Campaign Finance

Alabama: “John Merrill Questions Alabama Ethics Commission’s Waivers of Fines” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Arizona: “Critics Slam Michele Reagan Over Election Funding Site ‘That Doesn’t Work’” by Dustin Gardiner for Arizona Republic

Colorado: “Judge Dismisses Campaign Complaint Against Denver Council President, Saying State Law Doesn’t Apply to City” by Jon Murray for Denver Post

Elections

National: “Court: States can purge voters who don’t vote or respond to warnings” by Richard Wolf for USA Today

Ethics

National: “Meet the Guys Who Tape Trump’s Papers Back Together” by Annie Karni for Politico

Florida: “Ousted Tallahassee City Manager Rick Fernandez Slapped with State Ethics Violations” by Jeff Burlew and Jeffrey Schweers for Tallahassee Democrat

Illinois: “Rauner Signs Ethics Overhaul Amid Harassment Allegations at the Capitol” by Monique Garcia for Chicago Tribune

Missouri: “Jean Peters Baker Declines to File Charges against Eric Greitens” by Steve Vickrodt, Bryan Lowry, and Allison Kite for Kansas City Star

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Ethics Commission Raises Fees to Stay in Operation” by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman

Federal:

A Courtside View of Scott Pruitt’s Cozy Ties with a Billionaire Coal Baron
MSN – Steve Eder, Hiroko Tabuchi, and Eric Lipton (New York Times) | Published: 6/2/2018

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt enjoyed special access for a University of Kentucky basketball game last December, scoring two of the best seats in the arena in a section reserved for season-ticket holders who had donated at least $1 million to the university. Pruitt and his son sat in seats belonging to Joseph Craft III, a billionaire coal executive who has engaged in an aggressive campaign to reverse the Obama administration’s environmental crackdown on the coal industry. Pruitt’s attendance at the game followed a year of regulatory victories for Craft, who maintains close ties to Pruitt even as he has lobbied the EPA on issues important to his company, Alliance Resource Partners.

Trade Groups in Turmoil in the Trump Era
Roll Call – Kate Ackley | Published: 6/7/2018

Trade associations, traditionally the backbone of K Street’s lobbying corridor, find themselves in the throes of disruption. These multimillion-dollar organizations are clamoring for ways to boost membership, and sometimes even keep their doors open, as they work to stay relevant amid the political and policy uncertainty of Washington during the era of President Trump. A number of high-profile, highly paid association chiefs have left or are on their way out, while some groups have lost significant members or are folding into other organizations, a sign that associations feel the dual storm of political turmoil and increasing pressure from their membership.

Trump Lawyer Payments Fuel AT&T Shareholders’ Push to Know More About Political Spending
Dallas Morning News – Melissa Repko | Published: 6/6/2018

Long before AT&T found itself under fire for hiring President Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, some of the company’s shareholders sent up a warning: secrecy surrounding how it spends money in Washington, D.C. could put its reputation at risk. For five years, a group of shareholders has pushed AT&T to disclose how much it funds industry groups and tax-exempt organizations that engage in political activities. Companies are facing pressure from shareholders to reveal how they spend money to influence legislation on Capitol Hill. But those concerns took on new relevancy at AT&T when it became public that the company paid $600,000 to Cohen to advise on various matters.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: An Alabama Sheriff Kept $750,000 Meant to Buy Food for Inmates. Voters Just Replaced Him.
Seattle Times – Eli Rosenberg (Washington Post) | Published: 6/6/2018

Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin, criticized for making money from the county jail’s food program, was defeated in a primary election. Alabama gives sheriffs money to feed each prisoner, and sheriffs got to pocket anything that is left over. It was reported that Entrekin pocketed more than $750,000 over the past three years from a source he identified as “food provisions,” according to ethics disclosures. It was also reported that Entrekin and his wife purchased a home for $740,000 in September.

