July 26, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 26, 2024
![News You Can Use Digest – July 26, 2024](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Can Robert Menendez’s Bribery Conviction Survive an Appeal? DNyuz – Benjamin Weiser (New York Times) | Published: 7/22/2024 With U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, found guilty of corruption charges, his lawyers say they will appeal his conviction aggressively and believe he will […]
National/Federal
Can Robert Menendez’s Bribery Conviction Survive an Appeal?
DNyuz – Benjamin Weiser (New York Times) | Published: 7/22/2024
With U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, found guilty of corruption charges, his lawyers say they will appeal his conviction aggressively and believe he will be vindicated. Defense lawyers make such claims routinely, but in the realm of federal corruption cases, they may have reason to be optimistic. The U.S. Supreme Court, in rulings since 2010, has narrowed the legal definition of corruption, resulting in a number of convictions of political figures being overturned.
The Secret Battle for the Future of the Murdoch Empire
DNyuz – Jim Rutenberg and Jonathan Mahler (New York Tims) | Published: 7/24/2024
Rupert Murdoch is locked in a legal battle against three of his children over the future of the family’s media empire, as he moves to preserve it as a conservative political force after his death. Murdoch made a surprise move to change the terms of the irrevocable family trust to ensure his eldest son and chosen successor, Lachlan, would remain in charge of his collection of television networks and newspapers. He is arguing in court that only by empowering Lachlan to run the company without interference from his more politically moderate siblings can he preserve its conservative editorial bent, and thus protect its commercial value for all his heirs.
Corporate Donors Swarm GOP Convention: ‘It’s like a cocktail party’
MSN – Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 7/18/2024
Many corporate donors treated Trump as a pariah after attack on the Capitol and decried his efforts to overturn the election. But now that Trump is the Republican standard-bearer, more than 300 executives and lobbyists attended the convention as guests of his campaign. Lobbyists from more than a dozen prominent firms attended the convention as guests of the Trump campaign’s host committee. To get in the boxes, donors must have written large checks or have promised big donations.
Election Officials Frustrated Trump Allies Suddenly Care About Rhetoric
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 7/19/2024
Soon after Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, many of his prominent supporters placed blame not on the gunman who pulled the trigger but on President Biden, other Democrats. or journalists who have described the former president as a threat to democracy. But for years, election workers felt ignored as they described how Trump’s verbal attacks on the nation’s election systems resulted in threats of violence and terrorizing harassment. Now, Trump’s prominent supporters were paying attention to the potential ramifications of rhetoric but without acknowledging how their words had contributed to the nation’s toxic divisions.
Democrats Coalesce Around Harris, as She Kicks Off Bid with Attacks on Trump
MSN – Toluse Olorunnipa (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2024
The Democratic Party largely coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris as its likely new presidential nominee as she kicked off her campaign by promising to prosecute a forceful case against Donald Trump and defend the legacy of President Biden. Harris secured pledges of support from a majority of Democratic National Convention delegates, a strong show of unity behind her presidential campaign that signals she is likely to officially become the party’s nominee in August.
FCC Commissioner Wrote a Project 2025 Chapter – Democrats Want Him Investigated Over It
MSN – Alison Durkee (Forbes) | Published: 7/17/2024
House Democrats called for an ethics investigation into Federal Communications Commission leader Brendan Carr, arguing he improperly used his office after he authored a chapter in the controversial Project 2025 policy agenda that lays out a blueprint for former Donald Trump to overhaul the executive branch. Carr’s actions may have violated ethics laws for federal employees and the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from using their office for political activities, the lawmakers argued.
Secret Service Director Cheatle Resigns with ‘Heavy Heart’ After Trump Rally Shooting
MSN – Maria Sacchetti, Carol Leonnig, Nick Miroff, and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2024
U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The attack was the first against a U.S. leader on the elite protective agency’s watch in more than 40 years. Cheatle, a veteran Secret Service agent, had called the security failure involving a gunman shooting from an apparently unsecured roof at a Trump campaign rally on July 13 unacceptable and acknowledged “the buck stops with me.”
$30 Million Gift Will Fund Center to Push for Supreme Court Overhaul
MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2024
A business executive and philanthropist pledged $30 million to launch a first-of-its-kind center pushing to overhaul the Supreme Court, after a series of ethics controversies and conservative rulings prompted rising scrutiny of the justices. The major gift from Jim Kohlberg, chairperson of a private equity firm, will fund research, public outreach, and policy advocacy over a decade at the Brennan Center for Justice. The announcement comes amid a flurry of Democratic activity related to reshaping the court.
Bob Menendez to Resign Senate Seat Following Federal Bribery Conviction
MSN – Abbie Cheeseman and Nicole Markus (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2024
Sen. Bob Menendez plans to resign effective August 20. He was convicted of taking bribes from three businesspeople who showered him and his wife with cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz, an extravagant bounty for his help securing deals with foreign officials and trying to derail several criminal investigations in New Jersey. A jury found Menendez guilty on 16 felony counts, including bribery, extortion, and working as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt.
Trump Allies Crush Misinformation Research Despite Supreme Court Loss
MSN – Cat Zakrzewski and Naomi Nix (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2024
A legal campaign led by allies of Donald Trump is attempting to cast the study of misinformation as part of a broader conspiracy to censor conservative voices online. It has transformed the daily life and work of those who worked at tracking election misinformation online, a field now reeling as the 2024 presidential race enters its final months. False rumors and disinformation have proliferated online as the nation reels from the assassination attempt on Trump and President Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
GOP Eyes Legal Challenges as Harris Assumes Control of Biden’s War Chest
MSN – Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2024
Within hours of President Biden announcing his decision to leave the race, his reelection committee submitting an amended filing to the FEC changing its name to “Harris for President” so Vice President Harris would have access to the millions of dollars in the fund. Several campaign finance lawyers aligned with Republicans argue the campaign does not have legal authority to do that and the maneuver is all but certain to be challenged before the FEC or in court.
Biden’s 50 Years in Politics Defined by Triumph, Tragedy and a Reluctant Exit
MSN – Toluse Olorunnipa (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2024
President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race marks the sunset of a consequential career in public service that spanned more than 50 years. The move caps a turbulent journey in Washington for a self-described “great respecter of fate” who acquiesced to the conclusion drawn by many Democratic leaders and allies that, at 81 and showing increasing signs of aging, he did not have a viable path to defeating Donald Trump.
DOJ Review Blames Stone Sentencing Flip on Poor Leadership, Not Politics
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2024
The Justice Department’s inspector general blamed “ineffectual leadership” and not political interference for the softening of Roger Stone’s sentencing recommendation in February 2020 after his conviction for lying to Congress. The report upheld an account by then-Attorney General William Barr but also found that line prosecutors’ suspicions of political meddling by Donald Trump’s administration were not unreasonable.
Ex-Mass. Congressional Candidate Sentenced for Using Campaign Donations to Pay Debts
MSN – Susannah Sudborough (MassLive) | Published: 7/23/2024
Abhijit Das, a former Massachusetts congressional candidate, was sentenced to 21 months in prison with a fine of $25,000 for breaking federal campaign finance law, including by using political donations to pay back money he owed from running his hotel business. While running for office in December 2017, he devised a scheme to inflate his fundraising numbers that involved asking for personal loans from friends over the $2,700 limit set by federal law.
Ethics Commissions: Obliging government to control itself
National Conference of State Legislatures – Helen Brewer and Adam Kuckuk | Published: 7/23/2024
Government makes rules for the people, but who makes the rules for the government? In the Federalist Papers, James Madison saw this issue as one of the greatest challenges in creating a republic: “You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.” One of the many ways state governments are obliged to control themselves is through ethics commissions. How these commissions are structured, the jurisdiction they have, how they operate, and what they cover varies greatly by state.
Campaign Finance Watchdog Raises Alarm About Recent FEC Super PAC Decisions
Ohio Capital Journal – Nick Evans | Published: 7/24/2024
Some campaign finance experts argue the FEC is fundamentally broken and is taking a wrecking ball to campaign spending rules. For years, the agency moved at a glacial pace and often deadlocked when it came to enforcement decisions. But more recently, a majority of commissioners have begun issuing decisions that consistently roll back political spending restrictions.
Activist Group Files Ethics Complaint After Member Accused of Accosting GOP Lawmaker
Yahoo News – Yash Roy (The Hill) | Published: 7/18/2024
Activist group Code Pink submitted a complaint against U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden to the House ethics committee over now-dismissed battery charges. The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office dismissed the misdemeanor battery charge against Code Pink activist Nour Jaghama after Van Orden accused her in a social media post of assaulting him outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Influencers Put on Notice, Guelph Lobbyist Registry Moves Forward
Guelph Today – Richard Vivian | Published: 7/24/2024
The Guelph City Council voted to establish a municipal lobbyist registry. The registry, which will come into being on October 1 but not be enforced until January 1, requires lobbyists with a financial interest to publicly report each time they attempt to influence a council member, along with identifying their employer and details about the subject at hand.
California – Democrats Run the California Capitol. When the Party Backs a Bill, Lawmakers Pay Attention
CalMatters – Ryan Sabalow | Published: 7/22/2024
The California Democratic Party is a multimillion-dollar powerhouse whose endorsements and campaign money can make or break a politician’s aspirations for state or federal office. The party also regularly throws its weight around on individual pieces of legislation in the state Capitol, where Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers. Few other organizations have weighed in on more legislation, making the party, whose primary function is electing Democrats, one of the most prolific, and successful, lobbying organizations at the statehouse.
California – Mark Farrell Doubles Down on Practice of Commingling Campaign Funds
Mission Local – Kelly Waldron | Published: 7/24/2024
San Francisco mayoral candidate Mark Farrell has continued a practice his opponents say amounts to skirting campaign finance limits. He pooled $160,895 in expenses between his mayoral race and a ballot measure he is backing. Rival campaigns allege this effectively allows Farrell to access larger sums from big-money donors, who are not hamstrung by the city’s contribution limits on giving to candidates directly.
California – Stockton Drafting Possible Transparency Rules for Political Consultants After Grand Jury Report
MSN – Aaron Leathley (Stockton Record) | Published: 7/18/2024
The Stockton City Council members took a first step toward creating new transparency rules for political consultants and possibly establishing a city ethics commission. The council’s legislative committee told interim City Clerk Katherine Roland to draft policies that would require consultants working with local candidates and politicians to reveal basic information about their businesses and clients.
California – LA County Supervisors Back a Ballot Measure to Add 4 Seats, Elect a County CEO
MSN – Steve Scauzillo (Los Angeles Daily News) | Published: 7/23/2024
Despite mounting opposition, a ballot measure that would increase the number of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from five to nine members, create an elected, not appointed, county executive officer, and establish an ethics commission received its first vote of approval. It needs a second and final vote that is set for July 30 and the sweeping governance reform, the first multi-pronged charter reform package in more than 100 years that will change the face of county government, will go before voters on November 5.
California – Rep. Ken Calvert Has Secured Millions for His Riverside County District. Do His Own Properties Benefit?
Yahoo News – Laura Nelson (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/22/2024
Since Congress brought back the legislative process known as earmarking in 2022, few lawmakers have been as successful at securing funds for their district as Rep. Ken Calvert, who has been in Congress longer than any other California Republican. He has funneled more than $100 million since then into projects in his Riverside County district. The earmarks include $16 million in planned transportation improvements that fall within several miles of rental properties Calvert owns, raising questions about the extent to which he personally benefits from the earmarks he has secured.
Colorado – Colorado Campaign Donation Limits Case to Be Decided Later This Year
Colorado Sun – Sandra Fish | Published: 7/24/2024
A federal judge will decide after the November 5 general election whether Colorado’s political donation limits for candidates are legal. Three Republicans are challenging the limits enacted by voters in 2002 claiming they violate the First Amendment by limiting donors’ freedom of speech. Senior U.S. District Court Judge John Kane rejected their attempt to suspend the limits immediately.
District of Columbia – D.C. Prosecutor Accused of Misconduct at Trials of Anti-Trump Protesters
MSN – Peter Herman (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2024
A federal prosecutor who oversaw sweeping arrests of anti-Trump demonstrators in the nation’s capital manipulated evidence alongside a District of Columbia police detective in an apparent attempt to strengthen the case, according to an office that investigates misconduct complaints against attorneys in the city. Jennifer Kerkhoff Muyskens worked with a detective, Greggory Pemberton, to edit video of people planning protests of the president’s 2017 inauguration, and later falsely told the court about it, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel alleges.
Georgia – Georgia Democrats Sue to Overturn Law Allowing Unlimited Campaign Cash, Saying GOP Unfairly Benefits
MSN – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 7/19/2024
Georgia Democrats are suing to overturn the ability of Gov. Brian Kemp and others to raise unlimited political contributions and spend them on behalf of any political cause. The Democratic Party of Georgia filed a federal lawsuit that asks a judge to declare a 2021 law that created leadership committees is unconstitutional because it unfairly gives unlimited fundraising powers to some people but not others.
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 7/24/2024
Hawaii banned contributions from contractors in 2005, but the Legislature wrote a loophole into the law that allowed officers, owners, employees, and family members to continue donating. A media investigation this year found nearly one-fifth of all campaign donations made since 2006 came from people tied to contractors. Efforts to close the loophole failed in the last two legislative sessions. Citing the New York Times and Honolulu Civil Beat investigation, lawmakers and government watchdog groups have said they will take up the issue again next year.
MSN – Jason Meisner, Ray Long, and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/22/2024
Attorneys for Michael McClain asked that he be severed in his upcoming racketeering trial with former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, revealing for the first time that Madigan’s legal team may be planning to throw McClain under the bus. The motion said McClain’s right to a fair trial was in peril due to a theory of Madigan’s defense that would essentially make them “second prosecutors,” putting McClain in the position of having to defend himself not only from government accusations but his co-defendant too.
Maine – Republican Lawmaker Escapes Penalty for Repeatedly Missing Campaign Finance Deadlines
Yahoo News – Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 7/24/2024
A state lawmaker will not face any penalties for routinely failing to file timely campaign finance reports for his PAC. The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices ruled Rep. Richard Campbell violated state law. But commissioners were not able to assess a financial penalty because Campbell’s Building the Maine House PAC has not actively raised or spent money for the last four years.
