In a unanimous ruling, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled the bill giving the General Assembly the ability to call itself into special sessions was unconstitutional.

House Enrolled Act 1123 was passed with a veto override in 2021, and Gov. Eric Holcomb filed a lawsuit claiming the new law was unconstitutional because it impermissibly infringed upon his constitutional authority.

The ruling states that under the constitution, only the governor has the power to call a special session and only a constitutional amendment can give that power to lawmakers.

Do you know my friend Governor Tom Ridge? Of course, you do. He was this country’s first Secretary of Homeland Security after the September 11^th attacks.

He was appointed by President George W Bush days after the attacks to head up the new department. This required Governor Ridge to step down as Pennsylvania’s governor. He was not a cabinet-level official until 2003…and he went right to work. Ridge developed a program of antiterrorist training, preventive technologies, and emergency responses. In addition, he was tasked with coordinating activities of some 46 different state and federal agencies related to his chain of command. In 2002 he unveiled a new color-coded system for assessing the risk of a terrorist attack.

We met him about 10 years ago when Ridge Policy Group started and we were retained to assist his team with lobbying compliance. We have worked close with his staff in ensure all state and federal reports are accurate for their clients.

On May 14, 2022, Governor Ridge was the 37^th recipient of the William Oliver Baker Medal of Achievement in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the national and homeland security of the United States. John Chames and I attended this beautiful event where he was recognized for his strong and resolute leadership in providing us all safer skies, ports and points of entry to the United States, more secure critical infrastructure, and enhanced cooperation between public and private sectors.

In 2020, State and Federal Communications moved its DC office and now we share our space with Ridge Global and Ridge Policy Group and the fine people Governor Ridge has on his staff. He is a great suitemate and we are honored he trusted us to be in his space.

We all have great friends in this industry…Take the time to let them know.

Thank you.

EB
@elizabethbartz

Elections

Maryland: “Md. Comptroller’s Spoof Raises Questions About Use of Public Funds” by Erin Cox (Washington Post) for MSN

Michigan: “Republicans Take Fight to Get on Primary Ballot to Michigan Supreme Court” by Craig Mauger and Beth LeBlanc for Detroit News

Ethics

National: “Former Trump Trade Adviser Peter Navarro Charged with Contempt of Congress” by Spencer Hsu and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) for MSN

Missouri: “St. Louis Aldermanic President, Two Allies Indicted on Federal Bribery Charges” by Jacob Barker and Mark Schlinkmann for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Legislative Issues

National: “The Great Resignation Hits State Legislative Chambers” by Reid Wilson (The Hill) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

National: “New Debate Over Gun Laws Will Test the Gun Lobby’s Influence” by Kate Ackley (Roll Call) for MSN

New York: “Appellate Court: NY lobbying rules legal” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Redistricting

Florida: “Florida Supreme Court Locks in DeSantis-Backed Redistricting Map” by Gary Fineout (Politico) for Yahoo News

National/Federal

A Top White House Aide Has Ties to Amazon, Adding a New Ingredient to the Bezos-Biden Drama
MSN – Hailey Fuchs and Emily Birnbaum (Politico) | Published: 5/26/2022

As the White House weighed how hard to engage Amazon founder Jeff Bezos over his criticism of its economic policies, it brought back a senior aide whose firm does work for the company. Anita Dunn rejoined the administration as a top adviser from the powerful communications shop that she co-founded, SKDK. The Democratic firm, which has produced a number of current and former administration officials, has a host of major clients in business and politics. One of them is Amazon.

Former Trump Trade Adviser Peter Navarro Subpoenaed by DOJ in Jan. 6 Probe
MSN – Felicia Sonmez and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 6/1/2022

Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro was subpoenaed by the Justice Department as part of the probe into the attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. Navarro revealed the subpoena in a lawsuit he filed against Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House committee investigating the attack. The select committee subpoena seeks records and testimony from the former trade adviser, who has written and publicly discussed the effort to develop a strategy to delay or overturn certification of the 2020 election.

Guns Are All Over GOP Ads and Social Media, Prompting Some Criticism
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 5/31/2022

Although candidates in both parties have long used guns as a campaign prop, the images have in recent years become more prevalent, and intentionally provocative, in Republican advertising, holidays greetings, and other forms of communication with the public. Such placements convey a cultural and political solidarity with conservatives more powerfully than most anything else, according to GOP strategists and aides. But as the nation reckons with a pair of deadly mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, some are warning these photos and videos are harmful and glorify the use and ownership of firearms designed to kill.

Maker of Rifle in Texas Massacre Is Deep-Pocketed GOP Donor
MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) | Published: 5/27/2022

The owners of Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the rifle apparently used in the massacre of 21 people in Uvalde, Texas, are wealthy Republican donors, giving to candidates and committees at the federal and state level aligned against limits on access to assault rifles and other semiautomatic weapons. The spending by Marvin Daniel and his wife illustrates the financial clout of the gun industry, even as political spending by the National Rifle Association has declined. It also shows how surging gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic have empowered manufacturers to expand their marketing and political advocacy, experts said.

Sussmann, Who Worked for Clinton, Acquitted of Lying to FBI in 2016
MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 5/31/2022

A federal jury found Michael Sussmann, a lawyer for Democrats including the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, not guilty of lying to the FBI when he brought them allegations against Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential race. The verdict was a major setback for Special Counsel John Durham, who was appointed during the Trump administration and has spent three years probing whether the federal agents who investigated the 2016 Trump campaign committed wrongdoing. Sussmann was the first person charged by Durham to go to trial. Another person charged in the investigation is due to face a jury later this year.

The NRA Has Weakened. But Gun Rights Drive the GOP More Than Ever.
MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf and Carol Leonnig (Washington Post) | Published: 5/26/2022

The killing of 20 children and six adults in 2012 at a Connecticut elementary school threw the politics of gun violence into a state of suspension as conservative politicians waited to hear from the National Rifle Association (NRA) before taking a stand. After another rampage, at a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, Republican lawmakers did not wait for the NRA as they lined up within hours to rebuff any proposed gun-control measures. That dynamic reflects both the recent decline of the NRA’s power and the logical conclusion of its own increasingly hardline messaging that guns and liberty are inextricable from patriotism and all gun control is a plot to seize weapons and leave owners defenseless.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Compton City Council Election Overturned in Wake of Vote Rigging Scandal
Yahoo News – James Queally (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 5/30/2022

Results of a Compton City Council race decided by one vote have been overturned following an election rigging scandal that prompted criminal charges against the winner last year. Councilperson Isaac Galvan must be replaced by his challenger, Andre Spicer, after a judge determined four of the votes cast in the election were submitted by people who did not live in the council district the two men were vying to represent.  The municipal contest drew attention in August, when the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charged Galvan with election rigging and bribery.

