National/Federal

Trump Aide Carlos De Oliveira’s Journey from Failed Witness to Defendant

MSN – Devlin Barrett, Spencer Hsu, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 7/28/2023

Carlos De Oliveira was indicted along with Donald Trump and Walt Nauta, all three accused of seeking to delete security footage at Mar-a-Lago that the Justice Department was requesting as part of its classified documents investigation. De Oliveira’s actions at Mar-a-Lago, and later statements to federal investigators, shows how the longtime Trump employee has become a key figure in the investigation, one whose alleged actions could bolster the obstruction case against the former president.

Trump PAC Has Spent More Than $40 Million on Legal Costs This Year for Himself, Others

MSN – Josh Dawsey, Devlin Barrett, and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 7/29/2023

Former President Trump’s political group spent more than $40 million on legal costs in the first half of 2023 to defend Trump, his advisers, and others, financing legal work that has drawn scrutiny from prosecutors about potential conflicts-of-interest between Trump and witnesses. While interviewing potential witnesses associated with Trump, prosecutors have raised pointed questions about who is paying for their lawyers and why.

Do You Avoid the News? You’re in Growing Company.

MSN – Paul Farhi (Washington Post) | Published: 8/1/2023

Haunted by a sense that the news is relentlessly toxic, once-loyal readers and viewers have been gradually ebbing away, posing a persistent threat to the news business. Researchers say “news avoidance” could be a response to an age of hyper-information. Digital media has made news ubiquitous and instantly available from thousands of sources representing every ideology, geography, and language. Much of it, people say, drives feelings of depression, anger, anxiety, or helplessness.

Judge Throws Out Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ Defamation Lawsuit Against CNN

MSN – Caroline Anders (Washington Post) | Published: 7/29/2023

A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump’s lawsuit against CNN, in which the former president said the network defamed him by associating him with Adolf Hitler. Trump argued by using the phrase the “big lie” in reference to his unfounded claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, the network created an unfair association between him and the Nazi regime. Hitler and Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels used the term as a propaganda tool that involved repeating a falsehood until the public started to believe it.

Trump Charged in Probe of Jan. 6, Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election

MSN – Devlin Barrett, Spencer Hsu, Perry Stein, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 8/1/2023

A grand jury indicted former President Trump for a raft of alleged crimes in his brazen efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory, the latest legal and political aftershock stemming from the riot at the U.S. Capitol. The charges represent the third indictment of the former president filed since March, setting the stage for one of the stranger presidential contests in history, in which a major-party front-runner may have to alternate between campaign stops and courtroom hearings over the next year.

Trump Is Charged Under Civil Rights Law Used to Prosecute KKK Violence

MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 8/1/2023

When Donald Trump was indicted and accused of trying to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election, he found himself in the unenviable company of defendants charged under a criminal statute dating to the Reconstruction era. The statute, Section 241 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, was originally adopted as part of the Enforcement Act of 1870. It was the first in a series of measures known as the Ku Klux Klan Acts designed to protect rights guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.

Limits of Congressional Power to Regulate Supreme Court Untested

MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 8/2/2023

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Jr. started a flurry of conversation among judicial and congressional experts when he expressed a self-proclaimed “controversial view” that Congress does not have “the authority to regulate the Supreme Court – period.” Those experts generally agree that such a broad comment on its face is not correct, since Congress does have authority to regulate the court’s docket, budget, and even how many justices there are. But the specifics get trickier when it comes to whether Congress has the authority to pass a code of ethics for the Supreme Court, which congressional Democrats have pushed for this year.

The Secret History of Gun Rights: How lawmakers armed the N.R.A.

MSN – Mike McIntire (New York Times) | Published: 7/30/2023

Long before the National Rifle Association (NRA) tightened its grip on Congress and won over the Supreme Court, U.S. Rep. John Dingell Jr. had a plan. It would transform the NRA from an outdated club of sportsmen into a lobbying juggernaut that would enforce elected officials’ allegiance, derail legislation behind the scenes, and redefine the legal landscape. Dingell was one of at least nine senators and representatives who served as leaders of the NRA, often prodding it to action. At seemingly every hint of a legislative threat, they stepped up, documents show, helping erect a firewall that impedes gun control today.

How Is Tim Scott Spending Millions in Campaign Money? It’s a Mystery.

Seattle Times – Rebecca Davis O’Brien, and Alexandra Berzon (New York Times) | Published: 7/28/2023

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott has more campaign money than most of his Republican presidential rivals, and he has not been shy about spending it. Where that money is ultimately going, however, is a mystery. Scott spent about $6.6 million from April through June but most of it cannot be traced to an actual vendor. Instead, roughly $5.3 million went to two shadowy entities: newly formed limited liability companies with no online presence and no record of other federal election work. Their business records show they were set up by the same person in the months before Scott entered the race.

A Senator’s New Wife and Her Old Friends Draw Prosecutors’ Attention

Yahoo News – Tracey Tully (New York Times) | Published: 8/1/2023

U.S. Robert Menendez is under investigation by the Justice Department for the second time in less than a decade, and this time, his wife is also in prosecutors’ sights. The new inquiry appears to be focused at least in part on the possibility that either the senator or his wife received undisclosed gifts from a company run by a friend of Menendez, and those gifts might have been given in exchange for political favors. Unlike her husband, Nadine Menendez has lived a mainly private life.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Why California Cities Use Your Tax Dollars to Lobby the Legislature

CalMatters – Sameea Kamal and Jeremia Kimelman | Published: 8/3/2023

An analysis shows local governments, water districts, and transit agencies in California have spent nearly $24 million on lobbying the state this year, accounting for about 10 percent of the more than $233 million total. Not all local government agencies lobby the state, but those that do tend to want to influence policies. They also seek more money from the state budget. Some national research shows the advocacy pays off as cities that do lobby receive between seven percent and 9 percent more per person in state funding than those that do not.

California – By Several Measures, the FPPC Is Outnumbered

Capitol Weekly – Brian Joseph | Published: 8/1/2023

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) finds violations of the Political Reform Act in a few different ways, through complaints filed with the agency by members of the public, referrals from other agencies, proactive cases agency staff see in the media, and through a limited number of audits of disclosures by staff. Ann Ravel, a former FPPC chairperson, said that in a “perfect world,” the agency would have the resources and staff to proactively review many more disclosures filed with the state.

California – California Lawmakers Would Have to Disclose Lobbyist Meetings Under Sweeping Ballot Proposal

MSN – Christopher Cadelago and Melanie Mason (Politico) | Published: 8/2/2023

A ballot initiative likely to come before California voters next year would overhaul the state’s open records law, forcing unprecedented scrutiny into lobbying activities at the Capitol, and ensuring sexual harassment allegations against lawmakers are public. Bob Stern, who co-authored the state’s political reform law in 1974, reviewed the proposed measure and pointed to support from the public in further scrutinizing lawmakers’ interactions with lobbyists as well as more information into legislative probes.

California – Anaheim Corruption Report Alleges a Criminal Conspiracy, Secret Lobbying and Influence Peddling

MSN – Nathan Fenno and Gabriel San Román (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/31/2023

An outside investigation into alleged corruption in Anaheim detailed Disneyland area resort interests improperly steering City Hall policymaking. The report noted numerous lobbyist meetings that were not reported as required and raised concerns about the close relationship between the city and the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. It characterized former Mayor Harry Sidhu’s Anaheim First initiative as “nothing more than a fig leaf for potential future public corruption and the wrongful diversion of public funds.”

California – Planned Cuts to City Ethics Board Reversed by Legislators

San Francisco Examiner – Adam Shanks | Published: 7/28/2023

San Francisco’s ethics watchdog was spared the significant reductions to its budget first proposed by Mayor London Breed. The budget agreement finalized by the board of supervisors and Breed restored $2.3 million to the commission’s funding. While the money is only a small portion of the city’s budget, supervisors and ethics panel leaders stressed the importance of its work, particularly given that 2024 is a major election year.

Florida – Fort Lauderdale Commissioners Will Pay After All, After Attending Lionel Messi’s Unveiling

Broward.US – Anthony Man (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 7/26/2023

The Fort Lauderdale commissioners who welcome Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi are reimbursing the soccer team. The Fort Lauderdale leaders, along with elected officials from Miami-Dade County, were hosted by the team in a VIP area at DRV PNK Stadium for the event. Some were able to talk with and get pictures with the new player and team co-owner David Beckham. City Attorney D’Wayne Spence said those who attended should pay. He also cited state law requiring commissioners to report gifts worth more than $100 and a prohibition on accepting gifts from lobbyists or vendors.

Florida – Florida’s New Black History Standards Have Drawn Backlash. Who Wrote Them?

Seattle Times – Sarah Mervosh (New York Times) | Published: 7/28/2023

When Florida set out to revamp its standards for teaching Black history this spring, a natural place to turn would have been the state’s African American History Task Force. The volunteer task force – a group of Black educators, Democratic politicians, and community leaders, appointed by the commissioner of education – has helped shape African American history instruction in Florida for more than two decades. But in updating educational standards to comply with a new law that limits how racism and other aspects of history can be taught, state officials largely bypassed the task force.

Florida – New Law Shields DeSantis’ Use of State Vehicles to Campaign

Yahoo News – Jeffrey Schweers (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 7/28/2023

If it had not been for a fender bender on Interstate 75 near Chattanooga, Tennessee, most folks would not know Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was using state government vehicles for his 2024 run for president. The collision draws a curtain back on the campaign’s use of state resources. But finding out who is paying for it is nearly impossible thanks to a new law passed by the Legislature to protect the governor’s travel records from public view.

Florida – Number of Registered Lobbyists Plummets at City Hall; Ethics Watchdogs Worried

Yahoo News – Jeff Burlew (Tallahassee Democrat) | Published: 8/3/2023

Last year, 29 individuals registered to lobby city commissioners and staff in Tallahassee. They paid their annual $25 registration fees and disclosed their clients and interests. But so far this year, only six lobbyists have signed up, marking a 77 percent year-to-date drop and an all-time low in registration numbers since the city’s lobbying ordinance was enacted in 2011. The anemic registration numbers raise questions about the effectiveness of the city’s lobbying ordinance and point to the possibility of unregistered lobbyists skirting requirements.

Georgia – Judge Rejects Trump’s Effort to Short-Circuit Georgia Election Case

DNyuz – Richard Fausset and Danny Hakim (New York Times) | Published: 7/31/2023

A Georgia judge forcefully rejected an effort by former President Trump to throw out evidence collected by a special grand jury and to remove the current prosecutor from the investigation into Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney seemed to have little patience for the arguments from Trump’ legal team and suggested Trump’ lawyers were gumming up the legal process with frivolous filings.

Hawaii – Ban On Fundraisers? Hawaii Legislators Continued to Rake in Campaign Cash During Session

Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair and Patti Epler | Published: 8/2/2023

Despite a new law banning fundraising during the legislative session in Hawaii, it did not halt the flow of campaign donations to many state senators and representatives. A review of the latest campaign finance disclosures illustrates major special interests continue to give generously to lawmakers, especially those who wield a lot of power.

Kansas – Kansas $180K Megaproject Consulting Job Went to Deputy Secretary’s LLC

Yahoo News – Jason Alatidd (Topeka Capital-Journal) | Published: 7/30/2023

A top economic development employee at the Kansas Department of Commerce bid on and won a $180,000 a year contract to consult for the agency. State officials maintain there was no conflict-of-interest in awarding the consulting contract to Paul Hughes, whose contract went into effect two weeks before he left his government job. While Hughes was still employed by the state, he formed his own company, Catapult Kansas LLC. He then bid on and was awarded a contract to consult for the Commerce Department on megaprojects.

Kansas – Kansas Ethics Regulators Can Waive Fines – but Some Think They Aren’t Consistent

Yahoo News – Andrew Bahl (Topeka Capital-Journal) | Published: 7/28/2023

Often, if a person incurs a low-level violation of the state’s campaign finance or lobbying laws such as filing the required reports late, they will ask the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to waive or lower the fine associated with that offense. While some factors, such as an illness or an inability to pay the fine, almost always result in a waived or reduced fee, other times relatively similar cases see disparate outcomes. Now, the agency is taking a look at its policies to ensure it remains fair.

Maryland – Treasurer for Baltimore County Campaign Committees Sentenced for Stealing Funds

Maryland Daily Record – Madeleine O’Neill | Published: 7/31/2023

The onetime treasurer for a Baltimore County political slate who admitted to embezzling tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds will serve six months in jail. William McCollum stole money from the Baltimore County Victory Slate and the finance committee of former Baltimore County Councilperson Cathy Bevins. He was accused of stealing funds through direct payments to pay his personal credit card bill and by depositing checks made out to the fund or to vendors into his personal bank account.

Michigan – Michigan Republicans Charged in Connection with 2020 Voting Machine Tampering

MSN – Patrick Marley and Aaron Schaffer (Washington Post) | Published: 8/1/2023

A former Michigan lawmaker and a losing candidate for state attorney general were charged with felonies as part of an investigation into the improper acquisition of voting machines. Special prosecutor D.J. Hilson has been looking into efforts by a group of conservatives to persuade election clerks to give them voting machines as they attempted to prove the 2020 presidential election had been wrongly called for Joe Biden. The group never turned up any proof, and courts in dozens of cases across the country ruled the election was properly decided.

Montana – Montana GOP Senate Candidate Keeps His CEO Job – But His Company Won’t Say How He Avoids Conflicts

MSN – Henry Gomez (NBC News) | Published: 8/3/2023

Tim Sheehy is running in one of the country’s most competitive U.S. Senate races while also running an aerial firefighting company that is heavily dependent on federal contracts. Bridger Aerospace has explicit rules about political contributions and activities. Employees are not permitted to engage in politics while on company time. There are also rules requiring legal reviews and approval before company funds can be spent on behalf of candidates or campaigns. Officials with Bridger and the Sheehy campaign did not directly address questions about how the candidate is complying with corporate accountability measures.

Nebraska – Hunter Hired as New Director of Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission

Nebraska Examiner – Paul Hammel | Published: 7/28/2023

The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission hired a long-time staffer as its new executive director. David Hunter, who has worked for the commission since 2000, will succeed Frank Daley, who is retiring in September.

Nevada – Indy Explains: How does the Nevada Commission on Ethics work?

Nevada Independent – Carly Sauvageau | Published: 7/30/2023

The Nevada Commission on Ethics was thrust into the spotlight when it decided Gov. Joe Lombardo violated state ethics laws by wearing a sheriff’s badge in campaign ads and was issued a $20,000 fine – the largest ever since the commission’s creation in 1975 – as well as a censure. City councils to county commissions, public officers, and employees in the executive branch are overseen and occasionally investigated by the commission.

New Jersey – Brindle Will Retire from Top ELEC Post

New Jersey Globe – David Wildstein | Published: 7/31/2023

Jeff Brindle, the executive director of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, will retire. Brindle’s decision comes more than five months after Gov. Phil Murphy had sought to oust Brindle from his post earlier this year over an email sent to a staffer last fall that mocked National Coming Out Day. He will leave at the end of the year. Brindle is suing Murphy and some top aides over their bid to force him out.

New Mexico – Ethics Agency Reaches Settlement with PAC Active in 2022 Legislative Race

Yahoo News – Dan McKay (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 8/1/2023

A PAC agreed to pay a $1,000 civil penalty and disclose its financial activity in a new report after New Mexico’s independent ethics agency accused it of violating campaign finance laws in a 2022 legislative race. The New Mexico Values PAC disclosed just $2,500 in contributions and spending. But the ethics panel said it is unlikely the PAC fully disclosed its activity.

New York – N.Y. Republican Lawmakers File Suit to Overturn Outside Income Limit

Spectrum News – Nick Reisman | Published: 7/27/2023

Republicans in the New York General Assembly are challenging a pending limit on the amount of money state lawmakers can earn outside of their jobs as elected officials. The lawsuit seeks to strike down the $35,000 cap, set to take effect in early 2025. Lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul approved a legislative pay raise from $110,000 to $142,000 last year.

North Carolina – Inside the Party Switch that Blew Up North Carolina Politics

Seattle Times – Kate Kelly and David Perlmutt (New York Times) | Published: 7/30/2023

Rep. Tricia Cotham’s win in the November general election for the North Carolina House helped Democrats lock in enough seats to prevent, by a single vote, a Republican supermajority in the chamber. Three months after Cotham took office in January, she delivered a mortal shock to Democrats and abortion rights supporters. She switched parties and then cast a decisive vote to enact a 12-week limit on most abortions, the state’s most restrictive abortion policy in 50 years.

North Carolina – ‘Sophisticated Scam’ Nabs $50k from Stein’s Gubernatorial Campaign

WRAL – Travis Fain | Published: 7/31/2023

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein’s gubernatorial campaign was the victim of a “sophisticated scam” that cost the candidate’s operation about $50,000. A campaign finance filing, breaking down donations and expenses from the first six months of 2023, lists a $50,438.77 expense in January identified as a “fraudulent wire transfer payment.”

North Carolina – Idea Exchange or Corporate Lobbying Front? A Look into ALEC’s Influence in NC

Yahoo News – Jazper Lu (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 7/30/2023

Some North Carolina lawmakers attended the 50th annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The politically conservative organization regularly convenes state legislators from around the U.S., mostly Republicans, with private sector representatives to write and publish “model bills,” draft legislation that can then be used by anyone. Historically, some North Carolina policies have gone on to form the building blocks for ALEC model legislation. Several of the state’s lawmakers have served in top ALEC leadership positions.

Ohio – Ohio Voters Are Deciding If It’s Too Easy to Pass Ballot Measures. Other States Are Watching.

Missouri Independent – Zachary Roth and Morgan Trau | Published: 8/2/2023

Ohioans over the last century have used the state’s ballot initiative process to pass constitutional amendments that raised the minimum wage, integrated the National Guard, and removed the phrase “white male” from the constitution’s list of voter eligibility requirements. Now, lawmakers want to make it much tougher for an initiative to be approved. Opponents of the effort, who are leading in the polls, say doing so would undermine democracy. Whoever prevails, the verdict could reverberate far beyond the Buckeye State, as other states eye limits on ballot initiatives.

Pennsylvania – Judge Rules Trump False Election Claims While in Office Covered by Presidential Immunity

Yahoo News – Zach Schonfeld (The Hill) | Published: 8/1/2023

A state judge in Pennsylvania ruled an election worker cannot sue former President Trump over statements he made sowing doubt in the 2020 election results while in office, finding the statements are protected by presidential immunity. Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Erdos said Trump was immune for a tweet he issued and comments he made remotely from the White House during a Pennsylvania Senate committee hearing. The statements, made without evidence, claimed fraud in Pennsylvania’s election count.

Texas – 1 in 5 Houston City Hall Candidates Skipped Campaign Finance Reports, Violating State Ethics Laws

MSN – Dylan McGuinness (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 8/2/2023

A dozen candidates running for elected positions in Houston failed to file required campaign finance reports in July, continuing a sloppy reporting period for the slate of candidates hoping to lead the city. The omissions account for nearly one in five of candidates running in the November elections, after about 25 percent failed to file the mandatory reports in January as well. Top mayoral contenders also had to refund contributions from those who exceeded the city’s cap and from prohibited city contractors.

Texas – Texas Environmental Regulators Are Using an Unwritten Rule to Squash Pollution Challenges

MSN – Dylan Baddour (Inside Climate News) | Published: 8/1/2023

When an oil company sought pollution permits in Texas to expand its export terminal beside Lavaca Bay, a coalition produced an analysis alleging the company, Max Midstream, underrepresented expected emissions to avoid a more rigorous permitting process and stricter pollution control requirements. In response, Max Midstream claimed the groups and citizens involved had no right to bring forth a challenge because they lived more than one mile from the Seahawk Oil Terminal. But the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says the one-mile test cited by the company’s lawyers does not exist.

