August 25, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Campaign Finance “Study: Outside groups, secret money far more prominent than ever before” by Robert Maguire for Center for Responsive Politics “Inside the Exclusive Events Helping to Fund Clinton and the Democratic Party” by Matea Gold and John Wagner for […]

August 24, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday Government Relations News

Lobbying New York: “NY State Ethics Watchdog Investigating Nonprofit with Ties to Large Corporate Political Donor” by Larry Kaplan for Nonprofit Quarterly Campaign Finance “Sanders’ New Group Exempt from Campaign Finance Laws” by Jasper Craven for VTDigger.org Florida: “On 2nd […]

August 23, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying “Signs Suggest Hillary Clinton May Be More Open to Lobbyists in Her Administration” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post “The Lobbying Law at the Center of Manafort’s Trouble with Ukraine” by Megan Wilson for The Hill Missouri: “Republican Resigns […]

August 22, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Monday News Roundup

Campaign Finance “How One Family’s Deep Pockets Helped Reshape Donald Trump’s Campaign” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times “Rep. Ami Bera’s Father Sentenced to Prison for Funneling Money to His Son’s Campaigns” by John Myers and Sophia Bollag for […]

August 19, 2016 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – August 19, 2016

National: Will Donald Trump Hand State Capitols to Democrats? The Atlantic – Russell Berman | Published: 8/12/2016 With Donald Trump’s falling poll numbers, some Democrats see an opportunity to not only put Hillary Clinton in the White House, but wrest control […]

National:

Will Donald Trump Hand State Capitols to Democrats?
The Atlantic – Russell Berman | Published: 8/12/2016

With Donald Trump’s falling poll numbers, some Democrats see an opportunity to not only put Hillary Clinton in the White House, but wrest control of the U.S. Senate and shrink the party’s gap in the House, if not flip it entirely. There could also be a Trump effect that could shape the political landscape further into the future: the elections for control of state Legislatures. With more states in play, Democrats are now aiming to flip at least 10 and as many as 13 legislative chambers. The stakes for control of state governments are all the higher because unlike Congress, Legislatures outside Washington, D.C. have been hotbeds of activity rather than gridlock.

Federal:

Obama Facing Pressure to Rip Up His Lobbyist Rules
Politico – Sarah Wheaton | Published: 8/12/2016

Some are calling on President Obama to revoke the executive order that restricts lobbyists from serving in the White House. “There are political optics reasons why there’s a lot of attractiveness to make the ethics bars really strict, but in governing, you’ve got to be careful that you’re not losing on actual talent,” said Max Stier, the head of a nonprofit that is working to facilitate an orderly transition of power after the election. But ending the order could be seen as an acknowledgment Obama failed to uphold one of the major pledges of his 2008 campaign, or the change he brought was not enduring. The debate also reveals a broader disagreement among watchdogs about how effective his administration has been at filling the government with knowledgeable public servants who deserve the voters’ trust.

The Psychiatric Question: Is it fair to analyze Donald Trump from afar?
New York Times – Benedict Carey | Published: 8/15/2016

The American Psychiatric Association in 1973 declared it unethical for any psychiatrist to diagnose a public figure’s condition “unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement.” Now, Donald Trump’s incendiary, stream-of-consciousness pronouncements have strained that rule to the breaking point, exposing divisions in the field over whether such restraint is appropriate today. Supporters of the guideline have cited three main rationales for adhering to it: most diagnoses made from a distance turn out to be wrong; the labels themselves can cause real harm to the person and family members; and the practice undermines the field’s credibility. But the psychoanalyzing of public figures by commentators, columnists, and pop psychologists has a bipartisan history.

Trump Chair Routed Ukrainian Money to D.C. Lobbyists
Politico; Associated Press – | Published: 8/17/2016

Donald Trump’s campaign chairperson, Paul Manafort, helped a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine secretly funnel more than $2 million to two lobbying organizations in Washington, D.C., the Associated Press reported. Citing unidentified sources with knowledge of the effort, the AP reported the payments were concealed in order to mask the party’s efforts to influence U.S. lawmakers. Lobbyists in the U.S. are required by law to register as foreign agents if they receive funding from other nations’ leaders. The New York Times has reported that Manafort’s name was found in a secret ledger in Ukraine, which listed more than $12 million in cash payments to the political operative, which he has since denied receiving.

