The 98th General Assembly adjourned Friday, May 13.

Although ethics reform was a top priority this session, lawmakers fell short of passing bills creating political contribution limits or prohibiting lobbyist gifts. The Legislature did approve a 6-month waiting period for public officials seeking to become lobbyists as well as prohibit legislators from serving as paid political consultants.

Both houses stand adjourned until Wednesday, May 25. They will convene for a technical session and then adjourn sine die on May 30 pursuant to constitutional mandate.

Elections Division Administrator Michael Haas has been selected to serve as the Administrator of the new Wisconsin Elections Commission. His 4-year term begins on Thursday, June 30. Haas currently supervises and has a strong working relationship with the staff who will transfer from Government Accountability Board to the Elections Commission. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation in 2017.

The State Board of Elections has proposed new pay-to-play disclosure rules and regulations.

The board seeks to align current rules with the recent legislative change requiring business entities to disclose contributions of certain subsidiaries, even if those subsidiaries do not have contracts with the state. In addition, the new regulations would increase the amount of time a vendor has to file the initial contribution disclosure form and would clarify internal disclosure obligations and processes for vendor employees and CEOs under current state law.

The proposed rules and regulations remain open for public comment through May 30, 2016.

National:

Conservatives Accuse Facebook of Political Bias
New York Times – John Hermann and Mike Isaac | Published: 5/9/2016

Facebook denied allegations from former workers who said the social media site suppressed news about conservative issues on its popular “trending” news feature. The website Gizmodo published a report that included allegations from unnamed former Facebook “news curators” who said employees prevented stories about the Conservative Political Action Conference, as well as stories about Mitt Romney, Rand Paul, and other conservative issues from appearing in the section, “even though they were organically trending among the site’s users.” The back-and-forth highlights the extent to which Facebook has now muscled its way into America’s political conversation, and the risks the company faces as it becomes a central force in news production and consumption.

Lobbying Groups Descend on Battleground States
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/11/2016

With few chances left for face-to-face advocacy in Washington, D.C. as federal lawmakers campaign for re-election, lobbyists are turning to their election-year playbook, which includes heavy spending on targeted advertising in battleground states. Those efforts are more important than ever before, lobbyists say, due to the unpredictability of a presidential race featuring presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. “[State-level advocacy is] a time-honored tradition, and this is the usual time, but there is still so much uncertainty,” said Bruce Haynes, a founding partner at Purple Strategies. “You may need more allies than you’ve ever had when you just don’t know which way the wind is going to blow.”

Women’s Rising Influence in Politics, Tinted Green
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 5/7/2016

Female campaign donors in both parties have described cultural and economic changes that were driving their increased participation in political giving, long among the most exclusive men’s clubs in American culture. More women are founding their own companies or rising to lead family businesses, or have already sold or retired from them, a common springboard to the upper reaches of campaign fundraising. Within marriages, they said, women now had more authority to steer family decisions about political contributions. The increase is especially pronounced on the left, with the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton galvanizing female donors.

Federal:

Hillary Clinton, the First ‘E.T. Candidate,’ Has U.F.O. Fans in Thrall
New York Times – Amy Chozick | Published: 5/10/2016

Known for her grasp of policy details, Hillary Clinton has spoken at length in her presidential campaign on topics ranging from Alzheimer’s research to military tensions in the South China Sea. But it is her unusual knowledge about extraterrestrials that has struck a small but committed cohort of voters. Clinton has vowed that barring any threats to national security, she would open up government files on the subject, a shift from President Obama, who typically dismisses the topic as a joke. Her position has elated UFO enthusiasts, who have declared Clinton the first “E.T. candidate.”

