November 15, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – November 15, 2024
National/Federal A Spike in Demand, and Fees, for Lobbyists with Ties to Trump DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel and Kate Kelly (New York Times) | Published: 11/7/2024 In corporate boardrooms and foreign capitals, there is a scramble to sign lobbyists who could help […]
National/Federal
A Spike in Demand, and Fees, for Lobbyists with Ties to Trump
DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel and Kate Kelly (New York Times) | Published: 11/7/2024
In corporate boardrooms and foreign capitals, there is a scramble to sign lobbyists who could help navigate an incoming administration viewed with uncertainty and concern. Companies and foreign countries have long relied on lobbyists to guide them through the shifts in power on Capitol Hill or the White House. But since Donald Trump first upended global politics in 2016, he has continued to confound establishment gatekeepers on K Street. It has led to a delicate dance in which a relatively small group of lobbyists have sought to demonstrate their value to him and to cautious clients, without running afoul of the sensitivities of either.
Nonprofits Vow a New Resistance. Will Donors Pay Up?
DNyuz – David Fahrenthold and Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 11/13/2024
In Donald Trump’s first term as president, some of his toughest opponents were left-leaning nonprofit groups. They bogged down his immigration and environmental policies with lawsuits and protests and were rewarded with a huge “Trump bump” in donations. Some of those groups are promising to do it all over again, but this time it could be a lot harder. Trump’s administration could learn from past mistakes and avoid the procedural errors that made its rules easier to challenge, and the higher courts are seeded with judges appointed by Trump. Nonprofits are also finding some supporters are not energized by another round of resistance.
Gaetz Resigned Days Before Ethics Investigation Report Expected
MSN – Marianna Sotomayor, Jacqueline Alemany, and Marianne Levine (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2024
The House Committee on Ethics was set to vote on releasing a report about U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who resigned from Congress after being picked as Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Gaetz has been under investigation by the bipartisan ethics panel for allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use and accepted improper gifts. If a lawmaker is under investigation by the committee and resigns, is expelled, or leaves Congress, the committee immediately ceases any ongoing investigation.
Neera Tanden’s X Posts Violated Ban on Political Fundraising, Government Watchdog Alleges
MSN – Adam Cancryn (Politico) | Published: 11/7/2024
A government ethics watchdog agency formally accused White House domestic policy chief Neera Tanden of repeatedly violating the Hatch Act by soliciting political contributions on social media in the months before the election. It appears to be the first time a White House official has faced such a complaint after Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger warned in May that he would eliminate the custom of sending such accusations to the president to deal with at his discretion.
MSN – Soon Rin Kim (ABC News) | Published: 11/13/2024
Donald Trump’s announcement that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a newly formed advisory Department of Government Efficiency has alarmed some government ethics experts, who say the pair’s deep financial interests could lead to potential conflicts-of-interest. Some ethics experts are particularly alarmed that Musk and Ramaswamy’s roles have been described as “outside of government,” an arrangement that could potentially mean they would not be subject to normal financial disclosure rules.
The Onion Wins Auction to Take Control of Alex Jones’s Infowars
MSN – Kim Bellware (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2024
The satirical news site The Onion won a bankruptcy auction to acquire the media company of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Jones and his company for claiming the massacre was a hoax. The takeover of comes with a multi-year agreement with the nonprofit group Everytown for Gun Safety, which will serve as the exclusive advertiser during the Onion-led relaunch of Infowars.
Trump Could Pick Government’s Top Ethics Official – After Key Ally Blocked Biden’s Choice
MSN – Fredreka Schouten (CNN) | Published: 11/8/2024
Donald Trump could be in a position to select the government’s top ethics czar when he assumes office in January after a key ally in the Senate blocked President Biden’s pick to head the Office of Government Ethics. Sen. Mike Lee objected to the confirmation of David Huitema to the post, a little more than a year after he was first nominated by Biden. Lee said the vote should be delayed until after the presidential election, citing what he called the “political weaponization of the US government against Donald Trump by the Biden-Harris administration.”
Trump, Allies Signal They Will Try to Call the Shots for Republican-Led Senate
MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2024
Donald Trump and his allies signaled they will try to call the shots in the Republican-led Senate, pushing the candidacy of Sen. Rick Scott for GOP leader and demanding that Republicans allow Trump to make appointments to his administration and the courts without Senate approval. Next year, Republicans are on track to have at least 53 senators, a comfortable majority to approve nominations, but Trump seemed to indicate that was not sufficient for his choices for federal jobs and judicial vacancies.
Elon Musk’s $1M Voter Giveaways Were Fixed Lotteries, Lawsuits Say
MSN – Kyle Melnick (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2024
When Robert Alvarez heard that Elon Musk was giving away $1 million in a lottery each day to a swing-state voter, he signed a petition from Musk’s super PAC in hopes of winning. But in a lawsuit filed against Musk and America PAC, Alvarez said he never had a chance of winning. America PAC, which Musk created to campaign for Trump, did not select winners by chance, but instead by vetting candidates’ social media presence for pro-GOP values, Alvarez’s lawsuit said.
Minority-Owned Firms Face ‘Crisis’ as Affirmative Action Programs Fall
MSN – Julian Mark (Washington Post) | Published: 11/11/2024
Minority- and women-owned businesses are bracing for the end of affirmative action in federal contracting, and the potential loss of contracts worth at least $70 billion a year, as government programs for “disadvantaged” firms have fallen to legal attack over the past year. A series of court rulings have held some of the federal government’s largest diversity programs violate the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection. As a result, key agencies have dropped race and gender preferences born in the Civil Rights era and intended to level the playing field by setting aside billions each year in contracting dollars for minority- and women-owned firms.
Republicans Win House, Delivering Trump a Trifecta
MSN – Emily Brooks (The Hill) | Published: 11/12/2024
Republicans are projected to keep control of the U.S. House, handing the party total control of Washington with Donald Trump back in the White House in January. Decision Desk HQ projected the GOP would hold the House by winning its 218th seat, the number needed for a majority in the chamber. The final breakdown is uncertain, with ballots still being counted for several races in California. Those exact numbers will matter a lot for Speaker Mike Johnson’s political future, for which policies Republicans can enact, and how the lower chamber will function – or not function.
How ‘Urgent’ Texts Pushed These Donors to Give Thousands of Times to Political Candidates
MSN – Gabrielle LaMarr LeMee (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 11/12/2024
There is a new kind of political donor: one who gives in fairly small amounts, sometimes as little as a dollar, over and over. More than 13,500 Americans are frequent donors who have made one or more contributions per day, on average, in this cycle. Campaigns do not stop sending fundraising messages to donors, even after they have hit contribution limits. Joint fundraising committees allow for complex ways of shifting money between participating committees to increase the amount that a donor can give after hitting the limit on any individual committee.
Elon Musk’s PAC Spent an Estimated $200 Million to Help Elect Trump, AP Source Says
MSN – Dan Merica (Associated Press) | Published: 11/11/2024
Elon Musk’s super PAC spent around $200 million to help elect Donald Trump, according to a person familiar with the group’s spending, funding an effort that set a new standard for how billionaires can influence elections. America PAC’s work was aided by an FEC ruling that paved the way for super PACs to coordinate their canvassing efforts with campaigns, allowing the Trump campaign to rely on the near-unlimited money of the nation’s most high-profile billionaire to boost turnout.
Four States Reject Ranked-Choice Voting, Approved in District
MSN – Tim Craig (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2024
Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon rebuffed efforts to adopt ranked choice voting in their future elections, dealing a setback to those who wanted to dramatically change how Americans choose their elected officials. The one bright spot for advocates of ranked-choice voting was the District of Columbia, where a referendum was approved by a wide margin. The practice is already in use in Alaska and Maine. But Alaska voters, who initially approved ranked choice voting in a 2020 referendum, are considering a referendum to undo the change.
Special Counsel Jack Smith Plans to Quit; Cannon Appeal May Continue
MSN – Perry Stein and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith plans to resign and wrap up his federal prosecutions of Donald Trump before the president-elect takes office and can fire him. Trump’s election victory prompted Smith to start winding down the prosecutions instead of continuing court proceedings until Inauguration Day. Ending the two federal cases could allow Smith to deliver a final report detailing his findings before Trump becomes the 47th president. Smith appears to still be considering how to handle an ongoing appeal in Trump’s classified documents case.
Legal Questions Surround Trump’s Talk of Political Prosecutions
Roll Call – Ryan Tarinelli | Published: 11/8/2024
Donald Trump expressed support for criminal charges to be filed against his political opponents on the campaign trail, but former Justice Department officials and legal experts say there are various guardrails set up to prevent retribution through the criminal process. But former Trump administration officials have warned publicly that people who once aimed to stop Trump’s worst impulses will not be there to rein him in during a second term. Trump will also be immune from federal prosecution for official acts after a Supreme Court decision earlier this year.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Judge Recuses from Arizona Case Over His Email Denouncing Attacks on Harris
MSN – Annabelle Timsit and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2024
The judge overseeing the criminal election-interference case in Arizona against some of Donald Trump’s supporters recused himself from the case. Maricopa County Judge Bruce Cohen had emailed colleagues urging them to speak out against conservative attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris’s gender and racial identity. An attorney for one of the defendants said the emails showed the judge “bears a deep-seated personal political bias” against Trump and the defendants.
California – Criminal Prosecutor Tapped to Lead San Diego Ethics Panel, as Voters Hand It More Power
MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 11/8/2024
A committee of the San Diego Ethics Commission selected an outsider to take over the regulatory office after current Executive Director Sharon Spivak steps away early next year. The full commission will now Consider appointing longtime prosecutor Bryn Kirvin to run the department charged with enforcing city campaign finance laws and lobbying rules. Voters approved Measure D, which strengthens the agency’s authority in several important ways, including awarding the commission authority to name its executive director.
California – In a Historic Shift, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors Will Nearly Double in Size
MSN – Rebecca Ellis (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 11/11/2024
Voters approved a proposal to add four more members to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as part of a massive overhaul of the county government’s structure. Measure G’s passage marks a dramatic reshaping of a government that has not fundamentally changed for over a century, as the county’s population exploded from 500,000 to roughly 10 million. The ballot measure also calls for the creation of an independent ethics commission by 2026.
California – Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao Concedes Recall Defeat, Ending Tenure Marked by City’s Struggles
San Jose Mercury News – Shomik Mukherjee | Published: 11/9/2024
Oakland voters have recalled Mayor Sheng Thao. It was a resounding victory for a fierce recall campaign bankrolled almost entirely by a single hedge-fund manager, Philip Dreyfuss, who spent over $1.9 million in Alameda County politics this year. City Council president Nikki Fortunato Bas will serve as the interim mayor until a special election can be held. Thao’s professional future seems uncertain amid a sprawling FBI investigation into Oakland that in June led federal agents to raid her home and several other addresses.
California – Newsom Fined $13,000 for Failing to Report on Time Payments Made at His Request
Yahoo News – Sandra McDonald (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 11/8/2024
Gov. Gavin Newsome agreed to a $13,000 fine from the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for not meeting deadlines to report charitable contributions made at his request. State law requires elected officials to report donations made on their behalf within 30 days. The FPPC said on 18 occasions, Newsom and his 2018 campaign committee failed to make those reports on time, often submitting them several months late.
Delaware – Delaware’s Campaign Finance Law Sees Small Changes with a Potential Overhaul on the Horizon
Delaware First Media – Sarah Petrowich | Published: 11/10/2024
Delaware Gov. John Carney signed House Bill 291 into law, requiring the Department of Elections to provide a phone number and online form for reporting alleged campaign financing violations in the state, among other provisions. State Attorney General Kathy Jennings has indicated she is already working on additional reform recommendations to propose to the Legislature in the new year.
District of Columbia – Trayon White Sr., Facing Bribery Charge, Is Reelected to D.C. Council
MSN – Michael Brice-Saddler and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) | Published: 11/5/2024
District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr. sailed to a third term even as he faces a federal bribery charge. For White, who lacked serious opposition, the outcome is illustrative of the enduring support of his base. While some voters expressed reservations about voting for White, a vast majority made it clear that they still have his back.
Florida – Lobbying Firm Promotes Katie Wiles as Her Mother Becomes Trump’s Chief of Staff
MSN – David Bauerlein (Jacksonville Florida Times-Union) | Published: 11/8/2024
A day after Donald Trump named Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, Continental Strategy promoted Wiles’ daughter Katie to be the director of its lobbying and consulting offices in Jacksonville and the District of Columbia. The announcement said Wiles will continue to provide communications work for Continental Strategy’s federal and state operations while adding lobbying and business development to her role in the firm’s offices.
Florida – Suspended Miami-Dade Commissioner Martinez Convicted of Taking $15K to Help Constituent
MSN – Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) | Published: 11/7/2024
Joe Martinez, whose 17-year law enforcement career led to five terms in elected office as a county commissioner, was convicted of accepting $15,000 in payments in exchange for helping with legislation that would have benefited a constituent. Prosecutors argued Martinez accepted three $5,000 payments in 2016 and 2017 from Extra Supermarket owner Jorge Negrin in exchange for pushing legislation that would have permitted much needed large-refrigerated containers on the property.
Georgia – Supreme Court Squashes Mark Meadows’ Push to Move Georgia Election Charges
Yahoo News – Maureen Groppe and Bart Jansen (USA Today) | Published: 11/12/2024
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows lost his bid to move his Georgia election interference case to federal court, where it might have been easier to avoid prosecution. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a lower court’s rejection of Meadows’ attempt. Meadows, who was charged with Donald Trump and 17 others in what prosecutors say was a conspiracy to reverse Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Georgia, argued the crimes he is accused of committing involved actions that were part of his federal job at the White House.
Indiana – Police: Shoulders spent thousands in campaign dollars on baseball cards, IU season tickets
Yahoo News – Jon Webb (Evansville Courier & Press) | Published: 11/7/2024
Former Vanderburgh County Commissioner Ben Shoulders used tens of thousands of dollars in campaign money to buy baseball cards and basketball season tickets, among other purchases, and then tried to report the expenditures as fraudulent in an effort to recoup some of the money, Evansville police say. Shoulders spent more than $41,000 on eBay purchases using a debit card assigned to his “Shoulders for Commissioner” account. He would then list the buys on his campaign finance forms as something else.
Kentucky – Grand Jury Declines to Indict Beshear Backer in Investigation of Straw Donations
Yahoo News – Tom Loftus (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 11/8/2024
A Franklin County grand jury declined to indict prominent Louisville attorney Sam Aguiar in an investigation into whether Aguiar made excessive campaign contributions in the names of straw donors to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s 2019 campaign. Special prosecutor Rob Sanders said Aguiar admitted to doing so but did not know his behavior was a crime. Commonwealth’s Attorney Larry Cleveland recommended the matter be referred to the Kentucky election registry for a civil investigation.
Louisiana – Federal Judge Blocks Louisiana Law That Requires Classrooms to Display Ten Commandments
MSN – Sara Cline and Kevin McGill (Associated Press) | Published: 11/12/2024
A Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public classrooms is “unconstitutional on its face,” a federal judge ruled, ordering state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. U.S. District Court Judge John deGravelles said the law had an “overtly religious” purpose, and rejected state officials’ claims the government can mandate the posting of the Ten Commandments because they hold historical significance to the foundation of U.S. law.
Louisiana – Judge Agrees to Temporarily Halt Louisiana Ethics Administrator Hiring, Attorney Says
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/11/2024
A judge issued a temporary restraining order that blocks the Louisiana Board of Ethics from picking a new administrator. The judge granted the stay at the request of Sens. Regina Barrow and Stewart Cathey. They are suing to halt the board from filling that position over the agency in 2025. Landry and lawmakers have had a fraught relationship with the ethics board in recent years.
Maryland – Former Prince George’s County Councilmember Sentenced 1 Year in Prison for Embezzlement
MSN – Randi Ayala, Samantha Gilstrap, and Matt Pusatory (WUSA) | Published: 11/13/2024
Former Prince George’s County Councilperson Jamel Franklin was sentenced to one year in prison after pleaded guilty to felony theft and perjury. Franklin admitted to stealing $124,450.10 from his campaign committee and using those funds to pay for, among other things, his credit card debt, personal rent, and personal subscriptions. He also admitted to concealing his use of campaign funds and falsifying information on reports he signed under the penalties of perjury and submitted to the State Board of Elections.
Michigan – Baum, Altoon Get Vastly Different Sentences in Taylor Public Corruption Case
MSN – Tresa Baldas (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 11/7/2024
The last two defendants in a public corruption scheme in Taylor, Michigan, involving bribes, a crooked mayor, and perverted housing deals were sentenced recently. Taylor’s former Community Development Manager Jeffrey Baum was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for his role in helping two businesspeople secure contracts in exchange for bribes of all sorts. Real estate developer Haidir Altoon was sentenced to one day in prison followed by two years of supervised release for his role in a scheme that involved him paying bribes to Baum and former Taylor Mayor Richard Sollars.
New Jersey – Murphy Signs Law Allowing Office Holders, Candidates to Use Campaign Funds for Child Care
Bergen Record – Ashley Balcerzak | Published: 11/8/2024
Public officials and candidates running for office in New Jersey will soon be able to use campaign funds to pay for certain childcare expenses, after Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law. Under the law, a candidate or officeholder can use money raised by donors to pay for childcare the person would not have needed if they weren’t running for office or in public life.
New York – Emboldened by Re-election, Trump Renews Bid to Overturn His Conviction
DNyuz – Ben Protess, Kate Christobek, and Jonah Bromwich (New York Times) | Published: 11/12/2024
Donald Trump’s lawyers moved in recent days to throw out his criminal conviction in New York in the wake of his electoral victory, hoping to clear his record of 34 felonies before returning to the White House. The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted Trump, then asked to pause decisions in the case so it could weigh how to respond. The judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, granted the pause, effectively freezing any progress until November 19.
MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt and Cayla Bamberger (New York Daily News) | Published: 11/8/2024
Tracey Collins, Mayor Eric Adams’ longtime girlfriend retired from her high-ranking position in the New York City public school system. The departure comes as the system’s internal watchdog and the Department of Investigation are probing claims that her position amounted to a “no show” job with a six-figure salary. A former Department of Education employee alleged Collins has rarely shown up in person to work and keeps a light schedule mostly made up of virtual appointments.
The City – George Joseph (The Guardian), Alyssa Katz, Yoav Gonen, and Katie Hogan | Published: 11/13/2024
A 2021 fundraiser on Long Island for then-mayoral nominee Eric Adams booked 231 donations, many of them from supermarket cashiers, delivery people, and other low wage workers at the New World Mall in Queens, each listed as having made contributions of $249 or $250. The campaign sought $362,000 in matching funds from New York City on the basis of the $55,000 it raised, entirely in small donations. But a video reveals an event, hosted by New World Mall president Lian Wu Shao and his family at their Long Island mansion, that does not appear to have been a grassroots fundraiser.
Ohio – Ex-FirstEnergy Lobbyist Pleads Fifth in Regulatory Investigation, Citing Self-Incrimination Risk
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealwr) | Published: 11/13/2024
A former FirstEnergy lobbyist who worked closely on the company’s scandal ridden lobbying and self-professed bribery campaign in Ohio invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination roughly 100 times during a recent deposition. Joel Bailey, lobbyist who reported to FirstEnergy’s now-indicted government affairs head Mike Dowling, was questioned under oath in a long-stalled state regulatory investigation into the bribery scheme.
Willamette Week – Sophie Peel | Published: 11/13/2024
On a Saturday night at Fortune, a popular Portland bar, a city council candidate Ben Hufford allegedly gave bargoers waiting in line a proposal: donate $10 to his campaign, and they would not have to pay the $20 cover charge. Others recall he said they could not enter the bar unless they donated to his campaign. Hufford is a co-owner of Fortune. Campaign finance records show Hufford received 170 campaign donations that night. Nearly all were $10, or multiples of $10.
South Dakota – South Dakota Breaks Record for Number of Women Elected to the State Legislature
MSN – Makenzie Huber (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) | Published: 11/8/2024
A record number of women will serve in the South Dakota Legislature in 2025. Thirty-nine female lawmakers plan to arrive in Pierre when the legislative session starts in January, besting the previous record from the 2023-2024 Legislature by eight. The growth in female representation in South Dakota is part of a trend nationally, though most Legislatures do not have gender parity. In 2023, women represented at least half of the lawmakers in two states, Nevada and Colorado.
Texas – Audit: Former Austin city manager paid two consultants $554K in 2023, violating city ethics rules
KUT – Andrew Weber and Luz Moreno-Lozano | Published: 11/8/2024
Former interim City Manager Jesús Garza violated Austin’s ethics rules when he hired two former City Hall staffers to serve as consultants after the 2023 winter storm, a report commissioned by the city auditor found. The report said Laura Huffman and Joe Canales were paid $200 and $190 an hour respectively over their 10 months at City Hall. Garza skirted rules requiring a vote from the city council on contracts over $76,000 a year. The audit found both were effectively full-time assistant city managers.
November 8, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – November 8, 2024
National/Federal Trump’s Victory Is a Major Win for Elon Musk and Big-Money Politics DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Susanne Craig (New York Times) | Published: 11/6/2024 At an election-night gathering, Elon Musk sat two seats away from Donald Trump, ready to claim […]
National/Federal
Trump’s Victory Is a Major Win for Elon Musk and Big-Money Politics
DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Susanne Craig (New York Times) | Published: 11/6/2024
At an election-night gathering, Elon Musk sat two seats away from Donald Trump, ready to claim wide credit for his decisive presidential win. His victory lap was the culmination of an effort that began only six months ago and depended on a risky gamble: Musk’s new super PAC effectively led Trump’s get-out-the-vote operation in battleground states and Trump entrusted a crucial campaign function to a political neophyte. There is little doubt the election was a win not only for Musk but also big-money politics: an ultrawealthy donor took advantage of America’s evolving campaign finance system to put his thumb on the scale like never before.
Control of House Hangs in Balance, with Enormous Implications for Trump’s Agenda
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 11/6/2024
The U.S. House majority hangs in the balance, teetering between Republican control that would usher in a new era of unified GOP governance in Washington or a flip to Democrats as a last line of resistance to a Donald Trump second-term agenda. A few individual seats, or even a single one, will determine the outcome. Final tallies will take a while, likely pushing the decision into next week, or beyond.
Court Ruling Threatens to Curb Billions in Political ‘Dark Money’
MSN – Richard Rubin and Maggie Severns (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 10/30/2024
A federal appeals court said nonprofit groups cannot qualify for tax exemption under Section 501(c)(4) of the tax code if they have a substantial nonexempt purpose. That is a much stricter standard than the one in IRS regulations, which say groups only need a primary purpose that qualifies for the exemption. The decision from a conservative court sets a tighter legal standard for tax-exempt status that the advocates for political donor transparency have long sought.
What’s in Your TikTok Feed? As Elections Near, It May Depend on Gender.
MSN – Jeremy Merrill, Cristano Lima-Strong, and Caitlin Gilbert (Washington Post) | Published: 11/3/2024
A significant gender gap has emerged in this year’s presidential campaign, with women voters breaking for Kamala Harris and men for Donald Trump. For participants in a unique Washington Post experiment, that gap has also shown up in their TikTok feeds. The findings shed light on how TikTok is shaping the way American adults, especially younger ones, get their news, and what they see about politics.
Nearly a Decade After Pleading Guilty, ‘Fat Leonard’ Is Sentenced in Massive Navy Bribery Scandal
MSN – Alex Riggins (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 11/5/2024
The Malaysian contractor known as “Fat Leonard,” who bribed dozens of high-ranking U.S. Navy officers in the Navy’s worst-ever corruption scandal, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Leonard Francis, who was arrested in September 2013 during a sting operation that lured him to San Diego, pleaded guilty in 2015 to charges of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Francis also pleaded guilty to a charge related to his flight from custody and failure to appear for his previously set sentencing in 2022.
Donald Trump Wins Presidential Election, Defeating Harris to Retake White House
MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2024
Donald Trump was elected the nation’s 47th president, returning to the White House after a criminal conviction and two impeachments by riding a wave of voter dissatisfaction. To Trump and his supporters, retaking power after failing to overturn his 2020 election loss, inspiring a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, and withstanding two impeachments, four criminal indictments, a conviction, and two assassination attempts represents a major vindication for their cause.
Republicans Take Back Senate Control
MSN – Liz Goodwin (Washington Post) | Published: 11/5/2024
Republicans regained control of the Senate after winning two crucial races, boosted by Donald Trump’s presidential win. GOP control will boost Trump’s ability to enact his agenda, as well as to staff his administration. Many crucial Cabinet and judicial appointments require Senate confirmation.
States Projected to Approve Measures Restricting Noncitizens from Voting
MSN – Patrick Marley, Praveena Somasundaram, and Nick Miroff (Washington Post) | Published: 11/5/2024
Voters in several states were on track to adopt provisions by wide margins that further restrict voting by noncitizens, who are already ineligible to cast ballots in state and federal elections. Republicans pressed for the measures in eight states as Donald Trump and his supporters contended without evidence that noncitizens vote in significant numbers. They said their efforts would help ward off noncitizen voting in state and federal elections and prevent local officials from allowing noncitizens to participate in municipal or school elections. Nineteen communities around the country allow noncitizens to vote in such elections.
Trump’s Win Is a Huge Legal Victory, too. His Trials Will Mostly Vanish.
MSN – Shayna Jacobs, Perry Stein, Holly Bailey, and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2024
Donald Trump’s election victory ensures his lawyers will seek to delay his upcoming sentencing hearing in Manhattan, where he was convicted of falsifying business records to conceal from voters from voters a hush money payment. Such a request would trigger a discussion about how the judge should proceed with the historic case – the first trial of a former president, who now is now president-elect. Trump vowed as a candidate to “fire” special counsel Jack Smith, who brought two federal cases against him. Prosecutors in Georgia will struggle to go forward with trying him for attempting to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
Jan. 6 Riot Defendants Celebrate Trump’s Election, Angle for Pardons
MSN – Spencer Hsu, Tom Jackman, and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2024
Some defendants charged in the Capitol attack reacted to Donald Trump’s election victory with elation, as their defense lawyers began taking steps to delay trials or sentences in ongoing cases in anticipation of presidential pardons or more lenient treatment from a reshaped Justice Department. Trump has made pardoning January 6 defendants a signature campaign promise. He has not made clear who among the group of 1,500-plus people charged would receive pardons, though he has declined to rule out anyone, including members of extremist groups whose leaders were convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Republicans Make Major Gains in Control of State Governments
Yahoo News – Kevin Hardy (Stateline) | Published: 11/7/2024
Republicans won the White House on November 5 and strengthened their hold on state governments across the country. Before the election, the GOP controlled 57 state legislative chambers, while Democrats controlled 41 (Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature is nonpartisan). Republicans defended or expanded their control in several state capitols and won the only closely contested gubernatorial race with the election of former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte as New Hampshire’s next governor.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Campaign Finance Laws Make Funding of Election Challenges Murky
Arizona Capitol Times – Kiera Riley | Published: 11/1/2024
Funds fueling state candidate election challenges remain shrouded by Arizona’s campaign finance code, while congressional candidates’ funding is made fairly transparent by the FEC. A gap in reporting requirements between state and federal campaign finance laws has not drawn much ire from either side of the aisle beyond some raised eyebrows on who is financing litigation from last cycle and is still active well into 2024.
California – Real Estate Consultant Chiang Avoids Prison in Huizar’s LA City Hall Pay-to-Play Scheme
Daily Breeze – City News Service | Published: 11/5/2024
A real estate development consultant was sentenced to home detention and community service, but no prison time, for his role in the pay-to-play scheme at City Hall tied to now-imprisoned ex-City Councilperson Jose Huizar’s approval of large building projects in Los Angeles. George Chiang was also ordered to pay the maximum fine of $250,000. Because of his cooperation in the investigation, Chiang received a far lighter penalty than the 20 years in prison the charge carried, court papers show.
California – Measure OO: Effort to beef up Oakland’s public ethics commission leads comfortably
Local News Matters – Kiley Russell (Bay City News Service) | Published: 11/6/2024
Oakland’s Measure OO, designed to strengthen and update the city’s Public Ethics Commission (PEC), was ahead with about 72 percent of the vote based on early returns. The ballot measure would change the qualifications for the PEC, tighten rules governing lobbyist gifts to elected officials, add one more investigator to the commission’s staff, and authorize the PEC executive director to hire outside lawyers on issues where the city attorney has a conflict-of-interest, among other things.
California – Mark Farrell Hit with One of the Largest Ethics Fines on Eve of S.F. Mayoral Election
MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/4/2024
Mayoral candidate Mark Farrell is set to pay $108,000, the largest settlement in San Francisco Ethics Commission history, for campaign finance law violations. The agreement stems from Farrell launching a committee to support a ballot measure that has shared payroll and other expenses with his mayoral campaign. Unlike his mayoral campaign, Farrell’s ballot measure committee could accept donations beyond the $500 per person limit. An investigation found the committee repeatedly overpaid his mayoral campaign for their shared expenses.
California – Former 49ers Lobbyist’s Testimony Implicates Santa Clara Councilman in Grand Jury Leak
MSN – Lance Williams (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/6/2024
The San Francisco 49ers’ former top lobbyist testified Anthony Becker, the 2022 candidate for mayor of Santa Clara the team supported, leaked to him a confidential grand jury report that was sharply critical of the 49ers’ heavy involvement in local politics. Rahul Chandhok’s testimony implicated Becker on both a misdemeanor charge of mishandling an official document and perjury, for lying under oath in an ensuing investigation into how the leak occurred.
California – Former Huizar Associate Sentenced to Six Months Home Detention
The Eastsider LA – City News Service | Published: 11/4/2024
A longtime lobbyist and former City Hall official was sentenced to six months’ home detention for conspiring with now-imprisoned ex-Councilperson José Huizar in a bribery scheme. Morrie Goldman was also ordered to pay a $60,000 fine. Goldman pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiring to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud in the government’s investigation of corruption at City Hall.
Colorado Sun – Mark Jaffe | Published: 11/5/2024
Colorado utility regulators, using the mandates in a 2023 law. are looking to carve lobbying fees, trade association dues, and investor relations costs from Xcel Energy rate requests. In a current gas rate case, more than $775,000 in such costs were disallowed. The figure in the future could be a lot higher based on the Colorado Public Utilities Commission decision in October ordering Xcel Energy to remove all investor relations costs, including a portion of executive salaries, from its calculations of costs passed on to customers.
Connecticut – CT’s Election Watchdog Agency Is Investigating 214 Cases, One Going Back 10 Years. What’s Taking So Long?
Stamford Advocate – Jacqueline Rabe Thomas and Ken Dixon | Published: 11/2/2024
Ten years have passed since Thomas Banisch filed a complaint with the state watchdog agency responsible for investigating and enforcing Connecticut’s election laws. The complaint alleging Ted Kennedy Jr. illegally raised $130,000 in his run for state Senate has yet to be resolved by the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission. The database used to track the progress and status of election complaints shows dozens of others have been open for over a year. Nearly half the investigations the agency has closed over the last decade took at least a year to complete.
Delaware – Sarah McBride Wins Delaware Congressional Seat, Becomes First Transgender Rep in US History
MSN – Xerxes Wilson (Delaware News Journal) | Published: 11/5/2024
State Sen. Sarah McBride will be Delaware’s next representative in Congress, becoming the first transgender person elected to federal office in the history of the United States. She said her victory also sends a policy message, emphasizing her goals in Congress, that housing and healthcare be available to all, protecting reproductive freedom, and guaranteeing paid leave. McBride gained national attention when she became the first openly trans person to speak at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
District of Columbia – Contractor at Center of Bribery Scandal Dropped from Sports Gambling Deal
MSN – Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2024
The District of Columbia halted more work with one of the contractors at the center of a federal investigation into Council member Trayon White Sr. District Services Management was dropped from a sports gambling subcontract, one of many government awards the company had received before its founder pleaded guilty to bribing a city official.
Florida – A Lobbyist Was Cited by the Ethics Commission; Now He’s Suing and Wants to Clear His Name
MSN – Mike Diamond (Palm Beach Post) | Published: 11/1/2024
Lobbyist Ron Book was cited for failing to cash checks from Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter for a ride on his private jet to Tallahassee to attend the inauguration of Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023. Book’s lawyer argues a new state law should be applied retroactively, a move that would prevent the county’s Ethics Commission from pursuing the complaint. The new law adds time limits to the length of ethics investigations, requires sworn affidavits to launch complaints, and bans second-hand knowledge from being used in investigations.
Florida – In Miami-Dade, Christian Ulvert Helps Candidates win Elections and Developers Win Deals
Yahoo News – Douglas Hanks (Miami Herald) | Published: 11/1/2024
Christian Ulvert became prominent in local political circles for his work running campaigns for Democratic candidates in Miami-Dade County. Though not a registered lobbyist, he also works as a communications consultant for private-sector clients, advising developers and others seeking favorable decisions from Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and favorable votes from the county commission, where Ulvert has three campaign clients. The two sides of Ulvert’s business give him an enviable advantage as a paid consultant.
Louisiana – Supreme Court Will Hear Louisiana Map Case That Could Impact Black Voters
MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 11/4/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a complex dispute over how Louisiana draws congressional maps that could affect the power of Black voters in the state and the balance of power in Congress. The case will not impact the 2024 election since it will not be decided for months, but legal experts said it could have significant ramifications for how states consider race in drawing congressional districts to comply with the Voting Rights Act and therefore could impact future elections.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Tells State Racing Commission Director He Can Still Own Racehorses – for Now
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/5/2024
The Board of Ethics told the state’s new racing commission executive director that his racehorses can continue to compete in Louisiana, at least until he needs a new license in 2026. Stephen Landry became the Louisiana Racing Commission’s top staff member in March after Gov. Jeff Landry appointed new members to the board. Stephen Landry, who is not related to the governor, owns a third of two racehorses and half of another.
Louisiana – Private Calls and Campaign Cash: Louisiana regulators’ ties to the utilities they oversee
Yahoo News – Pam Radtke, Mario Alejandro Ariza, and Miranda Green (Floodlight) | Published: 11/3/2024
The Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC) is one of the few in the nation where there are no restrictions on when, where, and how often commissioners can communicate with the utilities they regulate. Residents and small businesses have almost no sway over the PSC, compared to utilities and big industrial power customers, said Logan Atkinson Burke, executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy. Over the last decade, nearly 43 percent, or about $3.5 million, of $250 and over campaign contributions to Louisiana commissioners came from utilities, energy-related businesses, and their attorneys and lobbyists.
Louisiana – Louisiana Lawmaker Asks AG to Investigate Ethics Board Over Alleged Open Meetings Violation
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/6/2024
State Rep. Beau Beaullieu is asking the attorney general to investigate the Louisiana Board of Ethics for violations of government transparency laws. He alleges the ethics board is using an illegitimate and secretive process to hire a new state ethics administrator, the board’s most important employee. Republican legislative leaders had asked the board in October to hold off on picking a new administrator until January, when most of the board will be stacked with new appointees from Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature.
Maine Monitor – James Keefe | Published: 11/3/2024
State Supreme Judicial Court Justice Catherine Connors is facing disciplinary proceedings, a first for a sitting Maine high court justice, because she did not recuse herself from two foreclosure appeals before the court. While Connors could be the first Maine justice to be disciplined, two different committees of legal experts disagreed on whether her recusal was necessary.