California – San Jose Mayor’s Election Fundraising Raises Legal Questions
San Jose Spotlight – Tran Nguyan | Published: 5/27/2022

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo may have broken state and local campaign rules when he collected six figures for a PAC he formed to influence the 2022 election. A complaint claims Liccardo, as a sitting mayor, should not have opened the committee nor raised any money to support candidates running in this election. It further alleges the contributions the PAC received exceeded local donation limits, which was then spent to support three candidates in San Jose City Hall races.

Colorado – Contributions by Conservative Lobbyist Appear to Run Afoul of Campaign Finance Laws
Colorado Springs Gazette – Marianne Goodland (Colorado Politics) | Published: 5/27/2022

Political donations made by a prominent conservative lobbyist appear to have run afoul of Colorado’s campaign finance law. Michael Fields, a registered lobbyist for Advance Colorado Action, gave three contributions during the legislative session to three Republican statewide candidates. State law bars professional or volunteer lobbyists from donating to statewide candidates during the legislative session. The prohibition more prominently applies to incumbents of these offices. Fields said he was not aware the law also prohibits giving to candidates during the legislative session.

Connecticut – A Connecticut State Senator and Former School Board Chair to Go on Trial for Allegedly Conspiring to Steal Public Campaign Money
Hartford Courant – Edmund Mahoney | Published: 5/31/2022

State Sen. Dennis Bradley Jr. and former Bridgeport school board chairperson Jessica Martinez, who once served as his campaign treasurer, are on trial in federal court on charges they conspired to cheat Connecticut’s public campaign financing program out of about $180,000. The government’s case will turn on a party Bradley threw, at which he announced he was running for the Senate. Prosecutors say evidence will show Bradley, Martinez, and others in the campaign altered contribution records and misled state election regulators so a pricey campaign kickoff would not block Bradley from obtaining public grants to pay for the rest of the race.

Florida – DeSantis Signs Bills Penalizing Florida Judges and Lawmakers Who Lobby Within Six Years after Term
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay – Gary Rohrer | Published: 5/26/2022

Lawmakers and judges who leave office and lobby the Florida Legislature or executive branch within six years could face a fine of up to $10,000 and other penalties after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills implementing a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2018. The laws do not take effect until January 1, 2023, so they would not apply to any lawmaker or judge who leaves office before then, either due to term limits, resignation, or losing an election. A two-year ban on lobbying still exists in current law, although punishments for violating that prohibition are not spelled out.

Florida – How the Proud Boys Gripped the Miami-Dade Republican Party
Yahoo News – Patricia Mazzei and Alan Feurer (New York Times) | Published: 6/2/2022

At least a half-dozen current and former Proud Boys, the far-right nationalist group that was at the forefront of the riot at the U.S. Capitol last year, have secured seats on the Miami-Dade Republican Party Executive Committee, seeking to influence local politics from the inside. The concerted effort by the Proud Boys to join the leadership has destabilized and dramatically reshaped the Miami-Dade Republican Party, transforming it from an archetype of the strait-laced establishment to an organization roiled by internal conflict as it wrestles with forces pulling it to the right.

Florida – Judge in Dark Money Case Reverses Order, Allows Mystery Group to Continue Shielding Donors
Florida Politics – Jesse Scheckner | Published: 5/26/2022

Soon after ordering a “dark money” group behind attack ads in a 2020 state Senate Primary to disclose the identities of its secretive donors, a Miami judge vacated that decision and allowed the group to continue shielding its benefactors. Judge Jose Rodriguez granted a motion for reconsideration for Floridians for Equality and Justice, effectively reversing his May 11 ruling that the group must turn over its bank records and reveal its contributors within 30 days.

Hawaii – Lobbying and Ethics Reforms Top Agenda at New Hawaii Standards Commission Meeting
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 6/1/2022

A commission tasked with beefing up government transparency in Hawaii kicked off its first regular meeting with a discussion on proposals to increase reporting requirements for lobbyists and address conflicts-of-interest with state lawmakers. The Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct is expected to spend the rest of the year examining election laws, campaign finance, and other areas for potential reforms. Any of the commission’s proposals would have to be approved by lawmakers.

Idaho – A GOP Congressional Candidate Used Covid Relief Funds Meant for His Employees to Pay for His Car and Political Campaign
MSN – Matthew Loh (Business Insider) | Published: 6/2/2022

A congressional candidate in Idaho pleaded guilty to taking COVID-19 relief funds meant for his employees and using them for personal expenses like his car payments and a 2020 political campaign. Nicholas Jones also pleaded guilty to falsifying records to conceal the time and work his employees put into his campaign in a report to the FEC. He faces a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison.

Illinois – As Aurora Mayor, Richard Irvin Quietly Launched Firm with a Top Aide Plus Two Others, Who Got a City Contract
Yahoo News – Joe Mahr and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 6/1/2022

Two years ago, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin co-founded a consulting firm with a top city aide, who is also a lifelong friend, and two men from Virginia. The arrangement has raised several potential conflict-of-interest issues for Irvin. There is a mayor going into business with a city employee who is so close to Irvin the mayor calls him a stepbrother. There is also the employee skirting through a process requiring city approval for side jobs. And there are the two Virginia men, who went on to get a $15,000 city contract without their ties to Irvin being disclosed. As Irvin seeks to become Illinois’ next governor, the episode joins other arrangements in raising questions about where Irvin draws the line between public duties and private ventures.

Illinois – Cook County Ethics Board Sues Elected Official for Refusing to Fire Her Cousin, in Defiance of Nepotism Ban
Chicago Tribune – Alice Yin | Published: 6/2/2022

The feud between Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Tammy Wendt and the Board of Ethics has escalated to the courts after Wendt continued to defy a rule against nepotism by refusing to fire her cousin. The ethics board filed the lawsuit naming Wendt and her first cousin, and top staffer, Todd Thielmann as defendants. The complaint calls for a judge to uphold the county’s ethics code, which forbids Wendt from employing Thielmann, and for Wendt to fire him and to pay the $2,000 the board imposed when it originally found she violated the nepotism ban.

