April 29, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Arizona: “Kari Lake’s Campaign Debt Is Unlike Most Former Senate Candidates. Here’s What to Know” by Ronald Hansen for Arizona Republic Elections Canada: “In Stunning Comeback, Carney’s Liberals Win Canada’s Federal Election” by Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics National: “Reporters’ Phone […]
Campaign Finance
Arizona: “Kari Lake’s Campaign Debt Is Unlike Most Former Senate Candidates. Here’s What to Know” by Ronald Hansen for Arizona Republic
Elections
Canada: “In Stunning Comeback, Carney’s Liberals Win Canada’s Federal Election” by Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Reporters’ Phone Records Could Again Be Searched, Justice Dept. Says” by Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Elon Musk’s Conflicts of Interest: $2.37 billion in potential federal penalties, report says” by Laurence Darmiento (Los Angeles Times) for MSN
Florida: “Tina Descovich Must Leave Ethics Commission After Senate Again Fails to Take Up Nomination” by Jacob Ogles for Florida Politics
New York: “Cuomo Won’t Release Consulting Clients from His Time Out of Public Eye” by Joe Anuta (Politico) for MSN
Lobbying
Europe: “European Commission Bans Lobbyists Vouching for Huawei Amid Corruption Probe” by Edith Hancock (Wall Street Journal) for MSN
National: “The MAGA Lobbyists Upending Washington with McDonald’s and Bear Hunting” by Kristina Peterson and Maggie Severns (Wall Street Journal) for MSN
April 28, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Trump and GOP Ramp Up Investigations on Democrats’ Top Fundraising Platform” by Maeve Reston and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN Elections National: “Judge Blocks Part of Trump’s Order Requiring Citizenship Proof to Vote” by Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Trump and GOP Ramp Up Investigations on Democrats’ Top Fundraising Platform” by Maeve Reston and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN
Elections
National: “Judge Blocks Part of Trump’s Order Requiring Citizenship Proof to Vote” by Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN
North Carolina: “North Carolina Judges Block GOP Law to Strip Governor’s Election Board Powers” by Gary Robertson and Makiya Seminera (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Ex-US Rep. George Santos Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity Theft” by Philip Marcello (Associated Press) for MSN
Illinois: “Jury Deadlocks, Mistrial Declared in Federal Bribery Case of Sen. Emil Jones III” by Hannah Meisel (Capitol News Illinois) for NPR Illinois
Minnesota: “Ethics Panel: MN Senate President must disclose possible future conflicts” by Alex Derosier (Pioneer Press) for Yahoo News
Ohio: “Judge Grants Immunity to Ex-FirstEnergy Officials, Clearing Path to Testimony on Bribes” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Wisconsin: “Wisconsin Judge Arrested by FBI, Charged with Obstructing Immigrant Arrest” by Jeremy Roebuck, Patrick Marley, and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN
April 25, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 25, 2025

National/Federal After Harvard, Liberal Donors and Groups Fear New Scrutiny from Trump DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Lisa Friedman (New York Times) | Published: 4/17/2025 The close-knit world of liberal donors and the nonprofit groups they support are worried that President Trump […]
National/Federal
After Harvard, Liberal Donors and Groups Fear New Scrutiny from Trump
DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Lisa Friedman (New York Times) | Published: 4/17/2025
The close-knit world of liberal donors and the nonprofit groups they support are worried that President Trump could go after their assets or their tax-exempt status. Trump confirmed he was potentially seeking to pull Harvard’s tax-exempt status, in an apparent act of retaliation for the university’s refusal to bow to a long list of demands. And he said there “could be” others. while some of these donors and their allied groups have cozied up to the Trump administration, more of them have worked diligently to lie low, de-emphasizing viewpoints that could attract scrutiny.
Appeals Court Panel Hears Arguments on AP’s Access to White House
MSN – Hassan Ali Kanu (Politico) | Published: 4/17/2025
A federal appeals court panel appeared skeptical at a hearing of the Trump administration’s request that it immediately lift a lower court’s order restoring the Associated Press to the White House press pool. The panel seemed wary of the administration’s arguments that they must immediately intervene in the case, saying there was not a risk of some imminent harm, especially since the Associated Press already had a longstanding, permanent slot in the small group of reporters who get access to the Oval Office and other White House spaces.
DOJ Questions Science Journal About Bias, Triggering Free Speech Concerns
MSN – Mark Johnson (Washington Post) | Published: 4/18/2025
The acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia sent a letter to the editor of a scientific journal for chest doctors, implying the journal was partisan and asking a series of questions about how the publication protects the public from misinformation, whether it included competing viewpoints, and whether it was influenced by funders. Free speech experts raised alarm over the letter. “The government has no authority under the First Amendment to regulate the editorial decisions of publications, and the letter suggests that’s what Martin intends to do,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition.
The Supreme Court Could Be Poised to Hobble the Trump Resistance
MSN – Hassan Ali Kanu and Erica Orden (Politico) | Published: 4/21/2025
The Supreme Court scheduled oral arguments on the extent of lower court judges’ power to block a president’s policies nationwide. If the high court grants the Trump administration’s request to limit or lift three nationwide injunctions blocking the president’s bid to end birthright citizenship, it could cripple the ability of Trump’s opponents to seek, and judges’ ability to grant, such blocks entirely.
Wife of Former Senator Bob Menendez Found Guilty in Corruption Case
MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 4/21/2025
The wife of former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez was found guilty of helping her husband generate a steady flow of bribes and gifts that totaled about $1 million and included gold bars, cash, and a luxury car. Nadine Menendez was convicted of bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to commit those crimes, and related counts. She faces the possibility of decades in prison.
Politically Connected Firms Benefit from Trump Tariff Exemptions Amid Secrecy, Confusion
MSN – Robert Faturechi (ProPublica) | Published: 4/22/2025
Critics say the Trump administration’s process for crafting its tariff policy has been opaque. Major stakeholders are in the dark about why certain products face levies and others do not. Tariff rates have been altered without any clear explanation for the changes. Administration officials have given conflicting messages about the tariffs or declined to answer questions at all. The lack of transparency about the process has created concerns among trade experts that politically connected firms might be winning carve-outs behind closed doors.
The Top Producer at ’60 Minutes’ Has Quit. He Says He Can No Longer Run the Show as He Always Has
MSN – David Bauder (Associated Press) | Published: 4/22/2025
With his show involved in a bitter dispute with President Trump, the top executive at the storied CBS News show “60 Minutes”, Bill Owens, abruptly resigned while saying he is losing the freedom to run it independently. Trump sued “60 Minutes” for $20 billion last fall, claiming it deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris. CBS denied it had done anything to give an advantage to Harris and released the full transcript of its interview.
