LobbyComply Blog

National/Federal

Don Lemon Arrested by Federal Officials in Connection with Church Protest

MSN – Perry Stein, Molly Hennessy-Fiske, and Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 1/30/2026

Federal authorities arrested independent journalist Don Lemon, accusing him of violating congregants’ constitutional right to worship when he entered a church in Minnesota with protesters who were demonstrating against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. A magistrate judge had rejected an earlier attempt by the Justice Department to bring charges against Lemon and other protesters. But Justice Department officials, who had vowed to bring charges against Lemon, went to a federal grand jury and obtained an indictment.

Justice Department Releases Large Cache of Additional Epstein Files

MSN – Perry Stein and Amy Wang Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 1/30/2026

The Justice Department released what it said were 3 million more pages from the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the latest drop in the agency’s troubled scramble to comply with a federal law that requires the public release of files from the high-profile case. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said this tranche of files, which include 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, is expected to be the last major release of Epstein materials.

Judge Ordered 5-Year-Old Released, but Data Shows ICE Is Detaining More Kids

MSN – Arelis Hernández and María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 2/1/2026

The five-year-old boy, in a blue knit bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, was returning from preschool when immigration officers detained him in late January in Minneapolis. A few days later, officers there took custody of a two-year-old girl after breaking her family’s car window. They are among an escalating number of children swept up in the Trump administration’s enforcement dragnet, which has drawn mounting public outrage over its aggressive tactics and increasingly indiscriminate ramifications.

DOJ Misconduct Complaint Against D.C. Federal Judge Dismissed

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 1/31/2026

A judicial misconduct complaint against Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg was dismissed because the Justice Department failed to show he exhibited bias against the Trump administration. The misconduct complaint was filed last year by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s then-chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, in an unusual move that showed how President Trump and his allies have ramped up attacks against federal judges across the country for stopping, slowing, or criticizing the administration’s signature initiatives.

Bill and Hillary Clinton Agree to Testify in House Epstein Investigation, Ahead of Contempt Vote

MSN – Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 2/2/2026

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said agreed to speak with members of the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Their announcement came days before the House planned to vote on whether to find the pair in contempt of Congress for refusing to sit for closed-door, transcribed depositions with the committee regarding Epstein.

Defense Dept. Effort to Punish Mark Kelly Draws Skepticism from Judge

MSN – Salvador Rizzo, Tara Copp, and Jasmine Golden (Washington Post) | Published: 2/3/2026

A federal judge sharply questioned the legality of the Defense Department’s efforts to censure and possibly demote Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, over his public criticism of the Trump administration. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to be expanding restrictions on free speech that have applied only to active-duty service members, not military retirees.

Election Officials Grapple with a Brain Drain as Threats Rise

MSN – Andrew Howard (Politico) | Published: 2/3/2026

Increasingly violent threats toward and harassment of public officials are driving more and more of those figures out of their jobs, a particular concern among local election officials, who have struggled with attrition for years. In the years since the 2020 election, roughly 50 percent of top local election officials across 11 western states have left their jobs since November 2020. The election administration world has been grappling with a significant brain drain since the 2020 pandemic and threats arising from conspiracy theories surrounding that year’s election.

Standoff Over ICE Tactics Could Trigger Another Partial Government Shutdown

MSN – Theodoric Meyer and Arelis Hernández (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2026

Congress is staring down another partial government shutdown unless Democrats strike a deal with President Trump and Republicans over new restrictions on federal immigration authorities, and some key lawmakers in both parties are not optimistic. Democratic lawmakers are seeking, among other things, tighter rules governing the use of warrants, independent investigations of alleged misconduct, and a ban on masks for federal immigration agents. Senate Democrats threatened to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security once it expires at the end of the day on February 13 if Republicans do not embrace the restrictions.

Trump Officials Awarded Venezuela Oil-Sale Contracts to Firms Tied to Bribery

MSN – Anthony Faiola and Evan Halper (Washington Post) | Published: 1/29/2026

Two global trading houses that brokered an opaque deal with the Trump administration to sell Venezuelan oil were previously prosecuted for bribery schemes involving oil sales elsewhere, underscoring concerns by anti-corruption experts and lawmakers that the arrangement is vulnerable to abuse. The administration granted confidential licenses to Vitol and Trafigura to sell Venezuelan oil with little independent oversight. The licenses come a year after the Trump administration gutted the foreign corrupt practices unit of the Justice Department, which brought charges against the two companies and their traders in 2020 and 2024.

The Washington Post, Owned by Jeff Bezos, Makes Dramatic Cuts

Yahoo News – Finya Swai (Politico) | Published: 2/4/2026

The Washington Post told employees it will begin sweeping layoffs, the latest blow to the storied newspaper under owner Jeff Bezos, confirming weeks of speculation about drastic newsroom cuts. The size and scope of the layoffs are not immediately clear. But hundreds of Post employees could lose their jobs, with sections including sports, metro, books, and international coverage hit particularly hard.

House Probe Finds ‘Substantial Evidence’ of Criminal Misconduct, Ethics Violations by Cherfilus-McCormick

Yahoo News – Anthony Man (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 1/29/2026

An investigative subcommittee that spent months examining U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick found “substantial evidence of conduct” described in a criminal indictment against her last year and is bringing multiple charges against her. In November, Cherfilus-McCormick and other alleged co-conspirators were indicted on charges described by the Justice Department as “stealing federal disaster funds, laundering the proceeds, and using the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign.?”

Judge Says Trump Administration Must Let Lawmakers Make Unannounced Visits to ICE Detention Facilities

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 2/2/2026

A federal judge ruled the Department of Homeland Security likely broke the law when it barred members of Congress from visiting immigrant detention facilities without a week’s notice. U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb found that in crafting and enforcing the one-week-notice policy, the department relied on funds Congress specifically forbade from being used to deny lawmakers access to those facilities.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Homer Rep. Vance Faces Ethics Probe Over Official Letter Pressuring Newspaper

Alaska Public Media – Eric Stone | Published: 1/29/2026

The Alaska House ethics committee launched an investigation into whether Rep. Sarah Vance illegally used state resources when she successfully pushed the local newspaper to remove and revise a story. The newspaper’s owner, Alabama-based Carpenter Media Group, removed, revised, and reposted the story without the reporter’s byline. Carpenter told the Columbia Journalism Review the article did not meet its standards.

California – All Lobbying Contracts Will Be Posted on City of Fresno’s Website Under New Law

MSN – Thaddeus Miller (Fresno Bee) | Published: 1/29/2026

The Fresno City Council adopted a plan to post lobbying contracts on the city’s website to increase transparency. The city has historically not required public reporting of contracts that fall below the $100,000-a-year threshold, which left room for a lobbyist or consultant to exceed the payout if they were paid in multiple contracts that were individually less than $100,000.

California – Corruption Case Against L.A. Councilmember Curren Price Can Move to Trial, Judge Rules

MSN – James Queally (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 1/29/2026

A judge ruled a corruption case against Los Angeles City Councilperson Curren Price can move forward to trial, ensuring the misconduct scandal will hang over the veteran politician’s final year in office. The judge determined prosecutors provided enough evidence to move forward on four counts of voting on matters in which Price had a conflict-of-interest, four counts of embezzlement, and four counts of perjury.

California – Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map That Bolsters Democrats

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed for now a new California voting map that could help Democrats gain up to five seats in Congress, the latest twist in a national fight seeking advantage in this year’s midterm elections. The ruling will remain in effect while a lawsuit challenging California’s map works its way through the courts. The Supreme Court ruled in December that the Texas map was constitutional, so many legal experts expected the justices to approve the California map as well.

California – Oakland Councilmember Asked City Contractor to Fund Her Nonprofit

Oaklandside – Eli Wolfe | Published: 2/3/2026

Partygoers gathered to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in a Jack London Square event hall in October, watching dance performances, listening to music, and eating heaps of catered food. The free bash was put on by Tiger Arts, a nonprofit created by Oakland City Councilperson Janani Ramachandran. But government ethics experts say the way the event was paid for raises questions about elected officials’ fundraising activities, specifically around behested payments in which public officials are allowed to act as the middlemen soliciting unlimited amounts of money from companies and foundations for other organizations.

Georgia – DNI Gabbard Put Trump on the Phone with FBI Agents Who Searched Fulton County Elections Office, Sources Say

MSN – Kristen Holmes (CNN) | Published: 2/2/2026

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard put President Trump on the phone with some of the FBI agents who conducted a controversial search of an elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, sources said. The unusual call underscores Trump’s involvement and interest in the probe of alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election. One source said Trump directed Gabbard to go to Atlanta for the search, and Gabbard herself confirmed that in a letter to top Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence committees.

Illinois – Veteran Lobbyist with Clients That Regularly Intersect with City Hall Weighs Run for Chicago Mayor

Chicago Sun-Times – Robert Herguth | Published: 1/29/2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson has personal and political entanglements with one of the more powerful special interests in the city, the Chicago Teachers Union. One of his likely challengers in the 2027 mayoral election, longtime lobbyist John Kelly, would have to deal with his own potential conflicts-of-interest if elected, largely because a number of his existing lobbying clients intersect with City Hall, and might also in the future.

Indiana – Hogsett Promised a ‘One-Stop Shop’ Ethics Portal. Ten Years Later, It Doesn’t Exist

MSN – Tony Cook (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 1/29/2026

Ethics filings, city contracts, and campaign finance reports can help citizens keep a watchful eye on their government, but right now they are spread across the city website. They are difficult to search, and in some cases, they are not online at all. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett recognized this problem and campaigned on fixing it. Once in office, he signed into law an ordinance requiring the city’s legal office to create “an online citizen information portal.” But 10 years later, no such portal exists.

Kentucky – KY Legislature Considers Ethics Commission Changes Amid Grossberg Case

MSN – Lucas Aulbach (Louisville Courier-Journal) | Published: 1/29/2026

A bill is pending in the House that would significantly alter operations within the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission by putting the House speaker and Senate president in charge of employing its leader and staff and allowing the commission to fine or require attorney fees to be paid by a person who files a complaint that is found to be frivolous, improper or containing “factual allegations which lack any evidentiary support.” The sponsors of House Bill 272 both said the bill will likely undergo changes before moving forward.

Kentucky – Embattled KY Rep. Grossberg Settles with Public Reprimand, Waives Ethics Hearing

Yahoo News – Austin Horn and Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 2/2/2026

The long saga between Rep. Daniel Grossberg and the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission came to a quiet end when Grossberg agreed to a settlement and reprimand just before a public hearing into his conduct was set to take place. As part of the agreement, Grossberg accepted two $1,000 fines for two of the three instances where the commission found probable cause and brought charges.

Maine – Maine Democratic Party Faces Ethics Probe Tied to Voter ID Referendum

Portland Press Herald – Billy Kobin | Published: 1/29/2026

Maine’s ethics commission will open an investigation into the state Democratic Party’s disclosed spending against last year’s unsuccessful referendum to enact voter ID requirements and new limits on absentee voting. The commission voted unanimously to investigate the party in response to a complaint from conservative activist Alex Titcomb, who spearheaded the referendum, Question 1. Maine voters resoundingly defeated the ballot initiative in November.

Maryland – Moore Campaign Accepted, Then Returned, Donations from Executive Tied to Firm Seeking State Contract

Yahoo News – Jeff Barker (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 1/29/2026

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign accepted, then returned, contributions from a donor and political ally who co-hosted a fundraiser for Moore while linked to a bidder seeking a large state contract. The donor, Terry Speigner, is a former chair of the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee and president of NGEN, an IT services company that works with state and federal agencies. His firm was a subcontractor on a bid by Intralot, a Greek gaming company vying for a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars to oversee Maryland’s lottery operations.

Minnesota – In Minneapolis, All-Encompassing Immigration Story Tests a Newsroom in Midst of Digital Transition

MSN – David Bauder (Associated Press) | Published: 2/1/2026

With the eyes of a nation fixed on the unrest in Minneapolis, the events have not left local journalists overmatched. The Minnesota Star Tribune has broken stories, including the identity of the immigration enforcement officer who shot Renee Good, and produced a variety of informative and instructive pieces. At a time when many regional newspapers have become hollowed-out shells due to the decline in journalism as a business, the Star Tribune has kept staffing relatively steady. It rebranded itself from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and committed itself to a digital transformation.

Mississippi – Senate Moves Campaign-Finance Reform. House Panel Promptly Kills

Mississippi Today – Taylor Vance | Published: 2/2/2026

A Senate committee approved legislation to reform Mississippi’s notoriously lax campaign finance laws, while a House committee made clear it has no intentions of even considering it. The Senate Elections Committee approved a bill that would require local and state candidates to file reports online, cap cash contributions from any donor to candidates at $1,000 and corporate donations, cash or otherwise, to $1,000 a year. But the House Elections Committee, on the same day defeated a similar measure with no discussion.

New Jersey – Why This Powerful NJ Political Boss Keeps Beating Corruption Charges

MSN – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 1/30/2026

In another rebuke to the state attorney general’s office, an appeals court upheld the dismissal of a sweeping corruption indictment against Democratic power broker George Norcross III. The three‑judge panel found prosecutors failed to show the South Jersey political boss had committed any crime, and some of the charges were also barred by the statute of limitations.

New Jersey – Big Donors Had Access to Mikie Sherrill at Inaugural Ball. But the Public Won’t Have Access to the Donor List

Yahoo News – Matt Friedman and Daniel Han (Politico) | Published: 2/1/2026

At an Italian restaurant at American Dream mall, incoming Mikie Sherrill moved table to table to speak with business executives, lobbyists, and union leaders. The minimum price to attend was $100,000. The big-dollar donations to dine with the then-incoming New Jersey went toward her inaugural festivities. The six-figure contributions came despite a $500 limit in state law on inaugural donations. But through a loophole, donors were asked to give over $250,000, and a comprehensive list of their identities and donations may never be public.

Ohio – Ohio Newspapers Sue Judge Overseeing FirstEnergy Trial. Here’s Why

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/29/2026

Three Ohio newspapers are asking the Ohio Supreme Court to immediately block enforcement of media restrictions imposed by a Summit County judge overseeing the high-profile trial of ex-FirstEnergy executives. The papers argue the orders amount to unlawful prior restraints on the press as they seek to follow the trial of Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling.

Ohio – Trial of Ex-FirstEnergy Executives Charged in $60M Ohio Bribery Scheme Begins

MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 2/3/2026

The $4.3 million payment FirstEnergy made to Sam Randazzo in 2019, shortly before he was appointed as Ohio’s top utility regulator, is at the center of the latest criminal trial in a $60 million bribery scandal. Prosecutors allege then-FirstEnergy Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones and then-FirstEnergy Services Senior Vice President Michael Dowling played roles in orchestrating the payout to Randazzo in exchange for regulatory and legislative favors he would later deliver to the company. Both men argue the money was a lump sum settling Randazzo’s consulting agreement with the company.

Pennsylvania – Lawmaker Whose Second Job Running Trade Group Raised Ethics Concerns Says He’s Stepping Down

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso | Published: 1/28/2026

A Pennsylvania lawmaker who simultaneously lead a trade group that pays a lobbyist to influence state government resigned. State Rep. Seth Grove said last May that he would retire at the end of his current term. That same month, the Pennsylvania Concrete and Aggregates Association announced it had appointed Grove to a leadership position he would assume in 2026, a trade industry publication reported. He began serving as chief executive officer on January 1 of this year. While allowed under the state’s lax ethics laws, the arrangement raised concerns among some Democratic colleagues and at least one ethics expert.

Texas – In Texas, Democrats Narrow GOP’s U.S. House Majority, Win Upset in State Senate

MSN – Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) | Published: 2/1/2026

Democrats narrowed Republicans’ U.S. House majority and flipped a state Senate seat on conservative terrain in a pair of special election runoffs in Texas with national implications. In special elections and other local races over the past year, Democrats have largely outperformed Republicans. National Democratic leaders have pointed to the results, along with sweeping victories in last fall’s elections, as reasons for optimism heading into this fall’s midterms.

Elections

National: “Election Officials Grapple with a Brain Drain as Threats Rise” by Andrew Howard (Politico) for MSN

Ethics

California: “Oakland Councilmember Asked City Contractor to Fund Her Nonprofit” by Eli Wolfe for Oaklandside

National: “Defense Dept. Effort to Punish Mark Kelly Draws Skepticism from Judge” by Salvador Rizzo, Tara Copp, and Jasmine Golden (Washington Post) for MSN

Kentucky: “Embattled KY Rep. Grossberg Settles with Public Reprimand, Waives Ethics Hearing” by Austin Horn and Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) for Yahoo News

National: “The Washington Post, Owned by Jeff Bezos, Makes Dramatic Cuts” by Finya Swai (Politico) for Yahoo News

New Jersey: “Why This Powerful NJ Political Boss Keeps Beating Corruption Charges” by Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) for MSN

Ohio: “Trial of Ex-FirstEnergy Executives Charged in $60M Ohio Bribery Scheme Begins” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “Standoff Over ICE Tactics Could Trigger Another Partial Government Shutdown” by Theodoric Meyer and Arelis Hernández (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

California: “All Lobbying Contracts Will Be Posted on City of Fresno’s Website Under New Law” by Thaddeus Miller (Fresno Bee) for MSN

The Utah Legislature passed a bill concerning state court expansion. Senate Bill 134 increases the number of Utah Supreme Court justices from five to seven; increases the number of court of appeals judges from seven to nine; and adds three additional district court judges. The bill was signed by Gov. Spencer Cox on January 31. Senate Bill 134 is effective immediately but remains at risk of amendment if required funding during the legislative session is not approved.

