October 28, 2022 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 28, 2022
![News You Can Use Digest – October 28, 2022](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Bannon Gets 4 Months Jail Term for Defying Jan. 6 Committee Subpoena Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 10/21/2022 A judge sentenced longtime Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon to four months in jail for defying […]
National/Federal
Bannon Gets 4 Months Jail Term for Defying Jan. 6 Committee Subpoena
Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 10/21/2022
A judge sentenced longtime Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon to four months in jail for defying a subpoena from lawmakers investigating the attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. He will also pay a $6,500 fine. U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols said Bannon inappropriately defied the select committee on a matter of significant national interest, and even after roadblocks to his testimony had been removed. A jury convicted Bannon on two charges of contempt of Congress – one for refusing to testify to the January 6 select committee, another for refusing to provide relevant documents to the panel.
Big K Street Players Spend More as Election Uncertainty Brews
MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 10/21/2022
K Street’s 10 biggest spenders have shelled out a combined $238.3 million on federal lobbying so far this year, as the industry now gears up for brewing uncertainty when lawmakers return after the midterm elections. Business groups, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as health care, pharmaceutical, and technology interests, topped spending in the first three quarters of this year, as Congress moved climate, health, and tax legislation and a new law to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
Head of UK Lobbying Watchdog Calls for Tougher Disclosure Rules
Guardian – Rowena Mason | Published: 10/26/2022
The head of the United Kingdom’s lobbying watchdog called for tougher disclosure rules to show which ministers have been solicited, as well as a review of exemptions to the rules. Harry Rich, who is in charge of the register of consultant lobbyists and their clients, is making suggestions for more transparent lobbying declarations in a submission to parliament’s public administration and constitutional affairs committee in his first public intervention on the subject since taking the job in 2018.
How Votes Are Cast and Counted Is Increasingly Decided in Courtrooms
MSN – Patrick Marley (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2022
Disputes over redistricting, voter IDs, voting hours, recounts, and other election-related policies have long run parallel to political campaigns, but the numbers are rising. The increase began after the U.S. Supreme Court decided the 2000 presidential election and the trend reached a high in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic prompted a host of new voting rules. Election experts say courts have the power to clarify vague laws or policies and resolve key questions before ballots are cast, but many also contend the barrage of lawsuits increases the chances of last-minute rulings that can spur voter confusion.
Jan. 6 Panel Issues Subpoena to Trump, Demanding He Testify
MSN – Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick (Associated Press) | Published: 10/21/2022
The House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol issued its subpoena of Donald Trump, demanding testimony from the former president who lawmakers say “personally orchestrated” a multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The panel issued a letter to Trump’s lawyers saying he must testify, either at the Capitol or by videoconference, “beginning on or about” November 14 and continuing for multiple days if necessary. The letter also outlined a request for a series of corresponding documents, including personal communications between Trump and members of Congress as well as extremist groups.
Law Firms Eager for US Regulatory Clarity on Foreign Lobbying
Bloomberg Law – Ben Penn | Published: 10/26/2022
Carrying a maximum prison sentence of five years for willful offenders, the Foreign Agents Registration Act mandates public disclosures when individuals, companies, or nonprofits act on behalf of foreign interests. It contains exceptions that apply to attorneys, which have proven difficult to interpret for work at the border of legal representation and political advocacy. Those exemptions are now slated for a regulatory rewrite, with implications for lawyers, both those hoping to provide clarity to clients on whether they need to register and others concerned about their own need to file. The proposal is expected by the end of 2022.
Mar-a-Lago Classified Papers Held U.S. Secrets About Iran and China
MSN – Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2022
Some of the classified documents recovered by the FBI from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate included highly sensitive intelligence regarding Iran and China, according to people familiar with the matter. If shared with others, the people said, such information could expose intelligence-gathering methods the U.S. wants to keep hidden from the world. The secret documents about Iran and China are considered among the most sensitive the FBI has recovered in its investigation of Trump and his aides for possible mishandling of classified information, obstruction, and destruction of government records, the people said.
Menendez Facing Another Federal Investigation
MSN – Matt Friedman (Politico) | Published: 10/26/2022
Sen. Bob Menendez is facing another federal ethics investigation. It was reported that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is investigating Menendez five years after a jury deadlocked on corruption charges against him. Prosecutors at first announced plans to try Menendez again but backed off. The new investigation threatens to cloud Menendez’s expected reelection campaign in 2024.
Social Security Whistleblowers Say They Were Sidelined for Exposing Fines
Yahoo News – Lisa Rein (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2022
Joscelyn Funnié and Deborah Shaw, attorneys in the Social Security Administration’s inspector general’s office, were removed from their jobs and placed on paid leave after expressing concerns about large fines imposed on disabled and poor elderly people. They were eventually reinstated. But since returning to work under Inspector General Gail Ennis, they said they have been excluded from meaningful assignments, given tasks below their experience and abilities, and denied opportunities for advancement. Experts on whistleblowers describe the treatment as evidence of retaliation in a case that is the focus of three ongoing probes.
From the States and Municipalities
Arizona – A Retiree Served Food to the Homeless for Years. Then It Got Her Arrested.
MSN – Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2022
Police often patrolled Community Park in Bullhead City, Arizona, so Norma Thornton ignored two officers when they pulled up in cruisers as she finished serving food to homeless people. When one of the officers said he was arresting her for violating the city’s new ordinance that outlawed people serving prepared food in public parks for “charitable purposes,” Thornton suspected a prank. Only when the officer put her in the back seat of his cruiser did reality set in. Thornton recently filed a lawsuit against Bullhead City, accusing the officers of violating her civil rights. She is asking a federal judge to declare the ordinance unconstitutional.
Arizona – Ariz. Democratic Governor Candidate Hobbs Reports Break-In at Campaign Office
MSN – Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 10/27/2022
The campaign for Arizona Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs said its Phoenix office was broken into and police are investigating the incident. A spokesperson for Hobbs, Arizona’s secretary of state, implicitly blamed Hobbs’s Republican rival, Kari Lake, a charge Lake scoffed at as “absurd.” Phoenix police said unspecified items were taken, according to The Arizona Republic. In surveillance images obtained by the newspaper, a young man wearing shorts and a green T-shirt can be seen inside the building.
Arizona – Arizona Sheriff Steps Up Security Around Ballot Drop Boxes
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/25/2022
The sheriff in metropolitan Phoenix said he stepped up security around ballot drop boxes after a series of incidents involving people keeping watch on the boxes and taking video of voters after they were apparently inspired by lies about the 2020 election. Deputies responded recently when two masked people carrying guns and wearing bulletproof vests showed up at a drop box in Mesa, a Phoenix suburb. The secretary of state said her office has received six cases of potential voter intimidation to the state attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a threatening email sent to the state elections director.
Arkansas – Federal Judge Signs Off on Prosecution’s Motion to Dismiss Charges Against Gilbert Baker
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – Dale Ellis | Published: 10/25/2022
A federal judge dismissed bribery and wire fraud charges against former Arkansas Sen. Gilbert Baker. Baker was indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and seven counts of honest services wire fraud. Prosecutors accused Baker of bribing former Faulkner County Circuit Court Judge Michael Maggio in 2013 as part of a scheme to get Maggio to lower a financial judgment against Greenbrier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A judge declared a mistrial when jurors acquitted Baker on the conspiracy count but could not reach a verdict on the remaining counts.
California – California Sets Up Age Requirement for Those Handling Political Campaign Bucks
Marin Independent Record – Gabriel Greschler (Bay Area News Group) | Published: 10/20/2022
The California Fair Political Practices Commission passed a rule prohibiting anyone under the age of 18 to be hired for a position that requires them to sign campaign finance documents under penalty of perjury. The change will mostly apply to a campaign’s treasurer but could affect other positions that involve financial decisions. Milpitas City Councilperson Anthony Phan was found to have hired his 14-year-old cousin as his treasurer during a bid for a council seat in 2016.
California – Ethics Reform Proposal Stalled Amid Endless Negotiations Between City, Union
San Francisco Examiner – Adam Shanks | Published: 10/19/2022
A proposal to reform San Francisco’s ethics laws has been stalled for months amid prolonged negotiations with the union that represents top city officials. The union says it needs time to study the proposal and its many ramifications, but the city’s Ethics Commission says it is simply dragging its feet on reform. The Municipal Executives Association has been exercising its right to weigh in on the proposal for nearly a year despite a push from the Ethics Commission, which authored the reforms, to put it before voters in the form of a ballot measure.
California – Ex-Anaheim Mayor Refuses to Publicly Disclose Emails Amid FBI Corruption Investigation
MSN – Nathan Fenno, Gabriel San Román, and Adam Elmahrek (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/25/2022
The criminal defense attorney for former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu claimed Sidhu’s emails and text messages sent while in office about city business on private devices were no longer public because he has resigned and invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination. Sidhu refusal to disclose the communications could obstruct a probe into a corruption scandal surrounding the sale of Angel Stadium. Public records experts say the refusal flouts California law and could encourage other government officials to use private accounts to conduct official business and avoid public scrutiny.
California – LA Councilwoman Raman Seeks Action on Lobbying Reforms
MSN – City News Service | Published: 10/25/2022
Los Angeles City Councilperson Nithya Raman filed a motion to have her colleagues adopt lobbying reforms presented by the city’s Ethics Commission but placed on the back burner by former council President Nury Martinez. The proposal seeks to make lobbying efforts more transparent and limit financial ties between lobbyists and city officials. The commission sent the council recommended updates to the Municipal Lobbying Ordinance in April, but Martinez never placed the report on the council’s agenda.
Colorado – Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser Attends Lavish Event in Hawaii Paid for by Corporations He’s Suing
CBS News – Shaun Boyd | Published: 10/19/2022
The Attorney General Alliance, a group made up of 48 state attorneys general, a private club that corporations and lobbyist organizations pay tens of thousands of dollars to belong to. Their membership buys them access to lavish events where they can schmooze the top legal officers for state government, individuals who have sole discretion over whether to sue, settle, or investigate them. The alliance’s 2021 annual conference in Maui was sponsored by companies like Google, Juul, and Pfizer, all of which were being sued by states at the time.
Connecticut – Connecticut Port Authority Employee Fined for Ethics Violation
Yahoo News – Greg Smith (The Day) | Published: 10/24/2022
Connecticut Port Authority employee Andrew Lavigne was fined $750 and suspended for two days without pay for violating state ethics rules when he accepted hockey tickets from a company doing business with the quasi-public agency. The fine is the settlement reached with the Office of State Ethics, which determined Seabury Maritime had violated the state code of ethics for public officials in 2017 and 2019 when it provided gifts, meals, and overnight accommodations to port authority employees and two board members.
Delaware – State Auditor Kathy McGuiness Sentenced for Public Corruption Convictions
Yahoo News – Xerxes Wilson (News Journal) | Published: 10/19/2022
The only statewide-elected official in Delaware history to be accused and convicted of crimes while in office was spared prison time and resigned her office. Auditor Kathy McGuiness was sentenced to a year of probation, 500 hours of community service, and a $10,000 fine for her misdemeanor conflict-of-interest and official misconduct convictions, guilty verdicts that stemmed from hiring her daughter to work in the auditor’s office.
Florida – Florida Commission on Ethics Recommends Doug Underhill Be Removed from Office
Yahoo News – Jim Little (Pensacola News Journal) | Published: 10/21/2022
The Florida Commission on Ethics asked Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill from office one month before the end of his term. The commission said Underhill be removed for disclosing a county “shade meeting” transcript before the litigation was officially concluded and be fined the maximum of $10,000. The commission also recommended Underhill be fined $6,250 for each of four additional ethics violations of gift disclosure laws and solicitation donations from a county vendor or lobbyist, bringing the total recommended fine to $35,000.
Florida – Tampa Lawmaker Files Lawsuit Against Campaign Manager, Alleging Sexual Harassment
Yahoo News – Kirby Wilson and Emily Mahoney (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 10/24/2022
Florida Rep. Jackie Toledo is accusing her campaign manager, a well-known Republican communications strategist, of sexual harassment. Fred Piccolo sent “unwanted, unsolicited, inappropriate, and grossly offensive” text messages to her, according to a lawsuit. Toledo, who made an unsuccessful bid this year for a U.S. House seat, also accuses Piccolo of trying to get fired to earn a $100,000 termination payout. She is seeking at least $30,000 in damages.
Georgia – Abrams’ Campaign Chair Collected Millions in Legal Fees from Voting Rights Organization
Yahoo News – Brittany Gibson (Politico) | Published: 10/24/2022
The voting rights organization founded by Stacey Abrams spent more than $25 million over two years on legal fees, mostly on a single case, with the largest amount going to the self-described boutique law firm of the candidate’s campaign chairperson. Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Abrams’ close friend who chaired her gubernatorial campaign both in 2018 and her current bid to unseat Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, is one of two named partners in Lawrence & Bundy. Some questioned both the level of expenditures devoted to a single, largely unsuccessful legal action and that such a large payout went to the firm of Abrams’ friend.
Georgia – Supreme Court Puts Temporary Hold on Graham Grand Jury Election Testimony
MSN – Robert Barnes and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) | Published: 10/24/2022
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas put a temporary hold on an order that U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham appear before a Georgia grand jury investigating possible attempts by former President Trump and his allies to disrupt the state’s 2020 presidential election. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit denied an attempt to block a subpoena from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, in which Graham claimed a sitting senator is shielded from testifying in such investigations.
