legislative issues Archives - Page 8 of 89 - State and Federal Communications

December 13, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Alaska: “Alaska Campaign Watchdog Rules Anti-Ranked Choice Group Can Continue Gathering Signatures” by Iris Samuels (Anchorage Daily News) for Yahoo News New Jersey: “Judge Throws Out Suit That Tried to Block Changes to NJ Campaign Finance Law” by Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) […]

December 12, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Massachusetts: “Brookline School Officials Violated Massachusetts Campaign Finance Laws by Sending Emails About Tax Increases” by James Vaznis (Boston Globe) for MSN Elections Michigan: “Whitmer Signs Bills Criminalizing Election Official Intimidation, Curbing AI in Campaigns” by Beth LeBlanc for Detroit News National: “As […]

December 8, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – December 8, 2023

National/Federal George Santos Reveals One Truth: It’s easy to abuse campaign finance laws DNyuz – Rebecca Davis O’Brien (New York Times) | Published: 12/2/2023 Perhaps no federal officeholder in modern American history has been accused of ignoring, testing, or breaking as many […]

National/Federal

George Santos Reveals One Truth: It’s easy to abuse campaign finance laws

DNyuz – Rebecca Davis O’Brien (New York Times) | Published: 12/2/2023

Perhaps no federal officeholder in modern American history has been accused of ignoring, testing, or breaking as many aspects of campaign finance law so flagrantly, in such a short span of time, as George Santos has. But his case, while sensational, illustrates the weaknesses of the system, and its potential for abuse. The system, which largely relies on campaigns and political committees to self-report thousands of donations, expenditures, loans, and refunds, has been left wide open for anyone willing to mislead, experts said.

Doug Burgum Suspends Long-Shot Presidential Campaign

MSN – Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2023

Long-shot Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum suspended his campaign after failing to gain momentum with voters in a crowded primary field. Burgum pitched himself as a job creator uniquely qualified to build the economy and bridge connections between small towns and big cities, but that platform never found traction with a base that has favored Donald Trump as Burgum mostly avoided attacking the front-runner.

Special Counsel Alleges Trump ‘Sent’ Supporters on Path to Jan. 6 Violence

MSN – Spencer Hsu and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2023

Federal prosecutors accused Donald Trump of a pattern of lying about elections and encouraging violence, saying he “sent” supporters to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to criminally block the election results. Prosecutors working for special counsel Jack Smith went further than they did in their indictment in attempting to tie Trump to the riot. They said at Trump’s criminal trial they intend to introduce evidence of his acts before the 2020 election, and his subsequent alleged threats, to establish his motive, intent, and preparation for attempting to subvert Joe Biden’s election victory.

Senate Democrats Vote to Subpoena Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo in Supreme Court Ethics Probe as GOP Storms Out

MSN – Riley Beggin and John Fritze (USA Today) | Published: 11/30/2023

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena a wealthy donor and a legal activist with ties to conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices after partisan bickering ended with Republicans storming out of the hearing as the final vote was tallied. Democrats requested details of gifts, transportation, lodging, travel, and private club access provided to justices by billionaire Harlan Crow that appear to have been tied in some cases to conservative legal activist Leonard Leo.

House Expels New York Rep. George Santos. It’s Just the Sixth Expulsion in the Chamber’s History

MSN – Kevin Frekking (Associated Press) | Published: 12/1/2023

The U.S. House voted to expel Rep. George Santos after a critical ethics report on his conduct that accused him of converting campaign donations for his own use. He was just the sixth member in the chamber’s history to be ousted by colleagues. The first-term lawmaker initially was celebrated as an up-and-comer after he flipped a district from Democrats last year and helped Republicans win control of the House. But soon after, troubles began.

Pro-DeSantis Super PAC Fires CEO Amid Turmoil

MSN – Michael Scherer and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 12/3/2023

Never Back Down, a super PAC that has overseen much of Ron DeSantis’s presidential operation, fired its chief executive officer less than two weeks after the previous chief executive resigned. It was the latest upheaval as fighting between the Florida governor’s allies has erupted into public view. The chairperson of Never Back Down, former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, also resigned.

Trump Pardoned Them. Now They’re Helping Him Return to Power.

MSN – Beth Reinhard, Manuel Roig-Franzia, and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2023

Before Donald Trump, no president used his constitutional clemency powers to free or forgive so many people who could be useful to his future political efforts. A review of Trump’s 238 clemency orders found dozens of recipients have gone on to plug his 2024 candidacy through social media and national interviews, contribute money to his front-running bid for the Republican nomination, or disseminate his false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Trump Not Immune from Criminal, Civil Liability Over Jan. 6, Judges Rule

MSN – Rachel Weiner and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 12/1/2023

Donald Trump has no absolute immunity from civil or criminal consequences for his attempts to stay in power following the 2020 election, two federal courts ruled, a pair of decisions that set the stage for a legal battle over presidential power probably headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Hours after an appellate court ruled Trump could be sued by police officers over injuries they suffered during the riot, the judge overseeing his criminal case on election subversion charges ruled he had no protection from prosecution as a former president.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Ousted Speaker, Announces He’s Leaving Congress

NBC News – Scott Wong and Sahil Kapur | Published: 12/6/2023

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who this fall became the first speaker to be ousted from power in the middle of a congressional term, said he will resign from office at the end of December. His exit is a blow to his successor, Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Republicans, further cutting the already narrow GOP majority and making passing legislation in 2024 even more challenging. For McCarthy, winning the speaker’s gavel in January after a grueling floor fight marked the pinnacle of a long political career in Sacramento and Washington.

Congressional Lawmakers, Advocacy Groups Urge FEC Regulation on Deceptive AI

OpenSecrets – Harshawn Ratanpal and Jimmy Cloutier | Published: 11/30/2023

More than 50 lawmakers and 30 organizations urged the FEC to regulate the use of deceptive artificial intelligence (AI) in campaign ads in support of a petition from Public Citizen. While the Federal Election Campaign Act does not address the use of deceptive AI explicitly, federal campaign finance law does prohibit politicians and those working for them from posing as another campaign. Public Citizen has argued the provision on “fraudulent misrepresentation” should apply to AI-generated content that falsely shows a federal candidate saying or doing something they did not.

China-Backed DeSantis Donor Hires Top GOP Lobbyist, Foreign Ties Not Disclosed

Yahoo News – Ben Wieder and Theo Hockstader (Miami Herald) | Published: 12/5/2023

The lobbying registration form filed by Ballard Partners for iGas USA failed to indicate iGas is partially owned by a state-controlled Chinese company, as required by law. Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, lobbyists are required to indicate whether any foreign entity holds at least a 20 percent stake in the company they are lobbying for. But this rule is frequently ignored by lobbyists, according to Craig Holman, the lobbyist for Public Citizen.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – New Complaint Alleges Anchorage Church Illegally Aided Campaign Against Ranked-Choice Voting

Anchorage Daily News – Iris Samuels | Published: 12/4/2023

Supporters of Alaska’s voting system are alleging its opponents have again violated the law in their quest to repeal the system by ballot initiative. In a third complaint filed by Alaskans for Better Elections to the state Public Offices Commission, it alleges opponents of ranked-choice voting are part of an “intentional conspiracy to violate the law” by not disclosing their funding and expenses, including the involvement of an Anchorage Christian organization called Wellspring Ministries.

Alaska – Committee Dismisses Complaints That 2 Alaska Lawmakers Committed Ethics Violations

KTOO – Andrew Kitchenman (Alaska Beacon) | Published: 12/5/2023

The body charged with policing the ethics of members of the Alaska House dismissed complaints alleging two members improperly allowed an Alaska Right to Life representative to misuse state resources. The complaints said current Rep. David Eastman and former Rep. Christopher Kurka violated the ethics law during a visit to the state Capitol by Pat Martin. The complaints alleged Martin was an “unregistered lobbyist” for Alaska Right to Life. Martin’s official title with the group is outreach and development director.

Arizona – Goldwater Says Ballot Measure Site Is ‘Resource to Educate.’ Others Disagree

MSN – Stacy Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 12/6/2023

A spokesperson for the Goldwater Institute says its new website is “a resource to educate Arizonans about the ballot initiative process.” That resource educates Arizonans not about existing ballot initiative processes, however, but about procedures that would be put in place if a majority of voters approve a question on their November ballots. The website falls into a murky area of law when it comes to backing ballot measures, one that is often sorted out through legal challenges. It also signals the sometimes behind-the-scenes and often carefully crafted push by special interests to sway public opinion in the 2024 election cycle.

Arkansas – At University of Arkansas, a State Law Stifles Pro-Palestinian Speakers

Buffalo News – Vimal Patel (New York Times) | Published: 11/22/2023

Nathan Thrall, a Jewish American writer whose work strongly supports Palestinian rights, was invited to speak to students at the University of Arkansas about a new book. But there was one catch: to be paid for his visit, Thrall was told he had to pledge, according to a 2017 state law, that he would not boycott Israel. He declined. When news broke that Thrall would not sign the pledge, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders applauded the university. At college campuses around the country, students and faculty have been engulfed in bitter debates over students’ pro-Palestinian speech.

California – LA City Council Votes to Take First Step in Creating ‘Office of Compliance’

Los Angeles Daily News – City News Service | Published: 12/1/2023

The Los Angeles City Council took a step to formally establish an Office of Compliance that would proactively assist council members with identifying and avoiding potential conflicts-of-interest. The council requested a detailed report that would guide council members in the creation of an Office of Compliance to ensure higher standards of ethics. Council members must follow ethics rules and laws such as those imposed by the city charter, and state and federal laws. According to the council members, those standards have increased and grown in complexity over the years, making compliance more difficult.

California – Mayor Bass Announces Stricter Ethics Rules for L.A. City Staff

MSN – City News Service | Published: 12/1/2023

Staff working in Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s office will be expected to abide by new, stricter ethics rules. In early November, the mayor also adopted restrictions on charitable donations from registered city lobbyists and city developers to the Mayor’s Fund of Los Angeles and the Getty House Foundation.

California – S.F. Corruption Scandal: Ex-parole officer going to prison for bribes to Mohammed Nuru

MSN – St. John Barned-Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/30/2023

A former state parole officer in San Francisco will spend six months in prison after pleading guilty to passing $20,000 in bribes to former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru to convince Nuru to hire an engineer. Ken Hong Wong had hoped to avoid jail time, but U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick noted Wong’s criminal acts “tarnished” a lengthy and distinguished history of public service. “It’s one of the sleaziest and lowest things that somebody could do,” Orrick said as he handed down his sentence.

California – Irvine Leaders Consider Potential Reforms to Its Lobbying Laws

Orange County Register – Hanna Kang | Published: 12/6/2023

Irvine leaders are talking about changes to how the city’s lobbyists are governed, which officials say has largely stayed the same for nearly two decades. City Attorney Jeffrey Melching offered a series of potential proposals recently, including lowering the compensation threshold at which an individual is required to register as a lobbyist.

California – What Could Campaign Finance Reform Look Like in Two OC Cities?

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 12/4/2023

Officials in a couple Orange County cities are contemplating tightening the rules on campaign spending amid the continued fallout of one of the largest corruption scandals in county history. The debate is taking off in the largest city, Anaheim, but also likely going to hit one of the county’s smallest cities, Stanton, which neighbors Anaheim but has gone untouched by the scandal.

Colorado – Colorado Supreme Court Justices Question Whether the State Can Bar Trump from the 2024 Ballot

Associated Press News – Nicholas Riccardi and Christine Fernando | Published: 12/6/2023

Colorado Supreme Court justices sharply questioned both sides about whether they could exclude former President Trump from the 2024 ballot in a case that seeks to upend his bid for a second term by claiming the Constitution’s insurrection clause bars him from another run for the White House. At issue is the wording of the clause itself, whether the courts have a right to intervene at this stage if Trump has otherwise met the basic requirements to appear on Colorado’s 2024 primary ballot, and whether Trump incited an insurrection when his supporters stormed the Capitol.

Colorado – Divided by Politics, a Colorado Town Mends Its Broken Bones

DNyuz – Jonathan Weisman (New York Times) | Published: 11/30/2023

In April 2020, Shane Fuhrman, a progressive lawyer from New York, beat the longtime fire chief Gilbert Archuleta by 10 votes to become the new mayor of Silverton, Colorado. To supporters, Fuhrman represented progress. To his opponents in the town of 796 residents, he would make Silverton into the incarnation of Aspen, with staggering housing prices, luxury outposts, and billionaire denizens. Their skepticism turned to anger when he declared the town council would stop reciting the Pledge of Allegiance until further notice. But Silverton came back together again.

Florida – Lobbying Restrictions Get Go-Ahead from Federal Appeals Court

Law.com – Jim Saunders (News Service of Florida) | Published: 12/4/2023

A federal appeals court allowed Florida to enforce, with one exception, a 2018 constitutional amendment imposing restrictions on lobbying while a legal battle continues to play out. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved a request for a partial stay of an injunction that District Court Judge Beth Bloom issued this summer to block the restrictions statewide. The amendment prevented state and local officials from lobbying other government bodies while in office.

Georgia – Georgia County Signs Up to Use Voter Database Backed by Election Deniers

DNyuz – Alexandra Berzon and Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 12/1/2023

A suburban county in Georgia agreed to use a new voter information database endorsed by the election denial movement, a move that defied warnings from voting rights groups, election security experts, and state election officials. Columbia County, a heavily Republican county outside Augusta, is the first in the country known to have agreed to use the platform, called EagleAI. Its supporters claim the system will make it easier to purge the rolls of ineligible voters.