National/Federal

Judge Blocks Government from Searching Data Seized from Post Reporter

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 1/21/2026

Government officials may not examine electronic devices seized from a Washington Post reporter until litigation stemming from the search of her home is settled, a federal judge ruled. The order was issued hours after the newspaper demanded in a court filing that federal law enforcement officials return the electronic devices the government seized from staff reporter Hannah Natanson’s home. The extraordinary search “flouts the First Amendment and ignores federal statutory safeguards for journalists,” The Post told the court.

Judge Warns Trump Administration from Changing Plaintiffs Immigration Status in First Amendment Case

MSN – Michael Casey (Associated Press) | Published: 1/22/2026

A federal judge ruled that group of academics, who are party to a lawsuit alleging U.S. policy singles out noncitizens for detention or deportation over their pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses, can seek relief from the court if their immigration status is changed as retribution for taking part in the case. The decision from U.S. District Court Judge William Young comes in the wake of trial last year, in which he ruled the Trump administration violated the Constitution when it targeted non-U.S. citizens for deportation solely for supporting Palestinians and criticizing Israel.

Senate Democrats to Block Government Funding After Second Fatal Shooting in Minneapolis

MSN – Riley Beggin (Washington Post) | Published: 1/25/2026

Senate Democrats plan to block a sweeping government funding package after U.S. Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, killed a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, in Minneapolis, and a partial shutdown now looks likely. It is the third shooting by federal agents in the city in January Democrats said they could not vote for legislation to continue U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s funding without changes to how the agency operates.

In 16 Shooting Incidents Since July, No DHS Officers Have Faced Charges

MSN – David Nakamura and Olivia George (Washington Post) | Published: 1/27/2026

Department of Homeland Security officers have fired shots during enforcement arrests or at people protesting their operations 16 times since July, and as in the recent shootings in Minneapolis, in each case the Trump administration has publicly declared their actions justified before waiting for investigations to be completed. None of the officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, or Homeland Security Investigations has faced criminal charges in any of the shootings, nor has the administration announced any internal disciplinary measures against them.

Millions in Bets Ride on What Trump Will Say, Do, or Invade Next

MSN – Lisa Bonos (Washington Post) | Published: 1/28/2026

Betting on political events on prediction markets has grown sharply in recent months. There is $129 million at stake on political markets on Kalshi, the company said. About 370,000 people are staking more than $90 million on politics at Polymarket. Many of those wagers hinge on actions by President Trump or his administration. The growth of prediction markets and the popularity of wagers on the actions of politicians and the U.S. government have sparked concern about insider trading, market manipulation, and the incentives for government insiders to influence the outcomes others are betting on.

Political Ad Spending Is Projected to Reach a New High in 2026 Midterms

OpenSecrets – Carolyn Neugarten | Published: 1/20/2026

The 2026 elections are on track to become the most expensive midterm cycle in U.S. history, driven in large part by huge increases in political advertising. According to AdImpact’s Political Projections 2025–2026 report, spending on political advertising is estimated to reach $10.8 billion in the next cycle, over 20 percent higher than in 2022.

How a Democratic Heavyweight Is Using AI in the Midterms

Yahoo News – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 1/27/2026

A Democratic opposition research firm is putting massive troves of its work product online ahead of the midterm elections and using artificial intelligence to help everyone from campaigns to podcasters figure out how to navigate the information. The project from American Bridge 21st Century reflects an expansion of its efforts ahead of the 2026 elections, as well as the evolving nature of political campaigning, including opposition research, in an increasingly fragmented media environment.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Lobbyists and Lawmakers Mingle Over Luxury Tequila, Shrimp and Cigars at Capital Party

MSN – Yue Stella Yu (CalMatters) | Published: 1/21/2026

Hundreds of politicians, staffers, and lobbyists attended the annual “back to session bash” in Sacramento, funded by tribal groups, sports betting companies, and other special interests aiming to influence them. The signature event at the beginning of each year of legislative action is one of many political gatherings at which lawmakers and their staff are invited to mingle with special interests. It offers a glimpse into the perks available to California politicians and shows how special interests buy access to policymakers who they hope to influence.

Colorado – Former Colorado State Senator Convicted of Felonies for Fabricating Letters Amid Ethics Investigation

Colorado Sun – Jesse Paul | Published: 1/28/2026

Former state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis was convicted of attempting to influence a public servant and multiple counts of forgery for fabricating letters of support to the Colorado Senate Ethics Committee to try to avoid sanctions amid an investigation into her alleged mistreatment of Capitol aides. Prosecutors said they planned to ask that Jaquez Lewis be sentenced to probation. She resigned from the Senate in February 2025 amid the ethics probe.

District of Columbia – Jack Evans, Who Left D.C. Council Amid Scandal, to Run for Chairman

MSN – Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 1/27/2026

Jack Evans resigned from the District of Columbia Council in 2020 after being repeatedly accused of using his public office for private gain. Now, the former lawmaker is once again attempting a political comeback, seeking to return to the body that unanimously recommended his expulsion for ethics violations. This time he hopes to lead the council, challenging the chairperson, his former colleague Phil Mendelson.

District of Columbia – Longtime D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton Files to End Reelection Bid

Roll Call – Matt Brown | Published: 1/25/2026

Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House for more than three decades, will not seek a 19th term in office. During her tenure in Congress, Norton built a reputation as an intense fighter on behalf of the city. She has repeatedly led legislation for. statehood, with the measure advancing out of the House in 2020 and 2021, when Democrats controlled the chamber. More recently, though, Norton generated more attention over concerns about her age and effectiveness.

Georgia – FBI Executes Search Warrant Seeking Ballots from Fulton County’s 2020 Election

MSN – Ben Brasch and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 1/28/2026

The FBI executed a search warrant at the elections warehouse of a Georgia county at the heart of right-wing conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s efforts to challenge the narrative of his loss that year. The warrant authorized agents to seize all physical ballots from the 2020 election, voting machine tabulator tapes, images produced during the ballot count, and voter rolls from that year.

Illinois – As Chicago Ethics Board Surpasses 6 Months Without a Leader, Enforcement Actions Stall

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 1/26/2026

The Chicago Board of Ethics, which has been without a permanent leader for more than six months, was forced to cancel two recent meetings, stalling several probes into campaign finance law violations, nepotism in city hiring, and bribery. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s failure to name a new ethics board chair has infuriated good-government advocates who are again demanding that he do more to combat Chicago’s reputation as the most corrupt of corrupt American cities.

Indiana – Hogsett Allies Routinely Benefit from No-Bid City Contracts

Yahoo News – Tony Cook, Jordan Smith, and Peter Blanchard (Indianapolis Star), and Emily Hopkins (Mirror Indy) | Published: 1/27/2026

Joe Hogsett’s first policy announcement while running for mayor of Indianapolis in 2015 was an ethics reform package that included a promise to reduce no-bid contracts. A media investigation found that after a decade in power, Hogsett’s administration continues to regularly award contracts without a competitive process. The result: his administration has spent millions of taxpayer dollars with little public vetting, sometimes on contracts involving his top campaign donors and close advisers, including his disgraced former chief of staff, Thomas Cook.

Kansas – Kansas Bill Targets Crypto’s Shadowy Path into Campaign Coffers

WebProNews – Andrew Cain | Published: 1/27/2026

Kansas lawmakers are moving to close a persistent gap in campaign finance rules, targeting cryptocurrency donations that have long evaded state oversight. A new bill introduced in the 2026 legislative session seeks to impose clear regulations on digital asset contributions, echoing warnings from the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission dating back years.

Louisiana – District 6 Councilman Cleve Dunn Jr. Indicted in Baton Rouge Corruption Probe

Yahoo News – Bria Gremillion (WVLA) | Published: 1/28/2026

Baton Rouge Caity Councilperson Cleve Dunn Jr. was indicted on multiple charges, including theft and money laundering. The indictment stems from Dunn’s alleged role in the misuse of money intended for the Capital Area Transportation System (CATS). It is alleged Dunn was tied to the indictments of former CATS Chief Administrative Officer Pearlina Thomas, contractor Jarion Colar, and Terral Jackson and his wife, Erica Jackson, that were handed down recently.

Maryland – Baltimore Inspector General Accuses City of Blocking Access to Records Amid Dispute

MSN – Todd Karpovich and Ruben Castaneda (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 1/27/2026

City Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration has blocked her office’s ability to manage and monitor its own investigative files, leaving her unable to determine whether sensitive data has been “compromised.” Cumming said she notified law enforcement partners and whistleblowers that the Office of the Inspector General no longer has the ability to track who can access investigative, ethics, and whistleblower records.

Maryland – Maryland Launches New Tools to Make Campaign Finance Easier to Access

Yahoo News – Janis Reeser (Hagerstown Daily-Mail) | Published: 1/26/2026

The Maryland State Board of Elections launched an upgrade to its campaign finance disclosure systems, designed to improve transparency, accuracy, and public access to information. It aims to streamline the way candidates, committees, and businesses report their financial activities related to campaigns.

Minnesota – Bondi’s Injection of Voter Roll Demands into Minneapolis ICE Tensions Draws Claims of ‘Ransom’

MSN – Tierney Sneed and Fredreka Schouten (CNN) | Published: 1/27/2026

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s demand that Minnesota hand over sensitive voter registration records to the federal government amid tensions over ICE and immigration enforcement underscores the importance of the administration’s nationwide data grab that is facing resistance in multiple states and has stumbled in the courts. The Justice Department has already sued Minnesota and 23 other states for the voter data, but Bondi recently urged Gov. Tim Walz to help “bring an end to the chaos,” by turning over the records, among other requests.

Minnesota – Three Arrested in St. Paul Church Protest as Judge Rejects Charges Against Don Lemon

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck, Perry Stein, and Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 1/22/2026

A judge in Minnesota rejected federal prosecutors’ attempt to criminally charge journalist Don Lemon in relation to his presence during a protest at a St. Paul church, an extraordinary rebuke of a Justice Department that has drawn criticism for its forceful response to demonstrations against immigration enforcement efforts. Department officials announced the arrests of a prominent civil rights lawyer and two others in connection with the church demonstration. The protest at Cities Church in St. Paul has become a flash point in the debate over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.

Minnesota – Man Arrested After Spraying Unknown Substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis Town Hall

MSN – Laura Bargfeld and Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) | Published: 1/28/2026

A man sprayed an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and was tackled to the ground during a town hall in Minneapolis, where tensions over federal immigration enforcement have come to a head after agents fatally shot Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the man was ushered out by security, saying she would not be intimidated.

Minnesota – Democrats Visit 5-Year-Old Who Was Detained in Minneapolis, in a Case That Stirred Anger Over ICE

MSN – Valerie Gonzalez, Eric Gay, and Bill Barrow (Associated Press) | Published: 1/28/2026

U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett visited a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father at a Texas federal detention center, in a case that has stirred anger over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and given fuel to Democrats and others who are pushing back against Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions. The meeting was part of Democrats’ midterm-election-year effort to conduct congressional oversight and highlight the consequences of President Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota and elsewhere.

Minnesota – Minnesota Prosecutors Face Uphill Battle If They Charge Feds in Fatal Shootings

MSN – Daniel Barnes (Politico) | Published: 1/28/2026

If Minnesota officials try to prosecute the federal agents who recently killed two people in Minneapolis, they will face steep obstacles from a century-old Supreme Court precedent, one that helped sink a similar case just a few years ago. The 2017 shooting of Bijan Ghaisar by two U.S. Park Police officers in a Northern Virginia neighborhood, and the protracted legal battles that followed, may be the best preview of what Minnesota officials can expect if they pursue criminal charges against federal immigration agents.

Minnesota – Sen. Amy Klobuchar Launches Bid for Minnesota Governor: ‘We cannot sugarcoat how hard this is’

MSN – Jeff Zeleny (CNN) | Published: 1/29/2026

Sen. Amy Klobuchar launched her bid for governor of Minnesota, pledging to unify her state and move beyond a deadly battle with the federal government over immigration. Klobuchar is seeking to govern Minnesota during an extraordinarily fraught moment. The state has become the epicenter of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has sparked waves of outrage and protest from residents, particularly after two fatal shootings of protesters by federal agents.

Missouri – Missouri Governor Withdraws Ethics Nominees Amid Fight Over Gerrymandered Map

Yahoo News – Jason Hancock (Missouri Independent) | Published: 1/28/2026

Gov. Mike Kehoe withdrew two nominees to the Missouri Ethics Commission after Democrats pointed out the appointments were based on a congressional map that Republicans contend is no longer valid. Sen. Stephen Webber raised a formal objection to four nominees to the commission. The appointments are based on congressional districts, Webber noted, and Kehoe relied on the map approved by lawmakers in 2022. But Republicans are in court arguing the newly gerrymandered map, which passed four months ago, is in effect.

New Jersey – ‘Terrifying Abuses of Power’: Judge hears arguments over leadership arrangement at New Jersey prosecutor’s office

MSN – Ry Rivard (Politico) | Published: 1/23/2026

A federal judge heard arguments about whether the Trump administration is illegally running the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey. After Trump loyalist Alina Habba stepped down in December, Attorney General Pam Bondi put three people in charge of running the prosecutor’s office. Now the same judge who first ruled Habba was serving illegally, U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Brann, is considering the legality of what he called this “triumvirate of attorneys.” The arrangement has never been used before in American history.

New York – Ingrid Lewis-Martin Accepted Diamond Earrings to Help Developers Dodge Inspections, New Filings Allege

The City – Greg Smith | Published: 1/27/2026

Ingrid Lewis-Martin, once former New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ closest advisor, faces a variety of pending criminal charges, including allegations she accepted bribes from two developers in exchange for making their problems with city building inspectors disappear.. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg recently detailed concerns raised by a top buildings department official who was concerned a planned hotel renovation Lewis-Martin was pushing was potentially unsafe. According to the official, the developer ignored demands from the Department of Buildings for information on whether the hotel could meet fire safety rules.

North Carolina – Lack of Lobbying Disclosure for $15 Million NC Road Project Leads to Policy Change

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 1/28/2026

No surprises. That is the intent of a new North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments policy regarding any lobbyists it hires. It was adopted after one of its member councils accepted $15 million in state money on behalf of a developer building a road in Mooresville without knowing its lobbyist represented the developer too.

North Dakota – North Dakota Ethics Rule Changes Address Bad Faith Complaints

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 1/28/2026

The North Dakota Ethics Commission adopted several updates to its complaint process, including a change that allows complaints filed in bad faith to be dismissed. Legislators in 2025 directed the commission to create a process to handle bad faith complaints amid concerns that public officials were using complaints as a weapon to harm their political opponents. The amended rules consider bad faith complaints to include those filed “to harass or impugn the reputation” of the accused.

Ohio – Ohio Ethics Agency Prohibits Legal Defense Funds for Public Officials

Blue Water Healthy Living – Laura Bischoff (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 1/22/2026

The Ohio Ethics Commission said public officials are not allowed to solicit or accept money for their legal defense in civil cases from sources they are trying to do business with, are regulated by, or have interests in officials’ agencies. Anyone elected, appointed, or employed by a public agency, whether paid or unpaid, in Ohio would be governed by the opinion.

Ohio – Ohio Ethics Commission Kills Charter School Disclosure Rule After Political Pressure

MSN – Laura Hancock (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/29/2026

The Ohio Ethics Commission put the brakes on a recently passed rule that would have required officials overseeing charter schools to file financial disclosures after state legislative leadership objected to the requirement. Senate President Rob McColley and House Speaker Matt Huffman wrote a letter to the commission, accusing the panel of making changes “by executive fiat.” The lawmakers objected to the requirement by saying it was unfair, since traditional public school boards and board candidates only must file disclosures if they serve over 12,000 students.

Ohio – Ohio HB6 Scandal Trial Set to Begin Tuesday for Ex-FirstEnergy Executives

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/26/2026

For the first time since Ohio’s House Bill 6 scandal broke more than five years ago, a trial has begun for former FirstEnergy executives on accusations they used the utility’s deep pockets and political influence to carry out what officials have called the largest bribery scheme in Ohio history. Former FirstEnergy Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones and the company’s former top lobbyist, Michael Dowling, face charges that they bent state regulators to their will and bribed Public Utilities of Ohio Chairperson Sam Randazzo with $4.3 million.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Agency Sues Vendor Over Ethics Reporting System Debacle

Yahoo News – Barbara Hoberock (Oklahoma Voice) | Published: 1/22/2026

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission filed suit against a Texas vendor for allegedly failing to deliver a campaign finance reporting system despite repeated assurances and deadline extensions. The failure of RFD & Associates cost the state over $800,000, according to Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who is representing the agency.

