December 22, 2016 •
Judge Rules South Dakota’s IM 22 Indivisible
Circuit Judge Mark Barnett ruled yesterday that Initiated Measure 22 cannot be separated into different parts, issuing an order blocking the entire law from taking effect. Initiated Measure 22 was approved by the majority of South Dakota voters last month […]
Circuit Judge Mark Barnett ruled yesterday that Initiated Measure 22 cannot be separated into different parts, issuing an order blocking the entire law from taking effect. Initiated Measure 22 was approved by the majority of South Dakota voters last month as an act to revise campaign finance and lobbying laws.
There was an existing preliminary injunction on the law’s implementation; however, supporters of Initiated Measure 22 wanted to reinstate portions of the law not challenged by the plaintiffs, such as the provisions dealing with lower caps on campaign contributions.
December 22, 2016 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying “A Lobbying Roadmap to Influencing Trump” by Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico “Nuclear Weapon Firms Pay to Settle Illegal Lobbying Cases” by Patrick Malone (Center for Public Integrity) for USA Today “Trump’s Ex-Campaign Manager Starts Lobbying Firm” by Shane Goldmacher, […]
Lobbying
“A Lobbying Roadmap to Influencing Trump” by Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico
“Nuclear Weapon Firms Pay to Settle Illegal Lobbying Cases” by Patrick Malone (Center for Public Integrity) for USA Today
“Trump’s Ex-Campaign Manager Starts Lobbying Firm” by Shane Goldmacher, Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Kenneth Vogel for Politico
Campaign Finance
“The Future of Campaign Finance Reform Is at The State and Local Level” by Paul Blumenthal for Huffington Post
California: “State Investigation Clears Coastal Commissioner of Improperly Voting for a Pismo Beach Housing Project” by Dan Weikel for Los Angeles Times
Ethics
“Trump Team Discussing ‘Half-Blind’ Trust for Conflicts of Interest” by Josh Gerstein for Politico
“Access to Donald Trump, for $500,000: Pitfalls for Presidents’ Families” by Eric Lipton for New York Times
Colorado: “Denver Officials Move Closer to Listing Their Gifts Online and Tightening Ethics Rules” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
New York: “N.Y. Pay-to-Play Plot Fueled by Bribes, U.S. Says” by Bob Van Voris and Chris Dolmetsch for Bloomberg.com
North Carolina: “NC Senator Seeking Money from Program He Created” by Mark Binker for WRAL
South Carolina: “Smarter Corruption: How Lost Trust evolved into ‘Capitol Gains’” by Tony Bartelme and Doug Pardue for Charleston Post & Courier
December 21, 2016 •
Wednesday News Roundup
Lobbying Louisiana: “Lobbyists Spent Nearly Half a Million Dollars to Woo Louisiana Legislators in 2016” by Elizabeth Crisp for New Orleans Advocate Campaign Finance “Offer of Access to Trump and Family at Fundraiser Is Pulled Back, But Ties Remain” by […]
Lobbying
Louisiana: “Lobbyists Spent Nearly Half a Million Dollars to Woo Louisiana Legislators in 2016” by Elizabeth Crisp for New Orleans Advocate
Campaign Finance
“Offer of Access to Trump and Family at Fundraiser Is Pulled Back, But Ties Remain” by Matea Gold and David Fahrenthold for The Washington Post
“DeVos Heads into Confirmation with a Megadonor’s Advantage” by Michael Stratford for Politico
Ethics
“Suspected of Corruption at Home, Powerful Foreigners Find Refuge in U.S.” by Kyra Gurney, Anjali Tsui, David Iaconangelo, and Selina Cheng for Miami Herald
“There’s Already a Big Problem with Trump’s ‘No New Deals’ Pledge” by Drew Harwell for The Washington Post
Massachusetts: “Appeals Court Overturns Convictions in Probation Department Scandal” by Milton Valencia for Boston Globe
New Jersey: “Lawmakers’ Revolt Sinks Book Deal, Newspaper Bill” by Salvador Rizzo for Bergen Record
New York: “Grand Juries Said to Hear Testimony on Inquiries into de Blasio Fund-Raising” by William Rashbaum for The New York Times
South Carolina: “Rep. Jim Merrill Indicted in S.C. Statehouse Probe; Suspended from Office” by Schuyler Kropf and Glenn Smith for Charleston Post & Courier
Virginia: “Residents Push to Change Law That Lets Norfolk Treasurer Anthony Burfoot Stay in Office” by Eric Hartley for The Virginian-Pilot
Elections
“Electoral College Settles Donald Trump’s Victory, but Little Else” by Jonathan Martin and Michael Wines for The New York Times
December 20, 2016 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Campaign Finance “Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call Arkansas: “Old Advice on State Judicial Donors Cut, Not Revised” by Lisa Hammersly for Northwest Arkansas News Oregon: “Portland to Revive Public Campaign Financing […]
Campaign Finance
“Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call
Arkansas: “Old Advice on State Judicial Donors Cut, Not Revised” by Lisa Hammersly for Northwest Arkansas News
Oregon: “Portland to Revive Public Campaign Financing in 2019” by Jessica Floum for Portland Oregonian
Ethics
Pennsylvania: “Former Philadelphia Congressman Chaka Fattah Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer
Illinois: “Ald. Willie Cochran Indicted on Thefts from Ward Charity” by Jason Meisner, Jeremy Gorner, and Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune
Indiana: “Former Lawmaker Lands Job with Vaping Group That Benefited from His Vote” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star
Kentucky: “Tim Longmeyer Pleads Guilty to State Felony” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal
New York: “Reform Group Sues Over New Disclosure Law” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union
Wisconsin: “Wisconsin Ethics Commissioner Resigns in Disgust” by Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Elections
“Electoral College Settles Donald Trump’s Victory, but Little Else” by Jonathan Martin and Michael Wines for New York Times
“All This Talk of Voter Fraud? Across U.S., Officials Found Next to None” by Michael Wines for New York Times
December 19, 2016 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying “Longtime Business Lobbyist Laments Loss of ‘Smoke-Filled Rooms’ in Washington” by Carl Hulse for New York Times Campaign Finance Alaska: “New Alaska House leaders embrace loophole to raise campaign cash from lobbyists” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dipatch News […]
Lobbying
“Longtime Business Lobbyist Laments Loss of ‘Smoke-Filled Rooms’ in Washington” by Carl Hulse for New York Times
Campaign Finance
Alaska: “New Alaska House leaders embrace loophole to raise campaign cash from lobbyists” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dipatch News
Arizona: “Arizona Supreme Court to review Tom Horne’s campaign-finance case” by Bob Christie (Associated Press) for Arizona Republic
Massachusetts: “Campaign finance among bills passed” by Bob Katzen for Sentinel & Enterprise
New York: “De Blasio Is Fined $48,000 for Campaign Finance Violations” by J. David Goodman for New York Times
Ethics
“Trump’s billionaire-loaded cabinet will face a government ethics test after confirmation” by Kevin Hall for The Charlotte Observer
Illinois: “Lawmakers push package of ethics reform bills intended to mesh with Greitens’ goals” by Will Schmitt for Springfield News-Leader
South Carolina: “Companies say they weren’t trying to buy SC legislator’s influence” by Avery Wilks for SCNow
Elections
“North Carolina Governor Signs Bill Limiting His Successor’s Power” by Craig Jarvis for Governing
December 19, 2016 •
North Carolina Bill to Merge Ethics and Elections Boards Becomes Law
On Friday, December 16, Gov. Pat McCrory signed Senate Bill 4 into law. Senate Bill 4 merges the State Board of Elections with the State Ethics Commission and creates a new eight-member board split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. The […]
On Friday, December 16, Gov. Pat McCrory signed Senate Bill 4 into law. Senate Bill 4 merges the State Board of Elections with the State Ethics Commission and creates a new eight-member board split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.
The bill was introduced by Republicans in an attempt to limit the power of the executive branch before newly elected Democrats take power. Governor-elect Roy Cooper has stated that he plans to challenge the law in court as unconstitutional.
December 19, 2016 •
Montana Increases Lobbyist Registration Threshold
On December 16, the Commissioner of Political Practices’ proposed rule amendment increasing the threshold amount of payment triggering lobbyist and employer registration to $2,550 for 2017 and 2018 was adopted. The payment threshold is adjusted by an inflation factor determined by […]
On December 16, the Commissioner of Political Practices’ proposed rule amendment increasing the threshold amount of payment triggering lobbyist and employer registration to $2,550 for 2017 and 2018 was adopted.
The payment threshold is adjusted by an inflation factor determined by the commissioner. The previous threshold amount was $2,500 for the calendar years 2015 and 2016.
December 16, 2016 •
New York City Council Passes Several Campaign Finance Bills
Several bills related to campaign finance were recently passed by the New York City Council. Int. No. 1345-A will prohibit donations above $400 per year from people who are lobbyists, have city contracts, do business with the city, or non-governmental […]
Several bills related to campaign finance were recently passed by the New York City Council.
