February 6, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Tallahassee Commissioners Adopt Stricter Gifts Laws for City Officials

The city commission adopted changes to Tallahassee’s ethics rules, taking aim at improper interactions between elected officials and those seeking official action. Changes to the ordinance include a ban on city officials soliciting gifts from vendors and lobbyists and a […]

February 6, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance Virginia: “Dozens of Virginia Churches Have Been Donating Cash to Campaigns for Years, Despite Law” by Bill Bartell for The Virginian-Pilot Elections Florida: “Judge Strikes Down Florida’s System for Denying Felons’ Voting Rights” by Steve Bousquet for Tampa […]

February 5, 2018 • Written by Allyson Smith

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance Alabama: “Attorney General’s Office Appears to Be Investigating Campaign Finance Documents” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser Elections Pennsylvania: “Bob Brady Is Not Running for Reelection” by Holly Otterbein, Chris Brennan, and Claudia Vargas for Philadelphia Inquirer Ethics […]

February 2, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

NYCU Video Digest – February 2, 2018

With the amount of news this week, you can’t afford to miss this week’s news you can use video digest!

February 2, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – February 2, 2018

National: Just How Bad is Partisan Gerrymandering? Ask the Mapmakers. New York Times – Michael Wines | Published: 1/29/2018 Eric Hawkins, an analyst for the political consulting firm NCEC Services, is part of a cottage industry of statisticians, computer jockeys, […]

National:

Just How Bad is Partisan Gerrymandering? Ask the Mapmakers.
New York Times – Michael Wines | Published: 1/29/2018

Eric Hawkins, an analyst for the political consulting firm NCEC Services, is part of a cottage industry of statisticians, computer jockeys, and political sages whose business is to turn demographic data into electoral maps. His firm works exclusively with Democrats; others – like Geographic Strategies, run by the former Republican Party redistricting expert Thomas Hofeller – are loyal to Republicans. If most mapmakers are partisan, their work goes well beyond back-room politics. A good map meets constitutional requirements, such as allotting an equal number of people to every district, and respecting racial and ethnic populations. For their part, mapmakers point out their job is to implement political will, not to determine it.

Federal:

CDC Director Resigns Because of Conflicts Over Financial Interests
Washington Post – Lena Sun | Published: 1/31/2018

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Brenda Fitzgerald resigned, one day after reports that she traded tobacco stocks while heading the agency. Fitzgerald has said she divested from many stock holdings. But she and her husband were legally obligated to maintain other investments in cancer detection and health information technology, according to her ethics agreement, requiring Fitzgerald to pledge to avoid government business that might affect those interests. In Congress, some lawmakers had become increasingly concerned over Fitzgerald’s ability to do her job effectively.

Trump Groups Raised Millions, Then Paid It Out to Loyalists and a Trump Hotel
Las Vegas Sun – Kenneth Vogel and Rachel Shorey (New York Times) | Published: 1/25/2018

President Trump’s close political advisers are making millions of dollars working for several different entities gearing up for Trump’s re-election campaign, raising questions about whether they are following campaign finance laws designed to keep campaigns from coordinating with big-money outside groups. Campaign finance reports shed light on a network of groups that were formed to support Trump, but have spent less than other groups bolstering his agenda, while steering money to the president’s businesses and his most ardent surrogates.

Why the Russia Probe Demolished One Lobbying Firm but Spared Another
Politico – Theodoric Meyer | Published: 2/1/2018

Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chief, once arranged the hiring of the lobbying firms Podesta Group and Mercury to work on behalf of a nonprofit that was ostensibly independent but which prosecutors say was “under the ultimate direction” of the president of Ukraine. Manfaort has been indicted on charges that include violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Podesta Group collapsed within weeks of Manafort’s indictment, but Mercury just had its best year ever. There is no single explanation for why one firm imploded while the other appears to be relatively unscathed, but it is evident the Podesta Group was under pressures that Mercury did not face.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Patricia Todd Says Campaign Subpoena Was ‘Last Straw’ in Decision to Not Seek Re-election
AL.com – Roy Johnson | Published: 1/30/2018

Alabama Rep. Patricia Todd says the state’s ethics laws regarding interactions between lawmakers and non-profits made it difficult, if not impossible, for her to get a job in her profession as an advocate in the non-profit sector. But after Todd announced she will not run for re-election, she received an offer from the Consumer Financial Education Foundation of America which she accepted. Todd said potential employers were skittish about regulations that consider anyone whose job entails speaking with a legislator as a lobbyist, and rules around interactions between lawmakers and lobbyists are strict.

