Campaign Finance

National: “Dems Offer Resolution to Force Vote to Overturn IRS Guidance Limiting Donor Disclosure” by Naomi Jagoda for The Hill

Canada: “Vancouver Shows B.C. Is Still the Wild West of Election Advertising” by Frances Bula for The Globe and Mail

Montana: “State Auditor Rosendale Dropped Fines Against Top Campaign Donor” by John Adams (Montana Free Press) for Missoula Current

Ethics

National: “Justice Department Issues Indictment for 2013 Congressional Trip to Azerbaijan” by Katharine Tully-McManus for Roll Call

Missouri: “Clean Missouri Will Be on November Ballot After High Court Refuses to Hear Challenge” by Alison Kite for Kansas City Star

North Carolina: “NC House Speaker Tim Moore’s Legal Contract with Start-Up Raises Questions” by Dan Kane for Raleigh News and Observer

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Supreme Court Rejects Ethics Commission Request for More Money” by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman

Legislative Issues

Missouri: “Term Limits Have Been ‘a Disaster’ for Missouri, Say Many State Leaders” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Campaign Finance

National: “Why Are Corporations Pouring Millions into Shoo-In Governor Races?” by Sanya Mansoor, Liz Essley Whyte, and Joe Yerardi for Center for Public Integrity

Elections

National: “For Women on the 2018 Campaign Trail, ‘Sexism’ Is No Longer a Forbidden Word” by Avi Selk (Washington Post) for Connecticut Post

Ethics

National: “DHS Secretary Says FEMA Head Won’t Lose Job Over Travel Investigation” by Associated Press for USA Today

National: “Rod Rosenstein Will Meet with Trump to Discuss His Fate” by Michael Shear, Julie Hirschfeld Davis, and Maggie Haberman (New York Times) for MSN

Minnesota: “MN Rep. Jim Knoblach Ends Campaign Ahead of MPR Abuse Allegations Story” by Nina Moini and Briana Bierschbach for Minnesota Public Radio

Lobbying

National: “Obama White House Counsel Gregory Craig Under Scrutiny by Prosecutors in Offshoot of Mueller Probe” by Tom Hamburger for Washington Post

Florida: “NRA Sway: For Florida officials, it’s always Hammer time” by Steve Contorno for Tampa Bay Times

Missouri: “St. Louis Aldermen Will Again Consider Banning Lobbyists from the Floor of Their Chambers” by Celeste Bott for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Campaign Finance

National: Political Nonprofits Seek Answers After Court Decision Targeting ‘Dark Money’ by Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post

Ethics

National: Senate Judiciary Panel’s Top Democrat Calls for Delay in Kavanaugh Hearing After New Allegation by Karoun Demirjian, Amy Gardner, and Seung Min Kim (Washington Post) for MSN

National: Rod Rosenstein Suggested Secretly Recording Trump and Discussed 25th Amendment by Adam Goldman and Michael Schmidt (New York Times) for MSN

Iowa: Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Flights on Private Jets Not Improper, Ethics Panel Rules by David Pitt (Associated Press) for Des Moines Register

Missouri: Missouri Proposal to Reform Ethics Laws Is Back on the Ballot After Court Ruling by Alison Kite for Kansas City Star

New York: Percoco Sentenced to Six Years for Corruption by Robert Gavin for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

Canada: Ethics Committee Launches Review of Federal Lobbying and Conflict-of-Interest Laws by Bill Curry for The Globe and Mail

Alabama: Reform Panel to Vote on Changes to Alabama Ethics Law by Mike Cason for AL.com

Campaign Finance

National: “These State Lawmakers Are Running Unopposed, but Still Rake in Campaign Cash” by Sanya Mansoor, Liz Essley Whyte, and Joe Yerardi for Center for Public Integrity

National: “Political Nonprofits Must Now Name Many of Their Donors Under Federal Court Ruling after Supreme Court Declines to Intervene” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Robert Barnes (Washington Post) for Chicago Tribune

Elections

Kentucky: “Ethics Opinion Further Complicates a 2019 Campaign for Alison Lundergan Grimes” by Daniel Desrochers for Lexington Herald-Leader

Massachusetts: “Fans of Ranked Voting See an Opportunity in Massachusetts” by Katharine Seelye for New York Times

Ethics

National: “Trump-Proof Aspects of Manafort Deal Rankle Lawyers” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

National: “Christine Blasey Ford Wants F.B.I. to Investigate Kavanaugh Before She Testifies” by Peter Baker, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, and Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) for MSN