Lobbyists Struggle with Trump Reality
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/6/2016

Republican lobbyists in Washington, D.C. are struggling to come to grips with the possibility of a Donald Trump presidency. Much of the GOP crowd on K Street – lobbyists, consultants, and public relations operatives – built their careers working for so-called establishment politicians. Some who spoke with The Hill mentioned that many lobbyists uneasy about whether to support Trump will just shift back to what they know: Congress. Deciding not to participate in the White House race could free up extra resources to ensure Republicans stay in control of the House and Senate, as the party is set to have to defend a large number of seats in the upper chamber. “K Street is worried about the dominos falling below the presidential race,” said Tom Korologos, a strategic advisor for DLA Piper.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Chief Justice’s Suspension Adds to Alabama’s Political Mess
Santa Cruz Sentinel – Jay Reeves (Associated Press) | Published: 5/7/2016

Three top elected officials in Alabama are embroiled in scandal or facing removal from office while a former governor serves time in federal prison on a corruption conviction. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was suspended from his job and faces possible ouster over his attempts to block gay marriage following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Fellow Republicans tried to remove Gov. Robert Bentley by impeachment over a sexually charged scandal involving a top political aide, and an investigation continues. House Speaker Mike Hubbard awaits a state trial on 23 felony ethics counts. If convicted, Hubbard could join imprisoned former Gov. Don Siegelman, who was convicted on federal influence-peddling charges.

Arizona – Legislature Approves Bills Amending Campaign Finance Laws
ABC15; Associated Press –   | Published: 5/7/2016

The Arizona Legislature adopted a measure to reinsert criminal penalties that were left out of a sweeping campaign finance bill that was signed by the governor. Among the changes are provisions that make it illegal for individuals to contribute in the name of another person and prevent candidates from donating to one another. House Bill 2297 now moves to the governor’s desk beside a second measure that borrowed language from the same campaign finance rewrite to relax rules on anonymous political spending ahead of the August primary election. The amendment on House Bill 2296 cedes regulation of “dark money” and other nonprofit groups to the IRS, essentially doubling the amount these groups can spend on ballot measures.

California – California Senate Suspends Lobbyist Fundraising Restrictions
Monterey County Herald – Jonathan Cooper (Associated Press) | Published: 5/12/2016

The California Senate voted to remove a fundraising blackout period instituted in the wake of a corruption scandal two years ago. The Senate reversed the ban on members raising money from lobbyist employers during final budget negotiations and the last month of session, a time when lawmakers are typically voting on hundreds of bills. Because the restrictions were only in the Senate’s internal rules, not state law, they are not subject to approval by the Assembly or the governor and take effect immediately.

Kentucky – Kentucky’s Two Most Recent Governors Are Feuding, and It’s Ugly and Very Public, Too
U.S. News & World Report – Adam Beam (Associated Press) | Published: 5/10/2016

While peaceful transitions of power are a longstanding U.S. tradition, the handoff in Kentucky from Steve Beshear to Matt Bevin has been ugly. The spat has intensified so much that Beshear has taken the extraordinary step of starting a nonprofit group that is paying for ads critical of Bevin and his policies. Bevin, in turn, has launched an investigation of the Beshear administration, using a state law granting him subpoena power and public money to hire a private law firm to determine if the ex-governor violated state ethics and procurement laws.

Missouri – Missouri House and Senate Can’t Agree on Banning Lobbyist Gifts
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 5/12/2016

A compromise that would ban gifts to Missouri lawmakers except for lobbyist-funded meals – which would be capped at $40 a day, per lobbyist – got bogged down in the state Senate. But even though the 2016 legislative session ends May 13 at six p.m., the House is not ready to give up the fight. Republicans in that chamber plan to attach a lobbyist gift ban as an amendment to numerous Senate bills in an effort to force senators to deal with the issue.

New York – Dean Skelos Is Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison in Corruption Case
New York Times – Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Yee | Published: 5/12/2016

Former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was sentenced to five years in prison, making him the second former state lawmaker in recent days to be given time behind bars for public corruption. The judge also sentenced his son, Adam Skelos, to six-and-one-half years in prison following their convictions on charges of extortion, fraud, and bribe solicitation. Prosecutors said Dean Skelos used his public position to obtain jobs and payments for his son with companies that had business before the state. Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a separate corruption case. The sentences conclude an extraordinary chapter during which two trials held a block apart at almost the same time exposed a culture of kickbacks and secret deals in Albany.

