Campaign Finance

Missouri: “St. Louis County Council Looks into the Wisdom, and Practicality, of Campaign Donation Limits” by Jason Rosenbaum for St. Louis Public Radio

New York: “Mayor Wants City Charter Revision to Tackle Campaign Finance” by William Neuman for New York Times

Texas: “County Judge Sent $63K from Campaign Account to His Beer Company Without Reporting It” by Trent Seibert for Texas Monitor

Elections

Montana: “Montana’s Ban on Robocalls Upheld as Constitutional by Federal Judge” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

Ethics

Federal: “Federal Grants Meant for Clean Coal Misspent on Liquor, Spas” by Ari Natter for Bloomberg

National: “A Whirlwind Envelops the White House, and the Revolving Door Spin” by Peter Baker (New York Times) for MSN

Florida: “Miami Beach Official Accepted Stays from Hotelier. Now Both Face Corruption Charges.” by Joey Flechas and David Ovalle for Miami Herald

Kentucky: “Kentucky Bill Seeks New Ethics Rules for KFC Yum! Center Board” by Marcus Green for WDRB

Legislative Issues

National: “She Was Naming Lawmakers Who Took Oil-and-Gas Money – So They Barred Her from the Public Hearing” by Avi Selk for Washington Post

Lobbying

Hawaii: “Development Lobbyist Failed to Register with Honolulu Ethics Commission” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Today, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) published its price index adjustments for expenditure limitations and the federal lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold has increased for 2018 from $17,900 to $18,200. This threshold amount is adjusted annually.

Federal law requires authorized committees of federal candidates, leadership political action committees (PACs), and political party committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists and lobbyists’ PACs.

Additionally, the FEC published its adjusted Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for political parties for 2018.

The fastest 2 and half minutes in campaign finance, ethics and lobbying news you’ll see this week!

The Seattle Ethics and Election Commission accused Facebook of not complying with a city political advertisement disclosure law.

The law requires companies selling political ads to disclose information about advertisement buys, including information on the exact nature and extent of such advertisements and names and addresses of purchasers.

Facebook provided records at the request of the Ethics and Election Commission, but those records were inadequate, according to the Ethics and Election Commission.

Facebook could be liable for up to $5,000 per violation.

Federal:

Hero or Hired Gun? How a British Former Spy Became a Flash Point in the Russia Investigation.
Washington Post – Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman | Published: 2/6/2018

Former British spy Christopher Steele wrote memos that came to be known as the dossier and has become the central point of contention in the political brawl raging around the Russia inquiry by special counsel Robert Mueller. Some consider Steele to be a hero, a latter-day Paul Revere who, at personal risk, tried to provide an early warning about the Kremlin’s unprecedented meddling in a U.S. campaign. Those who distrust him say he is merely a hired gun leading a political attack on President Trump.  Steele himself struggled to navigate dual obligations – to his private clients, who were paying him to help Clinton win, and to a sense of public duty born of his previous life.

Trump Picks New Federal Ethics Chief
Politico – Josh Gerstein | Published: 2/7/2018

President Trump nominated a new director for the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), several months after the previous director, Walter Shaub, resigned over frustration with the administration. Trump nominated Emory Rounds, a current associate counsel at the OGE, to head the independent agency. Rounds previously served as an ethics attorney at the Commerce Department and in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the U.S. Navy.

White House Officials Knew About Porter’s Abuse Allegations and Scrambled to Protect Him
CNN – Kaitlin Collins, Kevin Liptak, and Dan Merica | Published: 2/8/2018

President Trump’s staff secretary, Rob Porter, resigned after his two ex-wives accused him of physical and emotional abuse, with one presenting pictures of her blackened eye. Porter was the gatekeeper to the Oval Office, determining which policy proposals reached the president’s hands and screening the briefing materials his visitors shared with him. Sources said the allegations against Porter had contributed to a delay in granting him a permanent security clearance. Aides had been aware generally of accusations against Porter since late last year, White House advisers said.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona – Arizona House Expels Yuma Rep. Don Shooter After Sexual-Harassment Findings
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 2/1/2018

The Arizona House voted to expel a Republican lawmaker after a report ordered by legislative leaders of his own party showed he engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment toward women. Rep. Don Shooter is believed to be the first state lawmaker in the U.S. to be voted out of his seat since the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct began in the fall. Shooter was facing censure, House Speaker changed his mind after Shooter sent a letter to his colleagues asking that they delay the vote to consider whether there also are credible charges against Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who was the first to level harassment charges against Shooter.

