lobbying Archives - Page 131 of 283 - State and Federal Communications

October 12, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying Missouri: “Body Camera Company Vying for St. Louis Contract Hires Alderman, Former Board Counsel as Lobbyists” by Celeste Bott for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Campaign Finance “Why Some Campaign Contributions Get Returned” by Andrew Mayersohn for Center for Responsive Politics […]

October 11, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying California: “Big Oil Pulls Democratic Lawmakers Through the Revolving Door” by Lauren Rosenhall for CALmatters Missouri: “Will a Former Aide Break Greitens’ Ethics Rule?” by Kurt Greitens for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Campaign Finance “The ‘Resistance,’ Raising Big Money, Upends […]

October 10, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying Florida: “Governance Was Focus of 2010 Miami-Dade Ethics Probe” by Jeff Burlew for Tallahassee Democrat Campaign Finance “Trump Supporters Eager to ‘Drain the Swamp’ Help Fill Republican Party Coffers” by Matea Gold for Washington Post California: “Who’s Behind That […]

October 9, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying “Trump-Tied Lobbyists Cash in on Their Connections” by Tami Abdolah (Associated Press) for Detroit News Oklahoma: “Speakers Criticize Plan to Put Restrictions on Lawmakers, State Employees Who Want to Go into Lobbying” by Barbara Hoberock for Tulsa World Campaign […]

October 6, 2017 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

NYCU Video Digest – October 6, 2017

Becky is back and coming to you from downtown Akron, Ohio with this week’s News You Can Use Video Digest!

October 6, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 6, 2017

National: Angry GOP Donors Close Their Wallets Politico – Alex Isenstadt and Gabriel Debenedetti | Published: 10/5/2017 With the Republican agenda at a virtual standstill on Capitol Hill, the party is contending with a hard reality. Some of the GOP’s […]

National:

Angry GOP Donors Close Their Wallets
Politico – Alex Isenstadt and Gabriel Debenedetti | Published: 10/5/2017

With the Republican agenda at a virtual standstill on Capitol Hill, the party is contending with a hard reality. Some of the GOP’s most elite and influential donors, who spent the past eight years plowing cash into the party’s coffers in hopes of accomplishing a sweeping conservative agenda and undoing President Obama’s legislative accomplishments, are closing their wallets. The backlash is threatening to deprive Republicans of resources just as they are gearing up for the midterms. Party officials are so alarmed that U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who oversees fundraising for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told his colleagues that contributions had fallen off a cliff after the Obamacare flop.

Monsanto Banned from European Parliament
The Guardian – Arthur Nelson | Published: 9/28/2017

Lobbyists for Monsanto were barred from the European Parliament under new rules designed to force companies to submit to more scrutiny by lawmakers. The decision is the first time a company has violated European Union rules that came into force this January and means lobbyists for companies that do not co-operate in legislative hearings can have their access to parliament withdrawn. The parliament banned Monsanto lobbyists after the chemical company refused to attend a hearing into allegations that it interfered with safety studies.

Too Young to Vote, but Asking for Yours
New York Times – Lisa Foderaro | Published: 9/29/2017

Across the New York region, and indeed the country, young people are turning their attention to politics, motivated in part by the election of President Trump. From mayoral races to state legislative campaigns, teenagers and others who are too young to vote are canvassing neighborhoods and learning the intricacies of electoral politics. Some are running for office themselves.

Federal:

Health Secretary Tom Price Resigns After Drawing Ire for Chartered Flights
New York Times – Peter Baker, Glenn Thrush, and Maggie Haberman | Published: 9/29/2017

Tom Price, President Trump’s embattled health and human services secretary, resigned amid criticism of his extensive use of taxpayer-funded charter flights. Price, a multimillionaire and orthopedic surgeon by training, had announced he would reimburse the government for a fraction of the costs of his charter flights in recent months. Politico estimated the total expense of the taxpayer-funded trips exceeded $400,000. The ruckus prompted by the secretary’s travel habits followed complaints earlier this year by Democrats and other critics about his ethics for a separate reason: private investments he made while a House member in health-care companies that could have benefited from bills he sponsored.

Liberal Groups Got IRS Scrutiny, Too, Inspector General Suggests
Washington Post – Mike DeBonis | Published: 10/3/2017

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration identified scores of cases in which the IRS may have targeted liberal-leaning groups for extra scrutiny based on their names or political leanings. A 2013 report found 96 groups with names referencing “Tea Party,” “Patriot,” or “9/12” were selected for intensive review between May 2010 and May 2012, and the House Ways and Means Committee later identified another 152 right-leaning groups that were subjected to scrutiny. Those findings fueled accusations by Republican lawmakers that the Obama administration engaged in politically motivated targeting of conservatives. But Democrats have long challenged those claims, arguing that liberal-leaning groups were given close scrutiny alongside the conservative groups.

