Rep. Aaron Schock is resigning his seat at the end of the month in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation and looming federal investigation. The ethics investigation will focus on his use of taxpayer money, including mileage reimbursements from a car paid for by his campaign account.

Federal prosecutors in Illinois will focus on the mileage reimbursements as well as travel paid for by donors and in-kind contributions never reported.

Gov. Bruce Rauner must set a special election date within five days of Schock’s resignation at the end of the month; the congressional seat must be filled within 120 days.

Lobbying

Hawaii: “Gov. Ige Withdraws Controversial Nomination of Carleton Ching to Head DLNR” by Jim Mendoza for Hawaii News Now

New Mexico: “Bill Banning Ex-Legislators from Becoming Lobbyists for 2 Years Killed in Senate” by Milan Simonich (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Farmington Daily-Times

Campaign Finance

Minnesota: “House Panel Defeats Bill Aimed at Requiring More Disclosure of Campaign Spending Late in Races” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

North Dakota: “Laffen Defends $1,945 Canadian Campaign Contribution” by John Hageman for Grand Forks Herald

Ethics

“FDA Proposes to Let Drug Companies Undermine Official Safety Warnings” by Peter Whoriskey for Washington Post

“A Sunshine Week Surprise: White House exempts executive office from records requests” by Josh Hicks for Washington Post

“Are Tech-Savvy Staffers One Tweet from Unemployment?” by Niall Stanage for The Hill

“Aaron Schock Case Illustrates Loose Rules on Travel” by Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for Politico

New York: “TV Celeb Sandra Lee Pulled into NY Ethics Debate; GOP Wants Financial Info on Gov’s Girlfriend” by David Klepper (Associated Press) for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Maryland: “City Pension Officials Spend Nearly $100,000 on Trips” by Luke Broadwater and Yvonne Wegner for Baltimore Sun

Pennsylvania: “Ethics Board to Nutter (and Inspector General): Get off our turf” by Claudia Vargas for Philadelphia Inquirer

Virginia: “What Maureen McDonnell Would Have Said, If the Governor Had His Own Trial” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

Procurement

Oregon: “Audit: Conflicts existed in prison industries contracts” by Hannah Hoffman for Salem Statesman Journal

The electronic filing system of the Public Integrity Commission, the Public Integrity Reporting System, has been updated.

As a result of the change, filers will be required to update their passwords the first time they log in after the update.

The site address has not changed and can be accessed here.

National:

Evangelicals Aim to Mobilize an Army for Republicans in 2016
New York Times – Jason Horowitz | Published: 3/15/2015

David Lane travels the country trying to persuade clergy members to become politically active. His hope is the politicized pastors will help mobilize congregations that have been disheartened by the repeated failure of socially conservative candidates, and by a Republican Party that has softened its opposition to same-sex marriage. It is an organizing approach far different from those in the days when larger-than-life leaders could activate evangelical voters simply by anointing a candidate. But close observers of evangelicals and their political involvement say Lane is emblematic of a new generation of leaders who draw local support or exert influence through niche issues or their own networks.

Federal:

IRS May Broaden Rule to Police Political Nonprofits
Politico – Hillary Flynn and Rachel Bade | Published: 3/18/2015

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said the agency may expand a yet-to-be-released rule governing 501(c)(4) social welfare groups to include political groups known as 527s, which focus on elections. It could require them both, as well as other types of tax-exempt organizations, to operate under the same definition of “political activity.” The law is currently vague, requiring that 501(c)(4)s operate “primarily” for social welfare. It is one of the reasons the IRS found itself in hot water for pulling tea party groups for extra scrutiny between 2010 and 2012.

Rep. Aaron Schock to Resign amid Spending Scandal
Washington Post – Mike DeBonis, Robert Costa, and Paul Kane | Published: 3/17/2015

U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) will resign on March 31 following questions about spending by his office and campaign. Schock has faced a torrent of bad publicity that began when it was revealed he had his office redecorated – for free – in the style of the PBS series “Downton Abbey.” Schock repaid $40,000 for the redecoration, but the initial story set off a series of reports on his lavish spending habits. Subsequent reports detailed a dozen charter flights worth over $40,000 on donors’ planes and $24,000 in campaign funds spent on concerts and events. The Chicago Tribune published a report raising questions about the use of campaign funds to finance the construction and sale of a house that Schock owned in Peoria.