Oklahoma – State Rep. Ajay Pittman Resigns and Pleads Guilty to Three Felonies

Yahoo News – Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) | Published: 1/28/2026

State Rep. Ajay Pittman resigned from office and pleaded guilty to three felonies for trying to fool the Oklahoma Ethics Commission with a falsified check. Under a plea deal, she was put on probation for seven years. Her resignation was part of her plea deal. She also agreed not to seek state office again for seven years.

Rhode Island – Home, Office Security Would Be Eligible for Campaign Funds Under R.I. Senate Bill

Yahoo News – Nancy Lavin (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 1/23/2026

As threats and acts of violence against elected officials increase nationwide, the Rhode Island General Assembly will consider letting candidates for office use campaign funds for personal security. New legislation would add home and office security systems to the list of ways state and local candidates can spend campaign money during an election cycle.

Tennessee – How Tennessees Speaker of the House Helped Keep a Payday Lender’s Struggling Sports Gambling Company Alive

MSN – Adam Friedman (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 1/27/2026

The owners of a payday lending company faced a crisis in March 2021 when their other business, a now-defunct sports gambling operation, was under investigation by Tennessee regulators. The couple, Michael and Tina Hodges, had already turned to of the House Speaker Cameron Sexton in 2014 to create a new triple-digit interest loan called a “Flex Loan.” Now they needed Sexton’s help keeping their fledgling gambling business, Action 247, afloat as it tried to compete with sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings.

Texas – Nacogdoches Council Passes Lobbying Ordinance in Split Vote

Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel – Nicole Bradford | Published: 1/22/2026

The Nacogdoches City Council passed an ordinance requiring lobbyists to register with the city and pay a $150 fee. City staff defined lobbying as attempting to influence city policy or a council vote in exchange for some form of compensation. The ordinance also expands on the city’s conflict-of-interest provisions.

Vermont – Facing ‘Precarious’ Future, Vermont State Ethics Commission Seeks Financial Lifeline from Lawmakers

Vermont Public – Peter Hirschfeld | Published: 1/28/2026

Paul Erlbaum, a commissioner on the State Ethics Commission, pleaded with members of the Senate Government Operations Committee for two additional staff members. Without the move, Erlbaum said, “the continued existence of the commission is precarious.” In 2024, the Vermont Legislature established a uniform code of ethics for town and city governments, and directed the Ethics Commission to provide training, advice, and guidance on how to uphold it. Lawmakers, however, failed to provide the commission with additional resources to fulfill those duties.

Virginia – Judge Rules Virginia Democrats Violated Law with Redistricting Amendment

MSN – Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 1/27/2026

A circuit court judge in rural Tazewell County ruled against the redistricting effort started by Virginia Democrats, declaring the process they used to create a proposed constitutional amendment is invalid. Democrats immediately pledged to appeal and said they expect a referendum on the matter to go ahead this spring as planned. Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. wrote that his ruling “PROHIBITS the proposed amendment from being submitted to the voters for their consideration.”

Washington – Bipartisan Campaign Finance Bill Drafted by Sen. Wilson Makes Quick Trip Through Committee

Yahoo News – Jacob Moore (Centralia Chronicle) | Published: 1/23/2026

A bipartisan group of state senators in Washington introduced a bill to increase transparency in campaign finance by standardizing reporting schedules for political groups with the Public Disclosure Commission. If passed and signed into law, Senate Bill 5840 would require political committees and other groups that spend money to support or oppose ballot proposals or candidates to participate in more frequent financial reporting.

Campaign Finance

Maryland: “Maryland Launches New Tools to Make Campaign Finance Easier to Access” by Janis Reeser (Hagerstown Daily-Mail) for Yahoo News

National: “Political Ad Spending Is Projected to Reach a New High in 2026 Midterms” by Carolyn Neugarten for OpenSecrets

Rhode Island: “Home, Office Security Would Be Eligible for Campaign Funds Under R.I. Senate Bill” by Nancy Lavin (Rhode Island Current) for Yahoo News

Elections

Washington DC: “Longtime D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton Files to End Reelection Bid” by Matt Brown for Roll Call

Ethics

Illinois: “As Chicago Ethics Board Surpasses 6 Months Without a Leader, Enforcement Actions Stall” by Heather Cherone for WTTW

Minnesota: “Bondi’s Injection of Voter Roll Demands into Minneapolis ICE Tensions Draws Claims of ‘Ransom'” by Tierney Sneed and Fredreka Schouten (CNN) for MSN

New Jersey: “‘Terrifying Abuses of Power’: Judge hears arguments over leadership arrangement at New Jersey prosecutor’s office” by Ry Rivard (Politico) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “Senate Democrats to Block Government Funding After Second Fatal Shooting in Minneapolis” by Riley Beggin (Washington Post) for MSN

National/Federal

Did Emil Bove Violate Judicial Ethics Code with Appearance at Trump Rally?

Courthouse News Service – Bernjamin Weiss | Published: 12/10/2025

Third Circuit Judge Emil Bove may have violated the federal judiciary’s ethics code when he attended a political charged rally held by President Trump, legal experts and lawmakers said. Experts also said Bove’s appearance at Trump’s event adds to a trend of nominally impartial federal judges who have increasingly embroiled themselves in partisan politics.

Stephen Miller Faces Ethics Concerns Over Stock Sale of Las Vegas Mining Company

Las Vegas Sun – Ana Swanson (New York Times) | Published: 12/10/2025

Stephen Miller, a top adviser to President Trump, sold shares worth $50,000 to $100,000 in the mining company MP Materials following a July announcement of a lucrative deal between the Las Vegas company and the Trump administration, government filings show. The sale came one month after the administration announced an extraordinary series of measures to support MP Materials. The deal, which included the government purchasing shares in the company and committing to buy its products, led MP Materials’ share price to skyrocket.

Democrats’ Path to Power May Come Through Hundreds of Races Far from Washington

MSN – Hunter Woodall (CBS News) | Published: 12/10/2025

Much of national Democrats’ attention in next year’s midterms is centered on working to flip control of the U.S. House and win consequential races for governor. But some in the party have zeroed in on less talked-about elections that could prove less costly and have a far-reaching impact at a time when the Democratic brand has grown wearisome with some voters. Democrats’ state legislative campaign arm is outlining a potential path “to flip more than 650 state legislative seats” across a range of states.

The Capitol Is Hard to Navigate. Does It Have to Be?

MSN – Nina Heller (Roll Call) | Published: 12/10/2025

To the unfamiliar, the Capitol and its surrounding office buildings are a maze of fluorescent lighting, identical hallways, and unmarked tunnels. Even experienced staff and lawmakers sometimes get lost. But that could start to change next year, if some House members get their way. Wayfinding tools could offer turn-by-turn directions, according to a new proposal from the House Administration Modernization and Innovation Subcommittee.

Supreme Court Will Hear Case on Trump’s Ban on Birthright Citizenship

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2025

The Supreme Court said it will hear a case examining the legality of President Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship, a high-stakes test of the controversial policy that could redefine who is considered an American. The justices have yet to set a date for arguments, but the court has taken the case in time to render its decision by June or July, when the current term ends. The administration asked the justices to take up the case on an expedited basis after lower courts found the policy unconstitutional and blocked it.

What We Know About Suspect Brian Cole’s Arrest in Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Case

MSN – Connor Greene (Time) | Published: 12/5/2025

Nearly five years after pipe bombs were planted near the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican national conventions the night before the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, authorities have arrested a suspect in the case. Brian Cole Jr. of Virginia was charged with transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials, marking the culmination of a years-long, and still ongoing, investigation, federal officials announced.

Supreme Court Seems Likely to Back Trump’s Power to Fire Independent Agency Board Members

MSN – Mark Sherman (Associated Press) | Published: 12/8/2025

The Supreme Court seemed likely to expand presidential control over independent federal agencies, signaling support for President Trump’s firing of board members. The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous 90-year-old decision that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members, in part to try to ensure decision making free of political influence, or leave it with only its shell intact.

New Dark Money Network Could Exploit Campaign Finance Loophole Banning Federal Contractors

MSN – Robert Schmad (Washington Examiner) | Published: 12/9/2025

Top employees at Anthropic, a major federal contractor, are reportedly involved in discussions to establish a dark money network that could be used to skirt campaign finance laws prohibiting the company from making political donations. Company executives would likely donate to a new political network helmed by former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, which will be composed of two super PACs with the whole thing being funded through an affiliated 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization called Public First. Unlike super PACs, which are required to list the names of all their donors, the individuals and organizations funding 501(c)(4) groups are totally anonymous.

Supreme Court Weighs Further Loosening Campaign Finance Limits

MSN – Julian Mark (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

The Supreme Court wrestled over whether to lift limits on how much political parties can spend in cooperation with candidates, in a case that could change how money flows through the campaign finance system. Republican leaders are asking the court to remove limits on how much parties can spend on items like advertisements and campaign expenses. They say the existing limits hinder the partie’’ free-speech rights and put parties in a weaker position than outside groups like Super PACs.

Justice Dept. Says a Court Ruling Is Blocking Efforts to Reindict Comey

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

Justice Department lawyers said a recent ruling barring their access to key evidence has effectively crippled their efforts to reindict former FBI Director James Comey after their original case against him was dismissed. The concession came in a court filing urging a federal judge to lift a temporary order she imposed restricting the government’s ability to review or use emails and other electronic communications seized as part of an investigation more than five years ago involving Comey confidante Daniel Richman.

Justice Dept. Kills Long-Time Tool Used to Prove Racial Discrimination

MSN – Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

After years of complaints from consercatives, the Justice Department moved to end a decades-old provision of civil rights law that allows statistical disparities to be used as proof of racial discrimination. The new regulations reinterpret a key plank of the Civil Rights Act and were issued without an opportunity for public comment, which is unusual for major regulatory action. While they apply only to Justice Department programs, the Trump administration has made clear it plans similar regulatory rollbacks across the government.

From the States and Municipalities

California – California Lobbyist Pleads Guilty in Capitol Corruption Case

Courthouse News Service – Alan Riquelmy | Published: 12/4/2025

Lobbyist Greg Campbell pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme to help Dana Williamson, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, to draw $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to then-U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. Prosecutors also said Campbell created fake contracts for Williamson, who had obtained a loan from the Covid-19 paycheck protection program.

California – An SDPD Captain Helped Secure a Multimillion-Dollar Surveillance Deal. Now He Works for the Contractor.

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 12/9/2025

As a captain in charge of special projects and legislative affairs, Jeff Jordon was the San Diego Police Department’s point person for implementing the so-called smart streetlights, a network of cameras across the city that record cars as they pass by. Before he retired in April, Jordan helped select Flock Safety to run the city’s multimillion-dollar surveillance system. Within three months of leaving public service, Jordon was hired by Flock Safety to help it win even more police contracts.

California – Former Compton Councilman Pleads Guilty in Scheme Involving Secret Bribes and Corrupt Officials

MSN – Richard Winton (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/9/2025

Former Compton City Councilperson Isaac Galvan pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for bribing a Baldwin Park City Council member, whom he paid $70,000 in exchange for city marijuana permits. Galvan, who ran a consulting service, was involved in a scheme in which he facilitated bribes to Councilperson Ricardo Pacheco from one of Galvan’s clients who wanted a marijuana permit in Baldwin Park.

California – SLO County Supervisor Adds 2 People to Staff: His wife and his hopeful successor

MSN – Chloe Shrager (San Luis Obispo Tribune) | Published: 12/9/2025

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson made two new high-level staffing changes that have been questioned. Gibson hired his wife, Cherie Gibson, who exited retirement to fill the role of his legislative assistant. Cherie Gibson will be joined on her husband’s staff in January by Jim Dantona, chief executive officer of the SLO Chamber of Commerce and a candidate for Bruce Gibson’s seat in the 2026 election.

California – Why Does Oakland Pay Millions to a Security Firm Linked to the FBI Corruption Case?

MSN – Kate Talerico (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 12/10/2025

A year after former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was swept out of office amid a federal corruption probe, the city still has not replaced a security company with one of the city’s biggest contracts despite the firm’s ties to the investigation. Although ABC Security’s contract expired in 2023, the city council has repeatedly extended it. For the last five months, it has failed to agree on who should be awarded the new contract. The political deadlock suggests Oakland is struggling to shake familiar issues with drawn-out procurement processes, political influence. and lingering fallout from the Thao corruption scandal.

Florida – Miami Will Have Its First Democratic Mayor in Nearly 30 Years

MSN – Sabrina Rodriguez (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

Miami will have its first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years, after the city elected former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins in a contest that attracted attention from President Trump and national Democrats. Although the race was technically nonpartisan, the political divide was clear. Trump backed Emilio González, while the Democratic National Committee and potential Democratic presidential hopefuls supported Higgins. She will become the first woman mayor in the history of Miami.

Georgia – Georgia Ethics Panel Decides a GOP Candidate for Governor Can Loan $10M to Aid His Election

MSN – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 12/4/2025

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is allowed to loan $10 million to his campaign for governor, the state’s ethics panel said. Attorney General Chris Carr, who is running against Jones, alleged it evaded campaign finance restrictions. But the Ethics Commission decided a loan to a leadership committee counts as a contribution under state law, adopting a legal opinion that there is “nothing in the current statute which prohibits such a loan of personal funds.”

Hawaii – He Spent Funds Meant for Native Hawaiians on Polo and Porsches. The Federal Government Failed to Stop Him

Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 12/10/2025

Christopher Dawson and his companies had won hundreds of millions of dollars in no-bid government contracts through the Small Business Administration based on the promise that his profits would primarily be used to help Native Hawaiians by, in part, promoting the culture, building homes, and supporting orphaned children. A former employee met with federal investigators and filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Dawson and executives of cheating the program by spending money on private jets, luxury homes in Hawaii and Florida, memberships to private social clubs, and a nearly $1 million annual salary.

Maryland – Nash’s Lobbying While on City Council Draws Scrutiny

Frederick News-Post – Nolan Wilkinson | Published: 12/10/2025

Frederick City Councilperson Katie Nash’s job as a lobbyist is being scrutinized as she prepares for a second term on the council, with concerns she might have connections to data centers that present a conflict-of-interest. Nash has worked as a lobbyist for energy companies, taking in a gross total of over $350,000 from just one of her clients, Vistra Corp., since 2019. Vistra is a retail energy provider and generator that operates nationwide, including as an electricity provider in Maryland.

Missouri – Missouri Democrats’ Effort to Block GOP Gerrymander Picks Up Steam

MSN – Aaron Pellish (Politico) | Published: 12/9/2025

Democrats in Missouri looking to block the state’s new congressional districts hit a key deadline to getting a step closer to freezing the map drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature to create an additional GOP-leaning district in the 2026 midterms. People Not Politicians, the committee organizing to block the new map, said it submitted over 305,000 signatures, more than double the 107,000 valid signatures needed to trigger a referendum process that could put the map in front of voters next year.

Nevada – Sandoval, Aguero, Vellardita Won’t Face Sanctions for Failing to Register as Lobbyists

Yahoo News – Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) | Published: 12/5/2025

Critics say a Nevada law that requires lobbyists to register within two days of attempting to influence state lawmakers has no teeth, following the Legislative Counsel Bureau’s (LCB) decision to let violations slide against a former governor, a union boss, and a consultant who lobbied lawmakers on behalf of the current governor. The Nevada State Education Association is questioning whether LCB Acting Director Roger Wilkerson followed state law, which requires him to not only investigate, but also report suspected violations to the attorney general.

New Jersey – Trump Loyalist Alina Habba Resigns as New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 12/8/2025

Alina Habba, President Trump’s embattled pick as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, said she is resigning after a protracted legal battle over the legitimacy of her appointment. A federal appeals court panel ruled she has been serving unlawfully as acting U.S. attorney. She will transition to a new role as a senior Justice Department adviser and could return to lead the New Jersey prosecutors’ office if that court decision is overturned on appeal, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.

New Jersey – Bill Targeting NJ Corruption Watchdog Withdrawn After Public Outcry

MSN – Susan Livio and Ted Sherman | Published: 12/9/2025

A controversial bill seeking to eviscerate a corruption-fighting watchdog agency has been abruptly pulled by its sponsor, New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari. The bill sought to undercut the watchdog role of the Office of the State Comptroller, transferring much of its responsibilities to the State Commission of Investigation. The effort to downgrade the comptroller came in the wake of a series of critical reports by the agency that have embarrassed or angered officials who have been targets of the comptroller.

New York – Cuomo Files New Lawsuit Seeking to Block Ethics Probe of His Book Deal

Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 12/10/2025

Andrew Cuomo’s years of legal battles with New York’s ethics agencies continued when the former governor filed another lawsuit against the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, seeking an injunction to block the panel from investigating his $5.1 million book deal. The petition alleges his constitutional rights are being violated and the statutes used to empower the ethics commission are facially invalid.

