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 […]

October 12, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “‘Scam’ Political Groups Try New Trick – and Rake in Millions” by Roger Sollenberger for Daily Beast Elections National: “‘Cannot Wait for Washington:’ How voting rights activists are navigating new restrictions ahead of November elections” by Fredrika […]

October 11, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance New Mexico: “Annual Review of Campaign Finances Resumes in New Mexico” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for MSN Ohio: “Ohio Elections Commission Rules in Favor of Rep. Wiggam, Others in Finance Complaint” by Bryce Buyakie (Daily Record) for […]

October 8, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 8, 2021

National/Federal Court Orders FEC to Rule on Complaints Against NRA’s Alleged Campaign Coordination Scheme MSN – Soo Rin Kim (ABC News) | Published: 10/1/2021 A federal court ordered the FEC to rule on pending complaints that allege the National Rifle Association […]

National/Federal

Court Orders FEC to Rule on Complaints Against NRA’s Alleged Campaign Coordination Scheme
MSN – Soo Rin Kim (ABC News) | Published: 10/1/2021

A federal court ordered the FEC to rule on pending complaints that allege the National Rifle Association (NRA) used shell entities to illegally coordinate campaign spending with federal candidates, including with the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump. In a 2019 lawsuit, the plaintiffs alleged the NRA used a “network of shell corporations” to circumvent contribution limits and coordinate approximately $35 million in ad spending with the campaigns of at least seven Republican candidates over the last three election cycles.

False Election Claims Undermine Efforts to Increase Security
MSN – Maggie Miller (The Hill) | Published: 10/2/2021

Officials say the biggest threat facing U.S. elections is not Russian hacking or domestic voter fraud but disinformation and misinformation increasingly undermining the public’s perception of voting security. Since the 2016 vote, Congress has allocated millions of dollars to states to shore up cybersecurity and replace outdated, vulnerable voting machines, but even as improvements are made, faith in the system is being eroded.

Fed Says Trading Activity by Top Officials Under Independent Review
MSN – Rachel Siegel (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2021

The Federal Reserve released a rare public statement revealing an independent review by the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board, over whether trading activity by top Fed officials “was in compliance with both the relevant ethics rules and the law.” Leaders had previously announced the Fed’s own internal ethics review of financial trading rules for top officials, and Fed Chairperson Jerome Powell said there would be changes to existing guidance. But the latest statement reflected a more concerted focus on the legality of the trades themselves.

Group Files Complaint with California Bar Association Against John Eastman, Lawyer Who Advised Trump on Election Challenges
MSN – Tom Hamburger and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 10/4/2021

A bipartisan group of former officials and legal heavyweights, including two former federal judges, asked the California bar association to investigate the conduct of John Eastman, the adviser to then-President Trump who mapped out a legal strategy to overturn the 2020 election results. The complaint cites Eastman’s work in election challenges rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court and his speech at a January 6 rally in Washington before a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol. But the memo centers on Eastman’s alleged role in pressing Vice President Pence not to count electoral votes and certify President Biden as the winner.

Journalists Sue U.S. Broadcasting Arm for Wrongful Dismissal Under Trump
Yahoo News – Daniel Lippman (Politico) | Published: 10/4/2021

Seven foreign journalists working for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) who were fired by the Trump administration have sued the agency for breach of contract and wrongful termination. The journalists argue their careers and livelihoods have been significantly hurt by being fired and are seeking back pay. The complaints note Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker who was installed as chief executive of USAGM in June 2020, expressed his distrust of foreign journalists working for the various broadcast entities under the USAGM umbrella and refused to renew more than 30 of their visas, causing them to lose their jobs.

Koch-Backed Group Fuels Opposition to School Mask Mandates, Leaked Letter Shows
Seattle Times – Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2021

A letter made available to paying members of the Independent Women’s Forum that shows how people should protest mask mandates in schools was made possible through the largesse of Republican megadonors. The document offers a glimpse into the inner workings of a well-financed conservative campaign to undermine regulations that health authorities say are necessary to contain the coronavirus. As a nonprofit, Independent Women’s Forum is exempt from disclosing its donors and paying federal income taxes.

Lawmakers Seek Details on Accounting Firms After a New York Times Report
New York Times – Jesse Drucker | Published: 10/5/2021

Two Democratic lawmakers are seeking information from the country’s biggest accounting firms about the
“revolving door” between the firm’s tax departments and top positions at the Treasury Department. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal made the request after The New York Times detailed how multinational accounting firms effectively draft tax rules from inside the government that benefit their clients. The Times found at least 35 examples in which employees of big accounting firms left to join the Treasury’s tax policy office or other government positions and then returned to the same firm.

Once a Hero, Oregon Congressional Candidate Funds Questioned
ABC News – Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) | Published: 10/3/2021

Alek Skarlatos, a hero soldier-turned-Republican congressional candidate, started a nonprofit shortly after his 2020 defeat in an Oregon race, pledging to advocate for veterans “left high and dry” by the country “they put their lives on the line for.” The group, which Skarlatos seeded with $93,000 in leftover campaign funds, has done little since then to advance that cause. What it has nurtured, though, are Skarlatos’ political ambitions, providing $65,000 to his 2022 bid for a rematch with U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio. It is a seat that Republicans are targeting in their quest to win back the House.

Report Cites New Details of Trump Pressure on Justice Dept. Over Election
Yahoo News – Katie Benner (New York Times) | Published: 10/7/2021

An interim report by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee provides new details about Donald Trump’s efforts to pressure the Justice Department to do his bidding in the chaotic final weeks of his presidency. The report draws on documents, emails, and testimony from three top Justice Department officials. It provides the most complete account yet of Trump’s efforts to push the department to validate election fraud claims that had been disproved by the FBI and state investigators.

Sen. Grassley Congratulates Korean American Judge on Her Work Ethic. Some Asian Americans Say It Echoes Divisive Stereotypes.
MSN – Eugene Scott (Washington Post) | Published: 10/6/2021

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, congratulated a Korean American judicial nominee for the “hard work ethic” of “you and your people,” invoking a stereotype about Asian Americans. The senator, who is seeking reelection to another six-year term, praised Lucy Koh, a judge nominated by President Biden to the federal appeals court, during her confirmation hearing. U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said even if Grassley’s motives were well-intentioned, they came from a place of prejudicial views.

