January 15, 2015 • Written by Joe May

California Special Elections Scheduled for March 17

Gov. Jerry Brown has announced special elections to fill vacancies in state Senate Districts 7, 21, and 37. The vacancies were created by departures of three former state senators to Congress. The special primary ballot is scheduled for March 17, […]

January 13, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying “L.A. Alliance for a New Economy Confirms Failure to Report Lobbying” by Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times “In Unusual Arrangement, W.Va. Party Chairmen Double as Lobbyists” by David Gutman for Charleston Gazette Campaign Finance “Brian Foley Gets […]

December 24, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday Government Relations News

Lobbying “Waning Influence? Part 3: Ups and Downs, by Industry” by Dan Auble for Center for Responsive Politics “PSC Rejects FPL’s Lobbying Fee Request” by Susan Salisbury for Palm Beach Post “Boston-to-D.C. Flights Showcase Region’s Power Players” by Matt Viser […]

December 23, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying Arkansas: “Schools Rethinking Gifts to Arkansas Lawmakers Following Passage of Constitutional Amendment” by the Associated Press for Greenfield Reporter Florida: “Homestead’s Former Mayor Sentenced to 22 Months in Corruption Case” by David Ovalle and Melhor Marie Leonor for Miami […]

December 18, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying “Republican Congress Lures Lobbyists Back to Capitol Hill” by Megan Wilson for The Hill “Mollis Adopts Hearing Officer’s Decision that Corso Engaged in Unregistered Lobbying Related to 38 Studios” by Jennifer Bogdon for Providence Journal Campaign Finance “Secretive Nonprofits […]

December 4, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying “Ethics Panel Eyes Lawmakers’ Meals” in The Columbian Campaign Finance “New Study Finds Companies’ Campaign Donations Linked to Lower Tax Rates” by Debbie Freeman for Arizona State University “Ethics Panel Seeks Change in Law to Stop Candidates from Paying […]

December 2, 2014 • Written by Nick Hollis

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying “Bottom Line” in The Hill. “Job market cools for former lawmakers” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill. “Photojournalists hire lobbyists to work on drone rules” by Julian Hattem in The Hill. Maryland: “With Hogan coming, Annapolis lobbying firms […]

November 25, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying “Governors and Oil Industry Work Hand in Hand in Offshore Drilling Group” by Nicholas Kusnitz for Center for Public Integrity “Lobbyists Fund Hill Portraits as Lawmakers Target Paintings of Cabinet Members” by Robin Bravender for Environment & Energy Publishing […]

November 20, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying “K Street Files: Democratic Lobbyists Still Have Value” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call “Gov. Brown Holds a Private Reception with Campaign Donors” by Chris Megerian for Los Angeles Times “Lawyer-Lobbyists Influence Idaho Law” by Audrey Dutton for Idaho […]

November 17, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday News Roundup

Lobbying “Report: Energy contractor and former lawmaker lobbied officials for no-bid contract worth $2.4 billion per year” by Josh Hicks for Washington Post Arizona: “Ducey Seeking Donations to Gubernatorial Transition Effort” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily […]

November 14, 2014 • Written by Joe May

News You Can Use Digest – November 14, 2014

National: Democrats Create an ALEC-Killer Politico – Kenneth Vogel | Published: 11/9/2014 Liberal activists at the annual winter meeting of the Democracy Alliance will ask top donors to support a plan to reverse the Democratic decline in state governments. […]

National:

Democrats Create an ALEC-Killer

Politico – Kenneth Vogel | Published: 11/9/2014

Liberal activists at the annual winter meeting of the Democracy Alliance will ask top donors to support a plan to reverse the Democratic decline in state governments. The goal of the State Innovation Exchange – SiX for short – is to compete with a well-financed network of conservative groups, including the American Legislative Exchange Council, that for years have dominated state policy battles, advancing pro-business, anti-regulation bills. SiX ultimately plans to raise as much as $10 million a year to boost progressive state lawmakers and their causes while also using tactics like opposition research and video tracking to derail Republicans and their initiatives.