Watchdog Agency Tells Fired Workers They Have No Legal Basis for Complaints
MSN – Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 4/21/2025
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) told thousands of probationary federal workers it will not pursue their complaints about their firings. The decision was a reversal of the position of the previous head of the independent office, who was fired by President Trump. The watchdog agency said it does not have the purview to pursue the complaints made by more than 2,000 federal employees. It acknowledged many of the workers disputed the poor performance that was cited in their removals. But the OSC said it was impossible for them to challenge the firings as unlawful.
Jury Finds New York Times Didn’t Defame Sarah Palin
MSN – Corinne Ramey and Isabella Simonetti (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 4/22/2025
A federal jury rejected former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s claims that the New York Times defamed her in an editorial about gun violence. The verdict of not liable was the same conclusion a previous jury had reached in 2022 during the first trial in the case. The Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year ordered a new trial, finding the judge acted improperly when he said, during jury deliberations, that he planned to dismiss the case.
Two Major Law Firms Urge Judges to Permanently Block Trump’s Executive Orders
MSN – Eric Tucker (Associated Press) | Published: 4/23/2025
A federal judge expressed deep skepticism over President Trump’s executive order targeting a prominent law firm, signaling she was inclined to grant a request to permanently block its enforcement. U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell grilled a Justice Department lawyer over the government’s plans to suspend security clearances from lawyers at the firm of Perkins Coie and pressed him to explain why the Trump administration was forcing law firms to disavow the use of diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations in its hiring practices.
Elon Musk Had the Government in His Grasp. Then It Unraveled.
MSN – Dan Diamond, Faiz Siddiqui, Trisha Thadani, and Jeff Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 4/24/2025
Elon Musk has had numerous confrontations with top Trump administration appointees in a three-month government stint that has been peppered with controversy. He has rebuked officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and economic adviser Peter Navarro. He also alienated Trump aides with unscripted remarks and abrupt edicts, forcing political appointees to scramble to explain his decisions. With Tesla battered by declining sales, Musk told investors his “time allocation to [the Department of Government Efficiency] will drop significantly,” though he added he will probably stay involved.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Cannabis Company Alleges Gov. Hobbs’ Aide Improperly Intervened in Marijuana License Case
Arizona Capitol Times – Kiera Riley | Published: 4/19/2025
Arizona Wellness Center Springerville filed a lawsuit against state public health department officials, the governor, and her chief of staff, accusing them of improperly issuing a dual-use cannabis license after the statutory deadline to Arizona’s largest cannabis retailer. The company and Cave claim Gov. Katie Hobbs’ chief of staff, Chad Campbell, coordinated with a lobbyist for the cannabis retailer Trulieve to grant a dual license to one of its subsidiaries despite past court orders finding it unlawful to grant a license after the deadline.
California – Former L.A. Councilmember Kevin de León Faces Ethics Fine for Voting on Issues in Which He Had a Financial Stake
MSN – Ben Poston (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 4/19/2025
Former Los Angeles Councilperson Kevin de León is facing an $18,750 ethics fine for voting on council decisions in which he had a financial interest and for failing to disclose income. A report from the city Ethics Commission said that in 2020 and 2021, De León voted on three city council issues that benefited the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and one that helped the University of Southern California, all decisions that were made less than a year after he received income from each.
California – Another Top Staffer Quits Oakland Public Ethics Commission
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 4/17/2025
Nicolas Heidorn, executive director of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission, is leaving his post in July. Heidorn is the second high-level staffer to leave the agency in recent months. Last September, Simon Russell, the commission’s enforcement chief, announced he was resigning and criticized city officials for refusing to give his team more resources, despite repeated warnings that his staff are overwhelmed with work.
California – $5K in a Coffee Mug: Indictment details Bay Area developers’ alleged bribe to elected official
MSN – Bob Egelko and Molly Burke (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 4/23/2025
The owners of a Bay Area housing development firm, David Sanson and his son, Trent Sanson, were charged with offering bribes to an Antioch City Council member to win approval for a residential project. Prosecutors said Trent Sanson met with the council member and said his father was willing to pay $10,000 to put the project on the council’s agenda and win approval. He told the council member his father would likely give them $5,000 in cash and another $5,000 as a donation to a political action committee or as an independent expenditure.
California – Top S.F. Official Ousted After Probe Finds Misconduct, ‘Unlawful Activities’
MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 4/23/2025
A city commission voted to remove a beleaguered official from her post after an administrative investigation found she committed what San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie described as misconduct and “unlawful activities.” Kimberly Ellis, director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, faced a months-long investigation for secretly working a side job for a political group and directing city money to her friends.
Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 4/22/2025
House Bill 1079, which would add school and special districts to the jurisdiction of Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission, was approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Under the bill, the commission would handle complaints tied to members of 178 school boards and board members for 2,713 special districts, covering fire, water, sanitation, metropolitan, hospitals, libraries, and others. That would also extend to “direct hires” of those boards, such as district directors and school superintendents.
Florida – The $10M Steered to Hope Florida by the State was Medicaid Money, Document Shows
MSN – Alexandra Glorioso and Lawrence Mower (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 4/23/2025
The $10 million that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration diverted to a state-created charity last year consisted of Medicaid dollars owed to state and federal taxpayers, contrary to what the governor and other officials have publicly asserted. The administration sent the $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation, a charity overseen by first lady Casey DeSantis. The money was then sent to two nonprofits that are not required to report how they spend their funds. Those dark money groups later gave $8.5 million to a political committee overseen by the governor’s chief of staff.
Florida – Man Detained in Florida on Immigration Hold Despite Being Citizen, Lawyer Says
MSN – Vivian Ho (Washington Post) | Published: 4/18/2025
Florida authorities detained a U.S.-born citizen on the charge of entering the state as an “unauthorized alien,” forcing him to spend more than 24 hours in a county jail on an immigration hold, despite the man having proof of his citizenship through his birth certificate and social security card. His lawyers said Juan Lopez-Gomez was arrested under a law that was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in February but was temporarily blocked in federal court.
Hawaii – Hawai’I County Moves to Adopt Nepotism Rules for Government Employees
Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 4/21/2025
It was an awkward moment for the Hawaii County Council as the board was considering the mayor’s nomination of Rebecca Inaba to serve on the island’s Leeward Planning Commission. The discomfort had nothing to do with her qualifications, experience, or reputation. The issue was that Inaba is the mother of the council chair, Holeka Goro Inaba. That same morning the council considered legislation to update the county code to prohibit nepotism.
Idaho – Woman Seeks $5M in Damages After Removal from GOP Town Hall for Heckling
MSN – Daniel Wu (Washington Post) | Published: 4/22/2025
An Idaho woman who was dragged out of a local Republican town hall in February by private security guards for heckling lawmakers is seeking $5 million in damages after the confrontation drew widespread attention and led city officials to press criminal charges against the guards. Video of plainclothes guards hauling Teresa Borrenpohl out of her seat and forcing her to the ground in an auditorium went viral as stories emerged across the country of constituents speaking out against Republican policies in town halls. Critics saw Borrenpohl’s ejection as an assault on free speech.
