June 25, 2015 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying Hawaii: “Former Lobbyist Who Wined and Dined Council Members Now Vice Chair of Key Panel” by Keoki Kerr for Hawaii News Now Nebraska: “Common Cause Complaint against Former Senator Dismissed” by Joanne Young for Lincoln Journal Star Campaign Finance […]
Lobbying
Hawaii: “Former Lobbyist Who Wined and Dined Council Members Now Vice Chair of Key Panel” by Keoki Kerr for Hawaii News Now
Nebraska: “Common Cause Complaint against Former Senator Dismissed” by Joanne Young for Lincoln Journal Star
Campaign Finance
“This Chart Seemingly Proves How Wrong I Am about Money in Politics” by Chris Cillizza for Washington Post
“Cannabis Industry Flexes Its New Political Muscle” by Conrad Wilson for Oregon Public Broadcasting
Ethics
“Calls to Drop Confederate Emblems Spread Nationwide” by Campbell Robertson, Monica Davey, and Julie Bosman for New York Times
California: “Lawmakers’ Calendars List Meetings with Undercover Agents” by Judy Lin (Associated Press) for San Diego Union Tribune
Kentucky: “Kentucky Legislature Resolves Sexual Harassment Lawsuit” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for Lexington Herald-Leader
Elections
“Bobby Jindal Announces Entry into 2016 Presidential Race” by David Fahrenthold and James Hohmann for Washington Post
“Democratic Super PAC to Take on Koch Brothers” by Maggie Haberman for New York Times
June 17, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying “Where the Billions Spent on Lobbying Come From, in Maps” by Philip Bump for Washington Post Texas: “Ethics Commission Seeks to Force Empower Texans to Turn over Records” by Tim Eaton for Austin American-Statesman Campaign Finance “State and Local […]
Lobbying
“Where the Billions Spent on Lobbying Come From, in Maps” by Philip Bump for Washington Post
Texas: “Ethics Commission Seeks to Force Empower Texans to Turn over Records” by Tim Eaton for Austin American-Statesman
Campaign Finance
“State and Local Bills Try to Rein in Political Spending” by Tarini Parti for Politico
“Jeb Bush’s Smooth Money Machine” by Anna Palmer and Tarini Parti for Politico
California: “Tow Company Campaign Trickery Alleged” by Jeff McDonald for San Diego Union-Tribune
Ethics
Kentucky: “John Schaaf to Head Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission” by The Associated Press for Connecticut Post
Oklahoma: “State Ethics Commission to Investigate Sen. Rick Brinkley” by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman
Oregon: “Kate Brown Signs First of Her Ethics Bills, Calling for Public Records Audit” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian
Pennsylvania: “Some Critical That Officials Caught in Sting Keep State Pensions” by Craig McCoy and Angela Couloumbis for Philadelphia Inquirer
Utah: “Ex-A.G. Mark Shurtleff Defers Evidence Hearing; Prosecutors Amend Charges” by Dennis Romboy for Deseret News
Elections
“Donald Trump Runs for President (This Time for Real, He Says)” by Alexander Burns for New York Times
June 16, 2015 •
Nova Scotia By-Elections Set to Fill House of Assembly Vacancies
Premier Stephen McNeil has announced by-elections will take place on July 14, 2015. The by-elections will fill vacancies in the House of Assembly for the electoral districts of Dartmouth South, Cape Breton Centre, and Sydney-Whitney Pier. The Cape Breton Centre […]
Premier Stephen McNeil has announced by-elections will take place on July 14, 2015.
The by-elections will fill vacancies in the House of Assembly for the electoral districts of Dartmouth South, Cape Breton Centre, and Sydney-Whitney Pier.
The Cape Breton Centre and Sydney-Whitney Pier seats are open due to retirements while the Dartmouth South is vacant due to the death of Allan Rowe in March.