Maine – Mainers Vote to Reform Campaign Finance, Open Path for Supreme Court to Weigh In
Maine Morning Star – Emma Davis | Published: 11/6/2024
Maine voters passed Question 1, which would limit individuals and other entities to contributing $5,000 per year to PACs that make independent expenditures for or against candidates. These donations are currently unlimited under state law. Question 1 is likely to face legal challenges. Representatives of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections worry it is a long shot at best and, at worst, could open an opportunity for the U.S. Supreme Court to instead loosen campaign finance restrictions.
Massachusetts – MassLandlords Sues Boston, Says City Withheld Public Records to Protect Mayor Wu, Hide Unlawful Rent Control Lobbying
MSN – Gayla Cawley (Boston Herald) | Published: 11/4/2024
A trade association for Massachusetts landlords is in a legal battle with Boston over public records it says the city withheld to hide unlawful lobbying from housing advocates that influenced the mayor’s stalled rent control plan. Douglas Quattrochi, executive director of MassLandlords, alleges in an affidavit that the city failed to produce 10 documents he believes to exist around the formation of the city’s Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee.
Mississippi – Jackson Bribery Scandal: Mayor Lumumba indicted, calls it ‘political prosecution’
MSN – Charlie Drape (Jackson Clarion Ledger) | Published: 11/6/2024
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba was indicted by a federal grand jury in a bribery scandal. City Councilperson Angelique Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in August, after accepting bribes from two undercover FBI agents posed as Nashville real estate developers. Court documents show Lumumba directed a city employee to move up a deadline for the city’s hotel project near the Jackson Convention Complex. Lumumba agreed to move the deadline after accepting $10,000 for his “reelection committee,” which was given to him as a check to hide the real source of the funding – the Nashville “developers.”
Nevada – Nevada Politicians Can Spend Donor Cash Outside the Campaign
Las Vegas Review-Journal – Eli Segall | Published: 11/4/2024
When Joe Lombardo gave $5,000 from his campaign account to a PAC, the future Nevada governor thought he was helping pay for the statue of a fallen Las Vegas police officer. The money was instead used by former Las Vegas Councilperson Michele Fiore to pay her rent. Fiore was recently convicted of wire fraud for diverting contributions to personal use, though donations like Lombardo’s, which came into focus during Fiore’s trial, are legal in Nevada.
New Hampshire – A New Campaign Finance Law Is Allowing Record-Breaking Spending in NH Governor’s Race
Yahoo News – Ethan DeWitt (New Hampshire Bulletin) | Published: 11/1/2024
In her quest for the New Hampshire governor’s office, Kelly Ayotte is breaking financial records. As of October 30, the former U.S. senator has raised $21 million into her personal campaign fund since running for the office and spent nearly $19 million of it. Seventy percent comes from a single PAC and none of those transactions can be traced to individual donors. The strategy is the direct result of a 2023 law that removes limits on donations to candidates from PACs. And after recent validation from the attorney general’s office, the Ayotte campaign’s application of the law could become common practice in future elections.
Yahoo News – Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 11/1/2024
New Mexico Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino tapped his campaign account in 2021 to make a $200 donation for a high school student’s summer workshop. The expenditure was subsequently deemed illegal under the state’s Campaign Reporting Act, but a federal judge decided the ban on charitable donations to individuals was itself problematic. District Court Judge Margaret Strickland halted, at least for now, any enforcement of the provision by the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.
New York – NYC Mayor Eric Adams Gets April 2025 Trial Date as His Lawyers Fight to Get Bribery Charge Tossed
MSN – Jake Offenhartz and Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 11/2/2024
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption trial will begin April 21, 2025, a judge ruled, right in the thick of his promised reelection campaign. Adams’ lawyers are fighting to throw out a bribery charge, one of five counts against the first-term mayor. They argued the charge does not meet the U.S. Supreme Court’s recently narrowed threshold for the crime and should not apply to Adams because it involves allegations dating to before he became mayor.
New York – Eric Adams Aide Overrode Internal Scoring System to Award Contract to Major Donor
Yahoo News – Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 10/30/2024
A close friend of New York City Mayor Eric Adams disregarded an official scoring system for a bidding process he oversaw through his role controlling municipal real estate deals. Instead that friend, Jesse Hamilton, overruled the process altogether and steered a lucrative contract away from the initial winner and to a major mayoral donor. Hamilton’s role in the deal was the subject of a city council hearing as lawmakers grilled his boss about that and other suspected corruption at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
Ohio – Issue 1 Fails Big in Ohio Despite Massive Money Advantage
MSN – Jessie Balmert and Laura Bischoff (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 11/6/2024
Ohio voters rejected Issue 1, choosing to stick with the status quo instead of setting up a new citizen commission to draw congressional and state legislative districts. Ohio will continue to use its current redistricting method led by state lawmakers and a commission of seven elected officials. Ohio will keep its current state legislative maps through 2030 but the congressional map, approved without Democratic support, will be redrawn next year for the 2026 election.
Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Judge Denies Attempt to Stop Musk’s $1 Million Voter Giveaways
MSN – Trisha Thadani and Annabelle Timsit (Washington Post) | Published: 11/5/2024
Elon Musk’s pro-Donald Trump political group can continue for now with its $1 million a day giveaway to voters, after a state judge in Philadelphia denied an attempt by the city’s district attorney to block it. Judge Angelo Foglietta declined to issue an injunction against America PAC. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed the suit against Musk and his super PAC, alleging the daily $1 million giveaways violated state laws regulating lotteries and protecting consumers.
Rhode Island – Facing Questions, McKee Pays Lobbyist for Legal Help with ILO Probe
MSN – Eli Sherman (WPRI) | Published: 11/4/2024
Gov. Dan McKee’s has now paid a powerful statehouse lobbyist he hired earlier this year to help him navigate an ethics investigation amid questions about a potential conflict-of-interest. Gubernatorial spokesperson Laura Hart said the governor paid Dome Consultants lobbyist William Murphy an undisclosed amount of money. McKee hired the influential lobbyist as private counsel to advise him on how to handle a request from the attorney general’s office for an interview as a criminal probe into the state contract was coming to close.
Texas – U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar Secures Another Term as Criminal Trial Looms
Yahoo News – Matthew Choi (Texas Tribune) | Published: 11/6/2024
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar secured an 11th term representing his South Texas congressional district despite a federal indictment accusing him of a litany of corruption allegations. He and his family are synonymous with political power in Laredo, whose airport has a terminal that bears his name. Cuellar faces a criminal trial after the Justice Department indicted him on a series of charges alleging bribery, money laundering, and working on behalf of the Azerbaijani government and a Mexican bank.
November 1, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – November 1, 2024
National/Federal An Ethical Minefield Awaits a Possible Second Trump Presidency DNyuz – Ben Protess, Maggie Haberman, and Eric Lipton (New York Times) | Published: 10/29/2024 Days before Donald Trump became president in 2017, he promised to rein in his company’s freewheeling ways, […]
National/Federal
An Ethical Minefield Awaits a Possible Second Trump Presidency
DNyuz – Ben Protess, Maggie Haberman, and Eric Lipton (New York Times) | Published: 10/29/2024
Days before Donald Trump became president in 2017, he promised to rein in his company’s freewheeling ways, assuring the American people his family business would not “take advantage of” his presidency. Nearly eight years later, he is making no such promises. The former and possibly future president is cashing in on a variety of new ventures as he seeks a second term, without offering to reinstate the guardrails from his first, according to financial filings and interviews with people familiar with his finances.
In Election’s Final Days, Dark Money and ‘Gray Money’ Fund Hidden Agendas
DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 10/30/2024
Across the country, supporters of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are taking advantage of a patchwork of lax laws that allow partisans to funnel millions of dollars through daisy chains of opaque entities into hard-hitting campaign tactics, all to try to sway the tiny slice of swing-state voters who could make the difference. Campaign operatives and donors have long deployed creative accounting to mask the flow of money into politics. But since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, it has become particularly difficult to follow the big-money flow in the weeks before Election Day.
Ethics Office Clears Federal Official for His Project 2025 Involvement
Government Executive – Eric Katz | Published: 10/25/2024
The federal government’s ethics czar said a top official at the Federal Communications Commission did not violate any laws or agreements when he helped write a chapter of Project 2025, the controversial document spearheaded by former Trump administration officials to outline agenda items for the Republican presidential nominee. More than a dozen House Democrats requested a probe into whether Carr violated ethics laws, noting the ties between Project 2025 and Trump and its stated goal of shaping policy decisions by presidential candidates.
The New Dark Money: How influencers get paid big bucks to court your vote
MSN – Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2024
Political campaigns and their surrogates are pouring millions of dollars into social media influencers with scant regulatory oversight or public transparency, as they embrace a marketing tactic that has revolutionized the U.S. economy. Online influencers earning thousands of dollars for a single TikTok or Instagram post on behalf of groups backing Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. Political groups that use other forms of advertising are required to disclose their affiliations, but freelance online creators are under no such obligation for political posts, even though federal regulations demand they say so when promoting a commercial product.
Elon Musk’s Pro-Trump PAC Awards More $1 Million Prizes Despite DOJ Warning
MSN – Perry Stein, Trisha Thadani, and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2024
Elon Musk’s pro-Donald Trump political group awarded two additional $1 million prizes to swing-state voters despite warnings from the Justice Department the daily giveaways could violate election laws. The day before, the Justice Department sent a letter to America PAC, warning its contest offering registered voters in swing states a chance to win $1 million for signing a petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms could be illegal.
GOP Focus on Rare Noncitizen Voting May Continue Long After Election Day
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2024
Eight states, including the swing state of North Carolina, are taking up ballot measures also that would toughen bans on noncitizen voting, part of a broad and concerted Republican effort to stoke fears that hordes of noncitizens will illegally vote for Kamala Harris and deprive Donald Trump of a return to the White House. While that could inspire more Trump supporters to show up to the polls, voting rights activists warn the emphasis on removing noncitizens from the voter rolls could scare away recently naturalized citizens or eligible voters who have family members who are in the country illegally.
Spanish-Language Election Misinformation Has a Mass Audience – and a Long Shelf Life
MSN – Sarah Ellison and Adriana Usero (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2024
Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S. and the fastest-growing segment of the American electorate. They stand to play a crucial role in the coming election for president and control of Congress, particularly in key states such as Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Latinos face misinformation from political actors at home and abroad. Specific storylines can resonate differently depending on a person’s cultural background. Certain social media habits place Latinos who consume at least some of their news in Spanish, regardless of national origin, in an especially difficult position when confronting efforts to mislead.
At Trump’s Request, Judge Delays Immunity Filing in Jan. 6 Prosecution
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 10/28/2024
A federal judge granted the request from Donald Trump’s lawyers to push back the deadline for filing their view of whether the former president is immune from prosecution in the2020 election subversion case until two weeks after the presidential election. Trump’s attorneys asked to have until November 21, instead of November 7, to file a brief arguing why Trump’s efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory should be immune from criminal prosecution, citing disruptions caused by Hurricane Milton to the work of several of Trump’s Florida-based attorneys.
Congress Tried to Fix Presidential Transitions. Trump Is Testing the Changes.
MSN – Lisa Rein and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/31/2024
After Donald Trump refused to concede the 2020 election, Congress moved to fend off a repeat of the 20 days of chaos that had obstructed the executive branch handover to Joe Biden. But the first test of one little-known change to the presidential transition process is now causing anxiety among government officials as Trump is potentially poised to return to power. If there is no apparent winner within five days of the election, every federal agency will be required on November 11 to open its doors to both Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s campaigns so they can simultaneously begin the sprint to install a new administration.
Election Day Poses Test for Justice Dept. Monitors in GOP-Led States
MSN – David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2024
The Justice Department’s ability to monitor local jurisdictions for voting rights irregularities on Election Day, already curtailed by the Supreme Court, is facing a new hurdle: opposition from Republicans who are seeking to block federal authorities from polling sites. While the Justice Department has the legal right to request access to polling sites, inflamed partisanship and ideological extremism has contributed to greater resistance to such activities in some GOP-controlled states, legal experts said. Those states have attempted to politicize the process and cast federal monitors as partisans from the Biden administration who cannot be trusted.
For Jeff Bezos and His Businesses, Washington Has Become More Important
MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker, Aaron Davis, Josh Dawsey, and Christian Davenport (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2024
Jeff Bezos’s interests in Washington have expanded, with the federal government now contracting billions of dollars to Amazon’s cloud-computing subsidiary and Blue Origin, which is competing with SpaceX, the company founded by Donald Trump ally Elon Musk. Bezos has faced backlash since The Washington Post announced its editorial board would not endorse a candidate in this presidential election or in future ones. Commentators and a deluge of readers who canceled their subscriptions said they saw Bezos as upending a decades-old tradition to protect business interests that could be vulnerable in a second Trump administration.
Fires Set in Drop Boxes Destroy Hundreds of Ballots in Washington and Damage 3 in Oregon
Yahoo News – Gene Johnson and Claire Rush (Associated Press) | Published: 10/28/2024
Incendiary devices were set off at two ballot drop boxes, one in Portland and another in nearby Vancouver, Washington, destroying hundreds of ballots in what one official called a “direct attack on democracy” about a week before Election Day. The fire at the drop box in Portland was extinguished quickly and just three ballots were damaged there. The ballot box in Vancouver had a fire suppression system inside, but that failed to prevent hundreds of ballots from burning, said Greg Kimsey, the auditor in Clark County, Washington.
They Were Lobbying on Legislation Before His Committee. They Were Also Employing His Son.
Yahoo News – Benjamin Guggenheim (Politico) | Published: 10/24/2024
Rep. Richard Neal became chairperson of the House Ways and Means Committee in January 2019. A year later, his son Brendan Neal launched a one-person public affairs firm. Then the payments started from Richard E. Neal for Congress Committee to Brendan Neal Strategies for “strategic consulting services,” which now total more than $196,000. Brendan Neal’s cash haul from working for his father’s campaign while representing others with interests before the committee heightens concerns for liberal tax policy advocates and led some to publicly voice their concerns about Richard Neal.
Yahoo News – Aidan Hughes, Cait Kelley, and Daryl Perry (Politico) | Published: 10/30/2024
The nonprofit arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has hosted hundreds of trips to Israel for U.S. lawmakers. AIPAC is one of the most influential lobbyist organizations on K Street and promotes the Israeli government’s agenda. Now, as lawmakers face pressure from both sides on U.S. aid to Israel.
From the States and Municipalities
Yahoo News – Iris Samuels (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 10/24/2024
The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) found backers of a ballot initiative to alter the state’s voting system repeatedly violated campaign finance law by funneling their money through a church and inaccurately reporting their income and spending. The commission fined the backers more than $94,000 in January. APOC staff said the groups and individuals failed to pay the full fines levied against them and have not fulfilled the campaign reporting requirements spelled out by the commission.
Arizona – Arizona’s Ballot Is So Long It Could Create Election Day Problems
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Blair Guild (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2024
The ballot in Arizona this year is long. Very long. In Maricopa County, home to a majority of voters, there are full lists of the presidential electors from four parties, judges seeking to retain their seats, and 13 statewide ballot questions on abortion, taxes, illegal immigration, and a host of other issues. Election officials across the state worry this unusually long ballot could lead to a host of problems on and after Election Day in the key state that could determine the outcome of the presidential election.
California – California Mental Health Agency Director to Resign Following Conflict of Interest Allegations
California Healthline – Molly Castle Work (KFF Health News) | Published: 10/25/2024
California’s mental health commission announced its executive director would resign amid revelations he traveled to the United Kingdom courtesy of a state vendor while he sought to prevent a budget cut that would have defunded the company’s contract. Documents show Toby Ewing tried to protect state funding for Kooth, a London-based digital mental health company with a contract to develop a virtual tool to help California tackle its youth mental health crisis.
California – State Watchdog Agency Is Investigating Donations to Kevin de León’s Reelection Campaign
Los Angeles Times – Dakota Smith | Published: 10/26/2024
The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating donations received by Los Angeles City Councilperson Kevin de León’s reelection campaign. The investigation was prompted by allegations involving a nonprofit that distributes food to homebound seniors and low-income families in De León’s district through a contract with the city. The complaint alleged contributions to De León’s campaign from employees of the nonprofit, as well as its founder’s wife and daughter, may have violated a law that aims to prevent “pay to play practices.”
California – L.A. County Wants to Crack Down on Corruption. Is It Worth Up to $21 Million?
MSN – Rebecca Ellis (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/28/2024
The city and county of Los Angeles each moved forward this election season with ballot measures to try to crack down on unethical behavior by public officials. The city wants to bolster its nearly 35-year-old ethics commission with Charter Amendment ER, which would give the watchdog body a minimum yearly budget of $7 million. The county wants to create its first ethics commission with Measure G, which could cost as much as $21.9 million a year, with salaries and employee benefits making up most of the price. The cost estimates have left supporters and detractors with sticker shock.
California – Some California Legislators Miss Hundreds of Votes, but Even ‘Excused’ Absences Count as a ‘No’
MSN – Sameea Kamal (CalMatters) | Published: 10/21/2024
Seven California Assembly members missed more than a quarter of their votes this year, most involving illness or family matters. When it comes to voting on bills, however, the Legislature does not distinguish between a lawmaker who is absent, excused or not, and a legislator who is present but does not vote. They all count the same as a legislator who casts a “no” vote, but they are categorized as “No Vote Recorded” or NVR.
California – No ‘Pattern of Corruption’ in Contracts Inked During Ridley-Thomas’ Tenure, Probe Finds
MSN – Rebecca Ellis (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/30/2024
The bulk of contracts Los Angeles County signed during the 12-year tenure of former Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was convicted last year on corruption charges, were untainted by fraud, according to an outside investigation. But the report said the county’s contracting process, closely scrutinized during the nearly three-year forensic audit, is full of holes.
California – What Does Another Corruption Scandal Mean for Orange County?
Voice of OC – Spencer Custodio | Published: 10/24/2024
Former county Supervisor Andrew Do will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in a scheme that enriched his family anywhere from $550,000 to $730,000. The scandal comes a little more than two years after a federal corruption probe rocked Anaheim City Hall, one that saw former Mayor Harry Sidhu plead guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to federal investigators about trying to ram through the Angel Stadium sale for $1 million in campaign support.
Florida – Red Lights, Green Cash: How a Florida legislator boosted school bus cameras and benefited her family
MSN – Nandhini Srinivasan (The Tributary) | Published: 10/27/2024
Personal connections, aggressive lobbying, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions fueled the rapid rise of an obscure school bus camera vendor, BusPatrol, which quickly became a major player in a niche industry that did not exist in Florida until last year. BusPatrol’s fortunes echoes the comeback of Florida Rep. Vicki Lopez, with whom BusPatrol is inextricably linked. Last year, Lopez co-sponsored a bill allowing cameras on school buses statewide. Within months, her family had cashed in on the new industry through a web of connections built with BusPatrol, which stands to make millions of dollars from traffic tickets.
Florida – Long-Delayed Public Corruption Trial of Suspended Miami-Dade Commissioner Set to Begin
MSN – Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) | Published: 10/24/2024
After repeated delays since last Thanksgiving, the public corruption trial of one of Miami-Dade County’s longest-serving public servants began. Former Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez was suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis in September 2022. Martinez is alleged to have collected $15,000 from a shopkeeper in his district in exchange for sponsoring a law that would have benefited the owner of the shopping plaza. The charges could land Martinez in prison for as many as 20 years.
Illinois – Hazy World of Springfield Politics at Center of Ex-Speaker Madigan’s Trial
MSN – Ray Long, Jason Meisner, and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/27/2024
In the rapidly unfolding federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, Illinoisans are getting a close-up view of how the longtime-Democratic chieftain lorded over the insider world of Springfield politics. Madigan and his lobbyist ally Michael McClain may be the center of the case. But in many ways, so is the opaque manner in which Springfield does business.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Plans to Pick New Administrator Before Landry Appointees Sworn In
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 10/29/2024
The Louisiana Board of Ethics plans to hire its new ethics administrator in December, just before Gov. Jeff Landry’s overhaul of the board membership takes place in January. The current administrator, Kathleen Allen, is leaving her job at the end of the year. Earlier this year, Landry pushed through a new law to give himself, as governor, more control over the board.
Mississippi – Court Rules Ballots That Arrive Late Shouldn’t Be Counted Despite Postmarks
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/15/2024
A federal appeals court ruled invalid a Mississippi law that allows election officials to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by then. The ruling came less than two weeks before the presidential election and could have implications for other states with similar laws. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit did not rule on how the state should handle ballots for this election, saying that matter should be addressed later by a trial court judge.
Mississippi – How an FBI Corruption Probe in Tallahassee Is Similar to the Jackson, MS Bribery Scandal
Yahoo News – Charlie Drape (Jackson Clarion-Ledger) | Published: 10/29/2024
In 2015, two undercover FBI agents posed as crooked developers and infiltrated Tallahassee City Hall by offering bribes to elected officials in exchange for their support in favor of the developers for coveted real estate projects. That undercover FBI investigation into the city government in Tallahassee, Florida, offers striking similarities to Jackson’s ongoing bribery scandal. Both concern alleged bribes from “developers” to elected officials. Like Jackson, Tallahassee is a state capital.
New York – Harlem Woman Charged by Bragg in Adams Campaign Straw Donor Scheme Pleads Guilty
Gothamist – Samantha Max | Published: 10/29/2024
A woman accused of recruiting elderly residents of her housing complex to give illegal donations to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Millicent Redick is not expected to face any jail time, as long as she follows the court’s conditions, the plea agreement states. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Redick and five other people with allegedly conspiring to collect donations from people who would later be reimbursed, also known as straw donations.
New York – Former New York Budget Chief Robert Mujica’s Consulting Sparks Revolving Door Questions
New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/29/2024
Former state budget director Robert Mujica’s consulting work for a powerful hospital lobbying group this year raised questions about his adherence to a law seeking to limit the “revolving door” between public servants and outside interests. New financial disclosures show Mujica began consulting for the Greater New York Hospital Association two months ahead of its multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign to pressure Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase Medicaid spending, and before the group held multiple lobbying meetings with Mujica’s former agency, the Division of the Budget.
Yahoo News – Emily Ngo (Politico) | Published: 10/28/2024
U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota, who is facing a tough reelection fight, starred recently in a promotional video for a cancer treatment practice around the same time he took in a generous batch of campaign donations from its doctors. LaLota praised the “upbeat spirit” at the New York Cancer & Blood Specialists in a spot posted within days of affiliated physicians and a related PAC contributing $18,000 to his reelection bid. They also gave $130,000 to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Grow the Majority committee, half of which then went to LaLota.
Ohio – Ex-Columbus Zoo Exec, Dubbed ‘Most Egregious’ Offender in $2.3 Million Theft, Sentenced
MSN – Dean Narciso (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 10/28/2024
The last of five former employees of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sentenced to five years in prison, ending a four-year investigation into a nearly $2.3 million theft scheme. A judge also ordered restitution of $639,297 and a $10,000 fine from Peter Fingerhut, the zoo’s former marketing director. Fingerhut was considered one of the masterminds of a decade-long theft spree. He set up VIP ticket contracts for himself and his family at sports and entertainment venues intended for zoo promotional use, among other schemes.
WCPO – Paula Christian | Published: 10/29/2024
Cincinnati officials spent $11,500 on five signs that critics say are political and were initially proposed to come down the day after Election Day. The signs credit President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris with upcoming road projects that received funding from a bipartisan infrastructure law. They were originally supposed to credit only Biden. But before the signs were installed, city officials decided to add Harris’s name after she became the Democratic presidential candidate.
Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court: Attorney general can’t reject proposed constitutional amendments based on title
Yahoo News – Susan Tebben (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 10/30/2024
The Ohio Supreme Court spelled out the authority the state attorney general has when it comes to approving or rejecting constitutional amendment initiatives in a new ruling. The court ruled unanimously that Attorney General Dave Yost should not have rejected the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights proposal based on the title of the initiative.
Pennsylvania – Judge Strikes Down GOP Effort to Change Rules Over Military, Overseas Ballots
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2024
A federal judge in Pennsylvania threw out a lawsuit brought by six Republican members of Congress from the state that sought stricter scrutiny of ballots from overseas, including from members of the military stationed abroad. The lawmakers claimed that because local election officials in Pennsylvania are not required to verify the identity or eligibility of voters who register overseas, those ballots are vulnerable to fraud.
Rhode Island – Investigation Finds Insufficient Evidence to Prosecute McKee for Influencing Award of ILO Contract
Yahoo News – Alexander Castro (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 10/29/2024
State Attorney General Peter Neronha rebuked Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee over a state contract awarded to ILO Group but found there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges in the matter. ILO was one of the top two bidders seeking a federally funded contract to help schools meet COVID-19 safety protocols. The attorney general’s investigation centered around state bribery law, which requires prosecutors to show a quid pro quo occurred and benefited a state official in a personal or political capacity.
Tennessee – State Campaign Finance Agency Demands Transparency from Nashville’s Pro-Transit Campaign
Yahoo News – Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 10/30/2024
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance sent a letter to Nashville Moves Action Fund ordering them to register as a referendum committee by Election Day and submit financial disclosure reports as soon as possible. Nashville residents will decide on November 5 whether to establish a dedicated source of funding for transit improvements. The pro-transit campaign registered with the state under the Green Lights for Nashville PAC. Green Lights for Nashville filings show all of its cash donations came from one place: Nashville Moves Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. These sorts of nonprofits usually do not have to identify their donors.
Virginia – Supreme Court Allows Virginia Effort to Strike Possible Noncitizen Voters
MSN – Ann Marimow and Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 10/30/2024
A divided U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Virginia officials to remove about 1,600 voters from the state’s registration rolls less than one week before the presidential election. Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked the justices to intervene after two lower courts blocked his efforts to cancel the registrations of voters who could be noncitizens, an issue that Republican officials have seized on nationally to energize supporters even though noncitizen voting is extremely rare.
WTVR – Tyler Lane | Published: 10/24/2024
The campaign for a Richmond City Council candidate has reported thousands of dollars in donations from people who said they have never contributed any money, but no government official or agency said they were investigating the situation. The responses from local and state officials are raising questions about the role of finances in politics and the mechanisms for accountability, and some advocates and experts believe Virginia’s campaign reporting laws are not strong enough.
Washington – Campaign Watchdog Won’t Reconsider Penalty Against Let’s Go Washington
Yahoo News – Jerry Cornfield (Washington State Standard) | Published: 10/25/2024
Let’s Go Washington will not get another shot at convincing the state Public Disclosure Commission it did not violate campaign finance laws. Commissioners said they would not reconsider their October 9 ruling that the political committee failed to obtain and disclose information on payments to subvendors used by firms it hired to gather signatures for a slate of initiatives, including the four on the November ballot.
October 25, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 25, 2024
National/Federal How Elderly Dementia Patients Are Unwittingly Fueling Political Campaigns CNN – Blake Ellis, Melanie Hicken, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Audrey Ash, Kyung Lah, Anna-Maja Rappard, Casey Tolan, Lou Robinson, and Brian Manley | Published: 10/22/2024 More than 1,000 reports filed with government agencies […]
National/Federal
How Elderly Dementia Patients Are Unwittingly Fueling Political Campaigns
CNN – Blake Ellis, Melanie Hicken, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Audrey Ash, Kyung Lah, Anna-Maja Rappard, Casey Tolan, Lou Robinson, and Brian Manley | Published: 10/22/2024
More than 1,000 reports filed with government agencies and consumer advocacy groups reviewed by CNN, along with an analysis of campaign finance data and interviews with dozens of contributors and their family members, show how deceptive political fundraisers have victimized hundreds of elderly Americans and misled those battling dementia or other cognitive impairments into giving away millions of dollars, far more than they ever intended. Some unintentionally joined the ranks of the top grassroots political donors in the country as they tapped into retirement savings and went into debt.
Federal Court Nominees’ Stays at Trump Hotel Pose Murky Ethical Dilemma
Courthouse News Service – Benjamin Weiss | Published: 10/22/2024
A report from House Democrats detailing possible violations of the Constitution’s presidential emoluments clause may also raise unexplored questions about judicial ethics. Lawmakers cited more than a dozen people, including ambassadors, state government officials, and people seeking presidential pardons, who spent thousands of dollars at Trump International Hotel during Donald Trump’s administration. Among those hotel guests were three of Trump’s judicial nominees, all of whom Democrats say stayed at Trump’s property while they were seeking his nomination to the bench.
U.S. Officials Say Russia Smeared Tim Walz, Might Stoke Post-Vote Violence
MSN – Joseph Menn and David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 10/22/2024
Intelligence officials said Russians seeking to disrupt the U.S. elections created a faked video and other material smearing Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz with abuse allegations and are considering fomenting violence during and after the vote. The faked content accused Walz of inappropriate interactions with students while a teacher and coach. The posts drew millions of views on social media, falsely tarring the Minnesota governor ahead of November 5.
A New Washington Influence Industry Is Making Millions from Sanctions
MSN – Jeff Stein, Federica Cocco, and Peter Whoriskey (Washington Post) | Published: 10/24/2024
A sharp increase in U.S. sanctions has spawned a new lobbying industry in Washington, as businesses and governments around the world attempt to shape these economic penalties by hiring former American officials to leverage their connections. An avalanche of cash from abroad has flowed to former lawmakers and aides from both parties with experience at some of the highest levels of the government. Foreign spending on sanctions-related lobbying has surged from roughly $6 million in 2014 to at least $31 million in 2022, a more than fivefold increase that mirrors the rise in U.S. sanctions.
Why Are ABC Viewers Being Forced to See a Graphic Anti-Abortion Ad?
MSN – Jeremy Barr and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2024
Over the past weeks, ABC viewers across the country have been shown a graphic advertisement featuring images of aborted fetuses, as part of a campaign by anti-abortion rights advocate and long-shot presidential candidate Randall Terry. The ad has shocked viewers, who have taken to social media demanding to know why ABC would run it. But the network said it has no say in the matter. Because Terry is a candidate on the ballots in about a dozen states, ABC said it is bound by Federal Communications Commission rules to air the ad, unedited.
Judge Orders Giuliani to Forfeit Millions in Assets to Election Workers He Defamed
MSN – Eileen Sullivan (New York Times) | Published: 10/22/2024
A federal judge ordered Rudy Giuliani to turn over most of his possessions and available cash to a receivership controlled by the two Georgia election workers he defamed after the last presidential election. Giuliani has seven days to make the transfer, which includes his New York apartment and his vintage Mercedes-Benz. The judge also ordered him to turn over certain pieces of furniture, his television, sports memorabilia, jewelry, and 26 watches, including one that Giuliani said his grandfather gave him.
Appendix of Source Materials Unsealed in Trump Jan. 6 Prosecution
MSN – Spencer Hsu, Perry Stein, and Aaron Blake (Washington Post) | Published: 10/18/2024
U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan unsealed the appendix of source materials underpinning special counsel Jack Smith’s legal filing that detailed the evidence collected against Donald Trump in the federal election interference case, though the document was heavily redacted and appeared to contain few new revelations. Trump’s legal team opposed making the materials public so soon, arguing that the release now could appear as though the court was trying to affect the upcoming election. But Chutkan said withholding the documents could amount to election interference.
Musk Promises a Daily $1 Million Lottery in Questionable Pro-Trump Effort
MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 10/20/2024
Elon Musk announced he will give away $1 million each day to registered voters in battleground states who sign a petition put out by his super PAC’s voter recruitment drive. The plan also presents a special offer to voters in Pennsylvania: those who sign the petition will receive $100, and if they successfully convince another registered voter in the state to sign, they will receive another $100. Experts questioned the legality of the scheme because it ties a monetary reward to voter registration status, which is prohibited under federal law.
From the States and Municipalities
Alabama – Judge Halts Alabama State Program Aimed at Determining Voter Eligibility
MSN – David Nakamura and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2024
A federal judge halted an Alabama state program aimed at removing undocumented immigrants from voter rolls, siding with the Justice Department and civil rights groups who argued the effort came too close to election day and improperly included people eligible to cast a ballot. In her ruling, District Court Judge Anna Manasco said the state’s efforts, which officials said identified 3,281 people whose voting status would be inactivated, included thousands of U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote and “far fewer noncitizens” who are ineligible.
Alaska – Alaska Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom Approves Campaign-Finance Ballot Measure for 2026 Vote
Alaska Beacon – James Brooks | Published: 10/18/2024
Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom approved a ballot measure that would reimpose financial limits on candidates and donors. The measure now faces a statewide vote in 2026. Bruce Botelho, a former state attorney general who is one of three leading sponsors of the ballot measure, said he hopes for faster action. If the Alaska Legislature passes “substantially similar” legislation to the ballot measure, it will be removed from the 2026 vote.
Arizona – Arizona County Official Who Delayed Certifying Election Results Accepts Plea Deal
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2024
An Arizona Republican who helped inspire national concerns over county-level certification of the 2024 presidential election pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to a “failure or refusal” to perform her duty. Peggy Judd, who helps lead Cochise County, was indicted a year ago for allegedly flouting the state’s deadlines to formally accept the results of the 2022 midterm general election. State prosecutors asked that Judd serve unsupervised probation for 90 days, a period that extends through the certification process for the upcoming presidential election.
California – L.A. Times Editorials Editor Resigns After Owner Blocks Harris Endorsement
MSN – Kelsey Ables (Washington Post) | Published: 10/24/2024
The head of editorials at the Los Angeles Times, Mariel Garza, resigned after the newspaper’s billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong vetoed the editorial board’s planned endorsement of Kamala Harris in the presidential election. Newspapers generally have separate, independent departments for news and editorial writing, with the editorial side offering opinions on issues – including endorsements for political candidates – while the newsroom focuses on facts.
California – California Regulator Slams SoCalGas for Misusing Customer Funds to Fight Electrification
MSN – Ari Plachta (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 10/23/2024
Reports have shown Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) wrongfully spent millions of customer dollars in recent years to oppose California’s growing electrification policies. SoCalGas, the nation’s largest gas utility, denied those findings. Now, the California Public Utilities Commission acknowledged SoCalGas inappropriately used ratepayer funds to promote natural gas through lobbying, legal fees, and other efforts and issued new transparency measures to monitor its future political activities.
California – Supervisor Andrew Do Agrees to Plead Guilty in Federal Investigation, Resign from Board of Supervisors
MSN – Destiny Torres, Tony Saavedra, and Michael Slaten (Orange County Register) | Published: 10/22/2024
Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and resign from the Board of Supervisors. Do admitted in his plea agreement that beginning in 2020 he received more than $550,000 in bribes to vote in favor of and direct COVID-related funds to the Viet America Society. He allocated the money without disclosing that his daughter worked and held leadership roles for the group. Instead of the funding going to meal programs, county District Attorney Todd said the money “filled the pockets of insiders, (Do), and … family members.”
California – How S.F.’s Former Dream Keeper Chief Used Her City Position to Boost Her Personal Brand
MSN – Michael Barba and St. John Barned-Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/16/2024
Sheryl Davis, who resigned in September as head of San Francisco’s Dream Keeper Initiative amid reports of misspending and lax oversight, repeatedly used city resources to promote herself and a self-published children’s book, a media investigation found. Payments for a podcast and referrals to her personal website raise questions about whether Davis improperly used city resources, illustrating the blurred lines separating her career as a public official from her private life and ambitions as an author and public speaker.
California – Federal Judge Agrees to Dismiss Pending Charge Against Recology in San Francisco Bribery Case
Waste Dive – Cole Rosengren | Published: 10/18/2024
A federal judge agreed that Recology has satisfied the terms of its deferred prosecution agreement in San Francisco and granted a motion to dismiss a pending bribery charge against the company. Two former Recology executives – Paul Giusti, local director of government affairs, and John Porter, his supervisor and head of the SF Recology Group – were sentenced last year for their role in what the Justice Department described as “one of the largest corruption scandals in San Francisco history.”