Maine – Maine Lawmakers Want to Rein in Vague ‘Concept Bills,’ Late-Night Votes
Yahoo News – Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 7/19/2024
A group of Maine lawmakers is considering a list of proposals to improve transparency and efficiency in the Legislature following the chaotic conclusion of this year’s session. The potential rule changes include capping the number of bills that can be submitted, limiting the use of placeholder bills that lack policy specifics, and putting an end to late-night votes, especially on the state budget.
Maryland – Baltimore County Spending $550K to Shield 2020 Settlement to Brother of County Executive’s Friend
MSN – Cassidy Jensen and Lia Russell (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 7/17/2024
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.’s administration secretly paid his friend’s brother an $83,675 settlement after backing out of an agreement to increase the retired firefighter’s pension, which county lawyers said would have violated state law. Now, the administration could pay more than $500,000 in a court fight to keep secret details about the settlement. Former County Administrative Officer Fred Homan sued the county, alleging officials violated the Maryland Public Information Act by withholding documents he requested related to the settlement.
Mississippi – Mississippi Ordered to Create More Black Districts, Hold Special Elections Next Year
MSN – Taylor Vance (Biloxi Sun Herald) | Published: 7/19/2024
The Mississippi Legislature must adopt new state Senate and House maps with Black-majority districts during its 2025 session and conduct elections to fill those new seats, a federal three-judge panel ruled. The judges previously ruled the districts drawn in 2022 by the Legislature diluted Black voting strength. The State Board of Election Commissioners argued the elections should take place next year because it would be nearly impossible to redraw the districts in time for November elections.
Missouri – Kehoe Campaign for Missouri Governor Riding on Bus Owned by Lobbyist for Chinese Pork Producer
Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 7/21/2024
In his campaign for governor, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe has promised voters he will stop China “from buying up our farmland.” He is doing so while traveling the state in a bus owned by Jewell Patek, a former legislator who is the only Missouri lobbyist employed by the Chinese business that owns a significant chunk of agricultural land in the state. The cost of using Patek’s bus is not listed among the expenses reported in Kehoe’s latest campaign finance report.
Montana – Montana Attorney General Didn’t Violate Campaign Finance Rules, Elections Enforcer Says
MSN – Amy Beth Hanson (Associated Press) | Published: 7/19/2024
Commissioner of Political Practice Chris Gallus said Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen did not violate any laws after he was reported to have recruited Logan Olson to run against him for campaign finance purposes. The contribution limit for the attorney general’s race is $790, but candidates can receive twice that from individuals if they have a primary opponent. Gallus said did not have evidence to show Olson was not a “bona fide” candidate or that he was offered any “payment or promise” for running.
New York – Elected Official Charged with Biting NYPD Officer
MSN – Jeff Coltin (Politico) | Published: 7/17/2024
New York City Council member Susan Zhuang was arrested on charges she bit a deputy police chief while protesting a planned homeless shelter in her Brooklyn district. Zhuang’s communications director, Felix Tager, said “Zhuang was arrested after trying to protect an 80-year-old woman” who was being pushed up against the barricades. NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell disagreed, saying the woman had laid herself under the barricade.
New York – Contributions That Exceed Legal Limits Poured into Eric Adams’ Campaign
The City – Greg Smith | Published: 7/19/2024
Individuals on New York City’s official “doing business” list donated more than the limit to Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign and now his 2025 bid for re-election. Donors who exceeded the $400 cap have had the excess money refunded following review by the Campaign Finance Board well after the campaign has touted its fundraising hauls in competitive races. In addition to banning corporate contributions, amendments to the city charter gave the board the power to regulate donations from individuals involved in city business.
Ohio – Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens Scores Temporary Legal Win in Fight Over Campaign Account
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 7/23/2024
Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens scored an unexpected legal win as a state appeals court temporarily held up a lower-court injunction stripping him of control over the chamber’s campaign arm. It throws an unexpected hurdle in the way of attempts by a majority of Republicans to wrest control of the Ohio House Republican Alliance’s from Stephens, who was elected speaker last year with the support of only about one-third of his caucus as well as every Democrat.
Oregon – The Feds Warned Oregon Officials That a Report on Alcohol Taxes Was Fundamentally Flawed
Willamette Week – Lucas Manfield | Published: 7/24/2024
The director of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Dr. Sejal Hathi, told lawmakers, advocates, and business leaders on a state Liquor and Cannabis Commission task force that her agency was wrong to bury a report that showed increasing taxes on beer and wine would do little to curb excessive drinking. The shelving of that report left the impression the OHA withheld it because it clashed with the agency’s desire to hike taxes to reduce excessive drinking. The report was not just politically inconvenient. According to some scientists, it was also flawed because it was based on research funded by the alcohol industry.
Tennessee – Tennessee Election Finance Board to Subpoena Members of Constitutional Republicans
Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 7/24/2024
Dissatisfied with a state attorney general’s investigation, the Registry of Election Finance is set to subpoena members of the Tennessee and Sumner County Constitutional Republicans to have them explain how they operate without registering as a PAC. A complaint accuses the groups of acting like a PAC by making expenditures for candidates or issues but refusing to register with the state. Five people spoke to a state investigator, but three others declined.
MSN – Zach Despart (Texas Tribune) | Published: 7/23/2024
Three decades following its inception, the Texas Ethics Commission is toothless. Compliance with ethics laws is largely voluntary. That is because the agency relies on the Texas attorney general to enforce payment of fines for violations. Under Ken Paxton, who himself owes $11,000 in ethics fines, that has rarely happened. A review by The Texas Tribune found the number of politicians, lobbyists, and PACs that owe fines for breaking state campaign finance laws has exploded in recent years.
July 23, 2024 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance National: “Kamala Harris Formally Takes Over Biden-Harris Campaign Account – She’s the Only One Who Could” by David Wright, Sara Murray, Katelyn Polantz, and Tierney Sneed (CNN) for MSN Montana: “Montana Attorney General Didn’t Violate Campaign Finance Rules, Elections Enforcer Says” by […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Kamala Harris Formally Takes Over Biden-Harris Campaign Account – She’s the Only One Who Could” by David Wright, Sara Murray, Katelyn Polantz, and Tierney Sneed (CNN) for MSN
Montana: “Montana Attorney General Didn’t Violate Campaign Finance Rules, Elections Enforcer Says” by Amy Beth Hanson (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Can Robert Menendez’s Bribery Conviction Survive an Appeal?” by Benjamin Weiser (New York Times) for DNyuz
National: “Congress Grills Secret Service Director About Trump Rally Shooting” by Maria Sacchetti, Nick Miroff, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) for MSN
New York: “Elected Official Charged with Biting NYPD Officer” by Jeff Coltin (Politico) for MSN
Legislative Issues
California: “Democrats Run the California Capitol. When the Party Backs a Bill, Lawmakers Pay Attention” by Ryan Sabalow for CalMatters
Lobbying
Missouri: “Kehoe Campaign for Missouri Governor Riding on Bus Owned by Lobbyist for Chinese Pork Producer” by Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) for Yahoo News
Redistricting
Mississippi: “Mississippi Ordered to Create More Black Districts, Hold Special Elections Next Year” by Taylor Vance (Biloxi Sun Herald) for MSN
July 22, 2024 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance Georgia: “Georgia Democrats Sue to Overturn Law Allowing Unlimited Campaign Cash, Saying GOP Unfairly Benefits” by Jeff Amy (Associated Press) for MSN New York: “Contributions That Exceed Legal Limits Poured into Eric Adams’ Campaign” by Greg Smith for The City Elections National: “Biden […]
Campaign Finance
Georgia: “Georgia Democrats Sue to Overturn Law Allowing Unlimited Campaign Cash, Saying GOP Unfairly Benefits” by Jeff Amy (Associated Press) for MSN
New York: “Contributions That Exceed Legal Limits Poured into Eric Adams’ Campaign” by Greg Smith for The City
Elections
National: “Biden Makes Stunning Decision to Pull Out of 2024 Race” by Patrick Svitek and Toluse Olorunnipa (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Election Officials Frustrated Trump Allies Suddenly Care About Rhetoric” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “Stockton Drafting Possible Transparency Rules for Political Consultants After Grand Jury Report” by Aaron Leathley (Stockton Record) for MSN
Maryland: “Baltimore County Spending $550K to Shield 2020 Settlement to Brother of County Executive’s Friend” by Cassidy Jensen and Lia Russell (Baltimore Sun) for MSN
Legislative Issues
Maine: “Maine Lawmakers Want to Rein in Vague ‘Concept Bills,’ Late-Night Votes” by Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) for Yahoo News
Lobbying
National: “Corporate Donors Swarm GOP Convention: ‘It’s like a cocktail party'” by Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN
July 19, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 19, 2024
![News You Can Use Digest – July 19, 2024](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Meta Rolls Back Restrictions on Trump’s Instagram and Facebook Accounts DNyuz – Mike Isaac (New York Times) | Published: 7/12/2024 Meta said it was rolling back some restrictions to Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts so people on its services could […]
National/Federal
Meta Rolls Back Restrictions on Trump’s Instagram and Facebook Accounts
DNyuz – Mike Isaac (New York Times) | Published: 7/12/2024
Meta said it was rolling back some restrictions to Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts so people on its services could hear from those running for the presidency “on the same basis.” Under the restrictions on Trump’s accounts, he could have been suspended from Meta’s services if he had posted content that sought to delegitimize this November’s election, among other things. But Meta said it was now relaxing those restrictions, reducing the potential for a suspension if Trump violated the company’s terms of service.
How Trump Dominated His Own Party on a New G.O.P. Platform
DNyuz – Jonathan Swan, Shane Goldmacher, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 7/18/2024
Donald Trump long ago decided he wanted a very different Republican Party platform in 2024. The delegates who arrived in Milwaukee before the Republican National Convention, with plans of drafting a sweeping document of party principles, quickly found out just how determined he was. Their cellphones were confiscated and placed in magnetically sealed pouches. It was only then that the delegates received a copy of the platform language the Trump team had prepared, which slashed the platform size by nearly three-quarters.
Trump Picks Sen. J.D. Vance, a Former Critic, to Be His Running Mate
MSN – Meryl Kornfield and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) | Published: 7/15/2024
Donald Trump chose U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate, selecting a previously outspoken Trump critic who in recent years has closely aligned himself with the former president. Vance is a relative political newcomer, winning his Senate seat in 2022 after rising to prominence as an author who wrote a best-selling memoir. His selection adds a staunch defender of Trump’s movement to the ticket and, some Republican observers said, it could help Trump solidify his base of White working-class voters.
Trump’s Classified-Documents Case Dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon
MSN – Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 7/15/2024
U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the federal criminal case against Donald Trump charging him with amassing highly sensitive national security secrets at his Mar-a-Lago estate and then obstructing government efforts to reclaim them. Cannon concluded that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution. Other courts have rejected arguments similar to the one that Trump’s team made about the legality of Smith’s appointment.
Influencer Running for U.S. Senate Challenges Campaign Finance Rules
MSN – Taylor Lorenz (Washington Post) | Published: 7/10/2024
Caroline Gleich, a professional ski mountaineer and online content creator who is vying to replace U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, is seeking permission to sidestep campaign finance rules that she says disadvantage influencers who make a living generating sponsored posts on social media. Under current FEC rules, any sponsored social post that features Gleich and is distributed in Utah within 90 days of the November 5 election could be considered a “coordinated communication.” As such, it would count as an in-kind contribution and be listed in her campaign finance reports.
New York Judge Throws Out Rudy Giuliani’s Bankruptcy Case
MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 7/12/2024
A federal judge threw out Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy case, paving the way for a litany of creditors, including two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation claim against him, to pursue and potentially seize his assets. In his order, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane cited Giuliani’s “continued failure to meet his reporting obligations and provide the financial transparency required of a debtor in possession” and called his behavior “troubling.” It restricts Giuliani from seeking bankruptcy protection for one year.
Sen. Menendez Convicted of Bribery, Other Charges in Corruption Trial
MSN – Salvador Rizzo and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 7/6/2024
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez was convicted of all the counts he faced at his corruption trial, including accepting bribes of gold and cash from three New Jersey businessperson and acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. The two co-defendants in the trial, real estate developer Fred Daibes and businessperson Wael Hana, were also convicted. Jurors heard witnesses describe how the longtime lawmaker had waded into a world of Egyptian spies and international intrigue after falling in love with a divorcée he met at his local pancake house.
U.S. Begins Dropping Jan. 6 Obstruction Charges for Some Proud Boys, Others
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 7/16/2024
The Supreme Court’s ruling narrowing use of an obstruction charge for January 6 defendants is leading to misdemeanor plea deals for some Capitol riot defendants. Federal prosecutors have begun moving to drop charges accusing defendants of obstructing Congress’s confirmation of the 2020 presidential election results, offering new plea deals after the Supreme Court restricted the government’s use of that count. Those whose charges may be dropped are among a small core group of Capitol riot defendants who prosecutors alleged understood why Congress was meeting and who came not to protest but to block lawmakers from acting.
Biden Set to Announce Support for Major Supreme Court Changes
MSN – Tyler Pager and Michael Scheer (Washington Post) | Published: 7/16/2024
President Biden is finalizing plans to endorse major changes to the Supreme Court in the coming weeks, including proposals for legislation to establish term limits for the justices and an enforceable ethics code, according to two people briefed on the plans. He is also weighing whether to call for a constitutional amendment to eliminate broad immunity for presidents and other constitutional officeholders.
Ex-CIA Analyst Accused of Working for South Korean Intelligence Service
MSN – Aaron Schaffer and Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) | Published: 7/17/2024
A former CIA analyst and noted East Asia expert was indicted on criminal charges of acting as an agent of South Korea, whose intelligence officials allegedly rewarded her with luxury gifts and concealed payments made to a think tank. Sue Mi Terry was charged with failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
DNC Sticks with Biden Virtual Roll Call, Despite Doubts That It’s Necessary
MSN – Colby Itkowitz, Patrick Svitek, and Leigh Ann Caldwell (Washington Post) | Published: 7/17/2024
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) pressed forward with a plan to hold a virtual roll call to nominate President Biden for reelection during the first week of August, a process that could short-circuit a burgeoning effort from within the party to replace him. Party leadership cited the risk of a legal quagmire if Biden is not formally nominated before the convention in Chicago, which begins August 19. DNC officials said ballot deadlines in a handful of states could give GOP-aligned groups the opportunity to challenge any nominee whose status is not formalized by then.