California: Facebook Tried to Rein in Fake Ads. It Fell Short in a California Race.
MSN – Sheera Frenkel (New York Times) | Published: 6/3/2018

Facebook has faced difficulties as the company aims to prevent manipulation of its ad system in elections, especially as the midterms loom this November. While Facebook has introduced several measures to improve the transparency of political ads on its platform, some groups and individuals appear to be finding ways to flout the new restrictions, and company has not been able to catch them. That raises questions about whether there are other gaps.

Florida: Behind Florida’s Payments to Victims, Links to Lobbyists
Gainesville Sun – Gary Fineout (Associated Press) | Published: 6/4/2018

Of the $37.5 million in claims bills – payments to victims and families harmed by government actions – approved over the past two years, $16.9 million was awarded to victims represented by a lobbyist who is the brother of Florida’s outgoing House speaker, Richard Corcoran. Lobbying records show Michael Corcoran’ firm collected at least $89,000 in fees last year for its work on claims bills and is in line to receive tens of thousands more this year. During the 2013 and 2014 sessions, legislators did not approve a single claims bill, in part due to opposition by then-Senate President Don Gaetz, who said it seemed bills were passing based not on their substance, but the effectiveness of the lobbyists behind them.

Louisiana: Louisiana Lawmakers Are Pushing Bills That Benefit Their Own Businesses. And It’s Perfectly Legal.
ProPublica – Rebekah Allen (New Orleans Advocate) | Published: 6/6/2018

Louisiana’s ethics laws allow legislators to write, advocate for, and cast votes on bills that would enrich themselves, their relatives, and their clients, as long as others in the same affected industry would benefit similarly. Regardless of the law, watchdogs say, such advocacy is troubling. If a lawmaker steps over the line while pushing a bill to benefit himself or herself, complaints can only be brought forward by other members of the Legislature, not the public at large. “Would you want someone on a jury who will gain financially depending on the outcome of a particular decision? It just shows the craziness of our system,” said Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Missouri: In About-Face, New Missouri Gov. Parson Says He Won’t Accept Lobbyist Gifts
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 6/6/2018

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson will abide by an executive order signed by his predecessor last year that prohibits him from accepting any gifts from lobbyists. The ban extends to his taxpayer-funded staff as well. The announcement is an about-face for Parson, who was the only statewide elected official to take any lobbyist gifts in 2017. During his six years in the state Senate, Parson and his staff accepted more than $30,000 worth of lobbyist gifts. The order also prohibits staff members from lobbying the administration upon termination of their employment.

Oregon: Former Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes to File for Bankruptcy, Attorney Says
Portland Oregonian – Jeff Manning and Hillary Borrud | Published: 6/6/2018

Cylvia Hayes, Oregon’s former first lady, will file for bankruptcy, in part to get out from under about $125,000 in debts and penalties she accrued in her legal battle to keep her emails secret. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission found Hayes misused her position as first lady and a policy adviser to secure consulting contracts worth more than $200,000. Her lawyers and the commission are now trying to reach a settlement on the fines, which could run as much as $110,000.

South Carolina: Longtime Richland Sen. Courson Resigns, Enters Guilty Plea in Corruption Probe
The State – John Monk | Published: 6/4/2018

South Carolina Sen. John Courson pleaded guilty to a corruption charge and resigned his seat. He also agreed to cooperate in the investigation of corruption at the statehouse that has resulted in guilty pleas and resignations from three other lawmakers. Courson’s plea came as his trial was about to begin on charges of misconduct in office and converting campaign money for his personal use. He said he sent campaign contributions to his political consultant, Richard Quinn & Associates, who would give him a portion back to cover years of unpaid personal campaign reimbursements. State law does not allow candidates to do that. Courson also failed to itemize the reimbursements on his disclosure reports.