Washington – State Ethics Board Cites Rep. Simmons for Speaking Engagement Compensation

MSN – Kai Uyehara (Kitsap Sun) | Published: 7/28/2023

Washington Rep. Tarra Simmons was cited by a state legislative ethics board for accepting pay for speaking at Vanderbilt University about her experience as an incarcerated woman, an inspiring personal history that has been widely documented but ran afoul of rules when it was entwined with Simmons’ role as an elected official. Simmons said she was unaware of the state rules before accepting $1,000 for a 2021 speech. She was ordered to return the money and fined $250, which was waived by the state ethics board.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Lawsuit Asks New Liberal-Controlled Supreme Court to Toss Republican-Drawn Maps

ABC News – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 8/2/2023

A lawsuit asks Wisconsin’s newly liberal-controlled state Supreme Court to throw out Republican-drawn legislative maps as unconstitutional, the latest legal challenge of many nationwide that could upset political boundary lines before the 2024 election. The lawsuit asks that all 132 state lawmakers be up for election that year in newly drawn districts. In Senate districts that are midway through a four-year term in 2024, there would be a special election with the winner serving two years. Then the regular four-year cycle would resume in 2026.

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump PAC Has Spent More Than $40 Million on Legal Costs This Year for Himself, Others” by Josh Dawsey, Devlin Barrett, and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for MSN

Maryland: “Treasurer for Baltimore County Campaign Committees Sentenced for Stealing Funds” by Madeleine O’Neill for Maryland Daily Record

Elections

Georgia: “Judge Rejects Trump’s Effort to Short-Circuit Georgia Election Case” by Richard Fausset and Danny Hakim (New York Times) for DNyuz

Ethics

Florida: “Fort Lauderdale Commissioners Will Pay After All, After Attending Lionel Messi’s Unveiling” by Anthony Man (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) for Broward.US

Nevada: “Indy Explains: How does the Nevada Commission on Ethics work?” by Carly Sauvageau for Nevada Independent

Washington: “State Ethics Board Cites Rep. Simmons for Speaking Engagement Compensation” by Kai Uyehara (Kitsap Sun) for MSN

Legislative Issues

North Carolina: “Inside the Party Switch that Blew Up North Carolina Politics” by Kate Kelly and David Perlmutt (New York Times) for Seattle Times

Procurement

Kansas: “Kansas $180K Megaproject Consulting Job Went to Deputy Secretary’s LLC” by Jason Alatidd (Topeka Capital-Journal) for Yahoo News

National/Federal

Senate GOP Leader McConnell Briefly Leaves News Conference After Freezing Up Midsentence

Associated Press News – Mary Clare Jalonick | Published: 7/26/2023

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell briefly left his own press conference after stopping his remarks midsentence and staring off into space for several seconds. McConnell was out of the Senate for almost six weeks earlier this year after falling and hitting his head. He was hospitalized for several days, and suffered a concussion and fractured a rib. His speech has sounded more halting in recent weeks, prompting questions among some of his colleagues about his health.

Prosecutors Drop Campaign Finance Charge Against Sam Bankman-Fried

DNyuz – David Yaffe-Bellany and Matthew Goldstein (New York Times) | Published: 7/27/2023

Federal prosecutors pursuing the criminal case against the cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried said they were dropping a charge that he violated campaign finance rules. Bankman-Fried was charged with fraud and campaign finance violations after the collapse of his company, FTX. He was extradited to the U.S. from the Bahamas, where FTX was based. But prosecutors said they had been informed by officials in the Bahamas the nation’s government had not intended to extradite Bankman-Fried on the campaign finance charge.

More Income for the Supreme Court: Million-dollar book deals

DNyuz – Steve Eder, Abbie Van Sickle, and Elizabeth Harris (New York Times) | Published: 7/27/2023

In recent months, media reports have highlighted a lack of transparency at the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as the absence of a binding ethics code for the justices. The reports included Justice Clarence Thomas’s travels and relationships with wealthy benefactors. The justices’ book deals are not prohibited under the law, and income from the advances and royalties are reported on annual financial disclosure forms. But the deals have become lucrative for the justices, including for those who have used court staff members to help research and promote their books.

How George Santos Used Political Connections to Fuel Get-Rich Schemes

DNyuz – Grace Ashford (New York Times) | Published: 7/26/2023

In the years since U.S. Rep. George Santos first ran for the House in 2020, he has become adept at finding ways to extract money from politics. He founded a political consulting group that he marketed to other Republicans. He sought to profit from the Covid crisis, using campaign connections. He also solicited investments for and from political donors, raising ethical questions. A review of his political career found several previously unreported examples of how he sought to use the connections he made as a candidate for public office to enrich himself.

How Right-Wing News Powers the ‘Gold IRA’ Industry

MSN – Jeremy Merrill and Hanna Kozlowska (Washington Post) | Published: 7/25/2023

While the legitimacy of the gold retirement investment industry is the subject of numerous lawsuits, including allegations of fraud by regulators, its advertising has become a mainstay of right-wing media. The industry spends millions of dollars a year to reach viewers of Fox, Newsmax, and other conservative outlets. For years, gold IRA industry advertising has echoed accusations against Democratic politicians commonly found in news segments on conservative outlets. The ads tout the coins as a safe haven from economic uncertainty and social upheaval.

Many Redistricting Redos Pending, but ’24 Election Outlook Unclear

MSN – Michael Macagnone and Mary Ellen McIntire (Roll Call) | Published: 7/25/2023

There is a series of courtroom redistricting battles playing out in about a dozen states. Some new maps could be drawn in time to change the electoral landscape in 2024, when Democrats need a net gain of five seats to take control of the House. But others may still be facing challenges as that election goes forward. One attorney said drawing new districts just once a decade after the census comes out is almost passé, and ongoing litigation is the new normal.

Supreme Court Ethics Measure Advances on Party-Line Vote

MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 7/20/2023

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would place new transparency rules on U.S. Supreme Court filings, place new recusal standards on the justices, and require the court to adopt a code of ethics. The party-line vote came as Democrats said Congress must act because reports about undisclosed gifts and travel received by justices had stained the institution. Republicans called the measure an attack on the legitimacy of a conservative-controlled court that has ruled in ways Democrats do not like.

Risky Business: Top lobbying firms navigate uncertainty in tumultuous second quarter

MSN – Taylor Giorno (The Hill) | Published: 7/21/2023

K Street’s top lobbying firms reported strong earnings in a quarter marked by uncertainty. Lobbyists said they have been hard at work on some of the must-pass bills in the 118th Congress, including the National Defense Authorization Act, the Federal Aviation Authorization, and the Farm Bill reauthorization. Against the backdrop of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the narrowly avoided debt ceiling crisis, the Biden administration has pushed for new regulations. Lobbyists say Biden’s regulators push is driving a significant amount of their work.

Trial Date in Trump Documents Case Set for May 2024

MSN – Melissa Quinn (CBS News) | Published: 7/21/2023

The federal judge in Florida overseeing the Justice Department’s case against former President Trump over his alleged mishandling of sensitive government documents has set a date for his trial to begin in May 2024. The Justice Department had requested the trial start by mid-December of this year, but Trump’s legal team pushed back, arguing instead for the proceedings to begin after the 2024 presidential election. The May 20 date means the trial will take place toward the end of the Republican presidential primaries.

Smithsonian Literary Fest Flagged ‘Sensitive’ Topics Before Cancellation

MSN – Sophia Nguyen (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2023

Less than a month before the Smithsonian’s Asian American Literature Festival was to begin, staffers prepared what they considered to be a routine memo discussing programs involving “potentially sensitive issues” they knew the host institution would want to be aware of in advance. Among the matters cited in the mem: a panel about book bans, and two events featuring queer, trans, and nonbinary writers. Hours later, the acting director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Asian Pacific American Center, Yao-Fen You, informed organizers she decided to cancel the entire festival because of “unforeseen circumstances.”

Vaccine Politics May Be to Blame for GOP Excess Deaths, Study Finds

MSN – David Ovalle (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2023

The political maelstrom swirling around coronavirus vaccines may be to blame for a higher rate of excess deaths among registered Republicans in Ohio and Florida during the coronavirus pandemic. The new study underscores the partisan divide over coronavirus vaccines that have saved lives but continued to roil American politics even as the pandemic has waned. Yale University researchers found registered Republicans had a higher rate of excess deaths than Democrats in the months following when vaccines became available for all adults in April 2021.

‘This Is a Really Big Deal’: How college towns are decimating the GOP

Yahoo News – Charlie Mahtesian and Madi Alexander (Politico) | Published: 7/21/2023

In state after state, fast-growing, traditionally liberal counties with colleges are flexing their electoral muscles, generating higher turnout and ever greater Democratic margins. They have already played a pivotal role in turning several red states blue and they could play an equally decisive role in key swing states next year. Name the flagship university and the story tends to be the same. If the surrounding county was a reliable source of Democratic votes in the past, it is a landslide county now.

Fearing Trump’s Wrath, GOP Lobbyists Stay on the ’24 Primary Sidelines

Yahoo News – Hailey Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 7/25/2023

Republican lobbyists on K Street are not rushing to back Donald Trump in his third run for the White House. But they are not rallying in full force behind an alternative either. While some lobbyists are doling out cash, others are fearful any type of public opposition to the former president could make them persona non grata in Washington should he get back to the White House.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Google, Meta Fight with Canada Over Law Forcing Them to Pay for News

MSN – Amanda Coletta (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is in a high-stakes showdown with Google and Meta, accusing them of unfairly profiting at the expense of Canadian news outlets and of using “bullying tactics” to intimidate officials. At issue Canada’s Online News Act, which aims to shore up a struggling media industry by requiring tech firms to compensate domestic news publishers for the content shared on their platforms.

Alabama – Alabama Lawmakers Refuse to Create a 2nd Majority-Black Congressional District

National Public Radio – Jeff Amy and Kim Chandler (Associated Press) | Published: 7/21/2023

Alabama refused to create a second majority-Black congressional district, a move that could defy a recent order from the U.S. Supreme Court to give minority voters a greater voice and trigger a renewed battle over the state’s political map. State lawmakers faced a deadline to adopt new district lines after the Supreme Court in June upheld a three-judge panel’s finding that the current state map, with one majority-Black district out of seven in a state that is 27 percent Black, likely violates the Voting Rights Act.

Arizona – Two Organizations Trying to Influence State Politics Attempting to Get Exemptions for Prop 211 Disclosures

Arizona Capitol Times – Howard Fischer (Arizona Capitol Services) | Published: 7/25/2023

Rebuffed in their bid to totally quash a voter-approved ban on “dark money,” two organizations involved in trying to influence Arizona politics are now trying to at least get themselves and their donors exempted from its provisions. In new legal filings, attorney Scott Freeman again argues Proposition 211 and its requirement for disclosure of the true source of campaign money violates state constitutional provisions guaranteeing free speech and privacy. Those claims, first filed last year, were rejected by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott McCoy.

California – A Politician’s Downfall Reveals a Disney Exec and a Secret ‘Cabal’s’ Power Over Anaheim

MSN – Adam Elmahrek, Gabriel San Román, and Nathan Fenno (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/25/2023

The role of powerful business interests in Anaheim – home to Disneyland Resort and Angel Stadium – has come under renewed scrutiny amid an ongoing federal corruption investigation that became public last year. FBI affidavits detail strong alliances between city leaders and several unelected power brokers. Jordan Brandman provided an insider’s look at how Anaheim was run from when he became a city council member in 2012 to when he stepped down in disgrace two years ago. His account and records describe relationships that went deeper than the typical transactional ties that often bind lobbyists and government officials.

California – Real Estate Developer in Huizar Bribery Case Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

MSN – David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/21/2023

A federal judge sentenced a Los Angeles real estate developer to six years in prison for providing cash bribes to former city council member Jose Huizar, then attempting to hide the transaction from investigators. Dae Yong Lee was found guilty of giving $500,000 in bribes in exchange for the approval of a 20-story residential tower. He was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.

California – Oakland’s Democracy Dollars Delayed, But Not Dead

Oaklandside – Eli Wolfe | Published: 7/26/2023

Oakland residents will not receive Democracy Dollars to spend in the 2024 general election due to the budget. But the program’s supporters are determined to see a successful launch in 2026. Democracy Dollar, an initiative to level the campaign finance playing field, was overwhelmingly approved by voters last November. The measure called for giving every registered voter $100 in vouchers they could use to support candidates for city council, mayor, and other city offices.

California – Marilyn Flynn, Ex-USC Dean in Corruption Case with Ridley-Thomas, Sentenced to 3 Years Probation

Yahoo News – Matt Hamilton (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 7/24/2023

Marilyn Flynn, the former dean of the University of Southern California’s (USC) social work program who admitted to bribing Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas in exchange for his help securing the renewal of a county contract, was sentenced to 18 months of home confinement. Flynn admitted she agreed to send $100,000 from USC to the United Ways of California, which was sponsoring a new nonprofit led by Ridley-Thomas’ son. The money from USC coincided with the donation of $100,000 to USC’s social work program from a political campaign associated with Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Colorado – 7-Year Saga: Millions in legal fees in fight between ethics commission and Glendale mayor

Colorado Politics – Marianne Goodland | Published: 7/22/2023

In 2016, the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission decided a complaint against Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon warranted an investigation. Seven years later, Dunafon said he still does not know what he is being charged with. In the meantime, the Colorado Court of Appeals decided the commission’s efforts to assert jurisdiction over the city government in the Dunafon case had no basis in law. While it is unclear when the case might be resolved, the battle between the commission and the city and its mayor has so far cost Glendale taxpayers more than $2 million.

Florida – DeSantis Doubles Down on Claim That Some Blacks Benefited from Slavery

MSN – Kevin Sullivan and Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2023

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is intensifying his efforts to de-emphasize racism in his state’s public school curriculum by arguing some Black people benefited from being enslaved and defending the new African American history standards that civil rights leaders and scholars say misrepresents centuries of reality. “They’re probably going to show that some of the folks that eventually parlayed … being a blacksmith into doing things later in life,” DeSantis said while standing in front of a nearly all-White crowd of supporters.

Florida – Politicians Got Spots in a VIP Suite for Lionel Messi’s Big Unveiling. Was It Official Duty or a Perk?

MSN – Anthony Man (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 7/18/2023

Among the thousands of fans who packed Fort Lauderdale’s professional soccer stadium recently were prominent elected officials, who were hosted in a secure VIP area, where some were able to talk with and get pictures with Inter Miami’s new superstar player, Lionel Messi, and team co-owner David Beckham. The presence of the elected officials raised questions about what they were doing at the event. One Fort Lauderdale commissioner said it was improper for his colleagues to attend.

Florida – Failed Miami-Dade Commission Candidate Faces Long List of Campaign-Finance Charges

Yahoo News – Grethel Aguila (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/26/2023

Sophia Lacayo, a failed Miami-Dade Commission candidate, spent more than a million dollars challenging one of the county’s longest-serving politicians last year. Now, prosecutors allege some of that money was mishandled. State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said the violations were “deliberate steps” to sidestep campaign finance laws.

Georgia – Giuliani Not Contesting Making False Statements About Georgia Election Workers

MSN – John Wagner and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 7/26/2023

Rudy Giuliani, who served as a lawyer for former President Trump, is no longer contesting as a legal matter that he made false and defamatory statements about two former Georgia election workers – but argues in a new court filing what amounted to false claims about vote-rigging in the 2020 presidential election was constitutionally protected speech and did not damage the workers. The filing is the latest twist in a lawsuit brought by Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, who counted ballots in Fulton County during the November 2020 election.

Illinois – Chicago Watchdog Vows to Ramp Up Enforcement of Ethics Laws, Address ‘Deficit of Legitimacy’

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 7/25/2023

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said her office’s decision to declare two high-profile Chicago politicians violated the city’s ethics laws should put elected officials on notice that she plans to step up efforts to hold rule breakers accountable. Witzburg vowed to pursue enforcement of Chicago’s ethics rules with “greater frequency and rigor than ever before – paying down the deficit of legitimacy at which the city operates by ensuring that people who break the rules are held accountable, regardless of their positions.”

Louisiana – Bid-Rigging, Ethics Violations Found in Unreleased New Orleans ‘Smart Cities’ Investigation

Louisiana Illuminator – Michael Isaac Stein (Verite) | Published: 7/23/2023

Investigators hired by the New Orleans City Council last year to look into the now-abandoned “smart cities” project found evidence of potential contract-rigging, ethics violations, and perjury by city officials. The final product concluded that the consortium of businesses that was selected for the proposed contract, Smart+Connected NOLA, had an unfair advantage in the public bidding process, and undisclosed financial relationships compromised the integrity of the process.

Massachusetts – Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson Admits to Ethics Violation, Pays Penalty in Connection to Hiring Relatives

MSN – Sean Cotter (Boston Globe) | Published: 7/25/2023

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson admitted to an ethics violation and agreed to pay a $5,000 fine for hiring and then giving raises to her sister and son. Fernandes Anderson said both of her family members were “amazing” employees who she would happily hire again if it were allowed.

Michigan – ‘Cover-Up’ Alleged as Michigan Redistricting Member Cleared of Ethics Violation

MLive – Ben Orner | Published: 7/20/2023

The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission cleared Commissioner Anthony Eid of any ethics violations after he left a position as deputy director of Michigan Voices, a nonprofit that had lobbied the commission. With questions of a conflict-of-interest dogging Eid, Commissioner Rebecca Szetela asked for a ruling regarding his employment. But at a recent meeting, Szetela’s item was pulled from the agenda after commission Chairperson Doug Clark announced Eid and Michigan Voices had mutually parted ways and the matter should be deleted from the agenda because it “has been taken care of.”

Minnesota – Minnesota Legalizes Crypto Contributions for State Campaigns

MSN – Torey Van Oot (Axios) | Published: 7/27/2023

Cryptocurrency contributions to state campaign committees are now explicitly allowed under a law that took effect recently in Minnesota. Under the new rules, campaigns must convert donations made via virtual currency to U.S. dollars within five days. The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board asked legislators to address crypto to get ahead of any potential issues as digital currencies grow in popularity, Executive Director Jeff Sigurdson said.

Nevada – Lombardo Fined $20K for Ethical Lapses in Nevada Governor Campaign

Las Vegas Sun – Casey Harrison | Published: 7/25/2023

The Nevada Commission on Ethics voted to censure and fine Gov. Joe Lombardo $20,000 for using his Clark County Sheriff uniform and badge while running for governor in 2022 but declined to levy the proposed fine. Commission Executive Director Ross Armstrong said each of the 34 social media posts in question violated two provisions of state law, or 68 violations in total, which left Armstrong to recommend the commission order Lombardo to pay a record $1.67 million civil fine, be censured by the body, and be compelled to establish an ethics officer within the governor’s office.

New Jersey – New Jersey’s Election Watchdog Dumps 107 Cases After Controversial Law Cuts Investigative Time

New Jersey Monitor – Dana DiFilippo | Published: 7/26/2023

The state’s election watchdog dismissed almost half its active investigations into reported campaign finance violations after legislators passed a controversial new law critics warned would weaken enforcement. The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) held its first meeting since its former commissioners resigned in protest over the new law, which Gov. Murphy signed in April. With four new commissioners appointed by Murphy recently, ELEC tossed 107 cases.

New Jersey – Former Top Aide to NJ Senate Leader Avoids Prison Time in Tax Evasion, Wire Fraud Case

Yahoo News – Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) | Published: 7/24/2023

Tony Teixeira, former chief of staff to the New Jersey Senate president, was sentenced to eight months of house arrest and three years of probation after pleading guilty to tax evasion and wire fraud. Teixeira admitted he conspired with political operative Sean Caddle to overcharge campaigns, PACs, and nonprofits for work done by Caddle’s consulting firms and split the proceeds. Kickbacks to Teixeira were concealed through cash and checks made out to Teixeira’s relatives.

