National:

All Red or All Blue, State Legislatures Run to Partisan Sides
MSN – Timothy Williams (New York Times) | Published: 1/28/2019

Republicans continue to hold majorities in most of the nation’s state capitals, as they have in recent years, but Democrats now control six new legislative chambers. Along the way, though, Minnesota became the only remaining state in the nation where control of a Legislature is divided. Even in an era of single-party dominance in state Legislatures, it is the first time in more than a century that only one state has split control of its legislative chambers and is one more indication of the depth of the nation’s divided political sensibilities.

Federal:

K Street Women Seek Closer Ties to Female Lawmakers
Roll Call – Kate Ackley | Published: 1/30/2019

A collection of female lobbyists and organizations is launching a new effort, called 131 & Counting, to welcome the unprecedented number of women now serving in the U.S. House and Senate, build connections with them, and encourage more women to run for office. Miranda Franco, a senior policy adviser with Holland & Knight who came up with the idea, envisions future events that might include panels and roundtables about women in business, the gender wage gap, and other policy matters. Though 131 & Counting is not a fundraising effort, it will connect the female lawmakers with a likely collection of potential campaign donors. Not only did a record number of women run for office last cycle but more women than ever before donated to congressional candidates.

Lawmakers Push Crackdown on Foreign Lobbyists
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 1/29/2019

Foreign lobbying has been in the national spotlight since special counsel Robert Mueller obtained guilty pleas under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) from two of Donald Trump’s campaign officials, Paul Manafort and Richard Gates, over their lobbying work in Ukraine. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle find FARA outdated, weak, and filled with loopholes. They have tried to change the law in the past, but those efforts have fallen short. U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley introduced the Disclosing Foreign Influence Act in 2017 and he said recently that he wants to try again to pass the bill, which will be reintroduced this Congress.

From the States and Municipalities:

Florida: Florida Secretary of State Michael Ertel Resigns After Halloween Blackface Photos Emerge
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeffrey Schweers | Published: 1/24/2019

Newly appointed Florida Secretary of State Michael Ertel resigned from office after photographs of him posing as a female Hurricane Katrina victim in blackface were obtained by The Tallahassee Democrat. The newspaper reported that the photos were taken in 2005, shortly after Ertel had become supervisor of elections in Seminole County, and depict him in blackface, wearing a New Orleans Saints bandanna around his head and a shirt with the words “Katrina Victim” written on it. Ertel would not comment on the record about the circumstances surrounding the photo.  “There’s nothing I can say,” Ertel said.

Illinois: FBI Secretly Recorded Mike Madigan at His Law Office Pitching Firm’s Services
Chicago Sun-Times – John Seidel, Tina Sfondeles, and Fran Spielman | Published: 1/29/2019

The FBI secretly recorded Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan trying to get business for his private law firm from a developer brought to him by Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who was weighing the developer’s request to build a hotel in Chicago, according to a federal court affidavit. It makes clear for the first time that the federal investigation that has snared Ald. Edward Burke extends beyond City Hall and into the statehouse, examining politicians’ longstanding practice of merging personal and political business. It has been reported that Solis secretly recorded conversations he had with Burke, who recently was charged with attempted extortion.

Kentucky: A Onetime Rising Democratic Star Faces Questions About Voter Privacy
ProPublica – Daniel Desrochers (Lexington Herald-Leader) and Jessica Huseman | Published: 1/28/2019

In an appearance on MSNBC in July 2017, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes expressed her opposition to giving voter data to President Trump’s voter fraud commission, which had requested it from election officials in all 50 states. The privacy risks were simply too high, she said. But beginning months before she made that statement, Grimes’ own staff had been looking up hundreds of voters in the very same registration system. An investigation shows the searches were extensive and targeted prominent state politicians, including gubernatorial candidate Rocky Adkins, who could have been Grimes’ opponent in the Democratic primary.

Missouri: St. Louis County’s Campaign Contribution Limit Is in Effect. Probably. Maybe. Who Knows.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jeremy Kohler | Published: 1/24/2019

St. Louis County voters in November overwhelmingly passed a charter amendment that limits campaign contributions to $2,600 per individual per election. But on December 2, Prosecuting Attorney-elect Wesley Bell accepted a contribution for $3,500; the next day he accepted one for $10,000. It remains unclear whether Bell’s campaign ran afoul of the amendment. The Missouri Constitution says county charter amendments become a part of the charter “at the time and under the conditions fixed in the amendment.” The county’s charter amendment did not have an effective date, and no one in the county government can say when, or even if, it did take effect.

New Mexico: Lobbyist Loophole Fix Heads to Gov. as Lobbyists Spend Nearly $90K
New Mexixo In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 1/30/2019

New Mexico lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that would close a loophole that allowed lobbyists to buy politicians meals and drinks of up to $100 without reporting it to state regulators. Senate Bill 191 fixes a mistake made by legislators in 2016 when they inadvertently got rid of a. If Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs Senate Bill 191, which she has indicated she will, all expenditures will have to be reported in the future, including the total of individual expenses under $100. Current law requires lobbyists to report expenses above $100 individually.

Oklahoma: Groups on Right, Left Oppose Proposed Grassroots Lobbying Rules
Oklahoma Watch – Paul Monies | Published: 1/24/2019

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission had been considering disclosure requirements for advocates who buy ads supporting or opposing legislation. But commissioners let the proposed indirect lobbying rule die without a vote after an outcry against it. Most of those against the proposal called it an infringement on free speech. Leaders of nonprofits involved in politics complained the disclosure requirements would drive away donors who want to remain anonymous. More than 3,200 people signed a petition against the proposal.

Oregon: Oregon Supreme Court Could Beat Gov. Brown to Campaign Finance Change
Oregon Public Broadcasting – Dirk Vanderhart | Published: 1/24/2019

Gov. Kate Brown says changes to Oregon’s campaign finance system are a priority in this year’s legislative session, but it is possible some of those changes will occur before she gets her chance. In a rare move, the Oregon Supreme Court agreed to fast-track a case that proponents hope will let the state limit campaign contributions. The move means the matter will skip over the Oregon Court of Appeals, where cases can languish for years and will be heard by the justices later this year. At issue is a set of campaign finance changes enacted by Multnomah County voters three years ago. The new rules placed a $500 ceiling on the checks that individual donors or PACs could give to candidates for county office, and they required disclosures of top donors for political advertisements, among other provisions.

Pennsylvania: Feds Indict Powerful Philly Union Boss, City Councilman, Others
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Maryclaire Dale (Associated Press) | Published: 1/30/2019

A powerful union boss with a tight grip on construction jobs in the Philadelphia region and outsized influence in city and state politics has been indicted in alleged schemes to embezzle more than $600,000 and have a councilperson on the union payroll do his bidding at City Hall. Johnny “Doc” Dougherty has steered tens of millions of dollars to political candidates in Pennsylvania during his tenure running the electricians union. According to the 116-count indictment, Dougherty pressed Comcast to steer $2 million worth of electrical work to a friend as the company negotiated the renewal of the city’s 15-year cable lease and had city Councilperson Bobby Henon investigate a towing company that seized Dougherty’s car., among other charges.

South Dakota: Lobbyist Can Return House Floor After Judge Issues Restraining Order
Rapid City Journal – Chris Huber | Published: 1/27/2019

The lobbyist who was banned from the South Dakota House floor can once again conduct business there after a federal judge granted her a temporary restraining order. Yvonne Taylor, executive director of the South Dakota Municipal League, alleged in a lawsuit that Speaker Steve Haugaard barred her from the House floor after she wrote a magazine column saying the number of “wackies” in the Legislature was increasing.  U.S. District Court Judge Roberto Lange said both sides are working toward a settlement, but he granted to the temporary order to “avert immediate or irreparable injury” to Taylor while those discussions occur.

Texas: Dallas Lawyer’s Young Children Are Listed as Big Donors for 3 City Council Members
Dallas News – Corbett Smith | Published: 1/30/2019

Four young children are among Dallas’s biggest political donors. Over the past two years, the children of James Stanton, a former judge in Dallas County, donated a total of $11,000 to three city council members. Those contributions appear to skirt the city’s campaign finance rules, which set a $1,000 individual limit per election cycle for city council races. Charles Sartain, an attorney who specializes in election law, said Stanton’s donations are similar to when a boss distributes money he or she wants doled out for political contributions.

Texas: In the Texas House, They’re Seen as Lobbyists. In the Senate, They Sit at the Press Table.
Texas Tribune – Emma Platoff | Published: 1/28/2019

Empower Texans has worked to replace moderate Republicans with hardline conservatives. The organization and its PAC – which blur the lines between newsroom, lobbying firm, and PAC – have aimed to upend the political scene, with primary challenges and by-the-minute scorecards of lawmakers’ votes. This year, two employees of the Empower Texans’ reporting arm, Texas Scorecard, sit for the first time at the press table on the Senate floor. Aside from lawmakers, staff, and special guests, only journalists are allowed on the floor of the chamber. The media credentials are an opportunity for a group that tries to influence the process. And Empower Texans’ influence is notable. Last election cycle, the group’s PAC spent millions of dollars, a hefty amount going to the Senate and to its leader, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Utah: Who Funds Utah Legislators’ Campaigns? Special Interests Provide 82% of Money, While Voters in Lawmakers’ Own Districts Gave Only 6%.
Salt Lake Tribune – Lee Davidson | Published: 1/27/2019

Incoming Utah legislators collected only six percent of their campaign donations during the 2018 election year from voters who live in their districts. The lion’s share of contributions, 82 percent, came from special-interest groups or out-of-state donors, according to an analysis by The Salt Lake Tribune. As the Legislature convenes, the statistics again raise questions about how much influence wealthy donors and organized interests wield compared with run-of-the-mill Utah voters. Chase Thomas, executive director of the Alliance for a Better Utah, says he doubts big-donor groups buy any votes, but their money may improve their access to lawmakers to make their case for or against legislation.

Lawmakers Eye Changes to Ballot Measures – Passed and Future
Governing – Alan Greenblatt | Published: 1/16/2019

Ballot measures have become a popular way to enact new policies, from minimum wage hikes and legalized marijuana to ethics reforms. But voter-approved measures are meeting more pushback. Republican lawmakers in several states are fighting ballot measures on two fronts: as was the case following the 2016 election, they are trying to overturn provisions of some laws that voters just passed in November. They are also seeking legislative changes that would make it harder to pass in the future.

Federal:

BuzzFeed’s Stumble Is Highest-Profile Misstep at a Time When Press Is Under Greatest Scrutiny
Danbury News-Times – Paul Farhi (Washington Post) | Published: 1/19/2019

Reporters at the Guardian, CNN, McClatchy News, and other outlets have published disputed, suspect, or uncorroborated stories about President Trump and the investigation swirling around him since special counsel Robert Mueller began his probe. Each instance has elicited cries of “fake news” from the president and his supporters, stoking the claim that the mainstream media is biased and irresponsible. But these disputed stories have tended to be about distinct events or actions; they were effectively clues rather than conclusions about Trump’s potential criminality. BuzzFeed News’ apparently mistaken story about Michael Cohen and Trump was of a different nature and magnitude.

GOP Reaches Landmark Agreement to Juice Small-Dollar Fundraising
Politico – Alex Isenstadt | Published: 1/21/2019

President Trump’s political team and top Republican officials have reached an agreement to reshape the party’s fundraising apparatus and close the financial gap that devastated them in the midterms. With the deal, Republicans hope to create a rival to ActBlue, the Democratic online fundraising behemoth that plowed over $700 million in small-dollar donations into Democratic coffers in the 2018 campaign. Republicans agreed to create a new platform dubbed Patriot Pass, which will be used to cultivate and process online donations.

Law Firm Tied to Manafort Reaches $4.6 Million Settlement
apnews.com – Chad Day and Eric Tucker | Published: 1/17/2019

A prominent law firm that helped former Trump campaign chairperson Paul Manafort lobby on behalf of pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine agreed to pay more than $4.6 million and publicly acknowledge it failed to report its work for a foreign government. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom admitted that in 2012 it acted as an agent of Ukraine by participating in a public relations campaign for a report it authored for that country’s government. The firm will register retroactively as a foreign agent. The Justice Department, which is charged with enforcing the Foreign Agents Registration Act, had largely turned a blind eye until Robert Mueller began charging Trump’s associates, including Manafort, who had built a lucrative business advising Russia-aligned politicians and wealthy business executives in Ukraine.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: Former California Lawmaker Registers as a Lobbyist After #MeToo Investigation
Sacramento Bee – Sophia Bollag | Published: 1/22/2019

A month after the California Assembly said he had likely violated its sexual misconduct policy, former Assemblyperson Sebastian Ridley-Thomas moved to return to the Capitol by registering as a lobbyist. The state’s online lobbying database shows he registered as a lobbyist with his firm Millennial Advisors, drawing criticism from anti-sexual harassment activists at the Capitol. Ridley-Thomas quit the Legislature in December 2017, citing health problems. Records released by the Assembly show at least two people accused him of harassment before he resigned. “We have made progress on #metoo issues in #caleg but a solution that does not include lobbyists is incomplete,” tweeted Adama Iwu, one of the lobbyists who started the We Said Enough movement.

California: With FBI Probe Looming, L.A. City Council Members Revive Plan to Limit Developer Donations
Los Angeles Times – Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser | Published: 1/15/2019

Two years ago, Los Angeles City Council members called for a ban on political donations from real estate developers seeking city approval for their projects. That plan languished at City Hall and was tabled by the Ethics Commission before it officially expired. Now, with FBI agents conducting a corruption investigation into City Hall, council members have revived the idea. Under the proposal, real estate developers would be barred from giving to city candidates and officeholders once they have turned in an application that requires city approval or other action, provided the request involves building or adding more than 4,000 square feet of floor area for residential projects or 15,000 square feet for commercial projects.

Connecticut: $97 Million of Influence: Lobbyists are fixtures at the Capitol, pushing their message amid rules on gifts, perks, receptions
Hartford Courant – Josh Kovner | Published: 1/23/2019

Every January at the Connecticut Capitol, the lobbying effort revs up to a fever pitch and does not stop until the final roll call. This session, the race to gain an edge promises to be even more frenetic, propelled by highly charged issues like gun control and taxes. With a new governor and 40 new lawmakers, lobbyists will be scrambling just to make connections. While there are substantial restrictions on gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers, there is a sizable exception. A lobbyist can, from his or her personal account, give a legislator up to $1,000 for each of several “life events” per year, such as a wedding or birth. Each session, staffers in the Office of State Ethics school freshman legislators on the restrictions and reporting requirements.

District of Columbia: D.C. ‘Pay-to-Play’ Ban Closer to Becoming Law after Mayor Declines Veto
Washington Post – Peter Jamison | Published: 1/18/2019

Sweeping changes to campaign finance regulations in the District of Columbia are on track to become law after Mayor Muriel Bowser opted not to veto legislation passed by the city council. Among other provisions, the measure would ban campaign contributions from companies and their top executives if they hold or are seeking government contracts worth at least $250,000; give new authority and independence to the city’s Office of Campaign Finance; and require increased disclosure from independent expenditure committees.

Illinois: Contractor Challenges Illinois Campaign Finance Law
Courthouse News – Lorraine Bailey | Published: 1/18/2019

An Illinois law prohibiting government contractors from making campaign contributions is being challenged as unconstitutional after a public housing management firm lost a contract because its founder donated to Democratic gubernatorial candidates. The Habitat Company is a Chicago-based real estate firm that has managed a building called Lake Shore Plaza. Ellen Daley, Illinois’ chief procurement officer for general services, notified the company that its founder’s campaign contributions violated state law and required voiding a 2019 management contract for Lake Shore Plaza. Habitat sued to challenge Daley’s decision and the law banning government contractors or affiliated persons from making any contribution to a political committee of the officeholder responsible for awarding their contracts.

Michigan: Outgoing State Officials Turn to Lobbying Under Lax Michigan Rules
Detroit News – Jonathan Oosting | Published: 1/23/2019

At least seven former state officials and lawmakers in Michigan have registered as lobbyists or joined lobbying firms since leaving office at the end of 2018. The recent moves highlight that Michigan is among a minority of states that do not ban recent legislators, department heads, or executive branch officials from immediately taking paid jobs to lobby former colleagues. Restrictions in other states and Congress are designed to reduce ethical conflicts. Those include the potential for interest groups to promise future jobs to officials in exchange for preferential treatment while they are still in office. Michigan prohibits lawmakers from resigning to take lobbyist jobs during the term they had been elected to, but its lack of broader restrictions.

New York: Gov. Cuomo Signs Major Voting Reforms
Legislative Gazette – James Gormley | Published: 1/24/2019

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that implements major changes to the state’s election and campaign finance laws. The new laws enact early voting in New York, synchronize state and federal elections, and allow 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. One bill will close the so-called LLC loophole by limiting political spending by a limited liability company to a total of $5,000 annually, which is the same limit as corporations. It will also require the disclosure of direct and indirect membership interests in the LLC making a contribution, and for the donation to be attributed to that individual.