California – Oakland Asks District Attorney to Investigate Alleged Bribes by Cannabis Lobbyist
East Bay Times – Darwin BondGraham | Published: 2/2/2018

A man who Oakland City Council President Larry Reid says tried to bribe him to help obtain a cannabis dispensary permit also allegedly offered two businessmen assistance in getting a dispensary license in exchange for bags of cash. Developer Dorian Gray tried in January to give Reid an envelope he said had $10,000 in it, Reid said. Gray then approached the city official who oversees Oakland’s cannabis permit office and offered him a free trip to Spain to tour cannabis lounges there. The matter has been referred to the to the Alameda County district attorney’s office. The city’s Public Ethics Commission has opened its own investigation.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Approves Fair Elections Act
Washington Times – Julia Airey | Published: 2/6/2018

The District of Columbia Council gave final approval to legislation authorizing publicly financed campaigns, clashing with Mayor Muriel Bowser, who vowed she would not fund the program. The voluntary system would allow qualified candidates to receive a base sum that varies by office, with a maximum of $160,000 for the mayoral contest as well as a five-to-one match on small donations. Supporters say the program will open local politics to new candidates, increase the power of small donors, and reduce the influence of wealthy campaign contributors. But critics including Bowser say the program, estimated to cost city taxpayers $5?million a year, will waste precious funds.

Florida – FBI Lays Out Case for Bribery, Mail Fraud in Search Warrant
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 2/5/2018

An FBI search warrant lays out a “pay-to-play” scheme where Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars in payments from clients seeking to do business with the city through his friend and business associate Paige Carter-Smith, owner of the lobbying firm Governance Services. Among the firm’s clients were Uber and FBI undercover agents posing as developers and a medical marijuana entrepreneur. The warrant says Maddox sold Governance Services to Carter-Smith between 2010 and 2012. After the sale, Maddox denied keeping an interest in the company, but continued his control of the firm and profited from its work.

Florida – Tallahassee Commission Adopts Broad New Ethics Rules
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeffrey Schweers | Published: 2/3/2018

The Tallahassee City Commission adopted an ethics reform ordinance that includes a ban on elected or appointed officials soliciting gifts from vendors, lobbyists, or tenants of city property, prohibits elected or appointed officials from accepting any gifts totaling over $100 in any calendar year, and a requires elected officials to file their financial disclosure forms and quarterly gift forms with the city treasurer-clerk. An ethics complaint filed at the same time with any law enforcement agency or the Florida Commission on Ethics will be put on hold until the other agency concludes its investigation.

North Carolina – Lobbyist Charged with Felonies After Investigation of Bail Bonds Advocacy
Raleigh News and Observer – Colin Campbell | Published: 2/7/2018

Raleigh attorney and lobbyist Mark Bibbs was indicted on 10 charges, including obstruction of justice, perjury, and lobbying without registering. Prosecutors said Bibbs lobbied legislators on behalf of a bail bonds company without properly registering and then lied under oath about his actions to the North Carolina secretary of state’s lobbying compliance investigators. Investigators spent months looking into Bibbs’ work in 2016 on behalf of NC Bail Academy, Rockford-Cohen Group, All American Bail Bonds, and Cannon Surety. A complaint about Bibbs’ activities was filed by Robert Brawley, a former state lawmaker who was a partner in the Cannon Surety business.

North Carolina – Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Stanford Professor’s Election Districts for Wake and Mecklenburg
Raleigh News and Observer – Anne Blythe | Published: 2/6/2018

The U.S. Supreme Court partly granted a request from North Carolina Republicans to block a voting map drawn by a federal court. That court had interceded after finding a map drawn by state lawmakers for the General Assembly had relied too heavily on race and had violated state laws. The Supreme Court’s order, which was brief and gave no reasons, partly blocked that decision while the justices consider whether to hear an appeal in the case.

