September 27, 2011 •
Sengova to Serve as Interim Ethics Officer in Atlanta
Atlanta Board of Ethics Names Interim Ethics Officer
The Atlanta Board of Ethics has appointed Jabu Sengova as the interim ethics officer, effective September 29, 2011. Sengova, who has been with the Ethics Office since November 2008, currently serves as the associate ethics officer.
Sengova will serve in the interim until a replacement can be found for Ginny Looney, who is resigning effective September 28, 2011. Looney, who announced her resignation in July, has served as the ethics officer since the position was first created in August 2003.
Applications to replace Looney are still being accepted.
September 26, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 26, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Election Spending to Exceed $6 Billion Thanks Partly to Jim Bopp
Twitter to Launch Political Advertising
Federal:
K Street Cool to Obama Lobbying Plan
Watchdog Spotlights Lawmaker Ethics in ‘Most Corrupt’ Report
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Former Governor Riley Gets Ethics Training He Pushed
California
California Pension Managers Fined for Unreported Gifts
Connecticut
‘Shock Jock’ Hal Turner Acquitted in Connecticut Threats Case
District of Columbia
Wells Drafts D.C. Bill to Limit Lobbyists’ Influence
Illinois
The Price of Influence in Chicago
Louisiana
Sugar Bowl in Violation of Tax Law with Purchases to Fundraiser
Missouri
T.D. El-Amin Gets Record Ethics Fine
Montana
Supreme Court Looks at Campaign Finance for Political Spending
Oklahoma
Oklahoma High Court Hears Former Senator’s Appeal
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Judge: Wisconsin campaign law is unconstitutional
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.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 20, 2011 •
NJ Governor Calls Again For Ethics Reform
Uniform Pay-to-Play Statewide
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie renewed calls on the Legislature to pass ethics reform. In a press release, the governor stated, “New Jersey’s ethics laws remain a patchwork of ineffective half measures and loopholes that fail to apply a uniform standard of rules of conduct for all levels of government in our state.”
Highlighting a report issued last week by the State Comptroller which emphasized the failure of the state’s pay-to-play laws, the governor reiterated the need for the changes in his proposals, which include imposing a uniform standard for awarding contracts at all levels and branches of government in New Jersey. His proposals would also end ‘wheeling,’ a practice of transferring political donations to circumvent campaign financing laws.
Governor Christie has pushed pay-to-play reform in New Jersey by linking financial Transitional Aid to municipalities with the requirement the municipalities adopt local pay-to-play ordinances.
A post about the State Comptroller report can be found here.
September 19, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 19, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
New Rule Would Expand Tight Obama Lobbying Rules to All Federal Workers
‘Revolving Door’ of Employment between Congress, Lobbying Firms, Study Shows
Without Scandal, Lobby Reform Stalls
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Gessler to Help Raise Cash to Pay off GOP Fine
Delaware
Kentucky
Gubernatorial Candidates Back ‘No Cup of Coffee’ Rule
Massachusetts
Disgraced DiMasi Is Given Eight Years
Montana
Conservative Groups File New Lawsuit over Montana Election Laws
New Jersey
Report: Serious flaws in N.J. ‘pay-to-play’ law
New York
Former Hospital Chief Convicted of Offering Bribes to Albany Legislators
North Carolina
Groups Seek to Overturn N.C. Campaign Spending Law
South Dakota
Ethics Rules for State Workers Weak, Critics Say
Texas
Anita Perry’s Salary Comes Indirectly from Governor’s Backers
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.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 14, 2011 •
Concord, NH Adopts Ethics Policy
The Concord City Council approved two ethics measures on September 12, 2011.
One measure limits gifts to the mayor and councilors to $50 or less. Another measure creates an ethics board to enforce the newly created gift limits.
The measures were somewhat controversial because many thought the gift restrictions were not strict enough.
September 12, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 12, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Bipartisan Bill Would Require Transparency of Super Committee
Facing Voter Discontent, Lawmakers Skip Town Halls
Members of Debt Panel Have Ties to Lobbyists
From the States and Municipalities:
California
Campaign Accountant Held in Theft of Funds
Connecticut
Watchdog Agencies Spared as Malloy Nails Down Budget Cuts
Georgia
Ethics Chief Arrives Amid Makeover
Rhode Island
R.I. Rep. Leo Medina Is Charged with a Felony
Washington
Seattle City Employee to Be Fined for Driving City Car to Casino
Wisconsin
Attorney: New Wisconsin ad rules too broad
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.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 6, 2011 •
Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission Makes Reform Recommendations
Gift law provisions to be modified
The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission has issued recommendations to reform the state code of ethics.
