Lobbying

“Lobbyists Don’t Get Business Boom with Trump” by Sean McMinn and Kate Ackley for Roll Call

“Special Counsel Mueller to Probe Ex-Trump Aide Flynn’s Turkey Ties” by Nathan Layne, Mark Hosenball, and Julia Edwards Ainsley for Reuters

Arizona: “Corruption Case Snares Lobbyist at the Center of Arizona Power Politics” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona Republic

Campaign Finance

Canada: “Feds Introduce Legislation to Shine Light on Cash-for-Access Fundraisers” by Joan Bryden (Canadian Press) for Winnipeg Free Press

New Mexico: “Secretary of State’s Office Lacks Funds to Fix Campaign Finance Website” by Andrew Oxford for Santa Fe New Mexican

Tennessee: “Expert: Money trail shows possible misconduct by state Sen. Brian Kelsey” by Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Ethics

“Less Tweeting, Lawyers Beg. ‘Covfefe,’ the President Says.” By Peter Baker and Glenn Thrush for New York Times

“Explanations for Kushner’s Meeting with Head of Kremlin-Linked Bank Don’t Match Up” by David Filipov, Amy Brittain, Rosalind Helderman, and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

“White House Waivers May Have Violated Ethics Rules” by Steve Eder and Eric Lipton for New York Times

Michigan: “Rizzo Star Witness Sours on Feds, Gets Indicted” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

North Carolina: “Legislative Leaders Win This Round in Court in Power Struggle with Governor” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News & Observer

Becky Campbell is back to deliver any government relations and ethics news you might have missed in this weeks News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!

National:

The GOP Inherits What Trump Has Wrought
Washington Post – Karen Tumulty and Robert Costa | Published: 5/26/2017

President Trump – and specifically, his character and conduct – now dominate the national political conversation. The dynamic is shaping the contours of this year’s special congressional elections and contests for governor, as well as the jockeying ahead the 2018 midterm elections. When U.S. House candidate Greg Gianforte assaulted a reporter who had attempted to ask him a question, many saw not an isolated outburst by an individual, but the obvious, violent result of Trump’s charge that journalists are “the enemy of the people.” Nonetheless, Gianforte won Montana’s special election to fill a safe Republican seat.

Federal:

A Vocal Defender of Ethics Has Fans – and Foes
New York Times – Nicholas Fandos | Published: 5/30/2017

Ethics have been thrust to the forefront in President Trump’s Washington, where his own vast holdings and those of his asset-rich cabinet and advisers from businesses and lobbying firms have raised accusations of conflicts-of-interest. Office of Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub has emerged as one of the few voices from within the government willing to second-guess the president and his advisers. The confrontations have given Shaub, a self-effacing career bureaucrat, the reputation of a fighter. Admiring fans have put his face on T-shirts. He even has a Facebook fan group, with more than 1,000 likes.

Jared Kushner Now a Focus in Russia Investigation
New York Times – Matthew Rosenberg, Mark Mazzetti, and Maggie Haberman | Published: 5/29/2017

Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, was looking for a direct line to Vladimir Putin, a search that in mid-December found him in a room with a Russian banker whose financial institution was deeply intertwined with Russian intelligence, and remains under sanction by the U.S. Federal and congressional investigators are now examining what exactly Kushner and the Russian banker, Sergey Gorkov, wanted from each other. The banker is a close associate of Putin, but he has not been known to play a diplomatic role for the Russian leader. That has raised questions about why he was meeting with Kushner at a crucial moment in the presidential transition.

