Lobbying

“Lobbying World” in The Hill.

“Cornerstone builds out from K Street” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

California: “California bans political fundraising parties at lobbyists’ homes” by Reuters on KFGO News.

Kentucky: “Ethics Reporter: Lobbying spending hits all-time high during first eight months of 2014” on KyForward.

Campaign Finance

“Final third-quarter fundraising emails: Doom, gloom and outrage” by Peter Sullivan in The Hill.

“Expand the ‘Super PAC Tax’” by Walter Shapiro in the Brennan Center for Justice Blog.

Maryland: “Montgomery Council approves plan for public finance of local campaigns” by Bill Turque in The Washington Post.

Ethics

“Ethics Office Finds Evidence Petri Violated House Rules” by Emma Dumain in Roll Call.

“Ethics panel: ‘Substantial reason’ to believe Rep. Petri broke rules” by Mario Trujillo in The Hill.

“Larry Craig fined for misuse of campaign funds” by John Bresnahan in Politico.

California: “Jerry Brown vetoes California political ethics bills” by David Siders in the Sacramento Bee.

Florida: “City hires new ethics officer” by TaMaryn Waters in the Tallahassee Democrat.

New York: “NY panel cites campaign limits on state workers” by The Associated Press in The Legislative Gazette.

New York: “Ethics panel now has two vacancies to fill” by Rick Karlin in the Albany Times Union.

Elections

“GOP sets sights on bigger House gains” by Alex Isenstadt in Politico.

“Democrats make risky bet against GOP Leader Mitch McConnell” by Alexander Bolton in The Hill.

“Incumbent governors fear wipeout” by James Hohmann in Politico.

California: “San Jose Election Tests Political Risk of Cutting Pensions” by J.B. Wogan in Governing.

Louisiana: “Gallup: Louisiana shifts Democratic” by Kendall Breitman in Politico.

Tech and Social Media

“Government, the Last Great Technology Skeptic” by Camille Tuutti in Nextgov.

“These maps show the Internet is getting faster in (almost) every state” by Niraj Chokshi in The Washington Post.

The state ethics commission met September 30, 2014, for the first public meeting following the firing of former Executive Secretary Holly LaBerge. The commission closed 14 complaints against officials and candidates, approved three new advisory opinions, and discussed the agency’s future.

New staff attorneys Robert Lane and Bethany Whetzel have identified nearly 200 open ethics cases needing processed.

The commission will continue to consider recently drafted amendments to campaign and lobbying rules with the hope of passing the amendments by the end of the year. The amendments will clarify campaign reporting thresholds, permit gift splitting by lobbyists, and require reporting of gifts to family members of officials.

Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed three ethics bills, including one to reduce the value of gifts lawmakers and officials may accept. SB 1443 would have prohibited all gifts from lobbyists and reduced the annual value of gifts from non-lobbyists to $200 per single source. The bill would have also prohibited officials from accepting tickets to concerts, golf passes, and gift cards.

Brown also vetoed SB 1442 and SB 831. The bills would have required more frequent campaign disclosures and forced interest groups to offer more information on sponsored trips for lawmakers.

Brown did sign SB 1441 to ban fundraisers at lobbyists’ homes. Effective January 1, 2015, the definition of “contribution” will include the value of lobbyists’ homes if used for a fundraising event.

Lobbying

“Bottom Line” in The Hill.

“Mack IV joins lobbying firm” by Salem Solomon in the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Florida: “Search Broward lobbying database, if you find it” by Brittany Wallman in the Sun Sentinel.

Ohio: “2nd lobbyist guilty of unreported Bengals tix” by Chrissie Thompson in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Campaign Finance

“Greens take 2014 fight to states” by Darren Goode and Andrew Restuccia in Politico.

Minnesota: “Franken, McFadden complain about big money but still rake it in” by Catherine Richert on Minnesota Public Radio News.

Kentucky: “Special interests spend in Ky.” in The Courier-Journal.

Texas: “Panel weighs pros, cons of campaign donor reporting” by Joseph Basco in the Midland Reporter-Telegram.

Ethics

Georgia: “Georgia ethics commission dismisses complaint accusing Jason Carter of fundraising violation” by The Associated Press in The Republic.

Hawaii: “Hawaii House leader fined a record $50,000 for ethics violations” by Malia Zimmerman in Watchdog.org.

Nevada: “Ex-employee alleges ethics director violated Nevada law” by Emerson Marcus in the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Tech and Social Media

“Contractors, Expect 72-hour Rule for Disclosing Corporate Hacks” by Aliya Sternstein in Nextgov.