Even When Big Cases Intersect with Their Families’ Interests, Many Judges Choose Not to Recuse
ProPublica – Noah Pransky, Brooke Williams, and Andrew Botolino | Published: 7/16/2024
Concerns that judges on the nation’s highest courts have not properly disclosed personal conflicts and have failed to recuse when such issues arose have been at the center of a recent national debate. A ProPublica analysis found a lack of transparency regarding conflicts plagues federal and state courts where loose rules, inconsistent enforcement, and creative interpretations of guidelines routinely allow judges to withhold potential conflicts from the parties before them.
Charities Are Allowed to Do Some Lobbying, but Many Do None at All
The Conversation – Heather MacIndoe (University of Massachusetts at Boston) and Mirae Kim (George Mason University) | Published: 7/2/2024
U.S. charities may spend some of their time and money on lobbying, as long as those organizations do not primarily exist to influence federal legislation. This rule applies to all charitable nonprofits, which run the gamut from hospitals to social service providers, museums and environmental organizations. States can also regulate nonprofit lobbying. For example, the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office requires nonprofit employees who lobby to register with the state and pay a registration fee.
Shooting at Trump Rally Comes at Volatile Time in American History
Yahoo News – Peter Baker, Simon Levien, and Michael Gold (New York Times) | Published: 7/14/2024
For the first time in more than four decades, a man who was elected president of the United States was wounded in an assassination attempt when a gunman who appeared to have crawled onto a nearby roof opened fire at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The explosion of political violence came at an especially volatile moment in American history and further inflamed an already stormy campaign for the White House. Authorities have reported a surge of threats against elected and appointed officials of both parties in recent years, as anger has come to dominate the political discourse.
From the States and Municipalities
Alaska – Statewide Initiative Would Restore Alaska Campaign Finance Limits
Alaska Public Radio – Robyne (KAUC) | Published: 7/17/2024
A group of Alaskans is circulating petitions this summer to restore state campaign finance limits. Citizens Against Money in Politics (CAMP) says its ballot initiative will give citizens the same power as large corporations and unions. Jus Tavcar, a volunteer coordinator with CAMP, initiative would limit contributions to $2,000 per election cycle for an individual candidate’s campaign, or $5,000 a year to a political party.
California – After Pushback, Ethics Commission Now Won’t Recommend That Nonprofits Report Lobbying
Long Beach Post – Melissa Evans | Published: 7/10/2024
After pushback from the nonprofit sector, the Long Beach Ethics Commission reversed course and will likely not recommend these organizations register as lobbyists if they routinely seek to influence city decisions. Commissioners are now seeking to instead add requirements that elected leaders and top officials upload their calendars to the city website and require additional leaders in city government to maintain publicly available calendars that can be obtained quickly through a public records request.
California – Search Under Way for New San Diego Ethics Commission Chief
MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union Tribune) | Published: 7/12/2024
Sharon Spivak, the journalist-turned-attorney who took over as executive director of the San Diego Ethics Commission four years ago after 15 years with the city attorney’s office, will leave her post late this year. The new executive director must be confirmed by the city council, but that process could change under a reform package pushed by City Attorney Mara Elliott. Spivak is expected to remain at the commission until next spring to assist with the transition once her successor is determined.
California – Oakland Company in FBI Crosshairs Sought City Homeless Shelter Contracts
MSN – Natalie Orenstein, Eli Wolfe, and Darwin BondGraham (Oaklandside) | Published: 7/10/2024
Evolutionary Homes, a company that appears to be at the center of the FBI corruption probe, recently angled to build housing for homeless people in Oakland. The company pitched its shelters, which are manufactured from shipping containers, to multiple council members over the past year. The company was named in a subpoena served against multiple Oakland officials. No shipping-container shelter plans ever came to fruition, but some of the companies involved told city leaders they believed there were major funds, possibly federal COVID relief money, to tap into for the projects.
California – SF Lawmaker Who Spent $80,000 in Campaign Funds on 49ers Tickets Faces Probe
SFGate – Alec Regimbal | Published: 7/12/2024
California Assembly member Matt Haney is being investigated for possibly violating state campaign finance laws. While the Fair Political Practices Commission did not offer specifics on the matter, some of Haney’s recent campaign expenditures have begun to raise eyebrows. Haney has spent more than $80,000 on San Francisco 49ers tickets since the beginning of 2023. Experts said it is not unheard of for candidates to host fundraisers at sporting events, but Haney’s spending seemed “excessive.”
California – California Limits Pay-to-Play Politics in Local Elections, but Federal Law Enables a Loophole
Yahoo News – Theresa Clift (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 7/11/2024
California has limited the amount a local candidate can accept from an individual donor before they must abstain from voting on issues that benefit that contributor. But independent expenditures offer a limitless alternative for individuals and groups that want to advocate for the election of candidates and the passage of measures that advance their agendas.
Colorado Public Radio – Andrew Kenny | Published: 7/16/2024
A political nonprofit that aided Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’s transition shortly after his 2018 election admitted it violated state campaign finance laws. Boldly Forward Colorado will pay an $18,000 fine and disclose its donors. In 2023, the group spent more than $350,000 in support of Proposition HH, a tax reform proposal backed by Polis. That money was given to the committee running the campaign. A complaint alleged Boldly Forward Colorado did not register as a committee and failed to report its electioneering activities.
Colorado Sun – Sandra Fish and Jesse Paul | Published: 7/17/2024
A new batch of federal campaign finance reports are raising more questions about how the Colorado Republican Party spent money to help party Chairperson Dave Williams’ unsuccessful run for Congress. Williams’ campaign donated $60,000 to the party on June 20. The donation came after the Colorado GOP June sent a series of mailers to voters on Williams’ behalf. Williams and his supporters defended the spending, promising that the party would be made whole but refusing to explain how.
Colorado – Two-Week Trial Begins in Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Campaign Contribution Limits
Colorado Sun – Sandra Fish | Published: 7/16/2024
A trial is underway on a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn Colorado’s voter-approved state campaign contribution limits, which are among the lowest in the country. The case was brought by three Republicans, who, backed by lawyers from a conservative political nonprofit, argue the state’s limits benefit self-funding candidates who can bankroll their campaigns. Senior Assistant Attorney General Michael Kotlarczyk said Colorado has had limits on campaign donations for 50 years and many state-level political contests remain competitive.
Florida – Florida Supreme Court Disbars Ex-Miami-Dade Judge, Citing ‘Pattern of Dishonesty’
MSN – News Service of Florida | Published: 7/11/2024
Pointing to what it described as a “deliberate pattern of dishonesty,” the Florida Supreme Court disbarred Former Miami-Dade County Judge Miguel Mirabal, who was accused of wrongdoing in his campaign finance reports and making misrepresentations to a judicial-nominating panel. Mirabal was elected as a county judge in 2020 but resigned after less than four months on the bench amid an investigation. “The referee ultimately found that the errors in Mirabal’s campaign finance reports were too numerous and far too politically advantageous to be a mere accident,” the Supreme Court opinion said.
Georgia – Georgia Court Sets December Argument for Trump Appeal to Remove Willis
MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 7/16/2024
A Georgia appellate court scheduled oral arguments on Donald Trump’s appeal of a state court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting the election interference case against the former president and several of his allies for December 5, one month after the election. Trump and eight co-defendants have sought to disqualify Willis and her office amid claims she had an improper relationship with an outside lawyer she appointed to lead the case.
Illinois – Lawyers for Illinois Ex-Speaker Madigan Ask Judge to Gut Indictment in Light of SCOTUS Ruling
MSN – Jason Meisner, Ray Long, and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/15/2024
Armed with a U.S. Supreme Court decision that scaled back a key federal bribery statute, lawyers for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan argued in a new filing that 14 counts of the indictment against him should be dismissed, in part because there is no proof Madigan agreed to use his official position for personal gain. Madigan’s lawyers say the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of former Portage, Indiana, Mayor James Snyder does not criminalize “gratuities,” gifts given to elected officials to express thanks for taking a favorable action.
Indiana – Indiana Inspector General Clears State Employees of Ghost Employment, but Suggests Changes
Indiana Capital Chronicle – Leslie Bonilla Muñiz | Published: 7/12/2024
The Indiana Office of the Inspector General cleared two state employees – a supervisor and a subordinate – of alleged ghost employment and more. But the office recommended the Management Performance Hub, which employs the pair, take steps to “avoid the future appearance of impropriety.” The inspector general received an anonymous complaint alleging the hub let a subordinate attend an out-of-state conference unrelated to her duties, that she did not attend the conference, and she was rarely in the office for about a year.
Indiana – Ex-Lawmaker Sean Eberhart Sentenced in Casino Corruption Case
MSN – Tony Cook (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 7/10/2024
Former Indiana Rep. Sean Eberhart was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison for pushing legislation favorable to a casino company in exchange for the promise of a future job with the company worth at least $350,000 a year. He was also given a $25,000 fine. Eberhart agreed to pay $60,000 in restitution to the state, an amount roughly the same as his annual compensation as a lawmaker.
Massachusetts – Fine Dining, Cigar Lounges, and TD Garden Suites: Here’s what happens when Beacon Hill’s most powerful pick up the tab
MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 7/12/2024
At some of the best restaurants and bars in Boston, those with an invitation gather at corner tables and in private rooms. Yet, for the top Democrats whose campaigns pay the tabs, permissive state campaign finance laws not only can create what one expert described as a “personal slush fund,” but also furnish a key means for maintaining power and control over their rank-and-file members, former lawmakers say. Massachusetts’ campaign finance rules are broad, allowing lawmakers to eat, drink, or travel on their campaign’s dime as long as they can show it is for the “enhancement of [their] political future” and is not “primarily for personal use.”
Nevada – Grand Jury Indicts Ex-Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore on Wire Fraud Charges
Nevada Independent – Tabitha Mueller | Published: 7/17/2024
A federal grand jury indicted Michele Fiore, a former Las Vegas City Council member and current Nye County justice of the peace, on charges she defrauded donors of more than $70,000 for personal gain. The indictment says Fiore solicited donations during her time on the city council to honor police officers killed in duty, promising “100 percent of the contributions” would be used to fund the creation of a statue memorializing the officers. But the funds were allegedly used by Fiore to pay her political fundraising bills, rent, and for her daughter’s wedding, among other uses.
New York – Trial to Decide N.R.A.’s Financial Future Begins in Manhattan
DNyuz – Danny Hakim and Kate Christobek (New York Times) | Published: 7/5/2024
New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking to give oversight of the National Rifle Association (NRA) to a court-appointed official for three years, a step the group vehemently opposes. During an earlier phase of the civil trial, Wayne LaPierre, the longtime chief executive, was found liable for misspending $5.4 million of the NRA’s money. New York has special jurisdiction over the NRA, which was founded in the state more than 150 years ago.
New York – The Lobbyist Dating Carl Heastie Was Just Laid Off. He Was Not Pleased.
New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 7/17/2024
The lobbyist who has been dating New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was recently laid off from her job at a construction labor-management partnership. The decision prompted Heastie to call the labor group that employed her, In March, Heastie adopted a recusal policy in light of his relationship with Rebecca Lamorte that barred Heastie from meeting with officials from the Greater New York Laborers-Employers Cooperation & Education Trust and several affiliated organizations.
New York – In New York, Wage Theft Violators Get Millions in Government Contracts
ProPublica – Marcus Baram (Documented) | Published: 7/15/2024
Fedcap Rehabilitation Services helps find jobs for people with disabilities. Fedcap has received dozens of contracts worth more than $110 million from 10 New York City and state agencies, even though the company has committed millions of dollars in wage theft against hundreds of its workers. Under New York City and state procurement laws, contracting agencies are required to check vendors’ backgrounds, including for labor law violations, and award contracts only to those deemed “responsible.” But who is a “responsible vendor” is vaguely defined.
Yahoo News – Michael Gartland (New York Daily News) | Published: 7/16/2024
Brianna Suggs, whose home was raided last November by the FBI as part of an investigation into campaign donations linked to Turkey, is still working for New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ political campaign despite not appearing in recent filings. During Adams’ 2021 run for City Hall, Suggs proved to be a formidable fundraiser for him. She has claimed credit for raising $18.4 million for the campaign.
North Dakota – North Dakota Lawmakers Work to Update Harassment Policy
North Dakota Monitor – Mary Steuer | Published: 7/16/2024
State Lawmakers are reviewing their workplace harassment policy following a rise in complaints to the North Dakota Ethics Commission. The policy, which dates back to 2018, outlines a process for reporting and investigating allegations of sexual harassment or discrimination-based hostility. It covers not just lawmakers, but legislative staff as well as third parties like lobbyists and media members. The policy puts legislative leadership in charge of receiving harassment complaints.
Ohio – FirstEnergy Loses Appeal to Shield Internal Investigations of Bribery Schemes from Release
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 7/14/2024
A federal judge blocked an appeal from FirstEnergy, potentially leading to the release of two internal investigations into the company’s bribery schemes that it has spent the past year fighting to keep secret. Alongside criminal probes in the matter, a cadre of investors in FirstEnergy have sued alleging securities fraud, given losses they incurred as news of the scandal tanked the company’s share price. In June 2023, the investors began mounting a legal effort to obtain copies of the investigations. FirstEnergy claimed the reports are protected by attorney-client privilege.
MSN – Killary Borrud (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 7/17/2024
Oregon Department of Justice officials announced they closed their investigation into a former cryptocurrency executive’s $500,000 political donation to the state Democratic Party in 2022 without finding enough evidence to prove the misreported contribution criminally violated state campaign finance laws. Nishad Singh, who in 2022 was an executive at FTX, sent the Democratic Party of Oregon its largest donation on record in the final weeks of the competitive election for governor.
Pennsylvania – Secret Bank Accounts, $1M Deficit Plague City as Official’s Corruption Case Is Repeatedly Delayed
Spotlight PA – Min Xian and Angela Couloumbis | Published: 7/11/2024
A federal judge has repeatedly granted delays in the case of a former public official accused of corruption as the Pennsylvania city he once ran and allegedly fleeced grapples with the fallout and a nearly $1 million budget deficit. Federal authorities charged Herm Suplizio, DuBois’ ex-city manager, and his former secretary, Roberta Shaffer, with felony conspiracy and program theft. Officials allege Suplizio diverted money that belonged to the small city into secret bank accounts he and Shaffer controlled but over which the city had no oversight. Suplizio, they allege, used some of that money to pay off his credit cards.
