National/Federal

Army Initially Pushed to Deny District’s Request for National Guard Before Jan. 6
MSN – Paul Sonne, Peter Hermann, Ellen Nakashima, and Matt Zapotosky (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

The Army pushed to reject the District of Columbia’s request for a modest National Guard presence ahead of the January 6 rally that led to the Capitol riot, underscoring the reluctance of some at the Pentagon to involve the military in security arrangements that day. In an internal draft memo, the Army said the U.S. military should not be needed to help police with traffic and crowd management, as city officials had requested, unless more than 100,000 demonstrators were expected. The memo said the request should be denied because a federal agency had not been identified to run the preparations and on-the-day operations; the resources of other federal agencies had not been exhausted; and law enforcement was “far better suited” for the task.

Brussels Lobbying Business Picks Up Despite Pandemic
Politico – Lily Bayer | Published: 3/10/2021

Not even a pandemic can keep European Union (EU) lobbyists down for long. While some endured revenue falls and staff cuts after the coronavirus crisis first hit, consultancies and other lobbying outfits have become increasingly active since then. Some of the uptick is due to the crisis itself. Private sector clients and others are eager to influence the EU’s post-coronavirus recovery plans. Some of it is due to Brussels entering what are traditionally the busiest years of a legislative cycle, with the European Commission in its second year in office.

Corporate PAC Donations to Parties and Candidates Plummet after Capitol Riot
MSN – Kate Ackley and Herb Jackson (Roll Call) | Published: 3/16/2021

Campaign finance data show companies and organizations largely stuck to their public pledges to pause at least some of their political donations after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol and 147 Republicans in the House and Senate voted to reject electoral votes from certain states that President Biden won. The coronavirus pandemic also put a dent in giving during the earliest weeks of this year. But PACs would normally use checks in January after an election year to introduce themselves to new office holders, help candidates build up funds to scare away potential challengers or to retire old campaign debt, and assist party committees gearing up for another campaign cycle. Disclosures from 2021 show this did not happen.

House Committee Seeks Financial Records for Trump’s Washington Hotel
MSN – Jonathan O’Connell and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

A House committee asked the Biden administration to provide detailed financial records on former President Trump’s Washington, D.C. hotel, which is in a federally owned building and must give the government financial data as part of its lease. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee first asked for records on the hotel in 2019. But for two years, while Trump’s administration was the Trump International Hotel’s landlord, the government refused to hand them over. Those records, if made public, would reveal the inner workings of a hotel that became a place where the sitting president’s company could be paid by foreign governments, Republican allies, and companies with business before the Trump administration.

House GOP Super PAC Launches Hard-Money Arm
Politico – Zach Montellaro | Published: 3/17/2021

The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC with close ties to House Republican leadership, is launching a hard-money arm that will allow it to endorse and contribute directly to candidates and members of Congress. The effort, dubbed the CLF Trailblazers Fund, marks a new step for the high-spending super PAC that will allow it to have a more direct role in congressional races, potentially including GOP primaries.

How 535,000 Covid Deaths Spurred Political Awakenings Across America
New York Times – Maggie Astor | Published: 3/17/2021

Many people who have lost loved ones, or whose lives have been upended by long-haul symptoms of COVID-19, have turned to political action, seeking answers and new policies from a government whose failures under the Trump administration allowed the U.S. to become one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic. Dozens recently participated in an advocacy training session over Zoom, run by a group called Covid Survivors for Change. The group organized virtual meetings with the offices of 16 U.S. senators and more than 50 group members lobbied for the coronavirus relief package.

‘I Still Don’t Feel Safe’: House lawmakers adjust to metal detectors, new normal
MSN – Chris Cioffi (Roll Call) | Published: 3/12/2021

Since January, lawmakers have been queuing up at the chamber doors, rummaging through their pockets, and sliding bags and other belongings across a table before they walk through the metal detectors. It is a common sight at sports stadiums or concert venues, less so in the U.S. House. Two months later, the outrage has cooled somewhat, but a question remains: Is this the new normal? Republicans who once made a scene, shouting at Capitol Police or dodging the screenings, are now complying as quietly as they would at the airport. They may not be happy about it, but it is starting to feel routine.

‘Manels’ Flourished During Key Period in Congress, Research Finds
MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 3/16/2021

When U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa convened a hearing on birth control with mostly male witnesses in 2012, some Democratic women staged a walkout. Less noticed is the lack of women in more mundane settings, where the effects of gender are not as obvious. Caroline Bruckner of American University wanted to see who got a voice at the witness table as Republicans pushed through an overhaul of the tax code. There were 12 hearings and just 19 percent of the witnesses were women. Five of the hearings featured only men. Bruckner is looking at past panels, working with a team of other researchers at American University to track gender representation at legislative hearings for 15 committees going back 10 years.

Putin Targeted People Close to Trump in Bid to Influence 2020 Election, U.S. Intelligence Says
Seattle Times – Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials in Moscow sought to influence the 2020 election by spreading misleading information about Joe Biden through prominent individuals, some of whom were close to former President Trump, the U.S. intelligence community said in a report. It does not identify those individuals by name, but it appears to reference Trump’s onetime personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, whose repeated meetings with a suspected Russian agent came under scrutiny by U.S. officials. While foreign disinformation and interference was a major concern heading into the 2020 campaign, domestic efforts to disrupt the race, including by Trump and his allies, turned out to be of greater significance.

Two Arrested in Assault on Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, Who Died After Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
MSN – Spencer Hsu and Peter Hermann (Washington Post) | Published: 3/15/2021

Federal authorities arrested and charged two men with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the January 6 Capitol riot but have not determined whether the exposure caused his death. Julian Khater and George Tanios are charged with nine counts including assaulting three officers with a deadly weapon. They are also charged with civil disorder and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Lawmakers Move to Block Private Funds for Elections
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 3/15/2021

Raising the specter of Mark Zuckerberg influencing who holds office in Arizona, Republican lawmakers moved to block counties from taking money from any private source to help run future elections. The party-line vote by the Senate Government Committee follows the disclosure that nine Arizona counties got more than $6 million last year from the Center for Tech and Civic Life. The grants were to help defray some of the costs of running an election during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Jennifer Marson, executive director for the Arizona Association of Counties.

California – Bill to Increase Transparency of Lobbying Activities Passed in Senate Committee
California Globe – Evan Symon | Published: 3/16/2021

Legislation that would increase the transparency of lobbying activities in Sacramento was approved by the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee. Senate Bill 305 would allow electronic signatures on lobbyist registration forms and documents. Presently, a handwritten signature is required. The forms are also currently restricted to be handed in-person at the secretary of state’s office or sent through the mail. Sen. Brian Jones introduced the bill because of the delay current procedures have on keeping the public informed.

California – French Laundry Friend Now Banned from Lobbying California Gov. Gavin Newsom
MSN – Sophia Bollag (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 3/16/2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom adopted an expanded lobbying ban for his political consultants, months after he drew criticism for dining with lobbyist Jason Kinney at an expensive restaurant in violation of his own pandemic restrictions. Under the new rules, appointees “with a high level of influence over the Administration’s policy decisions” are prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists. The rule applies to Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, senior officials at agencies and departments, policy advisers, and “any equivalent position.” The administration also asked the Fair Political Practices Commission to maintain a list on its website of everyone registered to lobby Newsom and executive branch agencies.

