Campaign Finance

Use of Campaign Money for Lawmakers’ Security Requested by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

Alabama: Civil Penalties Now in Place for Late or Inaccurate Campaign Reports by Mike Cason for AL.com

California: California Democrats Out to Reverse Another Election Rule to Help One of Their Own by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

District of Columbia: “Publicly Financed Campaigns in D.C. Would Reduce Influence of Big Donors, Advocates Testify” by Rachel Chason for Washington Post

Texas: “Texas Supreme Court Rejects Tea Party Challenge to Campaign Finance Laws” by Jim Malewitz for Texas Tribune

Elections

“Trump’s Voter-Fraud Commission Wants to Know Voting History, Party ID and Address of Every Voter in the U.S.” by Christopher Ingraham for Washington Post

“GOP Investigation Sought Connection Between Clinton’s Emails and Russia: Report” by Alicia Cohn and Max Greenwood for The Hill

Ethics

Ethics Issue ‘Nonsense,’ Said Official Who Cleared Trump Hotel by Ben Brody for Bloomberg.com

Connecticut: Bridgeport Struggles to Fill Boards, Commissions by Brian Lockhart for Connecticut Post

Florida: “Lauren’s Kids Funnels $3.1 Million to Politically Connected Public Relations Firm” by Francisco Alverado for Florida Bulldog

Massachusetts: “Lawmakers Asked to Hit Up Lobbyists, Companies to Fund National Confab” by Jim O’Sullivan for Boston Globe

Montana: Legislature Is Rife with Conflicts of Interest – and They’re Legal by Jayme Fraser for Helena Independent Record

Lobbying

Florida: Berger’s History with Lobbyist Doesn’t Bar Her from Voting on Development, Ethics Panel Says by Skyler Swisher for South Florida Sun Sentinel

Maryland: Baltimore County Council Votes Along Party Lines on Ethics, Work Session Bills by Alison Knezevich for Baltimore Sun

Vermont: Dollars Tell Only Part of Story of Pot Legalization Advocacy by Elizabeth Hewitt for VTDigger.org

All the state government and ethics news you might have missed in this weeks video digest!

Federal:

Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort Files as Foreign Agent for Ukraine Work
Washington Post – Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman | Published: 6/27/2017

Paul Manafort, who was forced out as President Trump’s campaign chairperson last summer after infighting and criticism about his business dealings with pro-Russian interests, disclosed his consulting firm had received more than $17 million over two years from a Ukrainian political party with links to the Kremlin. The filing serves as a retroactive admission that Manafort performed work in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign power, Ukraine’s Party of Regions, without disclosing it at the time, as required by law. The disclosure hints at the vast fortunes available to top American political consultants plying their trade in other countries.

Jack Abramoff Registers as a Foreign Agent
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 6/23/2017

Jack Abramoff is a registered lobbyist again. Abramoff retroactively registered after he attempted to set up a meeting between then-President-elect Donald Trump and the president of the Republic of Congo. The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires people to register with the Justice Department if they do any consulting, lobbying, or public relations work for a foreign government. They must register within 10 days of agreeing to act as a foreign agent and provide updates every six months. The scandal surrounding Abramoff led to the overhaul of federal lobbying laws in 2007 and 20 convictions or guilty pleas, including from former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney.

Lawmakers Want Trump’s Tax Returns, but Won’t Release Their Own
Roll Call – Stephanie Akin | Published: 6/26/2017

Roll Call sent a request to all U.S. senators and representatives to release their tax returns. Only 37 responded, and of those, six provided the documents. Roll Call also reviewed public documents and media reports to determine lawmakers’ positions on the release of President Trump’s tax returns. At least 237 lawmakers have called on the president to produce his returns. The reluctance among members of Congress to release their own returns prevents voters from learning more about members’ personal financial decisions that could affect how they vote.