Florida – Proposed Change to Sexual Harassment Bill Adds Sex to Lobbying Gift Ban
Florida Politics – Ana Ceballos | Published: 1/29/2018

Sexual favors between Florida legislators and lobbyists could be illegal under a proposed amendment to a bill. Sen. Lauren Book wants to incorporate any type of sexual conduct, whether engaging in it or directing others to do it, into the state’s gift ban. The change would apply to any public official, including an “employee of an agency or local government attorney.” It would also require anyone who files a public disclosure of their financial interests to certify they have reviewed the new gift ban policy.

Illinois – IG Office: Sex harassment legislation needs teeth for lobbyists
State Journal-Register – Maximilian Kwiatkowski | Published: 1/30/2018

Sexual harassment legislation passed last year is weak when it comes to requiring lobbyists to cooperate with investigations, according to two representatives of the Illinois secretary of state’s inspector general’s office. Deputy Inspector General Randy Blue said the laws do not contain strong enough penalties or ways to enforce the rules on lobbyists working in the Capitol. Prior to the legislation, the secretary of state’s jurisdiction involving lobbyists was solely with their registration and expenditure reports. Now, it oversees sexual harassment allegations, too.

Kansas – Kansas Intern Confidentiality Rule: What happens in a lawmaker’s office stays there
Kansas City Star – Lindsay Wise (McClatchy) and Hunter Woodall | Published: 1/29/2018

The Kansas Legislature requires interns to sign agreements to keep anything that takes place or is said in a lawmaker’s office confidential, or the interns could be fired. Employment law experts who reviewed the agreement say it is written so broadly it could deter interns from reporting harassment or illegal activity, and might violate the First Amendment. Legislative leaders say the agreement is intended to remind interns that private political discussions should stay private, although they acknowledge the intention is not clear.

New York – 2 Donors Plead Guilty, but the Mayor Is Not Charged. Why?
New York Times – William Rashbaum and William Neuman | Published: 1/26/2018

A major donor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio testified he made donations to an elected official that sources identify as the mayor to win favorable treatment from City Hall. Harendra Singh made the “pay-to-play” assertion during a plea proceeding in October 2016, but his statement remained hidden from public view until now. The mayor’s ties to Singh and several other campaign donors for whom he did favors were investigated by federal prosecutors. They decided not to bring charges against de Blasio or his aides, but in doing so, they issued a cutting statement raising questions about the mayor’s ethics and making it clear he had done favors for donors.

North Carolina – In Power Struggle with GOP Lawmakers, Cooper Wins Election Board Revamp Lawsuit
Raleigh News and Observer – Anne Blythe | Published: 1/26/2018

The North Carolina Supreme Court limited the Republican-dominated Legislature’s efforts to minimize Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s ability to pursue his goals, declaring unconstitutional a law devising a state elections board that hinted at deadlock. The justices ruled Cooper could not be forced to pick a politically divided, eight-member elections board from names the two major political parties selected. The law prevented the governor from removing members with whom he disagreed unless there was wrongdoing. The law makes Cooper unable to fulfill his duties to ensure election laws are followed because half of the board will be people who will probably oppose the governor’s policy preferences, the majority opinion said.

South Dakota – Ex-SD Lawmaker Returns Lobbyist Credentials Amid Concerns
Rapid City Journal – Bob Mercer | Published: 1/29/2018

Former South Dakota Sen. Corey Brown said he has given back the lobbyist badge he received to represent Sanford Health at the 2018 legislative session amid a concern he might be breaking a state law. The Legislature decided last year that many former state government officials must wait two years before starting work as private lobbyists in South Dakota. Brown retired from the Legislature at the end of 2016. He began work January 8 for Sanford Health as senior legislative specialist for South Dakota. “The confusion comes because there are different interpretations of the law,” Brown said.

