Lobbying

New York: “De Blasio Ally Didn’t Register as Lobbyist Despite Big Push for a Donor” by William Neuman for New York Times

Ethics

“Manafort Agrees to Turn Over Notes That Could Provide New Details on Trump Tower Meeting with Russian Lawyer” by Rosalind Helderman and Karoun Demirjian for Washington Post

“Five Sentenced to Days in Jail for Supreme Court Disruption Over Campaign Finance” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post

Elections

“Federal Judge Allows Trump Commission’s Nationwide Voter Data Request to Go Forward” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post

California: “A New Suit Says Lawmakers Broke the Law When They Changed California’s Recall Election Rules” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Virginia: “Transgender Woman Challenges Virginia Bathroom Bill Sponsor” by 2017 Sarah Rankin (Associated Press) for Roanoke Times

Legislative Issues

“In Congress, New Fears and New Protections in Wake of Baseball Team Shooting” by Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

Procurement

Illinois: “New Details Emerge of Former DCFS Head’s Controversial Contracts, Hires” by David Jackson and Gary Marx for Chicago Tribune

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that pending Gov. Roy Cooper’s legal challenge of Senate Bill 68, which combines state elections and ethics boards, the new merged board can remain vacant.

The boards merged in June into the state Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement after a three-judge panel ruled against the governor, but Cooper has yet to appoint any board members.

With local elections coming up in the fall, some county elections boards are finding themselves in tough positions awaiting appointments to fill seats left open due to resignations because the state board appoints county board members.

The case is scheduled for arguments at the Supreme Court on August 28.

Lobbying

“Cash Surges to Lobby Firms in Trump Era” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Arizona: “Arizona Legislators Attend Conference with Help from Corporations That Lobby Them at Home” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona Republic

Campaign Finance

Michigan: “GOP Consultant’s Purchase of Michigan Talk Radio Stations Sparks Concerns” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press

Ethics

California: “Is Riverside’s Ethics Code Broken? Seven Hearings, $57,000 Later, Some Say Yes” by Alicia Robinson for Press-Enterprise

Florida: “Miami Lobbyist’s Business Made $1 Million Profit on State Anti-Hazing Contract” by Arek Sarkissian for Naples News

South Carolina: “FBI Investigating South Carolina Statehouse Corruption, Could Expand Scope of State Probe” by Andy Shain, Glenn Smith, and Schuyler Kropf for Charleston Post and Courier

Elections

“Local Governments Keep Using This Software – But It Might Be a Back Door for Russia” by Jack Gillum and Aaron Davis for Washington Post

“Ivanka Trump Received at Least $12.6 Million Since 2016, Disclosure Shows” by Rachel Abrams and Jesse Drucker for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Nevada: “20 Years of Term Limits: How the faces of Nevada’s Legislature have changed” by Yvonne Gonzalez for Las Vegas Sun

Ethics

“Trump Fills Top Job at Government Ethics Office with a Temporary Appointment” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

“‘I Did Not Collude,’ Kushner Says in Prepared Remarks to Senators” by Matt Apuzzo and Maggie Haberman for New York Times

“Trump Team Seeks to Control, Block Mueller’s Russia Investigation” by Carol Leonnig, Ashley parker, Rosalind Helderman, and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

“Mueller Expands Probe to Trump Business Transactions” by Greg Farrell and Christian Berthelsen for Bloomberg.com

Kentucky: “Complaints Over Gov. Matt Bevin’s Anchorage Mansion Unanimously Dismissed by Ethics Panel” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

Lobbying

“Lobbyist Gift-Giving at Issue in More States” by Scott Rodd for Governing

Illinois: “Ex-Ald. Singer Among 6 Fined for Illegally Lobbying Emanuel Via Email” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

Campaign Finance

New Mexico: “Pearce Wants to Tap Funds for Gov. Race” by Dan McKay for Albuquerque Journal

Elections

North Carolina: “NC Elections and Ethics Oversight Is Frozen Between Old and New, with Local Votes Approaching” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News and Observer

Becky Campbell is back to deliver this week’s state government and ethics news you can use!

