National/Federal

G.O.P. Rebels Are Breaking the Rule on Rules, Upending How the House Works

Buffalo News – Carl Hulse (New York Times) | Published: 6/13/2023

It has long been an axiom of the U.S. House majority: vote against a piece of legislation put forth by your party if you absolutely must, but never vote against the “rule” to bring that legislation to the floor. Until the last few weeks, that standard had held for more than two decades. But now, about a dozen rebellious House Republicans have decided to leverage their badly needed votes on the routine procedural measures to win policy concessions, breaking the longstanding code of party discipline and threatening the traditional operation of the House.

DeSantis Campaign Uses Apparently Fake Images to Attack Trump on Twitter

DNyuz – Nicholas Nehamas (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis begins to aggressively attack Donald Trump, his campaign has spread three images of the former president embracing Dr. Anthony Fauci that forensic experts say are almost certainly realistic looking “deepfakes” generated by artificial intelligence. As the 2024 campaign heats up, the use of such deepfakes has been of concern to those who study manipulated images, which thanks to new technology are easier to generate than ever before.

Why Lawmakers Can’t Get Their Act Together on Time

Governing – Alan Greenblatt | Published: 6/12/2023

Whether it is Congress waiting until the last minute to raise the debt ceiling or legislators voting on the cusp of midnight the day before the state budget is due, lawmakers cannot seem to help putting off most of their work until they are almost out of time. The final details of Louisiana’s budget were only presented to most legislators just 20 minutes before the end of the session this year.

Liberals Try to Reclaim ‘Parents’ Rights’ from Conservatives in Education

MSN – Laura Meckley, Hannah Natanson, and John Harden (Washington Post) | Published: 6/12/2023

In the culture wars, conservative parents jumped out first with an agenda built around the defense of “parents’ rights.” Now, groups are coalescing on the left to resist conservative efforts to remove books from schools, end student LGBTQ clubs, and restrict classroom discussions of race and gender. Experts and advocates say the progressives, some forming groups nationally and others in states and local communities, increasingly are in a strong position to push back.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal Launches Probe into PGA Tour-Saudi Alliance

MSN – Rick Maese (Washington Post) | Published: 6/12/2023

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, chairperson of a powerful Senate subcommittee, launched a probe into the partnership between the PGA Tour and its Saudi-funded rival, requesting documents and communications that led to the alliance. Blumenthal demanded communications that led to the alliance, records related to the dispute between the competing tours that fractured the sport recently, and records related to the PGA Tour’s tax-exempt status. Blumenthal has broad authority to scrutinize the deal and issue subpoenas on a range of matters, from corporate and financial crimes to terrorism.

Estuaries? Pickleball? Rum? There’s a Congressional Caucus for Practically Everything

MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 6/13/2023

No matter the topic, Congress has a caucus. In fact, Congress is home to approximately 820 caucuses. Many are focused on just a single, sometimes obscure, issue, like the Congressional American 250 Caucus that is helping plan the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial, while others may be an intraparty faction trying to drag its colleagues one way or another. The caucus is distinctly American affair. The  term first appeared in writing at the end of the French and Indian War.

Trump’s Path to Indictment: ‘Isn’t it better if there are no documents?’

MSN – Marc Fisher (Washington Post) | Published: 6/10/2023

More than two years after Donald Trump’s departure from the White House, the Justice Department revealed the first-ever federal indictment of a president of the United States, a chronicle of allegations that portray Trump as the architect of a knowing scheme to hide classified documents from the government he had run and to persuade his own attorneys to mislead federal officials. The trouble Trump now faces is virgin terrain: a former president, now his party’s leading candidate to return to the White House, faces trial, at risk of a years-long prison sentence during the heart of his third campaign for the nation’s highest office.

Judge Ruling Requiring Mike Pence to Testify to Grand Jury About Jan. 6 Unsealed

MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 6/9/2023

A federal judge unsealed a potentially landmark ruling that compelled former Vice President Mike Pence to testify before a grand jury investigating the U.S. Capitol attack and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Pence called U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg’s ruling the first to lay out how a vice president also qualifies for constitutional protection enjoyed by lawmakers from being compelled to testify even in criminal investigations.

Why Campaign Websites No Longer Have ‘Issues’ Pages

Yahoo Finance – Mini Racker (Time) | Published: 6/12/2023

“Issues” pages, which outline candidates’ stances on key policy topics, have long been expected features of campaign websites. But of the fourteen major candidates who have entered the presidential race, only a handful have detailed, stand-alone pages describing where they stand on the issues and what they plan to do in office. Several include no written policy commitments at all. Strategists agree the country has become so polarized that the candidates’ positions on issues matter much less than they once did. In general elections, many voters will simply support the candidate of their preferred party without bothering to look up their stances.

The Presidential Candidate Who Has His Own Supporters Scratching Their Heads

Yahoo News – Jonathan Weisman (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has a plan for winning the Republican nomination for president: eschewing the culture wars and getting the party back on a business-friendly economic message of low taxes, less regulation, and can-do entrepreneurship. But even North Dakotans who express admiration for their governor’s wealth, business acumen, and energy are baffled by his suddenly lofty political ambitions.

F.B.I. Investigating Spy Ring’s Political Contributions

Yahoo News – Adam Goldman and Mark Mazzetti (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

Federal prosecutors are investigating possible campaign finance violations in connection with an undercover operation based in Wyoming that aimed to infiltrate progressive groups, political campaigns, and the offices of elected representatives before the 2020 election. As part of the operation, participants used large campaign donations and cover stories to gain access to their targets and gather dirt to sabotage the reputations of people and organizations considered threats to the agenda of former President Trump.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska Ballot Measure Filed to Reestablish Campaign Contribution Limits

Yahoo News – Sean Maguire (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 6/11/2023

A newly filed ballot measure would reestablish campaign contribution limits in Alaska, with the intention of restricting the influence of big-money donors in state politics. A federal appeals court in 2021 struck down three of Alaska’s main contribution limits as a violation of donors’ First Amendment rights. The state’s previous $500-per-year cap on donations had been among the lowest in the nation.

Arizona – An Ariz. Democrat Hid Bibles as a ‘Prank.’ Republicans Tried to Expel Her.

MSN – María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 6/14/2023

Arizona House Republicans failed to expel Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, who admitted to a Bible-hiding prank caught on hidden camera. Instead, the House could only muster a vote to censure Stahl Hamilton. She apologized over what she called a “peaceful, playful protest” meant as commentary on the separation of church and state. But an ethics committee determined her behavior amounted to “disorderly conduct,” a violation of House rules. Many Republicans were outraged by what they called the “desecration” of scripture.

California – As Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon’s Power Grew, So Did His Wife’s Income

MSN – Hannah Wiley and Katie Licari (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

Outgoing California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon is one-half of a political power couple with Annie Lam, a successful consultant and nonprofit executive. The two flourished together during Rendon’s unusually long time as speaker. As Rendon’s influence grew, Lam’s consultancy business similarly boomed, allowing her income to swell and public profile to soar. Though Lam is not a lobbyist, she is paid by an organization that lobbies the Legislature. The League of California Cities has reported paying Lam’s business nearly $600,000 over the last 18 months.

California – SF Ethics Watchdogs Issue Huge Fine to Group that Supported Breed’s 2018 Mayoral Run

San Francisco Standard – Josh Koehn | Published: 6/13/2023

The San Francisco Ethics Commission fined one of the most influential political groups in the 2018 elections, saying a committee that supported Mayor London Breed and her allies failed to properly report nearly $1.1 million in spending. An investigation found Progress San Francisco repeatedly alternated between classifying itself as a city and state committee, making it harder for local voters to understand how hundreds of thousands of dollars were being spent to influence races. Progress San Francisco agreed to pay a fine of $29,300.

California – Anaheim’s Ticket to Ride: City leaders hand out thousands of free tickets every year

Voice of OC – Noah Biesiada and Hosam Elattar | Published: 6/12/2023

Officials in Anaheim, home to Angel Stadium and Honda Center, regularly give out thousands of free tickets every year to events at city-owned venues, arguing they mainly go to community nonprofits. Yet a Voice of OC review of the past six months of ticket passes given out by Anaheim’s new council majority and city staff shows loose tracking of who really gets access to what amounts to a six-figure sum of free sports and concert tickets.

Illinois – City Ethics Board to Seek Changes to Contractor Oversight Following Tribune Report

MSN – Alex Harrison and John Byrne (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/13/2023

The Chicago Board of Ethics will look to amend the city’s ethics ordinance in response to a Chicago Tribune story that detailed how several aldermen used tax dollars to pay a former top Park District official tens of thousands of dollars as a consultant after he had had been asked to resign and placed on the district’s “do not rehire” list for his role in that agency’s sexual abuse lifeguard scandal. The proposal comes after a Tribune review of aldermanic expense accounts, which are little-known funds totaling $122,000 a year for each of the city’s 50 council members to spend on almost anything they want with little oversight.

Illinois – As Chicago’s City Commissions Start Meeting in Person Again, Future of Online Access in Doubt

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 6/12/2023

For the first time in more than three years, all city boards and commissions in Chicago are once again meeting in person, putting an end to the virtual meetings that became a hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic. But there are no rules ensuring those meetings will continue to be streamed online or allow members of the public to weigh in virtually, either by Zoom or by phone. When Gov. J.B. Pritzker ended the public health emergency, boards and commissions across the state could no longer meet virtually, as rules that allowed them to meet via Zoom or other teleconferencing platforms expired.

Illinois – Ex-Mayor Lightfoot Was Warned About Email Electioneering 10 Months Before Campaign Tried to Recruit CPS Students

Yahoo News – Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/10/2023

Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign was told to stop electioneering to city employees nearly a year before her staff tried to recruit Chicago Public Schools students to do political work for extra credit. When it came to light in January, Lightfoot’s camp first defended but then quickly denounced the practice of sending emails to public workers soliciting campaign help. Now it is emerged that her campaign had been warned by the city Board of Ethics in March 2022 to cease sending political communications to public employee emails.

Kentucky – Judge Rejects Louisville Lawmaker’s Plea for Privacy in Ethics Probe

Louisville Public Media – Jacob Ryan | Published: 6/13/2023

Metro Council member Anthony Piagentini claimed Louisville’s ethics commission violated state and local laws by disclosing his response to a complaint accusing him of ethics violations. But a judge ruled the Louisville Metro Ethics Commission did not violate any laws and is free to disclose certain records related to the investigation. Piagentini has been investigated for possible violations related to his assistance securing a $40 million COVID-19 relief grant for the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council. The day after the council approved the spending measure, Piagentini took a consulting job with the group.

Maryland – Maryland State Board of Elections Taps Longtime Employee Jared DeMarinis as Administrator

MSN – Emily Opilo and Hannah Gaskill (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 6/8/2023

The Maryland State Board of Elections hired a new elections administrator, selecting a longtime employee for the top job. Jared DeMarinis was chosen by a unanimous vote., DeMarinis, who has worked as the director of the board’s campaign finance division, will face a confirmation hearing before the state Senate next session before he can take on the role in a permanent capacity.

Nevada – Lombardo Could Have Taken $50K Settlement in Ethics Case; Fine Now $1.6 Million

MSN – Greg Klas (KLAS) | Published: 6/13/2023

After Joe Lombardo won the 2022 gubernatorial election, a letter from the Nevada Ethics Commission offered to settle complaints against him before he was sworn into office. The offer: a $50,000 fine, censure from the Ethics Commission, ethics training for “all staff within 30 days of your client’s inauguration as governor,” and a designated ethics officer in the governor’s office during Lombardo’s first term. But in turning down the settlement, the governor is facing a hearing and a possible fine of $1.6 million.

