Becky is back to deliver all the government and ethics news you can use in this weeks video digest!

Don’t miss the weekly recap from Becky Campbell on government, elections and ethics news you can use in this weeks video digest!

Let Becky Campbell catch you up on any of the news you might have missed in this weeks video digest!

The first regular session of the 128th Legislature adjourned sine die on August 2, 2017.

Lawmakers increased the age for purchasing cigarettes to 21 and overrode Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill increasing access to opioid addiction services.

The general effective date for non-emergency laws passed in the first regular session is Wednesday, November 1, 2017.

Keeping you informed on all the government and ethics news you can use in this weeks video digest!

National:

Lobbyist Gift-Giving at Issue in More States
Governing – Scott Rodd (Stateline) | Published: 7/21/2017

The laws that govern gift-giving from lobbyists to public officials vary widely from state to state. In states with relatively lenient laws, watchdogs and some elected officials have been working to impose tougher restrictions. They argue gifts from lobbyists may corrupt elected officials’ decision-making and cause them to stray from the best interests of their constituents. But critics have met resistance from lawmakers who say lobbyists offer informed perspectives on key issues, and these exchanges often happen over meals or sporting events that lobbyists pay for. A federal judge recently ruled a Kentucky law banning gifts from lobbyists to legislators violates lobbyists’ First Amendment rights.

Local Governments Keep Using This Software – But It Might Be a Back Door for Russia
Washington Post – Jack Gillum and Aaron Davis | Published: 7/23/2017

Many local and state government agencies say they are using a Russian brand of security software despite the federal government’s instructions to its own agencies not to buy the software over concerns about cyberespionage. The General Services Administration recently removed Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab from its list of approved vendors. In doing so, the agency’s statement suggested a vulnerability exists in Kaspersky that could give the Russian government backdoor access to the systems it protects, though they offered no explanation or evidence of it. Kaspersky has strongly denied coordinating with the Russian government and has offered to cooperate with federal investigators.

Federal:

New Ethics Chief Has Fought to Roll Back Restrictions
New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 7/26/2017

Former colleagues of David Apol, who was named the new director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), praised his intelligence and his experience as a government ethics lawyer at a half-dozen different federal agencies over three decades. But tension has been building during two stints that Apol served at the OGE, his former colleagues said. Former OGE employees said they wondered if at times Apol had gone too far in questioning agency standards. Apol acknowledged he had frequently raised questions about how the OGE interprets ethics laws that govern the activity of 2.7 million federal employees in more than 130 executive agencies, including the White House.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona: Arizona Legislators Attend Conference with Help from Corporations That Lobby Them at Home
Arizona Republic – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez | Published: 7/23/2017

More than a third of the Republicans in the Arizona Legislature gathered in Denver to absorb conservative ideas and mingle with lobbyists at a conference where corporate donors picked up much of the tab. Arizona is always well-represented at the annual gathering of the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization best-known for producing ready-to-introduce legislation crafted with input from corporate America. Helping to foot the bill were some of the very companies and lobbyists who work the halls of the Legislature to advance their own agendas.

Illinois: Ex-Ald. Singer Among 6 Fined for Illegally Lobbying Emanuel Via Email
Chicago Tribune – Hal Dardick | Published: 7/21/2017

A former city council member and an Internet pioneer turned venture capitalist were penalized for illegally lobbying Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel through his personal email account. The Board of Ethics levied a fine of $25,000 on former Ald. William Singer. The panel imposed a $2,000 fine on Marc Andreesen, the inventor of the Netscape Internet browser. Those were among the latest group of individuals the ethics panel said had violated city law and been fined for attempting to influence Emanuel or other officials through emailed contacts. The new sanctions raise the total to eight of those fined for improper lobbying in connection with the emails.