Lobbying

“Couple Wants to Make Lobbying Accessible and ‘Good’” by Alex Gangitano for Roll Call

Florida: “Lobbyist Give $2,000 to Miami Politician After He Appointed Him to Powerful Board” by Jerry Iannelli for Miami New Times

Illinois: “Emanuel Email Case Nets Five More Lobbying Violations” by Jared Rutecki for Better Government Association

Campaign Finance

“FEC Contacts with IRS Broke No Rules, Report Says” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

Maine: “Three of Four Casino Campaign PACs Fail to Meet Finance Reports Deadline” by Steve Mistler for Maine Public Radio

Missouri: “Gov. Greitens’ Nonprofit Gives $250,000 in Dark Money to Right-to-Work PAC” by Jason Hancock and Neil Nakahodo for Kansas City Star

Missouri: “Lawmaker from Berkeley Fined $114,000 for Campaign Finance Violations” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Tennessee: “Nashville Sen. Thelma Harper’s Campaign Report Showed More Money Spent Than in Account” by Dave Boucher for The Tennessean

Elections

“Trump Election Commission, Already Under Fire, Holds First Meeting” by Michael Wines for New York Times

Legislative Issues

“For Republican Party, Governing Is a Long-Term Problem” by Jeremy Peters for New York Times

Lobbying

South Dakota: “Revolving Door Rarely Swings for Lawmakers Returning as Lobbyists” by Dana Ferguson for Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Campaign Finance

Florida: “Federal Election Commission Sues David Rivera Over Secret 2012 Campaign Cash” by Patricia Mazzei and David Smiley for Miami Herald

Washington: “Liberal Think Tank in Seattle Ordered to Pay $30,000-Plus in Campaign-Disclosure Fines” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

“Eighth Person in Trump Tower Meeting Is Identified” by Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

“What Happens to Local News When There Is No Local Media to Cover It?” by Paul Farhi for Washington Post

Delaware: “City Removes Newly Appointed Ethics Commissioner” by Christina Jedra for Wilmington News Journal

Illinois: “IG Alleges Preferential Parking Scheme on Streets Near United Center” by Fran Spielman for Chicago Sun-Times

Kentucky: “Ethics Panel: Beshear shouldn’t investigate Bevin if he might run for governor” by Daniel Desrochers for Lexington Herald-Leader

North Carolina: “Former Rockingham County DA Pleads Guilty to Role in Wife-Swap Hiring Scheme” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News and Observer

Elections

“As Party Drifts Left, Pragmatic Democratic Governors Have Eye on White House” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times

A special election for the Louisiana State Treasurer is set for October 14, 2017. Former treasurer John Kennedy vacated the position when he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016.

The race to fill the seat marks the first time the treasurer’s office has not had an incumbent running since Kennedy was elected 17 years ago.

Five contenders filed this week when the candidate registration period opened. The special election is creating an unforeseen expense for the state, costing taxpayers nearly $5 million, as Louisiana had no other statewide races scheduled this year.

The office is being run by Kennedy’s top assistant until the fall election.

National:

Blue Cities Want to Make Their Own Rules. Red States Won’t Let Them.
New York Times – Emily Badger | Published: 7/6/2017

In the last few years, Republican-controlled state Legislatures have intensified the use of what are known as pre-emption laws, to block towns and cities from adopting measures favored by the left. The states are not merely overruling local laws; they have walled off whole new realms where local governments are not allowed to govern at all. Several states are now threatening to withhold resources from communities that defy them and to hold their elected officials legally and financially liable. There is disagreement on who started the fight: states in stripping municipal power, or cities in seizing new roles that were not theirs to begin with.

