Campaign Finance

Missouri: “New Campaign Finance Rules Ignore Missouri Voters’ Decision” by Kurt Erickson (Tribune News Service) for Governing

Texas: “Dozens of Abbott Appointees Surpass Donor Threshold Targeted by Stalled ‘Pay for Play’ Bill” by Jolie McCullough for Texas Tribune

Virginia: “Dark Money Comes with a Twist in Virginia’s Statewide Races” by Alan Suderman (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Ethics

“Justice Department Ethics Experts Clear Mueller to Lead Russia Probe” by Matt Zapotosky and Matea Gold for Washington Post

“Fox News Retracts Story Linking Murder of D.N.C. Aide to 2016 Presidential Campaign” by Michael Grynbaum and Daniel Victor for New York Times

Connecticut: “Voting in Your Employer’s Interest? No Conflict in Connecticut” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

Florida: “New DEP Secretary Says There’s No Conflict in Political Side Businesses” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald

Lobbying

Colorado: “Shuttering the Revolving Door, Bennet Bill Would Institute Lifetime Lobbying Ban for Lawmakers” by Adam McCoy for Colorado Statesman

Arizona: “Phoenix Moves to Implement New Rules for Lobbyists Following Republic Report” by Rob O’Dell and Dustin Gardiner for Arizona Republic

New York: “JCOPE Settlement Expected to Reveal Glenwood Behind $690K” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

Iowa: “Ethics Complaint Against Iowa Gun Owners Leader Dismissed” by Brianne Pfannenstiel for Des Moines Register

Rhode Island: “Ethics Board: Former Senate President Paiva Weed must wait to lobby General Assembly” by Christine Dunn for Providence Journal

Virginia: “A ‘Personal Friend’ Exemption on Gifts to Virginia’s Elected Officials Leaves Open an Unlimited Loophole” by Bill Bartel for The Virginian-Pilot

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Maine Developer Will Face Jail Time, Fines for Illegal Political Donations” by Edward Murphy for Portland Press Herald

North Carolina: “Former NC Legislator, Fletcher Hartsell, Gets Probation in State’s Campaign Finance Case” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News & Observer

Ethics

“Kushner Keeps Most of His Real Estate but Offers Few Clues About Potential White House Conflicts” by Amy Brittain and Jonathan O’Connell for Washington Post

Michigan: “Feds: Bag man delivered bribes to Macomb officials” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

New York: “Whose Job Is It to Investigate Legislature’s ‘Lulu’ System?” by Rachel Silberstein for Gotham Gazette

Elections

“Former C.I.A. Chief Reveals Mounting Concern Over Trump Campaign and Russia” by Matt Apuzzo for New York Times

“Trump Asked Intelligence Chiefs to Push Back against FBI Collusion Probe after Comey Revealed Its Existence” by Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima for Washington Post

Lobbying

“White House Moves to Block Ethics Inquiry into Ex-Lobbyists on Payroll” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

California: “California Is About to Go Nuts Thanks to Some Fourth-Graders from Merced” by Robert Rodriguez for Fresno Bee

Campaign Finance

“Michael Flynn Invokes 5th Amendment, Citing ‘Public Frenzy’” by The Associated Press for Portland Oregonian

“Supreme Court Affirms Ban on ‘Soft Money’ in Campaigns” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

“Bullock Vetoes Bill to Raise Allowable Campaign Contributions” by Holly Michels for Billings Gazette

Ethics

Arkansas: “Panel: Dallas Cowboys owner violated Arkansas ethics law” by John Lyon (Arkansas News Bureau) for Arkansas Online

New Jersey: “Frelinghuysen Hit with Ethics Complaint Over Outing of Activist to Her Employer” by Justin Zaremba (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

South Carolina: “How South Carolina Lawmakers Are Re-examining Their Rule Book after Statehouse Probe Indictments” by Andy Shain for Charleston Post and Courier

Redistricting

North Carolina: “Supreme Court Ruling Wipes Out Republican-Drawn House Districts in N.C.” by Richard Wolff for USA Today

On Friday, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill to increase the maximum allowable contributions from individuals and political action committees and place the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices under the jurisdiction of the state attorney general.

Senate Bill 368 would also have prohibited the Commissioner of Political Practices from filing criminal cases against candidates and transitioned complaints to the court of the defendant’s residence.