Indiana – Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith Signs No-Bid Contract with Law Firm Closely Tied to His Church
Indianapolis Star – Haleigh Columbo | Published: 4/24/2025
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith’s office signed a no-bid contract with a law firm that is closely affiliated with Life Church, the church where Beckwith still serves as a pastor, a move that has raised red flags for ethics experts and lawmakers. Multiple ethics experts questioned the optics of awarding a no-bid contract to a company that has close ties to Beckwith’s other employer. Adler Attorneys’ chief executive officer, Raymond Adler, is a member of the church, and another attorney at the firm serves on the church’s board of directors. The law firm has also recently represented Life Church in municipal government matters.
Iowa – House Ethics Committee Reprimands Group for Claiming Lawmaker Was a Former Stripper
Iowa Capital Dispatch – Robin Opsahl | Published: 4/23/2025
The Iowa House Ethics Committee voted to publicly reprimand members of the “Bitches Get Stuff Done” organization for publishing content online claiming state Rep. Samantha Fett was a “former stripper.” Fett told the committee she filed the complaint because the group was registered to lobby lawmakers. “When you do register as a lobbyist, you agree to operate at a higher level of professionalism, under rules,” Fett said.
Louisiana – While Facing Ethics Charges, Landry Pushes Overhaul of Investigation Process
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 4/23/2025
Gov. Jeff Landry wants to reform the Louisiana Board of Ethics’ investigation process. The changes Landry seeks would make it easier for subjects of an ethics complaint – like he is – to avoid charges or a probe into their alleged wrongdoing. House Bill 397 also loosens limits on elected officials and state employees’ state travel, weakens restrictions on government contracts with public officials and their families, and reduces requirements for elected officials and candidates’ disclosure of financial interests.
Maine – Judge Denies Laurel Libby’s Request to Immediately Restore Her Right to Vote in Maine House
Yahoo News – Rachel Ohm (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 4/18/2025
A federal judge denied a request from Rep. Laurel Libby to immediately restore her speaking and voting rights on the floor of the Maine House of Representatives. Libby was censured by House Democrats in February after she used a Facebook post to criticize a transgender athlete’s high school track championship and shared photos of the student without their consent.
Mississippi – House Speaker Jason White, Staff Treated to Super Bowl by Gambling Giant Pushing for Legalized Betting
MSN – Michael Goldberg and Taylor Vance (Mississippi Today) | Published: 4/23/2025
The sports gambling lobby has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Mississippi politicians trying to convince them to legalize mobile sports betting. Part of that effort was a trip to the Super Bowl in New Orleans this year for House Speaker Jason White, his staff, and two of their spouses. The trip was paid for, at least in part, by DraftKings, which has lobbied for legal online betting. Thanks to a loophole in Mississippi’s lobbying laws, there is no public account of the expensive weekend in lobbying reports that are supposed to document spending on behalf of state employees.
Missouri – Missouri Campaign Watchdog Is Once Again Unable to Function Due to Vacancies
Yahoo News – Rebecca Rivas (Missouri Independent) | Published: 4/22/2025
Seventeen complaints have been dismissed in the more than 100 business days since the Missouri Ethic Commission last had enough members to reach a quorum. It is the second time in less than a year that the commission has not had enough members to enforce campaign finance and ethics laws. In January, former Gov. Mike Parson withdrew two commissioners who he appointed months earlier but who had not yet been confirmed by the Senate. That left only two of the six seats on the commission filled. The last time the commission had enough members to meet was November 20.
Nevada – Nevada Lawmakers Often Fail to Disclose Rental Property Income, Point to Confusing Forms
Nevada Independent – Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren | Published: 4/20/2025
One-third of Nevada lawmakers who report owning rental properties did not disclose receiving income from them, which could be a violation of campaign finance disclosure laws if they are making money from them. But most of the lawmakers said the omission was an accident or a result of not taking income from the properties. A review of financial disclosure forms shows Nevada’s stipulations for filing are not always clear-cut to lawmakers or detailed about how to report rental income, leaving room for errors.
New Jersey – Racketeering Charges Against George Norcross Should Be Reinstated, N.J. Prosecutors Tell Appeals Court
MSN – Andrew Seidman (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 4/22/2025
State prosecutors urged an appeals court to reinstate criminal racketeering charges against New Jersey power broker George Norcross III, arguing a judge erred in dismissing the indictment without reviewing evidence that was presented to the grand jury. In his decision, prosecutors said Mercer County Superior Court Judge Peter Warshaw effectively threw out five months of work by the grand jury, which heard 2,000 pages of testimony and hundreds of exhibits, and reached determinations about Norcross’ motivations through a faulty analysis.
New York – Federal Prosecutors in Eric Adams Case Resign After Being Put on Administrative Leave
MSN – Erica Orden (Politico) | Published: 4/22/2025
Three of the Manhattan federal prosecutors who worked on the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned, accusing the Justice Department of trying to force them to admit wrongdoing in connection with their resistance to dropping the charges. The prosecutors, Celia Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom, had been placed on administrative leave after they, along with the then-acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, balked at accepting the Justice Department’s orders to drop the corruption case against the mayor.
North Carolina – North Carolina Judges Weigh GOP Law Shifting Election Board Control Away from Democratic Governor
MSN – Gary Robertson (Associated Press) | Published: 4/16/2025
Judges in North Carolina heard arguments from attorneys for Republican legislative leaders who insist their latest method to attempt to wrest control of the State Board of Elections from a Democratic governor is lawful, this time giving the job of appointing members to the GOP state auditor. But lawyers for Gov. Josh Stein, who sued to stop the changes approved by the General Assembly and begin in earnest in May, contend the alteration suffers constitutional flaws similar to those that caused courts to strike down previous GOP attempts.
North Dakota – North Dakota House Passes Campaign Finance Bill Changing Deadlines, Donor Disclosures
Fargo Forum – Grant Coursey (Bismarck Tribune) | Published: 4/18/2025
The North Dakota House passed a number of changes to campaign finance disclosures. The version passed by the House solidifies reporting deadlines for political candidates, district parties and committees so they are based on dates instead of a certain number of days before or after an election, with the exception of special elections, among other changes.
North Dakota – Ethics Commissioners Say Bill Would Impose an Arbitrary Cutoff for Investigations
Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 4/17/2025
The North Dakota Ethics Commission fears changes approved by state lawmakers could allow alleged ethical violations by public officials to go unaddressed. The House voted to approve a number of amendments to the commission’s budget, Senate Bill 2004, which included a new provision requiring the commission to dismiss ethics complaints older than 180 days. If the bill is signed into law, it would take effect immediately.
MSN – Tyler Carey (WKYC) | Published: 4/21/2025
Kent State University asked the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to investigate head football coach Kenni Burns earlier this year, and its findings eventually contributed to Burns’ recent firing. The probe found Burns accepted a loan of more than $100,000 from Kent State booster and area restaurant owner Mike Awad, and while Burns was found to have paid the money back, the transaction was found to “highly likely” be a violation of Ohio ethics laws.