MSN – Liam Reilly and Brian Stelter (CNN) | Published: 10/17/2024
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mark Walker granted a temporary restraining order against Florida’s surgeon general after the state health department threatened to bring criminal charges against broadcasters airing an ad in support of a ballot measure that that seeks to overturn a six-week abortion ban by enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. “To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid,” wrote Walker.
Georgia – Georgia Supreme Court Refuses to Reinstate Hand-Count Rule in Time for Election Day
MSN – Aysha Bagchi (USA Today) | Published: 10/22/2024
The Georgia Supreme Court rejected a Republican request for a speedy appeal to get seven rules, including a requirement for thousands of poll workers to hand count ballots, reinstated in the final weeks before the election. The decision likely means none of the rules will be in place on November 5. The appeal will still be able to proceed on the regular, slower timeline.
Hawaii – Maui Voters to Decide If County Board of Ethics Can Hire a Full-Time Staff
Honolulu Civil Beat – Leo Azambuja | Published: 10/21/2024
Maui voters are being asked to allow the county Board of Ethics to hire its own full-time staff, including an executive director, a secretary, and an investigator. The all-volunteer board currently has no staff, and the proposed county charter amendment would allow more opportunities for ethics training of county employees and investigations of ethics violations.
Hawaii – Hawaii Legislature Rarely Uses Its Own Process to Investigate Lawmakers
Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 10/16/2024
There are concerns that the Hawaii Legislature does not do much about lawmakers who behave badly, and whether the public would even hear about it if they did. The House Select Committee on Standards of Conduct appears to have rarely convened since its inception 16 years ago. Members of both chambers and parties say a big reason is legislators are reluctant to speak out for fear of retaliation “Anyone who complains, forget your bills …,” said Sen. Les Ihara, who was the author of a 2007 bill that called for setting up legislative ethics committees.
Illinois – Corrupt Political Boss or Defender of His Constituents? Madigan Trial Begins in Earnest
MSN – Jason Meisner, Megan Crepeau, and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/21/2024
It has been five years since former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the nation’s longest-serving legislative leader and the kingpin of the state’s Democrats, landed in the crosshairs of a federal corruption investigation. As opening statements in Madigan’s historic trial got underway, his defense team said the government’s cooperating witnesses were liars with an “axe to grind” who were operating without the speaker’s knowledge or authorization. Prosecutors told the jury Madigan ruthlessly used his perch at the top of state politics to betray the public trust, increase his power, enrich his friends, and line his own pockets.
Louisiana – The Louisiana Ethics Board Is Trying to Rein in PAC Spending. Lawmakers Are Balking.
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 10/23/2024
The Louisiana Board of Ethics has quietly clamped down on PAC spending for over a year, angering state lawmakers and a campaign advisor to Gov. Jeff Landry. Campaign finance attorneys said the ethics board has started to ask more questions, and possibly launched more investigations, into elected officials’ PAC spending since the middle of 2023. Legislators confirmed they were being told to take care when spending PAC money for the time being
Michigan – State Says Anti-Renewable Group Violated Campaign Finance Law Following Planet Detroit Investigation
Planet Detroit – Brian Allnutt | Published: 10/18/2024
The Michigan Department of State found the nonprofit Our Home Our Voice (OHOV) committed a “potential violation” of campaign finance law with its fundraising for a ballot question committee looking to repeal a renewable energy law. The law could allow energy developers to overcome restrictive local ordinances that block large-scale wind and solar projects from being built. The decision follows a report that found that OHOV, a 501(c)(4) organization, appeared to solicit donations for the ballot initiative and donated $54,200 to the ballot question committee.
Mississippi – Second Conspirator Pleads Guilty in Jackson Bribery Case. Man Tied to 2 Elected Officials
Yahoo News – Charlie Drape (Jackson Clarion Ledger) | Published: 10/17/2024
A second person in a bribery scandal pleaded guilty in the case that brought down former Jackson City Councilperson Angelique Lee. At least two other elected officials are involved. Court documents in the case were unsealed for Sherik Marve Smith, who is associated with Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens’ real estate company, which is being investigated by the FBI. Smith was also working with “Unindicted Co-Conspirator B” and “Unindicted Co-Conspirator C,” who are both elected officials of the city of Jackson, according to court documents.
Missouri – Ex-St. Louis Prosecutor Admits She Misused Public Funds and Avoids Criminal Charges
MSN – Heather Hollingsworth (Associated Press) | Published: 10/23/2024
A former prosecutor in St. Louis admitted she should not have used thousands of dollars in public funds to pay herself back after getting fined for mistakes while prosecuting a governor. Kim Gardner resigned under fire last year after being elected the city’s first Black circuit attorney in 2016. She will avoid federal criminal prosecution for misusing the $5,004 in public funds as long as she pays them back and follows other rules of a pretrial diversion agreement.
Nebraska – Felons with Finished Sentences Can Register to Vote, Nebraska Supreme Court Rules
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2024
Nebraska residents who were convicted of felonies and have finished their sentences can vote in the November election, the state’s Supreme Court ruled, potentially opening the door for thousands of Nebraskans to cast their ballot. The ruling could have implications for the presidential race as Nebraska, which is solidly red, is one of two states that award some of their electoral votes by congressional district.
Nevada – ‘Gaping Loophole’ in Campaign-Finance Law: Dan Bilzerian, others give big to politicians
MSN – Eli Segall (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 10/17/2024
Las Vegas celebrity Dan Bilzerian has injected large amounts of money into Nevada politics, allowed by a legal loophole that lets him give the maximum amount through corporate entities. It is a common practice in Nevada, experts say. Since the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the lid on corporate political spending, outside groups have spent billions of dollars trying to influence federal elections. Nevada law has long allowed people to give big to state and local candidates: Donors can give the maximum allowed in their own name and through a limitless number of corporate entities to the same candidate, experts said.
Nevada – Here’s What Will Happen to Library Executive Who Took Super Bowl Tickets
MSN – Jessica Hill (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 10/16/2024
The executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District who accepted free Super Bowl tickets is required to implement ethics training for himself and his staff in accordance with an agreement approved by the Nevada Commission on Ethics. Kelvin Watson received tickets to attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas that were valued at around $8,600.
Nevada – Former Las Vegas Area Democratic Politician Gets Minimum 28 Years in Prison for Killing Reporter
MSN – Ken Ritter (Associated Press) | Published: 10/16/2024
A former Las Vegas-area elected official was sentenced to serve at least 28 years in prison for killing an investigative journalist who wrote articles critical of his conduct in office two years ago and exposed an intimate relationship with a female coworker. A judge invoked sentencing enhancements for use of a deadly weapon and the age of the reporter to add eight years to the minimum 20-years-to-life sentence that a jury set after finding Robert Telles guilty of first-degree murder.
New Hampshire – ‘Wrap Up Quickly’: State supreme court justice indicted for allegedly interfering with investigation into ports director husband
MSN – Elura Nanos (Law and Crime) | Published: 10/16/2024
New Hampshire Supreme Court Associate Justice Anna Hantz Marconi, who is married to a long-embattled state official, was indicted for interfering with a criminal investigation into her husband. According to prosecutors, Marconi attempted to influence Gov. Chris Sununu to cut short an investigation into State Ports and Harbor Director Geno Marconi.
New York – Stricter New Rules for Campaign Cash Could Deal Blow to Mayor Adams’ Reelection Bid
Gothamist – Brigid Bergin | Published: 10/21/2024
Under proposed rule changes, the New York City Campaign Finance Board would be required to withhold the public financing program’s eight-to-one matching funds from candidates who violate specific rules. Until now, the board has been able to use its discretion to determine a candidate’s eligibility for matching funds, despite most compliance concerns. Board officials say the proposals amount to little more than bureaucratic housekeeping. But the new rules could have major implications for Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign.
New York – Where’s The Money? More Than $400,000 Missing from Bronx Democratic Party Disclosures
New York Focus – Sam Mellins | Published: 10/15/2024
The Bronx Democratic Party has failed to disclose more than $400,000 in contributions over the past four years, an apparent violation of campaign finance law. A New York Focus review found the state Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee transferred the funds in over a dozen installments, yet those contributions never appeared on the Bronx party’s paperwork.
North Dakota – Ethics Commission May Seek More Protections for Whistleblowers
Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 10/24/2024
The North Dakota Ethics Commission is considering proposing a new law during the 2025 legislative session to protect whistleblowers. North Dakota already has whistleblower laws, but none explicitly cover the Ethics Commission. Another proposal would specify that the two-year prohibition on lobbying after a public official leaves their office only applies to those who were elected, not those who were appointed.
Oklahoma – Records Conceal Oklahoma Governor’s Aircraft Travel Information in Apparent Flouting of State Law
Yahoo News – Barbara Hoberock (Oklahoma Voice) | Published: 10/7/2024
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and his wife have used a state plane to travel the country, but records conceal the purpose and passengers of many flights, raising questions about why they are not following state law on transparency. While officials blame each other for omissions on the Department of Transportation’s Beechcraft King Air’s flight logs, some legal experts say state law requires users to cite the reason for all flights and to clearly state who is aboard. But the law contains no consequences, such as fines, for noncompliance.
MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/21/2024
Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, who is running for mayor, broke campaign finance rules when he used public funds to spruce up his Wikipedia page, the city auditor’s office announced. Chief Deputy Auditor Reed Brodersen wrote that Gonzalez violated the law by using city staff time, money, and services when he paid a company $6,400 this spring to help him highlight that he is a Democrat on his Wikipedia page. The auditor’s office issued Gonzalez a fine of $2,400.
Pennsylvania – A Judge Dismissed a Lawsuit That Ex-Mayoral Candidate Jeff Brown Filed Against the Ethics Board
MSN – Anna Orso (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 10/16/2024
A Philadelphia judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by former mayoral candidate Jeff Brown and a super PAC that spent millions of dollars to back his unsuccessful bid against the city’s Board of Ethics. Brown, as well as the PAC and a related nonprofit, argued the ethics board improperly used its power to undermine his run for mayor last year by publicly accusing him of campaign finance violations in the middle of the race.
Pennsylvania – A GOP Operative Accused a Monastery of Voter Fraud. Nuns Fought Back.
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 10/23/2024
A Republican operative in Pennsylvania falsely suggested to his nearly 58,000 followers on X that no one lived at a monastery in Erie, Pennsylvania, and mail ballots cast from there would be “illegal votes.” But the address Cliff Maloney posted belonged to the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, where 55 nuns live full time. In a public statement, Sister Stephanie Schmidt called Maloney’s post, which has been viewed more than 2 million times, “blatantly false,” adding that “a simple web search would alert him to our active presence in a number of ministries in Erie.”
Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania High Court Gives Voters Provisional Option If Their Mail Ballots Get Rejected
Yahoo News – Mark Scolforo and Marc Levy (Associated Press) | Published: 10/23/2024
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court said people whose mail ballots are rejected for not following technical procedures in state law can cast provisional ballots, a decision sure to affect some of the thousands of mail-in votes likely to be rejected this fall. The court ruled Butler County’s Republican-majority election board must count provisional ballots that were cast by two voters after they learned their mail-in ballots were voided because they arrived without mandatory secrecy envelopes.
MSN – Mike Morris and Abby Church (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 10/17/2024
The Houston Annual Investor Conference is now in its ninth year, but this year’s event is the first for which sponsorships have been sought, Mayor John Whitmire said. The conference’s website lists sponsorships from $10,000 up to $100,000, with increasing perks for top donors. Whitmire asked the Office of Inspector General to investigate if any city ordinances were violated by the solicitation of sponsorships. He will not attend the conference and called on City Controller Chris Hollins to cancel it.
Virginia – Va.’s AG Accused an Election Worker of Corruption. She’s Suing Him Back.
MSN – Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 10/17/2024
The former head of a Virginia county elections office has sued the state’s attorney general and current and former members of his office, saying they intentionally brought baseless corruption charges against her to further their political agenda and justify the creation of a controversial election integrity unit. The criminal case against Michele White, who was Prince William County’s registrar during the 2020 election, fizzled when Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares dropped the charges weeks before trial.
October 18, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 18, 2024
National/Federal Trump Leans on Creative Bookkeeping to Keep Up in Cash Race DNyuz – Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 10/15/2024 Donald Trump’s political operation has been taking extraordinary measures in a bid to stay financially competitive with […]
National/Federal
Trump Leans on Creative Bookkeeping to Keep Up in Cash Race
DNyuz – Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 10/15/2024
Donald Trump’s political operation has been taking extraordinary measures in a bid to stay financially competitive with Vice President Kamala Harris, deploying aggressive and creative accounting strategies that test the legal limits of how far a candidate can go to offload the core costs of running for president. The most startling example is the official payroll of the former president’s campaign committee. Trump has only 11 people on the official payroll of his campaign committee. The reason is he is shuffling costs from his campaign committee to other accounts allied or shared with the Republican Party.
‘I Will Stand My Ground’: Election officials are prepared for attempts to ‘find’ votes
MSN – Erin Mansfield and Sarah Wire (USA Today) | Published: 10/14/2024
When Donald Trump lost Georgia by just under 12,000 votes in 2020, he went to the two people with the most power over the state’s elections, the governor and the secretary of state, and asked for help overturning the results. Both resisted the effort. Trump in September claimed without evidence that Democrats are “cheating,” laying the groundwork to challenge the results again if he loses. But Trump would be unlikely to find state officials willing to try to block their state’s electoral votes from going to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Ethics Committee Subpoenas Documents from Lawsuit Brought by Gaetz’s Friend: Sources
MSN – Will Steakin (ABC News) | Published: 10/15/2024
As part of its ongoing investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz, the House Committee on Ethics issued a subpoena for documents from a civil lawsuit brought by one of Gaetz’s longtime friends against several third parties. The subpoena requests all documents related to Gaetz that are part of a lawsuit by Florida lobbyist Chris Dorworth, who alleged he was defamed by several third parties over the course of the yearslong sex trafficking probe into Gaetz. The documents from the lawsuit could provide Congress with new details regarding allegations that have dogged Gaetz for years, including the allegation he had sex with a minor.
The Senate GOP Found a Campaign Finance Loophole. It’s About to Save Them Millions of Dollars.
MSN – Ally Mutnick, Jessica Piper, and Madison Fernandez (Politico) | Published: 10/10/2024
Republicans have been employing a new election strategy: running campaign ads for a candidate, framed as a fundraising plea, to get cheaper ad rates and avoid content restrictions. Democrats, furious at what they saw as the crossing of ethical and legal lines, asked the FEC to weigh in. The FEC deadlocked on whether these joint fundraising ads should be permitted, effectively allowing the practice to continue. It could have implications beyond this election cycle as campaigns and their joint fundraising committees get more creative. Those were among the concerns of campaign finance advocates ahead of the FEC’s decision.
Eight Years Ago, Trump Vowed to ‘Drain the Swamp.’ Now He Swims in It.
MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 10/11/2024
Eight years after Donald Trump entered politics promising to reduce the influence of Washington lobbyists – to “drain the swamp,” as he put it – advocates for corporate interests, including companies based in China and other foreign countries denounced by Trump, now sit at virtually every level of his campaign. Lobbyists are represented among high-level staff, informal advisers, and party faithful who planned the summer convention in Milwaukee, as people with access to Trump or insight into his at-times erratic decision-making turn that knowledge into moneymaking opportunities.
This Could Have Been a Year of a Federal Court Reckoning for Trump. Judges Had Other Ideas
Yahoo News – Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer (Associated Press) | Published: 10/14/2024
A year that began with the prospect of a federal court reckoning for Donald Trump will end without any chance of a trial, leaving voters without the finality of a jury verdict in the two most consequential cases against the presidential nominee. Yet both cases still loom over the election, their potential resurgence in the coming months making clear that at stake on November 5 is not only the presidency but also possibly Trump’s liberty.
From the States and Municipalities
Alaska – How a Man Imprisoned in New York Could Sway a Key House Race in Alaska
DNyuz – Corey Kilgannon (New York Times) | Published: 10/15/2024
In the race for Alaska’s sole seat in the U.S. House, the leading candidates are defined by credentials specific to the state. Then there is Inmate 00932-005, campaigning from the Otisville Federal Correctional Institution in New York, some 4,000 miles from Alaska. He is Eric Hafner, running in a state he has never set foot in and cannot visit soon. Hafner is serving 20 years for threatening public officials in New Jersey, where he grew up. Now in his dubious quest to become one himself, he has emerged as an unlikely factor in the fight for control of Congress.
Arizona – Arizona Counties Won’t Be Forced to Do Citizenship Checks Before the Election, a Judge Rules
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/15/2024
A judge rejected a request to require Arizona’s 15 counties to verify the citizenship of some 42,000 voters registered only to vote in federal elections in the presidential battleground state, concluding those who sought the checks made their request too close to the November 5 election and did not have legal standing. Arizona requires voters to prove their citizenship to participate in local and state races. Voters who do not provide proof of citizenship yet still swear they are U.S. citizens are allowed to vote only for president, the U.S. House, or Senate.
California – Did Waymo Violate Ethics Rules in Lobbying SFO for Airport Access? The Teamsters Say So
MSN – Chase DiFeliciantonio (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/10/2024
The Teamsters union filed an ethics complaint against autonomous driving company Waymo, alleging some of the company’s employees failed to register as lobbyists while pushing San Francisco International Airport executives to allow their cars to map its property. The complaint claims multiple contacts in May between senior Waymo product, policy, and government affairs staff and top airport officials crossed the legal line for when the Waymo workers should have registered as lobbyists but did not.
California – ‘Notoriously Slow:’ Lengthy investigations into California politicians leave voters in the dark
MSN – Yue Stella Yu and Jeremia Kimelman (Cal Matters) | Published: 10/14/2024
Historically plagued by what some staff called an “enormous” backlog, The California Fair Political Practices Commission has sometimes taken years to resolve cases, exposing violations or exonerating politicians only after they left office or won an election. While the agency has worked to expedite enforcement, advocates, officials, and past and current commissioners say delayed actions can diminish public trust in the state’s ability to prosecute corruption effectively.
District of Columbia – D.C. Violence Intervention Programs Scrutinized Amid Bribery Probe
MSN – Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 10/8/2024
District of Columbia Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah told lawmakers the city has completed a review of grants and contracts in the violence-intervention space, a review prompted by bribery allegations against Councilperson Trayon White Sr. and did not find evidence of wrongdoing. The hearing concerned the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONSE) and whether oversight needs to be strengthened. It was sparked by allegations White took bribes to pressure city officials to extend an associate’s violence-intervention contracts at ONSE, sparking broader concerns about the impact on the agency.
District of Columbia – In D.C. Election, Initiative 83 Push for Voting Changes Is Biggest Wild Card
MSN – Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 10/12/2024
With Democrats expected to coast to victory in deep-blue District of Columbia, the biggest wild-card contest this November is instead a citywide ballot measure. Initiative 83 would allow independents to vote in primary elections and bring ranked choice voting to the city. The changes could open up the primary elections to roughly 76,000 registered independents, and significantly impact how votes are counted and potentially how candidates campaign.
Florida – DeSantis-Backed Report Accuses Abortion Amendment Backers of Signature Gathering Fraud
MSN – John Kennedy (USA Today) | Published: 10/14/2024
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s latest attempt to defeat an abortion rights ballot measure, known as Amendment 4, emerged in a report from the office of the state elections chief, alleging a host of violations involving the campaign’s petition signature-gathering. Secretary of State Cord Byrd’s report includes allegations of fraudulent signatures and petition-gatherers being paid illegally per signature. Floridians Protecting Freedom Floridians Protecting Freedom, the Amendment 4 campaign, was recently fined $328,000 for the alleged violations. The civil fine has not been paid.
Florida – Broward Ethics Rules May Be Relaxed on Accepting Gifts of Food and Drinks
MSN – Lisa Huriash (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 10/13/2024
Broward County commissioners will consider relaxing the rules surrounding accepting gifts of food and drinks when they are on the job. The idea is to prohibit “sizable gifts that may invite actual or perceived impropriety,” according to county records. But Broward’s ethics code takes the spirit of the law further, and it prohibits elected officials from accepting any gift with a value that exceeds five dollars from a lobbyist, vendor, or contractor. There is, however, an exception for soft drinks.
Georgia – Right-Wing Site Gateway Pundit Acknowledges Inquiry Cleared Two Georgia Election Workers
MSN – Maegan Vasquez (Washington Post) | Published: 10/12/2024
The Gateway Pundit, a far-right website, published a note from its editor acknowledging that two election workers in Georgia did not engage in ballot fraud in 2020, days after the publication settled a lawsuit brought against it for falsely reporting they had tampered with election results. The site recently settled with Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two former Georgia election workers. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
Georgia – Georgia Judge Rules That Counties Must Certify Election Results
MSN – Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/15/2024
A Georgia judge ruled state law does not give county officials discretion to withhold certification of election results, a defeat for allies of Donald Trump, who sought to empower local leaders to hold up the outcome of the vote. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said certification of election results is a mandatory duty irrespective of any concerns a county election board may have about the accuracy of the count. Such concerns are the domain of prosecutors and state election officials, he ruled, and local boards are expected to relay any evidence of irregularity to their local district attorney.
Illinois – Report: Illinois gets failing grade for its lobbyist disclosure system
MSN – Kevin Bessler (Center Square) | Published: 10/10/2024
A new report says Illinois is one of 27 states that received a failing grade for its lobbyist disclosure system. The organization F Minus gives Illinois a grade of “F” for its lobbyist system, citing several failures. “Lobbyists don’t have to disclose the numbers of the bills they’re working on or the positions they are taking, or the compensation they are receiving from each of their clients,” said Executive Director James Browning.
Kansas – Who Pays for Wichita Officials’ Trips? They Now Must Tell Public, but How Is Unclear
MSN – Chance Swaim (Wichita Eagle) | Published: 10/11/2024
Three Wichita City Council members have accepted expensive gifts since creating a carve-out that allows them to exceed the city’s $150 annual gift limit with a majority vote of the council. But in the council’s agenda packets, the gifts are packaged as travel requests alongside trips that are funded by the city, with no stated outside funding sources, no donor names, no estimated value, and no list of what expenses are included in the travel request. There is also no mention that a vote for the travel is a vote to allow council members to exceed the gift limit set in an ethics ordinance they passed in September.
Maryland – Larry Hogan Approved Millions for His Firm’s Listed Clients as Governor
MSN – Eric Cortellessa (Time Magazine) | Published: 10/10/2024
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is president and principal owner of HOGAN, a real estate brokerage firm in Annapolis. When he became governor, Hogan entered into a trust agreement he said would prevent conflicts-of-interest. But it was not a blind trust. He put his brother in charge of the firm and made several executives at the firm trustees. Hogan said the agreement would allow him to remain apprised of his firm’s investments, investors, and other matters including the location of its real estate projects. The State Ethics Commission approved the arrangement. If Hogan hoped the agreement would prevent the appearance of a conflict, it did not.
Michigan – Michigan GOP Candidate’s Ad Aimed at Black Voters Has Wrong Election Date
MSN – María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 10/14/2024
Tom Barrett, a Republican vying for a Michigan congressional seat, is facing calls for an investigation after an ad from his campaign incorrectly listed Election Day as November 6 in a Black-owned newspaper. In a complaint filed with the state attorney general, the Legislative Black Caucus accused Barrett’s campaign of misleading Black voters to suppress turnout, something that could violate a state law prohibiting intentionally spreading misinformation about the election process to deter an individual from voting.
Nebraska – Wealthy Governor, Billionaire Family Changed Nebraska Elections
Governing – Sara Gentzler and Alex Richards (Flatwater Free Press) | Published: 10/16/2024
In the years before U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, the eldest so of a billionaire businessperson, ran for governor of Nebraska, his family never spent more than $400,000 in any state campaign cycle. Then, in the decade he was running for and serving as governor, the Ricketts family spent at least $9.8 million on state political campaigns and causes. That spending spiked when Ricketts first ran for the state’s top job, jumping to five percent of all recorded political giving in Nebraska.
New Jersey – ‘He’s Taken on Everybody in New Jersey’ – and Angered the Political Class
Yahoo News – Matt Friedman (Politico) | Published: 10/12/2024
State Comptroller Kevin Walsh has applied the same zeal from his attorney days to hunting down fraud, waste, and abuse inside some 2,000 government entities and angered some of the most powerful people in New Jersey while doing so. Walsh is an especially intriguing figure not only for his aggressive approach but also because New Jersey politics as a whole is changing.
New York – New Adams Administration Inquiry Focuses on City Leases
DNyuz – William Rashbaum, Dana Rubinstein, and Michael Rothfeld (New York Times) | Published: 10/9/2024
As federal prosecutors scrutinize New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his top aides, the Manhattan district attorney’s office opened yet another corruption investigation into City Hall, this one involving the city’s leasing of commercial properties, people with knowledge of the matter said. As part of the inquiry, investigators have seized the phones of at least five people, including Adams’ chief adviser, a top New York City real estate official, and a broker involved in city leases, the people said. The investigation has focused at least in part on possible bribery, money laundering, and other crimes, one of the people said.
Gothamist – Michelle Bocanegra | Published: 10/10/2024
The New York City Council is setting its sights on reforming the city’s process for hiring vendors, as Mayor Eric Adams faces questions around the city’s business dealings along with his own indictment on federal bribery and fraud charges. Council members unanimously passed a package of bills that aims to increase transparency around what city vendors have for years called an opaque procurement process for contracts.
North Carolina – North Carolina Authorities Arrest Armed Man After Threats Against FEMA Workers
MSN – Brianna Sacks and Dan Lamothe (Washington Post) | Published: 10/14/2024
Threats against federal emergency response personnel have hampered relief work in parts of western North Carolina hard hit by Hurricane Helene, prompting disaster workers to relocate because of safety concerns and feeding a cycle of fear and anxiety. Some of the misinformation swirling around federal responders have been amplified by Donald Trump as he seeks to return to the White House. Trump has alleged the federal government was “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” and repeatedly claimed the Federal Emergency Management Agency was diverting disaster relief money for migrants.
Ohio – Justice Dept. to Monitor Voting in Ohio County Over Intimidation Concerns
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 10/15/2024
The U.S. Justice Department will monitor voting in Portage County, Ohio, during the November election, after the county sheriff posted on Facebook urging residents to write down the addresses of people displaying yard signs for Vice President Kamala Harris. The announcement follows the county’s elections board decision to bar the sheriff’s office from providing security during early voting. The board acted one week after Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski made the Facebook posts, sparking complaints about voter intimidation.
Ohio – King Joins Long List of East Cleveland Officials Who Have Faced Corruption or Misconduct Allegations
MSN – Lucas Daprile (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/11/2024
Mayor Brandon King became the latest East Cleveland official in a long list of city leaders to face criminal charges or be accused of misconduct. A grand jury indicted King on charges involving his interest in city contracts that prosecutors say earned him more than $75,000 over the span of several years. He is the impoverished city’s third current or former mayor in 20 years to face criminal charges. “Everyone who gets in that seat loses their damn mind,” East Cleveland Council President Twon Billings said of the mayor’s job.
Ohio – House GOP Owes $1.6M for Lease Arranged by Convicted Ex-Speaker Householder, Court Rules
MSN – Jake Zuckerman and Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/14/2024
A Franklin County magistrate pinned a contested, $1.67 million debt stemming from a defaulted office lease on the Ohio House Republicans’ political arm, just weeks before Election Day. The decision imposes significant financial uncertainty unto the Ohio House Republican Alliance, which assists with campaigning for the slate of GOP House candidates. It could end up being a costly addition to the already tarnished legacy of ex-House Speaker Larry Householder, whose political operation arranged the lease in the first place shortly before he was arrested on federal bribery related charges in 2020.
Oklahoma – Oklahoma Changes Ryan Walters’ Proposal to Supply 55,000 Bibles to Public Schools
MSN – M. Scott Carter (Oklahoman) | Published: 10/9/2024
A request issued by the Oklahoma State Department of Education to purchase thousands of bibles for public schools was significantly changed after questions arose surrounding its legality. The vendor requirements underwent at least two major changes: the delivery date and a provision that now allows the vendor to provide Bibles and other documents such as copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights separately. Unbundling the Bible and the set of historical documents appears to expand the number of possible vendors.
Pennsylvania – The (Basically) Secret List of Campaign Donations by No-Bid Contractors
MSN – Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) | Published: 10/11/2024
Every year, government agencies in Pennsylvania award contracts, sometimes worth millions of dollars, without going through the traditional bidding process meant to ensure taxpayers get the best price for the work. The companies that benefit from this arrangement, in turn, are required to report campaign contributions by owners and employees. The requirement is buried deep in Pennsylvania’s Election code and might be one of the best-kept secrets in the Capitol. The annual reports produced by the Pennsylvania Department of State are not easily accessible or well-known by the public.
Texas – Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit over Austin’s Campaign Finance Rule
KUT – Luz Moreno-Lozano | Published: 10/15/2024
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against Austin’s campaign finance rule that says a candidate cannot raise more than $47,000 from outside the city limits during an election. U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman dismissed the case saying the cap could be unconstitutional, but that is up to the city’s Ethics Review Commission to decide.
Washington – Initiative Backers Hit with $20,000 Fine by WA Campaign Finance Watchdog
Yahoo News – Jerry Cornfield (Washington State Standard) | Published: 10/9/2024
The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) handed a $20,000 fine to the conservative organization behind the slate of initiatives appearing on the ballot this November. The PDC concluded Let’s Go Washington violated Washington’s campaign finance laws by not obtaining and disclosing information on payments to sub-vendors used by signature-gathering firms. It also found Let’s Go Washington did not hand over financial records in a timely fashion as it took a July subpoena before it produced 9,000 pages of materials.
October 11, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 11, 2024
National/Federal Conservative Activists Are Monitoring, and Filming, Voter Registration Sites DNyuz – Jack Healy (New York Times) | Published: 10/4/2024 As the ground game intensifies ahead of many state voter-registration deadlines in early October, suspicions of election fraud have turned the normally […]
National/Federal
Conservative Activists Are Monitoring, and Filming, Voter Registration Sites
DNyuz – Jack Healy (New York Times) | Published: 10/4/2024
As the ground game intensifies ahead of many state voter-registration deadlines in early October, suspicions of election fraud have turned the normally ho-hum work of registering voters into tense confrontations. Despite the many debunked falsehoods about widespread voting by noncitizens, liberal Latino advocacy groups say they are being trailed by conservative activists with cameras and accused of registering undocumented immigrants. The conservative activists say they are just trying to expose flaws in the voter-registration process.
Democrats Try ‘Trump-Proofing’ Their States Ahead of Election Day
MSN – Reis Thebault (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2024
From the West Coast to the East, blue states are preparing for the possibility that Donald Trump wins in November by attempting to shield their policy priorities from the reach of a future Trump administration. This preemptive strategy – “Trump-proofing” – encompasses a wide range of issues and programs that Democratic leaders fear could be targeted in another Trump presidency, based on his previous actions and his current campaign promises.
FBI Probe of Kavanaugh Constrained by Trump White House, Report Finds
MSN – Beth Reinhard (Washington Post) | Published: 10/8/2024
In September 2018, as allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh threatened his confirmation to the Supreme Court, Donald Trump vowed the FBI would have “free rein” to vet the claims. Trump’s comments came as a surprise to the FBI, according to a new report from U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. FBI officials, directed to conduct a very limited inquiry in a week’s time, requested “additional guidance” from the White House, citing the public remarks by Trump describing a freewheeling investigation. But the White House never authorized the agency to independently probe the allegations, which Kavanaugh staunchly denied.
Lawmakers Spending Even More in 2024 Under Receipt-Free Expense Program
MSN – Jacqueline Alemany and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 10/10/2024
House lawmakers expensed at least $2.5 million under a program that allows them to be reimbursed for their spending without submitting receipts through the first five months of 2024, over $120,000 more than during the same period last year. The program was intended to help members offset the costs of maintaining two households without requiring them to give themselves a politically toxic raise. Critics have argued that its lack of receipt requirements and reliance on the honor system open it up for abuse.
Trump’s Jan. 6 Role Back in Focus as He Readies New Stolen Election Claims
MSN – Amy Gardner and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2024
Donald Trump’s effort to overturn his loss four years ago and his role inciting the violent attack on the Capitol roared onto the 2024 campaign stage even as he continues to suggest he will not accept a defeat if it happens a second time. Special counsel Jack Smith’s recent filing exposed new details about Trump’s lack of concern about the Capitol riot and his push to reverse his loss even as advisers repeatedly told him Joe Biden had legitimately won.
Trump Holds Up Transition Process, Skirting Ethics and Fund-Raising Rules
Seattle Times – Ken Bensinger (New York Times) | Published: 10/9/2024
Donald Trump’s campaign has not yet participated in the government’s official presidential transition process, a break from past practice that could threaten the seamless transfer of power should he win the election. It appears to be guided, at least in part, by Trump’s mistrust of the government he is running to lead. Experts note he may have other incentives. His refusal to sign the documents allows him to circumvent fundraising rules that put limits on private contributions to the transition, along with ethics rules meant to avoid conflicts-of-interest for the incoming administration.
From the States and Municipalities
California – As the Legislature Reaches Towards Gender Parity, the Number of Female Lobbyists Is Also Growing
Capitol Weekly – Brian Joseph | Published: 10/1/2024
There was a time when Sacramento’s female lobbyists were frozen out of meetings, literally not invited to important discussions about their clients’ bills simply because they were women. But female lobbyists say does not happen anymore as gender parity has grown in the lobbying corps alongside that of the Legislature itself and its aides. Female lobbyists attribute the changing culture of the Capitol to a number of factors: Sacramento’s own #MeToo reckoning, and overall society changes when it comes to gender differences and women in the workplace. But one unexpected factor that women lobbyists point to is term limits.
California – S.F. Mayor, City Attorney Broke Law by Deleting Texts, Task Force Says
Mission Local – Joe Rivano Barros | Published: 10/3/2024
The Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, San Francisco’s oversight body responsible for public records and transparency laws, ruled that Mayor London Breed and City Attorney David Chiu both violated city law by deleting text messages dealing with official business. It also referred the mayor’s actions to the San Francisco Ethics Commission for investigation and possible discipline. Public records experts said the practice likely violates California law requiring retaining records for two years.
California – L.A.’s Ex-Deputy Mayor Headed to Prison: ‘Corruption at any level will not be tolerated’
MSN – Brittny Mejia (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/4/2024
A federal judge sentenced former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan to 12 years in prison for his role in a sprawling City Hall corruption case. U.S. District Court Judge John Walter said, “corruption at any level will not be tolerated.” A jury found Chan guilty on a dozen counts – including racketeering conspiracy, bribery, honest services fraud, and giving false statements to investigators – in a case focused on financial benefits provided by real estate developers with projects in former city Councilperson Jose Huizar’s district.
California – Supreme Court Declines to Take Up ‘Dark Money’ Case
Yahoo News – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 10/8/2002
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a challenge to San Francisco’s Sunlight on Dark Money disclosure law, which would have tested the limits of disclosure and free speech in campaign finance. San Francisco voters overwhelmingly approved the initiative in 2019, compelling election ads to include a disclaimer naming the top three donors to the group running the ad. If the donor is another committee, then the committee’s top two donors and the dollar amounts given by both need to be disclosed.