New York – Grand Jury Refuses to Reindict Letitia James in Mortgage Fraud Case

MSN – Perry Stein and Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2025

A grand jury in Virginia rejected Justice Department efforts to charge New York Attorney General Letitia James with mortgage fraud, declining to indict her again after a judge dismissed the charges recently. It marks a major defeat for President Trump, who has made a priority of prosecuting James, a longtime foe. As New York attorney general, James brought a civil fraud case against Trump and his real estate empire, which resulted in a verdict that Trump and others in his company had committed fraud.

New York – NYC Council Committee Criticizes Inna Vernikov for Bringing Gun to Protest, but Doesn’t Censure Her

Yahoo News – Josephine Stratman and Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 12/9/2025

The New York City Council’s Ethics Committee criticized Councilperson Inna Vernikov for bringing a gun to a peaceful protest in 2023 but voted not to formally take the matter further. Vernikov was arrested and criminally charged hours after bringing her firearm to the 2023 Brooklyn College rally five days after Hamas’ attack on Israel, which she was counterprotesting. The charges against her were later dropped after police found the weapon was inoperable.

Ohio – ‘Weak Slap on the Wrist’: Elections Commission fines HB 6 repeal group just $400 for violations

MSN – Anna Staver (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/5/2025

After years of not reporting the millions of dollars it raised to repeal House Bill 6 in Ohio, the committee behind the failed referendum will pay just $400 in fines. “Fine should’ve easily been more than $100,000 based on years of no accountability,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose posted on X. “Today, OEC issued a pathetic $400 fine.”

Oklahoma – Oklahoma’s Campaign Finance Site Has Been Offline for Months. Why?

MSN – Alex Gladden (Oklahoman) | Published: 12/6/2025

Oklahoma’s campaign finance website has been offline for nearly three months, raising questions about access to public information ahead of a critical election year. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission had planned to launch a new campaign finance site on October 1, but that fell behind schedule and no new date has been set. The outage has left some voters waiting for information that is typically available with a simple online search.

Pennsylvania – Former Dauphin County Official’s NRA Show Contract Didn’t Violate Ethics Law, State Finds

MSN – Juliette Rihl (PennLive) | Published: 12/9/2025

Jeff Haste, a longtime Dauphin County commissioner who came under fire last year for a series of apparent conflicts, began receiving $60,000 a year to act as the county’s “liaison” to the National Rifle Association’s outdoor show six months after resigning from office in 2021. State law prohibits former public officials from receiving contracts with their prior agency within a year of leaving, that role. But the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission ruled that does not apply to this case.

Texas – Supreme Court Hands Trump Victory in Fight over Texas Congressional Map

MSN – Justin Jouvenal, Julian Mark, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2025

The Supreme Court handed President Trump and Republicans a major political victory by clearing the way for a Texas congressional map that was drawn in the hope of flipping up to five House seats to the GOP. The order marks the latest development in a battle between Republican and Democratic states that are seeking partisan advantage ahead of the 2026 midterms. The states are taking the unusual step of redistricting congressional seats at the halfway point between the U.S. Census Bureau’s nationwide surveys of the population.

Wisconsin – Unlimited Donations, Weak Recusal Rules Led to Record Wisconsin Supreme Court Spending

MSN – Larry Sandler (Wisconsin Watch) | Published: 12/4/2025

The Wisconsin Legislature enacted a public campaign financing law for state Supreme Court elections in 2009. But it lasted for just one Supreme Court campaign before a Republican-controlled Legislature repealed it in 2011. Members of the court then adopted what might be one of the nation’s most lax recusal rules for campaign donations. The stories behind that shift in recusal rules, the short-lived venture in public financing of high court races, and the campaign finance laws that followed help explain how Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign spending exploded this spring to a national record of $114.2 million.

National/Federal

The Forgotten Court Case That Let Billionaires Spend Big on Elections

MSN – Beth Reinhard (Washington Post) | Published: 12/1/2025

The focus on Citizens United in the last 15 years has obscured a less-recognized campaign finance case, one that never made it to the Supreme Court. SpeechNow.org v. FEC paved the way for the super PACs frequently used by billionaires for election-year spending sprees. While Citizens United abolished the ban on independent expenditures by corporations and unions, SpeechNow went one step further. It erased limits on contributions to political committees that make independent expenditures and do not give money directly to candidates or parties. These entities took on the catchier name of super PACs.

Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison Over Illegal Donations to Obama Campaign

MSN – Michael Kunzelman (Associated Press) | Published: 11/20/2025

Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees was sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. In April 2023, a federal jury convicted Michel of 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The trial included testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Former President of Honduras, Convicted of Trafficking, Freed after Trump Pardon

MSN – Tobi Raji, Shayna Jacobs, and Samantha Schmidt (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2025

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted by a U.S. court last year on charges he ran the Central American nation as a “narco-state” that helped send South American cocaine to the United States, has been released from federal prison after receiving a pardon from President Trump. Hernández was serving 45 years in prison on importation and weapons charges. U.S. prosecutors said he built his political career on millions of dollars in bribes from traffickers in Honduras and Mexico, and as president helped to move at least 400 tons of cocaine to the U.S. while protecting traffickers from extradition and prosecution.

Trump Rails Against Somali Migrants: ‘I don’t want them in our country’

MSN – Amy Wang and Caroline O’Donovan (Washington Post) | Published: 11/2/2025

President Trump ended a Cabinet meeting with a rant against Somali migrants, accusing them of having “ripped off” Minnesota and using dehumanizing language to attack a group he has increasingly targeted in recent weeks. The president’s comments came amid reports his administration is ramping up immigration enforcement efforts targeting undocumented Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Trump recently threatened to end temporary protected status for Somali immigrants in Minnesota and, without evidence, accused “Somali gangs” of terrorizing people there.

Northwestern to Pay $75 Million to End Trump Administration Probes

MSN – Angie Orellana Hernandez (Washington Post) | Published: 11/29/2025

Northwestern University has become the sixth school to reach a deal with the Trump administration in an agreement that ends federal investigations into allegations of unlawful discrimination, race-based admissions, and fostering a hostile educational environment for Jewish students. The deal requires Northwestern to pay $75 million to the U.S. government over several years; in turn, the administration will restore nearly $800 million in federal research funding that had been frozen since April.

Trump Says He Will Pardon Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar

MSN – Mariana Alfaro, Kadia Goba, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 12/3/2025

President Trump said he will pardon U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, unexpectedly ending the prosecution of a member of the opposing party. Cuellar, one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, was charged last year with bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy. Trump also pardoned Cuellar’s wife, who also had been charged. The indictment detailed a bold corruption scheme in which Cuellar allegedly promised to wield his power as a member of Congress to advocate for his benefactors.

The New York Times Sues the Pentagon Over Press Restrictions

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2025

The New York Times sued the Defense Department over its press policy prohibiting journalists from soliciting any information not explicitly authorized for release by the government. The Times alleged the press rules violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press and the newspaper’s due process rights under the Fifth Amendment.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Ontario Will Require Skills Grant Applicants to Reveal If They Hired Lobbyists

Toronto Star – Moira Welsh | Published: 12/2/2025

Bowing to pressure, the Ontario government will soon require that groups hiring lobbyists for help in getting millions of dollars from the Skills Development Fund will now have to report those connections in their application. The change is expected by the end of the year. Labor Minister David Piccini has been under fire since auditor general Shelley Spence an audit found Piccini and his predecessor handed out $126 million in training funding to 64 organizations that used lobbyists to push applications ranked “low and medium” in a process that was “not fair, transparent or accountable.”

California – DWP Employee Made Assistants Run Personal Errands, Buy Her Snoop Dogg Tickets, Ethics Enforcer Says

MSN – Noah Goldberg (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 11/26/2025

A high-ranking employee at the Department of Water and Power (DWP) made staffers run personal errands for her, including purchasing tickets to a Snoop Dogg concert, according to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission’s director of enforcement. It is alleged that Renette Anderson, an executive assistant to the DWP’s general manager, asked subordinates to book a plane ticket for her personal travel, make physical therapy appointments for her, purchase party supplies for a non-work party at her home, and make a service appointment at a Mercedes Benz dealership for her personal vehicle.

California – International Travel. Fancy Meals. Missing Receipts. Who Paid the Tab for This Top Official?

MSN – Paige St. John (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/4/2025

Ricardo Lara’s transition from influence-brokering California legislator to insurance regulator was rocky. Almost immediately upon assuming office in 2019, the state insurance commissioner was discovered soliciting money from those he regulated, even allowing his campaign fundraiser to set his office calendar. Lara is now under two new investigations for potential campaign finance and ethics violations and accused by consumer advocates of cozying up to those he regulates.

California – Unindicted Co-Conspirator Stays Silent After FBI Arrests but Still on SCIF Board

MSN – Lia Russell (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 12/3/2025

Weeks after four top Sacramento political figures were ensnared in an FBI corruption probe, one of them, lobbyist Alexis Podesta, has remained quiet and emerged relatively unscathed. Despite speculation that Gov. Gavin Newsom would remove her, Podesta attended a regularly scheduled meeting for the State Compensation Insurance Fund, the state agency on whose board of directors she sits. Podesta’s attorney has confirmed his client is an unindicted co-conspirator cited in the indictment from federal prosecutors.

District of Columbia – Judge Limits Warrantless Immigration Arrests in DC

MSN – Hassan Ali Kanu and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 12/2/2025

A federal judge restricted the Trump administration’s ability to arrest suspected undocumented immigrants in the District of Columbia without a warrant, saying the arrests are only permissible if authorities have reason to believe the person is likely to escape. Government attorneys had disputed whether agents are using a lower standard than probable cause, but U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ruled the plaintiffs’ accounts of their arrests and multiple public statements by high-ranking officials proved otherwise.

Florida – Florida Becomes the GOP’s Biggest Redistricting Test – and a Messy One

MSN – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 12/2/2025

Florida is barreling into a mid-decade redistricting fight with Republicans in and out of the state pushing for action, but party leaders are split on how far to go and when to start. Those pushing the effort believe the state could yield three to five additional GOP House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms, a haul big enough to influence control of Congress. But the drive comes amid an ongoing power struggle inside the state Capitol and legal constraints that make Florida one of the hardest places in the country to redraw lines for partisan gain.

Georgia – Georgia Case Against Trump Dropped, Ending Efforts to Punish President over 2020 Election Aftermath

MSN – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 11/26/2025

A judge dismissed the Georgia election interference case against President Trump and others after the prosecutor who took over the case said he would not pursue the charges, ending the last effort to punish the president in the courts for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, took over the case from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was removed over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she chose to lead the case.

Illinois – Former Inspector General Joe Ferguson Fined $5K for Revealing Botched Little Village Smokestack Implosion Could Have Been Prevented

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 11/28/2025

The Chicago Board of Ethics fined former Inspector General Joe Ferguson $5,000 for violating the city’s ethics ordinance by divulging a confidential report that found city officials could have prevented a plume of dust from enveloping Little Village in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when crews demolished the former Crawford Power Plant. Ferguson said that while he was disappointed by the fine, he had no regrets about his decision to send the report to two unidentified media organizations.

Indiana – Indiana Republicans’ Proposed Map Breaks Indianapolis into 4 Districts

MSN – Marissa Meador (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 12/1/2025

Indiana House Republicans released a proposed map with new congressional district lines that could lead to the elimination of the two Democrats from the state’s congressional delegation if passed. The official map marks a major step forward for Indiana’s redistricting proponents who had failed for weeks to sway reluctant senators on the plan to draw new districts. But on November 25, just minutes after the House announced it would meet on the topic of redistricting, the Senate announced it would reconvene December 8 to consider a proposed map from the House.

Kentucky – Groups Spent $9M Lobbying Kentucky Executive Branch Officials in Past Fiscal Year

Louisville Public Media – Joe Sonka | Published: 11/28/2025

Government contractors, health-related groups, and the medical marijuana industry were among hundreds of organizations that spent $9.1 million lobbying Kentucky’s executive branch agencies on policy in the fiscal year ending this summer. Kentucky has long required groups to report their spending on legislative lobbyists but first required reports on executive branch lobbying spending in 2020. This push for increased transparency followed the conviction of a former cabinet secretary and lobbyist for orchestrating a kickback scheme to steer large government contracts to clients.

Kentucky – KY Candidate Had a Fundraiser on His Own Church Campus. He Says There’s No Issue

MSN – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 11/24/2025

A fundraiser for Ryan Dotson, a candidate in Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District race, was held on the grounds of the church Dotson leads. It is not against any campaign finance law to host a fundraiser at a church. But the event at Lighthouse World Outreach Center, where Dotson is lead pastor, does raise questions about how the event was carried out, according to a federal campaign finance expert.

Massachusetts – Super PAC Illegally Coordinated with Diehl Campaign in 2022 Election, Regulators Say

WBUR – Chris Van Buskirk | Published: 11/20/2025

State campaign finance regulators found former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl and a super PAC that backed his campaign illegally coordinated during the 2022 election. Office of Campaign and Political Finance Director William Campbell said Diehl’s campaign and the super PAC, called Mass Freedom, hired the same media consultant. That created a presumption of coordination between the campaign and super PAC in violation of state law, according to Campbell.

Michigan – Conservative Activists Get Probation in Voter intimidation Case

MSN – Arpan Lobo (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 12/1/2025

Two conservative activists who previously pleaded no contest in connection to a robocall scheme to spread inaccurate information to mostly Black voters around Detroit, leading up to the 2020 election, will avoid jail time. Jacob Wohl and John Burkman were each sentenced to one year probation. Prosecutors said the men engaged in an effort that circulated robocalls to nearly 12,000 people in 2020. The robocalls made false claims about voting by mail, which was promoted that year as a way to avoid contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Michigan – Issues Resolved in Hall Lions Ticket Complaint, Attorney Withdraws Request for Investigation

Yahoo News – Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) | Published: 12/3/2025

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall’s troubles with a potential scandal over Detroit Lions tickets he received from a lobbying firm have been resolved, as the attorney who made a formal complaint rescinded his request for the state to investigate the matter. Bob LaBrant, the former general counsel for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, filed a complaint in reaction to news that Hal received tickets to a recent Lions home game from Bill Wort of Public Affairs Associates.

Mississippi – Supreme Court May Revive First Amendment Suit from Sidewalk Preacher Who Shouted at Concertgoers

MSN – John Fritze (CNN) | Published: 12/3/2025

Street preacher Gabriel Olivier wants to challenge an ordinance in federal court that was enacted by a Mississippi city that bars people from protesting outside an amphitheater. But before he can advance his lawsuit, he must deal with a 1994 Supreme Court precedent that is intended to bar people convicted of a crime from using civil lawsuits to effectively reverse their convictions. Olivier claimed the ordinance violates his First Amendment rights to share his faith publicly.

Missouri – Missouri Bill Targets ‘Misleading’ Automatic Donations Connected to Bill Eigel

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 12/2/2025

No Missouri politician should be able to extract recurring campaign donations the way that Bill Eigel is from a Nebraska veteran tapped 35 times this year for more than $1,000, a Republican lawmaker said. State Rep. Jim Murphy used the first day of pre-filing for the upcoming legislative session to introduce a bill to ban solicitations that include recurring donations. The bill also requires each solicitation to state “in a clear and conspicuous manner” the candidate or PAC that will use the money.

New Jersey – Appeals Court Rules Trump Prosecutor Appointment Violates Law

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 12/1/2025

A federal appeals court ruled President Trump unlawfully maneuvered to keep his former personal attorney, Alina Habba, as the top prosecutor in New Jersey, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for other controversial appointments that have been challenged in court. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against the extraordinary steps the Justice Department deployed to bypass Senate confirmation and keep Habba in the top position.

New Jersey – NJ AG, Others Attack Bill That Would Combine State Watchdog Agencies

MSN – Mike Davis and Michael Diamond (Asbury Park Press) | Published: 11/27/2025

New Jersey, a state often synonymous with the corrupt antics of politicians at all levels, has too many government watchdogs keeping too many eyes trained on taxpayer dollars, according to one of its most powerful elected officials. It is a problem Senate President Nick Scutari hopes to fix. If signed into law, a new bill proposed by Scutari would essentially fold much of the Office of the State Comptroller’s responsibilities into the State Commission of Investigation, turning two watchdog agencies into one-and-a-half.

New Jersey – Progressive Topples Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey in Jersey City Mayoral Runoff

MSN – Ry Rivard (Politico) | Published: 12/2/2025

James Solomon, a city council member elected with the support of anti-machine progressives, will be the next mayor of New Jersey’s second largest city. Solomon besting disgraced former Gov. Jim McGreevey in the runoff to lead Jersey City. McGreevey joins former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as a politician who grasped for a second chance in public life that voters did not want to give them.

