May 17, 2016 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying Michigan: “Senator Sponsors Gambling Bill Pushed by Wife’s Firm” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press Campaign Finance “Billionaires Lining Up for Trump Aren’t Sure Where to Send Their Money” by Matea Gold for Washington Post Utah: “In Audio, […]
Lobbying
Michigan: “Senator Sponsors Gambling Bill Pushed by Wife’s Firm” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press
Campaign Finance
“Billionaires Lining Up for Trump Aren’t Sure Where to Send Their Money” by Matea Gold for Washington Post
Utah: “In Audio, Utah Guv Says He’s Available and Will ‘Go Anywhere’ to Meet with Campaign Donors” by Robert Gehrke for Salt Lake Tribune
Vermont: “Vt. Contractors Funnel Money to Politicians” by April Burbank for Burlington Free Press
Ethics
“Social Media Finds New Role as News and Entertainment Curator” by John Herrman for New York Times
“Capitol Hill Newspapers, once a Protected Class, Redefine Themselves” by Nicholas Fandos for New York Times
Arkansas: “AG Mishandled Ethics Proposal, Attorney Claims” by Spencer Willems for Arkansas Online
Missouri: “Lawmakers Pass Ethics Laws but Fail on Gift Ban” by Associated Press for Columbia Tribune
Pennsylvania: “Prosecutors: Longtime Pa. congressman abused his office ‘over and over again’” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post
Tennessee: “Tennessee Lawmaker Oversight Lax Compared to Other States” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean
January 19, 2016 •
Appeal Against Ban on Contractor Contributions Denied by U.S. Supreme Court
On January 19, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal arguing against a federal law banning political contributions to candidates from federal contractors. Last year, in Miller v. Federal Election Commission, formerly Wagner v. Federal Election Commission, the U.S. District […]
On January 19, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal arguing against a federal law banning political contributions to candidates from federal contractors. Last year, in Miller v. Federal Election Commission, formerly Wagner v. Federal Election Commission, the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the law barring contractors from contributing to candidates, parties, and candidates’ and parties’ committees.
Plaintiffs had challenged the constitutionality of 52 U.S.C. § 30119(a)(1), which prohibits any vendors with contracts with the federal government from making political contributions to federal candidates or political parties. The plaintiffs had asked the court to declare the law unconstitutional as applied to individuals who have personal services contracts with federal agencies. Because federal workers who are not contractors may make federal political contributions while contractors performing the same work may not, the suit argued the law violates both the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and the First Amendment.
Photo of the United States Supreme Court by UpstateNYer on Wikimedia Commons.
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