Russians Took a Page from Corporate America by Using Facebook Tool to ID and Influence Voters
Washington Post – Elizabeth Dwoskin, Craig Timberg, and Adam Entous | Published: 10/2/2017

The use of Facebook’s Custom Audiences tool by Russian operatives adds to an emerging picture of the effort to shape the U.S. election and sow division using tools built by American technology companies. It makes clear that Russians used Facebook to direct their influence campaigns to voters whom they had already tracked and to find new ones wherever they browsed the Internet, even if they used multiple devices such as a smartphone for work or a tablet at home. Targeted people might also have directed that same disinformation, whether intentionally or not, to people linked to them on social networks, such as their friends on Facebook.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Two Balch & Bingham Lawyers and One Drummond Executive Indicted in Bribery of State Legislator
AL.com – Kevin Faulk | Published: 9/28/2017

Two attorneys with a prominent Alabama law firm and a coal company executive have been indicted on charges of bribing a state legislator to oppose an environmental cleanup plan. Joel Gilbert and Steven McKinney are named on charges including conspiracy and bribery. They are partners handling environmental litigation with Balch & Bingham, one of Alabama’s leading law firms. Drummond Co. vice president David Roberson was charged with the same crimes. Top of Form The three are accused of bribing former state Rep. Oliver Robinson, who pleaded guilty to accepting $360,000 in payments. Prosecutors say the law firm represented Drummond, and Robinson got a contract to oppose an expansion of an environmental cleanup site linked to Drummond.

Arizona: ASU, AU Shield Lobbying Expenses Via Foundations
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting – Jim Small | Published: 9/29/2017

The state’s two largest public universities have for years been represented at the Capitol by powerful lobbying firms, though neither Arizona State University or the University of Arizona has records of hiring a contract lobbyist. Instead, each school’s nonprofit foundation has contracted directly with outside lobbyists to advocate at the Legislature on behalf of the schools. As a result, it is impossible for the public to know how much lobbying firms are being paid to represent the interests of public universities. State law does not require university foundations to disclose donors or expenditures, aside from the information required to be made public by federal tax laws governing 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Annual 990 forms require only summary figures for broad categories of income or expenses.

Florida: Figures in FBI Probe Worked Uber Ordinance Behind the Scenes
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 9/29/2017

Two central figures in the FBI’s public corruption probe in Tallahassee worked behind the scenes to help Uber and its taxicab rivals as city commissioners hashed out changes to their regulations on ride-sharing. Uber hired Paige Carter-Smith, executive director of the Downtown Improvement Authority and a close friend of city Commissioner Scott Maddox, as part of its consulting team. On the other side, Yellow Cab hired Adam Corey, a lobbyist and longtime friend of Mayor Andrew Gillum. But their work on the ordinance was never publicly disclosed, and neither one of them ever registered with the city as lobbyists for their respective clients.

Florida: Report: Review shows Florida’s utility watchdog has become a lapdog
Miami Herald – Mary Ellen Klas | Published: 10/2/2017

A watchdog group is calling for changes in the state’s Public Service Commission, citing a series of decisions involving Florida Power & Light (FPL). The result, said Integrity Florida, is that FPL and the state’s other large investor-owned utilities influence the governor and Legislature through lobbying and campaign contributions, and they have used that power to pursue favorable decisions by the commission, the group said in a report.

Maryland: Loosened Fundraising Rules Unleashing Big Cash for 2018 Maryland Elections
Baltimore Sun – Erin Cox | Published: 10/1/2017

The 2018 election cycle in Maryland, which includes races for governor, attorney general, General Assembly, and several county executives, is the first full cycle since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling lifted the cap on the total amount donors may give to candidates. That 2014 ruling and a 2010 high court decision on PACs, analysts say, could unleash campaign spending up and down the ballot unlike anything Maryland has seen. “It really opened the floodgates,: said Jared DeMarinis, director of candidacy and campaign finance at the State Board of Elections.

Missouri: GOP Mega Donor Should Face $320,000 Ethics Fine, Missouri Democrat Says
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 10/4/2017

State Rep. Mark Ellebracht is calling on the Missouri Ethics Commission to levy fines totaling $320,000 against a major Republican campaign donor. Ellebracht said businessperson David Humphreys employed a lobbyist for the past two years who was not registered. The lobbyist, Paul Mouton has admitted to the commission that he worked for Humphreys and discussed proposed legislation with state lawmakers and their staff during the 2016 and 2017 legislative sessions. Mouton was fined $2,000 for not registering but will only have to pay $200 if he does not violate state lobbying laws within the next two years.