Texas – Years into Their Work, Denton Ethics Board Is Facing Burden of Proof to Bring Changes to Ethics Code
Denton Record-Chronicle – Christian McPhate | Published: 7/10/2024
The Denton Board of Ethics has been in the process of updating the city’s ethics ordinance, which has been rife with issues since its passage in 2017. Critics claim city leaders did not follow the standard ethics model used across the state but instead created a Frankenstein version that has been haunting the board for years. The code has been called an “embarrassment” by David Zoltner, a current board member, in part due to the burden of proof requirement. It requires complainants to become what Zoltner called “amateur prosecutors” and prove their case at a public hearing.
Utah – Utah Supreme Court Sides with Opponents of Redistricting That Carved Up Democratic-Leaning Area
MSN – Mead Gruver (Associated Press) | Published: 7/11/2024
The Utah Supreme Court handed a victory to opponents of redistricting that carved up Democratic-leaning Salt Lake County among four congressional districts that have since all elected Republicans by wide margins. The ruling will not affect elections this year. The Supreme Court sent the case back to a lower court to revisit the process for redrawing the state’s congressional boundaries.
July 18, 2024 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance Colorado: “Dave Williams Sent the Colorado GOP $60,000. The Party Says It’s Not Reimbursement for Campaign Help.” by Sandra Fish and Jesse Paul for Colorado Sun New York: “Brianna Suggs, Targeted in FBI Raid in Turkish Straw Donor Probe, Is Still […]
Campaign Finance
Colorado: “Dave Williams Sent the Colorado GOP $60,000. The Party Says It’s Not Reimbursement for Campaign Help.” by Sandra Fish and Jesse Paul for Colorado Sun
New York: “Brianna Suggs, Targeted in FBI Raid in Turkish Straw Donor Probe, Is Still Working for Adams’ 2025 Campaign” by Michael Gartland (New York Daily News) for Yahoo News
Ethics
California: “Oakland Company in FBI Crosshairs Sought City Homeless Shelter Contracts” by Natalie Orenstein, Eli Wolfe, and Darwin BondGraham (Oaklandside) for MSN
National: “Biden Set to Announce Support for Major Supreme Court Changes” by Tyler Pager and Michael Scheer (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Even When Big Cases Intersect with Their Families’ Interests, Many Judges Choose Not to Recuse” by Noah Pransky, Brooke Williams, and Andrew Botolino for ProPublica
Nevada: “Grand Jury Indicts Ex-Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore on Wire Fraud Charges” by Tabitha Mueller for Nevada Independent
Texas: “Years into Their Work, Denton Ethics Board Is Facing Burden of Proof to Bring Changes to Ethics Code” by Christian McPhate for Denton Record-Chronicle
Lobbying
National: “Ex-CIA Analyst Accused of Working for South Korean Intelligence Service” by Aaron Schaffer and Ellen Nakashima (Washington Post) for MSN
July 16, 2024 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance Colorado: “Political Nonprofit Tied to Jared Polis Admits to Violating Colorado’s Campaign Finance Laws, Will Reveal Donors” by Sandra Fish for Colorado Sun Florida: “Florida Supreme Court Disbars Ex-Miami-Dade Judge, Citing ‘Pattern of Dishonesty’” by News Service of Florida for MSN Massachusetts: “Fine […]
Campaign Finance
Colorado: “Political Nonprofit Tied to Jared Polis Admits to Violating Colorado’s Campaign Finance Laws, Will Reveal Donors” by Sandra Fish for Colorado Sun
Florida: “Florida Supreme Court Disbars Ex-Miami-Dade Judge, Citing ‘Pattern of Dishonesty'” by News Service of Florida for MSN
Massachusetts: “Fine Dining, Cigar Lounges, and TD Garden Suites: Here’s what happens when Beacon Hill’s most powerful pick up the tab” by Matt Stout (Boston Globe) for MSN
Elections
National: “Trump Picks Sen. J.D. Vance, a Former Critic, to Be His Running Mate” by Meryl Kornfield and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
California: “Search Under Way for New San Diego Ethics Commission Chief” by Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union Tribune) for MSN
National: “Trump’s Classified-Documents Case Dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon” by Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN
Indiana: “Indiana Inspector General Clears State Employees of Ghost Employment, but Suggests Changes” by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz for Indiana Capital Chronicle
Lobbying
National: “Charities Are Allowed to Do Some Lobbying, but Many Do None at All” by Heather MacIndoe (University of Massachusetts at Boston) and Mirae Kim (George Mason University) for The Conversation
July 15, 2024 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance California: “California Limits Pay-to-Play Politics in Local Elections, but Federal Law Enables a Loophole” by Theresa Clift (Sacramento Bee) for Yahoo News National: “Influencer Running for U.S. Senate Challenges Campaign Finance Rules” by Taylor Lorenz (Washington Post) for MSN Elections National: “Shooting at […]
Campaign Finance
California: “California Limits Pay-to-Play Politics in Local Elections, but Federal Law Enables a Loophole” by Theresa Clift (Sacramento Bee) for Yahoo News
National: “Influencer Running for U.S. Senate Challenges Campaign Finance Rules” by Taylor Lorenz (Washington Post) for MSN
Elections
National: “Shooting at Trump Rally Comes at Volatile Time in American History” by Peter Baker, Simon Levien, and Michael Gold (New York Times) for Yahoo News
Ethics
Indiana: “Ex-Lawmaker Sean Eberhart Sentenced in Casino Corruption Case” by Tony Cook (Indianapolis Star) for MSN
National: “New York Judge Throws Out Rudy Giuliani’s Bankruptcy Case” by Holly Bailey (Washington Post) for MSN
Pennsylvania: “Secret Bank Accounts, $1M Deficit Plague City as Official’s Corruption Case Is Repeatedly Delayed” by Min Xian and Angela Couloumbis for Spotlight PA
Lobbying
California: “After Pushback, Ethics Commission Now Won’t Recommend That Nonprofits Report Lobbying” by Melissa Evans for Long Beach Post
Redistricting
Utah: “Utah Supreme Court Sides with Opponents of Redistricting That Carved Up Democratic-Leaning Area” by Mead Gruver (Associated Press) for MSN
July 12, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 12, 2024
![News You Can Use Digest – July 12, 2024](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Clinton Campaign Case to Prompt Review of Disclosure Exemption Bloomberg Law News – Mike Vilensky | Published: 7/9/2024 The FEC “acted contrary to law” in dismissing a Campaign Legal Center complaint alleging campaign finance violations by Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign […]
National/Federal
Clinton Campaign Case to Prompt Review of Disclosure Exemption
Bloomberg Law News – Mike Vilensky | Published: 7/9/2024
The FEC “acted contrary to law” in dismissing a Campaign Legal Center complaint alleging campaign finance violations by Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and a PAC supporting her candidacy, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled. The complaint accused Clinton’s campaign committee of accepting millions of dollars in undisclosed coordinated contributions from Correct the Record in the form of opposition research, message development, surrogate training, video production, and press outreach.
Judge Denies Effort by Trump Co-Defendant to Have Charges Dismissed
DNyuz – Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 7/6/2024
The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents case rejected an effort by one of his co-defendants to have the charges he is facing dismissed by claiming he was the victim of a vindictive prosecution by the government. The co-defendant, Walt Nauta, who works as a personal aide to Trump, had accused prosecutors in the office of the special counsel, Jack Smith, of unfairly indicting him because he declined to help their efforts to build a case against the former president by testifying against him in front of a grand jury.
Immunity Ruling Leaves Judge Facing Tough Calls on Trump’s Election Indictment
DNyuz – Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 7/9/2024
The Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity will land back with the judge who is handling the case from which it sprang – the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan will face a daunting task. She will have to make decisions about which of the indictment’s allegations can move forward and which will have to be tossed out. The Supreme Court has held that former presidents are completely protected against accusations arising from their core constitutional duties, but that they can face prosecution for unofficial acts they took while in the White House.
Broken Records: Citizens face growing obstacles to public records, and lawmakers make it worse
Jefferson Public Radio – Daniel Walters (InvestigateWest) | Published: 7/3/2024
A rising flood of records requests – driven by partisan tensions, technological innovation, corporate data mining, and “vexatious requestors” bombarding governments – have increasingly swamped under-resourced records agencies. Across the Northwest, citizens are facing longer wait times, steep fees, and other obstacles to obtaining government records the law says they deserve. It is also happening at the federal level, with average wait times doubling in the past decade, said David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida.
Former Social Security Watchdog Abused Her Authority, Investigation Finds
MSN – Lisa Rein (Washington Post) | Published: 7/3/2024
The Social Security Administration’s recently departed inspector general abused her authority and undermined the integrity of her office while under investigation for misconduct, a report from a committee of federal watchdogs found. Gail Ennis refused to steer clear of an inquiry into her leadership of an anti-fraud program that issued extraordinary fines on disabled and elderly people accused of disability benefit fraud, investigators found. The report said she obstructed the probe by refusing to be interviewed, ordering subordinates and witnesses to limit access to information, and at times seeking to mislead investigators.
A Billionaire Is Boosting a Major Defamation Lawsuit against Fox News
MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 7/8/2024
Smartmatic, the voting technology company enmeshed in complex defamation lawsuits against Fox News and Newsmax, has a powerful new financial ally: billionaire tech entrepreneur Reid Hoffman, who is a co-founder of LinkedIn. Hoffman’s multimillion-dollar investment is intended in part to help the company sustain its costly litigation. Smartmatic has said the two news outlets smeared it by airing bogus claims of rigged vote counting in the 2020 election.
100 Years after Gaining Citizenship, Native Americans Face Barriers to Voting
MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 7/8/2024
A century ago, Congress granted citizenship to Native Americans, providing them the right to vote. A report from House Administration Committee Democrats argues the nation has failed to keep that promise of voting rights because casting a ballot is too difficult in many indigenous communities. The report takes aim at state laws that require voter identification but do not recognize tribal IDs; the failure to provide voting-related materials in indigenous languages; and electoral maps that split native communities into different districts, diluting their political strength.
Ruling Boosts Social Media Free Speech Protections, Some Say
MSN – Gopal Ratnam (Roll Call) | Published: 7/9/2024
The Supreme Court’s decision on two cases challenging social media content moderation policies could expand protections for tech platforms under the First Amendment umbrella even if Congress were to dilute other protections, according to legal experts. Companies posting user content on the internet enjoy a broad shield under Section 230 of a 1996 law. Lawmakers who want such platforms to rein in harmful content have threatened to revoke the section and force stricter moderation of what gets uploaded. But the court’s decision opens the door to broader, more fundamental cover from the First Amendment.
Bipartisan Senate Group Proposes Ban on Congressional Stock Trading
MSN – Jacob Bogage and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 7/10/2024
Members of Congress and their families would face stiff penalties for trading stocks under new legislation from a bipartisan group of senators. The bill would bar members of Congress from buying and selling stocks and certain other investments and impose similar restrictions on lawmakers’ spouses and dependent children by 2027. Lawmakers would face a fine worth their monthly salary or 10 percent of the value of each improper investment if they violated the new rules.
Political Ads on Social Media Rife with Misinformation and Scams, New Research Finds
MSN – David Klepper (Associated Press) | Published: 7/10/2024
Political advertisements on social media are one of the best ways for candidates to reach supporters and raise campaign cash. But as a new report from Syracuse University shows, weak regulations governing online ads and haphazard enforcement by tech companies also make ads a prime source for misleading information about elections and an easy way for con artists to target victims. The research examined more than 2,200 groups on Facebook or Instagram that ran ads between September and May mentioning one of the presidential candidates. Combined, the ads cost nearly $19 million and were seen more than 1 billion times.
Democratic Lawmakers Seek Criminal Investigation of Justice Thomas
MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/9/2024
Two Democratic U.S. senators announced they are seeking a criminal investigation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas over gifts of travel, a loan for a recreational vehicle, and other benefits he received from wealthy benefactors. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden said they sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting he appoint a special counsel to probe whether Thomas violated ethics, false statement, and tax laws.
GOP Jump-Starts 2024 Election Challenges with Trump-Inspired Lawsuits
MSN – Amy Gardner and Isaac Arnsdorf (Washington Post) | Published: 7/10/2024
The Republican National Committee has expanded legal challenges to voting and election procedures in key swing states since March, when presumptive nominee Donald Trump installed new party leaders with a mandate to pursue his unsubstantiated claims of widespread cheating. Critics say the challenges are legally frivolous. But the cases are dangerous nonetheless, they argue, because they are meant to further erode public confidence in elections and lay the groundwork to overturn the results if Trump loses.
Supreme Court Ethics Remain at Center Stage After Hard-Right Rulings
MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/5/2024
Legal experts say the Supreme Court’s recent blockbuster rulings coupled with ethics allegations against some of the justices have reinforced doubts among a large swath of the country over whether the nations’ highest court can be a neutral interpreter of the law. Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court, sees the scrutiny directed at the court as a positive step. “I’ve long believed that Supreme Court justices should be treated like politicians when it comes to assessing their moral character and potential entanglements,” Roth said. “We have moved to that place, and I think that’s positive given how powerful the justices are.”
From the States and Municipalities
Arkansas – Arkansas Official Rejects Bid to Put Abortion Rights Measure on Ballot
MSN – Frances Vinall (Washington Post) | Published: 7/10/2024
Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston rejected petitions to put an abortion access measure on the ballot this fall, blaming a procedural error by the organizing group. Arkansans for Limited Government gathered more than 100,000 signatures in support of a ballot proposal to legalize abortion up to 18 weeks after fertilization, and exceptions afterward in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly, or threat of physical harm to the pregnant patient. The group has faced a significant challenge in promoting its constitutional amendment initiative in what is sometimes ranked as “the most pro-life state in America.”
California – Big LA County Reforms, Including Board of Supervisors Expansion, Clear First Hurdle
MSN – Frank Stoltze (LAist) | Published: 7/9/2024
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors moved forward with a wide-ranging proposal to dramatically change how county governance works. The measure would expand the board of supervisors from five to nine members and create a countywide elected executive position akin to a mayor. Another proposed reform would create an independent ethics commission designed to root out corruption by elected officials. Supervisors would need to take a final vote on the package of reforms by August 9 to get them on the November ballot.
California – California Lawmakers Enacted a Bill to Limit Local Pay-to-Play Politics. Is It Working in Sacramento?