Trump Shakes Up Campaign, Demotes Top Adviser
Washington Post – Robert Costa and Jose DelReal | Published: 8/17/2016

Donald Trump has shaken up his presidential campaign for the second time in two months, hiring a top executive from the conservative website Breitbart News and promoting a senior adviser in an effort to right his faltering campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairperson, will retain his title. But the staffing change was seen by some as a demotion for Manafort. People briefed on the move said it reflected Trump’s realization that his campaign was at a crisis point. But it indicates that Trump, who has chafed at making the types of changes his current aides have asked for, even though he had acknowledged they would need to occur, has decided to embrace his aggressive style for the duration of the race.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Ethics Commission Schedules Special Meeting to Address Backlog
AL.com – Mike Cason | Published: 8/15/2016

Alabama Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Albritton said the agency has a backlog of requests for advisory opinions and will hold a special meeting on September 1 to address them. Albritton said the meeting was not specifically about requests related to former House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s trial. But he said the commission received a large number of opinion requests in July. Hubbard was convicted of 12 felony ethics violations in June. The commission normally meets every 60 days, and its next regular meeting will be in October. Albritton said he did not want those requesting opinions to have to wait until then.

District of Columbia – ‘Shadow Campaign’ Donor and Mastermind Sentenced to Three Months Behind Bars
Washington Post – Ann Marimow, Mike DeBonis, and Rachel Weiner | Published: 8/15/2016

A District of Columbia businessperson who poured millions of illegal dollars into city, state, and federal elections was sentenced to three months in jail. Jeffrey Thompson acknowledged setting up a slush fund to help Vincent Gray get elected mayor of Washington in 2010. He also gave more than $600,000 in illegal funds to help Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid. Prosecutors had asked for six months of home confinement, in part because of Thompson’s cooperation in the case. But U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said home confinement was “not sufficient” punishment. The judge also ordered Thompson serve 36 months’ probation and pay a $10,000 fine.

Missouri – Faith Leaders Go on Trial for Protesting Missouri Senate for Medicaid Expansion
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Celeste Bott | Published: 8/15/2016

Prosecutors are moving forward with a case against 23 clergy members arrested after participating in a Missouri Senate protest. Authorities charged the clergy with obstructing government operations and first-degree trespassing after they and a few hundred others in 2014 protested lawmakers’ refusal to accept federal dollars to expand the state’s Medicaid program. Protesters filled the Senate’s public galleries, and chanted and sang before police arrested the clergy members. Typically, charges for these kind of political demonstrations are dropped or not pursued by prosecutors, making this trial unusual.

New Jersey – ELEC Unable to Meet Because of Vacancies
NJTV News – Briana Vannozzi | Published: 8/17/2016

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) has been unable to meet for the past five months. Three out of the four seats are vacant, and because ELEC needs at least two members to hold a quorum, the sole member has been left waiting on the sidelines. It is up to the governor’s office, with the advice and consent of the state Senate, to make the appointments. Historically speaking, the makeup of the commission has been non-partisan with two Democrats and two Republicans. But with political gridlock in Trenton becoming the new norm, the process has stalled.

New York – For Cuomo, Passing Ethics Bill Was Urgent, Signing It Was Not
Gotham Gazette – David Howard King | Published: 8/12/2016

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has yet to request the Legislature send him an ethics reform package he personally designed and pushed lawmakers to pass. Announced by Cuomo late in the legislative session, the actual bill was then a mystery for days before being introduced in the wee hours of the morning on the final day of the session. Thanks to the governor’s message, legislators were able to pass it within hours despite mostly not being familiar with the bill. While the governor has not even called the bill to his desk, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics approved a series of emergency regulations prompted by the bill that will go into effect 30 days after Cuomo does sign it.

Pennsylvania – Gifts to Seth Williams Create Conflicts
Philadelphia Inquirer – Tricia Nadolny, Aubrey Whelan, and Chris Brennan | Published: 8/18/2016

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams amended his annual financial disclosure reports to include $160,050 in gifts from 2010 to 2015 that he had failed to list. Among them are four family vacations at the Key West beach house of Philadelphia lawyer Richard Hoy. During the same period, Hoy represented scores of defendants facing charges brought by Williams’ office. Observers see it as one of several red flags scattered among the newly disclosed gifts. Williams received $800 in cash for Christmas from members of his security detail; $6,000 in tickets, trips, and gift cards from a defense attorney who later was elected judge with Williams’ backing; and sideline passes from the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that has seen former and current players investigated by Williams’ office.

