June 2, 2022 •
New Hampshire Amends Campaign Finance Limits
![New Hampshire Amends Campaign Finance Limits](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/New-Hampshire-Capitol-1000x563.jpg)
New Hampshire State House - AlexiusHoratius
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 […]
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.
June 2, 2022 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
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 […]
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
June 1, 2022 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
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 […]
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
May 31, 2022 •
Governor Bill Lee Signs Campaign Finance Reform Bill
![Governor Bill Lee Signs Campaign Finance Reform Bill](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Tennessee-capitol-blog-1000x563.jpg)
Tennessee State Capitol Building
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 […]
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.
May 31, 2022 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
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 […]
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
May 27, 2022 •
News You Can Use Digest – May 27, 2022
![News You Can Use Digest – May 27, 2022](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
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, […]
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.
May 26, 2022 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance National: “Senate Confirms Democratic Nominee to FEC” by Kate Ackley (Roll Call) for MSN Ohio: “FirstEnergy’s PAC Resumes Political Donations, Ending Ban After House Bill 6 Bribery Scandal” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN Elections National: […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Senate Confirms Democratic Nominee to FEC” by Kate Ackley (Roll Call) for MSN
Ohio: “FirstEnergy’s PAC Resumes Political Donations, Ending Ban After House Bill 6 Bribery Scandal” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Elections
National: “Insurrectionists Can Be Barred from Office, Appeals Court Says” by Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) for MSN
Florida: “Central Florida ‘Ghost’ Candidate, Other Figures Tied to Scandal Charged” by Annie Martin and Jeff Weiner (Orlando Sentinel) for MSN
Pennsylvania: “Mail Ballots Spark Bitter Dispute in Pa. GOP Senate Race” by Holly Otterbein and Zach Montellaro (Politico) for MSN
Ethics
Georgia: “Grand Jury Indicts Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner Oxendine on Fraud Charges” by Kate Brumback (Associated Press) for Insurance Journal
Missouri: “Parson Fills Missouri Ethics Commission Vacancies After Dive Dismissed Complaints” by Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) for MSN
New York: “Bronx Nonprofit Head Who Stole from Homeless New Yorkers Gets 27 Months Prison Time” by Molly Crane-Newman for New York Daily News
Lobbying
Europe: “New Rules on MPs Freebies and Lobbying Crackdown Welcomed Amid Calls for Further Restrictions on Second Jobs” by Henry Dyer (Business Insider) for Yahoo News
Montana: “Pastor Apologizes, Retracts Article About Transgender Native lobbyist, Fabricated Incident” by Darrell Erhlick for Daily Montanan
May 25, 2022 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance New York: “Adams’ Pick for Sheriff Faces Over Campaign Finance Irregularities” by Joe Anuta (Politico) for Yahoo News Tennessee: “Governor to Sign Ethics Reform Bill into Law Despite Call for Veto” by Sam Stockard for Tennessee Lookout Elections […]
Campaign Finance
New York: “Adams’ Pick for Sheriff Faces Over Campaign Finance Irregularities” by Joe Anuta (Politico) for Yahoo News
Tennessee: “Governor to Sign Ethics Reform Bill into Law Despite Call for Veto” by Sam Stockard for Tennessee Lookout
Elections
National: “Ethics Law Offers Possible Path for Trump Prosecution” by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) for Yahoo News
National: “Kemp, Raffensperger Win in Blow to Trump and His False Election Claims” by Colby Itkowitz and David Weigel (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “House Ethics Committee Investigating Reps. Cawthorn, Jackson, Mooney” by Felicia Sonmez, Amy Wang, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) for MSN
California: “Anaheim Mayor Resigns Amid Corruption Probe into His Role in Angel Stadium Land Sale” by Nathan Fenno, Seema Mehta, Adam Elmahrek, and Gabriel San Román (Los Angeles Times) for Yahoo News
Florida: “11th Circuit Blocks Major Provisions of Florida’s Social Media Law” by Cat Zakrzewski (Washington Post) for MSN
Illinois: “Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Swept into Office as an Avowed Reformer. Three Years Later, Critics See ‘Missed Opportunities’ and a Mixed Record” by Gregory Pratt and Alice Yin (Chicago Tribune) for MSN
Ohio: “Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted Takes Paid Corporate Board Job with Community Bank” by Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