South Carolina – SC Special Prosecutor Wants to Toss Out Quinn’s Guilty Plea If He Won’t Admit Crime
The State – John Monk | Published: 2/5/2018

Special prosecutor David Pascoe said when former South Carolina Rep. Rick Quinn pleaded guilty to misconduct in office in December, he did so without actually admitting to any crime. Therefore, Pascoe in said in court filings, Quinn should revise his guilty plea. Pascoe wants him to make it clear he intended to commit a crime when he failed to report that a business he was associated with received nearly $30,000 from the University of South Carolina. Quinn’s crime was failure to disclose that payment, Pascoe says, adding it was legal for the business to take the university’s money.

Tennessee – Mayor Barry Recommended City Job for Daughter of Officer with Whom She Had Affair
The Tennessean – Anita Wadhwani | Published: 2/6/2018

Within months of taking office, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry recommended the adult daughter of the head of her security detail – the man with whom she later admitted to having an affair – be hired for a job in the city’s legal department. The daughter got the job. The position as an entry-level city attorney was the first newly created job in Nashville’s legal department in two years. It was not part of the existing budget. Barry approved the new job opening and no other candidate was considered. Ethics experts say that whether the mayor made the recommendation to hire the woman during her romantic relationship, or in its prelude, her involvement in a hiring decision may constitute a misuse of her office.

Virginia – Dozens of Virginia Churches Have Been Donating Cash to Campaigns for Years, Despite Law
The Virginian-Pilot – Bill Bartell | Published: 2/1/2018

For years, national Christian conservative activists have argued churches and other houses of worship should be allowed to endorse or donate money to candidates. Such support is prohibited if a religious organization wants to keep its tax-exempt status. But in Virginia, dozens of churches have been donating cash to campaigns for several years. Sen. Lionell Spruill Sr. received almost two-thirds of the $31,500 that churches have given to Virginia candidates in the past two decades. Spruill argues the checks were not campaign contributions – the churches were buying tickets for their members at a reduced price to his annual campaign fundraising dinner.

Washington – Seattle Says Facebook Is Violating City Campaign Finance Law
Reuters – David Ingram | Published: 2/6/2018

The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission said Facebook has violated the city’s election advertising laws. It is the first attempt at regulatory action on internet companies over political ads on their platforms. The company could pay as much as $5,000 per ad in fines if it does not disclose information about campaign spending on its platform during last year’s city elections. The company has provided partial spending numbers, but not copies of ads or data about whom they targeted. The commission’s executive director, Wayne Barnett, said Facebook’s response “doesn’t come close to meeting their public obligation.”

West Virginia – Ethics Commission OKs Tourism Contract with Justice’s Greenbrier Resort
Charleston Gazette-Mail – Phil Kabler | Published: 2/1/2018

West Virginia Division of Tourism officials can partner with The Greenbrier resort in an advertising campaign after the state Ethics Commission granted the division a contract exemption. Tourism officials argued it would be an undue hardship if the state could not enter into an agreement with The Greenbrier as part of their new centralized advertising campaign. The contract exemption was needed to avoid potential conflicts-of-interest, since Gov. Jim Justice is primary owner of the resort, and as governor, has authority to hire or fire the state Secretary of Commerce and the Tourism commissioner. That effectively gives Justice direct authority over the proposed state contract with The Greenbrier, in violation of the ethics law.

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

Campaign Finance

California: “Peskin Wants Big Political Donors to Disclose Investments” by Joshua Sabatini for San Francisco Examiner

District of Columbia: “D.C. Council Approves Fair Elections Act” by Julia Airey for Washington Times

Elections

National: “Hero or Hired Gun? How a British Former Spy Became a Flash Point in the Russia Investigation.” by Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Ethics

Nebraska: “Is the Time Right for an Ethics Board in the Nebraska Legislature?” by Jo Anne Young for Lincoln Journal Star

New York: “State Senate’s New Sexual Harassment Policy Draws Criticism” by Rachel Silberstein for Gotham Gazette

Oregon: “Report Finds Kruse Groped Women at Oregon Capitol, Misbehavior Escalated after Warnings” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

South Carolina: “S.C. House Ethics Committee Warns Legislators Don’t Use Campaign Cash to Defend Misconduct Allegations” by Seanna Adcox for Charleston Post and Courier

