On April 17, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball issued a writ of election for the provincial general election to take place on May 16.

On the same day, Bruce Chaulk, the Chief Electoral Officer of Newfoundland and Labrador, issued election writs to all 40 district returning officers of the province announcing the new date.

The advance poll date is May 9 and the deadline for candidate nominations is April 25.

Elections NL is also set to accept early voting applications, which will be available between April 25 and May 9.

Ball called for the election after tabling the budget.

“I am now seeking a mandate from the people of our province to continue our plan,” Ball announced according to the Western Star.

Federal:

Analysis: The many reasons to run for president when you probably don’t stand a chance
MSN – Matt Flegenheimer (New York Times) | Published: 4/14/2019

Presidential primaries tend to produce one nominee but many winners. Beyond the long-shot candidates effectively auditioning for cabinet positions or building a profile (and donor base) for future races, there are prospective books to sell and television contracts to sign, corporate boards to join, and paid speeches to make. Any setback is temporary. “There’s just absolutely no downside and only upside,” Republican strategist Antonia Ferrier said of quixotic presidential runs. “It is an industry of self-promotion. What better way to self-promote than run for president?”

Mueller Whacks Trump with Evidence of Obstruction
Politico – Josh Gerstein and Darren Samuelsohn | Published: 4/18/2019

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report revealed President Trump tried to seize control of the Russia probe and force Mueller’s removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice by the president. On numerous occasions, Trump’s impulses to stymie the investigators were only halted by staffers’ refusal to carry out orders. While the document confirms Mueller found no conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin, it contains numerous unfavorable observations regarding potential obstruction of justice and sheds light on why the special counsel chose to neither exonerate Trump nor conclude he committed a crime.

Political Consultant Patten Sentenced to Probation After Steering Ukrainian Money to Trump Inaugural
Seattle Times – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 4/12/2019

An American political consultant whose guilty plea marked the first confirmation that illegal foreign money was used to help fund Donald Trump’s inaugural committee was sentenced to probation by a federal judge who cited his cooperation with prosecutors. W. Samuel Patten admitted steering $50,000 from a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician to Trump’s committee in an investigation spun off from special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Patten acknowledged he was helped by a Russian national who is a longtime associate of former Trump campaign chairperson Paul Manafort. U.S. District Court Judge Amy noted no federal sentencing guideline directly applies to his offense of failing to register as a foreign lobbyist, which is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Prosecution of Former White House Counsel Sets K Street on Edge – Again
Politico – Theodoric Meyer | Published: 4/11/2019

The Justice Department’s indictment of Gregory Craig, who served as White House counsel under President Obama, sent a signal to K Street that lobbyists who work for foreign interests without registering have reason to be afraid. Some lobbyists have been on edge since Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairperson, was indicted on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, previously a rarely enforced law requiring lobbyists and others who work on behalf of foreign governments and political parties to disclose their activity. Some said Craig’s indictment is likely to reverberate on K Street as the crackdown continues. A letter from the FARA enforcement unit now “has to be taken as seriously as a heart attack,” said Matthew Sanderson, an attorney who advises clients on the law.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Lawmakers Pass Bill Saying Economic Developers Are Not Lobbyists
AL.com – Mike Cason | Published: 4/16/2019

A bill exempting economic developers from a requirement to register as lobbyists under the Alabama ethics law won final passage in the Legislature and could be signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. Lawmakers and the state’s industrial recruiters say the bill was needed to protect the confidentiality of site selection efforts by representatives of companies interested in coming to Alabama. Lobbyists are required to report to the Ethics Commission who they represent and information about their activities, reports that are available to the public. The bill proved controversial last year, with critics saying it would create two classes of individuals under the ethics law and open loopholes.

California: Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Santa Clara Mayor in Conflict-of-Interest Case
San Jose Mercury News – Thy Vo | Published: 4/15/2019

Superior Court Judge Mark Pierce threw out a lawsuit that accused Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor of failing to divulge at least $180,000 in income on conflict-of-interest forms, ruling the documents are “political works” exempt from disclosure requirements. The forms require elected and appointed officials to report all their financial interests. But Gillmor’s attorney argued the lawsuit was hatched by political opponents and should be dismissed under a provision in the law concerning a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) that protects people against suits filed to intimidate them or silence their free speech rights. Pierce ruled Gillmor’s conflict-of-interest forms are related to her role as a politician and thereby qualify as “political works” that are protected speech under the anti-SLAPP statute.

Colorado: Denver’s Big 3 Lobbyists Have Deep Relationships with City Government and Mayor Michael Hancock
Colorado Public Radio – Ben Markus | Published: 4/11/2019

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is seeking a third term this year, and on the campaign trail he is often criticized for his close ties to the business community, particularly developers. Even critics say there is nothing wrong with the mayor and his staff being in close quarters with the business community. But a Colorado Public Radio investigation found several lobbying groups that travel with the mayor also have contracts to work for the city. At the same time, they are actively lobbying the city on behalf of corporate clients. Lobbyists often stock their firms with former city workers, who sometimes go back to work for Denver, perpetuating the “revolving door,” which is legal under city rules. The lobbying firms are also among the largest donors to city campaigns.