Oregon – OLCC Manager Who Diverted Bottles of Elmer T. Lee Bourbon Back on the Job
MSN – Noelle Crombie (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 4/21/2025
Brian Flemming, the retail services manager for the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) who diverted sought-after Elmer T. Lee bourbon for himself, a colleague, and his bosses is back on the job after two years on leave. The allegations that Flemming used his position and insider knowledge of the state’s liquor inventory for his own benefit mirror the findings of a previous human resources investigation into six high-ranking OLCC executives. Those top managers were reprimanded and later resigned or were fired.
Pennsylvania – How the Restoration of Philly’s Historic 30th St. Station Became a Corruption Bonanza
MSN – Andrew Seidman and Chris Palmer (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 4/24/2025
In 2018, Amtrak officials invited the media to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia for a tour of the rail operator’s work on a yearslong project to restore the historic building’s facade. Although the taxpayer-funded project’s cost had nearly doubled to $109 million, the price tag was worth it, said Ajith Bhaskaran, the Amtrak manager overseeing the project, “because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do this work.” What Bhaskaran did not say at the time was that in exchange for signing off on all the extra work, he seized an opportunity to line his own pockets.
Tennessee – Corruption Trial of Ex-House Speaker Casada, Aide Cothren Starts This Week. What to Know
Yahoo News – Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 4/21/2025
After more than three years of investigation, ex-Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former top aide Cade Cothren are on trial, facing 20 fraud-related charges that could lead to decades in prison. Several current and former state legislators, and alleged co-conspirator Robin Smith are expected to testify that Casada and Cothren orchestrated a scheme to take advantage of a state-funded mailer program through a shadowy company organized under a fake persona.
Washington – Seattle Council Sends Democracy Voucher Renewal to August Ballot
Seattle Times – David Kroman | Published: 4/23/2025
Voters will decide this August whether to continue with Seattle’s experiment in taxpayer-funded Democracy Vouchers that have helped finance the campaigns of local candidates since 2017. The city council signed off on Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposed 10-year, $45 million renewal, officially sending the question to the ballot this summer. If approved, the average Seattle homeowner would spend around $13 a year in property taxes on the program.
Washington – As in D.C., a Fight Breaks Out in Washington State Over Who Gets Access to Lawmakers
Spokane Public Radio – Daniel Walters (InvestigateWest) | Published: 4/20/2025
The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the Trump administration’s move in February to handpick the reporters who get access to the White House, stripping that power from the association. But just eight days later, Washington state’s own Capitol Correspondents Association willingly chose to give up its own influence over which reporters get access to the Legislature, handing that gatekeeping role solely to the same lawmakers they cover.
Wisconsin – Wisconsin Governor Can Lock in 400-Year School Funding Increase Using a Veto, Court Says
MSN – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 4/18/2025
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ creative use of his uniquely powerful veto to lock in a school funding increase for 400 years may be “attention grabbing,” but it was constitutional, the state Supreme Court ruled. The ruling affirms the partial veto power of Wisconsin governors, which is the broadest of any state. Wisconsin is the only state where governors can partially veto spending bills by striking words, numbers, and punctuation to create new meaning or spending amounts.
April 24, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Washington: “Seattle Council Sends Democracy Voucher Renewal to August Ballot” by David Kroman for Seattle Times Elections North Carolina: “North Carolina Judges Weigh GOP Law Shifting Election Board Control Away from Democratic Governor” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for MSN Ethics Colorado: “Bill […]
April 23, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Missouri: “Missouri Campaign Watchdog Is Once Again Unable to Function Due to Vacancies” by Rebecca Rivas (Missouri Independent) for Yahoo News Ethics Arizona: “Cannabis Company Alleges Gov. Hobbs’ Aide Improperly Intervened in Marijuana License Case” by Kiera Riley for Arizona Capitol Times […]
Campaign Finance
Missouri: “Missouri Campaign Watchdog Is Once Again Unable to Function Due to Vacancies” by Rebecca Rivas (Missouri Independent) for Yahoo News
Ethics
Arizona: “Cannabis Company Alleges Gov. Hobbs’ Aide Improperly Intervened in Marijuana License Case” by Kiera Riley for Arizona Capitol Times
National: “Wife of Former Senator Bob Menendez Found Guilty in Corruption Case” by Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Politically Connected Firms Benefit from Trump Tariff Exemptions Amid Secrecy, Confusion” by Robert Faturechi (ProPublica) for MSN
National: “The Supreme Court Could Be Poised to Hobble the Trump Resistance” by Hassan Ali Kanu and Erica Orden (Politico) for MSN
National: “The Top Producer at ’60 Minutes’ Has Quit. He Says He Can No Longer Run the Show as He Always Has” by David Bauder (Associated Press) for MSN
New Jersey: “Racketeering Charges Against George Norcross Should Be Reinstated, N.J. Prosecutors Tell Appeals Court” by Andrew Seidman (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN
New York: “Federal Prosecutors in Eric Adams Case Resign After Being Put on Administrative Leave” by Erica Orden (Politico) for MSN
April 22, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance North Dakota: “North Dakota House Passes Campaign Finance Bill Changing Deadlines, Donor Disclosures” by Grant Coursey (Bismarck Tribune) for Fargo Forum Ethics California: “Another Top Staffer Quits Oakland Public Ethics Commission” by Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN Hawaii: “Hawai’i County Moves to Adopt […]
Campaign Finance
North Dakota: “North Dakota House Passes Campaign Finance Bill Changing Deadlines, Donor Disclosures” by Grant Coursey (Bismarck Tribune) for Fargo Forum
Ethics
California: “Another Top Staffer Quits Oakland Public Ethics Commission” by Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN
Hawaii: “Hawai’i County Moves to Adopt Nepotism Rules for Government Employees” by Chad Blair for Honolulu Civil Beat
Nevada: “Nevada Lawmakers Often Fail to Disclose Rental Property Income, Point to Confusing Forms” by Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren for Nevada Independent
Ohio: “Ethics Probe Set Stage for Kenni Burns’ Firing as Kent State Football Coach, with Independent Firm uncovering $100K Loan from Booster” by Tyler Carey (WKYC) for MSN
Oregon: “Former OLCC Execs Agree to Ethics Fines for Diverting Pappy Van Winkle” by Noelle Crombie (Portland Oregonian) for MSN
Tennessee: “Corruption Trial of Ex-House Speaker Casada, Aide Cothren Starts This Week. What to Know” by Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) for Yahoo News
Legislative Issues
Washington: “As in D.C., a Fight Breaks Out in Washington State Over Who Gets Access to Lawmakers” by Daniel Walters (InvestigateWest) for Spokane Public Radio
April 21, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Ethics California: “Former L.A. Councilmember Kevin de León Faces Ethics Fine for Voting on Issues in Which He Had a Financial Stake” by Ben Poston (Los Angeles Times) for MSN National: “After Harvard, Liberal Donors and Groups Fear New Scrutiny from Trump” by Theodore […]
April 18, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – April 18, 2025

National/Federal Greene Bought Market Dip Before Trump Paused Tariffs, Profiting from the Rally DNyuz – Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 4/14/2025 Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene disclosed she purchased between tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of stock on […]
National/Federal
Greene Bought Market Dip Before Trump Paused Tariffs, Profiting from the Rally
DNyuz – Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 4/14/2025
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene disclosed she purchased between tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of stock on April 8 and 9, the day before and the day of President Trump’s announcement that he was pausing a sweeping set of global tariffs, a pivot that sent the stock market soaring out of a sizable slump. The report came as Democrats in Congress have demanded investigations of whether the president’s moves on trade might have been aimed at manipulating the market and giving his allies a lucrative opportunity for insider trading.