Federal:

Is Donald Trump Jr.’s ‘I Love It’ Email a Smoking Gun or a Distraction?
Washington Post – Marc Fisher and David Nakamura | Published: 7/12/2017

When Donald Trump Jr. said “I love it” to the prospect of obtaining damaging information from friendly Russians about Hillary Clinton in June of last year, did that constitute a smoking gun? In one America, the answer was a pretty solid yes. Many media outlets and some Democrats straight-out declared the email the “smoking gun” in the investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to take down the Clinton candidacy. Many other news organizations hedged a bit, attaching a question mark to the term. But to supporters of President Trump, the gun was not smoking, it was just more of the same noise that has been cluttering up this presidency since its inception.

The Deep Industry Ties of Trump’s Deregulation Teams
New York Times – Danielle Ivory and Robert Faturechi | Published: 7/11/2017

President Trump entered office pledging to cut red tape, and within weeks he ordered his administration to assemble teams to aggressively scale back government regulations. But the effort is being conducted in large part out of public view and often by political appointees with deep industry ties and potential conflicts-of-interest. Most government agencies have declined to disclose information about their deregulation teams. But The New York Times and ProPublica identified 71 appointees, including 28 with potential conflicts. Some appointees are reviewing rules their previous employers sought to weaken or end, and at least two may be positioned to profit if certain regulations are undone.

Washington Firm Discloses Lobbying Senior Trump Officials on Macedonia
BuzzFeed News – John Hudson | Published: 7/6/2017

Mercury Public Affairs is providing new details about a mysterious U.S. Justice Department filing it made in February for lobbying work related to Macedonia. The firm says it contacted aides to senior Trump administration officials on issues related to Macedonia during a 12-day period in February. Mercury never received payment for the work, according to the document. The Foreign Agents Registration Act form is a retroactive update to a February filing that gained attention after two reports pointed out Mercury did not disclose a foreign agent in the filing. The new form still does not list a foreign agent – it simply lists the Libertas Foundation of which little is known, as the entity the firm is working on behalf of.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: California Lawmakers Want Data on Lobbyists’ Race, Sexual Orientation
Sacramento Bee – Taryn Luna | Published: 7/10/2017

Leaders of the Legislative Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Jewish, Latino, LGBT, and Women’s caucuses in the California Legislature asked 400 lobbying firms, associations, and principals to provide them with the race, ethnicity, gender, and openly gay or lesbian orientation of their employees. Lawmakers said the request is intended to expand the conversation about cultural diversity in the Capitol workforce. Some lobbyists applauded the move for forcing a male-dominated industry to think about its hiring practices. Others expressed concern about how the data could be used against them if their employees are not diverse enough for the lawmakers.

Delaware: Wilmington Ethics Commission Quietly Disbanded under Mayor Williams
Wilmington News Journal – Christina Jedra | Published: 7/12/2017

The Wilmington Ethics Commission quietly dissolved after former Mayor Dennis Williams’ administration allowed members’ terms to expire. City officials have “no idea” how this happened, said Gary Fullman, who was Williams’ chief of staff. It appears sometime after Mayor Mike Purzycki took office in January, his administration became aware of the situation. After being told a story would be published by The Wilmington News Journal on the matter, the city issued a press release saying the board had reformed, announcing five new members and two returning. The members will need to be confirmed by the city council.

District of Columbia: D.C. Business Groups Fight Proposed Pay-to-Play Regulations
Washington Post – Peter Jamison | Published: 7/10/2017

Representatives of District of Columbia business organizations argued against proposed limits on political donations by companies that do business with the city, saying widespread suspicions that contractors have undue influence are unwarranted. Opponents of the “pay-to-play” regulations being mulled by council members relied on an argument long favored by critics of campaign finance laws: that proven instances of elected officials making decisions based on campaign donations are rare, if not nonexistent.