Michigan – 5 Michigan GOP Candidates for Governor Disqualified from Ballot After Board Deadlocks
MSN – Paul Egan (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 5/26/2022

A state elections panel in Michigan deadlocked on whether five Republican candidates for governor should be barred from the August primary ballot because they each submitted too many fraudulent signatures, and an official said the effect of the vote is to disqualify the candidates. The action of the Board of State Canvassers is not the final word as the candidates can appeal to the courts. The board’s debate came down to how much responsibility the candidates should bear for filing petitions that Bureau of Elections staff determined contained many thousands of signatures that were obviously forged, despite that candidates are told to vet the signatures before filing.

Michigan – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan Defends Actions Involving Confidential FBI Source
Detroit News – Sarah Rahal | Published: 5/31/2022

Records and interviews provided a look at Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s conduct behind the scenes of a federal corruption investigation targeting at least two of the mayor’s closest allies on the city council in recent years, André Spivey and Janeé Ayers. After getting advance notice of an investigation involving Spivey from the now-former councilperson in June of last year, Duggan shared the informant’s identity with multiple people, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The informant is a towing contractor in Metro Detroit who was wearing hidden recording equipment for the FBI while secretly filming Spivey and others accepting bribes.

New Hampshire – 4 Homes Tied to Journalist Hit with Bricks, Graffitied with Spray Paint
MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 6/1/2202

Since late April, there had been five other attacks on homes tied to journalist Lauren Chooljian, all hit with a brick and red spray paint. Targets included her former address, her boss’s place, and her parents’ home, which was hit twice. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said investigators are considering the possibility the attacks are linked to Chooljian’s work as a reporter and producer for New Hampshire Public Radio. The possible motive: revenge for stories she has published in the past, intimidation to silence her in the future, or both.

New York – Cuomo Ethics Inquiry Could Die with Outgoing Commission
Albany Times Union – Joshua Solomon and Chris Bragg | Published: 5/29/2022

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was supposed to face an ethics hearing in April concerning whether he violated the law by using state employees to assist in the production of a book that netted him millions of dollars. But a presiding officer overseeing the hearing postponed the date until September 15, and by that time, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics will no longer be in existence, throwing the yearlong investigation’s future into question.

New York – Transition to New Ethics Panel Sparks Early Legal Threat
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 5/31/2022

As the much-criticized Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) prepares to shutter on July 8, questions remain about the transition to a replacement body created in this year’s state budget. One is whether current JCOPE members will be allowed to serve on the new 11-member panel, called the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. The somewhat obscure issue is already causing a current commissioner to threaten litigation overturning the entirety of New York’s new ethics law.

New York – Trump Loses Appeal, Must Testify in New York Civil Probe
MSN – Mike Sisak (Associated Press) | Published: 5/26/2022

Former President Trump must answer questions under oath in the New York attorney general’s civil investigation into his business practices, a state appeals court ruled, rejecting his argument that he be excused from testifying because his answers could be used in a parallel criminal probe. Lawyers for the Trumps agreed in March they would sit for depositions within 14 days of an appellate panel decision upholding the ruling. They could also appeal the decision to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, delaying the matter and the Trumps’ potential testimony indefinitely.

Ohio – Federal Court Intervenes in Ohio Redistricting, Orders State to Implement Unconstitutional District
WOUB – Andy Chow (Statehouse News Bureau) | Published: 5/31/2022

A federal appeals court ordered Ohio to implement maps that were found unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court and hold a primary for those candidates on August 2. The court said unless Ohio comes up with another solution by May 28, Map 3, which was previously submitted and rejected, will be imposed. The judges said the decision was based on choosing “the best of our bad options.”

Oregon – Measure to Limit Walkouts in Oregon’s Capitol Could Be on November Ballot
OPB – Dirk VanderHart | Published: 5/27/2022

When Oregon Republicans blocked climate change legislation by fleeing the state in 2019 and 2020, the state’s public sector labor unions were among the loudest critics. Now, those unions are spending big on a ballot measure that would severely limit the ability for the minority party to use that so-called nuclear option in the future. Under the proposal, a lawmaker who is marked unexcused by a chamber’s presiding officer 10 or more times in a single legislative session would be barred under the state constitution from seeking re-election.

Pennsylvania – Gift Ban, Other Good-Government Changes Stall in Pa. Despite Promises from Leadership
Spotlight PA – Christina Baker | Published: 5/31/2022

The advocacy group MarchOnHarrisburg has been pushing Pennsylvania lawmakers to enact a gift ban for six years. When a bill that to do that made it out of committee in this legislative session, House Republican leaders seemed like they were finally ready to pass it. But then, nothing. A gift ban is just one of many reforms that advocates have called for the Legislature to pass. Pennsylvania has comparatively lax laws on lobbying, campaign finance, and more. But proposals have historically failed to reach either the state House or Senate floor for a vote.

Pennsylvania – Pa. GOP Gubernatorial Nominee Shares Documents with Jan. 6 Panel, Agrees to Interview
Yahoo News – Betsy Woodruff Swan (Politico) | Published: 6/2/2022

The January 6 select committee received materials from Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano. The submission includes documents about his work to arrange buses that carried pro-Trump protesters to Washington on January 6, 2021. But when the select committee subpoenaed Mastriano, it said he did not need to send any materials related to official actions in his current position as a state senator. Given that sizable carve-out, the majority of the materials Mastriano sent to the committee are public social media posts.

Pennsylvania – Pa. GOP Senate Race Upended by Court Cases
Yahoo News – Zach Montellaro and Holly Otterbein (Politico) | Published: 5/31/2022

The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the counting of some mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania, an order that could affect the tight Republican U.S. Senate primary between former hedge fund executive David McCormick and celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz. An order from Justice Samuel Alito paused a lower-court ruling in a lawsuit over a disputed 2021 local court election that would have allowed the counting of mail-in ballots that lacked a handwritten date.

Tennessee – Tennessee Governor Signs Campaign Finance and Ethics Bill
MSN – Kimberly Kruesi (Associated Press) | Published: 5/28/2022

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation that requires political nonprofits to disclose their spending ahead of an election. Senate Bill 1005 mandates that when nonprofits use a candidate’s name or image, they must disclose expenditures of more than $5,000 that take place within 60 days of an election. Even legislative leaders called for ethics reform amid an ongoing corruption investigation, so-called dark money groups have remained opposed to the changes. Many argued the law will result in them disclosing donors.

