National:

A Dream Undone
New York Times – Jim Rutenberg | Published: 7/29/2015

August 6 is the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act. It eliminated literacy tests and other Jim Crow tactics, and in a key provision called Section 5 required seven states with histories of black disenfranchisement to submit any future change in statewide voting law for approval by federal authorities. In 2008, for the first time, black turnout was nearly equal to white turnout, and Barack Obama was elected the nation’s first black president. Since then, however, the legal trend has abruptly reversed. The rollback of the law was the result of a little-known part of the civil rights story. It involves a largely Republican countermovement of ideologues and partisan operatives who methodically set out to undercut or dismantle its most important requirements.

Facebook Expands in Politics, and Campaigns Find Much to Like
New York Times – Ashley Parker | Published: 7/29/2015

While it is no surprise that campaigns are devoting a greater share of their budget and energy on digital initiatives, Facebook, already a major player in past cycles, has been working to expand its digital dominance in the political realm. Facebook, which has 189 million monthly users in the U.S., has pitched its tools and services to every presidential campaign in the 2016 race, not to mention down-ballot races, to showcase new features as candidates seek to reach and recruit new supporters and potential donors. Some estimate that 2016 will usher in roughly $1 billion in online political advertising, and Facebook says it is on track to increase its revenue from previous cycles.

Federal:

Billionaire Donors Bypass K Street
Roll Call – Kate Ackley | Published: 7/29/2015

The most politically generous billionaires invest almost unlimited personal resources in supporting federal candidates and super PACs. But the hedge funds and other companies that fuel their bank accounts put up a relatively small amount of cash toward disclosed federal lobbying, according to a Roll Call survey of the top 25 donors. Some of the firms founded or owned by the biggest donors leave no paper trail revealing any history of lobbying work. But even when they do not list a roster of pricey hired help from K Street, these top donors and their companies still exert influence.

D.N.C. Lifts Ban on Convention Fundraising
New York Times – Maggie Haberman | Published: 7/23/2015

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) lifted its ban on contributions from PACs and lobbyists for its convention fundraising and for the accounts it shares with presidential campaigns. Both limitations were put in place by Barack Obama, who was seeking to change the influence of money in Washington. The DNC will continue its policy of not accepting donations from PACs and lobbyists for its general fundraising operations. Allowing such contributions to the joint fundraising committee was something that Hillary Clinton’s campaign encouraged, and Congress last year eliminated public funding for the national conventions.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arkansas – Ethics Panel Reaffirms Past Ruling on Ticket Sales to Legislators
Arkansas News – John Lyon (Arkansas News Bureau) | Published: 7/24/2015

Regardless of whether the preferential treatment comes from the University of Arkansas itself or from the Razorback Foundation, lawmakers cannot get access to Razorback tickets unless they pay the same fees as everyone else, the state Ethics Commission ruled. University officials had argued the school and its athletic booster club are separate entities and restrictions on gifts from lobbyists do not apply to the foundation. The commission disagreed.

Missouri – McCaskill Calls for Advocacy Group to Give Missouri Capital Interns ‘Someone to Talk to’
KCUR – Jo Mannies | Published: 7/29/2015

State Sen. Paul LeVota resigned recently after being accused of sexually harassing an intern, but U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill contends the real issue is that little has changed. She was an intern at the Missouri Capitol 41 years ago. “I am bitterly disappointed that the climate has not changed significantly since 1974,” McCaskill said, recalling her own experiences with off-color jokes and unsolicited sexual comments. And she remembers the self-doubt of what she should do. That is why McCaskill is suggesting that a special advocacy organization be set up to simply give interns a non-threatening source to talk to, where they could get constructive information about how to file a formal complaint and even hire a lawyer.

Missouri – Missouri’s ‘Wild West’ Campaign-Finance Rules Are Making Candidates Look Terrible
National Journal – Karyn Bruggeman | Published: 7/23/2015

A handful of states have no limits on who can donate to candidates or how much, but Missouri is the only one with the combination of no limits on campaign donations or lobbyist gifts, and no laws on the books to prevent elected officials from immediately becoming lobbyists after leaving office. For candidates looking to raise money, the laissez-faire approach is a boon. But when it comes time to explain to voters where that cash came from and what it was for, candidates are often left without good answers. That has been particularly true of the start of the state’s 2016 governor’s race.