June 11, 2015 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying Rhode Island: “RI’s Biggest Spending Special Interest Groups at the Statehouse” by Stephen Beale for GoLocalProv.com Campaign Finance “The IRS Chief’s Mistake about ‘Dark Money’” by Miriam Galston for Washington Post Ethics Florida: “Ethics Panel: Carroll misreported income” by […]
Lobbying
Rhode Island: “RI’s Biggest Spending Special Interest Groups at the Statehouse” by Stephen Beale for GoLocalProv.com
Campaign Finance
“The IRS Chief’s Mistake about ‘Dark Money’” by Miriam Galston for Washington Post
Ethics
Florida: “Ethics Panel: Carroll misreported income” by Brandon Larrabee (News Service of Florida) for Tallahassee Democrat
Florida: “Ex-Congressman’s Top Aide to plead Guilty to Breaking Election Law” by Jay Weaver for Miami Herald
Hawaii: “Ethics Director Survives Political Challenge” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat
Elections
“Eyeing 2016, G.O.P Embraces Digital Strategies, but Doubts Persist” by Ashley Parker for New York Times
“How Jeb Bush’s Campaign Ran off Course before It Even Began” by Ed O’Keefe and Robert Costa for Washington Post
Legislative Issues
“Sen. Johnny Isakson Discloses He Has Parkinson’s Disease” by Mike DeBonis for Washington Post
Maine: “Closed Door: Legislators conducting public business in private despite state’s open meeting law” by John Christie (Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting) for Pine Tree Watchdog
June 8, 2015 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying “Senator Would Limit Lobbyist Money That Fueled Liberal Allies” by Carrie Levine and Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity Illinois: “Rauner Tells Agency Heads to Give Lobbyists the Boot” by Rich Miller for Reboot Illinois Campaign Finance “Kevin […]
Lobbying
“Senator Would Limit Lobbyist Money That Fueled Liberal Allies” by Carrie Levine and Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity
Illinois: “Rauner Tells Agency Heads to Give Lobbyists the Boot” by Rich Miller for Reboot Illinois
Campaign Finance
“Kevin McCarthy’s Flair for Fundraising Fuels His Swift Rise to Power in House” by Noah Bierman and Evan Halper for Los Angeles Times
Arizona: “Secretary of State to Fight Clean Elections over Fine” by Bob Christie (Associated Press) for Arizona Daily Star
California: “Ex-L.A. Council Candidate Fined for Fraudulent Bid for Matching Funds” by Jean Merl for Los Angeles Times
Ethics
California: “Industry Sues Former Mayor, Alleging ‘Extensive Public Corruption’” by Frank Shyong for Los Angeles Times
New York: “A Political Survivor under Investigation” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Oregon: “Ethics Reform: House OKs bill declaring governor’s partner a public official” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian
Texas: “Abbott Wants Lawmakers Willing to ‘Fight for Ethics’” by Dave Montgomery for Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Virginia: “Lawmakers Need a Raise, Governor’s Ethics Panel Says” by Alan Suderman (Associated Press) for Washington Times
Elections
“O’Malley Attacks Big Banks, Political Dynasties in Launching Uphill 2016 Bid” by John Wagner for Washington Post
“Rick Perry, Shrugging Off 2012, Announces He Will Run Again for President” by Manny Fernandez for New York Times
“Lincoln Chafee to Run for President” by David Jackson for USA Today
June 2, 2015 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying “Bottom Line” in The Hill. “Feds have few tools to track foreign lobbying” by Julian Hattem in The Hill. “Squire Patton Boggs turns 1” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill. “Hastert’s Lobbying Firm Rocked by His Indictment” by […]
Lobbying
“Bottom Line” in The Hill.
“Feds have few tools to track foreign lobbying” by Julian Hattem in The Hill.
“Squire Patton Boggs turns 1” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.
“Hastert’s Lobbying Firm Rocked by His Indictment” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
Kansas: “Kansas Lawmakers Approve Changes In Election, Lobbying Laws” by The Associated Press on KMUW Witchita Public Radio.