Kentucky: Complaints Over Gov. Matt Bevin’s Anchorage Mansion Unanimously Dismissed by Ethics Panel
Louisville Courier-Journal – Tom Loftus | Published: 7/21/2017

A state ethics panel said even if Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin got a $1 million discount on a mansion bought from a political donor and appointee, he did not violate the law. The ruling comes after two complaints were filed against Bevin over his purchase of a house and 10 acres of land from Neil Ramsey, who Bevin appointed to the Kentucky Retirement Systems board of trustees. The complaints alleged Bevin accepted what amounted to an improper gift in buying the mansion in March.

Nevada: 20 Years of Term Limits: How the faces of Nevada’s Legislature have changed
Las Vegas Sun – Yvonne Gonzalez | Published: 7/20/2017

Term limits have helped make the Nevada Legislature more diverse in the almost 20 years since they were implemented, though the higher turnover has come with some costs. Experts say term limits have brought in new faces but reduced institutional knowledge as veteran lawmakers are pushed out. They say lobbyists have more power and the Legislative Counsel Bureau is even more vital both in educating new lawmakers and keeping the legislative process moving.

New Mexico: Secretary of State Unveils Changes to Proposed Disclosure Rules
Albuquerque Journal – Dan Boyd | Published: 7/25/2017

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver released revisions to proposed rules aimed at so-called dark money groups that can spend unlimited amounts to influence elections and ballot measures when acting independently. Several conservative groups with a statewide and national presence say Toulouse Oliver is overstepping her authority by requiring that independent expenditure groups disclose their contributors. Toulouse Oliver says New Mexicans have a right to know who is paying for ads that attempt to influence their vote. The revisions would raise the spending threshold to $2,500 before independent expenditure groups must reveal their donors.

New York: De Blasio Ally Didn’t Register as Lobbyist Despite Big Push for a Donor
New York Times – William Neuman | Published: 7/24/2017

Neal Kwatra, a political consultant and lobbyist with ties to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, ended up working so closely with top City Hall officials on behalf of a restaurant owner, Harendra Singh, that a city commissioner complained officials were giving Kwatra confidential information during delicate negotiations to settle a lawsuit with Singh. Yet none of Kwatra’s efforts on behalf of Singh in 2015 were registered as lobbying work, even though Kwatra and his company, Metropolitan Public Strategies, have registered as lobbyists for other clients, including United for Affordable NYC, a short-lived nonprofit group created by de Blasio to support his housing policies.

New York: Watchdogs Say Cuomo Is Skirting Campaign Finance Rules
New York Times – Brian Rosenthal | Published: 7/26/2017

Watchdogs say New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is again skirting campaign finance rules by using a secretive nonprofit to advance his agenda. The rules limit donations to political campaigns and require disclosure, and politicians are not supposed to get around them by using organizations that can accept unlimited secret contributions. But New Yorkers United Together is the third nonprofit formed by allies of Cuomo’s to emerge and support his policies.

North Carolina: NC Elections and Ethics Oversight Is Frozen Between Old and New, with Local Votes Approaching
Raleigh News and Observer – Anne Blythe | Published: 7/21/2017

The North Carolina Supreme Court said a revamped state elections board that also oversees ethics and lobbying controversies can stay in limbo for now, a holding pattern that could last months. The justices said Gov. Roy Cooper is not required to appoint members of the new state elections and ethics enforcement board created by Republican legislators. That means the board would be unable to make decisions or settle disputes until after the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the case on August 28.

Pennsylvania: Aide Pleads Guilty, Says Brady Campaign Paid Primary Challenger to Quit
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jeremy Roebuck and Chris Brennan | Published: 7/25/2017

A former aide to a political challenger of U.S. Rep. Robert Brady admitted she helped funnel the Brady’s cash to her former boss in exchange for his withdrawal from an election. Carolyn Cavaness, a pastor who was an aide to Philadelphia Judge Jimmie Moore during his 2012 candidacy in the Democratic primary, told officials she set up at Moore’s direction a shell company that would be used to accept $90,000 from Brady. In turn, she said, Moore would drop out of the race and use the cash to pay off his campaign debt. The money was routed through two political consultants who falsified invoices intended to justify the payments, officials said. Cavaness pleaded guilty to filing false statements to hide the transactions.

