National/Federal

With Congress Pliant, an Emboldened Trump Pushes His Business Interests

DNyuz – Eric Lipton and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 2/17/2025

Donald Trump re-entered the White House with a massively expanded portfolio of business interests, some of which require government approval or regulation, others of which are publicly traded, and still others involving foreign deals. Presidents are not subject to the conflict-of-interest laws that regulate the rest of the government, but his recent actions underscore how emboldened Trump feels in his second term. It demonstrates his confidence that the lines dividing various Trump interests, and his desire to reward friends and punish perceived enemies, will not trigger congressional oversight in a political ecosystem he helped change.

With Truth Social, Trump Has Official Mouthpiece and a Channel for Revenue

DNyuz – Sharon LaFraniere and Matthew Goldstein (New York Times) | Published: 2/19/2025

Anyone who wants to keep up with President Trump’s views knows to go to his Truth Social account. There, one finds his reasoning on a panoply of issues, including tariffs on Canada and Mexico, relations with Russia, American ownership of the Gaza Strip, and a budget bill now before Congress. In some ways, it is akin to how Trump turned Twitter, now called X, into his megaphone in his first term, when administration officials declared his posts to be official White House communications. But Trump is the biggest shareholder in the company that owns Truth Social and stands to benefit directly if his posts drive traffic to the site.

Acting Archivist, Inspector General for National Archives Forced Out

MSN – Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 2/16/2025

The acting archivist of the United States and several senior staff members at the National Archives and Records Administration have resigned, marking the latest departures at a typically nonpolitical agency that has been the target of President Trump’s ire since its attempts to recover presidential documents from his Florida home. The departures came after Trump officials made it clear they wanted to remove the agency’s leadership team and install loyalists.

U.S. Plan to Award $400M Vehicle Contract Removes Reference to Musk’s Tesla

MSN – Leo Sands (Washington Post) | Published: 2/13/2025

The State Department planned to spend $400 million over the next five years on a contract to build armored electric vehicles with Telsa, whose chief executive, Elon Musk, has been advising President Trump on how to slim federal spending, according to government documents. After media outlets reported on the possible contract, the document was updated to omit any reference to Tesla, changing the “Armored Tesla” contract instead to “Armored Electric Vehicles,” although the contract’s value remained the same.

Trump Asks Supreme Court to Allow Him to Fire Independent Agency Leader

MSN – Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 2/16/2025

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to clear the way for the president to fire the leader of an independent agency that investigates whistleblower reports filed by government workers, he first time Trump has appealed to the justices for help in his efforts to remake and seize greater control of the federal bureaucracy. Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, said his termination was illegal because it violated a law that shields leaders of independent agencies from removal by the president, “except in cases of neglect of duty, malfeasance or inefficiency.”

Who’s Running DOGE? The White House Says It’s Not Elon Musk.

MSN – Faiz Siddiqui and Natalie Allison (Washington Post) | Published: 2/18/2025

Elon Musk has embarked on a tear through Washington in his first month as the most influential adviser to President Trump. The White House, though, says Musk has “no actual or formal authority” over government decisions, despite the display of influence by the world’s richest person. Musk, according to the Trump administration, is neither a Department of Government Efficiency employee, nor the official in charge of the group. That assertion came in a filing as part of a lawsuit by 14 states alleging Musk’s actions are unconstitutional.

State Dept. Orders Cancellation of News Subscriptions Around the World

MSN – Jeremy Barr and John Hudson (Washington Post) | Published: 2/18/2025

The State Department ordered the cancellation of all news subscriptions deemed “non-mission critical.” The move aligns with the Trump administration’s crackdown on media companies that count the U.S. government as paying customers. Embassy security teams rely on news coverage to prepare for diplomatic travel in conflict zones. Cancellation of subscriptions, including to local news outlets, could hinder their assessment of threats, a State Department official said.

Judge Stops Trump Ouster of Merit Systems Protection Board Chair

MSN – Olivia George (Washington Post) | Published: 2/18/2025

A federal judge ordered the reinstatement, at least temporarily, of the chairperson of the federal board that hears appeals of disciplinary actions against federal employees, ruling the Trump administration had not articulated adequate grounds for her removal. The administration fired Cathy Harris as chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board with a one-sentence email. The messages provided no reason for the ouster. The next day, Harris sued, claiming her termination violated federal law.

After Ceding Power of the Purse, GOP Lawmakers Beg Trump Team for Funds

MSN – Liz Goodwin (Washington Post) | Published: 2/19/2025

Republican senators find themselves in an unusual position by having to ask Trump administration officials to release funds they themselves appropriated. Senators have in recent days made the case to Cabinet secretaries and other officials to let money flow back into their states. They are trying to finagle exceptions to President Trump’s sweeping executive orders or cuts that freeze hundreds of billions of dollars, including money for farmers and infrastructure projects. That push comes as the administration has also sought to fire a wide swath of federal employees, some of whom live in red states.

Mass Resignation Marks a New Kind of Defiance in the Second Trump Era

MSN – Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) | Published: 2/15/2025

The resignation of seven U.S. Justice Department officials after refusing to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, an ally of President Trump, marks the first significant defiance of Trump by federal officials. The action could create a precedent for further acts of resistance if Trump orders other government officials to do things they find inappropriate or believe would violate their legal responsibilities.

Federal Lobbying Set New Record in 2024

OpenSecrets – Indy Scholtens | Published: 2/11/2025

Business associations, corporations, labor unions, and other organizations are spending more than ever to influence policy decisions at the federal level. In 2024, lobbying spending reached a record-breaking $4.4 billion. The $150 million increase in lobbying continues an upward trend that began in 2016. The health sector remained the largest spender, with a total of $743.9 million in lobbying expenditures in 2024. It is the only sector that spent more than $700 million on federal lobbying last year.

Trump Signs Order to Claim Power Over Independent Agencies

Politico – Megan Messerly and Bob King | Published: 2/18/2025

President Trump signed a sweeping executive order bringing independent agencies under the control of the White House, an action that would greatly expand his power but is likely to attract significant legal challenges. It represents Trump’s latest attempt to consolidate power beyond boundaries other presidents have observed and to test the so-called unitary executive theory, which states the president has the sole authority over the executive branch.

Venting at Democrats and Fearing Trump, Liberal Donors Pull Back Cash

Seattle Times – Lisa Lerer, Reid Epstein, and Theodore Schleifer (New York Times) | Published: 2/16/2025

The demoralization and fear gripping blue America in the early weeks of the Trump administration have left liberal groups and their allies struggling for cash, hurting their ability to effectively combat the right-wing transformation of the federal government. The small-dollar online spigot that powered opposition to the first Trump administration has slowed to a trickle as shaken liberal voters withhold their donations.

Senior Justice Department Ethics Official Resigns Over Sidelining by Trump Appointees, Source Says

Yahoo News – Sarah Lynch (Reuters) | Published: 2/19/2025

The Justice Department’s senior ethics official resigned after President Trump’s administration pulled him off his duties and assigned him to a new sanctuary-cities working group, a person familiar with the matter said. The official, Bradley Weinsheimer, decided to accept the government’s deferred resignation offer rather than accept the reassignment, the latest in a string of nonpolitical career Justice Department officials who have resisted efforts they say politicize investigations.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Legislative Immunity Is a Privilege in Most States. A Speeding Ticket Could Change That in Arizona

MSN – Eric Sandoval (Associated Press) | Published: 2/15/2025

The Arizona Constitution shields state lawmakers from any civil process and arrest for anything but treason, felony, and breach of peace during legislative sessions and the 15 days before. Legislative immunity exists in most states and allows lawmakers to brush aside lawsuits and low-level infractions. In Arizona, the perk does not have unanimous support in the Legislature. Rep. Quang Nguyen introduced a resolution to end immunity for traffic violations. If passed, it would become a ballot measure.

California – Who’s Paying for California Politicians’ Travel? After CalMatters’ Report, Audit Proposes a Legal Fix

MSN – Alexei Koseff (CalMatters) | Published: 2/14/2025

A California Fair Political Practices Commission audit recommends simplifying disclosure requirements to cover more interest groups that take lawmakers to policy conferences and on international study tours, a change that can only be made by those very same legislators. The audit followed CalMatters’ revelations that a 2015 law requiring such trip organizers to annually disclose their major donors had been used only twice in seven years despite interest groups paying for millions of dollars in travel for lawmakers during that time.

California – OC Developer Fined by State Officials for Dark Money Campaign in Santa Ana

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 2/13/2025

Ryan Ogulnick, an Orange County developer, is facing a $87,000 fine from the California Fair Political Practices Commission for an alleged political money laundering scheme in Santa Ana. The commission found he illegally hid the source of over $300,000 that was spent on mailers in the 2018 city council elections. At least one commissioner is calling on the county’s district attorney to investigate.

Colorado – Democratic State Senator Abruptly Resigns from Colorado Legislature Amid Ethics Investigation

Colorado Sun – Jesse Paul | Published: 2/18/2025

State Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis abruptly announced her resignation from the Colorado Legislature amid an ethics investigation into her alleged yearslong mistreatment of her Capitol staffers. Her resignation comes after she was reelected to a second four-year term in the Senate in November. A Democratic vacancy committee will be convened to select her replacement, who will serve until at least the 2026 election.

Colorado – Denver Approves New Rules for Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Matching Dollars in City Elections

The Leader-Telegram – Elliott Wenzler (Denver Post) | Published: 2/19/2025

Denver’s Fair Elections Fund, which is intended to help more candidates for mayor and other city offices compete financially, will have new stipulations after the city council approved changes to its rules. The changes will ban anonymous donations, require “neutral debates” for participating candidates, pave the way for campaign finance investigations, and prohibit the use of public money on certain things like alcohol.

District of Columbia – D.C. U.S. Attorney Probing Democrats Over Alleged Threats, Documents Show

MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 2/19/2025

The top federal prosecutor in the District of Columbia escalated his scrutiny of what he characterized as potential threats directed at Elon Musk and government workers, demanding information from a Democratic member of Congress who criticized Musk and telling his office he planned to prosecute anyone targeting public officials. Legal analysts called interim U.S. attorney Ed Martin’s direct inquiries to lawmakers highly irregular and his discussion of investigative targets troubling.

Florida – Space Coast Rocket Founder Robert Burns Ordered to Pay $24,500 in Campaign Finance Case

Yahoo News – Tyler Vazquez (Florida Today) | Published: 2/14/2025

Political consultant and Space Coast Rocket founder was ordered by a state judge to pay $24,500 in fines related to an election fraud case. Judge Lawrence Stevenson said Burns engaged in a “pattern of nonreporting contributions received, and expenditures made, while they were actively campaigning for and against multiple candidates.” According to a court filing, the Florida Elections Commission sent 84 letters regarding the failure to file reports that Burns ignored, resulting in the charges.

Illinois – Former Mayors Johnson and Lightfoot Accused of Impeding Inspector General’s Investigations

WBEZ – Fran Spielman | Published: 2/13/2025

Mayor Brandon Johnson and his predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, were accused of impeding the work of Chicago’s inspector general by withholding documents, selectively enforcing subpoenas, and demanding to have the Law Department sit in on interviews that “risk embarrassment” to the mayor. The roadblocks outlined by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg include picking and choosing which subpoenas to comply with and withholding or unreasonably delaying the release of sensitive documents, such as emails and text messages.

Illinois – After Madigan’s Conviction, Lawmakers Ask: Has Illinois done enough to root out corruption?

WTTW – Angel Vicky | Published: 2/12/2025

Like the prosecutors in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial presenting evidence, Republicans and ethics advocates are seizing on Madigan’s conviction as proof that Illinois needs reform. Republicans who are suing to undo a legislative district map they say Democrats gerrymandered to their advantage, argue redistricting is another area left untouched to Illinois’ ethical detriment.

Illinois – ‘You Can Raise Me Five Grand’: New details emerge in bribery case against state Sen. Emil Jones III

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 2/19/2025

Illinois Sen. Emil Jones was dining at a Chicago steakhouse with an influential red light camera company executive when the executive expressed concern about Jones’ pending bill requiring a study on the automated traffic systems. The executive, Omar Maani of SafeSpeed, then asked Jones a point-blank question: how much do you want? “You can raise me five grand. That’d be good,” Jones allegedly told Maani. That conversation and other key details were revealed for the first time as Jones’ trial date on bribery charges approaches.

Kansas – Kansas House Committee Advances Election-Reform Bill That’s More Than a Name Change

Yahoo News – Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 2/13/2025

The House Elections Committee approved campaign finance reforms arising from disputes about Kansas’ definition of a PAC, coordination among PACs and candidates, and contributions given by a person in the name of another. The Governmental Ethics Commission, which would be renamed the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission in the bill, has engaged in political and legal battles with attorneys representing activists who bristled at vague language in state election statutes and challenged constitutionality of the commission’s interpretation of laws.

Kentucky – A Police Report, Lawsuits and Ethics Complaints: Pressures mount against councilwoman

Louisville Courier-Journal – Eleanor McCrary | Published: 2/17/2025

Louisville Metro Councilperson Donna Purvis is being accused of harassment after following an elderly constituent back to her apartment building in September after a heated verbal altercation at City Hall. It is the latest in a string of legal and ethics fights involving Purvis. In the six years she has been in office, Purvis has been sued for defamation by her former legislative assistant, racked up $20,000 in fines for campaign finance violations, and received multiple ethics complaints, some of which are ongoing.

Maine – Maine Lawmaker Accused of Forging Signatures on Campaign Finance Forms

Yahoo News – Rachel Ohm (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 2/13/2025

A grand jury indicted Maine Rep. Randall Hall on charges he forged signatures and made a false statement on campaign finance forms last year. According to the indictment, Hall forged signatures on 10 qualifying contribution affirmation forms, which are the forms that must be filled out by donors who give qualifying contributions to a candidate for state office so they can get clean elections funding from the state.

Michigan – Top Lawmaker Wants to Close Michigan ‘Revolving Door’ to Lobbyist Jobs

Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 2/18/2025

After years of failed attempts to slow the “revolving door” between Michigan policymakers and the professionals paid to influence them, a new proposal to block government leaders from immediately becoming lobbyists is gaining steam in the state Legislature. Bipartisan legislation would create a two-year waiting period before lawmakers who leave office can register as paid lobbyists to influence their former colleagues.

Minnesota – Senate GOP Files New Ethics Complaints Against Nicole Mitchell, State Senator Facing Felony Burglary Charges

Pioneer Press – Alex Derosier | Published: 2/18/2025

Minnesota Senate Republicans are leaning into their push to force state Sen. Nicole Mitchell from office after she was hit with another felony charge tied to her alleged break-in at her stepmother’s home last year. Republicans argued Mitchell had a conflict-of-interest when she voted to block a motion that would have opened her to an expulsion vote. They also filed an updated ethics complaint.

Mississippi – MS Campaign Finance Enforcement Lacks ‘Teeth,’ Hindering Accountability

Yahoo News – Charlie Drape and Grant McLaughlin (Clarion Ledger) | Published: 2/17/2025

Even if the state wanted to bring charges against federally indicted-Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba for failing to submit several campaign finance reports, it likely would not, due to Mississippi’s confusing campaign finance laws. The state attorney general’s office said the law is difficult to enforce because there are several state agencies involved before the attorney general can see a case. If that even happens, the punitive measures are minor at best, said Michelle Williams, the attorney general’s chief of staff.

New York – NY Ethics Panel Ruled Constitutional in Split Decision in Cuomo Case

Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 2/18/2025

New York’s top court upheld the constitutionality of the state’s new ethics commission. The decision revives the authority of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, which was created in 2022 to succeed the oft-criticized Joint Commission on Public Ethics that was disbanded. A state Supreme Court justice, as well as an appellate court in Albany, had ruled the new commission was formed in violation of the state constitution’s separation of powers doctrine.

New York – Acting Deputy AG Emil Bove Defends Move to Drop Eric Adams Case

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 2/19/2025

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove defended his controversial decision to end the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams, describing the choice to a federal judge as “a standard exercise of prosecutorial discretion.” Bove’s directive sparked days of open conflict within the department, drove eight veteran department attorneys to resign, and prompted the unusual proceeding in a Manhattan federal courtroom.

New York – Mass Resignations from Eric Adams’ Administration Spark Chaos in NYC Government

Yahoo News – Sally Goldenberg, Nick Reisman, Janaki Chada, and Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 2/17/2025

Four deputy mayors have signaled their intent to resign over concerns about New York City Mayor Eric Adams; conduct. The deputy mayors voiced worry that Adams is essentially doing the bidding of President Trump, who remains unpopular in the city. The Department of Justice ordered federal corruption charges against Adams dropped, in a case that appeared to be tied to the mayor’s cooperation on deporting migrants.

South Dakota – Felonies for Silent Supervisors a Sticking Point as Anti-Corruption Bills Clear SD Senate

Yahoo News – John Hult (South Dakota Searchlight) | Published: 2/18/2025

A package of four anti-corruption bills passed the South Dakota Senate and were sent to the House. The bills were sparked by recent criminal investigations into state employee misbehavior. The governor and attorney general agree on the language in three of the bills, but the question of felonies for state employee supervisors has confounded attempts for consensus on the fourth.

South Dakota – SD Governor Signs Bill Closing Loan Loophole in Campaign Finance Law

Yahoo News – South Dakota Searchlight staff | Published: 2/18/2025

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a bill into law that would close a campaign finance loophole. The new law says any loan to a campaign, when combined with contributions from the same source, cannot exceed contribution limits in state law.

Tennessee – Campaign Contribution Limits Could Be Lifted for Political Parties, Caucus PACs

Yahoo News – Sam Stockard (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 2/18/2025

Smarting from a barrage of dark money that took out two state Senate incumbents in 2024, Tennessee lawmakers are set to consider eliminating campaign contribution limits for political parties and party caucuses. Senate Bill 229 aims to create more equity after out-of-state PACs spent heavily to defeat incumbent Sens. Frank Niceley and Jon Lundberg last August. The Lundberg election remains under investigation by the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.

Texas – Critics of Texas House Leadership Spent Big in This Year’s Speaker’s Race. They Fought Years for That Chance.

MSN – Kate McGee (Texas Tribune) | Published: 2/13/2025

Over the past year, outside groups spent heavily on campaigns for their Texas House speaker of choice, turning a race that is usually waged  behind closed doors into a public spectacle that has raised allegations among its members of foul play. State Rep. Dustin Burrows, the candidate most closely associated with prior House leadership, ultimately won. But the result came only after a deluge of spending made possible by a pair of lawsuits 14 years apart filed by close associates or allies of a chief Burrows’ adversary: oil billionaire Tim Dunn.

Utah – A Lonely Holdout Where Republicans Still Resist Trump: Utah

Las Vegas Sun – Kellen Browning (New York Times) | Published: 2/18/2025

As President Trump pursues his right-wing agenda at breakneck speed, with Democrats in retreat and “Never Trump” conservatives making themselves scarce, one of the 50 states has remained a redoubt of a kinder, gentler, and more civil kind of Republicanism – Utah. One big reason is that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who make up a vast, and once reliably conservative, segment of the Utah population, have been drifting away from the GOP.

Virginia – Bills to Ban Personal Use of Campaign Funds Clear Virginia Legislature

MSN – Laura Vozella (Washington Post) | Published: 2/19/2025

The Virginia House and Senate voted unanimously to tighten the state’s notoriously loose campaign-finance laws by banning the personal use of campaign funds, something already banned in 48 states and in federal contests. Bills to prohibit using campaign coffers as personal piggy banks have been filed in Richmond every year since 2014 but never made it out of the General Assembly until now.

Virginia – How Trump’s Assault on Bureaucracy Could Rock Virginia Elections

MSN – Ally Mutnick (Politico) | Published: 2/12/2025

Virginia’s off-year races are often a bellwether for the national mood a year before the midterms. But they are poised to take on even more significance this November because so many government employees and contractors who live in Northern Virginia are experiencing firsthand the impact of the Trump administration’s attempt to shrink the federal bureaucracy. For Democrats, who have the thinnest of grips on the House of Delegates and are eagerly seeking to reclaim the governor’s mansion, it may be an opening.

National/Federal

Trump’s New Line of Attack Against the Media Gains Momentum

DNyuz – David Enrich (New York Times) | Published: 2/7/2025

Media lawyers scoffed last year when Donald Trump sued two news organizations for producing journalism that, he claimed, violated laws meant to protect consumers from things like deceptive advertising. First Amendment experts still believe that Trump’s cases, against CBS News and The Des Moines Register, lack legal merit. But they now realize the lawsuits are proving effective at harassing the press and more of them are probably on the way.

Trump Tries to Fire Chair of Federal Election Commission. Why She’s Refusing to Leave.

MSN – Joey Garrison (USA Today) | Published: 2/6/2025

Ellen Weintraub, who has served as a Democratic member of the FEC since 2002, posted a letter signed by Donald Trump on social media that said she was “hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission, effective immediately.” Weintraub, who is currently chairperson of the FEC, questioned the legal validity of the move and signaled her intent to fight the removal.

Bondi Ends FBI Effort to Combat Foreign Influence in U.S. Politics

MSN – Ken Dilanian (NBC News) | Published: 2/6/2025

Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered a halt to a years-old federal law enforcement effort to combat secret influence campaigns by China, Russia, and other adversaries that try to curry favor and sow chaos in American politics. The order disbands the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force and pares back penalties for violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, despite years of warnings by U.S. intelligence agencies that foreign malign influence operations involving disinformation were a growing and dangerous threat.

GOP Laws Aimed at Very Rare Noncitizen Voting Could Hit Eligible Voters

MSN – Patrick Marley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 2/9/2025

Republicans in Congress and state Legislatures are charging forward with plans to require Americans to prove they are citizens as they say they seek to crack down on noncitizen voting, an almost nonexistent problem. Voting by noncitizens is already illegal in all state and federal elections and requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship could make it harder for millions of legitimate voters to cast ballots. Driver’s licenses and other state IDs can be used only for people who provided proof of citizenship to get those IDs, so some people will need to track down other documents.

In Trump’s Actions, Opponents See More Than Cuts – They See a Constitutional Crisis

MSN – Naftali Bendavid and Hannah Knowles (Washington Post) | Published: 2/8/2025

As President Trump and congressional Democrats clash about spending authority, citizenship rules, control of the government, and other fundamental powers, the president’s opponents are increasingly making an unnerving accusation: that the country is in the grip of a full-blown constitutional crisis. That term recalls some of the most perilous moments in American history, from the Civil War to Watergate. Some of Trump’s adversaries contend that in seizing powers the Constitution does not give him and forcing clashes with Congress and the courts, the president has thrust American democracy into a similarly dangerous moment.

Trump Halts Aid to South Africa, Claiming Discrimination Against Afrikaners

MSN – María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 2/8/2025

President Trump signed an executive order halting all U.S. aid to South Africa and directing his administration to develop a plan for resettling White Afrikaners as refugees, citing what he called “government-sponsored race-based discrimination” against them. The subject of Trump’s criticism appears to be a recent law that allows land expropriation without compensation in rare cases. South African officials have said the policy is part of an effort to address disparities left by apartheid, a system that for decades barred Black South Africans from owning land.

Trump Administration Cuts Teams That Fight Foreign Election Interference

MSN – Colby Itkowitz, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Sarah Ellison, and Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 2/8/2025

The Trump administration eliminated much of the federal government’s front line of defense against foreign interference in U.S. elections. The move alarmed state election officials and election security experts, who warned that safeguarding Americans from foreign disinformation campaigns will be difficult if no one at the federal level is doing that work.

Trump Pauses DOJ Enforcement of Bribery Laws for US Firms Overseas

MSN – Josh Meyer (USA Today) | Published: 2/10/2025

President Trump signed an executive order pausing enforcement of a federal law that makes it a crime for U.S. businesses to bribe foreign officials, saying the law puts companies at a disadvantage on the global stage. Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to stop actions taken under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including prosecutions of American individuals and companies who the Justice Department has charged with bribing foreign government officials in attempts to gain business in other countries.

Trump Removes Top Government Ethics Czar

MSN – Fredreka Schouten (CNN) | Published: 2/10/2025

President Trump removed the head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) from his post, the latest example of Trump acting against a government watchdog. The agency’s director, David Huitema, was confirmed to the post by the Senate in November and officially began the job in December. OGE directors typically serve five-year terms, allowing them to overlap administrations as part of an attempt to reduce partisanship.

Trump Dismisses Archivist to the United States

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

President Trump fired the head of the National Archives and Records Administration, targeting an independent agency that was involved in trying to recover documents he took to his Florida estate after his first presidential term. Colleen Shogan was named archivist of the United States by Joe Biden in 2022 and confirmed to her role in 2023, a year after the Archives referred its search for documents in Trump’s possession to the FBI.

Judge to Trump-Terminated Ethics Watchdog: You’re un-fired

MSN – Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 2/10/2025

A federal judge reined in President Trump’s firing spree, ruling a federal ethics watchdog can return to his job for at least a few days while the judge receives more detailed legal arguments about the case. Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued the reprieve to Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger, after he sued to contest the email he received from the White House indicating he had been dismissed from his position. Dellinger leads an independent federal agency that handles whistleblower issues and complaints about violations of the Hatch Act, which limits political activity by government employees.

Trump White House Says It Can Talk to Justice Dept. on Criminal Cases

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeff Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 2/9/2025

The Trump administration’s rules for how White House staff can interact with the Justice Department are a departure from Biden-era guidance, explicitly saying the president and vice president and their top lawyers can discuss ongoing criminal and civil cases with the attorney general and her deputies. Legal experts say the guidance could erode guardrails that have traditionally given the Justice Department a degree of independence from the White House that does not exist for other executive branch agencies.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – State-Commissioned Report Finds ‘Significant’ Issues in Alabama Ethics Law, Recommends Major Reforms

Alabama Daily News – Alexander Willis | Published: 2/11/2025

A report commissioned by the Alabama Legislature found “significant overbreadth concerns” in the state’s ethics law, including “structural vulnerabilities” that could enable discriminatory enforcement, with state lawmakers recommended to enact sweeping reforms. The Bopp Law Firm found provisions that raised “serious First Amendment concerns” regarding secrecy agreements amid ethics complaints, vagueness and due process concerns, and breadth of issues in who the ethics law applies to.

California – California Regulators Allege This Silicon Valley Ex-Lawmaker Violated Campaign Finance Law Dozens of Times

MSN – Yue Stella Yu (CalMatters) | Published: 2/7/2025

California’s campaign finance investigators allege former state Assemblyperson Evan Low, who raised money for a foundation co-managed by his chief of staff, received non-monetary donations worth more than $113,000 from that foundation for his re-election campaign. If proven true, such donations, and a lack of timely disclosures from Low and the nonprofit foundation, would violate reporting requirements and contribution limits, according to a staff report from the California Fair Political Commission.

California – S.F. Union Files Another Ethics Complaint Against Waymo After First Try Gets Tossed

MSN – Chase DiFeliciantonio (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 2/6/2025

The San Francisco Ethics Commission will not pursue allegations brought against Waymo last year by the Teamsters union that the company improperly lobbied San Francisco airport officials. In a second complaint to the commission, the union’s attorneys argued other lobbyists and executives for the autonomous vehicle maker failed to properly register before meeting with airport officials last year, and other meetings since then also violated ethics rules.

California – LA’s Top Homelessness Official Signed $2.1 Million Contract with Husband’s Employer

MSN – Nick Gerda and David Wagner (LAist) | Published: 2/11/2025

Documents show Va Lecia Adams Kellum, chief executive of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, signed a $2,1 million contract and two other contract amendments with Upward Bound House, a nonprofit where her husband works in senior leadership. State law bans public officials from any involvement in contracts in which they have a financial interest, including agreements that financially benefit their spouse or groups that pay their spouse.

