October 12, 2015 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Wyoming Elections Director Resigns

Today Peggy Nighswonger, the Elections Director with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office, resigned from her position. Nighswonger, who oversaw elections, campaign finance disclosure and election laws, and ethics for the state, “stepped down amid ‘differences in philosophy’ with Secretary […]

October 12, 2015 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Columbus Mayoral Candidate Proposes New Ethics Plan

Columbus mayoral candidate Andrew Ginther recently proposed a plan for new ethics rules for lobbyists and elected officials. His plan would amend the definition of lobbyist and expand lobbyist reporting requirements. Elected officials would be required to report all gifts […]

October 12, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday News Roundup

Lobbying Florida: “Hillsborough to Post Paid Lobbyists’ Visits Online” by Mike Salinero for Tampa Tribune Pennsylvania: “House Passes Legislation to Increase Lobbying Fines” by Staff for Pennsylvania Business Daily Campaign Finance “Experts: John Kasich political ads chart new territory” by […]

October 9, 2015 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – October 9, 2015

National: Corporations Improve Reporting of Political Activity – with Exceptions Center for Public Integrity – Dave Levinthal and Cady Zuvich | Published: 10/8/2015 A new study asserts that most of the nation’s largest corporations are showing “sustained, concrete progress” toward volunteering […]

National:

Corporations Improve Reporting of Political Activity – with Exceptions
Center for Public Integrity – Dave Levinthal and Cady Zuvich | Published: 10/8/2015

A new study asserts that most of the nation’s largest corporations are showing “sustained, concrete progress” toward volunteering more information about how they interact with governments, politicians, and campaigns. The study awarded points in 24 categories to companies that, for example, voluntarily disclose contributions to certain nonprofit groups, publish policies that govern political expenditures from its corporate treasury, and reveal money spent to influence state-level ballot initiatives. Such disclosures generally exceed what is required of corporations, such as regularly filing disclosure reports about congressional lobbying activity.

Federal:

Donald Trump’s Candidacy Raises Novel Ethics Questions
USA Today – Fredreka Schouten | Published: 10/6/2015

Experts say federal law would not explicitly prohibit Donald Trump from continuing to run his sprawling gambling, real-estate, and brand-marketing empire if he is elected president. And the conflict-of-interest rules that bar Cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking executive branch officials from overseeing matters that boost their personal bottom lines do not apply to the president. As president, Trump would appoint members to the Federal Reserve Board, which sets interest rates that could affect mortgages on his real estate. His pick for the Interior Department would make decisions affecting Indian tribes with gambling interests that compete with Trump’s casinos. “[Trump] stands out because he’s not just a businessman – he’s the Flo Ziegfeld or the P.T. Barnum of politics. He’s genuinely unique”” said Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center.

Experts: John Kasich political ads chart new territory
USA Today – Fredreka Schouten | Published: 10/7/2015

A television ad promoting Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign opens with images of Islamic State fighters and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and touts Kasich as the one candidate with the experience to deal with a dangerous world. The video does not come from the Republican’s campaign, however. Instead, it is produced and funded by an outside group that can raise unlimited amounts to back Kasich’s candidacy. And in a test of rules that bar candidates from coordinating with independent groups, Kasich shot footage for this and other ads in concert with the outside group. Kasich’s camp and his allies argue that is permissible because he was not officially a candidate when he taped material for the commercials.

Gallup Gives Up the Horse Race
Politico – Steven Shepard | Published: 10/6/2015

After a bruising 2012 cycle, in which its polls were farther off than most of its competitors, Gallup said it is not planning any polls for the presidential primaries this cycle. And, even following an internal probe into what went wrong last time around, Gallup would not commit to tracking the general election next year. The move comes at a time of unusual tumult in the polling world. Some have expressed concern about the accuracy of polling at a time when fewer people are reachable or willing to talk to pollsters.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Drops Out of Race for House Speaker
Washington Post – Mike DeBonis | Published: 10/8/2015

U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy abruptly took himself out of the race to succeed John Boehner as speaker, apparently undone by the same forces that drove Boehner to resign. McCarthy’s candidacy was damaged when he suggested in an interview that the House committee investigating Benghazi had the political aim of damaging Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. He acknowledged his remarks about Benghazi had factored into his decision. McCarthy’s hopes of uniting Republicans took a blow when a close-knit group of roughly 40 hardline conservatives, the House Freedom Caucus, said it would back U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster.