May 24, 2022 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance National: “Stefanik Echoed ‘Great Replacement’ Theory. But Firms Kept Donating.” by Todd Frankel and Dylan Freedman (Washington Post) for MSN California: “How Did Disneyland’s Main Political Spending Vehicle Land in the Middle of an FBI Complaint?” by Nick […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Stefanik Echoed ‘Great Replacement’ Theory. But Firms Kept Donating.” by Todd Frankel and Dylan Freedman (Washington Post) for MSN
California: “How Did Disneyland’s Main Political Spending Vehicle Land in the Middle of an FBI Complaint?” by Nick Gerda for Voice of OC
Ethics
National: “January 6 Committee Investigating Capitol Tour Given by GOP Lawmaker on the Eve of the Insurrection” by Ryan Nobles, Annie Grayer, and Zachary Cohen for CNN
National: “Kushner’s and Mnuchin’s Quick Pivots to Business with the Gulf” by Kate Kelly and David Kirkpatrick (New York Times) for Yahoo News
Illinois: “Feds Recorded Mike Madigan Learning About Secret Payments to Controversial Ex-Political Aide, Court Records Show” by Mark Brown, John Seidel, and Tina Sfondeles for Chicago Sun-Times
Oklahoma: “Billionaires Pushing Charter Schools Fund Oklahoma Education Secretary’s Six-Figure Salary” by Clifton Adcock and Reese Gorman (The Frontier) and Jennifer Palmer for Oklahoma Watch
Virginia: “Former Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison” by Jane Harper (Virginian-Pilot) for Yahoo News
Wisconsin: “Senate Candidates Can Avoid Financial Disclosure Before Primaries. Watchdogs Say That’s a Problem” by Alexander Shur (Wisconsin State Journal) for madison.com
May 23, 2022 •
Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance Alaska: “A Last-Minute Deal to Restore Alaska’s Campaign Finance Limits Fell Through. Here’s How.” by Nathaniel Herz (Anchorage Daily News) for Yahoo News Kansas: “Hunter Larkin Steps Down as Goddard Mayor Amid Questions About Developer Influence” by Matthew […]
Campaign Finance
Alaska: “A Last-Minute Deal to Restore Alaska’s Campaign Finance Limits Fell Through. Here’s How.” by Nathaniel Herz (Anchorage Daily News) for Yahoo News
Kansas: “Hunter Larkin Steps Down as Goddard Mayor Amid Questions About Developer Influence” by Matthew Kelly (Wichita Eagle) for MSN
Tennessee: “Trooper Removes Angry Man from Meeting After Reportedly Making Threats Against the TN Registry” by Jennifer Kraus for WTVF
Elections
Arizona: “Ginni Thomas, Wife of Supreme Court Justice, Pressed Ariz. Lawmakers to Help Reverse Trump’s Loss, Emails Show” by Emma Brown (Washington Post) for MSN
Kentucky: “A Kentucky Lawyer Ran Against the Judge on Her Contentious Divorce Case. She Won, Kind Of.” by Andrew Wolfson (Louisville Courier Journal) for Yahoo News
Pennsylvania: “Doug Mastriano’s Pa. Victory Could Give 2020 Denier Oversight of 2024” by Rosalind Helderman, Isaac Arnsdorf, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “Former Interior Secretary Didn’t Violate Lobbying Laws, Watchdog Finds” by Joshua Partlow (Washington Post) for MSN
Texas: “Law to Crack Down on Lobbyists Ensnares Two Former Texas House Members” by Patrick Svitek for Texas Tribune
May 20, 2022 •
News You Can Use Digest – May 20, 2022
![News You Can Use Digest – May 20, 2022](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal A Fringe Conspiracy Theory, Fostered Online, Is Refashioned by the GOP Hartford Courant – Nicholas Confessore and Karen Yourish (New York Times) | Published: 5/16/2022 At the extremes of American life, replacement theory – the notion that Western elites, sometimes […]
National/Federal
A Fringe Conspiracy Theory, Fostered Online, Is Refashioned by the GOP
Hartford Courant – Nicholas Confessore and Karen Yourish (New York Times) | Published: 5/16/2022
At the extremes of American life, replacement theory – the notion that Western elites, sometimes manipulated by Jews, want to “replace” and disempower white Americans – has become an engine of racist terror, helping inspire a wave of mass shootings in recent years. But replacement theory, once confined to Reddit message boards and semi-obscure white nationalist sites, has gone mainstream. In sometimes more muted forms, the fear it crystallizes of a future America in which white people are no longer the numerical majority has become a potent force in conservative media and politics, where the theory has been borrowed and remixed to attract audiences, retweets, and small-dollar donations.
Feds Dismiss Campaign Finance Complaint Against Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert
Colorado Public Radio – Caitlyn Kim | Published: 5/16/2022
The FEC dismissed a complaint against U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert over her 2020 mileage reimbursement after the commissioners deadlocked on whether to investigate further. While the FEC’s Office of General Counsel did not find any evidence that Boebert converted campaign funds to personal use, as the complaint had alleged, it did note the “round figure of 32,000 miles driven for campaign-related purposes suggests that the assessment is a general estimate rather than one found on the kind of contemporaneous log contemplated in the Commission’s regulations.”