Hawaii – Hawai’i Executive Indicted for Illegal Campaign Donations

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 2/11/2025

Developer Timothy Lee was indicted on nine felony counts of illegally funneling money to Honolulu mayoral candidates in 2020. The details of Lee’s case harken back to an earlier era of campaign spending cases when felony charges were more common. In the early 2000s, dozens of executives at design and engineering firms were accused of laundering money to the campaigns of Hawai’I’s most prominent politicians. Many avoided any jail time and paid hefty fines instead.

Hawaii – Hawai’i’s Crackdown on Lobbyists Has Come a Long Way. Is It Far Enough?

Honolulu Civil Beat – Patty Epler | Published: 2/8/2025

Fifty years ago, Hawaii was considered a national leader in what was then a growing movement to crack down on inappropriate political influence by special interests. But things soon stalled. Hawaii remained stuck, for the most part, with the barest of transparency requirements and minimal punishment. Then, two state lawmakers and some Maui County officials were arrested for taking millions of dollars in bribes. The Legislature could not ignore the public outrage and things improved.

Illinois – Ethics Board ‘Revokes’ Informal Agreement That Allowed Mayor to Accept Pricey Gifts

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 2/11/2025

Mayor Brandon Johnson is subject to the city’s ethics ordinance and prohibited from accepting most gifts worth more than $50, the Chicago Board of Ethics announced. No longer will gifts accepted by Chicago’s mayor on behalf of the city be covered by an “unwritten arrangement” dating back to the 1980s, board President William Conlon said during a meeting.

Illinois – ‘People Really Stood Their Ground,’ Juror Says of Split Michael Madigan Verdict

Yahoo News – Jason Meisner, Megan Crepeau, and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 2/12/2025

A jury delivered a split verdict against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, finding him guilty on 10 of 23 criminal counts in his case. The jury also found Madigan not guilty on seven counts and was unable to reach a verdict on six additional counts. The convictions related to Madigan’s efforts to secure a valuable state board position for former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis and to an alleged bribery scheme involving Commonwealth Edison.

Illinois – President Donald Trump Pardons Ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Nearly 5 Years After Commuting His Sentence, AP Says

Yahoo News – Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 2/10/2025

Nearly five years after commuting former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s federal prison sentence, President Trump granted a full pardon to the disgraced former governor who was convicted more than 13 years ago on an array of corruption charges, including fundraising schemes and attempting to sell a U.S. Senate seat for his personal benefit. Unlike the commutation, which left intact Blagojevich’s conviction, pardon wipes clean the criminal slate of the only Illinois governor in history to be impeached and convicted by the General Assembly, and banned from seeking any state elected office ever again.

Indiana – Almost $30M Spent Lobbying Indiana General Assembly Last Year

Yahoo News – Leslie Bonilla Muñiz (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 2/10/2025

Experienced lawmakers from both parties said lobbyists bring valuable information. Sometimes they even use their expertise to write legislation or contribute fixes. But they had varying opinions on accepting lobbyist-funded dinners and gifts, and on how well Indiana regulates the influence of political contributions on legislation. Many groups also operate 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations, which can engage in lobbying related to social welfare goals. Their donors and contributions are confidential.

Kentucky – What Is Executive Branch Lobbying? How People Get Paid to Influence KY’s Top Leaders

Yahoo Finance – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 2/10/2025

Lobbying efforts to sway executive branch decisions are an important, lucrative, and growing aspect of Frankfort. The subject matter of executive branch lobbying often revolves around state contracts. Lobbyist Bob Babbage said one key distinction between executive and legislative lobbying is that the people you are lobbying have different perspectives. Cabinet members always look at the statewide picture, but legislators’ first loyalties lie with their constituents.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Agrees to Keep Governor’s Staff Information Private in Spite of Law

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 2/12/2025

The home addresses of Gov. Jeff Landry’s executive staff will be kept out of public records, despite a state law that requires the information to be disclosed. The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted to keep their addresses secret. Its members agreed with Attorney General Liz Murrill’s view that the disclosure conflicts with the right to privacy contained in the state constitution.

Minnesota – Judge Blocks Minnesota Campaign Law to Limit Donations from Corporations with Foreign Ownership

MSN – Briana Bierschbach (Minneapolis Star Tribune) | Published: 2/7/2025

A federal judge permanently blocked the implementation of a Minnesota campaign finance law that aimed to limit political contributions from corporations with foreign ownership. In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud said the law was too broad.

Mississippi – Evidence in Jackson’s Bribery Scandal Can’t Be Made Public Until Trial, Judge Says

MSN – Charlie Drape (Jackson Clarion Ledger) | Published: 2/6/2025

A federal judge granted a protective order blocking all evidence in Jackson’s bribery scandal from being released until the trial begins. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, and city Councilperson Aaron Banks were accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from undercover FBI agents who said they wanted to develop to a convention center hotel in Jackson. The order means the evidence may not become public before the spring elections.

Montana – Montana Senate Votes to Send Ellsworth Investigation to Department of Justice

Montana Free Press – Tom Lutey | Published: 2/6/2025

Allegations of criminal activity by former Montana Senate leader Jason Ellsworth are being handed over to the state Department of Justice following a heated floor debate in the Senate chambers in which minority Democrats prevailed. Republicans have openly stated Ellsworth is guilty since news broke that he awarded $170,100 in contracted work to a former business associate, Bryce Egglsteon. Ethics proceedings against Ellsworth were launched in the Senate after a brief investigation.

Nevada – Many Nevada Candidates Are Fined Over Transparency on Campaign Funds. Few Pay in Full.

Nevada Independent – Eric Neugeboren | Published: 2/11/2025

Across the first 11 months of 2024, the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office assessed more than $440,000 in fines related to campaign finance violations, with the PAC associated with Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford facing one of the largest at more than $20,000. But almost all of those fines have not yet been paid off, and many of them will likely end up being waived or reduced, which is part of the reason why the secretary of state’s office is looking to reform the penalty process in this year’s legislative session.

New York – Gov. Hochul’s Administration Seeks Investigation of $10M Ad Blitz Against Her

Gothamist – Jon Campbell | Published: 2/11/2025

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration wants an official investigation into the organizations behind a $10 million advertising campaign that criticized her for changes to a home health care program for the elderly and disabled. State Health Commissioner James McDonald requested a formal inquiry into the Alliance to Protect Home Care and two other nonprofits tied to the spending. McDonald accused the groups of “flouting the state’s ethics and charitable registration laws” in part by failing to disclose the true identity of the people or groups funding the television, radio, and online ads blanketing the state in recent months.

New York – Mayor Adams Aide Under NYC Council Probe Didn’t Recuse from Ex-Employer Dealings Due to ‘Miscommunication’

MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 2/6/2025

Nate Bliss, a senior aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, did not recuse himself for years from city government business dealings with his ex-employer and is now blaming the slipup on a “miscommunication” with the Conflicts of Interest Board. The city council’s Oversight and Economic Development Committee launched a probe over his ties to his ex-employer after it emerged his jump from Taconic to City Hall happened less than three months before Adams’ administration picked Taconic to execute “Innovation East,” a major redevelopment of the city’s Manhattan public health lab.

New York – Top Justice Department Official Orders Prosecutors to Drop Charges Against New York Mayor Eric Adams

MSN – Jake Offenhartz, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Eric Tucker (Associated Press) | Published: 2/10/2025

The Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to drop their case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which would clear him of all corruption charges. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said the order was not based on the strength of evidence in the case, but rather because it had been brought too close to Adams’ reelection campaign and was distracting from the mayor’s efforts to assist in the Trump administration’s law-and-order priorities.

New York – Mohamed Bahi, Ex-Eric Adams Aide, to Plead Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charges

The City – Greg Smith | Published: 2/7/2025

A onetime senior aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams who was charged with organizing an illegal straw donor scheme for the mayor has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy. Mohamed Bahi, formerly one of the mayor’s liaisons to the Muslim community, was initially charged with witness tampering and obstruction of justice in a criminal complaint that alleged he had direct conversations with Adams about the campaign donation scheme.

New York – Report: State campaign finance match program combats megadonor influence

WAMC – Jeongyoon Han (WXXI) | Published: 2/6/2025

More small donors are contributing to state elections in New York, according to a recent report, and the share of large donations for candidates’ fundraising decreased from 2024 to 2020. The report by the Brennan Center for Justice credits a state-run public campaign finance program for the change. Proponents say it encourages candidates to rely more on donations from constituents, and less on megadonors and special interest groups.

Ohio – Jim Tressel Nominated as Lieutenant Governor to Gov. Mike DeWine

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 2/10/2025

Gov. Mike DeWine nominated former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel as his lieutenant governor. Tressel, who retired as president of Youngstown State University in 2023, will, if confirmed by the General Assembly, finish the final 22 months of Jon Husted’s term as lieutenant governor. DeWine appointed Husted to JD Vance’s U.S. Senate seat.

Ohio – Advocacy Groups Take Issue with Ohio House Rules on Chamber Lobby, Floor Votes

Ohio Capital Journal – Susan Tebben | Published: 2/11/2025

Nearly five dozen advocacy groups signed on to a letter opposing Ohio House rules for this General Assembly, including a ban on public gathering near the House chamber at certain times and decreasing public notice for floor votes. When the rules were first approved, Republicans said they would create more efficiency in legislative business, while Democrats questioned the effect on transparency going forward with the new rules.

Ohio – Ex-Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld Loses Appeal, Could Be Sent Back to Prison

WCPO – Paula Christian and Felicia Jordan | Published: 2/11/2025

Former Cincinnati City Councilperson P.G. Sittenfeld could be heading back to prison after a three-judge panel of the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against his appeal to have his public corruption conviction thrown out. The appeal focused on whether the government presented enough evidence for a jury to rule an explicit quid pro quo had occurred, and whether Sittenfeld’s indictment “was constructively amended,” meaning the jury was given evidence pointing to crimes outside of Sittenfeld’s actual indictment.

Oregon – Oregon Legislator Seeks Stricter Lobbying Limits for Former Lawmakers Representing State Agencies

Yahoo News – Julia Shumway (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 2/11/2025

Rep. Anna Scharf is pushing to tighten Oregon’s anti-revolving-door law, saying it unfairly discriminates between former lawmakers who lobby for private industries and those who obtain state jobs after leaving the Legislature. Oregon, like most states, makes former lawmakers wait before they can become lobbyists who ask their former colleagues to support bills. In Oregon, lawmakers cannot take a paid lobbying job until they have been out of office for at least a year.

Rhode Island – RI Ethics Panel to Review ‘Gift Rule’ Following ILO Group Investigation

Yahoo News – Eli Sherman (WPRI) | Published: 2/11/2025

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted to reexamine the state’s gift law, in a move that could limit the value of what lobbyists for nonprofit organizations can give to public officials. The panel voted to take another look at the rule, which currently prohibits any “interested party” from giving a gift exceeding $25 to a public official if the gift-giver might profit from their decisions.

South Dakota – South Dakota House Restores ‘Loan Loophole’ Bill Back to Original Form, Sends to Governor

Yahoo News – Joshua Haiar (South Dakota Searchlight) | Published: 2/6/2025

A bill that would close a campaign finance loophole in South Dakota allowing unlimited funds into a campaign is headed to the governor’s desk. It would prevent the ability to make unlimited campaign donations as long as the contribution is categorized as a loan. The debate took a tense turn when Rep. Brandei Schaefbauer accused the bill’s sponsors of using it as a tool to target businessperson Toby Doeden.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Supreme Court Says Swing State’s Embattled Elections Chief Can Remain in Post

MSN – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 2/7/2025

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled the state’s nonpartisan top elections official, Meagan Wolfe, who has been targeted for removal by Republican lawmakers over the 2020 presidential election, can remain in her post despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate. The court said no vacancy exists and, because of that, the elections commission “does not have a duty to appoint a new administrator to replace Wolfe simply because her term has ended.”

National/Federal

Ethics Pledges by Trump Cabinet Draw Questions and Skepticism

DNyuz – Eric Lipton (New York Times) | Published: 2/1/2025

Publicly released letters lay out negotiated agreements between the members of the new administration and federal ethics officials. These letters, and associated financial disclosures, illustrate the extraordinary wealth of President Trump’s cabinet picks, as well as the uncharacteristically large list of potential conflicts-of-interest with which they enter the government. Each signed letter is supposed to detail what decisions these officials can be involved in, and which they must stay away from, to avoid violating federal rules.

CBS to Hand Over Harris Interview After Trump, FCC Pressure. What to Know.

MSN – Annabelle Timsit (Washington Post) | Published: 2/2/2025

CBS News plans to provide the Federal Communications Commission with the transcript of a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris that is at the heart of a lawsuit against the network filed by Donald Trump, the latest development in a battle that critics say is being used to target press freedom. The controversy over the interview, which was broadcast during the last few weeks of the presidential campaign, centers on Harris’s response in a conversation about Israel led by journalist Bill Whitaker.

As DOJ Probes FBI’s Jan. 6 Work and Weighs Firings, Agents Told to Detail Roles

MSN – Perry Stein, Carol Leonnig, Jeremy Roebuck, and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 2/2/2025

FBI officials sent out a questionnaire to determine the involvement of thousands of FBI personnel in cases related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. It came a day after the FBI’s acting director said the bureau would conduct a broad examination, at the request of the Justice Department, of anyone who touched the January 6 investigation. The survey and other moves prompted a team of high-profile lawyers to threaten legal action if FBI or Justice Department personnel are fired without due process.

Why the Supreme Court May Be Open to Trump’s Push for Expanded Power

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2025

Donald Trump’s rapid-fire efforts to expand presidential authority seem likely to prompt key test cases at the Supreme Court he helped shape, according to legal experts, with the conservative supermajority signaling in past rulings it may be open to landmark changes in the balance of power. Behind the seemingly scattershot array, analysts see a common goal: A decades-long effort by conservatives to boldly grow the power of the presidency through a principle that says the executive branch has sole authority to hire and fire agency employees and control their policies.

Elon Musk Shielded by Ethics Loophole as Trump ‘Special Government Employee’

MSN – Haisten Willis (Washington Examiner) | Published: 2/4/2025

Elon Musk may have a novel role within the Trump administration, but the title that allows him to serve in the government has drawn the ire of ethics watchdogs for decades. Musk’s status as a special government employee protects him from typical ethics disclosures, a loophole that has been used by administrations from both parties since the last century.

Md. FBI Site Pick Had Flaws but No Conflict of Interest, Report Finds

MSN – Aaron Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 2/3/2025

The controversial selection of a suburban Maryland site for the future FBI headquarters was not the result of a conflict-of-interest, a federal inspector general who launched a review of allegations of such improprieties concluded. But a decision to weight the cost of development during the decision-making process in a way that benefited the Prince George’s County site was “not justified,” the inspector general’s report found.

Greenland Bans Foreign Political Funding as Trump Seeks Control

MSN – Kelsey Ables (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2025

Greenland passed a law banning foreign contributions to political parties, an assertion of self-governance amid concern over President Trump’s calls for the United States to acquire the island. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, whose officials have repeatedly emphasized it is not for sale. Donald Trump Jr. visited Greenland in January, generating global attention that “shows how susceptible Greenland may be to potential foreign political influence,” said Donald Rothwell, an expert on the law of the polar regions.

Republican Ire at USAID Finds an Unusual Target: Politico

MSN – Sarah Ellison, Clara Ence Morse, and Laura Wagner (Washington Post) | Published: 2/5/2025

Conservative attacks on the embattled U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) landed on an unexpected target when Elon Musk, right-wing influencers, elected Republicans, and the White House zeroed in on subscription money that federal government agencies paid for Politico Pro and other specialty subscription publications aimed at corporations and government entities. Musk and other Republicans claimed USAID alone had spent millions of dollars on Politico over the past 12 months. But that characterization is false.

Top Trump Prosecutor in DC Dropped Federal Case Against Capitol Rioter He Represented

MSN – Brad Heath, Sarah Lynch, and Andrew Goudsward (Reuters) | Published: 2/5/2025

As President Trump moved to free the people who attacked the U.S. Capitol, his newly appointed top prosecutor in Washington put his name on a request that a judge drop charges against one of them he represented as a defense attorney. Lawyers generally are prohibited from taking both sides in the same case and U.S. Justice Department regulations require lawyers to step aside from cases involving their former clients for at least a year.

Prosecutors Seek Dismissal of Campaign Finance Case Against Ex-Nebraska Congressman Fortenberry

MSN – Associated Press | Published: 1/29/2025

Federal prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss their case against a former member of Congress charged with lying to authorities about a foreign billionaire’s illegal $30,000 contribution to his campaign. The Nine U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had reversed Fortenberry’s conviction, ruling the case should not have been tried in Los Angeles. Fortenberry was subsequently charged with two counts: falsifying and concealing material facts and making false statements.

Democrats Elect Ken Martin, Head of Minnesota Party, as Next Chair

MSN – Patrick Svitek (Washington Post) | Published: 2/1/2025

Ken Martin, a longtime Democratic Party insider who leads the party in Minnesota, was elected to take over as chairperson of the Democratic National Committee after the party suffered devastating defeats in the November election, including losing the presidency to Donald Trump. The candidates for the job generally agreed that the Democratic Party needs to do more to appeal to working-class voters, to amplify their message in less traditional media settings, and to organize year-round. They mostly sought to avoid recriminations over the 2024 election.

Lobbying Firms Tied to Trump Report Wave of New Clients

Politico – Caitlin Oprysko | Published: 1/29/2025

Lobbying firms with close ties to President Trump have added new clients in droves since the election, with several disclosing close to two dozen so far, as companies, industry groups, and other organizations look for an in with the new administration. Some of the biggest winners have been firms whose owners have helped Trump from outside of the government, or whose current or former employees have more formal ties to the administration.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Ranked Choice Voting Opponents Fined $157K for Repeated Violations of Campaign Reporting Requirements

Yahoo News – Iris Samuels (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 1/29/2025

The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) fined Alaskans for Honest Elections, Alaskans for Honest Government, the Ranked Choice Education Association, and Arthur Matthias a combined total of almost $157,000. That comes after a prior penalty of more than $94,000. APOC imposed the maximum allowed fines, stating the respondents have “proven themselves shockingly poor at complying with their reporting obligations throughout their campaign.”

California – California Blesses Political Donors’ Strategy to Multiply Their Influence

MSN – Alexei Koseff (CalMatters) | Published: 1/31/2025

The Fair Political Practices Commission cleared the way for a new approach to raising and spending money in California elections. Political committees now have state regulators’ blessing to create an unlimited number of affiliated committees with different leaders, and then closely coordinate fundraising and candidate donations among them. That could exponentially increase their influence on campaigns.

California – State Senator Retains Key Role Over Fire Insurance Laws Despite Cannabis Corruption Probe

MSN – Anabel Sosa (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 1/30/2025

California Sen. Susan Rubio was reappointed as chairperson of the committee that oversees insurance-related legislation, a powerful position that went unoccupied for weeks while swaths of Los Angeles burned. Rubio’s reappointment as chair comes amid lingering questions about her role in an ongoing federal investigation into an alleged cannabis industry bribery scheme that dates back to her time on the Baldwin Park City Council and her 2018 campaign for state office.

California – Newsom Weakens Financial Disclosure Requirements for LA Officials as Relief Pours In

MSN – Kenneth Schrupp (The Center Square) | Published: 2/4/2025

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order for Los Angeles fire relief includes provisions creating a 60-day reporting extension for required ethics disclosures of behested payments or conflicts-of-interest for government officials in Los Angeles County. Transparency watchdogs say elected officials should disclose financial conflicts in real time to avoid corruption, while Republicans warn the measures will make politicians even less accountable as billions in state, and eventually, federal aid comes pouring in.

California – Oakland’s Tiny Government Watchdog Sparked an FBI Investigation. Why Is It Neglected?

MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 2/5/2025

When federal prosecutors announced corruption charges against former Mayor Sheng Thao and her boyfriend, they gave a tip of the hat to the Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission for launching the investigation and federal prosecutors to allegations of bribery and conspiracy at City Hall. But in October, the commission’s enforcement chief, Simon Russell, quit his job. In a departing letter, Russell wrote he was burned out from long, exhausting hours, and he was upset and baffled that city officials had ignored his requests for more money and staff.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Expels Trayon White Over Allegations He Took Bribes

MSN – Paul Schwartzman, Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2025

The District of Columbia City Council voted to expel council member Trayon White. His expulsion, the first imposed by the council in its 51-year history, forces White to immediately surrender his seat. Federal prosecutors allege White used his elected position to keep government contracts flowing to two companies, accepting envelopes with thousands of dollars in cash and lucrative kickbacks.

Hawaii – Bill To Close Pay-To-Play Loophole in Hawai’i Moves to Full House

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 2/6/2025

State legislators are seeking to close a 20-year-old loophole that has allowed government contractors to donate to politicians despite a law that purports to ban such contributions. Last year, a media investigation found that people with ties to contractors contributed $24 million to campaigns and the donations often coincided with key decisions by lawmakers regarding the contracts.

Hawaii – 2 Honolulu Officials to Plead Guilty in Kealoha Payout, Avoiding Jail Time

Honolulu Civil Beat – Christina Jedra | Published: 2/3/2025

Former Honolulu officials reached agreements with the government to resolve federal charges that they improperly arranged a $250,000 payout to the city’s now-disgraced former police chief. The pleas likely mark the end of the road for the special public corruption unit whose findings rocked Honolulu for a decade.

Illinois – Illinois Governor Bans Jan. 6 Rioters Pardoned by Trump from State Jobs

MSN – Tobi Raji (Washington Post) | Published: 2/1/2025

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker directed the state’s hiring authority to block all those who participated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol from state employment. The order would apply to more than 50 people from Illinois who were given pardons or commutations by President Trump in one of the earliest acts of his second term and marks the latest effort by the blue state governor to push back against Trump.

Illinois – Mayor Johnson Outlines New Gift Policy After Critical Report from Inspector General

WBEZ – Fran Spielman | Published: 2/5/2025

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg accused Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson of accepting valuable gifts and failing to report them while denying internal investigators access to the room where the items are purportedly stored. Now, logs of the gifts that Johnson receives from visiting dignitaries and the public will be maintained and posted on the city’s website, along with a video of the “gift room” in the mayor’s City Hall office where those items are stored.

Kentucky – KY Legislative Lobbying Shatters Record, Topped $28 Million in 2024. Why Is Spending Up?

MSN – Austin Horn (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 2/3/2025

Companies and organizations looking to influence the Kentucky Legislature are spending more and more to influence the decisions made and the laws passed in Frankfort. In 2024, companies and other organizations spent almost $28.2 million on lobbying efforts. That is up from 2023’s record of $25.5 million. Observers say more entities are learning just how important the state Legislature is. Combine that with the growing cost of doing business in general, the increase in size of the government, and the Republican caucuses’ penchant for ignoring Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, and you get a system that is grown steadily over the last three years.

Maine – Efforts to Expand Maine Clean Elections Reckon with Currently Inadequate Program Funding

Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 2/3/2025

Advocates and lawmakers seeking to stem the influence of money on elections in Maine are hoping to expand the state’s pioneering clean elections program. But during a public hearing on a reform proposal, it became clear they are running up against a funding landscape where the state’s current allocation is being drained faster than it is being replenished.

Maine – Maine Approves Rules to Restrict Utilities’ Lobbying, Prevent Costs from Being Passed to Customers

Yahoo News – Stephen Singer (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 2/5/2025

Maine regulators approved a set of rules restricting utility spending. The new rules forbid those expenses from being passed on to ratepayers. Utilities may not bill ratepayers for donations to political campaigns or parties, contributions to trade associations or business groups, or spending on lobbying or educational activities, except to inform customers about energy efficiency, conservation, and other measures.

Mississippi – MS Senate, House Advance Election, Campaign Finance Reforms by Deadline. See What Happened

MSN – Grant McLaughlin (Jackson Clarion Ledger) | Published: 2/4/2025

A Mississippi Senate committee, albeit against some opposition, advanced legislation to establish a 15-day early voting period, several bills to amend and add enforcement to campaign finance laws, and a bill to require online filing of campaign finance reports. The House Apportions and Elections Committee also advanced its own campaign finance l legislation earlier in the session.

Mississippi – Lumumba Files 3 Campaign Finance Reports After Having Not Done So Since 2021

Yahoo News – Charlie Drape (Jackson Clarion Ledger) | Published: 2/4/2025

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba filed three campaign finance reports after failing to do so for the last three years, even though state law requires them to be filed annually. Lumumba’s campaign finance reports are at the center of his federal indictment, which accuses him of accepting $50,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as real estate developers.

Montana – Senate Ethics Investigation into Former President Expected to Take All of February

Montana Free Press – Tom Lutey | Published: 2/3/2025

The ethics committee investigation into former Montana Senate leader Jason Ellsworth will take most of February, if not longer, to ensure hen is afforded time for a defense. Ellsworth is accused of splitting in two a $170,100 contract awarded to a business associate in order to avoid a state law requiring contracts of $100,000 or more to be competitively bid. The split contract, and questions about whether contractor Bryce Eggleston could do the work, are the foundation of the Senate’s case against its former leader.

New York – Former FDNY Chief Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Receive Bribes to Speed Up Building Inspections

MSN – Josephine Stratman (New York Daily News) | Published: 1/29/2025

Former New York Fire Department Chief Anthony Saccavino pleaded guilty to conspiring to accept thousands of dollars in bribes for speeding up inspections for businesses with matters before the department. Saccavino is accused of expediting fire inspections for building owners who could pay up in a scheme that saw him and his co-conspirators rake in nearly $200,000 in illegal kickbacks.

New York – Eric Adams’ 2021 Campaign Could Be on the Hook for $10 Million

MSN – Joe Anuta and Jeff Coltin (Politico) | Published: 2/3/2025

New York City election officials are raising the stakes in their audit of Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign, a move that could foreshadow the beleaguered mayor being forced to repay $10 million. The Campaign Finance Board informed Team Adams it was taking more time to complete an audit of his election effort after discovering bookkeeping irregularities and learning of an alleged straw donor scheme via the mayor’s federal criminal case.

New York – Mystery Donor Funds $10 Million Campaign Against Hochul Home Care Plan

New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 2/4/2025

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing fierce opposition to her overhaul of a popular but pricey home care program that allows people with chronic medical issues to choose their own caregivers and pay them through Medicaid. The Alliance to Protect Home Care, a social welfare nonprofit, spent $10.6 million last year on a public relations campaign criticizing the reforms, the second-highest spending lobbying campaign in Albany that year. But it is unclear who is bankrolling the spending.

North Dakota – Bill Offers Immunity from Conflict Crimes to North Dakota Lawmakers If They Follow Ethics Rules

Yahoo News – Jeff Beach (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 1/31/2025

Legislation in North Dakota would give state lawmakers immunity from conflict-of-interest crimes if they disclose potential conflicts and follow legislative ethics rules. A separate bill seeks to overhaul how the North Dakota Ethics Commission handles complaints encountered opposition from the state attorney general’s office.

Ohio – Householder, Convicted of Racketeering, Tells Judges He’s Only Guilty of ‘Ordinary Politics’

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 2/5/2025

While prosecutors said ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder orchestrated the biggest bribery scheme in state history, his lawyers told an appellate court that he is only guilty of “regular politics.” The arguments in Householder’s appeal came nearly two years after a jury convicted him of racketeering, predicated on a bribery scheme to pass a 2019 bailout of nuclear plants owned by a subsidiary of FirstEnergy. In exchange for the bailout, FirstEnergy funneled millions of dollars in campaign contributions from its subsidiary and the corporate parent.

