Republican Rep. Kris Crawford has vacated his seat in House District 63, a month after being elected unopposed to a fifth term.

Crawford said the commute to the state capital and his professional duties as a physician were wearing him out.

The primary will be February 24, 2015, followed by a special election on April 14.

Rep. Mickey Channell has announced his intention to resign soon after the new session starts on January 12, 2015.

Channell is stepping down after 22 years in the Legislature because of health reasons.

The Green County Republican represents House District 120, which includes the counties of Greene, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, Taliaferro, and part of Putnam.

Lobbying

“Governors and Oil Industry Work Hand in Hand in Offshore Drilling Group” by Nicholas Kusnitz for Center for Public Integrity

“Lobbyists Fund Hill Portraits as Lawmakers Target Paintings of Cabinet Members” by Robin Bravender for Environment & Energy Publishing

“Lobby and Consulting Shop McBee Strategic To Be Acquired by Law Firm Wiley Rein” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

“Lobbyist Fined but Sen. Lara Denies He Was Influenced by Debt” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

“Rhode Island Investigating Former State Attorney General” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Meet the New Super Donors” by Kevin Bogardus for Campaigns & Elections

“Gov. Brown’s Unnecessary Fundraising Is Certainly Legal – but a Turnoff” by George Skelton for Los Angeles Times

“Lawmakers Look to Close ‘Kennedy Loophole’” by Neil Vigdor for Danbury News-Times

“Donors Build for Future” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union

“John Doe Froze Conservative Speech, Targets Say” by M.D. Kittle for Wisconsin Reporter

Ethics

“Marion Barry, Washington’s ‘Mayor for Life,’ Even After Prison, Dies at 78” by David Stout for New York Times

Elections

“Some in G.O.P. Fear That Their Hard-Liners Will Alienate Latino Voters” by Jackie Calmes for New York Times

Legislative Issues

“Debbie Dingell Ready for Spotlight as Her Husband, the ‘Dean’ of Congress, Steps Aside” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg for New York Times

Lobbying

“Top Spenders on Capitol Hill Pay Billions, Receive Trillions” by Bill Allison and Sarah Harkins for Sunlight Foundation

“Gift Ban Legislation to Get Second Chance as Wolf Pushes Own Ethics Reform” by Andrew Staub for Pennsylvania Independent

Campaign Finance

“Pay-to-Play Restrictions on Government Contracting Under Assault” by Craig Holman for Huffington Post

“FINRA Proposes Pay-to-Play Rules” in ThinkAdvisor

“APOC, Marijuana Activist Charlo Greene Clash over Campaign Disclosure Questions” by Suzanna Caldwell for Anchorage Daily News

“Vincent Gray Rejects Plea Offer; Federal Prosecutors Moving Closer to Indictment” by Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

“Colleagues Defend Councilwoman Debi Rose against ‘Witch Hunt’” by Anna Sanders for Staten Island Advocate

Ethics

“Ethics Changes, Court Rules among First Bills Arkansas Lawmakers File for 2015 Session” by Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) for The Daily Journal

“Florida Attorney General to Head Group That Financed Her Campaign” by Bill Cotterell for Reuters

“SC House Panel OKs ‘Sunshine’ Proposals” by Jamie Self for The State

Legislative Issues

“Senate Officials Ponder Definition of Journalist for Pressroom Access” by Tim Lockette for Anniston Star

Parliament and parts of the capital are emerging from a security lockdown following shootings at the National War Memorial and inside the Parliament building.

A soldier guarding the memorial has died from his injuries, as well as a gunman. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was addressing his Cabinet at the time, but left Parliament Hill safely.

The House of Commons is meeting today, Thursday, October 23, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.

Photo of the Parliament Centre Block by Adrijko Z. on Wikimedia Commons.

State Sen. Johnny Key has vacated his seat in order to coordinate lobbying efforts for the University of Arkansas system as the associate vice president for university relations.

Gov. Mike Beebe will not call a special election to fill the empty seat due to the expected costs and logistical hurdles of replacing Key, whose term ends in January 2015.

Scott Flippo won the Republican nomination for the District 17 seat in June and will not have a Democrat challenger in the November election.

On July 22, 2014, Gov. Jack Markell signed several bills amending Delaware’s campaign finance and lobbying laws. Senate Bill 187 allows political committees to donate prohibited contributions to certain charitable organizations. House Bill 300 protects whistleblowers from employer retaliation for reporting campaign finance violations or participating in the investigation of such violations.

Both Senate Bill 187 and House Bill 300 became effective upon the governor’s signature. House Bill 301 requires contributions given from a joint account, whether by check, debit card, or credit card, to be attributed to the signator of the contribution. Senate Bill 186 requires entities making contributions of more than $100 to disclose the name and address of one responsible party. A responsible party, as defined by the bill, is an individual who exercises control over the entity.

House Bill 301 and Senate Bill 186 are effective January 1, 2015. Also effective January 1, 2015, is House Bill 306, which imposes late filing fees on lobbyists who file late reports. A fee of $25 will be assessed for the first day and $10 for each subsequent day a lobbyist report is delinquent. The maximum late fee allowable is $100. The Public Integrity Commission may waive such late filing fees if it determines circumstances make imposition of the fee inappropriate.

Of the newly minted legislation, Gov. Markell said, “We must always look to improve our laws to strengthen the public’s confidence in the political process.”

Photo of Governor Jack Markell by John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV on Wikimedia Commons.

In a statement released Tuesday, the Legislative Ethics Commission announced J. William Roberts has been named acting legislative inspector general.