Lobbying

“That ‘Bravo’ reality show about lobbyists? It’s not happening.” by Emily Heil and Helena Andrews in The Washington Post.

Michigan: “Lobbyists spending more on Michigan politicians this year” by Andrew Green on WKZO News.

Campaign Finance

“Outsiders Add Money and Negativity to State and Local Elections” by Chris Kardish in Governing.

“Mystery Money: Your Guide to Campaign Finance in 2014” by Rebecca Ballhaus in The Wall Street Journal.

“Billionaire donors to watch” by Tim Divaney in The Hill.

Arizona: “‘Dark money’ floods Phoenix pension election” by Dustin Gardiner in The Arizona Republic.

Connecticut: “Outside money pouring into Connecticut governor race despite public campaign funding system” by Susan Haigh (Associated Press) in The Republic.

Massachusetts: “Bitcoin makes an itty-bitty splash in MA politics” by Jordan Graham in the Boston Herald.

Wyoming: “Legislature may take on independent expenditures” by LAURA HANCOCK in the Casper Star-Tribune.

Ethics

“Ex-GSA official indicted in spending scandal” by Peter Sullivan in The Hill.

Illinois: “Lobbyist’s attorney: Roland Burris involved in shakedown while in Senate” by Jason Meisner in the Chicago Tribune.

Maryland: “Md. elections board: Leggett improperly used campaign funds for trips” by Bill Turque in The Washington Post.

Oklahoma: “Informal hearings set by Ethics Commission” in The Edmund Sun.

Virginia: “Full list of McAuliffe ethics commission members” by Travis Fain in the Daily Press.

Elections

“Voter Turnout Plummeting in Local Elections” by Mike Maciag in Governing.

Michigan: “Dems asked to end online absentee ballot program” by The Associated Press in the Detroit Free Press.

Ohio: “Appeals court: Early voting can start Tuesday” by The Associated Press in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Virginia: “450,000 in Va. may lack proper ID needed to vote” by Antonio Olivo and Jenna Portnoy in The Washington Post.

Political Advertising

“There have been roughly 550,000 state race TV ads this campaign season — so far” by Niraj Chokshi in The Washington Post.

State Legislatures

“The Evolution of State Legislatures Has Driven Some to Flee” by Alan Ehrenhalt in Governing.

Tech and Social Media

“These 7 local governments will Code for America in 2015” by Luke Fretwell in Govfresh.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics has developed online ethics training, as required by the New York Legislative Law. Enrollment in the online training is available here.

All registered lobbyists, including principals, must complete the online training.

All lobbyists registered for both the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 biennia must complete the online training by December 31, 2014. Beginning in 2015, all registered lobbyists will be required to complete the training once every three years.

New Jersey Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll recently introduced Assembly Bill 3650 to abolish the Election Law Enforcement Commission, repeal New Jersey’s restrictions on campaign finance and lobbying, and end public financing of gubernatorial campaigns.

Carroll claims contribution limits do not actually limit contributions but simply encourage candidates to find money in other ways, such as through PACs or other non-profit issue advocacy organizations. He said he’s not wholly averse to reporting contributions, however, and suggested the creation of a website to which every candidate would periodically download contribution and expenditure data.

Reggie Drummond, administrator of the Alaska Legislature’s Select Committee on Legislative Ethics, resigned effective September 15. He claims he simply did not enjoy the job and was not a good fit.

The ethics committee advises legislators on ethical matters and has the authority to issue penalties for ethics violations. Although the committee is charged with overseeing compliance with ethical standards, many of the ethics rules remain subject to interpretation. Drummond was not comfortable interpreting a limited statute and admits he failed to read the statute prior to accepting the position in June.

Joyce Anderson, who served as the committee’s administrator for 13 years before retiring earlier this year, has been named acting committee administrator.

National:

Non-Candidate Spending Increases in State Elections

The Center for Public Integrity – Rachel Baye, Reity O’Brien, Kytja Weir, and Ben Wieder | Published: 9/24/2014

More than 90 non-candidate organizations have spent $55 million to shape races in 30 states, accounting for roughly 19 percent of state-level political ad dollars. Four years ago, such groups spent $50 million and made up only 12 percent of spending. That translates to about 30,000 more ads this cycle from the groups. The increase in spending by non-candidate committees can be traced, in part, to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision, which gave the green light to unions and corporations to spend unlimited funds on ads supporting or opposing candidates.