Arkansas: “1 Ethics Rule Ditched, 1 Backed; State Senators Reject Disclosure of Less Than $1,000 in Income” by Michael Wickline for Arkansas Online

Florida: “Adam Putnam Hired a Donor’s 27-Year-Old Son to a $91,000 Job. There’s a Publix Connection.” by Steve Contorno for Tampa Bay Times

Missouri: “In Latest Legal Twist, Ethics Reform Question Back on Missouri Ballot” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Missouri: “Former Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison” by Mike Hendricks and Steve Vockrodt for Kansas City Star

New York: “JCOPE Never Probed Cuomo – Is That Legal?” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

United Kingdom: “Harry Rich Appointed Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists” by Chloe Smith (MP) for GOV.UK

Campaign Finance

National: “Ted Cruz’s Campaign Marked a Fund-Raising Letter an Official ‘Summons.’ It Wasn’t Against the Rules.” by Liam Stack (New York Times) for WRAL

Elections

National: “Indicted Congressman Chris Collins Reverses Himself, Will Remain on November Ballot” by Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

Georgia: “Federal Judge Denies Motion to Force Georgia to Adopt Paper Ballots in Midterm Election” by Ellen Nakashima for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Embattled FEMA Chief Brock Long Facing Possible Criminal Investigation” by Nick Niroff and William Wan for Washington Post

National: “Trump’s Growing Legal Team Has a Problem: It’s operating partly in the dark” by Maggie Haberman and Michaek Schmidt for New York Times

National: “Hearing Set for Monday to Hear Kavanaugh and His Accuser” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Julie Hirschfeld Davis (New York Times) for WRAL

Florida: “City Attorney Sues Blogger for Libel. Is It ‘a Threat Designed to Silence?’” by Sarah Blaskey for Miami Herald

Lobbying

National: “Foreign Lobbying Overhaul Loses Steam in Congress” by Marianne Levine and Josh Gerstein for Politico

Maryland: “Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh Introduces New Ethics Reforms” by Chase Cook for Capital Gazette

Campaign Finance

Canada: “Federal Liberals Violated Own Fundraising Rules” by Bill Curry and Tom Cardoso for The Globe and Mail

Hawaii: “Following Campaign Cash in Hawaii Just Got Easier” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat

Illinois: “U.S. Appeals Court Upholds Illinois Campaign Finance Limits” by Associated Press for State Journal-Register

Montana: “Montana Green Party’s Ballot Benefactor May Remain Unknown” by Mary Beth Hanson (Associated Press) for Seattle Times

Ethics

National: “Alarm Grows Inside FEMA as Administrator Brock Long Fights for His Job” by William Wan and Nick Miroff for Washington Post

National: “Sen. Sasse Proposes Legislation to Address Congress’ Ethical Lapses” by Brent Martin for Hastings Tribune

Lobbying

National: “‘Robert Mueller’s Real Quest Here Is for the Truth’: How Paul Manafort’s plea brings the special counsel probe closer to its endgame” by Matt Zapotosky, Carol Leonnig, and Ashley Parker (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Manafort Plea Deal Casts New Scrutiny on Lobbyists He Recruited” by Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) for WRAL

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Ethics Commission Adopts Rule Barring Legislators from Becoming Paid Lobbyists for Two Years” by Nolan Clay for The Oklahoman

Campaign Finance

National: Chief Justice Roberts Halts Campaign Finance Ruling by Quint Forgey and Josh Gerstein for Politico

Elections

Arizona: Forged Voter Signatures Could Cost Former State Senate Candidate Mark Syms $50,000 by Dustin Gardiner Arizona Republic

Ethics

National: California Professor, Writer of Confidential Brett Kavanaugh Letter, Speaks Out About Her Allegation of Sexual Assault by Emma Brown (Washington Post) by Los Angeles Times

National: ‘Robert Mueller’s Real Quest Here Is for the Truth’: How Paul Manafort’s plea brings the special counsel probe closer to its endgame by Matt Zapotosky, Carol Leonnig, and Ashley Parker (Washington Post) MSN

Arkansas: Oren Paris III Sentenced to 3 Years for Kickbacks by Marty Cook and Lance Turner for Arkansas Business Journal

Florida: What Andrew Gillum’s Trip to New York City Means in the FBI Investigation by Lawrence Mower Tampa Bay Times

