Lobbying

“Lobby shop hires former Obama campaign staffer” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Massachusetts: “Fmr Sen. Brian Lees to join lobbying firm of former rival” by Andy Metzger on WWLP News.

Campaign Finance

“EMILY’S List Raises Almost $10 Million For Women Candidates” by Kent Cooper in Roll Call.

Missouri: “Significant campaign donor challenges proposed Mo. ballot measure seeking to cap contributions” by The Associated Press in the Daily Journal.

Virginia: “Pro-Cuccinelli PAC gets $500,000 donation from New York hedge fund executive” by Ben Pershing in The Washington Post.

Ethics

Illinois: “Jesse Jackson Jr. to be sentenced in D.C.” by The Associated Press on ABC7 News.

New York: “Ethics panel survey launched” by Rick Karlin in the Albany Times Union.

New York: “Cuomo real estate donors among Moreland subpoena targets” by Jimmy Vielkind in the Albany Times Union.

Texas: “Biggest Ethics Reforms Died on Governor’s Desk” by Ross Ramsey and Todd Wiseman in the Texas Tribune.

Utah: “House looks to hire investigators for Swallow probe” by Robert Gehrke in The Salt Lake Tribune.

Virginia: “Governor has returned ‘tangible’ gifts, legal team says” by Olympia Meola in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Elections

“E-Voting: It May Be a While” by Ed Smith in NCSL’s The Thicket.

Procurement

“Small Businesses Scrambling More for Federal Contracts” by Charles S. Clark in Government Executive.

Redistricting

Alabama: “Testimony concludes in lawsuit challenging legislative districts” by The Associated Press in The Birmingham News.

Alaska: “State Dem party sues over redistricting map” by The Associated Press in the Anchorage Daily News.

From the State Legislatures

Minnesota: “Dayton: No limits, no special session” by Baird Helgeson in the Star Tribune.

Campaign Finance

“Sandra Day O’Connor Tells NCSL Legislative Summit Money Poses Biggest Risk to Fair Courts” by Mary Winter on NCSL’s The Thicket.

Connecticut: “Donovan campaign aide asks for probation” by Michael P. Mayko in the Connecticut Post.

Delaware: “AG Biden won’t investigate donation of improper campaign contributions” by Jonathan Starkey in The News Journal.

District of Columbia: “Ex-Campaign Aide to D.C. Mayor Gray to Plead Guilty” by The Associated Press on WNEW CBS News.

District of Columbia: “Thies: Are Shadow Campaigns Stealing D.C. Elections?” by Churck Thies on NBC4 Washington News.

New York: “100 years ago, a NY governor was impeached” by Joseph Spector in the Star-Gazette.

Ethics

“FEC signs off on Progress Kentucky closing” by Byron Tau on Politico.

From the State Legislatures

“The coming war over voting rights” by Tal Kopan in Politico.

Oklahoma: “Governor orders special legislative session” in Tulsa World.

Procurement

“A New App Takes Government Contracting Mobile” by Joseph Marks in NextGov.

Redistricting

Arizona: “2020 Redistricting? The Arizona GOP Is ON IT” by Abby Livingston in Roll Call.

Team State and Federal Communications is attending National Conference of State Legislatures 2013 National Summit. You’ll find us at Booth #921. Come by and say hello!

Gov. Pat McCrory signed a controversial bill into law and it will change how lobbyists are able to bundle contributions. McCrory signed House Bill 589 into law Monday. McCrory eschewed a typical signing ceremony and instead announced his approval with a 95-second YouTube clip. The bill, which has been heavily criticized by voter’s rights groups, will require, among other things, voters to show identification at the polls starting with the 2016 elections.

McCrory, in his YouTube clip said, “North Carolinians overwhelmingly support a common sense law that requires voters to present photo identification in order to cast a ballot. I am proud to sign this legislation into law. Common practices like boarding an airplane and purchasing Sudafed require photo ID and we should expect nothing less for the protection of our right to vote.”

The bill also makes it illegal for lobbyists to collect checks from one or multiple donors and deliver them to state candidates. Previously, only collecting checks from multiple donors and delivering them to a state candidate was illegal. However, under the new law, collecting a single check from one donor and delivering it to a state candidate is not allowed either. This provision of the law will go into effect on October 1.

Lobbying

“Many ex-governors work as lobbyists, consultants” by Fredreka Schouten in USA Today.

“Twitter joins Washington’s influence economy, forms PAC” by Cecilia Kang in The Washington Post.

“Twitter seeks clout with Washington lobbyist” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

Florida: “Lobbyists settle case with Miami-Dade ethics commission” by Brittny C. Valdes in the Miami Herald.

