LobbyComply Blog

National/Federal

Did Emil Bove Violate Judicial Ethics Code with Appearance at Trump Rally?

Courthouse News Service – Bernjamin Weiss | Published: 12/10/2025

Third Circuit Judge Emil Bove may have violated the federal judiciary’s ethics code when he attended a political charged rally held by President Trump, legal experts and lawmakers said. Experts also said Bove’s appearance at Trump’s event adds to a trend of nominally impartial federal judges who have increasingly embroiled themselves in partisan politics.

Stephen Miller Faces Ethics Concerns Over Stock Sale of Las Vegas Mining Company

Las Vegas Sun – Ana Swanson (New York Times) | Published: 12/10/2025

Stephen Miller, a top adviser to President Trump, sold shares worth $50,000 to $100,000 in the mining company MP Materials following a July announcement of a lucrative deal between the Las Vegas company and the Trump administration, government filings show. The sale came one month after the administration announced an extraordinary series of measures to support MP Materials. The deal, which included the government purchasing shares in the company and committing to buy its products, led MP Materials’ share price to skyrocket.

Democrats’ Path to Power May Come Through Hundreds of Races Far from Washington

MSN – Hunter Woodall (CBS News) | Published: 12/10/2025

Much of national Democrats’ attention in next year’s midterms is centered on working to flip control of the U.S. House and win consequential races for governor. But some in the party have zeroed in on less talked-about elections that could prove less costly and have a far-reaching impact at a time when the Democratic brand has grown wearisome with some voters. Democrats’ state legislative campaign arm is outlining a potential path “to flip more than 650 state legislative seats” across a range of states.

The Capitol Is Hard to Navigate. Does It Have to Be?

MSN – Nina Heller (Roll Call) | Published: 12/10/2025

To the unfamiliar, the Capitol and its surrounding office buildings are a maze of fluorescent lighting, identical hallways, and unmarked tunnels. Even experienced staff and lawmakers sometimes get lost. But that could start to change next year, if some House members get their way. Wayfinding tools could offer turn-by-turn directions, according to a new proposal from the House Administration Modernization and Innovation Subcommittee.

Supreme Court Will Hear Case on Trump’s Ban on Birthright Citizenship

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2025

The Supreme Court said it will hear a case examining the legality of President Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship, a high-stakes test of the controversial policy that could redefine who is considered an American. The justices have yet to set a date for arguments, but the court has taken the case in time to render its decision by June or July, when the current term ends. The administration asked the justices to take up the case on an expedited basis after lower courts found the policy unconstitutional and blocked it.

What We Know About Suspect Brian Cole’s Arrest in Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Case

MSN – Connor Greene (Time) | Published: 12/5/2025

Nearly five years after pipe bombs were planted near the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican national conventions the night before the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, authorities have arrested a suspect in the case. Brian Cole Jr. of Virginia was charged with transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials, marking the culmination of a years-long, and still ongoing, investigation, federal officials announced.

Supreme Court Seems Likely to Back Trump’s Power to Fire Independent Agency Board Members

MSN – Mark Sherman (Associated Press) | Published: 12/8/2025

The Supreme Court seemed likely to expand presidential control over independent federal agencies, signaling support for President Trump’s firing of board members. The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous 90-year-old decision that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members, in part to try to ensure decision making free of political influence, or leave it with only its shell intact.

New Dark Money Network Could Exploit Campaign Finance Loophole Banning Federal Contractors

MSN – Robert Schmad (Washington Examiner) | Published: 12/9/2025

Top employees at Anthropic, a major federal contractor, are reportedly involved in discussions to establish a dark money network that could be used to skirt campaign finance laws prohibiting the company from making political donations. Company executives would likely donate to a new political network helmed by former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, which will be composed of two super PACs with the whole thing being funded through an affiliated 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization called Public First. Unlike super PACs, which are required to list the names of all their donors, the individuals and organizations funding 501(c)(4) groups are totally anonymous.

Supreme Court Weighs Further Loosening Campaign Finance Limits

MSN – Julian Mark (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

The Supreme Court wrestled over whether to lift limits on how much political parties can spend in cooperation with candidates, in a case that could change how money flows through the campaign finance system. Republican leaders are asking the court to remove limits on how much parties can spend on items like advertisements and campaign expenses. They say the existing limits hinder the partie’’ free-speech rights and put parties in a weaker position than outside groups like Super PACs.

Justice Dept. Says a Court Ruling Is Blocking Efforts to Reindict Comey

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

Justice Department lawyers said a recent ruling barring their access to key evidence has effectively crippled their efforts to reindict former FBI Director James Comey after their original case against him was dismissed. The concession came in a court filing urging a federal judge to lift a temporary order she imposed restricting the government’s ability to review or use emails and other electronic communications seized as part of an investigation more than five years ago involving Comey confidante Daniel Richman.

Justice Dept. Kills Long-Time Tool Used to Prove Racial Discrimination

MSN – Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

After years of complaints from consercatives, the Justice Department moved to end a decades-old provision of civil rights law that allows statistical disparities to be used as proof of racial discrimination. The new regulations reinterpret a key plank of the Civil Rights Act and were issued without an opportunity for public comment, which is unusual for major regulatory action. While they apply only to Justice Department programs, the Trump administration has made clear it plans similar regulatory rollbacks across the government.

From the States and Municipalities

California – California Lobbyist Pleads Guilty in Capitol Corruption Case

Courthouse News Service – Alan Riquelmy | Published: 12/4/2025

Lobbyist Greg Campbell pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme to help Dana Williamson, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, to draw $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to then-U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. Prosecutors also said Campbell created fake contracts for Williamson, who had obtained a loan from the Covid-19 paycheck protection program.

California – An SDPD Captain Helped Secure a Multimillion-Dollar Surveillance Deal. Now He Works for the Contractor.

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 12/9/2025

As a captain in charge of special projects and legislative affairs, Jeff Jordon was the San Diego Police Department’s point person for implementing the so-called smart streetlights, a network of cameras across the city that record cars as they pass by. Before he retired in April, Jordan helped select Flock Safety to run the city’s multimillion-dollar surveillance system. Within three months of leaving public service, Jordon was hired by Flock Safety to help it win even more police contracts.

California – Former Compton Councilman Pleads Guilty in Scheme Involving Secret Bribes and Corrupt Officials

MSN – Richard Winton (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/9/2025

Former Compton City Councilperson Isaac Galvan pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for bribing a Baldwin Park City Council member, whom he paid $70,000 in exchange for city marijuana permits. Galvan, who ran a consulting service, was involved in a scheme in which he facilitated bribes to Councilperson Ricardo Pacheco from one of Galvan’s clients who wanted a marijuana permit in Baldwin Park.

California – SLO County Supervisor Adds 2 People to Staff: His wife and his hopeful successor

MSN – Chloe Shrager (San Luis Obispo Tribune) | Published: 12/9/2025

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson made two new high-level staffing changes that have been questioned. Gibson hired his wife, Cherie Gibson, who exited retirement to fill the role of his legislative assistant. Cherie Gibson will be joined on her husband’s staff in January by Jim Dantona, chief executive officer of the SLO Chamber of Commerce and a candidate for Bruce Gibson’s seat in the 2026 election.

California – Why Does Oakland Pay Millions to a Security Firm Linked to the FBI Corruption Case?

MSN – Kate Talerico (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 12/10/2025

A year after former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was swept out of office amid a federal corruption probe, the city still has not replaced a security company with one of the city’s biggest contracts despite the firm’s ties to the investigation. Although ABC Security’s contract expired in 2023, the city council has repeatedly extended it. For the last five months, it has failed to agree on who should be awarded the new contract. The political deadlock suggests Oakland is struggling to shake familiar issues with drawn-out procurement processes, political influence. and lingering fallout from the Thao corruption scandal.

Florida – Miami Will Have Its First Democratic Mayor in Nearly 30 Years

MSN – Sabrina Rodriguez (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2025

Miami will have its first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years, after the city elected former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins in a contest that attracted attention from President Trump and national Democrats. Although the race was technically nonpartisan, the political divide was clear. Trump backed Emilio González, while the Democratic National Committee and potential Democratic presidential hopefuls supported Higgins. She will become the first woman mayor in the history of Miami.

Georgia – Georgia Ethics Panel Decides a GOP Candidate for Governor Can Loan $10M to Aid His Election

MSN – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 12/4/2025

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is allowed to loan $10 million to his campaign for governor, the state’s ethics panel said. Attorney General Chris Carr, who is running against Jones, alleged it evaded campaign finance restrictions. But the Ethics Commission decided a loan to a leadership committee counts as a contribution under state law, adopting a legal opinion that there is “nothing in the current statute which prohibits such a loan of personal funds.”

Hawaii – He Spent Funds Meant for Native Hawaiians on Polo and Porsches. The Federal Government Failed to Stop Him

Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 12/10/2025

Christopher Dawson and his companies had won hundreds of millions of dollars in no-bid government contracts through the Small Business Administration based on the promise that his profits would primarily be used to help Native Hawaiians by, in part, promoting the culture, building homes, and supporting orphaned children. A former employee met with federal investigators and filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Dawson and executives of cheating the program by spending money on private jets, luxury homes in Hawaii and Florida, memberships to private social clubs, and a nearly $1 million annual salary.

Maryland – Nash’s Lobbying While on City Council Draws Scrutiny

Frederick News-Post – Nolan Wilkinson | Published: 12/10/2025

Frederick City Councilperson Katie Nash’s job as a lobbyist is being scrutinized as she prepares for a second term on the council, with concerns she might have connections to data centers that present a conflict-of-interest. Nash has worked as a lobbyist for energy companies, taking in a gross total of over $350,000 from just one of her clients, Vistra Corp., since 2019. Vistra is a retail energy provider and generator that operates nationwide, including as an electricity provider in Maryland.

Missouri – Missouri Democrats’ Effort to Block GOP Gerrymander Picks Up Steam

MSN – Aaron Pellish (Politico) | Published: 12/9/2025

Democrats in Missouri looking to block the state’s new congressional districts hit a key deadline to getting a step closer to freezing the map drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature to create an additional GOP-leaning district in the 2026 midterms. People Not Politicians, the committee organizing to block the new map, said it submitted over 305,000 signatures, more than double the 107,000 valid signatures needed to trigger a referendum process that could put the map in front of voters next year.

Nevada – Sandoval, Aguero, Vellardita Won’t Face Sanctions for Failing to Register as Lobbyists

Yahoo News – Dana Gentry (Nevada Current) | Published: 12/5/2025

Critics say a Nevada law that requires lobbyists to register within two days of attempting to influence state lawmakers has no teeth, following the Legislative Counsel Bureau’s (LCB) decision to let violations slide against a former governor, a union boss, and a consultant who lobbied lawmakers on behalf of the current governor. The Nevada State Education Association is questioning whether LCB Acting Director Roger Wilkerson followed state law, which requires him to not only investigate, but also report suspected violations to the attorney general.

New Jersey – Trump Loyalist Alina Habba Resigns as New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 12/8/2025

Alina Habba, President Trump’s embattled pick as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, said she is resigning after a protracted legal battle over the legitimacy of her appointment. A federal appeals court panel ruled she has been serving unlawfully as acting U.S. attorney. She will transition to a new role as a senior Justice Department adviser and could return to lead the New Jersey prosecutors’ office if that court decision is overturned on appeal, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.

New Jersey – Bill Targeting NJ Corruption Watchdog Withdrawn After Public Outcry

MSN – Susan Livio and Ted Sherman | Published: 12/9/2025

A controversial bill seeking to eviscerate a corruption-fighting watchdog agency has been abruptly pulled by its sponsor, New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari. The bill sought to undercut the watchdog role of the Office of the State Comptroller, transferring much of its responsibilities to the State Commission of Investigation. The effort to downgrade the comptroller came in the wake of a series of critical reports by the agency that have embarrassed or angered officials who have been targets of the comptroller.

New York – Cuomo Files New Lawsuit Seeking to Block Ethics Probe of His Book Deal

Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 12/10/2025

Andrew Cuomo’s years of legal battles with New York’s ethics agencies continued when the former governor filed another lawsuit against the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, seeking an injunction to block the panel from investigating his $5.1 million book deal. The petition alleges his constitutional rights are being violated and the statutes used to empower the ethics commission are facially invalid.

New York – Grand Jury Refuses to Reindict Letitia James in Mortgage Fraud Case

MSN – Perry Stein and Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2025

A grand jury in Virginia rejected Justice Department efforts to charge New York Attorney General Letitia James with mortgage fraud, declining to indict her again after a judge dismissed the charges recently. It marks a major defeat for President Trump, who has made a priority of prosecuting James, a longtime foe. As New York attorney general, James brought a civil fraud case against Trump and his real estate empire, which resulted in a verdict that Trump and others in his company had committed fraud.

New York – NYC Council Committee Criticizes Inna Vernikov for Bringing Gun to Protest, but Doesn’t Censure Her

Yahoo News – Josephine Stratman and Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 12/9/2025

The New York City Council’s Ethics Committee criticized Councilperson Inna Vernikov for bringing a gun to a peaceful protest in 2023 but voted not to formally take the matter further. Vernikov was arrested and criminally charged hours after bringing her firearm to the 2023 Brooklyn College rally five days after Hamas’ attack on Israel, which she was counterprotesting. The charges against her were later dropped after police found the weapon was inoperable.

Ohio – ‘Weak Slap on the Wrist’: Elections Commission fines HB 6 repeal group just $400 for violations

MSN – Anna Staver (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/5/2025

After years of not reporting the millions of dollars it raised to repeal House Bill 6 in Ohio, the committee behind the failed referendum will pay just $400 in fines. “Fine should’ve easily been more than $100,000 based on years of no accountability,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose posted on X. “Today, OEC issued a pathetic $400 fine.”

Oklahoma – Oklahoma’s Campaign Finance Site Has Been Offline for Months. Why?

MSN – Alex Gladden (Oklahoman) | Published: 12/6/2025

Oklahoma’s campaign finance website has been offline for nearly three months, raising questions about access to public information ahead of a critical election year. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission had planned to launch a new campaign finance site on October 1, but that fell behind schedule and no new date has been set. The outage has left some voters waiting for information that is typically available with a simple online search.

Pennsylvania – Former Dauphin County Official’s NRA Show Contract Didn’t Violate Ethics Law, State Finds

MSN – Juliette Rihl (PennLive) | Published: 12/9/2025

Jeff Haste, a longtime Dauphin County commissioner who came under fire last year for a series of apparent conflicts, began receiving $60,000 a year to act as the county’s “liaison” to the National Rifle Association’s outdoor show six months after resigning from office in 2021. State law prohibits former public officials from receiving contracts with their prior agency within a year of leaving, that role. But the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission ruled that does not apply to this case.

Texas – Supreme Court Hands Trump Victory in Fight over Texas Congressional Map

MSN – Justin Jouvenal, Julian Mark, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2025

The Supreme Court handed President Trump and Republicans a major political victory by clearing the way for a Texas congressional map that was drawn in the hope of flipping up to five House seats to the GOP. The order marks the latest development in a battle between Republican and Democratic states that are seeking partisan advantage ahead of the 2026 midterms. The states are taking the unusual step of redistricting congressional seats at the halfway point between the U.S. Census Bureau’s nationwide surveys of the population.

Wisconsin – Unlimited Donations, Weak Recusal Rules Led to Record Wisconsin Supreme Court Spending

MSN – Larry Sandler (Wisconsin Watch) | Published: 12/4/2025

The Wisconsin Legislature enacted a public campaign financing law for state Supreme Court elections in 2009. But it lasted for just one Supreme Court campaign before a Republican-controlled Legislature repealed it in 2011. Members of the court then adopted what might be one of the nation’s most lax recusal rules for campaign donations. The stories behind that shift in recusal rules, the short-lived venture in public financing of high court races, and the campaign finance laws that followed help explain how Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign spending exploded this spring to a national record of $114.2 million.

National/Federal

The Forgotten Court Case That Let Billionaires Spend Big on Elections

MSN – Beth Reinhard (Washington Post) | Published: 12/1/2025

The focus on Citizens United in the last 15 years has obscured a less-recognized campaign finance case, one that never made it to the Supreme Court. SpeechNow.org v. FEC paved the way for the super PACs frequently used by billionaires for election-year spending sprees. While Citizens United abolished the ban on independent expenditures by corporations and unions, SpeechNow went one step further. It erased limits on contributions to political committees that make independent expenditures and do not give money directly to candidates or parties. These entities took on the catchier name of super PACs.

Fugees Rapper Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison Over Illegal Donations to Obama Campaign

MSN – Michael Kunzelman (Associated Press) | Published: 11/20/2025

Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees was sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. In April 2023, a federal jury convicted Michel of 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The trial included testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Former President of Honduras, Convicted of Trafficking, Freed after Trump Pardon

MSN – Tobi Raji, Shayna Jacobs, and Samantha Schmidt (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2025

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted by a U.S. court last year on charges he ran the Central American nation as a “narco-state” that helped send South American cocaine to the United States, has been released from federal prison after receiving a pardon from President Trump. Hernández was serving 45 years in prison on importation and weapons charges. U.S. prosecutors said he built his political career on millions of dollars in bribes from traffickers in Honduras and Mexico, and as president helped to move at least 400 tons of cocaine to the U.S. while protecting traffickers from extradition and prosecution.

Trump Rails Against Somali Migrants: ‘I don’t want them in our country’

MSN – Amy Wang and Caroline O’Donovan (Washington Post) | Published: 11/2/2025

President Trump ended a Cabinet meeting with a rant against Somali migrants, accusing them of having “ripped off” Minnesota and using dehumanizing language to attack a group he has increasingly targeted in recent weeks. The president’s comments came amid reports his administration is ramping up immigration enforcement efforts targeting undocumented Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Trump recently threatened to end temporary protected status for Somali immigrants in Minnesota and, without evidence, accused “Somali gangs” of terrorizing people there.

Northwestern to Pay $75 Million to End Trump Administration Probes

MSN – Angie Orellana Hernandez (Washington Post) | Published: 11/29/2025

Northwestern University has become the sixth school to reach a deal with the Trump administration in an agreement that ends federal investigations into allegations of unlawful discrimination, race-based admissions, and fostering a hostile educational environment for Jewish students. The deal requires Northwestern to pay $75 million to the U.S. government over several years; in turn, the administration will restore nearly $800 million in federal research funding that had been frozen since April.

Trump Says He Will Pardon Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar

MSN – Mariana Alfaro, Kadia Goba, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 12/3/2025

President Trump said he will pardon U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, unexpectedly ending the prosecution of a member of the opposing party. Cuellar, one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, was charged last year with bribery, money laundering, and conspiracy. Trump also pardoned Cuellar’s wife, who also had been charged. The indictment detailed a bold corruption scheme in which Cuellar allegedly promised to wield his power as a member of Congress to advocate for his benefactors.

The New York Times Sues the Pentagon Over Press Restrictions

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2025

The New York Times sued the Defense Department over its press policy prohibiting journalists from soliciting any information not explicitly authorized for release by the government. The Times alleged the press rules violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press and the newspaper’s due process rights under the Fifth Amendment.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Ontario Will Require Skills Grant Applicants to Reveal If They Hired Lobbyists

Toronto Star – Moira Welsh | Published: 12/2/2025

Bowing to pressure, the Ontario government will soon require that groups hiring lobbyists for help in getting millions of dollars from the Skills Development Fund will now have to report those connections in their application. The change is expected by the end of the year. Labor Minister David Piccini has been under fire since auditor general Shelley Spence an audit found Piccini and his predecessor handed out $126 million in training funding to 64 organizations that used lobbyists to push applications ranked “low and medium” in a process that was “not fair, transparent or accountable.”

California – DWP Employee Made Assistants Run Personal Errands, Buy Her Snoop Dogg Tickets, Ethics Enforcer Says

MSN – Noah Goldberg (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 11/26/2025

A high-ranking employee at the Department of Water and Power (DWP) made staffers run personal errands for her, including purchasing tickets to a Snoop Dogg concert, according to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission’s director of enforcement. It is alleged that Renette Anderson, an executive assistant to the DWP’s general manager, asked subordinates to book a plane ticket for her personal travel, make physical therapy appointments for her, purchase party supplies for a non-work party at her home, and make a service appointment at a Mercedes Benz dealership for her personal vehicle.

California – International Travel. Fancy Meals. Missing Receipts. Who Paid the Tab for This Top Official?

MSN – Paige St. John (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/4/2025

Ricardo Lara’s transition from influence-brokering California legislator to insurance regulator was rocky. Almost immediately upon assuming office in 2019, the state insurance commissioner was discovered soliciting money from those he regulated, even allowing his campaign fundraiser to set his office calendar. Lara is now under two new investigations for potential campaign finance and ethics violations and accused by consumer advocates of cozying up to those he regulates.

California – Unindicted Co-Conspirator Stays Silent After FBI Arrests but Still on SCIF Board

MSN – Lia Russell (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 12/3/2025

Weeks after four top Sacramento political figures were ensnared in an FBI corruption probe, one of them, lobbyist Alexis Podesta, has remained quiet and emerged relatively unscathed. Despite speculation that Gov. Gavin Newsom would remove her, Podesta attended a regularly scheduled meeting for the State Compensation Insurance Fund, the state agency on whose board of directors she sits. Podesta’s attorney has confirmed his client is an unindicted co-conspirator cited in the indictment from federal prosecutors.

District of Columbia – Judge Limits Warrantless Immigration Arrests in DC

MSN – Hassan Ali Kanu and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 12/2/2025

A federal judge restricted the Trump administration’s ability to arrest suspected undocumented immigrants in the District of Columbia without a warrant, saying the arrests are only permissible if authorities have reason to believe the person is likely to escape. Government attorneys had disputed whether agents are using a lower standard than probable cause, but U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ruled the plaintiffs’ accounts of their arrests and multiple public statements by high-ranking officials proved otherwise.

Florida – Florida Becomes the GOP’s Biggest Redistricting Test – and a Messy One

MSN – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 12/2/2025

Florida is barreling into a mid-decade redistricting fight with Republicans in and out of the state pushing for action, but party leaders are split on how far to go and when to start. Those pushing the effort believe the state could yield three to five additional GOP House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms, a haul big enough to influence control of Congress. But the drive comes amid an ongoing power struggle inside the state Capitol and legal constraints that make Florida one of the hardest places in the country to redraw lines for partisan gain.

Georgia – Georgia Case Against Trump Dropped, Ending Efforts to Punish President over 2020 Election Aftermath

MSN – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 11/26/2025

A judge dismissed the Georgia election interference case against President Trump and others after the prosecutor who took over the case said he would not pursue the charges, ending the last effort to punish the president in the courts for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, took over the case from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was removed over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she chose to lead the case.

Illinois – Former Inspector General Joe Ferguson Fined $5K for Revealing Botched Little Village Smokestack Implosion Could Have Been Prevented

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 11/28/2025

The Chicago Board of Ethics fined former Inspector General Joe Ferguson $5,000 for violating the city’s ethics ordinance by divulging a confidential report that found city officials could have prevented a plume of dust from enveloping Little Village in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when crews demolished the former Crawford Power Plant. Ferguson said that while he was disappointed by the fine, he had no regrets about his decision to send the report to two unidentified media organizations.

Indiana – Indiana Republicans’ Proposed Map Breaks Indianapolis into 4 Districts

MSN – Marissa Meador (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 12/1/2025

Indiana House Republicans released a proposed map with new congressional district lines that could lead to the elimination of the two Democrats from the state’s congressional delegation if passed. The official map marks a major step forward for Indiana’s redistricting proponents who had failed for weeks to sway reluctant senators on the plan to draw new districts. But on November 25, just minutes after the House announced it would meet on the topic of redistricting, the Senate announced it would reconvene December 8 to consider a proposed map from the House.

Kentucky – Groups Spent $9M Lobbying Kentucky Executive Branch Officials in Past Fiscal Year

Louisville Public Media – Joe Sonka | Published: 11/28/2025

Government contractors, health-related groups, and the medical marijuana industry were among hundreds of organizations that spent $9.1 million lobbying Kentucky’s executive branch agencies on policy in the fiscal year ending this summer. Kentucky has long required groups to report their spending on legislative lobbyists but first required reports on executive branch lobbying spending in 2020. This push for increased transparency followed the conviction of a former cabinet secretary and lobbyist for orchestrating a kickback scheme to steer large government contracts to clients.

Kentucky – KY Candidate Had a Fundraiser on His Own Church Campus. He Says There’s No Issue

MSN – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 11/24/2025

A fundraiser for Ryan Dotson, a candidate in Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District race, was held on the grounds of the church Dotson leads. It is not against any campaign finance law to host a fundraiser at a church. But the event at Lighthouse World Outreach Center, where Dotson is lead pastor, does raise questions about how the event was carried out, according to a federal campaign finance expert.

Massachusetts – Super PAC Illegally Coordinated with Diehl Campaign in 2022 Election, Regulators Say

WBUR – Chris Van Buskirk | Published: 11/20/2025

State campaign finance regulators found former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl and a super PAC that backed his campaign illegally coordinated during the 2022 election. Office of Campaign and Political Finance Director William Campbell said Diehl’s campaign and the super PAC, called Mass Freedom, hired the same media consultant. That created a presumption of coordination between the campaign and super PAC in violation of state law, according to Campbell.

Michigan – Conservative Activists Get Probation in Voter intimidation Case

MSN – Arpan Lobo (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 12/1/2025

Two conservative activists who previously pleaded no contest in connection to a robocall scheme to spread inaccurate information to mostly Black voters around Detroit, leading up to the 2020 election, will avoid jail time. Jacob Wohl and John Burkman were each sentenced to one year probation. Prosecutors said the men engaged in an effort that circulated robocalls to nearly 12,000 people in 2020. The robocalls made false claims about voting by mail, which was promoted that year as a way to avoid contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Michigan – Issues Resolved in Hall Lions Ticket Complaint, Attorney Withdraws Request for Investigation

Yahoo News – Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) | Published: 12/3/2025

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall’s troubles with a potential scandal over Detroit Lions tickets he received from a lobbying firm have been resolved, as the attorney who made a formal complaint rescinded his request for the state to investigate the matter. Bob LaBrant, the former general counsel for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, filed a complaint in reaction to news that Hal received tickets to a recent Lions home game from Bill Wort of Public Affairs Associates.

Mississippi – Supreme Court May Revive First Amendment Suit from Sidewalk Preacher Who Shouted at Concertgoers

MSN – John Fritze (CNN) | Published: 12/3/2025

Street preacher Gabriel Olivier wants to challenge an ordinance in federal court that was enacted by a Mississippi city that bars people from protesting outside an amphitheater. But before he can advance his lawsuit, he must deal with a 1994 Supreme Court precedent that is intended to bar people convicted of a crime from using civil lawsuits to effectively reverse their convictions. Olivier claimed the ordinance violates his First Amendment rights to share his faith publicly.

Missouri – Missouri Bill Targets ‘Misleading’ Automatic Donations Connected to Bill Eigel

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 12/2/2025

No Missouri politician should be able to extract recurring campaign donations the way that Bill Eigel is from a Nebraska veteran tapped 35 times this year for more than $1,000, a Republican lawmaker said. State Rep. Jim Murphy used the first day of pre-filing for the upcoming legislative session to introduce a bill to ban solicitations that include recurring donations. The bill also requires each solicitation to state “in a clear and conspicuous manner” the candidate or PAC that will use the money.

New Jersey – Appeals Court Rules Trump Prosecutor Appointment Violates Law

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 12/1/2025

A federal appeals court ruled President Trump unlawfully maneuvered to keep his former personal attorney, Alina Habba, as the top prosecutor in New Jersey, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for other controversial appointments that have been challenged in court. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against the extraordinary steps the Justice Department deployed to bypass Senate confirmation and keep Habba in the top position.

New Jersey – NJ AG, Others Attack Bill That Would Combine State Watchdog Agencies

MSN – Mike Davis and Michael Diamond (Asbury Park Press) | Published: 11/27/2025

New Jersey, a state often synonymous with the corrupt antics of politicians at all levels, has too many government watchdogs keeping too many eyes trained on taxpayer dollars, according to one of its most powerful elected officials. It is a problem Senate President Nick Scutari hopes to fix. If signed into law, a new bill proposed by Scutari would essentially fold much of the Office of the State Comptroller’s responsibilities into the State Commission of Investigation, turning two watchdog agencies into one-and-a-half.

New Jersey – Progressive Topples Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey in Jersey City Mayoral Runoff

MSN – Ry Rivard (Politico) | Published: 12/2/2025

James Solomon, a city council member elected with the support of anti-machine progressives, will be the next mayor of New Jersey’s second largest city. Solomon besting disgraced former Gov. Jim McGreevey in the runoff to lead Jersey City. McGreevey joins former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as a politician who grasped for a second chance in public life that voters did not want to give them.

New York – NY Gov. Hochul Accepted – and Is Now Refunding – Thousands in Donations from Appointees

Gothamist – Jimmy Vielkind | Published: 11/29/2025

After a Democratic primary rival questioned some of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fundraising methods, the governor’s campaign said it will return thousands of dollars she accepted from people she has appointed to state boards and councils. Public records show Hochul raised at least $72,500 from people who donated after she gave them positions steering state policy. Some of the people in question also contributed before their appointments, and some of the appointees were first put into their positions by Hochul’s predecessor, Andrew Cuomo.    

New York – City Investigators Haven’t Given Up on Probing Eric Adams’ Conduct, Judge’s Order Reveals

MSN – Greg Smith (The City) | Published: 12/3/2025

A court order revealed the Department of Investigation (DOI) has an ongoing investigation of whether New York City Mayor Eric Adams violated ethics laws, a probe that is proceeding even after the mayor got his corruption case tossed after the Trump Justice Department abandoned it. U.S. District Court Judge Dale Ho revealed the existence of DOI’s investigation in issuing an order that opens the door for DOI to use material from the defunct federal indictment in its continuing conflict-of-interest probe of the mayor.

New York – Co. That Won Big-Bucks ‘Panic Button’ Deal for NYC Schools Hired Firm of Adams Ally Frank Carone

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 12/1/2025

Before getting a multimillion-dollar contract from Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to install “panic buttons” in New York City public schools, a company hired the lobbying and consulting firm operated by Frank Carone, the mayor’s ex-chief of staff. SOS Technologies hired Oaktree Solutions to do “strategic consulting” in connection with its effort to secure the contract. There is no record Oaktree employees engaged in direct lobbying of Adams administration officials prior to the award. In any event, Carone resigned as chief of staff in late 2022, so he is no longer covered by the one-year lobbying ban on former city officials.

Pennsylvania – The State Budget Was 135 Days Late, but Pa. Lawmakers Got Their Pay Raise on Schedule

MSN – Tirzah Christopher (PennLive) | Published: 12/2/2025

Pennsylvania lawmakers received a pay increase on December 1, raising their base salary to $113,575. Only New York and California’s legislators make more. The Pennsylvania Legislature’s increases also are automatic, which means they go into effect without a vote. The raises come after a more than four-month budget impasse, which forced some counties, school districts, and non-profits across the state to take drastic measures like reducing staff or taking out high-interest loans to keep operating.

Rhode Island – How to Win Elections and Influence the State House? The League of RI Businesses Has a Plan.

Rhode Island Current – Nancy Lavin | Published: 11/25/2025

When a group of gun rights advocates piled into Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s office to rail against a proposed assault-style weapons ban last spring, Shekarchi gave them some advice om how to influence lawmakers. David Levesque took the message to heart. He created a string of 40 PACs allowing The League of Rhode Island Businesses to circumvent the $2,000-per-candidate annual campaign donation limit set by state law. While not illegal, the move exposes The League and its financial beneficiaries to greater risk of reporting mistakes and violations.

Tennessee – Republican Wins Special Election in Trump Country, as Democrat Gains Ground

MSN – Dan Merica (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2025

Republicans retained a ruby-red congressional district, winning a special election in Tennessee that became more competitive than initially expected and prompted an aggressive closing scramble by GOP leaders on behalf of their nominee. The victory by Matt Van Epps, who aligned himself with President Trump, capped a contest that served as the latest test of voters’ attitudes about Trump’s agenda and Democrats’ response less than a year before the midterm elections. Van Epps defeated Aftyn Behn, a left-leaning state representative who frequently mentioned economic concerns on the campaign trail.

National/Federal

Top Fannie Mae Officials Ousted After Sounding Alarm on Sharing Confidential Housing Data

MSN – Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) | Published: 11/13/2025

A confidant of Bill Pulte, the Trump administration’s top housing regulator, provided confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae to a principal competitor, alarming senior officials of the government-backed lending giant who warned it could expose the company to claims it was colluding with a rival to fix mortgage rates. While Lauren Smith, the company’s head of marketing, still holds her position, the senior Fannie Mae officials who called her conduct into question were all forced out of their jobs late, along with internal ethics watchdogs who were investigating Pulte and his allies.

Trump Names Paul Ingrassia to GSA Post After Withdrawal Over Racist Texts

MSN – Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2025

President Trump tapped Paul Ingrassia, the unsuccessful nominee to run the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), to become deputy general counsel of the General Services Administration, which oversees federal real estate. Ingrassia withdrew his OSC nomination after several GOP senators said they could not support him following reports he texted other Republicans racist slurs and said he had “a Nazi streak.” He also was subject to a sexual harassment investigation in recent months, according to Politico.

Trump Gives Second Pardon to Jan. 6 Participant and Pardons Two Others

MSN – Michael Kranish (Washington Post) | Published: 11/15/2025

President Trump issued a second pardon to Daniel Wilson, whom he had previously pardoned for participation in the breach of the Capitol but was in prison on a separate gun charge. Trump also pardoned Suzanne Kaye, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison for threatening FBI agents who wanted to speak to her about her whereabouts on January 6, 2021.