Tennessee – Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Admits to Extramarital Relationship with Top Police Security Officer
The Tennessean – Joey Garrison, Nate Rau, and Dave Boucher | Published: 1/31/2018

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry apologized for having an affair with the head of her security detail, Sgt. Robert Forrest Jr. of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The affair has drawn scrutiny to the overtime that Forrest accrued while managing her detail. Forrest accompanied Barry on trips to Paris, Athens, Washington, New York, and other cities in the past year. He racked up around $33,000 in expenses for the trips and more than $50,000 in overtime in 2017 on top of an $84,500 salary. Nine of the trips were only Barry and Forrest, including a trip to Greece in September.

Wisconsin – Wisconsin Ethics Commission Hits Pause Button after Senate Rejects Director
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 1/25/2018

Wisconsin Ethics Commission Administrator Brian Bell returned to his old job at the state Department of Safety and Professional Services as a policy analyst, two days after Senate Republicans refused to confirm his appointment to the commission. Ethics Commission Chairperson David Halbrooks said he hoped to eventually bring back Bell as its director but wanted to wait to see what happens on the legal and legislative front in the coming weeks.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

February 1, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Ethics Federal: “In Shocking Move, Feds Drop All Charges Against Bob Menendez” by Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star Ledger Federal: “CDC Director Resigns Because of Conflicts Over Financial Interests” by Lena Sun for Washington Post National: “Clinton […]

January 31, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “Republican Governors Association to Cut All Ties with Steve Wynn Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegation” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post Ohio: “Tool Will Allow the Public to Follow the Money in Ohio Politics” by Laura Bischoff and […]

January 30, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance National: “How the Koch Network Learned to Thrive in the Trump Era” by James Hohmann and Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post Illinois: “Cook County Cook County Assessor Berrios Sues Over Ordinance Limiting Campaign Contributions” by Ray […]

January 29, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

North Carolina Supreme Court Rules on Law Merging Ethics and Elections Board

The North Carolina Supreme Court struck down a 2017 law overhauling the state’s Elections Board and Ethics Commission. Session Law 2017-6 merged the existing state Board of Elections and state Ethics Commission and created the new Bipartisan State Board of […]

January 29, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Ethics Federal: “Arguments Begin in Emoluments Suit against Trump” by David Fahenthold and Jonathan O’Connell for Washington Post Federal: “Patrick Meehan Won’t Seek Re-election in Pennsylvania” by Kenneth Vogel and Katie Rogers for New York Times Federal: “Trump Groups Raised […]

January 26, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Carroll County, Maryland Advances Ethics Ordinance

The Carroll County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 to move forward with a new ethics ordinance. The ordinance was originally developed in 2014 after the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill in 2010 requiring all counties, municipalities, and boards […]

January 26, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

NYCU Video Digest – January 26, 2018

Get your lobbying, ethics and elections fix in the fastest two minutes in this weeks government news!

January 26, 2018 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – January 26, 2018

National: Inside Facebook’s Year of Reckoning Washington Post – Elizabeth Dwoskin | Published: 1/22/2018 Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook would step back from its role in choosing the news that 2 billion users see on its site every month. The move […]

National:

Inside Facebook’s Year of Reckoning
Washington Post – Elizabeth Dwoskin | Published: 1/22/2018

Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook would step back from its role in choosing the news that 2 billion users see on its site every month. The move was one result of an 18-month struggle by Facebook to come to grips with its dark side. As outsiders criticized the social network’s harmful side effects, such as the spread of disinformation and violent imagery, internal debates played out over how forthcoming to be about Russian meddling on its platform during the 2016 election and how to fight the perception that Facebook is politically biased. Right now, the company is not confident it can prevent the problems that roiled Facebook during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Federal:

Big Pharma Greets Hundreds of Ex-Federal Workers at the ‘Revolving Door’
CaliforniaHealthline.org – Sydney Lupkin (Kaiser Health News) | Published: 1/25/2018

A Kaiser Health News analysis shows hundreds of people have moved through the “revolving door” that connects the drug industry to Capitol Hill and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly 340 former congressional staffers now work for pharmaceutical companies or their lobbying firms. The analysis also showed more than a dozen former drug industry employees now have jobs on Capitol Hill, often on committees that handle health care policy. In many cases, former congressional staffers who now work for drug companies return to the Hill to lobby former co-workers or employees. It raises concerns that pharmaceutical companies could wield undue influence over drug-related legislation or government policy.