New Mexico – Calls for a More Independent Harassment Review Process in NM Legislature Remain Unmet

Source New Mexico – Megan Gleason | Published: 7/24/2023

Lawmakers are gathering all over New Mexico to discuss priorities for the next legislative session. Much like the 2023 Legislature, some lobbyists still feel unsafe at these meetings around the state’s public servants. Very little has changed since the last session, despite calls for more safety and accountability measures for lawmakers. After a senator who has had allegations against him in the past for sexual misconduct presented all day long at an interim committee meeting, lobbyists are raising their voices again for change in the Legislature.

New York – Restaurateur Who Paid Off New York Politicians Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

DNyuz – Karen Zraick (New York Times) | Published: 7/26/2023

A restaurateur who was a key witness in a public corruption investigation was sentenced to four years in prison, ending an episode that churned up allegations of endemic wrongdoing that stretched across New York City and one of its most populous suburban areas. Harendra Singh pleaded guilty to charges he bribed a former Nassau County executive, Edward Mangano. Singh also admitted trying to bribe former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, to get favorable treatment for a restaurant in Queens.

North Carolina – Are NC Legislators Allowed to Date Staff Members? Here’s What Their Rules Say.

MSN – Jazper Lu (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 7/24/2023

In a recent interview, North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore defended his years-long relationship with a state official, noting the employee in question does not report to him. Moore also pointed out that rules allow legislators to date members of their own staff. This does not mean such conduct does not come under scrutiny, however.

Oregon – For One Democrat, the Price of Bucking Her Party Is a Flood of Bad Reviews

Seattle Times – Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 7/22/2023

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez was elected to Congress last year as a Democrat and became one of only a small number of lawmakers in her party who periodically crosses over to vote with Republicans. Now, Gluesenkamp Pérez is one of the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress, and Dean’s Car Care – the family business named for her husband – has become the target of vicious online trolling from the left. Negative online reviews of the business excoriate her for siding with Republicans on a bill to repeal President Biden’s student loan relief initiative.

Rhode Island – RI Ethics Panel to Investigate Gov. McKee’s Free Lunch with Lobbyist

WPRI – Eli Sherman | Published: 7/25/2023

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission opened an investigation into whether Gov. Dan McKee violated state law when a lobbyist treated him to lunch at a high-end restaurant. The state Republican Party called into question a meal where statehouse lobbyist Jeff Britt and his clients – executives of Scout Ltd. – met with McKee and his fundraising chairperson, Jerry Sahagian. Britt said the meal cost $228, and he picked up the tab after Sahagian told him he “did not have the campaign credit card.”

Tennessee – Tennessee Now Requires Court Order or Proof of Pardon to Restore Felon Voting Rights

Associated Press News – Jonathan Matisse and Travis Loller | Published: 7/21/2023

Tennessee has begun requiring felons who want their voting rights back to first get their full citizenship rights restored by a judge or show they were pardoned. Election officials say the step is required after a recent court ruling. But attorneys representing the state’s disenfranchised felons accuse officials of searching for ways to suppress Black voters.

Tennessee – What Happens When a Cash-Poor Billionaire Wants a New Sports Stadium? Lobbying.

Tennessee Lookout – Adam Friedman | Published: 7/26/2023

Amy Adams Strunk and her family own the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. The family is wealthy by almost every standard except one – among sports owners. When they were almost two billion dollars shy of the cash needed for a new stadium in Nashville, the family turned to a strategy common for Tennessee businesses wanting help with a project. They hired a deep roster of lobbyists to convince lawmakers to raise taxes and fund their proposal with public dollars that those opposed to the stadium say could have been spent elsewhere.

Elections Tennessee: “Tennessee Now Requires Court Order or Proof of Pardon to Restore Felon Voting Rights” by Jonathan Matisse and Travis Loller for Associated Press News Ethics Colorado: “7-Year Saga: Millions in legal fees in fight between ethics commission and Glendale mayor” by Marianne Goodland for Colorado Politics National: “Supreme Court Ethics Measure Advances on Party-Line Vote” by Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) for MSN National: “Trial Date in Trump Documents Case Set for May 2024” by Melissa Quinn (CBS News) for MSN Florida: “DeSantis Doubles Down on Claim That Some Blacks Benefited from Slavery” by Kevin Sullivan and Lori Rozsa (Washington Post) for MSN Michigan: “‘Cover-Up’ Alleged as Michigan Redistricting Member Cleared of Ethics Violation” by Ben Orner for MLive Lobbying National: “Risky Business: Top lobbying firms navigate uncertainty in tumultuous second quarter” by Taylor Giorno (The Hill) for MSN Procurement Louisiana: “Bid-Rigging, Ethics Violations Found in Unreleased New Orleans ‘Smart Cities’ Investigation” by Michael Isaac Stein (Verite) for Louisiana Illuminator

National/Federal

Supreme Court Justices and Donors Mingle at Campus Visits. These Documents Show the Ethical Dilemmas

Associated Press News – Brian Slodysko and Eric Tucker | Published: 7/11/2023

Documents reveal the extent to which public colleges and universities have seen visits by U.S. Supreme Court justices as opportunities to generate donations – regularly putting justices in the room with influential donors, including some whose industries have had interests before the court. The documents also reveal that justices have lent the prestige of their positions to partisan activity, headlining speaking events with prominent politicians, or advanced their own personal interests, such as sales of their books, through college visits. The conduct would likely be prohibited if done by lower court federal judges.

The Biden Administration Is Without a Confirmed Ethics Czar

Government Executive – Eric Katz | Published: 7/18/2023

The federal agency responsible for enforcing ethics rules across government is without a confirmed leader for the first time in five years and President Biden has yet to appoint anyone to fill the role. The lack of a confirmed director should not hinder the Office of Government Ethics’ daily operations, but Biden would be smart to pick a new permanent leader soon to signal he is serious about ethics, former agency officials said. Shelley Finlayson, chief of staff and program counsel at the ethics agency, will fill in as director on an acting basis.

Social Media Restrictions on Biden Officials Are Paused in Appeal

Las Vegas Sun – David McCabe and Steve Lohr (New York Times) | Published: 7/13/2023

A federal appeals court paused a judge’s order that had blocked much of the Biden administration from talking to social media sites about content. The case could have significant First Amendment implications and affect the conduct of social media companies and their cooperation with government agencies. The appeals court also called for expedited oral arguments in the case.

Door-Knocker Complaints Show Risks of DeSantis Super PAC Strategy

MSN – Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 7/13/2023

With his foot on the front porch of a home in Charleston, South Carolina, a canvasser for a $100 million field effort supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vented on July 7 about a homeowner who he said had told him to get off his lawn. The outburst seen on a Ring doorbell video recording highlighted a potential risk of the unprecedented effort by DeSantis donors to flood early primary states with thousands of paid door knockers armed with high-tech tools to win support one conversation at a time.

GOP Lawmaker Says He ‘Misspoke’ in Referring to ‘Colored People’ on House Floor

MSN – Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 7/14/2023

Rep. Eli Crane said he “misspoke” when he referred to Black Americans as “colored people” on the U.S. House floor while arguing the military should not focus on diversity, a comment that sparked an immediate outcry in the chamber and was condemned by Democrats. Crane, who served in the Navy, suggested any focus on diversity would lead to a lowering of military standards.

Trump Says He Received a Target Letter in Federal Jan. 6 Investigation

MSN – Perry Stein, Josh Dawsey, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 7/18/2023

Former President Trump received a letter from the Justice Department informing him that he is a target of the long-running investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The target letter and potential indictment further ensnare Trump in unprecedented legal peril while he is campaigning as the front-runner to be the 2024 Republican nominee for president. The letter also comes as state and federal prosecutors around the country appear to be preparing to lodge criminal charges related to efforts to overturn a presidential election.

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Explicit Visuals at Hunter Biden Hearing Draw Rebuke

MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 7/19/2023

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene showed what appeared to be sexually explicit images of Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, during a hearing of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, drawing immediate rebukes from Democratic members of the panel. The committee was hearing testimony from two IRS whistleblowers involved in an investigation into Hunter Biden’s taxes when Greene, during her questioning, produced the graphic poster boards. While the faces of other people in the photographs were blocked with black boxes, what appeared to be Hunter Biden’s face was not censored.

Influential Activist Leonard Leo Helped Fund Media Campaign Lionizing Clarence Thomas

MSN – Shawn Boberg, Emma Brown, and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 7/20/2023

The 25th anniversary of Clarence Thomas’s confirmation to the Supreme Court was approaching, in a moment that would draw attention to his accomplishments but also to the misconduct claims that had nearly derailed his rise. A coordinated and sophisticated public relations campaign to defend and celebrate Thomas began. The campaign would stretch on for years and include the creation and promotion of a laudatory film about Thomas. It was financed with at least $1.8 million from conservative nonprofit groups steered by the judicial activist Leonard Leo.

No Labels Throws a Coming Out Party, Stoking Dem Fears of a Third-Party Bid

MSN – Lisa Kashinsky and Shia Kapos (Politico) | Published: 7/17/2023

The centrist group No Labels signaled it will present a candidate for a third-party presidential ticket by Super Tuesday if it is clear by then the choices will be Donald Trump and President Joe Biden and if the group sees public support for an alternative. The announcement underscored the group’s movement from a largely behind-the-scenes presence to a more visible force, one that has left Democrats increasingly alarmed about the prospect of a third-party candidate spoiling Biden’s reelection.

Judge Rebukes Tucker Carlson, QAnon Shaman for ‘Alarming’ Jan. 6 Show

MSN – Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 7/20/2023

A federal judge denied a bid from Jacob Chansley to withdraw his guilty plea to obstructing Congress and rebuked the so-called “QAnon Shaman” for going on a Tucker Carlson program that gave a distorted view of the Capitol riot. Chansley finished his sentence in March. But after leaving prison, he asked U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth to undo his conviction, saying security camera footage from inside the Capitol aired by Fox News host Tucker Carlson showed police allowed him to wander around the building on January 6. Lamberth expressed his concern with Carlson’s misleading depiction of the riot.

Ancient Israeli Artifacts Intended for an Exhibition in Washington in 2019 Are Stuck at Mar-a-Lago, with Israel Struggling to Get Them Back

Yahoo News – Joshua Zitser (Business Insider) | Published: 7/18/2023

In 2019, Israel sent some of its national treasures to an event at the White House on the condition they would be returned within weeks. But almost four years later, the ancient artifacts are still at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and senior Israeli figures are scrambling to get them back. The artifacts include ancient ceramic candles that were sent to the U.S. from Israel for a Hanukkah event at the White House attended by Trump, Haaretz reported.

Gallagher Rolls Out ‘Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act’ with Bipartisan Support

Yahoo News – Brooke Singman (Fox News) | Published: 7/11/2023

Rep. Mike Gallagher, chairperson of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, is rolling out legislation with bipartisan support that would require individuals to retroactively register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act if they failed to do so while they were working for a foreign interest. The bill comes after a federal court issued a ruling last year that said if someone stops acting as a foreign agent, they have no continuing obligation to register for their work as a foreign agent.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Alabama Legislature Passes Redistricting Maps That Democrats Say Defy Court Order

MSN – John Wagner and Maegan Vazquez (Washington Post) | Published: 7/19/2023

The Republican-led House and Senate in Alabama approved dueling congressional maps that would increase the percentage of Black voters in the state’s Second District but not by enough, Democrats argued, to comply with a federal court order to create two districts in the state with at least close to a majority-Black population. The legislature is in special session following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found lawmakers previously drew districts that unlawfully dilute the political power of its Black residents in violation of the Voting Rights Act.

Arizona – Arizona Allows Private Interests to Fund Politicians’ Legal Costs – and Keep It Secret

MSN – Stacey Barchenger (Arizona Republic) | Published: 7/19/2023

Arizona law allows private companies, nonprofits, and other groups to contribute money for candidates’ legal fees without any reporting about who is donating how much. In 2016, lawmakers amended the state’s campaign finance laws amid a bitter debate over “dark money.” The standing practice of candidates not disclosing donations to cover legal costs was written into law. An exemption for accounting costs was included. Candidates and officeholders can voluntarily disclose their spending and fundraising as it relates to legal fees, but none contacted by The Arizona Republic chose to do so.

Arizona – Arizona Escalates Probe into Alleged Efforts to Swing Election for Trump

MSN – Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 7/13/2023

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is ramping up a criminal investigation into alleged attempts by Republicans to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state by signing and transmitting paperwork falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner. Mayes assigned a team of prosecutors to the case in May, and investigators have contacted many of the pro-Trump electors and their lawyers. Investigators have requested records and other information from local officials who administered the 2020 election, and a prosecutor has inquired about evidence collected by the Justice Department and an Atlanta-area prosecutor for similar probes.

California – Former San Francisco Building Inspector Gets One Year in Prison on Corruption Charges

Courthouse News Service – Michael Gennaro | Published: 7/14/2023

Bernie Curran, a former senior building inspector for San Francisco, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for accepting gratuity payments in exchange for approving building permits. He pleaded guilty and had requested to serve his sentence at home. prosecutors said Curran used his position for his benefit and disregarded safety when issuing building permits.

California – S.F. City Hall Corruption: Top SFPUC official found guilty of fraud

MSN – St. John Barned-Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 7/14/2023

Former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan Kelly was found guilty of federal fraud charges. Kelly was accused of misconduct related to two fraud schemes: trying to sway a city streetlight contract to a local contractor in exchange for gifts, and separately lying to a lender, Quicken Loans, to get a hefty loan to pay off construction debt and other financial obligations. The verdict concludes the prosecution of one of the most powerful city officials swept up in a yearslong corruption investigation.

California – S.F. Corruption Scandal: Chinese billionaire admits bribing former public works chief Mohammed Nuru

MSN – St. John Barned-Smith and J.K. Dineen (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 7/19/2023

Chinese billionaire Zhang Li admitted he bribed former San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru with food, drinks, and other amenities during a trip to China in 2018. Prosecutors agreed to drop the conspiracy to commit wire services charge after three years, as long as Zhang acknowledged the misconduct and paid a $50,000 fine. Prosecutors allege Zhang wanted to influence Nuru to win favorable treatment on decisions and city approvals needed during the construction and development of a property in the city.

California – CA Attorney General, FBI to See Complete Corruption Probe into Anaheim City Hall

Voice of OC – Hosam Elattar | Published: 7/19/2023

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the FBI are expected to see all 300 pages of an independent corruption probe into Anaheim City Hall. Federal agents alleged a shadowy group of resort interests and lobbyists controlled policy discussions in Anaheim in sworn affidavits that surfaced last year. In February, the city council was reluctant to increase the funding for the probe without limiting its scope, which the investigators successfully refused to do. In the end, elected officials doubled the budget for the probe to a total of $1.5 million.

Florida – Report: Moonlighting ex-Collier official lobbied for county vendor in ‘apparent’ conflict of interest

WGCU – Rachel Heimann Mercader (Florida Center for Government Accountability) | Published: 7/17/2023

Collier County Deputy Manager Sean Callahan was fired in January 2022 after staff discovered he was secretly working as a lobbyist for a powerful Washington, D.C. lobbying firm, a moonlighting job that violated county policies, ethical guidelines, and anti-fraud measures. A new report by the county’s inspector general reveals one of Callahan’s undisclosed lobbyist clients, Jacobs Solutions, is a long-time vendor for Collier County.

Florida – Francis Suarez Is Fundraising with Drawing for Tickets to Messi’s Inter Miami Debut

Yahoo News – Joey Flechas (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/13/2023

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s presidential campaign is raffling off Inter Miami tickets as part of a blitz to secure enough donors to make the first Republican primary debate in August. Federal campaign laws generally permit raffles, but the campaign’s actions could raise questions about compliance with Florida’s gaming laws. A donation to Suarez for President, Inc. is not required to enter the drawing. The free-to-enter policy is required for nonprofits to legally hold raffles. But other public notices required by state law, including contest rules and the location and time of the drawing, were not shared in the tweet Suarez sent promoting the contest.

Georgia – Georgia Supreme Court Rejects Trump Petition to Block Election Probe

MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 7/17/2023

The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Donald Trump’s petition to block an Atlanta-area district attorney from investigating him over allegations of 2020 election interference and to throw out evidence gathered by a special purpose grand jury in the case. The court said the petition lacked proof Trump’s constitutional rights had been violated; that “the facts or the law necessary” to remove Willis from the case exist; or that other courts had rejected his claims.

Illinois – Michael Madigan’s Ousted Chief of Staff Fights to Block Secret Recordings in His Federal Perjury Trial

MSN – Ray Long and Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/17/2023

Tim Mapes, former chief of staff to ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan, was captured on dozens of undercover FBI recordings talking about his family, political fundraising, and his ouster after a sexual harassment scandal. The conversations, described in a defense motion seeking to keep them out of Mapes’ perjury trial, shed new light on the behind-the-scenes maneuvering and relationships among key members of Madigan’s inner circle as a series of scandals began to threaten the speaker’s decades-long grip on power.

Illinois – Chicago Watchdog Says Ald. Jim Gardiner, Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot Violated City Ethics Code

MSN – Alice Yin and Gregory Royal Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/14/2023

Ald. Jim Gardiner violated the city’s ethics code when he allegedly retaliated against a constituent and vocal critic by directing staffers to issue bogus citations against him, Chicago’s top watchdog found. The city’s watchdog also found probable cause that former Mayor Lori Lightfoot solicited campaign contributions from city workers in this year’s mayoral race.

Indiana – Breaking a Nondisclosure Agreement from Todd Rokita’s Office Could Cost Employees $25,000

MSN – Johnny Magdaleno (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 7/19/2023

Nondisclosure agreements that employees in Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s office are expected to sign would impose a $25,000 penalty for sharing personal information about Rokita. The contract gives Rokita and his staff the power to decide what information counts as confidential. It covers “personal or private information” about the attorney general, his employees, and their families. The contract does not prevent employees from reporting unlawful behavior. Experts said it raises concerns about constraints on free speech and the public’s right to know what goes on in the offices of elected officials.

Michigan – Michigan Charges 16 Trump Electors Who Falsely Claimed He Won the State

MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 7/18/2023

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged 16 Republicans who falsely claimed to be the state’s 2020 presidential electors with forgery and other felonies, bringing the first criminal prosecution against Donald Trump electors as investigations over attempts to overturn election results intensify across the country. Those charged submitted official-looking paperwork to the federal government asserting they were casting the state’s electoral votes for Trump. Joe Biden won Michigan, and courts swiftly threw out lawsuits claiming Trump was the true winner of the state.

New York – Assembly Refuses to Release Records on ‘Drop-In’ Day Care Center

Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 7/19/2023

The New York Assembly will not release its records regarding a childcare center that Speaker Carl Heastie allowed to be set up in a conference room of the Legislative Office Building this year. The large room had been converted to what Heastie called a drop-in center that was used by a handful of Democratic lawmakers who did not pay to have their children care for by staff aides, at times for hours. The space has been used for official purposes through the years ranging from legislative ethics meetings to employee training sessions.

New York – During First Year, State Ethics Watchdog Launched Few Inquiries

Buffalo News – Chris Bragg | Published: 7/16/2023

The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying and Government began only three new investigations and did not bring any enforcement action during its first year. Watchdogs criticized the law creating the new commission, the result of a compromise with a Legislature reluctant to relinquish influence over the panel. While there were significant changes, reform groups argued that because commissioners would still be appointed by top state elected officials, the new body would continue to lack independence.

New York – NYC Campaign Finance Board Demands Transparency from Everyone – but Itself

Gothamist – Brigid Bergin | Published: 7/17/2023

Following a media investigation, the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) acknowledged Executive Director Beth Rotman did not resign voluntarily as the agency publicly announced. Instead, she was asked to step aside following an inquiry by the CFB into concerns about her management. In the two months since announcing Rotman’s departure, internal documents and interviews show the agency, which prides itself on accountability and transparency, is facing an internal integrity issue of its own making related to Rotman’s exit.