New York – Could Democrats Get Another Shot at Redistricting in New York?

DNyuz – Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

A year ago, Democrats were taken to task by New York’s highest court for attempting to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts, and saw their tilted map replaced by more neutral lines that helped Republicans flip four House seats. Now, with a 2024 rematch approaching, Democratic leaders in Washington and Albany are reviving a legal battle to reopen the mapmaking process and potentially pull the lines back in their direction.

New York – Judge: E. Jean Carroll can seek more damages after Trump CNN remarks

MSN – Andrea Salcedo and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 6/13/2023

E. Jean Carroll, who won a $5 million lawsuit against Donald Trump in a sexual assault and defamation case, can amend a separate pending lawsuit to seek more damages against the former president for disparaging comments he made during a recent CNN town hall, a judge ruled. Attorneys for Carroll filed an amended complaint following Trump’s comments during the CNN special event, seeking at least $10 million in damages for the town hall comments and for the initial defamation that Carroll alleged.

New York – Critics Say Changes to State’s Public Campaign Finance Law Subverts Its Purpose

WXXI – Karen DeWitt | Published: 6/13/2023

Before New York legislators adjourned their session, they approved a measure to alter the state’s fledgling public campaign finance system – a change that critics and some lawmakers say undermines the program’s original purpose. For state legislative offices, there is a tiered system with higher match ratios for contributions up to $250. Now, donations of up to $18,000 would be eligible for public matching funds. The bill goes to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

North Carolina – NC GOP Wants to Restructure State Elections Board, Stripping Governor of Appointment Power

MSN – Kyle Ingram (Charlotte Observer) | Published: 6/12/2023

Republicans in North Carolina introduced legislation to drastically restructure the State Board of Elections, taking away the power of the governor to appoint its members and creating an even partisan split among the powerful board. Under the proposed law, the board would have an even number of Republicans and Democrats, all of whom would be appointed by legislative leaders rather than the governor. A similar bill passed in 2016 was later ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.

Ohio – State Issue 1 Ballot Language Must Be Rewritten, Ohio Supreme Court Rules

MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/12/2023

The Ohio Supreme Court ordered state officials to rewrite some of the language for an August ballot measure that, if passed, would make it more difficult to amend the state constitution. The court, however, declined to take a more expansive role in ordering the language to be rewritten, rejecting some of the core arguments from plaintiffs. State Issue 1 would amend the Ohio Constitution to require future amendments to get a 60 percent supermajority in a statewide vote to pass. That is compared to the current simple majority standard that has been in place for more than a century.

Ohio – Federal Judge: Ex-Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger is not a victim of convicted successor Householder

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/12/2023

A federal judge rejected a request from ex-Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger to be formally acknowledged as a victim of former Speaker Larry Householder’s bribery and racketeering scheme. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black ruled Rosenberger failed to prove the FBI’s investigation into his own conduct as speaker and subsequent resignation were directly caused by Householder’s political maneuvering.

Oregon – Democratic Party of Oregon Will Return Illegal $500K FTX Contribution

Centralia Chronicle – Ted Sickinger (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/8/2023

The Democratic Party of Oregon said it will return the illegal $500,000 campaign contribution it received last October from an executive at FTX, the bankrupted cryptocurrency exchange, by tapping into donations from some of the state’s most powerful Democrats. The party received the donation last fall from FTX executive Nishad Singh, but at his request, party officials misattributed it to Prime Trust, a crypto payment processor. The Oregon Secretary of State’s election division subsequently investigated the party’s handling of the contribution and fined it $15,000.

Oregon – Shemia Fagan Spent Taxpayer or Donor Money on Hotel Pet Fees, Airfare for Her Kids. She Says She’s Done Nothing Wrong.

MSN – Aimee Green (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/9/2023

A media investigation found former Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan sought, and in many cases received, thousands of taxpayer dollars in questionable reimbursements from the state for travel expenses both large and small. The investigation also found Fagan spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds on airplane tickets for her children and stays at four-star hotels thousands of miles from Oregon, among many other unexplained expenses. Acting Secretary of State Cheryl Myers now says Fagan ignored warnings that she may be breaking state travel rules.

Rhode Island – Two Rhode Island Officials Visited Philly. They Were So Rude Their State Launched Two Separate Investigations.

MSN – Zoe Greenberg (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 6/12/2023

Two Rhode Island officials traveled to Philadelphia to tour Bok, the former vocational school that is now home to dozens of artists and entrepreneurs. Scout Ltd., the team behind Bok, had contracted with Rhode Island, under a former administration, to develop a vacant state building in Providence. Hoping to convince a new administration to fund the project, Scout executives offered to show the officials around. But the way the Rhode Island representatives allegedly behaved was so “bizarre, offensive, and unprofessional” that the company executives documented what happened in an email that was sent to the governor of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island – Lawmakers Want to Make It Easier to Raise Campaign Cash. Who Will Benefit the Most?

MSN – Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) | Published: 6/13/2023

The Rhode Island House passed a package of campaign finance law changes that would double how much an individual could give to a candidate each year. Progressive Democrats blasted both hiking the $1,000 maximum annual individual contribution to $2,000 and raising the maximum size of donations that can be reported anonymously. Rep. Brian Newberry said while the bill might allow top lawmakers to collect more campaign cash than they already do, he believes it would have a greater benefit to challengers who often struggle to raise the bare minimum to compete.

South Carolina – Judge Extends Election Fundraising Rights in Win for Ultraconservative South Carolina Lawmakers

Associated Press News – James Pollard | Published: 6/13/2023

Special interest caucuses in South Carolina can formally campaign, a federal judge ruled in a victory for a hardline conservative group of state representatives that want to push the Republican-controlled Legislature further to the right. The order allows the South Carolina Freedom Caucus to fundraise and distribute election materials just like the House Republican, Democratic, Black, and Women’s Caucuses already do. The conservative faction argued a state law limiting those abilities only to caucuses organized by political party, race, ethnicity, or gender violated its freedom of speech.

Campaign Finance California: “SF Ethics Watchdogs Issue Huge Fine to Group that Supported Breed’s 2018 Mayoral Run” by Josh Koehn for San Francisco Standard Rhode Island: “Lawmakers Want to Make It Easier to Raise Campaign Cash. Who Will Benefit the Most?” by Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) for MSN South Carolina: “Judge Extends Election Fundraising Rights in Win for Ultraconservative South Carolina Lawmakers” by James Pollard for Associated Press News Ethics Illinois: “City Ethics Board to Seek Changes to Contractor Oversight Following Tribune Report” by Alex Harrison and John Byrne (Chicago Tribune) for MSN Kentucky: “Judge Rejects Louisville Lawmaker’s Plea for Privacy in Ethics Probe” by Jacob Ryan for Louisville Public Media National: “Liberals Try to Reclaim ‘Parents’ Rights’ from Conservatives in Education” by Laura Meckley, Hannah Natanson, and John Harden (Washington Post) for MSN Nevada: “Lombardo Could Have Taken $50K Settlement in Ethics Case; Fine Now $1.6 Million” by Greg Klas (KLAS) for MSN New York: “Judge: E. Jean Carroll can seek more damages after Trump CNN remarks” by Andrea Salcedo and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) for MSN Legislative Issues National: “G.O.P. Rebels Are Breaking the Rule on Rules, Upending How the House Works” by Carl Hulse (New York Times) for Buffalo News

Campaign Finance New York: “NY Bills Overhaul Local Elections, Roll Back Campaign Reforms; NYPA Nominee Rejected” by Chris Bragg (Buffalo News) for KPVI Elections National: “Why Campaign Websites No Longer Have ‘Issues’ Pages” by Mini Racker (Time) for Yahoo Finance North Carolina: “NC GOP Wants to Restructure State Elections Board, Stripping Governor of Appointment Power” by Kyle Ingram (Charlotte Observer) for MSN Ohio: “State Issue 1 Ballot Language Must Be Rewritten, Ohio Supreme Court Rules” by Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN Ethics National: “Sen. Richard Blumenthal Launches Probe into PGA Tour-Saudi Alliance” by Rick Maese (Washington Post) for MSN Rhode Island: “Two Rhode Island Officials Visited Philly. They Were So Rude Their State Launched Two Separate Investigations.” by Zoe Greenberg (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN Legislative Issues National: “Estuaries? Pickleball? Rum? There’s a Congressional Caucus for Practically Everything” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN Redistricting New York: “Could Democrats Get Another Shot at Redistricting in New York?” by Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) for DNyuz

A newly filed ballot measure has been introduced to reestablish campaign contribution limits in Alaska.

In 2021, a federal appeals court struck down most of Alaska contribution limits on First Amendment grounds.

The ballot measure would cap contributions at $2,000 per election, with limits being adjusted for inflation every 10 years.

The new initiative will appear on the 2024 ballot if it is certified by the lieutenant governor and collects the requisite number of signatures.

Campaign Finance Alaska: “Alaska Ballot Measure Filed to Reestablish Campaign Contribution Limits” by Sean Maguire (Anchorage Daily News) for Yahoo News Elections National: “DeSantis Campaign Uses Apparently Fake Images to Attack Trump on Twitter” by Nicholas Nehamas (New York Times) for DNyuz Maryland: “Maryland State Board of Elections Taps Longtime Employee Jared DeMarinis as Administrator” by Emily Opilo and Hannah Gaskill (Baltimore Sun) for MSN Ethics California: “Anaheim’s Ticket to Ride: City leaders hand out thousands of free tickets every year” by Noah Biesiada and Hosam Elattar for Voice of OC National: “Judge Ruling Requiring Mike Pence to Testify to Grand Jury About Jan. 6 Unsealed” by Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for MSN Illinois: “As Chicago’s City Commissions Start Meeting in Person Again, Future of Online Access in Doubt” by Heather Cherone for WTTW Ohio: “Federal Judge: Ex-Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger is not a victim of convicted successor Householder” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN Legislative Issues National: “Why Lawmakers Can’t Get Their Act Together on Time” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing

Campaign Finance National: “F.B.I. Investigating Spy Ring’s Political Contributions” by Adam Goldman and Mark Mazzetti (New York Times) for Yahoo News Oregon: “Democratic Party of Oregon Will Return Illegal $500K FTX Contribution” by Ted Sickinger (Portland Oregonian) for Centralia Chronicle Elections National: “The Presidential Candidate Who Has His Own Supporters Scratching Their Heads” by Jonathan Weisman (New York Times) for Yahoo News Illinois: “Ex-Mayor Lightfoot Was Warned About Email Electioneering 10 Months Before Campaign Tried to Recruit CPS Students” by Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News Ethics Arizona: “Ethics Panel Rules Stahl-Hamilton Engaged in Disorderly Behavior by Hiding Bibles” by Jakob Thorington for Arizona Capitol Star California: “As Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon’s Power Grew, So Did His Wife’s Income” by Hannah Wiley and Katie Licari (Los Angeles Times) for MSN National: “Trump’s Path to Indictment: ‘Isn’t it better if there are no documents?'” by Marc Fisher (Washington Post) for MSN Oregon: “Shemia Fagan Spent Taxpayer or Donor Money on Hotel Pet Fees, Airfare for Her Kids. She Says She’s Done Nothing Wrong.” by Aimee Green (Portland Oregonian) for MSN

National/Federal

Prosecutors Scrutinize Political Nonprofit Groups for Fund-Raising Fraud

DNyuz – David Fahrenthold, William Rashbaum, and Tiff Fehr (New York Times) | Published: 6/1/2023

Federal prosecutors are scrutinizing at least 10 political nonprofit groups seeking to determine if the organizations defrauded donors, according to subpoenas. The subpoenas sought recordings of the fundraising calls made by two separate networks of political nonprofits that together have raised tens of millions of dollars. The Justice Department has charged a handful of other political operatives with fraud for running what prosecutors called “scam PACs.” Prosecutors said these groups deceive donors by promising their money would be used to help politicians but then using it to enrich themselves.

