LobbyComply Blog

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.

National/Federal

Harrison Butker’s PAC Is Low on Cash. But So Far, None Has Gone to Candidates

MSN – Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) | Published: 8/7/2025

In the weeks before the 2024 election, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker stepped into politics, launching a PAC designed to promote politicians who fight for conservative Christian values. But the Upright PAC raised just $4,023 in the first six months of 2025 and ended June with less than $1,800 in cash on hand. None of the money Butker’s PAC spent went to Republican candidates. Most of the money went to a political consultant who is listed as an employee of a company Butker co-founded called MDKeller.

America’s CEOs Come to the White House Bearing Gifts and Flattery

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski and HyoJung Kim (Washington Post) | Published: 8/8/2025

Corporations have changed their lobbying strategies to adapt to a uniquely transactional president who prioritizes wins and deals. Executives who have long outsourced the messy practice of lobbying to consultants or dark-money groups have learned the best way to shape Donald Trump’s policies is often through a late-night call to the president or a visit to one of his golf resorts. The executives who have pulled off these charm offensives largely have been rewarded by Wall Street, with some companies reaching record valuations. But Trump has also used the powers of his office to threaten those who don’t stay on his good side.

Foreign Governments Bet Big to Lobby Trump on Tariffs. Most Came Up Empty.

MSN – Caitlin Oprysko, Daniel Desrochers, and Ari Hawkins (Politico) | Published: 8/9/2025

Countries across the globe have dropped tens of millions this year on lobbyists with ties to President Trump as they rushed to stave off tariffs that could cripple their economies. In most cases, the spending has gotten them nowhere. But employing those lobbyists appeared to bear little relation to whether the countries were able to avoid the most punishing tariffs. As Trump has taken a scattershot approach to setting tariff rates, traditional lobbying tactics in Washington appear to have had little influence.

Pentagon Plan Would Create Military ‘Reaction Force’ for Civil Unrest

MSN – Alex Horton and David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2025

The Trump administration is looking at plans to set up a 600-person National Guard “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” to quickly deploy to U.S. cities to quell protests or other unrest. The proposal represents another potential expansion of President Trump’s willingness to employ the armed forces on American soil. It relies on a section of U.S. Code that allows the commander in chief to circumvent limitations on the military’s use within the United States. The documents, marked pre-decisional, are comprehensive and contain extensive discussion about the potential societal implications of establishing such a program.

Trump Nominates Bureau of Labor Statistics Critic to Replace Fired Agency Head

MSN – Lauren Kaori Gurley (Washington Post) | Published: 8/11/2025

President Trump will nominate the top economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, replacing the previous commissioner whom the president fired after a report revealed a weaker-than-expected job market. E.J. Antoni, a staunch critic of the agency, had emerged in recent days as a favorite candidate. He has questioned the legitimacy of the agency’s data over the past year.

GOP Has the Edge in Redistricting Arms Race with Democrats

MSN – Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 8/13/2025

President Trump’s push to redraw the congressional map has fueled a redistricting arms race, with blue and red states rushing to counter each other. But it is an uneven fight. Republicans appear to hold the advantage in the nationwide scramble, according to strategists and nonpartisan analysts, with more opportunities to shift the lines in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats have vowed to “fight fire with fire” since the GOP moved to add five red seats in Texas, but they face many barriers.

White House Announces More Aggressive Review of Smithsonian Museums

MSN – Janay Kingsberry (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2025

The White House will launch a sweeping review of Smithsonian exhibitions, collections, and operations ahead of America’s 250th-birthday celebrations next year, the first time the Trump administration has detailed steps to scrutinize the institution, which officials say should reflect the president’s call to restore “truth and sanity” to American history. Trump’s focus on the Smithsonian has stoked concerns about political interference at the institution, which is not a traditional government agency and is historically considered nonpartisan.

After CDC Shooting, Its Employees Turn Their Anger to RFK Jr. and Trump

MSN – Lauren Weber and Lena Sun (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2025

Patrick White fired scores of bullets at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), officials alleged, forcing hundreds of workers into lockdown as gunfire bombarded windows around them. White and a responding police officer died. Investigators say White targeted the public health agency because of he believed coronavirus vaccines were dangerous, according to two CDC officials briefed on the case. Days after the shooting, the initial shock has morphed into anger for many CDC employees.

Bessent Has Yet to Fully Divest Assets, Raising Concern at Ethics Agency

Seattle Times – Alan Rappaport (New York Times) | Published: 8/13/2025

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has failed to fully comply with an agreement that required him to divest his financial assets, posing potential conflicts-of-interest as he leads the Trump administration’s economic policy agenda. Cabinet officials are required to shed certain holdings and investments within 90 days of being confirmed.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Federal Court Says Alabama Must Use Map That Creates 2nd Black Majority District

MSN – Aaron Pellish (Politico) | Published: 8/7/2025

Alabama must use independently drawn congressional maps that created a second Black-majority district more favorable to Democrats in the state for the rest of the decade, a federal court said. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ruled unanimously that the state must use the map drawn up by a court-appointed special master until regular redistricting is scheduled to be done in 2030. In May, the same panel of judges ruled the state’s 2023 map violated the Voting Rights Act.

Arizona – Arizona AG Says Pinal County Attorney Can’t Investigate Lawmaker’s ICE Posts

KJZZ – Wayne Schutsky | Published: 8/11/2025

After state Sen. Analise Ortiz shared a post online about real-time immigration enforcement actions in her community, Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller offered to investigate her on behalf of the Legislature. But Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said that falls outside of Miller’s authority. Republican lawmakers accused Ortiz of doxing federal immigration enforcement agents. Ortiz and other Democrats denied that, saying she shared information about activities happening in public spaces and did not include personal information about agents.

California – L.A. City Councilman Curren Price to Face New Corruption Charges

MSN – James Queally and Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 8/12/2025

Prosecutors filed two additional corruption charges against Los Angeles City Councilperson Curren Price, who already is facing multiple counts of grand theft and perjury, allegedly for voting in favor of projects in which his wife had a financial interest. Prosecutors said Price’s wife – Del Richardson, founder of the consulting company Del Richardson & Associates – received “payments totaling more than $150,000 between 2019 and 2021 from developers before [Price] voted to approve projects.”

California – Orange County Supervisors Revise Their Ethics Code in Wake of Corruption Scandal – but Does It Go Far Enough?

MSN – Jill Replogle (LAist) | Published: 8/12/2025

The Orange County Board of Supervisors revised its code of ethics Tuesday to include greater protection for whistleblowers but several of the supervisors questioned whether the measures go far enough. Among other concerns, Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said the code lacks any enforcement mechanism. The vote comes the same week that former Supervisor Andrew Do is slated to begin a five-year prison term on a federal bribery charge related to his work when he was a sitting official.

California – This Candidate for California Governor Has a Potential Conflict of Interest in Her Own Home

MSN – Alexei Koseff (CalMatters) | Published: 8/11/2025

The California Department of General Services in 2020 hired a consulting firm to help prioritize sites, conduct market research, and evaluate applications from contractors. That firm, LeSar Development Consultants, is owned by former state Senate leader Toni Atkins’ spouse, Jennifer LeSar. Because of California’s community property law that gives couples equal ownership of assets in their marriage, the $1 million contract has been worth tens of thousands of dollars to Atkins. It is just one of the potential conflicts of interest with her spouse’s business dealings that Atkins faces as she runs for governor.

California – Matt Haney Pays Huge Lawyer Fees Amid 2 Political Watchdog Probes

San Francisco Standard – Josh Koehn | Published: 8/7/2025

California Assemblyperson Matt Haney has spent tens of thousands of dollars of campaign money on international trips, Broadway shows, and sporting events since his election in 2022, including $75,000 on 49ers, Giants, and Warriors tickets. Now he is burning through donor dollars on a far less glamorous expense: attorneys’ fees. Haney’s legal bills have surged amid two open investigations by the Fair Political Practices Commission.

California – Westminster Councilwoman Accused of Attempted Bribery to Get Ethics Training

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 8/11/2025

An Orange County judge ordered Westminster City Councilperson Amy Phan West to complete an in-person ethics training course and 20 hours of community service as part of a diversion program after the elected official was charged with a misdemeanor for attempted bribery. The ruling comes months after Phan West pleaded not guilty to attempting to bribe parking enforcement officers in 2023 to stop her husband’s car from being towed.

District of Columbia – Trump Readies Federal Moves on D.C. Crime, Takes Over D.C. Police

MSN – Michael Birnbaum, Kelly Kasulis Cho, and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 8/11/2025

President Trump placed the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and deployed the National Guard to the streets of Washington to fight crime and clear the city of its homeless population, a flex of federal power that could expose residents of the nation’s capital to unpredictable encounters with a domestically deployed military force. The decision to deploy troops comes as the president has been slamming America’s cities as places where crime is out of control, despite two years of declines that have brought homicide levels in many major cities to their lowest levels in decades.

Georgia – A Top Republican in the Georgia Governor’s Race Is Suing His Rival Over Campaign Financing

MSN – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 8/7/2025

One of the top Republicans running for Georgia governor sued the other leading GOP candidate, challenging the legality of the rival’s campaign funding. State Attorney General Chris Carr sued Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in federal court, asking a judge to permanently cut off Jones’ ability to spend money from his leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that allows Georgia’s governor, lieutenant governor, and legislative leaders to raise unlimited funds.

Indiana – Is Rep. Baird Using Taxpayer Funds to Prep His Son for a Congressional Seat? An Opponent Thinks So

MSN – Brittany Carloni and Kayla Dwyer (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 8/11/2025

Recently, U.S. Rep. Jim Baird has used pictures of his son, state Rep. Beau Baird, in taxpayer-funded mailers and has started omitting his first name in some materials when identifying himself in prominent spots, referring to himself instead as simply “Congressman Baird.” Jim Baird has not yet said if he is running for reelection, and legally he is not doing anything wrong, experts say. But if his son runs instead, he will get the perk of already-built-in name recognition from years of the last name being on the ballot and on official office material. For years, Beau Baird has been rumored as a future candidate for the seat should his father choose not to run.

Indiana – Certain Local Offices Now Subject to More Campaign Finance Requirements

Yahoo News – Whitney Downard (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 8/12/2025

Some locally elected officials in Indiana now have to file annual campaign finance reports following a new state law. Now, any elected official making at least $5,000 annually, which includes county council members and many township trustees, will be subject to the new requirements.