Georgia – Trump Chief of Staff Meadows Ordered to Testify Before Ga. Grand Jury
MSN – Amy Wang and Tom Hamburger (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2022
A judge ruled former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows must testify before a Georgia grand jury investigating Republican efforts to reverse the 2020 presidential election results in the state. Meadows has helped promote Trump’s baseless claims that widespread voter fraud delivered the presidency to Joe Biden. In her petition seeking Meadows’s testimony, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis noted Meadows’s participation in a telephone call Trump made on January 2, 2021, to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking him to “find” 11,780 votes that would enable him to defeat Biden in the state.
Illinois – Federal Oversight of Cook County Assessor’s Hiring to End; Supervision Tied to Decades-Old Shakman Patronage Lawsuit
MSN – A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/25/2022
For years, federal courts have kept watch over the Cook County assessor’s office, making sure workers were not hired for their political connections, and that job descriptions were clear. That oversight will end on November 1. The so-called Shaman oversight is named for Michael Shakman, the man who first sued to end the practice of Democratic patronage, under which city and county jobs were filled by faithful party members, and firings or promotions were based on election-time efforts.
Illinois – Inside AT&T’s Alleged ‘Conspiracy’ to Bribe Powerbrokers at the Illinois Capitol
WBEZ – Jon Seidel (Chicago Sun-Times) and Dan Mihalopoulos | Published: 10/21/2022
For more than a decade, Brian Gray was AT&T’s top executive in Illinois for a critical area – dealing with politicians in a state known for its corruption. As the director of legislative affairs, he oversaw a stable of lobbyists, and in recent years he also headed the company’s PAC in Illinois. AT&T is cooperating authorities and promised to pay a $23 million fine admitting it used illegal means in efforts to win support for favorable legislation. Sources close to the investigation say the three employees referenced in the indictment are Gray and former company lobbyists Robert Barry and Stephen Selcke.
Maine – Ethics Panel Says Candidate, Outside Group Violated Campaign Finance Laws
Yahoo News – Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 10/26/2022
Maine’s ethics commission ruled in separate cases that a state Senate candidate and an out-of-state political group did not properly disclose the funding sources for campaign communications, a violation of the state’s campaign finance law. October 26 marked the first day that independent expenditures from outside groups need to be reported within 24 hours. Previously, such spending needed to be reported within 48 hours.
Massachusetts – Groups Sue to Put Super PAC Question on 2024 State Ballot
MSN – Steve LeBlanc (Associated Press) | Published: 10/24/2022
Groups pushing for a 2024 ballot question aimed at reining in the spending power of super PACs filed two lawsuits in Massachusetts that target a decision by the state attorney general’s office to block the question on the grounds it would infringe on First Amendment rights. The lawsuits argue in favor of the proposed question, which would change state law to limit contributions by individuals to independent expenditure political action committees to $5,000. Currently, super PACs can raise and spend unlimited funds from individuals as long as they do not directly coordinate with a candidate’s campaign.
Michigan – Michigan Jury Finds Three Men Guilty of Aiding Plot to Kidnap Governor
MSN – Tyler Clifford and Brendan O’Brien (Reuters) | Published: 10/26/2022
A jury found three men guilty of aiding a conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, a plot that prosecutors said grew out of hostility over restrictions she imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joseph Morrison, his father-in-law, Pete Musico, and Paul Bellar were convicted of gang membership, firearm violations, and providing material support for terrorism. They could face up to 20 years in prison. State prosecutors argued the men assisted two others who were found guilty in federal court of kidnapping conspiracy. It stands as the most prominent case involving domestic terrorism and militias in years.
Missouri – State Ethics Board Fines Former Candidate for St. Louis County Executive
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kurt Erickson | Published: 10/25/2022
A one-time candidate for St. Louis County executive was fined more than $34,000 for campaign finance violations. According to the Missouri Ethics Commission, William Ray Jr. had multiple problems with two campaign accounts, one for him personally and another political committee called Fannie PAC. Among the violations were failures to report more than $11,450 in contributions and more than $9,400 in expenses.
New York – New Ethics Commissioner Attended Assemblyman’s Campaign Fundraiser
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/24/2022
Leonard Austin, who is serving as the vice chair of New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, recently attended a campaign fundraiser for state Assemblyperson Charles Lavine. Austin’s wife donated to Lavine’s reelection bid. Under state law, ethics commission members are prohibited from contributing to any candidate for state-level office, including Assembly members. The law does not address this situation, where an ethics commissioner attends a fundraiser and their spouse makes a donation.
New York – Trump’s Business, Under Threat, Faces a Tough Test in Court
MSN – Ben Protess, William Rashbaum, and Jonah Bromwich (New York Times) | Published: 10/23/2022
The Trump Organization is on trial in Manhattan, where the district attorney’s office accused it of tax fraud and other crimes. Although Donald Trump himself was not indicted, he is synonymous with the company he ran for decades. This case centers on special perks doled out by the Trump Organization, which comprises more than 500 corporate entities. The company’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry out the scheme and agreed to testify at the trial.
Ohio – 2 Conservatives Accused in Hoax Robocall Scheme Plead Guilty
MSN – Mark Gillispie (Associated Press) | Published: 10/25/2022
Two right-wing operatives pleaded guilty to single felony counts of telecommunications fraud for having placed thousands of false robocalls in Ohio that told people they could be arrested or be forced to receive vaccinations based on information they submitted in votes by mail. Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman could each receive a year in prison when they are sentenced. The have a history of staging hoaxes and spreading false smears against Democrats and public officials.
Ohio – FirstEnergy Cuts Off Its ‘Dark Money’ Spigot in Ohio, Disclosures Show
Yahoo News – Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/24/2022
Besides some nominal payments, FirstEnergy has cut off its contributions to Ohio-based nonprofit entities that spend outside money to support politicians. But the disclosures show FirstEnergy made about $130,000 in similar “dark money” payments to political firms in 2021 in New Jersey and West Virginia, where it also operates utilities. Since the initial arrests in the House Bill 6 scandal, candidates and party committees in Ohio have returned a combined $390,000 in contributions from the company’s state and federal PACs. Meanwhile, FirstEnergy keeps just one lobbyist on hand in the state compared to the 15 it retained in 2019.
Oregon – Portland City Auditor’s Office Issues Penalty Against Gonzalez’s Campaign
MSN – Michaela Bourgeoise (KOIN) | Published: 10/20/2022
Rene Gonzalez’s campaign for Portland City Council is facing another fine after an investigation into the campaign’s rented office and parking spaces revealed it accepted an unlawful in-kind contribution. The city auditor’s office said it issued a $5,520 civil penalty against the campaign for allegedly accepting six months of parking at a Portland office rented from Schnitzer Property Management.
Tennessee – Election Watchdog Disputes Harwell Claim That Shifting State Funds to Federal Campaign Was Legit
Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 10/26/2022
Former Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell contends the transfer of money from her state PAC to a super PAC that supported her failed congressional bid this summer was legal. But a watchdog group that monitors potential campaign finance violations says Harwell’s actions are “outside the law,” which prohibits state election funds from being used for federal campaigns. Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform for the Campaign Legal Center, said his organization will consider filing a complaint with the FEC against the Harwell campaign.
Texas – Greg Abbott Ran as a Small-Government Conservative. But the Governor’s Office Now Has More Power Than Ever.
Texas Tribune – Marilyn Thompson (ProPublica) and Perla Trevizo | Published: 10/25/2022
Greg Abbott has consolidated power like no Texas governor in recent history, at times circumventing the Republican-controlled state Legislature and overriding local officials. Abbott’s executive measures have solidified his conservative base and dramatically raised his national profile. Lower courts have occasionally ruled against Abbott, but Texas’ all-Republican highest court has sided with the governor, dismissing many of the cases on procedural grounds. Other challenges to Abbott’s use of executive power are still pending. In no case have the governor’s actions been permanently halted.
Texas – Texas Agencies’ Plan to Monitor Harris County Elections Raises Concerns Among Observers
Houston Public Media – Adam Zuvanich | Published: 10/19/2022
The Texas secretary of state’s office, in a letter submitted days before the start of early voting for the 2022 midterm election, informed Harris County it will send a team of inspectors and election security trainers to observe and help administer the November 8 election in the state’s largest metropolitan area. Representatives of state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is on the ballot, also will be present to “immediately respond to any legal issues” raised by the inspectors, poll watchers, and others.
Washington – Facebook Parent Company Fined $25M for WA Campaign Finance Violations
Seattle Times – David Gutman | Published: 10/26/2022
A judge fined Facebook parent company Meta nearly $25 million for repeatedly and intentionally violating Washington’s campaign finance law. King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North issued the maximum possible fine after finding the company had, between 2019 and 2021, violated a longstanding disclosure law 822 separate times. Each fine carried a penalty of $30,000. It is the largest campaign finance penalty ever issued in the U.S., state Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office said.
Washington DC – Bowser Fires Official Who Took Job at insurer after Medicaid Procurement
MSN – Julie Zauzmer Weil and Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2022
A week after the District of Columbia Council awarded multibillion-dollar contracts for insuring Medicaid patients to three companies seeming to end a years-long struggle to right the city’s Medicaid system after court and council fights, Mayor Muriel Bowser called for a new investigation related to the procurement process. Bowser fired the interim director of the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs after he took a new job with the parent company of one of the insurers awarded the lucrative contract. Bowser referred him to the city’s ethics board and inspector general.
October 27, 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 Tennessee: “Election Watchdog Disputes Harwell Claim That Shifting State Funds to Federal Campaign Was Legit” by Sam Stockard for Tennessee Lookout Elections National: “How Votes Are Cast and Counted Is Increasingly Decided in Courtrooms” by Patrick Marley (Washington […]
Campaign Finance
Tennessee: “Election Watchdog Disputes Harwell Claim That Shifting State Funds to Federal Campaign Was Legit” by Sam Stockard for Tennessee Lookout
Elections
National: “How Votes Are Cast and Counted Is Increasingly Decided in Courtrooms” by Patrick Marley (Washington Post) for MSN
Ohio: “2 Conservatives Accused in Hoax Robocall Scheme Plead Guilty” by Mark Gillispie (Associated Press) for MSN
Ethics
Arizona: “A Retiree Served Food to the Homeless for Years. Then It Got Her Arrested.” by Jonathan Edwards (Washington Post) for MSN
Georgia: “Trump Chief of Staff Meadows Ordered to Testify Before Ga. Grand Jury” by Amy Wang and Tom Hamburger (Washington Post) for MSN
Illinois: “Federal Oversight of Cook County Assessor’s Hiring to End; Supervision Tied to Decades-Old Shakman Patronage Lawsuit” by A.D. Quig (Chicago Tribune) for MSN
Michigan: “Michigan Jury Finds Three Men Guilty of Aiding Plot to Kidnap Governor” by Tyler Clifford and Brendan O’Brien (Reuters) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “Law Firms Eager for US Regulatory Clarity on Foreign Lobbying” by Ben Penn for Bloomberg Law
California: “LA Councilwoman Raman Seeks Action on Lobbying Reforms” by City News Service for MSN
October 26, 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 Ohio: “FirstEnergy Cuts Off Its ‘Dark Money’ Spigot in Ohio, Disclosures Show” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for Yahoo News Elections Arizona: “Arizona Sheriff Steps Up Security Around Ballot Drop Boxes” by Associated Press for MSN Ethics […]
Campaign Finance
Ohio: “FirstEnergy Cuts Off Its ‘Dark Money’ Spigot in Ohio, Disclosures Show” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for Yahoo News
Elections
Arizona: “Arizona Sheriff Steps Up Security Around Ballot Drop Boxes” by Associated Press for MSN
Ethics
National: “Social Security Whistleblowers Say They Were Sidelined for Exposing Fines” by Lisa Rein (Washington Post) for Yahoo News
Arkansas: “Federal Judge Signs Off on Prosecution’s Motion to Dismiss Charges Against Gilbert Baker” by Dale Ellis for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
California: “Ex-Anaheim Mayor Refuses to Publicly Disclose Emails Amid FBI Corruption Investigation” by Nathan Fenno, Gabriel San Román, and Adam Elmahrek (Los Angeles Times) for MSN
Connecticut: “Connecticut Port Authority Employee Fined for Ethics Violation” by Greg Smith (The Day) for Yahoo News
Florida: “Tampa Lawmaker Files Lawsuit Against Campaign Manager, Alleging Sexual Harassment” by Kirby Wilson and Emily Mahoney (Tampa Bay Times) for Yahoo News
Texas: “Greg Abbott Ran as a Small-Government Conservative. But the Governor’s Office Now Has More Power Than Ever.” by Marilyn Thompson (ProPublica) and Perla Trevizo for Texas Tribune
October 25, 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 California: “California Sets Up Age Requirement for Those Handling Political Campaign Bucks” by Gabriel Greschler (Bay Area News Group) for Marin Independent Record Massachusetts: “Groups Sue to Put Super PAC Question on 2024 State Ballot” by Steve LeBlanc […]
Campaign Finance
California: “California Sets Up Age Requirement for Those Handling Political Campaign Bucks” by Gabriel Greschler (Bay Area News Group) for Marin Independent Record
Massachusetts: “Groups Sue to Put Super PAC Question on 2024 State Ballot” by Steve LeBlanc (Associated Press) for MSN
New York: “New Ethics Commissioner Attended Assemblyman’s Campaign Fundraiser” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Elections
Georgia: “Supreme Court Puts Temporary Hold on Graham Grand Jury Election Testimony” by Robert Barnes and Ann Marimow (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
Florida: “Florida Commission on Ethics Recommends Doug Underhill Be Removed from Office” by Jim Little (Pensacola News Journal) for Yahoo News
New York: “Trump’s Business, Under Threat, Faces a Tough Test in Court” by Ben Protess, William Rashbaum, and Jonah Bromwich (New York Times) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “Big K Street Players Spend More as Election Uncertainty Brews” by Kate Ackley (Roll Call) for MSN
Illinois: “Inside AT&T’s Alleged ‘Conspiracy’ to Bribe Powerbrokers at the Illinois Capitol” by Jon Seidel (Chicago Sun-Times) and Dan Mihalopoulos for WBEZ
October 24, 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 Oregon: “Portland City Auditor’s Office Issues Penalty Against Gonzalez’s Campaign” by Michaela Bourgeoise (KOIN) for MSN Elections Texas: “Texas Agencies’ Plan to Monitor Harris County Elections Raises Concerns Among Observers” by Adam Zuvanich for Houston Public Media Ethics […]
Campaign Finance
Oregon: “Portland City Auditor’s Office Issues Penalty Against Gonzalez’s Campaign” by Michaela Bourgeoise (KOIN) for MSN
Elections
Texas: “Texas Agencies’ Plan to Monitor Harris County Elections Raises Concerns Among Observers” by Adam Zuvanich for Houston Public Media
Ethics
National: “Jan. 6 Panel Issues Subpoena to Trump, Demanding He Testify” by Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick (Associated Press) for MSN
National: “Mar-a-Lago Classified Papers Held U.S. Secrets About Iran and China” by Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) for MSN
National: “Bannon Gets 4 Months Jail Term for Defying Jan. 6 Committee Subpoena” by Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) for Yahoo News
California: “Ethics Reform Proposal Stalled Amid Endless Negotiations Between City, Union” by Adam Shanks for San Francisco Examiner
Colorado: “Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser Attends Lavish Event in Hawaii Paid for by Corporations He’s Suing” by Shaun Boyd for CBS News
Delaware: “State Auditor Kathy McGuiness Sentenced for Public Corruption Convictions” by Xerxes Wilson (News Journal) for Yahoo News
October 21, 2022 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 21, 2022
![News You Can Use Digest – October 21, 2022](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal Activists Push for Disclosure of Clients and Income of Judges’ Spouses MSN – Hailey Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 10/20/2022 A coalition of judicial advocacy and watchdog groups are calling on Congress to establish greater disclosure requirements for the spouses of […]
National/Federal
Activists Push for Disclosure of Clients and Income of Judges’ Spouses
MSN – Hailey Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 10/20/2022
A coalition of judicial advocacy and watchdog groups are calling on Congress to establish greater disclosure requirements for the spouses of federal judges. In a letter sent to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the groups cite a Politico report on potential conflicts posed by the professional work of Supreme Court justice’s spouses and the inadequacy of disclosures around that work. The coalition maintains the “concerns are no doubt more acute” among the hundreds of circuit and district court judges. They also point to the spouses of four justices on the Supreme Court whose work remains opaque yet may intersect with cases before the court.
