July 27, 2012 •
Supreme Court Justice Scalia Defends Citizens United
Interview to be broadcast on C-Span this Sunday
Here is a video clip of C-Span’s Brian Lamb interviewing Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who discussed the Citizens United decision.
For the full story , be sure to read “Scalia Defends ‘Citizens United,’ Arizona Immigration Decision” by Tony Mauro in The Blog of LegalTimes.
You’ll find more of the coverage in the press here:
“Scalia: ‘We get clobbered by the press’” by Dylan Byers in Politico.
“Scalia Unconcerned About Money in Politics; People Aren’t ‘Sheep’” by Ariane de Vogue on ABC News.
“Scalia Defends Decision in Citizens United” on Capitol Correspondent.
“Justice Scalia downplays reports of discord on court” by Mark Sherman in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
July 25, 2012 •
California County Allowed to Contract with the FPPC
Contribution limits coming soon to San Bernardino County
Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill allowing the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to enforce new campaign finance rules in the county. This is the first time the FPPC has been authorized by statute to contract with a county to enforce its campaign contribution limits.
County Supervisor Janice Rutherford originally proposed contracting with the FPPC to enforce a proposed county campaign law in lieu of creating a county ethics commission. Now with statutory permission in place, the county may proceed to craft a campaign finance law and negotiate contractual terms with the FPPC. Rutherford plans to bring her previous proposal to limit campaign contributions to $3,900 back before the board on August 21, 2012 for consideration.
Seal of San Bernardino County by Jetijones on Wikipedia.
July 24, 2012 •
Campaign Finance, Campaign Ads, and Ethics in the News
You’ll find many articles in today’s campaign finance and ethics news summary:
Campaign Finance
“Apps to Identify Who Backs Political Ads” in Government Technology.
“Romney-Obama Lawyers Raking in Millions” by Jonathan D. Salant in Bloomberg News.
Massachusetts: “Mass. groups take aim at Citizens United” in the Patriot Ledger.
Montana: “Group seeks to take measure saying corporations aren’t people off ballot” by Charles S. Johnson in the Billings Gazette.
Campaign Ads
“Ad-Rating Project Will Assess Campaign TV Spots by Asking Voters” by Gregory Giroux on Bloomberg News.
“Voters Say They Are Wary of Ads Made Just for Them” by Tanzina Vega in The New York Times.
“Obama, Romney Attack Ads Top Charts” by Tim Hanrahan in The Wall Street Journal.
“Obama puts $46.7M into ads, outspends what he raised in June” by Fredreka Schouten and Christopher Schnaars in USA Today.
“Report: Super PACs make up 80 percent of Romney ad spending” by Chris Moody in ABC News.
“Florida PAC Lets Internet Users Create Own Voiceovers For Romney Campaign Ad” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident.
Ethics
Arizona: “Legislator files ethics complaint against another” by The Associated Press in the Arizona Daily Sun.
Georgia: “Governor admits to ethics missteps, but major cases dismissed” by Aaron Gould Sheinin in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
July 24, 2012 •
California Local Lobbying and Campaign Reporting Bill Approved
Electronic filing systems must meet criteria by 2013
Governor Jerry Brown has approved Assembly Bill 2452, which changes the criteria local government agencies must meet in order to require campaign and lobbying reports to be filed electronically. The bill was chaptered in the Political Reform Act as section 84615.
A local government agency requiring campaign committees and lobbyists to file electronically must provide a secure, standardized, and free filing system. In addition, if a local ordinance requires a statement or report to be filed electronically, local officials can no longer require an additional copy to be filed in paper format.
The law becomes effective January 1, 2013.
July 23, 2012 •
Monday Campaign Finance and Lobbying News Roundup
Start your week off with these articles:
Campaign Finance
“Tallying Up Presidential Campaign Finances” in The New York Times.
Arizona: “Arizona campaigns often in gray area financially” by Mary Jo Pitzl in The Arizona Republic.
Montana: “Former Montana governor candidate wants political practices findings reversed” by Charles S. Johnson in the Missoulian.
