September 20, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 20, 2024
National/Federal In New York Case, Signs of a Familiar China Playbook DNyuz – David Pierson (New York Times) | Published: 9/16/2024 Before Linda Sun, a former senior aide in the New York governor’s office, was charged with using her position benefit the […]
National/Federal
In New York Case, Signs of a Familiar China Playbook
DNyuz – David Pierson (New York Times) | Published: 9/16/2024
Before Linda Sun, a former senior aide in the New York governor’s office, was charged with using her position benefit the Chinese government, suspected cases of Chinese foreign meddling had been on the rise in Western democracies. The intelligence work is focused on influencing political discourse so that it leans more favorably toward China’s positions on contentious issues like the status of Taiwan. China’s attempts to interfere with Western democracies are likely to grow more acute as relations between Beijing and the West fray, said Anne-Marie Brady, a political scientist at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
How Roberts Shaped Trump’s Supreme Court Winning Streak
DNyuz – Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak (New York Times) | Published: 9/15/2024
In a momentous trio of January 6-related cases last term, the U.S. Supreme Court found itself more entangled in presidential politics than at any time since the 2000 election, even as it was contending with its own controversies related to that day. Chief Justice John Roberts responded by deploying his authority to steer rulings that benefited Donald Trump, according to a New York Times examination that uncovered new information about the court’s decision making.
Violent Threats and Attacks Escalate Tensions in Trump-Harris Race
MSN – Hannah Knowles and Hannah Allam (Washington Post) | Published: 9/17/2024
The 2024 election season has been repeatedly marked by extraordinary acts and threats of violence that have become a more contentious issue in the presidential race, escalating tensions in an already heated political environment and prompting heightened security measures at events with seven weeks of campaigning left to go. While the country’s history includes examples of violence upending campaigning and governance, this year’s race stands out from others in recent memory, experts said, with some long-simmering fears of violent acts breaking into the open.
The Rush to Get Close to Kamala Harris and Her Inner Circle Is On
MSN – Hailey Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 9/19/2024
Lobbyists are scrambling to figure out Kamala Harris. Lobbyists spent decades cultivating ties with President Biden’s inner circle; Harris has spent less than eight years in Washington. During her time as a U.S. senator, Harris’ office was seen as either ambivalent to or dismissive of the requests of corporate interests. During her years as vice president, she was seen as superfluous to the core policymaking process. But K Street is now setting its sights on the new Democratic ticket-leader and rushing to catch up on years of relationship-building.
Abortion Foes Use Government Power to Fight Red-State Ballot Measures
MSN – Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Lori Rozsa, and Annie Gowan (Washington Post) | Published: 9/12/2024
An unprecedented number of abortion initiatives are on state ballots this November, nearly all seeking to protect reproductive rights, but opponents are trying to defeat them even before the start of voting through legal challenges, administrative maneuvers, and critics say, outright intimidation. In part, the intensity reflects what is at stake. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, every ballot measure put before voters has been approved, including in red states like Ohio. Those seeking to restrict abortion access have failed, even in conservative Kansas.
Vance Amplifies False Claims About Haitian Migrants in Ohio
MSN – Sarah Ellison, Mariana Alfaro, and Lisa Rein (Washington Post) | Published: 9/15/2024
Soon after his unsubstantiated comments on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, sparked a national firestorm and spurred violent threats in the town, U.S. Sen. JD Vance doubled down on his baseless claims that Haitians are eating their neighbors’ pets “to draw attention to the Biden-Harris immigration policies.” In a contentious interview on CNN, Vance said if he has to “create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
How This Lawsuit Against the IRS Aims to Allow Churches a Greater Role in Politics
MSN – Angele Latham (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 9/16/2024
A federal rule bans tax-exempt organizations organized under 501(c)(3) of the tax code from “directly or indirectly” participating in politics, specifically in endorsing or opposing candidates. A lawsuit filed by Chistian groups challenges the rule by alleging their speech has been “wrongfully silenced.” Although the IRS often sets churches to 501(c)(3) status by default, the churches in the complaint would likely receive the political benefits they are seeking if they switched registration to 501(c)(4) but the move would mean losing their tax benefits, said Jennifer Safstrom, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Affordable Housing Advocate Penalized for Not Registering as a Lobbyist with City of Hamilton
CBC – Samantha Beattie | Published: 9/18/2024
One of Hamilton’s most vocal affordable housing advocates is being penalized for not registering as a lobbyist with the city before contacting officials on dozens of occasions and in some instances requesting land or money for projects. Graham Cubitt is not allowed to lobby with any city staff or elected officials for 30 days, said lobbyist registrar David Boghosian, who is also the city’s integrity commissioner.
Arizona – Chandler Council Member, Accused of Corruption, Seeks Millions … from Chandler
Bears Wire – Sam Kmack (Arizona Republic) | Published: 9/14/2024
A sitting Chandler City Council member is suing the city she represents, seeking millions of dollars for slander because the city falsely divulged the FBI was investigating her for political corruption. Jane Poston claims former police Chief Sean Duggan and current Assistant Chief Dave Ramer defamed her, caused her emotional distress, and harmed her private public relations company.
Arizona – Court May Decide If Arizonans with Missing Citizenship Records Can Vote in State Races
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/17/2024
A key election official in Arizona’s Maricopa County asked the state’s highest court to prohibit nearly 100,000 longtime residents from voting in state and local races this fall after discovering the state has no record of asking them for documents proving their U.S. citizenship. Like other states, Arizona requires voters to swear they are citizens when they register to vote. But for 20 years, Arizona law has gone further and required residents to show birth certificates, naturalization papers, or other documents proving citizenship to vote in state and local elections.
California – Oakland Ethics Commission Declines Proposed Settlement with Libby Schaaf
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 9/17/2024
The Oakland Public Ethics Commission rejected the advice of its staff by refusing to settle a sprawling set of campaign finance cases involving violations by former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Several commissioners said they feel the proposed settlement negotiated by commission staff and Schaaf’s attorney does not transparently show how much Schaaf and others will be fined for breaking multiple election rules. The commission met to consider five cases that involved Schaaf and others ranging from the Oakland Chamber of Commerce’s PAC, the Oakland police union, contractors, campaign consultants, and political groups.
California – California Legislature’s Unwritten Rule: Negotiate in secret with lobbyists, not in public
MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 9/18/2024
An analysis of every vote cast in the past five years shows Democrats who control the California Legislature vote “no” on average less than one percent of the time, suggesting the fates of most bills are decided before votes are cast. The original language in almost all bills that navigate the legislative process is usually changed through amendments added in committees. That can be a high-stakes discussion done in secret between legislators and staff and lobbyists. When there are political consequences or money is involved, the governor’s office or legislative leaders can also shape bills behind the scenes.
California – California Passes Package of Laws to Combat Election Deepfakes
MSN – Felix Ng (Cointelegraph) | Published: 9/17/2024
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law bills to crack down on politically themed Artificial Intelligence (AI) deepfakes during elections. It comes only weeks after Elon Musk re-posted a parody of a Kamala Harris campaign ad on X that garnered millions of views and used AI-powered voice manipulation to make it seem Harris called herself an incompetent presidential candidate.
California – San Jose Councilmembers Team Up to Lobby City
San Jose Spotlight – Brandon Pho | Published: 9/16/2024
San Jose City Councilperson Sergio Jimenez is jumping into the elected official to lobbyist pipeline. He has formed a new consulting firm before terming out of his council seat at the end of this year. Joining him is former Councilperson Raul Peralez, a San Jose police officer who started his own consulting business after leaving office. It is the latest instance of the city’s “revolving door” through which government officials become paid lobbyists, which has prompted concern over the years about unfair deal making advantages.
California – Silicon Valley Political Groups Fail to Meet Transparency Requirements
San Jose Spotlight – Brandon Pho | Published: 9/14/2024
Nearly 40 campaign committees in Santa Clara County failed to file transparency reports by legal deadlines since 2018, in many cases even after receiving two written warnings. Nearly 30 of those committees have been flagged to county prosecutors and state watchdogs for investigation. For candidates who are new to politics, missed deadlines are an inevitable learning curve. But experts argue more experienced elected officials and candidates who should be well acquainted with the rules are likely ignoring them.
Colorado Public Radio – Ishan Thakore | Published: 9/17/2024
Colorado lawmakers passed the Utility Regulation Act following a spike in energy bills. The law prevents investor-owned utilities from charging customers for a broad set of political activities, including meetings with lawmakers to influence legislation, some types of advertising, and membership dues to lobbying groups. The law requires utilities to submit an annual report about their spending. But lawmakers left it to regulators to determine much of the law’s fine print, including how much detail utilities must include in the report. Consumer advocates and utilities are now fighting over the scope of the law.
Florida – Ethics Commission: Lobbyist never cashed Baxter’s reimbursement checks for trip, VIP dinner
Austin American-Statesman – Mike Diamond (Palm Beach Post) | Published: 9/18/2024
The Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics cited lobbyist Ron Book for failing to cash checks totaling $600 from county Commissioner Sara Baxter for a ride on his private jet to Tallahassee to attend the inauguration of Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2023. Sitting on the checks after 90 days of receiving them turned the trip and the dinner into gifts, which means Baxter had to report them as such, and she did not. The commission has not charged Baxter with any wrongdoing but the ethics agency is investigating her, too.
Florida – Trial Begins in Alleged Florida Election Conspiracy That Tilted a Miami Senate Race
MSN – Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) | Published: 9/15/2024
A criminal case that opened a window to a plot to help Republicans win important 2020 Florida Senate races by propping up fake progressive candidates with shadowy money is finally headed to trial, with a political operative fighting the charges. State prosecutors are expected to claim in court that former state Sen. Frank Artiles, a Republican, masterminded a scheme to tilt the results of a tight race in Miami by recruiting and paying a straw candidate to siphon votes away from the Democratic incumbent.
Georgia – Georgia Lieutenant Governor Won’t Face Charges Connected to 2020 Election
MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 9/13/2024
A special prosecutor concluded criminal charges should not be brought against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for his role in helping Donald Trump overturn his election loss in Georgia. Jones faced scrutiny because he was one of 16 state Republicans who signed a certificate falsely claiming Trump won Georgia in 2020 and declaring themselves to be the “duly elected and qualified electors from Georgia.” As a state senator, Jones also sought to convene a special session of the Legislature aimed at reversing Joe Biden’s narrow victory in the state.
Georgia – Judge in Georgia Election Case Knocks Out 2 Charges Against Trump
MSN – Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 9/12/2024
A judge overseeing the Georgia case charging Donald Trump with conspiring to interfere in the 2020 election tossed out three more of the prosecution’s charges, two of which involve the former president. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said the three counts were legally flawed because they involved claims that Trump or his allies violated state law by submitting fraudulent documents to a federal court in Atlanta.
Illinois – City Council Cracks Down on Lobbyist Campaign Donations to Mayor after Johnson Took Contributions
WBEZ – Tessa Weinberg | Published: 9/18/2024
The Chicago City Council passed an ethics ordinance aimed at sanctioning lobbyists for contributions to mayoral candidates after Mayor Brandon Johnson dropped his opposition to the plan. The penalties close an enforcement gap in a 13-year-old ethics rule put in place by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel that prohibits lobbyists from donating to a mayor’s political fund. The reform broadens the original ban by expanding the restrictions to contributions made to mayoral candidates’ political committees, not just the incumbent mayor’s.
Kentucky – Complaint Filed Against a Top Kentucky Democrat for Condo Purchase. She Says It’s Ethical.
Yahoo News – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 9/16/2024
An ethics complaint was filed against House Minority Caucus Chairperson Cherlynn Stevenson for jointly purchasing a Frankfort condominium with a lobbyist. But Stevenson has copies of correspondence with the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission, the body that handles such complaints, clearing her to purchase the condo with Sarah Bowling earlier this year.