How Facebook Funded a Clandestine War Against Regulation
MSN – Cat Zakrzewski and Elizabeth Dwoskin (Washington Post) | Published: 5/17/2022
Backed by millions of dollars from Facebook-parent company Meta, the political advocacy group American Edge has launched a campaign to combat antitrust legislation in Washington, placing op-eds in regional newspapers throughout the country, commissioning studies, and collaborating with an array of partners, including minority business associations, conservative think tanks, and former national security officials. It is a playbook more common to other industries, but tech companies, under heightened scrutiny from federal regulators, are seizing on these methods.
How the Biden Administration Let Right-Wing Attacks Derail Its Disinformation Efforts
Yahoo News – Taylor Lorenz (Washington Post) | Published: 5/18/2022
On April 27, the Department of Homeland Security announced the creation of the first Disinformation Governance Board with the stated goal to “coordinate countering misinformation related to homeland security.” The Biden administration tapped Nina Jankowicz, a well-known figure in the field of fighting disinformation and extremism, as executive director. Within hours of her appointment, Jankowicz was thrust into the spotlight by the forces she dedicated her career to combating. She became a primary target on the right-wing Internet, subject to a barrage of harassment and abuse while unchecked misrepresentations of her work continue to go viral.
Jan. 6 Panel Subpoenas 5 House Republicans, Including Minority Leader
MSN – Felicia Sonmez, Jacqueline Alemany, Leigh Ann Caldwell, and Mariana Sotomayor (Washington Post) | Published: 5/12/2022
The U.S. House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob on announced it subpoenaed five Republican members of Congress, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, after they refused to cooperate with the panel’s inquiry. The move marks a significant escalation in the committee’s efforts to obtain information related to lawmakers’ communications with former President Trump and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows before, during, and after the attack.
Supreme Court Agrees with Cruz, Strikes Campaign Contribution Limit
MSN – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 5/16/2022
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled a $250,000 cap on the amount of money that candidates can be reimbursed after an election for personal loans to their own campaigns unjustifiably burdened political expression. It was the latest decision to knock out a part of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and reemphasized the court’s view that many restrictions on campaign finance are unconstitutional violations of the First Amendment’s protection of speech. Justice Elena Kagan said the court was effectively abetting corruption by allowing donors to contribute to a campaign after an election in a way that benefits the candidate personally.
The Little Red Boxes Making a Mockery of Campaign Finance Laws
Yahoo News – Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) | Published: 5/16/2022
Democratic candidates nationwide are pioneering new frontiers in soliciting and directing money from friendly super PACs financed by multimillionaires, billionaires, and special-interest groups. Campaign watchdogs complain the practice further blurs the lines meant to keep wealthy interests from influencing people running for office, effectively evading the strict donation limits imposed on federal candidates. The practice is both brazen and simple. To work around the prohibition on directly coordinating with super PACs, candidates are posting their instructions to them inside the red boxes on public pages that super PACs continuously monitor.
U.S. Sues to Compel Casino Mogul Steve Wynn to Register as Agent of China
MSN – Isaac Stanley-Becker and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 5/17/2022
The U.S. Justice Department sued Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn to compel him to register as a foreign agent because of lobbying work it says he performed for the Chinese government during the Trump administration. The department said it had advised Wynn repeatedly over the last four years to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and is suing now because Wynn refused to do so. Though the Justice Department has ramped up efforts to criminally prosecute people who do not register as foreign agents, officials described this case as the first lawsuit of its kind in more than three decades.
Victories by Mastriano, Budd Show Potency of Trump’s False Stolen Election Claims in GOP
MSN – Annie Linskey and David Weigel (Washington Post) | Published: 5/17/2022
Republican candidates who sought to overturn the 2020 election won statewide primaries in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, reflecting the lingering influence in the GOP of former President Trump’s false claims the vote was rigged against him. Their primary victories came on a day when the effect of Trump and his far-right movement on the midterm elections faced its biggest test to date. Incomplete results showed Trump’s influence over the movement he started was uneven, winning some but not all the races where he backed a candidate.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – Arizona Senate to Investigate Wendy Rogers Over Social Media Post on Buffalo Shooting
Yahoo News – Ray Stern (Arizona Republic) | Published: 5/16/2022
The Arizona Senate Ethics Committee will investigate a social media post from state Sen. Wendy Rogers that suggested the shooter in a mass killing in Buffalo was a federal agent and part of a conspiracy by the federal government. The committee said it will examine Rogers’ remarks “relating to the Buffalo shooting as inappropriate of an elected official with this body.” An effort to expel Rogers pushed by Democrats failed.
