Campaign Finance

Oregon: “Oregon Power Players in Business, Labor Are Negotiating a Campaign Finance Package” by Dirk VanderHart for OPB

Elections

Arizona: “To Avoid Election Crisis, Arizona Lawmakers Try Bipartisanship” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) for MSN

Ohio: “Some College Students Find It Harder to Vote Under New Republican Laws” by Maddie Kasper (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Chief Witness Against Gaetz Is Cooperating with House Ethics Investigation” by Robert Draper and Michael Schmidt (New York Times) for DNyuz

North Dakota: “North Dakota Legislature’s Conflict Rules Span Decades of Controversy” by Mary Steuer for North Dakota Monitor

Lobbying

Florida: “Florida Senate Committee Advances Lobbying Transparency Bill” by Andrew Powell (The Center Square) for MSN

Pennsylvania: “Former Top Pa. Lawmaker’s Lobbying Firm Paid $41K by Game Commission in Unusual Arrangement” by Angela Couloumbis for Spotlight PA

Virginia: “Should Cities Require Disclosure of Lobbying Efforts on Planning Projects? Chesapeake Is Exploring the Issue.” by Natalie Anderson (Virginian-Pilot) for MSN

National/Federal

Luxury Spending, Internal Strife Leave NRA Staggering Into 2024 Election

Anchorage Daily News – Beth Reinhard and Sylvia Foster-Frau (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2024

In 2016, the National Rifle Association (NRA) endorsed helped catapult Donald Trump to the White House with $31 million in campaign spending. But as Trump stages his comeback, the NRA has tumbled from power. Internal feuds, corruption allegations, and an onslaught of litigation have ravaged the group’s finances and public image. Longtime chief executive Wayne LaPierre stepped down on the eve of a civil corruption trial, with prosecutors claiming he and other NRA leaders cheated donors by squandering millions on personal expenses.

In More Places This Year, People Can Vote in Their First Language

Center for Public Integrity – Katherine Hapgood | Published: 2/2/2024

A larger swath of the country will have access to translated ballots this year than in any prior presidential election. Under federal Voting Rights Act requirements, 331 voting areas in 30 states must provide language access to more than 24 million voters with limited English proficiency. But voter rights activists say the newest numbers, based on U.S. Census Bureau data, represent an undercount.

The Wild Probe into Investors of DWAC, Trump Media’s Proposed Merger Ally

MSN – Drew Harwell (Washington Post) | Published: 2/3/2024

In October 2021, Donald Trump announced that his media company, the owner of the platform Truth Social, had closed a merger with a “special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)” that would deliver to his firm $300 million toward his promise of giving “a voice to all.” By then, however, the insider trading by investors in the SPAC, Digital World Acquisition, had already begun. Digital World’s chief executive, Patrick Orlando, had been telling investors privately for months that he had been talking with Trump about the deal, filings assert, a violation of federal securities law.

Oversight Board Rebukes Meta’s Policies After Altered Biden Video Spreads

MSN – Naomi Nix (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2024

Meta was criticized by a company-funded oversight board for its “incoherent” and “confusing” policies on manipulated media after an altered video of President Biden spread on Facebook. The company opted not to remove the video, which had been edited to show Biden appearing to touch his granddaughter inappropriately. The board upheld the decision to leave the video in place but called on the company to clarify its policies amid widespread concerns about the risks of artificial intelligence.

Federal Appeals Court Rejects Trump’s Claim of Absolute Immunity

MSN – Alan Feuer and Charlie Savage (New York Times) | Published: 2/6/2024

A federal appeals court rejected former President Donald Trump’s claim that he was immune to charges of plotting to subvert the results of the 2020 election, ruling he must go to trial on a criminal indictment accusing him of seeking to overturn his loss to President Biden. The panel’s ruling signaled an important moment in American jurisprudence, answering a question that had never been addressed by an appeals court: can former presidents escape being held accountable by the criminal justice system for things they did while in office?

DOJ Report on Biden Classified Documents Coming Soon; No Criminal Charges

MSN – Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 2/6/2024

The Justice Department is preparing to release a special counsel report that is critical of President Biden and his aides for mishandling classified documents in Biden’s private home and former office, but prosecutors do not plan to pursue criminal charges in the case. Based on what is publicly known about the two classified documents probes, the investigation of Donald Trump seems significantly different from the Biden investigation.

In Stunning Vote, House Republicans Fail to Impeach Secretary Mayorkas

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany, Amy Wang, Marianna Sotomayor, and Paul Kane (Washington Post) | Published: 2/6/2024

A House GOP effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas failed as three Republicans joined Democrats in voting against what would have been the second-ever impeachment of a Cabinet official. Democrats have decried the process as a sham, with only two hearings that featured no fact witnesses or testimony from the secretary. Even if the measure had passed, Mayorkas was unlikely to have been convicted in a trial in the Democratic-led Senate.

Lawmakers Clash Over ‘Zuckerbucks’ and How to Stop Private Election Funding

MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 2/7/2024

A recent House Administration Committee hearing on private donations helping to fund the administration of elections was contentious. The hearing centered on grants the Center for Tech and Civic Life and related groups provided to state and local election offices in 2020. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife donated more than $300 million to the effort. Private funding is now banned or limited in 27 states.

The Evolving Watchdog Group Behind the Ballot Challenge to Trump

Seattle Times – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 2/7/2024

Since it was founded in 2002, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has been caught in a tug of war between Democratic donors who wanted it to wage political warfare and less partisan supporters who wanted to expose corruption and ethical lapses regardless of party. Donald Trump’s emergence as a political force changed the equation. During his presidency, CREW was able to satisfy both sides of the internal debate by training its sights almost entirely on him and his allies as they flouted ethics rules.

Special Counsel Questioned Witnesses About 2 Rooms FBI Didn’t Search Inside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Residence: Sources

Yahoo News – Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine, and Alexander Mallin (ABC News) | Published: 2/1/2024

Special counsel Jack Smith’s team has questioned several witnesses about a closet and a “hidden room” inside Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago that the FBI did not check while searching the estate in August 2022, sources said. The line of questioning suggests that long after the FBI seized dozens of boxes and more than 100 documents marked classified from Mar-a-Lago, Smith’s team was trying to determine if there might still be more classified material there.

Cast as Criminals, America’s Librarians Rally to Their Own Defense

Yahoo News – Elizabeth Williamson (New York Times) | Published: 2/3/2024

As America’s libraries have become noisy and sometimes dangerous new battlegrounds in the nation’s culture wars, librarians and their allies have moved from the stacks to the front lines. People who normally preside over hushed sanctuaries are now battling groups that demand the mass removal of books and seek to control library governance. Last year, more than 150 bills in 35 states aimed to restrict access to library materials, and to punish library workers who do not comply.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – ‘Issue of Transparency’: Arizona Coyotes’ land interest raises ethics flags for Gov. Katie Hobbs

MSN – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 2/6/2024

After voters rejected the Arizona Coyotes’ plans to build a hockey arena and entertainment district in Tempe, the team’s chief executive officer, Xavier Gutierrez, met with Gov. Katie Hobbs. That June meeting came weeks before an application was filed to buy trust land from the Arizona State Land Department under Hobbs’ oversight. Two months later, schedules show Gutierrez had another meeting in the governor’s office. That time, Gutierrez was to meet with Hobbs’ chief of staff, Chad Campbell, a former lobbyist for the Coyotes and whose consulting firm worked on the team’s Tempe campaign before Campbell joined the Hobbs administration.

Arizona – AZ Democrat Accuses Fellow Latina Lawmakers of ‘False Imprisonment’ Over Political Differences

MSN – Ray Stern (Arizona Republic) | Published: 2/8/2024

Arizona Rep. Lydia Hernandez is accusing fellow Democratic Latino caucus members of holding her hostage in her office for more than an hour last year over political differences. Hernandez also tried to lodge a criminal complaint in January with Department of Public Safety troopers at the Capitol about the incident, which she claims occurred after weeks of bullying, bigotry, and ageism by several Democratic lawmakers.

Arizona – Why Arizonans Can’t See Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Fundraising Numbers, but Can See Others

Yahoo News – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 2/2/2024

According to Arizona law, officeholders serving four-year terms who will run for a second term do not have to make details of their campaign finances public for three years. Prior to 2016, candidates and officeholders were required to make public reports at least every year. Under the law, Gov. Katie Hobbs does not have to publicly detail the money flowing to and from her main campaign bank account until January 2026, when she would face reelection. That leaves Arizonans in the dark for all of 2023, 2024, and 2025 as Hobbs has continued fundraising.

California – A Bill for Every Problem? Why California Lawmakers Introduce Longshots

CalMatters – Sameea Kamal | Published: 2/6/2024

It is common practice for California legislators on both sides of the aisle to author bills to make a political statement. Besides bills that are just political statements, dozens of others do not make it into law because they duplicate existing laws or are deemed “solutions in search of a problem.” Party leaders and committee chairpersons might be hard-pressed to block bill introductions.

Colorado – Supreme Court Sounds Broadly Skeptical of Efforts to Kick Trump Off Ballot over Capitol Attack

Associated Press News – Mark Sherman | Published: 2/8/2024

The Supreme Court sounded broadly skeptical of efforts to kick former President Trump off the 2024 ballot. Both conservative and liberal justices raised questions of whether Trump can be disqualified from being president again because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The primary concern was whether Congress must act before states can invoke a constitutional provision  that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.

Florida – Florida Ethics Board Plans Hearing in Miami Mayor’s Gift Case, Tosses Second Complaint

Yahoo News – Sarah Blaskey (Miami Herald) | Published: 2/1/2024

The Florida Commission on Ethics dismissed a complaint against Miami Mayor Francis Suarez that raised concerns over his use of city police officers as his private security while traveling the country campaigning for president last year. Suarez is still the subject of a second, ongoing inquiry by the commission into his attendance at high-priced sporting events. Ethics officials recently completed their months-long investigation, and a hearing date is expected to be set in regarding that case.

Florida – Government Watchdogs Warn Florida Legislation Would Have Chilling Effect in Ethics Cases

Yahoo News – Ana Ceballos and Joey Flechas (Miami Herald) | Published: 2/2/2024

As local ethics investigators dig into government scandals in Miami, state lawmakers are proposing changes that could reign them in by removing their ability to launch their own investigations into alleged public corruption and ethical violations. The Florida Senate passed a broad ethics package that would bar local ethics panels across the state from investigating misconduct by public officials unless someone with personal knowledge of wrongdoing is willing to identify themselves by name and file a complaint under oath.

Georgia – Larry David Breaks Georgia’s Voting Law in ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’

DNyuz – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 2/5/2024

Television comedies like “Veep” and “Parks and Recreation” have poked fun at the absurdities of national and local politics, but it is rare for them to zero in on the fine print of laws passed by state Legislatures. So, it was surprising that the end of the season premiere of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” took aim at the major voting law Georgia passed in 2021. It highlights a provision that bars third-party groups or anyone else who is not an election worker from providing food and water to voters waiting in line within a 150-foot radius of a polling place.

Illinois – Day in Court Postponed for Former Lawmaker Who Checked into Hospital on Eve of Corruption Trial

Capitol News Illinois – Hannah Meisel | Published: 2/7/2024

On what was supposed to be the third day of the corruption trial of former Illinois Sen. Sam McCann, the onetime third-party candidate for governor instead video-conferenced into U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Lawless’ courtroom from his hospital bed. McCann had checked himself into Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis after feeling unwell. McCann allegedly “engaged in a scheme to convert more than $200,000 in contributions and donations made to his campaign committees to pay himself and make personal purchases,” prosecutors allege.