Nebraska – Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission Seeks New Director as Hunter Steps Back
Nebraska Examiner – Aaron Sanderford | Published: 9/16/2024
The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission needs a new executive director about a year after promoting a leader from within. David Hunter asked to return to his previous job as deputy director for personal reasons, officials said. Hunter succeeded Frank Daley, who retired after a quarter century as executive director.
New Jersey – Atlantic City Mayor and Wife Indicted for Alleged Child Abuse
MSN – Daniel Han (Politico) | Published: 9/18/2024
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, who is the city’s superintendent of schools, face criminal charges for allegedly abusing their teenage daughter. According to prosecutors, Small Sr. and La’Quetta Small physically assaulted their daughter, who was 15 to 16 years old during the time of the alleged abuse. Small Sr. is the latest Atlantic City elected official to face criminal charges.
New Mexico – Judge Orders ‘Dark Money’ Group Back to Court for Failure to Register, Disclose Donors
Yahoo News – Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 9/16/2024
A judge is considering holding a “dark money” group in contempt for failing to comply with an order to register as a political committee and disclose its donors. The New Mexico Project aims to “empower the moderate Latino electorate,” according to its website, and supported a slate of legislative candidates in the Democratic primary. Judge Joshua Allison issued a preliminary injunction requiring the group to register no later than September 4 and report its expenditures and contributions no later than September 9. The group has done neither.
New York – Ex-FDNY Chiefs Indicted on Federal Bribery Charges in ‘Pay-to-Play Corruption’ Scheme
Gothamist – Matt Katz and Elizabeth Kim | Published: 9/16/2024
Two former New York Fire Department chiefs accepted at least $190,000 in bribes in exchange for fast-tracking approvals of buildings’ fire alarm systems, according to an indictment. Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco were the top two chiefs at the department’s bureau of fire prevention, which issues approvals for alarm and suppression systems in businesses and buildings. According to the indictment, from 2021 to 2023 they worked through a retired firefighter who, acting as a middleman, promised to expedite reviews and inspections in exchange for cash.
New York – Mayor Adams’ Team Asked Campaign Watchdog for More Time – Citing Federal Investigation
Gothamist – Brigid Bergin | Published: 9/12/2024
Mayor Eric Adams’ team wrote in a letter to New York City’s campaign finance watchdog that the campaign needed more time to respond to questions about apparent sloppy recordkeeping because its lawyer was too busy dealing with a federal inquiry. The Campaign Finance Board granted multiple deadline extensions to respond to an audit of Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign. The audit sought additional documentation for $2.3 million in expenses.
New York – Mayor Adams’ Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg Resigned Over Rebuffed Advice to Fire Officials Amid Probe
MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 9/16/2024
Lisa Zornberg, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ former chief counsel, resigned after the mayor rejected her advice to fire several top administration officials ensnared in federal corruption investigations, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Zornberg presented Adams with the recommendation for firings after concluding an internal review of Ray Martin, a lower-level aide in the mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, the sources said.
New York – New York City Police Commissioner Resigns After His Phone Was Seized in Federal Investigation
Yahoo News – Jake Offenhartz and Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 9/12/2024
New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned, one week after it emerged his phone was seized as part of federal investigation that touched several members of Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle. Federal authorities are also investigating Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police sergeant who runs a nightclub security business, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Ohio – SEC Sues Ex-FirstEnergy CEO Jones; Conspiracy Charge Brought Against Him, Ex-Exec Dowling
MSN – Patrick Williams (Akron Beacon Journal) | Published: 9/13/2024
Two former FirstEnergy executives were indicted \on an additional conspiracy charge for their alleged roles in a “pay-to-play” scheme. The indictment also included amended charges against former Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones and former Senior Vice President of External Affairs Michael Dowling. As part of a separate lawsuit, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against Jones, alleging he misled investors about the utility’s payments to former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder in a “pay-to-play” scheme.
Ohio – Ohio Sheriff Says to ‘Write Down’ Addresses of Homes with Harris Signs
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 9/16/2024
A sheriff in Ohio who made disparaging remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris and immigrants on social media is suggesting local residents compile a list of addresses where they see yard signs in support of the Democratic presidential nominee. Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski’s Facebook posts sparked tension across Portage County, which Donald Trump carried by 12 points in the 2020 election. Some residents accused Zuchowski of voter intimidation ahead of November’s election.
Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Clears Ballot Language Saying Anti-Gerrymandering Measure Calls for the Opposite
MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 9/16/2024
The Ohio Supreme Court let stand ballot language that will describe this fall’s Issue 1 as requiring gerrymandering, when the proposal is intended to do the opposite. The bipartisan proposal calls for replacing Ohio’s troubled political map-making system with a citizen-led commission of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. The proposal emerged after seven different versions of congressional and legislative maps created after the 2020 Census were declared unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans.
KOSU – Lionel Ramos | Published: 9/17/2024
Oklahoma Rep. Justin Humphrey met with about a dozen landowners in his district to discuss a deal. He said a company was looking to buy 5,000 of land to build a solar farm. Humphry also acknowledged he and his brothers were selling land they owned in the proposed deal. State ethics rules say lawmakers cannot negotiate business deals in their district that they or their family would benefit from, especially if there is legislation involved. The same state rules prohibiting Humphrey’s behavior also protect officeholders from formal complaints during an election season.
Oklahoma – Campaign Funds Can Now Be Used by Oklahoma Candidates to Pay for Caregiving Expenses
Oklahoma Voice – Emma Murphy | Published: 9/16/2024
Oklahoma joined 33 other states in allowing candidates running for office to use campaign funds for dependent care, effective immediately. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission issued an advisory opinion permitting candidates who are primary caregivers to use campaign funds to pay for care of dependents such as children, people with disabilities, or elderly relatives.
MSN – Zane Sparling (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/16/2024
A sitting Portland commissioner who tapped public funds to clean up his Wikipedia page walked the razor’s edge of breaking city campaign finance laws, but the evidence is insufficient to prove a violation, the city auditor’s office ruled. Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, a top candidate in the mayoral race, spent $6,400 earlier this year while seeking to remove an errant reference to an apparent Patriot Prayer member he interacted with on social media and highlight his status as a Democrat.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/11/2024
Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade will investigate Portland City Council and mayoral candidates who agreed to reciprocate campaign contributions to obtain matching funds from the city. At least 13 Portland candidates explicitly agreed to give money to other candidates this summer in exchange for incoming contributions, according to emails and texts. Candidates for city council were trying to gather donations from at least 250 Portland residents to qualify for up to $40,000 in matching taxpayer funds before the August 27 deadline.
Pennsylvania – Protesters Rally Against Dark Money after 35-Mile March from Lancaster to Harrisburg
Lancaster Online – Sarah Nicell | Published: 9/12/2024
After a three-day, 35-mile walk from Lancaster to Harrisburg, protesters demanding changes to Pennsylvania’s campaign finance laws held a rally at the state Capitol against dark money. Several members of the group attended a meeting with representatives for Senate President Kim Ward to discuss their current priority: an anti-dark money bill authored by Free Speech for People that has yet to move in the Republican-majority state Senate.
Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Supreme Court Tosses Lower Court’s Decision on Mail-In Ballot Dating Requirement
Yahoo News – Peter Hall (Pennsylvania Capital-Star) | Published: 9/13/2024
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out a lower court’s decision finding the requirement for voters to write the date on mail-in ballots to have them counted unconstitutional. The state’s highest court said the Commonwealth Court lacked jurisdiction to hear a challenge of the dating provision by voters’ rights groups. The lower court concluded the dating requirement violates the fair and equal elections clause of the state constitution because it restricts the right to vote but does not serve a compelling governmental purpose.
Tennessee – Lee Seeks Ethics Panel Advice on Travel Payments, Will Repay Expense If Found Inappropriate
MSN – Vivian Jones (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 9/13/2024
Following threats of an ethics complaint over his travel to Florida paid by an outside group, Gov. Bill Lee is asking the Tennessee Ethics Commission to clarify whether accepting such payments is allowed under state law. If the panel finds Lee’s travel payments were illegal or unethical, he is pledging to repay the funds. Lee traveled to Marco Island, Florida, to be a keynote speaker of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a group behind a handful of controversial new state laws. ADF, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and its partner 501(c)4 organization both employ Matthew Lorimer, a registered lobbyist in Tennessee.
Washington – Let’s Go Washington Accused of Violating Campaign Finance Law
Yahoo News – Jerry Cornfield (Washington State Standard) | Published: 9/18/2024
A 14-month investigation has led to charges against the political committee founded by businessperson Brian Heywood for allegedly violating campaign finance laws in the course of gathering signatures for six initiatives last year. Staff of the state Public Disclosure Commission filed administrative charges alleging Let’s Go Washington did not “accurately and timely” report its spending on signature-gathering for each of the measures. Staff also assert the committee failed to obtain and disclose information from vendors on their spending on subcontractors for signature-gathering.
September 19, 2024 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance California: “Oakland Ethics Commission Declines Proposed Settlement with Libby Schaaf” by Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN Oregon: “‘Exceedingly Close Call’ of Illegality in Gonzalez’s Wikipedia Edits, Portland Auditor Says; Calls for State Investigation” by Zane Sparling (Portland Oregonian) for MSN Washington: “Let’s Go […]
Campaign Finance
California: “Oakland Ethics Commission Declines Proposed Settlement with Libby Schaaf” by Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN
Oregon: “‘Exceedingly Close Call’ of Illegality in Gonzalez’s Wikipedia Edits, Portland Auditor Says; Calls for State Investigation” by Zane Sparling (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Washington: “Let’s Go Washington Accused of Violating Campaign Finance Law” by Jerry Cornfield (Washington State Standard) for Yahoo News
Elections
Arizona: “Court May Decide If Arizonans with Missing Citizenship Records Can Vote in State Races” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Violent Threats and Attacks Escalate Tensions in Trump-Harris Race” by Hannah Knowles and Hannah Allam (Washington Post) for MSN
Legislative Issues
California: “California Legislature’s Unwritten Rule: Negotiate in secret with lobbyists, not in public” by Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) for MSN
Lobbying
Illinois: “City Council Cracks Down on Lobbyist Campaign Donations to Mayor after Johnson Took Contributions” by Tessa Weinberg for WBEZ
Redistricting
Ohio: “Ohio Supreme Court Clears Ballot Language Saying Anti-Gerrymandering Measure Calls for the Opposite” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for MSN
September 18, 2024 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance New Mexico: “Judge Orders ‘Dark Money’ Group Back to Court for Failure to Register, Disclose Donors” by Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Yahoo News New York: “Mayor Adams’ Team Asked Campaign Watchdog for More Time – Citing Federal Investigation” by […]
Campaign Finance
New Mexico: “Judge Orders ‘Dark Money’ Group Back to Court for Failure to Register, Disclose Donors” by Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Yahoo News
New York: “Mayor Adams’ Team Asked Campaign Watchdog for More Time – Citing Federal Investigation” by Brigid Bergin for Gothamist
Pennsylvania: “Protesters Rally Against Dark Money after 35-Mile March from Lancaster to Harrisburg” by Sarah Nicell for Lancaster Online
Elections
Ohio: “Ohio Sheriff Says to ‘Write Down’ Addresses of Homes with Harris Signs” by Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
Colorado: “Utilities Have to Itemize Some Political Spending in Other States. They Want Regulators to Keep It Secret in Colorado” by Ishan Thakore for Colorado Public Radio
National: “How Roberts Shaped Trump’s Supreme Court Winning Streak” by Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak (New York Times) for DNyuz
Nebraska: “Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission Seeks New Director as Hunter Steps Back” by Aaron Sanderford for Nebraska Examiner
Lobbying
California: “San Jose Councilmembers Team Up to Lobby City” by Brandon Pho for San Jose Spotlight
Canada: “Affordable Housing Advocate Penalized for Not Registering as a Lobbyist with City of Hamilton” by Samantha Beattie for CBC
September 16, 2024 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance California: “Silicon Valley Political Groups Fail to Meet Transparency Requirements” by Brandon Pho for San Jose Spotlight New Mexico: “State Ethics Commission Wants Political Group Held in Contempt” by Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) for Yahoo News Oregon: “Oregon Secretary of State Opens Investigation […]
Campaign Finance
California: “Silicon Valley Political Groups Fail to Meet Transparency Requirements” by Brandon Pho for San Jose Spotlight
New Mexico: “State Ethics Commission Wants Political Group Held in Contempt” by Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) for Yahoo News
Oregon: “Oregon Secretary of State Opens Investigation into Portland City Council Candidates Who Traded Contributions” by Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Elections
Florida: “Trial Begins in Alleged Florida Election Conspiracy That Tilted a Miami Senate Race” by Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) for MSN
Georgia: “Georgia Lieutenant Governor Won’t Face Charges Connected to 2020 Election” by Holly Bailey (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Abortion Foes Use Government Power to Fight Red-State Ballot Measures” by Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Lori Rozsa, and Annie Gowan (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
New York: “New York City Police Commissioner Resigns After His Phone Was Seized in Federal Investigation” by Jake Offenhartz and Michael Sisak (Associated Press) for Yahoo News
Tennessee: “Lee Seeks Ethics Panel Advice on Travel Payments, Will Repay Expense If Found Inappropriate” by Vivian Jones (Nashville Tennessean) for MSN
September 13, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 13, 2024
National/Federal Candidates Can Use Campaign Funds for Childcare in Most States, but Few Do Associated Press News – Isabella Volmert | Published: 9/12/2024 Two thirds of states now allow candidates of any gender running for public office to use campaign funds to […]
National/Federal
Candidates Can Use Campaign Funds for Childcare in Most States, but Few Do
Associated Press News – Isabella Volmert | Published: 9/12/2024
Two thirds of states now allow candidates of any gender running for public office to use campaign funds to pay for childcare expenses after the FEC approved the practice for federal candidates in 2018. While women with young children say its monumental to their campaigns and usage is growing, the number of candidates taking advantage of the policies remains relatively low and numerous complex barriers keeping mothers from running for office persist.