Texas – Supreme Court Puts Texas Social Media Law on Hold While Legal Battle Continues
MSN – Robert Barnes and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 5/31/2022

The U.S. Supreme Court stopped a Texas law that would regulate how social media companies police content on their sites, while a legal battle continues over whether such measures violate the First Amendment. Texas and Florida are two states with such laws, which they said were necessary to combat the tech industry’s squelching of conservative viewpoints. If two of the country’s regional appeals courts split on the legality of similar laws, there is a good chance the Supreme Court will need to confront the question of whether states may bar social media companies from removing posts based on a user’s political ideology or comments.

Texas – Uvalde CISD Police Chief Sworn in as City Council Member
KTXA – Staff | Published: 6/1/2022

Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin announced that city council members were sworn in during a private ceremony, including Pete Arredondo, the school district police chief who has been blamed for law enforcement’s failure to engage the shooter at Robb Elementary. Arredondo was identified as the person who decided not to breach the school classroom where the shooter had holed up and instead stand back and wait for reinforcements.

Washington – Group Doorbells WA Homes, Searching for Illegal Voters and Drawing Complaints
Seattle Times – Jim Brunner and Joseph O’Sullivan | Published: 5/30/2022

Across Washington state, hundreds of volunteers have been knocking on doors, questioning residents, and searching for evidence of voter fraud – or at least outdated voter rolls. It is an effort led by Glen Morgan, a conservative activist known for filing frequent campaign finance complaints against Democratic politicians, unions, and other allied groups. It is loosely connected to a national campaign by Donald Trump supporters hunting door-to-door for proof the 2020 election was fraudulent. The campaign has generated complaints from people put off by the inquiries.

Washington – Washington AG Wins Sanctions Against Attorney Behind Voter Fraud Lawsuit
Reuters – Jacqueline Thomsen | Published: 6/1/2022

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said his office won court sanctions against an attorney behind a post-2020 presidential election lawsuit alleging state officials were illegally registering non-citizens to vote and said he will also ask bar officials to discipline the lawyer. The state Supreme Court ordered Virginia Shogren to pay nearly $19,000 in attorneys’ fees for violating a rule against frivolous appeals. The court also directed Shogren’s client in the lawsuit, the Washington Election Integrity Coalition United, to pay about $9,500 in costs.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 348 codifying the attorney general’s interpretation of state campaign finance limits.

Contribution limits apply to each of the three phases of the election cycle: the exploratory phase, the primary election, and the general election.

Individuals and corporations are permitted to contribute up to $5,000 per election phase to candidates and candidate committees and up to $10,000 per election phase to non-candidate political committees and political parties.

Under the new campaign finance limits, non-candidate political committees and political parties will be able to contribute an unlimited amount to other non-candidate political committees and political parties.

Senate Bill 348 will take effect on January 1, 2023.

Ohio State Sen. Sandra Williams announced her resignation this week to take a position in the public sector two months before the end of her term.

Along with resigning from the 21^st Senate District seat, Williams has also withdrawn her name as a candidate for Ohio’s 18^th House District.

The resignation will go into effect on Monday, June 6, and will not trigger a special election in the state.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “A Connecticut State Senator and Former School Board Chair to Go on Trial for Allegedly Conspiring to Steal Public Campaign Money” by Edmund Mahoney for Hartford Courant

Elections

National: “Guns Are All Over GOP Ads and Social Media, Prompting Some Criticism” by Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) for MSN

Pennsylvania: “Pa. GOP Senate Race Upended by Court Cases” by Zach Montellaro and Holly Otterbein (Politico) for Yahoo News

Ethics

Illinois: “As Aurora Mayor, Richard Irvin Quietly Launched Firm with a Top Aide Plus Two Others, Who Got a City Contract” by Joe Mahr and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

Michigan: “Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan Defends Actions Involving Confidential FBI Source” by Sarah Rahal for Detroit News

New Hampshire: “4 Homes Tied to Journalist Hit with Bricks, Graffitied with Spray Paint” by Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) for MSN

New York: “Transition to New Ethics Panel Sparks Early Legal Threat” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Texas: “Supreme Court Puts Texas Social Media Law on Hold While Legal Battle Continues” by Robert Barnes and Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) for MSN

Texas: “Uvalde CISD Police Chief Sworn in as City Council Member” by Staff for KTXA

The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned its regular session on May 27 without referring any measures to the 2022 ballot for voters to consider.

During the session, lawmakers considered referring constitutional amendments and state statutes to the ballot. Fifteen constitutional amendments and one state statute had passed in the chamber of origin but did not receive final approval in the opposite chamber before adjournment.

Proposed constitutional amendments must be referred to the ballot and receive voter approval to be enacted. To put a proposed constitutional amendment on a ballot, a simple majority vote of all members in both the Senate and House is required.

Legislators will return in June for a special veto session to address eliminating the state’s 4.5% grocery tax and reducing the personal income tax.

Campaign Finance

National: “Maker of Rifle in Texas Massacre Is Deep-Pocketed GOP Donor” by Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) for MSN

California: “San Jose Mayor’s Election Fundraising Raises Legal Questions” by Tran Nguyan for San Jose Spotlight

Elections

National: “Sussmann, Who Worked for Clinton, Acquitted of Lying to FBI in 2016” by Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) for MSN

California: “Compton City Council Election Overturned in Wake of Vote Rigging Scandal” by James Queally (Los Angeles Times) for Yahoo News

Washington: “Group Doorbells WA Homes, Searching for Illegal Voters and Drawing Complaints” by Jim Brunner and Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

New York: “Cuomo Ethics Inquiry Could Die with Outgoing Commission” by Joshua Solomon and Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Pennsylvania: “Gift Ban, Other Good-Government Changes Stall in Pa. Despite Promises from Leadership” by Christina Baker for Spotlight PA

Lobbying

Florida: “DeSantis Signs Bills Penalizing Florida Judges and Lawmakers Who Lobby Within Six Years after Term” by Gary Rohrer for Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill requiring certain non-profits to report expenditures of more than $5,000 on communications with the image or name of candidates within 60 days before an election.

Senate Bill 1005 provides exceptions such as communications to members, lobbying during a special session, and communications involving Facebook followers.

This bill also requires political candidates to provide a report of all expenditures over $100 with a cap being set on non-itemized expenses at $2,000 per statement period.

The bill is effective immediately upon the governor’s signature.