California – Get Ready for California Recall to Break the Bank in 2021
Politico – Jeremy White | Published: 3/16/2021

Limitless money, a slew of candidates, and undivided national attention are about to converge in a battle for California’s future. An effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is highly likely to qualify after supporters submit their last signatures. The ensuing campaign will be a melee free from the constraints that inhibit other statewide contests in California. Donation caps do not apply. Hundreds of millions of dollars are likely to inundate the state as the full might of California’s Democratic establishment vies with a concerted Republican effort to oust a humbled blue state leader.

California – Oakland’s Transparency Problem: Thousands of public records requests are backlogged
Vallejo Times Herald – Annie Sciacca | Published: 3/15/2021

When people try to obtain public records from the city of Oakland, especially police reports, many probably feel their requests have been tossed into the abyss. In more than 6,300 cases, the police department and other city offices either have not responded to record requests or have not supplied all the sought-after documents, according to a review of Oakland’s NextRequest portal, which pulls all the requests into one place. Under the California Public Records Act, government agencies must let people who request documents know within 10 days whether they possess them, intend to withhold them and, if so, on what legal basis. Agencies can extend the 10-day period another 14 days.

Colorado – Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Sues City Over Recent Campaign Finance Changes
Canon City Daily Recortd – John Aguilar (Denver Post) | Published: 3/17/2021

Aurora Mayor Michael Coffman sued his own city, claiming a campaign finance reform measure passed by the city council last year is “designed to silence” him by barring officeholders in Aurora from organizing campaigns on behalf of candidates or ballot issues. The mayor said he supports the bulk of the ordinance, which limits individual donations to a candidate or his or her political committee to $400 per election cycle in a ward race and $1,000 in an at-large or mayoral race.

Florida – Florida Property Rights Bill Was Written by a Development Company
Tampa Bay Times – Zachary Sampson | Published: 3/16/2021

A bill in the Florida Legislature that would bolster a state property rights law that critics say already scares local governments away from protecting the environment was written by representatives of a major development business that has donated to its state Senate sponsor. Sen. Ray Rodrigues said he worked with a lobbyist for the Barron Collier Companies and Collier Enterprises Management to draft the proposal. An email shows the lobbyist passed along draft language from an executive at Barron Collier Companies, one branch of a real estate and investment empire left by Collier County’s namesake.

Florida – Police Raid Home of Former GOP Lawmaker Who Bragged About Planting No-Party Candidate
Miami Herald – Ana Ceballos, Samantha Gross, and David Ovalle | Published: 3/17/2021

Authorities raided the house of former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles. He is believed to be tied to a state investigation involving a sham no-party candidate who likely swayed the outcome of a key 2020 Miami-Dade state Senate race. While details remain sealed, it was reported that Artiles got involved in the Senate District 37 race when he recruited and boasted about planting Alex Rodriguez, an auto-parts dealer, to run in the race. Rodriguez was on the ballot as a no-party candidate, shared the same surname as the incumbent Democrat, and his mysterious candidacy has been under investigation since November.

Hawaii – Hawaii Lawmakers Seek Exemption from Political Ad Disclosures
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 3/18/2021

The public could have less transparency in elections and less insight into what political advertisements candidates are paying for under a pair of measures moving through the Hawaii Legislature.  House Bill 144 and House Bill 674 would exempt candidates from filing reports on ads with the state. That law was intended to shine a light on how much money candidates and political committees are spending on ads during election season to sway voters. Wording in the ad reporting law has confounded some campaigns and led to significant fines in recent years.

Illinois – At Trump’s Chicago Tower, Employees Got Vaccinated Early – Thanks to a Hospital Whose COO Lives in the Building
MSN – David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 3/17/2021

Employees at former President Trump’s Chicago tower got early access to coronavirus vaccines, arranged by a hospital whose chief operating officer owns a $2.7 million condo in the building. Seventy-two employees of Trump’s hotel and condo tower were vaccinated on March 10 and 11, despite city guidelines saying hotel employees would not be eligible until March 29. The city asked for more details about the vaccination event from its organizer, Loretto Hospital. The small hospital is in a majority-Black neighborhood nine miles from Trump’s downtown tower and says its mission is to provide vaccines to the “minority communities hardest hit” by the pandemic.

Iowa – Iowa Extended Contact Tracing Contract with Company Owned by Republican Party Donor as Cases Plummeted
Associated Press News – Ryan Foley | Published: 3/12/2021

As coronavirus virus cases plummeted, Iowa quietly extended a $3.9 million contact tracing contract with a company owned by a major Republican Party donor and supporter of Gov. Kim Reynolds. After a one-day emergency bidding process in November, the state Department of Public Health hired MCI, a telemarketing firm, to trace the contacts of residents infected with COVID-19. The award of the two-month, $2.3 million contract came during a surge in cases that filled up hospitals with patients and after months of complaints from counties about a shortage of contact tracing workers. MCI performed telemarketing and data work for Donald Trump’s two presidential campaigns and also provided services for Reynolds’ political campaign.

Kentucky – ‘Not a Knee-Jerk Reaction.’ Legislators Say Ethics Bills Not Just Aimed at Beshear.
Lexington Herald-Leader – John Cheves | Published: 3/12/2021

The Kentucky Legislature is moving two government ethics bills aimed at Gov. Andy Beshear – but also, lawmakers, say, at future governors from both parties who will follow him. The House appeared poised to give final passage to Senate Bill 6, which would create ethics rules for the people who work on transition teams for newly elected governors and other state constitutional officers, such as attorneys general and state auditors. The other measure is House Bill 454, which would reorganize the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, the panel that enforces a code of ethics on most of state government.

Maine – Legislation That Would Silence Foreign Companies During Maine Ballot Campaigns Gets First Look
Portland Press Herald – Scott Thistle | Published: 3/15/2021

A trio of bills seeking to silence the influence of foreign companies on statewide ballot questions in Maine drew support and opposition during a public hearing before the Legislature. At stake is an ongoing, $1 billion powerline-expansion project spearheaded by Central Maine Power Co. and Hydro-Quebec, an energy company owned and operated by the Canadian province of Quebec. The legislation, offered by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, would prohibit Hydro-Quebec from spending in an attempt to influence the outcome of a ballot question in November that would require the Legislature approve the project. It has been approved by state and federal regulators.

Maryland – Baltimore Clarifies Rules to Govern Board of Estimates Votes, Abstentions
Yahoo News – Tim Prudente (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/13/2021

Baltimore’s Board of Ethics clarified the voting rules for the city spending panel, finding a member may in fact vote on matters pertaining to units of city government under his or her control. In a written opinion, the ethics panel concluded a 2013 change to city law limits instances in which members of the Board of Estimates must abstain from voting because of a conflict-of-interest. “… However, the BOE is free to adopt additional voting abstention policies to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest,” the opinion states.

Maryland – Ex-Baltimore Mayor’s Associate, the Final Defendant in ‘Healthy Holly’ Case, Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison
Yahoo News – Justin Fenton (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/4/2021

The final defendant in the case against former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh ended when the former director of a nonprofit job training center was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison on tax fraud charges. Roslyn Wedington was director of the Maryland Center for Adult Training, where Pugh served on the board of directors. Pugh aide Gary Brown helped Wedington earn an off-the-books salary so she could for years avoid paying taxes and wage garnishment.  Brown was sentenced to 27 months in prison for his role, as well as a fraud scheme related to Pugh’s “Healthy Holly” children’s books. Pugh is serving a three-year sentence in federal prison.

Maryland – Unlike Many Other States, Maryland’s Legislature Is Moving to Make It Easier to Vote Early or by Mail
Yahoo News – Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/12/2021

Inspired by – or perhaps infuriated by – the contentious 2020 presidential election, Maryland lawmakers are pushing dozens of bills to change the way the state’s voters cast their ballots. Maryland’s Democrat-led General Assembly is moving to make it easier to vote by mail and to vote early, partially driven by the pandemic election that saw record turnout in the state by those means. Republican lawmakers, who are significantly outnumbered in Annapolis, are pushing bills they say would cut down on voter fraud, such as requiring identification at the polls and checking signatures on mailed ballots.