White House Details Ethics Waivers for Ex-Lobbyists and Corporate Lawyers
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Steve Eder | Published: 5/31/2017

The White House disclosed the ethics waivers given to appointees who work for President Trump and Vice President Pence, including four former lobbyists. The waivers exempt the appointees from certain portions of ethics rules aimed at barring potential conflicts-of-interest. Among the high-profile figures who received waivers: White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, who were both permitted to engage with their former employers or clients. The details were made public after a dispute between the White House and the Office of Government Ethics, which had been pushing the Trump administration to stop granting such waivers in secret.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona – Arizona Attorney General Investigating Phoenix Law Firm’s Falsified Lobbying Documents
Arizona Republic – Dustin Gardiner and Rob O’Dell | Published: 5/31/2017

The Arizona attorney general’s office is conducting a criminal investigation into a law firm that filed falsified documents with the city of Phoenix. Burch & Cracchiolo violated the city’s lobbying ordinance and filed falsified documents to make it appear it had complied, The Arizona Republic reported in January. The firm later withdrew those documents and said they were prepared by a non-attorney staffer. Although Phoenix did not prosecute anyone at Burch & Cracchiolo for not complying with lobbyist regulations, the issue of falsified documents is a separate legal matter. Filing false documents with a government agency can be a felony offense.

Arizona – Ex-Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce, Lobbyist Jim Norton Indicted
Arizona Republic – Ryan Randazzo | Published: 5/25/2017

Former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce and Johnson Utilities owner George Johnson were indicted in federal court on bribery, conspiracy, and other charges. The indictment alleges Johnson and Pierce developed an elaborate scheme that paid Pierce over $30,000 and provided employment for his wife, who was also charged. In return, Pierce pushed through a rate increase for Johnson Utilities to pay for a personal tax debt that Johnson owed. Johnson allegedly used a lobbying firm to funnel money to Pierce. He also reportedly offered Pierce and the lobbyist, Jim Norton, “the opportunity to purchase land valued at approximately $350,000.”

Arizona – Phoenix: Tougher rules for paid lobbyists to take effect July 1
Arizona Republic – Dustin Gardiner | Published: 5/31/2017

The Phoenix City Council gave approval to an overhaul of the lobbying ordinance so it can prosecute paid lobbyists who flout rules requiring them to register, list their clients, and disclose gifts to officials. The existing law was adopted more than two decades ago but lacked language that explicitly said the city could prosecute those who do not comply. Under the new rules, which take effect July 1, lobbyists who do not file the required registration or expense-disclosure forms can face sanctions, including fines of up to $2,500, suspension from lobbying, and possible jail time for repeated offenses.

Kentucky – Bevin, Facing Ethics Complaint, Blasts Journalist Over Reporting About His Mansion
Lexington Herald-Leader – Allison Ross (Louisville Courier-Journal) | Published: 5/28/2017

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, facing an ethics complaint about the unusually low purchase price of the mansion he Is living in, took to Twitter to personally attack a journalist who has been reporting about the controversy. Bevin called Louisville Courier-Journal reporter Tom Loftus a “sick man” for allegedly being “caught sneaking” around Bevin’s home and property. The Courier-Journal rejected the claim that Loftus was “caught sneaking” around or that he was removed from the property. At the time Loftus visited the home, Bevin would not say whether he and his family lived there, nor had he responded to requests for details about the $1.6 million sale of the home to Anchorage Place, a limited-liability corporation whose ownership is unknown.

Massachusetts – Former Top Mass. Lawmaker Often Helped His Business, Family
Boston Globe – Andrea Estes | Published: 5/30/2017

Massachusetts Rep. Garrett Bradley has shown a pattern in his 16-year legislative career of taking actions in his official capacity that advanced his business interests, state records and interviews with other officials show. E-mails to and from Bradley show he helped his law firm get millions of dollars in legal work from the state retirement system in 2004, something Bradley’s own legal advisers later warned him against. Bradley also tapped his connections to help his sister and father-in-law get jobs, and two members of the Governor’s Council accused him of using political donations to help his wife get a judgeship. Ethics experts said Bradley’s conduct, at a minimum, looks bad, and some of it raises thorny legal questions.

