Well, we are not exactly the Mod Squad, but we are this year’s speakers at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in Chicago. I will join Brad Smith from the Center for Competitive Politics and Capital OH Law School and Nick Penniman from Issue One to speak about Campaign Finance: What It All Means.

We are going to discuss the phrases you hear all the time in the news—campaign treasuries, PACs, Super PACs, 501(c)(4)(s), and independent expenditure group. Each one of these has a different meaning in the states and has a different contribution limitation. This fabulous team, which will be moderated by Alexis Stang, Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis from the state of Minnesota, will look at the impact of self-funded campaigns, contribution limits, and disclosure requirements.

I know this is very exciting and you do not want to miss it. I should add this breakfast session runs from 7:30 am to 9 am Tuesday, August 9 in McCormick Place, Room W181. If you need a wake-up call, let me know. I can help schedule it for you.

There is very little other than elections going on between now and November. Stay on top of the rules and regulations. Stop and see the 2016 Dream Team.

See you in Chicago.

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

Campaign Finance

“After Lying Low, Deep-Pocketed Clinton Donors Return to the Fore” by Nicholas Confessore and Amy Chozick for New York Times

California: “California Treasurer Cracks Down on Pay to Play” by Kyle Glazier for The Bond Buyer

California: “Feds Say Azano Wanted to ‘Buy a Mayor’” by Greg Moran for San Diego Union-Tribune

Washington: “Attorney General Seeks Contempt Order against Tim Eyman” by Rachel La Corte (Associated Press) for Tacoma News Tribune

Ethics

Hawaii: “Here’s The Deal Honolulu Made with Its Departing Ethics Director” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat

Utah: “Judge Grants State’s Motion to Dismiss Corruption Charges against Mark Shurtleff” by Ben Lockhart and Dennis Romboy for Deseret News

Elections

“Clinton’s Convention Is Made for TV. Trump’s Was Made for Twitter.” by Jim Rutenberg for New York Times

“Wikileaks Posts Hacked DNC Voicemails” by Marshall Cohen and Tom LoBianco for CNN

“And Then There Was Trump” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission will conduct a third public hearing on Advisory Opinion AOR-16-01 at its regularly scheduled meeting on August 12, 2016.

Questions to be considered pertain to a candidate committee’s use of funds in making expenditures to political party committees. Three draft opinions are now available for review.

The commission will accept written and oral comments about the draft opinions; written comments may be hand-delivered, mailed, or emailed to the commission.

After being challenged in court by a lobbyist and political consultant, a proposed Denver ballot initiative was recently withdrawn by its backers.

The initiative would have lowered contribution limits for elected officials, banned corporate contributions to candidates, and created a public financing system for city elections.

The challenge alleged the initiative violated the single-subject rule for ordinances and the ballot title inadequately summarized the measure and included words intended to sway voters.

The measure was withdrawn for 2016 due to the resources required to fight the legal challenge and to run a fall campaign in such an expensive election season.

Here is our latest edition of the News You Can Use Video Digest. Have a great weekend!

NYCU Video Digest was produced by 2016 interns Brittany Anderson and Clémence Besnard for State and Federal Communications.

Federal:

A Worry if Clinton Wins: An idle ex-president in the White House
New York Times – Patrick Healy | Published: 7/26/2016

It is not clear how Bill Clinton would function as America’s first gentleman. Advisers to Hillary Clinton said she has not yet decided if she will offer her husband a formal role if elected but noted he will cease working for the Clinton Foundation, would not be a regular at Cabinet meetings, and will do what is asked of him. Beyond that, however, details are scant. The steps that Clinton aides are planning to shape his new life do little to address a potentially thornier problem: historically, when Bill Clinton does not have a job to do, he gets into trouble.