Missouri: Missouri Ethics Reform, Redistricting Initiative Tossed from November Ballot by Judge by Alison Kite Kansas City Star

Pennsylvania: Philly Board of Ethics Fines Former Nutter Aide for Misspending City Money by Claudia Vargas Philadelphia Inquirer

National:

Republicans Running for Governor Look for Success in Unlikely Places: Blue states
Washington Post – Tim Craig | Published: 9/9/2018

Democrats are becoming concerned as moderate Republican candidates are proving to be resilient in unexpected places, even as much of the GOP shifts to the right. With 36 gubernatorial races on the ballot nationwide, Democrats are still expected to make gains in statehouses this year. But recent polls suggest Republicans Larry Hogan of Maryland, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, and Phil Scot and of Vermont, all up for re-election this fall in states carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016, remain among the most popular governors in the country and are favored to win re-election. Their success in winning and governing as moderates is serving as a model for GOP candidates elsewhere, including in Rhode Island and Oregon, where officials in both parties say the governor’s race is competitive.

Viral Videos Are Replacing Pricey Political Ads. They’re Cheaper, and They Work.
MSN – Jeremy Peters and Sapna Maheshwari (New York Times) | Published: 9/11/2018

The wave of female, minority, and outsider candidates that is breaking cultural barriers and toppling incumbents in the Democratic Party is also sweeping aside a longstanding norm in campaigns: that the public image of politicians, especially women, should be upbeat and conventional. For many of these Democrats who were running against better-financed rivals, the breakthrough moment came after they got personal in relatively low-cost videos that went viral, reaching millions of people. Using documentary-style storytelling, candidates have found a successful alternative to the traditional model of raising huge sums of money that get spent on expensive television commercials.

Federal:

Activists Raised $1 Million to Defeat Susan Collins If She Votes for Kavanaugh. She Says It’s Bribery.
Washington Post – Eli Rosenberg | Published: 9/11/2018

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a centrist Republican, is seen as a swing vote in Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. She has said she would not vote to confirm a nominee who was hostile to Roe v. Wade. So, a group of liberal activists in Maine created an unusual crowdfunding campaign to influence Collins: they raised money in the form of pledges they said they would give to whoever decided to challenge her re-election in 2020. Donors’ credit cards will only be charged if she votes to confirm Kavanaugh. At least one ethics expert said it may violate federal bribery statutes, which prohibit giving or offering anything of value to government officials in exchange for any acts or votes.

Campaigns, Parties Can Accept Free Service From Microsoft, FEC Says
Roll Call – Stephanie Aiken | Published: 9/10/2018

The FEC ruled Microsoft may offer special cybersecurity assistance to candidates without violating rules against corporate contributions. One watchdog group called it an unprecedented opening for corporations looking to influence lawmakers and skirt campaign finance laws. Federal election law prohibits companies from providing free services to lawmakers. But the FEC would make an exception in this case, it ruled, because Microsoft would be acting out of business interests and not trying to curry favor. The decision also noted Microsoft has promised to offer the services “on a non-partisan basis.” Opponents of the change said the exception was too broad.

In an Increasingly Diverse House, Aides Remain Remarkably White
WRAL – Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) | Published: 9/11/2018

U.S. House aides write federal policy, oversee the administration of government, and shape the public’s view of Congress. But the top staff members of the House are far less racially diverse than the country itself, or even the lawmakers who employ them. Approximately 14 percent of top staff members in the House are people of color. That compares with 38 percent of the country and 23 percent of the House. Of the 40 top Democratic and Republican aides who lead the staffs of committees, only six are nonwhite. “The House of Representatives cannot effectively create public policy that benefits all Americans if the people making policy decisions do not look like all of America,” said Spencer Overton, the president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, which released the study.

From the States and Municipalities:

California: Banning Man Wins $220,000 from State Political Watchdog Panel
Riverside Press-Enterprise – Craig Schultz | Published: 9/7/2018

Frank Burgess was awarded more than $200,000 in legal fees after a court found the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) violated his Constitutional protections related to a fine levied against him as a member of a nonprofit hospital board. Burgess was fined $5,000 by the FPPC for trying to convince other members of the San Gorgonio Hospital board to continue doing business with his son’s moving and storage company. Burgess argued that as a nonprofit board, members did not fall under the Political Reform Act. A Superior Court judge overturned the fine, agreeing with Burgess’s contention that he had been denied due process because he had no forewarning he was considered a public official.