MSN – Theresa Clift (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 7/11/2024
Alvin Cheung, a founding president of California Northstate University, last year donated $250 to Sacramento City Councilperson Mai Vang’s re-election campaign. That amount was just one dollar less than the limit that would have prohibited Vang, who was facing no challenger, from casting a vote expected later this year on whether to award the university a tax break to build a hospital. Senate Bill1439 went into effect January 1, 2023, as a way to combat “pay-to-play” politics.
California – After FBI Raids, Oakland City Council Kills Plan to Strengthen Government Watchdog
Oaklandside – Eli Wolfe | Published: 6/27/2024
The Oakland City Council defeated a modest proposal to strengthen an agency that investigates public corruption and ethics violations. The decision raised eyebrows among those witnessed the FBI raid the home of Mayor Sheng Thao and properties belonging to the city’s recycling contractor, California Waste Solutions. The council rejected a proposed ballot measure to improve the city’s Public Ethics Commission.
Colorado Sun – Jesse Paul | Published: 7/8/2024
State Sen. Faith Winter violated the Colorado Senate’s ethics rules when she appeared to be intoxicated when attending a community meeting earlier this year in Northglenn, a legislative committee convened to investigate her conduct ruled. The Senate Committee on Ethics found that Winter, the chamber’s assistant majority leader, failed to meet the chamber’s ethics standards requiring that she promote public integrity and public confidence.
Connecticut – Did a CT Advocacy Group’s Email Violate Campaign Finance Law? SEEC Investigating
Connecticut Mirror – Andrew Brown and Ginny Monk | Published: 7/5/2024
The State Election Enforcement Commission is investigating a complaint alleging CT169Strong, an organization that has lobbied against Democratic-sponsored housing and zoning legislation in recent years, illegally assisted one of the group’s members who is running for a seat in the Connecticut Legislature. At issue is a message CT169Strong distributed in May as the group was lobbying against the so-called Work Live Ride bill, a piece of legislation that would have encouraged towns to approve more apartments near train and bus stations.
Georgia – Appeals Court Greenlights Campaign Finance Case Against Nonprofit Founded by Stacey Abrams
MSN – Robert Schmad (Daily Caller) | Published: 7/8/2024
A federal appeals court struck down an injunction blocking Georgia from enforcing a state campaign finance law against two nonprofits founded by former gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams. A complaint accused the New Georgia Project and the New Georgia Project Action Fund of illegally canvassing for Democratic candidates, including Abrams, during the 2018 midterm elections and failed to disclose millions of dollars in electioneering expenses.
Honolulu Civil Beat – Christina Jedra | Published: 7/10/2024
In Hawaii, “stay away” pay is the practice of giving public employees time off from work while they are investigated for alleged misconduct. Some 350 employees across more than two dozen state and county agencies were put on paid leave due to investigations into suspected wrongdoing from 2020 through 2023. An analysis shows paying these employees not to work cost taxpayers at least $9.5 million in that three-year period. When investigations, and therefore the paid leave, drag on for years, it can waste taxpayer dollars, cause already strained government offices to be stretched even thinner and reward bad behavior.
Hawaii – Honolulu Ethics Commission Says Number of Complaints Has Dropped
Honolulu Civil Beat – Matthew Leonard | Published: 7/8/2024
The Honolulu Ethics Commission says it cannot explain a dramatic fall in the number of complaints it received last year, but it is hopeful the decrease might be the result of more specialized training and expanded outreach. The number of ethics complaints the commission received in 2023 was the lowest since 2018, but the 160 it received in 2022 was a record. That spike could be attributed to the increased scrutiny of ethics rules following the guilty pleas of former state legislators Ty Cullen and Kalani English for taking part in a bribery scheme.
Illinois – Former GOP State Lawmaker, Candidate for Governor Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison
Northern Public Radio – Hannah Meisel (Capitol News Illinois) | Published: 7/10/2024
Former Illinois Sen. Sam McCann was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $700,000 in campaign funds and attempting to conceal his theft with false reports to state election authorities. McCann pleaded guilty to seven counts of wire fraud and one count each of money laundering and tax evasion after prosecutors had spent nearly three days presenting evidence against him at trial. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Lawless said McCann’s refusal to “accept responsibility” until the last possible moment factored into her calculation for prison time.
Illinois – Fate of ComEd Bribery Defendants Could Be in the Dark for Months
WBEZ – Jon Seidel (Chicago Sun-Times) | Published: 7/9/2024
The fate of four people convicted in one of Chicago’s biggest corruption trials will remain up in the air for at least four months as a judge considers the full effect of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that threatens the jury’s verdict. The high court ruled a law prohibiting bribery among state and local officials did not also criminalize after-the-fact rewards known as “gratuities.” The law in question is involved in five of the nine counts in the Commonwealth Edison bribery case.
Indiana – For Indiana Democrats These Days, Every Year Is a Rebuilding Year
MSN – Brittany Carloni and Kayla Dwyer (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 7/10/2024
Indiana Democrats have not won a contested statewide race since 2012, and party factions disagree about how to turn that tide: whether to run moderate or progressive candidates, and whether to focus on rural or suburban communities. In the absence of an elected statewide party leader, there is a tendency among some to blame the party chair, while his defenders argue naysayers have an outsized view of what role the party should play. The Democratic Party and its top candidates also raise far less money than they used to in Indiana.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Faces Higher Quorum Hurdle Under New Law
Louisiana Illuminator – Julie O’Donoghue | Published: 7/8/2024
The Louisiana Board of Ethics will face challenges conducting its business over the next five months under a new state law that gives Gov. Jeff Landry more control over the body. In August, the number of members required to hold a meeting will jump from six to eight of the current 11 members. Ten of 11 board members, instead of eight, will need to be present for the board to move forward with investigations of a potential ethics violation, said Kathleen Allen, the board’s administrator. The ethics board already struggles at times to maintain a quorum under its current threshold.
Maine – The Young People Striving to Make Their Mark on Maine State Policy
Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 7/8/2024
After Lianna Holden, a recent high school graduate from Lewiston, saw the devastation in her community from a mass shooting last fall, she took to the Maine Legislature to compel change. While testifying for the first time before lawmakers, Holden’s nerves were, for the most part, eclipsed by her knowledge of the legislative process. She had undergone training on grassroots lobbying, workshops on how to write testimony, and had been tracking the changing text and outcomes of gun bills and other legislation of interest to her and her classmates.
Missouri – Ozarks Nonprofits Reassert Political Neutrality After Drone Show with Campaign Message
MSN – Susan Szuch (Springfield News-Leader) | Published: 7/6/2024
A 15-minute-long drone show that included an endorsement for a Christian County Commission candidate left two nonprofits scrambling to assert their political neutrality, while highlighting a potential gray area in Missouri campaign finance law. Near the end of the display, which ran at the same time as the fireworks display, drones spelled out “VOTE JACKSON” in reference to Christian County Commissioner Bradley Jackson, who is up for re-election in November.
New Jersey – Can Pro-Trump N.J. Governor Candidate Keep His Popular Radio Show? State Just Ruled.
MSN – Brent Johnson (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 6/28/2024
The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) took a wait and see approach when it comes to whether the morning radio show of gubernatorial hopeful Bill Spadea violates campaign finance law. ELEC said the show can continue, but it will keep a close watch on what the Republican candidate says on the program and could act later. The hearing addressed whether the show amounts to an in-kind campaign contribution from the station that exceeds the legal limit because of the name recognition and platform he receives.
New York – Hochul Nominates Ethics Commissioner as the Panel’s Future in Limbo
Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 7/3/2024
Gov. Kathy Hochul nominated a New York City attorney to fill one of three vacant positions on the state ethics commission, even as the future of that panel remains in limbo following a recent appellate decision that found it was created in violation of New York’s constitution. Hochul’s nomination of James Caras, who last year retired from his role as special counsel to the speaker of the New York City Council, will be subject to a seven-day public comment period before being presented to a review committee comprised of New York law school deans.
New York – How a New York Democrat Lost a Progressive Ballot Line to a G.O.P. Proxy
DNyuz – Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 7/5/2024
When Mondaire Jones, a former Democratic member of Congress running for his old House seat, broke ranks and endorsed the primary opponent of U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman in a neighboring district, his longtime allies in the left-leaning Working Families Party were furious. It cancelled plans to campaign for former Jones in his comeback bid. Then things took an even more bizarre turn. The Working Families Party held what should have been a drama-free primary, but instead of nominating the liberal Jones, voters overwhelmingly chose the unlikeliest of alternatives as their nominee: a bankrupt local businessperson propped up by Republicans.
New York – NRA’s Ex-CFO Agreed to 10-Year Not-for-Profit Ban, Still Owes $2M for Role in Lavish Spending Scheme
MSN – Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 7/9/2024
The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) former finance czar, Wilson Phillips, has been banned for a decade from managing money for any nonprofit company in New York, the state’s attorney general said. Phillips agreed to the ban after a jury found him liable in a scheme to have the gun rights organization bankroll the extravagant lifestyle of the NRA’s longtime chief executive, Wayne LaPierre. Phillips still must pay $2 million in damages to the NRA for his role in concealing and enabling LaPierre’s spending.
Ohio – Ex-Lobbyist Serving 5 Years After Conviction in FirstEnergy Bribery Trial Argues Appeal
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 7/3/2024
A former lobbyist, sentenced to five years in prison after a jury found he bribed a political operative with $15,000 for private campaign information, argued to appellate judges that he did nothing illegal. Matt Borges, once the chair of the Ohio Republican Party who later worked for FirstEnergy Solutions, told judges on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals prosecutors relied on Borges’ use of mob-like language in text messages rather than their underlying substance when they accused him of racketeering.
Oregon – Oregon Ethics Laws Don’t Bar First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson from Unpaid Work in Wife’s Administration
MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 7/10/2024
First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson is allowed to volunteer in Gov. Tina Kotek’s office under state ethics laws as long as she does not personally benefit financially, ruled Susan Myers, executive director of the Oregon Ethics Commission. Myers provided the formal advice three months after the governor’s office asked the commission whether Kotek Wilson could develop, advise, and promote her wife’s priorities as a volunteer in the administration and whether the governor’s office could provide her with staff and resources to accomplish those goals.
South Carolina – A House Contest Where Race, Gerrymandering and the Supreme Court Loom Large
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 7/9/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court signed off on district lines in South Carolina that Republican state lawmakers said they had designed to benefit their party. The First Congressional District had previously been competitive but is now ranked solidly Republican by the Cook Political Report. The Supreme Court ruled the new district lines did not represent an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, overturning a federal three-judge panel. In dissent, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the majority had cleared the way for discrimination by giving states a green light for “using race as a short-cut to bring about partisan gains.”
Tennessee – Appeals Panel Keeps 21-Month Sentence for Ex-Tennessee Lawmaker Who Tried to Withdraw Guilty Plea
Kentucky Today – Jonathan Mattise (Associated Press) | Published: 7/9/2024
A federal appeals panel is keeping a 21-month prison sentence in place for a former Tennessee senator who tried to withdraw his guilty plea on campaign finance law violations. Former state Sen. Brian Kelsey had pleaded guilty to charges related to his attempts to funnel campaign money from his state legislative seat toward his failed 2016 congressional bid. His attorneys argued prosecutors violated the plea agreement when they said a harsher sentence could be applied after he attempted to withdraw his plea.
Tennessee – Tennessee Attorney General’s Office to Election Finance Office: We’re ‘not an investigative agency’
Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 7/11/2024
Despite a major funding increase for personnel over two years, the state attorney general’s office notified the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance it is “not an investigative agency” and the agency can find other options if it is not satisfied with the length of time it takes to complete probes. Deputy Attorney General Andrew Coulam said his office is a “law firm with only three investigators” specializing in Medicaid fraud and consumer protection and might not have the staff to do campaign finance investigation in just a few months.
Texas – West Texas Pastor Who Used Illegal Donations from Churches to Campaign for Office Is Fined $3,500
MSN – Jessica Priest (Texas Tribune) | Published: 7/8/2024
A pastor who used his parish’s resources to campaign for office and several pastors from other churches who donated to him were fined after the Texas Ethics Commission determined each violated election law. Scott Beard, the pastor at Fountaingate Fellowship church who was fined $3,500, showed a “lack of good faith” in accepting the donations and in posting campaign signs on church property for his unsuccessful Abilene City Council race despite warnings against doing so, the commission found.
Vermont – New Report Shows Who Has – and Hasn’t – Turned in Latest Campaign Finance Records
VTDigger.org – Shaun Robinson | Published: 7/10/2024
Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas released a set of lists naming which candidates have – and which ones have not – filed campaign finance reports with the state as of early July, a move she said would help shine a spotlight on those who are not following the rules. Candidates for the upcoming primary who did not file a July 1 report, about a third of some 300 running for state and county offices this year, are not necessarily out of compliance with state law, Copeland Hanzas said. She thinks it is likely, though, that some are.
Wisconsin – Ballot Drop Boxes Returning to Wisconsin Following Top Court Decision
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 7/5/2024
Liberals on the Wisconsin Supreme Court cleared the way for the use of absentee-ballot drop boxes, reversing a decision made by conservatives two years ago when they controlled the court. Ballot drop boxes were available for years in some Wisconsin communities, and their use was greatly expanded for the 2020 presidential election as voters turned to absentee voting because of the covid-19 pandemic. Top Wisconsin Republicans supported them at the time but turned against them after Joe Biden narrowly beat Donald Trump in the state.
July 11, 2024 •
Sacramento Passes Ordinance Amending Lobbyist Requirements
![Sacramento Passes Ordinance Amending Lobbyist Requirements](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Sacramento-Skyline.jpg)
Sacramento, CA Skyline - Basil D Soufi
The city of Sacramento recently passed Ordinance 2024-0015, which amends various aspects of the city’s lobbying code. The definition of lobbyist is amended to lower the compensation threshold of when a contract lobbyist must register from $3,000 to $1,500. The […]
The city of Sacramento recently passed Ordinance 2024-0015, which amends various aspects of the city’s lobbying code.
The definition of lobbyist is amended to lower the compensation threshold of when a contract lobbyist must register from $3,000 to $1,500.
The threshold for a business or organization lobbyist is lowered from 100 hours to 15 hours or more in any three-month period for owners, officers, and employees.