Kansas – Wyandotte County Official’s ‘Despicable’ Hand Gesture Prompts Ethics Probe

MSN – Sofi Zeman (Kansas City Star) | Published: 8/8/2025

Wyandotte County commissioners are calling on ethics officials to weigh in after a fellow commissioner allegedly threw up his hands and mimed male masturbation during a recent public meeting. Commissioner Philip Lopez commented on a resident’s social media post that the situation had been taken out of context and he was actually shaking his hand to reduce irritation in his wrists.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Offers Top Staff Member Permanent Job Following Political Dispute

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 8/8/2025

The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted unanimously to make a job offer to its acting ethics administrator after legislators took unprecedented steps to block his hiring. The board made David Bordelon its top staff member on a temporary basis in December to appease state lawmakers. Legislators filed an unsuccessful lawsuit last fall to try to stop the board from picking a new administrator at that time, and Bordelon’s interim status was considered a compromise.

Maryland – Judge Is Skeptical of DOJ Lawsuit Against Entire Maryland Federal Bench

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 8/13/2025

The Justice Department’s lawsuit against all 15 federal district judges in Maryland over limits to the pace of deportations was met with skepticism by another judge, who presided over a rare courtroom battle pitting the executive branch against the judiciary. The lawsuit alleges the U.S. District Court in Maryland, its judges, and chief clerk have been violating federal law this year with a standing order that grants a two-day stay of removal proceedings to anyone who files a petition claiming wrongful detention, complicating the Trump administration’s efforts to ramp up immigration enforcement.

Michigan – False Statement Gets Consultant Probation in ‘Dark Money’ Probe

MSN – Paul Egan (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 8/13/2025

A fundraising consultant was sentenced to three months of probation, 20 hours of community service, and a $2,500 fine for giving a false statement in a “dark money” investigation conducted by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Nessel probed the financing of the Unlock Michigan campaign of 2020 and 2021, aimed at overturning Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minnesota – Minnesota Republican PAC Violated Campaign Finance Laws, Investigation Finds

MSN – Ryan Faircloth (Minneapolis Star Tribune) | Published: 8/9/2025

A PAC that reported spending no money on behalf of candidates and hundreds of thousands of dollars on “internet access and web hosting” services has been fined for violating Minnesota’s campaign finance laws. The Campaign Finance Board found a key figure behind Right Now Minnesota misclassified more than $240,000 in expenditures during the 2022 midterm elections. The board also found the PAC ran political ads without proper disclaimers. Right Now Minnesota and its chairperson, Elliott Olson, were each fined $10,000.

New Mexico – New Mexico Gov. Removes Game Commissioner Over Undisclosed Conflict of Interest Tied to Mexican Gray Wolf Campaign

Albuquerque Journal – Cathy Cook | Published: 8/13/2025

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham fired a game commissioner, Sabrina Pack, for failing to disclose she had worked on an outside persuasion campaign on the Mexican gray wolf. Management of the endangered Mexican gray wolf has long been a source of debate in New Mexico, with environmental advocates asking the federal government to take more aggressive action to conserve the species and livestock producers concerned about wolves killing their cattle. Pack worked on a campaign for the latter camp.

New Mexico – Nonprofit Group Discloses Hefty Trial Lawyer Contributions After Settlement Agreement

Yahoo News – Dan Boyd (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/11/2025

The State Ethics Commission announced it reached a settlement agreement with New Mexico Safety Over Profit, resolving allegations the group failed to comply with provisions of the Lobbyist Regulation Act. The commission filed a lawsuit arguing New Mexico Safety Over Profit violated the law by refusing to register and disclose both its donors and expenditures. The group agreed to pay a $5,000 fine, the maximum allowable under state law. It also released a full list of donors going back to 2021.

New York – Ex-Eric Adams Aide Pleads Guilty to Federal Straw Donor Conspiracy Charge

Courthouse News Service – Josh Russell | Published: 8/12/2025

Mohamed Bahi, a former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy related to organizing illegal campaign contributions, putting to bed one of the outstanding indictments that stemmed from multiple investigations into the mayor. Bahi said he was instructed by a volunteer of the Eric Adams 2021 campaign to organize a fundraiser where he would collect employees’ straw donor campaign contributions that both he and the Adams campaign knew would be reimbursed by their companies’ owners.

New York – Justice Department Subpoenas Letitia James About Trump Fraud Probe

MSN – Perry Stein, Shayna Jacobs, Kadia Goba, and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 8/8/2025

The U.S. Justice Department is intensifying its legal battle against New York Attorney General Letitia James, issuing at least two subpoenas to James in recent days. One of the subpoenas focused on James’s successful civil fraud case against President Trump and his real estate business, in which a judge ordered that Trump and his company pay more than $450 million in fines and interest. A second subpoena suggested the department is looking into James’s litigation against the National Rifle Association, which led to court-mandated reforms of the group.

New York – A $9,200 Portrait, $20K for Decorations: Questions raised about Frank Seddio campaign spending

Yahoo News – Graham Rayman (New York Daily News) | Published: 8/10/2025

Almost $175,000 in expenditures by Friends of Frank Seddio and the Kings County Democratic County Committee when Seddio was leading it raise questions, either because they could be seen as benefitting Seddio personally or lack required information in campaign finance records. The expenditures made between 2012 and 2024 fall into two broad categories – a series of specific purchases totaling $94,824.33, either with no listed purpose or explanation as required by law or vague justifications for the expenditure. The second totals $77,576.12 in payments by the Kings County committee via Signature Bank that have no listed purpose or explanation.

North Carolina – NC Lawmaker Returns Lobbyist Money, Following Public Scrutiny

MSN – Will Doran (WRAL) | Published: 8/12/2025

A powerful state lawmaker whose campaign took thousands of dollars from lobbyists during this year’s legislative session is giving the money back, after drawing concerns over the legality of those transactions. Rep. Sarah Stevens has spent years as a top member of House Republican leadership in North Carolina. She is not seeking reelection, choosing instead to run for a seat next year on the state Supreme Court. That is where the campaign finance issues begin.

Ohio – Sherrod Brown Plans to Run for Senate in Ohio Again

MSN – Hannah Knowles and Liz Goodwin (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2025

Sherrod Brown plans to run for U.S. Senate in Ohio again, according to several people familiar with his plans, boosting Democrats’ hopes of retaking a seat in the increasingly red-leaning state. First elected to the chamber in 2006, he defied his state’s rightward shift for many years and was viewed as Democrats’ best shot to keep Ohio competitive. He outperformed Democrats’ presidential ticket – courting working-class voters through his own brand of left-leaning populism – but lost by about four points last fall.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Ethics Commission Opinion Says Officeholders Can Use Campaign Funds for Some Security Costs

Yahoo News – Emma Murphy (Oklahoma Voice) | Published: 8/11/2025

Campaign funds can be used for officeholder security expenses in certain cases, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission recommended in a draft advisory opinion. Any “reasonable” expenses must be the direct result of holding the elected state office and would not be incurred if the individual did not hold the office, the draft opinion read. The opinion only covers the officeholder, not family, staff, or others connected with the individual.

Oregon – Oregon Government Ethics Commission Opens Third Investigation in 2025 for State Lawmaker

MSN – Dianne Lugo (Salem Statesman Journal) | Published: 8/8/2025

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission launched an investigation into whether Rep. Greg Smith violated state law regarding the reporting of income sources, marking the third probe into potential violations by Smith in recent months. The commission voted unanimously to open an investigation into whether Smith violated state laws when he failed to disclose income from the Morrow Development Corporation in his 2024 and 2025 Statements of Economic Interest.

Oregon – Oregon Ethics Commission Pursues Legislative Action, Further Revision on Meetings Policy

Yahoo News – Shaanth Nanguneri (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 8/8/2025

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission agreed there is not enough clarity surrounding their recently acquired power to ensure public officials only make governing decisions in front of their constituents, leaving the door open for future legislative action or additional guidance from the commission. The 2023 legislation aimed to crack down on what the law calls “serial communications,” in which a majority of members of a governing body discuss issues relevant to their work and make decisions outside of the public eye in text messages, emails, or private meetings.

Pennsylvania – As Penn State Ramps Up Lobbying, Lax Disclosure Laws Make It Difficult to Tell Who or What It’s Trying to Influence.

Spotlight PA – Wyatt Massey | Published: 8/13/2025

Penn State University outspent its peers lobbying state lawmakers in recent years, but the commonwealth’s lax disclosure requirements and the university’s protection from the open records law make following the school’s activity in Harrisburg difficult. Spotlight PA reviewed more than 15 years of quarterly lobbying reports from the Department of State and adjusted the figures for inflation to make annual comparisons. The data show Penn State increased its lobbying expenditures after 2020 and is now spending more on its influence efforts than any year since 2008.

South Carolina – SC Legislator Accused of Distributing Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Resigns House Seat

Yahoo News – Skylar Laird (South Carolina Daily Gazette) | Published: 8/11/2025

Rep. RJ May resigned his South Carolina House seat two months after his arrest on charges of distributing child sexual abuse material. May, who remains in jail without bond, has been suspended from the House without pay since his June arrest, as per state law for any public official indicted on a felony. He was also the subject of a House Ethics Commission investigation, which would have been the first step toward expelling him.

Texas – Texas Private Schools Hire Relatives and Enrich Insiders. Soon They Can Do It with Taxpayer Money.

MSN – Lexi Churchill (Texas Tribune) and Ellis Simani (ProPublica) | Published: 8/13/2025

Private schools in Texas operate largely outside those rules because they have not historically received direct taxpayer dollars. Now, as the state moves to spend at least $1 billion over the next two years on private education, lawmakers have imposed almost none of the accountability measures required of the public school system. If held to the same standards, 27 private schools identified by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune through tax filings likely would have violated state law. Supporters of the voucher program argue oversight of private schools should come not from the state, but from their boards and the marketplace.

Texas – Federal Appeals Court Sides with Texas on ID Requirements for Voting by Mail

MSN – Alex Nguyen (Texas Tribune) | Published: 8/5/2025

A federal appeals court upheld Texas’ requirement that potential voters must list their identification information in their application for a mail-in ballot. In Texas, voting by mail is only available for certain groups of people, including elderly voters and people with disabilities. Under Senate Bill 1 passed in 2021, voters must also include an ID number such as a driver’s license number on both the vote-by-mail applications and the mail-in ballots and both numbers need to match.