Florida: Internet Intrigue: Blitz of lobbyists, consultants worked behind scenes before broadband vote
Tallahassse Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 4/16/2019

When talk of a city-owned broadband internet utility surfaced at the same time an out-of-town fiber-optic firm eyed Tallahassee as a potential new market, lobbyists, public relations people and industry consultants streamed into action. The debate during city commission meetings in March was contentious enough. But there was intrigue behind the curtain. By the time the dust settled, the commission reversed course on plans to explore creation of a new utility, something MetroNet, an Indiana-based company still considering coming to town, opposed. The drama that unfolded came after years of high-profile controversy involving lobbyists and consultants at City Hall. Watchdogs say it highlights the kind of murky dealings that undermine confidence in the city’s ability to police lobbying.

Indiana: Casino-Investor Ties Led Speaker Bosma to Skip Gaming Bill Vote. Here’s Why Questions Linger.
Indianapolios Star – Tony Cook and Kaitlin Lange | Published: 4/18/2019

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma is recusing himself from votes on legislation that would make some of the biggest changes to Indiana’s casino laws in years because of a potentially lucrative contract arranged by a casino owner. Bosma said his law firm is providing legal representation to the Vigo County Capital Improvement Board, a local entity that stands to benefit from the legislation, which would allow a casino in Terre Haute. The contract was arranged by businessperson Greg Gibson, one of two principal investors in Spectacle Entertainment. Spectacle is lobbying lawmakers for permission to move two casinos in Gary to more lucrative locations. Heightening the concerns are Bosma’s private discussions about the legislation with other lawmakers and casino companies, despite his decision to avoid any public votes on the topic.

Louisiana: Proposed Law Would Bar Legislators from Giving Tulane Scholarships to Immediate Family
New Orleans Times Picayune – Wilborn Nobles | Published: 4/16/2019

A new bill in the Louisiana Senate would bar close relatives of certain state politicians from being eligible to receive free tuition at Tulane University. Senate Bill 183 would make Tulane’s Legislative Scholarship unavailable for the immediate family members of a Louisiana legislator, statewide elected official, or an elected Louisiana official in Congress. The advantage of wealth and privilege in gaining access to elite universities has emerged as a hot topic following recent allegations that wealthy parents bribed university administrators and coaches at top schools to gain admission for their children. While no such payments are alleged in Tulane’s case, some critics say the university’s Legislative Scholarship Program is a “source of political patronage.”

Massachusetts: For the First Time, Boston Municipal Lobbyists Are Required to Register Their Work with City Hall
Boston Globe – Milton Valencia | Published: 4/17/2019

Lobbyists in Boston will now have to register with the city clerk’s office. Those who do not register could face a fine of up to $300, according to an ordinance that was passed last year. Under the ordinance, the city will set up a five-member commission that will be charged with reviewing an individual or entity’s work with the city, determining whether that work would be subject to the new law, and whether to hand out penalties, said City Clerk Maureen Feeney. She said her office was communicating the new requirements to lobbyists who had inquired about the process. Feeney also said an online portal system the city set up is similar to the one used by the state.

Mississippi: Public Universities Spend Millions Wining, Dining, Lobbying Mississippi Lawmakers
Jackson Clarion-Ledger – Luke Ramseth and Geoff Pender | Published: 4/10/2019

Seven of Mississippi’s eight public universities and their private foundations spent nearly $2 million on lobbying over the past four years, a Jackson Clarion Ledger analysis found. That amount includes money for staff lobbyists and private lobbying firms, plus entertaining lawmakers. These public universities lavish money on public officials in hopes of getting more public dollars. And they spend more than most any other special interest groups seeking influence in the Capitol. In Mississippi, it is all completely legal. The state’s lack of restrictions on gifts to public officials means elected officials, their families, and even friends can benefit from unlimited largesse without worry.

Missouri: After Controversial MSD Vote, Winners Donated More Than $150,000 to Stenger Campaign
St. Louis Post Dispatch – David Hunn and Jacob Barker | Published: 4/15/2019

A contract to build the Deer Creek tunnel was one of the largest the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) had awarded in years. MSD staff recommended awarding it to the low bidder, Jay Dee Contractors. The district board’s practice, almost without exception, was to approve the professional staff’s recommendation. But SAK Construction mounted a lobbying effort over the contract, and the company’s concerns reached St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger’s office, which appoints three of MSD’s six members on its Board of Trustees. A top aide to Stenger met with two key trustees to discuss the matter. After the meeting with Stenger’s aide, one of those two MSD trustees switched his vote, and SAK ultimately won the contract. Less than a month after the vote, SAK executives did something they had never done before: they began pouring money into Stenger’s campaign.