Illinois – Ex-State Legislator Going on Trial on Tax Counts Stemming from Madigan Probe

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 2/5/2026

Former Illinois Rep. Annazette Collins’ trial on federal tax charges began nearly three years after she was indicted amid the investigation into an alleged scheme by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan. Collins, who worked as a ComEd lobbyist after her career in Springfield ended, faces charges alleging she underreported income and failed to file federal income tax returns for her lobbying and consulting firm.

Iowa – Founder of Group That Opposes Book Bans Files Ethics Complaint Against Iowa Lawmaker

Yahoo News – Chris Higgins (Des Moines Register) | Published: 2/2/2024

Sara Hayden Parris, president of Annie’s Foundation, a group that draws attention to book bans and hands out free copies of books that have been challenged or removed from libraries, filed an ethics complaint against state Rep. Jeff Shipley alleging defamation. Hayden Parris alleges Shipley broke the House ethics code and used social media to defame her and falsely accuse her of breaking the law by giving obscene material to children. Her complaint refers to a back-and-forth thread they had on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Louisiana – Campaign Cash Covers Louisiana Officials Tabs at Washington Mardi Gras

Louisiana Illuminator – Julie O’Donoghue | Published: 2/5/2024

Each year, thousands of Louisiana residents kick off carnival season at one of the state’s premiere annual political events, Washington Mardi Gras. The four-day festival features a formal ball, industry group luncheons, panel discussions, fundraisers, and plenty of parties thrown by the politically connected. Private businesses the government regulates are among the most visible sponsors of the event. Louisiana elected officials and candidates spent a total of $605,000 from their campaign accounts and PACs on the 2023 celebration.

Maryland – Baltimore Mayoral Candidate Thiru Vignarajah Could Access Up to $1.7M in Public Money for Campaign

Yahoo News – Emily Opilo (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 2/5/2024

In his previous three bids for office, Baltimore mayoral candidate Thiru Vignarajah has run financially competitive campaigns, some costing upward of $1 million, fueled by donations from some of the region’s most well-funded business executives and community leaders. In 2024, Vignarajah hopes to harness hundreds of thousands of dollars in public money – potentially up to $1.7 million – to help pay for his campaign.

Michigan – Bipartisan Bills Extending FOIA to the Governor and State Lawmakers Gets Senate Hearing

Michigan Advance – Anna Liz Nichols | Published: 2/7/2024

Michigan is one of only two states that broadly exempt the governor’s office and Legislature from Freedom of Information Act requests. New legislation would remedy that, allowing residents and journalists to seek out records to increase accountability in government. But the legislation’s bipartisan sponsors reviewed various special exemptions that will be afforded to the governor’s office, lieutenant governor’s office, and Legislature outside of exemptions made for other elected officials and state agencies.

New Hampshire – New Hampshire Opens Criminal Probe into AI Calls Impersonating Biden

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski and Pranshu Verma (Washington Post) | Published: 2/6/2024

New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced a criminal investigation into Life Corp., a Texas-based company that was allegedly behind thousands of AI-generated calls impersonating President Biden in the run-up to the state’s primary elections. A multistate task force is also preparing for potential civil litigation against the company. Formella said the actions were intended to serve notice that New Hampshire and other states will take action if they use AI to interfere in elections.

New York – Scores of N.Y. Public Housing Workers Charged in Record Corruption Case

DNyuz – Jesse McKinley, Mihir Zaveri, and Corey Kilgannon (New York Times) | Published: 2/6/2024

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed bribery and extortion charges against 70 current and former employees of the New York City Housing Authority, a sweeping indictment for a troubled organization. In describing the scheme, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said dozens of employees, including superintendents and assistant superintendents, had taken more than $2 million in bribes from contractors seeking to do work at apartment buildings throughout the city’s five boroughs.

New York – Donors to Adams’ 2025 Campaign Say They Were Secretly Reimbursed Thousands of Dollars

The City – George Joseph (The Guardian), April Xu (Documented), Yoav Gonen, Bianca Pallaro, and Haidee Chu | Published: 2/1/2024

Three donors to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2025 re-election campaign recounted in interviews how they, and in two cases their spouses, were reimbursed for a total of more than $10,000 by hotel and construction executives in violation of state law. Suspicions of so-called straw donations spurred an indictment of a fundraising group involved in Adams’ 2021 race, which has led to two guilty pleas, and are part of a federal probe into whether they have been used to veil illegal contributions from the Turkish government.

New York – Eric Adams’ Former NYPD Colleague Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Straw Donations

Yahoo News – Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 2/5/2024

A former colleague of New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded guilty to orchestrating a straw donor scheme that allegedly funneled tens of thousands of dollars to Adams’ 2021 campaign. Dwayne Montgomery, whose career in the police department overlapped that of Adams, pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge. That accusation was one of several included in the original indictment that detailed a scheme to funnel illegal contributions to Adams’ run for office with the hope of reaping kickbacks.

North Dakota – North Dakota Lawmakers Scarcely Declare Conflicts of Interest

North Dakota Monitor – Mary Steurer | Published: 2/5/2024

North Dakota lawmakers are required to speak out if they believe they have a personal or private interest in the outcome of a bill, a policy intended to prevent officials from using their positions for their own personal gain. But conflict declarations are extremely rare. State lawmakers claimed conflicts on bills just three times in 2023.

Ohio – Battle Over the Ohio House: Speaker could be saddled with convicted Householder’s $1.6M debt

MSN – Jake Zuckerman and Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 2/7/2024

A legal fight over a $1.6 million lease backed by ex-Speaker Larry Householder’s political operation could reverberate in the expensive political battle for control of the Ohio House next year. Just before Householder’s 2020 arrest, his political operation signed a lease for an entire floor of the Chase Tower overlooking the statehouse campus. A slew of criminal convictions scuttled whatever Householder planned with the lease. Now the property managers say they are owed $1.6 million, and they want to collect from current Speaker Jason Stephens’ political arm as he fights to keep control of the chamber.

Ohio – Voting Amendment Backers Accuse Dave Yost of ‘Shameful Abuse of Power’ in New Lawsuit

MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 2/2/2024

Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would expand state voting laws have sued Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost for refusing to sign off on proposed petition language for the amendment due to its proposed title. The lawsuit asks the state Supreme Court to force Yost to approve the petition language, saying the attorney general’s office only has legal authority to determine whether it accurately summarizes the proposal, not to comment on the title, much less reject the proposal over it.

Oregon – Republican Senators Who Walked Out of Oregon Legislature Can’t Seek Reelection, State Supreme Court Rules

MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 2/1/2024

The Oregon Supreme Court said 10 state senators who staged a walkout last year to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care, and gun rights cannot run for reelection. The ruling upholds the secretary of state’s decision to disqualify the senators under a voter-approved measure aimed at stopping such boycotts. Measure 113 amended the state constitution to bar lawmakers from reelection if they have more than 10 unexcused absences. Oregon is one of four states that requires a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to meet a quorum.

Pennsylvania – Philly Sheriff’s Campaign Takes Down Bogus ‘News’ Stories Posted to Site That Were Generated by AI

Yahoo News – Maryclaire Dale and Ali Swenson (Associated Press) | Published: 2/5/2024

The campaign team behind Philadelphia’s embattled sheriff acknowledged that a series of positive “news” stories posted to their site were generated by ChatGPT. It came after a Philadelphia Inquirer story reported that local news outlets could not find the stories in their archives. Experts say this type of misinformation can erode public trust and threaten democracy. Bilal’s campaign said the stories were based on real events.

Rhode Island – Records Show ‘Not Adequate’ Vetting of R.I. Ethics Commission Appointee

MSN – Edward Fitzpatrick (Boston Globe) | Published: 2/1/2024

A public records request showed no sign that Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee’s staff knew about the sexual harassment complaints made by six women against state Ethics Commission nominee Bryant Da Cruz until minutes after his appointment was announced. Emails and text messages regarding McKee’s ill-fated choice for the commission last November show the main question raised was whether Da Cruz could serve on the panel while working as a federal political coordinator for the National Association of Realtors.

South Dakota – South Dakota Apologizes to Transgender Advocacy Group, Will Pay $300K Over Cancelled Contract

Yahoo News – Lauren Sforza (The Hill) | Published: 2/7/2024

South Dakota will pay $300,000 and has apologized to a transgender advocacy group after the state cancelled a contract with the organization. The Transformation Project alleged its contract became a “political liability” after a conservative outlet brought it and one of the group’s planned events to Gov. Kristi Noem’s attention. The group alleged its contract was “abruptly terminated” in December 2022 “based purely on national politics.”

Tennessee – Tennessee’s Legislature Can’t Move Past the Bitter Clashes of 2023

DNyuz – Emily Cochrane (New York Times) | Published: 2/2/2024

Tennessee House Republicans in 2023 expelled state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson for leading a gun control protest on the chamber floor, and festering tensions are surfacing even before lawmakers tackle the major work of the 2024 session. With their supermajority, Republicans can easily swat away Democratic objections to their agenda. That ironclad grip has pushed both Democrats and activists to turn to more aggressive tactics to draw attention to their positions.

Texas – When Mental Health Treatment Becomes a Political Identity

DNyuz – J. David Goodman (New York Times) | Published: 2/6/2024

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has spoken openly and often about her mental health, making her struggle with depression an increasingly central part of her political identity. Hidalgo has added her name to a growing list of politicians who have chosen to be public about their mental health. But the approach remains politically risky. Consultants still point to U.S. Sen. Thomas Eagleton, whose history of mental health treatment doomed his prospects as a vice-presidential running mate in 1972.

Texas – Texas AG’s Pursuit of Transgender Medical Records Stirs Privacy Concerns

MSN – Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 2/2/2024

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is using an exception in federal medical-privacy law to demand records from health-care providers far beyond his state’s borders – any hospitals, clinics, and practices that may have treated transgender youth from Texas. The aggressive attack on the LGBTQ community is one that legal experts say could pose a threat to medical privacy for all.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Supreme Court Grants Ballot Access to Presidential Candidate Dean Phillips

MSN – Jessie Opoien (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) | Published: 2/2/2024

Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips earned a place on Wisconsin’s primary ballot, the state Supreme Court decided. The court ruled unanimously that the state’s Presidential Preference Selection Committee failed to demonstrate it exercised discretion in keeping Phillips off the ballot. Phillips has challenged similar decisions in Florida and North Carolina.

A new bill introduced into the West Virginia House of Representatives could repeal all state lobbying statutes and criminalizes the act of paying someone to influence any member of the Legislature.

House Bill 5402 could also criminalize the act of receiving money to influence any member of the Legislature.

Both acts would be considered a felony and will constitute a fine or, after no more than five infractions, imprisonment.