Utah – Stuart Adams Says He Won’t Resign Over Claims He Influenced New Law to Help Family Member

Yahoo News – Bridger Beal-Cvetko (Deseret News) | Published: 8/13/2025

Utah Senate President Stuart Adams rejected calls for his resignation, defending his decision not to disclose a personal connection to a law passed in 2024 that was inspired by a criminal case involving an 18-year-old relative accused of having sex with a 13-year-old. In a stated effort to keep the process fair, Adams did not tell legislators, except for the bill’s sponsor, that his granddaughter was currently the defendant in a Davis County criminal case falling into that narrow category.

National/Federal

Push to Ban Lawmaker Stock Trading Finds New Life

MSN – Mychael Schnell (The Hill) | Published: 8/3/2025

The long effort to ban members of Congress from trading stocks is back in the spotlight following a House ethics committee report that took issue with transactions made by a member’s spouse, and after a Senate panel advanced legislation to prohibit lawmakers from making transactions. Some lawmakers are vowing to keep the topic front and center into the fall as they look to make headway on a matter that has mystified Congress.

Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith Faces Investigation by Office of Special Counsel

MSN – Maegan Vazquez and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 8/2/2025

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) said it is taking the unusual step of investigating Jack Smith, the former Justice Department official who oversaw two federal prosecutions of Donald Trump, for potentially violating the law barring federal officials from political activity. If the office concludes a federal employee has violated the law, it refers the case to the president. The investigation is out of the norm for the OSC, an office responsible for looking into federal employees’ potential violations of prohibited personnel practices.

CPB Says It Is Shutting Down After Being Defunded by Congress, Targeted by Trump

MSN – Ted Anthony and Kevin Freking (Associated Press) | Published: 8/1/2025

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a cornerstone of American culture for three generations, announced it would take steps toward its own closure after being defunded by Congress. The demise of the corporation is a direct result of President Trump’s targeting of public media. The closure is expected to have a profound impact on the journalistic and cultural landscape – in particular, public radio and television stations in small communities across the United States. CPB helps fund both PBS and NPR.

Revealed: Threat of political violence is keeping parents of young children out of politics

MSN – Barbara Rodriguez (The 19th) | Published: 8/4/2025

When Liuba Grechen Shirley ran for Congress in 2018, she began a journey that helped change federal policy to ensure parents like herself could use campaign funds to pay for childcare. Less known was the harassment and threats of violence that she says she experienced at the time. Now Vote Mama, the umbrella organization Grechen Shirley founded that supports parents who run for office, is elevating the use of campaign funds for security measures.

Smithsonian to Restore Trump to Impeachment Exhibit ‘in the Coming Weeks’

MSN – Jonathan Fischer and Samantha Chery (Washington Post) | Published: 8/20/2025

The Smithsonian said it would restore information about President Trump’s two impeachments to an exhibit in the National Museum of American History within weeks. In July, the museum removed a placard describing Trump’s impeachments and reverted the exhibit to how it looked in 2008. That display – a glass case dominated by a file cabinet damaged in the Watergate break-in – says that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal”: Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton.

Trump’s Tactics Are Bending the Criminal Justice System to His Personal Preferences

MSN – Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) | Published: 8/6/2025

President Trump’s team has mounted a direct assault on all three pillars of the justice system, attacking judges whose rulings he dislikes, firing prosecutors for doing their jobs, and taking revenge on law firms for having clients or partners he considers hostile. The president has also broken one of the chief taboos of an independent justice system by using it to attack his political enemies. He is not the first president to be accused of trying to inappropriately sway, but Trump’s actions have been more far-reaching.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s Move to ‘Country Club’ Prison Smacks of Special Treatment, Experts Say

MSN – Derek Hawkins (Washington Post) | Published: 8/5/2025

The Bryan Federal Prison Camp in Texas looks almost like a college campus, befitting its reputation as one of the nation’s most lenient lockups for nonviolent women offenders. That it is now Ghislaine Maxwell’s new home for serving her 20-year sentence for sex trafficking flouts federal guidelines on who should be held in such minimum-security facilities, according to corrections experts, who said Maxwell appeared to have received preferential treatment for answering the Justice Department’s questions about her deceased partner in crime, Jeffrey Epstein.

MAGA Antitrust Agenda Under Siege by Lobbyists Close to Trump

MSN – Dave Michaels and Annie Linskey (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 8/6/2025

The second Trump administration seemed poised to deliver on MAGA’s embrace of aggressive antitrust enforcement. Instead, those efforts have run headlong into power brokers with close ties to President Trump who have snatched up lucrative assignments helping companies facing antitrust threats. The injection of politically connected lobbyists and lawyers into antitrust investigations is a shift in an arena that for decades was a niche area dominated by specialized lawyers and economists.

Republicans Quietly Fret About ‘Disturbing’ Cory Mills Allegations

MSN – Hailey Fuchs, Gary Fineout, and Meredith Lee Hill (Politico) | Published: 8/6/2025

Rep. Cory Mills has faced accusations that he benefited from federal contracts while in office, assaulted a onetime girlfriend in his Washington apartment, and threatened another ex-girlfriend with the release of nude videos. So far, the drumbeat of tawdry allegations has raised eyebrows in Washington, but it has not translated into any overt effort to sideline Mills. GOP leaders in the House appear to be betting Mills’ various messes will sort themselves out without blowing back on the party more broadly and potentially threaten its hold on power.

House Republicans Issue Subpoena for Jeffrey Epstein Files

MSN – Kadia Goba and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 8/5/2025

The House subpoenaed the Justice Department for its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, potentially setting up a contentious standoff between Congress and the administration over an issue that has sparked major headaches for President Trump. Oversight Committee Chairperson James Comer also subpoenaed documents or testimony from several high-profile figures, who had either investigated or associated with Epstein in the past. That list included Bill and Hillary Clinton as well as a slew of former attorneys general under Democratic and Republican administrations.

Trump Fires Labor Statistics Chief After Large Revision to Jobs Report

MSN – Andrew Ackerman and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) | Published: 8/1/2025

President Trump said he ordered the dismissal of the official in charge of compiling basic statistics about the U.S. economy after the release of a soft jobs report that showed lackluster July employment growth and revealed large downward revisions for hiring in May and June. Trump, who announced Erika McEntarfer ouster on social media, criticized her as a Biden appointee. Without evidence, he alleged the jobs numbers had been manipulated for political purposes.

Donor List Suggests Scale of Trump’s Pay-for-Access Operation

Seattle Times – Kenneth Vogel and David Yaffe-Bellany (New York Times) | Published: 8/2/2025

Lobbyists, political consultants, and others in the influence industry have capitalized on President Trump’s aggressive fundraising while in office to deliver for clients and earn points with a president who keeps close tabs on who is delivering cash and listens to their appeals. It is a cycle that has helped Trump fill the coffers of his political groups, defying the gravity that sometimes drags down the fundraising of term-limited presidents.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Turning Point USA Political Arms Accused of Violating Arizona Dark Money Disclosure Law

Yahoo News – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 7/31/2025

A student-led Democratic PAC has filed a complaint against Turning Point USA’s political arms accusing it of violating Arizona’s dark money disclosure law by not revealing its funders who are providing money to run a campaign backing U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs’ bid for governor. The complaint alleges the two political advocacy arms of Turning Point USA have not filed the needed financial disclosures that are required under the Voters’ Right to Know Act which requires that the identities of each donor who contributes “directly or indirectly” more than $5,000 for campaign media spending to be revealed in a report that is available to the public.

California – Federal Judge Rebukes California Laws Targeting Misinformation

Courthouse News Service – Alan Riquelmy | Published: 8/5/2025

A federal judge knocked down a California law requiring large social media companies to remove deceptive content from their platforms, saying federal law preempts the state. Social media giants challenged Assembly Bill 2655, which requires certain platforms to remove “materially deceptive content” about candidates, elections officials, and elected officers. They argued the federal Communications Decency Act gives service providers like social media platforms immunity from content posted by a third party.

California – Sacramento County Administrator Overseeing COVID Food Program Profited from It

MSN – Joe Rubin (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 8/4/2025

The Sacramento County official who oversaw the troubled COVID-19 food aid program not only profited from it through public money distributed to her private business but also participated in the audit that concluded the initiative improperly allocated federal funds the county should demand be returned. A review of the audit and records of the Dine-In 2 program shows Stephanie Hopkins, a program planner with the county’s Department of Human Assistance, was paid by one of the leaders of the project accused of wrongdoing while approving the very dispersal and the invoices for it.  

Connecticut – Former CT Chief State’s Attorney Colangelo Fined in Ethics Case

MSN – Andrew Brown (Connecticut Mirror) | Published: 8/4/2025

State ethics officials fined Richard Colangelo Jr., Connecticut’s former chief state’s attorney, $7,000 for allegedly hiring the daughter of former state deputy budget director Konstantinos Diamantis to secure raises for himself and other state prosecutors. The job that Diamantis’ daughter was selected for paid $99,000 per year. Diamantis, who worked as a deputy in the Office of Policy and Management at the time, had influence over the state’s budget and state employee pay.

District of Columbia – Senate Confirms Jeanine Pirro as Top Federal Prosecutor for D.C.

MSN – Grace Moon, Theodoric Meyer, and Afia Barrie (Washington Post) | Published: 8/3/2025

The Senate confirmed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. She is one of a number of Fox hosts whom Trump has recruited for the administration. In a written response to senators’ questions ahead of her confirmation, Pirro declined to say whether those convicted in the Capitol riot cases should have been pardoned, and sidestepped several other questions, including whether there would ever be a legal basis for someone from the executive branch of government to defy a federal court order.

District of Columbia – Trump Regulatory Czar Jeffrey Clark Should Be Disbarred for Role in 2020 Election Plot, Disciplinary Board Rules

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 7/31/2025

The District of Columbia Bar’s disciplinary arm has recommended that longtime Donald Trump ally Jeffrey Clark lose his law license for assisting Trump’s failed bid to overturn the 2020 election. The recommendation now moves to the Court of Appeals for a final determination. It also triggers an automatic suspension for Clark from practicing law, unless he convinces the court within 30 days to intervene and block that immediate punishment.

Florida – Newly Released Records Linked to Hope Florida Reignite Intra-GOP Political Battle

MSN – Arek Sarkissian (Politico) | Published: 8/6/2025

Records released by the Florida attorney general revealed new details about community-based welfare program Hope Florida and its financial and legal dealings, reviving one of the state’s largest political battles this year. The documents reveal details of a $67 million settlement between Florida and the state’s largest Medicaid provider, meant to settle overbilling claims. The final drafts of the settlement included a $10 million donation to the nonprofit arm of Hope Florida, an effort spearheaded by first lady Casey DeSantis. The donation was later used to fund the campaign to defeat a marijuana initiative last year.

