On May 28, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced the appointment of Tony Baptiste as Acting Inspector General of the agency. Mr. Baptiste, who has worked with the Office of the Inspector General for 19 years, will leave his position […]
On May 28, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced the appointment of Tony Baptiste as Acting Inspector General of the agency.
Mr. Baptiste, who has worked with the Office of the Inspector General for 19 years, will leave his position at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
“We look forward to working with him and drawing upon his deep expertise,” said Chair Ellen L. Weintraub in the FEC’s press release.
His appointment with the FEC becomes effective on May 28.
May 22, 2019 •
OGE to Hold Virtual Hearing on Proposed Rule for Executive Branch Legal Expense Funds
On May 22, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) will hold a virtual public hearing to gather comments for a proposed rule regarding executive branch officials and employees setting up legal expense funds. The virtual public hearing will be […]
On May 22, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) will hold a virtual public hearing to gather comments for a proposed rule regarding executive branch officials and employees setting up legal expense funds.
The virtual public hearing will be recorded and a transcript of the hearing will be posted on OGE’s website.
The agency is seeking public comments even after the virtual hearing, with the comment period ending on June 14.
The OGE has also listed questions on its website for the public to consider in order to help the agency determine issues specifically related to legal expense funds.
Those questions include whether there should be contribution limits to legal expense funds; whether donations of pro bono legal services to legal expense funds should be permitted; and whether contributions should be subject to reporting requirements?
Campaign Finance National: “9th Circuit Rejects Challenge to Foreign-Donation Ban” by Josh Gerstein for Politico Oklahoma: “Walkingstick Disqualified as Principal Chief Candidate” by Grant Crawford (Tahlequah Daily Press) for Muskogee Phoenix Ethics National: “Judge Rules Against Trump in Fight Over […]
Campaign Finance
National: “9th Circuit Rejects Challenge to Foreign-Donation Ban” by Josh Gerstein for Politico
Oklahoma: “Walkingstick Disqualified as Principal Chief Candidate” by Grant Crawford (Tahlequah Daily Press) for Muskogee Phoenix
Ethics
National: “Judge Rules Against Trump in Fight Over President’s Financial Records” by Devlin Barrett, Spencer Hsu, Rachael Bade, and Josh Dawsey for Washington Post
National: “Cohen Told Lawmakers Trump Attorney Jay Sekulow Encouraged Him to Falsely Claim Moscow Project Ended in January” by Tom Hamburger, Ellen Nakashima, and Karoun Demirjian (Washington Post) for MSN
New Jersey: “Governor’s Feud with Party Boss Rocks New Jersey Politics” by Ryan Hutchins for Politico
Tennessee: “Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada to Resign Position After Sexually Charged Texts” by Joel Ebert and Natalie Allison (The Tennessean) for USA Today
Lobbying
National: “NRA Helps Sheriffs Fight Gun Laws in Second Amendment ‘Sanctuaries’” by Nick Penzenstadler for USA Today
National: “Women Strive to Close Gender Gap at Biz Groups” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill
Gov. Jared Polis signed the Lobbyist Transparency Act into law on May 20, shining new light on the disclosure requirements of lobbyists and their clients. House Bill 1248 increases transparency by stopping attorneys registered as professional lobbyists from asserting confidentiality […]
Gov. Jared Polis signed the Lobbyist Transparency Act into law on May 20, shining new light on the disclosure requirements of lobbyists and their clients.
House Bill 1248 increases transparency by stopping attorneys registered as professional lobbyists from asserting confidentiality in order to conceal client information and lobbying activity.
The bill provides that when the general assembly is in regular or special session, a professional lobbyist must notify the secretary of state within 72 hours of agreeing to lobby in connection with new legislation or taking a new position on a new or existing bill for a new or existing client.
Additionally, the bill instructs the secretary of state to form a working group to upgrade the electronic filing system in order to ease the use of data reported and to increase overall transparency.
The secretary of state must convene the working group no later than July 1, and the group must meet at least once before December 31.
Campaign Finance Massachusetts: “US Supreme Court Will Not Hear Massachusetts Campaign Finance Case” by Shira Schoenberg for MassLive New York: “A Cuomo Donor’s Nonstop Connections” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union Ethics National: “‘It’s Entirely Inappropriate’: Trump shot a […]
Campaign Finance
Massachusetts: “US Supreme Court Will Not Hear Massachusetts Campaign Finance Case” by Shira Schoenberg for MassLive
New York: “A Cuomo Donor’s Nonstop Connections” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Ethics
National: “‘It’s Entirely Inappropriate’: Trump shot a political video on Air Force One” by Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Justin Amash, Tea Party Star, Earns Primary Challenge for Backing Impeachment” by Isaac Stanley-Baker for Washington Post
California: “Brawl Erupts at Convention of Local Politicians, Roils Upscale Resort” by Adam Elmahrek, Ruben Vives, and Anh Do for Los Angeles Times
Oregon: “Kate Brown’s Top Aides Went Into Overdrive Doing Campaign-Like Work During Heated Governor’s Race, Records Show” by Hillary Borrud for Portland Oregonian
Legislative Issues
Nevada: “Where Women Call the Shots” by Emily Wax-Thibodeaux for Washington Post
Lobbying
Mississippi: “How Mississippi Lawmakers Gave $1.5 Million of Education Money to Weight Watchers” by Giacomo Bologna for Jackson Clarion-Ledger
United States Supreme Court Building
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States announced it would decline to hear a challenge to a Massachusetts law. The law in question bans corporate contributions to campaigns, parties and candidate-focused political action committees. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial […]
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States announced it would decline to hear a challenge to a Massachusetts law.
The law in question bans corporate contributions to campaigns, parties and candidate-focused political action committees.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously rejected the challenge, brought by 1A Auto Inc. and 126 Self Storage Inc., in September.
The suit claimed disparate treatment by banning for-profit corporate contributions while allowing significant contributions by unions and nonprofits.
After the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United, state law was updated to allow corporate spending for independent expenditures but not political contributions.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey applauded Monday’s decision not to hear the case for the integrity of state elections.
Opponents of the law are hopeful the Supreme Court will take up the issue in another case.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum by Senior Master Sgt. David H Lipp
Top North Dakota officials are working towards forming a new panel to oversee ethical standards in state government as a result of last year’s passage of Measure 1. Gov. Doug Burgum’s office is accepting applications for the new ethics commission […]
Top North Dakota officials are working towards forming a new panel to oversee ethical standards in state government as a result of last year’s passage of Measure 1.
Gov. Doug Burgum’s office is accepting applications for the new ethics commission through May 24 and hopes to have members selected by July 1.
The five commissioners will be chosen by consensus agreement of the governor and the Senate’s majority and minority leaders.
The state constitution bars certain people from serving on the commission including lobbyists, political party officials, and those who hold statewide elected or appointed office.
Missouri Capitol Building
The first regular session of the 100th General Assembly adjourned May 17 at 6 p.m. after four months in session. Several lobbying bills were introduced, including House Joint Resolution 48 which made its way to the Senate Fiscal Oversight Committee. […]
The first regular session of the 100th General Assembly adjourned May 17 at 6 p.m. after four months in session.
Several lobbying bills were introduced, including House Joint Resolution 48 which made its way to the Senate Fiscal Oversight Committee.
The committee voted do not pass on May 13. The bill would have banned all lobbyist gifts to lawmakers instead of the current $5 maximum limit.
Similarly, House Bill 1199 was introduced to amend the definition of a lobbyist principal to add an entity with authority to direct the lobbyists’ activities. The bill made its way through the Legislative Oversight Committee but did not pass either chamber.
The General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on January 15, 2020.
San Francisco, California - Noahnmf [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
The San Francisco Ethics Commission will hold its next regular meeting on May 29. The commission will consider and possibly act on a set of proposed regulation changes to the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code. These changes include electronic filing, […]
The San Francisco Ethics Commission will hold its next regular meeting on May 29.
The commission will consider and possibly act on a set of proposed regulation changes to the Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code.
These changes include electronic filing, filing of contribution disclosures no later than 14 days following the contribution, and updating filing forms.
The proposed changes are intended to provide clarity regarding code sections created by the Anti-Corruption and Accountability Ordinance and update the regulations to match other recent changes to the code.
Changes additionally provide clarity about various provisions of the Campaign Finance Reform Ordinance.
Opportunity for public comment will be provided at the meeting.
Minnesota House Chamber - Chris Gaukel [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
On May 14, a bill was introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives to prohibit political candidates from accepting certain digital currency like bitcoin unless backed by an official legal currency. House File 2884 would prohibit an individual, political committee, […]
On May 14, a bill was introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives to prohibit political candidates from accepting certain digital currency like bitcoin unless backed by an official legal currency.
House File 2884 would prohibit an individual, political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit from soliciting or accepting a contribution or donation of any digital unit of exchange.
This includes but is not limited to bitcoin, that is not backed by a government-issued legal tender.
Under the bill, a person knowingly accepting any prohibited digital unit of exchange would be guilty of a felony.
The legislation also imposes a civil penalty of up to $3,000 for any individual, political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit knowingly soliciting or accepting any digital unit of exchange.
Fresno Arch - by John Walker, Fresno Bee File
The city of Fresno is holding a special election for the District 2 City Council seat on August 13. Steve Brandau stepped down from the District 2 City Council seat after winning the District 2 seat on the Fresno County […]
The city of Fresno is holding a special election for the District 2 City Council seat on August 13.
Steve Brandau stepped down from the District 2 City Council seat after winning the District 2 seat on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
If a runoff is required, the special runoff election will be held on November 5.
The elected candidate will serve the remainder of Brandau’s term, which ends in 2020.
Richmond City Hall - by Taber Andrew Bain
The Richmond City Council unanimously passed Ordinance No. 2019-115 prohibiting lobbying after employment. Ordinance No. 2019-115 defines “officer or employee” as members of the city council, city officers and employees, and individuals who receive monetary compensation for service on or […]
The Richmond City Council unanimously passed Ordinance No. 2019-115 prohibiting lobbying after employment.
Ordinance No. 2019-115 defines “officer or employee” as members of the city council, city officers and employees, and individuals who receive monetary compensation for service on or employment by agencies, boards, authorities, sanitary districts, commissions, committees, and task forces appointed by the city council.
Former officers and employees may not represent a client for compensation for one year following their term in office.
Matters of any nature involving any agency, department, or an office of the city government the former officer or employee served immediately prior to the termination of employment or service are prohibited.
The revolving door ordinance is effective July 1.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy
Gov. Phil Murphy conditionally vetoed legislation requiring dark money groups spending money to influence elections in New Jersey to disclose their large donors. Senate Bill 1500, carried over from last year’s session, requires disclosure of contributors giving more than $10,000 […]
Gov. Phil Murphy conditionally vetoed legislation requiring dark money groups spending money to influence elections in New Jersey to disclose their large donors.
Senate Bill 1500, carried over from last year’s session, requires disclosure of contributors giving more than $10,000 to 501(c)(4) groups engaging in political activities and lobbying.
In issuing the veto, Gov. Murphy said the bill contained loopholes and inconsistent disclosure standards.
He also expressed concern about the legislation not passing judicial scrutiny because of broad disclosure requirements beyond spending in elections for groups involved in issue campaigns.
The veto went on to recommend requiring companies receiving large scale tax credits from the state to disclose public contracts and political contributions to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).
The recommendation also sought to strike a provision limiting elected officials from managing dark-money groups.
Supporters of Senate Bill 1500, which overwhelmingly passed both houses, argued the legislation leveled the playing field by requiring all groups to disclose if trying to sway elections, legislation, or policy.
The legislature can attempt an override of the governor’s veto or work towards amending the bill based on the governor’s recommendations.