Colorado – Former Colorado Official Sentenced to Prison in Election Data Scheme
MSN – Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2024
Tina Peters, a former county election official in Colorado, was sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of charges connected to efforts to copy election data from her office as Donald Trump and his allies spread false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and searched for evidence to prove it. Prosecutors accused Peters of helping to secretly copy Dominion Voting Systems hard drives by sneaking Conan Hayes, a former professional surfer and purported computer expert, into secure areas of her office in 2021 using someone else’s security badge.
Delaware – Why Delaware Received a Failing Grade for Lobbyist Disclosure Transparency
MSN – Amanda Fries (Delaware News Journal) | Published: 10/3/2024
Delaware received a failing grade for its lack of transparency over lobbyist disclosures, which do not require lobbyists to disclose their salaries or the positions they take on legislation on behalf of their clients, according to the climate group F Minus. The group, formed in 2023 to track fossil fuel lobbyists who also represent clients being harmed by the climate crisis, gave Delaware and 27 other states an “F” for their respective lobbyist disclosure systems.
District of Columbia – Informant in Trayon White Case Bribed Another D.C. Official, Records Say
MSN – Meagan Flynn, Jenny Gathright, and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2024
Allieu Kamara, the FBI informant at the center of District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr.’s bribery case, secretly pleaded guilty earlier this year to paying an employee at the city’s Child and Family Services Agency hundreds of thousands of dollars to help rig the contracting process and steer lucrative work to his businesses. The revelation deepens the reach of public corruption allegations that have already rocked local government as White campaigns for reelection while under indictment and as city officials and lawmakers examine the potential for “pay-to-play” schemes in critical city programs.
Florida – Florida Threatens to Prosecute TV Stations Over Abortion Ad. FCC Head Calls It ‘Dangerous’
MSN – Claire Healy and Ana Ceballos (Miami Herald) | Published: 10/9/2024
Florida’s health department threatened criminal charges for television stations that run a political ad calling for the repeal of the state’s six-week abortion ban. John Wilson, general counsel for the state agency, says claims made in the ad are “categorically false” and it constitutes a “sanitary nuisance” that could put women’s health and lives at risk if it continues to be broadcast. Attorneys representing a political committee sponsoring the abortion ballot measure have issued a defiant legal letter in which they call the effort an “unconstitutional state action.”
Georgia – Fulton Judges Stay Busy Ruling on Lawsuits Spurred by New Georgia State Election Board Rules
Georgia Recorder – Stanley Dunlap | Published: 10/9/2024
A lawsuit filed by the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections seeks to prevent the State Election Board from appointing several election monitors for the November election. Fulton’s election board claims the state board is pressuring it to appoint multiple additional election monitors. The plaintiffs argue the state panel lacks the statutory authority to force the county to hire and pay for extra election monitors. The lawsuit is one of several filed recently contesting the rules changes approved by three right-wing state election officials who support Donald Trump.
Idaho – Idaho Lawmaker Tells Native American Candidate ‘Go Back Where You Came From’ in Forum
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/4/2024
Tensions rose during a bipartisan forum after an audience question about discrimination reportedly led Idaho Sen. Dan Foreman to angrily tell a Native American candidate to “go back where you came from.” Trish Carter-Goodheart, a Democratic candidate for a state House seat and member of the Nez Perce Tribe, said the blowup left her shaken and thinking about security needs for future public events.
Illinois – After Storied Time as the ‘Velvet Hammer,’ Michael Madigan to Face a Jury
Yahoo News – Ray Long, Jason Meisner, and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/6/2024
In one of the most anticipated public corruption trials in Illinois history, former House Speaker Michael Madigan faces a 23-count federal racketeering indictment alleging he ran his government and political operations like a criminal enterprise. Madigan and his co-defendant, Michael McClain, a longtime confidant, former lawmaker, and retired contract lobbyist for Commonwealth Edison, have pleaded not guilty. A protege of former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, Madigan grew into that rare Illinois politician who both defined and embodied clout.
Indiana – Braun Campaign Releases Attack Ad with Doctored Anti-Gas Stove Photo of McCormick
MSN – Brittany Carloni (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 9/30/2024
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun’s gubernatorial campaign released a television ad showing an image of Democrat Jennifer McCormick’s supporters holding signs behind her declaring “no gas stoves.” But those signs never existed. Braun’s campaign drew criticism for releasing the ad containing the doctored image, along with audio that said McCormick wants to “ban gas stoves.” Braun’s campaign later pulled the ad and replaced it with one containing a disclaimer saying the image had been doctored, which is now required under a new state law.
Indiana – Former Gary Mayor Jerome Prince Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud
Yahoo News – Post-Tribune Staff | Published: 10/9/2024
Former Gary Mayor Jerome Prince admitted he used campaign funds to purchase a house as part of a plea agreement. He was familiar with Indiana campaign finance law and its prohibition against using campaign funds for personal use, according to the court filing, having previously established a campaign committee in 2015.
Iowa – Curious Iowa: What does a lobbyist do?
The Gazette – Bailey Cichone | Published: 10/7/2024
For some people, the word “lobbyist” may elicit images of back room deals and corrupt politicians. But talking with lobbyists who work at the Iowa Capitol, a different picture emerges. Barbra Solberg is the public policy strategist who started her career on Capitol Hill. When she moved back to Iowa, the stories of bad actors in Washington, D.C. stuck with her. But when she started working for the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, she was surprised at how transparent the system for Iowa lobbyists is. “I realized the lobby in Iowa is a really important cog in the wheel that makes the system work, and in a good way,” Solberg said.
The Gazette – Erin Murphy | Published: 10/6/2024
Former Iowa Lt. Adam Gregg resigned in September to take a position as head of the Iowa Bankers Association, a statewide organization that advocates for Iowa banks to the state and federal governments. It lobbied on 135 pieces of legislation at the state Capitol over two years. Iowa law prohibits former government officials from lobbying on legislation for two years after leaving their government position. But state officials say he can lead the association without running afoul of the state’s lobbying law.
Louisiana – Landry Attorney, Legislators Slam Louisiana Ethics Board for ‘Abusive’ Investigations
Louisiana Illuminator – Julie O’Donoghue | Published: 10/9/2024
Stephen Gelé, a personal attorney for Gov. Jeff Landry, delivered sweeping criticism to the Louisiana Board of Ethics for what he called “abusive” investigations into elected officials’ conduct. Gelé joins a growing chorus of political professionals who have criticized the board’s approach and professionalism in recent months. They might feel emboldened to find fault with the board because Landry, who became governor in January, has not been shy about his own frustrations with the board.
Louisiana – Louisiana Health Officials Fly on Hospital Owner’s Plane to Meet Federal Health Care Regulators
MSN – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 10/4/2024
Rock Bordelon, a political donor whose company runs 11 rural hospitals in Louisiana plus behavioral health centers, hospice care, and other medical clinics, offered roundtrip flights on his personal aircraft and paid for “ground transportation” in the Washington D.C., area for state Department of Health officials to meet with federal regulators, according to disclosure forms. Those regulators control how much public money flows to health care facilities like the ones that Bordelon runs.
Maine – State Clashes with CMP, Versant in Federal Court Over Ban on Foreign Spending on Elections
Yahoo News – Rachel Ohm (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 10/9/2024
Attorneys for the state of Maine and two major utility companies argued in federal appeals court over the legality of a state law passed by voters that bans foreign governments from spending money on state and local races and referendum campaigns. A District Court erred when it granted a preliminary injunction preventing the law from being enforced, said Jonathan Bolton, an assistant attorney general. Joshua Dunlap, an attorney for Central Maine Power, argued that the government should not be able to silence companies and citizens because of a small amount of foreign ownership.
Minnesota – The Minnesota DFL’s Massive, Behind-the-Scenes Political Fundraising Network Explained
Minnesota Post – Michael Nolan and Peter Callaghan | Published: 10/3/2024
The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) has an extensive campaign funding system developed over two decades by the DFL and its affiliated organizations – unions, wealthy donors, the state party, the two legislative caucuses, and a triumvirate of committees that raise and spend millions of dollars each election cycle to help elect members of the party. The potent DFL apparatus might not be such a big factor in Minnesota politics if Republicans and their own affiliated organizations could come close to competing.
Missouri – Missouri Sheriffs’ Pension Donates $30K to Ballot Campaign, Sparking Concerns
Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 10/9/2024
The Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System made a $30,000 investment recently, hoping for a big return if voters approve a ballot measure imposing a three-dollar fee on court cases to fund the system’s pensions. The contribution was to the Committee to Ensure a Future for Sheriffs & Prosecutors, the committee promoting Amendment 6 on the November ballot. The donation is drawing concern from critics who question whether the pension board is using taxpayer dollars to support a political campaign.
Montana – Lawmakers Can Decide If Their Communication with Lobbyists Is Public, Judge Rules
Montana Public Radio – John Hooks | Published: 10/4/2024
Montana lawmakers can now decide if their communication with lobbyists and outside groups is available to the public. State District Court Judge Christopher Abbott ruled that lawmakers’ communications with private individuals were privileged, and therefore not subject to the public’s right to know.
Nebraska – Nebraska Governor’s Roundtables with Business Leaders Double as Campaign Fundraisers
Grand Isle Independent – Chris Dunker (Lincoln Journal Star) | Published: 10/7/2024
Since taking office, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has hosted a series of discussions with business and industry leaders, providing insight into policy debates at the Capitol, previews of upcoming elections, and offering a chance for those individuals to provide feedback. The Governor’s Industry Roundtable program also includes invitations to special events, an annual meeting, and cocktail receptions. Business leaders are also asked to make a minimum contribution of $10,000 to Pillen’s campaign committee.
Nevada – Nevada Republican Convicted of Taking Money Meant for Officer Memorial
MSN – María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 10/7/2024
A Nevada politician was found guilty of taking money meant for a memorial honoring a police officer killed in the line of duty and spending it on plastic surgery, rent, and her daughter’s wedding. Michele Fiore, a justice of the peace and former Las Vegas City Council member, faces up to 140 years in prison – 20 for each count.
New Mexico – Jeff Apodaca Campaign Group Collected $143,000
Yahoo News – Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 10/3/2024
A political committee aimed at thwarting progressive Democratic influence in this year’s legislative elections appeared to fizzle after the June 4 primary, according to new campaign finance disclosures. The New Mexico Project received a total of $143,220 but reported no contributions after May 28. The organization and its co-founder Jeff Apodaca filed the required reports after defying state campaign reporting laws for months.
New York – Photos Show New York Congressman in Blackface as Michael Jackson
DNyuz – Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 10/3/2024
U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler of New York wore blackface as part of a Halloween costume when he was a college student almost two decades ago, according to photographs obtained by The New York Times. The images, taken around October 2006, show a 20-year-old Lawler at a campus social gathering dressed as Michael Jackson. The images may come into play in Lawler’s fight for re-election this fall against Mondaire Jones, a Black former member of Congress, in a suburban swing seat.
New York – Adams Adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin Was Joined on Trip to Japan by Lobbyist, City Hall Staffer
MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt and Graham Rayman (New York Daily News) | Published: 10/4/2024
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, New York City Mayor Eric Mayor Adams’ embattled chief adviser, and former state Sen. Jesse Hamilton were joined on their recent trip to Japan by registered lobbyist Adam Clayton Powell IV and Lisa Lashley, a senior City Hall official overseeing hiring efforts. The trip, which Lewis-Martin characterized as a vacation, burst into the headlines after it was reported both she and Hamilton, now a top real estate official in Adams’ administration, had their cellphones seized by Manhattan district attorney investigators immediately upon returning from Japan.
New York – A Former Aide to New York Mayor Eric Adams Is Charged with Destroying Evidence as Top Deputy Quits
MSN – Michael Sisak and Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 10/8/2024
A former New York City official was charged with witness tampering and destroying evidence in a federal investigation that led to Mayor Eric Adams’ bribery indictment. The arrest came amid yet more high-profile departures from Adams’ administration. Federal prosecutors allege that Mohamed Bahi, who resigned as a community affairs liaison, told a businessperson and campaign donors to lie to the FBI, and deleted the encrypted messaging app Signal from his cell phone as FBI agents arrived to search his home. Bahi had used the app to communicate with Adams, prosecutors said.
North Dakota – North Dakota’s Likely Next Governor Brushes Off Conflict Concerns, Says His Oil and Gas Ties Would Benefit the State
MSN – Jacob Orledge (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 10/6/2024
When Kelly Armstrong filed his federal financial disclosure after being elected to Congress in 2018, he revealed his extensive ties to the oil and gas industry in his home state of North Dakota. It detailed his income from hundreds of oil wells and his financial relationship with two of the state’s largest oil producers. Those ties will matter a great deal if, as is likely, he is elected governor in November. Under North Dakota’s system, he will automatically chair two state bodies that regulate the energy industry, meaning Armstrong would be expected to preside over decisions that directly impact companies in which he has financial or familial ties.
Ohio – Appeals Court: Ohio can ban green card holders from donating to ballot campaigns
MSN – Jesse Balmert (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 10/9/2024
Ohio can ban foreign nationals and green card holders from donating to ballot campaigns, a divided federal appeals court panel ruled. The majority ruled the law was not a violation of the First Amendment. They reinstated a law briefly put on hold by a District Court judge. “If the goal is to prevent foreign influence, extending the ban to all non-citizens (including lawful permanent residents) is the most effective means of advancing that goal,” wrote Judge Amul Thapar.
Oklahoma – State Education Department Seeks Bids for 55,000 Classroom Bibles
MSN – Jennifer Palmer, Paul Monies, and Heather Warlick (Oklahoma Watch) | Published: 10/3/2024
Bids opened for a contract to supply the Oklahoma Department of Education with 55,000 Bibles. The bid documents say vendors must meet certain specifications: Bibles must be the King James Version; must contain the Old and New Testaments; must include copies of the Pledge of Allegiance, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights; and must be bound in leather or leather-like material. A Bible endorsed by Donald Trump and commonly referred to as the Trump Bible is the only one that meets the criteria. They cost $60 each online, with Trump receiving fees for his endorsement.
Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania High Court Declines to Decide Mail-In Ballot Issues Before Election
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/6/2024
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court declined to step in and immediately decide issues related to mail-in ballots in the commonwealth with early voting already under way in the few weeks before the November 5 election. The court rejected a request by voting rights and left-leaning groups to stop counties from throwing out mail-in ballots that lack a handwritten date or have an incorrect date on the return envelope, citing earlier rulings pointing to the risk of confusing voters so close to the election.
Texas – CenterPoint ‘Reassessing’ Use of The Pond, Its Houston-Area Lobbying Retreat, CEO Says
MSN – Claire Hao (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 10/8/2024
CenterPoint Energy is “reassessing the use” o its private Chambers County retreat, colloquially known as “The Pond,” as a space to entertain Texas lawmakers, the company’s chief executive said. The country lodge has been key to CenterPoint’s lobbying efforts for decades. More than 70 current or former state and local elected officials said they have visited, reported spending campaign funds on trips there, or were shown on the grounds in public images posted on social media. “In light of the criticism, we are reassessing the use of that facility for things like hosting elected officials,” said Chief Executive Officer Jason Wells.
Virginia – Confusion Over Nonprofit Rules Prompts 3 Virginia Beach Candidates to Return $10,000 Donation
Virginian-Pilot – Stacy Parker | Published: 10/5/2024
Two candidates running for Virginia Beach City Council and Mayor Bobby Dyer are returning campaign donations from a local nonprofit at the request of the donor who says she unwittingly did not follow federal tax rules. Dyer, who is running for reelection, council member Michael Berlucchi, and candidate Stacy Cummings each received $10,000 from BHL Community Service in July. BHL Community Service is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Virginia corporation that holds federal tax-exempt status and is therefore barred from giving campaign donations due to IRS regulations.
Wisconsin – Wisconsin Supreme Court Grapples with Governor’s 400-Year Veto, Calling It ‘Crazy’
MSN – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 10/9/2024
Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court said Gov. Tony Evers’ creative use of his expansive veto power in an attempt to lock in a school funding increase for 400 years appeared to be “extreme” and “crazy” but questioned whether and how it should be reined in. The case is the latest flashpoint in a decades-long fight over how broad the governor’s partial veto power should be. The issue has crossed party lines, with Republicans and Democrats pushing for more limitations on the governor’s veto over the years.
October 4, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 4, 2024
National/Federal They’ve Made Hats for McCain and Trump. And Obama and Harris. DNyuz – Charles McFarlane (New York Times) | Published: 9/30/2024 For more than three decades, Unionwear has been responsible for the merchandise of major presidential campaigns on both sides of […]
National/Federal
They’ve Made Hats for McCain and Trump. And Obama and Harris.
DNyuz – Charles McFarlane (New York Times) | Published: 9/30/2024
For more than three decades, Unionwear has been responsible for the merchandise of major presidential campaigns on both sides of the aisle, including for both the McCain and Obama campaigns in 2008 and for Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, when the former president introduced the original MAGA hat. Unionwear started making political hats during the 1996 Clinton campaign, it was the 2000 Gore campaign that started to put merchandise – and, by extension, where it was made – center stage.
Vance, Walz Square Off in What Could Be Final Meeting of Presidential Campaigns
MSN – Tyler Pager, Michael Scherer, and Cleve Wootson Jr. (Washington Post) | Published: 10/2/2024
Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz shook hands twice before the only vice-presidential debate of the cycle, exchanging smiles before repeatedly paying each other respect as they launched sustained and biting attacks on each other’s running mates. In marked contrast to the September presidential debate between Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, who hardly concealed their disgust with each other, the running mates often went out of their way to be gracious, while focusing more on policy differences than personal slights.
Political Bettors Hit the Jackpot as Court Clears Election Markets for Comeback
MSN – Declan Harty (Politico) | Published: 10/2/2024
Political gambling is back on, less than five weeks before Election Day. A federal appeals court cleared the way for financial exchange startup Kalshi to revive the first fully regulated election-betting markets in the U.S. Now, Kalshi will be able once again to offer trading on whether Republicans or Democrats will control Congress next year, and possibly more.
As Rioters Stormed Capitol with Pence Inside, Trump Allegedly Said ‘So What?’
MSN – Spencer Hsu, Josh Dawsey, Tom Jackman, and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/2/2024
A new filing from special counsel Jack Smith offers a searing portrayal of Donald Trump after the 2020 election. It describes in more extensive detail than before how many people – including Vice President Mike Pence, party and state leaders, his own campaign lawyers, and others – told Trump there was no proof the election was stolen, and how Trump nonetheless waged a campaign to overturn the result. The indictment in the case alleges he conspired to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 election by using knowingly false claims about fraud to obstruct the government’s processes for collecting, counting, and certifying the vote.
As Election Threats Rise, Justice Dept. Says Its Options Are Limited
MSN – David Nakamura and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2024
The Justice Department is expanding efforts to address the possibility of intimidation and violence around the November elections by conducting training seminars for local officials, setting up regional and national command posts, and investigating scores of allegations. But it is bringing criminal charges in a small number of cases, and each of those takes a long time to prosecute.
When Nonprofits and Others Pay for House Members’ Global Travel, Families Often Go, Too
MSN – Philip Randazzo, Haiyi Bi, and Akanksha Goyal (Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland) | Published: 9/26/2024
Over the past decade, members of Congress have traveled the country and the world on official business paid for by private interest groups, accepting nearly $4.3 million for airfare, lodging, meals, and other expenses. Almost one-third of those payments, just over $1.4 million, covered the costs for a lawmaker’s relative to join the trip. Critics maintain the trips – paid for by nearly 200 advocacy organizations, nonprofits, and liberal and conservative think tanks – are no more than “influence-peddling vacations.”
Justice Dept. Charges Three Men in Alleged Iran Hack of Trump Campaign
MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 9/29/2024
The Justice Department charged three men with carrying out Iran’s alleged hack-and-leak attack against Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, describing a far-reaching effort to steal data from current and former government officials and to sow distrust in the presidential election. Attorney General Merrick Garland warned that Iran was just one of several foreign countries trying to wreak havoc in a presidential election year. He also called out Russia and China for repeatedly trying to interfere with U.S. politics and elections through hacking, disinformation, and surreptitious influence campaigns.
Russia-Paid Influencers, Trolls Step Up Efforts to Influence U.S. Election
MSN – Joseph Menn (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2024
Russia’s attempts to influence the 2024 election in favor of Donald Trump are accelerating, federal officials and researchers say, adding to a sea of misinformation about immigration and Vice President Kamala Harris, despite U.S. efforts to blunt the onslaught with indictments, seizures, and public warnings. Clint Watts, who heads Microsoft’s efforts against government disinformation, said Russian trolls have moved to new websites to host bogus news stories, and such influence efforts might work better now than before, simply because the presidential contest is heating up.
Trump Allies Bombard the Courts, Setting Stage for Post-Election Fight
Seattle Times – Nick Corasaniti, Danny Hakim, and Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 9/29/2024
Republicans have unleashed a flurry of lawsuits challenging voting rules and practices ahead of the November elections, setting the stage for what could be a far larger and more contentious legal battle over the White House after Election Day. The onslaught of litigation includes nearly 90 lawsuits filed across the country by GOP groups this year. Voting rights experts say the legal campaign appears to be an effort to prepare to contest the results of the presidential election after Election Day should Donald Trump lose and refuse to accept his defeat.
Voting Technology Firm, Conservative Outlet Reach Settlement in 2020 Election Defamation Case
Yahoo News – Randall Chase (Associated Press) | Published: 9/26/2024
A settlement was reached in a defamation lawsuit brought by electronic voting machine manufacturer Smartmatic against conservative news outlet Newsmax for airing accusations about vote manipulation in the 2020 election made by allies of Donald Trump. Smartmatic claimed Newsmax program hosts and guests made false and defamatory statements implying Smartmatic participated in rigging the results and its software was used to switch votes.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Number of Arizona Voters Missing Citizenship Proof Doubles
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2024
A failure to document the citizenship status of Arizona voters is now estimated to affect as many as 218,000 people, more than double what state election officials initially said after discovering the mistake in September. State election officials have previously said the number of affected voters could change as they investigate the scope of the 20-year-old problem, which began as part of an effort to implement a Republican-led state law intended to prevent rare instances of voting by noncitizens.
California – New Law Closes Campaign Finance Loophole Exploited by Convicted Ex-Anaheim Mayor
Los Angeles Times – Gabriel San Román | Published: 10/1/2024
California politicians convicted of a crime will no longer be able to use campaign funds to cover legal expenses. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2803 into law, which closes a campaign finance loophole that former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu used last year to pay his criminal defense attorney amid an FBI corruption probe. Sidhu eventually pleaded guilty to four felonies, including charges connected to the attempted sale of Angel Stadium.
California – Judge Blocks California Deepfakes Law That Sparked Musk-Newsom Row
MSN – Tyler Katzenberger (Politico) | Published: 10/2/2024
A federal judge blocked a California law restricting the use of digitally altered political “deepfakes” just two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law. Chris Kohls, known as “Mr Reagan” on X, sued to prevent the state from enforcing the law after posting an Artificial Intelligence generated video of a Kamala Harris campaign ad on the social media site. He claimed the video was protected by the First Amendment because it was a parody.
California – Irvine Officials Backtrack Approving New Lobbying Rules
Voice of OC – Angela Hicks | Published: 9/30/2024
The Irvine City Council is making more changes to their lobbying rules after resident concerns about unintended consequences on union members and a possible lawsuit. The council originally approved updates to the city’s lobbying ordinance on September 10. The changes would require more people to register as lobbyists more often and publicly disclose their activities to the city, but a second vote was required to officially adopt the changes. The second vote was scheduled for September 24, but the council was met with concerned public speakers and a letter from a law firm alleging Brown Act violations and threatening to sue.
District of Columbia – Rudy Giuliani Disbarred in D.C. for His Role in 2020 Election Subversion
MSN – Keith Alexander (Washington Post) | Published: 9/26/2024
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals revoked Rudy Giuliani’s ability to practice law in the city after an attorney discipline board found the former personal attorney for Donald Trump violated the terms of his license while challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election. The city’s law licensing oversight committee had scrutinized Giuliani’s conduct, focusing on claims he made about the election in a lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania that the committee called “utterly false” and “recklessly so.”
District of Columbia – Nonprofit in Trayon White Bribery Case Got Millions in D.C. Contracts
MSN – Paul Schwartzman, Meagan Flynn, Spencer Hsu, Jenny Gathright, and Katie Shepherd (Washington Post) | Published: 10/2/2024
The FBI informant who allegedly bribed District of Columbia Councilperson Trayon White Sr. operated a nonprofit that was awarded millions in city contracts even after it committed an error serious enough that officials nearly barred it from government work. The nonprofit, Life Deeds, is at the center of the federal investigation into White, who prosecutors allege took $35,000 this summer in exchange for his promise to pressure city officials into awarding the contractor additional work.
Florida – Ex-Congressional Candidate Charged with Threatening ‘Hit Squad’ Against Opponent
MSN – Jiselle Lee (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2024
A former congressional candidate in Florida was charged after allegedly threatening to send “the Russian mafia” after his opponent. William Braddock III was charged in federal court with threatening now-U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. In a June 2021 phone call, Braddock told an acquaintance of Luna’s, Erin Olszewski, that if he were not ahead in a soon-to-be-released poll, he would have to “sacrifice” his opponent, according to the charging documents.
Florida – Staff Donations Draw Fire in Tampa’s Prosecutor Race. But It’s Legal – and Customary.
MSN – Dan Sullivan (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 10/3/2024
A top assistant for Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez sent a text last year to several senior prosecutors asking them to donate to their boss’s election campaign. While noting the contribution did not need to be the $1,000 maximum, she advised them to “make the donation sooner rather than later.” Employee donations to a supervisor’s campaign are not illegal and they occur in many campaigns. While they are legal and common, they still raise ethical qualms, said Darryl Paulson, a professor emeritus of government at the University of South Florida.
Florida – Former State Senator Artiles Found Guilty of Campaign Finance and Registration Violations
Yahoo News – Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) | Published: 9/30/2024
A jury convicted former state Sen. Frank Artiles of three of four charges in a scheme to help Republicans capture a Florida Senate seat in 2020. Artiles was accused of offering $50,000 to Alex Rodriguez, a so-called ghost candidate, to run for the seat in 2020 and cause the Democratic incumbent to lose by siphoning votes in the close race. Alex Rodriguez received more than 6,000 votes. The incumbent, Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez, lost by 32 votes in a recount.
Georgia – Democrats Take Legal Action Against Georgia Election Board
MSN – Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 9/25/2024
Democrats asked a court to force Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to take up their ethics complaints accusing three members of the State Election Board of holding an illegal meeting and overstepping their legal authority by passing rules that critics say will sow chaos and uncertainty in the presidential race. The petition says Kemp is required to hold hearings on the matters and to remove the board members if he finds they violated state law.
MSN – Jason Meisner and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 9/20/2024
Former Portage, Indiana, Mayor James Snyder’s fight to overturn his own bribery case ended with a U.S. Supreme Court decision that raised the bar for prosecutors in a number of Illinois public corruption cases. Now, all eyes turn to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s trial on racketeering charges, which could pose similar problems for prosecutors, particularly on several counts where they now must prove there was an agreement with Madigan ahead of time to exchange something of value for an official act.
Louisiana – Randy Farrell Indicted on Federal Charges That Directly Implicate Mayor Cantrell in a Criminal Conspiracy
WWL – David Hammer | Published: 9/30/2024
Businessperson Randy Farrell is accused of bribing a New Orleans public official, believed to be Mayor LaToya Cantrell, in exchange for a city employee being fired after that employee uncovered an alleged kickback scheme through the Department of Safety and Permits. The indictment alleges Farrell bought Cantrell tickets to the NFC Championship game in 2019, lunch at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and a new iPhone, gifts that totaled more than $9,200. Prosecutors say the mayor had a city official fired who had been investigating Farrell for alleged wrongdoing.
Massachusetts – ‘Hamilton’ Tickets Donated to Boston Public School Students Went to Admins’ Sons
MLive – Will Katcher | Published: 10/1/2024
A pair of Boston Public School administrators took their sons to the hit musical “Hamilton” using tickets donated for students to attend the show. Natasha Halfkenny, the former principal of the Tobin School, and the school’s assistant principal, Coreen Miranda, each paid a $4,000 civil penalty for violating the state’s conflict-of-interest law.
Massachusetts – Massachusetts Deputy Sheriff Fired, Fined After Auctioning Home to His Wife Who Sold It for $300K-Plus
MSN – Rick Sobey (Boston Herald) | Published: 9/27/2024
A fired deputy sheriff paid $65,000 for an ethics violation after the state found out he auctioned a seized home to his wife, which she later renovated with his help and sold at a massive profit. Ex-Bristol County Deputy Sheriff Floyd Teague paid a $40,000 civil penalty and $25,000 in economic advantage damages for violating the conflict-of-interest law, according to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission.
Massachusetts – Boston Mayor Wu Fundraiser Invite ‘Mistake’ Raises Campaign Finance Law Violation Questions
MSN – Gayla Cawley (Boston Herald) | Published: 10/2/2024
An invitation to a fundraiser for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu listed a public employee as a member of the host committee, an apparent violation of state law, but Wu’s campaign said it did nothing wrong and the name was listed mistakenly. A similar mistake prompted former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to cancel and later reschedule a 2021 fundraiser.
Michigan – Michigan Bill Aims to Crack Down on Dark Money
The Center Square – Thérèse Boudreaux | Published: 9/26/2024
The Michigan House passed legislation that would make campaign finance violations easier to address as they happen, part of a larger package of bills to improve accountability and transparency in state government. House Bill 5583 would amend the Campaign Finance Act to allow the secretary of state to seek immediate court injunctions against campaign finance violations, rather than go through the current months-long court process.
New Hampshire – New Hampshire Will Start the New Year with a New Ethics Law. Here’s What’s Inside.
New Hampshire Bulletin – Ethan DeWitt | Published: 9/30/2024
House Bill 1388 in New Hampshire will require lawmakers to abstain from participating in votes and discussions on bills that might affect them or members of their household financially. The law will take effect January 1, just before a newly elected Legislature is sworn in. It also stops a lawmaker from voting on bills if they or a household member works for an organization that lobbies for those bills.
New York – Mayor Adams Could Owe Millions in Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Cash – or Get Millions More
Gothamist – Brigid Bergin | Published: 10/1/2024
Candidates on New York City seeking taxpayer-funded matching dollars for their 2025 campaigns must submit fundraising statements to the Campaign Finance Board by October 11. The board will decide who gets the first round of public matching funds in December. If Mayor Eric Adams qualifies, his campaign could collect almost $4 million in taxpayer dollars. An indictment charges Adams with accepting illegal campaign contributions in exchange for gifts and official government acts. The charges he faces come with a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison. Separately, they could deliver seismic blows to his 2025 campaign.
New York – Treasurer for Brooklyn Boro Prez Candidate Anthony Jones Charged in Straw Donor Scheme
MSN – John Annese (New York Daily News) | Published: 10/2/2024
Erlene King, the treasurer for unsuccessful Brooklyn borough president candidate Anthony Jones, faces federal charges for a failed straw donor scheme to trick the city Campaign Finance Board out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. King is accused of trying to take advantage of the city’s Matching campaign funds programs by submitting to Jones’ campaign $25,000 in straw donations, along with five corresponding “fictitious records,” in the hopes of getting $400,000 in matching funds. The Campaign Finance Board noticed something fishy and denied the matching funds.
New York – Top Aide to Eric Adams Forced Out Amid Sprawling Corruption Probes
MSN – Sally Goldenberg, Joe Anuta, and Jeff Coltin (Politico) | Published: 9/30/2024
Timothy Pearson, one of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ most trusted aides, resigned as senior advisor for public safety after federal agents seized his cell phone in a mushrooming investigation into the mayor’s inner circle. It has been reported that Pearson pushed the fire department to sign a contract with a technology company, Remark Holdings, while he had a close personal relationship with a consultant for the firm.
North Carolina – Helene Sets Off a Scramble to Keep Voting on Track in North Carolina
MSN – Amy Gardner and Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2024
Hurricane Helene’s destructive path across western North Carolina threatens to upend the fall election in the key battleground, with halted mail service disrupting absentee voting, thousands of voters cut off from polling locations, and election administrators scrambling to adjust. Even as emergency response teams continued their search for survivors of the storm and airlifted food and water into remote communities, state and local election teams began the difficult task of assessing damage to election infrastructure.
North Carolina – She’s Running with All She’s Got for a Seat She Can’t Win. That’s the Point.
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2024
Wherever she appears in her campaign for a North Carolina Senate seat, Kate Barr’s opening line is always the same: “Hi. I’m Kate Barr. And I’m your losing candidate for state Senate District 37.” Barr is trying to make a serious point about the state of American politics. In many state legislative and congressional districts across the country, aggressive gerrymandering has helped erase competitive elections, effectively guaranteeing the result and leaving voters without a real choice.
Ohio – ‘That’s Highly Illegal’: Complaints Allege Inmates Did Work for Portage Sheriff’s Campaign
MSN – Diane Smith (Ravenna Record-Courier) | Published: 9/25/2024
Two people, including a former inmate in the Portage County Jail, filed complaints alleging inmates performed work for Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski’s re-election campaign. Zuchowski has gained national attention for Facebook post that critics say amounted to voter intimidation. Zuchowski is running for a second term against Democratic challenger Jon Barber in the November 5 election.
Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Justice Says Democrats Want Redistricting Reform Because They ‘Can’t Win’
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/27/2024
A Republican Ohio Supreme Court justice running for his first full term said he views a proposed constitutional amendment as Democrats’ play to change the rules because they cannot win under the current system. Justice Joe Deters, who was appointed to the court by Gov. Mike DeWine, compared the redistricting reform effort in Ohio to other concepts occasionally floated by Democrats like adding new justices to the U.S. Supreme Court or letting the popular vote decide presidential elections.
Ohio – FirstEnergy Didn’t Charge Customers to Fund Bribery Scheme, State Audit Finds
MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/1/2024
Of the $75 million FirstEnergy paid in lobbying costs and self-professed bribes to get a bailout, only $4.9 million came from its three utility companies in Northeast Ohio, according to a state audit. Of that sum, less than $15,000 was charged to ratepayers. All the money paid for an aggressive, sprawling lobbying strategy to pass House Bill 6 in 2019, legislation that provided nuclear plants owned by the company at the time a $1.3 billion, ratepayer-funded bailout.
Oregon – City Won’t Match Contributions Between Portland City Council Candidates for Now
MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/1/2024
The city of Portland paused matching the campaign donations made between candidates and their family members following reports that a number of city council hopefuls were trading contributions as they sought to hit the threshold for the public matching funds. The primary benefit of those donations was to help each other qualify for public funding, which kicks in for city council candidates who receive at least 250 contributions from Portland residents and mayoral candidates who receive 750.
MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/2/2024
The Portland auditor’s office plans to take another look at whether city Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, who is running for mayor, broke campaign finance rules when he used public funds to spruce up his Wikipedia page. Chief Deputy Auditor Reed Brodersen said the office has received new information that prompted it to reconsider the matter.
Texas – In an Unusual Hearing, Ethics Commission Advances Complaints Against Greco and Watson to Next Phase
Austin Monitor – Amy Smith | Published: 9/26/2024
Ethics complaints against mayoral candidate Doug Greco and incumbent Austin Mayor Kirk Watson will move to a final hearing, but an anticipated court ruling could circumvent the proceedings. The Ethics Review Commission determined there was reason to believe Greco and Watson violated the city’s campaign finance ordinance by exceeding the $46,000 contribution threshold from donors who live outside Austin city limits. Greco has a lawsuit pending in federal court claiming the city’s limitations on contributions violate donors’ constitutional rights.