Illinois – Longtime ComEd Lobbyist Gets 1 Year in Prison for Role in Madigan Bribery Scheme

Capitol News Illinois – Hannah Meisel | Published: 8/5/2025

Longtime Chicago lobbyist Jay Doherty was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for his role in a yearslong bribery scheme between his biggest client, electric utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), and former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Doherty agreed to use his consulting company as a pass-through in order to pay several political allies of Madigan’s, who did nothing for ComEd but received monthly checks. Two separate juries found the payments were the cornerstone of a larger bribery scheme aimed at influencing Madigan while the utility pushed for major legislation in Springfield.

Kentucky – An Inside Look into Frankfort Lobbying Events: Bourbon, breakfast & Jimmy John’s

MSN – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 8/7/2025

In 2024, the total reported amount that lobbying groups spent on events to influence Kentucky lawmakers was $484,000, a 160 percent increase from the pre-pandemic average. The rise has raised some eyebrows among Democrats and observers. Others argue the events, whether an elaborate reception or a quick breakfast, do little to sway policy or are merely a reflection of the increasingly active way the GOP-led Legislature is shaping the state. But what actually happens at a legislative reception?

Louisiana – The Supreme Court Just Dropped a Hint About Its Next Big Voting Rights Act Case

MSN – Zach Montellaro and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 8/1/2025

The Supreme Court said it will weigh the constitutionality of a common form of redistricting used to protect the voting power of Black and Hispanic voters: the drawing of congressional districts where racial minorities make up at least half the population. Experts in election law said the move signals that the court may be poised to further narrow the Voting Rights Act. The order came in a case challenging Louisiana’s congressional map, which contains two majority-Black districts out of the state’s six House seats.

Michigan – MAGA Michigan Sheriff Faces New Criticism for Politicking with Official Resources

Yahoo News – Ben Solis (Michigan Advance) | Published: 8/6/2025

Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy, who is also running for the Michigan Senate, held a political fundraiser for U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers and coordinated the event using taxpayer-funded resources to do it, according to emails. Michigan law prohibits public officials from using their offices and public resources for outside political purposes. The records show he helped coordinate aspects of the event using his government work email.

Montana – Group Releases Text of Proposed Montana Constitutional Amendment to Curb Dark Money

Yahoo News – Darrell Ehrlick (Daily Montanan) | Published: 8/1/2025

Montana began the constitutional initiative process aimed at challenging dark money, corporate campaign spending, and the Citizens United ruling. The U.S. Supreme Court has said the power to spend money in elections is tantamount to free speech and so most attempts to thwart or limit it have run afoul of the Constitution and the nation’s highest courts. But the wording of the new initiative seeks to limit the amount of money corporations can spend, not through traditional campaign laws or limitations, but rather by limiting corporate charters.

Nebraska – Rep. Mike Flood Met with Anger at Nebraska Town Hall

MSN – Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 8/5/2025

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood faced about 750 voters during a contentious town hall in Lincoln, Nebraska recently. The two-term Republican lawmaker was there to explain his vote for President Trump’s signature achievement: the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that extended the 2017 tax cuts and plowed billions into immigration enforcement while slashing health care and food programs for the poor. But from the start of the 90-minute session, Flood was met with an angry crowd that asked substantive questions but rarely seemed satisfied with his answers.

Nevada – Clark County Commissioners to Face Ethics Board Over Accepting Pricey F1 Tickets

MSN – Mary Hynes (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 7/31/2025

Five current and former Clark County commissioners will face the Nevada Commission on Ethics in connection with accepting free Formula One racing tickets. Each accepted a four-day ticket worth $10,900 to the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2023. Leading up to the event, commissioners approved the use of public roads for the race and streamlined the permitting process. In January 2024, the five commissioners reported accepting the tickets in an annual disclosure form, though in some instances incorrectly or belatedly.

New Jersey – Federal Judge Will Decide Whether Trump Ally Alina Habba Can Lead Prosecutions in New Jersey

Yahoo News – Ry Rivard, Kyle Cheney, Josh Gerstein and Matt Friedman (Politico) | Published: 8/1/2025

A federal judge will decide whether President Trump’s pick to lead federal prosecutors in New Jersey, Alina Habba, has the legal authority to continue operating as the state’s acting U.S. attorney. U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Brann indicated Friday that he would delve into the thorny question following a series of unusual maneuvers by Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to keep Habba in the role on a temporary basis. That prompted some criminal defendants to raise questions about Habba’s legitimacy.

New Mexico – Most Ethics Complaints Filed Against NM Lawmakers Resolved Quietly

Yahoo News – Dan Boyd (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/4/2025

The recent internal ethics investigation into Sen. Mimi Stewart marked the first time in years that a complaint against a New Mexico lawmaker led to a public hearing. But there has been no shortage of filed complaints. With the exception of the complaint against Stewart, all other allegations of misconduct filed against lawmakers in the last five years – there have been a total of 17 – were quietly resolved without any details being publicly released.

New York – NYC Campaign Finance Board Denies Mayor Eric Adams Millions in Matching Funds

MSN – Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 8/6/2025

The New York City Campaign Finance Board denied Mayor Eric Adams millions of dollars in matching funds for the tenth time and suggested in a strongly worded statement that Adams will not be getting a penny anytime soon. The board denied Adams the public funding for his general election bid on two grounds: his campaign has not submitted required paperwork, and the board has reason to believe the campaign violated the law.

New York – GOP Mayoral Hopeful Curtis Sliwa’s Group Bills Itself a Charity Despite Losing Tax-Exempt Status

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 8/6/2025

New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa’s crime prevention group, the Guardian Angels, is soliciting donations while portraying itself as a tax-exempt charity even though it was stripped of that status years ago amid tax issues and legal troubles involving the organization’s longtime treasurer. The Guardian Angels, which Sliwa founded in 1979 and still controls, has not filed a 990 Form with the IRS since 2019.

North Carolina – Lobbyist’s $6,800 Donation to Rep. Sarah Stevens’ Supreme Court Campaign Likely Violates State Law

Yahoo News – Ahmed Jallow (NC Newsline) | Published: 8/7/2025

A donation from registered lobbyist Harold Brubaker to Rep. Sarah Stevens’ campaign for North Carolina Supreme Court appears to violate a law that bars lobbyists from contributing to sitting legislators regardless of the office they are seeking. The $6,800 contribution matches the maximum allowed from an individual donor under current state limits.

Ohio – ‘He Was Not Supposed To’: Cleveland Councilman’s role in gift card giveaway draws attention from state auditors

MSN – Sean McDonnell (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 8/4/2025

State auditors are reviewing whether Cleveland City Councilperson Joe Jones breached a city contract when his office helped hand out $50,000 in taxpayer-funded gift cards, a role that was supposed to fall entirely to a nonprofit. Records suggest Jones was cautioned against participating in the giveaway. Jones denies ever receiving such a warning, and said only his staff handed out the cards, not him personally.

Ohio – Ohio Elections Commission Getting Affairs in Order Ahead of Jan. 1 Handoff

Yahoo News – Nick Evans (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 8/4/2025

The Ohio General Assembly tacked an expiration date on the state’s independent campaign finance watchdog as part of the latest state budget. On January 1, the Ohio Elections Commission’s responsibilities shift to a new office under the secretary of state’s umbrella. Beyond that date-certain transfer, much of what happens next is still up in the air. In the meantime, their work continues.

Oregon – Judge Overturns Campaign Finance Violations from Rene Gonzalez’s 2024 Run for Portland Mayor

MSN – Jamie Parfitt (KGW) | Published: 7/31/2025

A pair of penalties against Rene Gonzalez for campaign finance violations during his 2024 run for Portland mayor were overturned by a Circuit Court judge. While the judge’s determination does not concern the merits of the campaign violations, Gonzalez successfully argued the process under which he was penalized, which is written into the city charter’s section on campaign finance, did not afford him due process rights under the U.S. Constitution because he was not afforded a hearing.

Pennsylvania – We Finally Know Who Paid for Josh Shapiro’s Inauguration Celebrations (Kinda)

MSN – Stephen Caruso (Spotlight PA) | Published: 8/4/2025

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2023 inauguration and the ball that followed it cost more than $4 million, but the identity of the benefactors who paid the bill remained a secret. Now, through a first-of-its-kind analysis, Spotlight PA identified a portion of those donors, which include influential lobbying firms, unions, and corporations with interests before the commonwealth’s government.

Texas – The IRS Says Churches Can Now Endorse Candidates. That Could Give Texas Pastors More Power Than Ever.

MSN – Marissa Greene (Fort Worth Report) | Published: 8/4/2025

The IRS recently decided to allow religious leaders to endorse candidates from the pulpit. For decades, pastors have fought for the right to speak on political issues and actively endorse candidates in their capacity as religious leaders. Now, before a judge has weighed in on whether to allow the IRS policy change, some religious leaders are already calling on congregations to demand greater political involvement from their churches.

Texas – Texas Democrats Flee State in Effort to Block GOP’s House Map Overhaul

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 8/3/2025

With control of the U.S. House hanging in the balance in the midterm elections, Democratic lawmakers in Texas fled the state to prevent a Republican effort to redraw district boundaries. Democrats plan to stay away for two weeks to run out the clock on a special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott to draw a map that would give the GOP five more seats. While some states have adopted nonpartisan systems for drawing maps, Texas and many others have not, and partisans there have free rein to give themselves as much power as possible.

Utah – A Utah Progressive Group Mentioned a GOP Lawmaker in Its Fundraising. He Sent a Legal Threat.

MSN – Emily Anderson Stern (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 7/31/2025

On the homepage of its website, Alliance for a Better Utah lays out a one-sentence description of its purpose: “a nonprofit that holds politicians accountable and advocates for progressive policies.” But after a Republican lawmaker saw his name in the organization’s recent fundraising messages, he sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding Better Utah remove his “name, photograph, and likeness” from its content and issue a public retraction.