South Dakota – Dakota First Action, Supporters Attack Bill to Reform ‘Unlimited’ Campaign Loan Loophole

Yahoo News – Dominik Dausch (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) | Published: 2/3/2025

The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee passed Senate Bill 12, which would require loans made by an individual to a candidate or political committee to count toward individual contribution limits. Brian Lewis, political director for Dakota First Action, said the bill was not meant to reform campaign finance law. He asserted the bill was instead a means of eking vengeance against Dakota First Action and its founder, Toby Doeden, for its recent political activities.

Texas – Critics Argue a Texas Court Ruling Jeopardizes Election Integrity

Houston Public Media – Natalie Weber | Published: 2/3/2025

A criminal case against Robbie Gail Charette, a candidate for a judicial seat in Washington County, for errors related to financial paperwork and political ads, could set a precedent that the Texas Ethics Commission has sole authority to enforce certain laws related to campaign finance, political advertising, and lobbyists.  In practice, this means prosecutors must go to the commission before filing charges in these cases, at least for now.

Utah – Audit: Utah AG Reyes’ office lacked transparency and his involvement in the office was minimal

MSN – Emma Pitts (Deseret News) | Published: 2/1/2025

Former Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes’ office lacked sufficient transparency, Reyes’ direct involvement in the office was minimal, and there were concerns about potential conflicts-of-interest with nonprofit organizations, according to an audit. Common law allows the attorney general to govern with broad discretion. Because of this, “there is a lack of well-defined limitations on outside activities, such as nonprofit involvement, that the AG may pursue,” the report said. Consequently, the auditor general found potential conflicts to be a cause for concern that merits legislative attention.

Utah – Independent Reporter Sues Utah Legislature to Obtain Press Pass

Salt Lake Tribune – Sean Means | Published: 2/2/2025

Senior staff of the Utah Legislature defended their denial of press credentials to an independent reporter, arguing in a court filing that doing so does not violate the reporter’s First Amendment right to cover lawmakers. In his lawsuit, Bryan Schott demands state officials issue him a credential to cover this year’s Legislature, and that they no longer prohibit other journalists who write outside of “established” news outlets from receiving those same credentials. Schott argues he was denied a credential because of his reporting, to which the Legislature’s Republican leadership objected.

Virginia – Virginia Bill to Bar Corporate Donations to Campaign Funds Dies

Richmond Times-Dispatch – Dave Ress | Published: 2/4/2025

For the first time in years, a bill to rein in Virginia politicians’ wide open door for corporate contributions to their campaigns made it to the floor of a General Assembly chamber and died there in a minute, without a vote or debate. For decades, critics have argued this money gives special interests an inside edge when arguing for or against legislation. The bill would have barred any corporation from donating to any candidate, campaign committee, PAC, or political party committee.

Washington – Amazon Sues State Agency to Block Release of Company Records to Bezos-Owned Washington Post

MSN – Haleluya Hadero (Associated Press) | Published: 1/30/2025

Amazon is suing a Washington state agency to prevent the release of some company materials to The Washington Post, the newspaper which is owned by Jeff Bezos. The company asked the court to step in and block the release of documents that include “trade secrets” about Project Kuiper, an Amazon initiative to provide internet through satellites in space.

Wisconsin – Altered Image of Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate in New Ad Raises Ethics Concerns

MSN – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 2/4/2025

A new television attack ad in Wisconsin’s hotly contested Supreme Court race features a doctored image of the liberal candidate, a move her campaign claims could be a violation of a recently enacted state law. The winner of the high-stakes race on April 1 will determine whether the Wisconsin Supreme Court remains under a liberal majority or flips to conservative control.

National/Federal

How Redistricting Helped Republicans Win the House

DNyuz – Nick Corasaniti and Michael Wines (New York Times) | Published: 1/26/2025

Competition is an endangered species in legislative elections. A New York Times analysis of the nearly 6,000 congressional and state legislative elections in November shows just how few races were true races. Nearly all were dominated by an incumbent or played out in a district drawn to favor one party overwhelmingly. The result was a blizzard of blowouts, even in a country that is narrowly divided on politics. Roughly 90 percent of races are now decided not by general-election voters in November but by the partisans who tend to vote in primaries.

Denmark and Other Nations Under Pressure Seek Lobbyists with Trump Ties

DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 1/27/2025

The government of Denmark has not historically been a big spender on Washington lobbying. But days before Donald Trump took office for a second time, Denmark’s embassy started shopping for a lobbyist with ties to the new president, who has proclaimed his intention to try to take over the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland. The Danes are not alone. A number of countries that would be affected by Trump’s threatened acquisitions, tariffs, aid reductions, or deportations have been urgently seeking help on K Street to navigate his administration.

Powerless, Democrats Debate Just How Deep in the Wilderness They Are

DNyuz – Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) | Published: 1/29/2025

Democratic lawmakers, activists, and strategists across the ideological spectrum are engaged in a fierce debate over how badly damaged the 2024 election left the party’s brand, a consequential internal argument that is already shaping early efforts to rebuild. While there is none of the denialism that gripped Republicans after Donald Trump lost in 2020, Democratic leaders are in sharp disagreement over how to interpret losses that not only returned Trump to power but also put Republicans in total control of the federal government.

DOJ Fires Officials Who Worked on Jack Smith’s Trump Investigations

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 1/27/2025

The Justice Department fired more than a dozen officials who worked on the special counsel team that investigated Donald Trump in two separate criminal cases, citing a lack of trust in them. The terminations are the latest example of the Trump administration reshaping the Justice Department, transferring or firing veteran career officials who the president’s allies believe would impede or interfere with their agenda.

House GOP Holds Retreat at a Trump Property, a Windfall to President’s Resort

MSN – Cleve Wootson, Jr., Paul Kane, and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 1/28/2025

Congressional Republicans are hashing out President Trump’s legislative agenda at the Miami-area golf resort that bears his name, offering a windfall for the once-underperforming property owned by a president who spent his first term battling criticism that he used his political position to enrich himself. Regardless of how the budget talks go, the biggest immediate beneficiary of the discussion will probably be Trump National Doral Golf Club.

Pete Hegseth Confirmed as Defense Secretary After Vance Breaks Tie

MSN – Abigail Hauslohner, Liz Goodwin, and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 1/24/2025

The Senate confirmed President Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, to become the country’s next defense secretary. The appointment of Hegseth, a Trump loyalist who has called for a “frontal assault” to rid the Pentagon of what he has said is a leftist ideology, marks a dramatic political shift in the United States’ national security policy and leadership. Hegseth secured his post in a vote of 51-50. It marks the second time in U.S. history that a vice president’s vote was necessary to confirm a Cabinet official.

Trump Defends Ousting at Least 15 Independent Inspectors General in Late-Night Purge

MSN – David Nakamura, Lisa Rein, and Matt Viser (Washington Post) | Published: 1/25/2025

The White House removed the independent inspectors general of nearly every Cabinet-level agency in an unprecedented purge that could clear the way for Donald Trump to install loyalists in the crucial role of identifying fraud, waste, and abuse in the government. The dismissals appeared to violate federal law, which requires Congress to receive 30 days’ notice of any intent to fire a Senate-confirmed inspector general.

Johnson Aide Discouraged Hutchinson Subpoena Over Concerns About Lawmakers’ ‘Sexual Texts’

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 1/23/2025

An aide to House Speaker Mike Johnson advised Republican colleagues against subpoenaing former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson as part of their investigation into the Capitol riot in to prevent the release of sexually explicit texts lawmakers sent her. Johnson revived the investigation as part of an effort by Donald Trump and his allies to seek retribution against perceived political enemies, including those who investigated his role in the January 6 attack.

Elon Musk’s Business Conflicts Draw Scrutiny Amid White House Role

MSN – Faiz Siddiqui (Washington Post) | Published: 1/24/2025

Elon Musk criticized a private-sector partnership touted by the Trump administration to hasten the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure. What was left unsaid was that Musk’s artificial intelligence business, xAI, is directly challenging OpenAI for the lead in the race to transform society with the technology. The debate reflects the inherent conflict in the highly unusual arrangement of having the world’s foremost business leader, and its richest person, actively working in the White House without having stepped aside from his business roles.

Former Senator Bob Menendez Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison in Corruption Case

MSN – Salvador Rizzo and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 1/29/2025

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison following his conviction on bribery and corruption charges. A jury found Menendez took bribes from three New Jersey businesspeople who sought his help quashing criminal investigations and securing lucrative deals with officials from Egypt and Qatar. The bribes totaled nearly $1 million, and included cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz. Menendez is the first public official in the United States to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent.

Trump’s Perceived Enemies Brace for Retribution with Plans, Dark Humor

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Sarah Ellison, Patrick Marley, and Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 1/28/2025

Around the nation, those who have crossed Donald Trump are readying themselves, their families, and their colleagues for the retribution that the president and his allies have pledged will come. Those who fear they could be targeted include election officials, prosecutors, current and former elected officials, democracy advocates, people who worked in Trump’s first administration, and those who appeared on a list of perceived enemies. They are bracing for criminal investigations, tax audits, congressional or state legislative scrutiny, arrests, online harassment, and physical threats.

Meta Will Pay $25 Million to Settle Trump Lawsuit Alleging Censorship

MSN – Naomi Nix and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 1/29/2025

Meta agreed to pay $25 million to resolve a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump alleging the company’s suspension of his social media accounts after the attack on the U.S. Capitol amounted to an act of censorship. The settlement is a major concession by Meta, which for years has maintained its right to determine which posts and accounts should be allowed to remain on its social networks.

Trump White House Rescinds Order Freezing Federal Spending, Reversing Course

MSN – Jeff Stein and Tony Romm (Washington Post) | Published: 1/29/2025

The White House budget office rescinded an order freezing federal grants after the administration’s move to halt spending provoked a backlash. The order freezing grants caused mass chaos and confusion across Washington, appearing to imperil government programs that fund schools, provide housing, and ensure that low-income Americans have access to health care.

Navajo Nation Leaders Raise Alarm Over Reports of Indigenous People Being Questioned and Detained During Immigration Sweeps

Yahoo News – Alaa Elassar (CNN) | Published: 1/27/2025

At least 15 Indigenous people in Arizona and New Mexico have reported being stopped at their homes and workplaces, questioned or detained by federal law enforcement, and asked to produce proof of citizenship during immigration raids, according to Navajo Nation officials. The reports, which have caused panic amongst tribal communities in both states, come amid the Trump administration’s attempt to ramp up undocumented immigrant arrests nationwide and amass a larger force to carry out the president’s deportation pledge.

DOJ Moves to Drop Prosecution of Former Trump Co-Defendants in Classified Documents Case

Yahoo News – Josh Gerstein and Kyke Cheney (Politico) | Published: 1/29/2025

The Justice Department moved to drop its effort to prosecute Donald Trump’s former co-defendants in special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents case. Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira were accused of helping Trump obstruct the investigation into classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago after Trump’s first term. Smith charged them with obstructing justice and making false statements. If the appeals court grants the government’s request, it will end the last remnant of the federal criminal prosecutions against Trump.

From the States and Municipalities

California – ‘Pay-to-Play’ Claim Shakes Sonoma County’s $114 Million Real Estate Plans

Santa Rosa Press Democrat – Emma Murphy | Published: 1/29/2025

Sonoma County largest public employee labor union has come out swinging against a set of proposed county office acquisitions totaling $114 million and its attack, including allegations of pay-to-play politics involving at least one elected county supervisor, have derailed at least temporarily the deals’ advance. The Service Employees International Union Local 1021 alleges. Supervisor David Rabbitt improperly participated in closed-session discussions about the properties in question after receiving a campaign contribution from the agent of one of the brokerage firms involved in the deals.

California – Sacramento Has Contracts of Over $1 Million with Leader Accused of Bribery in Mayor’s Race

Yahoo News – Joe Rubin (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 1/29/2025

In December, runner-up mayoral candidate Flojaune Cofer introduced intrigue at a Sacramento City Council meeting, commenting publicly to oppose extending City Manager Howard Chan’s contract a year. “In late September, I was told that I would be given a campaign contribution in exchange for agreeing to extend the city manager’s contract by one year,” Carter said. The alleged bribe involved Jay King, the president of the California Black Chamber of Commerce, and developer Paul Petrovich.

Colorado – Democratic Lawmakers Seek to Expand Ethics Commission Jurisdiction to Colorado School Boards, Special Districts

Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 1/29/2025

Democratic lawmakers in Colorado are on their fourth attempt to expand the jurisdiction of the state’s independent ethics commission. House Bill 1079 would add school board members and their direct hires for 178 school districts, such as superintendents and boards of the state’s more than 3,000 special districts and their direct hires, to the jurisdiction of the ethics commission.

District of Columbia – Interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Launches Probe of Jan. 6 Prosecutions

MSN – Spencer Hsu, Keith Alexander, and Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 1/27/2025

Edward Martin Jr., interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., asked two top prosecutors in his office to undertake an internal review of its handling of Capitol riot prosecutions, a move that follows a White House executive order to the Justice Department and intelligence agencies to hunt for political bias in their ranks. Martin’s move to carry out the review is likely to stoke criticism from Democrats that he is helping the Trump administration sow discord in the office, divert prosecutorial resources. and punish prosecutors making reasonable legal judgments.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Member Trayon White Denies Wrongdoing Ahead of Expulsion Vote

MSN – Jenny Gathright and Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 1/28/2025

An attorney for District of Columbia Councilperson Trayon White Sr. offered the lawmaker’s first extended public response to the council’s looming expulsion of him, arguing during a council proceeding that the legislative body’s disciplinary process violated his client’s rights. The council, however, appears poised to expel White through a final vote. White is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for promising to influence contracts at city government agencies.

Georgia – Georgia Asks Federal Appeals Court to Tighten Voting Rights Act

MSN – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 1/23/2025

Georgia is seeking another U.S. Supreme Court showdown over the Voting Rights Act, asking a federal appeals court to interpret the law in a way that could make it much harder to prove minority votes have been illegally diluted. A lawyer for the state asked a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court that required lawmakers to draw more Black-majority electoral districts.

Illinois – Brandon Johnson’s Campaign Gives Back Most of a $50,000 Contribution from Fund Run by a City Hall Lobbyist

Chicago Sun Times – Robert Herguth and Mitchell Armentrout | Published: 1/24/2025

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign returned most of a $50,000 contribution it accepted from a PAC led by a City Hall lobbyist whose law firm has a city contract to collect outstanding utility bills. City ethics rules bar campaign donations to a mayor by city lobbyists and city contractors. The Friends of Brandon Johnson campaign fund appears to have repeatedly violated those restrictions since Johnson took office in May 2023, prompting tens of thousands of dollars in refunds.

Illinois – OIG Report Finds Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Office Improperly Blocked Access to Gift Room with Gucci Bags, Other Designer Items

MSN – Alice Yin (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/29/2025

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office improperly blocked public access to a City Hall room where they said they store Gucci bags, designer cufflinks, and other gifts. City Inspector General Deborah Witzburg found Johnson’s office violated the ethics policy that requires mayors to record gifts above $50 and “accepted on behalf of the City” in a publicly available log maintained on the fifth floor of City Hall. Covert investigators visited the mayor’s office last June but were denied access to the log.

Louisiana – Louisiana Environmental Activist Loses Freedom of Speech Lawsuit Against Parish Officials

MSN – Jack Brook (Associated Press) | Published: 1/29/2025

Louisiana parish officials who threatened to arrest and imprison an environmental activist as she attempted to speak during a public meeting did not violate her right to freedom of speech, a civil jury ruled. Joy Banner had sought more than $2 million in damages from two St. John the Baptist parish officials, President Jaclyn Hotard and Councilperson Michael Wright, who she said blocked her from raising allegations of corruption tied to industrial development at a public meeting.

Massachusetts – Massachusetts Water Employee Faces $6,000 Fine After Accepting Free Ski Trips

MSN – Rick Sobey (Boston Herald) | Published: 1/29/2025

Another local water employee in Massachusetts is facing a $6,000 fine from the state after accepting free ski trips from a water meter manufacturer and distributor. The State Ethics Commission ruled Auburn Water District Foreman Scott Callahan violated the conflict-of-interest law by accepting two free ski trips from the manufacturer and its distributor.

Mississippi – US Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Mississippi Lifetime Ban on Voting by Felons

Yahoo News – Andrew Chung (Reuters) | Published: 1/27/2025

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Mississippi’s lifetime ban on voting by people convicted of a wide range of felonies, a policy adopted in 1890 during the Jim Crow era that stands as one of the toughest such restrictions in the nation. The justices turned away an appeal of a lower court’s decision rejecting a lawsuit that claimed the ban violates the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment promise of equal protection and Eighth Amendment bar on cruel and unusual punishments.

Montana – Montana Senate Convening Ethics Committee to Investigate its Former President

Montana Free Press – Tom Lutey | Published: 1/27/2025

The Montana Senate will conduct an ethics investigation into a $170,100 government contract brokered by former Senate President Jason Ellsworth with his business associate. Department of Administration (DOA) Director Misty Ann Giles acknowledged the Ellsworth contract violated state law, but the DOA saw the deal through, nonetheless. The investigation concluded Ellsworth’s actions with state funds were both wasteful and abusive.

Nebraska – Scott Danigole Is Next Head of Nebraska Campaign Finance Agency NADC

Yahoo News – Paul Hammel (Nebraska Examiner) | Published: 1/27/2025

Scott Danigole was selected as the next executive director of the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission. Danigole, who has served as a fiscal analyst for the state Legislature for the past 27 years, said he sought the position to continue to serve the state and due to a commitment to ensure “doing the right thing.”

New Jersey – Bill Spadea Has Improperly Benefited from Radio Show, Rival Claims in Governor’s Race Row

Yahoo News – Nikita Biryukov (New Jersey Monitor) | Published: 1/28/2025

Attorneys for gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli called on New Jersey’s campaign finance watchdog to withhold matching funds from rival Bill Spadea, arguing Spadea’s campaign has improperly reaped benefits from his morning radio show. The complaint revives protests made months ago that claimed Spadea’s daily presence on New Jersey 101.5 amounted to in-kind contributions from the station’s owner worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in violation of contribution limits and other rules on New Jersey’s gubernatorial public financing program.

New Mexico – Lawmakers, Ethics Commission Want More Lobbying Information Disclosed to Public

New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 1/24/2025

In New Mexico, some lobbyists report political contributions, but there is no record of what company may have provided that money. Some lobbyists report thousands of dollars spent on meals with lawmakers, but no information about which lawmakers enjoyed those meals, or which of their clients paid for the food. Even for those in office, or for journalists, knowing who the lobbyists are, who is paying for the campaign donations they make, or the meals they buy, or what legislation they are trying to pass or kill, can be challenging.

New York – Justice Dept. Is Said to Discuss Dropping Case Against Eric Adams

DNyuz – Maggie Haberman, William Rashbaum, Devlin Barrett, and Jonah Bromwich (New York Times) | Published: 1/29/2025

Senior Justice Department officials under President Trump have held discussions with federal prosecutors in Manhattan about the possibility of dropping their corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams. Trump has the power to pardon Adams, who as New York City’s mayor could aid his plans for mass deportations. If prosecutors were to dismiss the case entirely, it could allow Adams to insist on his innocence to voters as he seeks another term as mayor, while allowing Trump to avoid the appearance of a pardon that many might view as unwarranted.

New York – NYC Council Votes to Expand Lobbying Ban on Ex-City Hall Officials Amid ‘Revolving Door’ Concerns

MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt and Josephine Stratman (New York Daily News) | Published: 1/23/2025

Senior New York City Hall officials, like deputy mayors and chiefs of staff, are barred from lobbying the mayor’s office for a year after leaving public service. They can lobby other city agencies besides the mayor’s office immediately upon departing under existing regulations. A new bill passed by the city council would beef up the law so ex-senior City Hall officials could not lobby any city agencies for two years after departing. It would also subject multiple positions to the ban that are not covered now.

New York – Prominent New York Lobbying Firm Racks Up Fines

New York Focus – Chris Bragg | Published: 1/23/2025

Over four years, a prominent New York lobbying firm, Patrick B. Jenkins and Associates, missed disclosure deadlines more than 230 times and paid more than $123,000 in late fees. Every two months, lobbying firms must file reports that provide insight into each public official and the issues they are seeking to influence on behalf of each of their clients. If filings are submitted late, the public cannot access this information in a timely manner.

North Dakota – Voter Registration, Campaign Finance Reporting Debated by North Dakota Lawmakers

Yahoo News – Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 1/27/2025

The latest bill to require voter registration in North Dakota met strong opposition. North Dakota is the only state in the country without voter registration. Instead, voters must provide valid identification at the polls or when they request a mail-in ballot. Lawmakers also debated House Bill 1286, which is meant to address the use of dark money. The bill proposes a complex system for reporting contributions to political committees, campaigns, and ballot measures, and for investigating possible violations.

Ohio – Panel Suspends East Cleveland Mayor from Office

MSN – Cliff Pinckard (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/29/2025

A panel of three retired judges decided to suspend from office East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King, who currently is facing public corruption charges. King is accused of using more than $75,000 in city money to pay companies he or his relatives owned and giving a city-owned car and gas card to a former council member.

Oregon – Oregon Government Ethics Commission Will Probe Kotek’s Spending on Parking, Dinner

Yahoo News – Julia Shumway (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 1/24/2025

Members of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted to investigate Gov. Tina Kotek’s reported spending on parking, concert tickets, and an employee recognition buffet. Auditors flagged the spending which they described as “minor” and “unintentional” apparent violations of state ethics law, earlier in January. The ethics commission discussed the findings and concluded it did not have enough information to decide how to move forward. But commission Chairperson David Fiskum said they needed “not to do nothing.”

Oregon – Ethics Commission Faults Oregon Rep. Greg Smith for Not Naming Clients

Yahoo News – Julia Shumway (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 1/24/2025

Oregon’s government ethics watchdog dinged a state representative for failing to follow a law he voted for that requires government officials to disclose some sources of business income. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted unanimously to move ahead with an investigation into Rep. Greg Smith. Last year was the first that officials had to disclose some sources of income for businesses they own.

Texas – Texas Lawmakers Race Against Fundraising Blackout to Fill Campaign Coffers

MSN – Karen Brooks Harper and Nolan McCaskill (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 1/23/2025

December 14 was the last day to raise campaign money for the legislative session that began Texas recently, and the state’s 181 lawmakers raised a combined $13 million in two weeks, a number that jumps closer to $17 million when fundraising by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, is added. The fundraising in the two weeks preceding the session moratorium awes even the most veteran of political insiders, particularly as the skyrocketing cost of running a campaign requires officials to raise ever more money.

Utah – Here’s the Loophole Allowing Utah Lawmakers to Become Lobbyists Without ‘Cooling Off’

Salt Lake Tribune – Robert Gehrke | Published: 1/23/2025

Days after wrapping up a 24-year career in the Utah Senate, Curt Bramble filed to lobby the state Legislature, despite a law intended to prevent legislators from becoming “revolving-door” lobbyists. Bramble said there is a provision in the law that allows him to represent clients through his accounting and business consulting firm. “If lobbying or government relations isn’t your primary business then there’s an exception,” Bramble said.

West Virginia – Head of West Virginia Gun Lobby Appointed to Replace Lawmaker-Elect Arrested for Making Threats

MSN – Leah Willingham (Associated Press) | Published: 1/23/2025

The president of West Virginia’s largest gun-lobbying group was appointed to fill the seat of a lawmaker-elect who was ousted while confined to his house on charges related to terroristic threats against his colleagues. Ian Masters, president of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, was appointed to take over the vacated seat of Joseph de Soto.

National/Federal

Trump’s D.E.I. Order Creates ‘Fear and Confusion’ Among Corporate Leaders

DNyuz – Emma Goldberg (New York Times) | Published: 1/23/2025

In his first days in office, with series of sweeping moves, President Trump took aim at diversity efforts. Trump ordered federal officials overseeing government diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to be put on leave. His order did not stop with government employment. He revoked an executive order signed in 1965 that prohibited discriminatory hiring and employment practices for private government contractors. Perhaps most alarming for business leaders was the order’s focus on private corporations, whether they do business with the government or not.

Justice Department Says It Will Prosecute Local Officials Over Immigration Enforcement

MSN – Maria Sacchetti and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 1/22/2025

The Trump administration directed federal prosecutors nationwide to investigate and potentially prosecute state and local officials who do not cooperate with the president’s plans to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in U.S. history. The directive is likely to face fierce blowback from legal advocacy groups and officials in cities and states led by Democrats. Many lawyers say it is legal for state and local officials to stay out of most immigration enforcement.

Who Is Mariann Budde, the Bishop Who Told Trump to ‘Have Mercy’?

MSN – Olivia George and Gaya Gupta (Washington Post) | Published: 1/22/2025

While speaking at an interfaith inauguration prayer service at Washington National Cathedral, a bishop pleaded with President Trump to show compassion toward immigrants, LGBTQ+ children, and “the people in our country who are scared now.” The Right Rev. Mariann Budde also criticized Trump during his first term, particularly over his handling of protests during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. She has served as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington since 2011 and was the first woman to be elected to the position.

Justice Department Issues Freeze for Civil Rights Division

MSN – Perry Stein and David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 1/22/2025

The U.S. Justice Department ordered the civil rights division to halt much of its investigative activity dating from the Biden administration and not pursue new indictments, cases, or settlements. Cases that have already been filed would be subject to the discretion of the judge overseeing them. Within the Justice Department, the civil rights division typically experiences the sharpest shift in priorities between Republican and Democratic administrations. But the division typically decides on a case-by-case basis what litigation to pursue from the previous administration.

CNN Found Guilty of Defaming Security Contractor, Ordered to Pay $5 Million

MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 1/17/2025

A jury found CNN guilty of defaming security contractor Zachary Young, who argued his reputation and business were destroyed after he was featured in a segment on the network about the high costs of evacuating Afghans from the country after the Taliban took power. Young was awarded $5 million. The high-dollar verdict could also incentivize more lawsuits against media companies, particularly in a climate of hostility toward the press.

Washington Lobbyists Turn to Musk’s DOGE to Influence Trump

MSN – Gregory Korte and Ted Mann (Bloomberg) | Published: 1/19/2025

The Department of Government Efficiency, run by Elon Musk, is supposed to advise Donald Trump on spending cuts and regulatory reform. It does not yet, and may never, have any formalized responsibilities or authority. So far, its recruits have been organizing in clandestine meetings blocks from the White House. But already, companies and industry groups have started looking to the department, above the more traditional committees of Congress and federal agencies, to advance their agendas and protect their interests.

Biden Preemptively Pardons Milley, Fauci, Jan. 6 Panel – and His Family

MSN – Sabrina Rodriguez and Matt Viser (Washington Post) | Published: 1/20/2025

President Biden issued preemptive pardons to retired Gen. Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, members and staff of the January 6 congressional committee, and police officers who testified before the panel, just hours before Donald Trump’s inauguration. Biden’s decision comes after Trump has repeatedly threatened to go after those who have crossed him politically or attempted to hold him accountable for his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Trump Signs Order to End ‘Government Censorship’ of Social Media

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 1/20/2025

President Trump signed an executive order intended to “immediately stop all government censorship,” a sweeping action that could chill years of efforts to combat the proliferation of false information online. Conservatives have argued in multiple lawsuits that efforts to limit the spread of false information online about public health and elections amount to illegal censorship. The order will create legal uncertainty for government officials who communicate with tech companies.