Campaign Finance

Florida: “Judge in Dark Money Case Reverses Order, Allows Mystery Group to Continue Shielding Donors” by Jesse Scheckner for Florida Politics

Tennessee: “Tennessee Governor Signs Campaign Finance and Ethics Bill” by Kimberly Kruesi (Associated Press) for MSN

Elections

Michigan: “5 Michigan GOP Candidates for Governor Disqualified from Ballot After Board Deadlocks” by Paul Egan (Detroit Free Press) for MSN

Ethics

New York: “Trump Loses Appeal, Must Testify in New York Civil Probe” by Mike Sisak (Associated Press) for MSN

Legislative Issues

Oregon: “Measure to Limit Walkouts in Oregon’s Capitol Could Be on November Ballot” by Dirk VanderHart for OPB

Lobbying

National: “The NRA Has Weakened. But Gun Rights Drive the GOP More Than Ever.” by Isaac Arnsdorf and Carol Leonnig (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “A Top White House Aide Has Ties to Amazon, Adding a New Ingredient to the Bezos-Biden Drama” by Hailey Fuchs and Emily Birnbaum (Politico) for MSN

Colorado: “Contributions by Conservative Lobbyist Appear to Run Afoul of Campaign Finance Laws” by Marianne Goodland (Colorado Politics) for Colorado Springs Gazette

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bills 7001 and 7003 to prohibit lobbying by a public officer and a former justice or judge during public service and for a six-year period after leaving public office.

The bills were passed to implement Amendment 12, a 2018 constitutional amendment.

Both bills will take effect December 31, 2022.

Florida state legislators concluded a five-day special session after passing two bills addressing insurance rates.

The first bill helps insurers with their risk portfolio by creating reinsurance to assist policyholders.

The second requires condominiums to have thorough inspections and includes an entire section about roofing systems.

Legislatures felt the pressure of addressing these issues as soon as possible because of the continuous increase in insurance rates and because hurricane season is expected to begin on June 1.

National/Federal

After Texas Shooting, Republicans Face Online Anger Over NRA Money
MSN – Timothy Bella (Washington Post) | Published: 5/25/2022

While some Republicans in Congress offered their thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, critics have been quick to point out the millions of dollars that GOP lawmakers have taken from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in contributions over the years. Nineteen current or recent Republican senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have taken at least $1 million each in campaign contributions from the NRA over their careers. The mass shooting at the elementary school, and President Biden’s plea for lawmakers to push back on the gun lobby, have magnified attention on the NRA.

Ethics Law Offers Possible Path for Trump Prosecution
Yahoo News – Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) | Published: 5/24/2022

The Hatch Act prohibits electioneering by executive branch officials, including the promotion of the president’s political interests, during their formal duties. The law was regularly flouted by the Trump administration while in office, a trend that continued throughout the two months between the presidential election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. While the law has been used almost entirely administratively since it was passed in the 1930s, experts say a rarely used criminal provision of the law could be a novel and relatively straightforward strategy to ensure consequences for Trump over the insurrection.

Former Interior Secretary Didn’t Violate Lobbying Laws, Watchdog Finds
MSN – Joshua Partlow (Washington Post) | Published: 5/19/2022

The Interior Department’s internal watchdog said it found no evidence that former Secretary David Bernhardt violated lobbying laws regarding a former client, a California water district that is the nation’s largest agricultural water supplier, although he continued to advise them on legislative matters on occasion after he stopped being their lobbyist. The report concluded that “the conduct we identified, standing alone, did not show that Mr. Bernhardt acted as a lobbyist within the meaning of the” 1995 Lobbying Disclosure Act.

House Ethics Committee Investigating Reps. Cawthorn, Jackson, Mooney
MSN – Felicia Sonmez, Amy Wang, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 5/23/2022

The House ethics committee said it is investigating a trio of Republican lawmakers over allegations ranging from accepting a “free or below-market-value trip” to Aruba to engaging in an improper relationship with a staffer. One of the lawmakers, Rep. Madison Cawthorn, lost his primary race. The other two are Reps. Ronny Jackson and Alex Mooney.

Insurrectionists Can Be Barred from Office, Appeals Court Says
MSN – Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 5/24/2022

Participants in an insurrection against the government can be barred from holding office, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled. The decision came in the case of Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who before losing his House primary faced a challenge from North Carolina voters arguing his actions around the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack made him ineligible for future public service. Cawthorn suggested his case was moot given his primary loss, but the court disagreed, given the election had not yet been certified and because the same issue could come up in another campaign.

January 6 Committee Investigating Capitol Tour Given by GOP Lawmaker on the Eve of the Insurrection
CNN – Ryan Nobles, Annie Grayer, and Zachary Cohen | Published: 5/19/2022

The House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection said it has evidence U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk led a tour of the Capitol complex the day before pro-Trump rioters stormed the building, according to a letter requesting the lawmaker’s voluntary cooperation with their ongoing probe. The committee is now looking for more information from Loudermilk about the purpose of the tour he led on January 5, 2021, and its participants. The letter comes more than a year after some House Democrats accused Republicans of providing tours in the days leading up to January 6 to individuals who later stormed the Capitol.

Kemp, Raffensperger Win in Blow to Trump and His False Election Claims
MSN – Colby Itkowitz and David Weigel (Washington Post) | Published: 5/24/2022

Georgia Republican primary voters rejected former President Trump’s attempt to unseat GOP officeholders who refused to join his fight to overturn the 2020 election, as Gov. Brian Kemp defeated challenger David Perdue in a landslide and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won re-nomination. Some powerful Republicans saw the Georgia primary as a potential inflection point that could shift the party away from re-litigating the last election and blunt Trump’s efforts to turn many primaries into score-settling affairs over 2020 and attempts to install loyalists pledging fealty in future elections.

Kushner’s and Mnuchin’s Quick Pivots to Business with the Gulf
Yahoo News – Kate Kelly and David Kirkpatrick (New York Times) | Published: 5/23/2022

A recent New York Times report that revealed Saudi investments in the Abraham Fund, a project spearheaded by Jared Kushner and Steve Mnuchin that they said would raise $3 billion for projects around the Middle East, raised alarms from ethics experts and Democratic lawmakers about the appearance of potential payoffs for official acts during the Trump administration. But with no accounts, employees, income, or projects, the fund vanished when Trump left office. An examination of the two men’s travels toward the end of the Trump presidency raises other questions about whether they sought to exploit official relationships with foreign leaders for private business interests.