New York: More Corruption Trials? Possible Reprise Makes Albany Groan
New York Times – Jesse McKinley | Published: 10/4/2017

With the recent reversals of guilty verdicts on corruption charges of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, the former state Senate majority leader, it seems inevitable that Albany’s dirty laundry, and the actions of some of its powerful participants, will once again be hung out for examination. This time around, the courtroom rehashing of alleged misdeeds may occur during an election campaign, one in which Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be seeking a third term and all 213 Assembly and Senate seats will be up for grabs.

Washington: Armed with a Marimba, Lawmaker Puts on Concerts to Cover Legal Fees from Ethics Case
Tacoma News Tribune – Melissa Santos | Published: 9/28/2017

Washington Rep. Melanie Stambaugh is having marimba concerts at her business to pay for the $35,000 in legal costs she racked up during a recent ethics case over her social media posts. She was found to have committed 44 ethics violations for posting videos and photos produced by legislative staff to her Facebook page. Stambaugh said the concerts also include inspirational talks that focus in part on the confidence it took for her to stand up to the Legislative Ethics Board. It is possible the marimba concerts could cause her to run afoul of the ethics board once again.

Wisconsin: Kennedy’s Vote Is in Play on Voting Maps Warped by Politics
New York Times – Adam Liptak and Michael Shear | Published: 10/3/2017

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could reshape American democracy by considering whether extreme partisan gerrymandering violates the Constitution. There was something like consensus that voting maps warped by politics are an unattractive feature of American democracy. But the justices appeared split about whether the court could find a standard for determining when the practice had crossed a constitutional line.

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

October 5, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance “Steve King Employs Family as Year-Round Campaign Staff, an Unusual Approach in Congress” by Jason Noble for Des Moines Register California: “California Bill Takes Aim at Dark Money in Politics – Will Jerry Brown Sign It?” by Katy […]

October 4, 2017 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Will your grassroots advocacy work trigger reporting requirements?

Does your advocacy work include grassroots lobbying? Do you know what actions are considered grassroots lobbying? Generally, Grassroots Lobbying is defined as the act of encouraging the public to contact lawmakers and administrative officials for the purpose of influencing legislation […]

October 4, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying “Lobbyists Use of Capitol Meeting Space Raises Questions” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call Campaign Finance Missouri: “In Missouri, New Campaign Limits Spur Growth of PACs” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Pennsylvania: “Former Judge Admits Concealing Payments […]

October 3, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying “Monsanto Banned from European Parliament” by Arthur Nelson for The Guardian “‘Little Lobbyists’ Help Save the Health Care Law, for Now” by Robert Pear for New York Times Arizona: “ASU, AU Shield Lobbying Expenses Via Foundations” by Jim Small […]

September 29, 2017 • Written by Allyson Smith

NYCU Video Digest – September 29, 2017

Jon Spontarelli is delivering this weeks news you can use digest from the Public Affairs Council State and Local Government Relations Conference in Alexandria, VA.

September 29, 2017 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

New Arkansas Lobbyist Registration and Reporting System

Beginning October 1, 2017, all lobbyists must register and file reports through the new lobbyist registration and reporting system. The new system requires all lobbyists, regardless of whether they are new lobbyists or currently registered, to re-register and submit a […]

September 29, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – September 29, 2017

National: GOP Governors Launch a ‘News’ Website with a Mission to Get Themselves Elected Business Insider – Bill Barrow (Associated Press) | Published: 9/19/2017 The Republican Governors Association (RGA) launched an online publication that looks like a media outlet and […]

National:

GOP Governors Launch a ‘News’ Website with a Mission to Get Themselves Elected
Business Insider – Bill Barrow (Associated Press) | Published: 9/19/2017

The Republican Governors Association (RGA) launched an online publication that looks like a media outlet and is branded as such on social media. The Free Telegraph blares headlines about the virtues of GOP governors, while framing Democrats negatively. It asks readers to sign up for breaking news alerts. It launched in the summer bearing no acknowledgement that it was a product of an official party committee whose sole purpose is to get more Republicans elected. The RGA describes the website as routine political communication. Critics say it pushes the limits of honest campaign tactics in an era of increasingly partisan media and a proliferation of “fake news” sites.