President Trump Angrily Lashes Out at ‘Morning Joe’ Hosts on Twitter
Washington Post – Jenna Johnson | Published: 6/29/2017

President Trump faced a swift and bipartisan backlash after he assailed the television host Mika Brzezinski in unusually personal and vulgar terms, the latest of a string of escalating attacks by the president on the national news media. Trump has fumed for weeks about his coverage on “Morning Joe,” where Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough have been increasingly blistering in their commentary about the Trump administration. They have openly questioned Trump’s mental state, comments that particularly upset the president, according to a senior administration official.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arkansas – Arkansas Panel Advises Limit to Pot Lobbyists’ Pay
Arkansas Online – Brian Fanney | Published: 6/24/2017

An applicant for a license to operate a medical-marijuana facility cannot hire a lobbyist on a contingency basis, the Arkansas Ethics Commission said in an advisory opinion. Attorney Brandon Lacy represents a business that wants licenses from the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission to grow or sell medical marijuana. He asked two questions: Can a lobbyist agree to be compensated with a percentage of a medical marijuana business’s revenue if it successfully gains a license? Can a lobbyist be compensated with ownership in the business regardless of whether it is licensed?

Connecticut – Ethics Commissioner Charged in Prostitute Mixup
Connecticut Post – Daniel Tepfer | Published: 6/27/2017

An ethics commissioner in Connecticut has been charged with patronizing a prostitute after he was pepper-sprayed during what police say was a mix-up with the wrong woman. Police said Noel Kayo, an ethics commissioner in Bridgeport, had arranged to meet a woman at a hotel in Stratford. Police say another woman was waiting at the hotel at the same time for payment for photographs for which she previously posed. Police say the woman got into Kayo’s car, demanding her money while he argued for his services. The woman and her boyfriend both used pepper spray on Kayo, who denies the prostitution charge, saying he was a victim of attempted robbery. He said he will not resign.

District of Columbia – ‘It’s the End of Small Talk in Washington’
Politico Magazine – Daniel Lippman and John Harris | Published: 6/30/2017

If Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House has torn at the social fabric across the country, it has interrupted the rhythms and culture of daily life nowhere as much as the city where he now lives. Like many politicians, he ran against Washington, but far more than any president in memory, that outsider rhetoric has translated into outsider governance, a disdain for the capital that seems to translate into genuine disconnection from its existing networks. For Trump’s supporters, this amounts to a promise kept, a disruption of America’s permanent governing class. But it also risks impeding his agenda by cutting him off from some of the levers that can help a new president govern, or at least navigate the unwritten rules and networks of the capital to get things done.

Florida – Using Ethics Loophole, Sen. Lauren Book Votes to Give Her Nonprofit $1.5 Million
FloridaBulldog.org – Francisco Alvarado | Published: 6/22/2017

Florida Sen. Lauren Book voted to approve a state appropriations bill that included $1.5 million for Lauren’s Kids, the nonprofit she founded and leads as its $135,000-a-year chief executive officer. A loophole in the Florida Senate’s ethics rules allowed Book to cast her vote despite her apparent conflict-of-interest. The same loophole also meant she did not have to disclose her conflict publicly. Lauren’s Kids, whose chairperson is prominent lobbyist Ron Book, the senator’s father, has in a just few years become one of the Legislature’s most favored private charities. Since 2012, Lauren’s Kids has bagged more than $10 million in taxpayer-funded grants.

Georgia – Judge Tosses Commissioner Tommy Hunter’s Legal Challenge to Ethics Punishment
Gwinnett Daily Post – Curt Yeomans | Published: 6/28/2017

The ongoing saga involving Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter and his comments on Facebook took a new turn when a judge threw out his legal challenge to the ethics board that recommended his reprimand. Superior Court Judge Melodie Snell Conner’s ruling was a blow to the Hunter camp’s assertion that the ethics complaint filed against him by Atlanta resident Nancie Turner and, indeed, the county’s entire ethics process was unconstitutional. Hunter’s social media comments included calling U.S. Rep. John Lewis a “racist pig” and referring to Democrats as “Demonrats” and “Libtards,” and quickly led to protests at commission meetings.

Illinois – Emanuel Hints at Ethics Law Rewrite After Lobbying Violations Found in His Emails
Chicago Tribune – Bill Ruthhart | Published: 6/28/2017

Mayor Rahm Emanuel accused the Chicago Board of Ethics of turning “average citizens” into lobbyists in its haste to bolster its image as a strong watchdog. Emanuel weighed in on the controversy after the board found that his close friend and campaign donor Jim Abrams, as well as the husband of Ald. Sophia King, were lobbying the mayor through his private emails but failed to register as lobbyists. “We cannot collapse a lobbyist and a citizen, and that’s what’s happened,” said Emanuel, who did not say whether he would seek to change the law himself. “What has happened here, in the interest of reform, we have lost our perspective.”