New York – Appeals Court Orders New Congressional Lines in New York, a Potential Boon for Democrats

MSN – Michael Hill (Associated Press) | Published: 7/13/2023

A mid-level state appeals court ordered new congressional lines be drawn for New York, a ruling that could benefit Democrats in the 2024 fight for control of the U.S. House. The Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court reversed a lower court and directed a state redistricting commission to start work on new proposed state congressional lines. Democrats are supporting the lawsuit, which seeks to scrap the 2022 lines under which Republicans flipped four congressional seats. Republicans pledged to appeal the case to New York’s highest court.

New York – Judges Deliver Losses to Trump in Two New York Cases

MSN – Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 7/19/2023

Two federal judges handed legal losses to Donald Trump – one rejecting the former president’s bid to move from state to federal court his upcoming criminal trial on charges of falsifying business records, and the other denying a request for a retrial in a civil sexual assault case Trump lost in May. A judge said Trump did not sufficiently prove his alleged involvement in hush money payments to an adult film actress, which stretched into Trump’s presidency, was related to his official role. Another judge rejected Trump’s request for a new trial against E. Jean Carroll or an adjustment of damages a jury awarded in her case.

North Carolina – ‘A Political Force’: How NC prosecutors sway criminal justice bills in General Assembly

MSN – Ames Alexander and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi (Charlotte Observer) | Published: 7/17/2023

North Carolina’s elected district attorneys wield great influence with Republican leaders in the General Assembly. Working behind the scenes, prosecutors have lobbied to block criminal justice proposals that would eliminate life sentences for juveniles, take the death penalty off the table for those with severe mental illness, and more. A chief element of their success is the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, a state-funded association that vigorously lobbies the Legislature. Many familiar with the group say it has grown more powerful since Chuck Spahos began doing its lobbying work.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Watchdog Agency’s Executive Director to Leave by End of Year

MSN – Nolan Clay (Oklahoman) | Published: 7/15/2023

The executive director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission is stepping down. Ashley Kemp plans to leave by the end of the year. In her resignation letter, Kemp repeated her longstanding complaint that the Legislature has refused to adequately fund the commission. Lawmakers only gave the agency $687,950 for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Oregon – Oregon Ethics Panel Dismisses Case Against Former Port Director Over Amazon Data Center Tax Breaks

MSN – Mike Rogoway (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 7/14/2023

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission overruled its staff and dismissed a complaint against Gary Neal, the former director of the Port of Morrow, regarding his role in awarding tax breaks to an Amazon data center. Neal is one of four Morrow County officials who purchased a local company called Windwave Communications. Windwave provides fiber-optic service to Amazon’s data centers in the county. Commissioners were considering whether Neal had failed to disclose a potential conflict-of interest at a meeting about Amazon tax incentives.

Oregon – State Ethics Watchdogs Launch Investigation into Former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan

Oregon Capital Chronicle – Julia Shumway | Published: 7/17/2023

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission launched a full investigation into former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s conduct while in office, including her $10,000-per-month consulting job for marijuana entrepreneurs and whether she accurately reported her income and expenses to the state. Fagan resigned following revelations she took a side job for the owners of a troubled cannabis company while her office audited the state agency that regulates the marijuana industry.

Pennsylvania – Allegheny County Council Votes to Limit Role of Outside Money in Local Races

WESA – Julia Zenkevich | Published: 7/12/2023

Allegheny County Council voted to limit coordinated campaign expenditures between PACs and candidates running for county office. The bill offers clearer definitions for coordinated expenditures, in-kind contributions, and other means outside groups use to support a candidate. It also outlines the kinds of communication campaigns can and cannot have with independent expenditure groups.

Rhode Island – R.I. to Terminate Development Contract with Company That Accused State Officials of Inappropriate Behavior

MSN – Alexa Gagosz (Boston Globe) | Published: 7/17/2023

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s administration is terminating its contract with Scout Ltd., the Philadelphia-based developer that submitted plans to redevelop the Cranston Street Armory. The move comes after a consulting firm hired by the state determined the project would not be “in the financial interest of the state taxpayers” and just months after the developer accused two Rhode Island state officials of inappropriate conduct during a business trip to visit a Scout property in Philadelphia.

Texas – Top Texas Official Not Immune from Discipline in 2020 Election Subversion

Courthouse News Service – Stephen Paulsen | Published: 7/14/2023

In more bad news for the scandal-plagued Texas attorney general’s office, a state appeals court ruled a top official at the office is not immune from discipline over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election. First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster previously dodged discipline by arguing that as a public official, he was immune from consequences sought by the Commission for Lawyer Discipline, a watchdog committee of the Texas state bar.

Virginia – Coworking Space for Lobbyists Opening in James Center

Richmond BizSense – Charlotte Matherly | Published: 7/19/2023

Inspired by years of working in hotel rooms and hallways, Angie Bezik and Cindy DiFranco are starting Capitol Caucus in Richmond, a coworking space exclusive to lobbyists, advocates, nonprofits, and others who engage with Virginia’s government. Bezik owns Principle Advantage, a government relations firm that she runs with DiFranco, who serves as its government affairs director. They want lobbyists to have a place just for themselves, where they can have private conversations and spend time with others in the industry.

Wyoming – Wyoming Lawmakers Ready to Address Ethics Complaints Procedure in Interim

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle – Jasmine Hall | Published: 7/13/2023

Wyoming lawmakers dipped their toes in the waters of ethics complaints as they began reviewing a portion of the joint rules of the Senate and House. Joint Rule 22-1 has provided means for any person to file a complaint against a lawmaker for misconduct involving legislative duties, such as a violation of the Ethics and Disclosure Act in state statute or “violence or disorderly conduct during legislative meetings, sessions or during the performance of the legislative duties.”

Elections Georgia: “Georgia Supreme Court Rejects Trump Petition to Block Election Probe” by Holly Bailey (Washington Post) for MSN Ethics California: “Former San Francisco Building Inspector Gets One Year in Prison on Corruption Charges” by Michael Gennaro for Courthouse News Service National: “Supreme Court Justices and Donors Mingle at Campus Visits. These Documents Show the Ethical Dilemmas” by Brian Slodysko and Eric Tucker for Associated Press News National: “Trump Says He Received a Target Letter in Federal Jan. 6 Investigation” by Perry Stein, Josh Dawsey, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) for MSN Illinois: “Michael Madigan’s Ousted Chief of Staff Fights to Block Secret Recordings in His Federal Perjury Trial” by Ray Long and Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) for MSN Legislative Issues Wyoming: “Wyoming Lawmakers Ready to Address Ethics Complaints Procedure in Interim” by Jasmine Hall for Wyoming Tribune-Eagle Lobbying North Carolina: “‘A Political Force’: How NC prosecutors sway criminal justice bills in General Assembly” by Ames Alexander and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi (Charlotte Observer) for MSN Procurement Rhode Island: “R.I. to Terminate Development Contract with Company That Accused State Officials of Inappropriate Behavior” by Alexa Gagosz (Boston Globe) for MSN

National/Federal

How Judges Navigate Offers of Free Lunch, Trips and NBA Tickets

Bloomberg Law – Zoe Tillman (Bloomberg News) | Published: 6/25/2023

Recent controversies over perks accepted by Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have raised questions not only about the justices’ conduct off the bench and what they disclose to the public, but also about how the judiciary broadly enforces ethics. Eight current and former federal judges shared their insights into how the judiciary operates as well as their own experiences with ethics issues. Judges said they usually found the rules clear on what to report, what gifts to refuse, and when to step down from a case. But the judges admit there is a gray area as well.

The Attention Was All on Mar-a-Lago. Some of the Action Was at Bedminster

DNyuz – Alan Feuer, Maggie Haberman, and Jonathan Swain (New York Times) | Published: 6/27/2023

For all the attention focused during the investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents at his private club and residence in Florida, another of Trump’s properties has played a crucial, if quieter, role in the case: his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Bedminster, where Trump spends his summers, has turned out also to have been a focus of investigators and the scene of a central episode in Trump’s indictment: a meeting in which he was recorded showing off what he described as a “highly confidential” plan to attack Iran.

A.I.’s Use in Elections Sets Off a Scramble for Guardrails

DNyuz – Tiffany Hsu and Steven Lee Myers (New York Times) | Published: 6/25/2023

What began a few months ago as a slow drip of fundraising emails and promotional images composed by A.I. for campaigns has turned into a steady stream of materials created by the technology, rewriting the playbook for elections. Political consultants, election researchers, and lawmakers say setting up new guardrails, such as legislation reining in synthetically generated ads, should be a priority. Existing defenses, such as social media rules and services that claim to detect A.I. content, have failed to do much to slow the tide. As the U.S. presidential race starts to heat up, some of the campaigns are already testing the technology.

Senate Panel Finds More Pre-Jan. 6 Intelligence Failures by FBI, DHS

MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 6/27/2023

A new Senate committee report sharply criticizes the FBI and Department of Homeland Security for what it says were failures to believe the intelligence tips they were receiving in the run-up to the attack on the U.S. Capitol, offering fresh examples of warnings and information that went unheeded. The document sheds new light on the many different types of warnings the FBI received from nongovernmental organizations tracking extremism online, from the public, and from its own field offices.

FEC Deadlocks on Whether to Govern Deepfake Campaign Ads

MSN – Daniela Altimari (Roll Call) | Published: 6/22/2023

The FEC deadlocked on a request to develop regulations for AI-generated deepfake political ads, meaning no action will be taken. Public Citizen submitted a petition asking the commission to establish rules, noting advances in artificial intelligence have given political operatives the tools to produce campaign ads with computer-generated fake images that appear real. Such ads could misrepresent a candidate’s political views, a violation of existing federal law.

Audio Undercuts Trump’s Assertion He Did Not Have Classified Document

Seattle Times – Maggie Haberman and Alan Feuer (New York Times) | Published: 6/26/2023

An audio recording of former President Trump in 2021 discussing what he called a “highly confidential” document about Iran he acknowledged he could not declassify because he was out of office appears to contradict his recent assertion the material that he was referring to was simply news clippings. Portions of a transcript of the two-minute recording were cited by federal prosecutors in the indictment of Trump on charges he had put national security secrets at risk by mishandling classified documents after leaving office and then obstructing the government’s efforts to retrieve them.

Watchdog Alleges Canadian Hedge Fund Gave Illegal Contributions to DeSantis Campaign

Yahoo News – Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald) | Published: 6/28/2023

The Campaign Legal Center filed a second complaint against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign, alleging a Canadian hedge fund made more than $167,000 in illegal contributions to his operation. The Federal Election Campaign Act prohibits the contributions to U.S. elections and bans foreign nationals from participating in any decision-making process with regard to making a political donation.

Ethics Committee Expands Investigation into Santos

Yahoo News – Mychael Schnell (The Hill) | Published: 6/23/2023

The House ethics committee expanded its probe into U.S. Rep. George Santos, adding allegations he fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits to the list of investigative areas. Santos is also accused of misleading donors and misrepresenting his finances to the public and government agencies. The indictment accuses Santos of fraudulently receiving more than $24,000 in unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Legal Fees Mount, Trump Steers Donations into PAC That Has Covered Them

Yahoo News – Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 6/24/2023

Facing multiple intensifying investigations, former President Trump has begun diverting more of the money he is raising away from his 2024 presidential campaign and into a PAC he has used to pay his personal legal fees. The change raises fresh questions about how Trump is paying for his mounting legal bills, which could run into millions of dollars, as he prepares for at least two criminal trials, and whether his PAC, Save America, is facing a financial crunch.

The Super PAC Frenzy Redefining Campaign Operations

Yahoo News – Jessica Piper and Sally Goldenberg (Politico) | Published: 6/25/2023

Super PACs have been growing in strength for more than a decade, but this cycle are swimming in more money than ever. The groups are taking new approaches, deploying staffing at campaign events, paying for door-knocking operations, and even sending fundraising texts on candidates’ behalf. Some of the new strategies could test the legal limits on coordination between campaigns and super PACs, though campaign finance experts say the groups so far seem to be complying with how the FEC has interpreted the rules. But the greater on-the-ground presence of super PACs has not gone unnoticed.

Giuliani Sat for Voluntary Interview in Jan. 6 Investigation

Yahoo News – Ben Protess, Alan Feuer, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 6/28/2023

Rudolph Giuliani, who served as former President Trump’s personal lawyer, was interviewed by federal prosecutors investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The voluntary interview, which took place under what is known as a proffer agreement, was a significant development in the election interference investigation led by Jack Smith, the special counsel, and the latest indication that Smith and his team are actively seeking witnesses who might cooperate in the case.

From the States and Municipalities

Canada – Federal Lobbying Hit a Record High Last Fiscal Year, Industry Watchdog Says

CBC – Staff | Published: 6/27/2023

Lobbying hit an all-time high in Ottawa during the last fiscal year, says a new report from the industry’s watchdog. Under the law, lobbyists must report their oral and arranged communications with certain public office holders. Consultant lobbyists must also report any communications relating to the awarding of a federal contract. A new code of conduct for the industry will come into effect on July 1.

Alabama – Former Alabama Ethics Commission Director Says New Law Could Silence Whistleblowers

MSN – Mike Cason (AL.com) | Published: 6/25/2023

The former executive director of the Alabama Ethics Commission said the loss of anonymity protection for people who file ethics complaints will result in fewer whistleblowers reporting what they believe are illegal acts. The bill passed by lawmakers requires the commission to tell a person under investigation who filed the complaint that sparked the probe. Legislators said public officials should know the identity of their accuser in an ethics investigation, just as they would in a criminal or civil trial.

Arizona – Kari Lake Accused of Defamation in Suit Filed by Arizona Election Official

MSN – Yvonne Winget Sanchez and Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 6/22/2023

A key election official in Arizona’s most populous county filed a defamation lawsuit on against Kari Lake, the former television newscaster who narrowly lost her 2022 race for governor and has falsely blamed widespread fraud and malfeasance in the months since. The lawsuit by Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County recorder, marks the most aggressive attempt to hold Lake and her allies accountable for election-related misinformation. It comes amid other efforts to make right-wing figures and media answerable for spreading election fabrications.

California – A Big Contract Went to a San Jose Private School Run by the Mayor’s Wife. Was It Competitive?

MSN – Gabriel Greschler (Bay Area News Group) | Published: 6/27/2023

A city contract worth nearly $1 million was awarded to a San Jose private high school run by Mayor Matt Mahan’s wife, with officials assuring it went through the routine competitive bidding process, though leaders at other schools say they were not aware of the opportunity. City officials insisted they performed the proper outreach to numerous schools so everyone had a fair chance. The private school, they contended, was the only one that applied for the funding for the work-study program at City Hall for high school students.

California – San Francisco’s Ex-Utilities Chief Accused of Shady Business Dealings on First Day of Corruption Trial

San Francisco Standard – Michael Barba | Published: 6/27/2023

To some, Harlan Kelly was a corrupt San Francisco official who exploited his role overseeing one of California’s largest public utilities for personal gain, including a lavish vacation to China. To others, the former head of the city’s Public Utilities Commission was an exemplary public servant whose key mistake was trusting a shady businessperson who sought to corrupt him. Those are the two versions of Kelly that jurors heard as his federal corruption trial began. Which version the jury chooses to believe could hinge on their trust in Walter Wong, the businessperson who is expected to testify against Kelly.

District of Columbia – D.C. Council Majority Calls for 3rd-Party Investigation into Ex-Aide

MSN – Meagan Flynn and Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) | Published: 6/20/2023

A majority of District of Columbia Council members called for a broader, independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Mayor Muriel Bowser’s former top adviser, John Falcicchio, following an investigation by Bowser’s legal office that substantiated some of the complaints a female employee made against him. Bowser faces mounting questions from lawmakers about whether it is sufficient for the investigative arm of the executive branch to investigate itself when a sexual harassment complaint is lodged against a mayoral appointee.

Florida – Former Broward Mayor Accused of Firing Staffer to Clear Developer for $102M Loan

MSN – Grethel Aguila (Miami Herald) | Published: 6/25/2023

A new report sheds more light into how a former Broward official allegedly bent the rules, and fired a staffer in the process, to help a developer secure $102 million in loans while in public office. Lynn Stoner, the former mayor of Plantation, was charged with official misconduct, falsification of records, and two counts of influencing a building official. If convicted, she faces up to eight years in prison.

Florida – DeSantis Agency Sent $92 Million in Covid Relief Funds to Donor-Backed Project

MSN – Michael Scherer, Isaac Arnsdorf, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 6/29/2023

The administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis steered $92 million last year in leftover federal coronavirus stimulus money to a controversial highway interchange project that directly benefits a top political donor. The decision by the state Department of Transportation to use money from the American Rescue Plan for an I-95 interchange near Daytona Beach fulfilled a years-long effort by Mori Hosseini, a politically connected housing developer who owns two large tracts of largely forested land abutting the planned interchange.

Illinois – Do You Believe in ‘Magic’ Lobbyists? Illinois Businesses Stick by Madigan-Connected Lobbyists.

WBEZ – Dave McKinney | Published: 6/23/2023

More than two dozen lobbyists were on a handwritten registry of “magic lobbyists” that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s now-convicted aide, Michael McClain, memorialized on a sheet of hotel stationery. The list helped convict four former Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists of bribing Madigan to boost the power company’s legislative fortunes. Despite being publicly identified in the corruption case, none of the other “magic” lobbyists are facing charges due to that investigation and these lobbyists appear to have faced no employment fallout from the scandal.

Kentucky – Kentucky Attorney General Is Accused of Seeking Donations from Company His Office Is Investigating

Yahoo News – Bruce Schreiner (Associated Press) | Published: 6/26/2023

State Attorney General Daniel Cameron directly solicited donations for his gubernatorial campaign from executives of a Kentucky drug treatment organization that his office began investigating last year, according to an attorney for the Edgewater Recovery Centers. Several Edgewater executives later gave $7,600 to Cameron’s campaign, which has been refunded. But the solicitations and their timing have led to demands for an investigation from the campaign of Gov. Andy Beshear.

Louisiana – Supreme Court Clears Way for Redrawing of Louisiana Congressional Map

MSN – Melissa Quinn (CBS News) | Published: 6/26/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court tossed out a bid by Louisiana Republicans seeking to reverse a lower court ruling that ordered it to redraw its congressional map, paving the way for new voting lines to be drawn to include a second majority-Black congressional district before the 2024 election. The case had been put on hold while the Supreme Court weighed a similar challenge to Alabama’s congressional voting lines.

Maryland – National Climate Group Asks: Should Md. lobbying firms take fossil fuel clients?

Maryland Matters – Josh Kurtz | Published: 6/28/2023

A new advocacy group is pressing clean energy lobbyists in Maryland and at state Legislatures across the country to part ways with fossil fuel interests. In Maryland, scores of institutions, nonprofit groups, and even clean energy organizations use statehouse lobbyists who are also representing fossil fuels interests. Most Annapolis lobbying firms usually hire teams of politically savvy generalists, who tend to work a range of issues for a broad variety of clients.

Massachusetts – Galvin Pushes to Update Lobbying Laws

Eagle-Tribune – Christian Wade | Published: 6/23/2023

Secretary of State William Galvin wants to bar individuals convicted on federal charges from serving as state lobbyists for at least 10 years. A proposal in the Legislature would expand a state statute “automatically” disqualifying people convicted of certain state crimes from registering as lobbyists to include individuals convicted of federal offenses. The move comes in response to a recent Supreme Judicial Court ruling that cleared former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi to lobby the state Legislature and executive branch, despite his prior convictions on federal charges.

Massachusetts – Councilor Ricardo Arroyo Admits to Ethics Violation, Pays Penalty in Connection with Representing His Brother

MSN – Danny McDonald (Boston Globe) | Published: 6/27/2023

Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo admitted to a conflict-of-interest violation and paid a $3,000 penalty for continuing to represent his brother in a sexual harassment lawsuit after Arroyo became a member of the city council. The announcement from the state Ethics Commission is the latest controversy to enmesh Arroyo. One of his council colleagues suggested he consider resigning after two investigative reports found former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins improperly tried to influence last year’s primary election for Suffolk district attorney in Arroyo’s favor.