At the Supreme Court, the Trump Agenda Is Always an ‘Emergency’
DNyuz – Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) | Published: 4/10/2025
The Trump administration has in recent weeks asked the Supreme Court to allow it to end birthright citizenship, to freeze more than a billion dollars in foreign aid, and to permit the deportation of Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador without due process. In each case, the administration told the justices the request was an emergency. Traditionally reserved for clearly urgent matters, most often requests for stays of execution for people sentenced to death, they are now the favored path to challenge so-called nationwide injunctions, where a single federal judge issues a ruling that affects not only the parties to a case but the entire nation.
House Passes Voter Registration Bill That Would Require Proof of Citizenship
MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 4/10/2025
House Republicans passed legislation aimed at stopping noncitizens from voting in federal elections, a priority pursued by President Trump. Known as the SAVE Act, it would require people to provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Democrats have railed against the bill, particularly its limits on acceptable forms of identification, which they say would make it difficult for married women who have changed their last names to register. The real goal, some Democrats say, is to disenfranchise Americans.
MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 4/12/2025
President Trump has paused enforcement of an anti-corruption statute barring U.S. companies from bribing foreign officials, but the Justice Department said recently it will move forward on one pending case involving an old target of the president and his allies. Government lawyers said they intend to continue their prosecution of two executives at the voting machine company Smartmatic who were charged last year in an alleged bribery scheme involving payoffs to win business in the Philippines.
Some DOGE Staffers Hold High-Powered Jobs at Multiple Federal Agencies
MSN – Faiz Siddiqui and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) | Published: 4/14/2025
Some Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff members have jobs in as many as seven federal offices. The unorthodox practice affords trusted acolytes of Elon Musk authority across broad swaths of government, as well as access to an array of confidential information. Because their jobs are embedded within agencies, the DOGE staffers have far more influence than those who might have worked collaboratively across government before, and their positions raise the possibility that even if Musk leaves government service at the end of May, as he has suggested, his allies will still have power, potentially for years to come.
‘Nothing But a Pattern’: Ethics advocates alarmed by delay for House watchdog
MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 4/14/2025
More than three months into the 119th Congress, House leaders have not yet appointed board members of the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), hamstringing the ethics office and its mission. Failure to appoint the board of the OCC, an independent, nonpartisan office that reviews allegations of misconduct against House lawmakers and staff, is alarming on its own, according to some transparency advocates. But they also see a larger trend during the second administration of Donald Trump, as other ethics and accountability bodies come under fire.
Harvard Hit with $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze After Rejecting Trump’s Demands
MSN – Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) | Published: 4/14/2025
The Trump administration announced it would block Harvard University from receiving $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts after the school rejected demands to adopt new policies on student and faculty conduct and admissions. The administration’s demands are part of a crackdown on what it calls rampant antisemitism and leftist ideology on college campuses. The university was the first to formally push back against the government’s efforts to force change in higher education.
DNC Leader Announces Plans to Primary Members of His Own Party
MSN – Dylan Wells (Washington Post) | Published: 4/15/2025
A group dedicated to electing young progressives co-founded by David Hogg, the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, is launching a $20 million effort to primary “out-of-touch, ineffective” incumbent House Democrats. Leaders We Deserve, the organization founded by Hogg and Kevin Lata, who was the campaign manager for the first Gen Z member of Congress, Rep. Maxwell Frost, will target representatives they do not view as meeting the moment in an effort to force generational change in the Democratic Party.
Justice Department Must Provide Details of Attempts to Return Illegally Deported Man, Judge Says
MSN – Steve Thompson and Katie Mettler (Washington Post) | Published: 4/15/2025
A federal judge said she will require the Trump administration to produce records and sworn answers about the U.S. government’s attempts, or lack thereof, to return a Maryland resident who was apprehended by immigration authorities and illegally sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador. The decision from U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis, where she left open the possibility of a contempt ruling against the Trump administration, marks another escalation in the legal showdown with the White House.
Judge Boasberg to Launch Contempt Proceedings into Trump Administration
MSN – Marianne LeVine, Spencer Hsu, Salvador Rizzo, and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 4/16/2025
Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg said he would launch proceedings to determine whether any Trump administration officials defied his order not to remove Venezuelan migrants from the country based on the wartime Alien Enemies Act and should face criminal contempt charges. Boasberg’s order is the latest development in a broader showdown between the administration and the federal judiciary, which has blocked or slowed many of the White House’s far-reaching actions.
Rubio Shuts State Dept. Foreign Disinformation Office, Citing Censorship
MSN – Adam Taylor (Washington Post) | Published: 4/16/2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio the State Department is closing an office designed to counter foreign disinformation, saying the effort had “spent millions of dollars to actively silence and censor the voices of Americans.” The closure of the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference office marks a win for conservatives who claimed they were targeted by government-sponsored disinformation efforts.
White House Starting New Media Policy Sharply Curtailing Wire Service Access
MSN – David Bauder (Associated Press) | Published: 4/16/2025
The Associated Press (AP) says a new White House media policy violates a court order by giving the administration sole discretion over who gets to question President Trump, and the news agency asked a federal judge to enforce that order. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden said the White House had violated the AP’s free speech by banning it from certain presidential events because Trump disagreed with the outlet’s decision not to rename the Gulf of Mexico.
Supreme Court Will Review Trump’s Attempt to Ban Birthright Citizenship
MSN – Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 4/17/2025
The Supreme Court said it will review President Trump’s attempt to ban automatic U.S. citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants and foreign visitors, scheduling a special court session for May 15. The administration had asked the justices to lift or narrow nationwide orders blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship executive action, which Democratic-led states and immigrant advocacy organizations say is at odds with past court rulings and the Constitution.