Former Fed Official Resigned Following Ethics Probe, Document Shows

MSN – Victoria Guida (Politico) | Published: 11/15/2025

Former Federal Reserve board member Adriana Kugler stepped down from the central bank in August amid scrutiny of her financial holdings, which appeared to violate the bank’s ethics rules, according to a document detailing her trading activity. According to a document released by the Office of Government Ethics, Kugler or her husband bought and sold multiple individual stocks in 2024, a category of asset that senior Fed officials are not allowed to purchase.

The Trump Prosecutor Probing Former Top Obama Administration Officials

MSN – Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck, and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 11/17/2025

When Jason Reding Quiñones was hired in 2018 as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida, he was placed alongside other entry-level attorneys in the office’s boot camp for new hires. Most of those prosecutors win promotion. Reding Quiñones flunked, failing to impress his supervisors with his work ethic and legal acumen and earning poor marks on his performance evaluation. He left the office in 2024. A year later, President Trump tapped Reding Quiñones to return to the Miami-based U.S. attorney’s office as its boss. Justice Department officials have entrusted Reding Quiñones with a broad probe of Trump foes.

Despite Congressional Action, Quick Release of Epstein Files Is in Doubt

MSN – Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck, and Theodoric Meyer (Washington Post) | Published: 11/19/2025

The House and Senate agreed to pass a bill calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all unclassified information and files related to the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department so far has continued to say nothing about how it would respond to that demand. There are many reasons to doubt that a bulk release of the files is imminent. If President Trump wanted Bondi to release all the Epstein files, he could have ordered her to do so at any point in the past six months.

House Democrats Split Over Unusual Reprimand of One of Their Own

MSN – Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 11/18/2025

The House, in a rare bipartisan action, voted to rebuke a Democrat who maneuvered the timing of his retirement to all but assure his handpicked successor would win his seat without opposition. The vote of formal disapproval of Rep. Jesús García was remarkable because it was instigated by a fellow Democrat, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. All Republicans and 23 Democrats supported the measure. The reprimand carries no formal penalty other than the damage to Garcia’s reputation, which a majority of Democrats sought to defend.

Trump Administration Revives Some Funding for IG Group

MSN – Meryl Kornfield and Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) | Published: 11/18/2025

The Trump administration reversed its attempt to eliminate funding for a key government oversight group, following calls from Capitol Hill to release the congressionally approved money and protect federal watchdog activities. The defunding of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, an umbrella organization for 72 inspectors general across government, was unrelated to the federal government shutdown, and the office’s 25 employees have remained furloughed since the start of the fiscal year.

Most Corporate Trump Ballroom Donors Repped by 3 Lobbying Firms, Watchdog Says

MSN – Arden Farhi (CBS News) | Published: 11/19/2025

The majority of the corporations known to have donated to the fund for President Trump’s new White House ballroom are represented by three lobbying firms, according to a report from Public Citizen. Lobbyists from those three firms – Miller Strategies, Ballard Partners, and Michael Best Strategies – mingled with the president and executives from top technology and cryptocurrency companies in the East Room recently. Several companies retained more than one of the lobbying firms in 2025, paying hundreds of thousands annually for advocacy before Congress and the Trump administration.

Ex-Officials Could Get Lifetime Bans from Lobbying for China, Russia Under New Bipartisan Push

MSN – Morgan Phillips (Fox News) | Published: 11/18/2025

Former national security officials could soon lose their security clearances or even face lifetime bans from lobbying for foreign adversaries under new legislation introduced in the House and Senate. The three-bill package takes direct aim at Washington’s “revolving door,” closing the loopholes that have let former officials and power brokers, many with deep knowledge of U.S. defense secrets, push the interests of China, Russia, and other hostile regimes inside the U.S. government.

Justice Dept. Acknowledges Full Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment

MSN – Salvador Rizzo and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/19/2025

Justice Department lawyers acknowledged a full grand jury never reviewed the final indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a remarkable admission that could threaten the viability of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney N. Tyler Lemons sought to downplay the error, arguing the revised indictment was changed only to remove the count that the grand jury rejected. “The new indictment wasn’t a new indictment,” Lemons said.

Justice Dept. Charges Democratic Congresswoman with Stealing FEMA Funds

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/19/2025

Federal officials indicted U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on allegations she used her family’s health care company to steal from a covid-19 vaccination contract funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and then used the money to bolster her congressional campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick was charged alongside multiple co-defendants, including her brother and her tax preparer. The House ethics committee is also investigating Cherfilus-McCormick.

Trump Family’s Business Ties to Saudi Arabia Raise Ethics Worries

Seattle Times – Vivian Nereim (New York Times) | Published: 11/18/2025

The leveraging of political relationships for personal profit is ordinary in the Persian Gulf, where hereditary ruling families hold near-total power and the term “conflict-of-interest” carries little weight. But the mixing of politics and profitmaking during President Trump’s second term has shattered American norms, shocking scholars who study ethics and corruption. Trump met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, engaging in national security talks with a foreign leader who also oversees a major construction project that is in talks over a potential deal with the Trump family business.

From the States and Municipalities

California – FBI Sent Letters to CA Lobbyists as Part of Corruption Probe Involving Ex-Newsom Chief of Staff

MSN – Lia Russell (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 11/18/2025

The FBI has read or listened to K Street and Sacramento lobbyists’ conversations as part of an ongoing corruption investigation that has so far ensnared Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, former Deputy State Attorney General Sean McCluskie, and lobbyist Greg Campbell. Letters from the Sacramento field office informed recipients their wire or electronic communications had been “intercepted” as part of its conspiracy case accusing Campbell, Williamson, and McCluskie of stealing campaign funds from former cabinet secretary Xavier Becerra.

Colorado – Colorado Ethics Commission Advances Complaints Against Democrats Who Attended Dark Money-Funded Retreat

Colorado Public Radio – Taylor Dolven (Colorado Sun) | Published: 11/19/2025

The Independent Ethics Commission will investigate complaints against state lawmakers who attended a weekend retreat with lobbyists in Vail paid for, at least in part, by a dark money group. The commission voted in favor of deeming the complaints “nonfrivolous” and allowing them to move forward. The complaints allege that 16 lawmakers who are members of the Opportunity Caucus violated Colorado’s prohibition on elected officials receiving gifts when they attended a retreat where they mingled with lobbyists at a ritzy hotel.

Colorado – Colorado Justices Weigh Disclosure Requirements for Ballot Initiative Spending

Colorado Springs Gazette – Michael Karlik (Colorado Politics) | Published: 11/18/2025

The Colorado Supreme Court considered whether an organization that spent $4 million to advocate for ballot initiatives in the 2020 election was required to disclose its donors and spending. Unite for Colorado argued it spent 10 percent or less of its money on a single ballot measure and less than 25 percent of its money on ballot measures. Therefore, Unite for Colorado did not have a “major purpose” of ballot issue advocacy that triggered disclosure. But some justices said an organization could avoid the transparency required of issue committees if it were so wealthy that its expenditures on ballot initiatives were relatively small in comparison.

Georgia – GOP Lawmaker Says Tougher Campaign Finance Penalties Needed in Response to New Georgia Project Case

Georgia Recorder – Ross Williams | Published: 11/13/2025

Stacey Abrams’ New Georgia Project is a thing of the past, but it may still be a major topic of conversation when lawmakers gather next year for the annual legislative session. The voter engagement project founded by Stacey Abrams announced it was dissolving after the Georgia Ethics Commission concluded the group violated state campaign finance law and levied a $300,000 fine, the largest for an ethics violation in state history. A GOP-led panel floated ideas for legislation that members said would discourage organizations from illegally funding candidates in the 2026 midterms and beyond.

Georgia – Georgia Prosecutor Keeps Case Against Trump Alive for Now

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 11/14/2025

The head of a Georgia prosecutors board assigned himself to oversee a sprawling racketeering case against President Trump and his allies over their attempts to overturn the 2020 election, keeping alive for now litigation that has long faced trouble. Peter Skandalakis, the board’s executive director, said he was taking the case because he had not been able to find another prosecutor to take it. He said he needed time to review the extensive material and did not signal whether he would ultimately pursue the case or abandon it.

Georgia – Ethics Commission’s Advisory Opinion Deals New Setback to Chris Carr in Fundraising Fight with Burt Jones

WXIA – Zach Merchant and Reeves Jackson | Published: 11/19/2025

An advisory opinion from Georgia’s ethics commission says certain candidates can loan their own personal money to a leadership committee or PAC. At the center of the dispute is a $10 million loan that Lt. Gov. Burt Jones made to his own leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that can accept unlimited donations. State law allows only a few officials to use these committees. The attorney general is not on that list. That means Jones has access to a leadership committee but state Attorney General Chris Carr, his primary opponent in the race for governor, does not.

Illinois – Senate President Don Harmon Faces New Challenge Over Near-$10M Campaign Finance Fine

Yahoo News – Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 11/17/2025

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon is facing a new challenge over a State Board of Elections staff finding that his campaign committee owes $9.8 million in fines for accepting campaign contributions in excess of state limits. The Liberty Justice Center filed a complaint with the election board regarding Harmon’s committee. The move could allow the matter to go to court and sidestep the bipartisan election panel’s stalemate on the issue.

Indiana – Indiana Likely Will Not Push Forward with Redistricting Despite Pressure from White House

MSN – Adam Wren and Andrew Howard (Politico) | Published: 11/14/2025

President Trump’s effort to force mid-decade redistricting suffered a major setback after Indiana’s Republican Senate leader declared the chamber will not convene in December to redraw maps. It marks the fourth state where efforts have stalled despite pressure from Trump and his political team. Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray announcement immediately incensed those in Trump’s orbit.

Kansas – Mayor of Tiny Kansas Town Could Be Deported Over Voter Fraud Charges

MSN – Caroline O’Donovan (Washington Post) | Published: 11/18/2025

Joe Ceballos has been winning elections in the tiny ranching town of Coldwater for more than a decade, recently securing his second mayoral term in a landslide. But Ceballos’s version of the American dream – a Mexican immigrant who became an integral part of a close-knit Kansas community – has run into a newer American phenomenon: the aggressive prosecution of alleged voter fraud by noncitizens.

Kentucky – FCPS Lobbyist Terminates Contract, Alleging ‘Monetary and Reputational Damage’

MSN – Valarie Honeycutt Spears (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 11/14/2025

In May, Piper-Smith LLC submitted a $38,000 marketing campaign to the Fayette County Public Schools to help it convince the public that a 50 percent occupational tax increase was necessary. A lobbyist for Fayette County Public Schools has terminated her contract with the district after she says her firm suffered “significant damage due to the district’s shifting information on its budget status.”

Louisiana – In Louisiana, Casinos Can’t Make Political Donations, but Sportsbooks Can, Ethics Board Says

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/14/2025

Louisiana prohibits casino companies and executives from making state political contributions, but that same ban does not apply to sports gambling operations, according to the Louisiana Board of Ethics. A sport betting company and its senior management can still make political donations, even if the business is a subsidiary of a larger gambling enterprise prohibited from doing so.

Michigan – Woodward’s Firm Gave Campaign Services to Third of Commissioners He Oversees

MSN – Max Bryan (MediaNews Group) | Published: 11/13/2025

Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson Dave Woodward is a paid political consultant for a business that provided campaign services to one-third of the commissioners he now oversees, records show, a situation critics see as a potential conflict-of-interest. Woodward is a partner owner of Pivot Point Strategies LLC, a firm that has provided campaign services to six fellow Democratic commissioners since the beginning of 2020, according to campaign finance reports.

Michigan – Michigan Establishes Disclosure Requirements for Earmarks in State Budget

MSN – Clara Hendrickson (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 11/19/2025

New Michigan laws will bring greater transparency to state spending directly awarded to a specific entity, such as a nonprofit or local government, at a lawmaker’s request. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a pair of bills establishing new disclosure requirements and mandating a 45-day period for the public to learn about earmark funding proposals before lawmakers approve the spending. Earmarks do not go through the typical process for distributing public dollars in which a state department or agency evaluates which bidders should receive funding.

Michigan – Detroit’s Ethics System Under Fire as Mary Sheffield Faces First Test as Mayor-Elect

Yahoo News – Violet Ikonomova (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 11/18/2025

A series of recent ethical concerns involving Detroit officials, including city council President and Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield, have prompted criticism of the city’s conflict-of-interest rules and the apparatus designed to ensure they are followed. Government ethics experts flagged poor advice from the Detroit Board of Ethics and policies that appear to allow officials to seek guidance from sources beyond that board, which can lead to conflicting determinations. Ethics training is lacking with less than 10 percent of Detroit’s 10,000-plus public servants having taken it.

Missouri – How a Nebraska Veteran Unwittingly Became a Repeat Donor to a Missouri County Campaign

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 11/17/2025

A Korean War veteran from Nebraska named Russell Wood made 35 donations totaling $1,050 over the last year to Bill Eigel’s campaign for St. Charles County executive. The problem is, Wood, who is 92, has never heard of Eigel or set foot in St. Charles County. He said he had no idea he had made so many donations to Eigel’s campaign. Wood appears to have been caught in an online fundraising practice that makes donations automatically repeat on a weekly or monthly basis unless the contributor changes a pre-checked box.

Nevada – Nevada Supreme Court Revives Criminal Case Over Trump Elector Gambit

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 11/13/2025

A unanimous Nevada Supreme Court revived the criminal case against six prominent allies of President Trump who falsely claimed to be legitimate presidential electors amid Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election. The justices concluded state Attorney General Aaron Ford properly brought the forgery case in Las Vegas, overruling a lower-court decision that found the case should have been brought in Carson City, where the pro-Trump elector nominees signed the false documents.

New Mexico – New Mexico Lawmaker Appeals Adverse Ruling Over Campaign Donation to Student

Courthouse News Service – Joe Duhownik | Published: 11/18/2025

New Mexico’s secretary of state engaged in content discrimination when she referred Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino’s donation to a high school student for criminal prosecution under campaign finance laws, the senator told a federal appeals court. Ortiz y Pino said a section of the state’s Campaign Reporting Act violates the First Amendment by discriminating what types of charitable contributions an elected official can make with their campaign funds.

New York – Ex-Aide to NYC Mayor Eric Adams Avoids Prison Time as Federal Judge Addresses ‘Elephant in the Room’

MSN – Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 11/18/2025

A former aide to outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams was sentenced to three years’ probation, including a year of home confinement, for soliciting illegal campaign contributions for Adams. But as a federal judge announced the sentence for Mohamed Bahi, a liaison to the city’s Muslim communities, he also addressed the “elephant in the room” – that Adams’ own corruption charges had been erased through a remarkable intervention by the Trump administration.

North Dakota – Campaign Finance at Heart of Latest Skirmish Between Executive Branch, ND Ethics Commission

Yahoo News – Jacob Orledge (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 11/17/2025

The secretary of state is asking for a formal legal opinion from the attorney general on the North Dakota Ethics Commission’s authority, including whether it had the right to issue a recent advisory opinion. The Legislature empowered the commission to issue advisory opinions if a public official wants to know whether an action is permitted under state law. But the governor and other elected officials say the agency has overstepped, with the conflict contributing to a stalled process to fill vacancies on the commission.

Ohio – FirstEnergy Ordered to Pay More Than $250 Million for Misconduct in Sweeping Ohio Bribery Scheme

Yahoo Finance – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 11/19/2025

Ohio utility regulators ordered FirstEnergy to pay more than $250 million in fines and refunds for its misconduct in a statehouse bribery scandal whose fallout continues five years on. Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, among the state’s most powerful politicians, and four associates were charged for their parts in an alleged $60 million racketeering scheme funded by FirstEnergy in exchange for a $1 billion nuclear plant bailout. FirstEnergy admitted to the bribes and agreed to pay $230 million to avoid prosecution.

Oklahoma – After Vote Controversy, Lawmakers and Elected Officials Will Get Thousands More in Pay

MSN – Murray Evans (The Oklahoman) | Published: 11/19/2025

State boards that determine pay for legislators and statewide elected officials have met for a second time after their actions in previous meetings were called into question because one member was a registered lobbyist and should not have been serving on the boards. The Legislative Compensation Board and the Statewide Official Compensation Commission, which have the same nine members, rescinded actions from previous meetings and updated their decisions regarding pay raises for legislators and 11 statewide positions.

Pennsylvania – Barstool Influencers Pushed Anti-Tax Message as Pa. Lawmakers Privately Debated Sports Betting Proposal

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso | Published: 11/19/2025

As Pennsylvania lawmakers worked to reach a budget deal, three Barstool Sports influencers sent a message to their millions of followers: Harrisburg wants to tax your fun. Behind the scenes, Democrats were trying to sell their GOP counterparts on a deal that would increase taxes on sports betting and online gaming. The videos demonstrated the changing landscape of advocacy in a media environment where Americans flock to digital personalities for their news. They also raise questions about whether they constituted lobbying, and if Barstool Sports and its stars were registered to do such advocacy work.

South Carolina – Are All Public Charter School Districts Subject to Ethics Laws? SC Agency Says No

MSN – Zak Koeske (The State) | Published: 11/13/2025

For years, South Carolina’s ethics agency has held taxpayer-funded charter school districts to the same government accountability standards as traditional public-school districts. But that treatment, the Ethics Commission recently determined, should not have been applied to all charter school districts. Because the districts were created by private entities, the commission reasoned, they were not governmental entities, and their board members and employees were not public members or public employees.

Tennessee – Tennessee Judge Blocks Trump’s Use of National Guard in Memphis but Gives Time for Government Appeal

MSN – Adrian Sainz and Jonathan Mattise (Associated Press) | Published: 11/18/2025

A Tennessee judge blocked the use of the National Guard in Memphis under a crime-fighting operation by President Trump but also put the order on hold, giving the government five days to appeal. Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal’s decision sides with Democratic state and local officials who sued, contending Gov. Bill Lee cannot deploy the Tennessee National Guard for civil unrest unless there is rebellion or invasion, and even then, it would require action by state lawmakers.

Tennessee – Tennessee Registry Orders Pardoned House Staffer to Explain Troubled PAC

Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 11/19/2025

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is ordering a former House staff member recently pardoned after conviction in a corruption case to testify about a PAC he secretly formed in 2020 to sway the election. The registry voted to drop a subpoena against Cade Cothren and, instead, bring him in next year to explain his actions in forming the Faith Family Freedom Fund. Registry Chairperson Tom Lawless said Cothren sent fraudulent documents, including a treasurer’s report and several emails, to the agency when he formed the PAC.

Texas – Federal Court Blocks Texas from Using New Congressional Gerrymander in 2026 Midterms

MSN – Eleanor Klibanoff (Texas Tribune) | Published: 11/18/2025

A federal appeals court panel ruled Texas cannot use its new congressional map for the 2026 election and will instead need to stick with the lines passed in 2021. The decision is a blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who pushed through this unusual mid-decade redistricting at the behest of President Trump. They were hoping the new map would help protect the narrow GOP majority in the U.S. House.

Wyoming – Wyoming Legislature Reverses Course on Axing Memberships with National Associations Perceived as Too Costly, Liberal

MSN – Maggie Mullen (WyoFile) | Published: 11/20/2025

Lawmakers reversed course on the prospect of cutting ties with two national, non-partisan organizations that have long provided research and training to members and staff of the Wyoming Legislature. Wyoming pays biennial dues to the Council of State Governments West and the National Conference of State Legislatures that cost approximately $271,300 and $293,500 respectively. The value of those memberships, however, came into question during a Management Council meeting in April.

National/Federal

Senate Democrats Seek to ‘Get to Bottom’ of Moreno’s Car-Data Collection

MSN – Valerie Yurk (Roll Call) | Published: 11/6/2025

A Nevada Democrat accused Sen. Bernie Moreno of privacy violations after he admitted to tracking down U.S. Senate Democrats’ vehicle identification numbers (VINs). U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen asked for unanimous consent for Moreno to submit details to the committee about how he obtained the personal VINs, whose VINs he has collected, what he intends to do with them and whether senators’ privacy was violated.

Housing Official Bill Pulte Fired Ethics Workers Who Were Looking into His Ally

MSN – Rachel Siegel (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2025

President Trump’s housing finance director, Bill Pulte, fired internal watchdogs at Fannie Mae who were looking into multiple complaints against a high-ranking company officer close to him. Pulte said in October he had fired dozens of Fannie Mae employees in what he said included a bid to end diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the mortgage giant. Yet six people familiar with the matter said those firings effectively cleared out the company’s internal watchdogs, charged with ensuring Fannie and its officials follow the law.

Shutdown Defections Spark Fury as Democrats Struggle to Unify Against Trump

MSN – Yasmeen Abutaleb, Dan Merica, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 11/11/2025

The fury at eight Democratic-aligned senators who voted with Republicans to end the longest-ever government shutdown highlights the dramatic shift in the Democratic Party less than a year into President Trump’s second term, as voters and lawmakers argue the party needs to adopt more ruthless tactics to counter the president and claw its way back to power. Rather than try to uphold norms as Trump shatters them, they have instead decided to fight Trump with tactics they previously disdained.

Justice Department Struggles as Thousands Exit – and Few Are Replaced

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2025

The Justice Department has lost thousands of experienced attorneys since the start of the Trump administration and has backfilled a fraction of the open jobs, with the process snarled by a lack of qualified candidates, bureaucratic delays, and hiring freezes, according to people familiar with hirings in the department. Last year, roughly 10,000 attorneys worked across the Justice Department and its components. Justice Connection, an advocacy group that has been tracking departures, estimates that around 5,500 people, not all of them attorneys, have quit the department, been fired, or taken a buyout offered by the Trump administration.

First Big Foreign Agent Trial Under Trump 2.0 Set to Kick Off

MSN – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 11/11/2025

The former aide to two New York governors charged with acting as an unregistered Chinese agent heads to federal court for the first big Foreign Agents Registration Act trial of the second Trump administration. Linda Sun, who served as a deputy chief of staff to current Gov. Kathy Hochul and worked in Andrew Cuomo’s administration before that, was indicted for allegedly using her job to benefit the Chinese government in exchange for millions in payments to her husband’s business.

Lawmakers Outraged by Provision Allowing Senators to Sue Over Jan. 6 Records

MSN – Theodoric Meyer, Marianna Sotomayor, and Riley Beggin (Washington Post) | Published: 11/12/2025

A provision tied to the investigation into the attack on the Capitol buried in the bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has sparked bipartisan outrage, with House Republicans vowing to try to repeal the provision later even as the House passed the bill that includes it. The bill allows Republican senators whose phone records were seized by the FBI as part of an investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith into January 6, 2021, to sue the federal government for damages. Each of them could receive $500,000, as well as legal fees. House members whose phone records were obtained would not be eligible.

Trump Administration Prepares to Fire Worker for TV Interview About SNAP

MSN – Mariana Alfaro and Hannah Natanson (Washington Post) | Published: 11/13/2025

The Agriculture Department is preparing to fire an employee in the division that handles food benefits after she publicly warned the shutdown could have negative impacts on the millions of Americans who rely on the federal government to put food on the table. Ellen Mei, a program specialist at the Food and Nutrition Service who is furloughed, was interviewed during the early days of the shutdown to talk about how the impasse in Washington would impact her team, as well as the work they do.

House Effort to Force Vote on Releasing Epstein Files Can Advance

MSN – Kadia Goba and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 11/12/2025

A bipartisan House effort to force a vote on releasing more files related to the federal government’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein can now move forward. A discharge petition – a mechanism by which House lawmakers can circumvent the normal legislative process to compel votes – received the 218th signature needed to force a vote on the Epstein files. The newly sworn-in Rep. Adelita Grijalva provided the final signature, adding her name to a list of lawmakers that includes all 214 Democrats and four Republicans.

Judge Appears Skeptical of Lindsey Halligan’s Appointment as Interim US Attorney

MSN – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 11/13/2025

A federal judge expressed deep skepticism about whether a federal prosecutor handpicked by President Trump to bring criminal cases against his political rivals was legally appointed to the role. It is unclear whether U.S. District Court Judge Cameron Currie’s open doubts about the appointment of Lindsey Halligan will sink the cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. But the judge’s ruling, which she said would come before Thanksgiving, could derail both.

Democrats Swept Elections Far Beyond the Big Races in Referendum on Trump

MSN – Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) | Published: 11/8/2025

Much of the attention on November 4 focused on the Democrats’ big wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor’s races, as well as in the New York mayor’s contest. But the party also won hundreds of lower-profile state and local contests, often swamping Republican incumbents with overwhelming turnout, suggesting that voters’ desire to send a message opposing President Trump was deep and wide.

Trump Pardons Giuliani, Other Allies Who Sought to Overturn 2020 Election

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 11/10/2025

President Donald Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani and a host of other prominent allies involved in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, furthering Trump’s efforts to rewrite the history of his losing campaign five years ago. The move appeared to carry no immediate practical effect as none of the more than 75 people listed have been charged with federal crimes, though several have been prosecuted in states. Still, the clemency signaled that Trump’s second administration will continue to focus on false claims of widespread voter fraud.

Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct

Seattle Times – Michael Gold (New York Times) | Published: 11/12/2025

House Democrats released emails in which Jeffrey Epstein wrote that President Trump had “spent hours at my house” with one of Epstein’s victims, among other messages that suggested the convicted sex offender believed Trump knew more about his abuse than he has acknowledged. Trump has denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation. But Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said the emails raised new questions about the relationship between the two men.

Bolstered by Big Wins, Dems Eye Out-of-Reach Senate Races

Yahoo News – Elena Schneider (Politico) | Published: 11/6/2025

In the wake of Democrats’ resounding electoral wins on November 4, party candidates and strategists are strategizing how to expand their electoral opportunities in even the reddest of states in 2026, when President Trump will not be on the ballot and Republicans will face the traditional headwinds of a midterm cycle. Before Democrats flipped at least 13 Virginia House of Delegate seats and won gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia by double-digit margins, their chances to snag seats deep into Trump territory seemed out of reach. Now they are feeling more bullish.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Why Arizona Child Welfare Leaders Gave Hobbs Donor a 30% Raise After First Saying No

USA Today – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 11/12/2025

A group home operator that launched a six-figure spending campaign to support Gov. Katie Hobbs gave Arizona child welfare leaders an ultimatum: pay more for its services, or it would find work elsewhere. There was no good choice, said David Lujan, then-director of the Department of Child Safety who approved that special rate hike for Sunshine Residential Homes in 2023. The decision was difficult in part because of Sunshine Residential’s political support of Hobbs – Lujan’s boss – and the shadow it cast on the department’s decision-making.

California – Ex-Aide to California Governor Indicted for Alleged Theft of Campaign Funds from Ex-Health Secretary

MSN – Trân Nguyễn and Jaimie Ding (Associated Press) | Published: 11/12/2025

Dana Williamson, a former top aide to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, was indicted on federal charges alleging her involvement in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. The indictment lists four other co-conspirators. It alleges Williamson developed a plan with Sean McCluskie, a longtime Becerra aide, to siphon money from one of Becerra’s dormant state campaign accounts to give to McCluskie to pad his salary after he accepted a job as his chief of staff in Washington.

California – Ex-S.F. Human Rights Chief Sheryl Davis Hit with Slew of Ethics Charges

MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 11/7/2025

San Francisco ethics investigators accused former human rights chief Sheryl Davis of breaking city and state laws that bar conflicts of interest and the acceptance of improper gifts, setting the stage for an unusual mini-trial at City Hall. The 31-count charging document opens a new front in the long-running public integrity saga surrounding Davis, the former executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

District of Columbia – Jury Finds D.C. ‘Sandwich Guy’ Not Guilty of Assaulting Officer

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2025

A jury acquitted a District of Columbia man who was charged with assault after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent during President Trump’s crime crackdown in the capital. The one-sided food fight became a slapstick symbol of resistance to Trump’s summertime takeover of local law enforcement. The defendant, Sean Dunn, said he was speaking out against fascism and anti-migrant policies from the Trump administration.

District of Columbia – DOJ Is Investigating Bowser’s Qatar Trip but Says Mayor Is Not a Target

MSN – Perry Stein, Emily Davies, Salvador Rizzo, Meagan Flynn, and Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 10/7/2025

The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington has been investigating a trip that District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and four aides took to Qatar in 2023, but the mayor is not a target, according to law enforcement and other administration officials. Bowser and four staff members traveled to Qatar in December 2023 for meetings on economic development. The trip was partially paid for by the Qatari government. Such payments for travel are legal but subject to restrictions.

Hawaii – Hawaii House Speaker Wants Probe of Lawmaker in Corruption Case

Yahoo News – Peter Boylan (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) | Published: 11/11/2025

Hawaii House Speaker Nadine Nakamura is asking law enforcement officials to investigate allegations that an unnamed state lawmaker accepted $35, 000 in campaign contributions in January 2022 during a federal public corruption probe. That probe ended the public service careers of former state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen. and ex-state Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English. Cullen made consensually recorded telephone calls and recorded in-person meetings with “investigative subjects of our public corruption investigation,” according to a federal court filing detailing how Cullen helped the FBI.

Illinois – Judge Says Immigration Officers’ Use of Force in Chicago ‘Shocks the Conscience’

MSN – Kim Bellware and David Nkamura (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2025

A federal judge delivered a damning condemnation of the use of force in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign in this city, saying officers have unnecessarily terrorized local residents who have sought to peacefully protest or document their actions. U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis cited several examples of what she said was evidence of excessive force that contradicted statements from federal authorities who defended the actions of immigration officers who used tear gas, pepper spray, or other nonlethal crowd control devices.

Kansas – A Kansas County Agrees to Pay $3 Million and Apologize Over a Raid on a Small-Town Newspaper

Yahoo News – John Hanna and Heather Hollingsworth (Associated Press) | Published: 11/12/2025

A rural Kansas county agreed to pay more than $3 million and apologize over a law enforcement raid on a small-town weekly newspaper in August 2023 that sparked an outcry over press freedom. Marion County sheriff’s officers were involved in the raid on the Marion County Record and helped draft search warrants used by city police to enter the newspaper’s offices, the publisher’s home, and the home of a local city council member.

Louisiana – Former Louisiana House Speaker Indicted for Theft of Cypress Artifact

Yahoo News – Greg LaRose (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/12/2025

Former Louisiana House Speaker Louisiana Clay Schexnayder was charged with felony theft in connection with a missing piece of historic cypress that had been on display at the State Capitol and was last seen at his legislative office in Gonzales. The 20-foot by six-foot piece of cypress, taken from a tree believed to have been nearly 1,300 years old when it was harvested. It was gifted to the state in 1955.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Raises Questions About Judges’ Campaign Transparency

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/7/2025

Three elected judges in Louisiana are leveraging a new privacy law to remove their home addresses and spouse’s work addresses from the state’s public campaign finance database that tracks political donations and spending. Judges can demand a large swath of personal information be taken down from government and privately-operated websites under a law that went into effect in February. The statute conflicts with longstanding laws meant to ensure government and election transparency the state ethics board traditionally follows.

Louisiana – Orleans Sheriff Says She Missed Campaign Report Deadline Because Her Attorney Was Incarcerated

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/7/2025

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson successfully argued she should not have to pay the full fine for missing a campaign reporting deadline because her attorney was incarcerated at the time. The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted to reduce Hutson’s fine for filing the annual report for the Orleans Jedi Guardian PAC, where she is the chairperson, three weeks late.

Louisiana – Louisiana Officials, Candidates Can Use Campaign Cash for D.C. Mardi Gras, Ethics Board Confirms

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 11/10/2025

The Louisiana Board of Ethics confirmed that elected officials and political candidates can use their campaign money for expenses related to Washington Mardi Gras following a law change earlier this year. Washington Mardi Gras is an annual, four-day festival held in the nation’s capital featuring a formal Mardi Gras ball, parade, black-tie gala, business luncheons, political fundraisers, and several parties thrown by and for the politically connected. Some of Louisiana’s large companies and lobbyists are among the most visible sponsors of the event.

Michigan – Michigan Senate Hopeful Pugh Faces Scrutiny Over Campaign Funds, Nonprofit Allocations

MLive – Justin Engel | Published: 11/5/2025

A Democrat campaigning for the state Senate is facing scrutiny over a series of spending decisions involving money provided to organizations tied to her. Pugh defended herself to the Saginaw City Council, which could reverse its decision to allocate $210,000 in federal stimulus funds to Just In Transition-Indaba. The initiative is the product of a nonprofit, Regeneration LLC, co-founded by Pugh. She also was the focus of a media report that stated she directed about $10,000 in leftover cash from a failed 2024 U.S. House campaign to herself and her consulting firm.

Michigan – Michigan’s New Political Transparency Portal Delayed by Months, Company Isn’t Meeting State Goals

MSN – Simon Schuster (Bridge Michigan) | Published: 11/11/2025

Michigan’s new political transparency portal was delayed by months amid growing tensions between state officials and the contractor hired to build the system. The Michigan Transparency Network is meant to be an integrated system for campaign finance, lobbying, and personal financial disclosures. But the online system has become a longstanding headache for the Michigan Department of State. Tyler Technologies, the sole qualified bidder for the $9 million contract, has struggled to follow through on project goals.

Michigan – Complaint Argues DTE-Tied Group Aimed to Funnel $100k into Unlock Michigan Campaign

Yahoo News – Kyle Davidson (Michigan Advance) | Published: 11/11/2025

A Michigan nonprofit with ties to one of the state’s largest energy companies is accused of participating in a “dark money” scheme to funnel money into an effort to overturn the governor’s COVID-19 emergency powers. The complaint alleges Michigan Energy First, a group linked to DTE Energy, violated the Campaign Finance Act by working to funnel $100,000 into the Unlock Michigan campaign in 2020.