The ‘Moneyball’ Effect on K Street: The influence game gets scientific
Washington Post – Catherine Ho | Published: 3/15/2015

Companies rooted in data analytics are attempting to change the way lobbying is done in Washington, D.C. At least four companies have introduced new ways to sell data-based political and competitive intelligence that offers insight into the policymaking process. They are turning lobbying, which was once based entirely on personal connections, into more of a science, and the idea is gaining traction among the field’s most established power brokers. In some ways, technology is just automating and verifying knowledge a lobbyist may already have, based on instincts and experience. But access to statistics is now key to selling lobbying services to clients, who increasingly want empirical evidence to back up claims about a lawmaker’s reputation.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Big Money Arrived Too Late for L.A. Election Debate
Los Angeles Times – David Zahniser | Published: 3/15/2015

The campaign behind Charter Amendments 1 and 2, which changed Los Angeles’ election dates and gave some officials an extra 18 months in office, reported its funding from the union that represents most Department of Water and Power employees 90 minutes before the polls closed. That money was part of a larger phenomenon in this year’s campaign season: big contributions that arrived too late to be disclosed on mailers or, in some cases, too late even to be part of the public debate.

Connecticut – Rowland Sentenced to 30 Months, a Decade after Last Imprisonment
New York Times – Kristin Hussey and Marc Santora | Published: 3/18/2015

Former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a political consulting scheme, exactly one decade after he was ordered behind bars in an earlier scandal that forced him from office. Rowland committed the latest crimes as he maneuvered to insert himself in two separate congressional campaigns. He was convicted on charges he conspired to conceal payment for the work, which he knew would bring unwelcome publicity to the candidates because of his criminal history. Prosecutors said Rowland was paid $35,000 to work on the failed 2012 campaign of Lisa Wilson-Foley and conspired to hide those payments through a consulting contract with a business owned by her husband. They say he tried to strike a similar deal with another failed congressional candidate.

Florida – Marco Rubio’s House of Horrors
Politico – Marc Caputo | Published: 3/16/2015

A house in Tallahassee jointly owned by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and former U.S. Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.) could be a headache for Rubio if he goes ahead with an expected run for president. The property is a stubborn symbol of both a politically problematic friendship and lingering questions about Rubio’s personal finances, which dogged him on the campaign trail in 2010 and may do so again. Rubio’s critics are waiting to make hay of any revelations that may come of the federal campaign finance investigation of Rivera and to point to their status as roommates during the years when Rivera allegedly engaged in illegal campaign activities.

New Mexico – Freshman Lawmaker Determined to ‘Pay My Own Way’ at the Roundhouse
KRQE – Matt Grubs | Published: 3/17/2015

New Mexico Rep. Jim Dines agreed to run for a House seat with the condition that he would not take campaign money from lobbyists or special interests. When Dines got to Santa Fe, he continued his independent streak. He refused to accept all the coffee mugs, jewelry, and free food that normally find their way onto a lawmaker’s desk during the session. Dines does not think a free meal or a stuffed animal or even free golf passes from a lobbyist equate to a promise to vote the way that lobbyist would prefer. But he said that does not really matter. “The perception of the public is … there’s a reason things are being given,” said Dines.

New Mexico – House Democrat Questions Lobbyist Bill Delay, Seeks Probe
Taos News – Steve Terrell (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 3/16/2015

State Rep. Brian Egolf wants an investigation into why the New Mexico House delayed sending a bill on lobbyist disclosure to the Senate. Egolf says the delay in sending the measure to the Senate likely killed it as the legislative session nears its end. House Bill 155 would require lobbyists to disclose what issues or causes they have been hired to represent. It also would extend how long the state keeps lobbyist records. The House approved the legislation on March 7 but did not send it to the Senate until March 13. Normally, bills are sent within a day.

North Carolina – Sex, Romance Would Be a Conflict of Interest under NC General Assembly Proposal
Raleigh News & Observer – Colin Campbell | Published: 3/17/2015

The North Carolina Ethics Commission in February ruled that sex between a lobbyist and state official is not a gift that must be formally disclosed. Some lawmakers now want to make it clear that such relations require officials to step back from governmental action. House Bill 252 says an official must avoid acting if the official is married to a lobbyist and the lobbyist or the company the person works for could gain financially. It also applies if the two are dating or have a sexual relationship.

North Dakota – Lawmakers Say ‘No’ to Letting Voters Decide on State Ethics Commission
Dickinson Press – Mike Nowatzki (Forum News Service) | Published: 3/16/2015

The North Dakota House defeated a resolution that would have allowed voters to decide if a state ethics commission should be established. Assistant Minority Leader Corey Mock, the prime sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 3060, said the lack of an ethics agency creates a perception problem for the state, and he questioned why lawmakers would want to wait until something egregious happens before creating one. But Rep. Scott Louser said while some states have a culture of corruption, North Dakota has a culture of openness and accessibility.