Pennsylvania: Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski Put City Hall Up for Sale to Highest Bidders, Prosecutor Says
Allentown Morning Call – Emily Opilo, Peter Hall, and Matt Assad | Published: 7/27/2017

The mayor of Allentown and the former mayor of Reading were indicted on federal corruption charges for engaging in an alleged series of “pay-to-play” schemes in which the politicians shook down businesses and individuals for campaign contributions in exchange for political favors. Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski and former Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer have been charged with multiple counts of bribery and fraud. In two indictments, federal prosecutors spelled out charges against five people in the parallel corruption cases in Allentown and Reading.

South Carolina: FBI Investigating South Carolina Statehouse Corruption, Could Expand Scope of State Probe
Charleston Post and Courier – Andy Shain, Glenn Smith, and Schuyler Kropf | Published: 7/22/2017

Two former South Carolina Ports Authority officials say they have talked with FBI agents about an ongoing political corruption investigation. Former authority Chairperson Pat McKinney said the agents focused on the work the consulting firm run by Richard Quinn Sr. did for the agency. His son, state Rep. Rick Quinn Jr., was suspended from his seat after being charged with misconduct in office. The probe already has rattled the capital, where the Quinn family has been a force for decades. The addition of the FBI to the case only ratchets up the stakes, putting the federal government’s resources at the disposal of investigators and potentially allowing them to expand the scope of the inquiry to other targets.

Virginia: Transgender Woman Challenges Virginia Bathroom Bill Sponsor
Roanoke Times – 2017 Sarah Rankin (Associated Press) | Published: 7/25/2017

Democrat Danica Roem is challenging Republican Bob Marshall for his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. With such stark differences between the candidates, the race is expected to draw in big money and is seen by some as a referendum on rights for gay and transgender people. Roem would be the first openly transgender candidate to win and serve in a state Legislature, according to the Victory Fund, a PAC that supports her and calls Marshall “the most anti-LGBTQ member of the Virginia state legislature.” Marshall has sponsored some of the most socially conservative legislation in the past 25 years, including a measure this year that would have restricted the bathrooms that transgender people can use.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

On July 20, the Washington Legislature adjourned its third special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill due to negotiations breaking down on a water-rights bill that was tied to the budget.

Gov. Jay Inslee indicated that he would not call lawmakers back for another overtime session unless they have a firm plan that will lead to a vote on the capital budget.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is threatening to call lawmakers back to Springfield if he does not receive Senate Bill 1, an education funding reform bill, before noon today.

Legislators already passed the bill but chose not to send it to the governor after Rauner promised to amendatory veto the legislation to remove grant funding for Chicago Public School pensions.

Some lawmakers are seeking ways to avoid convening an expensive legislative session and have, instead, suggested a meeting between legislative leadership and the governor.

Following a brief adjournment on July 3, the Maine Legislature convened for one day on July 20. The Legislature will meet for one additional legislative day on August 2.

The 128^th regular session has been delayed twice due to disagreements on the budget and other topics.

On August 2, lawmakers will consider possible objections of Gov. Paul LePage to any bill or resolution presented to him by the Legislature.

Federal:

Citing Recusal, Trump Says He Wouldn’t Have Hired Sessions
New York Times – Peter Baker, Michael Schmidt, and Maggie Haberman | Published: 7/19/2017

President Trump said the never would have appointed Attorney General Jeff Sessions had he known Sessions would recuse himself from overseeing the Russia investigation that has dogged his presidency, calling the decision “very unfair to the president.” Trump complained that Sessions’ decision ultimately led to the appointment of a special counsel that should not have happened. In an interview with The New York Times, the president accused former FBI Director James Comey of trying to leverage a dossier of compromising material to keep his job. Trump also took on Robert Mueller, the special counsel now leading the investigation into Russian meddling in last year’s election.