New Mexico – State Ethics Panel Is a Work in Progress
Albuquerque Journal – Dan Boyd | Published: 6/21/2017

New Mexico lawmakers approved the creation of an independent ethics commission during this year’s legislative session, but there is still much unsettled about how the body would function, even if it is approved by voters next year. That is because what lawmakers approved during the was essentially the framework for an ethics commission, with the assumption specific powers and procedures would be set at a later date. The approach has raised concern among some advocacy groups, who are pushing lawmakers to start talking details in interim legislative committee hearings this summer and fall.

Pennsylvania – Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams Pleads Guilty in His Federal Corruption Trial
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jeremy Roebuck | Published: 6/29/2017

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded guilty to a corruption charge, resigned from office, and was sent immediately to jail. Williams pleaded guilty to a single count of accepting a bribe from a businessperson in exchange for legal favors. The move came after weeks of damaging testimony against Williams at his federal trial. He was also charged with fraudulently using thousands of dollars from his campaign fund for personal expenses, misusing city vehicles, and misappropriating money intended to fund his mother’s nursing home care. Before he was indicted, Williams was fined $62,000 by the city ethics board, its largest fine ever, for accepting improper gifts.

Vermont – Feds Looking into Jane Sanders Over Real Estate Deal
Burlington Free Press – Wilson Ring (Associated Press) | Published: 6/26/2017

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane Sanders, have hired prominent defense attorneys amid an FBI investigation into a loan she obtained to expand Burlington College while she was its president. A complaint accuses Jane Sanders of distorting donor levels in a 2010 loan application for $10 million to purchase 33 acres of land for the institution. Prosecutors might also be looking into allegations that Sen. Sanders’ office inappropriately urged the bank to approve the loan.

Washington – Lawsuit Challenges Seattle Campaign-Contribution Vouchers
Minneapolis Star Tribune – Gene Johnson (Associated Press) | Published: 6/28/2017

The Pacific Legal Foundation is suing Seattle over its new “democracy voucher” program for publicly funded political campaigns, which was passed by voters in 2015 and is being used for the first time in this year’s city council races. Under the program, Seattle’s voters decided to tax themselves $3 million a year in exchange for four $25 vouchers they can sign over to candidates. Supporters say it is a novel way to counter the effect of big money in politics and to help lesser-known candidates communicate their views. But the lawsuit says it forces people to pay taxes to support candidates they do not necessarily agree with in violation of their free-speech rights.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Lobbying

“Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort Files as Foreign Agent for Ukraine Work” by Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

“Jack Abramoff Registers as a Foreign Agent” by Megan Wilson for Roll Call

District of Columbia: “Councilmember Moves to Expand Definition of ‘Lobbying’” by Rachel Sadon for Dcist

Illinois: “IG: Ethics Board’s definition of lobbyist is ‘broadest’ in U.S.” by Fran Spielman for Chicago Sun-Times

Campaign Finance

Washington: “Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program Target of Lawsuit” by Travis Pittman for KING

Ethics

“Trump Attorney Jay Sekulow’s Family Has Been Paid Millions from Charities They Control” by Aaron Davis and Shawn Boburg for Washington Post

“A Time Magazine with Trump on the Cover Hangs in His Golf Clubs. It’s Fake” by David Fahrenthold for Washington Post

“How Donald Trump Misunderstood the F.B.I.” by Tim Weiner for New York Times

Connecticut: “Ethics Commissioner Charged in Prostitute Mixup” by Daniel Tepfer for Connecticut Post

Lobbying

“Trump Appointee Is a Saudi Government Lobbyist” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

Ethics

“‘Give Me a Chance,’ Trump Associate-Turned-Housing-Official Says” by Yamiche Alcindor for New York Times

“E.P.A. Official Pressured Scientist on Congressional Testimony, Emails Show” by Coral Davenport for New York Times

“FBI Has Questioned Trump Campaign Adviser Carter Page at Length in Russia Probe” by Devlin Barrett for Washington Post

Florida: “For Those Suspected of Corruption Elsewhere, South Florida Still a Magnet” by Kyra Gurney for Miami Herald