Nebraska – Number of Groups Hiring Nebraska Lobbyists Reaches New High
Seattle Post-Intelligencer – Grant Schulte (Associated Press) | Published: 7/28/2015

Common Cause Nebraska said the number of groups hiring lobbyists rose to a record 527 this year, from 506 in 2014. The groups spent nearly $14.1 million last year to influence lawmakers, most of which went to lobbyists. The report calls for more specific disclosure requirements, including a breakdown of lobbyist expenses per elected official and creating a separate reporting category for food and beverages. Nebraska should prohibit lobbyists from bundling campaign contributions and ban all in-session fundraisers.

Nevada – Nevada Lobbyists Spend Record Amount on Legislators
Las Vegas Review-Journal – Sandra Chereb | Published: 7/24/2015

Lobbyists in Nevada spent $153,079 to entertain and influence state lawmakers during this year’s legislative session. The record amount is up nearly 26 percent over the $121,594 reported by lobbyists two years ago. Lobbyists are required to report how much they spend on gifts, group events, and entertainment provided to lawmakers for each month of the session. The entertainment category includes cost of meals and beverages when a lobbyist picks up the tab. The cost of group events – receptions, luncheons, dinners, or other events where every legislator is invited – totaled $149,777. Individual entertainment expenses were $2,176.

Ohio – City Council Officials Got Box Seats at Ohio State Game
Columbus Dispatch – Lucas Sullivan | Published: 7/26/2015

Days after John Raphael abstained from voting on a food-and-beverage contract for the Greater Columbus Convention Center because of a conflict-of-interest, he escorted four Columbus City Council members to the Big Ten Conference Championship football game. Raphael said he removed himself from the convention authority’s food-vendor selection process because he represented Centerplate, the company that was then bidding for and now holds the contract, as a statewide lobbyist. Raphael and his relationships with elected officials have come under scrutiny after he was implicated in the bribery scheme involving Redflex, the company that had the contract for red-light cameras in Columbus.

Oregon – Ethics Reforms after Kitzhaber: Going slow means getting it right, Oregon lawmakers argue
Portland Oregonian – Denis Theriault | Published: 7/29/2015

The day before Gov. John Kitzhaber quit amid influence-peddling allegations, Republicans in the Oregon Legislature seized on the scandal to introduce sweeping ethics reforms. They wanted to set strict rules for the governor’s partner, allow lawmakers to impeach statewide officials, and increase access to public records, among other changes. But when lawmakers adjourned in July, none of those ideas had advanced. Only three milder bills drafted by Gov. Kate Brown became law. Some Republicans say Democratic leaders played politics to keep the state’s minority party from scoring points. But other officials, including Brown, say they are intentionally taking it slow, especially in the absence of criminal charges spelling out whether Kitzhaber and former first lady Cylvia Hayes broke any laws.

Pennsylvania – Pa. Congressman Fattah Indicted on Corruption Charges from 2007 Mayor’s Race
Washington Post – Paul Kane and Mike DeBonis | Published: 7/29/2015

U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and four associates were indicted on racketeering conspiracy charges, accused of misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer, charity, and campaign funds. Fattah is accused of misusing money from his unsuccessful 2007 bid for mayor of Philadelphia. Prosecutors allege Fattah used federal grants and donations to his educational foundation to pay back part of a campaign supporter’s $1 million loan and helped arrange a $15 million federal grant for a nonexistent nonprofit in lieu of a $130,000 payment to a political consultant after his failed mayoral run.

Texas – Appeals Court Rejects One Count in Perry Indictment
Texas Tribune – Patrick Svitek | Published: 7/24/2015

A state appeals court dropped one of the two felony charges that former Texas Gov. Rick Perry is facing. He was indicted last summer on criminal charges of abuse of power and coercion of a public servant. The case surrounds an episode during which Perry was accused of trying to use his powers as governor to make an elected official step down after being charged with drunken driving. The court dismissed the coercion of a public servant charge against Perry on the grounds that it violates his right to free speech under the First Amendment. He still faces the abuse of official capacity charge, which carries a prison sentence of five to 99 years.