Indiana: “Revolving door: Indiana official considered as lobbyist” by Tom LoBianco (Associated Press) in the Journal and Courier.

Indiana: “More making jump to lobbying without cooling-off period” by The Associated Press in the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Pennsylvania: “Lobbyists fight state fee increase” by Kate Giammarise  in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Wisconsin: “Money & Politics: Unions sapped, other lobbying strong” by Bill Leuders in the Herald Times Reporter.

Campaign Finance

“Citizens United ‘Dark Money’ Could Be Revealed By States, NYC Public Advocate Report Finds” by Michael McAuliff in the Huffington Post.

“Alabama GOP donor challenges limits” by Mary Orndorff Troyan in USA Today.

Delaware: “Delaware developer faces campaign finance charges” by The Associated Press in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Michigan: “Campaign funds don’t all add up for state Treasurer Andy Dillon” by Paul Egan in the Detroit Free Press.

Ohio: “Cleveland Heights vs. Citizens United in November” by M.L. Schultze on WKSU News.

Virginia: “GOP’s Jackson omits in-kind flight donation from title lender from campaign finance reports” by The Associated Press in The Washington Post.

Ethics

Texas: “Texas Ethics Commission lowers record $100K fine against top criminal court judge to $25K” by The Associated Press in The Daily Journal.

Virginia: “Conflicts emerge as hurdles for Cuccinelli’s run” by Jim Nolan Richmond Times-Dispatch.

From the State Legislatures

California: “California Legislature faces raft of bills on volatile issues” by Melanie Mason and Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times.

Ohio: “Lawmakers weigh voting-related bills” by Jim Provance in the Toledo Blade.

Pennsylvania: “Another bill to cut Pennsylvania’s General Assembly being offered” by Brad Bumsted in the Tribune-Review.

Redistricting

“Attorneys deny claims in Alaska redistricting challenge” by The Associated Press in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

Government Tech and Social Media

“White House Unveils CIO Council 2.0” by Joseph Marks in NextGov.

“How Lawmakers Spent Their Summer Vacation” by Roll Call on Pinterest.

New York: “New York City Looks to Technology to Grow Voter Turnout” by Miranda Neubauer in TechPresident.

Gov. Mark Dayton has been talking about a special session for about two weeks and it seems like that thought is now close to becoming a reality. Going against what he has been saying for those two weeks, Governor Dayton said he was open to expanding the agenda of the special session. Until Thursday, Dayton has been maintaining the special session be limited to providing relief to those areas of the state hit hard by severe storms in June.

Republicans have been asking for a repeal of the warehouse tax and both parties have wanted to fix a tax on repairs to farming equipment. On Thursday, Dayton called the farm equipment tax “the biggest mistake” of this past year’s session and it needed to be addressed in a special session. He still has no plans to address the warehouse tax, which will not go into effect until April 2014.

Dayton has maintained the Legislature can deal with the issue when it comes back to St. Paul in February. The date for the special session has been tentatively set for September 9. However, Dayton wants assurances from the Republicans the session will be limited to one day.

Even though Democrats control both houses of the Legislature, they need Republican support to suspend rules and limit the session to just one day. Without that support, the session could last a few days and could feature debate on any topic.

Voters in Polk County will be heading to the polls this October to elect a new representative in the State House. State Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced he will resign his seat effective Thursday to accept a position in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

Gov. Terry Branstad announced the special election to replace McCarthy will take place on October 22.

McCarthy, a Democrat, was first elected in November 2002 to lead House District 33 and during his time in office served four years as the House majority leader. Two Democrats have already thrown their hats into the ring to replace McCarthy; Joe Henry, an advocate for union workers, and Karl Schilling, a long-time member of Iowa Civil Rights Commission. More people are expected to enter the race before the parties hold their nominating conventions.

Team State and Federal Communications is on its way to the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit in Atlanta, Georgia! We are looking forward to a full schedule of NCSL and SGAC events.

If you are attending the exciting conference, be sure to say hello at our NCSL headquarters, Booth 921. If you are not attending, keep an eye on our NCSL page for our live webcam.

A special election for the Massachusetts Second Hampden and Hampshire Senate District has been called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of state Senator Michael R. Knapik.

The office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the special primary election will be held on October 8, 2013. The special general election will follow on November 5.

Knapik resigned from the Senate to work as executive director of University Admissions at Westfield State University.

A special election for the Louisiana 5th U.S. Congressional District has been called to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Rep. Rodney Alexander.