Federal:

Mitch McConnell’s Triumph Strikes Worry in the Hearts of Campaign Finance Reformers

Huffington Post – Paul Blumenthal | Published: 11/8/2014

The U.S. Senate will likely be led next year by Mitch McConnell, the primary antagonist to campaign finance reformers. Over three decades, he has made it a top priority to disrupt and degrade campaign finance regulations. Believing that limits on campaign funds are a direct impediment to the First Amendment right of free speech, he has opposed past reform efforts. With McConnell’s ascendance and with Republicans increasingly unified in opposition to campaign finance reform, its advocates expect an assault on the few areas where they had hoped to enact new rules in the post-Citizens United world.

Outside Groups with Deep Pockets Lift G.O.P.

New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 11/5/2014

The midterm election was not only a major victory for the Republican Party, but a pivotal moment for the super PACs and political nonprofit groups that helped the party defeat Democrats across the country. Over the last year and a half, the conservative outside groups retooled and revamped, using lessons in how to exploit voter data, opposition research, and advertising learned from their less moneyed but more effective Democratic counterparts during 2012. As federal courts opened new avenues of influence for the wealthy and lenient enforcement effectively neutered what few legal and regulatory restraints remained on big-money politics, they took advantage of every available tool.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona – Ducey Seeking Donations to Gubernatorial Transition Effort

Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) | Published: 11/13/2014

Arizona Gov.-elect Doug Ducey is asking for private contributions to fund his transition team. That is in addition to the donors he will be looking to tap to pay for the ceremonial parts of his inauguration. Spokesperson Daniel Scarpinato said Ducey has placed a $15,000 limit on money from any one source, at least for the transition fund. Scarpinato said there will be no limits on how much anyone can give to the separate fund to pay for the formal inaugural and any parties that might be planned for afterward.

California – California Legislators Flying to Maui to Meet with Special Interests

Los Angeles Times – Patrick McGreevy | Published: 11/12/2014

Two dozen California lawmakers will travel to Hawaii for conferences subsidized and attended by interests that lobby the Legislature, such as oil companies, public employee unions, drug and tobacco firms, and others. Conference organizers said the events, on the island of Maui, provide a relaxed setting in which elected officials and issue experts can discuss solutions to some of the state’s most vexing problems. Watchdogs say it is wrong for corporate executives to pick up the tab so they can meet with lawmakers out of public view just before the next legislative session begins. Sarah Swanbeck of Common Cause said the timing of this year’s event is especially poor because several state senators were hit with criminal charges this year, two of them involving allegations of corruption.

California – Prison Guard Union Failed to Report $24,603 in Gifts to Lawmakers

Los Angeles Times – Patrick McGreevy | Published: 11/11/2014

The state prison officers’ union agreed to a $5,500 fine for failing to disclose gifts it gave to California lawmakers from 2009 to 2011 and a corresponding failure to give gift notifications to the recipients. The gifts include lodging, meals, wine, and spa bags for legislators at the annual Governor’s Cup Foundation golf tournament in Pebble Beach. The California Correctional Peace Officers Association said the failure to report $24,603 in gifts was inadvertent.

California – Sacramento Political Consultant Richie Ross Agrees to Pay Lobbying Fines

Sacramento Bee – Laural Rosenhall | Published: 11/10/2014

Lobbyist Richie Ross agreed to pay $5,000 in fines to the Fair Political Practices Commission for not collecting campaign consulting fees from two lawmakers, thus improperly putting them under the personal obligation to a lobbyist. Ross, who agreed to write off the debt owed by the legislators, is one of a few individuals who serve in dual roles as lobbyist and campaign consultant in California. While state law allows a person to hold both positions, Ross ran into trouble because of his practice of carrying debt for successful candidates who agreed to pay him a “win bonus.”