Secret G.O.P. Records Reveal Corporate Donors Paying for Access to Governors

New York Times – Jonathan Weisman | Published: 9/24/2014

A recent error by the Republican Governors Association (RGA) resulted in the disclosure of exactly the kind of information that political committees given tax-exempt status normally keep secret, namely their corporate donors and the size of their checks. The documents showed many of America’s most prominent companies had poured millions of dollars into the campaigns of GOP governors since 2008. One document listed 17 corporate members of the RGA’s secretive 501(c)(4), the Republican Governors Public Policy Committee, which is allowed to shield its supporters from the public.

Study: Major companies are increasingly disclosing their political spending

Washington Post – Tom Hamburger | Published: 9/24/2014

Top U.S. companies are reporting more details about their political contributions, according to a survey by the Center for Political Accountability. It scored 191 companies on a complex scale that tracked whether they disclose corporate donations to candidates, parties, or trade associations. The center has been leading efforts to require companies to disclose more about their spending. But the push has drawn criticism from business groups, who say more disclosures offer little of value to shareholders.

From the States and Municipalities:

Colorado – Federal Judge Rejects Citizens United Push to Avoid Disclosure Laws

Denver Post – John Frank | Published: 9/22/2014

A federal judge refused to issue an injunction that would have allowed Citizens United to air and advertise a documentary on Colorado politics ahead of the November elections without disclosing funding behind any advertising related to the movie. Citizens United argued it fell under protections for media and its “Rocky Mountain Heist” film did not constitute electioneering communications. Citizens United President David Bossie said his organization would appeal to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Connecticut – Rowland, Ex-Connecticut Governor, Is Convicted in Campaign Finance Case

New York Times – Alison Leigh Cowan | Published: 9/19/2014

Former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who resigned from office a decade ago in a corruption scandal, was convicted of federal charges that he conspired to hide payment for work on two congressional campaigns. Rowland served 10 months in prison for taking illegal gifts while in office, and now as a repeat offender faces the possibility of a much stiffer sentence. Rowland could have legally worked for a candidate’s campaign and received payment, had it been properly reported. But Rowland’s problem, as U.S. Attorney Christopher Mattei told the jury, was that candidates valued his experience but his criminal history made the association too risky to be revealed.

Georgia – New Ga. Lobbying Rules Still Allow State Legislators to Accept Lavish Summer Travel

The Tribune; Associated Press – | Published: 9/21/2014

An analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows lobbyists spent more than $100,000 hosting lawmakers and state officials at roughly two-dozen summertime conferences. Many were held on the coast of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina during June and July. That spending increased by about 35 percent from 2012, the year before state lawmakers adopted some limits on lobbyist expenditures. But the new law left open a loophole that still allows lobbyists to pay generously when lawmakers travel for work purposes.

Kentucky – Kentucky Election Finance Leader Retiring

WFPL – Phillip Bailey | Published: 9/19/2014

The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance announced that Sarah Jackson will retire as executive director on November 1. The registry appointed budget analyst Rebecca Feland as the interim executive director. Registry Chairperson Craig Dilger said a search for Jackson’s replacement will take several months. “Sarah has been a tremendous asset to the agency and a true professional as executive director; the agency is stronger for it,” said Dilger.

Maine – Gay Donors Missing History in Maine

Politico – Alexander Burns | Published: 9/22/2014

U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, who is leading Maine’s gubernatorial race six weeks before Election Day, would be the first openly gay candidate ever to become governor of a state. Michaud has gotten to this point with little help from the wealthiest and most influential gay donors in Democratic politics. Some say it is an illustration of the short shrift progressive donors typically give to state-level elections, as well as Michaud’s own status as a new arrival within the gay political community.

North Carolina – North Carolina, in Political Flux, Battles for Its Identity

New York Times – Richard Fausset | Published: 9/22/2014

Unlike other Southern states, which have shifted decidedly rightward in recent years, North Carolina often seems like it is moving in both directions at once. Barack Obama shocked the political world by winning the state in 2008. Two years later, Republicans wrested control of both legislative houses for the first time in more than a century. In a tight race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate, it is Democrats who hold the advantage in registered voters. “It’s a place on the cusp – there’s really a battle going on for the soul of North Carolina,” said Marc Farinella, who was Obama’s 2008 campaign director in the state.