Hawaii: Can Revamped Honolulu Ethics Commission Rebuild Its Credibility?
Honolulu Civil Beat – Anita Hofschneider | Published: 7/13/2017

Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Jan Yamane must work to rebuild an agency that lost its bite in recent years due to internal strife and outside interference from Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration. The commission has been relatively quiet since Yamane was hired in August to replace Chuck Totto, who had been the agency’s executive director for nearly 16 years. Yamane said the commission now has a backlog of 40 to 50 complaints, on top of about 60 pending investigations. Yamane has been busy trying to get a handle on the hefty workload and figure out how the commission can be more efficient and effective. There are about 10,000 city employees and only five ethics commission staffers, only three of which can perform investigations.

Iowa: Trial Begins in Lawsuit Alleging Toxic ‘Boys’ Club’ at Iowa Statehouse
Des Moines Register – Grant Rodgers | Published: 7/9/2017

A jury will hear testimony in a lawsuit that claims the Iowa Capitol sheltered a toxic “boys’ club” where some male senators and their staffers spoke freely about sex and women’s bodies with few or no consequences. Kirsten Anderson, a former communications director for the Senate Republican caucus, brought the lawsuit after being fired in May 2013, just seven hours after giving her boss a memorandum asking for an investigation into workplace culture at the Capitol and for stronger policies against harassment. Republican leaders have said Anderson was fired because the quality of her work was deteriorating. But court documents filed by Anderson portray scenes where she and other female staffers were forced to listen to comments about the size of women’s breasts and gossip about colleagues’ sex lives.

Montana: Legislators Face No Punishment for Ignoring Financial Disclosure Forms
The Missoulian – Jayme Fraser | Published: 7/3/2017

Montana’s system to monitor conflicts-of-interest among legislators received a failing grade in an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity. Some lawmakers ignore or flout the rules that do exist and no one has been sanctioned for breaking them in decades. Although legislators cannot take their seat without filing a financial disclosure form, no one ensures state officials fill them out completely. The two-page document was intended to be the baseline by which the public can gauge if elected officials and state employees misuse public posts. It is a key component of the law designed to fulfill a requirement in the Montana Constitution that they must work for the public and not themselves.

New York: Appeals Court Overturns Conviction of Sheldon Silver
Albany Times Union – Matthew Hamilton | Published: 7/13/2017

An appeals court overturned the conviction of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of accepting nearly $4 million in bribes and kickbacks disguised as legal payments from a pair of law firms that had business before the state. The appeals court cited a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, made after Silver’s conviction, which narrowed the definition of the kind of official conduct that can serve as the basis of a corruption prosecution. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit agreed with Silver’s contention that jury instructions in his trial were erroneous in light of the decision handed down in McDonnell v. United States.

North Carolina: Lobbyist Fundraiser Invite Raises Questions
WRAL – Laura Leslie | Published: 7/10/2017

Current lobbyist and former state Rep. Mike Hager is co-hosting a fundraiser for North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, but says he has not broken the state law against political contributions by lobbyists. Watchdogs say it is confusing and gives the appearance of impropriety. “I’ve never worried a whole lot about what people think,” Hager said. “It’s the actuality of the law that we’re complying with. That’s the only issue I have.”

Pennsylvania: Convicted Ex-Lawmakers Enjoy Access as Lobbyists
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – Debra Erdley and Kevin Zwick | Published: 7/9/2017

Numerous former lawmakers, legislative staff, and cabinet officials in Washington, D.C., as well as state capitals across the country, have turned to lobbying. Pennsylvania requires a one-year waiting period before lawmakers and agency officials can begin lobbying former colleagues. A group of Pennsylvania lawmakers-turned-lobbyists spent the waiting period behind bars. They include former House Speakers John Perzel and Bill DeWeese, and Senate Majority Leader Joe Loeper – all of whom left office for prison after being convicted of abuses of power.