Campaign Finance

New York: “Eric Adams’ Former NYPD Colleague Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Straw Donations” by Joe Anuta (Politico) for Yahoo News

Elections

Wisconsin: “Wisconsin Supreme Court Grants Ballot Access to Presidential Candidate Dean Phillips” by Jessie Opoien (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) for MSN

Ethics

National: “The Wild Probe into Investors of DWAC, Trump Media’s Proposed Merger Ally” by Drew Harwell (Washington Post) for MSN

Florida: “Government Watchdogs Warn Florida Legislation Would Have Chilling Effect in Ethics Cases” by Ana Ceballos and Joey Flechas (Miami Herald) for Yahoo News

National: “Oversight Board Rebukes Meta’s Policies After Altered Biden Video Spreads” by Naomi Nix (Washington Post) for MSN

Rhode Island: “Records Show ‘Not Adequate’ Vetting of R.I. Ethics Commission Appointee” by Edward Fitzpatrick (Boston Globe) for MSN

Legislative Issues

Tennessee: “Tennessee’s Legislature Can’t Move Past the Bitter Clashes of 2023” by Emily Cochrane (New York Times) for DNyuz

Lobbying

National: “Luxury Spending, Internal Strife Leave NRA Staggering Into 2024 Election” by Beth Reinhard and Sylvia Foster-Frau (Washington Post) for Anchorage Daily News

National/Federal

Biden Super PAC Plans a Historic $250 Million Ad Blitz

DNyuz – Reid Epstein and Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) | Published: 1/30/2024

The main Democratic super PAC supporting President Biden’s re-election bid, Future Forward, is beginning to reserve $250 million in advertising across the most important battleground states. It is the largest single purchase of political advertising by a super PAC in the nation’s history. The ads, which are to be split between $140 million on television and $110 million on digital and streaming platforms, will start the day after the Democratic National Convention concludes in August and will run through Election Day.

Voting Is Bewildering This Primary Season. That Worries Experts.

DNyuz – Maggie Astor (New York Times) | Published: 1/29/2024

As voters enter an election year in which many feel democracy itself is on the ballot, they face a bewildering set of dates and procedures to choose their presidential nominees. That is without even getting into the longtime snag of some states’ scheduling separate primaries for president and other offices, as well as special elections, all of which adds up to some voters having as many as five Election Days. A large body of research suggests that the morass could reduce participation.

Ex-IRS Contractor Who Leaked Trump’s Tax Returns Sentenced to 5 Years

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 1/29/2024

A former government contractor who leaked confidential tax records filed by the wealthiest Americans, including those of Donald Trump was sentenced to the maximum of five years in prison. Charles Littlejohn pleaded guilty last year to one count of unauthorized disclosure of income tax returns. He admitted leaking Trump’s confidential tax information to the New York Times in 2019 and then replicated his work the next year, filtering the tax returns and financial data of thousands of wealthy Americans to ProPublica.

Congresswoman Cori Bush Under Investigation for Alleged Misuse of Security Funds

MSN – Marianna Sotomayor, Perry Stein, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 1/30/2024

The Justice Department is investigating U.S. Rep. Cori Bush for allegedly misusing money intended for members of Congress to spend on private security. Bush has come under fire for using campaign money to hire her husband, Cortney Merritts, as her security. But the Office of Congressional Ethics dismissed a complaint filed against Bush last fall alleging her campaign’s employment of Merritts was a violation of federal election law.

Republicans Advance Mayorkas Impeachment as Democrats Decry Process as a Sham

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 1/30/2024

House Republicans voted to advance an impeachment case against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the full chamber, moving one step closer to impeaching the first Cabinet member in almost 150 years. Members of the House Homeland Security Committee advanced two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing him of “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and breach of the public trust. Democrats repeatedly asserted that Republicans have no constitutional basis to impeach Mayorkas.

‘Delusions of Immortality’: These lawmakers want Congress to get real about continuity

MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 1/30/2024

According to the Constitution, only directly elected representatives can serve in the U.S. House, which means a special election is called for every vacancy. But that process can take a while, and if a catastrophe struck, it could kill many lawmakers at once. Rep. Derek Kilmer sees an opening to talk about continuity planning – not the well-known practice of designating a survivor who could replace the commander in chief but the lesser-known ways of the legislative branch.

Who Are No Labels’ Donors? Democratic Groups File Complaints in an Attempt to Find Out

MSN – Brian Slodysko and Jonathan Cooper (Associated Press) | Published: 1/24/2024

For months, the centrist group No Labels has stockpiled cash and diligently worked to secure ballot access for a potential third-party presidential bid, striking fear among allies of President Biden that the effort could siphon away votes and hand the White House to Donald Trump. Now, two Democratic-aligned groups filed campaign finance complaints, hoping to crimp No Labels’ pipeline of campaign money and force it to follow the same rules as formal political parties.

Peter Navarro Sentenced to 4 Months for Contempt of Congress in Jan. 6 Probe

MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 1/25/2024

Peter Navarro, a White House aide to then-President Trump who claimed credit for devising a plan to overturn the 2020 election, was sentenced to four months in prison for ignoring a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Capitol attack. Navarro became the second senior Trump aide sentenced for stonewalling Congress’s investigation, joining Stephen Bannon, a former Trump political adviser with whom Navarro said he worked on a plan to delay and ultimately change the outcome of the formal count of the presidential election results.

Does Your Congress Need Fixing? Call These Former Staffers

MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 1/25/2024

There are a few well-trod career paths for a congressional staffer. Many decide to trade their hard-earned institutional knowledge for fat paychecks on K Street, while others put their experience to use working on some political passion project at an interest group. Others still leave politics behind entirely, and an increasingly rare few are lifers who never want to leave. But then there are some staffers who love Congress so much, they had to let it go. They left Congress so they could try to fix it.

State and Federal Lobbying Spending Tops $46 Billion After Federal Lobbying Spending Broke Records in 2023

OpenSecrets – Anna Massoglia | Published: 1/26/2024

Federal lobbying spending skyrocketed to over $4.2 billion in 2023, a nominal record, a new OpenSecrets analysis found. The report said lobbyists reported over $46 billion in combined federal and state lobbying expenditures since 2015. Influential corporations and other special interest groups wanting a say in policy decisions beefed up their lobbying game, and not just on K Street. Amid congressional gridlock, many moved to sidestep the chaos on Capitol Hill by realigning their influence operations to include state-level officials.

GOP Legislatures in Some States Seek Ways to Undermine Voters’ Ability to Determine Abortion Rights

Yahoo News – Christine Fernando (Associated Press) | Published: 1/28/2024

Legislative efforts in Missouri and Mississippi are attempting to prevent voters from having a say over abortion rights, building on anti-abortion strategies seen in other states, including last year in Ohio. Democrats and abortion rights advocates say the efforts are evidence that Republican lawmakers and abortion opponents are trying to undercut democratic processes meant to give voters a direct role in forming state laws.

Republican Lawsuits Challenge Mail Ballot Deadlines. Could They Upend Voting Across the Country?

Yahoo News – Christie Fernando, Emily Wagster Pettus, and Jack Dura (Associated Press) | Published: 2/1/2024

Republicans are challenging extended mail ballot deadlines in at least two states in a legal maneuver that could have widespread implications for mail voting ahead of this year’s presidential election. Democratic and voting rights groups are concerned about the potential impact beyond those two states if a judge rules that deadlines for receiving mailed ballots that stretch past Election Day violate federal law.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Trudeau’s Holiday Travel Didn’t Break the Rules, Ethics Commissioner Tells MPs

CBC – Elizabeth Thompson | Published: 1/30/2024

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to Jamaica did not break the rules that govern gifts and travel for elected officials because the stay was a gift from a longtime family friend, Interim Ethics Commissioner Konrad Von Finckenstein told Members of Parliament (MP). Von Finckenstein said the rules governing the gifts and travel that MPs can accept makes an exception for gifts or travel given by parents or friends. But the rules on MPs’ travel could be about to change.

Canada – Fundraising Scandal: CAQ says it’s ready to end donations to political parties

CTV News – Canadian Press | Published: 1/31/2024

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) said it is prepared to end contributions to political parties, after several CAQ members were accused of soliciting $100 donations from mayors hoping to meet with ministers. Under Quebec’s Election Act, only citizens, not legal entities such as companies or unions, can give to political parties. The law specifies that contributions cannot be given to gain a favor or an advantage.

Alaska – Dunleavy Reelection Backers Ordered to Comply with Subpoenas in Campaign Finance Case

Yahoo News – Sean Maguire (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 1/27/2024

A judge ordered backers of Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s reelection campaign to respond to subpoenas that seek to find whether they violated state law in the lead-up to the 2022 election. Two Alaska watchdog groups filed a complaint alleging the Republican Governors Association created A Stronger Alaska as a shell entity to improperly spend money in Alaska in violation of campaign finance laws.

Arizona – Rep. Leezah Sun Resigns from the Arizona House

KJZZ – Wayne Schutsky | Published: 1/31/2024

Minutes before the Arizona House was set to vote on expelling her from the chamber in the wake of an ethics probe that found she engaged in “disorderly behavior,” including threatening to kill a lobbyist, Rep. Leezah Sun resigned. An investigation determined Sun behaved inappropriately on multiple occasions while acting in her official capacity. That includes when she allegedly told several attendees at a conference that she wanted to slap Pilar Sinawi, a lobbyist for the city of Tolleson, and throw her over a balcony.

Arizona – Scottsdale Mayor Nixed New Old Town Restaurant but Denies Any Favor to Campaign Donors

MSN – Sam Kmack (Arizona Republic) | Published: 2/1/2024

Scottsdale’s mayor received nearly half of his campaign contributions over the past two years from employees of the prominent local development company that successfully fought to defeat a competitor’s plan to build a new restaurant in the city. Employees of Riot Hospitality Group, owned by Shawn Yari, donated $36,000 to Mayor David Ortega. The mayor cast a deciding vote to block the development of a proposed upscale restaurant that would have competed with Yari’s properties and plans.

Arkansas – Federal Appeals Court Won’t Revisit Ruling That Limits Scope of Voting Rights Act

MSN – Andrew DeMillo (Associated Press) | Published: 1/31/2024

A federal appeals court declined to reconsider its decision that would prevent private groups from suing under a key section of the Voting Rights Act, prompting a potential fight before the U.S. Supreme Court over a ruling that civil rights groups say erodes the law aimed at prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. An Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled that only the U.S. attorney general can enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

California – California Lawmakers, Raising Fears of Political Violence, Want to Shield Their Properties

CalMatters – Alexei Koseff | Published: 1/30/2024

Citing safety threats, California lawmakers are advancing a bill that would keep the property they own and other personal information from annual financial disclosures off the internet. Assembly Bill 1170 would shift to an electronic filing system for the statement of economic interest that elected officials and some public employees in California are required to complete each year. But a provision proposes to expand the redactions on publicly available versions of the form, shielding the addresses of filers’ real property interests and businesses, though they would still be available upon request.

California – State Auditors: Anaheim hasn’t properly managed tourism money

MSN – Michael Slaton (Orange County Register) | Published: 1/30/2024

State auditors said Anaheim has not properly managed its tourism contracts and millions of dollars in related funding, and some of that public money was used for political purposes. The audit put public money sent by the city to Visit Anaheim and the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce under a microscope for potential misuse of funds. The auditors are recommending the city implement additional oversight of its contracts and of the millions in tourism district funds that come from hotel stays each year.

California – Former L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison in Corruption Case

MSN – Dakota Smith and David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 1/26/2024

Former Los Angeles City Councilperson Jose Huizar was sentenced to 13 years in prison for using his position to shaker down real estate developers for at least $1.5 million in cash and benefits in exchange for help driving projects through the city’s approval process. Huizar was the prime architect of a criminal enterprise that relied on bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, and other crimes to achieve its goals of enriching himself and his associates, and expanding their political power, U.S. District Court Judge John Walter said.

Florida – Miami Mayor Pushed for No-Bid City Contract Benefiting His Private Employer’s Partner

MSN – Sarah Blaskey, Joey Flechas, Alex Harris, and Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 1/30/2024

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and his top aides spent months last year advocating for a no-bid city contract for a little-known software company that was simultaneously negotiating a partnership with a firm paying the mayor a $20,000-a-month salary. The mayor advocacy on behalf of the software company, NZero and the behind-closed-doors discussions involving its partnership with Suarez’s private employer, Redivider, were laid out in dozens of emails. The emails raise new questions about conflicts-of-interest involving Suarez, whose outside work for a local developer is already the subject of a federal investigation.