FBI Investigating Whether Russian Money Went to NRA to Help Trump
McClatchy DC – Peter Stone and Greg Gordon | Published: 1/18/2018

The FBI is investigating Russian banker Alexander Torshin for allegedly funneling money to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign through contributions made to the National Rifle Association (NRA). As special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe continues, investigators are now looking into Torshin, the deputy governor of Russia’s central bank who is known for his close relationships with both Vladimir Putin and the NRA, two sources familiar with the inquiry said. It is illegal to use foreign money to influence federal elections.

Fewer Than 16,000 Donors Accounted for Half the Federal Campaign Contributions in 2016
Washington Post – Michelle Ye Hee Lee | Published: 1/19/2018

More than 3.2 million Americans contributed to federal candidates in the 2016 elections, but fewer than 16,000 of them provided half the donations, a sign of the increasing concentration of donor activity in the U.S., according to a new report. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s analysis mapped the growing influence of wealthy political contributors and independent political groups in the seven years since federal court decisions unleashed a new era of big-money spending. Super PACs spent $1.1 billion in the 2016 elections, nearly 17 times more than such independent political committees put into federal races in 2010, the first year they came into existence, the report found.

The Mueller Effect: FARA filings soar in shadow of Manafort, Flynn probes
NBC News – Julia Ainsley, Andrew Lehren, and Anna Schecter | Published: 1/18/2018

Hundreds of new and supplemental Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings by U.S. lobbyists and public relations firms since Special Counsel Robert Mueller charged two of President Trump’s aides with failing to disclose their lobbying work on behalf of foreign countries. The flood of new filings provides a window into the opaque industry of foreign lobbying in Washington, D.C. The uptick, legal experts say, comes from a new awareness that a failure to disclose overseas political work could lead to federal charges.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – San Francisco Ousts a Mayor in a Clash of Tech, Politics and Race
New York Times – Thomas Fuller and Conor Dougherty | Published: 1/24/2018

The appointment of venture capitalist Mark Farrell as San Francisco’s interim mayor, and the ouster of London Breed from that position, in some ways exemplified a larger battle for the soul of the city. In seven years, the median price of a home has nearly doubled to $1.3 million – a transformation, driven by the riches of the technology industry, that continues to push out longtime residents, many of them nonwhites. Amid the debate over the tech industry’s influence, there was the powerful imagery of a black woman being thrown out of office, albeit an interim one, in a city that has a long history of discrimination against blacks.

Colorado – Puffy Jackets and Poinsettias: Gifts to Denver council members from DIA and other city offices draw ethics scrutiny
Denver Post – Jon Murray | Published: 1/22/2018

A recent advisory opinion by the Denver Board of Ethics argued the prohibition on elected officials accepting or soliciting most items worth more than $25 – from givers with a city interest – could apply to gifts from city offices the same way it does to those from outside contractors. The opinion has drawn formal pushback from the city attorney’s office and has sparked debate among council members, who may have the last word by passing an explicit exclusion for city-provided gifts to the ethics code.

Georgia – Former Atlanta City Official Gets 2 Years in Bribery Probe
Los Angeles Times – Kate Brumback (Associated Press) | Published: 1/18/2018

Atlanta’s former chief procurement officer was sentenced to serve more than two years in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for lucrative city contracts. U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones also ordered Adam Smith to pay $44,000 restitution and a $25,000 fine. He was charged as part of an ongoing federal investigation into corruption at City Hall. Prosecutors have not publicly identified the vendor they say gave Smith envelopes of cash at meetings at restaurants every other week for nearly two years, a total of more than 40 payments.

Maine – A ‘Pro-White’ Town Manager Who Wants Races to Separate Refused to Quit. So Town Officials Fired Him.
Washington Post – Marwa Eltagouri and Kristine Phillips | Published: 1/24/2018

Tom Kawczynski put Jackman, Maine on the map when media outlets across the country began publishing stories about the town manager’s seemingly unequivocal views that Islam has no place in the Western world, and Americans would be better off if people of different races “voluntarily separate.” Officials in Jackman – a town of fewer than 1,000 people, where nearly all residents are white – remained mostly quiet about the incident until selectmen decided to fire Kawczynski. His termination could raise questions about whether towns and corporations can dismiss employees for offensive speech, which is protected by the Constitution.