Missouri – Missouri Pay-to-Play Allegations Heat Up Over New Links Between Lawmaker, Megadonor
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 5/25/2017

The relationship between the Missouri Senate President Ron Richard and an emissary for one of the state’s most prolific political donors is raising eyebrows in the statehouse. Richard has been dogged by “pay-to-play” allegations over a bill he sponsored that would benefit a company owned by Republican donor David Humphreys. Now, new details about Richard’s association with Paul Mouton, widely considered to be Humphreys’ eyes and ears in the Capitol, are rekindling the long-simmering accusations.

New York – Ex-Sterne Agee Executive Admits to N.Y. Pension Fund Bribes
Bloomberg.com – Christian Berthelson | Published: 5/30/2017

A former managing director at broker-dealer Sterne Agee & Leach pleaded guilty to bribing a former portfolio manager at New York state’s retirement fund in exchange for tens of millions of dollars’ worth of business. Deborah Kelley admitted that between 2014 and 2016, she paid bribes including entertainment, travel, and lavish meals to Navnoor Kang, former director of fixed income and head of portfolio strategy at the New York State Common Retirement Fund. She expensed the costs to Sterne Agee, while omitting that the money was spent entertaining Kang.

Pennsylvania – Lack of Gift Ban for Pa.’s Legislators Continues to Miff Critics
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Angela Couloumbis (Philadelphia Inquirer) and Karen Langley | Published: 5/28/2017

Critics often cite Pennsylvania as having the weakest gift regulations in the nation. Former legislators say lawmakers resist changes because they enjoy the perks of the job, including being entertained by lobbyists and others with an interest in state government. The gift-ban issue gained traction and urgency after a 2014 scandal that revealed some House members had accepted envelopes stuffed with cash from an undercover informant posing as a lobbyist for law enforcement. Both chambers clamored to change their rules to prohibit cash gifts, but the fervor to pass stronger bans dulled, and the issue got pushed to the legislative back-burner.

Texas – Ethics Reform Not Swept Under Rug, But Not Sweeping Either
Texas Tribune – Jay Root | Published: 6/1/2017

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott praised lawmakers for enacting a “very meaningful” ethics package that broadens transparency on public officials’ outside business dealings, and strips convicted legislators of their offices and retirement benefits. A compromise bill passed by the House and Senate gave Abbott legislative approval on three of the six major ethics bills he championed at the outset of the session. Three other Abbott-backed bills, as well as other ethics measures outside the governor’s reform agenda, died as the Legislature ended its regular session.

Texas – Texas Lawmaker Threatens to Shoot Colleague After Reporting Protesters to ICE
New York Times – Matthew Haag | Published: 5/29/2017

A chaotic scene erupted. on the last day of the legislative session in Texas when demonstrators in the House gallery began chanting in opposition to a new law that bans sanctuary cities. On the floor, Rep. Matt Rinaldi turned to several Democratic lawmakers and told them he had reported the protesters to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Rep. César Blanco said Rinaldi told him and others, “We are going to have them deported,” and then used an obscenity. The exchange led to a confrontation among lawmakers, with some pushing and pointing at one another. Rinaldi got into a face-to-face argument with Rep. Poncho Nevárez and threatened to shoot him. Legislators with licenses may carry concealed firearms in the Capitol, but it was not clear if Rinaldi was armed.

Washington – Citizen Watchdog Peppers Washington State with Campaign-Finance Complaints Against Dems
Seattle Times – Joseph O’Sullivan | Published: 5/30/2017

From his home office in Tenino, a small town about 15 miles south of Olympia – and the occasional coffee shop – Glen Morgan has launched a volley of campaign finance complaints against Democratic candidates and groups. As of May 23, the attorney general’s office has recorded 79 complaints for this year; Morgan filed 75 of those. Morgan argues his efforts keep government honest and highlight quirks in Washington’s disclosure laws he believes need changing.

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

The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to give final approval to the city’s lobbying ordinance overhaul.

Under the amended rules, lobbyists not filing required registration or disclosure forms can face sanctions, including fines of up to $2,500, suspension from lobbying and jail time.