Democrats Discreetly Turn Attention to Presidential Prospects of the Future
New York Times – Michael Shear | Published: 7/26/2016

On the main stage at the Wells Fargo Center and along the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention, more than a dozen senators, mayors, governors, cabinet members, and state lawmakers are carefully peeking past this year’s presidential election to 2020 or 2024 as they work ballrooms full of delegates, donors, and activists who would be critical to the pursuit of a national campaign. Compared with Republicans, Democrats have seen fewer of their young members rise to top positions in Washington, D.C., which can be a springboard to the White House.

DNC Turmoil Confirms Warnings: Hackers are targeting campaigns
Politico – Eric Geller | Published: 7/24/2016

The downfall of Democratic National Committee Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz marks a groundbreaking moment that cybersecurity experts have long seen coming: hackers are making a significant impact on a major U.S. political campaign. Cybersecurity experts have warned for years that campaigns and political parties are woefully weak in securing their data, despite the wealth of sensitive information they carry in their computer networks and email accounts. It is an ideal scenario for all kinds of cyber wrongdoers – foreign adversaries trying to swing elections, intelligence agencies seeking information on future officials, hacktivist groups looking to grab attention, and black market hackers trying to make a quick buck.

Donald Trump Calls on Russia to Find Hillary Clinton’s Missing Emails
New York Times – Ashley Parker and David Sanger | Published: 7/27/2016

Donald Trump dared a foreign government to commit espionage on the U.S. to hurt his rival, smashing yet another taboo in American political discourse and behavior. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’ll be able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Trump said, referring to deleted emails from the private account Hillary Clinton used as secretary of State. “I think you’ll probably be rewarded mightily by our press.” The comments immediately drew widespread attention because they lend the impression that Trump is actively encouraging another country to commit a cybercrime against the U.S. to directly affect the presidential election. If the emails are hacked and Trump wins, it also could make him appear beholden to foreign interests.

For Special Interests, the Real Party Is Outside the Convention
Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine and Dave Levinthal | Published: 7/22/2016

A Rick Springfield concert at the Republican National Convention was billed as “a tribute to the House Republican Whip Team” and was to benefit charity, even though there was no admission fee. During the convention, dozens of organizations sponsored such events, all with an interest in gaining access to lawmakers and power brokers. The gatherings are almost all crafted to fit into exemptions in gift and ethics rules that allow members of Congress to come to “widely attended events” or charitable fundraisers. “These exemptions very quickly become major loopholes to allow lobbyists and others to put on events for officeholders and allow officeholders to go to them for free,” said Lawrence Noble, general counsel for the Campaign Legal Center.

In Hacked D.N.C. Emails, a Glimpse of How Big Money Works
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Steve Eder | Published: 7/25/2016

The leaked documents from the Democratic National Committee included thousands of emails exchanged by party officials and fundraisers, revealing in rarely seen detail the elaborate, ingratiating, and often bluntly transactional exchanges necessary to collect hundreds of millions of dollars from the party’s wealthy donors. The emails capture a world where seating charts are arranged with dollar totals in mind, where a White House celebration of gay pride is a thinly disguised occasion for rewarding wealthy donors, and where physical proximity to the president is the most precious of currencies.

IRS Gives Opposite Rulings to Convention Committees
Bloomberg BNA – Kenneth Doyle | Published: 7/25/2016

When Cleveland’s host committee for the Republican National Convention applied for charitable tax-exempt status nearly two years ago, approval by the IRS came in just 12 days. Philadelphia’s host committee for the Democratic National Convention was not so lucky. While neither the committee nor the IRS will discuss details, it is clear that approval of the Philadelphia committee’s request for the same charitable tax-exempt status did not come quickly and ultimately was denied. The Philadelphia host committee reportedly is trying to work around fundraising problems caused by IRS disapproval of its exempt status. The full impact of the IRS ruling is not yet clear, partly because the host committee is asking a state court to keep information about its donors under wraps until a federal disclosure report must be filed with the FEC two months after the convention ends.