Nevada: Nevada Lawmaker Paid Her Sister Thousands for Campaign Work, But We Can’t See the Details
Reno Gazette-Journal – James DeHaven | Published: 4/15/2019

Nevada has routinely ranked at or near the bottom of nationwide political transparency surveys. But ex-state Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson’s downfall under a cloud of admitted election spending misdeeds has sparked renewed interest in strengthening anti-corruption statutes. Now, weeks after Atkinson’s resignation, a Reno Gazette Journal analysis reveals state Sen. Pat Spearman paid nearly $103,000 in campaign funds to a consulting firm with close ties to her sister. Reports show Donna Spearman-Davis and Crawford Management Group were the two largest recipients of Spearman’s campaign cash, accounting for about 30 percent of the nearly $500,000 the former congressional hopeful and longtime state senator spent between 2012 and 2018.

Campaign Finance

National: “Why Democrats Are Falling Over Themselves to Find Small-Dollar Donors” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

Florida: “Miami’s Political Escape Artist Can’t Shake the Feds’ Election Conspiracy Lawsuit” by David Smiley and Jay Weaver for Miami Herald

Missouri: “After Controversial MSD Vote, Winners Donated More Than $150,000 to Stenger Campaign” by David Hunn and Jacob Barker for St. Louis Post Dispatch

Elections

National: “Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot Among a Wave of Lesbian Mayors” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing

Tennessee: “Amid Protests, Houses Passes Bill That Critics Say Criminalizes Voter Registration” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Ethics

Louisiana: “Proposed Law Would Bar Legislators from Giving Tulane Scholarships to Immediate Family” by Wilborn Nobles for New Orleans Times Picayune

Lobbying

Alabama: “Lawmakers Pass Bill Saying Economic Developers Are Not Lobbyists” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Missouri: “The St. Louis Board of Aldermen Mulls Rules Change for Lobbyists, Guests” by Andrea Henderson for St. Louis Public Radio

Gov. David Ige signed House Bill 165 on April 16, adding a new registration and reporting requirement for noncandidate committees in an election period.

Under the bill, a noncandidate committee that does not intend to receive contributions or make expenditures in aggregate of more than $1,000 in an election period must notify the commission of its intent in the committee’s organizational report.

Notification must be made by the fifth calendar day before the due date of the preliminary primary report.

The bill became effective April 16 upon approval by the governor.

Campaign Finance

Nevada: “Nevada Lawmaker Paid Her Sister Thousands for Campaign Work, But We Can’t See the Details” by James DeHaven for Reno Gazette-Journal

Elections

National: “Analysis: The many reasons to run for president when you probably don’t stand a chance” by Matt Flegenheimer (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

Arkansas: “Arkansas Legislators Pass Half of Measures Floated on Ethics” by Michael Wickline for Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Colorado: “Denver’s Mayor Has Accepted Big Gifts and Campaign Contributions from People Who Do Business with The City – And It’s Perfectly Legal” by Ben Markus for Colorado Public Radio

Pennsylvania: “Engineer Who Bribed Allentown, Reading Mayors Ordered to Educate Others on Pitfalls of Public Corruption” by Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call

Lobbying

National: “Political Consultant Patten Sentenced to Probation After Steering Ukrainian Money to Trump Inaugural” by Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for Seattle Times

National: “Opioid Maker Mallinckrodt to Support Lobbying Disclosure” by Laura Weiss for Roll Call

Florida: “Jane Castor Might Be Tampa’s Next Mayor. Her Partner, Ana Cruz, Is a Lobbyist. Does It Matter?” by Charley Frego and Kirby Wilson for Tampa Bay Times

Take a quick minute to check out campaign finance, elections, ethics and lobbying news from across the country!

Campaign Finance

National: Court Paves Way for FEC to Reveal Anonymous $1.7 Million Super PAC Donor by Maggie Severns for Politico

Ethics

Canada: What’s a Feminist Government? Canada, and Trudeau, Grapple with the Question Sarah Lyall (New York Times) for MSN

Arkansas: Indictment: Former Arkansas lawmaker, couple named in corruption scheme by Doug Thompson for Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Washington D.C.: Jack Evans Says He’ll Stop Outside Work, Using Constituent Funds for Sports Tickets Fenit Nirappil by for Washington Post

Lobbying

National: Ex-Obama Official Indicted Over Work with Manafort by Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger (Washington Post) for San Jose Mercury News

Colorado: Denver’s Big 3 Lobbyists Have Deep Relationships with City Government and Mayor Michael Hancock by Ben Markus for Colorado Public Radio

Florida: Ethics Opinion Restricts Jacksonville City Council Members’ Lobbying for Two Years by David Bauerlein for Florida Times Union

Mississippi: Public Universities Spend Millions Wining, Dining, Lobbying Mississippi Lawmakers Luke Ramseth and Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

National:

You Elected Them to Write New Laws. They’re Letting Corporations Do It Instead.
USA Today – Rob O’Dell (Arizona Republic) and Mark Penzenstadler | Published: 4/4/2019

A two-year investigation reveals for the first time the extent to which special interests have infiltrated state Legislatures using model legislation. USA Today and The Arizona Republic found at least 10,000 bills almost entirely copied from model legislation were introduced nationwide in the past eight years, and more than 2,100 of those bills were signed into law. In all, these copycat bills amount to?the nation’s largest, unreported special-interest campaign, driving agendas in every statehouse and touching nearly every area of public policy. For lawmakers, copying model legislation is an easy way to get fully formed bills to put their names on, while building relationships with lobbyists and other potential campaign donors.

Federal:

Courts Have No Say When FEC Wants to Ignore Alleged Wrongdoing
Bloomberg Government – Kenneth Doyle | Published: 4/5/2019

A decision by two federal judges is making it impossible to challenge the way the FEC enforces campaign laws. When the agency deadlocks along party lines, that is now the end of the line, no court can second-guess letting an accused wrongdoer off the hook. Judicial review was eliminated last June by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Critics of that ruling have waited for the better part of year to find out if they would be allowed to argue before the full court on reversing that precedent. Many FEC enforcement complaints have been dismissed on party-line votes, with Democrats voting to pursue action and Republicans opposed.

Democrats Are Cozying Up to Corporate Lobbyists Despite Purity Pledges
Politico – Theodoric Meyer | Published: 4/8/2019

Some Democratic lawmakers who have promised to steer clear of campaign donations from corporate PACs are allowing the same corporations’ lobbyists to write them personal checks, and in some cases even host fundraisers for them. Democrats on K Street are frustrated by what they view as arbitrary restrictions on which kinds of money lawmakers will take and which kinds are forbidden, according to interviews. Democrats’ rush to reject corporate PAC money falls heaviest on in-house Democratic lobbyists for big corporations. Some of those lobbyists have found it harder to mingle with House Democrats when they cannot attend fundraisers by writing a corporate PAC check to get in the door.

Scant Staffing Means Few Monitoring Whether Lobbyists Obey Law
Bloomberg Government – Megan Wilson | Published: 4/9/2019

In 2016, enforcement of the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) was handled by six part-time Justice Department lawyers and one full-time paralegal. Two years later, that work was being done by a much smaller staff: one part-time lawyer, one full-time paralegal, and one part-time paralegal. There has not been an enforcement action for an LDA violation in four years, and since the law was enacted in 1995, there have been a total of nine civil enforcement actions. For firms that want to stay on the right side of the law, “the lack of lawyers in the office has complicated matters when there are tricky legal issues to be resolved,” said Caleb Burns, a partner at Wiley Rein.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Ward: Bill allowing lobbyist gifts to lobbyists ‘dead’ in his committee
Montgomery Advertiser – Brian Lyman | Published: 4/10/2019

The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on a proposed bill that critics say would represent a major step back from ethics laws passed in 2010. The legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Greg Albritton, argued Senate Bill 230 would provide clarity by providing better definitions, explicit lines of enforcement and punishments for transgressions, and disclosures of gifts from lobbyists to officials. But the bill would lift any limits on what lobbyists could give to officials, provided they do not do so with corrupt intent. It also curtails the Alabama Ethics Commission’s ability to refer complaints to the attorney general’s office. “This bill is dead in my committee as far as I am concerned,” Judiciary Committee Chairperson Cam Ward wrote in a text.

California: To Block California Soda Taxes, Companies Paid for ‘Black Panther’ Tickets, Fancy Dinners
Los Angeles Times – Samantha Young (California Healthline) | Published: 4/7/2019

Dinners at an expensive restaurant in Maui, with ocean views. Tickets to professional sports games. A free screening of “Black Panther” at a Sacramento IMAX theater. And a $250,000 donation to a group that funds the governor’s travel. That is a sampling of the $11.8 million that soft drink companies and their lobbyists spent at the state and local levels in the past two years in California to block proposals such as taxing sugary beverages and imposing health warnings on their drinks, an analysis found. The beverage industry, like other interest groups, spends money to influence lawmakers in several ways. It makes financial contributions to their campaigns and lobbies them and their staffs, sometimes plying them with meals, events, and travel. It also donates to charities in lawmakers’ names.

Georgia: Georgia Ethics Chief to Issue Subpoenas in Investigation of Abrams Gubernatorial Campaign
The Hill – Zach Budryk | Published: 4/11/2019

David Emadi, the new executive secretary of the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission, will subpoena bank records from 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ campaign. Emadi said he will also soon make a decision on whether to charge campaigns of Atlanta mayoral candidates for campaign finance fraud. Emadi replaced Stefan Ritter, who was accused of watching pornography at work and telling staff not to pursue potential campaign finance violations by candidates for city and statewide office. Ritter resigned in February.