California: Koch-Backed Charity Must Reveal Donor List to California Officials, Appeals Panel Rules
Connecticut Post – Michelle Ye Hee Lee (Washington Post) | Published: 9/11/2018

A federal appeals court ruled the charity Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Foundation, which is linked to billionaire Charles Koch, must disclose its donors to California officials. The foundation had argued the state’s rules requiring filing of the donor list violate the First Amendment by discouraging individuals from giving and by exposing them to threats and harassment. The case could test the ability of state agencies to compel nonprofits to disclose the identities of their donors, particularly ones that are tied to “social welfare” nonprofits, commonly referred to as “dark money” groups. One such group is Americans for Prosperity, the main political arm of the influential Koch network. AFP Foundation, a sister organization, is a charity that focuses on education and research.

Colorado: Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission on Uncertain Course
Colorado Springs Gazette – Marianne Goodland | Published: 9/10/2018

Critics say the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission’s (IEC) structure, staffing, and funding make it impossible for the public to have any confidence that ethics issues – whether it is investigations into potential violations, training for government employees, or guidance – are handled in a logical or even timely manner. The monthly commission meetings focus on complaints and advisory opinions. But most of the meetings are conducted in executive sessions behind closed doors. During those sessions, commissioners decide which complaints are frivolous and then will make public what they have decided. Between 2008 and 2017, the IEC received 196 complaints. All but 20 were dismissed as frivolous, out of the IEC’s jurisdiction, or withdrawn. Whether those complaints were truly frivolous will never be known.

Iowa: Iowa Governor Flew to Game on Vendor’s Plane
Associated Press – Ryan Foley | Published: 9/12/2018

Gov. Kim Reynolds received approval from Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board Director Megan Tooker to fly with her family to Iowa State’s bowl game last year free of charge on the jet of a state vendor. Reynolds accepted the trip as a campaign donation from Sedgwick’s chief executive officer, who says he reimbursed his company for the plane’s use. The governor’s office said “bona fide campaign events” would take place during the half-day trip. Tooker said in December the governor could accept the flight, although Tooker now says she was unaware the airplane was owned by Sedgwick. Tooker also says she does not know what campaign activity Reynolds engaged in during the trip, which would be required for the flight to be considered an allowable campaign contribution instead of an illegal gift.

Kentucky: What’s Bevin Hiding? Worker Who Got $215K Raise Is His Old Army Buddy
Louisville Courier-Journal – Tom Loftus and Morgan Watkins | Published: 9/12/2018

When Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin wanted a new state chief information officer, he did not do a national search – he hired an old Army buddy and longtime business associate last October at a salary that now leads the nation for similar state. Some state lawmakers were stunned when it was reported Bevin gave Charles Grindle a $215,000 pay raise, an unusual 134 percent increase after less than a year on the job. Neither Bevin nor Grindle have responded to requests for information about their relationship and any role it might have played in Grindle’s hiring and rapid increase in pay. A former official of the Commonwealth Office of Technology said Grindle spoke openly about his long friendship with Bevin and that he had worked for Bevin in an unspecified capacity before going on the state payroll.

Maryland: Baltimore Ethics Board Rejects Mayor Pugh’s Request for Sweeping Exemption from Fundraising Rules
Baltimore Sun – Ian Duncan | Published: 9/7/2018

The Baltimore Board of Ethics rejected Mayor Catherine Pugh’s request to be exempted from rules that bar city employees from raising money for charitable causes without prior approval. Pugh was seeking a waiver so she could solicit funds from private donors that would help pay for her administration’s social programs and other community initiatives. The board said it was unwilling to grant a blanket exception to Pugh, who could still seek waivers on a case-by-case basis. Pugh;’s office said she needed the new fundraising powers to bolster the city’s existing budget. Board member Stephan Fogleman said he was concerned the waiver the mayor sought would have made it difficult for the public to know what she was raising money for.

Michigan: Why This U-M Regent Just Returned Thousands in Campaign Donations
Detroit Free Press – Matthew Dolan and David Jesse | Published: 9/13/2018

Wealthy alumni who have sway over the University of Michigan’s $11billion endowment have given thousands in campaign donations to members of the university’s governing board. A review of state records shows two members of the university’s elected Board of Regents accepted in total nearly $30,000 in contributions from donors associated with funds receiving university investments. In addition, a family who helps guide the university’s investment strategy gave more than $29,000 to the board’s longest-serving member. To critics, some of the donations could pose a conflict-of-interest. Regent Andrea Fischer Newman pledged to return thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from three wealthy businesspeople who help control millions of dollars in university investments.

