September 25, 2015 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 25, 2015
Federal: ‘Lobbying’ Firm Raises More Questions than Answers The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 9/24/2015 The DG Group appears to have all the trappings of a Washington lobby firm. Featuring images of the Capitol dome and promises of inside access, its website […]
Federal:
‘Lobbying’ Firm Raises More Questions than Answers The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 9/24/2015
The DG Group appears to have all the trappings of a Washington lobby firm. Featuring images of the Capitol dome and promises of inside access, its website advertises a “scalable lobbying and global advocacy consultancy firm” with a track record of success. But much of the site is phony. It uses text lifted from the BGR Group, the lobbying firm founded by former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. The DG Group origin statement includes a paragraph from the website of Mercury, a global public relations firm with a Washington office. Photographs of DG Group lobbyists appear to be taken from PR websites and stock-photo archives. One of the people pictured as part of the firm’s leadership is a professor at Duke University’s Divinity School. Another is a comedian based in San Diego.
Political Parties Go after Million-Dollar Donors in Wake of Looser Rules
Washington Post – Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger | Published: 9/19/2015
The Republican National Committee is asking donors for $1.34 million per couple this election cycle. Democratic contributors, meanwhile, are being hit up for even more, about $1.6 million per couple, to support the party’s convention and a separate joint fundraising effort between the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign. In return, elite donors are being promised perks such as exclusive retreats with top party leaders and VIP treatment at the nominating conventions. Just four years ago, the most a donor could give a national political party was $30,800. The dramatic rise has been driven by the U.S. Supreme Court’s McCutcheon decision that did away with a cap on how much a political donor could give in an election cycle, and an expansion of party fundraising tucked into a recent appropriations bill.
Scott Walker’s Demise Shows Limits of ‘Super PAC’ Money Model
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 9/22/2015
The super PAC backing Scott Walker was on pace to raise as much as $40 million by the end of the year, but Walker abruptly ended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination largely because he was out of cash. His withdrawal from the GOP primary, like that of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, highlights the limitations of the new fundraising model. Super PACs cannot pay rent, phone bills, salaries, or ballot access fees. They are not entitled to the preferential rates on advertising that federal law grants candidates, forcing them to pay far more money than candidates must for the same television and radio time. The fates of Walker and Perry hint at the systemic dangers of the super PAC-driven financial model on which virtually the entire Republican field has staked its chances.
From the States and Municipalities:
California – State Panel Outlaws ‘Dark Money’ in California Political Campaigns
Los Angeles Times – Patrick McGreevy | Published: 9/17/2015
The California Fair Political Practices Commission will now require out-of-state nonprofits to disclose their donors when they oppose or support a ballot measure or candidate through a federal PAC. The move came in the wake of fines levied against two Arizona nonprofits after they refused to reveal their donors behind two campaigns. The commission also voted to improve its program that identifies the top ten contributors to ballot measures on the its website. If one of the top ten donors is a group with a generic name that does not indicate who is behind it, the new rules would require it to disclose its top two contributors.
Colorado – Denver Gives Red light to Inspectors Consulting for Marijuana Industry
Denver Post – Jon Murray | Published: 9/23/2015
City inspectors for marijuana licensing in Denver asked the Board of Ethics for its blessing to work as paid consultants to the cannabis industry elsewhere. The board’s answer was a resounding no. Its advisory opinion cites concerns about potential conflicts-of-interest and bad appearances, saying such work would violate the city’s ethics code. Legislation passed this year soon will bar any work or consulting for the marijuana industry until six months after an employee has left his or her state job. The inspectors’ request reflects some remaining uncertainty as Denver and Colorado traverse the new landscape of legal recreational marijuana.
Florida – Corcoran Lobbies for Lobbyist Rules
Lakeland Ledger – Lloyd Dunkelberger | Published: 9/20/2015
Republicans elected Rep. Richard Corcoran as the next speaker of the Florida House, and he immediately laid out the most ambitious set of lobbying reforms that the state capital has seen in a decade. Corcoran, whose brother, Michael, is a prominent Capitol lobbyist, said the public is fed up with how money and political backscratching is controlling the agenda from Washington to Tallahassee. “The enemy is not the special interests; the enemy is not the press; the enemy is not any of that stuff. The enemy has always been and will always be us,” Corcoran told House members.
Kentucky – GOP State Senator Suing to Overturn Kentucky Laws Limiting Campaign Donations
Lexington Herald-Leader – John Cheves | Published: 9/23/2015
Kentucky Sen. John Schickel and two Libertarian candidates are suing to overturn state laws limiting campaign donations to $1,000 and prohibiting gifts to legislators from lobbyists. They also want the court to strike down rules prohibiting lobbyists from donating money to legislators or legislative candidates and that bar the employers of lobbyists from contributing while the General Assembly is in session. They say the laws violate their constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection by restricting their access to people who want to help them. But state regulators say the laws are meant to prevent bribery at the Capitol. Most were enacted after Operation BOPTROT, an FBI investigation in 1992 that exposed 15 current or former legislators who sold their votes.
Michigan – Kilpatrick Pal Gets 11 Years in City Pension Scandal
Detroit News – Robert Snell | Published: 9/21/2015
Former Detroit Treasurer Jeffrey Beasley was sentenced to 11 years in prison for taking bribes and kickbacks in a scheme that cost the city’s pension funds $97 million in losses. Beasley, who was Kwame Kilpatrick’s fraternity brother and a pension trustee while his friend was mayor, received the third-longest sentence of anyone targeted in the FBI’s decade-long corruption probe that netted 38 convictions. Beasley and Kilpatrick were both trustees to the pension funds. The federal government says the pair accepted lavish gifts – including private jet travel, trips and golf outings – from an investment adviser to the city’s pension funds in exchange for favoritism before the pension board.
