LobbyComply Blog

National/Federal

Trump Bashes Late Director Rob Reiner, Drawing Immediate Backlash

MSN – Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 12/15/2025

Less than a day after film director Rob Reiner was found dead in his Los Angeles home, President Trump posited without evidence that the Hollywood icon was killed because he was critical of Trump. The president wrote that Reiner’s death was :”reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” The couple’s son was arrested on a murder charge. There was no indication from the authorities that the couple’s political beliefs had anything to do with their deaths.

Trump Has Signed More Executive Orders in 2025 Than in His Entire First Term

MSN – Emily Davies, Cat Zakrzewski, and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 12/16/2025

President Trump has signed more executive orders in less than a year of his presidency than he did in his entire first term, repeatedly bypassing Congress and forcing the courts to grapple with the constitutional bounds of his power. American presidents have consolidated executive power to skirt Congress since the beginning of the 20th century. But Trump has accelerated the trend that intensified in recent decades amid a decline in legislative activity and rising partisan brinkmanship.

How a Trump Media Deal with a Crypto Firm Exposes Potential Conflicts of Interest

MSN – Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) | Published: 12/16/2025

Legal and ethics experts say Crypto.com’s journey from investigative target to a business partner of Donald Trump provides a case study of the conflicts-of interest that have arisen in Trump’s second presidency. Unlike any of his predecessors in the modern era, Trump has allowed his family businesses to enter lucrative arrangements with companies regulated by the federal government, some of which have benefited from action taken by his administration.

Rob Reiner Was More Than a Hollywood Liberal. He Was a Sophisticated Political Operator.

MSN – Melanie Mason (Politico) | Published: 12/15/2025

What qualifies as political activism in Hollywood usually starts and ends with writing a big check. Not so for Rob Reiner. The actor and director, who was found dead in his home along with his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, in a suspected homicide, was a policy maker and campaign strategist in his own right with lasting fingerprints on the political ecosystem in California and beyond.

Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Says President ‘Has an Alcoholic’s Personality’ and Much More in Candid Interviews

MSN – Kevin Liptak, Alejandra Jaramillo, and Kristen Holmes (CNN) | Published: 12/16/2025

The White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, delivered a series of unusually candid and at times unflattering assessments of President Trump, his second-term agenda, and some of his closest allies in a series of wide-ranging interviews with Vanity Fair. Across more than 10 interviews, Wiles spoke frankly about working for Trump, saying the president “has an alcoholic’s personality,” despite being known as a teetotaler. She acknowledged the president’s appetite for revenge, conceding many of his second-term actions were driven by a desire for retribution.

DHS Fast-Tracked $1 Billion Contract to Pro-Trump Donor’s Company

MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf (Washington Post) | Published: 12/17/2025

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fast-tracked a contract worth almost $1 billion to a company led by a donor to a pro-Trump nonprofit group where one of the officials overseeing the deal previously worked. The contract involves a DHS program called Project Homecoming that offers cash bonuses, free flights, and a “concierge service” at airports for departing migrants. The agency said nonpartisan professionals control its contracting decisions. But in the case of the Project Homecoming contract, political appointees coordinated the process.

Data Centers Have a Political Problem – and Big Tech Wants to Fix It

MSN – Gabby Miller (Politico) | Published: 12/17/2025

Tech companies and lobbyists are investing millions of dollars to tackle a new political problem for the industry: data centers, the lifeblood of the growing Artificial Intelligence economy, are becoming toxic with voters. Alarmed by elections that candidates won by campaigning against new data centers, the industry is taking out ads and funding campaigns to flip the narrative and put data centers in a positive light, spinning them as job creators and economic drivers rather than resource-hungry land hogs.

Jack Smith Tells Congress He Could Prove Trump Engaged in a ‘Criminal Scheme’ to Overturn 2020 Election

MSN – Ryan Reilly (NBC News) | Published: 12/17/2025

Former special counsel Jack Smith told a congressional committee his team found “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that President Trump engaged in a “criminal scheme” to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to portions of his opening statement. Facing a renewed wave of Republican attacks on his investigations into Trump, Smith was expected to attempt to use the hearing to correct what his team has described as mischaracterizations about the special counsel investigation.