New Rules on MPs Freebies and Lobbying Crackdown Welcomed Amid Calls for Further Restrictions on Second Jobs
Yahoo News – Henry Dyer (Business Insider) | Published: 5/24/2022

The House of Commons Standards Committee published a report proposing updates to ethics rules for Members of Parliament (MPs). Observers cautiously welcomed proposals from the committee to tighten rules for MPs on declaring gifts and bans on lobbying, while urging more action on second jobs and the necessity to uphold ethical standards in public life. The proposal to change the rules on how ministers declare gifts is likely to cause friction with the government. But the committee sided with witnesses who argued having one rule for backbench MPs and another for ministers did not make sense.

Senate Confirms Democratic Nominee to FEC
MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 5/24/2022

The Senate confirmed Dara Lindenbaum to serve on the FEC. An election lawyer with the firm Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, Lindenbaum will fill the seat of Steven Walther, an independent who was picked by Democrats and had been serving on a long-expired term. When she joins the agency, five commissioners will have been confirmed since May 2020. Commissioner Ellen Weintraub has served since 2002.  Lindenbaum said she would recuse herself for two years from cases involving her own clients or those of her firm.

Stefanik Echoed ‘Great Replacement’ Theory. But Firms Kept Donating.
MSN – Todd Frankel and Dylan Freedman (Washington Post) | Published: 5/23/2022

As companies pledged support and money to fight racism following George Floyd’s killing in May 2020, Tom Naratil, U.S. president of the financial firm UBS, told his 20,000 workers, “Silence is not an option.” It donated more than $3 million to racial justice groups and joined an industry push to combat economic disparities based on race. But UBS Americas also donated $17,500 to the campaign and PACs of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, the number three House Republican, after she was widely criticized for echoing the white supremacist “great replacement” theory in campaign advertisements late last year.

Trump Lawyers Are Focus of Inquiry into Alternate Electors Scheme
MSN – Alan Feuer, Katie Benner, and Luke Broadwater (New York Times) | Published: 5/25/2022

The Justice Department has stepped up its criminal investigation into the creation of alternate slates of pro-Trump electors seeking to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, with a particular focus on a team of lawyers that worked on behalf of former President Trump. A federal grand jury has started issuing subpoenas to people linked to the alternate elector plan, requesting information about several lawyers including Rudolph Giuliani and one of Trump’s legal advisers, John Eastman.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – A Last-Minute Deal to Restore Alaska’s Campaign Finance Limits Fell Through. Here’s How.
Yahoo News – Nathaniel Herz (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 5/20/2022

A last-minute deal in the state Legislature to restore donation limits to Alaska’s political campaigns collapsed during the legislative session allowing wealthy donors to spend unlimited sums on state elections this year as good government advocates contemplate a citizens initiative to reimpose the caps. One key opponent of campaign finance limits said he was pleased lawmakers did not restore caps this year. The result, he argued, is more money will go from donors directly to politicians, rather than to independently spending groups that are unaffiliated with candidates.

Arizona – Ginni Thomas, Wife of Supreme Court Justice, Pressed Ariz. Lawmakers to Help Reverse Trump’s Loss, Emails Show
MSN – Emma Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 5/20/2022

Virginia Thomas, the conservative activist and wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, pressed Arizona lawmakers after the 2020 election to set aside Joe Biden’s popular-vote victory and choose “a clean slate of Electors,” according to emails. The emails, sent by Virginia Thomas to a pair of lawmakers on November 9, 2020, argued legislators needed to intervene because the vote had been marred by fraud. The messages show that Virginia Thomas, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, was more deeply involved in the effort to overturn Biden’s win than has been previously reported.

California – Anaheim Mayor Resigns Amid Corruption Probe into His Role in Angel Stadium Land Sale
Yahoo News – Nathan Fenno, Seema Mehta, Adam Elmahrek, and Gabriel San Román (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 5/23/2022

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu resigned in the face of a growing federal corruption investigation. Another prominent figure caught up in the probe, Melahat Rafiei, announced she was stepping down as a member of the Democratic National Committee and as state party secretary. A search warrant affidavit alleged Sidhu gave the Los Angeles Angels confidential information on at least two occasions during the city’s negotiations with the team over the $320-million Angel Stadium sale and hoped to get a million-dollar campaign donation from the team. The affidavit also accuses the mayor of obstructing a grand jury investigation into the deal.

Florida – 11th Circuit Blocks Major Provisions of Florida’s Social Media Law
MSN – Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) | Published: 5/23/2022

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled it is unconstitutional for Florida to bar social media companies from banning politicians, a major victory for tech companies fighting another appeals court ruling that allowed a similar law in Texas to take effect. A three-judge panel of the court unanimously rejected many of the legal arguments that conservative states have been using to justify laws governing the moderation policies of major tech companies after years of accusing the companies of bias against their viewpoints.

Florida – Central Florida ‘Ghost’ Candidate, Other Figures Tied to Scandal Charged
MSN – Annie Martin and Jeff Weiner (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 5/24/2022

A Republican political consultant, a sham candidate, and a former mayor are facing criminal charges in connection to a campaign finance scheme that is linked to a widening political scandal involving Florida Senate elections and “dark money” groups. Criminal charges were filed against the consultant, James Foglesong, and the candidate, Jestine Iannotti, who moved to Sweden soon after the November 2020 election, and former Mayor Benjamin Paris. Iannotti’s candidacy and those of two other candidates who also did no campaigning was promoted by a pair of entities chaired by political consultant Alex Alvarado, with ads prosecutors have said were tailored to siphon votes from the Democrats in each race.

Georgia – Grand Jury Indicts Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner Oxendine on Fraud Charges
Insurance Journal – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 5/23/2022

A former Georgia insurance commissioner was indicted on federal charges related to an alleged health care scheme. Prosecutors say John Oxendine conspired with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups and others to submit fraudulent insurance claims for medically unnecessary tests to a laboratory in Texas. Oxendine and Gallups entered into an agreement for the company to pay Gallups a kickback of 50 percent of the profit for specimens submitted by Gallups’ practice for testing, the indictment says. The company paid the kickbacks through Oxendine, who kept part of the money for himself.

Illinois – Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Swept into Office as an Avowed Reformer. Three Years Later, Critics See ‘Missed Opportunities’ and a Mixed Record
MSN – Gregory Pratt and Alice Yin (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 5/22/2022

As a candidate for mayor, Lori Lightfoot promised to transform Chicago’s often corrupt political culture, in part by taking away the near-total power that city council members have over matters in their own wards and by leading a transparent government. But activists and aldermen say the city’s political culture largely remains intact. Lightfoot has already faced criticism she has abandoned core issues on openness, ethics, and political reform that she campaigned on.