Kentucky – How Wealthy Donors Legally Gave Even More to Democratic Party During Beshear’s Campaign

Kentucky Lantern – Tom Loftus | Published: 12/6/2023

Ahead of the November governor’s race, London Mayor Randall Weddle and other Kentuckians gave big to a type of political committee that allows wealthy donors to make massive contributions. Weddle, whose earlier excess contributions to Gov. Andy Beshear’s reelection effort had drawn regulatory scrutiny, contributed $550,000 to a national Democratic Party committee known as the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund (DGVF). Weddle’s was by far the largest contribution reported by the DGVF during the general election season, but within the legal limits of how much a person can give to such a committee.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Accuses Former LSU Professor of Unlawful Lobbying

Louisiana Illuminator – Piper Hutchinson | Published: 12/6/2023

The Board of Ethics alleges David Sobek, a former Louisiana State University political science professor, instructed a graduate assistant with whom he was reportedly having an affair, to investigate material in courses his “estranged wife” taught. The graduate assistant was allegedly told to look for anything that touches on critical race theory (CRT) and to distribute that information to legislators who might favor anti-CRT legislation. Louisiana law prohibits state employees acting in their official capacity or on behalf of their agency from lobbying the Legislature.

Maine – Documents Reveal NextEra’s Hidden Attempts to Derail CMP’s Transmission Line Corridor

Maine Public Radio – Steve Mistler | Published: 11/30/2023

NextEra Energy’s attempts to derail a transmission corridor through western Maine involved a significant secret donation to the state Democratic Party in 2018 as well as the 2019 financing of a group that helped organize a referendum to scuttle the project. NextEra’s financing of a 2021 referendum was publicly disclosed, but the documents released reveal how consultants hired by the company originally attempted to defeat the New England Clean Energy Contract by secretly financing two groups that became targets of investigations by the Maine ethics commission.

Mississippi – Gov. Reeves Mum on Health Care Meetings, Claims No Documents Exist

Mississippi Today – Devna Bose | Published: 12/6/2023

As the state’s hospital crisis continues, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has held meetings on health care, but his office refuses to say what they are about. His staffers also claim there are no official documents for those meetings, despite internal correspondence that indicates otherwise and despite Reeves proposing detailed health policy changes. Several experts, including a former governor, say the lack of documentation for meetings and the lack of detail on Reeves’ calendar is unusual. One national expert called it “bad practice.”

Missouri – Pot Company Owner in Legal Fight with Missouri Hosts Fundraiser for AG Andrew Bailey

St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 12/7/2023

The co-owner of a Missouri cannabis company hosted a fundraiser at his home for Attorney General Andrew Bailey at the same time his business is involved in a lawsuit against the state. Bailey is overseeing the case involving a company that lost its license to operate over allegations of problems with its products. Although Bailey’s campaign says it is unaware it received contributions from the host of the November event, the incident is similar to one in which Bailey cited a conflict-of-interest and withdrew from a case involving a campaign donor.

Nevada – Pro-Trump Electors Indicted in Nevada, the Third State to Issue Charges

MSN – Amy Gardner and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 12/6/2023

A Nevada grand jury charged six Republicans who claimed to be presidential electors in 2020 and submitted certificates to Congress falsely asserting that Donald Trump had won the election in their state. Nevada is the third state after Georgia and Michigan to seek charges against the pro-Trump activists who met and cast ballots for the then-president on December 14, 2020, despite Joe Biden’s victory.

New York – Bill That Would Close Judicial Lobbying Loophole Remains in Play

Albany Times Union – Joshua Solomon | Published: 12/4/2023

Legislation intended to close a loophole that allows those seeking to influence the outcome of judicial nominations without state oversight is under review by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, but it remains unclear whether she will sign the measure into law. Judicial nominations at all levels of government have become increasingly politicized and the lawmakers empowered to approve or reject candidates for the bench have arguably grown more demanding that the judges they support adhere to their political ideologies.

New York – N.Y. Appeals Court Reinstates Trump Gag Order in Civil Fraud Case

MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 11/30/2023

A New York appeals court reinstated a limited gag order on Donald Trump, preventing him from making public comments about court staffers in a civil business fraud case brought by the state. The court upheld Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s set of orders that prevented Trump and his defense team from mentioning court staffers, including a law clerk who has been the subject of antisemitic and other threats and messages since the case began.

New York – Eric Adams Donor Claims Boss Reimbursed Campaign Contribution Tied to Event Now Under FBI Investigation

The City – George Joseph, Bianca Pallaro, and Rosalind Adams | Published: 12/7/2023

A donor to Eric Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign said their boss reimbursed them for a contribution recorded at an event that is at the center of the federal probe into whether the campaign conspired with the Turkish government to accept unlawful foreign donations. Such a reimbursement would constitute an illegal straw donation, enabling the true source of the funding to remain unknown to evade campaign finance laws that set limits on who can give and how much they can contribute.

Ohio – Sam Randazzo, Ohio’s Former Top Utilities Regulator, Charged with Bribery, Embezzlement Crimes

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer and Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/4/2023

Ohio’s former top utility regulator, Sam Randazzo, was indicted on federal bribery and fraud charges. The indictment says Randazzo accepted a $4.3 million bribe in exchange for helping FirstEnergy secure its policy priorities, including helping with House Bill 6, the law at the center of a federal bribery probe. In one instance, Randazzo pushed to cancel a review the company believed would hurt its bottom line by forcing it to reduce the rates it charged customers. If convicted, Randazzo could face up to 20 years in prison.

Ohio – Friend of Ex-Councilman Jeff Pastor Admits Creating Nonprofit to ‘Sanitize’ Bribe Payments

MSN – Kevin Grasha and Sharon Coolidge (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 12/5/2023

A friend of former Cincinnati City Councilperson Jeff Pastor admitted creating a nonprofit designed solely to “sanitize” tens thousands of dollars in bribes. In one instance, Pastor told undercover agents posing as investors he would vote in favor of their projects and agreed to accept $15,000 for his support. Pastor said he could receive the money through Marshall’s nonprofit, “Ummah Strength.”

Rhode Island – As More Sexual Harassment Allegations Come to Light, McKee’s Ethics Appointee Withdraws. What We Know.

MSN – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 12/1/2023

As details of multiple sexual harassment complaints resurfaced, Gov. Dan McKee’s appointee to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission resigned, with the governor’s office acknowledging the “vetting process was not adequate.” The announcement came after John Marion, head of Common Cause Rhode Island, called on McKee to “take another look” at his appointment of Bryant Da Cruz, a former South Kingstown Council member who admitted to town officials his behavior was “unacceptable” after six women accused him of sexual harassment.

South Dakota – Yes, Sioux Falls Councilors Can Accept Gifts, but an Updated Ethics Policy Now Clarifies How

Yahoo News – Trevor Mitchell (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) | Published: 12/6/2023

The Sioux Falls City Council approved an update to the ethics ordinance. Rules about gifts, including the payment of travel expenses, are clarified in the new ordinance. Employees or officers of the city could receive “gift of travel, lodging, registration fees, entrance fees, food and drink, and other incidental expenses” as long as it is related to a “widely attended gathering” related to the duties of the recipient or the city’s legislative or policy interests.

Virginia – Newport News Drafts Rules, Ethics Handbook After Council Credit Card Misuse

Virginian-Pilot – Josh Janney | Published: 12/2/2023

Newport News City Council plans to adopt a handbook that includes a code of ethics and will guide council conduct and codify roles and responsibilities. The handbook was suggested by Mayor Phillip Jones after concerns were raised about council members’ misuse of city-issued credit cards earlier in the year. Jones said the handbook would help clarify what is an allowed expenditure.

Washington – Candidate Loses by Single Vote After He Didn’t Cast a Ballot for Himself

MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2023

Ryan Roth mailed his ballot in a few days ahead of the November 7 election, unaware he was casting the most consequential vote of his life. Having run a four-month campaign to convince others he should serve on the Rainier City Council, Roth voted for himself. Roth did not know he was casting the decisive ballot in a race that would be determined by one vote. His opponent, Damion Green, had chosen not to vote for himself in the election, which would take nearly a month for officials to sort out.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Trump Electors Settle Lawsuit, Agree Biden Won in 2020

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 12/6/2023

In a legal settlement, the 10 Republicans who signed official-looking paperwork falsely purporting Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2020 have agreed to withdraw their inaccurate filings, acknowledge Joe Biden won the presidency, and not serve as presidential electors in 2024 or in any election where Trump is on the ballot. The settlement comes as Republicans in two other states face criminal charges for falsely claiming to be presidential electors, and investigations are underway in three additional states.

December 7, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Arizona: “Goldwater Says Ballot Measure Site Is ‘Resource to Educate.’ Others Disagree” by Stacy Barchenger (Arizona Republic) for MSN Kentucky: “How Wealthy Donors Legally Gave Even More to Democratic Party During Beshear’s Campaign” by Tom Loftus for Kentucky Lantern Elections Wisconsin: “Wisconsin […]

December 4, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Maine: “Documents Reveal NextEra’s Hidden Attempts to Derail CMP’s Transmission Line Corridor” by Steve Mistler for Maine Public Radio Ethics California: “Mayor Bass Announces Stricter Ethics Rules for L.A. City Staff” by City News Service for MSN Colorado: “Divided by Politics, a Colorado […]

November 17, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – November 17, 2023

National/Federal Trump Compares Political Opponents to ‘Vermin’ Who He Will ‘Root Out,’ Alarming Historians ABC News – Soo Rin Kim and Lalee Ibssa | Published: 11/13/2023 Donald Trump vowed to “root out” his political opponents, who he said “live like vermin” as […]

National/Federal

Trump Compares Political Opponents to ‘Vermin’ Who He Will ‘Root Out,’ Alarming Historians

ABC News – Soo Rin Kim and Lalee Ibssa | Published: 11/13/2023

Donald Trump vowed to “root out” his political opponents, who he said “live like vermin” as he warned supporters that America’s greatest threats come “from within” – extreme rhetoric that echoes the words of fascist dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, experts said. A Trump campaign spokesperson dismissed the backlash to his speech, at a Veterans Day rally in New Hampshire, but some historians said the parallels were alarming.

Ex-Fundraiser for George Santos Pleads Guilty to Posing as Congressional Aide to Raise Campaign Cash

Associated Press News – Dave Collins | Published: 11/14/2023

A former fundraiser for U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge, admitting he impersonated a high-ranking congressional aide while raising campaign money for Santos. Sam Miele was caught soliciting donations under the alias Dan Meyer, who was then chief of staff for Rep. Kevin McCarthy. Miele also acknowledged he committed access device fraud by charging credit cards without authorization to send money to the campaigns of Santos and other candidates, and for his own personal use, prosecutors said.

Democrats, No Longer Squeamish on Abortion, Lean into Searing Personal Ads

DNyuz – Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 11/8/2023

Ads in the 2023 election campaign signaled a new tone in Democrats’ messaging on abortion rights, one that confronts head-on the consequences of strict anti-abortion laws. Historically, it has been Republicans who used dire warnings and shock value in advertising to make their case on the issue. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, despite being a resounding legal and policy victory for Republicans, has had the paradoxical effect of galvanizing long-held, broad public support for abortion rights.

Democrats Plan to Spend Millions to Weaken Republican Supermajorities

DNyuz – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 11/14/2023

Democrats are planning to spend millions of dollars next year on just a few state legislative elections in Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, states where they have little to no chance of winning control of a chamber. Democrats are pushing to break up Republican supermajorities in states with Democratic governors, effectively battling to win back the veto pen district by district. The political dissonance of having a governor of one party and a supermajority of an opposing party in the Legislature is one of the starkest effects of gerrymandering, revealing how parties cling to evaporating power.

How the Supreme Court Settled on an Ethics Code – and What It Left Out

MSN – Ann Marimow and Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 11/15/2023

Supreme Court justices stung by controversies over the court’s ethics pledged to follow a broad code of conduct promoting “integrity and impartiality,” but without a way to enforce its standards against those who fall short. The code contains broadly worded sections relating to outside relationships, recusal from cases that could bring financial gain to family members, the use of a justice’s staff, and limits on appearances at fundraisers for groups. But there is every sign that each word was carefully chosen.

Donald Trump Exempt from Campaign Finance Laws: FEC commissioner

MSN – Kate Plummer (Newsweek) | Published: 11/10/2023

FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub said Donald Trump has effectively been made exempt from campaign finance laws because her agency refuses to investigate him. In at least 28 instances, she said staff at the general’s counsel’s office determined a criminal investigation was warranted. But Weintraub added that her Republican colleagues put the former president in a “category by himself” by refusing to approve any of the recommendations against Trump.

MAGA-Dominated State Republican Parties Plagued by Infighting, Money Woes

MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Patrick Marley, and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2023

In the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan, election denial and grassroots fervor for former President Trump have rocked the Republican apparatus. Now, the state parties are plagued by infighting, struggling to raise money, and sometimes to cover legal costs stemming from Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat, threatening to hamper GOP organizing capabilities in next year’s presidential election.

Tim Scott Suspends Struggling Presidential Primary Bid

MSN – Meryl Kornfield, Marianne LeVine, and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2023

Sen. Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, announced he was suspending his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination after months of struggling to gain ground in polling with an uplifting message that was out of step with today’s party. Scott did not endorse any other candidate, and he declined a suggestion that he might be a vice-presidential candidate.

‘Curveball Like No Other:’ Johnson’s rise has K Street trying to keep up

MSN – Caitlin Reilly (Roll Call) | Published: 11/13/2023

Rep. Mike Johnson’s unexpected rise to speaker of the House has left K Street scrambling as lobbyists try to establish inroads with the relatively unknown lawmaker and his staff. Johnson has been in Congress for less than seven years and lacks the deep bench of long-time, trusted aides and ex-staffers that K Street usually relies on to curry favor on Capitol Hill.

McCarthy Accused of Elbowing Lawmaker, While Fight Nearly Breaks Out in Senate

MSN – Azi Paybarah, Marianna Sotomayor, and Liz Goodwin (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2023

Rep. Tim Burchett accused Rep. Kevin McCarthy of elbowing him in the back as they passed each other in a crowded hallway. Burchett was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy as House speaker. Sen. Markwayne Mullin brought a hearing to a standstill as he confronted one witness, stood up, and challenged him to a fistfight. Joanne Freeman, a history professor at Yale, said it was important for lawmakers to denounce belligerent behavior and threats, particularly when it comes from a member of their own party. “If no one speaks up it becomes representative of what that party stands for,” she said.