South Carolina: After Ethics Snafu, SC Lawmakers Move to Change How They Accept Gifts from Public
The State – Avery Wilks | Published: 1/23/2019

The South Carolina House moved to change its rules on accepting gifts from special interests and the public, two weeks after a donation of nearly 200 books to state lawmakers caused confusion about whether the gifts needed to be recorded on ethics filings. The new rule would prohibit anyone from dropping off gifts of any value in the House chamber. It also would require someone to get a lawmaker’s written signature before leaving any gift worth more than $25. The giver must also document with the state Ethics Commission any gift worth more than $25.

South Dakota: Lobbyist Files Suit Against South Dakota House Speaker
Sioux Falls Argus Leader – Jonathan Ellis | Published: 1/22/2019

Lobbyist Yvonne Taylor, executive director of the South Dakota Municipal League, filed suit against House Speaker Steve Haugaard after she says she was banned from the House floor for writing a critical column. According to her lawsuit, Haugaard took issue with a May column she wrote for the Municipal League’s membership magazine. Haugaard complained the column, which was published before the June primary election, made the Legislature look like “a bunch of buffoons.” Taylor complained that the number of “wackies” in the Legislature were increasing. The “wackies” oppose government and any taxation, even when groups that would pay added taxes or fees wanted them, Taylor said in the column.

Wisconsin: Judge: GOP can’t block liberal group’s Twitter comments
Charlotte Observer – Todd Richmond (Associated Press) | Published: 1/18/2019

Top Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature violated the First Amendment when they blocked a liberal advocacy group from seeing their Twitter feeds, a federal judge ruled. U.S. District Court Judge William Conley’s decision marks One Wisconsin Now’s second legal victory in as many days over Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. Another federal judge struck down early-voting restrictions Vos and his fellow Republicans passed in a contentious lame-duck session in December. One Wisconsin Now and other groups had challenged those provisions days after former Gov. Scott Walker signed them into law.

Federal:

At Trump’s Inauguration, $10,000 for Makeup and Lots of Room Service
MSN – Maggie Haberman, Sharon LaFraniere, and Benn Protess (New York Times) | Published: 1/14/2019

President Trump’s inaugural committee spent roughly $100 million for an abundance of expenses, including more than $1.5 million at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. The expansive spending reflected Trump’s desire to make a grand entrance, with roughly 20 events around Washington. Disclosure of the spending details comes at a time when the inaugural committee is facing legal scrutiny over the donations that funded it. There is no indication of any investigation into the inaugural committee’s spending. For the most part, inaugural committees are free to spend the money they raise from private donations as they wish. But millions of dollars for Trump’s inauguration were written off in lost revenue.

New Members, Meet the ‘Slush Fund’
Roll Call – Stephanie Aikin | Published: 1/14/2019

More than two dozen new members of the U.S. House and Senate, many of whom campaigned against corruption and corporate money in politics, have established so-called leadership PACs. They are fundraising committees that allow lawmakers to collect money for their colleagues and candidates. The vast majority of members have one, and many say they can be helpful tools to support other politicians and the issues they care about. But the PACs are not subject to the same restrictions on personal spending as individual campaign committees, leading to numerous examples of alleged misuse. Critics say they also allow politicians to evade campaign contribution limits and obscure donations from corporations and other powerful groups.

T-Mobile Execs Seeking Trump Approval for Deal Stayed Repeatedly at His D.C. Hotel
Chicago Tribune – Jonathan O’Connell and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 1/16/2019

Top executives from T-Mobile booked reservations at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. one day after it was announced that T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint would require the administration’s approval. T-Mobile executives stayed at the hotel for at least 38 nights during 2018. The Washington Post obtained about a dozen 2018 VIP Arrivals lists which are provided to hotel staff when foreign officials, executives, and Trump family friends are customers at the hotel. Countries, interest groups, and companies like T-Mobile – whose future will be shaped by the administration’s choices – are free to stop at both and pay the president’s company while also meeting with officials in his government. Such visits raise questions about whether patronizing Trump’s private business is viewed as a way to influence public policy.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: Downtown L.A. Development Is a Focus of FBI Corruption Probe
Los Angeles Times – Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser | Published: 1/14/2019

The rapid transformation of downtown Los Angeles’ skyline is being fueled in good measure by huge investments from Chinese companies eager to burnish their global brands and capitalize on the city’s real estate boom. Now, some of those projects have become a focus of federal agents seeking evidence of possible bribery, extortion, money laundering, and other crimes as part of a corruption investigation at City Hall. Federal investigators have cast a wide net for information about foreign investment in Los Angeles real estate development, according to a search warrant that names an array of political and business figures. The investigation became public in November, when FBI agents raided the home and offices and offices of city Councilperson Jose Huizar.

Colorado: Judge: State ethics panel has no jurisdiction over many Colorado cities
Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 1/10/2019

A judge said the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (IEC) no longer has jurisdiction over the ethics rules of home-rule cities such as Denver and Colorado Springs. Part of Amendment 41, the voter-approved ethics law, deals with ethics codes set up by home-rule cities and counties. It says Amendment 41 does not apply to “home rule cities or counties that have adopted charters, ordinance or resolutions that address the matters covered” under the amendment. Shortly after the passage of Amendment 41, the city of Glendale adopted its own code of ethics. But the IEC, in deciding it had jurisdiction over Glendale, decided the city’s code did not contain every provision laid out in Amendment 41.

Kentucky: How Much Is Spent Lobbying Kentucky’s Executive Branch? This Bill Demands an Answer.
Lexington Herald-Leader – Jack Brammer | Published: 1/15/2019

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers introduced legislation to give the public more information about those lobbying the state’s executive branch. Businesses often spend more than $20 million-a-year lobbying Kentucky lawmakers, but no similar number is counted for executive branch lobbyists, who are far more numerous. Under Senate Bill 6, executive branch lobbyists would have to file with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission their payment and could not work for any type of contingency fee.

Montana: U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Take Up Montana Campaign Finance Case
Montana Standard; Associated Press –   | Published: 1/14/2019

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging Montana’s campaign contribution limits, likely ending a legal challenge that has lasted more than seven years. Opponents of the caps, which are among the lowest in the country, said they are unconstitutional under the First Amendment and prevent candidates from waging effective campaigns. In declining to take up the case, the high court upheld the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling that the limits are a reasonable way to prevent corruption and still allow candidates to raise enough money. Since the lawsuit was filed, a federal judge has ruled twice that those limits are unconstitutional, only to be reversed upon appeal.

New York: Legislature Passes Sweeping Electoral Reforms
Albany Times Union – Rachel Silberstein | Published: 1/14/2019

New York lawmakers passed several bills that would allow early voting, preregistration of minors, voting by mail, and limits on the influence of money in elections. The reforms make state primary elections the same day as federal primary elections. One bill amends the law to hold limited liability companies (LLCs) to the same aggregate contribution limit of $5,000 that applies to corporations. The legislation includes a constitutional amendment that requires the disclosure of the identity and proportion of ownership of all direct and indirect owners of the membership interests in the LLC and may go into effect as soon as 2021.

Ohio: Columbus Council Appoints Shayla Favor, Approves Campaign Finance Reforms
WOSU – Gabe Rosenberg | Published: 1/15/2019

The Columbus City Council approved the city’s first ever campaign finance reforms. The measures set requirements for disclosing the sources of campaign advertisements and include a tax credit for small donations. But the most-discussed part of the reforms are the campaign contribution limits: $12,707.79 per year. The limit is higher than any other city in Ohio. Because the provision applies annually rather than by campaign period, city officials could raise more money than state officeholders serving for the same amount of time. It applies to all municipal candidates including mayor, council member, auditor, and city attorney. The contribution limits will take effect in time for this year’s elections.

Oklahoma: Stitt Inauguration Donors May Not Be Revealed Until Summer
Oklahoma Watch – Trevor Brown | Published: 1/10/2019

Hundreds of donors and supporters will welcome Kevin Stitt as Oklahoma’s new governor during four days of events. The pre-inaugural events are a lavish and at times controversial tradition shared by newly elected presidents and governors across the country. The events will be entirely funded by private money from Stitt’s backers or those looking to gain good will with the administration. If past inaugurations are a guide, Stitt will likely raise more than $1 million from wealthy individuals, companies, and special-interest groups that are allowed to contribute without limits. But those donors can be kept secret for up to six months, until well after this year’s legislative session is over.

South Carolina: SC Ethics Advocate Creates Ethics Dilemma by Gifting Corruption Book to Lawmakers
The State – Avery Wilkes | Published: 1/10/2019

Lobbyist John Crangle, a longtime ethics reform advocate, gave the South Carolina House and Senate more than 180 copies of his book on a corruption scandal to remind legislators of “Operation Lost Trust,” the 1990 investigation that found widespread vote-selling in the General Assembly and led to criminal charges against 18 lawmakers. The books were delivered to individual lawmakers as they returned to Columbia to begin the legislative session. House Ethics Committee Chairperson Murrell Smith said staffers contacted Crangle and the publisher to verify the book was worth less than the $25 and, thus, would not need to be reported as a gift. State Rep. Kirkman Finlay said Crangle’s gift highlights the awkward spot that legislators regularly find themselves in when a gift reaches their door.

Texas: Texas Republicans Rally Behind Muslim Official as Some Try to Oust Him Over Religion
MSN – Adeel Hassan (New York Times) | Published: 1/10/2019

Shahid Shafi will retain his role as vice-chairperson of the Tarrant County Republican Party despite a push to remove him from his post because he is Muslim. Those who were in favor of Shafi’s removal said he is unequipped to be vice-chair because he does not represent all Tarrant County Republicans due to his religion. They have also said Islamic ideologies run counter to the U.S. Constitution, an assertion many Texas GOP officials have called bigoted.

Vermont: A White Nationalist’s Harassment Helped Force a Black Female Lawmaker to Resign. He Won’t Face Charges.
MSN – Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 1/15/2019

Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan said he will not file charges in the reported racial harassment of former state Rep. Kiah Morris, though he believes Morris and her family were victims. Donovan said he would not pursue a criminal case because the First Amendment protects free speech. Morris was the only black female lawmaker in the Legislature and she won the Democratic nomination this summer but withdrew, citing racially motivated threats and online harassment. The messages Max Misch, a self-described white nationalist, sent to Morris over a two-year period disrupted her life to the point that she sought, and was granted, a protective order against him. To Misch, the incidents were little more than a joke. “I like trolling people – it’s fun,” Misch said.

Washington: Split Court: Local initiatives subject to disclosure rule
KOMO – Gene Johnson (Associated Press) | Published: 1/10/2019

The Washington Supreme Court ruled the state attorney general’s office can pursue a campaign finance disclosure case against the conservative Evergreen Freedom Foundation. The majority rejected the group’s assertion that the disclosure requirements did not apply to local initiatives before they are placed on the ballot. State law explicitly says that after a measure has been submitted to an elections official, donations to that campaign must be reported. That applies to statewide initiative measures, which must be reviewed by the secretary of state’s office before proponents can gather signatures. But for some local initiatives, supporters do not turn them in until after they have collected signatures.

Federal:

Feds’ GoFundMe Campaigns Open a ‘Minefield’ of Ethical Questions During Shutdown
Federal News Network – Nicole Ogrysko | Published: 1/8/2019

The Office of Government Ethics said employees on unpaid furlough due to the government shutdown remain covered by federal ethics policies. Many of those on furlough are exploring taking outside jobs or applying for unemployment benefits. Some are soliciting donations on “GoFundMe” pages to ease the financial uncertainty of likely missed paychecks. But existing rules open a “minefield” of questions about how the employees can ask for contributions during shutdown furloughs, if at all, said Virginia Canter, an attorney for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Typically, federal employees cannot accept gifts from “prohibited sources,” or organizations that do business with the employee’s agency. With that in mind, federal employees soliciting shutdown donations would need to ensure the source of every contribution.

How a Little-Known Democratic Firm Cashed in On the Wave of Midterm Money
Washington Post – Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Anu Narayanswamy | Published: 1/8/2019

Mothership Strategies, a little-known and relatively new digital consulting firm, collected tens of millions of dollars from a tide of small donations that flowed to Democrats during the 2018 midterm elections. The firm’s rapid ascendancy as one of the highest-paid vendors of the election since its launch speaks to how lucrative the explosion of small-dollar contributions has been for a group of political consultants who saw the wave of cash coming and built a business model to capitalize. But Mothership Strategies’ rise also has sparked consternation in Democratic circles because of its aggressive and sometimes misleading tactics. Some call its approach unethical, saying the company profits off stoking fear of Donald Trump and making the sort of exaggerated claims they associate with the president.

Manafort Intended for Polling Data to Go to 2 Ukrainian Oligarchs, a Source Says
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Katelyn Polantz and Evan Perez (CNN) | Published: 1/9/2019

Serhiy Lyovochkin and Rinat Akhmetov, two Ukrainian oligarchs who had paid Paul Manafort for years for his political work in their country, were the intended recipients of American polling data that Manafort shared with Konstantin Kilimnik during the 2016 presidential campaign, a person familiar with the matter said. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team has been circling Lyovochkin and Akhmetov’s dealings with Manafort, as they were both generous backers of Manafort’s Ukrainian lobbying work. Manafort spokesperson Jason Maloni confirmed Manafort expected to receive the $2.4 million in income from his Ukrainian political backers, including Lyovochkin and Akhmetov. But the money was meant to reimburse old debts that predated the Trump campaign, spokesman Maloni added, and it was not a quid pro quo for the polling data.

Supreme Court to Hear Cases on Partisan Gerrymandering in Maryland, N. Carolina
Salt Lake Tribune – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 1/4/2019

The U.S. Supreme Court once again will take up unresolved constitutional questions about partisan gerrymandering, agreeing to consider rulings from two lower courts that found congressional maps in North Carolina and Maryland so extreme they violated the rights of voters. The North Carolina map was drawn by Republicans, the Maryland districts by the state’s dominant Democrats. The Supreme Court has never found a state’s redistricting map so infected with politics that it violates the Constitution. It passed up the chance last term to settle the issue of whether courts have a role in policing partisan gerrymandering, sending back on technical rulings challenges to a Republican-drawn plan in Wisconsin, and the challenged Maryland map. But there will be a new set of justices considering the issue.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Secret Campaign to Use Russian-Inspired Tactics in 2017 Ala. Election Stirs Anxiety for Democrats
Denver Post – Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Aaron Davis, and Elizabeth Dwoskin (Washington Post) | Published: 1/6/2019

A secret effort to influence the 2017 U.S. Senate election in Alabama used tactics inspired by Russian disinformation teams, including the creation of fake accounts to deliver misleading messages on Facebook to help elect Democrat Doug Jones in the deeply red state. But unlike the 2016 presidential campaign when Russians worked to help elect Donald Trump, the people behind the Alabama effort, dubbed Project Birmingham, were Americans. Now Democratic operatives and a research firm known to have had roles in Project Birmingham are distancing themselves from its most controversial tactics. Jones’s upset victory over Roy Moore in all likelihood resulted from other factors, political analysts say. But news of the effort has underscored the warnings of disinformation experts who have said threats to transparent political discourse in the age of social media are as likely to be domestic as foreign.

California: As Fires Ravaged California, Utilities Lobbied Lawmakers for Protection
MSN – Ivan Penn (New York Times) | Published: 1/5/2019

As more wildfires are traced to equipment owned by California’s investor-owned utilities, the largest, Pacific Gas and Electric, could ultimately have to pay homeowners and others an estimated $30 billion for causing fires over the last two years. Realizing their potential fire liability is large enough to bankrupt them, the utility companies are spending tens of millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions. Their goal is a law that would allow them to pass on the cost of wildfires to their customers in the form of higher electricity rates. After an earlier lobbying push, legislators have already voted to protect the companies from having to bear the cost of fires in 2017, and utilities are seeking the same for 2018.

California: Irvine City Council Strengthens Lobbyist Policy
Voice of OC – Spencer Custodio | Published: 1/10/2019

The Irvine City Council strengthened its conflict-of-interest policy by adding a provision to its contracts which says if a council member or employee lobbied on behalf of a city contractor, the contract can be voided with cause and the city will get reimbursed. While there was a similar contract provision preventing employment of a city official by a city contractor, it did not address lobbying services – paid or unpaid.

Connecticut: Under the Influence: Marijuana industry seeks ruling on legality of political contributions in Connecticut
Hartford Courant – Neil Vigdor | Published: 1/8/2019

The pioneers of Connecticut’s growing medical marijuana industry say they should be allowed to donate to lawmakers who could make the state the next lucrative frontier for recreational cannabis. State election regulators came to the opposite conclusion on an informal basis early last year, finding medical marijuana growers and dispensaries are subject to the same ban on campaign contributions by state contractors under state law. But those business owners are disputing that “licensing arrangements” between the state and 18 dispensaries are contracts. They petitioned the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a formal ruling on their status.