The Commission has recommended repealing the provision allowing lobbyists to spend $100 annually on food and beverages for each legislative official and their respective families.
Further, the Commission has recommended that candidates for the state legislature be subjected to the same gift restrictions as legislative officials.
This would include a prohibition on the receipt of anything of value from lobbyists.
September 2, 2011 •
Guay to Head Connecticut Office of Governmental Accountability
Executive Administrator Named For New Connecticut Watchdog Office
Governor Dannel P. Malloy is set to name David L. Guay as the head of Connecticut’s newly created Office of Governmental Accountability.
Guay was one of three finalists for the position of executive administrator recommended to the governor in July by the heads of the nine agencies comprising the new Office of Governmental Accountability, including the Office of State Ethics and the State Elections Enforcement Commission.
Guay has served as the executive director of the Board of Accountancy since 1989, and has also held the position of director of election campaign finance services.
Guay’s new position calls for assisting each of the nine agencies in meeting their needs, while also promoting autonomy over the watchdog function each agency provides.
Increased Lobbyist Registration Fees Considered
A report by state Auditor Thomas Schweich found that the Missouri Ethics Commission is underfunded and understaffed.
The ethics commission was given new responsibilities in 2010, including additional abilities to initiate investigations and enforce new campaign finance laws.
The commission had been seeking seven new employees to address the new responsibilities, but budgetary constraints led to only two new hires.
The auditor’s report suggests raising lobbyist registration fees to increase revenue.
The report notes, “According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Missouri’s current lobbyist registration fee of $10 per year is one of the five lowest registration fees in the nation.”
August 26, 2011 •
Washington P.D.C. Selects New Director
Andrea McNamara Doyle to Replace Interim Director Doug Ellis
Andrea McNamara Doyle has been selected to be the new director of the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.
Doyle, who has previous experience as a government manager and legislative staff attorney, was chosen from 71 applicants after a several month search.
She will replace interim director Doug Ellis who is retiring from the agency later this year.
August 24, 2011 •
Caudell to Replace Belinfante at Georgia Ethics Commission
Governor Makes Appointment
Governor Nathan Deal has appointed B. Chan Caudell to replace Josh Belinfante as a member of the State Ethics Commission.
Caudell is an attorney and former commissioner of Habersham County, Georgia. He also serves on the board of directors for North Georgia Technical College and is vice chair of Common Cause Georgia as well as the State Bar of Georgia advisory committee that reviews legislation.
Belinfante resigned last week, stating he was looking into running for state senate.
August 23, 2011 •
Vice-Chair Resigns from Georgia Ethics Commission
Considering Run for State Senate
Josh Belinfante, Vice Chairman of the State Ethics Commission, has announced he is resigning his position in order to consider a run for state senate. While he has yet to commit to running for the position, Belinfante has indicated an interest in the seat for senate district 6 following the release of the proposed maps for redistricting.
Belinfante’s resignation comes on the heels of the recent announcement by Chairman Patrick Millsaps that he will be stepping down from his position due to what he has determined to be his illegal appointment by Governor Nathan Deal.
The State Ethics Commission is also currently engaged in the process of finding a person to fill the role of Executive Secretary for the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission following the departure of Stacey Kalberman.
Kalberman’s departure and the termination of the Deputy Executive Secretary position, once held by Sherilyn Streicker, were the result of cost-cutting maneuvers implemented by members of the Commission this past June.
August 19, 2011 •
Director of Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau Announces He’s Leaving
By 2013
Lorne Malkiewich, the director of the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, has announced he is retiring before the next regular legislative session in 2013.
Malkiewich told the Reno Gazette-Journal, “I am applying for some jobs and if I get them, then obviously, it would be sooner,” he said. “But otherwise, it will probably be sometime next fall (of 2012). I just wanted to give leadership some notice so they will be able to work on recruiting a new director and things like that.” One of the duties of the Legislative Counsel Bureau is handling lobbyist registration, reporting, and information services.
Malkiewich has been with the Legislative Counsel Bureau since 1981.
Photo of the Nevada State Capitol by Dave Parker on Wikipedia.
August 16, 2011 •
Executive Secretary Position Down to Two
Finalists Named in Search for Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission Position
The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission has announced two finalists for the position of Executive Secretary.
Holly A. LaBerge, one of the finalists, is a former Budget Analyst for the House Budget Office and presently the Director of Government Relations for the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council.
The other finalist is Jerry R. Presley, who has previously been a candidate for public office in the state of Georgia, a registered lobbyist, and the city clerk of Baldwin, Georgia. He is currently the president and owner of Public Policy Consultants of Georgia, L.L.C. No timeline has been set for selecting the new Executive Secretary.
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