Trump Administration Prepares Sweeping Crackdown on Leftist Networks

MSN – Eva Dou, Joseph Menn, and Will Oremus (Washington Post) | Published: 12/18/2025

The Trump administration is embarking on an expansive effort to root out what it sees as rampant left-wing domestic terrorism, raising concerns among some security experts and lawmakers that broad categories of Americans’ political speech could come under surveillance. Some of the statutes Attorney General Pam Bondi directed prosecutors to consider as they investigate extremists reflect the same charges leveled at many of the January 6 rioters, including picketing and parading with intent to obstruct the administration of justice.

Dan Bongino Announces He Is Leaving FBI Deputy Director Job in January

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 12/17/2025

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced he will leave his job in January, after a tumultuous tenure in which he helped oversee major shifts in the bureau’s resources and dramatic dismissals of experienced agents. When Donald Trump named Bongino deputy director, the president transformed what was long a powerful career position that oversaw the day-to-day operations of the bureau into a political job with a more public presence.

Sleepy. Divisive. A Fan of Young Trump: A look at the new plaques on the Presidential Walk of Fame

MSN – Matt Brown and Bill Barrow (Associated Press) | Published: 12/17/2025

President Trump has affixed partisan plaques to the portraits of all U.S. commanders in chief, himself included, on his Presidential Walk of Fame at the White House, describing Joe Biden as “sleepy,” Barack Obama as “divisive,” and Ronald Reagan as a fan of a young Trump. The additions mark Trump’s latest effort to remake the White House in his own image, while flouting the protocols of how presidents treat their predecessors and doubling down on his determination to reshape how U.S. history is told.

House Democrats Roll Out Stock Trading Ban That Includes Trump

MSN – Riley Beggin and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 12/17/2025

House Democrats introduced their own ban on lawmakers trading stocks that would cover President Trump, probably quashing a separate bipartisan effort that has been simmering for weeks. The White House lashed out at Sen. Josh Hawley earlier this year over concerns that his proposal to ban lawmaker stock trading would apply to the executive branch; the proposal was later changed to apply to officials after their term ends, exempting Trump.

Brendan Carr Said the FCC Isn’t Independent. Its Website Quickly Updated.

MSN – Scott Nover and Ian Duncan (Washington Post) | Published: 12/17/2025

During an otherwise bland Senate committee hearing where its commissioners were testifying, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) removed the word “independent” from a description of the agency on its own website to line up with its chairperson’s live remarks. After the hearing, an FCC spokesperson said in a statement: “With the change in Administration earlier this year, the FCC’s website and materials required updating. That work continues to ensure that they reflect the positions of the agency’s new leadership.”  

From the States and Municipalities

California – LA City Attorney Accused of Ethics Breach Before Settling Major Case for $18M

LAist – Nick Gerda | Published: 12/11/2025

An investigator for the Los Angeles Police department determined an officer was at fault for driving at an unsafe speed in an accident that seriously injured two people. Facing a lawsuit, the city ultimately settled in the middle of a trial for $18 million. Days before settling, lawyers for the plaintiffs accused the elected city attorney of an ethics breach. As the case was about to go to trial, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto called an expert witness for the plaintiffs, “attempted to ingratiate herself with him and asked him to make a contribution to her political campaign,” according to a sworn declaration by the plaintiffs’ attorney.

California – LA Councilmember John Lee Hit with $138,000 Fine in Las Vegas Gift Case

MSN – David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/18/2025

Los Angeles City Councilperson John Lee is facing a steep fine for his notorious 2017 trip to Las Vegas, with the city Ethics Commission saying he must pay $138,424 in a case involving pricey meals and expensive nightclub “bottle service.” The commission said he committed two counts of violating the gift law and three counts of violating a law requiring that such gifts be disclosed to the public. The Lee case revolves around gifts, mostly meals and alcohol but also hotel stays, transportation, and $1,000 in gambling chips, provided by three businesspeople.