DOJ Can’t Show Jack Smith’s Report on Trump Classified Docs Case to Lawmakers, Cannon Rules

MSN – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 1/21/2025

U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon blocked the Justice Department from showing selected lawmakers portions of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the classified documents case against Donald Trump. Cannon said there is no legal basis for the department to confidentially share the report with leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The ruling could make it easier for the Trump administration to bury the report, which recounts Smith’s investigation into the classified records that Trump stored at his Mar-a-Lago home and his alleged attempt to obstruct efforts to retrieve them.

Clemency for Oath Keepers, Proud Boys Fuels Extremism Threat, Experts Say

MSN – Spencer Hsu, Ellie Silverman, and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 1/21/2025

Counterterrorism experts say Donald Trump’s decision to free all the roughly 1,600 January 6 riot defendants, including the leaders of two extremist groups who played outsize roles in the Capitol riot, could further embolden fringe groups and hamper the Justice Department’s fight against political violence. Extremism researchers raised concerns over the message their freedom sends to armed militia-style groups or others with violent anti-government views. If those convicted of plotting such violence against the government walked free with support from the nation’s commander in chief, would others be energized to take up more action?

Trump Promotes Meme Coin, Raising Ethics Issues as Value Soars

MSN – Tony Romm (Washington Post) | Published: 1/19/2025

Ahead of his inauguration, Donald Trump launched and promoted a new cryptocurrency venture, raising fresh ethical questions about his attempts to monetize the incoming administration’s deepening political ties to the industry. Trump’s new project is known as a meme coin, a highly volatile sort of token that crypto enthusiasts can buy and sell tied to an online trend or personality.

Patagonia’s Ties to Nonprofit Raise Campaign Finance Concerns

Yahoo News – Tony Biasotti (Ventura County Star) | Published: 1/21/2025

A new nonprofit filed its incorporation paperwork with an address in Ventura and the name Save Our Home Planet Action. Its stated purposes included “raising awareness of the current environmental crisis,” land preservation and restoration, and lobbying and advocacy. It had no website, no known donors, and no apparent source of revenue. But it did have money. Ten days after its founding, it gave nearly $900,000 to two PACs.

Trump Revokes Lobbying Ban for Biden Appointees

Yahoo News – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 1/22/2025

President Trump revoked an executive order signed by Joe Biden that set ethics and lobbying rules for appointees. Biden’s order banned outgoing appointees from registering to lobby until the end of his administration or for two years, whichever is later. It extended an existing ban on officials communicating with their former agency to include communications with senior White House staff. Trump’s order could make it easier for Biden alumni to land well-paying jobs in the private sector, where former officials can immediately cash in on their intimate knowledge of how the levers of power work to influence policy.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Santa Clara County Weighs Raising Campaign Donation Limits

MSN – Brandon Pho (San Jose Spotlight) | Published: 1/16/2025

Santa Clara County supervisors could relax restrictions on how much they can raise for their reelection campaigns. The issue sparked a debate at a Board of Supervisors meeting about whether a higher ceiling for candidate fundraising would help or hurt poorer people’s chances of winning elected county office.

California – Sheng Thao and Partner Andre Jones Sought More than $300,000 in Bribes, Feds Allege

MSN – Natalie Orenstein and Darwin BondGraham (Oaklandside) | Published: 1/17/2025

Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was indicted on bribery charges, along with her longtime boyfriend and a father-son team who run the company on contract for the city’s recycling services, alleging a corruption scheme involving cash payments and campaign mailers in exchange for city contracts. The indictment alleges Thao and Andre Jones accepted bribes from David and Andy Duong in exchange for promising to extend their recycling services contract and purchase housing units from a company the Duongs ran if Thao was elected in 2022.

Colorado – Colorado Senate Committee to Review Ethics Complaint Against Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis

Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 1/21/2025

The Colorado Senate formed an ethics committee to investigate claims that Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis mistreated staff members, a move that could ultimately lead to a reprimand or removal from office. A workplace misconduct complaint alleged she paid an aide to do landscaping work and tend bar and paid him with a campaign check. She did not report those expenditures in her campaign finance reports.

Florida – Ethics Commission Dismisses Baxter Complaint but Says She ‘Probably Violated’ County Code

MSN – Mike Diamond (Palm Beach Post) | Published: 1/22/2025

The Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics dismissed a complaint against county Commissioner Sara Baxter over gifts she received from lobbyist Ron Book. The commission upheld a staff finding there was “probable cause” to conclude Baxter violated the law for failing to report the gifts. But it rejected a staff recommendation to issue “a letter of instruction” to her, which would have warned her not to do it again. It may be one of the last anonymous complaints to be investigated by an ethics commission in Florida.

Florida – Judge Dismisses Díaz de la Portilla ‘Shakedown’ Lawsuit, Citing Legislative Immunity

MSN – Tess Riski (Miami Herald) | Published: 1/17/2025

A judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing former Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla of orchestrating a “shakedown” scheme by pressuring the longtime operator of the Rickenbacker Marina to take on the commissioner’s associate as a business partner in exchange for the commissioner’s vote on a redevelopment deal. The ruling marks the second legal victory for Díaz de la Portilla. The Broward State Attorney’s Office dismissed a criminal corruption case against him.

Florida – DeSantis Picks Florida Attorney General to Replace Marco Rubio in Senate

MSN – Hannah Knowles and Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 1/16/2025

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would appoint Ashley Moody, his state’s attorney general, to replace Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate, elevating a close ally. Moody previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Florida and became the youngest judge in the state when she won election to the Circuit Court in Hillsborough County. DeSantis also announced he will select his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, to take Moody’s place as attorney general.

Georgia – Giuliani and Georgia Election Workers Reach Settlement in Defamation Case

MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 1/16/2025

Rudy Giuliani and two Georgia election workers reached a settlement in a case to determine whether he would be forced to give up World Series rings, his Florida condominium, and other assets as part of a $148 million defamation judgment. A trial on the matter was scheduled to begin January 16 involving Giuliani and election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, a mother and daughter. Freeman and Moss were included in a false election fraud narrative presented by Giuliani after the 2020 presidential race Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden.

Illinois – Man Banned from Chicago Park District Jobs After Scandal Now Working for Alderman

MSN – Jake Sheridan (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/20/2025

A November 2021 investigation cited Alonzo Williams, then the Chicago Park District’s chief programs officer, and other executives for mishandling allegations of abuse and sexual harassment in the lifeguard program. Williams resigned when the report came out and was designated “do not rehire” by the agency. But Williams quickly found contracting work in the city council. Despite the still-in-place label from the sister city agency, Ald. Greg Mitchell has hired Williams, payroll records show.

Illinois – Regardless of Verdict, Could Madigan Trial Be Make-or-Break Moment for Illinois?

MSN – Ray Long, Megan Crepeau, and Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/19/2025

The outcome of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial will be watched closely well beyond Chicago’s federal courthouse, with the verdict representing a potential make-or-break moment at the Illinois Capitol. Gov. JB Pritzker and state lawmakers must now brace themselves for the culmination of a trial that has put a spotlight on Illinois’ messy intersection of money, special interests, and power politics.

Indiana – 3 More Women Accuse Indiana Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor of Sexual Misconduct

MSN – Hayleigh Colombo, Tony Cook, and Kayla Dwyer (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 1/19/2025

Three more women are accusing Indiana Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor of sexual misconduct, the latest in a string of allegations against the chamber’s most powerful Democrat.  The new accusations date back to Taylor’s early years in the Legislature, but together with more recent allegations show a nearly decade-long pattern of unwelcomed sexual conduct toward younger interns, lobbyists, and staff.

Kentucky – Biden Pardons Kentuckian Jerry Lundergan for Campaign Finance Conviction

Yahoo News – Jack Brammer (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 1/20/2025

President Biden pardoned businessperson Jerry Lundergan for his conviction on federal campaign finance charges. Lundergan was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for making illegal contributions to the failed U.S. Senate campaign of his daughter, former Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, and for causing the concealment of those contributions from the FEC.

Kentucky – He Ran Kentucky’s Nursing Home Inspections. Now He’s a Nursing Home Lobbyist. Is That OK?

Yahoo News – John Cheves (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 1/16/2025

The state official in charge of nursing home inspections might have violated Kentucky’s ethics law by moving too quickly a year ago into a job as a nursing home industry lobbyist, promoting the interests of his new employer throughout 2024 in meetings and communications with his old employer. In December 2023, Adam Mather quit his $135,086 state job and registered as a Frankfort lobbyist for the nursing home industry’s trade group, becoming president of the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities.

Maryland – Delegate’s Canceled Check Answers One Campaign Finance Question, Raises Another

Yahoo News – Bryan Sears (Maryland Matters) | Published: 1/23/2025

A state delegate may have inadvertently run afoul of Maryland campaign finance law as she sought to address questions recently about a missing 2023 payment to rent a venue for a campaign event. There were allegations that Del. Dana Jones failed to report a payment or in-kind contribution for the venue. Jones produced canceled checks that show her campaign paid the Annapolis Maritime Museum $850 for use of the venue.  But the checks also showed something else: Jones’s signature at the bottom of the payments.

Mississippi – MS Secretary of State Outlines Campaign Finance Reform Among His Legislative Priorities for 2025

MSN – Pam Dankins (Mississippi Clarion Ledger) | Published: 1/16/2025

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson outlined his legislative priorities during a press conference, continuing his call for campaign finance reform and voicing the importance of election integrity in the state. During last year’s legislative session, Watson pushed lawmakers to approve and pay for a new campaign finance reporting system, so the public can easily view and search donations to candidates. His efforts were struck down.

Montana – Montana Senate Republican Leaders Looking into Use of $170K of State Funds by Former President

Yahoo News – Micah Drew (Daily Montanan) | Published: 1/17/2025

Sen. Jason Ellsworth, the former Montana Senate president, denied any wrongdoing in connection with a $170,000 no-bid contract he signed in his final days in office, an expenditure that is now under scrutiny by new Senate leadership. The contract is between Ellsworth and Bryce Eggleston of Agile Analytics. A Federal Trade Commission case from more than a decade ago identified Ellsworth and Eggleston as having a previous professional relationship, with businesses registered at the same address.

New Jersey – George Norcross’ Attorneys Argue in Court Their ‘Well-Connected’ Client Turned Camden Around as They Seek Dismissal

WHYY – P. Kenneth Burns | Published: 1/22/2025

New Jersey Superior Court Judge Peter Warshaw heard arguments over whether the corruption indictment against George Norcross III and his five co-defendants should be dismissed. They are accused of executing an enterprise that muscled out Norcross’s business rivals from owning properties on the Camden waterfront, while reaping benefits of a tax incentive program that was written by Philip Norcross. Defense attorney Michael Critchley described the arguments as “a complaint about how our political and economic system begins and operates.”

New York – NYC Council Pushing Lobbying Ban on Mayor’s Office Staffers – but Excludes Itself from Crackdown

MSN – Carl Campanile (New York Post) | Published: 1/17/2025

The New York City Council is poised to pass legislation that extends lobbying restrictions to cover more power brokers in the mayor’s office after they leave the government but the tougher regulation to crack down on potential influence peddling excludes the council’s own members and staff. The measure comes at a time when Mayor Eric Adams is contesting federal corruption and bribery charges, and several former top aides have also either resigned or face criminal charges.

New York – Adams Legal Defense Fund Almost $1 Million in Debt as Donations Dwindle

The City – Yoav Gonan | Published: 1/16/2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ legal defense fund raised just $2,200 from two donors over the last three months, even as his expenses to battle federal corruption charges mount ahead of an expected April trial, new filings show. The trust has refunded roughly $167,000 in contributions, many of which came from family members of people engaged in business with city government, who are prohibited from giving.

North Carolina – To Gain a Court Seat, Republicans Seek to Throw Out Thousands of Votes

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 1/23/2025

The election for an open seat on the North Carolina Supreme Cort may be decided by the very justices who will sit alongside whoever is ultimately declared the winner. The fight over the court seat reveals the intensifying politics of judicial elections and the spread of election litigation in the years since Donald Trump unsuccessfully challenged his 2020 presidential loss. The state Supreme Court justices blocked the elections board from certifying Justice Allison Riggs’ narrow win so they could consider a challenge. The justices recently kept that order in place but said they would let a lower court consider the challenge first.

Ohio – Ramaswamy Will Bow Out of Cost-Cutting Project and Run for Governor in Ohio

DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer and Madeleine Ngo (New York Times) | Published: 1/20/2025

The advisory group called the Department of Government Efficiency is losing one of its leaders before it even begins. Vivek Ramaswamy, whom President Trump named in November as co-leader of the initiative alongside Elon Musk, will quit the project because he plans to run for governor of Ohio.

Ohio – American Electric Power Pays $19M to Settle with SEC Over Its HB6 Entanglement

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/22/2025

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission agreed to enter a $19 million settlement with American Electric Power (AEP) after regulators accused the company of misleading investors about its involvement in a criminal corruption scandal. Four men, including ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, have been criminally convicted of racketeering. AEP had insisted that neither the company nor its subsidiaries contributed to a dark money nonprofit Householder controlled. But tax records show AEP contributed $1.2 million between 2017 and 2020 to two Householder-controlled groups.

Ohio – Feds Charge Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones, Ex-Senior Vice President in Bribery Scheme

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/17/2025

Former FirstEnergy Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling, a former lobbyist for the company, face federal racketeering charges for their roles in a public corruption scandal to pass a $1 billion bailout for the utility’s nuclear plants. The charges come nearly a year after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost charged the men in state court over some of the same conduct. Typically, the U.S. Justice Department does not charge for the same crimes after the state, but the new indictment covers more ground.

Ohio – Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted Will Succeed JD Vance in the US Senate

MSN – Julie Carr Smyth and Stephen Groves (Associated Press) | Published: 1/17/2025

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted will succeed Vice President JD Vance in the U.S. Senate. Gov. Mike DeWine’s decision ends months of jockeying among top Ohio Republicans for the seat, which Vance had held for less than two years. DeWine said a large consideration was that Husted has extensive government experience that Ohio’s last two U.S. senators, Vance and businessperson Bernie Moreno, both political novices when elected, lacked.

Ohio – Ohio Utility Regulators Move Ethics Questions to Start of Application Process as Part of Reforms

WOSU – Renee Fox | Published: 1/16/2025

Five people have applied to fill an opening on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). There is something new about the process this year. PUCO spokesperson Matt Schilling said this time the agency required applicants to fill out Ohio Ethics Commission forms in order to apply, instead of later in the process.

Oklahoma – Second Ethics Probe Examines Ryan Walters for Social Media, Political Activity

NonDoc – Michael McNutt and Sasha Ndisabiye | Published: 1/17/2025

With his handling of 2022 campaign funds already being questioned, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is also being investigated over whether certain posts on social media and certain comments on issues mostly concerning Donald Trump violate ethics rules about the use of state money, property, or time. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission authorized Executive Director Lee Anne Bruce Boone to “pursue prosecution in district court.”

Oregon – New Report Scrutinizes Lobbyists Working for NW Natural Gas and for Public Health, Climate Groups

Yahoo News – Alex Baumhardt (Oregon Capital Chronicle) | Published: 1/16/2025

Two lobbying firms advocating on behalf of Oregon’s largest gas utility are also lobbying on behalf of conservation and public health groups and local governments interested in ending natural gas hookups and combating climate change caused by burning gas. Conflicts-of-interest between NW Natural and a number of government bodies and nonprofits were analyzed in a new report. It calls on the Oregon Legislature to require lobbyists to disclose their compensation and their positions on specific bills, so they are not being paid to fight for and against policies that are at odds with one another.

Wyoming – Wyoming’s Money Managers Fear Losses from Freedom Caucus’ Investment Restrictions

WyoFile – Andrew Graham | Published: 1/20/2025

The House Freedom Caucus’ proposed ban on “environmental, social and governance” investing threatens Wyoming’s pensions and stock market returns, the state’s investment chiefs say. Those warnings sparked a flurry of changes by the legislation’s sponsor, Rep. Christopher Knapp, as he scrambled to achieve the caucus’ ideological goals without tanking the state’s returns.

National/Federal

News Outlets Batten Down the Hatches for Trump’s Return

DNyuz – David Enrich and Katie Robertson (New York Times) | Published: 1/13/2025

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, media outlets large and small are taking steps to prepare for what they fear could be a legal and political onslaught against them from the new administration and Trump’s allies inside and outside the government. While Trump is prone to hyperbole and saber-rattling, many reporters, editors, and media lawyers are taking him seriously. As a result, even before Trump returns to power, he is altering how the press is operating.

Pardoned by Trump, Manafort Is Back and Looking for Foreign Work

DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel, Kim Barker, Constant Méheut, and Michael Schwirtz (New York Times) | Published: 1/12/2025

Four years after receiving a pardon from Donald Trump for crimes related to foreign lobbying, Paul Manafort is again seeking business from political interests abroad. Manafort, who led Trump’s 2016 campaign for a few months, has assembled a team of consultants who helped run Trump’s 2024 effort and is looking to advise campaigns for opposition and far-right political factions in Latin America and Europe, according to documents and interviews.

Trump-Appointed FEC Commissioner to Resign on Inauguration

MSN – Caroline Vakil (The Hill) | Published: 1/13/2025

FEC member Sean Cooksey announced he would be resigning on Donald Trump’s first day in office. Cooksey also said he hoped Trump would nominate new appointees to the FEC for commissioners whose terms had already expired.

Jack Smith, Special Counsel in Trump Cases, Resigns

MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 1/11/2025

Special counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Justice Department after completing his work overseeing two federal prosecutions of Donald Trump. Though Smith’s departure was expected, official word of the end of his two-year appointment was another step in the winding down of the criminal cases against the former and future president, just over a week before Inauguration Day.

The Trump Company Is Not Banning Private Foreign Deals, a Break with Its First Term Policy

MSN – Bernard Condon (Associated Press) | Published: 1/9/2025

The Trump family business released a voluntary ethics agreement that allows it to strike deals with private foreign companies, a move that could help outside actors try to buy influence with the new administration. The so-called ethics white paper bars the Trump Organization from striking deals directly with foreign governments, but allows ones with private companies abroad, a significant departure from Donald Trump’s first term. The company also announced it would commit to several safeguards designed to stop his private financial interests from shaping policy. That includes hiring an outside ethics adviser to vet deals.

This Group Says Natural Gas Bans Hurt Minorities. It Has Gas Industry Ties.

MSN – Maxine Joselow (Washington Post) | Published: 1/13/2025

Documents show how the fossil fuel industry has relied on advocacy groups to persuade policymakers nationwide that its products benefit communities of color. Critics say these efforts come despite the fact that Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans are disproportionately exposed to deadly air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels, which also is driving climate change. Blue states have advanced more aggressive climate policies for years. The gas industry has responded by hiring Democrats and other advocates who are better positioned to appeal to liberal voters.

Justice Dept. Releases Trump Special Counsel Report on Jan. 6 Case

MSN – Perry Stein, Spencer Hsu, Jeremy Roebuck, and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 1/14/2025

Special counsel Jack Smith released a report detailing the incriminating evidence he says he collected against Donald Trump over his two-year investigation, portraying the incoming president as a man who allegedly wielded his power to deceive state lawmakers, Republican Party activists, and presidential electors to claim victory in the 2020 election he knew he lost. The report serves as the final public record of a historic prosecution that never made it to trial, with the federal government abandoning the case after Trump became the president-elect.

These 5 Former Lobbyists Are Poised to Join Trump’s Cabinet

MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 1/16/2025

Five former lobbyists have been appointed or nominated to Donald Trump’s Cabinet, signaling he may not be as closed off to these hired guns as he appeared on the campaign trail. On the campaign trail, Trump said he is “not a big person for lobbyists” and floated a ban on government and elected officials becoming lobbyists after they leave public service.

Inside Elon Musk’s Plan for DOGE to Slash Government Costs

Seattle Times – Theodore Schleifer and Madeleine Ngo (New York Times) | Published: 1/12/2025

An unpaid group of billionaires, tech executives, and some disciples of Peter Thiel, a powerful Republican donor, are preparing to take up unofficial positions in the U.S. government in the name of cost-cutting. As Donald Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DODGE) girds for battle against “wasteful” spending, it is preparing to dispatch individuals with ties to its co-leaders, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to agencies across the federal government. The structure of DOGE is still amorphous and closely held.

Democratic Senators Say a Campaign Treasurer Stole Their Money

Yahoo News – Dave Levinthal (Rolling Stone) | Published: 1/14/2025

At least four Democratic political committees suspect their former campaign treasurer is behind the “misappropriation” of hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds, according to federal records. They are the latest in a string of high-profile thefts and unauthorized financial transactions that have recently hit federal political committees of all partisan stripes, collectively costing them millions of dollars.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Supreme Court to Weigh Fate of ‘Dark Money’ Disclosure Law

Yahoo News – Jim Small (Arizona Mirror) | Published: 1/9/2025

The Arizona Supreme Court will consider whether Republican legislative leaders have the right to challenge “dark money” disclosure rules created by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission under Proposition 211, which voters approved in 2022. The court will also determine if a provision limiting legislative oversight can be separated from the rest of the law. Proposition 211 requires disclosure of the original sources of contributions exceeding $5,000 used for campaign spending.

California – As Wildfires Burn, a Corruption Probe Left the Senate’s Insurance Committee Chair Vacant

MSN – Ryan Sabalow (CalMatters) | Published: 1/13/2025

As fires rage through Southern California and exacerbate the state’s insurance crisis, the California Senate has no one in charge of its Insurance Committee due to questions surrounding a federal corruption investigation. Federal officials have not identified Sen. Susan Rubio by name in the case. But there is nobody else matching the description of “Person 20,” who is accused in federal court documents of asking for $240,000 in bribes from a cannabis company and accepting $30,000 in illegal campaign contributions.

California – Republicans Say They Want to Put Conditions on Wildfire Aid to California

MSN – Jacob Bogage and Toluse Olorunnipa (Washington Post) | Published: 1/13/2025

Leading congressional Republicans say they want to place conditions on aid for California’s wildfire victims, trying to force the state to fix what one lawmaker called “bad behavior” on policies ranging from taxes to land management in exchange for billions of dollars in federal help to recover from a natural disaster. Lawmakers typically approve federal aid after natural disasters without requiring states to change policies first.

Florida – Commission on Ethics Chief Describes Rollout of Controversial New Ethics Law

Florida Phoenix – Mitch Perry | Published: 1/14/2025

Last year, the Florida Legislature passed a law that critics claim would allow unethical conduct to continue unchecked. Tina Descovich, vice chair of the Florida Commission on Ethics, said the agency is recommending that state lawmakers pass legislation this year to provide “whistleblower-like protection” for individuals who file ethics complaints.

Florida – Ethics Worries Grow for Florida Democrat as State Sues Over $5 Million Covid Payment

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 1/14/2025

Questions surrounding a newly reelected Democratic lawmaker deepened in recent weeks as Florida moved to sue the company that she once led in an attempt to recoup a more than $5 million coronavirus overpayment. U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick reported her income increased by more than $6 million between 2020 and 2021, the year of the alleged overpayment to Trinity Health Care Services, which she led, according to her official financial disclosures.

Georgia – Pro-Stacey Abrams Groups Fined $300,000 After Admitting They Broke Georgia Campaign Finance Law

Yahoo News – Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 1/15/2025

Two nonprofits settled a complaint with the Georgia Ethics Commission and will pay $300,000 for illegally spending millions of dollars to bolster Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial bid in 2018. The commission found the New Georgia Project and its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund illegally did election work for Abrams and others without disclosing their campaign contributions and spending.

Idaho – After Major Spending in 2024 Elections, Updates to Idaho’s Sunshine Laws Are in the Works

Idaho Press – Laura Guido | Published: 1/14/2025

An unprecedented year of campaign spending has led some officials to consider amendments to Idaho’s campaign finance laws to make it easier to track electioneering messaging. This year, legislation is expected to be introduced to move up deadlines for reporting because currently there is a lag between when large amounts of money are spent and when that spending is publicly accessible through reports. In some cases, spending is not reported until after the election is over.

Illinois – Advisory Referendum Question on Political Contribution Rules Thrown Out by Aurora Electoral Board

MSN – R. Christian Smith (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/13/2025

A non-binding referendum question that was set to ask Aurora voters whether the city should limit the amount of money candidates can receive from those who do business with the city has been thrown out by the Aurora Electoral Board. The referendum would have asked if the city of Aurora should create campaign finance rules that cap at $1,000 political donations to city elected officials and candidates for city office if the business, organization, or person donating to the campaign has previously received or is currently asking for a city contract, tax increment financing district, or any other official action from the city.

Illinois – Former IDPH Chief Fined $150,000 For Breach of Illinois Ethics Act

MSN – Jonah Meadows (Patch) | Published: 1/11/2025

Former Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike accepted a $150,000 fine from a state ethics commission after admitting to violating the “revolving door” prohibition. The settlement and fine from the Executive Ethics Commission stems from Ezike’s acceptance of a position as president and chief executive of Sinai Chicago within a year of her March 2022 departure from state government, during which the hospital operator received substantial funding and oversight from her former agency.

Illinois – Supreme Court Weighs Appeal of Ex-Chicago Alderman’s Corruption Conviction

Yahoo News – Ella Lee (The Hill) | Published: 1/14/2025

The Supreme Court signaled it may send a Chicago political scion’s appeal of his conviction for lying to regulators back to a lower court to flesh out the difference between false and misleading statements. Patrick Daley Thompson was convicted in 2022 of lying to regulators about the amount he borrowed from a now-defunct bank. If the justices rule in Thompson’s favor, it could mark a second case in as many years where the Supreme Court found federal prosecutors overstepped while cracking down on local politicians.

Indiana – Indiana Ethics Commission Approves Waivers for 4 Outgoing Agency Heads

Yahoo News – Leslie Bonilla Muñiz (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 1/10/2025

Indiana’s Ethics Commission approved post-employment waivers for four agency heads moving on from state government as Gov. Mike Braun takes over. That includes David Rosenberg, president of the controversial Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The waivers allow state employees to take their next jobs despite potential conflicts-of-interest.

Kansas – Kansas House Panel Asked to Reform Commission with Oversight of Campaign-Finance Laws

Yahoo News – Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 1/15/2025

A lawyer representing politically active clients dealing with campaign finance disputes at the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission wants the 2025 Legislature to declaw the agency because it allegedly took a hammer to free-speech rights through enforcement of “Keystone Cop” procedures. He complained that unconstitutionally vague statutes were left open to distortion by commission, including Executive Director Mark Skoglund.

Kentucky – KY Ethics Commission Will Investigate a New Complaint Against Rep. Daniel Grossberg

Yahoo News – Austin Horn and Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald Leader) | Published: 1/14/2025

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission voted unanimously to move forward in investigating a second complaint filed against state Rep. Daniel Grossberg, combining it with a previous complaint against him.  Grossberg has been the subject of scrutiny in the media and by the ethics commission for various issues. There have been calls for his resignation after the media reported his alleged sexually inappropriate behavior with women.

Maine – Maine Legislature Eyes Campaign Finance Reforms as Courts Weigh Voter-Backed Referenda

Yahoo News – Emma Davis (Maine Morning Star) | Published: 1/13/2025

While Maine voters have overwhelmingly passed laws in the past two general elections to place stricter regulations on money in politics, those reforms have so far been blocked as legal battles play out in the courts. Despite those obstacles, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and advocates are planning to introduce new reforms, or kickstart long-standing efforts, though there remains some disagreement on the best path forward for better regulating political spending.