The ordinance also requires lobbyists to disclose to city officials whom they contact if they are working in a capacity as a lobbyist and expands covered officials that trigger registration.

The ordinance will take effect July 1, 2017.

Lobbying

Arizona: “Arizona Attorney General Investigating Phoenix Law Firm’s Falsified Lobbying Documents” by Dustin Gardiner and Rob O’Dell for Arizona Republic

Campaign Finance

“Why the High Court Sidestepped a Soft Money Case” by Joseph Williams for U.S. News & World Report

Maryland: “Mayor Pugh Calls Gary Brown ‘a Good Employee,’ Stands by Him Following Guilty Finding” by Yvonne Wagner for Baltimore Sun

Missouri: “Campaign Finance Decision Being Appealed” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Pennsylvania: “Claiming ‘Taco Bell’ Tastes, Philly DA Williams Drew Questions Early on with Elaborate Campaign Spending” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Ethics

“A Vocal Defender of Ethics Has Fans – and Foes” by Nicholas Fandos for New York Times

Massachusetts: “Former Top Mass. Lawmaker Often Helped His Business, Family” by Andrea Estes for Boston Globe

New York: “Ex-Sterne Agee Executive Admits to N.Y. Pension Fund Bribes” by Christian Berthelson for Bloomberg.com

New York: “Appeals Court Vacates Former State Senator’s Conviction and Fine” by Benjamin Weiser for New York Times

Oregon: “Republican Confirmed to State Ethics Panel Despite Democrats’ Outcry” by Gordon Friedman for Portland Oregonian

Elections

Ohio: “High Court to Review Ohio’s Method for Removing Voters from Registration Rolls” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

Lobbying

“White House Backs Down on Keeping Ethics Waivers Secret” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

Pennsylvania: “Lack of Gift Ban for Pa.’s Legislators Continues to Miff Critics” by Angela Couloumbis (Philadelphia Inquirer) and Karen Langley for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “Court: Former Attorney General Tom Horne’s rights violated in campaign case” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona Republic

Missouri: “Candidate Spending Gets Little Scrutiny under Missouri Ethics Laws” by Ellen Cagle for Southeast Missourian

Washington: “Citizen Watchdog Peppers Washington State with Campaign-Finance Complaints Against Dems” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

“A Constitutional Puzzle: Can the president be indicted?” by Adam Liptak for New York Times

“Congress Expands Russia Investigation to Include Trump’s Personal Attorney” by Brian Ross and Matthew Mosk for ABC News

“How Michael Flynn May Have Run Afoul of the Law” by Charlie Savage for New York Times

Kentucky: “Bevin, Facing Ethics Complaint, Blasts Journalist Over Reporting About His Mansion” by Allison Ross (Louisville Courier-Journal) for Lexington Herald-Leader

Michigan: “Lawyer Is 7th Person Charged in Macomb County Corruption Probe” by Tresa Baldas for Detroit Free Press

Legislative Issues

Texas: “Texas Lawmaker Threatens to Shoot Colleague After Reporting Protesters to ICE” by Matthew Haag for New York Times

Members of Congress could be banned from being lobbyists for life if legislation introduced this month becomes law.

Senate Bill 1189, Close the Revolving Door Act of 2017, places a lifetime ban on current members of Congress from becoming lobbyists. Senators Michael Bennet, Cory Gardner, and Al Franken introduced the legislation, which also increases the statutory staff restrictions on lobbying from one year to six years.

Additionally, the bill bans lobbyists from joining Congressional staffs or committee staffs they lobbied for six years and increases the maximum penalty for violating the Lobbying Disclosure Act.

“Our legislation would put in place much-needed reforms-by not only banning members of Congress from becoming lobbyists, but also by making the industry become more accountable and transparent,” Franken said in a press release.

The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned sine die on Friday, May 26. As a result, all rule amendments proposed and approved by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission became law.