In his veto, Gov. Bullock stated the bill would undermine the effectiveness of the office and the up to 300% increase to some contribution limits was beyond what was acceptable to Montanans.

Gov. Bullock went on to say Senate Bill 368 would undo the progress the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices and the 2015 Montana Disclose Act have made over the last two years.

Lobbying

Maine: “Democrats Block Bill to Punish Lying at Maine State House” by Christopher Cousins for Bangor Daily News

New Mexico: “Loophole and Vague Laws Create Ambiguity in Lobbyist Reporting” by Sandra Fish for New Mexico In Depth

Ethics

“Work and Politics: What Rights Do Employees Have?” by Charisse Jones and Michael Izzo for USA Today

“F.B.I. Once Warned G.O.P. Congressman That Russian Spies Were Recruiting Him” by Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, and Mark Mazzetti for New York Times

“Russia Probe Reaches Current White House Official, People Familiar with the Case Say” by Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

“Trump Told Russians That Firing ‘Nut Job’ Comey Eased Pressure from Investigation” by Matt Apuzzo, Maggie Haberman, and Matthew Rosenberg for New York Times

California: “Former Admiral Sentenced to 18 Months in ‘Fat Leonard’ Case” by Craig Whitlock for Washington Post

Pennsylvania: “Township Supervisor Ordered to Pay $107,120 for Illegally Purchasing Surplus Items” by John Beauge for PennLive.com

Nevada: “Laxalt Defends Actions in Taped Conversation; Dems Not Convinced” by Seth Richardson for Reno Gazette-Journal

Elections

“For Voting Rights Advocates, Court Decision Is ‘Temporary Victory’” by Michael Wines for New York Times

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “Preliminary Ruling: Ganim Ineligible for Public Financing” by Mark Pazniokas for Connecticut Mirror

Illinois: “Ken Griffin Gives Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Campaign Record $20 Million” by Rick Pearson for Chicago Tribune

See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!

Federal:

Deputy Attorney General Appoints Special Counsel to Oversee Probe of Russian Interference in Election
Washington Post – Devlin Barrett, Sari Horwitz, and Matt Zapotosky | Published: 5/18/2017

The Justice Department appointed Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, as special counsel to oversee the investigation into ties between President Trump’s campaign and Russian officials, dramatically raising the legal and political stakes in an affair that has threatened to engulf Trump’s presidency. The decision by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein came after a cascade of damaging developments for Trump in recent days, including his abrupt dismissal of James Comey as FBI director, and the subsequent disclosure that the president asked Comey to drop the investigation of his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

DOJ Deflects Calls for More Foreign Agents Act Transparency
Bloomberg BNA – Kenneth Doyle | Published: 5/11/2017

Watchdogs are calling for the U.S. Department of Justice to make public all of its advisory opinions on the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), a law aimed at letting the public know about foreign influence on U.S. politics. The Justice Department recently posted online brief summaries of three past advisory opinions issued under FARA. It has indicated no plans for further action. Meanwhile, other, more complex questions about who must register under the law have increased. High-profile advocates, including Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser, recently filed disclosures under FARA revealing past work for foreign governments or political parties.

Reckless Stock Trading Leaves Congress Rife with Conflicts
Politico – Maggie Severns | Published: 5/14/2017

A Politico investigation found 28 House members and six senators each traded more than 100 stocks in the past two years, placing them in the potential cross hairs of a conflict-of-interest on a regular basis. A handful of lawmakers, some of them frequent traders and some not, disproportionately trade in companies that also have an interest in their work on Capitol Hill. House and Senate members who are active traders insist their buying and selling is a normal part of managing their finances, as with any American who wants to save for retirement. But the clear majority of lawmakers avoid potential conflicts by buying mutual funds, putting their portfolios in blind trusts, or simply staying out of the stock market.

The Right Builds an Alternative Narrative About the Crises Around Trump
New York Times – Jeremy Peters | Published: 5/17/2017

As Americans process a dizzying week of damning revelations about President Trump, he has found shelter on the right, where the collective judgment of the conservative media and the Republican Party so far seems to be to shift the blame and change the subject. His most fervent supporters are building alternative narratives to run alongside the “mainstream media” account, from relatively benign diversions to more bizarre conspiracies. For many Trump loyalists, the issue is not whether his presidency is messy and chaotic and dysfunctional; the more relevant question is whether they see anyone else who is equipped to change Washington in the way Trump promised he would.