Michigan: “Marijuana Licensing Board Members Must Disclose Their Finances – but What Will Be Public?” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press

New York: “Yankee Stadium Charity Is Called into Question” by Micah Hauser for New York Times

Vermont: “Feds Looking into Jane Sanders Over Real Estate Deal” by Wilson Ring (Associated Press) for Burlington Free Press

Elections

“‘It’s the End of Small Talk in Washington’” by Daniel Lippman and John Harris for Politico Magazine

Lobbying

Arkansas: “Arkansas Panel Advises Limit to Pot Lobbyists’ Pay” by Brian Fanney for Arkansas Online

Canada: “Commissioner’s Report Indicates Much More Lobbying Last Year” by Derek Abma for Hill Times

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “Corporation Commissioner Continues Bid for APS Financial Records” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Ethics

“Lawmakers Want Trump’s Tax Returns, but Won’t Release Their Own” by Stephanie Akin for Roll Call

“Kushner Firm’s $285 Million Deutsche Bank Loan Came Just Before Election Day” by Michael Kranish for Washington Post

Alabama: “Former Alabama Legislator Oliver Robinson Charged in Bribery Scheme; Enters Federal Plea Deal” by Kent Faulk for AL.com

Connecticut: “Newton Lands Job Helping Fellow Ex-Offenders” by Brian Lockhart for Connecticut Post

Florida: “Federal Authorities Launch Probe into City of Tallahassee” by Gary Fineout (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

West Virginia: “WV Senate Leader Sent Invites to Coalition’s Event During Special Session” by Jake Zuckerman for Charleston Gazette

On Thursday, June 22, Gov. David Ige signed three bills amending state lobbying and ethics laws.

Among other things, the bills double the maximum administrative fine the State Ethics Commission may impose for violations of ethics or lobbying laws, amends various lobbying-related definitions, allows a former lobbyist employer to file a notice of termination when a lobbyist fails to do so, and clarifies lobbyist reporting requirements related to special legislative sessions.

The bills were effective upon approval.

Photo of Gov. Ige By Dallas Nagata White via Wikimedia Commons

Lobbying

“Ex-Lobbyists Swarm Trump Administration, despite ‘Drain the Swamp’ Pledge” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today

California: “San Jose Politicians Can Soon Accept Gifts Up to $470, a Major Change in City Rules” by Ramona Giwarges for San Jose Mercury News

Illinois: “Ald. King Defends Husband Who Faces Fine for Lobbying Violation” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

Missouri: “Ethics Complaint Accuses Missouri Senate Leader’s Ally of Unregistered Lobbying” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “State Elections Watchdogs: No campaign cash for Ganim” by Brian Lockhart and Bill Cummings for Connecticut Post

Pennsylvania: “Philadelphians Could Be on the Hook for Political Campaign Expenses” by Claudia Vargas for Philadelphia Inquirer

Ethics

Florida: “Using Ethics Loophole, Sen. Lauren Book Votes to Give Her Nonprofit $1.5 Million” by Francisco Alvarado for FloridaBulldog.org

New Mexico: “State Ethics Panel Is a Work in Progress” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

New York: “Lack of Reforms at NY Capitol Called ‘Pathetic’” by Joseph Spector for Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Elections

“Obama’s Secret Struggle to Punish Russia for Putin’s Election Assault” by Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima, and Adam Entous for Washington Post

Becky Campbell is here covering the state government and ethics news from around the country in this week’s video digest!

National:

As Pot Comes Out of the Black Market, Regulators Face Scrutiny
Boston Herald; Associated Press –   | Published: 6/21/2017

Recent cases in Colorado and Washington are the first known instances of current or former marijuana regulators being accused of having improper dealings with the industry. The two recreational marijuana states are the nation’s oldest, approving legal weed in defiance of federal law in 2012. Watchdogs say the Colorado and Washington cases should spur states to beef up ethics commissions charged with monitoring conflicts-of-interest by government employees. Michigan, a medical-marijuana state, passed a 2016 law banning even relatives of its pot oversight board members from having any financial stake in the marijuana industry.