Pennsylvania – Jury: A.G. Kane guilty of perjury, obstruction, all other charges
Philadelphia Inquirer – Craig McCoy, Angela Couloumbis, and Laura McCrystal | Published: 8/15/2016

A jury found Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane guilty on perjury and obstruction charges, leaving the state’s top prosecutor facing a potential prison term for what was called a case of political retribution at her trial. One day after the verdict, Kane announced her resignation. Prosecutors painted a picture of Kane trying to “go on the offensive” after a newspaper article criticized her for shutting down an undercover investigation into possible corruption by state representatives. Prosecutors say she believed former Chief Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina was behind the story. Kane was accused of leaking secret grand jury documents to the news media in an effort to discredit Fina, and then lying to cover it up.

South Dakota – Charles Koch’s Network Launches New Fight to Keep Donors Secret
USA Today – Fredreka Schouten | Published: 8/16/2016

Americans for Prosperity, the largest activist group in the policy and political empire founded by Charles and David Koch, launched a coalition this year to fight South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22, which calls for public disclosure of donors who fund advocacy efforts, the creation of a state ethics commission, and public financing of campaigns. It also limits lobbyists’ gifts to elected officials and lowers the amount of campaign contributions to candidates, parties, and political action committees. The South Dakota campaign marks the latest in a string of battles the Koch network has waged around the country to block efforts to disclose contributors’ identities.

Texas – Pool Offers Changes to Lobby Ordinance
Austin Monitor – Jo Clifton | Published: 8/17/2016

City Councilperson Leslie Pool revised her legislation that would reform Austin’s lobbying ordinance after her initial proposal met with resistance. The new ordinance requires registration only for lobbyists who earn at least $2,000 in compensation during a quarter and work at least 26 hours on lobbying during that quarter. The current ordinance requires a person to register if he or she earns just $200 a quarter, with no hourly requirements. The revised measure also would eliminate the term “incidental lobbying,” a phrase included in current city regulations. If the ordinance passes as Pool is proposing, lobbyists will also have to report their compensation within ranges, which is not required under current law. Pool is also seeking to do away with Austin’s antiquated reporting system.

Washington – Can State Lawmakers Use GoFundMe to Attend National Conventions – and Not Report Donors?
Tacoma News Tribune – Melissa Santos | Published: 8/16/2016

A few Washington lawmakers were chosen to attend the Democratic National Convention as delegates, and some solicited donations online to help cover their cost of attendance. Legislative attorneys issued informal advice that such donations do not violate state ethics rules and do not need to be reported. But members of the Legislative Ethics Board questioned that reasoning during a recent meeting, wondering whether contributions made through crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe provide a covert way for lobbyists to influence state lawmakers while evading normal reporting requirements. The board asked for a report on whether lawmakers must disclose who helps them attend national conventions.

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.

August 18, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying “Trump Chair Routed Ukrainian Money to D.C. Lobbyists” by The Associated Press for Politico Texas: “Pool Offers Changes to Lobby Ordinance” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor Campaign Finance “Pro-Trump Super PAC Hire Tests Federal Election Rules” by Andrew […]

August 12, 2016 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – August 12, 2016

National: The Crusade of a Democratic Superlawyer with Multimillion-Dollar Backing Washington Post – Robert Barnes | Published: 8/7/2016 Marc Elias, a go-to lawyer for Democrats in recount fights and redistricting battles, has now taken a prominent and somewhat controversial place among […]

National:

The Crusade of a Democratic Superlawyer with Multimillion-Dollar Backing
Washington Post – Robert Barnes | Published: 8/7/2016

Marc Elias, a go-to lawyer for Democrats in recount fights and redistricting battles, has now taken a prominent and somewhat controversial place among the coalition of groups challenging a wave of state election laws that were rewritten in recent years. With a multimillion-dollar commitment from George Soros, Elias is challenging laws that, he argues, diminish the impact of important Democratic Party constituencies of African Americans, Latinos, and young people. The states say they are seeking to combat voter fraud and protect confidence in the electoral process. But in the past month, a long list of judges, appointed by both Democrats and Republicans, have found the threat either negligible or nonexistent. Instead, the judges said, there is evidence the laws hinder minority participation in the process.