As Campaign Norms Erode, Even Debates Are Under Debate
DNyuz – Lisa Lerer and Jazmine Ulloa (New York Times) | Published: 10/19/2022
In midterm campaigns across the country, direct political engagement has been falling away, victim to security concerns, pandemic-era restrictions, and Republican hostility to the mainstream media. Many candidates are sticking instead to safer spaces: partisan news outlets, fundraisers with supporters, friendly local crowds. The result is a profound shift in the long traditions of American campaigns that is both a symptom of and a contributor to the ills afflicting the country’s politics.
Big Tech Accused of Shady Lobbying in EU Parliament
Politico – Clothilde Goujard | Published: 10/14/2022
Google, Meta, and Amazon have deceived lawmakers by lobbying through smaller front organizations, leading lawmakers claimed. They asked for an investigation into the tech companies, as well as large lobbying groups including trade association the Computer & Communications Industry Association and advertisers’ group IAB Europe. Three other lobbies representing small and medium-sized companies are also targeted by the complaints. The lawmakers say the companies deceived European lawmakers during negotiations on two landmark laws by hiding behind fronts.
Congressional Ethics Watchdog Calls for Ethics Investigation into Kahele
Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 10/14/2022
The Office of Congressional Ethics called for an official inquiry into U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele. He came under scrutiny earlier in the year after a media investigation into his proxy voting record that found he had asked colleagues to vote on his behalf more than almost any other member of Congress at the same time he was laying the groundwork for a gubernatorial campaign in Hawaii. The story led to more questions about Kahele’s part-time job as a pilot for Hawaiian Airlines and work he was doing on the House Transportation and Armed Services Committees.
DOJ Asks Appeals Court to End Outside Review of Trump Mar-a-Lago Documents
MSN – Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney (Politico) | Published: 10/14/2022
An outside review of documents the FBI seized from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate should be halted because it interferes with prosecutors’ authority and is legally unjustified, the Justice Department said in a filing with a federal appeals court. Prosecutors said Aileen Cannon, the judge who ordered the “special master” review at Trump’s request, erred in her ruling because there was no indication of malfeasance or infringement of Trump’s rights in connection with the search a magistrate judge ordered.
High Court Rejects Trump Plea to Step into Mar-a-Lago Case
MSN – Mark Sherman and Jessica Gresko (Associated Press) | Published: 10/13/2022
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected former President Trump’s plea to step into the legal fight over the FBI search of his Florida estate. The justices did not otherwise comment in turning away Trump’s emergency appeal. Trump had pressed the court on an issue relating to classified documents seized in the search. The move appears to greatly reduce the potential impact of the special master process to the ongoing Justice Department criminal investigation into the classified documents.
House Jan. 6 Committee Votes to Subpoena Trump in Finale Surprise
MSN – Rosalind Helderman, Jacqueline Alemany, and Tom Hamburger (Washington Post) | Published: 10/13/2022
The House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol issued a subpoena seeking testimony from former President Trump, a challenge with little historical precedent. Combining a mix of new evidence gathered by the committee since July and testimony played at previous sessions, members have said the violence was the direct and predictable result of Trump’s choices in the weeks after he lost his bid for reelection. Even after interviews with more than 1,000 witnesses and reviews of hundreds of thousands of documents, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney said their work is incomplete without hearing answers from “January 6th’s central player.”
Investors Resist Efforts to Paint ESG as a Political Issue
MSN – Ellen Meyers (Roll Call) | Published: 10/20/2022
Institutional investment firms and activist asset managers are amplifying their message to congressional and state lawmakers: stop equating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing with a political agenda. Investors of all sizes are doubling down on the importance of ESG considerations ahead of midterm elections. At stake is a growing body of legislation and regulations in states such as Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana aimed at curbing ESG investment and, in some cases, divesting from certain financial institutions over investment policies that incorporate ESG factors such as climate risk and human capital management.
Judge Bucks Trump, Orders Pence Aide to Testify to Jan. 6 Grand Jury
MSN – Spencer Hsu, Josh Dawsey, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 10/14/2022
A top aide to former Vice President Mike Pence returned before a grand jury to testify in a criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election after federal courts overruled ex-President Trump’s objections to the testimony. In a decision that could clear the way for other top Trump White House officials to answer questions before a grand jury, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ruled that former Pence chief of staff Marc Short probably possessed information important to the Justice Department’s criminal investigation of the insurrection that was not available from other sources.
Judge: Trump signed court document that knowingly included false voter fraud stats
MSN – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 10/19/2022
Former President Trump signed legal documents describing evidence of election fraud he knew were false, a federal judge indicated. U.S. District Court Judge David Carter wrote in an 18-page opinion that emails from attorney John Eastman, an architect of Trump’s last-ditch effort to subvert the 2020 election, needed to be turned over to the Jan. 6 select committee. Those emails, Carter wrote, “show that President Trump knew that the specific numbers of voter fraud were wrong but continued to tout those numbers, both in court and to the public.”
Newspapers with a Partisan Aim Filling the Void of Traditional Media
MSN – Michael Scherer (Washington Post) | Published: 10/15/2022
As local newspapers collapsed amid a rise in online advertising competition, niche news products with private funding sources have sprouted to fill the void. Some function as a sort of direct mail persuasion piece, while others republish content on hundreds of websites with local names like the Fond Du Lac Times in Wisconsin. Other experiments have sought to build actual newsrooms in key swing states to attract audiences to more ideological views. Many worry the newcomers deceive readers, undermine the reputations of existing journalistic brands, and fail, in some cases, to meet even the basic standards of the profession.
Retired U.S. Brass Cash in with Saudis, Other Repressive Governments
MSN – Craig Whitlock and Nate Jones (Washington Post) | Published: 10/18/2022
Foreign governments have long advanced their interests in Washington by paying Americans as lobbyists, lawyers, political consultants, and public relations advisers. But the hiring of retired U.S. military personnel for their expertise and political clout has accelerated over the past decade as Persian Gulf monarchies have splurged on defense spending and strengthened their security partnerships with the Pentagon. For years, the U.S. government withheld virtually all information about the practice. The Washington Post found many military retirees take foreign jobs or gifts without notifying the U.S. government.
Sidley Austin Reveals Work for Chinese Surveillance Firm Under Foreign Agents Law
Reuters – Mike Scarcella | Published: 10/18/2022
The law firm Sidley Austin disclosed its lobbying work for the U.S. subsidiary of Chinese video surveillance company Hikvision under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, revealing about $7.4 million in fees since 2018. The firm said its registration for Hikvision USA was done “solely in response to a request” from the U.S. Justice Department. The firm had earlier reported its lobbying through the Lobbying Disclosure Act in 2018 after it was retained then by Hikvision.
Some Republicans Want to Count Votes by Hand. Bad Idea, Experts Say.
DNyuz – Maggie Astor (New York Times) | Published: 10/18/2022
Over the past two years, Republicans have pursued an array of changes to how Americans vote. The past few weeks have drawn attention to a particularly drastic idea: counting all ballots by hand. Experts in election administration said while hand counting is an important tool for recounts and audits, tallying entire elections by hand in any but the smallest jurisdictions would cause chaos and make results less accurate, not more.
Staffers in Rep. Andy Levin’s Office Sign First Union Contract
MSN – Jim Saska (Roll Call) | Published: 10/17/2022
Courtney Laudick and about a dozen other staff members on Capitol Hill organized the Congressional Workers Union earlier this year. Laudick’s boss, U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, sponsored a resolution to allow House staff to unionize, without knowing Laudick was involved in the effort. The resolution was slipped into a rule for supplemental Ukrainian aid funding and passed. Levin and his aides took another historic step recently, agreeing to a tentative contract that raises the average wage for his junior staff to $76,000 and provides all members of the bargaining unit with a $10,000 salary increase.
Steele Dossier Source Acquitted, in Loss for Special Counsel Durham
MSN – Salvador Rizzo, Rachel Weiner, and Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 10/18/2022
A jury found Igor Danchenko, a private researcher who was a primary source for a 2016 dossier of allegations about former President Trump’s ties to Russia, not guilty of lying to the FBI about where he got his information. The verdict is another blow for special counsel John Durham, who has now lost both cases that have gone to trial as part of his investigation. Durham is sure to face renewed pressure to wrap up his work following the verdict.
Ted Cruz Reimbursed Himself $555,000 After Successfully Challenging a Political Spending Law at the Supreme Court
MSN – Bryan Metzger (Business Insider) | Published: 10/17/2022
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign has paid him $555,000 to cover personal loans to his Senate committee. The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act set a $250,000 limit on the amount of money that candidates could raise after the election for the purpose of paying off personal loans to their campaign committee. The Supreme Court ruled the limit was unconstitutional. That is despite concerns not just from good-government groups that argued lifting the cap could fuel corruption by allowing campaign donors to essentially pay candidates directly by contributing to the repayment of their personal loans.
Canada
Canada – How a Controversy Over GMOs Exposed Holes in Canada’s Lobbying Laws
National Observer – Marc Fawcett-Atkinsion | Published: 10/17/2022
A controversy over an industry lobbyist’s input into draft guidelines for genetically modified organisms exposed loopholes in Canada’s lobbying laws, experts say. Jennifer Hubert, the executive director of plant bioengineering at CropLife Canada appears to have written an early draft of proposed guidelines for the Canada Food Inspection Agency that would exempt seed companies from disclosing genetically modified products to consumers. These kinds of collaborations happen regularly but typically go unseen thanks to Canada’s lax lobbying rules, said Duff Conacher, the co-founder of Democracy Watch.
From the States and Municipalities
Alaska – Groups Say Pro-Dunleavy Organization Is ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ After Commission Delays Decision on Campaign-Finance Complaint
Yahoo News – Iris Samuels (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 10/18/2022
Two watchdog groups filed another complaint against the Republican Governors Association and an independent expenditure group supporting Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s re-election. The complaint was filed on the same day that the Alaska Public Offices Commission decided its staff would continue to investigate a previous complaint from the groups alleging Dunleavy’s campaign illegally relied on public funds to subsidize the campaign and coordinated with the independent expenditure group, A Stronger Alaska, ahead of the general election.
California – Councilmember Koretz Seemingly Engages in Illegal Lobbying Scheme with Former Employee
Knock LA – Jon Pelz | Published: 10/12/2022
In 2017, Shawn Bayliss, a former senior employee of Los Angeles City Councilperson Paul Koretz, lobbied Koretz for favors while seemingly prohibited from doing so by city ethics laws. Koretz potentially violated the City Charter when he aided and abetted Bayliss in these apparently illegal lobbying activities. Bayliss left Koretz’s office on May 12, 2017. On the same day, the Bel Air Association (BAA) announced Bayliss as its new executive director. He reached out to Koretz’s private email in June 2017 from his BAA email.
California – Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León Stripped of City Council Committee Posts Over Racist Leak
MSN – David Zahniser and Rachel Uranga (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/17/2022
Los Angeles City Council members Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo were removed from an array of committee assignments, the latest in a series of attempts to pressure them to resign following reports they participated in a secretly recorded conversation where racist and disparaging remarks were made. Cedillo and De León have not been persuaded by calls from numerous political leaders, including President Biden, to step down. The move comes at an extraordinarily turbulent time for the council, with one seat vacant and two others effectively dormant.
California – LA Council Members Call for Ethics Commission to Have Greater Independence
KFI – City News Service | Published: 10/19/2022
Half of the Los Angeles City Council signed onto a motion calling to make the city’s Ethics Commission more independent and streamline and expand its enforcement processes. The council members recommended a number of changes, which would have to be approved by voters because they would require changes to the city charter.
California – New Details Show Sprawling Web of Corruption in Southern California Cannabis Licensing
MSN – Adam Elmahrek, Ruben Vives, Robert Lopez, and Paige St. John (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/15/2022
As a California lawmaker called for a statewide task force to crack down on corruption in the legal cannabis market, new details are emerging in a bribery scandal that has ensnared local government officials in the Los Angeles area. Federal prosecutors unveiled two plea agreements that detail “pay-to-play” schemes involving cannabis business licensing and corroborate allegations in a recent Los Angeles Times investigation that examined how legalization of marijuana unleashed a wave of corruption across the state.
California – San Jose Mayor Cleared of Fundraising Complaint
San Jose Spotlight – Tran Nguyen | Published: 10/14/2022
A citizen-led city board dismissed a complaint accusing San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo of breaking campaign finance rules through a PAC he formed. The complaint also claimed Liccardo failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions as required and that donations exceeded local limits. The law firm Hanson Bridgett investigated the case and recommended the board dismiss the allegations.
California – Watchdog Investigating 2019 China Trip Made by Top Milpitas Mayor Candidate
MSN – Gabriel Greschler (Bay Area News Group) | Published: 10/16/2022
The California Fair Political Practices Commission opened an investigation against the top contender in the Milpitas mayoral race over a trip she took to China in 2019. The probe centers around a $3,600 gift that Vice Mayor Carmen Montano accepted during the trip and later reported to state authorities. The complaint alleges Montano violated travel policies and rules surrounding lobbying.
Florida – Top DeSantis Advisers Played Hands-On Role in Migrant Flights to Martha’s Vineyard
MSN – Jeffrey Schweers (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 10/15/2022
Florida’s public safety czar Larry Keefe was in San Antonio nearly two weeks before Gov. Ron DeSantis transported migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, and he may have traveled back to Florida with the migrants, records suggest. Those records also show Keefe coordinating the flights with gubernatorial chief of staff James Uthmeier and politically connected contractor Vertol Systems in the weeks leading up to the operation, which is under criminal investigation. The records also confirm a second flight that apparently was headed to near President Joe Biden’s beach house was scrapped after Texas authorities opened a criminal investigation.
Hawaii – Ban On In-Session Campaign Donations Gets Thumbs Up from Hawaii Standards Commission
Honolulu Civil Beat – Blaze Lovell | Published: 10/19/2022
The Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct is recommending that Hawaii lawmakers stop accepting campaign money during the legislative session. A bill to do that along with nine other measures focused on reforming campaign finance laws will head to lawmakers for consideration during the 2023 session. The commission is scheduled to take up another slate of proposals that seeks to tighten ethics rules for lawmakers and lobbyists.
Illinois – A Powerful Pritzker Administration Insider Cashed in as a Consultant
Better Government Association – Chuck Neubauer and David Jackson | Published: 10/19/2022
Shortly after she left her state job as a senior adviser to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, political operative Nikki Budzinski collected more than $500,000 in consulting and other fees in 10 months, including more than $80,000 from a Springfield lobbyist that Budzinski helped while working for the governor. State workers are generally barred from accepting compensation as a lobbyist for one year after leaving government work. Since Budzinski was not a registered lobbyist, but rather worked as a consultant to the lobbyist paying her, the rule did not apply to her.
Illinois – Ahead of Key Illinois Supreme Court Elections, Federal Judge Blocks State Campaign Contribution Limits in Judicial Races
MSN – Dan Petrella (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/18/2022
A federal judge issued a temporary injunction barring Illinois from enforcing two recent changes to the state’s campaign finance law. One bars non-Illinois residents from donating to state judicial candidates. The second prevents individual donors from giving more than $500,000 to independent expenditure committees like super PACs involved in state judicial elections. While there is some legal precedent for tighter restrictions on campaign fundraising in judicial races, the lawsuit argues the two Illinois laws go beyond what courts have allowed in the name of preventing corruption.
Illinois – AT&T Illinois Fined for Effort to Illegally Influence Ex-Speaker Michael Madigan as New Charges Against Him Revealed
MSN – Jason Meisner and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/14/2022
AT&T Illinois agreed to pay a $23 million fine and its former president has been indicted on federal charges over a scheme to influence former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who was arrested on racketeering and bribery charges earlier this year. AT&T admitted it arranged to make payments to an associate of Madigan in exchange for help in pushing through legislation favorable to AT&T. Paul La Schiazza, the former president of AT&T Illinois, was accused of orchestrating and approving the payments. In exchange for cooperating with the probe, criminal charges will be dropped against the company after two years.
Louisiana – See Lafayette Mayor Josh Guillory’s 2021 Financial Disclosure for Louisiana Ethics Board
Yahoo News – Andrew Capps (Lafayette Daily Advertiser) | Published: 10/17/2022
Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory’s most recent annual financial disclosure was supposed to shed light on his efforts to bolster his income while in office. But the report raises more questions about his side interests than it answers. Guillory’s equipment rental business made headlines shortly before his return from rehab in August, after which he denied any impropriety or conflicts-of-interest. Guillory has continued to work as an attorney since taking office. Dozens of Guillory’s former clients had their criminal charges removed from court records during his tenure.
Michigan – Michigan House Paying for Lawyers for Employees Interviewed in Chatfield Probe
Detroit News – Craig Mauger and Beth LeBlanc | Published: 10/19/2022
The Michigan House is providing legal representation for employees who are being interviewed as part of an expanding investigation into former House Speaker Lee Chatfield. Court records showed state officials were conducting a wide-reaching inquiry into sexual assault, and financial and drug use allegations related to Chatfield. Search warrant affidavits indicated investigators were looking into claims that Chatfield and others were involved in a “criminal enterprise,” which potentially included campaign finance violations, bribery, controlled substances, and embezzlement.
Michigan – Probe into Shirkey-Tied Nonprofits Continues; $2.33M Conciliation Agreement Declined
MLive – Jordyn Hermani | Published: 10/18/2022
Two nonprofits associated with a 2020 petition effort rejected a multi-million-dollar settlement with state elections officials, paving the way for a criminal investigation to progress. Michigan! My Michigan! and Michigan Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility were accused of improperly raising millions of dollars for Unlock Michigan for a ballot petition to limit the executive branch’s powers during health emergencies. Should the groups have settled through a conciliation agreement, paying the Michigan Bureau of Elections a cumulative $2.33 million, then any further civil or criminal action would have been barred.
New Jersey – New Jersey Sues 5 Oil Companies and Trade Group Over Climate Disinformation
State Impact Pennsylvania – Susan Phillips | Published: 10/18/2022
New Jersey filed a lawsuit against five oil companies and a trade organization, saying they knowingly deceived the public about their contributions to global warming. The lawsuit alleges the trade group, American Petroleum Institute, designed public relations campaigns aimed at convincing the public that climate change does not exist and creating confusion and doubt about the role of oil and gas.
New York – New York State Judge Sets Hearing to Decide New York Attorney General’s Motion in Trump Organization Case
MSN – Kara Scannell (CNN) | Published: 10/14/2022
A judge set a hearing date to decide whether to grant New York Attorney General Letitia James’ request to block the Trump Organization from engaging in certain business activities. The hearing will be the first since the state filed a $250 million lawsuit against former President Trump, his three eldest children, and the Trump Organization alleging they engaged in a decade-long fraud. The state says the same day it announced its lawsuit, the company incorporated a new entity in Delaware, Trump Organization II LLC. The state says it has not provided any assurances it will not move assets out of New York to avoid potential liability.
New York – Trump Gives Answers in Rape Accuser’s Defamation Suit Deposition
Bloomberg Law – Erik Larson | Published: 10/19/2022
Former President Trump answered questions under oath during a deposition sought by E. Jean Carroll, who alleges he raped her in a department store dressing room two decades ago and defamed her when he denied it. He had to go ahead with the deposition after a judge rejected Trump’s latest effort to put the questioning on hold. Trump recently issuing a statement about Carroll on social media, repeating the allegedly defamatory statements he made. The move could undermine his key defense in the case, that he cannot be sued for defamation because he was a sitting president at the time he denied Carroll’s claim in crude terms.
Ohio – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost Asks Ohio Supreme Court to Keep Former Utility Regulator’s Assets Frozen
MSN – Jake Zuckerman | Published: 10/19/2022
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost asked the state Supreme Court to press pause on a lower court’s decision unfreezing millions of dollars in assets of a former utility regulator accused of taking a $4.3 million bribe. Attorneys for Yost argued the lower court decision would allow Sam Randazzo to “liquidate” his assets and shield them from judgements the state may win in a civil lawsuit against him down the line. Denying the motion would be a “death knell” ruling in Ohio, Yost argued, setting a precedent that bad actors can move and hide their money while motions are pending.
Oregon – Official Looking ‘Oregon Voter Guide’ May Mislead Voters
Mail Tribune – Hillary Borrud (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 10/18/2022
Oregon voters seeking information about the November election are likely to see a website called “The 2022 Oregon Voter Guide” at the top of their online search results, ahead of the state’s official voters’ guide. Many voters might not realize the online information is not an official state voters’ guide. “The Oregon Voter Guide” is not nonpartisan or neutral. It is funded and designed by a group of Democratic allies, progressive groups, and Democratic PACs. Two years ago, public employee unions, Democrats, and other political allies partnered on a nearly identical official-looking website, as well as mailers.
Texas – In Texas, Where Money Has Long Dominated Politics, Greg Abbott Is in a League of His Own
Texas Tribune – Patrick Svitek, Carla Astudillo, Zach Despart, and Kate McGee | Published: 10/18/2022
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is easily the most prolific campaign fundraiser in the state’s history. His campaign fund has allowed him to scare off potential opponents, intimidate those who challenge him, fund a sprawling grassroots organization, and generally reshape Texas politics in his image. Texas is one of 11 states without contribution limits, enabling Abbott to raise enormous sums from some of the nation’s richest families and individuals. At its worst, critics say, Abbott’s fundraising prowess can give the appearance of a patronage system.
Washington – Ferguson Seeks $24.6 Million from Facebook for Campaign Finance Violations
Yahoo News – Laurel Demkovich (Spokane Spokesman-Review) | Published: 10/15/2022
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is seeking the maximum penalty of $24.6 million against Facebook’s parent company, Meta, for violations of the state’s campaign finance law. A judge ruled Meta had 822 intentional violations of the law, which requires campaign advertisers, including sites such as Meta that host ads, to make information about the state’s political ads available for public inspection in a timely manner. The penalty is $10,000 per violation, but because a judge found Meta intentionally violated the law, the penalty can be tripled.
October 20, 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 Michigan: “Probe into Shirkey-Tied Nonprofits Continues; $2.33M Conciliation Agreement Declined” by Jordyn Hermani for MLive Elections National: “As Campaign Norms Erode, Even Debates Are Under Debate” by Lisa Lerer and Jazmine Ulloa (New York Times) for DNyuz Oregon: […]
Campaign Finance
Michigan: “Probe into Shirkey-Tied Nonprofits Continues; $2.33M Conciliation Agreement Declined” by Jordyn Hermani for MLive
Elections
National: “As Campaign Norms Erode, Even Debates Are Under Debate” by Lisa Lerer and Jazmine Ulloa (New York Times) for DNyuz
Oregon: “Official Looking ‘Oregon Voter Guide’ May Mislead Voters” by Hillary Borrud (Portland Oregonian) for Mail Tribune
Ethics
California: “LA Council Members Call for Ethics Commission to Have Greater Independence” by City News Service for KFI
Illinois: “A Powerful Pritzker Administration Insider Cashed in as a Consultant” by Chuck Neubauer and David Jackson for Better Government Association
Michigan: “Ex-House Speaker Lee Chatfield Suspected of Criminal Enterprise, Embezzlement” by Jordyn Hermani for MLive
Legislative Issues
National: “Staffers in Rep. Andy Levin’s Office Sign First Union Contract” by Jim Saska (Roll Call) for MSN
Lobbying
National: “Sidley Austin Reveals Work for Chinese Surveillance Firm Under Foreign Agents Law” by Mike Scarcella for Reuters
New Jersey: “New Jersey Sues 5 Oil Companies and Trade Group Over Climate Disinformation” by Susan Phillips for State Impact
October 14, 2022 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 14, 2022
![News You Can Use Digest – October 14, 2022](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal A Congressional Campaign Committee Just Reimbursed a Dead Lawmaker for Travel Mileage Yahoo Finance – Madison Hall (Business Insider) | Published: 10/12/2022 The campaign committee of a deceased member of Congress reimbursed him for travel mileage months after he died. […]
National/Federal
A Congressional Campaign Committee Just Reimbursed a Dead Lawmaker for Travel Mileage
Yahoo Finance – Madison Hall (Business Insider) | Published: 10/12/2022
The campaign committee of a deceased member of Congress reimbursed him for travel mileage months after he died. The Friends of Hagedorn campaign committee refunded Rep. Jim Hagedorn more than $1,100 for “mileage” on September 20. Hagedorn, however, died in February. FEC guidance notes congressional campaign funds can be used to refund travel costs incurred by a lawmaker, as well as their spouse and children, as long as it is “directly connected to the officeholder’s official responsibilities.