Virginia – Clinton Donors Also Pumped Millions into McAuliffe’s Coffers
Washington Post – Laura Vozzella | Published: 7/29/2015

More than 175 contributors to the Clinton Foundation and to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign have dug deep into their wallets for Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, often giving prolifically despite little or no connection to the state. Of the $60 million that McAuliffe has raised for his two gubernatorial bids, inauguration, PAC, and the Virginia Democratic Party, nearly $18 million has come from contributors to the Clinton Foundation or to Hillary Clinton’s current campaign. The substantial overlap highlights how intimately McAuliffe’s political universe is intertwined with that of Bill and Hillary Clinton, for whom McAuliffe has been a fundraiser and close friend.

Wisconsin – Emails Show Contact between GAB Head and IRS Mostly Personal in Nature
Wisconsin Radio Network – Andrew Beckett | Published: 7/27/2015

An opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal raised the possibility of a coordinated effort by Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Director Kevin Kennedy and former IRS Director of Exempt Organizations Lois Lerner to target conservative political groups for investigation. Wisconsin officials have now released 138 pages of emails between Kennedy and Lerner. Most of the messages discuss dinner and travel plans, or updates about family. A handful of include IRS policy updates or repost articles about campaign finance debates. Lerner also included Kennedy on several lengthy email forwards featuring humorous photo collections about friendship and other jokes.

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

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is seeking public comment on new campaign finance regulations addressing disclosure of independent expenditures and electioneering communications. The FEC is also seeking comment on new rules addressing solicitations of corporate and labor organization employees and members, independence of expenditures made by independent expenditure-only political committees and accounts, and election-related spending by foreign nationals.

Comments may be submitted electronically at http://www.fec.gov/fosers, referencing REG 2015–04, and must be submitted on or before October 27, 2015.

Lobbying

“Billionaire Donors Bypass K Street” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Nebraska: “Number of Groups Hiring Nebraska Lobbyists Reaches New High” by Grant Schulte (Associated Press) for Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “Super PACs Start Dominating Local Races in N.J.” by Matt Friedman for Politico

Ethics

Missouri: “McCaskill Calls for Advocacy Group to Give Missouri Capital Interns ‘Someone to Talk to’” by Jo Mannies for KCUR

New York: “Despite Unprecedented Scandal, Calls for Special Ethics Session Fall on Deaf Ears” by David Howard King for Gotham Gazette

Oregon: “Ethics Reforms after Kitzhaber: Going slow means getting it right, Oregon lawmakers argue” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian

Pennsylvania: “Pa. Congressman Fattah Indicted on Corruption Charges from 2007 Mayor’s Race” by Paul Kane and Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

Elections

“Facebook Expands in Politics, and Campaigns Find Much to Like” by Ashley Parker for New York Times

“A Dream Undone” by Jim Rutenberg for New York Times

Mainers for Accountable Elections, an activist group advocating for stricter campaign finance law, has developed a ballot measure to be considered by voters in the November 2015 election. The measure proposes to establish gubernatorial transition committees to help finance a governor-elect’s inauguration; increase penalties for late filings and certain other campaign finance violations; and require independent expenditure communications to include a conspicuous statement listing the top three funders of the communication.

The measure also proposes several amendments to the Maine Clean Election Act related to public funding for candidates. The most ambitious section of the measure proposes to require lawmakers to eliminate $6 million in corporate tax breaks in order to fund the expansion of the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.

The measure will appear as “Question 1” on the November 2015 ballot.