House Ethics Panel Examines Change to Expand Legal Expense Fund Coverage

MSN – Chris Marquette (Roll Call) | Published: 11/14/2023

The House ethics committee is considering whether to change rules about lawmaker legal expense funds to expand the pool of people who can use them to pay for their legal bills connected to a campaign or office. Rep. David Schweikert, who faced lawsuits related to his 2022 primary race, asked the committee to allow campaign staffers, vendors, and spouses draw from legal expense funds rather than having to use campaign funds.

DOJ Argues Steve Wynn Foreign Lobbying Suit Should Be Reinstated

Yahoo News – Sabrina Willmer (Bloomberg) | Published: 11/14/2023

A Justice Department attorney argued casino magnate Steve Wynn should have registered as a foreign agent when he alerted the Trump administration that China wanted to extradite a wealthy exile. A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments in the government’s appeal of a decision to toss civil claims against Wynn. District Court Judge James Boasberg had reasoned the Foreign Agent Registration Act only applies to ongoing violations and years had passed since Wynn was required to file a statement.

Prosecutors Urge Appeals Court to Reinstate Trump Gag Order

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 11/14/2023

Donald Trump’s renewed attacks on the family of special counsel Jack Smith and his repeated invective against likely witnesses in his Washington, D.C. criminal case warrant the urgent restoration of a gag order against him, prosecutors argued. Smith’s team urged a federal appeals court to reinstate the gag order, which a three-judge panel suspended earlier in November amid Trump’s appeal of the restrictions imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan.

Exclusive: 5 Senate Banking Dems demand more details on corporate lobbying strategy

Yahoo News – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 11/15/2023

Five Democrats who sit on the Senate Banking Committee urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to require companies to disclose more details on their corporate lobbying strategy to shareholders. Registered lobbyists are required to file quarterly disclosures that include the total spent on federal lobbying. But registrants are not required to disclose details including whether they lobbied for or against specific legislation or regulations, even as the lobbying activities of a company can carry reputational risks to its investors.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Right-Wing Site’s Reporting on Mayor Raises Ethics Questions After His Death

MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 11/9/2023

Journalism professor A.J. Bauer felt uneasy when he opened an email newsletter from 1819 News. The Alabama-based website was promoting its story alleging that a small-town mayor who was also a pastor wore women’s clothing and makeup while posing online. Bauer had watched as some in the state grew increasingly hostile to those who do not adhere to traditional gender norms. The site later reporting that F.L. Copeland Jr., the mayor of Smiths Station and a pastor at First Baptist Church of Phenix City, had died by suicide.

Arizona – Rep. Leezah Sun’s Ethics Complaint Rebuttal Acknowledges Poor Behavior, Argues for No Punishment

Yahoo News – Ray Stern (Arizona Republic) | Published: 11/14/2023

An Arizona lawmaker’s rebuttal to an ethics complaint against her acknowledges some of her poor behavior and accuses a city official of potentially suffering from past “trauma” because he claimed she intimidated him. Rep. Leezah Sun faces potential expulsion from the House after being accused of making intimidating statements and interfering with a child custody case. Through her lawyer, she denied the allegations in a formal response to the complaint that charges Sun with violating the Legislature’s rule against “disorderly behavior.”

California – S.F. Mayoral Candidate’s Close Friend Was Charged in Corruption Probe. Will It Undermine His Campaign?

MSN – St. John Barned-Smith and J.D. Morris (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/13/2023

San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, who is trying to unseat Mayor London Breed in the November 2024 election, has never hidden his close relationship with Siavash Tahbazof, the patriarch of a family with deep business ties across the city, or the developer;s relatives and business associates. That puts Safaí in an awkward position after Tahbazof and two others were charged with fraud by federal prosecutors.

California – Anaheim Officials to Publicly Post Online Who They Meet With

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 11/13/2023

Anaheim City Council members voted unanimously to implement a policy that will require them to proactively post their calendar online listing meetings with lobbyists, developers, union representatives, and residents starting in January 2024. The policy comes after sworn affidavits by FBI agents and a report by independent investigators concluded the same thing: Anaheim City Hall is essentially controlled by Disneyland resort interests and lobbyists. The new calendar policy is among a host of reform proposals city council members are expected to tackle this fall.

Delaware – Delaware Supreme Court Reviews Convictions of Ex-Auditor After Corruption Allegations

MSN – Randall Chase (Associated Press) | Published: 11/15/2023

The Delaware Supreme Court is weighing whether to overturn the unprecedented convictions of the state’s former auditor on public corruption charges. The court heard arguments in the case of Kathy McGuiness, who was convicted on misdemeanor charges of conflict-of-interest, official misconduct, and noncompliance with state procurement rules. The conflict-of-interest charge involved the hiring of McGuiness’s daughter as a part-time employee in the auditor’s office. McGuinness also was convicted of structuring payments to a consulting firm to avoid having to get them approved by the state Division of Accounting.

Delaware – How Hall-Long’s Refusal to Release Audit Findings Sparked Elections Reform Talks

Yahoo News – Amanda Fries (Delaware News Journal) | Published: 11/14/2023

Delaware law does not require Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long to release the audit performed on her campaign finances, but watchdogs are hoping she will do so anyway in the interest of transparency. While Hall-Long has said the audit, and the campaign’s decision to openly acknowledge it, was an act of transparency, she continues to decline to release the audit itself, instead suggesting the amended campaign finance reports “fully convey” the audit’s results. The internal audit was launched shortly after Hall-Long announced her bid for governor, prompted by what she said were “reporting issues that require attention.”

Florida – Mayor Suarez’s Secret Side Gigs Included Advising Associates of Kremlin-Linked Oligarch

Yahoo News – Shirsho Dasgupta (Miami Herald) | Published: 11/14/2023

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez earned payments totaling six figures advising two financial firms run by close associates of a Russian oligarch, two of several side jobs he refused to reveal to the public until he ran for president, with its more rigorous disclosure requirements. As a part-time mayor, Suarez can accept private employment as he sees fit, as long as it does not overlap with his mayoral duties and the employers do not receive special city benefits in return. He has insisted he kept his private jobs and public duties separate, but until now had mostly refused to reveal the identities of those employers.

Florida – City Council Members Expand Oversight After Criticizing Lobbying Contract

Yahoo News – David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) | Published: 11/9/2023

Jacksonville City Council will be putting more attention on no-bid contracts by having the auditor’s office attend the meetings of the Procurement Division committees that vote on awards of city contracts for everything from construction to supplies to professional services. The council will also get reports every three months from the Procurement Division on all single-source awards during that time frame. The moves were in response to Mayor Donna Deegan hiring Langton Consulting in a $300,000 no-bid contract to perform federal lobbying and grant-writing.

Georgia – Ex-Trump Allies Detail Efforts to Overturn Election in Georgia Plea Videos

MSN – Amy Gardner and Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2023

The defendants that accepted plea deals in the Georgia election interference case made recordings that were intended to lay out what they know and be used against the other defendants. Although some of the recordings were garbled, the portions of the four statements from lawyers Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, and Sidney Powell, and Georgia bail bondsman Scott Hall, offered many previously undisclosed details about the effort by Trump and his allies to reverse his defeat.

Hawaii – Hawaii Ethics Panel to Push for More Disclosure of Lobbyists

Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 11/14/2023

Hawaii lawmakers in 2023 passed legislation that requires all state lawmakers to include in financial disclosures the names of lobbyists with whom they have a relationship. Now, the state Ethics Commission wants to revise the law so legislators who work for large employers and who know “or reasonably should know” who is on a lobbying list should also disclose those clients that meet the $5,000 threshold. The lobbying disclosure proposal was one of five tentatively approved by the commission for its legislative package for the 2024 legislative session.

Illinois – Brandon Johnson Wasn’t Supposed to Take Campaign Money from City Contractors, but He Did

Chicago Sun-Times – Robert Herguth and Tim Novak | Published: 11/9/2023

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is not allowed to take campaign contributions from city contractors but has accepted them anyway. Christian Perry, Johnson’s political director, says taking the money was an “oversight” and it is being returned, about $46,500 in all. In some instances, it appears contractors were solicited for campaign cash by Johnson’s political fundraisers. His campaign aides thought it was all right to take money from city contractors as long as the amounts fell below a certain threshold. But the mayor was barred from taking any money from them after he was sworn in on May 15.

Illinois – Clout-Heavy Contractor Linked to Federal Investigations at City Hall and in the Suburbs

MSN – Jason Meisner, A.D. Quig, Sarah Freishtat, and Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 11/13/2023

James Bracken’s multifaceted businesses have garnered government contracts from across Cook County worth up to $250 million for demolition services, equipment rental, and materials. At the same time, Bracken and the businesses themselves have contributed nearly $375,000 over the past two decades to a wide array of local elected officials, including a half-dozen who have been charged or come under federal investigation. Now it is Bracken who finds himself embroiled in two separate federal criminal probes, both tied to his business enterprise.

Illinois – Ethics Board Finds Probable Cause Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Wrongfully Fired 2 Whistleblowers

Yahoo News – Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 11/14/2023

Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin violated the ethics code by firing two top aides who alleged she repeatedly misused taxpayer resources and pressured public employees to help her political allies, according to a finding of probable cause by the city’s Board of Ethics. Over the coming months, Conyears-Ervin will have a chance to rebut the findings before the board issues a final ruling and potentially a fine.

Kentucky – Weddle’s Excess Giving to Beshear, Kentucky Democratic Party Under Investigation

Kentucky Lantern – Tom Loftus | Published: 11/10/2023

The Registry of Election Finance launched a civil investigation into the excess campaign contributions given by London Mayor Randall Weddle to the reelection campaign of Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Democratic Party. The action marks the first evidence that any public agency is investigating the bundles of more than $300,000 in donations to Beshear and the party. Registry Executive Director John Steffen said Weddle and his wife “may have violated” the state law that prohibits a person from giving excess donations to a candidate or political party by giving in the names of other persons.

Maryland – Ex-Baltimore Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby Guilty in Federal Perjury Trial

MSN – Dan Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 11/9/2023

Baltimore’s former top prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, was convicted of two counts of perjury after she had been accused of lying about her finances to withdraw money from her city retirement account under a program designed to help people struggling financially during the coronavirus pandemic. Prosecutors said she falsely claimed to suffer from financial hardships to access $90,000 from retirement funds she later used to buy two homes in Florida. Mosby has denied wrongdoing, saying she did not defraud anyone.

Michigan – Judge Allows Trump on Michigan Primary Ballot as Critics Try to Bar Him

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2023

A judge ruled Donald Trump can appear on the primary ballot in Michigan, delivering the latest setback to those who contend Trump sparked an insurrection on January 6, 2021, and is barred from running for president again as a result. State Judge James Robert Redford wrote that courts do not have the authority to determine whether someone is eligible to run for office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Redford also ruled Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson does not have the authority under state law to remove candidates from the ballot based on that provision.

Missouri – Rod Jetton’s Political Career Ended in Scandal. Now He’s Dean Plocher’s Chief of Staff

Missouri Independent – Jason Hancock | Published: 11/9/2023

Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher’s new chief of staff is a former legislative leader whose political career was upended more than a decade ago by a federal bribery investigation and allegations of sexual assault. He is joining Plocher’s office as the speaker faces an ethics committee inquiry into allegations of misconduct and calls for him to resign from fellow Republicans.

Missouri – Missouri AG Bailey’s Office Quietly Removed ‘Public Corruption’ Complaint Form on Website

Yahoo News – Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) | Published: 11/16/2023

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office scrubbed from its website an online form that allowed residents to file complaints of public corruption against elected officials. An archive from May shows that the online form allowed users to issue complaints of criminal acts by public officials so long as the local police agency had a conflict-of-interest in investigating the matter. The decision has come under scrutiny in the wake of a series of scandals surrounding House Speaker Dean Plocher, who faces calls to resign after reports surfaced that he received government reimbursements for expenses paid for by his campaign.

Nebraska – A Boom of Ballot Initiatives Is Reshaping This State’s Democracy

MSN – Greg Jaffe (Washington Post) | Published: 11/15/2023

Today, Congress is so divided and ideologically polarized that it struggles to execute its most basic responsibilities. State Legislatures are often so dominated by a single party that the majority can push through its agenda with little regard for what most voters might prefer. In the two dozen states that allow citizen-sponsored referendums, Democrats and Republicans are turning to the ballot box to make law and in many cases overrule their elected officials. The initiatives have rolled across the country in waves in recent decades.

New Hampshire – New Hampshire Announces First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary, Defying DNC

MSN – Azi Paybarah (Washington Post) | Published: 11/15/2023

New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan set his state’s presidential primary for January 23, formalizing its defiance of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) reworked primary calendar, which aims to give voters in more racially diverse states an early voice in the nominating process. The DNC approved a plan this year to shuffle the order in which states would appear in its 2024 primary calendar. The plan calls for South Carolina to be the first primary state, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada a week later, then Michigan.

New York – FBI Seized Phones, iPad from New York Mayor Eric Adams in Escalation of Fundraising Investigation

ABC News – Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 11/10/2023

FBI agents seized phones and an iPad from New York City Mayor Eric Adams as part of an investigation into political fundraising during his 2021 campaign. The seizures happened as Adams was leaving a public event in Manhattan. A search warrant indicated authorities are examining whether the Adams campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive donations from foreign sources, funneled through straw donors. The warrant also requested information about Adams’ use of the city’s public campaign finance program.