Texas: Dallas Wants $8,000 Back from Philip Kingston for Missing Too Many Council Meetings
Dallas News – Tristan Hallman | Published: 7/8/2017

Officials say city council member Philip Kingston owes Dallas taxpayers thousands of dollars. Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Reich told Kingston in a memorandum that he missed too many meetings in the past 12 months and needs to pay the city back $8,160 of his $60,000 salary. But Kingston said he is disputing the city’s calculations and does not plan to return any money. The unusual quarrel and financial penalty stem from a city charter provision. If council members miss more than 10 percent of the total “regular meetings” in a compensation year, their pay is to be docked by the same percentage of meetings they missed.

Virginia: How a Shadowy Nonprofit Spent $184K in Virginia’s Governor’s Race with Almost Total Anonymity
Richmond Times-Dispatch – Graham Moomaw | Published: 7/7/2017

Virginians for a Better Future incorporated in Delaware as a social welfare organization two weeks before Virginia’s gubernatorial primaries, and then spent $184,000 on an advertising campaign to support Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam’s bid for the Democratic nomination and attack his opponent, Tom Perriello. The identity of the donor or donors behind the ad campaign might never be disclosed. Other states have taken steps to close reporting loopholes for 501(c)(4)s, but a bill to force social welfare groups to disclose their donors failed this year in the Virginia General Assembly.

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.

Gov. Phil Bryant announced a special election will take place on September 12, 2017, to fill a vacancy in the House District 102 seat. Republican Tony Barker left the seat to become mayor of Hattiesburg.

A runoff, if necessary, will be held on October 3.

Two more special elections are expected, but are not yet scheduled, for House Districts 38 and 54.

Lobbying

Pennsylvania: “Convicted Ex-Lawmakers Enjoy Access as Lobbyists” by Debra Erdley and Kevin Zwick for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Campaign Finance

“Law on Foreign Campaign Money Narrow, FEC Analysis Says” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

“D.C. Business Groups Fight Proposed Pay-to-Play Regulations” by Peter Jamison for Washington Post

North Carolina: “Lobbyist Fundraiser Invite Raises Questions” by Laura Leslie for WRAL

Virginia: “How a Shadowy Nonprofit Spent $184K in Virginia’s Governor’s Race with Almost Total Anonymity” by Graham Moomaw for Richmond Times-Dispatch

Ethics

“Trump Faces Decision on New Ethics Chief” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

“The Deep Industry Ties of Trump’s Deregulation Teams” by Danielle Ivory and Robert Faturechi for New York Times

Minnesota: “Appeals Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-New York Assemblyman” by Larry Neumeister (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Elections

“Trump Voting Panel Tells States to Hold Off Sending Data While Court Weighs Privacy Impact” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post

“Donald Trump Jr. Was Told Campaign Meeting Would Be with ‘Russian Government Attorney,’ According to Emails” by Rosalind Helderman and John Wagner for Washington Post

Lobbying

California: “California Lawmakers Want Data on Lobbyists’ Race, Sexual Orientation” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

Pennsylvania: “House Approves Bill That Strengthens Lobbying Law” by Logan Hullinger for Altoona Mirror

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “Last Birdsall Executive Pleads Guilty in Pay-to-Play Scheme” by Andrew Goudsward for Asbury Park Press

North Carolina: “Loophole Lets Lawmakers Take Campaign Cash with Legislation Still Pending” by Laura Leslie for WRAL

Elections

“Trump Jr. Was Told in Email of Russian Effort to Aid Campaign” by Matt Apuzzo, Jo Decker, Adam Goldman, and Maggie Haberman for New York Times

Ethics

“At Private Dinners, Pence Quietly Courts Big Donors and Corporate Executives” by Kenneth Vogel for New York Times

California: “OC Supervisors Seek More Power Over Ethics Commission, By Changing What Voters Approved” by Nick Gerda for Voice of OC

Iowa: “Trial Begins in Lawsuit Alleging Toxic ‘Boys’ Club’ at Iowa Statehouse” by Grant Rodgers for Des Moines Register

Legislative Issues

“Blue Cities Want to Make Their Own Rules. Red States Won’t Let Them.” by Emily Badger for New York Times