Georgia: State Ethics Director Put on Paid Leave Over Porn, Misconduct Allegations
WSB – Richard Belcher | Published: 1/8/2019

The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission voted to put Executive Director Stefan Ritter on paid leave and conduct an investigation after allegations he had pornography on his work computer. There also were complaints about his job performance, including irregular work hours. Ritter, who worked for over a decade as an assistant attorney general before taking over the commission, has been credited with cleaning up the troubled agency, reducing backlogs, and helping get raises for staff.

Maryland: Federal Judge Stops Enforcement of Maryland Election Law
Courthouse News Service – Edward Ericson Jr. | Published: 1/4/2019

A federal judge enjoined Maryland from enforcing a law aimed at preventing foreign interference in state elections while a challenge by a group of newspapers plays out in court. The Online Electioneering Transparency and Accountability Act requires platforms with more than 100,000 monthly visitors to publish the names and contact information for any purchaser of a “qualifying paid digital communication,” along with the price paid, among other provisions. Some of the information the law demands is proprietary, such as how many people the ads reached. Much of the rest, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Grimm found, is duplicative.

Michigan: Whitmer Choice Raises Questions About State’s Conflicts of Interest Laws
Detroit Free Press – Paul Egan | Published: 1/7/2019

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer named Orlene Hawks as director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), an agency with responsibilities that include oversight of Michigan’s new marijuana industry, liquor licensing, the regulation of utilities, and licensing of doctors and hospitals. Hawks is married to Michael Hawks, an owner and principal of Government Consultant Services Inc., which represents many clients affected by the policies and rulings of LARA and its sub-agencies. An ethics expert said the potential issues raised by the situation underline a need for stronger financial disclosure and conflict-of-interest laws in Michigan.

Montana: Montana’s Dark Money Detective
Pacific Standard – Jimmy Tobias | Published: 1/9/2019

With a history of ant-corporate populism and intimate electoral campaigns, Montana is the sort of place where someone can run for office without a lot of money and still stand a chance. It is a state with just a million people and little tolerance for big money meddling in elections. As the former commissioner of political practices, Jonathan Motl set an example for other states that are also contending with the influence of unaccountable election spending. A ruling by the state Supreme Court upholding a conviction against former Sen. Art Wittich for corruption and violating campaign finance laws was a vindication and a climactic moment in Montana’s anti-corruption efforts.

Oklahoma: Stitt Unveils Plan to Address Potential Business Conflicts
Oklahoma Watch – Paul Monies | Published: 1/7/2019

Incoming Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is asking the state attorney general to review his plan to step away from his mortgage company as it becomes a bank and to approve a conflict-of-interest policy for his family investments. Stitt is facing potential conflicts-of-interest related to Gateway Mortgage Group, which he founded, and possibly some real estate and other personal investments. The first step in this shift from private businessperson to public official has to do with the state banking commission. Stitt pledged to have no contact with the state banking commissioner on Gateway-related matters, as it is converting to a bank. The governor appoints the banking commissioner and members of the state banking board.

Oregon: BOLI Finds ‘Substantial Evidence’ of Sexual Harassment at Oregon Capitol
Portland Oregonian – Ted Sickinger and Hillary Borrud | Published: 1/3/2019

Oregon labor regulators found “substantial evidence” of sexual harassment at the Capitol, concluding that lawmakers and administrators have known about it for years and did little to stop it. The Bureau of Labor and Industries released its findings after a five-month investigation, as well as a laundry list of allegations gleaned from witness interviews conducted by agency investigators, legislative analysts, and an attorney hired by the Legislature to investigate the harassment claims. The report concludes the most powerful lawmakers and administrators in the Capitol mishandled, downplayed and ignored allegations of sexual harassment, including inappropriate touching, sexually suggestive language, and the lopsided power dynamics that enabled the behavior.

Washington: From Campaign Consultant to Lobbyist and Adviser: The firm that has Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s ear
Seattle Times – Daniel Beekman and Lewis Kamb | Published: 1/6/2019

Political operatives Sandeep Kaushik and Kelly Evans helped Jenny Durkan win Seattle’s mayoral race in 2017. As Durkin embarks on her second year, they and their company, Sound View Strategies, have emerged as key players at City Hall. They successfully ran the mayor’s campaign for a $600 million education levy. Durkan’s major-initiatives director, office administrator, and chief of staff all are former Sound View employees. Kaushik describes himself and Evans as members of Durkan’s informal “kitchen cabinet,” even as they lobby her administration and advocate for corporate clients such as Comcast and Airnub. The mayor downplayed Sound View’s clout. Her ties to the company are known, and the city’s requirements are adequate to protect against real and perceived conflicts, Durkin said.

Federal:

Mueller Fuels Foreign Lobbying Crackdown
The Hill – Morgan Chalfont and Alex Gangitano | Published: 12/31/2018

The Federal Agents Registration Act dates to 1938, when it was passed to ensure transparency of foreign influence in the American political process as a result of fears over Nazi and communist propaganda. It has been amended twice since then but is essentially the same law. It requires that “agents of foreign principals,” typically lobbyists or consultants who work for foreign governments or political parties, register and file regular reports with the Justice Department on their activities. They also must file copies of materials they distribute for any foreign entities and keep a record of their activities. Criminal prosecutions under the law have been few and far between, but special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has changed that, at least for the time being.

Sexism Claims from Bernie Sanders’s 2016 Run: Paid less, treated worse
MSN – Sydney Ember and Katie Benner (New York Times) | Published: 1/2/2019

Accounts of sexual harassment and demeaning treatment, as well as pay disparity, in U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign have circulated in recently in emails, online comments, and private discussions among former supporters. As Sanders tries to build support for a second run at the White House, his perceived failure to address this issue has damaged his progressive bona fides, nearly a dozen former state and national staff members said. It also has raised questions among them about whether the senator can adequately fight for the interests of women, who have increasingly defined the Democratic Party, if he runs again for the presidential nomination. The former staff members said complaints about mistreatment and pay disparity during and just after the campaign reached some senior leaders of the operation.

Trump Effect: How out-of-state money fueled Democratic House wins in 2018
USA Today – Maureen Groppe and Christopher Schnaars | Published: 12/29/2018

The Democrats who captured the U.S. House by flipping 43 districts from red to blue in the November election received on average more than half of their large-dollar campaign funds from outside their states. By contrast, defeated Republicans in those districts collected only about one-third of their itemized funds from outside their states. The money that poured into House races from out-of-state donors was another example of the nationalization of the 2018 midterm elections that were partly a referendum on President Trump’s first two years in office. Analysts said the data reinforced other signs that opposition to Trump helped to motivate Democratic donors.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: Ethics Revision Commission Could Give Legislators Multiple Choices
Montgomery Advertiser – Brian Lyman | Published: 12/27/2018

A commission working on proposed changes to the state’s ethics law might deliver multiple options to legislators next year. Tom Albritton, executive director of the Alabama Ethics Commission, said the final proposals will likely include a range of options on different issues for lawmakers to take up, should they decide to revise ethics laws in the legislative session that begins next March. The Code of Ethics Clarification and Reform Commission has taken up a number of issues, though it has spent a great deal of time on the definition of “principal,” or a person or entity who hires a lobbyist.

Delaware: Former Delaware Lawmaker Melanie George Smith’s New Career Draws Complaints of Self-Dealing
Wilmington News Journal – Scott Goss | Published: 1/2/2019

Former Rep. Melanie George Smith has launched a consulting firm that critics say is benefiting from a Delaware “sustainability” industry that she helped create during her final months in office. Her business, Sustainable World Strategies, is prompting questions about the rules that are supposed to stop state lawmakers from crafting legislation that benefits them personally. Smith rejects the notion that her business has anything to do with the legislation she sponsored. “They are completely separate,” she said. “And when you introduce legislation in Dover that is broadly beneficial to everybody, there is no conflict whatsoever.”

Florida: Lauren Book Proposes ‘Swearing In’ Legislative Speakers
Florida Politics – Jim Rosica | Published: 1/2/2019

Florida Sen. Lauren Book filed the Truth in Government Act for the 2019 legislative session that would require people appearing at legislative committees to be sworn in before speaking. Those making a “false statement that he or she does not believe to be true, … in regard to any material matter, commits a felony of the third degree,” Senate Bill 58 says. But the legislation exempts lawmakers themselves, staff members, and children. The majority of speakers before legislative panels are paid lobbyists. “I don’t think it’s necessary because it confuses 1st Amendment-right advocacy with investigatory or legal proceedings that require testimony under oath,” one lobbyist said.

Idaho: Why Does This Charity Golf Event Hosted by Idaho’s Governor Cost More Than It Gives Out?
Idaho Statesman – Audrey Dutton | Published: 1/3/2019

The annual Governor’s Cup tournament is a multiday golf and sporting affair that raises money for college and trade-school scholarships in Idaho. The event is hosted by the governor and first lady and is attended by the state’s political and business movers and shakers. Almost every year of the past decade, the nonprofit that runs the tournament has spent at least twice as much money on throwing the annual event than it has awarded in financial aid. Marcus Owens, a former director of the IRS’s division for tax-exempt organizations, said the event’s cost calls into question its primary purpose. “It sure sounds like this is an opportunity for lobbyists to do what lobbyists do outside the eyes of reporters or the general public,” said Owens.

Illinois: Feds Charge Powerful Ald. Edward Burke with Corruption
Chicago Tribune – Jason Meisner | Published: 1/3/2019

Chicago Ald. Edward Burke was charged with attempted extortion in a federal criminal complaint. It alleges Burke tried to extort a company that owns fast-food restaurants in the Chicago area and needed help with permits for a remodeling job. The complaint also alleged Burke illegally solicited a campaign donation from an executive with the restaurant company for another politician, who is not named in the charges. The criminal charge was stunning even for a city with a long history of public corruption. While dozens of his city council colleagues have been convicted and sent to prison over the decades, Burke was largely seen as too clever or sophisticated to be caught. He had faced federal scrutiny several times before but always escaped charges.

Missouri: No More Free Lunch for Missouri Lawmakers. Literally.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 1/3/2019

Although it could face a test in court, a possible repeal by frustrated lawmakers, and varied legal opinions from ethics regulators, the so-called Clean Missouri ballot measure approved by voters in November places a five-dollar cap on gifts lawmakers can receive from lobbyists. That means fewer lobbying groups offering free food to lawmakers and legislative staffers during the busy crush of the legislative session that begins January 9 and runs through May 17. It means no more dinners being purchased by lobbyists for lawmakers at local restaurants, nor free tickets to baseball games, concerts, or golf tournaments. For lobbyists, lawmakers, and restaurateurs in Jefferson City, the changes are significant.

Missouri: State Seeks Dismissal of Lobbyist Gift Ban Lawsuit
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 12/26/2018

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that sought to overturn a ban on workers in the governor’s office receiving gifts from lobbyists. Gov. Mike Parson in November rewrote an order issued by his predecessor, Eric Greitens, that had prohibited all gifts from lobbyists. The change was aimed at allowing groups to distribute informational booklets to employees of the state’s chief executive. In October, the Institute for Justice said the ban on gift-giving violated the organization’s First Amendment rights to free speech because it prohibits them from giving workers in Parson’s office two books. Hawley’s office said the change makes the lawsuit unnecessary.

New Jersey: New Jersey Is the Latest Battleground in National Redistricting Fight
Politico – Matt Freidman | Published: 12/28/2018

Democrats who control the New Jersey Legislature attempted to fast track a constitutional amendment to change the way the state draws its legislative districts. The plan would have inserted a formula into the state constitution almost certainly cementing Democratic majorities for decades to come. But to a new wave of liberal activists, it reeked of an attempted power grab. Their party’s redistricting amendment gave them a new target and joined by good government groups and Republican state lawmakers who stood to see their already diminished clout reduced further, they held rallies in front of the Statehouse to oppose it.  Redistricting is drawing more and more mainstream attention, with New Jersey the latest state to battle over the drawing of district lines in the run-up to 2020.

New York: N.Y.’s New Attorney General Is Targeting Trump. Will Judges See a ‘Political Vendetta?’
MSN – Jeffery Mays (New York Times) | Published: 12/31/2018

Letitia James, the incoming New York attorney general, has suggested that President Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice, and implied that foreign governments channeled money to his family’s real estate holdings, which she characterized as a “pattern and practice of money laundering.” Democratic attorneys general across the country have used their offices to confront Trump. But since her election, James has opened herself up to criticism that she has gone too far in allowing politics to shape her agenda. Her strident attacks on the president could potentially threaten the legal standing of cases that her office brings against Trump, his family members or their business interests, legal experts said.

North Carolina: NC Lawmakers Override Veto of Bill That Makes Allegations of Campaign Finance Violations Secret
Raleigh News and Observer – Craig Jarvis | Published: 12/27/2018

Republican lawmakers held off North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s attempt to muster enough Democrats to thwart an override of his veto of an elections law bill. A large majority of Democrats had voted to approve the bill, as it reflected changes in state election law that Cooper achieved in a lawsuit. But despite negotiations with legislative leaders over how to accomplish those changes, Cooper focused the argument on keeping accusations of campaign finance violations secret. Cooper opposed a provision in the bill that will require allegations of campaign finance wrongdoing to be probed by the State Ethics Commission and its findings to be referred to the State Board of Elections. The elections board could then refer the matter to local prosecutors to consider bringing criminal charges, all in confidence.

South Dakota: Undisclosed Donors Gave $95K in SD Governor Race
Rapid City Journal – Seth Tupper | Published: 12/30/2018

An out-of-state PAC that ran advertisements supporting Kristi Noem and opposing Billie Sutton in the race for South Dakota governor received $95,000 from undisclosed sources during the final week of the campaign. The money was raised by a corporation, apparently a 501(c)4 nonprofit, that does not disclose its donors. The corporation then gave the money to a super PAC, which appears to have spent most or all the money on independent expenditures in the race. The contributions from the corporation to the super PAC occurred late enough in the campaign that they did not show up on the super PAC’s campaign finance reports until a post-election report, which was filed on December 6.

Federal:

Lawmakers Push Review of New Member Events After Complaints Over Lobbyists at Harvard Orientation
Washington Post – Jeff Stein | Published: 12/14/2018

Harvard invited lobbyists to speak at its orientation program for incoming members of Congress and paid for travel and board for the newly elected members of the House to attend. Under House rules, that arrangement would typically be subject to an extensive review by the ethics committee before members could be cleared to attend. But Harvard’s program was not for sitting members of Congress, it was for members to-be, who will not be sworn in until January. Lawmakers say they are planning to review House ethics rules for incoming members, bringing new scrutiny to Harvard’s decades-long orientation program, as well as a broader review of how lobbyists reach incoming freshman lawmakers.

Targets of U.S. Sanctions Hire Lobbyists with Trump Ties to Seek Relief
MSN – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 12/11/2018

As the Trump administration has increasingly turned to sanctions, travel restrictions, and tariffs to punish foreign governments as well as people and companies from abroad, targets of those measures have turned for assistance to K Street’s corridor of law, lobbying, and public relations firms. The work can carry reputational and legal risks, since clients often come with toxic baggage and the U.S. Treasury Department restricts transactions with entities under sanctions. As a result, it commands some of the biggest fees of any sector in the influence industry. And some of the biggest payments have been going to lobbyists, lawyers, and consultants with connections to Trump or his administration.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona: Bennett Loses Court Bid to Get Public Financing for Gubernatorial Campaign
Arizona Capitol Times – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Srevices) | Published: 12/14/2018

A judge rejected the latest bid by Ken Bennett to get public financing for his failed gubernatorial bid in Arizona, or at least reimburse himself for the money he spent. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Teresa Sanders acknowledged Bennett said he did have enough valid signatures on five-dollar donation forms to qualify for $839,704 which was available for candidates in the Republican primary for governor earlier this year. Bennett said he fell short only because some county election officials incorrectly classified some of them as invalid. But Sanders said there is nothing in Arizona law that provides an opportunity for a candidate to “rehabilitate” previously disqualified contribution slips.

Florida: ‘He Got Screwed’: Gillum absent from indictment after DeSantis bashed him as corrupt
Politico – Marc Caputo | Published: 12/12/2018

City Commissioner Scott Maddox and political consultant Janice Paige Carter-Smith were indicted on bribery and other charges in the first results to emerge from a years-long investigation into corruption in Tallahassee. Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order suspending Maddox from the commission. Maddox had served as mayor, while Carter-Smith was his chief of staff and business partner. The indictment alleges they conspired to run two companies as one, known as Governance, in a far-reaching racketeering scheme. It did not name Andrew Gillum, who was Tallahassee’s mayor at the time and was accused on the gubernatorial campaign trail this year of being tied to the suspected wrongdoing the FBI was investigating.