New York – Adams’ Compliance Lawyer Has Lobbied City Hall While Doing Work for His Campaign

MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 11/10/2023

Vito Pitta, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ longtime campaign compliance lawyer, has been getting paid by the campaign for consulting and legal services at the same time as his government relations firm has lobbied the mayor’s administration on behalf of a variety of private interests. There are no laws or regulations prohibiting the type of dual role Pitta has played but the situation raised conflict-of-interest concerns. Pitta is not the only Adams campaign adviser who has lobbied his administration in conjunction with working for him in a political capacity.

New York – New York’s Top Court Hears Democratic Attempt to Draw New Congressional Maps

Yahoo News – Bill Mahoney (Politico) | Published: 11/15/2023

New York’s top court heard oral arguments in a case that will determine whether the Democratic-dominated state Legislature will have another chance to draw maps for its 26-member congressional delegation. A Democratic victory in the Court of Appeals would let legislators make the lines for as many as seven Republican-held seats in New York friendlier to Democrats. The stakes are high: Democrats would have kept a majority in Congress in 2022 had they won five additional races.

Pennsylvania – Female Pa. Senators Want to Combat Sexual Harassment in Harrisburg, Following Scandal Involving a Top Aide to Gov. Josh Shapiro

MSN – Gillian McGoldrick (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 11/14/2023

A bipartisan group of female state senators unveiled a package of legislation aimed at combatting sexual harassment at the Pennsylvania Capitol, following several high-profile allegations made against top officials this year, including state representative and a top aide to the governor. But the bills will not address some of the biggest priorities among victim advocates.

Pennsylvania – How a Lobbyist for Investment Contractors Ended Up Heading the Pa. Pension Board That Hires Them

MSN – Joseph DiStefano (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 11/15/2023

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recently named Gregory Thall, a longtime government official who now works as a lobbyist, as chairperson of the $35 billion-asset State Employees Retirement System (SERS) pension plan. As a lobbyist for GSL Public Strategies Group, Thall disclosed a long list of the firm’s clients he registered to represent. They include Lubert-Adler Partners, which is one of more than 100 private money managers paid to invest public funds for SERS.

South Dakota – South Dakota Lawmakers Must List All Conflicts of Interest Ahead of Supreme Court Opinion

MSN – Annie Todd (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) | Published: 11/14/2023

South Dakota lawmakers will receive a letter asking them to list all possible conflicts-of-interest when it comes to their jobs outside of being legislators. Those responses will then be used in a brief that the South Dakota Supreme Court will examine while they make a decision regarding the broad nature of a constitutional provision banning lawmakers from having a either a direct or indirect conflict in state contracts during their terms and up to a year after they exit office.

West Virginia – Senate Democrat Joe Manchin Says He Will Not Seek Reelection

MSN – Liz Goodwin, Amy Wang, and Michael Scherer (Washington Post) | Published: 11/9/2023

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin announced he would not seek reelection in 2024, setting back Democrats’ plans to hold onto their majority in 2024 and raising their fears he could get involved in the presidential race as a third-party candidate. Manchin had defied political gravity by holding onto his seat in the deeply red state of West Virginia but would have faced long odds against either Gov. Jim Justice or Rep. Alex Mooney, who are running in the Republican primary next year.

November 16, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Elections Michigan: “Judge Allows Trump on Michigan Primary Ballot as Critics Try to Bar Him” by Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN Nebraska: “A Boom of Ballot Initiatives Is Reshaping This State’s Democracy” by Greg Jaffe (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics National: “House Ethics Panel […]

November 14, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Illinois: “Brandon Johnson Wasn’t Supposed to Take Campaign Money from City Contractors, but He Did” by Robert Herguth and Tim Novak for Chicago Sun-Times New York: “FBI Seized Phones, iPad from New York Mayor Eric Adams in Escalation of Fundraising Investigation” by […]

November 3, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – November 3, 2023

National/Federal Rep. George Santos Survives Effort to Expel Him from the House. But He Still Faces an Ethics Report ABC News – Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves (Associated Press) | Published: 11/1/2023 U.S. Rep. George Santos survived a vote to expel him […]

National/Federal

Rep. George Santos Survives Effort to Expel Him from the House. But He Still Faces an Ethics Report

ABC News – Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves (Associated Press) | Published: 11/1/2023

U.S. Rep. George Santos survived a vote to expel him from the House as most Republicans and 31 Democrats opted to withhold punishment while both his criminal trial and a House ethics committee investigation proceed. The effort to expel Santos was led by his fellow New York Republicans, who are anxious to distance themselves from a colleague infamous for fabricating his life story and accused of stealing from donors, lying to Congress, and receiving unemployment benefits he did not deserve.

Prosecutors Withdraw Second Subpoena in Trump Fund-Raising Inquiry

DNyuz – Alan Feuer and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 10/26/2023

Federal prosecutors have withdrawn a subpoena seeking records from former President Trump’s 2020 campaign as part of their investigation into whether Trump’s political and fundraising operations committed any crimes as he sought to stay in power after he lost the election. The decision this week by special counsel Jack Smith to effectively kill the subpoena to the Trump campaign came on the heels of the withdrawal of a similar subpoena to Save America, the PAC that was formed by Trump’s aides shortly after he lost the race in 2020.

Supreme Court Skeptical of Lawyer’s Claim to Phrase ‘Trump Too Small’

MSN – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 11/1/2023

Supreme Court justices across the ideological divide seemed skeptical that a California lawyer has a free speech right to trademark the double-entendre phrase “Trump Too Small” for use on T-shirts criticizing former President Trump. In fact, Chief Justice John Roberts opined, ruling for Trump critic Steve Elster could make it harder for others to create their own takes about the man running to reclaim his old job.

Trump’s Classified Documents Case Schedule May Be Delayed, Judge Cannon Says

MSN – Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 11/1/2023

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s indictment for allegedly mishandling national security secrets suggested she might push back the planned trial timeline, as courts wrestle with the growing complexity of juggling four separate criminal cases and an ongoing civil trial against the former president. U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon listened to prosecutors argue at a hearing for keeping the schedule she set earlier this year, which includes a trial in May 2024. Lawyers for Trump insisted they needed more time to prepare.

This Conservative Appeals Court’s Rulings Are Testing the Supreme Court

MSN – Robert Barnes and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2023

With a dozen judges nominated by Republican presidents, and only four by Democrats, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is the favored launchpad for right-leaning politicians and organizations seeking groundbreaking judicial decisions restricting abortion, limiting gun laws, and thwarting the ambitions of the Biden administration. The Fifth Circuit’s work is drawing more U.S. Supreme Court review than that of any other among the dozen regional appeals courts, which operate one step below the high court. In the new term, the justices already have said they will review eight decisions from the New Orleans-based court.

Hearings Begin as Trump Critics Attempt to Kick Him Off Ballots

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/27/2023

Judges are weighing an unprecedented and historic question: is former President Trump eligible to run for office again given his alleged role in the riot at the U.S. Capitol? A week-long hearing in Denver will explore whether January 6 qualified as an insurrection, which could bar Trump from the ballot in Colorado. The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether an obscure part of the Constitution might keep Trump off the ballot there. In coming weeks, courts around the country might hold similar proceedings.

Judge Reimposes Restrictions on Trump’s Speech in Jan. 6 Case

MSN – Rachel Weiner and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2023

A federal judge reimposed limits on Donald Trump’s public statements in advance of his trial on charges of conspiring to subvert the results of the 2020 election. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan put back in place an order she had lifted nine days earlier to give Trump and prosecutors more time to argue whether the restrictions were unconstitutional, as attorneys for the former president had claimed. Trump can now ask a higher court for an emergency stay pending appeal, but in the meantime, he is bound by Chutkan’s limits.

Mike Pence Suspends His Struggling 2024 Campaign

MSN – Maeve Reston and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) | Published: 10/28/2023

Former Vice President Mike Pence suspended his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, facing the reality there was little appetite for his candidacy among the legions of Republican voters who remain loyal to Donald Trump and viewed Pence as a traitor because he refused to follow Trump’s demands to overturn the 2020 election results. Pence’s years-long descent from first in line for the presidency to an also-ran reached a conclusion at a high-profile summit which brought together some of the most powerful Republican donors in one room.

News on TikTok and Instagram Is Booming, Signaling a New Era

MSN – Taylor Lorenz (Washington Post) | Published: 10/31/2023

News consumption hit a tipping point around the globe during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, with more people turning to social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram than to websites maintained by traditional news outlets, according to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. One in five adults under 24 use TikTok as a source for news. Britain’s Office of Communications said young adults in the United Kingdom now spend more time watching TikTok than broadcast media. As independent online producers of news programming rose to prominence, the ramifications for society are still coming into focus.

Democrats Plan to Subpoena Wealthy Benefactors of Supreme Court Justices

MSN – Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2023

Senate Democrats announced plans to vote to subpoena a pair of wealthy conservatives and a judicial activist who have underwritten or organized lavish travel for some U.S. Supreme Court justices, a move that adds to the pressure on the court to strengthen its ethics policies. The Judiciary Committee leaders will vote to authorize subpoenas for information from billionaire Harlan Crow, a close friend and benefactor of Justice Clarence Thomas, and from Leonard Leo, the conservative judicial activist.

High Court Struggles on Whether Officials May Block Social Media Critics

MSN – Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 10/31/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court struggled to agree on how to determine when public officials can block critics from their private social media accounts, reviewing two cases that will have broad implications for citizen interactions with politicians online. All nine justices seemed to acknowledge the challenge and importance of defining when government employees are acting in an official capacity online, and therefore bound by First Amendment restrictions on censorship; and when they are acting as private citizens, with their own individual free speech rights.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Alabama Legislators Study Past Ethics Proposals Ahead of Planned Revision Bill

Alabama Reflector – Ralph Chapoco | Published: 10/26/2023

Members of the House Ethics and Finance Committee discussed efforts since 2010 to amend Alabama’s ethics law. The gathering was the third in a series of “work meetings” providing legislators planning to draft legislation to update the existing law after a report released in 2019 recommending changes that included tightening language in the state’s ethics code and offering graduated penalties for specific violations.

Alabama – Local Journalists Arrested in Small Alabama Town for Grand Jury Story

MSN – Paul Farhi (Washington Post) | Published: 11/1/2023

A newspaper publisher and a reporter were arrested for publishing an article that officials said was based on confidential grand-jury evidence, a move that press-freedom advocates are characterizing as an unconstitutional attack on the news media. Publisher Sherry Digmon and reporter Don Fletcher of the Atmore News in Alabama were arrested after a story by Fletcher disclosed details of an investigation into the local school board’s payments to seven former school-system employees.

Arizona – Complaint Alleges GOP Lawmaker Illegally Used Campaign Cash to Attend J6

Arizona Mirror – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Published: 10/30/2023

An Arizona legislator who was among the rioting crowds at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, is facing a campaign finance complaint alleging he illegally used cash from a failed re-election bid to attend the insurrection, including airfare and a hotel stay. On January 5, Kern reported an expenditure for an airline ticket. On January 11, Kern reported an expenditure of $436.74 for travel and lodging at a Hyatt hotel.

Arizona – Arizona Prosecutors Ask About 2020 Pressure Campaign by Trump Allies

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 10/27/2023

The Arizona attorney general’s investigation into the coordinated attempt to overturn the 2020 election results by creating and sending documents to the federal government falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner is also zeroing in on the pressure placed on local officials by the former president’s key allies to help avert his loss. The investigation underscores the dramatically different approach that prosecutors from opposing parties have taken when weighing post-2020 activities.

California – Survey Says Residents Want More Information About Who’s Lobbying City Officials

Long Beach Post – Jason Ruiz | Published: 10/26/2023

Most respondents to a city survey about proposed changes to Long Beach’s lobbying rules said city officials should have to proactively disclose meetings with lobbyists, something they are not currently required to do. Those disclosures, respondents said, should be more frequent and robust than the law currently requires. The Long Beach Ethics Commission asked for the feedback as it is crafting changes to the city’s lobbying disclosure law. A new draft of the changes could be out as soon as November.

California – Free Speech Group Plans to Appeal S.F. Campaign Finance Law to U.S. Supreme Court

MSN – Bob Egelko (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/28/2023

San Francisco’s law requiring political ads to identify their top financial donors survived another challenge in federal appeals court, but nine conservative judges argued in dissent the law violates free speech. An attorney for opponents of the measure says he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The law went beyond disclosure mandates in state law by requiring committees financing local campaign advertisements to identify in the ads their top two donors of $5,000 or more.

California – Facing Strong Opposition, Bill Gore Withdraws from Consideration for San Diego Ethics Board

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union Tribune) | Published: 10/30/2023

More than a month after being nominated by Mayor Todd Gloria to serve on the San Diego Ethics Commission, former Sheriff Bill Gore has withdrawn his nomination in the face of overwhelming opposition. Gloria’s nomination generated immediate backlash from criminal justice reform advocates and family members of people who died in San Diego County jails in recent years. According to sheriff’s department records, more than 170 people died in county jails on Gore’s watch since he was first appointed sheriff in 2009.

Florida – Florida Fights a Ruling That Halts Its Lobbying Restriction

WMNF – Jim Saunders (News Service of Florida) | Published: 10/26/2023

Pointing to securing the “public trust,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody asked a federal appeals court to overturn a decision that blocked part of a 2018 state constitutional amendment imposing new restrictions on lobbying. U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom issued a permanent injunction against a restriction on state and local officials lobbying other government bodies while in office. Bloom said the constraint violated First Amendment rights.

Florida – No Ethics Charges for Ivey Over Election Scandal After Candidates Decline to Give Testimony

Yahoo News – Eric Rogers (Florida Today) | Published: 10/30/2023

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey will not face ethics charges related to allegations of interference in the 2022 elections, after the candidates who came forward declined to talk to state investigators, according to the Florida Commission on Ethics. Ivey admitted making offers to the candidates in an interview with investigators but denied it was meant to sway their decisions to run, the allegation at the heart of the ethics complaint.