Campaign Finance
“Poll Shows Americans Favor Overhaul of Campaign Financing” by Nicholas Confessore and Megan Thee-Brenan in The New York Times.
“Why States’ Campaign Donation Limits Could Be in Jeopardy” by Alan Greenblatt in Governing.
Ethics
“Hastert to appear before judge who donated to campaign” by Michael Tarm and Sara Burnett (Associated Press) in the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Dennis Hastert’s abrupt fall from college prestige” by Tarini Parti in Politico.
Pennsylvania: “2 Philadelphia Democrats Plead Guilty in Sting Case” by Angela Couloumbis and Craig R. McCoy in Governing.
Redistricting
Texas: “U.S. Supreme Court Takes On Texas Redistricting Case” by Patrick Svitek in Governing.
Government Tech
“Should Governments Trademark Twitter Hashtags?” by Brian Heaton in GovTech.
June 1, 2015 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying “JCOPE’s New Guidance, or: You might be a lobbyist if …” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union Campaign Finance Connecticut: “House Passes Significant Campaign Reforms; Will the Senate Take Up the Bill?” by Christine Stuart for CTNewsJunkie.com Louisiana: […]
Lobbying
“JCOPE’s New Guidance, or: You might be a lobbyist if …” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Campaign Finance
Connecticut: “House Passes Significant Campaign Reforms; Will the Senate Take Up the Bill?” by Christine Stuart for CTNewsJunkie.com
Louisiana: “Report Urges Louisiana to Ban ‘Troublesome’ Utility Campaign Contributions” by Jennifer Larino for New Orleans Times-Picayune
Minnesota: “After Criticism, Sen. Alberta Darling Cancels Fundraiser” by Scott Bauer (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune
Pennsylvania: “City Council Gives Initial Thumbs Up To New Rules on Independent PACs” by Mike Dunn for KYW
Ethics
“Should We Pay Politicians More?” by Kevin Hartnett for Politico
“Clinton Foundation Paid Blumenthal $10K per Month While He Advised on Libya” by Kenneth Vogel for Politico
“How Dennis Hastert Made His Millions” by Tarini Parti for Politico
“Payments by Hastert Linked to Report of Sexual Abuse” by Michael Shear and Michael Schmidt for New York Times
Hawaii: “Under Fire: Hawaii ethics director defends his strict ethical views” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat
New York: “Schneiderman Vows ‘Reform for All New Yorkers’ With Anti-Corruption Bill” by Will Bredderman for New York Observer
Oregon: “High-Ranking State Official Leaked Thousands of John Kitzhaber’s Personal Emails” by Laura Gunderson and Jeff Manning for Portland Oregonian
New York: “Grand Jury Indicts Dean Skelos, Ex-New York Senate Leader, and Son in Corruption Case” by William Rashbaum for New York Times
Elections
“George Pataki Announces Presidential Campaign” by David Fahrenthold for Washington Post
Legislative Issues
Arkansas: “Arkansas Primary Change Would Be Temporary under Compromise” by Andrew DeMillo and Claudia Lauer (Associated Press) for Washington Times
May 27, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying Georgia: “Legislators and Corporate Lobbyists Meet in Secret at Georgia Resort” by Brendan Keefe and Michael King for WXIA Vermont: “Legislative Wrap: Lobbyist disclosure tops transparency effort” by Erin Mansfield for VTDigger.org Campaign Finance “Meet the ‘Dark Money’ Phantom” […]
Lobbying
Georgia: “Legislators and Corporate Lobbyists Meet in Secret at Georgia Resort” by Brendan Keefe and Michael King for WXIA
Vermont: “Legislative Wrap: Lobbyist disclosure tops transparency effort” by Erin Mansfield for VTDigger.org
Campaign Finance
“Meet the ‘Dark Money’ Phantom” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity
“Push to Name Donors in Political Ads Hits FCC Roadblock” by Mario Trujillo for The Hill
Montana: “MT’s Campaign-Donor Limits Still Up in the Air” by Katherine Proctor for Courthouse News Service
Ethics
“Clinton Foundation Reveals Up to $26 Million in Additional Payments” by Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post
California: “California Fund Has Little Oversight” by The Associated Press for Contra Costa Times
Missouri: “Lawmakers Fail to Ramp up Ethics Laws for Missouri Officials” by Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) for Columbia Missourian
