LobbyComply Blog

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Montana Attorney General Tim Fox and Republican legislators say that rulings made by Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl in 2017 could be challenged by those affected if the court does not have the authority to change his confirmation.

Motl was appointed as Commissioner in 2013 by Gov. Steve Bullock and confirmed by the senate to a term ending January 1, 2017. A Montana District Court determined the end of his term to have no force or effect pending a decision as to whether he should serve a full 6-year term.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Solicitor General Dale Schowengerdt said that Motl’s authority is uncertain, resulting in substantial due process concerns. Motl believes state law requires him to continue his duties until a successor is appointed.

Lobbying

Connecticut: “CT’s Largest Lobbying Firms Led by Women” by Patricia Daddona for HartfordBusiness.com

Florida: “Brevard County Commissioners Reject Lobbying Rules” by Dave Berman for Florida Today

Missouri: “Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley Announces New Ethics Policy” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Campaign Finance

California: “L.A. Politicians Propose Banning Campaign Contributions from Developers” by David Zahniser and Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times

California: “Ethics Watchdog Turns in Her Own Group” by Martin Wisckol for Orange County Register

Kentucky: “Report: Beshear officials shook down 16 workers” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

Ethics

“How a Sensational, Unverified Dossier Became a Crisis for Donald Trump” by Scott Shane, Nicholas Confessore, and Matthew Rosenberg for The New York Times

“Trump Won’t Drop Business Ties” by Josh Dawsey and Darren Samuelsohn for Politico

Maryland: “Former Md. State Del. Will Campos Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes for Official Favors” by Lynh Bui and Arelis Hernandez for The Washington Post

North Carolina: “Cooper Expands Lawsuit Over Power Struggle with Legislature” by Craig Jarvis for Raleigh News & Observer

On Tuesday, January 10, the D.C. Council introduced several bills aimed at limiting big donors’ influence and increasing transparency in campaign fundraising. Citizens have accused Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, a Democrat, of participating in pay-to-play politics.

One of the bills introduced would block contractors from city business for two years following a political contribution to a candidate or political committee.

Bill 22-0038 would increase the number of lobbying reports by requiring monthly filings. Currently, reports are due twice a year.

A Missouri ethics bill, being fast-tracked through the House, cleared committee yesterday with just three dissenting votes.

The bill would prohibit legislators from receiving certain gifts from lobbyists. Exemptions to the proposed ban would include honorary plaques, flowers and gifts customarily received by someone before they became a legislator.

The bill is just one of a handful of ethics bills on the legislative agenda. The measure could hit the House floor as early as Thursday.

Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley implemented a new ethics policy on Tuesday, January 10. His employees are now prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists.

The policy also prohibits staff from discussing business of the attorney general’s office with anyone attempting to lobby on behalf of a client, unless such person is a registered lobbyist. This includes licensed attorneys who fall within the scope of state lobbying law.

Hawley’s policy also establishes a pay-to-play provision prohibiting campaign contributions from those who have applied for or who have pending state contracts if the attorney general’s office has decision-making authority over the contract. Hawley’s ethics policy is effective immediately.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced he will send the General Assembly a package of proposals aimed at campaign finance and voter law reforms.

The campaign finance proposal will seek to ban the personal use of campaign funds and he would like to see the new voter photo identification law repealed.

Another proposal would expand absentee voting, permitting any registered voter in Virginia to vote absentee in-person starting 21 days before the election. The General Assembly convenes today to begin the 2017 session.

Yesterday, the U.S Supreme Court issued a temporary stay on a lower court order to hold special elections in November 2017 for North Carolina General Assembly seats in unconstitutionally gerrymandered districts.

The temporary stay of the lower court’s decision will remain in place until the justices decide whether to consider a previously filed appeal from state officials. If the Supreme Court hears the case and overturns the ruling, the special elections would be canceled and current districts restored for the 2018 election.

Gov. Terry Branstad called a special election for House District 89.

Democrat Jim Lykam resigned after winning the Senate District 45 seat previously held by Sen. Joe Seng, who passed away on September 16, 2016.

The special election for House District 89 will be held on January 31, 2017.