Mississippi – Mississippi Dems Not Reporting Campaign Spending, Could Face Ethics Penalties

Mississippi Free Press – Ashton Pittman | Published: 6/28/2023

The Mississippi Democratic Party could face fines and other penalties after failing to file periodic campaign finance reports. Unless the party takes action by June 30, the secretary of state’s office will turn the issue over to the Mississippi Ethics Commission. In emails, Democratic Party Executive Director Andre Wagner said the party did not have to file campaign finance reports because they had not engaged in spending that would necessitate reporting.

Missouri – Ethics Commission Fines Ex-St. Louis Candidate $6,000, Citing Campaign Violations

St Louis Post-Dispatch – Austin Huguelet | Published: 6/24/2023

The Missouri Ethics Commission fined one of last year’s candidates for president of the St. Louis City Council $6,000, citing a litany of campaign finance violations. The commission said entrepreneur Mark Kummer failed to report donations of more than $5,000 within 48 hours, neglected to itemize a raft of in-kind contributions worth more than $50,000, and never filed a key disclosure when he terminated a campaign committee.

Nebraska – Nebraska State Senator Sues Conservative Lobbying Group That Accused Her of Grooming

Courthouse News Service – Andrew Nelson | Published: 6/28/2023

Nebraska Sen. Megan Hunt is suing a conservative PAC for defamation after it called her a groomer on Twitter. The Nebraska Freedom Coalition’s Tweet included childhood photos of her now 13-year-old, transgender son. The group also published a tweet in which it described the lawmaker’s “skills” as “grooming children, including her own.” The tweets were published after Hunt shared that her son was transgender on the floor of the Legislature during a debate on a measure that would restrict gender-affirming care for those younger than 19.

Nevada – Analyst, Consultant, or Lobbyist?

Nevada Current – Dana Gentry | Published: 6/28/2023

When consultant Jeremy Aguero co-presented a bill to pump hundreds of millions of dollars of public money into a homeless facility in Las Vegas, he never disclosed working on the project for Wynn Resorts. When Aguero touted to state lawmakers the potential benefits of investing hundreds of millions of dollars to publicly subsidize a baseball stadium, he once again failed to disclose he was working for the Oakland A’s, the team hoping to profit from the venture. Despite his frequent presence at the Nevada Legislature, Aguero is not registered as a lobbyist, a process that would require him to publicly disclose his clients.

New York – Adams’ Confidante Frank Carone Inks Another Deal with Real Estate Big – Advocates Give It a Wary Eye

Yahoo News – Michael Gartland (New York Daily News) | Published: 6/26/2023

Mayor Adams’ former chief of staff, Frank Carone, signed a consulting deal with Related Companies, one of the biggest players in the city’s real estate sector, a development that has good-government advocates concerned about the potential for influence peddling. Carone, who worked as one of Adams’ top lieutenants for a year before leaving to launch his Oaktree Solutions consulting firm, remains close to the mayor and is serving as chairperson of his reelection campaign. Carone said the company retained his firm to provide “strategic advice and ideas.”

North Carolina – Supreme Court Rejects Theory That Would Have Meant Radical Changes to Election Rules

MSN – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 6/28/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal theory that would have radically reshaped how federal elections are conducted by giving state Legislatures largely unchecked power to set rules for federal elections and to draw congressional maps distorted by partisan gerrymandering. Maintaining the status quo is seen as significant for a court that in recent years has constricted voting and election protections in federal law and the Constitution.

Ohio – Ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder Gets Maximum 20 Years in Prison for Largest Bribery Scandal in State History

Cleveland Plain Dealer – Adam Ferrise | Published: 6/29/2023

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the largest corruption scandal in state history. Jurors found Householder orchestrated a $60 million bribery scheme secretly funded by FirstEnergy to secure Householder’s power, elect his allies, pass legislation containing a $1 billion bailout for two aging nuclear power plants owned by a FirstEnergy affiliate, and then to use a dirty tricks campaign to stifle a ballot effort to overturn the bill.

Ohio – Ohio Froze an Ex-Utility Regulator’s $8 Million in Assets. Lawyers Disagree Over Whether It’s Legal.

MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 6/28/2023

Lawyers disagreed sharply in arguments before the Ohio Supreme Court over whether $8 million in assets belonging to the state’s former top utility regulator should have been frozen after he was caught up in a sweeping bribery investigation. Sam Randazzo resigned as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio after FBI agents searched his home, close on the heels of the arrest of then-House Speaker Larry Householder. He has not been charged in conjunction with the House Bill 6 scandal, which remains under investigation.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma Lobbyist Spending Rebounds from Pandemic-Era Decline

Oklahoma Watch – Keaton Ross | Published: 6/26/2023

With COVID-19 concerns heightened, advocacy groups in Oklahoma scaled back large in-person gatherings during the 2021 legislative session. Expenditure reports show that sort of spending has rebounded. Lobbyists have spent nearly $380,000 this year on gifts, meals, and beverages for state legislators and other elected officials through May, a 42 person increase over the same period two years ago.

Oregon – Defying Pledges to Limit Campaign Contributions, Oregon Lawmakers Again Fail to Do So

MSN – Grant Stringer (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/22/2023

In a repeat of years past, state lawmakers ended the legislative session without tightening Oregon’s loose campaign finance laws, falling short on a key pledge to do so. Tony Lapiz, legislative director for Speaker Dan Rayfield, said lawmakers will continue to meet after the session with the goal of referring the issue to voters in 2024. Unlike the vast majority of states, Oregon law allows unlimited donations from corporations, unions, individuals, and other entities to candidates for governor, state offices, and the Legislature.

Oregon – Oregon Lawmakers Would Be Able to Remove the Governor Under a Measure Headed to Voters

Oregon Public Broadcasting – Dirk VanderHart | Published: 6/26/2023

Oregon lawmakers would gain the ability to remove the governor and other statewide elected officials under a proposal lawmakers sent to voters. It will appear on the November 2024 ballot. Oregon is the only state where lawmakers do not have the power to impeach the governor. The proposal gained steam after a scandal that forced Secretary of State Shemia Fagan to resign in May.

Oregon – Voters Will Be Asked to Create Commission to Change Elected Leaders’ Salaries

Salem Statesman-Journal – Dianne Lugo | Published: 6/25/2023

Oregon voters will get to decide on the creation of an independent commission to make decisions about elected officials’ compensation. The bipartisan effort to address the issue came at the heels of the resignation of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. She faces ethical and criminal investigations after it was revealed she was being paid $10,000 a month by a cannabis company while her office was overseeing an audit of the cannabis industry. Fagan said accepted the contract because her salary as secretary of state was not enough to make ends meet.

Rhode Island – Ethics Panel Votes to Investigate R.I. Officials’ Conduct During Philly Trip, and Speaker Shekarchi

MSN – Edward Fitzpatrick (Boston Globe) | Published: 6/27/2023

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted to launch an investigation into potential ethics violations by the two former state officials who were accused of “outrageous behavior” during a business trip to Philadelphia, and it will probe a separate allegation against House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi. Commission staff members initiated the complaint filed against David Patten and James Thorsen, the two former state officials who took a now-infamous trip to visit Scout Ltd., a Philadelphia company seeking to redevelop the Cranston Street Armory in Providence.

Rhode Island – Rhode Island Senator Arrested, Accused of Keying Car with Anti-Biden Bumper Sticker

MSN – Steph Machado (Boston Globe) | Published: 6/23/2023

State Sen. Josh Miller was arrested recently, accused of keying a car in a shopping center parking lot that was sporting a bumper sticker reading “Biden sucks.” Body-worn camera videos showed Miller initially denied keying the man’s car when stopped by police, but at his home later acknowledged he did so because he felt he was being threatened by the man. Miller said he has been stalked at the statehouse by “gun nuts” because he is the lead sponsor of a bill to ban assault-style weapons in Rhode Island.

Tennessee – Legislative Office Lawyers Say TN Records Laws Don’t Apply to Them in Lawsuit Over Ethics Docs

Tennessee Lookout – Adam Friedman | Published: 6/23/2023

Lawyers for the Tennessee legislative office believe the state’s public records do not apply to the legislative body, and it would violate the separation of government powers for a court to compel to release the documents related to their investigation into sexual harassment allegations against former Rep. Scotty Campbell. The case has the potential to widen the door on what records fall under the deliberative process privilege exemption, which Gov. Bill Lee has used to deny numerous public records’ request by journalists.

Texas – DeSantis’s Taxpayer-Funded Helicopter Ride in Texas Draws Scrutiny

DNyuz – Neil Vigdor and Nicholas Nehamas (New York Times) | Published: 6/28/2023

A photo op intended to turbocharge Republican voters, one showing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posing in front of a helicopter at the southern border in Texas. But the display is creating an unwanted spotlight for DeSantis: The helicopter is funded by Texas taxpayers, raising questions about the political nature of the flight and its cost. Reflecting the split nature of his duties, DeSantis wore a shirt that said “Governor Ron DeSantis” on the right and “DeSantis for President” on the left.

The general assembly officially ended the 2023 legislative session on June 16.

Lawmakers passed a bevy of bills addressing procurement small purchase limits, contribution limits, and primary election dates.

House Bill 5962 and Senate Bill 0846 raise the minimum aggregate reporting limit for candidates and committees of all contributions received and expenditures made from any one source within a calendar year from $100 to $200.

The bills also raise the contribution limit for individuals and political action committees from $1,000 to $2,000 per year.

If signed by the Governor the bills would take effect on January 1, 2024.

House Bill 5463 increases the maximum state and municipal small purchase limits from $10,000 to $25,000 for construction projects and from $5,000 to $10,000 for all other state and municipal purchases.

If signed by the governor this bill will take effect on December 31, 2023.

Finally, House Bill 6033 allows the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the month preceding the special election to be available to hold the special primary. This bill has been signed by the Governor and will take effect immediately.

The 98th session of the Legislature adjourned sine die on March 27.

During the session, lawmakers passed House Bill 1060 increasing the threshold for requiring a purchasing agency to advertise for bids or proposals for a contract for the purchase of supplies or services, other than professional services, from $25,000 to $50,000 and any public improvement contract from $50,000 to $100,000.

A lobbying bill prohibiting the spouse of a member of the legislature from being employed as a lobbyist and a campaign finance bill to increase contribution limits did not pass.

National/Federal

As Chatbots Spread, Conservatives Dream About a Right-Wing Response

DNyuz – Stuart Thompson, Tiffany Hsu, and Steven Lee Myers (New York Times) | Published: 3/20/2023

Artificial intelligence has become another front in the political and cultural wars in the U.S. and other countries. Even as companies scramble to join the commercial boom prompted by the release of ChatGPT, they face a debate over the use, and potential abuse, of artificial intelligence. The technology’s ability to create content that hews to predetermined ideological points of view, or presses disinformation, highlights a danger – that an informational cacophony could emerge from competing chatbots with different versions of reality, undermining the viability of artificial intelligence as a tool in everyday life and further eroding trust in society.

Two Gifts to Trump Family from Foreign Nations Are Missing, Report Says

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 3/17/2023

Federal officials cannot find two gifts received by former President Trump and his family from foreign nations, including a life-size painting of Trump from the president of El Salvador and golf clubs from the Japanese prime minister, according to a new report from House Democrats. The gifts are among more than 100 foreign gifts, with a total value of nearly $300,000, that Trump and his family failed to report to the State Department in violation of federal law, according to the report, which cites government records and emails.

Trump Lawyer Must Turn Over Evidence on Classified Documents, Court Rules

MSN – Josh Dawsey, Devlin Barrett, Jacqueline Alemany, and Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 3/22/2023

A federal appeals court ruled that a lawyer for Donald Trump must provide notes, transcripts, and other evidence to prosecutors investigating how classified documents remained at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago home months after a subpoena to return all sensitive files. The order from a panel of three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ends an emergency hold on a ruling by a lower-court judge. It is possible Trump will seek to carry the fight up to the Supreme Court.

The Jan. 6 Investigation Is the Biggest in U.S. History. It’s Only Half Done.

MSN – Spencer Hsu, Devlin Barrett, and Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 3/18/2023

The District of Columbia’s federal court system is bracing for many years more of trials stemming from the riot at the U.S. Capitol, with new charges possible against as many as 1,000 more people. Prosecutors are hopeful many will be incentivized to plead to help manage the crush of cases, which already have strained the court in the nation’s capital. A Washington Post analysis of the cases so far shows defendants who seek a trial rather than plead guilty end up getting about a year of prison time added to their sentences.

Is Sean Hannity a Journalist? Role of Hosts Is Key in Fox News Lawsuit.

MSN – Jeremy Barr (Washington Post) | Published: 3/20/2023

FEC Eyes New Rules for Candidates to Draw Pay, Perks from Campaigns

MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 3/22/2023

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost and a slate of former congressional candidates urged the FEC to loosen restrictions on using campaign funds for salaries and benefits for those seeking office. Making it easier for candidates to draw a regular salary, plus health care and other benefits, would help encourage more diversity among House, Senate, and presidential hopefuls, they argued.

Jan. 6 Panel’s Video Depositions Become Tantalizing Tool for Probes

Roll Call – Michael Macagnone | Published: 3/22/2023

Clips from videotaped depositions with allies of Donald Trump were one of the most effective tools employed by the House select committee investigating the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to make the public case against Trump’s role. Experts expect that will change the dynamics of congressional committees this year and beyond. Lawmakers will come around to those technological advancements that grab public attention and allow them to better shape their arguments, and witnesses will recalculate how their answers might later be used at hearings.

Abortion on the Ballot? Not If These Republican Lawmakers Can Help It.

Yahoo News – Alice Mianda Ollstein and Megan Messerly (Politico) | Published: 3/19/2023

After watching the pro-choice side win all six ballot initiative fights related to abortion in 2022, including in red states, conservatives are mobilizing to avoid a repeat. Legislatures in Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and Oklahoma are debating bills this session that would hike the filing fees, raise the number of signatures required to get on the ballot, restrict who can collect signatures, mandate broader geographic distribution of signatures, and raise the vote threshold to pass an amendment from a majority to a supermajority.

George Santos Never Filed a Key Financial Disclosure. Enforcement Has Been Lax for Years.

Yahoo News – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 3/19/2023

Though it was obvious at the time that George Santos missed the deadline in 2021 to file a financial disclosure report, the issue did not attract much attention until after he had been elected to Congress and a series of resumé fabrications began to surface. Dozens of candidates who should have filed financial disclosures over the past two election cycles avoided doing so or filed the forms late without asking for an extension. The fact that such violations are rarely even flagged, and penalties are essentially non-existent, makes it easy for candidates to avoid disclosing key financial information, ethics experts say.

US Lawmakers Resume Globetrotting Paid by Special Interests

Yahoo News – Billy House (Bloomberg) | Published: 3/18/2023

Members of Congress and their staffers rebounded from pandemic travel anxiety in 2022, accepting more than $6.6 million worth of airline tickets, hotel rooms, and meals paid for by special-interest groups. Destinations included more than 40 foreign countries, including Israel, Spain, and Japan, as well as U.S. cities such as Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Miami. Some lawmakers took spouses and other family members, also free-of-cost, on the excursions.

From the States and Municipalities

Oceania – How Well-Connected Lobbyists Ask For – and Receive – Urgent Meetings, Sensitive Information and Action on Law Changes for Their Corporate Clients

RNZ – Guyon Espiner | Published: 3/22/2023

A media investigation unearthed thousands of emails, text messages, and even encrypted Signal communications, revealing the extent of the lobbying industry in New Zealand. The documents show lobbyists targeting ministerial advisors, inviting them to drinks, dinner, and sports events with text messages addressing them as “brother” and “comrade.” New Zealand has among the weakest regimes in the developed world for regulating lobbying and the industry largely operates in the shadows, with little information about the client lists of many of the major firms.

Arizona – Group Attempts to Quash New Campaign Finance Law

White Mountain Independent – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 3/20/2023

A conservative advocacy group founded by the Koch brothers is asking a federal judge to quash new voter-approved campaign finance laws aimed at exposing “dark money” contributions for political purposes. Attorneys for Americans for Prosperity contend the First Amendment protects the right of individuals to donate to advocacy organizations without fear their identities would be disclosed. But in a new lawsuit, they contend Proposition 211 “trammels that right by subjecting countless Americans nationwide to governmental doxxing for doing nothing more than supporting their chosen non-profit organizations and charities.”

California – San Francisco Will Allow City Officials to Fundraise for Safe-Consumption Sites

KQED – Sydney Johnson | Published: 3/21/2023

San Francisco leaders are making an exception to their own ethics policy so city officials can solicit donations for safe-consumption sites. The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on that allows Mayor London Breed, her officers, and officials at the Department of Public Health to seek out contributions for nonprofits, which would then use the private funds to operate safe-consumption sites, where medical staff can supervise people using drugs and respond if there is an overdose.

California – City Blacklists 4 More Firms Tied to Mohammed Nuru Scandal

San Francisco Standard – Michael Barba | Published: 3/22/2023

The federal cases against two Bay Area executives accused of bribing former San Francisco Public Works head Mohammed Nuru with a $40,000 tractor are about to cost them more city business. A city investigation digging deeper into the corruption cases against Alan Varela and William Gilmartin of ProVen Management, a construction and engineering firm behind major infrastructure projects, has revealed new links between the executives, their firm, and four other companies. Now City Attorney David Chiu is suspending the firms from bidding on city contracts.

California – Should San Jose Require Nonprofits to Register as Lobbyists?

San Jose Spotlight – Jana Kadah | Published: 3/16/2023

Like corporate lobbyists, nonprofit leaders meet regularly with San Jose officials to influence policy decisions. But nonprofits, which are often awarded millions in city contracts, do not have to disclose their meetings like other lobbyists. Ethics experts say more transparency is needed, while nonprofit leaders worry changing the rules will make it harder for them to advocate for policies and discourage smaller nonprofits from working with the city.

California – Stockton Councilman Files Restraining Order Against 209 Times Founder, Cites Threats, Harassment

Yahoo News – Ben Irwin and Aaron Leathley (Stockton Record) | Published: 3/22/2023

A temporary restraining order was granted protecting Stockton City Councilperson Brando Villapdua, who accused the 209 Times founder, Motecuzoma Sanchez, of harassing the lawmaker. Court documents say Sanchez harassed and threatened Villapudua into supporting the removal of City Manager Harry Black “and others.” After a closed meeting of the council, Sanchez began verbally attacking and threatening Villapudua and became “physically aggressive in such a quick manner” that the 209 Times founder had to be physically restrained at Valley Brewin the city, according to court documents.

California – State Launches Probe of Cannabis Licensing to ‘Clean House’ of Corruption

Yahoo News – Adam Elmahrek (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 3/23/2023

Corruption in California’s cannabis industry has become widespread and brazen. There have been “pay-to-play” schemes, including a demand for cash in a brown paper bag for a marijuana license, threats of violence against local officials, and city council members accepting money from cannabis businesses even as they regulated them. Those problems and more were uncovered by a Los Angeles Times investigation. Now state officials are launching an audit aimed at curtailing bribery, conflicts-of-interest, and other misdeeds.

Colorado – Kelly Brough’s Partner Has Long Influenced City Politics on Behalf of Businesses Like Frontier Airlines, Kroenke and Large Developers

Denverite – Ben Markus | Published: 3/21/2023

Before Kelly Brough decided to run for mayor of Denver, she had a conversation with her partner, David Kenney. Brough said she has been in a relationship for about 10 years with Kenney, a longtime political consultant and city and state lobbyist, whose clients make up some of the largest developers in Denver. He has exercised his connections in the current administration, meeting with Mayor Michael Hancock and several of his top deputies at least 31 times between 2011 and 2022. His firm has been involved in a series of successful ballot issue campaigns on behalf of business interests.