Florida – Federal Judge Throws Out Disney’s Lawsuit against DeSantis

Yahoo News – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 1/31/2024

Disney lost a battle in its struggle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after a federal judge tossed out the company’s lawsuit against the governor and his handpicked board that now oversees the land around Disney World. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor said Disney lacked standing and jurisdiction in arguing that actions pushed by DeSantis were retaliatory and violated the First Amendment rights of the company. Disney said it intends to appeal.

Florida – Florida Supreme Court Will Consider Challenge to DeSantis’ Redistricting Map

Yahoo News – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 1/24/2024

Florida’s contested congressional map that helped Republicans capture the U.S. House may get left in place for the 2024 elections after the state Supreme Court signaled it could be months before it rules on a lawsuit challenging the current districts. Gov. Ron DeSantis urged the Supreme Court to keep in place an appeals court ruling that upheld a map that dismantled the seat that former Democratic Rep. Al Lawson held, and which led to a net gain of four seats for Republicans during the 2022 election cycle. That map was muscled into law by DeSantis.

Hawaii – Hawaii Legislators Target Deepfake Political Messaging

Yahoo News – Dan Nakaso (Honolulu Star Advertiser) | Published: 1/30/2024

To keep artificial intelligence – or deepfake – messaging out of Hawaii elections, two bills would ban false information of a candidate or party, and a third would make it a petty misdemeanor to distribute, or conspire to distribute, fake political messages. A winning House or Senate candidate often needs only 3,000 votes or so. The outcome could be determined by “a handful of votes that could very easily be swayed by deepfake messaging in the critical hours before the vote …,” Rep. Trisha La Chica said.

Indiana – An Indiana State Senator Could Benefit from Her Bill Easing Child Labor Laws. Here’s How

MSN – Brittany Carloni and Rachel Fradette (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 1/30/2024

A bill by state Sen. Linda Rogers would expand work hours and time restrictions for young people and allow 18-year-olds to serve alcohol in restaurants and hotels. Rogers and her husband own Juday Creek Golf Course, which is registered as a business that employs minors. The potential connection between the bill and Rogers’ business points to the challenge, or benefit some might say, of having a part-time Legislature, where lawmakers have other sources of income or jobs in their home communities, ethics experts said.

Nevada – Court Dismisses Lombardo Ethics Case on ‘Technicality,’ Attorneys Intend to Appeal

Nevada Independent – Tabitha Mueller | Published: 1/31/2024

A Carson City judge in early January dismissed a lawsuit filed by Gov. Joe Lombardo challenging a decision from the Nevada Commission on Ethics to censure and fine the governor for using his Clark County sheriff uniform and badge on the 2022 campaign trail, but attorneys for Lombardo said they were unaware of the court’s order until recently and plan to appeal. Judge James Russell’s order, which ethics commission attorneys were also unaware of, dismissed the appeal on procedural grounds.

New York – The Secretive Court Fight Roiling New York’s Democratic Socialists

DNyuz – Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 1/25/2024

As New York socialists looked to expand an electoral beachhead in 2022, they steered supporters to a special campaign committee set up to advance not just a single candidate, but a socialist slate. The group, DSA for the Many, allowed the fledgling movement to act something like a major political party, pooling resources and coordinating directly with a dozen candidates. Eight socialists ultimately won seats in the state Legislature. But a state elections official found the group never filed the authorizations needed to raise and spend candidate funds.

New York – ‘Full of Loopholes’ – Mayor Adams’ 2021 Fundraising Shows Weaknesses in Campaign Finance Law

Gothamist – Charles Lane | Published: 1/25/2024

Campaign finance regulators overseeing New York City’s matching funds program for campaigns flagged nearly 400 donations to Eric Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign as possibly bundled and requiring disclosure the campaign never provided, according to records. People familiar with the audit say it has been paused while the FBI investigates if the mayor’s campaign collected foreign and straw contributions. But the federal probe has also made clear that rules and enforcement around campaign finance in New York need improvement.

New York – Jury Orders Trump to Pay E. Jean Carroll More Than $83 Million for Defaming Her

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 1/26/2024

A civil jury ordered Donald Trump to pay the writer E. Jean Carroll more than $83 million for defaming her, a financial penalty that doubled as a denunciation of his rhetoric. The verdict delivered a stinging courtroom loss to the former president as he closes in on another Republican presidential nomination. At the same time, it illustrated the degree to which Trump’s year could be defined as much by courtrooms as the campaign trail.

New York – Justice Dept. Says Cuomo Created ‘Sexually Hostile Work Environment’ as Governor

MSN – Azi Paybarah abd Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 1/26/2024

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo “subjected female employees to a hostile work environment” and “retaliated against employees who spoke out about the harassment,” the Justice Department announced, after reaching a settlement with the state. The report is based on an investigation into allegations against Cuomo, who resigned after a state investigation found he sexually harassed 11 women and oversaw an unlawful attempt to exact retribution against one of his accusers.

North Carolina – North Carolina Redistricting Lawsuit Tries ‘Fair’ Election Claim to Overturn GOP Lines

MSN – Gary Robertson (Associated Press) | Published: 1/31/2024

Another lawsuit challenging district lines for Congress and the Legislature in North Carolina seeks a new legal route to strike down the maps that are to be used this year. Plaintiffs ask judges to declare there is a right in the state constitution to “fair” elections. They also want at least several congressional and General Assembly districts they say violate that right struck down and redrawn.

Ohio – Every Politician Has Got to Have Somebody That’s the Hit Man

DNyuz – Ian MacDougall (New York Times) | Published: 1/25/2024

In July 2020, the FBI arrested then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, lobbyist Neil Clark and three others on corruption charges. They were accused of taking tens of millions of dollars in donations from an energy company in exchange for passing a law that awarded the company $1.3 billion in subsidies. Householder was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Clark pleaded not guilty but committed suicide before a trial date could be set.

Ohio – Ohio Rep. Dobos Drops Reelection Bid Following Revelations of MIT Degree Misstatements

MSN – Billy Bush (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 1/30/2024

Ohio Rep. Dave Dobos, who drew scrutiny when it was discovered he had not earned a college degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as he had long claimed, dropped out of his reelection bid ahead of the March primary, where he faced two opponents. Just before the November 2022 election, Dobos said he was “in error” when he did not include on a required report that two creditors claimed he owed them $1.3 million as the result of a business dispute.

Ohio – The Comeback Bid Is On: Ohio Supreme Court allows former lawmaker to appear on ballot

Ohio Capital Journal – Nick Evans | Published: 1/31/2024

The Ohio Supreme Court cleared the path for Steven Kraus to run for the state House, sidestepping difficult questions about the former state lawmaker’s comeback bid. Kraus was removed from office in 2015 after a felony theft conviction, but he has since gotten that case sealed by the court. State law bars ex-felons from holding office unless their conviction is “reversed, expunged or annulled.” Kraus insisted his sealed case is the same as an expunged case, because sealing the conviction was the only option available to him.

Pennsylvania – Former Mayoral Candidate Jeff Brown and Super PAC Sue Philly Ethics Board

Billy Penn – Meir Rinde | Published: 1/31/2024

Former Philadelphia mayoral candidate Jeff Brown and a super PAC that spent millions of dollars to back his unsuccessful bid have sued the city’s Board of Ethics, alleging the agency used its power to undermine his candidacy. The board sued the super PAC and a related nonprofit, both called For A Better Philadelphia, during last year’s Democratic primary campaign, alleging its staff illegally coordinated with Brown and his campaign. Following the board’s allegations and a series of unrelated campaign missteps, Brown finished in fifth place.

Tennessee – GOP Ex-Lawmaker Using Old Campaign Cash to Bankroll Law School Bearing His Name

MSN – Mark Alesia (Raw Story) | Published: 1/30/2024

When Lincoln Memorial University received a $5,000 donation in October, it came from a familiar source, the old campaign committee account of former U.S. Rep. John Duncan, who last served in Congress five years ago. Over the past 19 years, Duncan has given more than $48,000 in leftover campaign funds to the university. That money has helped sustain the university and the law school that bears Duncan’s name. Campaign finance experts consider the practice as ethically murky when political donations enhance former lawmakers’ legacies with “monuments to me.”

Texas – Proposed Changes to the City’s Ethics Commission Falter

Austin Monitor – Elizabeth Pagano | Published: 1/26/2024

A proposal to remake Austin’s ethics panel as an independent entity appears to be on hold at the Charter Review Commission after a motion to form a working group to look into the issue failed without any support. Commissioner Betsy Greenberg, who made the motion to form a working group, presented her research on the topic at the commission’s most recent meeting. Most of her presentation centered on a 2018 recommendation from the previous incarnation of the commission.

Utah – Parents Claim SLC District Official Had a Conflict of Interest with School Closures

KUER – Martha Harris | Published: 1/26/2024

Some parents in the Salt Lake City School District are asking the school board to redo its recent school closure study over claims the district official overseeing much of the process had a conflict-of-interest. Brian Conley, the district’s director of boundaries and planning, was often the public face of this effort.  Critics note Conley’s spouse, who is the principal of an elementary school within the district, and that his stepchild attends a separate elementary school. Both schools were not recommended for closure.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Promises to Veto Last-Ditch Republican Redistricting Effort

MSN – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 1/25/2024

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers promised to veto a redistricting proposal the Republican-controlled Assembly passed and that largely mirror maps he proposed, but with changes that would reduce the number of GOP incumbents who would have to face one another in November. Evers’ veto will leave it to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to install the state’s new maps.

On January 29, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) published its price index adjustments for expenditure limitations and the federal lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

The lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold has increased for 2024 from $21,800 to $22,700.

This threshold amount is adjusted annually.

Federal law requires authorized committees of federal candidates, leadership political action committees (PACs), and political party committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists and lobbyists’ PACs.

Additionally, the FEC published its adjusted Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for political parties for 2024.

National/Federal

Billionaires Wanted to Save the News Industry. They’re Losing a Fortune.

DNyuz – Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 1/18/2024

There is an old saying about the news business: If you want to make a small fortune, start with a large one. As the prospects for news publishers waned in the last decade, billionaires swooped in to buy some of the country’s most fabled brands. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, bought The Washington Post in 2013 for about $250 million, for example. But it increasingly appears that the billionaires are struggling just like nearly everyone else.

No Labels Sued by New York Donors Claiming ‘Bait and Switch’

DNyuz – Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 1/23/2024

Two members of the powerful Durst real estate family in New York sued the centrist group No Labels, accusing it of pulling a “bait and switch” by seeking donations for a bipartisan governing group and then moving to fund a third-party presidential candidacy. The lawsuit seeks damages and reimbursements after the Dursts donated $145,000 years ago, when No Labels was founded on the promise of finding governing solutions.

Once Professor and Student, These Lawmakers Are Out to Protect Journalists’ Secret Sources

MSN – Megan Mineiro (Roll Call) | Published: 1/19/2024

Bipartisan legislation to protect journalists from government surveillance passed the U.S. House recently. The Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act would block federal law enforcement agencies from subpoenaing journalists’ emails, phone records, recordings, and photographs to nail down the identity of confidential sources in their reporting. It includes tailored exceptions for terrorism or threats of imminent violence or harm.

These Lawmakers Are Still Invested in Banning Congressional Stock Trades

MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 1/18/2024

Scrutiny of members’ trading has been building since the pandemic, when some lawmakers raised eyebrows by selling stocks soon before the market crashed. That prompted investigations from the Department of Justice, though no charges were filed. Reports from the media followed, highlighting a litany of questionable deals coming from the Capitol. Advocates say a ban on individual trades would curb worries about conflicts-of-interest and insider trading in Congress. But lack of buy-in from leadership has been a sticking point.