Michigan: Mayor Mike Duggan Set Her Up to Succeed. That Raises Questions.
Detroit Free Press – Joe Guillen and Kat Stafford | Published: 4/4/2019

A charitable program run by a woman with close ties to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan received $358,000 in city grants and benefited from a fundraising campaign that a top city official spearheaded at the mayor’s direction. An email request shows Duggan ordered the city’s chief development officer to raise money for Make Your Date, which is a nonprofit medical organization where Dr. Sonia Hassan serves as president and director. Hassan was seen last year arriving after hours at the same suburban residence as Duggan in a surveillance video taken by a private investigator. The city’s financial support, attempted fundraising campaign, and Duggan’s repeated promotion of Make Your Date raises ethics questions about whether the mayor used city resources to benefit Hassan’s program.

Mississippi: Other States Ban Gifts to Lawmakers. Why Doesn’t Mississippi?
Jackson Clarion-Ledger – Luke Ramseth and Geoff Pender | Published: 4/9/2019

There are no restrictions on gifts from lobbyists to Mississippi lawmakers. A newspaper’s investigation found the state’s public universities alone spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on gifts for public officials from 2015 to 2018, including more than $200,000 in free sports tickets. In the 1990s, the Legislature passed a bill that required lobbyists and their clients to regularly report expenditures to the secretary of state. The reporting requirements caused lobbyists to “reign in” their spending some, said former legislator John Reeves, but it remains hard to tell if reporting now is honest and accurate. It not clear whether anyone in state government keeps a close eye on the lobbyist reports. Some contain errors, and most provide only vague details about what gifts were purchased.

Missouri: Appeals Court Upholds Joyce Ruling – Corporations Can Create PACs, but Not Donate Directly to Them
Jefferson City News Tribune – Bob Watson | Published: 4/10/2019

Missouri corporations may not make direct contributions to their own PACs, a three-judge panel of the state’s Western District appeals court ruled. The decision upheld a similar ruling by Cole County Presiding Circuit Court Judge Pat Joyce in the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s lawsuit against the state Ethics Commission. That lawsuit challenged the commission’s interpretation of voters’ intent, after more than two-thirds of the people who voted in November 2016 added the “Missouri Campaign Contribution Reform Initiative” to the state constitution.

New Hampshire: In Votes at N.H. State House, Lawmakers’ Personal and Public Interests Often Overlap
New Hampshire Public Radio – Casey McDermott | Published: 4/9/2019

New Hampshire lawmakers are paid $100 a year, so it is no surprise that many of them rely on other sources of income to get by. As a result, state lawmakers end up dealing with all kinds of proposals that can directly impact their family finances, the taxes they pay, the companies where they work, or the boards on which they serve. In policing these potential conflicts of interest, New Hampshire’s ethics rules tend to favor disclosure over recusal – which means that, with few exemptions, lawmakers are allowed to vote on or even sponsor legislation that has a clear benefit to their personal interests.

New York: To Get Trump’s Tax Returns, N.Y. Democrats Try a New Strategy
MSN – Jesse McKinley (New York Times) | Published: 4/8/2019

New York lawmakers introduced legislation that would make President Trump’s state income tax returns public, the latest step in a battle over details Trump has refused to release. Backers see the bill as an alternative way to Trump’s tax records, even if the president’s allies manage to stonewall efforts in the U.S. House to get his federal returns. A tax return from New York, the president’s home state and the headquarters of his business empire, could likely contain much of the same financial information as a federal return. Under the bill, the commissioner of the New York Department of Taxation and Finance would be permitted to release any state tax return requested by leaders of three congressional committees for any “specific and legitimate legislative purpose.”

Rhode Island: Rhode Island Reaches Lobbying Disclosure Agreement with Mastercard
Pensions and Investments – Hazel Bradford | Published: 4/4/2019

Mastercard Inc. reached a shareholder agreement with Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner to increase its disclosure of corporate lobbying expenses. Inadequate lobbying disclosure by publicly traded companies presents reputational risks, Magaziner said, particularly in recent cases where large companies have upset customers, investors, and other stakeholders by supporting controversial causes. Mastercard will publish an annual list of its lobbying priorities and amounts spent on lobbying and an annual list of U.S.-based trade associations receiving $25,000. It will also disclose the percentage of those payments used for lobbying and ask the trade associations for that information.

Washington: A Washington State Senator Praised the Cambodian Government Last Year. Then It Gave Him a $500,000 Lobbying Contract.
Seattle Times – Jim Brunner and Joseph O’Sullivan | Published: 4/5/2019

A company created by Washington Sen. Doug Ericksen landed a $500,000 lobbying contract from the Cambodian government he praised last year during a controversial visit as an election observer. Ericksen registered as a foreign agent for Cambodia in a recent filing with the U.S. Justice Department, along with former state Rep. Jay Rodne. Ericksen said his arrangement is “100 percent legal,” noting state legislators serve part time and are expected to have outside jobs. He also disputed characterizations of the deal as a lobbying contract, saying he is acting as a consultant. Neither Ericksen nor Rodne disclosed their ownership of PacRim Bridges in 2018 statements filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission. Ericksen said they did not have to list the business because he was not yet making money from it.