Int. No. 1345-A will prohibit donations above $400 per year from people who are lobbyists, have city contracts, do business with the city, or non-governmental entities controlled by a local elected official or their agents. Int. No. 1352 will require a notice regarding the contribution limits for persons doing business with the city be provided to contributors. Additionally, Int. No. 1361-A will require contributions in a special election be counted towards the threshold for eligibility and matching for public funds candidates.
Some of the more technical bills will require public funds candidates to deposit contributions by a certain date (Int. No. 1351-A), mandate the Campaign Finance Board to prepare electronic disclosure reports to meet state disclosure requirements (Int. No. 1349-A), allow candidates to return campaign contributions to protect their reputational interest (Int. No. 1353-A), and require the doing business database to display the date a person is considered doing business with the city (Int. No. 1361).
The bills are awaiting the mayor’s signature and are effective as listed in the respective bills.
December 16, 2016 •
North Carolina Bill to Merge Ethics and Elections Boards Passes Senate
Yesterday, Senate Bill 4 passed in the North Carolina Senate with a 30-16 vote. Senate Bill 4 seeks to merge the State Board of Elections with the State Ethics Commission and create a new eight-member board split evenly between Republicans […]
Yesterday, Senate Bill 4 passed in the North Carolina Senate with a 30-16 vote.
Senate Bill 4 seeks to merge the State Board of Elections with the State Ethics Commission and create a new eight-member board split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.
The bill is now headed to the House for consideration
December 15, 2016 •
Thursday News Roundup
Elections “Stein Spent Nearly $1 Million of Recount Funds on Consultants, Staff, Admin Expenses” by Joe Schoffstall for The Washington Free Beacon New Mexico: “Political Action Committees Spent Big in Closing Days of Election” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for […]
Elections
“Stein Spent Nearly $1 Million of Recount Funds on Consultants, Staff, Admin Expenses” by Joe Schoffstall for The Washington Free Beacon
New Mexico: “Political Action Committees Spent Big in Closing Days of Election” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for Albuquerque Journal
Ethics
“Former Democratic Congressman Chaka Fattah Sentenced to Decade in Prison” by Deena Zaru for CNN
Connecticut: “Bilda, Hinchey to Face Ethics Hearings Over Derbygate” by Ryan Blessing for The Bulletin
New Hampshire: “Portsmouth Resident Tries Again With Ethics Complaint” by Jeff McMenemy for Seacoast Online
South Dakota: “Attorney General’s Office Pushes to Save Parts of Ethics Law” by The Associated Press for The Washington Times
Campaign Finance
Missouri: “KCMO Police Commissioner May Have Broken Missouri Law” by Andy Alcock for KHSB
New York: “Hearing Delayed in Staver-Sauer Case” by Andrew Setterholm for Post Bulletin
Wisconsin: “Report: PAC Spending on Wisconsin Legislative Races Soars in Wake of Campaign Finance Change” by Katelyn Ferral for The Capital Times
Legislative Issues
Missouri: “Missouri Democrats Push Anti-Corruption Agenda as Legislative Session Approaches” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Lobbying
“Lobbying Muscle May Help Tech Titans Trump Trump” by Allan Holmes and Jared Bennett for Center for Public Integrity
December 14, 2016 •
Wisconsin Ethics Commissioner Resigns Amid Agency Dysfunction
Wisconsin state ethics commissioner Robert Kinney announced his resignation Monday. Kinney cited his disappointment in the agency as his reason for stepping down. He claims the relatively new Ethics Commission operates too secretly and does not adequately enforce ethics, campaign […]
Wisconsin state ethics commissioner Robert Kinney announced his resignation Monday. Kinney cited his disappointment in the agency as his reason for stepping down. He claims the relatively new Ethics Commission operates too secretly and does not adequately enforce ethics, campaign finance and lobbying rules.
Moreover, he contends several members of the commission demonstrate an obvious lack of commitment to the underlying purpose of the agency. In June, Gov. Scott Walker appointed Kinney from a pool of candidates provided by the Democratic Party.
