Lobbying

“Skadden, Big New York Law Firm, Faces Questions on Work with Manafort” by Kenneth Vogel and Andrew Kramer for New York Times

Arizona: “116 Arizona Lobbyists Could Face Attorney General Investigation” by Alia Beard Rau for Arizona Republic

Maryland: “Maryland Lobbyist Pleads Guilty to Bribing Lawmaker to Help with Prince George’s Liquor Licenses” by Drew Gerber for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

“Fate Is Uncertain for House GOP’s Campaign Finance Riders” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

New Mexico: “Did Gov. Susana Martinez Break SEC Rules in New Mexico Pension Deals?” by David Sirota, Josh Keefe, and Andrew Perez for International Business Times

Ethics

“Kushner Used Private Email to Conduct White House Business” by Josh Dawsey for Politico

“Anthony Weiner Gets 21 Months in Prison for Sexting with Teenager” by Benjamin Weiser for New York Times

Georgia: “Atlanta Ethics Board: No free Falcons tickets, suites for city workers” by Jaclyn Schultz for WAGA

New York: “Ethics Watchdog Gives Thumbs-Up to Cuomo Plane Trip, Scrutinizes Others” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Senator Defends Drug Companies Against Lawsuit Filed by State” by Randy Ellis for The Oklahoman

Pennsylvania: “Corruption Case Against Pa. Lawmaker Delayed for Years” by Angela Couloumbis and Craig McCoy for Philadelphia Inquirer

Elections

“Facebook to Turn Over Thousands of Russian Ads to Congress, Reversing Decision” by Craig Timberg, Carol Leonnig, and Elizabeth Dwoskin for Washington Post

Today, the writ for the October 30 general election for all 22 Legislative Assembly Members’ seats is being issued after the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was dissolved on September 24.

The order for the writ and the dissolution of the 4th Legislative Assembly of Nunavut was made pursuant to a Proclamation issued by the Commissioner of Nunavut. The 5th Legislative Assembly will convene on a future date not yet determined.

The pre-election period for prospective candidates began on June 27 and ended on September 25. This election will be the first time Nunavummiut born after the creation of Nunavut, on April 1, 1999, and who are 18 will be eligible to vote.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: SEEC asks Malloy to keep campaign finance law out of future budget negotiations by Mike Savino for Record-Journal

Pennsylvania: Former candidate hopefuls face action from revamped Pittsburgh ethics board by Chris Potter for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Elections

Trump Pledges to Campaign for Moore if Strange Loses by Bridget Bowman for Roll Call

Ethics

Ethics experts say Trump administration far from normal by Rachael Seeley Flores for The Center for Public Integrity

Georgia: Georgia ethics panel will audit candidates in governor’s, mayor’s races by James Salzer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Lobbying

Corey Lewandowski appears to be working with another lobbying firm by Theodoric Meyer and Daniel Lippman for Politico

Sprint hired Trump-connected lobbyist amid deal talks by Ginger Gibson and Diane Bartz for Reuters

New York: Keith Wright might have to give up job at lobbying firm by  Carl Campanile for New York Post

Utah: Former Utah House speaker named chief lobbyist for Mormon church by Lee Davidson for The Salt Lake Tribune

Coming to you this week from the Greek Festival in Akron, Ohio is Becky Campbell with News You Can Use Video Digest!

Lobbying

Maryland: “Maryland Lobbyist Charged in Bribery Scandal Linked to Prince George’s County Liquor Board” by Scott MacFarlane for WRC

Campaign Finance

Canada: “Taxpayers Would Give Millions to Political Parties in NDP Plan” by Lindsay Kines and Amy Smart for Times Colonist

California: “California Passes Bill to Track ‘Dark Money’ in Political Ads and Campaigns” by Jason Shueh for StateScoop

Kentucky: “Former Beshear Official Admits He Solicited Contributions from Fellow State Workers” by Sheldon Shafer for Louisville Courier-Journal

Ethics

“With a Picked Lock and a Threatened Indictment, Mueller’s Inquiry Sets a Tone” by Sharon LaFraniere, Matt Apuzzo, and Adam Goldman for New York Times

“Exclusive: US government wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman” by Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, and Pamela Brown for CNN

Florida: “FPL Says Claim That Senator Used Lobbyist to Get Power Restored Is ‘Absurd’” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald

Indiana: “Ethics Panel Forever Bans State Government Employee Who Hired Aunt, Sister, Stepdaughter” by Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) for Indianapolis Star

Kentucky: “Millions Go to Board Members of Lexington’s Farmland Conservation Program” by Beth Musgrave for Lexington Herald-Leader

Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania Senator’s Medical Marijuana Moonlighting Role” by Steve Esack for Allentown Morning Call

Elections

“Democrats Mount Effort to Recruit Women as State Attorneys General” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

“Facebook’s Openness on Russia Questioned by Congressional Investigators” by Carol Leonnig, Elizabeth Dwoskin, and Craig Timberg for Washington Post

On September 17, Elections Canada announced two by-elections for the House of Commons will be held on October 23.

The by-elections will be held for the electoral districts of Sturgeon River–Parkland in Alberta and the Lac-Saint-Jean in Quebec. Advance voting will run from the 13th to the 16th of October.

MP Rona Ambrose of Sturgeon River-Parkland resigned from politics in July.

MP Denis Lebel of Lac-Saint-Jean announced his retirement in June.

Jonathan Spontarelli is here to deliver this week’s News You Can Use from the new Washington D.C. branch of State and Federal Communications!