Rhode Island – Groups Challenge Proposed Changes for Those Lobbying Providence City Council

Providence Journal – John Hill | Published: 9/20/2014

Nonprofit groups criticized as burdensome a proposed lobbying ordinance in Providence that would expand disclosure requirements. They focused on one new rule that would define a lobbyist as someone who advocates for an organization or cause for 10 or more hours a year and is paid $2,500 or more for that work. The current standard is 25 hours a year and $2,500. Councilperson Samuel Zurier said a public hearing on the changes will be scheduled.

Rhode Island – Hearing Officer Rules That Corso Lobbied for 38 Studios Deal

Providence Journal – Katherine Gregg | Published: 9/19/2014

A hearing officer hired by the Rhode Island secretary of state’s office ruled attorney Michael Corso should have registered as a lobbyist on behalf of 38 Studios. Secretary of State Ralph Mollis launched the probe in the wake media reports that revealed no one from 38 Studios registered to lobby when a controversial deal to provide the company with state funds was being put together in the Legislature. A contract showed the company pledged to pay Corso $300,000 to interact with government officials, among other duties. The hearing officer set a deadline for Corso to file lobbyist disclosure reports for 2010, or pay a $2,000 fine.

Virginia – McAuliffe Unveils Ethics Panel to Restore Public Trust after McDonnell Convictions

Washington Post – Laura Vozzella | Published: 9/25/2014

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe laid out an ambitious agenda for ethical and political reform in the state, saying it is essential to restore the public’s trust in its government. McAuliffe appointed a bipartisan commission charged with recommending sweeping changes in the laws regarding gifts, campaign contributions, and public disclosure by state officials. The announcement comes less than a month after former Gov. Robert McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were convicted of corruption.

Wisconsin – Federal Court Overturns Doe Ruling, Sends it Back to State Judges

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Jason Stein, Daniel Bice, and Patrick Marley | Published: 9/24/2014

A federal appeals court removed an injunction halting an investigation into whether Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign illegally coordinated with conservative groups on fundraising and spending as he sought to overcome a recall effort. The decision by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit raised the prospect that prosecutors could eventually resume the investigation even as Walker is engaged in a tight battle for re-election. But now the matter returns to Wisconsin’s courts, where a state judge had in effect stopped the inquiry in an earlier ruling, saying he had found no basis for pursuing an inquiry into campaign finance violations.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the appointment of a bipartisan panel to review state campaign finance, gift, and public disclosure laws. The panel is co-chaired by former Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and former U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, who represented a district in southwestern Virginia.

The governor’s announcement comes just weeks after former Gov. Bob McDonnell was convicted of corruption charges for accepting close to $200,000 of gifts in exchange for public acts.

Other topics on the table include merit selection of judges and redrawing of legislative district lines.

Gov. McAuliffe has asked the panel for a report by December 1, giving the General Assembly time to take action in 2015.

Photo of Gov. Terry McAuliffe courtesy of Kate Wellington in Wikimedia Commons.

Lobbying

“Tech Firms and Lobbyists: Now Intertwined, but Not Eager to Reveal It” by Derek Willis and Claire Cain Miller in The New York Times.

New Jersey: “Archer & Greiner Lobbying Unit Eyes Future Without Mroz” by David Gialanella in the New Jersey Law Journal.

Campaign Finance

“2014 Campaign Finance Dashboard” by Alan Palazzolo, Tom Nehil and Devin Henry in MinnPost.

Indiana: “Big-money donors play in quiet 2014 state election cycle” by The Associated Press in the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Massachusetts: “Somerville mayor vetoes new campaign finance law” by Danielle McLean in the Somerville Journal.

New York City: “City campaign finance officials on the future of online-donation tools” by Miranda Neubauer in Capital New York.

Wisconsin: “Federal appeals court lifts injunction of Scott Walker campaign finance investigation” by Matea Gold in The Washington Post.

Ethics

Hawaii: “Hawaii Ethics Commission Won’t Budge on Releasing Financial Disclosures” by Nathan Eagle in the Honolulu Civil Beat.

Indiana: “Dem asks for tougher rules after ethics conflict” by The Associated Press in the Washington Times.

Virginia: “Bolling, Boucher to serve on McAuliffe’s ethics panel” by Andrew Cain in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Elections

“The worst campaigns of 2014” by Alex Isenstadt in Politico.

“Coming soon to the workplace: Voter registration drives?” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

Arkansas: “Arkansas Is Likely the Next State to Turn Red” by Alan Greenblatt in Governing.

California: “Gubernatorial Candidate Gives Out Gift Cards for Gas” by Seema Mehta in Governing.

Colorado: “Poll: Colorado turns perfect purple” by Kendall Breitman in Politico.