Roberts is a former U.S. attorney and served as legal counsel to former Gov. Jim Edgar. He will take over for Tom Homer, who served 10 years following the creation of the position as part of the 2003 Ethics Act.

Roberts will be responsible for investigating complaints of rule violations, abuse of authority, and other forms of legislative misconduct.

Earlier this year, the Committee to Restore Michigan’s Part-time Legislature circulated a statewide petition to amend the Michigan Constitution. The proposed amendment aimed to institute a part-time state Legislature and limit legislative sessions to 60 days, lawmaker salaries to $35,000, and total legislative staffers to 250.

The committee announced on June 12, 2014, it is suspending its campaign due to failure to collect enough signatures by the June deadline. The committee needed at least 322,609 signatures in order to get the amendment on the ballot in November.

Although the campaign is suspended for the 2014 election, the committee plans to resurrect the effort in 2016.

State Senator Leland Yee has been arrested on public corruption charges as part of several arrests made by the FBI.

Yee represents District 8, which includes San Francisco and San Mateo County. The former San Francisco supervisor and 2011 mayoral candidate is currently running for secretary of state.

Yee was honored last week by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for his efforts last year to maintain the requirements of the California Public Records Act.

Photo of State Senator Leland Yee courtesy of Tim Bartel on Wikimedia Commons.

The Rhode Island House of Representatives elected Rep. Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) its speaker yesterday.

Mattiello replaces Gordon Fox, who resigned on Saturday, March 22, following police raids of Fox’s office and home on Friday. According to his press release, Mattiello, a representative for the last seven years, announced to his fellow lawmakers that “[t]here will be a much greater emphasis on collaboration in the decision-making process among everyone in this room, Democrats and Republicans alike.”

Today the Rhode Island House of Representatives may seek to elect a new speaker to replace Gordon Fox, who resigned on Saturday. Fox abruptly resigned following a police raid of his home and office by state and federal officials on Friday. No reason for the search has yet been given by authorities or Fox.

Fox said he will remain as a representative in the House but does not intend to seek another term.

Photo of the Rhode Island State Capitol courtesy of Garrett A. Wollman on Wikimedia Commons.

Lobbying

“Lobbyists stick with Putin” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Canada: “Lobbyists looking to give back with new pro bono advocacy organization” by Mark Burgess in The Hill Times.

Colorado: “Investigation: Lobbyists skipped $90K in fines to Colorado” by Brandon Rittiman on KUSA 9News.

Oregon: “Longest-serving lobbyist dies” by Peter Wong in the Statesman Journal.

Campaign Finance

“In midterms, a battle of billionaires” by Laura Barron-Lopez in The Hill.

California: “San Diego’s Ethics Commission Seeks To Rein In Independent Committees” by Joe Yerardi in KPBS.

Florida: “Politicians enjoy winter in South Florida – for raising money” by Anthony Man in the Sun Sentinel.

Massachusetts: “Senate passes campaign finance reporting bill” by Sara Brown in The Eagle-Tribune.

New York: “Senate public finance provision raises questions” by Karen DeWitt on WRVO Public Media.

Pennsylvania: “Between a website and a hard place: On campaign finance rules” by Mary Wilson on WITF.

Utah: “Utah lawmakers OK campaign finance reporting bill” by The Associated Press in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Ethics

U.S. House Committee on Ethics: “Ethics Committee Gets New Staff Director” by Matt Fuller in Roll Call.

“Congress Gets Away With Free Foreign Trips” by Kent Cooper in Roll Call.

“Former Rep. Edolphus Towns Driven To Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Kent Cooper in Roll Call.

Mississippi: “Bills could strengthen access to Miss. public info” by The Associated Press in the San Francisco Chronicle.

From the State Legislatures

Idaho: “Idaho’s substitute law unique” by Betsy Z. Russell in The Spokesman-Review.

Lobbying

“Tax plan sends shockwaves down K Street” by Vicki Needham in The Hill.

“Movie Industry, In a Switch, Is Courting the GOP” by Brody Mullins and Ben Fritz in The Wall Street Journal.

“Former software lobbyist tapped for trade post” by Julian Hattem in The Hill.

“Patton Boggs begins new merger talks” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“‘Card check’ victors reap little reward” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

“Buying alpha: Here’s the easiest way to stock gains” by Jeff Cox on CNBC.

Missouri: “Who bought lawmakers’ lunch? Lobbyist splits hairs” by Virginia Young in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

New Mexico: “N.M. lobbyists spent $200K on dinners, golf, skiing” by The Associated Press on KFDA News.

New York: “Mayor Accepted Lobbyist Money, Amid Improper Payments” by Jeff Preval on WGRZ.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “New campaign finance law sparks debate” by Isabelle Taft in the Yale Daily News.

West Virginia: “Campaign finance bill dies in the House” in the West Virginia Metro News.

Ethics

Alabama: “‘Clean’ ethics legislation passes in Senate” by Kala Kachmar in the Montgomery Advertiser.

Virginia: “House passes ethics bill with ‘turkey dinner amendment’” by Markus Schmidt in the Times Dispatch.

Campaigns, Conventions, and Elections

“And the finalists for the GOP convention are ….” by Rebecca Shabad in The Hill.

“Practitioner’s Toolbox: One Political Startup’s Efforts To Engage Potential Supporters Online” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident.

Arkansas: “Ark. House committee approves lt. gov. bill” by The Associated Press in the San Francisco Chronicle.

From the State Legislatures

Tennessee: “Bill would give Tennessee Legislature power over attorney general” by Todd South in the Times Free Press.

West Virginia: “Lawmakers push dozens of bills before deadline” by Jonathan Mattise (Associated Press) in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.