Here’s How ChatGPT Maker OpenAI Plans to Deter Election Misinformation in 2024

MSN – Ali Swenson (Associated Press) | Published: 1/16/2024

ChatGPT maker OpenAI outlined a plan to prevent its tools from being used to spread election misinformation as voters in more than 50 countries prepare to cast their ballots in national elections this year. It will ban people from using its technology to create chatbots that impersonate real candidates or governments, to misrepresent how voting works, or to discourage people from voting. It said until more research can be done on the persuasive power of its technology, it will not allow its users to build applications for the purposes of campaigning or lobbying.

Lobbying Spending by Top Interest Groups Dipped Amid 2023 Gridlock

MSN – Caitlin Reilly (Roll Call) | Published: 1/24/2024

A year of gridlock amid divided government and Republican infighting on Capitol Hill drove down spending by the biggest interest groups by about 13 percent in 2023 from the previous year. Tax policy, artificial intelligence, and China, along with perennial issues like health care and defense, drove interest and revenue on K Street last year, lobbyists said. Those trends are expected to hold this year.

How Many of Your State’s Lawmakers Are Women? If You Live in the Southeast, It Could Be Just 1 in 5.

ProPublica – Jennifer Berry Hawes | Published: 1/11/2022

The United States saw a record number of women elected to statehouses last year. Nationally, one-third of legislators are women, the most in history. In recent years, three states – Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado – achieved parity. But much of the Southeast lags far behind. Women constitute fewer than one in five state lawmakers across much of the region. This leaves large majorities of men controlling policy, including laws that most impact women, at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is sending more power to statehouses.

‘We Don’t Have a Clear Path to Victory’: DeSantis exits presidential race

Yahoo News – Gary Fineout and Alez Isenstadt (Politico) | Published: 1/21/2024

Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his presidential campaign after he was unable to convince Republicans to set aside their allegiance to the man who helped his own political career. DeSantis’s run came to a halt following a dispiriting second-place finish in Iowa, a state where he and allies poured millions of dollars into an aggressive get-out-the-vote effort that featured the governor visiting all 99 counties. He spent week after week in the state instead of establishing a presence in other early voting states like New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Pro-Biden PAC Launches $1 Million Campaign to Pay Social Media Influencers

Yahoo News – Rebecca Kern (Politico) | Published: 1/23/2024

Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting President Biden, is spending $1 million for its first-ever “creator” program, enlisting about 150 influencers to post on social media in the 2024 election cycle. The effort is part of a larger Democratic strategy to lure young voters in battleground states. Priorities USA plans to transition all its spending to digital communications in 2024 and sees the influencer campaign as key to reaching people who do not see typical campaign ads on television.

Appeals Court Declines Further Review of Trump Jan. 6 Gag Order

Yahoo News – Rebecca Beitsch and Zach Schonfeld (The Hill) | Published: 1/23/2024

A federal appeals court declined an effort by Donald Trump to have his challenge to a gag order in his election interference case heard by the full court, teeing up a likely U.S. Supreme Court battle over restrictions to his speech. A three-judge panel of the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals had largely upheld a lower court ruling restricting Trump’s speech in the case.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona GOP Lawmaker Targets ‘Conflict of Interest’ in Donations to City Bond Projects

KJZZ – Wayne Schutsky | Published: 1/19/2024

Arizona Rep. Laurin Hendrix is pushing a bill that would bar construction companies that donate to local bond elections from then benefitting from the array of city projects funded by those bonds, a move that could drain hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the campaigns that push for passage of those bonds every election cycle. In the lead up to those elections, voters are often inundated with advertising and marketing efforts backed by local politicians and PACs that support passage of the bond questions. A lot of the money that pays for those efforts come from businesses or individuals with ties to the construction industry.

Arizona – Arizona Republican Party Chair Resigns After Kari Lake Recording Is Made Public

MSN – Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 1/24/2024

Arizona Republican Party Chairperson Jeff DeWit announced his resignation after a recording was made public that appeared to show him attempting to entice Kari Lake to sit out the 2024 election for the state’s U.S. Senate seat. The recording and DeWit’s resignation mark major challenges for a state GOP struggling to bounce back from years of tough election losses. What happens politically in Arizona, a swing state, could have broader consequences for both the presidency and the Senate majority in 2024.

California – She Went to Prison for Bribing Nuru with a Rolex. Now She Has to Pay S.F. $750,000

MSN – St. John Barned-Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 1/23/2024

Businessperson Florence Kong has already spent a year in prison for pleading guilty to bribing Mohammed Nuru with a Rolex watch and other gifts and lying to FBI agents about her relationship with the former head of San Francisco’s Public Works Department. Now she is on the hook to pay the city $750,000 to resolve civil penalties related to the matter, according to a settlement proposal.

California – SoCalGas Billed Customers Millions to Fight Clean Energy, The Bee Found. This Bill Could Stop That

MSN – Ari Plachta (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 1/17/2024

New legislation in California strengthens laws that prevent energy utilities from passing on the costs of lobbying to their customers. It comes in response to a media investigation that found the nation’s largest gas provider, Southern California Gas Company, booked at least $36 million to ratepayers since 2019 to oppose clean energy policies. The bill explicitly defines “political influence activity,” prevents the use of customer money for membership dues to trade groups, and requires utilities to disclose whether advertising campaigns are paid for by customers or shareholders.

California – OC Supervisor Quietly Routed Millions More to His Daughter’s Group

MSN – Nick Gerda (LAist) | Published: 1/22/2024

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do directed an additional $6.2 million in taxpayer dollars to his 22-year-old daughter’s nonprofit group. Records show a total of $13.5 million in county funding that Do is now known to have played a major role awarding to Viet America Society since late 2020, all without publicly disclosing the relationship. The newly discovered grants were awarded by Do to his daughter Rhiannon Do’s nonprofit outside of public meetings. Details of these grants were also not included in public meeting agendas.

California – OC Board of Supervisors Deadlock on Conflict of Interest, Discretionary Spending Policy Updates

Orange County Register – Destiny Torres | Published: 1/23/2024

Orange County supervisors deadlocked on a proposal to require leaders and their top staffers to broaden the instances involving family connections that would require disclosure when approving contracts or spending money. Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento proposed the reform following reports that Supervisor Andrew Do voted for subcontracts with the Warner Wellness Center, a mental health program, without publicly disclosing that his daughter was part of the organization’s leadership.

Colorado – Embattled Colorado House Republican Leader Resigns Leadership Role in Fallout of Drunken Driving Arrest

MSN – Seth Klamann (Denver Post) | Published: 1/24/2024

State Rep. Mike Lynch, the embattled Colorado House Republican and congressional candidate whose 2022 drunken driving arrest was revealed recently, said he was stepping down as minority leader. Lynch’s position as the top Republican in the House has been on the brink of collapse for several days amid fallout from the news about his arrest.

Connecticut – Conn. Mayor Wins Do-Over Race After GOP Seized on Democratic Ballot-Stuffing

MSN – Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) | Published: 1/25/2024

A Connecticut mayor whose September primary election win was invalidated after ballot-fraud allegations won a do-over primary, months after his case became a flash point in conservative arguments about debunked theories of voter fraud. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, whose supporters allegedly stuffed absentee ballots on his behalf in September, won reelection over John Gomes in the primary held on January 23.

Florida – Lubby Navarro Had Other Jobs. At Least One of Them Is Probing Her Spending After Her Arrest

MSN – David Goodhue (Miami Herald) | Published: 1/24/2024

Lubby Navarro, the former Miami-Dade County School Board member accused of stealing more than $100,000 from taxpayers by way of her district-issued credit cards, is under investigation by a hospital chain that put her on unpaid leave after she was arrested. Yanet Obarrio Sanchez, a spokesperson for the South Broward Hospital District, where Navarro works as a registered lobbyist, said an internal investigation was launched “as a standard protocol” right after Navarro’s arrest.

Florida – Split City Council Approves Legislation in Reaction to Deegan Using Single Source Contract

Yahoo News – David Bauerlein (Florida Times Union) | Published: 1/25/2024

Any future no-bid selection of a firm to do lobbying or grant writing for Jacksonville will have to get city council approval, a reaction to Mayor Donna Deegan awarding a contract to a campaign supporter. The bill was filed after Deegan awarded a $300,000 no-bid contract to Langton Consulting to do federal lobbying, grant writing, and public policy development. The city did not invite proposals from any other firm.

Georgia – Georgia Secretary of State Says It’s Unconstitutional for Board to Oversee Him, but Lawmakers Differ

Yahoo News – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 1/24/2024

An attempt to state that Georgia’s State Election Board has the legal power to investigate Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s handling of elections blossomed into a constitutional showdown, with a lawyer for Raffensperger saying board members cannot legally oversee him. But the Senate Ethics Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 358. The proposal would remove Raffensperger from his nonvoting post on the board, allow the board to hire election investigators instead of solely relying on those working for Raffensperger, and clearly give the board power to investigate the secretary of state.

Illinois – Paul Vallas Facing $10,500 Fine from City’s Ethics Board

Yahoo News – A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/24/2024

Recent mayoral runner-up Paul Vallas is being fined $10,500 for violating Chicago’s campaign finance law. In November, the Board of Ethics found probable cause that Vallas, who lost to Brandon Johnson in the April 2023 runoff election, violated a rule that limits campaign contributions from entities doing business with the city.

Kentucky – Why Are KY Legislators Fleeing Frankfort? Blame Trump, Low Pay and Nasty Politics

MSN – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 1/25/2024

Seventeen senators and representatives in Kentucky are not seeking reelection this year. The numbers are growing relative to years past. Virtually all the elected officials in Frankfort will tell you that serving in the Kentucky General Assembly is an honor and a privilege. But is it a good job?

Kentucky – How Much Could Be Spent on Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg’s Ethics Complaint Defense?

Yahoo News – Josh Wood and Eleanor McCrary (Louisville Courier Journal) | Published: 1/24/2024

Outside counsel hired to defend Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg against an ethics complaint signed a contract to receive up to $25,000 in city funds for their services but the actual cost passed on to taxpayers could be much higher. Jefferson County Attorney’s Office spokesperson Josh Abner said the office does not limit the amount it spends on legal representation, despite the ordinance.

Louisiana – Louisiana Legislature Approves New Congressional Map with Second Majority-Black District

MSN – Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 1/19/2024

The Louisiana Legislature approved a new congressional map that includes two majority-Black districts after being ordered to do so by a federal court that found the existing map illegally diminished Black voting power. Previously, Black voters in Louisiana had a majority in just one of the state’s six congressional districts, despite making up nearly a third of the statewide population.

Minnesota – You Might Be a Lobbyist Now

Minnesota Reformer – Madison McVan | Published: 1/19/2024

A change to the lobbying law in Minnesota is expected to mandate a bevy of new people register as lobbyists under the rule’s wide umbrella, said Jeff Sigurdson, executive director of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Now, anyone making or spending more than $3,000 to influence decisions by governmental bodies across the state must register. The new law applies to all the state’s political subdivisions. Previously, lobbying rules did not apply to local governments except those in the Twin Cities metro area.

