Gov. Kay Ivey has announced that she plans to call a special session.

The session is intended to address the congressional voting maps.

This follows a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that found the recent voting maps to be discriminatory towards black voters, and a deadline of July 21 was given to draft and approve new maps.

The special session is planned to take place from July 17 to July 21, 2023.

Campaign Finance

Kentucky: “Beshear Campaign, Kentucky Democratic Party Return $202,000 Linked to London Mayor” by Tom Loftus for Kentucky Lantern

Maryland: “Sports Betting Advocacy Group Tagged with Largest Elections Board Fine” by Bryan Sears for Maryland Matters

North Carolina: “FBI Investigation Leads to NC Politician’s Campaign Finance Sentence in Federal Court” by Danielle Battaglia for Yahoo News

Elections

Georgia: “Georgia Poll Workers Targeted by Trump Cleared of False Election Fraud Claims” by Jane Timm (NBC News) for MSN

Ethics

California: “Trump Adviser Faces Possible Disbarment Over His Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election” by Stefanie Dazio, Michael Blood, and Alanna Durkin Richer (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

National: “Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation with GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court” by Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica

Florida: “DeSantis Donor Supplied Golf Simulator for ‘Governor’s Cabana’ and Private Flights” by Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, Nate Jones, Michael Scherer, and Alice Crites (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

California: “LA City Council Looks into Tougher Lobbying Rules That Could Impact Themselves” by City News Service for Los Angeles Daily News

Campaign Finance

National: “Rigging the System: The Martin Kao case offers an inside view of pay-to-play politics” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat

Oklahoma: “Legislature’s Funding Scheme Handcuffs Ethics Commission Enforcement” by Keaton Ross for Oklahoma Watch

South Carolina: “Legislators Fear S.C. Ethics Law ‘Blasted Wide Open’ After Judge Rules in Campaign Fundraising Lawsuit” by Mary Green for WIS

Texas: “Records Show Houston Council Member Michael Kubosh Spent Campaign Money on Birthdays, Vacation Expenses” by Jeremy Rogalski for KHOU

Ethics

California: “The Los Angeles City Council Is in Turmoil. Can It Manage to Fix Itself?” by Reis Thebault (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Trump Real Estate Deal in Oman Underscores Ethics Concerns” by Eric Lipton (New York Times) for Yahoo News

National: “Hunter Biden Reaches Deal to Plead Guilty in Tax, Gun Case” by Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (Washington Post) for MSN

Florida: “Gov. Ron DeSantis Used Secretive Panel to Flip State Supreme Court” by Beth Reinhard and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics California: “Anaheim Top City Staff Shower Themselves with Free Tickets to Venues They Oversee” by Noah Biesiada and Hosam Elattar for Voice of OC National: “FBI Resisted Opening Probe into Trump’s Role in Jan. 6 for More Than a Year” by Carol Leoning and Aaron Davis (Washington Post) for MSN National: “Lina Khan Rejected FTC Ethics Recommendation to Recuse in Meta Case” by Leah Nylen (Bloomberg) for MSN Illinois: “After Judge Rules Niles Ethics Board Cannot Be Elected, Citizens File Appeal” by Caroline Kubzansky (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News National: “How Local Officials Seek Revenge on Their Hometown Newspapers” by Emily Flitter (New York Times) for Yahoo News Ohio: “Jury Finds Former Toledo Councilman Guilty on One of Two Bribery Charges” by Staff for WTVG Rhode Island: “R.I. Governor McKee Says He Apologized to Developer Insulted by Official’s Racist, Sexist Remarks” by Brian Amaral (Boston Globe) for MSN Lobbying Connecticut: “Former CT Port Authority Board Member Fined for Ethics Violations” by Michael Brown (Connecticut Mirror) for MSN