N.J. Sen. Bob Menendez Escaped Legal Peril Once. Can He Do It Again?

MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 6/3/2023

Prosecutors in 2017 failed to convince jurors that U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez helped a wealthy Florida doctor in exchange for lavish gifts. After beating back the government’s case, Menendez won reelection in 2018. When Democrats captured control of the Senate, he regained the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, cementing his place as one of the highest-ranking Hispanic leaders in the nation. But now, Menendez is once again at the heart of a federal criminal investigation concentrating at least in part on the possibility he received undisclosed gifts.

Republicans Set Presidential Debate Rules That Could Exclude Some

MSN – Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 6/2/2023

The Republican National Committee will require presidential candidates to attract 40,000 individual campaign donors and the support of at least one percent of voters in multiple national polls to qualify for the first debate this August. The filter also requires candidates to pledge support for the party’s eventual nominee. Some candidates are concerned the rules could sideline their campaigns at the starting gate. The first Republican debates of the 2016 campaign season included 17 candidates in two different events.

Supreme Court Tossed Out Heart of Voting Rights Act a Decade Ago, Prompting Wave of New Voting Rules

MSN – Christina Cassidy and Ayanna Alexander (Associated Press) | Published: 6/6/2023

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that dismantled a key provision of the Voting Rights Act continues to reverberate across the country a decade later, as Republican-led states pass voting restrictions that, in several cases, would have been subject to federal review had the conservative-leaning court left the provision intact. At the same time, the justices have continued to take other cases challenging elements of the landmark 1965 law that was born from the sometimes-violent struggle for the right of Black Americans to cast ballots.

These Academics Studied Falsehoods Spread by Trump. Now the GOP Wants Answers.

MSN – Naomi Nix and Joseph Menn (Washington Post) | Published: 6/6/2023

House Judiciary Committee Chairperson Jim Jordan and his allies in Congress are demanding documents from and meetings with leading academics who study disinformation, increasing pressure on a group they accuse of colluding with government officials to suppress conservative speech. The push caps years of pressure from conservative activists who have harangued such academics online and in person and filed open-records requests to obtain the correspondence of those working at public universities.

Conservatives Seek Control Over Public Universities with State Bills

MSN – Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) | Published: 6/3/2023

Conservative lawmakers have accelerated efforts to try to rein in what they see as liberal indoctrination on college campuses, with dozens of state bills igniting debates in recent months over academic priorities and how public universities should operate. Their efforts include limiting teaching about certain topics, mandating courses, ending faculty tenure, banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and fighting accreditors trying to limit political interference. Having state leaders working to fight national culture wars on campus and codify their vision for higher education into law has dismayed many academics.

Justice Thomas Delays Disclosures After Reports of Travel, Property Sale

MSN – Ann Marimow and Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 6/7/2023

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas asked for more time to file annual financial disclosures after criticism that he failed to report luxury travel and real estate deals with a wealthy Republican donor. Justice Samuel Alito also asked for an extension as he has done in previous years. The reports, covering activity in 2022, show the justices earned thousands of dollars from teaching positions; received payments for books they have authored; and accepted free travel to lecture at legal conferences, including in Italy and Scotland.

Chris Christie Launches 2024 Run as Brawler Eager to Take on Trump

MSN – Maeve Reston and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 6/6/2023

More than seven years after he ended his first campaign for president and then endorsed Donald Trump, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie returns as a long-shot candidate in a growing Republican field where the former president has jumped out to a wide lead. Christie’s backers point to his blunt style and his sharp wit as traits that make him suited to shake up the race by forcefully challenging Trump. But polls show Christie is viewed negatively by many Republicans. Many prominent figures in the party who have vocally criticized Trump from a more traditional GOP posture in recent years have been rejected in party primaries.

Pence Unleashes Sharp Attacks on Trump as He Launches White House Bid

MSN – Marianne Levine and Ashley Parker (Washington Post) | Published: 6/7/2023

Mike Pence launched his run for president, making his most sweeping case yet against Donald Trump’s fitness for office and beginning a campaign against his former boss more than two years after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol upended their relationship. The former vice president also challenged Trump on other matters, including abortion, changes to entitlement programs, comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even general civility. Pence faces an awkward task of promoting his experience while arguing he is a strong alternative to Trump.

The Spam and the Scam: What’s driving those incessant political fundraising email and text campaigns blowing up your inbox

Yahoo News – Madison Hall (Business Insider) | Published: 6/1/2023

Consumers are drowning in a sea of spam messages and scams from political campaigns, and experts said it is not going to change anytime soon. For one, the very business model of campaigning means a key asset of a debt-laden campaign post-election is its email list, opening up the people on it to subsequent unwanted spam. Some campaigns have also begun to turn to misleading tactics within those emails. Campaign operatives said annoying voters is simply part of the job.

Through Ties to Saudis, Golf Deal Promises Benefits to Trump

Yahoo News – Eric Lipton (New York Times) | Published: 6/7/2023

The surprising deal ending a civil war in the world of professional golf stands to produce benefits for Donald Trump’s family business by increasing the prospect of major tournaments continuing to be played at Trump-owned courses in the U.S. and perhaps abroad. The outcome is the latest example of how the close relationship between Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and Saudi Arabia, whose sovereign wealth fund is the force behind the upheaval in the golf world, has proved beneficial to both sides even as it has prompted intense ethical scrutiny and political criticism.

Trump Lawyer’s Notes Could Be a Key in the Classified Documents Inquiry

Yahoo News – Alan Feuer, Ben Protess, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 6/3/2023

Turning on his iPhone one day last year, the lawyer M. Evan Corcoran recorded his reflections about a high-profile new job: representing former President Trump in an investigation into his handling of classified documents. Corcoran recounted in detail a nearly monthlong period of the documents investigation. A recording like the voice memo Corcoran made is typically shielded by attorney-client or work-product privilege. But a federal judge ordered the recorded recollections to be given to the office of the special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the documents probe.

From the States and Municipalities

Europe – EU Commission Proposes Common Ethics Body for All EU Officials in Wake of Corruption Scandal

ABC News – Samuel Petrequin (Associated Press) | Published: 6/8/2023

The European Union’s (EU) executive arm proposed to create an ethics body that would set up common rules of conduct for institutions after the 27-nation bloc was rocked last year by a cash-for-influence scandal. The EU does not currently have comprehensive lobbying regulations and the proposal would establish common standards for all politicians when it comes to gifts, hospitality, and travel offered by third parties.

Alabama – Legislature Passes Bill Opening Ethics Complaints to Respondents

Alabama Political Reporter – Samuel Stettheimer | Published: 6/7/2023

The Alabama Legislature voted to require the state Ethics Commission to provide exculpatory evidence discovered during investigations to those accused of violating the ethics law. Though the rules of criminal procedure govern the discovery process in current law, the commission operates under similar secrecy requirements as grand juries. The ethics panel hears cases, but prosecution is referred to the state attorney general or appropriate district attorney.

Alabama – Supreme Court: Alabama must draw new voting map favorable to Black residents

MSN – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 6/8/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Republican-drawn congressional districts in Alabama that civil rights activists say discriminated against Black voters in a surprise reaffirmation of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling upholds a decision by a three-judge panel that threw out Alabama’s new congressional map, which included only one congressional district with a majority of Black voters even though African Americans make up more than a quarter of the state’s population.

Arizona – Democratic Senate Hopeful Claims Primary Residence in Arizona – and D.C.

MSN – Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 6/5/2023

When U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego bought a house near Capitol Hill last year, he claimed the property as his primary residence as part of a special mortgage rate afforded to veterans. But Gallego and his wife also say a home they own in Phoenix is their primary residence. The loan documents confirmed he counts the District of Columbia as his primary home even though his campaign for the U.S. Senate maintains he resides in Arizona. Politically, it means Gallego, who hopes to take out Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in a hotly contested race next year may have to explain why he declared he was primarily a resident of the nation’s capital.

California – San Francisco Ethics Watchdog Decries ‘Severe’ Cuts Under Mayor’s Budget

San Francisco Standard – Mike Ege | Published: 6/5/2023

San Francisco Ethics Commission Chairperson Yvonne Lee released a statement denouncing Mayor London Breed’s cuts to the agency’s budget, calling them “unusually severe” and implying the commission had been singled out for reductions that will drastically impede its work. Lee said the published budget for the agency would amount to a 32 percent reduction in operating funds and 40 percent cut to staff over two years.

Florida – How a Developer Pushing a Luxury Coral Gables High Rise Became a Tenant of the Mayor

MSN – Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 6/1/2023

A developer who hired Miami’s mayor as a $10,000-a-month consultant has also paid tens of thousands of dollars in rent for a storefront owned in part by the mayor of Coral Gables while pushing for city approvals to build a luxury high-rise across the street. Developer Rishi Kapoor leased a former martial arts studio from a group of investors that included Mayor Vince Lago. New details are emerging following reports that at the same time Kapoor was leasing from Lago, he was also contracting privately with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and pursuing a development project in Coconut Grove.

Florida – Accused of Corruption, Latin Leader Uses Mystery Money, Florida Firms Amid Impeachment Fight

Yahoo News – Antonio Maria Delgado and Kevin Hall (Miami Herald) | Published: 6/2/2023

As the president of Ecuador faced threats of impeachment for alleged corruption, a tiny Florida public relations firm was given a six-figure contract to lobby journalists to publish favorable stories about the embattled leader – not in Ecuador, where his political fortunes were dire, but in British and U.S. media markets, including in Miami. Mysteries abound over the $250,000 payment benefiting President Guillermo Lasso. The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires that any company working in the U.S. on behalf of foreign interests disclose its connections to ensure the American political process is not manipulated by hidden forces.

Georgia – Georgia Probe of Trump Broadens to Activities in Other States

MSN – Amy Gardner and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 6/2/2023

An investigation in Georgia of alleged election interference by former President Trump and his allies has broadened to include activities in Washington, D.C., and several other states, a fresh sign that prosecutors may be building a sprawling case under Georgia’s racketeering laws. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis launched a probe to examine efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 defeat in Georgia. She has signaled publicly she may use the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute to allege these efforts amounted to a far-reaching criminal scheme.

Illinois – Politically Connected Businessman James Weiss Heads to Trial Amid Swirling Investigations, Intrigue

MSN – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/5/2023

Chicago businessperson James Weiss is facing federal bribery charges alleging he agreed to pay off a state senator in exchange for support on legislation that would benefit the sweepstakes gaming industry. It is a trial filled with political intrigue, both in the line-up of current and former elected officials expected to the take the stand, as well as the backdrop of ongoing federal investigations swirling around Weiss’s associates, including the Cook County Assessor’s Office and for House Speaker Michael Madigan and other members of the Illinois General Assembly.