New Hampshire – Trump Beats Haley Decisively in N.H., Closing in on Nomination

MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf, Colby Itkowitz, Sabrina Rodriguez, and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 1/23/2024

Donald Trump marched closer to the Republican nomination for president by defeating Nikki Haley in New Hampshire’s primary. Trump’s victory dealt another blow to critics in his party who saw the vote as perhaps the last best chance to stop or slow him. Haley’s strength with independents exposed weaknesses for Trump in a potential rematch with President Biden, as moderate Republicans and right-leaning independents sent a message that the party’s internal divisions will not disappear quickly.

New Mexico – Leader of New State Office Faces Ethics Complaint Over Lobbying Request

Yahoo News – Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 1/22/2024

Beth Gillia, head of the New Mexico Office of Family Representation and Advocacy, is facing an ethics complaint after using her government email to encourage employees to lobby legislators on the office’s behalf but without specifically instructing them to disclose their roles. Maralyn Beck, founder of the New Mexico Child First Network, said she will be filing a formal complaint with the State Ethics Commission and sharing her concerns with members of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee.

New Mexico – Changes to New Mexico Employees’ and Politicians’ Anti-Corruption Law Clear First Committee

Yahoo News – Robert Nott (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 1/24/2024

Public employees and elected officials could find themselves facing fines of up to $10,000 if they violate the state’s Governmental Conduct Act under a new bill that cleared its first committee. House Bill 8 would not only raise the ceiling for fines but provide more clarity regarding prohibited activities under the law.

New York – State GOP Officials Took Trip Backed by Chinese Communist Party

Albany Times Union – Raga Justin | Published: 1/21/2024

Four members of the New York Assembly traveled to China in December. The group that funded the trip, the American Chinese Commerce Association, has been described as linked to an arm of the Chinese Communist Party known as the “united front work” department. According to U.S. security agencies, united front work seeks to influence American individuals and institutions, especially state-level lawmakers, through various overtures that include sponsored trips to meet Chinese officials.

North Carolina – NC Confidential: Keeping voters in dark about campaign finance probes

Carolina Public Press – Mehr Shur | Published: 1/22/2024

Campaign finance investigations are confidential in North Carolina. While candidates are innocent until proven otherwise, the confidentiality provision passed by state lawmakers in 2018 can also keep voters from making informed decisions, according to ethics experts. The public is barred from finding out any details about a complaint or an ongoing State Board of Elections investigation and can only have access to information once an investigation has concluded and it proceeds to a hearing.

North Carolina – From Lobbying to Congress? NC Candidate’s Fundraiser Draws Questions About His Support

Yahoo News – Danielle Battaglia (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 1/24/2024

When a lawmaker leaves office, there is a good chance they will become a lobbyist. Sometimes, though, the “revolving door” swings in the other direction. Addison McDowell resigned as a lobbyist on December 13, the same day he announced he would run for Congress. McDowell, a former lobbyist for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, highlighted his ties to the people he lobbied when he announced a January 30 fundraiser that is being hosted by some of the biggest names in North Carolina politics, including both lawmakers and lobbyists.

Ohio – Trans Candidates Face Challenges to Get on Ohio Ballots Over ‘Deadnames’

MSN – Anumita Kaur (Washington Post) | Published: 1/22/2024

Vanessa Joy is one of three transgender women whose candidacies for Ohio House seats have been challenged under a little-known state law that requires disclosure of previous legal names on election documents. While the law is not new, some advocates fear it is being used to hinder transgender candidates, and regardless of intent, it has ensnared several such contenders this election cycle in Ohio, raising concerns that trans candidates elsewhere might face similar hurdles when running for public office.

Oklahoma – New Ethics Commission Director Gets Guardian System Extended for 2024 Election

NonDoc – Tres Savage | Published: 1/22/2024

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission’s new director said its Guardian System, a database used for reporting and tracking campaign financial information and lobbyist registrations, will be extended through February 2025. The Guardian System had been scheduled to lose functionality after July 1 because a software and services firm decided to shelve the underlying software used to operate Oklahoma’s reporting system.

Oregon – Oregon Voters Likely to Decide on Dueling Campaign Finance Measures This Fall

MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 1/24/2024

Gov. Tina Kotek said campaign finance limits will not come up this legislative session, so Oregon voters will almost certainly decide the issue through a ballot measure in November. Voters will likely face two similar-looking measures, each of which would limit how much individuals and groups can donate to candidates. But one of the proposed measures, backed by labor unions, contains several loopholes that would allow unions to continue pouring millions of dollars into campaigns.

Rhode Island – R.I. Ethics Commission Dismisses Complaint Against Governor McKee

MSN – Edward Fitzpatrick (Boston Globe) | Published: 1/23/2024

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint filed against Gov. Dan McKee alleging he violated state ethics law after a lobbyist picked up a tab for lunch. The state Republican Party accused McKee of participating in a “pay-to-play political culture” by accepting a lunch with a lobbyist and executives from a Philadelphia firm, Scout Ltd., who were seeking $55 million to redevelop the Cranston Street Armory.

South Carolina – How Nikki Haley’s Lean Years Led Her into an Ethical Thicket

Seattle Times – Sharon LaFraniere and Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 1/21/2024

Nikki Haley had been serving in the South Carolina Legislature for less than two years when she applied for a job as an accounting clerk at Wilbur Smith Associates, an engineering and design firm with state contracts. Because of her wide-ranging network. The firm put Haley on a retainer, asking her to scout out new business. That contract, and a subsequent, more lucrative one as a fundraiser for a hospital in her home county, allowed Haley to triple her income in three years. But they also led her into an ethical gray area that tarnished her first term as governor.

Tennessee – Campaign Finance Exec: Former Sen. Kelsey can’t use PAC funds on legal fees

Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 1/24/2024

Bill Young, executive director of the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, advised former state Sen. Brian Kelsey he cannot use his PAC to pay attorneys as he tries to reverse a conviction for violating federal campaign finance law. Kelsey transferred $196,833 from his state campaign account to his Red State PAC last summer.

Tennessee – Tennessee Will No Longer Pursue Nearly a Million Dollars in Unpaid Fines Against Former Candidates

WTVF – Jennifer Kraus | Published: 1/24/2024

Over the last 30 years, hundreds of fines for campaign finance violations, totaling more than $2.5 million, have never been paid in Tennessee. Now the state has decided to no longer pursue nearly $1 million of those fines. Bill Young, executive director of the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, said when he took the job in 2019, he discovered unpaid fines dated back to 1991. So last year, the Legislature agreed to update the law to allow the bureau to declare certain fines “uncollectible.”

Washington – The Failed Promise of Independent Election Mapmaking

MSN – Marilyn Thompson (ProPublica) | Published: 1/17/2024

In most states, lawmakers draw new districts every 10 years to accommodate changes in population and ethnic makeup. They are usually exercises of raw political power allowing lawmakers to, in essence, choose their voters instead of the other way around. As the nation grapples with ever-more-aggressive battles over access to voting, a review of what unfolded in Washington state shows that independent commissions, still reformers’ best hope for fixing this problem nationwide, have not always succeeded in taking this central democratic function out of politicians’ hands.

Q: I need to lobby on the municipal level, but I’m registered with the state. Am I covered?

A: It will depend on the state, but you might not be covered. Some states, including Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, and New York, to name just a few, have lobbying laws covering both state and local governments. If you are registered in such a state, however, that does not necessarily end the analysis.

Even in states where state lobbying laws apply locally, you may still have local obligations. New York state law requires registration if you lobby locally and otherwise meet the registration requirements, but New York City has its own registration regime you will be required to follow, potentially requiring registration at both the state and local level. Illinois lobbying law covers local governments as well, but includes a carve out for lobbying in Chicago. Lobbying in Chicago requires registration with the city, but not with the state.

Whether you are or are not in a state where the lobbying laws apply locally, you will need to verify whether the city or county you are contacting has its own lobbying law. Even if it does not, be aware there may be other requirements, such as visitor logs, with which you will still need to comply.

Finally, be aware some local agencies, particularly those covering large metro areas, have their own lobbying laws as well, so registration with the city or county still may not cover your contacts with those agencies. For instance, Broward County Public Schools and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LAMTA) have adopted lobbying provisions separate from those of the counties in which they are located.

It is safest to always assume your government outreach, regardless of the level of your interaction, is covered by a lobbying law until you confirm otherwise.

Further information about the lobbying laws in hundreds of cities, counties, and local agencies can be found in the Lobbying Compliance Laws section of the State and Federal Communications website.

Campaign Finance

Illinois: “Paul Vallas Facing $10,500 Fine from City’s Ethics Board” by A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

Oregon: “Oregon Voters Likely to Decide on Dueling Campaign Finance Measures This Fall” by Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) for MSN

Elections

Georgia: “Georgia Secretary of State Says It’s Unconstitutional for Board to Oversee Him, but Lawmakers Differ” by Jeff Amy (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

Ethics

California: “OC Board of Supervisors Deadlock on Conflict of Interest, Discretionary Spending Policy Updates” by Destiny Torres for Orange County Register

California: “She Went to Prison for Bribing Nuru with a Rolex. Now She Has to Pay S.F. $750,000” by St. John Barned-Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN

Florida: “Lubby Navarro Had Other Jobs. At Least One of Them Is Probing Her Spending After Her Arrest” by David Goodhue (Miami Herald) for MSN

Kentucky: “How Much Could Be Spent on Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg’s Ethics Complaint Defense?” by Josh Wood and Eleanor McCrary (Louisville Courier Journal) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

North Carolina: “From Lobbying to Congress? NC Candidate’s Fundraiser Draws Questions About His Support” by Danielle Battaglia (Raleigh News and Observer) for Yahoo News

Elections

National: “Pro-Biden PAC Launches $1 Million Campaign to Pay Social Media Influencers” by Rebecca Kern (Politico) for Yahoo News

National: “No Labels Sued by New York Donors Claiming ‘Bait and Switch'” by Maggie Haberman (New York Times) for DNyuz

New Hampshire: “Trump Beats Haley Decisively in N.H., Closing in on Nomination” by Isaac Arnsdorf, Colby Itkowitz, Sabrina Rodriguez, and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

California: “OC Supervisor Quietly Routed Millions More to His Daughter’s Group” by Nick Gerda (LAist) for MSN

National: “Once Professor and Student, These Lawmakers Are Out to Protect Journalists’ Secret Sources” by Megan Mineiro (Roll Call) for MSN

Oklahoma: “New Ethics Commission Director Gets Guardian System Extended for 2024 Election” by Tres Savage for NonDoc

Lobbying

New Mexico: “Leader of New State Office Faces Ethics Complaint Over Lobbying Request” by Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Yahoo News

Rhode Island: “Ethics Commission Tosses Complaint Against McKee Free Lunch Paid by Lobbyist. Here’s Why.” by Katherine Gregg and Wheeler Cowperthwaite (Providence Journal) for MSN

Campaign Finance

North Carolina: “NC Confidential: Keeping voters in dark about campaign finance probes” by Mehr Shur for Carolina Public Press

Elections

National: “‘We Don’t Have a Clear Path to Victory’: DeSantis exits presidential race” by Gary Fineout and Alez Isenstadt (Politico) for Yahoo News

Ohio: “Trans Candidates Face Challenges to Get on Ohio Ballots Over ‘Deadnames'” by Anumita Kaur (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “DC Bar Authorities File Disciplinary Charges Against Pro-Trump 2020 Election Lawyers” by Kyle Cheney (Politico) for MSN

South Carolina: “How Nikki Haley’s Lean Years Led Her into an Ethical Thicket” by Sharon LaFraniere and Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) for Seattle Times

Legislative Issues

National: “How Many of Your State’s Lawmakers Are Women? If You Live in the Southeast, It Could Be Just 1 in 5.” by Jennifer Berry Hawes for ProPublica

