A new, more user-friendly site for federal campaign finance disclosure data.
Our Highlighted Site of the Week is the Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) new Campaign Finance Disclosure Portal. The site was announced just yesterday and offers powerful resources allowing the visitor to access campaign finance data sets and perform advanced segmentation. The types of information included are independent expenditures; bundled contributions; candidate and committee summaries; receipts, disbursements, and a cash summary for PACs and National Party committees; leadership PAC and sponsor data; and much more.
According to the FEC’s news release: “The Commission announced the release of a new campaign finance disclosure portal that will simplify access to the wide range of data available on the agency’s website. The disclosure portal provides a single point of entry to federal campaign finance data.”
Information can be accessed through interactive maps, easily readable charts, or by searching with a name or keyword. Data sets can also be downloaded as XSD, XML, or CSV files in order to perform your own analysis or data mashup.
The FEC promises the Campaign Finance Disclosure Portal will be regularly updated throughout the election cycle. With both the site and its Disclosure Data Blog, you can subscribe to its feed via RSS so that you can keep up with any updates.
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
March 22, 2012 •
Stay on Top of Redistricting News
Here is a roundup of the latest articles from four states:
Arizona: “Arizona lawmakers OK money for redistricting panel” by The Associated Press in the Arizona Daily Sun.
Arizona: “Arizona redistrict panel to get more cash” by Mary Jo Pitzl in the Arizona Republic.
Florida: “Down to the wire, Senators propose last-minute changes to new Senate map” by Mary Ellen Klas in the Miami Herald.
Florida: “Florida Senate panel approves redistricting plan” by The Associated Press in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Florida: “Fla. Senate panel approves redistricting plan” by Bill Kaczor in the Deseret News.
Kansas: “Kan. Senate delays vote on redistricting bill” by The Associated Press in the Salina Journal.
Kansas: “Kansas House votes down latest redistricting bill” by Fred Mann in the Wichita Eagle.
New York: “Between the Lines: Map Complete, Time to Sort Out Who’s Running” by Joshua Miller in Roll Call.
March 22, 2012 •
South Carolina House Representative Resigns
Special election to be called
Thad Viers announced his resignation as State Representative for House District 68. The announcement came after Mr. Viers was charged with harassing his ex-girlfriend. She told investigators he continued to call, text and email for more than five months after they broke up, according to a Myrtle Beach police report.
Due to the vacancy, a special election will be held following the writ of election to be issued by the speaker of the house. There is currently an unrelated special election scheduled for Senate District 41 on July 17, 2012.
Photo of Thad Viers courtesy of the South Carolina House of Representatives website.
Derrick Smith, an Illinois lawmaker who has been arrested on federal bribery charges, has won the Democratic primary for the state House race in the fall.
For full news coverage, read:
“Indicted Illinois House member wins Dem nomination” by John O’Connor (Associated Press) in The State Journal-Register.
“Chicago lawmaker charged in bribe case wins primary” by Andrew Stern (Reuters) in the Chicago Tribune.
ᔥ Thanks go to Jim Sedor, Editor of News You Can Use, for finding this article.
ᔥPhoto courtesy of the Illinois General Assembly website.
March 22, 2012 •
Oregon Bill to Increase Procurement Transparency
For contracts advertised or entered into beginning 2013
Governor John Kitzhaber has signed Senate Bill 1518. The bill’s provisions are intended to improve transparency in the procurement process.
The bill prohibits a vendor from writing the specifications of a project and then turning around and bidding on the project. Bidders will be able to include information on the number of jobs that will be created if the bid is chosen for the project.
In addition, the Department of Administrative Services will have to report to the legislature about special procurements, a contracting procedure that allows state agencies to bypass competitive bidding rules.
Although the bill took effect upon passage, the operative date for the above provisions is January 1, 2013.
March 21, 2012 •
Mass. Lobbyists Need to Schedule Photograph for Identification Card
Lobbyist Section of the Public Records Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Registered Massachusetts legislative and executive agents must schedule an appointment with the Lobbyist Section of the Public Records Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth to have their photographs taken for their lobbyist identification card.
The photographs will be taken on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the hours of 10 to 4pm beginning March 27 and continuing through April.
Agents must request appointments by e-mail at lob@sec.state.ma.us. Schedules will not be accepted by phone or walk-in. Agents should suggest three dates and times convenient for them in their e-mails.
All appointments will be given on a first come first serve basis.