A Majority of GOP Nominees – 299 in All – Deny the 2020 Election Results
MSN – Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2022
A majority of Republican nominees on the ballot this November for the U.S. House and Senate, and key statewide offices have denied or questioned the outcome of the last presidential election, according to a Washington Post analysis. Candidates who have challenged or refused to accept Joe Biden’s victory are running in every region of the country and in nearly every state. Republican voters in four states nominated election deniers in all federal and statewide races. Most of the election deniers are likely to win. Of the nearly 300 on the ballot, 174 are running for safely GOP seats; another 51 will appear on the ballot in tightly contested races.
First Proud Boys Leader Pleads Guilty to Jan. 6 Seditious Conspiracy
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2022
A former Proud Boys leader became the group’s first member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy in the Capitol riot, deepening the government’s case against an organization accused of mobilizing violence to prevent the inauguration of Joe Biden. Jeremy Bertino becomes a potential key witness against five Proud Boys leaders, some of whom had ties to influential supporters of Donald Trump. The Proud Boys defendants are set to face trial in December on charges including plotting to oppose by force the presidential transition.
Government Officials Invest in Companies Their Agencies Oversee
Fox Business – Rebecca Ballhaus, Brody Mullins, Chad Day, Joe Palazzolo, and James Grimaldi (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 10/11/2022
Thousands of officials across the government’s executive branch reported owning or trading stocks that stood to rise or fall with decisions their agencies made, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. More than 2,600 officials at agencies from the Commerce Department to the Treasury Department, during both Republican and Democratic administrations, disclosed stock investments in companies while those same firm were lobbying their agencies for favorable policies. That amounts to more than one in five senior federal employees across 50 federal agencies reviewed by The Journal.
How Trump’s Legal Expenses Consumed GOP Donor Money
MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 10/11/2022
Donald Trump’s political operation has spent more money since he left office on lawyers representing the former president and a pair of nonprofits staffed by former Cabinet members than it has on Republican congressional campaigns. Legal fees are expected to climb, Trump advisers say, as he employs a growing retinue of lawyers to fend off federal, state, and county-level investigations. State-level Republicans have also used party resources to defray legal costs related to Trump’s attempts to stay in power.
Judge Dismisses DOJ Bid to Force Wynn to Register as Foreign Agent
Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 10/12/2022
A federal judge dismissed a Department of Justice (DOJ) effort to force casino magnate Steve Wynn to acknowledge a stint as an agent of the Chinese government. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg expressed reservations about his own ruling but suggested that long-standing appeals court precedent bars the DOJ from requiring foreign agents to retroactively register once they are no longer performing that work. If the ruling stands, it could deal a blow to the effort to crack down on undisclosed foreign influence campaigns in the U.S.
Justice Dept. Asks Supreme Court to Deny Trump Request in Mar-a-Lago Case
MSN – Perry Stein and Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 10/11/2022
The Justice Department asked the U.S. Supreme Court to deny a petition from Donald Trump’s attorneys in the Mar-a-Lago search case, arguing that allowing an outside arbiter to review the classified documents seized from Trump’s residence would “irreparably injure” the government and as a former president, Trump has no “plausible” claims of ownership over sensitive government materials. It is the latest turn in the department’s high-stakes investigation to determine whether the former president or his advisers mishandled national security secrets or hid or destroyed government records.
Leonard Leo Pushed the Courts Right. Now He’s Aiming at American Society.
Seattle Times – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 10/12/2022
Activist Leonard Leo is best known for his role in pushing the appointments of conservative judges to the center of the Republican Party’s agenda. Now, he has developed a coalition that aims to transform American society. Most of the initiatives were supported by a network shaped by Leo and funded by wealthy patrons, usually through “dark money.” An investigation reveals new details of how he has built that network into one of the most sophisticated operations in U.S. politics, giving him influence as he pushes a broad array of conservative causes and seeks to counter what he sees as an increasing leftward tilt in society.
Misinformation Swirls in Non-English Languages Ahead of Midterms
Yahoo News – Tiffany Hsu (New York Times) | Published: 10/12/2022
Unsubstantiated rumors and outright falsehoods spread widely in immigrant communities ahead of the presidential election in 2020. That is happening again in the run-up to this year’s midterm elections, researchers say, but with an insidious twist. The social media accounts pushing misinformation are now targeting audiences in more languages on more topics and across more digital platforms. Multilingual fact checkers say they cannot keep pace with the deluge of falsehoods online. They have called on the big social media platforms, like Facebook and YouTube, to do more for efforts in other languages as they would for misinformation in English.
She Went Out on a Limb for Trump. Now She’s Under Justice Dept. Scrutiny.
Seattle Times – Glenn Thrush, Maggie Haberman, and Michael Schmidt (New York Times) | Published: 10/11/2022
This spring, one of the lawyers representing former President Trump made a request to Christina Bobb, who had just jumped from a Trump-allied cable network to a job in his political organization. M. Evan Corcoran asked Bobb to sign a statement that the Trump legal team had conducted a “diligent search” of Mar-a-Lago and found only a few files that had not been returned to the government. She later complained she did not have a full grasp of what was going on around her when she signed. Her sworn statement was shown to be false. Bobb’s trajectory is a familiar one in Trump’s orbit: a marginal player thrust into a position where her profile is elevated, but at the cost of serious legal and reputational risk.
Steele Dossier Source Heads to Trial, in Possible Last Stand for Durham
MSN – Salvadore Rizzo and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) | Published: 10/10/2022
Former President Trump said special counsel John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the FBI’s 2016 Russia probe should “reveal corruption at a level never seen before in our country.” But the nearly three-and-a-half-year examination seems destined for a less dramatic conclusion as Durham put Igor Danchenko on trial. He was indicted on charges of lying to FBI agents who interviewed him about the sources behind his claims to former British spy Christopher Steele. Defense attorneys argue Danchenko made a series of “equivocal” statements to the FBI and should not be penalized for giving wishy-washy answers to vaguely worded questions.
Top House Staffers Are Still Overwhelmingly White, Study Finds
Roll Call – Jim Saska | Published: 10/6/2022
The senior aides who hold the most sway with members of Congress have grown more diverse in recent years, but still not nearly as diverse as the nation. A new study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies finds people of color now occupy 18 percent of the top staff positions in the House, a four-point increase since 2018, but still much lower than the 40 percent of Americans who are not white. People of color have more representation among the actual representatives than their closest aides, the report finds.
Trump Worker Told FBI About Moving Mar-a-Lago Boxes on Ex-President’s Orders
MSN – Devlin Barrett and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 10/12/2022
A Trump employee told federal agents about moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago at the specific direction of the former president, according to people familiar with the investigation, who say the witness account, combined with security-camera footage, offers key evidence of Donald Trump’s behavior as investigators sought the return of classified material. The witness description and footage offer the most direct account to date of Trump’s actions and instructions leading up to the FBI’s search, in which agents were looking for evidence of potential crimes including obstruction, destruction of government records, or mishandling classified information.
Why Little-Noticed State Legislative Races Could Be Hugely Consequential
Yahoo News – Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) | Published: 10/10/2022
With Congress often deadlocked and conservatives dominating the U.S. Supreme Court, state governments increasingly steer the direction of voting laws, abortion access, education, and other issues dominating the lives of Americans. The Supreme Court could soon add federal elections to that list. The justices are expected to decide whether to grant nearly unfettered authority over such elections to state Legislatures. If the court does so, many Democrats believe, lawmakers could have a pathway to overrule the popular vote in presidential elections by refusing to certify the results and instead sending their own slates of electors.
From the States and Municipalities
Alaska – APOC Says Dunleavy Backers Won’t Respond to Investigation Without Subpoena
Alaska Public Media – Lisa Phu (Alaska Beacon) | Published: 10/11/2022
In an investigation into alleged violations of campaign finance laws, an independent expenditure group supporting Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s reelection has refused to respond to requests for information. A complaint says the Republican Governors Association and Dunleavy are “engaged in a scheme” to subsidize and coordinate the campaign activities of the independent expenditure group A Stronger Alaska with those of Dunleavy’s official campaign committee. Coordination between a candidate or a candidate’s representatives and an independent expenditure group is prohibited.
California – Grand Jury Accuses Santa Clara City Council Members of Putting 49ers Ahead of City
MSN – Marisa Kendall (San Jose Mercury News) | Published: 10/7/2022
A grand jury report accuses several Santa Clara City Council members of getting too cozy with the San Francisco 49ers, neglecting their duties to constituents, and potentially violating state law. The report raises a series of concerns about the conduct of five council members who frequently vote in favor of the NFL team’s interests. Frequent closed-door meetings between 49ers lobbyists and those council members raised a “serious question” about whether they are violating state open-meeting laws, according to the report. The report also takes issue with some of the council members’ personal use of the stadium, among other issues.
California – Jose Huizar’s Brother to Testify in Federal Corruption Trial of Former L.A. Councilman After Pleading Guilty
Yahoo News – Nathan Solis (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/12/2022
The older brother of Jose Huizar admitted to lying to FBI agents about receiving envelopes of cash from Huizar and will cooperate with the federal government’s corruption investigation of the former Los Angeles City Council member. Jose Huizar gave his older brother, Salvador, envelopes of cash and asked him to write a check for the exact amount out of his own bank account, federal investigators said. Salvador Huizar admitting to repeatedly lying about the cash, including while under oath before a grand jury and as recently as two weeks ago when he was interviewed again by FBI agents.
California – Nury Martinez Resigns from L.A. City Council in Wake of Audio Leak Scandal
Yahoo News – David Zahniser, Julia Wick, Dakota Smith, and Benjamin Oreskes (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/12/2022
Nury Martinez, the Los Angeles City Council member at the center of the scandal over a taped conversation in which she made racist comments about colleagues and constituents, has resigned. The Los Angeles Times published a recording in which Martinez is heard making the remarks while talking with fellow council members Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and labor leader Ron Herrera about how the city’s council district boundaries should be redrawn. The October 2021 conversation focused on how the group could maintain Latino political power while ensuring they and their colleagues would have districts that help them win reelection.
California – San Francisco Election Watchdog Boss Set to Resign
San Francisco Standard – Alex Mullany | Published: 10/12/2022
LeeAnn Pelham, executive director of the San Francisco Ethics Commission since January 2016, will resign on January 23, 2023. Over the years, the commission has been slow to handle complaints and been criticized for using the city attorney’s office as counsel rather than having its own independent attorneys. Yet, Pelham was able to hire more staff and modernize many of the commission’s systems. “I would say that LeeAnn Pelham substantially increased the reach of the commission in terms of accomplishing its mission,” commission member Larry Bush said.
Colorado – Adams County Must Pay Legal Fees of the Treasurer It Sued, Colorado Supreme Court Orders
MSN – John Aguilar (Denver Post) | Published: 10/10/2022
The Colorado Supreme Court ordered Adams County to pay the legal expenses of its elected treasurer, who it sued over allegations she mismanaged her office. The state’s high court called Adams County’s failure to cover Lisa Culpepper’s costs of defending herself against the county’s lawsuit an “abuse of discretion.” Culpepper would normally be represented by the county attorney’s office in legal matters. But because that same office was representing the county commissioners suing her meant Culpepper had to obtain outside counsel.
Colorado – Political Group Agrees to Pay Fine Over Primary Voter Guide That Failed to Disclose Information
Colorado Springs Gazette – Marianne Goodland (Colorado Politics) | Published: 10/11/2022
ProgressNow Colorado agreed to pay a fine of $16,277 for a primary “voter guide” that failed to fully disclose required information. It was the third complaint over ProgressNow’s voter guides in the past 18 months and the second that the organization has settled with the Elections Division. The first complaint, in 2021, resulted in a $3,000 fine.
Florida – DeSantis Broke Florida Precedent and Maybe the Law, Too, in Making Congressional Map
Yahoo News – Joshua Kaplan (ProPublica) | Published: 10/11/2022
An examination of how Florida’s congressional districts were drawn, and who helped decide the new boundaries, show Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration appears to have misled the public and the Legislature and may also have violated state law. Gubernatorial aides worked behind the scenes with an attorney who serves as the national Republican Party’s top redistricting lawyer and other consultants tied to the national party apparatus. The Florida Constitution was amended in 2010 to prohibit partisan-driven redistricting, a landmark effort in the growing movement to end gerrymandering.
Florida – Ethics Panel Finds ‘Probable Cause’ That Miami Commissioner Abused Power with City Car
MSN – Joey Fletchas (Miami Herald) | Published: 10/12/2022
The Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust agreed to charge Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla with violating county ethics law and exploiting his official position after a friend who did not work for the city used a city car to pick up alcohol for the commissioner, drop off his dry cleaning, and drive him to a property his family owns. The friend, Jenny Nillo, worked for the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, and should not have had access to the car, according to city policy.
Georgia – Common Cause Georgia Sues FEC Over Dismissed Complaint That Conservative Nonprofit Broke Finance Rules
Georgia Recorder – Stanley Dunlap | Published: 10/11/2022
Common Cause Georgia is suing the FEC for dismissing a complaint alleging conservative election-monitoring organization True the Vote illegally contributed to the Georgia Republican Party during the January 2021 runoffs for two U.S. Senate seats. The lawsuit accuses three Republican commissioners of failing to enforce federal campaign finance law when they went against the agency’s general counsel’s recommendation to open an investigation into the relationship between the Texas-based nonprofit and the Georgia GOP.