The special election will be held on October 19, 2013. If necessary, a runoff election will be held on November 16, 2013.

Alexander’s resignation, effective September 26, will allow him to become Louisiana secretary of veterans affairs.

Federal:

All the D.C. Donors, Now Put Your Checks Up

Politico – Byron Tau | Published: 8/3/2013

Campaign fundraising in Washington, D.C. has moved from staid receptions to high-profile concerts and sporting events. Most often, these events take place in a rented skybox at the Verizon Center paid for by a corporate PAC or a congressional campaign. Fundraising professionals say pairing a campaign fundraiser with a big event like a Beyoncé concert helps attract more attention from potential donors and ultimately brings in bigger contributions.

Republican Says E-mails Could Mean FEC-IRS Collusion

CNN – Dana Bash and Alan Silverleib | Published: 8/6/2013

FEC Vice Chairperson Donald McGahn said an investigator from his agency contacted Lois Lerner, the IRS employee at the center of the controversy over the alleged targeting of conservative groups. He said the contact was made to discuss the status of one such political advocacy group. Shortly after Lerner was contacted, the IRS sent a questionnaire to the American Future Fund, said McGahn. He said such contact was “probably out of the ordinary” and FEC members had not given staff permission to reach out to the IRS.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – L.A. County Won’t Sell Bonds to School Bond Campaign Donors

Los Angeles Times – Dan Weikel | Published: 8/6/2013

Los Angeles County Treasurer Mark Saladino said his office will no longer do business with securities brokers that make political contributions to school bond campaigns. The restriction applies to monetary donations, non-monetary contributions, and pre-election services, such as polling, voter outreach, and consulting.

Connecticut – Bills May Die, but Concepts Don’t

CTNewsJunkie.com – Hugh McQuaid | Published: 8/7/2013

Connecticut’s Legislative Research Office found at least 89 provisions that began this year in one bill, only to be signed into law under another. The number comes from an annual bill tracking report the office puts together after each legislative session. It documents instances when a concept became law in a manner other than the traditional legislative process.

Florida – Miami Lakes and Sweetwater Mayors ‘Stung’ by FBI for Taking Alleged Kickbacks

Miami Herald – Jay Weaver, Christina Veiga, and Joey Flecha | Published: 8/6/2013

The FBI arrested Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi and Sweetwater Mayor Manuel Maroño on bribery-related charges. Prosecutors said Pizzi and lobbyist Richard Candia were involved in a kickback and bribery scheme over federal grants in Miami Lakes and Medley, where Pizzi is town attorney. An indictment claims Maroño and lobbyist Jorge Forte were involved in a kickback and bribery scheme over grants for Sweetwater, where Maroño has been mayor since 2003.

Massachusetts – Galvin Faulted on Rules for Lobbyists

Boston Globe – Michael Levenson | Published: 8/7/2013

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin was ordered to cover more than $100,000 in legal fees for a group of lobbyists who challenged his interpretation of the state’s revamped ethics laws. A judge found Galvin overstepped his authority by trying to force lobbyists to report every time they spoke to a legislator or state official, even casual, chance meetings.

New Hampshire – Ethics Committee: Special E-ZPasses don’t violate gift limits for N.H. lawmakers

Concord Monitor – Ben Leubsdorf | Published: 8/5/2013

E-ZPasses given to New Hampshire lawmakers do not violate ethics rules. Rep. Frank Sapareto had asked the Legislative Ethics Committee if they counted as a perk with a value in excess of the $25 limit on gifts to legislators.

New York – Citing Irregularities, City Board Rejects Public Money for Liu’s Campaign

New York Times – David Chen | Published: 8/5/2013

New York City Comptroller John Liu was denied about $3 million in public matching funds in his bid for the Democratic mayoral nomination after the Campaign Finance Board said it found evidence of possible “serious and pervasive” violations. In May, Liu’s former campaign treasurer and a fundraiser were convicted of trying to subvert the city’s campaign finance system with straw donors to obtain matching funds.

North Carolina – Video Shows Lawmakers Dancing on NC House Floor

WCNC – Ben Thompson | Published: 7/31/2013

A video shows a Republican lawmaker and an aide dancing on the North Carolina House floor near the end of the legislative session. One headline reads “NC House Dances with Joy over its Accomplishments,” and is accompanied by an editorial criticizing lawmakers.” The video shows a man and woman dancing, while another woman plays a fiddle. But some say the headlines and descriptions of the clip are misleading.