March 21, 2012 •
STOCK Act is Back
Will be voted on without amendments.
The U.S. Senate will proceed with the House version of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act. The bill would bar lawmakers and staff from engaging in insider trading and has been stalled since February. The provision requiring the registration and reporting of “political intelligence consultants” has been removed, but U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) are working to have it restored.
According to Politico, “Reid filed a cloture petition on the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act on Tuesday, setting up a Thursday vote to move forward on the bill.”
“Harry Reid to force vote on insider trading bill” by John Bresnahan and Anna Palmer in Politico.
Also: “Senate to vote on STOCK Act” by Paul Kane in The Washington Post.
March 21, 2012 •
South Dakota Bill to Recognize Electronic Filing for Lobbyists
Secretary of State’s online system already up and running
Governor Dennis Daugaard has signed House Bill 1196. The bill amends the lobbyist reporting requirements to reflect the secretary of state’s electronic filing capabilities.
The employer authorization and lobbyist expense report may be submitted in writing or electronically. The completed reports are open to public inspection and will no longer need to be notarized before filing.
Although the bill has an effective date of July 1, 2012, the EZ Lobby system is already accessible at the secretary of state’s website.
The site allows lobbyists and their employers to register, pay fees, update information, and report expenses electronically. Paper forms are still available for lobbyists who chose to register by mail.
March 21, 2012 •
SGAC Holds Its Annual Meeting
The conference for government affairs professionals promises to provide new tools, techniques, and best practices to help build skills and stay on top of the latest trends.
Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is attending the State Government Affairs Council’s (SGAC) Annual Meeting. Bartz is the president of the Board of Directors of SGAC, the national association for multi-state government affairs professionals.
The event runs from March 21-23 and is being held in Boston, Massachusetts.
You can follow the Twitter conversations from the conference with the hashtag #SGACAnnualMtg12.
March 21, 2012 •
Today’s Lobbying News Roundup
Revolving doors, spending on lobbying in Minnesota, and a new ethics bill in Missouri in the news:
“Revolving Door: Hill Staffers with Retiring Bosses Hit K Street” by Andrew Joseph in National Journal’s Influence Alley.
“Minnesota Capitol the recipient of $59 million lobbying effort” by Megan Boldt in the Grand Forks Herald.
“Business groups spent $14 million lobbying Minn. Legislators” by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
“Democrats propose new Missouri ethics bill” by Elizabeth Crisp in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. According to the article, “the bill would restrict the amount lawmakers and their immediate family members could accept from lobbyists, prohibit lawmakers from working as paid political consultants while in office and limit the investment of campaign contributions to interest-bearing checking or savings accounts.”
“Utah’s revolving door keeps spinning out lobbyists” by Britny Mortensen in The Salt Lake Tribune.
March 21, 2012 •
Government Tech and Social Media News
A new Facebook app for tracking legislation, government social media skeptics, and California gets a new Director of the Office of Technology Services:
Federal: “New Facebook Open Graph App Makes Lawmaking Social, Brings House Bills To The Crowds” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident. Here is the link to the new Citizen Cosponsor app.
Federal: “Social media challenges federal oversight of agency communications” by Alice Lipowicz in Federal Computer Week.
State and Local: “Social Media Still Has Skeptics in Government” by Matt Williams in Government Technology.
California: “Y2K Expert to Lead California’s Technology Services” by Ashley Nelson in Government Technology.
New Jersey: “Morris County named a best case example of e-government” by The Independent Press on NJ.com.
March 20, 2012 •
Campaign Finance, Redistricting, and Ethics in the News
Today we have stories about campaign finance reform in North Carolina, clean elections in Connecticut, campaign finance violations, redistricting, and more:
Campaign Finance
Connecticut: “Watchdogs worried clean elections fund could run dry in next race for governor” by Keith M. Phaneuf in CTMirror.org.
District of Columbia: “Campaign finance inquiry takes close look at money-order donations in District” by Mike DeBonis and Nikita Stewart in The Washington Post.
Michigan: “Michigan group delays corporate disclosure measure” by The Associated Press on Michigan Live.
Missouri: “Kansas City lawmaker faces $30,585 in ethics fees” by Chris Blank in The Kansas City Star.
North Carolina: “Dome: Board of Elections will discuss campaign finance law” by John Frank and Tim Funk in The News & Observer.
Wisconsin: “GAB fined 110 people for campaign finance and ethics violations in last 3 years” by Kate Golden in The Wisconsin State Journal.