Michigan – Second Staffer Tied to Republican Consulting, Petition Firm Ousted from Michigan Senate

Yahoo News – Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) | Published: 11/11/2025

Meghan Reckling, a Michigan Senate staffer who also co-founded the Republican Victory Field Operations, resigned from her post in the office of state Sen. Lana Thies, a move that followed another Senate staff member’s shuffle to the House over fallout involving their outside consulting work. Reckling left her job acting as chief of staff for Theis following the Senate Business Office giving her an ultimatum of resigning from the Senate or keeping her connection to Victory Field Operations.

Mississippi – Supreme Court Takes Up Dispute Over Counting of Late-Arriving Mail Ballots

MSN – Melissa Quinn (CBS News) | Published: 11/10/2025

The U.S. Supreme Court said it will decide whether federal law prohibits states from counting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The legal battle before the court involves Mississippi’s procedures for counting late-arriving absentee ballots but comes as the justices are considering whether to revive a member of Congress’s lawsuit challenging a similar law in Illinois.

Missouri – Inside Mysterious Push to Block Signature-Gathering Against Missouri Redistricting

MSN – Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) | Published: 11/10/2025

As thousands of Missourians sign onto a campaign to strike down the state’s gerrymandered congressional map, a mysterious consulting contract appears to signal a targeted effort to halt the vote. The source of the contract remains a mystery. But its existence appears to illustrate a broader, tactical push to stymie Missouri from holding a referendum to repeal the map. This comes amid a series of attacks from state officials and a new opposition group backed by national Republicans.

Missouri – PAC Tied to Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 Missouri Governor Campaign Fined for Violating Ethics Laws

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 11/11/2025

The PAC backing Republican Jay Ashcroft’s 2024 bid for governor improperly coordinated with his campaign on a letter attacking his opponents, according to a consent agreement approved by the Missouri Ethics Commission. The Committee for Liberty, which spent $2.9 million promoting Ashcroft’s losing effort, must pay $536 and avoid future violations.

New Jersey – Former Rutgers Athletics Director Facing Potential Sanctions from State Ethics Board

MSN – Steve Politi (Newark Star-Ledger) | Published: 11/12/2025

The New Jersey State Ethics Commission launched a preliminary investigation into former Rutgers athletic director Patrick Hobbs that could result in significant fines or bar him from holding a state job in the future. The commission is looking into whether Hobbs violated the state’s conflict-of-interest laws when he failed to recuse himself from personnel matters involving former Rutgers gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley while the two were engaged in a personal relationship.

New York – Anti-Mamdani PAC Made End Run Around Campaign Spending Rules

MSN – Greg Smith and Mia Hollie (The City) | Published: 11/12/2025

In the final days of the New York City mayoral campaign, a secretive PAC called Put NYC First steered more than $8 million from wealthy donors into independent spending committees attacking Zohran Mamdani and, in some cases, supporting Andrew Cuomo. A media investigation found Put NYC First and at least one of the independent spenders it funded appear to have secretly choreographed some of their efforts with Cuomo’s campaign, which is forbidden by campaign finance rules.

New York – Kennedy Grandson Jack Schlossberg Announces 2026 Congressional Bid

MSN – Victoria Bisset (Washington Post) | Published: 11/12/2025

Jack Schlossberg, grandson of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, announced he will run for Congress next year. Schlossberg said he would be seeking the Democratic nomination to replace longtime Rep. Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District. Schlossberg is the son of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg.

Oregon – Oregon Lawmakers Quietly Hire Their Family Members with Taxpayer Money – an Little Oversight

MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 11/8/2025

At least five legislative aides related to their boss have quietly collected taxpayer-funded paychecks this year while infrequently being spotted in the Oregon Capitol and leaving behind few traces of substantial work in records. This inconspicuous practice has flown under the radar partly because legislative aides are subject to few oversight or transparency requirements that are common in other government jobs, such as performance reviews or attendance tracking.

Oregon – Judge Rules Trump Administration Failed to Meet Legal Requirements for Deploying Troops to Portland

MSN – Claire Rush and Gene Johnson (Associated Press) | Published: 11/7/2025

A federal judge in Oregon ruled President Trump’s administration failed to meet the legal requirements for deploying the National Guard to Portland after the city and state sued to block the deployment. The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, followed a three-day trial in which both sides argued over whether protests at the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building met the conditions for using the military domestically under federal law.

Tennessee – Trump Pardons Former Tennessee House Speaker, Top Aide Awaiting Prison

MSN – Natalie Allison (Washington Post) | Published: 11/6/2025

President Donald Trump pardoned former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former top aide just weeks after they were sentenced to prison on public corruption charges. Casada was sentenced to three years in federal prison on charges related to a kickback and bribery arrangement involving the Legislature’s state-funded constituent mailer program. Cade Cothren, previously Casada’s chief of staff, was also convicted of fraud and related federal charges and sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.

Utah – Judge Adopts Utah Congressional Map Creating a Democratic-Leaning District for 2026

MSN – Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) | Published: 11/11/2025

A Utah judge rejected a new congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers, adopting an alternate proposal creating a Democratic-leaning district ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans hold all four of Utah’s U.S. House seats and had advanced a map poised to protect them. Judge Dianna Gibson ruled the Legislature’s new map “unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats.”

Wisconsin – Following Lead of Federal GOP, Wisconsin Lawmakers Take Up Credit Card Political Contributions Bill

Yahoo News – Baylor Spears (Wisconsin Examiner) | Published: 11/13/2025

Wisconsin lawmakers considered proposals to crack down on political contributions made with credit cards online and to provide additional information on constitutional amendment proposals to voters during a Senate Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs Committee meeting. Senate Bill 403 would prohibit a political committee, political party, or conduit from accepting contributions that are made with a credit card online unless the contributor provides their credit card verification value or code and the billing address associated with the card is located in the United States.

National/Federal

Trump’s Desire for Loyalist Prosecutors Threatens the Case Against Comey

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 10/22/2025

For months, the Trump administration’s unorthodox strategy to install and retain loyalists in key prosecutorial positions while bypassing Senate approval has roiled courts, drawn legal challenges, and earned condemnation from federal judges. Now, it threatens to imperil one of the cases the president cares about most. Lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey asked a judge to dismiss the case against him, arguing President Trump’s handpicked prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, was illegally appointed.

Dominion Voting, Trump and Fox’s Target After 2020, Gets a MAGA Makeover

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Patrick Marley, and Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) | Published: 10/23/2025

When a Republican businessperson announced he had purchased a voting equipment company at the center of MAGA conspiracy theories, he rebranded the company in a way that seemed designed to appease critics who falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from President Trump. But behind the scenes, the new owner of Dominion Voting Systems is sounding skeptical of those conspiracy theories. The discordant messages reflect the near-impossible task that election technology companies are facing.

With East Wing Gone, Questions Now Turn to Trump’s Ballroom Donors

MSN – Dan Diamond and Victoria Bisset (Washington Post) | Published: 10/24/2025

President Trump’s swift demolition of the White House’s East Wing stunned conservationists and many Americans. But ethics experts and Democrats say they are turning to a question related to the next phase of the project: whether the donors behind the planned $300 million ballroom that will replace the demolished annex will receive any benefits in return.

Nation’s Biggest Law Firms Back Off from Challenging Trump Policies

MSN – Shayna Jacobs, Clara Ence Morse, and Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2025

The largest law firms in the United States have been far less likely to challenge President Trump’s policies than they were during his first term, and smaller firms are carrying much more of the burden of high-stakes legal challenges, according to an analysis by The Washington Post. The shift by large firms has put a significant extra burden on small- and medium-sized firms.

Binance Founder’s Pardon Shows Power of Trump Allies on K Street

MSN – Daniel Barnes (Politico) | Published: 10/25/2025

President Trump’s pardon of Changpeng Zhao is a remarkable turn of fortune for the entrepreneur who just over a year ago was serving prison time for allowing money launderers access to his cryptocurrency trading platform. For Zhao and his company Binance, the pardon represents a fresh start in Washington, emblematic of Trump’s friendly attitude toward the crypto industry and soft approach to regulation. For the lobbyists who helped make the pardon happen, it is a show of force that embodies the shifting power on K Street toward firms with direct ties to the Oval Office.

Justice Dept. Says It Will Monitor Polls in California and New Jersey

MSN – Andrew Jeong (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2025

The Justice Department said it will monitor polling stations in six counties in California and New Jersey ahead of the November 4 general election, describing the move as routine and aimed at ensuring transparency and ballot security at the polls. The announcement triggered criticism from Democrats, who have a growing distrust in the Trump administration’s ability to act as a truly nonpartisan referee in elections.

Red States Are Preparing for an End to the Voting Rights Act

MSN – Andrew Howard (Politico) | Published: 10/28/2025

Some Republicans across the south are preparing to redraw their congressional maps to boot Democrats out of office if the Supreme Court issues a ruling on a case gutting the Voting Rights Act in time for the midterms. While such a decision is no sure thing, some states are nonetheless planning for the scenario. The potential scramble to redraw could completely reshape the midterms, and Democrats are already sounding the alarm.

World Leaders Wooing Trump Turn to a Common Present: Golf clubs

MSN – Matt Viser (Washington Post) | Published: 10/18/2025

Everywhere President Trump goes, it seems, dignitaries have decided that the way to his heart is through the game he loves. At least eight countries have given him golf clubs in his second term, according to a list from the State Department. The art of wooing Trump has taken new importance during his second term, as foreign leaders seek to ingratiate themselves with a mercurial president who is redefining America’s relationships with the world.

Trump Administration Uses Misleading Videos to Portray Chaos, Push Deportations

MSN – Drew Harwell and Joyce Sohyun Lee (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2025

Officials in the Trump administration used misleading footage in at least six videos promoting its immigration agenda shared in the last three months, muddying the reality of events in viral clips that have been viewed millions of times. Some videos that purported to show the chaos of Trump-targeted cities included footage from completely different states. One that claimed to show dramatic examples of past administrations’ failures instead featured border crossings and smuggling boats recorded during Trump’s first term.

White House Fires Arts Commission Expected to Review Trump Construction Projects

MSN – Dan Diamond (Washington Post) | Published: 10/28/2025

The White House fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency that had expected to review some of President Trump’s construction projects, including his planned triumphal arch and White House ballroom. The White House in July fired President Biden appointees from the National Capital Planning Commission, another urban-planning agency that is required to review external construction projects at the White House.

Meet the Senate Aide with a $44,000 Taxpayer-Funded Commute

MSN – Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 10/29/2025

The top aide to U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas charged $44,000 to taxpayers over the past two years in commuting expenses between Washington and Lynchburg, Virginia, where he lives. The reimbursements paid to Brent Robertson are legal and comply with congressional rules governing expense reimbursements, according to experts who reviewed his arrangement, but they also said it was highly unusual and at odds with the intent behind those rules.

2 U.S. Prosecutors Suspended After Describing Jan. 6 Attack as Carried Out by ‘Mob’

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2025

The Justice Department has placed two federal prosecutors in Washington on leave a day after they filed a document in court that referred to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were told they were being suspended just hours after they submitted a sentencing recommendation in a case against Taylor Taranto, accused of participating in the Capitol attack who is now facing sentencing for unrelated weapons charges.

Maine and Texas Are the Latest Fronts in Voting Battles, with Voter ID, Citizenship on the Ballot

MSN – Patrick White and John Hanna (Associated Press) | Published: 10/29/2025

Maine’s elections in recent years have been relatively free of problems, and verified cases of voter fraud are exceedingly rare. That is not stopping Republicans from pushing for major changes in the way the state conducts its voting. Maine is one of two states with election-related initiatives on the November 4 ballot. In Texas, Republicans are asking voters to make clear in the state constitution that people who are not U.S. citizens are ineligible to vote.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Ford Government to Raise Donation Limits, Scrap Fixed-Term Elections

MSN – Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mell (Global News) | Published: 10/27/2025

The provincial government announced it is planning to dramatically increase individual donation limits for political parties in Ontario, scrap fixed-term election dates, and allow governments to sit for five years in a potentially massive overhaul. The changes were not part of the Progressive Conservatives’ platform to fight against tariffs during the 2025 snap election, which they won in February. Duff Conacher, the co-founder of Democracy Watch, said if the changes pass, they would continue a pattern of more money entering provincial politics.

Alaska – Ranked-Choice Voting Opponents Fight Campaign Finance Fines at Alaska High Court

Courthouse News Service – Jeremy Yurow | Published: 10/29/2025

Alaska Supreme Court justices pressed attorneys on whether state campaign finance laws were violated when a businessperson funneled $90,000 through a church to fund efforts to repeal ranked-choice voting. Oral arguments in two related appeals centered on penalties totaling $94,000 imposed by the Alaska Public Offices Commission against Arthur Mathias, the Ranked Choice Education Association and other opponents of the state’s voting system. At the heart of the dispute is whether a penalty provision adopted as part of a ballot measure applies only to candidate elections or extends to ballot measure campaigns.

California – Prosecutor on High-Profile S.F. Corruption Case Tapped as City’s First Inspector General

MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/28/2025

A federal prosecutor who handled the bribery case against former Public Works director Mohammed Nuru was selected to become San Francisco’s top official tasked with rooting out corruption at City Hall. Alexandra Shepard will be the city’s first-ever inspector general if confirmed by the Board of Supervisors. Her hiring comes as San Francisco grapples with repeated episodes of alleged impropriety by government officials and nonprofit contractors, including former department heads who recently faced scrutiny over their conflicted relationships with city vendors.

California – Judge Rules Trump’s U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Is Serving Unlawfully

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 10/28/2025

A federal judge ruled President Trump’s acting U.S. attorney in Los Angeles has been “unlawfully serving in that role.” U.S. District Court Judge J. Michael Seabright concluded that Bill Essayli had served beyond the 120-day expiration date for that position and the administration’s efforts to keep him beyond that deadline did not withstand legal scrutiny. But the judge said Essayli could retain the job of first assistant in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California, allowing him to continue overseeing prosecutions in the region if no one else is appointed to the top role.

California – Feds Charge East Bay City Council Member in Corruption Case Linked to Sheng Thao

Yahoo News – Megan Cassidy (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/28/2025

Federal prosecutors have charged San Leandro City Councilperson Bryan Azevedo with two felonies related to what they described as a scheme to help a housing company win city contracts in exchange for kickbacks. Azevedo is the second East Bay elected official to face federal charges related to Evolutionary Homes, a company that sought to build modular housing for the homeless out of shipping containers. The company is not named in the charging documents, but its identity is clear from public records in the case.

District of Columbia – Eleanor Holmes Norton Scammed Out of Thousands of Dollars, DC Police Says

Yahoo News – Aaron Pellish (Politico) | Published: 10/24/2025

Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s long-serving delegate in Congress, was scammed out of thousands of dollars recently. A police report said the 88-year-old Norton’s credit card was charged with over $4,000 for services at her home. The incident was reported by Jacqueline Pelt, a longtime aide and Norton ally, who is listed in the report as living at Norton’s home. The internal report described Norton as having “early stages of dementia” and characterized Pelt as a caretaker with power of attorney for Norton.

Florida – Lobbyist Wrote Proposal Directing Florida to Buy Pricey 4 Acres in Destin

MSN – Max Chesnes and Emily Mahoney (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 10/29/2025

Florida politicians, including prominent Republicans, expressed outrage and confusion over a fast-tracked state purchase of four acres of sandy land in Destin for $83 million, raising questions about how the unusual deal bypassed typical safeguards for conservation buys. Newly obtained public records provide an answer. The proposal that led to the purchase came from a lobbyist representing the property owner who stands to profit.

Hawaii – Maui Ethics Board Is Reconsidering New Confidentiality Rule

Honolulu Civil Beat – Nathan Eagle | Published: 10/24/2025

The Maui Board of Ethics will not enforce a new rule that forces citizens to keep details about their pending ethics complaints confidential after considering public input this week. The reversal came after the board unanimously approved 44 new rule changes recently, including a provision that some members of the public called a “gag order.”

Illinois – Supreme Court Asks for More Briefs on Trump Push to Send Troops to Chicago

MSN – Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2025

The U.S. Supreme Court asked the Trump administration and Illinois officials for additional briefs on their dispute over whether President Trump can send troops to Chicago, pushing a decision on the matter into mid-November at the earliest. After the Trump administration had asked the Supreme Court on October 17 to allow the deployment to proceed, the court asked Illinois officials to respond within three days. The tight timeline suggested the justices could have potentially intended to rule on the matter quickly. The new request for more information could signal the justices are more split on the issue than they first appeared.

Illinois – Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Political Fund Returns $120K from PACs Connected to City Vendors

Yahoo News – Alice Yin (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/22/2025

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign last quarter returned $120,000 from two PACs both led by developers with active city contracts, the latest instances of his political fund giving back money amid ethical and accounting issues. Since being sworn in the mayor’s office, Johnson’s campaign has refunded almost $290,000 in contributions, made several amendments to its reports, and spent another $120,000 for compliance services.

Indiana – Indiana Governor Summons Lawmakers for Redistricting Session Amid National GOP Pressure

Yahoo News – Casey Smith (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 10/27/2025

Gov. Mike Braun called a special session to take up congressional redistricting, a politically charged move that follows months of mounting pressure from national Republicans to redraw Indiana’s map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Braun’s order sets the session for November 3 and said it will focus primarily on revising the state’s congressional boundaries, lines that were last redrawn in 2021 following the U.S. Census.

Maine – Former Hawai’i Defense Contractor Gets Prison Time for Illegal Donations

Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 10/20/2025

A former Hawaii defense contractor was sentenced to 33 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme that sent more than $200,000 in illegal campaign contributions to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and a super PAC that backed her 2020 bid for reelection. Kao’s illegal donations were made shortly after his firm won an $8 million contract that Collins secured funding for and celebrated alongside company executives during an August 2019 ceremony.

Maryland – Maryland’s Democratic Senate President Blocks Anti-Trump Redistricting Fight

MSN – Erin Cox and Katie Shepherd (Washington Post) | Published: 10/29/2025

Two of Maryland’s top Democrats have been eager to jump into the redistricting arms race unfolding across the country and draw boundaries that could oust the state’s lone congressional Republican from office, but the third Democrat needed to run that special session, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, has refused. Democrats hold the governor’s mansion and supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, making the state a target of national Democratic efforts to shore up the party’s power in the 2026 midterms and counteract the red states that have drawn new districts favoring a GOP majority.

Michigan – Michigan House Votes to Close Loophole Shielding Secretary of State from Campaign Finance Penalties

MSN – Michael Kransz (MLive) | Published: 10/29/2025

The Michigan House unanimously approved legislation that would close a loophole allowing the secretary of state to avoid punishment for campaign finance violations. The bill would grant the attorney general the authority to punish the secretary of state in the event of a violation of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. The bill now awaits consideration by the Senate.

New Jersey – NJ ELEC Votes to Allow Ciattarelli to Sue Sherrill for Defamation During Campaign

MSN – Molly Parks (Washington Examiner) | Published: 10/27/2025

Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli can sue his opponent, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, during their race to be New Jersey’s next governor. The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) issued an advisory opinion saying as long as Ciattarelli uses his own personal funds, he can file a defamation lawsuit against Sherrill. Ciattarelli sought an opinion from ELEC to ensure that a lawsuit before Election Day would not violate any campaign finance laws.

New Jersey – ‘Corruption Doesn’t Go Away.’ Why the New Head of NJ’s Top Watchdog Still Believes in SCI

Yahoo News – Mike Davis and Michael Diamond (Asbury Park Press) | Published: 10/29/2025

Nearly 60 years after it was established, the State Commission of Investigation (SCI) is at a crossroads. Staff members are fleeing, their faith in the agency’s top leadership shaken to its core. The agency has not published any investigative reports in a year. Legislative leaders have openly debated SCI’s future, wondering if there are too many government watchdogs in a state often used as a punchline for corruption. The commission named Bruce Keller as its new executive director to stabilize the agency.

New York – Transparency Advocate Rejected from Ethics Commission Plans to Sue

New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/22/2025

A longtime state ethics commissioner is planning to sue New York’s ethics commission after his nomination to join a new iteration of the body was rejected. Gary Lavine served as a member of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) for a decade, where he ruffled feathers as he pushed for the panel to become more transparent and criticized then-Governor Andrew Cuomo’s influence over the body. JCOPE commission was disbanded in 2022 and replaced by the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. This year, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay nominated Lavine to serve on the replacement body.

North Dakota – Governor Wants ‘Reset’ from North Dakota Ethics Commission as Committee Deadlocks on Candidates

Yahoo News – Jacob Orledge (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 10/23/2025

Ethics Commission reached a stalemate after Gov. Kelly Armstrong refused to reappoint incumbent Murray Sagsveen. Armstrong argued the Ethics Commission needs a “general reset,” citing a strained relationship with executive branch agencies. Armstrong also disagreed with a response Sagsveen gave during the selection process in which he said the North Dakota Legislature has passed laws to limit the commission’s authority, in violation of the state constitution.

Oregon – Appeals Court to Review Order Letting Trump Send Guard to Oregon

MSN – Erik Larson (Bloomberg) | Published: 10/28/2025

A federal appeals court agreed to reconsider a ruling that would allow President Trump to send National Guard troops to Portland, stalling the deployment again just as Oregon’s lawsuit challenging the plan heads to trial in a lower court. The decision by the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals extends a temporary block on Trump’s deployment of troops to Portland, where he claims federal property and personnel are at risk from out-of-control protesters.

Pennsylvania – Harrisburg Mayor Fined by Ethics Commission for Using City Dumpster for Personal Trash

MSN – Tirzah Christopher (PennLive) | Published: 10/24/2025

The Pennsylvania Ethics Commission ordered Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams to pay a $912.70 fine for instructing city employees to deliver a city-owned dumpster to her home for her personal use. Williams agreed to pay the fine instead of going through a hearing, which the commission said would have found her in violation of state ethics laws.

Pennsylvania – Why Tracking Spending in This Year’s Critical Pa. Supreme Court Retention Races Is So Difficult

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer | Published: 10/29/2025

How much are state and national groups spending to flood the airwaves, fill mailboxes, and buy up digital ads ahead of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention elections? That is a harder question to answer than one might think, thanks to a mix of lagging reporting, weakly enforced rules, and a campaign finance system that requires little transparency. Many groups are trying to sway voters through independent expenditures, which are often made by groups that cannot legally give to candidates, including nonprofits that do not have to disclose their donors.

Tennessee – Former Rep. Robin Smith Sentenced to 8 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Corruption Conspiracy

Yahoo News – Sofia Saric (Chattanooga Times Free Press) | Published: 10/24/2025

Former state Rep. Robin Smith was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for her role in a corruption conspiracy described as a scheme to steal from Tennessee and its citizens through the General Assembly’s taxpayer-funded constituent mail program. Smith, ex-Speaker Glen Casada and his one-time chief of staff, Cade Cothren, all played a part in a scheme to illegally profit off the taxpayer-funded constituent mail program from October 2019 to early January 2021.

Texas – State Scrutinizes Payments from Dallas County Probation Department to Austin Consultant

MSN – Tracey McManus (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 10/22/2025

The selection process for three seats on the North Dakota When Dallas County’s adult probation director, Arnold Patrick, cut a $32,800 check to a contractor in May, he said it was to replace checks issued two years earlier the consultant forgot to cash. Patrick hired a lobbyist in 2023 to screen and handle vendors doing business with the probation department. But during the year Eric Knustrom was under contract with the Dallas County agency, he did not perform core duties of the agreement. While Knustrom was not fulfilling his contract, emails show the lobbyist was working pro bono on legislative issues with Patrick and a group the two men had launched to splinter from the state probation association.

Virginia – University of Virginia Reaches Deal to Pause Trump Administration Probes

MSN – Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff and Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) | Published: 10/22/2025

The Justice Department reached an agreement with the University of Virginia to pause several investigations into the school, after a months-long dispute that led to the resignation of its president. The agreement includes no monetary penalty and no external monitoring. But it requires the university to agree to follow federal guidance to ensure it does not engage in what the Trump administration considers “unlawful racial discrimination in its university programming, admissions, hiring, or other activities.” Some legal experts have questioned the guidance as an overly broad interpretation of a recent Supreme Court ruling.

Virginia – Virginia Democrats Are the Next Surprising Entrant into the Redistricting Battle

Yahoo News – Brakkton Booker, Andrew Howard, and Liz Crampton (Politico) | Published: 10/23/2025

Virginia Democrats are poised to enter the nationwide redistricting battle, according to three Democrats familiar with the plans, taking on an effort to redraw the state’s congressional lines just days before closely watched elections in the state. The surprise effort would need to come together quickly, and it could face procedural and political hurdles. Virginia has a constitutionally mandated process that hands redistricting over to a bipartisan commission, and the decision to circumnavigate or eliminate that commission must ultimately go in front of voters.

Washington – Meta Appeals $35M Campaign Finance Fine at WA Supreme Court

Yahoo News – Jake Goldstein-Street (Washington State Standard) | Published: 10/28/2025

Court to overturn what the Washington attorney general has called the largest campaign finance penalty in the nation’s history. Meta argues the state campaign finance law used to justify the $35 million fine violates the First Amendment. The company also argues the punishment, for not providing required records for digital campaign advertisements hosted on its platform, is excessive and misguided. The state says provisions of the law are necessary to inform voters about who is spending money to influence Washington elections.

West Virginia – Morrisey Trips Fuel Conflict-of-Interest Concern Stemming from First Lady’s Lobbying

Logan Banner – Mike Tony (Charleston Gazette-Mail) | Published: 10/25/2025

Ethics experts say West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s wife accompanying him on state-funded, health policy-focused trips to Washington while she has been a health care industry lobbyist presents conflict-of-interest concerns. State records indicate Denise Morrisey traveled with the governor on four taxpayer-supported flights to Washington from February to April 2025 at a cost of just under $15,000.

National/Federal

Former Trump Aide John Bolton Indicted Over Handling of Classified Material

MSN – Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck, and Katie Mettler (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2025

John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Trump who has become one of his fiercest critics, was indicted on charges of mishandling classified and sensitive material. The indictment charged Bolton with 18 counts of transmitting or retaining national defense information. The charges each carry a maximum 10-year prison sentence should he be convicted. The case makes Bolton the third target of the president to face criminal prosecution in less than a month.

‘No Kings’ Protests Against Trump Bring a Street Party Vibe to Cities Nationwide

MSN – Mike Pesoli and Gary Fields (Associated Press) | Published: 10/18/2025

Protesting the direction of the country under President Trump, people gathered in the nation’s capital and communities big and small across the U.S. for “No Kings” demonstrations. With signs such as “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting,” in many places the events looked more like a street party. There were marching bands, a huge banner with the U.S. Constitution’s “We The People” preamble that people could sign, and demonstrators wearing inflatable costumes, particularly frogs, which have emerged as a sign of resistance in Portland.

Pentagon Press Confronts New Reality of Trump Era: Being banned from the Pentagon

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 10/19/2025

When a throng of military journalists relinquished their credentials after refusing to sign the Defense Department’s new restrictive press policy, it ended more than 80 years of in-building coverage by major news organizations. With only 14 individuals agreeing to the rules, dozens of outlets are confronting a new reality: the challenges of covering the Defense Department from purely outside of its five-sided nerve center on the Potomac.

George Santos, Freed by Trump, Says He Wants to Reform American Prisons

MSN – Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 10/19/2025

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who served 84 days in federal prison before receiving a presidential commutation, says he knows what he wants to do with his life now that he is no longer incarcerated. “There is nothing more that I want to do than to focus and dedicate my entire life to prison reform,” Santos said. President Trump, whom Santos has staunchly supported, issued a presidential commutation exempting him from the remainder of his sentence, all financial penalties, and any need for probation.

How Trump 2.0 Blew Up Lobbying

MSN – Brendan Bordelon, Amanda Chu, and Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 10/19/2025

After decades of “revolving door” culture, K Street is grappling with a new normal for how influence works in the nation’s capital. In Donald Trump’s second administration, American policy influence has shifted from its previous channels – agency officials, top lawmakers, and staffers on key congressional committees – to a new reality where change comes suddenly from the top.

Appeals Court Panel Appears Skeptical of Trump Admin’s Maneuvers to Keep Alina Habba in Place

MSN – Ry Rivard and Erica Orden (Politico) | Published: 10/20/2025

A panel of federal appeals court judges appeared skeptical of President Trump’s use of unconventional methods to install loyalists as top prosecutors without Senate confirmation. A trio of judges from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals questioned the multistep process the Trump administration used to designate his former personal attorney Alina Habba the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey and keep her there even after District Court judges sought to replace her. In August, a lower-court judge ruled that Habba is serving unlawfully, and the Trump administration is appealing that determination.

Trump’s Special Counsel Nominee Withdraws

MSN – Meryl Kornfield, Theodoric Meyer, and Cleve Wootson Jr. (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2025

Paul Ingrassia, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, withdrew his nomination after it became clear he does not have the votes to be confirmed, following reports he texted other Republicans racist slurs and said he had “a Nazi streak.” At least five Senate Republicans said they opposed Ingrassia’s nomination, enough to block his confirmation if all senators are voting, and no Democrats support him.

Trump Has Claimed Millions from the Government. He Could Order Payment.

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2025

Ever since his inauguration in January, President Trump has sat uncharacteristically silent in the face of a potential windfall of more than $100 million from U.S. taxpayers. As a private citizen, he claimed he was entitled to money to compensate him for what he calls political investigations he underwent. As president, he could now, in effect, order that government to pay him. If the payment came in the form of a settlement, the White House might be under no immediate legal obligation to disclose it to the public.

Trump Refugee Plan Seeks 7,000 Afrikaners – and Virtually No One Else

MSN – Adam Taylor and Teo Armus (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2025

The Trump administration’s plan to overhaul the U.S. refugee resettlement process, including a drastic reduction in overall annual admissions, coincides with a concerted effort to prepare thousands of White South Africans to relocate to the United States through the system. If the administration succeeds, almost all people admitted to the U.S. as refugees, as many as 7,000 from a maximum potential pool of 7,500, could be Afrikaners, a group not traditionally eligible for the program but one that President Trump says has been tyrannized by South Africa’s Black majority.

Study Reveals Corporate Directors on Charity Boards Drive Pro-Corporate Lobbying

MSN – Science X staff | Published: 10/16/2025

A study in Management Science finds that public charities with corporate directors on their boards are significantly more likely to lobby on behalf of the connected firms’ political interests. The research found nonprofit governance structures can quietly serve as extensions of corporate influence into the political process, raising questions about transparency and accountability in the nonprofit sector.

From Industry to EPA: Lobbyist now oversees pesticide rules

Seattle Times – Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) | Published: 10/21/2025

Until recently, Kyle Kunkler was the top lobbyist for America’s soybean industry. In that job, he once boasted of helping to keep a controversial weedkiller called dicamba in use, likening his back-and-forth with regulators to a tennis match full of “rocketing volleys.” Now he is that regulator. In June, Kunkler was named the Trump administration’s top official in charge of pesticide policy at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Less than a month later, the EPA proposed allowing the use of herbicides containing dicamba, a chemical whose use has twice been restricted by a federal court.

K Street Rakes in Hundreds of Millions Off of Trump Upheaval

Yahoo Finance – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 10/22/2025

Some of K Street’s biggest lobbying firms raked in unprecedented amounts of cash last quarter. But it is the upstart firms with ties to President Trump or his administration that have been drowning in lobbying fees, lapping their more established rivals as Trump’s second term continues to scramble the hierarchy of the influence industry.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Fontes Says Candidates Can Use Campaign Cash for Personal Security

Arizona Capitol Times – Reagan Priest | Published: 10/5/2025

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes says he will not open campaign finance complaints against candidates who use campaign funds for personal security in the wake of increased political violence. Fontes noted that spending campaign funds on security is not expressly prohibited by state law, but it is not explicitly addressed either. The move highlights the growing need for caution among candidates and a gray area in Arizona’s campaign finance laws.

Arizona – Arizona AG Sues Over Speaker Mike Johnson Refusing to Seat New House Member

MSN – Patrick Marley and Paul Kane (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2025

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sued the U.S. House because Speaker Mike Johnson has declined to swear in the state’s newest member of Congress. Democrat Adelita Grijalva won a September special election to replace her father. In the month since she won, Johnson has refused to swear her in and give her the powers of her office. Grijalva has promised to provide the final signature needed for a discharge petition that would force a vote on releasing federal investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Arizona – Judge Dismisses Case Alleging Hobbs Administration Played Favorites in Marijuana Dispute

USA Today – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 10/17/2025

A Maricopa County judge rejected a lawsuit brought by a marijuana entrepreneur that, on top of its legal claims, alleged Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ administration favored a donor to Hobbs’ political operation in a licensing dispute. Mason Cave and his company, Arizona Wellness Center Springerville, argued in lawsuit the Department of Health Services violated the state constitution’s gift clause when it awarded the Trulieve subsidiary a special type of marijuana license.

California – San Jose Scratches Head Over Official’s Ethical Dilemma

MSN – Brandon Pho (San Jose Spotlight) | Published: 10/17/2025

The San Jose Police Department pays $55,000 a month to rent an evidence warehouse on Monterey Road. The owner is a San Jose official who votes on police spending. Councilperson Michael Mulcahy is the managing partner of his private, family-owned real estate firm SDS NexGen Partners, which has leased the warehouse to the city since 2003. The situation is raising questions about the fine lines of San Jose’s and California’s conflict-of-interest laws.

