State and Federal Communications, Inc. had a surprise visitor stop by our office today. ADaM, the mascot for the County of Summit ADM Board, came by to say, ‘Thank You!’ for our donation to the annual ADM Recovery Challenge.

State and Federal Communications is proud to contribute to the ADM Board, and we are committed to their dedicated efforts to those individuals most in need in Summit County.

Learn how you can get involved on the Challenge’s Facebook page or at www.admboard.org.

 

 

State and Federal Communications, Inc. is excited to attend and be a sponsor of the Ohio State Bar Association 2014 Annual Convention in Columbus, Ohio from April 30 to May 2. If you are planning to attend, please stop by booth #23 and say hello!

 

 

The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow. We now cover more than 230 municipalities and local governments. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients.

We recently added seven municipalities for which our clients will find comprehensive, timely, and accurate information that includes: complete calendars of reporting deadlines; critical statutory citations; extensive directories of contact information; summaries of each state law; detailed reference charts on goods and services contributions; highlights of every statute; copies of all required forms; and much more.

The new municipalities are:

Surrey, BC
Lancaster, CA
Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL
Pinellas County, FL
DuPage County, IL
Hilliard, OH
York County, PA
Sioux Falls, SD

State and Federal Communications, Inc. was a recipient of the Community Support Award from Summit County Children Services at their Fourth Annual Community Appreciation Breakfast on April 30, 2013. The company’s president and CEO, Elizabeth Bartz, attended the event and was counted among the agency’s “Champion for Children.” She also received a beautiful memento for this honor.

Children Services tells the story:

In the fall of 2012, the staff of State and Federal Communications decided they wanted to make an impact where it was most needed and asked Summit Count Children Services how they could help the young people in our care. The needs of emancipating youth – who at age 18 leave the agency care and need significant assistance to set up households and live independently – rose to the top of this generous group’s list.

As a team, the State and Federal Communications employees decided to celebrate the holidays by collecting and donating household items and small appliances to support these emancipating youth.

The employees divided up the agency’s list of suggested items and overwhelmed us with the arrival of carloads of items, donating enough to furnish apartments for five or more teens who would be leaving the agency care in the coming months.

The enthusiastic State and Federal Communications team held special events, involved their families and friends, and achieved their goal of helping young people in need at  a very important stage in their lives.

We celebrate their efforts and thank them for this exceptional generosity by recognizing State and Federal Communications, Inc. as a “Champion for Children.”

Thank you, Summit County Children Services for the amazing work you do and for allowing us to be a partner to help children in need!

 

State and Federal Communications is proud to be the sponsor of Keynote Speaker Jennifer Duffy at the WASRG 2012 Summit today in Washington D.C.!

According to the WASRG site:

Join us on Thursday, October 11th as we gather from 12 – 2 p.m. for the 2012 WASRG Summit. Your Board of Directors has reimagined and streamlined this event for 2012 to include a lunch and keynote followed by the presentation of the WASRG Award of Excellence.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of State & Federal Communications, we are pleased to have  Jennifer Duffy, Senior Editor for The Cook Political Report, headlining our event. Jennifer is responsible for U.S. Senate and Governors’ races at The Cook Political Report. Founded in 1984, The Cook Political Report provides analyses of Presidential, U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial races.  Jennifer has 26 years of experience in campaign politics, the last 23 of which have focused on non-partisan political analysis. In 1985, she served as Press Secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Committee; she joined The Cook Political Report in 1988 as its first Assistant Editor. While continuing to work as the Report’s contributing editor, Jennifer also was a senior account executive with Hill and Knowlton Public Affairs Worldwide and an associate with the lobbying firm of Cassidy & Associates.

In 1995, Jennifer rejoined Cook & Company full-time. She has served as an off-air analyst for NBC News on Election Nights from 1996 through 2010. Jennifer has been quoted in numerous publications and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, PBS’ “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” and C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal.” In June of 2011, BusinessInsider.com named her one of the 13 savviest political analysts in the country.

A native of Rhode Island, Jennifer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Government from Georgetown University in 1985.

WASRG is excited to bring this new format and new venue to the annual Summit. We hope you’ll take this opportunity to enjoy your friends and colleagues over a family-style lunch.

The Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) is one of the nation’s largest organizations dedicated exclusively to serving state government relations professionals.  Since the mid-1970s, WASRG has been providing its corporate, trade association and public sector members with a unique and valuable opportunity to interact with their peers, key state officials and public policy experts.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) will not be creating any new regulations to address contribution disclosure requirements connected to electioneering communications, at least on its own accord.

Yesterday, the Commission was unable to achieve the requisite four votes needed to initiate rulingmaking in response to a federal court order. In Center for Individual Freedom v. Van Hollen, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered the FEC, under the jurisdiction of the District Court, to decide whether the Commission would pursue rulemaking addressing the issues raised concerning 11 C.F.R. §104.20(c)(9) or defend its current regulation in court.

Currently, 11 C.F.R. §104.20(c)(9) requires disclosure only of those making contributions over $1,000 to an entity explicitly for the purpose of furthering electioneering communications. The lawsuit argues the current rule contradicts the statute requiring disclosure of all donors making contributions over $1,000.

The FEC counsel has filed a status report advising the District Court that the Commission “does not intend to pursue a rulemaking and that it will continue to defend 11 C.F.R. § 104.20(c)(9) before the Court.”

Separate statements have been issued by Commissioners Ellen L. Weintraub, Cynthia L. Bauerly, and Steven T. Walther .