Lobbying

New York: “State GOP Officials Took Trip Backed by Chinese Communist Party” by Raga Justin for Albany Times Union

Redistricting

Louisiana: “Louisiana Legislature Approves New Congressional Map with Second Majority-Black District” by Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) for MSN

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “Arizona GOP Lawmaker Targets ‘Conflict of Interest’ in Donations to City Bond Projects” by Wayne Schutsky for KJZZ

Elections

National: “Here’s How ChatGPT Maker OpenAI Plans to Deter Election Misinformation in 2024” by Ali Swenson (Associated Press) for MSN

Ethics

National: “These Lawmakers Are Still Invested in Banning Congressional Stock Trades” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN

Florida: “Miami-Dade School Board Members Vote to Audit Their Own Spending, After Arrest of Former Member” by Kate Payne for WLRN

National: “Billionaires Wanted to Save the News Industry. They’re Losing a Fortune.” by Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson (New York Times) for DNyuz

Lobbying

California: “SoCalGas Billed Customers Millions to Fight Clean Energy, The Bee Found. This Bill Could Stop That” by Ari Plachta (Sacramento Bee) for MSN

Minnesota: “You Might Be a Lobbyist Now” by Madison McVan for Minnesota Reformer

Redistricting

Washington: “The Failed Promise of Independent Election Mapmaking” by Marilyn Thompson (ProPublica) for MSN

National/Federal

A New Republican Mom Wants to Change House Rules for Postpartum Voting

DNyuz – Anni Karni (New York Times) | Published: 1/16/2024

When she arrived in Congress last year, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a hard-right Republican from Florida, joined the rest of her party in staunchly opposing proxy voting, a practice adopted by House Democrats to allow for remote legislating during the pandemic. Then, in August, she gave birth to her first child and her perspective changed. Now, Luna is pressing to allow new mothers in Congress to stay away from Washington immediately after giving birth and designate a colleague to cast votes on the House floor on their behalf.

Do Political Ads Even Matter Anymore?

DNyuz – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 1/17/2024

Political ads are a deeply entrenched multimillion-dollar industry, and one of the largest expenses of every presidential campaign. But a confluence of political forces and changing media behavior may be testing the efficacy of advertising in the Donald Trump era. The Iowa caucus results showed a new depth to the Republican Party’s devotion to Trump. But it also suggests a smaller universe of persuadable voters and a wholesale shift in viewing habits may have significantly undercut the impact of political advertising.

Court Rejects Twitter’s Claim of Right to Alert Trump to Jan. 6 Search

MSN – Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 1/16/2024

A federal appeals court rejected Twitter’s claim that Donald Trump should have been alerted to the existence of a search warrant for his data by prosecutors investigating interference in the 2020 election, leaving in place a $350,000 fine imposed on the social media company for not complying on time. Twitter, now known as X, argued it had a First Amendment right to alert Trump, who might then fight the disclosure himself.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy Ends Bid for Republican Presidential Nomination

MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 1/15/2024

Vivek Ramaswamy, a wealthy entrepreneur and first-time candidate for office, suspended his long shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination after months of struggling to gain significant ground, further shrinking a field dominated by Donald Trump. Ramaswamy failed to gain much traction with a campaign that emphasized provocative policy positions and public disputes with some of his fellow GOP candidates, even as he largely avoided criticism of Trump.

Authorities Investigate Threats to Democratic Lawmakers

Seattle Times – Alan Feuer and Luke Broadwater (New York Times) | Published: 1/16/2024

The Capitol Police and the FBI are investigating remarks reported to have been made by Roger Stone, a longtime Republican operative and informal adviser to former President Trump, in which he expressed a desire for the deaths of two Democratic lawmakers in the weeks before the 2020 election. The investigation was opened shortly after the website Mediaite released an audio recording in which someone sounding like Stone can be heard discussing U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Eric Swalwell, who are among Trump’s most vocal congressional critics.

A Potentially Huge Supreme Court Case Has a Hidden Conservative Backer

Yahoo News – Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) | Published: 1/16/2024

The Supreme Court heard arguments that, on paper, are about a group of commercial fishermen who oppose a government fee that they consider unreasonable. But the lawyers who have helped to propel their case to the nation’s highest court have a far more powerful backer: petrochemicals billionaire Charles Koch. A victory for the fishermen would very likely severely limit the power of many federal agencies to regulate not only fisheries and the environment, but also health care, finance, telecommunications, and other activities, legal experts say.

Supreme Court Ruling in Trump Insurrection Case Could Prompt Challenges Down the Ballot

Yahoo News – Michael Wilner (Miami Herald) | Published: 1/18/2024

When the U.S. Supreme Court convenes to consider whether Donald Trump is disqualified from the ballot in Colorado over his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election, their ultimate ruling will have implications well beyond Trump’s candidacy. Court watchers see the case as a wild card testing a novel and explosive legal theory on the eligibility of insurrectionists to hold public office.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – The Arizona Legislature’s ‘Hell Week’: Money, mingling and moving fast

MSN – Mary Jo Pitzl (Arizona Republic) | Published: 1/13/2024

A longstanding tradition, “Hell Week” is the brief period in which Arizona lawmakers and lobbyists move from event to event, all to enhance campaign accounts and establish connections before the start of the legislative session triggers a ban on lobbyist contributions to lawmakers. Despite the deadline-driven frenzy, “Hell Week” is unnecessary, said Stuart Goodman, a lobbyist with 34 years of experience. Goodman views the practice as an artifact. “It’s almost ceremonial now,” he said.

Arizona – Arizona AG Says Hobbs’ Inauguration Didn’t Break Law. A Key Republican Lawmaker Disagrees

MSN – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 1/18/2024

The inauguration of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs over a year ago continues to prompt scrutiny at the state Capitol, with at least one Republican lawmaker now questioning Attorney General Kris Mayes’ role and determination that there were no legal violations related to fundraising for the events. Rep. David Livingston filed a complaint with Mayes’ office alleging Hobbs’ use of a state website to solicit donors and sell tickets for her inaugural festivities violated state law that prohibits public resources including webpages from being used to influence an election.

Arizona – Judge Says No Labels Can Block Candidates from Running for Offices Other Than President in Arizona

Yahoo News – Jonathan Cooper (Associated Press) | Published: 1/16/2024

No Labels, the group preparing for a possible third-party presidential campaign, can prohibit members from using its ballot line to run for office in Arizona, a federal judge ruled. The decision protects the group’s efforts to maintain control and secrecy around its operations and finances as critics of Donald Trump warn No Labels could help return Trump to the White House by siphoning voters who might otherwise vote for the former president.

California – Company Passed Over for Redevelopment of Sports Arena Fined for Late Lobbying Reports

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union Tribune) | Published: 1/17/2024

Midway Village Plus, which was passed over for the redevelopment of San Diego’s sports arena property, agreed to pay $7,500 for belatedly reporting its indirect lobbying activity in the matter. Midway Village Plus retained Manolatos Public Affairs and IVC Media to support its application for the redevelopment. It spent almost $80,000 in indirect lobbying over five three-month quarters without reporting the expenditures as required.

California – DWP Board President Is Out Amid Ethics Questions, Power Struggle at Utility

MSN – Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 1/9/2024

Cynthia McClain-Hill will step down as president of the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commission following ethics-related complaints involving her and growing tensions over the utility’s leadership. The Los Angeles Times reported on criticism leveled against McClain-Hill and then-commission President Mel Levine, over a private phone call the pair had in 2019 with two cybersecurity executives to walk them through the utility’s plans to award their company a new contract.

Florida – Florida Bill Could Outlaw Use of Artificial Intelligence in Campaign Ads

Center Square – Andrew Powell | Published: 1/16/2024

A Florida Senate committee approved a bill that will regulate the use of artificial intelligence in campaign ads. The Committee on Ethics and Elections also approved several bills related to campaign finance and one that would limit the terms of county commissioners.

Florida – City of Miami Moves to Create an Independent Inspector to Investigate Corruption

WLRN – Joshua Ceballos | Published: 1/12/2024

The Miami City Commission moved on an agenda item to create a new body to hold the government accountable. It places on the August ballot a question that would replace the city’s existing independent auditor with the Office of the Independent Inspector General. Commissioner Manolo Reyes said an inspector general would have a wider scope of duties and powers than the auditor and would have more latitude to independently investigate corruption.

Florida – Lubby Navarro Spent Lavishly on Ex-Boyfriend’s Restaurant and Him, Investigators Say

Yahoo News – David Goodhue (Miami Herald) | Published: 1/13/2024

Former Miami-Dade School Board member Lubby Navarro was arrested on grand theft and fraud charges stemming from $92,000 worth of illegal purchases on her school district credit card and another $9,000 on her district-issued travel card. The money was allegedly used for day-to-day personal spending, as well as lavish vacations and gifts. Prosecutors say Navarro took her boyfriend at the time on a trip to Las Vegas. After they broke up, she is accused of using district money to purchase two artificial silicone pregnancy bellies on Amazon to convince him that she was pregnant.

Illinois – Watchdog: Treasurer Conyears-Ervin fired employees after they warned she was violating ethics ordinance by using city resources to host prayer service

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 1/16/2024

Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin fired two city employees after they warned her that she was violating the city’s government ethics ordinance by using city resources to host a prayer service, according to a probe by the city’s watchdog. In December 2020, Conyears-Ervin was admonished by the Board of Ethics for using her professional social media accounts to broadcast a prayer service she led in violation of rules that prohibit city leaders from using city resources for non-official purposes.

Indiana – Illegal Bribe or Legitimate ‘Gratuity’: How a $13,000 payment to an Indiana mayor could alter political corruption cases in Chicago

MSN – Jason Meisner, Megan Crepeau, and Amy Lavall (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/14/2024

Portage Mayor James Snyder was in financial trouble when he showed up unannounced at Great Lakes Peterbilt, the local truck dealership he helped to win two lucrative city contracts. “I need money. That’s what I’m here for,” he told the owners. They cut Snyder a check for $13,000, saying it was for “consulting” that was never fully performed. That agreement is the focus of a legal battle that has wound its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has decided to take up Snyder’s appeal and render a decision that could change the face of public corruption prosecutions across the country, including Chicago.

Iowa – Trump Scores Decisive Win in Iowa Caucuses, DeSantis Places Second

MSN – Ashley Parker and Tyler Pager (Washington Post) | Published: 1/15/2024

Donald Trump romped to a decisive victory in the Iowa caucuses, cementing his grip over the Republican Party and pushing the nation closer to a historic modern rematch with President Biden. Trump’s strong finish in the caucuses underscored his dominance over his party’s base, in a presidential contest expected to play out as much in the courtroom as the campaign trail.

Kansas – Listen to Lobbyists When Enjoying Free Meals, Top Kansas Legislator Tells Colleagues

Yahoo News – Jason Alatidd (Topeka Capital-Journal) | Published: 1/16/2024

A few minutes before gaveling in for the first day of the 2024 legislative session, a top legislator reminded his colleagues to listen to lobbyists when enjoying free meals this year. House Majority Leader Chris Croft told the House Republican caucus the purpose of those free meals is for lobbyists to get to talk to lawmakers.

Maine – Maine Judge Delays Trump Ballot Decision Until Supreme Court Ruling

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 1/17/2024

A Maine judge put off deciding whether Donald Trump’s name can appear on that state’s primary ballot, saying the U.S. Supreme Court needs to rule on the issue first in a similar case from Colorado. The ruling sent the case back to Maine’s secretary of state and put it on hold. A nationwide push from Trump’s critics is aiming to prevent the former president from running for office again.