California – Judge Halts Angel Stadium Sale for FBI Corruption Probe of Anaheim Mayor
KABC – City News Service | Published: 5/17/2022
The city of Anaheim’s planned sale of Angel Stadium to team owner Arte Moreno’s company was halted for at least two months by an Orange County Superior Court judge, who agreed to a request by the state to pause the deal amid a federal corruption probe of Mayor Harry Sidhu. The state attorney general’s office filed the petition requesting a halt to the sale, pointing to the federal investigation that involves, in part, allegations Sidhu was trying to leverage the deal to secure campaign contributions from the Los Angeles Angels.
Colorado – Some Colorado Lobbyists Work for Both Sides at the Same Time
KUSA – Zack Newman | Published: 5/16/2022
At least 15 lobbyists and firms in Colorado have had clients on opposite of a bill at the same time in 2021 and 2022. State law requires lobbyists to tell clients about any conflicts-of-interest and bars them from engaging in “any other practice that discredits the practice of lobbying or the general assembly.” Mike Beasley, who runs 5280 Strategies, said it is “really important” to avoid conflicts-of-interest and there are practices in place to prevent them. He said his contract requires him to flag possible conflicts as far in advance as possible.
Delaware – State Auditor Loses Bid to Have Procurement Charge Dropped
MSN – Randall Chase (Associated Press) | Published: 5/17/2022
A judge refused to dismiss a criminal charge accusing Delaware’s embattled state auditor of deliberately breaking up payments for a contract she entered into with a former campaign consultant in order to avoid compliance with state procurement law. Kathleen McGuiness, who is responsible for rooting out government fraud, waste, and abuse, was indicted on felony counts of theft and witness intimidation, and misdemeanor charges of official misconduct, conflict-of-interest, and noncompliance with procurement laws. McGuiness has denied any wrongdoing.
Florida – Florida Bans Protests Outside Homes
MSN – Lindsay Bever (Washington Post) | Published: 5/17/2022
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill to outlaw protests outside private residences, a move opponents say violates First Amendment rights. The new law will make it a misdemeanor to picket or protest outside a person’s house to “harass or disturb” that person. Violators will receive a warning, and those who do not stop may be arrested for unlawful residential picketing, a crime punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Republicans and Democrats have been debating the legality of protesting outside the private residences of U.S. Supreme Court justices, and the White House has said such protests are fine when they are peaceful.
Florida – Florida Judge Blocks DeSantis’ Congressional Redistricting Effort
MSN – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 5/11/2022
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ bid to remake the state’s congressional map was dealt a setback on after a state judge said he would block the plan because of the way it scattered Black voters among several districts. DeSantis personally pushed the GOP-led Legislature to approve the map, which boosts the number of Republican-held seats in the state. The map also dismantles the district held by U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat. The map is facing a legal challenge by a coalition that argues it violates the state’s Fair Districts standards – voter-approved anti-gerrymandering amendments in the Florida Constitution.
Florida – Miami Heat Mayor Suarez’s Office Is Mum on Prime Courtside Seat at the Heat’s Playoff Game
MSN – Ben Carnack (Miami Herald) | Published: 5/18/2022
At a recent Miami Heat playoff game, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was seated courtside. The county ethics code mandates that gifts exceeding $100 must be reported in quarterly financial disclosures. Former Mayor Tomás Regalado, who faced an ethics probe that dealt, in part, with Miami Heat tickets, said it is inappropriate for the current mayor to sit courtside at a playoff game, whether the ticket was gifted to Suarez or he purchased it himself.
Florida – Mystery Group Behind Ads in ’20 Central Florida Primary Must Reveal Donors, Judge Rules
The Black Chronicle – Annie Martin (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 5/12/2022
A group that sent attack ads in a state Senate primary in Florida without disclosing its donors, must reveal its contributors and make its chairperson available for a deposition, a judge ruled. Though political committees are required to list their contributions publicly, Floridians for Equality and Justice listed just one donation, a $249,925 “starting balance” from a “dark money” nonprofit organization of the same name. Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jose Rodriguez said that records that state Sen. Annette Taddeo seeks, including bank records, exist and are in the committee’s possession.
Georgia – Georgia County Under Scrutiny After Claim of Post-Election Breach
MSN – Emma Brown and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 5/13/2022
A former elections supervisor in rural Coffee County, Georgia, told The Washington Post she opened her offices to a businessperson active in the election-denier movement to help investigate results she did not trust in the weeks after former President Trump’s 2020 defeat. Trump carried the conservative county by 40 points, but elections supervisor Misty Hampton said she remained suspicious of Joe Biden’s win in Georgia. Hampton made a video that went viral soon after the election, claiming to show Dominion Voting System machines, the ones used in her county, could be manipulated.