New York – NY Gov. Hochul Accepted – and Is Now Refunding – Thousands in Donations from Appointees

Gothamist – Jimmy Vielkind | Published: 11/29/2025

After a Democratic primary rival questioned some of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fundraising methods, the governor’s campaign said it will return thousands of dollars she accepted from people she has appointed to state boards and councils. Public records show Hochul raised at least $72,500 from people who donated after she gave them positions steering state policy. Some of the people in question also contributed before their appointments, and some of the appointees were first put into their positions by Hochul’s predecessor, Andrew Cuomo.    

New York – City Investigators Haven’t Given Up on Probing Eric Adams’ Conduct, Judge’s Order Reveals

MSN – Greg Smith (The City) | Published: 12/3/2025

A court order revealed the Department of Investigation (DOI) has an ongoing investigation of whether New York City Mayor Eric Adams violated ethics laws, a probe that is proceeding even after the mayor got his corruption case tossed after the Trump Justice Department abandoned it. U.S. District Court Judge Dale Ho revealed the existence of DOI’s investigation in issuing an order that opens the door for DOI to use material from the defunct federal indictment in its continuing conflict-of-interest probe of the mayor.

New York – Co. That Won Big-Bucks ‘Panic Button’ Deal for NYC Schools Hired Firm of Adams Ally Frank Carone

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 12/1/2025

Before getting a multimillion-dollar contract from Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to install “panic buttons” in New York City public schools, a company hired the lobbying and consulting firm operated by Frank Carone, the mayor’s ex-chief of staff. SOS Technologies hired Oaktree Solutions to do “strategic consulting” in connection with its effort to secure the contract. There is no record Oaktree employees engaged in direct lobbying of Adams administration officials prior to the award. In any event, Carone resigned as chief of staff in late 2022, so he is no longer covered by the one-year lobbying ban on former city officials.

Pennsylvania – The State Budget Was 135 Days Late, but Pa. Lawmakers Got Their Pay Raise on Schedule

MSN – Tirzah Christopher (PennLive) | Published: 12/2/2025

Pennsylvania lawmakers received a pay increase on December 1, raising their base salary to $113,575. Only New York and California’s legislators make more. The Pennsylvania Legislature’s increases also are automatic, which means they go into effect without a vote. The raises come after a more than four-month budget impasse, which forced some counties, school districts, and non-profits across the state to take drastic measures like reducing staff or taking out high-interest loans to keep operating.

Rhode Island – How to Win Elections and Influence the State House? The League of RI Businesses Has a Plan.

Rhode Island Current – Nancy Lavin | Published: 11/25/2025

When a group of gun rights advocates piled into Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s office to rail against a proposed assault-style weapons ban last spring, Shekarchi gave them some advice om how to influence lawmakers. David Levesque took the message to heart. He created a string of 40 PACs allowing The League of Rhode Island Businesses to circumvent the $2,000-per-candidate annual campaign donation limit set by state law. While not illegal, the move exposes The League and its financial beneficiaries to greater risk of reporting mistakes and violations.

Tennessee – Republican Wins Special Election in Trump Country, as Democrat Gains Ground

MSN – Dan Merica (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2025

Republicans retained a ruby-red congressional district, winning a special election in Tennessee that became more competitive than initially expected and prompted an aggressive closing scramble by GOP leaders on behalf of their nominee. The victory by Matt Van Epps, who aligned himself with President Trump, capped a contest that served as the latest test of voters’ attitudes about Trump’s agenda and Democrats’ response less than a year before the midterm elections. Van Epps defeated Aftyn Behn, a left-leaning state representative who frequently mentioned economic concerns on the campaign trail.

Ethics

California: “International Travel. Fancy Meals. Missing Receipts. Who Paid the Tab for This Top Official?” by Paige St. John (Los Angeles Times) for MSN

National: “The New York Times Sues the Pentagon Over Press Restrictions” by Scott Nover (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Trump Says He Will Pardon Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar” by Mariana Alfaro, Kadia Goba, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) for MSN

Mississippi: “Supreme Court May Revive First Amendment Suit from Sidewalk Preacher Who Shouted at Concertgoers” by John Fritze (CNN) for MSN

Legislative Issues

Pennsylvania: “The State Budget Was 135 Days Late, but Pa. Lawmakers Got Their Pay Raise on Schedule” by Tirzah Christopher (PennLive) for MSN

Lobbying

Michigan: “Issues Resolved in Hall Lions Ticket Complaint, Attorney Withdraws Request for Investigation” by Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) for Yahoo News

New York: “Co. That Won Big-Bucks ‘Panic Button’ Deal for NYC Schools Hired Firm of Adams Ally Frank Carone” by Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) for Yahoo News

Redistricting

Florida: “Florida Becomes the GOP’s Biggest Redistricting Test – and a Messy One” by Gary Fineout (Politico) for MSN

National/Federal

Top Fannie Mae Officials Ousted After Sounding Alarm on Sharing Confidential Housing Data

MSN – Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) | Published: 11/13/2025

A confidant of Bill Pulte, the Trump administration’s top housing regulator, provided confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae to a principal competitor, alarming senior officials of the government-backed lending giant who warned it could expose the company to claims it was colluding with a rival to fix mortgage rates. While Lauren Smith, the company’s head of marketing, still holds her position, the senior Fannie Mae officials who called her conduct into question were all forced out of their jobs late, along with internal ethics watchdogs who were investigating Pulte and his allies.

Trump Names Paul Ingrassia to GSA Post After Withdrawal Over Racist Texts

MSN – Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2025

President Trump tapped Paul Ingrassia, the unsuccessful nominee to run the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), to become deputy general counsel of the General Services Administration, which oversees federal real estate. Ingrassia withdrew his OSC nomination after several GOP senators said they could not support him following reports he texted other Republicans racist slurs and said he had “a Nazi streak.” He also was subject to a sexual harassment investigation in recent months, according to Politico.

Trump Gives Second Pardon to Jan. 6 Participant and Pardons Two Others

MSN – Michael Kranish (Washington Post) | Published: 11/15/2025

President Trump issued a second pardon to Daniel Wilson, whom he had previously pardoned for participation in the breach of the Capitol but was in prison on a separate gun charge. Trump also pardoned Suzanne Kaye, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison for threatening FBI agents who wanted to speak to her about her whereabouts on January 6, 2021.

Former Fed Official Resigned Following Ethics Probe, Document Shows

MSN – Victoria Guida (Politico) | Published: 11/15/2025

Former Federal Reserve board member Adriana Kugler stepped down from the central bank in August amid scrutiny of her financial holdings, which appeared to violate the bank’s ethics rules, according to a document detailing her trading activity. According to a document released by the Office of Government Ethics, Kugler or her husband bought and sold multiple individual stocks in 2024, a category of asset that senior Fed officials are not allowed to purchase.

The Trump Prosecutor Probing Former Top Obama Administration Officials

MSN – Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck, and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 11/17/2025

When Jason Reding Quiñones was hired in 2018 as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida, he was placed alongside other entry-level attorneys in the office’s boot camp for new hires. Most of those prosecutors win promotion. Reding Quiñones flunked, failing to impress his supervisors with his work ethic and legal acumen and earning poor marks on his performance evaluation. He left the office in 2024. A year later, President Trump tapped Reding Quiñones to return to the Miami-based U.S. attorney’s office as its boss. Justice Department officials have entrusted Reding Quiñones with a broad probe of Trump foes.

Despite Congressional Action, Quick Release of Epstein Files Is in Doubt

MSN – Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck, and Theodoric Meyer (Washington Post) | Published: 11/19/2025

The House and Senate agreed to pass a bill calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all unclassified information and files related to the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department so far has continued to say nothing about how it would respond to that demand. There are many reasons to doubt that a bulk release of the files is imminent. If President Trump wanted Bondi to release all the Epstein files, he could have ordered her to do so at any point in the past six months.

House Democrats Split Over Unusual Reprimand of One of Their Own

MSN – Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 11/18/2025

The House, in a rare bipartisan action, voted to rebuke a Democrat who maneuvered the timing of his retirement to all but assure his handpicked successor would win his seat without opposition. The vote of formal disapproval of Rep. Jesús García was remarkable because it was instigated by a fellow Democrat, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. All Republicans and 23 Democrats supported the measure. The reprimand carries no formal penalty other than the damage to Garcia’s reputation, which a majority of Democrats sought to defend.

Trump Administration Revives Some Funding for IG Group

MSN – Meryl Kornfield and Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) | Published: 11/18/2025

The Trump administration reversed its attempt to eliminate funding for a key government oversight group, following calls from Capitol Hill to release the congressionally approved money and protect federal watchdog activities. The defunding of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, an umbrella organization for 72 inspectors general across government, was unrelated to the federal government shutdown, and the office’s 25 employees have remained furloughed since the start of the fiscal year.

Most Corporate Trump Ballroom Donors Repped by 3 Lobbying Firms, Watchdog Says

MSN – Arden Farhi (CBS News) | Published: 11/19/2025

The majority of the corporations known to have donated to the fund for President Trump’s new White House ballroom are represented by three lobbying firms, according to a report from Public Citizen. Lobbyists from those three firms – Miller Strategies, Ballard Partners, and Michael Best Strategies – mingled with the president and executives from top technology and cryptocurrency companies in the East Room recently. Several companies retained more than one of the lobbying firms in 2025, paying hundreds of thousands annually for advocacy before Congress and the Trump administration.

Ex-Officials Could Get Lifetime Bans from Lobbying for China, Russia Under New Bipartisan Push

MSN – Morgan Phillips (Fox News) | Published: 11/18/2025

Former national security officials could soon lose their security clearances or even face lifetime bans from lobbying for foreign adversaries under new legislation introduced in the House and Senate. The three-bill package takes direct aim at Washington’s “revolving door,” closing the loopholes that have let former officials and power brokers, many with deep knowledge of U.S. defense secrets, push the interests of China, Russia, and other hostile regimes inside the U.S. government.

Justice Dept. Acknowledges Full Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment

MSN – Salvador Rizzo and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/19/2025

Justice Department lawyers acknowledged a full grand jury never reviewed the final indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a remarkable admission that could threaten the viability of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney N. Tyler Lemons sought to downplay the error, arguing the revised indictment was changed only to remove the count that the grand jury rejected. “The new indictment wasn’t a new indictment,” Lemons said.

Justice Dept. Charges Democratic Congresswoman with Stealing FEMA Funds

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/19/2025

Federal officials indicted U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on allegations she used her family’s health care company to steal from a covid-19 vaccination contract funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and then used the money to bolster her congressional campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick was charged alongside multiple co-defendants, including her brother and her tax preparer. The House ethics committee is also investigating Cherfilus-McCormick.

Trump Family’s Business Ties to Saudi Arabia Raise Ethics Worries

Seattle Times – Vivian Nereim (New York Times) | Published: 11/18/2025

The leveraging of political relationships for personal profit is ordinary in the Persian Gulf, where hereditary ruling families hold near-total power and the term “conflict-of-interest” carries little weight. But the mixing of politics and profitmaking during President Trump’s second term has shattered American norms, shocking scholars who study ethics and corruption. Trump met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, engaging in national security talks with a foreign leader who also oversees a major construction project that is in talks over a potential deal with the Trump family business.

From the States and Municipalities

California – FBI Sent Letters to CA Lobbyists as Part of Corruption Probe Involving Ex-Newsom Chief of Staff

MSN – Lia Russell (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 11/18/2025

The FBI has read or listened to K Street and Sacramento lobbyists’ conversations as part of an ongoing corruption investigation that has so far ensnared Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, former Deputy State Attorney General Sean McCluskie, and lobbyist Greg Campbell. Letters from the Sacramento field office informed recipients their wire or electronic communications had been “intercepted” as part of its conspiracy case accusing Campbell, Williamson, and McCluskie of stealing campaign funds from former cabinet secretary Xavier Becerra.

Colorado – Colorado Ethics Commission Advances Complaints Against Democrats Who Attended Dark Money-Funded Retreat

Colorado Public Radio – Taylor Dolven (Colorado Sun) | Published: 11/19/2025

The Independent Ethics Commission will investigate complaints against state lawmakers who attended a weekend retreat with lobbyists in Vail paid for, at least in part, by a dark money group. The commission voted in favor of deeming the complaints “nonfrivolous” and allowing them to move forward. The complaints allege that 16 lawmakers who are members of the Opportunity Caucus violated Colorado’s prohibition on elected officials receiving gifts when they attended a retreat where they mingled with lobbyists at a ritzy hotel.

Colorado – Colorado Justices Weigh Disclosure Requirements for Ballot Initiative Spending

Colorado Springs Gazette – Michael Karlik (Colorado Politics) | Published: 11/18/2025

The Colorado Supreme Court considered whether an organization that spent $4 million to advocate for ballot initiatives in the 2020 election was required to disclose its donors and spending. Unite for Colorado argued it spent 10 percent or less of its money on a single ballot measure and less than 25 percent of its money on ballot measures. Therefore, Unite for Colorado did not have a “major purpose” of ballot issue advocacy that triggered disclosure. But some justices said an organization could avoid the transparency required of issue committees if it were so wealthy that its expenditures on ballot initiatives were relatively small in comparison.

Georgia – GOP Lawmaker Says Tougher Campaign Finance Penalties Needed in Response to New Georgia Project Case

Georgia Recorder – Ross Williams | Published: 11/13/2025

Stacey Abrams’ New Georgia Project is a thing of the past, but it may still be a major topic of conversation when lawmakers gather next year for the annual legislative session. The voter engagement project founded by Stacey Abrams announced it was dissolving after the Georgia Ethics Commission concluded the group violated state campaign finance law and levied a $300,000 fine, the largest for an ethics violation in state history. A GOP-led panel floated ideas for legislation that members said would discourage organizations from illegally funding candidates in the 2026 midterms and beyond.

Georgia – Georgia Prosecutor Keeps Case Against Trump Alive for Now

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2025

The head of a Georgia prosecutors board assigned himself to oversee a sprawling racketeering case against President Trump and his allies over their attempts to overturn the 2020 election, keeping alive for now litigation that has long faced trouble. Peter Skandalakis, the board’s executive director, said he was taking the case because he had not been able to find another prosecutor to take it. He said he needed time to review the extensive material and did not signal whether he would ultimately pursue the case or abandon it.

Georgia – Ethics Commission’s Advisory Opinion Deals New Setback to Chris Carr in Fundraising Fight with Burt Jones

WXIA – Zach Merchant and Reeves Jackson | Published: 11/19/2025

An advisory opinion from Georgia’s ethics commission says certain candidates can loan their own personal money to a leadership committee or PAC. At the center of the dispute is a $10 million loan that Lt. Gov. Burt Jones made to his own leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that can accept unlimited donations. State law allows only a few officials to use these committees. The attorney general is not on that list. That means Jones has access to a leadership committee but state Attorney General Chris Carr, his primary opponent in the race for governor, does not.

Illinois – Senate President Don Harmon Faces New Challenge Over Near-$10M Campaign Finance Fine

Yahoo News – Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 11/17/2025

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon is facing a new challenge over a State Board of Elections staff finding that his campaign committee owes $9.8 million in fines for accepting campaign contributions in excess of state limits. The Liberty Justice Center filed a complaint with the election board regarding Harmon’s committee. The move could allow the matter to go to court and sidestep the bipartisan election panel’s stalemate on the issue.

Indiana – Indiana Likely Will Not Push Forward with Redistricting Despite Pressure from White House

MSN – Adam Wren and Andrew Howard (Politico) | Published: 11/14/2025

President Trump’s effort to force mid-decade redistricting suffered a major setback after Indiana’s Republican Senate leader declared the chamber will not convene in December to redraw maps. It marks the fourth state where efforts have stalled despite pressure from Trump and his political team. Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray announcement immediately incensed those in Trump’s orbit.

Kansas – Mayor of Tiny Kansas Town Could Be Deported Over Voter Fraud Charges

MSN – Caroline O’Donovan (Washington Post) | Published: 11/18/2025

Joe Ceballos has been winning elections in the tiny ranching town of Coldwater for more than a decade, recently securing his second mayoral term in a landslide. But Ceballos’s version of the American dream – a Mexican immigrant who became an integral part of a close-knit Kansas community – has run into a newer American phenomenon: the aggressive prosecution of alleged voter fraud by noncitizens.

Kentucky – FCPS Lobbyist Terminates Contract, Alleging ‘Monetary and Reputational Damage’

MSN – Valarie Honeycutt Spears (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 11/14/2025

In May, Piper-Smith LLC submitted a $38,000 marketing campaign to the Fayette County Public Schools to help it convince the public that a 50 percent occupational tax increase was necessary. A lobbyist for Fayette County Public Schools has terminated her contract with the district after she says her firm suffered “significant damage due to the district’s shifting information on its budget status.”

Louisiana – In Louisiana, Casinos Can’t Make Political Donations, but Sportsbooks Can, Ethics Board Says

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/14/2025

Louisiana prohibits casino companies and executives from making state political contributions, but that same ban does not apply to sports gambling operations, according to the Louisiana Board of Ethics. A sport betting company and its senior management can still make political donations, even if the business is a subsidiary of a larger gambling enterprise prohibited from doing so.