Maryland – Maryland Elections Board Member Arrested on Jan. 6 Riot Charges Resigns

MSN – Erin Cox (Washington Post) | Published: 1/11/2024

A top Maryland elections official was arrested recently on multiple charges that he participated in the U.S. Capitol attack and encouraged officers trying to disperse rioters to “join us.” Federal investigators allege Carlos Ayala scaled a police barricade while carrying a black flag that said, “DEFEND” and depicted an M-16-style rifle. The Maryland Senate unanimously confirmed Ayala in March as one of the Republican Party’s two representatives on the five-member Board of Elections.

Michigan – FEC Greenlights Airing of ‘The Good Doctor’ During Harper’s Senate Campaign in Michigan

Detroit News – Melissa Nann Burke | Published: 1/12/2024

The FEC voted to greenlight the airing of past and future episodes of ABC’s “The Good Doctor” featuring the actor Hill Harper, who is running for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. Lawyers for Sony Pictures Television had asked the FEC for an advisory opinion to confirm the airing of a fictional television show with a cast member who is a candidate for federal office did not violate federal prohibitions on contributions by corporations or regulations on communications referring to a candidate.

Michigan – Former GOP State Rep. Larry Inman Acquitted of Federal Corruption Charges

Detroit News – Robert Snell | Published: 1/11/2024

Former Michigan Rep. Larry Inman was acquitted of attempted extortion and soliciting a bribe, capping a years-long legal odyssey. Inman was standing trial for a second time. A 2019 trial ended with him acquitted of lying to the FBI and with jurors unable to reach unanimous verdicts on the corruption charges. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker dismissed the bribery and extortion charges, but the move was reversed by the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

New Jersey – South Jersey Dem Delegation Paved the Way for ‘Jersey Freedom’ to Hide Donors, Sources Say

Yahoo News – Matt Freidman (Politico) | Published: 1/11/2024

An obscure provision of New Jersey’s campaign finance law that enabled a Democratic super PAC to operate in secrecy until after the November election was pushed by South Jersey’s Democratic legislative delegation, according to three officials with knowledge of the negotiations. Amendments to the Elections Transparency Act enabled the PAC, Jersey Freedom, to hide the source of its funding until three weeks after the election. That appears to have been by design, said a Republican senator who was attacked by the group.

New York – As Trump Continues to Insult E. Jean Carroll, 2nd Defamation Trial Opens

DNyuz – Benjamin Weiser, Maggie Haberman, and Maria Cramer (New York Times) | Published: 1/15/2024

A Manhattan jury will be asked a narrow question: How much money must Donald Trump pay the writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her after she accused him of raping her? A jury in May awarded Carroll just over $2 million for the assault and nearly $3 million for defamation over Trump’s remark in October 2022 calling her claim “a complete con job.” The new trial focuses on separate statements by Trump in June 2019, directly after Carroll disclosed her allegation in New York magazine.

New York – Albany Democrats to Push Bill Filling Lobbying Loophole After NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Veto

MSN – Vaughn Golden (New York Post) | Published: 1/13/2024

Democrats in Albany plan to take another shot at filling a loophole that allows groups to anonymously fund lobbying campaigns on powerful state posts after Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed the bill. Last year’s version of the bill would have forced the shadowy groups who spent large sums of cash trying to defend Justice Hector LaSalle, her pick to head the state’s highest court, to file lobbying disclosures. A gap in state law means groups can advertise and lobby on nominations without the same disclosures they would have to make with any legislation.

North Carolina – NC Councilman Resigned So He Could Accept $3M in Tax Money. Then He Rejoined the Council

Yahoo News – Josh Bergeron (Charlotte Observer) | Published: 1/16/2024

A longtime Kannapolis City Council member resigned in December so he could avoid a conflict-of-interest and accept $3 million in federal tax money. But a month later, he is back on the job. Tom Kincaid’s surprise reappointment drew criticism from three of his colleagues, who are raising concerns about ethics. The reappointment was possible, two of the council members said, only because Councilmember Doug Wilson, who would have voted “no,” was absent from the meeting.

North Carolina – Insurance Commissioner Pays Friend & Donor a High Wage to Drive Him on State Business

Yahoo News – Dan Kane and Kyle Ingram (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 1/16/2024

Since North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey took office in 2017, a longtime friend and campaign supporter has been driving him at public expense from his Greensboro home to his Raleigh office and as far away as Santa Fe, New Mexico, earning as much as $84,000 in one year. Causey and other Insurance Department officials described Roger Blackwell as a part-time driver who also provides security. But personnel records give him a much loftier title that pays a wage higher than most state workers earn. He is listed as a part-time “Deputy Secretary/Commissioner I,” which allows him to be paid $44 an hour.

North Carolina – NC Justice Anita Earls Withdraws Lawsuit Against Board That Investigated Her

Yahoo News – Kyle Ingram (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 1/17/2024

North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls voluntarily withdrew her lawsuit against the ethics commission that was investigating her, saying the suit was no longer necessary since the complaint against her had been dismissed. The Judicial Standards Commission had opened an investigation into Earls after she publicly commented on issues involving diversity in the judicial system. Earls first sued the commission in August, saying its investigation into her public comments violated her First Amendment rights.

Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court OKs Freeze on Millions from Ex-State Official Randazzo After Bribery Accusation

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/16/2024

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled against Sam Randazzo, the former chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), allowing the state to continue to freeze millions of dollars of his financial assets. Randazzo has been accused of accepting a $4.3 million bribe from FirstEnergy just before starting as PUCO’s chief in 2019 in exchange for regulatory favors to the company and helping see to the passage of bailout legislation worth more than $1 billion to FirstEnergy.

Ohio – $15k on Tickets. $2k/Month on Meals. Inside a Cleveland-Area House Rep’s Campaign Spending

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/14/2024

A Cleveland-area state lawmaker spent tens of thousands of political contributions to his campaign account on football tickets, car repairs, airfare, monthly bills to three different phone providers, and more. Auditors on five occasions over the past 10 years have flagged Rep. Tom Patton’s spending, which at times has not had a clear connection to his campaigns. In some cases, staff with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office have cautioned Patton that state law bars politicians from using campaign funds for their personal use.

Oklahoma – ‘We Have Put Ourselves in Grave Danger:’ Ethics commission urges lawmakers to increase funding

MSN – M. Scott Carter and Nolan Clay (The Oklahoman) | Published: 1/13/2024

Chronically underfunded and facing ongoing staffing shortages, the new executive director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission is calling on state lawmakers to restore the agency’s funding to what it was in 2016. Lee Anne Bruce Boone told lawmakers the commission could not really do its job with its current level of funding. Legislators only gave the commission $687,950 for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Oregon – Oregon Supreme Court Allows Trump to Appear on Primary Ballot

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 1/12/2024

The Oregon Supreme Court allowed Donald Trump to run in the state’s presidential primary, saying it would not take up the issue of whether he is qualified to get on the ballot while the U.S. Supreme Court considers a challenge on the issue from Colorado. The Supreme Court decision will likely resolve for all states whether Trump can run in 2024. Without a Supreme Court ruling, some states could keep Trump’s name off the ballot while others allow him to run.

Oregon – State Ethics Commission Chooses Insider to Be Next Executive Director

Oregon Capital Chronicle – Lynne Terry | Published: 1/11/2024

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission chose one of its own to be its next executive director. The panel voted in favor of promoting Susan Myers, a commission employee since 2018 and its current compliance and education coordinator. Before serving as the compliance and education coordinator, Myers was an investigator for the agency between 2018 and 2021.

Rhode Island – Providence NAACP President Stands Trial for Campaign Finance Violations

MSN – Steph Machado (Boston Globe) | Published: 1/17/2024

Gerard Catala, the embattled president of the Providence branch of the NAACP, stood trial for allegedly violating campaign finance laws when he ran for city council in 2022. Catala has seven past-due campaign finance reports and owes fines in excess of $26,000. His criminal case has prompted frustration from some members of the NAACP, who have called on him to resign.

Tennessee – Election Cycle Tests New Lobbyist Ethics Code

Nashville Scene – Eli Motycka | Published: 1/16/2024

A bill by Metropolitan Councilperson Kathleen Murphy in 2020 updated Nashville’s lobbying law. Her efforts targeted the city’s scant reporting requirements, which had remained relatively untouched since the early 1990s. A former lobbyist, Murphy wanted to bring the anemic regulations closer to those of the state. “It was shocking how many people would lobby me and not acknowledge that they needed to be registered,” Murphy said.

Tennessee – The Next Fight in Tennessee’s Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws

Tennessee Lookout – Adam Friedman | Published: 1/17/2024

The next fronts in Tennessee’s campaign finance landscape appear to be tracking the disclosures from education groups and regulation of newly formed conservative subgroups challenging incumbent Republicans. Bill Young, executive director of the Registry of Election Finance, said the unregistered political groups are a higher priority for his agency because the registry at least has disclosure around who runs the education related PACs in part due to a law passed in 2022.

Texas – Harris County Trustee Eric Dick Under Investigation for Alleged Illegal Activities after Maui Fires

MSN – Elizabeth Sander (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 1/18/2024

Hawaii officials are investigating Harris County Department of Education Trustee Eric Dick for illegally soliciting legal clients after the wildfires in Maui last year that killed at least 100 people. Dick, who is running for reelection on the education board, also owes $40,000 in campaign finance fines racked up during unsuccessful bids for other local offices. Dick said he will cooperate fully with Hawaiian authorities over what he characterized as a misunderstanding.

Virginia – Virginia Bill Would Bar Utilities from Charging Customers for Politics, Joining Other States

Energy and Policy Institute – Shelby Green | Published: 1/17/2024

A bill in Virginia would prohibit Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power from charging customers for many of their political activities. House Bill 792 would bar Virginia’s investor-owned electric utilities from charging their customers for their dues to trade associations, lobbying of government officials, advertising, and other efforts to influence public opinion, charitable giving, and litigation to challenge regulations or laws.

Virginia – Virginia House Panel Advances Perennial Measure Seeking to Ban Personal Use of Campaign Funds

WTVR – Sarah Rankin (Associated Press) | Published: 1/17/2024

Virginia elected officials would be prohibited from spending their campaign funds on personal expenses such as mortgages, vacations, or gym memberships under a bill a state House subcommittee advanced. Virginia is a national outlier for lacking such a law already. It is something good governance advocates have long sought but lawmakers at the General Assembly have defeated repeatedly for more than a decade, despite a bipartisan insistence that they want to find compromise on a reform.

Campaign Finance

Tennessee: “The Next Fight in Tennessee’s Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws” by Adam Friedman for Tennessee Lookout

Virginia: “Virginia House Panel Advances Perennial Measure Seeking to Ban Personal Use of Campaign Funds” by Sarah Rankin (Associated Press) for WTVR

Elections

Arizona: “Judge Says No Labels Can Block Candidates from Running for Offices Other Than President in Arizona” by Jonathan Cooper (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Court Rejects Twitter’s Claim of Right to Alert Trump to Jan. 6 Search” by Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Authorities Investigate Threats to Democratic Lawmakers” by Alan Feuer and Luke Broadwater (New York Times) for Seattle Times

Illinois: “Watchdog: Treasurer Conyears-Ervin fired employees after they warned she was violating ethics ordinance by using city resources to host prayer service” by Heather Cherone for WTTW

North Carolina: “NC Justice Anita Earls Withdraws Lawsuit Against Board That Investigated Her” by Kyle Ingram (Raleigh News and Observer) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

California: “Company Passed Over for Redevelopment of Sports Arena Fined for Late Lobbying Reports” by Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union Tribune) for MSN