Federal:

How Think Tanks Amplify Corporate America’s Influence
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Brooke Williams | Published: 8/7/2016

Think tanks have power in government policy debates because they are seen as researchers independent of moneyed interests. But in the chase for funds, think tanks are pushing agendas important to corporate donors, at times blurring the line between researchers and lobbyists. And they are doing so while reaping the benefits of their tax-exempt status, sometimes without disclosing their connections to corporate interests. On issues as varied as military sales to foreign countries, international trade, highway management systems, and real estate development, think tanks have frequently become vehicles for corporate influence and branding campaigns.

Think Tank Scholar or Corporate Consultant? It Depends on the Day
New York Times – Eric Lipton, Nicholas Confessore, and Brooke Williams | Published: 8/8/2016

The New York Times found an array of researchers at think tanks who had simultaneously worked as registered lobbyists, members of corporate boards, or outside consultants in litigation and regulatory disputes with only intermittent disclosure of their dual roles. With their expertise and authority, think tank scholars offer themselves as independent arbiters. But the analysis identified examples of scholars conducting research while corporations were paying them to help shape government policy. Many think tanks also confer “nonresident scholar” status on lobbyists, former government officials, and others who earn their primary living working for private clients. Largely free from disclosure requirements, the researchers’ work is often woven into elaborate corporate lobbying campaigns.

Trump’s Long Dalliance with Violent Rhetoric
Politico – Michael Crowley | Published: 8/10/2016

Even before Donald Trump’s remark that “Second Amendment people” might stop Hillary Clinton’s Supreme Court appointments, his associates and supporters had repeatedly called for violence against Clinton and Barack Obama, while right-wing leaders and militia groups that support Trump speak of an armed response to federal gun control efforts. Trump’s campaign said his remark was merely a call for gun owners to vote against Clinton this fall. But Democrats said Trump had, at a minimum, made a horribly ill-advised joke about mounting armed resistance. Some analysts said whatever Trump’s intended meaning, the comment was dangerous in a campaign already colored by violence, from assaults on protesters at Trump rallies to talk of rebellion and civil war among his far-right supporters.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – How the University of Alabama System Funneled $1.4 Million Through a ‘Dark Money’ Web
AL.com – Connor Sheets | Published: 8/7/2016

Established and managed by current and former University of Alabama System officials, the Alabama Association For Higher Education operates outside public view as a “dark money” nonprofit. By funneling more than $1.4 million through the group, the UA System has been able to influence state government without illegally donating directly to candidates or having to report its spending on campaign finance disclosures. It is an approach that experts describe as either unique among the nation’s universities or the local representation of a growing but unnoticed national trend.

California – ‘It Became a Price War’: Signature gatherers rake in top dollar with crowded field of ballot initiatives
Los Angeles Times – Christine Mai-Duc | Published: 8/9/2016

Some individuals in California have benefited from what consultants and petition-gathering firms are calling an unprecedented year in the signature business. The number of initiatives circulated combined with the top dollar that many campaigns were willing – or, in some cases, forced – to pay to get them qualified for the November ballot has surprised veterans of the craft. Angelo Paparella, president of National Petition Management, one of the biggest firms managing the signature-gathering process for statewide campaigns, and his competitors, who often deal directly with campaign consultants, usually employ petition coordinator firms and contractors, who in turn recruit, train, and manage street teams of signature gatherers. Carl Towe, who owns one such coordinating firm, said he has never seen pay like this in the 30 years he has worked in the field.

California – Santa Monica Lobbyists Required to Register with City Hall
Santa Monica Daily Press – Matthew Hall | Published: 8/11/2016

The Santa Monica City Council passed new rules that will require lobbyists to register and report their activities. Registration opens September 19 and all lobbyists will have to register within 10 days of any lobbying activity or by October 31, whichever is first. The fees are $40 for initial registration and $25 for amendments and annual renewal.