MSN – Ava Kofman (ProPublica) | Published: 10/2/2024
Over the past decade, Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, billionaires who made their fortunes in the oil industry, have built the most powerful political machine in Texas – a network of think tanks, media organizations, PACs, and nonprofits that work in lock step to purge the state Legislature of moderate Republicans. Like the Koch brothers, the Mercer family, and other conservative billionaires, Dunn and Wilks want to slash regulations and taxes. Their endgame, however, is more radical: not just to limit the government but also to steer it toward Christian rule.
MSN – Emily Anderson Stern and Anastasia Hufham (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 9/27/2024
During a three-month period when the governor-appointed state engineer was reviewing a controversial lithium extraction application from an Australian company, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s reelection campaign accepted a $10,000 donation from the company’s U.S. subsidiary. The donation comes amid a push from state lawmakers to bar foreign entities from giving to voter-led initiatives as it seeks to enshrine control over the future of such ballot questions in the state constitution.
September 27, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 27, 2024
National/Federal As President, Trump Demanded Investigations of Foes. He Often Got Them. DNyuz – Michael Schmidt (New York Times) | Published: 9/21/2024 Donald Trump deployed his power as president against his perceived enemies despite warnings not to do so by top aides. […]
National/Federal
As President, Trump Demanded Investigations of Foes. He Often Got Them.
DNyuz – Michael Schmidt (New York Times) | Published: 9/21/2024
Donald Trump deployed his power as president against his perceived enemies despite warnings not to do so by top aides. A look back at the cases of 10 individuals brings the pattern into clearer focus. After Trump made repeated public or private demands for them to be targeted by the government, they faced federal pressure of one kind or another. Even without his direct order, Trump’s indirect influence could serve his ends and leave those in his sights facing expensive, time-consuming legal proceedings or other high-stress inquiries.
FEC Forgoes New AI Rulemaking Ahead of Election
MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 9/19/2024
A bipartisan cohort of commissioners on the FEC voted to forgo new rulemaking on Artificial Intelligence (AI), citing a lack of authority to limit or prohibit the use of the developing technology in federal elections. Public Citizen had asked the agency to revise the existing ban on the fraudulent misrepresentation of campaign authority to make clear it prohibits deliberately deceptive campaign ads that use AI.
Smartmatic’s Defamation Lawsuit Against Newsmax Is Headed to Trial. What’s at Stake?
MSN – Stephen Battaglio (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 9/20/2024
Newsmax will go to court to defend itself against a defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic, a voting machine technology company. Smartmatic says its reputation was damaged by false statements made on the network regarding voter fraud allegations in the 2020 presidential election. Smartmatic’s suit says Newsmax provided a platform for its hosts, Donald Trump, and the former president’s attorneys and allies to falsely claim the company’s software was manipulated to deliver the election for President Biden.
Latest Strategy in Fighting Election Skepticism: Radical transparency
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 9/24/2024
Donald Trump’s relentless focus on how votes are cast and counted, along with false and fantastical information floated by him and his prominent supporters, has led to a dramatic increase in the number of people who are observing and scrutinizing the process across the nation. In just a few short years, the election process in many states, especially closely watched battlegrounds, has been transformed. Now, many officials around the nation are taking steps to rebuild confidence in elections.
One Judge, One Courthouse: Why judge-shopping is an issue in the U.S.
MSN – Tobi Raji (Washington Post) | Published: 9/23/2024
Leaders of the federal court system and some members of Congress are trying to limit the practice of judge shopping – when a person or group files a lawsuit in a carefully chosen court where they believe the judge will be inclined to rule in their favor. Neither the Democratic nor Republican legislation seems likely to advance in a polarized Congress, however. Guidance from the policymaking body that oversees the courts was greeted with hostility in some court chambers, with chief judges saying it is up to them to decide case-assignment procedures.
Defense Contracting Firm First to Be Sentenced in SPAWAR Bribery Scheme
MSN – Alex Riggins (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 9/24/2024
A judge sentenced a defense contracting firm to pay more than $4.1 million in fines and forfeitures as part of a corruption scandal in which one of the firm’s executives bribed a civilian employee from San Diego’s Naval Information Warfare Center in exchange for millions of dollars in government contracts. Cambridge International Systems was ordered to forfeit more than $1.67 million and pay a fine of $2.5 million after pleading guilty to a bribery conspiracy. The firm admitted to committing the criminal act through a handful of employees.
Judge Allows Lengthy Brief in Trump Case, Rejecting Claim of Election Impact
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 9/24/2024
A federal judge granted prosecutors’ request to file an up-to-180-page legal brief arguing why Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election should not be immune from criminal prosecution, rejecting the former president’s claims that its timing was unfair or politically motivated with the election approaching. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed with special counsel Jack Smith’s office, which argued the briefing was necessary because the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity required her as trial judge to decide what allegations and evidence against Trump could be admissible.
US Supreme Court Justices, Other Judges Can Stay at Corporate-Owned Homes Without Disclosure
MSN – Nate Raymond (Reuters) | Published: 9/24/2024
Supreme Court justices and federal judges on lower courts do not have to publicly disclose when they dine or stay at someone’s personal residence, even one owned by a business entity, under a revised ethics rule. The Judicial Conference’s Committee on Financial Disclosure said the disclosure regulations were updated to “clarify” the extent to which gifts received at personal residences owned by corporate entities could be deemed “personal hospitality” that judges did not need to list on their disclosure reports.
A New York Republican Flipped His District Red, Then Hired His Mistress and His Fiancé’s Daughter
MSN – Marin Scotten (Salon) | Published: 9/24/2024
A member of Congress could be in breach of House ethics rules after he hired a woman that he was having an affair with and his fiancée’s daughter to work in his office, the New York Times reported. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito got his break in politics thanks in part due to his connections with a group of powerful Republicans in Nassau County, who are famous for hiring their friends and family into local government.
Senate Panel Calls for Changes at the Secret Service and a Budget Evaluation
MSN – Maria Sacchetti and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 9/25/2024
A Senate committee investigating the July 13 shooting at a Donald Trump rally is urging Congress to evaluate the Secret Service’s budget and require the agency provide security to U.S. leaders and political candidates based on the threats they face, and not whether they are in office. The Secret Service has said it is seeking a significant increase to the agency’s $3 billion annual budget to hire more agents, update equipment, and increase training after the Pennsylvania shooting and a potential attack against Trump in Florida.
A New Mystery Firm Enters Trump’s Orbit, Rekindling Criticism of His Presidential Campaign Spending
Yahoo News – Richard Lardner (Associated Press) | Published: 9/26/2024
Launchpad Strategies was incorporated less than a year ago and has since received $15 million from Donald Trump’s election fundraising machine. For what is mostly a mystery. Campaign finance experts said Launchpad Strategies was built for anonymity and is the latest example of how the Trump campaign has used secretive businesses to obscure its spending from the public.
Lobbyists Exploit Massive Loophole to Wine and Dine Lawmakers, Aides at Fancy Getaways
Yahoo News – Adriana Navarro, Caley Fox Shannon, Taylor Nichols, and Heidi Przybyla (Politico) | Published: 9/22/2024
Members of Congress and their staff have taken at least 17,000 trips since 2012 that were paid for by private parties, many of them nonprofits with deep ties to lobbyists and special interests, such as the Congressional Institute. Congressional travel rules generally bar lobbyists from playing a significant role in organizing or participating in trips sponsored by corporate entities. None of these restrictions apply to nonprofits such as the Congressional Institute, which arranges multiday trips to luxury hotels and resorts. There is nothing preventing lobbyists and industry officials from participating as speakers or attendees at the events.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Campaign Funds Can Be Used for Child Care, AG Kris Mayes Says
Arizona Mirror – Caitlin Sievers | Published: 9/17/2024
Arizona candidates for public office can use their campaign funds to pay for childcare needs while they are campaigning, state Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a legal opinion. Just seven weeks out from the general election in November, the opinion is unlikely to have a great impact this election cycle. But supporters hope they can spread the word over the next two years to spur single mothers and fathers, and others who were held back by childcare costs, to run for office.
Arizona – Arizona’s Top Court Says Voters Missing Citizenship Proof Can Receive Full Ballots
MSN – Patrick Marley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 9/20/2024
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled nearly 100,000 voters should receive regular ballots this fall even though there is no record they had submitted documentation to state officials proving they are citizens. The battleground state’s high court issued its ruling three days after officials told the justices they had recently discovered state computer systems had identified some longtime residents as having provided citizenship documents even though they had not.
California – Critics Say Lawmakers Watered Down California’s Lemon Car Law after Secret Lobbyist Negotiations
MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 9/23/2024
Californians have relied on the state’s “lemon law” to fight back against car makers that sell them defective vehicles. Now, critics say the state’s ability to recoup their money after buying a clunker could become more difficult, due to a hastily passed bill that lobbyists representing U.S. auto manufacturers and powerful attorneys groups drafted in secret. How the bill came to end up on the governor’s desk is the latest example of how bills are often passed with little time for public input or legislative debate.
California – Should Oakland Allow for Bigger Political Campaign Contributions?
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 9/20/2024
The amount of money individuals can give to candidates running for Oakland City Council and other positions this November might increase by a couple of hundred dollars, a possibility that some ethics officials and good government advocates oppose. The proposal would essentially restore the higher contribution limits that existed in Oakland before passage of Measure W in 2022. Supporters of the change say the lower contribution amounts has created a financial crunch that has been especially hard for candidates running for the at-large council seat and for city attorney.
California – O.C. Board of Supervisors Censures Embattled Member Andrew Do
MSN – Andrew Campa (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 9/24/2024
The Orange County Board of Supervisors censured Andrew Do, marking another significant, if ceremonial, rebuke of the embattled politician. The board condemned Do “for his failure to abide by the code of ethics and commitment to public service, and for the reckless judgment and favoritism he has demonstrated.” Do, who is in the last year of his final term, has not attended a board meeting since August 13. The censure follows the board’s decision to remove Do from all committee and board appointments.
California – Oakland’s Chief Ethics Investigator Quits
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 9/25/2024
Simon Russell, the enforcement chief of Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission, is resigning. Russell’s primary reason for leaving is the city’s refusal to give his team more resources, despite his repeated warnings about a staffing crisis. “I can only conclude that this failure is largely deliberate, even despite (or perhaps because of) the considerable public interest in our cases that have been brought partially to light,” Russell wrote.
Georgia – Pro-Trump Georgia Election Board Votes to Require Hand Counts of Ballots
MSN – Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 9/20/2024
Georgia’s State Election Board passed a measure requiring local precincts to conduct hand counts for the November election and confirm the figures match machine counts before certifying election results. The change was led by a pro-Donald Trump majority that has enacted a series of changes to the state’s election rules. Critics accused the board of intentionally injecting chaos and uncertainty into the presidential contest. Election supervisors said hand counts would take too long, cost money, and almost certainly produce counting errors.
Hawaii – Hawaii Lawmaker to Pay $12,500 To Settle Ethics Commission Complaint
Honolulu Civil Beat – Kevin Dayton | Published: 9/19/2024
The Hawaii Ethics Commission agreed to settle a complaint against state Rep. David Alcos over allegations he failed to disclose an array of debts on disclosures that candidates and lawmakers are required to file. Those debts include more than $3.2 million in federal and state tax liens filed against Alcos to collect taxes owed by Alcos’ company, D.A. Builders LLC.
MSN – Jason Meisner, Rebecca Johnson, and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 9/20/2024
A federal judge declared a mistrial in the bribery case of former AT&T executive Paul La Schiazza after the jury said it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. La Schiazza was accused of secretly funneling payments to an ally of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for the speaker’s assistance passing key legislation for AT&T in Springfield, allegations that are also included in the racketeering indictment against Madigan and his co-defendant, Michael McClain.
Indiana – Council OKs Revised Elected-Official Pay, Ethics Disclosure Ordinances
Indianapolis Business Journal – Taylor Wooten | Published: 9/24/2024
The Indianapolis City-County Council approved two ordinances at their recent meeting, one that increases long-stagnant countywide elected official pay and the other requiring councilors to fill out more in-depth, publicly available disclosure forms. The ordinance makes councilor financial disclosure, currently available only through a public records request, easily accessible online. It would also expand the amount of information councilors are required to report about their employer and finances.
Kansas – ‘A Breakdown’: Kansas missed signs dead ex-official worked both sides of $425k grant
Yahoo News – Chance Swaim and Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) | Published: 9/20/2024
A former Kansas Department of Commerce official suspected of embezzling public funds handled money for a community foundation that received a $425,000 grant while he oversaw the same grant at the state agency that awarded it, an apparent conflict-of-interest now coming under scrutiny. Two top Commerce officials – Lt. Gov. David Toland, who leads the agency, and Robert North, the agency’s general counsel – signed off on the grant amid warning signs that the official was working on both sides of the grant.
Michigan – Lobbyist Sold His Condo to a Lawmaker at a Loss While Another Rents Rooms to Legislators
MSN – Alex Walters and Jack Armstrong (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 9/25/2024
A lobbyist sold his Lansing condominium to a state representative at a financial loss in the largest-ever financial transaction between a lobbyist and a Michigan legislator over the last 20 years. Nathan Piwowarski, while registered as a lobbyist, disclosed he sold his condo to then-state Rep. Phil Potvin. Piwowarski bought the condo for $106,900 in 2003 and sold it to Potvin for $79,000 in 2011. Piwowarski said he sold the condo for fair market value. Michigan law does not require an independent evaluation of that claim.
Michigan – Michigan Lawmakers Feast and Fly for Free, but the System for Tracking Freebies Is Broken
Yahoo News – Eye on Michigan | Published: 9/23/2024
Lobbyists spend millions of dollars entertaining state officials in Michigan, but it is difficult to determine what lawmakers accept because the state’s system for tracking influencers’ gifts to legislators is flawed, rife with loopholes, and relies on the honor system, according to a media investigation. Nearly two-thirds of all spending was classified as “group food & beverage,” making it impossible to determine how much each lawmaker received in free meals.
Mississippi – Late-Arriving 2024 Ballots Challenged by GOP at Appeals Court
MSN – Zoe Tillman (Bloomberg) | Published: 9/24/2024
A federal appeals court weighed a Republican challenge to Mississippi counting mail ballots that arrive within five days of an election as long as they are postmarked by that date, in a showdown that could wind up at the U.S. Supreme Court. While Mississippi is not a battleground state in the presidential race, the case could fuel other 2024 legal challenges in states with similar rules four years after the pandemic made absentee voting an election flashpoint.
Nebraska – State Sen. Mike McDonnell Deflates GOP Hopes for Nebraska Winner-Take-All in 2024
Nebraska Examiner – Aaron Sanderford | Published: 9/23/2024
The Republican push to change how Nebraska awards its Electoral College votes and boost Donald Trump ran into political reality as a key lawmaker, state Sen. Mike McDonnell, announced he would not support the change. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that award a single Electoral College vote to the winner in each congressional district, plus two votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote. McDonnell’s “no” on winner-take-all leaves Republicans in Nebraska’s Legislature with no path to overcoming a promised filibuster unless a Democrat or nonpartisan senator defects.
New Jersey – Party Boss George Norcross’ Indictment Details a Web of Corruption Across South Jersey
Gothamist – Nancy Solomon | Published: 9/22/2024
The indictment of New Jersey political boss George Norcross provides new evidence of how he wielded political power in Camden, creating a patronage pipeline that placed his allies in well-paying, influential jobs. George Norcross, his brother Philip, former Camden Mayor Dana Redd, and three others are charged with running a criminal enterprise that used political power to steal property and development rights along the Camden waterfront from the rightful owners.
New Mexico – Settlement Reached on Disclosure of Donors, Expenditures of Latino Election Group
Yahoo News – Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 9/23/2024
New Mexicans will find out the identities of the individuals and organizations that contributed to a political committee aimed at combating the influence of progressive Democrats in this year’s legislative elections. The New Mexico Project, and one of its founders, Jeff Apodaca, agreed to settle a legal battle over the project’s failure to comply with state campaign reporting laws. In a settlement, The New Mexico Project registered with the state and promised to disclose its contributions and expenditures by October 2.
MSN – Evan Perez, Mark Morales, Kara Scannell, Brynn Gingras, and Gloria Pazmino (CNN) | Published: 9/26/2024
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on corruption charges following a federal investigation. Adams, the first mayor of New York City to ever be charged with a crime while in office, faces, five charges related to bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals. The indictment alleges illegal actions stretching back to 2014, from when he was Brooklyn Borough president.
North Carolina – N.C. Republican Vows to Continue Campaign for Governor Amid Fallout of CNN Story
MSN – Patrick Svitek, Amy Gardner, and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 9/19/2024
Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, vowed to continue his campaign amid the fallout over a CNN story about comments he made on a pornographic website’s message board more than a decade ago. CNN reported Robinson called himself a “black NAZI!” on the forum in 2010 and voiced support for bringing back slavery the same year. Robinson, who has expressed hostility toward transgender people in his campaign, also said on the message board that he liked to watch transgender pornography.
North Dakota – Ethics Commission to Seek Legislation to Bolster Transparency, Investigative Authority
Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 9/25/2024
The North Dakota Ethics Commission is planning to propose legislation during next year’s session that would overhaul how it investigates potential violations. Staff say the changes would bring the panel more in line with the original vision for the Ethics Commission approved by voters. The proposed changes would also give the commission more control over when and how it conducts investigations. The commission would also for the first time have the freedom to dismiss or informally resolve allegations before an official investigation is launched.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/25/2024
Ohio’s ban on non-citizens contributing money to state ballot-issue campaigns is now in force, at least for the time being, as a federal appeals court panel lifted a temporary freeze on the new law. A District Court judge had ruled that authorities could not enforce the ban because it unconstitutionally restricted free-speech rights of lawful permanent residents, also known as green-card holders.
Ohio – Ohio Sheriff Barred from Working Elections After Posts about Harris Signs
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 9/24/2024
The Portage County, Ohio, elections board barred its sheriff’s office from providing security during early voting after Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski urged people to collect the addresses of residents displaying yard signs for Vice President Kamala Harris. The messages sparked concerns among local residents, civil rights groups, and regional politicians about voter intimidation during the presidential election.
MSN – Aimee Green (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/24/2024
Measure 115 on the November ballot would amend the constitution to make Oregon the final state to allow lawmakers to oust statewide officials of some sort. In Oregon’s case, it would be elected officials in five statewide positions: governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, and labor commissioner. Currently, the only mechanism the state has for removing elected officials from office is a recall. But the process is long, complicated, and expensive, and critics say relying on recalls to keep in check high-level state officials is not a realistic option.
Pennsylvania – Court Takes ‘Naked Ballots’ Case Over Pennsylvania Mail-in Voting
MSN – Mark Scolforo (Associated Press) | Published: 9/20/2024
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will consider whether counties must accept provisional ballots cast on election day at polling places by voters whose mail-in ballots lacked secrecy envelopes or were rejected for other flaws. It could determine the fate of thousands of votes that could otherwise be canceled in the November 5 election, when Pennsylvania is considered a critical state in the presidential contest.
Rhode Island – RI’s Part-Time Legislators Do Not Go Hungry. Here’s Where They Eat – and Who Pays the Tab
Yahoo News – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 9/20/2024
Legislative leaders spent $235,739.55 in taxpayer dollars this past session making sure Rhode Island’s part-time lawmakers did not go hungry. Some of the food was provided for legislators and staff on the nights House and Senate leaders anticipated long committee meetings or floor sessions, while some of the really big spending begins when the gavels drop each night.
Tennessee – Tennessee Registry Reports Cothren Attorney to Disciplinary Board
Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 9/25/2024
Tennessee’s Registry of Election Finance is reporting the attorney for a former House speaker’s chief of staff to the Board of Professional Responsibility for a potential ethics violation after an encounter between a private investigator and the state’s campaign finance chief. Registry board members voted to notify the board that a private investigator for attorney Cynthia Sherwood went to the home of Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Executive Director Bill Young on and tried to talk to him about a case. It was reported that the private investigator went to several lawmakers’ homes too.
Texas – Jury Clears All but One Defendant in Texas ‘Trump Train’ Trial
MSN – Kate McGee (Texas Tribune) | Published: 9/23/2024
A jury cleared all but one of six Donald Trump supporters who were accused of breaking federal law when they surrounded a Joe Biden campaign bus driving down a Texas highway days before the 2020 election. Jurors said just one of the defendants, Eliazar Cisneros, violated the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 when the so-called Trump Train, a monicker for caravans to show support for the former president, drove up to the bus as it traveled on Interstate 35. The group, which included dozens of vehicles on the highway that day, forced the bus to slow to a crawl.
Wisconsin – Investigation Launched into Wisconsin Mayor Who Removed Ballot Drop Box
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/25/2024
A fight over voting rules in Wisconsin sparked a criminal investigation after Wausau Mayor Doug Diny, wearing a hard hat and Department of Public Works jacket, carted off a ballot drop box the city clerk was about to make available to voters. Officials in the battleground are considering with whether to use drop boxes after the state Supreme Court gave them that ability. Officials in Milwaukee, Madison, and other Democratic strongholds have embraced them, while their counterparts in some of Milwaukee’s suburbs and other Republican areas have banned them.
September 20, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 20, 2024
National/Federal In New York Case, Signs of a Familiar China Playbook DNyuz – David Pierson (New York Times) | Published: 9/16/2024 Before Linda Sun, a former senior aide in the New York governor’s office, was charged with using her position benefit the […]
National/Federal
In New York Case, Signs of a Familiar China Playbook
DNyuz – David Pierson (New York Times) | Published: 9/16/2024
Before Linda Sun, a former senior aide in the New York governor’s office, was charged with using her position benefit the Chinese government, suspected cases of Chinese foreign meddling had been on the rise in Western democracies. The intelligence work is focused on influencing political discourse so that it leans more favorably toward China’s positions on contentious issues like the status of Taiwan. China’s attempts to interfere with Western democracies are likely to grow more acute as relations between Beijing and the West fray, said Anne-Marie Brady, a political scientist at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
How Roberts Shaped Trump’s Supreme Court Winning Streak
DNyuz – Jodi Kantor and Adam Liptak (New York Times) | Published: 9/15/2024
In a momentous trio of January 6-related cases last term, the U.S. Supreme Court found itself more entangled in presidential politics than at any time since the 2000 election, even as it was contending with its own controversies related to that day. Chief Justice John Roberts responded by deploying his authority to steer rulings that benefited Donald Trump, according to a New York Times examination that uncovered new information about the court’s decision making.
Violent Threats and Attacks Escalate Tensions in Trump-Harris Race
MSN – Hannah Knowles and Hannah Allam (Washington Post) | Published: 9/17/2024
The 2024 election season has been repeatedly marked by extraordinary acts and threats of violence that have become a more contentious issue in the presidential race, escalating tensions in an already heated political environment and prompting heightened security measures at events with seven weeks of campaigning left to go. While the country’s history includes examples of violence upending campaigning and governance, this year’s race stands out from others in recent memory, experts said, with some long-simmering fears of violent acts breaking into the open.
The Rush to Get Close to Kamala Harris and Her Inner Circle Is On
MSN – Hailey Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 9/19/2024
Lobbyists are scrambling to figure out Kamala Harris. Lobbyists spent decades cultivating ties with President Biden’s inner circle; Harris has spent less than eight years in Washington. During her time as a U.S. senator, Harris’ office was seen as either ambivalent to or dismissive of the requests of corporate interests. During her years as vice president, she was seen as superfluous to the core policymaking process. But K Street is now setting its sights on the new Democratic ticket-leader and rushing to catch up on years of relationship-building.
Abortion Foes Use Government Power to Fight Red-State Ballot Measures
MSN – Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Lori Rozsa, and Annie Gowan (Washington Post) | Published: 9/12/2024
An unprecedented number of abortion initiatives are on state ballots this November, nearly all seeking to protect reproductive rights, but opponents are trying to defeat them even before the start of voting through legal challenges, administrative maneuvers, and critics say, outright intimidation. In part, the intensity reflects what is at stake. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, every ballot measure put before voters has been approved, including in red states like Ohio. Those seeking to restrict abortion access have failed, even in conservative Kansas.
Vance Amplifies False Claims About Haitian Migrants in Ohio
MSN – Sarah Ellison, Mariana Alfaro, and Lisa Rein (Washington Post) | Published: 9/15/2024
Soon after his unsubstantiated comments on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, sparked a national firestorm and spurred violent threats in the town, U.S. Sen. JD Vance doubled down on his baseless claims that Haitians are eating their neighbors’ pets “to draw attention to the Biden-Harris immigration policies.” In a contentious interview on CNN, Vance said if he has to “create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
How This Lawsuit Against the IRS Aims to Allow Churches a Greater Role in Politics
MSN – Angele Latham (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 9/16/2024
A federal rule bans tax-exempt organizations organized under 501(c)(3) of the tax code from “directly or indirectly” participating in politics, specifically in endorsing or opposing candidates. A lawsuit filed by Chistian groups challenges the rule by alleging their speech has been “wrongfully silenced.” Although the IRS often sets churches to 501(c)(3) status by default, the churches in the complaint would likely receive the political benefits they are seeking if they switched registration to 501(c)(4) but the move would mean losing their tax benefits, said Jennifer Safstrom, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Affordable Housing Advocate Penalized for Not Registering as a Lobbyist with City of Hamilton
CBC – Samantha Beattie | Published: 9/18/2024
One of Hamilton’s most vocal affordable housing advocates is being penalized for not registering as a lobbyist with the city before contacting officials on dozens of occasions and in some instances requesting land or money for projects. Graham Cubitt is not allowed to lobby with any city staff or elected officials for 30 days, said lobbyist registrar David Boghosian, who is also the city’s integrity commissioner.
Arizona – Chandler Council Member, Accused of Corruption, Seeks Millions … from Chandler
Bears Wire – Sam Kmack (Arizona Republic) | Published: 9/14/2024
A sitting Chandler City Council member is suing the city she represents, seeking millions of dollars for slander because the city falsely divulged the FBI was investigating her for political corruption. Jane Poston claims former police Chief Sean Duggan and current Assistant Chief Dave Ramer defamed her, caused her emotional distress, and harmed her private public relations company.
Arizona – Court May Decide If Arizonans with Missing Citizenship Records Can Vote in State Races
MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/17/2024
A key election official in Arizona’s Maricopa County asked the state’s highest court to prohibit nearly 100,000 longtime residents from voting in state and local races this fall after discovering the state has no record of asking them for documents proving their U.S. citizenship. Like other states, Arizona requires voters to swear they are citizens when they register to vote. But for 20 years, Arizona law has gone further and required residents to show birth certificates, naturalization papers, or other documents proving citizenship to vote in state and local elections.
California – Oakland Ethics Commission Declines Proposed Settlement with Libby Schaaf
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 9/17/2024
The Oakland Public Ethics Commission rejected the advice of its staff by refusing to settle a sprawling set of campaign finance cases involving violations by former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Several commissioners said they feel the proposed settlement negotiated by commission staff and Schaaf’s attorney does not transparently show how much Schaaf and others will be fined for breaking multiple election rules. The commission met to consider five cases that involved Schaaf and others ranging from the Oakland Chamber of Commerce’s PAC, the Oakland police union, contractors, campaign consultants, and political groups.
California – California Legislature’s Unwritten Rule: Negotiate in secret with lobbyists, not in public
MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 9/18/2024
An analysis of every vote cast in the past five years shows Democrats who control the California Legislature vote “no” on average less than one percent of the time, suggesting the fates of most bills are decided before votes are cast. The original language in almost all bills that navigate the legislative process is usually changed through amendments added in committees. That can be a high-stakes discussion done in secret between legislators and staff and lobbyists. When there are political consequences or money is involved, the governor’s office or legislative leaders can also shape bills behind the scenes.
California – California Passes Package of Laws to Combat Election Deepfakes
MSN – Felix Ng (Cointelegraph) | Published: 9/17/2024
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law bills to crack down on politically themed Artificial Intelligence (AI) deepfakes during elections. It comes only weeks after Elon Musk re-posted a parody of a Kamala Harris campaign ad on X that garnered millions of views and used AI-powered voice manipulation to make it seem Harris called herself an incompetent presidential candidate.
California – San Jose Councilmembers Team Up to Lobby City
San Jose Spotlight – Brandon Pho | Published: 9/16/2024
San Jose City Councilperson Sergio Jimenez is jumping into the elected official to lobbyist pipeline. He has formed a new consulting firm before terming out of his council seat at the end of this year. Joining him is former Councilperson Raul Peralez, a San Jose police officer who started his own consulting business after leaving office. It is the latest instance of the city’s “revolving door” through which government officials become paid lobbyists, which has prompted concern over the years about unfair deal making advantages.
California – Silicon Valley Political Groups Fail to Meet Transparency Requirements
San Jose Spotlight – Brandon Pho | Published: 9/14/2024
Nearly 40 campaign committees in Santa Clara County failed to file transparency reports by legal deadlines since 2018, in many cases even after receiving two written warnings. Nearly 30 of those committees have been flagged to county prosecutors and state watchdogs for investigation. For candidates who are new to politics, missed deadlines are an inevitable learning curve. But experts argue more experienced elected officials and candidates who should be well acquainted with the rules are likely ignoring them.
Colorado Public Radio – Ishan Thakore | Published: 9/17/2024
Colorado lawmakers passed the Utility Regulation Act following a spike in energy bills. The law prevents investor-owned utilities from charging customers for a broad set of political activities, including meetings with lawmakers to influence legislation, some types of advertising, and membership dues to lobbying groups. The law requires utilities to submit an annual report about their spending. But lawmakers left it to regulators to determine much of the law’s fine print, including how much detail utilities must include in the report. Consumer advocates and utilities are now fighting over the scope of the law.
Florida – Ethics Commission: Lobbyist never cashed Baxter’s reimbursement checks for trip, VIP dinner
Austin American-Statesman – Mike Diamond (Palm Beach Post) | Published: 9/18/2024
The Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics cited lobbyist Ron Book for failing to cash checks totaling $600 from county Commissioner Sara Baxter for a ride on his private jet to Tallahassee to attend the inauguration of Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2023. Sitting on the checks after 90 days of receiving them turned the trip and the dinner into gifts, which means Baxter had to report them as such, and she did not. The commission has not charged Baxter with any wrongdoing but the ethics agency is investigating her, too.
Florida – Trial Begins in Alleged Florida Election Conspiracy That Tilted a Miami Senate Race
MSN – Charles Rabin (Miami Herald) | Published: 9/15/2024
A criminal case that opened a window to a plot to help Republicans win important 2020 Florida Senate races by propping up fake progressive candidates with shadowy money is finally headed to trial, with a political operative fighting the charges. State prosecutors are expected to claim in court that former state Sen. Frank Artiles, a Republican, masterminded a scheme to tilt the results of a tight race in Miami by recruiting and paying a straw candidate to siphon votes away from the Democratic incumbent.
Georgia – Georgia Lieutenant Governor Won’t Face Charges Connected to 2020 Election
MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 9/13/2024
A special prosecutor concluded criminal charges should not be brought against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for his role in helping Donald Trump overturn his election loss in Georgia. Jones faced scrutiny because he was one of 16 state Republicans who signed a certificate falsely claiming Trump won Georgia in 2020 and declaring themselves to be the “duly elected and qualified electors from Georgia.” As a state senator, Jones also sought to convene a special session of the Legislature aimed at reversing Joe Biden’s narrow victory in the state.
Georgia – Judge in Georgia Election Case Knocks Out 2 Charges Against Trump
MSN – Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 9/12/2024
A judge overseeing the Georgia case charging Donald Trump with conspiring to interfere in the 2020 election tossed out three more of the prosecution’s charges, two of which involve the former president. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said the three counts were legally flawed because they involved claims that Trump or his allies violated state law by submitting fraudulent documents to a federal court in Atlanta.
Illinois – City Council Cracks Down on Lobbyist Campaign Donations to Mayor after Johnson Took Contributions
WBEZ – Tessa Weinberg | Published: 9/18/2024
The Chicago City Council passed an ethics ordinance aimed at sanctioning lobbyists for contributions to mayoral candidates after Mayor Brandon Johnson dropped his opposition to the plan. The penalties close an enforcement gap in a 13-year-old ethics rule put in place by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel that prohibits lobbyists from donating to a mayor’s political fund. The reform broadens the original ban by expanding the restrictions to contributions made to mayoral candidates’ political committees, not just the incumbent mayor’s.
Kentucky – Complaint Filed Against a Top Kentucky Democrat for Condo Purchase. She Says It’s Ethical.
Yahoo News – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 9/16/2024
An ethics complaint was filed against House Minority Caucus Chairperson Cherlynn Stevenson for jointly purchasing a Frankfort condominium with a lobbyist. But Stevenson has copies of correspondence with the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission, the body that handles such complaints, clearing her to purchase the condo with Sarah Bowling earlier this year.
Nebraska – Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission Seeks New Director as Hunter Steps Back
Nebraska Examiner – Aaron Sanderford | Published: 9/16/2024
The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission needs a new executive director about a year after promoting a leader from within. David Hunter asked to return to his previous job as deputy director for personal reasons, officials said. Hunter succeeded Frank Daley, who retired after a quarter century as executive director.
New Jersey – Atlantic City Mayor and Wife Indicted for Alleged Child Abuse
MSN – Daniel Han (Politico) | Published: 9/18/2024
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife, who is the city’s superintendent of schools, face criminal charges for allegedly abusing their teenage daughter. According to prosecutors, Small Sr. and La’Quetta Small physically assaulted their daughter, who was 15 to 16 years old during the time of the alleged abuse. Small Sr. is the latest Atlantic City elected official to face criminal charges.
New Mexico – Judge Orders ‘Dark Money’ Group Back to Court for Failure to Register, Disclose Donors
Yahoo News – Daniel Chacón (Santa Fe New Mexican) | Published: 9/16/2024
A judge is considering holding a “dark money” group in contempt for failing to comply with an order to register as a political committee and disclose its donors. The New Mexico Project aims to “empower the moderate Latino electorate,” according to its website, and supported a slate of legislative candidates in the Democratic primary. Judge Joshua Allison issued a preliminary injunction requiring the group to register no later than September 4 and report its expenditures and contributions no later than September 9. The group has done neither.
New York – Ex-FDNY Chiefs Indicted on Federal Bribery Charges in ‘Pay-to-Play Corruption’ Scheme
Gothamist – Matt Katz and Elizabeth Kim | Published: 9/16/2024
Two former New York Fire Department chiefs accepted at least $190,000 in bribes in exchange for fast-tracking approvals of buildings’ fire alarm systems, according to an indictment. Anthony Saccavino and Brian Cordasco were the top two chiefs at the department’s bureau of fire prevention, which issues approvals for alarm and suppression systems in businesses and buildings. According to the indictment, from 2021 to 2023 they worked through a retired firefighter who, acting as a middleman, promised to expedite reviews and inspections in exchange for cash.
New York – Mayor Adams’ Team Asked Campaign Watchdog for More Time – Citing Federal Investigation
Gothamist – Brigid Bergin | Published: 9/12/2024
Mayor Eric Adams’ team wrote in a letter to New York City’s campaign finance watchdog that the campaign needed more time to respond to questions about apparent sloppy recordkeeping because its lawyer was too busy dealing with a federal inquiry. The Campaign Finance Board granted multiple deadline extensions to respond to an audit of Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign. The audit sought additional documentation for $2.3 million in expenses.