South Carolina
S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson Hasn’t Severed Ties to Controversial Quinn Family
Greenville News – Kirk Brown (Anderson Independent Mail) | Published: 6/4/2018

Despite years of negative publicity and withering criticism from political rivals, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has not cut his financial ties to the controversial Quinn family. As part of his bid for a third term, records show Wilson has made $117,000 in campaign expenditures since 2015 to Richard Quinn & Associates, Richard Quinn’s daughter, Rebecca Mustian, and her company, Spring Strategies. Those payments came while Richard Quinn, his firm, and his son, former state Rep. Rick Quinn, were at the center of a statehouse corruption probe. Mustian was not implicated in the investigation.

Washington: Facebook and Google Get Sued by Washington State Over Political Ads
Governing – Jim Brunner (Tribune News Service) | Published: 6/4/2018

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed campaign finance lawsuits against Google and Facebook, alleging the companies “failed to maintain legally required information on Washington state political advertising” placed online since 2013. Ferguson said companies that accept political advertising are required to keep tabs on who buys the advertising, and make that information available to the public. Collected information includes the name of the candidate or measure, dates the ads ran, who sponsored it, and the total cost spent. Once focused largely on television, campaigns have increasingly turned to online advertising in recent elections.

The filing deadline to run for the Kansas Senate seat in District 13 passed setting up unopposed elections for both the Democratic and Republican primaries on August 7.

Incumbent state Sen. Richard Hilderbrand will run against the primary winners in the special election set for November 6.

Hilderbrand was appointed last year when former Sen. Jacob LaTurner accepted the position of state treasurer.

The winner of the special election will complete the remaining two years of LaTurner’s term.

Campaign Finance

National: “‘The Movement Now Transcends the Kochs.’ What David Koch’s Departure Means for the Political Network He Helped Build.” by James Hohmann and Amy Gardner for Washington Post

Alabama: “Ethics Commission Says Campaign Funds Can Pay Child Care” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Elections

California: “Democrats Poised to Claim Ballot Slots in Nearly All House Districts in California” by David Weigel, Mike DeBonis, David Fahrenthold, and Elise Viebeck for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Scott Pruitt Enlisted an EPA Aide to Help His Wife Find a Job – with Chick-fil-A” by Juliet Eilperin, Brady Dennis, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN

Colorado: “Former Secretary of State Scott Gessler Loses Ethics Fight in Colorado Supreme Court” by Marianne Goodland (ColoradoPolitics.com) for Colorado Springs Gazette

Florida: “Sources: Ethics Commission prosecutor recommends charges against Fernandez” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat

Louisiana: “Louisiana Lawmakers Are Pushing Bills That Benefit Their Own Businesses. And It’s Perfectly Legal.” by Rebekah Allen (New Orleans Advocate) for ProPublica

Lobbying

United Kingdom: “Most Charities Say Lobbying Act Has Made Their Work Harder, Says Report” by Liam Kay for Third Sector

Missouri: “In About-Face, New Missouri Gov. Parson Says He Won’t Accept Lobbyist Gifts” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed lawsuits against Facebook and Google for failing to comply with political advertising laws.

Under Washington law, commercial advertisers who provide political advertising during an election campaign must maintain documents and books of account that is open for public inspection.

The attorney general contends Facebook and Google have not released political advertising information sponsored through their online platforms when requested by members of the public.

If found guilty, the companies could face a penalty of $10,000 per violation for failing to maintain required information on political advertising sponsored in Washington state elections from 2013 through 2018.

Campaign Finance

Washington: “Attorney General Bob Ferguson Sues Facebook and Google Over Political Ad Records” by Jim Brunner for Seattle Times

Elections

National: “Surge of Obama Alumni Running for Office in Wake of President Trump’s Election” by Nicole Gaudiano for USA Today

Ethics

National: “Aide Sought a New Apartment for Pruitt, as Well as an ‘Old Mattress’ From Trump Hotel” by Lisa Friedman and Eric Lipton (New York Times) for WRAL

National: “Mueller Accuses Paul Manafort of Attempted Witness Tampering” by Matt Apuzzo (New York Times) for MSN

Colorado: “Hickenlooper Vetoes Bill to Reduce Conflicts of Interests on Colorado’s Sex-Offender Management Board” by Christopher Osher for Denver Post