The Not-So-Bitter Rivalry of Dean Baquet and Marty Baron
Politico – Joe Pompeo | Published: 6/19/2017

The Washington Post’s Marty Baron and Dean Baquet of The New York Times are the two most important newspaper editors in America right now, at a time when the news media are tackling the most consequential story of the past 40 years. Donald Trump’s presidency has revved up the competition for news organizations far and wide; big and small; print, broadcast, and digital. In the process, he has sparked a resurgence of storied legacy outlets like The Times and The Post, each of which has struggled with changes in the news business while doomsayers augured its demise. As with the rest of the media, their “Trump bump” has been a boon in terms of scoops and subscribers.

Federal:

Despite Concerns About Blackmail, Flynn Heard C.I.A. Secrets
New York Times – Matt Apuzzo, Matthew Rosenberg, and Adam Goldman | Published: 6/20/2017

Senior U.S. intelligence officials knew as early as January that former national security adviser Michael Flynn could have been vulnerable to Russian blackmail. Despite officials’ knowledge of the risks associated with Flynn, he continued to sit in on meetings during which President Trump was briefed on sensitive intelligence. It is unclear whether CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who briefed Trump on intelligence while Flynn sat nearby, was aware of officials’ concerns about Flynn. Many of Trump’s political problems, including the appointment of a special counsel and the controversy over the firing of the FBI director, James Comey, can ultimately be traced to Flynn’s stormy tenure.

Trump Says He Did Not Tape Comey Conversations
New York Times – Mark Lander | Published: 6/22/2017

President Trump said he did not record his conversations with James Comey. the FBI director he fired amid the Justice Department’s probe into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia. The president’s Twitter messages left open the possibility the conversations may have been taped without his knowledge. But they largely confirmed the suspicions of outsiders that Trump had been leveling a baseless threat at Comey when he wrote, “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Some legal experts have said Trump’s threat could be used in an obstruction of justice case against him, since it could be interpreted as putting pressure on Comey not to discuss their conversations about the FBI’s Russia investigation.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona: Axiom Partners Rename Lobbying Firm as Bribery Case Unfolds
Arizona Republic – Ronald Hansen | Published: 6/21/2017

A month after a federal bribery case shook Arizona’s lobbying community, the firm whose prominent exe features the same staff as Axiom Public Affairs, without lobbyist Jim Norton, said Kelsey Lundy, the firm’s managing partner. Once viewed as among the most politically connected lobbying firms in Arizona, Axiom’s run came crashing down after Norton’s may indictment in a case alleging he was a conduit for bribes paid by developer George Johnson to former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce through his wife.

California: Lobbying Firm Fined $4,000 for Violating Gift Limit Buying Dinner for Former State Sen. Ronald Calderon
Los Angeles Times – Patrick McGreevy | Published: 6/19/2017

Mercury Public Affairs agreed to pay a $4,000 fine for violating the $10 gift limit on lobbying firms when it provided dinners worth $200 to former state Sen. Ronald Calderon and his wife. The violation was found by a random audit by the state Franchise Tax Board. In October, Calderon was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty in a public corruption case unrelated to the Mercury dinner.

Connecticut: Lobbyists, Corporate PACs Help Legislator Pay for His Travels as RNC Member
Hartford Courant – Jon Lender | Published: 6/17/2017

State Rep. John Frey travels all over the country for meetings he attends as one of Connecticut’s two members of the Republican National Committee (RNC). But Frey does not pay for any it – flights, dining, hotel rooms, and sometimes car service to and from the airport – because his costs are reimbursed by a political action committee he set up six years ago called Leadership Connecticut PAC. Its stated purpose is to support federal candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, but its main activities, arguably, have been to stage the annual fundraisers to sustain itself and to pay for the travels of Frey and Patricia Longo, his fellow RNC member until she retired last year.

Florida: The Miami Beach Mystery PAC Is Under State Investigation
Miami Herald – Nicholas Nehamas, Joey Flechas, and David Ovalle | Published: 6/20/2017

A corruption probe is underway into a controversial political group linked to Miami Beach commissioner and mayoral candidate Michael Grieco. At least one donor to the PAC has been subpoenaed by the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office, according to a defense attorney representing the donor. The list of donors to People for Better Leaders is stocked with Miami Beach vendors, lobbyists, and developers with business before the city. Investigators with the state’s corruption task force may be seeking to learn if those donations were a quid pro quo for Grieco’s political favor. Grieco may also have broken a city law that bans candidates and elected officials from asking vendors and lobbyists for donations, either directly or through a third-party.