Colorado – Trump Asserts He Has Pardoned County Clerk Convicted in Colorado Case

MSN – Derek Hawkins and Alec Dent (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2025

President Trump said he pardoned Tina Peters, a former county clerk in Colorado who was convicted in state court on felony charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. It was unclear whether Trump was asserting he has the power to free Peters from state prison. She is serving a nine-year sentence. Presidents have the power to pardon defendants convicted in federal courts, but previous presidents have not claimed that authority in a state case.

District of Columbia – Appeals Court Hands Trump a Win Over D.C. National Guard Deployment

MSN – Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 12/17/2025

An appeals court signaled it may find the National Guard deployment in the District of Columbia to be lawful, disagreeing with a lower-court judge’s opinion and issuing an order that will allow troops to stay in the city while litigation continues. A three-judge panel wrote the Trump administration is likely to succeed in its appeal of that lower-court ruling. The panel’s order was not a determination of the deployment’s legality and functioned only to allow the troops to remain pending final rulings, likely to come next year.

Georgia – Brad Raffensperger Sues to Win More Campaign Spending Power in Georgia Governor Race

MSN – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 12/8/2025

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is the latest Republican candidate for Georgia governor to attack campaign finance rules, saying they unconstitutionally limit his free speech while allowing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to raise unlimited contributions. Safe Affordable Georgia filed suit asking a judge to rule the PAC chaired by Raffensberger can coordinate with his gubernatorial campaign in the same way that Jones’ leadership committee can.

Illinois – 2 Illinois Election Board Democrats Who Blocked Senate President Don Harmon Fines Have Ties to His Donors

Yahoo News – Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 12/14/2025

Two Democratic members of the State Board of Elections who helped block nearly $10 million in campaign fines against Illinois Senate President Don Harmon have political ties to organizations that contributed disputed, above-limit donations to Harmon and continued giving to him even as the case was pending. The board’s staff concluded Harmon violated state campaign law by collecting $4 million in unlimited contributions after fundraising caps he took steps to lift were reinstated.

Indiana – Indiana GOP Rejects Trump’s Map in Major Blow to His Gerrymandering Push

MSN – Adam Wren (Politico) | Published: 12/11/2025

Indiana Republicans withstood immense pressure from President Trump, ignoring anonymous threats on their lives as they defeated his plan to redraw the state’s congressional map and dealt him one of his most significant political setbacks since his return to the White House. The GOP-controlled state Senate voted down the map that would have gerrymandered two more safe red seats, imperiling the party’s chances at holding control of Congress next November.

Michigan – Former Chatfield Aides Get Probation in Exchange for Testimony

Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 12/17/2025

Two of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield’s top legislative aides, Anné and Rob Minard, have been sentenced to probation after agreeing to testify against their former boss in next year. The two had been charged as part of a corruption probe that also ensnared Chatfield and his wife, as the four allegedly tapped into the millions of dollars they raised while Chatfield led the Michigan House to fund a lavish lifestyle.

New York – New York’s Senate Doesn’t Publish Votes on Nominees. Advocates Want That to Change

MSN – Dan Clark (Albany Times Union) | Published: 12/18/2025

When the U.S. Senate considers a nominee from the president, such as a federal judge or a cabinet official, the results of that vote are published on the chamber’s website for the public to review. That is not the case in New York, where the state Senate regularly considers nominees from the governor but does not publish publicly online how each member voted. When someone lobbies state officials on regulations or members of the New York Legislature on a bill, they must report that activity to the state’s ethics commission. That is not the case for lobbying members on one of the governor’s nominees.

New York – Administration Fails Again to Indict N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James

MSN – Perry Stein, Jasmine Golden, Salvador Rizzo, and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2025

The Justice Department once again failed to persuade a grand jury to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, an embarrassing loss for a law enforcement agency that has repeatedly tried to charge the president’s foe in a mortgage fraud case that career prosecutors have long viewed as weak. It marked the second time in two weeks that panels have refused the government’s efforts to indict James.