Additional reporting requirements were added for both a contract lobbyist and business or organization lobbyist.
A contract lobbyist must now report the dollar amount of either the received or agreed-upon compensation from each client regarding each legislative or administrative action the lobbyist sought to influence on behalf of the client.
A business or organization lobbyist must now report the dollar amount, in terms of salary or wages, of the time spent by each owner, officer, or employee who conducted lobbying activities for each legislative or administrative action.
Lobbyists must also report all campaign contributions made by a lobbyist (or a client at the lobbyist’s behest) to any city official regardless of the amount.
Finally, the city has passed a gift limit of $10 per calendar month from city lobbyists to any city official. Ordinance 2024-0015 becomes effective July 25.
July 9, 2024 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance New Jersey: “Can Pro-Trump N.J. Governor Candidate Keep His Popular Radio Show? State Just Ruled.” by Brent Johnson (NJ Advance Media) for MSN Texas: “West Texas Pastor Who Used Illegal Donations from Churches to Campaign for Office Is Fined $3,500” by Jessica […]
Campaign Finance
New Jersey: “Can Pro-Trump N.J. Governor Candidate Keep His Popular Radio Show? State Just Ruled.” by Brent Johnson (NJ Advance Media) for MSN
Texas: “West Texas Pastor Who Used Illegal Donations from Churches to Campaign for Office Is Fined $3,500” by Jessica Priest (Texas Tribune) for MSN
Elections
National: “A Billionaire Is Boosting a Major Defamation Lawsuit against Fox News” by Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “100 Years after Gaining Citizenship, Native Americans Face Barriers to Voting” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN
Ethics
California: “After FBI Raids, Oakland City Council Kills Plan to Strengthen Government Watchdog” by Eli Wolfe for Oaklandside
National: “Judge Denies Effort by Trump Co-Defendant to Have Charges Dismissed” by Alan Feuer (New York Times) for DNyuz
Hawaii: “Honolulu Ethics Commission Says Number of Complaints Has Dropped” by Matthew Leonard for Honolulu Civil Beat
Lobbying
Maine: “The Young People Striving to Make Their Mark on Maine State Policy” by Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) for Yahoo News
July 5, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 5, 2024
![News You Can Use Digest – July 5, 2024](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Stephen Bannon Plans to Record His Podcast and Then Report to Prison DNyuz – Ken Bensinger (New York Times) | Published: 7/1/2024 Immediately before reporting for a four-month sentence in federal prison, Stephen Bannon, the longtime adviser to former President Trump, […]
National/Federal
Stephen Bannon Plans to Record His Podcast and Then Report to Prison
DNyuz – Ken Bensinger (New York Times) | Published: 7/1/2024
Immediately before reporting for a four-month sentence in federal prison, Stephen Bannon, the longtime adviser to former President Trump, will host the two final hours of his podcast from just outside the low-security facility in Danbury, Connecticut. Bannon lost his last-ditch bid to avoid incarceration after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request to postpone the sentence while he appealed a verdict that found him guilty of contempt for ignoring a congressional subpoena.
Departing FDA Staffers Told They Can Still Influence the Agency in Big Pharma Jobs: BMJ report
FiercePharma – Andrea Park | Published: 7/1/2024
Former FDA employees are prohibited from engaging in certain lobbying activities, but an investigation published in The BMJ claims the agency’s staffers are often advised of loopholes in those regulations on their way out the door. Internal emails reportedly show, for example, that FDA ethics staff telling two agency officials who had worked on COVID-19 vaccine approvals and who were moving on to roles at Moderna they could still work with the FDA indirectly, “behind the scenes,” from their new positions.
Supreme Court Orders Second Look at Texas and Florida Social Media Laws
MSN – Ann Marimow and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 7/1/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court ordered lower courts to take a second look at a pair of laws in Texas and Florida that would have prevented social media companies from removing certain political posts or accounts, saying the courts had not fully addressed the First Amendment issues at play. The justices voided the judgments of separate appeals courts that had reached opposite conclusions about whether the laws were constitutional, ordering both to perform a deeper analysis of whether the statutes violate the right to free speech.
Judge Cannon Orders Hearing for Trump to Challenge Mar-a-Lago Search
MSN – Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 6/27/2024
U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon will hold a hearing for Donald Trump’s lawyers to challenge some of the evidence gathered against him for alleged mishandling of classified documents and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them. Cannon said “further factual development is warranted” when it comes to Trump’s challenge to the search warrant for his Florida home and private club. Trump is seeking to suppress much of the evidence by arguing that the search warrant was faulty.
Justices Strike Obstruction Charge for Jan. 6 Rioter, Likely Impacting Others
MSN – Ann Marimow and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 6/28/2024
Federal prosecutors improperly charged a January 6 defendant with obstruction, the Supreme Court ruled, a decision that will likely upend many cases against rioters who disrupted the certification of the 2020 presidential election and which Donald Trump’s legal team may use to try to whittle down one of his criminal cases. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said prosecutors’ broad reading of the statute gives them too much discretion to seek a 20-year maximum sentence “for acts Congress saw fit to punish only with far shorter terms of imprisonment.”
Supreme Court’s ‘Chevron’ Ruling Means Changes for Writing Laws
MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 6/28/2024
A Supreme Court decision left an uncertain and more difficult path for Congress to shape how the federal government carries out laws on major issues such as environment, health, immigration, and more, lawmakers and legal experts said. The ring overturned a long-standing legal doctrine called Chevron deference, which required judges to defer to an agency’s interpretation when it comes to regulations about laws that are ambiguous. Instead, the opinion says judges should give that deference only when Congress explicitly says an agency can make its own decision.
Thomas Uses Trump Immunity Ruling to Question Jack Smith Appointment
MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 7/1/2024
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas tackled a question in his presidential immunity opinion that Donald Trump’s attorneys did not bring before the nation’s highest court: Was special counsel Jack Smith legally appointed? Thomas argued both that the special counsel’s office needs to be established by Congress and Smith needed to be confirmed by the Senate. He said he tacked on his concurring opinion to the immunity ruling to “highlight another way in which this prosecution may violate our constitutional structure.”
Biden’s Lapses Are Said to Be Increasingly Common and Worrisome
Seattle Times – Peter Baker, David Sanger, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, and Kate Rogers (New York Times) | Published: 7/2/2024
Like many people his age, President Biden, 81, has long experienced instances in which he mangled a sentence, forgot a name, or mixed up a few facts, even though he could be sharp engaged most of the time. But people in the room with him more recently said the lapses seemed to be growing more frequent, more pronounced, and more worrisome. He is certainly not that way all the time. In the days since the debate debacle, aides and others who encountered Biden described him as being in good shape – alert, coherent, and capable, engaged in complicated and important discussions and managing volatile crises.
Ruling Accusing Former Miami Lawmaker of Campaign Finance Violations Tossed Out
WLRN – Jim Saunders (News Service of Florida) | Published: 7/1/2024
A federal appeals court tossed out a ruling that would have led to former U.S. Rep. David Rivera getting hit with a $456,000 fine in a case involving campaign finance violations. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a District Court judge improperly granted summary judgment to the FEC in the case, which involves allegations that Rivera secretly funneled money to try to undermine a Democratic rival in 2012.
Ruling Further Slows Trump Election Case but Opens Door to Airing of Evidence
Yahoo News – Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 7/2/2024
The Supreme Court’s decision about executive immunity makes it all but certain that Donald Trump will not stand trial on charges of seeking to overturn the last election before voters decide whether to send him back to the White House in the next one. But the ruling also opened the door for prosecutors to detail much of their evidence against Trump in front of a federal judge – and the public – at an expansive fact-finding hearing, perhaps before Election Day. It remains unclear when the hearing, which was ordered as part of the court’s decision, might take place or how long it would last.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Appeals Court Upholds Core of AZ ‘Dark Money’ Disclosure Law Voters Approved in 2022
Arizona Mirror – Caitlin Sievers | Published: 6/29/2024
A three-judge panel of the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld most of the Voters’ Right to Know Act, which passed in 2022. But it concluded a provision in the law that bars the Legislature from limiting the Citizens Clean Elections Commission from enforcing the “dark money” disclosure provisions is unconstitutional. The law aims to eliminate secret election spending by requiring political committees that spend at least $50,000 in statewide or legislative campaigns reveal the identities of individual donors who give more than $5,000, among other provisions.
Arizona – In CD1 Race, Mysterious Group’s Ads May Have Violated Campaign Finance Law
MSN – Laura Gersony (Arizona Republic) | Published: 6/28/2024
A group spending money in the race for Arizona’s First Congressional District has not registered with federal elections officials in what one expert said could be a violation of campaign finance law. The Turn AZ Blue PAC has bought television ads against congressional candidate Marlene Galán-Woods, one of the six Democratic candidates looking to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. David Schweikert. Records show the group has spent more than the sum that is often required for groups to register with the FEC, but it still has not done so.
California – Judge Denies LA Councilman John Lee’s Bid to Short-Circuit Ethics Commission Action
Courthouse News Service – Hillel Aron | Published: 7/2/2024
Los Angeles City Councilperson John Lee’s attempt to short circuit an Ethics Commission probe ended after a state court judge dismissed his lawsuit against the commission, though he can still make many of his legal objections to the probe in an administrative setting. Lee is accused of accepting gifts without disclosing them while he was working as the chief of staff for his predecessor, Mitchell Englander. Lee was identified in Englander’s indictment as “City Staffer B” and was accused by the commission of receiving a free hotel stay and $1,000 in casino chips, which Lee lost playing baccarat. He also received roughly $4,300 in free food and alcohol.
California – S.F. City Hall Corruption Scandal: Former city worker sentenced to prison for taking bribes
MSN – Carolyn Stein (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 6/28/2024
Cyril Yu, a former San Francisco Department of Building Inspection plan checker, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for taking $15,000 worth of bribes from a local developer in return for expediting building plans. He must also pay a $20,000 fine. It marks the latest action in a public corruption probe city government that started with the arrest of former Public Works Chief Mohammed Nuru but included former employees and others working with the Department of Building Inspection.
California – ‘Recall Sheng Thao’ Campaign Refuses to Cooperate with Ethics Investigators, Faces Lawsuit
MSN – Darwin BondGraham and Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 7/1/2024
The Oakland Public Ethics Commission filed a lawsuit against organizers of the recall campaign targeting Mayor Sheng Thao. The lawsuit alleges the recall’s backers have refused to hand over fundraising records sought by the commission, which is looking into allegations the recall supporters violated campaign finance laws.
California – California Gubernatorial Candidate Spent Big on Vienna Trip – with Her Spouse’s Firm
MSN – Christopher Cadelago (Politico) | Published: 6/27/2024
California gubernatorial candidate Toni Atkins paid $22,500 to the Global Policy Leadership Academy, where her longtime spouse is the firm’s chief executive officer and its sole shareholder. Atkins described the money as going toward a trip to Vienna, Austria in 2022. California law bars officeholders from using campaign funds for personal reasons such as giving to a spouse or domestic partner, experts said. Ann Ravel, former chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, said the amount of money Atkins sent to the Global Policy Leadership Academy, a for-profit company, is not legal.
California – Reform Expert Robert Stern Joins LA Ethics Commission
MyNewsLA – Staff | Published: 7/2/2024
The Los Angeles City Council confirmed reform expert Robert Stern as the newest member of the Ethics Commission, marking the first time in several months that the five-member body has had all its seats filled. A nationally recognized expert in the fields of campaign finance and government reform, Stern was the first general counsel of the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
Colorado – Denver Clerk Applauds Passage of Campaign Finance Bill
LaVozColorado – Staff | Published: 7/3/2024
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston signed a campaign finance reform bill into law. It streamlines the Office of the Clerk and Recorder’s citizen complaint process and increases the office’s authority to levy penalties against candidates and committees who fail to report required information. Independent expenditure filers are also subject to new disclosure rules.
Florida – Judge Dismisses ‘Shakedown’ Lawsuit Allegations Against Alex Díaz de la Portilla
MSN – Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/3/2024
A judge dismissed allegations in a lawsuit against former Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla accusing him of attempting to “shake down” the operator of the Rickenbacker Marina by pressuring him to take on one of the commissioner’s associates as a business partner. Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mavel Ruiz ruled that, as an elected official, Díaz de la Portilla was protected by “legislative immunity” from claims leveled against him by former state representative and lobbyist Manuel Prieguez.
Hawaii – Mayor Signs Bill Further Limiting Value of Gifts City Employees Can Accept
MSN – KHNL Staff | Published: 7/2/2024
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed a bill aimed at bolstering public trust by further limiting the monetary value of gifts city employees can accept. The mayor said the measure was about bolstering transparency and accountability. “I cringe every time I hear people talk about corrupt politicians,” Blangiardi said.
Illinois – Pritzker Signs Bill to Increase Party Power in Primary Elections
WTTW – Andrew Adams (Capitol News Illinois) | Published: 7/2/2024
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzger signed a bill affecting primary election fundraising, the electoral college, and the state’s voter registration database. Under the new law, political parties will be allowed to transfer an unlimited amount of funds to candidates during primary elections. Another provision in the bill would change how the state handles the electors it sends to the electoral college during presidential elections.
Yahoo News – Alice Yin and Jeremy Gorner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/27/2024
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s letter to Illinois Senate President Don Harmon vowing not to shut down selective enrollment schools was directly edited by a Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) lobbyist and was preceded by an earlier version that made no such promise. Harmon pointed to Johnson’s promise in the letter as evidence of the trust between the two officials. But public records reveal a CTU official helped craft the eleventh-hour letter that likely saved the union and Johnson from an embarrassing defeat in the statehouse, as well as an earlier, watered-down version.
Massachusetts – Ballot Question Fundraising and Spending Largely Hidden from Public View
CommonWealth Beacon – Gintautas Dumcius | Published: 6/30/2024
Voters in Massachusetts will weigh in on a slew of ballot questions this November, with the competing sides raising and spending millions of dollars trying to convince them which way to vote. But who is behind the barrage of spending aimed at persuading voters will be largely a mystery until weeks before the election. In contrast to state election laws governing candidates for office, which require regular reporting throughout the year on campaign donations and expenditures, ballot question committees operate under relatively lax reporting requirements.