Michigan – Michigan Officials Dodge Transparency Reforms Enacted Elsewhere, Reject Dozens of Bills
Yahoo – Craig Mauger (Detroit News) | Published: 3/16/2021

The Michigan Legislature has rejected more than 130 bills aimed at boosting transparency and ethics in government since a national nonprofit organization rated the state last in the subjects six years ago. The statistic shows Michigan officeholders’ ongoing resistance to laws that would provide the public more information about their decisions, including disclosing their communications and revealing potential conflicts-of-interest. Similar measures have already been enacted in most other states. But proponents of the reforms hope the tides are changing in Michigan.

New Jersey – N.J. Mayor Weighs November Re-Election Bid – When He’ll Be 97
Newark Star Ledger – Steve Strunsky (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 3/15/2021

In the summer of 2017, when Vito Perillo was 92, he resolved to do something about Tinton Falls’ steadily increasing property taxes, a rise documented by saving every one of his tax bills since 1980, the year he retired as a civilian defense employee. He ran and won the mayor race in the Monmouth County borough. Four years later, with Perillo’s first term expiring at the end of the year, he must decide whether to seek a second term in November. Perillo, one of the oldest mayors in the state and the nation, if not the oldest, will be 97 years old at that point.

New York – A Father’s Gift to a Mayoral Candidate: A $1 Million Super PAC
New York Times – Dana Rubinstein | Published: 3/17/2021

With New York City’s mayoral primary a little more than three months away and a deadline to qualify for the city’s matching-funds program having just passed, pleas for donations have been in overdrive in recent days. But in the background, another spigot of money has opened for two Democratic candidates who are trailing in early polls. An independent expenditure committee for Raymond McGuire, a former Wall Street executive, has garnered more than $3 million, with more than 70 donations from business magnates. A new super PAC for Donovan, a former cabinet member in the Obama administration, has drawn $1.02 million from just two donors – the primary benefactor being his father, Michael Donovan, who donated $1 million.

New York – Cuomo Impeachment Probe Authorized by New York Assembly Speaker as Sexual Harassment Claims Grow
MSN – Dan Mangan (CNBC) | Published: 3/11/2021

The speaker of the New York Assembly authorized an impeachment investigation into allegations of misconduct by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been the subject of multiple sexual harassment claims in recent weeks. The probe was set in motion hours after more than 50 Democratic state lawmakers, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and the National Organization for Women demanded Cuomo resign. The developments came a day after a newspaper reported a member of Cuomo’s staff had accused him of aggressively groping her in the governor’s mansion last year.

New York – New York’s Vaccine Czar Called County Officials to Gauge Their Loyalty to Cuomo Amid Sexual Harassment Investigation
MSN – Amy Brittain and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 3/14/2021

New York’s “vaccine czar,” an adviser to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, phoned county officials recently in attempts to gauge their loyalty to the embattled governor amid an ongoing sexual harassment investigation, according to officials. One Democratic county executive was so unsettled by the outreach from Larry Schwartz, head of the state’s vaccine rollout, that the executive filed notice of an impending ethics complaint with the public integrity unit of the state attorney general’s office. The executive feared the county’s vaccine supply could suffer if Schwartz was not pleased with the executive’s response to his questions about support of the governor.

New York – Report: Rochester police, mayor ‘knowingly suppressed’ information in Prude case
National Public Radio – Vanessa Romo | Published: 3/12/2021

Rochester city officials, including the former police chief and the mayor, “knowingly suppressed” information from getting to the public, and some officials made “untrue statements” about the events leading to the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man experiencing a mental health episode who was asphyxiated by police while restrained and handcuffed. An independent report chronicles how ex-Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary and Mayor Lovely Warren, over the course of more than five months, took deliberate steps to avoid disclosing the disturbing nature of the encounter between Prude and the officers.

Ohio – Advocates Call for Greater Transparency in Ohio Campaign Contributions Raised by Lobbyists
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Andrew Tobias | Published: 3/16/2021

Common Cause Ohio wants the state to require lobbyists to disclose fundraising they coordinate on behalf of politicians, saying the change would give voters a better idea which groups are trying to influence state policy through their campaign money. Ohio currently requires lobbyists to disclose the money they spend entertaining elected officials. State campaign finance laws require political donors to disclose their name, address, and employer. But those requirements do not reflect the lobbyists who may coordinate the donations.

Ohio – Cincinnati Elections Commission Reverses Decision, Tightens Contribution Rules. It Could Cost Aftab Pureval
MSN – Scott Wartman (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 3/11/2021

The Cincinnati Elections Commission reversed its January decision on the rules for use of previous campaign contributions for mayoral candidates. The board decided individual donors to mayoral and council candidates cannot exceed the $1,100 campaign contribution limits for any race going back four years to the previous mayoral race. The vote reverses a decision from that said candidates could use funds raised in non-city races before the previous general election.

Ohio – Federal Utility Regulator Investigates FirstEnergy’s Lobbying on House Bill 6
MSN – Jesse Balmart (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 3/17/2021

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is looking into how FirstEnergy lobbied for a $1 billion nuclear bailout in 2019. The FERC, which is tasked with regulating utilities like FirstEnergy, is investigating the company’s lobbying on House Bill 6, a bill that overhauled Ohio’s energy policies and included $1 billion in subsidies for two nuclear plants in the state, then-owned by FirstEnergy Solutions. FirstEnergy was directed to preserve documents and information related to lobbying. This investigation is in addition to an ongoing FERC audit of FirstEnergy.

Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Will Hear Argument of ‘Political Retribution’ by LaRose Against Summit County GOP Chair
MSN – Doug Livingtston (Akron Beacon Journal) | Published: 3/15/2021

The Summit County Republican Party is accusing Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose of spinning “inaccurate and incomplete” facts to “exact political retribution” against its local leader. LaRose rejected the reappointment of Bryan Williams, who is vice president of the state central committee and chairperson of the Summit County GOP, to another four years on the Summit County Board of Elections. LaRose gave the party’s county executive committee a deadline to give him another name for the open seat. Local party leaders met and voted to sue LaRose instead.

South Dakota – South Dakota Legislature Adopts Bill Barring Public Agencies from Collecting, Releasing Information About Nonprofit Donors
Ballotpedia – Staff | Published: 3/16/2021

The South Dakota Legislature approved a bill that would bar public agencies from requiring individuals or groups to disclose identifying information about a nonprofit’s donors, clearing the way for Gov. Kristi Noem’s signature. Senate Bill 103 would bar any public agency, including state and municipal government units and courts, from requiring a current or prospective contractor to provide a public agency with a list of the nonprofits “to which it has provided financial or nonfinancial support,” among other provisions. The legislation does not bar public agencies from furnishing personal information about a nonprofit’s donors or supporters for campaign finance reporting requirements.

Utah – Secretive Out-of-State Group Pushes Bill That Makes It Harder to Get a Voter Initiative on the Ballot
MSN – Bethany Rodgers (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 3/11/2021

This legislative session, supporters of a bill tightening the rules for ballot initiatives stressed that the measure would protect Utah from the influence of outside interests, which have previously dumped money into signature-gathering campaigns on medical cannabis and Medicaid expansion. What some state lawmakers might not have realized was this legislation was promoted by a shadowy, out-of-state group called the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). While ballot initiative campaigns must disclose their donors, the public has no idea which wealthy benefactors might have helped the FGA advance its political agenda in Utah, said Spencer Stokes, a state lobbyist and the co-owner of a signature-gathering firm.