Effective immediately the lobbyist registration renewal deadline has been extended from December 31 to January 15. Changes to lobbyist reporting include moving all executive lobbyist report due dates as well as the January and July legislative lobbyist reports due dates to the 15th of the month. All other legislative reports remain due on the 5th of the month. Campaign finance rule amendments include new requirements for committees formed for the purpose of influencing a state question. Such committees must include the number of the state question as part of the name of the committee. They must also file reports any time an expenditure of $5,000 or more is made to advocate the passage or defeat of a state question. The reports are due at the same time as those for independent expenditures and electioneering communications.

Effective January 1, 2018, the limit for lobbyist or lobbyist principal gifts given in recognition of infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance will drop from $200 to $100 in any calendar year. Such gifts will be required to be given and received contemporaneously with the occasion or at times when such gifts are traditionally given. Infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance will not include annual events such as birthdays or anniversaries; rather, they will refer only to major life events. Lastly, a lobbyist providing a meal to a state officer or employee will be required to be present for the meal. Similarly, a lobbyist providing a gift including attendance at an event will be required to attend the event with the recipient of the gift.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “Divided House Forwards Campaign Bill to Senate” by Christine Stuart for CTNewsJunkie.com

Missouri: “Missouri Pay-to-Play Allegations Heat Up Over New Links Between Lawmaker, Megadonor” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Ohio: “Dayton Mayor Using Uncapped Mayoral Campaign Fund for Gubernatorial Bid, AP Reports” by Associated Press for Cleveland Plain Dealer

Ethics

“Jared Kushner Now a Focus in Russia Investigation” by Matt Zapotosky, Sari Horwitz, Devlin Barrett, and Adam Entous for Washington Post

Alabama: “Mike Hubbard Appeals Ethics Convictions; Says Prosecutors Misinterpreted Law” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Arizona: “Ex-Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce, Lobbyist Jim Norton Indicted” by Rachel Leingang and Hank Stephenson for Arizona Capitol Times

California: “Taxpayer Money Wasted on Bar Tabs, Trips to Las Vegas and Expensive Electronics in South El Monte, Audit Shows” by Adam Elmahrek for Los Angeles Times

South Carolina: “More Than 50 Accusations Against Public Officials Await Stalled South Carolina Ethics Commission” by Maya Prabhu for Charleston Post and Courier

Texas: “Bills Aimed at Restricting Lobbyists Die in Texas House” by Sean Collins Walsh for Austin American-Statesman

Elections

“The GOP Inherits What Trump Has Wrought” by Karen Tumulty and Robert Costa for Washington Post

“‘Anyone … with a Pulse’: How a Russia-friendly adviser found his way into the Trump campaign” by Tom Hamburger and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Lobbying

Missouri: “Greitens Nonprofit Lobbies for Legislation, But Isn’t Registered to Lobby” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post Dispatch

See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!

National:

Sean Hannity Done Talking About Seth Rich and WikiLeaks ‘for Now’ as Fox News Retracts Story
Washinton Post – Kristine Phillips and Peter Holley | Published: 5/24/2017

Fox News retracted a story linking the murder of a Democratic National Committee staff member with the email hacks that aided Donald Trump’s campaign, effectively quashing a conspiracy theory that had taken hold across the right-wing news media. The story of the murdered aide, Seth Rich, who was 27 when he was shot near his Washington, D.C. home in July, has been seized on by conservative pundits as an alternative narrative to the cascade of damaging revelations about the Trump administration’s ties to Russian officials who meddled in the presidential election. No evidence to support that theory has emerged, and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department is still investigating the case.

Work and Politics: What rights do employees have?
USA Today – Charisse Jones and Michael Izzo | Published: 5/16/2017

A U.S. House member’s letter that helped push a New Jersey attorney to resign after her boss was told she was a grassroots “ringleader,” sparked questions about how much an employer can clamp down on an employee’s activism. In an era of heightened political tensions, when many Americans are marching and boycotting for perhaps the first time, the case is showing how politics and the workplace can collide.