South Carolina: “S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson Hasn’t Severed Ties to Controversial Quinn Family” by Kirk Brown (Anderson Independent Mail) for Greenville News

Lobbying

Canada: “Lobby Wrap: Facebook’s Chan on registry along with his boss” by Sartah Turnbull for iPolitics.b

Kentucky: “Kentucky Senator Was on Trip at Center of FBI’s Probe of Ohio Speaker” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier Journal

Elections

National: “Trump Ran as a Renegade. Now He’s Trying to Keep Them at Bay.” by Jeremy Peters for New York Times

Ethics

National: “Lawsuit Says Citizenship Question on Census Targets Minorities for Political Gain” by Michael Wines for New York Times

Arizona: “Bribery Trial Involving Ex-Utility Regulator, Three Others Begins” by Michael Kiefer for Arizona Republic

Illinois: “Lawmaker Resigns from Madigan’s Leadership Team Following Allegations of Retaliation, Verbal Abuse” by Monique Garcia, Ray Long, and Kim Grieger for Chicago Tribune

New York: “The #MeToo Movement Came to Albany. But Will It Stick?” by Vivian Wang for New York Times

New York: “Mangano Corruption Trial Ends in Mistrial on Long Island” by Colin Moynihan for New York Times

Lobbying

Florida: “Gillum Meeting with FBI Undercover Agents Took Shape During Costa Rica Trip with Lobbyists” by Jeffrey Schweers for Tallahassee Democrat

Procurement

Kansas: “After Backlash, Kansas DCF Strikes New Rule Banning Opposition to Agency” by Sherman Smith for Hayes Daily News

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach resigned from Senate District 13, ending the controversy of her simultaneously holding both offices.

Gov. Mark Dayton has called a special for November 6, 2018. The special primary election, if necessary, will be held on August 14, 2018.

Photo of Lt. Gov. Fischbach by David Oakes on Wikimedia Commons.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton resigned this week to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress. Arizona has a resign to run law, forcing Stanton to leave his position to campaign for a different office.

Thelda Williams, a council member representing Phoenix’s District One, will serve as the interim mayor until June 11 when the Phoenix City Council will appoint a mayor pro tempore who will serve until a special election is held. The special election will likely take place on November 6, 2018 along with the state’s regularly scheduled elections.

Elections

Alabama: “Competition Sparse in Many Alabama Legislative Districts” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Georgia: “Stacey Abrams Wins Georgia Democratic Primary for Governor, Making History” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Senate Anti-Harassment Bill Could See Fast Action” by Katherine Tull-McManus for Roll Call

National: “Michael Cohen’s Business Partner Agrees to Cooperate as Part of Plea Deal” by Danny Hakim, William Rashbaum, and Vivian Wang for MSN

Massachusetts: “Galvin Disciplines Employees for Performing Political Tasks on Government Time” by Matt Stout for Boston Globe

Ohio: “Cincinnati Councilman Jeff Pastor’s Campaign: Unusual donations, loans, gifts to churches” by Sharon Coolidge for Cincinnati Enquirer

Texas: “Democratic State Rep. Ron Reynolds Likely Headed to Jail after Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Refuses to Review His Case” by Jolie McCullough for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

National: “Lobbying Firm Shuttered, but Tony Podesta’s Fate in Mueller Probe Still a Mystery” by Trish Turner for ABC News

Elections

National: “Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met with Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election” by Mark Mazzetti, Ronen Bergman, and David Kilpatrick (New York Times) for MSN

National: “Justice Department Calls for Inquiry after Trump Demands Probe into Whether FBI ‘Infiltrated or Surveilled’ His Campaign” by Matt Zapotosky, Robert Costa, and David Nakamura (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Blankenship to Run Third-Party Senate Campaign after Losing GOP Primary” by Ben Kamisar for The Hill

Ethics

National: “#MeToo Leader, also a California Lawmaker, Disciplined for Sexual Harassment” by John Myers (Tribune News Service) for Governing