Special Report – How AT&T Helped Build Far-Right One America News
MSN – John Shiffman (Reuters) | Published: 10/6/2021

A review of court records shows the role AT&T played in creating and funding One America News (OAN), a far-right network that continues to spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. OAN founder and chief executive Robert Herring Sr has testified the inspiration to launch OAN in 2013 came from AT&T executives. Since then, AT&T has been a crucial source of funds flowing into OAN, providing tens of millions of dollars in revenue. Ninety percent of OAN’s revenue came from a contract with AT&T-owned television platforms, including satellite broadcaster DirecTV.

U.S. Navy Hit by Another International Bribery Scandal
MSN – Craig Whitlock (Washington Post) | Published: 10/3/2021

U.S. Navy corruption case that has echoes of the “Fat Leonard” scandal with a defense contractor facing accusations he delivered cash bribes and bilked the Navy out of at least $50 million to service its ships in foreign ports. The Justice Department is trying to extradite the contractor – Frank Rafaraci, chief executive of Multinational Logistics Services (MLS) – from Malta. In one instance, when the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson visited Bahrain in January 2015, MLS billed the Navy for more than $231,000 in “port authority fees,” even though the port authority charged only $12,686.

Why Democrats See 3 Governor’s Races as a Sea Wall for Fair Elections
New York Times – Reid Epstein and Nick Corasaniti | Published: 10/6/2021

In three critical battleground states, Democratic governors have blocked efforts by Republican-controlled Legislatures to restrict voting rights and undermine the 2020 election. Now, the 2022 races for governor in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania – states that have long been vital to Democratic presidential victories – are taking on major new significance. At stake are how easy it is to vote, who controls the electoral system and, some Democrats worry, whether the results of federal, state, and local elections will be accepted no matter which party wins.

From the States and Municipalities

California – S.F. Ethics Commission Finds ‘Problematic’ Gifting at City Departments
MSN – Lauren Hernández (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 10/1/2021

Several departments in San Francisco have accepted gifts from restricted organizations – groups with which the city does business – and distributed those gifts to city employees, actions that undermine rules regarding gifts, according to a new report by the city Ethics Commission. The report released details “problematic” conduct related to gifts, including the awarding of tickets to events such as concerts, and the receipt of benefits and funds to pay for private parties, dinners, and other celebrations.

Florida – DeSantis Says He’s Running. Where Are the Documents?
MSN – Mary Ellen Klas (Miami Herald) | Published: 9/30/2021

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he is running for re-election, but he has filed no campaign documents, released no financial disclosures, reported no campaign expenditures, nor established a campaign treasurer – all required for candidates for statewide office in Florida. The governor’s political committee had raised more than $50 million this election cycle. “We allow potential candidates to have political committees where they can raise unlimited amounts of money … then when they become an official candidate, we put limits on what they can raise and direct into the campaign account,” said Integrity Florida President Ben Wilcox.

Florida – Judge Revives Lawsuit Against Secretive Group That Paid for Ads in High-Stakes Senate Race
Orlando Sentinel – Jason Garcia and Annie Martin | Published: 10/6/2021

A lawmaker will get a second chance to force a secretive political group to reveal the donors who helped fund advertisements in a key Florida Senate race last year, after the media identified the possible leader of the group as Stephen Jones. A judge gave an extra 60 days for state Sen. Annette Taddeo to serve a lawsuit she filed against Floridians for Equality and Justice, which sent mailers last year attacking Democrat Patricia Sigman without disclosing its donors. Taddeo’s attorneys argued Jones “took steps to secret his true address in forming the political committee for the purpose of potentially avoiding responsibility for illegal acts.”

Georgia – Giving Limit Rises to $7,600 for Georgia Political Donors
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 9/30/2021

Candidates for statewide offices in Georgia can now accept more from each donor. Individuals, corporations, political committees, and political party can give each candidate up to $7,600 for each primary and general election and $4,500 for each runoff. That is up from $7,000 for primary and general elections and $4,100 for runoffs.

Georgia – Protection Against Violent Threats Could Be Legitimate Georgia Campaign Expense
Georgia Recorder – Jill Nolan | Published: 10/1/2021

The recent spate of violent threats against elected officials has the Georgia ethics commission rethinking its position on whether home security systems should qualify as a legitimate campaign-related expense. Seven years ago, the commission ruled candidates and officeholders could not use campaign funds to help secure their homes. But after a tumultuous last year, the current commissioners are on the verge of reversing course. The request comes from the Democratic Party of Georgia, but the escalation in threats toward public officials is a problem for both parties.

Idaho – In Idaho, a Power Play While the Governor’s Away
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 10/5/2021

Idaho Gov. Brad Little said he will rescind an executive order involving Covid-19 vaccines by Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, and the commanding general of the Idaho National Guard also told McGeachin she cannot activate troops to send to the U.S.-Mexico border. Little was in Texas meeting with nine other Republican governors over concerns on how President Biden is handling border issues. McGeachin, a far-right Republican, is running for governor. In Idaho, the governor and lieutenant governor do not run on the same ticket.

Illinois – Former City Club President in Texts to Mayor Lori Lightfoot: ‘ComEd duped me’ in bribery probe tied to Madigan
MSN – Gregory Pratt, Jason Meisner, and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 9/30/2021

Jay Doherty, former head of the City Club of Chicago who is under indictment, texted Mayor Lori Lightfoot that he had been misled by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and the utility’s alleged bribery of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan. The messages show Doherty tried to downplay his role in the probe to the mayor even after federal agents raided the City Club’s offices. The texts also show Lightfoot helped Doherty with a booking even after he was first publicly connected to the probe. Doherty was indicted in an alleged scheme to funnel money and jobs to Madigan loyalists in exchange for the speaker’s help with legislation ComEd wanted.

Indiana – Indiana Casino Exec and Former Republican Lawmaker Faces New Tax Fraud Charges
MSN – Johnny Magdaleno (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 10/1/2021

A federal grand jury imposed additional charges on an Indiana casino executive with for his alleged role in as scheme to funnel casino cash into an ex-state senator’s failed campaign for Congress. John Keeler was already facing four federal charges for allegedly working with out-of-state political consultants to recruit straw donors. Those straw donors were reimbursed with funds from Keeler’s casino company, according to federal prosecutors. Now the Justice Department says Keeler tried to use those contributions to lower his company’s taxable income.