Maryland – Maryland’s Legislative Session Opens Amid Concerns Over $86M Lobbying influence

MSN – Gary Collins (Spotlight on Maryland) | Published: 1/9/2025

A state consumer advocate raised concerns about lobbyist influence as the Maryland General Assembly convened its annual 90-day session in Annapolis. Mollie Woods, an attorney with the Maryland Office of the People’s Counsel, said special interest groups wield significant influence in the General Assembly due to their financial resources and “the size of their lobbying efforts.” Companies and organizations spent over $86 million in the state during the 2024 reporting period. This represents a twenty-eight percent increase in lobbying dollars spent since 2021.

Massachusetts – Boston City Council Kills Ethics Committee Push Amid Fernandes Anderson Corruption Charges

MSN – Gayla Cawley (Boston Herald) | Published: 1/9/2025

The Boston City Council, tarred by federal public corruption charges leveled against Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, overwhelmingly defeated a measure that sought to establish an ethics commission for internal oversight of the body. Fernandes Anderson was indicted on six public corruption charges that allege she pocketed $7,000 of a $13,000 bonus she doled out to one of her staffers. The money was allegedly kicked back to the councilor in an exchange with the staff member that took place in a City Hall bathroom in 2023.

Michigan – Who Funds Michigan Lawmakers? Most Get Cash from PACs, Not Voters They Represent

Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 1/14/2025

Local voters send representatives to the Michigan Capitol, but outside donors are far more likely to send those lawmakers checks. An analysis of campaign finance disclosures shows most lawmakers elected to the state House last year received only a small fraction of their political contributions from their constituents. Instead, most of their donations came from PACs that typically represent industries and other special interests.

New Jersey – New Jersey’s Race for Governor Is Poised to Be One of the Least Transparent

Yahoo News – Matt Friedman (Politico) | Published: 1/12/2025

New Jersey’s 2025 gubernatorial election could be the least transparent in memory thanks to a new campaign finance law that lets super PACs keep their donors secret until shortly before the primary. It will be the biggest test yet of the financial overhaul, and supporters of a few candidates have already sought to leverage it by forming independent expenditure committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts.

New Jersey – N.J. Corruption Watchdog Leader Abruptly Resigns After Scrutiny

Yahoo News – Jelani Gibson (New Jersey Advance Media) | Published: 1/10/2025

The leader of the state commission that investigates waste, fraud, and abuse in New Jersey government resigned under fire, a day after a published report revealed she claimed residency in two states and had a second, full-time job out of state. State Commission of Investigation Chief Executive Officer Tiffany Williams Brewer handed in her resignation just four days after she was formally appointed to lead the watchdog agency.

New Jersey – Benjie Wimberly Spent Campaign Money for Personal Use on Hotels, Airfare, Complaint Says

Yahoo News – Joe Malinconico (Bergen Record) | Published: 1/9/2025

State Assemblyperson Benjie Wimberly was accused of spending campaign money for his personal use, mostly payments for hotels and airfare, in a complaint filed by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. Wimberly, as speaker pro tempore, is the second-highest ranking member of the Assembly, where he has served since 2012. He is also on the Paterson school district’s payroll as director of recreational programs with a $188,328 salary.

New York – State Investigating Assembly Race Donation Under Lewd Pseudonym

MSN – Wendy Liberatore (Albany Times Union) | Published: 1/14/2025

A $100 contribution to the unsuccessful New York Assembly campaign of well-known local activist Joe Seeman is under review by the state Campaign Finance Board because it appears to have been made under a false name. The donation under the lewd alias “Jack Meehoff” was made through ActBlue using the address and Paypal account of Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran, who denies donating under that name. According to the state Board of Elections, making a contribution under a false name is a violation of the law.

New York – Ex-NYC Mayor de Blasio Still on the Hook for $475K Fine Over Misused Public Funds, Judge Rules

MSN – Jake Offenhartz (Associated Press) | Published: 1/15/2025

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio must pay a $475,000 fine levied against him for misusing public funds on a police security detail during his failed White House bid, a judge ruled, dismissing the ex-mayor’s legal challenge as “entirely baseless.” The decision blocks de Blasio’s latest effort to erase the hefty fine issued against him by the Conflicts of Interest Board. In his motion for dismissal, de Blasio argued the board provided him with murky guidance around the use of public funds for security purposes, then overstepped its authority in imposing the fine.

New York – Turkish Businessman Pleads Guilty in NYC Mayor Adams’ Corruption Case, Could Testify Against Mayor

MSN – Molly Crane-Newman, Josephine Stratman, and Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 1/10/2025

Real estate magnate Erden Arkan pleaded guilty in federal court to funneling thousands of dollars to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign in coordination with a Turkish government official, setting him up to testify against the mayor. Arkan admitted to orchestrating straw donations to Adams through workers of the construction company he partly owns, KSK, and then reimbursing them. It is the first plea resulting from the ongoing probe of illicit foreign donations to the mayor’s campaign.

New York – Trump Sentenced in Hush Money Case, Will Not Face Jail or Probation

MSN – Shayna Jacobs, Derek Hawkins, and Mark Berman (Washington Post) | Published: 1/10/2025

Donald Trump was sentenced without penalty for his felony conviction in his hush money trial, appearing virtually at what was likely his final court hearing as a criminal defendant before he is sworn in for another term in the White House. New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw the trial and handed down the sentence, gave Trump an unconditional discharge, meaning the president-elect will not face time behind bars, a fine, or probation.

North Dakota – As Governor, Burgum Promised to Manage Conflicts. They Still Cropped Up.

DNyuz – Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 1/15/2025

On the day after Doug Burgum became governor of North Dakota in 2016, he addressed questions about what he would do about all of his investments. They included extensive real estate developments benefiting from state programs he was suddenly in a position to oversee. His answer was that he would “manage” his conflicts-of-interest, but he would not divest from his holdings in the state. Since then, however, his range of holdings intersected with his policy decisions as governor, a New York Times review found.

North Dakota – North Dakota Ethics Commission Receives Early Pushback in Legislative Hearing

Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 1/8/2025

The North Dakota Ethics Commission received pushback from lawmakers on one of its first bills, with a nearly unanimous recommendation to reject it. The commission can issue advisory opinions to help officials under its jurisdiction understand how ethics laws and rules apply in certain circumstances. Currently, the commission may only publish opinions if someone specifically requests it. House Bill 1046 would change this to allow the commission to issue advisory opinions of its own volition.

Ohio – Cleveland Guardians Tried to Give Cuyahoga Council Free Tickets. Ohio Ethics Commission Said No

MSN – Kaitlin Durbin (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/9/2025

Cuyahoga County Inspector General Alexa Beeler sought the Ohio Ethics Commission’s guidance after the Cleveland Guardians twice offered each county council member 100 tickets to distribute or use themselves at up to three games in the 2022 baseball season. This was after the Guardians received a new lease that included upgrades for Progressive Field. The commission blocked them both times.

Ohio – Ohio’s New Voter ID Law Blocked at Least 7,000 Votes from Being Counted in November Election

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/13/2025

Election officials rejected more than 7,000 Ohioans’ provisional ballots in the 2024 elections for lack of proper identification, new state data shows, a record number and massive increase from years past. The spike in rejections comes after Republicans in 2023 enacted one of the strictest voter photo identification requirements in the nation.

Oregon – Gov. Tina Kotek’s Office Dinged for ‘Minor’ Spending on Catered Party, Concert Tickets That May Have Broken Ethics Rules

MSN – Betsy Hammond (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 1/9/2025

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s office spent about $11,000 on a catered employee celebration, concert tickets, and monthly parking passes during her first 16 months in office that may have violated state ethics laws. The findings, reached by state auditors. were forwarded to the state ethics commission, which will determine whether Kotek’s administration in fact broke the rules and, if so, what consequences to impose.

Texas – ‘Obvious Subversion’: Advocates criticize DART director’s lobbying ties to Uber

KERA – Pablo Arauz Peña | Published: 1/14/2025

Plano residents and public transit advocates are criticizing a member of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) board of directors for lobbying for Uber. Plano is among several DART member cities pushing to reduce their funding to the agency, or to restructure some of its services. The criticism arose after a social media post noted that Paul Wageman was advocating for increased on-demand ride services in Plano while also being paid as a lobbyist for Uber.

National/Federal

Trump Says He’ll Replace Leader of National Archives

DNyuz – Maggie Haberman, Michael Gold, and Devlin Barrett (New York Times) | Published: 1/6/2025

Donald Trump said he plans to replace the head of the National Archives, the agency whose leaders’ concerns about Trump’s decision to hang on to boxes of documents after he left office ultimately led to a federal indictment. Colleen Shogan, the current national archivist, was not involved in the criminal investigations into Trump’s handling of classified documents, and a letter expressing concerns about his actions was written by her predecessor. It is common for a national archivist to span across presidential administrations.

Trump Inauguration, Awash in Cash, Runs Out of Perks for Big Donors

DNyuz – Theodore Schleifer, Maggie Haberman, and Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 1/8/2025

Donald Trump’s inaugural committee is no longer selling tickets for major donors to attend his swearing-in and accompanying private events in Washington. The committee has raised over $170 million. The haul is so big that some seven-figure donors have been placed on wait lists or have been told they probably will not receive VIP tickets at all because the events are at capacity.

Meta Ends Fact Checks as It Prepares for Trump Era

MSN – Naomi Nix, Will Oremus, and Aaron Gregg (Washington Post) | Published: 1/7/2025

Meta announced a set of changes to its content moderation policy that would effectively put an end to its longstanding fact-checking program. The company said it would allow its users to add context or debunk claims in notes that appear next to specific posts. Meta will also change its rules more broadly, lifting restrictions on hot-button topics and focusing enforcement on illegal or high-severity violations. The move is a victory for conservatives who have waged a campaign against fact-checking and content moderation.

Justice Dept. Says It Won’t Yet Release Trump Classified Document Report

MSN – Jerermy Roebuck and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 1/8/2025

The Justice Department does not plan to publicly release special counsel Jack Smith’s findings on Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents until litigation against his co-defendants concludes. But prosecutors said Attorney General Merrick Garland does intend to release the portion of Smith’s report outlining his investigation into Trump’s efforts to undo the results of the 2020 election and to permit select members of Congress to review the withheld portions on the classified documents probe.

Congress Counts Electoral Votes, Clearing Path for Trump’s Return to Oval Office

MSN – John Bennett (Roll Call) | Published: 1/6/2025

Congress made Donald Trump’s Electoral College victory official on the anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection. No Democratic lawmakers rose to challenge any state’s electoral results during the joint session of the Senate and House, meaning Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance are set to be sworn in on January 20.

Gold-Plated Watches and Electoral Map Sneakers: Trump’s newest merchandise raises conflict of interest questions

MSN – Fredreka Schouten and Steve Contorno (CNN) | Published: 1/8/2025

In the two months since the election, Donald Trump has urged his nearly 8.5 million followers on Truth Social to buy limited edition guitars that bear his signature and Trump-themed fragrances that “represent winning.” The post-election sales pitches illustrate just how closely Trump’s personal business interests are entwined with his politics. But the president-elect and the Trump Organization have not offered details to the public on how they intend to wall off those varied interests from his job as president.

Trump Speaks with Justice Alito Amid Push to Halt Criminal Sentencing

MSN – Katherine Faulders, Jonathan Karl, and Devin Dwyer (ABC News) | Published: 1/8/2025

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke to Donald Trump by phone to recommend one of his former law clerks for a job in the new administration. The call occurred just hours before Trump’s lawyers filed an emergency request with the justices asking them to block a New York judge from moving forward with sentencing Trump in his criminal hush money case. Alito said he and Trump did not discuss that matter.

Federal Courts Won’t Refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to Attorney General Over Ethics

MSN – Lindsay Whitehurst (Associated Press) | Published: 1/2/2025

The federal courts will not refer allegations that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas may have violated ethics laws to the Justice Department. Thomas has agreed to follow updated requirements on reporting trips and gifts, including clearer guidelines on hospitality from friends, the U.S. Judicial Conference wrote to Democratic senators who had called for an investigation into undisclosed acceptance of luxury trips.

House Ethics Panel Recommends Further Review of Campaign Finance Allegations Against 2 Lawmakers

MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 1/2/2025

The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) wants to dig deeper into separate campaign finance allegations against two lawmakers, U.S. Reps. Andy Ogles and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. The OCE alleged Ogles may have misrepresented a loan to his 2022 campaign, transferring far less than the amount originally disclosed from an undetermined source. The OCE said Cherfilus-McCormick may have made “impermissible payments” to a state PAC that then paid vendors and her unofficial campaign manager.

Biden Awards Liz Cheney a Presidential Medal for Challenging Jan. 6 Attack

MSN – Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 1/2/2025

President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Liz Cheney, honoring one of Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics at a White House ceremony less than three weeks before Trump is set to reclaim the presidency. The medal, given to those who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country, is the nation’s second-highest award. Biden also p. Bennie Thompson, who along with Cheney led the House committee that investigated the assault on the Capitol.

Elon Musk Goes Global with His Playbook for Political Influence

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 1/4/2025

Last year, Elon Musk dominated U.S. politics, using his money and X microphone to boost Donald Trump and other Republicans in the 2024 elections. In the new year, Musk is flexing his political muscle on the global stage as well. He appears to be applying a playbook similar to the one he used to disrupt American politics, now boosting conservative politicians in the governments of the United States’ top allies. But his disregard for the veracity of his posts and his elevation of far right and extremist figures have alarmed liberal leaders around the world.

These ‘New’ Members Are Boomeranging Back to Congress

MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 1/3/2025

The 118th Congress was, by some measures, one of the least productive in recent history. Public opinion remains persistently low, and on their way out the door, lawmakers did not mince words. Death threats and swatting take a toll on members’ families, said Rep. Ann McLane Kuster while in the eyes of Rep. Anna Eshoo, money in politics has become “corrosive.” In spite of all this, some people cannot get enough and a few even decided, after taking a hiatus from Capitol Hill, that now was the perfect time to come back.

‘A Day of Love’: How Trump inverted the violent history of Jan. 6

Seattle Times – Dan Barry and Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 1/5/2025

In the wake of the attack on the Capitol, Donald Trump’s volatile political career seemed over. Myriad factors explain his resurrection, but not least of them is how effectively he and his loyalists have laundered the history of January 6. The inverted interpretation defied what the country had watched unfold, but it neatly fit the persecution narrative that binds Trump to many of his faithful. Once he committed to running again for president, he doubled down on flipping the script about the riot and its blowback, including a congressional inquiry and two criminal indictments against him, as part of an orchestrated victimization.

Cartoon of Jeff Bezos That His Paper Axed Goes Viral

Yahoo News – Liam Archacki (Daily Beast) | Published: 1/4/2025

A Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist revealed she quit her job at the Washington Post after management axed her drawing of billionaires – including Jeff Bezos, the paper’s owner – bending the knee to Donald Trump. Ann Telnaes said she drew a cartoon that criticized corporate titans for their efforts to curry favor with the president-elect. Like Amazon, Apple and Facebook also ponied up $1 million for Trump’s inauguration. But for the first time in her career, Telnaes said the paper killed the cartoon because of whom it targeted.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Trudeau Resigns After Nine Years in Power as Liberals Force Him Out

MSN – Brian Platt and Thomas Seal (Bloomberg) | Published: 1/6/2025

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is resigning after more than nine years leading Canada, bowing to sagging approval numbers and a rebellion within his political party. Trudeau will step down as head of the governing Liberal Party within months. He will remain as prime minister until a new leader is selected, and parliament has been suspended until March 24 while that process is underway. The winner of the Liberal leadership contest is set to become Canada’s 24th prime minister and will have to quickly prepare for an election, which the Conservative Party is the clear favorite to win, according to public opinion polls.

Colorado – Election Officials Advance Campaign Finance Complaint Against State Senator Prompted by Colorado Sun Reporting

Colorado Sun – Jesse Paul | Published: 1/3/2025

Colorado elections officials have advanced a campaign finance complaint against state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis. The complaint alleges Jaquez Lewis used campaign contributions for personal purposes not reasonably related to her campaign, made a prohibited donation to another candidate committee, and failed to report contributions and expenditures. It was reported that two of Jaquez Lewis’ Capitol staffers filed a workplace misconduct complaint claiming she used one of them to do chores like yard work and bartending at a party at her home and paid the staffer with a check from her campaign’s bank account.

Florida – A ‘Business-Friendly’ Lawyer’s Rise from Lobbyist to Attorney General Pick

DNyuz – Eric Lipton and Kate Kelly (New York Times) | Published: 1/8/2025

Pam Bondi would not be the first U.S. attorney general who previously served as a lobbyist. But while she was Florida’s attorney general, she became known for what one lobbying firm called her “business-friendly” attitude. She and her staff agreed to meet with a steady stream of lawyers whose clients had been targeted by other states for investigations. Then, in her time as a lobbyist, Bondi represented a long roster of corporate clients. Many of these companies have business with the federal government and could be subject to scrutiny by a Justice Department run by her, raising questions about potential conflicts-of-interest.

Georgia – Giuliani Is Held in Contempt of Court, But Avoids Jail

MSN – Erica Orden (Politico) | Published: 1/6/2025

A federal judge held Rudy Giuliani in civil contempt of court twice for failing to adequately respond to requests for documents and information sought by two Georgia women who won a $148 million defamation verdict against him in 2023. U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman declared Giuliani can no longer present the central legal defense that could have allowed the former New York City mayor to avoid handing over his Palm Beach condo to the two women, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.

Illinois – Board of Ethics Said It Did Not Give Mayor Brandon Johnson an Opinion About CPS Leave

MSN – Nell Salzman, Alice Yin, and Gregory Royal Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 1/8/2025

Despite City Hall’s claims, the Board of Ethics said it did not provide Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration with an opinion about whether he should resign from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to avoid a conflict-of-interest. It was reported that Ben Felton, a high-ranking CPS staffer, called on the mayor to resign from CPS after his election in 2023, but City Hall shrugged off the concerns.

Illinois – Back on the Witness Stand, Michael Madigan Rejects Bribery and Quid Pro Quo Allegations in Corruption Trial

WTTW – Matt Masterson | Published: 1/8/2025

Former Illinois House Speaker Madigan, who is charged alongside his longtime right-hand man Michael McClain, is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his political power to reward loyal allies and enrich himself. Madigan’s testimony in his trial seeks to discredit one of the main points federal prosecutors made in their case against him, that the speaker was seeking to use his public position to benefit his private tax law firm.

Indiana – Former Indiana Congressional Candidate Agrees to Plead Guilty in Campaign Finance Fraud Case

Yahoo News – Casey Smith (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 1/8/2025

Former Indiana congressional candidate Gabriel Whitley is admitting he falsified campaign finance records, saying he lied about raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions ahead of the May 2024 primary. The U.S. attorney’s office said Whitley admitted he lied to the FEC in three separate reports about hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from supporters and loans from himself.

Kansas – Overland Park Lawsuit Leads Judge to Narrow Kansas’ Definition of Political Action Committee

Yahoo News – Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 1/7/2025

A federal court sided with a group that supported candidates, allowing it to remain a local advocacy group rather than become a political committee. The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission had ordered Fresh Vision OP to file as a PAC following the group’s expenditure of more than $100 to champion the 2021 mayoral candidacy of an Overland Park mayoral candidate with mailers and a website. Rather than comply with the commission’s directive and disclose its donors, Fresh Vision’s leadership suspended operations and filed a lawsuit.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Withheld Information on Landry Staff’s Financial Interests from Public

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 1/7/2025

For seven months, the Louisiana Board of Ethics kept private documents about the financial interests of a handful of Gov. Jeff Landry’s staff that are supposed to be public under state law. The documents Landry’s top staff members filled out reveal information about all their personal income sources, their spouses’ jobs, investment holdings, property ownership, and ties to charities.

Minnesota – GOP Sues Over Timing of Special Election Crucial to Minnesota House Power Balance

MPR News – Clay Masters | Published: 1/6/2025

Minnesota Republicans are suing over the timing of a late-January special election that could determine if the state House moves back into a tie or remains in Republican hands deeper into the new legislative session. Gov. Tim Walz invoked a seldom used state law to schedule the special election for January 28 even before the House convened with 133 members instead of the full complement of 134. The outcome of the case is crucial because Republicans will come into the 2025 session with 67 seats to 66 for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party; the race for a seat favoring Democrats could push the House into a tie. fFor now

Montana – New Montana Legislative Website Has Problems, Legislative Services Working on Fixes

Yahoo News – Keila Szpaller (Daily Montanan) | Published: 1/8/2025

The chief information officer for the Legislative Services Division said a technology team is addressing problems with the Montana Legislature’s website, and the goal is to have a top-notch system once again. In the meantime, however, legislators, lobbyists. and members of the public are running into roadblocks in trying to follow lawmakers’ work.

New York – New York’s High Court Weighs Constitutionality of State Ethics Panel

Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 1/7/2025

The New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, heard arguments on whether the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government was formed in violation of the state constitution. The case stems from a yearslong battle between Andrew Cuomo and the state’s ethics commission, as well as its embattled predecessor agency, that stems from the former governor’s efforts to thwart an investigation of a $5 million deal he received for writing a book about his administration’s handling of the pandemic.

New York – Treasurer for Brooklyn Boro Prez Candidate Anthony Jones Pleads Guilty in Straw Donor Scheme

MSN – John Annese (New York Daily News) | Published: 1/7/2025

The treasurer for an unsuccessful Brooklyn borough president candidate pleaded guilty to charges she tried to scam the city out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in public matching funds. Erlene King tried to take advantage of the New York City’s matching campaign funds program with a straw donor scheme. She submitted $25,000 in straw donations to Jones’ campaign, along with five corresponding “fictitious records,” in the hopes of getting $400,000 in matching funds, prosecutors said.

New York – Judge Upholds Trump’s Felony Conviction, but Does Not Plan to Order Jail Time

MSN – Shayna Jacobs and David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 1/3/2025

Donald Trump will be sentenced on 34 counts of falsifying business records ahead of his swearing-in January 20 but is not expected to face jail time, a judge ruled. The decision to uphold Trump’s conviction and schedule the sentencing for January 10 almost certainly means Trump will be the first felon to serve as a U.S. president. New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said he plans to order an “unconditional discharge,” a designation in New York criminal courts for a non-jail and non-probation sentence that carries no other obligations.

New York – Board of Elections Director Made Racial and Sexual Remarks to Female Employees, City Probe Finds

The City – Greg Smith | Published: 1/7/2025

A Department of Investigation probe documented evidence that Michael Ryan, executive director of the New York City Board of Elections, routinely made racially insensitive and sexually suggestive remarks to two top-level minority female staffers, prompting the independent watchdog agency to recommend he resign. Both employees felt they had little recourse to confront Ryan about his comments because of his position according to the report.

North Carolina – North Carolina Justices Block Certification of Election Outcome in Race for One of Its Own Seats

MSN – Associated Press | Published: 1/7/2025

The North Carolina Supreme Court blocked the certification of a November election result for one of its own seats so it can review legal arguments by a trailing candidate who contends over 60,000 ballots that were cast should not be counted. The decision by the Republican-dominated state Supreme Court to issue the temporary stay is a setback for Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Election results show Riggs ahead of GOP challenger Jefferson Griffin by just 734 votes from over 5.5 million ballots cast.

North Dakota – Voters Created an Ethics Commission in North Dakota. Then the Legislature Limited Its Power.

Yahoo News – Jacob Orledge (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 1/6/2025

The North Dakota Ethics Commission has achieved less than the advocates had hoped in the six years since its inception, undermined in large part by the Legislature the commission is charged with overseeing. The commission has not substantiated any of the 81 complaints it has received. It has dismissed 47, most because it lacked the authority to investigate them. Thirty complaints are pending, some for more than a year. Numerous tips do not get investigated because the agency cannot proceed without a formal complaint, and complainants have said they fear retaliation if they file one, the commission’s executive director said.

Ohio – An Ohio Mayor’s Company Hired a Lobbyist to Weaken a State Ethics Law. The Legislature Passed It During Lame Duck.

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/5/2025

In a massive bill passed late on the final lawmaking day of 2024, Republicans slipped in an unvetted amendment creating an ethics exemption for small town mayors. The idea came from an Ohio mayor, who also serves as chief executive of a water treatment supply company. Under current law, businesses owned by public officials generally cannot accept public contracts unless the government gets the best treatment and the lowest cost, and the public official takes no part in the town’s decision. The change would have exempted village mayors’ businesses from the law under certain conditions.

Pennsylvania – Governor’s Office Forced to Reveal Why It Spent $368K on Private Law Firms

MSN – Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) | Published: 1/8/2025

The administration of former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf spent tens of thousands of public dollars to hire private law firms for an ethics investigation, federal and state grand jury probes, and advice on taxes. In response to a public records request, the governor’s office originally released documents that showed which firms it hired and how much those firms charged, but it blacked out the reasons the private law firms were hired.

Rhode Island – R.I. Ethics Panel Postpones Vote on Reforming Gifts from Lobbyists

Yahoo News – Alexander Castro (Rhode Island Current) | Published: 1/7/2025

Government watchdogs will have to wait and see whether the Rhode Island Ethics Commission pursues proposed changes to state rules regulating who can give public officials gifts. After an hourlong discussion, the commission voted to delay a vote until all nine of its members have had a chance to review the proposal’s origins, which were prompted by a less-than-pristine education consulting contract forged in the early days of Gov. Dan McKee’s administration.

South Dakota – Regulator Stays on New Carbon Pipeline Case After Prior Recusal, with No Explanation This Time

Yahoo News – Joshua Haiar (South Dakota Searchlight) | Published: 12/30/2024

A trust controlled by a South Dakota regulator’s relatives still owns land along a proposed pipeline route, but the regulator has not recused herself from the project’s second permit application after recusing herself from the first one. Two years ago, Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen disqualified herself from Summit Carbon Solutions’ first carbon dioxide pipeline application. She cited state law prohibiting commissioners from participating in hearings or proceedings when they have conflicts-of-interest.

Texas – Republicans Prepare Fresh Effort to Ban Local Governments from Using Public Funds for Lobbying

Houston Public Media – Andrew Schneider | Published: 1/1/2025

Republican lawmakers will make another push to bar local governments from spending public funds on lobbying. A ban is all but certain to pass the Senate, but its prospects in the House are less clear. Asked whether he would support a similar ban on corporate lobbying to protect shareholders and customers from having their money used for lobbying against their wishes, state Sen. Mayes Middleton said there was no comparison.

Utah – Utah Legislature Could Explore Switching Authors of Ballot Initiatives

Yahoo News – Alixel Cabrera (Utah News Dispatch) | Published: 1/7/2025

After the description of a proposed amendment to the Utah Constitution sparked controversy, Democratic lawmakers are seeking more neutrality in future drafts. The Senate president and House speaker of are in charge of writing titles and questions submitted by the Legislature, summarizing the subject, and explaining any laws that could become effective if voters approve. But after the language of Amendment D prompted a successful court challenge by critics that left the question voided on voters’ ballots, Democrats want legislative attorneys, part of a nonpartisan body, to take over the job of drafting future ballot questions.

Virginia – Democrats Retain Control of Virginia Legislature in Special Elections

MSN – Laura Vozzella (Washington Post) | Published: 1/7/2025

Democrats retained control of Virginia’s General Assembly in special election on January 7, dimming Glenn Youngkin’s prospects for a big legislative legacy. Republicans could have upset the balance of power in Richmond and given Youngkin the chance to advance his conservative agenda in the final year of his term had they flipped two Loudoun County seats on the ballot. But Democrats held on to the Loudoun House and Senate seats, while Republicans retained a Senate post in central Virginia.