Illinois – Second Jobs for Chicago Aldermen Would Be Restricted or Even Banned Under Proposed Ordinance

MSN – A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/5/2023

The ability of Chicago City Council members to hold down outside jobs would be sharply curtailed under a proposed ordinance. The bill stipulates “serving as alderperson shall be considered a full-time job” and allows only a few carve-outs for attorneys performing pro-bono work and aldermen who are landlords for fewer than five properties. Aldermanic salaries range from $115,560 to $142,776. Talk of barring outside employment has been floated repeatedly but never gained traction. The council instead passed ordinances chipping away at potential conflicts or slightly tightening ethics restrictions.

Illinois – Aldermen Use Expense Accounts to Pay Ex-Park District Official Who Resigned Amid Lifeguard Scandal

Yahoo News – Alex Harrison (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/5/2023

Four aldermen have paid more than $48,000 out of their taxpayer-funded expense accounts to a consulting firm run by a former top Chicago Park District official who was asked to resign for his involvement in a sexual harassment scandal and placed on a do-not-rehire list. Alonzo Williams was paid as an independent contractor for various consulting jobs. The payments came from little-known aldermanic expense allowances, which now provide each of the city’s 50 council members $122,000 annually to spend on almost anything they want with little oversight.

Kentucky – Group Pushing to Expand Service Boundary Won’t Release Donors. They Don’t Have to in Lexington

Yahoo News – Beth Musgrave (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 6/1/2023

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s ethics rules do not require people and groups who lobby city government to register or disclose their spending. Two groups have emerged with specific stands on the city’s proposed growth: Lexington for Everyone, which has pushed for an immediate expansion of the urban service boundary, and the Fayette Alliance, which has lobbied for the city to wait until studies are complete before pushing forward. According to its spokesperson, Lexington for Everyone does not have to disclose its donors because it is a 501 (c)4 nonprofit. The Fayette Alliance is a 501(c)3.

Maryland – The Cozy Relationships and Shadowy Disclosures Behind Baltimore’s $8M Police Consent Decree

Baltimore Banner – Ben Conarck | Published: 6/5/2023

Last November, as Mayor Brandon Scott prepared to announce his former chief of staff as the city’s new top attorney, the head of the Baltimore Police Department’s consent decree monitoring team notified the federal court of a familial relationship. Ebony Thompson, Scott’s choice for acting city solicitor, is the great-niece of Ken Thompson, the head of the independent group responsible for measuring the police department’s compliance with reforms. Though Ken Thompson and city officials saw the relationship as significant enough to disclose to the judge overseeing the decree, they never made it public.

Nebraska – Nebraska Agency Rejects Conflict-of-Interest Complaint Against Sen. Megan Hunt

Lincoln Journal Star – Erin Barner (Omaha World-Herald) | Published: 6/2/2023

A complaint alleging a Nebraska lawmaker had a conflict-of-interest during the Legislature’s debate over gender-affirming care restrictions has officially been dismissed. A complaint was based on Sen. Megan Hunt having a transgender child, and on her family being covered by Medicaid. Although Nebraska’s Medicaid policy explicitly excludes gender-affirming care, the complaint alleged Hunt and her child “have a slightly more than average chance of obtaining Nebraska Medicaid coverage,” and argued she should have disclosed this prior to debate on the bill.

Nevada – Lombardo Violated Ethics Laws, State Commission Executive Director Says

MSN – Jessica Hill (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 6/5/2023

Nevada Commission on Ethics Executive Director Ross Armstrong alleges Gov. Joe Lombardo committed multiple ethics violations by using his sheriff’s badge and uniform during his campaign. He also argues that Lombardo’s violations were “willful,” in part because he did not self-report or attempt to rectify the violations before or after the complaints were filed. Armstrong asked the commission to order Lombardo to pay a civil penalty of about $1.67 million, issue a censure, and designate an ethics officer to his office.

New Mexico – Candidate Charged with Shooting at Democrats’ Homes After Election Loss

MSN – Ben Brasch and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) | Published: 6/1/2023

A failed New Mexico candidate was indicted on a charge of allegedly organizing and carrying out a plan to shoot at the houses of Democrats and officials who certified his losing election. Solomon Peña and co-conspirators Demetrio Trujillo and Jose Trujillo were formally charged with conspiracy and interference with elections and several firearms offenses that include the use of a machine gun. Investigators say text messages and data from cellphones show how they formed their violent plan.

New York – Cuomo Seeks to Upend Ethics Commission and Keep $5M Book Payment

Albany Times Union – Joshua Solomon | Published: 6/2/2023

Attorneys for former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government squared off in state Supreme Court in a case in which Cuomo is arguing the panel was created in violation of the constitution and should not be allowed to investigate a $5 million deal he secured to publish a book about his handling of the pandemic. Cuomo’s attorneys are asserting the state’s ethics agency is unconstitutional because of its lack of executive oversight, which, in turn, violates separation of powers.

Ohio – A Former Ohio House Speaker Says He’s the Victim of His Corrupt Successor

MSN – Jake Zuckerman and Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/1/2023

In a filing in the case of ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, the man who held the gavel before him, Cliff Rosenberger, sought recognition under the Crime Victims Rights Act. This could allow him to receive money from the case. Rosenberger said Householder and lobbyist Neil Clark waged a campaign of “misinformation” that sparked an FBI probe and Rosenberger’s resignation. If it were not for Householder targeting him, Rosenberger said he would have finished his time as speaker without suffering the “economic, reputational, and emotional injuries” inflicted on him.

Ohio – Judge to Ex-Councilman Jeff Pastor: Guilty plea ‘a very important day in your life’

Yahoo News – Sharon Coolidge and Kevin Grasha (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 6/7/2023

Former Cincinnati City Councilperson Jeff Pastor faces up to two years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal corruption charge for a bribery scheme that began during his first year in office. He is now the third former council member in recent years to be convicted on corruption charges. Pastor was accused of receiving $55,000 in bribes from an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer. In the plea agreement, he admitted taking $15,000. He is required to repay that money.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Board Approves Nation’s First Religious Public Charter School

MSN – Nuria Martinez-Keel (Oklahoman) | Published: 6/5/2023

An Oklahoma school board approved what would be the country’s first taxpayer-funded religious school amid threats of lawsuits, dueling attorney general stances, a last-minute board member replacement, and growing national interest. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City intends to open St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in 2024, serving students K-12 in all parts of the state. Archdiocese officials have said the school will promote the Catholic faith and operate according to church doctrine, including its views on sexual orientation and gender identity, raising questions of whether it would abide by all federal non-discrimination requirements.

Oregon – Federal Criminal Investigators Examining Former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s Dealings with a Cannabis Company

Oregon Public Broadcasting – Dirk VanderHart | Published: 6/7/2023

Federal criminal investigators are looking into former Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and the two cannabis entrepreneurs she briefly worked for, records show. According to subpoenas, prosecutors sent demands to five state agencies for records concerning Fagan and the owners of the La Mota cannabis chain, Aaron Mitchell and Rosa Cazares. Fagan resigned after revelations she had taken on private consulting work for Mitchell and Cazares as her office prepared an audit of state regulations that was seen as extremely favorable to cannabis companies.

Pennsylvania – The Ethics Board Has Fined a Real Estate Firm Tied to the 76ers for Failing to Disclose it Lobbied for a Proposed Arena

MSN – Sean Collins Walsh (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 6/6/2023

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics fined CBL Real Estate $4,000 for omissions on its lobbying reports in 2022. The firm filed amended reports that show it lobbied members of Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration and city council members on a proposal to build an arena in the city. The firm shares an address with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Philadelphia 76ers. Neither the 76ers organization nor 76 Devcorp, the team’s development arm, filed lobbying reports in 2022, and it is not obvious from CBL Real Estate’s lobbying registration that they have ties to the team.

Pennsylvania – Shapiro Won’t Share Daily Calendar, a Departure from Previous Pa. Governor’s Transparency

Spotlight PA – Katie Meyer | Published: 6/5/2023

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is declining to make public his daily calendar, a policy that obscures many of the details about who he meets with and what they discuss. The decision breaks from the practice of his predecessor and is the latest choice by the governor to roll back a transparency measure. Attorneys for the governor told said Shapiro’s calendars are personal, do not have an official purpose, and are not shared widely within the office, an explanation that elected officials in Pennsylvania have frequently offered in response to calendar requests.

Pennsylvania – Pa. House Passes Bill to Require Electronically Filed Campaign Finance Reports

Yahoo News – Associated Press | Published: 6/6/2023

The Pennsylvania House approved legislation to require candidates for a state office to file their campaign finance reports electronically, instead of on paper. The bill goes to the state Senate, which is considering its own version of similar legislation. Many candidates and PACs already file reports electronically, and paper filing is costly and inefficient, sponsors said, adding that moving to an entirely electronic model would reduce costs.

Rhode Island – New Bill Could Bring Big Changes to RI Political Donations. Here’s What’s Proposed.

Yahoo News – Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) | Published: 6/5/2023

Legislation in Rhode Island would raise the $1,000 annual individual campaign contribution limit to $2,000. The bill would also allow primary candidates for statewide office to qualify for public matching funds. It would limit candidates’ ability to list services they have received as “accounts payable” without reporting them as expenditures or contributions, along with other reforms.

Tennessee – Judge Finds Tennessee Law Aimed at Restricting Drag Shows Unconstitutional

Seattle Times – Emily Cochrane (New York Times) | Published: 6/3/2023

A federal judge ruled a Tennessee law strictly limiting drag shows in public or in places where children could be present is unconstitutional, finding it violates freedom of speech protections. The ruling is an initial victory for supporters of LGBTQ rights after weeks of confusion over the law’s language and how it would affect not only drag artists in the state, but also transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-nonconforming people. Across the country, drag events and Pride celebrations have faced an uptick in protests and threats as conservative activists have sought to limit the events.

Texas – How Angela Paxton Could Help Decide the Fate of Her Embattled Husband, Ken

DNyuz – J. David Goodman (New York Times) | Published: 5/31/2023

Angela Paxton is one of 31 state senators who are designated to act as jurors in her husband’s impeachment trial this summer, deciding whether to convict Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on charges he abused his office to benefit himself and a donor and permanently remove him from office. She is not only married to Ken Paxton; she has also been directly affected by the conduct her husband is accused of. Among the articles of impeachment are allegations he had an extramarital affair and used his office to help a donor who repaid him in part by giving the woman a job.

Utah – Protester Opposed to Book Bans Gets Bible Pulled from Some Utah Schools

MSN – Justine McDaniel (Washington Post) | Published: 6/3/2023

The Bible has been removed from libraries in a Utah school district after being challenged by a person making a jab at book bans. After a state law allowing school districts to pull “pornographic or indecent” books from schools passed last year, someone in the Davis School District submitted a complaint about the King James Bible, arguing the text was “pornographic by our new definition.” A school district committee determined the Bible was not age-appropriate for elementary and middle-schoolers, though it ruled the text does not contain the type of “sensitive material” the law seeks to keep out of schools.