Kentucky – Most KY State Workers Who Gamed the System to Collect Jobless Benefits Were Not Fired
Lexington Herald-Leader – John Cheves | Published: 10/6/2021

Of at least 19 state workers in Kentucky who participated in a scheme to improperly collect state and federal unemployment benefits during the spring of 2020, none were prosecuted while one was fired and eight were briefly suspended and then returned to their jobs. Gov. Andy Beshear had said the workers would be punished for their roles in a scheme to claim $54,232 in jobless benefits while still holding full-time state jobs. Some lied about lost part-time jobs to seem eligible; some used their official access to the state jobless benefits system to facilitate claims for themselves, colleagues, and friends.

Maine – Maine Ethics Commission Orders Investigation into Conservative Group’s Software System
Government Technology – Scott Thistle (Portland Press Herald) | Published: 9/30/2021

The Maine ethics commission voted to investigate whether the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is illegally trying to influence elections by providing a software package to lawmakers. But the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices also voted to dismiss a complaint that two Republican state lawmakers violated campaign finance laws after it was determined they never used ALEC’s software for campaign purposes.

Maryland – Baltimore County Issues Final Recommendations for Fair Public Election System in New Report
MSN – Emily Goodnight (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 10/5/2021

The Baltimore County Fair Election Fund Work Group released its final report to help create the county’s first public campaign financing system. The group has spent the past six months developing a comprehensive set of recommendations, detailing how the county’s public campaign fund will work, including how candidates can qualify for public funding, the limits and thresholds related to matching fund limits, and how much funding campaigns can receive from the program.

Maryland – Former Hogan Chief of Staff Indicted on Charges of Secretly Recording Governor on Phone Calls, Embezzling Funds
MSN – Pamela Wood (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 10/5/2021

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s former chief of staff was indicted on charges he defrauded a state agency he led by inducing it to pay him nearly $280,000 in mostly severance pay before he moved to his post in the governor’s office. Roy McGrath also used funds from the Maryland Environmental Service to pay a personal pledge to a museum and got the agency to pay tuition expenses for a class after he left his job as executive director, according to the indictment. He also recorded conversations with senior state officials without their consent and faces state charges.

Michigan – Gov. Whitmer Vetoes 4 Election Bills at NAACP Dinner, Says They Perpetuated ‘Big Lie’
MSN – Clara Hendrickson (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 10/4/2021

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed four election bills, the first of dozens expected to land on her desk following the contentious 2020 presidential election and the flurry of legislative activity it has prompted to overhaul voting laws across the country. The measures would have codified current election practices, required election challengers to undergo training, and expanded the types of places that could serve as polling locations.

Michigan – Taylor Mayor Pocketed Campaign Cash, Lottery Tickets in Bribery Scandal, Feds Say
Detroit Free Press – Robert Snell | Published: 10/5/2021

Federal prosecutors leveled new allegations against Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars, accusing him of cashing campaign checks at a party store in exchange for cash and scratch-off lottery tickets while corrupting a city foreclosed property program. The allegations were contained in a new criminal case against an alleged co-conspirator as prosecutors signaled at least two people are expected to plead guilty in connection with the case. Sollars was indicted in December 2019 on federal bribery and wire fraud charges and accused of helping a man obtain city-owned properties in exchange for free work on his home and vacation chalet.

Mississippi – Mississippi Aid Program Gave Little Help to Renters, but Millions to a Top Law Firm
MSN – Jonathan O’Connell and Yeganeh Torbati (Washington Post) | Published: 10/1/2021

More than seven months after Congress created the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Mississippi had spent only 11 percent of $186.7 million in first-round funding, compared with a national average of 32 percent. Mississippians are clamoring for the funds: 9,000 people applied to the program in August. But tenants and advocates say it can take more than a month to get a response from the program, which is administered in part by Balch & Bingham, a politically connected law firm. Hired through a no-bid $3.8 million contract, the firm plays a key role in reviewing and scrutinizing aid applications, a process critics say leads to enormous delays.

Missouri – Missouri Ethics Commission: Columbia Mayor Must Terminate Campaign Committee
Columbia Missourian – Stephanie Southey | Published: 10/1/2021

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece was ordered to terminate his campaign committee. The Missouri Ethics Commission issued the order and said Treece violated state law. The state law from 2016 requires registered lobbyists to dissolve their candidate committees and that the campaign money should be returned to donors or contributed to a nonprofit group or political party committee. Treece did not terminate his committee in 2016 before registering as a lobbyist in 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020.

New Mexico – Free Lunches Earn Business Access to New Mexico Lawmakers
MSN – Cedar Attanasio (Associated Press) | Published: 10/7/2021

As long as they are disclosed, it is legal for companies to buy New Mexico lawmakers lunches and give gifts. Sen. Gay Kernan said sponsored lunches have been common practice in her 19 years serving the Legislature, and that a sandwich cannot buy her vote. Former Rep. Jim Dines, who says he refused to accept as much as a bottle of water from lobbyists, believes there is a problem. “The appearance of impropriety is always there when you accept something [for] free. … Only the legislator themselves know whether … they’re being influenced,” said Dines.

New Mexico – NM Ethics Agency Seeks Expanded Staff, Jurisdiction
Albuquerque Journal – Dan McKay | Published: 10/1/2021

The State Ethics Commission will ask New Mexico lawmakers next year to sharply increase its staff to ensure the agency can carry out its role as an independent watchdog. The agency also agreed to ask the Legislature to expand its jurisdiction to the parts of the state constitution that prohibit profiting from public office and ban lawmakers from having an interest in contracts authorized by bills passed during their term.

New York – JCOPE Votes to Investigate Itself Over Cuomo Book Deal Approval
WXXI – Karen Dewitt | Published: 10/5/2021

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) voted to open an independent investigation of how the panel approved a $5 million book deal for former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to write a memoir about his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The deal has been the subject of a probe by the state attorney general as well as federal investigators. Cuomo never submitted the book contract to the panel, and the full commission never voted to approve the arrangement. Several commissioners complained at the time they were shut out of the decisions.