Pennsylvania – Behind the Scenes of an Intricate FBI Sting
Philadelphia Inquirer – Mark Fazlollah, Craig McCoy, and Angeles Couloumbis | Published: 5/7/2016

Records and interviews suggest the FBI sting that ensnared lobbyist John Estey could become the most complex and far-reaching corruption investigation in Harrisburg in a decade. Along with Estey, the probe already trapped former state Treasurer Rob McCord, who has agreed to cooperate in return for leniency and secretly recorded his conversations, according to sources. Federal prosecutors have declined to discuss details of an investigation they only broadly describe as focused on “lobbying in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.”

South Carolina – State Lawmaker Lived at Contributor’s Half-Million-Dollar Property, Ducks Questions
Charleston Post & Courier – David Slade | Published: 5/7/2016

South Carolina Rep. Brian White and his wife sold their modest ranch home for $150,000 and moved to a nearly 3,900-square-foot house more than seven acres with a pool. The $500,000 property was owned by Bradley and Brian Moorhouse, brothers who are both nursing home administrators for National Healthcare Corp., White’s largest corporate source of campaign donations. The White family lived there as tenants for at least five years, paying an undisclosed amount of rent while Brian White collected campaign donations from his landlords and executives with their company. During that time, White chaired a House subcommittee overseeing the state’s health care spending and policies, including those affecting the nursing home industry.

Washington – ‘End Yourselves’: Councilwomen threatened after voting against Seattle’s NBA arena
Washington Post – Stephanie Kuzydym | Published: 5/11/2016

The five female members of the Seattle City Council who provided the votes to defeat a plan to build a new arena to lure a team from the National Basketball Association have received ugly hate mail and threats from disappointed sports fans. Councilperson Lorena González said her personal and private social-media accounts and email were flooded with vitriolic messages. “What was concerning to me about this is I never came into this position with the expectation that I’d be told to kill myself or that I deserve sexual violence,” González said.

Wisconsin – Kevin Kennedy Stepping Down as Head of Embattled Elections, Ethics Board
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 5/10/2016

Wisconsin’s longtime chief elections official, Kevin Kennedy, is retiring on June 29. That is the day before the Government Accountability Board (GAB) he heads is scheduled to be dissolved and reconstituted as two separate commissions. Lawmakers created the GAB in response to a scandal in which lawmakers were convicted of campaigning using state resources. But Republicans came to despise the board, in large part because it participated in an investigation that looked into whether Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign collaborated with conservative groups. Lawmakers last year voted to disband the GAB.

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.

The California Senate voted to reverse the ban on members raising money from lobbyist employers during budget negotiations.

The ban would have gone into effect upon the Governor’s release of the revised budget, which is set for May 13.

The reversal of this rule comes amid an election year where many members of the Senate are running for reelection.

On May 10, 2016, legislation was introduced in both the Rhode Island House and Senate calling for a voter-approved amendment to the state’s constitution granting more power to the Ethics Commission.

House Joint Resolution 8189, introduced by House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, and Senate Joint Resolution 2953, introduced by Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, grant the Ethics Commission power to prosecute ethics violations by lawmakers. Currently they are exempt from the Ethics Commission’s authority. The matching resolutions also prohibit the acceptance of complaints and initiation of investigations alleging a violation of the code of ethics by a candidate during the period beginning on the first day of declarations of candidacy for the office sought by the candidate and ending the day after the election for that office during the same year.

If approved by voters, the law would take effect on January 3, 2017.

The second regular session of the 70th Colorado General Assembly adjourned on Wednesday, May 11.

An expansion of state liquor laws and a bill allowing out-of-state investors to own marijuana shops were some of the measures approved just prior to adjournment.

The first regular session of the 71st General Assembly will convene on January 11, 2017.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther signed Executive Order 2016-01 on Tuesday, May 10, establishing ethics guidelines for public officials.