Wyoming: Wyoming’s Campaign Finance Reforms Leave Several Holes for Dark Money Influence
Casper Star Tribune – Nick Reynolds | Published: 4/5/2019

Campaign finance experts say the reforms passed by the Wyoming Legislature this year leave a number of gaps that could potentially be exploited by so-called dark money groups in the 2020 elections. While sponsors acknowledged Senate File 18 was not a perfect bill, it does make a number of changes to a system that, in the 2018 cycle, was exploited by multiple PACs of often mysterious origins. Some of these fixes include improving the reporting of late political activity, requiring PACs formed outside of Wyoming to disclose their activity, and defining “electioneering communications.”

The North Carolina House has introduced two bills to reform campaign finance.

House Bill 512 submits a referendum to voters urging Congress to pass an amendment to the Constitution of the United States declaring that constitutional rights belong to individuals and not corporations or entities.

The referendum also states that unlimited spending of money on political campaign contributions is not constitutionally protected free speech.

House Bill 510 requires primary elections of Supreme Court, court of appeals, superior, and district court judges to be nonpartisan judicial elections.

The bill also establishes the North Carolina Public Campaign Fund as an alternative source of campaign financing for candidates that demonstrate public support and voluntarily accept strict fund raising and spending.

The fund will be a special, dedicated, non-lapsing, non-reverting fund that participating candidates can use to receive campaign funds.

However, candidates will have higher restrictions on how much money they can receive in contributions and how much they can expend on their campaign.

If passed, House Bill 510 will become effective January 1, 2020.

A special election will take place on August 20 to fill a vacancy in House District 19.

Rep. Dwight Loftis resigned to become a member of the state Senate, representing District 6.

Loftis had represented District 19 for 23 years.

Senate Bill 3, relating to the Campaign Reporting Act, was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

The bill amends several provisions of campaign finance law, including definitions related to elections cycles, penalties for violating campaign finance law, and independent expenditure reporting.

The bill also requires a person making an independent expenditure in an amount exceeding $1,000 in non-statewide elections and $3,000 in statewide elections to file a report with the secretary of state within specified time periods.

The report must include the name and address of the person who made the independent expenditure, the name and address of the person to whom the independent expenditure was made, the amount, date and purposes of the independent expenditure, and the source of the contributions used to make the independent contribution.

Additionally, contributions to most candidates and political committees will be limited to $5,000 per election cycle unless those contributions are from a candidate’s own personal funds or made to a political committee and used only to make independent expenditures.

Contributions to gubernatorial candidates will be limited to two times the contribution limit during a primary or a general election cycle.

The bill will become effective on July 1, 2019.

The Georgia General Assembly adjourned sine die on April 2. Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 213, relating to campaign contributions and disclosure reports.

The bill amended reporting dates for a nonelection year to June 30 and December 31 for elected state officials, county officials, members of a local board of education, and elected municipal officers.

Senate Bill 213 also moved the March election year report to April 30.

Under the bill, any person required to register and report campaign contributions must file a December 31 campaign contribution disclosure report regardless of whether the candidate they are supporting has a report due.

If signed by the governor, the bill becomes effective July 1.

The statutory requirement to file semimonthly reports when the Legislature is in session will end with the report due April 15.

Monthly activity reporting for state level lobbyists will resume on May 5.

A special election has been called for Alabama House of Representatives in District 74.

Gov. Kay Ivey called the special election to fill the vacancy left by the tragic passing of State Rep. Dimitri Polizos.

A special primary election will be held on June 11, 2019, and the special general election will be held on August 27, 2019, provided a runoff is not required.

If a runoff is required, the special runoff election will be held on August 27, 2019, and the special general election will be held on November 12, 2019.

National:

What Is ALEC? ‘The Most Effective Organization’ for Conservatives, Says Newt Gingrich
USA Today – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Rob O’Dell | Published: 4/4/2019

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) became the nation’s best-known so-called model bill factory over its four decades by providing more than fill-in-the-blank legislation. The industry-sponsored group has weathered controversy and flourished because it also offers conservative Republican elected officials a social network, access to campaign donors, and a blueprint for how to accelerate their political careers. The networking takes place at ALEC’s annual meetings, where the group fetes and entertains lawmakers and their families. Relationships are forged over drinks and dinners, where lawmakers sit alongside conservative luminaries and corporate chiefs. By the end of each ALEC conference, attendees leave motivated to evangelize for conservative policies and equipped with ready-made legislation.