New York – Lovely Warren to Resign by Dec. 1 as Part of Plea Deal Over All Criminal Charges She Faces
MSN – Gary Craig and Brian Sharp (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) | Published: 10/4/2021

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren admitted to violating the state’s election law and, as part of a plea agreement, will resign from office by December 1. The plea deal heads off what was expected to be a month-long trial, while also resolving weapons and child endangerment charges Warren confronted in a separate criminal case. The city’s first Black woman to be elected mayor, Warren’s tenure has been a roller coaster ride, highlighted by some successful commercial development throughout the community but marred by the criminal allegations that have now hounded her for a year.

New York – Want to Be a City Commissioner? It Helps to Be Friendly with the Mayor.
New York Times – Dana Rubenstein | Published: 10/6/2021

Faced with half a dozen major vacancies during his eighth and final year in office, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had what appeared to be a simple choice: promote an experienced hand from within or persuade an outsider to sign on for what was likely to be a very temporary job. But in three of those instances, de Blasio chose a third option – he hired a loyalist. Each of the three has demonstrated long-term fidelity to the outgoing mayor, and he has reciprocated by putting them atop agencies of which they have varying levels of subject-matter expertise.

Ohio – Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine Says He Won’t Recuse Himself from Redistricting Lawsuits Involving His Father, Gov. Mike DeWine
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Andrew Tobias | Published: 9/30/2021

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine says he does not plan to recuse himself from hearing a trio of lawsuits challenging new state House and Senate districts his father, Gov. Mike DeWine, voted to approve. Justice DeWine has recused himself at times from lawsuits involving decisions made by his father, including as recently as September, when, saying he wanted to “avoid the appearance of impropriety,” he withdrew from a case challenging Gov. DeWine’s decision to end enhanced federal unemployment benefits. In the redistricting cases, Justice DeWine noted his father was one of seven members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which approved the maps.

Ohio – Ohio’s Medicaid Director Owns the Stock of Some Major Contractors, but Won’t Say How Much
Ohio Capital Journal – Marty Schladen | Published: 10/6/2021

Since she became director of the Ohio Department of Medicaid in January 2019, Maureen Corcoran has owned stock in some of the department’s biggest contractors. Given the size of those contracts, they could have increased the value of the stock Corcoran owned. But while she complied with one set of state disclosure requirements, Corcoran will not say just how much stock she owns in such companies as CVS Health, UnitedHealth Group, and Express Scripts, each of which has done billions of dollars’ worth of business with the Medicaid department since Corcoran started running it.

Oregon – People for Portland Co-Founder Accused of Two-Timing Powerful Business Group
MSN – Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 9/30/2021

Lobbyist Dan Lavey ditched the Oregon Beer and Wine Distributors Association, an off-and-on client for years, after receiving a financial offer he “couldn’t refuse” from the Northwest Grocery Association, the beer and wine distributors allege. The two industry associations, among the most influential in Oregon, are frequent political opponents and are poised to square-off again over a possible ballot initiative next year that would privatize state liquor sales. “Reputation and relationships are all we have in this work [and] flagrantly flipping sides is not something we usually see in Oregon politics,” said Amy Ruiz, a senior vice president with Strategies 360.

Pennsylvania – John Dougherty and Bobby Henon Bribery Trial: What you need to know
MSN – Oona Goodin-Smith (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 10/4/2021

Union leader John Dougherty and Philadelphia City Councilperson Bobby Henon are now in court more than two years after they were charged in a federal bribery and corruption case. The outcome could shape the future of organized labor, politics, and public corruption investigations in the city for years to come. Federal prosecutors charged Dougherty, Henon, and six other Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers officials. But last year, a judge granted a defense request to split the case into two trials. The first trial is focused solely on charges tied to the relationship between Dougherty and Henon.

Pennsylvania – South Fla. Pols Wondered Where Campaign Cash Came From. The Answer Led to a Beleaguered N.J. Developer
MSN – Jacob Adelman (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 10/7/2021

National Realty Investment Advisors (NRIA) pitches outsized investor returns in television and radio ads from its development projects. Many of those projects have been in Philadelphia. NRIA is under investigation by the FBI and financial regulators, and a former executive has separately been charged with fraud. One of the major projects it is depending on to start generating profits is in Delray Beach, Florida. Three New Jersey companies contributed to Delray Beach politicians with a common link to the city: all were started by NRIA employees and NRIA needed officials’ approval for its $59 million apartment project there.

Rhode Island – Senators Grill McKee Administration Over $5.2 Million Contract
MSN – Edward Fitzgerald (Boston Globe) | Published: 10/6/2021

The Senate oversight committee grilled officials in Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee’s administration over a $5.2-million contract awarded to ILO Group, a consulting firm that formed two days after McKee took office. The committee looked at a Zoom call that took place on March 5, one day after the ILO had formed. That meeting led to the state seeking proposals and awarding contracts to ILO and a lower bidder. The Zoom call included Mike Magee, one of McKee’s top campaign donors and the leader of Chiefs for Change, a network of state and district education chiefs. Senators noted ILO’s managing partner, Julia Rafal-Baer, worked for Chiefs for Change, and she had been invited to join that Zoom meeting.

South Dakota – Did Kristi Noem Abuse Governor’s Office to Get Daughter Appraiser License? Accountability Panel Will Decide
MSN – Joe Sneve (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) | Published: 10/6/2021

A panel of South Dakota judges will review allegations about Gov. Kristi Noem abused her office to help her daughter obtain a state appraiser license. The attorney general’s office announced it was referring the complaint to the Government Accountability Board, which will investigate the matter and determine if any misconduct occurred. The allegations center around a meeting Noem had with officials with the Department of Labor and Regulation after the agency had recommended denying Noem’s daughter, Kassidy Peters, a real estate appraiser license.