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Clean Election Referendum Includes Call to End $6 Million in Maine Corporate Tax Breaks” by Steve Mistler for Portland Press Herald

Missouri: “Missouri’s ‘Wild West’ Campaign-Finance Rules Are Making Candidates Look Terrible” by Karyn Bruggeman for National Journal

Wisconsin: “Emails Show Contact between GAB Head and IRS Mostly Personal in Nature” by Andrew Beckett for Wisconsin Radio Network

Ethics

Florida: “Former Lt. Gov. Carroll Admits Breaking Ethics Law” by Michael Auslen (Tampa Bay Times) for Miami Herald

Hawaii: “Honolulu Ethics Commission Loosens News Media Policy” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

New Jersey: “Christie Has Made Habit of Appointing High School Friends” by Jill Colvin (Associated Press) for Raleigh News & Observer

New York: “New Hire for Ethics Board Attacked” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Elections

“As the G.O.P. Base Clamors for Confrontation, Candidates Oblige” by Jackie Chalmes for New York Times

“Are Voters Ready to Cast a Vote Against the Supreme Court?” by Greg Stohr for Bloomberg.com

A voter initiative is being developed in Orange County, California, to create a county ethics commission. The commission would enforce campaign finance limits for countywide offices as well as public ethics, including gifts and conflicts of interest.

The commission would also have a hotline where citizens could provide tips regarding ethics issues and would have the power to subpoena witnesses and documents.

If the initiative qualifies, it would appear on the November 2016 ballot. A version of the proposed initiative is available here.

Lobbying

Arkansas: “Ethics Panel Reaffirms Past Ruling on Ticket Sales to Legislators” by John Lyon (Arkansas News Bureau) for Arkansas News

Ohio: “City Council Officials Got Box Seats at Ohio State Game” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

Campaign Finance

“Chamber Gearing Up to Take Out GOP Incumbents” by Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for Politico

Arizona: “Election Director Threatens Lawsuits against ‘Dark Money’ Watchdogs” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Service) for Arizona Daily Sun

Nevada: “Nevada Lobbyists Spend Record Amount on Legislators” by Sandra Chereb for Las Vegas Review-Journal

Pennsylvania: “Documents Show Pennsylvania GOP’s Courtship of Gas Industry” by Rich Lord for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ethics

Florida: “Ethics Board Facing Criticism from Amendment Backers” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

Mississippi: “Sources: FBI probing Pickering campaign funds” by Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Missouri: “Missouri Senator Resigns Seat, Continues to Deny Allegations He Sexually Harassed Interns” by Alex Stuckey for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

New York: “John Sampson, New York State Senator, Is Guilty on Some Federal Charges” by Stephanie Clifford for New York Times

Lobbying

Colorado: “Colorado Senator Says He Has No Records on His Lobbyist-Written Elderly Care Bill” by Arthur Kane for Colorado Watchdog

Campaign Finance

“D.N.C. Lifts Ban on Convention Fundraising” by Maggie Haberman for New York Times

Rhode Island: “R.I. Board of Elections Drops Fines in 208 Cases” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Ethics

“Criminal Inquiry Is Sought in Clinton Email Account” by Michael Schmidt and Matt Apuzzo for New York Times

“Drug Companies Pushed From Far and Wide to Explain High Prices” by Andrew Pollack for New York Times

District of Columbia: “New Details Emerge about Metro Contract That Raised Ethical Questions” by Lori Aratani for Washington Post

Hawaii: “Hawaii’s Student Travel Still Up in the Air as Free Trips Debated” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat

New Jersey: “N.J. Lawmaker Plans Bill Curbing Governors Use of Public Funds for Out-of-State Trip Expenses” by Melissa Hayes for Bergen Record

Texas: “Appeals Court Rejects One Count in Perry Indictment” by Patrick Svitek for Texas Tribune

A ban on contributions from lobbyists and PACs will be lifted for the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The ban was imposed by the party in 2008.

According to the New York Times, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) will accept these once banned contributions for both the convention and for joint fundraising with presidential campaigns. Holly Shulman, a DNC spokeswoman, said the party will “not [be] accepting donations from political action committees and lobbyists for its general fundraising operations.”

Photo of the Philadelphia skyline by Massimo Catarinella on Wikimedia.