Georgia – Georgia’s Oxendine to Hand Over $128,000 to End Ethics Saga
WABE – Associated Press | Published: 5/12/2022
The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission agreed to drop its campaign finance case against former state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, who will hand over the $128,000 remaining in his campaign fund and admit no wrongdoing. The deal ends a years-long struggle over whether Oxendine broke state law by using campaign funds to buy a house, lease luxury cars, and join a private club. Some members of commission expressed frustration that Oxendine did not admit fault in the consent order.
Georgia – Lieutenant Governor Candidate Jones Hasn’t Disclosed Flights
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 5/16/2022
A Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in Georgia acknowledged he has been flying to campaign events on his family’s private plane without disclosing any donations or expenses related to the flights in campaign finance filings. A campaign spokesperson for state Sen. Burt Jones said the candidate planned to pay one lump sum after the May 24 primary for all flights taken. But state campaign finance law says candidates “must disclose (expenses made) on the campaign contribution disclosure report due for the reporting period in which the flight occurred.”
Illinois – Three-Peat: Chicago ranks no. 1 in Corruption, report finds
WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 5/11/2022
For the third year in a row, Chicago is America’s most corrupt city, and Illinois is the third-most corrupt state, according to an annual report from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The report is based on an analysis of the public corruption statistics published by the U.S. Department of Justice. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that nearly shut down state and federal courts, 2020 was one of the most “significant” twelve months in the “startling saga of political and public corruption in Chicago and Illinois,” said the author of the report, Dick Simpson, a former Chicago City Council member.
Iowa – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller to Return Illegal $50,000 PAC Campaign Contribution
MSN – Katie Akin (Des Moines Register) | Published: 5/18/2022
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller will return an illegal $50,000 campaign contribution from the Democratic Attorneys General Association. Iowa law prohibits statewide candidates from accepting donations from PACs until the regular legislative session ends and lawmakers had not adjourned when Miller accepted the donation on May 13.
Kansas – Wichita Ethics Board Members, Candidates Could Be Disqualified Under ‘Goofy’ Policy
MSN – Chance Swaim (Wichita Eagle) | Published: 5/17/2022
Quirks in Wichita’s ethics policy threaten to further delay a board that has been dormant for more than a year, stalling any investigations of potential misconduct by city officials. One empty board seat, the ethics officer position, stands between the passage and enforcement of the city’s ethics rules. But the three finalists for the position have either dropped out of the race or face disqualification. A prohibition on “active members” of political parties and nonpartisan political organizations disqualifies two of the three finalists, one of whom already dropped out of the race. The other finalist moved out of town and is no longer interested in the position.
Maryland – Baltimore Council President Nick Mosby Violated Ethics Law by Accepting Money from City Contractors Via Legal Defense Fund, Board Rules
MSN – Emily Opilo (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 5/12/2022
Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby violated the city’s ethics ordinance by accepting money from persons doing business with the city through his legal defense fund. The ruling by the city’s Board of Ethics does not name the donors but both are considered “controlled donors” under the law, which bars elected officials from receiving contributions from such donors, solicited or otherwise. The board also concluded Mosby violated a provision of the law barring him from soliciting donations, directly or indirectly, from controlled donors.
Michigan – Feds Charge Ex-Romulus Mayor with Wire Fraud in Corruption Crackdown
Detroit News – Robert Snell | Published: 5/13/2022
Federal prosecutors charged the former mayor of Romulus with wire fraud for spending more than $15,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses. LeRoy Burcroff is the latest current or former public official charged during a more than decade-long federal assault on corruption within municipal government and organized labor around Metro Detroit. That crackdown has led to charges against more than 110 people and the convictions of the two past presidents of the United Auto Workers, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and 23 contractors and public officials in Macomb County.
Montana – State Won’t Appeal Ruling Striking Down Parts of New Law
Helena Independent Record – Seaborn Lawson | Published: 5/18/2022
The Montana attorney general’s office will not appeal a District Court ruling that found state lawmakers went to unconstitutional lengths to pass new campaigning laws. Judge Mike Menahan ruled lawmakers had added sections unrelated to the original intent of Senate Bill 319 in a late-session meeting without public participation, in violation of the Montana Constitution.
New York – Adams’ Top Aide Navigates Uncharted Path on New York Ethics Issues
Yahoo News – Sally Goldenberg and Joe Anuta (Politico) | Published: 5/17/2022
Attorney Frank Carone of the firm Abrams Fensterman is chief of staff to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. A recent public disclosure shows the firm has been actively lobbying the new mayoral administration. Carone faces numerous conflicts-of-interest as he undertakes an expansive role in City Hall. An analysis of the firm’s clients from last year found more than 40 whose financial interests are intertwined with municipal government. Abrams Fensterman’s network of clients sets up a situation with little recent precedent in New York.