Connecticut – Former West Haven Employee Sentenced to Prison for Fraud

Connecticut Mirror – Andrew Brown | Published: 3/22/2023

John Bernardo, a former West Haven employee, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for participating in a scheme to steal federal relief funds that were meant to help the city and its residents weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Bernardo was the first defendant to be sentenced as part of a federal probe, which uncovered more than $1.2 million that was embezzled through a network of bogus companies and a stream of fake invoices paid by the city’s Finance Department.

Florida – Randy Fine Pulls $2 Million Request as Brevard Zoo Considers Ban on Campaign Events

Yahoo News – Eric Rogers and Dave Berman (Florida Today) | Published: 3/16/2023

Florida Rep. Randy Fine pulled a $2 million state funding request for the Brevard Zoo’s aquarium project at Port Canaveral. The move came after Brevard Zoo Executive Director Keith Winsten said the zoo’s board would consider halting rentals for political campaign events after the 2024 election cycle in the wake of controversy over a fundraiser held at the zoo’s Nyami Nyami River Lodge for Fine’s 2024 state Senate run.

Georgia – Grand Jury Heard Audio of Another Trump Call Seeking to Overturn Election

MSN – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 3/16/2023

An Atlanta-area special grand jury that investigated efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia heard audio of another phone call in which Trump pressed a top state official to help overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Five members of the special grand jury said they listened to a recording of a 2020 phone call between Trump and the Georgia House speaker at the time, David Ralston, in which Ralston resisted Trump’s requests to convene a special session of the legislature to overturn Biden’s narrow election win.

Hawaii – Why This Hawaii Lawmaker’s Job with a Major Construction Company Raises Concern

Honolulu Civil Beat – Kevin Dayton | Published: 3/20/2023

In a state in which construction and development interests wield strong influence, first-term Rep. Micah Aiu’s job outside the Hawaii Legislature could be seen as problematic. Aiu works as an in-house lawyer for Nan Inc., a major construction company that competes for state jobs. Since last summer, Nan was awarded eight contracts worth $325 million. Aiu also sits on the House Finance Committee, which plays an outsized role in developing the state budget and the list of construction projects the state will fund each year. Freshmen lawmakers are routinely assigned to that committee to help them absorb the nuances of the budget process.

Illinois – Suburb Tries New Tack, an Elected Ethics Board, to Nip Illinois-Style Corruption; Critics Say It May Not Have Enough Teeth

Yahoo News – Caroline Kubzansky (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 3/21/2023

Critics note most or all ethics boards in Illinois, which range throughout the state, are limited because they have only advisory powers. They can investigate wrongdoing by officials but then must refer their findings to that same board so its members can consider whether to take action. Niles, a town shaken by an ethics scandal in which the mayor was convicted on federal corruption charges in 2010, floated a different approach. On April 4, voters there will elect the members of their ethics board, creating what may be the first entity of its kind in Illinois.

Indiana – Numerous Indiana Lawmakers Do Private Consulting. But Who Are They Working For?

Indiana Capital Chronicle – Casey Smith | Published: 3/13/2023

At least 15 legislators in the Indiana General Assembly provide professional advice and guidance to private businesses outside of the Capitol. Other lawmakers have outside limited liability companies that do not specifically reference consulting work but still could provide that service. While some lawmakers choose to list individual clients in their financial disclosure forms, they are not required to do so unless they are a significant income source, leaving the public in the dark about who they are affiliated with.

Kansas – Kansas Lawmakers Are Among Worst Paid in Nation. Some Say It Impedes True Representation

MSN – Ketie Bernard (Kansas City Star) | Published: 3/20/2023

Since 2009, Kansas lawmakers have been paid $88.66 per day. Assuming an eight-hour workday, lawmakers make roughly $11.08 per hour, not including the per diem received for travel and living expenses in Topeka. But oftentimes the hours far exceed the traditional eight-hour day once constituent services on unpaid days, evening meetings, and late-night debates are factored in. Lawmakers are expected to continue serving their constituents year-round even though they are only paid for the 90-day legislative session. Kansas may be paying below the federal minimum wage to the officials tasked with determining the policies and laws of the state.

Kansas – Kansas Lawmakers Back Off Aggressive Campaign Finance Overhaul. Here’s What They Will Do.

Yahoo News – Andrew Bahl (Topeka Capital Journal) | Published: 3/22/2023

Kansas lawmakers backed off a more aggressive overhaul of the state’s campaign finance laws, instead opting for a more limited set of changes that focuses on the Governmental Ethics Commission’s administrative procedures. The initial bill was criticized as an attempt to eviscerate limits on campaign donations and effectively render the commission powerless. It raised eyebrows at the Capitol as it came amid an investigation into prominent legislators and state Republican Party officials, despite arguments from GOP lawmakers that the bill was unrelated to the high-profile investigation.

Maryland – Baltimore Council President Nick Mosby Complies with Ethics Order on Legal-Defense Fund

MSN – Emily Opilo (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/21/2023

Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby closed a nearly yearlong saga over a legal-defense fund formed in his name by complying with a Board of Ethics order. A judge upheld the board’s findings that Mosby violated the law by indirectly soliciting donations for the fund and by failing to disclose its existence on his ethics filing in 2022, which covered activity in 2021. The fund was established for the defense of the council president and also his wife, former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, as federal authorities investigated their financial dealings.

Massachusetts – Residents’ Right to Be Rude Upheld by Massachusetts Supreme Court

Yahoo News – Jenna Russell (New York Times) | Published: 3/17/2023

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reaffirmed the right to be rude at public meetings. Stemming from a lawsuit filed against the town of Southborough by a resident who said members of the Select Board had silenced her unlawfully, the decision pushed back against attempts to mandate good manners. Many local public officials experienced fierce disputes over masks, vaccines, and remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic that erupted at meetings.

Michigan – Can ‘Deradicalization’ Reform Extremists? Michigan Program to Find Out in Limbo

Bridge Michigan – Jonathan Oosting | Published: 3/22/2023

Michigan’s experiment in deradicalizing young extremists may be over before it begins, after the second arrest of a man who had agreed to participate in the program. In a first-of-its kind arrangement, Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office last fall agreed to pay up to $10,000 for a pair of consultants to help Andrew Nickels disengage “from extremist organizations” and avoid violence through counseling and support, according to a contract.

Michigan – Former Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Marrocco Sentenced to 3 Months in Prison in Corruption Probe

Detroit News – Anna Liz Nichols | Published: 3/16/2023

Former Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Anthony Marrocco was sentenced to three months in prison followed by two years of supervised release in connection with a long-running federal corruption probe. Marrocco was sentenced for trying to extort a developer into buying tickets to a campaign fundraiser and threatening to delay or withhold a county permit. He agreed to plead guilty to attempted extortion in exchange for prosecutors dropping three other extortion-related charges that each carried a 20-year possible prison sentence.

Montana – Lawmakers Opt to Keep ‘Clean Campaign Act’ Despite Judge Striking It Down

Helena Independent Record – Sam Wilson | Published: 3/22/2023

A campaign finance law struck down by a federal judge last year will live on in Montana’s law books after legislators from both parties voted down a proposal to repeal the defunct statute. The state’s requirement that candidates give their opponent a heads-up on attack ads published or broadcast in the last 10 days before an election was ruled unconstitutional. The judge found the disclosure requirement violated the free-speech rights of a conservative political committee.

Nebraska – Filibuster Over Transgender Bill Jams Nebraska Legislature for Weeks

MSN – Maham Javaid (Washington Post) | Published: 3/20/2023

The Nebraska Legislature has been unable to pass a single bill this year. One senator’s distaste with the advancement of a bill seeking to ban gender-affirming care for Nebraskans under 19, coupled with the state’s unique filibustering rules, has brought the session to a standstill. While filibustering is not rare for Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature, state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh is the first lawmaker to filibuster every bill introduced to the floor. Senators opposing the bill seeking to restrict gender-affirming care say this is the first time their Legislature has become a part of the national culture war around transgender rights.

New Jersey – Independent Election Watchdog Sues Murphy for Trying to Force Him Out. ‘It’s Political Thuggery.’

MSN – Susan Livio, Matt Arco, and Brent Johnson (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 3/16/2023

Election Law Enforcement Commission Executive Director Jeff Brindle filed a lawsuit against New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and three of his top aides, alleging a conspiracy to force Brindle from his job. The suit alleges the Murphy administration sought to remove Brindle over a satirical op-ed he wrote that was critical of groups that engage in political activity but do not publicly disclose their donors. Brindle says he has been the subject of a “concerted and joint action and conspiracy to extort and coerce” him to resign by citing a homophobic email he allegedly sent and a racist statement he allegedly made. Brindle has denied the allegations.

New Jersey – NJ Senate Passes Money-in-Politics Overhaul That Would Give Phil Murphy Sway Over Election Watchdog

Yahoo News – Ashley Balcerzak (Bergen Record) | Published: 3/20/2023

The New Jersey Senate passed an amended campaign finance overhaul critics say continues to gut “pay-to-play” laws, weakens the watchdog agency overseeing all elections in the state, and contains a second attempt to give the governor more power to choose who leads that agency. The Elections Transparency Act includes substantial changes to how money flows in New Jersey elections, including increasing the amounts that individuals and corporations can donate to politicians and parties; illuminating certain “dark money” donors; and cutting down the time accounts can be investigated for violations.

New York – New York Is Overhauling Campaign Finance. But Not the Loophole That Makes Party Fundraising Stronger

Buffalo News – Chris Bragg | Published: 3/21/2023

Soon after Gov. Kathy Hochul was elected last year, 43 members of her campaign staff received a total of $363,000 in payments from the New York State Democratic Party’s so-called called housekeeping account, a type of fundraising allowed under state election law but long criticized by reform groups. Housekeeping accounts can receive unlimited contributions from donors, including corporations. Watchdogs argued that, in practice, donations to housekeeping accounts have been used to subsidize favored candidates backed by political parties, permitted by loopholes and lackluster election law enforcement.

North Carolina – Biden Administration Suggests Supreme Court Drop Election Case

Bloomberg Law – Greg Stohr | Published: 3/20/2023

The Biden administration suggested the U.S. Supreme Court drop a closely watched election case after an unusual twist raised fresh questions about the court’s jurisdiction. The dispute centers on the “independent state legislature theory,” which would oust state judges and other officials from longstanding roles in shaping the rules for federal elections. The case, argued in December, centers on the North Carolina Supreme Court’s rejection of a Republican-drawn congressional map.

Ohio – Cuyahoga County Gave No-Bid, $120,000 Lobbying Contract to Ronayne Campaign Donor

MSN – Lucas Daprile (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 3/18/2023

A company whose president donated $10,000 to Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne’s campaign later received a $120,000 no-bid lobbying contract from the county. The year-long contract to McCaulley&Company was approved by the Board of Control following a recommendation from the county executive’s office. The board also approved an exemption from competitive bidding on the contract, even though the county interviewed multiple firms before approving its last federal lobbying contract.

Tennessee – Nashville Sues State Over New Council-Slashing Law

MSN – Cassandra Stevenson (Tennessean) | Published: 3/15/2023

Days after Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill that will slash Nashville’s metro council in half, the city filed a lawsuit against the state claiming the law violates the Tennessee Constitution and the rights of Davidson County voters. The new law requires city and metropolitan governments to cap their councils at 20 members. In practice, Nashville’s 40-member council is the only body in the state immediately impacted by the legislation. No other city or metropolitan government has a council larger than 20 members.

Texas – The Justice Department’s Fight Against Judge Shopping in Texas

MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 3/19/2023

The Justice Department challenged three high-profile lawsuits filed in Texas against Biden administration policies, accusing state politicians of choosing small, conservative federal court divisions that have little relevance to their cases but nearly guarantee them a sympathetic judge. It is part of the administration’s first concerted effort to fight what some legal experts say is a growing problem of “forum shopping” – a strategy in which plaintiffs are alleged to cherry-pick judges they want to hear their cases, bucking the random assignment of judges that is considered a tenet of the American legal system.

Utah – Got an Ethics Complaint Against an Elected Official? You’ll Need Insider Knowledge and Email Address.

MSN – Emily Anderson Stern (Salt Lake Tribune) | Published: 3/20/2023

The Executive Branch Ethics Commission was created one decade ago after Utah was rattled by two major scandals that led to the FBI investigating a state attorney general and his predecessor, as well as a lieutenant governor. Annual reports indicate the commission has heard just two complaints, none of which seemingly have been found to have merit and referred to the Legislature for potential action. In that time, the governor-appointed volunteer panel’s operations have been supplemented with nearly $50,000 from the Legislature.

National/Federal

Group Seeks Disbarment of a Trump-Aligned Lawyer for a Key Jan. 6 Witness

DNyuz – Charlie Savage (New York Times) | Published: 3/6/2023

In appearing before the January 6 committee last year, Cassidy Hutchinson, the former White House aide who recounted Donald Trump’s conduct in the lead-up to the attacks on the Capitol, shared how her original lawyer had tried to influence her testimony. While represented by Stefan Passantino, Cassidy told the committee she remembered little. But after hiring a different lawyer, she provided damaging details about Trump and disclosed Passantino pressured her to protect Trump. Now, several dozen prominent legal figures are seeking to revoke Passantino’s license to practice law.

Election Deniers Take Aim at Group That Helps States Maintain Voter Rolls

MSN – Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 3/6/2023

At a time of hyperpolarization over voting and elections, Democrats and Republicans had largely managed to agree on one thing – that a little-known data-sharing consortium of more than 30 states has helped keep voter rolls updated and free of opportunities for fraud. But the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) has been straining lately under the weight of accusations and misinformation from election deniers. Now, ERIC’s survival is in jeopardy. Should ERIC collapse, its boosters say the country would lose one of its most powerful tools for keeping ballot fraud at bay just as states are beginning to prepare for the 2024 elections.

John Fetterman Sponsored a Bill from the Hospital. Here’s What He Can and Can’t Do in the Senate During Treatment.

MSN – Jonathan Tamari (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 3/7/2023

Despite remaining hospitalized while undergoing treatment for depression, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman cosponsored a bill to avert future crises like the one unfolding after a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Fetterman’s office says it is one example of how he is staying engaged with his job. In the face of scrutiny on his recovery, and questions about his long-term health after a stroke in May, Fetterman’s team points to the early activity to argue he is still able to fulfill key aspects of his new job.

Trump Can Be Sued by Police Over Jan. 6 Riot, Justice Department Says

MSN – Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 3/2/2023

Former President Trump can be held liable in court for the actions of the mob that overtook the Capitol January 6, 2021, the Justice Department said. Two officers with the U.S. Capitol Police, joined by 11 Democratic House members, are seeking to hold Trump liable for physical and psychological injuries they suffered during the riot. Trump has argued he is protected from the lawsuit by the absolute immunity conferred on a president performing his official duties.

Met Gala Getup Gets Ethics Review for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

MSN – Justin Papp (Roll Call) | Published: 3/2/2023

The House ethics committee published findings from an Office of Congressional Ethics investigation into U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on allegations she failed to pay in a timely manner for rental clothes, accessories, and services related to her attendance at the 2021 Met Gala. The report states Ocasio-Cortez may have “accepted impermissible gifts” in connection with the September 2021 event in violation of House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

House Ethics Committee Launches Investigation of Rep. George Santos

MSN – Amy Wang and Azi Paybarah (Washington Post) | Published: 3/2/2023

The House Committee on Ethics will investigate U.S. Rep. George Santos, who has admitted to fabricating large swaths of his biography and who has been accused of breaking campaign finance laws. The committee voted to establish an investigative subcommittee to look into a litany of claims about the freshman congressman, including about his past business practices, campaign finance expenditures, and an allegation of sexual misconduct.

Trump Spurred ‘Existential Crisis’ at Fox News, Lawsuit Exhibits Show

MSN – Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) | Published: 3/7/2023

For years, Fox News executives and hosts cultivated a close relationship with Donald Trump. But after he lost the 2020 presidential election and turned his back on the network – inspiring many once-loyal viewers to do the same – the relationship curdled. The ensuing pressure caused tension, second-guessing, and infighting within Fox on the scale of an “existential crisis,” as one senior executive called it, a cache of internal communications released as part of a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit indicates.

‘Just a Lie’: Senate Republicans blast Tucker Carlson’s Jan. 6 narrative

MSN – Paul Kane, Marianna Sotomayor, Liz Goodwin, and Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 3/7/2023

Senate Republicans blasted Fox News for airing a show that twisted details of the attack on the U.S. Capitol into a conspiracy-fueled narrative, breaking ranks with House GOP colleagues who cheered on the show. From Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to rank-and-file lawmakers, Republican senators largely rejected Fox personality Tucker Carlson’s vision of the deadly insurrection as a mostly peaceful protest that involved little violence. The criticism from left House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on the defensive following his decision to grant Carlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of video from Capitol Police security cameras that day.

Trump-Endorsed Congressional Candidate Admits Taking Illegal Donation

MSN – Paul Duggan (Washington Post) | Published: 3/8/2023

A failed congressional candidate pleaded guilty to committing a felony campaign finance violation during her bid to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, a political ally and family friend, after Meadows chose not to seek reelection. Lynda Bennett admitted she borrowed $25,000 from a family member in 2019 and illegally funneled the money, in her own name, into her Republican campaign in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.

New Democratic Digital Firm Wants to Make Candidate Fundraising Less Annoying

MSN – Jessica Piper (Politico) | Published: 3/8/2023

As 2024 Race Begins, Special Counsel Advances with Focus on Trump Lawyers

MSN – Jacqueline Alemany, Josh Dawsey, Spencer Hsu, and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 3/3/2023

The actions of federal prosecutors investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election highlight the ways in which the probes are unusual and complex – turning some of Donald Trump’s many current or former attorneys into witnesses or potential investigative targets. Special counsel Jack Smith’s pace appears to be quickening as the 2024 presidential election starts to take shape, with Trump once again a candidate. Legal experts say if Smith brings criminal charges against Trump, they would likely be pending when the GOP primary debates begin in August.

More Black Women Run for Office, but Prospects Fade the Higher They Go

Yahoo News – Jazmine Ulloa (New York Times) | Published: 3/8/2023

Black women have made tremendous gains: Kamala Harris broke barriers as the nation’s first Black, Asian American and female vice president. More Black women are leading major cities, and many more have sought U.S. Senate seats and governorships. But winning those offices still poses enduring challenges for women of color, and Black women in particular. Many confront both blatant racism and sexism, along with subtler forms of racial and gender bias that, candidates said, make it more difficult for them to raise money to pay for the costly work of hiring staff and buying advertising in expensive markets.

GOP Bill Would Bar Fellow Rep. George Santos from Profiting from Campaign Lies

Yahoo News – Michael McAuliff (New York Daily News) | Published: 3/7/2023

U.S. Rep. George Santos should not be able to cash in on his infamy, a group of Republican lawmakers declared. They introduced a pair of bills that they said would block him from profiting from his web of lies. Santos’ notoriety soared after reports revealed much of his life story that he campaigned on could not be confirmed. Among other things, he claimed to be the descendent of Jews who fled the holocaust, that he worked for Goldman Sachs, and that his mother died in the Twin Towers on September 11, none of which appears to be true.

International

Canada – Doug Ford’s Campaign Finance Law Struck Down by Court

Toronto Star – Robert Benzie | Published: 3/6/2023

The Ontario Court of Appeal struck down Premier Doug Ford’s controversial campaign finance law that limits spending by unions and other third parties. The court gave Ford’s government “12 months to allow Ontario to fashion Charter-compliant legislation.” The coalition of plaintiffs argued their members’ rights were unfairly hindered by the law preventing third-party PACs from spending more than $600,000 on advertising and other activities in the 12 months before an election.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Sues After County Puts an Election Skeptic in Charge of Voting

DNyuz – Neil Vigdor (New York Times) | Published: 3/8/2023

An Arizona county is being sued by the state’s attorney general after it transferred voting oversight to the county’s Republican recorder, who has cast doubts about past election results in a place where former President. Trump won nearly 60 percent of the vote in 2020. It is the latest clash between Democrats in statewide office and Cochise County, a deeply Republican area in southeastern Arizona, where conspiracy theories about voter fraud and irregularities still swirl.