Campaign Finance National: “Guilty Pleas in ‘Scam PAC’ Case Tied to 2017 Wisconsin Senate Race” by Nathan Gonzales for Roll Call New Jersey: “Governor Murphy Appoints New Campaign Finance Watchdog Board” by Nikita Biryukov for New Jersey Monitor Ethics California: “L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price Charged with Embezzlement and Perjury” by James Queally, Julia Wick, and Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times) for MSN Hawaii: “Maui Ethics Board: You can’t keep those $400 Koa digging sticks” by Mariana Starleaf for Honolulu Civil Beat Illinois: “Jury Convicts Politically Connected Chicago Businessman James Weiss of Attempting to Bribe Two State Legislators” by Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News New York: “De Blasio Fined for Using City-Issued Security Detail During Presidential Campaign” by Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) for MSN Texas: “Dallas Has New Ethics Rules, Adds Misdemeanor for Leaking City Information” by Everton Bailey Jr. (Dallas Morning News) for MSN Lobbying Pennsylvania: “Pa. Lawmakers Ask for Investigations After Gaming Regulators Met Privately with Casino Lobbyists” by Angela Couloumbis for Spotlight PA

National/Federal

G.O.P. Rebels Are Breaking the Rule on Rules, Upending How the House Works

Buffalo News – Carl Hulse (New York Times) | Published: 6/13/2023

It has long been an axiom of the U.S. House majority: vote against a piece of legislation put forth by your party if you absolutely must, but never vote against the “rule” to bring that legislation to the floor. Until the last few weeks, that standard had held for more than two decades. But now, about a dozen rebellious House Republicans have decided to leverage their badly needed votes on the routine procedural measures to win policy concessions, breaking the longstanding code of party discipline and threatening the traditional operation of the House.

DeSantis Campaign Uses Apparently Fake Images to Attack Trump on Twitter

DNyuz – Nicholas Nehamas (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis begins to aggressively attack Donald Trump, his campaign has spread three images of the former president embracing Dr. Anthony Fauci that forensic experts say are almost certainly realistic looking “deepfakes” generated by artificial intelligence. As the 2024 campaign heats up, the use of such deepfakes has been of concern to those who study manipulated images, which thanks to new technology are easier to generate than ever before.

Why Lawmakers Can’t Get Their Act Together on Time

Governing – Alan Greenblatt | Published: 6/12/2023

Whether it is Congress waiting until the last minute to raise the debt ceiling or legislators voting on the cusp of midnight the day before the state budget is due, lawmakers cannot seem to help putting off most of their work until they are almost out of time. The final details of Louisiana’s budget were only presented to most legislators just 20 minutes before the end of the session this year.

Liberals Try to Reclaim ‘Parents’ Rights’ from Conservatives in Education

MSN – Laura Meckley, Hannah Natanson, and John Harden (Washington Post) | Published: 6/12/2023

In the culture wars, conservative parents jumped out first with an agenda built around the defense of “parents’ rights.” Now, groups are coalescing on the left to resist conservative efforts to remove books from schools, end student LGBTQ clubs, and restrict classroom discussions of race and gender. Experts and advocates say the progressives, some forming groups nationally and others in states and local communities, increasingly are in a strong position to push back.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal Launches Probe into PGA Tour-Saudi Alliance

MSN – Rick Maese (Washington Post) | Published: 6/12/2023

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, chairperson of a powerful Senate subcommittee, launched a probe into the partnership between the PGA Tour and its Saudi-funded rival, requesting documents and communications that led to the alliance. Blumenthal demanded communications that led to the alliance, records related to the dispute between the competing tours that fractured the sport recently, and records related to the PGA Tour’s tax-exempt status. Blumenthal has broad authority to scrutinize the deal and issue subpoenas on a range of matters, from corporate and financial crimes to terrorism.

Estuaries? Pickleball? Rum? There’s a Congressional Caucus for Practically Everything

MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 6/13/2023

No matter the topic, Congress has a caucus. In fact, Congress is home to approximately 820 caucuses. Many are focused on just a single, sometimes obscure, issue, like the Congressional American 250 Caucus that is helping plan the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial, while others may be an intraparty faction trying to drag its colleagues one way or another. The caucus is distinctly American affair. The  term first appeared in writing at the end of the French and Indian War.

Trump’s Path to Indictment: ‘Isn’t it better if there are no documents?’

MSN – Marc Fisher (Washington Post) | Published: 6/10/2023

More than two years after Donald Trump’s departure from the White House, the Justice Department revealed the first-ever federal indictment of a president of the United States, a chronicle of allegations that portray Trump as the architect of a knowing scheme to hide classified documents from the government he had run and to persuade his own attorneys to mislead federal officials. The trouble Trump now faces is virgin terrain: a former president, now his party’s leading candidate to return to the White House, faces trial, at risk of a years-long prison sentence during the heart of his third campaign for the nation’s highest office.