Tennessee: “Mayor Barry Recommended City Job for Daughter of Officer with Whom She Had Affair” by Anita Wadhwani for The Tennessean

Lobbying

California: “California Lobbyists Could Receive a Four-Year Ban for Sexual Harassment Under New Legislation” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Missouri: “Senators Propose Limiting Gifts from Lobbyists to $40 a Day” by Marshall Griffin for St. Louis Public Radio

Canada: “Democracy Watch Asks Court to Force Lobbying Commissioner to Investigate Aga Khan” by Elizabeth Thompson for CBC

Redistricting

North Carolina: “Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Stanford Professor’s Election Districts for Wake and Mecklenburg” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News and Observer

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called a special election for April 24, 2018.

The special election is needed to fill nine vacant Assembly seats and two vacant Senate seats.

The Senate races may garner a lot of fanfare as Democrats hope to win both seats and gain control of the New York Senate.

On March 30, the public comment period will end for proposed Federal Election Commission (FEC) rulemaking concerning independent expenditures by candidates and reporting of independent expenditures and electioneering communications relating to presidential primary elections.

The covered independent expenditures and electioneering communications are specific to those publicly distributed in multiple states and not referring to any particular state’s primary election.

On January 29, the announcement of these proposed rulemakings was published in the Federal Register. Comments may be submitted directly to the FEC’s website.

Campaign Finance

Virginia: “Dozens of Virginia Churches Have Been Donating Cash to Campaigns for Years, Despite Law” by Bill Bartell for The Virginian-Pilot

Elections

Florida: “Judge Strikes Down Florida’s System for Denying Felons’ Voting Rights” by Steve Bousquet for Tampa Bay Times

Ethics

Florida: “Tallahassee Commission Adopts Broad New Ethics Rules” by Jeffrey Schweers for Tallahassee Democrat

Massachusetts: “Hefner Had Access to Rosenberg’s E-mails” by Yvonne Abraham for Boston Globe

South Carolina: “SC Special Prosecutor Wants to Toss Out Quinn’s Guilty Plea If He Won’t Admit Crime” by John Monk for The State

Tennessee: “Mayor Megan Barry Potentially Violated Her Own Ethics Rules During Affair with Officer, Experts Say” by Adam Tamburin (USA Today) for The Tennessean

Lobbying

California: “Oakland Asks District Attorney to Investigate Alleged Bribes by Cannabis Lobbyist” by Darwin BondGraham for East Bay Times

Redistricting

National: “Opponents of Gerrymandering Keep Winning, But It Might Not Affect 2018” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

National: “In Blow to GOP, U.S. Supreme Court to Allow Pennsylvania Redistricting” by Jonathan Lai and Liz Navratil for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Campaign Finance

Alabama: “Attorney General’s Office Appears to Be Investigating Campaign Finance Documents” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Elections

Pennsylvania: “Bob Brady Is Not Running for Reelection” by Holly Otterbein, Chris Brennan, and Claudia Vargas for Philadelphia Inquirer

Ethics

Federal: “Revolving Door Between Trump Pentagon, Contractors Spins Faster” by Sam Skolnik for Bloomberg Government

Arizona: “Arizona House Expels Yuma Rep. Don Shooter After Sexual-Harassment Findings” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

District of Columbia: “D.C. Will Not Reappoint Open Government Watchdog Who Ruled Against City” by Peter Jamison for Washington Post

West Virginia: “Ethics Commission OKs Tourism Contract with Justice’s Greenbrier Resort” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette-Mail

Lobbying

Florida: “Lobbyist Accuses Legislator of Retaliation Over His Role in Sexual Harassment Case” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald

Redistricting

Pennsylvania: “Sen. Scarnati Refuses Pa. Supreme Court Order to Turn Over Map Data in Gerrymander Case” by Jonathan Lai for Philadelphia Inquirer

With the amount of news this week, you can’t afford to miss this week’s news you can use video digest!