Missouri: “Now What? Greitens Special Session Underway as House Intensifies Investigation” by Jack Suntrup for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Tennessee: “Diane Black Took Flight on Private Plane Linked to Company That Benefited from Her Politicking” by Joel Ebert and Dave Boucher for The Tennessean

Lobbying

Louisiana: “New Orleans City Council to Investigate Entergy for Paying Actors to Lobby for Power Plant” by Beau Evans for New Orleans Times-Picayune

Missouri: “Missouri Lawmakers Can Keep Accepting Lobbyist Gifts After Failing to Pass Amendment” by Allison Kite and Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Lots of legislatures adjourned this week, find out what they did in this edition of News You Can Use Video Digest!

National:

These Women Mostly Ignored Politics. Now, Activism Is Their Job.
WRAL – Campbell Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 5/10/2018

Since retiring eight years ago as a high school French teacher, Kathy Rentz was content to spend her time gardening, knitting, and spoiling her grandchildren. Now she is the kind of person who writes “Not For Trump’s Golf Trips” across her federal tax return. The grassroots activism on the left has been powered to a large degree by college-educated women in midcareer or retirement. They often have no prior interest or experience in politics. But with the election of Donald Trump, they were aghast at how they felt the political system, which most had taken for granted to the point of indifference, had allowed things to fly so far off the rails.

Trump, Schneiderman, Greitens and the Changing Shape of Sex Scandals
Chicago Tribune – Marc Fisher (Washington Post) | Published: 5/13/2018

In politics, entertainment, sports, and other industries, the arc and impact of sex scandals are changing, and the difference centers on coercion and consent. Prominent cases have led the cultural wave, as allegations of abuse derailed the public careers of Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who announced his resignation hours after he was accused of physically assaulting women. But even as politicians from both parties resign or pull away from re-election bids because of accusations they abused or coerced women, a two-year procession of allegations from women who accused President Trump of sexual improprieties has had no visible impact on his popularity.

Federal:

A Secret Mission, a Code Name and Anxiety: Inside the early days of the F.B.I.’s Trump investigation
Anchorage Daily News – Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, and Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 5/16/2018

Days after they closed their investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, the FBI began scrutinizing Donald Trump’s campaign. The two cases have become inextricably linked in one of the most consequential periods in the history of the bureau. The FBI sent a pair of agents in 2016 to meet the Australian ambassador to the United Kingdom, who had evidence one of Trump’s advisers, George Papadopoulos, knew in advance about Russian election meddling. The agents’ report on the interview helped provide the foundation for a case that became the special counsel investigation. But at the time, a small group of FBI officials knew it by its code name: Crossfire Hurricane.

Ethics Chief Knocks Trump Over Stormy Daniels Payment
Politico – Louis Nelson, Matthew Nussbaum, and Lorraine Woellert | Published: 5/16/2018

President Trump formally disclosed he paid his attorney as much as $250,000 as reimbursements for expenses, which included a payoff to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who says she had a sexual encounter with Trump. The disclosure came in the president’s annual financial disclosure report to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Trump said he was listing the reimbursements to Michael Cohen “in the interest of transparency,” even though he was not required to disclose them. OGE Director David Apol questioned why Trump did not include this in his previous year’s disclosure and passed along his concerns to federal prosecutors. “I am providing both reports to you because you may find the disclosure relevant to any inquiry you may be pursuing,” Apol wrote to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

FEC Allows Candidate to Use Campaign Funds for Child Care
The Hill – Aris Folley | Published: 5/10/2018

The FEC ruled a candidate can use campaign funds to pay for child care. Liuba Grechen Shirley had petitioned the FEC for permission to pay her babysitter out of money donated to her campaign. Grechen Shirley, who previously cared for her children full time, argued she needed the sitter only for her bid for office and that the payment therefore constituted a campaign expense. The FEC noted Grechen Shirley’s child care needs were a direct result of her run for Congress and essential to her continuing a bid. Therefore, the spending would not be considered a violation of rules that prohibit personal spending.