Oklahoma – Outdated Software Plagues Oklahoma Ethics Commission

The Oklahoman – Michael McNutt | Published: 8/3/2013

Financial information about campaigns and lobbyist spending posted on the Oklahoma Ethics Commission’s Web site is not accurate because of software glitches. Commission Executive Director Lee Slater said he will be ask lawmakers for funds next year to buy a new software system but until then, visitors to the site will have to put up with a system in which data posted by some candidates and lobbyists randomly does not show up.

South Carolina – Lobbyists Wined, Dined Lawmakers 95 Times

The State – Amanda Coyne | Published: 8/4/2013

During the 2013 legislative session, special interests hosted 95 breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, or receptions for South Carolina legislators and others. The meals and receptions regularly cost nearly $6,000 apiece. At least two held during the last legislative session cost far more, one almost $17,000 and another $20,000.

Tennessee – Nashville Lobbyist Murphy and Associates Faces Ethics Audit

The Tennessean – Chas Sisk | Published: 8/6/2013

An audit said a lobbyist receiving 10 percent of the state funding provided to the Tennessee Disability Coalition – more than $64,000 in one year – may violate a law banning lobbyist contingency fees. An attorney for lobbyist Jennifer Murphy disputes the contention and said even if the contractual arrangement was a contingency fee, it dates from 2002, four years before the prohibition was enacted as part of an ethics reform package.

Virginia – Donor Jonnie Williams, Star Scientific Are Cooperating in Probe of Gov. Robert McDonnell

Washington Post – Carol Leonnig and Rosalind Helderman | Published: 8/5/2013

Sources said Star Scientific Chief Executive Officer Jonnie Williams, Sr. has turned over personal financial records and sat for interviews in which he provided firsthand accounts of gifts and more than $120,000 given to Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell and his family members since 2011. The cooperation is an ominous sign for McDonnell, suggesting federal prosecutors are focused on trying to build a potential criminal case against him.

West Virginia – Judge Ends Cap on Contributions to Indie PACs

Charleston Gazette – Kate White | Published: 8/7/2013

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Johnston signed an order that strikes down struck down state laws limiting contributions to independent PACs. The $1,000 limit still applies to donations made directly to candidates and their campaign committees, PACs that contribute directly to candidates, and political parties.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

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A federal judge approved an order proposed by Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and a state PAC in which Tennant agreed not to enforce a law capping contributions to independent expenditure committees at $1,000.

The PAC had filed suit contesting the law, and the judge granted a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement of the law.

Tennant decided it was not in the best interests of the state to continue to fight the issue in light of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United.

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, spoke today at a luncheon hosted by the Akron Area Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The event was held at The Tangier in Akron. The title of her talk was, “Is Good Government Possible In This Environment?”

In light of the latest political scandals, Bartz covered a wide range of topics such as the dynamic between politics and journalism, the realm of political communications in the age of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, and even local politics.

Is good government possible? Bartz insisted that it is and challenged the audience to think about the importance of the simple but very powerful act of voting.

You can read a full transcript of the speech here: PRSA August 2013

Lobbying

“K Street shop on lookout for new senior Democratic lobbyist” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Illinois: “More Illinois public bodies hiring lobbyists” by The Associated Press in the Quincy Journal.

Massachusetts: “Galvin faulted on rules for lobbyists” by Michael Levinson in The Boston Globe.

Campaign Finance

Massachusetts: “Election Commission seminar set for Aug. 12” in South Coast Today.

Ohio: “Cleveland Heights campaign finance measure part of trend, group says” by Ray Jablonski in The Plain Dealer.

Virginia: “Candidates Make Honor Roll for Campaign-Filing Transparency” in the Sun Gazette.

Ethics

Florida: “Miami Lakes and Sweetwater mayors ‘stung’ by FBI for taking alleged kickbacks” by Jay Weaver, Christina Veiga and Joey Flechas in the Miami Herald.

Massachusetts: “Dan Wolf still running for governor despite ethics ruling” by Frank Phillips in The Boston Globe.

New York: “State Ethics Panel Opens an Inquiry Into a Sexual Harassment Cover-Up” by Danny Hakim in The New York Times.

New York: “Subpoenas Sent to City’s Big Landlords” by Eliot Brown and Erica Orden in The Wall Street Journal.

From Capitol Hill

“House Chamber Closed for Renovations” by Hannah Hess in Roll Call.

From the State Legislatures

Connecticut: “How a bill becomes a law in Connecticut can be a circuitous journey” by Hugh McQuaid in the New Haven Register.

Kansas: “Committee to make ‘Hard 50’ recommendations for special session” by John Hanna in the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Redistricting

“Redistricting trial set to begin” by Brian Lyman in the Montgomery Advertiser.