Kansas: Kansas Lawmakers Can Quickly Become Lobbyists, but Many States Make Them Wait
Wichita Eagle – Jonathan Shorman | Published: 12/20/2018

Kansas has no law stopping legislators from immediately becoming a lobbyist after they leave office, unlike the majority of states. At least 38 states have some kind of waiting period for lawmakers who want to become lobbyists. Supporters of the waiting periods say they are needed to stop lawmakers from being influenced by potential future employers while they are in the Legislature. Others question their usefulness. U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins’ move to set up a lobbying firm while still in Congress drew attention to Kansas’ lack of a waiting period. While Jenkins is a federal lawmaker, her new firm plans to lobby at both the state and federal level. Federal rules require Jenkins to wait a year before lobbying at the federal level.

New Hampshire: Sununu, Inner Circle Received Thousands from Lobbyist-Funded Nonprofit
Manchester Union Leader – Todd Feathers | Published: 12/15/2018

Lobbying firms and corporations donated to New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s inaugural party committee, helping raise $450,000. But when all the festivities were finished, there was still money left over in the accounts of The Sununu Inaugural Celebration Inc., a 501c(4) organization set up to pay for the parties. And most of the surplus funds have since been paid out to Sununu, his immediate family, and his closest advisers. The transactions create the appearance of conflicts-of-interest and improper profiteering, tax attorneys and ethics experts say, and raise a number of legal questions. The explanations for the payments are vague. Reports filed with the secretary of state’s office simply state the purposes as “expenses” or “travel.”

New Jersey: GoFundMe Violates Election Law, but Candidates Keep Using It
Bergen Record – Nicholas Katzban | Published: 12/17/2018

In a race for seats on the Rutherford school board, Kevin Wilson and Hesham Mahmoud challenged three incumbents in November’s election. The two received $375 in contributions through GoFundMe, which they reported to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). But no matter the amount, the commission said use of the site for political fundraising is prohibited due to the difficulty in tracing the source of the donations. GoFundMe’s compliance director, Stephanie Olivo, said ELEC’s policy on crowdfunding is guided by an advisory opinion issued in 2001. The statement does not address crowdfunding sites, specifically, but does outline the services that must be available through an online vendor, that would ensure each transaction complies with election law.

New York: JCOPE’s New Regs Constrained by Settlement
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 12/19/2018

A settlement was reached in a lawsuit challenging the Joint Commission on Public Ethics’ (JCOPE) new regulations on lobbying. Under the terms of the agreement, the 92 pages of rules are defined simply as a “statement” for how the agency plans to administer and enforce state lobbying law. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood’s office agreed the regulations will not in and of themselves have the force and effect of law. That makes the guidelines different from some regulations traditionally created by state agencies, violations of which can on their own be the basis for penalties. But JCOPE Executive Director Seth Agata argued that, in practical terms, the settlement would have virtually no effect, and the agency still planned to vigorously enforce the regulations as planned.

North Carolina: Secrecy Provision in Elections Board Bill Prompted Cooper Veto
WRAL – Matthew Burns | Published: 12/18/2018

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he will veto legislation that again overhauls the state elections board because it also would make investigations of potential campaign finance violations confidential. The bill comes amid an investigation by the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement into suspicious absentee voting in the Ninth Congressional District, and Cooper said lawmakers should be more concerned about building public confidence in elections than in protecting politicians who bend the rules. House Bill 1029 also would place a four-year statute of limitations on investigations, with the clock starting once the board knows, or should have known, about a violation of the state’s campaign finance rules.

North Dakota: Wary of New Ethics Rules, North Dakota Lobbyists Rethink Plans for Legislator Receptions
Bismarck Tribune – John Hageman | Published: 12/13/2018

Some lobbying groups are rethinking plans to hold events with state lawmakers after North Dakota voters passed a ballot measure establishing new ethics rules in the state constitution. Industry group leaders cited language in Measure 1 that prevents lobbyists from giving gifts to public officials. Although that provision is not effective for two years and includes exceptions for educational and social settings meant to “advance opportunities for North Dakota residents to meet with public officials,” lobbyists said they were taking a conservative approach to the new rules.

Oklahoma: State Rule Would Disclose Hidden Backers of Groups Trying to Affect Legislation
Oklahoma Watch – Paul Monies | Published: 12/17/2018

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is proposing to close a gap in law that keeps certain funding and spending on efforts to influence legislation a secret. Although sources and amounts of money are typically required to be disclosed when groups seek to influence an election involving candidates or state ballot questions, little must be revealed when a group tries to push or oppose legislation. The proposed rule would mandate certain disclosures for groups that pay for communications about pending bills. Commission Executive Director Ashley Kemp said the proposal just adds another category for what is called “indirect lobbying” at the Legislature.

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Ethics Commission Fines Workers Comp Law Firm’s Lobbying Wings for Late Disclosure of Influence Peddling
Allentown Morning Call – Steve Esack | Published: 12/7/2018

A pair of lobbying groups connected to the law firm Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano violated Pennsylvania’s lobbying law and were fined. If at least $2,500 is spent to lobby legislation, the lobbyists involved are given 10 days to register and must file quarterly expenditure reports. The State Ethics Commission determined PA Works Now and Citizens to Protect Our Pennsylvania failed to register and did not report $115,800 spent on professional lobbyists, online posts, billboards, and flyers aimed at defeating two Workers’ Compensation bills. PA Works Now did not register its lobbying activities until 388 days after it started. PA Works Now must pay a fine of $13,580 and Citizens to Protect Our Pennsylvania was fined $15,500.

South Carolina: SC Lawmaker Benefiting from Law Change That Opened Top State Agency Slot for Him
Charleston Post and Courier – Jamie Lovegrove | Published: 12/10/2018

As South Carolina lawmakers considered reauthorizing the state’s land preservation agency this year, they proposed restricting legislators from taking over the department for one year after leaving office. But in the final version of the bill, the one-year waiting period for the Conservation Bank was removed. Now, just a few months after the bill passed, a lawmaker who has supported the agency for years stands to benefit from that last-minute change. State Rep. Mike Pitts, who oversaw the agency’s budget and headed the House ethics committee, announced he is retiring to take over the Conservation Bank.

Vermont: As Ethics Panel Director Steps Down, Differing Explanations Are Offered
VTDigger.org – Mark Johnson | Published: 12/14/2018

Vermont Ethics Commission Executive Director Brian Leven has resigned but he and the panel’s chairperson have offered different reasons why the separation occurred. Leven said he believed the commission exceeded its authority in an advisory opinion involving Gov. Phil Scott issued earlier this year. After taking the executive director job last December, he said he resigned because he and the commission were at odds over what powers the Legislature intended to give the board. Commission Chairperson Madeline Motta said the panel and Leven parted ways because of his “work performance.”

Washington: Facebook, Google to Pay Washington $450,000 to Settle Lawsuits Over Political-Ad Transparency
Seattle Times – Jim Brunner | Published: 12/19/2018

Google and Facebook agreed to pay $455,000 for violating Washington’s campaign finance law. Google will pay $217,000 and Facebook will pay $238,000 in response to two lawsuits filed by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson that accused the companies of not obeying the state law requiring them to maintain detailed records about who is paying for online political ads on their platforms. The lawsuits came after the state’s Public Disclosure Commission issued regulations related to a new law and passed an emergency rule that clarified digital ad companies like Google and Facebook are subject to state law requiring them to maintain publicly available information about political ads, just like television stations and other media.

National:

Republicans in Wisconsin, Michigan Push to Curb Power of Newly-Elected Democrats
Washington Post – Mark Berman, Emily Wax-Thibodeaux, and Dan Simmons | Published: 12/5/2018

Following losses in statewide elections, Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan have responded with pushes to limit the power of Democrats who won those offices, as advocacy groups threaten to block their efforts with legal action. Wisconsin Republicans passed bills that effectively kneecap the state’s incoming Democratic governor and attorney general with measures that limit or eliminate their abilities to act on aspects of gun control, a lawsuit on the Affordable Care Act, and various other state matters. Republican lawmakers in Michigan are similarly attempting to shift authority from the Democrats recently elected as governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, the first time the party will hold all three positions in nearly three decades.

Federal:

Prosecutors Ramp Up Foreign Lobbying Probe In New York
TPM – Eric Tucker, Desmond Butler, and Chad Day (Associated Press) | Published: 12/5/2018

Spinning off from the special counsel’s Russia probe, prosecutors are ramping up their investigation into foreign lobbying by two major Washington, D.C. firms that did work for former Trump campaign chairperson Paul Manafort, according to people familiar with the matter. The investigation had been quiet for months since special counsel Robert Mueller referred it to authorities in Manhattan because it fell outside his mandate of determining whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia. But in a flurry of new activity, Justice Department prosecutors in the last several weeks have begun interviewing witnesses and contacting lawyers to schedule additional questioning related to the Podesta Group and Mercury Public Affairs.

Saudi-Funded Lobbyist Paid for 500 Rooms at Trump’s Hotel After 2016 Election
MSN – David fahrenthold and Jonathan O’Connell (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2018

Saudi lobbyists moved some business to President Trump’s hotel in Washington, D.C., last year following the 2016 election, paying for an estimated 500 nights’ stay over just three months at the Trump International Hotel. Until December 2016, the lobbyists were booking at hotels in Northern Virginia. The lobbyists, backed by the Saudi Arabian government, spent around $270,000 at the Trump hotel in total, housing dozens of U.S. military veterans brought to the district to lobby Congress against a recently-passed law allowing victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks to sue other governments. The 500 nights in Trump’s hotel came at a discounted rate, and organizers claim that is the reason they moved their business there. Some of the veterans said they were not aware they were lobbying on behalf of Saudi Arabia.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona – Ruling Restores Expanded Oversight by Clean Elections Commission Over Campaign Finances
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 12/6/2018

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Palmer ruled that major parts of a rewrite of Arizona’s campaign finance laws violate the state constitution. The judge said parts of the law illegally strip power from the Citizens Clean Elections Commission. The power to investigate campaign finance violations and act as filing officer for candidates was handed to the secretary of state under the law. The 2016 law created large exemptions in what counts as a contribution, including allowing political parties to spend unlimited sums backing a candidate. It also allowed unlimited spending on legal fees and other types of support for candidates and political committees without being counted toward contribution limits. Palmer ruled all those provisions violate the Voter Protection Act.

California – L.A. Councilman’s Wife Was a Paid Fundraiser. Ex-Aides Say He Assigned Them to Help
Los Angeles Times – Adam Elmahrek, David Zahniser, and Emily Alpert-Reyes | Published: 11/30/2018

Los Angeles City Council member Jose Huizar personally asked companies that do business at City Hall to donate to a private school where his wife was working as a professional fundraiser and also assigned his staff to help with the effort. Huizar instructed staffers to work on a yearly fundraiser for Bishop Mora Salesian High School, and the assignment was considered part of their job duties. Huizar also sent an email to aides in 2013 identifying lobbyists, city contractors, and others whom he had contacted about making a donation. In the email, Huizar said two of his staff members were assisting in the fundraising effort. Two donors who gave to Salesian in 2015 said they were asked to do so by Huizar staffers.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Approves Sweeping Changes to Campaign Finance, Bans ‘Pay to Play’
Washington Post – Peter Jamison | Published: 12/4/2018

The District of Columbia Council passed legislation that addresses the city’s “pay-to-play” culture. The bill would ban campaign donations from firms and their top executives if they hold or are seeking government contracts worth at least $250,000. It would also give new authority to the city’s Office of Campaign Finance and require increased disclosures from independent expenditure committees. Amendments to the bill allow contractors to contribute to their own campaigns if they run for office and extend the deadline for closing campaign committees to 12 months after an election. Mayor Muriel Bowser could sign or veto the legislation or let it become law without signing it. She has not taken a position on restricting campaign donations from government contractors.

Hawaii – City Ethics Commission Is Investigating Far Fewer Cases Than 2 Years Ago
Honolulu Civil Beat – Natanya Friedheim | Published: 12/6/2018

The Honolulu Ethics Commission has kept a low profile since the tumultuous departure of its former director, Chuck Totto, more than two years ago. Totto’s replacement, Jan Yamane, has shifted the commission’s focus from investigating misconduct to training city employees and encouraging good behavior. “It doesn’t mean enforcement isn’t going to happen, but we would like to be more proactive,” Yamane said. In the years leading up to Totto’s departure, the commission saw a dwindling number of requests for advice, from an average of 342 per year from fiscal years 2012 to 2016 to just 182 requests in the 12 months following Totto’s exit. For some, the commission is now too quiet.

Illinois – Chicago Architects Don’t Just Draw – They Shower Aldermen with Campaign Cash
Chicago Tribune – Blair Kamin and Todd Lighty | Published: 12/6/2018

Chicago architects have long been viewed as more high-minded than developers, who are seen as plying the city’s aldermen with campaign money to get their projects off the ground. But that image of political purity bears little relation to reality. A virtual who’s who of Chicago architects has given tens of thousands of dollars to city council members who hold near-total power to determine whether their projects get built. Architects even have hosted fundraisers for aldermen. In some cases, donations are made while a project’s future hangs in the balance. In others, aldermen reported receiving the contributions not long after the proposals were approved. Watchdogs worry the contributions give architects an advantage over ordinary residents who oppose projects but may not have their alderman’s attention.

Massachusetts – Massachusetts Campaign Finance Law on Union Donations Appealed to U.S. Supreme Court
MassLive.com – Shira Schoenberg | Published: 12/5/2018

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, after losing a challenge to the state’s ban on corporate political donations in the Supreme Judicial Court, is seeking to challenge the law before the U.S. Supreme Court. Massachusetts law prohibits corporations from contributing directly to candidates or establishing PACs but allows them to make unlimited independent expenditures, with certain disclosure requirements. The plaintiffs in the state case argued the ban violates their First Amendment rights and unfairly applies to corporations but not entities like unions and nonprofits. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled the ban on corporate donations does not violate free speech rights and can help prevent actual and perceived corruption.

Minnesota – You Know You Want to Read This Sexy Story about Legislative Process Reform
Minnesota Post – Peter Callaghan | Published: 11/29/2018

There might have been no better illustration of how long the lack of transparency at the Minnesota Legislature has been a problem than the testimony provided by a longtime lobbyist and former legislative staffer at a recent hearing on legislative process reform. Phil Griffin dug up and offered testimony on the shortcomings of the legislative process he had delivered before – in 2008. The concerns were much the same back then, Griffin said, and they remain today: The Legislature is hard to follow, even for those who get paid to do so. Too much work is done out of public view, too much is left for the closing days, and too much business is left to be addressed in massive omnibus bills that include dozens and sometimes hundreds of bills. Others echoed those complaints.

Missouri – Missouri Lawmakers Resign Ahead of New Lobbyist Limits
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – David Lieb (Associated Press) | Published: 12/4/2018

Three Missouri lawmakers have resigned just ahead of the date a new constitutional amendment takes effect requiring legislators to wait two years before they can become lobbyists. State Sen. Jake Hummel confirmed he resigned in order to preserve his right to register as a lobbyist sooner rather than later. Current law requires legislators to wait six months after the end of their elected term before they can start lobbying. The new amendment requires them to wait two years after the end of the session in which they last served, but it applies only to those serving on or after the measure’s effective date.

North Carolina – North Carolina Election-Fraud Investigation Centers on Operative with Criminal History Who Worked for GOP Congressional Candidate
Chicago Tribune – Amy Gardner and Kirk Ross (Washington Post) | Published: 12/3/2018

Political operative Leslie McCrae Dowless is at the center of a fraud investigation that has delayed the certification of Republican Mark Harris’s narrow victory in the Ninth Congressional District race in North Carolina and could prompt officials to call for a new election. The possibility that November’s vote will be tossed out has prompted an outbreak of partisan accusations. The case is politically fraught for the GOP, who have pushed for voter-identification laws and other restrictions while warning without evidence about the threat of rampant voter fraud. Now, amid Democratic calls for investigations of a different kind of election fraud, one that allegedly benefited the GOP, Republicans have stayed largely silent about the allegations, instead accusing the state elections board of trying to steal the race.

Pennsylvania – Bob Brady Aide Smukler Found Guilty on 9 of 11 Counts in Campaign Finance Case
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jeremy Roebuck and Andrew Seidman | Published: 12/3/2018

A federal jury found U.S. Rep. Bob Brady’s top political strategist, Ken Smuckler, guilty of nine of 11 counts of repeatedly flouting campaign finance laws. Smukler was convicted of coordinating multiple unlawful contributions and falsifying finance reports for candidates in back-to-back congressional races. One of those campaigns, Brady’s 2012 primary bid for re-election, ended with the abrupt withdrawal of his opponent after he was promised a $90,000 payoff, which jurors concluded Smukler helped to pay. The Justice Department now has won convictions and guilty pleas against four key players in the 2012 campaign – except, notably, Brady himself.