How Taylor Swift Surprised Harris, and Entered a New Political Era
DNyuz – Katie Rogers, Matt Stevens, and Emily Cochrane (New York Times) | Published: 9/11/2024
Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after Harris’s debate against Donald Trump. In a political landscape with countless celebrity endorsements that do little to prompt would-be voters into action, Swift’s support stands out as among the most meaningful. The vice president’s advisers said they believed the contest would come down to disengaged Americans who might not know which way they will vote, or if they will vote at all. That is where someone like Swift could make a difference.
Feds Increase Security for Jan. 6 in Effort to Prevent Capitol Attack Repeat
MSN – Peter Hermann and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 9/11/2024
The federal government will dramatically increase security protections for the joint session of Congress where lawmakers count states’ electoral votes, an escalation of government-wide efforts to prevent a repeat of the attack on the Capitol. The Department of Homeland Security has designated the next electoral count, scheduled for January 6, 2025, a National Special Security Event, giving the once-routine gathering the same level of security accorded to presidential inaugurations and political conventions.
Justice Dept. Charges Two Russian Media Operatives in Alleged Scheme
MSN – David Nakamura, Catherine Belton, and Will Sommer (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2024
The Justice Department charged two Russian media executives in an alleged scheme that authorities say illegally funneled millions of dollars to a Tennessee-based company to create and publish propaganda videos that racked up millions of views on U.S. social media. Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, Russian citizens who remain at large, were charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Justice Alito Reports Concert Tickets, Stocks in 2023 Financial Report
MSN – Tobi Raji (Washington Post) | Published: 9/6/2024
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito received concert tickets valued at $900 last year from a German princess known for her conservative Catholic views and sold stock in a beer company targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ activists, according to his financial disclosure form. Alito continues to own individual stock in more than two dozen companies, a practice that is permitted but that transparency advocates caution can lead to conflicts-of-interest that require recusal from key cases. Chief Justice John Roberts is the only other member of the court who owns individual stocks; most other justices invest in mutual funds.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/9/2024
A federal appeals court ruled against U.S. Sen. JD Vance and other Republicans in their attempt to overturn federal limits on political parties’ ability to coordinate spending with candidates. But a majority of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals expressed empathy with the Republican plaintiffs and only sided against them out of a belief it should be up to the U.S. Supreme Court, not them, to overturn a 2001 Supreme Court ruling upholding the limits.
Elon Musk’s Misleading Election Claims Reach Millions and Alarm Election Officials
MSN – Sarah Ellison, Amy Gardner, and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
In the two years since he bought Twitter, now X, Elon Musk has transformed it into a primary source of false election rumors, both by spreading them on his own account, which has 197 million followers, and lowering some of the site’s guardrails around misinformation. Experts say Musk is uniquely dangerous as a purveyor of misinformation because his digital following stretches well beyond the political realm and into the technology and investment sectors. Musk’s 52 posts or reposts about noncitizen voting drew almost 700 million views.
Harris Crisply Attacks Trump in Debate; He Retorts with Fiery Rhetoric
MSN – Toluse Olorunnipa and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
Vice President Kamala Harris made a sharp, fiery case against Donald Trump during a freewheeling debate, blasting the former president’s character and preoccupation with himself while pressing him to task on issues including abortion, democracy, and foreign policy. Trump attacked Harris as a “Marxist” masquerading as a moderate and repeatedly turned the subject back to the U.S. southern border, often straying from the facts to embrace debunked conspiracy theories about immigration and the 2020 election.
Trump, Republicans Push Swing-State Courts to Reject Mail-in Ballots
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
Republicans have waged a nationwide legal campaign since 2020 to reject mail-in ballots. They say the litigation is aimed at the enforcement of election law to the letter. But critics see a strategy that has nothing to do with election integrity and everything to do with disqualifying voters who cast ballots by mail, an overwhelming majority of whom support Democrats.
Super PAC Funded by Ted Cruz’s Podcast Deal Gave $1 Million to Back His Campaign
San Antonio Current – Sanford Nowlin | Published: 9/6/2024
Despite U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s prior statements that he has no direct involvement with a super PAC funded by a distribution deal for his podcast, federal records show that same PAC is bankrolling his campaign’s field operations. Truth and Courage PAC, an entity partially funded by a deal the sentor struck with iHeartMedia to carry his podcast, shelled out $1 million in the second quarter to pay for door knocking and phone banking by Cruz’s reelection campaign.
The AI Industry Uses a Light Lobbying Touch to Educate Congress from a Corporate Perspective
Yahoo News – Dan Merica (Associated Press) | Published: 9/8/2024
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry has gone on a lobbying binge in the past few years, deploying scores of hired influencers to help shape potential government action. The technology is being adopted by powerful sectors of the economy, all with the hopes of having a say on possible regulations. As AI evolves at such a rapid clip, lawmakers are leaning on the lobbyists’ expertise because think tanks, nonprofit groups, and academia are struggling to keep up with the changes. Relying on PowerPoint slides and briefing papers, industry lobbyists are getting lots of face time with lawmakers and staff, advising them on the fine points of the technology.
Campaign Money? Bribes? Lobbying? Your Utility Rates May Include Some, Advocates Say
Yahoo News – Medora Lee (USA Today) | Published: 9/8/2024
Millions of Americans receive their monthly utility bill and just assume it is high because of extreme weather. That is only part of the story. Customers are paying for everything from the utility company’s trade association fees, lobbying efforts to increase rates, and even country club memberships, consumer advocates say. Utilities have also funneled money to 501(c)(4) non-profits that can accept unlimited corporate and personal donations and are often used to engage in lobbying activity, issue advocacy, or political activity.
From the States and Municipalities
California – Ex-Oakland Mayor Schaaf Agrees to Pay $21,000 Fine for Breaking Campaign Rules
MSN – Sarah Ravani (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 9/6/2024
Former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf agreed to pay $21,000 in penalties to settle claims she violated election rules by failing to disclose her involvement in campaigns to pass a city ballot measure and defeat two incumbent city council candidates. The Public Ethics Commission’s enforcement unit also recommended fining the Oakland Chamber of Commerce nearly $50,000 for failing to report “intermediary contributions” it made on behalf of individuals, and it advised separate fines of about $20,000 each against Doug Linney, a director at East Bay Municipal Utility District who also works as a campaign consultant, and the Oakland police union.
California – L.A. Real Estate Developer Accused of 444 Violations of Campaign Fundraising Laws
MSN – Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 9/7/2024
The Los Angeles Ethics Commission accused real estate developer Samuel Leung of committing 444 violations of the city’s campaign finance laws, including those that prohibit the laundering of campaign money. The commission said it determined “probable cause exists” to believe that between 2009 and 2015, Leung reimbursed campaign donors in violation of city law and exceeded the limits for political contributions.
California – Reform Bills Inspired by LAist Investigation Are Before Newsom for Final Approval
MSN – Yusra Farzan (LAist) | Published: 9/11/2024
Three reform bills, inspired by LAist’s investigation into millions of taxpayer dollars in Orange County that are unaccounted for, passed unanimously in the state Legislature and are now awaiting California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision on whether to sign them into law. Two of the bills would require more public transparency about elected officials’ family ties to certain types of contractors, and in some cases ban them from participating in awarding the money.
California – Irvine Tightens Lobbying Rules
Voice of OC – Angela Hicks | Published: 9/11/2024
Irvine gave initial approval to strengthening the city’s lobbying rules. City council members approved the changes unanimously, which will require more people to register as lobbyists more often and publicly disclose their activities to the city. The lobbying ordinance will require a second reading and vote before it can go into effect. The council meets again on September 24.
Delaware – Transgender Lawmaker Wins Democratic Primary for Delaware’s Only House Seat
DNyuz – Amy Harmon (New York Times) | Published: 9/10/2024
State Sen. Sarah McBride won the Democratic primary for Delaware’s only U.S. House seat, making her the heavy favorite to win in November in the deep-blue state. If elected, she would become the first openly transgender member of Congress.
Delaware – Meyer Defeats Scandal-Plagued Hall-Long and O’Mara in Delaware’s Democratic Primary for Governor
WHYY – Chris Barrash | Published: 9/10/2024
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer capitalized on Delaware Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s yearlong campaign finance scandal and former state environmental protection chief Collin O’Mara’s late entry into the race and rolled to a convincing victory in the three-way gubernatorial primary. Meyer will be the prohibitive favorite to win the governorship over House Minority Leader Mike Ramone in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two-to-one and since 2018 have held all nine statewide elective offices.
Florida – Florida Supreme Court Justices Raise Prospect of Tossing Fair Districts Amendment
Florida Politics – Jacob Ogles | Published: 9/12/2024
Florida Supreme Court Justices are questioning whether the Fair Districts Amendment to the state constitution impossibly handcuffs redistricting efforts. Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz raised the prospect of tossing the amendment, passed by Florida voters in 2010, as the court heard arguments that Florida’s congressional map violated measures prohibiting the diminishment of Black communities voting power.
Florida – DeSantis Election Police Question People Who Signed Abortion Ballot Petition
MSN – Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 9/9/2024
Florida voters who signed a petition to place a pro-choice abortion referendum on the ballot this November say they have been visited by police who are investigating claims of fraud at the behest of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration. The investigation comes as Democrats and election experts express concern that DeSantis is using the powers of the state to derail the referendum, which would nullify a six-week abortion ban the governor signed into law last year. The state’s health-care agency recently launched a website that claims the amendment “threatens women’s safety.”