Lobbyists Celebrate Democratic Party’s New Embrace at Convention
Time – Jay Newton-Small | Published: 7/26/2016

Heather Podesta wore a scarlet letter “L” to the last two Democratic National Conventions, a not so subtle protest over Barack Obama’s ban on lobbyists like her donating money to his cause. Podesta’s scarlet letter is gone this week because Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee have lifted the ban. Podesta is just one of a legion of lobbyists coming out of the proverbial closet this convention, free to raise money, support candidates, and be proud of it for the first time in nearly a decade. Campaign finance reformers have watched the change happen with dismay.

Report: FEC leaders, managers share blame for horrid morale
Center for Public Integrity – Dave Levinthal | Published: 7/26/2016

The office of the FEC’s inspector general for months has conducted employee surveys and interviews in hopes of answering a nagging question: why, specifically, is agency morale so consistently poor? Investigators place the most blame on the six commissioners: three Democratic appointees and three Republican appointees who have regularly criticized one another and frequently deadlocked on high-profile political issues before them. The report came about in response to separate study that ranked FEC staff morale second to last among 41 small federal agencies studied.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska – Oil Lobbyist Treated Legislator to Meal after Oil Tax Vote
Alaska Dispatch News – Nathaniel Herz | Published: 7/25/2016

Alaska Rep. Mike Hawker accepted a $78 dinner from an oil company lobbyist the same day Hawker went to Juneau for his first vote in two months, casting the deciding vote on an oil tax bill criticized as being too industry friendly. The meal was purchased by ConocoPhillips lobbyist Michael Hurley on June 6, the same day House Bill 247 was approved 21-to-19. Hawker’s presence was essential because the Alaska Constitution requires 21 votes for passage of a bill. Hawker is suffering from terminal cancer and had not attended a floor session since early April.

California – California Treasurer Cracks Down on Pay to Play
The Bond Buyer – Kyle Glazier | Published: 7/27/2016

California Treasurer John Chiang announced that municipal finance firms seeking state business will be required to certify they will make no contributions to local bond election campaigns. State officials are concerned with “pay-to-play” tactics in which bond counsel, underwriters, and financial advisors are offering to fund or provide campaign services in exchange for contracts to issue the bonds once they are approved by voters. The new policy applies to firms and their employees, and includes both cash and-in kind contributions made either directly or through third parties. Firms that fail to make the pledge will be removed from the state’s official list of acceptable vendors and barred from participating in state-issued bonds.

California – California Wants People to Prove They Are Not Lobbyists
KPCC – Alison Noon (Associated Press) | Published: 7/21/2016

The California Fair Political Practices Commission approved a regulatory change aimed at encouraging so-called shadow lobbyists to disclose their efforts to influence legislation. Lobbyists are required to register with the state if the amount they make for communicating with government officials reaches $2,000 in any given month. The rule change permits investigators to demand evidence about lobbyists’ compensation and financial gain related to contact with government officials. It suggests that suspected unregistered lobbyists testify or provide bills, receipts, or other records to establish their compensation was not used to get access to lawmakers or dine and entertain them.

Texas – City Wins Lawsuit Despite Appearance of Loss
Austin Monitor – Jo Clifton | Published: 7/22/2016

A federal judge ruled a blackout period banning candidates in Austin from fundraising outside of the six months before Election Day is unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel also overturned the dissolution requirements governing candidates’ left-over campaign money. The decision upheld the $350 individual cap on donations as well as the aggregate limit on contributions from persons who live outside the city.

Virginia – As Pick for No. 2, Tim Kaine Sees Gifts Come Under Scrutiny
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Steve Eder | Published: 7/24/2016

With U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine’s selection as Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential running mate, the gifts he received in the four years he served as Virginia’s chief executive and his time as lieutenant governor before that are certain to be cited by his Republican critics as a sign that Kaine is not as squeaky clean as he portrays himself. An examination by The New York Times of archival email traffics from Kaine’s tenure as governor shows he received gifts, in some cases, around the same time he and his staff were considering official government requests from these donors.