California – The Coliseum Case is the Latest Embarrassment for D.A.’s Corruption Unit
Los Angeles Times – Paul Pringle and Rong-Gong Lin II | Published: 8/6/2016

A case that grew out of a Los Angeles Times investigation in 2011 has become the latest embarrassment for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, which had already racked up a number of missteps in other high-profile, government corruption prosecutions. Two concert promoters accused in a bribery-and-embezzlement scheme involving raves at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will avoid serving any jail time under a plea bargain with prosecutors who acknowledged they mishandled evidence in the high-profile corruption case. Boston College Law School professor George Brown said the district attorney’s office, like other county prosecution agencies, might be better off leaving public corruption cases to their federal counterparts.

Connecticut – Documents: Feds’ interest in Democrats’ Malloy fundraising predated 2014 election
Hartford Courant – Jon Lender | Published: 8/9/2016

The federal investigation into Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy’s re-election campaign began even before Election Day 2014, emails between the U.S. attorney’s office and the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) show. The emails indicate federal prosecutors contacted the SEEC at around the time that Republicans first filed a complaint alleging Malloy and state Democrats were trying to circumvent the Connecticut’s clean election law. A grand jury has been meeting to examine the Democrats’ fundraising since late April and has a subpoenaed contractors and state Democratic staffers.

Hawaii – How Ethics Commission Upheaval Is Playing Out in The Mayor’s Race
Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 8/8/2016

Mayoral candidates Charles Djou and Peter Carlisle have been sharpening their attacks in the weeks leading up to the August 13 primary, saying Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell does not care about ethics in government. Over the past several months, the city Ethics Commission has seen its longtime executive director, Chuck Totto, resign under pressure and its sole investigator quit while protesting the heavy-handed management practices of the political appointees who oversee the agency. Ethics investigations have lapsed, and the commission now finds itself fighting to maintain its credibility in an environment in which citizens across the country are becoming increasingly mistrustful of their government.

Illinois – Judge Denies Blagojevich’s Bid to Lighten 14-Year Sentence
ABC News – Michael Tarm (Associated Press) | Published: 8/9/2016

A federal judge resentenced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to 14 years in prison for his corruption conviction, reaffirming the decision originally handed down more than four years ago. Blagojevich won a chance at resentencing after an appellate court vacated five of 18 charges related to a scheme in which he tried to use his power as governor to extract favors and campaign money from other politicians. The former governor had requested the judge to reduce his sentence to five years in prison. Prosecutors called on U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel to keep the 14-year prison term in place, arguing Blagojevich did not deserve leniency, noting his corruption eroded trust in public officials.

Missouri – Contribution Limits, Tobacco Tax Increase Gain Enough Signatures to Appear on Missouri Ballot
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 8/9/2016

Secretary of State Jason Kander certified four ballot initiatives to go before voters in November, including two a limit on campaign contributions. The effort to reinstall contribution limits would amend the state constitution to cap donations to statewide candidates at $2,600. It also seeks to ban political committees from obscuring the source of their money, a tactic that has become more prevalent in recent years.

New York – Cuomo Cabinet Boat Trip Highlights Campaign Finance Law Concerns
Gotham Gazette – David Howard King | Published: 8/11/2016

The highest ranking members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration recently boarded a boat in Columbia County and embarked for New York City. It was formally called a cabinet retreat, and the stated purposes for the trip was government related, separate from any strategizing for Cuomo’s 2018 re-election bid. And yet the administration says the cost of the boat trip was paid from the governor’s campaign funds. The use of campaign money to pay for government staff to take a working field trip appears to be completely legal under the state’s campaign finance law, but critics of the system say the law is too loose. Those who want to see reform say the current system allows elected officials to take in significant donations, including from entities with government business, and enhance their lifestyles by paying for extravagant meals, cars, and trips.

New York – Sparks at JCOPE Over Retroactive Donor Disclosure
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 8/9/2016

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) passed regulations that will govern the state’s lobbying disclosure rules should New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sign an ethics reform package, as expected. Under current law, issue-oriented lobbying groups designated as 501(c)(4)s that spend more than $50,000 annually on lobbying must report donors of more than $5,000. The new law would lower those limits to capture groups that spend just $15,000 a year, and require their disclosure of donors of more than $2,500. Under the revised rules, the new, lower contribution limits would apply to donations and lobbying spending between July and December of this year, assuming Cuomo signs the bill.