Texas – In Dallas, Most Ethics Complaints Go Nowhere
Dallas Morning News – Elizabeth Findell | Published: 3/15/2015

The Dallas City Council recently took steps to cut down on the number of frivolous complaints filed with the city’s Ethics Advisory Commission, and to allow the city to reimburse the subjects of such complaints for their defense costs. But ethics complaints, frivolous or otherwise, are rare at City Hall, shows a review by The Dallas Morning News. And when a complaint is filed, the chances are slim that anything will happen as a result. Of the 69 complaints filed since 2001, six were immediately declared invalid because they were submitted incorrectly or related to activities by people not affiliated with the city. Of the remainder, 56 were dismissed by a preliminary panel review.

Vermont – Senate Grumbles about Lobbyist Disclosure Bill
Seven Days – Terri Hallenbeck | Published: 3/17/2015

The Vermont Senate passed Senate Bill 93, which would require registered lobbyists, principals, and lobbying firms to disclose advertisements or advertising campaigns that they spend $1,000 or more on during a legislative session. The advertising report requirement is in addition to lobbyists’ current obligations to file expenditure reports, and the bill would increase the number of times per year lobbyists need to file those expenditure reports from three to five.

Washington – Zombie Lobby Descends on Capitol to Rally for Expanding Film and TV Tax Incentive Program
The Daily Journal – Rachel La Corte (Associated Press) | Published: 3/17/2015

Supporters of Washington’s film and television industry staged a mock zombie apocalypse at the Capitol as part of their lobbying efforts on a measure to expand a tax-incentive program designed to lure more projects to the state. More than 200 people, including actors, crew, and support staff, staged a daylong shoot for a spot they planned to release later in support of Senate Bill 6027, which would increase the amount of money available every year under Washington’s tax incentive program for the industry. Dozens of actors dressed as zombies were part of action scenes where the script included monologues or conversations about the bill.

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.

State Reps. Grier Martin and Rick Glazier introduced a bill in the North Carolina House of Representatives requiring public officials to recuse themselves from taking any official action if they are in a current dating or sexual relationship with a registered lobbyist who would financially benefit from the official action.

This legislation comes one month after the State Ethics Commission issued a ruling that sex between lobbyists and government officials does not constitute a gift in violation of state ethics law.

House Bill 252 was introduced March 17, 2015, and is currently in committee.

Photo of the North Carolina State Legislative Building by Jayron32 on Wikipedia.

Ethics reform is again in the hands of the Senate after the House voted overwhelmingly to overhaul ethics laws.

House Bill 3722 would give the State Ethics Commission authority to investigate legislators, would amend certain unconstitutional campaign finance definitions, and would remove a lobbyist employer’s ability to pay for American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conventions.

The Judiciary Committee has reported the bill as favorable with an amendment to remove certain whistleblower protections.

Lobbying

New Mexico: “Freshman Lawmaker Determined to ‘Pay My Own Way’ at the Roundhouse” by Matt Grubs for KRQE

Vermont: “Senate Grumbles about Lobbyist Disclosure Bill” by Terri Hallenbeck for Seven Days

Washington: “Zombie Lobby Descends on Capitol to Rally for Expanding Film and TV Tax Incentive Program” by Rachel LaCorte (Associated Press) for The Daily Journal

Campaign Finance

“State Legislatures Taking Aim at Dark Money, Disclosure” by Peter Olsen-Phillips for Sunlight Foundation

“Meet the Man Taking Aim at Campaign Finance Regulations” by Cameron Joseph for The Hill

Montana: “‘Dark Money’ Bill Heard by House Panel” by Charles Johnson for Montana Standard

Ethics

Connecticut: “Rowland Sentenced to 30 Months, a Decade after Last Imprisonment” by Kristin Hussey and Marc Santora for New York Times

New York: “Income Disclosure, Pension Forfeiture and Attendance Verification All Part of 2-Way Ethics Deal” in Legislative Gazette

Elections

Ohio: “Federal Judge: Ohio’s new ballot access limits for 3rd parties are constitutional” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for Greenfield Daily Reporter

The Ethics Commission has announced the release of a new online report entitled “Spending to Influence: Campaign Finance and Lobbying in San Francisco in 2014.”

The report explores the interests and financial activity of campaign influencers during the November 2014 election cycle by using publicly available data of committees, parties, consultants, major contributors, and lobbyists.

The report was prepared by two graduate students in the Master of Public Administration program at San Francisco State University, with guidance from commission staff. The report is available here.