New York – Mayor Adams’ Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg Resigned Over Rebuffed Advice to Fire Officials Amid Probe
MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 9/16/2024
Lisa Zornberg, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ former chief counsel, resigned after the mayor rejected her advice to fire several top administration officials ensnared in federal corruption investigations, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Zornberg presented Adams with the recommendation for firings after concluding an internal review of Ray Martin, a lower-level aide in the mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, the sources said.
New York – New York City Police Commissioner Resigns After His Phone Was Seized in Federal Investigation
Yahoo News – Jake Offenhartz and Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 9/12/2024
New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban resigned, one week after it emerged his phone was seized as part of federal investigation that touched several members of Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle. Federal authorities are also investigating Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police sergeant who runs a nightclub security business, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Ohio – SEC Sues Ex-FirstEnergy CEO Jones; Conspiracy Charge Brought Against Him, Ex-Exec Dowling
MSN – Patrick Williams (Akron Beacon Journal) | Published: 9/13/2024
Two former FirstEnergy executives were indicted \on an additional conspiracy charge for their alleged roles in a “pay-to-play” scheme. The indictment also included amended charges against former Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones and former Senior Vice President of External Affairs Michael Dowling. As part of a separate lawsuit, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against Jones, alleging he misled investors about the utility’s payments to former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder in a “pay-to-play” scheme.
Ohio – Ohio Sheriff Says to ‘Write Down’ Addresses of Homes with Harris Signs
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 9/16/2024
A sheriff in Ohio who made disparaging remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris and immigrants on social media is suggesting local residents compile a list of addresses where they see yard signs in support of the Democratic presidential nominee. Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski’s Facebook posts sparked tension across Portage County, which Donald Trump carried by 12 points in the 2020 election. Some residents accused Zuchowski of voter intimidation ahead of November’s election.
Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Clears Ballot Language Saying Anti-Gerrymandering Measure Calls for the Opposite
MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 9/16/2024
The Ohio Supreme Court let stand ballot language that will describe this fall’s Issue 1 as requiring gerrymandering, when the proposal is intended to do the opposite. The bipartisan proposal calls for replacing Ohio’s troubled political map-making system with a citizen-led commission of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. The proposal emerged after seven different versions of congressional and legislative maps created after the 2020 Census were declared unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans.
KOSU – Lionel Ramos | Published: 9/17/2024
Oklahoma Rep. Justin Humphrey met with about a dozen landowners in his district to discuss a deal. He said a company was looking to buy 5,000 of land to build a solar farm. Humphry also acknowledged he and his brothers were selling land they owned in the proposed deal. State ethics rules say lawmakers cannot negotiate business deals in their district that they or their family would benefit from, especially if there is legislation involved. The same state rules prohibiting Humphrey’s behavior also protect officeholders from formal complaints during an election season.
Oklahoma – Campaign Funds Can Now Be Used by Oklahoma Candidates to Pay for Caregiving Expenses
Oklahoma Voice – Emma Murphy | Published: 9/16/2024
Oklahoma joined 33 other states in allowing candidates running for office to use campaign funds for dependent care, effective immediately. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission issued an advisory opinion permitting candidates who are primary caregivers to use campaign funds to pay for care of dependents such as children, people with disabilities, or elderly relatives.
MSN – Zane Sparling (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/16/2024
A sitting Portland commissioner who tapped public funds to clean up his Wikipedia page walked the razor’s edge of breaking city campaign finance laws, but the evidence is insufficient to prove a violation, the city auditor’s office ruled. Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, a top candidate in the mayoral race, spent $6,400 earlier this year while seeking to remove an errant reference to an apparent Patriot Prayer member he interacted with on social media and highlight his status as a Democrat.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/11/2024
Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade will investigate Portland City Council and mayoral candidates who agreed to reciprocate campaign contributions to obtain matching funds from the city. At least 13 Portland candidates explicitly agreed to give money to other candidates this summer in exchange for incoming contributions, according to emails and texts. Candidates for city council were trying to gather donations from at least 250 Portland residents to qualify for up to $40,000 in matching taxpayer funds before the August 27 deadline.
Pennsylvania – Protesters Rally Against Dark Money after 35-Mile March from Lancaster to Harrisburg
Lancaster Online – Sarah Nicell | Published: 9/12/2024
After a three-day, 35-mile walk from Lancaster to Harrisburg, protesters demanding changes to Pennsylvania’s campaign finance laws held a rally at the state Capitol against dark money. Several members of the group attended a meeting with representatives for Senate President Kim Ward to discuss their current priority: an anti-dark money bill authored by Free Speech for People that has yet to move in the Republican-majority state Senate.
Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Supreme Court Tosses Lower Court’s Decision on Mail-In Ballot Dating Requirement
Yahoo News – Peter Hall (Pennsylvania Capital-Star) | Published: 9/13/2024
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out a lower court’s decision finding the requirement for voters to write the date on mail-in ballots to have them counted unconstitutional. The state’s highest court said the Commonwealth Court lacked jurisdiction to hear a challenge of the dating provision by voters’ rights groups. The lower court concluded the dating requirement violates the fair and equal elections clause of the state constitution because it restricts the right to vote but does not serve a compelling governmental purpose.
Tennessee – Lee Seeks Ethics Panel Advice on Travel Payments, Will Repay Expense If Found Inappropriate
MSN – Vivian Jones (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 9/13/2024
Following threats of an ethics complaint over his travel to Florida paid by an outside group, Gov. Bill Lee is asking the Tennessee Ethics Commission to clarify whether accepting such payments is allowed under state law. If the panel finds Lee’s travel payments were illegal or unethical, he is pledging to repay the funds. Lee traveled to Marco Island, Florida, to be a keynote speaker of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a group behind a handful of controversial new state laws. ADF, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and its partner 501(c)4 organization both employ Matthew Lorimer, a registered lobbyist in Tennessee.
Washington – Let’s Go Washington Accused of Violating Campaign Finance Law
Yahoo News – Jerry Cornfield (Washington State Standard) | Published: 9/18/2024
A 14-month investigation has led to charges against the political committee founded by businessperson Brian Heywood for allegedly violating campaign finance laws in the course of gathering signatures for six initiatives last year. Staff of the state Public Disclosure Commission filed administrative charges alleging Let’s Go Washington did not “accurately and timely” report its spending on signature-gathering for each of the measures. Staff also assert the committee failed to obtain and disclose information from vendors on their spending on subcontractors for signature-gathering.
September 13, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 13, 2024
National/Federal Candidates Can Use Campaign Funds for Childcare in Most States, but Few Do Associated Press News – Isabella Volmert | Published: 9/12/2024 Two thirds of states now allow candidates of any gender running for public office to use campaign funds to […]
National/Federal
Candidates Can Use Campaign Funds for Childcare in Most States, but Few Do
Associated Press News – Isabella Volmert | Published: 9/12/2024
Two thirds of states now allow candidates of any gender running for public office to use campaign funds to pay for childcare expenses after the FEC approved the practice for federal candidates in 2018. While women with young children say its monumental to their campaigns and usage is growing, the number of candidates taking advantage of the policies remains relatively low and numerous complex barriers keeping mothers from running for office persist.
How Taylor Swift Surprised Harris, and Entered a New Political Era
DNyuz – Katie Rogers, Matt Stevens, and Emily Cochrane (New York Times) | Published: 9/11/2024
Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after Harris’s debate against Donald Trump. In a political landscape with countless celebrity endorsements that do little to prompt would-be voters into action, Swift’s support stands out as among the most meaningful. The vice president’s advisers said they believed the contest would come down to disengaged Americans who might not know which way they will vote, or if they will vote at all. That is where someone like Swift could make a difference.
Feds Increase Security for Jan. 6 in Effort to Prevent Capitol Attack Repeat
MSN – Peter Hermann and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 9/11/2024
The federal government will dramatically increase security protections for the joint session of Congress where lawmakers count states’ electoral votes, an escalation of government-wide efforts to prevent a repeat of the attack on the Capitol. The Department of Homeland Security has designated the next electoral count, scheduled for January 6, 2025, a National Special Security Event, giving the once-routine gathering the same level of security accorded to presidential inaugurations and political conventions.
Justice Dept. Charges Two Russian Media Operatives in Alleged Scheme
MSN – David Nakamura, Catherine Belton, and Will Sommer (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2024
The Justice Department charged two Russian media executives in an alleged scheme that authorities say illegally funneled millions of dollars to a Tennessee-based company to create and publish propaganda videos that racked up millions of views on U.S. social media. Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, Russian citizens who remain at large, were charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Justice Alito Reports Concert Tickets, Stocks in 2023 Financial Report
MSN – Tobi Raji (Washington Post) | Published: 9/6/2024
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito received concert tickets valued at $900 last year from a German princess known for her conservative Catholic views and sold stock in a beer company targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ activists, according to his financial disclosure form. Alito continues to own individual stock in more than two dozen companies, a practice that is permitted but that transparency advocates caution can lead to conflicts-of-interest that require recusal from key cases. Chief Justice John Roberts is the only other member of the court who owns individual stocks; most other justices invest in mutual funds.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/9/2024
A federal appeals court ruled against U.S. Sen. JD Vance and other Republicans in their attempt to overturn federal limits on political parties’ ability to coordinate spending with candidates. But a majority of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals expressed empathy with the Republican plaintiffs and only sided against them out of a belief it should be up to the U.S. Supreme Court, not them, to overturn a 2001 Supreme Court ruling upholding the limits.
Elon Musk’s Misleading Election Claims Reach Millions and Alarm Election Officials
MSN – Sarah Ellison, Amy Gardner, and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
In the two years since he bought Twitter, now X, Elon Musk has transformed it into a primary source of false election rumors, both by spreading them on his own account, which has 197 million followers, and lowering some of the site’s guardrails around misinformation. Experts say Musk is uniquely dangerous as a purveyor of misinformation because his digital following stretches well beyond the political realm and into the technology and investment sectors. Musk’s 52 posts or reposts about noncitizen voting drew almost 700 million views.
Harris Crisply Attacks Trump in Debate; He Retorts with Fiery Rhetoric
MSN – Toluse Olorunnipa and Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
Vice President Kamala Harris made a sharp, fiery case against Donald Trump during a freewheeling debate, blasting the former president’s character and preoccupation with himself while pressing him to task on issues including abortion, democracy, and foreign policy. Trump attacked Harris as a “Marxist” masquerading as a moderate and repeatedly turned the subject back to the U.S. southern border, often straying from the facts to embrace debunked conspiracy theories about immigration and the 2020 election.
Trump, Republicans Push Swing-State Courts to Reject Mail-in Ballots
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
Republicans have waged a nationwide legal campaign since 2020 to reject mail-in ballots. They say the litigation is aimed at the enforcement of election law to the letter. But critics see a strategy that has nothing to do with election integrity and everything to do with disqualifying voters who cast ballots by mail, an overwhelming majority of whom support Democrats.
Super PAC Funded by Ted Cruz’s Podcast Deal Gave $1 Million to Back His Campaign
San Antonio Current – Sanford Nowlin | Published: 9/6/2024
Despite U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s prior statements that he has no direct involvement with a super PAC funded by a distribution deal for his podcast, federal records show that same PAC is bankrolling his campaign’s field operations. Truth and Courage PAC, an entity partially funded by a deal the sentor struck with iHeartMedia to carry his podcast, shelled out $1 million in the second quarter to pay for door knocking and phone banking by Cruz’s reelection campaign.
The AI Industry Uses a Light Lobbying Touch to Educate Congress from a Corporate Perspective
Yahoo News – Dan Merica (Associated Press) | Published: 9/8/2024
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry has gone on a lobbying binge in the past few years, deploying scores of hired influencers to help shape potential government action. The technology is being adopted by powerful sectors of the economy, all with the hopes of having a say on possible regulations. As AI evolves at such a rapid clip, lawmakers are leaning on the lobbyists’ expertise because think tanks, nonprofit groups, and academia are struggling to keep up with the changes. Relying on PowerPoint slides and briefing papers, industry lobbyists are getting lots of face time with lawmakers and staff, advising them on the fine points of the technology.
Campaign Money? Bribes? Lobbying? Your Utility Rates May Include Some, Advocates Say
Yahoo News – Medora Lee (USA Today) | Published: 9/8/2024
Millions of Americans receive their monthly utility bill and just assume it is high because of extreme weather. That is only part of the story. Customers are paying for everything from the utility company’s trade association fees, lobbying efforts to increase rates, and even country club memberships, consumer advocates say. Utilities have also funneled money to 501(c)(4) non-profits that can accept unlimited corporate and personal donations and are often used to engage in lobbying activity, issue advocacy, or political activity.
From the States and Municipalities
California – Ex-Oakland Mayor Schaaf Agrees to Pay $21,000 Fine for Breaking Campaign Rules
MSN – Sarah Ravani (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 9/6/2024
Former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf agreed to pay $21,000 in penalties to settle claims she violated election rules by failing to disclose her involvement in campaigns to pass a city ballot measure and defeat two incumbent city council candidates. The Public Ethics Commission’s enforcement unit also recommended fining the Oakland Chamber of Commerce nearly $50,000 for failing to report “intermediary contributions” it made on behalf of individuals, and it advised separate fines of about $20,000 each against Doug Linney, a director at East Bay Municipal Utility District who also works as a campaign consultant, and the Oakland police union.
California – L.A. Real Estate Developer Accused of 444 Violations of Campaign Fundraising Laws
MSN – Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 9/7/2024
The Los Angeles Ethics Commission accused real estate developer Samuel Leung of committing 444 violations of the city’s campaign finance laws, including those that prohibit the laundering of campaign money. The commission said it determined “probable cause exists” to believe that between 2009 and 2015, Leung reimbursed campaign donors in violation of city law and exceeded the limits for political contributions.
California – Reform Bills Inspired by LAist Investigation Are Before Newsom for Final Approval
MSN – Yusra Farzan (LAist) | Published: 9/11/2024
Three reform bills, inspired by LAist’s investigation into millions of taxpayer dollars in Orange County that are unaccounted for, passed unanimously in the state Legislature and are now awaiting California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision on whether to sign them into law. Two of the bills would require more public transparency about elected officials’ family ties to certain types of contractors, and in some cases ban them from participating in awarding the money.
California – Irvine Tightens Lobbying Rules
Voice of OC – Angela Hicks | Published: 9/11/2024
Irvine gave initial approval to strengthening the city’s lobbying rules. City council members approved the changes unanimously, which will require more people to register as lobbyists more often and publicly disclose their activities to the city. The lobbying ordinance will require a second reading and vote before it can go into effect. The council meets again on September 24.
Delaware – Transgender Lawmaker Wins Democratic Primary for Delaware’s Only House Seat
DNyuz – Amy Harmon (New York Times) | Published: 9/10/2024
State Sen. Sarah McBride won the Democratic primary for Delaware’s only U.S. House seat, making her the heavy favorite to win in November in the deep-blue state. If elected, she would become the first openly transgender member of Congress.
Delaware – Meyer Defeats Scandal-Plagued Hall-Long and O’Mara in Delaware’s Democratic Primary for Governor
WHYY – Chris Barrash | Published: 9/10/2024
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer capitalized on Delaware Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s yearlong campaign finance scandal and former state environmental protection chief Collin O’Mara’s late entry into the race and rolled to a convincing victory in the three-way gubernatorial primary. Meyer will be the prohibitive favorite to win the governorship over House Minority Leader Mike Ramone in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two-to-one and since 2018 have held all nine statewide elective offices.
Florida – Florida Supreme Court Justices Raise Prospect of Tossing Fair Districts Amendment
Florida Politics – Jacob Ogles | Published: 9/12/2024
Florida Supreme Court Justices are questioning whether the Fair Districts Amendment to the state constitution impossibly handcuffs redistricting efforts. Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz raised the prospect of tossing the amendment, passed by Florida voters in 2010, as the court heard arguments that Florida’s congressional map violated measures prohibiting the diminishment of Black communities voting power.
Florida – DeSantis Election Police Question People Who Signed Abortion Ballot Petition
MSN – Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 9/9/2024
Florida voters who signed a petition to place a pro-choice abortion referendum on the ballot this November say they have been visited by police who are investigating claims of fraud at the behest of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration. The investigation comes as Democrats and election experts express concern that DeSantis is using the powers of the state to derail the referendum, which would nullify a six-week abortion ban the governor signed into law last year. The state’s health-care agency recently launched a website that claims the amendment “threatens women’s safety.”
Florida – Mayor’s Office: No conflict for chief of staff Darnell Smith to also do Florida Blue work
Yahoo News – David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) | Published: 9/5/2024
Florida Blue insurance executive Darnell Smith, who has been Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s chief of staff since January, will split his time over the next few weeks between working on his city duties and handling ongoing negotiations for Florida Blue in its contentious insurance contract talks with Baptist Health. Smith does not receive a city salary. He works as an “executive on loan” from Florida Blue, which has continued to pay his salary and benefits. The arrangement is set to last through the end of December.
Illinois – Bribery Trial of Former AT&T Boss to Offer Sneak Preview of Madigan Case
Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 9/9/2024
Former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza’s bribery trial began at Chicago’s federal courthouse where he stands accused of a scheme to funnel $22,500 in payments to a former House Speaker Michael Madigan associate in exchange for the speaker’s help passing legislation important to the company. La Schiazza’s case is expected to offer a sneak preview of a key part of Madigan’s own trial, which starts on October 8.
Indiana – McCormick Releases Ethics Plan with Focus on Lobbying Reform
Yahoo News – Whitney Downard (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 9/5/2024
Indiana gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick released an ethics plan with a focus on increasing transparency and accountability for elected officials at the state and local level, regulating lobbying. Aspects of the plan include removing lobbyists from politically appointed committee positions as well as standardizing campaign finance reporting and annually filed statements of economic interest. Paid lobbyists would face increased regulation that prohibits them from gifting “anything” of value to state lawmakers.
Kansas – Inside the Kansas Court Case That Could Cripple a Sweeping Campaign Finance Investigation
Yahoo News – Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) | Published: 9/6/2024
Does a Kansas law that prohibits campaign contributions given “in the name of another person” also make it illegal for political groups to shift funds among themselves until the dollars arrive at a desired destination? Over two years, $54,000 in contributions moved through a series of political committees before ending up in the accounts of the Kansas Republican Party. Why those transfers happened in 2020 and 2021 is the subject of a lengthy, ongoing investigation.
Kentucky – Federal Court Halts, for Now, Kentucky Election Finance Opinion on School Choice Measure
The Center Square – Steve Bittenbender | Published: 9/5/2024
A federal appeals court temporarily stopped the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) from taking action against three Republican county committees that want to use party funds to support a school choice initiative scheduled to appear on the November ballot. KREF General Counsel Leslie Saunders has said state law requires party funds to be spent on promoting its candidates.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Declines to Waive Jeff Landry’s $100 Late Fine
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 9/6/2024
The Louisiana Board of Ethics has declined Gov. Jeff Landry’s request to waive a $100 fine for filing his 2023 annual campaign finance report one day late. The board’s decision comes just a few months before Landry, who has been at odds with the board for years, will gain more power over its makeup.
Michigan – Judge Finds Probable Cause to Believe Ex-Chatfield Staffers Embezzled Political Cash
Detroit News – Craig Mauger | Published: 9/12/2024
Anne and Robert Minard, two top staffers of former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, are poised to face criminal trials after a judge determined there was probable cause to believe allegations that they stole more than $600,000 from political fundraising accounts. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has accused the Minards of using fraudulent reimbursements, double-billings, misrepresented expenses, and falsified records to embezzle money from nonprofit groups and PACs.
Michigan – In Michigan, an ‘Unhinged Werewolf’ Will Make It Clear Who Voted
Seattle Times – Callie Holtermann (New York Times) | Published: 9/5/2024
One entry in a statewide contest to design Michigan’s next “I Voted” sticker depicted a werewolf clawing its shirt to tatters and howling at an unseen moon. A smattering of stars and stripes poke out from behind its torso. “I Voted,” reads a string of red, white, and blue block letters floating above the creature’s open jaws. The illustration by 12-year-old Jane Hynous is one of nine winning designs the Michigan Department of State will offer local clerks to distribute to voters in the November election.
Missouri – Missouri High Court Allows Abortion Measure to Stay on Fall Ballot
MSN – Molly Hennessey-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2024
Hours before ballots were to be finalized, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution is specific enough to present to voters in November. Only days earlier, a lower-court judge ruled the ballot measure invalid because it does not identify which laws it would repeal. The outcome means Missouri will remain among more than half a dozen states with measures to protect abortion rights on their ballots this fall, including in presidential battleground states such as Arizona and Florida.
New Hampshire – Ethics Committee Won’t Make a Ruling on Tara Reardon Conflict of Interest Until After Election
Concord Monitor – Catherine McLaughlin | Published: 9/4/2024
New Hampshire’s Legislative Ethics Committee will determine whether Tara Reardon, if elected to the state Senate, would have to recuse herself on legislation her spouse’s firm lobbies on, but not until after the Democratic primary, which Reardon won. That means voters casting their ballots did not have a clear answer about Reardon’s ability to participate in the legislative process due to a new law that takes effect in January.
New York – Cuomo Legal Bills Have Cost N.Y. Taxpayers $25.4 Million and Counting
DNyuz – Benjamin Oreskes (New York Times) | Published: 9/12/2024
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has employed aggressive legal tactics as he seeks to defend himself against sexual harassment lawsuits and protect his political image as he contemplates a comeback. The state has spent about $25.4 million representing the legal interests of Cuomo and several of his top aides as they fend off civil complaints, criminal investigations, and inquiries from the Legislature. Because Cuomo’s alleged actions took place while he was governor, state law requires taxpayers to foot legal bills related to the accusations.
New York – After a Year of Legal Peril, Trump Seeks Election as a Felon, but Free
Seattle Times – Ben Protess, Kate Christobek, and William Rashbaum (New York Times) | Published: 9/8/2024
At Donald Trump’s request, and without objection from prosecutors, the judge who presided over his criminal trial in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after the November election. Trump, who faces up to four years in prison for falsifying records to conceal a sex scandal, had sought the delay to buy time to challenge his conviction. The former president also argued it would be unfair to face sentencing so close to Election Day, even though that timing was the result of his own stalling tactics.
New York – Feds Raid Homes of Top Eric Adams Deputies, Seize Police Commissioner’s Phones
The City – Greg Smith, Katie Honan, Gwynne Hogan, and Samantha Maldonado | Published: 9/5/2024
Federal authorities raided the homes of some of the highest-ranking members of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, including two deputy mayors and the schools chancellor, and seized the electronic devices of the police commissioner. This extraordinary effort in the last two days to obtain evidence follows other federal raids and seizures that have swept up the mayor and other top aides in what appears to be a broadening investigation of City Hall.
North Carolina – Few Students Are Playing but Lawmakers Keep Paying for Video Game from NC Company
MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 9/10/2024
Since 2020, state lawmakers have spent millions of dollars to put Plasma Games’ science-based video game in North Carolina public schools even though few students are playing, and schools could not show the game is improving learning. Plasma Games is another example of the Republican-led Legislature inserting provisions into omnibus spending bills to that benefit specific private businesses and nonprofits with political ties, a practice that in one case has drawn the attention of a federal grand jury.
North Carolina – NC Supreme Court Orders RFK Jr’s Name to Be Taken Off Ballots, Mail-in Voting Delayed by Weeks
MSN – Will Doran (WRAL) | Published: 9/9/2024
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name will not be on ballots in North Carolina this year as the state Supreme Court ruled officials must reprint the millions of ballots it finished printing in August. The ruling means North Carolina is now expected to blow past the legal deadline to start sending out ballots by at least two weeks, at the cost of potentially $1 million to state taxpayers, arguments that state officials made against reprinting the ballots, but which the Supreme Court said were worth it to ensure no voter confusion caused by having Kennedy’s name on the ballots even though he dropped out of the race.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/6/2024
A state appeals court panel threw out a legal challenge to Speaker Jason Stephens’ control over the Ohio House Republicans’ campaign fund, as well as an injunction preventing him from spending money from the account. Some House Republicans have sought to undermine the Stephens’ power since Democrats helped elect him speaker last year despite receiving votes from just a third of his GOP colleagues.
Ohio – An Ohio City Reshaped by Haitian Immigrants Lands in an Unwelcome Spotlight
MSN – Patrick Aftoora Orsagos, Julie Carr Smyth, and Elliot Spagat (Associated Press) | Published: 9/11/2024
Many cities have been reshaped by immigrants in the last few years without attracting much notice. Not Springfield, Ohio. Its story of economic renewal and related growing pains has been thrust into the national conversation in a presidential election year and maliciously distorted by false rumors that Haitian immigrants are eating their neighbors’ pets. Donald Trump amplified those lies during the nationally televised debate, exacerbating some residents’ fears about growing divisiveness in the predominantly white, blue-collar city of about 60,000.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/10/2024
Dozens of Portland City Council and mayoral candidates agreed to reciprocate political contributions as they sought to qualify for matching campaign funds from the city. Candidates benefit when a fellow Portland resident gives them a contribution because notching enough local donations triggers the matching funds. Yet state law prohibits candidates for political office from soliciting donations from anyone by promising to give the person a financial payback.
Tennessee – Ethics Questions Plaguing Tennessee Governor’s Administration
Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 9/11/2024
Shortly after taking office in 2019, Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order prohibiting executive branch employees from accepting lodging and transportation from groups trying to do business with the state but says his recent trip to Florida paid for by a group that lobbies state lawmakers is “customary and allowable.” That trip and a complaint filed against the state education commissioner is bringing greater scrutiny to Tennessee’s ethics rules and relationships that officials have with lobbying groups.
Texas – Mayoral Candidate Doug Greco Sues City to Overturn Campaign Finance Rule
Austin Monitor – Jo Clifton | Published: 9/11/2024
Mayoral candidate Doug Greco filed suit in federal court, challenging the provision of the City Charter that prevents city council candidates from accepting more than $47,000 in contributions from people who live outside the Austin city limits. The plaintiffs also want the judge to grant a permanent injunction against enforcement of the law. Greco has complained that his relatives in other states are unable to contribute because of the limitation.
September 6, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 6, 2024
National/Federal Courtroom Clash in Trump’s Election Interference Case as the Judge Ponders the Path Ahead Associated Press News – Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Michael Kunzelman | Published: 9/5/2024 In the first court hearing in nearly a year, a lawyer for […]
National/Federal
Courtroom Clash in Trump’s Election Interference Case as the Judge Ponders the Path Ahead
Associated Press News – Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Michael Kunzelman | Published: 9/5/2024
In the first court hearing in nearly a year, a lawyer for Donald Trump clashed with the judge in the federal election interference prosecution of the former president after suggesting the government was rushing forward with an “illegitimate” indictment at the height of the White House campaign. Prosecutors and defense lawyers are bitterly at odds over the next steps in the case after the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the prosecution by ruling former presidents are entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges.
Iran Emerges as a Top Disinformation Threat in U.S. Presidential Race
DNyuz – Steven Lee Myers, Tiffany Hsu, and Faranz Fassihi (New York Times) | Published: 9/4/2024
American officials and tech company analysts say Iran is waging an intensifying campaign to sway this year’s American presidential election. Iran has long carried out clandestine information operations against its adversaries, especially Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, but until now most of its activities were conducted under the shadow of similar campaigns by Russia and China. Its latest propaganda and disinformation efforts have grown more brazen, more varied, and more ambitious, according to the U.S. government, company officials, and Iran experts.
Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting
DNyuz – Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 9/5/2024
There is no indication that noncitizens are voting in large numbers. Yet the notion they will flood the polls, and vote overwhelmingly for Democrats, is animating a network of Republicans who mobilized around Donald Trump’s false claims of a rigged election in 2020 and are now preparing for the next one. Activists, prominent lawyers, Republican lawmakers, right-wing influencers, and other Trump allies have pressed for voter roll purges, filed lawsuits, prepared for on-the-ground monitoring of polling places, and spread misinformation online.
Whistle-Blower Groups Push to End Secret Seizure of Congressional Communications
DNyuz – Luke Broadwater (New York Times) | Published: 8/31/2024
As President Trump hunted for people inside the government who were divulging details of an investigation into whether his 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia, the Justice Department turned to a covert tactic. Department officials secretly collected the phone and email records of roughly a dozen people connected to Congress, including lawmakers and aides who routinely deal with anonymous whistleblowers, to see who might be coming forward with confidential information. Now, whistleblower advocacy groups hope to shame the agency into ending the practice of secretly collecting congressional communications records.
GOP Network Props Up Liberal Third-Party Candidates in Key States, Hoping to Siphon Off Harris Votes
MSN – Brian Slodysko and Dan Merica (Associated Press) | Published: 9/1/2024
Across the country, a network of Republican political operatives, lawyers, and their allies is trying to shape November’s election in ways that favor Donald Trump. Their goal is to prop up third-party candidates such as Cornell West who offer liberal voters an alternative that could siphon away support from Vice President Kamala Harris. It is not clear who is paying for the effort, but it could be impactful in states that were decided by miniscule margins in the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.
13-Month Sentence for Man Who Made 12,000 Harassing Calls to Congress Members
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2024
Ade Lilly was sentenced to 13 months in prison for making more than 12,000 harassing phone calls to members of Congress over an 18-month period and threatening to kill a congressional aide. Addressing the defense’s argument that Lilly was motivated by childhood tragedy and a zealous belief lawmakers must do more for the nation’s young people, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly said, “it is easy to see” how his offense might be the result of “good intentions gone wrong.”
MSN – Andy Kroll (ProPublica) and Nick Surgery (Documented) | Published: 9/4/2024
Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, privately heaped praise on a major religious-rights group for fighting efforts to reform the nation’s highest court – efforts sparked, in large part, by her husband’s ethical lapses. Ginni Thomas expressed her appreciation in an email sent to Kelly Shackelford, an influential litigator whose clients have won cases at the Supreme Court. Shackelford runs the First Liberty Institute. It came shortly after President Biden announced support for a slate of reforms for the high court.
Convicted Fraudsters Launch AI Lobbying Firm Using Fake Names
Yahoo News – Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 9/2/2024
A K Street startup pitched as a service to integrate AI into lobbying is covertly run by a pair of well-known, far-right conspiracy theorists and convicted felons who are using pseudonyms in their new business, according to four former employees and other evidence. LobbyMatic was founded last year by Jacob Wohl, who in 2022 was convicted along with his longtime associate Jack Burkman of fraud after running a robocall campaign in largely Black neighborhoods in several states telling people not to vote by mail. LobbyMatic, whose website does not list any company leadership, temporarily signed up at least three brand-name clients.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – She Was Arrested After Speaking at a City Meeting. Now She’s Suing.
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2024
An Arizona woman is suing the city of Surprise for arresting and charging her with trespassing during a recent city council meeting after she criticized the city attorney’s proposed pay raise. Mayor Skip Hall interrupted Rebekah Massie’s remarks, accusing her of “attacking the city attorney personally” and violating a council policy. Her lawsuit requests that a judge order the city to halt a policy that stipulates comments during council meetings “may not be used to lodge charges or complaints against” public officials.
California – Mayor Breed Orders Increased Scrutiny of San Francisco Contract Work, Grantees
KQED – Sydney Johnson | Published: 9/3/2024
City contractors and grant recipients will face tighter scrutiny to receive public dollars, according to a directive from San Francisco Mayor London Breed. The order, which is effective immediately, comes after numerous scandals. Breed also announced legislation to support her directive that would require contractors to keep separate accounts for political activities and prevent them from using city funds or lobbying officials.
California – While an Orange County Supervisor Was Under Scrutiny, His Daughter Interned with County Prosecutors
MSN – Salvador Hernandez (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/29/2024
Within weeks of it being revealed that Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do directed millions of dollars in contracts to a nonprofit without disclosing a link to his daughter, a scandal that sparked a lawsuit and a possible federal probe, his daughter began working as an intern for the county’s top prosecutor. Two county supervisors said they were unaware of Rhiannon Do’s stint at the district attorney’s office while county officials considered a lawsuit against Viet America Society, a nonprofit that once listed the supervisor’s daughter as its president, and asked for local and federal officials to step in.
California – Anaheim Hires City’s First Ethics Officer
Orange County Register – Michael Slaten | Published: 9/3/2024
Anaheim has hired its first ethics officer. Artin Berjikly will be the assistant city attorney-ethics officer, leading a new ethics division. Berjikly will report to the city attorney and provide legal expertise on ethical issues, campaign finance laws, conflict-of-interest rules, and the city’s lobbying laws.
Florida – Activists Charged with Pushing Russian Propaganda Go on Trial in Florida
WLRN – Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 9/3/2024
Experts say a trial in Florida offers a rare glimpse into how Russia has tried to secretly influence American politics. Prosecutors say Russia sought out a sympathetic group in the U.S., invited its leader to visit Moscow, and established a long-term relationship. The group then promoted Russian views on its website, social media accounts, and radio station. Four Americans face charges they conspired to have other U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government or acted as unregistered Russian agents themselves.
Florida – Miami Lakes Sues Law Firm Over Role in FBI Corruption Sting That Led to Mayor’s Arrest
Yahoo News – Catherine Odom (Miami Herald) | Published: 8/29/2024
Miami Lakes is suing a law firm over its involvement in an FBI sting operation that led to the arrest of the town’s mayor in 2013. The suit is seeking more than $5 million in damages over the role of Richard Candia, who was an employee at the law firm Becker & Poliakoff, in the FBI operation. Candia was party to an alleged corruption scheme involving then-Mayor Michael Pizzi and later became an FBI informant. Miami Lakes is suing the firm, which was under contract to provide lobbying and consulting services to the town, for negligence, as well as breach of contract and fiduciary duties.
Iowa – Iowa Lieutenant Governor Resigns to Take Over State Lobby Group Representing Bankers
MSN – Hannah Fingerhut (Associated Press) | Published: 9/3/2024
Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned to take the helm of the Iowa Bankers Association. The association advocates for its members with state and local governments and has been led for 28 years by John Sorensen, who is stepping down this year. Sorensen was registered as a lobbyist for the current General Assembly, but Iowa law specifies a statewide elected official “shall not within two years after the termination of service or employment become a lobbyist.”
Louisiana – Shreveport Lawmaker Fought Ethics Board for Years Before Authoring New Ethics Laws
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 8/29/2024
The first two bills state Rep. Steven Jackson authored had an unusual target for a new lawmaker: Louisiana’s Board of Ethics. His interest in restricting the board’s activities follows five years of angry exchanges between Jackson and ethics staff over financial penalties he has accrued while running for office. Since his first race for the Caddo Parish Commission in 2015, Jackson has racked up $10,080 in late fees after failing to file or improperly submitting 12 campaign finance and personal disclosure reports.
Maine – Maine Utilities Will Be Banned from Spending Ratepayer Money on Lobbying, Advertising
Yahoo News – Stephen Singer (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 9/4/2024
Maine regulators announced they will draft rules that prohibit utilities from billing ratepayers for spending on advertising, lobbying, and political expenses and require spending disclosures to the state. Legislation passed last year bars utilities from passing on expenses for contributions or gifts to candidates, political parties, and political or legislative committees; to a trade association, chamber of commerce, or public charity; for lobbying or grassroots lobbying; or for educational expenses, unless approved by the Public Utilities Commission.
Montana – Tim Sheehy Was Recorded Using Racist Stereotypes About Native Americans
Seattle Times – Kellen Browning (New York Times) | Published: 9/3/2024
Tim Sheehy, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Montana, made comments perpetuating racist stereotypes about Native Americans during private fundraisers last year, according to recordings of the events. In one recording, Sheehy can be heard saying he had participated in roping and branding cattle on the Crow Reservation, and it was “a great way to bond with all the Indians out there, while they’re drunk at 8 a.m.”