What Is Obstruction of Justice? An Often-Murky Crime, Explained
New York Times – Charlie Savage | Published: 5/16/2017

The report that President Trump asked then-FBI Director James Comey to drop the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has sparked charges that Trump is obstructing justice. Several federal statutes criminalize actions that impede official investigations. While some examples of illegal ways to thwart the justice system are specific, like destroying evidence, the law also includes broad, catchall prohibitions. Could that cover asking the FBI director to drop part of an investigation, and later firing him?

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Mayor’s Top Aide Got Married at Bayfront Estate of Developer and SoccerCity Supporter
San Diego Union-Tribune – Jeff McDonald | Published: 5/12/2017

Stephen Puetz, chief of staff to San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, took his wedding vows at a private home owned by developer Morgan Dene Oliver, who advocating for the SoccerCity plan for the city-owned Qualcomm Stadium property. Puetz said he received no special treatment from Oliver. As soon as he was offered use of the estate, he said, he contacted the city Ethics Commission to see how he could best meet the conflict-of-interest rules. Puetz said he and his wife, former council aide and registered lobbyist Diana Palacios, paid for the wedding themselves, including a reasonable fee to Oliver for use of the property.

Massachusetts – City Council Debates Level of Transparency in Lobbying Act
Spare Change News – Beth Treffeisen | Published: 5/15/2017

The Boston City Council held a hearing to discuss Mayor Martin Walsh’s re-filing of the proposed home rule petition on lobbying. At the hearing, questions soon arose on whether this draft is what would work best for the city. In its current form, the petition is modeled after existing lobbying regulations at the state-level, but also goes beyond the state’s framework by covering communications not only with elected officials but also with all city employees at all levels of municipal government.

Missouri – Greitens Fails to Meet Promises on Ethics Laws
Southeast Missourian – Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) | Published: 5/15/2017

Bills to strengthen state ethics laws, a campaign pledge of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, languished and failed to make it to his desk before lawmakers adjourned the 2017 legislative session. While Greitens said he “set the example on ethics” by enacting lobbyist-gift and revolving-door bans in the executive branch, lawmakers said a not-for-profit with secret donors that promotes his agenda helped undermine his policy proposals in the Legislature.

Montana – New Commissioner Takes Over at Political Practices Office
U.S. News & World Report – Matt Volz (Associated Press) | Published: 5/15/2017

Jeff Mangan has taken over as Montana’s commissioner of political practices, succeeding Jonathan Motl. The office is a political hot seat by nature of its role as the independent overseer of the campaign activities of the state’s elected officials. Allegations of partisan bias tend to dog the commissioner, who is appointed by the governor and must be confirmed by the Senate. As a result, the commissioner’s office has seen frequent turnover – Mangan will be the fifth person to hold the office since Dennis Unsworth in 2010, and he is the first in that time to be confirmed to a full six-year term.

New Hampshire – N.H. Ethics Committee Has Fielded Dozens of Complaints, But Issued No Violations
New Hampshire Public Radio – Casey McDermott | Published: 5/15/2017

The Executive Branch Ethics Committee has spent much of the last decade maintaining a remarkably low profile – it has never held a public hearing on a complaint or recommended any penalties against public officials accused of ethics breaches. From the beginning, this seven-member panel was designed to serve as a resource and a kind of conscience-check for state officials. On that end, it has published dozens of advisory opinions, but the committee was also supposed to be a place where the public could turn when they thought executive branch officials were breaking the rules.

New Jersey – ‘P.S.: One of the ring leaders works in your bank!’: Is this congressman’s fundraising letter a threat?
Washington Post – Amber Phillips | Published: 5/15/2017

In a hand-written note, U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen outed a member of an activist group opposing the incumbent Republican to her employer. Saily Avelenda was still a senior vice president and assistant general counsel at Lakeland Bank in March when Frelinghuysen sent a fundraising letter to a member of the bank’s board of directors informing him that Avelenda was one of the “ringleaders” of NJ 11th for Change. The group formed in response to the election of President Trump and has been pressuring Frelinghuysen to meet with constituents in his district and to oppose Trump’s agenda. Avelenda subsequently resigned from her position at the bank.