Michigan – Woodward’s Firm Gave Campaign Services to Third of Commissioners He Oversees

MSN – Max Bryan (MediaNews Group) | Published: 11/13/2025

Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson Dave Woodward is a paid political consultant for a business that provided campaign services to one-third of the commissioners he now oversees, records show, a situation critics see as a potential conflict-of-interest. Woodward is a partner owner of Pivot Point Strategies LLC, a firm that has provided campaign services to six fellow Democratic commissioners since the beginning of 2020, according to campaign finance reports.

Michigan – Michigan Establishes Disclosure Requirements for Earmarks in State Budget

MSN – Clara Hendrickson (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 11/19/2025

New Michigan laws will bring greater transparency to state spending directly awarded to a specific entity, such as a nonprofit or local government, at a lawmaker’s request. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a pair of bills establishing new disclosure requirements and mandating a 45-day period for the public to learn about earmark funding proposals before lawmakers approve the spending. Earmarks do not go through the typical process for distributing public dollars in which a state department or agency evaluates which bidders should receive funding.

Michigan – Detroit’s Ethics System Under Fire as Mary Sheffield Faces First Test as Mayor-Elect

Yahoo News – Violet Ikonomova (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 11/18/2025

A series of recent ethical concerns involving Detroit officials, including city council President and Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield, have prompted criticism of the city’s conflict-of-interest rules and the apparatus designed to ensure they are followed. Government ethics experts flagged poor advice from the Detroit Board of Ethics and policies that appear to allow officials to seek guidance from sources beyond that board, which can lead to conflicting determinations. Ethics training is lacking with less than 10 percent of Detroit’s 10,000-plus public servants having taken it.

Missouri – How a Nebraska Veteran Unwittingly Became a Repeat Donor to a Missouri County Campaign

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 11/17/2025

A Korean War veteran from Nebraska named Russell Wood made 35 donations totaling $1,050 over the last year to Bill Eigel’s campaign for St. Charles County executive. The problem is, Wood, who is 92, has never heard of Eigel or set foot in St. Charles County. He said he had no idea he had made so many donations to Eigel’s campaign. Wood appears to have been caught in an online fundraising practice that makes donations automatically repeat on a weekly or monthly basis unless the contributor changes a pre-checked box.

Nevada – Nevada Supreme Court Revives Criminal Case Over Trump Elector Gambit

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 11/13/2025

A unanimous Nevada Supreme Court revived the criminal case against six prominent allies of President Trump who falsely claimed to be legitimate presidential electors amid Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election. The justices concluded state Attorney General Aaron Ford properly brought the forgery case in Las Vegas, overruling a lower-court decision that found the case should have been brought in Carson City, where the pro-Trump elector nominees signed the false documents.

New Mexico – New Mexico Lawmaker Appeals Adverse Ruling Over Campaign Donation to Student

Courthouse News Service – Joe Duhownik | Published: 11/18/2025

New Mexico’s secretary of state engaged in content discrimination when she referred Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino’s donation to a high school student for criminal prosecution under campaign finance laws, the senator told a federal appeals court. Ortiz y Pino said a section of the state’s Campaign Reporting Act violates the First Amendment by discriminating what types of charitable contributions an elected official can make with their campaign funds.

New York – Ex-Aide to NYC Mayor Eric Adams Avoids Prison Time as Federal Judge Addresses ‘Elephant in the Room’

MSN – Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 11/18/2025

A former aide to outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams was sentenced to three years’ probation, including a year of home confinement, for soliciting illegal campaign contributions for Adams. But as a federal judge announced the sentence for Mohamed Bahi, a liaison to the city’s Muslim communities, he also addressed the “elephant in the room” – that Adams’ own corruption charges had been erased through a remarkable intervention by the Trump administration.

North Dakota – Campaign Finance at Heart of Latest Skirmish Between Executive Branch, ND Ethics Commission

Yahoo News – Jacob Orledge (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 11/17/2025

The secretary of state is asking for a formal legal opinion from the attorney general on the North Dakota Ethics Commission’s authority, including whether it had the right to issue a recent advisory opinion. The Legislature empowered the commission to issue advisory opinions if a public official wants to know whether an action is permitted under state law. But the governor and other elected officials say the agency has overstepped, with the conflict contributing to a stalled process to fill vacancies on the commission.

Ohio – FirstEnergy Ordered to Pay More Than $250 Million for Misconduct in Sweeping Ohio Bribery Scheme

Yahoo Finance – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 11/19/2025

Ohio utility regulators ordered FirstEnergy to pay more than $250 million in fines and refunds for its misconduct in a statehouse bribery scandal whose fallout continues five years on. Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, among the state’s most powerful politicians, and four associates were charged for their parts in an alleged $60 million racketeering scheme funded by FirstEnergy in exchange for a $1 billion nuclear plant bailout. FirstEnergy admitted to the bribes and agreed to pay $230 million to avoid prosecution.

Oklahoma – After Vote Controversy, Lawmakers and Elected Officials Will Get Thousands More in Pay

MSN – Murray Evans (The Oklahoman) | Published: 11/19/2025

State boards that determine pay for legislators and statewide elected officials have met for a second time after their actions in previous meetings were called into question because one member was a registered lobbyist and should not have been serving on the boards. The Legislative Compensation Board and the Statewide Official Compensation Commission, which have the same nine members, rescinded actions from previous meetings and updated their decisions regarding pay raises for legislators and 11 statewide positions.

Pennsylvania – Barstool Influencers Pushed Anti-Tax Message as Pa. Lawmakers Privately Debated Sports Betting Proposal

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso | Published: 11/19/2025

As Pennsylvania lawmakers worked to reach a budget deal, three Barstool Sports influencers sent a message to their millions of followers: Harrisburg wants to tax your fun. Behind the scenes, Democrats were trying to sell their GOP counterparts on a deal that would increase taxes on sports betting and online gaming. The videos demonstrated the changing landscape of advocacy in a media environment where Americans flock to digital personalities for their news. They also raise questions about whether they constituted lobbying, and if Barstool Sports and its stars were registered to do such advocacy work.

South Carolina – Are All Public Charter School Districts Subject to Ethics Laws? SC Agency Says No

MSN – Zak Koeske (The State) | Published: 11/13/2025

For years, South Carolina’s ethics agency has held taxpayer-funded charter school districts to the same government accountability standards as traditional public-school districts. But that treatment, the Ethics Commission recently determined, should not have been applied to all charter school districts. Because the districts were created by private entities, the commission reasoned, they were not governmental entities, and their board members and employees were not public members or public employees.

Tennessee – Tennessee Judge Blocks Trump’s Use of National Guard in Memphis but Gives Time for Government Appeal

MSN – Adrian Sainz and Jonathan Mattise (Associated Press) | Published: 11/18/2025

A Tennessee judge blocked the use of the National Guard in Memphis under a crime-fighting operation by President Trump but also put the order on hold, giving the government five days to appeal. Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal’s decision sides with Democratic state and local officials who sued, contending Gov. Bill Lee cannot deploy the Tennessee National Guard for civil unrest unless there is rebellion or invasion, and even then, it would require action by state lawmakers.

Tennessee – Tennessee Registry Orders Pardoned House Staffer to Explain Troubled PAC

Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 11/19/2025

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is ordering a former House staff member recently pardoned after conviction in a corruption case to testify about a PAC he secretly formed in 2020 to sway the election. The registry voted to drop a subpoena against Cade Cothren and, instead, bring him in next year to explain his actions in forming the Faith Family Freedom Fund. Registry Chairperson Tom Lawless said Cothren sent fraudulent documents, including a treasurer’s report and several emails, to the agency when he formed the PAC.

Texas – Federal Court Blocks Texas from Using New Congressional Gerrymander in 2026 Midterms

MSN – Eleanor Klibanoff (Texas Tribune) | Published: 11/18/2025

A federal appeals court panel ruled Texas cannot use its new congressional map for the 2026 election and will instead need to stick with the lines passed in 2021. The decision is a blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who pushed through this unusual mid-decade redistricting at the behest of President Trump. They were hoping the new map would help protect the narrow GOP majority in the U.S. House.

Wyoming – Wyoming Legislature Reverses Course on Axing Memberships with National Associations Perceived as Too Costly, Liberal

MSN – Maggie Mullen (WyoFile) | Published: 11/20/2025

Lawmakers reversed course on the prospect of cutting ties with two national, non-partisan organizations that have long provided research and training to members and staff of the Wyoming Legislature. Wyoming pays biennial dues to the Council of State Governments West and the National Conference of State Legislatures that cost approximately $271,300 and $293,500 respectively. The value of those memberships, however, came into question during a Management Council meeting in April.

Campaign Finance

Illinois: “Senate President Don Harmon Faces New Challenge Over Near-$10M Campaign Finance Fine” by Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

Pennsylvania: “Capitol Police Arrest 18 at Protest Against Lax Pa. Campaign Finance Laws” by Tirzah Christopher (PennLive) for MSN

Elections

Kansas: “Mayor of Tiny Kansas Town Could Be Deported Over Voter Fraud Charges” by Caroline O’Donovan (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Trump Family’s Business Ties to Saudi Arabia Raise Ethics Worries” by Vivian Nereim (New York Times) for Seattle Times

National: “Despite Congressional Action, Quick Release of Epstein Files Is in Doubt” by Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck, and Theodoric Meyer (Washington Post) for MSN

Michigan: “Detroit’s Ethics System Under Fire as Mary Sheffield Faces First Test as Mayor-Elect” by Violet Ikonomova (Detroit Free Press) for Yahoo News

Legislative Issues

National: “House Democrats Split Over Unusual Reprimand of One of Their Own” by Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) for MSN

Redistricting

Texas: “Federal Court Blocks Texas from Using New Congressional Gerrymander in 2026 Midterms” by Eleanor Klibanoff (Texas Tribune) for MSN

National/Federal

Senate Democrats Seek to ‘Get to Bottom’ of Moreno’s Car-Data Collection

MSN – Valerie Yurk (Roll Call) | Published: 11/6/2025

A Nevada Democrat accused Sen. Bernie Moreno of privacy violations after he admitted to tracking down U.S. Senate Democrats’ vehicle identification numbers (VINs). U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen asked for unanimous consent for Moreno to submit details to the committee about how he obtained the personal VINs, whose VINs he has collected, what he intends to do with them and whether senators’ privacy was violated.

Housing Official Bill Pulte Fired Ethics Workers Who Were Looking into His Ally

MSN – Rachel Siegel (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2025

President Trump’s housing finance director, Bill Pulte, fired internal watchdogs at Fannie Mae who were looking into multiple complaints against a high-ranking company officer close to him. Pulte said in October he had fired dozens of Fannie Mae employees in what he said included a bid to end diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the mortgage giant. Yet six people familiar with the matter said those firings effectively cleared out the company’s internal watchdogs, charged with ensuring Fannie and its officials follow the law.

Shutdown Defections Spark Fury as Democrats Struggle to Unify Against Trump

MSN – Yasmeen Abutaleb, Dan Merica, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 11/11/2025

The fury at eight Democratic-aligned senators who voted with Republicans to end the longest-ever government shutdown highlights the dramatic shift in the Democratic Party less than a year into President Trump’s second term, as voters and lawmakers argue the party needs to adopt more ruthless tactics to counter the president and claw its way back to power. Rather than try to uphold norms as Trump shatters them, they have instead decided to fight Trump with tactics they previously disdained.

Justice Department Struggles as Thousands Exit – and Few Are Replaced

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2025

The Justice Department has lost thousands of experienced attorneys since the start of the Trump administration and has backfilled a fraction of the open jobs, with the process snarled by a lack of qualified candidates, bureaucratic delays, and hiring freezes, according to people familiar with hirings in the department. Last year, roughly 10,000 attorneys worked across the Justice Department and its components. Justice Connection, an advocacy group that has been tracking departures, estimates that around 5,500 people, not all of them attorneys, have quit the department, been fired, or taken a buyout offered by the Trump administration.

First Big Foreign Agent Trial Under Trump 2.0 Set to Kick Off

MSN – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 11/11/2025

The former aide to two New York governors charged with acting as an unregistered Chinese agent heads to federal court for the first big Foreign Agents Registration Act trial of the second Trump administration. Linda Sun, who served as a deputy chief of staff to current Gov. Kathy Hochul and worked in Andrew Cuomo’s administration before that, was indicted for allegedly using her job to benefit the Chinese government in exchange for millions in payments to her husband’s business.

Lawmakers Outraged by Provision Allowing Senators to Sue Over Jan. 6 Records

MSN – Theodoric Meyer, Marianna Sotomayor, and Riley Beggin (Washington Post) | Published: 11/12/2025

A provision tied to the investigation into the attack on the Capitol buried in the bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has sparked bipartisan outrage, with House Republicans vowing to try to repeal the provision later even as the House passed the bill that includes it. The bill allows Republican senators whose phone records were seized by the FBI as part of an investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith into January 6, 2021, to sue the federal government for damages. Each of them could receive $500,000, as well as legal fees. House members whose phone records were obtained would not be eligible.

Trump Administration Prepares to Fire Worker for TV Interview About SNAP

MSN – Mariana Alfaro and Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2025

The Agriculture Department is preparing to fire an employee in the division that handles food benefits after she publicly warned the shutdown could have negative impacts on the millions of Americans who rely on the federal government to put food on the table. Ellen Mei, a program specialist at the Food and Nutrition Service who is furloughed, was interviewed during the early days of the shutdown to talk about how the impasse in Washington would impact her team, as well as the work they do.

House Effort to Force Vote on Releasing Epstein Files Can Advance

MSN – Kadia Goba and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 11/12/2025

A bipartisan House effort to force a vote on releasing more files related to the federal government’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein can now move forward. A discharge petition – a mechanism by which House lawmakers can circumvent the normal legislative process to compel votes – received the 218th signature needed to force a vote on the Epstein files. The newly sworn-in Rep. Adelita Grijalva provided the final signature, adding her name to a list of lawmakers that includes all 214 Democrats and four Republicans.

Judge Appears Skeptical of Lindsey Halligan’s Appointment as Interim US Attorney

MSN – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 11/13/2025

A federal judge expressed deep skepticism about whether a federal prosecutor handpicked by President Trump to bring criminal cases against his political rivals was legally appointed to the role. It is unclear whether U.S. District Court Judge Cameron Currie’s open doubts about the appointment of Lindsey Halligan will sink the cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. But the judge’s ruling, which she said would come before Thanksgiving, could derail both.

Democrats Swept Elections Far Beyond the Big Races in Referendum on Trump

MSN – Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) | Published: 11/8/2025

Much of the attention on November 4 focused on the Democrats’ big wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races, as well as in the New York mayor’s contest. But the party also won hundreds of lower-profile state and local contests, often swamping Republican incumbents with overwhelming turnout, suggesting that voters’ desire to send a message opposing President Trump was deep and wide.

Trump Pardons Giuliani, Other Allies Who Sought to Overturn 2020 Election

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2025

President Donald Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani and a host of other prominent allies involved in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, furthering Trump’s efforts to rewrite the history of his losing campaign five years ago. The move appeared to carry no immediate practical effect as none of the more than 75 people listed have been charged with federal crimes, though several have been prosecuted in states. Still, the clemency signaled that Trump’s second administration will continue to focus on false claims of widespread voter fraud.

Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct

Seattle Times – Michael Gold (New York Times) | Published: 11/12/2025

House Democrats released emails in which Jeffrey Epstein wrote that President Trump had “spent hours at my house” with one of Epstein’s victims, among other messages that suggested the convicted sex offender believed Trump knew more about his abuse than he has acknowledged. Trump has denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation. But Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said the emails raised new questions about the relationship between the two men.

Bolstered by Big Wins, Dems Eye Out-of-Reach Senate Races

Yahoo News – Elena Schneider (Politico) | Published: 11/6/2025

In the wake of Democrats’ resounding electoral wins on November 4, party candidates and strategists are strategizing how to expand their electoral opportunities in even the reddest of states in 2026, when President Trump will not be on the ballot and Republicans will face the traditional headwinds of a midterm cycle. Before Democrats flipped at least 13 Virginia House of Delegate seats and won gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia by double-digit margins, their chances to snag seats deep into Trump territory seemed out of reach. Now they are feeling more bullish.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Why Arizona Child Welfare Leaders Gave Hobbs Donor a 30% Raise After First Saying No

USA Today – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 11/12/2025

A group home operator that launched a six-figure spending campaign to support Gov. Katie Hobbs gave Arizona child welfare leaders an ultimatum: pay more for its services, or it would find work elsewhere. There was no good choice, said David Lujan, then-director of the Department of Child Safety who approved that special rate hike for Sunshine Residential Homes in 2023. The decision was difficult in part because of Sunshine Residential’s political support of Hobbs – Lujan’s boss – and the shadow it cast on the department’s decision-making.