December 14, 2016 •
Wednesday News Roundup
Campaign Finance “Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call Elections “Completed Wisconsin Recount Widens Donald Trump’s Lead by 131 Votes” by Matthew DeFour for Wisconsin State Journal Ethics “Aaron Schock Pleads Not Guilty […]
Campaign Finance
“Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call
Elections
“Completed Wisconsin Recount Widens Donald Trump’s Lead by 131 Votes” by Matthew DeFour for Wisconsin State Journal
Ethics
“Aaron Schock Pleads Not Guilty To Slew of Federal Charges” by Aryn Braun for Roll Call
Wisconsin: “State Ethics Commissioner Resigns, Citing Dysfunction in New Watchdog Agency” by Mark Sommerhauser and Molly Beck for Wisconsin State Journal
Legislative Issues
“Budget Shortfalls Expected in the Most States Since Recession” by Liz Farmer for Governing
Lobbying
“K Street Eyes Outgoing Lawmakers for Jobs” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call
“Exxon-Mobil: No Stranger to Lobbying the ‘Swamp’” by Lesley Clark (McClatchy) for The News & Observer
“Trump Transition Trade Staffer Defended NAFTA, was Chamber of Commerce Lobbyist” by Andrew Kaczynski and Chris Massie for CNN
Missouri: “Opinion: The Christmas Spirit of Lobbyists” by Phill Brooks for The Springfield Business Journal
Procurement
New York: “DiNapoli Proposes Procurement Reforms” by Matthew Hamilton for Times Union
December 13, 2016 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Campaign Finance Florida: “Dozens of Florida Political Committees Being Fueled by Millions in ‘Dark Money’” by Tia Mitchell for The Florida Times-Union Massachusetts: “Campaign Finance Law Shields Violators” by Stephanie Ebbert for The Boston Globe Elections “Senate and House Leaders […]
Campaign Finance
Florida: “Dozens of Florida Political Committees Being Fueled by Millions in ‘Dark Money’” by Tia Mitchell for The Florida Times-Union
Massachusetts: “Campaign Finance Law Shields Violators” by Stephanie Ebbert for The Boston Globe
Elections
“Senate and House Leaders Call for Inquiry of Russian Hacking in Election” by Jennifer Steinhauer for The New York Times
Ethics
“Trump Invites Trouble if He Keeps Businesses: Ethics Experts” BY Bernard Condon and Julie Bykowicz (Associated Press) for McClatchy DC
“Why All Billionaire Politicians Are Not Created Equal” by Ruairi Arriet-Kenna for Politico
Lobbying
“Insurers Step Up Lobbying With an Eye to Health-Law Changes” by Anna Wilde Mathews and Louise Radnofsky for The Wall Street Journal
“Big Law Lobbying Efforts Fail to Kill 9/11 Litigation Against Saudi Arabia” by Michael D. Goldhaber for The American Lawyer
Missouri: “Lobbyist Gifts to Missouri Legislators Have Dropped Significantly” by Walker Moskop for St. Louis Dispatch
Texas: “Edinburg Hires DC Lobbying Firm” by Naxiely Lopez for The Monitor
December 12, 2016 •
Monday News Roundup
Campaign Finance Arizona: “What Ever Happened to The Investigations into Tom Horne?” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona Republic California: “Contra Costa: Turmoil in DA’s office after agency head admits to violating California law” by Nate Gartrell by East Bay […]
Campaign Finance
Arizona: “What Ever Happened to The Investigations into Tom Horne?” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez for Arizona Republic
California: “Contra Costa: Turmoil in DA’s office after agency head admits to violating California law” by Nate Gartrell by East Bay Times
Maine: “Ethics Commission Favors Shedding Light on ‘Dark Money’ in Maine Campaigns” by Kevin Miller for Portland Press Herald
Oregon: “Portland City Council Set to Revive Publicly Funded Campaigns – in 2019” by Jessica Floum for The Oregonian
Ethics
“Trump Could Keep D.C. Hotel Despite Conflict of Interest” by Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico
“Suspected of Corruption at Home, Powerful Foreigners Find Refuge in U.S.” by Kyra Gurney, Anjali Tsui, David Iaconangelo, and Selena Cheng for Miami Herald
Kentucky: “Tim Longmeyer Pleads Guilty to State Felony” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal
Massachusetts: “Antiboycott Groups Pay for State Officials’ Israel Trips” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe
South Dakota: “South Dakota Judge Puts Government Ethics Overhaul on Hold” by James Nord (Associated Press) for Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Lobbying
“Trump Victory Sets Off a Tsunami of Lobbying Activity by Companies” by Steven Mufson and Ylan Mui for The Washington Post
Florida: “PBC School Board Imposes New Rules for Lobbyists” by Andrew Marra for Palm Beach Post
Elections
“Obama Orders Intelligence Report on Russian Election Hacking” by David Sanger and Scott Shane for The New York Times
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