Federal:

‘Soft Money’ Rules Upheld by Supreme Court
Bloomberg BNA – Kenneth Doyle | Published: 5/23/2017

The U.S. Supreme Court turned away a Republican challenge to a federal campaign finance restriction that prevents political parties from raising unlimited amounts of cash to spend on supporting candidates. The Republican Party of Louisiana had argued a provision of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) violates its free speech rights. But the justices let stand a lower court’s ruling that rejected the challenge. BCRA barred state and local parties from taking unlimited donations for any activities concerning federal elections. Such contributions are often called soft money because they are unregulated.

Trump Asked Intelligence Chiefs to Push Back against FBI Collusion Probe after Comey Revealed Its Existence
Washington Post – Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima | Published: 5/22/2017

President Trump called two of the nation’s top intelligence officials – Dan Coats, the director of National Intelligence, and Admiral Michael Rogers, director of the National Security Agency – and urged them to publicly deny there is any evidence of collusion between his campaign and the Russians. The requests came in the days after then-FBI Director James Comey publicly confirmed the FBI was probing the Trump-Russia connection in his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee on March 20. Coats and Rogers refused to comply with the requests, which they both deemed to be inappropriate.

White House Moves to Block Ethics Inquiry into Ex-Lobbyists on Payroll
New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 5/22/2017

The Trump administration is trying to block an effort from the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) to find out the names of lobbyists who have been granted waivers to work in the federal government. The White House sent a letter to OGE Director Walter Shaub, challenging the agency’s authority to see the waivers. President Trump in January signed an executive order that banned lobbyists hired in his administration from working with former clients or on issues they had been involved with for two years unless they received a waiver. Dozens of former lobbyists and industry lawyers are now working in the administration. Keeping the waivers confidential would make it impossible to know whether those officials are violating ethics rules or have been given a pass to ignore them.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona – Phoenix Moves to Implement New Rules for Lobbyists Following Republic Report
Arizona Republic – Rob O’Dell and Dustin Gardiner | Published: 5/23/2017

The city council gave preliminary approval to amending Phoenix’s lobbying ordinance so those who do not comply with its registration or expense disclosure rules can face sanctions, including fines of up to $2,500, suspension from lobbying, and possible jail time for repeated offenses. The new law also would apply rules to lobbyists’ communication with far more officials at the city. The council also approved a news definition of “lobbyist.” The council will hold one more vote to finalize the changes.

Arkansas – Panel: Dallas Cowboys owner violated Arkansas ethics law
Arkansas Online – John Lyon (Arkansas News Bureau) | Published: 5/20/2017

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who grew up in North Little Rock, paid for the city’s police officers and their families to attend a Cowboys home game of their choice late last season, with travel and lodging accommodations included. The gifts were in recognition of police service and volunteer work in the community. The Arkansas Ethics Commission ruled Jones had committed “an unintentional violation” by making the gift. Jones will receive a warning letter. No sanction was imposed because of his reliance on “the erroneous conclusion” in a North Little Rock City Council resolution. Through that resolution, the council accepted the gifts and subsequently passed them along to the officers as an employee benefit.

Iowa – Ethics Complaint Against Iowa Gun Owners Leader Dismissed
Des Moines Register – Brianne Pfannenstiel | Published: 5/22/2017

A man who has sometimes registered as a statehouse lobbyist was called a “liar” and “immoral,” but the House Ethics Committee dismissed a complaint against Iowa Gun Owners Executive Director Aaron Dorr. The complaint alleged Dorr was telling members of his group that he was lobbying lawmakers, but while Dorr has registered as a lobbyist in the past, he did not this year. Dorr gave documents to the committee saying he had not been designated as a lobbyist for Iowa Gun Owners and was not being paid to be its executive director. Committee Chairperson Rob Taylor said unless the panel decided to issue a subpeona for Dorr’s tax returns and bank records, they would have to accept that explanation.