Georgia – GOP Crisis in Herschel Walker Race Was Nearly Two Years in the Making
MSN – Isaac Arnsdorf, Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2022
In early 2021, as football star Herschel Walker considered running for the U.S. Senate, he approached some of Georgia’s top Republican operatives about advising his campaign. The operatives were warned about political vulnerabilities in Walker’s past that were openly discussed in the state’s political circles. Walker’s overwhelming name recognition and backing from former President Trump made him so formidable that state and national Republican leaders did not mount a serious challenge in the primary. Now, they are stuck with him as those liabilities threaten to dominate the news and derail his campaign.
Illinois – City Council Debate Over Private Booting Shines Light on Ways Clout and Campaign Cash Work in Chicago
WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 10/10/2022
Faced with a surge of criticism at City Hall, Innovative Parking Solutions owner Michael Denigris did what Chicago business owners have done for decades – he hired an influential lobbyist and poured tens of thousands of dollars into lawmakers’ campaign accounts. But it is not clear whether that expensive and time-consuming effort, which illuminates how wealthy interests get their issues in front of the city council, will pay off for Denigris and his firm.
Iowa – Iowa Board Requires ‘Paid for By’ Statements on Some Political Texts
Bleeding Heartland – Laura Bellin | Published: 9/28/2022
The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board said some political text messages are subject to the state law requiring disclosure of who is responsible for express campaign advocacy. Board Executive Director Zach Goodrich drafted the advisory to clarify when text messages can be considered “electronic general public political advertising.” He decided to address the issue after a mass texting campaign from an undisclosed source reached Kansas voters shortly before a constitutional referendum in August.
Maryland – Allegations Against Vice Chair Deepen Montgomery Planning Board Controversy
MSN – Daniel Wu (Washington Post) | Published: 10/11/2022
An investigation into Montgomery County Planning Board Chairperson Casey Anderson’s conduct has expanded to include the actions of Vice Chair Partap Verma and the abrupt firing of Planning Department Director Gwen Wright. A complaint sent to the county council levied new accusations against Verma, who already had been publicly reprimanded alongside Casey and fellow board member Carol Rubin, deepening concerns about the planning agency’s governance and rattling employees as a council vote looms on a long-term growth plan.
Missouri – St. Louis County Ethics Committee Stonewalled on Marijuana Questions
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Joe Holleman | Published: 10/10/2022
The majority of the main players involved in a conflict-of-interest probe of St. Louis County Councilperson Lisa Clancy continue to give the silent treatment to the council’s ethics committee. Of five people involved in 2019 with Clancy and the county’s zoning laws for medical marijuana industry, all of whom refused to attend a committee meeting on September 6, only one has responded to written questions the committee sent out recently. The committee asked for a response by October 5.
Montana – GOP House Candidate Paid Vendors with Bad Checks and Misreported Debts
Montana Free Press – Arren Kimbel-Sannit | Published: 10/7/2022
Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan found a state House candidate tried to pay vendors with bad checks and misreported accrued debts as expenditures, referring the matter to the Lewis and Clark County attorney for possible prosecution. Alden Tonkay misreported a minimum of $2,264 in debts, Mangan found. Those debts stemmed from non-payment to sign-making and catering companies. Tonkay repeatedly said he would send a response to the complaint as well as a full accounting of his campaign finances, but never delivered, according to Mangan’s decision.
Montana – How Montana’s New Election Laws Failed Legal Muster
Montana Free Press – Alex Sakariassen | Published: 10/6/2022
Three new laws that changed how Montanans can vote and access the polls were declared unconstitutional. People will once again be able to register to vote on Election Day, use student IDs and voter registration cards as primary identification at the polls, and accept payment for collecting ballots on behalf of voters unable to return them themselves. A spokesperson was noncommittal on whether Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen would appeal the decision to the Montana Supreme Court.
Nevada – How a Las Vegas Newsroom Set Out to Solve a Colleague’s Killing
MSN – Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2022
Executive Editor Glenn Cook sent an email to staff members at The Las Vegas Journal-Review on September 3, informing them that their colleague, Jeff German, had been found dead outside his home. Over four days of relentless reporting, Review-Journal staff would essentially solve the case, delving into German’s old stories and doing their own on-the-ground detective work to identify a surprising suspect, who is now behind bars, facing murder charges.
New Hampshire – In Time of Distrust, How One State Is Trying to Boost Voter Confidence
MSN – Joanna Slater (Washington Post) | Published: 10/10/2022
Since May, the New Hampshire Special Committee on Voter Confidence has traveled the length of the state holding public hearings that are part civics roadshow, part airing of grievances. They have come together for an unusual experiment aimed at bolstering faith in American democracy. The committee’s stated goal is to identify the causes of the decline in voter confidence and recommend ways to reverse it. Left unstated is the unprecedented nature of the current moment, where former President Trump and Republican candidates continue to deny the outcome of the 2020 election.
New Mexico – Vote to Amend Legislature’s Internal Investigative Procedure Fails
Santa Fe New Mexican – Robert Knott | Published: 10/11/2022
A body of lawmakers charged with administering legislative policies and procedures in the New Mexico Legislature deadlocked on a proposal to add a fifth and tiebreaking member to a pair of interim ethics committees, in effect killing the proposal and leaving the Legislature’s embattled internal investigation process unchanged. Calls for reform to the harassment policies and investigation of complaints have grown louder in the wake of accusations by lobbyist Marianna Anaya and others against Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto.
New York – Hochul Raises Massive Sum in Final State Election Before New Campaign Finance System Kick In
Gothamist – Ethan Geringer-Sameth | Published: 10/12/2022
Since Kathy Hochul became governor of New York in August 2021, 47 people have given the maximum amount, $69,700, directly to her campaign. In total, Hochul’s campaign has brought in $46 million in her first 14 months in office. That massive sum will not be as easy to accumulate in future elections thanks to a new state campaign finance system that will lower individual contribution limits and establish a small-dollar public matching program for state-level offices. The new system goes into effect immediately after Election Day this year for the next election cycles and will apply to statewide offices.
New York – New State Ethics Watchdog Agrees to Chew on Old Cases
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/6/2022
New York’s ethics and lobbying commission is rolling over all pending investigations inherited from its predecessor, a move that increases the odds those inquiries will reach conclusions. As of September 23, the new ethics body had 32 “open investigations” in motion, including that of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, had been scheduled to face a hearing over whether he violated the law by using state employees to assist in the production of his lucrative memoir of the Covid-19 pandemic.
New York – New York Lobbyists Hold Sway in Spite of Shake-Ups, Scandals
Poli-Ticks – Rebekah Ward (Albany Times Union) | Published: 10/7/2022
Lobbyists in New York often are key in passing or defeating legislation. Many are veteran lawmakers themselves or had prior jobs, including as agency leaders or legal counsel for top elected officials, that provide them connections and insight into the government’s inner workings, which enable them to shape political outcomes for their clients. They are a constant presence in Albany, customizing pitches to assuage the differing concerns of key officials, strategically framing stories to steer media attention, and using the hectic legislative calendar to their advantage.
Ohio – Ohio Is About to Hold Elections for Unconstitutional Congressional and Legislative Districts. Here’s How It Happened
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/9/2022
Ohio’s congressional and state legislative districts have twice been ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court, but one of those maps will be in place for the November elections. It is the result of a previously untested state redistricting process, a months-long fight between Republican leaders and the Ohio Supreme Court, and a federal court finally intervening and picking one of the redistricting plans to use just for the 2022 election. So, despite voters approving two state constitutional amendments to end gerrymandering, the congressional and legislative lines have again been drawn in a way that gives Republicans a clear advantage.
Ohio – Steve Dackin, One-Time Ohio Schools Superintendent, Signs Settlement Agreement for Ethics Violations, Avoids Criminal Prosecution
MSN – Laura Hancock (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/7/2022
Steve Dackin, who spent 11 days as the state superintendent of public instruction before resigning amid an ethics investigation, signed a settlement with the Ohio Ethics Commission. The commission will not refer its investigation to any public prosecutor. Dackin will be required to attend three hours of ethics training and agreed to not apply for the state superintendent job again until February 26, 2023. Dackin had access to the applications for the job as the committee conducted its search. Days before the application period ended, Dackin resigned from the Ohio State Board of Education and submitted his own application for the job.
Tennessee – Kelsey Co-Defendant Smith to Plead Guilty in Federal Campaign Finance Case
Tennessee Lookout – Sam Stockard | Published: 10/11/2022
The co-defendant in a federal campaign finance case against Tennessee Sen. Brian Kelsey is set to plead guilty to one charge of funneling “soft money” to the senator’s congressional campaign six years ago. Federal prosecutors claim Kelsey and Josh Smith, the owner of The Standard Club in Nashville, conspired with others to illegally shift a total of more than $80,000 from his state account to buy ads that supported his federal race. Prosecutors say Kelsey gave Smith a check for more than $106,000 in July 2016 during a gathering at The Standard to be transferred from his campaign account to the restaurant’s PAC.
Washington – Judge: Facebook intentionally violated WA campaign finance law 822 times
Seattle Times – David Gutman | Published: 10/6/2022
A judge ruled Facebook’s parent company Meta intentionally violated Washington’s campaign finance law 822 times, which may subject the company to millions of dollars in fines. The law requires advertisers to make information about political ads run in Washington that appear on their platforms available for public inspection. The judge said the violations were intentional because of the company’s history of failure to comply with the law, its extensive experience with campaign finance law, and its “lack of good faith and failure to acknowledge and take responsibility for its violations.”
October 13, 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 Alaska: “APOC Says Dunleavy Backers Won’t Respond to Investigation Without Subpoena” by Lisa Phu (Alaska Beacon) for Alaska Public Media Colorado: “Political Group Agrees to Pay Fine Over Primary Voter Guide That Failed to Disclose Information” by Marianne […]
Campaign Finance
Alaska: “APOC Says Dunleavy Backers Won’t Respond to Investigation Without Subpoena” by Lisa Phu (Alaska Beacon) for Alaska Public Media
Colorado: “Political Group Agrees to Pay Fine Over Primary Voter Guide That Failed to Disclose Information” by Marianne Goodland (Colorado Politics) for Colorado Springs Gazette
Georgia: “Common Cause Georgia Sues FEC Over Dismissed Complaint That Conservative Nonprofit Broke Finance Rules” by Stanley Dunlap for Georgia Recorder
Elections
National: “Misinformation Swirls in Non-English Languages Ahead of Midterms” by Tiffany Hsu (New York Times) for Yahoo News
Ethics
National: “Trump Worker Told FBI About Moving Mar-a-Lago Boxes on Ex-President’s Orders” by Devlin Barrett and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN
Maryland: “Allegations Against Vice Chair Deepen Montgomery Planning Board Controversy” by Daniel Wu (Washington Post) for MSN
New Mexico: “Vote to Amend Legislature’s Internal Investigative Procedure Fails” by Robert Knott for Santa Fe New Mexican
Lobbying
National: “Judge Dismisses DOJ Bid to Force Wynn to Register as Foreign Agent” by Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) for Yahoo News
October 12, 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: “How Trump’s Legal Expenses Consumed GOP Donor Money” by Isaac Arnsdorf and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN Tennessee: “Kelsey Co-Defendant Smith to Plead Guilty in Federal Campaign Finance Case” by Sam Stockard for Tennessee Lookout Elections […]
Campaign Finance
National: “How Trump’s Legal Expenses Consumed GOP Donor Money” by Isaac Arnsdorf and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN
Tennessee: “Kelsey Co-Defendant Smith to Plead Guilty in Federal Campaign Finance Case” by Sam Stockard for Tennessee Lookout
Elections
New Hampshire: “In Time of Distrust, How One State Is Trying to Boost Voter Confidence” by Joanna Slater (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Government Officials Invest in Companies Their Agencies Oversee” by Rebecca Ballhaus, Brody Mullins, Chad Day, Joe Palazzolo, and James Grimaldi (Wall Street Journal) for Fox Business
California: “Grand Jury Accuses Santa Clara City Council Members of Putting 49ers Ahead of City” by Marisa Kendall (San Jose Mercury News) for MSN
Colorado: “Adams County Must Pay Legal Fees of the Treasurer It Sued, Colorado Supreme Court Orders” by John Aguilar (Denver Post) for MSN
Lobbying
Illinois: “City Council Debate Over Private Booting Shines Light on Ways Clout and Campaign Cash Work in Chicago” by Heather Cherone for WTTW
Redistricting
Florida: “DeSantis Broke Florida Precedent and Maybe the Law, Too, in Making Congressional Map” by Joshua Kaplan (ProPublica) for Yahoo News
October 11, 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 Montana: “GOP House Candidate Paid Vendors with Bad Checks and Misreported Debts” by Arren Kimbel-Sannit for Montana Free Press Elections National: “Why Little-Noticed State Legislative Races Could Be Hugely Consequential” by Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) for Yahoo […]
Campaign Finance
Montana: “GOP House Candidate Paid Vendors with Bad Checks and Misreported Debts” by Arren Kimbel-Sannit for Montana Free Press
Elections
National: “Why Little-Noticed State Legislative Races Could Be Hugely Consequential” by Nick Corasaniti (New York Times) for Yahoo News
Georgia: “GOP Crisis in Herschel Walker Race Was Nearly Two Years in the Making” by Isaac Arnsdorf, Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, and Josh Dawsey (Washington Post) for MSN
Ethics
National: “Steele Dossier Source Heads to Trial, in Possible Last Stand for Durham” by Salvadore Rizzo and Devlin Barrett (Washington Post) for MSN
California: “Nury Martinez Steps Down as L.A. City Council President” by Julia Wick, Dakota Smith, David Zahniser, and Benjamin Oreskes (Los Angeles Times) for Yahoo News
Ohio: “Steve Dackin, One-Time Ohio Schools Superintendent, Signs Settlement Agreement for Ethics Violations, Avoids Criminal Prosecution” by Laura Hancock (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
Lobbying
New York: “New York Lobbyists Hold Sway in Spite of Shake-Ups, Scandals” by Rebekah Ward (Albany Times Union) for Poli-Ticks
Redistricting
Ohio: “Ohio Is About to Hold Elections for Unconstitutional Congressional and Legislative Districts. Here’s How It Happened” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN
October 10, 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 Iowa: “Iowa Board Requires ‘Paid for By’ Statements on Some Political Texts” by Laura Bellin for Bleeding Heartland Washington: “Judge: Facebook intentionally violated WA campaign finance law 822 times” by David Gutman for Seattle Times Elections National: “A […]
Campaign Finance
Iowa: “Iowa Board Requires ‘Paid for By’ Statements on Some Political Texts” by Laura Bellin for Bleeding Heartland
Washington: “Judge: Facebook intentionally violated WA campaign finance law 822 times” by David Gutman for Seattle Times
Elections
National: “A Majority of GOP Nominees – 299 in All – Deny the 2020 Election Results” by Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN
Montana: “How Montana’s New Election Laws Failed Legal Muster” by Alex Sakariassen for Montana Free Press
Ethics
National: “First Proud Boys Leader Pleads Guilty to Jan. 6 Seditious Conspiracy” by Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) for MSN
Nevada: “How a Las Vegas Newsroom Set Out to Solve a Colleague’s Killing” by Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) for MSN
New York: “New State Ethics Watchdog Agrees to Chew on Old Cases” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Legislative Issues
National: “Top House Staffers Are Still Overwhelmingly White, Study Finds” by Jim Saska for Roll Call
October 7, 2022 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 7, 2022
![News You Can Use Digest – October 7, 2022](https://stateandfed.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NYCU-Logo-e1662491950752-1000x563.png)
National/Federal DataVault Requests US Election Agency’s Advice to Send NFTs as a Campaign Fundraising Incentive Cointelegraph – Turner Wright | Published: 10/4/2022 The legal team behind nonfungible token (NFT) firm DataVault Holdings requested an advisory opinion from the FEC on using […]
National/Federal
DataVault Requests US Election Agency’s Advice to Send NFTs as a Campaign Fundraising Incentive
Cointelegraph – Turner Wright | Published: 10/4/2022
The legal team behind nonfungible token (NFT) firm DataVault Holdings requested an advisory opinion from the FEC on using NFTs for campaign fundraising efforts. DataVault’s lawyers proposed sending NFTs as “souvenirs” to individuals who donated to political committees, as well as giving the token holder the option to use it for promoting a campaign “strictly on a volunteer basis and without any compensation.” The firm requested the FEC provide guidance on how it may operate as a commercial vendor, issuing the tokens to political committee members seemingly without violating federal campaign finance laws.