Tennessee – Tennessee Lawmaker Convicted of Felony Tax Fraud
ABC News; Associated Press – | Published: 8/8/2016

A federal jury found Tennessee Rep. Joe Armstrong guilty on one count of filing a false tax return and an acquitted him on two other related felonies. Armstrong made roughly $321,000 when he used tobacco wholesaler Tru Wholesale to buy cigarette tax stamps for him at the 2006 rate of 20 cents per pack and then sell them after a 42-cent hike went into effect in 2007. Armstrong voted for the tax hike. It was not a crime for Armstrong to profit from a law on which he voted, nor was it a crime for Tru Wholesale owners Boyd Wyatt and Roger Cox to cut Armstrong in on the deal to hoard tax stamps until the hike went into effect. Hiding the money from the IRS, however, is criminal.

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.

August 11, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Thursday News Roundup

Lobbying “How Think Tanks Amplify Corporate America’s Influence” by Eric Lipton and Brooke Williams for New York Times Florida: “County Ballot Measure on Campaign Finance Delayed to 2018” by Douglas Hanks for Miami Herald Campaign Finance “Facebook May Soon Have […]

August 10, 2016 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

Connecticut Gov. Wants to Cut Budgets Amid Investigations

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s administration announced they are cutting the budgets for the state’s watchdog agencies. The Office of State Ethics, the Freedom of Information Commission, and the State Elections Enforcement Commission will be subject to shrinking budgets at a time […]

August 10, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Wednesday Government Relations News

Lobbying “AARP to Withdraw from Controversial Conservative Group Amid Rising Pressure” by David Marans for Huffington Post Kansas: “Kansas Boy Suffered Fatal Neck Injury on Waterslide” by The Associated Press for WIBW New York: “Sparks at JCOPE Over Retroactive Donor […]

August 9, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update

Lobbying “Think Tank Scholar or Corporate Consultant? It Depends on the Day” by Eric Lipton, Nicholas Confessore, and Brooke Williams for New York Times Tennessee: “Texts Show Ex-Haslam Aide’s Chats During Cooling Off Period” by Dave Boucher and Nate Rau […]

August 5, 2016 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

NYCU Video Digest – August 5, 2016

Here is our latest edition of the News You Can Use Video Digest. Have a great weekend! NYCU Video Digest was produced by 2016 interns Brittany Anderson and Clémence Besnard for State and Federal Communications.

August 5, 2016 • Written by Jonathan Spontarelli

News You Can Use Digest – August 5, 2016

National: Left Turns to Ballot Measures to Enact Political Change The Hill – Reid Wilson | Published: 8/2/2016 Liberals are turning to ballot measures to pursue other progressive goals that would be impossible to advance in Republican-controlled state Legislatures. Even in […]

National:

Left Turns to Ballot Measures to Enact Political Change
The Hill – Reid Wilson | Published: 8/2/2016

Liberals are turning to ballot measures to pursue other progressive goals that would be impossible to advance in Republican-controlled state Legislatures. Even in states where Democrats have political power, such as in California, activists have turned to ballot measures to speed their agenda. The rush of liberal ballot issues is something of a reversal from the last several decades, when conservatives used the initiative process to pass limits on taxes, implement term limits for state legislators, roll back regulations, and push contentious social issues.

The States Where Third-Party Candidates Perform Best
The Atlantic – Russell Berman and Andrew McGill | Published: 8/2/2016

It seems that voters might be more likely to support third-party candidates when they feel their vote would not actually impact the election. Researchers collected state vote totals for every presidential election since 1980, comparing how the closeness of a state’s vote correlated to the relative popularity of outside candidates. The correlation between support for the long shots and a state’s ideological one-sidedness was stronger in elections after 2000, when many Democrats blamed Floridians who voted for Ralph Nader for throwing the presidency from Al Gore to George W. Bush. This correlation disappears when the third-party candidate is a recognizable or compelling figure.

Women Are Finally Breaking into the Top Tier of Political Donors
Washington Post – Matea Gold | Published: 8/2/2016

Slowly, more female donors are breaking into the top echelon of political donors, a domain traditionally dominated by male millionaires and billionaires. The biggest female donors of 2016 gave nearly $63 million to super PACs through the end of June. That puts them on track to surpass major female contributors in the 2012 elections. The boost reflects what donors and fundraisers in both parties say they see happening behind the scenes: while still outstripped by men, more wealthy women are seizing on the opportunities to finance super PACs and other big-money groups that opened up in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision. Their stepped-up participation is driven by an improved economic status and an increasing recognition that they need to play in the political arena to have an effect.