Georgia – Georgia’s Congressional Map Violates Voting Rights Act, Court Finds

Yahoo News – Zach Montellaro (Politico) | Published: 10/26/2023

A federal court found Georgia’s congressional map violates the Voting Rights Act, the latest Southern state to have its map struck down for discriminating against Black voters. A judge ordered the state Legislature to redraw the lines by early December. The opinion said Black voters’ power had been diluted following extensive population growth in the state that has been disproportionately powered by Black residents. Gov. Brian calling the Legislature into special session on November 29 to handle redistricting.

Hawaii – Hawaii Ethics Commission Steps Up Training of Government Employees

Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 10/20/2023

Since a new law requiring state legislators and employees to complete live or online ethics training classes every four years went into effect January 1, the number of people taking the course has increased as compared to 2021. That is due in part because an online, self-directed version of the course was introduced in 2020, when the pandemic forced many people to work from home. But there are still hundreds of workers that have not taken the training, either online or live via webinar or in-person classes.

Illinois – How the Massive Power Ed Burke Wielded Paved the Way for His Alleged Corruption

WBEZ – Fran Spielman (Chicago Sun-Times) and Mariah Woelfel | Published: 10/31/2023

As Chicago Ald. Ed Burke prepares to stand trial on sweeping corruption charges in a racketeering indictment, the path to this moment was paved in part by the enormous power he gained through “scratch my back” politics, including aldermanic prerogative. Also known as aldermanic privilege, the practice is an entrenched, off-the-books power that gives council members unquestioned say over a broad range of decisions – from zoning matters to parking permits. Despite efforts to curb it, that tradition continues to this day.

Maine – Maine Considers Closing Loophole That Allows Foreign Government Spending on Referendums

The Hill – David Sharp (Associated Press) | Published: 11/2/2023

Maine voters will decide whether to ban foreign influence in elections, many of them irked over the $22 million a Canadian utility spent to fight state referendums on a hydropower transmission project. Hydro Quebec, owned by the Canadian province, exploited an election law loophole to fight attempts to stop the project on which the utility stood to gain $10 billion. If voters grant their approval on November 7, Maine would be the 10th state to close the loophole in federal election law that bans foreign entities from spending on candidate elections, yet allows donations for local and state ballot measures, said Aaron McKean of the Campaign Legal Center.

Maryland – Potomac Edison Faces Maryland Audit After Admitting It Charged Customers for FirstEnergy’s Bribes and Lobbying

Energy and Policy – Dave Anderson | Published: 10/26/2023

Maryland utility regulators ordered a new audit of Potomac Edison after the FirstEnergy-owned utility admitted in a rate case that it owes nearly $1.7 million in refunds to Maryland customers it wrongly charged for bribes, lobbying, corporate sponsorships, advertising, and other expenses. The new audit will seek to ensure that Potomac Edison’s wrongful charges to customers in Maryland are fully accounted for and refunded.

Michigan – Financial Disclosure Bills Pass Michigan Senate with Limited Revisions

MSN – Simon Schuster (MLive) | Published: 11/2/2023

The Michigan Senate passed legislation laying out what state politicians must show the public in new personal financial disclosures, after slightly expanding the requirements amid criticism the bills leave too much in the dark. Elected officials and candidates in the legislative and executive branches of state government will have to list their sources of income, but not the amount, and list assets and liabilities under the bills. A sticking point remains the amount of information candidates or elected officials must list about family members.

Mississippi – Gov. Tate Reeves’ Top Political Donors Received $1.4 Billion in State Contracts from His Agencies

Mississippi Today – Julia James, Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison, Taylor Vance, and Adam Ganucheau | Published: 10/31/2023

Of the 88 individual or corporate donors who have given Gov. Tate Reeves’ campaigns at least $50,000, Mississippi Today identified 15 donors whose companies received a total of $1.4 billion in state contracts or grants since he took office in 2020. The investigation reveals how private companies, whose executives routinely donate large sums to politicians, can rake in hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds while having the ear of powerful elected officials.

Missouri – Missouri House Ethics Committee Begins Inquiry into Personnel Moves by Dean Plocher

Missouri Independent – Rudi Keller | Published: 10/27/2023

The Missouri House Ethics Committee met behind closed doors to discuss a “personnel inquiry” in a meeting that had been widely expected to focus on beleaguered House Speaker Dean Plocher. The committee, which reviews complaints against House lawmakers, is scheduled to meet again to discuss the same inquiry on November 8. The meeting came as Plocher, who is running for lieutenant governor in 2024, is facing calls to resign after reports surfaced he received government reimbursements over several years for expenses also paid for by his campaign. He has started to pay back the money he improperly received.

New Jersey – Corruption, Backroom Deals, Local Politics Mire N.J.’s Legal Weed Rollout, Businesses Say

MSN – Jelani Gibson (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 10/30/2023

New Jersey promised a fair and ethical cannabis industry in which mom-and-pop shops would thrive. The law crafted by state legislators allowed towns, with little oversight, to authorize who can sell the product legally. Cannabis entrepreneurs seeking a piece of the billion-dollar industry are saying they are being exposed to extortion and intimidation. Municipalities can set their own fees, licensing schemes, and preferences independent of state supervision in a way that exceeds virtually every other regulated industry including liquor licenses.

New Jersey – Head of NJ Elections Watchdog Retires After Surviving Murphy’s Ouster Attempt

MSN – Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) | Published: 11/1/2023

Jeff Brindle, longtime executive director of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), officially retired, roughly a year after the Murphy administration sought to oust him from the position. Brindle filed two lawsuits this year against Gov. Phil Murphy, one alleging a conspiracy “to extort and force” his resignation and a second challenging the constitutionality of a controversial bill that overhauled ELEC. Deputy Director Joe Donohue will serve as acting executive director while the commission conducts a search for a replacement for Brindle.

New Jersey – How Menendez Tried and Failed to Place an Ally in a Key Federal Post

Yahoo News – Benjamin Weiser, Nicholas Fandos, and Tracy Tully (New York Times) | Published: 10/30/2023

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez went to great lengths to try to secure a friendly prosecutor in New Jersey’s top federal law enforcement position. Far from being routine politics, Menendez’s attempts to fill the position were part of a brazen scheme to sell his office for cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible, a federal indictment says.

New York – Noncompete Campaign Raises Lobbying Questions

Albany Times Union – Joshua Solomon | Published: 10/27/2023

A dispute over whether the actions by the Public Policy Institute of New York State, the nonprofit arm of the state’s Business Council, are considered lobbying raises questions on what the nonprofit must report, including whether it has to disclose its donors for a campaign concerning noncompete agreements that is valued at more than five times the charity’s typical spending in a year. The nonprofit’s spokesperson, James Freedland, said the institute is not seeking to influence elected officials, a statement that government watchdogs dispute.

New York – N.Y. Ethics Watchdog Revising 2024 Legislative Agenda

Spectrum News – Kate Lisa | Published: 11/1/2023

State ethics commissioners worked on fine-tuning their legislative agenda for 2024, setting sights on how New York lawmakers can change policy to best regulate lobbying and ethical behavior of elected officials when they return to Albany in January. Members of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government held a public roundtable and discussed plans to press the Legislature to better regulate ethics training required for lobbyists, including a daily late fee for lobbyists and clients who fail to complete it in the required timeframe.

Oklahoma – Ryan Walters Reported $5,000 Campaign Donation a Year Late. It May Cost Him

MSN – Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) | Published: 11/1/2023

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters finally disclosed a $5,000 donation to his 2022 campaign from a PAC one year after the report was due. The 1776 Project made the donation on October 31, 2022. It says on its website it is “committed to abolishing critical race theory … from the public school curriculum.” Walters was supposed to report the contribution within 24 hours because it was received just days before the general election.

Virginia – An Election Chief Says the ‘Big Lie’ Ended Her Career. She’s Fighting Back.

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 11/2/2023

Lynchburg Registrar Christine Gibbons was removed from her position, accused of corruption, taken to court, and reported to police for supposedly siphoning votes to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. A Republican who called for Gibbons’ firing and attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington on January 6, 2021, was appointed as one of her bosses on the local election board. Gibbons filed a lawsuit, which contends the election board violated her First Amendment right to free political association by removing her for purely partisan reasons. It is among the first in the country to make that argument.

Virginia – Va. AG Will Probe Fundraising of Pro-Palestinian Group

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 10/31/2023

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced his office will investigate the fundraising of one of the nation’s most prominent nonprofit organizations dedicated to educating the public, lobbying Congress, and organizing rallies for pro-Palestinian causes. Miyares said his office has “reason to believe” the Northern Virginia-based American Muslims for Palestine may not be complying with state rules on charitable giving and will investigate allegations lodged in a federal civil suit that the group provides indirect support to Hamas. AMP denied the allegations and called them not only “defamatory, but dangerous.”

Virginia – Youngkin ‘Purge’ Removed Nearly 3,400 Legal Virginia Voters from Rolls

MSN – Laura Vozzella (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2023

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s elections team has admitted in the run-up to pivotal General Assembly elections that it removed nearly 3,400 qualified voters from the state’s rolls, far higher than the administration’s previous estimate of 270. Elections officials acknowledged what it called the mistaken removal five weeks after early voting began for the November 7 elections. The outcome will determine the fate of Youngkin’s conservative legislative agenda.

Washington – WA Lawmaker Plans Hiatus from Think Tank Job to Comply with Ethics Rules

Washington State Standard – Jerry Cornfield | Published: 10/27/2023

State Rep. Chris Corry appeared to satisfy concerns of an ethics panel so he can continue working for the Washington Policy Center without violating any conflict-of-interest laws. He became director of the conservative think tank’s Center for Government Reform in May. Corry could have faced an investigation and punishment by the Legislative Ethics Board if he kept both posts.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Sues Republican Legislature Over Blocking Basic Functions

ABC News – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 10/31/2023

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers sued the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature, arguing it is obstructing basic government functions, including signing off on pay raises for university employees that were previously approved. Evers is asking the state Supreme Court to take the case directly, bypassing lower courts. Evers argues committees controlled by a few Republican lawmakers are being used by the Legislature to “reach far beyond its proper zone of constitutional lawmaking authority.”

Wyoming – Bills Would Add Voter Requirements, Expand Campaign Donor Reporting

Gillette News Record – Hannah Shields (Wyoming Tribune Eagle) | Published: 10/27/2023

The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee advanced bill drafts that could create significant changes to existing Wyoming election laws. One bill would add a 30-day residency requirement prior to Election Day. Another would expand the definition of an organization to include “any group of two … or more persons that … pools or otherwise jointly expends funds totaling in aggregate more than ($1,000).” The proposed legislation would allow groups to report campaign expenditure or electioneering communication without registering as a PAC.

November 2, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Prosecutors Withdraw Second Subpoena in Trump Fund-Raising Inquiry” by Alan Feuer and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) for DNyuz New Jersey: “Head of NJ Elections Watchdog Retires After Surviving Murphy’s Ouster Attempt” by Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) for MSN Elections Florida: “No […]

November 1, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Arizona: “Complaint Alleges GOP Lawmaker Illegally Used Campaign Cash to Attend J6” by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy for Arizona Mirror Mississippi: “Gov. Tate Reeves’ Top Political Donors Received $1.4 Billion in State Contracts from His Agencies” by Julia James, Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison, Taylor […]

October 30, 2023 • Written by Marilyn Wesel

New Hampshire Veto Session Adjourns

Lawmakers adjourned the veto session on after sustaining Gov. Sununu’s veto of House Bill 142. The vote did not have the two-thirds majority required to override the veto of the bill providing support for Berlin’s Burgess BioPower plant.

October 27, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 27, 2023

National/Federal Meadows Granted Immunity, Tells Smith He Warned Trump About 2020 Claims: Sources ABC News – Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine, and Alexander Mallin | Published: 10/24/2023 Former President Trump’s final chief of staff in the White House, Mark Meadows, has spoken with […]

National/Federal

Meadows Granted Immunity, Tells Smith He Warned Trump About 2020 Claims: Sources

ABC News – Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine, and Alexander Mallin | Published: 10/24/2023

Former President Trump’s final chief of staff in the White House, Mark Meadows, has spoken with special counsel Jack Smith’s team at least three times this year, including once before a federal grand jury, which came only after Smith granted Meadows immunity to testify under oath, according to sources familiar with the matter. The sources said Meadows informed Smith’s team that he repeatedly told Trump in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election that the allegations of significant voting fraud coming to them were baseless.

An Unsanctioned Coterie of Pro-Israel Quasi-Lobbyists Has Descended on D.C.

MSN – Hailey Fuchs and Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 10/22/2023

An ad hoc group of donors, activists, and allies have moved swiftly to help Israel. They have leveraged their political clout, their relationships with lawmakers, and their fundraising networks to do so. Their goal is to shape how elected officials in the U.S. react to the crisis. But their work also underscores how much of the political fight around the nascent war is being done on the fly; and how much is being waged in unconventional theaters: college campuses, corporate boardrooms, K Street offices. and Capitol Hill restaurants.

New House Speaker Mike Johnson Faces Herculean Task of Uniting Republicans

MSN – Marianna Sotomayor, Amy Wang, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Theodoric Meyer, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2023

Rep. Mike Johnson, a lesser-known conservative who has been a devoted follower of former President Trump was elected as speaker of the House, reopening the chamber for legislative business after a 21-day paralysis because the fractious Republican conference could not coalesce around a single nominee. Johnson now faces the herculean task of uniting a deeply ideologically fractured conference that is tasked with averting a government shutdown in less than a month, sending supplemental aid to Israel and other foreign countries, and passing reauthorization bills before the end of the year.

Special Counsel Urges Judge to Crack Down Further on Trump’s Comments

MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2023

Special counsel Jack Smith argued that recent comments by Donald Trump show not only that a federal gag order should be reimposed, but the court should weigh stricter sanctions, including sending him to jail, if he keeps talking about witnesses in his case. The filing was one of four made by the special counsel’s office on a range of legal issues in preparation for Trump’s planned trial on charges he conspired to obstruct Joe Biden’s electoral victory. Trump’s public statements attacking prosecutors, court personnel, and others have raised alarms among judges who worry such broadsides might inspire someone to commit violence.