Florida – Mayor’s Office: No conflict for chief of staff Darnell Smith to also do Florida Blue work
Yahoo News – David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) | Published: 9/5/2024
Florida Blue insurance executive Darnell Smith, who has been Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s chief of staff since January, will split his time over the next few weeks between working on his city duties and handling ongoing negotiations for Florida Blue in its contentious insurance contract talks with Baptist Health. Smith does not receive a city salary. He works as an “executive on loan” from Florida Blue, which has continued to pay his salary and benefits. The arrangement is set to last through the end of December.
Illinois – Bribery Trial of Former AT&T Boss to Offer Sneak Preview of Madigan Case
Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 9/9/2024
Former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza’s bribery trial began at Chicago’s federal courthouse where he stands accused of a scheme to funnel $22,500 in payments to a former House Speaker Michael Madigan associate in exchange for the speaker’s help passing legislation important to the company. La Schiazza’s case is expected to offer a sneak preview of a key part of Madigan’s own trial, which starts on October 8.
Indiana – McCormick Releases Ethics Plan with Focus on Lobbying Reform
Yahoo News – Whitney Downard (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 9/5/2024
Indiana gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick released an ethics plan with a focus on increasing transparency and accountability for elected officials at the state and local level, regulating lobbying. Aspects of the plan include removing lobbyists from politically appointed committee positions as well as standardizing campaign finance reporting and annually filed statements of economic interest. Paid lobbyists would face increased regulation that prohibits them from gifting “anything” of value to state lawmakers.
Kansas – Inside the Kansas Court Case That Could Cripple a Sweeping Campaign Finance Investigation
Yahoo News – Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) | Published: 9/6/2024
Does a Kansas law that prohibits campaign contributions given “in the name of another person” also make it illegal for political groups to shift funds among themselves until the dollars arrive at a desired destination? Over two years, $54,000 in contributions moved through a series of political committees before ending up in the accounts of the Kansas Republican Party. Why those transfers happened in 2020 and 2021 is the subject of a lengthy, ongoing investigation.
Kentucky – Federal Court Halts, for Now, Kentucky Election Finance Opinion on School Choice Measure
The Center Square – Steve Bittenbender | Published: 9/5/2024
A federal appeals court temporarily stopped the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) from taking action against three Republican county committees that want to use party funds to support a school choice initiative scheduled to appear on the November ballot. KREF General Counsel Leslie Saunders has said state law requires party funds to be spent on promoting its candidates.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Declines to Waive Jeff Landry’s $100 Late Fine
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 9/6/2024
The Louisiana Board of Ethics has declined Gov. Jeff Landry’s request to waive a $100 fine for filing his 2023 annual campaign finance report one day late. The board’s decision comes just a few months before Landry, who has been at odds with the board for years, will gain more power over its makeup.
Michigan – Judge Finds Probable Cause to Believe Ex-Chatfield Staffers Embezzled Political Cash
Detroit News – Craig Mauger | Published: 9/12/2024
Anne and Robert Minard, two top staffers of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, are poised to face criminal trials after a judge determined there was probable cause to believe allegations that they stole more than $600,000 from political fundraising accounts. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has accused the Minards of using fraudulent reimbursements, double-billings, misrepresented expenses, and falsified records to embezzle money from nonprofit groups and PACs.
Michigan – In Michigan, an ‘Unhinged Werewolf’ Will Make It Clear Who Voted
Seattle Times – Callie Holtermann (New York Times) | Published: 9/5/2024
One entry in a statewide contest to design Michigan’s next “I Voted” sticker depicted a werewolf clawing its shirt to tatters and howling at an unseen moon. A smattering of stars and stripes poke out from behind its torso. “I Voted,” reads a string of red, white, and blue block letters floating above the creature’s open jaws. The illustration by 12-year-old Jane Hynous is one of nine winning designs the Michigan Department of State will offer local clerks to distribute to voters in the November election.
Missouri – Missouri High Court Allows Abortion Measure to Stay on Fall Ballot
MSN – Molly Hennessey-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
Hours before ballots were to be finalized, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution is specific enough to present to voters in November. Only days earlier, a lower-court judge ruled the ballot measure invalid because it does not identify which laws it would repeal. The outcome means Missouri will remain among more than half a dozen states with measures to protect abortion rights on their ballots this fall, including in presidential battleground states such as Arizona and Florida.
New Hampshire – Ethics Committee Won’t Make a Ruling on Tara Reardon Conflict of Interest Until After Election
Concord Monitor – Catherine McLaughlin | Published: 9/4/2024
New Hampshire’s Legislative Ethics Committee will determine whether Tara Reardon, if elected to the state Senate, would have to recuse herself on legislation her spouse’s firm lobbies on, but not until after the Democratic primary, which Reardon won. That means voters casting their ballots did not have a clear answer about Reardon’s ability to participate in the legislative process due to a new law that takes effect in January.
New York – Cuomo Legal Bills Have Cost N.Y. Taxpayers $25.4 Million and Counting
DNyuz – Benjamin Oreskes (New York Times) | Published: 9/12/2024
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has employed aggressive legal tactics as he seeks to defend himself against sexual harassment lawsuits and protect his political image as he contemplates a comeback. The state has spent about $25.4 million representing the legal interests of Cuomo and several of his top aides as they fend off civil complaints, criminal investigations, and inquiries from the Legislature. Because Cuomo’s alleged actions took place while he was governor, state law requires taxpayers to foot legal bills related to the accusations.
New York – After a Year of Legal Peril, Trump Seeks Election as a Felon, but Free
Seattle Times – Ben Protess, Kate Christobek, and William Rashbaum (New York Times) | Published: 9/8/2024
At Donald Trump’s request, and without objection from prosecutors, the judge who presided over his criminal trial in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after the November election. Trump, who faces up to four years in prison for falsifying records to conceal a sex scandal, had sought the delay to buy time to challenge his conviction. The former president also argued it would be unfair to face sentencing so close to Election Day, even though that timing was the result of his own stalling tactics.
New York – Feds Raid Homes of Top Eric Adams Deputies, Seize Police Commissioner’s Phones
The City – Greg Smith, Katie Honan, Gwynne Hogan, and Samantha Maldonado | Published: 9/5/2024
Federal authorities raided the homes of some of the highest-ranking members of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, including two deputy mayors and the schools chancellor, and seized the electronic devices of the police commissioner. This extraordinary effort in the last two days to obtain evidence follows other federal raids and seizures that have swept up the mayor and other top aides in what appears to be a broadening investigation of City Hall.
North Carolina – Few Students Are Playing but Lawmakers Keep Paying for Video Game from NC Company
MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 9/10/2024
Since 2020, state lawmakers have spent millions of dollars to put Plasma Games’ science-based video game in North Carolina public schools even though few students are playing, and schools could not show the game is improving learning. Plasma Games is another example of the Republican-led Legislature inserting provisions into omnibus spending bills to that benefit specific private businesses and nonprofits with political ties, a practice that in one case has drawn the attention of a federal grand jury.
North Carolina – NC Supreme Court Orders RFK Jr’s Name to Be Taken Off Ballots, Mail-in Voting Delayed by Weeks
MSN – Will Doran (WRAL) | Published: 9/9/2024
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name will not be on ballots in North Carolina this year as the state Supreme Court ruled officials must reprint the millions of ballots it finished printing in August. The ruling means North Carolina is now expected to blow past the legal deadline to start sending out ballots by at least two weeks, at the cost of potentially $1 million to state taxpayers, arguments that state officials made against reprinting the ballots, but which the Supreme Court said were worth it to ensure no voter confusion caused by having Kennedy’s name on the ballots even though he dropped out of the race.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/6/2024
A state appeals court panel threw out a legal challenge to Speaker Jason Stephens’ control over the Ohio House Republicans’ campaign fund, as well as an injunction preventing him from spending money from the account. Some House Republicans have sought to undermine the Stephens’ power since Democrats helped elect him speaker last year despite receiving votes from just a third of his GOP colleagues.
Ohio – An Ohio City Reshaped by Haitian Immigrants Lands in an Unwelcome Spotlight
MSN – Patrick Aftoora Orsagos, Julie Carr Smyth, and Elliot Spagat (Associated Press) | Published: 9/11/2024
Many cities have been reshaped by immigrants in the last few years without attracting much notice. Not Springfield, Ohio. Its story of economic renewal and related growing pains has been thrust into the national conversation in a presidential election year and maliciously distorted by false rumors that Haitian immigrants are eating their neighbors’ pets. Donald Trump amplified those lies during the nationally televised debate, exacerbating some residents’ fears about growing divisiveness in the predominantly white, blue-collar city of about 60,000.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/10/2024
Dozens of Portland City Council and mayoral candidates agreed to reciprocate political contributions as they sought to qualify for matching campaign funds from the city. Candidates benefit when a fellow Portland resident gives them a contribution because notching enough local donations triggers the matching funds. Yet state law prohibits candidates for political office from soliciting donations from anyone by promising to give the person a financial payback.
Tennessee – Ethics Questions Plaguing Tennessee Governor’s Administration
Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 9/11/2024
Shortly after taking office in 2019, Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order prohibiting executive branch employees from accepting lodging and transportation from groups trying to do business with the state but says his recent trip to Florida paid for by a group that lobbies state lawmakers is “customary and allowable.” That trip and a complaint filed against the state education commissioner is bringing greater scrutiny to Tennessee’s ethics rules and relationships that officials have with lobbying groups.
Texas – Mayoral Candidate Doug Greco Sues City to Overturn Campaign Finance Rule
Austin Monitor – Jo Clifton | Published: 9/11/2024
Mayoral candidate Doug Greco filed suit in federal court, challenging the provision of the City Charter that prevents city council candidates from accepting more than $47,000 in contributions from people who live outside the Austin city limits. The plaintiffs also want the judge to grant a permanent injunction against enforcement of the law. Greco has complained that his relatives in other states are unable to contribute because of the limitation.
