President Barack Obama is coming to speak on August 1, 2012 at the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron. Here is a picture of our excited interns, who were waiting in line to get tickets at the center.

Lobbying

“Statehouse Live: At least 8 GOP legislators registered to attend ALEC meeting” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

Oklahoma: “Lobbyist gift-giving to Oklahoma lawmakers is up again for the third straight year” by Michael McNutt in the Oklahoman.

Campaign Finance

“Massachusetts Senate calls for Congress to pass law reversing Citizens United decision” by Robert Rizzuto in the Republican.

“Big campaign donors can remain a big secret” by Jon Murray and Mary Beth Schneider in the Indianapolis Star News.

Ethics

Alabama: “Lawmakers plan to run again as ‘double dipping’ ban looms” by Sebastian Kitchen in the Montgomery Advertiser.

Connecticut: “7 charged in Donovan probe” by Ken Dixon in the Connecticut Post.

Illinois: “Feds widen probe into newly retired South Side lawmaker” by Ray Long and Monique Garcia in the Chicago Tribune.

Illinois:  “Ex-Illinois lawmaker subpoenaed over scholarships” in the Quad-City Times.

South Carolina:  “Taxpayer bill for Haley ethics probe is $61,000” by Andrew Shain in the Charlotte Observer.

Utah: “Utah Supreme Court weighs fate of 2010 ethics initiative” by Cathy McKitrick in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Political Campaigns and Social Media

“New Site Seeks to Aggregate User-Generated Political Videos” by Miranda Neubauer in TechPresident.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced persons reporting electioneering communications must report the name and address of each donor giving $1,000 or more, aggregated since the first day of the preceding calendar year.

The application of this rule applies retroactively to March 30, 2012, coinciding with a court decision in Van Hollen v. FEC that ruled the current regulation, 11 C.F.R. 104.20(c)(9), is invalid.

Previously, donors were only required to be disclosed if their donations were “made for the purpose of furthering electioneering communications.” The FEC will now consider all donors as contributors “regardless of their subjective purpose in contributing.”

As the Commission has not adopted any new regulations or explanation of its rules, and Van Hollen v FEC is still pending, the FEC outlined this requirement in a public statement issued Friday.

Too much fun. We are proud to be a supporter United Way of Summit County, and thankful for all of the wonderful work they do!

“FEC says it will enforce nonprofit disclosure rules” by Dan Eggen in The Washington Post.

“FEC Releases Disclosure Rules” by Elahe Izadi in the National Journal’s Influence Alley.

“Outside groups may have to disclose donors” by Robin Bravender and Dave Levinthal in Politico.

Here is the Federal Election Commission’s news release.

With only three days left of the “Ready, Set, Walk” competition against the Public Affairs Council, employees at State and Federal Communications are eagerly setting aside time to increase their number of steps.

Walking with pedometers strapped to their sides, the employees of State and Federal Communications are focused on prevailing in the competition against their friendly rivals in Washington, DC.

We created a quick video as inspiration for the final three days of our challenge. Take a look!

Video produced by Joanna Kamvouris.

Governor Martin O’Malley has announced a special session of the general assembly. The session, scheduled to begin August 9, 2012, is for the purpose of considering a new casino in Prince George’s County and table games at the state’s five other slots locations.

If approved by the Legislature, the gambling expansion would also need voter approval. Proponents hope to pass legislation in time for the issue to appear on this November’s ballot.

Photo of Governor Martin O’Malley by Jay Baker in Wikipedia.

Federal:

IRS Says It Will Examine Rules for Nonprofit Political Activity

Lawyers Raking in Cash as Campaign Spending Hits Records

Millionaire Political Donors Club: Where are the women?

From the States and Municipalities:

California

San Bernardino County: Campaign finance reform boosted by bill

Connecticut

Campaign Money Scandal Rattles Congressional Race

Georgia

Governor Admits to Ethics Violations

Nevada

Americans for Prosperity May Have Opened Donors to Public Scrutiny by Entering State Race

Pennsylvania

Pa.’s Tough, New Voter ID Law Lands in Court

Pennsylvania

SEPTA Says It Didn’t Think It Had to Report Lobbyist Spending

Utah

ALEC Conservatives Reject Charges of Corporate Cronyism

Vermont

Vermont AG: No limits for independent expenditure PACs

Wisconsin

Prosser Converts Campaign Account to Legal Defense Fund

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.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

Here is a video clip of C-Span’s Brian Lamb interviewing Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who discussed the Citizens United decision.

For the full story , be sure to read “Scalia Defends ‘Citizens United,’ Arizona Immigration Decision” by Tony Mauro in The Blog of LegalTimes.

You’ll find more of the coverage in the press here:

“Scalia: ‘We get clobbered by the press’” by Dylan Byers in Politico.

“Scalia Unconcerned About Money in Politics; People Aren’t ‘Sheep’” by Ariane de Vogue on ABC News.

“Scalia Defends Decision in Citizens United” on Capitol Correspondent.

“Justice Scalia downplays reports of discord on court” by Mark Sherman in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Social media is constantly changing the way people communicate and receive information in today’s society. Through an organization of public relations professionals, the managing editor of Fox 8 spoke at a local event about news coverage in the Akron area.