North Dakota – North Dakota Attorney General Voids Ethics Opinion, Says Agency Lacked Authority

Yahoo News – Jacob Orledge (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 12/15/2025

North Dakota’s attorney general says a recent state Ethics Commission advisory opinion related to campaign finance law is void, arguing the agency exceeded its authority. Attorney General Drew Wrigley said the commission has no authority to issue an opinion based on general questions of law. The opinion relates to guidance the commission issued in June, responding to questions about whether campaign funds can be used to pay for a candidate’s childcare or security expenses.

North Dakota – Committee Names New Member to North Dakota Ethics Commission, Ending Impasse

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 12/16/2025

North Dakota leaders appointed Jared Huibregtse to the state Ethics Commission, ending a nearly two-month stalemate over who to appoint to an open four-year seat on the commission. Huibregtse is a project manager for an engineering firm. The selection committee recently appointed former Office of Management and Budget Director Pam Sharp and attorney Mark Western to two other open seats on the commission.

Oregon – Ethics Commission Investigates Progressive Portland City Councilors over August Retreat

MSN – Jonathan Bach and Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 12/13/2025

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission will investigate whether six Portland City Council members violated public meetings law when they met for a private August retreat. The council members had planned to discuss topics including “defunding” city economic development agency Prosper Portland at the retreat. Under Oregon public meetings law, members of legislative bodies are prohibited from privately discussing legislative matters among a quorum.

Oregon – Oregon Ethics Commission Finds Rep. Greg Smith Violated State Ethics Laws in Pursuit of Raise

Yahoo News – Shaanth Nanguneri (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 12/12/2025

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission found Rep. Greg Smith used his position as a public official to secure a higher salary. He has long added onto his legislative salary with high-paying consulting contracts and side gigs supporting economic development efforts in eastern Oregon. The commission voted to extend for 30 days its investigation into Smith and allow investigators to gather more information, but members decided that given the evidence they reviewed, he was in violation of state ethics laws.

Pennsylvania – Dauphin County Sheriff Son’s Hire Raises Questions About Nepotism Policy

MSN – Juliette Rihl (PennLive) | Published: 12/18/2025

According to Dauphin County’s nepotism policy, children do not count as family members. That is because the county commissioners revised the policy in 2023 to remove “son or stepson” and “daughter or stepdaughter,” instead adding aunts, uncles, and half-siblings in their place. Ethics experts said the policy change blatantly defies standard government practices and questioned what, if anything, could have justified it.

Texas – They Left Office Years Ago. Why Are Their Campaigns Still Spending on Steakhouses and Fancy Hotels?

MSN – Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 12/17/2025

Lax campaign finance laws in Texas allow former candidates and their candidate-specific PACs to keep their coffers open in perpetuity, providing them with a rolling supply of money to dole out to their favorite charities and politicians and spend on travel, dining, and whatever else they deem political in purpose. Outgoing politicians are required to clear out their campaign accounts within six years of either leaving office or filing a final campaign finance report, whichever is later. But the law does not set a deadline for filing that report, so they can technically leave their accounts open as long as they never file one.

Virginia – Instacart Director Says She Was Fired for Democratic Congressional Campaign

MSN – Dan Merica (Washington Post) | Published: 12/15/2025

A lawsuit against Instacart alleges the mobile shopping giant fired a corporate employee for running for Congress, citing fears that some of her Democratic positions could lead to backlash from President Trump and Republicans. Lisa Vedernikova Khanna, a candidate in Virginia, contends Instacart’s action is the latest example of how Trump’s threats of retaliation have intimidated corporate America, leading large companies to recalibrate their approach to political speech. The lawsuit says Instacart violated a California law that bars companies from preventing their employees from becoming candidates for public office, among other complaints.