September 12, 2024 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Ohio: “Ohio Appeals Court Tosses Lawsuit Challenging Speaker Jason Stephens’ Control of House GOP Campaign Arm” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN Texas: “Mayoral Candidate Doug Greco Sues City to Overturn Campaign Finance Rule” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor […]
Campaign Finance
Ohio: “Ohio Appeals Court Tosses Lawsuit Challenging Speaker Jason Stephens’ Control of House GOP Campaign Arm” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Texas: “Mayoral Candidate Doug Greco Sues City to Overturn Campaign Finance Rule” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor
Elections
Delaware: “Transgender Lawmaker Wins Democratic Primary for Delaware’s Only House Seat” by Amy Harmon (New York Times) for DNyuz
Missouri: “Missouri High Court Allows Abortion Measure to Stay on Fall Ballot” by Molly Hennessey-Fiske (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Trump, Republicans Push Swing-State Courts to Reject Mail-in Ballots” by Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “Reform Bills Inspired by LAist Investigation Are Before Newsom for Final Approval” by Yusra Farzan (LAist) for MSN
Tennessee: “Ethics Questions Plaguing Tennessee Governor’s Administration” by Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
California: “Irvine Tightens Lobbying Rules” by Angela Hicks for Voice of OC
September 11, 2024 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance California: “L.A. Real Estate Developer Accused of 444 Violations of Campaign Fundraising Laws” by Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) for MSN Oregon: “Odd Donations Between Portland City Council Candidates Were Widespread, Campaign Finance Data Shows” by Sophie Peel […]
Campaign Finance
California: “L.A. Real Estate Developer Accused of 444 Violations of Campaign Fundraising Laws” by Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) for MSN
Oregon: “Odd Donations Between Portland City Council Candidates Were Widespread, Campaign Finance Data Shows” by Sophie Peel for Willamette Week
Elections
National: “Harris Crisply Attacks Trump in Debate; He Retorts with Fiery Rhetoric” by Toluse Olorunnipa and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) for MSN
Florida: “DeSantis Election Police Question People Who Signed Abortion Ballot Petition” by Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Elon Musk’s Misleading Election Claims Reach Millions and Alarm Election Officials” by Sarah Ellison, Amy Gardner, and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) for MSN
North Carolina: “NC Supreme Court Orders RFK Jr’s Name to Be Taken Off Ballots, Mail-in Voting Delayed by Weeks” by Will Doran (WRAL) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Campaign Money? Bribes? Lobbying? Your Utility Rates May Include Some, Advocates Say” by Medora Lee (USA Today) for Yahoo News
North Carolina: “Few Students Are Playing but Lawmakers Keep Paying for Video Game from NC Company” by Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) for MSN
Lobbying
Indiana: “McCormick Releases Ethics Plan with Focus on Lobbying Reform” by Whitney Downard (Indiana Capital Chronicle) for Yahoo News
September 10, 2024 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance California: “Ex-Oakland Mayor Schaaf Agrees to Pay $21,000 Fine for Breaking Campaign Rules” by Sarah Ravani (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN National: “Federal Appeals Court Rules Against U.S. Sen. JD Vance, Other Republicans Trying to Erase Federal Limits on Coordinated Political […]
Campaign Finance
California: “Ex-Oakland Mayor Schaaf Agrees to Pay $21,000 Fine for Breaking Campaign Rules” by Sarah Ravani (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN
National: “Federal Appeals Court Rules Against U.S. Sen. JD Vance, Other Republicans Trying to Erase Federal Limits on Coordinated Political Spending” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Louisiana: “Louisiana Ethics Board Declines to Waive Jeff Landry’s $100 Late Fine” by Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) for Yahoo News
Elections
Michigan: “In Michigan, an ‘Unhinged Werewolf’ Will Make It Clear Who Voted” by Callie Holtermann (New York Times) for Seattle Times
North Carolina: “North Carolina Court Ruling on RFK Jr. Threatens to Disrupt Mail Voting” by Amy Gardner and Azi Paybarah (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Justice Alito Reports Concert Tickets, Stocks in 2023 Financial Report” by Tobi Raji (Washington Post) for MSN
Illinois: “Bribery Trial of Former AT&T Boss to Offer Sneak Preview of Madigan Case” by Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
National: “The AI Industry Uses a Light Lobbying Touch to Educate Congress from a Corporate Perspective” by Dan Merica (Associated Press) for Yahoo News
September 9, 2024 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance National: “Super PAC Funded by Ted Cruz’s Podcast Deal Gave $1 Million to Back His Campaign” by Sanford Nowlin for San Antonio Current Kansas: “Inside the Kansas Court Case That Could Cripple a Sweeping Campaign Finance Investigation” by Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Super PAC Funded by Ted Cruz’s Podcast Deal Gave $1 Million to Back His Campaign” by Sanford Nowlin for San Antonio Current
Kansas: “Inside the Kansas Court Case That Could Cripple a Sweeping Campaign Finance Investigation” by Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) for Yahoo News
Kentucky: “Federal Court Halts, for Now, Kentucky Election Finance Opinion on School Choice Measure” by Steve Bittenbender for The Center Square
Elections
New York: “Judge Delays Donald Trump’s Sentencing in Hush Money Case Until After November Election” by Michael Sisak and Jennifer Pelz for Associated Press News
Texas: “New Paxton Lawsuit Targets Mail-in Voter Registrations in Texas’s Bexar County” by Arelis Hernández (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
Florida: “Mayor’s Office: No conflict for chief of staff Darnell Smith to also do Florida Blue work” by David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) for Yahoo News
New York: “Mayor Eric Adams Faces Crisis as U.S. Investigations Reach Inner Circle” by William Rashbaum, Dana Rubenstein, Jeffrey Mays, and Michael Rothfeld (New York Times) for DNyuz
Lobbying
National: “Justice Dept. Charges Two Russian Media Operatives in Alleged Scheme” by David Nakamura, Catherine Belton, and Will Sommer (Washington Post) for MSN
September 6, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 6, 2024
National/Federal Courtroom Clash in Trump’s Election Interference Case as the Judge Ponders the Path Ahead Associated Press News – Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Michael Kunzelman | Published: 9/5/2024 In the first court hearing in nearly a year, a lawyer for […]
National/Federal
Courtroom Clash in Trump’s Election Interference Case as the Judge Ponders the Path Ahead
Associated Press News – Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Michael Kunzelman | Published: 9/5/2024
In the first court hearing in nearly a year, a lawyer for Donald Trump clashed with the judge in the federal election interference prosecution of the former president after suggesting the government was rushing forward with an “illegitimate” indictment at the height of the White House campaign. Prosecutors and defense lawyers are bitterly at odds over the next steps in the case after the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the prosecution by ruling former presidents are entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges.
Iran Emerges as a Top Disinformation Threat in U.S. Presidential Race
DNyuz – Steven Lee Myers, Tiffany Hsu, and Faranz Fassihi (New York Times) | Published: 9/4/2024
American officials and tech company analysts say Iran is waging an intensifying campaign to sway this year’s American presidential election. Iran has long carried out clandestine information operations against its adversaries, especially Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, but until now most of its activities were conducted under the shadow of similar campaigns by Russia and China. Its latest propaganda and disinformation efforts have grown more brazen, more varied, and more ambitious, according to the U.S. government, company officials, and Iran experts.
Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting
DNyuz – Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 9/5/2024
There is no indication that noncitizens are voting in large numbers. Yet the notion they will flood the polls, and vote overwhelmingly for Democrats, is animating a network of Republicans who mobilized around Donald Trump’s false claims of a rigged election in 2020 and are now preparing for the next one. Activists, prominent lawyers, Republican lawmakers, right-wing influencers, and other Trump allies have pressed for voter roll purges, filed lawsuits, prepared for on-the-ground monitoring of polling places, and spread misinformation online.
Whistle-Blower Groups Push to End Secret Seizure of Congressional Communications
DNyuz – Luke Broadwater (New York Times) | Published: 8/31/2024
As President Trump hunted for people inside the government who were divulging details of an investigation into whether his 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia, the Justice Department turned to a covert tactic. Department officials secretly collected the phone and email records of roughly a dozen people connected to Congress, including lawmakers and aides who routinely deal with anonymous whistleblowers, to see who might be coming forward with confidential information. Now, whistleblower advocacy groups hope to shame the agency into ending the practice of secretly collecting congressional communications records.
GOP Network Props Up Liberal Third-Party Candidates in Key States, Hoping to Siphon Off Harris Votes
MSN – Brian Slodysko and Dan Merica (Associated Press) | Published: 9/1/2024
Across the country, a network of Republican political operatives, lawyers, and their allies is trying to shape November’s election in ways that favor Donald Trump. Their goal is to prop up third-party candidates such as Cornell West who offer liberal voters an alternative that could siphon away support from Vice President Kamala Harris. It is not clear who is paying for the effort, but it could be impactful in states that were decided by miniscule margins in the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.
13-Month Sentence for Man Who Made 12,000 Harassing Calls to Congress Members
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2024
Ade Lilly was sentenced to 13 months in prison for making more than 12,000 harassing phone calls to members of Congress over an 18-month period and threatening to kill a congressional aide. Addressing the defense’s argument that Lilly was motivated by childhood tragedy and a zealous belief lawmakers must do more for the nation’s young people, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly said, “it is easy to see” how his offense might be the result of “good intentions gone wrong.”
MSN – Andy Kroll (ProPublica) and Nick Surgery (Documented) | Published: 9/4/2024
Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, privately heaped praise on a major religious-rights group for fighting efforts to reform the nation’s highest court – efforts sparked, in large part, by her husband’s ethical lapses. Ginni Thomas expressed her appreciation in an email sent to Kelly Shackelford, an influential litigator whose clients have won cases at the Supreme Court. Shackelford runs the First Liberty Institute. It came shortly after President Biden announced support for a slate of reforms for the high court.
Convicted Fraudsters Launch AI Lobbying Firm Using Fake Names
Yahoo News – Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 9/2/2024
A K Street startup pitched as a service to integrate AI into lobbying is covertly run by a pair of well-known, far-right conspiracy theorists and convicted felons who are using pseudonyms in their new business, according to four former employees and other evidence. LobbyMatic was founded last year by Jacob Wohl, who in 2022 was convicted along with his longtime associate Jack Burkman of fraud after running a robocall campaign in largely Black neighborhoods in several states telling people not to vote by mail. LobbyMatic, whose website does not list any company leadership, temporarily signed up at least three brand-name clients.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – She Was Arrested After Speaking at a City Meeting. Now She’s Suing.
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2024
An Arizona woman is suing the city of Surprise for arresting and charging her with trespassing during a recent city council meeting after she criticized the city attorney’s proposed pay raise. Mayor Skip Hall interrupted Rebekah Massie’s remarks, accusing her of “attacking the city attorney personally” and violating a council policy. Her lawsuit requests that a judge order the city to halt a policy that stipulates comments during council meetings “may not be used to lodge charges or complaints against” public officials.
California – Mayor Breed Orders Increased Scrutiny of San Francisco Contract Work, Grantees
KQED – Sydney Johnson | Published: 9/3/2024
City contractors and grant recipients will face tighter scrutiny to receive public dollars, according to a directive from San Francisco Mayor London Breed. The order, which is effective immediately, comes after numerous scandals. Breed also announced legislation to support her directive that would require contractors to keep separate accounts for political activities and prevent them from using city funds or lobbying officials.
California – While an Orange County Supervisor Was Under Scrutiny, His Daughter Interned with County Prosecutors
MSN – Salvador Hernandez (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/29/2024
Within weeks of it being revealed that Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do directed millions of dollars in contracts to a nonprofit without disclosing a link to his daughter, a scandal that sparked a lawsuit and a possible federal probe, his daughter began working as an intern for the county’s top prosecutor. Two county supervisors said they were unaware of Rhiannon Do’s stint at the district attorney’s office while county officials considered a lawsuit against Viet America Society, a nonprofit that once listed the supervisor’s daughter as its president, and asked for local and federal officials to step in.
California – Anaheim Hires City’s First Ethics Officer
Orange County Register – Michael Slaten | Published: 9/3/2024
Anaheim has hired its first ethics officer. Artin Berjikly will be the assistant city attorney-ethics officer, leading a new ethics division. Berjikly will report to the city attorney and provide legal expertise on ethical issues, campaign finance laws, conflict-of-interest rules, and the city’s lobbying laws.
Florida – Activists Charged with Pushing Russian Propaganda Go on Trial in Florida
WLRN – Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 9/3/2024
Experts say a trial in Florida offers a rare glimpse into how Russia has tried to secretly influence American politics. Prosecutors say Russia sought out a sympathetic group in the U.S., invited its leader to visit Moscow, and established a long-term relationship. The group then promoted Russian views on its website, social media accounts, and radio station. Four Americans face charges they conspired to have other U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government or acted as unregistered Russian agents themselves.
Florida – Miami Lakes Sues Law Firm Over Role in FBI Corruption Sting That Led to Mayor’s Arrest
Yahoo News – Catherine Odom (Miami Herald) | Published: 8/29/2024
Miami Lakes is suing a law firm over its involvement in an FBI sting operation that led to the arrest of the town’s mayor in 2013. The suit is seeking more than $5 million in damages over the role of Richard Candia, who was an employee at the law firm Becker & Poliakoff, in the FBI operation. Candia was party to an alleged corruption scheme involving then-Mayor Michael Pizzi and later became an FBI informant. Miami Lakes is suing the firm, which was under contract to provide lobbying and consulting services to the town, for negligence, as well as breach of contract and fiduciary duties.
Iowa – Iowa Lieutenant Governor Resigns to Take Over State Lobby Group Representing Bankers
MSN – Hannah Fingerhut (Associated Press) | Published: 9/3/2024
Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned to take the helm of the Iowa Bankers Association. The association advocates for its members with state and local governments and has been led for 28 years by John Sorensen, who is stepping down this year. Sorensen was registered as a lobbyist for the current General Assembly, but Iowa law specifies a statewide elected official “shall not within two years after the termination of service or employment become a lobbyist.”