Illinois – Ex-State Rep. Luis Arroyo Gets Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Sweepstakes Bribery Scheme
WTTW – Matt Masterson | Published: 5/25/2022

Former Illinois Rep. Luis Arroyo, who last year pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme in which he offered a member of the Illinois Senate monthly payments to support a bill that sought to legalize sweepstakes machines, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. At the time of his indictment, Arroyo was registered as a Chicago lobbyist. Prosecutors allege he was paid tens of thousands of dollars by James Weiss, the owner of a sweepstakes firm, to push legislation that would have legalized gambling machines.

Illinois – Michael Madigan Spoke with Confidant About Helping Lobbyist Find Work with Gaming Industry, Affidavit Alleges
MSN – Ray Long and Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 5/24/2022

It is no secret that Michael Madigan, the indicted ex-speaker of the Illinois House, for years generated staffers and others who toiled in the legislative arena and then cashed in as lobbyists. But it was rare to catch Madigan allegedly playing matchmaker. Now a recently unsealed court filing documented a secret recording of Madigan allegedly talking about connecting a lobbyist looking for work to one of the state’s lobbying interests – the gambling industry.

Kansas – Hunter Larkin Steps Down as Goddard Mayor Amid Questions About Developer Influence
MSN – Matthew Kelly (Wichita Eagle) | Published: 5/17/2022

Hunter Larkin resigned as mayor of Goddard, Kansas, after ethics questions were raised about his relationship with developers who have worked around contribution limits to bolster his campaign while actively doing business with City Hall. Larkin, 23, who is running for a seat in the state Legislature, resigned three days after a Wichita Eagle opinion column about the campaign contributions. The Eagle reported Larkin received $2,000 in bundled contributions to circumvent the state’s $500 donation limit from homebuilder Bryan Langaly and partners who are developing a complex in Goddard.

Kentucky – A Kentucky Lawyer Ran Against the Judge on Her Contentious Divorce Case. She Won, Kind Of.
Yahoo News – Andrew Wolfson (Louisville Courier Journal) | Published: 5/19/2022

A lawyer who filed to run for Family Court in Oldham, Henry, and Trimble counties against the incumbent judge presiding over her contentious divorce is one step closer to serving on the bench. Joni Bottoff was the second-highest vote-getter in the three-person race, meaning she will move on to the general election in November. Bottorff, whose practice is focused on estate planning and probate, had never filed a divorce case or practiced family law. But by entering the race, Bofforff forced Doreen Goodwin to recuse herself from her long-running divorce case in which Goodwin twice found Bottorff in contempt of court.

Missouri – Missouri Proposal Would Allow More Businesses to Contribute Money to Candidates
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 5/25/2022

A proposed change in Missouri ethics laws will allow some businesses to write checks directly to candidates for office. The legislation would allow limited liability companies with specific tax status to donate money to politicians. Under the plan, the companies would have to be in business for at least one year and would have to register with the Missouri Ethics Commission. The bill contains no language on how exactly regulators would ensure the companies are real and not just legal vessels for moving “dark money” into political accounts.

Missouri – Parson Fills Missouri Ethics Commission Vacancies After Dive Dismissed Complaints
MSN – Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) | Published: 5/25/2022

Gov. Mike Parson announced two new members to the Missouri Ethics Commission, providing enough members for the watchdog to act on complaints after more than two months without a quorum. Their appointments are interim, meaning the state Senate will have to confirm them when the Legislature reconvenes in January.

Montana – Pastor Apologizes, Retracts Article About Transgender Native lobbyist, Fabricated Incident
Daily Montanan – Darrell Erhlick | Published: 5/25/2022

Pastor Jordan Hall admitted he fabricated a story about a transgender Native American lobbyist, Adrian Jawort, allegedly berating a state senator so badly that the senator sought the protection of the chamber’s sergeant-at-arms. The settlement and a potential $250,000 claim was reached as Hall is going through the bankruptcy process, seeking protection from a libel case, as well as discharging attorney’s fees he racked up during the fight.

New Mexico – Governor’s Mansion Used State Funds for Party Costs
Santa Fe New Mexican – Daniel Chacón | Published: 5/25/2022

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office tapped into a taxpayer-funded expense account to pay for a political event at the governor’s mansion in October, prompting her reelection campaign to quietly reimburse the state two months later. Documents show New Mexicans for Michelle, the governor’s campaign committee, issued the state a $1,837 check to pay for expenses stemming. The reimbursement appeared in the governor’s campaign finance reports as a “campaign event.”

New York – Adams’ Pick for Sheriff Faces Over Campaign Finance Irregularities
Yahoo News – Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 5/23/2022

Anthony Miranda was running in a crowded race for New York City Council last year when, with primary day approaching, he lent his campaign $11,000. After a late-breaking infusion of public matching funds, the campaign paid back the $11,000 a day before the primary, along with $1,320 in interest. That repayment would far exceed interest rates laid out in New York’s civil and criminal usury laws and appears to have violated election statutes that prohibit candidates from personally profiting from their campaigns. Now Mayor Eric Adams has turned to Miranda, who lost his council race, to become the New York City sheriff.

New York – Bronx Nonprofit Head Who Stole from Homeless New Yorkers Gets 27 Months Prison Time
New York Daily News – Molly Crane-Newman | Published: 5/22/2022

The head of one of New York City’s largest homeless housing providers was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for the city’s neediest residents. Bronx Parent Housing Network Chief Executive Officer Victor Rivera collected the cash through bribes and kickbacks on top of his $453,000 salary during a surge of homelessness between 2013 and 2020, authorities said. He handpicked and overpaid contractors at construction, security, and real estate firms for projects at soup kitchens, shelters, and affordable-housing facilities in exchange for some of the city money he used to pay them.

Ohio – FirstEnergy’s PAC Resumes Political Donations, Ending Ban After House Bill 6 Bribery Scandal
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 5/20/2022

FirstEnergy’s PAC resumed making donations in April for the first time since October 2020. Chief Executive Officer Steven Strah announced in early 2021 that the company halted political contributions due to the House Bill 6 scandal. While FirstEnergy’s PAC has paused political spending for the past 19 months, it continued to raise money. As of April 30 of this year, the PAC reporting having more than $1.8 million in its bank account. Company spokesperson Jennifer Young said the utility decided to resume giving following a “comprehensive review” in conjunction with the company’s compliance and legal groups to “identify areas of improvement.”