Couple Wants to Make Lobbying Accessible and ‘Good’
Roll Call – Alex Gangitano | Published: 7/13/2017

Less than a year after their wedding, Billy and Callie DeLancey started Lobbyists 4 Good to give the public access to K Street lobbyists. The group uses a crowdfunding platform, which allows anyone to create advocacy campaigns around social issues they care about and start raising money. Anybody who creates a campaign and raises $31,000 within a year gets access to either a lobbyist or a lobbying firm on retainer for six months to work on the issue, or a partnership with other nonprofits in the field. “Long-term, we hope to see as many lobbyists working for the people as there are lobbyists working on behalf of the business community,” Billy DeLancey said.

FEC Contacts with IRS Broke No Rules, Report Says
Bloomberg BNA – Kenneth Doyle | Published: 7/19/2017

The FEC’s inspector general found that agency staffers contacted former IRS official Lois Lerner about tax-exempt groups involved in politics, but the contacts did not violate any rules and were not intended to target conservative groups. The conclusion contradicted suggestions by congressional Republicans and others that FEC and IRS staff deliberately targeted Tea Party and other conservative nonprofit groups. The controversy followed the release of a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which said certain political organizations, primarily conservative groups, received more scrutiny than others when applying for tax-exempt status.

Health Care Has G.O.P. Down. Tax Cuts May Be the Cure.
New York Times – Jeremy Peters | Published: 7/19/2017

With the collapse of the effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, the Republican vision of enacting significant conservative reform fell victim to the intraparty division, dysfunction, and gridlock that one-party control had been expected to eliminate. Now, some of the conservative groups that helped the GOP win control of Washington are increasingly worried their party’s inability to pass ambitious legislation will imperil its chances in next year’s elections. Republicans fear they could be looking at a worst-of-two-worlds scenario in which they have a historically unpopular president dogged by persistent legal and ethical questions, at the same time they remain unable to restore a semblance of functionality to Capitol Hill.

Outgoing Ethics Chief: U.S. Is ‘Close to a Laughingstock’
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Nicholas Fandos | Published: 7/17/2017

The outgoing leader of the federal government’s ethics office warns in a new interview of the ethics crisis created by President Trump, saying he thinks the country is “pretty close to a laughingstock.” Walter Shaub Jr. said the Trump administration had flouted or directly challenged long-accepted norms in a way that threatened to undermine the United States’ ethical standards, which have been admired around the world. Shaub called for nearly a dozen legal changes to strengthen the federal ethics system – changes that, in many cases, he had not considered necessary before Trump’s election.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Gov. Kay Ivey Bans Lobbyists from Executive Branch Appointments
AL.com – Mike Cason | Published: 7/13/2017

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey banned officials in the executive branch from appointing registered lobbyists to serve on state boards and commissions. In an executive order, Ivey said more than 100 registered lobbyists now serve on boards or commissions. The order says lobbyists represent the interests of their clients and employers, rather than the public. Ivey said that creates conflicts-of-interest and undermines the public’s confidence in the government.

California: What Happens to Local News When There Is No Local Media to Cover It?
Washington Post – Paul Farhi | Published: 7/17/2017

In many respects, East Palo Alto, California, is a “news desert,” a community overlooked, if not entirely ignored, by the media. It is one of thousands of towns across America in which community reporting is shrinking and sometimes disappearing. The biggest factor, according to study of the phenomenon, are cutbacks, consolidation, and closures of daily and weekly newspapers, the traditional lifeblood of local reporting in the U.S. The pressures on local news outlets have been building for years, driven by the recession and the disruption caused by the shift to digital media.

Colorado: What Does $80 Million Buy Oil and Gas Interests? Voter Profiles, Door Knocking and Influence at Local and Statewide Levels
Denver Post – Christopher Osher | Published: 7/16/2017

The oil and gas industry has spent more than $80 million in Colorado over the past four years to shape public opinion and influence campaigns and ballot initiatives. That political muscle came into play recently when the industry successfully lobbied to defeat legislation tightening regulations in the wake of a fatal home explosion investigators have blamed on a severed gas pipeline. The new approach has been broad, sustained, and effective in its reach, according to interviews and a review of industry documents, campaign finance records, and public remarks by an industry consultant who helped develop the strategy.