Nebraska – Some Nebraskans Say Misleading Words Led Them to Sign Petitions on Abortion They Don’t Support
MSN – Margery Beck (Associated Press) | Published: 7/1/2024
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office said it has received 91 affidavits from voters seeking to have their names removed from an abortion petition, claiming they were misled into signing. The vast majority, 67, came from those seeking to have their name removed from Protect Women and Children or other petitions seeking to ban abortions. Only seven had sought to remove their names from a petition to protect abortion rights.
New York – Giuliani Disbarred in N.Y. Over False Statements About 2020 Election
MSN – Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) | Published: 7/2/2024
Rudy Giuliani, the former personal attorney to Donald Trump, was disbarred in New York over his false statements about the 2020 election. The ruling found Giuliani “repeatedly and intentionally made false statements” about the 2020 election – “some of which were perjurious” – to courts, the public and state lawmakers. “In so doing, respondent … actively contributed to the national strife that has followed the 2020 Presidential election, for which he is entirely unrepentant,” the ruling said.
New York – Trump’s Sentencing in N.Y. Hush Money Case Postponed Until September
MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 7/2/2024
Donald Trump’s sentencing in the New York election interference case was pushed back to September, as his lawyers seek to convince the trial judge his conviction should be tossed out after a Supreme Court ruling that presidents have immunity for official acts. The conduct at issue in the New York case was principally about paying hush money to an adult-film actress and then reimbursing Trump’s former lawyer for arranging the payment. But Trump’s legal team may also try to use the new ruling to attack the trial evidence, since the Supreme Court ruled evidence related to official acts of a president may not be presented to a jury.
North Carolina – Republicans: Veto override levels campaign finance playing field
Center Square – Alan Watson | Published: 6/27/2024
Republicans in North Carolina say they evened the playing field of national political parties on campaign finance following an override of Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto. Democrats had access to more money because the Democratic Governors Association had a regular PAC while the Republican Governors Association did not. Both parties’ super PACs could not give to state parties directly, while their regular PACs could. The new law clarifies language on definitions of the political committees.
North Dakota – Ethics Commission Sees Uptick in Campaign Complaints, but Lacks Rules to Enforce
Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 7/1/2024
The North Dakota Ethics Commission has seen a rise in campaign-related complaints but lacks tools to address the allegations, Executive Director Rebecca Binstock said. Commissioners are considering adopting a new set of rules, so the board has more authority to investigate the complaints. There have been recent allegations of campaign fraud in North Dakota submitted to federal authorities.
Ohio – Lawsuit Challenges Ohio Law Banning Foreign Nationals from Donating to Ballot Campaigns
WCPO – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 6/28/2024
A new law banning foreign nationals and green card holders from contributing to state ballot campaigns in Ohio curtails the constitutionally protected rights of free speech and association, according to a lawsuit. Political committees involved in two ballot measures took money from entities that had received donations over the past decade from Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, though any direct path from him to the Ohio campaigns is untraceable under campaign finance laws left unaddressed in the law. Wyss lives in Wyoming.
Oklahoma – Oklahoma Schools Are Required to Teach the Bible, State Superintendent Says
MSN – Anumita Kaur (Washington Post) | Published: 6/27/2024
Oklahoma’s state superintendent mandated that all public schools teach the Bible in a move he said was meant to impart “historical understanding,” but critics say blurs the constitutional boundary between church and state. The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently rejected a proposed state-financed Catholic charter school, saying the first-of-its-kind religious public school violated the state and U.S. constitutions.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/28/2024
On a tie vote, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission decided to not pursue an investigation into whether Gov. Tina Kotek violated any ethics laws by elevating her wife’s role in her office. Commission members generally agreed a preliminary investigation produced no substantial evidence Kotek or her wife, Aimee Kotek Wilson, violated any ethics laws. It is unknown what role Kotek Wilson will have in the administration going forward.
Texas – Texas AG Ken Paxton Owes the State Thousands in Ethics Fines. Now His Own Agency Has to Collect It
MSN – Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 7/3/2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton owes more than $11,000 in fines for filing late campaign finance reports. His own office is charged with collecting the money. The campaign finance enforcement system in Texas is unusual. Ethics agencies in other large states, including California and New York, can file their own collections lawsuits without the attorney general’s involvement. In other states, such as Illinois, candidates who do not pay their ethics fines cannot get on the ballot.
Virginia – Judges Order Hate Groups to Pay Millions for 2017 Charlottesville Rally
MSN – Ellie Silverman (Washington Post) | Published: 7/1/2024
A federal appeals court restored more than $2 million of damages a jury said some of the nation’s most prominent white supremacists and hate groups owed for their role in 2017’s deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The ruling allows plaintiffs to collect, nearly three years after a jury said they were entitled to relief for the physical harm and emotional distress they incurred when white supremacists descended on Charlottesville in a weekend of hate.
July 3, 2024 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance California: “‘Recall Sheng Thao’ Campaign Refuses to Cooperate with Ethics Investigators, Faces Lawsuit” by Darwin BondGraham and Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN National: “Ruling Accusing Former Miami Lawmaker of Campaign Finance Violations Tossed Out” by Jim Saunders (News Service of Florida) for […]
Campaign Finance
California: “‘Recall Sheng Thao’ Campaign Refuses to Cooperate with Ethics Investigators, Faces Lawsuit” by Darwin BondGraham and Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) for MSN
National: “Ruling Accusing Former Miami Lawmaker of Campaign Finance Violations Tossed Out” by Jim Saunders (News Service of Florida) for WLRN
Ohio: “Lawsuit Challenges Ohio Law Banning Foreign Nationals from Donating to Ballot Campaigns” by Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) for WCPO
Elections
Nebraska: “Some Nebraskans Say Misleading Words Led Them to Sign Petitions on Abortion They Don’t Support” by Margery Beck (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
New York: “Giuliani Disbarred in N.Y. Over False Statements About 2020 Election” by Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) for MSN
Virginia: “Judges Order Hate Groups to Pay Millions for 2017 Charlottesville Rally” by Ellie Silverman (Washington Post) for MSN
Legislative Issues
National: “Supreme Court’s ‘Chevron’ Ruling Means Changes for Writing Laws” by Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “Departing FDA Staffers Told They Can Still Influence the Agency in Big Pharma Jobs: BMJ report” by Andrea Park for FiercePharma
July 1, 2024 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance Arizona: “In CD1 Race, Mysterious Group’s Ads May Have Violated Campaign Finance Law” by Laura Gersony (Arizona Republic) for MSN California: “California Gubernatorial Candidate Spent Big on Vienna Trip – with Her Spouse’s Firm” by Christopher Cadelago (Politico) for MSN North Carolina: “Republicans: […]
Campaign Finance
Arizona: “In CD1 Race, Mysterious Group’s Ads May Have Violated Campaign Finance Law” by Laura Gersony (Arizona Republic) for MSN
California: “California Gubernatorial Candidate Spent Big on Vienna Trip – with Her Spouse’s Firm” by Christopher Cadelago (Politico) for MSN
North Carolina: “Republicans: Veto override levels campaign finance playing field” by Alan Watson for Center Square
Elections
National: “Could Biden Be Replaced as the 2024 Democratic Nominee?” by Colby Itkowitz and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Judge Cannon Orders Hearing for Trump to Challenge Mar-a-Lago Search” by Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Justices Strike Obstruction Charge for Jan. 6 Rioter, Likely Impacting Others” by Ann Marimow and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) for MSN
Oklahoma: “Ryan Walters: Bible must be taught in schools, strict compliance expected” by Murray Evans (Oklahoman) for MSN
Lobbying
Illinois: “CTU Lobbyist Helped Craft Mayor’s Letter to Senate President at Heart of Springfield Selective Enrollment Fight” by Alice Yin and Jeremy Gorner (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News
June 28, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 28, 2024
![News You Can Use Digest – June 28, 2024](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Judge Skeptical About Request to Limit Trump Statements on F.B.I. DNyuz – Alan Feuer and Eileen Sullivan (New York Times) | Published: 6/24/2024 The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents case posed tough questions to prosecutors who have asked her […]
National/Federal
Judge Skeptical About Request to Limit Trump Statements on F.B.I.
DNyuz – Alan Feuer and Eileen Sullivan (New York Times) | Published: 6/24/2024
The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents case posed tough questions to prosecutors who have asked her to bar him from making inflammatory statements that might endanger any FBI agents involved in the case. At a contentious hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon seemed disinclined to impose new conditions on Trump that would limit what he could say about the FBI.
The Ballot Measures Aim to Reduce Partisanship. Can They Fix American Politics?
DNyuz – Michael Wines (New York Times) | Published: 6/25/2024
Americans of both parties routinely express deep concern about the state of the country’s democracy. This fall, many voters may have a chance to do something about it, by voting on state ballot measures related to the nuts and bolts of elections and governance. Eight states appear all but certain to field ballot measures that would either overhaul redistricting or rewrite election rules to discourage hyper-partisanship and give voters a greater voice in choosing candidates.
Michael Flynn Has Turned His Trump-World Celebrity into a Family Business
DNyuz – David Fahrenthold and Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 6/23/2024
Since leaving the Trump administration under an ethical cloud, Michael Flynn has converted his celebrity into a lucrative and sprawling family business. He and his relatives have marketed the retired general as a martyr, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for a legal-defense fund and then pocketing leftover money. A New York Times investigation found Flynn family members had made at least $2.2 million monetizing his right-wing stardom in recent years, with more than half of that going to Flynn directly. The reporting also raised questions about whether a nonprofit properly disclosed its payments to Flynn’s relatives.
Masks Are Going from Mandated to Criminalized in Some States
MSN – Fenit Nirappil (Washington Post) | Published: 6/24/2024
State legislators and law enforcement are reinstating dormant laws that criminalize mask-wearing to penalize pro-Palestinian protesters who conceal their faces, raising concerns among covid-cautious Americans. Immunocompromised Americans and civil libertarians who have criticized mask bans as a cudgel against protesters of police shootings, economic inequality, and environmental injustice say the bans are being revived because covid is no longer treated as a public health emergency.
Ronny Jackson, Wesley Hunt Face Campaign Ethics Probes Over Private Club Membership
MSN – Matthew Choi (Texas Tribune) | Published: 6/24/2024
U.S. Reps. Ronny Jackson and Wesley Hunt are under investigation for using campaign funds for private club memberships in a potential violation of campaign finance rules, according to the Office of Congressional Ethics Federal rules allow campaign funds for specific events at private clubs, but not typically for membership or unlimited access.
Judge Cannon Skeptical of Trump Claim FBI Mishandled Mar-a-Lago Search
MSN – Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 6/25/2024
U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon signaled that Donald Trump’s legal team had not convinced her FBI agents offered false information to justify searching Mar-a-Lago, a potential blow to the former president’s efforts to disqualify key evidence in the classified documents case against him. Trump’s attorneys asked Cannon to grant what is known as a Franks hearing, a chance to show the government intentionally misled a magistrate judge when seeking a warrant to search for classified material at Trump’s Florida home and private club more than a year after he left office.
Supreme Court Wipes Out Anti-Corruption Law That Bars Officials from Taking Gifts for Past Favors
MSN – Charlie Savage (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 6/26/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the bribery conviction of James Snyder, the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, the latest in a series of decisions narrowing the scope of public corruption law. In their ruling, the court’s majority drew a distinction between bribery, which requires proof of an illegal deal, and a gratuity that can be a gift or a reward for a past favor. They said the officials may be charged and prosecuted for bribery, but not for simply taking money for past favors if there was no proof of an illicit deal.
Supreme Court Allows White House Contacts with Social Media Firms
MSN – Ann Marimow and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 6/26/2026
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an effort to restrict White House officials and other federal employees from pressuring social media companies to remove posts from their platforms the government deems problematic, saying the challengers did not have legal standing to bring the case. The decision could have implications for efforts to combat foreign disinformation during a critical election year. The federal government largely halted its warnings to U.S. technology companies about foreign influence campaigns last year, after lower-court decisions that placed broad limits on such communications.
Robert Winnett Will Not Join Washington Post as Top Editor
MSN – Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 6/21/2024
Robert Winnett, the editor selected to run The Washington Post, will not take up that position after reports raised questions about his ties to unethical news gathering practices in Britain. Winnett’s decision is the latest in a series of convulsions at The Post. Sally Buzbee, the paper’s executive editor, stunned the newsroom by abruptly resigning. That coincided with Lewis announcing a plan to drastically remake the newsroom. In the weeks since, numerous articles about Winnett and Lewis have raised questions about their journalistic ethics and past conduct.
Judge Cannon Asks about Attorney General Garland’s Oversight of Trump Trials
MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 6/21/2024
U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon pressed the special counsel team prosecuting Donald Trump to explain Attorney General Merrick Garland’s role in overseeing the classified-documents case and then criticized a lawyer on the team for being cagey with his response. The back-and-forth took place at the end of a four-hour hearing on Trump’s request to dismiss the case based on a widely disputed argument that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed to lead the investigation.
Should Doctors in Congress Earn Money for Their Side Job?
MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 6/20/2024
House rules and federal ethics laws make it difficult for members of Congress who are physicians from practicing medicine while they are legislators. Rep. Andy Harris is advocating language in the fiscal 2025 Legislative Branch spending bill that would clarify the right of medical professionals to work for compensation while in Congress — though they would still be beholden to an annual second-income cap. Despite concerns from Democrats that the carve-out could create potential conflicts-of-interest and benefits a small subset of members, the language was included in the bill that the Appropriations Committee advanced.
MSN – Mark Olade (ProPublica) | Published: 6/24/2024
Across the country, more than 2 million oil and gas wells sit unplugged. Many leak oil and toxic or explosive gasses but the money held in cleanup funds is many millions of dollars short of the projected costs. As regulators and legislators seek to require drillers to set aside more money for the work, they have invited oil companies and trade groups to help write the regulations. This dynamic, politically expedient in states where the industry wields tremendous influence, has combined with secretive drafting processes and millions of dollars of industry lobbying to weaken or defeat proposals in various states.