Sarah Palin, New York Times to Face Off in Defamation Retrial
Yahoo News – Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) | Published: 4/10/2025
Sarah Palin and the New York Times are headed back to a courtroom where the former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate will try convincing a second jury the newspaper defamed her in an editorial about gun control. Palin lost her first trial against the Times and former editorial page editor James Bennet in 2022. But last August, an appeals court found the verdict tainted by several rulings by the presiding judge and ordered a retrial.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Former Ontario Mayor Dubbed ‘Mr. X’ Banned from Lobbying Province for 2 Years
Yahoo News – Adam Carter (CBC) | Published: 4/17/2025
Former Clarington Mayor John Mutton, who Ontario’s integrity commissioner identified as “Mr. X” in a scathing report about the removal of land from the Greenbelt, was banned from lobbying the provincial government for two years. “Mr. Mutton’s several failures to register, use of contingency fees, and disregard of the conflict-of-interest prohibition undermine the [law’s] purpose of transparency and public confidence in the independence of public sector decision making,” says a report from Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake.
California – SF Will Let Nonprofits Report Less About Themselves Due to Fears of Political Attacks
KQED – Katie DeBenedetti | Published: 4/15/2025
San Francisco supervisors voted unanimously to ease easing financial reporting requirements for city-funded nonprofits. The changes are intended to protect employees at nonprofits, particularly those who serve the LGBTQIA+ community and survivors of domestic violence. One government ethics expert worried that rolling back the disclosures could make the city more vulnerable to financial mismanagement, an issue that has plagued its departments and nonprofits for years.
California – California’s Lieutenant Governor Leases Offices to the State. What If She’s Elected Governor?
MSN – Alexei Koseff (CalMatters) | Published: 4/11/2025
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who earns millions of dollars annually from extensive property investments, says she will put some of her holdings into a blind trust if she is elected governor of California. Her portfolio includes downtown Sacramento office buildings that rent to dozens of organizations with business before the state and at least three state agencies. Which of those assets would be transferred to the blind trust and how Kounalakis would determine what constitutes a conflict of interest, however, remains unclear.
California – Anaheim Chamber of Commerce to Close in Aftermath of Corruption Probes
Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 4/15/2025
Anaheim’s Chamber of Commerce, an organization deeply involved in one of Orange County’s largest corruption scandals, will be closing at the end of April. The closure comes roughly three years after the Chamber’s former chief executive officer, Todd Ament, pleaded to federal criminal charges after FBI agents described him as the ringleader of a group of powerful insiders who controlled public affairs and policymaking through elected officials at City Hall.
Connecticut – Ex-Bridgeport BOE Member’s Lie to Grand Jury Involved 2018 Campaign Event at Dolphin’s Cove: Records
Middletown Press – Jarrod Wardwell | Published: 4/13/2025
Former Bridgeport Board of Education Chairperson Jessica Martinez admitted she lied on the witness stand as she testified about allegedly illegal campaign activity at the former Dolphin’s Cove restaurant, court records show. Martinez was the treasurer of Dennis Bradley’s 2018 state Senate campaign. A grand jury found the Dolphin’s Cove event, which was omitted from the campaign’s financial disclosures, raised nearly $6,000 for the campaign and would have disqualified them from later earning over $84,000 in matching funds from the state.
Florida – Here’s Where $10 Million Donation to DeSantis’ Hope Florida Effort Went
MSN – Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 4/11/2025
Part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s crusade to defeat a Florida recreational cannabis ballot measure received $10 million from two groups that got money from a nonprofit associated with first lady Casey DeSantis’s community-based assistance program. The payments raise questions about whether the administration steered Medicaid dollars through Casey DeSantis’s key initiative to a political campaign.
Florida – State Workers Who Solicit Campaign Cash Could Face Criminal Charges Under Florida Bill
MSN – Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenboge (Miami Herald) | Published: 4/14/2025
DeSantis administration employees who solicit money for campaigns or campaign for issues while they are supposed to be doing their jobs could face criminal penalties under a proposal moving in the Florida House. The bill appears to take aim at staffers in Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration who reportedly solicited political contributions for his presidential bid and have asked state lobbyists to commit money to a political committee as first lady Casey DeSantis considers a run for governor in 2026.
Georgia – 2 Protesters at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall Are Subdued with Stun Guns
DNyuz – Maya Miller (New York Times) | Published: 4/15/2025
A town hall for U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene outside of Atlanta quickly deteriorated into chaos. Greene, a loyal ally of President Trump, started to speak when a man in the crowd stood up and started yelling, booing and jeering at her. Several police officers grabbed the man and dragged him out of the room. Police officers escorted at least six people from the room. Three people, including the two who were subdued with stun guns, were arrested.
Hawaii – Honolulu Director’s Free Trip to Poland Raises Ethics Questions
Honolulu Civil Beat – Christina Jedra | Published: 4/14/2025
A company that just signed a no-bid contract with Honolulu’s motor vehicle office is hoping to send the agency’s director on an all-expenses-paid trip to Gdańsk, Poland in May. Thales Group offered to cover the flight, hotel, meals, and other related costs – a $5,000 value – for Department of Customer Services Director Kim Hashiro to visit their facility. Honolulu Ethics Commission guidelines prohibit officials with authority over contracts from accepting gifts from contractors, and a city council resolution forbids them from accepting any gift that could, in fact or appearance, impair their judgment.
Hawaii – Hawai’I Lawmakers Appear Poised to Crack Down on Pay-To-Play Politics
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 4/11/2025
Hawaii lawmakers are working to outlaw political donations from people who win government contracts. But key supporters of the legislation still need to come to an agreement on critical points including how contractors and nonprofit organizations will have to report who their officers and close family members are and whether that information will be kept secret from the public.
Illinois – Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Resistance to Ethics Reforms Draws Criticism
Yahoo News – Jake Sheridan (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 4/13/2025
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson unsuccessfully resisted efforts to codify old rules banning lobbyists from donating to mayoral candidates. He criticized Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s report that he mishandled gifts and is fighting her again as she alleges his Law Department hinders investigations. Witzburg said Johnson’s pattern of resistance amounts to “brick walls” at each step in her attempts at ethics reform. The mayor appears to feel unfairly attacked by the reform bids, many of which he has argued should be broadened to also target the city council or are bad policy.
Maine – Trump Administration to Pull Maine K-12 Funding Over Trans Athletes Dispute
MSN – Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) | Published: 4/14/2025
The Trump administration announced it would pull all federal education funding from Maine after state officials said they would not comply with demands from the administration to ban transgender athletes from participation in women’s sports, which could slash millions of dollars in federal funding from K-12 schools in the state. The move marks a major and retaliatory step forward in how far the administration is willing to go to force state governments to adhere to executive orders.
Massachusetts – Cape Cod State Rep. Accused of Stealing from Former Employer to Fund Campaign Expenses, Psychic Services
MSN – Abby Patkin (Boston.com) | Published: 4/11/2025
Massachusetts Rep. Christopher Flanagan was arrested following his indictment on wire fraud and falsification of records charges. Federal prosecutors allege Flanagan stole $36,000 from his former employer, the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod, and used the money to pay for campaign expenses, credit card bills, menswear, and psychic services.