Missouri – Missouri Legislators Serve Hors d’Oeuvres, Lobbyists Pass the Envelopes
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kevin McDermott | Published: 9/20/2015
On the eve of the one-day veto session of the Missouri Legislature, and for a few hours on the morning of the session, about 60 of lawmakers hosted or co-hosted 18 separate campaign fundraising events in Jefferson City. The attendees are not charged admission or a per-plate fee. Rather, they hand over checks at their own discretion as they enter. Most are lobbyists representing special interests whose fates the lawmakers can decide with their votes. “At the end of the day, checks are going to come in either way; this is a just a chance that they get to hand it to us instead of putting it in a P.O. Box. Everybody does it,” said Rep. Caleb Rowden.
New York – William Boyland Jr., Ex-New York Assemblyman, Gets 14-Year Sentence for Corruption
New York Times – Nicholas Casey | Published: 9/17/2015
Former New York Assemblyperson William Boyland, Jr. was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $325,000 for using his public post for personal gain. He was arrested in 2011, weeks after being acquitted in an unrelated bribery case, and charged with accepting bribes in exchange for political favors during a five-year period starting in 2007. In one instance, the authorities said at trial, Boyland funneled $200,000 of public money for the elderly to a nonprofit organization that he controlled and used the money to pay for events promoting his campaign, such as a boat cruise and “Team Boyland” T-shirts. He was also convicted of seeking reimbursement for more than $70,000 in false travel expenses.
Ohio – Disclosure Rules for Gifts Vague for Ohio’s Local Politicians
Columbus Dispatch – Lucas Sullivan | Published: 9/21/2015
Ethics has become a top issue in the races for Columbus City Council and mayor. The FBI is investigating the city’s red-light-camera contracts, and Councilperson Michelle Mills stepped down unexpectedly after questions were raised about the trip she and three other council members took with lobbyist John Raphael last year to the Big Ten championship football game. A Columbus Dispatch review found the disclosure rules for Ohio’s elected officials at the municipal level are vague and do not require complete disclosure. For example, unlike at the state level, lobbyists do not have to disclose their financial activity at the municipal level.
Ohio – Ohio Judge Loses Fundraising Challenge
Courthouse News Service – Lorraine Bailey | Published: 9/21/2015
An appeals court ruled the strict limitations that state judges in Ohio face on campaign fundraising do not violate the First Amendment. Colleen O’Toole is a candidate in the 2016 Ohio Supreme Court election. Her campaign claimed the state Code of Judicial Conduct was doing its best to keep her campaign grounded by prohibiting judicial candidates from personally soliciting campaign contributions unless they are speaking to a general audience of at least 20 people, and by making candidates legally responsible for the actions of their campaign committees, along with other restrictions. Sitting Ohio Supreme Court judges may have campaign funds left over from a prior judicial race that they can use to support their candidacy at any time, O’Toole said. But the appeals court affirmed the code of conduct, and held the rules are not the cause of the disparity that O’Toole’s campaign committee complains of.
Pennsylvania – Donations by Philly Sheriff’s Top OT Earners Raise Eyebrows
Philadelphia Inquirer – Claudia Vargas | Published: 9/20/2015
Nearly all the top recent earners of overtime in Philadelphia Sheriff Jewell Williams’ office had donated to his campaign fund. Williams said the contributions, typically $100 or $125 a year, reflected employees’ satisfaction with his work. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, records show 21 deputies with salaries anywhere from $58,000 to $76,000 earned enough overtime to boost their pay well into six figures. Most deputies who received little or no overtime in the most recent fiscal year did not donate to the campaign fund. Williams’ chief finance officer, Benjamin Hayllar, said: “There’s no quid pro quo here.”
Pennsylvania – Pa. Supreme Court Suspends Kane’s License
Philadelphia Inquirer – Angela Couloumbis and Craig McCoy | Published: 9/21/2015
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the suspension of the law license of state Attorney General Kathleen Kane, a step that could set up a Senate vote to remove her as she faces criminal charges. The unanimous order by the court could also prompt a legal challenge from Kane. In the meantime, the order has created the complication of leaving the state’s top law enforcement official, who is in charge of a 750-employee office and a $93 million budget, without the ability to act as a lawyer, at least temporarily. The order came after Montgomery County authorities arrested Kane on accusations she had leaked secret investigative information to a newspaper reporter and then lied about it under oath. She was charged with perjury, obstruction, and other counts.
Washington – State’s Disclosure Commission Names Tacoma Lawyer as New Director
Everett Herald – Jerry Cornfield | Published: 9/23/2015
Evelyn Lopez was chosen as the new executive director of the Washington Public Disclosure Commission. Lopez, a former assistant state attorney general, will take the helm as the commission looks to upgrade its technology to make it easier for the public to track the flow of money in campaigns through the agency’s online database. Lopez did not reveal any initiatives she wants to launch immediately but said there are a lot of issues out there related to the financing of campaigns. “If you’re a politician and you’re asking people to give you their hard earned money, you’ve got to be honest about how it is used; I am absolutely committed to open government and an informed electorate,” Lopez said.
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.