Texas: “Dallas Wants $8,000 Back from Philip Kingston for Missing Too Many Council Meetings” by Tristan Hallman for Dallas News

National:

CNN Story About Source of Trump Wrestling Video Draws Backlash
New York Times – Daniel Victor | Published: 7/5/2017

A CNN story about an anonymous Reddit user who created a widely circulated video of President Trump wrestling the network’s logo to the ground has inspired multiple backlashes. Some criticized it as a form of blackmail. Others raised issues of journalism ethics over the network granting conditional anonymity to the user. The 28-second video and its source have been the subject of questions since Trump tweeted it as he continued his attacks on the news media. The tweet, which was retweeted by the official presidential account, has become Trump’s most-shared post on Twitter.

The New York Times Will Fly You Around the World for $135,000. Is That a Problem?
Washington Post – Paul Farhi | Published: 7/5/2017

The New York Times is organizing and promoting a 26-day tour of nine countries, which it calls “Around the World by Private Jet: Cultures in Transformation.” The price is $135,000 per person, and the traveling party will be joined by the newspaper’s Washington bureau chief Elisabeth Bumiller, columnist Nicholas Kristoff, and publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. The trip and other Times-sponsored travel packages are a lucrative source of income at a time when news organizations are under increasing financial pressure. But the newspaper’s trips raise a question among journalism ethics experts about ethics and access: Is The Times effectively selling its journalists to private interests? Could, for example, corporate lobbyists or political operatives sign on and seek to influence coverage?

Federal:

Federal Ethics Chief Who Clashed with White House Announces He Will Step Down
Washington Post – Rosalind Helderman and Matea Gold | Published: 7/6/2017

Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Director Walter Shaub announced he is resigning. He will leave nearly six months before the end of his term to take a position with the Campaign Legal Center. Shaub repeatedly challenged the Trump administration on ethics issues. His outspokenness drew the ire of administration officials and earned him near-cult status among Trump’s opponents. Shaub said no one in the White House or the administration pushed him to leave, but he felt he had reached the limit of what he could achieve in this administration within the current ethics framework. The OGE’s chief of staff, Shelley Finlayson, is expected to assume the role of acting director, although Trump could appoint another senior OGE official to serve temporarily until he chooses a permanent replacement.

Florida Lobbyist Turning Trump Ties into Mega-Millions
Center for Public Integrity – Rachel Wilson | Published: 7/5/2017

Brian Ballard has long been a major lobbyist in Florida. Now, Ballard – a major Donald Trump fundraiser who also worked on the president’s transition – is out to prove he can translate his state-level lobbying success into policy victories for a slew of new clients in Washington, D.C. And he must ply his trade in the nation’s capital without looking as if he is selling access to a president who has promised to stand up to special interests. In just five months, Ballard Partners’ federal lobbying operation has generated nearly $4 million in current and contracted business from foreign and domestic lobbying clients. That is as much lobbying money as some established firms make in a year.

Justice Dept. Compliance Expert Whose Contract Ended Early Says Trump Conflicts Made Work Feel Hypocritical
Washington Post – Matt Zapotosky | Published: 7/3/2017

As a contractor for the U.S. Justice Department, Hui Chen would ask questions about companies’ inner workings to help determine whether they should be prosecuted for wrongdoing. But working in the Trump administration, Chen began to feel like a hypocrite. How could she ask companies about their conflicts-of-interest when the president was being sued over his? Though her contract was not up until September, Chen left the department in late June, then laid bare her reasons in a post on LinkedIn. The post drew attention because of Chen’s position and how blunt she was on the circumstances of her departure.