Federal:

GAO: One-third of lobbying disclosures failed to include political contributions
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 3/29/2019

One-third of lobbyists’ disclosures do not include political contributions and one-fifth do not include previous jobs in government, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finds. The GAO audited compliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act, which requires a person to register as a lobbyist if lobbying activities constitute at least 20 percent of their time working for a client. The watchdog examined lobbying disclosure (LD-2) reports and political contribution (LD-203) reports filed during the third and fourth quarter of 2017 and the first and second quarter of 2018. It also conducted interviews with lobbyists for the study.

Some on Mueller’s Team Say Report Was More Damaging Than Barr Revealed
MSN – Nicholas Fandos, Michael Schmidt, and Mark Mazzetti (New York Times) | Published: 4/3/2019

Some members of special counsel Robert Mueller’s team have reportedly complained that the evidence they uncovered of obstruction of justice during their investigation was stronger than what U.S. Attorney General William Barr suggested. In his four-page letter to Congress, Barr wrote that Mueller did not uncover evidence to conclude the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to influence the 2016 election. Barr added that Mueller did not make a definitive conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. But Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided Mueller did not provide sufficient evidence of obstruction to pursue it. The summary noted Mueller did not exonerate the president on the obstruction matter. Some members of Mueller’s team felt Barr should have included more information from their own summaries of the probe.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: Judge Bars Former Ethics Panel Member from Running for L.A. City Council
Los Angeles Times – Emily Alpert Reyes | Published: 3/28/2019

A judge ruled that Former Los Angeles Ethics Commission member Serena Oberstein is barred from running for a city council seat that is up for grabs this summer. The legal battle revolved around a section of the City Charter that restricts ethics commissioners from running for any city office “concerning which the commission has made a decision during the term of the commissioner” – a ban that applies for two years after the end of their terms. In his ruling, Superior Court Judge James Chalfant wrote that voting to impose fines on two people who ran unsuccessfully in the past to represent Council District 12 made Oberstein ineligible to run for that seat, since “these decisions concern the very office for which Oberstein seeks election.”

Illinois: Lori Lightfoot Elected Chicago Mayor, Making Her the First African-American Woman to Lead the City
Chicago Tribune – Bill Ruthhart | Published: 4/2/2019

Former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot won a resounding victory to become both the first African-American woman and openly gay person elected mayor of Chicago. After waging a campaign focused on upending the vaunted Chicago political machine, Lightfoot dismantled one of its major cogs by dispatching Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, whose candidacy had been hobbled in part by an anti-incumbent mood among voters and an ongoing federal corruption investigation at City Hall. Both self-styled progressives, Preckwinkle and Lightfoot did not disagree much on the issues. As a result, the race largely boiled down to change versus experience.

Indiana: Casino Boss Treated Holcomb to Private Flights with Lucrative Gambling Deal on the Line
Indianapolis Star – Kaitlin Lange and Tony Cook | Published: 3/28/2019

An Indiana casino magnate last year treated Gov. Eric Holcomb to two private-jet flights and directed six-figure sums to Holcomb’s biggest 2016 campaign donor, all while pushing for changes to the state’s gaming laws that would benefit his new business. Rod Ratcliff, chief Executive Officer of Spectacle Entertainment, flew Holcomb to meetings in Colorado and Arizona that were hosted by the source of that campaign money, the Republican Governors Association. The flights gave Ratcliff and his business partners hours of exclusive access to the governor, who will have final say over their plans to move two Gary casinos to more lucrative locations. One of the flights was just a day before Ratcliff announced plans to acquire those two casinos.

Kentucky: Lobbyists Can’t Donate to Candidates but Give Big to Parties – Especially the GOP
Louisville Courier Journal – Tom Loftus | Published: 4/3/2019

State law forbids a lobbyist from donating to the campaigns of candidates for the Kentucky General Assembly. But lobbyists can give to the state political parties, which use much of that money to support their candidates for the Legislature. An examination of the state Republican Party’s finance reports shows ta relatively small group of lobbyists provide a significant and steady cash flow, even for an organization with a growing number of big donors, as it has gained total control of the two chambers of the Legislature and the governor’s office.

Maryland: Baltimore Mayor Pugh to Take Leave of Absence in Midst of ‘Healthy Holly’ Book Controversy
MSN – Ian Duncan and Yvonne Wenger (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 4/1/2019

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh announced she is taking an indefinite leave of absence for health reasons, just as a political scandal intensifies over what critics call a “self-dealing” book-sales arrangement that threatens her political career. Kaiser Permanente disclosed it paid $114,000 for about 20,000 copies of Pugh’s self-published paperbacks for children featuring a young girl named Healthy Holly aimed at promoting exercise and good nutrition. In 2017, the city’s spending board, which Pugh controls, awarded a $48 million contract to Kaiser to provide health benefits to city employees. Since 2011, Pugh has received $500,000 selling her illustrated books to the University of Maryland Medical System while she served on its board.