Oklahoma; “Former Oklahoma Legislators’ Bribery Convictions Upheld” by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman
Oregon: “Forget Fines – Oregon Prefers Warnings for Public Officials Guilty of Ethics Violations” by Nick Budnick and Laura Gunderson for Portland Oregonian
Tennessee: “Ethics Panel Fading to Obscurity 10 Years after Tenn. Waltz” by Erik Schelzig (Associated Press) for Albany Times Union
Elections
“Republicans Seek to Bridge Gap with Latinos in Colorado and Beyond” by Jack Healy for New York Times
Redistricting
“Supreme Court to Weigh Meaning of ‘One Person One Vote’” by Adam Liptak for New York Times
May 22, 2015 •
News You Can Use Digest – May 22,2015
National: Albany Corruption Inquiry Hurts Arizona Company That Hired Dean Skelos’s Son New York Times – Susanne Craig | Published: 5/18/2015 Dean Skelos, then the leader of the New York Senate, and his son, Adam, were arrested on extortion, fraud, and […]
National:
Albany Corruption Inquiry Hurts Arizona Company That Hired Dean Skelos’s Son
New York Times – Susanne Craig | Published: 5/18/2015
Dean Skelos, then the leader of the New York Senate, and his son, Adam, were arrested on extortion, fraud, and bribe solicitation charges recently. The company at the center of the scandal is AbTech Industries, a small environmental firm based in Arizona. Prosecutors say AbTech hired Adam Skelos to gain influence in its attempt to win government work. The company’s stock has fallen more than 70 percent since the scandal was first reported. In recent weeks it has seen work suspended on a big contract in Nassau County. Separately, AbTech says the Corvais Group, a property management firm, canceled a partnership it had with it. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission has begun to scrutinize AbTech.
Federal:
‘Campaigns’ Aren’t Necessarily Campaigns in the Age of ‘Super PACs’
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Eric Lichtblau | Published: 5/17/2015
The 2016 contenders are exploiting loopholes and regulatory gray areas to transform the way presidential campaigns are organized and paid for. Their campaigns are intricate constellations of political committees, super PACs, and tax-exempt groups, engineered to avoid fundraising restrictions imposed on candidates and their parties after the Watergate scandal. Major costs of each candidate’s bid, from television advertising to policy development, are now being shifted to legally independent organizations that can accept unlimited contributions from wealthy individuals, corporations, and labor unions.
Critics Hear E.P.A.’s Voice in ‘Public Comments’
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Coral Davenport | Published: 5/18/2015
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy told a Senate committee in March that the agency had received more than one million comments about its proposed rule intended to protect the nation’s drinking water, and nearly 90 percent favored the agency’s plan. McCarthy is expected to cite those comments to justify the final rule. But critics say there is a reason for the overwhelming result: the EPA had a hand in manufacturing it. In a campaign that tests the limits of federal lobbying law, the agency orchestrated a drive to counter political opposition from Republicans and enlist public support in concert with liberal environmental groups and a grassroots organization aligned with President Barack Obama.
Hillary’s Speech Disclosures Come Under Fire
Politico – Josh Gerstein | Published: 5/20/2015
The Clinton Foundation said it will release details on nearly 100 speeches made by Hillary Clinton, her husband, Bill, and daughter Chelsea that ended up in the account of the global charity. Aides to the Clintons contend that when they delivered such speeches, the former president and former secretary of state were acting as officials of the Clinton Foundation, so the disclosure requirement for payments directed to charity by a government official, presidential candidate, or spouse do not apply. Several ethics lawyers told said they believe the Clintons’ speeches do not fall within the cited exception because there is little indication the addresses delivered across the U.S. and overseas had anything to do with the foundation.
