Lobbying:

“Group pushes ethics reform in hopes of curbing lobbyist influence at Georgia Legislature” by Errin Haines (Associated Press) in The Republic.

Campaign Finance:

“Late Night: Stephen Colbert drops ‘super PAC’ to run for president” by Meredith Blake in the Los Angeles Times. (with a wink…)

“Super PACs are making their rich presence felt in 2012 campaigns” David Goldstein in the Sacramento Bee.

“Summary of Kansas Senate Campaign Finance Reports” in the Missouri News Horizon.

“The 20 Largest Campaign Donors in Rhode Island” by Dan McGowan on golocalProv.com.

“No action taken on Oklahoma’s campaign disclosure laws” by Michael McNutt in the Daily Oklahoman.

Ethics:

“John Edwards trial: Lawyers request for delay will be considered by judge” by The Associated Press on Politico.

“Prison for ex-Rep. Siljander: He aided terrorist-linked charity” by Matt Pearce in the Los Angeles Times.

The Campaign Legal Center, Democracy 21, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the League of Women Voters for the U.S., and other groups are petitioning the White House in order to get President Obama to make new appointments to the Federal Election Commission, which they deem ineffective because of political division. The terms for five of the six commissioners have expired.

The groups plan to do this via the administration’s “We the People” online petitioning tool, for which they will need 25, 000 signatures for their petition will be officially considered.

Here is the coverage this afternoon of the breaking news issue:

“Watchdogs push Obama to make FEC appointments before election” by Alicia Cohn in The Hill.

“Advocates Again Press Obama to Name FEC Appointees” by Eliza Newlin Carney.

“Watchdogs to Obama: Fix the FEC” by Susan Crabtree in the Washington Times.

The Ethics Resource Center reports in a new study that four times as many employees of large corporations have seen illegal donations given to public officials.

According to an article in today’s edition of Politico: “Four percent of 4,600 private-sector employees surveyed this fall by the Ethics Resource Center said they witnessed improper contributions to campaigns and parties. By comparison, only 1 percent of respondents reported these transgressions in the group’s previous study, completed in 2009.”

For the full story, read “Ethics Study: More Employees Report Seeing Illegal Donations” by Janie Lorber in Politico.

The Charter Review Commission for the city of Stamford, Connecticut is considering whether changes should be made in order to mandate a city ethics code. Local officials are considering whether to institute a requirement for an ethics code into the city charter, revised only once every ten years, or by ordinance.

If an ethics code is mandated into the city charter, some commission members worry repealing or altering it could become a burdensome task due to the required approval by Stamford residents through voter referendum. In contrast, an ordinance requiring a code of ethics could be changed as necessary by Stamford officials.

The Commission will be holding several meetings to allow public comments concerning the situation prior to making any decision.

“Ethics watchdog alleges that Gingrich might have violated lobbying laws” by Rachel Leven in The Hill.

“Super PACs: The WMDs of Campaign Finance” by Ben Heineman, Jr. in The Atlantic.

“Rick Santorum, ‘Stealth Lobbyist’” by Matthew Mosk and Brian Ross on ABCNews.com.

“More women seeking, achieving greater political clout in Wisconsin” by Michael Louis Vinson in the Appleton Post-Crescent.

“SCOTUS expected to weigh Montana campaign finance appeal” by Robin Bravender in Politico.

“State GOP accused of campaign finance violations” by Brad Schrade in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

A new law signed by President Obama precludes federal agencies from requiring vendors bidding on federal contracts to disclose political contributions.

Buried in the 565-page National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2012, House Resolution 1540, is language amending Chapter 137 of Title 10 of the United States Code.

The amendment explicitly prohibits requiring a contractor to submit political information as part of a solicitation, or a request for bid or proposal. It also bars contractors from being required to submit political information during the modifications of a contract, or while exercising a contract option.

The language was added as an amendment to HR 1540 in response to a leaked draft executive order which required every entity submitting offers for federal contracts to disclose certain political contributions and expenditures made within the two years prior to submission of their offer.