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

“Lobbyists Celebrate Democratic Party’s New Embrace at Convention” by Jay Newton-Small for Time

California: “Judge Questions Private Talks Between Coastal Commissioners and Developer’s Consultants” by Dan Weikel for Los Angeles Times

Campaign Finance

“George Soros Rises Again” by Kenneth Vogel for Politico

California: “‘Behested Payments’ Add Another Layer of Money in Politics” by Tracy Wood for Voice of OC

Indiana: “Eric Holcomb’s Access to Mike Pence’s Campaign Cash Might Be Restricted” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star

Ethics

Texas: “Texas AG Took Gift While Investigating Company” by Associated Press for Texarkana Gazette

Elections

“Donald Trump Calls on Russia to Find Hillary Clinton’s Missing Emails” by Ashley Parker and David Sanger for New York Times

“Bill Clinton Praises His Wife’s Feminine Side” by Patrick Healy for New York Times

“Democrats Discreetly Turn Attention to Presidential Prospects of the Future” by Michael Shear for New York Times

Lobbying

Alaska: “Oil Lobbyist Treated Legislator to Meal after Oil Tax Vote” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dispatch News

Campaign Finance

“In Hacked D.N.C. Emails, a Glimpse of How Big Money Works” by Nicholas Confessore and Steve Eder for New York Times

“Report: FEC leaders, managers share blame for horrid morale” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity

“DNC Sought to Hide Details of Clinton Funding Deal” by Kenneth Vogel and Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico

Ethics

California: “Grand Jury Finds Cracks in Ethics Policies” by Joshua Stewart for San Diego Union-Tribune

Kentucky: “Bevin Questions Grant to Jane Beshear Charity” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

Elections

“Clinton Highlights Lack of Women in Office” by Christina Cassidy (Associated Press) for ABC News

“A Worry if Clinton Wins: An idle ex-president in the White House” by Patrick Healy for New York Times

California: “Why a New Law Isn’t Shrinking the Overload of Ballot Initiatives Much – Yet” by Laurel Rosenhall (CALmatters) for Long Beach Press-Telegram

Campaign Finance

“IRS Gives Opposite Rulings to Convention Committees” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

California: “Campaign Cash: A Journey Through the Cal-Access Labyrinth” by Cosmo Garvin for Capitol Weekly

Connecticut: “U.S. Attorney Opens Probe of Malloy’s 2014 Campaign Fundraising” by Keith Phaneuf and Mark Pazniokas for CT Mirror

Ethics

“As Pick for No. 2, Tim Kaine Sees Gifts Come Under Scrutiny” by Eric Lipton and Steve Eder for New York Times

Massachusetts: “Supreme Court’s Corruption Decision Could Affect Mass. Cases” by Shelley Murphy for Boston Globe

New York: “N.Y. Lawmakers Seek to Strengthen State Bribery Law” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union

Elections

“DNC Turmoil Confirms Warnings: Hackers Are Targeting Campaigns” by Eric Geller for Politico

Louisiana: “Former KKK Leader David Duke, Citing Trump, Announces Senate Bid” by Elise Viebeck for Washington Post

Lobbying

“For Special Interests, the Real Party Is Outside the Convention” by Carrie Levine and Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity

California: “California Wants People to Prove They Are Not Lobbyists” by Alison Noon for KPCC

Connecticut: “CT GOP Delegates, This Meal Is Brought to You by …” by Mark Pazniokas for CT Mirror

Campaign Finance

Texas: “City Wins Lawsuit Despite Appearance of Loss” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor

Ethics

Connecticut: “Wade Fires Back at Critics” by Christine Stuart for CTNewsJunkie.com

Hawaii: “School Cleared in Ethics Case” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Maryland: “Del. Dan Morhaim, Advocate of Medical Marijuana, Draws Scrutiny for Role in Firm” by Pamela Wood and Erin Cox for Baltimore Sun

Pennsylvania: “Feds Charge Ex-Pa. Treasurer Hafer with Lying and Millionaire Donor with Fraud in Pay-to-Play Probe” by Mark Fazlollah, Craig McCoy, and Dylan Purcell for Philadelphia Inquirer