September 24, 2015 •
Thursday New Roundup
Lobbying “Donald Trump Says He Doesn’t Need Lobbyists. He’s Probably Wrong.” by Tina Nguyen for Vanity Fair “Sandy Murman Announces Effort to Clean Up Special Interests’ Influence in County Government” by Staff for SaintPetersBlog Campaign Finance “The Campaign-Finance Activist Who […]
Lobbying
“Donald Trump Says He Doesn’t Need Lobbyists. He’s Probably Wrong.” by Tina Nguyen for Vanity Fair
“Sandy Murman Announces Effort to Clean Up Special Interests’ Influence in County Government” by Staff for SaintPetersBlog
Campaign Finance
“The Campaign-Finance Activist Who Thinks We Need More Money in Politics, Not Less” by Marin Cogan for New York Magazine
“Scott Walker’s Demise Shows Limits of ‘Super PAC’ Money Model” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times
Ethics
“Hillary Clinton Proposes Cap on Patients’ Drug Costs as Bernie Sanders Pushes His Plan” by Patrick Healy and Margot Sanger-Katz for New York Times
Alabama: “Todd Opinion Draws Fire, Becomes Point in Hubbard Case” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser
Kentucky: “GOP State Senator Suing to Overturn Kentucky Laws Limiting Campaign Donations” by John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader
Rhode Island: “Political Scene: R.I. lawmaker Lombardo gets a piece of action in state contract” by Jennifer Bogdan and Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal
Washington: “State’s Disclosure Commission Names Tacoma Lawyer as New Director” by Jerry Cornfield for Everett Herald
Procurement
Iowa: “Board Files Ethics Charges against Iowa Purchasing Executive” by Ryan Foley (Associated Press) for Des Moines Register
September 23, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying “K Street Merger Yields New Lobbying Powerhouse” by Megan Wilson for The Hill Oregon: “Portland Weighing Rules on Lobbying by Political Consultants” by Brad Schmidt for Portland Oregonian Campaign Finance New Jersey: “Greater Transparency Urged for Political Donations by […]
Lobbying
“K Street Merger Yields New Lobbying Powerhouse” by Megan Wilson for The Hill
Oregon: “Portland Weighing Rules on Lobbying by Political Consultants” by Brad Schmidt for Portland Oregonian
Campaign Finance
New Jersey: “Greater Transparency Urged for Political Donations by Private Pension Managers” by John Reitmeyer for NJ Spotlight
Ohio: “Ohio Judge Loses Fundraising Challenge” by Lorraine Bailey for Courthouse News Service
Pennsylvania: “Donations by Philly Sheriff’s Top OT Earners Raise Eyebrows” by Claudia Vargas for Philadelphia Inquirer
Washington: “Eyman Received Secret Payments from Signature Firm, PDC Says” by Jim Brunner for Seattle Times
Ethics
Colorado: “State Supreme Court Weighs Colorado Ethics Commission Secrecy” by Marianne Goodland for Colorado Independent
Michigan: “Kilpatrick Pal Gets 11 Years in City Pension Scandal” by Robert Snell for Detroit News
New York: “William Boyland Jr., Ex-New York Assemblyman, Gets 14-Year Sentence for Corruption” by Nicholas Casey for New York Times
New York: “Will Review of Ethics Watchdog Have Bite?” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
September 22, 2015 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying Florida: “Corcoran Lobbies for Lobbyist Rules” by Lloyd Dunkelberger for Lakeland Ledger Campaign Finance “Political Parties Go after Million-Dollar Donors in Wake of Looser Rules” by Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post “Pro-Rick Perry Super PACs Give […]
Lobbying
Florida: “Corcoran Lobbies for Lobbyist Rules” by Lloyd Dunkelberger for Lakeland Ledger
Campaign Finance
“Political Parties Go after Million-Dollar Donors in Wake of Looser Rules” by Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger for Washington Post
“Pro-Rick Perry Super PACs Give Back Millions” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity
California: “State Panel Outlaws ‘Dark Money’ in California Political Campaigns” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times
Missouri: “Missouri Legislators Serve Hors d’Oeuvres, Lobbyists Pass the Envelopes” by Kevin McDermott for St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Pennsylvania: “Pennsylvania Senate Proposal Would Out ‘Dark Money’ Political Groups” by Kate Giammarise for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ethics
California: “Political Panel Opposes Bill Easing Disclosure Rules” by Jeff McDonald for San Diego Union-Tribune
Maryland: “O’Malley Won’t Face Ethics Inquiry over Mansion Furniture Purchases” by John Wagner for Washington Post
Ohio: “Disclosure Rules for Gifts Vague for Ohio’s Local Politicians” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch
Pennsylvania: “Pa. Supreme Court Suspends Kane’s License” by Angela Couloumbis and Craig McCoy for Philadelphia Inquirer
South Dakota: “Bipartisan Effort Could Overhaul Campaign, Election Law” by Dana Ferguson for Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Elections
“Report: Campaign woes prompt Scott Walker to drop out of race” by Jason Stein, Patrick Marley, and Mary Spicuzza for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
September 21, 2015 •
Monday News Roundup
Campaign Finance “Vet Group Hosting Trump Lost Nonprofit Status” by Jeff Horwitz (Associated Press) for Miami Herald New Mexico: “Campaign Finance Reports to Be Reviewed in Wake of Scandal” by Susan Montoya Bryan (Associated Press) for Las Cruces Sun-News Ethics […]
Campaign Finance
“Vet Group Hosting Trump Lost Nonprofit Status” by Jeff Horwitz (Associated Press) for Miami Herald
New Mexico: “Campaign Finance Reports to Be Reviewed in Wake of Scandal” by Susan Montoya Bryan (Associated Press) for Las Cruces Sun-News
Ethics
California: “California Initiative Would Require More Campaign Finance Disclosure” by Christopher Cadelago for Sacramento Bee
Georgia: “Georgia ‘Watchdog’ Rolls Out New Mission” by Walter Jones (Morris News Service) for Augusta Chronicle
Pennsylvania: “Ex-LCB Marketing Director Pleads Guilty in Federal Bribery Case” by Matt Miller for Harrisburg Patriot-News
Rhode Island: “R.I. Elections Board Issues Warning to Director” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal
Elections
Connecticut: “Former Bridgeport Mayor, Out of Prison, Declares Victory in Primary” by The Associated Press for New York Times
Procurement
Pennsylvania: “With FBI Probing City Hall, Allentown Council Widens Contract Role” by Paul Muschick for Allentown Morning Call
September 17, 2015 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying Kansas: “Lobbyist Lunches Rankle KanCare Critics” by Andy Marso for KCUR South Carolina: “Ethics Board: It’s legal for Haley to get season tickets” by Seanna Adcox (Associated Press) for Kitsap Sun Campaign Finance “Can Anything Be Done About All […]
Lobbying