Judge in Trump Documents Case Rejected Suggestions to Step Aside
Yahoo News – Charlie Savage amd Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 6/20/2024
Shortly after Judge Aileen Cannon drew the assignment to oversee Donald Trump’s classified documents case, two more experienced colleagues on the federal bench in Florida urged her to pass it up and hand it off to another jurist, according to two people briefed on the conversations. But Judge Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, wanted to keep the case and refused the judges’ entreaties. Her assignment drew attention because she has scant trial experience and had previously shown unusual favor to Trump by intervening in a way that helped him in the criminal investigation that led to his indictment, only to be reversed.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Leaked TC Energy Recording Prompts B.C. to Probe Claims of Outsized Lobbying Influence on Government
Yahoo News – Matt Simmons (Local Journalism Initiative) and Mike De Souza (The Narwhal) | Published: 6/26/2024
British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma asked a provincial watchdog to look into a series of bold claims about how an executive at a Canadian oil and gas company, who is a former New Democratic Party staffer, claimed the company had leveraged political connections to persuade the provincial government to significantly weaken its environmental policies. The executive, Liam Iliffe, began lobbying for TC Energy less than a year after leaving a senior strategic communications position in government.
Alabama – Alabama Town’s First Black Mayor, Who Had Been Locked Out of Office, Will Return Under Settlement
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 6/24/2024
Patrick Braxton will be recognized as mayor of the town of Newbern, Alabama, under the terms of an agreement to settle a lawsuit. It will end the dispute over control of the town government and pave the way for Braxton to take over as Newbern’s first Black mayor. Instead of holding elections for the past six decades, the sitting mayor appointed a successor, and that successor chose town council members. That resulted in an overwhelmingly white government in a town where Black residents outnumber white residents by a two-to-one margin.
Alaska – State Judge Upholds Most Fines Against Group Seeking Repeal of Alaska Ranked Choice Voting
Alaska Beacon – James Brooks | Published: 6/21/2024
Anchorage Superior Court Judge Laura Hartz ruled opponents of Alaska’s ranked choice election system violated state campaign finance laws in their effort to gather signatures for a repeal ballot measure. Hartz upheld almost all fines issued by the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) and concluded the state’s disclosure laws apply to ballot measures. APOC had issued more than $94,000 in fines in the case.
Arizona – Judge Disqualifies Himself from Lawsuit Challenging Ballot Measure on Judicial Retention
Arizona Capitol Times – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 6/25/2024
A judge recused himself from deciding the legality of a ballot measure that would give him and his colleagues lifetime appointments. But the move leaves unanswered who is qualified to hear the case. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Randall Warner stepped away after noting the lawsuit involves a bid by lawmakers to scrap the 50-year-old system that requires judges appointed by the governor to have to stand for reelection on a regular basis. All judges in the state’s largest counties are part of that same retain-reject system of elections. That means each of them is in the same position as Warner, with the same stake in the outcome of the case.
Arizona – Maricopa County Didn’t Enforce Campaign Finance Laws. Now, Political Groups Owe Millions
MSN – Sasha Hupka (Arizona Republic) | Published: 6/24/2024
For at least four election cycles, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office chose not to refer groups that had long failed to file reports or pay late fees to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for prosecution. That policy complies with state law. But some groups with large fines have not turned in the required paperwork in years, robbing county residents of vital and legally required information. Former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said county election officials’ decision not to enforce campaign finance rules was “a dereliction.”
California – FBI Raid of Oakland Mayor Rocks City, Fuels Questions Over Family’s Political Influence
Yahoo News – Salvador Hernandez and Ruben Vives (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 6/22/2024
FBI agents raided the home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, casting a renewed spotlight on a years-long probe into the political influence, and campaign finance machinations, of one prominent local family. For five years, the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and the state Fair Political Practices Commission have been investigating allegations that executives at California Waste Solutions, namely members of the Duong family, used “straw donors” to circumvent donation limits and fill the campaign coffers of public officials.
Colorado – Capitol’s Alcohol Culture Under Scrutiny in Sen. Faith Winter’s Ethics Investigation
Colorado Politics – Marissa Ventrelli | Published: 6/23/2024
Friends and colleagues of Colorado Sen. Faith Winter argued a culture that normalizes alcoholism at the state Capitol is a contributing factor to her behavior at a Northglenn City Council meeting in April, which is now the subject of an ethics complaint. The city council had alleged Winter failed to uphold her official duties as a lawmaker when she attended the April meeting while appearing intoxicated. The Senate Committee on Ethics decided to investigate whether Winter violated the chamber’s ethics rules.
Florida – Government Watchdogs Will Lose Some Ethics Oversight Powers Under Bill DeSantis Signed
MSN – Ana Ceballos (Miami Herald) | Published: 6/21/2024
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly approved new restrictions on how watchdog commissions can investigate state and local officials for suspected public corruption and ethical violations, even as local officials say the move will likely result in less government oversight. Under the new law, state and local ethics panels will be allowed to investigate complaints against public officials only if someone with personal knowledge “other than hearsay” is willing to identify themselves by name and file a complaint under oath about suspected wrongdoing.
Illinois – Former Illinois Lawmaker Gets a Year in Prison for Cheating on Her Taxes
Chicago Sun-Times – Jon Seidel | Published: 6/21/2024
A federal judge sentenced former Illinois Sen. Annazette Collins to a year in prison for cheating on her taxes in a case with ties to the same investigation that snared indicted former House Speaker Michael Madigan. Prosecutors say she ultimately dodged more than $150,000 in taxes. The case revolved around Collins’ work with her lobbying firm, Kourtnie Nicole Corp., following her years in the Legislature.
Illinois – Ex-Ald. Ed Burke Hit with 2-Year Prison Sentence: ‘I regret the pain and sorrow I have caused’
WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 6/24/2024
A federal judge sentenced former Ald. Edward Burke, the longest-serving city council member in Chicago history, to two years in prison after he was found guilty of racketeering, bribery, and extortion. Burke used his powerful position to force those doing business with the city to hire his private law firm. His trial included testimony from three dozen witnesses and 100 recordings made as part of a court-authorized wiretap and undercover efforts by former Ald. Danny Solis.
Maryland – Former Pr. George’s Councilman Mel Franklin Charged with Embezzlement
MSN – Katie Mettler, Latesha Beachum, and Jasmine Hulton (Washington Post) | Published: 6/20/2024
Former Prince George’s County Councilperson Jamel Franklin was charged in a felony theft scheme in which authorities say he embezzled at least $130,000 of his campaign funds to pay for personal expenses, including rent, loans, and cosmetic procedures for himself and a close friend. The charges come less than a week after Franklin abruptly resigned his seat as an at-large member of the council, a body he served on for nearly 14 years.
Michigan – Senate Symbolically Lets the Sunshine in as FOIA Reform Bills Advance to the House
Michigan Advance – Kyle Davidson | Published: 6/27/2024
Members of the Michigan Senate voted to advance an effort to expand the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Senate Bills 669 and 670 would expand FOIA to include the governor’s office and the Legislature, both of which are exempt under the current law. Michigan was previously ranked last among the states for government integrity. In a report from the Center for Public Integrity, Michigan failed in 10 out of 13 categories including public access to information, executive accountability, and legislative accountability.
Nevada – Commissioners Hit with Ethics Complaints for Attending Las Vegas Grand Prix
Las Vegas Review-Journal – Taylor Avery | Published: 6/25/2024
At least four Clark County commissioners are being investigated by the state ethics board for accepting tickets to last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Commissioners Tick Segerblom, Ross Miller, Justin Jones, and Jim Gibson confirmed they had received a notice of the investigation from the Nevada Commission on Ethics. All the commissioners who attended the race disclosed the tickets on their financial disclosure reports except Segerblom. He filed an amended report to include the ticket, listing it under a section for reporting meetings, events, or trips.
Nevada – Nevada Judge Dismisses Case Against Trump Electors, Citing Jurisdiction
MSN – Nicole Markus and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 6/21/2024
A Nevada judge dismissed the case against six Republicans who submitted certificates falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 election. Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus ruled the state should have filed the case in another county. Prosecutors said they would appeal her decision.
New Jersey – Norcross Indictment Shows How NJ Looks the Other Way on Conflicts of Interest, Ethics Expert Says
Gothamist – Nancy Solomon | Published: 6/21/2024
New Jersey’s attorney general indicted Democratic Party boss George Norcross, former Camden Mayor Dana Redd, Norcross’s brother Philip, attorney Bill Tambussi, and two business partners on corruption charges. The inclusion of Tambussi, who is the Norcross brothers’ longtime personal attorney and represents dozens of government entities, highlights what ethics experts say is a serious shortcoming in the state’s ability to flag and deal with conflicts-of-interest as he was able to represent clients on different sides of a transaction for many years.
New Jersey – Radio Host Bill Spadea Attacks ‘Extralegal’ Push to Review Campaign Benefit of His Show
New Jersey Monitor – Nikita Biryukov | Published: 6/25/2024
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea is arguing in a new campaign filing that his weekday radio show does not amount to an impermissible in-kind contribution to his campaign because it does not include direct appeals for his election. His two primary opponents are taking the opposite position, claiming the platform afforded to Spadea by the radio station amounts to aid well above the New Jersey’s campaign contribution limits.
New Mexico – Ethics Commission Asks Judge to Force Disclosure from Dark Money Group
New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 6/26/2024
The New Mexico State Ethics Commission is putting pressure on a “dark money” political group to comply with disclosure laws. The new group made a splash in April when it began airing radio ads, and its founder, Jeff Apodaca, promoted its political agenda on local radio shows. But unlike other political groups, the New Mexico Project did not disclose who contributed to the organization, or how it was spending the money. In a court filing, the commission laid out its case the group meets the criteria for registering as a political committee.
New York – Judge Partially Lifts Trump Hush Money Gag Order
MSN – Luc Cohen (Reuters) | Published: 6/25/2024
A New York judge partially lifted a gag order on Donald Trump following the former president’s conviction on criminal charges stemming from an effort to influence the 2016 election by buying the silence of a woman who slept with Trump. The revised order now allows Trump to speak publicly about witnesses in and eases a prohibition on his commenting about the jury but keeps in place restrictions on his statements about individual prosecutors and others involved in the case.
North Carolina – North Carolina Governor Vetoes Masks Bill Largely Because of Provision About Campaign Finance
MSN – Makiya Seminera (Associated Press) | Published: 6/21/2024
Despite changes made to North Carolina’s masking bill to quell concerns over the removal of a pandemic-era health exception Gov. Roy Cooper said he vetoed the legislation mostly for a different reason – a campaign finance provision tacked on during legislative negotiations. The clause would allow wealthy donors to give money to special federal political organizations that can then send the money to state and county parties.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/21/2024
A judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing Speaker Jason Stephens from spending money from the Ohio House Republicans’ campaign fund, amid an ongoing political battle with opponents from within his own party, and instead hands control to his opponents within the GOP caucus. It could complicate the ability of the dozen or so GOP candidates running in competitive races this fall to get financial assistance from the Ohio House Republican Alliance, which traditionally spends millions of dollars every election year.
Oregon – Former Oregon Officials Will Pay $2,000 Each to Settle Ethics Complaint Over Amazon Deals
MSN – Mike Rogoway (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/26/2024
Three former public officials in Morrow County will each pay $2,000 to settle a state ethics complaint over their dealings with Amazon. Investigators say the officials sometimes failed to acknowledge they might benefit personally when they voted to award tax breaks to Amazon data centers and sell land to the company. Each held a stake in the fiber-optic company Windwave Communications that provides connections for Amazon. The company said it had no indication investigators were looking at Amazon in connection with its tax breaks and Windwave contracts.
Oregon – Portland Weighs Tweaking Public Campaign Finance Program to Allow Larger Donations
Oregon Public Broadcasting – Alex Zielinski | Published: 6/24/2024
Less than five months from a historic election, Portland may tweak campaign finance rules to stretch the city’s cash-strapped public financing program. City candidates were emailed a survey asking whether the Small Donor Elections program should loosen its rules around the amount and type of in-kind donations nonprofits and other political organizations can give candidates. The proposal has drawn both praise and alarm from those involved in city campaigns.
Texas – Former Houston Development Official and 2 Vendors Face Charges in $8.5M Public Funds Scheme
MSN – Mike Morris (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 6/21/2024
A former Midtown Redevelopment Authority official and two vendors are facing felony corruption charges, accused of misusing some $8.5 million in public funds meant to build affordable housing in Houston. Charged in the case are Todd Edwards, the agency’s former real estate manager, along with vendors Veronica Ugorji and Kenneth Jones. Midtown has spent millions of tax dollars acquiring almost 500 lots in the city. It took neighborhood residents years of digging to discover Midtown paid a company Edwards himself formed $2.1 million from 2011 to 2020.
Texas – U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Texas Woman Who Claims She Was Arrested Out of Political Retribution
MSN – Isaac Yu (Texas Tribune) | Published: 6/21/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court revived the civil rights claim of a Texas woman who had sued her city for what she claims was a politically motivated arrest. The ruling gives plaintiff Sylvia Gonzalez another chance to pursue her retaliation claim against the San Antonio suburb of Castle Hills. Gonzalez was arrested in 2019 for allegedly stealing a government document soon after taking office as city council member.
Vermont – Vermont to Pay $175,000 After Man Charged for Raising Middle Finger at State Trooper
MSN – Victoria Bisett (Washington Post) | Published: 6/27/2024
The state of Vermont agreed to pay $175,000 to settle a lawsuit filed after a man was charged with a crime for raising his middle finger at a state trooper. The American Civil Liberties Union’s Vermont chapter, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the man, accused state trooper Jay Riggen of subjecting Gregory Bombard to an “unnecessary traffic stop and retaliatory arrest” that violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights.
Vermont – To Fund Lawsuit Over Education Secretary, Senators Sought Donations
VTDigger.org – Ethan Weinstein | Published: 6/24/2024
Two state senators announced they were suing Vermont Gov. Phil Scott over his appointment of interim Education Secretary Zoie Saunders. Sens. Tanya Vyhovsky and Dick McCormack said they raised more than $11,000 to fund the lawsuit, but they declined to release the donors’ names. The unusual practice of raising funds to support the lawmakers’ lawsuit against Scott, and the reluctance to identify the donors, is a murky area not addressed in the state’s campaign finance disclosure laws.
Wisconsin – Former Deputy to Tearman Spencer Charged with Failing to Disclose Private Law Firm
MSN – Daniel Bice and Alison Dirr (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) | Published: 6/27/2024
The top deputy of former Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer has been criminally charged, accused of falsifying financial disclosure forms by failing to disclose ownership of his private law firm while he was representing the city. Odalo Ohiku’s private firm had a criminal defense practice, the complaint notes, meaning it could have been handling cases critical of the Milwaukee Police Department, which lawyers in the city attorney’s office are responsible for defending against charges of illegal conduct.
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