Missouri: Federal Investigation Plunges St. Louis County into Chaos
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jacob Barker and Jeremy Kohler | Published: 3/30/2019

The sudden delivery of wide-ranging subpoenas to St. Louis County, signaling an investigation by the U.S. attorney into the activities of County Executive Steve Stenger’s administration, has plunged the county, and the future of the region’s government, into chaos. Stenger’s ability to lead the county government, already limited by his toxic relationship with county lawmakers, now lies wounded. County employees openly speculate about who might be under investigation and for what conduct. Some county employees are concerned for their jobs, and all attention will shift to producing records to satisfy the subpoena.

New Jersey: Top Guns. These Are the Highest-Paid Lobbyists in N.J.
Newark Star Ledger – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 4/2/2019

Spending on lobbying in New Jersey hit $89.4 million last year, a decline after a record year for spending in 2017. But the number of registered lobbyists in the state, and how much they made, increased over the past year. Overall, 35 lobbyists made $200,000 or more, but many likely earned even more than what was reported. Lobbyists in New Jersey are not required to account for all their income. They do not report fees from lobbying local officials, and they do not have to list fees if their firm provides public relations advice to a client. Lobbyist Dale Florio described his role as “getting you in the door so you can make your case.” He said corporations and unions have thousands of members to make their voices heard to state officials. But for others, Florio said lobbying offers another avenue to make points to elected officials.

New Mexico: Governor Signs Bill for Ethics Commission
Santa Fe New Mexican – Andrew Oxford | Published: 3/28/2019

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law a bill setting detailed guidelines for a new state ethics commission. Voters authorized an ethics commission by statewide ballot last year in the wake of a string of high-profile public corruption scandals. That vote still left lawmakers to determine the commission’s investigative powers and the extent of public access to documents and proceedings. Work in assembling the commission begins July 1, with a six-month startup period. The commission will have oversight of state officials and employees as well as candidates for state offices, lobbyists, and state contractors. New Mexico had been one of only six states without an independent ethics commission.

New York: In State Budget, More on Voting, Little on Ethics, and Half-Baked Campaign Finance Reform
Gotham Gazette – Samar Khurshid | Published: 4/2/2019

Government reform advocates are disappointed by what they see as half-measures on campaign finance reform and the exclusion of broader improvements to state procurement processes and ethics reforms in the New York state budget. The budget deal included additional measures and funding for voting, election, and campaign finance reforms approved in previous months. The headline, though, was the compromise to mandate a binding commission that is meant to create a public financing program for state elections and must issue a report by December 1. One proposal that was approved prohibits lobbyists, PACs, labor unions, and an individual registered as an independent expenditure committee from giving loans to candidates and political committees.

North Carolina: NC GOP Chairman, Major Political Donor Indicted in Alleged Bribery Scheme
WRAL – Travis Fain | Published: 4/2/2019

A federal grand jury indicted North Carolina Republican Party Chairperson Robin Hayes, along with major Republican campaign donor Greg Lindberg and two of his associates, on conspiracy and bribery charges for their attempts to influence state Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. The alleged scheme would have traded more than $1 million in political contributions in exchange for regulatory help at the Insurance Department. The indictment mentions another person was in contact with Lindberg and Causey – “Public Official A.” Lindberg made a $150,000 contribution in February 2018 to a committee supporting the official at the same time Lindberg allegedly asked the politician to help sway Causey. A joint fundraising committee for U.S. Rep. Mark Walker logged a $150,000 donation from Lindberg on February 17, 2018.

Pennsylvania: Vestige of the Past, State House’s ‘Lobbyist Room’ Vanishes
AP News – Marc Levy | Published: 3/30/2019

The “lobbyist room” at the Pennsylvania House is now off limits to lobbyists. For decades, lobbyists in the room could watch floor proceedings on television, print out copies of legislation, and send messages to lawmakers in the chamber through a House page who was effectively assigned full-time to this task during floor sessions. The House’s chief administrative official said he decided the room is not appropriate and shut it down. The move comes after Gov. Tom Wolf challenged lawmakers last year to adopt the kind of gift ban that he imposed on the executive branch. Still, it seems to signal no broader effort to hold lobbyists at arm’s length, and the perk was not dramatically different than lobbyists’ accommodations in some other Capitols.

Virginia: ‘It Just Went Poof’: The strange aftermath of Virginia’s cascade of political scandals
MSN – Campbell Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 4/1/2019

In the space of a week in February, the public was stunned by revelations about each of the three highest statewide elected officials in North Carolina: the racist photograph in Gov. Ralph Northam’s medical school yearbook; accusations of sexual assault against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax; and Attorney General Mark Herring’s appearance in blackface at a party in college. Protesters and news crews swarmed the statehouse. Calls for resignations came from fellow Virginia Democrats, Republicans, and even 2020 presidential candidates. And then? “It just went poof – it’s like it never happened,” said Richmond resident Natalie Draper. Virginians have various theories as to how this surreal normalcy set in.