Missouri: Court Affirms Major Blow to Missouri Amendment Restricting Campaign Donations
St. Louis Public Radio – Jason Rosenbaum | Published: 9/10/2018

A federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that Missouri’s ban on donations from one PAC to another is unconstitutional. The Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled the ban on PAC-to-PAC giving violates committees’ right to free speech. The appeals court ruled the Missouri Ethics Commission failed to show PAC-to-PAC contributions would breed corruption because the groups are not controlled by a candidate and operate independently from any party running for political office. The decision permanently stops the commission from enforcing the ban.

Ohio: Ethics Panel Imposes Stricter Rules on Ohio Lawmaker Travel
WOSU – Jo Ingles | Published: 9/11/2018

The Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee said lawmakers and their employees cannot accept travel expenses from lobbyists unless those result from participation in a panel, seminar, or speaking engagement or were incurred at a meeting of a national organization of which any state agency is a dues paying member. When it comes to sharing rides with lobbyists for personal travel, starting immediately, lawmakers must reimburse the cost of their travel within a week.

Washington: Washington AG to Press for $18 Million Fine Against Foodmakers
Capital Press – Don Jenkins | Published: 9/6/2018

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said his office will seek to restore an $18 million fine against the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), which an appeals court overturned recently. The court upheld GMA’s conviction and left in place a $6 million judgment for shielding the names of food and beverage companies that contributed to a campaign against a GMO-labeling initiative in 2013. The court ruled, however, that a lower court judge erred by finding that GMA intentionally broke the law and tripling the penalty. Even at $6 million, the fine would be the largest campaign finance penalty in U.S. history.

Campaign Finance

National: “Three-Quarters of the Secret Money in Recent Elections Came from 15 Groups” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today

National: “Activists Raised $1 Million to Defeat Susan Collins If She Votes for Kavanaugh. She Says It’s Bribery.” by Eli Rosenberg for Washington Post

California: “Koch-Backed Charity Must Reveal Donor List to California Officials, Appeals Panel Rules” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee (Washington Post) for Connecticut Post

Elections

National: “Viral Videos Are Replacing Pricey Political Ads. They’re Cheaper, and They Work.” by Jeremy Peters and Sapna Maheshwari (New York Times) for MSN

National: “Trump Signs New Order to Sanction Countries That Meddle in U.S. Elections” by Deirdre Shesgreen for USA Today

Ethics

California: “Fair Political Practices Commission Begins Accepting Electronic Payments for Penalties” by the Staff for The Times-Herald

Iowa: “Iowa Governor Flew to Game on Vendor’s Plane” by Ryan Foley for Associated Press

New Jersey: “Murphy’s AG Vows to Go After Crooked Cops and Politicians with New Corruption Unit” by S.P. Sullivan (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

Virginia: “The Cyclist Who Flipped Off Trump’s Motorcade Is Running for Public Office” by Jenna Portnoy for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

National: “Campaigns, Parties Can Accept Free Service From Microsoft, FEC Says” by Stephanie Aiken for Roll Call

Alaska: “Realtors PAC Probably Getting Big Break on Fines for Campaign Finance Violations” by Amy Armstrong for Anchorage Press

Washington: “Judge Boosts Contempt Fines Against Tim Eyman in Campaign-Finance Lawsuit” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Elections

National: “In Hollywood, There’s a Nerdy New Hobby: Flipping the House” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “In an Increasingly Diverse House, Aides Remain Remarkably White” by Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) for WRAL

Colorado: “Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission on Uncertain Course” by Marianne Goodland for Colorado Springs Gazette

Lobbying

Michigan: “Lobbyist: Hawaii junket for Lansing lawmakers was ‘hard work’” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press

Ohio: “Ethics Panel Imposes Stricter Rules on Ohio Lawmaker Travel” by Jo Ingles for WOSU

Campaign Finance

National: “Dem Super PACs Keep Getting Bigger as Candidates Turn on PAC Money” by Maggie Severns for Politico

California: “How Eight Elite San Francisco Families Funded Gavin Newsom’s Political Ascent” by Seema Mehta, Ryan Menenzes, and Maloy Moore for Los Angeles Times

Florida: “Bank Closes Candidate’s Campaign Account Because of Medical Marijuana Ties – Again” by Samantha Gross for Miami Herald

Missouri: “Court Affirms Major Blow to Missouri Amendment Restricting Campaign Donations” by Jason Rosenbaum for St. Louis Public Radio