Minnesota – Champion Directed Public Funds to Another Nonprofit He Later Did Legal Work For, Records Show
Yahoo News – Christopher Ingraham (Minnesota Reformer) | Published: 4/11/2025
Minnesota Senate President Bobby Joe Champion recently stepped down from the ethics subcommittee after it was reported he steered millions of dollars in public funds to a legal client. Champion maintains the work was pro-bono, and it concluded before the start of the legislative session during which he spearheaded $3 million in state grants to a nonprofit run by that client. Court records indicate McAfee was not the only legal client to benefit from Champion’s grantmaking.
Montana – Bill to Streamline Legislator-to-Lobbyist ‘Revolving Door’ Voted Down in Montana House
Longview News-Journal – Seaborn Larson (Montana State News Bureau) | Published: 4/11/2025
The Montana House rejected Senate Bill 222, which would have repealed a two-year waiting period state law during which legislators and other public employees are prohibited from becoming lobbyists. Supporters of the bill said the two-year window prevents effective lawmakers who are no longer permitted to run because of term limits from continuing their good work as lobbyists. Opponents contended the buffer is important to keep legislators and government employees from setting up their own windfall from public office.
Nevada – Ethics Panel Rejects Settlement for Nevada Energy Director Over Free VGK Tickets
Las Vegas Review-Journal – Mary Hynes | Published: 4/16/2025
The Nevada Commission on Ethics rejected an agreement that would have resolved a complaint against Dwayne McClinton, director of the Governor’s Office of Energy, with commissioners saying they want disciplinary action to include a fine. The complaint stated McClinton accepted free Las Vegas Golden Knights tickets and solicited other perks while negotiating a potential taxpayer-funded sponsorship deal with the National Hockey League franchise.
Nevada – Secretary of State’s Bill Would Allow Some Personal Use of Campaign Funds
Yahoo News – Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) | Published: 4/11/2025
A campaign finance measure championed by Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar seeks to make running for office financially feasible for more individuals by allowing campaign contributions to be spent for some personal uses. The current prohibition deters some individuals from serving in low-paying positions such as state legislator, which pays $130 a day for the first 60 days of the 120-day session, plus per diem amounts for travel and expenses.
New Jersey – Gottheimer Funnels $10 Million from Congressional Campaign into Group Supporting Bid for Gov
MSN – Madison Fernandez (Politico) | Published: 4/16/2025
U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s congressional campaign has sent close to $10 million to a super PAC supporting his bid for governor. Gottheimer had more than $20 million in his congressional campaign coffers when he announced his gubernatorial run in November. But that money cannot be transferred directly to his state campaign for governor, raising questions about how his congressional fund would be used to help it.
New Mexico – Lujan Grisham Nixes Lobbying Transparency Bill
New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 4/14/2025
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed House Bill 143, which would have required lobbyists to publicly report the bills they are working to support or defeat during the legislative session. Lobbyists said they had concerns about the viability of a requirement in the bill that they file reports within 48 hours of lobbying activity.
New York – NYCHA Paid Out Millions to Bribe-Paying Contractors Implicated in Corruption Takedown
The City – Greg Smith | Published: 4/16/2025
One year after a sweeping corruption takedown at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), there have been 64 convictions out of the 70 housing authority employees arrested on charges of taking cash bribes to hand out contracts to vendors performing public housing repairs. On the other side of the corrupt transactions, it is a different story. Since the big sweep in February. 2024, NYCHA has awarded hundreds of contracts worth a total of $7.8 million to eight companies whose operators have publicly confessed to participating in the decade-long bribery conspiracy.
Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 4/15/2025
The New York City Campaign Finance Board denied mayoral race front-runner Andrew Cuomo more than $2.5 million in public matching funds, dealing an unexpected and significant blow to his campaign. The board voted to deny the former governor the critical funds because his campaign had failed to furnish some identifying information about the donors whose contributions it had hoped to match.
North Carolina – North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Most Challenged Ballots Must Stay in Election Count
Yahoo News – Gary Robertson (Associated Press) | Published: 4/11/2025
The North Carolina Supreme Court said tens of thousands of cast ballots challenged by the trailing candidate in November’s unresolved election for a seat on the court must remain in the election count. But a majority of justices, all registered Republicans, let stand a lower court’s determinations that additional ballots from two other categories Associate Justice Allison Riggs contested were wrongly allowed in the tally. The Supreme Court’s order is not expected to fully resolve the close race.
North Dakota – North Dakota House Removes New Ethics Commission Position from Budget, Adds 6-Month Deadline
Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 4/14/2025
The North Dakota House voted to give the state’s Ethics Commission a six-month deadline to resolve complaints while also removing a new position approved by the Senate. The amended bill will head to the Senate for a concurrence vote before it can go to Gov. Kelly Armstrong. Rep. Mike Nathe, who brought the amendments, he believes some North Dakotans are “weaponizing” the commission to lodge frivolous complaints against public officials that can drag on indefinitely. The commission has some complaints that are more than two years old.
Energy and Policy Institute – Dave Anderson | Published: 4/16/2025
The premiere of HBO’s new documentary “The Dark Money Game” shines a spotlight on FirstEnergy’s bribes-for-bailouts scheme in Ohio days after President Trump revived a failed push to use federal emergency powers to bail out coal-fired power plants that FirstEnergy lobbied for extensively during Trump’s first term. “Ohio Confidential,” the first film in director Alex Gibney’s two-part documentary series about money in American politics, examines the federal racketeering investigation that exposed how FirstEnergy secretly paid millions of dollars in bribes to influence former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.
Pennsylvania – Man Charged with Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion Denied Bail
MSN – Justine McDaniel, Amber Ferguson, and Annabelle Timsit (Washington Post) | Published: 4/14/2025
The man charged with setting fire to the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told authorities he walked more than an hour from his home, carrying beer bottles filled with gasoline, before scaling a fence, breaking into the mansion, and setting a room ablaze. Police accused Cody Balmer of seeking to harm Shapiro – he allegedly told police he planned to beat the governor with a hammer if he encountered him – and his family. He was denied bail at an arraignment.
Texas – A Texas Republican Benefited from Out-of-State Donors. Now He Wants to Limit Their Impact
MSN – Nolan McCaskill (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 4/10/2025
Texas soon could impose limits on out-of-state political contributions under a bill filed by former House Speaker Dade Phelan. Texas only has campaign donation limits for judges and judicial candidates in nonfederal races, allowing unlimited sums of money to flow into the campaign coffers of state candidates from donors nationwide.