Missouri – New Campaign Finance Rules Ignore Missouri Voters’ Decision
Governing – Kurt Erickson (Tribune News Service) | Published: 5/23/2017

The Missouri Ethics Commission issued an opinion saying campaign committees formed by party leaders in the House and Senate are no longer limited to contributions totaling $25,000 annually. Commission Executive Director James Klahr said those committees can once again receive unlimited donations. Under a November change to the state constitution, Missouri voters overwhelmingly capped contributions to individual candidates for office at $2,600 per election. Donations to a political party were capped at $25,000.

Montana – Bullock Vetoes Bill to Raise Allowable Campaign Contributions
Billings Gazette – Holly Michels | Published: 5/19/2017

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill that would have revised campaign finance laws in the state and made changes to the commissioner of political practices office. Bullock said Senate Bill 368 would undermine the agency’s effectiveness and raise contribution limits far above what residents think is acceptable. The legislation would have increased the filing fees for legislative candidates, changed laws related to investigation of campaign practices, created an appeal procedure for certain complaints, and prohibit the commissioner from filing criminal action against a candidate for some violations.

New Mexico – Loophole and Vague Laws Create Ambiguity in Lobbyist Reporting
New Mexico In Depth – Sandra Fish | Published: 5/19/2017

New Mexico’s lobbyist reporting law has been criticized as lacking transparency. A loophole in a 2016 reform effort changed the reporting requirements for organizations and people they hire who spend money to influence public officials in New Mexico. Critics also say the law’s vagueness results in a situation in which lobbyists are now free to report some expenses, or not. And how they report them depends on a lobbyist’s interpretation of the rules.

New York – JCOPE Settlement Expected to Reveal Glenwood Behind $690K
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 5/23/2017

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics reached a settlement with nonprofit lobbying group Pledge 2 Protect that is expected to require the group to disclose that real estate giant Glenwood was intended to force groups like Pledge 2 Protect, issue-oriented nonprofits with lobbying operations, to disclose their donors. But in a series of six transactions in 2013, nearly $700,000 was funneled from previously unknown donors to a newly founded boutique law firm, Marquart & Small, which then passed the funds on to Pledge 2 Protect. Only the name of Marquart & Small showed up on subsequent lobbying disclosure filings, not the names of the original donors.

North Carolina – Supreme Court Ruling Wipes Out Republican-Drawn House Districts in N.C.
USA Today – Richard Wolff | Published: 5/22/2017

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature unlawfully relied on race when drawing two of the state’s congressional districts. The decision continued a trend at the court, where justices have found racial considerations improperly predominated in redistricting decisions by GOP Legislatures in Virginia, Alabama, and North Carolina. Some involved congressional districts, others state legislative districts. The states had contended their efforts were partisan attempts to protect their majorities, which the Supreme Court in the past has allowed, rather than attempts to diminish the impact of minority voters, which is forbidden. But the justices declared North Carolina had relied too heavily on race in their efforts to “reshuffle,” voters from one district to another.

South Carolina – How South Carolina Lawmakers Are Re-examining Their Rule Book after Statehouse Probe Indictments
Charleston Post and Courier – Andy Shain | Published: 5/21/2017

The House and Senate ethics committees are reviewing their advisory opinions to determine if alterations or updates are needed to ensure state lawmakers get the proper guidance to stay within the boundaries of South Carolina’s ethics law. The law does not cover every potential personal conflict in a legislator’s campaign or legislative duties. So, lawmakers receive opinions from their ethics panels to fill the gaps and create a more complete rulebook for them to follow. Since 2014, four legislators have been indicted in an ongoing probe of statehouse corruption.