Campaigns and Elections
“Rogue political robocalls on the rise in Ohio” by Sabrina Eaton in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Redistricting
Florida: “New Senate district map ticks off both parties” by Mary Ellen Klas and Darla Cameron in The Miami Herald.
New York: “Incumbents at risk in final N.Y. map” by Alex Isenstadt in Politico.
Ethics
“Federal prosecutor under fire for anonymously commenting on news website” by Andrew Lapin in Government Executive.
March 19, 2012 •
States Get Their Ethics Report Cards
No state received an “A” grade.
State Integrity Investigation has just published a study on government transparency and accountability in the states. The partners in the project are The Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity, and Public Radio International.
The bad news is that most states suffer from a lack of transparency and other ethical issues. The State Integrity Investigation website describes the following:
“Open records laws with hundreds of exemptions. Crucial budgeting decisions made behind closed doors by a handful of power brokers. ‘Citizen’ lawmakers voting on bills that would benefit them directly. Scores of legislators turning into lobbyists seemingly overnight. Disclosure laws without much disclosure. Ethics panels that haven’t met in years.”
For a summary of the report, take a look at: “Grading the nation: How accountable is your state?” by Caitlin Ginley on The Center for Public Integrity’s iWatch News.
Also, be sure to read: “Study: State governments at high risk for corruption” by The Associated Press on Fox News.
Here are some of the news stories about the report from various states:
Alabama: “Alabama gets C- in report on most corruptible states” on WAFF.com.
Arizona: “Arizona gets D+ on corruption risk report card” by Maureen West in the Tucson Sentinel.
Arkansas: “Arkansas gets ‘D’ grade in public integrity” by Max Brantley in the Arkansas Times.
Florida: “When it comes to lobbying, Florida’s Sunshine law is dark” by Toluse Olorunnipa in the Miami Herald.
Florida: “Integrity index gives Florida politics a C-” by Kenny Malone in the Miami Herald.
Georgia: “Georgia last in public corruption laws” by Chris Joyner and Aaron Gould Sheinin in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Illinois: “Illinois rates a C and ranks 10th in the U.S.” by Amanda Vinicky in the Quad-City Times.
Maine: “Watchdogs fault state for lax ethical oversight” by Naomi Schalit, Lance Tapley, and John Christie in the Kennebec Journal.
Michigan: “Michigan’s Corruptibility Rated An ‘F’ In New Report — And It Isn’t Just A Detroit Problem” by Matt Sledge in the Huffington Post.
New Jersey: “New Jersey leads in national survey of sleaze-busting” by Dave Davies in NewsWorks.
New Jersey: “Report: N.J. has lowest corruption risk of any state” by Mary-Ann Spoto in the Star-Ledger.
Ohio: “Ohio rated as lax on ethics” by Paul Kostyu on Cincinnati.com.
Oregon: “Report: Oregon’s ethics rules occasionally undermined by ‘loopholes’” by Ryan Kost in The Oregonian.
Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania has right-to-know law, but austerity hinders transparency” by Peter Durantine on NewsWorks.
Tennessee: “Tennessee Near Top of Nation for Anti-corruption Measures” by Nina Cardona on Nashville Public Radio.
Virginia: “Va. Gets F in Corruption-Risk Assessment” by The Associated Press on WHSV.com.
Washington: “Washington Scores Well On Transparency, But Up To Citizens To Verify” by Amy Radil on KUOW.org.
March 19, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 19, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
2012 GOP Primary Shaping Up to Be Cheapest Race in Years
Group Offers $25,000 Reward for Exposing Secret Corporate Giving
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Alabama Public Corruption Trials Focus on Bribes vs. Donations
Colorado
Spending by Super PACs in Colorado Is the Dominion of Democrats
Illinois
Part of Campaign Finance Law Nixed
Illinois
State Rep. Derrick Smith, of Chicago, Is Charged with Accepting Bribe
Kentucky
Senate Changes Schedule, Allowing David Williams to Attend Kentucky Basketball Game
Minnesota
Business-Backed ALEC’s Relations with Conservative Lawmakers Riles Democrats
New Mexico
Arrests Mount in Sunland Park Scandal; New Details about Alleged Extortion Threat Emerge
Ohio
Jimmy Dimora Convicted of Racketeering, 32 Other Corruption-Related Charges
Ohio
Legislator Charged in FBI Bribery Sting
South Carolina
Ard Resigns, Is Indicted, Gets Probation
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.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