Washington – Seattle Prop 1 to Fund ‘Democracy Voucher’ Program Passing

Seattle Times – Daniel Beekman | Published: 8/5/2025

Seattle voters appear to have approved a 10-year, $45 million renewal of the city’s taxpayer-funded democracy vouchers. Proposition 1 would set the city on a course to continue an unusual campaign finance program that began with fanfare in 2017. The program mails four $25 vouchers to each voter, each city election cycle. Voters can sign the vouchers over to candidates, who convert them into cash to pay for things like yard signs and consultants.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Is Getting a New Electronic Campaign Finance System. Here’s What to Know About the New Website.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Anna Kleiber | Published: 8/6/2025

After 16 years, the Wisconsin Ethics Commission will be upgrading to a new website for its electronic Campaign Finance Information System. Candidates and other users will have about five months to learn how to use the new system before a report is due. The Ethics Commission will also do an online training seminar, which will be recorded and posted on its website.

National/Federal

AOC’s Met Gala Appearance Violated House Gift Rules, Ethics Panel Says

MSN – Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 7/25/2025

The House Committee on Ethics determined U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez failed to comply with the chamber’s gift rule as part of her appearance at the 2021 Met Gala, determining she improperly accepted free admission to the gala for her partner and failed to pay full fair market value for some of the items she wore at the event. Ocasio-Cortez and her counsel, the report states, sought to comply with ethics requirements, but found she accepted more than $3,700 in rented apparel but paid less than $1,000.

Ethics Panel: Pennsylvania Republican violated code of conduct with spouse’s stock trades

MSN – Mychael Schnell (The Hill) | Published: 7/25/2025

The House ethics committee “found substantial evidence” that U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly violated the chamber’s code of conduct when his wife profited off stock trades for a company he was focusing on in Washington. The panel found Kelly breached the code of conduct “by failing to meet his duty of candor.” The committee ordered he and his wife to divest their investments in Cleveland-Cliffs, the steel manufacturer at the center of the report.

Democrats Desperately Look for a Redistricting Edge in California, New York and Maryland

MSN – Liz Crampton, Jeremy White, and Nick Reisman (Politico) | Published: 7/26/2025

Democratic leaders are feeling pressure to join a brewing redistricting battle that is threatening to upend the midterms landscape, an effort that is likely to slam into legal and political reality. As Texas Republicans pressed forward with redistricting designed to increase the number of red seats in the state, officials in the biggest Democratic states scrambled for a response.

Justice Dept. Escalates Attacks on U.S. Judge Handling Deportation Cases

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 7/29/2025

The Justice Department is escalating its attacks on the federal judge whom it has repeatedly clashed with during the Trump administration’s efforts to deport accused Venezuelan gang members under a rarely invoked wartime law. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her office filed a misconduct complaint against James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Senate Confirms Controversial Trump Nominee Emil Bove as Federal Judge

MSN – Perry Stein and Theodoric Meyer (Washington Post) | Published: 7/29/2025

The Senate approved the nomination of Emil Bove, President Trump’s former defense lawyer, to serve on a U.S. appeals court, confirming the controversial nominee to a lifetime appointment on the federal bench. Bove has been the most controversial of the 15 judges whom Trump has nominated to date in his second term, with Senate Democrats and three whistleblowers saying he is unfit for a job in which he would be expected to make judicial rulings without consideration of politics.

Senate Democrats Try to Force Release of Epstein Files Using Arcane Law

MSN – Lauren Fox and Katelyn Polantz (CNN) | Published: 7/30/2025

Senate Democrats are using an arcane procedural tool to try to force the Department of Justice to release additional files from the Jeffrey Epstein case, the latest gambit to keep the issue front-and-center as lawmakers prepare for their August recess. Democrats are basing their request on a nearly 100-year-old law that allows five or more members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee to request information from the administration even when they are in the minority and lack subpoena power. The law has not been regularly used, nor is it clear whether it would yield the documents Democrats are seeking.

How Trump’s Personal Attorney Wound Up Investigating the Epstein Case at DOJ

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Michael Kranish (Washington Post) | Published: 7/31/2025

Todd Blanche was asked at his Senate confirmation hearing whether being President Trump’s lawyer in his hush money trial and other cases meant he would have a “continuing duty of loyalty and confidentiality” to his former client even after becoming deputy attorney general. Now that loyalty, and the question of a potential conflict-of-interest, has become a key component of the questions swirling about Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged with sex trafficking and died in prison in 2019.

Gluesenkamp Perez Wants Cognitive Standards in Congress; Colleagues Disagree

Seattle Times – Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 7/26/2025

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez offered an amendment to the federal spending bill that aimed to create basic guidelines in Congress to ensure that members were able to do their jobs “unimpeded by significant irreversible cognitive impairment.” Her amendment was rejected in a committee. But Perez does not plan to drop the issue, which she said is a major concern for voters. Democrats have been grappling with generational tensions since Joe Biden’s forced exit from the presidential race last year.

Donor Who Fooled Investors She Had Access to Trump Pleads Guilty in $31.5M Scam

Yahoo News – John Annese (New York Daily News) | Published: 7/30/2025

Sherry Xue Li, a Donald Trump donor who once rubbed elbows with the president at a 2017 fundraiser, admitted to running a $31.5 million scam, falsely promising foreigners they would get green cards and a back channel to Trump for investing in an upstate New York real estate project. Li and an accomplice donated $600,000 to the Trump Victory Fund to get a dozen people from China and Singapore into a fundraiser at Trump’s Washington hotel. The money came from the foreign nationals’ wallets, and they served as straw donors.

From the States and Municipalities

Arkansas – Court Restricts Who Can Bring Voting Rights Challenges in a Case Involving Voters with Disabilities

MSN – Gary Fields (Associated Press) | Published: 7/28/2025

A federal appeals court panel ruled private individuals and organizations cannot bring voting rights cases under a section of the law that allows others to assist voters who are blind, have disabilities, or are unable to read. It is the latest ruling from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, saying only the government can bring lawsuits alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act. The findings upend decades of precedent and will likely be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

California – Disneyland Resort Interests Face Off in Lawsuit After Corruption Scandal

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 7/30/2025

The Anaheim Chamber of Commerce is suing the controversial tourism bureau, Visit Anaheim, for ending a contract state auditors concluded was entered into improperly. The chamber, which almost shuttered its doors earlier this year, demanded over $7 million dollars from Visit Anaheim, alleging they wrongfully ended their contract because of political pressure amid fallout in a corruption scandal.

Connecticut – Ex-Bridgeport Official Gets Time Served for Lying Under Oath About Political Fundraiser

MSN – Alex Wood (Journal Inquirer) | Published: 7/29/2025

Former Bridgeport Board of Education Chair Jessica Martinez was sentenced to time already spent in federal custody for lying to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of a campaign fundraiser for former state Sen. Dennis Bradley. The false testimony occurred in 2020 when a grand jury was investigating the possibility that Bradley’s campaign defrauded Connecticut’s system for public funding of campaigns by providing false information about fundraising.

Florida – Hope Florida Charity Says DeSantis Officials Didn’t Need to Report Gifts

Yahoo News – Lawrence Mower (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 7/29/2025

Gifts over $100 from state-created charities, such as the Hope Florida Foundation that sponsored a fundraiser attended by lawmakers and executive branch officials, must be reported to the state ethics commission. But after the media wrote about the vent and the free hotel rooms and other swag that attendees received, the president of the Hope Florida Foundation instructed attendees not to report anything to the commission because these were not gifts. The attendees’ “assistance” at the event was worth more than any gifts they received, Foundation President Joshua Hay wrote.

Georgia – First Liberty-Connected PAC Is Accused of Illegally Influencing Elections in Ethics Complaint

Yahoo News – Ross Williams (Georgia Recorder) | Published: 7/30/2025

A conservative political action committee associated with the family at the heart of the ongoing First Liberty Building & Loan scandal illegally influenced elections in Georgia to the tune of more than $220,000, according to a complaint filed by the State Ethics Commission. The complaint alleges the Georgia Republican Assembly PAC failed to register as an independent committee before making expenditures to affect the outcome of recent elections. The complaint also alleges the PAC failed to file 24 required disclosure reports.

Georgia – State Election Board Accuses Lyft of Violating the Law by Offering Discounted Rides to the Polls

Yahoo News – Maya Homan | Published: 7/30/2025

The State Election Board accused Lyft of violating Georgia’s election law by offering discounted rides to users who were heading to the polls. The board alleges the rideshare company violated a provision of the election code that prohibits “giving or receiving, offering to give or receive, or participating in the giving or receiving of money or gifts for registering as a voter, voting, or voting for a particular candidate.”

Idaho – Witnesses Describe ‘Enraged’ Mayor Allegedly Pulling a Gun on City Council Due to ‘Conflict of Interest’

MSN – Kaitlyn Hart (East Idaho News) | Published: 7/30/2025

Multiple people say Butte City Mayor Kevin Turner pointed a gun at them during a city council meeting after they brought up issues about cyberbullying from a public official. Turner was arrested and charged with misdemeanor exhibition or use of a deadly weapon. Police reports state that during a council meeting, Turner slammed his holstered gun on the table “like a gavel” while attempting to fire Councilperson Steven Avery. As Avery is an elected official, he cannot be fired; he would have to be recalled by voters in an election.

Illinois – Ex-Worth Township Supervisor Gets Probation in Oak Lawn Red-Light Camera Bribery Case

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/30/2025

John O’Sullivan, a onetime Worth Township supervisor and Illinois lawmaker, was sentenced to 18 months of probation for his role in a scheme to pay bribes to get lucrative red-light cameras installed in a Chicago suburb. O’Sullivan pleaded guilty more than four years ago to conspiring with longtime political operative Patrick Doherty and an executive representing red-light camera company SafeSpeed to pay bribes in exchange for the official support of an Oak Lawn trustee to put the ticketing cameras at additional intersections.

Illinois – 2 Years Probation for Former Assessor’s Employee Who Pleaded Guilty to Bribery

Yahoo News – Sam Charles (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/29/2025

A former employee in the Cook County assessor’s office was sentenced to two years of probation after a federal judge credited his extensive cooperation with investigators. Francisco Perez pleaded guilty to one count of bribery conspiracy after federal authorities accused him of accepting low-level bribes from employees of three local law firms in return for lowering property value assessments.

Indiana – Five-Star Stays and Michelin-Starred Meals: Interest groups foot the bill for congressional travel

Yahoo News – Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism staff | Published: 7/29/2025

Members of Indiana’s U.S. House delegation and their staffers accepted roughly $640,000 in privately sponsored international travel since 2020. House rules prohibit representatives from knowingly accepting privately funded travel or gifts from registered lobbyists or foreign agents, but interest groups commonly create charitable nonprofit arms to continue sponsoring congressional travel.