California – Newsom Signs Law Forcing Lawmakers to Disclose New Jobs

MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 10/16/2025

California’s elected and appointed officials will now have to tell the public when they have accepted a job offer from a new employer that might seek favors from them while they are still in a position of power. Assemblyperson Tasha Boerner introduced the bill in response to a CalMatters story last year that highlighted how lawmakers were not required to tell the public if they were negotiating or had accepted a job with an organization trying to get something from the Legislature.

California – Ethics Panel Rejects $17,500 Fine for L.A. City Council Candidate; 2 Members Say It’s Not Enough

MSN – Noah Goldberg (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/22/2025

As a Los Angeles City Council aide, Jose Ugarte failed to disclose years’ worth of outside income he made from lobbying and consulting and, as a result, was prepared to pay a fine. But the city’s Ethics Commission rejected a $17,500 settlement agreement with the council candidate. Two commissioners said the fine was not quite large enough.

Colorado – Dark Money Group That Spent Big in Colorado’s Democratic Primaries Approved Funding for Vail Retreat for State Lawmakers, Lobbyists

Colorado Sun – Taylor Dolven and Jesse Paul | Published: 10/17/2025

A dark money group that has spent big in Democratic legislative primaries in Colorado to help more moderate candidates agreed to pay $25,000 to fund a hotel room block for a recent retreat in Vail where more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers mingled with lobbyists. Andrew Short, executive director of the nonprofit, One Main Street Colorado, asked the organization’s board in to approve the funds for the Opportunity Caucus event, according to an email.

Connecticut – Kosta Diamantis Guilty on All Charges in Corruption Trial

Connecticut Public – Andrew Brown and Dave Altimari (CT Mirror) | Published: 10/22/2025

Konstantinos Diamantis, Connecticut’s former deputy budget director, was found guilty of using his position overseeing the state’s school construction office to enrich himself and his family. Federal prosecutors presented a mountain of evidence that showed Diamantis negotiated payments from Acranom Masonry and a $45-per-hour job for his daughter with Construction Advocacy Professionals. Several witnesses said Diamantis used his influence at the state’s school building office to help those companies win lucrative construction contracts.

Georgia – Georgia Voter Turnout Groups Are Closing, Raising Questions About Democratic Strength

MSN – Charlotte Kramon and Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 10/16/2025

Two Georgia voter turnout groups credited with chipping away at Republicans’ edge in the state announced they are closing down, raising questions about whether Democratic organizing can be sustained in Georgia, where breakthroughs have yet to overturn overall Republican control of the state. Founded by Democrat Stacey Abrams in 2013 to register and turn out more nonwhite and young voters, the nonpartisan New Georgia Project, along with its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund, had been a political force.

Hawaii – New Maui Ethics Board Rules Silence Citizens with Pending Complaints

Honolulu Civil Beat – Nathan Eagle | Published: 10/23/2025

The Maui Board of Ethics unanimously approved sweeping new rule changes, including what several members of the public described as a gag order against anyone who files an ethics complaint against a county employee or elected official. Most of the 44 changes were in response to a county charter amendment voters approved last year to give the board greater independence and improve its operational efficiency.

Illinois – Illinois Elections Board Divided, Meaning Nearly $10 Million Fine Against Senate President Don Harmon Unlikely

Yahoo News – Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/21/2025

The Illinois State Board of Elections split evenly along party lines on Senate President Don Harmon’s appeal of a recommendation that he violated campaign finance laws, making it unlikely it has the legal authority to impose a nearly $10 million fine against him for accepting political contributions in excess of legal limits. Deadlocked board members agreed to hold the issue over until the board’s scheduled November meeting at the latest, as its legal staff explored what, if any, past precedents provide guidance on the situation.

Illinois – ‘Political Opposition Is Not Rebellion’: Chicago appeals court leaves judge’s order barring National Guard deployment intact

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/16/2025

Saying “political opposition is not rebellion,” a federal appeals court in Chicago denied the Trump administration’s request for an emergency stay of a lower court judge’s order barring the president from deploying National Guard troops in the city and state. In its ruling, the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals said the findings by U.S. District Court Judge April Perry were not “clearly erroneous” and “the facts do not justify” President Trump’s actions.

Indiana – Indiana Republicans Don’t Have Votes for New Congressional Map Trump Wants

MSN – Brianna Tucker and Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 10/22/2025

The Indiana Legislature lacks the votes to pass a congressional redistricting plan ahead of the 2026 midterms. The resistance marks President Trump’s first major setback amid his nationwide redistricting push. It also comes despite Indiana’s Republican supermajority – the party holds 40 of the state Senate’s 50 seats.

Kansas – Kansas Secretary of State Seeks to Improve Efficiency of Filing Campaign, Lobbying Reports

Yahoo News – Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 10/21/2025

The Kansas secretary of state’s office recommended streamlining the processing of campaign finance records, lobbying reports, and statements of economic interest by filing those documents directly with the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission. State law mandates the secretary of state operate the government’s intake center for these documents, but his office does almost nothing with the records before transferring each to the ethics commission.

Kansas – Wichita Has New Rules for Reporting Contributions. So Far, Candidates Haven’t Followed Them

Yahoo News – Chance Swaim (Wichita Eagle) | Published: 10/19/2025

Wichita City Council races have failed to follow the city’s campaign finance ordinance. The candidates filed their typical, state-required reports showing campaign fundraising and expenses with the Sedgwick County Election Office. But they have not followed new city rules that were supposed to add transparency to elections, specifically about donations from business owners who “stack” contributions by giving the maximum amount to candidates multiple times using different limited liability companies. That was not the only problem.

Kentucky – Power Tug of War Between Beshear, GOP Legislature Takes Center Stage at KY Supreme Court

Yahoo News – McKenna Horsley (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 10/16/2025

The Kentucky Supreme Court must once again balance power between the state’s executive and legislative branches. The court heard oral arguments in two cases involving the separation of powers between Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican office holders. One case centered on a law that shifts control of the State Fair Board from the governor to the agriculture commissioner. The second restructures the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, allowing each of the constitutional officers (except the lieutenant governor) to appoint a member.

Maine – Sheriff Directed Investigation into Maine Lawmaker Over Dropped Electioneering Charges

Yahoo News – Callie Ferguson (Bangor Daily News) | Published: 10/18/2025

Hancock County Sheriff Scott Kane ordered the criminal investigation that led to a recently dismissed charge against Maine Rep. Nina Milliken, who was accused of illegally campaigning at a polling place. The documents shed light on the origins of a criminal investigation into a misdemeanor crime that is rarely, if ever, prosecuted. It provided a clearer look at initial evidence in the case, which primarily consisted of interviews with witnesses who gave conflicting accounts. A prosecutor dismissed the case after getting new evidence.

Maine – Latest Filings in Campaign Finance Court Battle Argue Maine Has Legal Right to Regulate Super PACs

Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 10/22/2025

An appeal was filed in the First Circuit Court of Appeals after a U.S. District Court ruled a 2024 Maine law passed by voters was unconstitutional. The law placed limits on contributions to super PACs. Those behind the referendum make the case in their brief that Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission actually allows for super PACs to be regulated and a later decision that interpreted otherwise, and permitted unlimited spending by corporations, misinterpreted the landmark ruling.

Michigan – Oakland County IT Contract Awarded to Employee’s Company Violated Law, Investigation Finds

MSN – Dave Boucher (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 10/21/2025

Someone in Oakland County violated state law when a private company owned by a county employee received a six-figure contract, according to a private law firm’s investigation. But county officials do not believe criminal charges are needed. Instead, they hope policy changes, including making many employees acknowledge the county’s standards of conduct policy before they can apply for benefits, will prevent similar misconduct in the future.

New Jersey – Judge Weighs Arguments to Dismiss McIver’s Charges in Detention Center Case

Yahoo News – Steve Strunsky (Newark Star-Ledger) | Published: 10/22/2025

Lawyers for U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver argued in federal court that charges stemming from a scuffle at an immigrant detention center in Newark should be dismissed because she was fulfilling her congressional oversight duties and because the government was engaged in selective enforcement. McIver was indicted on three counts of assaulting, resisting, and obstructing federal officers. She and others were trying to prevent the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on a trespassing charge that was dropped 13 days later.

New York – New York GOP Suspends Young Republicans Chapter After Racist Chat Messages

MSN – Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 10/17/2025

New York Republican Party officials suspended its Young Republicans chapter after racist and antisemitic chat messages shared among its members were made public, offering an unfiltered look at how some of the GOP’s up-and-coming leaders communicate in private. The vote came in response to a report on a tranche of leaked messages among leaders of Young Republican groups around the country. They reportedly sent messages that used racist and homophobic slurs, as well as praise for Adolf Hitler.

New York – Orange County IDA Seeks to Scrap Oversight Role as Lawmakers Object

Yahoo News – Nora Mishanec (Albany Times Union) | Published: 10/16/2025

The future of a state-appointed monitor for the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is once again the subject of a fight between the powerful economic development body and the state senator who has long criticized how it operates. More than two years after New York lawmakers approved hiring a forensic accountant to scrutinize the IDA’s decisions and operations, the agency’s leaders voted to hire an Albany lobbying firm to persuade those same lawmakers to get rid of the monitor at the end of his three-year term in May.

North Carolina – Developer Agreed to $15 Million Road for NC Town, but Lawmakers Paid the Bill

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 10/22/2025

At a Mooresville town board meeting three years ago, a developer pitched a plan for building 560 single-family homes and apartments. The developers promised a $15 million road through the middle of its development that would help alleviate traffic congestion in the town. But a year later, the state budget bill included a $15 million appropriation of state funds for the road. A media investigation into how lawmakers passed off a developer’s $15 million commitment onto the public shows how an interconnected group of lawmakers, lobbyists, and insiders worked behind closed doors with little public notice.

North Carolina – Republicans Advance Trump’s Redistricting Fight into Swing-State North Carolina

NPR – Adam Wagner | Published: 10/22/2025

North Carolina is the first swing state to draw new congressional districts amid a nationwide arms race between Republicans and Democrats to secure additional seats ahead of next year’s midterm election. Republican legislative leaders announced they wanted to redraw the map with the aim of winning 11 of the state’s 14 congressional districts. The GOP currently controls 10 of the seats. To accomplish that, Republicans focused on the First Congressional District, which is the state’s only swing district and has been represented by Black lawmakers for decades.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Ethics Commission Sues Rep. Ajay Pittman as AG Agents Search Capitol Office

MSN – Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) | Published: 10/17/2025

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission accused state Rep. Ajay Pittman in a civil case of fraud on the same day state agents ramped up a criminal investigation of her by searching her office at the Capitol. Pittman is accused in the lawsuit of committing fraud during settlement negotiations in a campaign finance case and on documents submitted as proof she was reimbursing her campaigns. The Oklahoman has reported the attorney general’s office is looking into her campaign spending.

Oregon – The Clock Is Ticking for Oregon Officials to Deliver on Campaign Finance Reform. Will They Do It?

MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/18/2025

When Oregon legislators approved limits on political contributions, they promised they would soon move beyond the basics of the law and deliver needed clarifications and improvements on how it would work. But more than a year into that process, efforts by the secretary of state’s office to limit the role of money in politics have stalled, despite Oregonians’ strong support for such restrictions. Progress has been impeded by vague guidance from lawmakers and insufficient funding, raising the odds of a bungled rollout that could leave loopholes in the campaign finance system.

Oregon – Appeals Court Sides with Trump on Troop Deployment to Portland ICE Building

MSN – Maxine Bernstein (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/20/2025

A federal appellate court allowed President Trump to maintain federal control over the Oregon National Guard and deploy troops until the case is fully litigated in court. But the ruling does not mean troops will be on the ground immediately in Portland. Lawyers for the state and city of Portland pledged to file a motion asking for swift reconsideration by a larger contingent of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Oregon – Officials at the Heart of Oregon’s Data Center Scandal Had a Tangle of Conflicting Roles

MSN – Mike Rogoway (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/22/2025

The directors of a small Oregon nonprofit called Inland Development Corporation voted in 2017 to cut a $145,000 check to another nonprofit, Morrow Development, where state Rep. Greg Smith moonlighted as a contract employee. Immediately afterward, Inland named Smith and two others to its board of directors. They replaced three board members who resigned at that meeting. Smith and Inland’s other two new directors approved the sale of its most valuable asset, a fiber-optic provider called Windwave Communications, to a cadre of Inland insiders, including the three men who had just resigned from the nonprofit’s board.

National/Federal

Bari Weiss to Be Named Top Editor at CBS News

MSN – Will Oremus, Caroline O’Donovan, and Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2025

The newly formed media giant Paramount Skydance will acquire the Free Press, an online publication, and install its founder, Bari Weiss, as editor in chief of CBS News. The move heralds a new era at the 98-year-old broadcast network, whose corporate parents made moves to address the Trump administration’s allegations of liberal bias as they sought approval for an $8 billion merger that was finalized in August.

Democrats’ Defiance on Shutdown Shows a New, Tougher Approach to Trump

MSN – Naftali Bendavid and Yasmeen Abutaleb (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2025

Democrats’ defiant approach to the current government shutdown reflects a party mood that has shifted dramatically as a growing number of Democrats inside and outside Washington are embracing all-out confrontation with President Trump. Only a few months ago, some leading voices in the party, stunned by Trump’s broad election win, were counseling against picking unnecessary fights or appearing to reject the voters’ will. But in this shutdown battle, and a growing number of political fights around the country, it is harder to find Democrats arguing against forceful resistance.

States Try Getting Tough on Political Violence After Charlie Kirk Killing

MSN – Daniel Han and Natalie Fertig (Politico) | Published: 10/4/2025

Charlie Kirk’s murder spurred efforts to get tough on political violence in statehouses around the country. But states had been grappling with different types of legislation to stem the violence in a year that has been full of it, from the arson attack against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman. Political violence experts said legislation could be practical in mitigating some acts of violence, though not a panacea.

Trump Officials Keep Talking About DOJ’s Biggest Prosecutions – Putting Cases in Jeopardy

MSN – Erica Orden (Politico) | Published: 10/5/2025

President Trump is deploying the Justice Department to punish and prosecute his perceived enemies and advance his political agenda. But his color commentary, and that of senior members of his administration, about the cases is threatening to derail them in court. Public comments by Trump and high-ranking officials including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have already become flashpoints in high-profile cases.

Justice Department Takes Case Against Trump Supporter to Trial

MSN – James Fanelli (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 10/5/2025

A Justice Department firmly in Donald Trump’s control is in the unusual position of putting on trial one of the president’s supporters and dredging up allegations of Chinese money flowing into his unsuccessful 2020 re-election effort. Prosecutors charged Xinyue Lou during the Biden administration. He is accused of orchestrating a straw-donor scheme to circumvent contribution limits. Prosecutors said he recruited and reimbursed donors to a 2019 fundraiser at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with the goal of helping Chinese nationals attend.

Trump Official Bypassed Ethics Rules in Criminal Referrals of Fed Governor and Other Foes, Sources Say

MSN – Marisa Taylor and Chris Prentice (Reuters) | Published: 10/6/2025

The Trump appointee accusing the president’s political foes of mortgage fraud skipped over his agency’s inspector general when making criminal referrals, bypassing rules meant to ensure that federal officials do not abuse their power for partisan purposes. Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, earlier this year made criminal referrals against targets including Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor whom President Trump has tried to dismiss, for alleged crimes related to their mortgages.

Judges Appointed by Trump Keep Ruling Against Him. He’s Not Happy About It.

MSN – Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 10/6/2025

While President Trump and his allies have spent all year leveling pointed attacks at Democratic judicial appointees, labeling them rogue insurrectionists and radicals, the president is increasingly facing stark rejections from people he put on the bench. The brushbacks have come mainly from District Court judges, who occupy the lowest level of the three-tiered federal judiciary. In some cases in which Trump-appointed judges have heard Trump-related cases, they have delivered sweeping warnings about the expansion of executive power, the erosion of checks and balances and have criticized his attacks on judges writ large.

James Comey Pleads Not Guilty to Criminal Charges Following Trump Pressure to Prosecute

MSN – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 10/8/2025

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty in his first appearance in court as a criminal defendant in a case that has roiled the Justice Department and prompted outcry that President Trump is weaponizing criminal charges against his enemies. The judge set a January 5, 2026, trial date. Comey is facing two felony charges stemming from his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020, when he discussed leading the FBI amid an investigation into ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.

Conservative Push for Charlie Kirk Statues Revives Debate on Memorials

MSN – Kelsey Ables and Katie Tarrant (Washington Post) | Published: 10/8/2025

It was not long after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot that pitches for monuments to the 31-year-old conservative activist began to surface. The push for such monuments, particularly at college campuses, is unusual, experts say. Many figures given statues in the U.S. have been deceased for decades. The effort reflects how Kirk, a star among young conservatives but also divisive for his controversial rhetoric on race, sexuality, and other issues, has been hailed by the right as a kind of martyr.

Trump Is Complicating the GOP’s Anti-Censorship Campaign

MSN – Naomi Nix and Will Oremus (Washington Post) | Published: 10/9/2025

For years, Republicans have denounced tech companies’ policies barring hateful and misleading posts, alleging that a sweeping liberal censorship operation led by the Biden administration was forcing social media platforms to suppress conservative voices. That campaign is running into an awkward new obstacle: President Trump’s efforts to rein in liberal speech.

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s Appeal

MSN – Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2025

The Supreme Court said it would not hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal of her sex-trafficking conviction, declining to consider arguments from the imprisoned associate of deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein that she was improperly prosecuted. The Epstein case and the prosecution of Maxwell have been an issue for the Trump administration for months. The case has long fueled conspiracy theories and speculation, and the decision not to release further Epstein-related files ignited outrage among President Trump’s right-wing base.

Jose Uribe Gets No Jail Time After Cooperating in Menendez Trial

MSN – Kristie Cattafi and Katie Sobko (Bergen Record) | Published: 10/9/2025

The star witness in former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s federal corruption and bribery trial was sentenced to no jail time after cooperating with the federal prosecutors and pleading guilty to federal charges last year. Jose Uribe, one of three New Jersey businesspeople indicted alongside Menendez, spent several days during Menendez’s trial testifying against the then-senator and admitted bribing him. Instead of prison, Uribe was sentenced to home detention for six months and three years of supervision.

Trump Fires Black Officials from an Overwhelmingly White Administration

Seattle Times – Elisabeth Bumiller and Erica Green (New York Times) | Published: 10/8/2025

There have been a series of firings of Black officials from high-profile positions in an overwhelmingly white Trump administration that has banished all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government. While there are no statistics on firings by race, an examination of the people Trump is appointing to fill those and other jobs shows a stark trend. Of President Trump’s 98 Senate-confirmed appointees to the administration’s most senior leadership roles in its first 200 days, only two, or two percent, are Black.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Ontario Labour Minister Attended Lobbyist’s Wedding After Granting His Clients Millions in Training Funds

The Trillum – Charlie Pinkerton and Jack Hauen | Published: 10/8/2025

Ontario Labour Minister David Piccini attended the wedding of a lobbyist after his office awarded the lobbyist’s clients millions of dollars through a training fund program the province’s auditor general recently described as “not fair, transparent or accountable.” Piccini, who has final say over who receives money through the $2.5-billion Skills Development Fund, was in Paris to attend the wedding of Michael Rudderham, a lobbyist and longtime friend of the minister.

California – Favors & Deals at CapRadio

MSN – Ishani Desai (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 10/6/2025

Two influential Capital Public Radio (CapRadio) leaders skirted guardrails intended to fortify the nonprofit against ethical lapses and steered $1.1 million in contracts to a former board treasurer’s company. Western Contract, a company owned by Bill Yee, who was CapRadio’s board treasurer, secured two deals with CapRadio, the first for about $126,000 and the second for roughly $992,000. Records show Yee offered personal favors to Jun Reina, who was CapRadio’s chief financial officer, while brokering these transactions and succeeded in bypassing the competitive bid process.

California – Nonprofit Wins Ruling Over S.F. in Bribery Probe; City Officials Call Decision ‘Bizarre’

Yahoo News – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/9/2025

A San Francisco nonprofit accused of misappropriating public dollars and bribing a former city official will not be barred from doing business with the city, an official ruled in the administrative case against the organization. The ruling by hearing officer Andrea McGary in the case against Collective Impact is the first significant legal decision in the yearslong episode surrounding the nonprofit and its ties to Sheryl Davis, the former executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

Colorado – Denver Board of Ethics ‘Appalled’ by Denver International Airport Spending on Overseas Conference

MSN – Brian Maass (KCNC) | Published: 10/3/2025

The city’s Board of Ethics cleared Denver International Airport and its chief executive officer, Phil Washington, of an ethics violation related to a trip to a conference in Madrid earlier this year. But the board said it was “appalled by both the amount of funds that were expended for this conference and by Mr. Washington’s seemingly cavalier attitude in responding to this complaint.”

Connecticut – Kosta Diamantis Bribery Trial Begins Following Multiyear Probe

Connecticut Public Radio – Andrew Brown (CT Mirror) | Published: 10/6/2025

The federal criminal trial of Konstantinos Diamantis, a former state deputy budget director who is accused of using his position overseeing Connecticut’s school building program to solicit tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from construction contractors, has begun. The trial is the culmination of a nearly four-year investigation into Diamantis, a former Democratic lawmaker who climbed to the highest levels of the state government before he became the target of the criminal probe in 2021.

District of Columbia – The Trump-Epstein Statue Is Back on the National Mall, Days After Its Abrupt Removal

NPR – Rachel Treisman | Published: 10/3/2025

A statue of President Trump skipping hand-in-hand with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has returned to the District of Columbia’s National Mall, over a week after it was abruptly removed in the pre-dawn hours. Trump has sought to downplay his friendship with the disgraced financier, who died in jail in August 2019.

Hawaii – Senator Voted for Bills Backed by Lobbyists He’s Going to Work For

Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair and Blaze Lovell | Published: 10/5/2025

State Sen. Henry Aquino is stepping down to go to work for one of the biggest lobbying firms in the state after serving in the Hawaii Legislature for 17 years. In the 2025 legislative session, Hawaii Public Policy Advocates backed two dozen bills before Aquino’s Labor and Technology Committee, which voted to approve more than a third of them. It is Aquino’s legislative experience that may be of the most interest to a business like Hawaii Public Policy Advocates with wide-ranging interests.

Hawaii – Dark Money Group Blankets Maui in Ads to Influence Vacation Rental Bill

Honolulu Civil Beat – Erin Nolan | Published: 10/7/2025

For months, a District of Columbia-based group called Progress Action has been spending thousands of dollars to inundate Maui residents with radio and online advertisements warning that Mayor Richard Bissen’s plan to phase out about half the island’s short-term rentals would be “a failure and a mistake.” Records that are available indicate Progress Action is a PAC or nonprofit that is effectively skirting state campaign finance laws and lobbying disclosure requirements that could normally provide greater transparency.

Illinois – Illinois Sues to Block Trump’s National Guard Deployment to Chicago

MSN – Ben Szalinski, Brenden Moore, and Hannah Meisel (Capitol News Illinois) | Published: 10/6/2025

Illinois and Chicago filed a federal lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s planned deployment of National Guard troops to the state, a move Gov. JB Pritzker called an “invasion.” Trump pushed forward with the plan to activate hundreds of National Guard soldiers, including some from Texas, despite monthslong opposition from state and local leaders, as well as objections from civic and business groups in the city.

Illinois – Supreme Court Poised to Revive GOP Congressman’s Absentee Ballot Suit That Could Spur More Election Litigation

MSN – John Fritze (CNN) | Published: 10/8/2025

A majority of the Supreme Court indicated it will back a Republican member of Congress from Illinois who is challenging a state law that allows mail ballots to be received after Election Day, a decision that would let him proceed with a potentially explosive lawsuit that lower courts had rejected. Rep. Michael Bost’s appeal is not focused on the ballot issue itself but rather it raises the question of whether federal candidates may sue over election regulations, even if, as in Bost’s case, they represent a safe district and are highly favored to win election.

Illinois – Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Will Pay $30,000 to Settle Ethics Cases

Yahoo News – Gregory Royal Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/2/2025

Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin will pay a $30,000 fine to settle two ethics cases stemming from findings that she misused taxpayer resources for personal and political purposes and improperly fired whistleblowers. The Chicago Board of Ethics found Conyears-Ervin violated the city’s ethics ordinance 12 times and issued the maximum fine of $60,000, or $5,000 per breach.

Indiana – Undisclosed Conflicts, Contracts with Donors, Lavish Travel: What the IEDC audit found

Yahoo News – Kayla Dwyer and Hayleigh Colombo (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 10/2/2025

Gov. Mike Braun’s administration unveiled the results of an audit into the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), the quasi-governmental organization that drives economic strategy for Indiana, finding a “lack of transparency and accountability in the management of state funds” by third parties and raising concerns about “the potential for favoritism and misuse of public funds.” Some areas of concern overlap with the findings in an Indianapolis Star investigation, which unveiled that a top executive at the IEDC was part of decisions to award millions in grant money to entities he or two of his business associates were involved in.

Iowa – ICE Arrest Reveals Hidden Past of an Iowa Schools Superintendent

MSN – Marianne LeVine (Washington Post) | Published: 10/5/2025

When the Des Moines School Board announced former Olympic athlete Ian Roberts as superintendent in 2023, he was praised as a “career educator” and a “proven champion for creating equitable opportunities for all students to thrive.” Now, his tenure at Iowa’s largest school district has come to an abrupt end. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Roberts, surprising the education world by revealing him as an undocumented immigrant with a final order of deportation.

Kansas – Wichita City Council Candidate Returns Campaign Cash Amid Confusion Over Finance Rules

MSN – Chance Swaim (Wichita Eagle) | Published: 10/7/2025

The Kansas Legislature voted in March to increase limits for political contributions from $500 to $2,000 for large city elections, and Gov. Laura Kelly signed it into law in early April. But a Wichita city ordinance that was in place before the changes caps contributions for city council candidates at $500. The conflicting rules have led to controversy.

Massachusetts – Mike Kennealy Plans to Continue Ignoring Mass. Loan Limit Law, Lawyer Tells Regulators

MSN – Chris Van Buskirk (Boston Herald) | Published: 10/7/2025

Gubernatorial hopeful Mike Kennealy plans to continue ignoring a Massachusetts law that limits the amount of cash a candidate for governor can loan themselves for each election, even after regulators asked him multiple times to reclassify hundreds of thousands of dollars that he has loaned his campaign. Kennealy pledged to seed his campaign with $2 million in loans. But the loans, including $200,000 he recently gave his campaign, have started to draw scrutiny from state regulators because of a law that limits candidate loans to $200,000 per election cycle.

Michigan – Oakland Co. Executive Moves to Strengthen Ethics Policies Among Officials After Backlash

Detroit News – Max Bryan | Published: 10/3/2025

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter is moving to strengthen the county’s ethics policies after backlash about the chair of the board of commissioners working as a paid outside consultant for private firms and a contract that was awarded to a county employee. Coulter’s announcement comes after some county commissioners and Oakland County residents raised concerns about Board of Commissioners Chairperson Dave Woodward working as a paid consultant for Sheetz.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Ethics Commission Investigating Ryan Walters Again Over Possible Ethics Violations

MSN – Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) | Published: 10/7/2025

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is investigating Ryan Walters – again. Walters resigned as state schools superintendent recently to become the chief executive officer of a new nonprofit organization called the Teacher Freedom Alliance. The commission revealed it is actively investigating potential violations of its conflict of interest rule “as related to … Walters’ departure.”

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Campaign Finance Site Offline for Weeks as State Revamps System

Yahoo News – Alex Gladden (Oklahoman) | Published: 10/4/2025

Oklahoma’s website for campaign finance reports remains offline after a new launch of the site fell behind schedule. Lee Anne Bruce Boone, the executive director of the state Ethics Commission, has not yet said when the system will be back online.

Oregon – Judge Deals Trump New Setback in Plans to Deploy Troops to Portland

MSN – Holly Bailey, Praveena Somasundaram, Joseph Menn, and Aaron Schaffer (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2025

A federal judge dealt another blow to the Trump administration’s plans to send troops to Portland, temporarily blocking hundreds of California National Guard members as they were deploying to Oregon’s biggest city over objections from Democratic governors in both states. U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut said the government appeared to be directly defying her previous temporary restraining order from a day earlier blocking the administration from sending Oregon’s National Guard to the city by instead deploying members of California’s Guard.

Texas – Former Lawmaker Sent $450K in Unspent Funds to His Own Charity

MSN – Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 10/7/2025

Like many outgoing members of the Texas House, Rep. Chris Paddie in 2022 still had unspent campaign money he would need to offload in the coming years – in his case, $450,000. Under state law, he could either return that money to donors, give it to political causes, donate it to a charity, or surrender it to the state treasury. Paddie opted for charity, but not just any. The same day he resigned, he filed paperwork to launch his own nonprofit, and three weeks later he transferred $450,000 to the newly formed Paddie Family Foundation.

Texas – Texas GOP Lawyer and Former FEC Chair Trey Trainor Announces Run for Chip Roy’s Seat in Congress

MSN – Gabby Birenbaum (Texas Tribune) | Published: 10/6/2025

Trey Trainor, a longtime Republican operative and former chairperson of the FEC, launched a bid for the 21st Congressional District in Texas, setting up a competitive GOP primary for the open seat. Trainor, who has decades of experience in the state’s conservative legal movement, is running to succeed Rep. Chip Roy, who is giving up his seat to run for Texas attorney general. The district is situated in the Hill Country and contains parts of Austin and San Antonio.

Texas – Majority of Harris County Commissioners’ Campaign Dollars Come from People Whose Contracts They Approve

Yahoo News – John Lomax V and Matt Zdun (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 10/5/2025

A Houston Chronicle analysis of campaign finance reports from January 1 to June 30 of this year indicates that Harris County commissioners’ campaigns are funded largely through contributions made by individuals and businesses that contract or work with the county. Commissioners are not directly involved in awarding contracts, but they do vote to approve contracts presented at meetings. Support from at least three of the five commissioners is also needed to hire or fire department heads, who have a more direct hand in selecting county contracts.

Utah – Lawmakers in Utah Pass New Congressional Map Aimed at Preserving GOP Power

MSN – Patrick Marley and Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2025

Republican lawmakers in Utah adopted a GOP-leaning congressional map, diminishing Democrats’ hopes of gaining a House seat in the conservative state. The Legislature was compelled to redraw its map after a judge ruled the one it approved four years ago violated the state constitution. Democrats hoped the ruling would give them an advantage in one of the state’s four House seats, which are all held by Republicans. The new map, which still needs court approval, could result in more competitive races, but the GOP retained an advantage in all four districts.

Vermont – Vermont’s Legislators Don’t Have to Disclose Gifted Trips

Seven Days – Hannah Bassett | Published: 10/8/2025

Five state representatives from Vermont were among 250 lawmakers from around the country that attended a conference in Israel that promised to offer an “in-depth exploration of Israel’s leadership, society, heritage and spirit of innovation,” according to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry paid the participants’ expenses of $6,500 per person. Despite its high price tag and Israel’s effort to woo participants, neither the Vermont lawmakers nor the foreign ministry were required to disclose anything about the trip or the gifts provided to make it possible, such as compensated airfare, hotel stays, or meals.

Virginia – Democratic Candidate’s ‘Abhorrent’ Texts Threaten to Shake Up Bellwether Virginia Elections

MSN – Gregory Svirnovskiy (Politico) | Published: 10/4/2025

A string of text messages from Jay Jones, Virginia’s Democratic nominee for attorney general, where he mused about violence directed toward a political rival is triggering widespread backlash and threatening to shake up the state’s November election. In August 2022, Jones wrote about shooting then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert in text messages he sent to state Del. Carrie Coyner. Jones publicly apologized for the messages.

Virginia – Financial Disclosure Gaps, Questionable Gifts Cloud Earle-Sears’ Bid for Governor

Yahoo News – Markus Schmidt (Virginia Mercury) | Published: 10/8/2025

Virginia gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears built her political brand on transparency and accountability. Her public filings reveals a pattern of omissions and inconsistencies in her financial disclosures, including a $12,000 “gift” far above the state’s legal limit. The records show Earle-Sears, who has served as lieutenant governor since 2022, repeatedly failed to disclose gifts and travel benefits as required under state law, and in several instances amended her filings only after watchdogs or reporters raised questions.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin GOP Bill Aims to Clamp Down on Credit Card Campaign Contributions

Wisconsin Public Radio – Rich Kremer | Published: 10/9/2025

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are pushing a bill to bar any political party or candidate from accepting online credit card donations unless the contributor provides a verification code and U.S. address. The bill is part of growing right-wing scrutiny of the Democratic fundraising juggernaut ActBlue, fueled in large part by President Trump. ActBlue has called the allegations politically motivated.

National/Federal

Congressional Conflicts: Lawmakers dump Tylenol stock before autism controversy

MSN – Mark Stricherz (Center Square) | Published: 9/29/2025

Before President Trump warned pregnant women to avoid taking Tylenol, three members of Congress dumped stock in the company that makes the popular painkiller, sell-offs that saved them from incurring sizable losses, a media investigation found. The lawmakers sold $1,001 to $15,000 each in Kenvue, a consumer products company that spun off from Johnson & Johnson two years ago. The sales are notable also because most investment analysts recommended that investors hold their shares.

White House Considers Funding Advantage for Colleges That Align with Trump Policies

MSN – Laura Meckler and Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) | Published: 9/28/2025

The White House is developing a plan that could change how universities are awarded research grants, giving a competitive advantage to schools that pledge to adhere to the values and policies of the Trump administration on admissions, hiring, and other matters. The new system would represent a shift away from the unprecedented wave of investigations and punishments being delivered to individual schools and toward an effort to bring large swaths of colleges into compliance with Trump priorities all at once.