Kansas: “Lobbyist Lunches Rankle KanCare Critics” by Andy Marso for KCUR
South Carolina: “Ethics Board: It’s legal for Haley to get season tickets” by Seanna Adcox (Associated Press) for Kitsap Sun
Campaign Finance
“Can Anything Be Done About All the Money in Politics?” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times
“Why Clinton’s Big Campaign Finance Proposal Could Lead to More Partisan Gridlock” by Max Ehrenfreund for Washington Post
“Donald Trump Is Target of Conservative Ad Campaign” by Nicholas Confessore and Alan Rappeport for New York Times
Ethics
“Across the Globe, a Growing Disillusionment with Democracy” by Roberto Foa and Yascha Mounk for New York Times
Alabama: “Legal Defense Bill Draws Alabama Ethics Commission Fire” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser
California: “Sacramento City Council Approves Ethics Package” by Cathy Locke for Sacramento Bee
Maryland: “County Ethics Commission to Grow, Get More Power under Proposed Bill” by Jen Fifield for Frederick News Post
Pennsylvania: “‘This Is Just Aggressive Government,’ Lawyer Says as Ex-Mayor Reed’s Corruption Case Goes to County Court” by Matt Miller for Harrisburg Patriot-News
September 16, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying Arizona: “Second Arizona Corporation Commissioner Regulator Found to Be Lobbyist” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic California: “San Diego Lobbyist Fee Nearly Quadruples” by David Garrick for San Diego Union-Tribune Campaign Finance “Twitter Offers New Cash Stream for Presidential […]
Lobbying
Arizona: “Second Arizona Corporation Commissioner Regulator Found to Be Lobbyist” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic
California: “San Diego Lobbyist Fee Nearly Quadruples” by David Garrick for San Diego Union-Tribune
Campaign Finance
“Twitter Offers New Cash Stream for Presidential Candidates” by Julie Bykowicz (Associated Press) for Philadelphia Inquirer
“Democrats Seek to Expand Use of ‘Super PACs’” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times
Ethics
“Statehouse Sex Scandals Carry Public Costs, Consequences” by David Lieb (Associated Press) for Charlotte Observer
Florida: “Florida Ethics Commission Balks at Forcing Spouses of Elected Officials to Reveal Finances” by Steve Bousquet for Tampa Bay Times
Minnesota:”Lawmakers Accused of ‘Making Out’ in Park Apologize for Calling Ranger a Liar” by David Montgomery and Rachel Stassen-Berger for St. Paul Pioneer Press
New York: “Leaders of Moreland Commission Panel Felt Cuomo Intervened, Prosecutors Say” by Benjamin Weiser, Thomas Kaplan, and Susanne Craig for New York Times
New York: “William Scarborough, Ex-New York Assemblyman, Is Sentenced to 13 Months” by The Associated Press for New York Times
Wisconsin: “Knudson on GAB: ‘We need to take this thing apart’” by M.D. Kittle for Wisconsin Watchdog
September 11, 2015 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 11, 2015
National: Data Scientists Create a Tool That Tracks the Influence of Lobbying Groups on Legislation Chicago Inno – Karis Hustad | Published: 9/8/2015 Though it is common practice, it is hard to track how often the language used in laws – […]
National:
Data Scientists Create a Tool That Tracks the Influence of Lobbying Groups on Legislation
Chicago Inno – Karis Hustad | Published: 9/8/2015
Though it is common practice, it is hard to track how often the language used in laws – particularly controversial ones – can come from lobbying groups, given the vast amounts of information that would need to be analyzed across 50 states. Now, the University of Chicago’s Data Science For Social Good created a tool that will launch later this year that can match legislation across state lines, offering journalists, researchers, and watchdogs an efficient way to track lobbyists’ influence. “I don’t think people are aware of when [lawmakers] do this and why,” said Matt Burgess, a doctoral student and one of the fellows on the project. “No one has been able to study at large scale how this copying happens. Legislators … know the process but no one from the outside can look in at how this diffusion happens in states over time.”
Food Industry Enlisted Academics in G.M.O. Lobbying War, Emails Show
New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 9/5/2015
Monsanto executives were worried about attacks on the safety of their genetically modified seeds. So Monsanto and its industry partners retooled their lobbying and public relations strategy to spotlight a rarefied group of advocates: academics, brought in for the gloss of impartiality and weight of authority that come with a professor’s pedigree. Emails obtained by The New York Times provide a rare view into the strategy and tactics of a lobbying campaign that has transformed ivory tower elites into powerful players. The use of third-party scientists, and their supposedly unbiased research, helps explain why the American public is often confused as it processes the conflicting information over genetically modified food.
Federal:
17 Democrats Ran for President in 1976. Can Today’s GOP Learn Anything from What Happened?
Politico – Julian Zelizer | Published: 9/7/2015
Conservatives worry the unruly competition for the Republican presidential nomination will undermine the capacity of any person to unite the party and win the general election. “What we’ve got is a confederation of a lot of candidates who aren’t standing out,” said one GOP establishment figure. Yet Republicans can find solace in the history the 1976 election, when approximately 17 Democrats, most current and former elected officials, competed to succeed President Gerald Ford. Despite a fractious and crowded primary battle filled with unexpected twists and turns, one candidate was eventually able to unite the party, and the Democrats took the White House in November.
Hillary Clinton Announces Campaign Finance Overhaul Plan
New York Times – Amy Chozick and Nicholas Confessore | Published: 9/8/2015
Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign unveiled its campaign finance reform plan, pledging to push for more significant disclosure of political contributions, establish a small-donor matching system for congressional and presidential candidates, and support a Securities and Exchange Commission rule requiring publicly traded companies to disclose political spending to shareholders. Clinton also said she would sign an executive order requiring federal contractors to fully disclose all political spending. The announcement was hailed by supporters of tighter financial rules for candidates, who have struggled to make political money a burning campaign issue despite surveys showing widespread disgust with current rules. But each proposal has run into resistance from Republicans and business groups.