Federal:

Court: Super PACs can be named after candidates
Politico – Josh Gerstein | Published: 8/2/2016

A federal appeals court effectively loosened the already lax regulations governing the relationship between campaigns and outside groups. A panel of judges of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled the FEC had violated the First Amendment in restricting super PACs from naming themselves, or their fundraising initiatives, after the candidates they support. “The title is a critical way for committees to attract support and spread their message because it tells users that the website or Facebook page is about the candidate,” wrote Judge Thomas Griffith. The court said the FEC could address its concerns by forcing Super PACs to publish “a large disclaimer at the top of [its] websites and social media pages.”

GOP Reaches ‘New Level of Panic’ over Trump’s Candidacy
Washington Post – Philip Rucker, Dan Balz, and Matea Gold | Published: 8/3/2016

Donald Trump is facing a whirlwind of criticism from Republican leaders as he fends off reports of a staff shake up, an intervention, and even rumblings he could be urged to step aside as the party’s nominee. Trump allies publicly urged the candidate to reboot, furious that he has allowed his confrontation with the Muslim parents of slain soldier Humayun Khan to continue for nearly a week. They also are angry with Trump because of his refusal to endorse two of the GOP’s top elected officials, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. John McCain, ahead of their coming primary elections. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, one of Trump’s most loyal defenders, warned that his friend was in danger of throwing away the election and helping to make Clinton president.

Lobbyists Woo Potential Freshmen Long Before Election Day
Roll Call – Kate Ackley | Published: 8/2/2016

Lobbyists do not wait until after Election Day to begin courting next year’s freshman class in Congress. Influencers are already reaching out to prospective senators and House members, hosting fundraisers and meet-and-greets at which they can provide connections and help swell candidates’ campaign coffers. The relationships do not guarantee access once the lawmaker takes office. But they have provided outlets for lobbyists to offer advice on potential staff hires or help newly settled lawmakers and aides find their way around Washington, D.C.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – S.F. Ballot Measure Takes Aim at Lobbyists’ Fundraising
San Francisco Public Press – Noah Arroyo | Published: 8/1/2016

The San Francisco Ethics Commission has voted to put a measure on the November ballot that supporters say would restrict certain lobbyist behaviors that create – or appear to engender – a quid-pro-quo relationship between them, their clients, and the elected or appointed officials they seek to influence. If voters pass the measure this fall, beginning in 2018, lobbyists represent private interests would have to notify City Hall ahead of time when they planned to lobby specific agencies. And during elections, lobbyists could no longer give personal donations to candidates running for office in those agencies, or deliver bundle contributions on behalf of their clients or anyone else. The proposition would also ban all lobbyists from giving gifts to city and county officials or their family members.

Connecticut – Budget Director: Governor can cut watchdog agencies’ funding
Washington Times – Susan Haigh (Associated Press) | Published: 8/3/2016

Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes contends Connecticut Gov. Dannell Malloy has the legal authority to withhold funding from the state’s watchdog agencies, despite 2004 legislation prohibiting governors from reducing the annual budgets of the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the Office of State Ethics, and the Freedom of Information Commission. Carol Carson, executive director of the Office of State Ethics, said the leaders of the three groups plan to seek an advisory opinion from state Attorney General George Jepsen on whether Malloy has the ability to make the reductions. “You can only cut so much and then you start to say, ‘We can’t do our mission,'” Carson said. “Further cuts will really damage our ability to do our basic core functions.”

Florida – Petition Drive Could Change How Miami-Dade Political Campaigns Are Financed
Miami Herald – David Smiley | Published: 8/2/2016

Activists submitted more than 125,000 signed petitions to potentially force a vote in November on a referendum that would limit contributions to candidates for county commission, mayor, and school board to $250 per person or corporation. Major county vendors and their lobbyists and principals would be barred from donating to candidates. And a system that affords candidates matching public contributions for donations of up to $100 by county residents would potentially enable candidates to multiply those donations six-fold. If enough signatures are verified, county commissioners will have to decide in the coming weeks whether to adopt proposed campaign finance legislation themselves or put the issue before voters.