Federal:

‘Influencers’ Poll Gives Grades to Lobby Groups
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 7/22/2015

The consulting firm APCO Worldwide interviewed 301 people from the public and private sectors, including lobbyists and top aides on Capitol Hill, to find out which trade groups are the most effective at influencing decision-makers. Of the 50 associations evaluated by participants, PhRMA came out on top of seven of the 15 categories – including lobbying, coalition building, social media, having a unified voice, and possessing the ability to work within the legislative, executive, and regulatory arenas. Overall, the financial services industry ranked number one out of the eight sectors listed as part of the survey. “Having a unified voice as an industry and having a positive perception in the media are now considered more important to a trade association’s effectiveness than lobbying or member mobilization,” said Bill Dalbec of APCO.

Rick Perry Finance Chairman Does Super PAC Two-Step
Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine | Published: 7/22/2015

Rick Perry’s presidential campaign raised $1.14 million between the former Texas governor’s announcement on June 4 and the end of that month, about one-tenth of what Jeb Bush reported raising in about half that time. But the underwhelming fundraising total is not threatening Kelcy Warren’s job as Perry’s presidential campaign chairperson. Warren is helping the candidate in a major way and is navigating a legal minefield to do it. The billionaire gave $6 million to a coalition of super PACs that are supporting Perry’s bid. Warren’s contribution illustrates how closely some presidential campaigns and advisers are working with the theoretically independent groups that exist to promote their candidate of choice.

Seeing Crowd, G.O.P. Donors Holding Back
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Sarah Cohen | Published: 7/18/2015

Only about a fifth of the 1,000 or so fundraisers and their spouses who rallied around Mitt Romney in 2012 have given money to any of the 2016 Republican presidential candidates. Those who remain uncommitted – hundreds of volunteer bundlers who could collect contributions from their friends and business associates – represent a huge pool of untapped campaign cash, potentially hundreds of millions of dollars that could remake the primary campaign. Some of the bundlers and donors said they had held back, in part, because the field was the strongest they had seen in years, with several viable contenders representing the party’s different generational and ideological segments.

Who Advises Candidate Trump? (Hint: His Name Is Donald)
New York Times – Maggie Haberman and Michael Barbaro | Published: 7/20/2015

At a candidate forum in Iowa, Donald Trump said U.S. Sen. John McCain “is not a war hero” because he was captured. It was an improvised fit of pique, denounced by his rivals, which exposed the biggest vulnerability of Trump’s campaign for president: it is built entirely around the instincts and grievances of its unpredictable candidate, and does not rely on a conventional political operation that protects presidential hopefuls from themselves. Even as Trump insisted no one was troubled by his comments, his small group of aides emailed one another about how to respond to the growing criticism. If nothing else, the incident reaffirmed that Trump is running a presidential campaign on his own unique terms.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Cleaning Up Politics or ‘Vindictive’ Nosy Neighbor? Shirley Grindle Is Making Last Stand as a Watchdog
Orange County Register – Martin Wisckol | Published: 7/19/2015

There are plenty of people who wish 80-year-old Shirley Grindle, Orange County’s best-known government watchdog, would just go away. “The community would be better off if Shirley Grindle focused her attention on 53 cats,” said Susan Kang Schroeder, chief of staff for District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. But Grindle is gearing up for one final battle, a 2016 ballot measure establishing an ethics commission that would keep officials looking over their shoulders long after she is gone.

California – Lobbyist Fee Set to Increase
San Diego Union-Tribune – David Garrick | Published: 7/17/2015

The annual lobbyist registration fee in San Diego would climb from $40 to $150 under a proposal approved by a city council committee. Annual registration fees paid by clients who hire lobbyists would double, from $15 to $30. City Clerk Elizabeth Maland said the increase is warranted based on the time and effort her office spends tracking and analyzing the work of lobbyists, which includes traditional lobbying, campaign activity, and fundraising efforts. The hike, which would take effect in January, still must be approved by the full council, probably in September.

Delaware – Delaware Wins Appeal, Can Enforce Law on Election Ads
Reuters – Jonathan Stempel | Published: 7/16/2015

A Delaware law requiring advocacy groups to disclose the donors behind political advertisements was deemed constitutional by a panel of three judges of the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Delaware Strong Families contended that forcing it to comply with the law would improperly damage the organization’s right to free speech. The act requires third-party groups and individuals to disclose their donors if they publish advertisements or other communications that refer to a candidate in an upcoming election. Previously, only groups that directly advocated for or against a candidate were required to disclose their donors.