Pithy, Mean and Powerful: How Donald Trump mastered Twitter for 2016
New York Times – Michael Barbaro | Published: 10/5/2015

Donald Trump has mastered Twitter in a way no candidate for president ever has, redefining its power as a tool of political promotion, distraction, and attack – and turning a 140-character task that other candidates farm out to staff members into a centerpiece of his campaign. In the process, he has managed to fulfill a vision sketched out a decade ago by a handful of digital campaign strategists: a White House candidacy that forgoes costly, conventional methods of communication and relies instead on the free and visceral platforms of social media. As Trump enters an uncertain period, even rival campaigns acknowledge Twitter is providing a bulwark against a slide in his poll numbers by allowing millions of supporters to make his case for him and deflect the controversies he touches off.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – More Transparency Coming for Referendums
San Diego Union-Tribune – David Garrick | Published: 10/6/2015

The San Diego City Council approved stricter reporting rules for groups supporting or opposing referendum campaigns. The changes make disclosures regarding referendums and initiatives the same as the city now requires of candidates seeking elective office. The rules will require committees formed to support or oppose an initiative or referendum to file disclosures within 10 days of receiving $100 contributions and within 24 hours of receiving $1,000 contributions. In addition, committees that make independent expenditures to support or oppose an initiative or referendum must file disclosures of all expenditures and funding sources within 24 hours during the signature gathering phase.

Kansas – Lobbyists Spend $500,000 on Food, Drink for Kansas Lawmakers
Wichita Eagle – Bryan Lowry | Published: 10/2/2015

Lobbyists in 2015 spent more than $500,000 entertaining Kansas lawmakers during the longest legislative session in the state’s history. State law prohibits lobbyists from making campaign donations during the session and limits them to spending $100 on gifts for a lawmaker. But unlike some other states, Kansas has no cap on the amount of food and drink a lobbyist can buy a legislator. Data from the state ethics commission give a partial picture of which organizations were most active in lobbying and which lawmakers they focused on during the session. But more than half the spending is not itemized, meaning it is not linked to a specific lawmaker.

Kentucky – Kentucky Lawmakers, Lobbyists May Already Be Violating New State Ethics Laws
Insider Louisville – Jonathan Meador | Published: 10/6/2015

An advisory from the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission expressed concern that lawmakers may be directly soliciting campaign contributions from lobbyists, potentially violating new laws specifically prohibiting them from doing so. Commission Executive Director John Schaaf says legislators might be sending fundraising appeals to lobbyists – including dollar amounts required for attendance at fundraisers, and to whom the payment should be made – which may then be passed on to the lobbyists’ employers. This, Schaaf said, likely would constitute a direct solicitation of a contribution.

New Mexico – New Corruption Fine Could Be Applied to Duran Case
Albuquerque Journal – Deborah Baker | Published: 10/5/2015

New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran is facing 65 criminal charges including fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering for allegedly misusing campaign contributions to cover personal spending, including at casinos. Twenty-six of the charges are felonies. Under a 2012 law, if Duran were convicted of a felony, a judge could increase her sentence by imposing a fine “not to exceed the value of the salary and fringe benefits paid to the offender” since the commission of the first felony for which she was convicted. It would be the first time the law has been used against a statewide official, and it is not clear how it would work. It does not use the word “pension,” and it does not technically provide for pension forfeiture. But losing pensions is precisely what legislators had in mind when they passed it.

North Carolina – Advisory Letter Could Permit Bigger Role for Outside Groups in NC Elections
WRAL – Mark Binker | Published: 10/3/2015

An advisory letter from State Board of Elections Director Kim Strach says her agency has no ability to regulate organizations that mail, publish, or broadcast issue ads, which often look like, and for all practical purposes are, campaign ads. Groups that avoid “express advocacy” and do not trip certain thresholds on the election calendar may remain unregulated and are free to exchange certain types of information with candidates. Strach’s letter lays out how policy organizations or groups formed to bolster a particular candidate for governor, such as the Renew North Carolina Foundation that has aired ads featuring Gov. Pat McCrory, may communicate with their favored candidates.

North Carolina – Legislature’s Last-Minute Rush Prompts Criticism
Raleigh News & Observer – Colin Campbell | Published: 10/3/2015

Lack of transparency and time for public input was a common theme in the General Assembly’s final days in Raleigh, with lawmakers using a variety of maneuvers to move proposals that had not previously been made public. Longtime observers of the legislature say unexamined proposals tend to surface in the final days of every session, regardless of which party is in charge. Also drawing criticism was the decision to extend the final session to four a.m., rather than adjourning and finishing the year’s business in daylight hours later. As dawn approached, some lawmakers fell asleep in their seats. Others played music or passed a football to stay awake. And 37 House members and seven Senate members were already gone before the final vote.

