April 30, 2012 •
Today’s News Roundup
Keep up with the latest campaign finance, ethics, and government tech news:
Campaign Finance
“FCC’s political ad rule disappoints supporters and foes alike” by Andrew Feinberg in The Hill.
“The FCC Makes Campaign Finance (a Bit) More Transparent” by Kirsten Salyer in Bloomberg.
“FCC Approves Political Ad Rule” by Amy Schatz in The Wall Street Journal.
Ethics
“Former State Senator Is Sentenced to 7 Years in Vast Bribery Case” by Benjamin Weiser in The New York Times.
“Illinois Gov. Ryan’s Corruption Appeal Sent Back to Lower Court” by The Associated Press in Governing.
“Aaron Schock hit with FEC complaint” by John Bresnahan in Politico.
Campaign and Government Tech
“With the 2012 Election Looming, NRCC Names a New Digital Director” by Nick Judd in TechPresident.
“Philadelphia Embraces The World Of Open Data” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident.
April 27, 2012 •
Campaign Finance News from New York City
Independent expenditure rules have been published by the CFB
The independent expenditure rules that were previously adopted by the New York City Campaign Finance Board were published in the City Record and have an effective date of May 16, 2012. The new rules will not be enforced for any election occurring prior to August 13, 2012.
The rules cover what type of expenditures and communications must be reported to the Board, which contributions supporting those expenditures must be reported to the Board, who must file with the Board, and when those reports have to be filed with the Board.
April 27, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 27, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Conservative Nonprofit Acts as a Stealth Business Lobbyist
Social Media Directors Increasing in Government
Federal:
‘We the People’ Petition Site the Newest Tool in K Street Lobbying Repertoire
Who Pays When The President Travels for The Campaign?
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
California
AT&T Wields Enormous Power in Sacramento
California
California Ethics Czar Urges Disclosure of Payments to Web Pundits
Louisiana
Cap on Legislative Wining and Dining Moves to $56
Minnesota
Debt-Laden Minnesota GOP Notified of Eviction
New York
Lobby Formed for Cuomo Blew Deadline
North Carolina
Charles Thomas, N.C. Speaker’s Top Aide, Linked to Lobbyist
North Dakota
North Dakota Bridles at Neighbor’s Capitol Insult
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wins and Loses on the Same Day
South Carolina
ALEC Has Special Exemption in South Carolina’s Lobbying Law
West Virginia
Ethics Ruling Regarding House Speaker Raises Concerns
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.
April 26, 2012 •
FEC Issues Several Advisory Opinions
Different Issues
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) approved several advisory opinions on a variety of issues.
In AO 2012-12, the FEC allowed a corporation to solicit contributions from its non-corporate franchisees and licensees’ executive and administrative personnel. The FEC found the personnel were part of Dunkin Brands, Inc. restricted class because of the degree of control it maintained on the franchisees and licensees.
In another opinion, the FEC concluded an association of physician-owned hospitals are not federal contractors although they provided services to patients in government-sponsored healthcare programs such as Medicaid. Therefore, the association is not prohibited from making contributions to independent expenditure-only political committees.
Additionally, the FEC found a New Hampshire campaign finance statute requiring disclaimers for telephone surveys was preempted by federal statutes and FEC regulations because the calls in question were only related to federal candidates.
The FEC also let stand the $46,200 aggregate limit for contributions to federal candidates over a request to contribute amounts over this limit.
The FEC press release concerning these and other decisions can be found here.
April 25, 2012 •
U.S. Senate Could Begin Electronic Campaign Filing
The bill currently has 24 co-sponsors and bipartisan support
During a Rules Committee hearing, the U.S. Senate considered a bill requiring senators to file electronically with the Federal Election Commission, just as members of the House of Representatives and presidential candidates do. The bill, called the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act, was sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and received support from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).
For full news coverage, be sure to read:
“Senate considers entering digital age for campaign filings” by Susan Davis in USA Today.
“Schumer: Senators should file campaign reports electronically” by Tom Brune in Newsday.