Illinois – Court Overturns Some Blagojevich Senate-Seat Convictions
ABC News – Michael Tarm (Associated Press) | Published: 7/21/2015

An appeals court overturned four of Rod Blagojevich’s corruption convictions, a ruling that may not result in less prison time for the former Illinois governor. He was convicted in 2011 on 18 counts, including trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat of President Barack Obama, and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Judges with the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned four of those convictions, saying Blagojevich’s attempt to appoint Valerie Jarrett to the Senate seat in exchange for a position on Obama’s cabinet was “a common exercise in logrolling.” The judges said trading one official act for another is unlike trading official acts for a private benefit and cannot be considered bribery or extortion.

Kansas – Brownback Campaign Sought Cash from Westar Official amid Ongoing Rate Case
Topeka Capital-Journal – Jonathan Shorman | Published: 7/20/2015

Documents show a campaign operative for Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback contacted Mark Schreiber, a government affairs vice president at Westar Energy, seeking help retiring debt left over from the governor’s re-election campaign last year. The contact with Schreiber took place amid the company’s request to the Kansas Corporation Commission for hike rates to pay for environmental upgrades, repairs at the company’s nuclear plant, and efforts to reduce storm-related outages.

Missouri – Missouri Capitol Intern Says She Declined Sexual Advances
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Alex Stuckey | Published: 7/23/2015

A Missouri Senate report details an intern’s claims that state Sen. Paul LeVota harassed her, asked her explicitly for sex, and retaliated when she refused. LeVota denied the account and said he never acted inappropriately with her or other interns. The investigation came after two University of Central Missouri students abruptly left an internship with LeVota partway through the last legislative session, which ended in May. That same day, former House Speaker John Diehl resigned after admitting to exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a Capitol intern.

New York – Dean Skelos and His Son Face New Bribery Charges
New York Times – Susanne Craig | Published: 7/21/2015

Former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, were arrested in May on charges the Republican lawmaker performed legislative favors for companies with business before the state in an attempt to enrich his son. A superseding indictment adds two new charges of extortion and solicitation of bribes related to Adam Skelos’ employment by a medical malpractice insurance company, allegedly at the request of his father. The new indictment says Adam Skelos allegedly threatened to “smash in” the head of a supervisor who failed to grasp that he was a no-show employee.

New York – New York Ethics Panel Chief Taking State Tax Job
Albany Times Union – Casey Seiler | Published: 7/21/2015

New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics Executive Director Letizia Tagliafierro is resigning to take a new job as deputy commissioner at the state Department of Taxation and Finance, where she will lead the criminal investigations division. The ethics commission, scheduled to meet August 4, are expected to mount a national search for a new executive director. The change comes as the commission prepares to take on expanded duties as a result of the ethics changes included in this spring’s state budget agreement. Under the new rules, groups spending over $5,000 lobbying municipalities with populations of more than 5,000 must register that activity; the cutoff had been populations of 50,000 or more.

New York – Thomas Libous, New York State Senator, Is Convicted of Lying to F.B.I.
New York Times – Thomas Kaplan | Published: 7/22/2015

Thomas Libous, deputy majority leader of the New York Senate, was convicted of lying to federal agents, becoming the latest lawmaker to lose his seat amid a criminal investigation. The conviction triggers his automatic expulsion from the Legislature, where he has served since 1989. He was charged last year with lying to FBI agents who came to his Albany office to ask about his alleged efforts to get his son a job at a politically connected law firm. The trial offered a glimpse of the close dealings between legislators and the lobbyists seeking to influence them.

Vermont – Shumlin Backs Independent Ethics Commission
VTDigger.org – Erin Mansfield | Published: 7/23/2015

Amid conflict-of-interest allegations among Vermont public officials, Gov. Peter Shumlin said he supports the creation of a state ethics commission. Secretary of State Jim Condos is already drafting legislation that would create an independent panel to oversee the executive and legislative branches. “This is not about any individual person; this was always a bigger picture item about how we could improve the trust that Vermonters deserve to have about their government,” said Condos.