Virginia – A ‘Personal Friend’ Exemption on Gifts to Virginia’s Elected Officials Leaves Open an Unlimited Loophole
The Virginian-Pilot – Bill Bartel | Published: 5/23/2017

Changes to Virginia’s ethics laws that went into effect last year place a $100 annual limit on gifts from a lobbyist, his or her clients, or someone seeking business with the state. The reform ended a common practice of lobbyists providing lawmakers with unlimited gifts, such as expensive sports tickets or pricey dinners. A new ethics council was set up advise officials and to approve acceptance of specific gifts or travel costing more than $100. But there remained a large exception: there is no limit on gifts to an officeholder or immediate family members from a “personal friend” who is not a lobbyist, a lobbyist’s client, or someone seeking state business.

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

The Phoenix City Council voted this week to amend the city’s lobbying ordinance to create sanctions for those who don’t comply with the lobbyist registration or expense disclosure rules.

Current city code includes no punishment for those who ignore the rules. The amendments will also include a clarification and expansion of the term lobbying to include city executives, department directors, the city manager and his top staffers, and board and commission members.

The strengthened rules raise fines and increase the amount of time lobbyists could be suspended from contacting city officials. Phoenix’s lobbying rules are currently unenforceable.

City Council will vote in the coming weeks to finalize the changes.

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “New Campaign Finance Rules Ignore Missouri Voters’ Decision” by Kurt Erickson (Tribune News Service) for Governing

Texas: “Dozens of Abbott Appointees Surpass Donor Threshold Targeted by Stalled ‘Pay for Play’ Bill” by Jolie McCullough for Texas Tribune

Virginia: “Dark Money Comes with a Twist in Virginia’s Statewide Races” by Alan Suderman (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Ethics

“Justice Department Ethics Experts Clear Mueller to Lead Russia Probe” by Matt Zapotosky and Matea Gold for Washington Post

“Fox News Retracts Story Linking Murder of D.N.C. Aide to 2016 Presidential Campaign” by Michael Grynbaum and Daniel Victor for New York Times

Connecticut: “Voting in Your Employer’s Interest? No Conflict in Connecticut” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

Florida: “New DEP Secretary Says There’s No Conflict in Political Side Businesses” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald

Lobbying

Colorado: “Shuttering the Revolving Door, Bennet Bill Would Institute Lifetime Lobbying Ban for Lawmakers” by Adam McCoy for Colorado Statesman

Arizona: “Phoenix Moves to Implement New Rules for Lobbyists Following Republic Report” by Rob O’Dell and Dustin Gardiner for Arizona Republic

New York: “JCOPE Settlement Expected to Reveal Glenwood Behind $690K” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

Iowa: “Ethics Complaint Against Iowa Gun Owners Leader Dismissed” by Brianne Pfannenstiel for Des Moines Register

Rhode Island: “Ethics Board: Former Senate President Paiva Weed must wait to lobby General Assembly” by Christine Dunn for Providence Journal

Virginia: “A ‘Personal Friend’ Exemption on Gifts to Virginia’s Elected Officials Leaves Open an Unlimited Loophole” by Bill Bartel for The Virginian-Pilot

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Maine Developer Will Face Jail Time, Fines for Illegal Political Donations” by Edward Murphy for Portland Press Herald

North Carolina: “Former NC Legislator, Fletcher Hartsell, Gets Probation in State’s Campaign Finance Case” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News & Observer

Ethics

“Kushner Keeps Most of His Real Estate but Offers Few Clues About Potential White House Conflicts” by Amy Brittain and Jonathan O’Connell for Washington Post

Michigan: “Feds: Bag man delivered bribes to Macomb officials” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

New York: “Whose Job Is It to Investigate Legislature’s ‘Lulu’ System?” by Rachel Silberstein for Gotham Gazette

Elections

“Former C.I.A. Chief Reveals Mounting Concern Over Trump Campaign and Russia” by Matt Apuzzo for New York Times

“Trump Asked Intelligence Chiefs to Push Back against FBI Collusion Probe after Comey Revealed Its Existence” by Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima for Washington Post