New York: “Analysis: New York political money gushing to campaigns, but upstart Democratic group makes strides” by Michael Gormley (Associated Press) in the Syracuse Post-Standard.
Lobbying
“K Street’s continuing slump” by Anna Palmer in Politico.
“Blue Chips Mull Moves to K Street” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
“Chamber ups lobbying spending” by Erik Wasson in The Hill.
“Facebook lobbying sets record in Q2” by David Saleh Rauf in Politico.
Nevada: “Dems honor longtime women’s lobbyist” by Ray Hagar in the Reno Gazette-Journal.
New York: “Lobbyists in swing of things at political golf fundraisers” by Jimmy Vielkind in the Albany Times Union.
New York: “Cuomo’s Office Releases 2,200-Word Letter on Lobbying Group” by Jon Campbell in State Politics Albany Watch.
Oklahoma: “Report: Lobbyists provided pols Thunder tickets” by The Associated Press in The Republic.
July 20, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 20, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
House Ethics Panel Has Track Record of Leniency
Son of Liberal Financier George Soros Launches Anti-Super PAC Super PAC
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Alabama Casino Developer, Lobbyist, Ex-Lawmaker Sentenced to Prison in Statehouse Gambling Scheme
California
Battle Lines Drawn over Payroll Deductions
California
Feds Detail Scale of Graft in Cudahy
Michigan
Prosecutor: Bolger conspired with party switcher, but didn’t break law
Minnesota
Minnesota GOP, Former Chairman Face Fines Over Recount
Nevada
Felon Was a Lobbyist for Catholic Officials in Nevada
New Jersey
FBI Raids City Hall in New Jersey’s Capital
New York
NY Ethics Board Member Resigns from Lobbying Group
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
July 17, 2012 •
DISCLOSE Act Fails Again in Partisan Vote
Fell short in Tuesday’s 53-45 vote
“DISCLOSE Act dies again” by Tarini Parti in Politico.
“Secret political donors remain secret” by Charles Riley in CNN Money.
“Campaign finance reformer McCain blasts DISCLOSE” by Tarini Parti in Politico’s blog On Congress.
July 17, 2012 •
Tuesday News Summary
Campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, and social media
Campaign Finance
Connecticut: “Vote to kill filibuster on campaign finance bill fails, despite Connecticut senators’ support” by Ana Radelat in the CT Mirror.
Florida: “Unlimited campaign contributions finding a route to Florida lawmakers” by Steve Bousquet in the Miami Herald.
Lobbying
“ALEC struggles to retain members” by Steve Terrell in the Santa Fe New Mexican.
“Tech lobbyists’ new mantra: Strength through unity” by Michelle Quinn in Politico.
Connecticut: “Lobbyists form SuperPAC to help Murphy in Senate race” by Ana Radelat in the CT Mirror.
Government Ethics
“Former top state administrator fined for conflicts of interest” by Jennifer Gollan in the Bay Citizen.
Gov 2.0
“Despite Cuomo’s Vow of Sunlight, a Bid to Keep Aides’ E-Mail in the Dark” by Thomas Kaplan in The New York Times.
“What Social Media Do Government Officials Use Most?” by Matt Williams in Government Technology.
July 16, 2012 •
Campaign Finance in the News
Citizens United, the DISCLOSE Act, super PACs, fines, and returned contributions in today’s news
“Senate heads for vote on disclosure of hidden donors” by Tom Curry in NBC Politics.
“Democratic super PACs reel in $25 million” by Dave Levinthal and Kenneth P. Vogel in Politico.
“Citizens United didn’t just open money floodgates for corporations” by Anjeanette Damon in the Las Vegas Sun.
Connecticut: “Donovan campaign returns $27,660 in contributions” by Susan Haigh (Associated Press) in the Boston Globe.
Minnesota: “Minnesota Republican Party fined; accused of illegal contributions, circumventing laws” by Bill Salisbury in the Pioneer Press.
Rhode Island: “R.I. Rep. Langevin near paying off $127,000 campaign-finance fine” by Philip Marcelo.