North Carolina – Strict North Carolina Voter ID Law Thwarted After Supreme Court Rejects Case
New York Times – Adam Liptak and Michael Wines | Published: 5/15/2017

The U.S. Supreme Court will not review a decision that found North Carolina’s 2013 voting law discriminated against African American voters. A unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit had found in 2016 that North Carolina legislators had acted “with almost surgical precision” to blunt the influence of African American voters. Last summer, the Supreme Court had divided evenly on whether the law could be used in last fall’s election while the appeals continued. As is the court’s custom, the justices gave no reason for declining to hear the case. But Chief Justice John Roberts issued a statement noting there was a dispute about who represented the state in the case and nothing should be read into the court’s decision to decline to hear it.

South Carolina – State Rep. Rick Quinn Indicted by State Grand Jury
Charleston Post & Courier – Glenn Smith | Published: 5/16/2017

State Rep. Rick Quinn is the fourth South Carolina legislator charged as part of a corruption probe. A grand jury indicted Quinn on two counts of misconduct in office. He is accused of using campaign donations for personal profit. Quinn is the son of veteran strategist Richard Quinn, who owns marketing and political consulting firms. Rick Quinn, also a campaign consultant, owns a direct-mail business. The Quinns have said they keep their firms separate, but the indictments allege Rep. Quinn has an economic interest in all of them. Quinn’s father has not been charged. But the millions of dollars the Quinn firms have collected and spent on clients’ behalf have been a central part of the inquiry.

Vermont – Vt. Political Ethics Bill Moves to Governor’s Desk
Burlington Free Press – April McCullum | Published: 5/11/2017

A bill passed by Vermont lawmakers sets up a state ethics commission in 2018 with a part-time executive director that would review complaints, but would have no investigative or enforcement authority. The commission would also create a state ethics code. The bill also limits lawmakers and government officials from lobbying immediately after they leave office. Individuals who give campaign contributions to a candidate would have to wait one year before that politician’s office could consider them for a no-bid state contract over $50,000.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Lobbying

“Trump’s Pick for a Top Interior Post Has Sued the Agency on Behalf of Powerful California Water Interests” by Bettina Boxall for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

Colorado: “Another Colorado ‘Social Welfare’ Nonprofit Just Got Fined for Improperly Playing in Elections” by Corey Hutchins for Colorado Independent

North Carolina: “Former Lawmaker Who Misspent Campaign Funds Gets 8 Months in Prison” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News & Observer

Texas: “Pool Proposes Campaign Finance Rule Changes” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor

Ethics

“Deputy Attorney General Appoints Special Counsel to Oversee Probe of Russian Interference in Election” by Devlin Barrett, Sari Horwitz, and Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

“The Right Builds an Alternative Narrative About the Crises Around Trump” by Jeremy Peters for New York Times

“What Is Obstruction of Justice? An Often-Murky Crime, Explained” by Charlie Savage for New York Times

Canada: “Trudeau Recuses Himself from Appointing New Federal Ethics Watchdog” by The Canadian Press for Toronto Star

Washington: “Seattle Ethics Panel Says No to Legal Fund for Ed Murray” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times

Elections

New York: “Winner of Vote for ‘I Voted’ Stickers Is Underground Art” by Andy Newman for New York Times

Lobbying

Massachusetts: “City Council Debates Level of Transparency in Lobbying Act” by Beth Treffeisen for Spare Change News

Campaign Finance

California: “California Ethics Watchdog Nabs Its Former Leader” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

Ethics

“Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation” by Michael Schmidt for New York Times

“At Mar-a-Lago, the Star Power of the Presidency Helps Charities – and Trump – Make More Money” by Drew Harwell and David Fahrenthold for Washington Post

Montana: “New Commissioner Takes Over at Political Practices Office” by Matt Volz (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

New Hampshire: “N.H. Ethics Committee Has Fielded Dozens of Complaints, But Issued No Violations” by Casey McDermott for New Hampshire Public Radio

New Jersey: “‘P.S.: One of the ring leaders works in your bank!’: Is this congressman’s fundraising letter a threat?” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post

West Virginia: “State Rep. Rick Quinn Indicted by State Grand Jury” by Glenn Smith for Charleston Post & Courier

Vermont: “Vt. Political Ethics Bill Moves to Governor’s Desk” by April McCullum for Burlington Free Press