Arizona – Judge Orders Sanctions Against Arizona GOP Candidate Who Refused to Accept Loss

MSN – Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 3/6/2023

A judge ordered sanctions against Mark Finchem and his attorney over false claims they made about election fraud after Finchem, the Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state, lost his race in November and refused to accept the results. Weeks after the election, Finchem sued his Democratic opponent, Adrian Fontes, and then-Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, challenging the results of the vote and requesting that a new election be held. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Iyer Julian tossed his suit in December, saying it was groundless.

California – Ninth Circuit Upholds San Francisco Initiative Donor Disclosure Rules

Courthouse News Service – Eric Burkett | Published: 3/8/2023

A federal appeals court panel affirmed a lower court ruling that said providing the public with information about donors of ballot measures is in the public interest. San Franciscans Supporting Prop B sued in 2022, protesting the city’s requirement that committees must run a message disclosing their campaign’s top three donors of $5,000 or more at the top of campaign ads.

California – Nonprofits, Neighborhood Groups Push Back Against Rule That Would Regulate Them as Lobbyists

Long Beach Post – Jason Ruiz | Published: 3/6/2023

As the Long Beach Ethics Commission readies its recommendations for changes to the city’s lobbying ordinance, community groups, nonprofits, and others are apprehensive over what it could mean for the future of their ability to engage with city officials. The law has exempted nonprofits, neighborhood organizations, and business improvement districts. But that could soon change, according to proposed amendments that could be sent to the city council.

California – Ex-SF Department Head to Get $4K Fine After City Hall Scandal

San Francisco Standard – Michael Barba | Published: 3/7/2023

Yahoo News – Matt Hamilton and Katie Licari (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 3/6/2023

When a federal grand jury indicted Mark Ridley-Thomas on corruption charges, the veteran Los Angeles politician protested his innocence and vowed to fight. There was one problem: how would he pay his lawyers? The lifelong civil servant lost his income after the city council suspended him, and the city controller halted his salary and benefits. Then a network of supporters opened their wallets. These donors helped him amass nearly $1.5 million in two defense funds and allowed him to retain an elite legal team.

Georgia – Ga. Republicans Push for Prosecutorial Oversight Amid Trump Election Probe

MSN – Matthew Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 3/7/2023

Georgia’s Republican legislators are pushing bills that would make it easier to remove local prosecutors from office, an effort that prominent Democratic prosecutors have decried as “dangerous” overreach. The move comes as Atlanta-area prosecutor Fani Lewis considers bring charges against former President Trump and his allies over 2020 election interference. GOP lawmakers have said the measures are needed to rein in reform-minded prosecutors and crack down on crime.

Idaho – Rape Victim Sues Idaho Lawmakers for Outing and Harassing Her

Courthouse News Service – Edvard Pettersson | Published: 3/8/2023

A woman who was raped by former Idaho Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger sued him and state Rep. Priscilla Giddings for allegedly outing and harassing her after she came forward with her allegations. Jane Doe reported the rape, and the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into her allegations. This prompted von Ehlinger to provide unredacted copies of his confidential response to the committee, which contained intimate details about Doe, and to the media. The conservative online publication Redoubt News then ran a story that included a photo of Doe when she was a minor.

Idaho – The MAGA-fication of North Idaho College

Yahoo News – Charles Homans (New York Times) | Published: 3/6/2023

For most of the past two years, North Idaho College’s (NIC) governing board has been a volatile experiment in turning grievances into governance. Trustees backed by the county Republican Party hold a majority on the board. They have denounced liberal “indoctrination” by the college faculty and vowed to bring the school administration’s “deep state” to heel and “Make N.I.C. Great Again.” The injection of such sweeping political aims into the routine administration of a community college of 4,600 students, one better known locally for its technical training programs than the politics of its faculty, has devolved into a full-blown crisis.

Illinois – Vallas Loans $100,100 to His Bid for Mayor, Lifting State Limits on Campaign Contributions

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 3/2/2023

Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson can now raise nearly unlimited amounts of cash for their campaigns for mayor of Chicago after Vallas loaned $100,100 to his campaign. Had Vallas not contributed more than $100,000 to his campaign, state-imposed donation limits would have been in place for the April 4 runoff. Caps on contributions imposed by city law remain in place.

Kansas – As Special Interests Try to Influence Kansas Lawmakers, Some Want to Loosen the Rules

MSN – Jonathan Shorman and Katie Bernard (Kansas City Star) | Published: 3/6/2023

In response to a sprawling campaign finance investigation by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, Republican lawmakers authored a bill that would expand the ability of legislators to seek campaign contributions during the legislative session. It would also substantially weaken the commission’s investigatory powers, including its authority to issue subpoenas. Collectively, the changes could shift the balance of power between lawmakers and special interests, campaign finance experts and other critics of the legislation argue.

Louisiana – Council Opens Investigation of Cantrell Mailer and Lobbying Firm Connected to Vitter, Scalise

NOLA.com – John Stanton | Published: 3/8/2023

The New Orleans City Council opened an investigation into a mailer touting Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s work in office and whether she hired a public relations firm represented by former U.S. Sen. David Vitter and a former top aide to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. The mailer was sent to thousands of city voters at taxpayer expense as organizers of a campaign to recall the mayor faced a February 22 deadline. The mailer appears to violate several state laws, including a prohibition of using public funds to produce ads that feature an elected official’s name or likeness.

Maryland – Baltimore Bought $30,000 in Tickets to CIAA Tournament; Officials Strike Deal for Lower Price Amid Questions

MSN – Emily Opilo (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 3/8/2023

As Baltimore makes a play to continue as host for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament, the pressure has been on city officials to show their enthusiasm. Visit Baltimore President Al Hutchinson appeared at a city council meeting to encourage council members and their families to attend. He also said Visit Baltimore, the city’s nonprofit marketing group, would give each council member a free ticket to the final games of the tournament. Visit Baltimore’s offer, however, proved not to be aligned with the city’s ethics ordinance.

Massachusetts – Campaign Finance Regulators Investigating Whether MassGOP Coordinated with Super PAC, in Violation of Law

MSN – Emma Platoff (Boston Globe) | Published: 3/6/2023

State campaign finance regulators are investigating whether the Massachusetts Republican Party coordinated with an outside super PAC, in a potential violation of state law. E-mails show Jim Lyons, the former state GOP chairperson, sent multiple messages last fall to Antoine Nader, chair of the Mass Freedom Independent Expenditure PAC, referring to opposition research Lyons had solicited on Maura Healey during her bid for governor.

Minnesota – Tighter Lobbyist Rules Considered at Capitol Would Get at Disclosure of Topics Lobbied, Not Just Paper Clips

MinnPost – Peter Callaghan | Published: 3/2/2023

Three years of negotiations between the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board and people who lobby the Legislature has produced an agreement to tighten disclosure rules. The deal is found in Senate File 2121 that has bipartisan sponsorship. It would update decades-old rules that required lobbyists to disclose how much they spent on phones and postage but did not require them to disclose many details about which issues they were trying to influence. The bill requires more specifics in twice-a-year lobbyist reports and the annual reports by the companies and organizations that hire lobbyists.

Minnesota – Session Fundraising Lockdown Doesn’t Close Off All Avenues

MPR – Brian Bakst | Published: 3/2/2023

A long-standing law in Minnesota restricts certain political donations during the regular legislative session but it is not the barrier to influence that it has been held up to be. Major political groups and state parties remain open for contributions. They also can rely on the same officials restricted by law, such as registered lobbyists or associations with matters before the Legislature, to draw donors to fundraisers as long as the lawmakers are not called hosts.

New Jersey – The Last New Jersey Reporter on Capitol Hill Just Got Laid Off

MSN – Elahe Izadi (Washington Post) | Published: 3/4/2023

As Washington, D.C. correspondent for the Newark Star-Ledger and several affiliated media outlets, Jonathan Salant combed through campaign finance reports, monitored voting patterns, and cornered members of Congress in Capitol hallways to answer his questions – until he was laid off. Even at a time of mass layoffs across the news industry, Salant’s recent dismissal caused alarm in both Washington and New Jersey, with the same politicians he so closely scrutinized protesting the decision and imploring the newspaper’s parent company to reverse it.

New Mexico – Lawmakers Pass Legislation Through the Senate Specifying Standards of Political Conduct

Source New Mexico – Megan Gleason | Published: 3/8/2023

Bills to ensure professionalism and safety at the Capitol are making their way through the New Mexico Legislature. Rep. Kathleen Cates said the legislation was spurred because the state Supreme Court held that New Mexico’s main anti-corruption provisions are not specific enough to be criminally enforceable.

Oregon – Oregon Democrats Say They’re Serious About Capping Political Donations, but Their Proposals Include Loopholes

MSN – Hillary Borrud (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 3/8/2023

Oregon – Portland Cop-Stacked Firm Loses City’s Truth-and-Reconciliation Contract After No-Bid Process

MSN – Maxine Bernstein (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 3/8/2023

City officials were set last year to award a $200,000 contract for a truth and reconciliation project to a firm stacked with retired Portland police officers as advisers until a tip revealed that the city failed to seek competitive bids. TrustLab had no track record of doing the kind of restorative justice work the project demanded: improving trust between Portland police and city residents, the city auditor’s office found. The city has since put bids on indefinite hold.

Pennsylvania – Pa. House Lawmaker Accused of Sexual Harassment Says He Will Resign

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso | Published: 3/8/2023

Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Zabel, who is accused of sexually harassing multiple people including two sitting state lawmakers, said he will resign. His decision comes a week after union lobbyist Andi Perez publicly accused him of sexually harassing her, and the same day that state Rep. Abby Major made a similar accusation. At least two other people have accused Zabel of similar harassment. One is a sitting lawmaker who has requested anonymity; the other is Zabel’s former campaign manager, Colleen Kennedy, who wrote a public essay about his behavior.

Rhode Island – Can a Firefighter Preside Over Firefighter Bills? Here’s What the RI Ethics Commission Said

Yahoo News – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 3/7/2023

State Rep. Stephen Casey, a Woonsocket firefighter, won Rhode Island Ethics Commission clearance to preside over hearings and vote on a package of bills sought by the state’s firefighter lobby. While the Ethics Code bars public officials from taking part “in any matter in which he has an interest, financial or otherwise, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his duties in the public interest,” there is what is broadly called “a class exception.”

South Dakota – Bill to Ban South Dakota Lawmakers’ Spouses from Being Private Lobbyists Fails

Yahoo News – Annie Todd (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) | Published: 3/6/2023

Texas – Changes to City Lobbying Rules OK’d by Ethics Review Commission

Austin Monitor – Chad Swiatecki | Published: 3/6/2023

The Ethics Review Commission approved a series of amendments to Austin’s lobbying regulations. The city clerk’s office suggested them to clarify issues regarding lobbyists’ registration and renewal fees and quarterly activity reports, as well as how the city levies the $50 late fees when filings and payments are late. The changes are set to be voted on by the city council on March 23.

Texas – Houston PAC Leaders Face $45K in Fines for Operating Illegally, Not Filing Finance Reports

MSN – Yilun Cheng (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 3/2/2023

The state Ethics Commission issued a $45,000 fine for Terrence Shanks and Damella Wilkerson, the president and the director of finance of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats – Harris County for operating without a campaign treasurer, failing to file required reports, and possibly selling endorsements to local candidates. PACs are required to submit semiannual reports. The last time the PAC filed a report was in 2014. Since then, however, it has continued to carry out political activities, including publishing endorsements lists that included candidates who have donated to the group, commission investigators found.

Virginia – Virginia General Assembly Adjourns for 2023 After Passing Modest Campaign Finance Reform

OpenSecrets – Jimmy Cloutier | Published: 2/28/2023

The Virginia General Assembly ended the 2023 legislative session having passed only one campaign finance bill to the dismay of activists who say the state’s election laws need reform. Virginia’s laws governing political spending are among the least restrictive in the country. Under this system, total state-level fundraising in legislative races more than tripled over the last two decades. The legislation that passed, Senate Bill 1427, would expand disclosure laws by creating new filing deadlines and require PACs to report large donations more frequently.

Campaign Finance

Oregon: “Oregon Democrats Say They’re Serious About Capping Political Donations, but Their Proposals Include Loopholes” by Hillary Borrud (Portland Oregonian) for MSN

Elections

National: “Trump Spurred ‘Existential Crisis’ at Fox News, Lawsuit Exhibits Show” by Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “More Black Women Run for Office, but Prospects Fade the Higher They Go” by Jazmine Ulloa (New York Times) for Yahoo News

Georgia: “Ga. Republicans Push for Prosecutorial Oversight Amid Trump Election Probe” by Matthew Brown (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “‘Just a Lie’: Senate Republicans blast Tucker Carlson’s Jan. 6 narrative” by Paul Kane, Marianna Sotomayor, Liz Goodwin, and Tom Jackman (Washington Post) for MSN

California: “Ex-SF Department Head to Get $4K Fine After City Hall Scandal” by Michael Barba for San Francisco Standard

Louisiana: “Council Opens Investigation of Cantrell Mailer and Lobbying Firm Connected to Vitter, Scalise” by John Stanton for NOLA.com

Maryland: “Baltimore Bought $30,000 in Tickets to CIAA Tournament; Officials Strike Deal for Lower Price Amid Questions” by Emily Opilo (Baltimore Sun) for MSN

Pennsylvania: “Pa. House Lawmaker Accused of Sexual Harassment Says He Will Resign” by Stephen Caruso for Spotlight PA

Procurement

Oregon: “Portland Cop-Stacked Firm Loses City’s Truth-and-Reconciliation Contract After No-Bid Process” by Maxine Bernstein (Portland Oregonian) for MSN

National/Federal

An ‘Imperial Supreme Court’ Asserts Its Power, Alarming Scholars
Yahoo News – Adam Liptak (New York Times) | Published: 12/19/2022

The conventional critique of the U.S. Supreme Court these days is that it has lurched to the right and is out of step with the public on many issues. Recent legal scholarship makes a deeper point, saying the current court is distinctive in a different way: it has rapidly been accumulating power at the expense of every other part of the government.

Bribery Case Cracks Open European Parliament – and Finds Hidden Cash
DNyuz – Matina Stevis-Gridneff, Monika Pronczuk, Tariq Panja, and Sarah Hurtes (New York Times) | Published: 12/15/2022

Belgian authorities uncovered what prosecutors say was a cash-for-favors scheme at the heart of the European Union. It highlighted the vulnerabilities in an opaque, notoriously bureaucratic system that decides policies for 450 million people in the world’s richest club of nations. The investigation has jolted Brussels and unleashed a flurry of whispered accusations of corrupt behavior by lawmakers of all political stripes. It has also sparked scrutiny of foreign influence at a time when the European Union is asserting itself on issues like human rights and the war in Ukraine.

Congress Passes Bill to Rein in Conflicts of Interest for Consultants Such as McKinsey
ProPublica – Ian MacDougall | Published: 12/16/2022

Congress passed a bill that takes aim at the risk of improper influence when government contractors work for both federal agencies and private-sector clients. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation. The bill makes several changes to federal contracting rules. It includes provisions requiring contractors to disclose information about potential conflicts-of-interest and clarifying when a contractor’s work for outside clients may create such a conflict. The bipartisan group of senators who sponsored the bill cited the consulting giant McKinsey & Company’s work for the Food and Drug Administration.

House Committee Votes to Make Public Trump’s Tax Returns
MSN – Michael Kranish, Jonathan O’Connell, Amy Wang, Azi Paybarah, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 12/20/2022

The House Ways and Means Committee voted to release former President Trump’s tax returns, capping a protracted legal and political battle. After the vote, the committee revealed the IRS did not audit Trump’s returns during his first two years in office, despite a rule mandating such reviews, and never completed any audits while he served. The IRS began its first audit of Trump’s returns on the same day that Ways and Means Committee Chairperson Richard Neal sent a written request in April 2019 for the information and then assigned the bulk of the work to just one agent, the panel said.

In Testimony, Hannity and Other Fox Employees Said They Doubted Trump’s Fraud Claims
Seattle Times – Jeremy Peters (New York Times) | Published: 12/21/2022

Sean Hannity said in a sworn deposition he did not believe Sidney Powell’s claims that voting machines were rigged to help Joe Biden in the 2020 election when she appeared on his show. Dominion Voting Systems is suing Fox News for defamation. Hannity’s disclosure, along with others that emerged from court about what Fox News executives and hosts really believed as their network became one of the loudest megaphones for lies about the 2020 election being stolen from Donald Trump, is among the strongest evidence yet to emerge publicly that some Fox employees knew what they were broadcasting was false.

Jan. 6 Panel Urges Trump Prosecution with Criminal Referral
MSN – Eric Tucker, Mary Claire Jalonick, and Farnoush Amiri (Associated Press) | Published: 12/19/2022

The House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection recommended criminal charges against former President Trump and associates who helped him launch a wide-ranging campaign to overturn his 2020 election loss. The committee alleged violations of four criminal statutes by Trump, in both the run-up to the riot and during the insurrection itself, as it recommended the former president for prosecution to the Justice Department. Among the charges is aiding an insurrection, an effort to hold him directly accountable for his supporters who stormed the Capitol that day.

Lawyer for Key Jan. 6 Witness Seeks to Rebut Panel’s Claim of Interference
MSN – Maggie Haberman and Luke Broadwater (New York Times) | Published: 12/20/2022

A former lawyer for a White House aide who became a key witness for the January 6 House select committee took a leave of absence from his law firm and defended himself against what he said were false insinuations that he had interfered with his client’s testimony. Stefan Passantino represented Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to the White House chief of staff at the end of the Trump administration. The committee suggested that people connected to Donald Trump had attempted to influence at least one witness’s testimony, promising her jobs that never materialized and coaching her to be less than forthcoming with the panel.

Scam PAC Operator Uncovered by CNN’s KFile Pleads Guilty in Federal Court
MSN – Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck (CNN) | Published: 12/20/2022

Matthew Tunstall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering while operating two so-called scam PACs during the 2016 election and collecting more than $3 million from unwitting donors. Tunstall was one of three men the Justice Department charged with multiple counts in perpetuating the fraud. The scheme tricked people into giving them money by using robocalls and written solicitations meant to imply they were supporting 2016 presidential candidates. The PACs’ operators used the funds to enrich themselves and pay for more robocalls and radio advertisements.

Skepticism Before a Search: Inside the Trump Mar-a-Lago documents investigation
Anchorage Daily News – Devlin Barrett, Jacqueline Alemany, Perry Stein, Josh Dawsey, Ann Marimow, and Carol Leonnig (Washington Post) | Published: 12/21/2022

FBI officials had a lot to worry about as they discussed whether to search one of Donald Trump’s homes for evidence of crimes. They decided any search warrant should be authorized by the attorney general himself, and they did not want the former president to be at Mar-a-Lago when it happened. The FBI also was wary of the remote possibility of a confrontation between the federal agents searching the location and the Secret Service agents who guard the former president. Leaders of the Justice Department were proceeding cautiously as well, agreeing with the FBI on these points even as tensions sometimes flared between agents and prosecutors.

‘THE Central Issue’: How the fall of Roe v. Wade shook the 2022 election
Yahoo News – Elena Schneider and Holly Otterbein (Politico) | Published: 12/19/2022

In May 2022, the midterm elections looked bleak, if not disastrous, for Democrats. But in dozens of focus groups, held by Democrats and Republicans in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that struck down Roe v. Wade, campaign strategists kept making the same finding: abortion had not simply awakened Democratic voters, it was influencing swing voters. In many battleground and red-leaning states and districts, especially where Democrats spent millions of dollars to keep it at the forefront for voters, abortion access played an outsized role, reversing the party’s once abysmal outlook and stemmed the GOP’s expected “red wave.”