Judge Ruling Requiring Mike Pence to Testify to Grand Jury About Jan. 6 Unsealed

MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 6/9/2023

A federal judge unsealed a potentially landmark ruling that compelled former Vice President Mike Pence to testify before a grand jury investigating the U.S. Capitol attack and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Pence called U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg’s ruling the first to lay out how a vice president also qualifies for constitutional protection enjoyed by lawmakers from being compelled to testify even in criminal investigations.

Why Campaign Websites No Longer Have ‘Issues’ Pages

Yahoo Finance – Mini Racker (Time) | Published: 6/12/2023

“Issues” pages, which outline candidates’ stances on key policy topics, have long been expected features of campaign websites. But of the fourteen major candidates who have entered the presidential race, only a handful have detailed, stand-alone pages describing where they stand on the issues and what they plan to do in office. Several include no written policy commitments at all. Strategists agree the country has become so polarized that the candidates’ positions on issues matter much less than they once did. In general elections, many voters will simply support the candidate of their preferred party without bothering to look up their stances.

The Presidential Candidate Who Has His Own Supporters Scratching Their Heads

Yahoo News – Jonathan Weisman (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has a plan for winning the Republican nomination for president: eschewing the culture wars and getting the party back on a business-friendly economic message of low taxes, less regulation, and can-do entrepreneurship. But even North Dakotans who express admiration for their governor’s wealth, business acumen, and energy are baffled by his suddenly lofty political ambitions.

F.B.I. Investigating Spy Ring’s Political Contributions

Yahoo News – Adam Goldman and Mark Mazzetti (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

Federal prosecutors are investigating possible campaign finance violations in connection with an undercover operation based in Wyoming that aimed to infiltrate progressive groups, political campaigns, and the offices of elected representatives before the 2020 election. As part of the operation, participants used large campaign donations and cover stories to gain access to their targets and gather dirt to sabotage the reputations of people and organizations considered threats to the agenda of former President Trump.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska Ballot Measure Filed to Reestablish Campaign Contribution Limits

Yahoo News – Sean Maguire (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 6/11/2023

A newly filed ballot measure would reestablish campaign contribution limits in Alaska, with the intention of restricting the influence of big-money donors in state politics. A federal appeals court in 2021 struck down three of Alaska’s main contribution limits as a violation of donors’ First Amendment rights. The state’s previous $500-per-year cap on donations had been among the lowest in the nation.

Arizona – An Ariz. Democrat Hid Bibles as a ‘Prank.’ Republicans Tried to Expel Her.

MSN – María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 6/14/2023

Arizona House Republicans failed to expel Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, who admitted to a Bible-hiding prank caught on hidden camera. Instead, the House could only muster a vote to censure Stahl Hamilton. She apologized over what she called a “peaceful, playful protest” meant as commentary on the separation of church and state. But an ethics committee determined her behavior amounted to “disorderly conduct,” a violation of House rules. Many Republicans were outraged by what they called the “desecration” of scripture.

California – As Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon’s Power Grew, So Did His Wife’s Income

MSN – Hannah Wiley and Katie Licari (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

Outgoing California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon is one-half of a political power couple with Annie Lam, a successful consultant and nonprofit executive. The two flourished together during Rendon’s unusually long time as speaker. As Rendon’s influence grew, Lam’s consultancy business similarly boomed, allowing her income to swell and public profile to soar. Though Lam is not a lobbyist, she is paid by an organization that lobbies the Legislature. The League of California Cities has reported paying Lam’s business nearly $600,000 over the last 18 months.

California – SF Ethics Watchdogs Issue Huge Fine to Group that Supported Breed’s 2018 Mayoral Run

San Francisco Standard – Josh Koehn | Published: 6/13/2023

The San Francisco Ethics Commission fined one of the most influential political groups in the 2018 elections, saying a committee that supported Mayor London Breed and her allies failed to properly report nearly $1.1 million in spending. An investigation found Progress San Francisco repeatedly alternated between classifying itself as a city and state committee, making it harder for local voters to understand how hundreds of thousands of dollars were being spent to influence races. Progress San Francisco agreed to pay a fine of $29,300.