Trump Asks Supreme Court to Decide Whether He Can End Birthright Citizenship

MSN – Devan Cole and John Fritze (CNN) | Published: 9/26/2025

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of President Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, pushing the issue before the justices for the second time this year. While the Supreme Court handed down a decision in June that dealt with birthright citizenship, that case was technically focused on a more procedural question of how much power lower courts had to stop a policy implemented by a president.

Trump Administration Moves to Defund Inspector General Watchdog Group

MSN – Meryl Kornfierld (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2025

The Trump administration plans to end funding for an oversight group that helps inspectors general root out waste, fraud, and abuse, marking the latest example of Trump’s drive to limit federal watchdog activities. The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is the umbrella organization for 72 inspectors general across government. It acts as a watchdog of the watchdogs, providing training, peer reviews, and cross-agency oversight work for inspectors general. It also runs oversight.gov, where whistleblowers can disclose wrongdoing and inspector general reports are shared publicly.

A New Lawsuit Alleges the Gun Industry Exploited Firearm Owners’ Data for Political Gain

MSN – Corey Johnson (ProPublica) | Published: 9/25/2025

Two major law firms accused the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) of violating the privacy rights of millions of gun owners by running a decades-long program that sent their information to political operatives without consent. The complaint asks the court for approval of class-action status and requests financial damages against the NSSF, claiming the gun industry lobbying group enriched itself by exploiting valuable gun buyer information for political gain.

Trump Administration Illegally Targeted Pro-Palestinian Protesters, Judge Rules

MSN – Joanna Slater (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2025

The Trump administration’s push earlier this year to arrest and deport international students for their pro-Palestinian activism was illegal, U.S. District Court Judge William Young ruled, calling the crackdown a “truly scandalous and unconstitutional suppression of free speech.” He said he would decide an appropriate remedy for the Trump administration’s conduct after a future hearing. The case brought by a union of university professors accused the administration of having an unconstitutional policy of deporting people based on their political views.

Lawmakers Across the Country This Year Blocked Ethics Reforms Meant to Increase Public Trust

MSN – Gabriel Sandoval (ProPublica) | Published: 10/1/2025

At a time when the bounds of government ethics are being stretched in Washington, D.C., hundreds of ethics-related bills were introduced this year in state Legislatures. Democratic and Republican lawmakers tried to push through bills to tighten gift limits, toughen conflict-of-interest provisions, or expand financial disclosure reporting requirements. While legislation strengthening ethics oversight did pass in some places, lawmakers across multiple states targeted or thwarted reforms.

Supreme Court Allows Lisa Cook to Remain on Fed Board for Now

MSN – Justin Jouvenal and Andrew Ackerman (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2025

The Supreme Court ruled Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook can remain in her job for now and announced it will take up a high-stakes case over President Trump’s attempt to remove her from the central bank. The court will hear arguments in the case in January, and its temporary ruling will last at least until then. The provisional ruling to allow Cook to keep her job signals hesitation from at least some of the justices regarding the president’s aggressive campaign to oust Cook and gain tighter control over the Federal Reserve.

Government Agencies Are Blaming the Shutdown on Democrats. Ethics Experts Say It Could Be Against the Law.

MSN – Faith Wardell (Politico) | Published: 10/1/2025

Agencies across the federal government are explicitly blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, from banners on top of public websites to suggested out-of-office messages for federal employees, in an unusually overt show of partisan messaging that some ethics experts say may violate federal law. The deluge of statements began hours before the shutdown with a single red pop-up posted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website. “The radical left are going to shut down the government,” the page read.

Judge Blocks Kari Lake from Laying Off Over 500 Voice of America Staffers

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2025

U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth temporarily blocked the layoffs of more than 500 Voice of America employees, delivering a setback to the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the United States’ international broadcasting agency. The order comes amid a protracted legal battle over whether the administration’s gutting of the U.S. Agency for Global Media violates federal broadcasting law.

White House Withdraws Controversial Pick to Lead Bureau of Labor Statistics

MSN – Lauren Kaori Gurley, Emily Davies, and Andrew Ackerman (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2025

The White House withdrew its nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics. President Trump chose Antoni to replace the former commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, a Biden appointee, who was fired by the president hours after the release of weak jobs data. Trump claimed, without evidence, that data produced under her watch was “rigged.” Antoni’s nomination drew criticism from Democrats and both liberal and conservative economists because of his partisan views and lack of experience.

Supreme Court Allows Trump Officials to Freeze Billions in Foreign Aid

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 9/26/2025

The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to freeze more than $4 billion in foreign aid, a victory for the president’s push to exert greater control over federal spending. The justices lifted a preliminary injunction from a federal judge who found the president had usurped Congress’s power of the purse by refusing to spend billions of dollars it had budgeted for food, medicine, and development around the world.

With Comey Prosecution, Trump Fulfills Promise of Revenge

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/26/2025

Soon after a federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey, President Trump declared “JUSTICE IN AMERICA!” in a social media post, following up with a post calling Comey a “destroyer of lives” and “A DIRTY COP.” Trump’s predecessors sought to distance themselves from the Justice Department’s prosecutorial decisions, declining to weigh in on pending cases. Trump, in contrast, openly intervened in the Comey case, pushing out a prosecutor who declined to bring charges, replacing him with an ally and publicly demanding that Attorney General Pam Bondi act.

Nexstar and Sinclair Bring Jimmy Kimmel’s Show Back to Local TV Stations

Yahoo News – Wyatte Granham-Phillips and Andrew Dalton (Associated Press) | Published: 9/26/2025

Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group brought Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show back to their local television stations, ending a dayslong TV blackout for dozens of cities across the U.S. Kimmel’s suspension lasted less than a week, while the affiliate blackout stood for just over a week.

Why K Street Is Now Living in Fear of Trump’s Retribution Campaign

Yahoo News – Caitlin Oprysko, Brendan Bordelon, and Yasmin Khorram (Politico) | Published: 9/30/2025

Much of the private sector is paralyzed by President Trump’s broader efforts to leverage the might of the government to bend companies to his whims. But that pressure is magnified in government affairs shops across Washington, where corporations are desperate to curry Trump’s favor and avoid his wrath. The job market is so precarious in the Trump era that it has been tough for even moderate Republicans to get land a big influence job on K Street, let alone Democrats, said Jeff Forbes, a founding partner at the lobbying firm Forbes Tate Partners.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Alabama Ethics Commission Issues Guidance on ‘Revolving Door’ Provisions

Alabama Reflector – Ralph Chapoco (Alabama Reflector) | Published: 10/2/2025

The Alabama Ethics Commission said former public officials and employees may accept employment after leaving government from businesses they or their employers dealt with as public officials, provided they do not lobby for them. The decision permits Gary Fuller, the outgoing mayor of the city of Opelika, and Micah Williamson, a former rehabilitation specialist with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, to take positions with third-party firms without violating “revolving door” provisions of the ethics law.

Arizona – She Didn’t Report Paying Her Fiancé Public Campaign Cash. Now This Dem Faces Penalties

USA Today – Ray Stern (Arizona Republic) | Published: 9/28/2025

Arizona campaign finance officials rejected a proposed $7,000 sanction for a state lawmaker who flouted the law while paying her fiancé with public campaign cash, with one official saying Rep. Anna Abeytia should pay a larger fine. The sanction proposed by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission for Abeytia included a $5,000 fine for ignoring campaign finance reports and inquiries by the commission during the runup to her successful 2024 election.

Arizona – Conservatives Say Charlie Kirk Shooting Shows Need for Anonymous Political Spending

Yahoo News – Taylor Seely (Arizona Republic) | Published: 9/28/2025

The day after conservative political leader and Arizona resident Charlie Kirk was assassinated, leaders from Christian, conservative, and libertarian non-profits stood outside the Arizona Supreme Court with a sign. “STOP DONOR DOXING,” it read. Attorneys and leaders spoke about Kirk and how his death underscored the need to allow people to make anonymous donations to political campaigns. The state’s high court had just heard arguments over whether to overturn the Voters’ Right to Know Act.

Arizona – AZ Supreme Court Allows GOP Lawmakers to Challenge Voter-Approved Dark Money Disclosure Law

Yahoo News – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 9/29/2025

The legal battle over a voter-approved anti-dark-money law passed in 2022 will continue as the Arizona Supreme Court said Republican lawmakers have a right to legally challenge the law but did not rule on its constitutionality. The decision comes as the court has been weighing another challenge to the law brought by proponents of anonymous campaign spending who are challenging its constitutionality. The ruling was on a case brought by GOP lawmakers who claim that the voter-approved proposition takes away their legislative powers, violating the state constitution.

California – Newsom Signs Elections Bills Allowing Public Financing, Curbing Voting Incentives

MSN – Lia Russell (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 10/2/2025

Californians will vote next year on an initiative to repeal a ban on public financing in elections and another that prohibits offering payouts or other incentives to people for registering to vote. Several charter cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles have public financing, but after former Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation in 2016 expanding the practice, courts ruled voters would need to approve lifting a statewide ban on public financing that was voted on by a ballot initiative in the 1980s.

California – Company Wins $1.9 Million Verdict in Baldwin Park Cannabis Corruption Scandal

MSN – Jason Henry (San Gabriel Valley Tribune) | Published: 9/22/2025

A company that purchased a cannabis license connected to a bribery scheme set up by Baldwin Park officials won a $1.9 million verdict. A jury determined that former City Attorney Robert Tafoya, Councilmember Manny Lozano and former city council member Ricardo Pacheco committed fraud and are personally liable for $1.6 million of the total. The city of Baldwin Park is on the hook for an additional $290,000 for “negligence,” according to the jury’s verdict.

California – LAHSA Adopts Conflict of Interest Policy After LAist Exposes Ethics GapsLAHSA Adopts Conflict of Interest Policy After LAist Exposes Ethics Gaps

MSN – Aaron Schrank (LAist) | Published: 9/26/2025

The top homelessness agency for the Los Angeles region approved its first-ever conflict-of-interest policy months after reporting revealed the agency’s chief executive officer signed contracts with a nonprofit tied to her husband. The new policy says Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority officials with real or perceived conflicts will no longer be named on contract signature lines.

California – Oakland School Board Director Faces Up to $95,000 in Ethics Penalties

MSN – Ashley McBride (Oaklandside) | Published: 10/1/2025

Oakland Unified school board director Mike Hutchinson is facing 19 ethics violations over his failure to file campaign finance disclosures for his unsuccessful 2016 campaign for the school board. According to a report prepared by the commission’s enforcement chief, he failed to file a key disclosure form for his 2016 campaign. City records show Hutchinson’s 2016 campaign only submitted various incomplete versions of Form 410, which candidates and committees file to set up their campaign accounts. As Hutchinson has not yet closed the campaign account, the filing failures have piled up.

Florida – Florida Officials Vote to Donate Land to Trump Library. There’s Backlash.

MSN – Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2025

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his cabinet voted to donate a prime piece of land in downtown Miami – next to the iconic Freedom Tower – for the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library. The vote came after a surprise move by the DeSantis administration to take over the vacant lot from Miami Dade College. The plan drew immediate backlash from many in Miami’s Cuban American community, who say the tower, known as the “Ellis Island of the South,” represents the opposite of Trump’s mass deportation campaign and tough immigration policies.

Nevada – Court Rules Trump’s U.S. Attorney in Nevada Was Unlawfully Appointed

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 9/30/2025

A federal judge disqualified President Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney in Nevada, ruling she had been unlawfully appointed. It is the second court ruling in as many months to cast doubt on the Justice Department’s novel strategy for retaining the president’s most controversial appointees in top prosecutorial roles. The judge concluded that Sigal Chattah, who was appointed interim U.S. attorney in March, had served beyond the 120-day expiration date for that role and Trump administration efforts to keep her past that deadline did not withstand legal scrutiny.

New Jersey – NJ Teachers Union Misused Dues to Fund Chief’s Bid for Governor, Lawsuit Claims

Yahoo News – Nikita Biryukov (New Jersey Monitor) | Published: 9/30/2025

Two public school teachers are suing the New Jersey Education Association, alleging the teachers’ union violated the law when it funneled $40 million to former union president Sean Spiller’s gubernatorial campaign this spring. The suit alleges the union improperly used dues it said would not fund its political committees to fuel the independent expenditure groups that backed Spiller’s failed bid for the Democratic nod for governor.

New Jersey – Archives Released Too Much of Sherrill’s Military Record to GOP Rival’s Allies

Yahoo News – James LaPorta (CBS News) | Published: 9/26/2025

A branch of the National Archives released a mostly unredacted version of U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s military records to Nicholas De Gregorio, an ally of Jack Ciattarelli, her Republican opponent in the New Jersey governor’s race. The disclosure potentially violates the Privacy Act of 1974 and exemptions established under the Freedom of Information Act.

New York – Super PACs Pay $900,000 to Settle Inquiry Tied to Zeldin, Head of EPA

Breaking One – Nicholas Fandos, Shane Goldmacher, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 9/25/2025

Two Republican super PACs paid nearly $1 million to quietly settle an inquiry into whether they illicitly coordinated with the campaign of Lee Zeldin during his 2022 run for governor of New York. The state’s top elections watchdog spent years investigating the matter, using subpoenas to try to show there was illegal overlap between the Zeldin campaign and two groups that spent $20 million supporting it, Save Our State Inc. and Safe Together New York. The fine is the largest ever paid in a super PAC coordination case in New York.

New York – NY AG James Turns to Legal Defense Fund Amid Scrutiny from Trump DOJ

Gothamist – Jimmy Vielkind | Published: 9/29/2025

New York Attorney General Letitia James is turning to a national Democratic group to fund her legal defense as prosecutors appointed by President Trump investigate and bring charges against his adversaries. James, a Democrat, won a 2023 fraud judgement against the president that cast doubt on Trump’s claims to be a brilliant businessperson. The Democratic Attorneys General Association said contributions would be routed through a 527 organization and would be disclosed in an annual filing. That kind of organization can accept unlimited donations in order to influence policies, appointments, or elections.

New York – Eric Adams Grinds on in Quest for Public Campaign Dollars

MSN – Greg Smith (The City) | Published: 9/29/2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams may have thrown in the towel on his reelection fight, but he is still demanding millions of taxpayer dollars worth of campaign matching funds to pay off outstanding bills from his now defunct campaign. He is doing that while facing the very real possibility the Campaign Finance Board, which has been denying him these funds for months, may go a step further and move to recapture millions of dollars it had approved for him in his 2021 campaign.

New York – Good Government Groups: N.Y. lobbyists must be mandated to report campaign contributions

Spectrum News – Kate Lisa | Published: 1/26/2025

Good-government groups want New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to get behind a push supported by the state’s ethics watchdog to require lobbyists to disclose their political contributions to campaigns. A coalition of ethics advocates urged members of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government to back a proposal to close the campaign finance loophole during a public hearing in New York City. The group is weighing more than 40 proposals to strengthen state ethics and lobbying laws for its 2026 legislative agenda.

New York – Eric Adams Ends Reelection Campaign

Yahoo News – Joe Anuta and Jeff Coltin (Politico) | Published: 9/28/2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he is ending his reelection campaign, a move that virtually ensures he will lose in November and seals his fate as the city’s first one-term mayor since David Dinkins. The mayor blamed city election officials, lingering concerns over a since-dismissed federal bribery case and the media for undermining his effort to secure a second term.

North Carolina – Former NCGOP Director to Lead ‘Election Integrity’ Efforts, Serve as Election Board Liaison, Says NC Auditor

MSN – Will Doran (WRAL) | Published: 9/26/2025

The leaders of all 100 county election boards in North Carolina will now report to and be trained by Dallas Woodhouse, a longtime Republican Party operative, state Auditor Dave Boliek told some county elections officials. Woodhouse, who led the state GOP from 2015 to 2019, most recently worked as the North Carolina director for the group American Majority. That group explicitly describes its goal: to help Republicans and hurt Democrats in elections.

Ohio – Ohio Redistricting Process Hits Dead End as Republicans Play Waiting Game

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/30/2025

The first phase of Ohio’s latest congressional redistricting process ended in gridlock, with increasing signs that Republicans intend to wait out the process so they can redraw the state’s 15 congressional districts without Democratic support. September 30 was a state constitutional deadline for the Republican-controlled Legislature to pass a map with bipartisan support. But as a joint legislative redistricting committee wrapped up its work, the panel’s Republican co-chair said his party has not even put together any redistricting plan yet.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Senators Consider Foreign Agent Disclosure Rules Amid China Influence Concerns

MSN – Alexia Aston (Oklahoman) | Published: 9/30/2025

State lawmakers could consider legislation or ethics rules that would require people in Oklahoma advocating on behalf of a foreign entity, country, organization, or individual to disclose their relationship with that entity. During an interim study session in the Senate Judiciary Committee, senators considered ways to establish the state’s own version of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Oregon – Trump Calls for Troops in Portland, Escalating Use of Military Inside U.S.

MSN – Michael Birnbaum, Dan Lamothe, and Todd Frankel (Washington Post) | Published: 9/27/2025

President Trump said he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, and to immigration detention facilities around the country, authorizing “Full Force, if necessary” and escalating a campaign to use the U.S. military against Americans that has little modern precedent. The announcement appeared likely to set up a first test for a White House effort targeting left-wing protest groups. It came just days after Trump signed an executive order directing the nation’s full counterterrorism apparatus against domestic political opponents despite long precedent restricting such a move.

Rhode Island – New Limits on Gifts for Lawmakers and Who Can Give Them Are Coming in the New Year

Yahoo News – Alexander Castro (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 9/30/2025

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission approved two proposed rule changes regarding gifts to public officials. The first change increases the gift cap for public officials, who will soon be able to receive $50 single gifts, or $150 worth of gifts in aggregate in one year, from the same person. The other measure widens the ethics code’s definition of an “interested person” to include all lobbyists, including ones working on behalf of nonprofits.

Rhode Island – Ethics Commission OKs State Rep’s Bid to Rejoin Court-Appointed Counsel List

Yahoo News – Alexander Castro (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 9/30/2025

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission approved a petition from state Rep. Jason Knight, who is a criminal defense attorney, to apply to rejoin the state judiciary’s roster of court-appointed lawyers available to represent indigent defendants. Commissioners voted to adopt a staff recommendation concluding the ethics code does not disallow Knight from returning to the state Supreme Court’s attorney list. Normally, as an elected official, Knight would be barred while in office and for one year after leaving his elected position.

Texas – Texas Investigation into Teachers’ Posts After Charlie Kirk’s Death Violates Their Free Speech, Experts Say

MSN – Jaden Edison (Texas Tribune) | Published: 9/30/2025

The Texas Education Agency investigation into teachers’ social media comments after Charlie Kirk’s killing has legal experts and public education advocates troubled by what they say amounts to a “witch hunt” that shows a lack of regard for educators’ free speech rights. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath had sent a letter to superintendents criticizing content he found “reprehensible and inappropriate” and promising to refer such posts to his agency’s investigative unit with a recommendation the instructors have their teaching licenses suspended.

Texas – Dallas City Council Delves Deeper into Ethics Debate, Rejects Nominee to Ethics Board

MSN – Devyani Chhetri (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 10/1/2025

A majority of the Dallas City Council rejected their colleague’s nominee to the ethics advisory commission, citing adversarial online conduct by her husband. Posts and videos by the husband featured caricatures of city officials, sometimes using deepfake artificial intelligence. Natalie LeVeck, council member Bill Roth’s nominee, is a senior counsel at Google and teaches law at Southern Methodist University.

National/Federal

Here’s What Happens When Big-Time Lobbyists Become Big-Name Trump Officials

MSN – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 9/21/2025

Before Pam Bondi was sworn in as President Trump’s attorney general, she spent six years as a lobbyist at Ballard, where she was a partner in its Washington office and chaired the firm’s corporate regulatory compliance practice focusing on Fortune 500 companies. Among the clients for whom Ballard reported lobbying DOJ this year, all but one signed with the firm since Trump’s election and his nomination of Bondi for attorney general. A similar phenomenon is occurring across K Street at lobbying firms that have former employees in top roles with the Trump administration.

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Fire Democratic Member of Trade Commission

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 9/22/2025

The Supreme Court cleared the way for President Trump to fire Rebecca Slaughter, the sole remaining Democrat on the Federal Trade Commission. The ruling, while provisional, is significant because the high court also said it will hear arguments in December on overturning a 90-year-old precedent that allowed Congress to set up independent, nonpartisan agencies insulated from political interference by the president if they do not wield executive power.

Even Without Formal Charges, Trump’s DOJ Can Punish Critics

MSN – Perry Stein and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 9/23/2025

Prosecutors have struggled to build viable cases against Sen. Adam Schiff and other opponents of President Trump for mortgage fraud. Erik Siebert, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned under pressure from the White House after prosecutors in his office said evidence did not support bringing such charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Siebert’s resignation, and increasing pressure on prosecutors in other jurisdictions, underscores the administration’s apparent willingness to ignore long-standing rules around criminal investigations to target people perceived to be political opponents.

Supreme Court Poised to Shake Up Midterm Elections

MSN – Jack Birle (Washington Examiner) | Published: 9/22/2025

The Supreme Court will hear three cases in the coming months that could have ramifications for campaigns, elections, and who controls the U.S. House. While the court has yet to schedule its arguments for NRSC v. FEC, the justices’ ruling is slated to have the most immediate effect on campaigns. The FEC’s coordinated spending limits between political parties and candidates have remained in place despite the Supreme Court lifting different limits as unconstitutional in recent years, but the case could open the floodgates to more coordinated spending.

Pentagon Demands Journalists Pledge to Not Obtain Unauthorized Material

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 9/19/2025

The Trump administration unveiled a new crackdown on journalists at the Pentagon, saying it will require them to pledge they would not gather any information, even unclassified, that has not been expressly authorized for release. Under the policy, the Pentagon may revoke press passes for anyone it deems a security threat. Possessing confidential or unauthorized information, under the new rules, would be grounds for a journalist’s press pass to be revoked.

Judge Tosses Trump’s $15B Defamation Suit Against New York Times, Penguin Random Hous

MSN – Peter Charalambous (ABC News) | Published: 9/19/2025

A federal judge tossed President Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and Penguin Random House, calling the complaint “decidedly improper and impermissible.” U.S. District Court Judge Steven Merryday struck the complaint and gave the president’s lawyers 28 days to refile their lawsuit. Merryday said the complaint contains eighty pages of repetitive claims and praise for Trump, but fails to establish the two counts of defamation alleged.

Trump Designates ‘Antifa’ a Terrorist Group, but Experts Say Legality Is Unclear

MSN – Niha Masih, Vivian Ho, and Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 9/22/2025

President Trump signed an executive order designating “antifa,” a decentralized, leftist ideology adhered to by various individuals and groups, as a “domestic terrorist organization,” days after raising the prospect in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting. The U.S. has no legal mechanism for labeling domestic organizations as terrorist groups. Experts also said it remains unclear how such a designation would work for a broad movement rather than a distinct group and expressed concern it could be used to justify a crackdown on the political left more generally.

FBI Says It Found Classified Documents in John Bolton’s DC Office

MSN – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 9/24/2025

FBI agents executing a search warrant at former national security adviser John Bolton’s Washington office turned up documents marked as classified, according to a court filing. Search warrant applications indicated FBI agents were seeking evidence related to three felony offenses, including gathering, transmitting, or losing national defense information in violation of the Espionage Act, and retaining classified information without permission.

Federal Judge Declines to Reinstate Inspectors General Fired by Trump

MSN – Kelly Kasulis Cho (Washington Post) | Published: 9/25/2025

A federal judge declined to reinstate eight inspectors general fired by President Trump as part of a purge of government watchdogs in the early days of his second term, though she agreed the terminations were unlawful. The inspectors general sued Trump in February, claiming they were dismissed illegally. The lawsuit underscored widespread concern that Trump sought to purge federal watchdogs and install loyalists in the crucial role of investigating government agencies for fraud, waste and abuse.

Va. Federal Prosecutors Preparing to Seek Comey Indictment, People Familiar with Matter Say

MSN – Salvador Rizzo, Jeremy Roebuck, and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 9/24/2025

The Justice Department is preparing to seek an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly giving false testimony to Congress. The effort comes days after President Trump demanded prosecutors use the criminal justice system to punish his political opponents. The investigation centers on testimony Comey gave before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the FBI’s missteps in the “Crossfire Hurricane” probe, which had delved into possible but ultimately unproven collaboration between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Hobbled Federal Campaign Finance Enforcer Loses Another Member

MSN – Faith Wardwell (Politico) | Published: 9/25/2025

The vice chair of the FEC will resign from his post after five years with the agency, leaving just two commissioners behind as the agency has gone months without quorum. James Trainor said he would step down in October and is “seriously evaluating” a bid to replace the U.S. House seat left vacant by Rep. Chip Roy. Trainor’s departure lands yet another blow to the FEC after another three commissioners departed their roles earlier this year.

New York City May Move Its Mayoral Elections to Even Years. It’d Be Part of a Trend

NPR – Ashley Lopez | Published: 9/24/2025

One of the most closely watched elections this fall is New York City’s mayoral race. But New York voters will also weigh in on a lesser-known proposal that could move future city elections to even-numbered years. It is part of a growing trend to consolidate election dates – adding local races to the ballot during presidential and midterm elections. Proponents of the effort say it counters persistently low turnout for local elections, despite concerns about local issues and candidates getting overshadowed.

Judge Rules Feds Can’t Require States to Cooperate on Immigration to Get Disaster Money

Yahoo News – Michael Casey (Associated Press) | Published: 9/24/2025

A federal judge ruled it is unconstitutional for the Trump administration to require states to cooperate on immigration enforcement actions to get funding for disasters, which is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. U.S. District Court Judge William Smith found the “contested conditions are arbitrary and capricious” and the actions are unconstitutional because they are “coercive, ambiguous, unrelated to the purpose of the federal grants.”

Jimmy Kimmel Advocates for Free Speech, Slams FCC Chair in Late-Night Return

Yahoo News – Emily Yahr (Washington Post) | Published: 9/24/2025

Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night television to a standing ovation from his studio audience as he talked about the controversy that saw his show temporarily removed from ABC’s airwaves after comments he made about the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. Kimmel thanked many people for their support and delivered a passionate call for free speech. He said he was moved to see people on both sides of the aisle criticize what appeared to be the head of a government agency suggesting that he would attempt to shut down or censor the show of a comedian he did not like.

Tom Homan Was Investigated for Accepting $50,000 from Undercover FBI Agents. Trump’s DOJ Shut It Down.

Yahoo News – Carol Leonnig and Ken Dilanian (MSNBC) | Published: 9/20/2025

In an undercover operation last year, the FBI recorded Tom Homan, now the White House border czar, accepting $50,000 in cash after indicating he could help the agents, who were posing as business executives, win government contracts in a second Trump administration. The FBI and the Justice Department planned to wait to see whether Homan would deliver on his alleged promise once he became the nation’s top immigration official. But in recent weeks, Trump appointees officially closed the investigation, after FBI Director Kash Patel requested a status update on the case.

Ryan Routh Found Guilty of Trying to Assassinate Donald Trump at Florida Golf Course

Yahoo News – Christopher Cann, Julius Whigham II, and Hannah Phillips (USA Today) | Published: 9/23/2025

A jury found Ryan Routh guilty of trying to kill Donald Trump at one of his Florida golf courses last year. Routh was convicted of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, a charge carrying a possible sentence of life in prison. Authorities said Routh armed himself with a rifle outside the fence of Trump International Golf Club and waited over 11 hours for Trump to walk into his line of sight. Prosecutors say the plot was thwarted by a Secret Service agent who spotted Routh and opened fire, leading him to drop his rifle.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Edmonton Event Held for Liberal Ministers, MPs Raised Concern Over Lobbying Rules

iAsk.ca – Stephanie Levitz and Robert Fife (Globe and Mail) | Published: 9/18/2025

A real estate executive, a lobbyist, and a banker held a reception for cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament on the margins of the government’s recent caucus meeting in Edmonton, raising concerns within the Liberal Party that the event could be in breach of federal lobbying rules. The event was called The Western Exchange, and was held at the bar of the JW Marriott on September 10.

Arizona – Appeals Court Rejects New Voter-Behavior Rules for Arizona Polling Sites

Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 9/16/2025

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes cannot enforce his ban on offensive or insulting speech at and around polling places, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. The provisions Fontes included in the Elections Procedures manual are so broad they could criminalize unintentional conduct, the court concluded. Judge Kim Wardlaw, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, said threat of prosecution could “chill” individuals from engaging in otherwise legal political activity.

Arizona – Adelita Grijalva Wins US House Special Election in Arizona, Delivering Decisive Signature for Epstein Files Push

MSN – Molly English (CNN) | Published: 9/24/2025

Democrat Adelita Grijalva won a special election in Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District, which will deliver the decisive signature to the push for a vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein case files. Discharge petitions historically have a bad track record of forcing a vote on the floor, mostly because lawmakers in the majority are wary of taking a stand against leadership. The Epstein issue, however, has animated some Republican members.

Arkansas – Bloggers File Ethics Complaint Against Arkansas Attorney General, Two Lawmakers and Related PACs

Yahoo News – Sonny Albarado (Arkansas Advocate) | Published: 9/22/2025

Complaints filed with the Arkansas Ethics Commission claim three Republican state officials and PACs tied to them “appear to have repeatedly and willfully violated” state campaign finance law. The co-founders of an online legislation tracking and analysis firm alleges Attorney General Tim Griffin, state Rep. David Ray, and state Sen. Ben Gilmore and PACs associated with them violated campaign contribution limits and prohibitions on illegal coordination of contributions, the use of public property for campaign purposes, and public servants receiving outside payment for carrying out official duties.

California – They Fought for Independent California Redistricting. Now They’re Sitting Out a Gerrymander

MSN – Jeremy White (Politico) | Published: 9/22/2025

Republicans fighting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting campaign in California have reassembled much of the coalition that brought independent lines to the state more than a decade ago. There is one big exception: good government groups that once helped to strip line-drawing power from state lawmakers. It reflects the intensified partisanship of the Trump era, as Common Cause and groups like it work to square their longstanding opposition to gerrymandering with a sense that American democracy is in peril.

California – Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission Has a New Leader

MSN – Darwin BondGraham (Oaklandside) | Published: 9/18/2025

The Oakland Public Ethics Commission appointed Suzanne Doran as executive director. Doran will lead the commission’s staff of eight professionals who are charged with enforcing the city’s campaign and ethics laws, investigating ethics complaints, and ensuring greater trust and accountability in city government. Commission Chairperson Francis Upton IV said commissioners ultimately chose Doran because of her experience and qualifications.

California – Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore More Than $500 Million in Research Funds to UCLA

MSN – Eric He (Politico) | Published: 9/22/2025

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restart the flow of about $500 million in funding for scientific research it withheld from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), sparing the university for now from a devastating fiscal blow. While only temporary, the ruling was a significant victory for UCLA and the rest of the University of California system, which has been caught up in a campaign by federal officials to punish high profile universities for what conservatives allege was their overly permissive response to student protests over Israel’s war in Gaza and failure to address antisemitism on their campuses.

District of Columbia – A Statue of Trump and Epstein Holding Hands in D.C. Is removed as Fast as It Appeared

NPR – Rachel Treisman | Published: 9/24/2025

A statue of President Trump holding hands with Jeffrey Epstein appeared briefly on the District of Columbia’s National Mall, only to be removed after less than a day. Trump has repeatedly downplayed his relationship with Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in jail. while a National Park Service permit issued for the statue allowed it to remain there until September 28, eyewitness video showed U.S. Park Police hauling it onto a truck before sunrise on September 24.

Georgia – Macon Mayor Fined for Campaign Finance Violations. What We Know.

Yahoo News – Myracle Lewis (Macon Telegraph) | Published: 9/18/2025

The Georgia State Ethics Commission fined Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller $5,000 for violating the state’s campaign finance laws. Miller reached a consent agreement with the commission to resolve findings that he improperly transferred $220,000 in excess campaign contributions to a nonprofit organization he helped establish two years ago.

Hawaii – Judge To Decide Fate of CEO Accused of Illegal Campaign Donations

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 9/24/2025

A state judge says she will decide within 30 days whether the case of a Hawaii businessperson accused of funneling campaign contributions through subordinates should proceed. Prosecutors allege JL Capital Chief Executive Officer Tim Lee reimbursed employees for donations they made to the Honolulu mayoral campaigns of Keith Amemiya and Kym Pine in 2020. State law prohibits political donations in the name of anyone other than the source of the money.

Indiana – Governor Expands Cabinet Roles – But How Far Can Dual Office Holding Go in Indiana?

Yahoo News – Casey Smith (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 9/22/2025

Gov. Mike Braun’s decision to give two of his top officials additional leadership posts has revived a longstanding constitutional question in Indiana: when can one person legally hold two government offices at once? In August, Secretary of Education Katie Jenner was confirmed as the state’s next higher education commissioner, while also keeping her K-12 role. Following the abrupt resignation of Jennifer-Ruth Green, Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott was tapped by Braun to take on a second job serving as the secretary of public safety.

Maine – Democratic Fundraiser ActBlue Fined $100K by Maine Campaign Finance Watchdog

Portland Press Herald – Rachel Ohm | Published: 9/24/2025

ActBlue, a national online fundraising platform for Democrats, was fined $100,000 by Maine’s campaign finance watchdog for filing a report two weeks late. The fine is among the largest penalties the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices has ever assessed and the largest for a registered political group that missed a published deadline. Jeff Hunter, an attorney for ActBlue, acknowledged fault at a commission meeting, attributing the late filing to a “kind of a perfect storm.”