Wisconsin – Prosecutor Says Judge Knew She Would Get ‘Heat’ for Aiding Immigrant

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 12/15/2025

Federal prosecutors alleged a Wisconsin judge helped a Mexican man briefly elude immigration officials in April and just before she directed him through the back door of her courtroom, she said that she would “get the heat” for it. An attorney for Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan disputed prosecutors’ characterization of her actions and contended the judge was trying to follow draft court rules about how to handle immigration arrests at the courthouse. Dugan faces up to six years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Wisconsin – 2 Former Trump Associates Bound Over for Trial in Wisconsin Fake Elector Case

Yahoo News – Molly Beck (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) | Published: 12/15/2025

Top architects of an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin were in a courtroom facing felony charges related to a plan to gather signatures of Republicans falsely claiming to be electors for President Trump. Dane County Judge John Hyland ruled there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial in the case against Jim Troupis and Michael Roman, a former attorney and aide to Trump, for their alleged roles in the effort. The judge will consider evidence separately against a third defendant, former Trump attorney Kenneth Chesebro.

Campaign Finance

Texas: “They Left Office Years Ago. Why Are Their Campaigns Still Spending on Steakhouses and Fancy Hotels?” by Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) for MSN

Elections

Wisconsin: “2 Former Trump Associates Bound Over for Trial in Wisconsin Fake Elector Case” by Molly Beck (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) for Yahoo News

Ethics

California: “LA Councilmember John Lee Hit with $138,000 Fine in Las Vegas Gift Case” by David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) for MSN

National: “Jack Smith Tells Congress He Could Prove Trump Engaged in a ‘Criminal Scheme’ to Overturn 2020 Election” by Ryan Reilly (NBC News) for MSN

National: “Trump Administration Prepares Sweeping Crackdown on Leftist Networks” by Eva Dou, Joseph Menn, and Will Oremus (Washington Post) for MSN

Michigan: “Former Chatfield Aides Get Probation in Exchange for Testimony” by Simon Schuster for Bridge Michigan

Pennsylvania: “Dauphin County Sheriff Son’s Hire Raises Questions About Nepotism Policy” by Juliette Rihl (PennLive) for MSN

Lobbying

National: “Data Centers Have a Political Problem – and Big Tech Wants to Fix It” by Gabby Miller (Politico) for MSN

New York: “New York’s Senate Doesn’t Publish Votes on Nominees. Advocates Want That to Change” by Dan Clark (Albany Times Union) for MSN

National/Federal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supreme Court Weighs Further Loosening Campaign Finance Limits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the States and Municipalities

California – California Lobbyist Pleads Guilty in Capitol Corruption Case

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elections

Florida: “Miami Will Have Its First Democratic Mayor in Nearly 30 Years” by Sabrina Rodriguez (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Democrats’ Path to Power May Come Through Hundreds of Races Far from Washington” by Hunter Woodall (CBS News) for MSN

Ethics

California: “Former Compton Councilman Pleads Guilty in Scheme Involving Secret Bribes and Corrupt Officials” by Richard Winton (Los Angeles Times) for MSN

National: “Justice Dept. Kills Long-Time Tool Used to Prove Racial Discrimination” by Laura Meckler (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Stephen Miller Faces Ethics Concerns Over Stock Sale of Las Vegas Mining Company” by Ana Swanson (New York Times) for Las Vegas Sun

New Jersey: “Bill Targeting NJ Corruption Watchdog Withdrawn After Public Outcry” by Susan Livio and Ted Sherman for MSN

New York: “NYC Council Committee Criticizes Inna Vernikov for Bringing Gun to Protest, but Doesn’t Censure Her” by Josephine Stratman and Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

Maryland: “Nash’s Lobbying While on City Council Draws Scrutiny” by Nolan Wilkinson for Frederick News-Post

Campaign Finance

National: “New Dark Money Network Could Exploit Campaign Finance Loophole Banning Federal Contractors” by Robert Schmad (Washington Examiner) for MSN

National: “Supreme Court Weighs Further Loosening Campaign Finance Limits” by Julian Mark (Washington Post) for MSN