Texas – Some Republicans Want to Oust a Muslim Doctor from His GOP Leadership Role – Because He’s Muslim
San Jose Mercury News – Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 12/5/2018

The first time Shahid Shafi ran for a seat on the city council in Southlake in 2011, advisers assured him a Muslim in post-September 11 America who spoke with an accent and emigrated from Pakistan would never win an election in Texas. He won the Southlake City Council seat on his second try, in 2014, has since served as a delegate to multiple Texas GOP conventions and, in July, was appointed vice chairperson of the Tarrant County Republican Party. But that is when his religion somehow became a problem again, in the eyes of some Republican colleagues.

West Virginia – He Is West Virginia’s Speaker of the House – and a Lawyer for Natural Gas Companies
ProPublica – Ken Ward Jr. and Kate Mishkin (Charleston Gazette-Mail) | Published: 12/4/2018

West Virginia Del. Roger Hanshaw is expected to be re-elected as House speaker when the legislative session convenes in January. In the position, Hanshaw wields significant control over which bills are called up for votes and which are sent to committees to effectively die. When he is not at the Capitol, Hanshaw makes his living as an attorney, and his clients have included natural gas companies and gas industry lobby groups. Under the state’s ethics laws, those overlapping interests are not enough to keep him from voting on matters affecting the industry. Hanshaw illustrates both the industry’s growing ties to lawmakers and how West Virginia ethics laws allow lawmakers to advocate for their own interests or those of their clients, and sometimes leave state residents in the dark about such potential conflicts.

Federal:

How FEC Babysitting Decision Could Pave Way for More Hill Diversity
Roll Call – Stephanie Akin | Published: 11/26/2018

The FEC in May decided for the first time ever that child care was a legitimate campaign expense, on par with polling or campaign signs. In future years, the change is expected to increase the number of middle-class parents who take on the staggering time and financial commitments of a campaign. Because the FEC decision came just six months before Election Day, it is too early to tell if that will be the case. But the candidates who reported babysitting expenses this cycle provide the first indication of the difference it will make.

Manafort’s Lawyer Said to Brief Trump Attorneys on What He Told Mueller
MSN – Michael Schmidt, Sharon LaFraniere, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 11/27/2018

Former Trump campaign chairperson Paul Manafort’s attorney repeatedly spoke with the president’s lawyers about discussions with federal investigators after Manafort agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller. Rudy Giuliani, who represents Trump in the special counsel’s investigation, said Manafort’s lawyer, Kevin Downing, relayed that investigators pressed Manafort on what Trump knew about the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between campaign associates and a Russian lawyer who had promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. Trump’s legal team has maintained a joint defense agreement with witnesses in Mueller’s investigations, including Manafort. But it is uncommon for those agreements to continue after a witness reaches a plea agreement with prosecutors.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: Judges Open Door Wider for Out-of-State Money in Alaska Elections
Anchorage Daily News – James Brooks | Published: 11/27/2018

A federal appeals court panel ruled Alaska’s limit on what nonresidents can contribute to candidates is unconstitutional. But the three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld other donation limits it said were tailored to prevent corruption or the appearance of corruption. The judges upheld limits on contributions made by individuals to candidates and groups that are not political parties. They also upheld caps on the total amount a political party can give municipal candidates. The majority found the aggregate limit on what candidates can get from nonresidents violates the First Amendment. The opinion says states must show limits fight potential corruption and can’t simply go after “undue influence.”

District of Columbia: D.C. Council Approves Sweeping Reforms to Combat ‘Pay-to-Play’ Politics
Washington Post – Peter Jamison | Published: 11/20/2018

The District of Columbia Council gave preliminary approval to new campaign finance regulations, including restrictions on government contractors’ political contributions, bringing a potential sea change to a city that has witnessed repeated corruption scandals. The bill would ban campaign donations from firms and their top executives if they hold or are seeking government contracts worth at least $250,000. It would also give new authority and independence to the city’s Office of Campaign Finance, long viewed as a weak enforcer, and require increased disclosures from independent expenditure committees.

Maryland: Hogan Names Panel to Redraw Maryland’s 6th District, Despite Frosh Appeal of Court Order to Fix Gerrymandering
Baltimore Sun – Michael Dresser | Published: 11/26/2018

Gov. Larry Hogan created an “emergency” commission to redraw the borders of Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District, moving ahead on a new map despite state Attorney General Brian Frosh’s appeal of a federal ruling that ordered the redraft. Hogan signed an executive order creating a nine-person commission – made up of three Democrats, three Republicans, and three unaffiliated voters – to propose a new map. The governor’s decision puts the state on two paths in responding to the decision. As Maryland’s chief lawyer, Frosh is fighting to have the U.S. Supreme Court hear the case and rule before a new map is created. Meanwhile, Hogan, as chief executive, is pushing forward with an effort to comply with it.

Missouri: Court Ruling Could Force Everyday Missourians to Register as Lobbyists, Attorneys Say
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 11/29/2018

An appeals court panel ruled against a man challenging a Missouri law that places restrictions on unpaid political activists. Ron Calzone was testing the law that requires anyone attempting to influence lawmakers to follow the same rules as professional lobbyists. That means an individual would have to register as a lobbyist and file as many as 14 reports with the state each year. A panel of the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided the First Amendment does not shield citizen activists from these requirements or the penalties for noncompliance. The U.S. Supreme Court has not reviewed a lobbyist registration case since 1954’s United States v. Harriss, in which the court limited the reach of a federal statute to only cover “those who for hire attempt to influence legislation or who collect or spend funds for that purpose.”

Missouri: Parson Alters Lobbyist Gift Ban Rules Imposed by Greitens
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 11/20/2018

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tweaked an order issued by his predecessor that could bring an end to a federal lawsuit over a ban on gifts from lobbyists. In a rewrite of an executive order issued by former Gov. Eric Greitens on the day he took office in 2017, Parson altered a section that prohibited executive branch employees from accepting gifts. The new wording, which adopts descriptions found in existing law, could allow groups like a Virginia-based law firm to distribute informational books to employees of the governor’s office.

New Jersey: ‘Dark Money’ Flows into NJ Politics and None of It Has to Be Accounted For
Bergen Record – Dustin Racioppi | Published: 11/26/2018

With the midterms over, New Jersey lawmakers will soon turn their attention to the 2019 legislative races. If recent history is an indicator, outside money will flood into the state as Democrats try to bolster their majority in the statehouse. And none of it has to be accounted for. This “dark money” is hidden from the public because New Jersey’s rules governing campaign finance have not been updated in years. That is despite a push from the Election Law Enforcement Commission to strengthen the state’s disclosure laws, a push that has been met with inaction by the Democratic-controlled Legislature. The result is a confusing patchwork of regulations that leave the state susceptible to massive amounts of “dark money.”

New York: Lawsuit Seeks to Block New York’s Sweeping New Lobbying Rules
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 11/28/2018

The New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) this year passed regulations overhauling the rules that cover the state’s lobbying industry. A lawsuit argues JCOPE lacks the authority to create the 92 pages of new regulations. The plaintiffs say those rules would unduly burden lobbyists and their clients and infringe on their free speech rights. The petitioners want to see the regulations struck down in state Supreme Court and are seeking an injunction disallowing JCOPE from enforcing them in the interim. While JCOPE’s staff have said the new rules largely codify decades of existing state ethics opinions, the regulations were meant to update New York’s lobbying rules, as modern lobbying campaigns emphasize the application of public pressure on lawmakers separate from more traditional person-to-person lobbying.

New York: N.Y. Democrats Vowed to Get Big Money Out of Politics. Will Big Money Interfere?
MSN – Vivian Wang (New York Times) | Published: 11/22/2018

A loophole in New York’s campaign finance law has for more than 20 years allowed corporations to create limited liability companies (LLCs) for the sole purpose of giving virtually unlimited amounts of money to candidates. Democrats, in their successful bid to recapture the state Senate for the first time in a decade, campaigned on a promise to close it. But even as they vowed to muzzle big money’s influence, they benefited from the same LLC contributions they were railing against. The corporations’ sudden generosity, and Democrats’ acceptance of it, has raised questions about whether lawmakers will make good on their promise to overhaul New York’s campaign finance system, or whether – now that they have consolidated control of Albany’s levers of power – they might prefer to bask in its perks.

Ohio: City of Columbus Proposes Campaign Finance Reforms
WOSU – Adora Namigadde | Published: 11/28/2018

Mayor Andrew Ginther and other Columbus officials unveiled a proposed campaign finance law that would limit annual individual and group contributions to $12,707.79 and require anyone running election ads to immediately disclose who paid for them. But members of a progressive group that often opposes the city’s Democratic establishment said they believe that limit is too high compared to other cities and are developing their own proposal with a much lower cap. The legislation also would require auditing of campaign finance filings to assure compliance.

South Carolina: Court Case Could Change How SC Statehouse Elections Are Funded
Charleston Post and Courier – Jamie Lovegrove | Published: 11/26/2018

Even before he won a special election to the state Senate in November, Dick Harpootlian landed a potentially game-changing blow to the way statehouse campaigns are funded in South Carolina. Inundated with television ads funded by the Senate GOP caucus, a group that includes all Republican incumbents, Harpootlian filed a lawsuit claiming the ads amounted to an excessive campaign contribution on behalf of his opponent, Benjamin Dunn. If Harpootlian ends up winning the full case, legislators and operatives believe it could have a dramatic impact on the way campaigns are financed moving forward, curbing the influence in elections from powerful party groups.

Tennessee: Mayor Briley Halts Public Works Contracts, Hires Compliance Officer Amid Questions Raised in Audit
The Tennessean – Joey Garrison | Published: 11/27/2018

Nashville Mayor David Briley halted five future Metro Public Works contracts for sidewalk, paving, and other capital projects amid questions raised in a recent audit about the department’s close relationship with a top engineering contractor. The administration also announced plans to hire the city’s first-ever chief compliance officer who will work in the mayor’s office to review ethics in the city’s procurement process. The moves come after it was reported that photos showed executives from Collier Engineering, which has won $48.7 million in Metro contracts since 2010, entertaining city officials inside a company suite at Bridgestone Arena during multiple sporting events this year. In several cases, the city employees did not appear to pay for the tickets, violating the ethics code on accepting gifts.

Federal:

Banner Year for Female Candidates Doesn’t Extend to Republican Women
MSN – Susan Chira (New York Times) | Published: 11/15/2018

The number of Republican women in Congress next year will drop, even as the ranks of Democratic women swell to record heights. With a few races still undecided, the new Congress will have at least 105 Democratic women and 19 Republican women. From Congress to governor to state Legislatures, far more Democratic women ran in this cycle than Republican women. And that means fewer Republican women on the bench, gathering experience and credentials to move up to the next level. With fewer women as candidates and officeholders, Republicans risk further widening a gender gap already at historic levels, since far more women vote Democratic than Republican, said Mirya Holman of Tulane University.

Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook’s leaders fought through crisis
MSN – Sheera Frenkel, Nicholas Confessore, Cecilia Kang, Matthew Rosenberg, and Jack Nicas (New York Times) | Published: 11/14/2018

Facebook has reshaped political campaigns, the advertising business, and daily life around the world. But as evidence mounted that Facebook’s power could also be exploited to disrupt elections, broadcast viral propaganda, and inspire campaigns of hate, founder Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg stumbled. Bent on growth, the pair ignored warning signs and then sought to conceal them from public view. Sandberg has overseen a lobbying campaign to combat Facebook’s critics and ward off regulation. Allies of Facebook in Washington, D.C. intervened on its behalf. But trust in the company has sunk, while its growth has slowed. Regulators and law enforcement officials are investigating Facebook’s conduct with Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm that worked with Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.

House Democrats’ Win Fuels K Street Hiring
Politico – Theodoric Meyer and Marianne Levine | Published: 11/7/2018

The Democratic takeover of the U.S. House, even as Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate, ends two years of unified GOP control of Washington in which corporate America and its lobbyists saw major victories, including a tax bill that slashed the corporate rate and extensive deregulation. Washington offices of major corporations now are grappling with how to work a Democratic House full of newly elected members, many of whom ran on promises to resist special interests and who are generally younger and more diverse than the denizens of K Street. Some lobbying firms, the biggest of which are typically bipartisan and pride themselves on their ability to thrive no matter which party is in power, and companies have already hired new Democratic lobbyists in anticipation the party might take back the House.

Trump Involved in ‘Nearly Every Step’ of Hush-Money Payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal: WSJ
CNBC – Kevin Brueniger and Dan Mangan | Published: 11/9/2018

President Trump was heavily involved during his presidential campaign in silencing the stories of women who claimed to have extramarital affairs with him, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal that contradicts repeated denials from Trump. Federal prosecutors have gathered evidence that Trump worked with his friend and media executive David Pecker to use the National Enquirer tabloid to buy the silence of adult-film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Trump was allegedly involved in nearly every step of the process to prevent Daniels and McDougal from publicizing their stories and worked with his longtime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to coordinate the deals.

Trump Seeks to Land Blow Against Media in Court Fight with CNN
Politico – Jason Schwartz and Michael Calderone | Published: 11/14/2018

Trump administration lawyers asserted in court that the president could bar “all reporters” from the White House complex for any reason he sees fit. The sweeping claim, which came in the first public hearing over CNN’s lawsuit to restore correspondent Jim Acosta’s White House credentials, could have a dramatic impact on news organizations’ access to government officials if it is upheld in court. CNN argued in its lawsuit that the White House infringed on Acosta’s First Amendment rights by revoking his access in response to a dispute at a recent press conference. The arguments represented an escalation in Trump’s fight against the media, with more than a dozen news organizations weighing in on CNN’s side.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama: How a Top Official Landed in Criminal Trouble
E&E News – Sean Reilly | Published: 11/14/2018

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official in the Trump administration was indicted on charges stemming from a previous job. Trey Glenn, director for the agency’s southeast region, helped a law firm fight potential EPA actions to clean up contaminated sites in Alabama on behalf of Drummond Co., which could be responsible for the cleanups. A grand jury indicted Glenn and former Alabama Environmental Management Commissioner Scott Phillips for their roles in the controversial efforts. A federal jury earlier this year convicted Balch partner Joel Gilbert and Drummond vice president David Roberson for bribing an Alabama lawmaker as part of the effort to stop the cleanup effort. Glenn and Phillips were both called as witnesses in that trial, and evidence showed they were closely with Balch on the effort to stop the cleanups.

California: SoccerCity Document Leak by San Diego Councilman Prompts Tougher Restrictions
San Diego Union Tribune – David Garrick | Published: 11/13/2018

Prompted by Councilperson Chris Cate’s sharing of confidential documents with SoccerCity investors last year, the San Diego City Council approved tighter restrictions on the handling of such documents. The tougher guidelines aim to prevent future disclosures and make it easier to prosecute leakers. In case a leak still occurs despite the new rules, the council also voted to make it illegal for lobbyists who may receive confidential documents from “using, accepting, or disclosing” them in any way. To avoid potential loopholes, the council added language saying a lobbyist also cannot disseminate a confidential document and cannot use intermediaries to disseminate it, such as a relative.

Florida: Inside the Republican Strategy to Discredit the Florida Recount
MSN – Jeremy Peters and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 11/13/2018

Republicans’ strategy in Florida this year to discredit the recount in the close U.S. Senate race reflects their experience in the 2000 presidential election in the state. GOP strategists say they prevailed then largely because they approached the recount as they did the race itself, with legal, political, and public relations components that allowed them to outmaneuver Democrats. The effort Gov. Rick Scott and allies are waging today is similar to that multifront war in 2000 led by the George W. Bush campaign and an army of party consultants. Lawyers are filing complaints in Tallahassee; surrogates for Scott are holding news conference calls with journalists and sitting for interviews on television, blaming Democrats for tarnishing the integrity of the electoral process; and party officials are encouraging demonstrators to gather at sites where the recounts are taking place.

Missouri: Despite Election Night Victory, Fight Over Ethics Overhaul in Missouri May Not Be Over
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 11/11/2018

Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment to change ethics laws and overhaul the way the state’s political maps are drawn. But with the changes scheduled to start going into effect December 6, the initiative could face another round of scrutiny in a courtroom and at the Capitol. The same groups of opponents who tried to keep the “Clean Missouri” initiative off the ballot say they are mulling further legal action aimed at stopping the reforms. “We fully intend to oppose Clean Missouri any way we can,” said Dan Mehan, executive director of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Senate President Pro Tem-elect Dave Schatz said the Legislature may want to tinker with certain parts of the initiative.