Virginia – Northam Restores Voting Rights for 69,000 with Felony Convictions
MSN – Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2021

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam restored the voting rights of 69,000 people convicted of felonies under a policy change that speeds up the process, no longer requiring former prisoners to go through lengthy probations before qualifying to seek restoration. Virginia is one of a handful of states  that permanently disenfranchise all those convicted of felonies unless they have their rights restored by the governor. This year, Virginia’s General Assembly gave preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights for felons as soon as they complete their incarceration. In the meantime, Northam said he was taking a cue from that proposal and changing the timing of his process, reviewing rights as soon as someone is freed.

Washington – Washington AG Bob Ferguson Wants an Additional $2.8 Million in Legal Fees from Tim Eyman
Spokane Spokesman-Review – David Gutman (Seattle Times) | Published: 3/12/2021

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson wants an additional $2.8 million in legal fees and costs related to his lawsuit against anti-tax initiative promoter Tim Eyman. The lawsuit dragged on because of what Ferguson called Eyman’s “cost-inflating, frivolous, obstructive and defiant litigation tactics.” Eyman was found liable recently of “numerous and particularly egregious” violations of campaign finance law for laundering political donations to enrich himself, accepting kickbacks from a signature-gathering firm, secretly shuttling money between initiative campaigns, and concealing the source of other political contributions.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a special election for November 2 to fill the vacancy in U.S. House District 11 created by the departure of Marcia Fudge, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The special primary election will be held August 3, whereas the regularly scheduled primary election for ballot issues and municipalities remains on May 4.

The Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives announced a special election for House District 60 will be held on May 18 during the upcoming primary election.

The seat is vacant after Jeff Pyle announced his retirement due to health issues from battling cancer and recovering from a stroke in 2020.

Candidates for the office will be selected by a process designated by their respective political parties.

The winner of the special election will serve for the remainder of Pyle’s term until the end of 2022.

Gov. Ned Lamont scheduled a special election for Assembly District 145 on April 27.

The seat became vacant after Patricia Miller was elected to the Connecticut State Senate on March 2.

There are no primaries, and candidates will be nominated directly by political parties.

The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of Miller’s term until 2022.

Pennsylvania election officials have scheduled a special election for Senate District 22 on May 18.

The seat became vacant after John Blake resigned on March 8 to work for U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright.

There are no primaries, and candidates will be nominated directly by political parties.

The election falls on the same day as the municipal primary.

The winner of the election will serve the remainder of Blake’s term until the end of 2022.

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Sues City Over Recent Campaign Finance Changes” by John Aguilar (Denver Post) for Canon City Daily Record

Hawaii: “Hawaii Lawmakers Seek Exemption from Political Ad Disclosures” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat

South Dakota: “South Dakota Legislature Adopts Bill Barring Public Agencies from Collecting, Releasing Information About Nonprofit Donors” by Staff for Ballotpedia

Elections

National: “Putin Targeted People Close to Trump in Bid to Influence 2020 Election, U.S. Intelligence Says” by Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) for Seattle Times

Florida: “Police Raid Home of Former GOP Lawmaker Who Bragged About Planting No-Party Candidate” by Ana Ceballos, Samantha Gross, and David Ovalle for Miami Herald

Virginia: “Northam Restores Voting Rights for 69,000 with Felony Convictions” by Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “House Committee Seeks Financial Records for Trump’s Washington Hotel” by Jonathan O’Connell and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “At Trump’s Chicago Tower, Employees Got Vaccinated Early – Thanks to a Hospital Whose COO Lives in the Building” by David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

California: “French Laundry Friend Now Banned from Lobbying California Gov. Gavin Newsom” by Sophia Bollag (Sacramento Bee) for MSN

California: “Bill to Increase Transparency of Lobbying Activities Passed in Senate Committee” by Evan Symon for California Globe

Ohio: “Federal Utility Regulator Investigates FirstEnergy’s Lobbying on House Bill 6” by Jesse Balmart (Cincinnati Enquirer) for MSN

Campaign Finance

National: “Corporate PAC Donations to Parties and Candidates Plummet after Capitol Riot” by Kate Ackley and Herb Jackson (Roll Call) for MSN

Elections

Arizona: “Arizona Lawmakers Move to Block Private Funds for Elections” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Servies) for Arizona Daily Star

New Jersey: “N.J. Mayor Weighs November Re-Election Bid – When He’ll Be 97” by Steve Strunsky (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star Ledger

Ethics

National: “Army Initially Pushed to Deny District’s Request for National Guard Before Jan. 6” by Paul Sonne, Peter Hermann, Ellen Nakashima, and Matt Zapotosky (Washington Post) for MSN

Michigan: “Michigan Officials Dodge Transparency Reforms Enacted Elsewhere, Reject Dozens of Bills” by Craig Mauger (Detroit News) for Yahoo

Ohio: “Ohio Supreme Court Will Hear Argument of ‘Political Retribution’ by LaRose Against Summit County GOP Chair” by Doug Livingtston (Akron Beacon Journal) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “‘Manels’ Flourished During Key Period in Congress, Research Finds” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN

Lobbying

Florida: “Florida Property Rights Bill Was Written by a Development Company” by Zachary Sampson for Tampa Bay Times

Ohio: “Advocates Call for Greater Transparency in Ohio Campaign Contributions Raised by Lobbyists” by Andrew Tobias for Cleveland Plain Dealer

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Legislation That Would Silence Foreign Companies During Maine Ballot Campaigns Gets First Look” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald

Elections

National: “For Voting Rights Advocates, a ‘Once in a Generation Moment’ Looms” by Nicholas Fandos and Michael Wines for New York Times

Missouri: “‘Clear and Present Danger’: Republicans fret about Greitens’ comeback” by Alex Isenstadt for Politico

Ethics

National: “Two Arrested in Assault on Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, Who Died After Jan. 6 Capitol Riot” by Spencer Hsu and Peter Hermann (Washington Post) for MSN

California: “Oakland’s Transparency Problem: Thousands of public records requests are backlogged” by Annie Sciacca for Vallejo Times Herald

Iowa: “Iowa Extended Contact Tracing Contract with Company Owned by Republican Party Donor as Cases Plummeted” by Ryan Foley for Associated Press News

Maryland: “Baltimore Clarifies Rules to Govern Board of Estimates Votes, Abstentions” by Tim Prudente (Baltimore Sun) for Yahoo News

New York: “New York’s Vaccine Czar Called County Officials to Gauge Their Loyalty to Cuomo Amid Sexual Harassment Investigation” by Amy Brittain and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN

New York: “Report: Rochester police, mayor ‘knowingly suppressed’ information in Prude case” by Vanessa Romo for National Public Radio

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring a special election for the 54th Assembly District on July 20.

The seat was vacated by Sydney Kamlager who was voted to Senate District 30.

The special primary election will be held on May 18.