National:

Just How Bad is Partisan Gerrymandering? Ask the Mapmakers.
New York Times – Michael Wines | Published: 1/29/2018

Eric Hawkins, an analyst for the political consulting firm NCEC Services, is part of a cottage industry of statisticians, computer jockeys, and political sages whose business is to turn demographic data into electoral maps. His firm works exclusively with Democrats; others – like Geographic Strategies, run by the former Republican Party redistricting expert Thomas Hofeller – are loyal to Republicans. If most mapmakers are partisan, their work goes well beyond back-room politics. A good map meets constitutional requirements, such as allotting an equal number of people to every district, and respecting racial and ethnic populations. For their part, mapmakers point out their job is to implement political will, not to determine it.

Federal:

CDC Director Resigns Because of Conflicts Over Financial Interests
Washington Post – Lena Sun | Published: 1/31/2018

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Brenda Fitzgerald resigned, one day after reports that she traded tobacco stocks while heading the agency. Fitzgerald has said she divested from many stock holdings. But she and her husband were legally obligated to maintain other investments in cancer detection and health information technology, according to her ethics agreement, requiring Fitzgerald to pledge to avoid government business that might affect those interests. In Congress, some lawmakers had become increasingly concerned over Fitzgerald’s ability to do her job effectively.

Trump Groups Raised Millions, Then Paid It Out to Loyalists and a Trump Hotel
Las Vegas Sun – Kenneth Vogel and Rachel Shorey (New York Times) | Published: 1/25/2018

President Trump’s close political advisers are making millions of dollars working for several different entities gearing up for Trump’s re-election campaign, raising questions about whether they are following campaign finance laws designed to keep campaigns from coordinating with big-money outside groups. Campaign finance reports shed light on a network of groups that were formed to support Trump, but have spent less than other groups bolstering his agenda, while steering money to the president’s businesses and his most ardent surrogates.

Why the Russia Probe Demolished One Lobbying Firm but Spared Another
Politico – Theodoric Meyer | Published: 2/1/2018

Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chief, once arranged the hiring of the lobbying firms Podesta Group and Mercury to work on behalf of a nonprofit that was ostensibly independent but which prosecutors say was “under the ultimate direction” of the president of Ukraine. Manfaort has been indicted on charges that include violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Podesta Group collapsed within weeks of Manafort’s indictment, but Mercury just had its best year ever. There is no single explanation for why one firm imploded while the other appears to be relatively unscathed, but it is evident the Podesta Group was under pressures that Mercury did not face.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Patricia Todd Says Campaign Subpoena Was ‘Last Straw’ in Decision to Not Seek Re-election
AL.com – Roy Johnson | Published: 1/30/2018

Alabama Rep. Patricia Todd says the state’s ethics laws regarding interactions between lawmakers and non-profits made it difficult, if not impossible, for her to get a job in her profession as an advocate in the non-profit sector. But after Todd announced she will not run for re-election, she received an offer from the Consumer Financial Education Foundation of America which she accepted. Todd said potential employers were skittish about regulations that consider anyone whose job entails speaking with a legislator as a lobbyist, and rules around interactions between lawmakers and lobbyists are strict.

Florida – Proposed Change to Sexual Harassment Bill Adds Sex to Lobbying Gift Ban
Florida Politics – Ana Ceballos | Published: 1/29/2018

Sexual favors between Florida legislators and lobbyists could be illegal under a proposed amendment to a bill. Sen. Lauren Book wants to incorporate any type of sexual conduct, whether engaging in it or directing others to do it, into the state’s gift ban. The change would apply to any public official, including an “employee of an agency or local government attorney.” It would also require anyone who files a public disclosure of their financial interests to certify they have reviewed the new gift ban policy.

Illinois – IG Office: Sex harassment legislation needs teeth for lobbyists
State Journal-Register – Maximilian Kwiatkowski | Published: 1/30/2018

Sexual harassment legislation passed last year is weak when it comes to requiring lobbyists to cooperate with investigations, according to two representatives of the Illinois secretary of state’s inspector general’s office. Deputy Inspector General Randy Blue said the laws do not contain strong enough penalties or ways to enforce the rules on lobbyists working in the Capitol. Prior to the legislation, the secretary of state’s jurisdiction involving lobbyists was solely with their registration and expenditure reports. Now, it oversees sexual harassment allegations, too.

