Voters in St. Louis, Missouri will decide on April 5 whether to amend the city charter to include several new conflicts of interest provisions.

Proposition R would prohibit alderpersons from knowingly using their official position to influence others for their own financial benefit; require alderpersons to declare personal or financial conflicts of interest and abstain from voting when there are conflicts of interest; prohibit alderpersons from accepting employment or contracts that interfere with the discharge of public duties or create conflicts of interest; and require former alderpersons to wait at least one year before serving as a lobbyist to influence a city government decision.

Proposition R would also transfer redistricting from the Board of Alderpersons to a nine-member redistricting commission and change the name of the Board of Aldermen to the Board of Alderpersons.

A special election for Ward 28 will be April 19.

The Summit County grand jury indicted Akron Councilman Bob Hoch on three first-degree misdemeanor charges. Hoch was accused more than a year ago of violating Ohio conflict of interest laws by voting on legislation and speaking on issues benefitting his sons, who are Akron firefighters.

The three counts pertain to actions taken in 2012, as well as an ongoing alleged conflict between 2014 and 2015.

Hoch previously denied a conflict of interest existed, as did City Council President Marilyn Keith. If convicted, Hoch could face up to 18 months in jail and lose his council seat.

Campaign Finance

“Fueled by Small Donations, Donald Trump Makes Up Major Financial Ground” by Nicholas Confessore and Nick Corasaniti for New York Times

New Jersey: “Extortion or Politics? A Detailed Look at Sweeney’s Claim vs. Unions’ Pension Threats” by Susan Livio (NJ Advance Media) for NJ.com

Ethics

California: “The Coliseum Case is the Latest Embarrassment for D.A.’s Corruption Unit” by Paul Pringle and Rong-Gong Lin II for Los Angeles Times

Connecticut: “Budget Director: Governor Can Cut Watchdog Agencies’ Funding” by Susan Haigh (Associated Press) for Washington Times

District of Columbia: “D.C. Council Member Tries to Tamp Down Furor Over Conflict of Interest” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Hawaii: “Yamane Heads City Ethics Panel” by Chad Blair for Honolulu Civil Beat

Virginia: “Former Va. First Lady Maureen McDonnell’s Corruption Case on Hold” by Rachel Weiner for Washington Post

Virginia: “DC-Area Mayor Faces Drug Charges After Meth-for-Sex Sting” by Matthew Barakat (Associated Press) for ABC News

Elections

“Democrats, Looking Past Mere Victory, Hope to End the Trump Movement” by Amy Chozick for New York Times

“U.S. Seeks to Protect Voting System from Cyberattacks” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis for New York Times

Kansas: “Kansas Republicans Reject Gov. Sam Brownback’s Conservatives in Primary” by Mitch Smith for New York Times

Tennessee: “A Lawmaker Was Jailed for Stealing Campaign Signs. His Bail Came from a Surprising Source” by Lindsey Bever for Washington Post

Progress Now New Mexico has filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office alleging state Rep. Paul Pacheco failed to disclose a conflict of interest on a major project.

According to the complaint, Pacheco violated state law and House ethics rules when he requested over $1.2 million in state funds for the project managed by his brother, architect David Pacheco.

The Attorney General’s Office is currently reviewing the complaint.

Photo of Rep. Paul Pacheco by Gopmario on Wikimedia Commons.

Democracy Watch, a political accountability group, has filed an ethics complaint with Federal Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd questioning the permissibility of gifts of paid travel from various lobbying groups to senators and members of Parliament.

The group claims such gifts violate a rule prohibiting lobbyists from creating the appearance of a conflict of interest for public officials.

The complaint also requests an official other than Shepherd decide the issue because she has expressed interest in members of Parliament reappointing her to the position when her term ends in July.

The State Assembly has passed Assembly Bill 10 and sent it to the governor.

This bill contains provisions affecting elected officials’ disclosure of financial investments and conflicts of interest. It requires public officials to provide more detailed information about their business dealings and investments.

It also raises the thresholds used to decide if an official’s investments create a conflict of interest.

AB 10 is linked to Senate Bill 21, which also passed and has been sent to the governor. In order for these bills to become law, both must be signed.

Photo of the California State Capitol by Nikopoley on Wikimedia Commons.