Hawaii: What Honolulu Lobbyists Don’t Tell You
Honolulu Civil Beat – Anita Hofschneider | Published: 6/19/2017

Honolulu does not require lobbyists to provide any details about how they spend money. About 85 percent of the lobbyists who filed reports said they did not spend anything last year. Nearly three dozen registered lobbyists did not submit any reports, even though mandatory forms were due six months ago. Jan Yamane, who took over the city Ethics Commission last fall, said the current lobbying disclosure process is not working. “We need to debrief this thing, hit the reset button and completely overhaul this process,” Yamane said.

Illinois: Emanuel Friend, Alderman’s Husband Both Illegally Lobbied Mayor Via His Personal Email: Ethics board
Chicago Tribune – Bill Ruthhart | Published: 6/16/2017

A close friend of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, as well as the husband of a city council member, face fines for lobbying the mayor through his private emails but failing to register as lobbyists. Alan King, husband of Ald. Sophia King, and James Abrams are the latest targets of the reinvigorated city Board of Ethics. Under the law, Abrams could face a potential fine of more than $520,000. King could face a fine of more than $500,000. Board of Ethics Chairperson William Conlon has signaled the board is unlikely to hand out exorbitant maximum penalties. But Conlon argued the fine needs to be “enough to send a message.”

Kentucky: Ethics Panel Appeals Ruling That Allows Lobbyists to Give Gifts, Money to Lawmakers
Lexington Herald-Leader – Jack Brammer | Published: 6/21/2017

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission will appeal a recent federal court ruling that allows lobbyists to give gifts and campaign donations to state lawmakers. “We thought it too important not to appeal,” said commission Chairperson George Troutman. A lawsuit filed by State Sen. John Schickel and two Libertarian political candidates argued the ethics laws violate their constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection by restricting their access to people who want to help them. State regulators countered that the laws were meant to prevent bribery at the Capitol. The Registry of Election Finance, the other defendant in the case, has yet to decide whether to appeal.

Kentucky: Fired Lawyer to Get Settlement from Kentucky Over Her ‘Whistleblower’ Case About Sex Toys
Louisville Courier-Journal – Deborah Yetter | Published: 6/15/2017

Jacqueline Heyman, a former lawyer with the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, reached a financial settlement with the state over her claim she was fired in 2015 after reporting two co-workers were running a “sex toy” business out of the office. Heyman began work as a supervising attorney with the department in April 2015. She was fired before she could successfully complete a six-month probation period and gain merit system job protection. Heyman said she discovered the extent of the online, adult product business when she found a box of such items under the desk of one of the employees. Heyman said she got little reaction after she reported it to her boss so she told the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. A week later, Heyman said she was fired with no explanation.

New York: New York Ethics Agency Hit with Harassment Lawsuit
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 6/20/2017

A former financial auditor at the New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics alleges she was fired after reporting sexual discrimination by one of her supervisors to the agency’s leadership. Catherine Webb outlined her accusation in a recent civil lawsuit she filed against the commission in federal court. Webb alleges she was repeatedly subjected to abusive verbal conduct that was “severe, pervasive and frequent.”

North Carolina: Is North Carolina the Future of American Politics?
New York Times – Jason Zengerle | Published: 6/20/2017

Ever since 2010, when Republicans seized control of the North Carolina General Assembly for the first time in a century, and especially since 2012, when they took the governor’s mansion, the state’s politics have been haywire. “It’s more polarized and more acrimonious than I’ve ever seen,” said Carter Wrenn, a veteran GOP political consultant. “And I’ve seen some pretty acrimonious politics – I worked for Jesse Helms.”