Your Favorite Companies May Be Political Black Boxes
Center for Public Integrity – Lateshia Beachum | Published: 9/26/2017

A new study on corporate disclosure and accountability showed a slight dip in the number of companies that disclosed some or all their election-related spending, or banned such spending altogether. The study also revealed a trend toward more managerial and board oversight of political spending and more disclosure or prohibition of campaign donations. Scores were calculated based on 24 indicators that range from whether a company publicly discloses corporate contributions to political committees and organizations, including politically active nonprofit organizations that do not themselves disclose their donors, to whether it posts a detailed report of its corporate political spending on its website.

Federal:

At Least 6 White House Advisers Used Private Email Accounts
New York Times – Matt Apuzzo and Maggie Haberman | Published: 9/25/2017

At least six members of President Trump’s White House have used private email addresses while conducting government business. Current and former officials say former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, former chief strategist Stephen Bannon, and current advisers Gary Cohn and Stephen Miller sent or received government-related emails on personal email accounts, in addition to two staffers who were previously reported. The news follows reports that senior adviser and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has used a private email for White House business, and that Ivanka Trump used a personal email account to communicate with a member of the administration.

Ethics Office: Anonymous gifts to legal defense funds are not allowed
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 9/28/2017

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) clarified its policy on legal defense funds, stating that anonymous contributions should not be accepted. The announcement comes after a report that suggested the OGE was departing from internal policy regarding the donations, paving the way for federal officials to accept anonymous donations from otherwise prohibited groups, such as lobbyists, to offset their legal bills. The White House has said it would not allow an employee to receive anonymous donations should someone set up a legal defense funds.

Russian Operatives Used Facebook Ads to Exploit Divisions Over Black Political Activism and Muslims
Washington Post – Adam Entous, Craig Timberg, and Elizabeth Dwoskin | Published: 9/25/2017

The batch of more than 3,000 Russian-bought ads that Facebook is preparing to turn over to Congress shows a deep understanding of social divides in American society, with some ads promoting African-American rights groups including Black Lives Matter and others suggesting these same groups pose a rising political threat. The Russian campaign, taking advantage of Facebook’s ability to simultaneously send contrary messages to different groups of users based on their political and demographic characteristics. These targeted messages highlight the sophistication of an influence campaign slickly crafted to mimic and infiltrate U.S. political discourse while also seeking to heighten tensions between groups already wary of one another.

Skadden, Big New York Law Firm, Faces Questions on Work with Manafort
New York Times – Kenneth Vogel and Andrew Kramer | Published: 9/21/2017

The U.S. Justice Department asked a prestigious law firm for documents and information related to its work for deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, on whose behalf Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairperson, also worked. The New York Times reported that the Justice Department asked Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom for information and documents relevant to its work on Yanukovych’s behalf. Tt was not clear whether the request was related to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which has focused in recent months on Manafort.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona: 116 Arizona Lobbyists Could Face Attorney General Investigation
Arizona Republic – Alia Beard Rau | Published: 9/22/2017

The Arizona secretary of state’s office referred 116 lobbyists to the state attorney general after they did not file the 2017 second-quarter expenditure reports required under state law. The reports provide details about which public official the lobbyist spent money on, what was paid for, and which company benefited. The reports were due by July 31. If they do not comply, the lobbyists can face fines up to $1,000 each. Records indicate many of the lobbyists on the list are not active. Matt Roberts, a spokesperson for the secretary of state, said inactive lobbyists still must file reports if they were active during that reporting period.

California: Anaheim’s Lobbyist Sunshine Ordinance Will Be Largely Self-Enforced
Voice of OC – Thy Vo | Published: 9/20/2017

New restrictions on lobbyists now are in effect in Anaheim, although enforcement of the law will be largely self-reported. The city attorney will not be proactively questioning whether certain employees and contractors are in compliance with the law, said city spokesperson Mike Lyster. Instead, council members or city commissioners can request the city clerk to determine whether someone is a lobbyist and needs to register. Lobbyists are required to register within 15 days after any lobbying activity. The first quarterly report is not due until January 2018.

Illinois: Lobbying Is All in the Zalewski Family
Chicago City Wire – W.J. Kennedy | Published: 9/26/2017

In an era in which states are barring politicians from lobbying their former colleagues until after a waiting period, an investigation found three current elected officials in Illinois working as lobbyists. And it is legal. Chicago Alderman Michael Zalewski lobbies the Legislature with the Z Consulting Group. Zalewski’s son is a representative who by all appearances lobbies the city of Chicago through the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister. State Sen. Toi Hutchinson is registered in Cook County in her role as director of community relations and social responsibility for the law firm of Chapman and Cutler.