Thousands of Pages of Congressional Testimony Shed Light on 2016 Trump Tower Meeting
MSN – Rosalind Helderman and Karoun Demirjian (Washington Post) | Published: 5/16/2018

Thousands of pages of interview transcripts released by the Senate Judiciary Committee offer the most detailed account to date of the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer who has admitted to being an “informant” to Moscow. The documents show a constellation of efforts over several years by two powerful Russian real estate developers, Aras and Emin Agalarov, to arrange meetings and provide assistance to Donald Trump. The efforts culminated in setting up the meeting with Trump Jr. on the promise to the president’s eldest son that it would deliver political dirt on Hillary Clinton. While the documents reveal the willingness of the Trump campaign to accept the Agalarovs’ help when it was convenient, they do not show the extent to which the president was aware of the meeting’s stated purpose.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: Legislature Will Boot Ballot Measure If Governor Signs ‘Government Accountability’ Bill
Juneau Empire – James Brooks | Published: 5/14/2018

If signed into law by Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, House Bill 44 will prohibit lawmakers from accepting per diem after Day 121 of the legislative session if a budget has not been approved. Lawmakers will also be required to disclose financial conflicts-of-interest in committee, not just on the floor, and lobbyists will be further restricted from providing meals and drinks to legislators. Amendments to the legislation make it “substantially similar” to an ethics reform ballot measure. Under the Alaska Constitution, an initiative may be removed from the ballot if the Legislature passes a bill that is “substantially the same” as the initiative.

Arizona: Arizona Lawsuit Says Measure Undermines Clean Elections
KNAU; Associated Press –   | Published: 5/16/2018

A lawsuit claims a ballot referendum eviscerates the authority of the state’s Citizens Clean Elections Commission. The agency administers public financing of elections. A ballot referendum that passed earlier this year would ask voters if they want to put the commission’s rulemakings under the oversight of the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council, which is staffed by gubernatorial appointees. The suit says the commission has independent rulemaking authority by design, since it regulates politicians.

Arkansas: Arkansas Judge Who Blocked TV Ads Removing Himself from Case
Sacramento Bee – Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) | Published: 5/16/2018

Washington County Circuit Court Judge Doug Martin, who ordered that negative political ads against Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson be pulled off the airwaves recused himself from further involvement in the case. The temporary restraining order by Martin still stands, however. Martin had reported receiving income through his wife from the law firm of Goodson’s husband. Justice Goodson is fighting a legal battle in Arkansas’ largest media markets against what she says are “defamatory” ads being run by an out-of-state group that does not disclose its donors.

Florida: It Was Supposed to Show Who Profited from Public Money. But the Rule Wasn’t Enforced
Miami Herald – Elizabeth Koh | Published: 5/10/2018

Records show despite an ethics rule that requires lobbyists for taxpayer-funded entities to submit lobbying contracts to the Florida House, the rule has not been enforced. The House’s much vaunted web page was not updated for a year and some lobbyists neglected for months to comply with the required disclosures. Today, the web page still includes outdated data on lobbying expenditures made by local governments and remains incomplete. At one point, the backlog left hundreds of documents off the books in the last two years.

Maryland: Mayor Pugh Seeks Broad Ethics Exemption to Raise Private Money to Fund Baltimore Programs
Baltimore Sun – Ian Duncan | Published: 5/15/2018

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh wants to be exempted from city ethics rules that require officials to obtain approvals before soliciting private funds for community programs and events. Calling Baltimore “a poor city,” City Solicitor Andre Davis questioned the constraints on the mayor’s ability to solicit monetary assistance. The ethics rules are designed to ensure transparency around gifts and charitable support that officials receive from individuals and businesses they may wield influence over in the course of their duties. In addition to seeking approval up front, officials are required to submit reports detailing fundraising activities.