Campaign Finance

Ohio: “Cincinnati Elections Commission Reverses Decision, Tightens Contribution Rules. It Could Cost Aftab Pureval” by Scott Wartman (Cincinnati Enquirer) for MSN

Utah: “Secretive Out-of-State Group Pushes Bill That Makes It Harder to Get a Voter Initiative on the Ballot” by Bethany Rodgers (Salt Lake Tribune) for MSN

Washington: “Washington AG Bob Ferguson Wants an Additional $2.8 Million in Legal Fees from Tim Eyman” by David Gutman (Seattle Times) for Spokane Spokesman-Review

Elections

Maryland: “Unlike Many Other States, Maryland’s Legislature Is Moving to Make It Easier to Vote Early or by Mail” by Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) for Yahoo News

Ethics

Kentucky: “‘Not a Knee-Jerk Reaction.’ Legislators Say Ethics Bills Not Just Aimed at Beshear.” by John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader

New York: “Cuomo Impeachment Probe Authorized by New York Assembly Speaker as Sexual Harassment Claims Grow” by Dan Mangan (CNBC) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “‘I Still Don’t Feel Safe’: House lawmakers adjust to metal detectors, new normal” by Chris Cioffi (Roll Call) for MSN

Lobbying

Europe: “Brussels Lobbying Business Picks Up Despite Pandemic” by Lily Bayer for Politico

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has signed House Bill 1157 into law.

The controversial bill looked to shifts municipal elections from May to the November general election with new terms commencing on January 1 of the following year.

This shift will effectively extend the terms of current officeholders to facilitate the transition to the election date cycles.

This shift will begin with elections being held in 2022.

National/Federal

Another Oath Keeper with Links to Roger Stone Charged in Capitol Riot
Politico – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein | Published: 3/9/2021

A second member of the Oath Keepers militia who provided security to longtime Donald Trump adviser Roger Stone has been charged with storming and breaching the Capitol. Joshua James, who has been seen in photos flanking Stone ahead of the riot, was later seen on camera inside the building amid a crush of rioters who overran police. The arrest, made public a day after prosecutors revealed they charged fellow Oath Keeper and Stone security guard Roberto Minuta for entering the Capitol, is the latest evidence that prosecutors are homing in on the extremist group with key ties to organizers of pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” events.

Biden Signs Executive Order Promoting Voting Rights on 56th Anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’
Seattle Times – Felicia Sonmez and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 3/7/2021

President Biden signed an executive order aimed at promoting voting rights amid a push by Republican-led state Legislatures to roll back voting access in the wake of former President Trump’s 2020 loss and his baseless effort to cast doubt on the integrity of U.S. elections. The order comes on the 56th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” the day that state troopers violently beat hundreds of marchers, including John Lewis, the late civil rights icon who served as a Democratic member of Congress from Georgia, on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

Digging in as an All-GOP Firm in a Democratic Town
MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 3/4/2021

Many of K Street’s power players have gone in search of Democratic talent now that the party controls official Washington, D.C., but one shop went in a totally different direction, recruiting its newest partner from the Trump administration. The CGCN Group, an all-Republican lobbying and communications outfit, plans to remain a single-party firm, and unapologetically so, even though Democrats hold the Senate, House, and White House. The firm’s lobbyists and employees previously worked with lawmakers and officials who span the GOP’s ideological spectrum.

Feds Investigating Hagedorn Appearances on Minnesota Talk Radio Station
SouthernMinn.com – Daniel Newhauser (Minnesota Reformer) | Published: 3/5/2021

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is probing a news radio station’s financial relationship with U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, questioning whether the station broke the law by allowing a man paid by Hagedorn’s campaign to interview the congressman on air. The investigation began after media reports on business dealings between Hagedorn and Al Travis Thielfoldt. Neither revealed during interviews on Thiefoldt’s show that Hagedorn had entrusted Thielfoldt with more than $1.4 million to place ads on local stations. The FCC is investigating whether Hagedorn’s campaign paid Thielfoldt or KTOE for the interviews, and whether the station violated the law by failing to publicly disclose the financial relationship between the men.

House Democrats End Controversial Consultant Ban
Politico – Ally Mutnick | Published: 3/9/2021

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is officially ending its controversial ban on political consultants who work with candidates challenging sitting Democratic incumbents, clinching a victory for progressives. Though it was in place for fewer than two years, it still stymied some liberal primary challengers. The policy forbade the committee from contracting with or recommending to any House campaign a consultant or firm who worked to primary a sitting Democratic incumbent. It spurred a strong backlash but was popular with members who are more prone to primary challenges and do not want their party apparatus, to which they pay dues, to enable their opponents.

House Restarts Push to Enforce Subpoena for Trump Financial Records
MSN – Todd Ruger (Roll Call) | Published: 3/4/2021

The federal courts have spent so long deciding whether House Democrats could subpoena Donald Trump’s personal financial records from his accounting firm that the ongoing legal saga has a new wrinkle: what changes now that he is a former president? The House Oversight and Reform Committee reissued the subpoena to Mazars USA in February, and it is identical to the one from 2019 that ultimately led the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a new test for when Congress could obtain those records.

Inside the Lincoln Project’s Secrets, Side Deals and Scandals
New York Times – Danny Hakim, Maggie Astor, and Jo Becker | Published: 3/8/2021

The Lincoln Project collected more than $87 million in donations and produced scores of viral videos that were intended to drive then-President Trump to distraction. The men who founded the Lincoln Project – Steve Schmidt, John Weaver, Reed Galen, and Rick Wilson – moved to set themselves up in the new enterprise, creating TLP Media last fall. Its aim was to transform the original project, a super PAC, into a far more lucrative venture. The behind-the-scenes moves by the founders showed that whatever their political goals, they were also privately taking steps to make money from the earliest stages and wanted to limit the number of people who would share in the spoils.

Oil Refiner Valero to Disclose Climate Lobbying After Criticism
MSN – Gerson Freitas Jr. and Saijel Kishan (Bloomberg) | Published: 3/3/2021

Valero Energy, one of the largest U.S. oil refiners, is planning to publish details of its climate lobbying activities after an investor pressed for more disclosure. Valero will release a report later this year. The decision follows discussions with Mercy Investment Services, which had filed a proposed shareholder resolution demanding to know how Valero’s lobbying aligns with global efforts to fight climate change. That resolution has now been withdrawn, Valero said.

Rep. Eric Swalwell Sues Trump Over Jan. 6 Riot, Alleging He Poses Risk of ‘Inciting Future Political Violence’
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 3/4/2021

A House impeachment manager and intelligence subcommittee chairperson filed a federal lawsuit against former President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Rudolph Giuliani, and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, claiming they should be held liable for injuries and destruction caused by their incitement of the January 6 mob assault on the Capitol. U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell alleged Trump and his fellow speakers at a rally near the White House that day were directly responsible for mobilizing a crowd of tens of thousands of pro-Trump supporters to march on the Capitol and priming them for violence.

State Department Aide Appointed by Trump Stormed the Capitol, Beat Police with a Riot Shield, FBI Says
San Diego Union Tribune – Katie Shepherd (Washington Post) | Published: 3/5/2021

The FBI arrested Federico Klein, a political appointee of former President Trump, on charges he stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, marking the first member of the administration arrested in connection with the insurrection. Klein was still employed at the State Department as a staff assistant when he joined a mob in a tunnel leading into the Capitol, the FBI said. Then he allegedly “physically and verbally engaged with the officers holding the line” at the building’s entrance, according to the complaint. After ignoring officers’ orders to move back, he assaulted officers with a riot shield that had been stolen from police, the complaint said, and then used the shield to wedge open a door into the Capitol.

Trump’s Fundraising Whiplash Highlights GOP’s Small-Donor Issue
MSN – Bridget Bowman (Roll Call) | Published: 3/10/2021

Donald Trump’s conflicting statements about whether Republican campaign committees can use his likeness to fundraise has underscored a broader problem facing the GOP: tapping into the grassroots donors who fueled the former president’s record-breaking campaign hauls. While GOP candidates have tried to tap into grassroots fundraising, Trump has energized small-dollar donors for his own campaign. In recent days, he has threatened to cut Republican campaign committees off from using his name to fundraise.