Image of the Seal of the United States Senate by Ipankonin on Wikipedia.
April 23, 2012 •
Campaign Finance in the News
Here is an opinion piece about Citizens United. Blogs as paid political platforms – California’s FPPC may require disclosure of the payments to political blogs. Also, Virginia successfully meets its first electronic filing deadline:
Federal: “How to Beat Citizens United” by E.J. Dionne, Jr. in The Washington Post.
Arkansas: “Arkansas attorney general certifies ballot wording for item on lobbying, campaign finance” by The Associated Press in The Republic.
California: “State political watchdog chair wants bloggers to reveal payments” by Brian Joseph in the Orange County Register.
California: “California ethics czar urges disclosure of payments to Web pundits” by Patrick McGreevey in the Los Angeles Times.
California: “California looks to crack down on political bloggers paid by campaigns” by Jim Sanders in The Sacramento Bee.
Virginia: “New Electronic Campaign Filing Lauded in Virginia” by The Associated Press in Governing.
April 20, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 20, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
WellPoint Is Focus of Aggressive Effort to Force Political Spending Disclosures
Federal:
Federal Judge Rules for FEC in Contractor Donation Dispute
Mystery Donor Gives $10 Million to Crossroads GPS Group to Run Anti-Obama Ads
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Arizona
Arizona Senate Rejects New Bans on Meals, Donations
California
Corruption Can Leave Cities with Enormous Legal Bills
California
S.B. County Seeks to Bring in Political Watchdogs
Florida
Authorities Call for Tougher Campaign Finance Laws Following Rivera Probe
Illinois
Small Town Rocked by $30 Million Theft Case
New Jersey
How N.J. PACs Are Skirting the Law on ‘Pay-to-Play’
South Carolina
State Ethics Agency Pinched by Staff Shortage
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.
April 17, 2012 •
The Ubiquitous Super PACs
Here are just a few of the many articles surfacing in the news:
“Rules of the Game: Dissecting Super PAC Consulting” by Eliza Newlin Carney in Roll Call.
“One Donor Gave One-Third of Pro-Republican Group’s Funds” by Heidi Przybyla and Jonathan D. Salant in Bloomberg.
“What happens to funds in defunct super PACs?” by Jeremy Roebuck in the Boston Herald.
“Secretive ‘Grassroots’ political group — vehicle for the very rich” by Joel Connelly in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
“Big donors diversify Super PAC donations” by Alexander Cohen and Alina Selyukh in Reuters.
“Billionaires fall in line” by Kenneth P. Vogel in Politico.
April 17, 2012 •
Today’s News Roundup
Keep up with the latest campaign finance, ethics, and lobbying news:
Campaign Finance
“Rep. Ted Deutch Holds Summit on Overturning Citizens United” via a press release on Rep. Ted Deutsch’s website. The meeting is set for tomorrow.
Alabama: “Campaign finance, PAC-to-PAC transfer law needs teeth, grand jury says” by Brian Lyman in the Montgomery Advertiser.
“Fundraising Numbers Tip Scales of Power” by Joshua Miller in Roll Call.
ALEC
“Midwest Democracy | Study accuses ALEC of ‘secretive influence’ in Missouri Capitol” by Jason Hancock in The Kansas City Star.
Government Ethics
“Figure at center of D.C. campaign finance probe resigns from health-care company” by Mike DeBonis in The Washington Post.
“U.S. congressman under fire for campaign expenses turns to high-powered law firm” by Matt Friedman in the Star-Ledger.
April 17, 2012 •
Preliminary Injunction Denied: Plaintiff federal contractors still prohibited from making federal political contributions
Wagner v. FEC
A Federal District Court denied a preliminary injunction request demanding the Federal Election Commission (FEC) not enforce a law prohibiting individuals with federal contracts from making political contributions to federal candidates or political parties.
In Wagner v. Federal Election Commission, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Court rejected challenges to the constitutionality of section 441c of Title 2 of the U.S. Code, which prohibits any vendors with contracts with the federal government from making such contributions.