Massachusetts – Former UMass Amherst Provost Pays $10,000 for Violating Conflict of Interest Law

MSN – Namu Sampath (MassLive) | Published: 9/24/2025

A former University of Massachusetts Amherst provost paid a $10,000 civil penalty for hiring her brother to positions in her department, the State Ethics Commission said. Heather Sharpes-Smith, former associate provost for instructional design and technology, violated the conflict-of-interest law when she asked whether an “unnamed guy” could be hired to a temporary position until a more permanent position was available. That person was her brother, the commission said.

Nebraska – Feds Say Former Nebraska Liquor Official Helped Strip Club in Exchange for Free Lap Dances, Sexual Favors

Courthouse News Service – Hillel Aron | Published: 9/24/2025

The former head of Nebraska’s liquor commission has been charged with fraud and is accused of providing favors to a strip club in exchange for money, free lap dances, and sexual favors. Employees of The Office Gentleman’s Club would, according to the indictment, “note on sticky notes the amount of money taken out of the business safe in order to provide to Hobert Rupe.” The sticky notes would read COB: the cost of doing business.

Nevada – Clark County Commissioners Violated Ethics Law by Failing to Disclose Free F1 Tickets

MSN – Mary Hynes (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 9/23/2025

The failure of five Clark County commissioners to fully disclose accepting free tickets to the Las Vegas Grand Prix constitutes a non-willful violation of Nevada’s ethics law, according to an agreement approved by the state Ethics Commission. Each county commissioner accepted a ticket or pass worth $10,900 to all four days of events at the inaugural Formula One race in November 2023.

Nevada – Lombardo, Ethics Commission Settle Long-Running Dispute Over Use of Sheriff’s Badge, Office

Nevada Independent – Tabitha Mueller | Published: 9/23/2025

The long-running saga surrounding Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s use of his Clark County sheriff’s badge and uniform during his first campaign for office finally ended with a settlement agreement finding the governor had not purposefully violated the ethics law and would be assessed a $5,000 payment. The Ethics Commission’ss attorney, Elizabeth Bassett, added that though the panel often includes a requirement for ethics training, that part was left out because Lombardo voluntarily underwent the training after he became governor.

New York – Democratic Elected Officials Arrested at ICE Facility in New York City

MSN – María Luisa Paúl and Grace Moon (Washington Post) | Published: 9/18/2025

More than a dozen New York elected officials, all members of the Democratic Party, were arrested at a federal building in Manhattan while seeking access to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility and protesting the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the agency to limit capacity, improve cleanliness, and expand access to legal phone calls at the facility. Immigration detention facilities fall under federal oversight, giving members of Congress the right to visit and inspect them. State and local lawmakers do not have that authority.

Ohio – Ohio Can Ban Foreign Donations to Ballot Campaigns, Appeals Court Rules

MSN – Jessie Balmert (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 9/16/2025

Ohio can ban green card holders and foreign nationals from donating to statewide ballot campaigns without violating the First Amendment, a federal appeals court ruled. A divided Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals panel said the state can enforce the ban while a lawsuit challenging it is pending.

Ohio – Cleveland Heights Mayor Awarded Lucrative Graphic Design Contracts to Longtime Friend, Then Gave Her Full-Time Job

MSN – Cory Shaffer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/24/2025

Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren, who voters recently recalled, awarded multiple lucrative graphic design contracts to a longtime friend before hiring her to a full-time city position last year. Frances Collazo, who at the time lived in central Ohio, received more than $65,000 in city contracts from January to October 2024. One of the projects she worked on was never put out to bid. Another saw Collazo win the contract, even though her bid was twice as high as any other. The city paid her $12,000 to redesign the Planning Department’s website, a project the city did not ultimately implement.

Ohio – Ohio Lawmakers’ Texts, Emails Blocked from Public Scrutiny Under New Secrecy Law

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/24/2025

Beginning on September 29, Ohio lawmakers’ text messages and emails between each other and their staff will be exempted from public-records disclosure for up to two years. The changes are the most significant restrictions to state public-records law regarding the Legislature in more than a quarter century. Critics say the new restrictions will allow lawmakers to keep the inner workings of the lawmaking process secret from the public.

Rhode Island – McKee Advisor Involved in ‘Fixed’ ILO Deal Cleared of Lobbying Complaint

MSN – Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) | Published: 9/19/2025

Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore’s office cleared Michael Magee, a confidant of Gov. Dan McKee, of violating state lobbying laws for helping steer a pandemic-era education contract to the ILO Group. Common Cause Rhode Island filed a complaint against Magee last year. It argued he was legally required to register as a lobbyist in 2021 when he worked with McKee’s office to hire a firm founded by a former subordinate.

Tennessee – Glen Casada, Former TN House Speaker, Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison in Mailer Scheme

MSN – Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 9/23/2025

Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada was sentenced to three years and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine after his conviction on public corruption charges. Casada was found guilty for his role in what prosecutors describe as an unlawful scheme to take advantage of a state allowance for lawmakers to send informational mailers.He pressured state bureaucrats to approve payments for mailers to a shadowy political consulting company called Phoenix Solutions.

Texas – Ethics Agency Fines Former Texas Lawmaker $105K for Violating Revolving Door Law

MSN – Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 9/18/2025

A former Texas lawmaker who went on to work as a lobbyist was fined $105,500 by the state Ethics Commission skirting a “revolving door” law he helped write. The fine against Chris Paddie is the highest imposed by the commission in 15 years. Paddie retired in 2022 after chairing a powerful House committee that was tasked with holding energy firms accountable for failures during the state’s deadly 2021 winter storm. He later registered as a lobbyist and took on several of those same companies as clients.

Texas – Republican Redistricting Is Sowing Chaos in Houston

San Francisco Examiner – J. David Goodman (New York Times) | Published: 9/22/2025

First came the Republican gerrymander in Texas. Now comes the Democratic chaos in Houston. A certain amount of confusion is likely to play out in districts from the Rio Grande Valley to suburban Dallas, as voters and candidates adjust to new lines that are usually redrawn only once a decade. But Texas’ 18th House district is feeling it now, thanks to the unexpected death of Rep. Sylvester Turner, just weeks into this session of Congress; a special election that was delayed by Gov. Greg Abbott to help Republican leaders in Washington navigate their narrow House majority; and new district lines that will take effect soon after the special election.

National/Federal

After Kirk Killing, Political Leaders Pull Back from Public Appearances

MSN – Patrick Marley and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 9/13/2025

Elected officials and other political leaders are canceling or postponing in-person events, aiming to beef up security, and weighing how to engage with the public after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk intensified concerns that once-routine appearances have become too dangerous. Even before Kirk was shot dead, a wave of political violence had increased unease among public officials. Now, that anxiety has reached a new level, adding urgency to discussions in Congress, at state Capitols, and among activists and candidates.

Nadine Menendez, Wife of Ex-New Jersey Senator, Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison

MSN – Ella Lee (The Hill) | Published: 9/11/2025

The wife of former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was sentenced to more than four years in prison for her role in a scheme to trade her husband’s political power for lavish bribes. Nadine Menendez was convicted in April of plotting with her husband, the former chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to exchange his clout for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz.

Appeals Court Allows Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to Keep Her Job

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 9/15/2025

A divided federal appeals court ruled Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook can keep her job, turning aside an appeal by the Trump administration that sought to fire her ahead of the central bank’s key meeting this week on setting interest rates. Trump has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, a charge she denies, and has sought her dismissal, but the three-judge panel said the president violated Cook’s rights by not giving her a chance to defend herself against the accusations.

More Employers Fire Workers Over Kirk Posts as Pressure from Right Mounts

MSN – Taylor Telford and Faiz Siddiqui (Washington Post) | Published: 9/16/2025

The wave of companies and other institutions firing or suspending employees over what they have said in reaction to the killing of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk has expanded in recent days, as some of his supporters in and outside the government amp up a push against speech they say crosses lines. At a time when people have unprecedented ability to share their instant reactions with vast audiences on social media, the actions by employers have stirred a debate over employees’ speech rights, the role of public pressure campaigns, and what is appropriate public commentary on a violent event like Kirk’s killing.

Retired 4-Star Navy Admiral Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Bribery Plot

MSN – Michael Kunzelman (Associated Press) | Published: 9/16/2025

A retired four-star U.S. Navy admiral was sentenced to six years in prison for his conviction on corruption charges that he agreed to exchange a military contract for a lucrative postretirement job. Retired Admiral Robert Burke, once the second-highest uniformed officer in the Navy, was commanding its forces in Europe and Africa when he engaged in a bribery plot with two business executives, according to federal prosecutors.

ActBlue Acquiring Dem Digital Firm as Its Mission Grows

MSN – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 9/17/2025

ActBlue is expanding beyond online fundraising by buying the Democratic digital organizing firm Impactive. It is the latest example of steps taken by ActBlue, the biggest donation processing tool for Democrats for two decades, to further expand its role in the campaign ecosystem. The platform has pitched the acquisition as serving smaller campaigns that cannot afford the more advanced digital tools used by large national groups.

Effort to Censure Rep. Ilhan Omar Over Charlie Kirk Comments Fails

MSN – Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 9/17/2025

A resolution to censure U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar over comments and a social media repost she made regarding conservative leader Charlie Kirk’s death failed. The resolution to censure Omar was the first legislative effort to punish someone perceived as a Kirk critic to come to a vote. Though it has failed, others remain in motion.

ABC Yanks Jimmy Kimmel’s Show ‘Indefinitely’ After Threat from Trump’s FCC Chair

MSN – Brian Stelter, Elizabeth Wagmeister, and Liam Reilly (CNN) | Published: 9/18/2025

Walt Disney-owned ABC said it was pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live” off the air indefinitely, after comments by the late-night show’s host about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk prompted a threat by the head of the Federal Communications Commission against Disney. At least two major owners of ABC-affiliated stations subsequently said they would preempt Kimmel’s show, sparking speculation the owners were trying to curry favor with the Trump administration. The local media conglomerates are each seeking mergers that would require administration approval.

From the States and Municipalities

Europe – France Targets Non-EU Lobbyists in New Foreign Interference Crackdown

Euractiv – Magnus Lund Nielsen | Published: 9/18/2025

France will set up a new public transparency registry of foreign influence activities next year, as part of broader efforts to curb external interference. Under a new decree, anyone lobbying or carrying out political influence work in France “under the direction or control” of a non-European Union country will be required to sign up with France’s lobbyists watchdog, the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life.

Alaska – Former Alaska AG Treg Taylor Asks for Exemption from Financial Disclosure Requirements

Yahoo News – James Brooks (Alaska Beacon) | Published: 9/12/2025

Ahead of an expected run for governor, former Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor is asking the state’s campaign finance regulator to exempt him from a law that requires he disclose who is renting apartments in several Anchorage buildings he owns. Under state law, public officials must file an annual financial disclosure form that lists the sources of their income, including rental income, if it is above $1,000.

Arizona – Arizona Supreme Court Weighs Fate of Voter-Approved ‘Dark Money’ Disclosure Law

Yahoo News – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 9/11/2025

Since Arizona voters in 2022 approved Proposition 211, the Voters Right to Know Act, opponents of the law have challenged its constitutionality. It requires the disclosure of any “original source” of contributions greater than $5,000 if the money is used to pay for media expenditures of more than $50,000 in a statewide election or $25,000 in a local election. At the Arizona Supreme Court, plaintiffs said mandating disclosure of the source of political spending violates the state constitution’s protections of free speech, association, and separation of powers.

Arizona – Coconino Prosecutors Will Investigate Rodney Glassman Over Alleged Campaign Finance Violations

Yahoo News – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 9/12/2025

After numerous counties turned down the case over the past few weeks, Coconino County agreed to investigate allegations that Republican candidate for state Attorney General Rodney Glassman violated campaign finance law. Glassman, a perennial candidate for elected office in Arizona, is accused of accepting at least 30 contributions above the contribution limits spelled out by state law.

California – California Passes Bill Curbing Utilities Use of Ratepayer Money for Political Spending

Energy and Policy Institute – Stephanie Chase | Published: 9/16/2025

California is the seventh state to pass a bill limiting investor-owned utilities from using customer money to pay for political and lobbying costs. Assembly Bill 1167 includes provisions prohibiting investor-owned utilities from using customer money to support utility political activities, promotional advertising, and dues for trade associations that conduct political activities.

California – Alameda County Board Rejects Bid to Raise Donation Limits in Supervisor Campaigns

MSN – Kiley Russell (Bay City News) | Published: 9/12/2025

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors declined a proposal to substantially increase campaign contribution limits. The proposal would have increased the amount of money individual donors can give supervisor candidates from $20,000 to $40,000 per election. It would have also increased the limit for donors giving to candidates for countywide offices like district attorney or sheriff from $40,000 to $60,000 per election.

California – Jesus Cardenas Fined $5,000 for San Diego Ethics Violation

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 9/12/2025

Jesus Cardenas agreed to pay $5,000 to settle allegations he violated San Diego’s ethics rules when he participated in lobbying contacts as a city official. Cardenas ran the political consulting firm Grassroots Resources while also serving as chief of staff to Councilperson Stephen Whitburn. Cardenas took meetings with client Blue Water Government Affairs in 2021, months after disclosing the lobbying firm paid him more than $10,000 for political consulting work.

California – UC Takes Heat for Sharing Student, Faculty Names with Trump Administration

Yahoo News – Eric He (Politico) | Published: 9/16/2025

The University of California at Berkeley faced continued backlash for its decision to disclose the names of 160 students, faculty, and staff to Trump administration officials as part of an investigation into allegations the school fostered an atmosphere of antisemitism. The disclosure of the names comes as the federal government continues to wage a campaign to upend elite institutions of higher education that it launched in the wake of campus protests over Israel’s war against Hamas.

Florida – Former Miami-Dade Commissioner Gets Prison Time but Allowed to Remain Free for Now

Yahoo News – Douglas Hanks (Miami Herald) | Published: 9/15/2025

Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez received a nearly three-year prison sentence for what a jury concluded was accepting money in exchange for sponsoring legislation to help a business owner. Judge Miguel de la O said he thought the 34-month minimum sentence called for under state guidelines was too harsh. He is allowing Martinez to remain free during the appeals process, which is expected to take at least a year.

Georgia – Fani Willis Loses Bid to Regain Control of Trump Georgia Case

MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 9/16/2025

The Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s appeal of a lower-court decision that disqualified her from the criminal racketeering case against President Trump and several allies charged with illegally conspiring to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state. The decision probably dooms the high-profile prosecution, the last active criminal case against Trump, who has sought to have charges dropped, citing his return to the presidency.

Hawaii – Hawai’i Supreme Court: OHA trustees bound by state ethics code

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 9/17/2025

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are considered state employees and must abide by the state ethics code. The ruling stems from a series of ethics violations against former Trustee Rowena Akana, who was found to have accepted illegal gifts and used her trustee allowance for personal use on food purchases and Hawaiian Airlines Premier Club membership. The court’s opinion also upheld the 47 ethics violations against Akana as well as a $23,000 fine.

Illinois – Ex-Ald. Walter Burnett, Mayor’s Pick to Head the CHA, and His Wife Got Over $260,000 in Subsidized Rent Payments as Landlords, Records Show

Chicago Sun Times – Lizzie Kane | Published: 9/15/2025

Former Ald. Walter Burnett – Mayor Brandon Johnson’s pick to run the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) – and his wife Darlena Williams-Burnett have been paid more than $260,000 as housing voucher landlords for the agency since 2007. The Burnetts have had 10 contracts for properties rented to CHA voucher holders, including two ongoing contracts and five that were active while Williams-Burnett worked for the city agency. The payments to Burnett and his wife could be a roadblock to his appointment to lead the nation’s third-largest public housing authority.

Maryland – Campaign Announcements Highlight ‘Glaring Hole’ in Maryland Election Law

MSN – Sam Janesch (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 9/17/2025

When Sen. Steve Hershey said he might run for governor of Maryland, he said he would launch an exploratory committee to begin raising money and engage with voters before making a final decision. That was a slight misnomer, according to the State Board of Elections. Hershey, instead, is in the process of creating the type of formal campaign committee he could continue to use if he decides to run later this year. But the announcement reignited concerns about a loophole in the law in which a potential candidate can raise money in unlimited amounts without disclosing the donors to “explore” their viability.

Massachusetts – Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott Accused of Using Campaign Cash for Personal Use

MSN – Chris Van Buskirk (Boston Herald) | Published: 9/15/2025

Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott agreed to pay a $7,500 penalty and hand over tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash to resolve allegations he misused political funds to contract services for personal business ventures instead of efforts to stay in elected office. In an agreement with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, regulators said McDermott made more than $31,000 in payments to 10 vendors where the documentation was either incomplete or indicated the money was used to serve a now-defunct real estate holding company or himself.

Massachusetts – MassGOP to Pay $36K After Allegations of Illegal Donations

MSN – Ross Cristantiello (Boston.com) | Published: 9/11/2025

The Massachusetts Republican Party faced allegations of taking tens of thousands of dollars in unlawful donation, including from the campaign of a congressional candidate who is now serving prison time, and has now agreed to pay the state more than $36,000 in a settlement agreement. The Office of Campaign and Political Finance flagged 11 donations the GOP received in 2022. By far the largest contribution, a check for $27,723.45, came from the congressional campaign of Dean Tran.

Michigan – Michigan Democrats Propose Penalties for Lying About Elections

Yahoo News – Hayley Harding (Votebeat) | Published: 9/11/2025

Intentionally lying about elections could draw a fine under a new bill proposed by Michigan Senate Democrats. The legislation would impose a $1,000 fine on anyone who knowingly lies about elections or a voter’s eligibility. Employers who had someone working for them “for election-related purposes,” such as a lobbyist who suggests certain groups are not eligible to vote early, could face a fine of up to $10,000.

Minnesota – Democrat Elected to Fill Seat of Minnesota Lawmaker Killed in June

MSN – Patrick Svitek and Sabrina Rodriguez (Washington Post) | Published: 9/16/2025

Democrat Xp Lee won a somber special election to fill the seat of former Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman. Lee was projected to defeat Republican Ruth Bittner, keeping the seat in Democratic hands and restoring an even divide between the two major parties in the House. The candidates competed in a race they wished was not happening. Hortman was shot dead, along with her husband, at their home in June.

Missouri – Missouri Senate Passes Trump-Backed Plan That Could Help Republicans Win an Additional US House Seat

MSN – David Lieb (Associated Press) | Published: 9/12/2025

Missouri Republicans passed a redistricting plan that could help Republicans win an additional U.S. House seat in next year’s elections. The Senate vote sends the redistricting plan to Gov. Mike Kehoe, who said he will sign it into law soon. But opponents immediately announced a referendum petition that, if successful, could force a statewide vote on the new map.

New York – Former New York Prosecutor Maurene Comey Sues Over Firing by Justice Department

MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 9/15/2025

Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor who handled cases against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, sued the Justice Department for firing her allegedly because her father is disliked by President Trump. The lawsuit alleges the Justice Department offered no rationale for Comey’s firing and it was an illegal and political move. Her father is James Comey, a former FBI director whom Trump has long criticized.

New York – Cuomo’s Campaign Unlocked Matching Funds on Donations from Minors in Violation of CFB Rules

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 9/10/2025

Andrew Cuomo’s New York City mayoral campaign unlocked $4,000 in public matching funds off donations made in the names of minors in violation of fundraising compliance laws, according to records. The donors whose contributions produced the questionable matching cash include a five-year-old son of a prominent Cuomo supporter. The program’s rules are strict and include a prohibition on candidates seeking matching funds on contributions from anyone under 18.

Ohio – Cleveland City Council Votes to Censure Joe Jones After ‘Joking Remark’ About Killing a Staff Member

MSN – Sean McDonnell (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/15/2025

The Cleveland City Council censured Councilperson Joe Jones for breaking the workplace violence and standards of conduct policies. Jones said a “joking remark” he made was twisted and magnified into a controversy. Jones, who is accused of threatening to kill a staffer, said what was happening to him proved any member of the council could be targeted and punished without due process.

Oklahoma – Former Oklahoma Lawmaker Files Ballot Measure to Overhaul Legislative Process

Yahoo News – Barbara Hoberock (Oklahoma Voice) | Published: 9/17/2025

A former Oklahoma lawmaker wants to dramatically alter how the Legislature conducts business. Former Rep. Charles Key filed paperwork to circulate a proposed constitutional amendment that would require three bills from every lawmaker to be heard in committee. State Question 839 would also require any bills advanced from committee to be heard on the House or Senate floor. Key said lobbyists and large money donors behind the scenes pick which bills get heard.

Oklahoma – Gamefowl Commission to Pay $10,000 in Settlement with Oklahoma Ethics Commission

Yahoo News – Emma Murphy (Oklahoma Voice) | Published: 9/17/2025

The Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission PAC will pay $10,000 and dissolve following a settlement with the state Ethics Commission for violating campaign finance laws. The Gamefowl Commission, which had advocated for lessening cockfighting penalties, must dissolve within 30 days and cannot form a new affiliated PAC for two years.

Oregon – Oregon Ethics Commission to Investigate Travel by 4 Washington County Commissioners

MSN – Jamie Goldberg (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/12/2025

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted to investigate whether four members of the Washington County commission violated state ethics law during trips they took on behalf of the county sewer agency. Investigators said Chairperson Kathryn Harrington and commissioners Pam Treece, Jerry Willey, and Nafisa Fai may have committed violations by receiving airline miles for trips they took on behalf of the agency, Clean Water Services. In addition, investigators said Harrington and Treece may have violated rules by tacking on personal vacation to the business trips.

Rhode Island – Lawmakers Changed RI’s Campaign Finance Rules. It’s Giving Foulkes a 2026 Fundraising Edge.

USA Today – Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) | Published: 9/15/2025

Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, who is challenging Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee in a rematch of 2022, has built a healthy financial advantage, in part thanks to the higher individual donation limit that went into effect in 2024. Her ability to extract twice as much from each donor annually – $2,000 instead of $1,000 – has not only helped her to build a money edge over McKee, but also to narrow the financial gap with Rhode Island’s reigning fundraising champion, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, who shepherded the bill through the House and who could still decide to jump into the gubernatorial race.

Rhode Island – Former R.I. Senator and Housing Leader Fined $2,500 for Breaking Campaign Finance Laws

Yahoo News – Nancy Lavin (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 9/17/2025

Former Rhode Island Senate Majority Leader Daniel Connors paid a $2,500 fine for unreported and misused campaign finance funds under an agreement with the Board of Elections. Connors has not held elected office since 2010. But he kept his campaign finance account open through subsequent jobs as a senior adviser to Gov. Gina Raimondo, and a high-ranking official under Gov. Dan McKee, including as interim secretary of the Department of Housing.

South Carolina – SC Supreme Court Upholds Voting Map, Throws Out Partisan Gerrymandering Claim

Yahoo News – Jessica Holdman (South Carolina Daily Gazette) | Published: 9/17/2025

The state Supreme Court upheld South Carolina’s congressional voting lines by ruling there is nothing unconstitutional about partisan gerrymandering. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in May 2024 that the lines did not racially discriminate, the League of Women Voters sued in state court, using Republicans’ arguments it was party, not race, that influenced the redrawing.

Tennessee – Cade Cothren, Aide to Ex-TN House Speaker Casada, Sentenced to 2.5 Years Prison

Yahoo News – Evan Mealins (Tennessean) | Published: 9/16/2025

Cade Cothren, former chief of staff to Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $25,000 for corruption tied to a political mailer scheme. Casada and Cothren were convicted of setting up a secret company called Phoenix Solutions that tapped into the state’s postage and printing program that provides House members $3,000 a year for constituent mailers.

Texas – Did the Top Texas Funeral Regulator Illegally Lobby the Legislature? The Law Is Murky, Experts Say

KERA – Toluwani Osibamowo | Published: 9/10/2025

In just two months, the Texas Funeral Service Commission (TFSC) fired its executive director, along with three people who supported him, sued the ex-employees who publicly discussed their firings, then dismissed that lawsuit. Before and after their firings, the former staffers maintained that Kristin Tips, TFSC’s head commissioner, improperly advocated for bills in the Legislature that could benefit her own funeral business and used state resources to do it, actions they say constitute illegal lobbying.

Utah – Utah Supreme Court Rejects Legislature’s Bid to Extend Use of Gerrymandered Congressional Maps, for Now

MSN – Emily Anderson Stern (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 9/15/2025

Current congressional maps drawn by the Utah Legislature in defiance of a passed voter initiative banning gerrymandering will, for now, not be reinstated, the state Supreme Court ruled. Attorneys for lawmakers asked that justices pause the portion of a District Court ruling that would have kept the boundaries in place until the Legislature adopts new ones and any appeals of the ruling conclude. If the high court had agreed, it would have opened the possibility of the current maps remaining in place for at least the 2026 midterm elections, if not longer.

Vermont – Ethics Take a Backseat in Vermont, Under-Funded Commission Not Taking New Municipal Cases

VTDigger.org – Auditi Guha | Published: 9/16/2025

The Vermont State Ethics Commission was established by the Legislature in 2018 as an independent, non-partisan agency to promote standards of ethical conduct in state government. A 2024 law gave it more purview over ethical standards for local governments, but the commission stopped offering services to municipalities in May, according to an announcement on the website, “due to lack of staffing.” It is continuing to accept complaints related to state government.

West Virginia – West Virginia Ethics Commission Promises to Focus on Mandatory Lobbyist Training

Parkersburg News and Sentinel – Steven Allen Adams | Published: 9/11/2025

A performance review of the West Virginia Ethics Commission conducted by legislative auditors revealed disparities between the commission The Performance Evaluation and Research Division found that while the commission demonstrated high effectiveness in ensuring lobbyists report their activities, the audit identified critical failures in the administration of ethics training requirements.

National/Federal

FBI Seized Computers, Papers Labeled ‘Trump’ During Bolton Search

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2025

FBI agents seized computers, phones and reams of documents in the search of the home and office of former national security adviser John Bolton. Search warrant records confirmed prosecutors are seeking to build a case against Bolton for alleged unauthorized removal of classified documents and violations of the Espionage Act involving improper transmission of national defense information. The most serious of those crimes carries potential punishment of up to a decade in prison.

Historic Peace Vigil Partially Dismantled After Trump Orders: ‘Take it down’

MSN – Marissa Land (Washington Post) | Published: 9/7/2025

Law enforcement officials dismantled parts of the White House Peace Vigil, which had stood for more than forty years and called for nuclear disarmament and an end to global conflict, after President Trump ordered it to be taken down as part of the clearing of homeless encampments in the nation’s capital. Federal officers picked apart the structure that shields protesters and their signs from the elements. The vigil is maintained by a rotating cast of volunteers who keep the protest going 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Appeals Court Upholds E. Jean Carroll’s $83.3 Million Defamation Judgment Against President Trump

MSN – Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 9/8/2025

A federal appeals court upheld a civil jury’s finding that President Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault. A three-judge panel of the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump’s appeal of the defamation award, finding that the “jury’s damages awards are fair and reasonable.”

House Committee Releases More Epstein Documents, Including ‘Birthday Book’

MSN – Kadia Goba and Katie Tarrant (Washington Post) | Published: 9/8/2025

The House Oversight Committee released hundreds of pages of documents it received from sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, including a redacted version of a “birthday book” allegedly gifted to the deceased financier on his 50th birthday with messages from high-profile friends. Earlier in the day, Democrats on the committee released portions of the book, including a suggestive picture and note allegedly drawn by President Trump when he and Epstein were friends. White House officials have denied Trump drew the sketch or signed the note.

Chief Justice Allows Trump to Fire a Democratic FTC Commissioner for Now

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 9/8/2025

President Trump can fire a Democrat on the Federal Trade Commission while the Supreme Court considers whether to weigh in on a lawsuit challenging her dismissal, Chief Justice John Roberts ruled. Roberts did not offer a reason for the temporary ruling, but it signals the high court may be inclined to overturn an appeals court decision that affirmed Rebecca Slaughter’s reinstatement.

Paramount Picks Ombudsman to Review Complaints of Bias at CBS News

MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 9/8/2025

Paramount selected Kenneth Weinstein, the former president and chief executive of the conservative-leaning Hudson Institute think tank, to serve as ombudsman and review editorial complaints raised against CBS News. The company agreed to appoint an ombudsman for at least two years as a condition of its merger with Skydance Media, which was approved by the Federal Communications Commission in July.

Rep. Luna’s Investment in a Donor’s Energy Firm Illustrates Potential Limits of a Stock Trading Ban

MSN – Scott Wong (NBC News) | Published: 9/8/2025

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has threatened to force a vote a bill banning lawmakers from owning or trading stocks. But Luna’s most recent financial disclosure shows she has a significant investment of her own, illustrating how lawmakers could hold assets that pose potential conflicts-of-interest, even if the stock trading ban becomes law. Luna invested $250,001 to $500,000 in America First Natural Resources (AFNR), a company founded by one of her political donors. Luna’s office said she owns no stock in AFNR, emphasizing she has another kind of “investment” and does not own stock in any company.

Judge Temporarily Halts Firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook

MSN – Andrew Ackerman (Washington Post) | Published: 9/9/2025

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, an early victory in her push to remain on the central bank board while she challenges the president’s authority to dismiss her. Trump moved to fire Cook in August, citing allegations by a member of his administration that she had committed mortgage fraud. No criminal charges have been filed, and Cook denies wrongdoing. She sued to stop Trump from ousting her.

Defying Past Criticism, Trump Plans G-20 Summit at His Doral Resort

MSN – Natalie Allison and Michael Birnbaum (Washington Post) | Published: 9/5/2025

President Trump plans to host next year’s Group of 20 summit at his Doral golf resort in Florida, fulfilling his wish to host a major gathering of world leaders at one of his properties after bowing to criticism of self-dealing over a similar proposal during his first term. Trump’s decision reflects the unconstrained approach he has taken during his second term, rejecting the guardrails that once constrained him when it came to mixing personal business with his public office.

Trump Ally Charlie Kirk Gunned Down in Brazen Act of Public Violence

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck, Natalie Allison, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, and Angie Orellana Hernandez (Washington Post) | Published: 9/10/2025

Charlie Kirk, a key ally of President Trump, was fatally shot during a campus event at a Utah university, a slaying that shook the worlds of politics and media and horrified a vast audience who watched viral video of the attack on their phones. Kirk was known as one of the right’s most prominent and polarizing figures after amassing a significant following through Turning Point USA, his conservative youth organization that has chapters on more than 3,500 college campuses.

Trump Administration Halts I.R.S. Crackdown on Major Tax Shelters

Seattle Times – Jesse Drucker (New York Times) | Published: 9/9/2025

The Trump administration is dismantling efforts by the IRS to shut down aggressive tax shelters used by America’s biggest multinational companies and wealthiest people. The administration, bowing to pressure from industry groups, right-wing activists, and congressional Republicans, is rolling back several IRS law enforcement efforts, including one aimed at a lucrative tax shelter used by companies. The IRS crackdown was projected to raise more than $100 billion over 10 years.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Horne Seeks Recusal of Justice Who Prosecuted Him Over Campaign Finance Laws

Yahoo News – Gloria Rebecca Gomez (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 9/5/2025

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne wants an Arizona Supreme Court justice who accused him of violating state campaign finance laws more than a decade ago to step away from a case that has the potential to give Horne drastically more power over how students are taught. In the motion, attorney Dennis Wilenchik argued that a political spat between Horne and Justice Bill Montgomery means the latter should not have any role in deciding the fate of Horne’s ongoing lawsuit.

Arizona – An Arizona Law Promised to End Secret Political Donations. Did It Work?

Yahoo News – Taylor Seely (Arizona Republic) | Published: 9/10/2025

A voter-approved law intended to force groups to reveal the “true sources” behind campaign spending, but a review of public records showed that often did not happen. In the first election where the disclosure law was in place, 40 percent of campaigns listed no donors at all. More often, the reports showed groups funneling tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to other groups, without reporting where the money originated.

California – How California Legislators Got More Than $820,000 in Travel in 2024

MSN – Jeremia Kimelman (CalMatters) | Published: 9/8/2025

Last year, corporations and nonprofits spent more than $820,000 to take dozens of California legislators on domestic and international trips. Nearly 100 groups sponsored trips for 92 lawmakers, about three-quarters of the Legislature, to destinations that included far-flung places such as Europe, Southeast Asia, and Israel. State law requires that organizations annually disclose any major donors who travel alongside elected officials, if the travel for elected officials in a year totals more than $10,000 or at least $5,000 to a single official and if the trip sponsorship accounts for at least one-third of the organization’s total expenses.

California – SF Eyes Subtle Spending Reform After Priciest Election Ever

San Francisco Examiner – Adam Shanks | Published: 9/9/2025

In an era of big money in local politics, watchdogs are proposing a set of changes to San Francisco’s campaign finance laws. The proposal comes less than a year after Mayor Daniel Lurie vastly outspent his opponents in a crowded mayoral race largely by funneling his own money into the campaign. In total, 2024 was the most expensive election year in San Francisco history, according to the city Ethics Commission.

California – Supreme Court Lifts Restrictions on ‘Roving’ ICE Raids in Los Angeles

Yahoo News – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 9/8/2025

Los Angeles area based on broad criteria such as speaking Spanish or gathering at locations day laborers often congregate. The justices put on hold a lower court order that reined in what critics called “roving” raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That judge found the tactics were likely unconstitutional because agents were detaining people without probable cause. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote it was reasonable to briefly question people who meet multiple “common sense” criteria for possible illegal presence.

Florida – U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds Skirts Campaign Finance Laws in Dual Bids for Congress, Governor

WUSF – Melanie Payne (Florida Trident) | Published: 9/8/2025

In February, after an endorsement by President Trump, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds announced he was running to be Florida’s next governor. Donations began pouring into the Friends of Byron Donalds PAC totaling more than $22 million. But contributions to Byron Donalds for Congress did not stop, and the FEC has an issue with the Donalds’ campaign soliciting and collecting money for both.