New York – Corporate Campaign Donors Identify Themselves Thanks to New York Focus Nudge
New York Focus – Sam Mellins | Published: 5/12/2022
In the wake of reporting into the state Board of Election’s failure to act on possible violations of a campaign finance law meant to limit “dark money” in New York elections, the agency began enforcement in March. That yielded rapid results, recent figures show: compliance with the law’s disclosure requirements has increased more than threefold since the board acted. The law required limited liability companies (LLCs) that make political donations to submit a form listing their owners and how much of the company each one owns. But majority of donors who gave via LLCs were not aware of or simply ignored this requirement.
New York – Court Expert Draws More GOP-Friendly New York Political Maps
MSN – Michelle Price (Associated Press) | Published: 5/16/2022
A court-appointed expert released a draft of new congressional maps for New York state that are more favorable to Republicans than the original gerrymandered political maps drawn by Democrats. A New York court will take comment on the maps for two days before a final version is approved by a judge on May 20, with primary elections for congressional races and the state Senate now being held August 23. Adding to the redistricting tangle, the state’s Assembly and gubernatorial primaries are still scheduled for June 28.
Ohio – Cincinnati Launches New Office of Ethics and Good Government to Rebuild ‘Public Trust’
Spectrum News – Casey Weldon | Published: 5/14/2022
Cincinnati endured one of its most difficult periods two years ago as it watched one-third of city council arrested on federal corruption charges. Federal prosecutors accused City Hall of having a “culture of corruption.” The city has worked to help reshape that image, and one way is through the creation of the Office of Ethics and Good Government. Its job is to educate elected officials and city staff on ethics-related issues, ranging from conflicts-of-interest to campaign contributions. It also investigates suspected cases of impropriety submitted through a new hotline.
Ohio – Lawmaker Proposed $300M Handout to Nursing Homes; Then Raised $52,000 from their Liaisons
Yahoo News – Jake Zuckerman (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 5/12/2022
An Ohio lawmaker last year proposed allocating $300 million of federal COVID-19 relief funds, divvied up among the state’s nursing homes with no strings attached. Ten days later, Rep. Sara Carruthers received a $13,200 campaign contribution from the chief executive of a chain of 59 nursing homes, $13,200 from his business partner, and another $13,200 from the chief executive’s wife. Two weeks later, a lobbyist for an association of nursing homes that backed the bill gave her another $13,200. The four contributions together comprise nearly half of all Carruthers’ campaign fundraising in 2021.
Ohio – Leader of Columbus Green-Energy Ballot Measure Guilty of Falsifying Campaign Finance Report
Yahoo News – Bill Bush and Jordan Laird (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 5/16/2022
The man who led the failed ProEnergy Issue 7 ballot initiative last November, which Columbus leaders called a blatant effort to grab taxpayer funds, was found guilty of filing a false campaign finance record in connection with the petition drive for a similar 2019 initiative. John Clark Jr. led the petition drive to get an initiative put on the ballot that, if it had passed, would have diverted more than $50 million of city money toward vague green-energy initiatives proposed by a group that would have been in sole control of the funds.
Ohio – Medicaid Director Owned Stock in Companies She Awarded Huge Contracts
Ohio Capital Journal – Marty Schladen | Published: 5/17/2022
Ohio Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran’s ethics filings show she continued to own stock in three health care companies in 2021, the same year she negotiated and signed billion-dollar contracts with their subsidiaries. State ethics rules only require that officials such as Corcoran list all the stocks they own at least $1,000 worth of in a given year. So, it is impossible to know how heavily invested she is in those companies. Corcoran declined to file an affidavit disclosing her exact holdings in companies whose subsidiaries she was awarding contracts and she has refused to make those disclosures voluntarily.
Oregon – Rich Donors Take Major Advantage of a Loophole in Portland’s Public Campaign Financing System
OPB – Rebecca Ellis | Published: 5/12/2022
Portland’s public campaign finance program aims to reduce the influence of big money in city politics by limiting the contributions that participating candidates can accept. In return for capping donations at $250, candidates get their small donations matched nine-fold by the city. But the ability of wealthy donors to give unlimited amounts to PACs that support candidates is, this year’s election shows, a fundamental loophole in the city’s efforts to curb campaign spending and, in the process, broaden who can run for office.
South Dakota – South Dakota Report: Noem’s daughter got special treatment
MSN – Stephen Groves (Associated Press) | Published: 5/18/2022
State lawmakers unanimously approved a report finding South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s daughter got preferential treatment while she was applying for a real estate appraiser’s license in 2020. Noem has denied wrongdoing, despite holding a meeting that included her daughter, Kassidy Peters, and key decision-makers from the agency that was evaluating her application just days after the agency moved to deny her the license. After the meeting, Peters received another opportunity to demonstrate she could meet federal standards and was ultimately awarded the license.