West Virginia – Senate President Craig Blair to Take Up Leadership Position Within a Leading Lobbying and Government Relations Firm

West Virginia MetroNews – Katherine Skeldon | Published: 1/2/2025

Soon-to-be former West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair says his new job is not of a lobbyist but a consultant in government relations. Blair announced he will begin serving as Senior Advisor of West Virginia for the LNE Group, a lobbying and government relations firm starting January 8. “I’ve learned a lot of things over the years and I’m going to be able to help us continue on the path to prosperity for the people of West Virginia, but I’m going to be for hire for being able to do that,” Blair said.

Wisconsin – Gov. Evers Wants to Let Wisconsin Voters Propose Statewide Ballot Measures

Yahoo News – Baylor Spears (Wisconsin Examiner) | Published: 1/6/2025

Gov. Tony Evers is proposing the Legislature create a way for Wisconsin residents to directly create ballot measures that make statutory and constitutional changes through the referendum process. State law currently permits lawmakers to place proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot, after they pass two consecutive legislative sessions. But Wisconsin does not have a way for voters themselves to introduce initiatives or place a binding referendum on the statewide ballot.

National/Federal

Social Media Companies Face Global Tug-of-War Over Free Speech

DNyuz – Cecilia King and Adam Satariano (New York Times) | Published: 12/30/2024

Donald Trump and his allies have vowed to squash an online “censorship cartel” of social media firms they say targets conservatives. Trump’s newly chosen regulators at the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission outlined plans to stop social media platforms from removing content the companies deem offensive and punish advertisers that leave less restrictive platforms like X in protest of the lack of moderation. Trump’s return to the White House is expected to widen the speech divide that has long existed between the U.S. and Europe, setting up parallel regulatory systems.

The Big Companies Funding Trump’s Inauguration Despite Denouncing Jan. 6

MSN – Rebecca Ballhaus, Dana Mattioli, Shalini Ramachandran, and Maggie Severn (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 12/25/2024

The Wall Street Journal identified at least 11 companies and trade associations that are backing Donald Trump’s inauguration after earlier pledging to suspend or reconsider PAC donations after January 6, 2021. Now, as corporate executives hurry to make inroads with an incoming president whose agenda will have sweeping ramifications for the business world, many of those pledges are a thing of the past. Donors who give $1 million or raise $2 million from others receive six tickets to a series of events, including a reception with cabinet appointees, a “candlelight dinner” with Trump and Melania Trump, and a black-tie ball.

Senate Review of Supreme Court Ethics Finds More Luxury Trips and Urges Enforceable Code of Conduct

MSN – Lindsay Whitehurst (Associated Press) | Published: 12/24/2024

A nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of Supreme Court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct. Any movement on the issue appears unlikely as Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in January, underscoring the hurdles in imposing restrictions on a separate branch of government even as public confidence in the court has fallen to record lows.

House Ethics Report Says Matt Gaetz Paid for Sex, Possessed Drugs

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany, Justine McDaniel, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 12/23/2024

Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz regularly paid for sex, possessed illegal drugs, and paid a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to a report released by the House Committee on Ethics on Donald Trump’s former pick for attorney general. The committee also investigated a 2018 trip Gaetz made to the Bahamas where the panel found he accepted transportation and lodging in violation of the House rules and laws on gifts.

Foreign-Company Lobbyists Would Need to Register Under Proposed DOJ Regulation

National Law Review – Dan Novak | Published: 12/27/2024

The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) requires certain lobbyists and organizations to register as foreign agents if they have ties to foreign governments. Under the current law, individuals working on behalf of commercial businesses are largely exempt from disclosing foreign ties under FARA. But for some entities, such as state-owned enterprises, the line between economic and political interests is thin. Under proposed changes to the law, completely private companies could no longer claim an exemption in certain situations, said Murad Hussain, an attorney who advises clients on FARA compliance and investigations.

House Member in Assisted Living Draws Fresh Scrutiny to an Aging Congress

Seattle Times – Katie Edmondson (New York Times) | Published: 12/23/2024

A conservative outlet in Texas revealed U.S. Rep. Kay Granger had not voted in the House since July and has been living in an independent living facility, an arrangement her office had not disclosed. Granger, who is 81, stepped down as the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee in March and said she would not seek reelection, but she continued to serve out the rest of her term. The episode brought renewed attention to how Capitol Hill is powered by a crop of septuagenarians and octogenarians, including some who refuse to relinquish power even far past their primes.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Alabama Ethics Bill Cited in Report on Attempts to Reduce Ethics Commission Powers

Yahoo News – Ralph Chapoco (Alabama Reflector) | Published: 12/31/2024

A new report from the Campaign Legal Center found a number of efforts to reduce the power of ethics commissions, legislatively or legally, to investigate the conduct of public officials and gauge misconduct. The report comes after an attempt in the Alabama Legislature earlier this year to reclassify some ethics offenses and limit the ability of the state Ethics Commission to impose penalties. Of the 12 states included in the report, the report cited nine, including Alabama’s, as challenging ethics commissions, while two, Washington and Vermont, have strengthened ethics commissions.

Alaska – Alaska Ranked-Choice System Threatened with Fresh Repeal Efforts

MSN – Caroline Vaki and Jared Gans (The Hill) | Published: 12/30/2024

Opponents of Alaska’s ranked-choice system are renewing their efforts to overhaul the voting method ahead of 2026 after an effort to undo the system narrowly failed in November. Two groups submitted petitions that would get rid of ranked-choice voting and open primaries. One of those groups is also seeking to undo a provision aimed at offering greater transparency in campaign finance disclosures.

California – Number of Registered Lobbyists Jumps to a Record High in California

MSN – Sameea Kamal (CalMatters) | Published: 12/26/2024

California saw its biggest increase in registered lobbyists last session since at least 2011, when a change in the law caused the number to more than double.  There was a roughly 10 percent increase in the number of lobbyists who registered for the 2023-24 session compared to the previous one for a record of 3,245 people. Longtime lobbyist Chris Micheli sees it as the result of the high turnover in the Legislature, leading to an “exodus of legislative staff” who went into advocacy.

Georgia – Court Rules Georgia Lawmakers Can Subpoena Fani Willis for Information Related to Her Trump Case

MSN – Kate Brumback and Jeff Amy (Associated Press) | Published: 12/27/2024

A judge ruled the Georgia Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Lewis as part of an inquiry into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of Donald Trump but is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers’ demands are overly broad. Willis has until January 13 to submit arguments over whether the subpoenas seek legally shielded or confidential information.

Georgia – Fani Willis Disqualified from Trump Election Case by Georgia Appellate Court

MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 12/19/2024

A Georgia appellate court overturned a judge’s ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain in charge of the criminal racketeering case against Donald Trump and several allies charged with conspiring to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state, a decision that could doom the high-profile prosecution. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee had rejected a motion to disqualify Willis and her office after she was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an outside attorney she hired to lead the election interference case.

Hawaii – Legislature May Take a Stand Against Decades of Pay-To-Play Politics

Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 12/26/2024

Hawaii lawmakers said they plan to revisit the ban on campaign contributions from state contractors when the legislative session convenes in January. There is also momentum building in other areas meant to combat public corruption. A bigger budget is proposed for the office that monitors political donations and new ethics rules seek to crack down on the relationship between contractors and state workers.

Illinois – Mayor Brandon Johnson Faced Ethics Concerns Over Ties to Chicago Public Schools and Teachers Union, According to Memo

MSN – Nell Salzman, Alice Yin, and Gregory Royal Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 12/25/2024

Mayor Brandon Johnson declined to resign his position with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) after a high-ranking CPS official raised ethics concerns about a potential conflict-of-interest, according to a memorandum. CPS Chief Talent Officer Ben Felton wrote a memo less than two months after the mayor’s May 2023 inauguration documenting conversations Felton had with Johnson’s deputy mayor for education, Jen Johnson, about their leaves from the Chicago Teachers Union. Members of the union can sometimes take leaves of absence to take other jobs and return later.

Illinois – Former AT&T Illinois Executive Accused of Bribing Mike Madigan Gets New Trial Date

WBEZ – Tina Sfondeles and Jon Seidel (Chicago Sun-Times) | Published: 12/19/2024

Former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza will face trial again on June 3 after his first trial ended in September with a hung jury. U.S. District Court Judge Robert Gettleman shot down La Schiazza’s bid for an acquittal, so the former executive still faces charges he bribed former House Speaker Michael Madigan in 2017 by paying $22,500 to former state Rep. Edward Acevedo after Acevedo left the Illinois General Assembly.

Indiana – Indiana Sen. Greg Taylor Out as Democratic Leader Despite Denying Sexual Harassment

Yahoo News – Tony Cook, Kayla Dwyer, and Hayleigh Colombo (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 12/18/2024

Indiana Sen. Greg Taylor is out as the chamber’s Democratic leader a day after three more women accused the lawmaker of sexual harassment. Taylor categorically denied allegations of sexual harassment, distancing himself from a previous statement in which he apologized and accepted some responsibility. In all, six women – former legislative staffers, interns, and a lobbyist – have accused Taylor of sexual harassment or misconduct.

Maine – Maine Delays Enforcement of Campaign Donor Limits

Yahoo News – Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 12/20/2024

Maine agreed to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a new law limiting contributions to super PACs until May 30, 2025, in response to a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new requirements. The Institute for Free Speech says the $5,000 contribution limit directly contradicts the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling. That decision said the First Amendment allows PACs to spend as much money as they want in elections.

Maryland – New Year, Same Old Scramble for Campaign Cash in Annapolis

Maryland Matters – Josh Kurtz | Published: 1/2/2025

Thanks to the way the 2025 calendar is aligned, this year’s General Assembly session in Maryland is opening on the earliest date possible, January 8, which means the annual pre-session scramble by lawmakers and statewide elected officials to raise money before a three-month fundraising ban goes into effect is more condensed and intense than ever. Every year, between New Year’s Day and the session kickoff, there are a mind-numbing number of fundraising events on tap as politicians scurry to fill their campaign coffers just as lobbyists, special interest groups, and political donors begin to pay attention to the policymakers’ work.

Michigan – Michigan Transparency Plans Die Again, Keeping Public in the Dark

Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 12/20/2024

The state House adjourned without taking up a Senate-approved plan to expand Michigan’s open records law to the Legislature and governor, which remains one of only two states with such broad exemptions. House leadership also never took up a package of ethics reforms aimed at curbing conflicts-of-interest and strengthening the implementation of a voter-approved personal financial disclosure system that shed little light on politicians’ entanglements.

Missouri – Missouri Ethics Commission Fines ‘Truth In Politics’ $250K for Defying Campaign Laws

Yahoo News – Claudette Riley (Springfield News-Leader) | Published: 12/28/2024

The Missouri Ethics Commission imposed a penalty of almost $250,000 against Truth In Politics, a group which primarily sought to influence the outcome of Springfield school board races. The commission found that for a two-year period, while taking in more than $127,000, Truth In Politics failed to register as a committee, report contributions and spending, and file the required campaign finance reports.

New York – Mayor Adams’ Campaign Faces Potential ‘Breach of Certification’ Finding Over Federal Corruption Case

MSN – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 12/20/2024

Citing New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption indictment, the Campaign Finance Board is weighing the possibility of finding his campaign in “breach of certification,” the panel’s most severe penalty that could potentially cost the campaign as much as $10 million. Danielle Willemin, the board’s auditing director, said Adams’ indictment “establishes probable cause” he committed wire fraud to illicitly obtain public matching funds for his 2021 and 2025 campaigns and solicited illegal donations from foreign nationals for both his mayoral runs.

New York – Trump Loses Appeal in $5 Million E. Jean Carroll Defamation, Sexual Abuse Case

MSN – Perry Stein and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 12/30/2024

A federal appeals court upheld a $5 million New York civil trial jury verdict that found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. In May 2023, jurors determined Carroll had sufficiently proved she was sexually abused in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in the mid-1990s after a chance encounter with Trump. The jury also found Trump defamed Carroll years later on social media, after she publicly accused him of rape. The jury awarded Carroll a total of $5 million.

North Carolina – A North Carolina Supreme Court Candidate’s Bid to Overturn His Loss Is Based on Theory Election Deniers Deemed Extreme

MSN – Doug Bock Clark (ProPublica) | Published: 12/23/2024

A novel theory is now at the center of a legal challenge by North Carolina Judge Jefferson Griffin, who lost a race for a state Supreme Court seat to the Democratic incumbent, Allison Riggs, by 734 votes and is seeking to have the result overturned. The state election board dismissed a previous version of the challenge, which is now being considered in federal court. Before the election, judge denied an attempt by the Republican National Committee to remove 225,000 voters from the roles based on the same theory.

Ohio – Ohio Lawmakers Pass Surprise Law Letting Police Charge Public Up to $75 Per Hour for Body Cam Videos

MSN – Cory Shaffer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/20/2024

First Amendment and government transparency advocates said they were blindsided by a law the Ohio Legislature passed that lets police departments make it harder for the public to keep tabs on them. An amendment to the state’s sunshine laws that was slipped into the 441-page bill that was introduced and passed in an hour would give state and local law enforcement departments the power to charge up to $75 for each hour of video released in response to a public records request. The proposal, which is not mandatory, would cap the charge at $750 per request for copies of records that most departments currently provide for little to no cost.

Ohio – Ohio Secretary of State’s Office Moves to Keep Little-Known Law from Tripping Up Transgender Candidates’ Campaigns

MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/30/2024

Nearly a year after a transgender Ohioan was kicked off the ballot for not putting her “deadname” on her campaign form, Secretary of State Frank LaRose altered candidate paperwork to prevent such issues from happening in the future. The Stark County Board of Elections disqualified Vanessa Joy from running for an Ohio House seat for violating a little-known state law requiring candidates filing to run for elected office to disclose any other names they have gone by in the past five years (except those who changed their last name because of marriage).

Ohio – No Trial Dates. Endless Disputes. Here’s Why the FirstEnergy Bribery Cases Are Mired in Delay

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/29/2024

Those waiting for a resolution on the bribery cases against FirstEnergy’s chief executive officer and vice president are going to have to wait. A review of the remaining action – the criminal cases against the executives accused of orchestrating the public corruption scheme, the lawsuit against the company brought by its investors, and the regulatory investigations from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the Securities and Exchange Commission – suggest three of the four remain mired in early stage legal squabbles unlikely to resolve quickly or easily. The cases are increasingly intersecting, with one hampering or slowing down the other.

Ohio – Former Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones Pleads Guilty to Federal Corruption Charges

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/18/2024

Former Cleveland City Councilperson Basheer Jones admitted to using his influence as a first-term council member to bank money for himself and his girlfriend through nonprofits and real-estate schemes. The plea agreement calls for a recommended prison term that ranges from two years and nine months to three years and five months. Jones also agreed to pay restitution. Jones is the sixth city council member in the last two decades to be convicted of crimes in office.

Oregon – New Lobbying Regulations Introduced in Portland Aim to Enhance Transparency and Oversight

Hoodline – Samuel Hanson | Published: 12/13/2024

The city auditor’s office finalized new lobbying regulations in Portland. The adopted administrative rules pertaining to lobbying entities’ registration and reporting requirements, as well as the stipulations for city officials and enforcement protocols. One rule defines the responsibilities of lobbying entities in registering and reporting their activities, emphasizing indirect lobbying activities such as those conducted through third parties.

Pennsylvania – Are Lobbyist Emails to Lawmakers Public Records? A Pa. Court Will Decide.

MSN – Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) | Published: 12/20/2024

A court case in Pennsylvania could, for the first time, result in the public gaining access to emails between the state legislators and the lobbyists who try to influence them. The case pits the news organization against the Pennsylvania Senate, which last year denied a request for emails between lawmakers and a group of lobbyists. The Senate asserted that emails do not fall under one of the 19 categories of records the Legislature must make public under the law. Those categories, which largely encompass financial records, are unique to the Legislature.

Rhode Island – RI Advocacy Group Files Complaint Over McKee’s ILO Controversy. What to Know.

MSN – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 12/19/2024

Though state Attorney General Peter Neronha found insufficient evidence to file a criminal charge against anyone connected to the award of a $5.2 million education consulting contract to ILO, Common Cause Rhode Island filed a complaint with the secretary of state against Michael Magee, a political ally of Gov. Dan McKee. Common Cause alleged Magee aggressively lobbied the executive branch to award a contract to the newly created ILO Group without officially registering as a lobbyist.

Texas – Ex-Harris County Health Director Charged with Three New Felonies in Awarding $40M-Worth of Contracts

MSN – Eric Dexheimer and Dylan McGuinness (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 12/27/2024

Barbie Robinson, the former head of the Harris County Public Health Department, was charged with three more crimes for allegedly funneling inside information to help companies she had previous connections to secure lucrative county contracts. The new allegations relate to $40 million worth of contracts given to IBM and DEMA Management & Consulting, two companies Robinson worked with previously in California. The Houston Chronicle in August reported on potentially improper connections between Robinson and DEMA. Harris County’s lead administrator, Diana Ramirez, fired her from her job just days later.

Virginia – Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted of Bribery in Badges-for-Dollars Scheme

MSN – Paul Duggan (Washington Post) | Published: 12/18/2024

Scott Jenkins, the former rural Virginia sheriff accused of deputizing wealthy untrained civilians who authorities said paid him tens of thousands of dollars for badges, was convicted of federal bribery and fraud charges. Prosecutors said Jenkins enriched himself and his campaigns by swearing in business owners from the Washington area as unpaid auxiliary deputies, giving them police powers for bribes ranging from $5,000 to $25,00, more than $60,000 in all, often in cash-stuffed envelopes.

West Virginia – Jim Justice to Delay Senate Swearing-In to Avert Knotty Succession in West Virginia

MSN – Daniela Altimari (Roll Call) | Published: 12/27/2024

When newly elected U.S. senators are sworn in January 3 at the Capitol, one member will not be there. Jim Justice says he will serve out his term as West Virginia governor and postpone joining the Senate until his gubernatorial successor is inaugurated on January 13. Justice said he wanted to avoid a scenario under which the state would shuffle through four different governors over a 10-day span.

National/Federal

A Constitutional Convention? Some Democrats Fear It’s Coming.

DNyuz – Heather Knight and Katr Selig (New York Times) | Published: 12/16/2024

As Republicans prepare to take control of Congress and the White House, among the many scenarios keeping Democrats up at night is an event that many Americans consider a historical relic: a constitutional convention. The 1787 gathering in Philadelphia to write the Constitution was the only time state representatives have convened to work on the document. But a line in the Constitution allows Congress to convene a rewrite session if two-thirds of state Legislatures have called for one. Most states have long-forgotten requests that could be enough to trigger a new constitutional convention, some scholars and politicians believe.

New Watchdog Group Seeks Records About Efficiency Department’s Talks with Agencies

DNyuz – David Fahrenthold (New York Times) | Published: 12/18/2024

A watchdog nonprofit said it was asking 16 federal agencies to detail any interactions they have had with Elon Musk’s new budget-cutting effort. The State Democracy Defenders Fund was founded by Norman Eisen, who was an ethics official during the Obama administration. The group says its initial focus during the Trump administration will be the Department of Government Efficiency Department, which is not a government department, but a loosely organized effort run by Musk and another wealthy entrepreneur, Vivek Ramaswamy.

Justice Dept. Is Examining Special-Counsel Team That Investigated Trump

MSN – Perry Stein and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 12/18/2024

The Justice Department is conducting an internal review to determine whether special counsel Jack Smith and his team of prosecutors ran afoul of any agency regulations when prosecuting Donald Trump. The Office of Professional Responsibility opened the review after a prosecutor reported a defense attorney in one of Trump’s cases had accused him of misconduct. It is standard procedure for Justice Department prosecutors to make such reports when wrongdoing is alleged. The initiation of an internal review does not suggest the Justice Department believes any wrongdoing occurred.

More Former Members of Congress Win Election for Lower Office This Year

MSN – Nathan Gonzales (Roll Call) | Published: 12/18/2024

While hundreds of candidates spend tens of millions of dollars trying to get to Capitol Hill, a handful of lawmakers willingly leave Congress each cycle and run for state or local office. Inside the Beltway, the move is often portrayed as a demotion, but some of these former members find themselves representing more people in their new roles, along with having more influence and a better quality of life than when they served in Washington.

Opaque Nonprofit Donation to Shadowy Super PAC Raises ‘Several Red Flags’

MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 12/12/2024

The super PAC Save Western Culture drew scrutiny ahead of the election as it spent nearly $1.4 million on controversial ads, mailers, and robocalls that boosted libertarian candidates and attacked Republicans in battleground Senate and House races, helping Democrats clinch some key seats. A $1.6 million donation the super PAC’s sole source of funding, from a newly formed nonprofit called Stop China Now Inc. was not disclosed until after Election Day.

Thirteen 2020 Fake Electors Will Cast Real Electoral College Votes for Trump on Tuesday

MSN – Marshall Cohen (CNN) | Published: 12/17/2024

Thirteen Republicans who participated in the 2020 fake electors plot, including some who are facing criminal charges, cast real Electoral College votes for President-elect Donald Trump, as electors in the states finalize his victory. The voting is largely ceremonial, but serving as an elector is an honor often bestowed upon party leaders and respected community members, not alleged criminals.

Judges Punt Retirement Plans After Trump Win, Raising Ethics Questions

MSN – Ella Lee (The Hill) | Published: 12/18/2024

A handful of federal judges appointed by Democrats have put off retirement plans in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory, raising questions about the ethics of their decisions as judicial vacancies for the next administration dwindle. Legal experts said judges have discretion to decide when to retire, and while walk-backs are rare, it has become increasingly common to hinge those decisions on who is in the White House to pick their successors and in the Senate to confirm them.

House Ethics Committee Set to Release Investigation Report on Matt Gaetz

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 12/18/2024

The House Committee on Ethic is set to release its report on former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a reversal for the panel that previously voted along party lines not to release the results of a long-running investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use. The committee’s turnaround was the culmination of a contentious debate over whether to release the report after Gaetz had resigned from Congress and withdrawn from consideration for attorney general.

New Charges Target Ex-Miami Congressman for Lobbying on Behalf of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tycoon

MSN – Joshua Goodman (Associated Press) | Published: 12/18/2024

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against former David Rivera for failing to register as a foreign agent of a sanctioned Venezuelan media tycoon on whose behalf the former member of Congress allegedly lobbied the Trump administration. The indictment is the second set of criminal charges to examine Rivera’s relationship with Raúl Gorrín, a billionaire businessperson charged in 2018 and again in 2024 with bribing senior Venezuelan officials in corrupt deals to embezzle state funds from Nicolas Maduro’s administration.

Trump and His Picks Threaten More Lawsuits Over Critical Coverage

Seattle Times – David Enrich (New York Times) | Published: 12/15/2024

A flurry of threatened defamation lawsuits is the latest sign the incoming Trump administration appears poised to do what it can to crack down on unfavorable media coverage. Before and after the election, Trump and his allies have discussed subpoenaing news organizations, prosecuting journalists and their sources, revoking networks’ broadcast licenses, and eliminating funding for public radio and television.

Massages and Country Clubs: Customer bills may be funding power companies’ lavish perks

Yahoo News – Mario Alejandro Ariza (Floodlight) | Published: 12/12/2024

Power companies across the country have been quietly trying to charge their customers for millions of dollars’ worth of luxury expenses, including access to exclusive country clubs and private jet travel, according to a new report from the Energy and Policy Institute , a utility watchdog. The regulated companies are only supposed to charge for expenses that directly benefit customers, such as upgrades to the electric grid. But the regulatory system allows gas and electric companies to also charge nonessential lobbying and advertising costs into customers’ electric bills, the report found.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – GOP-Linked Groups Want Court to End Voter-Approved Campaign Finance Requirements

Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 12/16/2024

Two groups that support Republicans are making a last-ditch effort to have the Arizona Supreme Court end campaign finance requirements that voters have approved. The goal of their legal effort is to let them keep secret who really is funding their efforts to influence elections. Lawyers for the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and the Center for Arizona Policy argue Proposition 211, adopted by voters in 2022, violates the free speech clause in the state constitution.

California – Los Angeles Times Owner Wades Deeper into Opinion Section

DNyuz – Katie Robinson (New York Times) | Published: 12/12/2024

After Donald Trump announced a cascade of cabinet picks, the Los Angeles Times prepared an editorial arguing the Senate should follow its traditional process for confirming nominees, particularly given the editorial board’s concerns about some of his picks and ignore Trump’s call for recess appointments. But the newspaper’s owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, told the opinion department’s leaders the editorial could not be published unless the paper also published an editorial with an opposing view.

California – Sales Tax Hike May Head to Special Election in April. Oakland Public Watchdog Funding Will Not

MSN – Eli Wolfe (Oaklandside) | Published: 12/16/2024

The Oakland City council voted down a proposal to increase funding for the city’s oversight bodies, which carry out duties ranging from monitoring the police department to enforcing campaign finance rules. The tax would have raised $23.2 million yearly to fund the Public Ethics Commission, the city auditor, and two arms of the Oakland Police Commission. Good government advocates said these groups would be better shielded from political meddling if they had funding from dedicated tax dollars instead of relying on money from the general purpose fund, which the council has significant control over.

California – New Stanton City Council Nixes Tightest Campaign Finance Rules in OC

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 12/17/2024

The Stanton City Council decided to get rid of an ordinance before it went into effect that would have been the strongest campaign finance law in Orange County minutes after two new council members were sworn into office. Mayor David Shawver, who earlier voted in support of the ordinance, argued it was contrary to state law and would leave the city liable to lawsuits.

California – California Lawmaker Questioned in Sprawling Cannabis Corruption Investigation

Yahoo News – Anabel Sosa (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/12/2024

Documents made public by federal prosecutors allege a public official who fits the profile of California Sen. Susan Rubio was part of sprawling bribery scheme when she served on the Baldwin Park City Council and campaigned for state office in 2018. The information was revealed in a plea agreement in which former Baldwin Park City Attorney Robert Tafoya admitted his role in a cannabis bribery scheme and agreed to cooperate in ongoing public corruption investigations.

Colorado – Ethics Complaint Filed Against Embattled State Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis Over Alleged Aide Mistreatment

Colorado Sun – Jesse Paul | Published: 12/18/2024

A constituent of embattled Colorado Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis lodged an ethics complaint, alleging Jaquez Lewis has failed to uphold her office with integrity and the public interest by mistreating her Capitol aides. The complaint could lead to the most serious consequences yet for Jaquez Lewis, who has already been stripped of her committee assignments and barred from having state-paid staffers because of the aide allegations.

Colorado – Denver Gave $8M to Political Candidates in 2023. Now, It’s Considering Changes

Denverite – Kyle Harris | Published: 12/18/2024

The Denver City Council is considering changes to the city’s Fair Election Fund, a voter-approved program that gives public money to political candidates. The program has been praised for allowing more people to be competitive in fundraising, but it also has raised concerns as the city has awarded millions of taxpayer dollars to dozens of candidates.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Committee Recommends Expelling Trayon White Over Rules Violations

MSN – Meagan Flynn and Jenny Gathright (Washington Post) | Published: 12/16/2024

A District of Columbia Council ad hoc committee voted to recommend that council member Trayon White Sr. be expelled from the council after an investigative report found “substantial evidence” he violated ethics rules when he allegedly accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes involving government contracts. The vote means the council may vote to expel White in early 2025. White, who has pleaded not guilty in a federal bribery case, will have at least 30 days to prepare a defense to his proposed expulsion.