U.S. House Republicans May Follow Democrats in Rebooting Shamed ‘Earmarks’
Reuters – Jarret Renshaw | Published: 3/9/2021

U.S. House Republicans are weighing whether to join Democrats in getting back into earmarks, the practice of loading spending bills with legislators’ pet projects. Sources said sentiment is growing in the GOP toward embracing earmarks roughly a decade after the party decided to scrap the long-standing practice amid a raft of high-profile controversies. Democrats who control the House agreed to bring back earmarks this year.

From the States and Municipalities

California – As Newsom Pushes to Extend Emergency Spending Authority During Pandemic, Lobbyist Influence Remains Opaque
Capital Public Radio – Scott Rodd | Published: 3/4/2021

While lobbyists in California must disclose efforts to influence policy and legislation, they are not required to disclose lobbying activities when vying for lucrative contracts. Government ethics experts say that is an area that demands greater transparency for Californians to understand how their government awards contracts and opportunities, especially as Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes to extend his emergency spending authority for another year. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office warns that under the extension, “there would be no reasonable checks and balances on the Governor’s COVID-19 spending authority.”

California – City Hall Corruption Probe: Former S.F. official and girlfriend to Mohammed Nuru agrees to plead guilty, cooperate with feds
MSN – Michael Williams (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 3/9/2021

Sandra Zuniga, the former director of San Francisco’s Office of Neighborhood Services, agreed to plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and will cooperate with the federal investigation into City Hall corruption. Prosecutors alleged she conspired for years with former city Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru to launder the proceeds of his alleged fraud. Prosecutors said Zuniga, at one point a romantic partner to Nuru, deposited the proceeds from alleged bribes into her own bank account. Those funds, federal officials said, were later used to make mortgage payments on a vacation home Nuru owned.

California – New Escondido Council Erases Campaign Finance Reforms Enacted by Predecessors
San Diego Union Tribune – Joe Tash | Published: 3/4/2021

Five months after adopting new campaign finance rules for city elections, the Escondido City Council reversed course and voted to strip away two of the changes enacted by the previous council. In October, the council reduced the contribution limits for city offices such as mayor, city council, and city treasurer, and established a prohibition on candidates carrying over surplus campaign funds from one election to the next. The council also voted to impose its new contribution limits on all persons and organizations, including political parties, businesses, and labor unions. The council voted to do away with the prohibition on rolling over campaign funds and exempted political parties from the contribution limits.

California – S.F. City Hall Corruption: Recology to repay customers $94.5 million for rates Mohammed Nuru helped set
MSN – Megan Cassidy (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 3/4/2021

San Franciscans will recoup nearly $100 million in overpaid trash-collection fees after a probe by the city attorney’s office detailed how the waste management company Recology improperly hiked its prices over the last four years. The settlement with Recology represents the latest twist in the sprawling City Hall corruption saga centered around former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, other city officials, contractors, and nonprofit groups. Nuru played a key role in the rate-setting process for Recology. Multiple investigations alleged Nuru accepted bribes from Recology in exchange for allowing the company to inflate its rates. A former Recology executive was fired and arrested in November in light of those allegations.

California – San Jose School District Denies Improper Lobbying Charges
San Jose Spotlight – Lloyd Alaban | Published: 3/10/2021

Officials with San Jose’s biggest school district denied charges they improperly hired lobbying firms to push a teacher housing proposal, saying at least one of the firms never lobbied for them at all, despite meeting with officials who would approve the plans. The allegations stem from a grand jury report. It found that San Jose Unified School District failed to disclose conflicts-of-interest and lobbying contracts related to a proposal to build affordable housing for teachers and staff. The school district’s board rejected concerns that the contracts with two different firms working on the housing project had been inappropriate. But it agreed to provide more transparency around such agreements in the future.

Georgia – Georgia Republicans Want to Reshape Voting Laws, Burdening Voters of Color
Georgia Public Broadcasting – Carrie Levine, Kimberly Cataudella, and Stephen Fowler | Published: 3/5/2021

Election experts say the 2020 election was fair, and courts have tossed out dozens of lawsuits filed by former President Trump’s campaign and allied groups after finding no evidence of fraud. Nonetheless, Republicans around the country are sponsoring measures to constrain voter access, arguing they are responding to the perception that elections need to be more secure. Georgia, with a Republican-controlled Legislature, is at the epicenter of that fight. Record participation from voters of color in the 2020 election and subsequent runoff helped Democrats flip the state’s electoral votes and both U.S. Senate seats.

Illinois – How Michael Madigan’s Departure Accelerates a Shift in Chicago Politics from Old-School Machine to New-Era Progressives
Yahoo News – Bill Ruthhart and John Byrne (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 3/4/2021

The last two Cook County Democratic Party bosses suffered embarrassing losses to political newcomers for county assessor and mayor. A congressional seat held for decades by a powerful establishment family now belongs to a progressive outsider. Several longtime white machine politicians in Chicago have been defeated by first-time candidates of color. The change is being driven by generational, ideological, and demographic shifts, with federal law enforcement and organized labor providing major assists. The result is a move away from old-style bosses toward a more diffuse leadership structure that is more diverse and practices an increasingly progressive style of politics centered on economic and racial equity.

Illinois – State’s Ex-Pot Regulators, Pols Are Cashing In On the Exploding Industry. A Proposed Crackdown Won’t Stop All of Them.
Chicago Sun-Times – Tom Schuba | Published: 3/10/2021

A year after recreational cannabis sales kicked off in Illinois, legalization has been a boon for the few multimillion-dollar companies granted permission to grow and sell marijuana and a windfall for local and state governments strapped for cash. It has also been a jackpot for a host of former cannabis regulators. On top of that, two sponsors of the law that legalized recreational cannabis are also benefiting from the pot industry, albeit through connections to firms operating in other states. State Rep. Marty Moylan introduced legislation that would strengthen conflict-of-interest provisions in the law that aim to prevent lawmakers, regulators, and their families from profiting off the industry.

Iowa – Journalist Acquitted in Iowa Case Seen as Attack on Press
MSN – Ryan Foley (Associated Press) | Published: 3/10/2021

An Iowa jury acquitted a journalist who was pepper-sprayed and arrested by police while covering a protest, in a case that critics have derided as an attack on press freedoms and an abuse of prosecutorial discretion. The jury found Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri and her ex-boyfriend Spenser Robnett not guilty on misdemeanor charges of failure to disperse and interference with official acts. More than 100 groups called for the dismissal of charges last summer, but prosecutors aggressively pursued them, arguing tSahouri and Robnett did not comply with police orders to leave the chaotic scene and interfered with the officer who arrested Sahouri.

Maine – Maine Ethics Commission Says Senate District 14 Candidate Violated Election Law, but Assesses No Penalty
Portland Press Herald – Jessica Lowell (Kennebec Jouirnal) | Published: 3/8/2021

A state Senate candidate violated Maine’s election sign law but will not be assessed a penalty, the Commission on Governmental and Ethics Practices ruled. The commission said in failing to initially add a disclosure statement to those signs, William Guerrette violated state campaign laws. In a separate action, it voted to assess no penalty against Guerrette. The complaint said the four electronic signs urging people to vote for Guerrette failed to include a disclaimer explaining who paid for the signs and who authorized them. Initially, Guerrette was told the signs were fine, but when his campaign was directed to add disclosure statements, the statements were added.

