A post-John Edwards case commentary: “‘Anything goes’ now in campaign financing?” by Jack Gillum (Associated Press) on CBSNews.com.

California: “Term limits ballot measure attracts big-money donors, little else” by Stephanie Snyder in California Watch.

California: “State’s top 100 political donors contribute $1.25 billion” by Coulter Jones and Elizabeth Titus in California Watch.

Montana: “Miller campaign donations deemed illegal in Montana” by John S. Adams in the Great Falls Tribune.

New Mexico:  “Coss files complaint alleging governor’s PAC violated election codes” by Steve Terrell in the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Wisconsin: “Wisconsin recall is state’s ‘most expensive election’” by Sam Go on MSNBC.

“Stevens: Citizens United decision needs adjusting” by The Associated Press in Politico.

“George Will column: Citizens United fears prove unnecessary” by George Will in the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

“Citizens: Speech, no consequences” by Richard L. Hasen in Politico.

“Super PAC donor lists include few women” by Stephanie Condon on CBSNews.com.

The Illinois General Assembly adjourned its legislative session early Friday morning, but not before both houses approved a bill aimed at curtailing super PAC influence in state elections.

Senate Bill 3722 would eliminate the campaign contribution limits in any races in which a natural person or independent expenditure committee makes independent expenditures for the benefit of the campaign of a particular public official or candidate in an aggregate amount, during an election cycle, of more than $250,000 for statewide office or $100,000 for all other elective offices.

Therefore, if a PAC spends more than $250,000 in independent expenditures during an election cycle for a candidate for governor, then there will be no contribution limits for any of the gubernatorial candidates. The bill will now go to Governor Pat Quinn’s desk to await his signature or veto.

Even though the Legislature has adjourned, Governor Quinn announced that he will continue to work on an overhaul of the state’s pension system with leaders from both sides of the aisle. Once they come to an agreement on a bipartisan bill, Governor Quinn said he would call both houses back for a special session during the summer.

Also, the typical legislative schedule will have the legislators reporting back to Springfield in November for a session to deal with any bills that Governor Quinn decides to veto.

Photo of the Illinois Capitol Building courtesy of Martin Davis on Wikipedia.

Sarah Kovit is a Compliance Associate at State and Federal Communications who is a fluent Spanish speaker and who has experience working with Puerto Rican officials and tracking newly enacted legislation. She is here to assist you with your Puerto Rican compliance needs.

According to Kovit: “Navigating the lobbying, political contribution, and procurement lobbying laws in Puerto Rico can be tricky. English copies of newly enacted legislation are rarely available and English language assistance with your questions is not always available. In the last year alone, Puerto Rico has passed a new election code, updated the PAC reporting structure, and created a pay to play law which affects organizations conducting business in Puerto Rico.”

You can contact Sarah Kovit at skovit@stateandfed.com.

National:

$55 Million for Conservative Campaigns – but Where Did It Come From?

Most Americans Think Campaign Money Aids Rich

Federal:

Acquittal, Mistrial in Edwards Case

Chamber Says It Will Evade Disclosure Ruling by Tweaking Ads

K Street Not Thrilled with Tampa

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama

Alabama Legislature: Teachers can receive gifts of $25 or less

California

Senators Vote to Give up Free Tickets to Games, Concerts

Delaware

Lobbying Reform Bill Met with Debate

Florida

Florida Candidate Legally Changes Name to Web Address

Georgia

Senate Leader Balfour Piles Up Freebies

Illinois

Quinn Gets Bill to Relax Some Campaign Contribution Limits

Massachusetts

Wary of Fan Anger, Athletes Largely Avoid Political Fray

Ohio

Campaign Donor Limits Scrutinized

West Virginia

Political Groups Test Campaign Laws Ahead of High-Profile W.Va. General Election Races

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

Campaign Finance

“GOP groups plan record $1 billion blitz” by Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei in Politico.

“Mark Kirk hit with FEC complaint by ex-wife” by John Bresnahan in Politico.

Lobbying

“DELAWARE: Lobbying reform bill met with debate” by Chris Barrish in Delmarvanow.com.

“Campaign finance board to investigate ALEC” by Catherine Richert on Minnesota Public Radio News.

Campaign Finance

“Texas leads country in Super PAC giving — by a wide margin” by Emily Wilkins in the Houston Chronicle.

“17 funniest super PAC names” by Politico staff.

Louisiana: “Campaign donations for Gov. Jindal, others under scrutiny” by The Associated Press in the Daily Comet.

“Can State Laws Cohabit With Citizens United?” by Lincoln Caplan in the New York Times.

Lobbying

“K Street not thrilled with Tampa” by Anna Palmer in Politico.

Ethics

“Top N.H. pol quits; lied about work” by Mackenzie Weinger in Politico.

Federal: “Group wants investigation of lobby shop after Owens’s Taiwan trip” by Mike Zapler in Politico.

District of Columbia: “Second Gray aide charged in campaign probe” by Tom Howell, Jr. in The Washington Times.