Talk in G.O.P. Turns to a Stop Donald Trump Campaign
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 9/4/2015
Although there is acute anxiety in the GOP about Donald Trump’s rise, no organized effort to undercut him has emerged. Republican strategists and donors have assembled focus groups to test negative messages about Trump. They have amassed dossiers on his previous support for universal health care and higher taxes. They have even discussed the creation of a super PAC to convince conservatives that Trump is not one of them. But the mammoth big-money network assembled by Republicans in recent years is torn about how best to defuse the threat Trump holds for their party, and haunted by the worry that any concerted attack will backfire.
From the States and Municipalities:
California – San Jose Commission Will Investigate Nearly the Entire City Council
San Jose Mercury News – Ramona Giwargis | Published: 9/9/2015
The San Jose Ethics Commission will investigate nearly 40 city council members and candidates who violated the law by failing to properly report late campaign contributions. Council members blamed City Clerk Toni Taber for doling out bad advice that led to confusion about filing deadlines. The commission determined the unprecedented broad investigation was the only way to stop people from filing individual complaints against each violator.
Hawaii – Lawsuit Exposes Blind Spot in Hawaii Lobbyist Law
Honolulu Civil Beat – Ian Lind | Published: 9/9/2015
Hawaii has filed suit against Ciber, accusing it of misrepresenting its capabilities when competing for a contract to design and implement a new accounting system for the Department of Transportation (DOT), and then fraudulently billing the state even as the new system failed test after test, and fell behind schedule. The state is seeking to recover the $8 million it paid Ciber, plus millions more in damages. The lawsuit alleges Ciber hired Capital Consultants and one of its principals, John Radcliffe, to lobby within Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration. The state alleges Ciber’s lobbying succeeded in getting the governor’s office to intervene and insulate the company from DOT’s increasing demands. Hawaii law does not regulate the kind of lobbying alleged in the lawsuit, because it was aimed at influencing the governor’s office and the state administration rather than members of the Legislature.
Maine – Maine Voters Hope To Restore Their Revolutionary Election System
Huffington Post – Paul Blumenthal | Published: 9/4/2015
Maine was the first state to enact a public financing system for statewide elections. This year, it hopes to become the first state to fix the damage inflicted on clean elections by multiple U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Deb Simpson, who served in the state Legislature from 2000 to 2010, was a single mother working as a waitress when she first ran for office using public funds. She said the system gave her “the resources without having to figure out how to ask for money from donors when I really didn’t live in that world.” But after the Supreme Court expanded the ability of corporations and unions to influence elections, participation in Maine’s system dropped as the state was inundated with spending by outside groups and public funding participants were left with no backstop of matching funds.
Missouri – Report: Lobbyist goodies for Missouri lawmakers topped $10M over past decade
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kevin McDermott | Published: 9/9/2015
Progress Missouri analyzed lobbyist-disclosure reports of the state Ethics Commission going back to 2004 and found lawmakers accepted an average of nearly $1 million a year in gifts from lobbyists. The bulk of that spending fell under a provision in the law that allows lobbyists to report their expenditures as going to groups, such as certain committees or caucuses, without specifying which lawmakers were the actual recipients. Among the top recipients was former Sen. Paul LeVota, who recently resigned following sexual harassment allegations from two of his legislative interns.
Missouri – When It Comes to Behavior, Legislators Aren’t Expected to Change When They Return to Jeff City
St. Louis Public Radio – Jo Mannies and Marshall Griffin | Published: 9/8/2015
When legislators return to the Missouri capital for their annual veto session, they will also be gathering for the first time since the furor over sexual misconduct allegations involving interns sent two top lawmakers packing. The alcohol will be flowing at J. Pfenny’s sports bar as several lawmakers, or hopefuls, hold simultaneous fundraisers at the popular bar situated just a couple blocks from the Capitol. Sean Nicholson, executive director of watchdog group Progress Missouri recalls someone else’s description of the General Assembly’s ambience that he says rings true: “It’s like freshman year in college: lots of free booze, lots of 19-year-old girls, and nobody’s done their homework.”
New Jersey – United C.E.O. Is Out Amid Inquiry at Port Authority
New York Times – Kate Zernike and Jad Mouawad | Published: 9/8/2015
United ousted Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek and two of his lieutenants while federal investigators probe the airline’s ties to David Samson, the former chairperson of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Smisek’s abrupt exit added a new element to the inquiry into whether Samson got United to restart a money-losing route to his weekend home in South Carolina in exchange for political favors. A longtime ally of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Samson resigned in the wake of “Bridgegate,” a scandal in which Christie staffers and appointees appeared to collude to create traffic jams, allegedly to hurt the mayor of Fort Lee, who had not endorsed Christie in that year’s gubernatorial campaign. The probe initially centered on the lane closures, but it has expanded into other behavior at the authority.
New York – LLC Loophole Penalty Could Hinder NY Donors
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 9/8/2015
A settlement agreement was reached in a lawsuit filed by the state Board of Elections’ independent enforcement counsel Risa Sugarman targeting the “LLC loophole.” Sugarman filed the suit against former New York Assembly candidate Shirley Patterson and her campaign treasurer. It challenged the idea that coordinated donations to Patterson’s campaign made through various limited liability companies allegedly controlled by the same person count separately under contribution limits. The suit contended several donors exceeded the $4,100 cap for an individual in the race. Patterson’s campaign committee will pay $10,000 to end the lawsuit. Legal experts said the payment and the precedent of the settlement could act as a near-term deterrent to LLC giving.
New York – Serpico, Seeking Seat on Town Board, Sees Corruption and Pledges to Fight It
New York Times – Corey Kilgannon | Published: 9/5/2015
Frank Serpico is running for a seat on the five-member town board in Stuyvesant, New York, a town of about 2,200 people. Serpico’s whistle-blowing as a New York City police officer made him a household name, led to the formation of the Knapp Commission to investigate corruption, and resulted in a best-selling book and critically acclaimed film starring Al Pacino. For Serpico, who is constantly complaining about a lack of integrity among politicians, it is the first time he has stepped into the political arena.