Florida: Corey’s Ties to Others in FBI Probe Run Deep
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeffrey Schweers | Published: 7/14/2017

Lobbyist and restaurateur Adam Corey has built a business and political portfolio that has seen its share of success and failure, even as it has drawn him deep into the circle of Tallahassee’s new generation of power elite. Those twin rails of ambition have also drawn Corey into the midst of an FBI probe of the city’s redevelopment agency and several other high-profile entrepreneurs it has done business with in the last five years. Front and center are Corey and former lobbying partner at Unconventional Strategies, Nick Lowe, who arranged meetings between city and county officials and three mysterious developers whom sources say are FBI undercover agents.

Illinois: Emanuel Email Case Nets Five More Lobbying Violations
Better Government Association – Jared Rutecki | Published: 7/19/2017

The Chicago Board of Ethics found that five more people who sought to influence City Hall by contacting Mayor Rahm Emanuel on his personal email broke the city’s lobbying laws. The board also leveled fines of $2,500 against an Emanuel campaign donor and the husband of a city council member that it had found illegally lobbied the mayor without being registered lobbyists. In addition, the board released a list of more than two-dozen lobbyists it said had failed to undergo required lobbyist training and could be subject to fines of up to $750 for every day they are in non-compliance.

New York: Airbnb Fights Back Against Lobby Groups, Demands Info on Their Funding Sources
New York Daily News – Kenneth Lovett | Published: 7/17/2017

The battle between Airbnb and its hotel industry-backed nemesis ShareBetter is intensifying. The hotel listing site plans to file a complaint with the New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics alleging the advocacy group failed to register as a lobbyist. The move comes after it was reported that ShareBetter pays for spies who pose as Airbnb customers to expose illegal listings. Airbnb claims that the group failed to register as a lobbyist and disclose its funding and expenses, even though it is legally required to do so.

South Dakota: Revolving Door Rarely Swings for Lawmakers Returning as Lobbyists
Sioux Falls Argus Leader – Dana Ferguson | Published: 7/17/2017

A review identified 14 former South Dakota legislators who made the jump to lobbyist since 2012 after serving in office between 2006 and 2017. Only four registered less than two years after vacating their legislative seats. Under a state law that took effect recently, the required waiting period was extended from one year to two. Supporters said the added buffer time was needed to prevent undue influence of lawmakers returning to lobby their peers. Meanwhile, lawmakers who transitioned to lobbyists more quickly said 12 months is enough of a time cushion.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

The Texas Legislature convened a special session Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Gov. Greg Abbott selected 20 bills for the agenda to be discussed by lawmakers during the session.

The priority for the session is sunset legislation to allow select state agencies to continue operating.

Among the other subjects on the agenda are bathroom privacy, property tax, and multiple education issues.

The special session comes a week after Gov. Abbott announced his bid for a second term.

Alaska’s second special session adjourned July 15 with lawmakers ending the oil tax credit program.

The Legislature may be called back into another special session soon to deal with the unfinished business of the capital budget and deficit reduction measures.

Gov. Bill Walker said in a press conference he is waiting for legislative leaders to present a compromise on the budget before he will call another costly special session.

Hawaii Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Scott Saiki recently sent a memorandum to the Hawaii Legislature providing notice of a tentatively scheduled special legislative session.

Subject to final confirmation and an agreement on the proposed language for bills to be discussed, the leadership asked all lawmakers to be in Hawaii for a legislative session from August 28 to September 1, 2017.

The purpose of the special session will be to create a solution to fund the Honolulu Rail Transit Project.

Before the week is over, be sure to catch up on any state government and ethics news you may have missed in this week’s video digest!