California – Ex-Aide to California Governor Indicted for Alleged Theft of Campaign Funds from Ex-Health Secretary

MSN – Trân Nguyễn and Jaimie Ding (Associated Press) | Published: 11/12/2025

Dana Williamson, a former top aide to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, was indicted on federal charges alleging her involvement in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. The indictment lists four other co-conspirators. It alleges Williamson developed a plan with Sean McCluskie, a longtime Becerra aide, to siphon money from one of Becerra’s dormant state campaign accounts to give to McCluskie to pad his salary after he accepted a job as his chief of staff in Washington.

California – Ex-S.F. Human Rights Chief Sheryl Davis Hit with Slew of Ethics Charges

MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/7/2025

San Francisco ethics investigators accused former human rights chief Sheryl Davis of breaking city and state laws that bar conflicts of interest and the acceptance of improper gifts, setting the stage for an unusual mini-trial at City Hall. The 31-count charging document opens a new front in the long-running public integrity saga surrounding Davis, the former executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

District of Columbia – Jury Finds D.C. ‘Sandwich Guy’ Not Guilty of Assaulting Officer

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2025

A jury acquitted a District of Columbia man who was charged with assault after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent during President Trump’s crime crackdown in the capital. The one-sided food fight became a slapstick symbol of resistance to Trump’s summertime takeover of local law enforcement. The defendant, Sean Dunn, said he was speaking out against fascism and anti-migrant policies from the Trump administration.

District of Columbia – DOJ Is Investigating Bowser’s Qatar Trip but Says Mayor Is Not a Target

MSN – Perry Stein, Emily Davies, Salvador Rizzo, Meagan Flynn, and Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 10/7/2025

The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington has been investigating a trip that District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and four aides took to Qatar in 2023, but the mayor is not a target, according to law enforcement and other administration officials. Bowser and four staff members traveled to Qatar in December 2023 for meetings on economic development. The trip was partially paid for by the Qatari government. Such payments for travel are legal but subject to restrictions.

Hawaii – Hawaii House Speaker Wants Probe of Lawmaker in Corruption Case

Yahoo News – Peter Boylan (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) | Published: 11/11/2025

Hawaii House Speaker Nadine Nakamura is asking law enforcement officials to investigate allegations that an unnamed state lawmaker accepted $35, 000 in campaign contributions in January 2022 during a federal public corruption probe. That probe ended the public service careers of former state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen. and ex-state Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English. Cullen made consensually recorded telephone calls and recorded in-person meetings with “investigative subjects of our public corruption investigation,” according to a federal court filing detailing how Cullen helped the FBI.

Illinois – Judge Says Immigration Officers’ Use of Force in Chicago ‘Shocks the Conscience’

MSN – Kim Bellware and David Nkamura (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2025

A federal judge delivered a damning condemnation of the use of force in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign in this city, saying officers have unnecessarily terrorized local residents who have sought to peacefully protest or document their actions. U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis cited several examples of what she said was evidence of excessive force that contradicted statements from federal authorities who defended the actions of immigration officers who used tear gas, pepper spray, or other nonlethal crowd control devices.

Kansas – A Kansas County Agrees to Pay $3 Million and Apologize Over a Raid on a Small-Town Newspaper

Yahoo News – John Hanna and Heather Hollingsworth (Associated Press) | Published: 11/12/2025

A rural Kansas county agreed to pay more than $3 million and apologize over a law enforcement raid on a small-town weekly newspaper in August 2023 that sparked an outcry over press freedom. Marion County sheriff’s officers were involved in the raid on the Marion County Record and helped draft search warrants used by city police to enter the newspaper’s offices, the publisher’s home, and the home of a local city council member.

Louisiana – Former Louisiana House Speaker Indicted for Theft of Cypress Artifact

Yahoo News – Greg LaRose (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/12/2025

Former Louisiana House Speaker Louisiana Clay Schexnayder was charged with felony theft in connection with a missing piece of historic cypress that had been on display at the State Capitol and was last seen at his legislative office in Gonzales. The 20-foot by six-foot piece of cypress, taken from a tree believed to have been nearly 1,300 years old when it was harvested. It was gifted to the state in 1955.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Raises Questions About Judges’ Campaign Transparency

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/7/2025

Three elected judges in Louisiana are leveraging a new privacy law to remove their home addresses and spouse’s work addresses from the state’s public campaign finance database that tracks political donations and spending. Judges can demand a large swath of personal information be taken down from government and privately-operated websites under a law that went into effect in February. The statute conflicts with longstanding laws meant to ensure government and election transparency the state ethics board traditionally follows.

Louisiana – Orleans Sheriff Says She Missed Campaign Report Deadline Because Her Attorney Was Incarcerated

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/7/2025

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson successfully argued she should not have to pay the full fine for missing a campaign reporting deadline because her attorney was incarcerated at the time. The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted to reduce Hutson’s fine for filing the annual report for the Orleans Jedi Guardian PAC, where she is the chairperson, three weeks late.

Louisiana – Louisiana Officials, Candidates Can Use Campaign Cash for D.C. Mardi Gras, Ethics Board Confirms

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/10/2025

The Louisiana Board of Ethics confirmed that elected officials and political candidates can use their campaign money for expenses related to Washington Mardi Gras following a law change earlier this year. Washington Mardi Gras is an annual, four-day festival held in the nation’s capital featuring a formal Mardi Gras ball, parade, black-tie gala, business luncheons, political fundraisers, and several parties thrown by and for the politically connected. Some of Louisiana’s large companies and lobbyists are among the most visible sponsors of the event.

Michigan – Michigan Senate Hopeful Pugh Faces Scrutiny Over Campaign Funds, Nonprofit Allocations

MLive – Justin Engel | Published: 11/5/2025

A Democrat campaigning for the state Senate is facing scrutiny over a series of spending decisions involving money provided to organizations tied to her. Pugh defended herself to the Saginaw City Council, which could reverse its decision to allocate $210,000 in federal stimulus funds to Just In Transition-Indaba. The initiative is the product of a nonprofit, Regeneration LLC, co-founded by Pugh. She also was the focus of a media report that stated she directed about $10,000 in leftover cash from a failed 2024 U.S. House campaign to herself and her consulting firm.

Michigan – Michigan’s New Political Transparency Portal Delayed by Months, Company Isn’t Meeting State Goals

MSN – Simon Schuster (Bridge Michigan) | Published: 11/11/2025

Michigan’s new political transparency portal was delayed by months amid growing tensions between state officials and the contractor hired to build the system. The Michigan Transparency Network is meant to be an integrated system for campaign finance, lobbying, and personal financial disclosures. But the online system has become a longstanding headache for the Michigan Department of State. Tyler Technologies, the sole qualified bidder for the $9 million contract, has struggled to follow through on project goals.

Michigan – Complaint Argues DTE-Tied Group Aimed to Funnel $100k into Unlock Michigan Campaign

Yahoo News – Kyle Davidson (Michigan Advance) | Published: 11/11/2025

A Michigan nonprofit with ties to one of the state’s largest energy companies is accused of participating in a “dark money” scheme to funnel money into an effort to overturn the governor’s COVID-19 emergency powers. The complaint alleges Michigan Energy First, a group linked to DTE Energy, violated the Campaign Finance Act by working to funnel $100,000 into the Unlock Michigan campaign in 2020.

Michigan – Second Staffer Tied to Republican Consulting, Petition Firm Ousted from Michigan Senate

Yahoo News – Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) | Published: 11/11/2025

Meghan Reckling, a Michigan Senate staffer who also co-founded the Republican Victory Field Operations, resigned from her post in the office of state Sen. Lana Thies, a move that followed another Senate staff member’s shuffle to the House over fallout involving their outside consulting work. Reckling left her job acting as chief of staff for Theis following the Senate Business Office giving her an ultimatum of resigning from the Senate or keeping her connection to Victory Field Operations.

Mississippi – Supreme Court Takes Up Dispute Over Counting of Late-Arriving Mail Ballots

MSN – Melissa Quinn (CBS News) | Published: 11/10/2025

The U.S. Supreme Court said it will decide whether federal law prohibits states from counting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The legal battle before the court involves Mississippi’s procedures for counting late-arriving absentee ballots but comes as the justices are considering whether to revive a member of Congress’s lawsuit challenging a similar law in Illinois.

Missouri – Inside Mysterious Push to Block Signature-Gathering Against Missouri Redistricting

MSN – Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) | Published: 11/10/2025

As thousands of Missourians sign onto a campaign to strike down the state’s gerrymandered congressional map, a mysterious consulting contract appears to signal a targeted effort to halt the vote. The source of the contract remains a mystery. But its existence appears to illustrate a broader, tactical push to stymie Missouri from holding a referendum to repeal the map. This comes amid a series of attacks from state officials and a new opposition group backed by national Republicans.

Missouri – PAC Tied to Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 Missouri Governor Campaign Fined for Violating Ethics Laws

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 11/11/2025

The PAC backing Republican Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 bid for governor improperly coordinated with his campaign on a letter attacking his opponents, according to a consent agreement approved by the Missouri Ethics Commission. The Committee for Liberty, which spent $2.9 million promoting Ashcroft’s losing effort, must pay $536 and avoid future violations.

New Jersey – Former Rutgers Athletics Director Facing Potential Sanctions from State Ethics Board

MSN – Steve Politi (Newark Star-Ledger) | Published: 11/12/2025

The New Jersey State Ethics Commission launched a preliminary investigation into former Rutgers athletic director Patrick Hobbs that could result in significant fines or bar him from holding a state job in the future. The commission is looking into whether Hobbs violated the state’s conflict-of-interest laws when he failed to recuse himself from personnel matters involving former Rutgers gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley while the two were engaged in a personal relationship.

New York – Anti-Mamdani PAC Made End Run Around Campaign Spending Rules

MSN – Greg Smith and Mia Hollie (The City) | Published: 11/12/2025

In the final days of the New York City mayoral campaign, a secretive PAC called Put NYC First steered more than $8 million from wealthy donors into independent spending committees attacking Zohran Mamdani and, in some cases, supporting Andrew Cuomo. A media investigation found Put NYC First and at least one of the independent spenders it funded appear to have secretly choreographed some of their efforts with Cuomo’s campaign, which is forbidden by campaign finance rules.

New York – Kennedy Grandson Jack Schlossberg Announces 2026 Congressional Bid

MSN – Victoria Bisset (Washington Post) | Published: 11/12/2025

Jack Schlossberg, grandson of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, announced he will run for Congress next year. Schlossberg said he would be seeking the Democratic nomination to replace longtime Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District. Schlossberg is the son of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg.

Oregon – Oregon Lawmakers Quietly Hire Their Family Members with Taxpayer Money – an Little Oversight

MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 11/8/2025

At least five legislative aides related to their boss have quietly collected taxpayer-funded paychecks this year while infrequently being spotted in the Oregon Capitol and leaving behind few traces of substantial work in records. This inconspicuous practice has flown under the radar partly because legislative aides are subject to few oversight or transparency requirements that are common in other government jobs, such as performance reviews or attendance tracking.

Oregon – Judge Rules Trump Administration Failed to Meet Legal Requirements for Deploying Troops to Portland

MSN – Claire Rush and Gene Johnson (Associated Press) | Published: 11/7/2025

A federal judge in Oregon ruled President Trump’s administration failed to meet the legal requirements for deploying the National Guard to Portland after the city and state sued to block the deployment. The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, followed a three-day trial in which both sides argued over whether protests at the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building met the conditions for using the military domestically under federal law.

Tennessee – Trump Pardons Former Tennessee House Speaker, Top Aide Awaiting Prison

MSN – Natalie Allison (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2025

President Donald Trump pardoned former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former top aide just weeks after they were sentenced to prison on public corruption charges. Casada was sentenced to three years in federal prison on charges related to a kickback and bribery arrangement involving the Legislature’s state-funded constituent mailer program. Cade Cothren, previously Casada’s chief of staff, was also convicted of fraud and related federal charges and sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.

Utah – Judge Adopts Utah Congressional Map Creating a Democratic-Leaning District for 2026

MSN – Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) | Published: 11/11/2025

A Utah judge rejected a new congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers, adopting an alternate proposal creating a Democratic-leaning district ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans hold all four of Utah’s U.S. House seats and had advanced a map poised to protect them. Judge Dianna Gibson ruled the Legislature’s new map “unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats.”

Wisconsin – Following Lead of Federal GOP, Wisconsin Lawmakers Take Up Credit Card Political Contributions Bill

Yahoo News – Baylor Spears (Wisconsin Examiner) | Published: 11/13/2025

Wisconsin lawmakers considered proposals to crack down on political contributions made with credit cards online and to provide additional information on constitutional amendment proposals to voters during a Senate Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs Committee meeting. Senate Bill 403 would prohibit a political committee, political party, or conduit from accepting contributions that are made with a credit card online unless the contributor provides their credit card verification value or code and the billing address associated with the card is located in the United States.

Campaign Finance

California: “Ex-Aide to California Governor Indicted for Alleged Theft of Campaign Funds from Ex-Health Secretary” by Trân Nguyễn and Jaimie Ding (Associated Press) for MSN

New York: “Anti-Mamdani PAC Made End Run Around Campaign Spending Rules” by Greg Smith and Mia Hollie (The City) for MSN

Ethics

Arizona: “Why Arizona Child Welfare Leaders Gave Hobbs Donor a 30% Raise After First Saying No” by Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) for USA Today

National: “Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct” by Michael Gold (New York Times) for Seattle Times

Kansas: “A Kansas County Agrees to Pay $3 Million and Apologize Over a Raid on a Small-Town Newspaper” by John Hanna and Heather Hollingsworth (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

New Jersey: “Former Rutgers Athletics Director Facing Potential Sanctions from State Ethics Board” by Steve Politi (Newark Star-Ledger) for MSN

Legislative Issues

Michigan: “Second Staffer Tied to Republican Consulting, Petition Firm Ousted from Michigan Senate” by Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

National: “First Big Foreign Agent Trial Under Trump 2.0 Set to Kick Off” by Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) for MSN

Campaign Finance

Louisiana: “Louisiana Officials, Candidates Can Use Campaign Cash for D.C. Mardi Gras, Ethics Board Confirms” by Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) for Yahoo News

Michigan: “Complaint Argues DTE-Tied Group Aimed to Funnel $100k into Unlock Michigan Campaign” by Kyle Davidson (Michigan Advance) for Yahoo News

Michigan: “Michigan’s New Political Transparency Portal Delayed by Months, Company Isn’t Meeting State Goals” by Simon Schuster (Bridge Michigan) for MSN

Missouri: “PAC Tied to Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 Missouri Governor Campaign Fined for Violating Ethics Laws” by Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Justice Department Struggles as Thousands Exit – and Few Are Replaced” by Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “Shutdown Defections Spark Fury as Democrats Struggle to Unify Against Trump” by Yasmeen Abutaleb, Dan Merica, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN

Redistricting

Missouri: “Inside Mysterious Push to Block Signature-Gathering Against Missouri Redistricting” by Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) for MSN

Utah: “Judge Adopts Utah Congressional Map Creating a Democratic-Leaning District for 2026” by Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) for MSN

National/Federal

Report: Donors to Trump’s White House ballroom have $279B in federal contracts

MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 11/3/2025

Many publicly identified donors to President Trump’s White House ballroom have business before the administration, ranging from billions of dollars in contracts to federal investigations of their companies, according to a report released by Public Citizen. The White House donor list was not comprehensive, Public Citizen noted, which limited the scope of the review. The New York Times reported Trump’s fundraisers have been circulating donation pledge forms that give people the option of withholding their identities from public disclosure.

Justice Dept. Defends Lindsey Halligan Against Unlawful-Appointment Criticism

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/3/2025

Justice Department lawyers defended Lindsey Halligan’s role as eastern Virginia’s top federal prosecutor, saying in court filings that even if her appointment as U.S. attorney is ruled invalid, she now has an additional title that will allow her to continue overseeing cases against two of President Trump’s perceived foes. The department attorneys said Attorney General Pam Bondi designated Halligan as a “special attorney” to the Justice Department, assigned to oversee the cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Pentagon Readying Thousands of Guard ‘Reaction Forces’ as U.S. Mission Widens

MSN – Alex Horton and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2025

The Pentagon ordered thousands of specialized National Guard personnel to complete civil unrest mission training over the next several months, an indication the Trump administration’s effort to send uniformed military forces into urban centers, once reserved for extraordinary emergencies, could become the norm. The newly established “quick reaction force” within the National Guard must be trained, equipped with riot-control gear, and ready for deployment by January 1, according to internal documents.

Foreign Agents Look to Influence Conservative Think Tanks in Trump’s Washington

MSN – Robert Schmad (Washington Examiner) | Published: 11/5/2025

Foreign agents are working eagerly to promote the causes of the nations that pay their salaries by reaching out to think tanks that have historically shaped conservative policymaking, Department of Justice filings show, even as the broader conservative movement has become increasingly skeptical of foreign entanglements following the GOP’s 2024 electoral victories. Foreign agents disseminated information to a trio of conservative think tanks, invited their scholars to participate in events, held meetings with staffers, and sought to gain information about the American policy landscape from them.