Massachusetts – Body Armor and Pepper Spray: Politicians can buy safety gear with campaign funds after Capitol attack
MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 3/7/2021

An advisory opinion from the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance allows the state’s elected officials to use campaign funds to buy bulletproof vests, gas masks, and other gear to protect themselves and their staffs following the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Michael Sullivan, the campaign office’s director, noted the agency previously allowed candidates to use campaign money to pay for a security detail or a home security system. Sullivan citied the “recent events in our nation’s capital” and that officials or their staffs could reasonably be concerned about their safety at the statehouse or elsewhere.

Michigan – Auditor-Recommended Election Reforms Approved in Michigan House
MLive.com – Samuel Dodge | Published: 3/9/2021

The Michigan House approved a series of election reform bills, including a package addressing recommended changes by the state auditor general. A report from the auditor general recommended ways to improve the process, including cleaning up the qualified voter file’s list of names, ensuring better training of local clerks, and improving campaign finance reporting. In addition, House Bill 4130 moves back the date for lobbyists to submit their reports by one month. House Bill 4131 extends the deadline to correct errors and omissions in campaign finance statements.

Michigan – Feds Probe MDOT Corruption Case with Alleged Ghost Contractors, Bonuses for Wives
Yahoo News – Robert Snell (Detroit News) | Published: 3/6/2021

Five Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) contractors are targets of an FBI investigation over whether they defrauded taxpayers out of more than $7.3 million by overbilling, submitting phony expenses, and giving no-show, six-figure jobs to their wives. Search warrant filings reveal a years-long, ongoing wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering investigation targeting at least five executives at Surveying Solutions. The company is one of the state’s preeminent surveying firms and has worked on more than 150 MDOT projects in recent years’ worth $29.3 million.

Michigan – Lobbyist Advanced Client’s Plan as Appointee on Michigan Pot Panel
Yahoo News – Craig Mauger (Detroit News) | Published: 3/5/2021

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency created the Racial Equity Advisory Work Group to develop policy recommendations and make Michigan a “leader on diversity, equity, and inclusion” in the marijuana industry. When the workgroup’s ideas were unveiled, the top recommendation was to create a new license type, allowing for “marijuana microbusinesses.” An Ann Arbor-based business, Tranquility Fields, wants to franchise small marijuana operations across the state. Among the group’s lobbyists is Berton Brown, one of the 21 workgroup members. Critics argue having a lobbyist on an official state workgroup advancing recommendations that could boost his employer is a conflict-of-interest.

Missouri – After Judges Rewrite GOP Lawmakers’ Ballot Language, Missouri House Votes to Strip Their Power
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jack Suntrup and Maria Benevento | Published: 3/10/2021

After Missouri courts last year threw out and rewrote the Legislature’s ballot language for a proposed change to the state constitution, Republican lawmakers moved to strip judges’ power to rewrite ballot language. The effort follows rulings from two courts in the run-up to the November election that tossed the Legislature’s wording for a question that changed the way Missouri was to draw state legislative districts after the 2020 Census. In addition to the redistricting changes, the measure banned lobbyist gifts. But Cole Circuit County Judge Patricia Joyce rewrote the summary.

New Mexico – Political Spending Transparency Bill Clears Senate
New Mexico In Depth – Bryan Metzger | Published: 3/10/2021

The New Mexico Senate approved a bill that would close a loophole in the state’s transparency laws and require lawmakers running for federal office to disclose their contributions every 10 days during the legislative session. The loophole allows nonprofit organizations to avoid disclosing donors behind political spending if those giving the money requested in writing that their donations not be spent for political purposes, even if the group decides to use the money for politics anyway.

New York – Cuomo’s Behavior Created ‘Hostile, Toxic’ Workplace Culture for Decades, Former Aides Say
MSN – Amy Brittain, Josh Dawsey, Hannah Knowles, and Tracy Jan (Washington Post) | Published: 3/6/2021

Fresh accounts of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s workplace behavior by former aides come after several women have publicly accused him of inappropriate personal comments or unwelcome physical contact. The allegations have engulfed one of the country’s top Democratic officials in crisis and put a focus on the workplace culture he has fostered during his three decades in public office. Many former aides and advisers described a toxic environment in which the governor unleashes verbal attacks on subordinates. Some said he seemed to delight in humiliating his employees, particularly in group meetings.

New York – Is NYC’s Expensive Campaign Finance Program Worth the Cost?
Gothamist – Cindy Rodriguez | Published: 3/3/2021

New York City’s Campaign Finance Board recently doled out $37 million in matching funds to candidates running for public office, the highest in its history. Their eight-to-one matching program is supposed to level the playing field and encourage campaigns to rely on small donors instead of big money and special interests. But in two different special elections in Queens, several candidates received tens of thousands of dollars in public financing and only a few hundred votes, leaving some to question whether, during a financial crisis, city taxpayer money should be spent differently. “‘’m concerned that we are wasting a tremendous amount of public funds for people to have vanity projects,” said Patrick Jenkins, a district leader in Queens.

New York – NY Officials Removed Fuller Tally of Nursing Home Deaths
Associated Press News – Staff | Published: 3/5/2021

The state Health Department confirmed that members of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 task force altered a report to omit the full number of nursing home patients killed by the coronavirus, but insisted the changes were made because of concerns about the data’s accuracy. It has been reported that gubernatorial aides pushed state health officials to edit the July report so it counted only residents who died inside long-term care facilities, and not those who became ill there and later died at a hospital. It is the latest blow for Cuomo, who has been besieged by scandals involving his handling of nursing home deaths and accusations he sexually harassed two former aides and a woman he met at a wedding he officiated.

New York – Top NYC Lobbyist Settles Ethics Case in de Blasio Fundraising Probe
New York Post – Carl Campanile | Published: 3/9/2021

Suri Kasirer, New York City’s top lobbyist, agreed to a $5,000 settlement with the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) over her firm’s dealings with the non-profit group created to promote Mayor Bill de Blasio’s agenda. The settlement noted Kasirer assisted in raising money for the since defunct Campaign for One New York after the mayor personally asked her for assistance in raising funds for the group. The Lobbying Act prohibits lobbyists and their clients from giving gifts to a public official, which includes gifts to third parties on behalf of or at the behest of a public official. JCOPE investigated whether donations by individuals with business before the city were a gift to the mayor.

North Dakota – North Dakota House Expels Lawmaker Accused of Misconduct
Associated Press News – James MacPherson | Published: 3/5/2021

The North Dakota House voted to expel Rep. Luke Simons, who was accused of threatening and sexually harassing women at the Capitol, the first time in state history a lawmaker has been expelled. Simons is accused of a pattern of sexually aggressive, lewd, and threatening behavior. Rep. Emily O’Brien said his harassment was so pervasive that she switched desks to get away from him.

Ohio – 5 More Householder Campaign Finance Claims Referred in Ohio
Associated Press News – Julie Carr Smyth | Published: 3/5/2021

Ohio’s elections chief said he has amended his massive list of campaign finance violations against suspects in an alleged $60 million bribery scheme to include five additional allegations against former House Speaker Larry Householder. Secretary of State Frank LaRose said a routine examination of state filings by Householder showed five individuals exceeded legal giving limits between March 11, 2019, and January 15, 2020. Householder, who has been ousted as speaker but remains a state representative, and four others were arrested and indicted on federal racketeering charges for what has been called the biggest corruption scandal in state history.

Ohio – Bankruptcy Judge Questioned FirstEnergy Solutions’ Law Firm on a Draft Political Contributions Motion That Was Never Filed
Energy and Policy Institute – Dave Anderson | Published: 3/10/2021

Bankruptcy court records show lawyers for FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) drafted, but never filed, a motion seeking a judge’s approval to make political contributions shortly before the company gave $500,000 to the Republican Governors Association during the closing weeks of the 2018 elections. The $500,000 contribution represents nearly half of the over $1 million FirstEnergy has spent in support of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine since 2017. FirstEnergy’s financial support is one of several factors that has drawn DeWine into the scandal surrounding House Bill 6, which was set to deliver a $1 billion ratepayer bailout to two nuclear power plants then owned by FES before courts halted the payments.