Lobbying

Connecticut: “State Lobbyists, Politicians Caught In Probe of Herbalife Billion Dollar Stock Gamble” by Edmund Mahony (Hartford Courant) for CTNow.com

New Mexico: “House Democrat Questions Lobbyist Bill Delay, Seeks Probe” by Steve Terrell (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Taos News

North Carolina: “Sex, Romance Would Be a Conflict of Interest under NC General Assembly Proposal” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Texas: “Analysis: When a disclosure is no disclosure at all” by Ross Ramsey for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “Springsteen Shows and Island Trips, How N.J. Pols Raise Millions” by Carla Astudillo (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

Ethics

“Rep. Aaron Schock to Resign amid Spending Scandal” by Mike DeBonis, Robert Costa, and Paul Kane for Washington Post

“No, You Can’t See Congress’s Emails” by Rachel Roubein for National Journal

California: “Sen. Mendoza Under-Reported Money from Home Sale, Ethics Agency Finds” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

New York: “Schneiderman Issuing Ethics Plan Aimed at New York Legislators” by Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Tennessee: “House Committees Debate Bills in Secret ‘Pre-Meetings’” by Dave Boucher for The Tennessean

Sen. Phil Griego (D) resigned his seat with only a week remaining in the current legislative session. Griego is the subject of an ethics investigation arising from his role as a broker for the Inn of the Five Graces after helping pass legislation to sell the state-owned building.

Griego has acknowledged violating a state constitutional provision prohibiting lawmakers from having any interest in a contract authorized by the Legislature.

Gov. Susana Martinez has requested a nominee to be named by Sunday, March 23, 2015, to fill the Senate District 39 seat.

Lobbying

“The ‘Moneyball’ Effect on K Street: The influence game gets scientific” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

California: “Big Money Arrived Too Late for L.A. Election Debate” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Connecticut: “Former Connecticut State Sen. Newton Gets 6 Months in Prison on 2nd Criminal Conviction” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Ethics

“Ex-Energy Official’s $1.7 Million Gig Draws Fire” by Darius Dixon for Politico

“U.S. Attorney Leading Inquiry of Ex-D.C. Mayor Gray to Step Down” by Spencer Hsu, Keith Alexander, and Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

“Marco Rubio’s House of Horrors” by Marc Caputo for Politico

New Mexico: “Longtime New Mexico Sen. Phil Griego Resigns Amid Questions Surrounding Santa Fe Property Deal” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Pennsylvania: “Wolf Proposes Slight Funding Increase for Pennsylvania Ethics Commission” by Andrew Staub (PA Independent) for Watchdog.org

Texas: “In Dallas, Most Ethics Complaints Go Nowhere” by Elizabeth Findell for Dallas Morning News

Elections

“Evangelicals Aim to Mobilize an Army for Republicans in 2016” by Jason Horowitz for New York Times

On March 9, the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission released Position Statement 15-01, increasing the gift limit from $53 to $59. Public officials or employees are prohibited from soliciting, accepting, or receiving any gift or other thing of value worth more than $59 in any calendar year without giving lawful consideration of equal or greater value in return, unless the gift or thing of value falls under a listed exception.

The gift limit is adjusted in accordance with the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for Denver-Boulder-Greeley every four years. The $59 limit will be recalculated in the first quarter of 2019.

Lobbying

New Mexico: “Stripped-Down Lobbying Disclosure Goes to Senate” by Gwyneth Doland for New Mexico In Depth

Washington: “Lawmakers Kill Proposed Lobbyist ‘Cooling Off’ Period for State Officials” by Jim Brunner for Seattle Times

Campaign Finance

Arkansas: “Campaign E-Filing Bill Falls Short in 1st Vote” by Lisa Hammersly and Claudia Lauer for Arkansas Online

Arkansas: “Paul Bookout, Former Arkansas State Senator from Jonesboro, Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud Charge” by Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) for Daily Journal

New Mexico: “Senate Panel Passes Bill to End Campaign Donation Limits” by Steve Terrell (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Las Cruces Sun-News

Ethics

“Drugmakers Turn Heat on Insurers by Backing Copay Limits” by Alex Wayne for Bloomberg News

“Big Costs to See Public Documents Hider Access” by Michael Felberbaum (Associated Press) for USA Today

“Lawmaker Facing Spending Probe Benefited from Donor Projects” by Jeff Horwitz and Stephen Braun (Associated Press) for Philadelphia Inquirer

“Jeb Bush’s Emails Detail Communications with Top Donors” by Ronnie Green and Steve Peoples (Associated Press) for Raleigh News & Observer

“Committee Says No to Ethics Commission” by Nick Smith for Bismarck Tribune

Elections

“Absence of 2016 Competition for Clinton Raises Stakes for Democrats” by Dan Balz for Washington Post

A House committee has failed to pass a resolution proposing to let voters decide whether to create a state ethics commission. House Concurrent Resolution 3060 would amend the state Constitution to provide for a commission with the authority to address unethical behavior of officials and to oversee campaign finance and lobbying activities.

The House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee heard testimony before a 10-4 vote against the resolution.

North Dakota is one of eight states without an ethics commission. The other seven are Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.

Photo of the North Dakota Capitol by MatthewUND in Wikimedia Commons.