From the States and Municipalities:

Florida: Florida’s Departing Fiscal Watchdog Used Public Scrutiny as a Weapon
Bradenton Herald – Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/5/2017

Jeff Atwater, who resigned recently as Florida’s chief financial officer, knows where every penny of the state’s $83 billion budget goes. He also knows where to find the waste, and he has tried to expose it. expose it. Florida will spend more than $60 billion this year hiring outside contractors to do state work. But, as Atwater found when he took the job in 2011, state agencies often do not hold vendors accountable for the services they agreed to provide. Agencies allow them to charge for things not included in the bids, fail to recover damages when the vendor will not complete a task correctly or on time, and renew contracts when a vendor fails. “You don’t have to go far to track that back to a lobbyist who had a client,” Atwater explained.

Kansas: Kobach: Kansas won’t give Social Security info to Kobach-led voter commission at this time
Kansas City Star – Bryan Lowry | Published: 7/1/2017

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach co-chairs President Trump’s voter fraud commission, which is tasked with finding evidence to support the president’s unsubstantiated claim that there was widespread voter fraud in the 2016 election. Kobach recently sent letters to all 50 states asking them to provide the commission with their entire voter files. The request specifically spelled out sensitive pieces of information the commission wants to obtain. As secretary of state, Kobach is tasked with supplying Kansas’s data to the Trump commission. There is just one problem: he will not be able to fully comply with his own request.

Massachusetts: Lawmakers Asked to Hit Up Lobbyists, Companies to Fund National Confab
Boston Globe – Jim O’Sullivan | Published: 6/29/2017

Massachusetts Senate Majority Leader Harriette Chandler sent an email identifying the special interests, lobbyists, and corporations that can be targeted for a solicitation appeal to help fund this summer’s National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting in Boston. They include companies that have business before the state Legislature: retailers, banks, telecommunications firms, insurers, utilities, and a wide range of health-care providers. Organizers hope to raise roughly $2.2 million for the meeting. The document advertises special access to the week’s events for donors, and perhaps more importantly, a chance to stay on the radar of local decision-makers.

Montana: Legislature Is Rife with Conflicts of Interest – and They’re Legal
Helena Independent Record – Jayme Fraser | Published: 7/2/2017

More than a dozen state leaders said it is not unethical to bring bills that would advantage their professions or properties so long as others received the same gain and the link is openly shared. Most lauded the fact that Montana has a part-time, citizen Legislature where farmers sit on agricultural committees, lawyers craft state criminal laws, teachers tweak education policy, and business owners set industry regulations. Experience makes them experts, they say. But the Center for Public Integrity gives Montana an “F” grade for its conflict disclosure laws, which make it difficult for the public to spot self-serving votes or sanction those who enrich themselves in public office.

New Jersey: Hudson Attorney Files Ethics Complaint Against Christie Over ‘Beachgate’
Newark Star-Ledger – Michaelangelo Conte (Jersey Journal) | Published: 7/6/2017

A complaint was filed against New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, saying he used his position unethically when he and family members basked in the sun at Island Beach State Park while the public was turned away because of a state shutdown. In accordance with the Plain Language Guide to New Jersey’s Executive Branch Ethics Standards, no person of the executive branch may obtain a “special benefit” as a result of their position …,” according to the complaint filed with the State Ethics Commission by attorney Mario Blanch.

New York: A Constitutional Convention for New York? This May Be the Year
New York Times – Lisa Foderaro | Published: 7/5/2017

Every 20 years, New Yorkers have the chance to vote whether they want to hold a constitutional convention to amend, tweak, or otherwise improve the founding document of the state. For the past half-century, voters have demurred. This year, however, academics, good-government groups and others believe the outcome of the ballot question in November may be different. And it has something to do with the current occupant of the White House. “Trump’s election emphasizes how valuable it is for states to chart their own course,” said Peter Galie, a political science professor at Canisius College.