New Hampshire – Ex-Biden Official in NH Primary Raises Questions with ‘Bizarre’ Financial Disclosure
MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 8/30/2024
Maggie Goodlander, a candidate in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire for retiring U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster’s seat, filed a personal financial disclosure that has raised questions over the actual value of sizable assets she holds. The disclosure puzzled experts because it lists the value of multiple easily verifiable assets as “undetermined,” including checking, retirement, and investment accounts, and several properties or pieces of land, even those the report indicates are currently for sale.
New Mexico – The New Mexico Project Ordered to Disclose Donors, Campaign Expenditures
Yahoo News – Colleen Held (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/29/2024
A state judge ordered a dark money group that paid for political advertising in support of legislative candidates in New Mexico earlier this year to disclose the sources of its funding and its spending by September 9. Judge Joshua Allison ruled the New Mexico Project meets the definition of “political committee” and must comply with the state’s campaign finance law. The state Ethics Commission based its case partly on statements the group’s founder made on talk radio, social media, and in radio advertisements.
New York – Former Aide to N.Y. Governors Charged with Secretly Helping China
MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2024
Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, was accused of trading on her connections to act as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government. Federal prosecutors also indicted Sun’s husband, Chris Hu, for allegedly illegal conduct dating back to her time as an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Sun was accused of using her influence as a top aide to both governors to shape state policy toward China and Taiwan. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said the couple’s scheme made them millions of dollars.
New York – Federal Judge Rejects Donald Trump’s Request to Intervene in Wake of Hush Money Conviction
MSN – Michael Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 9/3/2024
A federal judge rejected Donald Trump’s request to intervene in his New York hush money criminal case, spurning the former president’s attempt at an end-run around the state court where he was convicted and is set to be sentenced on September 18. U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein’s ruling – just hours after Trump’s lawyers asked him to weigh the move – upends Trump’s plan to move the case to federal court so he could seek to have his conviction overturned in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling.
North Carolina – In North Carolina, the Math for a Supermajority May Come Down to One
DNyuz – David Chen (New York Times) | Published: 8/31/2024
This fall, as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of state Legislatures across the country, much of the attention has focused on states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona, where one or two seats could tip the balance. But in a handful of states, the Legislature is dominated by one party, while the governor’s office is held by another. In those states, an effort is underway to either preserve an existing supermajority, which confers the ability to override a governor’s veto, or to break it. Nowhere has the battle been more magnified than in North Carolina.
Ohio – Federal Judge Blocks Ohio’s Ban on Foreign Political Donations
Ohio Capital Journal – Morgan Trau (WEWS) | Published: 9/3/2024
A federal judge blocked Ohio’s new law limiting who can participate in the political process just hours before it was set to go into effect. The controversial legislation would have prevented lawful permanent residents, known as green card holders, from making contributions or expenditures regarding ballot issues or candidates. It would also prevent campaigns from accepting donations from them.
Oklahoma – Oklahoma’s Election Laws Inhibit Voter Participation, Create More Extreme Candidates, Experts Say
Oklahoma Voice – Emma Murphy | Published: 8/30/2024
Oklahoma’s voting system is leading to low turnout rates, the election of more extreme candidates, and disenfranchisement of voters who are excluded from participating in primary elections, experts said. That is prompting conversations about whether reforms are needed to increase voter participation rates and how the state can ensure hundreds of thousands of independent voters have a voice at the ballot box at a time when most outcomes are determined months ahead of November’s general election.
Pennsylvania – A Court Just Told Pa. Not to Reject Mail Ballots Missing Handwritten Dates. The Case Isn’t Over Yet.
Spotlight PA – Carter Walker (Votebeat) | Published: 8/30/2024
Not counting a voter’s mail ballot because they failed to properly date the return envelope violates their rights under the state constitution, a Pennsylvania appellate court ruled. “The refusal to count undated or incorrectly dated but timely mail ballots submitted by otherwise eligible voters because of meaningless and inconsequential paperwork errors violates the fundamental right to vote recognized in the free and equal elections clause,” Judge Ellen Ceisler wrote for the majority, referring to a provision in the state constitution. Republicans said they would immediately appeal the ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Tennessee – Tennessee Education Commissioner Remains Under the Microscope
Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennesse Lookout) | Published: 9/5/2024
Tennessee lawmakers have been scrutinizing state Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds almost since she took the post in 2023 to push the governor’s private-school voucher plan, and some want to take an even closer look at her administration. Reynolds has been dogged by revelations that she did not meet state requirements to hold the education commissioner position. A complaint was filed about trips Reynolds took to two out-of-state education conferences paid for by her former employer, the pro-voucher group ExcelInEd, which hires a lobbyist to work on education issues in Tennessee.
Texas – Paxton’s Election Fraud Charges Upend Lives but Result in Few Convictions
MSN – Arelis Hernández and Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 9/2/2024
Leticia Sanchez was an activist in her majority-Latino community helping register people to vote before she was arrested in 2018. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused her and three other Hispanic women of forming an “organized voter fraud ring” that targeted elderly voters by applying for mail-in ballots they had not requested. Five years later, the case was dismissed by the state’s highest criminal court. The case fits a pattern that has emerged in Texas under Paxton: aggressive prosecutions for alleged election fraud crimes that upend lives but result in few cases that go to trial and end in a conviction.
Texas – Top Harris County Health Official Fired after Chronicle Investigation into $6 Million Contract
MSN – Mike Morris (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 8/30/2024
Harris County Public Health Executive Director Barbie Robinson was fired amid a scandal over her department’s hiring of an embattled California consulting company for a lucrative contract. Records showed Robinson arranged for DEMA Consulting & Management to run two county COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites two months after she was named executive director in 2021. Then DEMA won a bigger, more competitive public health contract. Several email exchanges during the county’s procurement process for the second contract suggested possible conflicts-of-interest.
Salt Lake Tribune – Robert Gehrke (Sal Lake Tribune) | Published: 9/4/2024
Groups opposing a constitutional amendment that will ensure the Utah Legislature can repeal or amend any future ballot initiative are outraged by the way the issue will be presented on voters’ ballots in November. The question put before voters is whether to prohibit “foreign influence” on ballot initiatives and “clarifying the voters and legislative bodies’ ability to amend laws.” Opponents contend the description of the amendment “clarifying” the power of voters minimizes what they say is a power grab by the Legislature that would strip voters of their constitutional right to run ballot initiatives.
Vermont – House Ethics Panel Provided ‘Restorative Justice’ Response to Legislator’s Bag-Soaking Scheme
VTDigger.org – Sarah Mearhoff | Published: 8/29/2024
After investigating accusations that a state representative repeatedly bullied a colleague throughout the 2024 legislative session by secretly pouring water into his tote bag, the Vermont House Ethics Panel initiated a “restorative justice process as a response.” Rep. Jim Carroll, the target of the bullying, and Rep. Mary Morrissey, who admitted to the acts, said they met with the panel throughout this summer to discuss the incidents. A statement said Morrissey “is committed to making amends, including activities that encourage the development and strengthening of collaborative and positive relationships within the legislative community.”
Washington – Group Behind State Initiatives Accused of Violating State Anti-Corruption Laws with Discount Gas, Burgers
Spokane Spokesman-Review – Emry Dinman | Published: 9/4/2024
Let’s Go Washington was accused of illegally trying to sway voters to support four initiatives the group backs with offers of discount gas and burgers. The complaint filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission alleges Let’s Go Washington’s offer of cheaper gas, and in one case food during promotional events for the four initiatives, ran afoul of the state’s anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws.
August 30, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – August 30, 2024
National/Federal Feds Charge Crypto Lobbyist Linked to Former FTX Executive with Campaign Finance Crimes Courthouse News Service – John Russell | Published: 8/22/2024 Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing convicted former FTX executive Ryan Salame’s girlfriend of receiving illegal campaign contributions during […]
National/Federal
Feds Charge Crypto Lobbyist Linked to Former FTX Executive with Campaign Finance Crimes
Courthouse News Service – John Russell | Published: 8/22/2024
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing convicted former FTX executive Ryan Salame’s girlfriend of receiving illegal campaign contributions during her unsuccessful bid for a New York congressional seat in 2022. Authorities say cryptocurrency lobbyist Michelle Bond illegally financed her campaign with hundreds of thousands of dollars wired to her from Salame. She then lied to the House ethics committee about the origin of those campaign funds, they say. Salame pleaded guilty for his role in a conspiracy to make unlawful political contributions.
Free Booze, a Lake Cruise and Selfies Galore: How Democrats courted influencers at the D.N.C.
DNyuz – Ken Bensinger (New York Times) | Published: 8/23/2024
At the Democratic National Convention, “content creators” – better known as an influencers – got face time with Gwen Walz, the wife of Tim Walz, aboard a private boat; they were treated to tiki bar parties and catered rooftop luncheons; and many were offered one-on-one interviews with some of the Democratic Party’s biggest names. The treatment was part of a campaign to flood social media with positive messages about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Democrats hoped that free stuff and access would reap posts on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, the primary sources of news for a critical, and growing, slice of voters.
Inside the Democratic Schmoozefest, Where Hotel Lobbies Are ‘Prime Territory’
DNyuz – Michael Shear and Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 8/23/2024
Powerful relationships are born and nurtured at political conventions, far from K Street lobbying offices or boardrooms. “Hotel lobbies are prime territory,” said Steve Elmendorf, a veteran Democratic lobbyist who compared the schmoozing to a college reunion. “People are unobstructed. You see the governor or the senator walk through the lobby, you can go talk to them.”
How a Federal Court in New Orleans Is Driving the Conservative Agenda
DNyuz – Mattathias Schwartz (New York Times) | Published: 8/26/2024
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has turned its corner of the federal judiciary into a proving ground for some of the most aggressive conservative arguments in American law. In a few of the biggest Supreme Court decisions of the last few years – including Dobbs v. Jackson, which ended a 49-year right to abortion – it was the Fifth Circuit that first ruled on the case, teeing it up for Supreme Court review and a seismic moment in law and politics. In the Supreme Court’s upcoming term, the justices have agreed to hear five more cases from the Fifth Circuit.
Sarah Palin Is Granted New Libel Trial Against The New York Times
DNyuz – David Enrich (New York Times) | Published: 8/28/2024
A federal appeals court ordered a new trial in a long-running libel lawsuit that Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential nominee, brought against The New York Times. The court found Palin’s original trial against newspaper, which she lost in 2022, had been tainted by problematic rulings by the presiding judge. The suit accused The Times of defaming her in an editorial that wrongly suggested she incited a 2011 shooting at a political event in Arizona.
In Some States, Having a Guardian Means Not Having a Vote
DNyuz – Rachel Nostrant (New York Times) | Published: 8/29/2024
Seven states have laws that say anyone under a guardianship agreement cannot cast a ballot. Guardianships give a court-approved guardian, who might be a parent, a caretaker, or even a public defender, decision-making authority over a person. It may be limited to certain matters, like financial decisions, or it could extend to every facet of the person’s life. Many of the state laws are decades or even centuries old and presume that anyone under guardianship is mentally incompetent. The Justice Department said earlier this year that such blanket policies are illegal under federal civil rights laws.
Head of EPA Air Office Violated Ethics Rules, Agency Watchdog Says
MSN – Maxine Joselow (Washington Post) | Published: 8/28/2024
Joseph Goffman, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) air office, violated federal ethics rules by failing to disclose his financial interest in a company regulated by the agency. Goffman did not disclose he held more than $25,000 worth of stock in Sherwin-Williams, which makes paint and coatings, before helping to craft a rule that directly affected the company. The rule is intended to limit harmful air pollution from facilities across the country that manufacture coatings.
Exec at Trump Media Jumped the Line for U.S. Visa After Company Lobbied GOP Lawmaker
MSN – Robert Faturechi, Justin Elliott, and Alex Mierjeski (ProPubica) | Published: 8/29/2024
U.S. Rep. Rep. Don Bacon intervened to help Donald Trump’s social media company jump the line for a difficult-to-obtain foreign-worker visa to bring a company executive to the U.S. A former staffer said Bacon personally instructed her to help Trump Media, even though she thought it was inappropriate to mix politics with the office’s constituent services duties.
How a Trump Visit Sparked Turmoil at America’s Most Sacred Cemetery
MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Dan Lemothe (Washington Post) | Published: 8/28/2024
Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to mark the anniversary of a bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members during the evacuation from Afghanistan. Officials said they wanted to respect the wishes of family members who wanted Trump there but were wary of his record of politicizing the military. Federal law prohibits election-related activities at military cemeteries. Officials laid out ground rules they hoped would wall off politics from the final resting place of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their nation. Instead, they got sucked into exactly the kind of crisis they were hoping to avoid.
Why Extreme Heat Is Making Campaign Rallies More Dangerous
MSN – Maxine Joselow (Washington Post) | Published: 8/29/2024
At least 78 attendees of Donald Trump’s rallies have been hospitalized for heat-related illnesses in the past three months. An attendee of a Kamala Harris’s rally in Wisconsin appeared to suffer from heat stroke, prompting a pause in the programming. The incidents underscore how climate change, which is making heat waves longer and more extreme, is complicating plans for outdoor events of all kinds. Such rallies have become a hallmark of campaigning, especially in swing states in the sweltering Sun Belt and the unseasonably warm Midwest.
New Trump Indictment Tries to Salvage Case after Supreme Court Ruling
MSN – Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 8/27/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith filed an updated indictment against Donald Trump in a bid to strengthen the historic election obstruction case, following a Supreme Court ruling that granted broad immunity to presidents for official acts and sharply criticized the prosecutor’s approach. Even a whittled-down indictment could end up the subject of protracted fights between the special counsel and Trump’s attorneys about what is allowed to be charged or used as evidence, battles that once again may have to be settled by the Supreme Court.
Jack Smith Appeals Judge Cannon Decision to Throw Out Trump Case
MSN – Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith urged an appeals court to reverse U.S. District Cort Judge Aileen Cannon’s dismissal of Donald Trump’s classified-documents case, arguing Attorney General Merrick Garland had clear authority to appoint Smith to lead the prosecution. Smith wrote Cannon ignored decades of precedent when she issued her decision to toss out the entire indictment, in which she said Smith was wrongfully appointed and wielded too much power for someone who was not in a Senate-confirmed position.
Trump Special Counsel Opts Against Mini-Trial Before Election
Yahoo News – Chris Strohm (Bloomberg News) | Published: 8/23/2024
Special counsel Jack Smith has decided against seeking a major hearing to present evidence in the election-interference case against Donald Trump before voters go to the polls, according to people familiar with the matter. The move means it is unlikely a so-called mini-trial, which would include evidence and testimony from possible blockbuster witnesses like former Vice President Mike Pence, would take place before the presidential election.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – Horizon Ottawa to Face Legal Action Over Alleged Campaign Finance Violations
Yahoo News – Arthur White-Crummey (CBC) | Published: 8/29/2024
Ottawa’s election compliance audit committee decided to launch legal proceedings against a progressive advocacy group for alleged breaches of campaign finance law during the last municipal election. An audit found Horizon Ottawa possibly violated the Municipal Elections Act by failing to keep proper records, improperly collecting cash donations, and incurring expenses before it registered as a third-party advertiser.
Arizona – In Arizona Fake Electors Case, Judge Weighs New Protection for Defendants
MSN – Betsy Woodruff Swan (Politico) | Published: 8/27/2024
Allies of Donald Trump are using an unusual new Arizona law to urge a judge to throw out a criminal case charging them with fraudulently trying to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election result. The law was designed to stop prosecutors from bringing flimsy cases out of political animus. The defendants now trying to harness it include former Trump legal adviser John Eastman and other Trump confidants, as well as Arizona Republicans who falsely claimed Trump won Arizona and held themselves out as the state’s legitimate electors in the Electoral College.
Arizona – Arizona May Require Proof of Citizenship on State Voter Forms for Now
MSN – Justin Jouvenal and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 8/22/2024
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for a provision of Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in some circumstances, the first time the high court has weighed in on a voting dispute in the run-up to the presidential election. The order means Arizona election officials must reject state registration forms if voters do not provide documentation of citizenship. The justices kept on hold provisions of the law that could have disqualified voters who register with separate federal forms from casting ballots in a presidential contest in person or by mail.
California – DWP Officials Attended a Fancy Conference. Their Tab Was Paid with Mislabeled Invoices
MSN – Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/22/2024
Several Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) officials, including then-DWP board President Cynthia McClain-Hill, attended the International Utilities and Energy Conference last year. McClain-Hill opted for a $980 food, drink, and gifts package for the three days of the conference. Under the city’s ethics rules, McClain-Hill could not accept gifts of more than $100 annually from the conference host, Accenture, because the company has contracts with the DWP. Some DWP and Accenture staff found a way for the department to pick up the tab for the package by mislabeling an invoice for McClain-Hill.
California – A Pricey City Contract Was Slipping Away. Then a Call Was Made – and It May Be Linked to Oakland FBI Investigation
MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 8/22/2024
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao will likely soon cast a tie-breaking vote, deciding whether the city will extend a lucrative contract with security company ABC Services, which has provided guards who check in and search visitors before they enter City Hall and other municipal properties. ABC Security’s owner has longstanding business ties to Mario Juarez, a businessperson who is a key figure in the FBI’s ongoing probe of Oakland politicians and businesses. Records reveal Juarez and Julie Wedge, also named in the FBI’s probe, lobbied on behalf of ABC Security two years ago when the company was at risk of not being considered for a new contract.
California – FBI Raids Homes of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and His Daughter
MSN – Salvador Hernandez and Hannah Fry Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/22/2024
Federal agents raided the homes of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do and his daughter as well as several other properties in an investigation into the alleged improper use of taxpayer money. At least five locations, including several homes and a restaurant, were searched as part of allegations made against local nonprofit Viet America Society in a lawsuit brought by Orange County. The county alleges the nonprofit misused money it was awarded to feed the elderly and needy during the pandemic, instead spending the funds on “lavish purchases,” the lawsuit states.
California – San Bernardino County OKs $100,000 Cap for Political Party Committee Campaign Donations
Riverside Press-Enterprise – Michael Ricaforte | Published: 8/23/2024
San Bernardino County supervisors moved to significantly raise the limit on local campaign donations and, in what officials called an effort to promote transparency, created an oversight committee responsible for enforcing the new rules. The state’s limits act as the default for cities and counties that have not already enacted a contribution limit; however, cities and counties are permitted to set their own caps.
California – How California Became a New Center of Political Corruption
Yahoo News – Ralph Vartabedian (New York Times) | Published: 8/29/2024
Over the last 10 years, 576 public officials in California have been convicted on federal corruption charges, exceeding the number of cases in states better known for public corruption, including New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. A heavy concentration of power at City Halls, the receding presence of local news media, a population that often tunes out local politics, and a growing Democratic supermajority in state government have all helped insulate officeholders from damage, political analysts said.
Delaware – Delaware Election Officials Communicated with Lieutenant Governor’s Office Amid Finance Scandal
MSN – Randall Chase (Associated Press) | Published: 8/23/2024
State election officials in Delaware communicated directly with one or more aides in Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s office last year amid a scandal involving her campaign finance reports, according to emails. They show Elections Commissioner Anthony Albence, a fellow Democrat, wanted to keep Hall-Long’s office apprised of reporters’ questions about amendments to years of campaign finance reports in which Hall-Long failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.
District of Columbia – FBI Says Trayon White Took Bribes on Tape. Convicting Him May Still Be Hard.
MSN – Peter Hermann and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2024
The affidavit that alleges District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr. accepted tens of thousands in bribes appears damning. White was caught on camera taking envelopes full of cash as he vowed to use his influence to steer contracts to the man handing the money over, the affidavit alleges. But the legal case will be more complicated than the affidavit suggests, according to some legal analysts. Because of recent Supreme Court decisions limiting what counts as public corruption, federal prosecutors will have to meet a high bar to convince jurors that White broke the law.
Georgia – Democrats Sue to Block Georgia Rules That They Warn Will Block Finalization of Election Results
MSN – Jeff Amy and Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 8/26/2024
Democrats sued to block two recent rules adopted by Georgia’s State Election Board that could be used by county officials who want to refuse to certify an election, potentially causing delays in finalizing the state’s results. The lawsuit argues the rules violate a state law that makes certification a mandatory duty. It asks the judge to find the rules are invalid because the State Election Board, now dominated by allies of Donald Trump, is exceeding its legal authority.
Georgia – Former Atlanta CFO Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Embezzling Money, Falsifying Tax Records
WSB – Jonathan O’Brien and Miles Montgomery | Published: 8/27/2024
Former Atlanta Chief Financial Officer Jim Beard was sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling money and falsifying tax records. Beard served as chief financial officer during former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed’s administration. He is one of the highest-ranking officials caught up in the City Hall corruption probe. According to the Department of Justice, in total, Beard stole tens of thousands of dollars from the city. He ordered two custom-built machine guns using a $2,641.90 check from the city, telling the manufacturer the machine guns were for the use of the Atlanta Police Department even though Beard took the guns to his own home.
Illinois – Seeking History, an Archivist Gathers What Protesters at the DNC Left Behind
MSN – Reis Thebault (Washington Post) | Published: 8/23/2024
Julie Wroblewski is the director of collections for the Chicago History Museum. In a city with a more explosive political convention history than anywhere else, she has been ensuring a record of what unfolds inside and outside the United Center at the 2024 Democratic convention is documented for posterity. Wroblewski and others have been considering what could be important to museum visitors in the decades to come. As society’s shared history becomes increasingly digital, living mostly on unstable and ephemeral formats, old-fashioned preservation work is even more important, Wroblewski said.
Illinois – Illinois Supreme Court Sides with GOP, Upholds Unconstitutionality of Ban on Slating Candidates
Yahoo News – Jeremy Gorner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 8/27/2024
The Illinois Supreme Court upheld a judge’s ruling that found unconstitutional a law preventing the slating of legislative candidates for the November election in races where political parties did not field contenders. Before Democrats moved to change the law, local Democratic and Republican committees regularly filled vacancies for legislative spots on the general election ballot in races where no candidates from their party had run in the primary.
Maryland – Ex Pr. George’s Council Member Pleads Guilty to Theft Scheme, Perjury
MSN – Jasmine Hilton and Lateshia Beacham (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2024
Former Prince George’s County Council member Jamel Franklin pleaded guilty to dipping into his campaign coffers to make at least $130,000 in payments on rent, loans, credit cards, and cosmetic procedures for himself and a close friend and then falsifying campaign finance reports. He faces up to one year of incarceration under a plea agreement. As part of the agreement, Franklin must pay restitution of $133,168.67 to his campaign committee, which will be given to a charity of his choice.
Michigan – Michigan Sheriff Under Investigation for Hosting Trump Campaign Stop
MLive – Michael Kransz | Published: 8/23/2024
Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy is under investigation by the Michigan Bureau of Elections after he used his department to host Donald Trump for a campaign event. Trump spoke for about an hour inside an equipment and vehicle storage warehouse managed by the Sheriff’s Department. During the remarks, he railed against his Vice President Kamala Harris’ record on crime and immigration.
Nebraska – Nebraska Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Felon Voting Law
Yahoo News – Aaron Sanderford (Nebraska Examiner) | Published: 8/28/2024
Nebraska Supreme Court justices peppered lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union and the state attorney general’s office with questions about whether the Legislature has the constitutional authority to restore the voting rights of people who committed felonies. Some justices asked whether the court should consider the broader constitutional question on voting rights and pardons or decide only whether Secretary of State Bob Evnen had the authority to avoid implementing a law the Legislature passed this spring.
Nevada – Ex-Politician Found Guilty of Murder in Vegas Reporter’s Stabbing Death
MSN – Eric Levenson (CNN) | Published: 8/28/2024
The former Nevada politician who was accused of fatally stabbing a Las Vegas investigative reporter after a series of critical stories was found guilty of murder in a trial that highlighted concerns around press safety. Robert Telles, a former Clark County public administrator, was convicted in the September 2022 death of Jeff Garman, a longtime Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter. Prosecutors alleged Telles killed German because he was angry about the reporter’s articles exposing turmoil in his little-known political office and was concerned about another upcoming article.
New Mexico – Political Group The New Mexico Project Still Fighting Disclosure
Yahoo News – Colleen Heild (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/25/2024
Former gubernatorial candidate Jeff Apodaca has claimed his fledgling nonprofit group, The New Mexico Project, has raised nearly $1 million. Exactly what has been done with the funds, and where they came from, became no clearer after a two-hour court hearing in which attorneys for the state Ethics Commission argued that under state law, The New Mexico Project is really a campaign committee and should divulge its independent expenditures and sources of funding.
North Carolina – She Was Accused of a Crime for Taking a Ballot Selfie. Now She’s Suing.
MSN – Kyle Melnick (Washington Post) | Published: 8/27/2024
After Susan Hogarth visited her local school to vote in North Carolina’s March primary election, she held the ballot under her chin and took a photo of herself with her phone. She posted the selfie from the voting booth on X. The next week, Hogarth received a letter from the North Carolina State Board of Elections that accused her of committing a misdemeanor, according to a new lawsuit. North Carolina is one of several states that prohibit taking photos or videos of filled-in ballots.
North Dakota – Ethics Commission Investigating Complaint Against State-Funded Filmmaker
Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 8/21/2024
The North Dakota Ethics Commission is investigating whether a Bismarck filmmaker broke lobbying rules before securing grant money from the state Department of Commerce. A complaint alleges Daniel Bielinski, founder of Canticle Productions, acted as an unregistered lobbyist when he hosted Sen. Brad Bekkedahl at a private dinner and screening of his film “End of the Rope.” The complaint said roughly two weeks after the film screening, Bekkedahl alluded on the Senate floor that a $600,000 grant included in the Commerce Department’s budget bill was intended to go to Canticle Productions.
Ohio – Ohio Lawsuit Seeks Rewrite of Redistricting Ballot Language Dubbed ‘Biased, Inaccurate, Deceptive’
MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 8/22/2024
The Ohio Supreme Court should step in on behalf of voters and order a rewrite of ballot language for a redistricting measure that “may be the most biased, inaccurate, deceptive, and unconstitutional” the state has ever seen, argues a lawsuit. The proposed amendment calls for replacing the state’s troubled existing map-making system with a 15-person citizen-led commission of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. Members would be selected by retired judges.
Oklahoma – As Oklahoma Considers Loosening Campaign Finance Rules, Outside Groups Run Wild
MSN – Clifton Adcock (The Frontier) | Published: 8/15/2024
Independent expenditure groups continue to shower Oklahoma politicians with millions of dollars as the state eyes ways to rein in the secretive groups’ spending. The financial support from these shadowy groups added up to more than the candidate spent through their own campaigns during the June 18 primary, state Ethics Commission records show.
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/27/2024
Key leaders of the Oregon Democratic Party overlooked indications the actual source of a $500,000 donation was a cryptocurrency executive, not a financial transaction firm the organization named as a donor. The state Democratic Party reported the contributor of the largest ever donation to the party was Prime Trust. Following media inquiries, the group’s executive director admitted weeks later the contribution had come from Nishad Singh, then director of engineering at now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, and employees had not checked carefully enough into the source of the contribution.
Oregon – Portland Elections Office Investigating Rene Gonzalez for Using Taxpayer Funds on Wikipedia Edits
Portland Mercury – Courtney Vaughn | Published: 8/19/2024
Portland’s Elections Office is investigating potential campaign finance violations by city Commissioner Rene Gonzalez after receiving three complaints about the commissioner’s expenditure of $6,400 in city funds to edit his Wikipedia page. The expense raises questions about whether the sitting commissioner and mayoral candidate used city money for his own personal and political benefit during the thick of campaign season.
Tennessee – Judges Dismiss Suit Alleging Tennessee’s Political Maps Discriminate Against Communities of Color
MSN – Kimberly Kruesi (Associated Press) | Published: 8/22/2024
A federal judicial panel dismissed a lawsuit alleging Tennessee’s U.S. House maps and those for the state Senate amount to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. The three judges on the panel argued there was another clear motivation behind the state’s Republican legislative supermajority by pointing to “naked partisanship” as the likely “straightforward explanation.”
Texas – Latino Civil Rights Group Demands Inquiry into Texas Voter Fraud Raids
DNyuz – Edgar Sandoval (New York Times) | Published: 8/25/2024
A civil rights group is asking the Department of Justice to open an investigation into a series of raids conducted on Latino voting activists and political operatives as part of a sprawling voter fraud inquiry by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The League of United Latin American Citizens said many of those targeted were Democratic leaders and election volunteers, and some were older residents. Gabriel Rosales, director of the group’s Texas chapter, said officers took cellphones, computers, and documents. He said the raids were an effort to suppress Latino voters.
August 23, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – August 23, 2024
National/Federal Are Voters Ready to Elect a Woman? Democrats Say They Have No Doubt. DNyuz – Jennifer Medina (New York Times) | Published: 8/22/2024 The first time Kamala Harris ran for president, in 2019, one question dogged her and the handful of […]
National/Federal
Are Voters Ready to Elect a Woman? Democrats Say They Have No Doubt.
DNyuz – Jennifer Medina (New York Times) | Published: 8/22/2024
The first time Kamala Harris ran for president, in 2019, one question dogged her and the handful of others running to be the first female president: can a woman win? Three years earlier, Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump after a campaign she and her defenders believed was rife with misogyny and sexism. The question of whether Democrats wanted to try to break the gender barrier again was a running and fraught debate for months. Those doubts have mostly been banished this time.
He Regulated Medical Devices. His Wife Represented Their Makers.
DNyuz – Christina Jewett (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2024
For 15 years, Dr. Jeffrey Shuren was the Food and Drug Administration official charged with ensuring the safety of a vast array of medical devices. Consumer advocates see his tenure as marred by the approval of too many devices that harmed patients and by his own close ties to the $500 billion global device industry. While Dr. Shuren regulated the booming medical device industry, his wife, Allison Shuren, represented the interests of device makers as the co-leader of a team of lawyers at Arnold & Porter, one of Washington’s most powerful law firms.
The Year of the A.I. Election That Wasn’t
DNyuz – Sheera Frenkel (New York Times) | Published: 8/21/2024
This was supposed to be the year of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) election. Moe than 30 tech companies have offered AI products to national, state, and local campaigns in recent months. The companies make products that reorganize voter rolls and campaign emails, expand robocalls, and create AI-generated likenesses of candidates. But campaigns are largely not biting, and when they have, the technology has fallen flat. Much of the hesitation stems from internal campaign polls that found voters were nervous about AI and distrusted the technology.
SEC Fines Texas Investment Adviser $95k for ‘Pay to Play’ Rule Breach
Investment News – Leo Almazora | Published: 8/20/2024
A Texas-based investment adviser was fined $95,000 by the Securities and Exchange Commission after an investigation found the firm in violation of the “pay-to-play” rule under the Advisers Act. The violations stem from improper campaign contributions made by a newly hired associate, which ultimately led to Obra Capital Management illegally providing advisory services to a government client.
Justice Department Signals Plan to Salvage Obstruction Charges in Some Jan. 6 Cases
MSN – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 8/21/2024
The Justice Department said it plans to press ahead with obstruction charges against two January 6 defendants despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that limited the scope of a federal statute making it a felony to obstruct many government proceedings. Prosecutors contended they can still prove the two defendants are guilty of obstructing Congress even under the high court’s narrow interpretation of the law. The defendants, Don and Shawndale Chilcoat, are accused of surging with the mob onto the Senate floor during the riot at the Capitol.
Democrats Signal Voting Rights Bills Will Top the Agenda If Harris Wins
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 8/22/2024
Democratic leaders say passing sweeping legislation to expand voting rights and curb gerrymandering will be at or near the top of their governing agenda should Vice President Kamala Harris win the presidency this fall in a blue wave that also ushers in unified control of Capitol Hill. To do so, they are willing to bypass the filibuster, a staple of the Senate the party increasingly sees as one among a litany of tools that Republicans have used to thwart the popular will.
Fake Accounts on Meta Pushed Conservatives to Run for Office as Independents
MSN – Naomi Nix (Washington Post) | Published: 8/15/2024
A network of social media accounts used Meta to promote a fictitious political advocacy group that attempted to recruit conservative candidates to run as independents, part of a rush of campaigns infiltrating the platform. Meta removed dozens of social media accounts and pages amplifying Patriots Run Project. The social media influence operation, one of six Meta reported taking down, illustrates the looming threats facing online platforms as they prepare for the 2024 election. Along with domestic actors, foreign actors including Russia are renewing efforts to influence political discourse in the United States, according to Meta.
House GOP Accuses Biden of Impeachable Conduct with No Direct Evidence
MSN – Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2024
House Republicans released a long-awaited report from their impeachment probe into President Biden’s activities as vice president, accusing him of obstructing federal and congressional investigations and improperly leveraging his power to benefit his family. Despite a trio of House committees finding Biden engaged in “impeachable offenses,” Republicans did not recommend further action just three months away from an election in which Biden is no longer running. The report failed to unearth any new evidence the president, during his time as vice president, directly acted to benefit his family’s business dealings.
Former US Rep George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Identity Theft in His Federal Case
MSN – Philip Marcello (Associated Press) | Published: 8/19/2024
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, short-circuiting the federal fraud case that led to his expulsion from Congress just weeks before it was set to go to trial. He faces more than six years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines and owes at least $370,000 in restitution. Santos was indicted on felony charges that he stole from campaign donors, used political contributions to pay for personal expenses, lied to Congress about his wealth, and collected unemployment benefits while working.
FBI Concludes Iran Tried to Hack Campaigns of Trump, Biden-Harris
MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2024
The FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed Iran was responsible for recent attempted hacks into the Trump and Biden-Harris presidential campaigns. Campaign staffers received phishing emails that were designed to appear legitimate but could give an intruder access to the recipients’ communications.
Women Running for Office Are Talking About Their Reproductive History, Once Seen as a Liability
MSN – Dylan Wells and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 8/20/2024
Up and down the ballot, women running for office this year are talking about their own reproductive health, sharing their experiences with IVF, miscarriage, and abortion – topics that for years on the campaign trail were considered, at best, uncouth and, at worst, potentially damaging. But after the Supreme Court reversed abortion protections two years ago, that calculus has changed. Democrats in particular hope candidates speaking about their personal experiences will help them connect with voters.
Sen. Ted Cruz’s Campaign Says It Will Return Tens of Thousands in Illegal Donations
San Antonio Current – Sanford Nowlin | Published: 8/14/2024
The treasurer of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s reelection campaign confirmed in a letter to the FEC that it took 43 illegal donations during the second quarter and is now taking steps to refund them. In the letter, Ted Cruz for Senate Treasurer Cabell Hobbs also promised the campaign would look into contributions made by a pair of unregistered organizations and also refund them in 30 days if they were “not made with federally permissible funds.”
Harris and Trump Shield Their Big Campaign Fund-Raisers from the Public
Seattle Times – Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2024
American voters have less knowledge about the people helping the 2024 presidential candidates raise money than they have had in any election in 20 years. That is because, for the first time in modern presidential fundraising, neither the Democratic nor the Republican nominee has disclosed the names of so-called bundlers, the people who amass large financial contributions for presidential campaigns and, in the eyes of transparency advocates, wield significant power in campaigns and presidential administrations.
From the States and Municipalities
Anchorage Daily News – Iris Samuels | Published: 8/19/2024
Alaska’s legislative ethics committee will consider new state laws after an individual who filed a complaint against a lawmaker said his identity was revealed online, leading to derogatory comments from one of the lawmaker’s supporters. Ivan Hodes said he filed a complaint against Rep. David Eastman alleging Eastman had violated laws prohibiting legislators from accepting campaign contributions during the legislative session. Hodes said that one of Eastman’s supporters posted a screenshot of the complaint form, including Hodes’ name.