April 17, 2025 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Florida: “State Workers Who Solicit Campaign Cash Could Face Criminal Charges Under Florida Bill” by Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenboge (Miami Herald) for MSN New Jersey: “Gottheimer Funnels $10 Million from Congressional Campaign into Group Supporting Bid for Gov” by Madison Fernandez […]
Campaign Finance
Florida: “State Workers Who Solicit Campaign Cash Could Face Criminal Charges Under Florida Bill” by Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenboge (Miami Herald) for MSN
New Jersey: “Gottheimer Funnels $10 Million from Congressional Campaign into Group Supporting Bid for Gov” by Madison Fernandez (Politico) for MSN
Elections
National: “DNC Leader Announces Plans to Primary Members of His Own Party” by Dylan Wells (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “SF Will Let Nonprofits Report Less About Themselves Due to Fears of Political Attacks” by Katie DeBenedetti for KQED
California: “Anaheim Chamber of Commerce to Close in Aftermath of Corruption Probes” by Hosam Elattar for Voice of OC
National: “Justice Department Must Provide Details of Attempts to Return Illegally Deported Man, Judge Says” by Steve Thompson and Katie Mettler (Washington Post) for MSN
Georgia: “2 Protesters at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall Are Subdued with Stun Guns” by Maya Miller (New York Times) for DNyuz
Hawaii: “Honolulu Director’s Free Trip to Poland Raises Ethics Questions” by Christina Jedra for Honolulu Civil Beat
New York: “NYCHA Paid Out Millions to Bribe-Paying Contractors Implicated in Corruption Takedown” by Greg Smith for The City
April 16, 2025 •
New York Lobbying Spending Sets Record in 2024

Flag of New York
The Commission on Lobbying and Ethics in Government (COELIG) released their report of preliminary lobbying data from 2024. Lobbying spending was up over 4.5% from 2023, with a preliminary total of $377 million spent in 2024. The number of lobbying […]
The Commission on Lobbying and Ethics in Government (COELIG) released their report of preliminary lobbying data from 2024. Lobbying spending was up over 4.5% from 2023, with a preliminary total of $377 million spent in 2024. The number of lobbying filings increased almost 6% from 2023. The top three subjects lobbied included miscellaneous business, appropriations, and health.
April 16, 2025 •
FEC Adopts New Sample Donor Response Form for LLCs

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced a new sample donor response form for contributions made by limited liability companies (LLCs). Committees are required to report certain attribution information for contributions from LLCs. To assist committees and encourage compliance the FEC adopted the […]
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced a new sample donor response form for contributions made by limited liability companies (LLCs).
Committees are required to report certain attribution information for contributions from LLCs. To assist committees and encourage compliance the FEC adopted the new sample donor response form, which was announced on April 16.
The form will help satisfy a committee requirement to show its “best efforts” to obtain, maintain, and submit information mandated by law. By requesting completion of the sample form by the donor following the receipt of the contribution, a committee is in a stronger position to be in compliance.
Current regulations require LLCs provide accurate and complete attribution information to the recipient committee at the time that a contribution is made. The LLC must also affirm to the recipient committee that the LLC is eligible to make the contribution.
April 16, 2025 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Connecticut: “Ex-Bridgeport BOE Member’s Lie to Grand Jury Involved 2018 Campaign Event at Dolphin’s Cove: Records” by Jarrod Wardwell for Middletown Press New York: “NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Andrew Cuomo Denied $2.5 Million in Public Matching Funds Over Missing Information” by Chris Sommerfeldt […]
Campaign Finance
Connecticut: “Ex-Bridgeport BOE Member’s Lie to Grand Jury Involved 2018 Campaign Event at Dolphin’s Cove: Records” by Jarrod Wardwell for Middletown Press
New York: “NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Andrew Cuomo Denied $2.5 Million in Public Matching Funds Over Missing Information” by Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “‘Nothing But a Pattern’: Ethics advocates alarmed by delay for House watchdog” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN
National: “Harvard Hit with $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze After Rejecting Trump’s Demands” by Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) for MSN
Maine: “Trump Administration to Pull Maine K-12 Funding Over Trans Athletes Dispute” by Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Greene Bought Market Dip Before Trump Paused Tariffs, Profiting from the Rally” by Annie Karni (New York Times) for DNyuz
North Dakota: “North Dakota House Removes New Ethics Commission Position from Budget, Adds 6-Month Deadline” by Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) for Yahoo News
Pennsylvania: “Man Charged with Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion Denied Bail” by Justine McDaniel, Amber Ferguson, and Annabelle Timsit (Washington Post) for MSN
April 15, 2025 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Florida: “Here’s Where $10 Million Donation to DeSantis’ Hope Florida Effort Went” by Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Tampa Bay Times) for MSN Texas: “A Texas Republican Benefited from Out-of-State Donors. Now He Wants to Limit Their Impact” by Nolan McCaskill (Dallas […]
Campaign Finance
Florida: “Here’s Where $10 Million Donation to DeSantis’ Hope Florida Effort Went” by Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Tampa Bay Times) for MSN
Texas: “A Texas Republican Benefited from Out-of-State Donors. Now He Wants to Limit Their Impact” by Nolan McCaskill (Dallas Morning News) for MSN
Elections
North Carolina: “North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Most Challenged Ballots Must Stay in Election Count” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “Amid Trump’s Pause on Foreign Bribery Cases, One Involving a Company His Allies Targeted Will Proceed” by Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Some DOGE Staffers Hold High-Powered Jobs at Multiple Federal Agencies” by Faiz Siddiqui and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) for MSN
Illinois: “Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Resistance to Ethics Reforms Draws Criticism” by Jake Sheridan (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News
National: “Sarah Palin, New York Times to Face Off in Defamation Retrial” by Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
Montana: “Bill to Streamline Legislator-to-Lobbyist ‘Revolving Door’ Voted Down in Montana House” by Seaborn Larson (Montana State News Bureau) for Longview News-Journal
April 14, 2025 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Hawaii: “Hawai’I Lawmakers Appear Poised to Crack Down on Pay-To-Play Politics” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat Nevada: “Secretary of State’s Bill Would Allow Some Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) for Yahoo News Elections National: “House Passes […]
Campaign Finance
Hawaii: “Hawai’I Lawmakers Appear Poised to Crack Down on Pay-To-Play Politics” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat
Nevada: “Secretary of State’s Bill Would Allow Some Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) for Yahoo News
Elections
National: “House Passes Voter Registration Bill That Would Require Proof of Citizenship” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN
Ethics
California: “California’s Lieutenant Governor Leases Offices to the State. What If She’s Elected Governor?” by Alexei Koseff (CalMatters) for MSN
National: “At the Supreme Court, the Trump Agenda Is Always an ‘Emergency'” by Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) for DNyuz
Massachusetts: “Cape Cod State Rep. Accused of Stealing from Former Employer to Fund Campaign Expenses, Psychic Services” by Abby Patkin (Boston.com) for MSN
Minnesota: “Champion Directed Public Funds to Another Nonprofit He Later Did Legal Work For, Records Show” by Christopher Ingraham (Minnesota Reformer) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
New Mexico: “NM Governor Nixes New License Plates, State Bread, Lobbying Disclosure” by Julia Goldberg and Danielle Prokop (Source New Mexico) for Yahoo News
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