Elections

National: “Republicans Running for Governor Look for Success in Unlikely Places: Blue states” by Tim Craig for Washington Post

National: Democrats Embrace Liberal Insurgents, Demanding New Face for Party” by Alexander Burns (New York Times) for MSN

Ethics

Nevada: “LVCVA Gift Card Scandal Attracts Nevada Ethics Scrutiny” by Jeff German for Las Vegas Review-Journal

New York: “Cuomo Often Takes Taxpayer-Funded Planes and Helicopters, Far More Than Other Big State Governors” by Shane Goldmacher for New York Times

Campaign Finance

California: “Banning Man Wins $220,000 from State Political Watchdog Panel” by Craig Schultz for Riverside Press-Enterprise

Washington: “Washington AG to Press for $18 Million Fine Against Foodmakers” by Don Jenkins for Capital Press

Ethics

National: “Papadopoulos Sentenced to 14 Days in Jail” by Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein for Politico

Arkansas: “Accomplice in Kickback Scheme Involving State Grants Gets 6 Years in Prison; House Arrest Plea Rejected” by Doug Thompson for Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Maryland: “Baltimore Ethics Board Rejects Mayor Pugh’s Request for Sweeping Exemption from Fundraising Rules” by Ian Duncan for Baltimore Sun

New Mexico: “Rio Arriba Official Is Facing 4 Felony Charges” by Edmundo Carrillo for Albuquerque Journal

South Carolina: “Statehouse Probe Offered Fixes to SC Ethics Laws. But a Judge Needs to Unseal Them.” by Andy Shain for Charleston Post and Courier

Lobbying

Arizona: “‘Women … Were Warned About Him:’ Phoenix lobbyist resigns after harassment complaints” by Jessica Boehm for Arizona Republic

National:

Cities Take Aim at the Spiraling Costs of Local Elections
CityLab – Sarah Holder | Published: 9/4/2018

Several of the nation’s largest cities – including Portland, Denver, and Baltimore – are attempting to overhaul their campaign finance systems by reducing contribution limits or establishing public financing projects that make each donated dollar go further, or both. Candidates, especially those running for the first time against incumbents, are hopeful the measures will level the playing field. Jo Ann Hardesty, who is running for the Portland City Council this November, said the reforms would help her and others focus on running, not campaigning: “It will force me not to spend so much time on the phone trying to raise money, and it means that regular people can run and serve.”

Twitter Will Begin Labeling Political Ads About Issues Such as Immigration
Chicago Tribune – Tony Romm (Washington Post) | Published: 8/30/2018

Twitter announced it would begin labeling political advertisements as part of a new effort to increase transparency on its platform. The company said it will move to identify electioneering ads, which the FEC defines as ads promoting a specific candidate or a party within 30 days of a primary election and 60 days of a general election. Such labeling would include some kind of signifier, like a purple dot noting the tweet is prompted by a political account, according to a potential mockup the company included in a post announcing the changes.

Federal:

Company Using Foreign Workers Botches U.S. Senate Campaign Finance Records
Center for Public Integrity – Rosa Cima | Published: 9/5/2018

Unlike those running for the presidency and House, U.S. Senate candidates do not file campaign finance reports electronically. They file on paper, which must then be converted to electronic documents in a process that involves two government agencies, three private companies, and countless low-paid workers, many of them overseas, and some who may be hostile toward American interests. This document conversion process often spits out bogus, yet official public records that mislead the public and obscure who is funding Senate campaigns. An investigation found errors in more than 5,900 candidate disclosures representing over $70 million, all of them traceable to the U.S. government’s conversion of paper into electronic data.

Former Manafort Associate Reveals Illegal Foreign Payment to Trump’s Inauguration
Politico – Kyle Cheney and John Meyer | Published: 9/1/2018

W. Samuel Patten pleaded guilty to failing to register as a foreign agent for a Ukrainian political party. He also admitted to lying to the U.S. Senate intelligence committee during its investigation into Russian election interference and of participating in a scheme to circumvent the ban on foreign donations to President Trump’s inaugural committee by lining up a straw purchaser to pay $50,000 for tickets to the inauguration. This is the first time the Justice Department has publicly charged a person for helping a foreigner secretly funnel money into a Trump political event. The case was referred by special counsel Robert Mueller to the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. Patten’s plea agreement requires him to cooperate with the special counsel’s probe.