Ohio – In Filing, FirstEnergy Said State Regulator Acted for the Company’s Benefit as a Result of $4.3 Million Payment
MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 3/4/2021

A previously unnoticed disclosure by FirstEnergy Corp. sheds additional light on company’s view of the $4.3 million it paid to an unnamed state official shortly before that person took a job as a top utility regulator in Ohio. In legal disclosures, the utility said the payment to a consulting firm tied to that person led to “conduct corresponding to such payment,” and to that person “acting at the request or for the benefit of FirstEnergy as a consequence of receiving such payment.” The company said the payment led it to update its terms with its lenders on November 17. The day before, the FBI raided then-Public Utilities Commission Chairperson Sam Randazzo’s home. Randazzo quit on the day after FirstEnergy disclosed the payment.

Oregon – A Timber Lobbyist Called Our Investigation ‘Completely Bogus.’ We Have the Receipts to Show It’s Not
ProPublica – Rob Davis (Portland Oregonian) and Tony Schick (Oregon Public Broadcasting) | Published: 3/8/2021

With the Oregon Legislature taking up bills to overhaul or eliminate the Oregon Forest Resources Institute after a media investigation, lobbyists have repeatedly attacked the reporting as incorrect. The institute is a quasi-governmental agency meant to promote forestry education. The investigation found the institute had acted as a de facto lobbying arm of the timber industry, in some cases skirting legal constraints that forbid it from doing so.

Oregon – Lobbyists Try for Influence, Without as Much Access to Oregon Lawmakers
Portland Oregonian – Jake Thomas (Salem Reporter) | Published: 3/3/2021

An impromptu five-minute conversation can be politically effective in the halls of the Oregon Capitol. Such encounters have long been crucial for the army of lobbyists hoping to get a moment with a state legislator. But that personal style of lobbying has been checked by the coronavirus pandemic. The Capitol has been closed since last March to the public and to lobbyists. Now, those representing everyone from acupuncturists to veterinarians must make do with text messages, emails, and video conferences. Now, lobbyists must book virtual meetings weeks in advance for conversations that would normally take five to 10 minutes.

South Carolina – SC Government Waste and Corruption Revelations Confront Culture Resistant to Change
Charleston Post and Courier – Tony Bartelme and Glenn Smith | Published: 3/7/2021

Media reports on gas authorities, fire districts, and other special-purpose districts in South Carolina that operate with little outside scrutiny led one agency to reconsider its spending practices. Gov. Henry McMaster and some lawmakers called for more scrutiny of special-purpose districts and a bill was filed to ratchet up ethics reporting requirements for these entities. Other agencies remain unmoved. Their leaders defend traveling with spouses to five-star resorts for “work retreats” – trips that involved just a handful of meetings but plenty of time for golf, and, in one case, glass-blowing lessons. Truly changing a public service culture that has operated for decades with loose restrictions will take time and effort, watchdogs caution.

Texas – Twitter Sues Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Asks Court to Halt His Investigation of the Social Media Company
Texas Tribune – Marissa Martinez | Published: 3/8/2021

Twitter filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court and asked a judge to halt the state’s top lawyer from investigating the company. Twitter’s court filings include a request for a temporary restraining order that would keep Paxton and his office from enforcing a demand that seeks documents revealing the company’s internal decision-making processes for banning users, among other things. Paxton, a fervent supporter of former President Trump, sent the company a civil investigative demand after it banned Trump from its platform following January’s siege at the U.S. Capitol.

West Virginia – Ethics Commission Breaks Up County Prosecutor’s Hiring of Her Boyfriend
Charleston Gazette and Mail – Phil Kabler | Published: 3/4/2021

A county prosecutor violated the law by hiring her boyfriend as an assistant prosecutor, and must terminate his employment within 30 days, the West Virginia Ethics commission ruled. A key point in the decision was the prosecutor had failed to advertise the job opening but had reached out to local lawyers about the vacancy. The commission also concluded that an organization that lobbies the Legislature may recognize a lawmaker by making a charitable contribution in the legislator’s name to a local homeless shelter in excess of the $25 limit on gifts in the Ethics Act.

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump’s Fundraising Whiplash Highlights GOP’s Small-Donor Issue” by Bridget Bowman (Roll Call) for MSN

New Mexico: “Political Spending Transparency Bill Clears Senate” by Bryan Metzger for New Mexico In Depth

Ohio: “Bankruptcy Judge Questioned FirstEnergy Solutions’ Law Firm on a Draft Political Contributions Motion That Was Never Filed” by Dave Anderson for Energy and Policy Institute

Elections

Missouri: “After Judges Rewrite GOP Lawmakers’ Ballot Language, Missouri House Votes to Strip Their Power” by Jack Suntrup and Maria Benevento for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ethics

California: “City Hall Corruption Probe: Former S.F. official and girlfriend to Mohammed Nuru agrees to plead guilty, cooperate with feds” by Michael Williams (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN

Illinois: “State’s Ex-Pot Regulators, Pols Are Cashing In On the Exploding Industry. A Proposed Crackdown Won’t Stop All of Them.” by Tom Schuba for Chicago Sun-Times

Iowa: “Journalist Acquitted in Iowa Case Seen as Attack on Press” by Ryan Foley (Associated Press) for MSN

Texas: “Twitter Sues Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Asks Court to Halt His Investigation of the Social Media Company” by Marissa Martinez for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

National: “U.S. House Republicans May Follow Democrats in Rebooting Shamed ‘Earmarks’” by Jarret Renshaw for Reuters

New York: “Top NYC Lobbyist Settles Ethics Case in de Blasio Fundraising Probe” by Carl Campanile for New York Post

Campaign Finance

California: “New Escondido Council Erases Campaign Finance Reforms Enacted by Predecessors” by Joe Tash for San Diego Union Tribune

Maine: “Maine Ethics Commission Says Senate District 14 Candidate Violated Election Law, but Assesses No Penalty” by Jessica Lowell (Kennebec Journal) for Portland Press Herald

Elections

National: “House Democrats End Controversial Consultant Ban” by Ally Mutnick for Politico

Ethics

National: “Inside the Lincoln Project’s Secrets, Side Deals and Scandals” by Danny Hakim, Maggie Astor, and Jo Becker for New York Times

Michigan: “Feds Probe MDOT Corruption Case with Alleged Ghost Contractors, Bonuses for Wives” by Robert Snell (Detroit News) for Yahoo News

New York: “Cuomo’s Behavior Created ‘Hostile, Toxic’ Workplace Culture for Decades, Former Aides Say” by Amy Brittain, Josh Dawsey, Hannah Knowles, and Tracy Jan (Washington Post) for MSN

South Carolina: “SC Government Waste and Corruption Revelations Confront Culture Resistant to Change” by Tony Bartelme and Glenn Smith for Charleston Post and Courier

Lobbying

National: “Oil Refiner Valero to Disclose Climate Lobbying After Criticism” by Gerson Freitas Jr. and Saijel Kishan (Bloomberg) for MSN

Oregon: “A Timber Lobbyist Called Our Investigation ‘Completely Bogus.’ We Have the Receipts to Show It’s Not” by Rob Davis (Portland Oregonian) and Tony Schick (Oregon Public Broadcasting) for ProPublica