Campaign Finance

Pennsylvania: “Pa. House Passes Bill to Require Electronically Filed Campaign Finance Reports” by Associated Press for Yahoo News

Elections

Arizona: “Democratic Senate Hopeful Claims Primary Residence in Arizona – and D.C.” by Daniel Lippman (Politico) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Justice Thomas Delays Disclosures After Reports of Travel, Property Sale” by Ann Marimow and Robert Barnes (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “Second Jobs for Chicago Aldermen Would Be Restricted or Even Banned Under Proposed Ordinance” by A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) for MSN

National: “Through Ties to Saudis, Golf Deal Promises Benefits to Trump” by Eric Lipton (New York Times) for Yahoo News

National: “Conservatives Seek Control Over Public Universities with State Bills” by Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) for MSN

Nevada: “Lombardo Violated Ethics Laws, State Commission Executive Director Says” by Jessica Hill (Las Vegas Review-Journal) for MSN

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Board Approves Nation’s First Religious Public Charter School” by Nuria Martinez-Keel (Oklahoman) for MSN

Campaign Finance National: “The Spam and the Scam: What’s driving those incessant political fundraising email and text campaigns blowing up your inbox” by Madison Hall (Business Insider) for Yahoo News Rhode Island: “New Bill Could Bring Big Changes to RI Political Donations. Here’s What’s Proposed.” by Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) for Yahoo News Elections National: “Supreme Court Tossed Out Heart of Voting Rights Act a Decade Ago, Prompting Wave of New Voting Rules” by Christina Cassidy and Ayanna Alexander (Associated Press) for MSN Ethics California: “San Francisco Ethics Watchdog Decries ‘Severe’ Cuts Under Mayor’s Budget” by Mike Ege for San Francisco Standard National: “These Academics Studied Falsehoods Spread by Trump. Now the GOP Wants Answers.” by Naomi Nix and Joseph Menn (Washington Post) for MSN Illinois: “Aldermen Use Expense Accounts to Pay Ex-Park District Official Who Resigned Amid Lifeguard Scandal” by Alex Harrison (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News Nebraska: “Nebraska Agency Rejects Conflict-of-Interest Complaint Against Sen. Megan Hunt” by Erin Barner (Omaha World-Herald) for Lincoln Journal Star Lobbying Pennsylvania: “The Ethics Board Has Fined a Real Estate Firm Tied to the 76ers for Failing to Disclose it Lobbied for a Proposed Arena” by Sean Collins Walsh (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN

National/Federal

Nikki Haley Slams Foreign Lobbyists While Accepting Funds from Them

ABC News – Soo Rin Kim | Published: 5/31/2023

Despite calling for a ban on foreign lobbying, in which Americans lobby lawmakers and the public for foreign interests, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has raised tens of thousands of dollars in donations from foreign lobbyists, disclosure reports show. Haley has recently been campaigning on her opposition to foreign lobbying, saying that embassies, and not private consultants or lobbyist agents, should represent foreign interests in the U.S.

Trump Workers Moved Mar-a-Lago Boxes a Day Before FBI Came for Documents

MSN – Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey, Spencer Hsu, and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 5/25/2023

Two of Donald Trump’s employees moved boxes of papers the day before a visit by FBI agents and a prosecutor to the former president’s Florida home to retrieve classified documents in response to a subpoena, timing that investigators have come to view as suspicious and an indication of possible obstruction. Trump and his aides also allegedly carried out a “dress rehearsal” for moving sensitive papers even before his office received the May 2022 subpoena. Prosecutors in addition have gathered evidence indicating Trump kept classified documents in his office in a place where they were visible and sometimes showed them to others.

DEA’s Failure to Punish Distributor Blamed in Opioid Crisis Raises Revolving Door Questions

MSN – Jim Mustian and Joshua Goodman (Associated Press) | Published: 5/30/2023

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has allowed one of the nation’s largest wholesale drug distributors, Morris & Dickson Co., to keep shipping addictive painkillers for nearly four years after a judge recommended it be stripped of its license for its “cavalier disregard” of thousands of suspicious orders fueling the opioid crisis. A consultant the company hired to stave off punishment is now DEA Administrator Anne Milgram’s top deputy. The delay raised concerns about how the “revolving door” between government and industry may be impacting the DEA’s mission to police drug companies.

Recent Attacks Put Staffers on Edge as Authorities Look for Answers

MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 5/31/2023

There has been a string of highly publicized attacks on Capitol Hill aides that have left staff on edge and are raising questions about security, especially away from Washington. Protecting members and staff away from Washington is no small task with 535 members of Congress, many with multiple district offices that are often positioned strategically to encourage foot traffic.

Prosecutors Have Recording of Trump Discussing Sensitive Iran Document

MSN – Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey, and Carol Leonnig (Washington Post) | Published: 5/31/2023

Special counsel Jack Smith has obtained a 2021 recording in which Donald Trump appears to brag about having a classified document related to Iran, suggesting the former president understood both the legal and security concerns around his possession of such restricted information. The audio features Trump describing a document he claims is about possibly attacking Iran, expressing a desire to share that information with others but also making some kind of acknowledgment he should not do so.

Ron DeSantis Administration Officials Solicit Campaign Cash from Lobbyists

NBC News – Matt Dixon and Jonathan Allen | Published: 5/25/2023

Officials who work for Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration – not his campaign – have been sending text messages to Florida lobbyists soliciting political contributions for DeSantis’s presidential bid, a breach of traditional norms that has raised ethical and legal questions and left many here in the state capital shocked. Text messages from four officials, including those directly in the governor’s office and with leadership positions in state agencies. They requested the recipient of the message contribute to the governor’s campaign through a specific link that appeared to track who is giving as part of a “bundle” program.

Talk of Racism Proves Thorny for G.O.P. Candidates of Color

Yahoo News – Jonathan Weisman and Trip Gabriel (New York Times) | Published: 6/1/2023

In bolstering their own biographies with stories of overcoming discrimination, Republican candidates of color running for the president have put forth views about race that at times appear at odds with their view of the country – often denying the existence of a system of racism in America while describing situations that sound just like it. The clashing views of the role race plays in America are a major theme of the 2024 election, underpinning cultural battles over “wokeness.” Behind the debate over structural racism is a secondary debate over the meaning of the stories that politicians tell about themselves.

Missteps and Miscalculations: Inside Fox’s legal and business debacle

Yahoo News – Jim Rutenberg, Michael Schmidt, and Jeremy Peters (New York Times) | Published: 5/28/2023

A series of missteps and miscalculations plagued Fox Corporation’s response to Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, according to a review of court and business records and interviews. The case resulted in the largest known settlement in a defamation suit, $787.5 million; two shareholder lawsuits; and the benching of Fox’s top prime-time star, Tucker Carlson. For all of that, Fox still faces a lawsuit seeking even more in damages filed by Smartmatic, another subject of the stolen-election theory, which can now build on the evidence produced in the Dominion case to press its own considerable claims.

Feinstein, Back in the Senate, Relies Heavily on Staff to Function

Yahoo News – Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 5/29/2023

As Dianne Feinstein’s reclaims her seat in the U.S. Senate, she is surrounded by a retinue of staff members who serve not only the roles of typical congressional aides – advising on policy, keeping tabs on the schedule, drafting statements and speeches – but also as de facto companions to a senator whose age, frail health, and memory issues make it difficult for her to function alone. Their roles have come under more scrutiny as a number of Democrats and many of Feinstein’s constituents are increasingly concerned about her refusal to relinquish a post that she is not capable of fulfilling without heavy and constant reliance on her aides.

Aide Fired by George Santos Says He Got His Job After Sending Money to Republican’s Deputy

Yahoo News – Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 6/1/2023

A man who briefly worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. George Santos says he got his job after sending a series of payments to one of the Republican’s top deputies. Derek Myers told staff of the House’s ethics subcommittee during an interview that while he was trying to get a job in Santoss congressional office in late January, he sent at least seven $150 payments to Santos’ director of operations, Vish Burra. Myers said he began sending the money unsolicited because he believed Burra was not getting paid by the House at the time and could not afford food. But he said he also hoped the payments might help him secure a job.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Charity Set Up to Support Mayor’s Office Withholds Records, Collected Funds from Companies with Business Before the City

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 5/30/2023

The nonprofit For All of Us collects tens of thousands of dollars from donors to support causes embraced by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. Only limited fundraising and spending records for the group are routinely disclosed. Instead, the money, board leadership, mission statement, and other information about For All of Us are mostly held confidentially. The San Diego Union-Tribune discovered the entity during a routine review of disclosures of behested payments at the recommendation of an elected official. Such contributions are only required to be disclosed by the mayor and other elected officials when donor contributions exceed $5,000 per year.

California – DWP Executive Placed on Leave Amid Questions About Outside Bitcoin Business

MSN – Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 5/26/2023

A top executive at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) was placed on administrative leave while the utility looks into his involvement in the bitcoin mining industry and whether he complied with ethics rules that require employees to obtain permission for outside work. John Chen was placed on leave after The Los Angeles Times asked the DWP about Chen’s ventures, according to a source at the utility.

California – Court Upholds California’s Anti-Pay-to-Play Law Barring Votes Benefiting Campaign Contributors

SiliconValley.com – Jason Henry (San Gabriel Valley Tribune) | Published: 5/26/2023

A Sacramento County Superior Court judge rejected a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a law prohibiting elected officials from voting on matters involving the people and companies who contribute to their campaigns. Judge Richard Sueyoshi determined the law, which went into effect in January, does not violate either the state or federal constitutions. Senate Bill 1439 requires public office holders to recuse themselves from votes and discussions involving anyone who has contributed more than $250 to their campaigns.

Connecticut – Former Connecticut Lawmaker Gets 27 Months in Prison for Stealing Coronavirus Aid

Associated Press News – Dave Collins | Published: 5/31/2023

Former Connecticut Rep. Michael DiMassa was sentenced to 27 months in prison for stealing more than $1.2 million from the city of West Haven, most of it in federal coronavirus-related aid, and using a portion of it to fuel his gambling addiction. At the time of the thefts, he was both a state representative and an aide to the West Haven City Council, with authority to approve reimbursements for coronavirus-related expenses. DiMassa admitted he and others billed West Haven for legal, lobbying, and consulting services that were never provided.

Connecticut – Connecticut Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Utilities from Charging Ratepayers for Political Activities

Energy and Policy Institute – David Pomerantz | Published: 5/29/2023

The Connecticut Senate passed legislation that would prohibit investor-owned utilities from charging customers for lobbying, trade association dues, public relations expenses, and efforts to argue for rate increases. If the House passes the bill, Connecticut would join Colorado as the second state this year to pass legislation addressing utilities’ ability to fund their political machines from customers’ rates.

Florida – Ethics Commission Is Investigating Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s Work for a Developer

MSN – Joey Flechas and Sarah Blaskey (Miami Herald) | Published: 5/25/2023

The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust has opened an investigation into Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s work for developer Rishi Kapoor, following a Miami Herald report that Kapoor’s corporate documents show he sought the mayor’s help to resolve issues involving critical permits for a $70 million project. The ethics commission review is being done in coordination with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office. Internal meeting notes document that Kapoor met with Suarez and the city manager to “discuss the permitting problems” last summer. Internal financial statements show Kapoor paid Suarez at least $170,000 since 2021.

Florida – North Miami Beach Mayor Arrested on Charges Related to ‘Voting Irregularities’

MSN – Raisa Habersham (Miami Herald) | Published: 5/31/2023

North Miami Beach Mayor Anthony DeFillipo was arrested and charged with three counts of voter fraud. The charges allege DeFillipo voted three times in 2022 using an address that was no longer where lived.  A complaint alleged DeFillipo lived in the town of Davie in Broward County, in violation of the North Miami Beach city charter, which requires elected officials to reside in the city. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said her office used cell phone data to track DeFillipo’s driving from Davie to North Miami Beach, where he cast ballots to vote in three elections in August, October, and November.