Tennessee: “PACs flood Tennessee General Assembly campaigns with cash” by Andy Sher in the Times Free Press.
July 16, 2012 •
Montana Campaign Finance Ballot Initiative Approved
November Ballot
A ballot initiative in Montana advocating a state policy that corporations are not entitled to constitutional rights because they are not human beings has been qualified by the Secretary of State for the November ballot.
Initiative No. 166, the “Prohibition on Corporate Contributions and Expenditures in Montana Elections Act,” asks voters to choose whether to charge elected and appointed officials to prohibit corporate campaign contributions and expenditures, limit political spending in elections, and, in the case of Montana’s congressional delegation, propose a joint resolution offering an amendment to the United States Constitution establishing that corporations are not human beings entitled to constitutional rights.
Included in the text of the initiative are directives for elected and appointed officials when carrying out public policy. These directives include “that the people of Montana regard money as property, not speech, … there should be a level playing field in campaign spending that allows all individuals, regardless of wealth, to express their views to one another and their government,” and the rights under the United States Constitution are the rights of human beings, “not rights of corporations.”
July 13, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 13, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Campaign Donations by Text? Not So fast, Wireless Carriers Say
From the States and Municipalities:
Arkansas
Ethics Measure Falls Short of Signature Goal
California
Bill Would Hire Commission to Enforce County’s Campaign Finance Ordinance
California
Pass the Canapés: Now, lobbyists can serve appetizers, not report it
Colorado
Colorado Public Trustee Spending Raises Red Flags
Connecticut
Feds Indict Braddock, Claim Conspiracy Began Last Year
District of Columbia
Vast ‘Shadow Campaign’ Said to Have Aided Gray in 2010
Florida
Miramar Commissioners Approve $2,500 Stipend for Themselves
Illinois
Quinn Abolishes Legislative Scholarships
Illinois
Quinn Signs Super PAC Campaign Finance Law
New York
Cuomo Turns to Campaign Finance
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Pledging in return for campaign contributions would violate the Legislative Ethics Act
The Alaska Legislative Ethics Committee has issued an advisory opinion allowing incumbent legislators to sign pre-election pledges during re-election campaigns.
So long as the pledge is in exchange only for an endorsement or a promise of an endorsement it does not violate the Legislative Ethics Act. However, the committee also determined the signing of pre-election pledges in a quid pro quo exchange for a campaign contribution or a promise of a campaign contribution would violate the act.
Special interest groups often request candidates to take positions on certain topics by signing a pledge.
July 12, 2012 •
Thursday News Roundup
Jack Abramoff gets a radio show and more lobbying and campaign finance news.
Lobbying
“Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who spent years in prison, gets radio show for Clear Channel” by The Associated Press in The Washington Post.
Campaign Finance
“Senate Dems offer new version of DISCLOSE Act to fight Citizens United ruling” by Pete Kasperowicz in The Hill.
“Democrats push for campaign finance disclosure, again” by Tomer Ovadia in Politico.
“FEC Gridlock No Help to Obama Campaign” by Justin Worland in Roll Call.
Connecticut: “Feds indict Braddock, claim conspiracy began last year” by Mark Pazniokas in the CT Mirror.
District of Columbia: “Mayor Vincent C. Gray knew of campaign finance violations in January, sources say” by Mike DeBonis and Nikita Stewart in The Washington Post.
Montana: “Mont. ballot initiative advocates ban on corporate money in elections” by Jessica M. Karmasek in LegalNewsline.
July 12, 2012 •
Vermont Campaign Finance Database Two Years Away
Secretary of State hopes to have a searchable database ready for the 2014 elections
It will be two more years before Vermont’s campaign finance reports are available in a searchable database, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Currently, Vermont offers scanned copies of campaign finance reports online, but there is no easy way to search for donor names or contribution totals, and handwriting on the forms may be difficult to read. The secretary of state hoped that such a database would be available for the 2014 elections, but is unable to give a precise timetable or detailed costs.
Common Cause Vermont recently compiled its own searchable database for the 2010 state elections.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
