that may be loopholes or holes in the law that we need to be able to close,” Marshall said.

Arizona – Debbie Lesko Accused of Moving $50K from Campaign to a PAC That Backs … Lesko
Arizona Republic – Ronald Hanson | Published: 2/21/2018

Congressional candidate Debbie Lesko steered $50,000 from her Arizona Senate campaign to a federal PAC that has supported her, a move one of Lesko’s opponents claimed is illegal. Lesko’s campaign committee, Re-elect Debbie Lesko for Senate, gave $50,000 to Conservative Leadership for Arizona, a federal PAC authorized to spend independently of other campaigns. It was created eight days before taking the money from Lesko’s state campaign committee. The new PAC raised almost no other cash, records show. And the PAC used the money to support Lesko with yard signs, while her congressional campaign spent heavily on television ads.

California – A Tiny City with Huge Problems, Maywood Faces Its Biggest Scandal Yet
Los Angeles Times – Ruben Vives and Adam Elmahrek | Published: 2/26/2018

A Los Angeles County investigation into possible corruption in Maywood has set its sights on a broad swath that includes four current and former council members, 13 companies, five current and former city administrators, and one activist who dresses up as a clown. A search warrant suggests the wide-ranging investigation dovetails with the suspicion many Maywood residents have had about politics in the city for years. Maywood is one of Southern California’s smallest and most densely packed cities. But for its tiny size, it has suffered oversized problems for more than a decade.

Illinois – Cook County Assessor Berrios Goes to Court to Keep Property Tax Lawyers’ Campaign Contributions Flowing
Chicago Tribune – Hal Dardick and Jason Grotto | Published: 2/28/2018

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios asked a judge to void county ethics rules that place limits on campaign contributions to elected officials and candidates from those who seek “official action” from the county. Lawyers for Berrios’ argued the county rules violate the state constitution because only the Illinois Legislature has authority to set campaign contribution limits. The county, however, maintained it has the power to set its own, more-restrictive limits on campaign money to avoid quid pro quo politics. Since October, Berrios has collected more than $276,000 from those attorneys, about four-fifths of what he has received in individual contributions during that time.

Missouri – Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens Indicted for Felony Invasion of Privacy
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kevin McDermott and Robert Patrick | Published: 2/23/2018

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens was indicted on a felony invasion of privacy charge. He was accused of photographing a nude or partially nude person without the person’s knowledge or consent. The indictment said Greitens then transmitted the photo in a way that allowed it to be viewed on a computer, which prosecutors said made the crime a felony rather than a misdemeanor. The charge comes weeks after the governor acknowledged having an extramarital affair in 2015, but denied reports he blackmailed the woman or took a nude photo of her without permission. Greitens, who has been governor for just over a year, has resisted calls to resign, insisting he did nothing illegal.

New York – In Spite of Executive Order, Cuomo Takes Campaign Money from State Appointees
New York Times – Shane Goldmacher, Brian Rosenthal, and Augustin Armendariz | Published: 2/24/2018

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has accepted donations for his re-election campaign from his own political appointees. The New York Times reports Cuomo has taken nearly $900,000 from two dozen of his appointees since taking office, as well as at least $1.3 million from spouses, children, and businesses of the appointees. The contributions come despite an executive order signed by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer banning campaign donations from most political appointees in the state. Cuomo renewed that order when he entered office. But Cuomo has reinterpreted the directive to only apply to contributions from appointees who could be fired at any time by the governor, as opposed to those appointed to set terms in office.

Oklahoma – Step Up Campaign Highlights Gap in State Disclosure Laws
Ada News – Paul Monies and Trevor Browen (Oklahoma Watch) | Published: 2/25/2018

The plan by Step Up Oklahoma to raise taxes on cigarettes, fuel, and energy failed to pass, but it highlighted a gap in state law that keeps much of the funding and spending on both sides of the issue a secret. Step Up Oklahoma, which billed itself as a grassroots coalition of business and civic groups, bought or enabled television and radio ads, robo-calls, mailers, endorsements, one-to-one outreach, and the deployment of registered lobbyists of supporting companies. Although disclosure of sources and amounts of money spent are typically required when groups directly try to influence the election of candidates and votes on ballot questions, little must be disclosed when a group or business tries to influence legislation.

Oregon – Receiving a Blanket Posed Ethical Quandary for Oregon Senator
Portland Oregonian – Andrew Selsky (Associated Press) | Published: 2/27/2018

Ted Ferrioli, the Senate Republican leader in Oregon until he stepped down in January, was presented with a beautiful wool blanket by leaders of Indian tribes as a parting gift, causing an ethical dilemma. Struggling over what to do with a blanket with a price tag of $249 shows how many public servants try to walk a fine line on gift laws. And it illustrates the scope of issues the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and its staff are tasked with dealing with.

Rhode Island – Facing Threat of Expulsion, Sen. Kettle Quits
Providence Journal – Katherine Gregg and Patrick Anderson | Published: 2/22/2018

A Rhode Island senator facing charges that accuse him of extorting a teenage page for sex has resigned. The move comes a day after Senate leaders took the extraordinary step of introducing a resolution to expel Nicholas Kettle, the Senate’s minority whip. No Rhode Island lawmaker has been expelled since the state constitution went into effect in 1843. Kettle was arrested and charged with extorting a male page for sex on two occasions in 2011 and with video voyeurism that involved trading nude photographs of his ex-girlfriend and a New Hampshire woman taken without their consent. The page would have been 16 or 17 years old at the time of the alleged extortion.