Judge Orders White House to Restore Sign Language Interpreters at Briefings by Trump, Leavitt

MSN – Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 11/4/2025

A federal judge ordered the White House to restore real-time American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation at all press briefings conducted by President Trump or press secretary Karoline Leavitt. U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali said the White House’s decision to end ASL interpretation illegally excluded deaf Americans from crucial updates from the government on matters of war, the economy, and public health. Evidence shows, Ali noted, that closed captioning and transcripts are insufficient alternatives.

Judge Scolds Comey Prosecutors for ‘Indict First and Investigate Second’ Approach

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/5/2025

A federal judge scolded the prosecutors pursuing charges against former FBI Director James Comey for what he described as their “indict first and investigate second” approach to the case, saying it has placed an unfair burden on Comey’s defense. U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick described the Justice Department’s handling of the case as “highly unusual” and ordered its attorneys to hand over a raft of potential evidence. That material includes full transcripts of U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan’s presentation to the grand jury that indicted Comey on counts of making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

Trump Moves to Block Public Servants from Loan Forgiveness Based on Ideology

MSN – Danielle Douglas-Gabriel (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2025

Employees of nonprofit organizations that work with undocumented immigrants, provide gender transition care for minors, or engage in public protests would have a hard time getting their federal student loans forgiven under regulations advanced by the Education Department. The rule revises eligibility requirements for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. It will allow the education secretary to disqualify employers, not individuals, who engage in activities the department deems to have a “substantial illegal purpose” on or after July 1, when the rule takes effect.

DOJ Faces Ethics Nightmare with Trump Bid for $230M Settlement

MSN – Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) | Published: 10/31/2025

The Department of Justice is facing pressure to back away from a request from President Trump for a $230 million settlement stemming from his legal troubles, as critics say it raises a dizzying number of ethical issues. Trump has argued he deserves compensation for the scrutiny into his conduct, describing himself as a victim of both a special counsel investigation into the 2016 election and the classified documents case. The decision, however, falls to a cadre of attorneys who previously represented Trump personally.

FBI Fires, Rehires, Then Fires Again Agents Assigned to Trump Case

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2025

The FBI fired four agents who worked on the investigation during the Biden administration related to Donald Trump’s alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. FBI Director Kash Patel had initially fired the agents the day before, but after pushback from District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and others he reinstated them the same day, the people familiar with the matter said. Patel fired them again. Pirro attempted to save at least some of the agents because they were working on cases important to her office.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi Announces Retirement

The Hill – Mike Lillis | Published: 11/6/2025

Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek reelection for another term, closing the book on a storied, four-decade career through which she rewrote history as the country’s first female House speaker, advanced some of the most consequential legislation of the modern era, and secured her place as among the most powerful, if polarizing, lawmakers ever to serve in Congress.

Federal Judge Rules Trump Can’t Require Citizenship Proof on the Federal Voting Form

Yahoo News – Ali Swenson and Nicholas Riccardi (Associated Press) | Published: 10/31/2025

President Trump’s request to add a documentary proof of citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form cannot be enforced, a federal judge. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled the proof-of-citizenship directive is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, dealing a blow to the administration and its allies who have argued such a mandate is necessary to restore public confidence that only Americans are voting in U.S. elections.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Ontario Labour Minister’s Wife Lobbied for Advocate of Colleges That Got Millions in Grants: Records

CTV – John Woodward | Published: 10/30/2025

The wife of Ontario’s labor minister registered to lobby for an advocacy group for career colleges, and two of its members received millions of dollars from a government fund overseen by the minister, according to lobbyist registry records. The filings say Faith Chipman never registered to directly lobby her husband, Labor Minister David Piccini, to access the province’s controversial $2.5 billion Skills Development Fund.

California – A Day in the Life of a California Lobbyist

Comstock’s Magazine – Scott Thomas Anderson | Published: 11/4/2025

Rob Grossglauser has worked inside the state Capitol for 24 years. Throughout his time in Sacramento, he has learned that being an effective advocate for his lobbying clients is about having a reputation lawmakers can trust. That confidence, in turn, is built on maintaining relationships through mutual respect, personal integrity and being a source of reliable information. Grossglauser is the founding partner of Pinnacle Advocacy.

California – Meet the McOskers: How one South Bay family wields power at City Hall

MSN – Noah Goldberg (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 11/6/2025

For decades, the McOskers, a large, tight-knit family from San Pedro, have wielded power at Los Angeles City Hall. Unlike the Garcettis and the Hahns, the McOskers have not served in citywide or countywide elected office. But their breadth of influence in Los Angeles politics over the last quarter century may be unparalleled.

California – ‘Completely Inappropriate’: S.F. weighs proposal to weaken shield for ethics watchdogs

MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/30/2025

For more than three decades, a key legal provision has ensured that San Francisco’s ethics watchdogs can freely punish City Hall officials for flouting the law, even their powerful bosses. But up for discussion is whether to remove that protection as part of a broader overhaul of San Francisco’s myriad oversight boards and commissions.

California – Coachella Mayor Indicted on Charges of Perjury, Conflict of Interest Over Downtown Development

MSN – Rebecca Plevin (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/30/2025

A grand jury indicted Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez on nine counts, including one felony charge of violating conflict-of-interest rules related to government contracts and four felony counts of perjury. If convicted as charged, Hernandez would be barred from public office for life and face more than seven years in state prison.

California – Newsom Wins on Proposition 50, Setting the Stage for Calif. Redistricting

MSN – Anabel Sosa (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/4/2025

In a landslide election, California voters approved Proposition 50, a ballot measure that reconfigures the state’s congressional map temporarily in a response to Republican gerrymandering efforts in other states. The approved measure will set the stage for a competitive midterm election next year as Democrats go head-to-head with Republicans in their battle to win back the House.

Colorado – Ethics Complaints Filed Against Democratic State Lawmakers Who Attended Vail Retreat with Lobbyists

Colorado Sun – Taylor Dolven and Jesse Paul | Published: 11/5/2025

Ethics complaints were filed with the Independent Ethics Commission against several state lawmakers alleging they violated Colorado’s prohibition on elected officials receiving gifts when they attended a retreat in Vail where they mingled with lobbyists at a ritzy hotel. The complaints ask the commission to investigate if the lawmakers who attended the retreat violated the state’s gift ban by having their lodging paid for by the nonprofit One Main Street.

Connecticut – Subpoenas Issued to Five Election Candidates in CT for Finance Records Including Two State Reps.

MSN – Paul Hughes (CT Insider) | Published: 11/5/2025

Connecticut’s election watchdog moved to subpoena the campaign committees of two state legislators reelected last year using public financing and two losing candidates to explain how they spent state election grants that financed their 2024 campaigns. After every election, the State Elections Enforcement Commission randomly selects candidate committees for post-election reviews of their record-keeping and reporting. When candidates fail to provide campaign finance records, the SEEC falls back on its subpoena authority to encourage or compel compliance and production.

Connecticut – Corruption Conviction Could Cost Former Connecticut Official $75,000 Annual Pension

Yahoo News – Paul Hughes (CT Insider) | Published: 10/30/2025

The public corruption convictions his defense lawyer said expose Konstantinos Diamantis to a “catastrophic sentence” in a federal prison could cost the 69-year-old former Connecticut budget official and legislator his $75,000-a-year state pension. To date, 31 court actions have been filed to reduce or revoke state and local government officials and workers, according to the attorney general’s office. The outcomes have been mixed.

District of Columbia – Trial Starts for Assault Case Against DC Man Who Tossed Sandwich at Federal Agent on Viral Video

Yahoo News – Associated Press | Published: 11/3/2025

Throwing a sandwich at a federal agent turned Sean Charles Dunn into a symbol of resistance against President Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital. Federal prosecutors are now trying to persuade a jury of fellow District of Columbia residents that Dunn simply broke the law. That could be a tough sell for the government in a city that has chafed against Trump’s federal takeover. A grand jury refused to indict Dunn on a felony assault count before U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office opted to charge him instead with a misdemeanor.

Florida – Uthmeier’s Brief Tenure at GrayRobinson Raises Potential Ethical Issues

Yahoo News – Jeffrey Schweers (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 11/2/2025

When James Uthmeier took a leave of absence from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration so he could run the governor’s flailing presidential campaign in 2023, he also signed up with one of Florida’s most powerful and politically connected law firms, which regularly lobbies the state of on behalf of its clients. Uthmeier’s stint at the private practice raises ethical and legal questions about the Republican attorney now running for the job of Florida’s top prosecutor.

Illinois – Mayor Brandon Johnson Blocked Attempts to Search for Gifts He Accepted Without Reporting Them as Required: Inspector general

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 11/4/2025

Mayor Brandon Johnson twice blocked the city’s watchdog from searching for gifts he accepted on behalf of the city without reporting them as required, Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said. In addition, Johnson’s staff did not turn a small City Hall room into a storage room for the gifts he accepted on behalf of the city until February, after Witzburg first revealed he had quietly accepted “cufflinks, designer handbags, and men’s shoes,” and failed to document those gifts, according to Witzburg’s report.

Maine – Bipartisan Former Officials, Billionaires Defend Restrictions on Money in Politics in Maine Lawsuit

Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 10/30/2025

Republican and Democratic former governors and members of Congress, billionaires, and democracy reform organizations are coming to the defense of Maine’s law in a case over the legality of campaign finance restrictions. This broad support was demonstrated in friend of the court briefs filed in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

Maryland – Maryland State Senator Charged with Extorting Ex-Consultant Over an Affair

MSN – Perry Stein, Katie Mettler, and Aaron Schaffer (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2025

Federal officials charged Maryland Sen. Dalya Attar with extortion in a plot that allegedly involved surreptitious recordings of a political foe in bed with a romantic partner. Attar allegedly threatened to expose the foe’s affair to prevent her from saying negative things about Attar’s 2022 candidacy, according to an indictment. Attar, her brother, and a third co-defendant are charged with eight counts related to extortion and wiretapping.

Maryland – Md. Gov. Wes Moore Starts Redistricting Process Despite Key Opposition

MSN – Erin Cox (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2025

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore took the first step to starting a mid-cycle redistricting process, moving forward despite staunch opposition from the state Senate president, a fellow Democrat key to making it happen. Moore announced a redistricting commission that will draft proposed congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, pushing for deep-blue Maryland to join a political redistricting arms race, instigated by President Trump, that now involves a dozen states.

Massachusetts – Quincy Mayor’s Campaign Pays $55K to Resolve Campaign Finance Violations

WBUR – Chris Van Buskirk | Published: 11/5/2025

Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch’s campaign paid a $55,000 penalty to resolve allegations that in 2022 and 2023, it received thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions, anonymous donations, prohibited checks, and donations where the true source of the money was not clear. The mayor’s campaign committee paid $15,000 to the state and another $40,000 to charities of his choice to resolve the matter.

Michigan – Ethics Rules Didn’t Require Sheffield to Disclose Past Relationship with Demolition Contractor

BridgeDetroit – Malachi Barrett | Published: 10/31/2025

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield sought opinions from the city’s ethics board before voting on contracts that involved a demolition contractor with whom she had a personal relationship. The ethics board, charged with interpreting the rules laid out in the city charter and in council legislation, said she had no conflict-of-interest in the matter. Conrad Mallett, corporation counsel for the city, said an executive order that prohibits employees from having relationships with people involved with contracts they oversee did not apply to council members.

Michigan – Former Lobbyist Files Complaint Against Group Helping Fund Governors’ International Trade Missions

Yahoo News – Kyle Davidson (Michigan Advance) | Published: 11/4/2025

A nonprofit providing funding support for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s overseas trade missions is the subject of a lobbying law complaint. The complaint accused the Michigan Economic Development Foundation of skirting state law requiring lobbyists to register. It notes that members of the foundation’s board receive “extraordinary access to meetings with lobby able officials” while some members are invited to travel with the governor and other public officials, The Detroit News found companies with seats on the board received about $2.2 billion in economic development incentives from the Whitmer Administration.

Montana – AG: Anti-dark-money ballot initiative doesn’t meet legal requirements

Yahoo News – Micah Drew (Daily Montanan) | Published: 10/30/2025

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen rejected a ballot initiative seeking to limit the power of corporations to spend money on elections, saying it did not meet legal review standards. The proposed ballot measure would amend the state constitution to redefine the powers of corporations (“artificial persons” under the constitution) to state they have no power to spend money “or anything of value on elections or ballot issues.”

New Jersey – The First-Term Democrat Facing a Trump Prosecution

MSN – Anna Liss-Roy (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2025

To hear the Trump administration tell it, U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver attacked an immigration officer. McIver says she is being unfairly prosecuted as part of a broader campaign of political intimidation. McIver was charged with three counts of assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with federal officers during a clash outside a New Jersey detention facility. Exactly what happened during the 68-second encounter between McIver and federal agents at the facility could soon be addressed at trial, if a federal judge decides the case should move forward. That decision is expected imminently.

New Jersey – Sherrill Defeats Ciattarelli in Hotly Contested N.J. Governor’s Race

Yahoo News – Brent Johnson, Brianna Kudisch, and Jelani Gibson (Newark Star Ledger) | Published: 11/5/2025

Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill was elected as New Jersey’s next governor, decisively defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli in a nationally watched race considered an early referendum on President Trump’s new presidency and securing her party a rare third straight term in the seat. Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, will become just the second woman governor, and first Democratic woman to hold the job.

New Jersey – Former Gov. Jim McGreevey and James Solomon Advance to Runoff in Race for Jersey City Mayor

Yahoo News – Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 11/4/2025

Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey is going another round in his attempted political comeback, more than two decades after he resigned from office. McGreevey will take on James Solomon in a December 2 runoff election in the race for mayor of Jersey City, the state’s second-largest city.

New York – Mamdani Wins New York City Mayoral Race, in a Historic Victory for Progressives

NPR – Rachel Treisman | Published: 11/4/2025

Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim and person of South Asian descent, as well as the youngest in over a century, to hold the position. It is a remarkable ascent for Mamdani, who was a relatively unknown state Assembly member representing a district in Queens when he entered the crowded mayoral race last year. He went on to win June’s Democratic primary by 12 percentage points, quickly becoming one of the country’s most popular and polarizing politicians along the way.

North Carolina – N.C. GOP Spokesman Urges Reporter to Drop News Story, Citing Trump Ties

MSN – Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) | Published: 11/2/2025

North Carolina Republican Party spokesperson Matt Mercer appeared to threaten the news outlet ProPublica – citing “connections” to the Trump administration – over a story it reported and ultimately published on conservative state Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby. After the story was published, Mercer doubled down in a social media post, urging President Trump to “feed ProPublica to the USAID wood chipper,” referring to the president’s termination of thousands in funding and grants from the foreign aid agency earlier this year.

North Dakota – 1 Named to North Dakota Ethics Commission, Other 2 Seats Still in Limbo

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 10/31/2025

State officials chose former Office of Management and Budget Director Pam Sharp to fill one of the three open seats on the North Dakota Ethics Commission but remain divided on the reappointment of one commissioner. The selection committee must appoint commissioners by a consensus vote. They have been meeting since August to select the commission’s next members. The committee is at a standstill over whether to appoint Commissioner Murray Sagsveen to another term.

Ohio – Ohio Redistricting Commission Unanimously OKs Map of New Congressional Districts

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/31/2025

The Ohio Redistricting Commission passed a bipartisan congressional redistricting plan that gives Republicans an advantage in 12 of Ohio’s 15 U.S. House districts starting next year. The plan, passed unanimously by the seven-member commission, comes after a last-minute deal between Republican and Democratic legislative leaders to avoid giving GOP lawmakers the chance next month to unilaterally pass a more lopsidedly advantageous map.

Virginia – Virginia Elects Spanberger as First Female Governor on Big Night for Democrats

MSN – Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2025

Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to become the first woman elected governor of Virginia, winning with a pragmatic focus on the economy on a night when her party swept all three statewide offices and made gains in the House of Delegates, amid promises to defend the state against President Trump’s policies. Her political record of winning in a conservative congressional district and brokering bipartisan deals in Washington, positioned Spanberger for a landmark win in this purple state.

Virginia – Democrat Jay Jones Wins Virginia Attorney General’s Race

MSN – Teo Armus (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2025

DemocratJay Jones was projected to become Virginia’s next attorney general, according to the Associated Press, riding a wave of enthusiasm for his party to overcome a scandal over violent text messages he sent years ago that nearly toppled his campaign. His victory over incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares makes Jones, the 36-year-old scion of a prominent Norfolk family of civil rights leaders, the first African American to be elected to an office he hopes to use as a bulwark against the Trump administration.

Virginia – Virginia Senate Approves Mid-Decade Redistricting Amendment in Party-Line Vote

Yahoo News – Markus Schmidt (Virginia Mercury) | Published: 10/31/2025

The Virginia General Assembly approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would give lawmakers the authority to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional districts mid-decade. The amendment comes amid a national wave of redistricting fights, with Republican-led states having recently pursued mid-cycle map changes, a trend Virginia Democrats say threatens to weaken the commonwealth’s leverage and representation in Congress.