“Text Messages as Campaign Finance Reform?” by Quentin Fottrell in the Wall Street Journal.

“The Politics of Social Networking” by Damon Eris on the Independent Voter Network.

“At Meeting of Left’s Online Activists, Weighing Impact of Attack Ads” by Sarah Wheaton in The New York Times.

Alaska: “Will Citizens United result in Big Oil deciding who wins Alaska elections?” in the Alaska Dispatch.

District of Columbia:  “Ex-D.C. Council Chairman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud” by Tom Schoenberg in Bloomberg.

Georgia: “Taking the Pledge – Most see need for lobbyist gift cap” in the Marietta Daily Journal.

Kansas: “Voters will see big changes from new redistricting plan” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

New York: “Analysis: $2M gambling bet puts focus on lobbyist” by The Associated Press in The Wall Street Journal.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced an ethics reform amendment to the city council on June 8. The amendment, based on the recommendations given to him by the Ethics Reform Task Force, would strengthen the gift ban, add a reverse revolving door provision, and increase the penalties for PACs who accept illegal contributions. The amendment also includes a code of conduct for city officials and employees, which is something the city has never had before.

The city council will now decide the fate of the mayor’s initiatives. The Ethics Reform Task Force will release its second set of recommendations in late July, this time focusing on the relationship between, and the key responsibilities of, the city’s ethics institutions.

Photo of Chicago skyline by mindfrieze on Wikipedia. 

Lobbying

“Lobbyists ask Congress for a mandate on ethics” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Campaign Finance

“Tammany businessman’s allegedly illegal campaign donations went to Gov. Jindal’s 2007 run” by Claire Galofaro in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Redistricting

Iowa: “Redistricting makes for tumultuous Iowa primary” by The Associated Press in the Quad-City Times.

New Hampshire: “Court to hear challenges to NH redistricting plan” by Holly Ramer (Associated Press) in the Boston Globe.

Social Media

“Political campaigns are in a constant technology arms race” by Scott Canon in the Kansas City Star.

Campaign Finance

“Texas leads country in Super PAC giving — by a wide margin” by Emily Wilkins in the Houston Chronicle.

“17 funniest super PAC names” by Politico staff.

Louisiana: “Campaign donations for Gov. Jindal, others under scrutiny” by The Associated Press in the Daily Comet.

“Can State Laws Cohabit With Citizens United?” by Lincoln Caplan in the New York Times.

Lobbying

“K Street not thrilled with Tampa” by Anna Palmer in Politico.

Ethics

“Top N.H. pol quits; lied about work” by Mackenzie Weinger in Politico.

Federal: “Group wants investigation of lobby shop after Owens’s Taiwan trip” by Mike Zapler in Politico.

District of Columbia: “Second Gray aide charged in campaign probe” by Tom Howell, Jr. in The Washington Times.

Missouri: “Already charged by feds, former Gov. Wilson fined by ethics cops, too” by Jake Wagman in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Pennsylvania: “Veon’s ex-aide gets house arrest” by Brad Bumsted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Nevada Assemblyman Pat Hickey has called for campaign finance, lobbying, and ethic reforms.

Assemblyman Hickey’s recommendations include expanding the reporting of lobbyists’ expenditures to include those made when the legislature is not in session, limiting political contributions to PACs, and creating a ‘cooling off’ period before an ex-legislator may become a lobbyist.

As reported in the Las Vegas Sun, the Assemblyman is also suggesting there be ‘real time’ reporting of political contributions.

Assemblyman Hickey made these recommendations at a news conference and has not yet requested a draft bill for these proposed changes. The Nevada Legislature currently is not in session and not scheduled to meet again until 2013.

More information from the Las Vegas Sun can be found here and here.

Photo of Assemblyman Pat Hickey courtesy of the Nevada Legislature Website.

Campaign Finance

New Mexico: “King Appeals Ruling on PAC Donations” by James Monteleone in the Albuquerque Journal.

Lobbying

“Ex-lawmakers on K Street avoid ‘Scarlet L,’ shy away from registering as lobbyists” by Kevin Bogardus and Rachel Leven in The Hill.

“Common Cause complaint: ALEC skirting lobbying laws” by Beth Hawkins in MinnPost.com.

“Sports Lobby Is a Multi-Million-Dollar Enterprise” by Laurie Bennett in First Street.

Phildaelphia, PA: “Blackwell, others fined for campaign violations” by Catherine Lucey in the Philadelphia Daily News.

Washington: “Washington State Public Disclosure Commission adds lobbying data to online database” in the Maple Valley Reporter.

Ethics

Arizona: “State legislator Arredondo indicted in FBI sting” by JJ Hensley, Mary Jo Pitzl, and Craig Harris in The Arizona Republic.

Missouri: “Spence criticized for handing out sports tickets to lawmakers” by Jake Wagman in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania governor, lawmakers report gifts, travel” by John L. Micek in The Morning Call.

From the State Legislatures

Alabama: “Bentley calls special session to address redistricting” by Sebastian Kitchen in the Montgomery Advertiser.

California: “California’s Prop. 28 would let legislative leaders serve longer stints” by Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee.

Campaign Finance

“Ads highlight cozy campaign-super PAC relationship” by Beth Fouhy in The Associated Press.

“Sen. McCain huddles with Dems on campaign finance reform” by Alexander Bolton in The Hill.

“Edwards’ campaign finance chairman paid mistress” by Michael Biesecker in Bloomberg Businessweek.

“Judges refuse to block disclosure ruling” by The Associated Press in Bloomberg Businessweek.

“Election decision may force disclosure of secret donors” by Matea Gold in the Los Angeles Times.