From the States and Municipalities:

Arkansas: Former Sen. Woods Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Prison
talkbusiness.net – Jeff Della Rosa | Published: 9/5/2018

Former Arkansas Sen. Jon Woods was sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison forhis involvement in a widespread kickback and bribery scheme. He also was ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution. Woods was convicted in schemes involving Ecclesia College and AmeriWorks, a nonprofit company. He received kickbacks on $350,000 in state General Improvement Fund grants he directed to Ecclesia and $275,000 in grants he sent to AmeriWorks. Prosecutors did not specify how much money Woods received in kickbacks because all but a $40,000 wire transfer was paid in cash.

California: As the Legislative Year Ends, the #MeToo Movement Shows Its Influence
Los Angeles Times – Melanie Mason | Published: 9/3/2018

The #MeToo campaign launched a discussion about a culture of fear and retaliation at the Capitol in Sacramento, which women said had discouraged them from reporting pervasive harassment and allowed it to go unpunished. When the Legislature reconvened in January, two members had already resigned amid accusations of sexual misconduct and complaints had been lodged against three others. Lawmakers passed more than a dozen bills addressing workplace sexual harassment by the close of the two-year session. Experts said these measures could make California a national leader on the issue. The Legislature also spent months developing a new process for handling its own investigations of inappropriate behavior.

Illinois: State Farm Pays $250 Million, Ducks Trial Over Allegations It Tried to Rig Illinois Justice System
Chicago Tribune – Tim Bross, Margaret Cronin Fisk, and Jef Feeley (Bloomberg) | Published: 9/5/2018

State Farm reached a $250 million preliminary settlement in a class-action lawsuit claiming the insurance company funneled money to the campaign of Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier in 2004. In the 2005 case of Avery v. State Farm, Karmeier cast the deciding vote to reverse a $1 billion judgment against State Farm for its use of aftermarket car parts in repairs. The class-action lawsuit sought nearly $10 billion from State Farm. The plaintiffs alleged the company covertly supported Karmeier’s campaign to secure his win and reversal of the Avery decision. The suit claimed millions of dollars were funneled through donations to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which then sent the money to a PAC and the Illinois Republican Party for use in Karmeier’s campaign.

Kentucky: Father of Alison Lundergan Grimes Indicted in Campaign Finance Conspiracy
McClatchy DC – Daniel Desrochers and Bill Estep (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 8/31/2018

The father of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was indicted for illegally funneling nearly $200,000 to his daughter’s 2014 U.S. Senate campaign to pay for various services. Gerald Lundergan used funds from his own company to pay for “audio-video production, lighting, recorded telephone calls, and campaign consulting between July 2013 and December 2015,” the Justice Department said in a press release. Lundergan and the campaign vendor to whom he made the payments, who was also indicted, concealed their arrangement from officials on the campaign, causing it to file financial records to the FEC, according to the indictment.

Massachusetts: SJC Upholds Massachusetts’ Ban on Corporate Campaign Contributions
MassLive.com – Shira Schoenberg | Published: 9/6/2018

The Supreme Judicial Court upheld Massachusetts’ ban on corporate campaign donations, finding the prohibition does not violate First Amendment rights and can help prevent actual and perceived corruption. The law bans corporations from giving directly to candidates or establishing PACs but allows them to make unlimited independent expenditures, with certain disclosure requirements. The plaintiffs argued the law violates their right to free speech and unfairly applies to corporations but not to other entities like unions and nonprofits. Chief Justice Ralph Gants wrote it would be “unrealistic for a court to require the Legislature to wait for evidence of widespread quid pro quo corruption resulting from corporate contributions before taking steps to prevent such corruption.”

New York: Mayoral Charter Revision Commission Puts Three Questions on November Ballot
Gotham Gazette – Samar Khurshid | Published: 9/5/2018

The charter revision commission created by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio voted to put three questions on the ballot in November. If approved by voters, the proposals would significantly reduce campaign contribution limits in city elections, create a new agency to civically engage the public, and apply term limits and appointment reforms to community boards. One proposal would reduce contribution limits for public financing participants as well for those who do not join the program. It would also increase the matching ratio to eight-to-one for the first $250 raised by a citywide candidate and for the first $175 raised for all other seats.

North Carolina: Court Won’t Force North Carolina Redistricting This Year
Politico – Josh Gerstein | Published: 9/4/2018

A panel of three federal judges ruled North Carolina’s current congressional map can be used in the 2018 midterms, despite previously ruling the map is a partisan gerrymander. The judges said there was “insufficient time” for the court to approve a new map in time for the elections that are two months away. Both the plaintiffs and the defendants in the case had asked that a new map not be imposed on the state for the current election cycle.