New Jersey – Phil Murphy Executive Order Tightens Gift Rules for Governor
Bergen Record – Dustin Racioppi | Published: 1/18/2018

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order tightening rules on gift disclosures. The order requires the governor to disclose gifts from anyone he has met since January 16, 2015, three years before his inauguration. Anyone he met before then, Murphy said, would be considered a “pre-existing relationship.” Murphy’s predecessor, Chris Christie, came under criticism during his tenure for his use of an exemption that allowed him not to disclose gifts from people he claimed as friends.

New York – Vance Bans Donations from Lawyers with Pending Cases
New York Times – James McKinley Jr. | Published: 1/22/2018

Manhattan’s district attorney said he will no longer accept campaign contributions from lawyers with business before his office, including those representing people being investigated or prosecuted. The announcement by Cyrus Vance Jr. came after he faced heavy criticism for taking money from attorneys who represented movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and a lawyer who represented the Trump Organization in a fraud investigation. In response, Vance had asked the Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity at Columbia Law School to make recommendations for how to vet donors to eliminate potential bias.

North Carolina – Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks North Carolina Gerrymandering Ruling
New York Times – Adam Liptak and Alan Blinder | Published: 1/18/2018

The U.S. Supreme Court said North Carolina does not immediately have to redraw its congressional district maps, meaning the 2018 elections will likely be held in districts that a lower court found unconstitutional. The decision was not unexpected, because the Supreme Court generally is reluctant to require the drawing of new districts before it has had a chance to review a lower court’s ruling that such an action is warranted, especially in an election year.

Pennsylvania – Pa. Supreme Court Strikes Down Congressional Map as Unconstitutional, Orders Change Before May Primary
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jonathan Lai, Liz Navratil, and Angela Couloumbis | Published: 1/22/2018

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the state’s congressional map as unconstitutionally gerrymandered and gave lawmakers until February 9 to redraw the boundaries. Under a new map, Democrats, who hold only five of the state’s 18 congressional districts despite its status as a closely divided swing state, would likely have a much better opportunity to pick up several seats in their quest to retake control of the U.S. House. Experts have long held up Pennsylvania as one of the most extreme examples of partisan gerrymandering, in which district lines are precisely drawn to favor one political party over another.

Texas – Austin Lobbyists Agree to Disclose How Much They’re Paid
Austin American-Statesman – Elizabeth Findell | Published: 1/24/2018

Seventeen Austin lobbyist-lawyers who initially declined to cooperate with city rules requiring them to tell how much their clients pay them have changed their minds. A day before the Ethics Review Commission was set to hear ethics complaints, the city said all the lawyers had agreed to provide the information. Austin began requiring registered lobbyists last year to give a ballpark figure for what clients pay them to influence city officials, as they must disclose on the state and federal level. But at least 17 lobbyists who are also lawyers refused to do so, saying the disclosure would violate attorney-client privilege.

Wisconsin – Senate Votes to Force Out State Ethics and Elections Leaders
Wisconsin State Journal – Mark Sommerhauser | Published: 1/23/2018

The Wisconsin Senate refused to confirm the leaders of the state elections and ethics commissions, despite unanimous bipartisan support from the boards that hired them. The Senate voted against confirming elections Administrator Michael Haas and ethics Administrator Brian Bell. Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he has lost confidence in both men’s ability to be nonpartisan. Both previously worked for the Government Accountability Board, which Republicans disbanded in 2015 after it investigated Gov. Scott Walker and other conservative groups. Watchdog groups have threatened to sue to keep Bell and Haas in their jobs.

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

January 25, 2018 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Campaign Finance Canada: “Coalition of Unions Challenging Ontario’s Campaign Finance Law as Unconstitutional” by Robert Benzie for Toronto Star Utah: “Special Interests Gave Utah Lawmakers $9 of Every $10 in Campaign Funds They Raised” by Lee Davidson for Salt Lake […]

Tallahassee Commissioners Adopt Stricter Gifts Laws for City Officials

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

NYCU Video Digest – February 2, 2018

News You Can Use Digest – February 2, 2018

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

North Carolina Supreme Court Rules on Law Merging Ethics and Elections Board

Monday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

Carroll County, Maryland Advances Ethics Ordinance

NYCU Video Digest – January 26, 2018

News You Can Use Digest – January 26, 2018

Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup

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