Clarence Thomas’s RV Loan Was Forgiven, Senate Committee Report Says

MSN – Robert Barnes and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2023

Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Ron Wyden called on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to tell the panel whether he declared more than $250,000 of loan forgiveness on his tax filings. Wyden released a report that details a loan Thomas received from a friend, Anthony Welters, to buy a luxury Prevost Marathon motor coach in 1999. The report said Thomas made some interest payments on the $267,230 loan, but it was declared settled by Welters in 2008 without Thomas repaying a substantial portion, or perhaps any, of the principal.

Congressman Charged with Pulling False Fire Alarm in House Building

MSN – Peter Hermann and Clarence Williams (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2023

Rep. Jamaal Bowman was criminally charged with pulling a false fire alarm that forced the evacuation of the Cannon House Office Building as lawmakers scrambled to avert a government shutdown. Bowman was charged in a judicial summons, meaning he was not arrested. In an affidavit filed in court, authorities allege Bowman tried to open an emergency door and, when that failed, pulled a fire alarm and walked away and did not report his actions to police.

Elon Musk’s X Removes New York Times’ Verification Badge

MSN – Drew Harwell (Washington Post) | Published: 10/19/2023

The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, removed the gold “verified” badge from the New York Times’ account amid ongoing complaints about the news organization from X owner Elon Musk. The badge was the only symbol distinguishing the Times’ 55-million-follower account from impostors amid two major global conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. The move further extends Musk’s attempts to use the social media company he bought with claims of defending free speech to undercut news organizations he dislikes.

Lawsuit Aims to Slam Shut Loophole That Lets Political Parties Skirt Campaign Finance Law

MSN – Kathleen Culliton (Raw Story) | Published: 10/23/2023

A loophole that allows political parties to bypass campaign finance limits now faces a new legal challenge from watchdog groups in Washington D.C. The Campaign Legal Center and OpenSecrets filed a lawsuit against the FEC, which they hope will create new disclosure rules for national political party committee accounts. The loophole links back to the 2014 “Cromnibus” and an amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act that allows parties to draw funds from “special purpose accounts,” according to the complaint.

Trump Files New Challenges to Federal Election Obstruction Case in D.C.

MSN – Spencer Hsu and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 10/24/2023

Donald Trump launched a multipronged legal attack on his federal prosecution for allegedly subverting the results of the 2020 election, saying his actions were protected by the First Amendment as political speech and arguing he cannot be tried in criminal court for trying to block Joe Biden’s victory after being impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate. While aspects of Trump’s case raise historic legal questions, the motions are fairly typical for criminal defendants trying to challenge the legal sufficiency of the charges against them.

Top Groups’ Lobbying Spending Drops in Divided Congress

MSN – Caitlin Reilly (Roll Call) | Published: 10/23/2023

Total spending on lobbying by the biggest interest groups fell in the first three quarters of 2023 compared to last year amid partisan gridlock in a divided Congress. The dip came as the steady clip of major laws that moved through the last Congress slowed to a trickle this session with Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans the House, where GOP leadership has struggled to maintain control of its conference.

How Ron DeSantis’ Super PAC Is Taking Financial Pressure Off His Campaign

NBC News – Alec Hernández and Bridget Bowman | Published: 10/20/2023

With three months to go until the first contest of the Republican nominating race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to lean heavily on Never Back Down for support across the early states, and his most recent campaign finance report demonstrates how the super PAC has helped cover costs that otherwise might have drained DeSantis’s own campaign treasury. Beyond playing an extensive role in the governor’s campaign schedule and travel, the super PAC is also responsible for a large door-knocking operation in Iowa and running a slew of voter coalitions supporting DeSantis.

Appeals Court Upholds Broad Use of Obstruction Law That Prosecutors Have Deployed Against Trump

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 10/20/2023

Federal prosecutors avoided an appeals court ruling that could have upended their criminal prosecution of Donald Trump, but the legal battle will continue over a federal obstruction statute that has become a cornerstone of cases stemming from the storming of the Capitol. A panel of the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals ruled there are numerous ways for the government to prove January 6 defendants acted “corruptly” when seeking to obstruct Congress’ proceedings. A ruling that narrowly construed the meaning of “corruptly” could have derailed the prosecution of Trump on an obstruction charge.

Supreme Court to Decide if Biden Admin Illegally Bullied Social Media into Censoring Content

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Rebecca Kern (Politico) | Published: 10/20/2023

The Supreme Court will determine whether the Biden administration violated the Constitution when it pressured technology companies to remove from their platforms what federal officials said was false or misleading content about the 2020 election and Covid-19. In taking the case, the justices also blocked the lower court’s injunction that would have barred many types of contact between federal officials and the social media giants. The action means administration officials can keep contacting social media companies for now while the justices weigh the case.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Sacramento Ethics Commission Dismisses Campaign Contribution Complaint after Investigation

Capital Public Radio – Kristin Lam | Published: 10/25/2023

The Sacramento Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against mayoral candidate Flojuane Cofer and found she did not violate a campaign fundraising rule. Voting unanimously, the commission disagreed with part of an independent evaluator’s recommendation on how to deal with the complaint. The investigator found the city’s campaign contribution rules surrounding off-year elections are confusing.

California – Is Anaheim’s Fall of Reform Going to Freeze Over?

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 10/25/2023

Anaheim’s elected officials continue a rollout of reform proposals, but it is unclear how many overhauls will be made to a City Hall hit with one of the biggest corruption scandals in Orange County history. It comes as some Disney-backed city council members question if reforms are needed, like bolstering whistleblower protections, consequences for misconduct by elected officials, decreasing the city manager’s purchasing power, and overhauling lobbyist rules. The discussions come months after independent investigators alleged the city was essentially controlled by lobbyists and Disneyland resort interests.

Colorado – A New Law Has Stricter Regulations for Campaign Finance. What Does That Mean for Pueblo?

Pueblo Chieftan – Anna Lynn Winfrey | Published: 10/23/2023

A new law in Colorado imposes new requirements for how long campaign finance records are kept and sets contribution limits for municipal races. But as a home rule city, Pueblo has the jurisdiction to craft its own regulation on campaign finance. Because of the expected timing of a mayoral runoff race in January, after the bill goes into effect, the city council is expected to vote soon on an ordinance that would effectively freeze the current rules in place. Councilors could adopt more stringent requirements later, if desired.

Florida – Mayor Donna Deegan Approves No-Bid Contract for a Firm That Backed Her Campaign

MSN – David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) | Published: 10/24/2023

A company whose owner hosted a campaign event for Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan in January won a no-bid contract worth $300,000 for federal grant-writing, lobbying, and policy development after the city determined no other firm in the nation could provide all those services. The city typically requires competitive bidding, but the Professional Services Evaluation Committee recommended Deegan approve the one-year contract to Langton Consulting without seeking proposals from any other firms.

Florida – Florida Rule Would Limit Talk of ‘Social Issues’ at Public Universities

Yahoo News – Divya Kumar (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 10/23/2023

A proposed regulation aimed at restricting diversity programs and social activism at Florida’s public universities has stirred confusion, with some saying its broadly worded passages could limit free speech. The regulation, when approved, will determine how the state enforces the law pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that seeks to gut diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at colleges and universities.

Florida – Florida Ethics Panel Says County Commissioner Steele Can Resume Lobbying for Municipalities

Yahoo News – Dave Berman (Florida Today) | Published: 10/24/2023

Brevard County Commissioner Jason Steele was given the green light to resume his lobbying work. including for municipalities within the county, while he continues to serve as commissioner. The Florida Commission on Ethics approved an advisory opinion from its legal staff that said there currently is nothing illegal about Steele lobbying on behalf of clients, as long as he does not lobby before the county commission and does not use nonpublic information he obtained as a commissioner for his lobbying work.

Georgia – Trump Co-Defendant Kenneth Chesebro Pleads Guilty in Georgia Election Case

MSN – Holly Bailey and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/20/2023

Kenneth Chesebro, a former lawyer for Donald Trump’s campaign, pleaded guilty to illegally conspiring to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia, striking a deal in which he will avoid jail time and agreed to provide evidence that could implicate other defendants, including Trump himself. Chesebro pleaded guilty to a single felony count of conspiracy to file false documents. The charge relates to his role organizing slates of pro-Trump electors to meet in seven states where Joe Biden had won.

Georgia – Jenna Ellis Becomes Latest Trump Lawyer to Plead Guilty Over Efforts to Overturn Georgia’s Election

Yahoo News – Will Weissert and Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 10/24/2023

Attorney and conservative media figure Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty to a felony charge over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Ellis, the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal, was a vocal part of Trump’s reelection campaign in the last presidential cycle and was charged alongside the Republican former president and 17 others. Ellis pleaded guilty to one felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings. She had been facing charges of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and soliciting the violation of oath by a public officer, both felonies.

Hawaii – Hawaii Budget Director’s Conflict of Interest: He owns HECO stock

Honolulu Civil Beat – Stewart Yerton | Published: 10/26/2023

Hawaii’s state budget and finance director is facing an ethical dilemma as Gov. Josh Green’s administration works to establish a fund for victims of the Maui wildfires. Luis Salaveria, who is playing a role in planning the fund that would benefit Hawaiian Electric Industries, also owns Hawaiian Electric stock. That should disqualify Salaveria from taking any official action that could affect the company, according to the state ethics code. But what, if anything, Salaveria plans to do to address the situation is unclear.

Hawaii – Hawaii Bribery Scandal Casts a Shadow Over Lahaina’s Ruins

Yahoo News – Blaze Lovell (New York Times) | Published: 10/25/2023

As Maui County recovers from the devastating wildfires that killed at least 99 people, millions of dollars will be spent on rebuilding critical infrastructure using a flawed contract-monitoring system that is marred by bribery and a lack of competition. A recent bribery case prompted some county officials to begin phasing out the use of sole-source contracts, but the practice is still in use in the county. That very little has changed since the bribery scandal was revealed could leave the door open for some contractors to take advantage of the disaster or for government money to be wasted.

Illinois – Illinois Lawmakers Banned Campaign Contributions from Red-Light Camera Companies – Then Accepted Them

Illinois Public Radio – Robert Herguth (Chicago Sun-Times) | Published: 10/20/2023

In May, the General Assembly passed a bill to ban campaign contributions from the red-light camera industry that has been embroiled in a bribery scandal still unfolding in federal court. Among those backing the bill was Illinois Senate President Don Harmon. Less than six weeks later, his campaign accounts accepted two contributions totaling $5,000 from Redspeed Illinois, a contractor operating red-light cameras in a number of Chicago-area municipalities. Bernadette Matthews, executive director of the state elections board, said the new law does not include penalties for violators.

Kentucky – Louisville Metro Councilman Anthony Piagentini Found in Violation of Ethics Rules

MSN – Eleanor McCrary (Louisville Courier Journal) | Published: 10/19/2023

Louisville Metro’s Ethics Commission found Councilperson Anthony Piagentini in violation of six ethics rules after he was accused of using his city position to land a $40 million grant for the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council, which then hired him. The commission also unanimously voted to recommend to the Metro Council that he be removed from his seat, but that decision ultimately lies with his 25 peers. Piagentini also received a penalty of $500 per violation.

Louisiana – Supreme Court Agrees with Delay on Drawing New Louisiana Congressional Map

MSN – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 10/19/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with a delay on proceedings that could lead to creating a second congressional district in Louisiana where Black voters make up a large-enough share of the electorate to have a significant chance of electing their preferred candidate. The justices rejected requests by Black voters challenging a map passed by the state’s Republican-led Legislature to allow a lower court judge to proceed in coming up with a new map. The order indicates that once litigation over the issue is completed, the Legislature might get a chance to draw a revised map.

Maine – Inside Poland Spring’s Hidden Attack on Water Rules It Didn’t Like

Yahoo News – Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) | Published: 10/24/2023

When Maine lawmakers tried to rein in large-scale access to the state’s freshwater this year, the effort initially gained momentum. Then a Wall Street-backed giant called BlueTriton stepped in. Americans today buy more bottled water than any other packaged drink, and BlueTriton owns many of the nation’s biggest brands. Maine’s bill threatened the company’s access to the groundwater it bottles and sells. The legislation had already gotten a majority vote on the committee and was headed toward the full Legislature, when a lobbyist for BlueTriton proposed an amendment that would eviscerate the entire bill.

Massachusetts – Ryan and Stephanie Fattman Agree to Record Fines to Settle Campaign Finance Cases

Yahoo News – Kinga Borondy (Worcester Telegram & Gazette) | Published: 10/24/2023

The Massachusetts attorney general’s office reached a settlement with stated Sen. Ryan Fattman; his wife, Worcester Registrar of Probate Stephanie Fattman; and members of their campaign committees in the three-year probe into campaign finance irregularities. The settlements to be paid total hundreds of thousands of dollars, the largest amounts ever paid by candidate committees to the state to resolve cases.

Michigan – Financial Disclosures Proposed for Michigan Politicians Are ‘Pretty Weak,’ Advocates Say

MLive – Simon Schuster | Published: 10/25/2023

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a package of legislation that details what state elected officials must include in Michigan’s first-ever financial disclosures. The legislation, while bringing specificity to some areas 2022’s Proposal 1 left vague, also leaves gaps in reporting, exempting public officials from having to disclose some of the very financial benefits that roiled state government in recent scandals. Nicholas Pigeon, executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, called the bills “a mixed bag … that is pretty weak compared to the rest of the country.”

Michigan – After Campaign Finance Complaint Against Fouts, City Attorney Files Against Council Foes

MSN – Christina Hall (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 10/25/2023

The Warren city attorney filed state campaign finance complaints against three city council members for comments they made during a council meeting using city equipment, which was broadcast live and is on video on the city’s website. The complaints come days after the secretary of state’s office determined Mayor Jim Fouts may have violated the law by endorsing candidates during his State of the City address.