Kentucky – Grossberg Drops Lawsuit vs. KY Ethics Commission – but Plans to Take Case to Federal Court

MSN – Lucas Aulbach (Louisville Courier Journal) | Published: 7/30/2025

Embattled state Rep. Daniel Grossberg is dropping the lawsuit he filed against the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission. But the case is not over. Grossberg, who sought to stop the commission from continuing its misconduct investigation into complaints made against him, plans to file a separate lawsuit in federal court instead.

Maine – Maine’s Democracy Is Strong Despite Socioeconomic Barriers to Access, Report Finds

Yahoo News – Eesha Pendharkar (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 7/25/2025

Maine’s democracy remains among the most accessible and resilient in the nation, with strong voter turnout, a largely representative state Legislature, and an increased shift toward clean elections, despite some socioeconomic inequities in voting. That is according to the 2025 State of Democracy in Maine report, which offers an assessment of several areas of the state’s democratic health – voter turnout, clean elections, campaign finance, government transparency, and accountability.

Maryland – Out of Jail, Ex-Pr. George’s Council Member Becomes Another’s Chief of Staff

MSN – Lateshia Beachum (Washington Post) | Published: 7/30/2025

Former Prince George’s County council member Mel Franklin landed a county job just weeks after his release from incarceration for stealing more than $100,000 from his campaign fund and then lying about it. Franklin will be chief of staff for at-large Councilperson Calvin Hawkins II, who served nearly six years in prison after being convicted of armed robbery at 21.

Maryland – McKay Session-in-Review Books Face Critical Ethics, Campaign Finance Reviews

Yahoo News – Bryan Sears (Maryland Matters) | Published: 7/25/2025

“The 90 Day Report,” a paperback by Maryland Sen. Mike McKay and available on Amazon, provides a detailed look at every bill the veteran lawmaker sponsored or cast a final vote on during the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions. McKay sees the print-on-demand books as a cost-efficient modernization of the traditional lawmaker practice of informing constituents of their doings during the 90-day legislative session. But ethics and campaign officials are looking at it against a tangle of ethics rules. Even if strictly legal, it could run afoul of ethics laws warning of the “appearance” of an ethics issue.

Massachusetts – Amid Criticism, Healey Names Hospitals’ Top Lobbyist to State Health Policy Board

WBUR – Chris Lisinski (State House News Service) | Published: 7/25/2025

After several days of fielding criticism about the move behind the scenes, Gov. Maura Healey named the state’s top hospital lobbyist to a position at the regulatory agency that oversees virtually all major health care decisions, including those directly affecting his clients, in Massachusetts. The Healey administration defended the selection of Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association President Steve Walsh, saying he fulfills a statutory requirement for a member of the Health Policy Commission’s board to come from a hospital background.

Michigan – Subpoena Targets Michigan AG Dana Nessel Over Stalled ‘Dark Money’ Probe

Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 7/24/2025

More than two years after state campaign finance officials said a dark money group likely violated Michigan law by raising money for a ballot committee without disclosing donors, Republicans are questioning why the criminal referral went nowhere under Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel. The House Oversight Committee authorized a subpoena for related communications within Nessel’s office, citing her wife’s role as co-chair for the ballot committee to which the funding ultimately flowed.

Michigan – Michigan Ballot Initiative Aims to Reveal ‘Dark Money’ Donors Behind Political Ads

Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 7/30/2025

A potential ballot proposal to change Michigan’s campaign finance law could upend political giving and advertising in the state, hamstringing prolific political donors and revealing major sources of dark money spending. Michiganders for Money Out of Politics is seeking to put a proposal on the 2026 ballot that would ban regulated utilities and state government contractors from making contributions to state candidates and a broad array of other political spending. It would also require any outside spending group making even tangential reference to a candidate or ballot issue to report their spending totals and donors to the state.

Missouri – Grand Jury Indicts Top Democrat in St. Louis County Government on Felony Charges

Yahoo News – Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) | Published: 7/30/2025

The top elected official in Missouri’s largest county was indicted on four criminal charges for allegedly misusing public money to oppose passage of an April ballot measure. The indictment accuses St. Louis County Executive Sam Page of spending public funds on a flyer and direct mail postcard for the vote on a proposal that would have curbed his power.

Missouri – Missouri Ethics Panel Dismisses Complaint Involving Republican State Senator

Yahoo News – Jason Hancock (Missouri Independent) | Published: 7/29/2025

A complaint alleging state Sen. Joe Nicola was using his church as a PAC was formally dismissed by the Missouri Ethics Commission. The complaint alleged New Covenant Ministries, where Nicola serves as president and pastor, should have registered as a PAC because it raised money to boost Nicola’s campaign for state Senate last year.

New Jersey – Alina Habba’s Future as New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor Faces Legal Test

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 7/29/2025

President Trump’s effort to keep Alina Habba in charge of the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey is facing a legal challenge that could influence his ability to extend terms for some of his other controversial picks to lead prosecutor’s offices across the country. Defendants in a drug and gun case set to go to trial in New Jersey are urging a federal court to toss the charges, arguing that Habba, a former Trump defense lawyer, has no legal standing to exercise prosecutorial powers.

New York – All in the Family: Relatives helped NY candidates garner public funds

Albany Times Union – Emilie Munson | Published: 7/27/2025

Fifty-eight candidates for the Senate and Assembly in New York donated to their own campaigns and then filed claims for matching state funds to amplify their platforms in 2024. At least 113 candidates claimed matching funds for contributions they, their spouses, or their family members made. The practice is allowed by state Election Law. Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay said rules like matching funds for candidates’ own contributions are exactly why many Republicans, like him, opposed implementation of the program.

North Dakota – Supreme Court Pauses Ruling That Weakens Voting Rights Act in Some States

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2025

The Supreme Court paused a lower court ruling that bars individuals in seven Midwestern states from bringing racial discrimination lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act. The justices sided with Native American tribes that sought the emergency stay, arguing the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit gutted a powerful tool that helps ensure voting maps are drawn equitably.

North Dakota – ND Ethics Commission OKs Lawmakers’ Expenses-Paid Trip to Israel as ‘Educational’

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 7/30/2025

At least one North Dakota lawmaker has been invited to an all-expenses-paid trip to meet with Israel leaders in September, and the state Ethics Commission says he can accept. The five-day trip would be paid for by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which pitches the tour as an opportunity for U.S. lawmakers to learn about the nation’s culture, heritage, and government. The Ethics Commission determined the trip is fair game because the organizers say it is purely educational and no lobbying will take place.

Ohio – Despite Trump Pardon, Cincinnati Dem Pushes Appeal That Could Have Major Ramifications

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 7/25/2025

Despite a pardon form President Trump, Former Cincinnati City Council member PG Sittenfeld is trying to get his corruption conviction overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. His appeal, which legal experts say might be the first of its kind, could have ramifications far beyond his case. Sittenfeld was convicted of bribery after accepting $20,000 from undercover FBI agents in exchange for lining up votes for a development project. The appeal asks the Supreme Court to more clearly draw a line between a legal campaign contribution and a bribe.

Oklahoma – Board Members Say Naked Women on TV in Ryan Walters’ Office During Closed Session

Yahoo News – Murray Evans (Oklahoman) | Published: 7/25/2025

An executive session of the Oklahoma State Board of Education was interrupted when images of naked women were seen on a television screen in the office of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, where the session was held, two board members said. Board members had been meeting behind closed doors to discuss teacher licensing, student attendance appeals, and other sensitive issues. Walters chairs the board. It is unclear who was responsible for the images or why they were broadcast. Walters was seated with his back to the television screen, which would not have been in Walters’ direct view.

Texas – Texas House Democrats Are Fundraising to Potentially Leave the State to Block GOP-Backed Redistricting

MSN – Owen Dahlkamp (Texas Tribune) | Published: 7/29/2025

As Republicans in Texas move ahead with a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts, Democrats are privately mulling their options, including an expensive and legally dicey quorum break. If they go that route, it appears they will have the backing of wealthy donors. By fleeing the state to deprive the Legislature of enough members to function, Democrats would each incur a fine of $500 per day and face the threat of arrest. Donors within the party appear ready to cover these expenses.

Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Senate Hopeful, Claimed 3 Homes as His Primary Residence

MSN – Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) | Published: 7/24/2025

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife are longtime owners of a $1.5 million house in a gated community outside Dallas. In 2015, they snapped up a second home in Austin, then another. But mortgages signed by the Paxtons contained inaccurate statements declaring that each of those three houses was their primary residence, enabling the now-estranged couple to improperly lock in low interest rates. The mortgage revelations are likely to become fodder in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat. The situation is further complicated by the Trump administration’s criminal pursuit of Democrats over similar issues.

Texas – Texas Senate Passes Bill to Bar Local Government like Dallas from Hiring Outside Lobbyists

MSN – Karen Brooks Harper and Devyani Chhetri (Dallas News) | Published: 7/30/2025

Texas lawmakers moved a notch closer in their quest to bar local governments from using public dollars on outside lobbyists. The GOP-dominated Texas Senate approved the bill amid a debate that has largely focused on whether the state was reforming where taxpayer dollars are spent or whether it was eroding local influence.

Utah – Utah Nonprofit Spent Millions of Taxpayer Funds on Private Company, Vacations, State Auditor Finds

MSN – Brigham Tomco (Deseret News) | Published: 7/29/2025

The president of a Utah nonprofit manufacturing consultant misused millions of dollars of public funds meant for a federal and state manufacturing program, according to a state audit. The review revealed iMpact Utah spent between $1.8 and $2.8 million in transfers to a for-profit company where the president is a majority shareholder, as well as political donations, personal trips, and “excessive” executive compensation in a three-year span.

Virginia – The Largest Donor to Rouse’s Lieutenant Governor Campaign Won’t Be Known Until Months After the Primary

Cardinal News – Elizabeth Beyer | Published: 7/28/2025

A federal PAC was one of the largest donors to Virginia Sen. Aaron Rouse’s campaign for lieutenant governor. Where that money came from will not be known until months after the primary election. A difference in reporting requirements between the FEC and the State Board of Elections has created a loophole that allows federal PACs to temporarily shield the source of their money, even as they contribute to state candidates in Virginia’s off-year elections.