Election Officials Confront a New Problem: Whether they can trust their own poll workers
Yahoo News – Zach Montellaro (Politico) | Published: 10/4/2022
Election officials are growing concerned about a new danger in November: that groups looking to undermine election results will try to install their supporters as poll workers. The frontline election workers do everything from checking people in at voting locations to helping process mail ballots. Now, some prominent incidents involving poll workers have worried election officials that a bigger wave of trouble could be on the horizon.
In Trump White House, Classified Records Routinely Mishandled, Aides Say
MSN – Shane Harris, Josh Dawsey, Ellen Nakashima, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2022
Aides who worked in Donald Trump’s White House were not surprised when the FBI found highly classified material in boxes at Mar-a-Lago mixed with news clippings and other items. During his four years in office, Trump never strictly followed the rules and customs for handling sensitive government documents, according to 14 officials from his administration. What those ex-Trump aides and advisers saw in an inventory of items recovered by the FBI in August – classified documents in boxes, stored alongside newspaper and magazine articles, books, and gifts – looked to them like the idiosyncratic filing system Trump used in the White House.
Justices Shield Spouses’ Work from Potential Conflict of Interest Disclosures
Yahoo News – Hailey Fuchs, Josh Gerstein, and Peter Canellos (Politico) | Published: 9/29/2022
Over the past year, Virginia Thomas has gotten attention for operating a consulting business that reportedly includes conservative activist groups with interest in U.S. Supreme Court decisions as clients. Her husband, Justice Clarence Thomas, has chosen not to reveal any of his wife’s clients, let alone how much they contributed to the Thomas family coffers, dating back to when her consulting business was founded. A Politico investigation shows potential conflicts involving justices’ spouses extend beyond the Thomas family.
Lawmakers Confront a Rise in Threats and Intimidation, and Fear Worse
MSN – Stephanie Lai, Luke Broadwater, and Carl Hulse (New York Times) | Published: 10/1/2022
Members of Congress in both parties are experiencing a surge in threats and confrontations as a rise in violent political speech has increasingly crossed over into the realm of in-person intimidation and physical altercation. In the months since the attack on the U.S. Capitol, which brought lawmakers and the vice president within feet of rioters threatening their lives, Republicans and Democrats have faced stalking, armed visits to their homes, vandalism, and assaults. It is part of a trend that many fear is only intensifying as lawmakers scatter to campaign and meet with voters around the country ahead of midterm congressional elections.
Politics Are Becoming Tougher to Avoid at Work, Survey Finds
MSN – Taylor Telford (Washington Post) | Published: 10/5/2022
Escalating political tensions in the workplace are creating problems for organizations as midterm elections draw nearer, a new survey found. About 26 percent said they have personally experienced differential treatment (positive and negative) because of their political views or affiliation, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Corporations are under pressure from employees and consumers to weigh in on political issues. But the rise of politics in the workplace has consequences for polarization across the country, said Johnny C. Taylor Jr., SHRM’s chief executive.
Pro-DeSantis Hybrid PAC to File Lawsuit Challenging Unfavorable FEC Ruling
OpenSecrets – Taylor Giorno | Published: 10/3/2022
The political committee Ready for Ron asked the FEC for permission to share a list of supporters and their contact information with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to encourage him to run for president in 2024. The FEC ruled that Ready for Ron cannot share the list if DeSantis becomes a federal candidate or begins “testing the waters” for federal office, as the value would exceed the federal campaign contribution limit. The commission deadlocked on whether Ready for Ron could share the list if DeSantis is not testing the waters or running for federal office. The PAC plans to fille a lawsuit challenging the FEC’s decision.
Supreme Court to Scrutinize U.S. Protections for Social Media
MSN – Andrew Chung (Reuters) | Published: 10/3/2022
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a challenge to federal protections for internet and social media companies freeing them of responsibility for content posted by users. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit, relying on as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. It protects “interactive computer services” by ensuring they cannot be treated as the “publisher or speaker” of any information provided by other users. Democrats have faulted it for giving social media companies a pass for spreading hate speech and misinformation. Republicans painted it as a tool for censorship of voices on the right.
The Onion Files Supreme Court Amicus Brief Defending the Right to Parody
MSN – Rachel Pannett (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2022
A man who was arrested over a Facebook parody aimed at his local police department is trying to take his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The satirical website The Onion filed an amicus brief in support of Anthony Novak. A jury found him not guilty, and he is trying to sue the city for damages. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying the police had qualified immunity, and an appeals court upheld that decision. “Americans can be put in jail for poking fun at the government?” the brief asked. “This was a surprise to America’s Finest News Source and an uncomfortable learning experience for its editorial team.”
Trump Asks Supreme Court to Intervene in Mar-a-Lago Search Case
MSN – Devlin Barrett and Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2022
Former President Trump’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the Mar-a-Lago documents-seizure case, saying the special master appointed in the matter should be allowed to review the classified papers. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit granted the Justice Department’s request to keep about 100 classified documents separate from a review of documents being conducted by a court-appointed legal expert, called a special master. The department has launched a probe to determine if Trump or his advisers mishandled national security secrets or hid or destroyed government records.
U.S.: Oath Keepers, Rhodes attacked ‘bedrock of democracy’ on Jan. 6
MSN – Spencer Hsu, Rachel Weiner, and Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2022
Members of the extremist group Oath Keepers led by Stewart Rhodes planned for an armed rebellion “to shatter a bedrock of American democracy” – the peaceful transfer of presidential power – culminating in their role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, a prosecutor said in the first seditious conspiracy trial of the January 6 investigation. Rhodes’ defense attorney Philip Linder said Oath Keepers came to Washington as “peacekeeping” security guards, believing then-President Trump could invoke the Insurrection Act to mobilize private militias, put down riots, and remain in power.
From the States and Municipalities
Alabama – Supreme Court Debates Alabama’s Refusal of Second Black Voting District
MSN – Robert Barnes (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2022
The U.S. Supreme Court’s liberal justices combined for an aggressive and unified defense against Alabama’s efforts to limit creation of voting districts in which minorities have the ability to elect candidates of their choice. The case is another major test of the Voting Rights Act, which the court’s conservative majority has diluted in recent years. At the end of oral arguments, it appeared a majority of the court might not embrace Alabama’s request for a broad reinterpretation of how the law is enforced, and that a narrower compromise was a possibility.
Arkansas – Missouri Health Executives Plead Guilty in Widespread Fraud
Stamford Advocate – Associated Press | Published: 9/29/2022
Two former executives of a Missouri health nonprofit pleaded guilty to their roles in a corruption scheme that ensnared several Arkansas elected officials and lobbyists, federal prosecutors said. Bontiea Goss and her husband, Tommy Goss, were executives at Preferred Family Healthcare, which provided services such as substance abuse treatments and counseling to people in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Illinois. Federal prosecutors said the Gosses and other co-conspirators paid bribes and kickbacks to Arkansas lawmakers to obtain favorable legislation and other official actions that helped the nonprofit.
California – A Cannabis Bribe and Arson: Former Adelanto councilman sentenced to federal prison
MSN – Gregory Yee (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/3/2022
Former Adelanto City Councilperson Jermaine Wright was convicted of taking a $10,000 bribe to help open a cannabis business and hiring someone to burn down his restaurant for an insurance payout. He was sentenced to five years in federal prison. Wright told an informant the money had to go to a nonprofit set up to conceal their scheme and he would put the informant on the nonprofit’s board so they could receive the money as well, a pre-sentencing report said.
California – New State Law Could Curb Pay to Play Politics in Orange County & California
Voice of OC – Spencer Custodio | Published: 10/3/2022
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that bars local elected officials voting on items benefitting contributors who donated more than $250 within the past 12 months. Elected officials could return the campaign donations within 14 days of finding out about the contribution, which would allow them to vote on the item. In Orange County, an FBI corruption investigation into Anaheim City Hall that touches on Disneyland resort area interests has put a renewed focus on campaign finance, spurring calls of campaign finance reform.
Florida – The Story Behind DeSanti’s Migrant Flights to Martha’s Vineyard
Yahoo News – Edgar Sandoval, Miriam Jordan, Patricia Mazzei, and J. David Goodman (New York Times) | Published: 10/2/2022
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a budget that set aside $12 million to create a program for transporting unauthorized migrants out of Florida. He touted it as the highlight of the state’s new spending when it came to immigration. But just three months later, the money was being used to round up Venezuelan asylum seekers on the streets of San Antonio and shipping them on private planes to Massachusetts. Details have begun to emerge of the clandestine mission. In the middle of it all was a woman with a background in military counterintelligence who investigators believe was sent to Texas from Tampa to fill the planes.
Georgia – Federal Judge Upholds Georgia Election Law in Challenge Brought by Abrams
MSN – Matthew Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2022
A federal judge upheld Georgia’s election laws in a blow to Fair Fight Action, the voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams, who also is the state’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee. Abrams’ group filed a lawsuit against the Georgia’s secretary of state soon after her 2018 election defeat, arguing the state’s absentee ballot policies, which require an “exact match” for names and addresses between voters’ IDs and voter registration records, represented “gross mismanagement” of the state’s election systems that violated Georgia voters’ constitutional rights.
Georgia – Georgia DA: GOP bankrolling lawyers for ‘fake’ Trump electors ‘rife with serious ethical problems’
Yahoo News – Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman | Published: 10/4/2022
The Georgia Republican Party is bankrolling the legal defense of most of the so-called fake electors in the state as part of a controversial arrangement that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis charges in a new court filing is “rife with serious ethical problems” and “actual conflicts-of-interest.” Wills has launched a sprawling probe into Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Willis escalated the legal battle over the issue when she moved to disqualify the two lawyers being paid by the state GOP.
Georgia – Herschel Walker Paid for Girlfriend’s Abortion, Report Says
MSN – Bill Barrow (Associated Press) | Published: 10/3/2022
Herschel Walker, who has vehemently opposed abortion rights as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Georgia, paid for an abortion for his girlfriend in 2009, according to a report. Walker called the accusation a “flat-out lie” and said he would sue. The Daily Beast reviewed a receipt showing her $575 payment for the procedure, along with a get-well card from Walker and her bank deposit records showing the image of a personal check from Walker dated five days after the abortion receipt. The woman said Walker encouraged her to end the pregnancy, saying the time was not right for a baby.