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma’s Campaign Finance Site Has Been Offline for Months. Why?” by Alex Gladden (Oklahoman) for MSN

Ethics

California: “An SDPD Captain Helped Secure a Multimillion-Dollar Surveillance Deal. Now He Works for the Contractor.” by Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) for MSN

National: “Supreme Court Seems Likely to Back Trump’s Power to Fire Independent Agency Board Members” by Mark Sherman (Associated Press) for MSN

New Jersey: “Trump Loyalist Alina Habba Resigns as New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor” by Jeremy Roebuck and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN

Pennsylvania: “Former Dauphin County Official’s NRA Show Contract Didn’t Violate Ethics Law, State Finds” by Juliette Rihl (PennLive) for MSN

Lobbying

Nevada: “Sandoval, Aguero, Vellardita Won’t Face Sanctions for Failing to Register as Lobbyists” by Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) for Yahoo News

Campaign Finance

Georgia: “Georgia Ethics Panel Decides a GOP Candidate for Governor Can Loan $10M to Aid His Election” by Jeff Amy (Associated Press) for MSN

Ohio: “‘Weak Slap on the Wrist’: Elections Commission fines HB 6 repeal group just $400 for violations” by Anna Staver (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN

Wisconsin: “Unlimited Donations, Weak Recusal Rules Led to Record Wisconsin Supreme Court Spending” by Larry Sandler (Wisconsin Watch) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Supreme Court Will Hear Case on Trump’s Ban on Birthright Citizenship” by Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “What We Know About Suspect Brian Cole’s Arrest in Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Case” by Connor Greene (Time) for MSN

New York: “Grand Jury Refuses to Reindict Letitia James in Mortgage Fraud Case” by Perry Stein and Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

California: “California Lobbyist Pleads Guilty in Capitol Corruption Case” by Alan Riquelmy for Courthouse News Service

Redistricting

Texas: “Supreme Court Hands Trump Victory in Fight over Texas Congressional Map” by Justin Jouvenal, Julian Mark, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN

National/Federal

The Forgotten Court Case That Let Billionaires Spend Big on Elections

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Northwestern to Pay $75 Million to End Trump Administration Probes

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

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

Trump Says He Will Pardon Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar

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

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

The New York Times Sues the Pentagon Over Press Restrictions

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

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

From the States and Municipalities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

District of Columbia – Judge Limits Warrantless Immigration Arrests in DC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michigan – Conservative Activists Get Probation in Voter intimidation Case

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Jersey – Appeals Court Rules Trump Prosecutor Appointment Violates Law

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ethics

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

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

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

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

Legislative Issues

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

Lobbying

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

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

Redistricting

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

National/Federal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Former Fed Official Resigned Following Ethics Probe, Document Shows

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

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

The Trump Prosecutor Probing Former Top Obama Administration Officials

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

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

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

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

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

House Democrats Split Over Unusual Reprimand of One of Their Own

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

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

Trump Administration Revives Some Funding for IG Group

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Justice Dept. Charges Democratic Congresswoman with Stealing FEMA Funds

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

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

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

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

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

From the States and Municipalities

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

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

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

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

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

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

Colorado – Colorado Justices Weigh Disclosure Requirements for Ballot Initiative Spending

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

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

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

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

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

Georgia – Georgia Prosecutor Keeps Case Against Trump Alive for Now

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michigan – Michigan Establishes Disclosure Requirements for Earmarks in State Budget

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “Colorado Justices Weigh Disclosure Requirements for Ballot Initiative Spending” by Michael Karlik (Colorado Politics) for Colorado Springs Gazette

New Mexico: “New Mexico Lawmaker Appeals Adverse Ruling Over Campaign Donation to Student” by Joe Duhownik for Courthouse News Service

New York: “Ex-Aide to NYC Mayor Eric Adams Avoids Prison Time as Federal Judge Addresses ‘Elephant in the Room'” by Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) for MSN