October 7, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Florida: “Judge Revives Lawsuit Against Secretive Group That Paid for Ads in High-Stakes Senate Race” by Jason Garcia and Annie Martin for Orlando Sentinel Maryland: “Baltimore County Issues Final Recommendations for Fair Public Election System in New Report” […]

October 6, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance New York: “Lovely Warren to Resign by Dec. 1 as Part of Plea Deal Over All Criminal Charges She Faces” by Gary Craig and Brian Sharp (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) for MSN Elections Georgia: “Protection Against Violent Threats […]

October 5, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Once a Hero, Oregon Congressional Candidate Funds Questioned” by Brian Slodysko (Associated Press) for ABC News Missouri: “Missouri Ethics Commission: Columbia Mayor Must Terminate Campaign Committee” by Stephanie Southey for Columbia Missourian Elections Michigan: “Gov. Whitmer Vetoes […]

October 1, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

News You Can Use Digest – October 1, 2021

National/Federal As Districts Grow More Diverse, Congressional Outreach Does Too MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 9/30/2021 Over the past decade, U.S. Rep. Katie Porter’s 45th District in Southern California grew to the largest by population in the state […]

National/Federal

As Districts Grow More Diverse, Congressional Outreach Does Too
MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 9/30/2021

Over the past decade, U.S. Rep. Katie Porter’s 45th District in Southern California grew to the largest by population in the state and was 45 percent non-Hispanic white in 2020, down from 55 percent in 2010. The district is more than one quarter Asian, which has shaped how Porter reaches out to her constituents. For example, she often contacts local community groups and ethnic churches in efforts to share more information about federal programs.

As Redistricting Begins, States Tackle the Issue of ‘Prison Gerrymandering’
MSN – Emmanuel Felton (Washington Post) | Published: 9/28/2021

As lawmakers begin drawing lines for congressional and state legislative districts based on the 2020 Census, there is a key question facing these drafters: how to count the 2.3 million people housed in the nation’s jails and prisons. While inmates are not allowed to vote in 48 states, they count for the purposes of representation. For most of American history, counting inmates where they were imprisoned did not have a huge impact on political power and representation. But that changed when states began adopting tough-on-crime laws in the 1980s, leading to an era of mass incarcerations.

Biden White House Leans Toward Releasing Information About Trump and Jan. 6 Attack, Setting Off Legal and Political Showdown
MSN – Tom Hamburger and Jacqueline Alemany (Washington Post) | Published: 9/23/2021

The White House is leaning toward releasing information to Congress about what Donald Trump and his aides were doing during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol despite the former president’s objections, a decision that could have significant ramifications. Trump has said he will cite “executive privilege” to block information requests from the House select committee investigating the events of that day, banking on a legal theory that has successfully allowed presidents and their aides to avoid or delay congressional scrutiny for decades. But the Biden White House plans to err on the side of disclosure given the gravity of the events.

Covert Postal Service Unit Probed Jan. 6 Social Media
Yahoo News – Betsy Woodruff Swann (Politico) | Published: 9/27/2021

In the days after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, an obscure arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) sent bulletins to law enforcement agencies around the country on how to view social media posts that had been deleted. Few Americans are aware the same organization that delivers their mail also runs a surveillance operation rooted in an agency that dates back to the 18th century. And iCOP’s involvement raises questions about how broad the mandate of the Postal Service’s policing arm has grown from its stated mission of keeping mail deliverers safe.

DNC to Host First In-Person Fundraiser of the Covid Era
Yahoo News – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 9/25/2021

Eighteen months into the pandemic, the Democratic National Committee held its first in-person, indoor fundraising events, turning to K Street to haul in cash ahead of the midterm cycle. For lobbyists who have been starved of facetime with party leaders, they can give $36,500, the maximum amount an individual or non-multi-candidate PAC can contribute to a national party committee. That donation brings with it a more intimate “private clutch,” according to the invitation. The hosting of an in-person event marks a return for Democrats to the usual method of raising cash after meeting with donors became confined to Zoom calls.

Fallout Begins for Far-Right Trolls Who Trusted Epik to Keep Their Identities Secret
Seattle Times – Drew Harwell, Hannah Allam, Jeremy Merrill, and Craig Timberg (Washington Post) | Published: 9/28/2021

In the real world, Joshua Alayon worked as a real estate agent in Pompano Beach, Florida. But online, data revealed by the massive hack of Epik, an Internet-services company popular with the far right, signaled a darker side. Alayon’s name and personal details were found on invoices suggesting he had once paid for websites with names such as racisminc.com and theholocaustisfake.com. The hacking group Anonymous exposed previously obscure details of far-right sites and launched a race among extremism researchers to identify the hidden promoters of online hate. After Alayon’s name appeared in the breached data, his brokerage firm dropped him as an agent.

FEC Debates Deadlocks and Dismissals
Investigative Reporting Workshop – Keith Newell | Published: 9/29/2021

Since its founding in 1974, the FEC has long been regarded as an ineffective agency, garnering criticism as a “toothless tiger” or a “tightly leashed watchdog.” The panel has a maximum of six members, with no more than three from one party. Since 2006, an increasingly high number of deadlocked votes result in dismissals of allegations of misconduct; deadlocks are effectively victories for the Republican commissioners. Party loyalty appears to be less important to commissioners than ideology.

House Jan. 6 Committee Issues Subpoenas for Pro-Trump Rally Organizers
MSN – Jacqueline Alemany, Tom Hamburger, and Carol Leonnig (Washington Post) | Published: 9/29/2021

The U.S. House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol issued subpoenas to 11 people associated with or involved in the planning of pro-Trump rallies that preceded the violent insurrection. The subpoenas come a week after it issued subpoenas targeting two top Trump White House officials, the chief of staff to the acting defense secretary, and longtime Trump adviser Stephen Bannon. The subpoenas may be able to shed light on the degree to which Donald Trump and his senior White House aides knew about their fears of chaos on January 6.

Ohio Men Sentenced to 45 Days Become First Jan. 6 Misdemeanor Defendants to Receive Jail Time
MSN – Spencer Hsu and Rachel Weiner (Washington Post) | Published: 9/29/2021

A court sentenced two Ohio men to serve 45 days in jail after federal prosecutors for the first-time requested incarceration at sentencing hearings for nonviolent misdemeanor offenders in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. The punishment comes after judges for months have questioned whether no-prison plea deals offered by the government to low-level January 6 defendants are too lenient to deter future attackers from terrorizing members of Congress.

Supreme Court Observers See Trouble Ahead as Public Approval of Justices Erodes
MSN – Robert Barnes and Seung Min Kim (Washington Post) | Published: 9/26/2021

On October 4, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin one of the most potentially divisive terms in years. Docketed cases concern gun control, separation of church and state, and the biggest showdown in decades on the constitutional right to an abortion. Meanwhile, a presidential commission studying the court is being bombarded with criticism from the left, and occasionally the right, that the justices are too political, too powerful, and serve for too long. “Not since Bush v. Gore has the public perception of the court’s legitimacy seemed so seriously threatened,” Georgetown Supreme Court Institute Executive Director Irv Gornstein said.

The FEC Unanimously Rejected a Trump Campaign Complaint Against Snapchat After the Social Media Site Removed the Former President’s Content from Its ‘Discover’ Feed
Yahoo News – Brian Metzger (Business Insider) | Published: 9/23/2021

The FEC dismissed a complaint made by former President Trump’s campaign against Snapchat, which it said had violated election laws by removing the campaign’s content from its curated “Discover” page. Snapchat announced in June 2020 it would no longer promote Trump’s content on the page, though it did not remove Trump’s account from the platform. The Trump campaign alleged Snapchat made an illegal contribution to Joe Biden by doing so.

There Are Just 9 Women Governors. Both Parties Want Change.
Yahoo News – Liz Crampton (Politico) | Published: 9/28/2021

Women now account for a third of state lawmakers, more than a quarter of the U.S. House and nearly as much of the U.S. Senate, but in many states have yet to shatter the highest glass ceiling: governorships. Today, just nine women hold the title, with power split among six Democrats and three Republicans. Four of those women took over the role by succession. There is growing urgency among leaders in both major parties around bolstering the chances of women running in the 2022 gubernatorial elections, when voters in 36 states will pick their next chief executive.

Trump Loses Case to Enforce Omarosa Manigault Newman’s N.D.A.
MSN – Maggie Haberman (New York Times) | Published: 9/28/2021

Former President Trump lost an effort to enforce a nondisclosure agreement against Omarosa Manigault Newman, a former White House aide and a star on “The Apprentice” who wrote a tell-all book about serving in his administration. The decision from an arbiter calls for her to collect legal fees from the Trump campaign. The campaign filed the case shortly after Manigault Newman published her book. It claimed she violated a nondisclosure agreement she had signed during the 2016 campaign stipulating she would not reveal private or confidential information about Trump’s family, business, or personal life.

Two Fed Officials Announce Retirements Amid Controversy Over Ethics and Stocktrading
MSN – Rachel Siegel (Washington Post) | Published: 9/27/2021

Two top Federal Reserve officials are leaving their posts amid scrutiny over their stock-trading activities during the coronavirus crisis, behavior which spurred an unusual review by the Fed of trading rules for its officials. Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren and Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan both announced their retirements. Earlier, media outlets reported on the financial disclosures of the regional bank presidents, showing both actively traded in stocks and other investments while in their roles setting monetary policy and assisting the central bank through the covid crisis.

U.S. Supreme Court to Consider Senator Cruz’s Campaign Finance Challenge
Yahoo Finance – Andrew Chung (Reuters) | Published: 9/30/2021

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the FEC’s bid to restore a campaign finance law that limits the amount of money candidates can accept from donors after an election as they try to recoup the money they personally lent to their formal campaign organizations. A lower court ruling found the cap violates the Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of speech by unjustifiably burdening political expression. The law imposes a ceiling of $250,000 on payments from donations made after an election even if candidates made loans exceeding that sum.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona Recount Results Raise Stakes for GOP-Backed Ballot Reviews in Other States
MSN – Amy Gardner (Washington Post) | Published: 9/23/2021

A GOP-commissioned report that did not find evidence fraud tainted Arizona’s 2020 election has intensified the fight over similar partisan ballot reviews in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin, with former President Trump pressing for such examinations and Democrats stepping up their efforts to block them. The outcome of the recount in Maricopa County, which concluded President Biden won the state’s largest county by even more votes than the certified results, raises the stakes for the Republican leaders who have gone along with Trump’s demands for “forensic audits” in other states.

California – Between the Lines: Hidden partisans try to influence California’s independent redistricting
MSN – Ben Christopher and Sameea Kamal (CalMatters) | Published: 9/28/2021

California congressional districts are drawn by an independent citizens commission, but it is hearing from candidates and party officials who do not disclose their partisan affiliations. Though the commission is prohibited from considering the electoral interests of elected officials, candidates, or political parties, there is nothing that bars any of those players from trying to influence the decisions, nor any laws or rules requiring public commenters to list potential conflicts-of-interest. But not disclosing a personal stake may cross an ethical line, said Jessica Levinson, a former member of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission.

California – California Is Now Permanently a Vote-by-Mail State as Gavin Newsom Signs Bill
MSN – Lara Korte (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 9/27/2021

California will now mail ballots to voters in all elections, extending a practice temporarily adopted during the pandemic to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at polling locations. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 37, which requires county elections officials to mail a ballot to every active registered voter for all elections, whether they request it or not. Voters can still choose to vote at physical polling locations, if they prefer.

California – California Treasurer Sued for Harassment Often Shared Overnight Lodging with Staffers
MSN – Sophia Bollag (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 9/28/2021

Treasurer Fiona Ma has frequently shared hotel rooms with her chief of staff during her tenure as California’s top banking official, a practice she said she engaged in “to save money,” according to expense reports. A review of travel documents found that sharing lodging with staff was a common practice for Ma, who is facing a lawsuit filed by a different employee, who no longer works in the office. The worker accused her of sexual harassment when the two women shared hotel rooms.

California – L.A. County Sheriff’s Unit Accused of Targeting Political Enemies
MSN – Alene Tchekmedyian (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 9/23/2021

A group of deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department make up a little-known team of investigators formed by Sheriff Alex Villanueva and other top sheriff’s officials. Much of what they do, by design, is a mystery to the public and even to most within the department. But as some of the investigations handled by the team have come to light, a common thread has emerged: their targets are outspoken critics of Villanueva or the department. Concern over the Civil Rights and Public Integrity Deta has caused consternation both inside and outside the department.

California – Oakland Issues Its Largest Ethics Fine Ever, Against a Corrupt Former Building Inspector
Oaklandside – David DeBolt | Published: 9/28/2021

The Oakland Public Ethics Commission issued a fine of $309,600 against a former city building inspector accused of accepting bribes from property owners in exchange for greenlighting inspections or issuing permits. It is by far the largest fine ever issued by the commission. Thomas Espinosa, the former specialty combination inspector in the city’s Planning and Building Department’s Code Enforcement Division, also convinced some property owners whose buildings he inspected to hire him as a contractor, the investigation found.

Colorado – An Elections Supervisor Embraced Conspiracy Theories. Officials Say She Has Become an Insider Threat.
MSN – Emma Brown (Washington Post) | Published: 9/26/2021

In a lawsuit filed by the Colorado secretary of state, Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters and her deputy have been accused of sneaking someone into the county elections offices to copy the hard drives of Dominion Voting Systems machines. Those copies later surfaced online and in the hands of election deniers. Local and state state prosecutors, and the FBI, are investigating whether criminal charges are warranted. The events represent an escalation in the attacks on the nation’s voting system, one in which officials who were responsible for election security allegedly took actions that undermined that security.

Colorado – Aurora City Council OKs Changes to Campaign Finance Law After Lawsuit from Mayor
Denver Gazette – Hannah Metzger | Published: 9/29/2021

The Aurora City Council approved changes to its campaign finance law after a court ruled in favor of Mayor Mike Coffman, who sued the city over provisions he claimed violated his freedom of speech. The lawsuit argued the measure, passed by the council in 2020, prohibited former and future candidates from pushing for ballot issues or helping other candidates with their campaigns, which Coffman said was intended to prevent his supporters from mobilizing in support of other candidates.

Colorado – Ex-Colorado GOP Chair Disbarred in Pro-Trump PAC Funds Case
MSN – Associated Press | Published: 9/23/2021

Former Colorado Republican Party Chairperson Ryan Call will be disbarred after acknowledging he took nearly $280,000 from a super PAC supporting former President Trump while Call served as the PAC’s treasurer. Call admitted to entering the Rebuilding America Now PAC into a secret contract to pay himself $5,000 a month for “political strategy and fundraising support” and he misled members of his former law firm about his activities with the committee.

Colorado – Newly Revealed Interactions Added to Redistricting Lobbying Complaint
Colorado Politics – Evan Wyloge | Published: 9/27/2021

A complaint filed against a group of Republican political consultants and lobbyists, accusing them of failing to file proper redistricting lobbying disclosure, grew larger when the complainant added new interactions between the complaint targets and Colorado’s redistricting commissioners. The complaint accused consultant Alan Philp of failing to file lobbying disclosure reports and accused former House speaker and now-lobbyist Frank McNulty and lobbyist Greg Brophy of failing to register and report their interactions with commissioners. All three work for Colorado Neighborhood Coalition, a nonprofit that does not disclose its donors.

Hawaii – Years Before Indictments, Honolulu Permitting Department Was Warned About Corrupt Culture
Honolulu Civil Beat – Christina Jedra | Published: 9/29/2021

The Honolulu Ethics Commission investigated the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) several times after it received numerous complaints about a “pay-to-play” culture at the department, records show. Taken as a whole, the records foreshadow the scandal that erupted earlier this year. In March, five current and former DPP employees, along with a local architect, were indicted for bribery schemes going back as far as 2012. The commission told DPP leadership about its concerns several times.

Illinois – Former Ald. Ricardo Muñoz Pleads Guilty to Spending Campaign Funds on Sports, Travel and Other Personal Items
MSN – Madeline Buckley (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 9/27/2021

Former Chicago Ald. Ricardo Muñoz pleaded guilty to spending cash from a political fund on personal items such as sports tickets, meals, and travel. Muñoz pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Federal prosecutors alleged Muñoz stole from a PAC formed by the Chicago Progressive Reform Caucus (CPRC), where he served as chairperson and performed the duties of its treasurer. Prosecutors accused him of moving funds from the CPRC into another fund he controlled, Citizens for Muñoz, and then into his personal checking account.

Illinois – Obscenity Ruling? State’s Top Court to Hear Case Seeking to End Pols Using ‘Obscene Amounts’ of Campaign Cash to Pay Lawyers
Chicago Sun-Times – Rachel Hinton | Published: 9/29/2021

The state’s top court plans to rule on the question of whether politicians can dip into their campaign funds to pay for their criminal defense or other legal troubles, a decision that could directly affect the embattled husband of Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Burke. She recused herself from the decision to take the case and from hearing it once it comes before the justices. Her husband, Ald. Edward Burke (14th), has already spent nearly $2 million in campaign contributions on legal fees since federal agents raided his ward headquarters.

Maryland – Baltimore’s Revamped Ethics Board Says It’s Ready to Provide Guidance to City Employees
Baltimore Sun – Emily Opilo | Published: 9/28/2021

Baltimore’s long underutilized Board of Ethics began issuing advisory opinions for the first time in three years in 2021 and has seen its web traffic triple, according to the panel’s annual report. The report, which is itself the first annual recap from the board since 2014, details a restructuring of the Board of Ethics since it was moved under the supervision of the Office of the Inspector General, a move that became effective last October. Since then, the board has been staffed by a full-time director and administrative assistant who established an ethics hotline and revamped the city’s ethics training process for city employees and elected officials.

Michigan – Detroit Councilman Andre Spivey Admits He Took Bribes for Help with Towing
MSN – Joe Guillen (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 9/28/2021

Andre Spivey became the second Detroit City Council member this year to plead guilty to a public corruption charge, admitting he took $35,900 in bribes from an undercover law enforcement agent and a confidential FBI source in exchange for wielding his political influence. Spivey accepted the bribes in exchange for his assistance with a pending vehicle towing ordinance before the council, he said in court. The bribes were paid over the course of eight separate meetings with the confidential FBI source, most of which were recorded.

New Hampshire – NH Supreme Court Asked to Define Governor’s Executive Privilege
MSN – Kevin Landrigan (Manchester Union Leader) | Published: 9/28/2021

Both sides in a legal dispute over open records asked the state’s highest court, for the first time, to spell out when New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu can claim executive privilege to keep documents secret. Activist Louise Spencer sued Sununu’s office over email contacts his staffers had with a national Republican PAC before and after Sununu vetoed a 2019 bill to create an independent redistricting commission. The suit maintained that the governor’s office should not be exempt from the state’s Right-to-Know Law.

New Mexico – Ethics Board Hands Gonzales a Reprimand and $2,000 Fine
Albuquerque Journal – Oliver Uyttebrouck | Published: 9/24/2021

The Albuquerque Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices imposed a $2,000 fine and a public reprimand on Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, finding his mayoral campaign submitted 16 forged documents in his bid for public financing. The finding punctuates an unsuccessful monthslong quest by Gonzales to obtain more than $600,000 in public campaign financing. That effort foundered on a pair of complaints centered on the five-dollar qualifying contributions that candidates must collect from city voters to qualify for public money.