Kansas – Kansas Republicans Reject Gov. Sam Brownback’s Conservatives in Primary
New York Times – Mitch Smith | Published: 8/3/2016

Moderate Republican candidates ousted at least 11 conservative state lawmakers allied with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback in primary elections across the state. The results were widely seen as a repudiation of a second-term governor whose popularity has plummeted amid sustained budget gaps and ensuing sharp cuts in state spending. And they likely mean the staunchly conservative state Legislature will move back toward the center in 2017. In addition, Republicans in one congressional district voted out U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp, a farmer who had become a tea party favorite in Washington but had annoyed party stalwarts.

Massachusetts – Mass. Insiders Turn to Lobbying Careers
Boston Globe – Mark Arsenault and Andrew Ryan | Published: 7/31/2016

Many times, consultants who help candidates win elections in Massachusetts then go on to represent corporate clients with interests before the new officeholder – even, in some cases, as they continue to advise the officials they helped elect. The relationships can be hard to scrutinize at the state level, where whole swaths of government are exempt from the public records law. Whether consultants are selling their access to officials or not, “there is almost always an appearance of conflict of interest in these situations,” said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts.

North Carolina – 4th U.S. Circuit Judges Overturn North Carolina’s Voter ID Law
Charlotte Observer – Anne Blythe (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 7/29/2016

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down North Carolina’s voter identification law. The panel agreed with allegations that the state’s law selectively chose voter-ID requirements, reduced the number of early-voting days, and changed registration procedures in ways meant to harm blacks, who overwhelmingly vote for the Democratic Party. The ruling tossed out the state’s requirement that voters present photo identification at the polls and restored voters’ ability to register on Election Day, to register before reaching the 18-year-old voting age, and to cast early ballots, provisions the law had fully or partly eliminated. The court also held that the ballots of people who had mistakenly voted at the wrong polling stations should be deemed valid.

Ohio – Ethics Commission Tells Columbus Leaders to Pay Up for Buckeye Junket
Columbus Dispatch – Lucas Sullivan | Published: 8/1/2016

The Ohio Ethics Commission ordered four current and former members of the Columbus City Council to pay the market value for a trip they took to an Ohio State football game. The council members took the trip with lobbyist John Raphael. Mayor Andrew Ginther, Councilperson Shannon Hardin, Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Eileey Paley, and former council member Michele Mills were told to pay nearly $700 for the trip, not just the $250 they each spent to attend the Big Ten Championship game in 2014. Raphael was sentenced to 15 months in prison in a separate case after he pleaded guilty to extorting money from Columbus’ red-light-camera vendor for campaign contributions to city officials.

Virginia – Lobbyists Spend Less on High-End Eats, Lawmakers Spend More
Albany Times Union – Alan Suderman (Associated Press) | Published: 8/2/2016

Revelations that former Gov. Robert McDonnell and his family accepted more than $175,000 worth of gifts and loans from a businessperson led Virginia lawmakers to put limits on the largess they could legally receive in 2014. Lobbyists remain big spenders, shelling out more than $543,000 on their efforts to convince state officials to favor their clients in the six months that ended April 30, which includes the entertaining that traditionally accompanies General Assembly sessions. But lobbyists seem to be taking legislators out to somewhat cheaper restaurants, while lawmakers are more frequently covering the cost of eating out with their campaign accounts. The reforms requiring more disclosure of gifts say lobbyists must identify officials attending their events if the average cost exceeds $50.

Wisconsin – Judge Strikes Down Wisconsin Voter ID, Early Voting Laws
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley and Jason Stein | Published: 7/30/2016

A federal judge threw out as unconstitutional a host of Wisconsin election laws passed in recent years, saying they unfairly benefited Republicans who had enacted them and made it more difficult for Democrats to vote. U.S. District Court Judge James Peterson’s ruling keeps in place the state’s voter identification law, unlike recent rulings in North Carolina and Texas, but he ordered broad changes. The sweeping ruling will not affect Wisconsin’s August 9 primary, but will take effect for the November presidential election unless overturned on appeal.

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.

August 4, 2016 • Written by Jim Sedor

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