Ohio – Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted Takes Paid Corporate Board Job with Community Bank
MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 5/23/2022

A community bank in the Columbus area tapped Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to be a paid member of its corporate board. Heartland BancCorp, which does business as Heartland Bank, appointed Husted to the company’s board of directors in March 2022. Husted’s office could not provide any immediate historic precedent for a statewide elected official taking a paid corporate board job. Paul Nick, executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission, said there is nothing in state ethics law that permits or prohibits a lieutenant governor from holding outside work.

Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Again Invalidates Redistricting Map, Won’t Hold Redistricting Commission in Contempt
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer and Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 5/25/2022

The Ohio Supreme Court rejected a resubmitted legislative redistricting plan from the state’s Redistricting Commission and gave the commission until June 3 to pass an entirely new map. The decision likely means a federal court will soon order Ohio to hold an August 2 legislative primary using the rejected map, which has now twice been ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.

Oklahoma – Billionaires Pushing Charter Schools Fund Oklahoma Education Secretary’s Six-Figure Salary
Oklahoma Watch – Clifton Adcock and Reese Gorman (The Frontier) and Jennifer Palmer | Published: 5/20/2022

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed legislation that would have required Cabinet members to file public reports to disclose their finances. If Stitt had signed the bill, Oklahomans would learn Secretary of Education Ryan Walters makes at least $120,000 a year as executive director of a nonprofit organization that keeps its donors secret. Walters is also paid about $40,000 a year by the state. A media investigation found much of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma’s funds come from national school privatization and charter school expansion advocates, including the Walton Family Foundation and an education group founded by Charles Koch.

Oklahoma – Measure to Prohibit ‘Dark Money’ in Tribal Politics Signed into Cherokee Law
KFOR – K. Query-Thompson | Published: 5/25/2022

A measure that reforms the tribe’s election code, which included provisions to prevent “dark money” from coming into tribal elections, has been signed into Cherokee law. Under the reforms, any “person or entity” involved in making independent expenditures is subject to criminal sanctions, including up to two years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine and civil penalties of up to $500,000.

Pennsylvania – Doug Mastriano’s Pa. Victory Could Give 2020 Denier Oversight of 2024
MSN – Rosalind Helderman, Isaac Arnsdorf, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 5/18/2022

As a state senator and gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania, Doug Mastriano railed against the rampant fraud he believes was responsible for Donald Trump’s 2020 defeat. He vowed to decertify voting machines in counties where he suspects the result was rigged. He asserted the Republican-controlled Legislature should have the right to take control of the all-important choice over which presidential electors to send to Washington, D.C. He would gain significant influence over the administration of the battleground state’s elections should he prevail in November, worrying experts already fearful of a democratic breakdown around the 2024 presidential contest.

Pennsylvania – Mail Ballots Spark Bitter Dispute in Pa. GOP Senate Race
MSN – Holly Otterbein and Zach Montellaro (Politico) | Published: 5/24/2022

Republicans had hoped they would be united behind a nominee in Pennsylvania’s Senate GOP race by now. Instead, a bitter fight over mail ballots in the still-too-close-to-call contest is driving a wedge between Republicans ahead of the general election in the battleground state. David McCormick, who is trailing Dr. Mehmet Oz by fewer than 1,000 votes, is going to court to direct election officials to count mail-in and absentee ballots that do not have a written date on their envelopes. Oz has taken the opposite position, arguing those ballots should be rejected.

Tennessee – Governor to Sign Ethics Reform Bill into Law Despite Call for Veto
Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 5/24/2022

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said he will sign into law a bill requiring “dark-money” groups to disclose their political expenditures before elections. The governor said he supports the bill despite opposition from groups with 501(c)4 federal tax status that oppose the legislation. Supporters of the legislation argued it would apply only to expenditures by 501(c) groups when they spend a total of $5,000 on an election within 60 days of the vote.

Tennessee – Trooper Removes Angry Man from Meeting After Reportedly Making Threats Against the TN Registry
WTVF – Jennifer Kraus | Published: 5/18/2022

A man who reportedly made threats against the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance was escorted out of a meeting of the registry by a state trooper. Mark Clayton, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2012 and then tried to run for governor in 2014, showed up at the registry’s regular meeting and stood up as the board was considering a case. Clayton rambled for a bit and made disparaging comments about the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office. Registry members were confused and as they tried to ask Clayton what his connection was to the case, Clayton appeared to grow agitated and started to raise his voice. He was asked to quiet down, but he yelled back at Registry member Tom Lawless, “I need to be quiet?”

Texas – Law to Crack Down on Lobbyists Ensnares Two Former Texas House Members
Texas Tribune – Patrick Svitek | Published: 5/19/2022

A Texas law says former members of the Legislature cannot engage in activities that require them to register as a lobbyist if they have made a political contribution using campaign funds in the past two years. It is meant to prevent a situation where, for example, a lawmaker spreads campaign money around to colleagues, steps down, or loses reelection and then goes to lobby those same colleagues a short time later. Former state Reps. Eddie Lucio III and Chris Paddie registered as lobbyists recently despite using campaign cash for political contributions in the past two years. But after media inquiries, they decided to suspend their registration.

Virginia – Former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison
Yahoo News – Jane Harper (Virginian-Pilot) | Published: 5/20/2022

Former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe was sentenced to 12 years in prison after his conviction on nearly a dozen bribery and public corruption charges. Testimony at his trial showed McCabe accepted lavish gifts and thousands of dollars in cash from two businesspeople who had longtime contracts with the city jail. In exchange, the vendors got inside information about the bidding process as well as contract extensions and enhancements that greatly benefited them.

Wisconsin – Senate Candidates Can Avoid Financial Disclosure Before Primaries. Watchdogs Say That’s a Problem
madison.com – Alexander Shur (Wisconsin State Journal) | Published: 5/23/2022

Millionaire Alex Lasry is one of at least several U.S. Senate candidates in Wisconsin who received an extension to file an annual financial disclosure report after their partisan primary, which watchdogs say violates the spirit of a law meant to help voters stay informed.  Lasry’s 90-day extension allows him to file a report outlining his assets by August 15. The Democratic primary is August 9. The extension was granted by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics despite a clause in the ethics code saying extensions should not be granted within 30 days of an election.