Hawaii – Ex-Mitsunaga Secretary Charged for Illegal Political Donations

Honolulu Civil Beat – Christina Jedra | Published: 9/3/2025

A former secretary for a prominent Hawaii engineering firm was criminally charged with making illegal political contributions, a rare campaign finance indictment in a state with a history of “pay-to-play.” The attorney general’s office indicted Terri Ann Otani on four counts of making false name contributions. In July 2020, Otani allegedly donated a total of $2,000 to Honolulu mayoral candidate Colleen Hanabusa in the names of her sister and niece even though those family members were not the actual source of the money.

Illinois – ICE Launches ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ Targeting Immigrants in Chicago

MSN – Mariana Alfaro, Arelis Hernández, Marianne LeVine, and Kim Bellware (Washington Post) | Published: 9/8/2025

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it launched an operation in Chicago as part of the Trump administration’s effort to target “sanctuary cities,” and immigrant advocates said several people in Hispanic communities have been detained. The number of reported arrests is relatively few, but immigrant rights advocates said the operation appears to mark a shift in tactics. Local activists said before this operation, agents presented warrants at specific homes or detained people at immigration court. They said stopping people on the street in what appeared to be a fairly random fashion is new.

Indiana – Remediation Document Reveals Ethics Concerns Before Indiana Cabinet Secretary Resignation

Yahoo News – Casey Smith and Niki Kelly (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 9/9/2025

A remediation agreement signed in July shows Jennifer-Ruth Green was already the subject of an inspector general investigation into alleged misuse of state resources and workplace misconduct before her sudden resignation as Indiana’s public safety secretary. Among the allegations against Green are claims she used state vehicles and travel cards for personal and political purposes and directed state employees to assist with those activities during work hours.

Louisiana – Landry Pays Fine, Discloses $13,540 in Free Travel in Deal to Drop Ethics Charges

Yahoo News – Greg LaRose and Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 9/5/2025

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry admitted to failing to report 19 instances of free travel he accepted as attorney general and governor, worth more than $13,500, under a settlement reached with the Louisiana Board of Ethics. The board fined the governor $900, though Landry could have faced tens of thousands of dollars in penalties for failing to disclose the complementary travel. The decision to drop the charges against Landry ends more than two years of deliberations with Landry’s attorneys since the charges were filed.

Massachusetts – Former Boston Councilor Sentenced for Kickback Scheme

MSN – Tréa Lavery (MassLive) | Published: 9/5/2025

A former Boston city councilor convicted on federal corruption charges was sentenced to one month in prison after pleading guilty to a kickback scheme earlier this year. In addition to the prison time, Tania Fernandes Anderson will serve three years of supervised release, during which she cannot hold any position with financial discretion, among other conditions. She will also be required to pay restitution and forfeiture of $13,000 and special assessments of $200.

Michigan – Judge Throws Out Charges Against GOP Would-Be Electors in Michigan

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/9/2025

A Michigan judge dismissed criminal charges against a group of people who were accused of attempting to falsely certify President Trump as the winner of the 2020 election in the battleground state, a major blow to prosecutors as similar cases in four other states have been muddied with setbacks. District Court Judge Kristen Simmons said she saw no intent to commit fraud in the defendants’ actions. They “seriously believed” there were problems with the election, the judge said. “… I believe they were executing their constitutional right to seek redress,” Simmons added.

Michigan – Consultant Charged in ‘Dark Money’ Scheme Continues to Aid Several Michigan GOP Candidates

Yahoo News – Kyle Davidson (Michigan Advance) | Published: 9/5/2025

A Republican consultant accused of fundraising violations in connection to a “dark money” scheme remains a key financial advisor for several GOP candidates and causes. Last year, the attorney general’s office brought several charges against Bright Spark Strategies co-founder Heather Lombardini, following an investigation into an alleged scheme in which two nonprofits funneled $2.6 million into the Unlock Michigan campaign, which aimed to repeal the emergency powers Gov. Gretchen Whitmer utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lombardini faces three misdemeanor charges and a felony for allegedly failing to file campaign finance disclosures.

Minnesota – Minneapolis Election Door-Knocking Dispute: Council member, park candidate feud with developer

MSN – Deena Winter (Minneapolis Star Tribune) | Published: 9/8/2025

A Minneapolis City Council member and a Park Board candidate claim a developer violated state law by refusing to allow their campaign workers into his buildings to knock on doors of potential voters. The law enacted last year allows candidates and campaign workers to campaign door-to-door in apartments, condo buildings, townhouses, college dorms, nursing homes, and mobile home parks. Building owners or managers who violate the law can face a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation and a petty misdemeanor charge.

Mississippi – It’s Not Just Trump. Red States Are Cracking Down on Their Own Blue Cities.

MSN – Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 9/8/2025

Defendants who appear in Jackson’s dilapidated county courthouse often wait more than a year to have cases heard, a backlog that local officials blame on too few judges and a shortage of resources. Since January, though, some individuals charged under the same statutes have gotten their version of justice in a parallel operation created by the Republican-run Mississippi Legislature. State leaders defend the new system as necessary to address a spike in crime and court backlogs. Critics say it was imposed by White GOP lawmakers on an overwhelmingly Black, majority-Democratic city.

New Jersey – N.J. Comptroller Alleges Conflicts of Interest Involving George Norcross’ Firm and Local Government Insurance Funds

MSN – Andrew Seidman (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 9/9/2025

Health insurance funds that serve more than 100,000 local government employees in New Jersey have been hijacked by a single private company that effectively controls their contracts, a state watchdog agency said. The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller said Conner Strong & Buckelew, the insurance brokerage founded by Democratic power broker George Norcross III, and a related entity have violated public contracting laws and failed to disclose conflicts-of-interest to state regulators.

New York – The Secret Bundlers Behind Eric Adams’ Campaign Fundraising Revealed

MSN – Greg Smith and Yoav Gonen (The City) | Published: 9/5/2025

A loophole in the New York City law says campaigns do not have to disclose bundlers as intermediaries – money-raisers who choreograph multiple donations to campaigns – if they are doing this fundraising in connection to an event paid for by the campaign. A media investigation found Mayor Eric Adams did not disclose a slew of these secret bundlers to the Campaign Finance Board, a lapse that is legal, but ethically dubious, campaign finance experts say.

North Carolina – Campaign Watchdog Calls for Probe into Indian-American Group’s Fundraiser.

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 9/3/2025

A campaign finance watchdog asked the State Board of Elections to investigate what he called an “eye-popping” fundraiser that he says drew more than $165,000 each to the campaigns of two of the state’s most powerful leaders. Bob Hall said he found evidence of “straw donors” and possible payments from business funds, both of which are illegal under North Carolina election laws. It was one of two complaints related to the fundraiser filed with the elections board.

Rhode Island – He’s a State Senator. She’s a Councilwoman. Why Controversy Follows Foster’s Power Couple.

USA Today – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 9/8/2020

While Rhode Island Senate Minority Whip Gordon Rogers may be number two in the Republican leadership, his political influence is tempered by his party holding only four seats in the 38-member state Senate. But Rogers and his wife, Town Councilor Heidi Weston Rogers, are the political power couple in their hometown of Foster. That has led to an ethics complaint about what role, if any, she played in preventing his removal as the town’s $84,872-a-year director of public works.

Rhode Island – No Time Like the Present to Change Lobbyist Gift Rules, Open Government Advocates Tell Ethics Panel

Yahoo News – Alexander Castro (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 9/9/2025

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission heard public feedback on the possibility of changing state ethics rules to limit lobbyists’ influence on the lawmaking process. One change would increase the limit on individual gifts to public officials from $25 to $50 and from $75 to $150 annually in aggregate. The other would broaden the definition of “interested person” to explicitly cover lobbyists and their employers, filling a gap that lets public officials and employees accept potentially unlimited gifts from these parties.

Tennessee – Judge Acquits Casada, Cothren on 3 Charges for Insufficient Evidence, Other Counts Stand

Yahoo News – Vivian Jones (Tennessean) | Published: 9/9/2025

Months after a guilty verdict, a federal judge acquitted former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and a former top aide on three counts of public corruption but declined to acquit the men on more than a dozen other charges. A jury found Casada and his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren, guilty on more than a dozen counts each of public corruption charges, including fraud, bribery, theft, conspiracy, and money laundering.

Utah – Utahns Love to Call Their Members of Congress – Now They May Dial State Lawmakers More Often

Yahoo News – Alixel Cabrera (Utah Dispatch News) | Published: 9/5/2025

5 Calls, a website and app that finds users’ U.S. representatives and senators and provides them with a phone number and a script to discuss some of the hottest issues on Capitol Hill, is now expanding to include members of the Utah Legislature in partnership with Elevate PAC. On the list of federal issues, platform users in the state may now notice items with a red banner, marking state-wide issues. The experience has also been different with Utah lawmakers, as many personally answer their phone calls, as opposed to delegating calls to a staffer.

Washington – What Happens to Money Set Aside for Unused Seattle ‘Democracy Vouchers’?

KNKX – Nate Sanford | Published: 9/9/2025

People who support Seattle’s “democracy voucher” program outnumber those who use it. In the August 5 primary election, about 114,000 Seattleites approved Proposition 1, which will renew the property tax funding Seattle’s unique public campaign financing system for another decade. It passed with 59 percent of the vote. But as of September 3, only 36,882 Seattleites had returned their vouchers. Voters still have up to November 28, nearly a month after the general election, to donate their vouchers, and participation may continue to grow. But if past elections are any indication, participation is unlikely to get significantly higher.

National/Federal

Federal Appellate Panel Rejects Trump’s Deportations Under Wartime Law

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2025

A federal court ruled President Trump unlawfully invoked a centuries-old wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants, blocking one of his most contentious immigration initiatives and teeing up a legal battle sure to end up before the Supreme Court. A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejected Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to remove alleged members of the Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua gang, concluding their presence in the country did not amount to the type of invasion or “predatory incursion” lawmakers envisioned when they drafted the statute allowing fast-tracked deportations.

Mark Warner Says Spy Agency Visit Canceled Over Posts by Laura Loomer

MSN – Noah Robertson and Warren Strobel (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2025

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said he was blocked from a planned visit to a major U.S. spy agency as part of his routine congressional oversight duties after a series of social media posts by Laura Loomer, the far-right activist and provocateur. Sen. Mark Warner had arranged meetings with top officials at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which analyzes data from spy satellites for the Pentagon and intelligence community, but said his visit was abruptly canceled after Loomer attacked him and the agency’s director online.

Republicans Fail to Censure Rep. LaMonica McIver as Democrats Threaten Retaliation

MSN – Marianna Sotomayor, Kadia Goba, and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2025

House Republicans surprisingly failed to censure Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver and strip her from a committee assignment. The Republican-led vote came in response to McIver’s indictment by a federal grand jury earlier this year for allegedly interfering with law enforcement while attempting to enter an immigration detention facility. The House will also soon consider another resolution, this one to censure a Republican, brought by Democrats retaliating in defense of McIver.

Judge Rules Trump Administration Cannot Withhold Funding from Harvard

MSN – Susan Svrluga, Joanna Slater, and Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2025

A federal judge ruled the Trump administration violated the Constitution by freezing federal research funding at Harvard University, dealing the White House a setback in its efforts to force change at the country’s oldest university and higher education nationwide. U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs said freezing and canceling more than $2 billion in research grants and other federal actions violated Harvard’s First Amendment rights and amounted to “retaliation, unconstitutional conditions, and unconstitutional coercion.”

Epstein Accusers Join Lawmakers to Push for Full Release of Documents

MSN – Amy Wang, Mariana Alfaro, Kadia Goba, Marianna Sotomayor, and Katie Tarrant (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2025

About a dozen accusers of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein joined House lawmakers and a crowd of hundreds at the U.S. Capitol to push for the Justice Department to release all its files related to its investigations of the disgraced financier and of his imprisoned associate Ghislaine Maxwell. In emotional testimony, the women recounted how they were lured as teenagers into a sex-trafficking operation run by Epstein and Maxwell and abused for years. All voiced their support for lawmakers to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act that would compel the Trump administration to publicly disclose far more documents on Epstein.

The Supreme Court Has Expanded Trump’s Power. He’s Seeking Much More.

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 9/1/2025

The Supreme Court has expanded President Trump’s authority in a string of emergency rulings, but in his firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and other issues probably headed to the court, he is signaling that he continues to seek broader powers for the executive branch. The cases could serve as tests of how much further the high court is willing to go to bless the president’s assertion of executive authority. They differ from previous showdowns because of the magnitude of the authority Trump is seeking to wield and because he wants greater control over powers the Constitution ascribes to another branch of government.

Bipartisan Group of House Lawmakers Introduce Stock Trading Ban Legislation

MSN – Annie Grayer (CNN) | Published: 9/3/2025

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced legislation to ban stock trading for members of Congress as pressure has escalated for elected officials to weed out corruption and restore public trust. The bill introduced in the House comes after Sen. Josh Hawley led a similar effort that advanced out of committee in July and is awaiting a Senate floor vote. One key difference is Hawley’s bill reaches into the executive branch and would impact President Trump as a result, while the House bill only addresses Congress.

Trump’s Pick for Federal Reserve Plans to Keep His White House Job While on Fed

MSN – Andrew Ackerman (Washington Post) | Published: 9/4/2025

Federal Reserve nominee Stephen Miran, a senior White House economic adviser, told senators he does not plan to resign from the Trump administration if confirmed to the Federal Reserve’s board of governors, an unusual arrangement likely to raise concerns about the central bank’s independence. Miran said he plans to take an unpaid leave instead of stepping down from the White House because he would only be filling a short-term slot on the board. He said repeatedly he was citing the advice of an attorney. If confirmed, he would be the first modern-day Federal Reserve Board member to maintain such close ties to the White House.

Wall Street Is Coming for K Street

WAMU – Taylor Giorno (NOTUS) | Published: 9/3/2025

Shamrock Capital recently purchased strategic communications and public affairs firm Penta Group from another private equity company, infusing a degree of confidence in these deals, which have been popping up along K Street in earnest over the past five years. Advisers on both sides of these deals also observe a growing comfort with investments in lobbying shops like Monument Advocacy, which made its first acquisition since the firm secured an investment from Everlane Equity Partners.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Trump’s Use of the National Guard During Los Angeles Immigration Protests Is Illegal, a Judge Says

Yahoo News – Olga Rodriguez (Associated Press) | Published: 9/2/2025

The Trump administration violated federal law by sending National Guard troops to Southern California during immigration enforcement operations and accompanying protests, a federal judge ruled. The order comes after California sued, saying the troops sent to Los Angeles over the summer were violating a law that prohibits military enforcement of domestic laws. Lawyers for the administration argued the Posse Comitatus Act does not apply because the troops were protecting federal officers, not enforcing laws.

Florida – Nonprofit Tied to Florida’s Lt. Gov. Won State Contracts During His Senate Stint

Yahoo News – Jeffrey Schweers (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 9/2/2025

In three years, Jay Collins has gone from nonprofit executive to state senator to a lieutenant governor viewed as having an inside track in the North Carolina governor’s race. During that time, the nonprofit organization where Collins served as a top officer entered the Florida market and received $16 million in disaster relief business from the state. The Legislature is responsible for deciding the state’s spending plan each year and setting rules for the awarding of grants and contracts. As a senator, Collins does not appear to have voted on any money going directly to his organization or appear to have disclosed any conflicts-of-interest.

Georgia – Judge Throws Out Campaign Finance Lawsuit Between Republican Rivals in Georgia Governor’s Race

Yahoo News – Russ Bynum (Associated Press) | Published: 8/28/2025

A federal judge threw out a lawsuit by one of Georgia’s top Republican officials against his chief rival for the 2026 GOP nomination for governor that claimed the opponent had an unfair advantage in campaign fundraising. The judge’s ruling allows Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to continue raising unlimited campaign funds using a special leadership committee granted to a select group of Georgia officials under a 2021 law.

Iowa – Joni Ernst Expected to Announce She Won’t Seek Reelection in 2026, Sources Say

MSN – Stephen Gruber-Miller (Des Moines Register) | Published: 8/30/2025

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst will not seek reelection in 2026, according to people familiar with her decision, setting off a major upheaval in one of Iowa’s marquee midterm contests. Ernst has endured national scrutiny over comments she made at a May town hall, saying, “well, we all are going to die,” after a constituent shouted that people would die because of Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s spending bill. The next day, after facing backlash, Ernst shared a sarcastic apology video she filmed while walking through a cemetery.

Kansas – Advocates’ Lawsuit Against Foreign Contributions Ban Stalls as Kansas Crafts Rules

Yahoo News – Anna Kaminski (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 8/27/2025

Kansas officials brought clarity to a new law that bans financial contributions from foreign nationals to campaigns for or against state constitutional amendments, a law at the center of an ongoing lawsuit. The case in federal court has stagnated while parties waited for the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission to straighten out details of the law. A recent meeting was one of the first times commissioners were able to publicly weigh the law’s framework and craft rules for enforcement. Now, it is up to a judge whether the court case will continue.

Kentucky – Louisville Ethics Commission Sues City Over Alleged Power Grab by County Attorney’s Office

MSN – Lucas Aulbach (Louisville Courier Journal) | Published: 8/29/2025

The Louisville Ethics Commission is taking the city to court, claiming the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office is pushing for improper control over the advisory board. County Attorney Mike O’Connell’s office, meanwhile, has contended the commission’s lawyer has conflicts-of-interest that could lead to serious issues as he represents the board in charge of ensuring city employees are following the Ethics Code.

Maryland – Baltimore County Council Approves IG Appointment Board, Sends Question to Voters

MSN – Natalie Jones (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 9/2/2025

Baltimore County voters will decide whether the county’s inspector general should be selected by an independent appointment board in the future. The Baltimore County Council unanimously approved a charter amendment that would create a seven-member panel to appoint or reappoint an inspector general to the role. Under current laws, the county executive is responsible for appointing an inspector general, who the county council must also confirm.

Michigan – Records: Beydoun, other MEDC officials skipped conflict of interest reports

Bridge Michigan – Paula Gardner | Published: 9/2/2025

Members of the board in charge of Michigan’s billion-dollar economic development strategy skipped filing just over half of their required annual conflict-of-interest certification documents from 2019 to 2022. Records show the omissions peaked in 2022, when just four of 18 members on the Michigan Economic Development Corp. executive committee signed the documents – all of them in March, two months after they were due.

Missouri – Republicans Eye Next House Carveout with Missouri Special Session

MSN – Dylan Wells, Hannah Knowles, and Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 8/29/2025

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe moved toward helping the Republican Party gain another seat in the U.S. House, announcing a special session to redraw the state’s congressional maps. The session follows a nationwide pressure campaign from President Trump aimed at beefing up his party’s chances in the 2026 midterm elections with an aggressive and rare mid-cycle overhauling of congressional maps.

Missouri – Trump’s DOJ Seeks Election Equipment in Red State Ahead of 2026 Election

MSN – Yvonne Winget Sanchez and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 9/3/2025

A top official for President Trump’s Justice Department recently sought access to voting equipment used by two Republican clerks in Missouri during the 2020 election, an unusual request from federal officials amid continued efforts by the president to malign the integrity of the nation’s voting systems. Trump overwhelmingly won each of his three elections in Missouri, yet many of his supporters there and elsewhere continue to champion the president’s false claim that voting equipment was rigged against him in 2020 and ballots should be tallied by hand.

Missouri – Council Member Revives Effort to Cap Campaign Contributions for City Council Elections

Springfield Daily Citizen – Jack McGee | Published: 8/28/2025

The Springfield City Council will once again consider capping campaign contributions for city council and mayoral candidates. In 2016, Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing limits on campaign contributions to political parties and candidates for statewide offices, among other changes to campaign finance law. But the contribution limit did not apply to municipal elections, leaving Springfield without any cap on campaign contributions after a previous change to state law nullified the city’s $500 limit.

Nevada – A Majority of Nevada’s Legislation Aimed at Government Transparency Failed During the 2025 Session

MSN – Annie Vong (Nevada Independent) | Published: 9/2/2025

Though Nevada lawmakers in 2025 were able to pass some transparency laws focused on certain areas, such as requiring more reporting on school police use of force and creating a public records task force, the vast majority of transparency bills failed to make it across the finish line. According to a Nevada Independent analysis, 26 bills and resolutions were introduced in 2025 that sought to increase transparency in government and campaigns. Only eight were signed into law.

New Jersey – NJ to Regulate Campaign Spending on Security as Political Violence Mounts

Yahoo News – Dana DiFilippo (News Jersey Monitor) | Published: 8/28/2025

As political violence becomes a growing threat and reality, New Jersey’s election watchdog has moved to officially allow candidates to use campaign money to pay for security services and devices. The Election Law Enforcement Commission has historically permitted such expenses, but commission members voted to propose regulations to codify and standardize the use of campaign funds to bolster security.

New York – Campaign Board Deepens Probe into Eric Adams Fundraising

Yahoo News – Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 8/29/2025

A New York City oversight board petitioned the Department of Justice, hired an outside investigator, and issued subpoenas as part of a widening probe into Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign fundraising practices. Those revelations came in a trove of federal court papers that paint the clearest picture yet of the Campaign Finance Board’s independent investigation into Adams’ 2021 and 2025 mayoral runs, along with more detailed reasoning behind the board’s decision to repeatedly deny the mayor public matching funds.

New York – Talks Underway Over Trump Administration Role for NYC Mayor Adams Amid Efforts to Stop Mamdani, Sources Say

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt and Josephine Stratman (New York Daily News) | Published: 9/3/2025

While vowing to still run for reelection, New York City Mayor Eric Adams did not dismiss the possibility of joining President Trump’s administration as sources said conversations are underway about a potential job opportunity. Adams remains dogged in his reelection efforts by accusations that he is beholden to Trump, whose Justice Department quashed the mayor’s corruption indictment in a controversial move. It was reported that the push to get Adams a job is aimed at culling the mayoral race field to maximize chances of stopping Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, who is polling as the favorite to win November’s contest.

North Carolina – NC Indian-American Group Promoted Event as Political Fundraiser. Was That Legit?

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 9/2/2025

The North Carolina Association of Indian Americans hosted a fundraiser on May 31 that benefitted longtime Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall. The association’s filings with the state describe it as a nonprofit under the 501(c)(3) designation in the federal tax code, which means it is not supposed to engage in political fundraising. Bob Hall, the retired executive director of Democracy North Carolina, is preparing a complaint to the State Board of Elections about the fundraiser.

North Dakota – Ethics Commission Highlights Time Management in Annual Report

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (Noth Dakota Monitor) | Published: 8/29/2025

A new report shows that North Dakota Ethics Commission complaints that do not require a full investigation are usually closed in fewer than six months. The commission was directed by the state Legislature to compile annual reports to help the public understand how it operates, especially in light of ongoing concerns from state officials that the agency takes too long to resolve baseless allegations.

Oklahoma – Lobbyists Spent Hundreds of Thousands in Oklahoma’s Legislative Session. Here’s Where the Money Went

Golfweek – Alexia Aston (Oklahoman) | Published: 9/3/2025

A push to cut income taxes, solve a state agency’s financial crisis, and reduce government spending dominated the 2025 legislative session in Oklahoma. Lobbyists spent over $460,000 during the session, largely on meals and events with lawmakers. Lobbyists often play an outsize role in shaping policy, and they are required to disclose how much they spend on behalf of clients and who they spend it on. The Oklahoman analyzed their expense reports, as well as lobbying data compiled by the state Ethics Commission, from the 2025 session.

Oklahoma – Education Department Forced to Release Key Card Data for Matt Langston

Oklahoma Watch – Jennifer Palmer | Published: 9/3/2025

Texan Matt Langston has kept his campaign business in Texas running while collecting a six-figure salary as the Oklahoma Department of Education’s chief policy advisor, though he rarely comes into the office. He has spent just 42 days in the office since Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters hired Langston in January 2023 and issued a directive ending telework for the agency’s employees. Since 2023, Langston’s political consulting firm, Engage Right, has sent campaign emails on Walters’ behalf.

Pennsylvania – Lobbying: How public agencies spend millions to shape state government

LancasterOnline – Gregory Scott | Published: 8/30/2025

From school districts and townships to transit agencies and boroughs, public entities across Pennsylvania are paying big money to be heard in the Capitol. At least 90 local governments have paid nearly $7 million in taxpayer money to hire 38 private lobbying firms since last year, all to influence lawmakers and secure more state funding. Many of those firms were founded by or employ political insiders who know the system and have connections to the major players in the Legislature and the executive branch.

Rhode Island – Cranston City Council President, Lawyer Resign Over Relationship Concerns

Cranston Herald – Rosegalie Cineus | Published: 8/28/2025

Cranston City Council President Jessica Marino and council lawyer Stephen Angell resigned. Their departure from city government followed public allegations, including comments by Mayor Ken Hopkins, of a romantic relationship between the two and contentions it created conflicts-of-interest. Marino and Angell neither confirmed nor denied the existence of a personal relationship, but both said they had committed no wrongdoing.

Texas – Measures Seeking to Prevent Future Quorum Breaks by Texas Lawmakers Approved Wednesday

MSN – Aarón Torres (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 9/4/2025

Texas Republicans passed measures that aim to prevent future walkouts by increasing the punishments for lawmakers who break quorum and preventing them from fundraising during that time. House Bill 18 would ban any state lawmaker who is absent for the purposes of impeding legislative action from accepting campaign contributions greater than $221, the amount lawmakers receive as a daily per diem during a regular or special session.

Virginia – Public Housing Director in Virginia Caught Living in One of His Agency’s Units

MSN – Daniel Wu and Teo Armus (Washington Post) | Published: 9/2/2025

The city of Alexandria’s public housing agency is investigating its chief executive officer, Erik Johnson, after he was found to be living in a public housing unit near the Potomac River, sparking outrage in the wealthy Northern Virginia community where access to affordable housing has long been a challenge. His move into the project effectively allowed him to jump ahead of a decade-long waiting list that is rarely opened up to new families, officials and advocates said.

National/Federal

As Campaign Spending Flows Unchecked, Some States Are Trying to Impose Limits

Christian Science Monitor – Simon Montlake | Published: 8/27/2025

Most elected officials now rely on outside groups, such as super PACs, that accept unlimited donations, to help bankroll their campaigns. As fundraising breaks new records – super PACs spent around $2.7 billion in the 2024 election cycle – reform advocates in two states are pushing back. Maine and Montana are challenging, in different ways, the Supreme Court’s interpretation of campaign finance laws. Reformers hope to lay out a blueprint for how states can regulate corporations, unions, and dark money groups that play an outsize role in determining who is elected to public office.

Trump Says He’s Firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, Opening New Front in Fight for Central Bank Control

MSN – Christopher Rugaber and Will Weissert (Associated Press) | Published: 8/26/2025

President Trump said he is firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, an unprecedented move that would constitute a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution independent from day-to-day politics. Trump said he is removing Cook effective immediately because of allegations she committed mortgage fraud. The move is likely to touch off an extensive legal battle that will probably go to the Supreme Court and could disrupt financial markets.

CDC Leaders Who Resigned Said RFK Jr. Undermined Vaccine Science, Risking Lives

MSN – Lena Sun, Lauren Weber, and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 8/28/2025

Senior leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who resigned in protest after CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired, said they were asked to participate in an unscientific vaccine recommendation process they believe could harm the health of Americans. Staff and leaders of the agency are openly revolting against the Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of the CDC and anti-vaccine activist, after months of tension over vaccine policy and staffing cuts.

Consumer Watchdog Ends Investigation into Buy Now, Pay Later Company Linked to Donald Trump Jr.

MSN – Fatima Hussein (Associated Press) | Published: 8/22/2025

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) dropped an investigation into a buy now, pay later company with close ties to Donald Trump Jr., saying the investigation was conducted in a biased manner and based off politics. The closure of the investigation also comes when the CFPB, which helps oversee the nation’s banks and financial services companies, has been undoing rulemaking, dropping other cases, and ending law enforcement work that was done under previous administrations, including President Trump’s first term.

Trump Repeatedly Pointed a Finger at Bolton in the Days Before Raids

MSN – Natalie Allison and Michael Birnbaum (Washington Post) | Published: 8/23/2025

Days before his former national security adviser’s home and office were raided by the FBI, President Trump had trained his sights on his onetime aide, publicly rebuking John Bolton for criticizing his policy toward Russia. The president said he was not aware of the raids until they occurred, and there is no evidence the investigation was launched in response to Bolton’s recent criticisms of Trump. People close to Trump have privately noted, however, that the president was bothered by Bolton’s recent deprecation of his attempts at peacemaking.

Trump Rolls Back Rules Meant to Keep Politics Out of Climate Research

MSN – Scott Dance (Washington Post) | Published: 8/22/2025

Ahead of President Trump’s second term in the White House, scientists and advocates sought to tighten rules that protect climate researchers and their work from political interference. They added policies to prevent a repeat of the scandal known as “Sharpiegate” and even enshrined others in a union contract. The Trump administration has now rolled those changes back.

House Oversight Subpoenas Epstein Estate, Including for Any ‘Client List’

MSN – Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 8/25/2025

House Oversight Committee Chairperson James Comer subpoenaed Jeffrey Epstein’s estate as part of an ongoing probe into the handling of the federal sex-trafficking investigation. The GOP base has been in an uproar since the Justice Department said there was no “client list” in its files associated with Epstein, contradicting what Attorney General Pam Bondi and some former administration officials have claimed. Several right-wing pundits and conspiracy theorists have accused the federal government of a cover-up aimed at protecting powerful men who might have engaged in improper behavior with teenage girls.

Redistricting War Between Texas and California Is About to Jolt the Midterms

MSN – Liz Crampton, Dustin Gardiner, and Nick Reisman (Politico) | Published: 8/23/2025

California and Texas raced forward with parallel action to draw new congressional maps, setting into motion a national redistricting fight that could upend the midterms and determine control of the House. The nation’s two largest states had fired the opening salvo in what is likely to become an intense and protracted redistricting campaign by both parties to grasp power in Washington. Now other red and blue state governors face pressure to follow their lead and aggressively gerrymander their congressional maps.

FEMA Employees Put on Leave After Criticizing Trump Administration in Open Letter

MSN – Brianna Sacks (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2025

The Trump administration placed more than a dozen Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees on leave after they signed an open letter of dissent about the agency’s leadership. About 180 current and former FEMA staffers sent a letter to members of Congress and other officials, arguing the current leaders’ inexperience and approach harm FEMA’s mission and could result in a disaster on the level of Hurricane Katrina.

She Pushed to Overturn Trump’s Loss in the 2020 Election. Now She’ll Help Oversee U.S. Election Security.

ProPublica – Doug Bock Clark | Published: 8/26/2025

Heather Honey, a high-profile denier of Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, was appointed to a senior position in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in which she will help oversee the nation’s election infrastructure. In 2024, ProPublica reported Honey played a key role in the effort to change Georgia’s election rules to allow Republican officials to contest a potential Trump loss in that year’s presidential race. Honey also promoted election conspiracy theories.

State Lawmakers Reconsider Costs, Purpose of Serving After Minnesota Assassination

Yahoo News – Kevin Hardy (Stateline) | Published: 8/26/2025

Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman appeared via video message at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in Boston and urged fellow lawmakers to refocus on the true purpose of public service. In June, he and his wife were shot just before the politically motivated shooter killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. The shooting hung over this year’s NCSL meeting. Lawmakers in attendance on the left and the right repeatedly lamented the toxicity of American politics and the growing threat of political violence at local levels of government.

Attorneys for Former Special Counsel Jack Smith Hit Back at ‘Unfounded’ Watchdog Probe

Yahoo News – Alexander Mallin (ABC News) | Published: 8/26/2025

Attorneys for former special counsel Jack Smith, who brought criminal charges against President Trump, denounced a watchdog investigation into Smith’s work, describing the reasoning for the probe as baseless and partisan. Sen. Tom Cotton’s complaint accused Smith of taking deliberate steps in his prosecutions of Trump, which included charges for unlawful retention of classified materials as well as a criminal conspiracy to overturn his 2020 election loss, to impact Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign in violation of the Hatch Act.

Ghislaine Maxwell, Who Wants a Pardon, Says She Never Saw Trump ‘in Any Inappropriate Setting’

Yahoo News – Erica Orden, Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 8/22/2025

Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, who is seeking a pardon from Donald Trump, told top Justice Department officials during an interview she never witnessed the president “in any inappropriate setting” with girls introduced to him by disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell, Epstein’s co-conspirator who is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence, makes unfailingly flattering references to Trump, according to transcripts of the conversation. The Justice Department released the interview materials around the same time it delivered a tranche of the so-called Epstein files to Capitol Hill.

From the States and Municipalities

Europe – Denmark Summons US Envoy After Report of Americans Carrying Out Influence Operations in Greenland

MSN – Associated Press | Published: 8/26/2025

Denmark’s foreign minister had the top U.S. diplomat in the country summoned for talks after the main national broadcaster reported at least three people with connections to President Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland. Trump has said he seeks U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. He has not ruled out military force to take control of the island. Denmark and Greenland have said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the U.S. gathering intelligence there.

Canada – Manitoba Premier Didn’t Break Conflict of Interest Laws by Taking Charters to Grey Cup: Ethics commissioner

Yahoo News – Caitlyn Gowriluk (CBC) | Published: 8/27/2025

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew did not violate provincial conflict-of-interest laws when he took planes chartered by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the Grey Cup in 2023 and 2024, the province’s ethics commissioner found. The investigation came after a CBC article earlier this year raised questions about the trips, which were also offered to Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham.