Louisiana – Shreveport Lawmaker Fought Ethics Board for Years Before Authoring New Ethics Laws
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 8/29/2024
The first two bills state Rep. Steven Jackson authored had an unusual target for a new lawmaker: Louisiana’s Board of Ethics. His interest in restricting the board’s activities follows five years of angry exchanges between Jackson and ethics staff over financial penalties he has accrued while running for office. Since his first race for the Caddo Parish Commission in 2015, Jackson has racked up $10,080 in late fees after failing to file or improperly submitting 12 campaign finance and personal disclosure reports.
Maine – Maine Utilities Will Be Banned from Spending Ratepayer Money on Lobbying, Advertising
Yahoo News – Stephen Singer (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 9/4/2024
Maine regulators announced they will draft rules that prohibit utilities from billing ratepayers for spending on advertising, lobbying, and political expenses and require spending disclosures to the state. Legislation passed last year bars utilities from passing on expenses for contributions or gifts to candidates, political parties, and political or legislative committees; to a trade association, chamber of commerce, or public charity; for lobbying or grassroots lobbying; or for educational expenses, unless approved by the Public Utilities Commission.
Montana – Tim Sheehy Was Recorded Using Racist Stereotypes About Native Americans
Seattle Times – Kellen Browning (New York Times) | Published: 9/3/2024
Tim Sheehy, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Montana, made comments perpetuating racist stereotypes about Native Americans during private fundraisers last year, according to recordings of the events. In one recording, Sheehy can be heard saying he had participated in roping and branding cattle on the Crow Reservation, and it was “a great way to bond with all the Indians out there, while they’re drunk at 8 a.m.”
New Hampshire – Ex-Biden Official in NH Primary Raises Questions with ‘Bizarre’ Financial Disclosure
MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 8/30/2024
Maggie Goodlander, a candidate in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire for retiring U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster’s seat, filed a personal financial disclosure that has raised questions over the actual value of sizable assets she holds. The disclosure puzzled experts because it lists the value of multiple easily verifiable assets as “undetermined,” including checking, retirement, and investment accounts, and several properties or pieces of land, even those the report indicates are currently for sale.
New Mexico – The New Mexico Project Ordered to Disclose Donors, Campaign Expenditures
Yahoo News – Colleen Held (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/29/2024
A state judge ordered a dark money group that paid for political advertising in support of legislative candidates in New Mexico earlier this year to disclose the sources of its funding and its spending by September 9. Judge Joshua Allison ruled the New Mexico Project meets the definition of “political committee” and must comply with the state’s campaign finance law. The state Ethics Commission based its case partly on statements the group’s founder made on talk radio, social media, and in radio advertisements.
New York – Former Aide to N.Y. Governors Charged with Secretly Helping China
MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2024
Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, was accused of trading on her connections to act as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government. Federal prosecutors also indicted Sun’s husband, Chris Hu, for allegedly illegal conduct dating back to her time as an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Sun was accused of using her influence as a top aide to both governors to shape state policy toward China and Taiwan. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said the couple’s scheme made them millions of dollars.
New York – Federal Judge Rejects Donald Trump’s Request to Intervene in Wake of Hush Money Conviction
MSN – Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 9/3/2024
A federal judge rejected Donald Trump’s request to intervene in his New York hush money criminal case, spurning the former president’s attempt at an end-run around the state court where he was convicted and is set to be sentenced on September 18. U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein’s ruling – just hours after Trump’s lawyers asked him to weigh the move – upends Trump’s plan to move the case to federal court so he could seek to have his conviction overturned in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling.
North Carolina – In North Carolina, the Math for a Supermajority May Come Down to One
DNyuz – David Chen (New York Times) | Published: 8/31/2024
This fall, as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of state Legislatures across the country, much of the attention has focused on states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona, where one or two seats could tip the balance. But in a handful of states, the Legislature is dominated by one party, while the governor’s office is held by another. In those states, an effort is underway to either preserve an existing supermajority, which confers the ability to override a governor’s veto, or to break it. Nowhere has the battle been more magnified than in North Carolina.
Ohio – Federal Judge Blocks Ohio’s Ban on Foreign Political Donations
Ohio Capital Journal – Morgan Trau (WEWS) | Published: 9/3/2024
A federal judge blocked Ohio’s new law limiting who can participate in the political process just hours before it was set to go into effect. The controversial legislation would have prevented lawful permanent residents, known as green card holders, from making contributions or expenditures regarding ballot issues or candidates. It would also prevent campaigns from accepting donations from them.
Oklahoma – Oklahoma’s Election Laws Inhibit Voter Participation, Create More Extreme Candidates, Experts Say
Oklahoma Voice – Emma Murphy | Published: 8/30/2024
Oklahoma’s voting system is leading to low turnout rates, the election of more extreme candidates, and disenfranchisement of voters who are excluded from participating in primary elections, experts said. That is prompting conversations about whether reforms are needed to increase voter participation rates and how the state can ensure hundreds of thousands of independent voters have a voice at the ballot box at a time when most outcomes are determined months ahead of November’s general election.
Pennsylvania – A Court Just Told Pa. Not to Reject Mail Ballots Missing Handwritten Dates. The Case Isn’t Over Yet.
Spotlight PA – Carter Walker (Votebeat) | Published: 8/30/2024
Not counting a voter’s mail ballot because they failed to properly date the return envelope violates their rights under the state constitution, a Pennsylvania appellate court ruled. “The refusal to count undated or incorrectly dated but timely mail ballots submitted by otherwise eligible voters because of meaningless and inconsequential paperwork errors violates the fundamental right to vote recognized in the free and equal elections clause,” Judge Ellen Ceisler wrote for the majority, referring to a provision in the state constitution. Republicans said they would immediately appeal the ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Tennessee – Tennessee Education Commissioner Remains Under the Microscope
Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennesse Lookout) | Published: 9/5/2024
Tennessee lawmakers have been scrutinizing state Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds almost since she took the post in 2023 to push the governor’s private-school voucher plan, and some want to take an even closer look at her administration. Reynolds has been dogged by revelations that she did not meet state requirements to hold the education commissioner position. A complaint was filed about trips Reynolds took to two out-of-state education conferences paid for by her former employer, the pro-voucher group ExcelInEd, which hires a lobbyist to work on education issues in Tennessee.
Texas – Paxton’s Election Fraud Charges Upend Lives but Result in Few Convictions
MSN – Arelis Hernández and Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 9/2/2024
Leticia Sanchez was an activist in her majority-Latino community helping register people to vote before she was arrested in 2018. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused her and three other Hispanic women of forming an “organized voter fraud ring” that targeted elderly voters by applying for mail-in ballots they had not requested. Five years later, the case was dismissed by the state’s highest criminal court. The case fits a pattern that has emerged in Texas under Paxton: aggressive prosecutions for alleged election fraud crimes that upend lives but result in few cases that go to trial and end in a conviction.
Texas – Top Harris County Health Official Fired after Chronicle Investigation into $6 Million Contract
MSN – Mike Morris (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 8/30/2024
Harris County Public Health Executive Director Barbie Robinson was fired amid a scandal over her department’s hiring of an embattled California consulting company for a lucrative contract. Records showed Robinson arranged for DEMA Consulting & Management to run two county COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites two months after she was named executive director in 2021. Then DEMA won a bigger, more competitive public health contract. Several email exchanges during the county’s procurement process for the second contract suggested possible conflicts-of-interest.
Salt Lake Tribune – Robert Gehrke (Sal Lake Tribune) | Published: 9/4/2024
Groups opposing a constitutional amendment that will ensure the Utah Legislature can repeal or amend any future ballot initiative are outraged by the way the issue will be presented on voters’ ballots in November. The question put before voters is whether to prohibit “foreign influence” on ballot initiatives and “clarifying the voters and legislative bodies’ ability to amend laws.” Opponents contend the description of the amendment “clarifying” the power of voters minimizes what they say is a power grab by the Legislature that would strip voters of their constitutional right to run ballot initiatives.
Vermont – House Ethics Panel Provided ‘Restorative Justice’ Response to Legislator’s Bag-Soaking Scheme
VTDigger.org – Sarah Mearhoff | Published: 8/29/2024
After investigating accusations that a state representative repeatedly bullied a colleague throughout the 2024 legislative session by secretly pouring water into his tote bag, the Vermont House Ethics Panel initiated a “restorative justice process as a response.” Rep. Jim Carroll, the target of the bullying, and Rep. Mary Morrissey, who admitted to the acts, said they met with the panel throughout this summer to discuss the incidents. A statement said Morrissey “is committed to making amends, including activities that encourage the development and strengthening of collaborative and positive relationships within the legislative community.”
Washington – Group Behind State Initiatives Accused of Violating State Anti-Corruption Laws with Discount Gas, Burgers
Spokane Spokesman-Review – Emry Dinman | Published: 9/4/2024
Let’s Go Washington was accused of illegally trying to sway voters to support four initiatives the group backs with offers of discount gas and burgers. The complaint filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission alleges Let’s Go Washington’s offer of cheaper gas, and in one case food during promotional events for the four initiatives, ran afoul of the state’s anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws.
September 4, 2024 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance Ohio: “Federal Judge Blocks Ohio’s Ban on Foreign Political Donations” by Morgan Trau (WEWS) for Ohio Capital Journal Elections Florida: “Activists Charged with Pushing Russian Propaganda Go on Trial in Florida” by Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) for WLRN Oklahoma: “Oklahoma’s Election Laws […]
Campaign Finance
Ohio: “Federal Judge Blocks Ohio’s Ban on Foreign Political Donations” by Morgan Trau (WEWS) for Ohio Capital Journal
Elections
Florida: “Activists Charged with Pushing Russian Propaganda Go on Trial in Florida” by Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) for WLRN
Oklahoma: “Oklahoma’s Election Laws Inhibit Voter Participation, Create More Extreme Candidates, Experts Say” by Emma Murphy for Oklahoma Voice
Pennsylvania: “A Court Just Told Pa. Not to Reject Mail Ballots Missing Handwritten Dates. The Case Isn’t Over Yet.” by Carter Walker (Votebeat) for Spotlight PA
Texas: “Paxton’s Election Fraud Charges Upend Lives but Result in Few Convictions” by Arelis Hernández and Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “Convicted Fraudsters Launch AI Lobbying Firm Using Fake Names” by Daniel Lippman (Politico) for Yahoo News
New York: “Former Aide to N.Y. Governors Charged with Secretly Helping China” by Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) for MSN
Procurement
California: “Mayor Breed Orders Increased Scrutiny of San Francisco Contract Work, Grantees” by Sydney Johnson for KQED
September 3, 2024 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance New Mexico: “The New Mexico Project Ordered to Disclose Donors, Campaign Expenditures” by Colleen Held (Albuquerque Journal) for Yahoo News Elections National: “GOP Network Props Up Liberal Third-Party Candidates in Key States, Hoping to Siphon Off Harris Votes” by Brian Slodysko […]
Campaign Finance
New Mexico: “The New Mexico Project Ordered to Disclose Donors, Campaign Expenditures” by Colleen Held (Albuquerque Journal) for Yahoo News
Elections
National: “GOP Network Props Up Liberal Third-Party Candidates in Key States, Hoping to Siphon Off Harris Votes” by Brian Slodysko and Dan Merica (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
California: “While an Orange County Supervisor Was Under Scrutiny, His Daughter Interned with County Prosecutors” by Salvador Hernandez (Los Angeles Times) for MSN
National: “Whistle-Blower Groups Push to End Secret Seizure of Congressional Communications” by Luke Broadwater (New York Times) for DNyuz
Florida: “Miami Lakes Sues Law Firm Over Role in FBI Corruption Sting That Led to Mayor’s Arrest” by Catherine Odom (Miami Herald) for Yahoo News
Louisiana: “Shreveport Lawmaker Fought Ethics Board for Years Before Authoring New Ethics Laws” by Julie O’Donoghue for Louisiana Illuminator
New Hampshire: “Ex-Biden Official in NH Primary Raises Questions with ‘Bizarre’ Financial Disclosure” by Taylor Giorno (The Hill) for MSN
Vermont: “House Ethics Panel Provided ‘Restorative Justice’ Response to Legislator’s Bag-Soaking Scheme” by Sarah Mearhoff for VTDigger.org
August 30, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – August 30, 2024
National/Federal Feds Charge Crypto Lobbyist Linked to Former FTX Executive with Campaign Finance Crimes Courthouse News Service – John Russell | Published: 8/22/2024 Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing convicted former FTX executive Ryan Salame’s girlfriend of receiving illegal campaign contributions during […]
National/Federal
Feds Charge Crypto Lobbyist Linked to Former FTX Executive with Campaign Finance Crimes
Courthouse News Service – John Russell | Published: 8/22/2024
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing convicted former FTX executive Ryan Salame’s girlfriend of receiving illegal campaign contributions during her unsuccessful bid for a New York congressional seat in 2022. Authorities say cryptocurrency lobbyist Michelle Bond illegally financed her campaign with hundreds of thousands of dollars wired to her from Salame. She then lied to the House ethics committee about the origin of those campaign funds, they say. Salame pleaded guilty for his role in a conspiracy to make unlawful political contributions.