Elections

North Carolina: “Strict North Carolina Voter ID Law Thwarted After Supreme Court Rejects Case” by Adam Liptak and Michael Wines for New York Times

Lobbying

“DOJ Deflects Calls for More Foreign Agents Act Transparency” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

Kansas: “Who Are Kansas Lobbyists Taking to Dinner?” by Bryan Lowry and Kelsey Ryan for Kansas City Star

Texas: “Powerful Abbott Appointee’s Lobbying Sparks Blowback in Legislature” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

Maryland: “FBI Searches Republican Political Consulting Firm in Annapolis” by Fenit Nirappil, Josh Hicks, and Matea Gold for Washington Post

Ethics

“Trump Warning to Comey Prompts Questions on ‘Tapes’” by Peter Baker and Michael Shear for New York Times

District of Columbia: “Bowser Cabinet Official Probed Over Child’s School Placement” by Peter Jamison for Washington Post

Florida: “Ex-Florida Congresswoman Convicted of Taking Money Meant for Charity” by Matt Stevens for New York Times

Rhode Island: “Providence Council President Charged with Embezzlement” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Elections

“Trump Picks Voter ID Advocate for Election Fraud Panel” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis for New York Times

Procurement

New York: “Government Watchdogs Push ‘Clean Contracting’ Reform in Albany” by Rachel Silberstein for Gotham Gazzette

See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!

National:

Silicon Valley Tech Lobbyists Swarm Brussels
Politico.eu – Harry Cooper and Nicholas Hirst | Published: 5/4/2017

A new report shows spending on European Union lobbying by Google, Facebook, Apple, and other technology companies has increased by up to 278 percent between 2014 and 2017, and four out of seven lobbyists currently accredited with the European Parliament have been hired directly from the Parliament to lobby their former colleagues. Transparency International says that major Silicon Valley companies have been lobbying in Brussels for years, but the budget for lobbying has increased in recent years, as Brussels tries to tackle tax avoidance schemes, data protection, and privacy issues.

Federal:

Inside Trump’s Anger and Impatience – and His Sudden Decision to Fire Comey
Washington Post – Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, Sari Horwitz, and Robert Costa | Published: 5/10/2017

The stated rationale for President Trump’s firing FBI Director James Comey’s delivered by White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders was that Comey had committed “atrocities” in overseeing the agency’s probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state, hurting morale in the bureau and compromising public trust. But the private accounts of more than 30 officials at the White House, the Justice Department, the FBI, and on Capitol Hill, as well as Trump confidants and other senior Republicans, paint a conflicting narrative centered on the president’s brewing personal animus toward Comey.

Kushner Family Stands to Gain from Visa Rules in Trump’s First Major Law
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Jesse Drucker | Published: 5/8/2017

A bill President Trump signed into law renews a program offering permanent residence in the U.S. to affluent foreigners investing money in real estate projects in the country. Just hours after the measure was signed, the company run until January by Trump’s son-in-law and top adviser, Jared Kushner, was urging wealthy Chinese in Beijing to consider investing $500,000 each in a pair of Jersey City luxury apartment towers the family-owned Kushner Companies plans to build. Kushner was even cited at a marketing presentation by his sister Nicole Meyer. The sequence of events offers one of the most explicit examples of the peril of the Trump and Kushner families maintaining close ties to their business interests and creates an impression they stand to profit off Trump’s presence in the White House.

Why the IRS Puts White-Nationalist Groups in the Same Category as Orchestras, Planetariums and Zoos
Washington Post – Max Ehrenfreund | Published: 5/10/2017

Four organizations associated with white nationalism – the National Policy Institute, the New Century Foundation, the Charles Martel Society and VDare Foundation – have raised $7.8 million in tax-free donations over the last decade. White nationalist groups qualify for tax-exempt status because they have successfully argued they have an “educational” mission. A proposal would force them to start paying taxes by removing the provision they rely on for their tax exemption, a broad rule that benefits organizations that sponsor lectures, conferences, and public discussions. But even groups that condemn white nationalists’ messages are hesitant about plans to take away their tax-exempt status.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona – Months After It Was Exposed, Phoenix Hasn’t Fixed Toothless Lobbying Law
Arizona Republic – Dustin Gardiner and Rob O’Dell | Published: 5/8/2017

More than three months after Phoenix realized it could not enforce its regulations for lobbyists seeking to influence decisions at City Hall, the problem has yet to be fixed. The rules could get some bite under a set of proposals the city council will debate, but one option under consideration would weaken them even further. Lobbyists who do not register or report meals, gifts, or other expenses made on behalf of elected officials currently face no penalties for breaking the lobbying law by not disclosing their activity. Some city leaders and a watchdog say the delay in making the rules enforceable erodes public confidence.