Louisiana – Louisiana Officials Use Campaign Cash to Buy LSU, Saints Tickets
Louisiana Illuminator – Julie O’Donoghue | Published: 10/4/2022
Forty-nine Louisiana politicians spent $181,600 from their campaign accounts and PACs on tickets to collegiate and professional sporting events in 2020 and 2021. Over half of those purchasing the tickets were state lawmakers, but the group also includes the governor, sheriffs, district attorneys, and a state Supreme Court justice. State law prohibits elected officials from using campaign money for “personal use,” but sports tickets have long been considered a legitimate expense. The practice is legal so long as officials can explain why the spending is related to their campaign or job, said Kathleen Allen, the state’s ethics administrator.
Maryland – Nash Seeking Clarity on Lobbying Rules After Ethics Decision
Yahoo News – Ryan Marshall (Frederick News-Post) | Published: 10/5/2022
Frederick Alderwoman Katie Nash will not challenge a decision by the city’s Ethics Commission that some of her professional lobbying activities violated city rules in court and is seeking guidance for future work. The commission found Nash, a lobbyist registered with the state, improperly emailed coordinators for various city Neighborhood Advisory Councils and others, encouraging them to raise concerns with the county about plans to shift coverage of paramedic services in parts of the city. Nash also asked that information about avoiding conflicts be made available to candidates when they file.
Massachusetts – Former State Police Union Boss Dana Pullman and Former Lobbyist Anne Lynch Face Trial for Alleged Kickback Schemes
MSN – Shelly Murphy (Boston Globe) | Published: 10/3/2022
Dana Pullman, the former leader of the Massachusetts State Police union, is on trial on charges he took kickbacks totaling $41,250 from a union lobbyist, Anne Lynch, and diverted thousands of dollars from the union for personal expenses, including flowers, gifts, a Florida vacation, and meals at upscale restaurants with a girlfriend. When announcing the charges in August 2019, federal authorities accused Pullman of running the union “like an old-school mob boss” and tapping the union’s account as if it was “his own personal piggy bank.”
Michigan – Michigan’s Proposal 1 Would Change Term Limits, Require Financial Disclosure for Lawmakers
Yahoo News – Clara Hendrickson (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 10/6/2022
Michigan voters will have a chance to decide this November whether they want to end the current term limits for state lawmakers in favor of reducing the total number of years lawmakers can serve in Lansing while increasing the number of times they can seek reelection in either chamber. The proposal would also establish new financial disclosure requirements for some elected officeholders. It would require annual reports describing their assets and sources of income, positions held outside of state government, agreements or arrangements regarding future employment, gifts and travel payments received, among other requirements.
Missouri – Missouri Ethics Commission Hobbled Again After Parson Pulls Appointees
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jack Suntrup | Published: 9/29/2022
The Missouri Ethics Commission again is unable to function, at least temporarily, because it does not have enough members. Gov. Mike Parson removed three members of the panel on recently, said Liz Ziegler, executive director of the commission. Ziegler said Parson took the three members off the ethics commission “due to the special legislative session” the governor had called on tax relief.
Montana – Commissioner of Political Practices to Step Down Before Term Ends
Helena Independent Record – Sam Wilson | Published: 10/3/2022
Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan announced on social media he will be retiring before his term ends, stepping down just before Election Day. Not since Dennis Unsworth’s departure at the end of 2010 has anyone served out a full term as commissioner. Past commissioners have at times come under fire for bringing a perceived partisan bias to their work investigating political complaints. Republican lawmakers have for years brought legislation seeking to disband the office or reduce the power commissioners wield.
New Mexico – NM Sen. Ivey-Soto Resigns from the Chairman Position of an Influential Committee
Source New Mexico – Shaun Griswold | Published: 9/29/2022
Fallout from a harassment complaint filed against New Mexico Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto has now affected his position of power as a lawmaker in Santa Fe. Ivey-Soto submitted a letter resigning as chairperson of the Senate Rules Committee. His resignation as chair shields lawmakers from having to take a public position on Ivey-Soto’s behavior at the Capitol. A meeting to discuss Senate committee assignments would have been the first public discussion and vote by lawmakers about Ivey-Soto after an investigation about sexual harassment allegations against Ivey-Soto.
New York – City Council Redistricting Drama Underscores Dropped Commission Ethics Policy
Gotham Gazette – Ethan Geringer-Sameth | Published: 10/3/2022
New York City’s redistricting process was thrown into disarray in September after the commission responsible for drawing new city council district lines voted down its own draft map. An aide to Mayor Eric Adams individually lobbied his appointees on the commission to vote no, activity the mayor has denied knowing about. There are few formal barriers in place to prevent conflicts-of-interest between the 15 redistricting commissioners and the elected officials who appointed them.
New York – Contender for Top NYC City Hall Post Left Trail of Penalties and Debt as a Lobbyist
MSN – Michael Gartland (New York Daily News) | Published: 10/3/2022
Tiffany Raspberry, who currently serves as a senior advisor for external affairs in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, is being considered as the mayor’s next chief of staff. Before her stint at City Hall, Raspberry worked as a lobbyist through her firm York Group Associates. The firm failed to follow city and state disclosure requirements dozens of times between 2011 and 2020, leading to nearly $38,000 in fines for late and incorrect filings. Records reveal Raspberry’s former clients are still registered to lobby on both the city and state levels.
New York – Hochul Says She Had No Role in New York’s $637M Deal with Campaign Donor
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/6/2022
Gov. Kathy Hochul said that before her staff authorized $637 million in payments to a major campaign donor, she was never asked to give final approval to the taxpayer-funded deal for COVID-19 tests from Digital Gadgets. The governor also said she was not briefed about the cost of the purchase orders, which were significantly higher than what other companies had charged for providing rapid tests to New York. Before finalizing the deals, Digital Gadgets had little history as a distributor of COVID-19 tests. The company’s chief executive officer, Charlie Tebele, held campaign fundraisers for Hochul around the time the contract was awarded.
Ohio – Cleveland Police Commander Faces Discipline for Hiding His Work with Private Security Companies, Failing to Pay Taxes
MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 9/28/2022
Cleveland police Commander Michael Butler faces accusations involving his work for private security companies, including that he hid from city officials his work for the businesses during a time he led the city’s efforts at staffing both officers and security firms for major events, according to an internal disciplinary letter. The city’s letter also said Butler broke state law by failing to pay taxes on income he had earned.
Ohio – FirstEnergy Fights to Keep Records Tied to Bribery Scheme from the Public
Ohio Capital Journal – Jake Zuckerman | Published: 10/5/2022
FirstEnergy, which has admitted to spending tens of millions of dollars bribing top government officials in Ohio, asked state regulators to shield documents about its bribes from release to the public. The company’s request will soon be decided by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, whose former chairperson, Sam Randazzo, allegedly accepted a $4.3 million bribe from the utility for favorable regulatory treatment. The records could unmask the identities of several government officials and energy executives that FirstEnergy anonymously identified in its deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department.
Ohio – Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose Creating Public Integrity Unit in Office Reorganization
MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/5/2022
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is reorganizing his office to form a “public integrity” unit, a shuffling he said will include hiring of investigators with the authority to issue subpoenas to look into potential elections-related crimes. The secretary of state would make the decision on what cases to pursue. Any cases would be turned over to the attorney general’s office or local county prosecutors, which play a role in enforcing state criminal laws, or the Ohio Elections Commission, which is a clearinghouse for violations of state elections law. The move comes as increasing numbers of Republican voters view the accuracy of elections with suspicion.
Oklahoma – Okla. GOP Ties Hospital’s Covid Funds to End of Gender-Affirming Care
MSN – Kimberly Kindy (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2022
Oklahoma lawmakers added a controversial provision before awarding the state’s largest hospital system $108 million in pandemic relief funds. OU Health would only get the money if its Oklahoma Children’s Hospital stopped providing gender-affirming care. The move, which the governor signed into law, marks the first time that conservative state lawmakers have tied gender-affirming care to the receipt of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Some advocates worry it might embolden other Legislatures with GOP majorities to add similar restrictions before allocating money to publicly funded hospitals.
Oregon – City Elections Office Upholds Campaign Penalty Against Council Candidate Rene Gonzalez
Portland Mercury – Alex Zielinski | Published: 9/29/2022
Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez’s appeal of a $77,000 campaign finance violation was rejected by the Small Donor Elections program. Gonzalez had argued that accepting a $250 monthly rate for an office rental in downtown Portland that normally goes for a monthly rate of $6,900 was not an in-kind contribution from property owner Jordan Schnitzer. According to Gonzalez, that is because vacancy rates are so high in downtown Portland the office would have gone unrented if his campaign had not occupied the space.
Pennsylvania – As TV Doctor, Mehmet Oz Provided Platform for Questionable Products and Views
MSN – Colby Itkowitz and Lenny Bernstein (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2022
As a Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, a key battleground in the fight for control of the chamber, Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is putting his medical background and his popular television show at the center of his campaign pitch. But during the show’s run from 2009 to 2021, Oz provided a platform for potentially dangerous products and fringe viewpoints, aimed at millions of viewers, according to medical experts, public health organizations, and federal health guidance.
Pennsylvania – Unresolved Gray Areas in Pa. Mail Voting Law Likely to Spur Fresh Confusion, Legal Challenges
Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer | Published: 10/5/2022
Some key questions on mail ballots remain unsettled in Pennsylvania, opening the door for more legal action and confusion after the upcoming gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. State lawmakers in 2019 passed a bipartisan overhaul of the state’s election law and allowed no-excuse mail voting for the first time. That law does not say, for instance, whether counties should be able to contact voters who have submitted mail ballots with errors and allow them to fix them, a process known as ballot curing. The law also does not mention ballot drop boxes or how they should be regulated.
Texas – Ethics Commission Shelves Lobbying Complaint Against Austin Pets Alive! Employee
Austin Monitor – Chad Swiatecki | Published: 10/3/2022
The Ethics Review Commission opted not to move forward with a lobbying complaint against Katie Jarl, a member of the city’s Animal Advisory Commission who also works in a governmental affairs job for Austin Pets Alive (APA). The complaint was based on the likelihood that Jarl was involved in lobbying activity for APA in 2021 when it was negotiating with the city for a long-term lease for a shelter property. City laws bar a registered lobbyist from serving on boards and commissions.
Texas – Fort Worth City Manager Apologizes After Reprimanded for Trip with Sundance Square Owners
MSN – Lana Ferguson (Dallas Morning News) | Published: 10/5/2022
Fort Worth City Manager David Cooke was publicly reprimanded for taking a trip to Colorado on a private plane with Ed and Sasha Bass. Some argue the trip was, in part, to promote the city, but Cooke said it was a “personal trip with friends.” Cooke will remain in his role but must recuse himself from all city business tied to Sundance Square, which the Basses own, and the Downtown Public Improvement District. Mayor Mattie Parker and the city council said Cooke’s decision to take the Labor Day weekend trip to Aspen showed “questionable judgement” and that, when asked about it, he “exercised poor communication to the public.”
Virginia – IT Issues Stall Voter-Records Processing for 107,000 in Virginia
MSN – Laura Vozzella (Washington Post) | Published: 10/5/2022
Local registrars across Virginia began scrambling to process about 107,000 voter records dumped on them overnight by the state Department of Elections, where computer network failures had left applications in limbo for months. Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office blamed unspecified technical problems for the backlog, which affected new voter registration applications, address updates, and other changes submitted through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Registrars do not face a hard deadline for processing registrations, but state law requires they notify voters of their polling place 15 days before an election.
Virginia – Virginia Paid Governor Youngkin’s Political Ad Agency $268K to Make a Tourism Ad – Featuring Youngkin.
Richmond Times-Dispatch – Patrick Wilson | Published: 10/5/2022
The political advertising agency behind Glenn Youngkin’s successful bid for Virginia governor, which created his branding, received a $268,600 contract from a state agency to produce a tourism video that heavily features Youngkin himself. The ad will appear in Virginia’s airports and welcome centers at a time when the governor is considering a run for president and is seeking to boost his national image. Poolhouse specializes in digital advertising for GOP candidates. It was formed in 2013 and has never performed marketing work for the state before the Youngkin tourism advertisement.
October 6, 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: “DataVault Requests US Election Agency’s Advice to Send NFTs as a Campaign Fundraising Incentive” by Turner Wright for Cointelegraph Virginia: “Virginia Paid Governor Youngkin’s Political Ad Agency $268k to Make a Tourism Ad – Featuring Youngkin.” by […]
Campaign Finance
National: “DataVault Requests US Election Agency’s Advice to Send NFTs as a Campaign Fundraising Incentive” by Turner Wright for Cointelegraph
Virginia: “Virginia Paid Governor Youngkin’s Political Ad Agency $268k to Make a Tourism Ad – Featuring Youngkin.” by Patrick Wilson for Richmond Times-Dispatch
Elections
Georgia: “Georgia DA: GOP bankrolling lawyers for ‘fake’ Trump electors ‘rife with serious ethical problems’” by Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman for Yahoo News
Pennsylvania: “Unresolved Gray Areas in Pa. Mail Voting Law Likely to Spur Fresh Confusion, Legal Challenges” by Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer for Spotlight PA
Ethics
National: “Politics Are Becoming Tougher to Avoid at Work, Survey Finds” by Taylor Telford (Washington Post) for MSN
Ohio: “FirstEnergy Fights to Keep Records Tied to Bribery Scheme from the Public” by Jake Zuckerman for Ohio Capital Journal
Oklahoma: “Okla. GOP Ties Hospital’s Covid Funds to End of Gender-Affirming Care” by Kimberly Kindy (Washington Post) for MSN
Lobbying
Maryland: “Nash Seeking Clarity on Lobbying Rules After Ethics Decision” by Ryan Marshall (Frederick News-Post) for Yahoo News
Redistricting
Alabama: “Supreme Court Debates Alabama’s Refusal of Second Black Voting District” by Robert Barnes (Washington Post) for MSN
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