South Carolina: “Ethics Commission Narrows Governor’s Allowed Use of USC Football Tickets” by Maya Prabhu for Charleston Post & Courier

South Carolina: “Ethics Board Tells Candidates When It’s OK to Pay Family with Donations” by Seanna Adcox (Associated Press) for Aiken Standard

Elections

“Hillary Clinton Selects Tim Kaine, a Popular Senator from a Swing State, as Running Mate” by Amy Chozick, Alan Rappeport, and Jonathan Martin for New York Times

“DNC Chairwoman Will Resign in Aftermath of Committee Email Controversy” by Anne Gearan, Philip Rucker, and Abby Phillip for Washington Post

Texas: “Appeals Court Says Texas Voter-ID Law Discriminates Against Minorities” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

Wisconsin: “Judge Issues Injunction, Allows Voters without IDs to Cast Ballots” by Patrick Marley and Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A legislative committee has voted against a proposed bill to finance Suffolk County candidates’ campaigns with future casino revenues and to increase term limits from two to four years. Specifics of the bill include a 4-to-1 match for donations up to $150 for all candidates who agree to a $1,000 cap on contributions.

As a result of the vote, the bill will not appear on the November ballot, but an initiative to allow a video slot machine casino in the Village of Islandia will.

The campaign finance bill’s sponsor, Legislator Rob Calarco, has indicated he would reintroduce his legislation if voters approve the casino initiative.

Here is our latest edition of the News You Can Use Video Digest. Have a great weekend!

NYCU Video Digest was produced by 2016 interns Brittany Anderson and Clémence Besnard for State and Federal Communications.

National:

Accused of Sexual Harassment, Roger Ailes Is Negotiating Exit from Fox
New York Times – John Koblin and Jim Rutenberg | Published: 7/19/2016

The Murdoch family is moving to oust Roger Ailes, the chairperson of Fox News Channel, after multiple women have accused him of sexual harassment. Ailes and Fox News’s parent company are in the advanced stages of discussions that would lead to his departure, said Susan Estrich, one of Ailes’s lawyers. His exit would be a humbling and startlingly sudden fall from power for a man who started Fox News from scratch 20 years ago and built it into a top-rated cable news network. Along the way, Ailes, a former Republican operative, established Fox News as the leading media platform for conservative politics.

Federal:

Behind Melania Trump’s Cribbed Lines, an Ex-Ballerina Who Loved Writing
New York Times – Jason Horowitz | Published: 7/20/2016

Meredith McIver, a speechwriter for Donald Trump’s private company, took the blame for apparent plagiarism in Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention. McIver, the co-author of several books with Donald Trump, said as she and Ms. Trump were preparing her speech, Ms. Trump mentioned she admired Michelle Obama and read to McIver parts of the first lady’s 2008 speech at the Democratic convention. McIver said she had inadvertently left portions of the Obama speech in the final draft.

Donald Trump May Break the Mold, but He Fits a Pattern, Too
New York Times – Alexander Burns | Published: 7/21/2016

Donald Trump’s candidacy has upended the Republican Party, baffling and then vanquishing opponents who dismissed him as a celebrity sideshow. Even now, many prefer to treat his success as a freak occurrence without precedent in U.S. history. But if Trump will be the first figure of his kind to claim a presidential nomination, his candidacy falls within an American tradition of insurgent politics that has found expression in other moments of social and economic rupture, often attaching itself to folk heroes from the world of big business or the military.

G.O.P.’s Moneyed Class Finds Its Place in New Trump World
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 7/21/2016

Donald Trump has attacked lobbyists, disparaged big campaign donors, and railed against the party’s establishment. But at the Republican National Convention, beyond the glare of television cameras, the power of the permanent political class seemed virtually undisturbed. In Cleveland, even some of those who had worked against Trump’s candidacy now saw opportunity. In dozens of private receptions, they inspected their party’s new Trump faction with curiosity and hope. There were spheres of influence to carve out, money to raise and money to be made, whether or not Trump ended up in the White House. There were new friends to make and old relationships to nurture.