Lobbying

Pennsylvania: “Elect Them, Then Lobby Them: Two firms blur the worlds of policy and politics in Harrisburg” by Angela Couloumbis and Liz Navratil for Philadelphia Inquirer

Campaign Finance

“Will Donald Trump Let the Federal Election Commission Rot?” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity

Arizona: “Commissioner Bob Burns Can’t Force Political Funding Disclosure, Utility Argues” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Illinois: “Weighing Third Term, Emanuel Relies on Campaign Donors Who Get City Hall Benefits” by Jeff Coen and Bill Ruthhart for Chicago Tribune

Maine: “Network of Companies with Ties to York County Casino Bid Stretches Far and Wide” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald

New Jersey: “Court Revives Campaign Complaint Against Essex County Executive” by Nicholas Pugliese for Bergen Record

Oregon: “Legislators Consolidate Power, Cash, in Partially Invisible Cycle of Giving to Each Other” by Cooper Green for Salem Statesman-Journal

Elections

New York: “Monserrate, Ex-Senator and Ex-Convict, Seeks Votes Amid Disdain” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

Several special elections have been called in Georgia to fill vacancies in the state legislature. The openings are in the following districts: House Districts 42, 89, and 119; and Senate Districts 6 and 39.

The general elections will take place on November 7, 2017. A special election, already set last month, for House District 117 will take place on the same day.

Reps. Stacey Evans (House District 42), Stacey Abrams (House District 89), and Sen. Hunter Hill (Senate District 6) resigned their seats to focus on their gubernatorial campaigns.

Rep. Chuck Williams resigned his House District 119 seat to become the director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Sen. Vincent Fort resigned from his Senate District 39 seat to run for mayor of Atlanta.

Special runoff elections, if necessary, will be held on December 5.

Campaign Finance

New Mexico: New Campaign Spending Rules to Take Effect by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

New York: Firm Uses Loophole to Secretly Donate $60G to de Blasio Campaign, Lobbying Records Show by James Fanelli for New York Daily News

Ethics

Mueller Gives White House Names of 6 Aides He Expects to Question in Russia Probe by Carol Leonnig, Rosalind Helderman, and Ashley Parker for Washington Post

Kentucky: Legislative Sex Harassment Case Spurs Call for Change in Kentucky’s Ethics Law by Jack Brammer for Lexington Herald-Leader

Elections

On Facebook and Twitter, a Hunt for Russia’s Meddling Hand by Scott Shane for New York Times

In Free-Range Trump, Many See Potential for a Third Party by Jeremy Peters for New York Times

Lobbying

Canada: Quebec’s Lobbyist Registry Best in Canada, Though All Struggle in Key Transparency Metrics: Study by Marco Vigliotti for The Hill Times

Virginia: Virginia Lawmakers Attend Fewest Lobbyist-Paid Entertainment Events Since McDonnell Case by Will Houp for Virginian-Pilot

Procurement

Illinois: Aldermen Take Another Stab at Relaxing Ethics Rules for Contractors by Fran Spielman for Chicago Sun-Times

 Becky is coming to you from the Content Marketing World 2017 conference in Cleveland, Ohio with this week’s News You Can Use Video Digest!

Indiana State Sen. Luke Kenley is retiring effective September 30. He represented Senate District 20 for 25 years, and was re-elected in November 2016.

On September 6, a Republican caucus selected Victoria Spartz, current chief financial officer of the Attorney General’s Office, to replace Kenley and serve the remaining three years of his term.

Senate District 20 covers portions of Grant, Hamilton, Madison, and Tipton counties.

Lobbying

“A Two-Decade Crusade by Conservative Charities Fueled Trump’s Exit from Paris Climate Accord” by Robert O’Harrow Jr. for Washington Post

Florida: “Hernando Commission to Debate Ordinance Requiring Lobbyists to Register” by Barbara Behrendt for Tampa Bay Times

Campaign Finance

“Facebook Says It Sold Political Ads to Russian Company During 2016 Election” by Carol Leonnig, Tom Hamburger, and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Montana: “Gov. Bullock Settles Campaign Violation Over State Airplane for $3,000” by Tom Lutey for Billings Gazette

New Mexico: “New Mexico Candidate Seeks Court Injunction to Access Cash” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

Ethics

“Trump Gets Millions from Golf Members. CEOs and Lobbyists Get Access to President” by Brad Heath, Fredreka Schouten, Steve Reilly, Nick Pezenstadler, and Aamer Madhani for USA Today

California: “Prosecution Freezes Assets of Fired Centinela Superintendent Facing Embezzlement Charges” by Larry Altman for Los Angeles Daily Breeze

Connecticut: “Ex-Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez Pleads Guilty to Bribe Receiving, Attempted Larceny; Spared Prison” by David Owens and Jenna Carlesso for Hartford Courant

Florida: “Prosecutors Had 5 Years to Charge ex-U.S. Rep. David Rivera. Now Time Has Run Out.” by Patricia Mazzei for Miami Herald

Georgia: “Reed to Ethics Board: ‘I don’t have an ax to grind’” by Nicole Carr for WSB

Elections

“Software Glitch or Russian Hackers? Election Problems Draw Little Scrutiny” by Nicole Pearlroth, Michael Wines, and Matthew Rosenberg for New York Times

Texas: “Court: Texas Can Enforce New Voter ID Law in November” by Allie Morris for Governing

On September 25, the writ for the October 30 general election for all 22 Legislative Assembly Members’ seats will be issued.

The pre-election period for prospective candidates began on June 27 and will end on September 25.

This election will be the first time Nunavummiut born after the creation of Nunavut, on April 1, 1999, and who are 18 will be eligible to vote.