New Jersey: Bankers’ Group Seeks End to Ban on Gifts to Local Candidates
Yahoo! Finance – Charles Toutant (Law.com) | Published: 11/11/2018

A century-old law barring banks from making contributions to candidates in local and state elections is being challenged by the New Jersey Bankers Association. The bankers filed suit seeking a declaration that the ban is unconstitutional, and asking for an order enjoining enforcement. The lawsuit claims banks’ First Amendment rights are violated by the inability to make campaign contributions. Banks are banned from making contributions of any kind or amount to, or in support of, political parties or candidates for any state or local office under the New Jersey statute. But nonbank corporations are not subject to any such prohibition, with a few exceptions, according to the plaintiff.

North Dakota: Victorious North Dakota Measure 1 Supporters Expect More Work, Lawsuits
Bismarck Tribune – Tru-Uyen Tran (Forum News Service) | Published: 11/8/2018

Voters may have approved North Dakota’s Measure 1 aimed at combating corruption but the group behind it has no plans to break up anytime soon. Being a constitutional amendment, the measure relies on lawmakers to implement it, which creates opportunities for supporters and opponents to influence that process. Ellen Chaffee, one of the founders of North Dakotans for Public Integrity, said her group will also stay together because it is anticipating legal challenges by opponents. Passage means that, among other things, the “ultimate and true source” of money spent on media to influence politics must be disclosed, lobbyists can no longer give gifts to public officials, and a state ethics commission must be formed to investigate violations.

Oregon: Oregon Lawmaker Under Scrutiny for Posting Home Addresses of Ballot Measure Petitioners
Governing – Maxine Bernstein (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 11/15/2018

A gun control advocacy group called on the Oregon House to investigate state Rep. Bill Post for putting online the phone numbers and home addresses of the chief petitioners of a ballot measure to ban assault weapons. In a Facebook post, Post encouraged gun rights supporters to personally contact three Portland clergy leading the initiative campaign to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines in Oregon. He posted the message on the Facebook page of a group called “The Heirs of Patrick Henry, Northwest.” The post led to harassing emails and phone calls to the petitioners, and it has had a chilling effect on others challenging the gun rights lobby, said Ceasefire Oregon Executive Director Penny Okamoto.

Virginia: U.S. Supreme Court to Take Up Virginia Redistricting Case on Racial Gerrymandering
Washington Post – Gregory Schneider and Robert Barnes | Published: 11/13/2018

The U.S. Supreme Court will take up the issue of redistricting in Virginia, agreeing to hear an appeal filed by Republican legislators after a lower court’s ruling that 11 House of Delegates districts must be redrawn to correct racial gerrymandering. The action does not appear to halt the redistricting process, though, which is underway at the hands of a special master. It will be the second time the high court has heard the case. It sided with challengers in demanding further review of the districts, drawn by Virginia Republicans to ensure that 55 percent of eligible voters were black. What remains to be seen is whether the Supreme Court will again take up the issue of partisan gerrymandering, which it has never found to be unconstitutional.

National:

Forget the Russians. On This Election Day, It’s Americans Peddling Disinformation and Hate Speech.
Washington Post – Craig Timberg and Tony Romm | Published: 11/6/2018

Even as Silicon Valley has become more aggressive in battling foreign efforts to influence U.S. politics, it is losing innumerable cat-and-mouse games with Americans who are eagerly deploying the same techniques used by the Russians in 2016. Experts point to a rampant online spread of misleading reports and images about the migrant caravan in Mexico, for example – and especially the demonstrably false allegations that billionaire George Soros is funding a violent “invasion” of the United States. Accounts controlled by Russians probably helped amplify such misleading narratives, but the evidence so far is they started with American political activists who are increasingly adept at online manipulation techniques but enjoy broad free-speech protections that tech companies have been reluctant to challenge.

Industries Turn Freedom of Information Requests on Their Critics
WRAL – Elizabeth Williamson | Published: 11/5/2018

Dennis Ventry Jr., a law professor at the University of California, Davis, drew the ire of tax preparation companies by criticizing a deal they have to provide a free tax filing service through the IRS. The companies promptly hit back with a tactic that corporations, lobbyists, and interest groups are increasingly using against academic researchers: their trade coalition filed a public records request with the university seeking everything Ventry had written or said about the companies this year, including emails, text messages, voice mails, and hand-jotted notes. It was just one example of how both state-level public records laws and the Freedom of Information Act, written to ensure transparency and accountability in government, have morphed into potent weapons in legal and business disputes, raising questions about the chilling effects, and cost, they impose on targets who are doing research in controversial or sensitive fields.

Federal:

Anyone Can Make a Super PAC – Even Prisoners and Kids Who Can’t Vote
Center for Responsive Politics – Kaitlin Washburn | Published: 11/1/2018

Super PACs wield massive financial power and influence in elections. Just this cycle alone, super PACs registered with the FEC have received over $1.3 billion and have spent $695 million. And by following a few simple steps, most anyone can own a super PAC. The Center for Responsive Politics identified eight super PACs created by people who cannot participate in elections. Some of them were started by teenagers who cannot vote, while others were formed by people in prison.

Far-Right Internet Groups Listen for Trump’s Approval, and Often Hear It
MSN – Kevin Roose and Ali Winston (New York Times) | Published: 11/4/2018

As President Trump waged a fear-based campaign to drive Republican voters to the polls for the midterm elections, far-right internet communities have been buoyed as their once-fringe views have been given oxygen by Republicans. These radical communities have entered into a sort of imagined dialogue with the president. They create and disseminate slogans and graphics and celebrate when they show up in Trump’s Twitter feed days or weeks later. They carefully dissect his statements, looking for hints of their influence. And when they find those clues, they take them as evidence that Trump is “/ourguy/,” a label for people internet extremists believe share their views, but who are unable to say so directly in public.

Lobbyists Hit Campaign Trail to Help Old Bosses, Earn ‘a Little Bit of Currency’
Politico – Theodoric Meyer | Published: 11/3/2018

Members of Congress received help before Election Day from a tiny but influential subset of on-the-ground volunteers: Washington D.C. lobbyists eager to help their old bosses, and perhaps their own careers. Lobbyists fanned out across the country to knock on doors for favored candidates, nearly a dozen of them said in interviews and emails. Building relationships with lawmakers and their staffs is crucial to success on K Street and spending a couple of days knocking on doors is one way to strengthen that bond. Some in the industry also remain close to old bosses on Capitol Hill or just want to get out of Washington and dabble in campaigning for a few days.

Sessions’s Ouster Throws Future of Special Counsel Probe into Question
MSN – Rosalind Helderman, Matt Zapotosky, and Carol Leonnig (Washington Post) | Published: 11/7/2018

Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at the request of President Trump, causing uncertainty in the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump named as acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker, Sessions’ chief of staff. A Justice Department official said Whitaker would assume final decision-making authority over special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe. As a legal commentator, Whitaker has said Mueller appeared to be taking his investigation too far. There were immediate calls by Democrats and watchdogs for Whitaker to recuse himself. Democrats, emboldened by winning control of the U.S. House, also promised to investigate Sessions’ forced resignation and suggested Trump’s actions could amount to obstruction of justice if he intended to disrupt the criminal inquiry.

Three Candidates Indicted on Felony Fraud Charges Survive Midterms. One Just Barely.
Washington Post – Meagan Flynn | Published: 11/7/2018

Three Republican candidates facing an assortment of corruption charges appeared to squeak past their Democratic opponents to hang onto their jobs. They include U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, indicted on charges of wire fraud and accusations he funded a luxurious lifestyle with campaign donations; U.S. Rep. Chris Collins, indicted on insider trading charges; and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. indicted on felony securities fraud charges in state court, accused of lying to friends and potential investors about his financial stake in a technology company. Despite the close races in solid-red territory, their apparent victories highlight the polarizing political climate in which criminal investigations into elected officials are frequently met with more sympathy among supporters than scorn.

White House Shares Doctored Video to Support Punishment of Journalist Jim Acosta
MSN – Drew Harwell (Washington Post) | Published: 11/8/2018

CNN’s Jim Acosta had his White House press credentials revoked, with the Trump administration claiming he manhandled a female intern. During a press conference, Acosta got into a spat with the president and persisted in asking questions, and a female intern tried to take his microphone away from him. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders posted an edited video of the incident where the action is generally slowed down but speeds up right before the moment of contact to create the false impression of a deliberate jab on the part of Acosta. The event highlighted how video content, seen as a verification tool for truth and confirmation, has become as vulnerable to political distortion as anything else.

From the States and Municipalities:

Florida: Before Going to Prison, Former Opa-locka Commissioner Worked on Political Campaigns
Miami Herald – Jay Weaver and Maya Kaufman | Published: 11/6/2018

Before he surrendered to a correctional facility, former Opa-locka City Commissioner Luis Santiago – who pleaded guilty to pocketing thousands of dollars in bribes – spent the fall election season working as a campaign aide for John Riley, an Opa-locka commissioner running for mayor, and other candidates on the November 6 ballot. Riley said he had no qualms about hiring Santiago as a part-time campaign worker, despite his pleading guilty to extorting money from Opa-locka businesses seeking city permits and contracts. “It kept his mind busy and gave him a sense of purpose,” Riley said. “It’s depressing knowing that you’re going to be facing prison.”

Missouri: Amendment 1: Voters strongly support Clean Missouri redistricting plan, ethics reform
Columbia Missourian – David Reynolds, Thomas Oide, and Tessa Weinberg | Published: 11/6/2018

Amendment 1 was approved by Missouri voters. It bans all lobbyist gifts in the General Assembly worth more than five dollars and requires politicians to wait at least two years after the conclusion of the legislative session in which they last served before becoming lobbyists. Amendment 1 also lowers the $2,600 campaign contribution limit for state legislative candidates and requires legislative records to be subject to the state’s open records law. The amendment’s changes to the redistricting process have caused the most controversy. A nonpartisan state demographer will be tasked with drawing the districts and a bipartisan commission will review the results.

New York: Lobbyist Arrested, Accused of Bribing State Legislator
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle – Gary Craig | Published: 11/1/2018

Albany-based lobbyist Robert Scott Gaddy faces federal charges for offering to pay a bribe during an investigation that already includes the arrest of New York Assemblyperson Joseph Errigo. Gaddy’s arrest grew out of an FBI investigation into fraud and corruption in a redevelopment project in Rochester. Federal authorities say that while investigating the project, agents learned of possible criminal conduct by Gaddy. A person working with the FBI allegedly approached Gaddy about paying a bribe to a member of the Assembly. “Yeah … yeah, no problem,” Gaddy responded, according to the FBI. Authorities alleged Errigo took money from a lobbyist to introduce legislation designed to stop the project.

North Dakota: Aimed at Combating Corruption, North Dakota Voters Pass Measure 1
Dickinson Press – Tu-Uyen Tran | Published: 11/6/2018

Voters in North Dakota approved Measure 1 on the November 6 ballot. It will, among other provisions, require the Legislature to pass laws requiring the disclosure of the “ultimate and true source” of money spent on media to influence campaigns, ban lobbyists from giving gifts to public officials, prohibit politicians from using campaign funds for personal purposes, and create a state ethics commission to investigate violations.

South Dakota: Out-Of-State Initiative Money Ban Likely to Face Challenge
Rapid City Journal – James Nord (Associated Press) | Published: 11/7/2018

South Dakota’s first-in-the-nation law that bans out-of-state money from ballot question campaigns faces an uncertain future, with critics saying it is likely to be challenged in court. The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution’s free-speech protections as prohibiting any limitations on money in ballot measure elections, Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause, has said. The high court has said contributions to candidates can be limited to prevent the corruption of public officials. At least two states, Alaska and Hawaii, restrict out-of-state donations to candidates, but Alaska’s limits face a court challenge.

National:

‘My Comrades Will Kill You’: Pipe bombs sent in year of many death threats against politicians
Governing – Alan Greenblatt | Published: 10/25/2018

Political violence has dominated the news recently, with pipe bombs mailed to CNN’s New York office and prominent Democrats, as well as liberal donor George Soros and actor Robert De Niro. Threats of violence have become commonplace in American politics. New Jersey Rep. Jay Webber, a Republican candidate for Congress, received a note calling him a liar and a “scumbag” and threatening him and his children. “You BETTER hope that you don’t win! Or else,” the note read. “How many kids do you have…7? Unlucky 7. This is what we think of you. Time to get out of politics!” In a year when record numbers of women are running for office, many have been harassed or become targets of sexist or threatening remarks.

Voters Could Clamp Down on Ethics, Campaign Finance at The Ballot Box
National Public Radio – Peter Overby | Published: 10/30/2018

Voters in more than a dozen states will consider ballot measures on November 6 that would affect ethics and campaign finance reform. Some of the initiatives would exceed federal standards, which have been steadily relaxed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Congress last passed a major campaign finance bill in 2001. “It’s telling that we have so many challengers for Congress that are running on this issue,” said Larry Norden of New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice. “But to get real change now, the only way to do that is at the local and the state level.”

Federal:

How ActBlue Is Trying to Turn Small Donations into a Blue Wave
Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine and Chris Zubak-Skees | Published: 10/25/2018

ActBlue, a nonprofit whose online fundraising tools have been used to varying degrees by nearly every Democrat running for Congress, says it has raised more than $2.9 billion for Democrats and progressive organizations since its founding in 2004. September 2018 was the biggest month in its history. Donors are using the platform to reshape the map of competitive races this year, becoming a powerful force that could sway Democratic politics beyond November’s election.

Mueller Refers Sex Misconduct Scheme Targeting Him to FBI for Investigation
NBC News – Brandy Zadrozny, Ben Collins, and Tom Winter | Published: 10/30/2018

Special counsel Robert Mueller has asked the FBI to investigate an alleged scheme to manufacture sexual assault stories about him. At issue is an email widely circulated among journalists from someone who claimed she had been approached with an offer to pay her tens of thousands of dollars if she would answer questions about Mueller and then sign a sworn affidavit accusing him of sexual misconduct and workplace harassment. The plot appeared to be the latest, and one of the more bizarre, in a string of attempts by supporters of President Trump to discredit Mueller’s investigation as a hoax and a witch hunt.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: Begich Spent Four Years as a Consultant. As Governor, He Could Sign Bills Affecting Former Clients.
KTOO – Nathaniel Herz | Published: 10/30/2018

For nearly four years, Mark Begich has owned a public affairs and consulting firm, Northern Compass Group, which has worked with clients that intersect with both state and federal government. If Begich is elected as Alaska’s governor on November 6, he will likely be faced with decisions that will directly affect the businesses, unions, and Native organizations that have been paying his business for advice. Alaska politicians often emerge from the worlds of public policy and business, and Begich is far from the first with potential for conflicts. Begich’s work is significant, though, because of the number of clients he has had, as well as the recentness of his work, said state Rep. Jason Grenn, who helped lead a successful push for legislative ethics reforms this year.

Arizona: Arizona Commissioner Andy Tobin Texted APS Lobbyists Frequently, Including About Open Rate Case
Energy Policy Institute – David Pomerantz | Published: 10/29/2018

Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) member Andy Tobin exchanged text messages throughout 2018 with lobbyists from Arizona Public Service (APS), often to complain about negative media coverage of APS’ rate increase requests before the commission. On one occasion, Tobin asked an APS lobbyist whether the utility had a “public information strategy planned” to combat negative media coverage of a rate increase request while the case was still pending before Tobin and the commission. The ACC, which is supposed to regulate APS in the public’s interest, has been embattled by scandals for the past four years, ever since two non-profit “dark money” organizations spent $3 million on the ACC elections in 2014. APS never confirmed nor denied being the source of that money.

Maine: Pro-Offshore Oil Group Chaired by LePage Is Run by Energy Lobbyists
Biddeford Journal Tribune – Colin Woodward (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 10/28/2018

A coalition of governors headed by Maine Gov. Paul LePage that seeks to open most federal waters to oil and gas exploration is staffed by employees of an oil industry lobbying firm. The Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition, which LePage joined in 2015 and has chaired for the past two years, outsources its day-to-day staffing, research, and communications tasks to an advocacy group purporting to represent energy consumers. But a closer look at the group, the Consumer Energy Alliance, reveals it is funded by energy producers and staffed and run by senior officials of HBW Resources, an energy-focused lobbying and consulting firm.

Maryland: Question G Would Undercut Independence of Baltimore Ethics Board, Chairwoman Says
Baltimore Brew – Mark Ruettner | Published: 10/31/2018

Question G on the November ballot in Baltimore would tether the director of Legislative Reference to the mayor and city council president. The director of Legislative Reference is also the chief advisor to the city Board of Ethics. By making the director an “at will” employee of Mayor Catherine Pugh and Council President Bernard Young, as Question G does, that same employee is placed in a very awkward position on the ethics board. “Our director may be faced with having to handle an ethics complaint against one of the two people who appointed him,” said board Chairperson Linda Pierson.