Virginia – Is It Time for Virginia to Stop Holding Elections Every Year? Lawmakers Are Taking a Serious Look

Virginia Mercury – Markus Schmidt | Published: 7/31/2025

The Joint Subcommittee to Study the Consolidation and Scheduling of General Elections met for the first time to begin exploring whether Virginia, one of just a handful of states with statewide elections in odd-numbered years, should sync up with the federal calendar and move all general elections to even-numbered years. The idea may seem like a bureaucratic scheduling tweak. But in practice, it would touch nearly every aspect of Virginia politics, from voter turnout and local governance to campaign finance and the nationalization of state issues.

National/Federal

Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Is Canceled by CBS and Will End in May 2026

MSN – Alicia Rancilio and Andrew Dalton (Associated Press) | Published: 7/18/2025

CBS is canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” next May, shuttering a decades-old television institution in a changing media landscape and removing from air one of President Trump’s most prominent and persistent late-night critics. CBS said “Late Show” was canceled for financial reasons, not for content. But the timing – three days after Colbert criticized the settlement between Trump and Paramount Global, parent company of CBS, over a “60 Minutes” story – led two U.S. senators to publicly question the motives.

Trump Reshaped the Supreme Court. Now Emergency Appeals Are Helping Him Reshape the Government

MSN – Mark Sherman and Chris Megerian (Associated Press) | Published: 7/15/2025

Six months into his second term, President Trump has gotten almost everything he has wanted from the Supreme Court that he reshaped during his first. The legal victories are noteworthy on their own, but how the president is achieving them is remarkable. Administration lawyers are harnessing emergency appeals, which were used sparingly under previous presidencies, to fast-track cases to the Supreme Court, where decisions are often handed down with no explanation. The result is a series of green lights from the nation’s highest court without any clarity on how the law should be interpreted in the future.

For Sale: Trump is leveraging power of his office to reap profits for family businesses

MSN – Brian Slodysko and Will Weissert (Associated Press) | Published: 7/18/2025

From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an upcoming line of cellphones, Donald Trump’s family business has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars since the 2024 election, an unprecedented flood of often shadowy money from billionaires, foreign governments, and cryptocurrency tycoons with interests before the federal government. The sums amassed by the Trump Organization are far greater than those collected by the family during the president’s first term, when patronage of his hotels, resorts, and golf courses was de rigueur to curry favor.

Trump’s DOJ Has Fired Dozens of Prosecutors, Upending Decades-Old Norm

MSN – Patrick Marley, Jeremy Roebuck, and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 7/19/2025

The Justice Department under the Trump administration has fired dozens of career prosecutors during the past six months, making the dismissal of federal attorneys. The terminations have alarmed staff members and observers who worry agency officials are engaged in a broad campaign to erode civil service protections, bolster the political interests of the president, and weaken the rule of law. Prosecutors are typically fired only when they do something improper or fail to perform their duties.

Trump Officials Accused of Defying 1 in 3 Judges Who Ruled Against Him

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2025

President Trump and his appointees have been accused of flouting courts in a third of the more than 160 lawsuits against the administration in which a judge has issued a substantive ruling, a Washington Post analysis found, suggesting widespread noncompliance with America’s legal system. Plaintiffs say Justice Department lawyers and the agencies they represent are snubbing rulings, providing false information, failing to turn over evidence, quietly working around court orders, and inventing pretexts to carry out actions that have been blocked.

Well-Timed or Just Lucky? Top Trump Officials’ Stock Sales Clustered Before Tariff News

MSN – Suhail Bhat and Ramon Padilla (USA Today) | Published: 7/22/2025

Several top Trump administration officials sold off stock market holdings in the days leading up to the president’s announcements of sweeping tariffs that sparked fears of a global trade war and rattled financial markets. Sales by top officials, including Cabinet members, their deputies, and senior White House officials were clustered in two 10-day periods leading up to President Trump’s major tariff announcements on February 13 and April 2. Of the stock and stock fund sales administration officials reported between January 20 and April 30, 90 percent fell within 10 days of the tariff announcements.

The Government Was Once a Steady Partner for Nonprofits. That’s Changing

MSN – Thalia Beatty (Associated Press) | Published: 7/22/2025

In his second term, President Trump froze, cut, or threatened to cut a huge range of social services programs from public safety to early childhood education to food assistance and services for refugee resettlement. Staffing cuts to federal agencies have also contributed to delays and uncertainty around future grant funds. Altogether, his policies are poised to upend decades of partnerships the federal government has built with nonprofits to help people in their communities. This vast and interconnected set of programs funded by taxpayers has been significantly dismantled in just months, nonprofit leaders, researchers, and funders say.

Supreme Court Allows Trump to Remove Consumer Product Safety Regulators

MSN – Ann Marimow and Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2025

A divided Supreme Court cleared the way for President Trump to remove the Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, allowing the administration to continue to seize control of the federal bureaucracy while litigation continues in the lower courts. As is common in rulings rendered on the emergency docket, the majority did not offer a rationale for its decision. The move received sharp objections from the court’s three liberal justices.

Federal Appeals Court Rules Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Unconstitutional

MSN – David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2025

A federal appeals court ruled President Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional and upheld a nationwide ban on his administration from implementing the measure. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said Trump’s directive violates the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment. The president is seeking to deny automatic citizenship to the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants and temporary foreign visitors.

Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files

MSN – Sadie Gurman, Annie Linskey, Josh Dawsey, and Alex Lear (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 7/23/2025

When Justice Department officials reviewed what Attorney General Pam Bondi called a “truckload” of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein earlier this year, they discovered Donald Trump’s name appeared multiple times, according to senior administration officials. In May, Bondi and her deputy informed the president that his name was in the Epstein files, the officials said. Many other high-profile figures were also named, Trump was told. Being mentioned in the records is not a sign of wrongdoing.

Columbia to Pay More Than $200 Million in Deal with Trump Administration

MSN – Susan Svrluga and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2025

Columbia University and the Trump administration have reached an agreement to resolve a months-long dispute over federal research funding that made the university a symbol of White House efforts to force cultural changes in higher education nationally. The deal requires Columbia to pay the federal government $200 million to settle claims related to discriminatory practices. It reinstates most of the $400 million in research grants that were frozen by the government.

K Street Rakes in Record Cash Thanks to Trump

MSN – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 7/23/2025

Top lobbying firms in Washington reported large increases in second quarter revenues, with record-breaking demand for help navigating the Trump administration’s stream of policy pronouncements and shaping the president’s “big, beautiful” tax-and-spending bill. Firms with strong ties to the White House have skyrocketed to the top of the pecking order of lobbying outfits on K Street, according to an analysis of the latest quarterly lobbying disclosures.

Trump Document Dumps Raise Questions of Distraction

MSN – Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) | Published: 7/24/2025

The Trump administration has moved to release tranches of documents from controversial past investigations amid increasing scrutiny into its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, prompting criticism that the White House is seeking a distraction. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released documents related to the investigation into Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election, something President Trump raised again when he said former President Obama was guilty of treason in connection with the matter.

With His Suit Against Murdoch, Trump Signals: No one is safe

MSN – Sarah Ellison and Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2025

One day after the Wall Street Journal published a story alleging Donald Trump wrote a “bawdy” birthday letter to deceased sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein, Trump sued the newspaper, the two authors of the story, and a raft of corporate overseers including Rupert Murdoch, whose family trust controls the Journal’s parent company and that of Fox News. By suing the Wall Street Journal and Murdoch, Trump is lashing out at one of his most powerful media allies, a fellow billionaire who has been one of his most influential advisers outside the White House.

Trump’s Pick to Protect Federal Workers Shares a Disdain for Them

MSN – Meryl Kornfield and Cleve Wootson Jr. (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2025

Paul Ingrassia is unlike any nominee ever put forward to lead the Office of Special Counsel and his confirmation prospects are increasingly uncertain. A 2021 law school graduate with no senior government experience, Ingrassia has mostly made himself known as a loyalist to President Trump who repeats scorched-earth rhetoric, expresses admiration for controversial figures, and shares disdain for the federal workforce he would be tasked with protecting.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – New Guidelines Will Require More In-House Lobbyists to Register with Commissioner’s Office: Bélanger

iPolitics – Marco Vigliotti | Published: 7/22/2025

Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger released new guidelines for the profession lowering the threshold to trigger reporting requirements for people lobbying directly on behalf of their employer. These in-house lobbyists will now have to register if that work takes up at least eight hours of their time over a four-week period, a four-fold decrease from the current rules. Bélanger said the change would “enhance transparency” by requiring more people lobbying the federal government to publicly disclose their work.

California – Is OC’s District Attorney Leaning on His Campaign Donors to Pay a Court Fine?

Voice of OC – Noah Biesiada | Published: 7/21/2025

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer is personally responsible for $25,000 after a judge ordered him to pay restitution to a whistleblower he retaliated against. But Spitzer might have set up a new way to get the money – his campaign donors. The opening of the legal defense fund raised concerns across Orange County. “Opening it now seems to imply that he wants to raise money from donors to pay his court ordered fine,” said Jon Fleischman, former director of the California Republican Party.

Colorado – Democratic State Senator Who Resigned Amid Ethics Investigation Now Faces Felony Criminal Charge in Denver

KUNC – Jesse Paul (Colorado Capital News Alliance) | Published: 7/22/2025

Former Colorado Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, who resigned this year amid an ethics investigation into her treatment of legislative aides, was charged with attempting to influence a public servant, a felony offense. Court records show Jaquez Lewis’ alleged offense occurred before she resigned from the Legislature on February 18. She stepped down when the Senate Ethics Committee, which was investigating a complaint against her, announced Jaquez Lewis submitted at least one fabricated letter of support sent to the panel that purported to be from a former aide.

Connecticut – Audit: Elections watchdog more than a year late with some campaign reports

CT News Junkie – Viktoria Sundqvist | Published: 7/23/2025

An audit of the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) says the watchdog failed to complete several post-election campaign finance audits in a timely manner. The audit, which covers the fiscal years ending June 2022 and 2023, reviewed seven and eight candidate committee commission audits, respectively, and found the commission issued four of its final summary reports between 132 and 454 days late from the 2020 election cycle. The SEEC said it has limited resources to process the statutorily required audits without delay.

Florida – In Boon for House GOP, Florida Supreme Court Sides with DeSantis, Upholds Congressional Map

MSN – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 7/17/2025

The state Supreme Court upheld Florida’s congressional map, delivering a win to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who pushed through the changes that helped Republicans flip and maintain the House majority. The ruling could be far-reaching; it suggests legislators can sidestep protections for minority voters adopted in 2010. But the legal battle may not end, as one of the groups involved in the litigation said the battle over the district is “far from over.”

