June 27, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 27, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
FCC Report Finds Major Shortage in Local Reporting
Federal:
Donor Meeting at White House Draws Fire
FEC Asks Crossroads to Reveal Donors
Secret Election Financing Surges with Evasion of IRS Scrutiny
From the States and Municipalities:
California
Bill to Ban Event Tickets, Other Gifts to Lawmakers Gets New Life
Florida
Palm Beach County Ethics Code Exemption Allows Free High-Priced Tickets for Public Officials
Georgia
With Ethics Chief’s Exit, Who’ll Step In?
Illinois
Chicago Puts Lobbyists’ Pay On-line
Massachusetts
House Republicans Recommend ‘Snitch Rule,’ Ethics Reforms
North Carolina
Legislating at Lightning Speed with Lots of Goofs
Oregon
Oregon House Rejects Bill That Would Cap Penalties for Campaign Finance Violations
Rhode Island
U.S. Representative to Pay R.I. $127,000 for Campaign Fund Error
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
June 20, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 20, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Federal Election Commission Deadlocks on Greater 2012 Donor Disclosure
More Political Action Committees to Get ‘Super’ Powers?
U.S. Appeals Decision Overturning Ban on Corporate Donations to Candidates
Weiner Resigns in Chaotic Final Scene
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Complaint Filed against Secretary of State Scott Gessler
Connecticut
Ethics Dispute Drained Local Budget of More than $630,000
Georgia
Shake-Up at Ethics Commission as Top Staffers to Exit
Hawaii
State Drops Campaign Gift Appeal
Massachusetts
DiMasi Found Guilty on Seven of Nine Counts in Kickback Scheme
No Fault Found in House Incident
Nevada
Justices Rule on When Lawmakers Should Recuse from Issues
New York
Ethics Clears Legislative Hurdles
Report: Grassroots lobbying in N.Y. skyrockets since 2008
Pennsylvania
Lawyers, Chamber of Commerce Oppose City’s Broad, New Lobbying Disclosure Law
Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Union Law That Cuts Bargaining Powers to Take Effect Following Supreme Court Ruling
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
June 13, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 13, 2011
Here are highlights from State and Federal Communications, Inc.’s latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
A Weiner Ethics Case Would Cover Uncharted Ground
Virginia Federal Judge Rejects Government Request to Reconsider on Donations
Democrat or Republican, National Party Committees Reap Campaign Riches from Registered Lobbyists
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Big Names in Alabama Politics Set for Bingo Trial Opening
District of Columbia
D.C. Attorney General: Council’s Thomas diverted public funds
Michigan
Koch-Backed Group’s Fake Eviction Notices Rile up Detroit
Nevada
Rory Reid to Pay $25,000 Fine in PAC Case
New York
Bill Not a Feast but Lunch is OK
Cuomo and Legislative Leaders Strike Deal on New Ethics Rules
N.Y. Finds a Growth Industry in Ethics Enforcement
Ohio
House Cozy with Charter School Lobby
Texas
Dallas City Council Rolls Back Some Changes to Ethics Ordinance
Washington
Former Evergreen Professor Fined $120,000 in Largest-Ever Ethics Penalty
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
June 6, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 6, 2011
Here are highlights from State and Federal Communications, Inc.’s latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal
Campaign Finance Experts See Few Implications of Virginia Ruling
The Influence Industry: The fine lines between a Palin vacation and Palin tour
When ‘Coordinate’ Is a Dirty Word
From the States:
California
Former Vernon Official Pleads Guilty to Illegally Using Public Money
Colorado
Gessler Rulemaking on Campaign Finance Raising Eyebrows
Florida
Legislature Fails to Add Stronger Ethics Laws
Illinois
Senator Wants Charges Filed against Colleague
Louisiana
Mark St. Pierre is Taken into Custody after Jury Finds Him Guilty of Bribery, Conspiracy
Massachusetts
Financial Disclosure Forms Still Outdated
Minnesota
Campaign Finance Board Fines Alleged Felon Who Can’t Be Found
New Jersey
Christie Refuses to Reimburse N.J. for Traveling By Helicopter to See Son’s Baseball Game
Ohio
Cuyahoga County Offers First Ethics Training for Businesses
Tennessee
Tennessee Opens Door to Corporate Political Donations
Washington
Port Fined after Failing to File Lobbying Expenses
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
May 25, 2011 •
Our News You Can Use Video
News You Can Use, a service of State and Federal Communications, is in its 11th year.