Florida – Questions of ‘Pay to Play’ Linger Over Santa Rosa GOP Candidate Forum

MSN – Jim Little (Pensacola News Journal) | Published: 12/16/2024

Some candidates in the special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Matt Gaetz felt like they had no choice but to donate $1000 to the Santa Rosa County Republican Executive Committee to participate in a candidate forum which has raised allegations of pay-to-play from one local lawmaker. State Rep. Alex Andrade said he is looking into the situation to decide whether to notify the Florida Division of Elections about the donation request he believes violated the law.

Illinois – Judge Denies Acquittal Bid for Ex-AT&T Boss Accused of Bribing Madigan

MSN – Jason Meisner and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 12/12/2024

Three months after his trial ended in a hung jury, ex-AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza’s bid for acquittal was denied by a federal judge, who ruled prosecutors had shown ample evidence of a quid pro quo scheme to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan. The ruling not only sets the stage for a potential retrial for La Schiazza, but also comes as jurors in Madigan’s own corruption trial are hearing the same evidence of the alleged scheme to steer a do-nothing contract to ex-state Rep. Edward Acevedo to help win the powerful speaker’s support on key legislation in Springfield.

Illinois – Paper Tigers

MSN – Dan Petrella and Gregory Royal Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 12/15/2024

A key factor in Illinois’ pervasive political corruption is that public officials create systems of oversight that often thwart accountability for elected officials and government employees. A review of Illinois and Chicago ethics laws found consistent weaknesses, including restrictions on the types of misconduct watchdogs are permitted to probe, a lack of transparency when wrongdoing is uncovered because of limitations on how the results of investigations can be made public, and limited ability to impose sanctions on those found to have broken laws or ethics rules.

Iowa – Trump Sues Des Moines Register and Iowa Pollster, Escalating Attacks on Media

MSN – Elahe Izadi, Laura Wagner, and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 12/17/2024

Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register newspaper and its highly respected former pollster, adding to his ongoing legal attacks against news media companies. The suit – which names the newspaper’s parent company, Gannett, its former pollster J. Ann Selzer, and her polling firm – centers on a Selzer poll released three days before the presidential election that showed trailing Vice President Kamala Harris.

Maine – Maine Sued Over New Voter-Approved Campaign Finance Limits

Yahoo News – Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 12/13/2024

A national conservative group is suing to overturn new campaign finance limits approved by Maine voters in November. The Institute for Free Speech argues the initiative violates the Constitution by limiting free speech and forcing groups to disclose their donors, including those who donate less than $50. The Institute says the new law would prevent PACs from spending money they have already raised and unfairly excludes PACs controlled by political parties and those campaigning for ballot questions.

Massachusetts – Boston Considers Ethics Committee After City Councilor’s Arrest on Corruption Charges

MSN – Tréa Lavery (MassLive) | Published: 12/11/2024

At the first Boston City Council meeting since Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested by federal authorities and accused of running a kickback scheme, fellow Councilor Ed Flynn proposed creating a new committee focused on ethics. The charges are not the first scandal, or even the first arrest, to hit the city council in recent years.

Massachusetts – Fed Subpoena Revealed: Investigators wanted Fernandes Anderson’s notes, chats, images and more

MSN – Gayla Cawley and Joe Dwinell (Boston Herald) | Published: 12/17/2024

The federal grand jury subpoena sent to Boston City Hall in September set forth wide-ranging demands for detailed copies of now indicted Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson’s emails, drafts, and “Lotus notes” in a kickback probe that left no stone unturned. It also lists 22 secretaries and administrative assistants who have served under Fernandes Anderson in some capacity. The subpoena suggests they were at the crossroads of “electronic communications: of Fernandes Anderson’s alleged $7,000 kickback scheme.

Michigan – Lobbyists Spend Millions Wining and Dining Michigan Lawmakers, But Flawed System Prevents Public from Knowing Specifics

Deadline Detroit – Jack Armstrong, Miranda Dunlap, Lily Guiney, Andrew Miller-Thomas, Sarah Moore, and Chloe Trofatter (Eye on Michigan) | Published: 12/17/2024

A media investigation found Michigan’s system for tracking what lobbyists give to lawmakers is flawed, rife with loopholes, and relies on the honor system. Problems with the state’s attempt to bring transparency to officials’ interactions with lobbyists are compounded because many of the lawmakers who took the most gifts refuse to discuss why they accepted hundreds of free meals and trips. Despite the flaws in the system, Eye On Michigan found lobbyists spent more than $6.3 million on state lawmakers and officials between 2001 and 2023.

New York – $100,000 Loan for Porsche at Center of Charges Against Former Adams Aide

DNyuz – William Rashbaum, Dana Rubenstein, and Michael Rothfeld (New York Times) | Published: 12/18/2024

Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the former chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, is expected to surrender on bribery charges involving two businesspeople who gave her son a $100,000 loan to buy a Porsche, several people with knowledge of the matter said. Her son, Glenn Martin II, and the other two men were also expected to surrender for arraignment on the charges, which are being brought by the Manhattan district attorney. The accusations grew out of a broad corruption investigation focused on Lewis-Martin, who recently announced her resignation hours before it was reported a grand jury was hearing evidence against her.

New York – US Supreme Court Leaves Former New York Lieutenant Governor’s Corruption Case Alive

MSN – Luc Cohen (Reuters) | Published: 12/16/2024

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear former New York Lieutenant Gov. Brian Benjamin’s challenge to corruption charges in a case that involves the scope of federal bribery law, allowing the case to proceed. The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office in 2022 charged Benjamin with funneling a $50,000 state grant to developer Gerald Migdol in exchange for the campaign contributions.

New York – N.Y. Judge Denies Trump’s Motion to Throw Out Hush Money Conviction

MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 12/16/2024

A judge denied a motion by Donald Trump’s lawyers to throw out the president-elect’s 34-count felony conviction based on a broad U.S. Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity.  New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan ruled the high court’s expansion of presidential immunity did not negate Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records connected to a hush money payment to an adult-film actress.

New York – New York City Mayor’s Campaign Denied Millions in Public Matching Funds

MSN – Joe Anuta and Jeff Coltn (Politico) | Published: 12/16/2024

The New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) announced it was withholding public matching money from Mayor Eric Adams’ reelection campaign, citing a federal criminal case against Adams involving straw donors and his campaign’s noncompliance with the board’s inquiries. The mayor had asked for $4.5 million. CFB Chairperson Frederick Schaffer noted Adams’ campaign would be able to appeal the decision.

New York – GOP Accuses Democrats of Rigging NY Public Campaign Finance System

MSN – Brendan Lyons (Albany Times Union) | Published: 12/13/2024

State Republican lawmakers are accusing Democrats on the New York Public Campaign Finance Board of ramming through a resolution that changed the rules governing campaign funds to retroactively benefit multiple Democratic candidates who had transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee. Republicans contend the resolution had not been on the board’s agenda. Democrats approved a resolution that allows transfers using non-public matching funds to be included in a surplus calculation for the total campaign expenditures.

North Carolina – NC Settlement with Robinson Campaign Over Errors Revealed

Carolina Public Press – Sarah Michels | Published: 12/18/2024

Nearly four years after it began, an investigation into the financial reporting of North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s campaign in 2020 has been completed, leading to fines and a settlement. Robinson’s campaign committee agreed to pay the State Board of Elections $35,000. In return, the board will not pursue any action against Robinson in court or require his committee to pay for the costs of the multi-year investigation.

North Carolina – NC Groups Host Desirable Trips Where NC Lawmakers, Lobbyists Can Mingle. Who Pays?

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 12/13/2024

Lobbyists and their clients are generally prohibited from taking North Carolina lawmakers on trips, or even buying them a meal. Legislative scandals 20 years ago pushed state legislators to pass a ban on most gifts from lobbyists and their clients. The law allows for exceptions, such as travel for some educational meetings. But social welfare nonprofits, labeled 501(c)(4)s in the federal tax code, have close ties to some state politicians. This year, two of the nonprofits were found to have hosted out-of-state trips with influential state lawmakers.

Ohio – Jimmy Dimora’s Sentence Commuted by President Joe Biden

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/12/2024

President Biden commuted the sentence of disgraced former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, ending his punishment for widespread corruption that landed him in prison for more than a decade and caused a complete overhaul of the county’s government. Dimora’s 2010 arrest exposed a corrupt scheme that he orchestrated with Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo. The duo gave county contracts to companies in exchange for money, trips, gifts, and favors.

Ohio – Republicans Stoked Fears of Noncitizens Voting. Ohio Shows How Rhetoric and Reality Diverge.

MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 12/15/2024

Before the November presidential election, Ohio’s secretary of state and attorney general announced investigations into potential voter fraud that included people suspected of casting ballots even though they were not U.S. citizens. It coincided with a national Republican messaging strategy warning that potentially thousands of ineligible voters would be voting. The outcome and the stories of some of those now facing charges illustrate the gap between the rhetoric about noncitizen voting and reality. It is rare, is caught and prosecuted when it does happen, and does not occur as part of a coordinated scheme to throw elections.

Oregon – Portland Public Campaign Finance Deputy Slams Program Head in Searing Resignation; Director Fires Back

MSN – Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 12/17/2024

The deputy director of Portland’s public campaign finance program resigned abruptly in November, accusing his boss of bullying behavior and widespread mismanagement. Daniel Lewkow alleged Small Donor Elections head Susan Mottet fostered a toxic work environment that made his job untenable. Mottet characterizing her former deputy as a disgruntled subordinate who repeatedly failed “to perform his job competently.” The allegations mark the latest in a series of setbacks that have dogged the program.

Pennsylvania – Campaign Funds, Secretive Nonprofit Pay for Josh Shapiro’s Sports Tickets

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso | Published: 12/17/2024

Gov. Josh Shapiro viewed a Villanova University basketball recently alongside a coach who has won two national championships. A few days later, he watched the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shapiro paid for neither ticket out of pocket. He attended the Villanova game on the dime of Team PA, a nonprofit that spent at least $12,000 last year on sports tickets for Shapiro. Its donors are anonymous. The NFL ticket was “covered with campaign funds,” said Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder, who did not answer a question about whether the governor used money from his campaign fund to buy the ticket or if the ticket itself was donated.

South Carolina – ‘Questionable’ Transactions and Bowl Games. USC Office Misspent $1.7M in Public Funds, Audit Says

MSN – Alexa Jurado (The State) | Published: 12/11/2024

Using public funds for trips to the 2022 Gator Bowl, consistent overspending, and “questionable” financial transactions by a University of South Carolina office and its affiliates, are among findings in a critical new report by the state;s Legislative Audit Council. An investigation spanning 26 months found that the university’s Office of Economic Engagement misspent $1.7 million of grant money and potentially violated state ethics codes.

Texas – Watson, Greco Ethics Complaints Dismissed a Month after Austin’s Mayoral Election

Yahoo News – Kate Winkle (KXAN) | Published: 12/13/2024

The Austin Ethics Review Commission ruled Mayor Kirk Watson and mayoral candidate Doug Greco did not break campaign finance rules during the recent election. Watson and Greco were accused of exceeding the amount of money they can accept from those outside the city: $46,000. Because there is no requirement for donors to tell campaigns their home address, tracking whether campaigns are in compliance can be a challenge, according to James Cousar, who represented Watson in his preliminary hearing.

National/Federal

A Century-Old Law’s Aftershocks Are Still Felt at the Supreme Court

DNyuz – Adam Liptak (New York Times) | Published: 12/9/2024

In February 1925, Chief Justice William Howard Taft persuaded Congress to grant the Supreme Court an extraordinary power: to pick which cases it would decide. Most courts do not get to choose the cases they will hear, and their central task is to resolve disputes one at a time. The Supreme Court understands its job to be different – to announce legal principles that will apply in countless cases. The law effectively changed the court into a policymaking body, and the nation has yet to come to terms with “the immense powers of this new role,” Yale Law School professor Robert Post wrote in a new study.

Realtors’ Nonprofit Is Politically Motivated, Some Say

DNyuz – Debra Kamin (New York Times) | Published: 12/9/2024

The National Association of Realtors (NAR), the largest trade organization in the U.S., wields substantial influence over the American housing industry. To help hold on to that power, it also runs one of the biggest PACs, routinely outspending corporations. The PAC supports candidates who are in line with NAR’s positions, regardless of party, and its spending is bipartisan. But about five years ago, NAR quietly created an affiliate nonprofit called the American Property Owners Alliance, and its spending tells a different story.

After N.R.A.’s Supreme Court Win, a Dispute Over Key Facts

DNyuz – Danny Hakim (New York Times) | Published: 12/9/2024

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the National Rifle Association (NRA) could pursue its claim that a New York regulator had infringed on its First Amendment rights when she sought to discourage insurers and banks from doing business with the group after the 2018 school massacre in Parkland, Florida. But the two women said to be the primary participants in a secret meeting described in the complaint, and pivotal to the Supreme Court ruling, say it never took place. The case before the high court was a test of how far government advocacy could go before crossing a line into coercion.

FBI Director Christopher Wray Says He Will Resign Before Trump Takes Office

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2024

FBI Director Christopher Wray announced he would resign from his position at the end of the Biden administration, stepping down as the leader of the 35,000-person law enforcement bureau before Donald Trump takes office and can fire him. Wray’s resignation comes seven years into his 10-year term, a tenure that is meant to span multiple administrations and is intentionally longer than other executive branch appointments to avoid politicization of the FBI. Trump had announced he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel to serve as FBI director, sending a message to Wray that he should either resign or prepare to be fired.

Supreme Court Divided Over Government Contracting Fraud Conviction

MSN – Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 12/9/2024

The Supreme Court appeared divided over whether to uphold the conviction of a government contractor found guilty of defrauding a state transportation program intended to promote diversity. The court has repeatedly expressed skepticism of federal prosecutions for too broadly applying criminal statutes to combat public corruption and other white-collar crimes. The ruling in the contracting case could affect how federal prosecutors pursue other fraud cases.

Judge Rejects Sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion in Dispute Over Bankruptcy Auction

MSN – Dave Collins (Associated Press) | Published: 12/11/2024

A federal judge rejected the auction sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet, criticizing the bidding process as flawed and the amount of money that families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting stood to receive. The Onion had been named the winning bidder over a company affiliated with Jones, whose conspiracy theory platform was put up for sale as part of his bankruptcy case stemming from the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered him to pay over falsely calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax.

House Rejects Democratic Efforts to Force Release of Matt Gaetz Ethics Report

MSN – Farnoush Amiri (Associated Press) | Published: 12/5/2024

The House shut down Democrats’ efforts to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, pushing the fate of any resolution to the years-long investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though Gaetz left Congress and withdrew as Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general for attorney general. Rep. Tom McClintock was the sole Republican to support the effort.

White House Weighs Preemptive Pardons for Potential Trump Targets

MSN – Tyler Pager and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2024

President Biden is weighing whether to grant preemptive pardons to individuals who might be targeted by the incoming Trump administration. Biden’s senior staffers have been increasingly alarmed by Trump’s picks for key law enforcement positions, such as Kash Patel, the choice for FBI director, who has urged retribution against Trump’s adversaries and critics. Other Democrats worry that Biden risks muddying the waters and leading voters to conclude both sides are simply using the legal system for their own ends.

Elon Musk Is Now America’s Largest Political Donor

MSN – Trisha Thadani and Clara Ence Morse (Washington Post) | Published: 12/6/2024

Elon Musk gave at least $277 million in campaign donations this year to back Donald Trump and other Republican candidates, making him the largest political donor in the 2024 election cycle. Musk’s total for the cycle is the largest from a single donor since at least 2010, outside of candidates funding their own campaigns.

Bill to Protect Journalists from Revealing Sources Is ‘on Life Support’

MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2024

Legislation that would create a federal shield law protecting journalists from being forced to reveal their confidential sources, the Protect Reporters From Exploitative State Spying Act, is facing a dim future after an attempt in the Senate to expeditiously pass the bill failed. The bill passed the House in January but has been stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It has been championed by a coalition of press advocacy groups and news organizations that view it as essential for safeguarding the use of confidential sources in public interest reporting.

Watchdog Faults DOJ in Trump’s First Term for Secretly Obtaining Records of Lawmakers and Journalists

MSN – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 12/10/2024

The Justice Department during Donald Trump’s first term failed to comply with its own procedures when it sought journalists’ phone and email records in leak investigations, according to a watchdog report. The department also never conducted any high-level review as it swept up the records of 43 congressional staffers and two Democratic House members, the report found. Inspector General Michael Horowitz said he found no evidence that federal prosecutors got express approval from then-Attorney General Bill Barr or told federal courts the subpoenas were for records of lawmakers and their aides.

Foster Advocacy Group Denies That Arrested Member Assaulted Rep. Nancy Mace

MSN – Peter Hermann and Keith Alexander (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2024

The head of a foster-care advocacy group is disputing allegations that one of its members assaulted U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace during a reception at the Rayburn House Office Building, saying the two merely shook hands during what appeared to be an amicable greeting. Capitol Police said James McIntyre, co-founder of the Illinois chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America, was charged with assaulting a government official.

Trump May Have Dodged His Criminal Case – but a Slew of Civil Lawsuits Loom

MSN – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 12/8/2024

Donald Trump is not off the hook for January 6 just yet. Though the criminal cases against him are all but dead, Trump is likely to be fighting eight civil lawsuits, from members of Congress and injured police officers, deep into his second term. They may be the last form of legal redress Trump faces for his role in spurring the Capitol riot. Trump’s election effectively scuttled special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution of Trump, but a Supreme Court ruling says civil litigation can proceed against a sitting president.

Supreme Court Justice Recuses Himself from Utah Railroad Case Tied to Colorado Billionaire

Salt Lake Tribune – Charlie Savage (New York Times) | Published: 12/6/2024

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch recently recused himself from a case after ethics watchdogs and Democratic lawmakers urged him to step aside because the outcome will likely affect the financial interests of a billionaire to whom he has long-standing ties. Legislation to impose an ethics code on the justices has stalled, but in 2023, the court unanimously adopted its first code of conduct. The New York Times has reported that in internal debate over the code, Gorsuch insisted it contain no enforcement mechanism beyond voluntary compliance.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Inside a Campaign Donor’s Journey to Get Her Money Back from Nathan Fletcher

KPBS – Scott Rodd | Published: 12/9/2024

San Diego resident Yvonne Elkin was determined to get her $100 dollars back. Elkin gave the money to former San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher last year when he announced his run for the California Senate. Then Fletcher dropped out of the race amid allegations of sexual assault. It was enough to change Elkin’s mind about Fletcher. But getting back a campaign contribution is not so simple. Political donors in California can ask for their donations back. But in nearly all cases, under state law, it is up to the candidate to decide.

California – S.F. Agencies Cuts Ties with Major Nonprofit Accused of Enriching a Former Department Head

MSN – St. John Barned-Smith and Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 12/10/2024

San Francisco city officials are cutting ties with a major nonprofit contractor after an investigation found the organization enriched a former department head who directed more than $1 million in city funds to the group. Two city departments canceled various contracts with Collective Impact over what officials described as “significant conflicts of interest” between the nonprofit and Sheryl Davis, the former executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

California – LA Times Owner Plans to Add AI-Powered ‘Bias Meter’ on News Stories, Sparking Newsroom Backlash

MSN – Liam Reilly and Jon Passantino (CNN) | Published: 12/5/2024

Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, who blocked the newspaper’s endorsement of Kamala Harris and plans to overhaul its editorial board, says he will implement an artificial intelligence-powered “bias meter” on the paper’s news articles to provide readers with “both sides” of a story. Soon-Shiong said major publishers have so far failed to adequately separate news and opinion, which he suggested “could be the downfall of what now people call mainstream media.”

Colorado – Ethics Commission: Rick Palacio violated state law by contracting with Gov Jared Polis’ office

Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 12/10/2024

The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission ruled Rick Palacio, a former chief of staff to Gov. Jared Polis, violated state law by contracting with the governor’s office within six months of his departure. The commission did not fine Palacio and dismissed another claim that he had “double-dipped” as both a contractor and state employee.

Colorado – Colorado Court Rules Ethics Commission Can’t Assert Jurisdiction Over Local Governments

Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 12/9/2024

A Denver District Court judge upheld a decision of the state Court of Appeals regarding whether the Colorado Ethics Commission can assert jurisdiction over local governments that have their own ethics code. The decision could end an eight-year fight over ethics complaints filed against the mayor of Glendale, the origin of the city’s challenge to the commission’s claims of jurisdiction. It could also end the ethics commission’s decisions to assert jurisdiction over home rule governments on ethics.

Colorado – State Sen. Jaquez Lewis Removed from Committees; Dems Plan Ethics Investigation Over Treatment of Staff

Colorado Public Radio – Bente Birkeland | Published: 12/8/2024

Colorado Senate leaders said they would approve an ethics investigation next session into state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis’ treatment of legislative aides and are removing her from serving on any committees when lawmakers return to the Capitol in January. Democratic leaders recently banned Jaquez Lewis from receiving state funds to hire staff following a recent complaint that she used campaign funds to pay aides to do personal work.

Connecticut – ‘Not a Dirty Word’: State ethics office tracks lobbyists; $34.8M spent in 2024 as of mid-Nov.

Hartford Business Journal – David Krechevsky | Published: 12/9/2024

Among other things, the Connecticut Office of State Ethics regulates and enforces the rules on the people and organizations that register each year to lobby state legislators and agencies. It also conducts audits and imposes penalties on those who fail to comply. “Our role is simply to provide transparency to the process,” said Pete Lewandowski, executive director of the ethics agency.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Quietly Renames Bills to Avoid Scrutiny from Trump, Congress

MSN – Emily Davies and Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 12/8/2024

Before Republicans won control of the House, Senate, and presidency in November, the District of Columbia Council was preparing to pass several pieces of legislation that threatened to draw the ire of the GOP. Now, with Donald Trump headed back to the Oval Office and his party set to control Congress, the city’s lawmakers are quietly making edits to the titles. It is part of a strategic effort across the government to adopt a more neutral posture on sensitive issues in hopes of avoiding a GOP backlash, according to Council Chairperson Phil Mendelson.

Florida – Mayor’s Office: Attending party on Shad Khan’s Kismet allowed by gift law restrictions

MSN – David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) | Published: 12/6/2024

The value of the food and beverages served by the Jacksonville Jaguars during a holiday party on team owner Shad Khan’s yacht fits within what elected officials such a Mayor Donna Deegan and city council members can accept for complying with gift law restrictions, according to a ethics watchdog who advises Deegan. Florida law allows Deegan and council members to accept gifts from entities that do business with the city or lobby the city, such as the Jaguars, but the value of a gift cannot exceed $100, said Carla Miller, who previously spent years as the city’s ethics director.

Florida – Moms for Liberty Co-Founder Selected as Vice Chair of Florida Commission on Ethics

Tallahassee Democrat – Douglas Soule (USA Today) | Published: 12/11/2024

Not waiting to see if the Senate confirms her appointment, the Florida Commission on Ethics unanimously selected conservative Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich as its new vice-chairperson. Descovich, a former Brevard County School Board member, has served on the commission since Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her last year. The Senate did not confirm her during the 2024 legislative session. Concerns were raised that Descovich’s work counted as lobbying, which would conflict with a role on the commission.

Georgia – Atlanta’s Inspector General Sued by City Contractor Over Investigation

WAGA – Staff | Published: 12/10/2024

Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault is being sued by a city contractor whose name surfaced during a year-long investigation by her office. The vendor’s attorney says Manigault overstepped her boundaries and is not following the law while trying to investigate possible financial connections between vendors and Atlanta officials. The city council unanimously renewed Bernie Tokarz’s contract, and the state ethics commission dismissed Manigault’s complaint.

Illinois – AT&T’s Involvement in Illinois Politics Takes Focus in Mike Madigan Corruption Trial

Courthouse News – Dave Byrnes | Published: 12/11/2024

The corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan continued as U.S. attorneys probed the extent of AT&T’s involvement with the state’s politics. The government claims AT&T Illinois offered ex-state Rep. Eddie Acevedo a do-nothing subcontractor gig worth $22,500 in April 2017, through a firm owned by lobbyist Tom Cullen, also a longtime Madigan ally and political operative. Internal AT&T documents stated the funds were meant to cover Cullen’s firm taking on “an additional asset.” Prosecutors say that asset was Eddie Acevedo.

Louisiana – Former State Legislator from Gov. Landry’s Home Parish Nominated for Ethics Board

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 12/11/2024

The Louisiana House of Representatives has nominated only one person so far to fill its open ethics board seat – former state Rep. Mike Huval, who is friends with Gov. Jeff Landry. Other than the one late campaign finance report, which is not unusual for elected officials, Huval said he has not had any run-ins with the ethics board. The governor and legislators rewrote state law earlier this year to change the board’s makeup.

Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Hires New Top Staff Member on a Temporary Basis after Pushback

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 12/6/2024

The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted one of its own staff attorneys in as the state’s new ethics administrator after unprecedented pushback from legislative leaders and Attorney General Liz Murrill to filling the position. The appointment of David Bordelon was made on an interim basis, however, allowing the board to reverse itself when new members that Gov. Jeff Landry and lawmakers appoint join the board in 2025. Bordelon will start the job after December 27, when longtime ethics administrator Kathleen Allen retires.

Massachusetts – Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson Arrested by Feds on Corruption Charges

MSN – Chris Van Buskirk, Gayla Cawley, and Joe Dwinell (Boston Herald) | Published: 12/6/2024

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was indicted on five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. The councilor hired a staff member in 2022 who was related to her and agreed to give the person a $13,000 bonus, most of which they would kickback to Fernandes Anderson, according to the indictment. Fernandes Anderson is paid $115,000 a year as a city councilor, but the feds say she was having money problems.

Missouri – Kansas City Mayor Accused of Skirting City Gift Ban by Using Nonprofit to Pay for Travel

Yahoo News – Allison Kite (Kansas Reflector) | Published: 12/5/2024

The cost of a trip to the Super Bowl in Arizona for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, a top aide, and two members of the mayor’s security detail was covered by a $24,000 check from the Heavy Constructors Association, a politically connected trade group. The price of the trip and the payment were never made public. That is because the mayor and his now-former chief of staff, Morgan Said, ran the spending and donation through the Mayors Corps of Progress for a Greater Kansas City Inc., a nonprofit that helps attract economic development to the city and is not required to disclose its financials.

Missouri – Missouri Ethics Commission Fines Past SPS Board Candidates for Campaign Finance Violations

Yahoo News – Claudette Riley (Springfield News-Leader) | Published: 12/10/2024

The Missouri Ethics Commission found “reasonable grounds” that Springfield school board candidates Landon McCarter and Chad Rollins violated campaign finance laws in connection with billboards placed around the city on their behalf. McCarter and Rollins each reported an in-kind contribution of $7,500 in January. The limited liability company that contributed was not classified as a corporation under federal tax code, and it was not registered with the Ethics Commission, a required step.

Missouri – Missouri Judge Dismisses Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Top Republican Lawmaker

Yahoo News – Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) | Published: 12/11/2024

A judge dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit filed against Speaker Dean Plocher that alleged he used his power to retaliate against a top employee of the Missouri House. The lawsuit by Dana Miller, chief clerk of the House, alleged a damning portrait of Plocher, arguing he threatened and retaliated against Miller and other staffers amid a slew of scandals Plocher faced in his final session as speaker.