California – California Politicians Stole Their Money. Will That Make Them Care About Democracy?
Sacramento Bee – Alex Koseff | Published: 5/7/2017

Political scandals are almost dishearteningly pervasive in southeast Los Angeles County. Too many officials have violated the public trust in the area’s small- and medium-sized cities, which are working class and heavily immigrant. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, whose district is at the heart of the most recent troubles, dubs it the “corridor of corruption,” as five cities have sent more than a dozen city officials to jail or prison in the last 11 years. Tired of a reputation shaped by shortcomings, Rendon is one of a new group of representatives forged by the scandals who hope to shed the negative image that has plagued the area.

California – Foes into Friends: Lobbyists make amends to lawmakers with ‘make-up money’
CALmatters.org – Laurel Rosenhall | Published: 5/10/2017

In California, “make-up money” refers to the contributions that flow to newly-elected officials from interest groups that backed a losing candidate during the campaign. There is nothing illegal about giving these donations to a politician, said Jessica Levinson, president of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission. Political contributions break the law only when they involve a direct exchange of money for governmental action. But giving money to the winner of an election after backing an opponent shows that donors are looking to curry favor with whomever has the power to make decisions, Levinson said.

Florida – When That Feisty Neighbor Becomes the President
New York Times – Michael LaForgia and Steve Eder | Published: 5/6/2017

For local officials in Palm Beach County, it was one thing to spar with Donald Trump, the developer, over issues with his private club, Mar-a-Lago. But dealing with President Trump is another matter entirely. Since he was elected, local officials have quickly granted Trump’s club permission to build a concrete helipad, allowed it to host a charity event for the Navy SEAL Foundation featuring a staged shootout between some commandos and pretend terrorists, and agreed to assume the costs, for now at least, of closing roads and providing additional security. Behind every decision was a balancing act between a desire to best serve constituents and a political instinct not to anger the nation’s chief executive.

Illinois – Ethics Board Rejects Watchdog Recommendation That City Officials Report Lobbying
Chicago Tribune – Hal Dardick | Published: 5/9/2017

Chicago’s reinvigorated Board of Ethics has been flexing its muscle against lobbyists who emailed Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the mayor’s private accounts and failed either to register or report their lobbying activities. But the hefty fines are apparently not enough to satisfy city Inspector General Joe Ferguson. The law puts the onus on lobbyists, not city officials, to report contact. Last year, the inspector general’s office recommended making changes to improve compliance with the law, including the possibility of having city officials report lobbying interactions. The inspector general’s office released a follow-up report recently in which it said the ethics board rejected that recommendation.

Missouri – Judge Strikes Parts of Missouri Campaign Finance Law
Courthouse News Service – Dionne Cordell-Whitney | Published: 5/10/2017

Parts of Missouri’s new campaign finance law are unconstitutional, but the $2,600 individual donor limit will stay, U.S. District Court Judge Ortrie Smith ruled. But in striking down a provision in the law that banned committee-to-committee transfers, it has opened up the ability to raise an unlimited amount of money through a local PAC and transfer that cash to a different PAC. Critics say that will make campaign money harder to track and makes it easier for candidates to get around the individual donor limit.

New Hampshire – Lawmaker Behind Misogynistic Forum: ‘I’ve never hated women’
U.S. News & World Report – Kathleen Ronayne (Associated Press) | Published: 5/9/2017

About a dozen state representatives and voters urged lawmakers to take action against New Hampshire Rep. Robert Fisher, warning that his involvement in a misogynistic online forum feeds into a derogatory culture toward women and may promote abuse. Fisher has been under fire since it was reported he was behind a men’s rights forum known for its comments degrading women, questioning female intelligence, and denying rape. Fisher said he does not “hate women” and denied a new report that he still oversees the Reddit forum, known as “The Red Pill.”