On September 2, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) requested approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for amendments to MSRB Rule G-20, a conflict-of-interest rule concerning gifts and gratuities. The proposed amendments include limiting gifts to $100 for municipal advisors giving gifts to employees of entities engaged in municipal securities activities. The new rules for municipal advisors also would prohibit receiving reimbursement of entertainment expenses from the proceeds of an offering of municipal securities.

“Amending the MSRB’s existing gifts rule would ensure common standards for dealers and municipal advisors that all operate in the municipal securities market,” said MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly in a press release.

On August 31, in a column on the Huffingtonpost.com, Hillary Clinton announced her support for a bill to limit the revolving door between the financial sector and the federal government.

In the post, Clinton and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the sponsor of the bill, specifically emphasized the bill would prohibit private sector employers from offering bonuses to employees when they leave to join the government.

House Resolution 3065, the Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act, also increases the prohibition on lobbying the federal government from one to two years, expands the definition of lobbying contact to include any lobbying activities and strategy, and requires senior financial service regulators to recuse themselves from any official actions directly or substantially benefiting the former employers or clients for whom they worked in the previous two years before joining federal service. The press release for the bill can be found here.

Photo of Hillary Clinton by Hillary for Iowa on Wikimedia Commons.

Legislation banning paid lobbyists from serving on boards, commissions, or committees was introduced in Common Council on July 7.

Currently, legislative committees are comprised of alders and appointed city residents. As appointed members are chosen based on expertise, lobbyists who are appointed often have potential conflicts of interest between their committee duties and their activities for paying clients.

By banning paid lobbyists, the sponsors hope to remove possible undue influence and ensure good government practices.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is reconsidering a disclosure requirement for non-compensated state officers. The purpose of the rule in question is to reveal potential conflicts of interest between public duties and private economic interests of state officers and employees.

Proponents for change argue the disclosure requirements are overly burdensome and duplicative and have diminished the number of people willing to perform public service.

The commission heard public comments on Friday, June 12, and will consider revoking the rule, modifying it, or keeping it in its current form.

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma and House Minority Leader Scott Pelath have co-sponsored an ethics bill aimed at improving transparency and reducing conflicts of interest.

The proposal would tighten the rules on waivers for the one-year “cooling off” period for state agency officials taking private-sector jobs dealing with their former departments.

It would also expand the financial disclosure requirements for legislators and require them to disclose any relatives who are lobbyists.

At its December 17 meeting, the Hawaii State Ethics Commission will consider amending its interpretation of certain conflict of interest provisions. Legislators and employees are prohibited from assisting or representing any person or business for compensation on matters in which they have participated or will participate in their state capacities, or on matters before their own state agencies. They are also subject to similar post-employment restrictions.

Currently, with regard to sections 84-14(B), (C), and (D) of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Commission interprets the phrase “any person or business” to mean a third party; it does not include the legislator, employee, former legislator, or former employee.

Because the Commission’s current interpretation appears inconsistent with the plain meaning and underlying purpose of the law, however, the Commission’s staff recommends the Commission amend its interpretation. Under the new interpretation, “any person or business” will also include the legislator, employee, former legislator, or former employee.

If revised, the new interpretation will be effective July 1, 2015.

The ethics panel recently assembled by Gov. Terry McAuliffe has assembled its recommendations for reforming laws covering gifts and conflicts of interest. The panel recommended a $250 gift limit to public officials as well as creating a new ethics review commission with the power to investigate complaints and hand out penalties for violations.

Other recommendations include requiring electronic filing of disclosure forms and prohibiting board and commission members from voting on matters affecting their interests.

The panel will formally submit its recommendations to the governor on December 1.

On June 20, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed the state’s two-year budget with a series of line-item vetoes. With plans to introduce stronger ethics reform legislation in next year’s General Assembly session, he vetoed all funding for the Virginia Conflicts of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council.

The council, established to oversee state ethics provisions related to lobbying, gifts, and conflicts of interest, is a product of the recent omnibus ethics reform bill signed by the governor in April.

Lawmakers needed two-thirds of the votes in each legislative body to override the veto; the House overrode the veto on Monday but the closely divided Senate lacked enough votes to follow suit. The veto of funding for the ethics commission was sustained.

Photo of Gov. McAuliffe courtesy of Kate Wellington on Wikimedia Commons.