Lobbying

“Lobbying firms get big paydays in Tallahassee” by Jim Saunders in The Miami Herald.

“Law firm’s collapse leaves lobbying clients up for grabs” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Ethics

“Ethics Panel Opens Inquiry Into No. 2 Leader in State Senate” by Danny Hakim in The New York Times.

“‘Stunt’ alleged in ethics pursuit” by Casey Seiler in the Albany Times Union.

Campaign Finance

“FEC to Congress: Expand ban on personal use of political committee funds” by Rachel Leven in The Hill.

Ethics

Arkansas: “Group throws financial weight behind ethics reform initiative” by Rob Moritz in Arkansas News.

Florida: “Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff draws ethics complaint for using state staff to apply for a job” by May Ellen Klas in The Miami Herald.

Florida: “Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s Chief of Staff Resigns Amid Scrutiny of State Contracts Awarded Friends” by Mary Ellen Klas in Governing.

Redistricting

Alaska: “State redistricting board will meet Monday to address supreme court concerns in SE Alaska” by The Associated Press in The Republic.

Arizona: “Clean Elections Commission weighs in on redistricting suit” by Mary Jo Pitzl in the Arizona Republic.

Kansas:  “Kansas redistricting fight may navigate to the courts” in the Kansas City Business Journal.

National:

Crop of College Super PACs Answer Call of Stephen Colbert

Federal:

Super PAC Supporting Romney Rethinks Donations from Federal Contractors

From the States and Municipalities:

California

Bond Firms’ Campaign Gifts Linked to Sales Pacts

Connecticut

Legislature Splits with Malloy over Campaign Bill

Florida

Palm Beach County’s Lobbying ‘Cone of Silence’ Questioned

Georgia

Despite Gift Ban, State Leaders Taking Them

Michigan

SEC Says Kilpatrick Extracted Lavish Gifts

Nevada

Political Favors ‘Just the Way You Do Business Here,’ Lobbyists Say

New Jersey

N.J. Senate Minority Leader Introduces Bill to Expand ‘Pay-to-Play’ to Labor Unions

North Carolina

Democrats Ask for Ethics Review of Tillis’ Office

Oklahoma

FBI Behind Illegal Contributions to Oklahoma Lawmakers

West Virginia

Unpopular Obama: Texas prison inmate gets four in 10 votes in Democratic primary in West Virginia

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.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

Lobbying

“Panel discusses effect of campaign and finance reforms on lobbyist spending at St. Peter’s College” by Charles Hack in the Jersey Journal.

“Political favors ‘just the way you do business here,’ lobbyists say” by Joe Schoenmann in the Los Vegas Sun.

Jack Abramoff makes another statement in “Ex-lobbyist: Lawmakers, not lawbreakers, to blame” by Ross Ramsey in the San Angelo Standard-Times.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “Legislature splits with Malloy over campaign bill” by Mark Pazniokas in the Connecticut Mirror.

Louisiana: “Senate moves Jindal ethics bills” by Marsha Shuler in the Baton Rouge Advocate.

New Hampshire: “NH Senate considers campaign reporting today” by Grant Bosse in the New Hampshire Watchdog.

New Hampshire: “Campaign finance bill targets nonprofits” by Ted Siefer in the Union Leader.

Vermont: “State senator resigns from committee over campaign finance bill” by Olga Peters in The Commons Online.

Super Pacs

“Dem pollster: Independents want candidates to address money in politics” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

“Insight: Super PACS: Follow the money – if you can” by Marcus Stern, Kristina Cooke and Alexander Cohen (Reuters) in the Chicago Tribune.

Michael Sullivan, the Director of the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, has been reappointed for another six-year term to the agency.

According to the Boston Herald, the decision was unanimous to reappoint Sullivan, who has been the director for almost 18 years.

For full news coverage, read:

“Michael Sullivan reappointed as OCPF chief” by Gintautas Dumcius in the Boston Herald.

A thank you goes to Jim Sedor, Editor of News You Can Use, for alerting us to this news.

National:

Crowd-Sourcing Site Aims to Give Voters Lobbying Power

Federal:

Conservative Group Seeks FEC Approval to Keep Donors Secret

Obama Campaign Puts Bo on the Trail

From the States and Municipalities:

California

Lawmakers Mix Work with Fundraising in Sacramento

Illinois

Mayor’s Ethics Panel Offers Tweaks, Plans to Take Bigger Steps

Kentucky

Audit: Richie Farmer abused system

Maine

Lawmakers Decry Corruption Claim

Maryland

Legislation Would Give State Voters More Political Gift Information

Montana

Groups Ask That Montana Judge Toss Ban Restricting Campaign Donations

North Carolina

Second Tillis Staffer Admits to Inappropriate Relationship with a Lobbyist

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Ethics Panel Reprimands OU Doctor for Accepting Excessive Speaking Fees

Texas

Austin Approves New Campaign Finance Rules

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.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

Campaign Finance

New York: “Senate Democrats call for campaign finance reform” by Bill Lambdin on WNYT.com.

Vermont: “Campaign finance bill sent to Judiciary Committee” by Terri Hallenbeck in the Burlington Free Press.

Lobbying

North Carolina: “Second Tillis staffer admits to inappropriate relationship with a lobbyist” by Dan Kane and John Frank in the Charlotte Observer.

Texas:  “Texas legislator fined for failure to disclose gifts” in the  Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Ethics

District of Columbia: “D.C. Council Backs Off Pressuring Mayor to Select Ethics Panel” by Tom Sherwood on NBCWashington.com.

South Carolina: “SC House votes to open investigations into its own if ethics committee finds probable cause” by Seanna Adcox (Associated Press) in The Republic.