Missouri: Case Against Greitens Is Dropped, for Now. Legislative Leaders Say Nothing’s Changed
Kansas City Star – Bryan Lowry, Jason Hancock, Kelsey Landis, Allison Kite, and Steve Vockrodt | Published: 5/14/2018

Prosecutors dropped an invasion-of-privacy charge against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens but still hope to pursue a case against him for allegedly taking a revealing photograph of a woman with whom he was having an affair. The move came after the judge granted a request by Greitens’ lawyers to call the case’s prosecutor, Kim Gardner, as a witness for the defense. The defense team has criticized Gardner’s handling of the case. “The court’s order places the circuit attorney in the impossible position of being a witness, subject to cross-examination, [including by her own subordinates],” a Gardner spokesperson said. Greitens remains charged for allegedly using a donor list from a charity in his gubernatorial campaign. The Legislature will convene a special session to consider whether to initiate impeachment proceedings against Greitens.

Missouri: Donors Behind Political Cash Cannot Be Concealed, Ethics Watchdog Says
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Sky Chadde | Published: 5/10/2018

The Missouri Ethics Commission issued an advisory opinion stating nonprofits that contribute to campaigns cannot conceal the identities of their donors. The opinion targets so-called dark money groups, who do not have to disclose their donors, making the origin of the funds nearly impossible to determine. Their use has increased in recent years and one prominent organization that has employed the tactic is A New Missouri, a nonprofit created to promote Gov. Eric Greitens’ agenda.

New York: Jury Finds Silver Guilty
Albany Times Union – Benjamin Weiser (New York Times) | Published: 5/11/2018

For a second time, a jury convicted former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges. Prosecutors accused him of a scheme in which a physician referred possible asbestos lawsuit plaintiffs to him in exchange for $500,000 in state grants. Silver passed on the clients to a law firm, which paid him more than $3 million in referral fees. He was also convicted of accepting $700,000 in fees from a real estate law firm after he steered business to the firm from two developers who benefited from his activities at the statehouse. Silver’s initial conviction was among a number of cases that were overturned after the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the activity that could constitute corruption.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Ethics Commission Votes to Sue Over Budget
The Oklahoman – Nolan Clay | Published: 5/12/2018

Unhappy with its appropriation, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted to pursue a lawsuit over the matter. Commission Executive Director Ashley Kemp would not say if the suit was related to concerns over funding or who would be named as defendant. But the commission has been vocal about its dissatisfaction on how the Legislature handled its funding. Kemp said the agency was upset about its appropriation. The Legislature swept the agency’s revolving funds, which include fees assessed by the commission, rather than making an appropriation from the general revenue fund.

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “‘Shell Companies’ Gave Money to Gov. Eric Greitens’ Campaign: Memo released by lawmakers” by Will Schmidt for Springfield News-Leader

Elections

National: “A Secret Mission, a Code Name and Anxiety: Inside the early days of the F.B.I.’s Trump investigation” by Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, and Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Thousands of Pages of Congressional Testimony Shed Light on 2016 Trump Tower Meeting” by Rosalind Helderman and Karoun Demirjian (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Trump Discloses Payment to Cohen in Financial Report” by Steve Eder, Eric Lipton, and Ben Protess (New York Times) for Seattle Times

National: “Obama Ethics Chief Accuses Trump of Violating Emoluments Clause: ‘See you in court Mr. Trump’” by Avery Anapol for The Hill

National: “Top Novartis Lawyer Exits Over Trump Attorney Deal Error” by John Miller for Reuters

National: “Federal Judge Rejects Manafort’s Bid to Dismiss Mueller Indictment” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

Maryland: “Mayor Pugh Seeks Broad Ethics Exemption to Raise Private Money to Fund Baltimore Programs” by Ian Duncan for Baltimore Sun

Ohio: “Ex-Councilman Joe Cimperman on His Corruption Sentence: ‘This isn’t who I wanted to be’” by Cory Shaffer for Cleveland Plain Dealer

Lobbying

Florida: “Lobbyist Ron Book Tends to Get His Way in Miami-Dade, but This Time It’s a No.” by Douglas Hanks for Miami Herald