Tennessee – Registry of Election Finance Declines to Investigate Rep. Sherrell’s Fire-Hall Checks
Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 5/19/2022
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance claimed it had been “weaponized” in a state House District race and refused to investigate a complaint that Rep. Paul Sherrell wrote checks to volunteer fire halls and asked for cash back. “What we’re being asked here is to assume that Mr. Sherrell is a crook, bottom line. We’re to assume he is conducting illegal activity …,” board member Tom Lawless said, because Sherrell bought ham breakfasts for firefighters. Nevertheless, the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance urged Sherrell to make contributions differently in the future and to document all donations.
Texas – AG Ken Paxton Refuses to Disclose His Property Addresses to the Texas Ethics Commission
MSN – Jay Root and Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 5/18/2022
The state police made him do it. That is the excuse Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton gives on his ethics disclosures in place of revealing, as required by law, the addresses of properties he owns in Austin and College Station. “Redacted for security purposes on request of TX DPS,” Paxton has written on every form since he began work as attorney general. But nothing in the law allows him to refuse to provide the addresses, and none of the parties involved could produce any records proving such a request was ever made.
Washington – Inside the Washington Legislative Workers’ Union Push and Building Frustration with Democratic Leadership
Seattle Times – Joseph O’Sullivan | Published: 5/17/2022
Washington lawmakers passed a bill aimed at setting up a process to allow at least some legislative workers to unionize. The legislation also lifts the state’s prohibition on collective bargaining for legislative workers beginning in 2024. House Bill 2124 creates the Office of State Legislative Labor Relations to research and make recommendations to lawmakers about how staffers might unionize, and which workers might be part of that group. Lawmakers and others acknowledge they will likely need to pass another bill next year before collective bargaining begins.
Washington DC – Judges Accused of Sex Discrimination, Bullying, Internal Survey Shows
MSN – Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 5/16/2022
Complaints in a workplace survey conducted for the federal trial and appeals courts in the nation’s capital, an institution regarded as a steppingstone to the U.S. Supreme Court detail instances of gender discrimination, bullying, and racial insensitivity, while underscoring the power imbalance between judges with life tenure and the assistants who depend on them for career advancement. Current and former employees who acknowledged having witnessed misconduct described their reluctance to file complaints against their superiors. They cited fears of retaliation and distrust that the federal judiciary’s system for workplace accountability, which tasks judges with policing one another, ultimately would resolve their concerns.
Washington DC – Trump Sells D.C. Hotel Lease to Miami Investment Group
MSN – Jonathan O’Connell (Washington Post) | Published: 5/11/2022
The Trump Organization completed the sale of its District of Columbia hotel lease on Pennsylvania Avenue to CGI Merchant Group and its partner Hilton Worldwide Holdings, which will operate the hotel as a Waldorf Astoria property. Calls for the lease to be revoked or for Trump to divest himself of his real estate assets grew louder after he entered office and foreign leaders, corporations, and Republican politicians booked rooms and parties at the hotel as part of their efforts to curry favor with Trump.
West Virginia – ‘Everyone Was Shocked’: How WV’s ethics laws allowed someone barred from lobbying to try to influence legislators anyway
Mountain State Spotlight – Ian Karbal | Published: 5/16/2022
The West Virginia Ethics Act bars certain public officials from lobbying for at least a year after they leave office. But as Evan Jenkins’ rapid flip from state Supreme Court justice to timber company attorney highlighted, the law leaves plenty of wiggle room. He was able to speak directly to lawmakers, as well as propose specific language to legislation, all within weeks of holding a powerful position in government.
Wisconsin – Wis. Democrats File First-of-Its-Kind Suit vs. Fake Trump Electors
MSN – Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) | Published: 5/17/2022
Three Democratic voters in Wisconsin, including two who served as electors for President Biden in 2020, filed suit against 10 supporters of Donald Trump in the state, arguing the group engaged in a civil conspiracy to violate state and federal law when they declared themselves presidential electors in 2020 even though Biden won the state’s popular vote. Wisconsin was one of five states won by Biden where Republican electors gathered December 14, 2020, and declared themselves “duly elected and qualified” – then sent signed certificates to Washington purporting to affirm Trump as the actual victor of their states.