Connecticut – Election Highlights Flaws In Campaign Finance System

CTNewsJunkie.com – Christine Stuart and Hugh McQuaid | Published: 11/10/2014

On one hand, 2014 was a banner year for Connecticut’s public campaign finance system. Both candidates for governor, all the candidates for constitutional office, and more than 80 percent of the candidates for General Assembly seats participated. On the other hand, outside groups spent $15.9 million on the governor’s race, outpacing the $13 million the two candidates received from the clean election program. The public financing program has been on the books since 2005, but the midterm election was the first test of the law as it was reshaped by the state Legislature last year.

Florida – Link Shows How Lobby Firm Cultivates Influence

New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 11/9/2014

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi invited Lori Kalani, a lobbyist and lawyer from Dickstein Shapiro, to stay at Bondi’s Tampa home while Kalani recovered from surgery. Dickstein Shapiro, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that specializes in building personal relationships with state attorneys general to help corporate clients avoid becoming targets of investigation, paid for Bondi’s travel to a resort island in Michigan in 2013. The Florida Commission on Ethics is reviewing a complaint asking it to investigate whether Dickstein Shapiro violated state law by not registering as a lobbying firm.

Georgia – Audit Reveals Systemic Problems at Ethics Commission

Gainesville Times – Joshua Silavent | Published: 11/6/2014

A review of the operations of the Georgia ethics commission by state auditors found inconsistent treatment of complaints, lack of formal procedures that results in unequal application of the law, and questionable expenditures. The report lists management problems, such as underqualified staff, poor documentation, and inadequate data controls. The commission requested the review in hopes of ending a string of scandals stemming from agency operations, according to Chairperson Hillary Stringfellow. There have been four executive secretaries heading the commission staff since 2006 and a 46 percent employee turnover rate in the last two years.

Louisiana – Feds Investigating Arson Attack on Political Operative’s Uptown Home

New Orleans Times-Picayune – Ken Daley | Published: 11/8/2014

The home and two cars of a campaign finance director for a pro-solar energy candidate running for the Louisiana Public Service Commission were firebombed on November 6. No one was injured in the explosions, and authorities have yet to establish a direct link between the apparent attacks and the campaign’s efforts to promote solar energy. The finance director targeted, Mario Zervigon, is a well-known political operative in the state. Zervignon worked for Forest Bradley-Wright, who is campaigning on a program that allows solar-panel users to continue to sell their excess electricity to utility companies. He is facing incumbent Eric Skrmetta in the December 6 run-off election.

Louisiana – Louisiana Politicians Spent Lavishly on Meals, Golfing, Gifts, Other Perks in 2013

New Orleans Times-Picayune – Lee Zurdik (WVUE) and Manuel Torres | Published: 11/6/2014

Records show Louisiana politicians spent millions of dollars in 2013 on meals, golf rounds and club dues; gifts to unnamed recipients; tickets to Louisiana State University and New Orleans Saints football games; and other events. State law prohibits using campaign money for personal expenses, according to the Board of Ethics, but allows expenses “related to a political campaign or the holding of a public office or party position.” Lawmakers last year failed to clearly define what that means, despite calls by watchdogs and the ethics board for stricter rules.

Mississippi – Christopher Epps, Former Chief of Prisons in Mississippi, Is Arraigned

New York Times – Timothy Williams | Published: 11/6/2014

Mississippi’s former prisons chief pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he accepted cash and mortgage payments in exchange for awarding prison contracts to companies tied to a local businessperson. Christopher Epps, who resigned as commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections on November 5, was indicted on charges he and co-defendant Cecil McCrory were involved in a kickback scheme that started in 2007 and continued for seven years.

Nevada – With a $10,000 Cap on Political Contributions, How Did Caesars Give Gov. Brian Sandoval $215,000?