Take a look at our new video explaining the news service:
May 23, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – May 23, 2011
Here are highlights from State and Federal Communications, Inc.’s latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal
Colbert at the FEC? Really
National
Fox Parent Company to Disclose Political Giving
From the States:
Arizona
Fiesta Bowl Seeks Repayment for Political Contributions
Illinois
Emanuel Jumps into Work, Signs Six Executive Orders
Maryland
Johnson, Ex-County Executive in Prince George’s, Pleads Guilty to Taking Bribes
Minnesota
Court Lets Minnesota Corporate Disclosure Law Stand
Tennessee
Four Named to State Ethics Commission
Virginia
Virginia Ethics Rules Questioned in Wake of Federal Case
Wisconsin
Officials Dismiss Ethics Complaints Over Anti-Union Bill
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
April 26, 2011 •
Digital Government News Summary
Here are a few news items from the last few days dealing with the federal government’s online efforts.
The U.S. House of Representatives has debuted a beta version of its new website.
The Hill reports the U.S. State Department has shut down its website America.gov and will put its communications work into social media.
ExecutiveGov.com reports that Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) is seeking more information from White House Chief Information Officer about which open government websites are at risk of being cut.
March 3, 2011 •
Lobbying News You Can Use
Ex-Senator Lobbies for Hollywood
Lights, camera … action! According to a piece in the New York Times, former U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) has been hired as top lobbyist for the Motion Picture Association of America.
The articles notes that according to the law Dodd cannot directly lobby on Capitol Hill until 2013, but can offer plenty of strategy. “I have no intention of violating either the letter or spirit of that law, which is one I support strongly,” said the former senator.
For the full story, be sure to read “Motion Picture Industry Group Names Ex-Senator Dodd as Its New Chief” by Brooks Barnes and Michael Cieply in the March 1 edition of the New York Times.
February 25, 2011 •
News You Can Use from Indiana
A Deputy Attorney General Fired for Comments Made on Twitter
Jim Sedor, the editor of State and Federal Communications’ News You Can Use, offers this breaking news item. Jeff Cox, a deputy attorney general in Indiana, has been fired for commenting on his Twitter account that police in Wisconsin should use live ammunition to disperse protesters.
For the full story, here is the article by Chris Sikich and Mary Beth Schneider in the Indianapolis Star: “Indiana official fired for remarks on Twitter” from February 24.
Here is a statement from the Attorney General’s Office on Jeff Cox’s online postings and his being fired.
February 7, 2011 •
News You Can Use – The Democratic National Convention
Democratic Party says it won’t use corporate money for their national convention.
Here is a campaign finance news item from last Friday. According to an article in the New York Times, the Democratic Party has announced it will not use corporate money for their national convention. The article said there will still be a chance for corporate in-kind contributions, and they can still pay for parties on the periphery of the official event.
For the full story, see “Democrats Promise No Corporate Money for Convention” by Michael Shear in the February 4 issue of the New York Times.
Photo of the 2008 Democratic National Convention by Qqqqqq on Wikipedia.
February 4, 2011 •
News You Can Use from Rhode Island
New rules for lobbyists could be coming to Providence.
Here is a heads-up for those following lobbying news in Rhode Island. News Editor Stephen Beale wrote on GoLocalProv that Providence, Rhode Island could be the first city in the state to require lobbyists to register with city hall.
The new rules have sparked a debate between supporters of government transparency and accountability and those who do not wish to inhibit non-lobbying groups from interacting with government.
For the full article, go to “Providence Could Become First RI City to Regulate Lobbyists” on GoLocalProv.com.
Photo of the Providence City Hall by ctman987 on Wikipedia.
February 3, 2011 •
News You Can Use from California
Lobbyist receives fine
Jim Sedor, editor of News You Can Use, pointed out this article – “Lobbyist for San Manuel Tribe Fined $30,000 by State” from Tuesday’s Riverside Press-Enterprise.
According to the article, lobbyist Frank Molina of Strategic Solutions Advisors was fined $30,000 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to file lobbying reports. The article states Molina has lobbied for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, both operating casinos.
News You Can Use is State and Federal Communications’ weekly summary of national news focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
September 17, 2010 •
A Great Day for a Party
We are celebrating a special anniversary!
An English proverb states, “A man is known by the company he keeps.” On Monday, September 13, State and Federal Communications, Inc. thanked News You Can Use Editor Jim Sedor for keeping company with us for ten years.
Almost the entire company walked or drove to Downtown Akron’s Bricco restaurant for a celebratory lunch. Also in attendance were Jim’s sister, Mary Ann LoBue, and her husband, Joe, who drove in from Mars, Pennsylvania for the occasion.