Missouri: “Already charged by feds, former Gov. Wilson fined by ethics cops, too” by Jake Wagman in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Pennsylvania: “Veon’s ex-aide gets house arrest” by Brad Bumsted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Nevada Assemblyman Pat Hickey has called for campaign finance, lobbying, and ethic reforms.

Assemblyman Hickey’s recommendations include expanding the reporting of lobbyists’ expenditures to include those made when the legislature is not in session, limiting political contributions to PACs, and creating a ‘cooling off’ period before an ex-legislator may become a lobbyist.

As reported in the Las Vegas Sun, the Assemblyman is also suggesting there be ‘real time’ reporting of political contributions.

Assemblyman Hickey made these recommendations at a news conference and has not yet requested a draft bill for these proposed changes. The Nevada Legislature currently is not in session and not scheduled to meet again until 2013.

More information from the Las Vegas Sun can be found here and here.

Photo of Assemblyman Pat Hickey courtesy of the Nevada Legislature Website.

Campaign Finance

“How Citizens United Is Affecting Campaigns” by Stuart Rothenberg in Roll Call.

Massachusetts: “Mass. towns push against Citizens United” by The Associated Press in the Boston Globe.

Nevada: “Assembly GOP leader calls for campaign transparency” by Ed Vogel in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: “Attempt to amend campaign finance not a new concept, but will it work this time?” by David McGrath Schwartz in the Las Vegas Sun.

Lobbying

“White House visitor logs provide window into lobbying industry” by T.W. Farnam in The Washington Post.

“To get a voice in Tallahassee, local governments spend millions on lobbyists” by Tia Mitchell in The Miami Herald.

“NY, 21 states join campaign finance fight” by Matt Gouras (Associated Press) in Newsday.

“Rules of the Game: Advocacy Groups Face New Ad Rules” by Eliza Newlin Carney in Roll Call.

“Feds probe donations to Ohio candidates” by Josh Lederman in The Hill.

“City lobbyists ready for action in Raleigh” by Patrick Gannon in the Star News.

“RI Sen. Whitehouse, McCain ask U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Montana campaign finance restrictions” by John E. Mulligan in the Providence Journal.

“Can Montana brief end Citizens United?” by Adam Skaggs in Politico.

“Even Before ‘Citizens United,’ Big Donors Dominated” by Peter Overby on NPR.

“Closing arguments in John Edwards trial” by David Zucchino in the Los Angeles Times.

Illinois: “Illinois might nix money caps if super PACs enter fray” by The Associated Press in the News Gazette.

Virginia:  “Campaign finance law before appeals court in Richmond” by Larry O’Dell in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

National:

ALEC Memo Instructed Members to ‘Navigate Away’ from Tough Questions

Protesters Disrupt WellPoint Annual Meeting

Federal:

Court Ruling May Force Advocacy Groups to Disclose Secret Donors

Ex-Lawmakers on K Street Avoid ‘Scarlet L,’ Shy Away from Registering as Lobbyists

Gay Political Donors Move from Margins to Mainstream

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona

State Legislator Arrested in FBI Sting

Kentucky

City Paid Louisville Metro Councilwoman’s Grandson While Jailed

Missouri

Rush Limbaugh Inducted into Hall of Famous Missourians

Missouri

Spence Criticized for Handing Out Sports Tickets to Lawmakers

Montana

Judge Strikes Down More Election Laws

New York

Business Lobby Supporting Cuomo Files Late Data

New York

Study: Matching funds up donor diversity in NYC

Tennessee

Tennessee Legislative Event Costs Totaled

Wisconsin

Armageddon in Wisconsin

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

Campaign Finance

New Mexico: “King Appeals Ruling on PAC Donations” by James Monteleone in the Albuquerque Journal.

Lobbying

“Ex-lawmakers on K Street avoid ‘Scarlet L,’ shy away from registering as lobbyists” by Kevin Bogardus and Rachel Leven in The Hill.

“Common Cause complaint: ALEC skirting lobbying laws” by Beth Hawkins in MinnPost.com.

“Sports Lobby Is a Multi-Million-Dollar Enterprise” by Laurie Bennett in First Street.

Phildaelphia, PA: “Blackwell, others fined for campaign violations” by Catherine Lucey in the Philadelphia Daily News.

Washington: “Washington State Public Disclosure Commission adds lobbying data to online database” in the Maple Valley Reporter.

Ethics

Arizona: “State legislator Arredondo indicted in FBI sting” by JJ Hensley, Mary Jo Pitzl, and Craig Harris in The Arizona Republic.

Missouri: “Spence criticized for handing out sports tickets to lawmakers” by Jake Wagman in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania governor, lawmakers report gifts, travel” by John L. Micek in The Morning Call.

From the State Legislatures

Alabama: “Bentley calls special session to address redistricting” by Sebastian Kitchen in the Montgomery Advertiser.

California: “California’s Prop. 28 would let legislative leaders serve longer stints” by Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee.