November 3, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “The FEC Affirmed That Foreigners Can Fund US Ballot Measures Because They’re Technically Not Elections” by Bryan Metzger (Business Insider) for MSN Pennsylvania: “Want to See Who’s Funding Local Candidates in Pa.? It’s Harder Than You’d Think” […]

November 2, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “A Year Out, Political Groups Prepare for What Could Be the Most Expensive Midterms Ever” by Kate Ackley (Roll Call) for MSN Florida: “Candidates Fail to Turn in Mandatory Financial Reports” by Corbin Bolies (Fresh Take Florida) […]

November 1, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Cases Show Foreign Donors Secretly Funnel Money Through Straw Donors, Shell Companies, ‘Dark Money’” by Anna Massoglia for Center for Responsive Politics New Jersey: “Former Owner of Morristown Law Firm Admits Directing Bold Straw Donor Scheme” by […]

October 29, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 29, 2021

National/Federal Democrats Turn Down Top Lobbying Roles at Facebook as Scandals Pile Up Yahoo News – Nihal Krishan (Washington Examiner) | Published: 10/27/2021 Facebook is reportedly struggling to hire Democrats for its lobbying shop in Washington, D.C. despite paying top dollar, […]

National/Federal

Democrats Turn Down Top Lobbying Roles at Facebook as Scandals Pile Up
Yahoo News – Nihal Krishan (Washington Examiner) | Published: 10/27/2021

Facebook is reportedly struggling to hire Democrats for its lobbying shop in Washington, D.C. despite paying top dollar, a potential sign the social media behemoth is now deemed radioactive by many on the Left. The Biden administration and Democrats in Congress have threatened to go after Facebook with aggressive regulations, lawsuits, and investigations, and that appears to be making it an unattractive employer for top talent. Making matters worse, some senior Democratic lobbyists have left the company recently, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Ethics Panel Releases Reports on Malinowski, Kelly, Mooney and Hagedorn
MSN – Chris Marquette (Roll Call) | Published: 10/21/2021

The House Committee on Ethics released four reports into separate violations of ethics rules by four members of Congress, portraying what investigators suggested was a sweeping array of improper financial conduct. The allegations against three Republicans and one Democrat center on stock trades and the improper use of campaign funds, according to the Office of Congressional Ethics, which investigated the cases. All four cases will continue to be reviewed by the ethics committee.

Facebook Staff Complained for Years About Their Lobbyists’ Power
Yahoo News – Emily Birnbaum (Politico) | Published: 10/25/2021

Facebook’s lobbying and government relations shop, overseen by former Republican operative Joel Kaplan, regularly weighs in on speech-related issues, such as how to deal with prominent right-wing figures, misinformation, ads from former President Trump, and the aftermath of the George Floyd protests, according to internal documents. The dynamic is so prevalent, employees argued Facebook regularly ignored its own written policies to keep political figures happy, even overriding concerns about public safety. The disclosures come after years of internal and external grumbling at Facebook about the role played by Kaplan.

Fed to Ban Policymakers from Owning Individual Stocks, Restrict Trading Following Controversy
CNBC – Jeff Cox | Published: 10/21/2021

Responding to a growing controversy over investing practices, the Federal Reserve announced a wide-ranging ban on officials owning individual stocks and bonds and limits on other activities as well. The ban includes top policymakers such as those who sit on the Federal Open Market Committee, along with senior staff. Future investments will have to be confined to diversified assets such as mutual funds. The new rules replace existing regulations that, while somewhat restrictive, still allowed officials such as regional presidents to buy and sell stocks.

Five Points for Anger, One for a ‘Like’: How Facebook’s formula fostered rage and misinformation
MSN – Jeremy Merrill and Will Oremus (Washington Post) | Published: 10/26/2021

Five years ago, Facebook gave its users five new ways to react to a post in their news feed beyond the iconic “like” thumbs-up: “love,” “haha,” “wow,” “sad,” and “angry.” Facebook programmed the algorithm that decides what people see in their news feeds to use the reaction emoji as signals to push more emotional and provocative content, including content likely to make them angry. Facebook’s ranking algorithm treated emoji reactions as five times more valuable than “likes,” internal documents reveal. The theory was simple: posts that prompted lots of reaction emoji tended to keep users more engaged, and keeping users engaged was the key to Facebook’s business.

Florida Judge Rules Trump Can’t Skirt Twitter’s Terms Just Because He Was President, in Latest Legal Setback
MSN – Timothy Bella (Washington Post) | Published: 10/27/2021

A federal judge in Florida ruled Donald Trump’s status as a former president does not exclude him from following Twitter’s terms of service, the latest setback in his quest to get back on the social media platform after being banned this year. The judge granted Twitter’s motion to transfer the case from the Southern District of Florida to the Northern District of California, which is required by a clause in the company’s user agreement that all Twitter users sign. The case stems from Twitter permanently suspending Trump shortly after the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that led to five deaths and injuries to hundreds of people.

Former Giuliani Associate Lev Parnas Is Convicted of Campaign Finance Crimes
National Public Radio – Associated Press | Published: 10/22/2021

A jury convicted a former associate of Rudy Giuliani of charges he made illegal campaign contributions to influence U.S. politicians and advance his business interests. Prosecutors accused Lev Parnas of using other people’s money to pose as a powerful political broker and get close to some of the nation’s leading Republican political figures. The case had drawn interest because of the involvement of Parnas and a former co-defendant, Igor Fruman, in Giuliani’s efforts to get Ukrainian officials to investigate Joe Biden’s son during the 2020 election.

House Votes to Hold Bannon in Contempt for Refusing to Comply with the Jan. 6 Subpoena
MSN – Felicia Sonmez, Marianna Sotomayor, and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 10/21/2021

The House voted to hold former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Bannon has argued he cannot respond to the subpoena because of executive privilege asserted by former President Trump. The matter now goes to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to pursue the matter. Legal experts have cast doubt on the merit of Bannon’s defense of his defiance of the subpoena.

Inside Facebook’s Struggle to Contain Insurrectionists’ Posts
Yahoo News – Alexandra Levine (Politico) | Published: 10/25/2021

In the hours leading up to the January 6 insurrection, engineers and other experts in Facebook’s Elections Operations Center were scrambling to thwart dangerous claims spreading across the platform, trying to detect false narratives of election fraud and squelch other content fueling the rioters. But much of what was happening across the social network that day fell into a bucket of problematic material Facebook has said it does not yet know how to tackle. Facebook had no clear playbook for handling some of the most dangerous material on its platform: content delegitimizing the U.S. elections.

Jan. 6 Protest Organizers Say They Participated in ‘Dozens’ of Planning Meetings with Members of Congress and White House Staff
Yahoo News – Hunter Walker (Rolling Stone) | Published: 10/24/2021

Two people who helped plan the pro-Trump rallies that took place in Washington, D.C., ahead of the Capitol riot on January 6 say members of Congress and the White House helped plan the protest that turned violent. Neither of the sources were identified, though Rolling Stone described one as a “rally organizer” and another as a “planner.” Rolling Stone reported the two are also talking to the House select committee investigating the insurrection. Both organizers also said Mark Meadows, who was serving as then-President Trump’s chief of staff, played a significant role in discussions regarding the protests ahead of January 6.

‘Threats of Violence’: School boards curb public comments to calm raucous meetings
MSN – Andrew Atterbury and Juan Perez Jr. (Politico) | Published: 10/26/2021

School leaders nationwide are beginning to eye ways to rein in public commentary at local meetings to quell raucous crowds over issues like mask mandates and critical race theory. The potential changes could add more strain between school boards and the public they serve, a domain that has emerged as a fierce culture war battleground amid the coronavirus. Parents across the nation are fighting for more control over what their children are learning in school, frustrations that have boiled over during the pandemic and are gaining support in the Republican Party.

Twitter Algorithms Amplify Conservative Content More Than That of the Political Left, Researchers Find
MSN – Taylor Telford (Washington Post) | Published: 10/24/2021

An internal evaluation of Twitter’s recommendation algorithms concluded they amplify right-leaning political content more than left-leaning content, undercutting allegations by many conservatives who contend they are being censored on the platform. The research is months in the making, part of Twitter’s promise to evaluate the underpinnings of its platform after the company was criticized for its role in the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – After Federal Court Action, Alaska Prepares to Remove Most Restrictions on Campaign Contributions
Yahoo News – James Brooks (Anchorage Daily News) | Published: 10/27/2021

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it will not re-examine a decision that overturned many of Alaska’s most important limits on campaign contributions. The order clears the way for those caps to be lifted later this fall, ahead of next year’s municipal and state races. Those limits were part of a 2006 ballot measure, but the federal judges ended almost six years of legal arguments by saying they unconstitutionally limit the free-speech rights of political donors.

California – California Sets New Rules for Mystery Donations Made on Behalf of Lawmakers
MSN – Melody Gutierrez (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/21/2021

California law requires that charitable donations of $5,000 or more requested by elected officials or their representatives, a practice known as behested payments, be disclosed to limit undue influence in government. But the identities of those who use so-called donor-advised funds to make those payments are often shielded in state and local disclosures. The Fair Political Practices Commission approved changes that will require elected officials to report the name of the person directing a behested payment through a donor-advised fund. When the contribution is made anonymously, the elected official must note that in disclosure filings.

California – Huizar Seeks to Gut Corruption Case, Says Alleged $1.5 Million in Gifts Were Not Bribes
Yahoo News – Michael Finnegan and David Zahniser (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/26/2021

Attorneys for former Los Angeles City Councilperson Jose Huizar readily admit that many of the allegations made against him in a wide-ranging corruption case are “distasteful.” Federal prosecutors have accused him of traveling on private jets, staying at luxury hotels, gambling at casinos in Las Vegas, and consorting with prostitutes – all paid for by businesspeople seeking to profit from the real estate boom in his district. But Huizar’s lawyers argued many of the steps he is accused of taking to help those businesspeople, such as setting up meetings and recommending consultants, were too informal to qualify as the type of “official acts” that meet the definition of bribery under federal law.

California – San Diego City Attorney, Mayoral Aides Met with Lobbyists Over Ash Street Litigation
San Diego Daily Tribune – Jeff McDonald (San Diego Union-Tribune) | Published: 10/24/2021

One of San Diego’s highest profile lobbying firms met privately with City Attorney Mara Elliott, her top lieutenants, and two senior aides to Mayor Todd Gloria to resolve litigation over the ill-fated lease for the former Sempra Energy headquarters. The confidential discussions with Southwest Strategies lobbyists came at the same time the company was raising tens of thousands of dollars in political donations for Elliott, Gloria, and members of the city. Legal and political experts say the arrangement is unusual and questionable.

Colorado – New Redistricting Lobbying Complaint Targets Latino Advocacy Group
Denver Gazette – Evan Wyloge (Colorado Springs Gazette) | Published: 10/22/2021

Another complaint alleging failures to properly disclose redistricting lobbying activity was lodged with the Colorado secretary of state, this time targeting an influential Hispanic and Latino advocacy organization. The newest complaint takes aim at the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization, arguing their registered lobbyist has not properly disclosed his activities, and two other employees of the organization should have registered as lobbyists and disclosed their contact with redistricting commissioners as lobbying.

Colorado – No-Bid Contracts to Campaign Contributors, Top-Dollar PR Firms Among ‘Custodial Funds’ Spending in Colorado
Denver Gazette – Evan Wyloge (Colorado Springs Gazette) | Published: 10/21/2021

So-called custodial funds in Colorado are an example of government spending that has little to no oversight. The money can be used at the discretion of a state agency, as long as the spending qualifies under the purpose of the funds’ source, like spending $400 million received from settlements with drug companies on anti-drug addiction efforts. But there is no oversight step built into the process. Attorney General Phil Weiser directed about $250,000 to no-bid contracts for a handful of his campaign contributors or their firms from a pot of money controlled by his office that is intended to help protect consumers from fraud.

Connecticut – Former State Rep. DiMassa Allegedly Billed West Haven $100K for Lobbying the City ‘Wouldn’t Need,’ Documents Show
Stamford Advocate – Mark Zaretsky (New Haven Register) | Published: 10/26/2021

Former Connecticut Rep. Michael DiMassa, who was arrested on federal wire-fraud charges related to his use of COVID relief funds, allegedly claimed on invoices he submitted to the city of New Haven a company he formed that received $636,000 in federal money was involved in lobbying activities. The documents do not specify who would have done the lobbying for DiMassa’s Compass Investment Group and authorities allege none of the work for which invoices were submitted was done, and state law also prohibits any member of the Legislature from acting as a lobbyist.

Florida – Florida Ethics Commission Clears Ken Welch in 2018 Lobbying Controversy
Florida Politics – Kelly Hayes | Published: 10/27/2021

The Florida Commission on Ethics found no probable cause former Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch misused his position in 2018 when lobbying public officials on behalf of his wife. The commission cleared Welch less than two weeks before the St. Petersburg election in which Welch tops the ballot for mayor. The issue has dogged Welch’s mayoral campaign in some attack emails by a shadowy group that messaged voters highlighting the past controversy. The emails referenced a Tampa Bay Times editorial criticizing Welch for an “obvious conflict-of-interest.”

Florida – Florida Senate ‘Ghost’ Candidate Alex Rodriguez Faces Potential $20,000 Ethics Fine
MSN – Mark Harper (Daytona Beach Journal) | Published: 10/27/2021

Alex Rodriguez, the former “ghost” candidate who pleaded guilty in August in an election-fraud criminal case, has been levied a $20,000 fine. The Florida Commission on Ethics announced it approved a settlement agreement with Rodriguez for accepting money “from an individual based on the understanding he would change his party affiliation, qualify to run” in the 2020 Senate District 37 race, and file a false financial-disclosure form. Rodriguez ran as a no-party affiliation candidate in a tight contest between then-incumbent Sen. Jose Rodriguez and Republican Ileana Garcia. He was considered a “ghost” candidate because he did not campaign other than filling out the paperwork and paying the qualifying fee.

Georgia – Judge: State can’t pursue charges against Georgia’s Oxendine
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/24/2021

A judge is throwing out ethics charges against former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, saying state officials waited too long to pursue action. Oxendine was accused of illegally using campaign funds from his failed 2010 gubernatorial campaign to buy a house and lease cars. He was also accused of accepting campaign contributions 10 times above the legal limit from insurance companies.

Iowa – Des Moines Schools’ Superintendent’s Wife Donated to School Board Candidate’s Campaign
MSN – Samantha Hernandez (Des Moines Register) | Published: 10/24/2021

Des Moines Public Schools’ Superintendent Tom Ahart’s wife donated $400 to a city School Board candidate’s campaign, a contribution that is legal but raises ethical questions, government watchdogs say. Jami Bassman Ahart donated to candidate Shelley Skuster, who is running to unseat Kim Martorano, who previously voted not to extend Ahart’s contract with the district. If elected, Skuster would be among those making decisions about Ahart’s future employment.

Michigan – Detroit Cops Accused of Pocketing Cash, Steering Towing Work, Offering to Leak Info
Detroit News – Robert Snell, George Hunter, and Oralandar Brand-Williams | Published: 10/27/2021

Two members of the Detroit Police Department, including an internal affairs lieutenant, were charged with bribery. The arrests are in connection with “Operation Northern Hook,” a broader FBI investigation of corruption within City Hall and municipal towing operations. Lt. John Kennedy and Officer Daniel Vickers conspired to accept bribes in exchange for steering towing work to an unidentified company, prosecutors alleged. The bribes included thousands of dollars in cash, cars, and new carpeting for Vickers’ home, according to the government.

Michigan – Feds Secure First Conviction in Taylor Mayor Bribery Scandal
Detroit News – Robert Snell | Published: 10/22/2021

Federal prosecutors secured the first conviction in a bribery case against Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars when a real estate developer admitted bribing Sollars with more than $53,000 in cash, appliances, home renovations, and gambling money. Shady Awad pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy almost two years after he was charged. Awad is the latest person convicted in a crackdown on public corruption in Metro Detroit. Since 2008, more than 100 individuals have been charged and there are ongoing FBI investigations targeting Detroit City Council members.

Mississippi – Brett Favre Repays $600,000 in Mississippi Welfare Fraud Case
New York Times – Michael Levensen | Published: 10/27/2021

Brett Favre, the Hall of Fame quarterback who was raised in Mississippi, paid the state back $600,000 he owed after he improperly received welfare money for speeches as part of an extensive fraud scheme. But Favre could still be sued if he does not pay the state the remaining $228,000 in interest he owes, said state Auditor Shad White. Mississippi had allowed millions of dollars in anti-poverty funds to be used in ways that did little or nothing to help the poor, with two nonprofit groups instead using the money on lobbyists, football tickets, religious concerts, and fitness programs for state lawmakers.

Missouri – Unexplained Exits Becoming the Norm for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s Cabinet
Missouri Independent – Jason Hancock | Published: 10/25/2021

The October 12 departure of Sarah Steelman as commissioner of the Office of Administration marked the third time in six months that a member of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s Cabinet was let go suddenly and without any public explanation. Just like the previous two – Former Health Director Randall Williams and ex-chief operating officer for the governor Drew Erdman – Steelman was asked to resign effective immediately, and her resignation letter is being withheld from public disclosure. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said the moves are especially troubling now that they involve the state’s purchasing agency.

New Jersey – An Oath Keeper Was at the Capitol Riot. On Tuesday, He’s on the Ballot.
New York Times – Tracy Tully | Published: 10/27/2021

Edward Durfee Jr. is an active member of the far-right Oath Keepers militia who leads the group’s northern New Jersey region and was outside the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. He is also running for the New Jersey Assembly as a Republican. Durfee said he did not enter the Capitol during the assault, and he condemned the violence that led to several deaths. But he wholeheartedly embraces the ideology of the Oath Keepers, an antigovernment group that pledges to support and defend its interpretation of the Constitution against all enemies.

New York – Rep. Espaillat Campaign Paid Thousands to Online Influencers Who Delivered Flattering Posts
The City – Claudia Irizarry Aponte | Published: 10/25/2021

Campaign committees for U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat have paid nearly $15,000 to bloggers for posting hundreds of flattering articles dating to his first run for Congress in 2016. The bloggers’ posts do not disclose their financial ties with the Espaillat campaign, exploiting a legal gray area as paid social media influencers play a growing role in campaigns nationally. Two of those bloggers have also received payments from four candidates for the New York City Council, classified in campaigns’ filings as “communications” or “advertising.” The council contenders also have reaped favorable articles written by the bloggers, without disclosure to readers of the payments.

Ohio – Bankruptcy Court Overseeing Energy Harbor Case Didn’t Pre-Approve $500K Political Donation
MSN – Laura Bischoff (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 10/24/2021

Bankrupt and struggling for survival, FirstEnergy Solutions donated $500,000 to the Republican Governors Association in October 2018 as part of a political strategy recommended by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, a powerful law and lobbying firm. But the contribution, designed to help Mike DeWine, did not get prior approval from the federal bankruptcy court. FirstEnergy and FirstEnergy Solutions, which is now called Energy Harbor, have not provided a full disclosure of how much money it pumped into Ohio politics via “dark money” groups.

Ohio – Cincinnati City Council Approves Anti-Corruption Reforms
WXIX – Jennifer Edwards Baker | Published: 10/27/2021

Rocked by a corruption scandal that saw three members indicted on bribery charges last year, Cincinnati City Council approved two anti-corruption reform measures. One will prohibit council members from soliciting and accepting campaign contributions from those having a financial interest in city business while that business is pending before council. The other will create the position of ethics czar. This person will investigate ethics complaints, oversee a confidential whistleblower hotline, and in general support ethics, election, and campaign finance efforts.

Ohio – Sam Randazzo Overruled PUCO Commissioners, Staff to Help FirstEnergy, According to Company’s Ex-CEO
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/21/2021

Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chairperson Sam Randazzo, whom FirstEnergy admitted to bribing, overruled other commissioners and staff to secure policies that benefitted the utility. Randazzo also succeeded in “burning” the final report of a PUCO-commissioned audit into a FirstEnergy customer charge the Ohio Supreme Court overturned the previous year. Critics are questioning whether that report contained information about whether FirstEnergy was improperly using money collected from customers to help pay a $60 million bribe to secure the passage of legislation favorable to the company.

Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Lawmakers Get Started on Bills Restricting Lobbyists
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Marc Levy (Associated Press) | Published: 10/25/2021

The Pennsylvania House began advancing a package of bills aimed at lobbying, including limiting gifts from lobbyists, and prohibiting lobbyists from trying to influence an elected official for whom they also worked as a campaign strategist. One of the centerpiece bills would bar state officials, including lawmakers, from letting a lobbyist pay for their transportation, lodging, recreation, or entertainment, and limiting gifts from lobbyists to $250 in value each year.

Tennessee – State Sen. Brian Kelsey, Nashville Club Owner Indicted in Campaign Finance Conspiracy
MSN – Rachel Wegner and Brinley Hineman (The Tennessean) | Published: 10/25/2021

A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Tennessee Sen. Brian Kelsey and club owner Joshua Smith with violating multiple campaign finance laws as part of a conspiracy to benefit Kelsey’s 2016 campaign for Congress. Smith owns The Standard, an elite Nashville club that also operates its own state PAC. There, the investigators allege, they illegally funneled money into Kelsey’s campaign on one occasion at a private dinner through the club’s PAC. A watchdog group filed an FEC complaint saying Kelsey and others may have been involved in illegal straw donations, inappropriate coordination, and other possible wrongdoing.

Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott’s Pick for Top Texas Election Post Worked with Trump to Fight 2020 Results
Texas Tribune – James Barragán and Patrick Svitek | Published: 10/21/2021

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed John Scott, an attorney who briefly represented former President Trump in a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania, as Texas’ new secretary of state. Scott would oversee election administration in Texas, a task complicated in by baseless claims of widespread election fraud from Republicans in the highest levels of government, fueled by Trump. Scott will eventually have to be confirmed by the Legislature, which is not scheduled to meet again until 2023. Until then, Scott will serve as interim secretary of state and will oversee next year’s statewide races, in which Abbott will run for reelection.

Texas – Texas Abortion Law Model Could Spread to Guns, Free Speech, Supreme Court Is Told
MSN – Todd Ruger (Roll Call) | Published: 10/28/2021

The U.S. Supreme Court faces arguments that a novel enforcement scheme Texas created for its abortion law could be used by states to neutralize other constitutional rights related to guns, protests, campaign finance, and more. The warning comes from not only the Justice Department and the abortion providers that have challenged the law but also constitutional scholars, states, former prosecutors, and law enforcement officials and a California-based nonprofit group that pushes for gun rights.

Texas – Texas GOP Lawmaker Launches Investigation of Books on Race and Sexuality Used in School Districts
MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 10/27/2021

A Texas Republican lawmaker launched an investigation into some of the state’s school districts’ libraries, demanding in a letter that educators say whether their schools own books named in a list of 850 titles, many of which cover issues of race and sexuality. Rep. Matt Krause, who is running for state attorney general, sent the letter as part of his role as chairperson of the House Committee on General Investigating. Sarah Spurrier, a high school social studies teacher, said she does not teach critical race theory in her classes, because that is a concept she first heard of this summer, when it became a conservative talking point.

Texas – Texas GOP Lt. Gov. Patrick Offered $25,000 for Election-Fraud tips. The First Payout Was for a Republican’s Illegal Vote.
MSN – Julian Mark (Washington Post) | Published: 10/22/2021

Three days after the 2020 presidential election was called for Joe Biden, and as then-President Trump took to Twitter and falsely claimed tens of thousands of votes were cast illegally, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he would reward a minimum of $25,000 to tipsters who uncovered credible instances of voter fraud. Now Patrick has given out his first reward to Eric Frank, a Democratic poll worker from Pennsylvania whose tip led to the recent conviction of a registered Republican who cast a second vote in his son’s name last November.

Virginia – An Army of Poll Watchers – Many Driven by GOP’s ‘Election Integrity’ Push – Turns Out Across Virginia
MSN – Meagan Flynn and Shawn Boburg (Washington Post) | Published: 10/27/2021

In Virginia, the Republican Party’s “election integrity” push has driven an influx of election observers in this year’s gubernatorial race. In some trainings, prospective poll watchers have been taught to see themselves as a bulwark against election fraud. But while many registrars said they welcomed the poll watchers’ commitment to transparency, some tactics have made election officials uneasy because it is clear former President Trump’s claims of mass voter fraud have driven much of the interest, said Fairfax County General Registrar Scott, creating a created a sense among some staff members the observers do not trust them.

Virginia – Virginia’s Redistricting Commission’s Failure to Transcend Partisanship Has Lessons for Other States, Critics Say
MSN – Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) | Published: 10/25/2021

Last year, Virginia voters approved a bipartisan commission to take politics out of redistricting. This year, blowing past deadlines to deliver new state and congressional maps, the Virginia Redistricting Commission failed to reach agreement on any maps, with time running out to reconvene. It marks a stunning departure from the type of redistricting overhaul voters sought when they approved the commission. While voters and advocates hoped to end gerrymandering, instead what they got was a stalemate, as commissioners gridlocked along party lines almost every step of the way.

October 28, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Alaska: “After Federal Court Action, Alaska Prepares to Remove Most Restrictions on Campaign Contributions” by James Brooks for Anchorage Daily News Ohio: “Bankruptcy Court Overseeing Energy Harbor Case Didn’t Pre-Approve $500K Political Donation” by Laura Bischoff (Columbus Dispatch) […]

October 26, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Georgia: “Judge: State can’t pursue charges against Georgia’s Oxendine” by Associated Press for MSN Tennessee: “State Sen. Brian Kelsey, Nashville Club Owner Indicted in Campaign Finance Conspiracy” by Rachel Wegner and Brinley Hineman (The Tennessean) for MSN Elections […]

October 25, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Former Giuliani Associate Lev Parnas Is Convicted of Campaign Finance Crimes” by Associated Press for National Public Radio California: “California Sets New Rules for Mystery Donations Made on Behalf of Lawmakers” by Melody Gutierrez (Los Angeles Times) […]

October 22, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 22, 2021

National/Federal Advocates Worry Biden Is Letting U.S. Democracy Erode on His Watch MSN – Ashley Parker, Tyler Pager, and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2021 Voting rights advocates meet once every week or two with White House officials via video […]

National/Federal

Advocates Worry Biden Is Letting U.S. Democracy Erode on His Watch
MSN – Ashley Parker, Tyler Pager, and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 10/16/2021

Voting rights advocates meet once every week or two with White House officials via video conference, and in almost every session, an advocate speaks up to say President Biden must do more, that American democracy is under threat and the president is not meeting the challenge. In the nine months since Biden took office, GOP officials throughout the country have baselessly challenged the 2020 results, conducting clumsy audits. States have restricted voting and have changed their procedures to allow political influence over elections. Many in Trump’s camp have taken to lauding the deadly January 6 attack on the Capitol.

As Some Black Staff Members Leave Congress, Those Who Remain Call for Change
New York Times – Aishvarya Kavi | Published: 10/17/2021

Black staff members in Congress are sounding the alarm on a “painful” two years, including the coronavirus pandemic and the January 6 attack on the Capitol, they say have exacerbated the challenges they face in pursuing a career on Capitol Hill. Two congressional staff associations called for better pay and “a stronger college-to-Congress pipeline” to recruit Black graduates. They also urged voters to push lawmakers to diversify their staff. Published on behalf of more than 300 Black staffers, the letter offers a glimpse at the experiences of those who work behind the scenes drafting policy, interacting with constituents, and advancing agendas.

As Trump Thunders About Last Election, Republicans Worry About the Next One
Yahoo News – Jeremy Peters (New York Times) | Published: 10/18/2021

The Republican Party’s ambitions of ending unified Democratic control in Washington in 2022 are colliding with a considerable force that can sway tens of millions of votes: former President Trump’s increasingly vocal demands that members of his party remain in a permanent state of obedience, endorsing his false claims of a stolen election or risking his wrath. “If we don’t solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020, Republicans will not be voting in ’22 or ’24. It’s the single most important thing for Republicans to do.,” Trump said in a recent statement.

David Cameron Cleared Over Unregistered Lobbying on Work for US Biotech Group
Financial Times – Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe | Published: 10/20/2021

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron was cleared by the lobbying regulator over whether he should have registered as a consultant lobbyist while working with biotechnology group Illumina. OpenDemocracy reported that Cameron, who is a paid adviser for Illumina, met the then vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi just months after the company was granted £870,000 of contracts with Public Health England. The registrar assessed four pieces of communication by the former prime minister, which included text messages referencing Illumina that were sent in 2021 to Zahawi.

Drain the Swamp? This Guy’s Trying to Fill It.
Yahoo News – Hailey Fuchs (Politico) | Published: 10/15/2021

Ivan Adler is a recruiter who specializes in plucking lawmakers and staffers off Capitol Hill or elsewhere in government and placing them into jobs on K Street in trade associations, corporations, law practices, and lobbying firms. There are other lobbyist recruiters in Washington, but few, if any, do it with as much bravado as Adler. His name is well-known among lawmakers who are leaving their posts for jobs in the private sector. Adler said he is so plugged in that he is sometimes among the first to know a member of Congress is contemplating whether to seek reelection.

FBI Searches D.C., NYC Homes Connected to Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska
MSN – Devlin Barrett, Spencer Hsu, and Rosalind Helderman (Washington Post) | Published: 10/19/2021

FBI agents searched homes connected to sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, one in Washington, D.C. and one in New York City, as part of an unspecified criminal investigation into the activities of a man who has not set foot on U.S. soil in years. His name came up repeatedly in recent investigations involving Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Deripaska is a billionaire and has long been a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also did business for years with Paul Manafort, Trump’s onetime campaign chairperson, although he and Deripaska eventually had a falling out.

Fed Ethics Office Warned Officials to Curb Unnecessary Trading During Rescue
New York Times – Jeanna Smialek | Published: 10/21/2021

As the Federal Reserve was taking steps to shore up financial markets at the onset of the pandemic last year, its ethics office sent out a warning. Officials might want to avoid unnecessary trading for a few months as the Fed dived deeper into markets, the Board of Governors’ ethics unit suggested in an email, a message that was passed along to regional bank presidents. But the recommendation did not go far enough to prevent a trading scandal that is now engulfing the Fed and being leveraged against its chair, Jerome Powell, as the White House mulls whether to reappoint him before his leadership term expires early next year.

House Jan. 6 Panel Votes to Hold Ex-Trump Advisor Stephen Bannon in Contempt
Yahoo News – Del Quentin Wilber (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/19/2021

A congressional committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol voted to hold former Trump advisor Stephen Bannon in contempt for not cooperating with its inquiry, a significant escalation in the panel’s efforts to get answers about the insurrection from the political operative. Former President Trump has told allies not to cooperate with the inquiry. Bannon helped run Trump’s 2016 campaign and served briefly in the White House but was a private citizen in the run-up to the insurrection. If the full House votes to endorse the resolution, Bannon will be referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.

K Street Revenues Boom
MSN – Karl Evers-Hillstrom (The Hill) | Published: 10/20/2021

The leading K Street firms continue to rake in record sums of cash as corporate clients push their chips in to influence President Biden’s ambitious domestic agenda. Companies and trade associations, fighting to stave off corporate tax hikes and other Democratic proposals to reshape sections of the economy, are leaning on lobbyists who have cultivated close relationships with congressional leaders and Biden administration officials. Nearly all the top lobbying firms increased their third-quarter revenue over the same period last year.

Lobbying Groups’ Effectiveness Hits New High This Year: Study
MSN – Karl Evers-Hillstrom (The Hill) | Published: 10/19/2021

Trade associations are finding unprecedented success in influencing policymakers this year. An APCO Worldwide study surveyed 322 congressional staffers, executive branch officials, and private sector executives, and reported trade groups are having their best year since APCO started tracking their effectiveness in 2013. That finding comes after trade groups launched extensive lobbying campaigns to influence Democrats’ coronavirus stimulus package, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and the $3.5 trillion social spending plan. Their efforts are bolstered by Democrats’ thin majorities and divisions between the party’s moderates and progressives.

Nebraska GOP Rep. Fortenberry Indicted
MSN – Hailey Fuchs and Olivia Beavers (Politico) | Published: 10/19/2021

A federal grand jury indicted U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, alleging he concealed information and made false statements to authorities. The Justice Department said Fortenberry repeatedly lied to and misled authorities during an investigation into illegal contributions to his reelection campaign that were made by a Nigerian-born billionaire, Gilbert Chagoury. The charges against Fortenberry emerged from a case against Chagoury, who under federal law cannot contribute to U.S. elections but admitted to providing approximately $180,000 to make campaign donations.

Political Nonprofit Fundraising Off Breast Cancer Has Deep Ties to Scam PAC Networks
Center for Responsive Politics – Roger Sollengberger and Anna Massoglia | Published: 10/15/2021

Although it sounds like a noble charity, the American Breast Cancer Coalition (ABCC) is a political group and rather than trying to address breast cancer, it appears to be a scheme to extract millions of dollars in donations, mostly from small donors. In recent robocalls, a female voice claims the goal of the group’s fundraising is to “support legislators who will fight for the fast-track approval of life saving breast cancer health bills and breast cancer treatment drugs to the FDA.” But IRS records tell a different story, revealing payments to firms with ties to a multimillion-dollar “scam PAC” network.

Staffers Keep Clashing Over Masks in the Capitol Hallways
MSN – Chris Cioffi (Roll Call) | Published: 10/21/2021

One congressional staffer said he almost always wears a mask at work. His closest colleagues do too. But everywhere the Democrat looked recently, bare faces rushed by, ignoring the signs: “Use of face covering is required.” Some staffers say they feel trapped in a never-ending proxy war, squabbling over masks as larger partisan tensions rage in Congress. Nineteen months into the pandemic, masks are still much more than simple pieces of fabric and that is especially true when you work on Capitol Hill, in the heart of political Washington, D.C.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’: Arizona GOP goes full fringe
MSN – David Siders (Politico) | Published: 10/20/2021

As the Republican Party hardens around its fealty to former President Trump, the Arizona GOP is filling up its midterm ballot with a roster of conspiracy theorists and extremists that could threaten the party’s prospects in a state that has drifted leftward in recent elections. The latest of those candidates is Ron Watkins, a celebrity in the QAnon conspiracy world suspected of being Q, who announced his plans to run for Congress recently. It is not just that Watkins embraces the baseless claim the November election was stolen. It is that an entire ticket is running on that falsehood now.

California – California #MeToo Leaders Say Capitol’s Sexual Harassment Unit Is Too Close to the Legislature
MSN – Hannah Wiley (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 10/18/2021

A network of activists called We Said Enough launched in October 2017 with a Los Angeles Times op-ed that called out a “pervasive” culture of abusive behavior by men in California’s institutions of power. More than 140 women, including several lawmakers and party leaders, signed the letter. In the following months, three lawmakers resigned amid public sexual misconduct allegations and investigations. The Capitol responded to the movement by setting up an independent review panel it dubbed the Workplace Conduct Unit to field new complaints. Activists say problems still persist.

California – California Board Diversity Requirements Face Legal Challenge
MSN – Ellen Myers (Roll Call) | Published: 10/14/2021

California, one of the first states to require companies to include women on their boards of directors, may see its ability to enforce director diversity laws upended depending on the outcome of multiple lawsuits. One of those lawsuits is a complaint from three California taxpayers over enforcement of Senate Bill 826, which requires public companies with principal executive offices in the state to incrementally increase the number of women on their boards. It will head to trial on October 25.

California – Top California Labor Official and Husband Accused of Grand Theft, Embezzlement and Tax Evasion
MSN – Taryn Luna (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/13/2021

The top staff member at California’s largest labor union resigned after she and her husband were charged with felonies including tax fraud. Alma Hernandez served as executive director for SEIU California since 2016. Hernandez faces two charges of grand theft and one of perjury for her work as treasurer on a 2014 political committee supporting a state Senate candidate. The complaint alleges she directed nearly $12,000 in campaign money to her husband for campaign food services that he never provided. That political committee received numerous contributions from the SEIU California’s political arm.

Colorado – Colorado County Clerk Who Embraced Conspiracy Theories Is Barred from Overseeing Elections
MSN – Emma Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 10/13/2021

A Colorado judge prohibited Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from overseeing this November’s election. The effort by Peters to ferret out supposedly hidden evidence of fraud in the 2020 election amounted to an escalation in the attacks on the nation’s voting systems, according to experts. Secretary of State Jena Griswold filed a lawsuit seeking to strip Peters of her election duties after passwords for Mesa County’s voting machines were posted online and copies of the hard drives were presented at a symposium hosted by MyPillow executive Mike Lindell, who denies President Biden won the 2020 election.

Connecticut – Guilty Plea Entered in State Senate Election Fraud Case
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/20/2021

A former campaign worker for a state Senator in Connecticut pleaded guilty to federal charges she conspired to fraudulently obtain public funds for the senator’s 2018 legislative campaign. Tina Manus worked on the campaign of Sen. Dennis Bradley, who is awaiting trial on charges his campaign ran a scheme to make it look as though he qualified for funds to which he was not entitled. Manus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and agreed to cooperate in the investigation.

Connecticut – State Rep. Michael DiMassa Arrested by FBI in Probe of Misuse of COVID Relief Funds, Accused of Stealing More Than $600,000
MSN – Edmund Mahoney (Hartford Courant) | Published: 10/20/2021

Connecticut Rep. Michael DiMassa was arrested, accused of stealing more than $600,000 in federal COVID relief money by billing the city of West Haven, where he also worked as an aide to the city council, for pandemic related consulting services that federal officials said he never performed. Federal prosecutors said a portion of the alleged thefts appear to correspond with DiMassa’s purchase of tens of thousands of dollars in gambling chip at the Mohegan Sun Casino.

Florida – ‘It Gets Complicated’: Inconsistencies emerge when commissioners declare conflicts of interest
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 10/20/2021

Citing actual or apparent conflicts-of-interest, Leon County and Tallahassee city commissioners refrained from voting on issues big and small, from COVID-19 relief efforts to legal fees and development minutia. An investigation based on voting conflict forms and other public records found commissioners were sometimes inconsistent as they navigated what remains a complicated and grey area of the law. They often relied on an exemption in state statutes allowing them to abstain for mere appearances of a possible conflict-of-interest, though that provision is supposed to be applied narrowly.

Illinois – Chicago Sky Owner Michael Alter Agrees to Pay Fine for Lobbying Mayor Lori Lightfoot
MSN – Gregory Pratt (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 10/20/2021

Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter will pay a $5,000 fine to the city after the ethics board sanctioned him for unregistered lobbying of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Alter argued earlier this year that the board was wrong to fine him for unregistered lobbying after The Chicago Tribune obtained emails showing he asked Lightfoot for help gaining a gambling license. But he has since reversed course and agreed to pay the fine.

Illinois – Indicted Former City Club President Fined $75K by Ethics Board for Violating Lobbying Rules
WTTW – Heather Cherone | Published: 10/19/2021

Jay Doherty, the former head of the City Club of Chicago, was fined $75,000 by the Chicago Board of Ethics for violating the lobbying law. An investigation concluded Doherty “violated the ordinance on three occasions by lobbying on behalf of entities for which the individual had not duly registered as a lobbyist, and on four occasions lobbied but failed to properly report that lobbying activity as required on the quarterly lobbying activity reports.” Doherty has pleaded not guilty to charges that accused him of being part of a scheme to reward those loyal to former House Speaker Michael Madigan with money and jobs in exchange for Madigan’s support.

Illinois – Three-Judge Panel Declares Illinois Legislative Redistricting Plan Unconstitutional
Courthouse News Service – Dave Byrnes | Published: 10/20/2021

A three-judge panel declared Illinois’ June 2021 state legislative redistricting unconstitutional, in a rebuke to the Legislature’s Democratic-controlled State Board of Elections. A lawsuit alleged that, as the redistricting plan was based on preliminary 2015-2019 state population estimates made by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and not the official 2020 Census results, it violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The judges said the redistricting plan apportions state legislative districts in such a way that some districts are severely under-populated, while others are severely over-populated.

Louisiana – Gary Smith Sr. Files Ethics Disclosure on Debris Deals, the First Such Disclosure in Years
New Orleans Advocate – Sam Karlin | Published: 10/18/2021

The father of state Sen. Gary Smith Jr. filed an ethics disclosure for debris-staging contracts worth more than $105,000, the first such disclosure anyone has made to the Louisiana Board of Ethics in six years. The Smith family owns a network of companies that has long made money off hurricane work. After Katrina in 2005, one of the companies won a controversial FEMA deal to provide trailers for more than $100 million. It is not clear why such disaster contract disclosures are so rare.

Maine – Maine Ethics Watchdog Turn Back CMP Allies’ Request to Investigate Corridor Foe
Bangor Daily News – Caitlin Andrews | Published: 10/15/2021

The state’s ethics commission rejected a request from Central Maine Power Co. allies to investigate a top opponent of their $1 billion corridor project, Sandra Howard, who leads the nonprofit Say No to NECEC, over a large contribution from a political group she runs to a nonprofit she also runs. The vote means the commission will not investigate the anti-corridor side during the last weeks of a referendum campaign that has drawn more than $60 million in spending.

Massachusetts – Grand Jury Is Said to Have Heard Testimony About Potential Campaign Finance Violations by MassGOP Head, Republican State Senator
MSN – Emma Platoff (Boston Globe) | Published: 10/18/2021

A state grand jury has heard testimony about potential campaign finance violations by the head of the Massachusetts Republican Party and a state senator, according to a person who received a subpoena and spoke before the panel. Sources said the probe appears focused on GOP Chairperson Jim Lyons, Sen. Ryan Fattman, and his wife, Worcester County’s register of probate, Stephanie Fattman. In April, campaign finance regulators told state prosecutors the Republicans might have violated campaign finance laws. The work of the grand jury would mark an escalation in the probe and suggests authorities are pursuing it as a criminal matter.

Massachusetts – High-Powered Lobbying Firm Arrives in Boston Touting Ties to Labor Secretary Martin Walsh
MSN – Neya Thanikachalam (Boston Globe) | Published: 10/15/2021

An influential national lobbying firm opened a Boston location touting a potentially valuable advantage – connections to former mayor and current U.S. Labor Secretary Martin Walsh. Ballard Partners said its new location will be headed by Eugene O’Flaherty, the former city attorney under Walsh. O’Flaherty, who joined Ballard Partners days after Walsh was confirmed, has lobbied the Labor Department on behalf of at least eight clients. Virginia Canter, the chief ethics counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, suggested Walsh make his calendar public to show he was not prioritizing lobbyists’ agendas.

Michigan – Michigan SOS Must Release Documents on Deal with Pro-Whitmer Group, Court
Detroit News – Craig Mauger | Published: 10/18/2021

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office must release more internal records on how it handled campaign finance violations by a group that backed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s election in 2018. Court of Claims Judge Christopher Murray ruled the secretary of state’s office had improperly withheld some documents in response to a public records request by the conservative group Michigan Rising Action. The ruling could shed light on the behind-the-scenes discussions that led to Build a Better Michigan agreeing to a $37,500 settlement.

Michigan – Whitmer’s Campaign Might Have to Return Excess Contributions Soon, Filing Says
Detroit News – Craig Mauger | Published: 10/15/2021

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection campaign could have to return or donate $3.4 million in excess contributions it collected outside the state’s normal donor limits as soon as January, according to a new court filing on behalf of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The filing came in response to the Michigan Republican Party’s lawsuit in federal court, challenging the Democratic governor’s use of a decades-old state policy on recalls to garner large contributions, above the normal $7,150 limit on individual donors, to bolster her reelection campaign account.

Missouri – Missouri Governor Accuses Journalist Who Warned State About Cybersecurity Flaw of Criminal ‘Hacking’
MSN – Elahe Izade (Washington Post) | Published: 10/15/2021

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson lashed out at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch after the newspaper informed the state of a data risk that left 100,000 Social Security numbers vulnerable to public disclosure. Parson said the Cole County prosecutor and the Missouri Highway Patrol would investigate the matter. He said the news outlet that uncovered and reported the vulnerability would be held accountable. The governor said the “”ndividual” who alerted the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was attempting to “embarrass the state and sell headlines for their news outlet.”

Nevada – State Ethics Panel: Bonnie Weber didn’t break law over quarterly meetings with developers
MSN – James DeHaven (Reno Gazette-Journal) | Published: 10/20/2021

Reno City Councilperson Bonnie Weber did not break the law by hosting a series of “summits” with prominent developers. The Nevada Commission on Ethics dismissed a complaint that accused Weber of improperly using public funds to entertain city developers at the Bonanza Casino. The complaint also alleged at least one other city employee joined Weber for the quarterly meeting. Commissioners gave the city three months to come up with rules that “adequately address” situations where city staff are asked to work at closed-door events organized by an elected official.

New York – Top Brass Head for Exits as Chaos Engulfs NYC Consulting Firm
MSN – Sally Goldenberg (Politico) | Published: 10/14/2021

One of New York’s leading lobbying and consulting firms is in disarray, feuding with its corporate owner as top executives head for the exits. Mercury Public Affairs, a global company that has been embroiled in litigation against parent company Omnicom Medias Group in California, is now facing an exodus of key personnel in New York City as they prepare to battle Omnicom’s mandated noncompete requirements for departed staff. At issue in New York is Omnicom’s insistence on restrictive covenants that stipulate departed staffers cannot continue to represent the firm’s clients or work together for at least a year.

New York – Trump Organization, Already Under Indictment, Faces New Criminal Inquiry
New York Times – William Rashbaum and Ben Protess | Published: 10/20/2021

Former President Trump’s business, which is under indictment in Manhattan, is facing a criminal investigation by another prosecutor’s office that has begun to examine financial dealings at a golf course the company owns, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The district attorney’s office in Westchester County, New York, subpoenaed records from the course, Trump National Golf Club Westchester, and the town of Ossining, which sets property taxes on the course. The district attorney appears to be focused, at least in part, on whether the Trump Organization misled local officials about the property’s value to reduce its taxes.

Ohio – Stow Councilwoman Faces Ethics Charge Over Failure to File Financial Statement
MSN – Krista Kano (Akron Beacon Journal) | Published: 10/20/2021

The Ohio Ethics Commission is pursuing legal action against Stow City Councilperson Christina Shaw for failure to file a required financial disclosure statement in 2019. An arraignment is scheduled where Shaw is to be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor. Commission spokesperson Susan Willeke said the commission generally grants extensions and “going to court isn’t necessarily the first step.”

Pennsylvania – PA Lawmakers Spend Millions of Tax Dollars on Private Lawyers, but Often Don’t Reveal Why
MSN – Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) and Sam Janesch (The Caucus) | Published: 10/12/2021

The Pennsylvania Legislature spent nearly $10 million during the past two years on private lawyers but routinely shielded the purpose of those expenses, hiding which lawmakers and their staff members required representation and why. A review of thousands of pages of legal invoices and engagement letters from 2019 and 2020 shows the cases ranged from public records fights to attempts to overturn last year’s presidential election. In many instances, Republicans and Democrats in both chambers blacked out the reason for hiring lawyers, flouting case law that requires them to make public those details. Other records were so vague it was impossible to identify the reason for the representation.

Virginia – New Political Ad Strategy in Virginia: Promoting news articles in Google search results
MSN – Karina Ellwood (Washington Post) | Published: 10/18/2021

Google ads purchased by Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe’s campaign feature links to news and opinion articles about his opponent, Glenn Youngkin. The ads show up at the top of search results for keywords such as “Glenn Youngkin,” and include a disclosure that they are advertisements, as well as an additional tag required for political advertisements indicating they are paid for by the McAuliffe campaign. But the ads include titles written by the campaign, which are subtly different from the original search engine headlines written by the publications and appear in the same format as a headline would appear in a search result.

Washington – Facebook Provided False Testimony in Campaign Transparency Lawsuit, Washington Attorney General Says
Seattle Times – Daniel Gutman | Published: 10/13/2021

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said a Facebook representative provided false testimony in a lawsuit that accuses the company of violating state campaign finance laws. Ferguson says both the company and its attorneys knew the testimony was false. Ferguson sued Facebook last year, alleging it has “repeatedly and openly” violated disclosure laws by selling political ads without providing required details of the spending. The company has argued Washington’s laws are unconstitutional and violate both free speech protections and the Commerce Clause, which gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.

Washington DC – D.C. Housing Authority Board Chair Steps Down Amid Questions Over Conflicts of Interest
MSN – Marissa Lang, Michael Brice-Saddler, and Steve Thompson (Washington Post) | Published: 10/20/2021

Neil Albert, who has for the last four years served as the chair of the District of Columbia Housing Authority’s board of commissioners, resigned amid questions over alleged conflicts-of-interest. Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability to look further into allegations made in recent news reports that Albert did not properly disclose his romantic partnership with the chief executive of an architectural firm that has worked with authority.

Wisconsin – Calls Intensify to End Wisconsin’s Election Review Amid Blunders by Ex-Judge in Charge
MSN – Elise Viebeck (Washington Post) | Published: 10/14/2021

After a series of blatant errors, Michael Gableman, the former judge leading the Republican review of the state’s 2020 presidential election, admitted he does not have “a comprehensive understanding or even any understanding of how elections work.” The latest round of reversals and blunders is intensifying calls to end the probe, one of several recent efforts around the country to revisit Joe Biden’s win in states where former President Trump and his supporters have leveled baseless accusations of voter fraud.

October 21, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Nebraska GOP Rep. Fortenberry Indicted” by Hailey Fuchs and Olivia Beavers (Politico) for MSN Elections Arizona: “‘Down the Rabbit Hole’: Arizona GOP goes full fringe” by David Siders (Politico) for MSN Ethics National: “FBI Searches D.C., NYC […]

October 20, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Massachusetts: “Grand Jury Is Said to Have Heard Testimony About Potential Campaign Finance Violations by MassGOP Head, Republican State Senator” by Emma Platoff (Boston Globe) for MSN Michigan: “Michigan SOS Must Release Documents on Deal with Pro-Whitmer Group, […]

October 19, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Political Nonprofit Fundraising Off Breast Cancer Has Deep Ties to Scam PAC Networks” by Roger Sollenberger and Anna Massoglia for Center for Responsive Politics California: “Top California Labor Official and Husband Accused of Grand Theft, Embezzlement and […]

October 18, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Maine: “Maine Ethics Watchdog Turn Back CMP Allies’ Request to Investigate Corridor Foe” by Caitlin Andrews for Bangor Daily News Washington: “Facebook Provided False Testimony in Campaign Transparency Lawsuit, Washington Attorney General Says” by Daniel Gutman for Seattle […]

October 15, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 15, 2021

National/Federal Activists Try to Keep Up Pressure to Pass Elections and Voting Bills MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 10/13/2021 Groups pushing for voting rights and elections legislation in the U.S. Senate are planning a sustained campaign over the […]

National/Federal

Activists Try to Keep Up Pressure to Pass Elections and Voting Bills
MSN – Kate Ackley (Roll Call) | Published: 10/13/2021

Groups pushing for voting rights and elections legislation in the U.S. Senate are planning a sustained campaign over the coming weeks, aiming to put the issue top of mind for Democrats, even as other matters have dominated in the chamber. A broad coalition of liberal organizations will organize regular demonstrations outside the White House, other rallies, and a multimodal relay from West Virginia to the U.S. Capitol. The effort is part of a push to keep the measures high on the agenda as negotiations over a reconciliation package, an infrastructure bill, and raising the nation’s debt limit have taken center stage.

Big Tech Sweeps Up Hill Staffers – Just When Congress Needs Them the Most
MSN – Emily Birnbaum and John Hendel (Politico) | Published: 10/12/2021

Silicon Valley and the telecommunications industry are snatching up some of the top Democratic policy experts on Capitol Hill just as Congress gears up for fights with the companies. The brain drain has seen more than a dozen senior Democratic tech and telecom policy staffers leaving their posts this year, with many taking lobbying roles at powerhouses including Facebook, Verizon, and Apple. They are leaving members’ personal offices as well as the Senate and House committees that oversee agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, along with topics like broadband, online speech, and data privacy.

‘Cannot Wait for Washington:’ How voting rights activists are navigating new restrictions ahead of November elections
WRAL – Fredrika Schouten, Dianne Gallagher, and Wesley Bruer (CNN) | Published: 10/11/2021

In states from Georgia to Montana, activists are scrambling to help voters navigate the new restrictions passed largely in Republican-controlled states after record turnout in 2020 helped elect Joe Biden and flipped control of the U.S. Senate to Democrats. Nineteen states have passed 33 new laws this year to restrict voting. But some of the most extensive changes are clustered in just a handful. Four states – Iowa, Georgia, Florida, and Texas – enacted sweeping revisions of their existing laws, bundled together in single omnibus bills.

Dozens of States Have Tried to End Qualified Immunity. Police Officers and Unions Helped Beat Nearly Every Bill.
MSN – Kimberly Kindy (Washington Post) | Published: 10/7/2021

In the months after George Floyd’s murder, state legislators across the country tried to undo a legal doctrine that makes it virtually impossible to sue police officers for violating a person’s civil rights. But then, in state after state, the bills withered, were withdrawn, or were altered beyond recognition. At least 35 state “qualified-immunity” bills have died in the past 18 months. The efforts failed amid multifaceted lobbying campaigns by police officers and their unions targeting lawmakers.

Giuliani Associates Face Trial in Campaign Finance Scheme
Yahoo News – Tom Hays and Larry Neumeister (Associated Press) | Published: 10/11/2021

Lev Parnas, a Soviet-born businessperson, and a co-defendant, Ukraine-born investor Andrey Kukushkin, are accused of making illegal campaign contributions to American politicians to further their business interests. Igor Fruman, who has pleaded guilty in the case, and Parnas initially caught the attention of investigators after making big donations through a corporate entity to Republican political committees, including a $325,000 donation in 2018 to America First Action, a super PAC supporting Donald Trump. The pair then became middlemen in Rudolph Giuliani’s effort to discredit then-candidate Joe Biden.

‘Scam’ Political Groups Try New Trick – and Rake in Millions
Daily Beast – Roger Sollenberger | Published: 10/11/2021

A network of shady political groups at the center of a new class action lawsuit for bilking donors out of tens of millions of dollars appears to be attempting a legal work-around to continue pulling in the money and evading government scrutiny. The 17 groups in the network bear the tell-tale signs of “scam PACs,” entities which present themselves to donors as nonprofit charities but register as political groups with the government. The loophole allows the groups to operate in a gray zone outside the reach of the different federal agencies that regulate nonprofits and political organizations.

The Imminent Impact of Redistricting: Sharper partisan elbows, less compromise by both sides in the House
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 10/9/2021

Redistricting is getting started around the country, but the first maps released suggest a coming decade of even more deeply entrenched partisanship for Congress. Most House lawmakers already represent solidly partisan constituencies. Every two years, party control is determined by the outcome of only a few dozen seats. Next year, Republicans need to flip only a handful of seats to wrest power away from Democrats. Of the country’s 435 congressional districts, Donald Trump or President Biden won just 50 of them by five or less percentage points. Those swing districts could be reduced by at least a third after redistricting, experts estimate.

Trump Hotel Lost $70M Despite Millions in Foreign Business
Yahoo News – Bernard Condon (Associated Press) | Published: 10/8/2021

Despite the Republican-paid political events and bar tabs from lobbyists, foreign dignitaries, and other supporters of Donald Trump, the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. lost an estimated $74 million between 2016 and 2020. The tally came from Trump’s own auditors, showing losses that generally increased through his tenure in the White House. The new account of revenues and losses at the hotel was released as House Democrats push the Biden administration to turn over additional documents to determine if Trump broke federal rules by continuing to operate the hotel through his family while serving as president.

White Tiger and Cheetah Furs: A mess of Trump gift exchanges
MSN – Michael Schmidt (New York Times) | Published: 10/11/2021

Gift exchanges between the U.S. and foreign leaders, a highly regulated process intended to shield administrations from questions of impropriety, devolved into sometimes absurd shambles during the Trump administration. Former President Trump’s handling of foreign gifts is not at the top of his critics’ list of his offenses, and there is no evidence he or Melania Trump took any gifts to which they were not entitled. But ethics experts said the problems reflected larger issues with the Trump presidency.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska Campaign Regulator Confirms $38,500 Fine Against Bronson Campaign
Anchorage Daily News – James Brooks | Published: 10/11/2021

The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) confirmed a $38,500 fine against Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson’s election campaign for filing inaccurate campaign expenditure reports during a runoff election. According to APOC’s final order, the fine could have been higher, but commissioners declined to fine Bronson for failing to promptly return donations that were larger than the maximum allowed by law. That is because a three-judge panel on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled many of the state’s maximum donation limits were unconstitutional.

Arizona – Lawmaker Takes Aim at Corp Comm Policy on Campaign Contributions by Utilities
Arizona Mirror – Jeremy Duda | Published: 10/11/2021

Attorneys for the Arizona Legislature believe a Corporation Commission policy intended to restrict campaign contributions by regulated utilities violates the state constitution, and the lawmaker who requested that opinion is hoping it will persuade the commission to change course for next year’s election. Commissioners cannot knowingly take contributions from regulated public service corporations, their lobbyists, employees, or officers, nor can they accept money from any intervenor in a case that is before the commission. The commission’s intention in passing the rule was to require commissioners to recuse themselves if they have taken money from people involved in cases they are hearing.

California – Former Officials Nuñez, Boxer and Villaraigosa Lead Exodus from Powerful Lobbying Firm
MSN – Seema Mehta and Melanie Mason (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/6/2021

Former prominent elected officials Fabian Nuñez, Barbara Boxer, and Antonio Villaraigosa led the mass resignations from one of California’s most powerful lobbying firms, Mercury Public Affairs. The departures are largely prompted by financial disputes. Nuñez filed a lawsuit that alleges Mercury’s parent company failed to live up to an agreement that would allow the group to grow its business around the world. Nuñez excoriates the company’s handling of a foreign nonprofit tied to former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort that exposed Mercury to liability and public denouncement.

California – Gavin Newsom Signs Law Giving Journalists Unrestricted Access to Protests Closed by Police
MSN – Andrew Sheeler (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 10/9/2021

Police must allow journalists access to closed-off demonstrations and protests under a new law signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law requires that journalists be given unfettered access to closed-off protests, and prohibits law enforcement officers from assaulting, interfering, or obstructing journalists from covering such events. Sen. Mike McGuire argued while California law permitted journalists access to closed areas during emergencies and natural disasters, those protections did not extend to covering demonstrations, marches, protests, and rallies.

California – L.A. Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas and Ex-USC Dean Indicted on Bribery Charges
MSN – Michael Finnegan, Matt Hamilton, and Harriet Ryan (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 10/13/2021

Los Angeles City Councilperson Mark Ridley-Thomas was indicted on federal charges for his role in an alleged bribery scheme that landed his son a professorship at the University of Southern California (USC). Prosecutors allege Ridley-Thomas helped direct funding and contracts to USC’s School of Social work while serving on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. In exchange, his son, a former state lawmaker, was guaranteed graduate school admission and a paid teaching position by the school’s then-dean, Marilyn Louise Flynn.

Colorado – Colorado Secretary of State to Pursue Redistricting Lobbying Complaint Against GOP in Court
Denver Gazette – Evan Wyloge | Published: 10/13/2021

An effort to influence Colorado’s new independent redistricting process will end up being scrutinized by an administrative law judge after Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced her office intends to pursue claims of lobbying disclosure violations. Griswold said her office found reason to believe two Republican operatives working for a group called Colorado Neighborhood Coalition, former Colorado House Speaker Frank McNulty and former state lawmaker Greg Brophy, failed to properly register as redistricting lobbyists.

Delaware – Delaware State Auditor Kathy McGuiness Indicted on Two Felony Charges
MSN – Xerxes Wilson and Sarah Gamard (Delaware News Journal) | Published: 10/11/2021

Delaware Auditor Kathy McGuiness was indicted on criminal charges that she hired and supervised her daughter in a do-nothing state job, circumvented state contracting laws to divert taxpayer money to a political campaign group, and spied on and discriminated against employees who questioned her conduct. McGuiness faces two felony charges and several misdemeanors in the indictment, which appears to make her the first statewide elected official to be indicted on felony charges while holding office.

Georgia – Judge Dismisses Fulton County Ballot Review Case in Georgia
MSN – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 10/12/2021

A judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging there were fraudulent ballots and improper ballot counting in Fulton County, Georgia’s most populous county, during the 2020 election. The suit sought a review of some 147,000 absentee ballots to see if any were illegitimate. Henry County Superior Court Chief Judge Brian Amero’s order dismissing the case says the voters who brought the lawsuit “failed to allege a particularized injury” and therefore lacked the standing to claim their state constitutional rights to equal protection and due process had been violated.

Georgia – Senate Candidate Herschel Walker Cancels Fundraiser After Uproar Over Donor’s Use of Vaccine-Needle Swastika in Profile
MSN – Mariana Alfaro (Washington Post) | Published: 10/12/2021

A fundraiser for Herschel Walker, a U.S. Senate candidate in Georgia, was canceled after its host was criticized for featuring an image that used a swastika made out of syringes on her Twitter profile. Bettina Sofia Viviano-Langlais, a Republican donor, was set to host a fundraiser for Walker in Texas. That specific rendering of the vaccine-needle swastika has been co-opted by activists nationwide who oppose coronavirus vaccine mandates and compare them to Nazi treatment of the Jews.

Illinois – Ex-CEO Pleads Guilty to Bribery Tied to Dorothy Brown’s Women’s History Month Program
Chicago Sun-Times – Jon Sedel | Published: 10/12/2021

The former chief executive officer of a Pennsylvania debt-collection company admitted making payments to support former Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown’s Women’s History Month program to reward her for business he thought she steered his way. Donald Donagher Jr. pleaded guilty in federal court to one bribery count alleging he paid $869 in March 2014 to a company that provided plaques for the program. He also admitted he had $1,000 paid to a company that catered the event.

Indiana – Ex-Indiana Mayor Gets 21 Months in Prison for Seeking Bribe
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/13/2021

A former northwestern Indiana mayor who was convicted of taking a $13,000 bribe from a trucking company and illegal tax evasion was sentenced to 21 months in prison. A jury found former Portage Mayor James Snyder sought the bribe in return for steering about $1.1 million in city contracts to the company.

Indiana – ‘Room for Mischief’: Inside the secretive process to fill vacant seats without elections
MSN – Amelia Pak-Harvey and Kaitlin Lange (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 10/7/2021

U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz got her start in politics working behind the scenes for the local county Republican Party. She used those connections to win her first office when a group of party insiders, not voters, selected her for an Indiana Senate seat over the more politically established candidates. At the time, Spartz had no experience or name recognition as an elected official, which would have made winning an election decided by voters more difficult. The 93 people responsible for Spartz’s critical journey to the statehouse were not every-day Hamilton County voters. They were a little-known facet of Indiana’s political system: precinct committee people, referred to in party lingo as “PCs.” And the public has no clue who most of them were.

Iowa – Democrats Edge Toward Dumping Iowa’s Caucuses as the First Presidential Vote
Portland Press Herald – Michael Scherer (Washington Post) | Published: 10/9/2021

Democrats’ disdain for Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucus has been rising for years. Now the day of reckoning for Iowa Democrats is fast approaching, as the national party starts to create a new calendar for the 2024 presidential nomination that could remove Iowa from its privileged position for the first time since 1972, when candidates started flocking to the state for an early jump on the race to the White House. The caucus has been damaged by high barriers to participation, a dearth of racial diversity, the rightward drift in the state’s electorate, and a leftward drift in the Democratic participants.

Iowa – Iowa Auditor Sued for Refusing to Release Emails About Rejected Accusation Against Gov. Kim Reynolds
MSN – Daniel Lathrop (Des Moines Register) | Published: 10/11/2021

Iowa’s Democratic state auditor is facing a lawsuit related to a controversial report he issued accusing Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of violating ethics laws, claims a state ethics panel rejected. The Kirkwood Institute, a conservative public interest law firm, claims Rob Sand is violating the state’s open records law by withholding communications with an Associated Press reporter and a liberal blogger relating to the report. Kirkwood Institute President Alan Ostergren requested the records to determine whether Sand was using state resources for “private political gain” when his office alleged Reynolds had violated state ethics laws by appearing in state-funded ads promoting COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Michigan – Detroit Council Approves Reforms to City’s Controversial Towing System
Detroit News – James David Dickson and George Hunter | Published: 10/12/2021

The Detroit City Council unanimously approved a series of changes in a bid to boost transparency and accountability in the city’s towing system. The vote came after years of controversy surrounding the city’s municipal towing operations and amid a federal probe that has entangled three council members this year and previously has resulted in criminal convictions of police officers who took bribes from towers. The action is one of multiple initiatives to revamp Detroit’s towing procedures.

New Jersey – Judge Was Wrong to Throw Out Bribery Case in Infamous Corruption Sting, Prosecutors Say
MSN – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 10/7/2021

A Superior Court judge was wrong when she threw out a bribery case against a former Bayonne mayoral candidate in what had been one of New Jersey’s biggest corruption operations in years, prosecutors said. The state attorney general’s office is seeking to reverse the dismissal of a criminal indictment against Jason O’Donnell. He had been charged with taking cash in exchange for promises of tax and real estate work if he won his election. The judge concluded O’Donnell committed no crime under the state’s corruption statutes, finding he had no influence to offer because he was not a public official when he was ensnared in the sting.

New Mexico – Annual Review of Campaign Finances Resumes in New Mexico
MSN – Morgan Lee (Associated Press) | Published: 10/9/2021

After a four-year hiatus, state election regulators have resumed spot-checks on campaign finance disclosures by politicians, candidates, and political committees, with 10 accounts referred to New Mexico’s fledgling State Ethics Commission and state prosecutors for possible enforcement action. The random sampling of campaign finance disclosures from the 2020 general election cycle taps into a newly deployed electronic campaign finance reporting system at the secretary of state’s office that reconciles an intricate web of campaign contributions, transfers, and expenditures.

New Mexico – New Mexico Governor Settles Harassment Claim for $150K
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/11/2021

The final price tag for a settlement reached by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and a former campaign spokesperson to settle accusations of harassment is now $150,000. The latest payments were disclosed in a mandatory campaign finance report filed by the governor’s campaign. The staffer, James Hallinan, accused Lujan Grisham of dropping water in his lap and then grabbing his crotch in the midst of a campaign staff meeting, accusations the governor denies.

New York – Cuomo Book Approval Faces New Challenge
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/12/2021

When the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting, a commissioner is planning to again try and have the agency’s approval of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s book deal rescinded. After failing by one vote at a September meeting, Commissioner Gary Lavine is planning a different tact: a motion arguing JCOPE staff never had the authority to issue the approval. In 2012, JCOPE passed a resolution allowing the executive director of the staff to take certain actions between monthly commissioner meetings. JCOPE staff argues this 2012 resolution granted it authority to approve Cuomo’s book deal in July 2020.

New York – Hochul Scraps Cuomo’s ‘Defense’ Program Critics Say Helped Suppress Negative Information
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/12/2021

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is ending a program begun under her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, which had helped suppress negative information about Cuomo and his administration. When announced in 2015, the state’s first-ever “ethics, risk, and compliance” initiative was framed as bringing a private-sector risk management model to state agencies and public authorities. But for Cuomo’s office, the job also meant managing negative information that might come to light, a practice that exploded into public view during the controversy over Cuomo’s alleged suppression of nursing home death data.

New York – Mayor de Blasio’s $1 Million Bill: He owes lawyers, lobbyists and taxpayers
The City – Greg Smith | Published: 10/12/2021

As he hints at running for governor, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has racked up nearly $1 million in debts to lawyers, campaign consultants, and taxpayers that records indicate he currently cannot pay. The mayor owes one of the city’s biggest lobbyist law firms upwards of $435,000. The Department of Investigation informed de Blasio he must reimburse taxpayers nearly $320,000 for his use of a securing detail during his failed presidential campaign. The latest filings for his various campaign and PACs reveal he has got more than $182,500 in outstanding campaign debts and only about $11,800 cash on hand.

New York – New York City’s Top Corruption Watchdog Leaving for Federal Role
New York Times – Benjamin Weiser and William Rashbaum | Published: 10/13/2021

Margaret Garnett, the commissioner of the New York City agency that roots out corruption in local government, will leave her post and become the second-ranking official in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York. Garnett has been the city’s investigation commissioner since 2018. In perhaps her final report as commissioner, her office, the Department of Investigation, criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio’s use of his security detail for political and personal reasons, including for trips taken during his presidential campaign.

Ohio – Cincinnati City Manager Endorses Idea for ‘Ethics and Good Government’ Officer
WVXU – Becca Costello | Published: 10/11/2021

A director of ethics and good government could take on responsibility for implementing anti-corruption reform in Cincinnati. Creating that new position is a key part of City Manager Paula Boggs Muething’s reform recommendations. The officer would be responsible for implementing anti-corruption reform approved by the city council based on recommendations of the Economic Development Reform Panel, which was formed in response to three council member arrests on federal corruption charges last year.

Ohio – Former Cleveland Councilman Kenneth Johnson Sentenced to Six Years in Prison, Ordered to Pay More than $740,000 in Restitution
Cleveland Plain Dealer – John Caniglia | Published: 10/8/2021

Former Cleveland City Council member Kenneth Johnson was sentenced to six years in prison for stealing from the city and federal government. U.S. District Court Judge John Adams ordered Johnson, a 40-year member of council, to pay a portion of more than $740,000 in restitution for a series of schemes he ran from City Hall. A jury convicted him of public corruption charges in July. He was accused of siphoning tens of thousands of dollars from the council, underpaying his taxes, and steering government money to keep his adopted sons on the payroll of a community development corporation that he helped fund.

Ohio – Law-Firm Lobbyists Tell Federal Judge Details of Their Big Role in Passing Scandal-Tainted House Bill 6 Nuclear Bailout
MSN – Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 10/13/2021

National law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld played a significant role in the passage of House Bill 6 in Ohio by organizing lobbying efforts, setting up large political donations, and helping to write the scandal-ridden energy law. Four members of the Washington D.C. firm submitted the documents at the demand of a bankruptcy judge, who is holding up the final $1.2 million of about $68 million in fees and expenses Akin Gump charged to FirstEnergy Solutions until the law firm’s House Bill 6 lobbying team answered questions about their involvement with the passage of the law and other activities surrounding a $60 million bribery scandal.

Ohio – Ohio Elections Commission Rules in Favor of Rep. Wiggam, Others in Finance Complaint
MSN – Bryce Buyakie (Daily Record) | Published: 10/7/2021

The Ohio Election Commission found the American Legislative Exchange Council did not violate campaign finance law when it provided software worth $3,000 to three state lawmakers during their 2020 campaigns. A complaint alleged the lawmakers did not report the gifted software as in-kind contributions. “Because they didn’t accept and use the software and it was only provided to them, it is not an in-kind contribution,” said Executive Director Philip Richter. The only dissenting voice acknowledged the commission does not know if Rep. Scott Wiggam activated the software. If activated and used, Richter said it could be a violation of Ohio law.

Pennsylvania – Amid FBI Scrutiny, Top PSERS Pension Officials Update Financial Disclosures
MSN – Craig McCoy and John DiStefano (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 10/11/2021

Amid an FBI investigation into real estate held by the Pennsylvania School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), the agency’s investment chief and his top staff have updated their financial disclosures to include their roles on the boards of agency-affiliated companies that own PSERS buildings in Harrisburg and elsewhere. PSERS has acknowledged agency official James Grossman and others on his staff were on a disclosure form filed with the IRS not only as board members for the affiliated companies but as paid staff. This seemed to put them in dual and conflicting roles as top employees of both PSERS and firms that did business with the pension fund.

Pennsylvania – Pa. Lawmakers Hand Out Millions in Public Contracts to Law Firms That Fill Their Campaign Coffers
WHYY – Sam Janesch (The Caucus) and Angela Couloumbis (Spotlight PA) | Published: 10/13/2021

Law firms and attorneys who have worked for the Pennsylvania House and Senate have donated at least $5.5 million to 18 campaign committees controlled by Democratic and Republican legislative leaders during the last decade. In all, they gave at least $24 million to local and state-level campaigns across Pennsylvania during that time in a state that allows unlimited contributions with few disclosure rules. Legislators in turn hire firms for all types of legal matters. Good-government advocates warn such a mutually beneficial system, while legal, can foster a “pay-to-play” culture in which contracts are awarded to political allies.

Pennsylvania – Pa. Republicans Unveil Lobbying Reform Package to Address ‘Most Pressing Loopholes’ in Law
Pennsylvania Capital-Journal – Marley Parish | Published: 10/13/2021

Nine months after the top Republican in the Pennsylvania Senate vowed to make transparency a major priority in the Legislature, lawmakers are inching toward some lobbying reform. Four Republicans in the upper chamber introduced a package of bills that would impose new requirements for lobbyists and political consultants to avoid conflicts-of-interest and define the relationship between lawmakers and those who try to influence them. Critics called the reform proposals a baby step.

Rhode Island – Vote Postponed on Proposal to Shield ‘Maybe’ Candidates from Having to Report Finances
MSN – Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) | Published: 10/12/2021

Faced with a wall of opposition, state election officials postponed a vote until at least December on letting potential candidates for state and local office “test the waters” without revealing how much they raise or spend. The Rhode Island Board of Elections decided to hold off after a flurry of opposition from state Republican Party Chairperson Sue Cienki, Common Cause, two of the already announced Democratic candidates for governor, and an army of legislators.

Virginia – Document Details Hefty Payments from Dominion Energy to Media Influencers and Lobbyists
Richmond Times-Dispatch – Patrick Wilson | Published: 10/8/2021

A document in the ongoing review of Dominion Energy’s finances reveals hefty dollar amounts from the electric monopoly to media influencers and lobbyists. Recipients include a columnist who wrote editorials about Dominion for a large state newspaper, former lawmakers who lobby the current ones, and the most renowned political commentator in Virginia. Dominion Energy is known to employ many lobbyists and political consultants, helping it achieve legislative success, but the document provides new details about who the company uses and how much it spends on consulting.

Virginia – Lobbyists in Virginia Don’t Have to Report How Much They Actually Earn
Richmond Times-Dispatch – Patrick Wilson | Published: 10/13/2021

Virginia lawmakers require companies or entities that hire lobbyists to report who the lobbyists are and how much they are paid. Because there are several ways to calculate the payment amounts, the public disclosures generally are far below the actual dollar amounts the lobbyists earn. Critics say the public has no way of knowing exactly how much money lobbyists are paid to lobby their elected representatives.

October 14, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance New York: “Mayor de Blasio’s $1 Million Bill: He owes lawyers, lobbyists and taxpayers” by Greg Smith for The City Rhode Island: “Vote Postponed on Proposal to Shield ‘Maybe’ Candidates from Having to Report Finances” by Katherine Gregg […]

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News You Can Use Digest – October 29, 2021

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News You Can Use Digest – October 22, 2021

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