California – Ex-Dream Keeper Chief Is Under Criminal Investigation – but She Hasn’t Left the Spotlight

MSN – Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 8/25/2025

Sheryl Davis resigned amid scrutiny over her handling of the Dream Keeper Initiative, San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s signature reinvestment in the Black community. City Attorney David Chiu later accused a major Dream Keeper beneficiary, the nonprofit Collective Impact, of making payments on behalf of Davis that investigators said amounted to bribes. Davis now seems determined to retain her seat in public life, after her position of authority was stripped from her.

California – OC Democrat Lobbyist Gets Six Months in Jail for Attempted Wire Fraud

Voice of OC – Noah Biesiada | Published: 8/22/2025

Melehat Rafiei, former head of the Orange County Democratic Party, was sentenced to six months in jail by a federal judge for attempted wire fraud. The sentencing comes after Rafiei signed a plea agreement admitting to the attempted fraud charge and acknowledging she tried bribing two Irvine City Council members for favorable cannabis legislation, something she was not charged for. U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Aelle-Rocha also ordered three years of supervised release once Rafiei serves her time and a $10,000 fine.

District of Columbia – D.C. Judges and Grand Jurors Push Back on Trump Policing Surge

MSN – Salvador Rizzo and Michael Laris (Washington Post) | Published: 8/27/2025

President Trump declared a crime emergency in the District of Columbia, giving federal law enforcement agencies and National Guard members unprecedented authority to patrol the nation’s capital. But the surge is meeting resistance in the city’s federal courthouse, where magistrate judges have admonished prosecutors for violating defendants’ rights and court rules, and grand jurors have repeatedly refused to issue indictments. A federal magistrate judge said one arrest was preceded by the “most illegal search I’ve seen in my life” and described another arrest as lacking “basic human dignity.”

District of Columbia – How a Thrown Sub Made ‘Sandwich Guy’ a Resistance Icon in Trump’s D.C.

MSN – Sophia Solano (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025

Where protest movements take hold, symbols of resistance soon follow. In the District of Columbia since the Trump administration has taken over the city’s police force and ordered the National Guard to patrol the streets, that symbol has taken the form of a person who flung a footlong sub. His name, colloquially, is “Sandwich Guy.” His real name is Sean Dunn, a former Justice Department employee who was captured on video hurling a footlong at a federal officer and now faces a felony charge. A video of the incident quickly went viral.

Florida – Florida Ordered to Dismantle Alligator Alcatraz Over Environmental Impact

MSN – Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 8/22/2025

A federal judge in Miami gave the state of Florida 60 days to clear out the immigrant detention facility called Alligator Alcatraz, handing environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians a win after they clashed with Gov. Ron DeSantis over the environmental impacts the makeshift site was having in the federally protected Everglades. The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams, which forbids state officials from moving any other migrants there, deals a blow to what had become a marquee symbol of President Trump’s immigration policy.

Iowa – Democrat Wins Iowa Senate Race, Upending Republican Supermajority

MSN – Ken Jeong (Washington Post) | Published: 8/27/2025

Catelin Drey flipped a vacant state Senate seat in Iowa’s Sioux City area formerly held by a Republican after she won more than 55 percent of the vote in a low-turnout race. The upset victory erased the GOP’s supermajority in the Senate. Drey’s triumph in a voting district that lies inside Woodbury County, which President Trump easily won in 2024, also offers a glimpse into the mood of conservative-leaning districts ahead of next year’s midterms.

Louisiana – Louisiana Asks Supreme Court to Gut Voting Rights Act and Ban Use of Race in Redistricting

MSN – Zach Montellaro (Politico) | Published: 8/27/2025

Louisiana is asking the Supreme Court to dismantle the central provision of the Voting Rights Act and ban any use of race in redistricting. In a legal brief, the state urged the court to overturn a landmark 1986 ruling that established a legal test for when a voting map illegally dilutes minorities’ voter power. That ruling, Thornburg v. Gingles, has been understood for decades to require that states with significant communities of minority voters draw districts that fairly reflect their voting power.

Maryland – Court Throws Out Lawsuit by Trump Administration Against All Maryland Federal Judges

MSN – Lea Skene (Associated Press) | Published: 8/26/2025

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Cullen threw out the Trump administration’s lawsuit against Maryland’s entire federal bench in a ruling that underscored the extraordinary nature of the suit and accused the White House of a “concerted effort” to “smear and impugn” judges who rule against it. At issue in the lawsuit was an order by Chief Maryland District Judge George Russell III that stopped the immediate deportation of migrants challenging their removals. The Justice Department said the automatic pause impeded the president’s authority to enforce immigration laws.

Michigan – Michigan Panel OKs Signature-Gathering to Ban Political Spending by ‘Monopoly’ Utilities

Bridge Michigan – Jordyn Hermani | Published: 8/22/2025

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved petition language for an effort to ban political spending by utilities like Consumers Energy and DTE, as well as large state contractors. In addition to prohibiting campaign contributions for certain actors, the initiative also looks to expand state campaign finance laws to more clearly identify who is paying for political communications regardless of whether they are advocating for or against a cause.

Michigan – Michigan GOP Representative’s Earmark Request Raises Questions on Loopholes in New Ethics Rules

Yahoo News – Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) | Published: 8/27/2025

The wealthy owner of the Dort Financial Center made a large political contribution to Michigan Rep. David Martin a month after Martin requested a $2.5 million earmark to renovate areas of the facility located in Flint. While the earmark ultimately was not included in the House budget plan, the request appeared to skirt new House ethics rules that ban legislatively appropriated grants to for-profit entities.

Montana – Lawmakers Detail Stolen Funds in Complaints to State’s Commissioner of Political Practices

Yahoo News – Micah Drew (Daily Montanan) | Published: 8/27/2025

Two state lawmakers have filed complaints with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices detailing how their campaign treasurer allegedly stole thousands of dollars. Sen. Cora Neumann and Rep. Zooey Zephyr filed their complaints after their former treasurer, Abbey Lee Cook, signed a plea agreement with the federal government admitting to an embezzlement scheme of more than $250,000.

Nevada – Ethics Panel Takes Issue with Lieutenant Governor Over Task Force on Trans Athletes

Nevada Independent – Rocio Hernandez | Published: 8/22/2025

A panel from the Nevada Commission on Ethics took issue with Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony using state resources for a task force aimed at keeping transgender athletes out of women’s sports and is recommending he take corrective actions to avoid any further proceedings from the commission. The Nevadans for Equal Rights Committee filed an ethics complaint against Anthony after he stated during a legislative committee meeting that his staff has helped with work related to the task force. Anthony has also promoted the task force’s work on his official X account.

New Jersey – Judge Rules Alina Habba Serving ‘Without Lawful Authority’ as New Jersey’s U.S. Attorney

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025

A federal judge ruled Alina Habba, President Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney in New Jersey, is in that role “without lawful authority” – a decision that called into question the administration’s novel strategy for keeping her and other controversial interim choices in top prosecutorial roles. U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Brann concluded Habba, appointed as interim U.S. attorney in March, had served beyond the 120-day expiration date for that role and the Justice Department’s efforts to keep her past that deadline did not withstand legal scrutiny.

New Mexico – Albuquerque City Council Candidate Alleges Bribery, Extortion in Ethics Complaint

Yahoo News – Gillian Barkhurst (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/27/2025

Stephanie Telles, a candidate for Albuquerque City Council, alleged her opponent;s campaign manager, a longtime political consultant in New Mexico, tried to pay her to drop out of the race. In a letter to the city Ethics Board, Telles alleged Scott Forrester, the campaign manager for Ahren Griego, another candidate, offered to “retire” her campaign debt if she withdrew an appeal for a recount of her signatures submitted to qualify for the ballot.

New York – Mayor Adams’ Supporters Spotted Handing Out Red Envelopes with Cash at 3 Summer Campaign Events: Report

MSN – Craig McCarthy, Steven Vago and Shane Galvin (New York Post) | Published: 8/21/2025

Allies of New York City Mayor Eric Adams were spotted at several July campaign events handing out red envelopes stuffed with cash to attendees, including journalists from Chinese-language outlets, according to The New York Times. The report was published one day after disgraced Adams advisor Winnie Greco was caught giving cash to a reporter from THE CITY. The practice of receiving anywhere from $20 to $300 is common among Chinese-language journalists in New York, one anonymous reporter for a Chinese-language publication told The Times.

Ohio – Charter Amendment Would Align Cincinnati Campaign Finance Reporting with State Rules

WVXU – Becca Costello | Published: 8/25/2025

A charter amendment on the November ballot would align campaign finance reporting in Cincinnati with statewide rules. “It had to do with easier ways to track compliance with contribution limits, but because of the technology that we have today, particularly in the Office of Ethics and Good Governance, they are able to do that work without these separate reports,” city Councilperson Evan Nolan said.

Oregon – Oregon Government Transparency Advocates Aim to Beef Up Public Meetings Rules, Citing Troubling Ambiguities

MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/22/2025

Leaders of cities, counties, and other governing bodies across the state have complained about inconsistent training and vague guidance from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, which lawmakers empowered to enforce the state’s public meetings law beginning in 2024. The public meetings law essentially prohibits officials of a governing body from privately discussing policies under their authority with a majority of voting members. But proponents and critics of the law say it, and state guidance on how to follow it, contains significant ambiguity.

Pennsylvania – Dauphin County Fired Worker Charged with Computer Crimes, but Keeps Hiring His IT Company Anyway

MSN – Juliette Rihl and Joshua Vaughn (pennlive.com) | Published: 8/26/2025

Dauphin County fired an information technology employee in 2027 after he was convicted of computer crimes. Since then, the county has paid David Maurer’s company nearly $700,000 to serve as an information technology contractor. His company continues to receive county contracts. Maurer was terminated from his role as a county network technician after he was convicted of spying on his estranged wife.

Rhode Island – The RI Ethics Commission Could Double the Gift Limit for Lawmakers. Should They?

USA Today – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 8/25/2025

Is Rhode Island’s current $25 per gift cap and a cumulative $75 annually from any one “interested person” for public officials too low? Opinions vary widely among Rhode Island lawmakers. Some, like Sen. Todd Patalano, believe increasing the limit would allow for “normal human interactions” and clarify what is acceptable. On September 9, the Rhode Island Ethics Commission will give members of the public their own chance to comment on a proposal to double the gift limit.

Texas – State Ag Employees Told Police They Were Wary of Sid Miller’s Political Consultant. Now He’s the Agency’s Chief of Staff.

MSN – Kate McGee (Texas Tribune) | Published: 8/25/2025

Todd Smith was preparing to stand trial, accused of soliciting exorbitant fees in exchange for state hemp licenses. He was a top political consultant for Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, whose office provided the licenses. Less than a week after prosecutors subpoenaed Miller to testify, Smith accepted a deal offered by prosecutors that will dismiss the charges after two years if he follows the terms of his probation. Three months after his guilty plea, Miller hired Smith to be his chief of staff at the same state agency at the center of his case.

Texas – Texas Showdown: Legal battle looming over Ten Commandments in schools

MSN – Michelle Boorstein (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2025

With a new state law set to take effect requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom in Texas, many school districts are scrambling to figure out what to do. Some are holding off following a federal judge’s recent ruling against the mandate. Others are racing to fundraise for donated posters of the commandments. The law, and others like it in Louisiana and Arkansas, is part of a coordinated effort to get the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority, who advocates hope will end, or significantly weaken, restrictions on prayer in public schools.

Texas – Dallas Ousts Newly Hired Inspector General Due to Charter Violation

MSN – Devyani Chhetri (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 8/27/2025

The Dallas City Council discharged Inspector General Timothy Menke after weeks of discussing how city officials bungled his hiring process. Last November, voters approved a charter proposition that established an independent office of inspector general and called for its top officer to be “a competent practicing attorney of recognized ability.” Menke, who began his job on June 30 and has decades of experience investigating governmental fraud and misconduct, is not an attorney.

Texas – NAACP Asks Court to Block New Texas Congressional Map

MSN – Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) | Published: 8/26/2025

The NAACP asked a court to block what it called a “racially motivated” congressional map that dilutes the political power of Black voters. The organization is seeking to prevent Texas’s redrawn congressional map from taking effect, claiming the new district map is unconstitutional. In 2021, Republican lawmakers drew a new map and the NAACP and others sued, arguing the districts were racially discriminatory. A panel of judges held a trial this year but has not yet ruled.

Texas – Texas Senate Passes Bill Banning Elected Officials from Fundraising in Special Sessions

MSN – Aarón Torres (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 8/27/2025

Elected officials in Texas would be prohibited from receiving campaign donations during some special legislative sessions under a bill passed by the state Senate. The legislation bars a member who holds statewide office, including the governor, from being able to fundraise during any overtime session as long as that session begins before September 1. Senate Bill 19 now goes to the House.

Utah – Judge Rules Utah’s Congressional Map Must Be Redrawn for the 2026 Elections

MSN – Hannah Schoenbaum (Associated Press) | Published: 8/25/2025

The Utah lawmakers will need to rapidly redraw the state’s congressional boundaries after a judge ruled the Republican-controlled Legislature circumvented safeguards put in place by voters to ensure districts are not drawn to favor any party. The current map divides Salt Lake County – Utah’s population center and a Democratic stronghold – among the state’s four congressional districts, all of which have since elected Republicans by wide margins.

National/Federal

Google Finds Workaround for Lobbying That Omits Big Bosses

MSN – Ted Mann (Bloomberg) | Published: 8/14/2025

Google executives in 2018 were tired of seeing stories in the media that showed the company spent more on federal lobbying than any other corporation. Then Google apparently found a workaround. A new analysis shows Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., used an internal reorganization to exclude the value of lobbying by its senior executives from disclosures. Google also moved its in-house lobbyists into a new subsidiary, called Google Client Services LLC. It is that unit which now files spending disclosures for Google’s lobbying activities.

Trump’s Answer to Numbers He Doesn’t Like: Change them or throw them away

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski, David Ovalle, Scott Dance, and Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/14/2025

President Trump presented inaccurate crime statistics to justify a federal takeover of the District of Columbia Police, announced plans for the census to stop counting undocumented immigrants, and ordered the firing of the official in charge of compiling basic statistics about the U.S. economy after a weak jobs report. It marked an escalation in Trump’s war on data, as he repeatedly tries to undermine statistics that threaten his agenda and distorts figures to bolster his policies.

Judge Dismisses 2 Counts Against US Rep. Cuellar of Texas, Moves Bribery Trial to Next Year

MSN – Juan Lozano (Associated Press) | Published: 8/14/2025

A judge granted a request by federal prosecutors to dismiss two of the 14 counts against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, as part of a federal bribery and conspiracy indictment. Prosecutors had asked the judge to dismiss the counts related to violating the prohibition on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal. Prosecutors said they were dismissing the two counts following a February memorandum from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that shifted the focus of charges filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Under Trump, the Education Dept. Has Flipped Its Civil Rights Mission

MSN – Laura Meckler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/18/2025

The Trump administration has upended civil rights enforcement at K-12 schools and colleges, prioritizing cases that allege transgender students and students of color are getting unfair advantages, while severe staff cuts have left thousands of other allegations unresolved. The office has a backlog of about 25,000 unresolved cases, up from about 20,000 when President Trump took office. At the same time, the civil rights office has announced investigations of at least 99 schools, often based on news coverage or complaints from conservative groups.

Newsmax to Pay $67 Million to Settle Dominion Defamation Lawsuit

MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 8/18/2025

The conservative cable channel Newsmax agreed to pay $67 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by the voting technology company Dominion Voting Systems over the network’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election. Dominion sued Newsmax in 2021, arguing the network “manufactured, endorsed, repeated, and broadcast a series of verifiable false yet devastating lies about Dominion” that made it out to be guilty in a “colossal fraud” to steal the election for Joe Biden.

Inside the DNC’s Money Problems

MSN – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 8/18/2025

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has fallen far behind in the cash race. Several months into rebuilding efforts under new party leadership, the DNC trails the Republican National Committee by nearly every fundraising metric. Major Democratic donors have withheld money this year amid skepticism about the party’s direction, while the small-dollar donors who have long been a source of strength are not growing nearly enough to make up the gap. The party has quickly churned through what money it has raised in the first half of the year.

Trump Budget Officials Claim Sweeping Spending Power from Congress, Records Show

MSN – Riley Beggin and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025

The Trump administration is asserting authority to withhold billions of dollars from low-income housing services, education assistance, medical research grants, and other programs approved by Congress, according to public documents. The new practices, which increase the leverage and power of budget chief Russell Vought, are likely to reignite a clash over the administration’s power to freeze dollars approved by Congress, usurping authority the legislative branch has under the Constitution.

Foundations Step in to Offer $37 Million Lifeline to Public Media

MSN – Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025

Major philanthropic organizations said they are committing nearly $37 million in emergency funding to keep public media stations afloat after Congress eliminated $1.1 billion in federal funding from PBS and NPR stations over the next two years. The Knight Foundation said it is most focused on helping the organizations that derived 30 percent of their annual budgets or more from federal funding doled out by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which recently announced it is shutting down in the face of defunding.

Republicans Push the Limits to Revamp Campaign Finance Operations

MSN – Ramsey Touchberry (Washington Examiner) | Published: 8/20/2025

Senate Republicans are pushing the boundaries of fundraising laws to fill their campaign coffers and stretch their ad spending to counter Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms. The increased use of so-called joint fundraising committees to score cheaper ads is a relatively new trend that GOP operatives and candidates, particularly for the Senate, have leaned into the past year to save millions of dollars and mitigate what has historically been a Democratic fundraising advantage.

Seven Months In, Trump’s Revolving Door Reaching Full Swing

MSN – Caitlin Oprysko and Sophia Cai (Politico) | Published: 8/20/2025

Barely a half-year into President Trump’s second administration, a handful of senior White House aides are already heading for the exits and right through the “revolving door” between the federal government and K Street. The departures and the White House’s response to them illustrate the ways in which the administration continues to push the bounds of ethics norms and guardrails designed to prevent government officials from profiting off their time in public service.

California Races to Counter Texas in Nationwide Fight Over Election Maps

MSN – Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025

California Democrats are rushing to advance a plan to draw a new congressional map, aiming to counter Texas Republicans in a national fight between the two parties to seize an advantage in next year’s midterm elections. But the process in California has more hurdles because the state constitution requires that an independent nonpartisan panel draw its congressional maps. Voters must approve any constitutional amendment. The dueling efforts by the two most populous states mark an unusual mid-decade showdown over election maps.

Trump, GOP Portray Cities as Chaotic Dystopias in Need of Occupation

MSN – Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025

As President Trump ramps up the military presence in Washington, and hints he may move to take over other cities, his crackdown punctuates a frequent Republican message that American cities embody chaos, lawlessness, and immorality, despite widespread recent drops in violent crime. With cities increasingly liberal and rural stretches ever more conservative, Republicans have a growing incentive to attack urban areas as the epitome of all that is wrong with America.

Democrats Alarmed Over New Data Showing Voters Fleeing to GOP

MSN – Amie Parnes (The Hill) | Published: 8/21/2025

Democrats are sounding the alarm on new data showing they are losing voters to Republicans across the country. A devastating New York Times report showed that of the 30 states that maintain voter registration records by political party, Democrats fell behind Republicans in all of them between the 2020 and 2024 elections. In total, Republicans added up to 4.5 million voters compared to Democrats, creating a huge hold that could set Democrats back for years.

Government’s Demand for Trans Care Info Sought Addresses, Doctors’ Notes, Texts

MSN – Casey Parks and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 8/20/2025

The Justice Department is demanding that hospitals turn over a wide range of sensitive information related to medical care for young transgender patients, including billing documents, communication with drug manufacturers, and data such as patient dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and addresses. The government’s unprecedented effort to gather this type of information related to gender transition care is having a chilling effect. Since the subpoenas went out, more than a dozen hospitals across the U.S. have scaled back or ended gender transition programs for people under the age of 19.

Two Big Law Firms Said to Be Doing Free Work for Trump Administration

Seattle Times – Michael Schmidt, Matthew Goldstein, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 8/20/2025

At least two large law firms that struck deals with President Trump to avoid punitive executive orders have committed to doing free legal work for the Commerce Department, according to two people briefed on the matter. In the past, some law firms have done work for the federal government at a reduced rate. But coming just months after they struck deals with the president, the free work is likely to raise new questions about whether Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Kirkland & Ellis felt compelled to do so to stay in Trump’s good graces.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Exclusive Ottawa Fundraising Event Draws Dozens of Lobbyists – Despite Liberal Promises

MSN – Maeve Ellis and Carly Penrose (Investigative Journalism Foundation) | Published: 8/19/2025

The annual Laurier Club Summer Reception and Garden Party is an exclusive event for Liberal supporters who donate the legal maximum of $1,750 to the federal party each year. It is a must-attend soiree not just for politicians, but also those hoping to influence them. An analysis found dozens of registered lobbyists attended this year’s event, gaining access to cabinet ministers without triggering federal lobbying disclosure rules.

Arizona – State Refers GOP AG Hopeful Rodney Glassman for Prosecution Over Illegal Donations

Yahoo News – Caitlin Sievers (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 8/19/2025

Prosecutors are investigating Rodney Glassman, a top Republican candidate for attorney general in Arizona, after state elections officials said they believe he violated campaign finance contribution limits numerous times over the last year. In 2024, when the limit in Arizona for individual donations was $5,400, Glassman accepted 22 donations for amounts beyond that, according to a complaint submitted to the secretary of state’s office.

California – Public Funding for Elections? The Idea Is Back in California

MSN – Frank Stoltze (LAist) | Published: 8/19/2025

A group of legislators is seeking to lift the ban on public financing for elections in California, a move to counter the ever-increasing amount of money spent on campaigns in the state. Supporters say the California Fair Elections Act could be a game changer for underfunded candidates facing well-financed opponents and make races more competitive. Right now, only cities governed by their own charter may enact public financing. Five of the state’s 121 charter cities have done that.

California – An Instagram with 60,000 Followers Linked to a Nonprofit Quietly Changed to a CA-40 Candidate’s Campaign Page. Now, a Rival Is Asking the FEC to Investigate

Orange County Register – Kaitlyn Schallhorn | Published: 8/14/2025

How much are social media followers worth to a congressional campaign? That question, along with how a candidate can go about amassing a following, are at the crux of a recent campaign finance complaint involving two Democratic rivals in the race for California’s 40th Congressional District. The use of social media is not new for campaigns, but it is still a bit of a “Wild West” in terms of how it is regulated by the FEC, said Michael Kowal, an expert in campaign finance and social media who teaches at the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.

District of Columbia – Justice Department Investigating D.C. Police Over Alleged Fake Crime Data

MSN – Perry Stein and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025

The Justice Department is investigating whether Distrct of Columbia police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and local officials who have repeatedly cited drops in violent crime to protest the need for a federal takeover of law enforcement. The criminal probe is expected to examine the actions of multiple police officials, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Florida – How Miami Officials Use a Private Marlins Suite Meant for Charities

MSN – Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 8/20/2025

Using more than a dozen complimentary tickets, City Commissioner Ralph Rosado attended a recent game Miami Marlins game with his family, staff from his district office, and some of their family members. The group watched the game from one of the stadium’s “MVP Suites,” which can cost as much as $4,566 per game. But the specific box Rosado was in is not meant for elected officials and their inner circle. The purpose of the box, which an operating agreement refers to as the “community suite,” is for “public or charity use.”

Indiana – Energy Lobby Ramped Up Spending on Lawmakers Amid Push for Nuclear. It Worked

Indianapolis Star – Marissa Meador | Published: 8/21/2025

The Indiana legislators ushering in a new era of nuclear power were showered with sports tickets and meals from the very utility companies that stood to benefit from the incentive-packed legislation, lobbying records show. Among those lawmakers were powerful utility committee chairs, Sen. Eric Koch and Rep. Ed Soliday, who led the charge on legislation to incentivize small modular reactors.

Louisiana – New Orleans Mayor Misused Public Funds on Romantic Getaways, Prosecutors Say

MSN – Ben Brasch (Washington Post) | Published: 8/15/2025

A federal grand jury indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, accusing her of pursuing an illicit affair with her police bodyguard at taxpayers’ expense, then lying to federal officials and deleting evidence to hide the relationship. Investigators allege Cantrell cost the public about $70,000 by bringing the bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie II, on the trips. At the time, Vappie was a New Orleans police officer. Vappie was indicted on similar charges in July after allegedly joining the mayor on trips to Los Angeles, Orlando, Scotland, and the United Arab Emirates.

Michigan – Michigan Lawmaker Cites Sheetz Hiring of Local Official, Drafting Bill to Ban Practice

MSN – Dave Boucher (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 8/18/2025

State Rep. Donni Steele told local Republican leaders in Oakland County she wants to change Michigan law to bar county elected officials from holding outside jobs, citing a powerful elected Democrat who also works for a gas station empire. Steele referenced Oakland County Commission Chairperson Dave Woodward’s side job working as a consultant for Sheetz, a convenience store chain looking to expand in southeast Michigan.

Minnesota – Security Panel Tackles Question of Guns, Metal Detectors at Minnesota Capitol

MSN – Nathaniel Minor (Minneapolis Star Tribune) | Published: 8/20/2025

Guns and metal detectors at the Minnesota Capitol could become a sticking point this fall among members of a committee that advises lawmakers on security issues. Minnesota is one of about 10 states that do not require security screening such as metal detectors to enter their Capitol buildings. Security at the Minnesota Capitol complex has been under renewed scrutiny since Sen. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed at their homes in June.

New York – Homeless People Said They Were Paid to Be Listed as Donors for a Senate Candidate

Albany Times Union – Emilie Munson | Published: 8/15/2025

An Albany Times Union investigation uncovered information that Caleb Slater, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the New York Senate last year in the Syracuse region, reported contributions of $250 from several homeless people who told the newspaper they never donated money to his campaign and were paid to submit contribution forms for the campaign. One man said he was paid to recruit donors and front the contributions on their behalf. Two other donors said they contributed money to the campaign and were paid double for their donations by Slater.

New York – Brother’s Keepers: How two top Adams officials helped their sibling succeed

MSN – Greg Smith (The City) | Published: 8/18/2025

David Banks, the then-chancellor of the New York City school system, appeared in a video touting the benefits of 21st Century Education products as used in city school districts. The video, posted to YouTube, ends with a solicitation by the company: “Give us a call today so we can future-proof your students and educators.” This endorsement of a for-profit firm by the head of the nation’s biggest public school system did not come about completely out of the blue. As it happened, 21st Century Education had made a prescient behind-the-scenes investment by hiring a government relations consultant: David Banks’ brother.

New York – Eric Adams Advisor Winnie Greco Handed a CITY Reporter Cash Stuffed in a Bag of Potato Chips

MSN – Greg Smith and Yoav Gonen (The City) | Published: 8/20/2025

A former top City Hall advisor and current campaign aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams attempted to give money to a reporter following a campaign event. The failed payoff – a wad of cash in an envelope stuffed inside an opened bag of potato chips – was made by Winnie Greco, who resigned last year from her position as the mayor’s liaison to the Asian community after she was targeted in multiple investigations. A spokesperson said Greco has been suspended from the campaign.

New York – Appeals Court Voids $500 Million Fine in N.Y. Case Against Trump, Leaves Fraud Finding

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 8/21/2025

A state appeals court voided the civil fraud penalty against President Trump, calling the roughly $500 million verdict against him and his real estate empire “excessive: while leaving in place a lower court’s finding that fraud was committed. New York Attorney General Letitia James won the civil case against Trump, his company, two of his adult children, and two former executives last year when a state court judge determined they collectively committed a long-running fraud and specific illegal acts were employed including falsification of business records, conspiracy, and insurance fraud.

New York – ‘They Can Kiss My Ass’: Top Adams aide ran brazen pressure campaign, indictments claim

Politico – Jeff Coltin | Published: 8/21/2025

The former top aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams ran bribery schemes out of City Hall, selling off her help as a public official four different times to people willing to give her money or gifts, according to a series of indictments. Ingrid Lewis-Martin is accused by a grand jury of helping friends secure city contracts and expediting their regulatory issues with city government in exchange for cash payments to her son, karaoke parties, free home renovations, nearly $10,000 worth of seafood for city events, and a guest appearance on the television show “Godfather of Harlem.”

New York – Crypto-Fueled Pro-Adams Super PAC Slow to Disclose Spending to City Panel

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 8/19/2025

A cryptocurrency industry-backed super PAC that is boosting Mayor Eric Adams’ reelection run failed to disclose its spending to New York City campaign finance regulators for weeks, potentially opening it up to fines. Empower NYC has to date spent more than $330,000 on ads, consultants, and get-out-the-vote canvassing efforts as the mayor faces long odds as an independent candidate in November’s election. PACs must start reporting expenditures every Monday to the CFB once they exceed $1,000 in spending on any given race.

New York – Turkish Businessman Hit with Probation, Fines for Funneling Illegal Cash to Mayor Adams’ Campaign

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt and Molly Crane-Newman (New York Daily News) | Published: 8/15/2025

Construction company executive Erden Arkan was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay more than $27,000 in fines after pleading guilty to pumping illegal straw donations into New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign coffers as part of a scheme prosecutors say involved Turkey’s government. Though the related criminal case against Adams is over, it was revealed that Arkan has been cooperating in the city Campaign Finance Board’s ongoing investigation into allegations the mayor’s 2021 and 2025 campaigns engaged in a variety of straw donor schemes.

North Dakota – North Dakota Ethics Attorney Calls Out AG’s Office; Lawmakers Call for Civility

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 8/15/2025

A career attorney who assisted in a state Ethics Commission investigation told lawmakers that she thinks the attorney general’s office is pressuring the commission’s staff to resign. The attorney general’s office and the Ethics Commission have been at odds since this year’s legislative session. In February, the agency told lawmakers the commission would infringe on the state constitution if it tried to penalize officials who violate ethics laws. The Ethics Commission says the constitution grants it this authority.

Ohio – Ohio Ethics Commission OKs Public Officials Keeping Frequent Flyer Miles from Work Travel

MSN – Kaitlin Durbin (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/14/2025

Ohio public officials and government employees may now keep and personally benefit from frequent flyer miles, hotel points, and other rewards earned during official travel under certain conditions, according to a new ruling from the Ohio Ethics Commission. The advisory opinion clarifies that such rewards may be kept for personal use so long as they are accrued under the same conditions available to the public and do not increase the cost to the government.

Ohio – Cleveland Councilman Joe Jones Threatened to Kill Staffer, Report Finds

MSN – Cory Shaffer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/14/2025

Cleveland City Councilperson Joe Jones threatened the life of a staffer earlier this year, according to a letter from council leadership summarizing the results of an outside investigation that found credible a new set of allegations into the embattled council member. The council will vote at its September meeting to censure Jones, who was already stripped of his committee assignments in January after a separate investigation into multiple complaints of bullying and harassment.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Will Test Some Incoming Teachers with ‘America-First’ Exam

MSN – Daniel Wu (Washington Post) | Published: 8/19/2025

Teachers from New York and California who apply to teach in Oklahoma will now have to answer questions meant to screen out “woke indoctrinators” with left-wing views, the latest attempt by Oklahoma officials to push the state’s education system rightward. Teachers unions have criticized the move as a political stunt that will discourage applicants as Oklahoma faces a teacher shortage.

Oregon – Portland City Councilors Accused of Breaking Public Meetings Law Won’t Face Investigation Due to Technicality

MSN – Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 8/19/2025

State and local officials said they will not investigate allegations that a group of seven Portland city council members broke transparency rules, citing a state law that provides only a narrow window in which grievances can be filed. The decision drew sharp criticism from experts, who warned the provision undermines accountability. Complaints were made following a Willamette Week article that reported a council bloc constantly over a private text message thread throughout public budget meetings this spring.

Rhode Island – R.I. Ethics Commission Wrestles with Lawmaker’s Bid to Rejoin List of Attorneys Hired by State

Yahoo News – Christopher Shea (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 8/19/2025

Does a state lawmaker qualify as an independent contractor when hired by Rhode Island’s court system to represent clients who cannot otherwise rely on a public defender? Rhode Island Ethics Commission staff say the state’s ethics code bars Rep. Jason Knight from rejoining the judiciary’s roster of attorneys representing indigent clients because he is a lawmaker and thus an independent contractor that would be paid by the court. But the panel is now exploring whether there is a way to let him back without running afoul of its own “revolving door” rule.

Tennessee – Critical Report Shows How Knox County Officials Abused Their Power: Cars, hotels and data

MSN – Allie Feinberg and Tyler Whetstone (Knoxville News Sentinel) | Published: 8/9/2025

From using county SUVs and trucks for personal travel to staying in pricey hotels to making whopping profits on property transactions made with insider information, some Knox County government staff blurred the lines of legality, state watchdog investigators say. In two cases, a grand jury decided, they demolished those legal lines: Property Assessor Phil Ballard and former director of operations Jason Dobbins were charged with felony counts of official misconduct.

West Virginia – Casting a Long Shadow: Former state auditor employee, foundation president may have tested West Virginia’s lobbying rules

Parkersburg News and Sentinel – Steven Allen Adams | Published: 8/16/2025

In April, West Virginia Family Policy Council President Caiden Cowger was upstairs at the Capitol lobbying lawmakers during the recent legislative session to support bills of importance to his organization. Downstairs, Cowger was working for the state auditor’s office. Cowger is alleged to have violated state law by lobbying while working as a part-time temporary public employee and parted ways with the auditor’s office after it was brought to their attention. But questions remain about what Cowger’s role at the office was and his job responsibilities there, as well as his lobbying work.