Las Vegas Sun – Conor Shine | Published: 11/12/2014

In more than a dozen cases, one company or person used multiple companies to donate to a single candidate in excess of Nevada’s standard limit, according to a Las Vegas Sun analysis. The practice stems from the way the law is written. Political contributions are capped at $10,000 per donor, whether it is an individual or a business. But for businesses that operate subsidiaries, each subsidiary or affiliate is eligible to make a $10,000 contribution, even if they are all controlled by the same person or group of people. The result is a gap in the law that allows mostly large companies in Nevada’s gaming, mining, and taxi industries to direct tens of thousands of dollars to their preferred candidates.

Pennsylvania – Sending Signals: Gov.-elect Tom Wolf bans gifts, limits no-bid legal work

Philadelphia Inquirer – Tom Fitzgerald and Amy Worden | Published: 11/12/2014

A code of conduct for Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Tom Wolf’s transition team foreshadows something he plans to impose on his first day on office: a gift ban on his appointees and executive branch employees. Wolf plans to sign an executive order to prohibit gifts, even though state law allows officials to accept gifts worth up to $250 without reporting them, or gifts worth more than that amount if disclosed. Wolf also said he would curb the practice of giving no-bid contracts to private law firms when he takes office.

Jim Sedor State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

November 7, 2014 • Written by Joe May

News You Can Use Digest – November 7, 2014

National: Cell Phones, Social Media and Campaign 2014 Pew Research Center – Aaron Smith | Published: 11/3/2014 The Pew Research Center found social media platforms and cell phones are playing an increasingly prominent role in how voters get political information and […]

National:

Cell Phones, Social Media and Campaign 2014

Pew Research Center – Aaron Smith | Published: 11/3/2014

The Pew Research Center found social media platforms and cell phones are playing an increasingly prominent role in how voters get political information and follow election news. Republicans and Democrats use social media in this way at similar rates. When asked about some reasons why they might follow political figures on social media, Republicans and conservative-leaning independents express a greater desire to be the first to find out about breaking political news, and to get political information that has not passed through the traditional media “filter.” Voters from both parties place a similar emphasis on the deeper connections that social media allows them to form with the candidates they support.

Hard-Nosed Advice from Veteran Lobbyist: ‘Win Ugly or Lose Pretty’

New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 10/30/2014

A veteran lobbyist told the oil and gas industry that, if it wants to continually expand drilling operations, it must be ready to “win ugly or lose pretty,” according to a secretly taped recording of the comments. Consultant Richard Berman, founder and chief executive of the Washington D.C.-based firm Berman and Co., made the comments during a speech to industry executives in June. He said executives must be willing to get dirty and dig up embarrassing information about environmentalists and liberal celebrities. And if the oil and gas executives solicit help from Berman’s firm, he said he would be able to hide their role in funding certain campaigns. One executive took issue with Berman’s comments and secretly recorded the speech, which he then gave to The New York Times.

How Political Donors Are Changing Statehouse News Reporting

Governing – Daniel Vock | Published: 11/1/2014

The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity is deploying reporters to cover state and local governments around the country. Its ultimate ambition is to have bureaus in every state. But they are not news bureaus in the way many traditional journalists understand them. They are being paid to cover government from an unabashedly ideological perspective. In a study of statehouse reporters released this summer, the Pew Research Center found 33 ideological outlets with state Capitol reporters across the country. Some who are affiliated with such groups wonder why citizen journalists, including those who are advocates of one cause or another, should be treated differently than traditional journalists who see themselves as objective.

In States Seen to Be Tilting Left, Voters Defy Democrats’ Forecast

New York Times – Jonathan Martin | Published: 11/5/2014

More striking than any Republican gains in red-state America on November 4 were the party’s U.S. Senate victories in Colorado and North Carolina and the near miss in Virginia. All are states that both parties believed were trending Democratic, and that Democrats boasted would before long be out of reach to Republicans. But demographic shifts that are gradually reshaping the American electorate, making it more racially diverse and younger, cannot overcome a difficult political environment and a weak message in a nonpresidential year. And the Democratic edge in sophisticated technological voter mobilization and targeting is eroding, as Republicans adopt similar techniques and catch up.

Federal:

Capitol Book Club, with a Bonus

New York Times – Ben Protess and Eric Lipton | Published: 11/2/2014

A book club gathers every month for lunch inside a private room at the National Republican Club of Capitol Hill. Unlike a local library’s book club, this event doubles as a political fundraiser. For the book club’s members – an A-list of lobbyists from banks and insurance companies – the main attraction is access to the U.S. House Financial Services Committee. The cost of admission is a campaign donation to whichever committee member is playing host. Each month, attendees say, the lobbyists typically donate $1,000 to $5,000. “It is a $50,000 fundraiser, without a sweat,” said one lobbyist.

Election 2014: A new level of collaboration between candidates and big-money allies

Washington Post – Matea Gold | Published: 11/3/2014

Just a decade ago, candidates shied away from being too closely associated with money raised by independent groups for reasons of appearance and for fear of running afoul of election laws. But the rapid spread of super PACs and politically active nonprofit organizations that followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision has dramatically altered the climate. Political operatives are also taking advantage of the hands-off approach of a divided FEC, which has not re-examined coordination rules in the wake of the 2010 ruling. In that void, candidates and independent groups have sought to bring their operations in alignment as much as possible this year.

How to Waste 10 Million Dollars

Politico – Kenneth Vogel and Byron Tau | Published: 11/6/2014

Mayday PAC burst onto the political scene in the spring of 2014 with grandiose designs to elect a pro-campaign finance reform majority to the U.S. Congress by 2016. The 2014 cycle was a test run of sorts, with the group spending more than $10 million on a slate of candidates ostensibly united only in their belief in curbing the influence of big donors, lobbyists, and money in the political system. But voters cast their ballots for business as usual, leaving Mayday and its founders facing questions about the contrast between its bold predictions and results.

Republicans First Step was to Handle Extremists in Party

New York Times – Jeremy Peters and Thomas Hulse | Published: 11/5/2014

Republicans’ impressive showing on November 4 – marking the first time the GOP will have a majority in both the U.S. House and Senate since 2006 – was in large part the result of methodical plotting, careful candidate vetting, and abundant preparation to ensure the party’s candidates would avoid repeating the same devastating mistakes that cost them dearly in 2010 and 2012. In the end, the disciplined approach worked: no Republican imploded with the kind of fatal campaign gaffe that crushed the party’s hopes in the last two elections, and every established candidate prevailed in the primaries.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Firebrand Alabama Republican Collides With Ethics Law He Espoused

New York Times – Campbell Robertson and Alan Blinder | Published: 10/31/2014

State Rep. Michael Hubbard was arrested after a grand jury returned a 23-count indictment, partly on the basis of an ethics law he had championed, accusing him of using his positions as Alabama GOP chairperson and House speaker to steer thousands of dollars’ worth of business to companies in which he had a financial interest. Hubbard has denied the charges. Though they have not been accused of wrongdoing, some of Alabama’s most prominent executives appeared in the indictment, as did Bob Riley, a former two-term governor. This was unexpected, though perhaps it should not have been: Hubbard has been as strong a center of political gravity as the state has had in decades.

Arkansas – Arkansas Voters Approve Extended Term Limits

Governing – J.B. Wogan | Published: 11/5/2014

A ballot measure that would tighten ethics laws and change term limits passed in Arkansas. Issue 3 prohibits legislators and constitutional officers from taking gifts from lobbyists, with some exceptions; bans candidates from accepting campaign donations from corporations; increases the period that a former legislator must wait before registering as a lobbyist; and allows a lawmaker to serve up to 16 years in either chamber instead of the current limit of three two-year terms in the House and two four-year terms in the Senate.

California – California Lawmakers’ Campaign Credit-Card Spending Often Lacks Disclosure, Sacramento Bee Review Finds

Sacramento Bee – Jim Miller | Published: 11/2/2014

A review of California lawmakers’ credit-card spending by The Sacramento Bee found many provided only the barest of descriptions of their expenses on state-required campaign reports, despite a 2008 rule meant to improve disclosure. The lack of detail makes it difficult to determine whether legislators are using their campaign accounts to help them win re-election or do their jobs, or whether some have found an easy way to live a more luxurious lifestyle. Overall, lawmakers racked up more than $4 million in campaign credit-card charges during the first 18 months of this election cycle.

Florida – City Ethics Amendment Passes by Wide Margin

Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 11/5/2014

Tallahassee voters overwhelmingly approved a charter amendment beefing up the city’s ethics program. It will create a seven-member ethics board with the power to investigate complaints and levy civil penalties; lower the maximum contribution that can be given to candidates from $1,000 to $250; and allow donors to receive rebates from the city of up to $25 if they give that much or more to candidates. The city commission has six months to enact an ethics code with jurisdiction over all officers and employees, including elected and appointed officials.

New York – 4 Indicted N.Y. Pols Win Re-election

Politico – Lucy McCalmont | Published: 11/5/2014

New York voters overwhelmingly re-elected four lawmakers – one to Congress and three to the state Legislature – who are under federal criminal indictments. U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm was re-elected to his House seat despite a 20–count indictment on tax related and other charges. Assemblyperson William Scarborough has been accused of misusing campaign funds for personal expenses. Sen. John Sampson could be sentenced to prison on charges including obstruction of justice, and witness and evidence tampering. Sen. Thomas Libous faces trial in 2015 following an indictment on charges of lying to federal agents.

Ohio – State Rep. Sandra Williams Found Guilty of Profiting from Ohio State Football Tickets

Columbus Dispatch – Jim Siegel | Published: 10/31/2014

State Rep. Sandra Williams pleaded no contest to charges she illegally sold Ohio State football season tickets purchased with campaign funds and did not report it to the state. She faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. The four 2010 tickets, worth a total of $2,255, were sold to lobbyist Ed Hogan. But Hogan made a money order out to Williams herself instead of to the campaign. Williams then deposited the money in her personal account and did not reimburse her campaign until FBI investigators discovered the error.

Pennsylvania – Harrisburg Lobbying Costs on the Rise

Citizens Voice – Robert Swift | Published: 11/2/2014

Lobbyists spent $116 million to influence Pennsylvania lawmakers last year, a 10 percent increase over 2012, with the top areas of lobbying interest in energy, the state budget, and healthcare issues. The lobbyist disclosure law requires corporations and trade associations that spent more than $2,500 in any quarter to register, broadly categorize how the money is spent, and identify general issues on which they lobby. Revelations that four House members allegedly accepted cash gifts from a confidential informant during a sting operation led the House and Senate to adopt rules banning lawmakers from accepting cash gifts. But bills to enact a total ban on gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers and public officials did not make much headway.

Jim Sedor State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

November 5, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday Government Relations News

Lobbying: “Capitol Book Club, with a Bonus” by Ben Protess and Eric Lipton for New York Times “Harrisburg Lobbying Costs on the Rise” by Robert Swift for Citizens Voice “Ex-Lawmakers Predict Post-Election Return of Earmarks” by Katelyn Plantz for National […]

November 4, 2014 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying “Hard-Nosed Advice from Veteran Lobbyist: ‘Win Ugly or Lose Pretty’” by Eric Lipton for New York Times “At Fast-Growing Brookings, Donors May Have an Impact on Research Agenda” by Tom Hamburger and Alexander Becker for Washington Post “After Probe, […]

California Special Elections Scheduled for March 17

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

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Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

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Thursday News Roundup

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Thursday News Roundup

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News You Can Use Digest – November 14, 2014

News You Can Use Digest – November 7, 2014

Wednesday Government Relations News

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

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