Florida – With Charity Cuts Looming, Miami-Dade Steers $250,000 a Year to This New Foundation

MSN – Douglas Hanks (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/19/2025

In a year where Miami-Dade may slash tens of millions of dollars in nonprofit funding, one new charity with a sparse track record recently secured a $250,000 yearly revenue stream mandated by a county contract. The president of the charity receiving the payments is a top official in the city of Miami’s government.

Florida – Miami Can’t Delay Its Election by a Year, Judge Rules

WLRN – Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 7/22/2025

Miami city commissioners violated the Florida Constitution when they voted to postpone this fall’s election to November 2026, a state judge ruled, saying that such a change required voter approval. The judge ruled in favor of Emilio González, a candidate for mayor. The city commission said the delay was meant to save money and improve turnout. Critics noted it would give elected city officials an extra year in office.

Illinois – ‘You Had the Power to Stop This:’ Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore sentenced to 2 years in prison in scheme to bribe Speaker Madigan

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/21/2025

Once a rising corporate star, former Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) Chief Executive Officer Anne Pramaggiore was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $750,000 for her role in an scheme to funnel more than $1.3 million and other perks to associates of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for help with the utility’s legislative agenda. U.S. District Court Judge Manish Shah acknowledged Pramaggiore’s transformative leadership at ComEd and her history of charitable works but said the evidence at trial showed she participated in a nearly decade-long scheme that undermined the public’s trust in government.

Illinois – Judge Hands 2 Years in Prison to Michael McClain, Lobbyist and Madigan Confidant at Center of ComEd Bribery Scandal

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/24/2025

Michael McClain, who long served as the right-hand man and confidant of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, was sentenced to two years in prison following his conviction in a conspiracy to bribe Madigan in exchange for passing Commonwealth Edison’s (ComEd) legislative agenda. It was through his close relationship with Illinois’ most powerful politician, prosecutors say, that McClain was able to leverage knowledge of Madigan’s thinking to induce ComEd executives to lavish money on Madigan’s cronies and meet his myriad other demands.

Iowa – Curious Iowa: What restrictions are there for ‘wining and dining’ Iowa state officials?

Cedar Rapids Gazette – Tom Barton | Published: 7/21/2025

Trade associations, companies, chambers of commerce, and other groups spent roughly $450,500 combined this year on food, drinks, entertainment, and other expenses hosting public receptions attended by Iowa lawmakers and other state officials. Lawmakers attended approximately 100 receptions during the 2025 legislative session, according to lobbyist reports. Iowa law imposes stringent restrictions on the acceptance of gifts by public officials, employees, and candidates.

Kentucky – KY Ethics Commission Lawyers Ask Judge to Dismiss Rep. Grossberg’s Lawsuit

MSN – Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 7/23/2025

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit against it that was filed by state Rep. Daniel Grossberg, who is being investigated by the commission for alleged misconduct. The commission is following its statutory obligation to investigate the complaints filed last year against Grossberg, and as an elected representative, he does not have immunity from the outcome of that investigation, lawyers for the commission argued in their request for dismissal.

Kentucky – Public Will Be on the Outside as Kentucky Legislature Convenes in Temporary Quarters

Yahoo News – McKenna Horsley (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 7/21/2025

The Kentucky General Assembly plans to convene in temporary chambers for at least the next three years while the Capitol undergoes renovations. During those years, there will be no public galleries where citizens can watch as the House and Senate debate and vote on bills. No rotunda where advocates and protesters can gather for rallies, and less opportunity for citizens and lobbyists to personally interact with lawmakers in the halls. People will be able to watch the Legislature in session in real time from next door in the Capitol Annex via live streams of the proceedings.

Louisiana – When the Ethics Board Pushed Back Against Gov. Jeff Landry, He Changed the Law

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 7/21/2025

Earlier this year, the Louisiana Board of Ethics told Gov. Jeff Landry’s PAC to stop paying for the governor’s membership at the U.S. House of Representatives fitness center. But two months after receiving the letter, the PAC paid for the gym dues again. State lawmakers then approved legislation that allowed his PAC to cover the governor’s gym membership. It was one of five recent changes to anti-corruption laws that undo ethics board decisions which may have blocked Landry from getting what he wanted.

Minnesota – Sen. Nicole Mitchell to Resign by Aug. 4, Attorney Says

Yahoo News – Michelle Griffith (Minnesota Reformer) | Published: 7/21/2025

Sen. Nicole Mitchell, who was found guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools, will resign from the Minnesota Senate by August 4. The unusual resignation announcement means Mitchell will continue to represent her constituents for up to two weeks as a convicted felon. It also means Democrats will lose their one-seat majority in the Senate until Gov. Tim Walz calls a special election to replace her.

Mississippi – Indicted Jackson Prosecutor’s Latest Campaign Finance Report Rife with Errors

Mississippi Today – Caleb Bedillion (The Marshall Project) and Anna Wolfe | Published: 7/18/2025

Tangled finances, thousands of dollars in personal loans, and a campaign contribution from a supposed investor group made up of undercover FBI informants were all contained in a long overdue campaign finance report from Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, who is fighting federal bribery charges. His recent campaign finance disclosure reflects a pair of transactions that correspond with key details in the government’s allegation that Owens took money from undercover informants to pay off a local official’s debt.

New Jersey – Judges’ Move to Oust Trump U.S. Attorney Pick Habba Triggers a Showdown

MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2025

A panel of New Jersey’s U.S. District Court judges opted not to appoint Alina Habba, President Trump’s former personal attorney, as the state’s top federal prosecutor on a permanent basis. The judges chose Desiree Leigh Grace, a career prosecutor, as her replacement. But within hours, Justice Department officials announced they fired Grace and reinstated Habba. The developments threw the leadership of the law enforcement agency into chaos and raised the prospect of another showdown between the administration and the federal judiciary.

New York – What Happened to the Federal Investigations into Mayor Adams’ Inner Circle?

Gothamist – Elizabeth Kim | Published: 7/23/2025

The criminal investigations of former senior members of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration appear to be on hold as the fallout from the dismissal of the mayor’s corruption charges continues. At least eight top Adams officials resigned after federal agents seized their phones. A judge tossed bribery and campaign finance charges against Adams at the request of the Department of Justice. Now, legal experts and attorneys are concerned those officials could also get a pass. Their growing alarm comes as the once-vaunted Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office is mired in dysfunction amid resignations and firings.

New York – New Eric Adams ‘Donors’ Say They Never Gave to His Reelection Campaign

MSN – Greg Smith and Haidee Chu (The City) | Published: 7/23/2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign in May once more accepted funds from individuals who appear to be straw donors and submitted them to the city’s public matching dollars program. The indictment filed against Adams last fall that was recently dismissed charged him with soliciting and accepting thousands of dollars of such contributions. To date, an Adams associate and a local businessperson have pleaded guilty to orchestrating straw donor schemes.

New York – Former Cuomo Aide Brittany Commisso Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $450,000

Yahoo News – Molly Crane-Newman (New York Daily News) | Published: 7/18/2025

New York state agreed to pay $450,000 to Brittany Commisso, a former aide to Andrew Cuomo who accused him of groping and subjecting her to persistent sexual harassment on the job at the governor’s office. The state settled a suit brought by former Cuomo aide Charlotte Bennett for the same amount in April in a case alleging similar claims. The agreement does not require Cuomo to admit to any wrongdoing, and Cuomo has repeatedly denied the accusations against him.

North Dakota – North Dakota Ethics Commissioners to Evaluate ‘Strained’ Relationship with Attorney General’s Office

North Dakota Monitor – Mary Steuer | Published: 7/16/2025

The North Dakota Ethics Commission is looking into whether strongly worded communications from the state Attorney General’s Office have negatively impacted commission staff. The decision follows a July 3 letter addressed to the commission from Attorney General Drew Wrigley that harshly criticized the commission’s recent investigation report on ethics violations by Rep. Jason Dockter.

Ohio – Ohio Aims to Reinstate Ban on Political Donations from Foreign Nationals

Courthouse News Service – Kevin Koeninger | Published: 7/23/2025

The threat of foreign influence in American elections is grave enough to allow states to ban political contributions from noncitizens, the state of Ohio argued an appeals court. Citing concerns about the “corrosive effects” of foreign money “pouring into campaign issues,” the state passed a law in 2024 that prohibited foreign nationals and those with green cards from making campaign contributions in any election. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson granted an injunction to prevent enforcement of the law against legal permanent residents.

Ohio – 5 Years After Ohio’s $60M Bribery Scandal, Critics Say More Could Be Done to Prevent a Repeat

MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 7/21/2025

Five years after a $60 million bribery scheme funded by FirstEnergy came to light in Ohio, expert observers say the resulting prosecutions, lawsuits, penalties, and legislation have not led to enough change and accountability to prevent politicians and corporate executives from cutting similar deals in the future. The scheme’s prospective $2 billion-plus price tag to consumers makes it the largest infrastructure scandal in U.S. history.

Pennsylvania – Big-Dollar Donors Are Helping Fund Fixes at the Governor’s Mansion. For Now, We Don’t Know Who They Are.

Spotlight PA – Angela Couloumbis | Published: 7/17/2025

In May, Pennsylvania’s five living former governors united to hold a fundraiser at the official residence just a few miles from the Capitol. The fundraiser, an invitation-only event, was for a cause few would quibble with – restoring or replacing items damaged in the attack just weeks earlier. The fire was set as Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family, and his friends were asleep inside, but all escaped unharmed. Yet the Shapiro administration, as well as officials with a nonprofit organization that is collecting the money, have not disclosed who attended the event or how much was raised.

Texas – Divorce, Adultery Allegations Against Paxton Jolt Senate Race in Texas

MSN – Patrick Svitek and Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2025

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long record of political resilience in the face of scandal faces a new test after his wife filed for divorce and accused him of adultery, jolting a contentious primary for U.S. Senate. The race, seen as one of the biggest GOP primaries of the midterms, was already dramatic, with a longtime incumbent, John Cornyn, fighting for his political life. Now, Cornyn and his allies are bringing up the filing as they run against Paxton, and some Paxton backers are rethinking their support.

Texas – Texas Lawmakers Take Up Renewed Push to Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying

The Texan – Holly Hanson | Published: 7/23/2025

In response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s special legislative session call, Texas lawmakers will once again attempt to tackle the thorny issue of taxpayer-funded lobbying in hopes of curtailing the practice. Senate Bill 12 prohibits political subdivisions such as cities, counties, or traditional public school districts from hiring or contracting with registered lobbyists for the purpose of lobbying the state government.