Maine: Lawmakers Make Case That Maine’s Initiative Process Is Being Gamed
Portland Press Herald – Scott Thistle | Published: 9/25/2017

Lawmakers on the Government Oversight Committee made the case that Maine’s initiative process is being gamed, and pointed to a flow chart showing a dizzying array of out-of-state and overseas entities with ties to the casino referendum on the November ballot. The committee said it is still gathering facts and has not launched a formal investigation into the ballot question campaign, but lawmakers on the panel said they were concerned the casino ballot question and several others in recent years were not the work of Maine citizens, but stemmed from out-of-state interests looking to cash in on the state’s citizen initiative process.

Maryland: Maryland Lobbyist Pleads Guilty to Bribing Lawmaker to Help with Prince George’s Liquor Licenses
Washington Post – Drew Gerber | Published: 9/22/2017

A Maryland lobbyist has pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge. Matthew Gorman pleaded guilty to paying then-Prince George’s County Councilperson William Campos $2,000 in 2013 for writing a letter to the county’s liquor board recommending a business receive a license. Gorman faces up to 10 years in prison. Campos, a former state delegate, pleaded guilty to accepting $40,000 to $50,000 from people for official actions while he was on the council. Eight people have been charged in the probe, including former Del. Michael Vaughn.

Missouri: Ethics Panel Fines Adviser to Missouri Mega Donor at Center of Pay-to-Play Allegations
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 9/27/2017

The Missouri Ethics Commission and a political consultant agreed to a consent order that involved the man’s failure to register as a legislative lobbyist over the last two years. The consultant, Paul Mouton, agreed to pay a fee of $2,000, with all but $200 stayed if he follows other provisions of the order. The order instructs Mouton to register as a lobbyist and file necessary disclosure reports.

New Mexico: Did Gov. Susana Martinez Break SEC Rules in New Mexico Pension Deals?
International Business Times – David Sirota, Josh Keefe, and Andrew Perez | Published: 9/20/2017

With New Mexico reeling from an influence-peddling scandal involving state investments in 2010, voters elected a new governor promising a swift crackdown. But as Gov. Susana Martinez’s second term draws to a close, an investigation shows that when it comes to campaign cash from managers of state investments, Martinez turned a blind eye to the ethical standards she championed. During her tenure, New Mexico has been giving lucrative investment deals to financial firms whose executives have delivered big campaign donations to Martinez and to groups that have supported her election campaigns, a situation that may have violated the very “pay-to-play” rules that were passed in the wake of the previous scandals.

New York: Dean Skelos Has Conviction Overturned; Prosecutors Will Pursue Retrial
Albany Times Union – Staff | Published: 9/26/2017

A federal appeals court overturned the bribery and other convictions of former New York Sen. Dean Skelos, asserting jurors were wrongly instructed in the case based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that narrowed what constitutes public corruption. The appeals court also vacated the convictions of Skelos’s son, Adam. Dean Skelos, prosecutors said, targeted businesses that depended on state help either through legislation or contracts and forced them to pay his son hundreds of thousands of dollars for jobs where he did not actually have to work. Federal prosecutors have vowed to promptly pursue retrials.

Ohio: BlackRock Executive’s Kasich Donation May Cost $37 Million
Bloomberg.com – Miles Weiss | Published: 9/25/2017

A senior BlackRock executive donated to an unsuccessful U.S. presidential candidate last year, an action that may prohibit the world’s largest asset manager from collecting some fees from the state of Ohio. Mark Wiedman, a BlackRock senior managing director, gave $2,700 to the presidential campaign of Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who was seeking the Republican Party nomination. Federal securities rules prohibit companies or their executive officers from contributing to government officials who could influence the hiring of a fund manager or have authority to appoint a person who could do so and then providing asset management services to their governments for a fee. The ban is in effect for two years after the contribution is made. The state of Ohio uses BlackRock-managed funds.

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

September 28, 2017 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Lobbying Illinois: “Lobbying Is All in the Zalewski Family” by W.J. Kennedy for Chicago City Wire Missouri: “Ethics Panel Fines Adviser to Missouri Mega Donor at Center of Pay-to-Play Allegations” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star Campaign Finance “Your […]

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

NYCU Video Digest – October 6, 2017

News You Can Use Digest – October 6, 2017

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Will your grassroots advocacy work trigger reporting requirements?

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

NYCU Video Digest – September 29, 2017

New Arkansas Lobbyist Registration and Reporting System

News You Can Use Digest – September 29, 2017

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Popular Categories

Sort by Month

Sort By State

Popular Categories

Sort by Month

Sort By State

Celebrating 30 years in business!