Wisconsin: Supreme Court to Hear Potentially Landmark Case on Partisan Gerrymandering
Washington Post – Robert Barnes | Published: 6/19/2017

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether judges can throw out legislative maps as being so partisan they violate the Constitution, taking up a case that could put a powerful new check on gerrymandering. The justices agreed to hear arguments on a Wisconsin map that a lower court said was designed to keep Republicans in control of the state Legislature even if they did not win a majority of the votes. The Supreme Court has never struck down a legislative map as being too partisan, or told challengers what standard they have to meet to win a lawsuit. The case, which the court will hear in the nine-month term that starts in October, could open the way for a new wave of election litigation.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Lobbying

Kentucky: “Ethics Panel Appeals Ruling That Allows Lobbyists to Give Gifts, Money to Lawmakers” by Jack Brammer for Lexington Herald-Leader

Campaign Finance

Florida: “The Miami Beach Mystery PAC Is Under State Investigation” by Nicholas Nehamas, Joey Flechas, and David Ovalle for Miami Herald

Ethics

“Trump Seeks Sharp Cuts to Housing Aid, Except for Program That Brings Him Millions” by Shawn Boburg for Washington Post

“Despite Concerns About Blackmail, Flynn Heard C.I.A. Secrets” by Matt Apuzzo, Matthew Rosenberg, and Adam Goldman for New York Times

Kentucky: “Consultant Sentenced to Prison for Part in Kickback Scheme” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

Colorado: “As Pot Comes Out of the Black Market, Regulators Face Scrutiny” by Associated Press for Boston Herald

New York: “New York Ethics Agency Hit with Harassment Lawsuit” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Oregon: “Oregon Ethics Commission Resumes Investigation of John Kitzhaber and Cylvia Hayes” by Hillary Borrud for Portland Oregonian

Pennsylvania: “Two Executives with Allentown Contracts Plead Guilty in FBI Corruption Investigation” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Allentown Morning News

Elections

“Some States Beat Supreme Court to Punch on Eliminating Gerrymanders” by Thomas Fuller and Michael Wines for New York Times

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission unanimously voted to appeal a recent ruling striking down state ethics laws.

District Court Judge William O. Bertelsman, in a ruling earlier this month, stated the prohibitions on gifts and campaign contributions from lobbyists to lawmakers are unconstitutional.

The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance continues to mull its options before the Monday deadline to appeal. Many groups, including the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, urged the agencies to appeal in order to maintain the state’s current ethics system.

The appeal will be filed with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

Lobbying

California: “Lobbying Firm Fined $4,000 for Violating Gift Limit Buying Dinner for Former State Sen. Ronald Calderon” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

Tennessee: “Amid Investigation, Tennessee Legislative Leaders Call for Review of Double Dipping” by Joel Ebert and Dave Boucher for The Tennessean

Ethics

“The Not-So-Bitter Rivalry of Dean Baquet and Marty Baron” by Joe Pompeo for Politico

“In Trump’s Washington, Public Business Increasingly Handled Behind Closed Doors” by Philip Ricker and Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

“How the Russia Investigation Entangled a Manafort Protégé” by Nicholas Confessore and Barry Meier for New York Times

Alabama: “Alabama Ethics Commission Levies More Than $100,000 in Fines” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Kentucky: “Fired Lawyer to Get Settlement from Kentucky Over Her ‘Whistleblower’ Case About Sex Toys” by Deborah Yetter for Louisville Courier-Journal

North Carolina: “Is North Carolina the Future of American Politics?” by Jason Zengerle for New York Times

Elections

Georgia: “Republican Karen Handel Defeats Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District” by Robert Costa, Paul Kane, and Elise Viebeck  for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Book Explores How Lobbyists Fill a Void in Congress” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Hawaii: “What Honolulu Lobbyists Don’t Tell You” by Anita Hofschneider for Honolulu Civil Beat

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “Steve Stenger’s Campaign Did Not Disclose That Donors Held County Contracts” by Stephen Deere for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ethics

Connecticut: “Lobbyists, Corporate PACs Help Legislator Pay for His Travels as RNC Member” by Jon Lender for Hartford Courant

New York: “Ex-Assemblyman Who Crusaded Against Opioid Addiction Indicted in Connection with Pill Mills, Medicaid Fraud” by Nathan Tempey for Gothamist

North Carolina: “NC Has No Elections Board Until Cooper Makes Appointments – But He’s Suing” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Pennsylvania: “Seth Williams’ Corruption Trial: The case against the Philly DA explained” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Rhode Island: “Political Scene: Some legislators could use the expungement bill themselves” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Redistricting

“Supreme Court to Hear Potentially Landmark Case on Partisan Gerrymandering” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post