Washington – Seattle’s Richest, Whitest Areas Dominate Campaign Giving, Say Reform
Seattle Times – Daniel Beekman | Published: 7/21/2015

The Sightline Institute mapped contributions to candidates for mayor, city council, and city attorney in Seattle for the 2013 election and found a small number of donors from certain neighborhoods dominate the giving. Roughly half the money came from 1,683 donors, or 0.3 percent of the city’s adults. The institute is supporting Honest Elections Seattle, an initiative that that will be on the November ballot. It would lower the contribution limit, ban donations to candidates from entities with city contracts of $250,000 or more and from people spending at least $5,000 to lobby the city. The measure would also establish a public campaign finance system for Seattle.

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

The City of San Diego Ethics Commission has proposed amendments to the city’s campaign finance laws related to the disclosure requirements applicable to referendum and initiative petitions.

The proposed amendments would require additional campaign disclosures of committees supporting or opposing the qualification of an initiative or referendum measure on the ballot.

The city Ethics Commission is scheduled to consider the amendments at its upcoming August 13, 2015 meeting.

Photo of the San Diego skyline courtesy of Tomcio77 on Wikimedia Commons.

The Brennan Center for Justice, on behalf of several New York lawmakers, filed suit against the New York State Board of Elections, challenging a 1996 board ruling that treats limited liability companies (LLCs) as individuals. The ruling has the result of creating a loophole allowing LLCs to circumvent stricter contribution limits imposed upon other business entities, namely partnerships and corporations.

The board had an opportunity to overturn its 1996 ruling at its April 2015 board meeting, but board members split along party lines to uphold the ruling, thus prompting the Brennan Center for Justice to file suit.

Plaintiffs allege the LLC loophole allows special interest groups to funnel tens of millions of dollars into political campaigns without transparency. Corporate contributions are limited to $5,000 per calendar year; partnerships are limited to $2,500 per calendar year at the partnership entity level. Under the 1996 board ruling, LLCs can contribute substantially more than other business entities because they are treated as individuals.

The lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of New York, County of Albany.

Lobbying

“Top Navy Nominee Cleared of Improper Lobbying” by Jeremy Herb, Philip Ewing, and Austin Wright for Politico

“‘Influencers’ Poll Gives Grades to Lobby Groups” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Rick Perry Finance Chairman Does Super PAC Two-Step” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

Washington”Seattle’s Richest, Whitest Areas Dominate Campaign Giving, Say Reform” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times

Ethics

Massachusetts: “Lobbying Picks Up on Proposed Public Records Law” by Todd Wallack for Boston Globe

New York: “Dean Skelos and His Son Face New Bribery Charges” by Susanne Craig for New York Times

New York: “New York Ethics Panel Chief Taking State Tax Job” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

South Carolina: “Key FBI Informant, 3 Others Sentenced in Pinson Case” by John Monk for The State

Wisconsin: “Jobs Agency Gov. Scott Walker Led Dogged by Allegations of Shoddy Lending, Political Influence” by Jeff Horwitz (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Lobbying

“K Street Bouncing Back in 2015” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Washington: “PDC’s Lobbyist Filings to Get Upgrade” by the Editorial Board for The Olympian

Campaign Finance

“The Only Realistic Way to Fix Campaign Finance” by Lawrence Lessig for New York Times

“Dems Urge Obama to Veto Bill over Campaign Finance Restrictions” by Cristina Marcos for The Hill

Kansas: “Brownback Campaign Sought Cash from Westar Official amid Ongoing Rate Case” by Jonathan Shorman for Topeka Capital-Journal

Pennsylvania: “Teachers’ Union Gets Schooled for Violating Campaign Law” by Mensah Dean for Philadelphia Daily News

Ethics

Hawaii: “Will Honolulu Ethics Commission Take the Gag Off its Director?” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Illinois: “Court Overturns Some Blagojevich Senate-Seat Convictions” by The Associated Press for New York Times

Elections

“Ohio Gov. Kasich Joins GOP Race with Message of Conservatism, Compassion” by Dan Balz for Washington Post