January 19, 2022 •
Bill to Limit Campaign Contributions Dies in Committee
The Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee has rejected a proposal to cap what are currently unlimited campaign contributions to state candidates. Senate Bill 44 would have limited the amount someone can give a candidate to $20,000 per election.
The Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee has rejected a proposal to cap what are currently unlimited campaign contributions to state candidates.
Senate Bill 44 would have limited the amount someone can give a candidate to $20,000 per election.
January 19, 2022 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “How More Than $404 Million in Taxpayer Money Got Locked Away in a Forgotten Government Fund – and Lawmakers Won’t Spend It or Return It” by Dave Levinthal (Business Insider) for Yahoo News Massachusetts: “Lyft Makes Largest […]
Campaign Finance
National: “How More Than $404 Million in Taxpayer Money Got Locked Away in a Forgotten Government Fund – and Lawmakers Won’t Spend It or Return It” by Dave Levinthal (Business Insider) for Yahoo News
Massachusetts: “Lyft Makes Largest One-Time Political Donation in Massachusetts History, Fueling Gig Worker Ballot Fight” by Matt Stout (Boston Globe) for MSN
Elections
Florida: “Florida Governor Proposes Special Police Agency to Monitor Elections” by Lori Rozsa and Beth Reinhard (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “ExxonMobil Aims to Use a Radical Texas Law to Silence Its Critics – in California” by Chris McGreal for Mother Jones
National: “Lawmakers Coming Under Increased Threats – Sometimes from One Another” by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) for Yahoo News
California: “Fired OC District Attorney’s Investigator Who Accused Todd Spitzer of Bribery Gets Job Back in Arbitration” by Tony Saavedra for Orange County Register
Ohio: “FirstEnergy Collected $460 Million from Customers; Auditor Unsure If It Was Spent on Bribes” by Jake Zuckerman for Ohio Capital Journal
South Carolina: “Will 2022 Be the Year for Ethics Reform in South Carolina?” by Avery Wilks for Charleston Post and Courier
January 18, 2022 •
Meet our Expert – George Ticoras

Meet George Ticoras, Esq., Manager, International Research Services! What are your areas of expertise? The daily focus of my work is covering the lobbying landscape throughout Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the rest of the world. How many years of […]
Meet George Ticoras, Esq., Manager, International Research Services!
What are your areas of expertise?
The daily focus of my work is covering the lobbying landscape throughout Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the rest of the world.
How many years of experience do you have in compliance research?
I have been with the company for over 11 years.
What do you do that helps our clients everyday?
I help our clients understand various international lobbying laws. Rules concerning lobbying are different in every country. Each of the various laws, regulations, and policies can be overwhelming for a client. I collect and synthesize this information, track and stay updated with any changes, and turn it into something comprehensible our clients can understand, use, and apply in pursuit of their objectives.
January 18, 2022 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Tennessee: “Former Tennessee House Speaker Casada and Ex-Aide Subpoenaed Over Faith PAC” by Andy Sher (Chattanooga Times Free Press) for Yahoo News Elections Colorado: “Grand Jury to Investigate Election Tampering Allegations in Mesa County” by Saja Hindi (Denver […]
Campaign Finance
Tennessee: “Former Tennessee House Speaker Casada and Ex-Aide Subpoenaed Over Faith PAC” by Andy Sher (Chattanooga Times Free Press) for Yahoo News
Elections
Colorado: “Grand Jury to Investigate Election Tampering Allegations in Mesa County” by Saja Hindi (Denver Post) for Canon City Daily Record
Texas: “Election Officials in Texas Reject Hundreds of Ballot Applications Under State;s New Voting Restrictions” by Eugene Scott (Washington Post) for MSN
Wisconsin: “Wisconsin Clerks Rush to Rewrite Voting Instructions After Judge Rules Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes Are Illegal” by Patrick Marley (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “DirecTV Says It Will Sever Ties with Far-Right Network One America News” by Timothy Bella (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Now with Senate Allies, Spanberger’s Legislation to Ban Members of Congress from Trading Stock Gains Traction” by Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) for MSN
Illinois: “‘They All Need Somebody That Does What I Do’; Unsealed affidavit reveals new details in Ald. Edward Burke corruption probe” by Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News
Pennsylvania: “Pa. Legislature’s Redacted Legal Bills Flout Court Ruling, Leave Taxpayers Guessing” by Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) and Sam Janesch (The Caucus) for Spotlight PA
January 17, 2022 •
Change in Oregon House Leadership
The Oregon House Democratic Caucus nominated Rep. Dan Rayfield as speaker, replacing Rep. Tina Kotek. House Democrats have also elected Rep. Julie Fahey as majority leader to replace Rep. Barbara Smith Warner. These changes within the party stem from a […]
The Oregon House Democratic Caucus nominated Rep. Dan Rayfield as speaker, replacing Rep. Tina Kotek.
House Democrats have also elected Rep. Julie Fahey as majority leader to replace Rep. Barbara Smith Warner.
These changes within the party stem from a mix of resignations to run for higher office and new focus on policies regarding housing.
January 17, 2022 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “FEC Report Shows How National Party Committees Allegedly Blow Past Contribution Limits” by Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) for MSN California: “Tech Companies Spend Millions on California Political Gifts” by Don Thompson (Associated Press) for MSN Tennessee: “State […]
Campaign Finance
National: “FEC Report Shows How National Party Committees Allegedly Blow Past Contribution Limits” by Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) for MSN
California: “Tech Companies Spend Millions on California Political Gifts” by Don Thompson (Associated Press) for MSN
Tennessee: “State Officials Fine Nashville Council Member $360K for 36 Campaign Finance Violations” by Cassandra Stephenson (The Tennessean) for Yahoo News
Elections
Michigan: “Michigan Attorney General Refers Investigation into Fake Republican Electors to Federal Prosecutors” by Malachi Barrett for MLive.com
Ethics
National: “The Justice Dept. Alleged Jan. 6 Was a Seditious Conspiracy. Now Will It Investigate Trump?” by Matt Zapotosky, Josh Dawsey, Tom Hamburger, and Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) for MSN
Maryland: “Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby Indicted on Federal Charges She Lied on Financial Transactions to Buy Homes in Florida” by Justin Fenton (Baltimore Sun) for Yahoo News
Virginia: “Youngkin’s Cabinet Shares Ties to Fossil Fuels and Energy Companies” by Jimmy Cloutier for Center for Responsive Politics
Redistricting
Ohio: “Ohio Supreme Court Invalidates GOP-Approved Congressional Map ‘Infused with Undue Partisan Bias’” by Jessie Balmert and Laura Bischoff (Columbus Dispatch) for Yahoo News
January 14, 2022 •
Connecticut Special Election Scheduled
Connecticut Gov. Lamont announced a special election for Assembly District 5 to be held on March 1. The seat became vacant when Rep. Brandon McGee, Jr. resigned to take a senior role on Lamont’s reelection campaign. The winner of the […]
Connecticut Gov. Lamont announced a special election for Assembly District 5 to be held on March 1.
The seat became vacant when Rep. Brandon McGee, Jr. resigned to take a senior role on Lamont’s reelection campaign.
The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of the two-year term set to expire in December.
January 14, 2022 •
Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down House and Senate District Maps
In a 4-3 decision issued on January 12, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the state House and Senate district maps drawn by Ohio Redistricting Commission are unconstitutional gerrymandering, giving Republicans a 62-37 advantage in the House and 23-10 advantage in […]
In a 4-3 decision issued on January 12, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the state House and Senate district maps drawn by Ohio Redistricting Commission are unconstitutional gerrymandering, giving Republicans a 62-37 advantage in the House and 23-10 advantage in the Senate.
The court ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which is dominated by Republicans, to draw new maps in compliance with Article XI, Section 6 of the Ohio Constitution.
The new plan must be adopted within 10 days and the Ohio Supreme Court retains its authority to review any rewrites.
The decision was based in part on the fact that Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved changes to the state constitution to limit partisan line-drawing in 2015.
January 14, 2022 •
Kentucky Bill Would Prohibit Contracts with Bidders Whose Lobbyist Has Been Convicted of a Crime
Kentucky State Sen. Stephen Meredith introduced a bill that would prohibit awarding, extending, or renewing state contracts with a bidder or contractor if the company had used a lobbyist to win an earlier version of the contract and the lobbyist […]
Kentucky State Sen. Stephen Meredith introduced a bill that would prohibit awarding, extending, or renewing state contracts with a bidder or contractor if the company had used a lobbyist to win an earlier version of the contract and the lobbyist was convicted of a related crime within the last five years.
The bill would apply retroactively to state contracts entered into since January 1, 2017.
January 14, 2022 •
Contractors Required to Reveal Political Contributions

Flag of Pennsylvania - by: Niagara, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Delaware County Council has voted to approve an ordinance requiring contractors to disclose if they have made contributions for candidates running for certain county or state offices as well as political parties or political action committees. Disclosure forms will […]
The Delaware County Council has voted to approve an ordinance requiring contractors to disclose if they have made contributions for candidates running for certain county or state offices as well as political parties or political action committees.
Disclosure forms will be included in the publicly posted agenda materials for the applicable council meeting and will also be posted on the county website.
The ordinance will be effective in April.
January 14, 2022 •
Oregon Advocacy Groups Seek to Limit Campaign Contributions
Advocacy groups have filed three ballot measure proposals with the Office of Oregon Secretary of State, focusing on limiting campaign contributions and increasing donor disclosure requirements. For the proposals to be placed on the 2022 ballot, each proposal would need […]
Advocacy groups have filed three ballot measure proposals with the Office of Oregon Secretary of State, focusing on limiting campaign contributions and increasing donor disclosure requirements.
For the proposals to be placed on the 2022 ballot, each proposal would need to gather 112,020 signatures by July 8, four months before the general election.
January 14, 2022 •
Vacancies in Missouri Legislature Will Continue
Despite a request from Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Gov. Mike Parson did not file writs of election to fill the six vacancies in the Missouri House. Ashcroft expressed disappointment after the Monday deadline to place special elections on the […]
Despite a request from Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Gov. Mike Parson did not file writs of election to fill the six vacancies in the Missouri House.
Ashcroft expressed disappointment after the Monday deadline to place special elections on the April ballot passed.
Without a special election, the six affected districts would go without representation until January 2023.
Missouri law calls for the governor to issue a writ of election without delay and House District 34 has been without representation since April 2021 when former Rep. Rick Roeber was expelled.
The other vacancies are House District 61, 65, 108, 114, and 147.
January 14, 2022 •
Illinois In-person Session Work Canceled
The Illinois General Assembly has canceled in-person work for a second week due to COVID-19 concerns. Of the nine scheduled session days, eight have now been pushed to remote. Committee meetings can still be viewed by the public on the […]
The Illinois General Assembly has canceled in-person work for a second week due to COVID-19 concerns.
Of the nine scheduled session days, eight have now been pushed to remote.
Committee meetings can still be viewed by the public on the Legislature’s website.
January 14, 2022 •
Hawaii State Ethics Commission Welcomes New Executive Director
The Hawaii State Ethics Commission welcomed Robert D. Harris as its new executive director. Harris is replacing Daniel Gluck, who served as the executive director from 2016 until the end of 2021. Last year Gluck was nominated to a vacancy […]
The Hawaii State Ethics Commission welcomed Robert D. Harris as its new executive director.
Harris is replacing Daniel Gluck, who served as the executive director from 2016 until the end of 2021.
Last year Gluck was nominated to a vacancy on the Intermediate Court of Appeals, but the nomination failed after senators raised concerns about the court’s lack of diversity.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.