New York – Murky Definitions for Government Entities Undermines Transparency
Gotham Gazette – Rachel Silberstein | Published: 5/3/2017

There is a multitude of quasi-governmental entities that exist in grey area of New York law, and how to classify these entities has been the subject of some debate. A rudimentary search pulled up at least a dozen different definitions for “state agency” and “local agency” in state law. While some rely to some degree on government funding, have board members appointed by city or state officials, and may serve a public function, as independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits, one could argue these entities do not qualify as a public authority or public benefit corporation. But like more typical government agencies, they are subject to Freedom of Information Laws. Government reformers say this ever-morphing patchwork of definitions only serves to confuse the public and obscure conflicts of interests, rather than increase transparency.

Ohio – Nelson Mullins Partner Settles with SEC in Pay-to-Play Suit
American Lawyer – Scott Flaherty | Published: 5/3/2017

Robert Crowe agreed to settle civil allegations brought by federal regulators in a “pay-to-play” scheme involving State Street Bank. Crowe was a lobbyist for Boston-based State Street when he became embroiled in the scheme of a former State Street employee to raise campaign contributions for a deputy treasurer in Ohio. The former employee had made a deal to provide campaign funding in exchange for business contracts for State Street, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged. Crowe allegedly filtered $16,000 through his personal bank account to reimburse others for making contributions to the deputy treasurer. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Crowe agreed to a federal judge’s order to pay nearly $95,000 in penalties.

Washington – Seattle Mayor Ed Murray Won’t Seek Second Term: ‘It tears me to pieces to step away’
Seattle Times – Daniel Beekman | Published: 5/9/2017

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said he will not run for re-election, as he fights claims he sexually abused teenage boys in the 1980s. Murray, who was expected to win the upcoming mayoral race, dropped out days before the official filing deadline. In April, a man filed a lawsuit accusing Murray of sexually abusing him in 1986, when he was a homeless 15-year-old boy. Three other men have since come forward to accuse Murray of abuse, including paying for sex with them while they were minors. Murray said the allegations against him “are not true. The scandal surrounding them hurts me and this city.”

West Virginia – W. Va. Reporter Arrested for ‘Yelling Questions’ at HHS Secretary
USA Today – Doug Stanglin | Published: 5/9/2017

Tom Price during his visit to West Virginia. The exchange came as Price and senior white House aide KellyAnne Conway visited the Capitol to learn about efforts to fight opioid addiction in a state that has the nation’s highest overdose death rate. A criminal complaint says Daniel Heyman was yelling questions at the two. It says he tried to breach Secret Service security and had to be removed from a hallway at the Capitol. He was charged with willful disruption of governmental processes. Heyman, who works for Public News Service, said he was arrested after asking repeatedly whether domestic violence would be considered a pre-existing condition under the proposed health care overhaul. He said he believed he was doing nothing wrong.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

The 2017 session of the 110^th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned on Wednesday, May 10.

Hesitant to make a last-minute decision on such a significant matter, lawmakers postponed a bill to increase campaign contribution limits for legislators. Legislation did pass requiring lawmakers to report contributions or funding from private sources for trips and other items.

The General Assembly will reconvene at noon on Tuesday, January 9, 2018.

Lobbying

California: “Foes into Friends: Lobbyists make amends to lawmakers with ‘make-up money’” by Laurel Rosenhall for CALmatters.org

Illinois: “Ethics Board Rejects Watchdog Recommendation That City Officials Report Lobbying” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

Campaign Finance

Tennessee: “Bill to Increase Campaign Finance Audits Heads to Governor” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Ethics

“CNN Exclusive: Grand jury subpoenas issued in FBI’s Russia investigation” by Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, and Pamela Brown for CNN

New Hampshire: “Lawmaker Behind Misogynistic Forum: ‘I’ve never hated women’” by Kathleen Ronayne (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report

New Jersey: “$25,000 Could Be Yours for Reporting N.J. Corruption” by Owen Proctor for Bergen Record

Pennsylvania: “Philly DA Williams Faces More Federal Corruption Charges” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

West Virginia: “W. Va. Reporter Arrested for ‘Yelling Questions’ at HHS Secretary” by Doug Stanglin for USA Today

Legislative Issues

“Why the IRS Puts White-Nationalist Groups in the Same Category as Orchestras, Planetariums and Zoos” by Max Ehrenfreund for Washington Post