West Virginia – Coal Country Divides Over an Unrepentant Boss’s Senate Bid
New York Times – Trip Gabriel | Published: 2/26/2018

When mining company owner Don Blankenship finished his one-year prison sentence for conspiracy to violate safety laws, rather than express remorse or contrition over the explosion in the Upper Big Branch coal mine that killed 29 men in 2010, he announced a run for the U.S. Senate. His return to the public eye has reawakened painful memories in West Virginia, especially for relatives of the disaster’s victims. At one of Blankenship’s meet-and-greet events with voters, protesters held signs saying: “You must be joking.” But in the coal fields, many people do not think his candidacy is a joke. Blankenship has found support there for his claim to be a victim himself, pursued unfairly by federal prosecutors and mine safety inspectors.

West Virginia – Justice Company Rep Has Unique Access to Capitol Among Lobbyists
Charleston Gazette-Mail – Jake Zuckerman | Published: 2/24/2018

Among the more than 100 registered lobbyists in West Virginia, only Larry Puccio has an electronic access card to the Capitol. Puccio represents The Greenbrier resort and Southern Coal Corp., both of which are owned by Gov. Jim Justice. The card grants access to doors not open to the general public and can be used to avoid sometimes-lengthy security lines at the public entrances. House Bill 2965 would allow any person to apply for an electronic access card to the Capitol complex, which would cost $250 for people who are not state employees.

Wisconsin – State Elections Commission Chief Stepping Down Amid Criticism from Republicans
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Jason Stein | Published: 2/27/2018

Wisconsin’s top elections official, Michael Haas, says he will not continue in that role, ending a showdown between the state Elections Commission, which backed Haas, and Senate Republicans who demanded his ouster. Haas said he plans to keep working temporarily at the commission as an attorney, but intends to eventually leave to pursue other opportunities. The Wisconsin Ethics Commission voted to name ethics specialist Colette Reinke as the interim replacement for former Administrator Brian Bell, who also resigned after the Senate rejected his confirmation. Reinke will serve for 90 days and not apply for the permanent job.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios is asking Circuit Court Judge Sanjay Tailor to void the county’s pay-to-play provisions. Current ethics rules limit campaign contributions from those who seek official action from the county.

Berrios argues only the state has the authority to limit campaign contributions, while the county maintains it is permitted to set more-restrictive limits to avoid impropriety.

Berrios was fined $41,000 in January (after receiving warnings from the Board of Ethics last summer) for taking 41 contributions exceeding pay-to-play limits from property tax appeal lawyers affected by the decisions of his office.

As he waits for a court ruling, Berrios continues to accept contributions exceeding county limits.

Pictured: Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios

The San Francisco, California Board of Supervisors and Ethics Commission may hold a joint meeting and possibly vote on a campaign finance reform measure on April 3.

The Ethics Commission has spent two years drafting reforms regulating areas including behested payments, bundling contributions, independent expenditure committees, and conflicts of interest related to developers and city contractors.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin introduced a motion on February 27 to hold the joint meeting, and the full board is expected to vote on that motion as early as March 6.

Both the commission and the board need to approve the same version of the reform legislation for it to become law.

Campaign Finance

National: “Behind a Key Anti-Labor Case, a Web of Conservative Donors” by Noam Scheiber and Kenneth Vogel for New York Times

Elections

National: “The True Source of the N.R.A.’s Clout: Mobilization, not donations” by Eric Lipton and Alexander Burns for New York Times

National: “Coal Country Divides Over an Unrepentant Boss’s Senate Bid” by Trip Gabriel for New York Times

Ethics

Alabama: “Senate Bill Backed by AG Would Revise Alabama Ethics Laws” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Maryland: “Maryland Senate Leader Strips Baltimore Sen. Nathaniel Oaks of Committee Jobs” by Erin Cox for Baltimore Sun

Missouri: “Missouri House Leader Names Committee to Investigate Greitens” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Oregon: “Receiving a Blanket Posed Ethical Quandary for Oregon Senator” by Andrew Selsky (Associated Press) for Portland Oregonian

Rhode Island: “Facing Threat of Expulsion, Sen. Kettle Quits” by Katherine Gregg and Patrick Anderson for Providence Journal

Lobbying

National: “European Ex-Officials Deny Being Paid by Manafort to Lobby for Ukraine” by Steven Erlanger and Jason Horowitz for New York Times

Oklahoma: “Step Up Campaign Highlights Gap in State Disclosure Laws” by Paul Monies and Trevor Browen (Oklahoma Watch) for Ada News

Campaign Finance

California: “L.A. Developer Is Charged with Making Illegal Campaign Donations” by David Zahniser and Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times

Nebraska: “Proposal Would Tighten How Candidates Spend Unused Campaign Donations” by Chris Dunker for Lincoln Journal Star

New York: “In Spite of Executive Order, Cuomo Takes Campaign Money from State Appointees” by Shane Goldmacher, Brian Rosenthal, and Augustin Armendariz for New York Times

Ethics

National: “Former Trump Campaign Official Rick Gates Pleads Guilty to 2 Charges” by Devlin Barrett and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for Denver Post

Maryland: “Baltimore County School Board Says Verletta White Violated Ethics Rules” by Liz Bowie for Baltimore Sun

Utah: “Critics Question Utah Lawmakers’ Changes to Ethics Panel” by Michelle Price (Associated Press) for KSL

Virginia: “Va. Lawmakers’ Conflict-of-Interest Forms Won’t Be Public Until They Leave Town” by Patrick Wilson for Richmond Times Dispatch

Lobbying

National: “How Skadden, the Giant Law Firm, Got Entangled in the Mueller Investigation” by Kenneth Vogel and Matthew Goldstein for New York Times

West Virginia: “Justice Company Rep Has Unique Access to Capitol Among Lobbyists” by Jake Zuckerman for Charleston Gazette-Mail