Florida – Florida Elections Officials Quietly Made It Easier for Ron DeSantis to Fund His 2024 Bid

NBC News – Matt Dixon | Published: 5/30/2023

Florida officials changed state campaign finance guidelines in a way that could allow allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis to move tens of millions of dollars to a super PAC supporting his 2024 presidential campaign, records show. For years, elections officials said such a transfer to federal super PACs would not be allowed. But in March, just months before DeSantis formally launched his bid for president, officials at the Florida Department of State, which regulates state elections, changed its handbook to assert that such moves are allowed.

Illinois – Legislature Approves Bill to Tighten Restrictions on Red-Light Camera Industry

Yahoo News – Andrew Adams (Capitol News Illinois) | Published: 5/27/2023

Illinois lawmakers unanimously approved a bill that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates at the state and local level. It would also prevent state and local government officials from accepting jobs or contracts with those companies while in office or for two years after leaving office.

Massachusetts – Massachusetts Has Passed Just 10 Laws This Year, the Fewest to Open a Legislative Session in Decades. It’s a Sign of the Times.

MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 5/29/2023

Five months into the year, Massachusetts lawmakers have touted passing “historic funding” and holding a budget debate that has never been “smoother.” They can also lay claim to something else, a Boston Globe review found: perhaps the least productive start to a legislative session in at least 40 years. The slow start is likely historic, and, current and former Beacon Hill officials say, reflective of a Democratic-controlled body where power is overly concentrated at the top and where leaders increasingly rely on omnibus legislation to move important policy.

Michigan – As Chatfield Probe Continues, Nessel Urges Reforms to Dark Money in Politics

Detroit News – Beth LeBlanc | Published: 5/31/2023

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging the state Legislature to take action soon on ethics reforms, including the tightening of reporting requirements for nonprofits, as she continues investigations into lawmakers’ use of “dark money” accounts in politics. Nessel expects to have some resolution on four major public integrity cases, including two involving nonprofit organizations tied to former House Speaker Lee Chatfield and ex-Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, by the end of the year.

Nevada – Source: NLV officials met with authorities about state senator’s finances

Las Vegas Journal-Review – Briana Erickson | Published: 5/23/2023

North Las Vegas city officials met with law enforcement to discuss concerns that state Sen. Dina Neal may have used campaign funds to pay off a $20,000 lien on her home. The meeting with law enforcement took place after the Las Vegas Review-Journal requested public records from the city. The records revealed years of emails from Neal, some of which ask staff to forgive first-time Homebuyer Assistance Program loans. In at least two of those emails, Neal did not reveal she had that type of loan.

New Hampshire – Ethics Flap Over Airfare Offer to N.H. Lawmaker Referred for Criminal Review

MSN – Steven Porter (Washington Post) | Published: 5/31/2023

New Hampshire House Speaker Sherman Packard asked the state’s top law enforcement officials to look into whether an ethics flap over an alleged offer of airfare entailed any illegal activity. Packard suggested in a letter to the Department of Justice that Robin Vogt, the lawmaker at the center of the controversy, might have committed a felony even if he rebuffed an outside offer to cover his travel expenses ahead of a high-stakes vote. That is because the law requires public officials to tell law enforcement if someone offers them a bribe, he wrote.

New York – ‘Lobbying Loophole’ Bill Stuck in Assembly in Final Week of Legislative Session

Albany Times Union – Joshua Solomon | Published: 5/31/2023

An attempt to close a loophole in the state’s lobbying laws, which allowed for undocumented outside influence over the chief judge nomination of Justice Hector LaSalle to occur, has stalled in the final week of the legislative session. The bill would require similar rules for lobbying for a judicial candidate or other state appointee as those governing the efforts to influence the enactment of laws and regulations. Many judicial nominations, including for the Court of Appeals, require approval from the state Senate but not the Assembly.

New York – Despite Hochul’s Vow, Her Policies Have Indirectly Aided Husband’s Firm

DNyuz – Jay Root (New York Times) | Published: 5/28/2023

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recusal policy that forbids her from using her office to help Delaware North has not stopped the governor from taking actions that could benefit the company or hurt its competitors, especially near Buffalo, Hochul’s hometown. Delaware North – which owns or manages 11 gambling venues and numerous hotels, and handles concessions at scores of stadiums, airports, and parks – employs the governor’s husband, William Hochul, as its senior vice president. In three recent cases involving matters relating to gambling or concessions, the state took actions that aligned with the interests of her husband’s company.

North Carolina – NC’s Election Ended. Then Gambling Money Showed Up in Campaign Reports, Complaint Says

Charlotte Observer – Avi Bajpai (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 5/30/2023

Donors across the video gambling industry gave North Carolina lawmakers nearly $900,000 between 2019 and 2022, according to a new complaint that alleges some of the contributions may have violated campaign finance laws. The complaint notes many of those donors are members of the North Carolina Coin Operators Association. By not registering as a PAC, the donors avoided having to disclose their fundraising activity, and skirted limits on when and how much money a PAC can give, alleges the complaint.

Ohio – As Borges Delay Is Denied, Former FirstEnergy Execs Say ‘No Doubt’ the Feds Are After Them

Ohio Capital Journal – Marty Schladen | Published: 5/26/2023

Judges denied two delays in recent days that would have been key to a bribery and money laundering scandal that took place in Ohio between 2017 to 2020. Denial of a delay in one court case means a player will still be sentenced in June.  In denying the other, the judge in that case agreed with two former FirstEnergy executives who said federal law enforcement has them in its crosshairs. But she ordered that they be questioned under oath anyway.

Ohio – Ex-Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Pastor Agrees to Plead Guilty in Public Corruption Case

WCPO – Taylor Weiter and Paula Christian | Published: 5/30/2023

Former Cincinnati City Councilperson Jeff Pastor agreed to plead guilty to honor services wire fraud in his public corruption case. In addition to wire fraud, a federal grand jury charged Pastor with bribery, attempted extortion, money laundering, and conspiracy. He was accused of taking $55,000 in bribes and a luxury weekend trip to Miami on a private plane in exchange for votes on two development deals.

Pennsylvania – Philly’s Ethics Board Usually Flies Under the Radar. That Changed with Its Lawsuit Against a Super PAC Backing Jeff Brown

MSN – Sean Collins Walsh (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 5/27/2023

The 2023 Democratic primary for mayor of Philadelphia was just the second open mayor’s race since the advent of super PACs, independent committees that can raise money in amounts that exceed the city’s contribution limits so long as they do not coordinate with candidates. The board ended up spending much of its time dealing with one super PAC, For a Better Philadelphia, which raised about $3 million to boost Jeff Brown in the mayor’s race. The board’s investigation into the group exposed to scrutiny the choices of the agency that plays a role in every election but is often invisible to voters.

Pennsylvania – A DuBois Official Was Arrested on Corruption Charges. Then Nearly $100K in Cash Arrived at City Hall.

Spotlight PA – Angela Couloumbis and Min Xian | Published: 5/30/2023

In May, DuBois’ solicitor showed up at City Hall with $93,920 in cash tucked inside a cardboard box and packaged in a gift bag. Toni Cherry pulled Interim City Manager Chris Nasuti and Police Chief Blaine Clark out of a meeting. According to Nasuti, she handed the gift bag to the two men and told them the cash belonged to the city. She advised them to deposit the money and did not explain why or how it came into her possession. Nasuti and Clark put the cash into a new bank account and alerted the state attorney general’s office. The bag full of cash is now at the center of another storm in a community already reeling from a corruption scandal.

Texas – Texas Republicans Pass Voting Bills Targeting Large Democratic County

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 5/28/2023

Texas Republicans wound down their regular legislative session by changing election policies for a single populous Democratic stronghold but not in other parts of the state. The measure gives the secretary of state under certain conditions the power to run elections in Harris County, home to Houston and 4.8 million residents. It follows a bill approved days earlier that shifts the oversight of elections from its appointed elections administrator to the county clerk and county assessor. Harris County officials said they would bring a lawsuit challenging the measures as soon as Gov. Greg Abbott signs them into law.

Texas – Texas AG Ken Paxton Impeached, Suspended from Duties; Will Face Senate

Texas Tribune – Zach Despart and James Barragán | Published: 5/27/2023

The Texas House voted overwhelmingly to impeach state Attorney General Ken Paxton, suspending him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office. The vote revealed substantial divisions within the Texas GOP. Although the party has won every statewide election for a quarter-century and has controlled both houses of the Legislature since 2003, it has deep underlying fissures. The Senate will conduct a trial with senators acting as jurors and designated House members presenting their case as impeachment managers.

Campaign Finance

California: “Court Upholds California’s Anti-Pay-to-Play Law Barring Votes Benefiting Campaign Contributors” by Jason Henry (San Gabriel Valley Tribune) for SiliconValley.com

Florida: “Florida Elections Officials Quietly Made It Easier for Ron DeSantis to Fund His 2024 Bid” by Matt Dixon for NBC News

Michigan: “As Chatfield Probe Continues, Nessel Urges Reforms to Dark Money in Politics” by Beth LeBlanc for Detroit News

North Carolina: “NC’s Election Ended. Then Gambling Money Showed Up in Campaign Reports, Complaint Says” by Avi Bajpai (Raleigh News and Observer) for Charlotte Observer

Ethics

California: “DWP Executive Placed on Leave Amid Questions About Outside Bitcoin Business” by Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) for MSN

Connecticut: “Former Connecticut Lawmaker Gets 27 Months in Prison for Stealing Coronavirus Aid” by Dave Collins for Associated Press News

National: “DEA’s Failure to Punish Distributor Blamed in Opioid Crisis Raises Revolving Door Questions” by Jim Mustian and Joshua Goodman (Associated Press) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “Recent Attacks Put Staffers on Edge as Authorities Look for Answers” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN

Lobbying

New York: “‘Lobbying Loophole’ Bill Stuck in Assembly in Final Week of Legislative Session” by Joshua Solomon for Albany Times Union

The 93rd session of the Minnesota Legislature adjourned sine die on May 22.

Lawmakers passed House File 3, a bill restricting political activities by foreign influenced corporations, and requiring corporations making political contributions to file certifications.

The bill requires any corporation making a contribution to a ballot question or an independent expenditure to submit a certification to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board that it was not a foreign-influenced corporation as of the date the contribution or expenditure was made.

The bill also broadens the definition of expressly advocating to include certain types of political communications, even if they do not use words or phrases of express advocacy, such as “vote for” or “vote against.”

Expressly advocating is used to identify certain types of independent expenditures that require disclosure and reporting to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.

The bill becomes effective January 1, 2024.

Campaign Finance National: “Ron DeSantis Administration Officials Solicit Campaign Cash from Lobbyists” by Matt Dixon and Jonathan Allen for NBC News Pennsylvania: “Philly’s Ethics Board Usually Flies Under the Radar. That Changed with Its Lawsuit Against a Super PAC Backing Jeff Brown” by Sean Collins Walsh (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN Ethics National: “Trump Workers Moved Mar-a-Lago Boxes a Day Before FBI Came for Documents” by Devlin Barrett, Josh Dawsey, Spencer Hsu, and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN Florida: “Ethics Commission Is Investigating Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s Work for a Developer” by Joey Flechas and Sarah Blaskey (Miami Herald) for MSN Illinois: “Legislature Approves Bill to Tighten Restrictions on Red-Light Camera Industry” by Andrew Adams (Capitol News Illinois) for Yahoo News Nevada: “Source: NLV officials met with authorities about state senator’s finances” by Briana Erickson for Las Vegas Review-Journal New York: “Despite Hochul’s Vow, Her Policies Have Indirectly Aided Husband’s Firm” by Jay Root (New York Times) for DNyuz Legislative Issues Texas: “Texas AG Ken Paxton Impeached, Suspended from Duties; Will Face Senate” by Zach Despart and James Barragán for Texas Tribune

National/Federal

Chief Justice John Roberts Defends Supreme Court’s ‘Highest Standards of Conduct,’ Offers No New Rules

ABC News – Devin Dwyer | Published: 5/24/2023

Chief Justice John Roberts defended the integrity of the Supreme Court in the face of slumping public approval and growing political pressure after a recent barrage of misconduct allegations. It was the first time Roberts directly addressed growing concern about how the justices handle potential conflicts-of-interest with their personal lives, a topic that has gotten renewed attention amid a series of alleged ethical infringements by Justice Clarence Thomas.