Arizona – A Desperate Kennedy Campaign, and the Mystery of 110,000 Signatures
DNyuz – Rebecca Davis O’Brien (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2024
A longtime friend of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate for president, delivered boxes carrying 110,000 signatures to election officials in Arizona, to secure ballot access in a critical battleground state. A vast majority of those signatures were not gathered by local volunteers, or by paid canvassers working for the campaign. Instead, they came from a super PAC backing Kennedy that gathered signatures in Arizona months ago but set them aside after their efforts prompted legal challenges. Coordination between super PACs and campaign committees is banned under federal law.
Arizona – Kari Lake Promising Donors Extravagant Matches for Campaign Contributions. Does It Happen?
MSN – Laura Gersony (Arizona Republic) | Published: 8/19/2024
U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake is part of a group of candidates who this year are making promises of donation-matching that are even more sensational than the industry norm, and likely are not materializing, according to people who work in the fundraising industry and a review of records. Lake is one of several candidates tied to a fundraising firm whose campaigns have leaned on digitally delivered claims hey will boost a donation’s “impact” by massive multipliers.
Arizona – Apache County Attorney, School Superintendent Indicted on Corruption Charges
MSN – Robert Anglen and Elena Santa Cruz (Arizona Republic) | Published: 8/20/2024
The Apache County attorney and the school superintendent were indicted on public corruption charges, including misuse of public money and conflicts-of-interest. Michael Whiting and his wife, Joyclynn Whiting, are accused of improperly using their offices for political and personal gain. An investigation by the Arizona Republic found Michael Whiting took anti-bullying campaign materials paid for by taxpayers on overseas trips to further his relationship with a Norwegian popstar named Dagny. The indictment accuses Michael Whiting of tapping county attorney funds to purchase campaign material for his wife.
California – Campaign Contribution Limits for West Covina City Council Candidates Upheld
Courthouse News Service – Michael Gennaro | Published: 8/16/2024
A federal judge upheld an ordinance in the Southern California city of West Covina that limits contributions to city council candidates to $500 per year. The plaintiff, council candidate Rambod Sotoodeh, said the ordinance “significantly limited” his ability to run an effective campaign. U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald ruled the city satisfied its burden in showing a “sufficiently important governmental interest” in the contribution limit.
California – Do Outgoing Legislators ‘Shop’ for Lobbying Jobs in Final Weeks of the Session?
MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 8/15/2024
A review of the 180 California lawmakers who left office since 2012 reveals around 40 of them registered as lobbyists, worked as political consultants, or took executive-level jobs with companies or organizations actively lobbying at the Capitol. Experts say the prospect of current lawmakers’ job hunting as they are voting on bills raises concerns their future employers could influence their votes in the final weeks of the session. There are no requirements for legislators to disclose if they are negotiating or have a new employment agreement with an outside organization trying to influence state polic
California – Local News Is Dying, but Not in San Francisco
Spokane Spokesman-Review – Eli Tan (New York Times) | Published: 8/16/2024
News deserts are growing across the country, and over half of counties in the United States now have just one or no remaining news outlet. But in San Francisco, local news is seeing a resurgence thanks to a willingness to experiment. Half-century-old neighborhood news organizations are becoming nonprofits. Others are banking on the help of wealthy supporters. As local news driven by advertising revenue declines, news sites are relying on subscriptions to fill in the gaps.
District of Columbia – D.C. Council to Investigate White Amid Bribery Allegations, Consider Expulsion
MSN – Meagan Flynn and Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2024
District of Columbia Council member Trayon White Sr. is accused by federal prosecutors of agreeing to accept a total of $156,000 in cash and kickbacks this summer in exchange for using his influence and position on the council to try to help a pair of companies lock down lucrative city contracts involving violence prevention. The allegations threaten White’s political future months before he was expected to coast to a third term, while adding another chapter to the District of Columbia’s annals of alleged corruption or misdeeds.
Florida – Florida Supreme Court Allows for Ballot Language Abortion-Rights Activists Fought
MSN – Arek Sarkissian (Politico) | Published: 8/21/2024
The Florida Supreme Court rejected a request to strike a financial statement tied to a ballot initiative seeking to expand abortion access after that statement was revised with the help of anti-abortion advocates. Financial impact statements rarely see much attention as a ballot initiative moves toward Election Day. But the stakes around Amendment 4 are higher than other measures. It seeks to abolish a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy that Republicans approved last year.
Florida – A Lobbyist Paid for City’s $594 Supper. Then Came the Warning about Broward’s Gift Prohibitions.
NewsBreak – Lisa Huriash (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 8/16/2024
A paid lobbyist paid for a $594 meal for Tamarac city leaders during an excursion to Washington, D.C., a reminder of how elected officials must stay vigilant about the limits on accepting gifts, according to the Broward Office of the Inspector General. The findings were outlined in a report that shows the city’s lobbyist, Valerie Gelnovatch-Massolo of The Ferguson Group, arranged a nine-person dinner on March 29, 2023. The inspector general noted how Broward’s elected officials should be mindful of the ethics code, which prohibits accepting any gift with a value that exceeds five dollars from a lobbyist, vendor, or contractor.
Florida – Sarasota City Commission Votes Down Ordinance for Formal Lobbying Rules
Yahoo News – Christian Casale (Sarasota Herald-Tribune) | Published: 8/19/2024
A proposed ordinance to establish formal lobbying rules in Sarasota failed a city commission vote. A majority of commissioners argued the proposal entailed too much regulation for an issue they did not consider to be a big problem. Regulation of lobbying by corporate interests has been pushed by Commissioner Erik Arroyo. He said while many people who present their views to the commission are citizens genuinely concerned about their community, there remains uncertainty about those who might represent “interests beyond the common welfare.”
Georgia – This Georgia Republican Defied Trump. Now He’s Fighting a Defamation Suit.
DNyuz – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 8/16/2024
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, has been forced to spend $500,000 defending himself in court for having stood up to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The only way to spare himself from the defamation lawsuit he has been fighting, he and his lawyer say, would be to lie. The lawsuit centers on a video that purported to show election fraud in Georgia. Multiple news media outlets and the secretary of state’s office have debunked the claims of election fraud made in the presentation to legislators.
Georgia – State Supreme Court Rules Open Records Act Applies to Private Contractors Working for Governments
Georgia Recorder – Jill Nolin | Published: 8/14/2024
A Georgia Supreme Court’s decision reversing a lower court’s ruling that a private contractor was exempt from the state Open Records Act is being hailed as a win for open government. The court ruled unanimously that a private contractor working for a public entity is still subject to the law and can be sent requests for public records they may possess.
Hawaii – A Maui County Appointee Oversaw Grants to Nonprofits Tied to Her Family Members
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 8/15/2024
Two nonprofits with family ties to Luana Mahi, an economic development director for Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, won more than $1 million in county grants overseen by Mahi since she was appointed in 2023. Mahi’s husband was paid directly under a county grant for a watershed project. A company owned by her son was hired to manage that grant. Another one of her son’s nonprofits got a $44,000 grant from the county to build a “Maui Wall of Fame” now in the Kahului Airport.
Kentucky – ‘Deeply Uncomfortable & Increasingly Unsafe:’ Women allege harassment by KY lawmaker
Yahoo News – Austin Horn and Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 9/20/2024
Three more women have come forward to detail specific instances of alleged sexual harassment by state Rep. Daniel Grossberg, even as Kentucky officials continue to investigate previous allegations of improper interactions. The three women, all involved in the political scene in Frankfort, contacted the Lexington Herald-Leader after its initial story where other women said Grossberg sent them unwanted “creepy” and “weird” text messages they said crossed ethical lines.
New Jersey – After Ex-N.J. Mayor’s Indictment, City Revising Rules That Could Help Pay for Her Defense
MSN – Matthew Enuco (New Jersey Advance Media) | Published: 8/16/2024
Two months after the former mayor of Camden was indicted in a sweeping corruption case, the city is revising rules that could help pay for her legal expenses. The city council gave initial approval to changes that lifts a fixed cap on legal expenses and offers legal defenses to former employees and officials. The change also specifically notes criminal matters. Former Mayor Dana Redd was indicted on racketeering charges along with George Norcross III, a Democratic powerbroker, his brother, and two others.
New Jersey – Feds Investigate Property Flip Involving Two New Jersey State Senators
Yahoo News – Matt Friedman (Politico) | Published: 8/15/2024
Federal authorities are investigating a real estate deal involving two state senators in New Jersey who bought public land and then flipped it for seven times the original price. One of the companies that flipped the property, Nova Investments, is listed as a major source of income by state Sen. Michael Testa on his financial disclosure forms. Another company, Dotia Investments, was registered by state Sen. Doug Steinhardt, and is listed on his financial disclosure form. He was not a senator at the time of the purchase but was when the property was sold.
New York – Eric Adams and His Campaign Receive Subpoenas in Federal Investigation
DNyuz – William Rashbaum and Dana Rubinstein (New York Times) | Published: 8/15/2024
Federal prosecutors investigating New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his 2021 campaign have served a new round of grand jury subpoenas in their long-running corruption inquiry, issuing them to Adams himself, to City Hall, and to his election committee. The subpoenas contain similar language and seek information in a number of areas, including travel by the mayor, his aides and others, as well as campaign fundraising.
New York – Letitia James Fights to Preserve Trump’s Penalty of Over $450 Million
DNyuz – Kate Christobek and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 8/21/2024
The New York attorney general’s office urged a state appellate court to uphold a more than $450 million civil fraud judgement against Donald Trump, arguing the punishment was needed to protect “the integrity of the marketplace.” Attorney General Letitia James defended a judge’s February ruling that Trump conspired to inflate the value of his properties to receive favorable loans and other financial benefits. Trump, the attorney general’s office has argued, exaggerated his net worth by as much as $2.2 billion in any given year.
North Carolina – More Questions for Robinson. Store Says Reported Campaign Purchases Never Happened.
Carolina Public Press – Sarah Michels | Published: 8/21/2024
During North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s 2020 campaign, he claimed to spend $2,374 at Lake Outfitters for “campaign clothes and accessories.” The five transactions, recorded on his expenditure reports with the State Board of Elections, spanned eight months. The owners of Lake Gaston Outfitters, located at the recorded address, say those purchases never happened. “… We sell kayaks. We wouldn’t have anything here in our store that he would want,” said the owner, Dave Blodgett. The transactions are part of a larger investigation into Robinson’s 2020 campaign for lieutenant governor.
North Dakota – Holmberg Case Causes North Dakota Lawmakers to Review Travel Policies
North Dakota Monitor – Mary Steurer | Published: 8/12/2024
Former North Dakota Sen. Ray Holmberg’s guilty plea on a charge related to child sex tourism may prompt a review of rules governing lawmaker travel, House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Lefor said. Holmberg confessed in federal court to taking several trips to Prague with the intent to pay for sexual contact with children. Some of those visits line up with cultural exchange trips funded by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and organized by the North Dakota School Boards Association. Travel records even suggest some of his flight tickets to Prague were paid for with state money.
Ohio – Ohio Ballot Board OKs Language for Redistricting Issue; Backers Say It Will Deceive Voters
Yahoo News – Jessie Balmert (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 8/16/2024
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office proposed loaded ballot language for the redistricting reform measure, including references to manipulating the boundaries of legislative districts and repealing constitutional protections against gerrymandering. The proposed ballot language for state Issue 1 paints a picture of a measure that encourages rather than curbs gerrymandering, defined as drawing lines to unfairly favor one political party over another.
Oregon – Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Spent Thousands in City Funds to Polish Wikipedia Page
MSN – Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/9/2024
Rene Gonzalez, the Portland city commissioner and mayoral candidate, recently paid $6,400 to spruce up his profile on Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia maintained by volunteer editors. He did so using taxpayer dollars. Gonzalez’s office at City Hall hired a New York-based company to develop a handful of requested edits to the Wikipedia page and train a “designee” on the submission process.
Rhode Island – RI Prisons Director Agrees to Pay Penalty After Failing to Disclose Out-of-State Travel
MSN – Eli Sherman (WPRI) | Published: 8/20/2024
Rhode Island Department of Corrections Director Wayne Salisbury agreed to pay a $200 penalty after failing to disclose out-of-state travel paid for by third parties as required by law. The ethics investigation was launched after Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers President Richard Ferruccio filed a complaint in June. The investigation found Salisbury omitted the out-of-state travel and did not amend the filings until after the media reached out with questions.
Texas – Ken Paxton Sues to Shut Down Houston Immigration Nonprofit for Posts Criticizing Trump, Abbott
MSN – Benjamin Wermund (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 8/15/2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to shut down an immigrants rights group in Houston, alleging it is “systematically” flouting nonprofit rules. It is the latest attempt by the attorney general to shutter groups aiding immigrants in Texas. But the drive against FIEL Houston takes a new tact, arguing the group has run afoul of federal rules governing how far nonprofits can go in seeking to influence legislation, and barring certain nonprofits from backing political candidates.
Utah – Utah Senate, House Approve Proposal to Put Question to Voters on Ballot-Initiative Process
KSL – Tim Vandenack | Published: 8/21/2024
The Utah Senate and House passed a measure to put a constitutional amendment proposal to voters that, if passed, would give lawmakers leeway to revise and change citizen-led ballot initiatives. Republican leaders say the change is key in checking the ability of special interest groups to insert language in ballot questions meant to benefit them. Critics see the move as an attempted power grab by Republican lawmakers and a blow to the authority of citizens to pursue ballot initiatives.
Virginia – Chesapeake Mayor Asked City Attorney to ‘Look Into’ Stepbrother’s Personal Legal Issue
WHRO – Ryan Murphy | Published: 8/15/2024
In 2022, Chesapeake Mayor Rick West got an email from his stepbrother asking for a favor. He wondered if the mayor could have city attorneys look into a legal issue he ran into while building on a property in Georgia. “I have wasted a pile of money already … and do not want to waste another [$3,000 to $10,000] dollars to find out there is nothing we can do legally,” Jonathan West wrote. Rick West took his stepbrother’s request to then-City Attorney Jay Stroman. Ethics experts say what West did likely was not illegal under Virginia’s lax ethics laws for public officials, but it does raise red flags.
August 16, 2024 •
News You Can Use Digest – August 16, 2024
National/Federal Hunter Biden Sought State Department Help for Ukrainian Company DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 8/13/2024 Hunter Biden sought assistance from the U.S. government for a potentially lucrative energy project in Italy while his father was vice president, […]
National/Federal
Hunter Biden Sought State Department Help for Ukrainian Company
DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 8/13/2024
Hunter Biden sought assistance from the U.S. government for a potentially lucrative energy project in Italy while his father was vice president, according to records and interviews. The records, which the Biden administration had withheld for years, indicate Hunter Biden wrote at least one letter to the U.S. ambassador to Italy in 2016 seeking assistance for the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, where he was a board member. Embassy officials appear to have been uneasy with the request from the son of the sitting vice president on behalf of a foreign company.
Trump Gambles on Outside Groups to Finance Voter Outreach Efforts
DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 8/14/2024
The Republican campaign for president is quietly being remade by new federal guidelines that empower big-money groups and threaten to undermine party control well beyond the 2024 election. Donald Trump’s team has enlisted some of these groups to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to knock on hundreds of thousands of doors across the country, saving the campaign significant money in the process. This transformation is a consequence of a decision by the FEC earlier this year that allows campaigns to coordinate their canvassing efforts with outside groups like super PACs.
Arizona and Missouri Greenlight Abortion Rights Amendments
MSN – Sandhya Raman (Roll Call) | Published: 8/13/2024
Voters in at least eight states will vote on ballot measures related to abortion access in November after officials in Arizona and Missouri certified proposed amendments in the states. The measures are part of a strategy from abortion rights advocates who see direct voting as a way to elevate the issue and circumvent legislative gridlock on abortion. All seven state ballot measures considered following the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision have favored the side of abortion rights.
How Elon Musk Is Using His Wealth, Reach to Support Trump’s Campaign
MSN – Julia Shapiro and Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 8/15/2024
Elon Musk is tapping into his wealth and the power of his social platform X to help sway the election toward Donald Trump, spurring controversy along the way. After years of drifting toward the political right, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX is throwing his fortune behind a pro-Trump super PAC and has inundated X, which he purchased in 2022, with content criticizing Democrats and Vice President Harris. “The big difference [between Musk and other wealthy donors] is that he is himself a sort of Trump-esque figure,” said Sarah Bryner, director of research and strategy at OpenSecrets.
Man Who Violently Fought Cops Gets 2nd-Longest Jan. 6 Sentence: 20 years
MSN – Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 8/9/2024
David Dempsey came to the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, well-prepared to commit violence. He wore a bulletproof tactical vest, a black helmet, and a gaiter to obscure most of his face. Dempsey repeatedly attacked police for more than an hour, throwing poles and deploying bear spray at the line of officers protecting the Capitol. He used a crutch to smash an officer’s head, giving him a concussion. A judge recently sentenced Dempsey to 20 years in prison, the second-longest sentence of the approximately 950 defendants sentenced so far.
Experts Warn of Election Disruptions After Trump Says Campaign Was Hacked
MSN – Abbie Cheeseman and Joseph Menn (Washington Post) | Published: 8/11/2024
Analysts and intelligence experts warned that wider efforts may be underway by foreign powers to disrupt the U.S. presidential election, after the Trump campaign said it believed its email systems had been breached by hackers working for Iran. So far, two Democratic House members who have served on intelligence and security committees have called for briefings and for declassification of information related to the possible foreign interference in the election.
Empty Chairs at Candidate Debates a Sign of These Very Partisan Times
MSN – Karin Brulliard (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2024
Seeing candidates standing side-by-side is getting rarer as more contenders opt out of debates or forums with their opponents. Strategists say the shift reflects not just an erosion of a ritual long central to American elections and democracy, but also a divided political landscape where sparring takes place online and candidates prioritize attention for supporters instead of the broader community.
Inside Project 2025’s Secret Training Videos
MSN – Andy Kroll (ProPublica) and Nick Surgery (Documented) | Published: 8/10/2024
Project 2025, the policy agenda for a right-wing presidential administration, has lost its director and faced criticism from both Democratics and Donald Trump. But Project 2025’s plan to train an army of political appointees who could battle against the so-called deep state government bureaucracy on behalf of a future Trump administration remains on track. One centerpiece of that program is dozens of videos created for Project 2025’s Presidential Administration Academy. Some of the content is routine advice any incoming political appointee might be told. Other segments offer guidance on radically changing how the federal government works and what it does.
Pro-Israel PAC Notches Striking Electoral Victories with Bush, Bowman Defeats
MSN – Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) | Published: 8/8/2024
After losing reelection in her Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush did not hesitate to direct supporters to the alleged culprit. “AIPAC, I’m coming to tear your kingdom down,” a defiant Bush said, referencing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, whose super PAC spent at least $8.6 million to defeat Bush, helping make the race the second-most expensive House primary of the year. Her loss came weeks after the super PAC, United Democracy Project, helped unseat Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
Want to Speed Up a Road or Transit Project? Just Host a Political Convention
MSN – Jeff McMurray (Associated Press) | Published: 8/12/2014
Chicago officials planned to reopen an elevated train station near the United Center more than four years ago, but numerous delays left some wondering if it ever would happen. Then the Democratic National Committee picked the city to host its convention. Construction crews scrambled to finish work before delegates arrived, with most of the high-profile events set for less than a half mile away. Cities might factor in the ability to host major events when prioritizing infrastructure upgrades, but rarely do they embark on big-ticket projects just to land a political convention or woo its delegates. Speeding up construction is another matter.
Biggest Lobbying Interests Buck Trend with Higher 2024 Spending
MSN – Caitlin Reilly (Roll Call) | Published: 8/13/2024
Trade groups and companies responsible for this year’s largest lobbying expenditures so far upped the ante in the first half of 2024 compared to a year earlier, defying expectations for an election year slump. K Street’s top 10 clients shelled out $162.3 million through June, up 13 percent from the first half of 2023. Part of that was due to heavy legislative activity during the first quarter, which saw enactment of two big spending packages and House passage of a $79 billion tax bill that got hung up in the Senate.
Feds Ask Ted Cruz’s Campaign to Explain Dozens of Illegal Donations It Received
San Antonio Current – Sanford Nowlin | Published: 8/8/2024
The FEC wants U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to explain or return tens of thousands of dollars in recent campaign contributions that appear to violate legal limits. Although individuals are prohibited under federal law from giving more than $3,300 to a candidate’s election committee, a letter from the FEC raises concerns that 45 Cruz campaign donors blew past that limit during the second quarter, some by thousands of dollars. The inquiry comes as Cruz faces scrutiny over a deal to distribute his podcast which has so far pumped $786,000 in corporate dollars into a super PAC focused on his reelection.
How a Small Group of Nuns in Rural Kansas Vex Big Companies with Their Investment Activism
Yahoo Finance – Tiffany Stanley (Associated Press) | Published: 8/15/2024
Among corporate America’s most persistent shareholder activists are 80 nuns in a monastery outside Kansas City. The Benedictine sisters of Mount St. Scholastica have taken on the likes of Google, Target, and Citigroup, calling on major companies to do everything from Artificial Intelligence oversight to measuring pesticides to respecting the rights of Indigenous people.
Elections Officials Battle a Deluge of Disinformation
Yahoo News – Tiffany Hsu (New York Times) | Published: 8/12/2024
Increasingly, elections officials must multitask as defenders against disinformation and its consequences. They are debunking claims that masses of dead people are contaminating the voting pool or that mail-in balloting is susceptible to fraud. In the past year, they have been flooded with demands for details about their employees and subjected to threats of bombings and break-ins. The stress has pushed many public servants to resign or retire. The remaining officials are once again marshaling their limited resources to try to reach people unmoved by earlier efforts to debunk and limit persistent rumors.
From the States and Municipalities
Alabama – Alabama Legislator Wants to Limit Power of Political Parties Regarding Campaign Contributions
Alabama Reflector – Ralph Chapoco | Published: 8/13/2024
Alabama Rep. Phillip Pettus prefiled a bill for the coming legislative session that would prohibit political parties from disqualifying candidates for elected office based solely on the campaign contributions they receive from specific people or organizations. The legislation stems from a rule that the Alabama Republican Party adopted in August 2023 that prohibits GOP candidates for superintendent or school board from accepting campaign contributions from the Alabama Education Association, an organization that represents teachers in the state.
Alabama – House Representative Plans to Refile Bill Overhauling Alabama’s Ethics Code
Alabama Reflector – Alander Rocha | Published: 8/13/2024
Rep. Matt Simpson plans to revive a proposal to overhaul the state’s ethics laws. Simpson said he will reintroduce the legislation in the 2025 session, after a bill he filed last year failed to pass. The bill faced significant opposition, particularly from the Alabama Ethics Commission and the attorney general’s office.
Alaska – How Alaska Wound Up with No Limits on Campaign Donations – and How Some Hope to Restore Them
Alaska Public Media – Eric Stone | Published: 8/8/2024
Alaska used to have some of the strictest campaign spending laws in the country. Since 2021, thanks to a court decision, Alaska has been one of only about a dozen states with no limits on contributions from individuals. A ballot initiative campaign is underway to set limits of $2,000 per candidate per election cycle, with higher limits for group donations and contributions to a gubernatorial ticket.
California – Nonprofit Linked to OC Supervisor’s Daughter Says It Won’t Refund $2.2M in Taxpayer Funds Demanded by County
MSN – Nick Gerda (LAist) | Published: 8/8/2024
A nonprofit group says it is refusing a demand by Orange County officials to refund $2.2 million that Supervisor Andrew Do directed to the organization outside of the public’s view. Do’s daughter, Rhiannon Do, led the group, Viet America Society (VAS), off and on over the time that money was awarded. County officials determined VAS failed to show it did the work it was paid to do. They demanded a full refund by August 26 for two contracts meant to feed needy residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
California – State Sting Operation Busts 11 Contractors Making Bids Without a License in Sacramento County
MSN – Vincent Medina (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 8/5/2024
An undercover sting operation in Elk Grove found 11 unlicensed contractors placing bids, according to the Contractors State License Board. The contractors were caught making bids between $2,100 and $17,500, exceeding the $500 threshold that requires a contractor’s license in California.
Colorado – Former Colorado Official Found Guilty for Role in Election Equipment Tampering
MSN – Yvonne Winget Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2024
A Colorado jury found a former county election official guilty of seven charges connected to allowing a purported computer expert to copy election data from her office as Donald Trump and his allies spread false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and searched for evidence to prove it. Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk, was found guilty on seven of 10 charges. Peters is one of the few officials to face consequences for using their positions in local elections offices to try to prove false claims that took root after Trump’s defeat.
Delaware – Emails Show Delaware Lieutenant Governor’s Staff Engaged in Campaign Matters During Business Hours
MSN – Randall Chase (Associated Press) | Published: 8/14/2024
Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s office staff was in regular communication last year with her husband and other people involved in her campaign for Delaware governor and worked during office hours to help facilitate the use of campaign funds, according to emails. The emails show Hall-Long enlisted her office staff, working with her husband, to help with matters bearing little if any relevance to her role as lieutenant governor. Under Delaware law, state employees are prohibited from engaging in any political activity during work hours. As an elected official, Hall-Long is exempt from that provision, but her office staff is not.
WMNF – Jim Saunders (News Service of Florida) | Published: 8/13/2024
In a potentially far-reaching case, an appeals court said it will hear arguments in a dispute about whether Florida lawmakers should be shielded from testifying in lawsuits. The House and Senate contend a concept known as “legislative privilege” shields lawmakers from having to testify in civil lawsuits. Ultimately, the House and Senate want to take the issue to the Florida Supreme Court and undo a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that allowed legislative testimony in certain circumstances.
Indiana – Seventh Circuit Orders Injunction on Indiana Campaign Finance Rule
Courthouse News Service – Dave Byrnes | Published: 8/8/2024
An appellate court panel overturned an Indiana law that limits the amount of money corporations can give to super PACs. The panel unanimously ruled to vacate an order from the lower court which barred media company Sarkes Tarzian from contributing $10,000 to the Indiana Right to Life Victory Fund, an anti-abortion PAC. The judges considered the relevant campaign finance rules inconsistent with the First Amendment and remanded the case to the lower court with instructions to enjoin it.
Kansas – Ex-Police Chief Who Led Raid on Kansas Newspaper Faces Felony Charge
MSN – Ben Brasch, Sofia Andrade, and Anumita Kaur (Washington Post) | Published: 8/13/2024
A former Kansas police chief was charged with a felony for allegedly tampering with an investigation into his raid of a small-town newspaper’s office last year. Gideon Cody faces a count of interference with a judicial process. Barry Wilkerson, a special prosecutor assigned to the case, alleged the ex-chief “induced a witness to withhold information,” according to a court filing. The search sparked outrage from press freedom advocates and other news organizations who said the raid threatened to suppress free speech.
Kentucky – Louisville Official Says She Was in the Process of Filing Ethics Complaints When Fired
MSN – Eleanor McCrary (Louisville Courier Journal) | Published: 8/9/2024
A senior Louisville official said she was in the process of filing two ethics complaints against members of Mayor Craig Greenberg’s administration when she was fired. Keisha Dorsey, who was the mayor’s deputy chief of staff, believes the administration may have engaged in a pattern of discriminatory behavior “based on race, gender, and age …,” according to one of the complaints.
Louisiana – Louisiana Lawmaker Who Authored Bill to Reduce Politicians’ Ethics Fines Has Racked Up Her Own
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 8/15/2024
The lawmaker who pushed through a new state law to reduce fines for candidates who do not file campaign finance reports on time has failed to submit her own paperwork properly several times over the 15 years she has been in public office. State Rep. Denise Marcelle, a Democrat, missed deadlines to turn in campaign finance reports and personal financial disclosure forms at least eight times. On six other occasions, staff for the Board of Ethics questioned whether the personal financial disclosure forms Marcelle had submitted were filled out properly.
Massachusetts – Cesar Ruiz Dissolves Latino Political Action Committee Due to Campaign Finance Violations
MSN – Jim Kinney (MassLive) | Published: 8/9/2024
Businessperson Cesar Ruiz dissolved his PAC and agreed to donate $190,000 to charity as punishment for breaking state campaign finance laws. The Latinos Leaders Now Independent Expenditure Committee and supported Latino in candidates statewide. But the committee made direct contributions last year totaling $5,500 to 13 candidates for municipal offices. Under state law, PACs that are set up like Ruiz’s cannot coordinate with campaigns and cannot contribute to them.
Michigan – Lawyer Contended Curtailing Lawmakers’ Ticket Perks Could Have ‘Destabilizing Impact’
Detroit News – Craig Mauger | Published: 8/12/2024
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office finalized guidance that concluded a strategy used by lobbyists to put sports and concert tickets in the hands of legislators was illegal. Lobbyists had been circumventing the state’s ban on gifts to public officeholders, worth more than $76, by providing tickets to lawmakers and then privately sending them letters asking for the value of the tickets over $76 to be paid back to lobbying firms.
Michigan – Michigan Lawyer Who Claimed Election Fraud Arrested after Dominion Hearing
MSN – Rachel Weiner and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 8/13/2024
An attorney involved in efforts to upend the results of the 2020 election was arrested and ordered to turn herself in to authorities in Michigan as civil and criminal cases involving claims of voter fraud collided. Stefanie Lambert’s arrest came after officials had issued a bench warrant for failing to appear for a hearing in her criminal case in Michigan, where she is charged with illegally breaching voting machines, and after she came under scrutiny for the release of documents as the attorney for an ally of Donald Trump in a federal defamation case.
Mississippi – MS Sec. of State Wants to Work with AG on Campaign Finance Violations, AG Gives Nonresponse
MSN – Grant McLaughlin (Jackson Clarion Ledger) | Published: 8/11/2024
When Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson told a crowd of people at Neshoba County Fair it might be a good idea for an assistant attorney general to work in his office on campaign finance and elections fraud, it was not just a suggestion. It was a call for something to be done about the more than 20 related violations he has sent to Attorney General Lynn Fitch, whose office has not enforced campaign finance fines the secretary of state has issued and left dozens of election fraud cases unprosecuted, Watson said.
Nevada – Jury Hears Opening Arguments in Trial Against Nevada Official Accused of Killing Journalist
Yahoo News – Julia Reinstein (ABC News) | Published: 8/14/2024
Opening statements were made in the murder trial against Robert Telles, the former Clark County public administrator accused of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022. Telles has been accused of stabbing the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death outside his home after an investigation into corruption in his office destroyed his political career and marriage. German’s story detailed the alleged hostile work environment in Telles’ office.
New Jersey – New Jersey Governor to Name Former Aide the Caretaker for Bob Menendez’s Senate Seat
MSN – Matt Friedman and Daniel Han (Politico) | Published: 8/14/2024
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy plans to name his former chief of staff, who was a longtime Senate aide, as the state’s temporary replacement to the seat of disgraced U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez. Murphy will appoint George Helmy, a former staffer for Sen. Cory Booker who is now a health care executive in one of the biggest hospital systems in New Jersey, to the seat following Menendez’s resignation that takes effect August 20.
New York – Judge Denies Trump’s Recusal Bid, Rebuking Him for Claiming Harris Ties
DNyuz – Kate Christobek and Ben Protess (New York Times) | Published: 8/14/2024
The judge who oversaw Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial declined for a third time to step aside from the case, rebuking the former president’s lawyers for claiming the judge had a distant yet problematic connection to Vice President Kamala Harris. Justice Juan Merchan’s decision enables him to soon decide two crucial matters that will shape Trump’s legal fate.
New York – Trash Hauler Won Coveted Garbage Pickup Rights After Donating to Mayor Adams’ Campaign
Gothamist – Liam Quigley | Published: 8/13/2024
New York City’s campaign watchdog is scrutinizing a series of donations to Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign by owners and employees of a waste hauling company that later won a set of licenses from the sanitation department. Records show five employees of Royal Waste Services gave a combined $10,800 to then-candidate Adams on the same day just two weeks before Adams won the Democratic primary. The donations from the company’s employees were flagged in a draft audit of Adams’ 2021 election fund by the Campaign Finance Board.
North Carolina – Group That Took NC Legislators on Bourbon Tour Violates Ethics Rules, Complaint Says
MSN – Dan Kane and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 8/9/2024
Greater Carolina confirmed it hosted North Carolina legislators on a distillery tour in Kentucky where participants were accused of being drunk and disorderly. A complaint says the group is a “lobbying front,” providing gambling-industry officials and their lobbyists access to state lawmakers for what it calls “development events,” and using its status as a 501(c)(4) organization to avoid disclosure. The complaint says Greater Carolina violated a ban on gifts to public officials, and it is not disclosing its relationships with lobbyists involved in its events.
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/12/2024
FirstEnergy will avoid state criminal prosecution over its starring role in the House Bill 6 bribery scandal in exchange for paying $20 million, under a deal with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office. The agreement, which follows a similar $230 million fine paid in 2021 avoid federal charges, means FirstEnergy will pay $250 million to elude criminal prosecution (plus another $100 million in expected regulatory penalties) for paying tens of millions in bribes to top state officials to secure lucrative policy priorities.
Ohio – Ohio Economic Developer JobsOhio Loans $2 Million to Company Headed by Insider
Ohio Capital Journal – Marty Schladen | Published: 8/12/2024
When JobsOhio was formed in 2011, officials placed tens of millions of from the state liquor franchise in the hands of a newly formed “private” corporation. Even though the corporation was formed by the state, its assets were placed beyond the transparency required of the public money it previously had been. It was done in the name of economic development. But critics feared it would open the door to insider dealing and possible corruption. Now, JobsOhio is granting more than $2 million in economic incentives to a company run by a man who also heads up a regional entity created by JobsOhio.
Oklahoma – Corporation Commissioners Have Accepted Thousands in Donations, Raising Ethical Questions
MSN – Kennedy Thomason (The Oklahoman) | Published: 8/9/2024
An analysis of campaign finance records filed from January 2018 to July 2024 show the state’s three Corporation Commission members have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars combined from individuals or industries with direct links to those they are tasked with regulating. Although it is legal under state law to accept those contributions experts say it raises some ethical questions about whether certain donors may receive preferential treatment.
Texas – Inside ‘The Pond’ – CenterPoint’s Private Houston-Area Retreat Used for Lobbying Texas Politicians
MSN – Mike Morris, Amanda Drane, Neena Satija, and Eric Dexheimer (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 8/14/2024
A retreat known as “The Pond” has been a cornerstone of CenterPoint Energy’s lobbying efforts for decades, a space where the company’s lobbyists and executives can enjoy nature alongside the same Texas lawmakers who have voted to make it easier for CenterPoint to charge Houston customers more for electricity. More than 70 current or former state and local elected officials said they have visited the site, reported spending campaign funds on trips there, or were shown on the grounds in public images posted on social media, according to a media investigation.
Wisconsin – Wisconsin Election Overseers Donate Thousands to Candidates
Capital Times – Andrew Bahl | Published: 8/12/2024
Despite their key decision-making roles in the elections process, members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the state Ethics Commission, as well as dozens of county clerks, have so far given a combined $26,000 this year to candidates, parties, and politically affiliated groups in the state and across the country. Those officials are allowed to donate, as long as they abide by the same limitations on contributions as everyone else. The intense scrutiny on elections in one of the nation’s foremost swing states has left some wondering if the rules, and Wisconsin’s system for running elections, make sense.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