This Year’s Ballot Measures Will Change How Many Americans Vote
Center for Public Integrity – Aaron Mendelson | Published: 12/15/2022

Voting itself was on the ballot in the 2022 midterm elections, with initiatives seeking to revamp election laws in states across the country. Measures that promoted early voting and increased access to the ballot box saw wins in multiple states, but so did restrictive proposals that tightened voter ID laws or barred non-citizens from voting on local matters. The ballot measures suggest voters may take a more nuanced view on democracy than the politicians they elect, said Jasleen Singh of the Brennan Center for Justice.

Top Government Ethics Officer Was Late Disclosing His Personal Finances on Multiple Occasions
MSN – Kimberly Leonard (Business Insider) | Published: 12/20/2022

Office of Government Ethics General Counsel David Apol missed deadlines to report at least 12 different financial transactions since 2015. In two instances representing five transactions, he filed his federally mandated reports several months passed the deadline. Improperly reporting purchases and sales of bonds or stocks is a violation of the STOCK Act. Apol paid a fine for a late disclosure in 2020, certified documents show. His responsibilities include reviewing financial disclosures and writing ethics guidance for nearly 3 million federal employees.

U.S. Scrutinizes Political Donations by Sam Bankman-Fried and Allies
DNyuz – Kenneth Vogel and Ken Bensinger (New York Times) | Published: 12/17/2022

After cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was charged with multiple crimes, including campaign finance violations, prosecutors reached contacted campaigns and committees that had received millions of dollars from Bankman-Fried and his colleagues. The Justice Department’s inquiries appear to be an effort to gather evidence against Bankman-Fried and other former FTX executives, rather than against their political beneficiaries. Bankman-Fried is accused of conspiring with unnamed others to violate campaign finance laws that prohibit corporate donations to candidates’ campaigns and bar “straw donations.”

While Advising Trump on Judges, Conway Sold Her Business to a Firm with Ties to Judicial Activist Leonard Leo
MSN – Heidi Przybyla (Politico) | Published: 12/20/2022

Judicial activist Leonard Leo appears to have helped facilitate the sale of former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway’s polling company in 2017 as she was playing a key role in advocating for Leo’s handpicked list of U.S. Supreme Court candidates. The transaction came at a critical moment for Conway, shortly after her ownership of The Polling Company had come under scrutiny from a congressional committee for potential “conflicts-of-interest,” likely creating pressure to unload it even though its value was unclear because she was its biggest asset and committed to her White House job.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Campaign Donors Attended Suns Games, Concerts with Council Members in Phoenix Suite
Axios – Jessica Boem | Published: 12/21/2022

Donors to Phoenix City Council campaigns attended concerts and sporting events with those council members in a city suite. The suite is to be used to promote the city, host distinguished guests, and enhance relationships with public agencies. It can also be used for youth groups or adults with developmental disabilities. Councilperson Laura Pastor said as the chair of the Economic Development and Equity Subcommittee, her time in the suite was “spent promoting the city and building strong relationships with businesses and labor groups.”

California – Beverly Hills Developer Gets 4 Years in Prison for Bribing L.A. County Official
MSN – Michael Finnegan (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 12/15/2022

A developer was sentenced to four years in prison for bribing a Los Angeles County official. Arman Gabaee admitted giving Thomas Shepos dozens of cash payoffs during furtive meetings in cars, restaurants, and men’s rooms while reaping lucrative real-estate leases in return. He also offered to buy Shepos a $1-million home in return for the county spending $45 million to lease office space at a Gabaee property. U.S. District Court Judge George Wu called the case an example of “systemic” public corruption. “There is so much of it going around,” the judge said.

California – Oakland Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan Fined $19,000 for Not Disclosing Property She Owned
MSN – Shomik Mukherjee (Bay Area News Group) | Published: 12/15/2022

Oakland City Council member Rebecca Kaplan was fined $19,000 for voting to fund millions of dollars in improvements for a large waterfront park after failing to disclose she and her parents owned a condominium nearby. Investigators determined Kaplan most likely made an honest mistake, though she had enough experience to know better. She did not list the condo’s address on her Form 700, in which elected officials must disclose annually their real property interests, later telling investigators she had not fully understood the reporting requirements.

Colorado – $10,000 Contribution to County Commissioner Did Not Require Recusal, Appeals Court Says
Denver Gazette – Michael Karlik (Colorado Politics) | Published: 12/16/2022

A judge was wrong to conclude a Larimer County Commission member needed to recuse himself from a land-use vote in which one of the parties was responsible for nearly 20 percent of his campaign contributions, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled. Applying U.S. Supreme Court precedent, Judicial District Court Judge Juan Villaseñor considered the contributions so outsized as to suggest Donnelly would not be a neutral decision-maker, which is a key component of due process.

Colorado – The Fair Elections Fund Rollout Is Facing Issues. City Council and the Clerk and Recorder’s Office Are Discussing Last-Minute Fixes
Denverite – Kyle Harris | Published: 12/14/2022

The rollout of Denver’s Fair Election Fund, which aims to level the playing field between well-funded candidates and those with fewer resources, has been sort of messy. The April 4 election cycle is well underway, but questions about issues like donation limits, the qualifying period, and reporting deadlines linger. Now, the Clerk and Recorder’s Office is taking tweaks to the rules to the city council’s Finance and Governance Committee, hoping to make last-minute changes.

Connecticut – Bacon Brothers and Lobbyists Are Players at Lamont’s Inaugural Ball
MSN – Mark Pazniokas (Connecticut Mirror) | Published: 12/20/2022

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s second inaugural ball on January 4 will feature live music by the Bacon Brothers and a pre-party reception with the governor to thank sponsors who give as much as $25,000. Inaugural balls are perhaps the last place where a lobbyist or state contractor can exceed a $50 annual limit on entertaining an elected official. Contributions to an inaugural are deemed a gift to the state, not an individual. The inauguration itself is free and open to the public.

Florida – Miami Beach Limits Developers’ Spending on Elections. Here’s How They Get Around It
MSN – Aaron Leibowitz (Miami Herald) | Published: 12/16/2022

Developers and lobbyists seeking certain city approvals in Miami Beach, as well as active city vendors, are barred from donating to campaigns under rules that have expanded over the past two decades. The city’s laws, which are among the strictest in Miami-Dade County, say those on a list maintained by the city clerk’s office, cannot give to campaigns, either “directly or indirectly.” A Miami Herald review found that despite the city’s efforts to curb the influence of money in politics, Miami Beach developers routinely circumvent the rules and give to campaigns in various ways.

Florida – Pompano Vice Mayor Beverly Perkins Accused of Misusing Leftover Campaign Funds in 2020 Election
MSN – Lisa Huriash (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 12/20/2022

Pompano Beach Vice Mayor Beverly Perkins, under investigation by Broward’s top government watchdog, is accused of misusing thousands of dollars in leftover campaign funds following her successful reelection campaign in 2020. The Broward Office of the Inspector General found Perkins and her treasurer made 22 post-election expenditures totaling $7,381.92, including J. Mark’s Restaurant and Bar, Costco, and Dollar Tree. The inspector general’s office will refer the case to prosecutors.

Hawaii – Honolulu Teacher Violated Ethics by Accepting $16,600 From School Volunteer
Honolulu Civil Beat – Viola Gaskell | Published: 12/16/2022

The Hawaii Ethics Commission said a teacher at Moanalua Elementary School must return $16,600 given to her by an elderly donor who volunteered at the school. The donor gave Irene Bayudan six cashier’s checks while working on volunteer projects with her at the school, all of which she deposited into her personal bank account. The donor told the commission he gave Bayudan the money because “he felt that teachers were underpaid and he wanted to help her out.”

Illinois – Judge Gives 16 Months to Chinatown Developer Whose Cooperation Helped Kick Off Massive Corruption Probe
MSN – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 12/21/2022

Developer See Wong was sentenced to 16 months in prison for a $1.65 million fraud scheme stemming from a condominium project in Chicago that collapsed amid the global financial crisis in the late 2000s. Wong received a break on his sentence because of his cooperation with federal authorities – including wearing a wire on former Ald. Daniel Solis – that helped ensnare Solis, former Ald. Edward Burke, and ex-House Speaker Michel Madigan in what has become one of the biggest public corruption cases ever brought in Chicago.

Maryland – Ethics Board Asks Judge to Fine Council President Mosby $1,000 Per Day
MSN – Chris Berinato and Maxine Streicher (WBFF) | Published: 12/20/2022

The Baltimore City Board of Ethics is asking a judge to fine city council President Nick Mosby up to $1,000 per day for failing to comply with its order to stop fundraising and disclose legal defense fund donors. In May, the Board determined Mosby violated ethics rules when a legal defense fund was established in his name and some contributions had come from city contractors.

Maryland – Harford County Withholds Jacob Bennett’s Council Paycheck Amid Lawsuit
MSN – Jason Fontelieu (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 12/20/2022

Harford County Councilperson Jacob Bennett did not receive a paycheck from the county when council members were paid. Bennett has faced backlash from County Executive Bob Cassilly due to a provision in the law that Cassilly believes prevents Bennett from serving on the council while maintaining his job as a public-school teacher. Lawyers for the Maryland State Education Association and Harford County Public Schools have said there is no conflict-of-interest preventing Bennett from serving on the council.

Massachusetts – A Charlie Baker-Aligned Super PAC Broke State Law by Touting Him as ‘Special Guest’ at Fundraiser, Regulators Say
MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 12/16/2022

A super PAC aligned with Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker broke state campaign finance law when it advertised him as a special guest at a summer fundraiser, despite being previously warned by regulators that using Baker’s name to raise cash was not allowed, according to a letter officials sent the group. The Massachusetts Majority PAC was forced to purge $17,500, the amount it raised from the event. State law strictly prohibits coordination between candidates and super PACs, including barring elected officials from helping “finance” a PAC.

Minnesota – Lobbying Law Could Squeeze Some Minnesota Legislators
MPR News – Brian Bakst | Published: 12/16/2022

A lobbying law about to take effect in Minnesota aims to bar legislators from working for entities that exist primarily for lobbying or government affairs work. The same prohibition would apply to lawmakers who take on certain roles at organizations that employ or contract with lobbyists. Depending on how the statute is interpreted and enforced, it could require some lawmakers to choose between serving in the Legislature or continuing in their outside occupations. Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board Executive Director Jeff Sigurdson said one aspect of the law redefined who could fall under the lobbyist umbrella.

Minnesota – Regulators Push for More Financial Transparency in Minnesota Politics
Minneapolis Star Tribune – Jessie Van Berkel | Published: 12/17/2022

Spouses of public officials in Minnesota, unlike many other states, do not publicly report their financial interests. That would change if legislators follow the direction of the state’s Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, which made numerous recommendations largely aimed at improving transparency in campaigns and government. The board also proposed regulating cryptocurrency donations to campaigns and expanding public reporting on lobbying and on ads that do not expressly advocate for a candidate but can influence votes.

Nevada – For These Nevada Lobbyists, Politics Is a Family Affair
MSN – Taylor Avery (Las Vegas Review-Journal) | Published: 12/17/2022

Having the opportunity to follow in a family member’s footsteps and carry on the legacy of their work is a dream many envision but few realize. In Nevada’s political sphere, however, many have successfully taken up the helm and followed their parents into the world of lobbying. Even before joining his father’s firm, the Ferraro Group, becoming a lobbyist was Tommy Ferraro’s dream job since “Day One.”

New York – Foes of Drag Queen Story Hours Invade New York Councilman’s Home
DNyuz – Liam Stack (New York Times) | Published: 12/20/2022

Protesters descended on the home and the office of a gay member of the New York City Council, vandalizing the walls with homophobic graffiti and attacking one of his neighbors over his support for Drag Story Hour events at local libraries. The council member, Erik Bottcher, documented the vandalism on social media, where he also shared a video of protesters screaming and banging on his office door. Drag story hour events have drawn an increasing number of protests and threats across the country in recent years, including a series of tense demonstrations in New York, a city known for its inclusivity.

New York – Who Is Rep.-Elect George Santos? His Résumé May Be Largely Fiction.
Yahoo News – Grace Ashford and Michael Gold (New York Times) | Published: 12/19/2022

George Santos’ upset victory in a Long Island district helped Republicans gain control of the U.S. House. His campaign biography amplified his storybook journey. He is the son of Brazilian immigrants and is the first openly gay Republican to win a U.S. House seat as a non-incumbent. By his account, he became a “seasoned Wall Street financier and investor” with a family-owned real estate portfolio and an animal rescue charity. But a New York Times review of public documents and court filings, as well as various attempts to verify claims that Santos made on the campaign trail, calls into question key parts of the résumé he sold to voters.

North Carolina – N.C. Court Strikes Down Voter ID Law as Intentional Racial Discrimination
MSN – Eugene Scott, Azi Paybarah, and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 12/16/2022

The North Carolina Supreme Court struck down a state voter identification law, ruling Republican lawmakers acted unconstitutionally to minimize Democratic voters’ power with a law that intentionally discriminated against Black voters. Senate Bill 824 required every voter to present one of a few specific forms of photo identification, a measure the justices ruled was passed in part to discriminate against Black voters. Despite most voters having at least one of the forms of identification, the risk of having voters suppressed was very real, they said.

Ohio – Butler County Auditor Found Guilty on One Felony Count
WCPO – Lauren Pack and Rick McCrabb | Published: 12/21/2022

A jury found Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds guilty of one of the five charges he faced in a public corruption trial. Because he was convicted of a felony, he will not be able to serve as auditor. The charge was related to Reynolds advocating for Lakota Schools to build a golf academy at a private country club with tax money that school districts receive from the auditor’s office.

Ohio – FirstEnergy Execs Promised DeWine Administration Would ‘Step In’ for Scandal-Tainted HB6, Emails Show
MSN – Jake Zuckerman and Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/22/2022

A FirstEnergy executive privately pledged that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration would “step in” to support legislation now at the center of the largest public corruption scheme in state history, documents show. As the tainted legislation neared the finish line in 2019, FirstEnergy executives discussed deploying lawmakers and top state officials to push for the law’s passage. Prosecutors allege FirstEnergy paid roughly $60 million to a nonprofit controlled by then-House Speaker Larry Householder so he would champion a bailout of two nuclear plants and energy legislation worth more than $1.3 billion to the company and its subsidiary.

Ohio – Three Former Toledo City Councilmembers Plead Guilty in Corruption Probe
MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 12/16/2022

Three of four former Toledo City Council members accused of soliciting and taking bribes in exchange for votes pleaded guilty to federal charges. Yvonne Harper pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery, and Larry Sykes and Tyrone Riley each pleaded guilty to one count of extortion. The FBI in July 2020 arrested the group, along with attorney Keith Mitchell, in connection with the probe that shined a light on the tactics the council used to line their pockets with cash in exchange for favors. The four former members of council represented one-third of council at the time of the arrests. All four later resigned from council.

Oregon – Oregon Agencies Scrutinize Controversial Fiber-Optic Deal in Morrow County
MSN – Mike Rogoway (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 12/15/2022

The nonprofit Inland Development Corp. provides fiber-optic internet connections for local government offices and health care agencies. It also served businesses in Morrow County, including Amazon, which has spent more than $8 billion dollars building large data centers in the remote Oregon community. Inland sold the business side of its organization to four local officials as Amazon was seeking new tax breaks. The transaction positioned the local officials to profit from Amazon’s continued growth in the county. The buyers continued to participate in some votes on issues affecting Amazon after the purchase.

South Carolina – SC Coroner Flouts Transparency Laws, Hires Ex-SC State Police Chief Caught in Scam
Charleston Post and Courier – Tony Bartelme | Published: 12/18/2022

In 2019, Michael Bartley applied for a part-time job as a county deputy coroner. He seemed well-qualified, with previous mortuary experience and having served as police chief at South Carolina State University. When asked on a hiring questionnaire whether he had ever stolen anything from his employers, Bartley wrote no. Left unmentioned was his guilty plea to federal charges that he used his public law enforcement job for personal gain in a kickback scheme involved a kickback scheme. His boss, Orangeburg County Coroner Samuetta Marshall, owes the state Ethics Commission $12,430 over violations of open government rules.

South Dakota – Ethics Board Dismisses Noem Plane Case, Says Law Is Unclear
MSN – Stephen Groves (Associated Press) | Published: 12/20/2022

The Government Accountability Board dismissed a complaint against South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for using state government aircraft to attend events hosted by political organizations because state law does not define what is meant by “state business.” “It is not felt that the board has authority to establish a definition of state business,” board member David Gienapp said, and suggested that was the purview of the Legislature. Hughes County State’s Attorney Jessica LaMie said in October that her office found “no basis” to pursue charges on the allegations that Noem had misused the state plane or that the plane’s flight records had been altered.

Texas – Grid Reforms Becomes Power Company Lobbyist
Texas Observer – Justin Miller | Published: 12/20/2022

The former chairperson of the House State Affairs Committee, Chris Paddie, has registered as a lobbyist. Though many other Texans have gone straight from public office into private sector lobbying, Paddie’s case is unique in that it poses a challenge to an untested “revolving door” law. That law is one of the state’s few restrictions on a former elected official’s otherwise unfettered ability to capitalize on insider access and legislative expertise.

Virginia – Virginia Subcommittee on Campaign Finance Reform Still Failing to Complete Only Job
Virginia Mercury – Graham Moomaw | Published: 12/21/2022

For a second year in a row, the subcommittee created to take a “comprehensive” look at whether Virginia needs stronger limits on money in politics appears to be failing to complete its only task. It has not met in 2022 and no meeting dates have been set ahead of the 2023 legislative session that starts in January. Virginia currently has virtually no limits on how much money political campaigns can accept from one source and no law prohibiting politicians from spending that money on themselves instead of their campaigns.

Washington DC – Rudy Giuliani Likely Committed Misconduct Over 2020 Election, DC Bar Panel Finds
MSN – Zoe Tillman (Bloomberg) | Published: 12/15/2022

Attorney disciplinary regulators recommended Rudy Giuliani be disbarred in Washington, D.C., after a local bar association panel’s preliminary finding he likely committed misconduct in pressing Donald Trump’s failed legal challenge to President Biden’s 2020 win in Pennsylvania. Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton Fox argued the severe sanction was appropriate because Giuliani’s conduct in Pennsylvania was part of a broader effort to undermine the legitimacy of an election. The hearing committee’s decision is not final and could change as the case continues to wind through the District of Columbia Bar Association’s disciplinary process.

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “The Fair Elections Fund Rollout Is Facing Issues. City Council and the Clerk and Recorder’s Office Are Discussing Last-Minute Fixes” by Kyle Harris for Denverite

Connecticut: “Bacon Brothers and Lobbyists Are Players at Lamont’s Inaugural Ball” by Mark Pazniokas (Connecticut Mirror) for MSN

Minnesota: “Regulators Push for More Financial Transparency in Minnesota Politics” by Jessie Van Berkel for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Elections

New York: “Who Is Rep.-Elect George Santos? His Résumé May Be Largely Fiction.” by Grace Ashford and Michael Gold (New York Times) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Top Government Ethics Officer Was Late Disclosing His Personal Finances on Multiple Occasions” by Kimberly Leonard (Business Insider) for MSN

National: “While Advising Trump on Judges, Conway Sold Her Business to a Firm with Ties to Judicial Activist Leonard Leo” by Heidi Przybyla (Politico) for MSN

Lobbying

Texas: “Grid Reforms Becomes Power Company Lobbyist” by Justin Miller for Texas Observer

Procurement

National: “Congress Passes Bill to Rein in Conflicts of Interest for Consultants Such as McKinsey” by Ian MacDougall for ProPublica