Ohio – Redlight Camera Lobbyist Agrees to Plead to Extortion, Releases Statement
Columbus Dispatch – Lucas Sullivan | Published: 10/2/2015

Lobbyist John Raphael agreed to plead guilty extortion for pressuring a traffic-camera company to make more than $70,000 in campaign contributions to officials in Columbus and Cincinnati. He told federal officials he warned Redflex Traffic Systems that it would lose out on contracts with the cities if it did not make the donations. Raphael then made the contributions to the unnamed officials through himself, family members, friends, and business associates. Former Redflex Chief Executive Officer Karen Finley has pleaded guilty to funneling campaign contributions to officials in the two cities between 2005 and 2013. Finley’s plea agreement said contributions intended for Columbus officials were given to the Franklin County Democratic Party and Ohio Democratic Party.

Pennsylvania – House Passes Legislation to Increase Lobbying Fines
Pennsylvania Business Daily; Staff – | Published: 10/7/2015

The Pennsylvania House passed legislation to increase fines for lobbying violations. House Bill 1348 would increase the maximum penalty from $2,000 to $4,000. It also increases the maximum penalty under current law for negligent failure to report, in varying increments over time. The bill also would require all disclosure filings to be posted on the Department of State’s website within seven days of receipt. It now goes to the state Senate.

Wisconsin – GOP Bills Would Hike Contribution Limits, Split GAB into Two Agencies
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 10/7/2015

Republican lawmakers formally unveiled a plan to disband the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB), calling it a well-intentioned experiment that failed. The bill would split the GAB into two separate commissions, one regulating ethics laws and the other covering elections. It would be similar to the system the GAB replaced in 2007. Members would be partisan appointees, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. GOP lawmakers also introduced a campaign finance bill that would double how much donors can give to candidates. It would also rewrite laws that are out of step with a host of state and federal court rulings that have loosened campaign finance restrictions.

Jim Sedor 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.

October 8, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying “Big Pharma Braces for 2016 Assault” by Peter Sullivan for The Hill Campaign Finance “Is Pro-Bush Super PAC Obscuring Spending?” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity “Cruise Control: D.C. lobbyists pay up for a weekend with Patrick […]

October 7, 2015 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Jurisdiction Added to our Website!

The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow. We now cover almost 300 municipalities and local governments. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients. In that […]

October 6, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying Kansas: “Lobbyists Spend $500,000 on Food, Drink for Kansas Lawmakers” by Bryan Lowry for Wichita Eagle Ohio: “Redlight Camera Lobbyist Agrees to Plead to Extortion, Releases Statement” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch Campaign Finance “At End of Fundraising […]

October 5, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday News Roundup

Campaign Finance Mississippi: “Mississippi Campaign Finance Laws Allow Golden Parachute for Politicians” by Steve Wilson for Mississippi Watchdog New Mexico: “AG: Office’s legal counsel off-limits to secretary of state” by Steve Terrell for Santa Fe New Mexican Ethics Alabama: “GOP […]

October 2, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying New Mexico: “Lobbyist Contributions Helped GOP Win House In 2014” by Sandra Fish (New Mexico in Depth) for KRWG Texas: “Building Professionals Distraught Over Proposed City Lobbying Changes” by Jack Craver for Austin Monitor Campaign Finance New York: “Carly […]

September 30, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday Government Relations News

Campaign Finance New York: “Big Donors Seek Larger Roles in Presidential Campaigns” by Ashley Parker for New York Times “FEC Employees: A bedraggled lot” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity “Shop on Amazon.com, Help Elect Bernie Sanders?” by […]

September 29, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday News Roundup

Ethics: Massachusetts: “Suffolk Sheriff Fined for ‘Coercive Use’ of His Position” by Michael Norton State House News Service for Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise California: “County Supervisors Appear Ready to Support an Ethics Commission” by Nick Gerda for Voice of OC […]

September 29, 2015 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Ethics New York: “Amid Federal Probe, Port Authority Adopts New Ethics Rules” Albany Times Union; Associated Press California: “Gun Discounts for LAPD Unit May Have Violated Ethics Rules” by Kate Mather for Los Angeles Times Connecticut: “Amid Questions, Commissioner Won’t […]

September 25, 2015 • Written by Admin Tester

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.

Jim Sedor 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 • Written by Jim Sedor

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 […]

Wyoming Elections Director Resigns

Columbus Mayoral Candidate Proposes New Ethics Plan

Monday News Roundup

News You Can Use Digest – October 9, 2015

Thursday News Roundup

Jurisdiction Added to our Website!

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Monday News Roundup

Thursday News Roundup

Wednesday Government Relations News

Monday News Roundup

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

News You Can Use Digest – September 25, 2015

Thursday New Roundup

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