From the States and Municipalities:
Arizona – Clean Elections Panel Advances New Dark-Money Spending Rules
Arizona Daily Sun – Bob Christie (Associated Press) | Published: 5/14/2015
The Arizona Clean Elections Commission voted to open up nearly a dozen proposed rule changes for public comment, including a contentious proposed rule change that would impose new criteria in determining whether a group’s primary purpose is electioneering. One rule would require outside groups to file reports if they spend more than $500 to advocate for or against a candidate or voter initiative. The reports would disclose spending and donors.
Arkansas – Fiscal 2016 Budget Cut Vexes Ethics Panel Chief
Arkansas Online – Spencer Willems | Published: 5/19/2015
During a monthly meeting of the Arkansas Ethics Commission, Director Graham Sloan said his staff will have less money than was budgeted this year and nearly a quarter less than was earmarked by legislators this past session. The cut, which Sloan said he learned of recently, would drop funding for the next fiscal year from about $900,000 to about $705,000, which is just under the commission’s current authorization for this year. Sloan said the cut comes at a point when the commission has never been busier and will cause his office to reduce staff and services.
California – Details Hidden On Legislative Lawyers Drafting Bills for Influential Groups
Capital Public Radio – John Meyers (CaliforniaReport.org) | Published: 5/20/2015
In California, so-called unbacked bills are draft laws with no guarantee of being introduced in either house of the Legislature. Capitol insiders portray the system as one with very few limits and in which legislative staffers sometimes submit proposals for vetting that their elected bosses would never publicly endorse. The process is also accessed by lobbyists, who seek the help of the government’s bill writing experts at the Office of Legislative Counsel. Insiders say these unpublicized bills may be held on to for any possible opening a lobbyist or interest group might see, including eleventh hour maneuvers before the Legislature adjourns.
Hawaii – Ban Upheld on Political Donations by Government Contractors
Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 5/20/2015
A federal appeals court panel on upheld Hawaii’s ban on political donations by state and county contractors. The three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also upheld the state law requiring PACs to register after spending more than $1,000 to influence an election, something officials said is necessary to follow the money during campaign season.
Louisiana – Lobbyists Pay for Louisiana Officials’ Trip, Recipients Don’t Disclose It
New Orleans Times-Picayune – Lee Zurik (WVUE) and Ben Myers | Published: 5/18/2015
Two lobbyists with the Black Alliance for Educational Options reported to the Louisiana Board of Ethics in 2011 that they had spent $1,400 apiece on the same 15 individuals. They included nine state and local elected officials, an executive-branch member, and a few staffers and spouses. None of the officials disclosed the expenses to the state. Public officials, like the lobbyists seeking to influence them, are subject to disclosure laws.
Maine – Senator Accepted Flight from J.D. Irving While Promoting Looser Mining Laws
The Sun Journal – Lance Tapley (Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting) | Published: 5/20/2015
Maine Sen. Thomas Saviello, who has worked to pass legislation allowing J.D. Irving to develop an open-pit mine in the state, accepted a free plane ride from the company’s lobbyists and did not report it to the state ethics commission. Saviello said he did not have to report the 2013 trip ride because its value was not more than $300, the threshold for reporting gifts from lobbyists, and because the purpose was fact-finding. The lobbyists involved also did not report the trip, as required by the ethics commission.
Missouri – Missouri House Speaker Resigns; Intern Breaks Silence
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Virginia Young | Published: 5/14/2015
Missouri House Speaker John Diehl resigned one day after the revelation of sexually suggestive text messages he exchanged with a 19-year-old legislative intern. The college student with whom Diehl had exchanged messages had been an intern for another House member. She no longer works at the Capitol, and Missouri Southern State University also removed its three other interns from Jefferson City. Republicans chose Rep. Todd Richardson as the next speaker.