For previous articles on Lobby Comply by George Ticoras on this topic, you can read posts from June 1, May 20, May 12, and May 10, and July 28, 2011.

Representative Kevin Ryan has pre-filed a bill to end the practice of state lawmakers policing themselves in ethics matters.

The bill would abolish the legislative ethics committees and empower the Ethics Commission to enforce the law as it applies to legislators.

Currently, the Ethics Commission oversees the state’s nine constitutional officers, certain appointed state officials, and locally elected officials. However, the Ethics Commission does not have jurisdiction over legislators. Instead, lawmakers police themselves through separate House and Senate ethics committees.

State Senator Mike Rose has sponsored a proposal in the Senate that would give the legislature explicit authority to delegate ethics enforcement to an outside entity.

Lawmakers are scheduled to begin the second half of the 2011-12 legislative session on Tuesday, January 10, 2012.

Title 15 requires government officials and employees to disclose their financial affairs and sets minimum ethical standards for the conduct of state and local business. The law also requires all counties, municipalities, and school boards adopt ethics standards at least equal to the state’s ethics law with regard to conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying. Each local ethics commission is required to certify its compliance with the Maryland Ethics Commission on or before October 1st of each year, beginning in 2011.

Some local officials are still working toward agreement and passage of the required bills. Although officials may follow the state’s guidelines, many are choosing their own paths. For instance, the registration thresholds for lobbyists in Title 15 include an expenditure clause and a gift clause: $500 in expenditures towards influencing legislative or executive action; or $100 in gifts for the purpose of influencing executive action. The recently passed Charles County bill has a $100 gift threshold, while Alleghany County’s gift threshold is $200. Neither bill includes an expenditure clause. However, in Howard County, there is a $100 expenditure threshold for any lobbying activity, but no gift threshold.

Conflict of interest rules have also been the subject of debate. Title 15 forbids former public officials (other than legislators) and employees from assisting or representing a party in a contract or other specific matter for compensation if the former official or employee participated significantly in the matter as an official or employee. Frederick County attempted to limit this prohibition to one year for former commissioners with an exemption for former employees. This modification was rejected by the state. The Frederick County delegation now plans to propose changes to Title 15 before the general assembly to allow the one year limitations.

Counties such as Baltimore and Montgomery continue to debate and, as of December 1, 2011, had yet to approve a final version of the required ethics bill.

In the latest development, the State Ethics Commission met to respond to exemption requests. According to the Maryland Municipal League web site:

“The Maryland State Ethics Commission met on December 8 to consider a number of exemption requests from various municipalities around the state. Several jurisdictions were requesting an extension of an existing exemption, while some cities and towns were requesting new exemptions from the recently enacted financial disclosure reporting requirement. The results were varied, although it seemed as though population and budget size were the criteria most often cited by the members of the Ethics Commission when exemptions were being considered. For more information, please contact Tom Reynolds or Candace Donoho on the MML staff.”

Bloomberg Business Week has gathered a variety of opinions about the emerging Jack Abramoff redux-as-ethics-teacher phenomenon. The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission hired Jack Abramoff to be a speaker on the subject of ethics at their upcoming legislative training and people are reacting.

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, and Howard Marlowe, President of the American League of Lobbyists offered their thoughts. You also can find opinions from Craig Holman of Public Citizen in Washington, Melanie Sloan, the director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and even Jack Abramoff himself.

Bartz was quoted saying: “Certainly you want to give people a chance to rehabilitate themselves. But is Jack Abramoff rehabilitated? I don’t think so.”

You can read the coverage in “Abramoff as Ethics Guru Latest Chapter in Political Second Acts” by Julie Bykowicz.

Don’t miss Scott Suttell’s “Even Those in the lobbying business aren’t Jack Abramoff fans” where he says Bartz’s comment is a contender for “quote of the year.”