The Man Behind Citizens United Gears Up for Hillary Clinton Attacks
USA Today – Fredreka Schouten | Published: 7/20/2016

Political operative David Bossie, as much as any single person, is responsible for the nearly unrestricted flow of money pouring into the 2016 presidential campaign. He runs the conservative advocacy group Citizens United, and his attempt to distribute his anti-Hillary Clinton movie gave rise to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 blockbuster decision, which allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts to influence elections. Bossie is the new leader of the Defeat Crooked Hillary PAC, which plans to merge cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned opposition research in a push to sink the Democrats’ presumptive presidential nominee. At the same time, Bossie is moving closer to the inner circle of the Republican Party.

Why We Don’t Know Who’s Funding the Republican Convention
Time – Haley Sweetland Edwards and Chris Wilson | Published: 7/17/2016

The Republican National Convention in Cleveland is the first time in four decades that a major political party’s nominating convention is underwritten nearly exclusively with private cash. The near total dependence on private money is the direct result of a series of recent federal rule changes. The new rules, which passed with little fanfare in 2014, allow individual donors to give ten times more to national parties they could in 2012. They also fail to close a loophole allowing corporations, lobbying firms, super PACs, and special interest groups, which are formally prohibited from giving to the parties’ conventions, to give unlimited amounts through special, nonprofit committees, which are not bound by normal disclosure rules. As a result, the public will not find out who the major corporate funders are to either the Republican or Democratic conventions until sometime in the fall.

From the States and Municipalities:

Colorado – Denver Campaign Finance Reform Proposal Pulled from Ballot
Denver Post – Claire Cleveland | Published: 7/18/2016

A proposed ballot initiative in Denver that would reign in big campaign contributions and set up a public financing system for city elections has been withdrawn by its backers. The measure was challenged by David Kenney, a political consultant and lobbyist. The challenge alleges the initiative is so wide-ranging that it violates a single-subject rule for ordinances and says the ballot title approved by the Denver Elections Division inadequately summarizes the measure and includes words intended to sway voters.

Kentucky – Corporations Can Now Make Political Donations in Kentucky
WFPL – Ryland Barton | Published: 7/18/2016

The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance agreed to the final judgment in a lawsuit challenging the unequal treatment of unions and corporations under the state’s campaign finance law. A judge struck down the law that allowed only unions, not corporations, to give money directly to state and local political candidates, and to also support candidates through union-funded PACs. Now, both corporations and unions will be allowed to donate to PACs, and neither will be allowed to make direct contributions to candidates. The new law will affect state and local candidates, not candidates for federal office.

Missouri – Who Made the Biggest Political Donation in Missouri History? Ask After the Election
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kevin McDermott | Published: 7/19/2016

The super PAC SEALs for Truth gave the largest political contribution to an individual candidate in Missouri history when it donated $1.975 million to gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens, who is a former Navy SEAL. The group received the $1.975 million between July 1 and July 18, when it gave the cash to Greitens. But it does not have to publicly reveal where that money originally came from until later in the year, well after the state’s August 2 primaries are over. Missouri election officials have said they have no way to restrict money donated from federal PACs to state candidates, as long as it is disclosed publicly.

New Jersey – David Samson, Ally of Christie, Admits to Bribery Over Airline Route
New York Times – Patrick McGeehan | Published: 7/14/2016

David Samson, the embattled former chairperson of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, pleaded guilty to using his clout to coerce one of the nation’s largest airlines to accommodate his desire for a regularly scheduled, non-stop flight to his South Carolina summer home. Samson, a well-connected lawyer and one-time New Jersey attorney general, pleaded guilty to one charge of bribery for accepting a benefit of more than $5,000 from United Airlines. At the same time, United – which was not criminally charged – agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million and pledged to reform to its compliance program.