Montana: How Big Sky Country Became the Front Line in a Long Battle Over Dark Money
Yahoo! News – Christa Case Bryant | Published: 10/29/2018

Two women are central figures in a fight in Montana over money in politics, one that may well set the tone for the rest of the nation. Jamie MacNaughton is the sole lawyer at the office of the Commissioner of Political Practices, which is tasked with enforcing Montana’s strict campaign finance laws. She is helping to prepare two cases under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court. Anita Milanovich serves as the Montana outpost for the Bopp Law Firm, which is led by the preeminent lawyer fighting campaign finance regulations across the country. Now the firm is pursuing the legal cases against MacNaughton’s office.

Oklahoma: Legislators Act As ‘Super Donors,’ Sending Their Own Donors’ Cash to Other Candidates
KGOU – Trevor Brown (Oklahoma Watch) | Published: 10/30/2018

A review of contributions in Oklahoma found sitting lawmakers and legislative candidates’ campaigns have given more than $746,000 to other legislative candidates since January 1, 2016. About 75 percent of the money came from about a dozen Republican and Democratic legislators, almost all of whom hold or have held leadership positions. The sharing of contributions means these lawmakers act as de facto “super donors,” or at least bundlers, who dole out thousands of dollars to candidates running in a wide range of races. The large amounts of circulating cash have raised concerns at the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, which is examining a possible rule change, still being drafted, that would block candidates from transferring campaign funds to other candidates.

Pennsylvania: State Rep. Vanessa Brown Guilty on All Counts; Took $4,000 Bribe in Sting
Philadelphia Inquirer – Craig McCoy | Published: 10/31/2018

A jury convicted Pennsylvania Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown of charges she accepted $4,000 in cash from an undercover informant. Brown was the last defendant in an ambitious and controversial sting investigation launched by state prosecutors nearly a decade ago but secretly ended by then-state Attorney General Kathleen Kane. The guilty verdict represented the most dramatic repudiation yet of Kane’s criticism of the sting, which she had contended could not produce winnable cases in court. Under the law, Brown, who is running unopposed in the November 6 election, will also be barred from her House post upon her sentencing.

South Carolina: SC Rep. Harrison Found Guilty in Public Corruption Case, Gets Prison Sentence
Greenville News – John Monk (The State) | Published: 10/27/2018

A jury found former South Carolina Rep. Jim Harrison guilty of perjury and misconduct in office, marking the fifth conviction of a legislator in the past four years and capping off the first trial to come out of the high-profile probe into corruption in the statehouse. Prosecutors accused Harrison of secretly profiting from an influential consulting firm that pleaded guilty to illegal lobbying earlier this year. That firm, Richard Quinn & Associates, has been at the center of the five-year corruption investigation because of its once sprawling network of lawmakers, lobbying interests, and corporate clients. Harrison, the former chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

West Virginia: For a Groundbreaking Candidate in West Virginia, Big Money and Attention Come with Downsides
Washington Post – Greg Jaffe | Published: 11/1/2018

Back when his campaign had raised just $7,000, when just about anyone who knew anything about politics gave him zero chance of winning, West Virginia Sen. Richard Ojeda decided to make a campaign video for his run for Congress. The pivotal moment for Ojeda came near the end of the shoot when he gave out his personal cell phone number. Ten months later, Ojeda was driving past burned-out houses and abandoned storefronts in the coal town where he had spent his childhood and still lived. The polls had him neck and neck with his Republican opponent. It was 21 days until the election and his cellphone was now ringing 100 times a day with calls from all over the United States and the world. At a moment in American politics when authenticity is everything, Ojeda is being hailed as an unpolished, authentic voice.

Wisconsin: Last-Minute Surprises and Secretive Moves Hide Wisconsin Lawmakers’ Actions from Public View
Wisconsin Public Radio – CV Vitolo-Haddad and Dee Hall (Wisconsin Center For Investigative Journalism) | Published: 10/29/2018

Since voters swept Republicans into power in 2010, Wisconsin lawmakers have increasingly used secretive maneuvers to keep the public in the dark about major spending and policy changes. An investigation found the Legislature systematically diminishes the voices of the public by Introducing budget amendments at the end of the approval process with no public notice or debate; approving anonymous, last-minute budget motions containing changes, including major policy items that have nothing to do with state spending; and altering the scope and impact of a bill after its public hearing has been held, which excludes citizens from having influence on legislation before it is enacted. When Democrats controlled the Legislature and governor’s office they played that game, too, notably with their own end-of-the-session wrap-up budget bills of anonymously authored items.

National:

How a Billionaire from Another State Could Influence Your Elections
Center for Public Integrity – Liz Essley Whyte | Published: 10/18/2018

Twenty-five American billionaires have invested more than $70.7 million for initiative campaigns this year in 19 states where they do not reside. Meanwhile, as little as $7.2 million has gone from their wallets and those of other billionaires to campaigns in their home states. In total, the $78 million tally from all 34 billionaires may be pocket change to them, but it is more than 10 percent of the $648 million disclosed so far this year for statewide ballot measure campaigns. The contributions from the wealthy to campaigns across state lines rankle some local opponents, even though no one questions their legality. Just who should decide issues in their states, they ask – the people who live there or some rich folks from out-of-state?

Three Secretaries of State Are Refereeing the Election While Running in the Field
McClatchy DC – Tim Johnson | Published: 10/18/2018

In three states, the referee for the midterm elections is also on the field as a player. Elected secretaries of state in Georgia and Kansas, who in their official capacities oversee the elections in their states, are running for governor. Ohio’s secretary of state is running for lieutenant governor. They have faced scattered calls to resign but have refused to do so. Election reformers say the situation underscores the conflict-of-interest when an official has responsibilities for an election while also running as a candidate. While the three secretaries of state are Republican, concerns about inappropriate actions by partisans who hold the office transcend parties.

Federal:

Inside the Saudis’ Washington Influence Machine: How the kingdom gained power through fierce lobbying and charm offensives
MSN – Tom Hamburger, Justin Reinhard, and Justin Moyer (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2018

A sophisticated influence machine has shaped policy and perceptions of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C. for decades, batting back critiques of the kingdom by doling out millions of dollars to lobbyists, law firms, prominent think tanks, and large defense contractors. In 2017, Saudi payments to lobbyists and consultants in Washington more than tripled over the previous year. Beyond their spending, the Saudis have enjoyed a priceless advantage: a warm relationship with President Trump, who has done business its wealthy citizens, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who developed a close bond with the crown prince as he crafted the administration’s Middle East policy.

U.S. Begins First Cyberoperation Against Russia Aimed at Protecting Elections
MSN – Julian Barnes (New York Times) | Published: 10/23/2018

The United States Cyber Command is targeting individual Russian operatives to try to deter them from spreading disinformation to interfere in elections, telling them that American operatives have identified them and are tracking their work. The campaign, which includes missions undertaken in recent days, is the first known overseas cyberoperation to protect U.S. elections, including the November midterms. The operations come as the Justice Department recently outlined a campaign of “information warfare” by Russians aimed at influencing the midterm elections, highlighting the broad threat the American government sees from Moscow’s influence campaign.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: State Regulators to Alaska Lobbyist: Stop helping candidates raise money
Alaska Public Media – Nathaniel Hertz | Published: 10/18/2018

Alaska lobbyists have been breaking an anti-corruption law by promoting fundraising events on behalf of candidates, according to a preliminary opinion from the state’s campaign finance watchdog. Lobbyist Ashley Reed asked for the formal opinion from the Alaska Public Offices Commission. He wanted to know whether state law allows for lobbyists to email copies of invitations to fundraisers for political candidates. The Legislature banned lobbyists from engaging in fundraising activity more than two decades ago. But despite the ban, Reed and lobbyist Jerry Mackie have been sending copies of fundraiser invitations to their clients and friends.

Florida: Text Messages Raise New Questions Over Andrew Gillum’s Lobbyist Connections
WRAL – Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 10/23/2018

Undercover FBI agents paid for Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum’s hotel room and his ticket to the Broadway musical “Hamilton” during a 2016 trip to New York City, according to newly released documents that raise questions just before Florida’s gubernatorial election, in which Gillum is locked in a close race with former U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis. Text messages between Gillum and former lobbyist Adam Corey, who set up meetings with the agents, show Gillum knew the tickets came from men he believed to be businesspeople looking to develop property in Tallahassee, but were undercover FBI agents investigating public corruption in the city. The records contradicted Gillum’s past statements on the state ethics probe.

Indiana: No Charges Against Hill, But Investigation Reveals Searing New Details
Indianapolis Star – Tony Cook, Ryan Martin, and Kaitlin Lange | Published: 10/23/2018

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill will not be charged over allegations he groped a state lawmaker and several staffers at a party celebrating the end of the legislative session. He also was cleared of any ethical breaches by the inspector general’s office. Special Prosecutor Daniel Sigler, who said he believed the women’s stories to be “true and credible,” announced that bringing charges would be difficult due to the time that elapsed between the alleged incident in March and the filing of the claims against Hill. But the fallout from Hill’s alleged behavior that night is likely to continue as his accusers prepare a civil lawsuit and Republican leaders continue to call for his resignation.

Kentucky: Kentucky AG Defends Campaign Finance Reform in Sixth Circuit
Courthouse News Service – Kevin Koeninger | Published: 10/18/2018

The constitutionality of several Kentucky ethics laws was debated before a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, with the state’s attorney general arguing they are necessary to maintain citizens’ confidence in the government. Plaintiffs alleged numerous restrictions on campaign financing and lobbying were unconstitutional, including contribution limits and a prohibition on gifts to legislators and their spouses. Kentucky made sweeping changes to its campaign finance laws in 2017, which mooted several of the plaintiffs’ claims. But U.S. District Court Judge William Bertelsman sided with the plaintiffs on several issues last year. Bertelsman struck down the law that prevents legislators and their spouses from receiving “anything of value,” ruling the statute was unconstitutionally vague and overbroad.

Maine: Crowdfunding of Collins Opponent in 2020 Likely Faces Legal Challenge
Lewiston Sun Journal – Kevin Collins (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 10/22/2018

In an effort to pressure U.S. Sen. Susan Collins on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, organizers pledged to collect contributions nationwide and give them to a hypothetical Democratic challenger in 2020 if Collins voted to confirm the nominee. If she opposed Kavanaugh, whose nomination nearly collapsed amid allegations of sexual misconduct, no money would be collected. The unprecedented campaign, which Collins has labeled a bribe, is a testament to the power of small-dollar “crowdfunding” at a time when corporations, interest groups, and wealthy donors can dump unlimited money into elections. Yet the tactics used by the three organizations behind the campaign to pressure Collins are raising sticky legal questions that could end up in court, with national implications.

Missouri: Clean Missouri Proposition Puts Redistricting Front and Center, Limits Lobbyist Influence
St. Louis Public Radio – Jason Rosenbaum | Published: 10/23/2018

Amendment 1 on the November ballot in Missouri would limit the meals, entertainment, and travel a lobbyist can give a lawmaker, and place a two-year waiting period on lawmakers and their staff to become lobbyists. It would also lower contributions limits for state House and Senate candidates, as well as alter how state legislative districts are drawn. Supporters believe the measure will make lawmakers more responsive to people instead of special interest groups or lobbyists. Detractors believe the initiative is not about improving ethics, and instead is about giving Democrats a leg up on the state legislative redistricting process.

New Hampshire: N.H. Legislators Look to Lobbyists for Reliable Source of Re-Election Cash
New Hampshire Public Radio – Casey McDermott | Published: 10/19/2018

A review of fundraising reports in New Hampshire over the most recent legislative session shows donations from lobbying interests with a direct stake in the decisions made by state senators accounted for roughly half of all the money raised by those same senators’ re-election campaigns. The rate of reliance on lobbying money varied from as little as 16 percent to 75 percent or more. In many cases, senators’ fundraising reports reflected the intersection of money and influence inherent to statehouse lobbying. Candidates can, and often do, accept separate contributions from lobbying firms, the lobbyists they employ, and the clients they represent, magnifying their impact in legislative races.

New York: Dean Skelos, Ex-New York Senate Leader, Gets 4 Years and 3 Months in Prison
WRAL – Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Wang (New York Times) | Published: 10/24/2018

Former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was sentenced to four years and three months in prison on federal corruption charges, including soliciting bribes and defrauding the public. The sentence was lighter than the five years that the same judge imposed in 2016 when he was convicted on the same charges. That conviction was overturned. Skelos’ son, Adam, who was convicted along with his father, was sentenced to four years in prison. Prosecutors accused Dean Skelos of using his position to pressure three companies to provide his son with consulting work, a “no-show” job, and a $20,000 payment.

North Dakota: All of the Above? The Ancient Voting Method One City Might Adopt
Governing – Alan Greenblatt | Published: 10/19/2018

In November, voters in Fargo, North Dakota, will decide whether to adopt a ballot measure that would create a system known as “approval voting” for local elections. Under the system, everybody can vote for as many candidates as they would like. If there are four candidates for the city commission, for example, you could choose to vote for one of them, or for two, or for the whole lot. Unlike the other multiple-choice method known as ranked-choice voting, which is gaining favor in some places, each vote would count the same. The person with the highest total would win. Supporters say voters would not have to worry about wasting votes on spoilers with little chance of winning since they can also select candidates expected to be more popular. In theory, however, candidates with extreme viewpoints would have a harder time since the winner would have to be broadly acceptable to most voters.

Pennsylvania: Ex-Allentown Mayor Gets 15 Years in Prison on Corruption Charges
Philadelphia Inquirer – Associated Press | Published: 10/23/2018

Former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski was sentenced to 15 years in prison on corruption charges. He was convicted of trading city contracts for campaign donations to fund his bids for mayor, governor, and U.S. Senate. Jurors found him guilty on 47 counts in connection to eight schemes, including those involving contracts for a city pool, tax collection service, cybersecurity, and streetlight installation. Pawlowski must also pay more than $93,000 in restitution in restitution to the city and to vendors that prosecutors say were cheated out of a fair and open bidding process.

South Carolina: Should SC Roads Be Named After Lawmakers Who Have Pleaded Guilty to Corruption?
The State – Avery Wilks | Published: 10/22/2018

A few days after he resigned from the South Carolina Senate and pleaded guilty to misconduct in office, John Courson asked the Department of Transportation to remove the signs bearing his name from a state road. But another former state senator, Robert Ford, who pleaded guilty to corruption in 2015, says he earned the right to have a Charleston road named after him and would not give up the honor. Unseemly exits from the South Carolina General Assembly can create a host of awkward circumstances. Among them: what to do with the state roads or buildings named after politicians who have admitted to corruption?

National:

First Came a Flood of Ballot Measures from Voters. Then Politicians Pushed Back.
WRAL – Timothy Mitchell (New York Times) | Published: 10/15/2018

Over the past two years, governors and state Legislatures around the nation have used an array of tools to overturn, delay, diminish, or pre-emptively declare unconstitutional a variety of initiatives approved by the same voters who put them in office. Those moves follow a rise in efforts by residents to enact their own legislation, in a growing battle over who will make laws – legislators or voters. In 2016, 71 initiatives were brought forward by voters; 46 were approved, and Legislatures changed or sought to alter nearly one-quarter of those. In decades past, no one tracked the number of ballot initiatives that were overturned by politicians, but experts say they have noted a significant increase lately.

Federal:

Dark-Money Groups Were Ordered to Reveal Their Donors. They Didn’t.
Politico – Maggie Severns | Published: 10/16/2018

A disclosure deadline passed with few political nonprofits unveiling any donors, even after a court threw out a regulation that let the groups keep their funding sources private, and after the FEC told the organizations to reveal anyone who gave money after the ruling at the end of September. The Campaign Legal Center tracked 18 political nonprofits that spent money on the midterm elections between the court ruling and the end of September and could thus have donations to list. It found 14 of those groups disclosed no information with the FEC. “Many groups are likely anticipating that the FEC isn’t going to second-guess their assertion that they received no reportable contributions,” said Brendan Fischer of the Campaign Legal Center.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska: Alaska Law Says Lobbyists Can’t Fundraise for Candidates. But the Invitations Keep Coming
Alaska Public Media – Nathaniel Hertz | Published: 10/11/2018

In the past year, lobbyists Ashley Reed and Jerry Mackie have emailed clients and friends invitations to political fundraisers for candidates including Alaska Gov. Bill Walker and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon. That is in spite of a state law that bars lobbyists from helping with legislative and gubernatorial candidates’ fundraising efforts. Penalties for violations include a fine capped at $1,000 and up to a year in prison. Both lobbyists said they received permission to send the invitations from the Alaska Public Officers Commission. But the commission’s director, Heather Hebdon, said one of her employees had only issued non-binding, informal advice that would not protect lobbyists against a complaint.