North Carolina: Justice Dept. Demands Millions of North Carolina Voter Records, Confounding Elections Officials
New York Times – Richard Fausset and Michael Wines | Published: 9/5/2018

Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas demanding that millions of North Carolina voter records be turned over to immigration authorities by September 25. The subpoenas threatened to sow chaos in the state’s election machinery, while renewing the Trump administration’s discredited claims of widespread voting by illegal immigrants. The subpoenas were issued a week after federal officials announced that 19 noncitizens in North Carolina had been charged with casting illegal votes in the 2016 election. Critics say those arrests hardly constitute a wave of voter fraud worthy of such a broad demand for documents. And they raised concerns about privacy: among the prosecutors’ demands are millions of secret ballots cast by absentee and early voters whose identities could be easily traced.

Pennsylvania: Ex-Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer Guilty on All Counts
Allentown Morning Call – Peter Hall | Published: 8/30/2018

A jury convicted former Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer on 11 counts related to a “pay-to-play” scheme in which federal prosecutors said he traded public works contracts for campaign contributions and bribed the city council president to repeal a law limiting how much campaign money he could accept. The jury heard witnesses testify that Spencer and his campaign staff tied the award of public works contracts to donations from engineering firm executives to Spencer’s re-election campaign. His former chief of staff and campaign fundraiser also testified about Spencer’s role in making a “forgivable loan” to the wife of council President Francisco Acosta to ensure he followed through on legislation to repeal or suspend the city’s campaign reporting law.

Texas: Beto O’Rourke Dreams of One Texas. Ted Cruz Sees Another Clearly.
WRAL – Matt Flegenheimer (New York Times) | Published: 8/31/2018

A blue Texas has seemed both inevitable and impossible, the central political contradiction in a state defined by them. Any breakthrough, Democrats have long believed, would be borne of demographics and triangulation: focus on the cities, with their surging Hispanic populations and creeping cosmopolitanism. Edge to the middle a bit to bring in wary moderates. And impress upon voters just how extreme the incumbents had become. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke has resolved to ignore basically all of this in his campaign to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. O’Rourke has defined the philosophy with a line borrowed from Jim Hightower, a prominent activist who was once Texas agriculture commissioner: “The only thing you’ll find in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead armadillos,” O’Rourke said.

Virginia: Citing Fraud, Judge Orders Candidate Off the Ballot in Virginia Congressional Race
Danbury News Times – Gregory Schneider (Washington Post) | Published: 9/5/2018

A judge ordered an independent candidate in a key congressional contest in Virginia removed from November’s ballot, citing invalid signatures gathered with assistance from staffers for the incumbent Republican. The effort to put Shaun Brown on the ballot as an independent candidate, which could have siphoned votes from the Democratic nominee, Elaine Luria, was boosted by U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor’s campaign staffers. Taylor had said he knew staff members were collecting signatures for Brown, but he did not direct the effort.

Campaign Finance

National: “Cities Take Aim at the Spiraling Costs of Local Elections” by Sarah Holder for CityLab

Kansas: “Feds: Sen. Hutchinson stole campaign funds; spent money on cruises, jewelry and Netflix fees” by Wesley Brown for talkbusiness.net

Kentucky: “Father of Alison Lundergan Grimes Indicted in Campaign Finance Conspiracy” by Daniel Desrochers and Bill Estep (Lexington Herald-Leader) for McClatchy DC

Wisconsin: “Secret Cash Aided Politicians Who Rewrote Wisconsin Law to Block Claims of Lead-Poisoned Children” by Pawan Naidu (Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism) for Wisconsin Public Radio

Elections

Illinois: “Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Says He Won’t Run for Re-Election Next Year” by Bill Ruthhart for Chicago Tribune

Ethics

National: “Democrats, Eyeing a Majority, Prepare an Investigative Onslaught” by Nicholas Fandos (New York Times) for MSN

National: “As the Legislative Year Ends, the #MeToo Movement Shows Its Influence” by Melanie Mason for Los Angeles Times

New York: “How a Cuomo Donor Spent $25M in Public Funds It Didn’t Need” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Legislative Issues

National: “Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl Will be John McCain’s Successor in the U.S. Senate” by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Maria Polletta (Arizona Republic) for USA Today