Ohio – In Cleveland’s Public Square, Rights Are Exercised. Loudly.
New York Times – Dan Barry | Published: 7/19/2016

While the Republican National Convention was being held at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, there was a parallel national conversation in a 10-acre downtown commons called Public Square, where people have colorfully debated one another since before Ohio was a state. The congregation in the square included protesters and counter-protesters, young capitalists and socialists, delegates away from home and locals without a home, a man with a pet iguana and a man with a semiautomatic rifle. “The Hyde Park of Cleveland,” said John Grabowski, a history professor at Case Western Reserve University and a Cleveland native. “[People] would come to vent. But they would also come to celebrate.”

Pennsylvania – Kathleen Kane’s Staff Gives Job Interview to Son of Key Prosecution Witness Against Her
Allentown Morning Call – Steve Esack | Published: 7/20/2016

Just three weeks before Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s criminal trial is scheduled to begin, her top aides interviewed the son of a key witness against her for a job in her office, raising questions about a conflict-of-interest and inappropriate influence.  Matthew Peifer was interviewed for a position in the Child Predator Unit, which is headed by Kane’s twin, Ellen Granahan. He is the son of David Peifer, a onetime Kane confidant and a top agent in the attorney general’s office who last year agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for immunity. Kane is facing charges for allegedly leaking secret grand jury information to the media and lying when asked about it under oath.

Rhode Island – Ethics Commission Adopts Moratorium on Complaints for 90 Days before General Election
Rhode Island Public Radio – Ian Donnis | Published: 7/19/2016

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted to adopt a moratorium on outside ethics complaints in the 90 days before a general election. The moratorium is intended to discourage politically motivated complaints, although the panel reserves the right to launch its own investigations, said commission attorney Jason Gramitt. Voters will decide this November if they want to restore the Ethics Commission’s conflict-of-interest oversight over the General Assembly.

Tennessee – The Culture That Allowed Durham to Thrive
The Tennessean – Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert | Published: 7/17/2016

Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell says nothing could have stopped state Rep. Jeremy Durham, who used his nearly five years in elected office to methodically harass or sexually take advantage of at least 22 women. “I don’t think anything could have avoided what happened; he violated our current policy and I think he would violate any policy,” Harwell said. Many lawmakers, staffers, and lobbyists knew about his predatory misbehavior for years but did not speak up to stop him, according to the findings of an attorney general’s investigation. The culture at the Capitol emphasizes deals between lawmakers, lobbyists, and staff over alcohol, late nights, and loyalty to a fault. It is also a culture where many female lobbyists, legislative staffers, and lawmakers expect to have to fend off sexual advances by some men at the statehouse.

Utah – Prosecutors Seek to Drop All Charges Against Ex-A.G. Shurtleff; Swallow Prosecution Proceeding
Salt Lake Tribune – Jennifer Dobner | Published: 7/18/2016

Prosecutors moved to drop “pay-to-play” charges against former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, a surprise retreat more than two years after state investigators arrested him and his successor, John Swallow, citing a pattern of favors and gifts traded with a cast of questionable businesspersons. Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said in court documents that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the bribery conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell narrowed what could be charged in influence-peddling cases.

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.

On July 20, a federal court ruled the city of Austin’s campaign contribution blackout period unconstitutional. The blackout period allowed officeholders, candidates, and their respective committees to only accept campaign contributions during the last 180 days before an election or recall election. In Zimmerman v. City of Austin, Texas, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, concluded the law was unconstitutional under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In addition, the court found an Austin City Charter provision designating a 90-day requirement for campaign account terminations to be unconstitutional.

District Court Judge Lee Yeakel did uphold the city’s contribution limits for mayoral and city council candidates, finding the limit a constitutional regulation of protected First Amendment activity. The ruling also found City Councilman Don Zimmerman, who originally brought the lawsuit last summer, did not have standing to challenge the aggregate limits of the total contributions a candidate can accept from sources other than natural persons eligible to vote in a postal zip code completely or partially within the Austin city limits.

Photo of Austin, Texas by Eric A. Ellison on Wikimedia Commons.