The Public Relations Society of America hosted a luncheon at the Martin University Center to discuss the launching of a new Fox 8 bureau on the Akron University campus. Managing editor Toni Garbo addressed the audience about local news coverage involving social media and new technology.

Social Media Coordinator Joe May of State and Federal Communications, along with the company interns, attended the event to better understand the importance of accurate news coverage and communication. Garbo addressed topics including the significance of informative press release headlines and the value of objectivity in the field of journalism, especially now that Fox 8 is inaugurating a bureau on the university campus.

Garbo allowed the audience to ask questions during her presentation, and the interns had a chance to hear different perspectives and learn how Fox 8 will provide new opportunities for communications students at the University of Akron.

By attending local events, the interns at State and Federal Communications are learning the importance of social networking and becoming involved with issues in the Akron community.

Hollywood’s new lobbyist ordinance takes effect August 1, 2012. Lobbyist registrations now expire yearly, and will be effective from August 1 to July 31 of the following year. All current lobbyist registrations will expire July 31, 2012, and a new registration statement must be filed.

There will also be an annual registration fee of $50 for each principal or client identified on the registration statement, except for those principals or clients that do not compensate the lobbyist for lobbying. Lobbyists who do not receive compensation are now required to register.

The city clerk will also offer electronic filing of lobbyist registrations beginning August 1.

Attorney General William Sorrell has issued a statement that his office will not enforce the $2,000 contribution limit on PACs that only make independent expenditures. The statement comes after a request for clarification from Secretary of State Jim Condos regarding the federal court decision in Vermont Right to Life Committee (VRLC) v. Sorrell.

While the opinion in VRLC v. Sorrell upheld the contribution limit as applied to VRLC’s independent expenditure committee, the ruling was based on the lack of safeguards to ensure that unlimited contributions to VRLC’s independent expenditure committee did not flow into VRLC’s candidate contribution funds.

Attorney General Sorrell stressed that if investigation reveals a PAC’s activities are not conducted entirely independently of candidates, as in VRLC v. Sorrell, it will continue to be subject to the contribution limits.

Photo of Attorney General William Sorrell by Overton2002 on Wikipedia.

On Wednesday, NBC News and the Wall Street Journal released a poll conducted July 18-22, of registered voters nationwide. In a choice between President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney, respondents favored the President 49% to 43%. Additionally, if the election were held today, swing state voters favor the president 49% to 41%.

The poll shows negative campaigning has affected both candidates as each has seen a rise in the number of respondents who view them negatively. According to the Washington Post, 75-90% of all ads aired across the country in the month of June were negative in nature. The poll is facing a bit of scrutiny; however, including from NBC’s Chuck Todd, that it may be skewed as 46% of participants self-identified as democrats while only 35% self-identified as republicans.

Additionally, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced details on Wednesday for the three 2012 Presidential debates as well as one Vice Presidential debate. The first and final Presidential debates will focus on domestic policy hosted by a single moderator, while the second debate will be a town hall meeting with undecided voters questioning the candidates. Moderators will be announced in August. More details can be found at the COPD website.

Other notes from the trail:

• ABC News has compiled a couple of charts showing how both Presidential campaigns are spending money. The figures include things like rent, credit card fees and payroll.

• The battle for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts could potentially become the most expensive in history for a senate seat. Scott Brown (R) and Elizabeth Warren (D) have raised a combined $46 million dollars through the end of June, not including money spent on advertising by outside groups. The record currently belongs to the 2000 New York race between now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Former Rep. Rick Lazio. Clinton and Lazio spent a combined $70 million in that contest. Recent polls show Warren has a 2 point edge over Brown.

• Congressman Jim Renacci (R) has returned $100,000 in campaign donations amid allegations that the funds were improperly funneled through Canton area businessman Benjamin Suarez. Renacci’s campaign had initially planned to keep the money until a federal investigation was completed, but have preemptively reimbursed individual donors. Renacci and Rep. Betty Sutton (D) are competing in Ohio’s newly drawn 16th district.

• The four congressional campaign committees reported similar fundraising numbers in June. The National Republican Campaign Committee narrowly outraised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee $10.7 million to $10.5 million, while the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised $8 million to the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee’s $4.4 million.

Lobbying

“Top congressional staffer to lead new Internet lobbying group” by Brendan Sasso in The Hill.

Campaign Finance

California: “Divided Richmond council approves major campaign finance reforms” by Robert Rogers in the Mercury News.

Rhode Island: “Speaker Fox Cops to Campaign Finance Violation; Writes Check to Cover 2007 Fundraiser” by Dan McGowan in GoLocalProv.

“The rise of the Mom and Pop super PAC” by Charles Mathesian in Politico.

“Senate Democrats Push Constitutional Amendment to Reverse Citizens United” by Seth Cline in U.S. News and World Report.

“Citizens United Constitutional Amendment Floated By Senate Democrats” by Paul Blumenthal in the Huffington Post.

Ethics

“Murky Standards for Ethics Cases” by Amanda Becker in Roll Call.

Georgia: “House ethics chairman: 49 candidates tout ethics, flout campaign laws” by Jim Galloway in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Hawaii:  “Ethics Commission fining 22 legislative candidates for not filing financial disclosures” by The Associated Press in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

Social Media

“DC Political Firms Launch Embarrassingly Silly Social Media Tool” by Micah L. Sifry in TechPresident.