Kansas – Kansas Intern Confidentiality Rule: What happens in a lawmaker’s office stays there
Kansas City Star – Lindsay Wise (McClatchy) and Hunter Woodall | Published: 1/29/2018

The Kansas Legislature requires interns to sign agreements to keep anything that takes place or is said in a lawmaker’s office confidential, or the interns could be fired. Employment law experts who reviewed the agreement say it is written so broadly it could deter interns from reporting harassment or illegal activity, and might violate the First Amendment. Legislative leaders say the agreement is intended to remind interns that private political discussions should stay private, although they acknowledge the intention is not clear.

New York – 2 Donors Plead Guilty, but the Mayor Is Not Charged. Why?
New York Times – William Rashbaum and William Neuman | Published: 1/26/2018

A major donor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio testified he made donations to an elected official that sources identify as the mayor to win favorable treatment from City Hall. Harendra Singh made the “pay-to-play” assertion during a plea proceeding in October 2016, but his statement remained hidden from public view until now. The mayor’s ties to Singh and several other campaign donors for whom he did favors were investigated by federal prosecutors. They decided not to bring charges against de Blasio or his aides, but in doing so, they issued a cutting statement raising questions about the mayor’s ethics and making it clear he had done favors for donors.

North Carolina – In Power Struggle with GOP Lawmakers, Cooper Wins Election Board Revamp Lawsuit
Raleigh News and Observer – Anne Blythe | Published: 1/26/2018

The North Carolina Supreme Court limited the Republican-dominated Legislature’s efforts to minimize Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s ability to pursue his goals, declaring unconstitutional a law devising a state elections board that hinted at deadlock. The justices ruled Cooper could not be forced to pick a politically divided, eight-member elections board from names the two major political parties selected. The law prevented the governor from removing members with whom he disagreed unless there was wrongdoing. The law makes Cooper unable to fulfill his duties to ensure election laws are followed because half of the board will be people who will probably oppose the governor’s policy preferences, the majority opinion said.

South Dakota – Ex-SD Lawmaker Returns Lobbyist Credentials Amid Concerns
Rapid City Journal – Bob Mercer | Published: 1/29/2018

Former South Dakota Sen. Corey Brown said he has given back the lobbyist badge he received to represent Sanford Health at the 2018 legislative session amid a concern he might be breaking a state law. The Legislature decided last year that many former state government officials must wait two years before starting work as private lobbyists in South Dakota. Brown retired from the Legislature at the end of 2016. He began work January 8 for Sanford Health as senior legislative specialist for South Dakota. “The confusion comes because there are different interpretations of the law,” Brown said.

Tennessee – Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Admits to Extramarital Relationship with Top Police Security Officer
The Tennessean – Joey Garrison, Nate Rau, and Dave Boucher | Published: 1/31/2018

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry apologized for having an affair with the head of her security detail, Sgt. Robert Forrest Jr. of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The affair has drawn scrutiny to the overtime that Forrest accrued while managing her detail. Forrest accompanied Barry on trips to Paris, Athens, Washington, New York, and other cities in the past year. He racked up around $33,000 in expenses for the trips and more than $50,000 in overtime in 2017 on top of an $84,500 salary. Nine of the trips were only Barry and Forrest, including a trip to Greece in September.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Ethics Commission Hits Pause Button after Senate Rejects Director
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 1/25/2018

Wisconsin Ethics Commission Administrator Brian Bell returned to his old job at the state Department of Safety and Professional Services as a policy analyst, two days after Senate Republicans refused to confirm his appointment to the commission. Ethics Commission Chairperson David Halbrooks said he hoped to eventually bring back Bell as its director but wanted to wait to see what happens on the legal and legislative front in the coming weeks.

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

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin announced the dates for the 1^st Suffolk Senatorial District special elections.

The primary will be held April 3, with the general on May 1.

The vacancy was created after Linda Dorcena Forry resigned to become a vice president at Suffolk Construction.

Pictured: Outgoing Senator Linda Dorcena Forry

The Virginia House Committee on Rules unanimously reported House Bill 263 without recommendation to the House floor on Friday.

The bill establishes the Virginia Democracy Voucher Program, which sends every registered voter in Virginia $100 in Democracy Vouchers that may be accepted by candidates for state offices in lieu of campaign contributions every year.

Virginia has more than 5.5 million registered voters, meaning the program as designed would cost more than half a billion dollars per year.