California – Anaheim’s Ticket to Ride: City leaders hand out thousands of free tickets every year

Voice of OC – Noah Biesiada and Hosam Elattar | Published: 6/12/2023

Officials in Anaheim, home to Angel Stadium and Honda Center, regularly give out thousands of free tickets every year to events at city-owned venues, arguing they mainly go to community nonprofits. Yet a Voice of OC review of the past six months of ticket passes given out by Anaheim’s new council majority and city staff shows loose tracking of who really gets access to what amounts to a six-figure sum of free sports and concert tickets.

Illinois – City Ethics Board to Seek Changes to Contractor Oversight Following Tribune Report

MSN – Alex Harrison and John Byrne (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/13/2023

The Chicago Board of Ethics will look to amend the city’s ethics ordinance in response to a Chicago Tribune story that detailed how several aldermen used tax dollars to pay a former top Park District official tens of thousands of dollars as a consultant after he had had been asked to resign and placed on the district’s “do not rehire” list for his role in that agency’s sexual abuse lifeguard scandal. The proposal comes after a Tribune review of aldermanic expense accounts, which are little-known funds totaling $122,000 a year for each of the city’s 50 council members to spend on almost anything they want with little oversight.

Illinois – As Chicago’s City Commissions Start Meeting in Person Again, Future of Online Access in Doubt

WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 6/12/2023

For the first time in more than three years, all city boards and commissions in Chicago are once again meeting in person, putting an end to the virtual meetings that became a hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic. But there are no rules ensuring those meetings will continue to be streamed online or allow members of the public to weigh in virtually, either by Zoom or by phone. When Gov. J.B. Pritzker ended the public health emergency, boards and commissions across the state could no longer meet virtually, as rules that allowed them to meet via Zoom or other teleconferencing platforms expired.

Illinois – Ex-Mayor Lightfoot Was Warned About Email Electioneering 10 Months Before Campaign Tried to Recruit CPS Students

Yahoo News – Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/10/2023

Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign was told to stop electioneering to city employees nearly a year before her staff tried to recruit Chicago Public Schools students to do political work for extra credit. When it came to light in January, Lightfoot’s camp first defended but then quickly denounced the practice of sending emails to public workers soliciting campaign help. Now it is emerged that her campaign had been warned by the city Board of Ethics in March 2022 to cease sending political communications to public employee emails.

Kentucky – Judge Rejects Louisville Lawmaker’s Plea for Privacy in Ethics Probe

Louisville Public Media – Jacob Ryan | Published: 6/13/2023

Metro Council member Anthony Piagentini claimed Louisville’s ethics commission violated state and local laws by disclosing his response to a complaint accusing him of ethics violations. But a judge ruled the Louisville Metro Ethics Commission did not violate any laws and is free to disclose certain records related to the investigation. Piagentini has been investigated for possible violations related to his assistance securing a $40 million COVID-19 relief grant for the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council. The day after the council approved the spending measure, Piagentini took a consulting job with the group.

Maryland – Maryland State Board of Elections Taps Longtime Employee Jared DeMarinis as Administrator

MSN – Emily Opilo and Hannah Gaskill (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 6/8/2023

The Maryland State Board of Elections hired a new elections administrator, selecting a longtime employee for the top job. Jared DeMarinis was chosen by a unanimous vote., DeMarinis, who has worked as the director of the board’s campaign finance division, will face a confirmation hearing before the state Senate next session before he can take on the role in a permanent capacity.

Nevada – Lombardo Could Have Taken $50K Settlement in Ethics Case; Fine Now $1.6 Million

MSN – Greg Klas (KLAS) | Published: 6/13/2023

After Joe Lombardo won the 2022 gubernatorial election, a letter from the Nevada Ethics Commission offered to settle complaints against him before he was sworn into office. The offer: a $50,000 fine, censure from the Ethics Commission, ethics training for “all staff within 30 days of your client’s inauguration as governor,” and a designated ethics officer in the governor’s office during Lombardo’s first term. But in turning down the settlement, the governor is facing a hearing and a possible fine of $1.6 million.