New York – MTA Bus Boss Covered License Plate to Avoid Tolls, Had $100k in Outstanding Fines: Watchdog
Yahoo News – Clayton Guse (New York Daily News) | Published: 9/27/2021

A New York City Transit superintendent used a plastic license plate cover to dodge tolls for years across New York, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) inspector general said. The superintendent, identified as Aditya Samaroo, bragged to his colleagues he avoided paying tolls on bridges and tunnels by obscuring his license plate. Samaroo also dodged more than $100,000 in outstanding tolls and late fees by regularly swapping out his car’s license plates.

Ohio – Ohio Governor Lobbyist Resigns; Was Linked to Bribery Probe
MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 9/24/2021

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s top lobbyist, a man linked to an ongoing federal bribery probe but never charged, resigned after three years on the job. Legislative Director Dan McCarthy cited “the pace and grind” of the job. Federal prosecutors charged five individuals with orchestrating a $60 million bribery scheme to assure the 2019 passage of a bill bailing out two nuclear power plants. The power plants were operated at the time by a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. McCarthy is a former FirstEnergy lobbyist who was president of one of the “dark money” groups that has been implicated in the alleged bribery scheme.

Pennsylvania – A Leading Addiction Recovery Reformer in Philly Was on the Payroll of a Rehab Center Now Charged with Crimes
MSN – Jeremy Roebuck and Aubrey Wilson (Philadelphia Inquirer) | Published: 9/27/2021

Fred Way has spent the last decade working to improve addiction recovery houses in Philadelphia. But for much of that time, he was on the payroll of a rehabilitation facility now accused of encouraging their worst abuses. He has advised lawmakers on state policy, and the recovery-house certification program created by his nonprofit, the Pennsylvania Alliance of Recovery Residences, serves as the only benchmark for judging the quality of housing in Philadelphia for people in early recovery, and for determining which of those homes will receive coveted city funds. In a state grand jury report this summer, Wray acknowledged taking money from a drug rehab facility under criminal investigation.

South Dakota – As Daughter Sought State License, Noem Summoned Agency Head
Yahoo News – Stephen Groves (Associated Press) | Published: 9/27/2021

Days after a South Dakota agency moved to deny her daughter’s application to become a certified real estate appraiser, Gov. Kristi Noem summoned to her office the state employee who ran the agency, the woman’s direct supervisor, and the state labor secretary. Noem’s daughter also attended. Kassidy Peters ultimately obtained the certification in November 2020, four months after the meeting at her mother’s office. A week after that, the labor secretary called the agency head, Sherry Bren, to demand her retirement, according to an age discrimination complaint. Bren left her job after the state paid her $200,000 to withdraw the complaint.

Texas – Dallas Needs More Oversight and Stronger Ethics Rules, Review Finds
Dallas Morning News – Everton Bailey Jr. | Published: 9/27/2021

Dallas needs a department solely dedicated to investigating misconduct complaints to ensure they are properly handled, according to a report calling for ethics reforms. The city should create an Office of Inspector General and appoint a licensed attorney role who would find, investigate. and issue rulings on cases of alleged fraud, waste, abuse, campaign finance violations and other ethics misconduct, the report said. The move would replace the current process, where complaints are funneled through different channels and not independently investigated.

Texas – ”Home Cooking’ Concerns Revealed in Corruption Prosecutions Outside Texas Capital
KXAN – David Barer and Josh Hinkle | Published: 9/20/2021

The Public Integrity Unit housed in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office was dismantled in 2015, following allegations it was politicizing prosecutions. Texas lawmakers aimed to reform the system by moving state public corruption investigations to the Department of Public Safety’s Texas Rangers and prosecuting accused officials in their home counties rather than Travis County. Six years later, a media investigation found prosecutions of statewide public officials for corruption are nearly non-existent. Since 2015, the Rangers investigated a handful of state-level elected leaders, but few faced charges.

Texas – Texas Appears to Be Paying a Secretive Republican Political Operative $120,000 Annually to Work Behind the Scenes on Redistricting
MSN – Alexa Ura (Texas Tribune) | Published: 9/29/2021

A Republican redistricting operative whose clandestine work helped drag Wisconsin into a legal morass last decade appears to now be on the payroll of the Texas Legislature as lawmakers work to redraw maps that will determine the distribution of political power for years to come. The operative, Adam Foltz, was part of the team that helped craft Wisconsin’s legislative maps after Republicans took control of that state Legislature in 2010. Foltz played a key role in a tight-lipped and questionable redrawing process that shut out Democrats and drew the condemnation of federal judges who described it as “needlessly secret,” according to court records.

Washington – Weekly WA Newspaper Fined $15,000 for Selling Election Coverage
Crosscut – Melissa Santos | Published: 9/28/2021

The Tacoma Weekly agreed to pay a $15,000 fine for telling candidates last year they could buy a news story, and even the newspaper’s editorial endorsement, as part of a $2,500 advertising package. Accepting money in exchange for story placement or positive coverage goes against journalistic standards of ethics. But beyond that, it also violates Washington state law, which forbids news outlets from soliciting money in exchange for “an endorsement, article, or other communication in the news media promoting or opposing a candidate.”

September 30, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “FEC Debates Deadlocks and Dismissals” by Keith Newell for Investigative Reporting Workshop Elections National: “There Are Just 9 Women Governors. Both Parties Want Change.” by Liz Crampton (Politico) for Yahoo News Ethics National: “Fallout Begins for Far-Right […]

September 29, 2021 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Campaign Finance Illinois: “Former Ald. Ricardo Muñoz Pleads Guilty to Spending Campaign Funds on Sports, Travel and Other Personal Items” by Madeline Buckley (Chicago Tribune) for MSN Elections California: “California Is Now Permanently a Vote-by-Mail State as Gavin Newsom Signs […]

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

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Monday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

News You Can Use Digest – October 15, 2021

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News You Can Use Digest – October 8, 2021

Thursday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Wednesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

Tuesday’s LobbyComply News Roundup

News You Can Use Digest – October 1, 2021

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