Free Booze, a Lake Cruise and Selfies Galore: How Democrats courted influencers at the D.N.C.
DNyuz – Ken Bensinger (New York Times) | Published: 8/23/2024
At the Democratic National Convention, “content creators” – better known as an influencers – got face time with Gwen Walz, the wife of Tim Walz, aboard a private boat; they were treated to tiki bar parties and catered rooftop luncheons; and many were offered one-on-one interviews with some of the Democratic Party’s biggest names. The treatment was part of a campaign to flood social media with positive messages about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Democrats hoped that free stuff and access would reap posts on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, the primary sources of news for a critical, and growing, slice of voters.
Inside the Democratic Schmoozefest, Where Hotel Lobbies Are ‘Prime Territory’
DNyuz – Michael Shear and Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 8/23/2024
Powerful relationships are born and nurtured at political conventions, far from K Street lobbying offices or boardrooms. “Hotel lobbies are prime territory,” said Steve Elmendorf, a veteran Democratic lobbyist who compared the schmoozing to a college reunion. “People are unobstructed. You see the governor or the senator walk through the lobby, you can go talk to them.”
How a Federal Court in New Orleans Is Driving the Conservative Agenda
DNyuz – Mattathias Schwartz (New York Times) | Published: 8/26/2024
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has turned its corner of the federal judiciary into a proving ground for some of the most aggressive conservative arguments in American law. In a few of the biggest Supreme Court decisions of the last few years – including Dobbs v. Jackson, which ended a 49-year right to abortion – it was the Fifth Circuit that first ruled on the case, teeing it up for Supreme Court review and a seismic moment in law and politics. In the Supreme Court’s upcoming term, the justices have agreed to hear five more cases from the Fifth Circuit.
Sarah Palin Is Granted New Libel Trial Against The New York Times
DNyuz – David Enrich (New York Times) | Published: 8/28/2024
A federal appeals court ordered a new trial in a long-running libel lawsuit that Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential nominee, brought against The New York Times. The court found Palin’s original trial against newspaper, which she lost in 2022, had been tainted by problematic rulings by the presiding judge. The suit accused The Times of defaming her in an editorial that wrongly suggested she incited a 2011 shooting at a political event in Arizona.
In Some States, Having a Guardian Means Not Having a Vote
DNyuz – Rachel Nostrant (New York Times) | Published: 8/29/2024
Seven states have laws that say anyone under a guardianship agreement cannot cast a ballot. Guardianships give a court-approved guardian, who might be a parent, a caretaker, or even a public defender, decision-making authority over a person. It may be limited to certain matters, like financial decisions, or it could extend to every facet of the person’s life. Many of the state laws are decades or even centuries old and presume that anyone under guardianship is mentally incompetent. The Justice Department said earlier this year that such blanket policies are illegal under federal civil rights laws.
Head of EPA Air Office Violated Ethics Rules, Agency Watchdog Says
MSN – Maxine Joselow (Washington Post) | Published: 8/28/2024
Joseph Goffman, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) air office, violated federal ethics rules by failing to disclose his financial interest in a company regulated by the agency. Goffman did not disclose he held more than $25,000 worth of stock in Sherwin-Williams, which makes paint and coatings, before helping to craft a rule that directly affected the company. The rule is intended to limit harmful air pollution from facilities across the country that manufacture coatings.
Exec at Trump Media Jumped the Line for U.S. Visa After Company Lobbied GOP Lawmaker
MSN – Robert Faturechi, Justin Elliott, and Alex Mierjeski (ProPubica) | Published: 8/29/2024
U.S. Rep. Rep. Don Bacon intervened to help Donald Trump’s social media company jump the line for a difficult-to-obtain foreign-worker visa to bring a company executive to the U.S. A former staffer said Bacon personally instructed her to help Trump Media, even though she thought it was inappropriate to mix politics with the office’s constituent services duties.
How a Trump Visit Sparked Turmoil at America’s Most Sacred Cemetery
MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Dan Lemothe (Washington Post) | Published: 8/28/2024
Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to mark the anniversary of a bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members during the evacuation from Afghanistan. Officials said they wanted to respect the wishes of family members who wanted Trump there but were wary of his record of politicizing the military. Federal law prohibits election-related activities at military cemeteries. Officials laid out ground rules they hoped would wall off politics from the final resting place of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their nation. Instead, they got sucked into exactly the kind of crisis they were hoping to avoid.
Why Extreme Heat Is Making Campaign Rallies More Dangerous
MSN – Maxine Joselow (Washington Post) | Published: 8/29/2024
At least 78 attendees of Donald Trump’s rallies have been hospitalized for heat-related illnesses in the past three months. An attendee of a Kamala Harris’s rally in Wisconsin appeared to suffer from heat stroke, prompting a pause in the programming. The incidents underscore how climate change, which is making heat waves longer and more extreme, is complicating plans for outdoor events of all kinds. Such rallies have become a hallmark of campaigning, especially in swing states in the sweltering Sun Belt and the unseasonably warm Midwest.
New Trump Indictment Tries to Salvage Case after Supreme Court Ruling
MSN – Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 8/27/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith filed an updated indictment against Donald Trump in a bid to strengthen the historic election obstruction case, following a Supreme Court ruling that granted broad immunity to presidents for official acts and sharply criticized the prosecutor’s approach. Even a whittled-down indictment could end up the subject of protracted fights between the special counsel and Trump’s attorneys about what is allowed to be charged or used as evidence, battles that once again may have to be settled by the Supreme Court.
Jack Smith Appeals Judge Cannon Decision to Throw Out Trump Case
MSN – Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith urged an appeals court to reverse U.S. District Cort Judge Aileen Cannon’s dismissal of Donald Trump’s classified-documents case, arguing Attorney General Merrick Garland had clear authority to appoint Smith to lead the prosecution. Smith wrote Cannon ignored decades of precedent when she issued her decision to toss out the entire indictment, in which she said Smith was wrongfully appointed and wielded too much power for someone who was not in a Senate-confirmed position.
Trump Special Counsel Opts Against Mini-Trial Before Election
Yahoo News – Chris Strohm (Bloomberg News) | Published: 8/23/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith has decided against seeking a major hearing to present evidence in the election-interference case against Donald Trump before voters go to the polls, according to people familiar with the matter. The move means it is unlikely a so-called mini-trial, which would include evidence and testimony from possible blockbuster witnesses like former Vice President Mike Pence, would take place before the presidential election.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Horizon Ottawa to Face Legal Action Over Alleged Campaign Finance Violations
Yahoo News – Arthur White-Crummey (CBC) | Published: 8/29/2024
Ottawa’s election compliance audit committee decided to launch legal proceedings against a progressive advocacy group for alleged breaches of campaign finance law during the last municipal election. An audit found Horizon Ottawa possibly violated the Municipal Elections Act by failing to keep proper records, improperly collecting cash donations, and incurring expenses before it registered as a third-party advertiser.
Arizona – In Arizona Fake Electors Case, Judge Weighs New Protection for Defendants
MSN – Betsy Woodruff Swan (Politico) | Published: 8/27/2024
Allies of Donald Trump are using an unusual new Arizona law to urge a judge to throw out a criminal case charging them with fraudulently trying to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election result. The law was designed to stop prosecutors from bringing flimsy cases out of political animus. The defendants now trying to harness it include former Trump legal adviser John Eastman and other Trump confidants, as well as Arizona Republicans who falsely claimed Trump won Arizona and held themselves out as the state’s legitimate electors in the Electoral College.
Arizona – Arizona May Require Proof of Citizenship on State Voter Forms for Now
MSN – Justin Jouvenal and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 8/22/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for a provision of Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in some circumstances, the first time the high court has weighed in on a voting dispute in the run-up to the presidential election. The order means Arizona election officials must reject state registration forms if voters do not provide documentation of citizenship. The justices kept on hold provisions of the law that could have disqualified voters who register with separate federal forms from casting ballots in a presidential contest in person or by mail.
California – DWP Officials Attended a Fancy Conference. Their Tab Was Paid with Mislabeled Invoices
MSN – Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/22/2024
Several Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) officials, including then-DWP board President Cynthia McClain-Hill, attended the International Utilities and Energy Conference last year. McClain-Hill opted for a $980 food, drink, and gifts package for the three days of the conference. Under the city’s ethics rules, McClain-Hill could not accept gifts of more than $100 annually from the conference host, Accenture, because the company has contracts with the DWP. Some DWP and Accenture staff found a way for the department to pick up the tab for the package by mislabeling an invoice for McClain-Hill.
California – A Pricey City Contract Was Slipping Away. Then a Call Was Made – and It May Be Linked to Oakland FBI Investigation
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 8/22/2024
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao will likely soon cast a tie-breaking vote, deciding whether the city will extend a lucrative contract with security company ABC Services, which has provided guards who check in and search visitors before they enter City Hall and other municipal properties. ABC Security’s owner has longstanding business ties to Mario Juarez, a businessperson who is a key figure in the FBI’s ongoing probe of Oakland politicians and businesses. Records reveal Juarez and Julie Wedge, also named in the FBI’s probe, lobbied on behalf of ABC Security two years ago when the company was at risk of not being considered for a new contract.
California – FBI Raids Homes of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and His Daughter
MSN – Salvador Hernandez and Hannah Fry Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/22/2024
Federal agents raided the homes of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and his daughter as well as several other properties in an investigation into the alleged improper use of taxpayer money. At least five locations, including several homes and a restaurant, were searched as part of allegations made against local nonprofit Viet America Society in a lawsuit brought by Orange County. The county alleges the nonprofit misused money it was awarded to feed the elderly and needy during the pandemic, instead spending the funds on “lavish purchases,” the lawsuit states.
California – San Bernardino County OKs $100,000 Cap for Political Party Committee Campaign Donations
Riverside Press-Enterprise – Michael Ricaforte | Published: 8/23/2024
San Bernardino County supervisors moved to significantly raise the limit on local campaign donations and, in what officials called an effort to promote transparency, created an oversight committee responsible for enforcing the new rules. The state’s limits act as the default for cities and counties that have not already enacted a contribution limit; however, cities and counties are permitted to set their own caps.