New York – Could Democrats Get Another Shot at Redistricting in New York?

DNyuz – Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 6/8/2023

A year ago, Democrats were taken to task by New York’s highest court for attempting to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts, and saw their tilted map replaced by more neutral lines that helped Republicans flip four House seats. Now, with a 2024 rematch approaching, Democratic leaders in Washington and Albany are reviving a legal battle to reopen the mapmaking process and potentially pull the lines back in their direction.

New York – Judge: E. Jean Carroll can seek more damages after Trump CNN remarks

MSN – Andrea Salcedo and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 6/13/2023

E. Jean Carroll, who won a $5 million lawsuit against Donald Trump in a sexual assault and defamation case, can amend a separate pending lawsuit to seek more damages against the former president for disparaging comments he made during a recent CNN town hall, a judge ruled. Attorneys for Carroll filed an amended complaint following Trump’s comments during the CNN special event, seeking at least $10 million in damages for the town hall comments and for the initial defamation that Carroll alleged.

New York – Critics Say Changes to State’s Public Campaign Finance Law Subverts Its Purpose

WXXI – Karen DeWitt | Published: 6/13/2023

Before New York legislators adjourned their session, they approved a measure to alter the state’s fledgling public campaign finance system – a change that critics and some lawmakers say undermines the program’s original purpose. For state legislative offices, there is a tiered system with higher match ratios for contributions up to $250. Now, donations of up to $18,000 would be eligible for public matching funds. The bill goes to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

North Carolina – NC GOP Wants to Restructure State Elections Board, Stripping Governor of Appointment Power

MSN – Kyle Ingram (Charlotte Observer) | Published: 6/12/2023

Republicans in North Carolina introduced legislation to drastically restructure the State Board of Elections, taking away the power of the governor to appoint its members and creating an even partisan split among the powerful board. Under the proposed law, the board would have an even number of Republicans and Democrats, all of whom would be appointed by legislative leaders rather than the governor. A similar bill passed in 2016 was later ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.

Ohio – State Issue 1 Ballot Language Must Be Rewritten, Ohio Supreme Court Rules

MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/12/2023

The Ohio Supreme Court ordered state officials to rewrite some of the language for an August ballot measure that, if passed, would make it more difficult to amend the state constitution. The court, however, declined to take a more expansive role in ordering the language to be rewritten, rejecting some of the core arguments from plaintiffs. State Issue 1 would amend the Ohio Constitution to require future amendments to get a 60 percent supermajority in a statewide vote to pass. That is compared to the current simple majority standard that has been in place for more than a century.

Ohio – Federal Judge: Ex-Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger is not a victim of convicted successor Householder

MSN – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 6/12/2023

A federal judge rejected a request from ex-Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger to be formally acknowledged as a victim of former Speaker Larry Householder’s bribery and racketeering scheme. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black ruled Rosenberger failed to prove the FBI’s investigation into his own conduct as speaker and subsequent resignation were directly caused by Householder’s political maneuvering.

Oregon – Democratic Party of Oregon Will Return Illegal $500K FTX Contribution

Centralia Chronicle – Ted Sickinger (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/8/2023

The Democratic Party of Oregon said it will return the illegal $500,000 campaign contribution it received last October from an executive at FTX, the bankrupted cryptocurrency exchange, by tapping into donations from some of the state’s most powerful Democrats. The party received the donation last fall from FTX executive Nishad Singh, but at his request, party officials misattributed it to Prime Trust, a crypto payment processor. The Oregon Secretary of State’s election division subsequently investigated the party’s handling of the contribution and fined it $15,000.

Oregon – Shemia Fagan Spent Taxpayer or Donor Money on Hotel Pet Fees, Airfare for Her Kids. She Says She’s Done Nothing Wrong.

MSN – Aimee Green (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 6/9/2023

A media investigation found former Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan sought, and in many cases received, thousands of taxpayer dollars in questionable reimbursements from the state for travel expenses both large and small. The investigation also found Fagan spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds on airplane tickets for her children and stays at four-star hotels thousands of miles from Oregon, among many other unexplained expenses. Acting Secretary of State Cheryl Myers now says Fagan ignored warnings that she may be breaking state travel rules.