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.
September 9, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Campaign Finance California: “‘Power Search’ Offers New Tool to Follow California Campaign Money” by Jim Miller for Sacramento Bee Florida: “Miami Beach Commissioner Closing Controversial Relentless for Progress PAC” by Joey Flechas for Miami Herald Iowa: “Iowa’s Medicaid Management: A […]
Campaign Finance
California: “‘Power Search’ Offers New Tool to Follow California Campaign Money” by Jim Miller for Sacramento Bee
Florida: “Miami Beach Commissioner Closing Controversial Relentless for Progress PAC” by Joey Flechas for Miami Herald
Iowa: “Iowa’s Medicaid Management: A game of pay to play?” by Jason Clayworth for Des Moines Register
Maine: “Maine Voters Hope To Restore Their Revolutionary Election System” by Paul Blumenthal for Huffington Post
Montana: “Rules Aimed at Cracking down on Campaign ‘Dark Money’ Come in for Criticism” by Mike Dennison for KPAX
Ethics
“Sanders to Introduce Bill Targeting High Drug Prices” by Peter Sullivan for The Hill
“Report Finds ‘Reason to Believe’ Rep. Honda’s Campaign Blurred Ethics Lines” by Noah Bierman for Los Angeles Times
Elections
California: “California Is Trying Everything to Get More People to Vote” by Alice Ollstein for ThinkProgress
September 3, 2015 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying Oregon: “Portland Auditor Says Steve Novick, Charlie Hales Violated Lobbying Rule on Uber Meeting” by Andrew Theen for Portland Oregonian Texas: “Ethics Commission Begins to Examine Proposed Lobbying Changes” by Jack Craver for Austin Monitor Campaign Finance California: “San […]
Lobbying
Oregon: “Portland Auditor Says Steve Novick, Charlie Hales Violated Lobbying Rule on Uber Meeting” by Andrew Theen for Portland Oregonian
Texas: “Ethics Commission Begins to Examine Proposed Lobbying Changes” by Jack Craver for Austin Monitor
Campaign Finance
California: “San Jose City Clerk Given Second Chance Following Closed-Session Review” by Ramona Giwargis for San Jose Mercury News
New Mexico: “New Push for Campaign Finance Reforms” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal
Wisconsin: “Elections Board Sends Questions about Lobbyists’ Presidential Contributions to Legislature” by Todd Richmond (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune
Ethics
“FBI Raids Palm Springs City Hall in Corruption Probe” by Jesse Marx and Kia Farhang (Palm Springs Desert Sun) for USA Today
Wisconsin: “GAB Head Told Former Employee to Tone down Comments” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Elections
“How Social Media Is Ruining Politics” by Nicholas Carr for Politico
September 2, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying “Hillary Clinton Sides with Liberals on Anti-Lobbying Bill” by Sam Frizell for Time Missouri: “Ethics Commission Rules Dinner Violated Law, Issues No Fines” by Rudi Keller for Columbia Tribune Missouri: “Missouri Lawmakers Ranked by How Many Lobbyist Gifts They […]
Lobbying
“Hillary Clinton Sides with Liberals on Anti-Lobbying Bill” by Sam Frizell for Time
Missouri: “Ethics Commission Rules Dinner Violated Law, Issues No Fines” by Rudi Keller for Columbia Tribune
Missouri: “Missouri Lawmakers Ranked by How Many Lobbyist Gifts They Received” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star
Campaign Finance
South Carolina: “Bobby Harrell Ordered to Pay $113,475 Used for Legal Fees” by Andrew Shain for The State
Ethics
Illinois: “Chicago Sues Red Light Camera Firm for $300 Million” by David Kidwell for Chicago Tribune
Michigan: “House Report Accuses Michigan Reps. Courser, Gamrat of ‘Deceptive, Deceitful’ Misconduct” by Jonathan Oosting for Mlive.com
Pennsylvania: “Ex-Liquor Board Official Was Living Top-Shelf Life” by The Associated Press for Philadelphia Inquirer
Virginia: “McDonnell Can Remain Free While Supreme Court Decides on Review” by Robert Barnes and Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post
Elections
“Donald Trump and the Decline of the White Voter” by Janelle Ross for Washington Post
September 1, 2015 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying “Lobbying Firm Fined for Disclosure Violations” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity Maryland: “Maryland Receives ‘B’ Grade on Lobbying Disclosure” by Wiley Hayes for Carroll County Times North Carolina: “Influence of Lobbyists Makes Them Practically a ‘Third […]
Lobbying
“Lobbying Firm Fined for Disclosure Violations” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity
Maryland: “Maryland Receives ‘B’ Grade on Lobbying Disclosure” by Wiley Hayes for Carroll County Times
North Carolina: “Influence of Lobbyists Makes Them Practically a ‘Third House’ of Legislature” by Mark Binker for WRAL
Oregon: “Lobbying Spending Is Up. Where does the money go?” by Gordon Friedman for Salem Statesman Journal
Campaign Finance
New Mexico: “Complaint: A story of casinos, campaign money and crime” by Milan Simonich, Steve Terrell, and Staci Matlock for Santa Fe New Mexican
Ethics
Colorado: “Denver Officials’ Gift Disclosures Require Little Detail about Giving” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Indiana: “Who’s Paying Pence’s Travel Tab?” by Chelsea Schneider and Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star
Maryland: “State Ethics Board Examining Martin O’Malley’s Purchase of Mansion Furniture” by Doug Donovan for Baltimore Sun
Vermont: “Pollina Calls for Stringent Ethics Rules” by Anne Galloway for VTDigger.org
August 31, 2015 •
Monday News Roundup
Campaign Finance “Hillary Clinton Reaches Deal with Democratic Party on Fundraising” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times California: “L.A. Wants More Details about Business Groups That Donate to City Campaigns” by Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times Connecticut: […]
Campaign Finance
“Hillary Clinton Reaches Deal with Democratic Party on Fundraising” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times
California: “L.A. Wants More Details about Business Groups That Donate to City Campaigns” by Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times
Connecticut: “GOP Strategist George Gallo Sentenced To Year in Prison in Political Kickback Scheme” by Edmund Mahoney for Hartford Courant
Ethics
“Ethics Battle Still Brewing Over Azerbaijan Travel” by Hannah Hess for Roll Call
Arizona: “Top Arizona Utility Regulator Faces Conflict Complaints” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic
Colorado: “Denver Ethics Board Floats Reforms Aimed at Boosting Public Confidence” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Pennsylvania: “Bethlehem Mayor Issues Policy That Bans Gifts” by Nicole Radzievich for Allentown Morning Call
Procurement
“Business Leaders Mount Effort to Beat Back Contractor ‘Blacklisting’ Rule” by Lydia Wheeler for The Hill
Elections
“Since President Obama Took Office, 85 of 98 State Legislative Bodies Got More Republican” by Philip Bump for Washington Post
August 28, 2015 •
News You Can Use Digest – August 28, 2015
Federal: After Allegations That It Lobbied with Federal Money to Block Competition, Lockheed Martin Agrees to Pay Almost $5 Million Washington Post – Lisa Rein | Published: 8/24/2015 The managers of one of the nation’s premiere federal laboratories in New Mexico […]
Federal:
After Allegations That It Lobbied with Federal Money to Block Competition, Lockheed Martin Agrees to Pay Almost $5 Million
Washington Post – Lisa Rein | Published: 8/24/2015
The managers of one of the nation’s premiere federal laboratories in New Mexico agreed to pay nearly $4.8 million to settle allegations of improperly attempting to influence members of Congress and others to extend the lab’s $2.4 billion management contract. Over five years starting in 2009, top executives for Lockheed Martin, who were being paid by the federal government to run Sandia National Laboratories, ran a fierce campaign to lobby members of Congress and senior administration officials for a seven-year extension of their contract, according to the settlement the Justice Department. It is not surprising that a politically connected defense contractor would lobby hard to keep a lucrative slice of federal business. But this case went further. It was taxpayers, not Lockheed’s corporate lobbying arm, who paid for the lobbying.
Meet the Liberals Who Love Trump
Politico – Ben Wofford | Published: 8/26/2015
The left is generally no fan of Donald Trump, but there is a contingent of liberals who take a different view. One is Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig, arguably the country’s leading proponent of campaign finance reform, who said Trump has done so much to jazz up an otherwise eye-glazing issue that he would consider running on the same ticket as a third-party candidate. As pundits search for the source of Trump’s resilient appeal, reformers say they have long known the answer: the constant emphasis on how his wealth immunizes him from insider influence. “He’s made the same points the reformers have made: that this is a ‘pay-to-play’ system, that people put their money in and expect to get results,” said former FEC Chairperson Trevor Potter.
The Net Worth of Presidential Candidates
USA Today – Thomas Frohlich, Michael Sauter, and Sam Stebbins (24/7 Wall St.) | Published: 8/26/2015
Presidential candidates can expect very little privacy in their personal life, and with their finances. While candidates are not required to make their tax returns public, the practice has become common since the 1970s. Based on tax returns and other financial disclosures, the current candidates’ assets range from Scott Walker, who is worth as little as $36,000, to Donald Trump, who has an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion. The net worth of a presidential candidate does not necessarily determine the financial strength of the campaign. Some candidates’ campaign funds are far greater than their net worth, while others are far lower.
What the ‘Deez Nuts’ Candidacy Says about the State of US Democracy
Christian Science Monitor – Sara Aridi | Published: 8/20/2015
The presidential candidate Deez Nuts was surging in a recent poll, albeit unscientific, in North Carolina. Deez Nuts was also the number one trending topic on Twitter. In registering with the FEC, Deez Nuts listed an address in rural Wallingford, Iowa. Mark Olson said Deez Nuts was his son Brady, who is a sophomore in high school. Tom Jensen, the director of Public Policy Polling, said he added Deez Nuts to statewide survey three weeks ago because “the name makes people laugh, and it’s a long presidential election.” But Jensen also drew a serious conclusion from the Deez Nuts surge. “I would say Mr. Nuts is the most ludicrous and unqualified third-party candidate you could have, but he’s still polling at seven, eight, nine percent,” Jensen said. “Right now the voters don’t like either of the people leading in the two main parties, and that creates an appetite for a third-party candidate.”
Would More Lobbying Improve America?
Politico – Kevin Hartnett | Published: 8/24/2015
Tom Holyoke, a political scientist at Fresno State University, has been studying the internal dynamics of lobbying for years and has come to believe the country would be better off if lobbyists did more effective work for their clients. The problem, he writes in a new book, is not that corporations do not get enough representation – it is that lobbyists are crafty, and do not work for their clients as much as they claim. Instead, they tell their clients what they want to hear, while chiefly acting to stay tight with their contacts in Congress. “It becomes more important to lobbyists to maintain these relationships than to accurately represent the wishes and concerns of people they’re supposed to be representing,” said Holyoke.
From the States and Municipalities:
California – L.A. Wants More Details about Business Groups That Donate to City Campaigns
Los Angeles Times – Emily Alpert Reyes | Published: 8/27/2015
Members of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission said they wanted staffers to come up with ways to require corporations, limited liability companies, and other “non-individual” campaign donors to publicly disclose more information about who controls them. The concern, said commission President Jessica Levinson, is that “it is really difficult to follow the money.” The push for more information comes after The Los Angeles Times reported on how challenging it is to track who is behind contributions made by such groups. The newspaper found several instances in which different companies with the same chief executive, address, or both donated to a candidate, but publicly available records left it unclear whether the companies were commonly owned.
Colorado – Colorado Energy Companies Spend Top Dollar on Lobbyists; What Do They Get in Return?