California – How California Became a New Center of Political Corruption
Yahoo News – Ralph Vartabedian (New York Times) | Published: 8/29/2024
Over the last 10 years, 576 public officials in California have been convicted on federal corruption charges, exceeding the number of cases in states better known for public corruption, including New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. A heavy concentration of power at City Halls, the receding presence of local news media, a population that often tunes out local politics, and a growing Democratic supermajority in state government have all helped insulate officeholders from damage, political analysts said.
Delaware – Delaware Election Officials Communicated with Lieutenant Governor’s Office Amid Finance Scandal
MSN – Randall Chase (Associated Press) | Published: 8/23/2024
State election officials in Delaware communicated directly with one or more aides in Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s office last year amid a scandal involving her campaign finance reports, according to emails. They show Elections Commissioner Anthony Albence, a fellow Democrat, wanted to keep Hall-Long’s office apprised of reporters’ questions about amendments to years of campaign finance reports in which Hall-Long failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.
District of Columbia – FBI Says Trayon White Took Bribes on Tape. Convicting Him May Still Be Hard.
MSN – Peter Hermann and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2024
The affidavit that alleges District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr. accepted tens of thousands in bribes appears damning. White was caught on camera taking envelopes full of cash as he vowed to use his influence to steer contracts to the man handing the money over, the affidavit alleges. But the legal case will be more complicated than the affidavit suggests, according to some legal analysts. Because of recent Supreme Court decisions limiting what counts as public corruption, federal prosecutors will have to meet a high bar to convince jurors that White broke the law.
Georgia – Democrats Sue to Block Georgia Rules That They Warn Will Block Finalization of Election Results
MSN – Jeff Amy and Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 8/26/2024
Democrats sued to block two recent rules adopted by Georgia’s State Election Board that could be used by county officials who want to refuse to certify an election, potentially causing delays in finalizing the state’s results. The lawsuit argues the rules violate a state law that makes certification a mandatory duty. It asks the judge to find the rules are invalid because the State Election Board, now dominated by allies of Donald Trump, is exceeding its legal authority.
Georgia – Former Atlanta CFO Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Embezzling Money, Falsifying Tax Records
WSB – Jonathan O’Brien and Miles Montgomery | Published: 8/27/2024
Former Atlanta Chief Financial Officer Jim Beard was sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling money and falsifying tax records. Beard served as chief financial officer during former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed’s administration. He is one of the highest-ranking officials caught up in the City Hall corruption probe. According to the Department of Justice, in total, Beard stole tens of thousands of dollars from the city. He ordered two custom-built machine guns using a $2,641.90 check from the city, telling the manufacturer the machine guns were for the use of the Atlanta Police Department even though Beard took the guns to his own home.
Illinois – Seeking History, an Archivist Gathers What Protesters at the DNC Left Behind
MSN – Reis Thebault (Washington Post) | Published: 8/23/2024
Julie Wroblewski is the director of collections for the Chicago History Museum. In a city with a more explosive political convention history than anywhere else, she has been ensuring a record of what unfolds inside and outside the United Center at the 2024 Democratic convention is documented for posterity. Wroblewski and others have been considering what could be important to museum visitors in the decades to come. As society’s shared history becomes increasingly digital, living mostly on unstable and ephemeral formats, old-fashioned preservation work is even more important, Wroblewski said.
Illinois – Illinois Supreme Court Sides with GOP, Upholds Unconstitutionality of Ban on Slating Candidates
Yahoo News – Jeremy Gorner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 8/27/2024
The Illinois Supreme Court upheld a judge’s ruling that found unconstitutional a law preventing the slating of legislative candidates for the November election in races where political parties did not field contenders. Before Democrats moved to change the law, local Democratic and Republican committees regularly filled vacancies for legislative spots on the general election ballot in races where no candidates from their party had run in the primary.
Maryland – Ex Pr. George’s Council Member Pleads Guilty to Theft Scheme, Perjury
MSN – Jasmine Hilton and Lateshia Beacham (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2024
Former Prince George’s County Council member Jamel Franklin pleaded guilty to dipping into his campaign coffers to make at least $130,000 in payments on rent, loans, credit cards, and cosmetic procedures for himself and a close friend and then falsifying campaign finance reports. He faces up to one year of incarceration under a plea agreement. As part of the agreement, Franklin must pay restitution of $133,168.67 to his campaign committee, which will be given to a charity of his choice.
Michigan – Michigan Sheriff Under Investigation for Hosting Trump Campaign Stop
MLive – Michael Kransz | Published: 8/23/2024
Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy is under investigation by the Michigan Bureau of Elections after he used his department to host Donald Trump for a campaign event. Trump spoke for about an hour inside an equipment and vehicle storage warehouse managed by the Sheriff’s Department. During the remarks, he railed against his Vice President Kamala Harris’ record on crime and immigration.
Nebraska – Nebraska Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Felon Voting Law
Yahoo News – Aaron Sanderford (Nebraska Examiner) | Published: 8/28/2024
Nebraska Supreme Court justices peppered lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union and the state attorney general’s office with questions about whether the Legislature has the constitutional authority to restore the voting rights of people who committed felonies. Some justices asked whether the court should consider the broader constitutional question on voting rights and pardons or decide only whether Secretary of State Bob Evnen had the authority to avoid implementing a law the Legislature passed this spring.
Nevada – Ex-Politician Found Guilty of Murder in Vegas Reporter’s Stabbing Death
MSN – Eric Levenson (CNN) | Published: 8/28/2024
The former Nevada politician who was accused of fatally stabbing a Las Vegas investigative reporter after a series of critical stories was found guilty of murder in a trial that highlighted concerns around press safety. Robert Telles, a former Clark County public administrator, was convicted in the September 2022 death of Jeff Garman, a longtime Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter. Prosecutors alleged Telles killed German because he was angry about the reporter’s articles exposing turmoil in his little-known political office and was concerned about another upcoming article.
New Mexico – Political Group The New Mexico Project Still Fighting Disclosure
Yahoo News – Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/25/2024
Former gubernatorial candidate Jeff Apodaca has claimed his fledgling nonprofit group, The New Mexico Project, has raised nearly $1 million. Exactly what has been done with the funds, and where they came from, became no clearer after a two-hour court hearing in which attorneys for the state Ethics Commission argued that under state law, The New Mexico Project is really a campaign committee and should divulge its independent expenditures and sources of funding.
North Carolina – She Was Accused of a Crime for Taking a Ballot Selfie. Now She’s Suing.
MSN – Kyle Melnick (Washington Post) | Published: 8/27/2024
After Susan Hogarth visited her local school to vote in North Carolina’s March primary election, she held the ballot under her chin and took a photo of herself with her phone. She posted the selfie from the voting booth on X. The next week, Hogarth received a letter from the North Carolina State Board of Elections that accused her of committing a misdemeanor, according to a new lawsuit. North Carolina is one of several states that prohibit taking photos or videos of filled-in ballots.
North Dakota – Ethics Commission Investigating Complaint Against State-Funded Filmmaker
Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 8/21/2024
The North Dakota Ethics Commission is investigating whether a Bismarck filmmaker broke lobbying rules before securing grant money from the state Department of Commerce. A complaint alleges Daniel Bielinski, founder of Canticle Productions, acted as an unregistered lobbyist when he hosted Sen. Brad Bekkedahl at a private dinner and screening of his film “End of the Rope.” The complaint said roughly two weeks after the film screening, Bekkedahl alluded on the Senate floor that a $600,000 grant included in the Commerce Department’s budget bill was intended to go to Canticle Productions.
Ohio – Ohio Lawsuit Seeks Rewrite of Redistricting Ballot Language Dubbed ‘Biased, Inaccurate, Deceptive’
MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 8/22/2024
The Ohio Supreme Court should step in on behalf of voters and order a rewrite of ballot language for a redistricting measure that “may be the most biased, inaccurate, deceptive, and unconstitutional” the state has ever seen, argues a lawsuit. The proposed amendment calls for replacing the state’s troubled existing map-making system with a 15-person citizen-led commission of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. Members would be selected by retired judges.
Oklahoma – As Oklahoma Considers Loosening Campaign Finance Rules, Outside Groups Run Wild
MSN – Clifton Adcock (The Frontier) | Published: 8/15/2024
Independent expenditure groups continue to shower Oklahoma politicians with millions of dollars as the state eyes ways to rein in the secretive groups’ spending. The financial support from these shadowy groups added up to more than the candidate spent through their own campaigns during the June 18 primary, state Ethics Commission records show.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/27/2024
Key leaders of the Oregon Democratic Party overlooked indications the actual source of a $500,000 donation was a cryptocurrency executive, not a financial transaction firm the organization named as a donor. The state Democratic Party reported the contributor of the largest ever donation to the party was Prime Trust. Following media inquiries, the group’s executive director admitted weeks later the contribution had come from Nishad Singh, then director of engineering at now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, and employees had not checked carefully enough into the source of the contribution.
Oregon – Portland Elections Office Investigating Rene Gonzalez for Using Taxpayer Funds on Wikipedia Edits
Portland Mercury – Courtney Vaughn | Published: 8/19/2024
Portland’s Elections Office is investigating potential campaign finance violations by city Commissioner Rene Gonzalez after receiving three complaints about the commissioner’s expenditure of $6,400 in city funds to edit his Wikipedia page. The expense raises questions about whether the sitting commissioner and mayoral candidate used city money for his own personal and political benefit during the thick of campaign season.
Tennessee – Judges Dismiss Suit Alleging Tennessee’s Political Maps Discriminate Against Communities of Color
MSN – Kimberly Kruesi (Associated Press) | Published: 8/22/2024
A federal judicial panel dismissed a lawsuit alleging Tennessee’s U.S. House maps and those for the state Senate amount to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. The three judges on the panel argued there was another clear motivation behind the state’s Republican legislative supermajority by pointing to “naked partisanship” as the likely “straightforward explanation.”
Texas – Latino Civil Rights Group Demands Inquiry into Texas Voter Fraud Raids
DNyuz – Edgar Sandoval (New York Times) | Published: 8/25/2024
A civil rights group is asking the Department of Justice to open an investigation into a series of raids conducted on Latino voting activists and political operatives as part of a sprawling voter fraud inquiry by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The League of United Latin American Citizens said many of those targeted were Democratic leaders and election volunteers, and some were older residents. Gabriel Rosales, director of the group’s Texas chapter, said officers took cellphones, computers, and documents. He said the raids were an effort to suppress Latino voters.
August 28, 2024 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
Campaign Finance California: “San Bernardino County OKs $100,000 Cap for Political Party Committee Campaign Donations” by Michael Ricaforte for Riverside Press-Enterprise Oklahoma: “As Oklahoma Considers Loosening Campaign Finance Rules, Outside Groups Run Wild” by Clifton Adcock (The Frontier) for MSN Oregon: “Records Reveal Major Oversights […]
Campaign Finance
California: “San Bernardino County OKs $100,000 Cap for Political Party Committee Campaign Donations” by Michael Ricaforte for Riverside Press-Enterprise
Oklahoma: “As Oklahoma Considers Loosening Campaign Finance Rules, Outside Groups Run Wild” by Clifton Adcock (The Frontier) for MSN
Oregon: “Records Reveal Major Oversights in Democratic Party of Oregon’s Misreporting of $500,000 Contribution” by Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Elections
Georgia: “Democrats Sue to Block Georgia Rules That They Warn Will Block Finalization of Election Results” by Jeff Amy and Kate Brumback (Associated Press) for MSN
Illinois: “Seeking History, an Archivist Gathers What Protesters at the DNC Left Behind” by Reis Thebault (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “How a Federal Court in New Orleans Is Driving the Conservative Agenda” by Mattathias Schwartz (New York Times) for DNyuz
National: “New Trump Indictment Tries to Salvage Case after Supreme Court Ruling” by Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN
Redistricting
Tennessee: “Judges Dismiss Suit Alleging Tennessee’s Political Maps Discriminate Against Communities of Color” by Kimberly Kruesi (Associated Press) for MSN
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