Rhode Island – Two Rhode Island Officials Visited Philly. They Were So Rude Their State Launched Two Separate Investigations.

MSN – Zoe Greenberg (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 6/12/2023

Two Rhode Island officials traveled to Philadelphia to tour Bok, the former vocational school that is now home to dozens of artists and entrepreneurs. Scout Ltd., the team behind Bok, had contracted with Rhode Island, under a former administration, to develop a vacant state building in Providence. Hoping to convince a new administration to fund the project, Scout executives offered to show the officials around. But the way the Rhode Island representatives allegedly behaved was so “bizarre, offensive, and unprofessional” that the company executives documented what happened in an email that was sent to the governor of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island – Lawmakers Want to Make It Easier to Raise Campaign Cash. Who Will Benefit the Most?

MSN – Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) | Published: 6/13/2023

The Rhode Island House passed a package of campaign finance law changes that would double how much an individual could give to a candidate each year. Progressive Democrats blasted both hiking the $1,000 maximum annual individual contribution to $2,000 and raising the maximum size of donations that can be reported anonymously. Rep. Brian Newberry said while the bill might allow top lawmakers to collect more campaign cash than they already do, he believes it would have a greater benefit to challengers who often struggle to raise the bare minimum to compete.

South Carolina – Judge Extends Election Fundraising Rights in Win for Ultraconservative South Carolina Lawmakers

Associated Press News – James Pollard | Published: 6/13/2023

Special interest caucuses in South Carolina can formally campaign, a federal judge ruled in a victory for a hardline conservative group of state representatives that want to push the Republican-controlled Legislature further to the right. The order allows the South Carolina Freedom Caucus to fundraise and distribute election materials just like the House Republican, Democratic, Black, and Women’s Caucuses already do. The conservative faction argued a state law limiting those abilities only to caucuses organized by political party, race, ethnicity, or gender violated its freedom of speech.

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Campaign Finance California: “SF Ethics Watchdogs Issue Huge Fine to Group that Supported Breed’s 2018 Mayoral Run” by Josh Koehn for San Francisco Standard Rhode Island: “Lawmakers Want to Make It Easier to Raise Campaign Cash. Who Will Benefit the Most?” by Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) for MSN South Carolina: “Judge Extends Election Fundraising Rights in Win for Ultraconservative South Carolina Lawmakers” by James Pollard for Associated Press News Ethics Illinois: “City Ethics Board to Seek Changes to Contractor Oversight Following Tribune Report” by Alex Harrison and John Byrne (Chicago Tribune) for MSN Kentucky: “Judge Rejects Louisville Lawmaker’s Plea for Privacy in Ethics Probe” by Jacob Ryan for Louisville Public Media National: “Liberals Try to Reclaim ‘Parents’ Rights’ from Conservatives in Education” by Laura Meckley, Hannah Natanson, and John Harden (Washington Post) for MSN Nevada: “Lombardo Could Have Taken $50K Settlement in Ethics Case; Fine Now $1.6 Million” by Greg Klas (KLAS) for MSN New York: “Judge: E. Jean Carroll can seek more damages after Trump CNN remarks” by Andrea Salcedo and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) for MSN Legislative Issues National: “G.O.P. Rebels Are Breaking the Rule on Rules, Upending How the House Works” by Carl Hulse (New York Times) for Buffalo News

Campaign Finance New York: “NY Bills Overhaul Local Elections, Roll Back Campaign Reforms; NYPA Nominee Rejected” by Chris Bragg (Buffalo News) for KPVI Elections National: “Why Campaign Websites No Longer Have ‘Issues’ Pages” by Mini Racker (Time) for Yahoo Finance North Carolina: “NC GOP Wants to Restructure State Elections Board, Stripping Governor of Appointment Power” by Kyle Ingram (Charlotte Observer) for MSN Ohio: “State Issue 1 Ballot Language Must Be Rewritten, Ohio Supreme Court Rules” by Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN Ethics National: “Sen. Richard Blumenthal Launches Probe into PGA Tour-Saudi Alliance” by Rick Maese (Washington Post) for MSN Rhode Island: “Two Rhode Island Officials Visited Philly. They Were So Rude Their State Launched Two Separate Investigations.” by Zoe Greenberg (Philadelphia Inquirer) for MSN Legislative Issues National: “Estuaries? Pickleball? Rum? There’s a Congressional Caucus for Practically Everything” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN Redistricting New York: “Could Democrats Get Another Shot at Redistricting in New York?” by Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) for DNyuz

The New York Legislature adjourned on June 10 after the Clean Slate Act passed both houses.