Missouri – Records Show Missouri House Speaker Charged State for Travel Already Paid for By His Campaign

Missouri Independent – Jason Hancock | Published: 10/23/2023

Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher filed an expense report to be reimbursed for a $1,199.60 plane ticket to the 2023 Uniform Law Commission conference. The House ultimately agreed to pay him the money. But the cost of the ticket did not come out of Plocher’s bank account. It came out of his campaign. Seven months earlier, “Plusher for Missouri” reported paying $1,199.60 for airfare to Hawaii for the conference. A review of Plocher’s expense reports over the years shows the Hawaii expense was not an isolated event.

New Hampshire – Breaking with Longstanding Tradition, Biden Won’t Appear on New Hampshire’s Primary Ballot

Yahoo News – Francesca Chambers (USA Today) | Published: 10/24/2023

President Joe Biden’s name will not be on the New Hampshire primary ballot. Biden has been tussling with the state for nearly a year over its historically early primary date and will not make the trip to Concord to file. In a break with centuries-old tradition, the incumbent president will not appear on the state’s Democratic primary ballot at all, with the national party pledging to discipline candidates who compete in unsanctioned primaries like the one New Hampshire plans to hold.

New Jersey – ‘Phantom Candidates’ in Tough N.J. Legislative Elections? Republicans Call for Investigation.

MSN – Brent Johnson (New Jersey Advance Media) | Published: 10/23/2023

Allegations about a “dark money” group pushing “phantom candidates” have invaded a pair of tense races for the New Jersey Legislature. Republican candidates in the second and fourth districts, two of the most competitive in this year’s elections, have asked top law enforcement officials to investigate a new nonprofit group with a Queens address that sent out campaign mailers to voters urging them to support independent or third-party “conservative” candidates.

New York – ‘A Well-Thought-Out Scheme’: Orange County lawmakers claim corruption with county’s contracts with IT company

Albany Times Union – Lana Bellamy | Published: 10/26/2023

New York Sen. James Skoufis alleges the Orange County government entered into illegal contracts with an information technology company in order to enrich the family of a top-ranking county official, and county administrators have attempted to cover up a larger corruption scheme. Skoufis laid out the case that contracts between the county and StarCIO totaling $823,000 were illegally procured and inflated to enrich Isaac Sacolick, the company’s proprietor and the brother-in-law of county Human Resources Commissioner Langdon Chapman.

New York – Judge Fines Trump $10,000 for Second Violation of New York Gag Order

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2023

A New York judge fined Donald Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order in a business-fraud lawsuit and warned the former president the penalties will only get worse if he keeps breaking the rules set for the civil trial, in which he is accused of falsely inflating his property values. The five-figure fine came after New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron unexpectedly called Trump to the witness stand to explain, under oath, a comment he made outside the courtroom earlier in the day.

New York – Adams Campaign Contributors Plead Guilty to Straw Donor Conspiracy Charge

The City – George Joseph | Published: 10/24/2023

Shahid and Yahya Mushtaq, two brothers who run a construction company in Queens, each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor conspiracy charge stemming from a straw donor scheme that aimed to generate illicit public matching funds for Eric Adams’ successful 2021 mayoral campaign. The brothers’ plea deals require them both to pay a $500 fine and complete 35 hours of community service.

New York – Who Paid for Gov. Hochul’s Israel Trip? Her Office Won’t Say.

The Gothamist – Jon Campbell | Published: 10/25/2023

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office will not say who pledged to pay for the governor’s recent visit to Israel, an arrangement the state’s ethics board has not yet approved, despite her trip to the Middle East last week. Hochul spent two days in Israel amid its war with Hamas, touring the country and meeting with dignitaries, along with victims and their families. Gubernatorial spokesperson Avi Small said the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government is still “in the final stages of reviewing this arrangement to ensure it fully complies with state ethics law.”

North Carolina – N.C. Republicans Pass Redistricting Map Expected to Flip 3 House Seats

MSN – Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2023

The North Carolina General Assembly gave final approval to new congressional and state legislative district maps that would empower the state Republican Party for years to come. North Carolina’s 14 congressional seats are now evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. The new map would probably flip at least three of those seats to the GOP. Proponents say they are allowed to draw maps that favor political parties because of recent court precedent, and Republicans have the power to do so because they won more seats in both chambers of the Legislature.

Ohio – Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose Quietly Ordered Purge of Thousands of Inactive Voters Last Month

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/24/2023

Thousands of inactive Ohio voters were purged from the state’s voter rolls in September at the direction of Secretary of State Frank LaRose after some voters had already begun casting ballots in the November election. LaRose maintains he issued the directive because he’s required by federal and state election law to set rules and timelines for maintaining accurate voter registration lists. But a state lawmaker asked why he did not delay it until after the general election, as he did earlier ahead of the August special election on a proposed constitutional amendment to make it harder to pass future amendments.

Ohio – Mayor Pureval Removed from Cincinnati Southern Railway Campaign Ads After Conflict of Interest Questions

WCPO – Taylor Weiter and Dan Monk | Published: 10/19/2023

Commercials promoting the sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railway no longer feature Mayor Aftab Pureval after a media investigation found connections between campaigns for the sale and Pureval’s re-election. Building Cincinnati’s Future and Friends of Aftab Pureval, the mayor’s re-election campaign, share the same treasurer, Jens Sutmoller.

Oklahoma – Phantom Attack Ads Target Oklahoma Candidate, Connected to Nationwide Dark Money Network

MSN – Clifton Adcock (The Frontier) | Published: 10/24/2023

Common Sense Conservatives spent money on a direct mail advertisement this fall against Baptist minister Dusty Deevers in a Republican primary for a seat in the Oklahoma Senate. Records show Common Sense Conservatives is one small piece of a larger, nationwide “dark money” network that conducts most of its operations out of Ohio, has been involved in numerous federal and state-level campaigns in other states including Oklahoma, and has ties to at least one bogus charity.

October 20, 2023 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 20, 2023

National/Federal Gag Order on Trump in Election Case Leaves More Hard Questions DNyuz – Charlie Savage and Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 10/17/2023 U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan’s gag order against Donald Trump is the first major consequence of […]

National/Federal

Gag Order on Trump in Election Case Leaves More Hard Questions

DNyuz – Charlie Savage and Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 10/17/2023

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan’s gag order against Donald Trump is the first major consequence of his life as a criminal defendant. But in some ways, the order raises more questions than it answers, including how the judge intends to enforce her restrictions. Chutkan ruled Trump’s pretrial attacks on potential witnesses and others threatened the integrity of the upcoming trial on charges stemming from his effort to subvert the 2020 election. She barred Trump from continuing to publicly berate special counsel Jack Smith and his team, court staff, or any “reasonably foreseeable witness.”

Trump Lawyer Acknowledged Political Agenda in Election Suit, Emails Show

DNyuz – Maggie Haberman and Luke Broadwater (New York Times) | Published: 10/8/2023

Kenneth Chesebro and other lawyers fighting to reverse then-President Trump’s election defeat were debating whether to file litigation contesting Joe Bidens victory in Wisconsin. Chesebro argued there was little doubt the litigation would fail in court as Trump continued to push his baseless claims of widespread fraud. But the “relevant analysis is political,” Chesebro argued. Trump has signaled one of his possible defenses is that he was simply acting on the advice of his lawyers. But Chesebro’s emails could undercut any effort to show the lawyers were focused solely on legal strategies.

Amazon’s Alexa Has Been Claiming the 2020 Election Was Stolen

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 10/7/2023

Amid concerns that the rise of artificial intelligence will supercharge the spread of misinformation comes a wild fabrication from a more commonplace source: Amazon’s Alexa, which declared the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Asked about fraud in the race, the popular voice assistant said it was “stolen by a massive amount of election fraud,” citing Rumble, a video-streaming service favored by conservatives. Alexa disseminates misinformation about the race even as Amazon promotes the tool as a reliable election news source to more than 70 million estimated users.

Pence Campaign Sputters Amid Money Troubles, Staff Cuts and Low Enthusiasm

MSN – Meryl Kornfield and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) | Published: 10/19/2023

Four months after launching his presidential campaign with an embrace of traditional conservatism and a rejection of his former running mate Donald Trump, Mike Pence now stands at a difficult crossroads. Plagued by financial problems, low polling numbers, and a message that has not resonated with the party base, he has been forced to confront tough realities this fall about the future of his campaign.

Sen. Bob Menendez Charged with Conspiring to Act as Foreign Agent

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) | Published: 10/12/2023

Sen. Robert Menendez was charged in a superseding federal indictment with conspiracy by a public official to act as a foreign agent, intensifying the legal peril the veteran lawmaker faces as he continues to resist calls to resign. Menendez; his wife, Nadine Menendez; and an associate, Wael Hana, were charged with conspiring to have Sen. Menendez act as an illegal foreign agent on behalf of the Egyptian government while he was serving as a U.S. senator with access to sensitive intelligence as the former head of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Campaign of Rep. George Santos Refunds More Money Than It Raises

MSN – Azi Paybarah (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2023

The campaign of scandal-plagued U.S. Rep. George Santos reported refunding more money to donors than it raised during the past three months, raising questions about how seriously he is pursuing reelection. The paltry fundraising figures are not typical for incumbents running in swing districts at this point in the election cycle, particularly when multiple challengers have already announced campaigns.

Former IRS Contractor Pleads Guilty to Leaking Trump’s Tax Returns

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 10/12/2023

A financial consultant who performed contract work for the IRS pleaded guilty to leaking confidential tax returns filed by the wealthiest Americans, including those of then-President Trump. Charles Littlejohn admitted he obtained thousands of individuals’ tax returns by accessing an IRS database, and then leaked the materials to the New York Times and ProPublica beginning in 2019. The news organizations showed how Trump and others employed strategies to slash their federal tax bills, in some cases down to zero.

Special Counsel Jack Smith Pulls Subpoena Over Pro-Trump Fundraising

MSN – Josh Dawsey, Perry Stein, and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 10/17/2023

Special counsel Jack Smith withdrew a subpoena seeking records about fundraising by the PAC Save America, a group that is controlled by former President Trump and whose activities related to efforts to block the results of the 2020 presidential election have come under investigation. The move indicates Smith is scaling back at least part of his inquiry into the political fundraising work that fed and benefited from unfounded claims the election was stolen.

How Conservative Media Figures Helped to Fuel the GOP Speaker Chaos

MSN – Sarah Ellison and Will Sommer (Washington Post) | Published: 10/17/2023

Fox News host Sean Hannity’s extensive effort to personally whip up votes for U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan in his bid to be House speaker highlights the central role right-wing media has played in the drama over who will wield the speaker’s gavel. At each turn, conservative media figures such as Hannity and Stephen Bannon injected high-profile disruption into a process that normally plays out behind the scenes. A handful of backbench lawmakers have seized the opportunity to flex their power in a nearly evenly split chamber, creating drama but offering little direction.

Conservative Companies Create Parallel Economy as Polarization Thrives

Yahoo News – Julia Shapero (The Hill) | Published: 10/18/2023

As a growing number of businesses lean into their conservative values or credentials to appeal to consumers, some have suggested that a “parallel economy” is emerging. These political appeals have become increasingly important to American consumers amid growing political polarization, said Nailya Ordabayeva of Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business. As consumers’ politics have influenced their purchasing decisions, companies have sought to tap into these political identities, and these efforts are not unique to the right, Ordabayeva said.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Lavish Trip for Group of Conservative MPs in Ethics Spotlight

CBC – Elizabeth Thompson | Published: 10/16/2023

A pricey trip for a group of Conservative Members of Parliament sponsored by a special interest group and a Hungarian think-tank could soon come under the microscope by the House of Commons ethics committee. The trip to London took place last June and was sponsored by Canadians for Affordable Energy and the Danube Institute. Billed as an opportunity to discuss energy policy, the trip included thousands of dollars in flights, hotels, and ground transportation as well as a dinner at the Guinea Grill with $600 bottles of champagne that totaled an estimated $6,262.

Alaska – Alaska Attorney General Approves Free Legal Defense for Top Officials Accused of Ethical Lapses

Frontiersman – James Brooks (Alaska Beacon) | Published: 10/17/2023

The state of Alaska will provide legal representation for its governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general in ethics complaints filed against those top officials. Current policy allows the state to reimburse top officials for privately hired legal defense under certain circumstances, including in cases where the officials are exonerated. Assistant Attorney General Cori Mills said that is more expensive than using in-house counsel.

Arkansas – Arkansas Lawmakers OK Plan to Audit Purchase of $19,000 Lectern for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

MSN – Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) | Published: 10/12/2023

Arkansas lawmakers voted to audit the purchase of a $19,000 lectern for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, delving into an unusual controversy that has prompted questions about the seemingly high cost of the item and claims the governor’s office violated the state’s open-records law. The executive committee of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee also voted to audit the governor’s travel and security expenditures that were retroactively shielded from public release under a new Freedom of Information Act exemption Sanders signed in September.

California – Orange Could Start Requiring Lobbyists to Register with the City

MSN – Michael Slaton (Orange County Register) | Published: 10/12/2023

The Orange City Council is exploring whether to start requiring lobbyists to register and report their actions to the city. The effort is largely to prevent impropriety and promote transparency, officials said, but was also inspired by the recent Anaheim corruption saga. The city council is creating an ad hoc committee to explore the proposed law and update campaign finance laws.

California – California Governor Vetoes Bill Requiring Independent Panels to Draw Local Voting Districts

MSN – David Lieb (Associated Press) | Published: 10/9/2023

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation that would have required dozens of his state’s largest cities, counties, and educational districts to use independent commissions to draw voting districts. California’s local redistricting methods came under scrutiny last year following a leaked recording of a private discussion among several Los Angeles City Council members. The officials, all Latino Democrats, used crude and racist comments while plotting to bolster their political power at the expense of Black voters.