Rhode Island – R.I. Secretary of State Gorbea Seeks Lobbying Changes
Providence Journal – Jennifer Bogdan | Published: 5/19/2015
Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea’s lobbying reform proposal was the subject of a recent hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. The proposal would increase the fines for violating the law from $2,000 to $5,000. Violators could also see their lobbying privileges suspended for up to three years. The bill also would reduced the frequency with which lobbyists have to file reports during the legislative session from monthly to quarterly.
Texas – Analysis: Ethics at center stage, hurting for attention
Texas Tribune – Ross Ramsey | Published: 5/18/2015
In his State of the State speech, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott tried to put ethics reform high on the agenda for state lawmakers He added it to his list of five so-called emergency items that could get expedited treatment by lawmakers. But not a lot has changed. Reform is still possible, but the most significant changes being proposed still have not been considered by the House, much less by a committee that would have to reconcile the Senate and House versions of reform.
Wisconsin – Records Indicate Scott Walker Was Copied on Letter Promising Loan to Donor
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Jason Stein and Patrick Marley | Published: 5/18/2015
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s office was copied on a letter acknowledging his job creation agency would give a $500,000 loan to a campaign donor’s construction company, raising questions about his statements that he was not aware of the deal. It was reported that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. gave Building Committee Inc. (BCI) the unsecured, taxpayer-backed loan in 2011. The now-defunct company’s owner, William Minahan, gave Walker’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign $10,000, the maximum individual contribution allowed under state law. BCI never repaid the loan and did not use the money to create any jobs, according to The Wisconsin State Journal.
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.
May 21, 2015 •
Thursday New Roundup
Lobbying “Much of Northrop Grumman’s Washington Influence Flies under the Radar” by Peter Olsen-Phillips for Sunlight Foundation Maine: “Senator Accepted Flight from J.D. Irving While Promoting Looser Mining Laws” by Lance Tapley (Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting) for The […]
Lobbying
“Much of Northrop Grumman’s Washington Influence Flies under the Radar” by Peter Olsen-Phillips for Sunlight Foundation
Maine: “Senator Accepted Flight from J.D. Irving While Promoting Looser Mining Laws” by Lance Tapley (Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting) for The Sun Journal
Pennsylvania: “Pa. Officials Report More than $160K in Gifts, Travel in 2014” by Mark Scolforo (Associated Press) for Harrisburg Patriot-News
Rhode Island: “R.I. Secretary of State Gorbea Seeks Lobbying Changes” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal
Campaign Finance
“Partisanship Stalemates FEC, Says Report” by Ben Kamisar for The Hill
California: “LACMA Expansion, Ridley-Thomas, ‘Super PAC’ Intersect in Email Trail” by Robert Faturechi and Jack Dolan for Los Angeles Times
Ethics
North Carolina: “NC Senator’s Private Legal Work Mixes with State Policy” by Lynn Bonner for Charlotte Observer
Oregon: “Oregon House Passes Resolution to Create Impeachment Process for Governor” by Ian Kullgren for Portland Oregonian
Elections
Pennsylvania: “Jim Kenney Wins Philadelphia’s Democratic Primary for Mayor” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg for New York Times
Legislative Issues
California: “Details Hidden On Legislative Lawyers Drafting Bills for Influential Groups” by John Meyers (CaliforniaReport.org) for Capitol Public Radio
May 19, 2015 •
Georgia Special Election Set for State House District 24
The Office of the Secretary of State has given notice of a special election for state House District 24. The election will be held on June 16, 2015, with a runoff election on July 14, 2015, if needed. The vacancy […]
The Office of the Secretary of State has given notice of a special election for state House District 24.
The election will be held on June 16, 2015, with a runoff election on July 14, 2015, if needed.
The vacancy was created by the May 11 resignation of Mark Hamilton, who announced plans to accept a private sector job in Tennessee.