California: An L.A. Councilman Held an $800-Per-Person Fundraiser. The Next Day, He Announced He Was Stepping Down
Los Angeles Times – Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser | Published: 10/15/2018

When Los Angeles City Councilperson Mitchell Englander announced he would soon step down to join a sports and entertainment firm, the news surprised many in City Hall. His decision was especially surprising to some who had shown up to a fundraiser advertised at $800 per person that Englander staged the night before. Englander used the event to raise money for his officeholder account, a fund that city politicians use to pay for food, travel, office supplies, or other expenses tied to their official duties. Englander’s handling of the episode was considered brazen even among some City Hall veterans familiar with political fundraising.

Florida: Wealthy Candidate Set Up a Blind Trust That Wasn’t Blind
WRAL – Kevin Sack and Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 10/17/2018

To shield himself from future conflict-of-interest charges, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who is now running to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, created a $73.8 million investment account that he called a blind trust. But an examination of Scott’s finances shows his trust has been blind in name only. There have been numerous ways for him to have knowledge about his holdings. Among other things, he transferred many assets to his wife and neither “blinded” nor disclosed them. And their investments have included corporations, partnerships, and funds that stood to benefit from his administration’s actions. Scott’s case demonstrates the political complexities of campaigning while wealthy, a hallmark of the age of the first billionaire president.

Georgia: Showdown in Georgia Governor’s Race Reflects a Larger Fight Over Voting Rights
WRAL – Astead Herndon and Trip Gabriel (New York Times) | Published: 10/15/2018

Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who is also the Republican candidate for governor, is in charge of elections and voter registration in Georgia. His Democratic opponent, former state Rep. Stacey Abrams, and voting rights advocacy groups charge Kemp is systematically using his office to suppress votes and tilt the election, and his policies disproportionately affect black and minority voters. The uproar over voting seems almost an inevitable development in the race, which pits two candidates on opposite sides of the nation’s voting wars who have battled with one another over access to the polls for years.

Maryland: Baltimore City Council Tightens Restrictions on Lobbyists, Require Forms Go Online
Baltimore Sun – Luke Broadwater | Published: 10/15/2018

The Baltimore City Council passed legislation that would tighten restrictions on lobbyists and require the ethics board to post lobbying disclosure forms online. Under the bill, lobbyists approaching city government would have officials to “affirmatively identify” their clients; disclosure reports would be filed twice a year, rather than annually; and there would be a possible three-year ban for any lobbyist who violates the law.

Michigan: ‘Lobbyists and Lansing Are Almost Synonymous’: How the city is shaped by advocacy sector
Lansing State Journal – Carol Thompson | Published: 10/18/2018

The advocacy industry – including the communications agencies and lobbyists they employ – is a unique one in Lansing, helping to shape the economy and culture of the city that serves as the state capital. It is also a growing sector of the state’s economy. The number of lobbyists has steadily increased since the 1990s. In 1998 there were 2,202 lobbyists and lobbyist agencies registered in Michigan; in 2017, there were 2,954. “We are kind of like motor oil,” said Taylor Benavente of the Michigan Society of Association Executives. “We’re behind the scenes, keeping the engine running.”

New Mexico: Long Road Brings NM Ethics Commission Proposal to Ballot
Albuquerque Journal – Dan Boyd | Published: 10/13/2018

After more than a decade of debate and disagreement, New Mexico lawmakers finally approved the framework of an independent ethics commission during the 2017 legislative session. Now, it will be up to voters to decide in November whether to put the commission in the state constitution. Even if voters approve the measure in November, and there is no organized opposition against it, there will still be key structural decisions to be made. For instance, the proposed constitutional amendment does not stipulate exactly when complaints would be made public and does not provide for a funding mechanism to pay for the commission’s operations.

New York: New York Attorney General Expands Inquiry into Net Neutrality Comments
WRAL – Nicholas Confessore (New York Times) | Published: 10/16/2018

New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood subpoenaed more than a dozen telecommunications trade groups, lobbying contractors, and advocacy organizations as part of the state’s investigation into widespread fake public comments submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over net neutrality. The FCC received a record 22 million comments ahead of its decision to repeal the rules requiring internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally. Millions of comments were provided using temporary or duplicate email addresses, while others recycled identical phrases. Seven popular comments, repeated verbatim, accounted for millions more.

North Dakota: Ethics Policy Finalized for North Dakota Governor’s Office
Bismarck Tribune – Jack Dura | Published: 10/17/2018

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum finalized an ethics policy, months after the he reimbursed about $40,000 to Xcel Energy for events related to a Super Bowl invitation to Minneapolis.  The policy applies to the governor, lieutenant governor, and all employees of the governor’s office. Its language addresses conflicts-of-interest, gifts, expenses, and political activities, among other items.

South Carolina: Will SC Lawmakers Close Loopholes Exposed by State House Corruption Probe?
The State – Maayan Schecter | Published: 10/11/2018

South Carolina legislators and Gov. Henry McMaster said they want to see the state toughen its ethics laws in the wake of a grand jury report into corruption at the statehouse. Grand jurors called for a number of reforms in the report, including eliminating “dark money” and defining the difference between lobbyists and consultants. The corruption probe report details how political consultant Richard Quinn used his consulting business and legislative network, which included his son, disgraced Rep. Rick Quinn to defeat or pass legislation on behalf of his corporate and institutional clients, in what special prosecutor David Pascoe described as “pay-for-influence schemes.”

South Dakota: Free Speech Group Can Publish Ballot Information Ahead of Election, Federal Judge Rules
Sioux Falls Argus Leader – Danielle Ferguson | Published: 10/17/2018

A free speech group suing South Dakota over its campaign finance laws can distribute educational materials about two upcoming ballot issues ahead of the November election, a federal judge ruled. The Institute for Free Speech will be able to distribute an analysis on two ballot issues without fear of the state seeking prosecution for violating a law regulating independent communication expenditure in political campaigns. The institute has asked a federal judge to declare a South Dakota campaign finance law unconstitutional, saying the law regulating independent communication expenditures is vague and a violation of First Amendment rights. The court did not declare the law unconstitutional but granted a preliminary injunction to prevent the state from prosecuting the group for posting the analysis.

Virginia: In Virginia House Race, Anonymous Attack Ads Pop Up on Facebook
WRAL – Kevin Roose (New York Times) | Published: 10/17/2018

A competitive race in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District has a new element: anonymous attack ads on Facebook. The ads were purchased by a critic of Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock. They attack Wexton with language and imagery not typically found in even the roughest campaigns. Since 2016, when Facebook ads were used to spread disinformation and Russian propaganda ahead of the presidential election, the social network has clamped down on political advertisers. But the owner of “Wacky Wexton Not” was able to remain anonymous by taking advantage of a loophole in Facebook’s policy.

West Virginia: W.Va. Supreme Court Justice Loughry Guilty on 11 Counts, Not Guilty on 10 Counts; Jury Hangs on 1 Count
West Virginia MetroNews – Brian McElhinny | Published: 10/12/2018

A jury convicted suspended West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry on 11 of the 22 charges he faced at his trial. The House impeached him and three other justices over questions involving lavish office renovations that evolved into accusations of corruption, incompetence, and neglect of duty. Loughry still faces an impeachment trial. Jurors convicted Loughry on seven wire fraud counts, which related to his use of state vehicles and credit cards for travel during weekends and holidays. One of the two convictions for making false statements showed he lied to investigators about using the vehicles and credit cards for personal business. The jury found Loughry attempted to make Kim Ellis, director of administrative services for the court, misremember conversations they had about the cost of renovations to his Supreme Court office.

National:

Out-of-State Donors Pour Cash into Democrats’ State Races
Center for Public Integrity – Rui Kaneya and Joe Yerardi | Published: 10/10/2018

Nationwide, many Democrats running for state-level offices from governor to state representative are also collecting a significant amount of money from across state lines. Though Democrats still trail Republicans in the overall fundraising tally, they have so far raised at least $101 million from out of state, about $29 million more than their GOP counterparts have taken in. The influx of out-of-state contributions comes from a mix of companies with local interests, networks of contacts scattered across the country, and newly emboldened national groups that are mobilizing to influence state-level elections, mindful that the outcomes will have an impact on politics at the state and national levels lasting well into the next decade.

Federal:

FEC Guidance to Limit Impact of Dark Money Court Ruling
Associated Press – Brian Slodysko | Published: 10/5/2018

The FEC issued new guidance in response to a U.S. District Court ruling that found the agency improperly allowed “social welfare” nonprofits to skirt disclosure requirements for some donors. While the guidance answers some questions, it raises others. “A lot of people were very excited when [the case] first came out, but when you get into the weeds, one has to acknowledge that the opinion is not as broad some people had hoped,” said FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub.

Saluting the Trump Administration, Not So Nicely
Politico – Ben Schreckinger | Published: 10/9/2018

At the White House, the nearby Trump International Hotel, and wherever the presidential motorcade goes, Washingtonians are greeting Donald Trump’s presidency with an extended middle finger. As episodes like the separation of migrant families and the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court continue to inflame passions in Washington, D.C., these one-fingered salutes have become a pervasive marker of an administration under siege in its own city. Tourists posing for photographs, passengers in the cars that drive by the White House, and pedestrians caught unaware by motorcades have all made increasing use of the vulgar gesture since Trump came to town. Some do it subtly; others make a show of it.

Wall Street Is Booming Under Trump. But Many of Its Donors Are Embracing Democrats.
WRAL – Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) | Published: 10/7/2018

The stock market is booming, unemployment is hitting record lows, and Republicans pushed through $1.5 trillion in tax cuts. But despite all that, for the first time in a decade, the broader financial community is on pace to give more money to Democratic congressional candidates and incumbents than their GOP counterparts. Some of the same grassroots energy coursing through the Democratic Party, House candidates from Kentucky to Montana to New York are reporting record sums of small donations, has spilled into the corporate boardrooms of American finance, even amid increasingly hostile rhetoric from Democrats in Washington and on the campaign trail toward Wall Street.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: Are Political Swamps in California and Washington Mostly Drained? This Study Says They Are.
Sacramento Bee – Andrew Sheeler | Published: 10/9/2018

California ranks second in the nation for anti-corruption laws, according to a new report from the Coalition for Integrity. California share second-place Rhode Island; both states fell behind Washington state, which claimed the best score in the 2018 States With Anti-Corruption Measures for Public Officials (S.W.A.M.P.) Index. The index looks at eight metrics when assigning a score to a state, including whether there is an ethics agency with subpoena and sanction power, and whether elected and appointed executive branch officials are prohibited from accepting expensive gifts from lobbyists. At the other end of the spectrum, the S.W.A.M.P. Index rated North Dakota as worst in the nation for ethics and transparency laws.

Colorado: Wall Street Pumping Cash Through Loophole in Anti-Corruption Rule
Capital & Main – David Sirota and Chase Woodruff | Published: 10/4/2018

If Wall Street executive look to land a lucrative contract to manage Colorado retirees’ pension money, a federal “pay-to-play” rule is designed to deter them from trying to use campaign donations to influence state officials who oversee those investment decisions. Despite that regulation, however, state Treasurer Walker Stapleton’s gubernatorial campaign is being boosted by a political group partially sponsored by financial firms that receive investments from the pension fund Stapleton helps run. If Stapleton is elected governor, he will leave the pension fund’s board but will appoint three members of the board, potentially giving him even more influence over which financial firms get pension investments.

Indiana: Former Intern Says Brian Bosma Tried to Intimidate Her Over Alleged Sexual Encounter
Indianapolis Star – Tony Cook, Kaitlin Lange, and Ryan Martin | Published: 10/10/2018

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma investigated groping allegations against the state attorney general and is crafting a first-ever sexual harassment policy for legislators. He is also the same man who aggressively investigated the credibility of a former statehouse intern who said she had a sexual encounter with him decades ago. Family members of the woman claim Bosma’s attorney threatened to reveal the unfavorable information about her if her account became public and to expose her name even if news organizations withheld it. The former intern, Kandy Green, did not accuse Bosma of a crime. Bosma denies the encounter took place.

Kentucky: Amy McGrath Is Avoiding Attack Ads. Can a Congressional Candidate Win Without Them?
WRAL – Michael Tackett (New York Times) | Published: 10/10/2018

The race for Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District between U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and his Democratic challenger, Amy McGrath, has featured one of the highest concentrations of political ads in the country, almost 7,000 airings, in one of the most fiercely fought races. The contest also has one of the most lopsided ratios of negative-to-positive ads, with Barr and aligned Republican groups spending overwhelmingly on spots attacking his opponent. McGrath, so far, has not run attack ads, an approach that makes this contest a laboratory to test the proposition that while voters find negative ads distasteful, candidates use them because they work.

Missouri: Missouri Lobbying Rules Fought in Federal Court
Courthouse News Service – Joe Harris | Published: 10/8/2018

The Institute for Justice filed a lawsuit claiming an executive order that bans all gifts, including written materials, to certain government officials in Missouri violates its constitutional rights. At issue is Missouri Executive Order 17-02 which prohibits “anything of value” to be given to a member of the state’s executive branch by a lobbyist. The Institute for Justice claims that by prohibiting the distribution of two of its publications, “Bottleneckers: Gaming the Government for Power and Private Profit” and “License to Work 2,” to government employees, the executive order violates its First Amendment right to free speech and Fourteenth Amendment right to petition the government for redress of grievances.

New Mexico: New Mexico Legislators Eat, Lobbyists Treat, but Public Left Guessing Who
Santa Fe New Mexican – Andrew Oxford | Published: 10/8/2018

Because of a loophole in New Mexico law, lobbyists for the most part do not have to disclose which officials they have been attempting to influence. Although the latest round of filings by lobbyists points to tens of thousands of dollars spent on entertaining policymakers, the representatives of companies and special interests remain largely free to conceal the issues they are advocating for and the policymakers they are trying to sway. The Legislature has shown little appetite for requiring more disclosure from lobbyists.

Ohio: Workers Allege Campaign Donations Were Expected, Rewarded by Summit Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh
WKYC – Phil Trexler and Tom Meyer | Published: 10/10/2018

Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh is accused of ignoring acts of bullying, sexual harassment, and racial discrimination in her office, while allowing political campaigning to take place by favored workers, sometimes on county time, and requiring campaign donations of her workers and denying pay hikes to those who did not. Walsh’s campaign finance reports reflect the cash flow, showing her employees contributed thousands of dollars, or about half of her entire campaign funds, in the past six filing periods. Five employees have filed complaints alleging mistreatment.

Oklahoma: Attorneys Help Bankroll Campaigns of Judges Who Hear Their Cases
Oklahoma Watch – Taylor Brown | Published: 10/8/2018

Judges in Oklahoma rarely recuse themselves voluntarily or on request because they received money from attorneys arguing before them. That is despite the fact that attorneys represent the largest number of donors to district judges’ campaigns. Court filings show many of those attorneys frequently have appeared before the candidates to whom they gave money; some donated to judges while the judge was still presiding over their case. No evidence has emerged that donations from lawyers gained them or their firms more favorable rulings or treatment from judges. But campaign finance reform advocates, along with some Oklahoma judicial candidates, say the state’s system of electing district judges poses a risk to the integrity of the system.

South Carolina: SC Attorney General Tried to Impede Statehouse Corruption Probe, Grand Jury Says
Charleston Post and Courier – Glenn Smith and Thad Moore | Published: 10/9/2018

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s inaction impeded a probe into statehouse corruption, according to a grand jury report. Wilson’s conduct after former House Speaker Bobby Harrell pleaded guilty and named two other lawmakers cost investigators 13 months and meant the statute of limitations on potential federal crimes like money laundering ran out, the grand jurors said. The report notes Wilson’s close relationship with political consultant Richard Quinn. The corruption inquiry focused mainly on Quinn’s consulting business, his clients, and whether he acted like a lobbyist without registering. The report gives a behind the curtain look at the blurry line between political consultants, lobbyists, and powerful businesses in the state.

Tennessee: Taylor Swift’s Stunning Statement: Famously apolitical star slams Tennessee Republican, endorses Democrats
Washington Post – Emily Yahr | Published: 10/7/2018

Taylor Swift, the pop music star who has been notably apolitical in turbulent political times, endorsed two Democratic candidates running for election in Tennessee. In a post on Instagram, Swift said she planned to vote for Phil Bredesen, who is competing in a close U.S. Senate race against a Republican candidate backed by President Trump, and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, an incumbent who represents the Nashville area. Swift’s political views had previously been left up to interpretation, and at times her silence was viewed as support for Trump as well as the alt-right movement.

West Virginia: As 1 Supreme Court Justice Survives Impeachment in West Virginia, Others Face Trial
Governing – Phil Kabler (Charleston Gazette) | Published: 10/3/2018

One West Virginia Supreme Court justice has survived an impeachment scare. Beth Walker will remain in office after state senators rejected an impeachment article against her after a two-day trial. Senators later adopted a resolution by voice vote to issue a public reprimand of Walker. She was accused of abusing her authority. The impeachment charge stated Walker and other justices failed to control office expenses and maintain policies over matters such as working lunches and the use of state vehicles and office computers at home.