Tennessee: “Tennessee Registry Orders Pardoned House Staffer to Explain Troubled PAC” by Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Justice Dept. Acknowledges Full Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment” by Salvador Rizzo and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN

Ohio: “FirstEnergy Ordered to Pay More Than $250 Million for Misconduct in Sweeping Ohio Bribery Scheme” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for Yahoo Finance

Lobbying

Colorado: “Colorado Ethics Commission Advances Complaints Against Democrats Who Attended Dark Money-Funded Retreat” by Taylor Dolven for Colorado Sun

National: “Most Corporate Trump Ballroom Donors Repped by 3 Lobbying Firms, Watchdog Says” by Arden Farhi (CBS News) for MSN

Pennsylvania: “Barstool Influencers Pushed Anti-Tax Message as Pa. Lawmakers Privately Debated Sports Betting Proposal” by Stephen Caruso for Spotlight PA

Q: My company is a registered lobbyist employer in California. We are sponsoring an invitation-only reception and want to invite state officials. Are there any gift laws or other requirements we need to worry about?

A: The California gift laws allow lobbyist employers to provide gifts to an official with an aggregate total value of $630 or less each year. The gift would be reportable as an activity expense on your quarterly lobbyist employer report. Lobbyist employers must also comply with notification rules when an official receives a gift aggregating $50 or more in a calendar year.

Where notifications are required, lobbying entities must include a notice in all written or printed invitations to events at which an official will receive a reportable gift. The notice must state attendance at the event by a public official will constitute acceptance of a reportable gift. The lobbying entity must also send the official a written notice of the gift’s value after the event. The notice must be sent to an official who received a gift within 30 days following the end of the calendar quarter in which the gift was provided.

For valuation purposes, the amount of the gift to each official is the official’s pro rata share of the total cost of the food, catering services, and entertainment, plus any item provided at the event. Only those officials who attended the event should be disclosed. To determine which officials to include on the lobbyist employer report, it is a good idea to have a sign-in sheet or guest book to track attendance. Immediate family members of officials must also be disclosed if the family member attended the event.

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For more information, please visit the California lobbying entry in our guidebooks. Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions. Not a guidebook subscriber yet? Request your free demo today and keep up with all lobbying, procurement lobbying, and campaign finance compliance.

Campaign Finance

Georgia: “GOP Lawmaker Says Tougher Campaign Finance Penalties Needed in Response to New Georgia Project Case” by Ross Williams for Georgia Recorder

Louisiana: “In Louisiana, Casinos Can’t Make Political Donations, but Sportsbooks Can, Ethics Board Says” by Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) for Yahoo News

Elections

Nevada: “Nevada Supreme Court Revives Criminal Case Over Trump Elector Gambit” by Kyle Cheney (Politico) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Top Fannie Mae Officials Ousted After Sounding Alarm on Sharing Confidential Housing Data” by Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) for MSN

National: “Trump Names Paul Ingrassia to GSA Post After Withdrawal Over Racist Texts” by Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) for MSN

South Carolina: “Are All Public Charter School Districts Subject to Ethics Laws? SC Agency Says No” by Zak Koeske (The State) for MSN

Lobbying

Kentucky: “FCPS Lobbyist Terminates Contract, Alleging ‘Monetary and Reputational Damage'” by Valarie Honeycutt Spears (Lexington Herald-Leader) for MSN

Oklahoma: “State Official Salary Hike Votes May Have Been Invalid” by Tres Savage for NonDoc

National/Federal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shutdown Defections Spark Fury as Democrats Struggle to Unify Against Trump

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

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

Justice Department Struggles as Thousands Exit – and Few Are Replaced

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trump Administration Prepares to Fire Worker for TV Interview About SNAP

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

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

House Effort to Force Vote on Releasing Epstein Files Can Advance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct

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

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

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

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

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

From the States and Municipalities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New York – Kennedy Grandson Jack Schlossberg Announces 2026 Congressional Bid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Campaign Finance

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

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

Ethics

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

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

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

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

Legislative Issues

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

Lobbying

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