May 13, 2015 •
King County, WA Elections Director Will Not Seek Re-Election
Sherill Huff, Elections Director for King County, Washington, announced she will not seek re-election after six years in office. Huff cited personal and health reasons for the decision. The elections director position will appear on the November 3, 2015 general […]
Sherill Huff, Elections Director for King County, Washington, announced she will not seek re-election after six years in office.
Huff cited personal and health reasons for the decision.
The elections director position will appear on the November 3, 2015 general election ballot.
May 13, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying “Amid Gridlock in D.C., Influence Industry Expands Rapidly in the States” by Reid Wilson for Washington Post Florida: “Legislators Approve Water Farming Funding after Copter Rides, Donations” by Craig Pittman and Michael Van Sickler for Tampa Bay Times Florida: […]
Lobbying
“Amid Gridlock in D.C., Influence Industry Expands Rapidly in the States” by Reid Wilson for Washington Post
Florida: “Legislators Approve Water Farming Funding after Copter Rides, Donations” by Craig Pittman and Michael Van Sickler for Tampa Bay Times
Florida: “Voters Won’t Get Say on Lifting Gift Ban” by Brittany Wallman for South Florida Sun Sentinel
New Mexico: “Lobbyists, Groups Spend Large on New Mexico Lawmakers” by Sandra Fish (New Mexico In Depth) for Las Cruces Sun-News
Texas: “Wendy Davis Fined $5,000 for Ethics Violation” by Terri Langford for Texas Tribune
Virginia: “Lobbyists Take Changes to Gifts Law in Stride” by Patrick Wilson for The Virginian-Pilot
Campaign Finance
“Bill Shuster Aided Virgin Islands – Then Asked for Cash” by Anna Palmer, Jake Sherman, and John Bresnahan for Politico
“Jeb Bush Leans on Nonprofit Group as He Prepares Likely Presidential Run” by Ed O’Keefe and Matea Gold for Washington Post
Montana: “New Campaign Finance Law Praised, but Some Say It Needs to Be Toughened” by Charles Johnson for The Missoulian
New York: “The New Office Politics: Funding boss’s political causes” by Michelle Conlin and Lucas Iberico Lozada (Reuters) for The Times Record
Ethics
Nebraska: “Common Cause Files Complaints on Activity Surrounding Niobium Bill” by Joanne Young for Lincoln Journal-Star
“Bill Clinton’s Lucrative Speeches Got Fast Approval at State” by Lisa Lerer and Stephen Braun (Associated Press) for Fresno Bee
“Politics Is a Dirty Business. It Should Stay That Way.” by Chris Cillizza for Washington Post
New Jersey: “Report: Christie racked up $82,594 bill at sports stadium” by Karey Van Hall for Politico
Ohio: “Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic Resigns: The Big Story” by John Harper (Northeast Ohio Media Group) for Cleveland Plain Dealer
Vermont: “Vermont Lawmaker Accused in Sex-for-Rent Scheme” by Paris Achen, Zach Despart, and Adam Silverman (Burlington Free Press) for USA Today
Virginia: “Appeals Judges Pepper McDonnell Defense with Skeptical Questions” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post
Elections
“Study: State elections becoming less competitive” by Reid Wilson for Washington Post
“The Great Democratic Crack-Up of 2016” by Robert Draper for New York Times
Legislative Issues
New York: “Dean Skelos, New York Senate Leader, Vacates Post” by Thomas Kaplan and Susanne Craig for New York Times
May 8, 2015 •
Special Election Date Set for NH Rockingham County District No. 20
A precept for a special election for New Hampshire state representative from Rockingham County District No. 20 was approved on May 6 by Governor Margaret Hassan. The primary election will be held on July 7, 2015 followed by a special […]
A precept for a special election for New Hampshire state representative from Rockingham County District No. 20 was approved on May 6 by Governor Margaret Hassan.
The primary election will be held on July 7, 2015 followed by a special general election on August 25, 2015. If only one individual from each party files as a candidate there will not be a primary election and the special election will be held on July 7, 2015.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.