Effective immediately, public officials and employees may not solicit or accept gifts or employment from anyone doing business with the city. They also must wait at least one year after leaving public service before representing any person or entity before a department, board, or commission with respect to a matter they personally participated in while serving with the city.

Designated officials and employees must also file financial disclosure statements each year. The statements must include a description of each gift, or aggregate of gifts, exceeding $75 from certain sources during the previous calendar year.

Ginther believes the order will help to improve public opinion of City Hall.

Lobbying

“Lobbying Groups Descend on Battleground States” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Arizona: “Lobbying Complaint Filed against Former Arizona Lawmaker” by Staff for Arizona Business Daily

New York: “Court Is Asked to Compel de Blasio Nonprofit to Heed Subpoena” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

Campaign Finance

New York: “LLC Loophole Bill Moves to Senate Codes as Backers Push for Floor Vote” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union

Texas: “Nifty or Shifty: A campaign finance quiz” by Lauren Flannery for Texas Tribune

Ethics

Pennsylvania: “U.S. Charges State Sen. Farnese with Bribery” by Chris Brennan and Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Rhode Island: “Mattiello, Paiva Weed Back R.I. Ethics Bill” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Elections

“Trump vs. the Disappearing Tie” by Vanessa Friedman for New York Times

“How Many People Support Trump but Don’t Want to Admit It?” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Kevin Kennedy, director of the Government Accountability Board (GAB), will retire June 29, just before the agency is replaced by two new commissions.

Kennedy was the director of the state Elections Board prior to serving as director of the GAB, and has presided over state elections for the last 37 years.

GAB will be replaced by an ethics commission and an elections commission on June 30. While the new commissions will be partisan, the Republicans who backed the change argue it will be fair because each party will have equal representation.

California Gov. Jerry Brown will release his revised 2016-17 budget proposal on Friday, May 13, 2016.

The release of the revised budget triggers a ban on contributions to members of the Senate from the date the proposed revised budget is released until the date of enactment of a budget bill for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

The constitutional deadline for the Legislature to pass a budget bill is June 15th.

Campaign Finance

“Donald Trump, in Switch, Turns to Republican Party for Fund-Raising Help” by Maggie Haberman, Ashley Parker, and Nick Corasaniti for New York Times

California: “Company Donates Free Billboards to Englander as L.A. Weighs New Sign Regulations” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

California: “‘I Have, in Fact, Done the Crime’: Rep. Ami Bera’s father admits illegal campaign contributions” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania: “Allentown Engineer’s Plea in FBI Probe Revealed” by Emily Opilo and Peter Hall for Morning Call

Ethics

“Conservatives Accuse Facebook of Political Bias” by John Herrman and Mike Isaac for New York Times

“Senior Gray Advisor Sentenced to Six Months for 2010 Mayoral ‘Shadow’ Campaign” by Spencer Hsu and Ann Marimow for Washington Post

Kentucky: “Kentucky’s Two Most Recent Governors Are Feuding, and It’s Ugly and Very Public, Too” by Adam Beam (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

Wisconsin: “Kevin Kennedy Stepping Down as Head of Embattled Elections, Ethics Board” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Elections

“Our Fictional Pundit Predicted More Correct Primary Results Than Nate Silver Did” by Virgil Texas for Washington Post

“Hillary Clinton Gives U.F.O. Buffs Hope She Will Open the X-Files” by Amy Chozick for New York Times

“Sanders, Trump Easily Win West Virginia Primary; Trump Picks Up Nebraska Too” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post 

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced a special legislative session set to begin Monday, May 16. The session is needed to enact the 2016-2017 budget.

The regular session adjourned March 15 without passing a budget bill. The state faces a potential government shutdown if a budget is not approved before July 1.

The Elections Committee approved a bill to reduce the corporate contribution limit from $5,000 to $1,000 per year and to close a loophole permitting political contributions from limited liability companies. Senate Bill 60, introduced by Sen. Daniel Squadron in 2015, passed the committee this week, while a parallel bill was being passed in the Assembly.

In response to recent political scandals across the state, those supporting the bill are calling for an up-or-down Senate vote by the end of the legislative session.