California – San Francisco Homeowners Say They Were Duped into Paying a Now-Disgraced Building Inspector

San Francisco Standard – Michael Barba | Published: 10/17/2023

Manh Chau was renovating his dream house in San Francisco when his contractor, Kelvin Zeng, asked him to cut a check for $5,000. Zeng told him to write the name “Bernie Curran” on the check, according to Chau. What Chau did not know at the time was Bernie Curran was not a subcontractor as he had assumed. Curran was a senior building inspector who, just a day after Chau dated the check, inspected his house, court. Now, Curran is about to begin a stint in federal prison after pleading guilty in two separate criminal cases over his financial ties to various property owners in the city.

California – Anaheim Considers an Ethics Officer in Fallout of City Hall Corruption Scandal

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 10/18/2023

An ethics officer could soon start having some sort of oversight role in Anaheim in the aftermath of one of the biggest public corruption scandals to hit Orange County. City council members unanimously voted to create an ethics officer position and have staff come back with options to explore what exactly that person’s responsibilities will be. Creating an ethics officer position to oversee the city’s lobbyist registration and campaign finance was one of several recommendations that investigators made to the city in a report on the scandal.

Florida – One Mystery Solved: Dolphins subsidiary partly behind Mayor Suarez’s $30k F1 weekend

Yahoo News – Sarah Blaskey and Joey Flechas (Miami Herald) | Published: 10/13/2023

A company tied to the Miami Dolphins and team owner Stephen Ross, a billionaire with business before the city, gave Mayor Francis Suarez a $3,500 Formula 1 ticket, a newly filed gift disclosure revealed. It is the latest in a drip-drip of information revealing the sources behind Suarez’s $30,000 Grand Prix weekend in May, which is at the center of an ongoing state ethics investigation into whether the mayor violated Florida gifts laws.

Georgia – Sidney Powell Pleads Guilty in Case Over Efforts to Overturn Trump’s Georgia Loss and Gets Probation

Associated Press News – Kate Brumback | Published: 10/19/2023

Lawyer Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to reduced charges over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election in Georgia, becoming the second defendant in the case to reach a deal with prosecutors. Powell, who was charged with violating the state’s anti-racketeering law, entered the plea just a day before jury selection was set to start in her trial. She pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors accusing her of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties.

Illinois – What Do Recent Illinois Corruption Trials Have in Common? State Rep. Bob Rita as a Witness.

Chicago Sun-Times – Robert Herguth | Published: 10/13/2023

Three recent public corruption cases in Illinois shared a common element: state Rep. Bob Rita as a prosecution witness. Rita has not found out yet whether he will be asked to testify in a fourth trial, that of former House Speaker Michel Madigan. Unlike some witnesses in the trials, Rita has neither been charged with any crime nor compelled to testify under a grant of immunity from prosecution. He has been subpoenaed to testify at the request of federal prosecutors about the Illinois General Assembly’s inner workings and Madigan;s close aides.

Illinois – Ald. Jim Gardiner Hit with $20,000 Fine for Ethics Violations

Yahoo News – A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/16/2023

The Chicago Board of Ethics fined Ald. Jim Gardiner $20,000 after he was accused of retaliating against a constituent and vocal critic by directing city staff to issue bogus citations that could have forced the man to pay more than $600 in fines. In all, the board said Gardiner violated the ethics code on 10 separate occasions. The city inspector general’s office has only successfully pursued a probable cause finding in 13 ethics investigations and Gardiner was the first who was a sitting city council member.

Louisiana – City Council Ousts Top Cantrell Aide for Breaking Campaign Finance Laws During Recall

New Orleans Advocate – John Stanton | Published: 10/17/2023

The New Orleans City Council ousted Gregory Joseph, Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s communications director and close advisor, for incompetence, neglecting his duties, and violating campaign finance laws, among other charges. In order to block Joseph from being rehired immediately after being fired, the council voted to suspend Joseph without pay from employment by the city for the remainder of Cantrell’s term.

Maine – State Ethics Director Recommends Against Investigating Senate President’s House Purchase

Yahoo News – Eric Russell (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 10/18/2023

The executive director of Maine’s ethics commission said he does not see sufficient grounds to investigate claims that Senate President Troy Jackson violated campaign finance laws in connection with his purchase of a house. Members could still vote to investigate Jackson, but they would be doing so against the recommendation of Jonathan Wayne. A complaint concerned Jackson’s purchase of a home in Augusta in 2019 while representing a district in Aroostook County. It questioned whether he violated the Legislature’s residency rules or falsely pledged to make the home his primary residence.

Maryland – 1776 Project PAC Fined $20,000 for Texts Sent to Carroll Voters on Behalf of Battaglia, Miller, Whisler

MSN – Thomas Goodwin Smith (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 10/12/2023

The 1776 Project PAC, which financially supported Tara Battaglia, James Miller, and Steve Whisler during the 2022 campaign for the Carroll County School Board, was fined $20,250 for failing to identify itself as having paid for 13,879 text messages sent to voters. Maryland law requires campaign messages sent on behalf of candidates to state who paid for the information to be distributed. This includes yard signs, pamphlets, and digital advertisements.

Massachusetts – Bill Aims to Expose ‘Dark Money’ at Town Meetings

Martha’s Vineyard Times – Staff | Published: 10/18/2023

A new bill was filed to counter the influence of what the sponsors are calling “dark money” in town meetings. Massachusetts campaign finance law requires disclosure for any group that receives contributions to oppose or promote a ballot question or influence an election. Candidates for state and local public offices must also follow strict requirements. But these disclosure and transparency requirements do not currently apply to groups seeking to influence issues addressed at town meetings, and do not appear before voters on the ballots, such as warrant articles.

Massachusetts – This Boston City Council Candidate Has More Than $100,000 in His Coffers. His Campaign Says He Didn’t Raise a Single Cent of It.

MSN – Danny McDonald (Boston Globe) | Published: 10/19/2023

John FitzGerald’s day job as a deputy director at the Boston Planning & Development Agency may hamstring him from personally raising funds for his city council bid, but it has not stopped his campaign from amassing $109,000, a hefty haul for this kind of race. State ethics law is clear: public employees cannot receive “directly or indirectly, any contribution or anything of value for any political purpose.” But they may run for office, as long as a committee is organized to raise money on their behalf. FitzGerald said he “never solicited a donation for his campaign.”

Massachusetts – Abhijit Das, Ex-Congressional Candidate, Convicted of Breaking Campaign

MSN – Ryan Mancici (MassLive) | Published: 10/14/2023

Abhijit Das, who ran for a U.S. House in Massachusetts, was convicted of violating the Federal Election Campaign Act and making false statements. Among the allegations was that Das inflated his fundraising numbers with a scheme “to solicit personal loans from friends and close associates in excess of the $2,700 legal limit,” prosecutors said. Das also used $267,000 of campaign funds to pay debts for his hotel business relating to vendors.

Massachusetts – Mass. Gets Top Grade for 2020 Redistricting

Salem News – Christian Wade | Published: 10/16/2023

The home state of “gerrymandering” received a top ranking from Common Cause for its once-every-decade legislative redistricting process. Massachusetts got an “A-” grade, tied with California in the highest-in-the nation ranking. Massachusetts got high marks for having a strong coalition of voting access groups participating in the redistricting process, increasing minority representation in the state Legislature, and holding regular public hearings to discuss changes.

Michigan – Michigan Democrats Vowed Transparency Reforms. Now, They Say Maybe Next Year

Bridge Michigan – Jonathan Oosting | Published: 10/18/2023

Michigan is poised to end the year the same way it began, as one of only two states to fully exempt both the governor’s office and Legislature from public, which the Legislature must finalize by the end of this year under a ballot measure voters approved in 2022. But Democrats are punting on other promised transparency reforms until at least next year, including expansion of the Freedom of Information Act and tighter lobbying rules.

Michigan – Two Lobbyists Get Prison Time for Michigan Medical Marijuana Corruption Scheme

Detroit Free Press – Arpan Lobo | Published: 10/18/2023

Brian Pierce, a former lobbyist who pleaded guilty to participating in a corruption scheme in Michigan’s now-defunct medical marijuana licensing agency, was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Vincent Brown, the other lobbyist to plead guilty in the scheme, was sentenced to 20 months in prison. They both pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery, after the federal government accused them of providing $42,000 in cash bribes and other benefits to former House Speaker Rick Johnson during his time as chair of the former Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board.

Mississippi – Black Voters Fuel Democratic Hopes in Deep-Red Mississippi

Yahoo News – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 11/17/2023

Just three years ago, Mississippi had an election law on its books from 1890 constitutional that was designed to uphold “white supremacy” in the state. The law created a system for electing statewide officials that drastically reduced the political power of Black voters. Voters overturned the law in 2020. This summer, an appeals court threw out another law that had permanently stripped voting rights from people convicted of a range of felonies. Now Mississippi is holding its first election for governor since those laws fell, the contest is improbably competitive in this deep-red state, and Black voters are poised to play a critical role.

Nevada – Nevada Lawmakers Funded Nonprofits; How and Why a Firestorm of Controversy Followed

Nevada Independent – Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren | Published: 10/15/2023

Several Nevada Democrats have found themselves in the political crosshairs for helping pass two bills in the final days of the legislative session that awarded $110 million in state funds to their nonprofit employers and dozens of other community groups. Lawmakers with connections to the organizations they voted to fund noted guidance they received from the Legislature’s legal division, which maintained the votes are not a conflict-of-interest because the legislation affects the average Nevadan just as much as lawmakers.

New Hampshire – A 15-Year-Old Known for Tough Questions Was Kicked Out of a GOP Event

MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2023

Quinn Mitchell is not a journalist, political strategist, or even a voter. He is a 15-year-old high school freshman who, despite his age, has become a fixture on the New Hampshire presidential campaign circuit. His consistent presence and pointed questions at town halls and rallies led former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to describe him as “America’s most famous political teenager.” Quinn was recently kicked out of the state GOP’s First in the Nation Leadership Summit after a volunteer accused him of being a Democratic operative.

New Jersey – The Real Estate Tycoon Whose Fingerprints Are on the Menendez Indictment

DNyuz – Elise Young and Tracey Tully (New York Times) | Published: 10/16/2023

Fred Daibes, the real estate tycoon at the center of an international scandal threatening the career of U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, has found his way out of more than one tough spot over the course of his tumultuous life. In 2018, federal indictment accusing him of scheming to defraud a bank he had founded threatened to upend his real estate empire and carried the risk of a lengthy prison term. It was then, prosecutors say, that he turned to a longtime ally for help: Sen. Menendez. What followed would form the basis for federal charges that Daibes, Menendez and his wife, and two other businesspeople are now facing.

New York – Can New York’s Mayor Speak Mandarin? No, but with AI He’s Making Robocalls in Different Languages

ABC News – Anthony Izaguirre (Associated Press) | Published: 10/17/2023

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to make robocalls that contort his own voice into several languages he does not actually speak, posing new ethical questions about the government’s use of the rapidly evolving technology. The mayor said the robocalls have gone out in languages such as Mandarin and Yiddish to promote city hiring events. They have not included any disclosure that he only speaks English, or the calls were generated using AI.

Ohio – Ohio’s Redistricting Process Gets an ‘F’ from National Group

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/12/2023

Ohio’s redistricting process received a failing grade from Common Cause, which deemed the state;s congressional and legislative maps to be “unmitigated disasters” overall. The report noted how Ohio residents last year voted on the state’s congressional delegation and most of the state Legislature using district lines that were found to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered by the state Supreme Court.

Oklahoma – Ethics Commission Job Posting Redone, Legislature Asked to Triple Budget

NonDoc – Michael McNutt | Published: 10/16/2023

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted to extend the search for its next executive director after the state’s attorney general claimed the search “process has been irreparably flawed and must be started anew.” Commissioners also approved a budget request for the 2025 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2024. The request, more than three times the amount the agency received this year, will be presented to the Oklahoma Legislature for consideration during next year’s regular session.

Pennsylvania – The Ethics Board Is Appealing a Ruling That Dismissed Its Case Against a Super PAC That Backed Jeff Brown for Mayor

MSN – Sean Collins Walsh (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 10/19/2023

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics appealed a court ruling that dismissed its high-profile lawsuit against the super PAC that backed Jeff Brown’s unsuccessful campaign for mayor. The board in April sent shockwaves through the mayor’s race when it sued For A Better Philadelphia, which spent millions of dollars to boost Brown as he sought the Democratic nomination. The board accused the super PAC of illegally coordinating with Brown because he raised money for the group in the months leading up to the launch of his campaign in November 2022.

Texas – El Paso City Council Advances Plan for Broader Political Contribution Reporting

MSN – Adam Powell (El Paso Times) | Published: 10/13/2023

The El Paso City Council advanced a plan that would increase transparency around political contributions but stopped short of acting on a proposed cap on donations. The council voted direct city staff to draft an ordinance that would require disclosure of donors who contributed $500 or more and might benefit from council actions.

West Virginia – DOT Head Claims No Conflict of Interest from Agency Contracts with Firm Employing His Son Before State Lawmakers

Charleston Gazette-Mail – Mike Tony | Published: 10/17/2023

West Virginia Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Jimmy Wriston suggested there is no conflict-of-interest nor appearance of one stemming from the relationship between his agency and a firm the agency contracts with that employs his son. Wriston signed two contracts for the Division of Highways to pay over $25.7 million to the firm, Michael Baker International. At the time, Wriston was deputy commissioner of the Division of Highways. Gov. Jim Justice named Wriston DOT secretary and DOH commissioner in October 2021.

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

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News You Can Use Digest – December 8, 2023

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News You Can Use Digest – November 17, 2023

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News You Can Use Digest – November 3, 2023

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New Hampshire Veto Session Adjourns

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