The meal was followed by a tribute to Jim by President and CEO Elizabeth Bartz, along with the presentation of a recognition book with photos and warm wishes from our staff. Everyone returned to the office to enjoy a beautiful and wonderfully chocolate cake.
In 2000, Elizabeth determined there was a need for governmental movers and shakers to know what was going on in the worlds of campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics, but there was no vehicle for that information to be provided in a timely manner. Then Jim Sedor walked through State and Federal’s doors. Since that day, Jim has taken the idea from a small, in-house proposition to what it is now, a piece that has virtually taken on a life of its own. For ten years, Jim Sedor has kept our clients—and our staff—on top of the accolades and escapades of elected officials throughout our country, and for a few hours, we took time to let him know how much we appreciate him.
As for the fact Jim is a great guy and deserving of the praise?
Well, that’s just icing on the cake.
September 16, 2010 •
An Interview with Jim Sedor
In honor of the 10th anniversary of News You Can Use (NYCU), I interviewed its editor, Jim Sedor.
News You Can Use is a weekly digital news aggregation on the issues of campaign finance, lobbying, procurement, and government ethics. Every week Jim Sedor gathers between 80 and 100 articles, and every Friday morning NYCU is sent out to our subscribers.
Hi Jim! How did NYCU come about? How long have you been associated with it?
The idea for compiling a weekly review of what is happening across the country in ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying originated with Elizabeth Bartz. I came aboard in 2000 to implement what she wanted.
Elizabeth had found the company didn’t have a process to find important information that was out there in a timely way and was missing a lot of things that would affect the business.
When we started, it was just an in-house review of the most recent happenings – it had not even been christened “New You Can Use” yet (a name that Elizabeth also coined).
As it grew, we figured our clients would love to see – and needed to know – what we were finding, so we started sending NYCU out to them by e-mail.
Who is a typical NYCU reader? How does NYCU give them a “heads up” regarding campaign finance and lobbying news?
I don’t know if I can classify a typical reader – maybe someone who subscribes to our services and needs to know what is happening in their field – like lobbyists, campaign finance lawyers, companies that employ lobbyists and give money to candidates, or firms that compete for state contracts.
We often give readers the first word about specific changes in campaign finance or lobbying law in a given state or the federal level. Most of the time, we have been tracking those changes from the beginning and see them through to the end – articles on a bill’s introduction to its signing by the governor.
We also follow scandals closely because those are most often the trigger for reform and you can almost predict at the start of some corruption investigation that there will be changes ahead and it should be monitored. The whole issue of “pay-to-play” reform is an example.
After ten years of gathering news, do any stories stand out? Craziest? Most egregious? Biggest surprise?
I try not to be cynical, but sometimes I can’t help it. I’m not surprised by most stories of graft and quid pro quo deals and the like, although sometimes the sheer scope and audacity involved in a particular story catches my eye.
We had that recently here in Northeast Ohio when it seemed like the whole Cuyahoga County government was indicted for corruption that involved tens of millions of dollars in bribes and crooked contracts.
One case that stands out for sheer strangeness is Mark Sanford, the governor of South Carolina who said he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail, but was actually much further south – in Argentina visiting the woman he was having an affair with. Nobody knew where he was.
You have a lot of fun at COGEL Annual Conferences. Can you tell us what happened at one particular COGEL breakfast in Chicago, December 2008?
We were having breakfast at the conference when a person from the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission got a message on his Blackberry and excused himself. When he got back to the table, he said he had pressing business and had to leave – the governor of Illinois had just been arrested and “led away in handcuffs.” That turned out to be the day Rod Blagojevich was arrested.
Can you picture doing NYCU fifteen years ago, prior to the advent of on-line newspapers and super smart search engines?
It would be impossible to do NYCU without the Internet and be as comprehensive – we just couldn’t cover the whole country and really stay on top of things.
According to our tally, you have gathered 41,517 articles in the last 10 years for NYCU. How does that make you feel?
Tired. (Laughs) And it makes me feel like I need a vacation – I’ve been working too hard.
When you break it down like that, it really shows the vast amount of material that has been published on campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics.
I feel a sense of accomplishment – that I have been able to stay on top of this and get most of the important stories that have been out there. We don’t miss much.
It also shows these are issues that are of great importance to a lot of people and reporters will continue to churn out story after story.
Thank you, Jim! All the best to you for another wonderful 10 years!
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