Federal:

Fundraisers Take a Gamble on Lotteries

Romney Charity Used for Conservative Donations

Ron Paul’s House Record Marked by Bold Strokes, and Futility

From the States and Municipalities:

California

Business Interests Were Top Bill-Killers in California’s Capitol This Year

California

State Senator Aims to Double Lobby Fee in California – to 14 Cents a Day

Colorado

Gessler Issues 2012 Campaign Finance Rules

Florida

Palm Beach County Approves Countywide Lobbyist Registry

Ohio

Jimmy Dimora Faces Trial as Convictions in Federal Court Soar

South Carolina

Colbert Offering $500,000 to Pay for S.C. GOP Primary

Tennessee

Tennessee Lawmakers Still Haven’t Filled Ethics Commission Seat That Expired in ’09

Washington

Court Invalidates Washington State Cap on PAC Donations

West Virginia

Ethics Agency’s Informal Advice Kept Secret
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.

The city of Pembroke Pines, Florida passed a lobbyist registration ordinance at the most recent city commission meeting. The ordinance requires lobbyists to register with the city clerk prior to engaging in lobbying activities.

Registration will be required annually and lobbyists must pay a registration fee of $50. Lobbyists will also be required to complete a contact log to document meetings with members of the city commission or members of other decision-making bodies under the jurisdiction of the city commission.

The ordinance was passed in response to Broward County’s new code of ethics, which extends the county’s code of ethics to all municipalities within the county. Lobbyists will be required to begin registering on January 2, 2012.

Map of Florida by Bastique on Wikipedia.

10)  “Hamilton Sentenced in Bribery, Extortion Case” – from The Washington Post on August 12.

9) “City Hall Plotters Accused in Gun-Smuggling Scheme” – from The Wall Street Journal on March 14.

8)  “Blagojevich Hit with 14-Year Prison Sentence” – from The Chicago Tribune on December 9.

7)  “Leslie Johnson Gets One-Year Sentence” – from The Washington Post on December 9.

6) “Second Bribe Case for Lawmaker Just Acquitted” – from The New York Times on November 29.

5) “Ex-Judge Gets 17 1/2 Years in Pa. Kickbacks Case” – from The Seattle Times on September 23.

4) “Disgraced DiMasi Is Given Eight Years” – from The Boston Globe on September 10.

3) “Casino Developer Gilley Pleads Guilty” – from  The Tuscaloosa News (Associated Press) on April 21.

2) “Weiner Resigns in Chaotic Final Scene” – from The New York Times on June 16.

And here it is, the number one most egregious news item of 2011 …

1) “Sen. Ensign, Under Ethics Inquiry, Admits No Wrongdoing But Says He Will Resign” – from The Washington Post on April 21.

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.

Ohio Ethics Commission Chair Ben Rose has asked Governor John Kasich not to reappoint him to the Commission in 2012.

Rose, who was first appointed to the Commission in 2006, has been elected Chair during each of his last three years.

In making his request, Rose cited desires to become involved in endeavors where a conflict of interest may have been previously raised due to his Commission membership and to spend more time with his family as reasons for his decision.

Rose, whose term expires January 1, 2012, has indicated a willingness to remain on the Commission for a reasonable period of time after the expiration of his appointment until a successor is appointed, if permitted.

Federal:

FEC Quashes New Disclosure Rules

Super PACs: The bad cops of 2012

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska

Pebble Opponent Fined for Flying Candidates to Villages

Arizona

Arizona Prosecutor Won’t Charge Politicians Who Took Free Tickets, Trips from Fiesta Bowl

California

California Lobbyists Write Checks to Legislators Running for Congress

Colorado

Gessler, Lawmakers Clash on Campaign Finance Deadlines

Connecticut

Draft Report Renews Fears about Watchdogs’ Autonomy

District of Columbia

D.C. Council Overhauls Ethics Laws

Illinois

Donor to Madison County Judge Says Contribution Looks Bad, But Isn’t

Kentucky

Ex-Lobbyist Jack Abramoff to Speak at Kentucky Legislative Ethics Session

Maryland

Baltimore County Council Scales Back, Passes Ethics Reform Bill

Utah

Utah Lawmaker Resigning Due to Fundraising Ban

Washington

Firm Agrees to Big Fine over Tactics in Political Campaign

Wisconsin

State Elections Board Should Be Replaced, Assembly GOP Leader Says

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.