Pennsylvania: Contractor’s Criminal Record Didn’t Discourage Business with Allentown or Reading
Allentown Morning Call – Emily Opilo | Published: 6/30/2017

Mark Neisser, then president of JCA Associates, and two other employees of the engineering firm pleaded guilty in 2004 to tax offenses for failing to report about $100,000 in printing work done for New Jersey Democrats. Along with fines and probation, Neisser was barred from working at JCA. Within a year, however, he resurfaced at T&M Associates, a New Jersey engineering firm that bought out JCA. Neisser’s record apparently did not alarm Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, who accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from T&M’s PAC, and raised no red flag for city officials, which awarded more than $380,000 in contracts to the firm. Neisser pleaded guilty in April to a federal corruption charge for his role in “pay-to-play” schemes in Allentown and Reading.

Texas: City OK’s Park Swings Thanks to Pint Sized Lobbyist
Fort Worth Telegram – Ann Beck | Published: 7/6/2017

When she saw that her local park did not have swings, six-year-old Maggie Fortner took matters into her own hands. She wrote a letter – in pencil and folded a half-dozen times – requesting the addition of a swing set at Donald R. Barg Park. It was mailed by Maggie’s grandmother and made its way to Matt Young, the director of parks and recreation for the city of Mansfield, who not only took notice, but action. The swings were approved and Maggie, now seven, was the guest of honor at the recent ceremony where they were opened to the public. “I’m just really excited for my swing to come, so I can swing on it every day,” Maggie said. “But I’m going to share, even with my sisters. It’s for everyone.”

Texas: Texas Supreme Court Rejects Tea Party Challenge to Campaign Finance Laws
Texas Tribune – Jim Malewitz | Published: 6/30/2017

The Texas Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on direct corporate political donations. The Texas Democratic Party sued the King Street Patriots for violating the ban on corporate contributions by making in-kind donations to Republicans groups or causes. Democrats argued that if the group wanted to contribute to political campaigns, it should abide by disclosure rules. The justices also upheld state requirements that campaigns report contributions and expenditures, and ruled private groups can sue over alleged violations.

Vermont: Dollars Tell Only Part of Story of Pot Legalization Advocacy
VTDigger.org – Elizabeth Hewitt | Published: 7/4/2017

Despite a constant drum of advocacy on both sides of marijuana legalization in Vermont this year, lobbying reports show the sums spent were relatively modest. But the finance disclosures tell just part of the story of advocacy on the issue. The numbers on both sides added up to far less than has been spent on hot button issues in Montpelier in the past. The 2015 push to impose a sales tax on soft drinks drew more than $500,000 in spending by the American Beverage Association alone in the first quarter of the year, for instance. On the issue of marijuana, both sides claim grassroots support drives their agenda.

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.

Lobbying

“Florida Lobbyist Turning Trump Ties into Mega-Millions” by Rachel Wilson for Center for Public Integrity

Campaign Finance

Canada: “Justin Trudeau Lobbied at Recent Fundraising Event, Critics Raise Flags About New Rules” by Amy Minsky for Global News

Colorado: “Colorado Supreme Court: Douglas County School District didn’t violate campaign laws” by Brian Eason for Denver Post

Ethics

“Justice Dept. Compliance Expert Whose Contract Ended Early Says Trump Conflicts Made Work Feel Hypocritical” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

“As Mueller Builds His Russia Special-Counsel Team, Every Hire Is Under Scrutiny” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

“CNN Story About Source of Trump Wrestling Video Draws Backlash” by Daniel Victor for New York Times

Arizona: “Sue or Be Sued: Indicted developer George Johnson has long history in court” by Michael Kiefer for Arizona Republic

Arkansas: “Former Arkansas Judge’s Bribery Conviction, Prison Sentence Upheld” by Debra Hale-Shelton for Arkansas Online

California: “Appeals Court Throws Out Some Criminal Charges for Angela Spaccia, a Top Official in the Bell Corruption Scandal” by Corina Knoll for Los Angeles Times

Elections

Kansas: “Kobach: Kansas won’t give Social Security info to Kobach-led voter commission at this time” by Bryan Lowry for Kansas City Star

Procurement

Florida: “Florida’s Departing Fiscal Watchdog Used Public Scrutiny as a Weapon” by Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald) for Bradenton Herald