Lobbying

Colorado: “Denver Council Approves Gift-Report Rules That Require More Frequency, Better Access” by Jon Murray for Denver Post

Campaign Finance

“Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Pick, Plays Hardball with Her Wealth” by Noam Scheiber for New York Times

Alaska: “Group Appeals Lawsuit Challenging Alaska Campaign Finance Laws” by Alex DeMarban for Alaska Dispatch News

California: “How This Former Aspiring Screenwriter Became One of California’s Campaign Finance Experts After Losing His Day Job” by Christine Mai-Duc for Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania: “D.A. Candidate Donates $250,000 to Own Campaign, Triggering ‘Millionaire’s Provision’” by Jared Brey for Philadelphia Magazine

Ethics

“Trump’s Son-in-Law, Jared Kushner, to Join White House as Senior Adviser; No Formal Role for Ivanka Trump” by John Wagner and Ashley Parker for Washington Post

“House GOP Quietly Shields Lawmakers Records from Ethics Probes” by Eric Pianin (Fiscal Times) for Yahoo! Finance

Florida: “Opa-locka Politician Pleads Guilty to Bribery, as FBI Continues Corruption Probe” by Jay Weaver for Miami Herald

South Carolina: “Merrill Indictment Casts Pall Over Opening of SC Legislature” by Avery Wilks for The State

South Dakota: “Krebs Offers Package to Replace SD Ethics Initiative Under Fire” by James Nord (Associated Press) for Sioux City Journal

Tennessee: “To Combat Sexual Harassment, Tennessee Lawmakers Required to Watch 15-Minute Video” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Vermont: “Hopes High for State Ethics Panel” by Neal Goswami for Rutland Herald

Almost immediately upon being sworn in as Missouri governor, Eric Greitens issued an executive order banning lobbyist gifts to executive branch employees.

The order also establishes a revolving door provision, prohibiting gubernatorial staff from lobbying his office after leaving their positions.

At the Capitol, Republican lawmakers held a meeting yesterday to endorse a bill to expand the executive order by banning most lobbyist gifts to legislators. The actions are part of an effort to reform state ethics laws and curb government corruption.

Lobbying

“Trump Insiders Head for Big K Street Paydays” by Isaac Arnsdorf and Kenneth Vogel for Politico

Indiana: “Tighter Rules Still Not Strict Enough for Some Lawmakers” by Maureen Hayden for Batesville Herald-Tribune

Massachusetts: “City Hall Promised Lobbying Reform. Nothing Happened.” by Mark Arsenault and Andrew Ryan for Boston Globe

Missouri: “Greitens Takes Over as Missouri Governor, Targets Lobbyists” by Summer Ballentine and David Lieb (Associated Press) for Yahoo! News

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “Cashier’s Checks, $3,000 in Cash, a Consultant and a Pastor” by Dustin Gardner and Rob O’Dell for Arizona Republic

Maryland: “Democrat Tapped for State House Charged with Illegal Donations, Won’t Be Sworn In” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Pennsylvania: “Calls Turn Developers into Donors for Peduto” by Rich Lord for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ethics

“Russian Hackers Find Ready Bullhorns in the Media” by Max Fisher for New York Times

“Ethics Official Warns Against Confirmations Before Reviews Are Complete” by Ed O’Keefe and Sean Sullivan for Washington Post

“Jared Kushner, a Trump In-Law and Adviser, Chases a Chinese Deal” by Susanne Craig, Jo Becker, and Jess Drucker for New York Times

North Carolina: “Ethics Commission – Set to Become Elections Board – Secures Lawyers in Roy Cooper Lawsuit” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Political Contributions Compliance Laws for Government Relations Professionals, provides reference information on what political contribution activities are allowed, and not allowed, under various laws at every government level.

This online database has information for every jurisdiction with precise listings and summaries of each state law, contribution limits and specific prohibitions, with full descriptions of registration and reporting requirements.

Learn more about all of the Online Publications for Government Relations Professionals from State and Federal Communications, or try a free demo today to see all the ways this online publication can help you in your political contribution compliance efforts.

The Montana First Judicial District Court issued an order to let Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathon Motl stay in office until a case to extend his appointment is heard, reserving the ending date issue for determination by the Court.

A lawsuit filed last month asserts Motl, who was confirmed by the Senate in 2013, should be allowed to complete a full six-year term of service extending his appointment until June 2019. Montana Senate Republicans, who have repeatedly accused Motl of bias against them in his decisions, have introduced a resolution seeking to intervene in the case to “vigorously defend and protect in all court proceedings the legal integrity of (the) Senate’s constitutional confirmation authority.”

If the resolution passes, the Senate will assert that Motl’s term ended on January 1, 2017. A hearing is expected on the issue in early 2017.