Rioter Pictured with Foot on Desk in Speaker’s Offices Gets 4½ Years

MSN – Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 5/24/2023

The U.S. Capitol rioter who was photographed with his foot propped on a desk in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s offices and then tried to make money with the image was sentenced to four-and-one-half years in prison. The photograph of Richard Barnett in Pelosi’s suite of offices in 2021 became one of the defining images of the insurrection. Barnett carried a walking stick with a 950,000-volt stun device into the Capitol along with a 10-pound metal flagpole and menaced police with them, prosecutors said, but he did not assault any officers.

Stewart Rhodes, Oath Keepers Leader, Sentenced to 18 Years in Jan. 6 Case

MSN – Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 5/25/2023

Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his conviction on seditious conspiracy charges for the role he played in helping to mobilize the pro-Trump attack on the U. S. Capitol. The sentence was the most severe penalty so far in any of the more than 1,000 criminal cases stemming from the insurrection and the first to be increased for fitting the legal definition of terrorism. It was also the first to have been given to any of the 10 members of the Oath Keepers and another far-right group, the Proud Boys, who were convicted of sedition.

Tim Scott Begins Presidential Campaign, Adding to List of Trump Challengers

MSN – Jonathan Weisman and Maya King (New York Times) | Published: 5/22/2023

Tim Scott, the first Black Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from the South since Reconstruction, announced his campaign for president, bringing an aspirational message to a growing field of Republicans running as alternatives to Donald Trump. Scott enters the primary field having amassed $22 million in fundraising and having attracted veteran political operatives to work on his behalf. But his message of hope and inclusion may not resonate among base Republican voters steeped in Trump’s demands for vengeance, and the field of Republicans is about to grow far more crowded.

Crow Sidesteps Panel’s Questions About Gifts to Clarence Thomas

MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 5/23/2023

A billionaire Republican donor brushed off questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee about his relationship with Justice Clarence Thomas, in a letter that argues the panel did not have the authority to investigate the lavish gifts he provided to the member of the U.S. Supreme Court. An attorney for Harlan Crow told the committee Crow did not have to answer questions about reports Thomas did not disclose that Crow had provided luxury vacations for the justice, bought property from him and paid for a relative’s private education.

Ron DeSantis’s 2024 Kickoff on Twitter Is Plagued by Technical Issues

MSN – Hannah Knowles and Faiz Siddiqui (Washington Post) | Published: 5/24/2023

Ron DeSantis and his allies worked to build momentum ahead of a long-expected presidential campaign launch, rolling out endorsements, sleek videos, and the image of an alligator lurking just beneath the water on his campaign website. But the novel Twitter Spaces announcement with Elon Musk that the Florida governor’s team had hyped as the culmination of his big day was plagued by glitches. The live chat came to a halt after roughly 20 minutes of mostly silence; by the time it restarted and DeSantis began his remarks, hundreds of thousands of listeners had peeled off. It was an awkward start to a campaign that had already hit numerous roadblocks.

House Votes to Refer Santos Matter to Ethics Panel

MSN – Lindsay McPherson (Roll Call) | Published: 5/17/2023

The House voted to refer a resolution from Democrats that would expel U.S. Rep. George Santos to the Committee on Ethics. Speaker Kevin McCarthy defended the move as providing Santos with “due process.” Santos was indicted on 13 federal criminal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the House. Expelling Santos would put a dent in the GOP’s narrow four-seat majority until a special election can be held. Another Republican victory there would not be guaranteed.

School Librarians Face a New Penalty in the Banned-Book Wars: Prison

MSN – Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) | Published: 5/18/2023

Librarians could face years of imprisonment and tens of thousands in fines for providing sexually explicit, obscene, or “harmful” books to children under new state laws that permit criminal prosecution of school and library personnel. At least seven states have passed such laws in the last two years. Another dozen states considered more than 20 similar bills this year. Some educators and activists say the laws will forge a climate of fear among school librarians, spurring the censorship of books by and about LGBTQ individuals even as the nation already faces a historic onslaught of challenges to books in those categories.

Sen. Feinstein’s Health Complications from Shingles More Severe Than Disclosed

MSN – Liz Goodwin and Carolyn Johnson (Washington Post) | Published: 5/18/2023

Sen. Dianne Feinstein returned to Washington after having suffered more severe health complications from her shingles diagnosis than were previously disclosed. Feinstein’s shingles triggered encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, as well as Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which causes facial paralysis. She returned to the Senate after facing pressure to resign from a few members of Congress and California progressive groups, who complained her months-long absence was slowing judicial confirmations and imperiling the Democratic agenda.

Meet the Influential New Player on Transgender Health Bills

Yahoo News – Jeff McMillan and Kimberlee Kruesi (Associated Press) | Published: 5/20/2023

Do No Harm, a nonprofit that launched last year to oppose diversity initiatives in medicine, has evolved into a significant leader in statehouses seeking to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youths, producing model legislation that has been used in at least three states. Do No Harm organized as a charitable organization whose tax-exempt status would be endangered by substantial lobbying. In March, after the group had already made significant inroads in Legislatures with its model bill, lobbyists, and hearing witnesses, it incorporated Do No Harm Action as a separate nonprofit with a tax status that allows for more lobbying,

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Groups Settle Arizona Lawsuit Over Voter Intimidation at Ballot Boxes

MSN – Daniel Gilbert (Washington Post) | Published: 5/21/2023

An Arizona group that monitored ballot drop boxes for signs of fraud during the midterm elections settled a lawsuit and agreed to “publicly condemn intimidation of any kind in connection with the exercise of the right to vote,” according to the League of Women Voters of Arizona, which had filed the suit. The drop boxes, intended to provide a secure, convenient place to submit ballots, have become a symbol of mistrust in elections among many supporters of Donald Trump.

Arizona – Judge Dismisses Kari Lake’s Final Claim in Election Loss for Arizona Governor

Yahoo News – Associated Press | Published: 5/21/2023

A judge dismissed the only remaining legal claim in Kari Lake’s challenge of her loss in last year’s race for Arizona governor, affirming the election of Katie Hobbs. Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson said Lake failed to prove her claim that Maricopa County did not verify signatures on mail ballots as required by law. Lake faced a high bar in proving not only her allegation over signature verification efforts but also that it affected the outcome of her race.

California – 49ers’ Former Lobbyist Emerges as Key Witness in Anthony Becker Perjury Case

MSN – Lance Williams and Ron Kroichick (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 5/19/2023

The former chief lobbyist for the San Francisco 49ers testified Santa Clara City Councilperson Anthony Becker illegally leaked a confidential report criticizing the team’s political influence. Rahul Chandhok told a grand jury that Becker gave him a confidential copy of a watchdog agency’s report accusing the 49ers of having undue influence over government in Santa Clara, home of publicly owned Levi’s Stadium. Becker is charged with one felony count of perjury and one misdemeanor count of failing to perform his official duty.

Connecticut – Consultant on New London Pier Project Fined for Ethics Violations – Again

WSHU – Brian Scott-Smith | Published: 5/19/2023

The Connecticut Office of State Ethics fined Seabury Maritime $10,000 for violating the state’s lobbying law. It lobbied from 2017 to 2019 to gain contracts and other business from the Connecticut Port Authority, a quasi-public agency. Seabury spent over $3,000 in lobbying each year, which triggered a requirement for them to register their activity, which they failed to do. The company also did not complete any financial disclosures as required.

Florida – Developer Paid Miami’s Mayor $170K to Push His Project, Company Records State

MSN – Joey Flechas, Jay Weaver, and Sarah Blaskey (Miami Herald) | Published: 5/23/2023

Internal company records provide details, for the first time, of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s private work for the development firm Location Ventures while he held public office. The company paid Suarez at least $170,000 over the past two years to help secure permits for a stalled real estate project, raising legal and ethical questions about the relationship between his role as mayor and his job as a developer’s consultant.

Florida – DeSantis Signs Bill That Makes His Presidential Run Easier

MSN – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 5/24/2023

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis removed a threat to his campaign for president by signing into law a measure that makes it clear he does not have to resign his current position as governor. The change to Florida’s resign-to-run law was part of a larger overall elections bill that has drawn the scorn of Democrats and voting rights groups who have labeled it “voter suppression.” Two lawsuits were immediately filed in federal court challenging the law.

Florida – Florida Senator Sued by His Family Business for ‘Embezzling’ Money

Yahoo News – Lawrence Mower (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 5/22/2023

State Sen. Nick DiCeglie is being sued by his cousins and his family trash collection business for allegedly spending tens of thousands of the company’s dollars on political expenses, travel, and a personal loan. In two lawsuits, DiCeglie is accused of “embezzling” money while he was president of Solar Sanitation. DiCeglie has agreed to pay back some of the money, including $120,000 in loans from the company. But he said the political spending was to further the company’s business, which relies on contracts with local governments in Pinellas County.

Georgia – Book Removals May Have Violated Student Civil Rights, Education Dept. Says

MSN – Hannah Natanson and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) | Published: 5/22/2023

In a move that could affect how schools handle book challenges, the federal government has concluded a Georgia school district’s removal of titles with Black and LGBTQ characters may have created a “hostile environment” for students, potentially violating their civil rights. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights investigated Forsyth County Schools’ 2022 decision to pull nearly a dozen books from shelves after parents complained of titles’ sexual and LGBTQ content. To resolve the investigation, the district agreed to offer “supportive measures” to students affected by the book removals and to administer a school climate survey.

Illinois – Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s Girlfriend, Ex-Business Partners and City Employee’s Husband Awarded Thousands in Taxpayer-Funded Grants

WTTW – Nick Blumberg | Published: 5/18/2023

The Aurora City Council has awarded dozens of taxpayer-funded business grants to local businesses in recent months. The owners of two of the companies are in personal relationships with top city officials. A majority of recent donations to Mayor Richard Irvin’s campaign fund are from people doing business with or getting incentives from the city, The council approved a $10,000 grant to Laura’s Furniture, owned by Laura Ayala-Clarke. Sources have described her as Irvin’s girlfriend.

Illinois – Under Pressure on Ethics, Illinois Lawmakers Consider Tightened Rules on Red-Light Camera Industry

Yahoo News – Dan Petrella (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 5/24/2023

Facing pressure to bolster state ethics laws following the recent bribery convictions of former Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists, Illinois lawmakers have turned their attention to another branch of a corruption investigation: the red-light camera industry. A bill approved in the Senate seeks to place new guardrails around an industry that has been at the center of multiple federal probes that have ensnared a host of state, county, and local officials, including two state senators.