Montana – Auditors Say Montana’s System of Tracking Lobbyists Broken

Yahoo News – Darrell Ehrlick (Daily Montanan) | Published: 12/5/2024

A report from the Legislative Audit Division said Montana lagged behind most states when it comes to tracking activity by lobbyists. It found there is no mechanism to check the accuracy of disclosure reports, and the system’s two databases often had conflicting or inconsistent information. Moreover, the Commissioner of Political Practices Office has never used the auditing power granted to it by state law to investigate lobbyist’s reports or enforce penalties on those who did not conform to state law.

New York – Half of Mayor Adams’ Latest Matching Campaign Fund Claims Deemed ‘Invalid’

Yahoo News – Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) | Published: 12/10/2024

Half of the claims for public matching funds that Mayor Eric Adams’ reelection campaign submitted in the most recent reporting period were deemed “invalid” by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), the highest rejection rate that the mayor’s team has faced to date. The CFB is weighing whether to give Adams’ 2025 campaign any matching funds at all amid his federal indictment on charges alleging he took illegal political donations and bribes, mostly from Turkish government operatives.

North Carolina – Public Left in the Dark After NC Legislators Made Campaign Donation Probes Secret

MSN – Dan Kane (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 12/12/2024

A bill passed in 2018 funneled campaign finance investigations in North Carolina into a new, secret, and drawn-out process. In the six years since the law passed, not a single campaign finance charge has been filed by a state prosecutor, state election officials and campaign watchdogs say. In the six years prior, state election board hearings on campaign finance complaints were steps to criminal convictions against two lawmakers.

North Carolina – North Carolina GOP Changes Election Rules Before Losing Supermajority

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2024

Republicans in North Carolina’s Legislature overrode a veto to give one of their allies control over the state’s elections board, rewrite ballot-counting rules, and chip away at the power of the incoming Democratic governor. The move came as Republicans sought to claim three seats in the Legislature and a spot on the state Supreme Court by throwing out tens of thousands of ballots in races they lost in November. The state Democratic Party is fighting that effort by asking a federal judge to ensure votes do not get tossed because of administrative errors.

Oklahoma – Roundup: Turnpike Authority considers toll hikes, Ethics Commission mulls rule changes, Hiett still besieged

NonDoc – Michael McNutt | Published: 12/9/2024

A new state database used for reporting and tracking campaign financial information and lobbyist registrations is expected to be ready for use by June 2025. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission gave the agency’s executive director approval to sign a contract with RFD & Associated to replace the outdated and antiquated “Guardian” electronic filing system. Commissioners also held a hearing on 13 proposed ethics rule amendments, several of which were generated from a report of a campaign finance task force created by Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Tennessee – Tennessee Sen. Yager to Refund Campaign Account for State-Paid Mileage ‘Oversight’

Yahoo News – Cassandra Stephenson (Tennessee Lookout) | Published: 12/11/2024

Tennessee Sen. Kenneth Yager’s recent arrest while driving a campaign-funded car on a vacation in Georgia sheds renewed light on the pitfalls of lawmakers’ not-uncommon practice of dipping into campaign finances to lease or purchase vehicles. State law does not prohibit this but does require lawmakers to keep records of vehicle use and reimburse their campaign accounts for any mileage payments they receive from the state and any personal use of the vehicle.

Virginia – Va. Library Survived Battle Over LGBTQ+ Books. Now, It Faces a New Threat.

MSN – Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 12/11/2024

The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted to take greater control over Samuels Public Library, which was honored as Virginia’s 2024 Library of the Year but has clashed with conservative county leaders over LGBTQ+-themed books and now finds its future plunged into uncertainty. The supervisors voted to create a new library board to oversee policy and budget.  The effort to exert political control over the independent, nonprofit library drew national attention   last year when a small group of residents waged a campaign against LGBTQ+ books primarily aimed at young readers.

Wisconsin – Trump Lawyers and Aide Hit with 10 Additional Charges in Wisconsin Over 2020 Fake Electors

MSN – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 12/10/2024

Wisconsin prosecutors filed 10 additional felony charges against two attorneys and an aide to Donald Trump who advised Trump in 2020 as part of a plan to submit paperwork falsely claiming he won the battleground state that year. The amended charges against Jim Troupis, who was Trump’s attorney in Wisconsin, Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who advised the campaign, and Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020, are for using forgery to defraud each of the 10 Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump that year.

National/Federal

Inside the Supreme Court Ethics Debate: Who judges the justices?

DNyuz – Jodi Kantor and Abbie VanSickle (New York Times) | Published: 12/3/2024

In the summer of 2023, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court began trading confidential memos, avoiding their standard email list and instead passing paper documents in envelopes to each justice. Faced with ethics controversies and a plunge in public trust, they were debating rules for their own conduct. Weeks later, as a united front, they announced the results: the court’s first-ever ethics code. While the court was praised for setting ethics rules, the lack of an enforcement provision has been criticized. One year later, the justices’ internal debate has spilled into a wider, more fractious one.

Trump Organization Plans an Ethics Policy Without Banning Foreign Deals

DNyuz – Eric Lipton, Ben Protess, and David Yaffe-Bellany (New York Times) | Published: 12/5/2024

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory, his family business is poised to capitalize on his presidency with a variety of new ventures, according to a review of financial records and interviews with people knowledgeable about his finances. And unlike in his first term, the people said, the Trump Organization aims to issue a more limited ethics plan that is unlikely to significantly curb its growth.

Amid Worry About Trump, Calls for Career Justice Dept. Staff to Stay

MSN – Perry Stein and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2024

Attorney General Merrick Garland and top Justice Department officials are encouraging career staffers to remain in their jobs through the next administration, stressing that institutional knowledge is important as new leaders take hold. The weeks since Donald Trump’s victory have been filled with uncertainty and tumult for many of the more than 100,000 individuals who work at the nation’s largest law enforcement agency. As top officials inside the department have led meetings about transition protocols, Trump and his allies have continued their vows to fire career staffers and seek retribution on those they consider their political enemies.

Supreme Court to Examine Power of Congress to Delegate Authority

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 11/22/2024

The Supreme Court announced it will hear a pair of cases that will examine how far Congress can go in delegating powers to federal agencies, decisions that could chip away at the authority of the executive branch. The cases explore whether Congress violated the Constitution when it allowed the Federal Communications Commission to gather fees to help pay for critical telecommunications service in communities that might not otherwise have it.

As His Power Grows, D.C. Wonders: How do you lobby a man like Elon Musk?

MSN – Cat Zakrzewski, Faiz Siddiqui, and Pranshu Verma (Washington Post) | Published: 12/1/2024

Unlike many chief executives in the tech industry, who prefer to keep an arm’s length distance from the nation’s capital and rely on a cadre of lobbyists, communications staff, and political consultants to shape their message, Elon Musk has viewed himself as his own best advocate in Washington. Musk’s rise has set off a scramble among lobbyists to curry favor with the “first buddy.” But many are finding it challenging to open a line of communication because of his unconventional political and public affairs team.

Trump Transition Team Ethics Pledge Appears to Exclude President-Elect

MSN – Betsy Klein, Steve Contorno, and Arlette Saenz (CNN) | Published: 11/27/2024

Donald Trump’s team submitted an ethics plan guiding the conduct of its members throughout the transition period that does not appear to include provisions for one key member of the team: the president himself. During his first term, Trump was repeatedly criticized by ethics groups for potential conflicts-of-interest relating to his businesses and brands. Both Trump’s and his family’s foreign business ties have also come under scrutiny throughout his time in office and on the campaign trail.

Biden Pardons His Son Hunter Despite Previous Pledges Not To

MSN – Zeke Miller, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Colleen Long (Associated Press) | Published: 12/1/2024

President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family. The president’s sweeping pardon covers not just the gun and tax offenses against the younger Biden, but also any other “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.”

Lauren Boebert Briefly Joins Cameo, Charging $250+ for Personalized Video Messages

MSN – Nick Coltrain (Denver Post) | Published: 11/25/2024

Rep. Lauren Boebert broke new ground when she became the first sitting member of Congress to offer personalized messages for sale, starting at $250, through the video platform Cameo. But her Cameo page appears to have shut down later that same day. A version of her Cameo page listed Boebert as a politician and categorized her as a political commentator, but it was updated to list her under the influencers category.

Potential Conflicts of Interest May Haunt Dr. Oz’s Confirmation to Run Medicare, Medicaid

MSN – Desmond Butler, Lauren Weber, and Caitlin Gilber (Washington Post) | Published: 12/2/2024

In a 2019 production of his television show, Dr. Mehmet Oz extolled the transformational results of Ozempic. The nine-minute infomercial embedded into Oz’s daytime talk show was sponsored by the drug’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, which Oz twice referred to as a “trusted partner.” The segment showcases the financial ties between the heart surgeon’s media business and companies whose fortunes he would have a hand in influencing as Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Creator of ‘2000 Mules’ Apologizes to Man Falsely Accused of Ballot Fraud in the Film

NPR – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 12/2/2024

Filmmaker and conservative pundit Dinesh D’Souza, the creator of the debunked film “2000 Mules,” issued a statement saying “inaccurate information” was provided to him about ballot box surveillance videos featured in the film and apologizing to a Georgia man in one of those videos who was falsely accused of ballot fraud during the 2020 election. Mark Andrews is seen in one of the videos, his face blurred, putting five ballots in a drop box as D’Souza says: “What you are seeing is a crime. These are fraudulent votes.”

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Watchdog to Tighten Rules on Lobbying of Ministers and MPs by Corporations

Toronto Globe and Mail – Marie Woolf | Published: 11/27/2024

Canada’s lobbying watchdog is planning to tighten the rules to force corporations to be more transparent about the people they are trying to influence in the federal government. In an interview at the start of her second term in office, Nancy Bélanger said one of her priorities will be to make corporations more fully register their lobbying of ministers, Members of Parliament, and federal officials.

California – Assessor Reports $1M Behested Payment, Biggest Charitable Donation Made at a Local Elected Official’s Request

MSN – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 11/30/2024

What appears to be the single largest behested payment recorded in San Diego County history was solicited by a relatively obscure elected official and awarded to an even lesser-known local nonprofit to help flood victims. But Jordan Marks, the assessor-recorder-county clerk, said he had almost nothing to do with the more than $1 million donation by a national real estate agents’ relief fund and only disclosed it in an “abundance of caution.”

California – County Supervisors Approve External Forensic Audit of Contracts Affiliated with Andrew Do, Ethics Policy Updates

MSN – Destiny Torres (Orange County Register) | Published: 12/3/2024

The Orange Board of Supervisors approved hiring an external auditor to review possibly thousands of county contracts directed or influenced by former Supervisor Andrew Do, as well as updates to the county’s code of ethics to improve transparency and oversight. The updated ethics policy will apply to county employees, supervisors, and contractors. Possible consequences include censure if a board member violates the policy, and a vendor could be permanently banned from doing business with the county.

Colorado – Former Denver Mayor Michael Hancock Is Now a Lobbyist for Companies That Made Hundreds of Millions During His Tenure

Denverite – Kyle Harris | Published: 11/29/2024

Former Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has a new lobbying firm, Hancock Global, serving companies that do big business with the city. He is registered as a lobbyist in the city and county of Denver. While a few of his clients are obscure, many were major contractors on projects the Hancock administration oversaw. Hancock was able to make the transition quickly because Denver does not have any limits on “revolving door” lobbying by former elected officials.

Florida – Patronis, Fine Jump in Congressional Races. What Happens to Their State Campaign Money?

MSN – Gary Rohrer (USA Today) | Published: 11/29/2024

Two Republican candidates for open U.S. House seats in Florida got a boost when Donald Trump endorsed them. But if they want to use their considerable funds in state-level political committees to campaign for federal office, they can thank Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and loopholes in campaign finance laws.

Florida – Tickets to Master’s Tournament Trigger Feud in Hillsborough County Politics

MSN – Jack Evans and Justin Garcia (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 11/25/2024

Three Hillsborough County government and school district leaders attended the Masters golf tournament in Georgia this year. The trip was arranged by Jonathan Graham, president of HORUS Construction Services, which in May secured a deal to build the school district a new warehouse. Commissioner Ken Hagan later reported the trip as a gift from Graham, valued at $6,500. About two million people enter the Masters ticket lottery each year. The chance of being picked is less than one percent.

Florida – State Ethics Board Worried That Lawsuit May Upend Key Part of Florida Open Government Law

MSN – John Kennedy (USA Today) | Published: 11/29/2024

The Florida Commission on Ethics is choosing to wait for a court ruling on a challenge to a new financial disclosure requirement that led to mass resignations of city and small-town officials across the state last year. The commission rejected a proposal to begin discussing a settlement with attorneys for 26 cities and 74 public officials who sued the state, arguing the new disclosure standard violates the constitutional right to free speech.

Florida – Council Member Ron Salem’s Political Committee Paid for Trip to Watch Jags Game in London

Yahoo News – David Bauerlein (Florida Times-Union) | Published: 12/3/2024

Jacksonville City Councilperson Ron Salem’s political committee paid $12,200 to Delta Airlines and another $1,028 for transportation and accommodations when he traveled to London for a trip in October to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars play overseas at Wembley Stadium. To meet the legal requirements for tapping into the political committee for his trip’s expenses, Salem held a fundraiser while he was in London. Unlike candidate campaign accounts that have $1,000 limits on donations per election cycle, campaign finance law has no restrictions on how much contributors can give to committees such as Moving Jacksonville Forward.

Georgia – Trump Moves to Throw Out Criminal Case in Georgia, Citing Election Win

MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 12/4/2024

Attorneys for Donald Trump asked a Georgia appellate court to consider the “unconstitutionality” of the ongoing 2020 election interference case against him now that he is the nation’s president-elect and order the presiding judge to dismiss all charges against him. The motion asks the Georgia Court of Appeals to find it no longer has legal jurisdiction over the matter because it is unconstitutional to prosecute a sitting president “in any way.”

Georgia – Legislative Policy Watchdog Sues Georgia Conservative Nonprofit in Lobbyist Filing Dispute

Yahoo News – Ross Williams (Georgia Recorder) | Published: 11/25/2024

The Frontline Policy Council is a conservative Christian nonprofit that holds a lot of sway around the Georgia Capitol. In 2024, Frontline representatives testified in state committees around 60 times, supporting legislation on issues like school vouchers. But Frontline’s president and founder Cole Muzio and general counsel Chelsea Thompson have come under fire for allegedly lobbying elected officials without properly registering with the state.

Hawaii – Former State Archaeologist Faces Ethics Probe into Revolving Door Allegation

Honolulu Civil Beat – Stewart Yerton | Published: 11/27/2924

A former State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) archaeologist faces an ethics investigation into an allegation he violated Hawaii’s “revolving door” policy by going to work for a private business before a required one-year waiting period. The complaint alleges Andrew McCallister stepped down as an archaeologist on Maui in April, and soon after went to work for the development consulting firm AECOM, in some cases on the same projects he oversaw at SHPD.

Illinois – Ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a Historic FBI Mole, Exits Stage Alone After Testimony in Madigan Corruption Trial

MSN – Jason Meisner and Megan Crepeau (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 12/3/2024

After six days of testimony in ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial, former Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis was off the witness stand and out of the public eye, perhaps this time for good. His cooperation with prosecutors changed the state’s political trajectory, contributing to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s improbable election, putting former Ald. Edward Burke in prison, and helping dethrone Madigan, the longest serving state legislative leader in the country when he resigned in 2021 before being charged.

Indiana – Nonprofit Braun Transition Group Follows Former Governors’ Model

Yahoo News – Leslie Bonilla Muñiz (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 11/25/2024

“Social welfare” nonprofits, typically with undisclosed donor lists, have funded at least Indiana’s last three gubernatorial transitions. Now, Gov.-elect Mike Braun is following that model. Political scientists and others were skeptical of the role of Hoosiers for Opportunity, Prosperity and Enterprise (HOPE), asserting it is operating in a gray area between politics and governance. But HOPE and those involved in past administrative changeovers defended the group’s activities as by-the-book, critical to day-one readiness, and a boon for taxpayers.

Louisiana – Judge Dismisses Louisiana Legislators’ Lawsuit Over Ethics Board Hire

Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 12/2/2024

A judge dismissed a lawsuit from state lawmakers meant to block the Louisiana Board of Ethics from hiring its new administrator. The decision paves the way for the board to move forward with replacing longtime administrator Kathleen Allen. Judge Kelly Balfour said the search for an ethics administrator should have been more transparent. But he saw no state law violation that would allow him to stop the board from moving forward with the hiring.

Massachusetts – Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson Subject of Federal Investigation

MSN – Gayla Cawley (Boston Herald) | Published: 12/3/2024

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is the subject of a federal investigation, and subpoenas have been issued to City Hall in relation to the probe. The existence of a federal probe is the latest controversy for the councilor since taking office roughly three years ago.

Michigan – Benson Says Campaign Funds Can Be Used for Child Care and Caregiving Costs

Yahoo News – Anna Liz Nichols (Michigan Advance) | Published: 11/26/2024

Elected officials and candidates for office are permitted to use money from their campaign finances to pay caregiving costs including childcare under an interpretive statement from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Women are expected to be primary caretakers and the challenges and lack of infrastructure in government for a person to be a primary parent has kept women out of office, said Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder of Vote Mama, a political organization working to increase the number of moms in office.

Montana – Montana Legislators Vote Down Capitol Bathroom Rule Change Aimed at Transgender Lawmakers

Yahoo News – Blair Miller (Missoula Current) | Published: 12/3/2024

The Montana Legislature’s Joint Rules Committee voted down a proposed rule targeted at a Rep. Zoey Zephyr, a Democratic transgender representative, that sought to designate the use of private restrooms shared by the two chambers based on a lawmakers’ sex chromosomes at birth. Zephyr won re-election this year after she was censured by Republicans and banished from the House floor for telling Republican lawmakers they had blood on their hands for passing a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors.

New York – N.Y. Ethics Commission Faces New Constitutional Challenge

Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 11/29/2024

A lawsuit challenges new regulations being implemented by the New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government that prohibit lobbyists from hiring a third-party designee to prepare and submit their disclosure statements. The suit alleges the regulations would interfere with lobbying firms’ right to do their work and increase their exposure to civil fines and penalties. This is the third court case challenging the constitutionality of the commission.

New York – Campaign Board Head Hints Eric Adams Could Be Denied Reelection Matching Funds

MSN – Katie Honan (The City) | Published: 12/4/2024

New York City Mayor Eric Adams will know soon if his reelection bid will qualify for millions of dollars in public matching funds as the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) votes on the first tranche of payments for the 2025 contest. At a hearing, city Councilperson Lincoln Restle pushed CFB Executive Director Paul Ryan on why the board would give Adams more money when a federal indictment alleges that he obtained $10 million in 2021 matching funds fraudulently.

North Dakota – North Dakota Senate Rejects Conflict of Interest Rules While House Adopts Modified Version

Yahoo News – Michael Achterling (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 12/4/2024

The North Dakota House adopted new conflict-of-interest rules, but the Senate rejected those same rules. They were created through consultation with the state Ethics Commission after the Legislative Procedures and Arrangements Committee finished its business during the interim. The rules were designed to promote transparency and provide a clearer path for lawmakers to recuse themselves from votes in which they had a perceived conflict.

Ohio – Ex-PUCO Chairman Sam Randazzo’s Company Pleads Guilty in Bribery Scheme; Penalty Could Reach $2.26 Million

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/3/2024

Two companies that prosecutors say a former utility regulator used to secretly accept a $4.3 million bribe from FirstEnergy will pay as much as $2.26 million in penalties and restitution in a deal struck with prosecutors. A judge approved the deal between the state and the Sustainability Funding Alliance of Ohio and the Industrial Energy Users of Ohio Administration Co. Sam Randazzo, former chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, was the sole owner of both entities. State and Federal authorities over the past year each indicted Randazzo on an array of financial crimes.

Oregon – The City’s Public Campaign Financing Program Allowed Candidates with Little Support to Snag Taxpayer Dollars

Willamette Week – Sophie Peel | Published: 11/27/2024

Two candidates for the Portland City Council this November achieved something unusual and, at first glance, illogical. Chris Henry and Moses Ross each received more individual campaign contributions than they did first-place votes on Election Day. The case of Henry and Ross, coupled with other examples of candidates mining taxpayer dollars by boasting grassroots support that was not there, shows the city’s public finance system buckled under the weight of 75 candidates attempting to tap in. A media examination, which exposed abuses of the system, raises questions whether Portland’s campaign financing is functioning as intended.

Pennsylvania – A Trio of Convicted Former Elected Officials Have Landed New City Jobs in Philadelphia

MSN – Ryan Briggs (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 11/19/2024

Three former Philadelphia elected officials who were convicted on corruption charges and left office in disgrace have found a second chance – with taxpayer-funded jobs. Former Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary and former State Rep. Leslie Acosta both landed positions in Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration. Former State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell is now working under Sheriff Rochelle Bilal.

Tennessee – Tennessee State Sen. Ken Yager Arrested, Charged with DUI, Hit and Run in Georgia on Tuesday

MSN – Evan Mealins (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 12/4/2024

Tennessee Sen. Ken Yager was arrested, booked into a Georgia jail, and accused of getting into a hit and run while driving under the influence while on vacation on Jekyll Island. He is said to have been driving a Ford Edge at the time of his arrest. Finance records show Yager regularly uses his campaign accounts to make lease payments on a Ford.

Tennessee – Gov. Bill Lee Repays Travel Expenses Following New Tennessee Ethics Commission Opinion

Yahoo News – Vivian Jones (Nashville Tennessean) | Published: 12/3/2024

The Tennessee Ethics Commission said Gov. Bill Lee violated a state law prohibiting elected officials from taking gifts from lobbyists when the nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) paid for him to attend their conference in Florida. ADF, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and its partner 501(c)4 organization, both employ Matthew Lorimer, a registered lobbyist in Tennessee. The commission determined the expenses paid by the nonprofit that shares resources with an employer of a lobbyist constituted an indirect gift to the governor.

Texas – Texas Politicians Must Disclose Known Blind Trust Properties, Rental Income Details

KUT – Lauren McGaughty | Published: 12/5/2024

The Texas Ethics Commission adopted a rule that requires officials to disclose properties they hold in a blind trust if they have “actual knowledge” of the properties. If politicians have a rental property, they will also have to disclose the address and renter’s name. The new rules come after it was reported that state Attorney General Ken Paxton did not disclose several properties owned by him or his blind trust in his 2023 0r 2024 personal financial statements.

Texas – A Conservative Nonprofit Got $80k for a Texas Book-Ban Battle. Llano County Hasn’t Seen It

MSN – Bayliss Wagner (Austin American Statesman) | Published: 12/2/2024

Several prominent conservative figures traveled from across the country to Texas to raise money for Llano County’s legal defense in a federal book ban case. At least, that is what attendees believed they were raising money for. But one year after the event, Llano County still has not seen a dime of the funds collected. Instead, the money went to conservative nonprofit America First Legal, which has no present role in litigating or funding the case. The nonprofit has never contacted county leadership in writing.

Utah – Complaints About Shadowy Anti-Trans PAC’s Financial Reporting Referred to Utah Attorney General

MSN – Emily Anderson Stern (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 12/4/2024

The small number of Democratic lawmakers in Utah were dogged with anti-transgender ads in the weeks leading up to the November election by a PAC that had disclosed little information about its organizers and funding to the public. Now, complaints about the PAC’s alleged campaign finance law violations have been forwarded to the state attorney general’s office for investigation.

Washington – Meta Faces $35M Judgment for Campaign Finance Violations in Washington State

Courthouse News – Monique Merrill | Published: 12/2/2024

The state Court of Appeals upheld a $35 million penalty against Meta for violating Washington’s campaign finance law. The Public Disclosure Commission found the company violated the law 822 times. Under the Fair Campaign Practices Act, social media platforms are required to maintain records of the political ads hosted on their sites, such as the cost and sponsor of the ad and information about ad targeting and reach.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin’s Campaign Finance Regulators Ask to Triple Their Staff

The Cap Times – Andrew Bahl | Published: 12/5/2024

The agency that oversees Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws is asking for millions of dollars in added funding to triple its staff, warning that without more resources it cannot serve the public in the way a new law requires. The budget request comes after the state Legislature enacted a law that will task the Wisconsin Ethics Commission with collecting campaign finance filings from county and municipal candidates across the state. Previously, those duties were handled by local clerks.

Campaign Finance

Oregon: “The City’s Public Campaign Financing Program Allowed Candidates with Little Support to Snag Taxpayer Dollars” by Sophie Peel for Willamette Week

Ethics

California: “Assessor Reports $1M Behested Payment, Biggest Charitable Donation Made at a Local Elected Official’s Request” by Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) for MSN

National: “Trump Transition Team Ethics Pledge Appears to Exclude President-Elect” by Betsy Klein, Steve Contorno, and Arlette Saenz (CNN) for MSN

Florida: “Tickets to Master’s Tournament Trigger Feud in Hillsborough County Politics” by Jack Evans and Justin Garcia (Tampa Bay Times) for MSN

Indiana: “Nonprofit Braun Transition Group Follows Former Governors’ Model” by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz (Indiana Capital Chronicle) for Yahoo News

Legislative Issues

National: “Supreme Court to Examine Power of Congress to Delegate Authority” by Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

National: “As His Power Grows, D.C. Wonders: How do you lobby a man like Elon Musk?” by Cat Zakrzewski, Faiz Siddiqui, and Pranshu Verma (Washington Post) for MSN

New York: “N.Y. Ethics Commission Faces New Constitutional Challenge” by Brendan Lyons for Albany Times Union

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump Is Running His Transition Team on Secret Money” by Ken Bensinger and David Fahrenthold (New York Times) for Seattle Times

New York: “F.B.I. Agents Investigate Use of Fake Donors in N.Y. Assembly Race” by Jay Root, Bianca Pallaro, and William Rashbaum (New York Times) for DNyuz

Texas: “Harris County Education Board May Censure Trustee Eric Dick for $40K in Unpaid Ethics Fines” by Elizabeth Sander (Houston Chronicle) for MSN

Ethics

Arizona: “Former Treasurer in Arizona Admits to Embezzling $38M Over a Decade” by Maham Javaid (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Special Counsel Jack Smith Moves to Drop Both Trump’s Federal Cases” by Perry Stein and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

California: “Lawmakers Jet Set to Maui and Asia to Discuss Energy, Transportation for California” by Anabel Sosa (Los Angeles Times) for MSN

National: “‘It’s Trump 5.0’: Lobbyists reveal how Trump is changing the influence game” by Dave Levinthal (Business Insider) for MSN

Georgia: “Legislative Policy Watchdog Sues Georgia Conservative Nonprofit in Lobbyist Filing Dispute” by Ross Williams (Georgia Recorder) for Yahoo News

Campaign Finance

National: “Gaetz Campaign’s Reports of Vast Spending on Fees Are Scrutinized” by David Ingold and Ted Mann (Bloomberg) for MSN

Missouri: “Missouri State Pension Board Bans Use of Fund for Political Donations” by Rudi Keller (Missouri Independent) for Yahoo News

Ethics

Arizona: “Arizona Tourism Director Resigns Amid Conflict of Interest Claims” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star

National: “Intelligence Watchdog Departures Raise Red Flags in Congress” by John Donnelly (Roll Call) for MSN

New Mexico: “State Ethics Commission Launches Investigation into University’s ‘Wasteful Spending'” by Daniel Chacón for Santa Fe New Mexican

New York: “New York Judge Calls Off Trump Hush Money Sentencing” by Zach Schonfeld (The Hill) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “The First Transgender Member of Congress, a Bathroom Ban and Much Angst” by Emily Wax-Thibodeaux (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

Ohio: “Third Ex-FirstEnergy Lobbyist Stonewalls Hundreds of Questions in Bribery Probe” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN