March 23, 2017 •
Thursday’s Government Relations and Ethics News
Campaign Finance Massachusetts: “Construction Firm, Owner Pay $150,000 for Campaign Finance Violations” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe Pennsylvania: “Former Top Allentown Bureaucrat Francis Dougherty Pleads Guilty, Implicates Mayor” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call Ethics […]
Campaign Finance
Massachusetts: “Construction Firm, Owner Pay $150,000 for Campaign Finance Violations” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe
Pennsylvania: “Former Top Allentown Bureaucrat Francis Dougherty Pleads Guilty, Implicates Mayor” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call
Ethics
“New Trump Hotels Face Political Fights, Ethics Questions” by Bernard Condon and David Koenig (Associated Press) for ABC News
“Betsy DeVos’s Hiring of For-Profit College Official Raises Impartiality Issues” by Patricia Cohen for New York Times
“Protesting at Lunchtime: Defying Trump becomes a Washington lifestyle” by Katie Rogers for Washington Post
Nebraska: “State Regulator’s Side Job Appears to Violate Oath of Office, Lawmaker Says” by Zach Pluhacek for Lincoln Journal-Star
Texas: “Dallas City Council Overhauls Ethics Rules; Mayor Mike Rawlings Lauds Changes as ‘Remarkable’” by Tristan Hallman for Dallas News
Elections
“FBI’s Russian-Influence Probe Includes a Look at Breitbart, InfoWars News Sites” by Peter Stone and Greg Gordon for McClatchy DC
Colorado: “Ex-Colo. GOP Leader Said Only Democrats Committed Voter Fraud. Now He’s Charged with Voter Fraud.” by Derek Hawkins for Washington Post
New York: “A Contest to Design New York City’s Next ‘I Voted’ Sticker” by Sarah Maslin Nir for New York Times
March 22, 2017 •
Wednesday’s Government Relations and Ethics News
Lobbying Illinois: “Emails to Emanuel Raise Questions About Dozens of Possible Lobbying Violations” by Bill Ruthhart and Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune New York: “Lobbyist in Libous Case Reaches $10k Settlement, as Legal Questions Remain” by Chris Bragg for Albany […]
Lobbying
Illinois: “Emails to Emanuel Raise Questions About Dozens of Possible Lobbying Violations” by Bill Ruthhart and Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune
New York: “Lobbyist in Libous Case Reaches $10k Settlement, as Legal Questions Remain” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Texas: “By Wading into Energy Policy, Did Texas GOP Chair Break Ethics Law?” by Jim Malewitz for Texas Tribune
Campaign Finance
Ohio: “Franklin County Judge Will Spend Time in Jail for Filing Inaccurate Campaign-Finance Reports” by Encarnacion Pyle for Columbus Dispatch
Ethics
“Despite a Trust, Ivanka Trump Still Wields Power Over Her Brand” by Rachel Abrams for New York Times
“Paul Manafort, Former Trump Campaign Chief, Faces New Allegations in Ukraine” by Andrew Kramer for New York Times
“Ethics Watchdogs Make a Career of It” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call
Florida: “Ms. Book Goes to Tallahassee, Sees No Conflict Voting $ for Lauren’s Kids or Dad’s Clients” by Francisco Alvarado for Florida Bulldog
New York: “Sheldon Silver Appeal Looks to New Definition of Corruption” by Benjamin Weiser for New York Times
Pennsylvania: “D.A. Seth Williams Indicted on Corruption, Bribery-Related Charges” by Jeremy Roebuck, David Gambacorta, and Chris Brennan for Philadelphia Inquirer
March 21, 2017 •
Tuesday’s Government Relations and Ethics News
Lobbying Missouri: “Greitens’ Reliance on ‘Dark Money’ Endangers Proposed Ban on Lobbyist Gifts” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star Campaign Finance Arizona: “Utility Regulators Vote 3-1 to Let APS Slide on Political Finance Records” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona […]
Lobbying
Missouri: “Greitens’ Reliance on ‘Dark Money’ Endangers Proposed Ban on Lobbyist Gifts” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star
Campaign Finance
Arizona: “Utility Regulators Vote 3-1 to Let APS Slide on Political Finance Records” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic
Florida: “Will Legislators Lift the Veil on ‘Dark Money’ in Florida Politics?” by Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald) for Bradenton Herald
Maine: “Lawmakers Propose Reeling Back Reporting Requirements” by Marina Villeneuve (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report
Ethics
“White House Installs Political Aides at Cabinet Agencies to Be Trump’s Eyes and Ears” by Lisa Rein and Juliet Eilperin for Washington Post
“FBI Director Comey Confirms Probe of Possible Coordination Between Kremlin and Trump Campaign” by Ellen Nakashima, Karoun Demirjian, and Devlin Barrett for Washington Post
“Fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Said to Have Been Investigating HHS Secretary Tom Price” by Robert Faturechi for ProPublica
Nevada: “Nevada Assemblywoman Resigns from Consulting Job After Ties to Saudi Arabia Are Revealed” by Ben Botkin for Las Vegas Review-Journal
Oklahoma: “Oklahoma State Senator Faces Charges and Condemnation” by Matthew Haag for New York Times
Rhode Island: “R.I. Gov. Raimondo Goes After ‘Bad Actors’ with Slate of Reforms” by Patrick Anderson for Providence Journal
Elections
“Senators Ask Trump Adviser to Preserve Any Russia-Related Documents” by Maggie Haberman for New York Times
March 20, 2017 •
New Mexico Legislature Adjourns Sine Die
The New Mexico Legislature adjourned sine die on March 18, 2017. House Joint Resolution 8, which creates an independent ethics commission, passed both houses and will be placed on the 2018 general election ballot for voter approval. Senate Bill 393, a […]
The New Mexico Legislature adjourned sine die on March 18, 2017.
House Joint Resolution 8, which creates an independent ethics commission, passed both houses and will be placed on the 2018 general election ballot for voter approval.
Senate Bill 393, a bill requiring lobbyists to disclose the cumulative total of expenditures under $100, passed both houses and Gov. Susana Martinez has until April 7, 2017, to sign the bill into law.
March 20, 2017 •
Proposed California Campaign Finance Regulation Faces Opposition from Lawmakers
On March 16, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) held a hearing on the possible adoption of a regulation to change the test for when a candidate controls a political committee. Leaders of the Democratic and Republican caucuses of the […]
On March 16, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) held a hearing on the possible adoption of a regulation to change the test for when a candidate controls a political committee.
Leaders of the Democratic and Republican caucuses of the state Senate and Assembly oppose the proposed regulation as creating a vague and uncertain test for whether a committee is controlled by a candidate.
One of the most contested features of the regulation is a provision that would determine a candidate controls a committee if the candidate raises an “extensive” amount of money for the committee.
FPPC staff decided to take legislators’ concerns into consideration, delaying action on the proposed regulation until next month to allow time for changes.
March 20, 2017 •
North Carolina Merger of State Board of Elections and State Ethics Commission Ruled Unconstitutional
On March 17, a three-judge panel ruled that the North Carolina General Assembly overstepped its state constitutional authority when it adopted Senate Bill 4 establishing a bipartisan board to oversee elections and consider ethics complaints and issues. The ruling held […]
On March 17, a three-judge panel ruled that the North Carolina General Assembly overstepped its state constitutional authority when it adopted Senate Bill 4 establishing a bipartisan board to oversee elections and consider ethics complaints and issues.
The ruling held that lawmakers violated the separation of powers in trying to take control over appointments in the governor’s administration.
Prior to Senate Bill 4, the State Board of Elections and State Ethics Commission were separate entities and the governor had the power to appoint a majority from his own party to preside over elections. Lawmakers could appeal the decision.
March 20, 2017 •
Monday’s Government Relations and Ethics News You Can Use
Campaign Finance Democrats to Probe Gorsuch Views on Campaign Finance by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA Colorado: Colorado Democrats Propose Reforms to Shed More Light on Political ‘Dark Money’ by Brian Eason for Denver Post Iowa: $43 million in 4 […]
Campaign Finance
Democrats to Probe Gorsuch Views on Campaign Finance by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA
Colorado: Colorado Democrats Propose Reforms to Shed More Light on Political ‘Dark Money’ by Brian Eason for Denver Post
Iowa: $43 million in 4 Years: Exclusive analysis tracks Iowa campaign contributions by Jason Noble for Des Moines Register
New York: No Charges, but Harsh Criticism for Mayor de Blasio by William Rashbaum for New York Times
Ethics
Documents: Office of Government Ethics, Trump team reached détente by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity
New Mexico: Voters Will Decide Future of State Ethics Commission Proposal by Steve Terrell (Santa Fe New Mexican) for New Mexico Politics
Oklahoma: Conservative Oklahoma Senator Charged with Three Felonies after Child Prostitution Investigation by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman
Pennsylvania: Nutter Overruled His Inspector General to Spare a Key City Hall Adviser by David Gambacorda, Claudia Vargas, and Chris Brennan for Philadelphia Inquirer
South Carolina: Veteran State Sen. Courson of Columbia Suspended from Office after Misconduct Indictment by John Monk for The State
Legislative Issues
North Carolina: Judges Issue Split Ruling on NC Governor-Legislature Power Struggle by Anne Blythe (Raleigh News and Observer) for Charlotte Observer
March 17, 2017 •
No Nomination for Montana Commissioner of Political Practices
Top Montana legislators canceled a meeting this week to nominate a new Commissioner of Political Practices when an agreement could not be reached. In a meeting held last week, members of the bipartisan House and Senate leadership committee, tasked at […]
Top Montana legislators canceled a meeting this week to nominate a new Commissioner of Political Practices when an agreement could not be reached.
In a meeting held last week, members of the bipartisan House and Senate leadership committee, tasked at nominating candidates for approval by the governor, were only able to agree on one nominee out of seven applicants.
By law, two nominations are required before Gov. Steve Bullock can approve a potential candidate. If no decision is reached by the committee, Gov. Bullock may choose a replacement who must then be confirmed by the Senate.
The search for a new commissioner is happening concurrently with a legislative session where Republican lawmakers are trying to eliminate the office and position.
House Bill 340, aimed at dismantling the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices, passed in the House last month and has been referred to committee for review in the Senate.
March 17, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 17, 2017
Federal: Admiral, Seven Others Charged with Corruption in New ‘Fat Leonard’ Indictment Washington Post – Craig Whitlock | Published: 3/14/2017 A retired U.S. Navy admiral and eight other high-ranking officers were indicted in a bribery scandal in which prosecutors say […]
Federal:
Admiral, Seven Others Charged with Corruption in New ‘Fat Leonard’ Indictment
Washington Post – Craig Whitlock | Published: 3/14/2017
A retired U.S. Navy admiral and eight other high-ranking officers were indicted in a bribery scandal in which prosecutors say a foreign contractor traded luxury travel, lavish gifts, and prostitutes for inside intelligence. A total of 25 military officers and private-sector executives have now been prosecuted in one of the worst corruption scandals to hit the military in years. Prosecutors accused the officers of betraying the public trust for bribes from a well-connected military contractor in Singapore, Leonard Francis, known as “Fat Leonard.” The scheme cost the Navy “tens of millions of dollars” in overbillings to Francis’ firm, as he relied on sensitive and sometimes classified information the officers had given them to game the system, according to the indictment.
FEC Earning Congressional Attention – for the Wrong Reasons
Center for Public Integrity – Dave Levinthal | Published: 3/13/2017
The FEC, an agency of clashing commissioners, unhappy staffers, and key vacancies, may soon face a hearing by the Committee on House Administration, something the agency has not endured since 2011 when super PACs were still novel and the Citizens United decision was not yet two years old. A planned oversight hearing in 2014 never materialized. An oversight hearing is “both urgent and necessary” and should be conducted “sooner rather than later,” said Jamie Fleet, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Robert Brady, the committee’s ranking Democrat. The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration also appears to have increased appetite for reviewing FEC affairs. Although this committee has conducted FEC confirmation hearings, it has not specifically conducted an oversight hearing since 2004.
In a Fact-Challenged Era, Will Public Access to Federal Data Be the Next Casualty?
McClatchy DC – Stuart Leavenworth and Adam Ashton | Published: 3/12/2017
Since taking office, the Trump administration has made a series of moves that have alarmed groups with a stake in public access to information: historians, librarians, journalists, climate scientists, and internet activists, to name a few. Some are so concerned they have thrown themselves into “data rescue” sessions nationwide, where they spend their weekends downloading and archiving federal databases they fear could soon be taken down or obscured. Previous presidential transitions have triggered fears about access to government data, but not of this scope.
Prerequisite for Key White House Posts: Loyalty, not experience
New York Times – Sharon LaFraniere, Nicholas Confessore, and Jesse Drucker | Published: 3/14/2017
Every president comes into office with friends and hangers-on who sometimes have minimal experience in government. But few have arrived with a contingent more colorful and controversial than that of President Trump, whose White House is peppered with assistants and advisers whose principal qualification is their long friendship with Trump and his family. The influence of longtime Trump friends and associates, some of them with vague portfolios, comes as a leadership void has been created by the administration’s slow pace in filling top jobs in many agencies. It has also added to the confusion of a West Wing already legendary for its power struggles, while bewildering Washington policy hands.
Suing Trump on Ethics? Good Luck Making Your Case
Politico – Isaac Arnsdorf and Darren Samuelsohn | Published: 3/9/2017
Many people – New York’s attorney general, law professors, and Washington restaurant owners among them – think President Trump is breaking laws by holding onto his businesses. But they are still searching for a successful courtroom strategy to force him to divest. The president is not bound by the main federal law against conflicts-of-interest. Legal experts have argued since Trump won the election, however, that he is violating the constitutional ban on accepting payments from foreign government and is putting federal agencies under his control in the impossible position of having to supervise his businesses. While the legal problems may be obvious, the responses are not. It is an area of law that has never before been tested because there has never before been a billionaire president intent on maintaining his commercial ties while in office.
From the States and Municipalities:
California – Garcetti Bans Private Meetings Between Developers and Planning Commissioners
Los Angeles Times – Emily Alpert Reyes | Published: 3/9/2017
City planning commissioners will be barred from meeting privately with developers looking to get a project approved under an executive directive signed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. The possible influence of big developers on planning decisions was at the center of a heated battle in the recent election. Proponents of the now-defeated Measure S say the existing planning process follows a “pay-to-play” model that gives developers too much sway over what gets built in the city. The ban applies to members of the city’s Planning Commission and the Cultural Heritage Commission, as well as members of area planning commissions. They are prohibited from meeting or communicating privately with anyone about development plans unless they recuse themselves from the process.
Kentucky – Lawmakers Approve Flurry of Bills as End of Legislative Session Looms
Lexington Herald-Leader – Daniel Desrochers and Jack Brammer | Published: 3/14/2017
Kentucky lawmakers gave final approval to Senate Bill 75, which doubles the amount individuals and PACs can donate to a campaign, state executive committee, and caucus campaign committee, along with other changes to state campaign finance laws. Supporters of the bill said the legislation was necessary to increase the number of transparent donations and give regular people a chance to run for office against candidates funded by PACs. Opponents of argued that raising the limits created the wrong impression and the Legislature should curb ‘dark money” instead.
Minnesota – Does Being a Minnesota Legislator Mean Never Having to Say You’re Sorry?
MinnPost.com – Briana Bierschbach | Published: 3/16/2017
Critics say there is a systemic weakness in how the Minnesota Legislature polices its members, a process that rarely catches potential conflicts before they happen and seldom punishes lawmakers for engaging in unethical behavior. Many lawmakers have other sources of income outside their work at the Capitol, so legislators are sometimes asked to vote on policies that have the possibility of intersecting with their private lives. Over the last 30 years, there have been just 11 ethics hearings in the Minnesota House. Legislators were reprimanded or forced to apologize in four of those cases. Ethics hearings in the Senate have been more numerous, if not exactly frequent; between 1994 and 2017 there were 21 hearings. In just five of those cases were senators forced to apologize or leave a committee post.
New Jersey – N.J. Moves to Restore Election Watchdog
Philadelphia Inquirer – Andrew Seidman | Published: 3/13/2017
New Jersey’s election watchdog agency had two vacancies filled recently, which means it will once again be able to punish candidates who violate campaign-finance rules. The Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) has gone a full year without holding a meeting because of three vacancies on its four-member board, an unprecedented bout of paralysis since the agency’s founding in 1972. Without holding monthly meetings, the ELEC cannot vote on any matter, amend regulations, or punish those who violate the state’s campaign finance, lobbying, or “pay-to-play” restrictions.
New Mexico – Legislature Passes Campaign Finance Reform Years in The Making
New Mexico In Depth – Sandra Fish | Published: 3/14/2017
The New Mexico Legislature passed two campaign finance reform bills. Senate Bill 96 defines “coordination” in campaigns, and requires disclosure of independent spending up to 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election. It also doubles the donation limits for legislators to $5,000 for each primary and general election cycle. Senate Bill 97 refines and clarifies state law on public financing, which applies to judges and public regulation commissioners. Both bills now go to Gov. Susana Martinez.
New York – Preet Bharara Shunned Politics. His End Was Tinged by Them.
New York Times – Benjamin Weiser, Ben Protess, Matthew Goldstein, and William Rashbaum | Published: 3/12/2017
The Trump administration fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara after he refused to follow a Justice Department order to resign immediately. The order, which also applied to 45 other holdover U.S. attorneys who served under the Obama administration, came only a few months after Donald Trump, then the president-elect, had asked Bharara to stay in the job. It was a sudden and highly politicized end to Bharara’s seemingly apolitical tenure, which was noted for prosecutions of powerful politicians of both parties. As he leaves office, Bharara’s prosecutors are reaching a critical juncture in an investigation into the campaign fundraising of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and are preparing to try a group of former aides and associates of Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a bribery and bid-rigging case.
South Dakota – After Promising to Replace, Did Lawmakers Deliver on IM22?
Sioux Falls Argus Leader – Dana Ferguson | Published: 3/11/2017
Citing flaws and objections to parts of the voter-backed Initiated Measure 22 (IM22), South Dakota legislators vowed to repeal and replace the ethics reform law with bills to address the concerns of voters who supported the expansive ballot measure. The Legislature followed through, passing eight bills aimed at creating lobbyist restrictions, allowing for investigation of wrongdoing in state government, and requiring more disclosure in campaign finance. But it did not approve a public campaign finance program, set lower contribution limits, or rule out certain gifts from lobbyists. And the bills aimed at filling the void left by IM22 received mixed reviews in Pierre as lawmakers ended the main part of the legislative session.
Texas – Texas Congressional Maps Are Struck Down for Discrimination
New York Times – Manny Fernandez | Published: 3/11/2017
A panel of federal judges ruled that Texas’s Republican-led Legislature gerrymandered some of the state’s congressional districts to stunt the growing influence of minority voters. The decision invalidated three congressional districts in south and west Texas and in the Austin area. Although a remedy was not prescribed, redrawing the districts will probably aid Latino and Democratic voters. The congressional redistricting plan was drawn by the Legislature in 2011, the same year a voter ID law was passed that a federal appeals court ultimately found discriminates against minorities. The combination of rulings could lead to Texas being required to have election changes approved in advance by federal officials. It and other states were freed from that requirement by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2013.
Virginia – Virginia Lawmakers Are Accepting Drastically Fewer Gifts in Post-McDonnell Era, Data Shows
The Virginian-Pilot – Will Houp | Published: 3/9/2017
Both political parties in Virginia have drastically reduced what gifts they accept or report over the past three years. Lawmakers received $15,520 worth from May to October 2016, a 60 percent drop from that same six-month span in 2015. The average gift last year was $131; it was $195 two years ago. After former Gov. Bob McDonnell was convicted in 2014 on multiple counts of public corruption, lawmakers placed new limits on the value of gifts they can accept. And despite the U.S. Supreme Court overturning McDonnell’s conviction last year, many legislators are reluctant to accept anything that reaches the $50 threshold needed to report it.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
March 16, 2017 •
New Mexico Legislature Approves Independent Ethics Commission Bill
A bill creating an independent ethics commission has been approved by the New Mexico legislature. House Joint Resolution 8 (HJR 8) seeks to amend the state constitution and establish a state ethics commission. The ethics commission would oversee complaints against […]
A bill creating an independent ethics commission has been approved by the New Mexico legislature.
House Joint Resolution 8 (HJR 8) seeks to amend the state constitution and establish a state ethics commission.
The ethics commission would oversee complaints against public officials, both in the legislative and executive branches, as well as lobbyist and government contractors.
The proposed amendment will be placed on the 2018 general election ballot for voter approval.
March 16, 2017 •
Nunavut Lawmakers Adjourn for the Season
On March 14, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut adjourned its 2017 Winter Sitting. Bills considered by lawmakers included amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, the Inuit Language Protection Act, and the Human Rights Act. The Assembly meets each year for […]
On March 14, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut adjourned its 2017 Winter Sitting.
Bills considered by lawmakers included amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, the Inuit Language Protection Act, and the Human Rights Act.
The Assembly meets each year for a Winter Sitting, a Spring Sitting, and a Fall Sitting in October.
The legislature will reconvene for its Spring Sitting on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at 1:30 p.m.
March 16, 2017 •
Oklahoma Senate Sanctions Legislator Charged with Child Prostitution
Oklahoma Sen. Ralph Shortey has been charged with engaging in child prostitution, transporting a minor for prostitution, and engaging in prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church. Police found him inside a motel room with a 17-year-old boy. The Oklahoma […]
Oklahoma Sen. Ralph Shortey has been charged with engaging in child prostitution, transporting a minor for prostitution, and engaging in prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church. Police found him inside a motel room with a 17-year-old boy.
The Oklahoma Senate imposed sanctions on Shortey, accusing him of disorderly behavior.
The sanctions remove him from membership in and leadership of legislative committees, prohibits him from occupying his office or parking space, eliminates his expense allowance, prevents him from authoring any bills, and removes his right to an executive assistant.
The legislative body also reserved the right to take further action if, and when, additional facts are made available.
March 16, 2017 •
Beverlye Brady Appointed to Alabama Ethics Commission
Beverlye Brady has been appointed to the Alabama Ethics Commission by Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey. Brady, a practicing attorney with more than 30 years of experience, was a founding member of the Lee county Indigent Defense Commission. Brady’s term is […]
Beverlye Brady has been appointed to the Alabama Ethics Commission by Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey.
Brady, a practicing attorney with more than 30 years of experience, was a founding member of the Lee county Indigent Defense Commission.
Brady’s term is effective immediately and will expire on August 31, 2021.
March 16, 2017 •
Thursday’s Government Relations and Ethics News
Lobbying “Lobbyists Scramble for Access in Trump Era” by Megan Wilson for The Hill Missouri: “Missouri House Votes for Local Lobbyist Gift Ban” by Associated Press for Southeast Missourian Campaign Finance Kentucky: “Lawmakers Approve Flurry of Bills as End of […]
Lobbying
“Lobbyists Scramble for Access in Trump Era” by Megan Wilson for The Hill
Missouri: “Missouri House Votes for Local Lobbyist Gift Ban” by Associated Press for Southeast Missourian
Campaign Finance
Kentucky: “Lawmakers Approve Flurry of Bills as End of Legislative Session Looms” by Daniel Desrochers and Jack Brammer for Lexington Herald-Leader
New Mexico: “Legislature Passes Campaign Finance Reform Years in The Making” by Sandra Fish for New Mexico In Depth
Ethics
“The Onion Struggles to Lampoon Trump” by Charles Bethea for New Yorker
“‘People Are Scared’: Paranoia seizes Trump’s White House” by Alex Isenstadt and Kenneth Vogel for Politico
“Trump-Era Republicans Unleash String of Inflammatory Comments” by Elise Viebeck for Washington Post
“Admiral, Seven Others Charged with Corruption in New ‘Fat Leonard’ Indictment” by Craig Whitlock for Washington Post
California: “OC Gets Its First Ethics Director, But No Recruitment Yet for Commission” by Nick Gerda for Voice of OC
Elections
“Prerequisite for Key White House Posts: Loyalty, not experience” by Sharon LaFraniere, Nicholas Confessore, and Jesse Drucker for New York Times
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