Lobbying

Georgia: “Exclusive: Ralston to propose total lobbyist gift ban” by Aaron Gould Sheinin and Kristina Torres in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Indiana: “Ethics rulings say Daniels can lobby for Purdue” by The Associated Press in the Indiana Business Journal.

Campaign Finance

Colorado:  “Judge rejects Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler’s changes” by Erin Udell in the Denver Post.

Florida:  “Unlimited Corporate Money In Fla. Political Races ‘Worries Political Scientists’” by Jessica Palombo on WFSU.org.

Minnesota: “Top state court rules campaign finance laws apply to schools” by Jennifer Brooks in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

“When is a campaign contribution a bribe?” by Robert Barnes in The Washington Post.

Social Media

“Paul Ryan VP pick adds social media muscle” by Steve Friess in Politico.

Oregon: “More Oregon lawmakers harness power of Twitter, Facebook” by Laura Barron-Lopez in The Oregonian.

Lobbying

“Top congressional staffer to lead new Internet lobbying group” by Brendan Sasso in The Hill.

Campaign Finance

California: “Divided Richmond council approves major campaign finance reforms” by Robert Rogers in the Mercury News.

Rhode Island: “Speaker Fox Cops to Campaign Finance Violation; Writes Check to Cover 2007 Fundraiser” by Dan McGowan in GoLocalProv.

“The rise of the Mom and Pop super PAC” by Charles Mathesian in Politico.

“Senate Democrats Push Constitutional Amendment to Reverse Citizens United” by Seth Cline in U.S. News and World Report.

“Citizens United Constitutional Amendment Floated By Senate Democrats” by Paul Blumenthal in the Huffington Post.

Ethics

“Murky Standards for Ethics Cases” by Amanda Becker in Roll Call.

Georgia: “House ethics chairman: 49 candidates tout ethics, flout campaign laws” by Jim Galloway in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Hawaii:  “Ethics Commission fining 22 legislative candidates for not filing financial disclosures” by The Associated Press in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

Social Media

“DC Political Firms Launch Embarrassingly Silly Social Media Tool” by Micah L. Sifry in TechPresident.

Electronic filing of returns will be required by all consultant and in-house lobbyists in the Canadian province of Manitoba beginning April 30. The Lobbyists Registration Act, originally passed in 2008, comes into force only this year upon proclamation.

The Act outlines the registration and reporting requirements for individuals undertaking efforts to lobby the province, defines lobbyists as consultant or in-house lobbyists, establishes deadlines for filing returns, and lists which officials of the Manitoba government are covered.

User IDs and passwords will be required to file returns electronically, but will not be available for lobbyists to set up until April 30. There will be no fees for filing returns.

Penalties for violating the act can include a fine of up to $25,000.

The Ethics and Petitioning Commission of OZ has opened an investigation into the activities of Ms. Dorothy Gale following a complaint by Citizens for an Ethical Oz (CEO), which alleges Ms. Gale not only failed to register with the commission prior to petitioning the Wizard of Oz, but committed acts of bribery, violated Oz’s gifts laws, used public money and property for personal gain, and failed to report agreements made to petition on behalf of others.

Its complaint alleges Ms. Gale and the Wizard entered a quid pro quo contract trading use of the state-owned hot air balloon for the Wicked Witch of the West’s broomstick. This same contract also provided Ms. Gales’ companions—who had contracted with her to petition the Wizard on their behalf—with intellect, courage, and a heart. Additionally, Ms. Gale and her companions received the use of state funds illegally when they received full make overs by city employees. CEO contends it does not matter Ms. Gale was unable to utilize the hot air balloon, but merely the formation of the contract alone is in violation of petitioning statutes.

CEO leader Ambrose Smythe points out that when Ms. Gale made her agreement with the Wizard, she was under investigation in Munchkinland for destruction of private property, manslaughter, impersonation of a magical being, and grand theft of ruby slippers. Additionally, when Ms. Gale fled the Land of Oz, she was under further investigation for theft and murder by authorities in the West lands.

“I would like to believe Ms. Gale was merely a young girl who didn’t know any better,” Smythe said, “but this can’t even be called a good April Fools story.”

Photo of the ruby slippers by RadioFan on Wikipedia.

California: “Teachers union leads in record year of lobbying lawmakers” by Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times.

Michigan: “Report: As Michigan economy floundered, spending by Michigan lobbyists soared 86%” in the Detroit Free Press.

New Jersey: “N.J. lobbyist spending hits new high at $73M; teachers union tops list again” by Matt Friedman in the Star-Ledger.

New Jersey: “N.J. Teachers Union Spent Record $11.3 Million on Ads Criticizing Christie” by Terrence Dopp in Bloomberg.

Georgia Senator Josh McKoon has introduced Senate Bill 391, which could put limits on gifts lobbyists give to lawmakers in the state, as wells as other requirements.

For the full story read “With House bill stalled, senator targets lobbyist gifts” by Kristina Torres in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Photo of the Georgia State Capitol Building by AUtiger on Wikipedia.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California has issued an opinion in Thalheimer v. City of San Diego. The court upheld the ban on corporate contributions made directly to candidates. Further, the court upheld San Diego’s $500 individual contribution limit to city candidates. Additionally, the court upheld the ban on contributions made to a city candidate more than 12 months before the election.

The court struck down the ban on political party contributions to candidates and the $1,000 limit on direct contributions to candidates by political parties, which was enacted after the district court granted a preliminary injunction. Lastly, the court struck down restrictions on how much individuals and corporations can give to PACs making independent expenditures.