The legislation, which still must be signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, wipes a New Yorker’s conviction record clean three years after sentencing for misdemeanors and eight years for certain felonies.

The Senate is not expected to return to session but the Assembly will likely return in the near future to complete unfinished work.

The State Board of Elections has selected a new employee to take over the role of elections administrator.

Jared DeMarinis was unanimously voted by the board to take over the position.

DeMarinis currently works as the director of the board’s candidacy and campaign finance division.

In order for him to take over the role, a confirmation hearing will be held at the next session of the state Senate.

If confirmed he will succeed the previous elections administrator, Linda Lamon, who will be retiring this summer.

On July 1, the updated edition of Canada’s federal Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct will come into force.

A new gift limit for lobbyists is imposed, allowing up to $40 for gifts and hospitality for an official they lobby or expect to lobby. The intention of the limit is to avoid the creation of a sense of obligation on the part of the official. The new gift limit has an annual maximum amount of $200, per calendar year, from one lobbying source. Lobbyists may still provide sponsored travel to officials they do not lobby or expect to lobby. However, given the costs of sponsored travel, providing travel to an official by a lobbyist for an official they lobby or expect to lobby could reasonably be seen to create a sense of obligation on the part of that official and be prohibited if over $40. The commissioner, on an annual basis, has the option to take inflation into account in adjusting the individual and annual gift limit amounts.

Lobbyists engaged in certain political work, acting in certain leadership or senior political roles, or fundraising “that could reasonably be seen to be significant to the official” are subject to a cooling-off period. The cooling-off period, for which an individual cannot lobby the official benefited, ranges between 12 to 24 months.

One of the purposes of the new code is to make the rules clear and comprehensive, according to the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. The commissioner’s office states that lobbyists obligations are described in “plain language” and will eliminate the need for separate guidance documents.

A newly filed ballot measure has been introduced to reestablish campaign contribution limits in Alaska.

In 2021, a federal appeals court struck down most of Alaska contribution limits on First Amendment grounds.

The ballot measure would cap contributions at $2,000 per election, with limits being adjusted for inflation every 10 years.

The new initiative will appear on the 2024 ballot if it is certified by the lieutenant governor and collects the requisite number of signatures.

Q: My organization wants to sponsor a reception in Texas. State legislators, staff, and family members are likely to be in attendance. As a registered lobbyist, what are my limits and reporting obligations?

As a registered lobbyist, there are several items to keep in mind when sponsoring an event. First, a lobbyist can provide an unlimited amount of food and beverage to an official, employee, immediate family member, or guest when the lobbyist attends the event. If not present at the event, food and beverage expenditures are limited to $100 or less.

Next, when engaging with officials at the event, sponsorship is considered a lobbying expenditure and will need to be disclosed on the appropriate lobbying report. These reports break expenditures down by type (food and beverage, entertainment, transportation, etc.) and by recipient. This may seem straightforward, but if your sponsorship goes to the organizing entity, how do you know how your dollars are being used?

The state provides some guidance here. When reporting expenditures for a reception or banquet type event, the Food and Beverage category includes all items needed to hold the event such as room rental, table settings, and printing costs. Other categories may need to be included depending on the specific event.

Additionally, you will need to know who among the attendees are in a reportable category of persons benefitted. Generally, this is state senators/representatives, state officers, state employees, immediate family members, and guests. If a combination of these groups are in attendance, or a combination of covered and non-covered individuals, the expenditure should be divided appropriately based on the numbers in each category. If all members of the legislature are invited, the entire expenditure is reported under that category. As long as all members are invited, it does not matter how many actually attend.

Finally, keep in mind the detailed reporting threshold. If the per person costs exceed the threshold, currently $132.60, the individuals must be identified and other details disclosed.

For more information, please see the “Reports Required” and “Gift Law” sections of the Lobbying Compliance Laws online  publication for Texas. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.