The case, brought by the ACLU, asked the Court to declare the law unconstitutional as applied to individuals who have personal services contracts with federal agencies. Because federal workers who are not contractors may make federal political contributions, while contractors performing the same work may not, the suit argued section 441c violates both the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and the First Amendment.
In denying the preliminary injunction request, the Court concluded the plaintiffs do not have a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims.
April 16, 2012 •
Lobbying and Campaign Finance in the News
Super PACs, Citizens United, lobbying the White House, and more in today’s news:
Campaign Finance
Federal: “Md. lawmakers take on political spending spree” by John Fritze in the Baltimore Sun.
Vermont: “Vermont lawmakers work to unravel Citizens United ruling” by Nicole Gaudiano in the Burlington Free Press.
Missouri: “St. Louis attorney pleads guilty in campaign donation scheme” by Virginia Young in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Lobbying
“Courting the White House: Don’t call it lobbying” by Anna Palmer and Abby Phillip in Politico.
“White House Opens Door to Big Donors, and Lobbyists Slip In” by Mike Mcintire and Michael Luo in The New York Times.
“Is dialoguing lobbying?” by Donovan Slack in Politico.
California: “The lobbyists’ bumbles and foibles” by Ray LeBov in Capitol Weekly.
April 13, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 13, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Democrats Give Special Interests a Role at Convention
Lobbyists Push Congress to Toughen Rules for Their Industry
White House Abandons Push for Federal Contractors to Disclose Political Giving
From the States and Municipalities:
Alaska
Commission Nominee Withdraws after Racism Accusation Revived
Arkansas
Ethics, Campaign Finance Reform Measure Inspired by Occupy Movement
California
L.A. County Supervisors Campaign for Funds in Lightly Contested Races
Georgia
Gifts Continue to Rain on Lawmakers
Indiana
Union Says Right-to-Work Law Violates Free Speech
Massachusetts
House May Pull PR, CEOs, Communications Specialists into Lobbying Definition
Michigan
Wayne Co. Ethics Rules Get Mixed Welcome
Missouri
Former Missouri Governor Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering
New Mexico
New Charges Filed against NM Town’s Mayor-Elect
Ohio
Josh Mandel, Ohio Treasurer, Sent Top Aide to Beginner’s Course
South Carolina
Ethics Commission Probes Haley’s Campaign Finances
Washington
Ex-Evergreen Instructor Who Owes $119,000 for Ethics Violations Has Disappeared
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.
April 12, 2012 •
Today’s Campaign Finance and Lobbying News Summary
Here are the latest articles:
Florida: “In wake of ‘Taj Mahal’ scandal, Florida Supreme Court approves new lobbying rules for judges” by Lucy Morgan in the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida: “Florida Supreme Court to judges: No lobbying” by Lucy Morgan in The Miami Herald.
Georgia: “Georgia ethics commission goes easy on late campaign reports after change in process” by Walter C. Jones in The Florida Times-Union.
Idaho: “Retiring ID Rep. lands at lobbying, marketing firm” by The Associated Press in the Idaho Statesman.
Kansas: “Corporations drop memberships in ALEC, which has strong ties to Kansas Legislature” by Scott Rohtschild in the Lawrence Journal-World.
Maryland: “Campaign Finance Transparency Measures Pass General Assembly” by Megan Poinski in Southern Maryland Online.
Massachusetts: “House may pull PR, CEOs, communications specialists into lobbying definition” by Colleen Quinn in the Boston Herald.
April 12, 2012 •
Governors and Ethics
Here are news articles about two state governors and a former governor facing campaign finance issues:
Georgia: “Gov. Deal still has 3 pending ethics complaints” by the Morris News Service in the Augusta Chronicle.
Missouri: “Former Missouri governor, St. Louis attorney indicted in campaign contributions case” by Robert Patrick in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
South Carolina: “Ethics Commission to hear 7 allegations against Haley” by Gina Smith in The State.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