May 19, 2022 •
Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance Florida: “Mystery Group Behind Ads in ’20 Central Florida Primary Must Reveal Donors, Judge Rules” by Annie Martin (Orlando Sentinel) for The Black Chronicle Ohio: “Leader of Columbus Green-Energy Ballot Measure Guilty of Falsifying Campaign Finance Report” by […]
Campaign Finance
Florida: “Mystery Group Behind Ads in ’20 Central Florida Primary Must Reveal Donors, Judge Rules” by Annie Martin (Orlando Sentinel) for The Black Chronicle
Ohio: “Leader of Columbus Green-Energy Ballot Measure Guilty of Falsifying Campaign Finance Report” by Bill Bush and Jordan Laird (Columbus Dispatch) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “How the Biden Administration Let Right-Wing Attacks Derail Its Disinformation Efforts” by Taylor Lorenz (Washington Post) for Yahoo News
California: “Judge Halts Angel Stadium Sale for FBI Corruption Probe of Anaheim Mayor” by City News Service for KABC
Florida: “Florida Bans Protests Outside Homes” by Lindsay Bever (Washington Post) for MSN
Kansas: “Wichita Ethics Board Members, Candidates Could Be Disqualified Under ‘Goofy’ Policy” by Chance Swaim (Wichita Eagle) for MSN
South Dakota: “South Dakota Report: Noem’s daughter got special treatment” by Stephen Groves (Associated Press) for MSN
Texas: “AG Ken Paxton Refuses to Disclose His Property Addresses to the Texas Ethics Commission” by Jay Root and Taylor Goldenstein (Houston Chronicle) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “U.S. Sues to Compel Casino Mogul Steve Wynn to Register as Agent of China” by Isaac Stanley-Becker and Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for MSN
Procurement
Delaware: “State Auditor Loses Bid to Have Procurement Charge Dropped” by Randall Chase (Associated Press) for MSN
May 18, 2022 •
Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance National: “Feds Dismiss Campaign Finance Complaint Against Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert” by Caitlyn Kim for Colorado Public Radio Georgia: “Lieutenant Governor Candidate Jones Hasn’t Disclosed Flights” by Associated Press for MSN Elections National: “Victories by Mastriano, Budd Show […]
Campaign Finance
National: “Feds Dismiss Campaign Finance Complaint Against Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert” by Caitlyn Kim for Colorado Public Radio
Georgia: “Lieutenant Governor Candidate Jones Hasn’t Disclosed Flights” by Associated Press for MSN
Elections
National: “Victories by Mastriano, Budd Show Potency of Trump’s False Stolen Election Claims in GOP” by Annie Linskey and David Weigel (Washington Post) for MSN
Wisconsin: “Wis. Democrats File First-of-Its-Kind Suit vs. Fake Trump Electors” by Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
Arizona: “Arizona Senate to Investigate Wendy Rogers Over Social Media Post on Buffalo Shooting” by Ray Stern (Arizona Republic) for Yahoo News
New York: “Adams’ Top Aide Navigates Uncharted Path on New York Ethics Issues” by Sally Goldenberg and Joe Anuta (Politico) for Yahoo News
Ohio: “Medicaid Director Owned Stock in Companies She Awarded Huge Contracts” by Marty Schladen for Ohio Capital Journal
Lobbying
National: “How Facebook Funded a Clandestine War Against Regulation” by Cat Zakrzewski and Elizabeth Dwoskin (Washington Post) for MSN
Colorado: “Some Colorado Lobbyists Work for Both Sides at the Same Time” by Zack Newman for KUSA
Redistricting
New York: “Court Expert Draws More GOP-Friendly New York Political Maps” by Michelle Price (Associated Press) for MSN
May 17, 2022 •
Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup
![Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/LCNR-scaled-e1662491441383-1000x563.jpg)
Campaign Finance National: “The Little Red Boxes Making a Mockery of Campaign Finance Laws” by Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) for Yahoo News National: “U.S. Supreme Court Backs Ted Cruz, Dumps Campaign Finance Restriction” by Lawrence Hurley (Reuters) for MSN […]
Campaign Finance
National: “The Little Red Boxes Making a Mockery of Campaign Finance Laws” by Shane Goldmacher (New York Times) for Yahoo News
National: “U.S. Supreme Court Backs Ted Cruz, Dumps Campaign Finance Restriction” by Lawrence Hurley (Reuters) for MSN
New York: “Corporate Campaign Donors Identify Themselves Thanks to New York Focus Nudge” by Sam Mellins for New York Focus
Elections
Georgia: “Georgia County Under Scrutiny After Claim of Post-Election Breach” by Emma Brown and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “A Fringe Conspiracy Theory, Fostered Online, Is Refashioned by the GOP” by Nicholas Confessore and Karen Yourish (New York Times) for Hartford Courant
Michigan: “Feds Charge Ex-Romulus Mayor with Wire Fraud in Corruption Crackdown” by Robert Snell for Detroit News
Ohio: “Cincinnati Launches New Office of Ethics and Good Government to Rebuild ‘Public Trust’” by Casey Weldon for Spectrum News
Lobbying
West Virginia: “‘Everyone Was Shocked’: How WV’s ethics laws allowed someone barred from lobbying to try to influence legislators anyway” by Ian Karbal for Mountain State Spotlight
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