Florida: “Elections officials urging online voter registration” in the Miami Herald.

Political Advertising

North Carolina: “N.C. campaign ad spending tops $3.7 million” by The Associated Press in The Fayetteville Observer.

Tech and Social Media

“These 7 local governments will Code for America in 2015” by Luke Fretwell in Govfresh.

Lobbying

“Lobbying World” in The Hill.

“Americans Are O.K. With Big Business. It’s Business Lobbying Power They Hate.” by Neil Irwin in The New York Times.

“TechAmerica Axes Top Government Representative” in Government Technology.

Campaign Finance

“Study: Major companies are increasingly disclosing their political spending” by Tom Hamburger in The Washington Post.

“Why the Billionaires Got Bupkus” by Michael Lind in Politico Magazine.

“D’Souza Avoids Prison in Campaign Finance Case” by Jonathan Mahler in The New York Times.

Maine: “Groups’ spending on Maine elections hits record $4.6 million” by Steve Mistler in the Portland Press Herald.

San Diego, California: “Leaders OK campaign crackdown” by David Garrick in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Ethics

“Lawmakers push for new limits to political intelligence brokers” by Peter Schroeder in The Hill.

“QUIZ: Do You Know How to Be an Ethical Political Appointee?” by Eric Katz in Government Executive.

Georgia: “AG’s office pays $10,000 fine in ethics commission case” by Aaron Gould Sheinin in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Georgia: “DeKalb Commission releases money for ethics investigations” by Mark Niesse in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Political Advertising

“When NOT to Air Political Ads on TV” by Abby Livingston in Roll Call.

Minnesota: “Minnesota campaign regulators give social media advice, suggest online posts carry disclaimers” by The Associated Press in the Star Tribune.

Missouri: “Few 2014 campaign TV ads in Missouri” by The Associated Press in the Springfield News-Leader.

Elections

Florida: “Hillary Clinton to campaign for Charlie Crist” by Maggie Haberman in Politico.

North Carolina: “N.C. sees rise in unaffliated voters” by Benjamin Brown in the Charlotte Observer.

Legislative Sessions

Montana: “Legislative Update September 2014” by Sen. Matt Rosendale in The Roundup.

Utah: “2015 Legislature Could See Record Number of Bills” by Bob Bernick in Utah Policy.

Tech and Social Media

“Procurement: What if We’re Doing it Wrong?” by Mark Headd in Government Technology.

Lobbying

“Bottom Line” in The Hill.

Oklahoma: “State Capitol lobbyist Bart McSpadden dead at 46” by Mark Friedel in the Claremore Daily Progress.

Campaign Finance

“Democrats relying on big donors to win” by Kenneth P. Vogel and Tarini Parti in Politico.

“FEC Chairman Talks ‘Dark Money’ and the Fine Line Between Free Speech and Censorship” by Elizabeth Nolan Brown in Reason.com.

“Is there a right to contribute to out-of-state elections?” by William Baude in The Washington Post.

Massachusetts: “Massachusetts governor’s race has range of cash sources” by Steve Leblanc in the Portland Press Herald.

Massachusetts: “Pro-casino group ramping up campaign spending” by The Associated Press in the Boston Herald.

New Jersey: “N.J. assemblyman wants to end restrictions on campaign donations, lobbying: The Auditor” in NJ.com.

Winnipeg, Canada: “The money behind the politics: Winnipeg’s most generous political donors” by Joanne Levasseur and Sean Kavanagh in CBC News.

Ethics

Tallahassee, Florida: “City approves 2015 budget, more ethics standards” by TaMaryn Waters in the Tallahassee Democrat.

Elections

California: “A show of disunity at California GOP convention” by Michael Finnegan and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times.

California: “AM Alert: Democrats’ legislative supermajority hinges on several key races” by Alexei Koseff in the Fresno Bee.

Michigan: “Michigan GOP Gov. Rick Snyder Has Created an Opening for His Opponent” by Alan Greenblatt in Governing.

Minnesota: “Unions will play key role in Dayton re-election bid” by Ricardo Lopez in the Star Tribune.

Legislative Sessions

Alaska: “Alaska legislative committee reviews progress on crime-reduction bill” by Jerzy Shedlock in the Alaska Dispatch News.

The executive director of the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance is stepping down. Sarah Jackson, who has held the position since 1999, announced her retirement effective November 1.

During her tenure, Jackson expanded the state’s electronic campaign finance reporting program and established an online searchable database.

Rebecca Feland, a budget analyst with the Registry, has been named the interim director.