Colorado Springs Gazette – Megan Schrader | Published: 8/24/2015
Stat laws in Colorado has restricted the amount of entertaining lobbyists can do. Amendment 41, a 2006 ballot initiative, strictly banned lobbyists from spending anything on lawmakers. For everyone else who is not a registered lobbyist, the limit is currently $59 per-person, per-year, with a handful of exceptions. “In Colorado the legislative process is a very clean, ethical process,” said former House Speaker Chuck Berry. But Berry said the role of lobbyists has changed dramatically since he was in office from 1985 to 1998. He said term limits have led to void of institutional knowledge and makes both lobbyists and bureaucrats more powerful.
Illinois – Ex-Redflex Exec Pleads Guilty to Helping Orchestrate $2M Bribery Scheme
Chicago Tribune – Jason Meisner and David Kidwell | Published: 8/20/2015
Karen Finley, the former chief executive of a red-light camera company, pleaded guilty in a scheme that funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to secure contracts in Chicago worth $124 million. Finley pleaded guilty to similar charges in a federal case in Ohio. In the Chicago case, Finley acknowledged she arranged for cash and benefits to go to a city transportation official, John Bills, and his friend; the benefits included golf trip and hiring the official’s friend as a Redflex contractor. Bills, who retired in 2012, has pleaded not guilty to extortion, bribery, and other charges.
Maine – Group Turns over Donor List from Gay Marriage Fight in Maine
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – David Sharp (Associated Press) | Published: 8/24/2015
The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) filed details of its financial activities related to a 2009 effort to repeal Maine’s same-sex marriage law following a lengthy legal battle. Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the Maine ethics commission, said the list had been filed at the agency’s website and NOM indicated it will not further fight the matter through the courts. The commission had ruled NOM violated the state’s campaign finance law and ordered the conservative group to pay a $50,250 penalty and release its donors. Although NOM paid the penalty, it continued to resist disclosure. But NOM lost that fight when the Supreme Judicial Court ordered it to hand over the list of donors.
Missouri – Missouri Lags behind Neighbors on Ethics Laws
Springfield News-Leader – John Swedien | Published: 8/23/2015
Missouri has no limits on campaign donations, no restrictions on the gifts legislators can accept from lobbyists, and no rule preventing lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists after leaving office. This stands in contrast to Missouri’s eight neighboring states; all limit at least one of those activities. Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Tennessee restrict all three. Illinois, Iowa and Kansas each limit two of the activities, and Nebraska caps lobbyists’ gifts.
Ohio – Former Ohio Deputy Treasurer Extradited from Pakistan to Serve 15 Years for Bribery, Money Laundering
Cleveland Plain Dealer – Jane Morice (Northeast Ohio Media Group) | Published: 8/26/2015
Former Ohio Deputy Treasurer Amer Ahmad has been extradited from Pakistan to serve a 15-year prison sentence for a kickback scheme. He pleaded guilty in 2013 to bribery and conspiracy charges, though he fled to Pakistan to avoid punishment. Ahmad admitted he funneled business to Douglas Hampton, a securities broker, in exchange for bribes. Ahmad was able to conceal the bribery payments by passing them through accounts of a landscaping business he owned. Over the two-year period, Hampton paid Ahmad more than $500,000. In return, Hampton received about $3.2 million in commissions for more than 350 securities trades on behalf of the treasurer’s office.
Oregon – Mystery Money: Oregon lets officials keep income details in shadows
Portland Oregon – Denis Theriault | Published: 8/22/2015
Voters might have known years sooner how much Cylvia Hayes was paid to push a private agenda while she was Oregon’s first lady if John Kitzhaber had been governor of California or 16 other states. Ethics filings in those states require officials to disclose where they and those in their households get their money, and roughly how much. But Kitzhaber had no obligation to report Hayes’ income from private clean-energy clients, income she accepted while also advising the state on energy issues. Oregon’s rules for income disclosure have not changed much since 1974. The rules allow officials from the statehouse down to local school boards hold back key information.
Tennessee – Lawmakers Spent 30K of Campaign Funds on Pro Sports Tickets
The Tennessean – Dave Boucher | Published: 8/22/2015
A recent analysis of state campaign finance records show at least seven Tennessee lawmakers collectively spent more than $30,000 in campaign money on tickets to professional sporting events since 2003. Although state law bans the use of campaign funds for tickets to sporting events, concerts, or other similar activities, there is an exemption that allows essentially all ticket purchases to go unchecked. Buying such tickets with campaign funds is largely banned for federal candidates, but the campaign finance laws in Tennessee and a slew of other states either allow or do not clearly ban such purchases.
Texas – Pool Proposes Changes to Rules for Lobbyists
Austin Monitor – Jo Clifton | Published: 8/26/2015
The Austin City Council is weighing reforms to the city’s lobbying law. The law currently requires lobbyists to register and disclose who their clients are. But the code is murky in its definition of who must register, and those who register do not always comply with all the reporting requirements. Under the proposed reforms, the registration fee would increase to $350; lobbyists for nonprofits would only have to pay $50 a year. The city auditor would be charged with reviewing lobbying registration for compliance, and violators could face individual fines for failing to register or disclose information. A person could be barred from lobbying after multiple violations.
Utah – It’s American Legion Versus Lobbyists in Fight for Space at Capitol
Salt Lake Tribune – Lee Davidson | Published: 8/24/2015
The American Legion has enjoyed free office space in the basement of the Utah Capitol since World War I. But the Capitol Preservation Board voted recently to try to get the organization to move so it can rent more space to lobbyists. The clash arose when the Capitol Hill Association of lobbyists sought to expand its current 1,800 square feet of space, located across the hall from the American Legion. Jodi Hart, the association’s president, told the board her group “has run out of space” for its current 35-member lobbying groups, who pay $4,500 per organization to join, and about $1,000 per person in annual dues, and has a waiting list of six organizations that want to join. The association proposed expanding into storage space next to its suite to add a few more conference rooms.
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