Kansas – Kansas Ethics Commission to Evaluate Factors Influencing Waiver of Campaign Finance Penalties

KPVI – Tim Carpenter | Published: 5/25/2023

At a recent meeting, the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission voted to waive fines against the Geary County Republican Central Committee’s treasurer along with penalties against the treasurer of the defunct Prairie Roots PAC and a lobbyist with Kansans for Life. Others appealing campaign finance penalties had their fines upheld. The hit-or-miss voting on appeals led to discussion of how commission members placed their fingers on the scale to either enforce or waive penalties.

Kentucky – Agency Fines Alison Grimes $10,000 for Handling of Voter Data as KY Secretary of State

Yahoo News – John Cheves (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 5/19/2023

Alison Lundergan Grimes must pay $10,000 in fines for improperly ordering the downloading and distribution of voter registration data from her office while she was Kentucky’s secretary of state. The Lexington Herald-Leader and ProPublica published a series of stories on her improper use of the Voter Registration System. They also showed how Grimes pushed through a no-bid contract with a company owned by a campaign donor.

Louisiana – New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Office Sought to Avoid Public Disclosure Rules for Anti-Recall Mailer

NOLA.com – John Stanton | Published: 5/23/2023

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration circumvented city public bidding rules to hire a public relations firm with apparent ties to one of her top advisors to defend her record as mayor in the waning days of a failed recall effort. Documents turned over to the city council under a subpoena, provide the clearest picture yet into the development of a potentially illegal taxpayer-funded mailer sent to likely voters in the week before the recall petition deadline, and the lengths to which top Cantrell officials went to obscure their work on it.

Maryland – Treasurer for Baltimore County Campaign Committees Pleads Guilty to Stealing Funds

Maryland Daily Record – Madeline O’Neill | Published: 5/25/2023

William McCollum, the treasurer for a powerful Baltimore County political slate, pleaded guilty Thursday to theft and perjury charges, admitting to stealing campaign funds from the group and from a former county councilperson’s finance committee. The charges alleged McCollum embezzled nearly $100,000 from the Friends of Cathy Bevins fund for his personal benefit. Prosecutors said McCollum used campaign money to travel with a romantic partner while in Puerto Rico and for flights to Palm Beach, Florida, and Iceland. He did not disclose those expenditures on campaign finance reports.

Massachusetts – Calls for Arroyo to Step Down from Boston City Council after Rollins Investigation

WBUR – Walter Wuthmann | Published: 5/19/2023

At least one Boston city councilor and a conservative advocacy group are calling for Councilor Ricardo Arroyo to resign following the release of two federal investigations tying him to alleged election meddling by former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins. The reports found Rollins attempted to influence the race for Suffolk County district attorney in 2022 by leaking negative information about interim District Attorney Kevin Hayden to help Arroyo, her preferred successor to the office. The Department of Justice report contains 299 mentions of Arroyo and includes portions of 380 private texts and encrypted chats between him and Rollins over two months.

Mississippi – Chris McDaniel’s Reports Deny Accurate Public Accounting of Campaign Money

Mississippi Today – Geoff Pender | Published: 5/18/2023

After six campaign finance filings – including amended, termination-amended, and even one the-computer-temporarily-ate-it reports – it is still unclear exactly how much money longtime Mississippi Sen. Chris McDaniel has raised or now has for his lieutenant governor campaign. McDaniel’s reports for his campaign and a PAC he created last year have been confusing and confounding, at times leaving voters in the dark on the sources of hundreds of thousands of dollars and continuing to contain double-reported donations and amounts and dates that do not add up.

Nebraska – A Year After Scandal, Nebraska Legislature Revises Its Workplace Harassment Policy

Omaha World-Herald – Erin Bamer | Published: 5/17/2023

Over a year after a scandal rocked the Nebraska Legislature, lawmakers adopted a handful of changes to its workplace harassment policy, although some say there is still more work to be done. The changes were developed after the revelation that ex-Sen. Mike Groene took photos of a former female staff member without her knowledge. Soon after, Groene resigned from the Legislature, and a later investigation found his conduct was “boorish, brainless and bizarre,” although not unlawful.

New York – Trump Makes Video Appearance in New York Criminal Case, Trial Date Tentatively Set for Late March

Associated Press News – Michael Sisak | Published: 5/23/2023

Donald Trump threw up his hands in frustration as a judge scheduled his criminal trial for March 25, putting the former president and current candidate in a Manhattan courtroom in the heat of next year’s presidential primary season. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his family company, the Trump Organization. Trump often discusses the cases at his rallies and in other speeches and has repeatedly attacked prosecutors and judges by name. At the hearing, the judge reviewed an order barring Trump from publicly disseminating certain evidence turned over by prosecutors.

New York – Supreme Court Tosses Convictions of Cor Development Executives Steve Aiello and Joe Gerardi

MSN – Tim Knauss (Syracuse Post-Standard) | Published: 5/22/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the convictions of business executives Steven Aiello and Joseph Gerardi, who were accused of bid-rigging and other crimes related to state development projects. The ruling was expected due to the court’s rulings in two related cases. Alain Kaloyeros, a former economic development official in the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also had his conviction formally set aside. Aiello and Gerardi, executives at Cor Development Co., were convicted of conspiring with Kaloyeros, the former president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

New York – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano’s Brothers Run Lobbying Firm with Biz Before City

MSN – Carl Campanile (New York Post) | Published: 5/22/2023

Two brothers of Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano run a lobbying firm with clients that have had business before the city during the mayor’s tenure, including with the agency that doles out tax breaks and is chaired by him, records show. Empire Strategic Planning (ESP) was founded by Nick Spano, a former state senator. John Spano is on ESP’s executive team. Mayor Spano and his siblings-led firm said it lobbies on these clients’ behalf in Albany, not Yonkers City Hall.

New York – Lobbyists Fundraise for Adams 2021 Campaign

NY1 – Courtney Gross | Published: 5/23/2023

Documents show lobbyists raised money for Eric Adams in his 2021 race to be New York City mayor, fundraising that has not been reported previously. Adams’ campaign never reported any of these lobbyists as bundlers or intermediaries with the city’s campaign finance board. By law, campaigns must report who collects donations for their campaigns.

North Dakota – Lame-Duck North Dakota Lawmakers Roamed to Faraway Conferences on the Taxpayers’ Dime

Bismarck Tribune – Jeremy Turley (Forum News Service) | Published: 5/23/2023

Since 2014, the North Dakota Legislature has spent more than $45,000 to send a dozen retiring and defeated lawmakers to out-of-state conferences. Some of the departing lawmakers served on interstate policy boards and were expected to show up to faraway meetings, but others went to conferences that could have been attended by any of their colleagues who planned to remain in the Legislature. Sen. Ray Holmberg, Holmberg, who attended more out-of-state trips than any of his peers since 2013, also signed off on his own travel during the time he served as chairperson of Legislative Management, an interim panel of top lawmakers.

Oregon – Before Oregon Elections Officials Slashed Democratic Party’s Fine, State Lawyer Blasted Party’s ‘Lackluster’ Efforts to Find True Source of $500K Donation

Portland Oregonian – Hillary Borrud | Published: 5/23/2023

Two weeks before Oregon elections officials greatly reduced a fine against the state Democratic Party for falsely reporting the source of its largest ever campaign donation, Assistant Attorney General Kevin Gleim criticized the party, calling its efforts to correctly identify the donor “lackluster.” Gleim also said the Elections Division had no authority to reduce a resulting $35,000 fine on the party, which was determined solely on the size of the contribution donation and the number of days the party was tardy in reporting the donor.

Pennsylvania – Allegheny County Council Approves Campaign Finance Regulations

WESA – Julia Zenkevich | Published: 5/24/2023

The Allegheny County Council passed a bill that would impose FEC contribution guidelines on candidates for county offices. Those guidelines are adjusted for inflation every two years, but individual contributions are currently capped at $3,300, while PACs can give $5,000 per election cycle. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has said he would likely veto the bill. He said campaign finance limits should come from the state Legislature.

Texas – Texas Pushes Church into State with Bills on School Chaplains, Ten Commandments

MSN – Michelle Boorstein (Washington Post) | Published: 5/23/2023

Texas lawmakers were scheduled to vote on whether to require the Ten Commandments be posted in every classroom in the state, part of a newly energized national effort to insert religion into public life. Supporters believe the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of a high school football coach who prayed with players essentially removed any guardrails between religion and government. The legislation is one of about a half-dozen religion bills approved this session by the state Senate.

Texas – Investigators Detail Years of Alleged Misconduct by Texas AG Ken Paxton in Stunning House Committee Hearing

MSN – Zach Despart and James Barragán (Texas Tribune) | Published: 5/24/2023

A Texas House committee heard testimony that state Attorney General Ken Paxton may have violated multiple state laws and ethics rules during a hearing that summarized its months-long investigation. The testimony came a day after Paxton called for Speaker Dade Phelan to resign, accusing him of being “intoxicated” while presiding over the House recently. One area of the inquiry focused on a proposed $3.3 million agreement to settle a whistleblower lawsuit filed by four high-ranking deputies who were fired after accusing Paxton of accepting bribes and other misconduct.

Virginia – In N. Virginia, Endorsement Primaries Point to Increasingly Politicized School Boards

MSN – Karina Elwood (Washington Post) | Published: 5/21/2023

As Harold Sims Jr. knocked on doors for his school board campaign, many of the Northern Virginia residents on the other side did not know there was an election in May. Sims was not campaigning for the general election or primary that most voters are familiar with. He was door knocking, along with fundraising and debating other candidates to win the local Democratic Party’s endorsement. School board races in Virginia, like most of the country, are nonpartisan. But for years, local political parties around the state have endorsed school board candidates to signal to voters which candidates match their political ideology.

Virginia – A Republican Lawmaker Delivered Doughnuts to Teachers. Then Came a Political Food Fight

Virginia Mercury – Graham Moomaw | Published: 5/23/2023

Virginia Del. Amanda Batten bought almost 1,000 doughnuts to give to public school teachers in her Williamsburg-area district. The doughnut deliveries to 19 schools were accepted. But in a sign of the intensity of Virginia’s political debates over K-12 public schools, some in the system saw an ulterior motive in the gifts. A photo showed a doughnut-box label with a line in smaller print: “Paid for and Authorized by Friends of Amanda Batten.” That phrase signals an activity was funded by money from a political campaign. The pushback was so strong school officials told Batten similar doughnut drop offs would be declined due to their “political nature.”

Virginia – Though Critiques Persist, Many Agree Virginia’s New Political Maps Are ‘Quite Balanced’

Virginia Mercury – Graham Moomaw | Published: 5/17/2023

As Virginia enters a high-stakes General Assembly election year, the first playing out on electoral maps drawn by outside experts rather than incumbent legislators, many lawmakers, advocates, and experts agree it looks like a fair fight, with neither party getting an undue advantage based on political geography alone. Despite fears that the new redistricting process could lead to backsliding in minority representation, a look at the field of candidates running this year indicates the Legislature elected on the new maps will be more diverse, not less.

West Virginia – Democrats Sue W.Va. Gov. Justice Over Refusal to Disclose Work Schedule

MSN – John Wagner (Washington Post) | Published: 5/23/2023

Democrats sued West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat, for refusing to release his work schedule as governor in response to public records request seeking to show a continued pattern of absenteeism. The move by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee follows months of back and forth with Justice’s office over whether disclosure of the records is required under West Virginia law. Such requests are a typical part of opposition research conducted by campaigns and political parties.